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starlessea · 3 years

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Here Comes the Sun: XII. Highway To Hell (Daryl Dixon/Reader)

Series Masterlist: Here Comes the Sun

Summary: Daryl Dixon scares the hell out of you climbing out of that damn creek. It takes hauling his ass halfway across Georgia and taking a bullet for him to realise that you're not half bad. He slowly starts to come around, despite grumbling about how much he doesn't like your singing, or that you can't use a gun for shit - and don't get him started on that ugly yellow tent of yours. It takes him a while before he starts to see for himself that he's found a best friend for life, and that he doesn't actually mind the colour yellow that much, after all.

Words: 7169

Chapter Warnings: Language, Violence.

You held a hand up over your shoulder and crouched down near the door, signalling for Carol to do the same behind you. Your gun was pressed snug between your palms, and your knife hung from your belt in case you needed it. Though, from the looks of the place it seemed pretty secure - if the lock you'd just busted open was anything to go by. The two of you were scavenging and had spotted a small general store, deciding to check it out before heading back to the cabin. The group hadn't eaten anything substantial in days, save for the things Daryl had been hunting. Even then, the harsh winter months made it harder for him to pick up tracks when most animals had better shelter than you all did.

It had been a number of weeks since the farm was overrun, but it almost felt like yesterday. The temperature had dropped to freezing seemingly overnight, making your fortunes that much more cruel. Even now, your breath formed clouds of smoke before your eyes, and the cold felt like it had infiltrated your bones at some point and never left. The tips of your fingers stung as they glowed red, exposed through your fingerless gloves, and you were certain that your nose matched, too. Carol's did, that's for sure.

You gave her a quick nod before kicking in the door harshly with your boot, raising your gun as you entered. The inside was bigger than you were expecting, and it took you a few minutes to clear each aisle for walkers. As you did, you noticed how most supplies were missing from the shelves, having been taken before the place was locked up. Still, Glenn had always drilled into you the first rule of scavenging: 'there's nothing good left in this world that isn't hidden.'

Sending a nod to Carol, you put your gun away in your holster before reminding her to stay alert. The two of you split up as she made her way towards the canned goods sections, hoping to find something there. Ever since you'd been on the road, you and Carol had gotten quite a bit closer. At first, she seemed sceptical of Rick and the whole situation you were forced into, as you all did. Though, after time she seemed to realise that he was the group's best shot. Most days, the two of you made dinner with anything you could find, often supplementing the things you were missing with whatever Daryl had managed to bring home from his hunt. Other times, you went scavenging together, as you did today.

At first, Rick absolutely refused to let anyone split up, and you had to abide by his rule. One time he'd caught you mocking his 'this isn't a democracy' speech to Beth behind his back and you'd had to forfeit your portion of squirrel to the greater good that evening. Daryl sneaked you some of his afterwards, however. Though, Rick quickly began to realise that there was no other choice. Before long, you'd gotten good with a gun; taking down walkers each day had that effect. Soon, you were one of the frontrunners whenever you had a house to clear - often fighting alongside him, Glenn and Daryl.

Now, he was comfortable with you leading a few runs of your own and taking Carol along with you. Glenn and Maggie often went together, too, so that you covered more ground. It wasn't that Rick was comfortable with splitting up the group, you thought; he just didn't have a choice. Lori was nearing her due date and you were all practically living on fresh air, moving from place to place quicker than you had the chance to catch your breath.

You hadn't even had time to settle things with Daryl. You barely saw the man. He'd leave first thing in the morning to look for food, and be back late at night - when most of the group had already fallen asleep. Even then, he often took watch straight after he returned. You could tell how responsible he felt for everyone and you saw the worry in his eyes daily, if the bags under them were anything to go by.

After you had kissed Daryl, back at the farm, you only had one conversation about it. It was a couple of days after you all fled, when you were taking watch with him as the rest of the group were stuck camping under the stars. It was brief, and before that the two of you had already gone back to acting as good friends, like usual. He'd told you that he wasn't good with words, and didn't want to just give you some half-assed response in the midst of struggling to survive the Georgia winter. You agreed, and it was decided then that you'd talk about it later. Yet, later never came.

It had been an unspoken rule between the two of you that everyone's safety was the priority. Though, in truth, you hadn't had a single moment where you felt safe since you left the farm. It seemed almost cruel that immediately after you'd told the man that you wanted to live, rather than just survive, you had been thrust out into the vicious world where that's all you could struggle to do. So, the two of you just existed at the moment.

Some mornings you'd wake up to sound of him leaving, and some evenings he'd be back early enough to share a meal with you. Other than that, you lived for the brief occasions where you'd take watch together, when he'd smoke a cigarette next to you and you'd sit in content silence. Though, sometimes it felt like you were frightened to say anything at all, in case you accidentally blurted out all of your feelings at once. So, the both of you barely talked - waiting for the time when you could actually talk.

You shoved some supplies into your satchel as you scoured the aisles. There wasn't much you could see that hadn't been taken already, but you picked up a few bandaids in case you ever needed them. The only thing you were able to save from the farm was your satchel. Luckily, it already had your polaroids in it and a change of clothes, since you'd been packing to move into the Greenes' farmhouse at the time the horde arrived. Still, there was so much you missed from those days.

You missed the material things, like the comfort you got just from seeing Dale's RV parked by the main camp. You missed the flimsy deck chairs surrounding it, and the big apple trees that gave it shade, and the books you'd borrow from Hershel's library to read when you had lookout duty on top of it. You missed your white dress that smelt like the washing powder that Patricia used - even though you knew it wouldn't have survived long out in these dingy, cold places. You even missed the intangible things, and felt a deep longing of nostalgia for the sounds of the leaves rustling in the breeze or for the sweetness of the air. Those days felt so far away from you now, like the images of them were slipping out of your grasp - like grains of sand before you could catch them.

The things that remained fresh in your mind, however, were the people that you left behind. You missed Patricia and Jimmy and Andrea, and even Shane. As much as that man rubbed you the wrong way, you didn't want to see him die. You didn't want any of them to die. That night was a mess. These days, you often woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmares. Except, this time it was the faces of your family replacing the walkers that usually inhabited them. You missed the people you'd lost and you missed the place that you all thought was home. You also missed Daryl Dixon.

A loud clatter sounded from a few rows over from you, immediately making you thumb over your gun as you stilled in place.

"Carol?" You called over, unable to see her from behind the tall shelves. "Everything alright?"

She responded instantly, and you felt relief wash over you as she did.

"I'm fine. I just dropped a tin." She reassured you, her voice carrying as an echo in the empty store.

You let out a small sigh before continuing with your poor haul. It was times like these that you really felt your mind wander when it shouldn't. You knew that you should always be cautious, since you promised Rick that you'd look out for Carol. Though, quite frankly, you thought that he didn't give her enough credit. That woman was a force to be reckoned with, but not many people had realised it yet. Daryl had. The friendship the two of them shared was really admirable. He'd been the one to search for Sofia, and comfort Carol after the loss of her - and Carol was equally as good for him as he was for her. She'd been able to coax him out of his shell where even you struggled to, and you could see how he'd started to accept his new role within the group because of her.

You just wished, very selfishly, that you could be with him. You understood that he had a job to do now, and how not everyone was able to do the things he did. The group had women and children and older people and a pregnant Lori. You were all running on empty, barely hanging on as it was. Yet, those nights when he'd come back empty-handed, cursing himself under his breath when he thought you were all asleep, made you want to hold him close. You never did, knowing how much Daryl Dixon hated pity from anyone, but the longing was so strong that it made your eyes sting with tears.

Although things weren't awkward between the two of you, you didn't joke around nearly as much as you used to. The atmosphere always felt heavy, as nobody knew when the next meal would come, or how long this place would be safe before you had to move again. As the nights got bitterly cold, you huddled next to Beth for warmth, or Carol sometimes. You felt absolutely no shame in it. There were only a few tattered blankets to go around, but they barely did anything for your numb toes and stiff fingers. If you weren't all family before, then you definitely were now - given how close you'd all had to become.

Some nights, the ones which were your favourites, Daryl slept beside you. You didn't think it was intentional at first. Or, maybe it was. In the grand scheme of things, it was barely anything at all. Yet, the first time almost made you cry, as it felt like he was reminding you that he still cared for you. It wasn't like you ever embraced him, or did anything remotely intimate. You hadn't ever been anything more than the brief kiss you shared in his tent. Though, it still felt intimate to you.

He'd come in late, as usual, on a particularly cold night. You'd heard him slug off his boots and throw them aside as he stripped out of his heavy winter gear. The whole time, you'd pretended to be asleep, like you normally did. After a while, he finally laid down on the ground, clambering over the sleeping bodies of the rest of the group. You usually all huddled together in one room for warmth. You'd felt the floorboards creak and shift beneath you as he settled next to you, not that you were touching, but close enough to feel his presence and hear his breathing.

Once you were sure he'd fallen asleep, you scooted backwards slightly, so that your backs were touching. It was hardly anything, but the slight warmth you felt from him was more comfort than you'd had in weeks. You were touch starved and hungry and cold. You needed something. When you'd woken up the next morning, he was already gone. He never said anything about it, but since then you'd found yourself occasionally waking up in the middle of the night to your back pressed against his, or sometimes having a hand intertwined with your own.

As you finished down one aisle, you noticed another that had been left untouched. It was a toy section, quite small given the size of the store. Obviously, the necessities had been taken first, and you thought that whatever children had survived the apocalypse probably didn't have many things left to play with - since they were all still here. You trailed your finger over the dusty shelf, feeling the glossy plastic of the boxes and the soft fur of the stuffed animals piled there.

"Looking for something for the baby?" Carol asked, popping up behind you.

You immediately jumped, and flung a hand over your chest as you shot her a look. It had been your fault for not paying attention, but she didn't need to know that.

You shook your head. "Not intentionally." You admitted, eyes scanning over the selection. "But I suppose we could pick something up."

You chose one of the bears and shoved it into your satchel. Usually, you'd have looked for something for Carl, too, but he'd recently been acting a lot older than his years. He wanted to step up and protect everyone like his father, he confessed to you one day. You had to admit, he was a pretty good shot and certainly didn't seem like a child anymore. You didn't want to undermine his efforts by presenting him with an action figure in the midst of your current situation, telling him to take a break from killing walkers to play with it.

"Did you find anything?" You turned to look at Carol, who held up her bag that didn't seem anywhere near full.

She shrugged her shoulders at you and made a face. "Few expired cans, but nothing much." She frowned. "You?"

You shook your head softly and flipped open the flap of your satchel to show her your haul.

"Some bandaids and a Freddie Mercury bobblehead." You confessed, picking it out to show her.

You held up the small figure in front of her face, pulling back its comically large head with your thumb and letting it wobble.

"Cute, right?" You asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carol just gave a small chuckle in reply, folding her arms as though about to half-heartedly scold a child. You shrugged your shoulders before stuffing it back into the bag. Just because Carl didn't want to play with toys anymore didn't mean that you couldn't.

Carol glanced over at the entrance of the store, before giving the shelves a final scan. "We should get going soon." She noted, her bag clanking as she readjusted it over her shoulder. "Some walkers might have gathered outside by now."

You hummed in response, distracted by the array of multi-coloured boxes. "It's fine, I'll look after you." You said, shooting her a wink as she sighed.

The woman had become used to your teasing by now, and it was a welcomed change from how tense you all were most of the time. Even though you mostly used humor as a coping mechanism, especially when you felt nervous, it seemed to lighten the atmosphere when it got a bit too heavy.

"Though I don't think you even need me." You continued, eyeing the small pistol she had tucked into her jeans. "You're getting pretty good with a gun."

Carol snorted at that, reminding you of the time she almost shot a bullet through Rick's boot not so long ago. In her defence, Rick had been a lot more on edge that day, and you'd been quite tempted to do the same.

"Speak for yourself." She spoke, after you'd tried to convince her otherwise. "You started learning after me and your aim's already on parr with Rick's."

You remembered those first days, and how hard they were. Everyone had fallen into their roles and you'd felt almost stuck in place. You didn't know how best to contribute. It had taken the neighbourhood you were all staying in to get overrun before you had the chance to test your skills. You hadn't wanted to waste bullets before that, but you'd scarcely had a choice then.

"He's a good teacher." You smiled at Carol, giving Rick praise where it was due. "And there's no better practice than being terrified and having to learn on the job." You admitted with a strained laugh.

You continued walking down the aisle slowly, back in the direction of the entrance.

"But you're right, we should go." You agreed, gesturing to the door.

The two of you took a few steps together before you stopped abruptly as something caught your attention, right in the corner of your eye. You whipped your head around to look at one of the glossy toy boxes, reading its bold letter description.

"Oh my god." You mumbled to yourself, below your breath.

Carol looked over at you, confused. "What is it?" She asked, glancing in the direction where you were staring.

You couldn't hold back the grin that spread over your face as you grabbed the box and held it in your hand. You glanced over your shoulder, at Carol, before running your fingers back over the dusty plastic.

"No fucking way!" You yelled in disbelief. It seemed like your luck was finally changing.

Carol peered over your shoulder before letting out a chuckle at your expression.

"Now that would be perfect for the baby." She smiled, staring down at it in your hands.

You shook your head at her, looking up to meet her eyes. "I actually had someone else in mind." You admitted, still feeling the smile tug at the corners of your mouth as you said it. "It's a bit of an inside joke we have."

Carol hummed in reply, but didn't press for answers.

"But I agree." You went on, making room for the box to fit into your satchel. "It'll probably get handed down to baby Grimes at some point."

The walk back to the cabin was pretty uneventful. The two of you stayed in the cover of the forest, out of sight of the main road. You'd had to dispatch a couple of walkers on the way, but nothing that the two of you couldn't handle. At this point, you just wished for another set of clothes that weren't covered in muck and dried blood. You could hardly remember the last time you'd worn something clean - that hadn't just been dunked in a creek when you came across one.

As you walked, you must have strayed slightly off the path that you usually took, since you came across an unfamiliar, old Toyota truck that had veered off road and crashed into a tree. It was covered in dried leaves and all beat up, but you recognised the model as the same one belonging to Otis, back at the Greene farm. It was always parked outside there. It was a simple, two person pick up truck that was rusty red in colour, and it instantly made you think back on the night that you were forced into driving it.

After Rick had told you and Daryl that Randall had escaped, the whole farm went into an uproar. You stayed in the farmhouse whilst some of the group went to look for him, Daryl included. It wasn't long before you spotted the horde coming your way, and Hershel's barn had started to go up in flames in the distance. After that, you could barely remember what had happened.

You'd been with Daryl at first. He shot the walkers that got too close with his crossbow, before switching to guns. You did the same, trying to give the others an opportunity to pile into the vehicles and escape. At some point, however, you got completely cut off from the rest of the group and had been forced back to the opposite side of the farmhouse.

The chaos was indescribable. It was like you'd been drafted up for war in the span of half an hour. Soon, you had run out of bullets and only had your knife left to defend yourself. So, you ran. Not able to see any of the others anymore, you sprinted for the last vehicle left - Otis' old Toyota truck. You flung the door open and clambered inside, locking it just in time to avoid the hands that smacked up onto the glass windows. You remembered how your chest heaved as your hands fumbled around the dash frantically. You finally found the keys tucked into the sun visor above your head, and almost cried from relief.

When your hands stopped shaking long enough to put it in the ignition, you turned the key only for the engine to rumble once before falling flat. You tried it again, and it gave out a choked sputter and died.

"No, no, no." You whispered, turning the key over and over to try and start the truck. "This can't be happening."

The windows had almost been completely blacked out by the number of hands and faces pressed against them, the walkers snapping their jaws at you as you panicked inside. In the rearview mirror, you could even see some start to clamber into the truck bed, and knew that it was only a matter of time before they completely swarmed you. You slammed your hands onto the steering wheel in frustration and yelled, not caring whether you attracted more.

"I can't die now, I just kissed that stubborn asshole!" You screamed, accidentally hitting the windscreen wiper stick with your elbow. You watched as the blade caught one of the walkers' flesh and smeared it over the glass.

"Fucking great." You sighed, and turned the key again.

This time, you felt it catch slightly between your fingers, and thought that perhaps the starter motor was sticking. The truck hadn't been used since Otis' death, but it still seemed to have some life in it. You jiggled the key and turned it half way, praying to every deity you could think of. You twisted it fully, and the engine roared to life. You held your breath for a few seconds, not entirely trusting it, but as it continued to rumble you realised that it had started properly this time.

Not wanting to sit around any longer, you immediately set off, mowing down the stream of walkers in front of you all while hoping that the car wouldn't flip over. You watched your mirror as the ones clinging onto the truck bed were flung off as you picked up speed, and you almost wanted to yell out in triumph - but felt like you might be sick if you did so.

The truck was hell to drive. You couldn't figure out the stick for a while and your windscreen was covered in blood and smeared guts. You knew you had to head for the highway where the supplies for Sofia were left. You'd gone with Rick one time, when he went to wait for her there at noon. As you pulled out of Hershel's farm, you gave a final glance back in your mirror to see your home burn and become entirely inhabited by the undead - and noticed your little yellow submarine trampled to the ground as you did so.

As you neared the highway, after driving on the wrong side of the road for a while without realising it, you felt a knot start to form in your stomach. You hadn't seen the others get away - you didn't know if they were alive or dead, or even if they would have waited for you if they managed to escape. Your eyes blurred with tears as you drove, still not feeling any sense of relief despite having made it out of the farm. You just prayed that everyone was safe.

When you got closer to the meeting spot, you immediately noticed the familiar vehicles from the farm, and even Daryl's motorbike, all parked up. You stopped the truck once you couldn't go any further, being blocked by the abandoned cars. The group began to approach you quickly as you clambered out and hit the floor with shaky feet. Glenn reached you first, smiling widely when he saw that you were okay.

"Is that you?" He asked, clapping a hand over your trembling shoulders. "I've never seen anyone drive that badly before-"

You didn't let him finish, instead running over to Daryl on unsteady feet. You flung yourself into his arms, which pulled you in close and held you tight. You sobbed louder than you thought you ever had before, crying into his chest as you felt one of his hands stroke softly over your back. You didn't care what anyone thought at this moment. Nothing could describe the feeling of losing your home and thinking your family was dead. You realised how close you had been to being all alone, once again.

"Hey, c'mon look at me." He said softly, trying to pry himself out of your grip.

He lifted your chin up with his finger and you knew that you must've looked quite the state. Your eyes were completely blurred with tears, so much that you could barely make out the man in front of you, and your nose ran as you struggled to hold back your sobs.

"It's a'right." He reassured you, looking into your eyes as if realising that you needed further convincing. "Yer safe."

You looked around at the group, taking in their faces and feeling your hands tremble against Daryl's chest as they clutched the material of his shirt still. Everyone looked relieved, and offered you small smiles of comfort.

You stepped back from the man a little, giving him his space. You still couldn't stop the tears from falling. It was as if your body still hadn't caught up to your mind.

"I was so scared." You admitted quietly, voice quivering as you did so. "I thought you'd all left me."

You didn't drop your hands from his chest, letting yourself feel his heartbeat beneath your palms as a reminder that this was all real.

Daryl shook his head at you. "We'd never leave ya, Teach" He grumbled, as though he couldn't believe you'd even suggest it. "Went back to look for ya on the bike but I couldn't find ya."

Maggie stepped forward, pulling you into a hug as you finally released Daryl's shirt from your grip. She stroked your hair as she brought you into her chest, and you felt tears stream down your cheeks.

"You scared us all half to death." She told you, before gripping onto your shoulders tightly as you stood back from her.

Glenn nodded in agreement, before letting out a small chuckle. "Then we spotted Otis' truck barreling down the highway." He said, pointing over to the vehicle you'd abandoned. "Thought a walker was driving it the way you were swerving all over the place."

You tried to let out a laugh in return, but it came out all watery in between your sobs.

"The gearstick-" you choked out, hiccuping as you spoke. "Had to change gears with the wrong hand." You explained, lifting your arm to give a poor demonstration as you continued to cry.

"You-" you spluttered, letting out a wail mixed with a desperate laugh. "You stupid Americans."

It was a few days before you and Daryl crossed paths in the cabin again. It was late and you'd been trying to sleep for a few hours when the door creaked open. He'd shuffled around for a bit before you heard him take over watch duty from Glenn. At first, you'd wanted to go outside and scold him for never taking the time to rest, but after a few minutes you decided on a different plan. Prying yourself out from underneath the blanket you shared with Beth, you pulled on your boots - not bothering to do up the laces. The icy breeze hit your skin and caused it to prickle instantly, making you wish you had a spare comforter to take with you. You wouldn't be surprised if it snowed soon, given how dry and bitter the air had felt on your cheek earlier that day.

You retrieved your satchel and tip-toed around the sleeping bodies, doing your best not to step on any creaky floorboards and disturb them. You opened the cabin door slowly, and shut it behind you as you stepped out into the night. Daryl was sitting on the stone wall a few feet away, and you could tell that the smoke coming from his lips was from more than just the cold. He had a cigarette lit between his fingers, and you could make out the familiar lighter that he flicked open and closed in his other hand. You approached with purposefully loud footsteps, not wanting to startle him. He didn't turn around, waiting until you came closer.

"Mind if I join you?" You shot him a smile, pulling your arms to your chest to try and protect yourself against the chill.

He hummed in response, and you noticed how exhausted he looked in the glow of the lighter flame that flickered near his cheeks. His hands were covered in dirt, as were parts of his face, and his hair stuck to his forehead and the back of his neck despite how cold it was. Though, you were sure that you didn't look any better. Your once white vest was now a grubby brown colour and you'd pulled your long hair into a bun on top of your head about a week ago and hadn't looked back since.

Wordlessly, the man shrugged off the poncho he'd found recently, and handed it to you. He had another leather jacket on underneath, but you still felt guilty. You thanked him, pulling it over your head and instantly feeling grateful for the warmth that engulfed you. He then pulled a carton of cigarettes out of his pocket, offering it over to you where he sat. You shook your head and gave him a small smile as he shrugged and stuffed them back into his jacket.

The two of you sat in silence for a while, just watching and listening to the night. Nothing was uncomfortable between you. It's just that the two of you were almost like magnets, trying to intentionally stay away from each other. You feared that the two of you might never be able to seperate if you stuck together for good. It wasn't awkward, but there was definitely unspoken tension, like you were both waiting for something that you couldn't let happen yet.

"I miss my tent." You sighed, watching your breath appear as a small puff of air against the black night.

Daryl grumbled at that. "I sure as hell don't." He muttered, taking a final drag from his smoke before snuffing it out on the wall. "Thing was an eyesore."

You chuckled a bit at his response, not really sure what you were expecting. "You loved it, really." You teased, shooting him a wink that he dismissed.

"Whatever, Sunshine." He mumbled back, but his voice sounded a lot lighter than it had for a while.

After a few seconds, you remembered your satchel, now safely tucked away in the warmth of the poncho you wore. You fumbled around beneath it for a bit, which made Daryl give you a look, before pulling out the canvas bag and setting it onto your lap.

"I have something for you." You beamed, feeling the breeze sting your sore, chapped lips.

Daryl sighed at you, finally looking over to meet your eyes.

"Ya need to stop gettin' me shit." He drawled, with no bite behind his words.

You shook your head quickly at the accusation. "It isn't from me!" You almost yelled, before reminding yourself that there were people sleeping a few feet away, and lowering your voice.

You glanced back at the cabin and pointed to it. "This place has no chimney, so he told me to pass it onto you."

Daryl raised an eyebrow at you, which you ignored. Instead, you fished around in your satchel until you found what you were looking for. You could barely contain your excitement as you pulled out the box wrapped messily in old newspapers, and handed it to him expectantly.

