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nami-writes · 2 years

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Cold Baths - Avatar: The Last Airbender/Chaos Walking

[ 1 | 2 | 3 ]

old post i've had in my drafts for so long i forgot it was there, this fic has since been abandoned but i might as well post it anyway lmao

chapter 3 of whatever this is, in which zuko and sokka have a heated discussion over baths

Shit, the deputy mayor’s Noise says as he exhales and sits back down, and Zuko isn’t sure why. If anything in his Noise says why, Zuko doesn’t catch it. All he knows is that the people of Farbranch want to hang him, and it doesn’t seem like either Tuila cares to help him.

The door to the lodge opens before he has time to continue wallowing in his pity and he’s almost grateful for the distraction when Mayor Tuila comes out. “Was that Matthew?”

“Yeah,” Deputy Mayor Tuila scoffs. “You saw that?”

“What did he want?”

Oh, boy. The deputy mayor hesitates. “Confirmation that we’re going to hang Zuko.”

The mayor is visibly surprised at how he refers to Zuko by name— and how he even knows his name— but she brushes it off. “It is the law.”

His Noise is a little more cluttered than Zuko’s used to. “Yeah.”

She seems to pause to consider something, eyes downcast for a moment before looking back up at Sokka. “We don’t have anywhere for them to stay,” she says, gesturing to Zuko and then looking behind herself at Suki. “They’re going to have to stay with us.”

“Really?” Deputy Mayor Tuila groans. Great. “I have to sleep with him?”

“Yes, you do,” Mayor Tuila says. Then she looks at Zuko. “But first, you and Suki need a bath.”

He stares at her. “A bath?”

“You know, when you fill up a bathtub with water and—”

“I know what a bath is, asshole,” he cuts the deputy mayor off, then looks back at the mayor. “You’re letting us bathe?”

“I’d rather let you bathe than keep smelling you like this,” she says.

“There isn’t much of a point to letting me bathe if I’ll be hanged in the morning.” He’s still sour about that.

He almost wants to laugh when he hears Deputy Mayor Tuila’s Noise: ooh, he went there.

For a moment, it looks like the mayor falters— possibly even feels guilty— but then it’s gone and she glares at the deputy mayor before looking back to Zuko. “If you really want to stay dirty, be my guest. But the offer still stands.”

Zuko shrugs. Fine with him, he won’t be taking it.

“Sokka, show him to your room.”

“You got it.”

The mayor turns back inside and they follow. At her request, Suki joins them and once they reach a hallway, they split into separate rooms— girls on the right in the bathroom, boys on the left in a bedroom. Which leaves Zuko alone with the deputy mayor. Again.

“Do you have to be so pessimistic about it?” Deputy Mayor Tuila sighs, annoyed as he makes his way to one of the beds and sits down on it. I’m as happy about it as you are but you don’t see me bitching about it in my Noise, do you?

“What’s there to be optimistic about?” He stops and lingers by the door. “I’m stuck with you.”

“Would you rather be stuck with Katara? Because I can arrange that.”

Zuko huffs and doesn’t respond.

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

As if on cue, the mayor comes out of the bathroom and shuts the door behind her, muffling the sound of water beginning to run. She passes their room inconspicuously and enters what Zuko assumes is her own room but he doesn’t miss the odd look she gives him.

It takes Deputy Mayor Tuila a moment to realize Zuko’s just standing there in the doorway and he stares at him like he’s stupid. “Are you gonna sit down?”

“...Where?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he drawls, “maybe on the other fucking bed?” He gestures widely to the unoccupied bed. “What’d you think it was for?”

This time, it’s Zuko looking at the deputy mayor like he’s stupid. “The mayor?”

“Okay, that’s… actually a reasonable assumption,” he replies, “but no. It’s a spare. Men and women sleep in separate rooms here.”

“Why?”

“Katara says our Noise is too loud.” He shrugs. “I dunno, I don’t think we’re that loud.”

“You didn’t live in a town with only men,” Zuko scoffs, making his way to the bed. He isn’t sure why he gets a bed, but he also definitely isn’t going to complain. “We’re definitely that loud.”

“Wait!”

Zuko stops just short of sitting down at Deputy Mayor Tuila’s outburst, nearly falling backward with his hands bound, and glares at him. “What?”

“You might want to rethink not taking a bath,” he says, looking Zuko up and down. “You’re gonna dirty the bed.”

“I’m not that dirty,” he argues. “And I’ve been sleeping in the woods for the past week. I’d rather sleep in a little dirt than take a cold bath.”

The deputy mayor gapes at him. “Okay first of all, you can’t tell me you’re ‘not that dirty’ and then immediately afterward say you’ve been sleeping in the woods for a week. And second of all, what’s wrong with cold baths?”

“What isn’t?”

“Excuse me—”

“You’re excused.”

“—I’ll have you know cold baths are just as beneficial as hot ones are.”

“How do you know?” Zuko says. Hot baths are practically impossible to come across. Zuko can’t compare cold baths to hot ones, he just knows he hates the cold.

“What do you mean, they’re ‘impossible to come across’?” Then he pauses. “Wait. Don’t tell me— you’ve never had a hot bath before?”

Zuko stares. “You have?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“How?”

“What do you mean, how?” he scoffs. “I turned the hot water knob and—”

“No, I mean, how do you have hot water?”

“How do I— you don’t have hot water?” It’s his turn to stare now.

“No,” Zuko says. “None of the water heaters in Prentisstown work so they just scrapped them and used the parts for other stuff.”

“Ours didn’t work at first either, but we have a plumber who was able to get the intact ones working.”

“Huh.” All the men in Prentisstown know how to do is fight and kill. “Wait. Does that mean I can have a hot bath?”

“Unless you’d prefer a cold one, yeah.” The water stops in the other room and Suki walks out in completely new clothes, presumably the mayor’s. She gives them a curious look before entering the mayor’s room and the deputy mayor grins at the now-empty bathroom. “You sure you still don’t want a bath?”

“Shut up and untie me.”

The deputy mayor gives him a look. Zuko returns it.

“Do you expect me to take a bath with my hands tied?”

He splutters. “Well”—that’s a good point—“no, but I don’t know if Katara’ll be okay with me untying you after, y’know, she tied you up and all…”

“She’s the one who offered to let me bathe in the first place,” Zuko says, exasperated.

Okay, yeah, that’s… also a good point. “Fine. C’mere.”

Zuko makes his way to Deputy Mayor Tuila and holds out his wrists. He expects him to unknot the rope but instead, the deputy mayor reaches around behind Zuko and pulls the knife from his belt. “Hey—!” It slices cleanly through the knot with some sawing and the rope falls loose around his wrists while he gapes at the deputy mayor. “How did you—”

“Your Noise, dumbass,” he scoffs with a grin. “When you thought you were gonna be hanged and you reached for this.” Hah, that was the coolest thing I’ve ever done. He twirls the knife in his fingers, then promptly drops it on the bed. Damn it, nevermind, I jinxed it.

Zuko doesn’t bat an eye. “So you’ve known I had it this whole time? Why didn’t you take it earlier?”

“It was in the back of your belt and Katara tied your hands in front,” he shrugs. “No way you were reaching it.”

He sighs. “I guess I’m not getting that back until I leave.” Or get hanged, in which case he wouldn’t get it back at all. The latter being more likely.

“Mm,” he turns the knife around in his hands slowly like he’s dragging out a joke, “I dunno, this is a pretty nice knife. I might keep it.”

“Don’t you dare,” Zuko snaps and pulls the rope off of his wrists. He got that knife from his uncle, before he was exiled by the mayor. The deputy mayor could take it and Zuko wouldn’t be able to do anything about it, he knows that, but he can’t replace it and he needs that knife.

“Okay, okay, geez, I was kidding.” He holds up his hands in mock surrender. “But I’m not giving it back while you’re untied. Consider it… a reason to not try and escape from the bathroom.”

He huffs but doesn’t protest. That’s fair; he wasn’t planning on running anyway. “Fine.”

The deputy mayor looks over the knife again, seriously this time. He glances over the foreign inscription on one side, then turns it over to look at more inscriptions on the other. “What’s this say?” Idiot, just because it’s his knife doesn’t mean he knows what it says even though it’s not English. “I mean, do you know?”

“No.” He can’t.

He shrugs. Fair enough. He sticks the knife in his own belt and takes the rope from Zuko.

“If you’re done wasting my time,” Zuko says, “I’m gonna go take my bath. Don’t touch my bag.” He goes and tosses his rucksack on the floor by the spare bed— it’s dirtier than he is and there’d be no point in bathing if he just dirtied the bed with his bag anyway— and starts toward the door.

“Uh, aren’t you forgetting something?”

He stops and turns around. “What?”

“Are you just gonna… wear the same dirty clothes when you get out?” he says blankly.

“Yeah?” Zuko says. “What else would I wear?”

“...Clean clothes?”

“I can clean them while I’m in the bathroom.”

“They’re gonna take forever to dry.”

“Well, I don’t have any other clothes, so I don’t know what you expect me to wear.”

This guy— “Zuko, you oblivious asshole, I have clean clothes you can borrow,” Deputy Mayor Tuila sighs.

He bristles a little at the use of his name, then frowns. “They’re your clothes.”

He rolls his eyes. “We have a plumber and a seamstress.” Before Zuko can protest, he drops the rope on his bed and makes his way to the dresser.

“You don’t have to—”

“No, shh,” he interrupts, “I don’t wanna hear it.” Where’s my old pair of knee shorts? Sifting through a drawer of clothes, he selects a white tank top and the aforementioned shorts and throws both on his bed. He pulls out another drawer, then makes a face. Eugh. “You’re cool with your own underwear, right?” He shuts it before Zuko can answer— duh, no shit he wants to keep his own underwear, gross— and grabs the clothes to shove them in Zuko’s arms. “Here. Now I have something of yours and you have something of mine.”

“I don’t need—”

“Nope, fuck you and fuck off,” he retorts, turning Zuko in the direction of the door and pushing him forward. “Go take your inferior hot bath.”

“What’s the point?” Zuko mutters as he begrudgingly walks to the doorway. “I’m being hanged tomorrow. You’re gonna have to take your clothes off my corpse.”

“Wow, okay, morbid.” But good point. “Worry about your bath first. If you die, you might as well be clean.”

Zuko almost scoffs at the “if” as he leaves. There is no “if,” it’s “when.”

#atla #atla fanfic #atla zuko #atla sokka #fanfic #writing

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marauderundercover · 3 years

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Taking Chances Chapter Five: Paris Revealed (Stories/Memories)

AO3

Marinette flinches back as the room erupts in shouting. The younger boy, who was definitely younger than her and yet almost (if not definitely) taller than her, was fiercely glaring while he screamed at Mr. Wayne in….was that Arabic? The man that walked in with him was waving around the knife in his hand while Dick yelled at Mr. Wayne, his face filled with confusion instead of fury. Glancing around for a way out, Marinette makes eye contact with Alfred who nods behind him. Sneaking away from the group of angry men, Marinette follows Alfred into the kitchen and instantly feels at home. And much calmer.

“I’m sorry.” She mumbles, breathing deeply to avoid spiraling again. Alfred simply hands her a cookie before turning around and putting water in a kettle.

“There is no need to apologize, Miss Marinette. It seems Master Bruce has forgotten all sense today and is instead insistent on acting like a fool. It was wrong of him to announce you like that, without preparing you or the boys beforehand. I do hope that his atrocious display of proper manners doesn’t make you want to leave.” Alfred says, and Marinette’s eyebrows shoot upwards. Was he? Was Alfred actually blaming this situation on Mr. Wayne? Was it Mr. Wayne’s fault? Did he not actually hate her? Did he just make a mistake?

“I- what?” Marinette says, unsure of herself.

“You, my dear, are not at fault. Your father didn’t tell any of his sons that you were coming to the manor today, or that you existed in general. And judging by your face, you weren’t prepared for the boys to be here either.” Alfred clarifies.

“Oh. No, I wasn’t. Mr. Wayne just said that he wanted to get to know me, and he knew I wanted to get to know him. I- my birth mother passed away. But my Maman knew her, so I can find out from her how I’m similar to Bridgette. But neither of my parents knew Mr. Wayne, and I just wanted to know if I was like him, I guess. I didn’t even know who he was until two days ago.” Marinette admits.

“As in you found out Bruce Wayne was your birth father two days ago or-” Alfred trails off, waiting for her to clarify.

“Oh no. I found out the name of my birth father awhile ago. It’s just- I really don’t pay attention to celebrities. The only ones I really know are designers. So I didn’t put two and two together, and I didn’t even know about Bruce Wayne and Wayne Enterprises until a few days ago. My friend Adrien made me google him and that’s when I found out about...the boys.” She says, stopping herself from saying her brothers as she was still unsure if Mr. Wayne actually wanted her like he wanted the others.

“Well I’m certain that things will start to calm down shortly. In the meantime, would you care for some tea?” Alfred asks, holding up the kettle. Marinette nods gratefully, trying hard to stop her inner spiral from drowning her.

---

“What do you mean daughter?” Damian snarls, finally switching to English. Bruce blinks at the boy before sighing.

“I mean, you have a biological sister.” He says, tired and wishing he had been able to convince Marinette to go somewhere else. Not that he didn’t want her to meet her siblings. But it definitely wasn’t the laid back first meeting that he wanted.

“You mean half-sister.” Damian spits out, crossing his arms and sticking his nose into the air.

“Shut up, Demon Spawn. She’s our sister, get over it. Where’d the kid come from? Her mom drop her off?” Jason asks, obviously trying to actually understand the situation.

“No. I first met her at the Museum and had my suspicions. She’s in Gotham on a class trip, and before you ask, yes. We had a DNA test done and yes, I am her father.” Bruce says, frowning when he sees Dick’s hurt expression morph into one of excitement.

“Wait, wait, wait! Was she the girl who was sassing the Joker?” He asks quietly, practically buzzing with excitement. When Bruce nods, Dick cheers and runs from the room. Okay then.

“Wait, she met the Joker?” Jason asks, his expression turning dark. Bruce watches his son’s face morph into one of disgust when he puts it together. “She’s the French kid he had at gunpoint, isn’t she?”

“Yes. Which is one of the reasons why we both thought the manor would be a more appropriate meeting place rather than somewhere public.” Bruce says, sighing as Damian once again starts screaming. This was not what he had planned.

---

After just a few minutes with Alfred, Marinette already felt calmer. Calm enough to giggle at another story about something that one of the boys- one of her brothers- did. Calm enough to let her guard down. And mess up.

“If you wanna see something ridiculous, you should look up the 26th time Monsieur Ramier was akumatized into Monsieur Pigeon. He made all the buildings turn into bird cages and all the food turned into bird seed. Luckily it didn’t last long, but seeing the Mayor of Paris stuck inside a giant bird cage was kind of hilarious.” Marinette rambles, giggling at the memory. It was definitely a needed akuma, situated right between two super destructive akumas. Monsieur Pigeon was, while a nuisance, always a breath of fresh air. His akumatized form was brought on by his fierce protectiveness of the pigeons, which luckily never led to death for civilians.

“Pardon me, Miss Marinette, but could I ask what you mean by ‘akumatized’?” Alfred asks, his posture suddenly stiff. Marinette’s eyes widen as she realizes what she just did. She told someone outside of Paris about the situation happening in Paris. Well crap. Normal Parisians didn’t know about the media block that she had set up with the help of the Mayor and Max. But after her calls to the Justice League were ignored, and she realized how disastrous it would be for a member of the League to be akumatized, the media block was the best choice. Time to act clueless.

“Akumatized, as in, a person is possessed by an akuma? Surely you’ve heard of it. It’s been happening in Paris for almost two years.” She says, hoping he doesn’t ask to see any evidence. This isn’t good, this is awful, this-

“And what is an akuma?” Alfred asks. Okay, this isn’t too bad.

“It’s an evil butterfly sent out by the villain, Hawkmoth.” Marinette says, giving out more information than she’s really comfortable with. Okay, time to change the subject, no more questions about heroes or villains or-

“Marinette!” A new voice calls, sliding into the kitchen, almost immediately falling over.

“Master Dick, have you forgotten about your ban on the kitchen?” Alfred asks, his lips quirking up in amusement.

“Awww, Alfred, I just wanted to talk to Marinette. I feel bad for all of us overwhelming her back there.” Dick says with a pout that somehow doesn’t look ridiculous on him. Despite obviously being at least ten years older than her.

“Don’t feel bad. It was just...a lot all at once.” Marinette says with a small smile.

“So I have to ask, are you the one who sassed the Joker at the Museum the other day?” He asks, a wide grin on his face as he sits on one of the stools. Marinette’s eyes widen and she blinks. How?

“Oh, uh, yeah, I guess. It wasn’t a big deal though. He thought I was a Wayne- well, I guess he figured it out before I did- but I think he just wanted to scare my class.” She says, waving her hand to brush off the topic. She really didn’t want to talk about the Joker. Because she was sure it would turn into-

“I apologize for asking, but have you been caught up in the villain attacks in Paris before?” Alfred asks, Marinette instantly panicking. Sure, she’d been caught up in almost every single akuma battle as Ladybug. But there were a few on record where she was targeted as Marinette, and even a few battles that she assisted as Marinette. And then there was Kwami Buster…

“Well, a few. But basically everyone in Paris has dealt with it at some point. That’s just what happens when there’s an attack so often, you know? And my school seems to be a hotspot but that makes sense because teenagers are full of negative emotions and-” Marinette cuts off her rambling, cursing herself on the inside. Great job, Mari. Now they’re going to be worried or they’re going to think you’re a freak or-

“What do you mean negative emotions? Why would that matter?” Dick asks, his previous cheerful smile replaced with a look that clearly meant business.

“That’s how the villain chooses his targets. Negative emotion. If someone is having a bad enough day, he can take control of them and give them powers and basically destroy the city trying to get to Ladybug and Chat Noir, who are our heroes. I only know what’s been posted on official sites like the Ladyblog or miraculousparis.org.” Marinette says, smiling apologetically and hoping that this conversation can be over.

“Have you ever been akumatized?” Dick asks, tension suddenly filling the room.

“No, thankfully. I’ve found ways to manage my negative emotions so that they can’t take me over. I don’t blame anyone who has been akumatized, it’s hard not to be. But, I also don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself if I was akumatized.” Because then her family would be a target. Because Hawkmoth would know her identity. And if Hawkmoth’s insistence on her being akumatized was anything to go on, she’d be a devastating akuma. And if Ladybug wasn’t fighting in the battle….would the cure even work?

“That is a lot of pressure, Miss Marinette.” Alfred says softly after a moment of tense silence. Marinette grins brightly.

“I can handle it, don’t worry!” She says, hoping no one can tell how hard it actually is. How hard it is constantly being strong. Never truly feeling a negative emotion.

---

Bruce winces at the faux cheerfulness in his daughter’s voice. He had only found out about the Paris situation a few days ago, but he was determined to fix it. Find a solution. Do something to help the city and by extension, his daughter. She’d be going back there soon. Back to a city that was being held hostage by an emotional terrorist. Bruce would fix this. He had to.

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babybluebex · 3 years

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keep her safe [todd hewitt x reader]

➽ pairing: todd hewitt x fem!reader (y/n) ➽ summary: PART 1! you meet todd hewitt, a strange man who has his thoughts on constant display, and he helps you escape a sticky situation. ➽ word count: 2.5k ➽ warnings: SPOILERS FOR CHAOS WALKING. mentions of violence ➽ a/n: i saw chaos walking 24 hours ago and i already have a whole series planned woohoo. also, i’m posting this on mobile, so sorry it’s so weird. ugh. enjoy!! masterlist & taglist in my bio

“Girl! Girl, girl…”

Each word came with a green-purple mist that circled around the boy’s head. But your face contorted with confusion; his mouth wasn’t moving.

“How are you doing that?” you asked, mirroring his defensive stance. The boy’s little wire-haired dog was yapping at you, and you thought for just a moment that he was a little cutie. The dog, that was. The boy was… Odd. He was tanned, big brown eyes with shorn brown hair, wearing rugged clothes, brandishing a knife at you. He seemed a lot less advanced than what you knew, and your heart went out for the people that lived on the planet. You were only there as a part of an outreach program from Earth. You and five others were sent to meet the people living there, see what their civilization was like, and report it back to Earth. Upon entering the planet’s atmosphere, though, your ship burnt up and crashed, leaving you with bruises and cuts on your body that not even your medpack could heal. You needed real medical attention, but you had no way of contacting the mothership. Your best hope was the boy that stood before you, holding you at the point of his knife.

“Doing what?” the boy said, but, once again, his mouth stayed pressed into a firm line. Then, the mist returned. “Girl, girl, high voice, pretty hair, no Noise, need to tell Prentiss, save her from the Spackle, shit, fuck, I am Todd Hewitt, I am Todd Hewitt, I am Todd Hewitt…”

“Todd Hewitt,” you said, your voice wavering. “That’s your name?”

“Shit!” Todd said— or rather, the mist said. You still couldn’t understand how the mist was making words. “Yeah,” Todd said, his mouth moving normally. His voice was low and gruff.

“Girl, girl, girl—“

“What the hell is that?” you asked. Your grip tightened around your blaster, trained on Todd Hewitt, but you were beginning to get the feeling that he was as confused as you were. The way the mist around him kept mentioning that you were a girl almost made it seem like… No. “Have you ever seen a girl before?”

“Yes!” Todd huffed back at you, but the mist betrayed him.

“No, all dead, pretty girl, Manchee shut the hell up, I am Todd Hewitt, I am Todd Hewitt.”

You lowered your blaster. He didn’t want to hurt you. He was as frightened as you were. He had never seen a girl before, so you were a weird offshoot of what he knew. Uncanny valley, almost. Nearly familiar, but not quite.

“What is that?” you asked, softer and slower. You holstered your blaster, and Todd put away his knife. “All around you. I’ve never seen it before.”

“It’s called the Noise,” Todd told you. While he had sheathed his weapon, his face was still stony and focused on you. “It’s our thoughts.”

You tilted your head in confusion. “Those are… Your thoughts?” you repeated. “You can’t control it? It just happens?”

“All the men on our planet have a Noise,” Todd said. “Women didn’t.”

“What happened to the women?” you asked.

Todd flexed his jaw for a moment, then said, “I need to take you to Prentiss.”

In the Noise around Todd, an image of an older man wearing furs with scars on his face appeared, and you surmised that this was Prentiss. “Why?” you asked. “Who is he?”

“Our mayor,” Todd said.

“Mayor, Prentiss, proud of me, ‘good use of your Noise, son’, Prentiss, she needs to see Prentiss, girl, girl, girl.”

“You’ve really never seen a girl before?” you asked. “Where are the women here?”

“They died,” Todd said flatly. “The Spackle killed them.”

“The Spackle?” you repeated.

“The creatures that live here,” Todd said. “They’re dangerous.”

You had a different name for the natives of the planet, but you decided to stay with the terms that Todd told you, for his ease. “Am I the first girl you’ve seen?” you asked, even though you knew the answer.

Todd nodded quietly, but his Noise said everything you needed to know. The image of a woman appeared, dark hair and a soft face, holding a baby that was laughing. The woman was singing something in a light voice that the Noise garbled into incoherence, and then the mist vanished. “Was that your mother?” you asked.

“Stop distracting me!” Todd barked suddenly. “Why are you here?”

“I came with an outreach program from Earth!” you exclaimed. Your hand went to your belt instinctively, but you remembered the progress that you had made with Todd. His weapon was still away, his little dog’s yapping resorted to whines, and, based on his toned body, you didn’t want to get into a physical altercation with him. He would win, no doubt, even though you had had combat training. “We came to see the first settlers’ progress, but our ship malfunctioned during entry… I’m the only one that survived.”

“Prentiss will know what to do, Prentiss is good, ‘Good use of your Noise, son’, Prentiss likes me, take her to Prentiss.”

“M’taking you to the mayor,” Todd said, reaching for you, but you stepped backwards.

“Where is Farnbranch?” you asked.

“Where?” Todd asked.

“Farnbranch,” you repeated, louder and clearer. “It’s where we were supposed to touch down. How far away is it?”

“Prentisstown is the only place here,” Todd grunted.

“On the whole planet?” you scoffed. “You’re the only ones? Really?”

“S’what I’ve been told,” Todd said. You could sense that he was growing agitated, and you sighed.

“Who told you that?” you asked.

“I am Todd Hewitt, I am Todd Hewitt, I am Todd Hewitt…”

Your face screwed up in understanding. If the Noise were his thoughts, he was repeating his name to obscure what he was really thinking. He was simple like you had first thought. In fact, he was actually quite smart. “What’re you not telling me, Todd Hewitt?” you asked.

