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#and to make things worse i was already bad bc of the gloves i wear at work feeling like they were becoming one w my skin
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Thinking so hard about William decaying btw.
Under a cut bc I started saying words and didn’t stop. Tw for discussion of body horror n gore n stuff ig. He is decaying.
His digestive system doesn’t work, he can’t eat because it’ll make him sick because it doesn’t digest. He doesn’t tell the others about this, he just refuses to eat because he physically can’t.
His body won’t let him sleep because if he’s already dead there’s no use. Body does not regulate hormones well enough to allow him to sleep, there’s no production of melatonin or anything. He doesn’t produce saliva it’s hard to swallow because his mouth is always dry. He’s moodier and more irritable (bc again no hormone regulations).
When he bleeds it’s… not like normal blood it’s old it’s not fresh this is not blood that should come from a regular person. It’s darker, it’s thicker, it’s almost like syrup. His heartbeat is… it still *beats* but it’s very weak, very slow, it might as well not beat at all.
It’s hard for him to move because his muscles are very, very stiff, a lot less motor control because of it. His body doesn’t have enough energy to move so it’s very hard some days, especially when he can’t eat or sleep to make up for that lack of energy. He “wakes up” (decides it’s an acceptable time to stop laying in bed) in a state of rigor mortis that is so hard to shake from and is incredibly painful.
But even so he can barely feel pain, it’s very dull. All his senses are dulled. It’s as if he’s underwater. No sense of smell or taste. His ears are constantly ringing. His vision is a lot blurrier than before, touch receptors are very muted. Someone touches him and he can barely feel it unless they try to hurt him.
His thoughts are so muddled all the time it’s hard to think because he’s so exhausted, his in so much pain (but it doesn’t actually hurt) and he’s trying so hard to navigate in a world where one wrong thing will make him fall apart. And he can barely think. His memory is so much worse, it was the one thing he had going for him and he can’t even do that. He can barely write bc muscle and motor control are very bad so he can’t take notes to remember.
He’s just ghosting this world with a fuzzy feeling inside him, like a soft apple, because everything is falling apart. I think his skin is so sickly colored, he doesn’t produce body heat, it’s like touching wax. I think liver mortis happens to him a lot (blood pooling in places) bc his heart is beating so slowly and so weakly it barely does anything so it’s so uncomfortable.
His skin is easy to pull from the bone, not off, bc it’s still a bit difficult to rip. But it’s stretchier for sure bc nothing is connected right anymore. Connective tissue is decaying, not enough energy in bodies for muscle contraction so cells are eating away at themselves to try and conserve energy. Etc.
His bones are also falling apart, specifically his joints bc again connective tissue is decaying. His shoulders and elbows dislocate and he can barely put them back into place, walking will throw his hip out. I cannot stop thinking about his jaw falling apart like Eben Byers, idk why his jaw would be a notable source of decay, but it’s a disgusting sight that he tries to hide as best he can.
He won’t wear anything besides long sleeves and pants because he’s trying to hide the patches where his skin has started to mold and decay. He wears gloves to hide the blue/purple color of his fingers bc there’s no circulation and he stood in one position for too long so the blood started to pool and never… fixed itself.
He was unpleasant to touch before bc of how cold he is, now it’s even worse. The others won’t touch him because both it’s… really scary and gross… and they’re so scared of making it worse. Dakota is so physically affectionate with people but he… doesn’t with William anymore. It’s so painfully isolating because they treat him different, they notice he’s decaying and they act different.
William is so… isolated… he’s falling apart at the seams and there’s no support because everyone will treat him weirdly or like a fragile thing. Sure he’s fragile but he doesn’t want to be treated that way. With people skirting around touching him because it’s… he’s just a corpse no one wants to touch that, or talking to him differently.
And I think that’s the worst part about the entire situation. Everyone treats him differently. They’re weird about it, everyone is weird about it for understandable reasons bc who the hell is gonna know how approach that kind of situation. It still hurts though.
He’s so cold and he misses those nights that he would cuddle up with Dakota because Dakota is warm and loves to cuddle. That doesn’t happen anymore. He misses it.
William is so touch starved and lonely, he isolated himself so much more because he wouldn’t dare subject someone to the hell that is his body. Because he’s falling apart, he’s decaying, it’s gross. And the loneliness is almost the worst part.
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iamanartichoke · 3 years
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... All right, let’s do this. 
Under the cut bc there’s SO MANY images, and I’m sorry, and I know the cut is worthless to mobile users but, well, here we are. Please don’t unfollow me for this post specifically. 
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^^ I can’t decide if this woman holding the Tesseract is impressive or not bc, I mean, she’s wearing a glove - but, Red Skull probably was, too? Also the TVA are obviously not humans, so “impressive” may be generous. On the other hand, “only beings of enormous power” can wield the Tesseract/infinity stones, so. 
Loki looks pissed. 
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“I know what this place is.” I like this, bc it provides us with some narrative evidence that Loki has always known much more about the universe and How Things Work than anyone cared to realize. Loki’s always known what’s going on; that he isn’t ignorant to the existence or inner functions of the TVA feels in-character. 
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Inception! 
Lokiception! 
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Why does every shot of the TVA’s headquarters look like the inside of a poorly-lit DMV? Though I guess it fits with the “timelessness” of it all as, after all, time ceases to exist or have meaning once you enter the DMV. 
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But I digress. 
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I’ve already remarked on the “I’m smart” comment, but I do like this shot. 
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I really love what Loki’s hair is doing here, I don’t even care. For better or for worse, his hair’s doing it’s own all-natural thing and I dig it. Let it move, let it dance, let it fall into his face and obscure his features as fanfic has allowed so many times. 
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I’m not a fan of the exaggerated jump or “wtf” expression along with “this is absurd” but THIS moment? Classic Loki. He looks 500% done and we’re only 51 seconds in. Also, I refuse to believe that stack of papers is everything Loki’s ever said. I know we all complained about the “you love to talk” line but, I mean, certainly he’s said more than approximately the total sum of Ulysses in his 1000 years of existence. 
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Here’s what I want to know: 
1. How does Loki taking the Tesseract result in so many new timeline branches? Surely he’s only responsible for one new timeline? I really, really hope they address that this is all the Avengers’ fault. 
2. What timeline is WandaVision and TFatWS taking place in? The main one, I presume? How do we know it’s not one of these alternate ones? 
3. Which timeline is Agents of SHIELD in and will they be addressed? Bc they got up to all kinds of Time Shenanigans in seasons 5, 6, and 7 to the point where I’m pretty sure they split off into their own universe (which is why they weren’t affected by the Snap or that whole thing, or so I’ve heard). If Loki crosses paths with Coulson & crew, I may pee my pants.
4. So where does Jessica Jo - ah, forget it, I’m not even going to ask. 
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I wonder what it is about this “unique Loki perspective” that Mobius is interested in recruiting. (Incidentally, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Owen Wilson in, like, a real role - wherein he’s not playing some version of Owen Wilson, that is. He’s got a costume and everything here. Fun to see!) 
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This is a bamf shot, okay. The way it’s framed is pretty intimidating. 
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“You listen well, brother -” 
“I’m listening.” 
^^ I figured out what kind of energy this moment has, lmao. 
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“It’s adorable that you think you can manipulate me.” I mean, do I even have to comment? I am here for narratively validating the “Loki is ten steps ahead” (heh, and I quote) canon. Here’s another place where I feel like Tom was involved, since I’m pretty sure that somewhere, he’s literally said “Loki’s always ten steps ahead of everyone else.” 
That said, I’m not crazy about the delivery of this line; the over-confident tone of it smacks of “here’s someone about to get knocked the fuck off their pedestal” and I’m not here for that. 
That said, these next scenes - 
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- not only show Loki with the upper hand but, also, it’s clear that Loki goes rogue at some point, possibly early on, and I do like that. Drag me if you will, but I want to see Loki scheming and being manipulative, in his own interests. 
I think that Loki being the protagonist will allow them to portray his manipulation in a way that the audience is on his side. I don’t think that the TVA is being framed as the “reliable narrator” through which the audience should view Loki, or “good guys” at all; I think that maybe they’re not evil, but there’s probably a lot of morally-grey shenanigans and goings-on. 
I also think Loki is capable of outwitting them; Loki, being ten steps ahead, has probably figured out something that the TVA has not even thought of yet, so he’s going to fix things his own way, according to his own plan. And I want to see that, because I think that this will give the narrative room to really explore both how Loki thinks and what he does when his plans go awry (as I’m sure they’re bound to do); like, how will he fix it and still remain on top in the end?
So, I mean, I’m pretty intrigued (and still cautiously optimistic). 
Lots of action shots happening, I won’t add even more images to this post, but this magic is still giving me life. 
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What is this, a food court? (Speaking of which , what’s up with all the action in the mall earlier?) 
“I’ve studied almost every moment of your life” 
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(^^ Missed opportunity)
“and you’ve literally stabbed people in the back like 50 times.” 
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Receipts or it didn’t happen, and that’s all I’m gonna say about that line right now. 
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Thanks, I hate it. This is all wrong, this whole thing - just awful, scrap it, toss it out. Tom, I love you, but this was the wrong delivery and an all-around bad acting decision. It’s too over-the-top, too earnestly “well I never!”, too comical (as in, feels like it belongs in a comic with a speech bubble as opposed to funny). 
Once more, with feeling. From the top! 
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I like that we get to see Loki doing a wardrobe change, as I don’t think we’ve gotten to see that before. He always just shows up in a new outfit or illusions one on. 
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That’s one ugly ass outfit, but you make it look passable, Loki. You’re beautiful, in case no one’s told you that today. 
The remaining shots are very visually pleasing and action-y and I dig them, except the volcano one (stop posing with your arms outstretched every five seconds, Loki, it’s kinda cringe. In the above still, it works; in front of a volcano, it’s just tonally off. I say this with love, don’t @ me). 
Overall, I think I maintain my 7/10 rating. I think that the trailer hints at a lot of potential in the story that I will enjoy seeing, and I think that the nature of it being a trailer means that it’s a little tonally hyperbolic (this is kinda the format for Disney shit; show the flashy bits, the funny (”funny”) bits, to draw in the casual viewer. Save the story bits for the show. (Case in point: there’s a lot of great material in TFatWS that happened just before or after the one-liners shown in the trailer.) 
