#We wish you a merry recovery | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gotham-ruaidh · 2 months

Text

Little Bit Better Than I Used To Be

Catch up: Chapter 1 (Starry Eyes) || Chapter 2 (Save Our Souls) || Chapter 3 (Dancing On Glass)|| Chapter 4 (Merry-Go-Round)|| Backstage (1) || Backstage (2) || Chapter 5 (Danger)|| Backstage (3) || Chapter 6A (Love Walked In) || Chapter 6B (Without You) || Backstage (4) || Chapter 7 (Stick To Your Guns) || Chapter 8 (Time For Change) || Backstage (5) || Chapter 9 (Take Me To The Top) || Backstage (6) || Chapter 10 (Home Sweet Home) || Backstage (7) || Chapter 11a (Nightrain) || Chapter 11b (Nothing Else Matters) || Chapter 12a (Handle With Care) || Chapter 12b (I’m So Tired of Being Lonely) || Chapter 13a (Angel) || Chapter 13b (She’s My Addiction) || Chapter 13c (Patience) || Chapter 14a (Where Do We Go Now?) || Chapter 14b (Where Do We Go Now?) || Chapter 14c (Where Do We Go Now?) || Chapter 15a (Dreams) || Chapter 15b (I Sing A Song of Love) || Chapter 15c (You Can Do This If You Try) || Chapter 16 (Let That Feeling Grab You Deep Inside || Chapter 17A: Never Tear Us Apart || Chapter 17B: It’s Tough To Be Somebody, And It’s Hard Not To Fall Apart || Chapter 17C: I’m Wishing, Lord, That I Was Stoned || Chapter 18: Turn The Page || Chapter 19A: When You’re Alone, Do You Let Go? || Chapter 19B: Heading For A Spin || Chapter 20A: I Don’t Need Nothing When I’m By Your Side || Chapter 20B: I'm Walkin' Down This Rocky Road ||| Also posted at AO3

Chapter 20C: You're The Only One Who Gets Through To Me

I feel good in your room Let's lock the world out Feels so good when we kiss Nobody ever made me crazy like this

-- "In Your Room", The Bangles (1988) [click here to listen]

North Carolina || February 1989

Darkness had settled on the cabin before Jamie re-emerged, hair damp, wearing jeans and a worn Eagles t-shirt.

He found Raymond in the kitchen, sitting at the kitchen table, working on a crossword puzzle. Raymond looked up as Jamie entered the room, and set down his pen.

Jamie sank into the chair across from Raymond. Sighed.

“I was going to apologize, but I think you would have told me that I didn’t need to.”

“You’re right.”

Jamie leaned on the table with his elbows, eyes down. “That hasn’t happened since we finished the tour. And it wasn’t even a bad one.”

“We’ll talk about that. How is Claire?”

“She’s in the shower. She…” Jamie swallowed. “I’m fucking nothing without her.”

A beat.

“A few months ago, in the middle of the tour, we spent a weekend with Dougal and Gillian. Dougal said that I had traded my addiction to substances, for an addition to my wife. Do you think that’s true?”

Raymond thought about this for a long while. He waited for Jamie to sit up straight and look at him.

“Do you know the definition of the word ‘addicted’, Jamie?”

Jamie shook his head.

“It means, to be physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects.”

Jamie lay his hands flat on the table. “Sounds pretty accurate to me.”

“Perhaps.” Raymond folded his arms against his chest. “But what about your music? Couldn’t you say the same about that?”

Jamie nodded.

“What about your family? Your friends?”

Jamie shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Yeah, but – ”

“I’m not discounting what Dougal said, Jamie. But what I am saying, is that it’s not so black and white. I love Dougal, but he can be a bit too…literal sometimes.”

Jamie smiled, faintly.

“Are you incredibly dependent on Claire, Jamie? Of course. But she’s your wife. You spend every moment of every day together when you’re at home, and the vast majority of your time together when you’re on the road. That’s not typical. And, you’re both addicts in recovery, and you keep each other accountable. It’s to be expected.”

Raymond sat back in his chair. “Now – the question is, whether the nature of your relationship with Claire tips over into being so close, so dependent, that it becomes problematic. Do you think it’s a problem?”

Jamie rubbed his face. “To the extent that even thinking about a life without her in it will cause me to spiral, yes. To the extent that I only hear her voice when I’m stuck in a spiral, yes. To the extent that the only way I can come back to myself from a spiral is by making love to her, yes.”

“I’m not saying that you need to cut any of that out of your life, Jamie. Know that, first and foremost.”

Raymond watched Jamie visibly relax. “I meant what I said to you before – that you need to nurture your connection. Something I hope you’re coming to know about me, is that I don’t use words lightly. What the two of you have built – how you love and protect each other – I’ve never seen that intensity in a married couple before.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“I hope you can understand that without drawing the right boundaries, it can be both. I hope you trust me when I say that I won’t do anything to test or damage your relationship with Claire. But you do need to broaden your levels of support, Jamie. Allow other people in. And create space for you, and Claire, to explore who you are without each other.”

“I know. I need to. I don’t want to use her up,” he whispered. “I want forever with her.”

“So,” Raymond said, so patiently, “Let me in a bit, please. Let me help you, too. I will help both of you.”

“It will make us stronger,” Jamie agreed. “But Doc, it’s so fucking hard…”

“Isn’t anything that’s hard to do, worthwhile?”

“It is.” Claire breezed into the kitchen, clad in sweatpants and one of Jamie’s flannel shirts, and kissed her husband on the cheek. “But thankfully I learned to use a crock pot to cook Uncle Lamb’s chili recipe a long time ago – it’s so much easier than cooking it on the stove. Who’s hungry?”

#outlander #outlander fanfic #jamie and claire #little bit better than i used to be

60 notes · View notes

turtletaubwrites · 6 months

Text

Troublesome Woman ~ Part 19

Pairings: Zoro x Fem!Reader, Sanji x Fem!Reader, Robin x Fem!Reader, Sanji X Robin

This is part 19 of the Series 'We've All Got Needs,' linked below:

Word Count: 2720

We've All Got Needs Masterlist

Ao3 Link (Ch. 9 of We've All Got Needs cont.)

Summary: It's been two months now since you first started seeing your partners. (About a month since part 18.) The crew is on its way to find a shipwright to fix the Merry, but hit a setback when a dangerous man had some things to say about your mysterious lover.

Rating/Warnings: Explicit Sexual Content, AFAB!Reader, She/Her Pronouns for Reader, 18+ Only, MDNI, Reader-Insert, Swearing, Smut, Fluff, ANGST, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Polyamory, Pet Names, Vaginal Fingering, Inappropriate Use of Akuma no Mi | Devil Fruit Powers, Porn with Feelings

A/N: !!SPOILER WARNING!! It took way longer to get here than I expected, but from this point forward there will be spoilers for the anime for the Water 7 arc. I hope you enjoy the upcoming ANGST. I swear there will still be plenty of smut and fluff mixed in with the long overdue plot.

Extra A/N: Fret not if you're just here for smut, I will be writing extra scenes from the skipped month, so look out for those, and let me know if you have any requests for scenes!

“Are they going to be okay?”

It had been almost two months now since you first kissed the woman lying in front of you. Since you first held her in your arms while you both fell asleep.

Now your breath felt trapped as you watched Chopper buzz quietly around her and your captain, covering them with blankets.

You wanted to reach out and touch her, but fear that you’d hurt her kept you frozen. But not as frozen as Robin had been before you helped Chopper warm her slowly in the bathing room.

That man, Admiral Aokiji, had turned Robin and Luffy into blocks of ice like it was nothing. And you couldn’t do a thing to protect them.

Hot, silent tears streamed down your face, and you wished you could give them to her.

A warm touch on your shoulder jolted you, your heart nearly jumping out of your throat until you heard his hushed voice.

“Angel, she’s going to be okay. Please, I need you to come eat something.”

Sanji pressed you against him, his warmth showing you just how cold helping Robin had made you.

“B-But-”

“After you eat I’ll come sit in here with you. I promise, my love.”

With a glance back, you left Chopper with Robin and Luffy, the memory of their frozen forms still burning into you like brands.

Zoro was outside by the door, leaning against the wall like he was standing guard. He grabbed your wrist, pulling you away from Sanji, and into his arms.

You fell into him, knees going weak as you let out the sobs you’d been hanging onto.

Sanji started stroking your hair, and you almost laughed at how rare it still was for the boys to be so close to each other without bickering.

“Chopper says they’re okay, Needy. Their hearts are beating. You need to get some rest.”

“She… She was so scared.”

Zoro’s arms gripped tight around you, while Sanji’s soothing voice washed over you.

“And we got her, Angel. We’re her crew, and we saved her. We saved both of them. You helped them get better, Mon coeur.”

“N-No-”

“Shh, darling. We’ve got her, and when she wakes up she’ll know her crew is here for her, no matter what.”

“The cook’s right, Needy,” Zoro grumbled, the sound vibrating through you. “Get some rest, please.”

You pushed away, and he almost didn’t let you.

“I don’t want her to wake up alone.”

“She won’t, Angel. We’ll take turns. We all love both of them.”

Nodding slowly, you let Sanji guide you to your room, where he’d already set up a small plate of food for you.

Forcing it down, your mind ran through the encounter. You’d never seen Robin so terrified before. And the things that man had said to her… it had made her snap, attacking the admiral before the crew could try to get away.

‘Protecting this troublesome woman leads to nothing but regret.’

He’d warned that every group she’d ever been a part of had been destroyed, everyone except for her. He’d taunted her, said that we were fools for not suspecting a thing. And then she tried to kill him.

“Angel?”

Sanji had been speaking to you, but you were lost in memories of the fight. The fear in Robin’s eyes as he accused her, and the sight of her frozen body, so fragile as it glinted in the sun. It all kept playing on a loop.

He tried to convince you to lay down, but you reminded him of his promise, and he led you back to Robin. He sat against the wall near her bed, and you fell asleep on his chest, ice piercing your nightmares.

The next few days of waiting were the same. The boys convincing you to leave her side. You convincing them to stay there with you.

The one thing that tore you away was training.

I have to get stronger.

That thought tortured you, especially since that man had overpowered everyone. It was laughable to think you’d ever be able to fight against someone like that.

But you shoved that thought aside as you blocked Zoro’s attacks, your tonfa swinging and striking with more determination every day.

Zoro had finally given you the go ahead to start training with the modified tonfa on the ship.

“With no fucking poison,” he’d growled.

“Of course babe, if I was going to poison you, I’d put it in your beer.”

When you weren't sparring with Zoro, you were blowing darts, Usopp and Luffy cheering you on as you improved.

“All done for the day?”

“I really don’t get why they need to be kept away from me in your quarters still, I haven’t put any poison in them yet.”

“Well you can take it up with Zoro, I’m not looking to get on his bad side,�� Usopp said in a mock whisper, taking the modified tonfa away.

Sanji was handing out drinks, and you watched the rest of the crew enjoying the time off. You’d get close to joining, laughing as the boys bickered, almost tempted to lounge in the sun with Nami.

But Robin’s face wouldn’t leave your mind for long.

What could make her so terrified?

“Luffy!!”

You startled as Chopper and Usopp started cheering, and you had to join in when your captain came running out on deck.

He was running and laughing as if nothing had happened, and it was a relief to see.

You ran, heartbeat racing as you went back to Robin’s side.

“Robin, please…”

Staying with her, you waited for any movement. Sanji brought you something to eat, and his need to never waste food was the only thing that got you to force it down.

Laughter floated in, but you watched her breathing. You wanted to hear Robin’s laughter, to know that she was okay.

“Robin!”

After what could have been minutes or hours, you saw Robin’s hand move, her head tilting from side to side. You realized you’d blurted out her name loudly, so you moved toward her now with a hushed tone.

“Robin, are you okay?”

“Y/N?”

Her blue eyes blinked slowly, clenching closed for a moment.

“You’re safe, Robin. We got away, and we’re all safe.”

Afraid to touch her still, you just gazed at her, feeling your eyes filling with tears, slowly overflowing.

“I’m so glad.”

Her soft voice, so reassuring, did you in.

“Can I hug you, Robin?’

Your choked voice didn't sound like you, but she said ‘yes,’ and you leaned your body over hers. Your hot tears streamed slowly, falling onto her chest, and you wanted to ask her about everything.

Instead, you pulled away and helped her sit up.

“Do you want to see everyone?”

Her smile warmed you to your toes, and you helped her to the door. Gratitude had your body buzzing. Especially when she laced her fingers with yours before opening the door outside.

Nami and Sanji yelled her name, while Chopper ran up, his smile so sweet.

“Robin, are you feeling okay? Do you still have a chill?”

“Your treatment helped me out tremendously. Thanks, you’re a wonderful doctor.”

Robin’s quiet chuckle was like a dream while she watched Chopper dance and blush at her praise. You felt high, almost afraid this was a dream, and that you’d wake up on the floor by Robin’s sleeping form again.

But she squeezed your hand, and you almost cried again.

Sanji led you to the galley, pouring coffee as you sat at the table with Robin and Nami.

Suddenly the world was sideways, and it would have sent you all sprawling if not for Robin’s many arms catching you all, even keeping the coffee from spilling.

You leaned over to kiss her shoulder softly, amazed that she could use her powers like that so quickly after recovering.

“It seems like the ship has changed its course.”