Todd fixed his jaw. “You shouldn’t have come here.”

The man you had seen in Todd’s voice did in fact turn out to be Prentiss. He was old but strong as an elm, flat, grey hair hidden under a brimmed hat. As Todd took you into the center of town, a crowd of men began to gather, and you were overwhelmed by their voices. They were talking, and the Noise was spouting every thought. You tried to ignore the Noise that focused on your body or more salacious thoughts that came with a 20 year absence of women, but that Noise was the loudest of them all. It was so loud.

Prentiss took you into a cabin and sat you next to a metal contraption that you recognized as an old model of the same heating system you had had on the mothership. Your hands felt like ice, and you stretched them out to try to get any feeling back. Prentiss took a chair and scraped it against the wooden floor until it was next to you, and he sat down. He reminded you of your grandfather and the old cowboy shows he would watch, and you found yourself leaning towards him. He had no Noise.

“Todd told me that you came from Earth,” Prentiss began. In the back of the room, a younger man sat eating an apple. He had the same strong jaw and hard eyes as Prentiss, and his Noise was a continual loop of “Girl? Didn’t think girls existed, she’s pretty. Pa will sort this out.” “Is that true?”

You nodded. “There were supposed to be six of us,” you started. “But… Our ship crashed just outside of town.”

Prentiss leaned back in his chair, the old wood creaking under his weight. “You were supposed to land in Farnbranch, weren’t ya?” he asked.

“Yes,” you said, but your stomach roiled with unease. How did he know? “How far away is it? I asked Todd Hewitt but he said that he didn’t know another town existed.”

The other man in the room looked up from his lap at this, his eyes wide. “Pa,” he said. “I thought--”

“Davy,” Prentiss grunted, and the man stopped talking. “Control your Noise, son. Leave us be.”

“But Pa--”

“He can stay,” you said softly.

“Davy, I said go,” Prentiss said firmly. “And make sure you control your Noise. Don’t let anyone out there know she’s supposed to go to Farnbranch.”

Davy cast you a glance that made your heart pitter-patter in fear, and then he was gone. “Listen here, girly--”

“My name is Y/N.”

“That don’t matter here,” Prentiss snapped. “That Hewitt boy told you ‘bout why there’s no women here, and there’s a good reason for that. You notice how you don’t have Noise?”

Thank God, you thought. You nodded, though, tangling your fingers together.

“The Noise only affects the menfolk here,” Prentiss said. “Women don’t have it. They never did. But the Spackle didn’t like that. They didn’t like how they couldn’t tell the womenfolk’s intentions, and they killed them all. Every last girl.”

“The Spackle can speak our language?” you asked in astonishment. From all of your studies, you thought that the native creatures were fairly simple, not fully capable of spoken language. This insight was incredible and one that you were sure to report back to the mothership.

“No.”

“Then how did they feel threatened by the women?” you asked. “In fact, they would be more threatened by hearing a language that wasn’t their own, appearing from nowhere. That doesn’t make--”

In an instant, Prentiss had drawn a knife. While he didn’t point it at you, he held it firm in his fist. The veins that jumped on his wrist told you all you needed to know about him. It scared you silent. The air changed instantly inside the cabin. Prentiss didn’t want to help you, you could tell. “The world don’t make sense, girly,” Prentiss said. “All we can do is accept it and move on. Now, I’m not gonna let you go to Farnbranch.”

“Why not?” you asked.

“It’s not safe for you there,” Prentiss said.

“I get the feeling it’s not safe for me here either,” you said quickly. You said up a bit straighter, and you said, “I want to speak to Todd.”

“I’m not gonna let you do that,” Prentiss said. “See, the Hewitt boy’s special, and I can’t have you two goin’ and making an alliance.”

“I am not going to speak to you unless Todd is here,” you said firmly. Then, through gritted teeth, you said, “Bring. Todd. Here.”

Prentiss sighed, twirling the blade absently in his hands, and he stood up. Relief pricked at your skin for just a moment, but then Prentiss took a handful of your hair. You cried out in pain as he hauled you from your chair and threw you to the floor, and you screamed as Prentiss pressed the heel of his boot to your throat. “Ya gonna talk now?” Prentiss asked.

You drew in a breath and you screamed again. You hoped that Todd was in that crowd around the cabin and that he would help you. Truly, there was no reason to believe that he would help you; you didn’t know if he even liked you. Sure, he thought you were pretty, but that didn’t automatically mean that he cared for you.

“Todd!”

Prentiss pressed his heel deeper into your throat, cutting off your scream with a gurgle. It was hard to breathe, nearly impossible. “You killed them,” you managed at a whisper. “Th-The Spackle weren’t threatened. You were.”

“Aw, damn, she’s smart too,” Prentiss laughed. “That’s a shame. You could’ve made a really pretty wife for one of us.”

The door banged open, and there was Todd. He had a wild look in his eyes, and he lunged at Prentiss. Todd grabbed Prentiss’s wrists and wrestled him off of you, and you scrambled to your feet as you palmed your blaster. “Todd!” you cried, and his wild brown eyes focused on you for a moment before he saw your crisp white blaster. He saw your plan as clearly as if you had put it in the Noise, and he hauled Prentiss around so that his back was to you. “Drop it!” Todd yelled, his voice dropping deep in his throat.

“How d’ya know she’s in the right?” Prentiss yelled. “Just ‘cause she’s a pretty face? Womenfolk will deceive you, Todd! They’ll use you right up and leave you confused! How d’ya know she ain’t controlling you through the Noise right now?”

“‘Cause she doesn’t have Noise, you dumb fuck!” Todd yelled.

With that, you fired your blaster. A white-hot bot of energy buried itself into the mayor’s back, and he crumpled like wet paper. Todd hurtled himself away from Prentiss and grabbed your arm, and the green-purple mist of his Noise surrounded you like a thick cloud. “Gotta save her, gotta save her, pretty girl, Prentiss tried to hurt her, ‘Womenfolk will deceive you’, Goddamn it, shut the fuck up, I am Todd Hewitt, I am Todd Hewitt--”

“Get me to Farnbranch,” you rasped. “Please.”

#tom holland #tom holland fic #todd hewitt #todd hewitt fic #tom holland angst #todd hewitt angst #todd hewitt x reader #tom holland x reader #angst #chaos walking #chaos walking fanfiction

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goosedawn · 3 years

Note

//Oh gods, welp, here I go [cracks knuckles]

//Tiny farmer Techno Au,,,, prepare for some future lore cjkhcxk

Timestamps from: "I Became the Mayor of Skyblock" by Technoblade

(5:39) "I decided to call in an old rival..." - Technoblade

Techno continues on with his life for days on, but finally, he somehow finds his way to society again, seeing that the entire town has been taken over by a tyrant of a mayor. The townspeople called for aid, and from the depths of his cold heart, he decided to help (....what do you mean he only did it so people would buy his potatoes-).

For a bit, he did his work by himself, only getting help from some other living scarecrows (listen, I really like the idea of some scarecrows coming alive [cough] PHIL [cough]), TimeDeo and Jyn (...? Is that how you spell their name?). (Dunno what the process for taking over the mayor would be exactly but,,, chchskdlcx,,,)

But you can only do so much work with... living scarecrows. With a bit of reluctance, he calls for help from SquidKid. And then together they defeat Dante :]

(Also, it's funny to think that the town has a mayor that they've never seen. All they know is that the previous mayor is gone, and the new one is pretty chill. /Lh)

(6:31) "Is there any way to do the teleport room without just like.. guessing?" - SquidKid

(6:36) "You are like... little baby, watch this." - Technoblade

Being tiny has its perks.

"Wait, what do you mean you can solve this maze in an hour or less?"

Techno turned towards the bigger hybrid, crossing his arms as he nonchalantly stared up at them. SquidKid only gives him a baffled look back, their tentacle-like hair slightly sprung up to further show their confusion.

He knows this only because he's known the man for far longer than they've known him.

He knows more personal information than should be shared, somehow finding the other farmer's parent's numbers along with a few other things. He had jokingly pocketed away the parent's number in the back of his mind, although, he had no real plans of ever using it. Well, maybe he had played with the idea of calling SquidKid's parents to dunk on the fact that a wild borrower had been winning their competition, but he ultimately decided not to for obvious reasons.

He knows the hybrid's schedule like the back of his hand, having to work around it for the better part of an entire year. Using that knowledge, he had sabotaged countless of SquidKid's tools, poking small, unnoticeable holes into their hoses and irrigation systems.

And he knows SquidKid's behavior from how they speak to how they express any sort of emotion. Lies were easily debunked from the small twitch of the corner of their mouth as they suppressed a smile, and anger was easily shown from how their strange hair pieces would spike up.

Yet, he can't help but feel slightly at unease in front of them. He supposes it's only natural, seeing that there's a huge height difference between them. Plus, this was practically the first time they've been closer than two fields of length in between them. Well, disregarding the times he's gone snooping around the bigger farmer's place, but that's neither here nor there.

"Squid, look at me," he raises his hand, gesturing towards himself, "I'm tiny, yes?" the squid hybrid nodded slowly, and he pointed at the stalks of tall fern and crop, "to you, this would basically be a wall you can't get through. For me, though...."

He jumped off his perch, tightly holding his trusty bag and sliding towards the flora before easily disappearing behind the thicket and appearing moments later at eye level, holding the stalk of the crops easily,

"It's easy to go through."

SquidKid makes a quiet 'oh' sound with another nod of their head, looking slightly in awe. The amazed look turns to one of confusion again, though, and he awaited their next question with a raised eyebrow, "but... the maze is big, how are you going to get through it all without tiring?"

Techno grinned, lifting a hand to his mouth and loudly whistling. He doesn't hesitate to slide back to the floor as a blur of white fur bounds towards him.

"Carl!" he exclaims, wrapping his hands around the rabbit's fluffy neck and combing through the fur with his fingers. He backs away to pull out a broken-off piece of a carrot, feeding it to the eager bunny before turning towards the astonished squid hybrid with a grin, "my noble steed," he waves a hand towards the still feeding rabbit.

"You tamed a rabbit," they dumbly point out, having to metaphorically pick up their jaw off of the floor.

"Yup, I did. you can stop gawking now," he huffed, "you're going to catch a bug with your mouth if you keep your mouth wide open."

"...And you named it Carl?"

"What kind of question is that?" he snorts, shaking his head, "yes, I named him Carl, and yes he's going to be the one helping me through the maze. Any other silly questions?"

The man stumbles over their words for a second, and he amusedly watches from below, "I- yeah, yeah, you bozo," they finally settle on saying.

"Alright, cool, I'm going to go find the exit now," he turns away from the hybrid, climbing on the back of the rabbit's back, "see you there."

He doesn't give SquidKid the chance to respond, already setting off through the thicket. And he sure doesn't suppress the grin that crawls up his face as Carl bounds past stalks and stalks of crops.

Having distracted SquidKid enough to get away, the bigger farmer had barely thought to ask how they themselves would traverse the maze.

They must have realized soon enough, though, since not seconds later, he hears a strangled yell of his name along with a loud groan.

Pain, it's been too long since I've written something /Lh

"(Also, it's funny to think that the town has a mayor that they've never seen. All they know is that the previous mayor is gone, and the new one is pretty chill. /Lh)"

When the townspeople come to greet the new mayor, they come thinking that it's SquidKid who's done everything since it's always been SquidKid going into town and doing the talking- the scarecrows being unable to do so for obvious reasons, and Techno unable to do so without revealing his entire existence.

So when the sheepish farmer calmly explains that he's just a helper of the mayor, they're... rightfully confused. At first, they want to know the real identity of the mayor, but SquidKid wearily tries explaining that said mayor really doesn't want to be revealed. They only conceded when he shakily points to the unknown farmer's territory, most of them getting the message.

Techno is very thankful that SquidKid doesn't take his title and also doesn't reveal his existence.

"It would have been so easy for the squid hybrid to just pluck his tiny form from their back pocket and shove the wrathful spotlight onto him.

He wasn't even able to even escape now as he found himself stuck in the hybrid's pocket. The crowd had come quickly after SquidKid had removed the other mayor for him, and he remembered feeling panicked as he stared at the other hybrid. The next thing he knew, he was shoved into their pocket.

He couldn't get out without tumbling to the ground with a splat, and, even worse, the possibility of one of the townspeople pointing him out with gossip-drinking eyes was incredibly high too.

He shakily gulped, greedily taking the air around him as he tried to stay calm. He never liked being near anyone- not even the scarecrows - so the second-hand contact with his past rival was not the finest experience.

"I- uhm," the squid hybrid stumbled over their words, "t-the mayor really would rather not... have the entire town to greet them.."

The crowd hushedly mumbled to each other, and one straggler called out, "well, tell them to come out anyway!"

By the Blood God, he hated this. He shrunk to the bottom of the pocket. This was one of the worst worries for a borrower; he had already been pushing his limit with the scarecrows and SquidKid, but this was another level for him.

"...Uh, well, in that case," he felt SquidKid shift, and a hand brushed over his pocket. He tenses, waiting for the fingers to tug him out and waiting for SquidKid to finally prove that they're not as kind as they look, for them to finally get some semblance of petty revenge.

"You can find them over there." He pauses, confused to as why there's no hand reaching down for him. The words finally dawn on him, and he's both relieved and perplexed to what SquidKid could have meant by that.

But hatever they've done has made the crowd fall unnaturally silent, and so he's at least a little relieved for that too.

The same voice that was brave enough to speak before pipes up, "you mean the ghost farmer?"

....He didn't know that the townspeople had come up with a name for him, but he's suddenly thankful that he's gained enough popularity that people stop and gawk.

"Y...Yes," SquidKid slowly acknowledges the villager, "they were the one orchestrating all of this. I was just helping with the... talking parts," the hybrid is silent for a moment before they burst into a stammering mess,

"And- uh, I-I should take my leave now, b-because I should really h-head back and ch-check up on them," he feels the bigger farmer start to take a few steps back, supposedly away from the crowd, "I'll answer any questions later!"

He has to push against the fabric to keep himself from bouncing around in the pocket as SquidKid starts running. He faintly hears the townspeople shout for the male, but it's muffled through the fabric.

As it starts to seem as if the squid hybrid would never stop running, they finally start to slow down, their breaths coming out labored and airy.

He doesn't speak up for a moment, letting the other regain themselves first. When they finally seem well enough, he speaks up,

"That's the best you can come up with?"

chKFCHKDSJFSDF oh my Primes, this is so LONG,,,, I have no idea how to write SquidKid,,,, plus, I had no idea how to like,,, oOGHgds,f,, pain.

Anyways, hope you had fun reading ALL of this cchjxcvxkdsf,,,

AAUBHJDUHFJHBFNDKUFHN WENDYYY /POS

i dont have anything to add this is just fantastic,,,,, DEO AND JIYN AS SCARECROWS AS WELL,,, FBJHDKUHSJHHDV,,,,,, i love that techno gets to have Carl still 🥺🥺🥺 and him leaving squidkid on the other side of the maze??? FHJBDJNJKBF

ALSO 🥺 squid protecting techno and not telling people abt him,,,,, aaajfhkdojfh good,, i also appreciate that everyone in the village just has to be like. "the ghost farmer is mayor????... well this isnt the weirdest thing thats happened to me"

SQUIDKID RUNNING AWAY,,,, "ill answer any questions later" djhshhjhjhbhbfhdjhbe

*holds this gently* aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa i adore

#hey farmer anon i hope u get to see this #this is very cool whuejhfhjfbhhsjf #mcyt g/t #mcyt gt #t!technoblade #tiny!technoblade #t!techno #tiny!techno #g!squidkid #giant!squidkid #not me realising i have to tag this </3 #others writing #i absolutely adore this sm #dibiundnjnfjkdjnfhjfjj #what do u mean i got distracted by watching the video on this again instead of posting what nooo #OH ITS SO LONG #tiny farmer au #long post

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asset35-maya · 3 years

Text

CALYPSO 🐚 ☕️

Part 1/3

Part 2/3:

“You call this shit an espresso machine?”

“I wouldn’t, but Fowler does. The department’s on a tight budget.”

“Hmmpff.”

Gavin watched Nines tinker with the cheap coffee maker in the break room. The whole thing was so absurd it felt like an out of body experience. He hadn’t had a partner in years and was now suddenly stuck with a military-grade android who bitterly resented every second spent by his side. It was also the first time he’d met someone as temperamental, as foul-mouthed and as coffee-loving as him.

Nines smacked the machine. It produced a pitiful whine and a stream of muddy brown liquid. Gavin cleared his throat.

“We should head to the scene now. Two victims in a warehouse. One human, one android. Battered beyond recognition. I’d go by myself but I need you to scan their identities for me.”

Nines turned around with disgust and something that looked a lot like fear written across his features.

“That sounds awful. Why would I want to come see such a thing?”

“It’s… your job…?”

“No. I’m not a detective. I’m a café owner. Markus and Connor might have forced me to sign a contract with the DPD but they can’t force me to do things I don’t want to.”

“And what am I supposed to do with an uncooperative partner?”

“That is not my problem.”

Gavin was stumped. He wasn’t used to people talking back to him, especially not civilians… not that Nines was really one any more.

“Come on, man. I don’t wanna tell on you. Let’s just make this work. Getting you in trouble is only gonna push you and all your fellow tincans into more hot water. Then you’d have lost your little café for nothing.”

Strangely, he found himself appealing to reason and logic. Nines’ aggressive demeanour was so similar to his own that Gavin had been forced to switch alignment entirely. His colleagues were pleasantly surprised by the change… though now there was a new rabid dog in the station they had to avoid angering.

“Fine. But tell me where exactly to scan. I don’t wanna be looking at those poor bastards any longer than I have to.

And don’t expect me to lick any blood like Connor the great. That’s fucking disgusting.”

“Of course.”

“Oh god. Oh RA9. Oh my…”

Nines took a shaky sip of his blue latte and dropped the cup back onto its saucer. Ralph hovered anxiously above him.

“How on earth do you look at things like that everyday? You barely batted an eye. And they call us androids inhuman.”

“Fifteen years on the job will dull your senses.”

“When did you stop getting queasy?”

Gavin lifted his own cup to his lips, not answering until he finally got a taste of the specialty coffee Nines kept raving about. He sipped and sighed in satisfaction. Calypso was everything it was talked up by the press to be.

“Right after a triple homicide by this dude I went to school with. He grew up exactly the same way I did. He had a nice family, nice job. There was nothing wrong with him. He could have been me, I could have been him. But how did the universe decide who’d be the cop and who’d be the killer? No phcking clue. No rhyme or reason for the way things turned out. And that realisation chilled me to the phcking bone, dude. There’s things scarier than blood and guts and that’s the workings of our own minds.”

Nines considered that for a moment and shuddered. Ralph hastily walked away, muttering to himself.

“Ralph does not like these talks. Murders and killings and bloody, bloody things. It reminds Ralph of the old days.”

Gavin watched him retreat behind the store counter with a raised eyebrow.

“Where on earth did you find that specimen?”

“In a haunted house.”

Gavin blinked uncertainly, not sure if he was being serious. Nines barked a laugh.

“Both of us were living rough after the Revolution. He’d been squatting in different buildings since he deviated and I was one of the new units Connor brought onto the streets from Cyberlife Tower. Didn’t have any clothes on. Didn’t have anywhere to go. I just ducked into the first abandoned building I saw. Needless to say I got the scare of my life, just as the poster outside promised.”

Nines’ eyes flicked over fondly to Ralph. The WR600 was now dealing rather enthusiastically with a customer. Gavin followed Nines’ gaze, sipping the heavenly coffee while his perception of the world went through another sea change.

“I’m proud of you, son. You didn’t want to join us at first but you went above and beyond for this mission.”

Captain Fowler pinned a medal of honour to the front of Nines’ dress uniform as the audience clapped. Nines inclined his head but remained expressionless. He glanced sideways and Gavin couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face, scarcely noticing the matching medal that joined the other ribbons and distinguished service awards on his chest.

Connor and Markus were waiting for them as they got off the stage. Nines shoved past both of them, ignoring Markus’ outstretched hand and the camera flashes from the media.

Irony of ironies, Gavin felt the need to save face. He stopped to shake hands and pose for pictures with the leader of Jericho and new Mayor of Detroit.

“He’s served well. He’s done his part. When can he go back to his little café?”

Markus smiled wistfully.

“Securing Nines’ public service was not just a bargaining chip in passing the Android Equality bill, Detective. It was a key instrument.”

“What do you mean?”

“We don’t just need to guarantee public safety from advanced androids, we need to recuperate the development costs. Cyberlife received countless government grants for RK R&D activities. I need to show tax payers that their money didn’t go down the drain.”

“What the hell kind of freedom is this?”

Markus dipped his head and Connor swiftly motioned for a journalist to join them.

“Turn the car around! Turn the fuck around!”

“Okay okay! Hang on!”

Gavin was used to Nines’ temper but he was now seeing it accompanied by anxiety for the first time. His hands were splayed out across the dashboard and his eyes were as wide as dinner plates. The LED on his temple sparked red in between its rapid cycles of yellow.

Weaving expertly through the traffic, Gavin pulled up outside Calypso Café. Nines leapt out of the police car before it fully stopped.

Gavin saw the source of trouble instantly. Two burly men tossing chairs and kicking tables. A third was berating terrified patrons and a fourth jeered at Ralph, plucking at his apron and smacking his damaged cheek. Gavin knew that anti-android sentiment still simmered beneath the surface of their society, but it had been a while since he’d seen it rear its ugly head… and so violently at that.

Nines barged into his beloved café and bodily flung the men out. They flew through the air and hit the pavement as if they weighed nothing. Gavin watched with muted horror, realising why exactly anyone would want the government to keep an eye on the RK900.

There was a sickening crunch as Nines broke the nose of the man who’d been bullying Ralph. But it didn’t end there. He kicked him down the entrance steps and leapt onto the man’s torso, pummelling his brutish face into the concrete.

Gavin could barely hear himself yelling for Nines to stop above the cacophony of screams from the vicinity. Seconds flew by and spatters of blood turned into veritable rivulets running down the pavement.

Not daring to intervene physically, Gavin pulled out his service revolver.

“Nines, get off him! Nines, it’s not worth it! If you kill him, everything ends! Nines! Stop! I’ll shoot if you don’t let go! Don’t make me do this, man! Please!”

He counted down and cursed when Nines showed no indication of having heard him. He fired a warning shot. Then two more. And then he pointed his weapon directly at Nines.

One bullet to the android’s midsection.

A burst of blue.

A staticky cry of surprise.

And Nines dropped to the side.

The other aggressors scrambled to scrape their unconscious ringleader off the ground and hurried away. Gavin made no effort to stop them. He flipped Nines onto his back and looked into the angry blue eyes.

“Wipe all the security cameras on the street.”

“Already did.”

Ralph helped him carry Nines into the vandalised café. Gavin ripped open the stained shirt and felt up the chassis for the embedded bullet. He took the toolbox from Ralph and began to work, guided by a lifesaving instinct that somehow applied to androids too.

“I should have been there.”

“What?”

“Ralph. I should have been there with you. I’d have never let those bastards into the store. I’d have never let them put their hands on you.”

“Ralph is okay. Completely fine! There is no need to worry about Ralph. Ralph is worried about you. So much thirium…”

“This should have never happened. You were there for me when I didn’t even have a stitch of clothing on my chassis, but I abandoned you to run Calypso on your own. You could have gotten hurt badly today. I’m so sorry, Ralph.”

Gavin plucked the bullet out and began working to stem the flow of blue blood. His hands shook with empathetic rage, and Nines noticed.

“I honestly think falling back on your core programming is the right thing to do. It’s the same thing as humans playing to their strengths. It doesn’t mean we’re still trapped by our software instructions. It doesn’t mean we’re not deviant. It just means that we’re choosing to do something we’re indisputably good at.”

Nines’ grip on his thirium beer was so tight that his knuckles had turned white. The synth skin was stretched to breaking point, exposing the plastic chassis beneath. Gavin swallowed uncomfortably. He found himself wishing that he was an android too and could telepathically ask Connor to shut the phck up.

As usual, he was the only one who noticed Nines’ tension. Hank and Fowler and all their other insensitive colleagues were nodding sagely at the bullshit the RK800 was spewing.

“I mean, sure, there’s plenty of androids who choose alternative career paths, but I think that’s just an unnecessary hill to climb. If you’re up for the challenge, go for it by all means, but why? It’s never made sense to me. I can’t imagine being anything other than a detective.”

Gavin’s eyes flitted between both ends of Hank’s backyard as if he were watching a tennis match. Connor continued to babble and Nines grip on his drink became increasingly vice-like.