So, yes. Sorry this is such a mammoth post, I just needed to explode my feels. If you think the trailer’s awesome, kudos and I love you. If you’re disappointed and upset, I’m sorry and I love you. If you’re hovering in the middle, still in cautiously optimistic territory, pull up a seat and have some popcorn with me. 
That is all. 
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gingerale2017 · 2 years
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Karaoke Night
A/N: Ya’ll. So I wrote this on FEBRUARY 18 and I’ve grown since then so if it’s cringy it’s because it’s old (I was 13 👧🏽) I also changed it a bit bc it was too bad.
So enjoy ig :)
A/N (old): Time for our favorite android and guard ship to take the spotlight. In other words Kiko. (Stars Above and Wires and Nerve spoilers)
Cinder and Kai were fighting. Everybody near them could see it and feel it. And it was bringing everybody down. How could other couples be able to manage correctly if the perfect ship was fighting? Cinder and Kai fighting does not make sense; it doesn't click. And how did Iko miss this? She was with them all day yesterday, and they seemed fine. Iko just knew one thing for sure; this was not ok.
The perfect couple was sitting opposite each other in Scarlet's living room. It was Winter's birthday yesterday, and they all decided to celebrate here in France. Cinder had a hand on her forehead as if she had a headache, and Kai talked to Cress. What could they possibly be fighting? Watching them give each other glares just ripped Iko to shreds. Her OTP could NOT be fighting. Then as if things could get any worse, a person walked in.
"Good morning, everyone." Kinney was sporting a smirk on his annoyingly handsome face and annoyingly perfect hair. Seriously, read the room!
"Ugh, no, go away, " she groaned, "I don't feel like dealing with you today."
"Well, I'm stuck here, so you have to."
"Go steal Scars pod or something."
"I do not want to steal the scary woman's pod, Iko; that would be my death."
"Well, I would be laughing at your funeral, by the way."
"It's great to know that you care so much about me."
"Just get together already." Someone whispered. Iko jumped and put a hand to her heart. Cress had appeared out of nowhere, scaring the daylights out of her.
"Cress, you scared me," Iko whispered.
"Seriously, watching you two banter like an old married couple but not together is just as bad as Cinder and Kai fighting," Cress whispered back.
"I would never, ever, ever, ever, ever, date Mr. Perfect-Hair." Iko shot. Cress raised an eyebrow.
"Okay..., " she made a face, "so what do you know about the ‘Royal Couple’? Please give me all the details. What, why, when, who, and how?"
"I'm just as clueless as you are," Iko sighed, "they seemed fine last night."
"That's Cinder and Kai for ya."
"Yep." Iko looked at everyone in the room. Winter was wearing the clothes that Scarlet bought her and the jewelry that Iko stole from Cinder. Not that she'll ever know. Her hair was in a bun and was messy in an appealing way. She was talking with Jacin, and he would crack a smile here and there, which was the weirdest thing Iko has ever seen. She moved to Scarlet and Wolf. Scarlet had her hood overhead and was in between Wolf's legs on the floor. She was staring at Kai, like trying to figure out a puzzle, while Wolf just ate a tomato. Cress peeped from behind Iko, making her spin around, only to see that Thorne surprised her, and now they were kissing. 
As for her best-friend and the Emperor, they still hated each other. What the hell happened?!
"All right, what happened between you two," as if she read Iko's mind, Scarlet stood up from her position and pointed at Cinder and Kai, "last night, you guys acting like the happy, engaged couple you are, and today, you are acting like you broke up!"
Iko gasped. That has never crossed her mind before. If they broke up, there would be no will for Iko to live.
"Of course, we didn't break up," Kai said. Iko let out a breath of relief.
"Wheres the ring," She gasped again. It was like a horror movie.
"Metal hand" Cinder lifted her gloved hand, then took off the glove dramatically, revealing a red ruby. Iko sighed. 
"So why are you two fighting," Scarlet pried.
"I dunno, ask Cinder," Kai answered, with a look at Cinder. Iko raised an eyebrow, "she's the one who started all this."
"Just because I can make my own decisions does not mean that they are bad ones." Wow, Cinder looked mad. Iko kind of felt bad for Kai, but he didn't even flinch. It was pretty obvious he'd seen all of this before.
"I never said it was bad, and I just wish you told me before-"
"There you go again. You don't need to know what's going on in my life!"
"- you told everyone!"
"All right, ALL RIGHT!" Thorne yelled, stepping in between the bickering couple. All three of them were on their feet. "You know what you need. A party!"
"We just had one, smartass," Cinder said. She was still scowling and was rubbing her head again.
"No, not like a birthday party, but a crazy one where everyone gets drunk. Iko, you can be our designated driver" He winked at Iko. "Wait, scratch that. We can sing karaoke! And get drunk! YES! Meet Cress and me back at the Rampion at 6, all right? Let's go, Cress." 
He said all of this so fast that Iko needed a minute to process. "I don't compute."
Thorne rolled his eyes, "Karaoke night. 6 pm. Rampion." Then he left, dragging a wide-eyed Cress out of the house. 
"Now, what are we going to do?" Jacin asked, looking bored.
"I dunno," said Scarlet, "I guess we wait until 6."
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"Welcome aboard the most amazing space ship of all time, THE RAMPION!" Thorne exclaimed to no one in particular, "Tonight will be the best karaoke night in your life! Come in, come in."
Scarlet looked around, "Is he talking to me?" Iko nodded, "Thanks, I guess. What are you guys singing?"
"I'm going to sing from this pop singer from the second era, I think. But the person was one of the few people in the world to nail the high keys. I hope I can do it. Hey Iko, wanna do a duet?" Cress walked out to greet them, but her eyes were glued to her port as she rambled on about the pop singer.
"Duh, what do I get to sing!" Iko didn't prep for anything, but she could always read the lyrics in her head.
"The rap. The song is pretty easy, but the rap part is fast. Other than that, it's going to be so much fun!"
"Yay!" She went up to hug the tiny human. Then Cress started laughing, and then they were in fits not even a second after.
"Well, I'm going to sing 'Langue' by Aline Martin. She's a French singer and started blowing up a few months back. I love her songs." Scarlet beamed from behind the girls. 
Wolf threw an arm around her as they walked into the ship, "I'm sure you'll do great, Scar."
"It's my favorite song. I know it word for word. I'll do fine."
"Jacin-love and I are doing a duet. At least, I was hoping to, right Jacin." Winter winked, bumping his elbow with hers. He only grunted in response.
"Has anybody seen Cinder," Iko whipped her head to see Kai focused on his port. He looked for answers, and there was a nod from Thorne and Cress.
"She's already inside."
"Wha- of course, she is," he grumbled as he made his way up the ramp, not bothering to say hello to anyone. 
"Does anyone know what's going on with the pair?" Scarlet asked. She received shrugs from everyone except Kinney.
"Selene wanted to take a trip back to Luna, to, you know, check up and see how things are going, and made plans and everything, but never bothered to tell Kai until last minute. She surprised everyone with this. But it should be fine if she is only going for a week. Well, it's a month-long trip, and as you can see, the emperor is very pissed." Kinney said as-a-matter-of-factly. Iko was sure if he had glasses, he would slide them up to his perfect, symmetric nose. Wait, no, she meant ugly, misshapen, weird, annoying, terrible, ideal nose.
"Wow. Tha- what- wait- huh?" Thorne scratched his head, "That doesn't make any sense. Cinder tells Kai everything!"
"Not a month-long trip to Luna," Scarlet cut in, "But wait, how do you know this in the first place?" Yes, how did he know this and not Iko? But wait.
"And this happened last night?!" Iko put a hand to her mouth, "Wait, she was on a meeting with the world leaders last night?! I didn't even prep her. She probably looked disgusting!"
"No, she told the world leaders that morning, leaving out Kai, and then broke the news to him as they were getting ready for bed." He rolled his eyes like it was obvious, "Did nobody hear their yelling? I couldn't sleep because of it." Silence. Iko was charging, so she couldn't possibly hear anything. According to Cress, Thorne snored loudly, so it would probably be hard for the night owl (Cress) to listen to them. The rest were inside the house.
"Huh. Interesting. Okay, guys, don't say a word about this; let them figure it out, and NO MEDDLING! I'm talking to you, Iko. And you, Thorne. And Cress, don't help them. After all, nobody likes a meddler," Scarlet drawled, "We are going to have fun and pretend like we didn't hear Kinney say anything. If this were any other couple, I would have said 'we need a plan STAT,' but this is Cinder and Kai, AKA the lunar cyborg ex-Queen of Luna and the Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth, and they could whip our asses with words faster than you can say Benoit Farms and Gardens. Not only that, but we could also go to jail. So, what are we NOT going to do?"
"Meddle," everyone grumbled. Or was it just Iko. She felt like fixing this heavenly ship was the task she needed to fulfill, but Scarlet's gun looks very shiny in her waistband, and Iko didn't feel like going to repair her skin the 3rd time this month. She inwardly cursed the wolf mutants. They ALWAYS put up a fight!
"Now, can we embarrass each other and sing and get drunk?" Thorne asked.
"Yes. Yes, we can." Scarlet allowed everyone inside.
"Ah hello, Selene-cousin, and Kai-friend!" Winter said as she spotted the couple. Cinder was sitting in the captain's seat of the cockpit, with her legs up and staring at the ceiling. She waved at Winter, not bothering to look her way. Meanwhile, Kai was fiddling with his shirt's cuffs frustratingly and was as far away from Cinder as possible. Watching them like this physically hurt Iko. She just wanted to give them both a good whack on the head. Kai looked in Winter's direction and nodded. 
"So," Thorne said, breaking the awkward yet tension-filled silence, "We ready to start singing!"
"Ooh yes, I wanna go first!" Cress glided towards the table in the cockpit, where a microphone and speakers were waiting for the first contestant. Cress used the strategically placed steps under the table to help her get on top of the table. When she got to the middle, she took the microphone and motioned to someone behind Iko to do something. Then she tapped the microphone, and the speakers behind her came to life with a slight tap. "There we go!" 