Nami flew out on deck at Robin’s words, screaming at Luffy.

With Robin and Sanji here to yourself, you didn’t care what was going on out there. You reached for Sanji to join you, loving his knowing smile.

“Apologies, my darlings, but we really should check if our crew needs us.”

Pouting as Robin stood, you followed suit, still reaching for her.

You didn’t want to let her out of your sight for a moment.

“Tell us which way the frog went!”

Luffy’s demand made no sense as you watched him, Chopper, and Usopp helping him row the ship frantically. You grinned at the sight of Zoro going along with whatever wild plan Luffy had concocted.

“It looks like the frog is headed toward the lighthouse.”

You followed Robin’s eyes to see a giant frog swimming over the waves. Sanji recited the steps to cooking frog as if Zeff was quizzing him.

With the chaos of your wonderful crew, you broke out into laughter, and it seemed to shake off the ice that had formed around you since you’d watched Robin’s eyes freeze over in fear.

Nami yelled, trying to stop you all from chasing a fucking frog, and you had to let go of Robin’s hands as you held yourself up against the wall, laughter burning through you, cleansing the pain away.

She’s safe, we’re safe. My family is safe.

Luckily you were gripping the wall when the ship jolted, stopping dead in the water next to the lighthouse. It didn’t stop you from laughing after you saw everyone was okay. But your laughter stopped you from noticing the sound of a bell until Nami was screaming.

“Full reverse right now! Turn one hundred eighty degrees!”

Robin's arms wrapped around you, pulling you to cling to the railing as Luffy and the others tilted the ship, turning you almost sideways again. Nami and Sanji yelled along with you as you fought not to fly off the ship.

A fucking train was coming.

And it hit the fucking frog.

This is definitely a dream.

Your joyful laughter turned hysterical as the train passed by. You noticed eyes on you, but couldn’t make out the soothing voices. Until hers broke through.

“I’ll stay with her.”

Strained laughter turned to sobs once Sanji’s lips left your cheek.

“Sanji, I’ve got her.”

Then the voices of the crew grew distant as you fell apart, Robin’s many arms holding you to her, stroking your hair as she kissed your temple.

“You’re alright, Y/N.”

A choked laugh left you, and you struggled in her arms. Robin let you pull back so you could look at her, the sight of her face bringing fresh tears to yours.

Her brows lifted just slightly, eyes roaming your face. Her lips parted with a tiny intake of breath. You wouldn’t have noticed it if you hadn’t been clinging to her so desperately. A soft smile touched her lips before she spoke again.

“I’m alright, Y/N.”

While you were having hysterics, the crew had met a woman, Kokoro, at the lighthouse. She’d gifted you all a map, and a reference letter to use at your next destination. The crew was on the way to the next island, Water 7, hopefully to find a shipwright, or at least to fix up the Merry. It wasn’t comfortable to talk or even think about, but the old girl was falling apart.

Nami was running around handing out everyone’s spending money, while the crew was laughing and bickering, excited to spend a week in a civilized place for the first time in a while.

Everyone made plans, but all you could do was sit with Robin, loving the smile she gave as she watched everyone.

That night she led you by the hand to her quarters, hardly any words shared between you since you’d fallen apart at the lighthouse.

Sanji cleared his throat behind you as you stepped through her door.

“I brought some tea for you, sweethearts.”

Following Robin to the edge of the bed, you felt suddenly weary, as if you could barely hold yourself up. Sanji placed a mug in your hand, placing a kiss on your forehead and Robin’s cheek.

“Goodnight, my treasures.”

“You can sleep in here with us.”

You squeezed Robin’s hand, so happy to hear her voice.

“There’s no place I’d rather be.”

Sanji pampered you both, and you curled silently around her as you traced fingers along her skin. Her warm skin.

Slow tears still fell, but she would wipe them away, pulling you to her.

Part of you that wasn’t overwhelmed with relief was screaming. You needed to know what could put that look of terror on her face. You needed to help her. But not tonight. Tonight you fell asleep in her arms, Sanji wrapped around you whispering praise to you both.

“Good morning, my beautiful flowers!”

Sanji rolled in trays of food as you rubbed your eyes, not wanting to leave the warmth of the blanket.

“We should arrive this afternoon, so I thought you deserved some time to yourselves.”

He left soft kisses on both of your lips before heading back to feed the rest of the crew. Before you could comment on his apron.

“How are you feeling?”

“Ugh, I feel terrible that everyone’s worried about me now. How are you feeling, Robin?”

Finishing her last bite, she took a deep breath.

“I’m so grateful that we made it away safely. My body feels fine. Thank you for caring for me.”

Your eyes fluttered shut as she touched your jaw, tingles running down your skin.

Then her fingers were in your hair, and her soft lips were on yours, and you were lost in her.

You ached to taste more of her, and she opened to you as your tongue danced along her lips. You found yourself on her lap, moaning at the simplest touches, the feel of her warm skin.

Her hands ran along your back, pushing under your shirt, and you needed more of her skin on yours. She helped you pull it off, and you cried out her name as her lips trailed along your chest.

You were shaking, and she held you close.

“Shh, Y/N. We’re safe, We’re together. Let me feel you.”

You couldn’t tell if you let out a moan or a sob, but you kept your hands on her skin, put your lips to her neck, touching and being touched until you couldn’t think.

She lifted you, many hands laying you on the bed as she followed. She laid beside you, kissing, giving you her lips while your buzzing hands cupped her face.

Her many hands dragged your shorts off, and she straddled you. Tingles ran over your skin as she kissed your neck, breathing along your ear.

“Thank you for not leaving me behind.”

“Wha-”

Her kiss was deep, her hands in your hair, and then you felt more hands touching your legs. Shivering under her, you moaned into her mouth as fingers entered you. Your eyes rolled back as she explored you, curling inside you while another set of fingers found your clit.

You tried to speak, but she stayed on top of you, kissing like she would eat her way through you.

Reaching for her, you managed to move under her hold. Your hand found her, dripping wet under her nightgown, as she straddled you. You tried to show her with your fingers just how much you’d ached for her. The angle was odd, but you found that spot, and cried out as you both fought for each other's pleasure.

Twitching as she brought you, you focused so hard on keeping up your rhythm, needing to make her feel good. She lifted her upper body away until she was looking down on you, and then the angle was right. You brought your other hand to her clit, and felt heat pour through you as you watched her dance above you.

“Y/N…”

Feeling her clenching your fingers was better than any drug, and you felt a satisfied smile on your face as she called arms to catch her own twitching body from falling.

Laying beside each other then, your breaths were heavy as you continued to twitch.

You couldn’t decipher the look in her eyes when you breathed your promise to her.

“I’ll never leave you behind, Robin.”

Thank You for Reading! 💜

TurtleTaub Fanfic Masterlist

We've All Got Needs Masterlist

Part 20

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I already have the next part, plus some extra smut scenes that I'll be posting over the next few days, so look put for those! 😁

Buy me a coffee ☕🙏🏼

#nico robin x fem!reader #nico robin smut #One Piece smut #f/f fanfic #Reader Insert #Fem!Reader #Smut #sanji x reader #zoro x reader #mine #nico robin x reader #poly fanfic #nico robin fanfic #sanji fanfic #one piece fanfic #zoro fanfic #angst #x reader #turtletaub fics

83 notes · View notes

windsweptinred · 1 year

Text

Dec 2022

New Inn Newsletter

To the patrons of the New Inn. We'd like to thank you all so much for your continued support throughout 2022. And from all the staff, wish you a very Merry Christmas this festive season.

We'd like to remind you that there are a limited number of places available for our very popular, medieval themed Christmas banquet on the 23rd. And there will be an adults only, 80s themed News Years Eve party, starting at 8pm on the 31st. If interested, please call to reserve.

The pub will be closed from the 24th to the 26th to allow the staff to spend the Christmas weekend with their loved ones.

Thank you to all the parents and children who attended our family Christmas party last Saturday. We would like to apologise if any children were left upset after the incident that occurred. As you all know, our much loved pub cat Murphy, is very protective of our Landlord. We would ask you to continue to be mindful of this to avoid any further incidents.

(We would like all the children who attended to know that Santa's eye is healing well, and he'll be all better and ready to deliver presents by Christmas Eve. Murphy has said he is very sorry for attacking Santa. And Santa has apologised to Mr Galden for kissing him under the mistletoe without asking nicely first. That was very very naughty of him!)

On that note, our regular Santa, Terry Sinclair will be replaced for this Sundays Santa's grotto by a Mr Cori N Thian. We'd like to thank Mr Thian for standing in at the last minute. And we all wish Terry a speedy recovery.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Steven Royle

(Manager)

........... Meanwhile.......

#dreamling #dream of the endless #hob gadling #The everyday chaos of the temple of Morpheus... Also known as the New Inn #crack post #Christmas dreamling

361 notes · View notes

middleearthpixie · 8 months

Text

Living Proof ~ Chapter Fourteen

Summary: When he puts himself between the Uruk-hai and Merry and Pippin, Boromir knows it means sacrificing himself. But it also means redemption for his near betrayal of Frodo and the Fellowship, and so it is a price he is more than willing to pay.

Kaia has been on her own for as long as she can remember, having escaped a terrible life in a village not far from Mordor. When she hears the sounds of battle, she knows what it means and when she ventured forth and finds a gravely wounded man lying amongst the leaves and debris, she takes him in, not knowing he is actually the son of the steward of Gondor.

Angry at himself and faced with a long road to recovery, Boromir does not make things easy on Kaia and it is only through her own sheer will that she does not give into the urge to hit him over the head with something on a daily basis. That refusal to give up brings about changes neither one of them could have foreseen. She just wanted to save him. She never thought he would save her in return…

Fandom: The Lord of the Rings (AU, Boromir lives)

Pairing: Boromir x ofc Kaia

Warnings: Some battle violence (nothing graphic, I promise)

Rating: T

Word Count: 4.5k

Tag List: @sotwk @heilith @fizzyxcustard @evenstaredits @way-too-addicted-to-fandoms @emmyspov @finnofamerica @lathalea @ass-deep-in-demons @quiall321 @mistofstars @justfollowtheroad @guardianofrivendell @glassgulls @doctorwhump @kmc1989 @estethell @emrfangirl @emmanuellececchi

If you’d like to be added (or removed) to the tag list, please just let me know!

Previous chapters can be found here.

Kaia sank onto the edge of a broken stone at the top of the parapet and sighed softly as Madril asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she said, looking up at him. It was a lie, of course. The moment she heard Boromir’s name, and then his voice, her stomach had been a mess of jumbles and knots. And when she met his gaze… her heart beat so fast and with such force, she thought for a moment she might faint.

But then those gray-blue eyes narrowed and his gaze pierced right through her. The anger practically radiated from him and while she couldn't fault him at all, it did surprise her that he was so angry. She’d always thought that men easily separated emotion from the physical and that he would be just as glad to not have her clinging to him, begging for a future with him. But then again, her experience with men was on the limited side, and none she’d ever known were anything like Boromir. Not by half.

She hadn’t expected him to speak to her. In fact, she thought he might just shove past her and go on his way. And now that he had spoken, she almost wished he hadn’t. Almost.

She stared toward the doorway where she’d last seen him. Part of her hoped the halflings had too far a head start on him, that he’d give up and return to Osgiliath. But that was only simply so she didn't worry about him, about something terrible befalling him.

“If you don’t mind my saying, you look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

“No.” She shook her head. “Well, not exactly, anyway.”

“Did you know the halflings?”

“Know them? No. Know of them? Yes.” She turned completely toward him. “I know Boromir knows them, but not how or why. I’ve heard him speak of them, but he never went into detail.”

“Hmm…” Madril’s eyes narrowed slightly and she waited for him to ask her about how she knew Boromir.

But he didn’t. Instead, he gazed out over the growing darkness, which seemed far heavier and much darker than normal. Something in the distance must’ve caught his attention, for he said, “Excuse me,” and hurried off in the opposite direction.

Curious, she followed, coming up as Faramir joined him on the far parapet and Madril said, “It’s been very quiet across the river. The orcs are lying low. The garrison may have moved out. We’ve send scouts to Cair Andros and if the orcs attack from the north, we will have some warning.”

Orcs. Although she knew the chance of facing them grew far greater with each passing day, it didn't mean the thought did not scare her at all. She watched as Faramir’s men moved about, seemingly at random purpose, but she knew well enough they were moving into position for either watch or battle, and she strongly suspected the latter.

She was not wrong.

The first arrow took her by surprise. It swished over her head, striking one of Faramir’s men dead center in the chest, piercing his armor as if it was no thicker than a sheet of paper. He fell, clanking down the stone steps as he rolled out of sight.

“They’re not coming from the north,” Faramir said, “To the river! Quick! Go!”

Despite the roiling in her belly, despite the icy terror rushing through her veins, she followed the others to Osgiliath’s lowest level, where the river had begun to swamp it, greenish-black water swirling about the crumbling stone. Black dots danced before her eyes as she flattened herself into an alcove, just as she had done earlier, when the Nazgûl swooped overhead.

A boat silently eased up to the stone and dropped its ramp, and orcs poured from it, splashing and sloshing their way through the fortress. Madril and Faramir were the first to leap out and attack and her hands wrapped tightly about her sword’s grips, Kaia did the same.