Then there was a splintering sound.

A spray of blue beer.

A scatter of broken glass.

Time seemed to slow down as Nines pushed himself off the fence he was leaning on and made his way across the yard.

And then Gavin had a fleeting vision of Connor being tackled to the ground and having his jaw ripped off. He’d heard plenty about preconstructions but he’d never expected to have one himself as a human. Or was that just what they called a premonition?

Gavin moved quickly.

He actually ran.

He paid no heed to the irritated murmurs and cries of alarm.

He pushed a hapless colleague out of the way and inserted himself directly in Nines’ path…

deftly avoided the attempt to shove him aside…

wrapped his arms around Nines’ neck…

and kissed him.

Part 3/3

#tw: physical violence #reed900 #dbh rk900 #rk900 #gavin900 #gavin reed #dbh gavin #dbh nines #gavin x rk900 #dbh #dbh connor #dbh markus #dbh ralph #dbh fanfic #dbh writing #my writing

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night-fallz · 3 years

Text

XY’s Muse

Based on this prompt

This is a repost of the previous chapter because it wasn’t showing up.

reposted on 02/04/21

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ao3 // Wattpad

previous II next

Chapter 4

XY doesn't know how long he's been holding Marinette. He's never seen anyone break down like this before. Especially not in front of him.

He didn't know what to do.

XY was not the best at interacting with people. But this was Marinette. So he had to try.

He held her a bit tighter.

If the moment wasn't so serious, he would've teased her about the height difference.

XY was a whole head taller than Marinette. Her face was buried at his chest. His shirt was probably damp due to all the tears she’s spilled.

XY led Marinette to her bed and made her sit down.

Her eyes were red, tears were still falling down her face. She wasn’t moving.

Just looking at her made his heart break.

XY squeezed her hand in reassurance, hoping that it’ll remind Marinette that he’s there for her. "Mari," the nickname just slipped. "Do you wanna tell me what's wrong?"

There was a brief silence. All XY could hear was sniffling.

XY saw another tear roll down her cheek. "Okay," she whispered. "Just give me a minute."

Marinette took a deep breath. XY assumed that it was because she wanted to get herself together before saying anything.

"I just feel like everyone expects me to be this perfect person and I just-." Marinette’s voice cracked, "I just can't."

XY looked at Marinette, his hand not leaving hers as he tried to figure out what to say. "No one's perfect. And the people who expect you to be perfect are just being unreasonable." XY felt her eyes on him. "It's forcing you to have all this unnecessary stress." XY knew he was being hypocritical. Telling her not to feel pressured just because people expect her to be this perfect person. Not to mention that it was easier said than done. "You know, it'll help if you talk to someone."

"Take your own advice." Marinette glanced at their intertwined hands, "Plus, I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

XY was relieved that she seemed a bit better now. Her teasing remarks were back, "So, what else has been bothering you?"

Marinette raised an eyebrow, her eyes were still red. "What makes you think that there's more?"

"Do I need to remind you about the fact that you told me that you were going to use a blowtorch to burn Adrien Agreste?"

Marinette's eyes grew wide. "I did not say that I was going to burn him! I said that I was going to burn his posters with my friend."

XY waved her off, glad that his remark made her forget that she was crying a few minutes ago. "Same thing."

"Not really."

"Just tell me what he did that hurt you so much." XY paused before adding a "Please?"

"Fine." Marinette stood up. "But it's a long story. So I'll get us some snacks." XY opened his mouth, "You are not going to pay."

"But I-"

Marinette glared at him. "You are a guest. And as a host thingy, I have to provide you with free food."

"Fine," XY muttered. "I guess this is one argument I can't win."

As XY waited for Marinette to come back up, he got struck with a sudden realization. He was there for her. He helped her feel better.

See that dad, I'm not useless after all.

XY didn't know what Adrien Agreste did to Marinette. But he knew that Adrien had something to do with the breakdown she had a few minutes ago.

Just the thought of Adrien pressuring Marinette to feel like she had to be this perfect person made XY clench his fists.

Shouldn't Adrien know better than to ask someone that?

Adrien grew up in the spotlight. He should know better than to pressure someone to feel like they have to be perfect all the time.

So why?

XY clenched his jaw. He had hoped that going to public school would make Adrien a better person. He should’ve known better.

Adrien Agreste was the exact same person he was years ago.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Marinette didn't know what to expect when she opened the trapdoor to her room.

She didn't expect Xavier to be going through her designs.

She completely forgot that she left them out in the open like that. Ever since Lila made her threat towards her. Marinette made sure to never leave her designs out in the open like that.

That meant that Marinette never brought them to school with her.

Instead, Marinette brought something different with her. A sketchbook that looked exactly like the one that contained her designs. Lila wouldn't even notice the difference.

As Marinette stared at the scene in front of her, she couldn't help but feel a little scared.

What if he hated her designs?

What if he hated her?

If he hated her, then she wouldn't have someone to talk to anymore. She would be all alone again.

"Marinette!" Xavier noticed her just standing near the trapdoor and furrowed his brows. "Do you need help?"

Marinette let out a squeak. "You're fine! I mean, I'm fine." Marinette let out a weak laugh. "Don't worry. I got this."

Xavier turned back to her designs.

Marinette was ready for him to tell her that he hated them and that she had no talent. She was prepared for him to yell at her. Prepared to hear about how he wasted his time. Marinette was ready for all the hurtful things that he might say to her.

When Xavier opened his mouth, Marinette let her guard up. "These are really good."

Marinette blinked. She thought that she heard him wrong. "What?" she asked.

"I said that your designs are really good," he repeated.

"Really?" Marinette questioned. "You don't hate them?"

Xavier gave her a surprised look. "Why would I hate your designs? You are one of the most talented designers right now." XY grabbed a croissant from Marinette. "Your designs are amazing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Marinette didn't trust herself to talk. So she nodded. Thinking that he thought that highly of her made her smile.

Without even thinking, she gave him a hug.

Xavier staggered back a few steps. His eyes widened in surprise when he found out what was happening.

Marinette felt her cheeks go red as she let go of the hug. "I'm sorry." she stammered. "I was just so happy and giving you a hug ju-"

Xavier cut her off. "It's fine Mari," He used the nickname he gave her! Marinette felt her cheeks heat up even more. She probably looked like a tomato right now. "Just don't be surprised when I hug you out of nowhere next time."

The thought of Xavier hugging her out of nowhere made Marinette feel giddy. Hoping her face wasn't as red, she looked up at him. "Are you ready to hear about why I want to burn Adrien Agreste?"

Xavier smirked at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Thought you’d never ask"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

He was ready to kill everyone at that stupid school.

Starting with a model and a liar.

Then, he'll murder the principal.

He would start a résumé after that. Maybe people will even pay him to kill their enemy or something like that.

XY couldn't believe that a principal would expel someone without having a proper investigation. Not to mention that finding a knock-off necklace at a locker isn't even a good enough reason. Hell, the lockers didn't even have locks.

Now that XY thought about it, Marinette went to the same school as the mayor's daughter. From what he heard about her, she was a brat. So he guessed it would make sense that the principal would be a doormat.

"You should report this to the school board."

Marinette looked at him as if a Pikachu used a thunderbolt on her. "What?"

"You were bullied for four years at that school. You got wrongfully expelled. Then you get threatened?" XY was furiously pacing back and forth around her room. "You need to report this."

"Chloe's been acting better though." Marinette tried to protest.

XY stopped and lowered his voice, giving it a dangerous tone. "Who cares if she's changed. She still hurt you. And you're still hurting." He pointed out.

"My friend-"

"Your friends believe that liar." XY pointed out. "They might not physically hurt you, but they will mentally." He took a deep breath. "Marinette, I think you need to talk to your two friends," He stopped trying to remember their names.

"Alya and Nino," Marinette supplied.

"I think you need to talk to your friends, Alya and Nino, about this." He stopped pacing around the room. "From what you told me, they believe you." Marinette nodded. "About everything? Even the situation with Adrien?"

"About everything," Marinette confirmed. "Even with the situation about Adrien."

XY let out a sigh. "At least you're not alone in this." He sat down next to her. "I'm surprised they believe you with the Adrien thing though. From what I heard, you guys and Adrien were close."

XY had seen the articles about Adrien's group of friends. Marinette probably noticed all the articles talking about her and Adrien's relationship. The media has been watching the blue-nette for a while now.

Maybe that's why that liar felt threatened by Marinette. He couldn’t help but smirk. Lila Rossi was jealous.

Marinette got the attention of Gabriel Agreste without him knowing that she was even friends with his son. She turned down an internship with the Style Queen. Someone who is even harder to impress, for the sake of letting her daughter have a good relationship with her mom.

It also didn't help that Marinette was absolutely gorgeous.

No one should be able to look that good in pigtails.

"Xavier?" XY turned his attention back to Marinette. "Okay, good. You're paying attention again. I kinda lost you for a minute."

XY widened his eyes and scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah," he said sheepishly. "I was thinking about something."

He was thinking about her, but she didn't need to know that.

"As I was saying," Marinette continued before grabbing a macaroon. "I was surprised that Alya and Nino believed me too with the Adrien situation." Marinette swallowed the macaroon. "But she actually overheard one of the conversations Adrien and I had."

"Oh," XY began. "How did she react?"

"She was ready to kill him," Marinette admitted. "She also caught everything on her phone."

XY had a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Please tell me she still has it."

"Uhm, yeah. I think she does."

"Good," XY knew that if that recording somehow got leaked to the press, then Adrien could kiss the so-called-sunshine facade of his goodbye.

"And that's the story," Marinette muttered.

"Okay, just so I know everything, I'm doing a quick recap. Is that alright?"

Marinette nodded. "Go ahead."

"So, before Adrien and Alya came to your school, Chloe bullied you for four years and no one did anything."

Marinette interrupted him. "Nino tried to defend me."

"Except Nino," XY added. "But other than him, the teachers, the principal, and your classmates didn't do anything?"

Marinette nodded. "No. They didn't help me."

"I'm gonna go and assume that the principal of that dumb school was scared of the fact that Chloe's father was the mayor." When XY saw that Marinette wasn't going to reply, he knew he was right. If Marinette let him, he would destroy everyone that ever hurt her. "Okay, then fast forward to earlier this year. Alya stood up against Chloe and she helped you gain confidence."

"Keep going," Marinette mumbled when XY was waiting for her to reply.

"Then, you got a crush on Adrien," He paused, then teasingly said. "Because he let you borrow his umbrella in the rain?"

"A hot guy was letting me borrow his umbrella because he didn't want to see me soaked. That's a good reason to develop a crush towards someone." Marinette retorted.

"Fair enough." XY teased. "So let's say I give you an umbrella-"

Marinette's eyes grew wide and XY could see her starting to blush. "We're doing a recap." Marinette managed to say. "Keep going."

"Fine. So you start to like him, then boom. The Lila girl comes in. You try to convince everyone that she's lying and no one believes you at first. Then she comes back and threatens you in the bathroom. This is around the time Alya and Nino realize that nothing adds up."

"Then, Adrien confronts me about taking the high road. I agreed with him for a little bit, then she got me expelled. I didn't know why Lila decided to make up a lying disease, but I had a feeling that Adrien had something to do with it." Marinette added. "I asked him about it and he admitted that he had something to do with it."

XY could see that Marinette didn't wanna talk about the next part so he continued. "When you told him that you guys should reveal her lies now, he screamed and told you no. Then he went on a rant about taking the high road and how he didn't want her to get akumatized."

Marinette let out a bitter laugh. "And that was the conversation that Alya overheard and how I slowly stopped liking him." Marinette continued to rant to him. "I just can't believe I didn't see this coming. You know? I knew I never had a chance with him, I mean, I'm just me." Before XY could argue against that, Marinette continued. "But I should've known that he was manipulating all of us. When you really think about it, nothing adds up."

"I know," XY mumbled the next part. "He fooled everyone."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Marinette had no idea how their conversation went from planning a photoshoot to spilling their guts out with each other.

"When we were younger, he used to be my best friend," Xavier admitted.

Marinette was shocked. She knew that Xavier didn't like Adrien, but she assumed that it was just a celebrity thing. "Keep going," she whispered.

Marinette noticed that his smile was a bit tight, "You know how his mom's an actor?" Marinette nodded. "Well, she taught him a bit. And he was good at it. Crazy good."

Marinette knew where Xavier was going with this, but she needed to hear it.

If he admitted it, then the theories going around Marinette’s head would make sense. "Keep going," Marinette repeated, "Please."

"He started to use it to manipulate people." XY continued. "In public, he would pretend to be this innocent kid who could do no wrong. And of course, the press ate it all up." Xavier clenched his fists, "But whenever no one was around. He was the exact opposite. And the worst part is that his parents would encourage his behavior." He met Marinette's eyes before glaring at a poster of Adrien. "There's something wrong with that family."

Marinette nodded. She couldn't help but agree. She checked her phone. "You have about 30 minutes before you have to go home."

"Wait, already?" Xavier checked his phone to make sure, "How long have we been talking?"

Marinette shrugged, "Like four hours?"

"Oh!" His voice was a bit disappointed. "Before I forget though, thanks again for agreeing to design the outfits for me."

"It's no problem." Marinette stated, "Consider it payback for helping me with everything."

"But still, thank you."

Marinette remembered that she needed to hear the demo so that she has an idea of what the outfits are supposed to look like. "Did you bring a demo with you, by any chance?" Marinette asked.

Xavier wouldn’t meet her gaze. Marinette noticed that his cheeks were a bit red though. "Yeah." he mumbled.

He handed her a small clear, rectangular box. "Thank you!" Marinette gushed. "We still have time, so we can listen to it together if you want."

"I... -Uhm."

Marinette looked at him with her big blue eyes. "Please?" she begged.

Xavier sighed, "Fine."

Marinette set it up so that they can both hear it. When the music began to play, Marinette sat down and closed her eyes.

She surprisingly liked it.

It was good. Really good.

She opened one eye and asked him, "What was your inspiration? This-" she gestured to the song, "This is really good."

"Oh, um. Thank you."

Marinette raised her eyebrow. "So what's your inspiration?"

Xavier couldn't look at her. "Oh, it was uhm-" He glanced around the room trying to find an answer. But when his eyes met hers, he couldn't bring himself to lie. "You," he murmured. "You were my inspiration."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Note: Please tell me that this chapter is showing up on the tags that I have used.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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bothcreativitybois · 3 years

Text

The Mayors Sweet Treat Chapter 4

Wordcount: 2939

Ship: Intruality

TWs: Food, dog, antagonistic Logan, swearing, sexual references, spicy thoughts (not smutty)

Chapters: 1 2 3

Taglist: @crazydemigod666 @star-crossed-shipper @idont-freaking-know @someoneiwasnt @seraphiie @the-sympathetic-villain @cute-and-angsty-princess @lonelymuffin @bloodymari-0666 @im-an-anxious-wreck @newtnotfound

Remus pulled up outside the bakery, but this time he had back up.

“You know if you really want to get in this guy’s pants it would be easier to take him on a date rather than save his failing business?” Virgil grumbled in the back seat as he messed with the lid of his coffee.

“He did.” Janus turned around to speak to Virgil from the front seat. “It clearly didn’t work.” Remus rolled his eyes. He leaned back and undid his seatbelt.

“That isn’t what this is about.” Remus chastised. They both looked at him doubtfully “Okay! That is only partially what this is about.” With that admission his friends were happy and began to get out of the car. Remus jumped out and scratched the head of Cain who was in the back of the truck.

“This is it?” Janus asked looking up at the building. He held a hand above his eyes to block the sun. Virgil stood with him holding a clipboard. Remus walked past them to the door and opened it. The two other men sighed and entered. As soon as they entered they began looking around. Virgil began adding notes to the list on his clipboard and Janus inspected the baked goods in the display shelves closely.

“Patty Cake?!” Remus shouted going behind the counter. Moments later Patton appeared with a large bowl. Patton looked around at the men in his shop, this was probably the most people he’d had in there at one time. He recognised one as Janus, the waiter from last night, and he vaguely remembered the other as Remus’ assistant.

“Remus, what’s all this?” Patton asked, putting down the bowl. Remus stepped over to him and put an arm around him. He stretched the other out to Janus and Virgil.

“Sugar, this is the crew.” Remus announced.

“Minus one.” Janus interrupted. Remus made a face at him, Janus made one back.

“They’re here to help get this place whipped up better than a bowl of batter.” Remus went on. Patton chuckled at the display.

“You don’t whip batter.” Patton pointed out. “But I appreciate the sentiment.” Patton pulled Remus into a hug as a thank you. Remus patted his back a few times then pulled back.

“Virgil is my assistant, very business minded. He made a list of things we need to do.” Remus explained. Virgil walked over and tapped his list.

“First thing first I need the number of the sign company that’s been giving you the run-around.” Virgil pressed. “Then we’ll move to getting a small business crisis loan.” Virgil scribbled a few more notes as he talked. Stuck between Remus and Virgil made Patton feel short. Well, he was short but felt more so than usual. Remus guided Patton over to Janus which slightly helped although he was still taller than Patton. Why was everyone here taller than him?

“You mentioned wanting a gallery where artists can sell their stuff and it just so happens that Janus here is a great artist.” Remus praised. Janus threw out a cocky smirk.

“I’m also painting the exterior because it's just sad.” Janus added plainly. Patton worried that he didn’t sound so excited. Remus jumped in front of Patton to continue his pitch.

“And I will help drum up customers and do any repairs that are needed.” Remus finished with a wide smile. Patton looked around at the three men, he felt grateful but also guilty.

“I… I can’t pay you for this you know?” Patton managed through the shock. He crossed his arms and looked down. The men all began to pipe in while working.

“Remus already pays me.” Virgil announced inspecting a display of small cakes.

“Remus said this would go towards my community service hours.” Janus said running a finger across the wall. “Rather do this than picking up roadkill.” Remus grabbed Patton’s shoulders.

“And it’s my job to take care of my citizens. That includes you.” Remus looked deeply into Patton’s eyes as he spoke hoping he could somehow shoot lasers through any doubts in his mind. Patton looked around at all the men, it was overwhelming. He pulled Remus into the kitchen. Remus was pulled to the corner by an anxious looking Patton. He was sure this plan would work but Patton was acting weird. Nonetheless Remus still had a large hopeful yet goofy smile.

“Remus, we just met yesterday.” Patton whispered not wanting to embarrass Remus. “I can’t ask you, let alone your friends, for something like this. Do you know how much work we’re talking about here?” Patton pleaded with the man to see reason. He didn’t believe he deserved something so much thought, so much kindness. Remus grabbed Patton’s arms.

“Of course I do!” Remus shouted, totally missing the point. “I ran the numbers and you should be the best bakery around in three months.” Patton tried to stay serious and be the voice of reason, but this is what he wanted. And it was hard to be sulky when Remus was so optimistic, it was infectious. If he really thought this was a good idea then who was Patton to stop him?

“Alright...” Patton surrendered.

“Is that a yes?” Remus grabbed Patton’s arms. Patton nodded excitedly. Remus whooped and lifted Patton onto his shoulder, running out to the rest of his friend. “He said yes!” The two others cheered with a little less enthusiasm but still happy nonetheless. Remus put him down and began chattering to the others. Patton looked around. These people were so determined to help him, to make sure he succeeded. He’d finally made friends. Patton noticed someone outside.

“Who is that?” Patton asked as the others chatted.

“Probably Roman.” Virgil answered without looking up. Remus had mentioned Roman to Patton at some point, his brother. But this person didn’t look like Remus. He was much shorter, his hair was slick black and his skin was much paler. Janus looked out the window too out of curiosity, he knew that wasn’t Roman.

“Re?” Janus motioned for Remus who turned his head. “Who the hell is that?” Remus looked out the window. That wasn’t Roman. In fact, Remus had no clue who that was. They wore a deep blue button up and a striped black vest, too fancy for any farmer. Their glasses gleamed as they looked towards the window, a stern unamused look on their face.

“Remus?” Patton asked but got no response. Virgil had joined the group staring at the stranger. Remus head out to confront them with Virgil close behind. Janus protectively guided Patton to the door to watch the scene.

“Hey, you new in town?” Remus asked cheerfully. The stern person looked over.

“Are you Patton Sweet?” The stranger questioned. Patton went to answer but was cut off by Virgil.

“What is your business?” Virgil responded professionally. The stranger put his briefcase against the wall and opened it. He pulled out a stack of papers and handed them to Remus.

“Your fee for the renewal of your business license was not paid. Along with many other payments.” The stranger explained. Patton ran forward and picked up some of the papers.

“No no, the payments are automatic. The money should’ve been taken out last week.” Patton reasoned. The stranger's expression didn’t waver.

“Transactions were attempted but there were not enough funds in your account.” The stranger continued. Virgil took the papers and began reading through while Patton stood there helplessly.

“This can’t be right, I checked and the money was taken out.” Patton pleaded. Remus put an arm around him scared that he might fall over. He couldn’t bear seeing Patton like this but the stranger still didn’t show any changes.

“Patton, these records say you haven’t made a payment in three months.” Virgil chirped in. Patton shook his head.

“And as such your license has been revoked, effective immediately. You may no longer run business until all your debts have been paid.” The stranger finished. Patton let out a small squeak and Remus pulled him closer. Virgil continued reading quickly until finally jabbing a finger against the page.

“Actually it says here he is free to practice until the end of the month he was notified.” Virgil opposed triumphantly. “And given it is the first of February he has 28 days left.” Virgil smirked and flipped the papers. “Also he is entitled to the name of the person serving him and it’s just plain rude not to introduce yourself, especially in business matters.” The stranger's jaw tensed.

“I am Logan and I am doubtful he can get the money he needs in 27 and a half days.” Logan finally introduced himself. Janus joined the group.

“It doesn’t matter whether he can, he is entitled to stay open.” Janus asserted. Logan became even more annoyed.

“I don’t think you understand.” Logan cracked their knuckles beside them. “I am required to oversee the closing of the business, your… plan would require me to stay in this dead end town for the month.” Remus, Virgil and Janus did not enjoy that remark. Even Virgil who was not overly fond of the town. Remus felt personally insulted. He picked up the papers from Virgil and bent over slightly to be at Logan’s height.

“Welcome to town, babe.” Remus scolded quietly. Patton enjoyed how Remus’ country accent sparkled as he said that. Remus turned and guided everyone back into the bakery, cutting off the rude stranger.

Everyone stood around the counters of the bakery. Virgil combed through the papers thoroughly while Patton tapped away on a tablet. Remus paced while Janus sat calmly.

“This is a lot of dues.” Virgil concurred. “Remus told us you were behind but this…” Virgil was stunned. Remus was worried. He didn’t want to fail one of his citizens, he couldn’t fail.

“I am sure they’ve been paid.” Patton huffed angrily. He was stressed enough, he should’ve had enough funds to pay at least another month or so. He brought up payments notifications. “There is no way I should be this behind.” Patton slid the tablet across to Virgil, Remus leaned in over his assistants shoulder. Virgil scrolled through and occasionally stopped to confirm with the paper.

“Why are all these medical payments coming out of your business account?” Virgil asked and put down the tablet. Patton snapped it back.

“Sorry that must be the wrong account.” Patton stammered. The three others looked at each other. Patton definitely didn’t want to share that. He tapped to switch accounts. There were medical payments on that one too.

“Pat there were also business payments on that account…” Remus piped up. Patton tapped furiously at the tablet.

No! I didn’t…

“Patton?” Remus tried again. Patton quickly threw down the tablet. How could he make such a dumb mistake? He leaned on the counter with his head in his hands.

Keep it together Pat, there are people here.

Patton looked up with a forced smile. Remus could tell something was wrong.

“It seems I made a silly mistake.” Patton chirped. The others looked at each other again.

“Have you been making medical payments from the wrong account?” Janus asked plainly, Virgil hit his shoulder. “What?” Patton let out a small fake laugh.

“From both accounts actually. At least I’m paid up for a while ha ha.” Patton joked, no one was gonna question why he had so many medical bills. Virgil looked back over the papers and scribbled some maths, Remus looked at the final number and his eyes went wide.

“Well, it’s gonna be hard to get the full amount we need in time…” Virgil began, Patton looked down dejectedly. Remus felt a pang of guilt.

“You aren’t saying it’s impossible.” Remus interrupted. Vigil looked up then back at the pages.

“Well no but-” Virgil pressed but Remus wasn’t having it.

“Then we keep going!” Remus encouraged. He walked over to Patton and turned his shoulders to face him.

“Oh here we go…” Janus whispered, he and Virgil leaned back.