Cress grabbed her port started to tap on it. The speakers played a little melody, and Cress did a little shake in victory. Then she tapped some more, and an ad played from the speakers. Loudly. Everyone covered their ears, not ready for the loudness, and Cress apologized many times, over and over again. Then, when the ad finished, she tapped the screen before any music could play and smiled.
"Hey, guys! I'm going to sing a song by a famous second-era singer called Ariana Grande! And I will also-"
"WAIT!" Thorne came running in with a tray full of tiny glasses with clear liquid, "New rule, every time someone sings, they have to take a shot."
"No, wait a minute, I'm not goi-" Cinder began.
"Hey, I said we were going to sing and get drunk, right? So, we are going to sing and get drunk." Thorne smiled.
"Well, don't let Cress go first!" Scarlet argued.
"Good point," he set the tray on the table and climbed up. He took the microphone from Cress and cleared his throat, "I'll go first. Cress, you know what to play."
After tapping and swiping a few times, Cress smiled and hopped down from the table. She pressed the port again and gave a thumbs up to Thorne.
"You guys ready?" Asked Thorne.
"Why are we here again?"
"Let's begin" he nodded to Cress. Upbeat music started playing, and he started dancing. Badly. Iko burst out laughing as Thorne waved his hands dramatically. Cress leaned on Iko's shoulder, shaking from laughter. Then the singing started, which was ten times worse. Cress doubled over, bringing Iko down with her. Practically everyone was laughing now. Iko looked at Cinder, who looked like she was embarrassed for Thorne, but with a smile on her lips. Kai, on the other, had a hand up to his face and was laughing into it. Maybe, just maybe, they would sit next to each other and laugh about Thorne. And kiss. And everything would alright.
The music came to a stop, and so did Thorne's horrific voice. He bent down to grab one of the tiny glasses and drank it all in one fell swoop. He shook his head and then jumped down, handing the mic to Scarlet.
"I nominate you next, mademoiselle," said Thorne with a wink, "Get up on the stage. Make me proud."
"It's madame, now," Scarlet spat, grabbing the mic, "Besides, we don't say that anymore." She got on top of the 'stage' and put the mic onto the stand. "Hey, Cress?"
"Hmm?"
"Can you put 'Langue' by Aline Martin?"
"Sure, but isn't that in french?"
"Yeah, but who cares."
"Ok," Cress tapped onto the screen once again. She tapped the screen once, and soft music started playing.
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It was 10:00 pm now, and almost everyone was drunk. Which meant virtually everyone sang except for the bickering couple that hated each other. Which, to Iko, felt like she was being stabbed by burning knives, melting her inner core, and ripping it all apart, and burning the remains. Other than them, Iko and Kinney weren't drunk either. Iko couldn't drink, and Kinney refused to. 
Then, something miraculous happened. Kai walked over to Cinder, whispering something into her ear. She nodded and left with Kai into a room. Iko's eyes widened, and she went to follow, but someone grabbed her arm. 
"Wha-," Iko realized who it was, "Oh. You. Let me go."
"You know what Scarlet said, no meddling." Said Kinney.
"But she's drunk. Besides, I'm only going to listen, not meddle."
"But," Kinney stopped, lost for words, "fine, but I'm coming with."
"Why, to make sure I don't do anything stupid?"
"No, I'm curious."
"Oh. Ok, let's go" Iko and Kinney went to the room where Cinder and Kai entered but didn't press the button to open the door. Iko raised her inner volume while canceling Wolf's and Scarlet's bad singing out. 
"I didn't mean it that way!" said a hushed voice from inside. It sounded like Cinder.
"Well, that's how I heard it!" another voice responded. Kai.
"Well, sorry that your mind chose to hear my words a different way than intended," said Cinder sarcastically. Kai huffed. Then everything went silent. Iko pressed her ear to the door harder as if that would help her hear better. 
Something tapped her shoulder. "What are they saying?" whispered Kinney. She shushed him and continued to listen.
"I don't hear anything," Iko sighed, giving up. She lifted her ear from the door and looked at Kinney, "Do you think this is it?"
He shook his head. "The ambassador and the emperor are great for each other; even if they don't know it themselves, they'll be fine."
"But what if they're not? What if this is the worst fight they ever had, and they break up because of it, leaving them loveless and sad forever? What if-" Kinney put a hand to her mouth and hugged her. It was so unexpected that Iko gasped. 
"It's their first fight. There are many, many, more to come, and they will get past it. They love each other more than anything else in the world, and moon, heck, even more than themselves! And if they do, they have you to lean on because look how much you care and love them.”
"But-"
"Shhh," Kinney said, stroking her hair, "I'm surprised Cinder hasn't caught us yet. She has super hearing skills, too, you know."
"I know." Iko pulled away from Kinney's calming grasp. Then she patted his chest and smiled up at him, "Thanks for that. I was freaking out a bit, you know." He smirked.
"Well, I guess we should go back before the drunk people do something stupid."
"I think it's too late for that."
"Whatever. And, um, I think you're right. Everything is going to be okay. Cinder and Kai will get married, have ten children, five dogs, seven hamsters, and three cats." He laughed, "I'm going to go sing now. Bye," She blew a kiss and walked towards the cockpit. 
"IKO!" She paused in her steps and slowly turned around, her squeezed shut. "Were you listening to us the whole time!" Iko opened one eye and found a scowling Cinder with arms crossed around her chest, glaring at her. Kai stood at the doorway of the room, trying not to smile.
"No?" Iko looked to Kinney for help. 
"It's true, Sele- Cinder, she wasn't eavesdropping." Kinney stopped Cinder before she could say anything else.
"Are you sure?" Cinder raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, positive."
"Okay," She turned around curtly. Something on her face must've been enough for Kai to smile devilishly. She pushed Kai into the room, slamming the doors shut in Kinney's face, leaving them both confused about what just happened. 
"I think they're fine," Kinney said after a moment of both of them standing there. 
"Yeah, me too," Iko scratched the back of her head, "Well, I'm going to sing now. Hopefully, no one stops me this time."
"Right behind you.”
"You're going to sing?" She asked, bewildered.
"No, I'm going to watch."
"Okay. I won't disappoint."
"I believe it." Iko felt a strange feeling wash over her when Kinney flashed a grin. She began to smile as she made her way to the stage subconsciously. She sang, then she danced, then she sang some more. When Cinder and Kai finally came out of the room, they were both smiling like crazy, making Thorne and Scarlet whoop loudly. Iko smiled again because everything was once again okay for them. But not for Iko. 
She was 95% sure that she might be crushing on Kinney a bit. And she was 95% sure that he felt the same way back. Not sure what this meant, she took a break from the singing and dancing and sat down. What did this mean? What, where, when, who, and how? Iko sighed. Whatever, she'll figure this out in the morning. Now was the time to celebrate her OTP! But she was now distracted by the handsome figure who cheered her on. Maybe, someday, in the future, they could be an item. Maybe they could make it work, her being an android and stuff. Maybe they would fall in love and have a whirlwind romance.
Maybe…
A/N: Oh my STARS I tried my best to not change it but AGHH I left most of it untouched. If you want to see my embarrassing writing, go on Wattpad, I can’t stop you. Just don’t tell me…
Tagging: @just2bubbly @briggycat @cinderswrench @dt-everwoods @fiascore @greenalmond @greasicookies @impossiblesuitcase @kaider-is-my-otp @kaiderforever @not-the-founder-of-rome @rapunzelfromthemoon @winterrhayle @zephyr-thedragon @cindersassasin @anyone else :))) (ask if you want to be added or removed <3)
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I LOVE LOVE LOVE YOUR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST IDEA. But may I also propose: Magnus cursed from a young age (probably bc of Asmodeus) that anyone who touches him is hurt by a blast of magic he can't control. (This may result in his mother's death). He locks himself away of his own will. Alec teaches then that it's fear that makes him lash out. Featuring: touch starved Magnus.
this idea is GENIUS actually and i love it. tbh me and my friend have a similar idea that we talk to each other about (lol) but it isn't a B&B thing, its more of an adventure AU. anyway, lets go!
so in this universe i guess magnus banished asmodeus like in the original sh verse but asmodeus cursed him with the "everyone you touch will be in indescribable pain" thing. maybe just as revenge, maybe to try and use it as bargaining chip because okay magnus, is it freedom that u want? u want to be able to have ur own friends and ur own life? fine. get me back, and ill leave u alone, and ull be free to have friends again. if not, ull be still isolated just like before. so is it gonna be win-win, or lose-lose?