Bedlam ensued. Steel met steel with deafening clangs. Men and orcs screamed as one ran the other through. Heads were removed from bodies. Arms and legs fell into the water with sickening splashes. Torsos were sliced in half, some cleanly, some not so cleanly. Orc blood, thick and black, mingled with the scarlet blood of Men as it spattered against the stone and spilled across the blocks beneath their feet.

Kaia could barely see for the gray and gloom of night, but that didn't stop her. Her head pounded from the sounds, from the force of her blood pumping through her temples. Her arms ached from the relentless swinging, from the force of her steel striking unyielding targets, from the force required to block the blows that came her way. She moved through the gloom, ignoring the rancid black ooze of orc blood spattering across her face, pressing forward. She lost sight of Madril. Lost sight of Faramir. Could see nothing but the relentless push of orcs as more and more spilled into Osgiliath.

A hot sting swept across her right shoulder. She ignored it as she swung back with everything she had to sever the arm holding the blade that cut her. But then another blade caught her to knock her sword from her grasp and she found herself eye to eye with the creature responsible.

“Well, look here at what I found,” he sneered, lifting his blade to poke it into the hollow of her throat.

Tears of pain stung her eyes, but she fought to keep them from falling. Her sword lay just along her left foot, but if she moved, the blade at her throat would pierce her before she got halfway to her own steel.

Metal sliced the air and the orc’s head went flying off to his left, while his body crumpled in a heap where he’d stood. Sticky black ooze clouded her right eye, but Faramir’s voice was clear as he shouted, “Fall back! Fall back to Minas Tirith!” as he continued past her.

She snatched up her blade, dragging the back of her right hand across her face to clear her vision. A hint of panic stung her as she had no idea where Minas Tirith was in relation to where she was, but she broke into a run behind the others as they all scattered.

Splashing through the flooded portion of Osgiliath, Kaia lost her footing more than once, but managed to remain upright as she followed the others. Her heart hammered her ribs with enough force that black dots danced before her eyes as she fought to ignore it, to ignore the burn in her lungs and in her legs. Running was never her strong suit, but her life had never depended on it nearly as much, aside from that day in the clearing, when she dragged a nearly-lifeless Boromir back from certain death.

Dawn was breaking as they spilled forth from Osgiliath and Kaia was fairly certain her feet touched no ground as she ran across the fields. Her heart threatened to explode, her lungs threatened to seize up, and at the shriek of the Nazgûl screeched louder, she knew she stood no chance. Her legs surrendered first. She stumbled. Reeled forward. Went skidding across the ground, unable to hold back her cry of pain as her wounded shoulder took most of the brunt of her fall. Her sleeve was torn almost completely off and blood soaked the fabric as it gushed from the ugly slash. Her hand felt cold, her sword jarred free from her grasp once more, only now she couldn’t make her hand obey her and grip it once more.

A shadow fell over her. Thunder of hoofbeats roared above her. She closed her eyes and braced herself to be trampled beneath those hooves.

The sounds of battle reached Boromir’s ears as he made his way back toward Osgiliath and as he emerged from the tunnel, and saw the empty boats, his gut twisted sharply and he slid his sword free. He didn't stop pushing forward, and unlike the last time he faced an army of orcs, he didn’t feel the sting of the arrow. All Boromir could think about was getting to Kaia. Faramir’s men were as good as his own had been, but they were still horribly outnumbered, and he knew she was there somewhere.

Then Faramir bellowed for them to fall back and without hesitation, Boromir made for the stables and he didn't care whose horse he took as he swung up onto the first saddled mount he saw. He clicked his tongue against his teeth and took off out into the coming dawn.

The shriek of the Nazgûl made his hair stand on end and he urged his horse to run faster as the fell beast swooped down toward the Pelennor Fields, where ahead of him, the rest of Faramir’s men thundered toward Minas Tirith. He slowed down some as he caught sight of an inert figure lying face down not fifty yards ahead of him and his stomach clenched as he tugged hard on the reins and his mount slowed, then stopped.

“Kaia!” He leaped down from the animal’a back and dropped to his knees at her side. She didn't stir.

He wasted no time in gathering her in his arms to spirit her back to his horse, where he managed to maneuver her up into the saddle in front of him, an arm firmly about her waist as he dug his heels into the horse’s sides and they moved once more.

Dirt spattered her face, clumps of it mingled with blood dotted her glorious hair, now matted with sweat and earth. The sleeve of her tunic was shredded, her right shoulder smeared with blood, both fresh and dried, and an ugly wound along her upper arm continued to bleed freely.

Without thinking, he cradled her closer, muttering, “We’re almost there, just a bit further. Just… hold on, love…”

A brilliant white light split the Nazgûl in two and sent them all in opposite directions, leaving a clear path all the way back to Minas Tirith and as they crossed into the White City and Boromir saw Gandalf, he couldn't believe his eyes at all.

Kaia stirred then, lifting her head as she let out a low groan. “Who—where—how?”

“Shhh…” He tightened his arm about her. “You’re safe now.”

“Boromir?” She craned her neck to peer up at him with confused eyes. “But… how…?”

“We will talk later,” he told her softly, guiding his mount along the cobbled main road that wound up along the city’s tiers. The Houses of Healing were on the sixth level and that was where he was going. Everything else would wait for now. Faramir. His father. It would all wait.

Kaia let out a cry as he slipped from the horse and jostled her when he moved to ease her down as well. “Forgive me,” he murmured, cradling her against his chest.

He carried her up the stairs into the Houses of Healing, where Ioreth, Minas Tirith’s healer, looked up. “Boromir? You—you’re here?”

“I am but please, any and all questions will wait for now.”

“Yes, of course,” she gestured for him to bring Kaia over to the bed nearest the bank of windows. “Is this your squire?”

“Squire? No. She is no boy but a woman, Ioreth. Kaia.” He bent to set Kaia down on the bed. “And I owe my life to her.”

Ioreth offered up a quirked eyebrow, but all she said was, “I will tend to her. You should go and see Denethor. He’s been… not himself, these last few weeks.”

He sighed softly, drawing the back of his wrist across his forehead. “Just… just take care of her. I have to go find Faramir. When she wakes, tell her…”

“Tell her what, my lord?”

He shook his head. “Never mind. Just take care of her.”

“My lord?”

He let out a low sigh. “Just tell her I will be back.”

With that, he turned and strode back toward the doorway and without a look back, left the House of Healing. As he stepped out into the golden sunlight, he saw Faramir and with great haste, hurried to catch up with him.

“Faramir!”

Faramir stopped and, shading his eyes with one hand, looked up. “Where did you come from?”

“Never mind that,” Boromir waved off the question as he joined them. “I thought I’d go with you to see Father, lest he not believe I actually walk amongst the living.”

“Where is Kaia? Have you seen her?”

He nodded. “She is in with Ioreth now. I imagine the infirmary will be overrun with wounded shortly.”

“She was wounded? What happened?”

“I know not. I happened upon her just over the border of the Pelennor Fields.”

“Did you talk to her?”

“No. Now, come. We’ve no time to waste on idea chatter.”

He started toward the Citadel, where he knew he’d find his father, in his chair at the foot of the black staircase that led up to the throne of the king of Gondor.

But, Faramir was nothing if not determined and as he fell into step alongside him, he said, “What happened to her?”

“I told you, I haven’t a clue. I found her lying in the field and brought her in.”

“So, wait… you simply dumped her in the infirmary?”

“Mind your own matters, little brother,” Boromir growled without looking at him.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“This is not the time.”

“Not the—“ Faramir fell into step alongside him. “Are you a complete idiot? What could she have possibly done to make you this angry?”

Boromir was in no mood to discuss his love life or hear Faramir’s take on it, either. His stomach clenched with a worry he tried to pretend was nothing more than exhaustion as they continued on their way. “Again, mind your own matters.”

“Mind my own—oh, fine. If that’s what you wish, far be it from me to be your blasted conscience.”

“Good. I need no conscience. I assure you, I’ve done nothing to her that shames me.”

“Why don’t I believe that?”

Now, Boromir glared at him, but Faramir simply rolled his eyes in response and hurried up the stone staircase ahead of him.

At the top of the stone steps, they reached the courtyard and in the center of it, the Tree of Gondor, which would have been white, had it not been dead. Boromir paid neither it nor his brother and mind as he bobbed his head at the pages who silently tugged open the doors leading into Tower Hall.

Denethor II, the Steward of Gondor, sat in his chair, scowling as always, but when he looked up, his eyes lit up as he said, “My son! I worried a terrible fate had befallen you.”

“No.” Boromir shook his head as he drew to a halt before his father. “As you can see, I am alive and in one piece.”

“But we thought…” Denethor cleared his throat and turned away for a moment. When he turned back, he brandished the halved remains of the Great Horn. “This was brought back by one of your brother’s men and I was certain it meant you were lost.”

Boromir stared at the ivory and gold pieces and slowly shook his head. “No. I was wounded, but as you can see, I still walk amongst the living.”

“It is a gift, that you are here and my greatest fear did not come to pass.” He said this with a rare smile and a warm gaze adding, “And have you—”

He paused, his cold gray eyes sliding toward Faramir, who drew up alongside Boromir. “Have you done as you were tasked?”

Boromir swallowed hard. He knew he would disappoint his father, knew Denethor would be furious and would most likely disown him when he admitted that he’d failed. But, he squared his shoulders and shook his head. “I’ve not, no.”

Denethor’s cold eyes grew colder still, looking like two slivers of iced slate. His jaw tightened. “Is that so?”

“It is. I tried. But—”

“You tried? What does that mean—you tried. You failed!”

“I did, yes. And as a result—”

“As a result, you left the Ring in the possession of a halfwit who will keep it for himself!”

“No,” Faramir broke in softly. “I do not think he will, Father.”

“Oh, you do not think he will, do you?” Those iced slate eyes slid toward Faramir. “Then you are as halfwitted as they are, for of course he will. He’d be a fool not to.”

“Father,” Boromir interrupted sharply, “I did try to take it and that halfwit outsmarted me, and when he did, I realized I was wrong. So very wrong, indeed. I was wrong to try tot take it for myself, for Gondor, and not to allow the one chosen to bear it to destroy it. And if that makes me a halfwit, then so be it. I am at peace with the fact that I failed.”

Denethor’s gaze grew colder still, colder than Boromir had ever seen. “You disappoint me, as I thought you the braver of my sons. And yet you defy me. Defy my instructions. You have proved yourself as useless and unworthy as your brother!”

“So be it.” Boromir shrugged as if his father’s words meant nothing to him, ignoring the sharp sting those words sent through him. Denethor’s disappointment was not something to which he was accustomed. Normally, Faramir bore the brunt of their father’s wrath, while Boromir tried to shield him at all turns.

But not this time.

“Father, to take the Ring, to bring it here, would bring about our ruin faster. This is how it must be done. And this is how it will be done.”

“Take yourself from my sight,” Denethor growled. “And take your brother with you. My sons, my heirs, and you are nothing but disappointments, both of you.”

“You will return to Osgiliath. Take it back. Then, and only then, will I even consider you my sons again.”

“Father, Osgiliath was overrun—” Faramir began.

“Take it back.” Denethor looked from him to Boromir and back. “And do not return until you do, either of you.”

Boromir stared at his father for a long moment, as if he’d never seen him before. Although he knew firsthand the pull the Ring had and would have over any Man who thought to try to possess it, he knew Denethor had no such awareness. All he cared about was what Boromir himself had cared about when he’d attacked Frodo in the clearing at Amon Hen. Power. Denethor wanted to secure his place, wanted to make certain his position never wavered, that he never had reason to fear the rightful king coming to usurp him.

He should only know that Gondor’s true leader was somewhere between Minas Tirith and Mordor, and if Aragorn should survive and return to claim his rightful place, Boromir would not hesitate to bow and acknowledge him as the King of Gondor.

“Did you hear me?”

“I did and if that’s what you wish, ” Boromir shrugged, “so be it.”

“Then we understand each other.”

“Aye, I understand.” With that, Boromir turned and stalked from Tower Hall without looking back.

Outside, Faramir caught up to him. “You should go and see her before you go.”

“I’ll not tell you again, little brother,” Boromir growled without looking at him, “stay out of my affairs.”

“And if you do not return?”

He paused then, at the low wall at the far end of the courtyard, where he could see Osgiliath and the River Anduin. Gazing out at the sparkling water, he drew in a deep breath and let it out as a low, steady exhale. “Why does it trouble you so much?”

“Because, I think you should talk to her, that’s why.”

Overhead, clouds thickened, iron gray and heavy with the promise of rain. In the distance, the faint orange glow of the ever-watchful Eye of Sauron gleamed. A heaviness settled over Minas Tirith, one that he’d felt long before he was tasked with going to Rivendell, but had grown heavier since then. If Osgiliath remained in orc hands, it was but a matter of time before they made the march to Minas Tirith.

“If I need advice on how to handle my life, little brother, I promise you, you will be the first one I come to. Until then, mind your own matters.”

He turned to stride toward the stairs, to return to his flat and prepare to depart Minas Tirith once more, only to have Faramir halt his stride as he called, “What did she do that was so terrible?”

Without slowing, Boromir called back, “It is none of your—”

“Concern, I know. But I saw how she looked at you and how you looked at her. Go and talk to her and tell her before it’s too late.”

“Tell her?” Now he stopped. Stopped and turned toward Faramir. “Tell her what?”