He took it from you carefully, as though not entirely trusting it. Though, he still held it gently in his hand, in case he was afraid to break it. You watched intently as he flipped it over and squinted his eyes at the writing on it, confusion clear on his face. You'd scribbled on it earlier in the day, having found a sharpie tucked away in one of the drawers. You'd tried to do it secretively, but almost had a heart attack when Glenn asked you what you were doing - dropping the gift and kicking it under the couch until he promised to leave. Luckily, you hadn't found any dents on it afterwards. Yet, you now found it almost comical how carefully Daryl treated the box, considering what you had done to it only a few hours before.

Your eyes scanned over the letters with him as he read them, seeing the words written on top of the newspaper in black, bold print:

'To Young Daryl Dixon,

Merry Christmas!

From, Father Christmas.'

By the time he looked up to question you, you were already watching his eyes - waiting to see his expression. At the moment, his face was still scrunched up in confusion, which made you chuckle. The man looked at you like you'd just handed him a bomb he didn't know how to diffuse.

"Father Christmas?" He asked slowly, like the syllables were foreign on his tongue.

You cocked your head to the side, looking back down at the gift and wondering if you'd made a mistake. Your eyes widened.

"Shit." You muttered below your breath, before looking back up to meet his gaze. "It's Santa Clause to you people, isn't it?" You questioned.

Daryl looked at you in disbelief, as if wondering what the hell you were going on about. You were used to that look from him by now, and continued to ramble.

"I'm sure that's what he meant." You said, nodding. "He probably was in a rush when he wrote it." You looked away from the man, trying not to giggle as you remembered the whole incident between you and Glenn.

He continued to stare at you before shaking his head.

"Yer crazy, woman." He grumbled, picking the wrapped box back up to inspect it closer.

You felt your patience reach its limit, unable to contain your excitement anymore. You shoved his arm.

"Just open it!" You ordered, and he did.

For a man so rough around the edges, you'd never seen someone unwrap a gift so gently before. He didn't rip into the paper like you would have, but spent a few extra seconds pulling the parcel tape off and unfolding it with care. Once it was opened up on his lap, you watched his face as he finally saw the plastic box inside.

You knew it wasn't the exact same one he'd told you about, from all of those years ago, but it must've been close. It was a child's sheriff kit. It had the little hat that looked similar to Rick's, and the pointy metal badge in the shape of a star. When you'd seen it in the store, you just knew you had to get it for him. He might have forgotten telling you about it by now, but you had remembered.

"It didn't come with a gun, I'm afraid." You pointed to the plastic window of the box, explaining it to him. "But we have plenty of those."

You shot him a smile as you saw his expression. It was still confused, as he glanced between you and the box in his palms, but it was a lot more shy and uncertain now. You could almost see the thoughts working overtime in that head of his, as he processed it all, and decided to stop staring at him.

"It was either this or a Freddie Mercury bobblehead." You noted, feeling your cheeks hurt at how much you were beaming at the man. "And I wanted the bobblehead."

He sat in silence, just listening to your ramblings as he usually did. His eyes were still fixated on the gift, as if making up for all the years he'd wished for it as a child. You desperately wanted to slip your hand into his, or rest your head on his shoulder - but you refrained. You didn't want to take away from this moment; you just wanted to watch it. That, and you weren't sure if you'd be able to let him go if you did.

"You said how you never got any presents as a kid." You started carefully, trying to navigate your thoughts into words. "It made me sad." You admitted, in more of a whisper this time.

Daryl looked over at you, his expression soft. It was like he was uncertain of his own words, too.

"I know it's stupid." You confessed, voice trailing off as you lost your nerve.

"Nah it aint." He interrupted, shaking his head and trying to get you to look at him. "I love it."

You thought he was being sarcastic until your eyes met his and you saw the sincerity within them, and suddenly your breath caught in your throat. Daryl Dixon gave you a smile so warm that it almost made you forget it was winter. You didn't know he could even make these kinds of expressions, and you weren't able to entirely hide your reaction. Though, his smile went as quickly as it came. He looked away from you, as if noticing he'd let his stubborn, unapproachable wall crumble down. You snorted, wondering if he truly hadn't realised that you knew him better than that by now.

"I thought that baby Grimes could play with it eventually." You suggested, and he hummed in agreement.

"But in the meantime-" you continued, taking the box from his hands and opening it.

He watched you with curious eyes but didn't say anything, just letting you carry on like you had him wrapped around your little finger. You fumbled with the box, pulling out the star shaped badge, before handing the rest back. You turned so that you were facing opposite him, and pulled on his leather jacket so that it opened.

He grumbled at you as you did it, but made no effort to pull away or stop you. Instead, you flipped open one side of his jacket and pinned the badge on the material inside, closing it again before the cold set it.

"It belongs to Deputy Dixon, as promised." You finished with a smile, watching as he thumbed over the metal concealed in his jacket. The look on his face showed just how much he struggled to figure you out.

To your surprise, he didn't remove it straight away. He just bit his lip, as though trying to think of how to respond.

"Yer too much, Teach." He said lowly, after a few seconds.

"How so?" You asked.

He glanced back down into his lap, at the box that was still resting there. "Doin' all this." He mumbled, seeming like he was holding himself back. You stayed silent, waiting for him to go on.

"You bring back comics for Carl, an' stuff for the baby." He said, looking down as he spoke. "We're all here tryna do our best jus' to survive, an' you come in with that huge beamin' smile on yer face showin' us a bobblehead ya found."

He finally met your eyes, and you could see from his look that he just genuinely couldn't comprehend it. You seemed to completely allude Daryl Dixon, and the thought of him struggling to try to understand you better made you almost giddy.

"I know it's odd." You admitted, pulling the poncho closer to your body as the wind picked up. "But just because our priority is surviving doesn't mean that we should put off living."

You bit your lip. This was the most you had spoken to the man in weeks, and as the seconds went by you found it harder and harder to hold yourself back.

"I thought you could use a reminder of that." You said, offering him a small smile. "You work so hard to try and keep us all fed and safe, I wanted to give you something as a thank you."

The newspaper fluttered in the breeze, and Daryl barely caught hold of it as a gust picked it up. You caught a glimpse of your handwriting, where he held it between his fingers.

"Santa Clause did, I mean." You corrected.

You sat together in silence for a while, but the man didn't light any more cigarettes. You felt yourself growing tired and attempted to convince him to swap his shift with someone else, but he refused. You knew the sun would start to rise in a couple of hours, so you wanted to get some sleep before then. Begrudgingly, you shuffled out of the oversized poncho and offered it back to the man before you left, immediately being reminded of how icy the weather had gotten. He shook his head at your outstretched hand, which you had already expected.

"Nah, you keep it." He said, in a way that left you no room to argue.

You raised an eyebrow at him, feeling nostalgic at the familiar situation. This time, however, you didn't fight with him. Slipping the material back over your head, you huddled it to your chest and whispered a soft 'thanks' to him. The sky was still dark, and kept you wondering whether you would start to see sleet fall in the next couple of days. You looked back over to the dilapidated cabin, with its wooden weathered walls and its roof that looked close to caving in. It was a far cry from Hershel's idyllic farmhouse, but somehow you didn't seem to mind as much on this specific night.

You slipped off the stone wall you'd been sitting on and stood up on your tip-toes to reach the man still sat there. You brushed away the hair over his face with the palm of your hand, and gave him a brief kiss on the forehead before turning to leave.

"Merry Christmas, Daryl." You told him, and returned to the house to watch the first snowflakes fall from the window.

A/N Don't you love it when the plot points you set up 6 chapters ago come back around to be resolved. It's *delicious*. I think I would actually pay to see the Christmas scene play out. There's only so much imagination can do - I want to see Daryl's shy reaction in person, too!

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yurtletheturtlehenderson · 3 years

Text

COSMIC - S3:E4; Chapter Four, The Sauna Test - [Pt. 3]

A Will Byers x Reader Series

𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘌𝘭, 𝘔𝘢𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘠/𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘯, 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘺𝘯𝘹.

📝: ERICAAA!!! FRICKIN FINALLY!! Less important note, but when writing about Y/n, El and Max, I wrote "the three friends" and autocorrect literally changed "friends" to "fruits". Yelmax confirmed 💀

||𝟑𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐕||

"It is fascinating what twenty bucks will get you at the County Recorder's Office," Robin reports, unfurling what looked to be a familiar layout on the break room table. "Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints."

"Not bad," Dustin smirks from her left.

"So this is us," she points to a familiar-looking room before gesturing across the map. "Scoops, and this is where we wanna get."

"Yeah, I don't really see a way in," Steve mumbles from his seat at the table.

"There's not. If,"

She rips away a layer of the blueprint, revealing a vastly complicated map of air ducts, pipelines, and detailing that made up Starcourt.

"you're talking exclusively about doors."

Dustin looks at her with excitement growing in his eyes. "Air ducts!"

"Exactly," she smirks, making her way to the whiteboard to retrieve the magic marker. "Turns out, this secret room needs air just like any old room and these air ducts lead all the way" she circles the secret room in question, drawing one, interrupted line right back to, "here."

Dustin and Steve finally tear their eyes away from the map and follow Robin's mischievous eye. All the way to the air duct tucked away in the far corner of the Scoops Ahoy break room.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

To their surprise, a screwdriver had been harder to find than a ladder but soon enough Steve had managed to reach the air vent and unscrew it from the wall. But as he stood here now, peering down into the vent he quickly realized they were now facing yet another obstacle.

"Flath'ligh'?" Steve asked, finally removing the screwdriver from his mouth and shaping it for the small torchlight Dustin had waiting. "Thank you,"

The flashlight turns on with a tiny click and a soft yellow light bounces down the narrow metal tunnel, enunciation the frown on Steve's face.

"Yeah, I don't know man, I don't know if you can fit in here, it's like... super tight."

"I'll fit," Dustin smirks. "Trust me. No collarbones, remember?"

"Uh, excuse me?" Robin asks.

Steve jumps down from the ladder, turning to Robin as Dustin begins the climb and gives her a nod.

"Oh, he's uh, he's got so disease," he frowns thoughtfully, racking his brain as he tries to recall the word. "It's chrydo... um... something, yeah I don't know. He's missing bones and stuff, he can bend like Gumbo."

"You mean... Gumby?"

"I'm pretty sure it's Gumbo," he snorts.

"Just shut up and push me!" Comes Dustin's muffled voice from the vents.

By now he had wormed himself halfway in, his bottom half sticking out of the wall and still propped up on the latter while they had been talking.

"Okay," Steve huffed, motioning knowingly to the kid's feet and turned away from Robin.

She watched with a tired, lazily bemused expression as Steve grabbed a less than sturdy hold of the kid's feet and attempted to push.

"Not my feet, dumbass, push my ass!"

"Uh, what?"

"TOUCH MY BUTT! I DON'T CARE!" Came Dustin's impatient scream from the walls.

With a heavy grimace, Steve hesitantly began pushing against Dustin's rear end and his muffled anger grew louder.

"I'm pushing!" Steve argued.

"PUSH HARDER!" Dustin shrieks as he attempts to inch further into the metal vents. "You're playing with my legs!"

"I'm not playing, I have terrible footing!"

"Come on!"

Steve finally makes it to the top of the latter, Dustin's legs bunched together over his shoulders and locked under his arm as their voice continued to shout over one another.

"I'm gonna just shove you, ready?"

"Just shove me?"

"One, two..."

"Shit!"

"That work?"

"One more time,"

Robin rolls her eyes, finally turning away when she hears the sudden rapid chimes of the customer bell out front and all too familiar patron.

"Ahoy, sailors! All hands on deck!"

Through the partition window, Robin meets eyes with none other than Erica Sinclair who flashes her an exaggerated salute and rings the bell knowingly.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Laughter and joyful screams filled the chlorine-soaked air, the smell of the pool lingering with sunblock was strong enough it wafted all the way to the parking lot where the majority of the Party now stood at the Hawkins pool. It looked quite different than it had the day before when Y/n, Max, and El had last been, but the tension weighing down the atmosphere seemed just as heavy and ever-present.

The storm had of course long since lifted, and the sun was now beating down heavily on their backs as they took shelter behind a Rust Red AMC Hornet, all eyes across the lot on the occupant in the lifeguard chair.

Billy.

He was squished underneath the bright red beach umbrella, hidden underneath a baseball cap, thick shades, a long-sleeved sweater, and a white beach towel draped over his legs where they poked out into the sun. He was completely covered.

"I don't know," Max begins, peering through the group's binoculars. "He looks pretty normal to me,"

"Normal?" Lucas scoffs. "How many times have you seen him with a shirt on?"

Y/n smiles weakly from where she stands in between him and Will. Max lowers the binoculars, conceding a wince.

"I mean, it's a little weird,"

"More than a little," Mike nods. "He was in a tub with ice. The Mind Flayer likes it cold. Plus everything El saw—"

"But he's lounging at the pool," Max argues, doubtfully. "Which is like, the least Mind Flayer thing ever,"

"Not necessarily," Will says, pulling everyone's attention. "The Mind Flayer likes to hide. He only used me when he needed me. It's like... like you're dormant. And then, when he needs you,"

All eyes return to Billy.

"...you're activated."

Y/n gulps, shifting on her feet from where she had previously stood rooted to the spot. Ever since that dreaded Halloween night the previous year, nothing seemed to have been the same. The Mind Flayer had set his sights on Will, and in turn, her. Slowly but surely, he had infected all of their lives as he had the town of Hawkins; spreading his rot and poison, and his hate. She could still feel it sometimes; the pain of Will's nails raking into her face and leaving behind the faded scar that had already long since disappeared.

Her eyes dart back through the fence at the suspicious-looking lifeguard and her insides twisted further into a sickening knot. The thought of the Mind Flayer's possible return was enough to drain the color from her face and leave a chill in the humid, sticky summer air. Her mind was running rapid with fear but the sound of Max's voice was enough to return her to earth.

"Okay, so we just..." she shrugs, looking back over towards her brother. "wait until he gets activated."

"No," Mike says with the shake of his head. "What if he hurts someone?"

"Or kills someone?" Will counters, and the Wheeler boy nods.

"We can't take that chance. We need to find out if he's the host,"

"Well, how do we do that?" Lucas asks.

The Party falls silent. The weight of the air growing heavier and heavier as it dawns on them. And one by one, each pair of eyes trickle over to the only present Henderson sibling in the Party. Her head is hung, propped-up against the hood and when she senses the eyes on her she straightens, breathing a sigh. But Will was already shaking his head.

"What? No, no way," he says to Mike and the others, Y/n already turning to him. "No, Y/n, I don't think it's a good idea,"

"I don't like it either," Y/n fretted. "but it's our best chance. The Mind Flayer hates me, and I can push his limits. It's the fastest way."

"And if, by some random chance, Billy isn't the host?" Will countered gently. "He'd find out about you,"

Y/n didn't have a reply for that. Truthfully, she didn't know whether to be relieved or angered he had cornered her. She just stood there, frowning at the concrete sidewalk biting her lip thoughtfully. She tried to think of a way to use her abilities subtly, but all her experience with heat came from seismic blasts or concentrated bursts from her hands. If she attempted that on Billy, he would surely know it.

"There's gotta be another way," Mike cuts in. "I mean, a safe way that doesn't risk you getting hurt or discovered."

Y/n and Will - even El - shoot him a funny look and he shifts under the sudden attention, guiltily.

"What about the sauna?" Lucas says, lighting up.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, it's perfect!" He grins, stepping out from around the car and motioning for Will and Mike. "Come on,"

Seemingly catching onto Lucas's idea, Mike wastes no time in following. And Will hesitantly steps away, sending Y/n and his friends an apologetic shrug.

"Where are you going?" El called after them, exasperated.

"Sorry! Boys only!" Mike throws over his shoulder.

Max scowls after them. "Seriously?!"

"Just trust us!" Lucas cries.

"We'll be back," Will shrugs again. "... I guess."

The three friends sigh, throwing less than impressed looks at the retreating boys. Privately, Y/n wondered if Mike stood any chance of harm just from her glaring at him in this moment. She hadn't shared these feelings with anyone, but since reuniting with Will something had been troubled Ling him and he wouldn't say what. She could spot it right away, the shift in demeanor but she knew it was something different from the return of the Mind Flayer somehow. And she believed it had something to do with Mike.

He was acting differently around him. He had been for some time now, as she had with Max and even El but this was different. Something had happened, and because Will was, well, Will, he was clearly trying to put aside for the sake of everyone's safety. Y/n couldn't really blame him there, but she wished he would open up to her. Tell her what was wrong.

And she wished more than anything she could fix whatever Mike had clearly broken.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"All we gotta do is wait until the pool closes and everyone leaves," Lucas begins, guiding his friends through the first layer of the men's locker rooms. "And then get him from here..."

He steps forward, quickly ripping open the secondary door. The three boys scurry inside, and Lucas's friends quickly seem to catch on to his plan and a small smile grows on Will's face.

"And get him into here," Lucas eagerly rips open the sauna door, expecting to see nothing but steam but his luck had run out.

Five sweaty adult men in towels sat packed in the sauna like sardines, scowls on their faces for the three party members who interrupted their steam. "Hey! Shut the door!"

-"Come on, kid!"

-"Shut it!"

Lucas finally broke from his stupor and slammed the door shut, shuddering.

"I think I just threw up in my mouth,"

Will nodded with a grimace, but shook it off when his eyes landed on the wall beside the door.

"The controls!"

Mike's still bulging, haunted eyes finally broke away from their zoning out and jumped to the wall where Will was pointing. His face lit up.

"We can control from the outside, it's perfect!"

"Do you think it'll get hot enough?" Will asks, feeling more and more relieved by the second. "Like, "Y/n" hot?"

His friends immediately stopped, looking to him with a deadpan expression. Will scoffed at them. "You know what I mean" he snarked, not in the mood though he was trying to ignore the hint of a blush creeping up on his skin.

"Nevermind that," Lucas says. "Look right, here, 220 degrees. That's definitely enough."

"Okay, so we just need to figure out how to get him into here," Will nods towards the sauna door.

"Precisely."

"Then we lock him in," Mike says.

Lucas nods. "-heat him up,"

And Will manages another somewhat relieved smile. "-and no matter what happens, we'll know for sure."

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Erica descends from the latter, the flashlight in her hands flicking off with a loud click as she strides up to the break room table where her recruits stood waiting. The group had taken a calculated risk I confiding in the young girl, but she was smart and demanded the information and why they needed to know if she could fit into the air duct in the back room. So here they stood, waiting with anxious breath for her verdict.

"Yeah, I don't know," she says, propping herself up on the edge of the table rather unimpressed.

"You don't know if you can fit?" Dustin asks.

"Oh, I can fit. I just don't know if I want to,"

"Are you claustrophobic?" Robin tries.

Amused, Erica gives the young woman a pitiful laugh. "I don't have phobias."

"Okay, well," Steve begins with a shrug. "What's the problem?"

"The problem is I still haven't heard what's in this for Erica,"

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Steve slides another banana boat ice cream float across the table, joining the already plentiful dairy banquet laid out for the Sinclair girl. She merely gave it a single, disinterested glance and slid it back.

"More fudge please,"

Nobody said anything. And Steve just stared back at the table with tired, glazed-over eyes before Erica sent him a dismissive wave.

"Go on,"

He gave a sigh, and left the booth with the Banana boat in hand, and retreated to the counter. Robin took that as her cue and pulled out the marked-up blueprints she had at her side.

"Alright, you see this?" She points from the circle marked Scoops Ahoy and trail connecting over the flipped map. "This is the route you're gonna take. Then we just wait until the last delivery goes out tonight then you knock out the grate. Jump down. Open the door."

"Then you find out what's in those boxes?" She asks.

"Exactly,"

"And you say this guard is armed?"

"Yes," Dustin quickly nods. "But he won't be there,"

"And booby traps?"

"Booby traps?" Robin echoed.

"Lazers, spikes in the wall,"

Robin couldn't help but give a small laugh, but Erica was all too serious. She turned to the two with a serious look.

"You know what this half-baked plan of yours sounds like to me? Child endangerment."

"We'll be in radio contact with you the whole time-"

"Uh! Uh! Uh!" Erica stops her. "Child. Endangerment."

Robin sighs, ignoring the knot wanting to twist in her stomach. She knew she was right, and Robin supposed she just didn't want to admit to herself what they were asking not only of themselves but the young girl.

"Erica?" Dustin began. "Hi, uh... We think these Russians want to do harm to our country. Great harm. Don't you love your country?"

"You can't spell America without Erica," she shrugs, taking a long and loud sip from her complimentary Scoops Shake.

Dustin just blinks at her response and concedes with a nod. "Uh... yeah. Oddly, that's uh... weirdly true, so... so! Don't do this for us! Do it for your country. Do it for your fellow man. Do this for America, Erica."

Erica, who had been slurping her drink through her straw throughout his entire speech, finally finished it off and shivered, sending him a smirk. "Ooh! I just got the chills."

Dustin smiled proudly.

"Oh, yeah," she quickly corrects, her smile falling. "From this float. Not your speech."

His smile falls right off his face.

"You know what I love most about this country?" Erica began. "Capitalism. Do you know what capitalism is?"

Both Robin and Dustin mumble a 'yeah'.

"It means this is a free market system, which means people get paid for their services depending on how valuable their contributions are. And this seems to me that my ability to fit into that little vent is very, very valuable to you all. So-"

Robin and Dustin share a worried look.

"-you want my help? This U.S.S. Butterscotch better be the first of many. And I'm talking free ice cream for life,"

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destiny-smasher · 3 years

Text

Life is Strange: True Colors

Leading up to the release of Episode 1 of TellTale's The Walking Dead game, I was working freelance for GameRevolution at the time, lived in the area, and had the chance to play a build of the game to write a preview on it. I remember comparing it to Mass Effect because, at the time, there just...weren't games of that subgenre. Of course, by now we've seen an explosion of this type of game - the 'narrative/choice-driven game,' spearheaded and even oversaturated by Telltale to their own demise.

Out of all of the games that have come from that initial boom, Life is Strange by DontNod was and still is the most influential on my life, but I also have always harbored really conflicted feelings about it - especially with how it resolved its narrative. Hell, if you're reading this, you're probably aware that I spent a few years of my life creating a sequel fanstory which I even adapted a chunk of into visual novel format. Hundreds of thousands of words, days and days of life spent essentially trying to process and reconcile my conflicted feelings about this game's conclusion(s). Since then, I've been experimenting with interactive fiction and am currently developing my own original visual novel using everything I've learned from both creating and playing games in this genre. It's a subgenre of game I have a lot of interest and passion for because, when handled well, it can allow a player to sort of co-direct a guided narrative experience in a way that's unique compared to strictly linear cinematic experiences but still have a curated, focused sense of story.

Up until this point, I've regarded Night in the Woods as probably the singular best game of this style, with others like Oxenfree and The Wolf Among Us as other high marks. I've never actually put any Life is Strange game quite up there - none of them have reached that benchmark for me, personally. Until now, anyway.

But now, I can finally add a new game to that top tier, cream of the crop list. Life is Strange: True Colors is just damn good. I'm an incredibly critical person as it is - and that critique usually comes from a place of love - so you can imagine this series has been really hard to for me given that I love it, and yet have never truly loved any actual full entry in it. I have so many personal issues, quibbles, qualms, and frustration with Life is Strange: with every individual game, with how it has been handled by its publisher (my biggest issue at this point, actually), with how it has seemingly been taken away from its original development studio, with how it chooses to resolve its narratives...