but magnus doesn't budge because he knows that if he lets asmodeus free things will only get worse not only for him, but for the whole world. he is too dangerous to be out there. so, magnus resigns to his fate
and i guess in this version he wouldnt have a lot of close friends because he had been with asmodeus his whole life before he was cursed, so he was just. alone in his self-imposed isolation with no one to talk to. maybe he enchants the furniture so they gain sentience but they can't really feel pain, so at least he has someone to talk to. god im so fucking sad already
so is the furniture his friends in canon? im not entirely sure how i feel about that but also the idea of ragnor as that clock from the original movie is great. thats my most important thought on the subject ngl
btw its 4 degrees Celsius in here so im typing with gloves on so ull have to excuse my typos i am a mere brazilian and i want death
anyway okay so i guess his friends are like pieces of furniture that he spelled into sentience and they aren't his servants or anything cuz that's gross but they just like, hang out. wow im actually managing to type pretty well all things considered
so at least magnus has people to talk to but he's still touch starved because you know... a clock can't hug you and that'd just be weird. maybe them becoming sentient was an accident? lmao like magnus just wanted to automate some functions like having the clock talk to tell him the time or something and it turned out that they became sentient. possibly his magic is a little fucky because of the curse so that's why that happened? or maybe he just is way more powerful than he realizes and we all know he invented the spells he used to try and automate the things anyway. but if he gets people to talk to, well, he's not complaining
im focusing too much on this. anyway. id also like to note that im making rapha the cook/stove thing because i mean, come on. it's right there
and ok i guess alec comes into this because he uhhhhhh no u know i might go with that izzy thing. so izzy ran away from home because of maryse's bullshit and alec was sent to bring her back. so he was going after her but in the middle of the path there was the whole wolf attack thing that scared off his horse and LUCKILY magnus' house/tower/whatever was right next!!! so of course they take alec and his horse in but also WHOOPS there's a huge snowstorm that lasts for days (par the course for where magnus lives, actually. he DID want somewhere people would avoid. but also i think maybe his magic being fucky has something to do with it) so i guess alec is stuck at magnus' for the foreseeable future
which is HELL for magnus because he is terrified out of his mind that they will accidentally touch and alec will be hurt. and like.... his Constant Crave For Touch is already bad on a regular day, but having someone who could actually hug him in theory just makes it worse, you know? he hasn't interacted with other human beings in so long, just having one there is enough to make his need for touch almost unbearable and just... completely constant. it's hell
so magnus is scared, which means that he keeps to himself. so he tells alec not to go into his room, he tries not to eat at the same time, and other stuff like that, bUT his friends keep sabotaging his plans because they want him to have another friend, jesus christ!! (rapha being like "come on now magnus, you don't want my soup to get cold, do you? i'll be deeply offended. i guess you have no choice but to eat with alec". so magnus goes but the first thing he does is magic his regular table into a gigantic rectangular table with 41908410 seats and seat on on the side opposite to alec. alec just sighs
so like he's constantly coming across as rude because he is trying to avoid alec, alec just doesn't know why
but alec is also a stubborn bitch who goes stir crazy and refuses to just sit around isolated doing nothing while they wait for the stupid storm to finally be over so he can go get his sister. and magnus saved his life, so it's the least he can do to repay him in some way. besides, this is what, the first time that he's been completely away from his mom? for such a long time too? and he's finding that he feels... weirdly free and just relieved and he doesn't want to waste that opportunity with standing idly around alone all day. he had enough of that at home, thank you very much
besides yeah magnus is being rude but alec is used to straight up assholes and abusers (jace. i'm talking about jace. also maryse ofc but mostly jace) and magnus is not that. in fact he makes very polite conversation and is actually pretty fun during dinner, all things considered. he's just.... super private, i guess
AND magnus' friends are all being a nightmare with the making them interact so you know. they end up interacting. and alec makes it a point to help him take care of his house because it is a certified Depression Lair™. magnus can take care of it magically but it's like... so dark and almost suffocating at times and there is stuff like bad painting and piping problems that he never bothered to fix because it isn't affecting the functionality too much but it DOES makes life harder and alec "everything must be at 100% always" lightwood is not here for it so for a few days they are working on fixing the house and... magnus actually feels a lot better when the place has actual sunlight and looks inviting and like a home, he has to admit. when he says that to alec it might be the first time he's given him a real smile and man, is alec smitten
sidenote i guess this means that magnus doesn't exactly... dress well in this au lmaoo i mean it makes sense too because canonically magnus uses dressing up as a way to convey an image of power and untouchability and he doesn't really need that in this AU since he is completely isolated. so i guess he is a bit more like twi magnus - bare-faced and wearing comfortable clothes and the like. this isn't a twi au i'm just saying that it makes more sense for him to dress like that in that context
anyway. after the whole house fixing thing, they officially become friends. it turns out that alec also knows a bit about what it's like to feel isolated and touch-starved (altho he's always had izzy to help in that department, but still) and also what crappy parents are like. magnus shows alec his little mirror that he's enchanted to be able to show him anything he wants and how he uses it to be able to see all the places in the world he'd like to visit - he loves people, he loves culture, and sometimes it's all he can do to watch what's going on in Mumbai and it makes him feel a little better, so, he does that. he also admits that sometimes he catches on some drama happening and uses the mirror to see the people involved and make sure they are okay. kinda like a soap opera of his own but he has the means to interfere and help because of magic, so he will have someone who's struggling with money suddenly find hidden cash or have an "unknown dead relative" give them a lot of money in their will, or something like that. and if he also watches some of their personal drama that unfolds, well. he is lonely and it's not hurting anyone
but magnus doesn't tell him about the curse, and he still makes sure to keep his distance. it stings a little to alec, but it hurts magnus the most because fuck, maybe he just desperately needs someone who will give him the time of day, but he likes this guy and that only makes it harder to keep his distance. he makes it a point to always be at at least two arms length from alec, which alec thankfully respects and doesn't try to get him to breach, but. shit. it's still so hard to not want to just rest his head on his shoulder or get a hug or even fucking touch pinkies like stupid children and he can't. alec even once jokingly suggests that they have a ball since magnus doesn't know how to dance and magnus is actually excited for a second before he remembers that he can't, it would have to mean that alec touches him, and he can't
someone - maybe ragnor - even suggests that maybe he could try gloves and heavy clothing so alec isn't really touching him but magnus refuses to try because he doesn't want to risk it not working and alec getting hurt, because he'd never forgive himself. besides, getting a taste would only make it hurt more. he can't. he can't
but it's alright because at least he has some human company - he loves his friends, he does, fiercely, but it's different when they kind of have no choice but to be with him and also are enchanted creatures. he doesn't even know if they aren't nice to him just because he enchanted them into life, even tho to be fair if he had a choice ragnor wouldn't be that grouchy - and alec makes him laugh and gets him and helped make his place feel more like home, a little bit. and he can pretend that he feels the warmth from alec's body when they are sitting by the fire and feed these crumbs to his desperate need for touch and company
and then the snowstorm ends and it's time for alec to go
honestly, alec himself is kind of heartbroken, but- he loves his sister, and he can't just leave her alone in god knows where, even if he dreads the thought of coming back home now that he's been away from his family for so long. but magnus doesn't want to keep him, and doesn't want alec to feel pity for him, so he's all but pushing alec out of the door (not literally, of course. he can't do that, it would mean touching him) all "go, go, you never know when another storm might start. go see your sister. take my mirror, you can find her more easy". and alec's all "but it's been the only thing-" and magnus waves him off, of course, all "i can always make myself another one. besides, you'll have something to remember me by. now go"
so.... alec goes
and hooo boy magnus is heartbroken and a mess because even tho he knew how much having someone else there helped he had almost forgotten what it was like to be the only human in the house. he just feels extra lonely and even kind of bad about it because hey, his friends are there - not that they begrudge him for it, of course. it's not like they don't also hope for the chance to get out of the house and do other things, but well. they can't. so they understand him. and they know how awful he's feeling right then, but what can they do?
meanwhile alec finds izzy pretty quickly - she's living with this one insufferable villager named clary that alec absolutely can't stand, but- she's happy. and she doesn't want to come back, which alec expected, but he finds that he can't actually insist for her to come back. how could he, when he himself doesn't want to go?
and izzy insists that he stays with her - there's no reason for him to come back. they can stay in the village, and work, and build a life for themselves. alec is the only thing she's been missing ever since she left, and in here the both of them can actually be happy. and do it together, like they're meant to
and when he first gets into the village is the first time since izzy ran away that he was hugged and fuck, it's hard to say no to her
but also... he misses magnus already
and he doesn't know if he can just stay and leave him behind
and of course izzy is like "who is magnus?" so alec tells her the story, how he was attacked by wolves and rescued by this house that miraculously was in the middle of the single most inhospitable placealec had ever seen in his life. and the kind but wary stranger who always keeps his distance but seems so eager for connection, who made alec feel welcome and laugh and feel like he built a life for himself there
and clary tells him that she's heard of the story, but she never knew it was more than a legend - no one really remembers what happened. some say that magnus made a sacrifice to rid the village of a demon, and it turned him into a beast, forever locked in his castle. some say that he himself is the demon, and it's the tower that's containing him and keeping the village safe. some even say that he died battling the demon, and it's his ghost that keeps watch on the tower
she wants alec to explain which one is true, but it's all alec can say that none of these are right and he knows nothing because magnus never told him. all alec knows is that he doesn't want to leave magnus behind
and clary is like... well, if he's not a demon or a ghost, maybe we could bring him to the village too. he has magic, right? he could bring the tower closer. and maybe the other villagers could, you know, visit him and hang out. and he wouldn't be as lonely, and then alec and izzy could both stay
driven by this failproof plan, they decide to go back to magnus and tell him their great idea
except they are IDIOTS and forget about. you know. the damn wolves
and like holy shit is this pack big or what? like no seriously why are there infinite wolves in that one singular pack in beauty and the beast. like holy shit dude there's more wolves near the beast's house than in the whole yellowstone park
anyway there are Many Wolves and while alec is a good archer, izzy is a fantastic fighter, and clary is Fucking Crazy if you give her something stabby, there's only so many wolves they can take on at the same time
good thing magnus is a pining idiot who did in fact make himself another magic mirror and was watching alec with it. so he knows that the dumbass is in trouble and for the first time in years, he uses the portal (his own invention, and he had never gotten to use it before!) to get to them and fight off the wolves
so magnus saves all their lives, at the cost of getting severely injured and passing the fuck out. izzy, who's the one closest, runs to get to him and help put him on one of their horses... and is immediately hit by a blast of magic that almost makes HER pass tf out too
which is when they finally learn that, oh. that is the curse
izzy is fine, of course - the pain ended as soon as she was away from magnus
but it does pose the problem of How The Fuck Are They Getting Him Back To Safety, because they can't exactly wait for magnus to wake up (it's freezing, for starters) but with this amount of pain it won't be physically possible for them to hoist him up and get him on the horse. shit, will the curse work on the horse?
they bring alec's horse (by far the strongest of them because alec is huge buff mcgee) and try to get him to touch magnus and the spell does NOT work on the horse because in order to be dramatic asmodeus was like "you shall never feel human touch again" when he cast the spell, which accidentally gave a LOOPHOLE for non-human animals. so magnus could have had cats the whole time, which he had always dreamed of, but he didnt want to risk testing. besides, his house would be a poor environment for a cat and [self torture noises]
anyway thats one less problem to deal with, 99 to go, so they use some ropes to hoist magnus on top of the horse and bring him back to the tower (it's closer than the village) so they can tend to his wounds. thankfully, as the assigned Big Brother of a very irresponsible izzy, alec has experience with first aid, altho he never really dealt with anything quite this bad. and magnus' friends help, too, as much as they can. inevitably this means that alec ends up touching him even if by accident sometimes, but he knows what to expect so he Powers Through It because he won't let magnus die, damn. and as horrible as that is alec has experience with powering through pain, so. he's gonna bandage him up god damn it
izzy can't stand to see him dealing with that himself tho, so she helps, and clary ends up helping as well because they figure sharing the pain makes it easier and alec doesn't have to be too hurt. minimal touching accidents for alec! good
*narrator voice* And Then Magnus Wakes Up And Alec Hugs Him
full on launches on top of him and brings him into his arms and Magnus screams like NONONO OH MY GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING ALEC NO GET OFF ME YOU'LL BE HURT and his shock and distress at the whole thing sends another whole blast of magic that explodes that whole mf before it can touch alec and alec feels no pain and magnus is like.............. did i just COUNTER the spell? and everyone's like well! it looks like u did!