Faramir offered up a long look. “I think you know.”

“Do you? Because I assure you, I don’t.”

Rolling his eyes, Faramir snorted and replied, “Tell her you love her, you dolt. I think you’ll be surprised by her answer.”

“I don't love her,” he shook his head, “nor do I care what her answer is.”

“I saw how she looked at you.”

“And how was that? Surprised, little brother. She was surprised to see me.”

“Yes, that I saw. But, there was something else.”

“Your mind toyed with you and you saw not what you thought you did. And I’ll discuss it no more. Round up whoever you can and let them know to be ready. We leave first thing in the morning.”

“Boromir,” Faramir caught him by the arm, “go and talk to her before you leave. Just… trust me, won’t you? You will regret it if you don’t. Don't make a mistake that will haunt you for the rest of your days.”

Faramir didn't wait for his response, but hurried off to prepare for their departure, but Boromir stood there for a long while, staring out at the river, at Osgiliath. Part of him wanted to just return to his quarters and prepare to leave Minas Tirith once more, possibly for good.

But, the other part of him…

Seeing Kaia lying so still on the battlefield had knocked the wind from him and all he could think about was getting to her. And once he had her, it took every bit of will he possessed to leave her in Ioreth’s care, even though he knew full well Kaia couldn't have been in safer hands.

With a heavy sigh, he sank onto the edge of the low wall, hands clasped between his thighs, and he stared at the dead tree in the center of the courtyard. Faramir was right. He had to talk to Kaia before he left, if nothing else to clear the air between them. He wanted to know why she’d left the way she had.

He sat there a while longer, but then, mindful of how much time had passed, slowly got to his feet and made his way down to the sixth level once more. It most likely would change nothing, but he did want to see Kaia before he left.

Butterflies went wild as he neared the infirmary, making him feel very much as if he was but a boy about to see the girl he’d been admiring from afar for what seemed like forever. As he reached the doorway leading into the area where he’d left Kaia, he paused on the threshold. All of the anger that had simmered within him since he’d awoken to find her gone had vanished now. His pride had been bruised, but when he thought about it, he couldn't exactly fault her for leaving. After all, he’d made no bones about the fact that he fully intended to leave her. She just beat him to the punch.

At the same time, though, she made him realize something. He did not like being away from her. In the short time he’d been under her care, in the time that he’d come to know her, he found being apart from her was far worse than even being wounded by the Uruk-hai had been. It wasn't anything he’d ever felt before and if he was completely honest with himself, he wasn't exactly certain what to do with those feelings. Especially knowing she wasn't one to tie herself down. And neither was he.

Or at least, he’d thought he wasn’t.

“My lord?”

Ioreth’s soft voice broke through his reverie and he started, looking down into her lined faced. Her dark eyes bored through him, just as they had since he was a boy and she always seemed to know when he’d been up to no good. Shaking his head, he managed a slight smile. “I beg your pardon. Doing a bit of woolgathering, I suppose.”

Woolgathering.

Over Ioreth’s shoulder, he could see Kaia’s bed, could see Kaia, and she looked so terribly still that his gut kinked. “Ioreth, the girl I brought in earlier? How did she fare?”

“Miss Kaia? She fares well, actually.” Ioreth twisted to peer over her shoulder, then looked back at him. “I managed to halt the bleeding and I don't think she will lose the arm, although it will be some time before she has full use of it.”

Relief surged through him. “Good.”

“She’s asked for you.”

His spine stiffened at that. “She did?”

“Yes.”

His mouth went dry as he peered over her shoulder once more. “Did she say anything else?”

“Go and talk to her.”

“Is she awake?”

“No, but she should be soon.”

With that, Ioreth stepped out of his way, taking away his last barrier to reach Kaia. Swallowing hard against the hammering of his heart and the dots dancing before his eyes, Boromir moved around her, crossing over to Kaia’s bed. As he reached it, one of Ioreth’s helpers brought over a chair for him.

“Thank you,” he said without thinking, not taking his eyes off Kaia. He’d never seen her so still, her dark red hair spilled beneath her, shining in the afternoon sun. Her fair skin looked paler still, even against the stark white bandage wrapped about her upper arm.

“Might I fetch you anything, my lord?”

He shook his head. “No, thank you. I’m fine. But, I’d rather not be disturbed, unless my brother comes looking for me.”

“Of course.”

Boromir turned back to Kaia and he gently slipped his hand beneath hers, her palm warm against his. Her fingers tightened briefly about his. He smiled, bringing her hand to his lips to gently brush the backs of her fingers with a light kiss.

Her lashes were thick black crescents against her pale cheeks, and while he hoped her eyelids would flutter and then open, they stay shut. Her chest rose and fell softly with each breath, and he sank into the chair, her hand still in his. He would remain by her side until she woke, and he was not leaving until he’d had a chance to speak with her.

Until he made things right with her.

#Lord of the Rings #LOTR AU #Boromir #Boromir fic #LOTR fanfic #Lord of the Rings Fanfic #Fan fiction #LOTR fanfiction #AU #Boromir x OC #Is it hot in here?#Romance #Sean Bean #Everybody Lives #Sons of Gondor

21 notes · View notes

mirkwoodshewolf · 2 months

Text

IATCOD Chap. 28; Plan in motion

*Author's note*

This was a chapter long in the making due to life getting in the way but I finally got around a week ago to finally get this chapter done. Not a lot of action in this, just some plot settings to get ready for the main action that'll happen the next few chapters. But I hope you all enjoy this chapter no matter what. And yes I had to use the death whistle from Puss in boots the Last wish so credit goes to Dreamworks for that.

NEXT CHAPTER

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@queen-paladin

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@thats-s0-ravenn

@gay-and-ready-to-cry

_________________________________________________________________

After Cain had returned back to Hela's chambers and told everyone what Druig had suggested, there was silence in the room. Everyone pondering in concern, fear, and denial.

"And you're sure there is no other way?" asked Gandalf.

"It has worked one other time. With Fili and Kili sons of Dis, nephews of Thorin Oakenshield. Hela gave to them the very gauntlets she wears that holds our kins celestial stones. When Sauron took full control over her body, the stones used both their bodies as a host to banish Sauron's spirit from her very body before releasing them."

"Bofur and my uncle Oin did tell me that tale when I was still a lad. Never before had they been both in awe and struck with terror at the sight of what happened that night."

"I too was there when it happened. Never would I have thought that two Dwarves could hold the power of nine Celestial gems and live." Said Legolas recalling that night at Bard's house.

"But Merry still needs time to heal. He's not ready." Proclaimed Pippin worriedly.

"And the raw power of a Celestial's stone is nothing to be trifled with. I have seen what gripping a celestial stone can do." Aragorn said with a distant yet horrified look in his eye as he remembered one incident with some wild men in the North when they came to take out the remaining members of the Dúnedain.

The chief of the wild men had foolishly thought he could take Thena's stone for himself to enhance his weapon's strength and durability. But when he went to take the stone from Hela's gauntlet after ripping it from her arm, his body began to crack and burn like firewood.

His screams sounding like something both unholy and holy at the same time. His eyes became soulless white and gold until his body exploded into a pure light before Hela managed to contain Thena's stone once again.

"How do we not know that the same could happen to Merry if he takes hold of Druig's stone?" continued Aragorn.

"He wouldn't have suggested Merry if he didn't feel some sort of connection to him. Trust me Aragorn, I don't like this either but we are running out of options and out of time." Cain said as thunder rumbled once again and the red lightning began to flash in the sky once more. Cain and Aragorn turned to Merry and Aragorn said to him.

"The choice is yours Merry." Everyone turned to the hobbit who still looked exhausted from his Black breath recovery. Merry slowly stood up, Pippin tried to help but he held his hand out to refuse help. He slowly walked to the center of the room and said to everyone present.

"Since starting this quest back in the borders of the Shire, Pip and I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. But even then I didn't care, all I wanted was to see Frodo away from the danger. Only to find out that he must bravely face the danger himself to destroy the biggest threat to our home. And Sam, loyal hearted that he is, he willingly without a second thought vowed to go alongside Frodo even if it costs him his own life. Boromir died to save Pippin and I. Without a second thought, he kept bravely fighting until his last breath took hold. I have lost—many of my friends, and thousands-nay millions more all over Middle Earth will suffer if Hela is not awakened. If there is a chance to free her from her curse, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to play my part in saving Middle Earth."

Everyone took to heart of what Merry had to say. He walked back over to Druig's stone and called for him once again. The black onyx stone glew bright until a golden light shot out once again and appearing before him once again was Druig.

"You have made your decision." He spoke down to the young hobbit.

"I have." Replied Merry.

"Then what say you, Meriadoc Brandybuck?" Merry took a deep breath before exhaling through his nose and he said.

"How do we save Hela from herself?" A slight grin came across Druig's face then he told Merry.

"Take my stone within your hand, once you feel the full strength of my power coursing through your body, press the stone to the crown of your head. And we shall become One mind, One body, One soul."

"You both shall become one? But will Merry still be there? Your soul won't overwhelm his?" asked Pippin.

"He has accepted the terms young Peregrin Took." Druig said turning towards the other hobbit. "Time is of the dire most essence now, and we must bring her back now before it is too late." Druig's spirit then shot back into his stone and the glow of the stone faded.

"He's right Pip. If we're going to do this, it has to be now. If Hela is truly dying from this spell, Druig and I need to act now. And we've already lost a day already." Merry and Pippin looked at each other then after a moment of staring at each other, Pippin gave him a nod.

"Pippin, come join us." Cain said as he took out his knife and he slide the blade across his palm. Pippin walked over towards the others who were now starting to huddle on the other side of the room.

Using his blood, Cain drew along the floor a Celestial rune circle to protect everyone within the tower from any Celestial power outbursts. Everyone stood within the circle while Merry stood over the table where Druig's stone rested.

He turned to the others as Cain now began to wrap his wounded palm and he gave the young hobbit a strong nod. Merry nodded to him and took a deep breath as he reached out and took the stone within his bare hand.

As he grasp the stone into his palm, Merry's arm began to slowly crackle open like lava seeping through Mount Doom itself, he fell to his knees in agony as the power of the Mind celestial began coursing through his veins. But he kept a firm grip on the stone as well as holding his enclosed fist with his free hand.

The group watched in despair as Merry was forced to endure this pain alone. Pippin softly whimpered and said.

"We have to make him let it go! He's hurting can't you see he's in such agony!"

"No Pippin, we cannot interfere at this point." Gandalf warned him as he held him back.

"Merry?" cried out Aragorn. Merry continued to grunt and cry in agony.

"Merry talk to us." Cain ordered. As Merry continued to groan and pant in agony he finally spoke up.

"I'm fine. I'm alright." Slowly he raised his enclosed hand as he felt the full power of the Mind Celestial coursing through his entire body. But even with such power coursing through him, it was causing the gem to feel so heavy, he could barely lift his own arm.

However Merry knew he had to do what Druig had told him. Using his free hand, he guided his enclosed fist towards his head and with a cry, he open his palm and pressed the stone into his very head before a flash of light and wave of red energy shot out hitting the barrier but knocking down all the furniture in place. Then Merry fell onto his back with a thud and Druig's gem embedded into his very skin.

"MERRY!" cried Pippin as he ran through the barrier. Everyone crowded over him but Cain warned them.

"Don't move him!" Gimli held Pippin back as both Gandalf and Cain knelt over the unconscious Merry. Cain used his enhanced senses and could hear Merry's heart beating normally. "His heartrate and breathing is normal." Gandalf waved a hand over Merry's face.

"And his spirit is still in-tact." Suddenly Merry's eyes shot open but they glowed the same golden light that Druig produces whenever he used his mind controlling abilities. Cain and Gandalf backed away as did everyone else as Merry now stood up but there was a difference to the way he stood. He looked down at his hands and he said.

"I almost forgotten what it's like to have an actual body."

"Is that you Druig?" asked Cain.

"No, it's Sauron. Of course it's me." He turned over to Pippin and said, "And don't worry Pippin, Merry's still here. I just need to take control when performing the spell. However I do need to request something of you all. Performing this spell, requires my full concentration and power. Both Merry's body and Hela's will be completely defenseless, so someone needs to stand guard over us in case time runs out." They all turned to one another before Haldir spoke up.

"I'll do it." Everyone turned to him and Haldir said as he looked to Cain, "It's what Hela would've done for me." Cain nodded.

"I admire your heart and loyalty to my sweet Hela, but you'll need a better weapon than your own. Take Aeglos and place the tip of the blade to Thena's gemstone. It was once the host of her powers, and should any Deviants come to the tower seeking her or my power, you'll need the power of the Celestial of War to aid you." Druig told him. Haldir nodded then Merry walked over towards Hela.

He stood over the head of the bed and placed his hands on each side of Hela's temples. Golden light emanated from his palms and bounced between his palms and Hela's temples which also began to glow. Soon the small glow from Merry's eyes grew bigger until his whole eyes were nothing but a pure golden light.

"It's happening. Now it's up to him and Merry. The rest of us will continue to get the people down below and prepare for the Deviants as well as the Celestials of Sauron's attack." Said Cain. As the others began to leave the tower leaving Haldir alone, Cain said to him, "Haldir," the march warden turned to him. "Take it from someone who has tasted vengeance for over 2 Ages. When Nergal shows himself, do not engage him alone. You will wait for us to aid you in taking him down, understood?" Haldir turned his head with a narrowed, hateful look in his eyes. "Understood?" Cain asked in a firmer tone.