“We can do this! Sure it’s a lot of money but you aren’t alone! We’re all here for you! The whole town is-” Remus was cut off with a dramatic sigh. They all looked to the entrance of the kitchen.

“And they say I’m the dramatic twin.” Roman scoffed sarcastically. Remus hurried across the room and hugged his twin.

“You came!” Remus cheered as he lifted Roman off the ground. Patton looked between the two, Remus never mentioned they were twins. The similarity was eerie. “My baby sibling came to our rescue!” Remus knew Roman was annoyed with his bombastic and touchy greetings, that’s why he did them.

“Fourteen minutes.” Roman recalled as they pushed their brother off them. Roman’s curly hair was dyed mahogany with a brown undercut. Their light wash blue jeans were matched with a red gradient wool cape and white turtleneck. They pushed away from Remus and waved to their other friends before looking over at Patton. He felt outclassed and thrown off. Everyone else he’d met who lived here wore flannels and work shirts with boots, Roman was wearing golden wire glasses without lenses. They looked him up and down. “You’re my brother's new project.” Roman said light-heartedly, however Patton still felt intimidated.

“I’m Patton, which you probably know.” Patton introduced himself awkwardly. “I like your cape.” Roman pulled on the cape happily.

“Thanks, I like the pink. So much better than the white most cooks wear.” Roman praised.

“They uh were actually white, they just got caught up in the wrong wash.” Patton scratched the back of his neck. Roman smiled and looked back at Remus.

“Don’t you dare ruin him.” Roman warned their twin as they walked over to Virgil, they picked up the sheet Virgil was doing maths on. “Woah! Big number!” They ruffled Virgil’s hair playfully.

“Yeah, and we have until the end of the month to get it.” Janus piped in. Roman threw down the paper and took a spot between the two men.

“Which is why we need you.” Remus addressed Roman then turned to Patton. “Roman is an event planner and a damn good one at that.” Roman smiled at the praise. “Here’s the plan.”

“We found out that we only have a month like twenty minutes ago and you already have a plan?” Janus interjected. He and Remus pulled some faces before Remus spoke again.

“We’re gonna shut down the bakery while Janus works on the inside with me then at the end of the month when we raise enough to keep it open we do a grand reopening.” Remus explained with a flourish. The others look at him cluelessly. He looks back waiting for a response.

“You didn’t mention how we raise the money.” Patton finally reminded him. Remus hit himself in the head.

“Oh right, Roman?” Remus waved the conversation over to Roman who took out their phone.

“I’ve got four events lined up for you babe. The first is catering a lovely picnic for some very wealthy old ladies with money to throw at struggling businesses if the owner reminds them of their children but better. That is in three days.” Roman pulled up a picture of a bunch of old ladies sitting under white tents in a field. Patton’s mind raced with recipe ideas. “The second is a couples baking class for valentines day, and I’ve already got a bunch of people interested.” Roman swipes to show a poster for ‘Lovey Dovey Baking Class’. Janus, Virgil and Remus gagged at the disgustingly sweet poster while Patton’s eyes sparkled. Remus caught the look and smiled too.

“Oh my god! It looks so fun!” Patton squealed. “Remus you have to be my partner for it!” Remus’ eyes nearly popped out, he stammered what nearly sounds like words.

“You’re running it, Pat.” Virgil said to save Remus. He winked slyly at the still flustered Remus.

“Yeah but if it’s for two then I’ll need a second instructor.” Patton reasoned. No one could save Remus this time. Patton was too excited to realise he’d just asked Remus to spend valentines day with him. Remus realised however.

“Of course I will. We’re a team.” Remus attempted to save the situation. “Team…” Remus couldn’t think of a name, he looked around. He looked at Patton, his sweet face and curly hair. Remus’ mind raced to places that were not suitable for such a sweet guy, thoughts of Patton laid across a bed with a lot less clothes.

“I got you a nice sweet treat, honey.” The Patton in Remus’ mind cooed as he pulled Remus on top of him. He could feel the heat of Patton against him, the feeling of Patton’s hand on his neck.

Remus snapped back and saw his friends staring at him.

“Team Sweet Treat.” Remus managed desperately and put a hand out. Patton was the first to put his hand on top, smiling sweetly at Remus as he did. His hand was smaller than Remus’, and much softer. It felt almost like playdough while Remus’ felt like cracked paint. The others all piled on top. “Let’s go!” Remus cheered as they all raised their hands. Patton and Janus chatted happily about what would look nice in the store while Remus stared from across the counters. His heart fluttered. He couldn’t take his eyes off Patton’s smile, Patton lips. He felt someone elbow him, he looked beside him to see Roman.

“You really have it bad.” Roman whispered. “It’s nice but also, you sure it’s a good idea?” Roman’s face was serious. Remus looked between them and Patton, mind racing.

“Please, it’s fine.” Remus said, unaware just how far he was falling.

50 notes · View notes

flutteringdreams-matw · 3 years

Text

Out of Time (17)

First/Last

Read on AO3 /FFN

Word Count: 8593

Previously: The aftermath of the fight scene. Danny's still unconcious and everyone tries to deal. Loads of angst. CW: Injury descriptions, swearing and angst.

Now: The aftermath part 2 - some flashbacks, some concerns and lots of guilt. One of my favourite Lancer and Clockwork moments too.

Please let me know what you think! Feel free to drop a reply or reblog whatever. WE ARE CAUGHT UP! I'm hoping the next chapter will be up on Sunday - depends on if I have a chance to edit or not. Regardless the link will be in the replies!

Sam was going crazy.

She was exhausted - the nightmares that haunted her kept her up most nights. The other nights? Her thoughts spinning out of control over one measly kiss by her best friend.

The same best friend she had a crush on for over a year.

The same friend who kissed her first.

And she kissed him back.

Nope. Not measly in the slightest.

She shook her head, clearing it as she neared the infirmary. She opened the door, a greeting at the tip of her tongue before she stopped with wide eyes.

Frostbite stood over Danny in deep concentration, his ice arm glowing a faint blue as it was stuck through the boy's chest. Ethelwulf nodded absently, eyes running over the core monitor's readings with quick precision. Danny laid motionless on the bed through the entire thing.

Danny's anguished screams as Dan taunted him, attacking his core.

"A little more Frostbite," Ethelwulf told him. "It's headed down."

The way he arched upward in the duplicate's grasp.

Frostbite's hand glowed brighter, engulfing the boy in blue. Eventually, it subsided, leaving the yeti ghost with a grim look on his face. "It should be maintaining its cold by now," he said softly. "Why isn't it?"

His head snapped to his chest, breathing heavily. She wasn't even sure he was conscious anymore.

Ethelwulf frowned. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "His injuries are healing, but slowly - even slower than what a human should be healing at - "

Sam turned abruptly, walking quickly up and out of the lab. She breathed hard, ignoring the memory flashes and the ghosts giving her a greeting. It was too much -she needed to get away.

He was going to get through this.

It's already been a week.

He's going to get through this.

He's not healing.

He's going -

Sam stopped her internal argument when she found herself outside of Danny's room. She blinked, suddenly frowning at where she found herself. She stood there for a few moments, debating whether she should go in before she realized something else.

She desperately missed her best friend.

She swung the door open. The first thing Sam recognized was that it still smelled like him. The second was no one was in here since probably Tucker when he grabbed his stuff last week. Sam smiled softly, walking toward the unmade bed - he probably didn't even sleep the night before. She touched it fondly, thinking back to the strategy meeting in the Ops Center. She sighed, deciding that she should perhaps find Jazz when she kicked something, making it slide under the bed.

With a confused frown, she peered under it, ignoring the dusty litter of old beaten thermoses, the boooo-merang and garbage. The only thing not covered in a layer of dust was a brown picture frame lying faced down. Sam grabbed it, sliding it across the floor and turned it over. It was a photo of Danny with his family in front of FentonWorks, with his arms around Tucker and Sam with a big goofy smile on his face. She remembered this photo - it was just before freshman year a few weeks before his accident.

Wasn't this normally on his desk? She wondered, eyes glancing toward the computer with a frown. Her frown deepened as she noticed that there was nothing on his desk but the keyboard and mouse. Bringing the photo with her, she walked to the desk, noticing the giant pile of stuff on the floor beside it. "Boys," Sam muttered fondly, picturing Danny just throwing things into a pile with a smile, saying absently he'd deal with it later. She put the photo on his desk, sighing slightly as she jostled the mouse.

The computer monitor came alive, the screen brightening the room giving her three options: play, save and discard. "What's this?" she questioned, violet eyes curiously looking the screen over. A video file? She frowned, looking at the computer for any sort of hint to what it was before she saw what it was called.

For Sam.

Why is there a video for me on Danny's computer? She wondered, grabbing his computer chair and rolling it over. She sat in the chair, drumming her fingers on the desk with a thoughtful frown. "I shouldn't watch this," she said to herself. But it's addressed to you her subconscious argued back. She debated for a few more minutes before coming back to the reason she was in his room to begin with… she missed Danny. Besides, she should see if she should save this file, right.

Right?

Biting her lip thoughtfully, Sam pressed play.

The date on the video said September as Danny's face came into view, looking a little uncomfortable as he stared into the camera.

"Hey Sam," he started with a sheepish smile. He rubbed the back of his head. Sam laughed softly, a sad smile on her face as he got settled. "This is kinda weird, but Jazz says it actually might help in the long run." Suddenly, his face was serious. "If you're watching this, it probably means… well I'm dead."

Sam paused the video, rolling the chair back with wide eyes as she stared at the screen. He's saying goodbye. He was recording this to say goodbye? She frowned as she looked at the date. September… apart from Vlad becoming mayor, nothing happened in September. So why back then? And why is it on his computer now?

She rolled closer, wondering whether she should continue the video. Curiosity got the better of her, pressing play again.

"Well -more dead I guess," Danny continued, shrugging. "Not now obviously - but Jazz will have all the files and give them to people. She thought it would, I dunno, I guess give me a way to say bye." He paused, again looking uncomfortable, opening his mouth to speak before the video skipped.

Sam frowned, watching a slightly older, tired version of Danny on the screen. The time stamp said eight days ago, pretty early in the afternoon. That explains why it's here. There was no sheepishness in his behaviour, dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep. "Hi Sam" he greeted softly. He smiled at the camera. "I just… I wanted to say…" he frowned, furrowing his eyebrows in thought. "If I don't make it back," he said finally. "I want you to know that I -" he broke off, eyes widening just a little as he stared at the camera. He stammered for a moment, before he sighed, looking down at the floor. He muttered something quietly that the microphone didn't hear. Sam waited with baited breath, watching Danny try to compose himself. He stiffened, looking at the camera determinedly. "Sam, I -" suddenly losing all confidence, he deflated. He sighed in defeat, looking up into the camera sadly, his arm moving toward the monitor.

The video shifted again, this time with Danny Phantom at the computer, floating in the air. Sam assumed he had pressed record. With a playful smirk, Phantom turned his back to the camera to the bed, where Danny Fenton's legs currently hung off of. Sam laughed softly, realizing that he had split himself.

"Oh come on," Phantom teased, hands on his hips. "This isn't like your facing down a legion of ghosts for the fight of your life. It's just a video."

"If you say that one more time - " Danny started.

"You'll what? Shoot a ghost ray at me? I have our powers right now idiot, I'm the one -" Phantom was cut off when a pillow hit his face. "Okay, fine, be that way."

"You think this is easy?" Danny asked angrily, sitting up on the bed. "I don't like doing these damn videos!"

"It's not about the videos," Phantom retorted smartly. "It's about this video."

Danny frowned. "What do you mean?"

Phantom made a frustrated noise. "You know what it means." Phantom floated in front of the bed, staring at his human self like they were in a mirror. "Why is it so hard for you to admit it?"

"Because I don't want to say it like this!" Danny said, his voice rising. Sam watched as his hands gestured wildly to the computer.

Phantom's eyes narrowed. "Say what?" he challenged, voice also rising.

"You know what!"

"But do you?" The question caught the human off guard, making him sputter a few excuses at his ghost half. Phantom rolled his eyes, pointing a gloved finger at him. "You need to come flat out and say it. To her face."

"I'm not sure -" Danny started.

"You are sure," Phantom said angrily. His eyes flashed. "You're so afraid of changing things! Why is it so hard for you to tell Sam you like her?"

Sam gasped softly, watching Danny Fenton's whole body tense as he stammered excuses. "I don't know!" he exclaimed. "It's Sam! It just is okay!"

"Because," Phantom pressed, gesturing for the boy to continue.

"Cause I -" Danny's voice cut off, looking at little unsure.

Phantom got in his face. "Because you what?" he asked.

"Because I think I'm in love her!" Danny exploded.

Sam gasped again, pausing the video as she stared at the screen. Her mind was racing at his admission, her heart doing backflips in her chest. She looked back at the screen, watching both Phantom and Fenton mid-reaction with wide eyes. I shouldn't - this is -he l-….what!?

Numbly, Sam pressed play again, desperate to see what happened next. Phantom had jumped backward at the boy's outburst, dropping out of the air and onto the floor. He stared up at Danny with wide eyes. Fenton had paled drastically, chest heaving and wide terror filled eyes stared back.

What. The.

They were quiet for several minutes, staring at each other in absolute shock as the admission settled in the air around them.

"You just…" Phantom said quietly, trailing off.

Danny nodded. "I know…" he breathed.

"Did you -" Phantom started again.

"I. know." The boy punctuated each word, breathing hard with wide eyes.

"Do…. Do we even know what that word even means?" Phantom finally asked. Danny stared at him dumbly. "I mean - we do, but like…. To say that…"

Danny put his elbows on his knees. "I dunno," he said. "I've never felt like this before." He sighed heavily silent for a few minutes.

Sam waited, every nerve on fire as she watched him swallow nervously on screen. "I… I like her" he said at last, shaken. "A lot."

Her heart burst as she heard him say those words.

Phantom grinned, punching the teen lightly in the knee. "Told you so," he teased. Danny glared lightly. "So what now?"

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Apart from going up against an evil version of us from the future, ignoring any glimpses of time that come our way and fight for our lives?"

Phantom gave him a pointed look. "I meant that revelation of a lifetime."

Danny frowned. "You want me to tell her, don't you?"

Phantom raised an eyebrow this time. "You want things to change right?"

Danny fiddled with his hands for a few moments. "I mean, yeah."

"Only way to do that is to tell her how you feel," Phantom told him earnestly, shrugging.

"But now?"

Phantom scoffed. "No, at graduation - yes now!" he said sarcastically. Phantom flew up, floating toward the door. "Preferably before we face Dan."

Danny didn't move, face suddenly clouding in thought. "Dan," he said quietly. Phantom turned, frowning at his human half's tone. Whatever light heartedness at their revelation was snatched out of the air. "What's he after?"

Phantom regarded Fenton for a small moment. "You mean other than revenge?"

Danny looked up. "Yeah," he said. Sam watched both their brains work, desperately trying not to yell at the screen in warning. "I just wish-" Danny broke off, grimacing as blue sparks wracked his frame. Phantom disappeared, leaving the boy stifling a scream as he weathered the abuse from his core. He doubled over, face turning away from the camera for a few minutes before they disappeared, leaving the boy breathing hard.

"Fuck," he said. "That one hurt." His brow furrowed, left eye turning green for moment before he rolled his eyes. "Shut up," he muttered. Danny rubbed his chest absently, frowning in thought at whatever vision over took him. Then he got up and left his room.

Sam sat watching the video play on, her mind reeling at what she just saw. Danny had not intended to record that conversation - nor anything that came after. His face after he admitted he liked her looked so terrified. Did he like her? Was it the time visions messing with him? It was -

It was hours before their conversation in the Ops Center. He was about to go downstairs and run into her. Where he told her he wasn't afraid anymore. And she shot him down.

What had happened in between? She had wondered later, staring at the monitor for some clue. Tucker had changed her mind, but what changed his? Why didn't he say anything - do anything - until that moment in the clearing?

Frowning, she watched ten minutes go by on the computer. Danny still hadn't returned.

"You don't get to say what you want to say and then just run into battle."

"What happens after this Danny? After you say what you want to say and go off to face Dan… would you regret it?"

She had told him those things- she didn't want to get her hopes up. It wasn't his regret that she was worried about.

It was hers.

Realizing Danny wasn't coming back soon, Sam hit fast forward, watching the timestamp speed by until his room door finally opened. Sam hit play, just as Danny entered.

His expression was unreadable, blue eyes dark in thought. Clockwork she realized, remembering the Time Master interrupting their conversation. Danny faltered, crying out as another set of blue sparks coursed through his body. Sam frowned worriedly, watching as he fell to the floor, writhing in pain. How many times did he go through this before he faced Dan? He breathed deeply, letting them subside before he let out a long shuddering sigh that seem to envelop his whole body. He stayed crouched for a few moments before he stood, hair covering his face. Then he transformed, flying out of his bedroom.

Sam fast forwarded the video again, watching the time zip forward before she saw Danny flew back into his room. It had been a few hours since he left. She pressed play, watching as his transformation slowed to normal speed and illuminated the room.

Danny sighed, walking over to the computer desk tiredly. Blue sparks ran through his frame, making the boy stumble and grimace in pain. He clutched the edge of the desk, fighting the sparks and pain that was coursing through him. Suddenly, Danny's expression changed to one of anger, blue eyes turning green. With a yell of frustration, he swept all the items of his desk onto the ground with a large crash. Sam jumped at noise, glancing briefly at the pile of stuff next to the desk.

"That's enough!" he yelled, sparks suddenly disappearing and leaving the boy breathing hard. Danny's arms were shaking with effort as he gripped the desk for dear life, black hair blocking his face from the camera as he looked down. Phantom appeared behind him, hovering a few feet behind the teen watching him in pity. Sam reached out to the monitor, unable to help.

Neither spoke, only Danny's ragged breathing coming through the computer microphone as time ticked forward. Eventually, Danny broke the silence. "Why does it have to be me?" he asked, broken. Sam's heart broke at the words.

Phantom's green eyes softened at the question. "I wish I knew," he replied quietly. He ran a hand through his white hair and breathed out deeply. He floated closer to his human half slowly. "Clockwork did say there was one favourable outcome."

Danny snorted. "He also implied we weren't coming back alive," he snapped back.

Phantom held up his hands in surrender. "All I'm saying is: it's possible."

Danny sighed, back straightening slightly, but still not moving from place in front of the camera. Sam still couldn't see his face. "We could run," he whispered. "Let Vlad and Valerie handle this; get the GIW involved."

Phantom snorted this time, crossing his arms in disgust. "I can't believe those words came out of your mouth," he said drily. "Like you'd ever run from this."

Danny laughed bitterly, finally standing up straight and looked Phantom in the eye. "True," he agreed, a small smile on his face. The smile faded as he crossed his arms in thought. "Did you ever think we'd be here after almost two years of having these powers?"

Phantom rolled his eyes as he made a face. "Dude, you're proving that we do have some sort of hero complex."

"No, not like that," Danny told him, making the ghost frown. "I know we've faced big threats before and anticipated not coming back. This fight though..." Danny bent down and picked up a small picture frame. "Did you ever think we'd be ready?"

Phantom was silent, observing his human self searchingly. He made multiple attempts to speak before he sighed tiredly, just waiting for Danny to continue.

Danny gripped the frame determinedly. "I'm not going to tell them," he continued softly. "They'd talk us out of it; attempt to make a plan that might put them in danger. It's better if they fight in the city. That way they won't-" Danny's voice cracked as he broke off.

Phantom nodded readily. "Okay," he agreed softly. Green eyes drifted to the computer before they settled back onto the black haired boy. "Are you at least going to talk to Sam?"

Danny let out a shaky breath and shook his head. "She's right," he said softly. "I can't tell her how I feel and go face Dan. If I somehow make it back, then I'll tell her. It wouldn't be right otherwise."

Phantom scowled. "So you're going to make the decision for her? Somehow, I think she'd be even angrier at that."

Danny scowled back. "Don't you think I know that!" he argued, waving his arms emphatically. The frame in his hand went flying onto the bed, bouncing slightly at the two teens glared at each other. "It's easier if I don't tell her."

"For you," Phantom countered angrily.

"For her!" Danny shouted. Phantom raised one of his eyebrows as Danny sighed. "Look – if I tell Sam and don't make it back…" He looked down to the floor. "I can't do that to her… not… not now."

Phantom frowned as Danny trailed off. He floated over to Danny and put a gloved hand onto his shoulder. "I get it," he said simply, floating past the boy. They stood side by side, facing opposite directions as if they were two sides of the same coin. They were silent again for a bit, before Phantom started speaking again. "Being fifteen sucks."

Danny's laugh was cold and sardonic at the abrupt change of topic. "Tell me about it," he replied ruefully.

Phantom looked up at the ceiling wistfully. "What would you do if we got out of this?" he asked.

Danny smiled, lost in thought. "Same things I normally do," he said. "You?"

Phantom chuckled. "Probably annoy you a little more," he joked. "More of the same."

Danny and Phantom turned to each other, any sort of amusement sliding off their faces as the reality of their fate once again sunk in.

"You ready?" Phantom asked.

Danny nodded. "Let's do this."

Both boys turned to the opening door as Jazz walked into the room. "Danny, you in here?" She looked over to them, surprised, before frowning slightly. "Are you okay?"

Phantom disappeared, leaving Danny standing alone on his side of the room. He gave her a bittersweet smile. "Yeah," he replied softly.

"Good cause –"

The video stopped, the pop up window again giving her the options of play, save or discard.

Sam's eyes were wide as anger, fear, regret, guilt and sadness overwhelmed her as she stared at the screen. It had been a week since this video. So much had happened.

And Danny wasn't any closer to waking up.

More tears came to her eyes - she thought she had finished with them by now - as she sat at his computer.

"It's fine… This can wait."

"Let's talk later."

There wasn't a later.

It didn't wait.

She replayed the video.

:-=-:

"I don't know! It's Sam. It just is okay!"

Jazz stiffened, hearing her brother's voice for the first time in over a week. "Danny?" she breathed hopefully.

"Because?"

She frowned, cautiously walking down the hall to Danny's room. That was Phantom's voice. The door was opened a crack, a small glow of light coming from the room. Had her Mom or Dad finally gone in?

"Cause I -"

Danny's voice sounded again, making Jazz's eyes widen. "Oh no," she whispered rushing forward.

"Because you what?"

Jazz flung open the door.

"Because I think I'm in love her!"

"Sam!" Jazz exclaimed. The girl paused the video, turning slowly in the chair. She was breathing hard, like she couldn't get enough air, tears flowing down her face. Jazz moved quickly, rushing over to the girl and knelt in front of her. "Sam, what are you doing in here?" Jazz glanced at screen with a frown. "And what're you watching?"

Sam didn't answer, starting to hyperventilate. Realizing the girl was more of a concern, Jazz breathed with her, trying to get her to mimic her actions. Her breathing became a little more normal, hiccupping slightly as she continued to stare at the red head.

"That's it," Jazz soothed, nodding. "Breathe in and out." Teal eyes glanced at the computer again, eyebrows furrowing in thought. "That's better. Want to tell me about it?" She took in Sam's appearance, the dark circles under her eyes more pronounced up close. Sam stayed quiet, making Jazz sigh. She stood, moving past the younger teen to the computer, dragging the mouse across the video clip and watching glimpses of her brother on screen. Jazz pursed her lips. "Did you watch all of it?" Jazz asked softly. Sam nodded. Jazz sighed again, moving back in front of the teen.

"I was wondering yours went," Jazz told her gently. Sam looked at her in confusion. Jazz smiled sadly. "It was my idea - after the whole Fear incident and my parents finding out… Danny was worried about, well, worrying about us blaming ourselves. That he wouldn't be able to say that whatever happened was on him." Jazz chuckled fondly. "Guess he took the whole 'saving people' thing too seriously huh? There's one for my parents, me, Tucker - I think he did one for the news too."

Jazz paused, sighing again. Sam looked at her expectantly. "After last week, I took these out again - just in case he-" her voice cracked. Jazz swallowed, shaking her head. "In case he didn't make it," she managed. "Sam, I'm sure he didn't want you to find out like this."

Sam scoffed, a hint of the girl's personality flying outward. "He didn't even manage to tell me," she said bitterly. Jazz looked at her confused. "He split Jazz - Phantom pressed record. They didn't even remember that it was going." Suddenly, her face softened. "He tried to - before he left. I… I thought he was just trying to tell me in case... It wasn't that, I see that now."

Jazz gave her a gentle smile. "He cares about you Sam."