which earns him ANOTHER hug (oh my god alec stop he's so stressed out by this) (who knew alec was so touchy?) and this time he's paying attention to that gut reaction and because magnus is a Certified Magic Genius he realizes what it is that he's doing to counter the spell and immediately starts working on a way to turn this into unhexxing himself for good
which he DOES after some time idk how long but alec stays with him meanwhile and maybe izzy and clary do too, because magnus needs all the company he can get and besides, izzy has always wanted adventure and clary has never left the village before, so this is interesting to them at least. and magnus gets to meet new ppl which is nice
eventually the Begone Spell spell is performed and it works and turns out that when it does that it also unfucks magnus' magic and perfects his sentience spell turning all of his friends into humans WOW WHOD HAVE THOUGHT. so all of them are free to leave the tower as ppl at the same time and GROUP HUG!! and magnus cries like a baby in the group hug because holy shit hes been needing something like this so bad for so long and he never expected to have that with his friends but here he is :)
and then yeah they all move to the village to live a simple but fulfilling life and Magnus and Alec start living together in a little cottage and become husbands the end <3 this is so long too rip me
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cypher2 · 4 years
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I was issued one mask to last for the week. I have to write my name and department on it. I can’t throw it away. I wear it everywhere now. Then I have to turn in my mask to get a new one after the week is over. We have to turn in the hospital wipes when we run out to check out a new bottle. We have to leave our ultrasound machines inside the isolation units at all times. The units are locked down, with only camera and outside phone access. We have to clean them like we’re coming out of a biohazard lab every time we exit a COVID room. Being in a negative pressure room with a mask and face shield on, one layer of contact gown, double gloves, and nothing else, breathing heavier, being hyper aware of everything you touch and every movement you make, having to communicate through a speaker or hand gestures through a glass window, is unnerving at best. I still feel like the PPE, in particular gowns and face covering, is not sufficient protection, and has not been since the beginning. But that’s all we have. Taking off the PPE is bad too. What if i accidentally brush my face with my glove or mask, what if I didn’t wash my hands enough, what if its in my hair or on my shoes, what if my next patient is asymptomatic and I don’t have any protection and they breathe on me. What if my n95 doesn’t work the way it should because it’s been reused so many times. We have to carry an essential employee letter on our way to and from work in case we get stopped or questioned. We’re converting 3 more units to isolation units. The ER is no mans land at this point. Makeshift tents and trailers and a holding area for symptomatic COVID only patients. The ICU is in literal war zone mode. The hospital is trying to find a way to disinfect our n95s, we still reuse them. All of our hospitals have relied on community donations of medical supplies to keep going at this point. The government has massively failed in this country and this will never leave history. Time is blurred together. I feel like this isn’t real. I wonder what the lasting effects of this will be, not just psychological but medically? What will we discover about this disease in the future that alters certain organs or systems? It’s already being discussed in cardiovascular care, that COVID could cause long term/later onset cardiomyopathy or valvular disease. Cardiogenic shock seems to be a main reason why we get called to do these echos. Multi organ failure. By the time I have to assess someone’s heart function, especially if they’re in the ICU, it usually means they are approaching the end. I’m tired. These are not just old people. These are people my age. This is anyone. But cardiovascular disease and CAD seem to be playing a significant role in a percentage of patients, especially those who die, and it will be studied for a long time. Are there different strains of COVID? Will one vaccine work or will the virus mutate and adapt too quickly if we let too many people back into society too quickly? Why were younger adults and children initially not affected but seem to be more and more involved? What will be the effects of long term exposure in those that don’t develop any symptoms or only mild symptoms? Will this virus re-manifest in the future as something else? Respiratory wise it’s similar to SARS but the genetic makeup is novel. The respiratory distress or failure it can cause seems to escalate quickly in some cases and linger in others, but it is not as deadly as SARS was so far. The less deadly, the more hosts it can infect, the more chances it has to reproduce itself, the more vast the spread. Is this the evolution of a previous coronavirus? The symptoms seem to be evolving as well. This virus will be studied for decades, and not because it’s necessarily unprecedented -a virus that starts as an epidemic has definitely happened before in this world - but because it’s literally new to the human race- the virus itself, the strain (or strains) of it, the way it manifested(which is still not 100% known), the fact that it became a global pandemic in such a short amount of time, and the fact that the global governmental response to it has resulted in thousands of deaths which could have even prevented. We are approaching 1 million cases worldwide, but will we look back before this is over and think god it was only a million 3 weeks ago? In the grand scheme of things, population wise, no it probably won’t get to any catastrophic point before we can find a way to effectively treat it before it mutates or create a vaccine(and enough supply of that vaccine to protect enough people at once) whichever comes first. But it’s also very saddening because many of the patients and those who have died and will die could have been preventable. And many have been and will be healthcare workers who have been thrown headfirst into this without proper protection or direction. There is no training for a pandemic. That has been made clear, in some places more than others. We train annually for so many other things - fires, disasters, bomb threats, active shooters, violent patients/family members,etc. but no one in the healthcare field signed up to go to work everyday thinking they could be the next one lying in the ICU on a vent bc they breathed in a molecule that got past their reusable mask that is supposed to be the main protection we have against an unknown fate at this point. not unless you went into infection prevention, public health, virology, or epidemiology. I do find it fascinating, I always have, but now its too real. and at the same time it does not feel real at all. I’ve been in scary situations before. I’ve watched people die, seen that blank glazed over stare in their eyes when they’re gone, I’ve seen hearts stop and start again, been in codes, overdoses, bleeding out, active shooter suicide. This is worse. I feel vulnerable now, like really vulnerable for the first time in my career. So much is unknown still. 
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princiere · 4 years
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💛💚💙!? :)
aaaaa tysm 🥺🥺
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also this got super outta hand so I'm gonna try to put it under a read more, if it doesn't work I'm so sorry hfjdhg
💛 - Domestic Headcanons
Akira's job is actually freelancing, so he's a pretty good stay-at-home husband when he's not working.
Akira denies that he misses having Morgana around, but sometimes you can catch him talking to our cats as if they'll respond with coherent answers.
Thanks to the money Akira gets during his Phantom Thieves business, we're able to afford a pretty good apartment. We get one with two bedrooms, and use one of them as a "hobby room".
While we don't have a balcony, almost all of our windowsills are decorated with plants. Any plants that are too big to fit on a windowsill are placed where it can still get lots of sunlight.
Akira refuses to take off his wedding ring. Ever. His Joker gloves aren't tight enough to force him to take his ring off, but just enough that you can see the indents of it under the fabric. He'll only ever take it off if he knows it needs cleaning, but you can still see the marking of the ring on his finger.
I'm still debating on what he goes to college for, but he does go to college! Thankfully he's a lot better about managing his schoolwork alongside his jobs and personal life nowadays, now that he feels he's got a reason to stay healthy ♡
Akira doesn't admit it, but he's quite doting towards me. He knows not to interject and try to assist me all the time, otherwise it makes me feel useless, but he'll tend to keep a watchful eye on whatever I'm doing and is fully willing to drop everything if I ask for help.
He also knows that I'm kinda intellectually stunted due to mental illnesses and trauma, so he knows I may not be aware of when I'm actually sick or something, as well as not understanding or already knowing basic things (I recently learned how to use a goddamn printer). Again, he knows not to say something unless I ask, with the only exception being if I could be in immediate danger or I'm physically incapable of helping myself at the moment.
Privacy who??? Akira will obviously respect my privacy, but for the most part he doesn't bat an eye at any of the "weird" things I do around the house. It's kinda what he signed up for by dating me, so he knows what to expect.
💚 - Holiday Headcanons (Any Holiday is cool)
Akira's interested in celebrating any holidays, even if they're ones he's never celebrated himself or even heard of before.
They give him the opportunity to use his Extra Gene, and go a bit overboard if he knows I'll enjoy it.
The big holidays, like New Year's, Independence Day, Christmas, etc are about what you expect. Those holidays tend to go above and beyond anyway, so Akira celebrates them like anyone else does.
However, it's in holidays that aren't internationally blown up that Akira likes to participate in the most.
March 31st was TDOV, so he absolutely does shit like hang a trans flag up in the living room and wear clothes that have the same colors as the flag. He also keeps saying "trans rights" after everything he says lmao
The only big holidays that he unabashedly goes overboard for are Valentine's Day and Halloween. He's a super loving partner, so Valentine's Day is a given with him. But I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me this guy doesn't plan out his Halloween costume at least a month in advance, because you're wrong.
Akira's the guy that starts celebrating Halloween the moment October starts. He won't completely deck out the place with skeletons or anything, but he does bust out the cool spooky shit for things that were already around the house.
Humidifiers are now being used for smoky cauldrons, he'll put up a skeletal hand where our key hanger usually goes, he put a fuckin cat skeleton on our cat tower-
💙 - AU/Crossover Headcanons
*sweats bc the only AU's I think of with Akira are the stereotypical "you're born with the first words your soulmate will say to you on your skin" and "you and your soulmate feel each other's pain" scenarios*
Still I might as well mention them lmao
Akira gets...a bit of a ramble for his marking. He never thought much of it until his teen years, when all his peers start finding their soulmates.
He gets the words "I'm sorry, I just...I didn't mean to weird you guys out. I heard the rumors and I wanted to see if everyone was lying about you. You just...don't seem like the scary or intimidating kind of guy." along the side of his thigh. His parents used to tell him that he was actually born with just the first sentence, given how long it became in the end, and that more and more developed as he grew up and grew more space for the rest of it.
Akira...isn't really sure what to make of it. Apparently he does something that gets him a bad reputation, and his soulmate seemingly doesn't care about that? That's a good thing, right?