"Go help the others in getting the people to the lower levels of the city. They've suffered enough at the hands of a leader who could care less about them." Haldir said as he went over and took Aeglos from Hela's side.

Cain turned but had a suspicious look on his face as he left to join the others to help evacuate and prepare Gondor for the oncoming Deviants.

Within Hela's mind, both Druig and Merry walked through a dark chasm with the only light coming from the very floor they walked upon. However the floor itself was a sea of souls glowing a pure blue light.

"Is this really what's inside Hela's mind?"

"We're only at the gate. Everyone has their own unique gateway into their subconscious." explained Druig.

"So what is it that we're looking for?"

"A tree. A very large tree."

"A tree?" asked Merry unsurely.

"Being the Mind Celestial I've come to see that in everyone's mind, no matter the race or species, the gates of their minds hold a very special tree to which I've called them the Tree of Life. Each branch representing a person's memory or thought. It's what makes them the person or creature that they are. And if my hunch is correct, Hela's tree may not look like it once was." As they treaded through the ankle-deep water, Merry began to grow weary of the souls that were moaning and weeping.

"Who are all these people?"

"The souls that had been lost but could not move on. Remember Hela is the bridge between the Seen and the Unseen world. Souls pass through her in order to move onto Mandos' halls, even under this spell they continue to come to her. But they're trapped here until she gives them her blessing."

'You are correct.' A voice spoke up. The boys stopped and Druig stood in front of Merry protectively as a spirit soon raised itself up from the water before taking the shape of King Theoden.

"Theoden King?" Merry gawked.

"Hello Meriadoc." He then turned to Druig and said, "And you must be her twin brother Lord Druig. Hela told me many stories of you and your sister Makkari the Speedster when I was a lad." Druig nodded and Merry said.

"Theoden King, we're looking for Hela's Tree of Life, can you take us to it?"

"I can but I must warn you. The spell that has imprisoned not only us but Hela herself has grown too strong. If you dive too deep into her mind, you too may also suffer the same fate as she."

"That's a risk we have to take. I won't leave here without knowing my sister will be okay." Answered Druig firmly. Theoden's spirit looked at both of them as Merry gave him a strong nod.

"Very well." He faded back into a spirit ball and began the light to guide them through the darkness and towards where they needed to go. Eventually they came upon a grand willow tree that stood nearly as tall as Treebeard himself, but just as Druig had thought, the lush green vines had been dried up and were starting to crumbling.

Within the vines were small thought bubbles that would normally be as bright as bubbles should be, but they were now dimmed and grey with faded memories hazed over.

"This is Hela's Tree of Life?" asked Merry.

"Yes. But it's worse than I imagined it would be." They walked up to the tree as Theoden's voice spoke to them.

'Remember, dive too deep and you too may suffer the same fate as she. Though I do hope you are successful in returning our Hela home. Good luck.' His spirit then dove back into the sea of souls. Merry walked up to the tree and touched the main trunk. He could feel just how malnourished the tree was.

"Any ideas on how we can fix it?"

"It's not up to us, it's up to Hela. Only she can mend her own Tree."

"But how are we going to find her?" Druig walked around Hela's tree until he had found what he'd expect to find. Glowing in a haunting green and black aura of magic was a large mushroom that was attached to one of the roots of Hela's tree. The light pulsating and almost sounding like a heartbeat but what had Druig in awe was the mushroom was showing a vision much like Hela's thought bubbles on the vines of her trees had.

"I think I might have found her." Merry came around and knelt down beside him. The two of them stared at the mirrored image of what looked like a large green pasture (much like the Shire) and Hela was out folding laundry. "You ready for this?"

"Let's do it." Answered Merry. Druig took his hand and together with their free hands, they reach out and touched the mushroom all while their eyes glowed a pure gold. The second they touched the mushroom, the black and green aura shot out like lighting trying to fend off Druig's and Merry's touch. Both the Celestial and the Hobbit groaned and cried out in pain but they kept a firm hold on the mushroom. Until they were encompassed by the green light.

"Merry? Merry! Wake up!" Merry's eyes shot open and he saw Druig kneeling over him. "Easy there halfling." Merry held his head in pain as he let out a small groan.

"What happened?"

"We got absorbed by the curse and sent into this false world. I must say I'm impressed by your mental stamina, any normal person would've crumbled by now. Think there might be a future for you being a Mind Celestial." Druig held his hand and helped Merry onto his feet.

"Hela once said I would make a clever one."

"And for myself I can see why she said that." Merry gave a slight smile before asking.

"Now that we're here, how do we find Hela? This place is nearly as big as the Shire."

"We just start walking. Hopefully we'll come across her. And we may just find out just what exactly this curse is doing to her." The two then proceeded to walk once again onward this time through the peaceful green pastures.

Back in the real world, Cain was standing along the very edge of the city where Denethor had leapt to his death. He could sense the very change in the air from the darkened clouds, the difference in the lightning and the very air seemed denser as if a dark spell had once again been placed over all of Middle Earth.

"We've gotten the last of the civilians gathered in the lower caves. And Faramir and Gandalf finally managed to work out the protection spell Hela had made for the city. It should be up later tonight." Aragorn said behind him.

"With all that Denethor allowed to happen, this city doesn't need to suffer twice at the hands of a bigger threat than orcs, trolls and wargs." Said Cain. Aragorn stood beside him and said.

"They'll find a way to bring her back."

"It's not bringing Hela back that I'm worried about." One look on Cain's somber face and Aragorn knew what he meant.

"You fear for Haldir's mental state at losing Hela."

"Grief—is a powerful feeling. Especially if it's fueled by rage. I may not be able to physically see his eyes but I can sense his heartbeat. His deep, sharp breaths through his nose, and the anxious ticks he's now been having at the tips of his hands, especially since he took hold of Aeglos."

"You fear he might turn into what you became." Cain solemnly let out a deep sigh. Aragorn placed a hand to Cain's shoulder and he told him, "He may not know it now, but he'll need your guidance before the end. Who better to understand what he's going through, if you can find the way, he will too before the end."

"I hope so Aragorn, I really hope so." Aragorn turned and headed back inside the palace leaving Cain to stand alone once again. However Cain felt a dark presence behind him and he withdrew his axe and his blade soon met with another and a voice said to him.

"You can even sense Death coming for you. Impressive."

"Deimos." The two of them uncrossed their crossed their weapons. "Why are you here?" Cain sneered lowly in the tone he's always used for those who were impure of heart.

"Apologizes for interrupting your little brotherly love session with Isildur's heir, but I had to come see for myself what wasteful plan you all have tried to come up with to save yourselves." Deimos chuckled sinisterly.

"You underestimate them. Even in their darkest hours, until there is no hope remaining, the Fellowship and the people of Gondor will continue to fight till their last breath."

"It's a waste. You cannot save them from the inevitable. Without Hela's power, the Deviants will take each race of Middle Earth, one by one until all is nothing but shadow and stone."

"And what do you three get out of all this in the end? If all is meant to be shadow and stone, what will you and your brothers do?"

"What Perses and Nergal want is up to them. I, however, have a different score to settle." Cain heard as Deimos unsheathed his second sickle. "As I'm sure you're aware, each Celestial while cut from the same cloth based on one's powers, there are the Celestials gifted with sub-level powers. A power solely focused to one main power."

"Yes. Like those celestials who could only control one element, or be able to see into the future."

"Hela had her time to be the high Celestial of Death, but she missed the whole point of her existence entirely."

"How so? By teaching that death shouldn't be feared? That it is another path to the next life."

"That! That right there!" Deimos snarled in distain. "You actually believe that death is a merciful, that it's something to be fully embraced and accepted like how you view Life. No, no, no. Death should be feared, uncertain, and permanent." He emphasized on the word permanent as Cain could feel his red eyes cutting right through him.

"You've come for me." Cain realized.

"Now you're catching on." Deimos then began to circle around Cain like a predator, eyeing him as he continued, "When you were brought back by the desperation of your brother Ikaris, you didn't value what he had given you. And while I find the very idea of resurrections and reincarnations absurd, what I loathe more than anything in this world are those who think they can cheat Death."

"As you said, it wasn't my choice to be brought back to life."

"You don't think I don't know how throughout the first 100 years of your banishment you tried to end your own life? And yet with each time, you survived."

Cain's heartbeat escalated, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, a cold chill ran up his entire body. He could hear the blades of Deimos' sickles cut across the cobbled stone beneath them.

"But here's how we can rectify all of this. When the time's right, I will come for you, and you and I shall face off in a duel to the death. See who truly has the blessing of the Valor on their side. You do that, and I swear to not harm a single hair on anyone else's heads."

"You really think I'll trust you to do that? After the way you beat Haldir and Hela nearly to death."

"A mere demonstration for what I have in stored for you. They were just so I could get to you. You agree to fight me, and death will only come for you." Deimos then let out a soft yet haunting whistle and when Cain turned around, he could sense that Deimos was gone, only hearing the brief whistle before it too was silenced.

PLAY VIDEO

Almost as if he had been strung up on strings, he collapsed to his knees, his heart still racing in such fear that he only felt when he came before the Nine Nazgul.

In Hela's mind, Merry and Druig continued walking along the grassy over hills until they came to a quaint little cabin. To Merry it almost resembled Frodo and Bilbo's home of Bag-end with a similar green circular door but it was a big-people sized home.

It had a small front deck with a porch swing, and the front yard was covered with wild flowers. A gazebo that looked exactly like the one in Lothlorien stood at the side of the cabin.

"Is this what Hela dreams about?" asked Merry.

"She was never one for riches or grand castles. When we were children, she always said she'd get herself a cabin and plant wild flowers as far as the eye could see." Said Druig. "But even so, this is still a prison so don't get swept by whatever you see. Remember Theoden's warning." Merry nodded as the two of them soon heard the sound of arrows being twanged from an bow around back. They heard the arrow hit a target so they came around to see someone who looked like Haldir doing some target practice.

Instead of the normal Marchwarden uniform or even armor, he donned on a simple dark green tunic and grey trousers. Haldir notched another arrow into his bow and released it and it split the arrow that was already in the target.

"Can he see us?" Merry quietly asked.

"No. This is an illusion, they usually can't see nor hear us."

"Even if this were an illusion, we Elves can hear the flutter of a humming bird's wings 10 leagues away." Haldir actually responded to them. He turned towards them and greeted with a warm smile and a bow of his head, "Welcome Merry, and back already Druig? It's not even been 20 minutes since you left." Merry looked up at Druig worriedly. While Druig's eyes expressed shock, he turned to Merry and told him telepathically.

'Just follow my lead.' Druig cleared his throat and said, "Well you know how it is. Big brothers and all, can't leave you two alone for one second."

"Even after all this time we've been married, you still can't trust us alone. Though I can understand, being an older brother myself. What can I do you both for?"

"We're actually here for Hela. Is she in the cabin?" Merry asked the Haldir illusion.

"Unfortunately you won't find her in the cabin. At this time of the day she's down at the farm just over that hill. What do you want with her?" there was a hint of suspicion to this fake Haldir's tone but Druig plainly said.

"Just received a message from Keoghan about the Midsummer's ball tonight. Apparently Kingo once again burned the cake and they need Hela's help since she is the best baker out of all our kinsman."

"Very well. But I must warn you, one of the cows just recently gave birth. She'll be on the fight if you anywhere near her pen."

"Thanks for the heads up Haldir. Good day." The two of them bowed to Haldir the Mind Celestial bow before heading over the hill where Haldir said the farm was at. "Tell me you caught the way he got suspicious on why we needed Hela."

"I did. There was also something in his eyes that gleamed the same color as the spell that shot out around us when we touched that mushroom on her Tree."

"You are indeed a clever hobbit Master Merry." They soon came up and looked down at a large farm. With large shire horses running freely around the wooded area in the back, large mountain dogs helping log around eggs, crates of apples and corn, and ducks and chickens waddling about the farm grounds.

As they walked through the farm grounds, they heard soft humming coming from the stables. They slowly walked in and soon found Hela brushing a white stallion's mane humming softly.

"Hela?" Merry called out to her. She jumped and smiled.

"Merry, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you till next month for Pippin's birthday. And Druig, back so soon. Let me guess, you thought Haldir and I were having another sweet rendezvous at the gazebo that you walked in on just shortly after we began courting." At that openly suggestive statement, Druig's cheeks went red as he said.

"No but thank you for that unholy image that is now seared into my brain." Hela giggled and said as she stroked the stallion's nose. "So what brings you both here?"

Merry turned to Druig wondering if they should break it to her now since looking at her, it seemed like they had found the real Hela. Druig was torn because the last time he had seen his sister this happy was when they were children. After Sauron came fully into power by the time the three of them came of age, Hela always held such a burden on her shoulders. Like the weight of the world fell on top of her weighing her down and taking her innocence away bit by bit until all that was left was a hollowed shell.

Here she seemed—happy, relieved even. No wonder why she's refused to awaken from such a dream. But he knew she had to, but they had to approach it delicately at first.

"Keoghan reached out to me halfway on my journey telling me that Kingo burnt the cake for the midsummer's ball again." Hela let out a sigh and shook her head.