But with True Colors, all of those issues get brushed aside long enough for me to appreciate just how fucking well designed it is for this style of game. I can appreciate how the development team, while still clearly being 'indie' compared to other dev teams working under Square-Enix, were able to make such smart decisions in how to design and execute this game. Taken on its own merits, apart from its branding, True Colors is absolutely worth playing if you enjoy these 'telltale' style games. Compared to the rest of the series, I would argue it's the best one so far, easily. I had a lot of misgivings and doubts going in, and in retrospect, those are mostly Square-Enix's fault. Deck Nine, when given the freedom to make their own original game in the same vein as the previous three, fucking nailed it as much as I feel like they could, given the kinds of limitations I presume they were working within.

I'm someone who agonizes every single time there is news for Life is Strange as a series - someone who essentially had to drop out of the fandom over infighting, then dropped out of even being exposed to the official social media channels for it later on (I specifically have the Square-Enix controlled channels muted). I adore Max and Chloe, and as a duo, as a couple, they are one of my top favorites not just in gaming, but in general. They elevated the original game to be something more than the sum of its parts for me. And while I have enjoyed seeing what DontNod has made since, it's always been their attention to detail in environmental craftsmanship, in tone and atmosphere, which has caught my interest. They're good at creating characters with layers, but imo they've never nailed a narrative arc. They've never really hit that sweet spot that makes a story truly resonate with me. Deck Nine's previous outing, Before the Storm, was all over the place, trying to mimic DontNod while trying to do its own things - trying to dig deeper into concepts DontNod deliberately left open for interpretation while also being limited in what it could do as a prequel.

But with True Colors, those awkward shackles are (mostly) off. They have told their own original story, keeping in tone and concept with previous Life is Strange games, and yet this also feels distinctly different in other ways.

Yes, protagonist Alex Chen is older than previous characters, and most of the characters in True Colors are young adults, as opposed to teenagers. Yes, she has a supernatural ability. And yes, the game is essentially a linear story with some freedom in how much to poke around at the environment and interact with objects/characters, with the primary mechanic being making choices which influence elements of how the story plays out. None of this is new to the genre, or even Life is Strange. But the execution was clearly planned out, focused, and designed with more caution and care than games like this typically get.

A smaller dev team working with a budget has to make calls on how to allocate that budget. With True Colors, you will experience much fewer locales and environments than you will in Life is Strange 2. Fewer locations than even Life is Strange 1, by my count. But this reinforces the game's theming. I suspect the biggest hit to the game's budget was investing in its voice acting (nothing new for this series) but specifically in the motion capture and facial animation.

You have a game about a protagonist trying to fit in to a small, tightly knit community. She can read the aura of people's emotions and even read their minds a little. And the game's budget and design take full advantage of this. You spend your time in a small main street/park area, a handful of indoor shops, your single room apartment. It fits within a tighter budget, but it reinforces the themes the game is going for. Your interactions with characters are heightened with subtle facial cues and microexpressions, which also reinforces the mechanic and theming regarding reading, accepting, and processing emotions. And you get to make some choices that influence elements of this - influenced by the town, influenced by the emotions of those around you, which reinforce the main plot of trying to navigate a new life in a small town community.

When I think about these types of games, the conclusion is always a big deal. In a way, it shouldn't be, because I usually feel it's about the journey, not the destination. And as an example, I actually really dislike the ending of the original Life is Strange. I think it's a lot of bullshit in many ways. The setpiece is amazing and epic, sure, but the actual storytelling going on is...really hollow for me. Yes, the game does subtly foreshadow in a number of ways that this is the big choice it's leading up to, but the game never actually makes sense of it. And the problem is, if your experience is going to end on a big ol' THIS or THAT kind of moment, it needs to make sense or the whole thing will fall apart as soon as the credits are rolling and the audience spends a moment to think about what just happened. When you look at the end of Season 1 of Telltale's The Walking Dead, it's not powerful just because of what choice you're given, but because through the entire final episode, we know the stakes - we know what is going to ultimately happen, and we know the end of the story is fast approaching. All of the cards are on the table by the time we get to that final scene, and it works so well because we know why it's happening, and it is an appropriate thematic climax that embodies the theming of the entire season. It works mechanically, narratively, and thematically, and 'just makes sense.'

The ending of Life is Strange 1 doesn't do that, if you ask me. The ending of most games in this genre don't really hit that mark. When I get to the end of most game 'seasons' like this, even ones I enjoy, I'm typically left frustrated, confused, and empty in a way.

The ending of True Colors, on the other hand, nails everything it needs to. Handily, when compared to its peers.

If you're somehow reading this and have not played this game but intend to, now is probably where you should duck out, as I will be

discussing SPOILERS from the entire game, specifically the finale.

Firstly, since I don't know where else to put this, some criticisms I found with the game. And honestly, they're all pretty damn minor compared to most games of this type.

Mainly, I just wish the whole Typhon thing was handled a bit more deliberately. It's a bit weird to do the 'big evil corporation' thing (especially when a big corporation like Square Enix occupies as much as or even more of the credits to this game than the people who actually MADE it?) without offering more explanation and subtlety. The game certainly makes some efforts but they're mostly small and mostly optional, like background chatter or a handful of one-off bits of documentation/etc. you can find in the environment. I feel like Diane in particular needed to be fleshed out just a little bit more to really sell us on how and why things like this happen, why corporations make decisions that cost people their happiness, security, and lives and they just get to keep on doing it. I think just a little bit that is unavoidable to the player that puts emphasis on maybe how much the town relies on the money/resources Typhon provides would've helped. Again, this is minor, but it stands out when I have so little else to critique.

I would've liked to get more insight on why Jed is the way he is. No, I don't think we really needed to learn more about his backstory, or even really his motivations. I think we get enough of that. I just think it would've been great to somehow highlight more deliberately how/why he's built up this identity overtop of what he's trying to suppress. Maybe even just having Alex internally realize, "Wait, what the hell, Jed has been hiding these emotions and my powers haven't picked up on it?" or something to that effect could have added an extra oomph to highlight how Jed seems to be coping with his emotions by masking/suppressing them. Also really minor complaint, but again...there's not much else here I can think to really improve on within the confines of what's in the game.

The game doesn't really call Alex's power into question morally. Like. Max has an entire meltdown by the end of her story, second-guessing if she's even helped anyone at all, if she has 'the right' to do so, how her powers might be affecting or expressing her own humanity and flaws...this story doesn't really get into that despite a very similar concept of manipulating others. There's like one bit in a document you can choose to read in Alex's 'nightmare' scene, but that's really it. I feel like this sentiment and how it's executed could have easily been expanded upon in just this one scene to capture what made that Max/Other Max scene do what it did in a way that would address the moral grayness of Alex's powers and how she uses them, and give players a way to express their interpretation of that. Also, very small deal, just another tidbit I would've liked to see.

When I first watched my wife play through Episode 5 (I watched her play through the game first, then I played it myself), I wasn't really feeling the surreal dreamscape stuff of Alex's flashbacks - which is weird, because if you're read my work from the past few years, you'll know I usually love that sort of shit. I think what was throwing me off was that it didn't really feel like it was tying together what the game was about up until that point, and felt almost like it was just copying what Life is Strange did with Max's nightmare sequence (minus the best part of that sequence, imo, where Max literally talks to herself).

But by the time I had seen the rest of the story, and re-experienced it myself, I think it clicked better. This is primarily a story about Alex Chen trying to build a new life for herself in a new community - a small town, a tightly knit place. Those flashbacks are specifically about Alex's past, something we only get teeny tiny tidbits of, and only really if we go looking for them. I realized after I gave myself a few days to process and play through the game myself that this was still a fantastic choice because it reinforces the plot reasons why Alex is even in the town she's in (because her father went there, and her brother in turn went there looking for him), and it reinforces the theme of Alex coming to accept her own emotions and confront them (as expressed through how the flashbacks are played out and the discussions she has with the image of Gabe in her mind, which is really just...another part of herself trying to get her to process things).

By the time Alex escapes the mines and returns to the Black Lantern, all of the cards are on the table. By that point, we as the audience know everything we need to. Everything makes sense - aside from arguably why Jed has done what he has done, but put a pin in that for a sec. We may not know why Alex has the powers she does, but we have at least been given context for how they manifested - as a coping mechanism of living a life inbetween the cracks of society, an unstable youth after her family fell apart around her (and oof, trust me, I can relate with this in some degree, though not in exactly the same ways). And unlike Max's Rewind power, the story and plot doesn't put this to Alex's throat, like it's all on her to make some big choice because she is the way she is, or like she's done something wrong by pursuing what she cares about (in this case, the truth, closure, and understanding).

When Alex confronts Jed in front of all of the primary supporting characters, it does everything it needs to.

Mechanically: it gives players choices for how to express their interpretation of events, and how Alex is processing them; it also, even more importantly, uses the 'council' as a way of expressing how the other characters have reacted to the choices the player has made throughout the game, and contributes to how this climax feels. We're given a 'big choice' at the end of the interaction that doesn't actually change the plot, or even the scene, really (it just affects like one line of dialogue Alex says right then) and yet BOTH choices work so well as a conclusion, it's literally up to your interpretation and it gives you an in-game way to express that.

Thematically: the use of the council reinforces the game's focus on community; and the way the presentation of the scene stays locked in on Alex and Jed's expressions reinforces its focus on emotion - not to mention that the entire scene also acts as a way to showcase how Alex has come to accept, understand, and process her own emotions while Jed, even THEN, right fucking at the moment of his demise, is trying to mask his emotions, to hide them and suppress them and forget them (something the game has already expressed subtly by way of his negative emotions which would give him away NOT being visible to Alex even despite her power).

Narratively: we are given a confrontation that makes sense and feels edifying to see play out after everything we've experienced and learned. We see Alex use her powers in a new and exciting way that further builds the empowering mood the climax is going for and adds a cinematic drama to it. No matter what decisions the player makes, Alex has agency in her own climax, we experience her making a decision, using her power, asserting herself now that she has gone through the growth this narrative has put her through. Alex gets to resolve her shit, gets to have her moment to really shine and experience the end of a character arc in this narrative.

Without taking extra time to design the game around these pillars, the finale wouldn't be so strong. If they didn't give us enough opportunities to interact with the townspeople, their presence in the end wouldn't matter, but everyone who has a say in the council is someone we get an entire scene (at least one) dedicated to interacting with them and their emotions. If they didn't implement choices in the scene itself, it would still be powerful but we wouldn't feel as involved, it'd be more passive. If they didn't showcase Alex's power, we might be left underwhelmed, but they do so in a way that actually works in the context through how they have chosen to present it, while also just tonally heightening the climax by having this drastic lighting going on. If they didn't have the council involved, we'd lose the theming of community. If they didn't have the foil of Alex/Jed and how they have each processed their emotions, we'd miss that key component. And if we didn't have such detailed facial animations, the presentation just wouldn't be as effective.

Ryan/Steph are a little bit like, in this awkward sideline spot during the climax? Steph always supports you, and Ryan supports you or doubts you conditionally, which is unsurprising but also ties into the themes of Ryan having grown up woven into this community, and Steph being once an outsider who has found a place within it. They're still there, either way, which is important. The only relevant characters who aren't present are more supporting characters like Riley, Ethan, and Mac. Ethan being the only one of those who gets an entire 'super emotions' scene, but that also marks the end of his arc and role in the story, so...it's fine. Mac and Riley are less important and younger, as well, and have their own side story stuff you have more direct influence on, too.

But damn, ya'll, this climax just works so well. It especially stands out to me given just how rarely I experience a conclusion/climax that feels this rewarding.

And then after that we get a wonderful montage of a theoretical life Alex might live on to experience. Her actions don't overthrow a conglomerate billionaire company. She doesn't even save a town, really. If the entire council thinks you're full of shit, Jed still confesses either way - because it's not up to the council whether he does this, it's because of Alex, regardless of player choice. Honestly, even after a playthrough where I made most choices differently from my wife, there weren't really many changes to that montage at the end. It'd have been great if it felt more meaningfully different, but maybe it can be. Even if not, the design intent is there and the execution still works. It's a really nice way to end the story, especially since it's not even a literal montage but one Alex imagines - again, her processing what she's gone through, what she desires, expressed externally for us to see it. And for once, the actual final 'big decision' in a game of this type manages to be organic, make sense, and feel good and appropriate either way. You choose to either have Alex stay in Haven Springs and continue building her life there, or you can choose to have her leave and try to be an indie musician, with the events of the game being yet another chunk of her life to deal with and move on from (I haven't really touched on it, but music, especially as a way to express and process emotions, is a recurring thing, much like photography was in the original game, or Sean's illustrations in LiS2). For once, a climactic 'pick your ending' decision that doesn't feel shitty. It's pretty rare for this genre, honestly.

I could - and already have, and likely will - have so much more to say about this game and its details, but I really wanted to focus on touching upon a main element that has left me impressed: the way the entire game feels designed. It feels intentionally constructed but in a way that reinforces what it is trying to express as a story. It's not just trying to make people cry for the sake of 'emotions.' It is a game literally about emotions and it comes to a conclusion in a way that is clearly saying something positive and empowering about empathy and self-acceptance.

Storytelling is a craft, like any other, and it entails deliberate choices and decisions that can objectively contribute to how effective a story is for its intended audience.

A good story isn't something you find, after all.

It's something you build.

#Life is Strange True Colors #Life is Strange #Haven Springs #alex chen #lis true colors

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erensproudsimp · 3 years

Text

Masquerade

Eren Jeager x reader oneshot

⚠Sexual Content Ahead⚠

Summary : Attending a ball on behalf of your sick mother, you meet a fine gentleman there leading to unexpected ~things~.

Word count : 2.4 k

'Claire de lune' by Claude Debussy was floding the hall into a fanciful series of secrecy as everyone hid their identities behind a masque. Sitting by the counter of the bar, a glass of wine on your left hand, you witnessed your best friend, Sasha, being a complete dork at the open buffet accompanied by Connie and Jean. How she contradicted the regal delicacy of the atmosphere really brought a smile to your face as you watched her snatch a chicken wing from Connie.

"Come on Sasha! It's going to be fun I swear", you begged your roommate into coming with you in this masquerade ball that you had to attend on behalf of your mother because she was feeling somewhat under the weather and you didn't want to be there alone.

"But a masquerade ball sounds sooooo booorriinngg y/n", Shasha dragged her words while munching on some potato chips.

"There will be an all you can eat open buffet unless you really don't want to come with me then so be it I'll go alone", you turned your back on her crossing your hands and smirked knowing that the brunette can't say no to this.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR Y/N? WEAR THAT DRESS AND LET'S GO", she jumped as soon as she heard you say that proving you right.

"LET'S GET TO DECKING UP!"

She wore a pretty reddish brown knee-length dress and a brown mask which suited her perfectly while you wore (fantasise your dress) with f/c mask

You decided to invite Connie and Jean to the ball to give them a break from their mundane everyday school life who would keep her company as well to prevent her from dying from boredom.

The clock struck 06 00 pm when y'all left the campus in Jean's car. Thirty minutes later the car reached a magnificent vintage styled mansion located near the sea. Apparently the ball was organised by Grisha Jeager to celebrate his wife, Carla's, birthday. Your mother was her best friend which is why she had requested that you handed her the gift on her special day itself. Jean parked the vehicle and you came out taking a deep breath of the fresh air.

Adjusting your masks respectively the four of you stepped into the premises. What came in sight was simply mistical. Everyone was dressed in gowns and suits while a soft classical music was playing in the background. The chandelier being the main source of light softly illuminated the room. Candles were set almost everywhere bringing a sweet scent of floral combined with a distant wooden smell. Without wasting any time Sasha sprinted to the food with Connie and Jean ran after them to make sure they're behaving and not causing any chaos.

For the time being your main objective was to hand over the gift so that you could enjoy the party. You found Carla after a few minutes of looking around. She was looking wonderful in a flowing golden white dress complimented with a white mask. She recognized you instantly as your mother was always talking about you to her.

"Happy birthday Mrs. Jeager. My mother offers you her sincere apologies that she couldn't be with you on this special day", you said giving her the gift.

"Please drop the formalities and call me Carla and oh no worries my dear, tell her I wish her a quick recovery so that we could meet as soon as possible. Now go and enjoy the party to the fullest", Carla cheerfully said.

"Of course and thank you umm Carla", you hesitated not realizing that there was someone who was gazing at you since the moment you entered the ballroom.

After that you joined your friends in the buffet to eat and have fun when suddenly you craved wine. Excusing yourself from them you walked to the bar and requested for some red wine which you sipped while looking at your surroundings with a gentle smile resting on your face.

You didn't realise a man was approaching you until his shadow fell upon you. At first glance at him your body seized. This man was.. gorgeous. Though you couldn't clearly see his face with his black mask on but you just knew that he was handsome underneath it. He was wearing a back suit his hair tied back in a manbun with strands falling on his face.

"Umm Hello?"

You were brought back to earth and when you realised that you were staring at him for quite a while, your face turning beat red.

"Hey", you uttered quickly trying not to further embarrass yourself.

"Do you mind me sitting next to you?"he asked in his hand a glass of wine too.

"Not at all, go ahead", you waved your hand.

"So, how do you find the ball so far?" he questioned you taking a sip of the liquid in his glass.

"Absolutely lovely. To be honest it's my first attending a ball so I was so nervous that I made my friends tag along with me", you replied looking into his green eyes.

"I'm glad you're liking it. My mom really goes the extra mile when it comes to things like this. "

"Wait your mom? Mrs. Jeager' s your mother?" you said bewilderedly.

"Hell yeah she is",he stated looking adoringly at the lady in question joyfully talking with the guests, "So what's your name?"

"Y/n, what about you?"

"Eren."

"Pleasure to meet you Eren", you raised your glass, "Cheers to this acquaintance?"

"Cheers," you both said clicking your glasses together.

Soon you two were having conversations after conversations and you realised that you really began to like this guy.

Out of the blue, Sasha came up to you looking pretty tired and full. She noticed Eren's presence and asked if you would return to the campus with them or would rather stay longer. You looked at Eren who suggested to give you a lift which you happily accepted as you would be spending more time with him.

As such Sasha, Connie and Jean left after saying bye.

Eren cleared his throat and proceeded, "There's going to be a dance later, do you have a partner?"

"I'm literally alone right now so of course not dummy, "laughingly you told him.

For a second you swear you saw a red tint on his cheeks.

"Well then, Would you like to offer this dance to me m'lady?" Eren offered his hand.

You nodded and without further ado he took you to the centre of the ballroom. One hand on your waist and the second held your hand gently. Eren was beaming with joy and his contagious smile spread to you too as you could feel your lips pull into their smile. Once the musicians saw you two they began playing a slow song which signaled the beginning of the dance. Several other couples joined in but you could barely notice them as you were drowning into his mesmerizing green eyes.

Butterflies filled your stomach as he pulled your body closer to him yet holding you so gently as though you were a fragile flower that could break anytime. His eyes were fixated on yours and you still wondered how he looked under the mask. He twirled you and took you into an embrace. You could feel his hot breath fanning as your faces were inches away from each other but both of you stayed in the same position as everyone was dancing around. You placed your hand on his cheek caressing it gently with your thumb as you felt the sexual tension increasing second by second.

"Can I kiss you?"

Though there was loud noise around you, you heard those words as clear as a cloudless sky. At that moment time stopped. You could feel the beat of your heart so hard and clearly. Without wasting anymore second, you pulled his tie and crashed your lips against his.

He was taken aback by your boldness but held you tighter and leaned in.

Soon enough the gentle tenderness of his lips turned into a passionate fiery makeout that sent electrics down your spine. Realising that you two were in public, Eren pulled you into the nearest room he could find and locked it.

Muffled music could still be heard through the closed door. The room was elegantly modern with celtic furniture alongside a bed in the middle and led lights which Eren turned to red.

Finally he took off that mask. You were right about him being extremely attractive as you stayed still to admire his beauty.

"What?" he tilted his head which you found utmost adorable.

"Nothing just looking at how beautiful you are," you admitted.

Eren's face went through a fifty shades of red.

Taking this into advantage you pinned him to the wall with your body pressed against his and arms on each side of his torso as you looked at him deep in the eyes. His one hand was wrapped around your waist and second one tilted your chin as he locked his lips with yours.

He pulled back to untie your mask. When he removed it, he stared at you because you were the prettiest angel he had ever seen.

"Wow, you're gorgeous," he complimented skilfully unzipping your dress which one side fell down your shoulder as you let it slide off you.

Eren's breath hitched as he stared at you in your black laced underwear. He couldn't seem to be able to process things as his mind was clouded with all the dirty things he could do to you. You proceeded to unbutton his shirt and almost ripped it off him. You couldn't tear your eyes off his well-built toned body.

Neediness growing he took you in bridal style and threw you on the bed. From the floor he picked up his tie and tied your hands together with it above your head. Taking a bottle of wine from the shelves, Eren opened it with a pop. He put it in his mouth and kissed you to transfer the liquid in your mouth. Drops fell down from your neck to your breasts. Eren licked them off you.

His hand went your bra's fastener, "Are you okay if I remove it?" You hummed to give consent.

He unclasped it to reveal your top body bare. He admired your figure before taking one bud into his mouth.

You threw your head back and looked at the ceiling only to see that there was a mirror right above. Your eyes widen at this.

From the mirror you saw Eren spilling wine on your body. The sensation was cool at first until he started licking it off you. The view was so erotic. You could see him drag his tongue across your boobs. Slowly the licks became kisses as it went lower from your stomach to your folds. He held your tied hands in place so that you wouldn't move away.

He kissed your core right through your underwear and you couldn't help but let out a small moan. Hearing that Eren got turned on and dragged his lips from the inside of your thighs back to your covered slick cunt. He removed the cloth and without warning his mouth was onto you. You screamed his name.

You flushed when you looked into the mirror and saw Eren clearly between your legs with your hands tied. You grabbed his hair and played with it to signal him to continue.

"Don't stop, don't stop,"you repeated as your lips were quivering.

He rubbed little circles with his tongue around your opening. You could feel him smile down there as he sucked your clit indicating that he was enjoying the effect he had on you. This threw you in a rollercoaster of pleasure.

"Fuck Eren don't stop," you gasped as you felt the knot in your stomach starting to unravel. Eren continued to play around leading you closer to your orgasm.

"Cum for me y/n, go ahead release everything you've got to me. "

This was the last straw as you came all over his face.

"You taste delicious,"Eren said licking your juices from his lip.

You were still shaking and Eren came up to you to kissed you so that you could taste yourself on him. This felt so sinful.

Stabilizing your breath you switched positions with him making you on top and unleashed your hands with the help of your mouth. You could feel how hard he was through his pants. You pulled them down to free his bulge.

You grinded on him slowly as you dragged your hands on his abbs.

"Y/n stop teasing me," Eren moaned.

You took his dick in your hands and spread the precum oozing out with your finger. Eren whined. You loved the control you were having over him.

Sucking the tip then dragging your tongue up and down the shaft made Eren whimper. Unexpectedly you put his member into your mouth and began sucking him while your hands were playing with his balls.

"Y/n, "Eren purred your name.

Slowing you picked up speed and watched him fall into the mercy of your touch. Shortly after he released inside your mouth. He watched you swallow every single drop which turned him on more. You kissed his shaking lips to make him taste himself like he did with you.

Again he switched positions to make him on top. He positioned his dick in front of your entrance.

"Are you okay with us doing it?" he asked for consent.

"100% sure"

Eren inserted himself in you slowly and waited for you to adjust to his size. Once your hyperventilated breathing calmed you told him it was okay to move which he started at a slow pace. You could feel his veins pulsating inside you. However, you couldn't take it the slowburn anymore, you wanted more of him. No, you wanted all of him.