It isn't until he's forced to confront me with Ryuji that everything clicks. He's remembered the words in his skin to a T, even the hesitation in parts of it.
He can't help but go completely silent, shocked that he'd finally found his supposed soulmate.
And at now, of all times in his life.
Akira puts aside his shock, however. Maybe it's just a sick coincidence, even though I said exactly what his skin had written. He manages to say, "It's alright. I didn't mind, really, but...you could've come talked to me if you wanted to. I don't bite."
His shock then comes back tenfold when he sees the realization hit me as well.
Later on, when we know each other better, I reveal that mine was written along my right inner wrist. Sure enough, word for word, it's exactly what he said the day we met each other.
Now for the other AU
Everything for us still plays out like it does in our actual universe. I start to experience a lot more sudden pains by our 2nd year of highschool, but I don't make the connection that it's because of Akira up until The Interrogation.
The rest of the Phantom Thieves are already worried out of their minds when their leader disappears, but it begins to skyrocket even further when I suddenly experience pains far worse than I've endured before.
By now, we've all made the connection, but we're all also more worried about what Akira must be going through, as well as making sure I don't develop any issues that could need serious and immediate medical attention.
It gets to a point where I just faint from the shock. I fall into a bit of a coma, where I only wake up due to sudden pains that feel like my body was being frozen alive, before I go comatose again.
The others desperately try to keep me alive themselves, knowing the legal trouble that could arise if I'm taken to a hospital. They watch as I develop bruising all over my face and body the longer this goes on, still flinching in my sleep.
Thankfully, Akira's able to avoid The Shooting, otherwise we'd both be dead. Even if this all was part of the plan, the pain inflicted can't be ignored.
I don't fully wake up until the cognition change, and even then the pain is still too much for me to move at all.
Akira doesn't know what's happened to me until he's freed, and when the others surprise him at Leblanc and he notices my absence.
When he's told about our connection, he rushes to my place, where I originally collapsed and was taken care of.
The similarity in bruising and injuries were hard to ignore, but we couldn't touch quite yet due to how much everything still hurt.
We do agree to talk things out once all the current issues are taken care of, and Akira can't help but take his bandaged hand in my own.
And maybe a little kiss to the crown of my hair too
OKAY CROSSOVER TIME
There's only one crossover I've had in mind for Akira.......
Animal Crossing.
Akira's absolutely a black cat, sporting glasses like Raymond. If given the chance, his personality's a mix of smug and uchi.
He's not much into fishing or catching bugs, but he's into shooting down balloons and getting heavily involved in the turnip stock market.
He's a bit of a night owl, meaning he'll be out and about even after all the other villagers have gone to bed. He'll usually head back to his house at around midnight though.
He's one of the Able Sisters' best customers. He loves to check out the huge variety of clothing options they have, and actually makes some of his own designs. He doesn't present them for others to wear, however, unless he specifically made one for someone.
His house is about what you'd expect. It's a simple layout with everything he'd need, along with the addition of a couple plants and a piano.
3 notes · View notes
tsaritsa · 6 years
Text
the end is the same (for everyone)
hi guys. here’s the 6k fic i wrote for day 1 of royai week. i incorporated all 3 themes bc i’m that Hoe
warnings: allusions to child trafficking (but it has a happy ending)
“He knew we were on a lead! But sure, let’s just drag us out of that because of some third-rate mobster-”
“Brother-”
It was late afternoon at Central Headquarters, with the sun lazily hovering in the sky, drenching the Western Wing in deep hues of orange and pink. The majority of the administration personnel had already turned in for the day; instead leaving the night staff flitting around the building like moths around a candle. Edward had only been inside Central Command a few times in the short years since he became a State Alchemist, but it still gave him pause when he considered just how vast the place was.
They certainly weren’t in Resembool anymore.
He threw up his hands in frustration as they rounded the corner and opened the door to the office they’d been given direction to. “Al, he knew! Next time he asks for my help-”
“I can’t think of a time when I’d be asking for your help Fullmetal, but I certainly wouldn’t be complaining about it as much as you are,” Mustang answered smoothly, standing up from the desk he had been hunched over, ink stains all over his hands. “You have been ordered to join this mission and you will perform your duties as such.” He turned to Lieutenant Hawkeye, who Edward realised wasn’t in the familiar navy of the military uniform – none of the occupants in the room were, actually. Blues had been replaced with blacks, uniforms with formal suits, and for the Lieutenant – a slinky black number that was practically dripping in what he could only assume were diamonds. It almost looked like armour, with the way the fabric was sewn, and how the gems laid on top of on another, interlocking in a complex pattern.
Mustang cocked his head to the side as he considered the Lieutenant. “Do you need more diamonds?”
Hawkeye hummed and stretched her arm out to inspect her shoulder better – the diamonds glinted and dazzled with every movement. “I think we should be fine now, sir. Anything more and I wouldn’t be surprised if Bobby suspected we were there for him.” She turned to face the brothers properly, an expectant look on her face. “You have received the dossier we sent to Eastern Headquarters, correct?”
Edward and Alphonse nodded.
She gestured to the couch, accepting the file the Colonel handed her. “Then tell me your role. This operation has to go smoothly, and the last thing we want is for you to get caught in the crossfire if something goes wrong.” Hawkeye settled herself neatly by the low table, adjusting her dress as she knelt down. It was a far cry from how he had seen her before – Lieutenant Hawkeye wasn’t someone Edward would personally call scary…but her no-nonsense attitude left Edward with the impression that she didn’t have the time to suffer fools. How Mustang made himself an exception to that rule was a mystery.
“We’re acting as decoys, right?”
The Lieutenant nodded. “Us two, as well as Colonel Mustang will be acting as a lure for Bobby Carlsberg. The event we’re attending tonight is a charity function that’s actually a front for a black market auction. The man has done far worse than peddling illegal goods on the side, but we need to arrest him with an actual crime to ensure we can make all the other charges stick.”
“What has he done?” Alphonse asked.
Hawkeye’s lips thinned. “It doesn’t need to be repeated,” she said firmly, shaking her head. “In any case I’m sure more will be uncovered once we have jurisdiction over his financial records and can do a through sweep of his townhouse apartment. But those aren’t details necessary for tonight. What I need from the two of you is absolute compliance with any orders I give, or that the Colonel gives tonight. This isn’t an operation where you can just fight your way out-”
Edward scoffed. “We’re not that bad-”
“Tell that to the expense reports the Lieutenant is continually filling out on your behalf,” Mustang said pointedly from one of the desks, not looking up from his work. “I’m not in the mood for a tantrum tonight, Fullmetal. This is our only chance to get this guy and I will not have you screwing it up for me.”
“Please, Edward. We know you and Alphonse are capable – but in this instance you’re simply playing the role of a child.” Hawkeye’s tone was less acerbic, but no less insistent. “Working as a team is the best way to catch this man.”
Edward crossed his arms over his chest. “Then why aren’t we including Al in this? If it came to blows, then-”
“Alphonse is a civilian. We are not endangering his life when there are plenty of soldiers to spare first.” Mustang pushed himself away from his desk, passing the Lieutenant a small bracelet that glinted in the office light similarly to the gemstones attached to her dress. “Is that too gaudy for Mrs Phillips?”
Hawkeye shook her head, a small smile curling up her lips. “Such a shame you won’t let me keep these diamonds – I could afford to rent a better apartment if you kept me supplied. I doubt the lapidists would notice you transmuted them.”
“Knowing you, you’d only adopt more dogs. The economy would crumble overnight as you bought out every breeder in the country.” Mustang’s tone was teasing, and this annoyed Edward for reasons he couldn’t quite explain.
“I thought State Alchemists weren’t meant to use their abilities to create personal wealth.” The words were careless and thrown out, and he knew he had overstepped as soon as he had uttered them.
Mustang’s jaw tensed, and he knelt down next to the Lieutenant as she extended her wrist towards him. He was quiet for a moment as his fingers worked over the catchments. “And I thought you had been told before that I won’t have any backtalking when we have a job to do. We ordered you here because you are beholden to, and I will use any advantage in my arsenal to ensure this operation goes smoothly. If you do not follow my orders tonight, you will be court-martialled Fullmetal.” His hands dropped from the Lieutenant’s wrist and he looked squarely at Edward, eyes hard. “Do I make myself clear?”
Edward sunk further into the couch. “Yes sir,” he mumbled.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that-”
“Yes, sir,” he said louder, irritation as clear as a bell. Mustang’s eyebrow lifted slightly, before he sighed.
“Lieutenant, I can trust you to get Fullmetal ready?”
Hawkeye nodded shortly, watching as the Colonel strode away towards where Havoc was preparing some handguns, hands shoved deeply into his pocket. “I wouldn’t try my luck if I were you,” she admonished, standing up and dusting off her knees. “There’s a lot riding on tonight.”
“But-”
Hawkeye shook her head, signalling him to follow her. “We’ll be back in a moment, Alphonse,” she said, opening the door and waiting for Edward to pass through.
He kept quiet as he followed her down the hallway. It was…strange seeing her out of her uniform, truth be told. The idea of her having a life that existed outside of the military – one that didn’t revolve around tailing Mustang – still seemed like a foreign concept, like those old adventure movies with the fantastical creatures that he and Al would watch when Mr Smith brought his projection box to Resembool.
The Lieutenant stopped before a door, and unlocked it, glancing down the hallway as she did so. Inside was what Edward could only describe as a costume closet and he found himself wedged between boxes marked ‘shoes’ and a rack of black suits. Hawkeye ran her hand over the selection, her tongue poking out as she peered at tags. “I guess you could always do some alterations if the pants don’t fit well,” she said, selecting one of the coat hangers and holding it at length. She passed the suit to Edward before stretching up onto the balls of her feet – as her arms lifted to pull back a box on the highest shelving level, he noticed the shoes she was wearing. The dark fabric of her dress had hidden them before but now, even in the dusty yellow light of the supply-closet-cum-undercover-outfit-storage, the diamond embellishing covering the nude satin of the heel glinted and sparkled.
“The Colonel really goes all-out for this stuff, doesn’t he?”
Hawkeye nodded as she rifled through the box. “It takes a bit of time – I spent most of the afternoon with him sewing all these diamonds on – but we’re mingling with the highest that society has to offer in Central and they’re very good at sniffing out those who don’t belong.”