"That Kingo, he can put on a show with Sprite but when it comes to drawing or cooking, he's hopeless. And I thought Apollo had banished him from the kitchen?"

"He did, and that banishment is still in affect but you know how Kingo is."

"He always finds a way." Both he and Hela said together. "Sorry Snowmane, afraid this grooming session's gonna have to be cut short." Snowmane huffed and let out a shocked whinny. "Don't blame me, if I don't go stop Kingo, he could blow the whole castle up." she got out of Snowmane's stable and walked pass Druig and Merry. "C'mon, we better get a move on. I'll have to tell Haldir first of where I'll be heading."

"Actually we just told him that before we came to find you." Merry said.

"Oh well okay then. That's one less thing to worry about." As they stepped out, Hela raised up her fingers and let out a sharp, loud whistle that almost resembled an eagle's scream. They waited for a bit until finally a real eagle's cry was heard and swooping down was Hela's great eagle Icarus. "Hey Icarus, think you can carry Merry to the palace?" he let out a soft trill before lowering himself down for Merry to climb on.

Druig nudged the hobbit forward and Merry raced up and with Hela's help, mounted on top of the great eagle.

"But what about you?" asked Druig.

"Why would I need Icarus to fly?" Hela's normal dress soon morphed into the Starlight Celestial armor. "Being born a Starlight Celestial, I never need aid in flying again." As Hela shot up onto the air like a shooting star, Merry and Druig looked at each other worriedly before Icarus soon took off following behind his mother and Druig used his levitating powers to fly right beside Merry and Icarus.

Another night was passing even through the dark, thunderous clouds that covered all of Middle Earth. Gandalf, Aragorn and Cain all stood along the balcony near the throne room as Cain said.

"One more day to go, and the Deviants will return to Middle Earth."

"Any word of Merry and Druig's progress?" asked Aragorn.

"I had just met with Haldir, no changes." Gandalf replied solemnly. "I know Merry is strong and Druig is powerful but I fear they may not bring our Celestial of Death back in time."

"We still have time." Aragorn stated. "All we can do now is give Merry and Druig the aid they need. We've coded the protection spell, the second we see those demons appear, we activate the spell."

"It won't just be the Deviants we'll need to worry about. Nergal, Perses and Deimos will also need to be stopped. I fear their goals are more than just what Sauron had intended for them. And if they try to stop Merry and Druig from helping Hela, Varda help us all." Cain said as thunder once again rumbled in the sky and red lightning flashed in the sky.

8 notes · View notes

fighting-god-69 · 1 year

Text

Things I liked about Chain of Thorns

I have a love hate relationship to this book. Like many people in the fandom, I wqs fairly disappointed. But there were also things I liked:

1. Matthew's alcoholicism recovery plotline

2. Grace and Christopher's dynamic

3. Cordelia and James. Need I say more?

4. The way Matthew was never written as legitimate competition (at least not to me)

5. Thomas and alastair

6. Will and Tessa being written as more present parents than they were in the prior two books (it never made sense to make them so absent)

7. Anna ceasing the womanizer shit (I think the progression was written unnaturally but I like that it happened)

8. Ariadne finding her way (pissed that she went back to Anna because what Anna did is unforgivable to me. Guess you can't have everything)

9. James healing arc from what grace did to him

10. Graces redemption arc

11. I liked seeing cordelia in Paris. It was undoubtedly a bad decision but she's spent so much time being a hero and putting others first so it was refreshing to see her prioritize herself and I think it improved her as a character. I think it was also a character development point for Matthew and one of the main reasons the merry thieves realised that all their secrets were harming themselves and each other

12. I like alastair becoming friends with the merry thieves (I do wish that they acknowledged that they also fucked up at times tho)

13. The descriptive writing and prose was as good as ever

14. I like that family relationships overall seemed more highlighted in this book

15. I likes the glimpses I saw of sonas healing arc (can we talk about the unmet potential between her and Risa? Cause that's a ship I'm down to board)

16. Tatiana was given larger scope as a character. This book showed her complexity and how fascinating she is as a villain more

17. The intermission grief chapter was written really well

18. The London falling plotline was interesting and the atmospheric writing was good. I dont think the fight scenes in the plotline (and in general) were written as well as in past books though

19. The love declarations were as good as ever. They even would endear me towards ariadne and Anna a few times before I remembered how I actually felt about them

20. I loved the epilogue for the most part, although I wish the group did something in their ceremony to directly honor Christopher. But I disagree with people in the fandom that are saying Christopher's death wasn't mourned. I do understand where they're coming from though

#chain of thorns #cordelia carstairs #james herondale #jordelia #thomastair #thomas lightwood #alastair carstairs #the last hours #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles

63 notes · View notes

teecupangel · 1 year

Note

Desmond in The Last of Us?

So basically my idea is that Desmond saved Joel and Ellie from like a clicker or something, and then he goes through this whole thing where eventually they all trust each other. Then it's revealed that Ellie's immune to the infection and Desmond's had enough shit done to him to know being the 'chosen one' isn't all it's cranked up to be. So he tries to convince Joel not to take her to the firefly's, but he's a stubborn son of a bitch and goes ahead anyway.

Eventually Desmond reveals his whole backstory without telling them about the Animus, and basically has heard enough of Shawn's ramblings about antibiotics to know that killing Ellie really isn't the way to go.

Maybe you can incorporate some Assassin's in there or something, like they find a PoE or time travel bullshit or whatever.

Soooo, just in case someone hasn’t checked it out yet, esama has a wonderful The Last of Us x Assassin’s Creed Crossover called Old Dogs so anyone who wants a The Last of Us x Assassin’s Creed crossover, try giving it a read.

Since you want a setup where Desmond is alive during the story of the Last of Us Part 1, we’ll focus on setting that up first.

This could work with the game as well but the TV show gives us a fun way to mesh both lore as it set up the outbreak in 2013 so we can push the Desmond saga’s plotline in this setting. When Desmond saved the world from the Solar Flare, it had an unknown side effect.

Humans didn’t realize it and went on their merry way. The Assassins and Templars didn’t notice it too because both organizations were still busy with Desmond Miles.

To be more exact, Desmond Miles who had survived activating the device because he was pushed out at the last minute, barely clinging to life.

He doesn't know if it was his fault, if his wish to live had been the reason why he was able to pull back, or if Minerva had a hand in it because the last thing he heard was Juno’s screaming Minerva’s name filled with murderous rage before she slowly faded away.

This did mean that the device had stopped before the Solar Flare ended and…

Sure, the Aurora Borealis that shrouded the entire world managed to shield the world from the flare but, because it was stopped too early, it had unintentionally caused a mutation to certain plants, due to the powerful solar flare and the Aurora Borealis’ suddenly being stopped.

Not that anyone knew about it.

Not even the Assassins or the Templars.

They were too busy with the Templars trying to save Desmond’s life because he was more useful to them alive while also evading the Assassins trying to rescue him.

So when the outbreak began, everyone was caught surprised, too engulfed in their war that sounded so petty now that the world was going to shit.

The outbreak did give the Assassins the chance to save Desmond and Desmond spends years trying to get his body to work the way it used to, which was becoming harder to do considering the state of the world which meant supplies and equipment necessary for his recovery were becoming harder and harder to get.

That is how he loses contact with his team.

It started out with Bill not returning after a supply run. Something was definitely wrong and, without Bill to lead them, the unity between the remaining Assassins (that they could rendevous with) begin to fray and stretch too thin for comfort.

Then their base was hit by infected and clickers…

Desmond wasn’t even sure how it had happened.

Did someone unintentionally lead them to their base?

Just a case of bad luck?

In the end, he was separated from Rebecca and Shaun, and escorted away by other Assassins who later fell.

Some got infected.

Others simply… never returned.

By the time Desmond was left all alone, his body had healed just enough for him to move for perhaps two to three hours before needing to take a break.

But that was enough.

It was enough for him to start looking for his missing team.

He becomes sort of a wanderer, sneaking in and out of quarantine zones to look for anyone he might know and to get any information he might be able to get.

That’s how he heard of how the Fireflies were trying to find a cure.

He figured that if Shaun or Rebecca were still alive, they would try to find a cure as well so he started to make his way to any base even just rumored to one of the Fireflies’ and that’s how his path intersected with Ellie and Joel.

Joel would definitely be suspicious of him, that’s for damn sure, and Ellie would be too in the beginning then they would start to talk and they’d bond over bad jokes and how Desmond is fine talking about the ‘old world’.

Also, Desmond knows a lot about the 'ancient world' and Joel wondered if he was a history teacher or student before the outbreak.

It would be Desmond’s friendship with Ellie that would start to warm Joel to him because he could see how much Ellie is having fun when she’s talking to Desmond and Desmond seemed to care for them even if Joel knows that he's hiding something.

Then again, everyone was hiding something anyway.

Ellie would also be the one to explain why they’re going to the Fireflies and about how she’s immune to the infection, maybe even joking about being the ‘Chosen One’.

And even if Desmond had revealed his past (although he did change the whole ‘saved the world because assholes named me the chosen one’ to ‘my genetic makeup was the key to start the device because it was a family thing… sorta’), it didn’t stop Joel and Ellie, especially since all they know is that the Fireflies need Ellie to find a cure, it's not like they know what the Fireflies plan to do to Ellie (although Desmond has a bad feeling he can't explain).

All it did was make Ellie ask more about being an Assassin and poking Desmond to teach her some stuff.

It did end up being worth it though because of Desmond’s inclusion in their party and Ellie’s very basic stealth skills changed the course of the story so that Joel wouldn’t be as heavily wounded as he was in canon.

There’s still the whole bunny scene but it’s more of Desmond teaching Ellie how to hunt using a bow, reminding Desmond of how Ratonhnhaké:ton was taught by his mother.

Their encounter with David’s gang would also be different because Desmond would be suspicious as fuck with them.

(And… Nolan North voices the David so… I guess we can make a joke of how David sounds a lot like Desmond?)

In the end, they get to the Fireflies all in one piece and Desmond finally realizes what’s been bugging him all this time.

The Fireflies’ slogan:

“When you're lost in the darkness, look for the light.”

He understood it was meant to give a sense of hope but, at the same time, it felt like a slogan that the Brotherhood would not use.

When he joins Joel and Ellie at the Fireflies’ headquarters, he’s immediately separated from them and that’s when he realized…

The Fireflies were connected with Abstergo.

That was all Desmond’s reason to beat the crap out of the people in charge of keeping him away (although he didn’t kill them… yet…) and he takes the time to snoop around for information. That’s how he learned of their plans for Ellie so he stormed the awkward meeting Joel, Ellie and Marlene.

From there, it’s really up to Ellie on what will happen next. Joel would absolutely be against her doing it and Desmond would be too but Marlene would tell them it’s Ellie’s choice to make, maybe even lay the guilt thick by reminding everyone that Ellie’s the only known one immune to it but Desmond would call bullshit on her plan because it’s just dumb that they’re going to start with the brain already when they can start with some kind of test using her blood or something else.

When Marlene didn't say anything, that’s when Desmond realized.

Ellie’s not the first person to be immune with it.

But she’s the only one still alive.

Because…

The Fireflies…

No.

Abstergo has been conducting experiments with the ones with immunity.

And that’s when another person enters the room to tell them…

“Those with high Isu genes are immune, it seems, but no matter what we do, we could not produce a cure using their blood. You don’t even know you’re immune as well, do you? Of course not, you Assassins would never let yourselves be hit even once, especially you, Desmond Miles.”

Desmond has only seen her face once, during Shaun’s summary of the Abstergo hierarchy.

Sofia Rikkins stared at Desmond as she said, “But perhaps the one with the highest Isu genes would be different. Perhaps you would hold the cure…”

“What do you say then… We’ll let the girl go. In exchange…” Sofia offered her hand to Desmond as she said, “Become the savior of mankind once more, Desmond Miles.”

53 notes · View notes

thereisnothingsweetaboutme · 6 months

Text

tw: the contents of this blog will contain themes that involve èds, alcoholism, sh, self d3precation, and overall spiralling. this blog is not looking to trigger anyone who is in recovery from any harmful behavior or substance, or anyone who is trying to just lead a healthy lifestyle. I support anyone who is in recovery and I genuinely root for them. this is a place for me to vent, share experience, to pretty much be a diary for what I go through and a way that I cope with my issues. please don't r3p0rt, just block instead and we'll all be merry.

🐝

you have been warned. now onto the introduction 💜

hello!! my name is Rai and my pronouns are she/they. I am an '02 liner and as of right now I am 21 years old. My mbti is INFP-T, and enneagram 1w9.

I previously had a blog called questionablekpoppie was sadly t worded, so this is my newer and sadder one lmfao. here's a fun little piece of trivia: my username is the lyric from a song called "Farewell II Flesh" by a metal band named Ice Nine Kills. That song (even though it's based on the Candyman story) pretty much speaks to my soul and the lyrics say more about me as a person than I could ever utter yk.