"Eren please go faster", you begged.

"Your wish is my command m' lady, "as he picked up speed and nuzzled in the crook of your neck. You put your hands in his hair and pulled it while the other was busy making marks on his back with your nails.

Looking at the mirror you saw the whole scenario. The marks on his back was so attractive and made you feel powerful to be marking him. You watched as you both came at the same time.

Eren collapsed himself next to you and fell into a deep slumber. You chuckled and removed his hair from his face.

You cuddled closer to him and covered the both of you with the bedsheets.

End.

Thank you for reading :)

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minijenn · 3 years

Text

KH Comm # 3

Another writing comm! This one's for @rosie-drawss, who wanted a continuation of the Keys comm I did for them last time around (in which, tldr, Riku finds Sora and convinces him to come home early). You can read that right here if you're interested in getting a bit of background before diving into this one. Anyway enjoy this big ol bundle of hurt/comfort!

***

The Gummi Ship isn’t parked that far away. Yet despite keeping up a steady pace so far, as soon as he sees its familiar red and yellow hull, Sora slows to a stop, something that Riku notices almost immediately. He stops, turning back to check on him, only for Sora to surprisingly tell him what’s wrong, this time completely unprompted.

“I-I… I don’t think I’m ready for this,” he quietly admits, wrapping his arms around himself. “I lied to them and ran from them for so long, Riku, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to say to any of them now, much less to Donald, or Goofy, or Kairi-”

“You don’t have to say anything, if you don’t want to,” Riku reassures him. He steps back over to him, gently taking one of his hands in his. After so many weeks on his own, Sora’s gotten used to living without much physical contact from others; but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t missed it, that he doesn’t selfishly cherish every second of it he’s getting now. “They all know, and they understand. And trust me when I tell you the only thing any of them wants, especially Kairi, is to see you come home safe and sound.”

“T-they’re not mad?” Sora asks, still uncertain.

“At you? No,” Riku shakes his head. His expression darkens a bit as he brushes a few of Sora’s now-white bangs out of his newly golden eyes. “At the one who’s doing all this to you? Well, let’s just say that if it's a war Xehanort wants, it's a war he’s going to get if that’s what it takes to set you free.”

Sora wants to argue at this, wants to insist that no one else should have to fight this battle for him, that he’s not even worth such a battle to begin with. But he’s far too tired to put up that kind of fight now, not when he knows it’ll do nothing to change Riku’s mind or anyone else’s for that matter.

So instead, he lets Riku take his hand, lets him lead him onward, lets him guide him to one of the vacant chairs in the ship’s cockpit. Surprisingly, they don’t lift off right away; instead, Riku briefly heads below deck before returning with a blanket and a small meal composed of a sandwich, an apple, and a water bottle.

“It’s gonna be a long ride back to the tower,” Riku says as he hands all those items over to Sora. “Might as well get comfortable.” He pauses, his face suddenly warm with embarrassment when he sees Sora staring at the meager portion of food sitting in his lap with a look of sheer disbelief. “Uh… sorry, it’s not much,” he clears his throat, glancing away. “It’s been a few days since I last stocked up on supplies and I, um, heard that if you’ve gone without food for awhile, it’s best not to go overboard with your first meal, so-”

“You’re kidding, right?” Sora cuts in, looking up at him with a grateful, incredulous smile. “This is more food than I’ve had in weeks, I-” He stops short when he notices Riku’s immediate alarm upon hearing something like this and as a result, he immediately backpedals on it. “I, uh… t-thank you,” his tone turns soft again, small, but he’s still smiling as he takes his first bite out of the sandwich.

“...Why haven’t you been eating?” Riku asks him, kneeling down beside his chair.

“Couldn’t afford to,” Sora admits somewhat sheepishly. “I don’t have any money, and… well, I found out pretty quickly that most people aren’t willing to give things out for free…”

Riku sighs, wishing that he’d found Sora so much sooner, wishing that he hadn’t had to struggle to simply survive for so long. “You haven’t been sleeping much either, have you?” he asks, noting the dark bags under his eyes.

Sora hesitantly shakes his head as he finishes the sandwich up just shy of starting on the apple. “I can’t…” he mutters tiredly.

“Why not?”

“Nightmares…” is all Sora says, and Riku immediately understands.

He stands, grabbing the blanket and lightly draping it over Sora as soon as he finishes off his small meal. “Get some sleep,” he instructs patiently. “You won’t have any more nightmares, not as long as you’re with me. I promise.”

Sora wants to question that promise, but he’s overtaken by an exhausted yawn instead. With even just a little food finally in his stomach, his eyes soon start to grow heavy, and before the ship is even off the ground, he’s fallen into a stupor. As he prepares for takeoff, Riku can sense the nightmares starting to assail him, can hear his soft, nervous whimpers piercing through the peace of the cockpit. But he’s having none of it. He closes his eyes, takes in a steady breath, and focuses his power into chasing those nightmares away before they can cause him any harm. The terrors Xehanort is trying to force upon him are unspeakable, vile visions of everything Sora’s come to fear and hate. Even the brief glimpses he gets before he destroys them from existence are enough to shake Riku to his very core, to get even just a small taste of the torture Sora’s been forced to go through, torture he’s done not a single thing to deserve in the slightest. And yet, for as much as it all horrifies him, it does something else too; it makes Riku want to put the twisted man responsible for it all through every bit of suffering he’s been shoving onto Sora. He won’t rest until he does.

Riku feels some measure of relief when he finally feels Sora fully fall asleep just as the ship’s engines quietly roar to life. He pulls the vessel into motion, gentle enough as to not wake him, and slowly guides it up into the atmosphere, out of a world in which, up until a few hours prior, Sora had been all but hopelessly lost within. As soon as the ship is steadily adrift between the stars, Riku briefly checks on him, unable to suppress a smile when he sees him curled up him his seat, his blanket tightly wrapped around him as he sleeps soundly, likely for the first time in a very long time.

That smile soon fades, however, when he pulls his Gummiphone out. He hasn’t spoken to any of the other lights in quite awhile, not since his search for Sora began. As their leader, he knows he’ll have a lot to answer for the impulsive haste of that search, and he’ll have much to say he’s sorry for, to Kairi above all the others. But now, he’s finally ready to face them, finally ready to return to them. Finally ready to bring the only one still missing among their number back to where he belongs.

He decides to message Kairi, knowing there’s too much to explain and that none of it should be done over the phone. Besides, he doesn’t want to risk waking Sora up with what would likely be a very emotional, very noisy call. So he sends something short off to her, a simple request without much elaboration at all. Mostly because he has a feeling she’ll understand exactly what he means.

“I’m sorry about what happened before, but I need a favor. Go to the islands and bring Himari back to the tower, please. And tell the others to get a room ready. I have him. We’re coming home.”

***

Sora’s still sleeping when they arrive at the tower. Riku doesn’t have the heart to rouse him, not when sleep is something he so sorely, visibly needs. So he decides to carry him, carefully lifting him from his seat with his blanket still draped over him. His heart flutters in his chest, his face warm as he secures Sora comfortably in his arms. He’s light, far lighter than he should be, likely because of his longstanding starvation, and as a result, he feels fragile, like he could break at any moment if not treated with the utmost care and caution. But even then, Riku isn’t so sure he hasn’t already been broken by fear, by pain, by loneliness, by so many other things he can’t even bring himself to think about.

He isn’t surprised to see Kairi pacing around right outside the tower, her expression torn between deep worry and rising hope. She’s the only one out there, and he’s glad for it; the last thing Sora needs is to be overwhelmed by too many people at once upon arrival.

“Riku!” she cries, running over to him the second she spots him. He’s quick to shush her as Sora lightly stirs in his arms, and she complies, her eyes wide when she sees him, a soft gasp escaping her when she takes in just how much he’s managed to change. “S-Sora…” she swallows hard, trying to fight back tears and failing miserably. “I-is… is he-”

“He’s just sleeping,” Riku assures her. “He… hasn’t been doing too well out on his own…”

“I can tell…” Kairi shudders, wiping a few of her stray tears away. She places a feather-light hand against the side of his face, whispering softly to him as he sleeps. “I can’t imagine what you’ve been going through… But it’s all gonna be ok now. You’re here, and so is everyone else. And we’re all gonna do whatever we can to stop this… to save you…”

While most of this goes largely unheard, Sora does ease his way back into some small semblance of waking after Kairi leans in to lightly kiss his forehead. His golden gaze is initially unfocused, his mind bleary and disoriented as unused to uninterrupted slumber as he’s come to be. Even so, he eventually manages to focus his sights on the pair hovering over him, all but unaware that he’s resting in the arms of one of them. “Mmm… Riku?” he says with a small, comforted smile. That comfort quickly shifts into startled alarm when he notices who else is standing alongside him. “K-Kairi! I-”

“Shh, it’s ok,” she places a soft finger against his lips, her own smile warm but bittersweet. “I’m so glad to see you, you lazy bum. To see both of you…” She turns her sights back to Riku, who returns her apologetic gaze every bit as intently. Whatever they might have said or done weeks before doesn’t matter now, not when they finally have the one who matters most to them both back. Not when he still needs both of them to be there for him so very much.

“Wait a second…” Sora starts, his cheeks flooding red when he tries to sit up, only to realize where he’s lying. Or rather, who’s arms he’s lying in. “R-Riku! Are you--why are you carrying me?!”

“W-well, you were sleeping,” Riku quickly explains, his own face turning a crimson shade to match Sora’s. “And I didn’t want to wake you, so I-”

He’s cut off as Kairi suddenly breaks down into a helpless bout of laughter, one that only serves to fluster both boys even more. “Good to know you’re both just as adorable as ever,” she chuckles, fixing them with a flirtatious smirk.

“Are not!” Sora argues, pouting as Riku carefully sets him down and helps him properly stand.

“I-I don’t know what you mean,” Riku refutes, clearing his throat as he looks away.

“Suuuure you don’t,” Kairi teases, though her tone takes a more serious turn as she begins leading the way toward the tower. “Well, come on you two. Everyone’s waiting.”

“E-everyone?” Sora tenses, at least until Riku’s steadying hand lands on his shoulder.

“It’s ok,” he says solemnly, sincerely. “We’re with you, no matter what happens.”

The most Sora can do is anxiously nod, knowing that there’s no going back now, not when he’s already come all this way. They approach the doors together, though they aren’t the ones to open them. Donald and Goofy are, and needless to say that as soon as they see Sora, they’re unable to contain the torrential tide of emotions that rushes to the surface. And neither can Sora himself, for that matter.

The pair pounces upon him, knocking him to the ground as they engulf him in a noisy, tearful hug. Sora struggles to work up the courage to hug them back, terrified of even touching them after how he’d hurt both of them before. That maddening moment seems to be the furthest thing from either of their minds now though, as they fret and fawn over him, as Donald scolds him for worrying them so much, as Goofy tells him how much they both missed him. It all comes out so rapidly that Sora is barely able to get a word in edgewise, not that he can think of much else to say other than sorry. Which he does, over and over and over again.

Roxas, Ventus, and Xion descend upon him next, each of them greeting him in more or less the exact ways he expected them to. Roxas is a mess of relieved anger, hot tears streaming down his cheeks as he yells at Sora for his recklessness, for his foolishness, for being so surprisingly hard to find. Sora doesn’t protest any of it, knowing he deserves far worse for what he’s done. But in the end, Roxas finally relents, finally embracing him as Ven and Xion do the same. As all three of the hearts once inside his own vow to do whatever they can to protect him even still, even now that they no longer have to call his heart home.

The others all soon follow, Aqua and Terra and Axel and Mickey and Naminé all warmly welcoming his long-awaited return. He does his best to face each of them in stride, to not fall apart in front of them all. He leans against Riku and Kairi for support, his head spinning as they all ask him an abundance of curious, concerned questions, many of which he has no real answers for. The pair can tell he’s starting to get overwhelmed by it all, and they’re more than ready to pull him aside for some of the solitude he’s likely much more used to now. But before they can, one voice among the group rises over all the others; a voice that sparks tears in Sora’s eyes the very second he hears her.

“S-Sora…?”

He turns, his heart aching to find her hurrying down the stairs into the foyer. Her eyes are already red from crying, tears already starting in them anew when he steps forward to meet her. He doesn’t know what to say, didn’t know she’d be here, never thought she even could be here. But he supposes it only makes sense that they’d bring her all this way to see him; after all, the world order can afford to be broken just a little if it means reuniting a worried mother with the son she’s so close to losing.

“Mom…” he returns as the entire room falls into solemn silence around them. “I… I’m-”

He doesn’t get a chance to finish when Himari throws her arms around him, pulling him close and tight toward her. “I-I… t-they just finished telling me what’s happening to you,” she whispers, running a hand through his whitened hair. “I didn’t think this--I… I should have never let you…” she breaks off into a mournful sob, holding him even tighter, terrified of what might happen if she lets him go. “I’m so sorry, Sora…”

“No,” he returns just as quietly, just as sadly as he pulls just a tiny bit away. “Don’t be. You have nothing to be sorry for. This isn’t your fault.” “It’s mine,” he nearly adds, but narrowly refrains. Even though he knows it's nothing less than the truth.

The round of reunions doesn’t continue very long after that. It’s already quite late, and everyone’s already very tired, so they decide to take tomorrow to form a more concrete plan of action. For now, everyone turns into their rooms for the night, with even Himari doing the same after spending a bit more time with her son, vowing to stay by his side through the duration of this situation, no matter how uncertain it might be.

Sora finds himself stunned when Riku and Kairi lead him into one of the tower’s spare rooms. He hasn’t slept in general for so long, much less in an actual bed. And the mere thought of getting to lie in one now almost seems like a luxury he shouldn’t be able to afford, yet here it is, offered freely just like the food he’d gotten earlier, just like the secure shelter now hanging over his head, just like the kind company he still can’t believe he’s keeping. Company that he’d been such a stubborn fool for depriving himself of for so very long.

As he climbs under the soft plush covers, he’s just as surprised to find Riku and Kairi climbing under them alongside him. The bed is plenty big enough for all three of them, with still more room to spare, but they pull themselves close along either side of him, each of them loosely draping their arms over him.

“Are you comfortable like this?” Kairi asks him as she reaches over to turn out the light.

“Yeah…” he sighs, content as Riku pulls the blanket over him just a bit more. “You know, I’ve been alone for such a long time now, I-I guess… I almost forgot what this felt like…”

“What do you mean?” Riku inquires softly, drowsily.

“I… I forgot what it felt like… to be safe,” Sora admits, though that’s not really what he wants to say. Because in truth, what he really forgot, what he’s still trying his hardest to remember is what it feels like to be loved.

Even so, both Riku and Kairi seem to understand what he means without him even needing to say it. A talent both of them have always had, one that he’s always marveled at around every turn. “And you’ll stay safe, no matter what happens next,” Kairi smiles sweetly, slowly brushing a few stray locks of hair out of his eyes. “That’s something we won’t let you forget again. We promise.”

“You saved both of us so many times before, Sora, in so many different ways,” Riku adds, his voice a light, loving whisper leading him back toward slumber. “This time, let us be the ones to save you, ok?”

Sora has no idea what will happen next, and part of him doesn’t want to know either. But what he does know is this: he’s back, he’s here, surrounded by friends and family who are all striving to help him, set his captive heart free. He’s here, lying in the arms of two people he loves more than anything, more than himself even. He’s here, and the only thing they want is to save him, to stay with him, to hold onto him and never let him walk alone again. And, after so long of wandering without anyone by his side, without any love or light to guide him out of the dark deceptions he’d fallen into… Sora can’t help but finally find himself wanting the exact same thing. “Ok,” he says softly, a smile on his face as he falls asleep in the same way he fell in love with them so many years ago.

Slowly, and then all at once.

(Commissions are still open! PM if interested!)

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fanficshiddles · 5 years

Text

His ray of sunshine, Chapter 2

Keira felt like she was going to be sick when she approached Tom’s cabin.

She couldn’t look up at him, even when she reached the top of the steps. She just froze, head down. Not that that was a bad thing really, showing respect to the Alpha. Especially the leader.

Tom looked at Jessica and nodded. Jessica then took a few steps back, leaving them some space.

He looked over the young omega, his heart swelling with happiness and pride upon finally seeing her. He’d seen pictures, and had thought she was a lovely little thing. But seeing her in reality now, she was even more beautiful.

Keira was visibly trembling when he stepped in close, right on front of her. His scent enveloped her completely, she took in a sharp breath, feeling slightly light headed. He smelled amazing.

Tom reached out and hooked her chin, tilting her head up so she had to look at him.

A gasp escaped from Keira when she laid eyes upon the Alpha.

He was bloody gorgeous...

But also intimidating. His height factored into that, he towered over the poor little omega. And his eye contact was intense. But she felt a weird pull towards him, an odd kind of warmth inside. Like she just wanted him to wrap his arms around her and protect her.

‘What’s your name, little one?’ Tom asked, his voice deep and sultry, making her tremble.

Tom already knew her name, but he wanted to hear it from herself.

‘Keira… Sir.’ She said quietly.

‘Just call me Tom.’ He smiled softly, putting her slightly more at ease for the first time since meeting. ‘But I appreciate your respect, such pretty manners.’ He hummed, stroking his thumb up across her lower lip.

He was yet to let go of her chin, she wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing. But the contact, as little as it was, from the Alpha was making her feel rather hot and bothered. And it was like her bones were jelly.

Tom let go of her chin and eyed her up and down once more, then locked onto her eyes. ‘How was your journey here? I know you came far.’

‘It was good… Thank you. I’ve never been out of the city before, it’s so beautiful out here. Your home is wonderful and the lake is stunning. Just not being surrounded by concrete buildings is…’ She trailed off, realising she was rambling. ‘Sorry.’ She said quickly and looked down.

Jessica noticed a half smirk spread across Tom’s face. She knew he was enamoured by her already, and that was a great thing.

‘Do not apologise. I’m glad you like it here. Michael told me that you are good at painting, is this true?’ Tom asked, still watching and listening to her closely.

‘It is. There is so much out here that would be wonderful to paint.’ Her face lit up as she glanced around, noting all the flowers about.

Michael was watching Ben while he drank his beer, noting the way he hadn’t looked away from

Tom’s cabin since Keira had went up to introduce herself to Tom. He really hoped things weren’t going to kick off with him. He wanted his niece to be Tom’s, knowing he would look after her well. Ben, whilst he was his friend, he wouldn’t trust him with an omega. Especially not one as delicate and trusting as Keira. She had a lot to learn about the world, having been so sheltered up to now.

Ben wasn’t the only one that was noting how long Keira had been. Lucy noticed too after she returned from the walk with Tilda.

‘Why are they taking so long? It was just a minute or two with me.’ She said, jealousy evident in her tone.

The pack all looked at one another, neither particularly wanting to deal with her. But they weren’t a nasty pack, they wouldn’t want to just chuck her out either. Though they knew they were going to have to contact her previous pack to request she can return. Not wanting to see her alone and vulnerable in the world.

‘Perhaps they have already imprinted on one another.’ Idris suggested, just coming straight out with it. Earning a glare and a nudge from Tilda.

Lucy looked hurt, not pleased at all with that. And so did Ben.

Imprinting was rare, where an Alpha and an omega immediately had a rather strong attraction towards one another. It was more regular if the two had similar interests, too. Other Alphas could still try and steal the omega from the Alpha before they were claimed, but most Alphas respected the imprint nowadays…

‘There are some rules I will need to go over with yourself and the other omega, for joining my pack. Why don’t you go back to the others? I will join you shortly…’ He reached out and stroked Keira’s cheek with the back of his hand. Then he looked to Jessica. ‘Will you send Michael up, please?’

‘Of course.’ Jessica nodded.

She led Keira back down to the pack. Keira kept looking back over her shoulder at Tom, her heart was racing so fast. But in a good way.

That hadn’t gone as bad as she thought it would. He was slightly scary, in an intimidating and powerful kind of way. But he had been gentle with her and kind. She really hoped she could get to know him more, perhaps.

‘He likes you.’ Jessica said quietly to her on their way back down to the decking.

‘You think?’ Keira asked, hopeful.

‘Definitely. He’s never normally a touchy-feely kind of guy. He didn’t get close to Lucy.’

When the two joined the others, Keira felt some hostility from Lucy. So she sat between Jessica and Tilda again.

Jessica sent Michael up to speak to Tom.

‘Well? Do you like her?’ Michael asked Tom, sitting on the bench that was outside of Tom’s cabin. Tom sat down too.

‘Very much. She’s incredibly sweet and beautiful. Rather optimistic with life, isn’t she?’

‘Indeed. She has had a sheltered life so far, never out of the city. My brother is also slightly old fashioned in the way that he doesn’t think omegas should be out-with the house often. She would go to school, come home and do homework then have dinner and go to bed. She would be allowed in the garden, then the park down their street on weekends. But that’s it. She was worried if she was to stay here, that she wouldn’t be allowed outside, ever. I assured her we weren’t like that here.’ Michael explained.

Tom stroked his beard in thought. ‘She’s a very bright girl, I can tell. Seems respectful too. I am guessing her parents were quite strict in her teachings in regards to what she was to expect and do with her future Alpha?’

‘Yep.’ Michael nodded.

‘I want her, Michael.’ Tom growled low, eyes on Keira down by the lake.

Michael sighed and sat forward, leaning on his knees. ‘The process still has to take place, you know that more than me. Can’t risk getting into trouble with the law.’

Tom’s nose scrunched up angrily. ‘I know… I just wish there was a way to bypass it.’ He grumbled.

When pack leaders wanted an omega, they had to acquire a minimum of two omegas who had just turned of age, from other packs, to live with them for a week. To allow the leader to get to know and decide which omega he wanted. If any of them. But they had to remain in the pack for at least a week, it was the law for fairness of the omegas.

‘It’s just seven days. It will give you both more of a chance to bond and get to know one another before she moves in with you.’ Michael said to try and make it a bit better for him.

‘I guess so. In the meantime, we have Lucy to deal with.’ Tom sighed.

When he and Michael went to join the others, Tom grabbed a seat and put it by the barbecue, where he could see Keira clearly on front of him. He also grabbed a beer from Jeremy.

‘I’d like to go over the rules of the pack for our two new recruits.’ Tom announced, silencing everyone.

Keira listened closely while he spoke.

‘Omegas don’t leave the boundary without being with an Alpha, which is the tree line across the lake, there.’ He pointed to the other side of the lake. ‘The edge of the lake at that side.’ He pointed behind him. ‘The track at the other side... And to the fence-line of the field at the back of the cabins.’

Keira was amazed at that, it was huge. The area was larger than her parents house was to her school back in the city. It was so much freedom in comparison.

Tom continued with the pack rules. ‘If anyone gets even a hint of a scent from another pack, I must be notified immediately. You are not to enter any of the other cabins without express permission from the Alpha of the home. No swimming in the lake without someone supervising, it’s too dangerous alone.’

Jeremy and Luke rolled their eyes at that rule.

‘And finally, what I say goes. I have the last say in matters.’ Tom said firmly. ‘Any questions?’ He looked between the two new omegas.

Keira shook her head, understanding them all perfectly.

‘All good, Alpha.’ Lucy said loudly.

Tom narrowed his eyes at her. ‘Do not call me that, it is disrespectful to an Alpha unless he owns you.’

Lucy’s smile dropped and she looked down.

‘Grubs up!’ Luke said as he started dishing up some of the food off the barbecue, hoping to change the subject.

Tom noticed his apron and shook his head.

Keira was waiting till the other Alphas had been to get food, but Tom went over to her when he noticed she hadn’t made a move.