Edward frowned. “Why not use alchemy? I do it with my coat all the time.”
Hawkeye laughed – a proper one, that caused her lips to stretch widely across her face. “The Colonel is very talented when it comes to alchemy, but we agreed it would be easier to simply do it by hand, rather than risk ruining the dress if he calculated a part of the transmutation incorrectly.” She handed him a tie – a deep burgundy one with flecks of gold thread woven in the silk – and pushed the box back into its place.
He adjusted the suit and tie in his arms as she shifted next to him, peering into one of the boxes labelled ‘shoes’. “I didn’t realise the Colonel could sew.”
“How did you think he managed with his gloves otherwise? I taught him the basic skills when we were younger-” she abruptly paused, hands hovering over another box before she sighed. “It goes without saying, Edward,” the Lieutenant said quietly, voice barely carrying over the hum of the heating pipes overhead, “but in the same way that we carry you and your brother’s secret – you will carry ours as well. Is that understood?”
Edward nodded quickly. There was no mistaking the ‘we’ – both on the level of the inner team themselves, undoubtedly entertaining his brother with jokes while they waited for the two of them to return; but also, the deeper meaning. It wasn’t hard to catch wind of the rumours, not certainly when he was still seen by most of Eastern Command to be something of an oddity and not truly considered part of the Colonel’s men. The most salacious ones were whispered in the mess hall with an air of incredulity and exaggeration – but there were little comments thrown his way, ones that he sometimes didn’t understand and sometimes wished he didn’t. He might’ve only been fourteen, but Edward wasn’t that unobservant.
The two of them reminded him a bit of binary stars – the theorised phenomena where the gravitational push of each affected the other in a constant, ever-shifting dance. It was easy enough to argue that was simply a result of the Lieutenant’s skill as a bodyguard, but even in the environment of his office, where danger was supposedly at its lowest, the two of them still shifted and adjusted, seemingly unaware of their actions. A shared history made a lot of sense, he supposed, accepting the shoes she passed him, still deep in thought. But it also raised questions of just how long they had known one another, and he had remembered the Colonel making a comment about the trials of trying to flirt with girls when he was a teenager and learning alchemy at the same time –
Yes, perhaps there were secrets better left untouched. Mustang’s alchemy was legendary with good reason, and men had killed for less.
He blinked rapidly as Hawkeye rested her hand on his shoulder, head cocked to the side in concern. “Are you okay?”
Edward nodded. “Yeah. Where do you want me to get dressed?” He followed her out of the small closet and waited as she locked the door.
“There’s a bathroom just around the corner. Come back to the office when you’re done.”
He shuffled into the office twenty minutes later, the tips of his ears burning with shame. The pants had been fine – one quick transmutation later and the fabric no longer bunched embarrassingly at his ankles. But the tie – the bloody tie! It wasn’t something he had ever learned how to do – there were no fancy school uniforms when he and Al were kids, and even if he did wear a military uniform, the need was only if you were a cadet. The fabric was crumpled tightly in his automail hand as he shut the door as quietly as he could manage, not wanting to attract any attention towards himself, but it was too late: as if on cue, everyone in the office turned their heads towards him expectantly.
Second Lieutenant Havoc grinned at him brightly from where he sat, his hands full of ammunition clips. “Looking good Chief!”
Mustang looked up from the desk he sat at. “Havoc’s right – you don’t scrub up too badly at all, Fullmetal. But where’s the tie?”
Edward sullenly held up the offending fabric. “I’ve never had to do one of these before.”
A small smile pulled at the older man’s lips – one that Edward was surprised to recognise not as unkind, but sympathetic. “Lieutenant, can you-”
“You know how to tie a tie better than I do, sir,” Hawkeye answered, in a manner that Edward felt was a bit more pointed than it necessarily needed to be, not looking up from a clipboard Sergeant Fuery had given her. “And I daresay you know more than just the Windsor knot.”
Mustang nodded, chastened. He beckoned Edward over, pushing himself away from the desk, which he realised was covered in blueprints and diagrams as he neared. Exits had been circled in thick red marker, with the Colonel’s familiar handwriting spread across the paper, scratched out furiously in places.
“I couldn’t do my own tie for the longest time either,” Mustang told him, flicking up the collar of his shirt and smoothing down the fabric of the tie to lie flush to his shoulders. Edward shifted awkwardly at the contact but said nothing. “My mother had to tie them all for me and then I just loosened them enough to get them over my head. But it’s bad form for the fabric to be twisted continuously.” His hands were sure and methodical as he worked the fabric. “Let me know if it’s too tight for you – can’t have you fainting in the middle of all this.”
“I thought a black tie dress code meant a black tie.”
Mustang nodded. “True. But you’re a child, and children are allowed to break the stupid rules that adults make up. It’s also so my men can identify you quickly in case of emergency.”
Edward snorted. “Would’ve thought you’d be basing that on my height-”
The knot was pulled up against his throat firmly, but not uncomfortably as Mustang drew back to admire his handiwork. “No, that would be unprofessional, Fullmetal, and I don’t have time for mucking around tonight.” He smoothed the collar back down and dusted the tops of his shoulders quickly. “And now you’re all set. We’re moving out in ten, so keep close by.” He tossed some white gloves his way, and Edward caught them easily.
“What’s wrong with my gloves?”
Mustang gave him a sceptical look, sitting back down. “Mine aren’t stained with oil.”
Jerk. Edward turned on his heel, and walked to where Al was perched, hilariously oversized on a chair that somebody had brought him. He rested his bare hand on his brother’s head, absorbing in the cool steel. “You’ll be okay without me?”
Alphonse nodded energetically, armour clinking. “Yeah! Mr Fuery is going to be in the building over handling all the communication, so I’ll be hanging out with him. It won’t be as fun as what you’re doing though.”
Edward laughed, rubbing the helmet. “At least you’ll be safe if things go sideways tonight.”
Alphonse scoffed. “If you’re going to be there, something is going to go wrong, brother.”
He flicked the top of Alphonse’s head, wincing as pain bloomed briefly across his finger. “I don’t think the Colonel has left any space in the plan for me to muck up. Anyway, you should have more faith in me! I’ve been in plenty of situations where things could’ve gone badly but didn’t.”
“Only because things were already bad enough by the time you came onto the scene,” Alphonse muttered.
Edward opened his mouth to protest but was interrupted by the door to the office opening once more.
“ROY!”
“Hughes,” Mustang replied in a bored fashion, standing up. “Everybody’s ready on your end?”
Hughes nodded, winking at the boys as he crossed the room. “We’re good to go on your order. Team Arthur and Bruno are already in position.” He turned to Hawkeye and placed a hand dramatically over his heart.
“First Lieutenant, I’m sure Roy has already told you numerous times how wonderful you look tonight, but truly, you will outshine every guest there.”
Hawkeye tucked some hair behind her ear. “I hope you don’t mean that literally, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes. The plan rides on our ability to identify our target.”
He held up his hands in defeat. “Right, right, we have a job to do, and there’s no time for dad jokes – by the way, have you seen the latest-”
“Later, Hughes.”
The subsequent briefing had been quick and to-the-point: they couldn’t arrest Bobby until after lot number two-hundred and fifty-two, and the little radio headsets that Fuery had kitted them out with would only work within a certain range in the building – if they strayed too far from the main floor they’d run the risk of losing the signal and his team would be unable to forewarn them of any issues. The earpiece felt uncomfortable in his ear but there was no point – nor time – to complain. Within minutes he was being escorted into a flash-looking car and sitting opposite the Colonel and Lieutenant.
“I still don’t understand why you needed me on this mission.”
“Bobby has a thing for blonds,” Mustang replied darkly after a beat and Hawkeye sent him a furious look.
“We weren’t going to tell him-”        
“He’s going to find out anyway Lieutenant-”
Edward frowned. “I don’t get it. Lieutenant Hawkeye is blonde, so-” Realisation dawned on him and he felt the contents of his lunch churn dangerously in his stomach. “I see.”
Hawkeye was staring daggers at her superior officer, who in turn was watching the city lights flicker by as they made their way down West Avenue. “It is insulting that you don’t think me capable, sir.” The title was thrown out bitterly, and Edward shrank back into his seat as best he could. This was a conversation he had no wish to be involved with.
“You’re more capable than any other person in the military, dear,” the Colonel answered finally, as the car slowed down in front of the glittering Heritage Hotel, “but we have a job to do and I need my wife-” he stressed the word as Havoc opened the door for him, “to be supporting me as best I can tonight.”
The Lieutenant stared at him, stony-faced as he offered her a gloved hand. “Of course, sweetheart,” she responded, a practiced smile forming on her face. “Come along, son,” she said to Edward as she accepted Mustang’s hand. “We have an auction to attend.”
Two hours into the evening and Edward was near ready to tear his hair out in frustration: auctions were the most boring thing he had ever attended in his life, and he had been subjected to some frankly inane military ceremonies before. Lieutenant Hawkeye stood out in the crowd in her bejewelled dress, but not by far – Edward was sure he had seen the entire wealth of his hometown on many a neck tonight. The numbers being tossed towards the auctioneer were absurd too – but he had long given up on his game of calculating just how much money was being transferred, instead busying himself with arranging his string beans by various qualities; first by length, then by shade, then –
“Bobby en route.” Fuery’s voice crackled in his ear and Edward felt himself stiffen despite the fact that he needed to appear as uncaring as possible. The Lieutenant had sat up straighter as well, though she masked it well by leaning to whisper something in the Colonel’s ear, who smiled after a few moments. The two of them seemed completely at ease in the roles of new money banker and ditzy socialite wife – it didn’t quite make sense to Edward why nobody was questioning his presence there: he hadn’t seen anyone near his age and he’d spent a good portion of the night people-watching from the second floor while his superiors blended in with the dancing couples below. He had noticed Bobby skulking at the edges of the dancefloor and had made a mental note to keep his distance while he wasn’t within shouting distance of either of his ‘parents’. Alphonse was right: he did have a unlucky habit of trouble finding him, and the fight that he had witnessed in the drive over put to rest any ideas of sorting the problem by himself. Trouble was sure to find him tonight, in the form of a man who boring name belied the monster within, and Edward was more than happy to delay the inevitable for as long as he could manage.