🐝

My interests include music (particularly kpop, metal, classical, etc.), playing instruments (the bass guitar, and french horn), exercising, cooking (ironic), watching youtube/horror movies, and playing genshin impact. If anyone reading this is into any of those things, feel free to slide into my pms and we can chat about them!! But I do want to preface that if anyone below the age of 18 tries to contact me, I will not be responding and instead blocking because I don't wish to interact with minors online! I find it easier to relate with people closer to my age that also deal with young adult issues. I won't be following back minors either. i also will not tolerate any form of racism, homophobia, transphobia, p3d0 behavior, or just general icky-ness.

stats as of 12/11/23

height: 164cm (approx. 5'4.5")

cw: 57.7kg (approx. 127lbs)

hw: 61kg (approx. 135lbs)

lw: 53kg (approx. 117lbs)

🐝

gw1: 55kg (approx. 121lbs) → 🎁 new work shoes

gw2: 52kg (approx. 115lbs) → 🎁 $100 on genshin

gw3: 50kg (approx. 110lbs) → 🎁 expensive skin care set

gw4: 47kg (approx. 104lbs) → 🎁 expensive bass guitar + amp

gw5: 44kg (approx. 99lbs) → 🎁 pc set up

ugw: 42kg (approx. 93lbs) → 🎁 ps5

🐝

welp! I'll try to update cw's regularly, and other stuffs. I hope that I can post regularly and keep motivation for my personal goals and if anyone (with the prerequisites above implied) needs support or just someone to speak to, please feel free to hit up my pms! I'm usually a consistent responder and enjoy interacting with people who have similar interests :D. I'll also be adding other navigation links ( like my personal hashtags for different thingies), bcs I wanna be an organized hoe. that's all teehee.

thank you, and I'm out!

me rants pretty much kinda edgy 🐝

food loggos 🐝

15 notes · View notes

esidolmail · 8 months

Text

Crazy:B

Zombie Apocalypse

Capturing my heart

Bad Day

Ideal Type

Ideal Type 2

Favorite Bug

Comfort + Cheer up

Constipated

Crazy Anthem

Never be a loser

Hair candy taste

USA mv

Rinne Amagi

An adventurous thrill-taker - Rinne's Masterlist

HiMERU

Your Support

HiMERU's Light

Explode

Cover Song

HiMERU-ing

The best HiMERU

Massive Comfort

Crazy Roulette

How well do you work with each other? (w/ Ibara & Shu)

James from Team Rocket

Valentines 2024 - 1 2 3

Hatsune Miku

Secret

How is Kaname

Can I bite your hair

Grace me with your presence

Romantic?date card

Did you ever go to school

Level 100 Dark Aura

Kohaku Oukawa

Idol I admire

Making Online Friends

Admiration

Getting to know you

Double Face talk

Apple pie

Bingus

Birthday 2024 - 1 2

Favorite types of sweets

Things I wish I could tell my sister

Things I wish I could tell my sister 2

"kiss me, Kohaku"

Niki Shiina

Spin

Similar

Bread

Cooking Inspiration

Duet Show

"We should get married" + pictures

Burns

Merry Christmas

You are so beautiful

Letter for Niki, Mika, & Ritsu

Yori's Birthday Mail

Macarons

Chocolate Cake

Valentines 2024 - 1

How to cook a simple meal

Foods from social media

Hair into food

Surgery Recovery Food

Supporting inspiration

Main Masterlist

#esidolmail masterlists #cosmic production #crazy:b #rinne amagi #himeru #kohaku oukawa #niki shiina #enstars #ensemble stars #ensemble stars x reader #enstars x reader #rinne amagi x reader #himeru x reader #kohaku oukawa x reader #niki shiina x reader

8 notes · View notes

fmhiphop · 11 months

Text

John Boyega Shares Good News About Jamie Foxx

Few aren't familiar with Jamie Foxx's ongoing health struggles. However, the ongoing status of Foxx's condition has remained an issue of speculation. Recently, John Boyega brought the public a sense of relief with new information on Jamie Foxx. Boyega Shares Today, it is being reported that Boyega has spoken with Jamie Foxx. And he is now sharing with the public the details of his conversation. Boyega's revelations confirm the star (Foxx) is on the mend. How did this information come about? During a recent interview with People, Boyega spoke about reaching out to the "Ray" star only a day ago. And he was pleasantly relieved when Foxx picked up. And according to Boyega, "He's doing well. …We are giving him privacy, and we can't wait for his return." Which is fantastic news. The Merry Go Round The press has been on a merry-go-round since the news broke of Foxx's hospitalization. And fans have been thrown for a loop. From rumors of declining health to coverage of upcoming projects, keeping up has been challenging. Given the secrecy surrounding the ordeal, it is easy to conclude that it was not a simple medical issue with which Foxx had to contend. But confidentiality does not imply the worst. But it means that those close to Foxx desire to use this time for healing away from the Hollywood lights and hungry paparazzi. And that is understandable. Boyega Shows Brotherhood The cast of "They Cloned Tyrone." Image Source: PARRISH LEWIS/NETFLIX Boyega is currently promoting the feature film "They Cloned Tyrone," in which Foxx also stars. However, because of the ongoing circumstances, Foxx could not attend the premiere. On June 14th, a concerned Boyega told Entertainment Tonight he was choosing persistence as his approach. He would only stop calling Foxx once he got a reply. As Boyega told ET, "He hasn't had a chance to connect with Foxx yet, but added, "I've been calling, I'm just gonna keep on calling. He better pick up. Come on, Jamie!" On Tuesday, he got his answer. Summarily No one will deny the glad tidings this news offers many. Foxx is a crown jewel in the community, and the community can hardly wait to see him back in action. With such also comes the realization that healing is a process and things take time. Respectfully, what is most important is Foxx's complete recovery. Congratulations to the entire cast of "They Cloned Tyrone" on the finished work. https://youtu.be/2S3M1xFVdVg And a heartfelt thank you to Boyega for sharing. On that note, The FM Hip-Hop family joins Boyega in wishing Foxx a complete recovery. Written By: Renae Richardson Read the full article

0 notes

drades-lair · 1 year

Text

A violation most foul PT3

Fandom: helluvaboss

Rating: M for nonconsensual sexual activities, sexual activities, torture, swearing

Pairings: Millie/Moxxie/Chaz, Blitzo/stolas/Striker

…Meanwhile…

Blitz sat down on the couch in the living area with M&M taking a seat in the armchairs on either side.

“Blitz, what’s all this about?” Moxxie questioned.

“Sorry for pulling you guys out like that but trust me if anyone can help Chaz it’s Striker,” Blitz apologized.

“Why him?” Millie chimed in shrugging her shoulders.

“Because he’s been in the exact same place Chaz is now,” Blitz vaguely explained.

“Whatchya mean?” Millie inquired arching an eyebrow in confusion.

“Wait, are you saying Striker was…?” Moxxie trailed off, catching on faster than Millie.

“Yeah, it was a long time ago, but he still went through it,” Blitz once again vaguely explained.

“I wish we could do more…” Millie sorrowfully stated, hanging her head.

“All you can do is be there for him,” Blitz stated with a small knowing smile.

…

It was a long road to recovery taking weeks before Chaz’s physical wounds were healed however his psychological ‘wounds’ were far from gone. Once Striker and Blitz had done all they could to help including Striker answering what questions he could for Chaz, they left although the duo assured M&M that if Chaz needed anything or them for that matter they could always call. Millie bought some simple cloths for Chaz as they didn’t have anything that would fit him, yet she thought he’d be more comfortable with something covering him other then just blankets. The imp’s took turns taking care of Chaz, giving him space when he needed or cuddling with him when needed however the shark started getting worryingly quiet.

“Chaz, honey? How Ya feelin’?” Millie asked one evening as she and Moxxie laid with Chaz.

“I’m feeling better,” Chaz quietly answered not making eye contact with Millie, he simply laid on his side with his tail coiled up around himself.

“Ya sure? Ya wanna talk?” Millie wondered gently.

“Not really…there’s nothing to talk about,” Chaz flatly answered.

“Whatchya mean?” Millie retorted furrowing her brow.

“Why should I whine about it? I’ll just sound like a hypocrite,” Chaz briefly explained.

“What? Wait a minute, you don’t think that you deserved this, do you?” Moxxie pipped up from behind Chaz where he’d been laying on his side lightly caressing Chaz’s upper arm. Chaz didn’t answer he simply went silent as he curled up tighter.

“Why would Ya think somethin’ like that?” Millie wondered gently stroking Chaz’s cheek.

“Are you joking? After all the shit I pulled…leaving Mox, conning Crimson, nearly forcing Moxxie to merry me just to get back in with the family…” Chaz rambled, voice becoming strained as tears welled up in his eyes.

“Hush darlin’, we’ve already talked about this. Me and Mox forgive you for all that,” Millie assured Chaz, swiping away a tear from his eye with her thumb.

“That’s right and…despite all that, no one deserves what happened to you. No one deserves to be put through this ever!” Moxxie declared gently rubbing Chaz’s shoulder in a soothing manner.

“But…I…I’m nothing but a useless fuck boy…” Chaz stammered through small hiccupping sobs.

“Sshh, hush now…we won’t let anyone ever do anythin’ like this again to Ya,” Millie assured Chaz as she leaned down to nuzzle against the side of his face. Chaz conceded reaching up to wrap his arms around Millie, burying his face in her waist letting out quivering breaths as tears rolled down his cheeks. Moxxie spooned against Chaz’s back, bringing an arm up underneath Chaz’s to lightly caress his chest while nuzzling against the back of the shark’s neck, M&M’s tails coiling around Chaz’s instinctually.

…

Several months passed before Chaz started being able to coupe with everything that had gone on, even managing to get back to work. Chaz also moved in with M&M in that time, staying in the spare bedroom although he still had nightmares at least things had calmed down a little and having distractions like work was helpful. Eventually being a normal male, Chaz had to face his needs or at least that’s what his body told him on occasion causing him to get the odd boner which he’d promptly take care of by himself. Chaz wanted to do more, he wanted to engage in the full thing again but every time he considered it if nothing else to just get back to how he was previously, he’d get flashes of what happened needless to say that killed the mood really quick…it was frustrating.

…

Chaz returned to the apartment after a day at work to find Millie prepping dinner in the kitchen, she gave him a warm smile as he came through the door. Chaz returned the smile then headed off to his room to get changed noting that he could hear the shower running in the bathroom with the assumption that was Moxxie. Chaz didn’t feel like talking so he stayed in his room till dinner when he simply came out to get some food before returning, Millie shot him a small, concerned glance but she respected his privacy as usual. After dinner Moxxie sat next to Millie on the couch in the living room simply enjoying the nonsense TV show they’d put on when he noticed her staring towards Chaz’s room.

“You, okay?” Moxxie asked.

“Yeah, I’m just worried about Chaz. He’s started being recluse again,” Millie explained with concern thick in her voice.

“He’ll be alright, Striker said he’d go through these moments and that we just need to let him work through them,” Moxxie reminded Millie.

“I know…I can’t help it,” Millie sighed out.

“Tell you what, how’s about we go distract you a little?” Moxxie suggested putting on a suggestive tone as he caressed down Millie’s thigh.

“Hmm, what exactly did Ya have in mind?” Millie wondered returning the seduction.

“Why don’t we go to the bedroom, and I can…show you,” Moxxie continued, wiggling his brows seductively while leaning in closer.

Millie hummed in approval before standing with Moxxie, both heading off to the bedroom. Meanwhile Chaz was sitting on his bed casually scrolling on his phone when the faint sound of moaning started seeping through the wall behind his head causing the shark to perk up. Listening closely Chaz was able to make out the sound of Millie making small moaning noises, curious he turned around on his knees to press his ear to the wall revealing Moxxie making lewd comments about Millie as she complimented him on several things he was apparently doing. Chaz felt heat settle in his groin making him lightly groan, he wanted so badly to go ask to join…he realized that he wanted their touch, no one else just Millie and Moxxie’s but much to his embarrassment he was afraid. Chaz considered it for a few moments then with determination he made the decision to head to M&M’s room, rapping on the door with his knuckles then waiting for them to answer. A moment later the door creaked open revealing Moxxie who was only wearing his pants standing there with a surprised look on his face. Millie was on the bed holding a sheet up over her fully naked body looking just as surprised to see Chaz standing at the door.

“Chaz? Everything alright?” Moxxie wondered.

“Yeah…um…I was just, that is…would you mind if I joined you?” Chaz managed to stammer out awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

“Are, are you sure?” Moxxie asked a little taken aback by Chaz’s question.

Chaz gave a little nod of confirmation which was enough for Moxxie to open the door wider allowing Chaz to wonder inside. Millie gave a warm smile as she swept a hand over the bed beside her, patting it lightly as an invitation. Chaz smiled back as he wondered over to the bed, crawling up onto the mattress where he sat next to Millie who discarded the sheet from her person allowing Chaz to see her fully. Millie leaned up on her knees to share a gentle kiss with Chaz who smiled then returned it, he winced a little when Moxxie caressed up his covered chest however he swiftly relaxed into the gentle familiar caresses. Moxxie took it real slow touching only where Chaz could see and fuck it felt good! Chaz couldn’t believe how amazing it was to have Millie and Moxxie touching him again, how comforting it was, he pressed against Millie’s lips a little harder while slipping his tongue into her mouth. Moxxie could see the tent in Chaz’s jogging pants along with the wet patch starting to seep through from the heads of his cocks, reaching down he carefully palmed Chaz through his pants earning him a deep moan. Millie pulled back from the kiss leaving Chaz lightly panting as he leaned back to rest on his forearms, looking down to watch Moxxie palm him.

“Can I take your pants off?” Moxxie asked looking up at Chaz.

“Y-Yeah,” Chaz confirmed.