She had said it as comfort, but Jazz's words made Sam upset. "We shouldn't have let him go out their Jazz," she said darkly. She pointed to the screen. "The Time Visions affected him more than we realized, he was… he was at his breaking point. And Dan? Dan -" her eyes scrunched tightly, a pained look on her face. "I still hear his screams. Still see Dan's hand through his chest. Danny twitching in between consciousness as Dan electrocuted him. All that blood. Now he's…."

"He will," Jazz assured firmly. "He'll get better Sam."

Sam shook her head. "I heard Frostbite and Ethelwulf," she replied. "He's not healing anywhere close to normal - not for him, a ghost or a human." Sam's eyes glistened with tears. "Did I do the right thing?" she asked hushed. "Giving him the Ecto-Enhancer?"

Jazz's eyes watered, realizing now what Sam had been going through over the last week. Sam blamed herself.

"Am I the reason he's still like this?"

:-=-:

Tucker closed his locker a little forcefully, eyes narrowing at the metal object.

"What do you want to do for your birthday honey?" His mom had asked him yesterday. "It's not every day you turn sixteen."

"If you miss my birthday caused you died, I'm running up your tab at the Nasty Burger."

"The Usual?" Danny had asked.

"With extra everything."

He fiddled with the lock, growing more and more frustrated with every second. Eventually, he growled, punching the thing angrily. He winced, wringing out his hand with a small string of curse words underneath his breath.

I want my best friend to be okay.

It was their first day back at school since Dan's attack over a week ago. Ten days since he last spoke to his best friend. There was still no word on when he'd wake up.

If he'd wake up.

"Remember Tucker, it was Dash who stuffed you in there, not the locker itself. Stop senseless locker abuse."

His head whipped up at Sam's voice. She grinned, rolling her eyes at him. "Happy Birthday you big idiot," she wished, leaning against the lockers in her best Danny impression.

He smiled. He and Danny had thought the birthday greeting was the best thing ever since they learned 'idiot' meant. "Thanks," he said. "I needed that."

Sam's grin morphed into a sad smile, her eyes dull with guilt and self-loathing. "I think I did too," she admitted. "Jazz said her parents had the school excuse them for the last few weeks. She's only coming in for her exams."

Tucker nodded. "They told Ishiyama and Lancer then?"

"Yeah," Sam said softly. She looked down the hallway, whispering teens surrounding them. "Wonder how long it'd take for the whole school to find out."

Tucker shrugged. "Beats me." He noticed the dark circles under her eyes and frowned. "Still having the nightmares?"

Sam scowled. "Are you?" she retorted with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah," he admitted readily. Tucker gave her a searching look, daring her to lie. "And all I know is what I saw when I hacked into the school camera system. Sam - it's okay if -"

She held up her bandaged wrist. "I am," she replied sourly. "Happy? I admitted it." She sighed. "Between Dan's attacks and Danny kiss-" Sam stopped abruptly, eyes widening as she realized what she was about to say.

Tucker's eyes widened also. "The what!?" He exclaimed loudly, causing some students to stare. Sam turned red, glaring at Tucker. The boy grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "He - what? When? Why didn't you tell me this sooner!? Sam this is huge! He actually -"

A cough stopped his excited rant. Tucker and Sam turned.

Valerie stood, her hand on her hip watching them with an annoyed look on her face. She eyed both of them warily, green eyes glancing briefly to Sam's bandaged wrist before addressing them both. "Where's Danny?"

The two friends looked at each other.

"Still out sick," Tucker told her, shrugging non-committedly.

Green eyes looked him over. "Sure he is," she said bitterly. "Not what I heard."

Sam's eyes narrowed, stepping forward. "And what did you hear?"

Valerie shrugged. She took off her backpack, rummaging in it for a moment before grabbing a small envelope. She held it out to the two friends. "Nevermind. Can one of you give this to him? When he's up?" she asked.

Tucker eyed it suspiciously, paling slightly as he saw the name 'Phantom' written on the top. "Wait - which Danny are we talking about here?" he asked confused. Sam took the envelope, glaring at Valerie.

Valerie stared at them for a few moments, challenging them to do something. Her eyebrow rose again. "It matters?" she replied coolly. She turned, hearing the two friends gasp behind her as she walked down the hall. When she got to the end of the hall, she looked back, watching their wide eyed stares looking back at her.

:-=-:

Skulker phased into Plasmius' lab, frowning at the half-ghost's back. "You wanted to see me?" the hunter asked.

Vlad didn't turn around from the computer, nor did he transform from his human form. "Ah Skulker," he greeted. "Any word?"

The ghost landed, green eyes glaring at the man's dismissive tone. "The whelp's still not awake," Skulker replied. "Though why you insist on using me instead of just asking the humans is beyond me. Aren't you toying with the orange one?"

Plasmius scoffed, still typing away at the computer. "Jack only tells me the basics now that he knows who I am. You tell me what I need to know." Vlad got up, finally facing the ghost with a sombre look. "Do you think he'll survive?"

Skulker hesitated. "They still don't know," the robotic ghost replied, shrugging. "The young hybrid is strong, so it's possible."

The half-ghost sighed. "Best make contingency plans then," he said softly. He locked eyes with the ghost in front of him. "Can you retrieve the Infi-Map from the Far Frozen?"

Skulker blinked. "The Infi-Map?" he asked slowly.

"Yes," Vlad said, pacing. "I'm sure it will be easy to steal since most of Frostbite's people are tending to Daniel."

Skulker watched him, frowning in thought. "That would go against the truce."

"And?" Vlad said, raising an eyebrow.

"A truce against the Far Frozen and the Master of Time," Skulker replied, as if the answer was obvious. When the half-ghost didn't respond, Skulker let out a frustrated sigh. "Plasmius, you cannot do this. Messing with time and space is unwise."

Vlad transformed, floating above Skulker with a smug grin. "I didn't take you to be a coward Skulker," he challenged.

Skulker's eyes glowed at the insult. "I am more versed in Ghost Law than you, halfa," he growled. "Going against a truce lands you in Walker's prison. Going against a truce from Clockwork? I don't remember any ghost being alive to tell their tale."

"Daniel did," Vlad retorted flippantly. "And I am much smarter and powerful than him."

"Are you though?" Skulker rose in the air, staring his employer down. "Can you do any of what the whelp did?" he tested. "The boy defeated Pariah Dark and the abomination."

"With my help!" Vlad cut in.

"And yet it's Phantom who is victorious," Skulker stated with crossed arms. "You've heard the whispers, I'm sure."

Plasmius' eyes glowed. "I will not be ruled by a child!" he retorted angrily. "They're just rumours - they cannot be true!"

Skulker glared. "They may not be… but those rumours are why you're collecting powerful artifacts," he said. "Why you're trying to force ghosts to your side. Plasmius - the Master of Time sides with him. You will not win with war."

Plasmius laughed. "Who said anything about war?" His hand lit aflame, watching the swirling energy light up the robotic ghost's face. "If Daniel dies, then the throne is open."

The ghostly hunter eyes flew wide, letting out a sharp gasp. "You wish death on your own kind?" he asked suspiciously. "After everything you've done to get the boy to your side?"

Vlad's face fell slightly. "No," he replied softly. "But the boy's core is damaged Skulker. If he survives, I doubt he'd be able to take his place. Nor will he want to. I'm just preparing to step in for him. This is about protecting him." Vlad sighed heavily, red eyes looking defeated. "I do not want Daniel to die - but I cannot deny that with him out of the way benefits my plan. He's young - too young to make this decision."

Skulker watched the older hybrid start pacing again, regarding him carefully. "Somehow, I think he'll see it differently." Skulker sighed, shaking his head. He floated upward. "Do as you wish Plasmius," he said quietly. "But do so alone."

Vlad stopped pacing, staring at Skulker incredulously. "You would go against me?"

Skulker shook his head. "I will not go against Clockwork - even if it means siding with Danny Phantom."

Vlad watched him go with a frown. "Daniel…" he whispered worriedly in the silence. His eyes found the computer screen again, shifting his train of thought. "I guess I must do this myself."

:-=-:

Lancer fidgeted with the small pouch in his hand as he heard the doorbell echo throughout FentonWorks.

"We're not giving any interviews!" he heard Jazz's irate voice from inside the hallway. "Go awa-" The door flew open, the girl stopping mid-sentence as she realized who was in front of her. "Mr. Lancer?"

"Ms. Fenton," Lancer greeted. The star student held a broom in her hand in an attack stance. She looked down at the broom and sheepishly put it behind her. "Are your parents home?"

Jazz looked back inside. "I think Dad's asleep," she said with a concerned frown. "Mom's in the lab. I can get her?" She opened the door wider, inviting the teacher inside. He nodded in thanks, looking over FentonWorks with a small frown. The normally vibrant house was filled with a soft buzz, tension filling the air as soon as he settled himself in the living room. He fiddled with the pouch again, wondering what he could do to help.

"She'll be right up," Jazz said, returning with a tray and teapot.

The teacher looked her over, frowning. "Jasmine, are you alright?" he asked.

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Haven't been sleeping much," she replied. "It's been a rough two weeks."

"I'm sure," he agreed softly. He changed the subject. "Decide on a college yet? I know Yale's deadline is fast approaching."

Jazz smiled. "Amity U," she replied. "I'd get more on the job training here than anywhere else." Lancer arched an eyebrow. "It's okay," she told him softly. "I'll head there for Grad school. My place is here - at least for a little while longer."

Lancer studied her closely. "Jasmine, you can't put your life on hold," he said.

"Mom and Dad said the same thing," she admitted with a sad smile as she poured him some tea. "And Danny will probably be upset with me when he finds out -" Jazz stopped, her eyes widening slightly as a deep rooted sadness washed over her features.

"I'm sure he's proud of you," he assured softly.

Jazz gave him a watery smile. "He is."

"Jazz?"

"In here!" the girl called to her mother.

Lancer watched as Maddie Fenton came into the living room, the same dark circles around her eyes as her daughter. "Sorry Mr. Lancer," she apologized, taking a seat across from the man. "Was working on something to help Phantom."

"Any luck?" Jazz asked hopefully.

Maddie caught Jazz's eye. "I hope so," she said. Jazz looked in between her mother and Mr. Lancer and nodded.

"I'll check on Dad," she said. She rolled her eyes. "He has another conference call with Vlad this afternoon."

Maddie pursed her lips, watching her daughter go.

"I thought your husband and the mayor were friends?" Lancer inquired, catching the girl's tone.

Maddie sighed. "It's gotten a little complicated," she told him. She turned to the teacher. "How can I help you Mr. Lancer?"

Lancer gripped the pouch tighter. "How's Daniel?"

Maddie tensed at the question before she sighed. "He's still unconscious," she said wearily. "There's been no change."

Lancer nodded, not quite trusting his voice in the moment. In all his years of teaching, this was a first. "May I ask…" he asked finally, his question trailing off.

Maddie watched him closely, lips pressed together before glancing at the stairs. "He's been ill," Maddie said, still staring at the hallway. "We thought it was a cold at first, then he started collapsing." She finally turned back to the teacher with a thoughtful frown. "Tucker told me you had a run in with Phantom?" Perplexed, Lancer nodded. "What happened?"

"Dan - that's what Phantom called him - came after me," Lancer said. After a moment's pause, he frowned. "Actually, I thought it was Daniel that came toward me; Said something about the Career Aptitude Test creating him. I thought he was possessed." Maddie nodded. "What does this have to do with Daniel's condition?"

"Everything," Maddie told him fiercely. "What happened next?"

Lancer's frowned deepened. "Phantom came and told me it wasn't Daniel, that he was safe at FentonWorks."

Maddie chuckled. "That boy," she admonished softly. Lancer gave her a quizzical look. "Did Phantom tell you about Dan?"

"Briefly," Lancer replied. "Something about a future that doesn't exist."

Maddie nodded. "Dan is… was an alternate Phantom," she explained. "A dark Phantom. Danny's decision to hand in the answers changed the events so that he never existed. That's why Dan targeted him."

Lancer's mouth hung open. Maddie continued. "Dan made him sleep deprived; paranoid. He made him relive parts of the alternate future over and over again… we thought it would be fine when Phantom faced him." Maddie sighed, taking a moment to compose herself and look toward the ceiling. "Dan and Phantom, they were drawn to each other in the worst ways. I think Sam saw that before any of us realized."

"So she went after Phantom," Lancer said, remembering the absurd phone conversation he had between Mr. Foley and Phantom.

"Dan trapped them both," Maddie continued, nodding. "According to Sam, it was a close call." Maddie gave him a sad smile. "Danny… Dan must have shown him something that made him go out there, something awful. He managed to push Sam out of the way and got hit with a large ecto-blast instead."

Lancer paled. "He what?"

Maddie's sad smile grew slightly, eyes radiating with regret. "We should have been there sooner," she admitted in disdain. "Then maybe both of them would be okay."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Lancer broke it. "Can I see him?"

Maddie gave him a small smile. "I think he'd like that."

Lancer smiled in appreciation. "Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly. He brought up the small black pouch and held it out. "I'm not sure, but I think this may help Phantom. He left it behind."

Maddie's brow furrowed. "What is it?"

Lancer shrugged, unzipping it and holding it out to her. "He asked me to give this to him - to heal him."

Maddie gasped. "Is this…" she whispered hopefully. She swallowed, looking from the pouch to Lancer. "You administered one of these?" Lancer nodded. "What was the effect?"

"Phantom looked quite a bit better after a while," he replied. He frowned, watching Maddie's eyes dart back and forth as she did calculations in her head. She took the pouch from the teacher, staring at the last syringe as if it was her only hope. "Is this… helpful?"

She looked up at his with wide eyes. "If this is what I think it is," Maddie said slowly. "Then it could be the breakthrough we're looking for."

:-=-:

Lancer watched Maddie walk in first with a deep breath, a nod and a then a smile. He attempted to do the same, but stopped at the sight of his student lying in the bed.

When Maddie had told him Daniel was injured, he wasn't expecting this.

Daniel's chest moved steadily with the help of machines. His face was covered by a small mask over his mouth and nose. Lancer noticed the many bandages along his torso, almost covering the boy from shoulder to hip. He swallowed heavily; taking a deep breath as he finally stepped inside the makeshift hospital room.

"Hi sweetheart," Maddie whispered softly, touching the side of the face. "You have a visitor." She turned back to the teacher, waving the pouch at Lancer. "You'll have to excuse me; I need to give this to Ethelwulf." She glanced to the corner. "Clockwork, you coming?"

Lancer turned and jumped, seeing an old ghost with purple robes shaking his head. "I will remain here," he told her, his voice calm.

Maddie nodded. "Let Clockwork know if you need anything, Mr. Lancer," she said quietly before exiting the room.

Lancer approached the bed apprehensively, unsure how to interact with his unconscious student. He settled in a vacant chair, watching the boy's chest rise and fall. He frowned, noticing now that the boy sported many more injuries than he originally had seen. "How can one blast do this?" he asked quietly, green eyes finding the boy's bruised neck.

"It didn't."

Lancer jumped, turning to the old ghost in the corner as he spoke. The red eyes seemed to look through the man, making the teacher shiver. "What?"

Clockwork raised an eyebrow. "It didn't," he repeated, a small frown hidden underneath his long silvery beard.

Lancer's eyebrows drew together in confusion, expecting the ghost to elaborate. Clockwork merely stared back. "What do you mean? Mrs. Fenton said -"

"I'm aware of what you've been told," Clockwork cut him off. "But you're also a smart man, William."

"Come on - you're a smart man."

Lancer bristled, remembering the words the dark Phantom had said. "How… how do you know my name?"

"I am the Master of Time," Clockwork said. Lancer detected a bit of bitterness underneath his calm voice. "Or at least, I will be again when this is all over."

"Come again?" Lancer asked weakly.

Clockwork sighed, floating toward the bed. Lancer's green eyes followed him, confused and unnerved by his presence. "I cannot see the present or future currently, but I can see the events of the past." Clockwork told him softly, regretful red eyes bore into the teacher. "I saw what he did for you."

Lancer was thoroughly confused, frowning so intensely that he was slightly worried it would stay that way. "You mean Phantom?"

Clockwork didn't reply, instead turning to the unconscious boy in front of them. "Even I cannot deny fate for a moment of my choosing," he said apologetically, red eyes soft as he looked the boy over. Clockwork put a frail hand on the boy's injured shoulder, holding it there slightly before he sighed, floating back to his corner.

Lancer turned back to his student, taking in the strange conversation and looking at the boy again. The bruising on his neck looked familiar but he couldn't place where. "I never would have thought Daniel would be involved with ghosts," Lancer said after a while. "Ms. Manson, maybe. Mr. Foley even! But Daniel?" Lancer shook his head. "I was under the impression he was scared of them."

Clockwork smiled mysteriously. "You'd be surprised what scares that boy."

Lancer glanced nervously at the old ghost before turning back to the teen. "He could've died."

Clockwork's red eyes looked Lancer over again. "You're his teacher?" he asked. Lancer nodded. "I find teachers are the best to pick up on change and growth faster than most." Clockwork glanced in Danny's direction. "Does it really seem that strange that he wanted to save his family? His friends?"

Lancer looked at the ghost quizzically, before turning back to the student. Lancer's impression of Danny's freshman year was a lazy student, often skipping class, falling asleep or forgetting his homework. But he was loyal - fiercely so - to his friends and family. He understood the consequences of his actions, accepting of detentions with a brief nod of the head with a resolved expression on his face. This year he had hardly gotten in so much trouble, but that loyalty he displayed in freshman year grew. So did his confidence in the person he was growing to be. He looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders - almost as if…

As if he had to save it himself.

"That isn't Danny Fenton. And it never will be."

"Nah - He found out what would happen on his own; realized it was too high a cost."

Phantom had told him that earlier. The teen who literally throws himself into battle with no regard for himself; Just as Danny threw himself in front of his best friend to save her life. "Clockwork," Lancer started, finding himself staring at the boy's neck. His mouth went dry. "Where's Phantom?"

Clockwork shrugged. "Here," he said flippantly. His red eyes sparkled in amusement at the question. "At FentonWorks."

Lancer frowned. Phantom's neck had been bruised too; he had remembered thinking the ghost's vocal chords being crushed. Danny's entire neck looked swollen, blue-purple blotches that look suspiciously like the boy was choked. But didn't he just jump in front of a blast? To save Ms. Manson?

"She's with Ethelwulf, safe and away from battle."

Phantom was friends with Tucker and Sam. Best friends he had said. Danny's only friends were Sam and Tucker.

"It was more how I said it rather than what I said."

Phantom has been seen battling ghosts all over town at all times of day. Danny regularly missed school.

"That isn't Danny Fenton."

Phantom spoke to Lancer as if he knew the man. Danny had Lancer as his teacher for two years.

The shield had been up for days before Phantom's first clash with Dan. Danny was at school for all of an hour before he collapsed.

"Do you see it yet Mr. Lancer? The resemblance?"

"The Strange Case…" Lancer murmured softly, eyes widening just a fraction. "Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

"Yes," Clockwork said with a hint of amusement. "I believe Stevenson's novella does apply here. Although, perhaps not in the way you may think."

Lancer swallowed, nodding as he remembered his interaction with Danny Phantom, playing it over in his head as he stared at the unconscious teen. "There's more to this story, isn't there?"

He heard Clockwork chuckle. "There's always more to a story than what is on the page."

:-=-:

Ethelwulf held the last Ecto-Enhancer in his disguised hand over Danny's unconscious body, glancing at the ground with unease. "There's no guarantee that this could work," he told them gently. He locked eyes with Frostbite, the latter shaking his head as he withdrew his hand from Danny's chest. "Are you willing to risk his life?"

Maddie and Jack shared a look briefly before sending an uncertain looks toward Sam, Tucker and Jazz. Tucker stared grimly at the heart monitor, Jazz nodded stiffly and Sam stared at the Ecto-Enhancer as if it would explode.

"What would happen if we didn't?" Maddie asked evenly.

"The Great One's core is shifting," Frostbite said gravely. "I have been able to cool it down, but after two weeks, it's starting to injure him rather than heal. If this continues, he'd either assimilate to the new core or…"

"Or he dies," Sam finished coldly. Frostbite nodded grimly.

"So what, he'd gain new ghost powers?" Tucker asked, shuddering slightly.

Ethelwulf shook his head. "The Halfling has been gravely injured - we have no idea how a new core will affect his mind. In an alternate timeline, it broke him." Ethelwulf paused, looking at them intensely. "This will help him heal physically, but if his mind is already gone, he may not be who you remember."

The weight of his words sank in, Jack grabbing Maddie's hand tightly. The mother swallowed. "Can he reverse it?" she asked curiously. Ethelwulf looked at her in confusion. "Danny, could he reverse whatever is happening to his core?"

Frostbite hummed thoughtfully. "If he can reclaim his self-generation of cold core energy, it's possible," he replied. "But for all the power the Great One possesses, I'm not sure if he's strong enough to pull that off." His paw glowed, showing a small smooth ice sphere with patches of snow. "This energy," he pointed to the smooth clear sections of the sphere, "is the Great One's normal core energy. The patches are whatever is growing around it. As it stands, we are not sure what has the upper hand."

"From what Sam and the teacher has told us," Ethelwulf continued, waving the syringe in the air. "It seems like this was an immediate reaction into his blood stream. For this to have a chance we'd need to dilute it; else we run the risk of an overdose or worse."

"What about a diluted dose to his core?" Jack wondered out loud. When Ethelwulf beckoned him to continue, he elaborated. "A small amount to restart some of his speed healing and cold energy regeneration - to monitor what his core does. Wouldn't that tell us if he could overcome it?"

"That could work," Frostbite said in thought. "Providing his normal core energy still outweighs the foreign one. "

"Which is a large if," Ethelwulf replied sombrely. "If we're wrong, we could be dooming us all." He looked from his hand to the group of humans around them. "Are you really willing to take that chance?"

Maddie didn't hesitate. "I believe in him," she said without any guilt or remorse. Jack nodded readily at her shoulder. "If anyone can do this, Danny can."

"Mom's right," Jazz said strongly. She looked at the two other teens. "Danny's been in similar fights before right?"

Sam's mouth was in a thin line, looking worriedly at Tucker. Flashbacks of Danny's injured body floated through her mind, vowing to return with a smile. "Tucker?" she asked.

The boy in question jumped. "I shouldn't be part of this," he said finally. "I nearly killed him -"

"Tucker," Jazz admonished, but the boy shook his head.

"No Jazz," he said softly, anger and self-loathing covering his words. "I told you all that I wouldn't put up the shield until I knew I had Danny's ecto-signature programmed. I promised. And I really thought I had it," he looked down at his hands. "I shouldn't have listened to him - we could have got to him in time!"

Frostbite and Ethelwulf frowned pitifully at the young teen. "Tucker of Tech," Frostbite said gently. "I watched you work on that shield, saw the gravity of what the Great One had asked of you." The ghost showed him the orb again. "I don't believe he knew how much his core was altered."

"It also makes you the most knowledgeable person to make this decision," Ethelwulf added. "Apart from myself, Frostbite and the Fentons. You know Danny's signature, do you believe you made a mistake?"

Tucker hesitated, looking at Sam for assistance.

She smiled. "Hey, you're the one who figured out what the Ghost Zone's destruction would do to our world," she said lightly. "And took down Nocturn with just your PDA - Tucker, I think you had it. I say we go for it. The bigger question is - do you think this will work?"

Tucker looked at the heart monitor again, watching his best friend's core reading beep simultaneously with a heartbeat. The core was cooling again. Not trusting his voice, he nodded.

Ethelwulf nodded, hand outstretched to Frostbite for another syringe. "Then let's try it."

#danny phantom #cartoons #fanfiction #danny fenton #action #adventure #cross posted on ao3 #no phantom planet #But his parents know #ecto storm series #Out of Time #multichapter #ANGST #family #friends #Lancer #we need some comfort after this hurt...

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tinyboxxtink · 3 years

Text

"Doppelganger" *Part 24*

Alright I REFUSE to make this story any longer, so the next chapter IS the finale, I swear to you.

This is just one more little loose end I wanted to throw in, maybe it'll come back around the epilogue. Who knows?! I know.

I would have started the "Wedding Day" here but I really wanted it to be it's own chapter, so this is kinda short and I'm not gonna lie if I have to I will make the last chapter 20 pages long to fit the ending in. That being said I have some stuff to do tomorrow night and work the next night so I may or may not split up writing the last chapter between those and post it late Sunday or Monday.

It's worth it I promise! I'll make it worth it.

Part 23

Finale!!

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-------

The next day Rafael asked you to come by his office once again, making you nervous. Especially when you showed up to the Mayor and a Lawyer to greet you along with Rafael.