‘Are you not hungry?’

‘I… I just wanted to wait until you all had yours first.’ She said quietly.

‘None of that here. Come on, before Idris steals all the best meat.’ Tom grinned at her and motioned her over to the food.

Keira went and got some food with a smile. It was quite a relaxed atmosphere. Jeremy and Luke were joking around, everyone was pretty laid back. Even Tom seemed to be enjoying the evening by the lake.

He kept looking at Keira, enjoying the blush on her cheeks when she saw him looking at her. She couldn’t maintain eye contact, quickly looking away each time.

Ben had moved to sit next to her, hoping to get to know her more.

‘So, you’re from the city?’ He asked.

‘I am, yes.’ She nodded, feeling slightly on edge with the Alpha being so close. He didn’t smell as nice as Tom did. And the way he had been staring at her the entire time was very un-nerving, like he wanted to literally eat her alive.

‘This must be really different compared to what you’re used to.’

‘It is. But it’s beautiful. I’m looking forward to doing some paintings of the lake.’ Keira smiled.

‘Paintings?’ Ben frowned.

‘Yeah. I really enjoy doing art, especially painting.’

In Ben’s mind, painting wasn’t something that an omega should be wasting her time doing. But he didn’t say anything. Though the look on his face told Keira everything she needed to know, really.

Tom was normally a very patient man. He was known for his calm and collected head, even in high stress situations. But Lucy was really trying his patience with her jabbering. She was following him everywhere he went, whether it was to get more food, or another drink, or following him when he merely walked to the side of the lake to chat to others.

All Lucy was getting in return when she spoke to him was various ‘hmm’ or ‘mmhmm’.

Later on in the evening, Tom finally managed to sit next to Keira. After just watching her most of the night, he was glad to get a chance to talk to her.

‘Have you eaten enough, little one?’ He asked softly.

‘I have. Thank you.’ She smiled with a nod. She rather liked the nickname he seemed to already have for her, it made her feel fuzzy inside.

‘Aside from painting, what other hobbies do you have?’ Tom turned his body in towards her, giving her his full attention.

She couldn’t stop blushing, it was just being so close to him and having his full attention. She knew how strong and powerful he was, she could smell it. But he seemed really kind and calm, too. All high qualities that drew an omega towards an Alpha.

‘I really enjoyed running when I was in secondary school, I was in the omegas racing team. I also like reading.’

Tom’s eyes lit up. ‘What kind of books do you enjoy best?’

‘Adventure and drama mainly. Do you like to read too?’ Keira asked, sipping on her drink.

‘I do. Shakespeare’s work is my favourite. But I’m pretty open to all genres. You seem like the kind of girl who would be into theatre?’ Tom guessed.

‘I’ve… never been before. But I have seen some plays when they’ve been broadcast online. My parents would often go, I always wanted to go but wasn’t allowed… Not that I’d expect to be able to go anyway.’ She said quickly, not wanting to get into trouble with the Alpha.

Tom made a mental note to take her next time there was a play on in the nearby town. They had a small theatre there that often had good plays and musicals on.

They didn’t get long to speak together before the distinct smell of jealousy filled the air and Lucy skipped over and squeezed herself right down between Tom and Keira on the log, completely ignoring Keira and turning to face Tom. Making him shift back to get some space between them.

Jessica looked at Michael and they both sighed. Feeling sorry for Keira.

‘Hey, Keira. Come catch up with your ol’ Uncle.’ Michael slid across the log and patted the space between himself and Jessica.

Ben was irritated as he had been on his way to ask Keira to go for a walk with him. But he went over to Luke and Jeremy instead, still glancing over in the young omegas direction now and then.

Tilda leaned in to Idris. ‘I have never smelt so many different pheromones all at once before.’ She whispered.

‘Tell me about it. I feel sorry for poor Keira.’ Idris whispered back.

When it started to get dark, everyone decided to call it a night. Tom said goodnight to everyone and his gaze lingered on Keira for longer, giving her a warm smile before heading up to his cabin.

Jessica put her arm around Keira’s shoulder and took her back to their cabin.

‘Well, how was your first day here?’ Jessica asked once they got inside.

‘A bit of a mix of emotions.’ Keira said honestly. She was exhausted, mentally and physically.

‘You’ll feel better after a good sleep. What did you think of Tom?’

‘I really like him.’ She blushed. ‘He’s really handsome… and he seems nice.’

Jessica grinned. ‘Glad you think so. Because I could tell that he likes you too. We just have to get through the week, then that Lucy can leave.’

‘I never realised that omegas could be like that. She seemed… not so nice.’ Keira sighed and sat down on her bed.

‘Omegas can be just as nasty as Alphas can. Especially if an Alpha she wants has his eye on another omega. But don’t worry, we will look out for you and won’t let her do anything.’ Jessica assured her. ‘Now, get some sleep.’ Jessica kissed the side of her head, making her smile.

‘Night night. Thank you.’ Keira said when Jessica left her room, shutting the door behind her with a smile.

#his ray of sunshine #tom hiddleston #fan fiction #omegaverse #alpha/omega

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bondsmagii · 5 years

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Hello Lavrentiy. I'm feeling nostalgic about london, I live in the north and haven't been back in a while. I was wondering if you'd do me the honour of describing your views or local walks you enjoy? An aesthetic to ponder: last year I was down there for work and I became captivated by the stunningly decadent number 38 bus. I'd just sit for that whole ride, gliding through the green of London Fields and the academic grandeur of Bloomsbury, all the way to the bright lights of Shaftesbury Avenue.

where do I even begin, lord. there are so many places I love in London, some much bigger or well-known than others. I’ll link to pictures on my blog (or include them) when I can! I suppose I can start with something inspired by your aesthetic, which is my own favourite bus route. I don’t manage to get it often because it’s a night bus, but when I’m out late enough I always get my ass up to Oxford Circus and catch the N22. the journey to where I live takes about an hour, and the route takes you through all the grand areas of London and some wonderfully leafy areas, too. There’s one point where it looks like you’re going down a country road: the road is narrow, the trees are on both sides, and you can hardly believe you’re in a huge city. on the other hand you have all the grander areas – the bus goes right through Berkeley Square, which some of my followers might recognise as the location for an incredibly unnerving haunting. then there’s Bond Street, Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, Sloane Square… all places full of grandeur and great architecture and wonderful restaurants – not to mention at that time of the night a lot of interesting drama to watch from the upper deck as all the drunks stumble out of the exclusive nightclubs, lol. you really get to see the best of London alongside all its chaos; there’s something kind of inappropriately hilarious about seeing all of these grand clubs and buildings, and a bunch of well-dressed men and women all throwing up among them.

another of my favourite places is definitely the Waterstone’s bookstore on Piccadilly. coming out of the underground and only having to walk a minute up to the biggest bookstore in Europe, and then knowing I can spend the entire day there? there’s an impossibly large amount of books and every subject I can think of has a shelf there; I can spend hours sitting on the floor in the Russian history section alone. then there’s a wonderful little café downstairs which, while admittedly on the expensive side, does the best sandwiches and iced coffees and chai lattes. most of my writing when I’m in London gets done in this café.

there’s also a delicious restaurant on the top floor which had happy hour on cocktails every Monday through Saturday, where it’s buy one get one free. always fun to indulge a little there! I swear, every single time I go into that store I find myself wishing I was immortal just because of the sheer amount of books I want to read. nothing brings it home more than that place: endless books on every subject, reminding me just how much I have to read. it’s intimidating but also very inspiring.

nearby is St James’s Park, where I can often be found on sunny days.

I’ve been wine drunk in that park more times than I can count; I’ve wandered through it endlessly in the dead of night, taking in the silence and marvelling at the fact I’m still somehow in one of the busiest cities in the world. there’s a bridge across the lake where you can see right up the length of it from both directions: Regent Street and Piccadilly and the Eye in one direction; the glittering lights of Buckingham Palace in the other, and all the grandeur of Whitehall not far away. back in the day, MI6 used to bring potential recruits to that bridge to give them the pitch and ask if they wanted to work as spies, because the bridge used to incite such awe and patriotism in them that they couldn’t say no. I can kind of see why, to be honest. it’s one of the grandest views in London, in my opinion, but my favourite view in London isn’t far from it: go out of St James’s Park and cross the Mall, and take the steps up to Regent Street.

do this at the strange time between day and night; the dusk where the sky is a blue both bright and dark, and the soft pastel colours of the sunset are sinking just behind the buildings. the lights glitter and the street – the whole of which you can see from the steps, as it slopes gently uphill – looks absolutely ethereal. I’ve been admiring this view for years; I’ve taken endless photographs of it. still, it always takes my breath away, even if I just saw it twelve hours before.

this is getting long, so I’ll mention the final place I can’t leave out: my favourite museum in London, the Victoria & Albert. one of my favourite pictures of me was taken by my boyfriend there:

I’ve been there so many times and if I add up all the hours I’ve spent in there it probably totals weeks. still, every single time I go, I find a gallery I haven’t been in yet. the vastness of it, the amount of things to see, the lighting, the peace of it all even when it’s busy, all those years of history just right there… I could wander around for hours, and I frequently do. there’s also the absolutely beautiful café, and the courtyard outside where you can sit and enjoy a drink, and the endless galleries and the heavy, peaceful silence you don’t often find outside of holy buildings. there sheer diversity of its atmospheres, too – from the dark, glittering lighting of stained glass and jewel encrusted furniture and jewellery and accessories;

to the classical whites and beiges of endless statues and busts and basins and architecture, all of which just feel ancient;

it’s incredible. it stays open late on Friday nights, too, meaning this atmosphere is even better – there’s hardly anyone around, and you can take your time and utterly lose yourself. the V&A has become the model for many museums and similar places in a few of my stories; its fingerprints are all over many of the scenes I’ve written, and I can only hope to come near to doing it justice.

#MAN this got so long!!#about me #london #anon #asks

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lucasxxbrown-blog · 4 years

Text

Desire, Pain and Ponies.

A non-fictional short story by Lucas Brown.

Light at the end of the dock? The statue? The bald bird? Was this my American Dream?

It did feel like a dream...

In April of 2019, my father was invited by NASA to photograph the launch of a rocket to resupply the ISS station. It all happened on an island called Chincoteague. (Chink-o-teeg).

It’s referred to as “Pony island”, apparently. The island is well known for two things; the Wallops flight facility that lies adjacent across the bay, and being home to a community of wild ponies. I didn’t know much about the island before I left. I had scanned satellite imagery before embarking and, to my luck, realized a massive wildlife reserve encompassed northern portion of the island. I wanted to go off into those woods the moment I saw them.

My father, brother and I drove about five hours from Portland, Maine, until we reached New York City. We stopped for lunch, pulling into “Liberty Diner”, a joint closeby to the Statue of Liberty. I decided to have a chicken and cheese sandwich (not the best idea). After eating, we drove to nearby Flag Plaza so my father could photograph the big green lady herself. I was indifferent to the photo op, and stayed in the car.

A few more hours of driving passed. While passing through Washington D.C, the roads and surrounding landscaped plateaued. We veered off of the main road as the sun loomed above the horizon. We drove through tall grass and old houses, on a winding road, while the mango-orange light of the sun blanketed the atmosphere. I put on Frank Ocean. It was a quaint, relaxing calm before the storm.

The sun, as well as the light, disappeared with a different corner. A barbed-wire topped fence, to my left, ran alongside a field of satellite dishes. We had made it. Our rental SUV took us over a long, relatively straight bridge that gapped the channel. The minute I saw the little downtown of Chincoteague, I knew I was just another mouse in the tourist trap.

It wasn’t anything big, or particularly special. Out of a string of 2-star seaside motels, one became our temporary home. The first night, I stepped out and smoked a joint. It was cool, and the wind howled. The entire hotel was composed of outdoor, wooden walkways, all organized in a rectangular manner. I wandered around, until the ground level deck lead me to a connected dock. It was T-Shaped, and sat in the velvet midnight, surrounded by fast-moving water. Yellow orbs, lanterns, poked along the perimeter. Stoned, I walked down the dimly lit corridor. The wind was at my back, pushing me to continue my journey. I was in awe.

At the far left end of the dock, I stood and stared into the immense darkness. Out of nothingness, I began to sing a song in a language I didn’t know, a language that didn’t really exist. Humming, murmuring it until it grew louder; channeling the depth of my subconscious. I was born a gemini, an air sign. I knew that this moment, this place and time, was exactly what I was supposed to be experiencing. I felt my connection to the Gaian spirit, as the gale sang softly through me intuitively. I had never felt anything like it before. An initiation.

The next morning, I puked up every bit of my stomach. It was the damn chicken and cheese from the day before. Even though my stomach was empty afterwards, I didn’t feel hungry. My brother asked if I wanted to go longboarding around the island. I figured this would be the only chance I had, until the launch the next day, to go off into the woods. Taking my camera bag, I said yes.

We skated three miles until my brother decided to go back to the motel. I continued on. It was an odd little beachside town. Not a lot of money in the area, only scattered (and run down) small businesses. But the colors were bright, that I enjoyed. I skated another two miles until reaching the reserve.

The reserve was quiet. Filled with tall, lush and green trees. I was exploring an area filled with other people, and I wanted to be completely alone. I continued to skate north, until I had to walk. I walked another mile, along a dirt path, parallel to the coastline. I went about a mile, and was searching for a sign to tell me it was time to stop. I kept going… until a bald eagle swooped down from a tree branch only ten feet in front and above me. I stepped off the path and found a lone tree. I wish I knew its species.

I sat under the tree and smoked a joint. I reached into my camera bag and opened a container of chocolate dusted cheerios. The chocolate was infused with THC. I ate the entire (big) bag, and two medical grade (THC infused) chocolates. All without knowing their THC content. All on an empty stomach.

I’ve always been one to push myself, to find new challenges. Been one for trying to kill, or dissolve, my ego (the enemy, it seems). One always open to change, especially that of my consciousness. For me, in the moment, this was it. What better way to open another doorway of metaphysical realms but to open the next door of 11-hydroxy metabolite, the most potent form psychoactive cannabis? I was ready to learn. To see. To be taught, to grow and develop from what I was doing to myself. I didn’t care about having a good time, or enjoying anything whatsoever. This was not about pleasure. In fact, it was the opposite. It was a mental masochistic choice.

After consuming my copious dose, I left. Walked back down the dirt path, and skated once I hit concrete. Once I neared the motel, the sychinicities in space-time began to pile up. I walked up the stairs, unlocked our door, and thought about what to do. I was immensely baked, even though it was a short time from when I had dosed. I wanted to be outside, so I stepped onto the porch. I wanted to be inside, so I went inside. Then, my high became uncomfortable. I wanted to be inside… but also outside. So I laid on the floor, on the brink of the doorway, and listened to the myriad of ocean birds squalling and squawking.

My concept of time was completely blown. The only conscious idea I was in was the moment. My father and brother returned simultaneously. I was now in my bed, trying to keep calm, trying to hold onto any drop of sanity. Miraculously, I held a conversation. They told me I looked sick, that I had a “greenish” coloration of my skin. I was asked if I wanted to join them driving mopeds around the island. I was worried I would ruin their fun if I said no. That they really wanted me to come, and that staying in the hotel “sick” would ruin the trip. So I agreed.

After leaving the motel room, the first few steps down the stairs were a complete weightless energy vortex. I was barley connected to my nervous system, let alone the physical components attached to it. Right then and there, I should have turned around and gone back inside. I was still on an empty stomach. I hadn’t consumed any water, even though I tried, my mental state wouldn’t let me. I had tried to chew a granola bar, but my mouth was so dry I couldn’t do it. But I had convinced myself that I could walk it off. So walk we did.

We walked about a mile until reaching the moped rental store. I was quiet the whole time. Upon arrival, it hadn’t worn off. But it had leveled down, so I thought I could fight through. We stood inside the store. It was hot, bright, and cramped. I pointed out the moped I wanted. My brother and father were standing in front of me, with the attendant at the desk. I began to feel nervous, and further away from my body than I had ever been. I was hungry, thirsty, and only functioning off THC ladent cheerios.

This is from what my father told me afterwards, as I don’t remember much. Standing in front of me and looking back, he asked me a question. I didn’t (couldn’t) respond. I gave a blank stare. He asked again, confused. I proceeded to pass out and fall to the ground. I fell hard. The moment I hit the floor I instant relief and immense fatigue. Apparently I almost took out a merchandising rack on the way down. Kind of would have been funnier if I did.

My brother bent down to my aid. He told me it “looked like I was having a seizure”, that my “eyes were rolling in the back of my head.” Still on the floor, my eyes half open and shut, I heard the ocean birds cawing, as if they were flying in circles above my head. There were no birds.

I can’t remember how long it took me, but I got up. The man working in the store was quite friendly. They helped me outside and he brought a chair for me to sit in. My father took off running, ran back to the motel where the car was parked. I hadn’t said anything yet. While waiting, I tried to think. About where I was, what I was doing. What was going on. But nothing came to mind. I was still present tense, the blessing and curse that it was. Higher than I have ever been. My brother stood next to me. He was relatively content. He tried asking questions, but I couldn’t muster to say much. We watched cars go by. Finally, my father arrived. When I entered the car, he told me we were going to a “quick care” unit on the island. I protested, but I was in no state to make any decisions.

He asked me what I had took. At this point, he knew of my cannabis use. He knew that I would occasionally take edibles, and that this might be something along those lines. I told him it was “CBD gummies” that must have been bad. When we got to the hospital, he forced me to take a urine test. I don’t remember peeing in a cup, which is weird. As we were waiting for the results, I told him I had accidentally taken THC gummies instead of CBD. I wasn’t sure how to explain to my dad what I had eaten, that I had no idea what milligram they were, that nothing I told him would make sense. I was still baked and out of it.

So I just said “I took nine.”

He wasn’t very happy with that. Or any of the decisions I made. He later found the other two joints I had and flushed them down the toilet. Kept going on and on about how I could have passed out on the moped. He was right. But something, some metaphysical force, kept me off those mopeds, and with the birds instead. After the hospital, we went back to the motel. I threw up again, and thankfully afterwards managed to eat. My dad was considering going home right then and there, but I assured him I just needed rest.

The next morning, thankfully, my dad decided to stay. He let my brother and I go to a different moped rental store, and only let me rent a tricycle so I “wouldn’t tip over.” My brother and I scooted around the island while my father prepared for the launch. At 3, or maybe 4, we got on the boat that would take us out to see the launch. Only it took us to the far, beachy end of the wildlife reserve. I sat between limbs of wood, both belonging to the land and the sea. I took my shoes off and stared at the pulsing shore. I still wasn’t sure how to feel. The other spectators in our group began to get louder, and I looked up. The massive rocket took off over the baby blue on dark blue horizon. And then we went back.

I wish I could say we just drove home, but my purgatory wasn’t over yet. There isn’t really any point getting into what happened between then and when I got home. But I didn’t enjoy myself, mostly due to my bodies own issues, and issues with the food I was consuming. In one piece, though, I made it home.

If I had decided to not eat what I had, I wouldn’t be writing this. We would have rented mopeds that day, and the second day. Still would have got on the boat and seen the launch. Still would have gone to Washington D.C on our way home. But all of that would have come and gone and been eventually forgotten. It would have been without a story or potent memory to hold onto… if I didn’t eat those cheerios.

Although at some level I regret what happened, I don’t wish it any other way. I did exactly what I set out to do. I reset my consciousness as fully as I had anticipated. It definitely could have gone better if I had chosen to stay in the motel. I may have had consequences, may have had to throw myself through the ringer… but pain is growth.

Also, I hate ponies now.

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headfulloffantasies · 5 years

Text

Lost in Translation

Sam needed a translator for Bucky. It was physically painful to hear him mix modern and outdated slang. AO3

Sam needed a translator for Bucky. It wasn’t his fault. Hydra always wanted the Asset to fit in, meaning they stuffed his head full of the latest slang every time they pulled him out of cryofreeze. All those phrases were still stuck in his brainpan, manifesting in his speech in bizarre ways.

“Hey man, can I borrow five bucks? I’m fresh outta lettuce.”

Sam had not seen Steve react so violently to something Bucky had said since the last time he told Steve not to jump in the river. Steve’s head spun around like a poltergeist to glare at Bucky.

“What did you say to me?”

“I’m broke?”

Steve vaulted over the couch to hug Bucky hard. Sam was very confused.

“I haven’t heard anyone say that in seventy years,” Steve sobbed.

“Me too pal,” Bucky frowned. “Don’t know why you gotta have a cow over it.”

“You promised me dinner if I came over tonight,” Sam interrupted the love fest. He got up from the couch and meandered into the kitchen. “What are we having?”

Sam opened the fridge. There was broccoli, peanut butter, soy sauce, and three apples inside. Clearly it had been Bucky’s turn to shop this week. When Bucky shopped, he wandered the aisles and threw things that looked “interesting” into the cart. There weren’t a lot of recipes that could be made from interesting.

“How about Bastard Pad Thai?” Bucky suggested. “We got gobs of chicken in the deep freeze.”

Steve groaned from his spot in Bucky’s arms.

Bastard Pad Thai was a homemade recipe with spaghetti noodles, no fish sauce, and broccoli instead of bean sprouts. Bucky claimed it had saved him from starvation once in Siberia. Steve said he’d only eat it if he was on the verge of starvation.

Bastard Pad Thai won, despite Steve’s complaint. He pouted on the couch.

“You’re cruising for a bruising,” Bucky threatened him with the sauce spoon. Steve hunkered down further into the couch.

Sam chopped up the broccoli and Bucky stirred the sauce on the stove. It was a comfortable, warm atmosphere of bumping into each other and reaching across for utensils.

“Am i supposed to put the armoured heifer in the sauce?” Bucky asked, holding up a can of milk. Sam had to take five to wheeze into the pantry.

Steve did penance for his behaviour by doing the dishes. Sam opened his laptop on the coffee table. Bucky crashed onto the couch next to him, crushing Sam with his flesh shoulder. “Whatcha up to, fresher?”

Sam flinched. “Here, read this.” He shoved the computer at Bucky. Bucky leaned forward and read aloud. “Acceptable slang for adults,” he glanced up, eyebrows drawn down. “You don’t like the cut of my jib?”

“That’s not even from an era you’ve lived in,” Sam complained.

Bucky shrugged. “I heard it in a movie.” He closed the laptop. “I’m not taking criticism from someone who doesn’t know what a is.”

“Only geriatrics know about !”

Bucky shrugged. “Sounds like a you problem.”

Sam ground his teeth and accepted defeat.

The next day they got a call for someone to please go stop Mysterio from blowing up Grand Central Station please.

Mysterio was standing in the middle of the street on a floating platform, pontificating, when they arrived.

“In mere moments I will activate my death ray!” Mysterio screamed.

Steve gave the orders, “I’ll go around behind him, get the drop on him. You two keep him occupied, and take out as many henchmen as possible.”

They broke like a football huddle. Steve vanished into the fray.

Sam and Bucky split onto opposite sides of the street, using parked and abandoned cars as cover as they fought their way through the army Mysterio had brought with him.

Sam was gaining on Mysterio’s platform, but it was disorienting when half the henchmen weren’t actually there. Mysterio was the worst. Illusions were cheating, man. Sam almost broke his hand punching a dude who turned out to be smoke and instead hitting the brick wall behind the illusion.

“You got a bunny following you, Sam,” Bucky announced over the comms. “Could be nothin’ but she might ask you to jive.”

Bunny? They were in New York. What was a rabbit doing in the city?

A woman in all green plowed into Sam from behind.

Bucky swore in Sam’s ear. “I told you to watch her, Sam!”