Moxxie caressed his hands along Chaz’s hips to the waistband of his joggers, dipping his fingers under it to slowly pull them down allowing Chaz’s two hard cocks to spring out. Millie ran gentle caresses over Chaz’s covered torso, kissing along his neck while Moxxie discarded Chaz’s pants then returned to wrap a hand around one of his cocks, stroking liberally at the hard member. Millie slipped her hands under Chaz’s shirt to massage along the bare skin of his torso while the shark wrapped an arm around Millie’s body to slip his hand down to her ass where he massaged at the firm flesh of her buttocks before sliding his fingers between her legs from behind. Millie bit her lower lip with an approving hum as Chaz’s long fingers entered her wet pussy, pumping slowly yet at the perfect angle. Chaz let out a sharp exhale as Moxxie slipped his warm mouth around Chaz’s member, sucking on the head causing the shark to grip the sheets beneath him using his free hand.

“Does it feel good?” Millie asked, flicking one of Chaz’s nipples with her fingers.

“Y-yeah…feels amazing…” Chaz assured them in a breathy tone.

“Hmm,” Moxxie hummed approvingly around Chaz’s cock before deep throating him.

“Oh fuck! Moxx! That’s…great…” Chaz panted out.

Moxx bobbed his head while stroking the other cock with his hand, hallowing out his cheeks to provide extra stimulation. Chaz moaned, tipping his head backwards as he tried to focus on pleasuring Millie although it was hard with Moxxie going to town on his cocks. Eventually Chaz removed his fingers from Millie unable to focus anymore as the knot in his stomach grew tighter with each passing second till Moxxie pulled off suddenly.

“Mm, Moxx…” Chaz whimpered out.

“Hang on a moment, are you okay with going further?” Moxxie chuckled lightly at Chaz’s whiny tone.

“Uh…um…I’d like too…” Chaz stammered out, averting his gaze to the side.

“Look I promise to go slow and if at any point you’re uncomfortable just tell me to stop,” Moxxie assured Chaz, gently caressing along the inner portion of the shark’s thigh in a soothing manner.

“O-okay…I can do that,” Chaz confirmed. Gingerly he shifted his hips then spread his legs to allow Moxxie better access. Millie grabbed a bottle of lube from the bed side table, handing it to Moxxie before returning to Chaz’s side where she pulled up his shirt to nip at his chest. Moxxie drizzled some of the lube onto his fingers before swiping them along Chaz’s entrance, circling the tight ring of muscle as he watched Chaz’s reactions for any signs of extreme discomfort. Chaz did tense when Moxxie’s fingers contacted his entrance however after a few moments of teasing he started to relax allowing Moxx to press one finger in to the first knuckle. Chaz tried to focus on the pleasure as well as on the fact it was Millie and Moxxie, it didn’t hurt Moxxie was being extremely gentle, but the action was causing unwanted memories to stir from the back of his mind.

“Are Ya alright, sweetie?” Millie asked in a gentle tone giving Chaz a kiss on the cheek.

“Y-yes…it feels good…just…the memories…” Chaz panted out.

“Alright, try ta relax and if it gets to be too much you just let us know,” Millie reassured Chaz.

“I will,” Chaz retorted, lifting a hand to cup Millie’s cheek and pull her down into a kiss.

A little while later Moxxie managed to fit three fingers easily into Chaz making him feel confident he’d prepped him enough. Withdrawing his fingers Moxxie discarded his own pants, applied a descent amount of lube to his cock then lined up with Chaz’s entrance causing Chaz to tense again.

“Wait! Wait!” Chaz exclaimed in a slight panic.

“Hey, hey, easy darlin’. Easy, take a couple deep breaths,” Millie encouraged gently cupping Chaz’s cheek while carding her fingers through his loose floppy hair. Moxxie immediately backed off, caressing his hands along Chaz’s thighs in a soothing way while placing the occasional kiss along his lower abdomen or pelvis.

“Easy Chaz, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to,” Moxxie assured Chaz in a gentle tone. That alone was enough to calm Chaz down a lot, quickly reminding him that this was Moxxie and Millie not those goons, that he was safe.

“Okay…I’m ready,” Chaz stated after a few moments of calming down.

“You sure?” Moxxie double checked still just lightly caressing over Chaz’s lower abdomen and thighs.

“Yes, I want you to fuck me Moxxie, please,” Chaz assured him sounding more confident than he had the entire night.

Moxxie nodded in understanding moving up between Chaz’s legs, lining up the head of his cock with Chaz’s entrance. Moxx watched Chaz’s face very carefully as he pressed forwards slowly, Chaz gave a small wince as the head of Moxxie’s cock slid inside him, but he didn’t stop the imp, nor did he show any further signs of discomfort. Moments later Moxxie was halfway seated in Chaz who released a soft moan of pleasure, cocks drooling precum onto his stomach as he enjoyed the feeling of Moxxie inside him. Millie started stroking Chaz’s cocks at the same time as Moxxie started to thrust at a slow even pace eliciting a series of panting pleasured moans from Chaz.

“Oh! Shit! That’s so good!” Chaz panted out.

Milli straddled Chaz’s torso, rocking her hips to get friction causing her slick to smear along Chaz’s skin. Chaz moved his hands to Millie’s hips, massaging over them before sliding two long fingers into her wet pussy. Millie released a moan of pleasure as Chaz started thrusting his fingers, using his thumb to roll around her clit. Chaz came first spurting cum onto Millie from both cocks with a long-drawn-out groan while clenching around Moxxie promptly pulling him over the edge next, warm cum coating Chaz’s insides. Millie was the last one to cum, head tossing backwards with a shriek of pleasure, juices spilling over Chaz’s torso. Chaz removed his fingers from Millie as the trio tried to catch their breaths, Moxxie slowly slipping from Chaz before crawling up to lay next to the shark while Millie repositioned to lay on Chaz’s chest facing him.

Chaz loved feeling Millie’s weight on top of him and Moxxie curled up underneath his other arm. Millie kissed Chaz tenderly on the cheek, Moxxie doing the same to Chaz’s nape and chest as they dosed in the after waves of their respective orgasms. Chaz felt truly safe for the first time since he’d been kidnapped all those months ago and as long as he was with M&M he some how knew he’d always be safe.

#helluvaboss #helluvabossfanfiction #Helluvabossfanfic #HelluvabossStriker #HelluvabossBlitzo #HelluvabossChaz #HelluvabossMillie #HelluvabossMoxxie #Angst #Drama #fanfiction #fanfic #Rape #Non-consensual sex #Torture #Millie/Moxxie/Chaz #Blitzo/Stolas/Striker #Hurt/comfort #Emotional hurt/comfort

1 note · View note

gotham-ruaidh · 5 months

Text

Little Bit Better Than I Used To Be

Chapter 14A: Where Do We Go Now?

Soundtrack: “Sweet Child O' Mine,” Guns N' Roses, 1987 [click here to listen]

She's got eyes of the bluest skies As if they thought of rain I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place Where as a child I'd hide And pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by...

Philadelphia || June 1988

Claire pushed her chair back a bit from the desk. Raised her arms. Stretched. Breathed deeply.

Reading for the eighth time the words she’d finally tapped out on the Selectric this morning, after days of rolling them around in her head.

Chief Physician

Boston Medical Center

To Whom It May Concern,

As you may be aware, I am a trauma surgeon at BMC. Twelve months ago I was placed on administrative leave by the BMC, and my medical license was suspended, pending the resolution of BMC’s internal investigation into my conduct. The investigation started by looking into a near-fatal error I committed during a surgery, and then quickly discovered that I had not only been forging prescriptions and stealing painkillers for quite some time, but also developed a severe addition to those painkillers.

As you may also be aware, I did not contest the actions taken by BMC. Subsequently I enrolled in an intensive drug rehabilitation program in North Carolina. I am happy to share that I am almost twelve months clean, having completed the program last December and successfully maintained my sobriety since then.

I have previously communicated to the Board, on several occasions, my sincere regret for what I did and my remorse for the incredible lapse of professional judgment and ethical standards I demonstrated. I repeat those regrets to you now.

Which is, in part, why I am writing you today. I wish to understand what else is required of me to return to work, in any capacity, at BMC.

Making amends for wrongs was something that Claire and Geillis had talked about a lot, during her time at The Ridge. Yes, doing that was a formal part of any 12 Step program.

But it was more than just saying sorry – it required the addict to recognize the wrongs.

To own them. To understand why they had happened, and the impact they had had on others.

Because nothing sounded more inadequate in the English language than the two words, I’m sorry.

But words matter. And this attitude shift was a crucial step on any addict’s road to recovery.

Making amends was something that Claire and Jamie had talked a lot about, too. She had seen him make amends many times, in their short time together – and quite often during their last few weeks on the road, as they traveled city to city for Print’s acoustic tour and Jamie came into contact with many people who had last seen him drunk/rude/high/demanding/hung over/acting like a total asshole during the last (disastrous) tour in ’86.

He made it a point to really talk to each person, to apologize for specific things he remembered doing. No matter if it was the venue manager, or the catering guy, or the lighting guy, or the security guard. I was a dick when I was drunk. I said terrible things. I hurt you. I’m sorry.

Two weeks ago in Chicago, he couldn’t sleep after a fucking incredible show at the old Chicago Theater. The adrenaline buzz after the show so much better than any pills or bourbon or groupie could have given him. He had tossed and turned for hours, until finally, quietly slipping out of their bed and perching in the easy chair in their suite at the Palmer House, watching Claire shift restlessly under the covers without him.

But of course, she knew when something was wrong. She woke, and turned to face him, easing up on one elbow. Watching him back. Giving him space.

When he finally spoke, it was just above a raspy whisper.

“How can you be here, Claire, when all you do is hear me talk about how awful I was to so many people?”

Her heart did break a little bit. “Because I never knew that version of you, Jamie. What I care about is who you are now.”

He sighed, breath ragged. “This shit is so fucking hard.”

“I know, baby.” Somehow she was standing beside him, and blindly he buried his face into the warm skin of her belly. She threaded her fingers in his hair, held him close as his pulse spiked.

“Deep breaths, Jamie. Focus on me. I’m here.”

He had had several panic attacks during the tour. Which could be chalked up to anything – the stress of changing hotels every day, the crush of fans and press that clustered around their tour bus when they arrived in a new city, the women who pulled down their tops in the front row at every concert, the Jack Daniels bottles and little baggies of powder left in his dressing room before the show in Wilkes-Barre.

But instead of smashing to pieces all alone, she sheltered him. He knew when to ask for help. And always found her just in time to crash against her, shaking and crying in bathroom stalls and green rooms and even once on the deserted tour bus. And each time she was so grateful for the psych rotation she’d done in med school that prepared her to help him.

But that didn’t make it any easier.

“Breathe in, Jamie. Think about how much I love you.”

He drew in a deep, sobbing breath.

“That’s right. Now exhale. I’m never going to leave you.”

He exhaled, shoulders shuddering.

“And inhale, Jamie. We can get hamburgers for breakfast again, if you want.”

He inhaled, and she felt a faint smile against her belly.

“That’s right. And out. Think about how amazing our wedding night will be.”

He exhaled. Gently bit the soft, soft skin above her bellybutton. She shivered, and smiled.

“Good. Center on me. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

She counted along with him – twenty four more deep breaths. Caressing his forehead, and kissing his hair, and loving him and loving him and loving him.

Finally when he had calmed down, she crawled back into bed, and he held her so close against him. Kissing her forehead. Whispering endless words of love.

“If I ever fuck up with you, Claire, know I’ll always own it.”

She kissed his eyebrows. “The same for me, Jamie. I’d rather be mad at you than not have you.”

He had said the same words to her this morning. A promise he never tired of repeating. Murmured against her hair when he bent over to kiss her in the bed, body thrumming with energy.

Colum had booked a studio here in Philadelphia for the day, so that the band could lay down recordings of the acoustic tracks they’d played to dozens of sold-out crowds during the tour. With the incredible press from the tour – thanks in no small part to Geordie Ash’s profile in Rolling Stone – and bootlegs in wide circulation, it was time. And for once, the band agreed with the label.

She would join him later, of course. But today she needed the time to herself, to finally write and then mail the letter to Boston.

All because of Jamie.

“You can’t stay in a state of limbo forever, Claire,” he had said one night, meeting her eyes in the bathroom mirror as he gently brushed her shower-wet hair. “And I know we still don’t know where we’ll live when we’re married. But you have the right to know.”

She had sighed, jamming her hands in the deep pockets of the hotel bathrobe. “I don’t want to go back to that life.”

He had set down the hairbrush they shared, slipping his hands into the pockets, pulling her close against him. “I know. But you can’t have that door hanging open, Claire. Whether you open it or close it, you know I support you. But you’re not doing yourself any favors by not knowing.”

She had nodded, and pursed her lips. Smiling just a little as he kissed the shell of her ear.

She blinked, and turned back to the typewriter.

I have been traveling for the past few weeks, and won’t be back to Boston for at least the next month. Although I may not be immediately reachable by mail or telephone, I’m enclosing the contact information for someone who can get any letter or other message to me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Claire Beauchamp

She gently pulled the paper from the typewriter roll. Signed her name. Took a deep breath. Began to address the envelope.

#outlander #outlander fanfic #jamie and claire #little bit better than i used to be

84 notes · View notes