“Pinguino,” Rafael smiled as he met you at the door with his arms open wide pulling you into a kiss.

“....More interviews?” You whispered as you eyed the two other men.

“Actually, they haven’t told me what they’re doing here yet,” Rafael whispered back as you both walked over to the men sitting at Rafael’s desk. Rafael pulled another chair around to his side so you could sit next to him. He had a feeling this would take a while.

“So...gentlemen,” Rafael cleared his throat. “What’s this about?”

“Well Barba it’s about your wedding,” The mayor replied.

“...Why am I not surprised..?” He shook his head with a laugh.

“Actually Mr. Barba I think you’ll find this visit different from others the mayor here has sprung on you thus far,” His lawyer answered.

“...And that would be because…?” Rafael raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Because Mr. Fenkell here says that I owe you financial compensation for all you’ve been doing for me,” The mayor replied rather gruffly as he crossed his arms like a petulant child being called into the principal’s office.

“...Excuse me?” Rafael looked at both of them with confusion.

“Well Mr. Barba, I’m surprised you haven’t either realized or brought up the fact that the situation that you’re in is called ‘quid pro quo’,” The lawyer explained.

“Yes I know what ‘quid pro quo’ is counselor, we went to the same law school,” Rafael snarked. “And I graduated with higher honors than you,”

“Barba I’m here trying to help you out, I don’t know why you’re lashing out at me,” The lawyer now crossed his arms.

“Baby,” You put a hand on his. “Just let the man talk,”

“Right,” He nodded reluctantly. “Go on,”

“Like I was saying,” Mr. Fenkell pulled out papers from his briefcase. “I assume you and your fiancée here have been going along with the Mayor’s requests for fear of losing your job, correct?”

“I mean, not mine per say,” Rafael shrugged. “THAT would be illegal,”

“Right,” Mr. Fenkell nodded. “But everything he’s done thus far involving you and your fiancé's likeness entitles you to royalties, and dues for services,”

“Well, that is true,” Rafael nodded. “I’ve been so preoccupied with everything else I haven’t even stopped to think--”

“Which is exactly why I’m here,” Mr. Fenkell cut him off. “I figured a competent lawyer like yourself would realize when all the dust settles, that you were indeed entitled to a sum of money, and would therefore sue the Mayor after the fact,”

“Wow, that’s a lot of assuming on your part sir,” You laughed softly. “You really think Rafael is that shit of a--”

“I mean he is right,” Rafael finished for you.

“...Or I’m just an idiot,” You muttered.

“No, baby you’re not an idiot,” Rafael took your hand. “But we are entitled--YOU are entitled for some kind of compensation for all that you’ve done for the mayor--for me,”

“I thought my compensation was getting to marry you,” You smiled sweetly.

“Aww,” Mr. Fenkell remarked, causing an eye roll from the mayor.

“Right so--” Mr. Fenkell began laying papers filled with legal jargon on the desk in front of you and Rafael.

“This contract states that once we settle on a number, you won’t try and collect more from the mayor with some random claim like ‘emotional distress’ during your wedding, or events thereafter due to all of this,”

“...Trauma?” You couldn’t help but laugh. “You think that after everything I went through, I would classify this as trauma?”

“I mean theoretically you could, Ms. Y/L/N,” He nodded. “The emotional stress of reliving your trauma and trying to plan a wedding while on display for the whole city must be taking a toll on you right now, is it not?”

“...Well it wasn’t until you said it like that,” You muttered.

“Dammit Maxwell I told you, they were perfectly fine with--” The mayor began to pitch a fit.

“Oh no no no,” Rafael wagged a finger at the mayor. “Just because she’s ignorant of the--”

“Excuse you?” You crossed your arms at Rafael’s condescending tone.

“I mean, just because she doesn’t realize or recognize the emotional stress she’s under doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have it, and doesn’t deserve compensation” He looked to you apologetically while he re-worded the statement. You gave him an approving nod.

“Right well this is what this is for--”

“And what kind of price tag have you put on my fiance's feelings, counselor?”

“Well if you’ll peruse the contract, counselor…” Mr. Fenkell pointed to the bottom of the paper.

“This contract blah blah blah, no further seeking monetary blah blah blah…” Rafael spoke out loud as he scanned the document. Then suddenly, his eyes widened and he stopped reading, looking at you then Mr. Fenkell then the Mayor.

“...A million dollars?” He raised his eyebrow, skeptical.

“...What?” You gasped.

“....Each,” He added with a smile as he handed you the paper. You didn’t know a lot of the words, but in plain black and white you read: “...In the form of one million dollars per plaintiff,”

“I’m sorry, WHAT?” You said louder than you intended, but that was insane.

“That’s insane,” You said out loud. “I don’t need that kind--”

“Baby,” Rafael stopped you and pulled you slightly away from the mayor and his lawyer. “I know that you get antsy when good things happen to you, but you deserve this,”

“For what?!” You hissed. “For taking a few photos? For letting a camera crew in a church? Rafael I just--”

“...But think of everything before that, carino,”

“What, Nevada? That--” You shook your head.

“Wasn’t your fault,” Rafael finished.

“...Well it wasn’t the mayor’s fault either, Raffi,” You nodded at the mayor.

“But he is exploiting you for it,” Rafael pointed out.

“....True,” You nodded.

“Excuse you two, but I--” The mayor began to rant again.

“And if I may add,” Mr. Fenkell jumped in. “While Mr. Barba was worried about his job, you also had reason to be worried about it as well. Being as he is your only means of support,”

“Right now,” You quickly added.

“....Right,” Mr. Fenkell gave you a side eye. “Currently,”

Clearly this douchebag thought what everyone else must be thinking. That you were just marrying Rafael for his money. So that you could be a ‘kept’ woman. Well, he was about to learn that was the furthest thing from the truth.

“Alright then,” You finally said. “Then I want my share to go to Rafael, if we’re going to be married it’s his anyway,”

“No no no no, Nuh-uh,” Rafael shook his head. “Your share is your share,”

“...But I don’t want you to think that I’ve got some... ‘escape money’,” You gave him a sad look.

“Escape money?” He laughed. “Baby I told you, I think the last thing I should be worried about is you leaving me,”

“....Also true,” You nodded with a soft smile. You sure as hell had not gotten this far working this hard to ‘get’ Rafael to just give him up. Ever.

“Okay then, do I tell you where I want the money to go or do I do it myself?” You asked Mr. Fenkell.

“...You already have plans for it?” Mr. Fenkell asked you. “...Didn’t you just say you didn’t want it? Why would you--”

“Just answer the question,” You said flatly.

“I mean Mr. Barba could just draw up the contracts and paperwork for you to transfer your funds wherever you--”

“But Mr. Barba is my husband, not my lawyer,” You cut him off. “...And I’d like to keep that way,” You looked over at who Rafael looked at you in confusion.

"Not Mixing business and pleasure," You smirked.

“Right,” Mr. Fenkell nodded as pulled out a legal pad and a pen. “Well I can make a list of where you want to divert the funds and we’ll go from there,”

“Okay,” You took a deep breath. “Well, first of all-- obviously,” You took Rafael’s hand. “I want to pay off the rest of my time at Julliard,”

“That’s unnecessary, carino--”

“Yeah I know you say that Rafael, but I was going there before I met you and it’s not your respon--”

“It’s already paid for, in full,” He spoke over you.

“...What?” You asked him with a breathy voice. When did he have time to do that?! WHY-wait.

“But I’m going to need an extra semester since I’m taking the rest of this one off,” You said softly as you glanced at the other two in shame. You still felt guilty about Rafael having to basically babysit you for the past few weeks.

“Yeah I figured that.” He nodded with a smile, stroking your cheek. “It’s all taken care of, carino,”

“...Alright fine then I want to pay it back,” You insisted.

“No,” He shook his head. “Absolutely not,”

“Rafael come on--”

“NO,” He repeated sternly. “I won’t take it,”

“....Alright, fine,” You rolled your eyes. “Then I want a chunk to go to abuela--”

“No I have them covered too,” He shook his head. “And they are definitely NOT your responsibility. And before you say next that you want it to go to Maria, she will never accept it. We're too proud of a people," He smiled teasingly.

“...Fine,” You sighed in frustration. “THEN I want a chunk of it to go to opening a drama center,” You crossed your arms and looked at Rafael. “Any objections to that, counselor?”

“...A drama center?” He looked at you curiously.

“Look,” You took both of his hands. “I know you couldn’t-- your mom didn’t want you---” You took another breath, trying to figure out exactly what to say. “...You had to give up your dream to take care of your family,”

“Carino…” He took your hand.

“And my parents, they spent all the money we had on dance lessons, acting lessons, all of it. On ME. Just so that I could live my dream,” You continued. “Kids should be able to dream their dreams without their parents having to worry about money to do so,”

“But...your dream, Y/N. You want to be on Broadway. How are you gonna fit--” He started to speak but you were nowhere near done with your speech.

“Baby my dream was selfish,” You shook your head. “I wanted to be famous for the wrong reasons. To be adored by the world, to be loved by everyone. But, now I know the only person’s love I care about, is yours,” You stroked his face.

“If I open this place then I can still use my talents as a teacher, helping kids like us. I told your mom that when I met you, you made me a better person, that you made me want to be better. I want that to be true. I need that to be true,” You finally finished with a small smile, tears lined Rafael’s eyes.

“You are the best person I know, mi amor,” He pushed a strand of hair behind your ear. “I think the center is a great idea,”

“Good,” You smiled. “And….I want to name it the Y/L/N-Barba Drama Center,”

“....Well obviously after you,” He nodded.

“No,” You shook your head. “After you. And my parents. Because if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t have found you, and you gave me everything I’ve ever wanted,”

“I love you,” He beamed at you as he kissed you deeply.

“...And on that note,” You turned back to Mr. Fenkell who looked wildly uncomfortable by your little cutesy side conversation.

“I want the rest to be split between a savings account for me, and the other half into a trust,”

“A trust?” Mr. Fenkell asked as he wrote down your wishes.

“A trust for our children,” You smiled at Rafael. “My parents spent so much money so that I could live my dream. I think it’s only fair I do the same for them; especially when I have the means to do it,”

“See those redneck shithead Jersians have no idea what they’re talking about,” He pressed his forehead against yours. “You are not selfish, not at all,”

“Thanks to you,” You pressed your own forehead against his like a love head butt.

“....Okay, so is there anywhere else you’d like it to go, Ms. Y/N?” Mr. Fenkell said rather loudly, trying once again to remind you there were other people in the room. People who were not amused with your disgustingly cute conversations.

“Um, no I think that’s good,” You nodded.

“Split up mine the same way, Max,” Rafael added.

“Rafael you don’t need to--” You started to protest but he put a finger to your mouth.

“I have money,” He assured you. “I have enough money to take care of us for the rest of our lives. This money should go somewhere that represents the both of us, and our love,”

“Can we please for the love of God just end this, please?” The mayor groaned. “If I have to sit here and watch you word vomit your love all over this office, I might actually vomit,”

“Right,” Rafael rolled his eyes. “Well gentlemen you know where to find us,” He grabbed the pen and signed one of the contracts then handed it to you and you did the same.

“Now if you’ll excuse us we’re going to ‘love vomit’ all over each other now,” He smirked as he handed back the papers. Mr. Fenkell and The mayor nodded as they walked out.

“Well, what do you want to do now?” Rafael wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“As tempting as that sounds, I have another request mi amor,” You played with the hair on the back of his knuckles with a soft voice.

“Anything for you pinguino,”

“Well I mean, you have some pull over there,” You nodded outside towards the courthouse that was attached to the DA's office by a hallway.

“...Why, do you need parking tickets dismissed or something? Did I agree to marry a felon?” He teased you.

“No,” You giggled. “But I would like to skip the ‘name changing’ line,” You pulled him closer as his smile grew bigger.

“I don’t think that’s what they call it, but I appreciate the sentiment,” He kissed you as you both walked towards the door of his office and out into the lobby.

“We’ll be back, Tommy,” He told his assistant.

“Right sir,” He nodded.

“This way to the ‘name changing line’, pinguino,” He smirked as you walked down the hall towards the courthouse.

------

--An Hour Later--

You and Rafael walked out of the courthouse and down the steps hand in hand as you pulled the two papers from his hands. One was a marriage license, and one was a form that was filled with boring legal jargon but at the bottom was printed: “Legal Name: Mrs. Y/F/N Barba,” with your new signature on the dotted line.

“Mrs. Rafael Barba,” You smiled as you looked at the paper.

“Oh no no no,” Rafael shook his head with a laugh. “That sounds like you’re my property, pinguino,”

“True,” You nodded with a teasing smile.

“...So why the sudden urgency to change your name, carino?” He asked as you walked down the street hand in hand. “Not that I’m complaining. I'd be lying if I said just looking at your name with my last name makes me giddy,”

“Giddy?” You gave him a look.

“Yeah, I said it. Giddy,” He laughed.

“...I don’t know, it was something that my therapist said,” You shrugged.

“...And what did she say?” He asked you skeptically.

“She said,” You sighed and pulled Rafael out of the flow of traffic of people.

“She said that women who don’t take their husband's last names had one foot out the door of the marriage before even going in,” You looked up at him with soft eyes. “And I don’t want you to think that I am any less than 100% sure of my love for you, and the rest of our lives together,”

“Well, first of all I’d like to see her marriage to divorce ratios based on that assumption,” He rolled his eyes. “And second-- I appreciate the sentiment baby, I really do. Just as long as you did it for you, and not because your therapist guilted you into it,”

“She didn’t,” You assured him. “I did this for me. For us,”

“Well then Mrs. Barba,” He took your hand once again with a huge smile. “Let’s grab some dinner, shall we?” He asked in a melodramatic, fancy tone.

“We shall, Mr. Barba,” You answered in the same tone, making both of you giggle like school kids.

Now all that was left to do was actually get married!

#rafael barba #rafael barba imagine #rafael barba fanficton #raul esparza #doppelganger #law and order svu #law and order svu fanfiction #rafael barba x you #rafael barba x reader

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mcheang · 4 years

Text

The critic

Sometimes restaurant owners are aware there is a critic among them, but they don’t know his identity. Sometimes they are unaware they are being visited at all. This is for @edeniz001

Meet Alain Ego. A youthful young man admitted to Ms Bustier’s class as an exchange student from Provence.

Here’s what you need to know about Alain. He is smart, responsible, but he’s dull. He is a wallflower. His appearance is unremarkable, his voice is softer than Nathaniel’s. And his social life is generally shy. His hobby is writing stories and taking photographs.

His deskmate is Ivan.

Predictably, after class was let out for lunch, Alain was surrounded by his class. Well, most of them.

Chloe and by extension Sabrina; could not be bothered to waste her time with a wallflower.

Marinette and Alya introduced themselves as the class president and Vice President. They warmly asked him to come to them if he needed help.

Nathaniel invited him to meet Marc since they both seemed to love writing.

Lila had never been to the French countryside but was inclined to boast about the Tuscan landscape. She seemed annoyed that Alain did not ask her for more details and that the rest of the class were paying more attention to the new student than to her.

Thankfully Alain would only be here for one semester. That was enough time for like...what, 25 akumas to show up?

Hope the new kid was fast. Dupont tends to be an akuma hotspot.

And was it ever...

The majority of the akumas were from Caline’s class. And that was remarkable considering how they had already been akumas. What is up with that?

Are they an emotional class?

Why is Hawkmoth out for them?

Granted some akumatizations happen outside school. But Alain happens to be there thanks to being invited to class activities.

Part of the blame belongs to Chloe.

A real bully that one. Alain can understand why the principal would be cowed by a corrupt mayor. For a so-called hero, he was a coward.

But Alain has noticed some students standing up to Chloe.

Namely the class president and her Vice President.

And yet for some strange reason, instead of telling Chloe off for being rude and mean, they just brush her off and redirect everyone’s attention.

Alain shyly asked Marinette why she lets Chloe get away with that.

Marinette: Because Ms Bustier told us to be good examples and forgive Chloe.

Alya: it’s why Chloe likes her so much. She lets Chloe get away with everything and tries to get her to be nice.

Alain’s eyes were wide at such a scandal.

When Alain’s witnessed his first akuma, he was at art class, making a photo collage of the students.

Let’s just say Chloe didn’t take criticism well at her first attempt at fashion design. Let’s also just say there’s a reason she stole Marinette’s design instead of relying on her mother’s genes.

Point is, Fashion Critic could make her harsh criticism a reality.

During that time, Alain had run for cover.

Unsurprisingly, Alya had run in the opposite direction.

Frightened, Alain asked for help as to where to run to.

Alya: There is no safe house or bunker. Akumas usually blow those up. Here in Paris, just run for cover.

Alain: any ideas?

Alya: not really. I don’t hide.

Alain: ....

Nino: don’t worry, dude. I know where the guys like to hide. Follow me. I’ll take him, Alya.

As they were running, Alain pointed out it should have been Alya leading him to safety.

Nino: she would have delegated it to me anyway. That girl loves to get her scoop.

Alain frowned in disapproval but said nothing. But perhaps he could try to talk to Alya later.

He did, and even Marinette took his side, when they both said she should stop running after akumas.

Alya: the public needs to know!

Alain: can’t you just post the location and powers and physical description? Why do you need to record the whole thing?

Alya; how else will my blog be popular?

Marinette: it’s still not safe, Alya.

Alya: oh relax, it’s not like the Teachers are complaining.

Ok, so Ms Bustier not only lets bullies run rampant without correcting their behavior, she also does not stop dangerous habits.

Curious about the students, Alain decides to be nosy. He visits the bakery and tries their delicious breads. He talks about animals with Mr Cesaire. He explored Juleka’s boathouse. He even babysitted Chris.

One day, Alain just so happens to visit the embassy building where Mrs Rossi works, at a time when she would be leaving for home.

Alain: Hello, excuse me, are you Mrs Rossi?

Mrs Rossi: Yes. And you are?

Alain: I’m Alain. Lila’s classmate. I thought I recognised you from her photos.

Mrs Rossi: oh. How nice to meet one of Lila’s friends. But I’ve been so busy with work, I barely have the time to spare.

Alain: I understand. But it’s nice to see you include Lila in your work.

Mrs Rossi: excuse me?

Alain: you know...you brought her to Achu last year to help out Prince Ali.

Mrs Rossi: I never went to Achu.

Alain: um...Lila was gone for months and FaceTimed us from there.

Mrs Rossi: when did this happen exactly?

Alain nervously tells her.

Mrs Rossi: Lila has been lying to all of us, it seems. She told me the school was shut down because of akuma attacks.

Alain: what? Akumas last only a day. The school has been disrupted by them, yes. But everything goes back to normal the next day. Didn’t you try calling the principal?

Mrs Rossi is stiff and she thanks Alain. She needs time to think. More than that, she wants another person’s opinion and confirmation about akumas before she decides on what else to do.

The next morning, Lila is at school. She makes no reference to Alain meeting her Mother. In fact she prefers to avoid him because he is so annoying. He rarely asks about her adventures and the questions are obviously and disinterestedly polite. What teenager isn’t excited by Jagged Stone?

In the middle of class, Lila is asked to the principal’s office. She returns fuming, with Mrs Rossi and the principal by her side.

Mrs Rossi ordered her Daughter. “Tell them the truth Lila.”

Lila is forced to confess her lies. In addition, for forging her mother’s signature and truancy, she is hereby expelled.

An akuma arrived to target her. As Caline rushed Lila away from the akuma, Marinette actually ran out and used her purse as a makeshift butterfly net. Since she wasn’t feeling negative (actually she felt pretty good about Lila getting exposed), the akuma was just fluttering around in her purse until Tikki threw a macaroon on it and proceeded to sit on it.

Alya is already posting on her blog about it, hopeful Ladybug will arrive to cleanse the akuma.

Marinette rushes out to the roof to wait for her there.

In the aftermath of Lila’s exposure, the class is certainly feeling wounded and guilty.

Caline is trying to advise them to forgive Lila who probably felt shy of their accomplishments.

Alain: Um, she asked me to carry her school bag because her arm was supposed to be sore from planting trees.

His words were a spark.

Kim: I bought her lunch.

Alya: I posted false information on my blog. Ok, technically I didn’t fact check. But Lila was not innocent!

Rose: I donated my summer job cash on her fake donation! (She proceeds to sob)

Caline: but she has already been punished, shouldn’t we extend our friendship to her now that she is alone?

Alain: She didn’t look all that repentant if you ask me. Didn’t you see her smiling at the akuma?

Adrien: Lila wouldn’t have hesitated to hurt us.

Alix: what a psycho.

Caline: that is enough. I want you all to forgive Lila and try to reach out a hand in friendship.

Ivan: But she’s dangerous

Max: and clearly not well if she keeps on lying that she can call Ladybug right after admitting she lied about knowing her.

Alain mutters to Ivan, “Wanna bet that Ms Bustier becomes Lila’s puppet if she actually does this?”

The next morning, Caline actually tries to order the class to say one nice thing about Lila and to write her a nice letter. Never mind that she clearly heard Alya report that Lila was exiled from Paris after Chat Noir admitted she had been working with Oniichan to endanger Ladybug. Apparently he had somehow heard how Lila was smiling at the akuma and suspected she was in league with the terrorist.

Alain so couldn’t wait for the term to end.

When it finally did, he gladly reported to the school board his investigation on the akuma class.

He blames Caline mostly for her redundant perspective that people need to forgive bullies and liars instead of educating them and correcting their behavior. Like seriously, how else would the victims get justice? She also lacks a sense of responsibility in that she refuses to correct Alya’s lack of self-preservation.

His advice: fire her or suspend her indefinitely, send her to get proper training. Get the class a strict and just teacher with a sense of fairness.

Once his job was done, Alain sighed and emptied his bag of textbooks. He could really go for some wine.

#miraculous ladybug fanfic #miraculous ladybug fic #ml fanfic #ml fanfiction #ml fic #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #lila gets exposed #lila karma #lila is exposed #ml salt fic #bustier salt #chloe salt #alya salt #lila salt #lila bashing

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aclosetfan · 3 years

Note

are u still doing the ask game? can i ask for 19 or 20?

for you anon, of course! 20 is actually a really lame two-sentence note that isn't worth anyone's time, so I'll do 19!

19 is a really sad story tbh. I've always really liked the character Sedusa and it kills me that the writers never did more with her. I believe they said the reason why was because they couldn't think of many kid-friendly scenarios to put her in, which is fair lmao.

lol one of my notes for this outline is "this is my dark manifesto to [Sedusa] and it comes off like a bad CW remake," which was written way before the CW show announcement. so not to get a big ego about things, but I totally beat them to the punch. This fic is my only rated M fic (though arguably Acting Normal may also change into M just for its dark themes as well).

This story is adequately tilted "Sedusa" and it follows how a plain jane named Sara became one of Townsville's most notorious villains. The plot's below, though content warning, please don’t read if your triggered by abusive relationships, domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault/harassment, or gore. The outline won't be detailed (and tbh the actual story won't be heavily detailed either) but i believe that everyone still deserves a fair warning :)

The outline doesn't do the plot justice, but it's all I got so hopefully people just Get It.

CHARACTER NOTES:

Canonically, I believe the Sedusa's character was supposed to represent envy and lust. So, one of the main themes I try to stick with when writing her character is the definition of envy, which is a "feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck."

PLOT:

Sara is a sweet and mousy little girl, who tries her best to stay invisible. She's rather plain-looking except for her really beautiful long dark hair. Originally, she's not from Townsville, but somewhere in the "country" where a person could be considered a bumpkin. Sara's a smart young girl, but her intelligence is rather unrefined. She spends most of her time obsessing over greek and Egyptian mythology.

She's from a rather big family, but she's the baby. Her father is abusive. Her mother is neglectful and Sara resents her mother for just standing by while abuse is occurring. To cope, Sara dreams of running away and falls deeper into her mythology obsession--specifically Medusa. Sara feels like Medusa would understand her.

At 16, she runs away to Townsville where she tries to be a hairdresser. With no money, she ends up in a really seedy part of town and the beauty parlor she works for ends up being a front for more illicit activities. She still does hair, but really makes her money as a call-girl of sorts. Just one of those girls who gives handjobs in the back to sad old men. It's easy money (I'm pro-sex work lol so I don't make this a big deal, but she's still a minor and it's wrong), but she's disgusted with herself (and men). At this time, she isn't very good at manipulating men--it's more like they have power over her and it reminds her of her father, only making her angrier and angrier.

It is also of note that while she's working at the Parlor, she encounters Sarah Bellum via tv (Ms. Bellum is just an intern with the Mayor at this point). She's instantly fascinated by this other Sarah and forms an odd (slightly toxic) parasocial relationship with her. Sara thinks it's amazing that Sarah went to school and is just so glamourous. Ms. Bellum is really everything Sara wants to be.