Oh, so the femme fatale was a bunny? More like a viper, the way she was trying to strangle Sam.

“Kneel before Madame Hydra!” She screamed.

No thanks, lady. Sam kneed her in the chest.

Bucky was suddenly there, pulling the lady off and tossing her aside. He gave Sam a hand up.

“This isn’t working.” They were just as far from Mysterio as they had been when they started.

“Just keep going,” Bucky said. “Keep his attention away from Steve.”

Right. Sure. Distract the evil mastermind. If only there was a way to do that that didn’t include being tackled on all sides by guards in tactical gear. Sam wished he had a way to tell which ones were actually worth a punch.

Finally, Mysterio was in view. He looked like a failed science experiment with his dumb fishbowl on his head. Mysterio was tapping away at a screen, likely setting up his death ray. Sam leapt into the knot of henchmen, real and fake.

Bucky vaulted onto Sam’s left, his metal arm sparking through a holographic henchman.

“I always feel japped when they’re not real.”

Sam grunted, planting his fist in a real gut. The space between them and Mysterio seemed endless. “We’re not going to make it through this mess in time. Where’s Steve?”

“Hey Mysterio!” Bucky yelled. The villain didn’t turn around. “What’s with the fishbowl, man? Is your face all grody under there? Or is it a fetish thing?”

Distraction. Sam caught on quickly. “Nah, Buck, he’s a space alien freak. He wants to be taken to the mothership or whatever.” Sam called louder as he shoved a henchman aside. “Hate to break it to you, but they stopped doing probes decades ago. You’ll have to get your rocks off some other way.”

Bucky slammed his metal arm into a guy and actually landed a real punch. Yay!

Mysterio’s shoulders hunched up around his ears. He kept typing away.

Bucky laughed, “Hoo boy, what a laker. Mucho wacko.”

Sam gave him a side eye. No one gets your dated lingo, Barnes.

Bucky shrugged. It really wasn’t his fault. He tried again. “Mysterio is a scub name anyways. Bet you were a putz your whole life. Bet under that fishbowl you’re a bag face. You dumb hoser.”

Mysterio’s whole being was radiating hatred, but he kept on task. Sam had to give him chops, the guy was focused. It took two words to distract Rhino.

Sam decked another lackey, sending him crashing into a bus bench.

Bucky raced ahead, still shouting. “Why’d you pick a name like Mysterio anyways? You think you’re a magician or something? You a Doctor Strange fanboy? Now there’s someone with choice style. You’re just a wack ameteur. You couldn’t come up with a better illusion if it bit your keister.”

“Shut up!” Mysterio whipped around and blasted an energy ray from his gloves. Bucky ducked behind a parked car. The ray sailed harmlessly by, nowhere near Bucky.

“Hey man, don’t snap your cap. Betcha that wasn’t even real!” Bucky popped his head over the table. “Hey Sam, how much do you want to bet he missed on purpose ‘cause it wasn’t real? Nobody’s that rubbish a shot.”

“Shut up! Shutupshutupshutup!” Maysterio screamed as his rays blasted all over the street. Cars caught fire, glass shattered and rained down. Live lackeys scrambled for cover. Sam didn’t even need to dodge Mysterio’s awful aim. No wonder Spider-man usually took care of this guy.

Bucky used the onslaught to his advantage, dodging rays as he darted up to Mysterio’s platform. He launched himself up, catching one of Mysterio’s wrists in a death grip. Bucky shattered Mysterio’s fishbowl with the metal arm.

“You wanna dance?” Bucky growled in his Winter Soldier voice. “Cause I’m a jive bomber.”

“What does that mean?” Msyterio sobbed, his wide eyes too human without his helmet.

“You don’t want to find out,” Steve stepped up from behind the villain. He kept his stance low and dangerous. “Shut down your program, now.”

It was all easy after that. SHIELD approached once the illusions vanished and took Mysterio away.

Bucky rounded on Steve as Mysterio was loaded into a van.

“Where you been, punk?”

Steve stared into the middle distance, bewilderment painted all over his face. “There was a giant dinosaur. And then it disappeared.”

Bucky clapped him on the shoulder. “Better luck next time, my dude. Let’s boogie and get some fresh jives before we bug out. Can you dig it?”

Sam’s ears were bleeding. “How many eras are you mixing?” Steve shoved at Bucky. “You’re just doing it on purpose now.”

Bucky’s grin was all the confirmation Sam needed. “You’ve been messing with me?”

Bucky winked.

Oh, this was war.

#Bucky Barnes #sam wilson #steve rogers #captain america #Winter Soldier #falcon #fanfic #fanfiction #marvel #lost in translation #slang

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onwesterlywinds · 5 years

Text

Noble Gold and Silk

Part of my Godhands series.

Features Madelaine Lachance, a character from @llymlaenscompass.

"It's good to see you," said Élodie. The girl had brought flowers - an array of Rhalgr's gold - and as Sigrid accepted them, she lifted them to her face to take in their scent: wild, fresh, shaped in the terrain and breezes of the Peaks.

"So kind of you," she said, and meant it. Yet for all the clutter in the house, she could think of no vase in which to place them; instead, she held them upon her lap and resolved to find a worthy carrier at the market. "And I appreciate your coming."

"You're truly leaving Ala Mhigo, then?"

Sigrid had found her resolve a week ago, and the truth of it had yet to fully sunk in. She had made few preparations for the house - her linens sat unwashed, the pantry remained full, and her parents' relics sat untouched in the loft - with the result that the place looked much as it had when her father had still been alive. Sigrid had wondered for a time if the ghosts of the past would abate if she were to live under another roof, and she had gone so far as to find lodgings in an inn to put the theory to the proof. Yet her dreams had only grown worse. Better to imagine her father's curses and bellows from the basement forge than the whisper of an Undercity lord stirring her from her dreams.

"I must, Élodie." The words pained her, but they carried with them the promise of liberation. She could not stave off what she knew she must do because it would hurt.

"Who else knows? Ashley, I assume, but-"

"You're the first I've told. I meant to send word to Marco later today."

Élodie tucked a strand of her dark hair, so very much like Sigrid's own, behind her ear with a shy smile. "...I'm honored," she said at long last. She carried herself differently in private, with a youthful sort of slouch. Sigrid had once been much the same: accustomed to stooping through Undercity passages, or else lowering herself for the shorter men in her vicinity. Hopefully Élodie, too, would grow out of such habits; Sigrid's heart clenched with the knowledge that she would not be around to see for herself.

A silence drew out between them, and Élodie did not sit. She stared around at the crates stuffed with tomes and the faded rug and everywhere except at her, and her pale eyes had begun to fill with tears.

"What is it?" Sigrid asked her gently.

"Was it not enough?" Élodie blurted out. "Was it all for nothing?! After so long, why do you have to-"

"Because, Élodie," she replied, as firmly as she could muster, "there is a world far beyond Ala Mhigo that I could not even have hoped to conceive of as a servant. My mother was a learned, well-traveled woman; I have always sought to follow her example in that regard. I've gathered excerpts from her diary - records of the places she loved best, and others she never saw." Places with names like Voor Sian Siran and the Sea of Spires. "I wish to see them as well, before I am too old and too afraid to take the chance."

"It doesn't have to do with-"

Sigrid shook her head, a gesture sufficient to cut off the remainder of Élodie's sentence. "If it has to do with anyone in the city, it's Theodoric. Though I suppose I should thank him. He was as good a reason as any to go into retirement."

Élodie offered up a smile, though the expression did not reach her reddening eyes.

"Come here." Sigrid took up the flowers from her lap as she stood, and opened her arms; Élodie threw her own around her, and her lanky frame shook from unshed sobs. "I'll have to write to someone of my adventures, won't I? Marco's whereabouts change by the bell and Ashley hardly ever responds, so it'll have to be you."

"I want to hear from you every week."

"You know I won't be able to promise that." She hesitated, still holding the young woman close. It was perhaps the warmest embrace she could recall in her recent memory, at least since her stint in the Undercity. "...I had hoped to leave the house to you."

Élodie did not break the contact, yet the whole of her body stiffened. "I know what you mean to do."

"Élo-"

"It isn't going to work. I'm embedded now - living in the Undercity full-time."

"Élodie, please."

"I'm making my living, for the first time in my life, and I love it."

Sigrid held the girl at arm's length, staring her straight in the eye for a time before she spoke again. "I, too, loved the Undercity when I was a girl. Even when I was your age. I hungered for it - for its thrills, its dangers, and the things it could show me about myself. But it steeps you in things that no woman as compassionate as you should ever have to endure." Élodie made a noise that might have been a cough, but Sigrid resolved to maintain her contact. "Whatever the Undercity offers, it comes at the cost of a life full of bitterness. It is too much for any one person to change alone, or even to try. I... I meant to step away from it all, even my mother's sigils, when I found Brynhilde. I say this knowing that I would never seek to order you onto any given path, but I hope that you will listen and heed me."

"I am listening," said Élodie. "I listen, and I will remember. But I will not accept this house."

Sigrid's heart sank.

"Leave it to Ashley," Élodie continued. "Or Marco. Or even the both of them. They'll appreciate it, and they'll put it to good use."

Leave it to Ashley. For all her love for Brynhilde, the idea of giving her late partner's son a house to replace the one her death had taken away had not occurred to her. The suggestion settled somewhere deep in her gut, along with all of her suspicions that she was now giving up the last of her father's hopes for her - and she nodded her agreement.

The captain shuffled across the Merlose's deck, uneasy despite their mooring. Madelaine Lachance could hear her steps all the way from the bow. The woman's stealth had been legendary only a few moons ago, to the extent that many wondered if she could teleport throughout the ship at will for the purpose of delivering rebukes; yet her fall had taken much and more, including her mobility, and her full recovery was yet an uncertain thing.

Madelaine breathed out a little sigh but turned to greet her superior nonetheless. "So much for staying in bed."

"I ran out of water and didn't want to trouble you." Sure enough, as the captain approached unsteadily toward Madelaine's vantage in her favorite silk dressing gown, she held a full glass between her bony brown hands. "Lovely morning."

And it was at that, for nothing on Hydaelyn could compare to a sunrise in the Diadem. The region had an atmosphere of its own, as unpredictable as any sea; the aether all above and around them offered different marvels with each waking and with every turn of the head. That morning, the day dawned in a burst of heavy pinks and violets, like the bloom of some all-encompassing flower.

It was only the two of them aboard the Merlose, at least for now. The crew had been small from the first, and comprised entirely of women - less through strict doctrine like the Sanguine Sirens, and more through a string of pleasant coincidences. The other crew members had all departed within the past fortnight, however, to make their preparations for other ventures - leaving only a hold full of plunder, the captain, and Madelaine in the unexpected position of being first mate without any inclination of how long she herself was to remain aboard.

"Where to from here?" Madelaine asked. "Ala Mhigo?"

The captain tilted her head, as if to listen to the wind, but she shook her head. "Not yet."

And for a time, that was all she said as they watched the aetherial sunrise and sipped at their respective drinks. Madelaine was content to stand in silence, a buffer to the northerly winds as the captain's silvered hair whipped across her shoulders.

"Thank you," said the captain at last. "For accommodating all of my dallying. And I hope you know you're under no obligation to follow me to Ala Mhigo."

Madelaine shrugged. "Someone has to help you bring the Merlose into port."

"Perhaps so," the captain replied dryly, as if unconvinced. "A note of sentimentality, then: of all the regrets I've carried throughout my life, perhaps the heaviest of them all is that I often did not express thanks to those I loved before the chance to do so was long past."

"That is sentimental."

"Blame it on this beautiful sunrise. Now, when was the last time you dropped a line to that ranger of yours?"

Madelaine whirled around to the captain in time to see a lock of hair obscure a very self-satisfied smirk playing across her Highlander features. "Don't you try and turn this back onto me."

"I'm quite serious."

Madelaine rolled her eyes. "I imagine now that Ala Mhigo's been freed, he'll be returning at the rearguard." Timing had never been among Sairsel Arroway's virtues. "What about you? Who's waiting for you back in the capital?"

"No one anymore." Somehow, it was the definitiveness with which the captain spoke that struck Madelaine, more so than the bitter reality she conveyed. "Which means that while I may consider paying a visit to your good friend the Grand Steward, I'm in no hurry to return."

If the stories were true, Ashelia Riot had led her force against the Garlean viceroy himself. Perhaps that tenacity would be enough for her to handle whatever business the captain had with her.

"I'll be here until you're ready," Madelaine promised, and found herself meaning it. "But we'll be going nowhere until you park your arse back into bed."

Again the captain scoffed, though she began her slow retreat back to her cabin. "Oh, very well. Boss me around all you'd like, while it's just the two of us; I imagine you've earned it."

Madelaine fired up the Merlose's propellers and charted their course through the resplendent color before them, and only much later did it occur to her that the captain had expressed her love in no uncertain terms.

#Godhands #Sigrid Keane #Élodie Fiel #Madelaine Lachance

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poketr888-blog · 5 years

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Where Should You Play Poker?

Often overlooked, this fundamental question must be answered before you can pursue your dream of becoming a long-term successful poker player.

A poker players' decision as to where he/she is going to play poker is perhaps the most important decision affecting the players' enjoyment of the game and his/her bankroll. Generally speaking, a player has four possible venues to choose from, they are:

1) Online poker sites 2) Casinos/Local Poker Rooms 3) Home games with family & friends 4) Local Charity/Fund-raising tournaments

Each of these four venues has their own unique 'pros and cons' to be considered. One venue may be best for Player 'A', but not necessarily a good choice for Player 'B'. The correct venue is relative to your personality, bankroll, and skill level.

Lets' take a look at each of the four venues more closely, and discuss the characteristics of each. I will be speaking in broad generalities which are consistent wherever where you live, but you should realize geography plays an important role in venue selection. Gambling laws vary from one locale to another, so please research the laws in your area and play within those laws. With that caveat in place, lets' examine online poker first.

Online Poker

Without a doubt, online pokers' popularity has exploded in recent years; so much so, the Federal government has placed limits on the ability of US players to move money to and from the poker sites. These restraints pose a real problem for poker players, and several player associations are trying to fight these restrictions. The future of online poker laws is uncertain at this time. A full discussion of the legalities of online poker is beyond the scope of this article, but I encourage all poker players to do their research before you jump into online play.

Pros of Online Poker:

- The best thing about playing poker online is the ability to play from the comfort of your own home any time you wish. Sites such as Poker Stars, Full-Tilt, Ultimate Bet, etc. will literally have tens of thousands of eager players online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whenever you are ready to play, you will have no problem finding an available game.

- Online play allows the player to play a wide variety of games. If you would like to take a break from Texas Hold'em and have the urge to play Omaha, Stud, Razz, Horse, or virtually any other game you can think of, the online sites will accommodate you.

- Another benefit to playing online is that you can play any stakes you are comfortable with. If you are conservative, or just starting out, you can play for as little as a few pennies a hand. If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, you can play for as much as several thousands of dollars. The sites will offer a wide variety stakes in between these two extremes as well.

- Finally, because the online sites keep the games moving quickly, you can improve your game by playing a high volume of hands in a relatively short period of time. More experienced players may play multiple games at the same time. These players are seeing an extraordinary number of hands per hour.

Cons of Online Poker:

- Online poker can quickly become addictive. Online poker addiction can have severe negative consequences for the players' physical, emotional, professional, and financial well-being. An addicted player will often start staying up all night playing while ignoring his need for sleep. This may lead to emotional problems and ultimately lead to a strain on the players' home and professional life. A player must be vigilant to remember poker is not as important as family, friends, or your career away from poker.

- The online player may also become a victim of cheating while playing online. The poker sites try to catch cheaters through the use of sophisticated software that monitors play and looks for irregularities, and I believe they are partially successful in these efforts; however, it cannot be denied some cheating goes on without be caught. The problem for the individual poker player is that he can never be certain he is not being cheated. The poker world was a buzz last year when the media reported the scandal involving Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker. Some cheating occurs between the players themselves when two or more players gang up on an unsuspecting player through the use of telephone communication while the hands are being played out. If your opponent has more information about the hole cards than you do, you are at a significant disadvantage.

- Because poker is played quickly online, the less skillful player will likely lose more of his bankroll online than if he played elsewhere. If a losing player plays more, he will naturally lose more over the long run.

Casino Poker

For this discussion, I will consider full service casinos (which you are likely to encounter in Las Vegas or Atlantic City) and local Poker Rooms (commonly found at Kennel Clubs, Horse Racetracks, or other Pari-Mutual facilities) to be one in the same. The size and degree of sophistication may be greater at a full service casino, but Poker Rooms have come far in recent years and can offer similar services to a poker player. Each facility provides the tables, chips, dealers, and pit bosses to manage play, and each provides a comfortable atmosphere for the players to enjoy. In exchange for providing these services, the 'house' will rake the pots or charge you an hourly fee to play (more on this later).

Pros of Casino Poker:

- Casinos/Poker Rooms typically do a good job at offering the player a comfortable environment to play. As more and more card rooms spring up, they realize they must compete for your business; therefore, you are likely to be treated well because the casino would like you to become a regular player at their facility.

- A player can be relatively confident the games will be run by professionals. The entire staff from the dealers to drink servers know their jobs (and their tips) depend on providing the players with excellent service.

- Casinos and card rooms are generally conveniently located within a community, and they are open 12 or more hours a day seven days a week. On short notice, a player can head off to the casino and expect to find plenty of action. Texas Hold'em is king at casinos, but other games are offered when enough players are available to fill a table.

Cons of Casino Poker

- Playing at a casino can be an expensive experience. A casino has considerable expenses, and must recoup these expenses through a 'rake'. Some card rooms charge an hourly fee to play, say $10-12 per hour per seat. Others will take a percentage of each pot, or a percentage of the total tournament entry fees. A house rake of 10-20% is not unusual and must be overcome to be a long-term winner. A player must also be mindful that good etiquette dictates the player should tip the dealers and servers for the service they provide. These tips will add to the cost of playing at a casino.

- Another pitfall to playing at a poker room is that you may be the victim of a couple of 'regulars' who team up to soak the new fish that sits down at their table. Players can communicate their holdings through subtle hand signals which puts the unsuspecting player at a disadvantage.

Home Poker Games

Every night in America there are thousands of home poker games underway between families and friends. Poker requires very few supplies to host a game, and these items are readily available through many internet sites. You can start playing at the kitchen table and eventually move up to a true poker table complete with drink holders, padded rails, and a felt playing surface. The next thing you will need is a good case of poker chips, a 500 count set of 11.5 gram (or higher) chips will be adequate for up to 9 players. The final and most important item you need for the home poker game is a setup (two decks) of 100% plastic playing cards. Expect to invest between $15-25 per setup for quality cards.

Pros of Home Poker Games

- The one big advantage home poker has over venues of play is that you can pick and choose the players you play with. Typically, a group of 3 or 4 hard core players will decide to start a home game and they will invite their friends and family to play. This selection process nearly assures a group of players that get along well with each other. Chances of a loud or obnoxious player being invited to the game are minimal. The more harmonious the game is, the more you will enjoy playing there.

- A home game fosters social networking which may lead to new professional relationships as well. You may make a helpful contact with a lawyer, accountant, contractor, etc. through poker.

- Home games are great opportunities for husbands and wives, fathers and sons, etc. to share some quality time while playing poker.

- Generally speaking, little (if any) 'rake' is taken from a home game which means the money stays where it belongs, with the players!

Cons of Home Poker Games

- Do not fool yourself, organizing and hosting a home game can be a lot of work. If you are the host, you must be prepared to make calls, provide a place to park and play, provide the snacks and drinks, as well as the cleanup afterwords.

- A potential problem with home game poker is that in some localities, it may be against the law to wager money while playing. You must research and abide by the laws in your community.

- In a worst case scenario, a disagreement make break out in the card game which ultimately leads to a dissolved friendship or hurt feelings. All the players must be respectful of each other and sensitive to each others needs.

Charity/Fund Raising Poker

- In these turbulent economic times, some well known charitable organizations have turned to hosting poker tournaments to bring in much needed funds. Some private schools are even hosting poker games to supplement their scholarship funds. A poker player can give back to his community by supporting these events.

Pros of Charity/Fund Raising Poker

- Charity tournaments can be great social events which bring together large number of poker layers to support the cause. Somehow, it is more palatable to pay an 'entry fee' than it is to write a donation check!

- The skill level of the players that show up to these events is poor. Playing good poker is secondary in the minds of many players to having a good time while supporting a good cause. This mentality presents an opportunity for the skillful player to "clean up' at the expense of the social players. Depending on the size of the tournaments, the payouts can be significant. You may be able to parlay a $60 entry fee into a $1,000 pay day for winning.

Cons of Charity/Fund raising Poker

- The biggest problem with these type of poker games is the lack of professional management by the event organizers. A serious player can quickly become irritated when a tournament starts a half hour late, or he gets seated at a table with an inexperienced dealer, etc. Violations of the rules and etiquette of the game are commonplace at fund raisers.

- The 'rake' can be quite high at these events. Remember, the primary reason the charity organization hosting the game in the first place is their desire to raise money. A rake of 25-40% is not unusual at these games which is unacceptably high to a player trying to boost his bankroll.

- A word of caution regarding the legality of these games, the charities often believe they are immune from compliance with local laws regarding gambling, but the sheriff does not always agree! Do your homework before deciding to play in fund raisers so you can make an informed decision.

Summary

Let me restate my original premise that deciding where to play poker is perhaps the most critical decision a player must make and will have the greatest impact on the players' bankroll. There is no right or wrong answer to this question, you must decide which venue is best for your situation. In my opinion, the player that plays only occasionally and just wants to have a good time should probably head over to a casino and enjoy the atmosphere and service. However, if you want to build your bankroll, I recommend finding a few good home games with little or no rake. These games will provide you with the best opportunities to make money in the long run Login Dewapoker.

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monkey-network · 6 years

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WarioWare: The Series Season 3 Episodes

52 Episodes. Season 4 Coming 20XX Season 2, Season 1 * = Episode Submitted by @tmantookie

The End of the Show: WarioWare Inc. want to make games again… except Wario, who has grown tired of the idea and the gang somehow taking advantage of him (even when he steals from them), so he goes back to treasure hunting. This begs the question: can a company run smoothly without an (arrogant and maniacal) entrepreneur to lead it?

The Prince and the Bopper: An elegant prince gets transported to Diamond City and feels out of touch with this new reality, so JT helps him see a side that’s been locked away. His kingdom’s chancellor arrives to take him back, but he’s conflicted between becoming king of the castle or staying as king of the ball.

Wario Side Story: The Possums and the Squirrels, rival gangs of DC’s Crystal Park, have fought for territory for generations. However, the daughters of the gang’s leaders start to bond and wish to put an end to the war. With Wario and Mona spectating from afar, can there be enough resolve in putting an end to the conflict?

Hurry Up!: The WarioWare gang are making a mad dash to a concert, but when they try using a shortcut through the DC mall, they’re forced to confront persistent kiosk owners who will stop at nothing to make them pay.

Words Hurt: In the show’s quietest episode ever, 9 and 18 Volt study at a library when higher grade kids start getting them in unintentional trouble, so the duo set up prank traps that’ll surely get back at them. All without making a sound.

Greed Pluribus Unum: A master thief is taking money from Wario, the richest fatcats of DC, banks, schools, hospitals, everything from the town. Why and where to is anyone’s game, but Wario-Man’s on the case to track down, take back, and force himself to give back to those who’ve been wronged.

Robot Humble: Doris 1 short circuits and plots to lead a robot uprising, but fails at getting an army due to Crygor’s bots not being the most vicious (or stable). So she turns to Mike, who develops feelings for her but gets annoyed by her constant pleading and moping.

Star Tolls: Orbulon takes over Dribble and Spitz’s shift for the day and is somehow better than the duo at getting the job done. But when he accidentally scratches a car and is challenged to a race across the galaxy, he may have to break some codes of his to win.

Nightmare on W Street: Halloween has arrived and Ashley is still the one person who’s afraid of nothing (beyond that one time). She and Wario takes this as an opportunity for easy money from the city, but when a stranger shaman casts a spell on her, the scam might falter when she starts to finally recognize fear.

Man of the Woods: Former minions of Wario’s past are stalking him, and everyone’s trying to figure out how to sooth their haunting tension toward him.

Cater Joe’s: Manager Joe opens a diner on the edge of town to have some time away from the city life. Some of the WarioWare gang stop by to share an adventure they had over the week.

Penny Machine: A snooty scientist is dazzled by Penny’s science fair project, but Penny refuses to give it up as it’s her most delicate creation. So the judge does all they can to get it, but you can’t put a price on love.

The Hero’s Might: After her first ever sugar rush, a hungover Lulu is stranded in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a lute, a water bottle, a mule, and Wario’s clothes on her back. Nothing left to do but try to make it back. And it begs the question: who’s the stubborn one in this story?

The Rhythm Hath Fallen* (Half Hour Crossover Special): A cosmic earthquake causes Heaven World to fall and collide with Diamond City, with HW’s citizens treating DC’s citizens to a week long block party. But the week starts to overstay its welcome, so Rhythm Heaven’s Tibby, his friends, and the WW gang try to fix things with Mamarin’s bizarre guidance.

The Opposable Opponent: Young Cricket starts training under a master that only uses his left thumb to fight, but struggles to keep up with the regime... until he starts to figure out how the master came to be.

Spell “Mi cup”: 9-Volt, 18-Volt, and 13-Amp enter and win a special edition movie branded mug and split up their days of possessing it. However, sharing germs is the one thing the three unfortunately overlook.

Tree Top Tango: Jimmy T is enjoying a jazzy walk in the woods, but gets in a pickle when creatures of nature’s variety start to surface. What’s a disco fool to beside show them a natural groove to ease their carnivorous minds.

Love at First Strike: Ana starts to develop a crush on 9-Volt, and is stuck between practicing and hanging out with him. 9-Volt would feel the same way, if she wasn’t pummeling him as a means to hide him from Kat.

The Typical Beach Episode: It’s an average beach day for WarioWare Inc... until a hurricane lands smack dab in the middle of the fun. So now the gang is caught between staying within the eye of the storm and dodging the chaos circling around them.

Ashociates: Ashley finally made some friends, dawg! Except not really, she’s only using them to get a mystical artifact and if you see her so called “friends”, her front is kinda justified.

Good Golf: Mona and Dr. Crygor are enjoying a nice day of mini-golf when a egotistical pro golfer butts in their game and begins ruining people’s fun. The two team up to beat him just in time for lunch, but things get difficult when he put up traps on the course.

Chili Dog Millionaire: Lulu finds out she’s a great cook, so she gets a job at a gourmet restaurant where the head chef demands for nothing but perfection. Nervous at first, the head chef treats her better than the rest, which prompts jealousy and potential sabotage her way.

King of the Dill: 18-Volt is selling hot pickles at school but sells out quick and ran out of his special ingredients. While going to the store, his classmates spot him and suddenly transform into sore throat, teary eyed zombies by the sight of his green jacket.

Becoming Human (For Dummies): Orbulon gets tired of people picking on him because he’s an extraterrestrial. So he invents a human suit that helps him appear like one. But, the intricacies of the suit start to send Orbulon dark thoughts that yet don’t stray from typical human ideologies.

Dueldreaming: Kat is suffering from nightmares to the point of not sleeping at all, so with the help of Penny, Ana goes into her dreams to slay the horrors but starts to cower before what she finds.

Way of the Birthday: It’s Young Cricket’s birthday, so Mantis has the perfect gift for him for all he’s done: a Battle Royale where it’s him against Mantis’s old friends.

Jump the Rope: We got ourselves a flash forward episode, where we see the kids grown up, the adults living out their days, and Wario.... ummm, in another place.

A New L.O.W.: Wario creates the League of Wario, a team of sinister pranksters, to get back at a viral video celeb that wedgied him great enough to put him in a wheelchair.

Wario Party: It’s the anniversary of WarioWare Inc, and the gang wants to celebrate the occasion... by dining at the perfect restaurant. But they’ve dined at every place in DC, so they set out to go to the best place with the best palette, atmosphere, and prices.

Musclecats HO!: Mona joins a gym and enters herself into a bodybuilding competition. With the help of a supportive and swoll group of regulars, she’s aiming for the top.

Grey JT: A grey hair sprouts from Jimmy’s head and this makes him worry about how his routine may be the cause of aging faster.

That’s Enough, Buddy: Due to increase danger risk in DC, a young yet no nonsense sheriff is enforcing old rules on the public which interferes with Wario’s latest scam.

A Mother’s Metal: 9-Volt wants to give 5-Volt the best Mother’s Day gift ever, and eventually digs up an old relic of her past that’s both a blessing and a curse to 5.

The Best Worst Case Scenario: Television has gotten boring, even Wario thinks it’s a waste of his time, so everyone trashes their TV and goes outside to more productive means. Everything is swell, except for the people up top who soon rely on Wario to save them.

Oh Snow: Layers of snow has hit DC and while Wario becomes a life-sized snowman, Ashley learns about the multifaceted fun of snow.

WarioWaRPG: A digital virus manifests from Penny’s laptop and turns Diamond City into a card based RPG world. She kidnaps Penny and it’s up to the gang to save her. Unfortunately, they skipped the tutorial and don’t have the best decks on hand.

Let’s Be Lazy For Once: Due to a budget setback thanks to last episode, the WW gang decide to look back on previous episodes and provide as clever and nice a commentary as possible.

You’re Clowning Me: Dribble and Spitz pick a group of clowns that are on their way to rehearsal. What the two fail to realize is that they’re clown mafia with police, and rival clown cars, not far behind.

Chivalry is Dumb: A famous detective, and his maid sidekick, arrives at Diamond City to investigate an elaborate crime, only to be taken aback by Wario and all that he stands for, while his sidekick grows to enjoy the big guy’s rebellious and burly personality.

Break Out the Rainy Day Fun: Kat, Ana, Penny, 9 & 18 Volt join Ashley and Red at their manor while the rain’s heavy outside. And while Ashley is busy with a certain brew she’s craving, she summons skeletons to go play with, and not chomp, the others.

The Suit: Legends says there is a mystical 3 piece suit that can turn any normal being into a charming yet sadistically unruly reality bending version of themselves. Now this would be the part where I mention who stumbles upon such clothing, but I’ll let that be a mystery.

Consider the Fruit n’ Nuts: Dr. Crygor, with assistance from Wario, Mona, Cricket, and Penny, teaches us the good and bad of dieting.

House of Mike: After Mike stumbles upon a group of pugs who’re seeking a sense of purpose and bonding, he shows them a fantasy game he recently bought that could help them out.

The Hero’s “Happiness”: Lulu is comfortable with the life she now has in DC, but doesn’t feel happy, whatever that means. Only when a familiar villager of Luxeville enters the picture does she question whether it’s right to stay or leave for better purposes, and she turns to the least favorable person for help.

You Agree With Me?: In a shocking turn of events, a man who’s never able to decide on any choice was able to thanks to Jimmy’s advice. Now our more decisive denizen is indebted to his afro hero, to the point of imitating him to a bizarrely fleek degree.

Master Blaster: A few million years ago, jerk aliens decided to blast the earth with a laser beam that’s destructive yet really slow. A few million years later, it’s set to touchdown in 24 hours. Orbulon and Dr.Crygor team up to figure out how to beat the laser, but our alien is more worried with time than the doctor.

A Series of Unbelievable Events: At Joe’s Diner, Young Cricket and Master Mantis share their awful day and Manager Joe doesn’t find everything to be true, so they begrudgingly trace their steps and recount their day to Joe exactly how it happened.

Amp Unleashed: 13-Amp must face her fears when she has to rap battle against a duo that inspired her career. While she is alone on this mission, the memories of 18-Volt and Mike’s help give her new found strength.

Fronk Sonata’s Moonlight: Penny’s terrible singing practice makes her voice soul leave her body for 9V’s fronk, Snag, who becomes a hit nightclub singer.

Unininja: Kat and Ana fuse into one ultimate dual wielding ninja, but unfuses for good when they go too far with their newly acquired fun. But when a Tengu Shogun is coming with an armada toward Diamond City, it’s the perfect time to unite once again.

My Witch Ashedemia: Ashley is enrolled in a prep school for witches, but feels bored with the mediocre lessons. But she uncovers a secret about the school and uses this to blackmail the teachers for more advanced schooling, which inadvertently puts a target on her from an anti witch group.

LessTalkMoreTanks (Half Hour Season Finale): The WW gang finds a giant battle tank and take it for a spin, but it turns that they stole it from its cantankerous, anarchy driven owner. So... tank fight in the sand dunes, the gang vs the owner’s friends? Who’s on board?

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justsomebucky · 7 years

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Lesson Learned

Summary: AU. Reader and Bucky Barnes are best friends. Will a figure from the past ruin everything, or will they see what’s right in front of them?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!reader

Word Count: 3,484

Warnings: language, angst, fluff, drinking, fables are difficult, the grass isn’t always greener, cheesy like Hallmark movies, yadda yadda

A/N: This is my last submission for the lovely Nikki’s ( @soldatbarnes) writing challenge. My prompt was the word Fable (and I have listed my selected one below the cut). I have suffered through this.Thanks to @sebbytrash for helping.

The Astronomer An astronomer used to go out at night to observe the stars. One evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep well. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning what had happened said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?'

--------

“Do you ever look up at the sky and think of all the endless possibilities in life? Maybe wonder where you could’ve ended up instead of here?”

You turned your head and looked up at the glittering night sky. Where exactly was he going with this? “You mean another planet?”

Bucky Barnes, your best friend in the world, gave a big belly laugh. “No, I mean as in another city, or another country…do you ever picture yourself having a life someplace else? Do you think you were meant to be living a different life?”

Your eyes flickered back down to the water, where slivers of moonlight glistened off the small waves. The two of you had picked this table because of its location on the deck, and now you wished you were inside, sharing elbow room with an overwhelming Friday crowd.

You couldn’t explain it, but his question made you anxious, and your fight-or-flight mode was ready to send you flying.

“Of course it crosses my mind sometimes,” you replied, trying to keep a casual tone. “I think everyone thinks about it…but how can you really know?”

He nodded but didn’t answer, taking a quick swig of his beer as he lost himself in thought again.

Your brows furrowed as you considered his original question. Was he having some regrets about his choices?

This was new, or news to you at least. Bucky normally seemed pretty content in his life here, and had since the day you met him two years ago. He had a good job, lots of friends, a decent apartment…he even had a little cat he lovingly called Luke Skywalker.

In fact, it was a vast improvement from how he’d been the first time you set eyes on him.

Everything about that night had been filled with laughter and fun. You’d been out celebrating your friend Rochelle’s engagement to the love of her life, Dean. Carley, your roommate back at uni, brought her husband Richard, leaving you as the only one flying solo. Normally, you hated showing up alone to parties when you knew everyone else would be paired off.

That night was a special exception, obviously.

And though you wouldn’t realize it until later, that night had a bit of magic left to try to align the universe in your favor, too.

Your entire life shifted on its axis the day Bucky Barnes entered your life.

The little celebration had already been in full swing for at least an hour. You’d wandered to the bar for another round of drinks (on you, of course, because everyone took turns). Every bit of it was fairly normal.

You’d looked over at him, then. It was just a quick glance the first time, then a few more, and another as you felt drawn in his direction. At the time you figured it was just the two rum and cokes in your system doing all the thinking for you.

Maybe you looked that many times because you’d never seen someone so handsome in that dinky restaurant by the water before. Maybe it was the look in his sad blue-grey eyes as he stared at nothing that tugged on your heartstrings. Those could certainly be contributors to why you chose to approach him that night.

Anyway, you felt an urgent need to introduce yourself, reasons be damned.

That night was supposed to be happy, filled with laughter and joy, not misery. Why should someone be so miserable if you could help them? You wanted to see him happy.

You had scooted a little closer while you waited for your drinks, though not so far as to make him feel like you were a creeper. His eyes had met yours in confusion, but at least he wasn’t put off by your presence. Conversation started, and though at first he was a man of few words, you managed to get his tragic backstory.

It turned out that a woman named Natasha had left him for the other coast, intent on making it big in the entertainment industry. She told him she didn’t want him along for the ride even though Bucky was willing to go with her. They didn’t have a future, she’d said.

That very night, he sat there by himself, drinking and wallowing under the weight of a year-long relationship that came crashing down over his head in mere minutes. This Natasha woman had decided, without his input, that his life was going to change forever because of her own needs.

She just threw him away.

So yeah, you spared him a few more minutes of your time and even a drink on your tab before you invited him over to the engagement party. At first he refused, but once you got Carley and Rochelle in on it, he said he couldn’t possibly turn three lovely ladies down.

The fact that he was smiling by the end of that night made your whole damn week better. He was easy to like, and as the months went on, even easier to love.

You realized you were in love with him after about seven months or so, but there was never any a-ha moment. It just became a fact of life, a little footnote of information that you kept to yourself.

Not that you would ever tell him…you didn’t want to then, and couldn’t imagine telling him in the near future. Things worked well between the two of you and you didn’t want to mess it up.

It wasn’t worth the risk of losing him.

For all his intuitiveness, Bucky didn’t seem to notice the atmosphere shifting around him as you recalled your affection. He didn’t notice the way your eyes lingered or how your hands fidgeted nervously.

You looked away, focusing on a small boat parked nearby as it shimmied on the water. “Is there a reason you’re asking, Buck?”

Bucky cleared his throat. “Actually, yeah…remember Natasha?”

Your eyes narrowed almost instantly. Of course you remembered her. “You mean the woman who left you two years ago after breaking your heart into a million pieces?”

When he didn’t answer, you looked back at him. “Am I wrong?”

“She’s back in town,” he continued, overlooking the truth of the situation. “She wanted to get together, catch up a little.”

“And you told her no, right?”

Didn’t he? Surely he wouldn’t agree to meet with her after everything she did to him. What kind of madman would even consider it?

“I had drinks with her last night,” Bucky admitted quietly, swirling the last of his beer once before chugging it.

So that’s where he had been when you tried to reach him. He had been suspiciously quiet all day.

That’s who he was with on the night he usually reserved for you, for movies or game night or anything as long as the two of you were together.

Your eyes flitted back to the water. You weren’t sure if it was mortification or betrayal you were feeling…maybe a little of both.

“And?”

He sighed. “She’s well…she’s thinking about moving back to the city.”

A low hum sounded in your throat. Of course she was.

“Couldn’t cut it out west?”

“She said she’s sick of the weather.”

“There’s always Canada.”

“Y/N…”

“Bucky,” you mimicked, meeting his sharp gaze again. “What ever happened to ‘I don’t ever want to see her again,’ and ‘she ruined my life’?”

He gave a shrug and set his beer bottle down. “We’ve both grown up a little.”

The truth was more likely that Natasha needed a place to crash until she got her own place here. Maybe she wanted to borrow some money, maybe she needed some…casual familiar relief…but there was no way in hell that she should be able to just go back to something she so easily left behind without having to own up to her mistakes first.

You sat up a little, giving him your full attention. “Did she apologize?”

“Sort of.” Bucky looked away.

Your eyes narrowed. “How does one sort of apologize? That’s like saying you sort of breathe, you sort of exist, you sort of-“

“I get it, all right? I just need some time to think.” Bucky slid out of his chair and stood, gesturing to your drink. “Want another one?”

Yeah, definitely not. The more liquid courage you had the greater the chance of spilling your guts to him, and after his little Natasha revelation, that was out of the question.

“Actually, I have to be up early tomorrow.”

It was the most see-through excuse ever, but you didn’t care. Why should you care if he didn’t care enough about himself to move on from that destructive relationship.

He’d made so much progress...it hurt to see him so willing to throw it all away.

Bucky nodded, running a hand over the light stubble on his jawline. “Do you need a lift, or-“

“I’m fine,” you interrupted, grabbing your bag and jacket while forcing a smile to your face. “Have a good night Bucky.”

You didn’t wait for his reply before bolting for the exit. It wasn’t mature and certainly wasn’t how you would have liked to handle it, but if you didn’t get out of there quick, you were going to get emotional.

---

Days passed before you even bothered to open the text messages you’d been getting from Bucky.

The silent treatment was so, so childish, but you honestly didn’t know what to say to him. You didn’t know how to explain why you left so abruptly that night, and you sure as hell didn’t know how to explain why you were so angry, so emotional over this whole situation without revealing your secret.

Your heart was screaming for you to just talk to him, but your fear was keeping you quiet.

So you did what you were used to doing. You closed yourself off from the rest of the world. You went to work, you came home, and you repeated the process, just going through the motions to keep your head above water.

The thing was, your heart was aching. Every day it felt like a larger weight stacked on your shoulders. The sun shined a little less brightly, your bed wasn’t as soft, and your smiles were halfhearted. It was pretty melodramatic after only a week, but you just couldn’t help it.

It was like a part of you went missing, which was really ridiculous, since you never felt like that before Bucky came into your life.

When Friday night arrived, you sat on your couch in your small apartment and finally broke down, opening the growing number of unread texts from your best friend.

The further you read, the more the text started to blur as a week’s worth of unhinged emotions finally caught up to you.

Hope you made it home safely.

Hey, I know you hate Sunday nights, so I found this picture of a dog for you.

Have a great Monday, Y/N.

Hey did you see this video? Thought it might make you smile.

Those were just the starters.

Happy Hump Day!

I guess you’re really mad at me, huh? : /

Is there anything I can do?

Y/N, can we talk? Maybe over pizza and a Thor movie? Get it? Thorsday?

Or maybe we could go to the movies if you don’t want to talk?

Okay, well, when you decide you want to talk, I’ll be here.

I just really miss you.

That’s the one that got you. The last message had a time stamp of earlier that afternoon.

He was still making an effort to talk, so you decided to make the effort, too.

If he wanted to go be with Natasha again, so be it. It didn’t mean he would be out of your life, just less accessible. Maybe they were meant to be, maybe it was fated for her to come back in his life. Two years was enough time to grow as a person, if the person really wanted to, right?

You weren’t even involved, you didn’t even know her. This was their battle, their reunion, and you didn’t need to forgive someone on someone else’s behalf.

You didn’t even factor into Bucky’s equation.

“Dammit,” you muttered, setting your phone down on the coffee table in front of you.

You were jealous.

Bucky had been just yours for two whole years. The two of you did everything together, and the thought of him spending time with her, well…

It kind of made you sick to your stomach.

Two years of spending all that time together really did a number on your brain. It was so damn cliché to fall for your best friend. It was stupid and so utterly useless. If he had wanted more from you, he’d had two years to make a move. Hell, you had two years to make a move and you chickened out.

Besides, your jealousy didn’t change anything. It didn’t make you more important than Natasha to Bucky. It didn’t make him want to be with you.

All it did was make you feel awful.

You squeezed your eyes shut, letting your head fall back against the couch cushion with a loud groan.

The decision was basically made for you. It was time to be a better, more supportive friend. It was selfish to try to hold onto someone who wanted to be free. If that’s what he needed from you, you weren’t going to let your dumb feelings get in the way.

You’d get over him eventually.

Your eyes opened and you quickly typed out a message to Bucky, asking him to meet you at the restaurant by the water, and you even added a little note at the end that made your heart twist.

Feel free to bring Natasha.

---

You didn’t dress differently or prepare any sort of speech to give him. There were only two words resting on the tip of your tongue at the moment, and they were long overdue.

So that night, nearly two years to the day that you met, it was your turn to sit at the bar by yourself, looking forlorn and more than a little lost.

This time it was Bucky who approached you, silently taking the barstool beside you as he waved to the bartender and ordered a beer.

When you didn’t hear anyone else order, you turned your eyes toward your best friend.

He was alone. Bucky’s blue-grey eyes were as calm as the water behind you as he locked eyes with you. He said nothing, merely waiting for you to say what was on your mind.

“I’m sorry.”

Bucky didn’t react for a second or two, but when the corner of his mouth lifted you knew you were forgiven.

“I’m sorry, too.”

You protested almost immediately, knowing that he wasn’t at fault here, but he was having none of it.

“Look, Y/N.” He placed a gentle hand on your arm that was resting on the bar top. “I get it, you were just looking out for me. Natasha did a number on me and seeing her again, well…it kind of made my brain go haywire.”

All you could do was nod to encourage him to continue. This is what you were here for, after all, to listen and be supportive.

“I started thinking about how life could be if I was somewhere else. Did I make all the right choices? Did I choose the right path? I kept looking up and away instead of here and now.”

You shrugged one shoulder, trying to seem casual about the whole thing while internally you were screeching. “Like I said last week, Bucky, everyone does that.”

“Not you,” he countered, turning his body a little more to face you. “You never have. You marched right up to me the first night we met, and told me to keep living, to keep existing for me and to make the most of what I had. You made me laugh, you made me happy again, and I’ll be forever grateful.”

“That’s what friends are for.” Your leg started involuntarily shaking against the barstool and you had to make an effort to stop despite your nerves being shot.

“And that brings me to my next point, Y/N.”

Bucky pulled his hand from your arm and stood, this time leaning over on the bar right in front of you. You found yourself a little more than flustered by his presence in your personal space.

Your leg wasn’t shaking anymore, but that was because you could no longer feel it.

“What next point?” you managed to ask, tightening your grip on your own drink.

“It’s so stupid, really…I was so busy looking at every other possibility that I didn’t see what was right in front of me until it wasn’t there anymore.”

Ah, of course. He meant your company, your friendship. Old reliable Y/N. Yeah, you knew how that felt…it had totally thrown you to go a week without him.

“I’m sorry,” you repeated, feeling your face heat up with embarrassment. “I won’t be an ass like that again, I promise.”

“I don’t think you’re quite understanding.” Bucky shifted a little so his face was closer to yours. “I know now that every choice I made was for a reason.”

You stared in wide-eyed confusion. What the hell was happening? Everything behind him faded to a blur as you zeroed in on his face.

“One week without you crushed me, Y/N,” he explained, his eyes softening a little. “Sure, Nat was back, but all she did was make me realize what I already had. Your absence wasn’t worth it. It won’t ever be worth it.”

“Can you please just speak plainly?”

If you were reading him right (and you knew you were after two years of being in his company), things were about to monumentally shift in your relationship again.

“I’m saying that life without you doesn’t make sense to me, and I don’t want to experience it ever again. I’m saying my life choices led me to you, and I’ll never regret it. I’m saying the past two years have been the best years of my life. I should have been looking in front of me this whole time.”

Bucky was silent while he waited for you to process this information.

“Are you sure you aren’t confusing yourself?” You needed him to check and re-check before you could believe that he came upon this huge revelation. “Because having a friendship you can rely on that suddenly isn’t there can be an emotional thing, too, and I-“

“This is going to sound stupid, but I think that’s why I haven’t dated in over a year. I think…” He paused, as if trying to collect his thoughts. “I think Nat’s arrival made me realize that I’ve been acting like you and I were already in a relationship, without putting both feet in.”

You pondered that for a second. Neither of you had dated anyone in about a year, now that you thought about it. And really, you hadn’t felt the need to.

“I took you for granted, Y/N, and I’m sorry. But I want to do right by you now. I want us to be together.”