*time skip*

Sara falls in love with some jackass. Still slightly obsessed with Sarah Bellum. Still working at the parlor. Sara feels stagnant and worthless. Her jackass boyfriend and a few of his shitty friends end up attacking Sara and cutting off her hair (which was her prized possession). She gets away, but not totally unscathed.

In the process of running away, she bumps into a mysterious man who promises He can fix whatever is troubling her. The mysterious man manipulates an affirmative answer out of Sara and he "fixes" her problem. The man is HIM and he transforms her into the woman we all know as Sedusa (who goes by Ima when disguised).

“And what is it that you want?” HIM tsked, almost sounding bored.

She looked back at the mirror, at her broken reflection and lipstick smeared down her face. With a sore, croaking voice she sneered, “I want my fu-fucking hair back.”

Behind her, the entity smiled, Its facing splitting wide into two, “Oh, now that I can do.”

She watched through the shattered glass how It—HIM—snapped its odd monstrous claw. HIM’s smile grew more grotesque, as a thin bead of sweat began to break out on her forehead.

“This might hurt a little bit,” the entity giggled as she began to hyperventilate, “but what is that you little humans say?" HIM paused, watching her with a tilt of Its head as pain shot through her temples, "Oh, that’s right—”

She gasped and then screamed, dropping to her knees as she clutched at her head. Something wiggled underneath her scalp, pushing harder and harder to break against the resistance of her skin. It felt as if something was pressing against her brain, trying to carve away at her skull.

“—beauty is pain.” HIM growled, appearing next to her so Its voice—now low and baritone—was right in her ear, and It grasped her by the chin forcing her to watch the mirror as snake-like tendrils sprouted from her skull. She cried out at the sight and her body trembled with the pain.

One black, oily, twisted snake after another shot out of a bloody crater on her head. She tried her best through the pain to shake HIM off—to look away—but It held her still with a twisted laugh. She thrashed and howled in agony as the blood poured down her face in rivets. HIM didn't let go. Instead, HIM forced her still, grabbing her by the chin so she'd peer directly into the broken mirror.

Sara paled right before her very eyes, from a peachy skin tone to a white paste. She tried to blink away the tears that wouldn’t stop welling in her eyes—the green of them becoming more acidic with every passing second.

“The fun should be ending soon.” HIM giggled again, Its voice back to a soprano, but she was too forgone to hear him, as her eyes began to lull into the back of her head.

Eventually, when the transformation is complete, we see this:

Sara had stayed collapsed on her knees after HIM vanished into thin air. She stared with wide eyes as blood, sweat, and tears dripped onto and rolled off her thighs. She hardly paid attention to her surrounding, all she could do was listen. She listened to her hair. She listened to the constant moving, living, mass that slithered around her head, neck, and shoulders. The coils almost seemed to be cooing at her, comforting her through her pain, offering sweet apologies for what they had done. They promised her nothing bad would ever happen again. They were a dangerous shield forged from her own body to protect her.

Her body. A vessel for this odd new life.

“Heh.” A deranged giggle escaped her mouth, “Heh. Heh ha—hahaha!” She laughed until her throat burned and tightened, her tears finally drying.

It was instantaneous. It was powerful. Sara had never known love before, but she loved them. She loved every single one of them.

And here she had thought she'd never be a mother.

Sara becomes Sedusa--taking inspiration from Medusa, her childhood fascination. She wonders if HIM knew, but she wouldn't bother asking. She feels sexy, powerful, and unstoppable. Her hair has instilled a new confidence in her and she's finally able to stand up for herself. Soon, she realizes that she's an "exotic" beauty and has men eating out of her hand. She isn't someone who kills, but if she gets bored (or feels threaten) she will.

Things are going good until the PowerPuff Girls are finally created. When she sees them for the first time, she pities them, especially when they're run out of town. She relates to them for not being loved little girls, but is completely shocked when she finds out they've won the town over. This shock turns into resentment and she decides she'll get even with the girls

Then, cue canon. Sedusa seduces the Professor. We see what happens in that episode plus a little more. Sedusa takes out a lot of her repressed childhood trauma on the girls and is plain awful to them. By the time her stint with the Professor is over, she hates them all.

Then, there's the episode with Bellum. Bellum becomes the Athena to Sedusa's medusa. Bellum is still this elevated person in Sedusa's mind, and it only makes sense to Sedusa that she should become Bellum. To become Bellum, Sedusa seduces Bellum and they end up having a brief relationship. (Sedusa pretends to be an intern at City Hall and the two ladies bond over having the same first name). Eventually, Sedusa reveals her plot and the canon events happen. (Bellum is heartbroken over Sedusa).

I'd like to emphasize that Sedusa's relationship with Bellum almost turns her "good," but her hair coils (HIM's curse) prevents her from taking those steps. Her coils prevent close loving relationships--since they're supposed to be shield that keeps people out, preventing any chance that Sedusa's heart may be broken again. [coils represent her inability to heal from the past]

Then we run through a quick montage of her other appearances.

[throughout all of this, I would write how her hair coils are making her more and more insane]

*time skip to after the events of the og show*

This is where my plot can go anywhere. I think Sedusa becomes sloppy, maybe kills a politican. She's spirialing out of control and mad that she can't find any real happiness in her life. I think it'd be interesting to show her interacting with the rrb, not necessarily to show their relationship, but to show how Sedusa would be infuriated that HIM had sons, especially sons who hurt girls for fun ( i.e. the ppg) (a real 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' moment for her). She's also infuriated at HIM for turning her into a monster, so being mad about his "sons" is just an excuse to get even with the entity.

To hurt HIM, she decides to hurt the boys, but the girls interfere. They won't let innocent live be taken, no matter the person's moral alignment. This infuriates Sedusa even more than HIM ever could. Because again, despite all the shitty things that have happened to the Girls, they are still good as opposed to Sedusa, who ended up bad. She doesn't understand why she had to end up the way she did.

However, the girls aren't the people who finally "defeat" Sedusa. Instead, that honor is left to Ms. Bellum (Sedusa's "Athena"), who Sedusa still very much loves in her own sick twisted way. Paralleling the Sedusa/Bellum episode in the og show, the girls (while protecting the boys) are almost defeated by Sedusa until Bellum intervenes. It's revealed that Bellum had a shitty childhood too (again enforcing the parallels/differences between the two women) and believes that it's not too late for Sedusa to change her ways (it’s a real “I’m rotten work” “no it isn’t. Not if it’s you” moment) In a moment of mental clarity, where the coils (and by extension HIM) cannot affect her judgement, Sedusa releases the boys and the girls. Sedusa doesn't stay though, like Bellum pleads, she gets scared and runs away. (but does tell Bellum she’d always love her, whatever that’s good for)

[also I decide bellum to defeat sedusa to show that the girls are still to young and that adults should be the ones dealing with other adults] [and bellum has a good track record of doing just that]

Idk if she'd be gone forever, but it's implied that she hasn't been seen in Townsville for a long time. What she gets up to is left ambiguous. She can't be good because of her hair coils, but she doesn't want to be bad. idk I don't want it to have a sad ending, but I don't think it can really be happy.

-----

I try hard to play with the concept of beauty, womanhood, purity, love and how negative/positive responses to trauma affect these concepts. Idk it's really rough and needs to be thought out more, especially the end, but I think Sedusa deserves her own story.

#this isn't edited sorry I'm tired #outline ask game #my outlines #sedusa #this story is near and dear to me #but i don't think i have the skills to write it yet #my writings #the boys are literally not important btws they’re knocked out the whole time or something idk #this story ain’t about them

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josuuuuhaitham · 3 years

Text

it’s nice to have a friend

ADRINETTE / MARICHAT AU : 3237 words

also posted to ao3 [ https://archiveofourown.org/works/28958835 ]

————————————

Adrien had lived in isolation most of his life.

His parents decided the risk of danger in the outside world would harm him. “Dont play with sticks, Adrien! What if you scratch yourself or get a splinter?”, they would say. He then would dejectedly move back into his room to play board games again. He always somehow managed to get hurt anyways, but they should’ve realized whatever physical injuries he had, he received about a million more mental scars.

And as soon as his mother passed away, he realized that things wouldn’t be any better.

His father was devastated and busied himself with work, leaving Adrien to sit alone at the large dinner table. The only conversations he had with him were quick and monotone. He used to get excited that his father was texting him. He hoped maybe he finally wanted to talk to him, to be like they used to. That excitement faded as he grew used to the schedule changes in his recent messages.

But then, by some stroke of luck, he was let out. He didn’t know how Nathalie managed to convince his father to let him go to school but he was happy, so so happy. And then another thing happened. He met Plagg and got his miraculous. He met Ladybug. He saw Chloe again after years of no interactions. He met Nino. He met Alya. He met Alix. He met Kim. He met Max. The cycle continues until you get to his full class, his friends. They became everything to him.

But then there's Marinette.

He knew that she didn’t like him at first, and precisely why too but the more time he spent with her, as Adrien, the more he thought her opinions hadn’t changed. She’d stutter and blush, never meeting his eyes and only speaking to him if he spoke first. He would wonder if his apology was good enough, or if he was foolish to believe that she would forgive him. Little did he know.

Then he met Marinette as Chat Noir. He almost felt like his previous assumptions were true. She was so much more confident around him. He wondered if it was because he was a superhero, that maybe she liked Chat Noir and not Adrien for that one singular reason. But he knew Marinette wasn’t like that.

He started visiting her on her balcony more. At first he just made excuses to himself like “I’m just checking up on her. She’s my friend. I can do that, right?”. Plagg laughed and called him lame before returning to smelling his socks and eating cheese. Adrien didn’t give him much time as he transformed after almost a minute of contemplating his decisions.

He flew through the rooftops, smiling wide as the wind ruffled his hair and carried him higher. He stops abruptly at the sight of brightly lit bakery. It seemed her parents were still in there, he assumed probably closing up or cleaning. Nonetheless, he hopped to the decorated balcony above Marinette’s room and stood at the railing, admiring the view. Soon enough there were soft footsteps coming from behind him and he turned around with a grin.

“Chat Noir?” Marinette says, yawning. He struts slowly to her, picking up her right hand daintily and pressing a small kiss to it.

“Hello there, princess. How are you this fine evening?” He says brightly. She looks at him weirdly for a second, but soon decides to join him by the railing and they stand in silence while Marinette tries to come up with an answer.

“I’m good. I think,” She replies, finally.

“You think?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve been trying to think, but nothing really comes to mind,” Chat noir only hums in response. He didn’t have anything to say to that anyways, but he could get how she felt. That’s how he used to feel, trapped in his own mind, thoughts jumbled to the point where he couldn’t separate or express them. “But what about you, Chat Noir? What are you doing here?”

He flusters, almost as red as the suit of his partner, but with the limited lighting, she didn’t notice.

“Well, you see… I’m here to check up on you? Since um yesterday, the Evillustrator had you and… yeah. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay?”

“You don’t sound so sure,” She giggles. He chuckles too, hand instinctively going to reach the back of his neck. The noise dies down to comfortable silence.

“Hey, Marinette? Can I stay here a little longer?”

And so he does, he stays with Marinette until it’s too late for either of them to keep their eyes open. He says goodbye, with one last kiss on her hand’s dorsal, then flying back to his house, sliding into his window and detransforming onto his bed. Plagg pops out of the miraculous with a groan, complaining about food, and Adrien points to his mini-fridge. He smiles as his eyes close and his breathing slows.

-----

The late night balcony visits continued, becoming as often as his patrols with Ladybug. He no longer needed an excuse, and Marinette would be waiting for him with a plate of macarons or croissants. They had talked about everything that came to their minds, and some days, it’d be nothing and they’d just stare at the sky and stay in each other’s presence.

But that was for Chat Noir. Adrien Agreste wasn’t so lucky in the Marinette department.

She hadn’t really changed around his civilian form. So… he decided to improvise and tell Marinette he had a crush on his fencing partner. Probably (definitely) a risky move on his part but it landed him some time to hang out with her. And Kagami. At least it was a start.

So he walked into the city’s one and only ice rink on a cold Sunday morning, with 3 others by his side and his bodyguard. Marinette had invited Luka last minute, which for some reason made Adrien upset. It wasn’t that he disliked Luka, they were friends. They’ve met a generous amount of times in the past and there had been no bad interactions, in fact, he had attempted to teach Adrien a few songs on guitar. But there was something that felt off about him and Marinette giggling together, or holding each other’s hands while on the rink.Not that he was jealous or anything.

His thoughts were interupted by who he presumed was the owner of the ice rink skating up to him and Kagami.

“Hello there, Adrien Agreste!” He says loudly, Adrien smiles and says hi back, about to skate off but the man continued. “Would you like to sign up for private fencing lessons with our rink? It’ll only take a minute--”

“He’s busy doing fencing with me,” Kagami interupts him, pulling at Adrien’s arm while glaring at the man.

“Well then how about you advertise to your fans? They’d surely listen--” Kagami once again doesn’t let him finish, this time actually skating away, Adrien’s arm in her grip. The man seems defeated and goes to the seats, talking dejectedly to mayor Bourgeois

And just as quick as he looks away, he sees Marinette trip on air and fall to the floor. Adrien rushes over to her, a hand out. He looks to his side, where Luka is, in the exact same stance.

Marinette looks between the two of them, conflicted. It’s like that for a couple seconds, before Kagami skates up and between the two boys, picking up Marinette’s hand and in turn, the rest of her. She whispers something to Marinette, who looks startled, and backs off, now landing an expecting gaze to Adrien. Now it seems he is the one who is in the choosing one or the other position. Just as he’s about to go with Kagami, Marinette runs off, clearly upset.

“I’ll check up on her,” He says and follows her to the restroom area. “Marinette? Are you in there? You okay?”

“I’m fine,” She replies quickly. Adrien nods, knowing that she can’t see him. He looks down and around, trying to find something else to say but nothing comes to mind. Then he notices the layer of ice quickly moving closer and closer to him, and the rest of the building.

“Marinette!” Adrien yells, banging on the door. “Stay in there and hide, okay? There’s an akuma!”

He huffs before rushing into the mens restroom and watches as Plagg gets out of his shirt.

“It seems we have to cut this date short,” Plagg snorts.

“Date?” Adrien sputters in denial before collecting himself and glaring. “Plagg, claws out!”

-----

“Hey Adrien! Wait up!” Marinette breathes out, hands on her knees as she doubles over.

“Yeah, Marinette?” Adrien says, stopping in front of the door

“We should do this more often. Hang out, I mean.” She giggles.

“Yeah. We should,” Adrien smiles.

-----

“I should really charge you for those,” Marinette snorts as she watches Chat scarf down a plate of freshly made chocolate croissants. “You’ve eaten enough in the last 4 months to pay for my college and yet I haven’t even charged you,”

Chat grins, half-chewed food threatening to spill out. Marinette feigns to throw-up in response and the former rolls his eyes.

“You don’t make me pay because I save Paris almost daily,” He says smugly. She laughs at him, a mischevious glint in her eyes as she nods. “Why are you doing that?”

“Doing what, kitty?” She smirks, leaning forward teasingly.

“You have this weird look in your eyes- it's like smug, but worse,” He huffs, eyes facing another direction. Their faces are nearly a foot apart but it’s all filled with tension, so anywhere is good to look as long as it isn’t her. Not that she’s bad to look at because Marinette was 100% a sight for sore eyes-- not that he liked her like that but--

She retreats to where she was, laughing, her eyes twinkling with the moonlight. Chat had not formally noticed how beautiful she really was before, but something about this moment made him realize.

-----

“Good morning, Adrien!” Marinette says as she meets him on the front steps of the school. He was speaking to Nino, Max and Kim, and another boy, probably one of his fencing friends. The moment she spoke though, his head turned to meet her eyes. He waves bye to the boys and walks towards her.

“Hello, Mari. How are you today?”

“I am good, a bit tired though,” Adrien internally smirks at her response.

“And why is that?” She blushes.

“I-I was t-talking to a f-friend… Yeah,” Marinette mutters shyly.

“What a coincidence. I was speaking with a friend last night too,” He was fully aware of the risk he took while saying that. He knew that Marinette wasn’t stupid and that she knew how to piece things together --she’s one of the smartest kids in their class-- and that if he kept on leaving hints like these, that there is a high chance of his secret identity no longer being that much of a secret but in his defense, it was fun. Fun to see the short-lasting confusion on her face, brows furrowed and head tilted like a puppy. Maybe, not just “fun” either. Maybe he found her cute. Just a little bit.

Marinette furrows her brows, as he expected, but it’s shortlived and she quickly goes back to normal.

“Oh, who? She asks. Adrien hadn’t expected that.

“O-oh... no one?” Marinette laughs at his response. “And what about you, Mari?”

“...No one,”

-----

Marinette prances around her room, seemingly hitting every corner as the lyrics to “She Looks So Perfect” by 5 Seconds of Summer blasts through the speakers of her phone. The sound was freeing, even more so due to the fact that it was a Saturday morning and she had 2 cups of coffee prior.

Tikki watched from behind a box in amusement as Marinette fumbled all over, snacking on apple slices. She had been cheering but stopped as she noticed a pair of green eyes and cat ears enter the room quietly from above. He stared at Marinette endearingly and would’ve for hours if not the bluenette slipping on her rug and nearly face-planting. He jumps over to where she is and catches her just as she’s about to reach the ground.

“Woah there, Princess!” He grins. Marinette grumbles something about letting her go but he laughs. “Falling for me, are you?”

“Shut up!” She yells, blushing as she pushes him away. She walks to the other side of her room and starts to open the latch leading to the rest of her house. “I’m getting some snacks, you can make fun of me later,”

Chat Noir nods cutely and goes to sit on her chaise, glancing around the room, something he hadn’t really have time to every other time he was in there. He does however recall seeing posters of him --well Adrien-- in front of her desk. They weren’t there, save for a few and in their place were pictures of all her friends and a couple of her designs. He couldn’t help but wonder what made her take them down.

A loud crash interupts his thoughts though and he worriedly rushes down the ladder to find Marinette on the ground. He chuckles at her annoyed expression.

“Stop laughing!” Marinette whines, staying placid on the floor where she had previously fallen, in the process, crushing a boxful of colorful macarons.

“I’m not laughing at you, per se,” Chat Noir says, clearly attempting to bite back a small smile as Marinette picks herself up from the ground and dusts macaron crumbs off her shoulder. Keyword, attempting. “I’m laughing with you,”

“I’m not even laughing!” She pouts angrily. Chat gives into humor and starts laughing loudly, wheezes coming out every once in a while as he falls to the floor.

“Stupid cat…”

-----

At this point, Adrien knows what he’s done to himself.

He had orginally started to hang out with Marinette to become closer, to get her to like him so they could be friends, or even anything close to that but he’s gotten way past that point and he can’t do much but awknowledge that he has feelings for her. Or a specific feeling : love.

The word still felt strange in his mouth, especially discussing Marinette but it’s started to feel more and more like how he felt towards his lady. Was it even possible to like more than one person at once? Who knows, because he doesn’t.

He would ask his father for advice but god knows he wouldn’t get anything but a closed door to his face. Nino probably wouldn’t be that much of help either, and he’d also likely tell Alya leading to a very awkward conversation. But then, talking to Ladybug about his relationship problems when he still has a crush on her would be strange, so he’s forced by his own mind to just sit and wait.

Wait for what? He doesn’t know.

-----

“Marinette, can I ask for your advice on something?” Chat Noir asks quiety. His eyes were staring off into the distance and Marinette was concerned from when he first landed on her balcony that evening but she had chosen not to confront him. She hums in confirmation, leaning closer to him to show support. Her head was against his shoulder.

If they had turned their faces towards each other, there was no chance either of them could resist the temptation to mush their faces.

“Who would you choose if it was between the person you’ve liked for years and the new person you like but just as intensely?” He spoke quietly and quickly, and if it weren’t for their proximity she might not have even heard but she did.

“Well that’s a hard choice to make, I don’t think I would ever be able to….” She says trailing off.

“That’s one of the million things we have in common,” Chat mutters sarcastically. Marinette giggles. He smiles at the sound.

“I suppose so… Who are the lucky ladies who have your heart, kitty?” She asks, eyes curious. He hesitates. She notices that he’s hesitating and rushes to speak. “You don’t have to say if you don’t want--”

“No. I want to tell you,” He decides. “The first girl, the one I’ve loved for longer is Ladybug. That was probably obvious but still…”

He trails off, wondering if he should really go through with it. If he were to confess now, even though he knew Marinette wouldn’t make him feel bad, he also knew that he would fall deeper in her for it. He looks at her to track her expression and she looks weirdly giddy with a blush on her face.

“The second one, the more recent one is….” She nods him on eagerly. He takes a deep breath and looks her in the eyes with a small smile. It wasn’t a smirk or a suggestive grin, it was a genuine smile, one filled with love and affection. “... You. It’s you, Marinette. I don’t know when or how it started but my feelings for you have been growing and piling atop each other and this is my breaking point because I really don’t think I could have hidden it for much longer.”

He had said it all in one breath, eyes closing as soon as he started rambling to avoid both embarrassment and tears. He doesn’t even want to try opening them, so he awkwardly brings his hands to cover them. He hears Marinette giggle again and he doubts everything for a second, considering just running away and never showing his face again but the warm and gentle touch of her fingers as they move his own from his face is something he never wants to not feel.

“Open your eyes, kitty,” She says. So, against all his better judgement and internal monologuing, he does. And boy is he glad.

Marinette’s eyes are lit up beautifully, all of her features glowing with the moon, not that she needed it. The sun could explode and Marinette’s smile would be able to keep the world warm for the rest of time. She looks at him like they’re the only ones on earth and he’s nothing less than mesmerized.

“I love you,” He blurts out. At first he’s embarrassed but she smiles wider and her nose crinkles with it. He wants to see it again. He says it again. “I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you!”

He starts shouting, twirling around gracefully on the railing and Marinette watches endearingly as her kitty proclaims his feelings proudly.

“I love you too,” She says, finally. He stops, leg mid-air and jumps down to her side.

“Do you mean it?”

“Of course I do!” She seems offended by his tone but it’s nothing too serious and they both lean into a hug, hands draped around each other while the only things closer to them were their clothes.. “I actually don’t remember a point where I didn’t…”

He blushes and pulls away slightly, words nearly getting caught up in his throat as he meets her eyes for the millionth time.

“Can I kiss you, princess?”

“Thank you for asking, but next time, know you don’t have to,” She says with a smug expression before pulling his face closer and closer until their lips meet.

#marichat au #adrienette au #marichat #adrienette #miraculous #plz read i love this #posted on ao3

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writtenonreceipts · 3 years

Note

Heya, absolutely love your writing!😍I was just wondering when you have the time and all, would you consider writing something about rowaelin where basically the same thing happens to Aelin as it did Lyria, but only modern au (Lyria never happened).

Thanks so much, it means a lot that you like my stuff! Thanks for the prompt. It kinda got away from me… I got in pretty deep with plot points and stuff, haha. Based on Characters from the Throne of Glass series.

Warning: don’t let the first half fool you, there’s gonna be tears and pain.

All My Love

It started at seven fifty-nine on a Friday night.

Rowan Whitethorn was hurrying through the City Park cursing at the crowds of people standing in his way. He should have remembered that the city tradition of open mike night at the gazebo by the waterfront would have made the park nearly impassible. But did people have to stand so close together?

He’d gotten of late from his at the police station and was a short walk away from his small apartment. Or what would have been short had the park not been infested with tourists and and locals alike.

The sun barely began its descent leaving the sky graced with gold and hues of pink. Heat from the record high day lingered, despite being so near the lake. Normally Rowan might enjoy the view, but there were too many people invading his space. At least he could be happy that he wasn’t assigned the shift to make sure things didn’t get out of hand.

He moved down the stone path that cut behind the gazebo and took a shortcut back to his apartment. As he dodged a running child, however, something caught his attention.

Actually, it was someone.

She stood in the center of the gazebo; her long and willowy limbs were leaning against a white piano while she laughed at something her companion said. Her long, golden hair swept down her back in soft waves. Even a distance he could tell she was beautiful. The woman patted her friend on the shoulder and moved to sit at the piano. And then she started to play.

The notes were slow, soft, gentle. A tune tumbling forth with careful measure. The song wasn’t one Rowan recognized, granted he knew next to nothing about music. Yet the longer Rowan listened the more entranced he became by the song. Slowly, he picked his way around the gazebo so he had a better angle on the woman as she played.