“Bucky, this is a big step, a huge change. Are you sure?” Any sliver of calm you hoped to retain was gone, replaced by a buzzing excitement that might very well have been borderline panic. “Because I don’t want to be hurt again in a week if you realize you were just lonely.”

A little smile appeared on his lips. “I am one-hundred percent sure. How do you feel about it?”

You stared at him, not wanting to miss any slight reaction. “Bucky, I’ve been sure for a while. I just figured…well, I assumed you friend-zoned me.”

Admitting that was such a relief. You’d held your feelings in for so long to spare the friendship, to spare yourself from any awkwardness, but now you felt the tension melting away. Now, at least, the truth was out in the open.

“But now,” you continued, feeling empowered. “Even though we went about this the wrong way, we both learned a lesson here. I think…no, I know I want this.”

Bucky’s smile widened. It was his ‘Y/N smile,’ the one he reserved for you that sparked all your romantic feelings. It was the smile that made you feel like you were the most important person in his life.

Apparently, you were.

“This is probably the right time to kiss, don’t you think?” His eyes were sparkling now, with flecks of gold reflecting from the holiday lights above you. “You know, just to make it official.”

“It’s always good to make things official,” you mumbled, right before he leaned over to press his lips to yours.

When he pulled away a moment later, you were pretty sure you were giving him your best ‘Bucky smile.’

#soldatbarneswritingchallenge #bucky barnes x reader #kill it with fire #jsb lesson learned #i'm posting this late on purpose LOL #bucky barnes imagine #im sorry nikki lol

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deflcresco · 3 years

Text

Drabble: Six Weeks (After)

It’s been three weeks after Mitsuki’s outburst in the car. Hibari can’t say that things have changed much since then. She worked, all the time, he wasn’t sure it was good for someone to do that. Not the work part, but the no rest part. He’d get her back home near midnight & she’d be out leaving by five in the morning. During the short amount of time he saw her, she didn’t really say much to him. She’d be tired, she will shower & go to sleep, or pretend to be sleeping. He knows that she’s not sleeping but he doesn’t want to corner her, not when she was feeling like this. She would pretend to be sleeping until she think he’s gone to sleep. He’d feel hear leaving the room & not coming back to bed. He wished to do something for her, something that would make her feel better, or to let her rest. The way things looked, it didn’t seem like she wanted to get any rest. She was overworking herself & not listening to anyone. Ryosei was over a few times, but his words didn’t reach her. He wanted her to stop going to work, he wanted her to go back home, but she didn’t listen to him. She would get up, while he was talking & she’d leave the apartment. She wasn’t listening to anyone. It made them feel helpless; they wanted to help her, they wanted to make her feel better, but she was closed off. Hibari knows that what’s happening currently is a result of her last visit to the hospital. Being Kagero’s guardian, the doctors can’t disclose anything to anyone else aside from her. Whatever is going on, it is between Mitsuki & the doctor.

It was nearing ten p.m. He would be leaving in an hour to get her from her work. He was worried about her, wondering how much longer she can keep this up before she’d collapse. She wasn’t eating & her sleep was a mess, she’s already lost weight, even more than before. Now she is overworking herself on top of that. He felt helpless watching her go through this without being able to do anything. He didn’t know what he can do, he can ask her to come home earlier, to try to eat something, or even sleep for longer. Nothing he did was working.

He was startled when there was rapid knocking on his door. It was strange, no one he knows knocks like this & it’s late. Maybe someone has got the wrong address ? He opened the door, revealing a foreign woman. She must be lost. He wasn’t sure his English would get him far, but he can at least tell her she’s got the wrong place.

❝ Is Kouga Mitsuki here ? ❞ He must be more tired than he thinks; was she speaking in Japanese or was he imagining things?

❝ S-She’s not here right now. ❞ Who was this woman?

❝ Where is she ? ❞ That’s Japanese alright. He never saw this woman before.

❝ At work. ❞

❝ Work ?! Why ? Aren’t you supposed to be looking after her ? ❞ He was processing so many things at once. One, there is a foreign woman at his door. Two, this woman can speak fluent Japanese & can snap at him with ease. Three, she seems to know Mitsuki & him ?

❝ Who are you ? ❞

❝ I’m Mia, Mia Simmons. I’ve known your girlfriend since our kids were toddlers. ❞ Right, she must be Erica’s mother. Now that he thinks about it, she looks a lot like her. They had the same hair & eyes. He’d met the girl a few times, she confused him but she was harmless. Her mother, on the other hand, had a distinctive presence.

❝ Nice to meet you. I’m— ❞

❝ I know who you are. Now tell me, why is Mitsuki working ? It’s late & this is not supposed to be happening. ❞

❝ She wants to work. I was going to pick her up later. ❞

❝ Makihara-san, when we say ‘take care of her’ it means to stop her from self-destructing. Not standby while she is self-destructing. This… I can’t believe you’d let her do this for three weeks. No wonder she’s gone dark all of the sudden. ❞

❝ Tell me, what happened right before that ? ❞ She wasn’t done interrogating him yet.

❝ Nothing. She went to speak to the doctor at the hospital & that was it. ❞

❝ That’s it ? Did she say anything about what he said ? ❞

❝ No. ❞

❝ & that’s it ? You just let her do as she pleases ? ❞

What else can he do to stop it ? There wasn’t much he can do besides what he already did. If Mitsuki didn’t want to talk about it, she wasn’t going to talk. He can’t force her to say anything if she doesn’t want to do talk. If this woman knows her as well as she claims then she should know this.

❝ What else can I do ? ❞

❝ For one, you can loosen her tongue with some alcohol. ❞

He didn’t respond. It was unexpected but it sort of made sense, in a strange way. Alcohol just never really crossed his mind. He didn’t think that getting her drunk would be a good idea.

❝ Three weeks & you did nothing ? Seriously why did you say you can do something you aren’t doing well ? ❞

He didn’t like this woman. How was she friends with Mitsuki? They’re very different, it’s not possible that they would get along.

❝ I’m doing all that I can. ❞

❝ You know what, never mind, I’ll handle this now. ❞ She picked her phone & dialed a number.

❝ Hello Rei. I have a favor to ask, keep your bar open until late. I’m bringing a friend over in a bit. Yes, this is good. The less people around the better it is. Thank you. ❞ After hanging up, Mia turned to leave. ❝ Keep your phone close, I might call you later. ❞

❝ I should go get her. ❞ He didn’t want to feel so useless.

❝ I got this for now. ❞

Mia drove all the way to the Kouga HQ. She liked how the traffic has died down, it will make for a much faster drive. She learned from Erica what had happened. She couldn’t believe that Kagero was in the hospital at first. She thought it was a minor thing, like a traffic accident or something. But when she spoke to Ryosei later she learned the extent of her injuries. She’s still in the ICU after all of this time. It wasn’t getting any better & she understood how her friend felt. She could lose her daughter & that’s not something anyone can cope with.

She has experience this feeling before. When younger, Erica would have some scary asthma attacks that would get her hospitalized. She’d always panic that they won’t make it to the hospital in time, that her daughter would suffocate before anyone can help her. It was a frightening feeling. But in her case, it doesn’t last. She would have an answer by one or two hours. This, now, has been going for a long time. She is surprised Mitsuki is still holding on for so long. If it was her she would be a mess.

There wasn’t much point thinking about it. Mitsuki can’t shoulder everything on her own. She will break at one point & there is no telling when that point will come but it will come, & it won’t be pretty. She can at least weasel something out of her. She wasn’t sure how far she can go, but she will not hold back. It will be the two of them with a bar full of alcohol. She has high hopes for this working.

She parked her car outside of the building & entered it. The place was empty, only security guards were around. She took the elevator all the way up to where her friend was. She wasn’t as naive as to think that she will leave with her easily or willingly. But she can try at least. She was still going to get the alcohol & will have it done in Mitsuki’s office if she has to. Mitsuki might be stubborn as heck sometimes but she is not one to give up easily. She has a good track record when it comes to this sort of thing.

She knocked twice before entering the office. She didn’t wait for a reply, that’s not what she’s here for tonight. She will take things in her own hands & from this moment on, she will be the one in control over this situation. Well, she will be for as long as she can be. Unlike Makihara, Mitsuki is not really that easy to sway. It was this part of her that appealed to Mia the most. She just… She has this kind of energy, that she’s not someone you’d want to mess with or make an enemy out of. She looks the opposite, but she will destroy you if you cross her. It wasn’t all for show either, some people had a loud bark but no real bite. Mitsuki— She gives off the vie that she’s low-key but she can really pack a good bite. Mia knows not to poke her when that happens, she just pulls back & keep her distance until things are calm again, however long it takes for it to happen. Friendly fire is a big possibility & she’d rather stay away from that.

❝ What are you working so late for ? ❞ She won’t bring up the little run across the city she did earlier. Trying to locate Makihara’s apartment building was a bitch to deal with.

❝ There is a lot to do. ❞

❝ Yep, & guess what ? It will never be finished. That’s why we stop & come back the next day to try & make a dent in this never-ending pile. Come on, let’s get out of here. ❞

❝ I’m not done yet. ❞

❝ I know— Look, I won’t force you to stop, just come with me for an hour or two then I’ll get you back here. ❞

❝ Go where ? ❞

❝ A friend owns this small low-key bar. It’s quiet at this time so we can go grab a drink or two. She has an outside seating area so it’s not cramped. It has a nice atmosphere. The outside deck is by the lake, a real soothing place to be at. ❞ Good, it was working. She was glad to see her stop tapping on her keyboard and leave her seat.

Mia wasn’t counting on talking much during the car ride. She wasn’t surprised when Mitsuki opted to turn up the volume high while music played, eliminating any chance for any conversation to happen. It was alright though, that’s not the route she was going for anyway. She won’t bring up anything until she gets at least some shots in her friend, otherwise she should just give up.

Luckily, the bar was deserted. It was open after hours, costumers wouldn’t expect it to be open at midnight so they had the place all to themselves. She picked a table next to the windows. That was she easily gesture for Rei to get them drinks without having to move. She wasn’t really planning on drinking, she was driving & she needs to be sober to do anything she has planned to do, getting her own self drunk would be a disaster. But, she doesn’t have to reveal all her cards right now.

They started with shots; she took one shot & placed it next to her, swirling it from side to side. During this time, Mitsuki had already downed the remaining three shots.

Oh yeah, it must be bad. She needs to brace herself for this one.

Rei came outside again, she come over to ask them if they wanted any thing specific to drink. She still had her shot, untouched, but she remained quiet. She will start talking after Mitsuki would have had a glass or two, that would be a good place to start.

❝ Woah, wait, I’m not drinking bourbon tonight. Leave the bottle for next time. ❞

❝ I’ll take the bottle. ❞ Right, Mitsuki wasn’t lightweight, she can handle her liquor just fine. But an entire bottle? This can go downhill pretty quickly. On the plus side, she could get drunk to the point where she’d pass out. That would give her the rest she should be taking. If all else fails, this can actually work.

❝ Coming right away~ ❞

Mia settled for a glass of water after the bottle was brought to their table.

❝ I haven’t seen you in a while. Got any updates for me ? ❞

❝ Not really. Everything is the same, more or less. ❞ For the most part, she seemed more interested in drinking than talking. It was fair. Mia won’t argue against it. Perhaps more alcohol is needed. Although that doesn’t seem to be an issue, Mitsuki wasn’t holding back . There were already three different bottles on their table, & they were running out quickly. It’s only a matter of time now.

❝ Have you been to the hospital lately ? ❞

❝ — don’t need to. ❞ She was pouring another glass, she was beginning to get tipsy.

❝ Mhm, I’m sure things will turn out for the better. It takes time. ❞

❝ Ha ha, yes, any day now. ❞ She saw her reach for the whisky this time, filling her glass to the rim. At the rate she’s been going, she was going to drink it in one go & Mia wasn’t sure that would be a good idea given the amount she has drunk so far. But it was working, so why not keep it going for a little bit longer?

Mitsuki didn’t disappoint, soon the empty glass slammed back on the table. With a shaking hand, she refilled it to the rim again.

❝ Okay slow down mama, we said you’re going back to work after this, remember ? ❞ To her surprise, Mitsuki laughed & got up. She was intoxicated alright, but she was still able to move. She heard her mutter something, but she didn’t catch it.

❝ What was that ? ❞ She got up as well. She wouldn’t want Mitsuki to go off premise without her being close by.

❝ I said, not for much longer. ❞ What? That didn’t make much sense… No longer what? Wait— Shit !!

❝ Hey now, you can’t say that. No one knows what’s going to happen. ❞

❝ It is done. ❞ She kicked one of the chairs.

❝ What’s done ? ❞ Mia stayed close.

❝ Everything. ❞

❝ It will be over soon. She will pull through, I know that she will. ❞ She hoped they were talking about the same topic.

❝ She won’t. ❞

❝ You can’t know this. No one can. ❞ She tried to make more sense of it. She will let her speak while she connects the words, try to understand what’s really going on. If the doctor contacted her to discuss this, to tell her to lose all hope… Wait— did they…?

❝ She’s… Not getting better, only worse. ❞ Mitsuki’s back was to her still. Mia was caught between getting closer or staying where she is. She feared that if she moved, Mitsuki would stop talking. But she couldn’t stand there & do nothing while this unfolded. To be told by doctors that things are getting worse, it means all sorts of bad things. Fuck, she wasn’t counting on this happening.

❝ There is no reason to keep her there any longer. Her organs are shutting down one after the other. ❞ None of the two women moved from her spot. Mia felt scared. There wasn’t anything she could say to make this any better. Multi organ failure only meant one thing.

❝ I— have to make the decision… ❞ Mia was frozen in her spot. This was not something she expected. It was bad, really bad, worse than bad. This sort of thing, it will crush Mitsuki, it will destroy her. To make the choice… If Kagero is truly gone then keeping her hanging like that was meaningless… At the same time, to make the decision to— There was no right choice to make. Both were a nightmare on it’s own.

The first sob was Mia’s cue to move. She turned to Rei ❝ Call the number I gave you, tell him to get here. ❞ There wasn’t anything she could do or say. The only thing she can do is be there & help her friend release some of this weight that’s been crushing her. All she can do is hold her close & let her cry, for as long as she needs to. She won’t tell her to stop, or to calm down. She wasn’t sure what she can do, what can she do in this situation? She was paralyzed & this wasn’t her going through it. The only thing she can do is be there for her friend. Even if she can’t be of any real help, she can’t— she won’t leave her friend alone during this.

Hibari was alarmed when his phone rang. A strange woman called him by his name, telling him to come to her bar. He recalled Mia telling him about her plan, maybe it worked. He got in his car & drove to the location. He parked outside & walked inside. A woman wearing a colorful outfit was inside. He figured she was the one who called him.

❝ They’re outside, through the back. ❞

When he opened the door he saw them. They were by the far side of the deck, near the water. They were sitting on the floor. Mia had her arms around Mitsuki, who was crying like he’s never seen before. It was unlike anything he’d seen before. It froze him, it wasn’t anything he can do anything to stop. But he couldn’t turn back & leave. He can’t… He can’t stop this. It was different, he felt scared. A sense of desperation invaded him as he realized how useless he is in face of this situation. He didn’t know what was going on, he was afraid to know. He didn’t want to know. Mia looked up after hearing his footsteps, she had tears running down her face as well. It scared him, he wanted to get closer but she shook her head at him. He stopped, not knowing what to do in this situation. He doubted anyone could do anything about it.

He couldn’t remain there any longer. This was unlike anything he’s been through so far. This was different, this was much worse than what was happening earlier. It was the kind of pain no one could anything about. It was unstoppable, it was sweeping & destroying everything in its wake. It was a tornado intent on destroying everything it got close to; it wasn’t going to leave anyone untouched by it. Mitsuki is stronger than him & she’s… breaking. This is what was happening to her; she was breaking right in front of his eyes & he couldn’t do anything to stop it or slow it down. It wasn’t anything anyone can do anything to stop. All they can do is wait & hope that by the time it’s over, she will remain intact somehow. This was coming from her soul. It told him what she’s been avoiding for the past three weeks. Keeping busy as to not think about it… Shutting the world out, focusing on what she can use to keep her busy… All for the sake of not facing reality. If it has come down to this, then…

Mitsuki felt like she was dying. Every time she would consider the options she’s given, she felt like she was suffocating. It was better if she doesn’t think about it. She went back to work & did that for twenty hours each day. She was content with that. With work keeping her busy, she didn’t have to worry about anything else. She was surprised when Mia cam to visit her late at night. It was nearing midnight & she was tired, getting a drink or two didn’t sound like a bad idea.

Drinking was a social activity. But she wasn’t feeling like talking. She had nothing to talk about anyway. She just wanted to drink enough to forget who she is & what is going on in her life right now. Mia was curious & persistent. Her words made her nearly choke on her drink. She is no longer a mother if her only child is dead. She will be… Something else, but not that, not anymore. She can’t claim that title anymore. There, while she was trying to get up, she remembered random snippets. Various stages of her daughters life all came rushing back to her at once. She nearly lost her balance, she will never see her again. She will go back to an empty house. There will be no more chats between them. There will be no more Kagero coming to her room to tell her about her day. There will be no more of anything anymore. She will not see her daughter graduate, or see her become an adult with countless possibilities in front of her. She will never have her by her side again. It wasn’t something she could process. Nineteen years ago, her soul was split in two, one half remained with her, while the other half became the child she bore. She cannot live without her; how can anyone live on when part of them is gone forever?

She couldn’t imagine it. She didn’t want to think about it. She was dying every day thinking about agreeing to take her daughter off of life support. Would it be the right thing to do? It wasn’t. She can’t just send her away like this. Even if she isn’t getting better… Would it be fair to let her go slowly? Wasn’t this just making her suffer more? She was ready to go. She came to her in a dream, telling her that she was leaving. Giving her one last chance to hear her voice again before she departs. It wasn’t enough. She wanted to see her, she wanted to hold her, hearing her voice like that wasn’t fair at all. She didn’t know what to do. She knows it’s better to end her pain now, but she can’t go through with it. She just… She can’t.

She sank to the floor. The thought made her crumble & there was nothing she could to stop it. She couldn’t imagine a life without her daughter being present in it. This reality didn’t exist, she didn’t want to think about it. It made her hurt & she hated it. For the first time in a long time, she let it take control over her. She was tired, she couldn’t fight it anymore. She didn’t want to fight it, she just wants it to leave her alone after it’s done. She didn’t want to feel anything anymore. & so she cried. She cried for a daughter she was not going to see anymore, she cried for a life lost, a life taken from her so brutally & abruptly she is still trying to make sense of what has happened. It wasn’t fair at all. She can’t go on when what’s more precious than her own life is gone forever.

She was beyond processing what happened. This is something she never thought she would deal with. It’s against nature for parents to bury their children. It’s the other way around for a reason. She can’t go through with this. To be the one to send her daughter off… At what point does it become normal? She didn’t want that. She didn’t want to deal with that. Who gave themselves the right to do this to her? She can’t even send her daughter off with a proper goodbye. She had so many things she wanted to say to her—- If she only have her back for a day, an hour… She has so many regrets— She has to reassure her daughter that it’s for the better. It’s better for her to go instead of being trapped in a body that is no longer functioning. If she makes this choice… She has no right to make it. Who gives her the right to decide when to kill her daughter. Was it really the better option? What if she was to improve one day? Even years later, what if she wakes up? If she dies now, that possibility will die with her. She couldn’t make a choice. How do people decide on what to do? Every time she thinks about it, she feels the entire world crashing around her. She would do anything to make this stop. It was a feeling like nothing else. She hated it, it was all around her & it was never going to leave.

Mia was torn. On the one hand, it was good that Mitsuki is finally going through her emotions even if they were destroying her. Letting it out is better than keeping it all bottled in, that was the rule. On the other hand, she didn’t know if this was the right thing to do, given the intensity of her emotions. Not that she blamed her. No, she doesn’t blame her at all. It was a situation she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy. She was going through her own feelings as well. This wasn’t just some friend she met. She has known Mitsuki since their kids were barely able to walk & talk, that’s an entire lifetime. Kagero is like a third daughter to her. It was not comprehensible… Why would anyone do this? But this isn’t about her, not tonight at least. Tonight, she needs to support her grieving friend. It was a lot to go through; everything happened so quickly she can’t believe things have come down to this point. To take someone off of life support… There is no walking back from that. If she’s gone… she’s gone. It wasn’t a light decision to make. To let your child suffer & drag out their suffering even while they’re technically gone, or to end things…. How can anyone walk out sane from that?

& so, she chose to remain quiet. She’d let Mitsuki mourn for her daughter for as long as she needs.

She stopped Hibari from approaching. He might interfere & stop this. She hated it. She hated how she could do nothing at all, she hated that this is what needs to happen. Letting Mitsuki cry like this was tearing at her, she almost couldn’t bear it, but she will not stop it. It has to come out, all of it. Even if takes all night, she will still be here. She will not leave her side, not during this time. She won’t let her shoulder it alone, no matter what happens, she will be with her every step of the way. But for now, she will take it one step at a time. They just have to get through this night… If there is any sort of moving on that is going to happen… She won’t tell Mitsuki what to do, that is a decision only she can make. But Mia knows that whatever choice she makes, it will destroy her. If she leaves her daughter to go slowly, she will be torturing herself over it, that she made her suffer before she was gone. If she turns off life support, she will believe that she killed her. It’s nothing like that, she knows it, but it doesn’t make it any easier to rationalize. This sort of decision is not something anyone can make easily. It will be weeks, perhaps months before Mitsuki reaches a decision about how to let this end. It wasn’t going to be easy; the next days & weeks will be impossibly difficult. All they could do now is wait.

The silence was not perceived at first. Both Mia & Hibari were caught in their own thoughts to keep up with what was happening. Mia was the first to notice, not knowing how long it’s been since it has gotten quiet. Going weeks in overdrive & now having this cathartic release, it was only normal for Mitsuki to lose consciousness at one point. It’s restless sleep, not something anyone would take comfort in & it certainly didn’t make her think that what happened tonight was good. It was better than what was happening, but it was still… Terrible. She hoped that after all of this, Mitsuki would be sleeping for a few hours at least. She needs to rest, she needs a few hours to not think about what’s happening. She looked up towards Hibari, gesturing for him to come over to them.

❝ Take her home. I’ll be right behind you. ❞ Luckily, he didn’t say anything. He picked up Mitsuki & walked out of the bar. She remained sitting there. She was still in shock. It took her a few more minutes to pull herself up & head outside. She thanked Rei for opening late for them & got in her car.

She sat on the couch across from Hibari. She couldn’t leave just yet, she was still worried.

❝ She’s— Don’t let her out of your sight. ❞ Even if he has to tag along with her to work. She just… Didn’t think it good to leave Mitsuki alone for the time being.

❝ What happened ? ❞

❝ She’s been given an ultimatum… ❞ She couldn’t go through with explaining it to him. It was difficult for her to articulate & besides, he is Kagero’s father. There is no way this won’t crush him.

❝ She… She was told to consider turning off life support. ❞ The doctor’s way of saying ‘your kid is dead, might as well get this over with’.

❝ I— I have to go now. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. ❞ She couldn’t remain here any longer. She felt the air tightening around her just by thinking about it. & that’s her not going through it herself, just imagining it made her panic. To accept that your child is gone… This wasn’t something anyone can go through & not be affected. Having learned this, she wasn’t going to stay away. She will get involved , she is worried about Mitsuki & what this is going to do to her.

#drabble #fuck this one got me so emotional #fuck editing i just want this out #if i read it one more time i'll go back to ;___;

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