The sight was indescribable. In all honesty, it looked like the woman had become one with the music. She moved with each caress of the ivory keys as though she herself were dancing to the song. Her eyes shut softly and an easy smile moved across her sinful mouth.

It was glorious.

When the end of the song regretfully came, the park erupted into cheers and applause. A man came forward and began speaking into a microphone setup.

“The ever wonderful, Aelin Galathynius,” the man called out, his words were eaten by another round of applause.

Aelin. Aelin. Aelin.

She offered the crowd a dazzling smile as she politely declined to play another song. A small band replaced her, three guys and a rustic looking guitar.

Rowan watched as she descended the small steps to the gazebo. She greeted a few people with a wave or a pat on the shoulder. All too soon, in Rowan’s opinion at least, she was forgotten to the new beats of a guitar and low gravely notes of the singer on stage.

There was something about her that called to him. Rowan didn’t know what it was exactly, but his eyes easily tracked her as she moved up the path that led away from the gazebo and up a boardwalk that wrapped around the lake. Before he could think twice about what he was doing, Rowan followed her.

He caught up easily to her and his steps on the wooden planks caused her to turn around and meet his gaze. Her wide blue and gold eyes snagged him immediately and Rowan wouldn’t have minded drowning in them.

A slow smile slid on her lips as she eyed him. “Hello.”

She was confident. With that smile. With that word. With that stare. And Rowan found himself dumbfounded.

“You don’t usually play on open mike nights,” he said.

Aelin quirked an eyebrow. “You sound certain of that.”

“I would have remembered,” he replied.

She laughed and rolled her eyes as if his words didn’t mean anything. But Rowan noted the soft blush rising on her cheeks. She was flattered. Slightly uncomfortable, but that could have been from performing in front of a crown. Everything else about her welcomed his advances and Rowan took care to read each and every signal she sent him.

“Dorian forced me into it,” she said, “told me it would be good business for the shop.”

The way she casually referenced the mayor didn’t go unnoticed to Rowan, but he found himself more intrigued by the second part of her sentence.

“Shop?”

“Queen’s Place,” Aelin replied, “my bookshop. And where I teach piano lessons.”

Rowan found himself smiling at the image of her moving through a bookshop, of her sitting with children at a piano bench, at that smile brightening everyone’s day.

“I walk by it every day,” he said. He wasn’t lying, but to be honest he’d never given the shop a second glance. What a fool he’d been.

“Well, now you have a reason to actually come in.”

Waking up beside her was the one thing Rowan knew he would want to do for the rest of his life.

Curled on her side with her legs tangled in his sheets, Aelin slept soundly. Her hair was a mess and that was entirely his fault. As were the growing marks on her neck, her collar bone, lower, lower they descended.

Leaning up on an elbow, Rowan watched her sleep as the early gray light of morning filtered through his bedroom window. She didn’t stir. He watched the rise and fall of her chest, how her eyelids fluttered, and the slight pucker of her lips.

Those sinful lips.

Rowan reached a hand out and gently brushed her hair out of her face.

They hadn’t been together very long. Not when you considered how often Rowan worked and the fact that Aelin ran her own business. They were often like ships in the night. But each time they passed by Rowan was filled with inexplicable joy.

Aelin sighed softly and reached a hand out. Rowan captured her hand with his and brought her fingertips to his lips, kissing softly. A slow, lazy smile spread on Aelin’s mouth and she cracked an eye open.

“Are you watching me?” she asked.

“Naturally,” he said. He grinned as she scrunched her nose and grumbled. When she tried to regain her hand, he tightened his grip and pulled her closer to him.

Humming happily, Aelin tilted her head up to accept a kiss. A long, deep kiss to be sure.

“I love this,” she murmured against his lips.

“What?” he asked, his hands trailing down her bare sides.

“Waking up with you,” she said. She threaded her fingers in his hair as she pressed closer to him. “Mornings like this.”

It was the closest they’d ever come to admitting their feelings. Even though Rowan was certain he was in love with her. He had been from the moment he saw her in the gazebo playing the piano. He wanted to tell her of course. Wanted her to know. But he also knew what was keeping him from doing so.

His phone buzzed on the bedside table and Aelin cursed into his mouth. Rowan swallowed the word, absorbing the disappointment it held before pulling away to check the message.

“Work,” he said.

“I know.”

Rowan looked down at her with her eyes closed and hair a halo on the pillow. He wanted more than anything to make sure he’d always wake up beside her.

Maeve Valg was not the kind of person Rowan wanted to work for. It took him a long time before he figured out what it was about her that made him so uneasy. She was driven, dead strong, passionate--all good things. It took him entirely too long to see her cruelty, her pride, her bloodlust.

“All I’m saying Detective,” Maeve said as she leaned across his desk toward him, “is that your skills and specialties are remarkable. You’d make a difference to your country if you’d consider my offer.”

Rowan stared at the woman. She had to be in her mid to late thirties--and yet her long dark hair framed a youthful face, full red lips, and devilish eyes. This was the third time in as many months that Maeve had tried to recruit him for her independent security agency. Mostly because his former sergeant Gavriel--damn him--had recommended Rowan for the position.

“I’ll think about it,” Rowan lied.

In all honesty, right now was not a good time to even consider changing jobs. Not when there was a ring burning a hole in the side table of his dresser. Not when he’d spent the last four months convincing Aelin to move in with him. Not when he’d just left her side barely an hour ago and he was already craving her touch, her taste, everything about her.

It wasn’t until later that night when Rowan met Aelin at that fateful gazebo that he was finally able to push all thoughts of Maeve aside. When he was finally able to smile freely at the sight of her in a pale blue dress that clung to each and every one of her curves.

“Hey,” she said as he approached.

Whatever else she’d been about to say was cut off when he pulled her into a kiss. His mouth slanted almost urgently against hers and he couldn’t help the way his finger dug into her waist desperately.

“Hey,” he said when he finally pulled back.

Aelin grinned wickedly and he knew she was thinking about breaking into the nearest boathouse to continue that kiss. But all too suddenly her expression turned serious.

“What?” Rowan asked, heart stilling.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.

Rowan froze, terrified that she knew about the ring. “I don’t--”

“Lorcan told me about Maeve,” Aelin continued. She rested a hand on his cheek. “Rowan...that job sounds amazing.”

Blinking, Rowan fought against the rising panic in his gut. He really wanted to find Lorcan and beat his ass, but he was also concerned by what Aelin thought about it.

“I’m not taking it,” he said flatly.

Aelin scowled. “Yes you are. It’s higher pay for one. Better control over your work. Most of it sounds like a security detail.”

“I’m not taking it,” he repeated.

“Babe,” Aelin insisted, “it sounds like a great opportunity. Why not?”

Rowan shook his head and pulled away from her. This wasn’t how he wanted to do this. Not really. But with the sharpness to her eyes, the determined tilt of her chin--he had to do it.

“Because of you,” he whispered.

“Don’t,” Aelin said, “don’t put this on me.”

Rowan reached out automatically and grabbed her hands tightly in his. “It’s always been because of you.”

And then he was down on one knee while fumbling in his pocket for the ring.

Aelin gasped and whispered his name.

Rowan looked up at her, the ring in his fingers and tears brimming in his eyes. “I first saw you here. And I knew then and there that I was going to love you for the rest of my life. If you let me. Aelin Galathynius, will you marry me?”

She let out a small strangled noise that was a cross between a sob and something else that Rowan couldn’t decipher but the frantic bob of her head was enough for him to understand what the answer was.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she whispered.

Rowan slid the ring on her finger and his lips on her mouth.

When Rowan took the job he still wasn’t sure about it. But most of his friends were on the crew along with two kids who had just come back from Pakistan. They were given weeks on end together to learn how they could become a team.

Aelin liked to joke that Rowan had gained five work wives now. Rowan tried to tell her she was wrong but his words held no meaning. Not when five out of seven days a week any of the boys in the crew ended up sleeping on the Whitethorn-Galathynius couch. Usually Fenrys.

Unfortunately those nights grew few and far between as the year went on.

“How does Aelin feel about you spending your honeymoon with us?” Connall asked through an earpiece as they stood stationed around Senator Erawan’s reelection fundraiser.

Rowan could hear the grin in his voice.

“Yeah,” Fenrys added, “didn’t even have time to--”

“Stop talking.” It was Gavriel who spoke this time. Rowan could see him across the hall walking behind the Senator and his wife. “Especially about my niece.”

The twins cackled.

Rowan shook his head and contained a smile. As much as he’d been unsure about this job--it had given him some of the best friends he knew.

A gunshot rang out through the hall.

Immediately Rowan had his gun unholstered and turned to the source of the shot. Out of his peripheral vision he saw Gavriel and Vaughn cover the senator and his wife. Lorcan cursed over the comms.

“Lost him!”

“Got it,” Rowan replied. Up on the second floor, a glass balcony overlooked the rest of the hall and a shape darted out of eyesight. Running to the nearest stairwell, Rowan instructed his team on what he saw.

“Wait for backup,” Gavriel ordered, but Rowan was already gone.

He arrived home three days later to a royally pissed off Aelin.

Rowan knew it was bad when he walked into the kitchen to find three perfectly frosted chocolate cakes sitting out of the counter. One had strawberries lining the top, another almonds, and the third a chocolate cookie crumble. He was utterly screwed.

“Fireheart?” he called out hesitantly.

He heard the bathroom door shut down the hall and Aelin stalked toward him. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun and bright red splotches colored her cheeks. Tears rimmed her eyes.

“Baby,” Rowan said as he stepped toward her.

She shook her head and walked around him to the cakes. There was already a piece missing from the one with strawberries and she cut another piece off and flopped it on a plate.

“I am so mad at you,” she said as she stuffed a large bite in her mouth.

“I know,” Rowan replied.

“Fenrys told me what you did. Gavriel told you to wait and you went charging after the man.”

“I know.”

“You could have died.”

“I know.”

Aelin nearly broke the plate when she threw it down on the counter. Rowan stared into her brilliant eyes and waited for his next reprimand. “Stop saying that.”

“Alright, I’m sorry,” Rowan said quietly. He set his bag on the floor and crossed into the kitchen until he stood across from his wife. “We both knew what the job entailed. And I had to catch the man.

“I was terrified Ro,” Aelin whispered. She ran her fingers beneath her eyes and sniffed loudly. “We can’t lose you.”

“I know,” he said, moving so he stood just before her. He was going to say something else when Aelin’s words caught up to him. “We?”

Aelin let out a strangled laughing as fresh tears washed down her cheeks. She looked up into Rowan’s eyes, one hand going to her belly.

“We.”

Despite the chaos of his job and despite the chaos of his pregnant wife--Rowan Whitethorn knew that everything was going to work out in the end.

With Aelin being nearly eight months along, they’d decided together that it would be best to start over. For Rowan to leave his risky job behind and find something closer to home. They’d both spent weeks thinking about it, talking to each other, and they’d come to the same conclusion. They needed their family to stay together.

Of course, Maeve didn’t understand why Rowan would want to leave. Not that he could make her understand. Not that any of them could. Even the rest of the team had understood the decision. Rowan needed his family.

“Fine,” Maeve relented one day. She sat behind her desk looking absolutely bored one day. Running her hands over her desk she sighed. “I’ll let you go, Rowan. But I just need you for one more job.”

Rowan stiffened at the sheer pleasure in her eyes of what was to come. She tossed a folder at him. He opened it and frowned.

Archer Flynn.

A high end hooker for hire. Known especially for sleeping with Senator Erawan.

“I need him arrested,” Maeve said. She sounded as though she were requesting he buy lettuce from the store.

Rowan continued staring at the picture of the man. “I thought we were keeping an eye on Cairn.”

“Don’t worry about Cairn,” Maeve said. “Mr. Flynn is far more troublesome. Besides, Cairn is going to be taken care of.”

Rowan didn’t like the dismissive way that Maeve addressed him. Nor did he like the smile that rested on her lips.

“And just like that,” he said, “ you’ll let me end my contract?”

“Absolutely,” Maeve promised.

For some reason, Rowan believed her.

He left with Lorcan the following day, assuring Aelin everything would be alright. It was only an arrest after all.

When he and Lorcan found the apartment that was serving as Flynn’s hideout, Rowan should have known something was wrong.

The door was broken in, wood splintered across the floor. A pool of blood was rapidly growing beneath a form tied to a chair. Rowan and Lorcan rushed to room to the young Archer Flynn. His blonde hair was plastered over his brow with a mix of sweat and blood. The stab wounds in his legs and side were less than ideal. Looking at all the man’s injuries, Rowan knew there was nothing that could be done for him.

“I’ll call an ambulance,” Lorcan muttered while Rowan continued tending to Flynn’s wounds.

This wasn’t right. This couldn’t have been right.

When Flynn began to speak, Rowan almost thought it was the man’s dying breath.

“S’lied to me,” Flynn rasped, his words to muffled to understand, “to all of us.”

Rowan lifted the man's chin. “What are you talking about?”

“Cairn was always the problem child,” Flynn whispered. And then with a final breath--Flynn died.

Rowan let Flynn’s head fall. What the hell was going on?

His phone rang in his pocket but he ignored it.

“Lorcan, he’s dead,” Rowan called out. His phone continued ringing.

Lorcan reentered the room, phone pressed against his ear. The man’s dark eyes were wide and a frown deepened his already deep scowl.

“Lorcan?” Rowan asked.

Clearing his throat, Lorcan shook his head. “We gotta get back home.”

Rowan had never liked hospitals.

They were death traps in his opinion. Everyone he loved would always go in and never come back out. So for the first time in a very long time, he found himself praying. Praying that for once, he would be wrong. That for once, something good would come of the hospital. That for once, he wouldn’t be left alone.

“She was stabbed multiple times in the chest,” a doctor said, “they’re working on her now. But you need to prepare yourself.”

They baby. What about the baby?

The words never left his lips. He couldn’t bring them too. Or maybe he did say them and the doctor ignored him. Either way, Rowan’s mind was churning too much. Something had gone wrong.

“It was Cairn,” Gavriel said from beside him.

Rowan had no idea when the man showed up but he didn’t really care. He stared at a wall advertising things for sale and brochures for various recovery programs.

“He got to her somehow.”

Maeve was supposed to take care of the man. She’d said so. Rowan didn’t say the words aloud. They wouldn’t do much good. Because as much as a bitch Maeve was, there was no way she could have predicted this. No way she could have known that Aelin would be dying.

And where had Rowan been? Off doing a damn job that didn’t even need him.

It wasn’t until three o’clock in the morning that Rowan learned that his wife was dead. The baby too.

It wasn’t until three o’clock in the morning that Rowan allowed himself to cry. Silent tears.

It wasn’t until three o’clock in the morning that Rowan heard the snip-snip of heels across linoleum. Echoing through the halls.

“Oh, Rowan,” she crooned. “I am so, so sorry. You have to know I never imagined this to happen.”

“Do you know where he is?” Rowan asked.

Maeve’s brows shot in the air. “What?”

“Cairn,” Rowan repeated, “do you know where he is?”

A smile spread over Maeve’s cherry red lips. “I promise, I will help you find him. No matter what it takes.”

It wasn’t until three o’clock in the morning that Rowan said good-bye to his wife and made one final vow to her.

He would never forget.

as always, thanks for reading my dears!

tags: @tottenhamboys20 @morganofthewildfire @aelinchocolatelover @more-espresso-less-depresso-xx

#aelin and rowan #rowan whitethorn #rowaelin au #rowaelin fanfic #aelin galathynius #angst #pain #fanfiction #throne of glass #throne of glass fanfiction #empire of storms #queen of shadows #anon answered

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jemej3m · 4 years

Note

Listen bud, hunger games au, Andrews the mockingjay, Neil’s been captured by his dad aka the game maker

if you’re looking for an extended hunger games au @gluupor‘s on ao3 is my all-time favourite, but here’s a oneshot (are oneshots all i know how to do??)

Andrew doesn’t want to be here. The whole place is writhing with death and misery, but there’s a whole camera crew asking him to interact with these people, these men and women and children who are fighting and dying for an idealistic cause.

Andrew is not an empathetic person. Kevin says that doesn’t matter. Just the sight of him, with his Mockingjay pin, will be enough to inspire hope.

At least he’s here, shepherding Andrew around, doing all the talking. Nicky’s being all amicable too, crouched by overcrowded beds and talking nonsense. Aaron’s probably somewhere, being useful.

His team. His support. Coming out onto the front lines with him, because they genuinely believed that Andrew was going to change the world.

When Andrew volunteered in Aaron’s place, he didn’t think he’d ever see his family again.

Just goes to show: nothing is predictable. Not in a world like this.

Andrew beelines for the lonely kids, the ones without parents, shunted into the corner. There’s one with a stump instead of an arm, like Kevin, and one who was avoxxed in the raid, like Nicky’s boyfriend. They all learned sign language for him, so Andrew kneels on the floor and says hello.

The kid’s eyes light up when he realises Andrew can talk to him. The others get excited too, crowding around.

They ask him questions. He talks whilst he signs, keeping his voice low. He tells them what sunrise looks like from the capitol’s training tower, how to properly throw a knife, why you choosing your family is important, and protecting them even more so. Their eyes are as wide as saucers, drinking in every word. Andrew has always been good with kids.

He realises that the cameras have been trained on him and stops talking. The kids get sad, but then a nurse comes around to move Andrew along so that they can have their checkups. Andrew hoists himself up off the ground, ignoring his cousin as he comes closer. He has tears in his eyes.

“That was beautiful,” he says. “Neil would -”

“Shut up,” Andrew snaps, because there’s a lot of things he tries not to think about, and Neil is one of them.

His and Neil’s story is a long one. Andrew was in the 5th district, the fostered son of the mayor. He had a best friend, one he didn’t tell anyone about lest his older brother, Drake, discover how pretty Neil was. Neil’s mother was overprotective, hiding him away from the public eye, but together they would climb outside the district’s boundaries and play together in the woods.

Then Andrew met his biological family when Major Cass Spear was invited to the 12th district for diplomacy. He decided to stay. He was twelve at the time: he and Aaron entered the reapings that year. His cousin had three years left, but would never be voted in: he was also the son of a terrible mayor. When Nicky turned 18, Tilda died, his parents disowned him, and he looked after the twins for another 2 years before Aaron was reaped and Andrew took his place.

That year, a scrawny seventeen year old from the 2nd district, who wasn’t a career tribute, volunteered himself. It wasn’t until Andrew had met all the tributes in the capitol that he realised who that kid was: Neil, his childhood best friend, who was fulfilling an old promise of protection.

Andrew had hated him quite a bit for it: only one of them was meant to escape the arena. There were bets placed on how soon Andrew would kill him and how. None of them knew the truth. None of them knew that Andrew would rather die than kill Neil.

So, in the end, when it’d just been the two of them, they swore a truce. They fought against the capitol’s attempts at whittling them down till the capitol gave up. Andrew thought they’d beat the system: it took him a hellish victory tour, another trip back to the arena and losing Neil to the capitol to know that wasn’t true.

Neil. Neil, Neil, Neil. The other reason Andrew doesn’t want to be here. Neil’s back in district 13, recovering from his weeks spent being tortured at the capitol’s hands. The rebels weren’t given the chance to grab him before the capitol snatched him away. Andrew had paced grooves into the ground during his absence.

And when he came back? Well, Andrew would’ve rathered that Neil forgot him entirely. Instead they - his father, his worst nightmare and most talented gamemaker in the capitol - had turned Neil against him. Made him loathe Andrew with every fibre of his being. Enough so that he’d tried to strangle Andrew when they’d first been reunited.

He is better now, but still avoiding Andrew at every possible junction. Andrew inexplicably still wants to stay by his side. Abby says his memory will return with time. Andrew will just have to wait.

Nicky’s eyes go wide. “I thought you were going to sort things out with him -”

But then Kevin is yelling, sirens are wailing. The hospital begins to dissolve into panic. Andrew only has to hear someone yell “Bombs!” to understand, being directed out of the building. Someone’s trying to set up artillery to shoot them down. It’s too late. Andrew’s lot makes it out, but only a handful of patients are able to stumble out after them before the building explodes. Andrew looks over his shoulder as they’re running towards where their helicopter is descending. The warehouse structure has collapsed inwards. Those who hadn’t died in the explosion are being torn apart by shrapnel and debris. All those kids. Gone.

“Turn the camera on,” he murmurs, holding out his hands. The bomber planes aren’t turning around, but there’s a second fleet of carrier craft behind them, bringing peacekeepers by the dozen.

“Andrew,” Aaron says, stricken. The camera’s red light is already flashing.

“This is what you get for remaining neutral,” Andrew spat out, flinging a pointed hand behind him at the burning hospital. “Massacred. Think about that next time you assume the capitol will be on your side.”

He’s facing away from the carnage. It’s the only reason that he doesn’t see the peacekeeper aim and fire. He doesn’t even realise he’s been shot until the rest of him start screaming.

By then it’s too late: he’s falling, falling into darkness, wishing that he’d never involved himself in this stupid rebellion in the first place.

He blinks awake and stares at the ceiling. District thirteen, being a burner district, doesn’t have many variations in its ceilings, but Andrew knows this one all too well.

He’s in the hospital.

His hands go to his arms: the armbands are still there, but they’re rolled down and his knives are gone. There’s a morphine drip in his left elbow and fluids in his right. He can barely feel his body.

“I have your knives,” says a familiar voice. Andrew has to be dreaming.

Neil’s appearance has always fluctuated: when they’d first met, his hair had been black and his eyes natural blue. During the games he’d started off with brown hair and brown eyes, but a lack of resources meant that he’d ended up forgoing the contacts and letting his roots grow out. He’d forgone the brown eyes but kept up with the dye till the second games, which hadn’t lasted long enough for any major changes.

Now he is fully and unequivocally Nathaniel Wesniniski, son of Nathan, scarring on his cheeks, arms and torso telling a narrative that is a hard-won fight. Nathan and his lackey Lola had both been killed brutally in Neil’s rescue. Andrew is glad.

“Hey,” Neil says, when Andrew isn’t exactly forthcoming. “How are you faring?”

“You’re not here to finish the job?”

Neil’s lips quirk. “Drama queen. Your suit was fitted with kelvar: there’s a lot of bruising, but you’ll be fine in a week.”

Andrew drops his head back down onto his pillow. “Dammit.”

Neil snorts. He’s in a good mood. Andrew can tell he’s still on edge, but he was always a paranoid kid. It’s not going to take some genial bedside manner to undo everything his father did.

“I know that everything they told me was fake,” he says, looking at the knives in his hands. “I have always been a jumble of identities and false pretences. This shouldn’t be news to you.”

Andrew just hums. He can’t even wiggle his toes. How the hell did they had stuff this strong down here? They were all eating onion slop rations but had morphine good enough to even send Dan into a spiral.

“I gave this knife to you,” Neil continues, holding up a sleek blade. Matte black. Andrew’s sharpest blade and perfectly weighted for throwing. “This was my mother’s. You must have been very special to me if I gave you this.”

“I hate you,” Andrew says.

“Are you sure?” Neil asks. “Because I’m not.”

Andrew just huffs.

“I remember...” he hesitates. “I remember us. Together. In your district 12 victory house, after the tour...then again, in the tower before the 75th games.”

Andrew stares at the wall opposite him. He really doesn’t want to have this conversation. “It didn’t mean anything.”

“I think it did,” Neil says, softspoken. He’s never soft-spoken. “My father - he couldn’t create new memories. He could only twist old ones. For me to hate you as much as I did, I must have really...You know. Lo-”

“Don’t,” Andrew says, because this a war and if he hears something like that fate will go against him. “I’m not your answer, Neil.”

Neil shrugs. “Okay.” Then, with methodical precision, he checks Andrew’s vitals, removes the needles and rolls up his bands. Then he slides the knives in place, fingertips briefly brushing over Andrew’s skin. Andrew, for some reason, lets him.

“Your last morphine dose was seven hours ago,” Neil says, settling back into his chair. “It’ll wear off soon. You were asleep for nearly 2 days, did you know? Aaron says the bruising is horrific. You probably won’t be able to move for another 3 days. But hey, at least all the districts are in revolt now. You getting shot on camera actually helped the cause...”

He chatters innocuously. Andrew listens. Neil’s still nervous, still schooling his bodily reactions of hatred and disgust, but he’s here anyway. Distracting Andrew from his own snare of a mind.

Maybe there’s goodness in this terrible, terrible world.

Maybe Andrew can have it.

He’ll just have to live long enough to find out.

yeehawwww

#andreil #hunger games au #andrew minyard #neil josten #tw: canon typical violence #andrew is good with kids fight me #is that??? a love confession??????#all for the game

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