Bobby Carlsberg was a thin man with thinning hair and an even thinner moustache that only served to make the man look as sketchy as his report indicted him to be. There was an oily, slippery aspect to him too: and when he spoke Edward felt the revulsion slide down his spine unpleasantly.
“I must say sir, I have been admiring your wife all night and I’ve only just gathered up the courage to come say that.”
Everything about the man screamed sleaze and dishonesty – Edward shifted in his chair, adjusting the way he rested his head on the back of the chair so Bobby would be obscured by his fringe. The less he had to see him, the better.
Hawkeye’s laugh was airy and almost as disturbing as the man who stood before them. The auctioneer droned on in the background – some dusty old vase depicting a field of wheat was being frantically bid between two old men who looked to both have one foot in the grave already.
“You’re far too kind sir! Victor told me I had been turning heads, but I was terrified it was for the wrong reasons!”
Oh. That was why the dress had been sewn with what looked like a million diamonds – it wasn’t as a method of blending in with the society here – but to be seen, even amongst a dense crowd. For him to be seen.
“Nonsense! Your husband has an excellent eye for the latest fashion. Bobby extended his hand, and ‘Victor’ rose to shake it, a charming smile on his face. “You’re a very lucky man. The name is Bobby Carlsberg.”
“Victor Phillips. And yes, I am lucky. More than I will ever know,” Mustang said proudly, glancing back at his ‘wife’, his eyes passing over Edward as he did so. A warning. He sat up a little straighter and fiddled with his beans.
“Can I ask what interests you in this auction tonight, Victor?”
Mustang signalled a server to being them another chair and placed an order for some whiskey. “Well,” he began, casting the most obvious furtive look Edward had ever seen before leaning in closer to Bobby. “There have been a lot of very interesting auctions, but one has really caught my eye. Do you know about number two-hundred and fifty-two? I hear there’s a surprise included by request of the seller. I have a hunch I know what it is, but I’m dying to find out.”
Bobby’s eyebrows shot up. “A surprise?” His gaze slid to Edward, who grinned as toothily as he could manage before shoving all thirty-two string beans into his mouth.
“Alexander!” Hawkeye’s voice was playful as she leaned over the table to bat at his arm, but there was an undercurrent of sharpness woven into his ‘name’. “Don’t make me send you back to etiquette class.”
Victor laughed loudly. “Ah, boys will be boys, my fair-faced friend! As soon as a girl as pretty as you comes along he’ll change his tune.”
“Nobody will ever compare to my sweet Violet,” Mustang replied, his eyes glittering as he took the Lieutenant’s hand and kissed the ring on her finger. She smiled benevolently, before rising from her seat and leaning close to kiss the Colonel on his cheek.
“You’re too kind, sweetheart,” she said softly, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders. “But I must dash for a moment.”
They watched her leave, and Roy waited until she had passed through the ornate stained-glass doors before leaning in conspiratorially. “I have an inking the surprise in two-hundred and fifty-two might kick my wife down to second place.” It was incredible how well Roy could change the tone of his voice to mimic that of Bobby’s. The other man’s eyes were wide, glancing quickly between him and Edward.
“Do you mean-”
Mustang tapped the side of his nose, smirking. “I thought you might be a kindred spirit because you were one of the few who hasn’t bid on anything yet. I fear I’m not well-versed in the language here in Central but-”
“Not to worry my good man,” Bobby responded easily, his body relaxing as he accepted the whiskies from the server, passing one to Mustang with a lecherous grin. “We’re a little more refined than other places but I assure you the sights are even more pleasant than you could possibly imagine.”
It took everything in Edward’s willpower not to vomit his dinner as auction number two-hundred and fifty-two took to the stage. It was a necklace – even more ornate than the one the Lieutenant was wearing. Hawkeye flipped through her programme and gasped audibly as the auction house employs set up on stage.
“Oh – ! Victor! You must get that necklace for me. Bethany will go positively green with envy at Monica’s garden party next month!”
Mustang and Bobby shared a knowing smile. “Of course dear. But our good friend Bobby here also wishes to buy the necklace for his wife. We may be out of our depth, love.”
‘Violet’ pouted. “I guess we’ll have to see,” she said, disappointed. Her hands rested in her lap, fiddling with her fingernails. The tension was palpable as the auctioneer stood behind the podium and cleared his throat.
“Tonight, our last piece up for auction is the priceless Louiban set – a dazzling necklace that can be taken apart to make three more stunning necklaces. Ladies, this is a piece that only comes up for auction every blue moon, and it’s unlikely to be sold again for another sixty years. Can I get the bidding started at thirty million cenz?”
Edward choked on the water he was drinking, and the Lieutenant shot him a sharp look. Her entire posture had changed in a single moment; no longer was she a vapid socialite, but the woman he knew as the ‘Hawk’s Eye’ – and with good reason too. Other servers had slowly put down their trays – Team Arthur and Bruno were preparing too for what had every possibility of becoming a bloodbath.
A literal one.
Bobby looked back at Edward, before winking deliberately and he raised his hand. “Sixty million!” he called out in his oily voice.
What happened next was utter chaos.
The Lieutenant leapt across the table to pin Bobby down; Edward felt his chair being pulled back violently by some unknown force and then a pair of strong hands grab onto his upper arms. Shots rang out and they echoed loudly in the ballroom; there was a second of silence while everyone looked for the source of the original commotion, and then screams erupted as the high society of Central began to scramble for their nearest exit. Edward briefly caught sight of the Lieutenant wrestling with Bobby on the ground, a gun flung out of her reach while Mustang was dealing with his own mystery assailant.
Edward realised very quickly that the person dragging him away was not from Team Arthur or Bruno – and he roared as he clapped his hands together before slamming his palm onto this automail forearm as best he could manage. The scream behind him told him his aim had been true, and he fought off off the other arm that went to wrap around his neck.
He didn’t recognise the man who fell back to the ground, clutching at his shoulder that was bleeding profusely, but decided that it wouldn’t be a good idea to let him escape. The sound of his automail arm shattering the man’s jaw was immensely satisfying. Dimly, he could hear Fuery’s voice yelling frantically in his ear about something –
More shots rang out across the ballroom and Edward whipped his head to the front of the stage, breaking into a run. The crowd was thinning now, and he could see Mustang running towards the front of the ballroom too. It was probably only a matter of seconds before he caught sight of Hawkeye, standing over the twitching figure of Bobby Carlsberg with a gun firmly aimed at his head. Her dress had ripped: a thousand diamond crystals were scattered around the two of them, sparkling in the growing pool of blood despite the wound Bobby was desperately trying to staunch.
“Get the medics here, sir,” she said firmly, shrugging off the hand that tried to lower her gun. “We’re not risking him dying out on this floor so his operation keeps going.”
Mustang sighed and nodded, turning towards one of the approaching undercover servers. He looked pale – almost as pale as Bobby, who was busy swearing black and blue that he’d get her for this, the cocksucker –
Edward stood next to her, and she shook her head, gaze and gun still firmly aimed at Bobby. “You don’t need to see this,” she told him firmly. “Havoc and Breda will be here in a moment to escort you out-”
“But-”
“That is an order, Fullmetal,” she said tightly. “Go.”
A warm hand clapped on his back. “We’ll be alright here Edward,” Roy’s voice came from his right, his hand steering him away from the situation before him. “Simon here is going to deliver you to where Sergeant Fuery is. He’ll bring you back to Headquarters after you’ve been checked over.”
“The Lieutenant-”
“She’ll be fine.” The Colonel’s tone was worryingly hesitant. “We’ll see you back for the debriefing soon.”
Said debriefing took a lot longer than the briefing had: Edward was sure he had started to doze off towards the end as leaders from Team Arthur and Bruno recounted their version of events for the record. As far as he could tell, the operation had gone as smoothly as could be expected: Bobby, most importantly, had been captured alive, and so had a number of his associates. The child who was to be sold off had also been successfully located in a separate sting that happened elsewhere at the same time.
Edward recounted his own version of events quickly: “Some guy tried to pull me away but I stabbed him and then punched him to make sure he didn’t run off.” Hughes sat next to him on the couch, writing away furiously in a notebook. After what felt like hours, he closed it and stretched his hand.
“The rest can happen tomorrow. The details are all accounted for,” he told Mustang. “Your job is done, and Central Headquarters thanks you for your service.”
Mustang nodded and waved his hand in a dismissive fashion. “Everybody get some rest tonight,” he called out as they began to shuffle out of the office. Edward blearily opened his eyes – when had he shut them? – and spied the Lieutenant sitting opposite him, curled up with a dinner jacket resting loosely on her shoulders.
“You did some quick thinking tonight,” she told him, pride evident in her voice. “I’m sorry it came to that.”
Edward shrugged. “We caught the bad guy,” he said simply.
“Hardly a good reason,” Hawkeye replied, standing up and stretching her arms above her head. He could see the need for the jacket now – in the fight with Bobby, a whole section of the dress had torn down the side. Diamonds were hanging on by mere threads, and Edward quickly ducked his head when he realised he could see the skin stretching over her ribcage, already marred with dark purple bruises. She nodded at Hughes, before wrapping the jacket tighter around herself, and slipped into Mustang’s office.
Edward let himself doze once more and was dimly aware of a blanket being draped over him.
Later, he woke to the smell of takeaways and low chatter and got himself a plate, sitting next to his brother and hearing his versions of events. From what he gathered, it had been very boring with Sergeant Fuery for Alphonse; it was only within the last five minutes before all hell broke loose that he could pick up on anything exciting.
However, there had been a friendly stray in the alleyway behind their building and so Alphonse had spent most of his time playing games with the cat and talking to the soldiers positioned there. Edward let himself drift off while Alphonse continued to talk, watching the remaining soldiers talk in low tones to each other over heaping piles of chips and fried rice. It struck him as strange that he hadn’t seen neither the Colonel or the Lieutenant since the food had arrived – glancing towards the door that led to the inner office, Edward made up his mind to let them know, if nobody else was going to. Almost everyone had gone home by this stage; the outer office was nearly empty as he walked towards the door that was left slightly ajar.
In hindsight, that should’ve been his first warning.
His hand was raised ready to knock as he pushed on the door – the heavy wood gave way under the pressure of his hand slowly, and Edward paused as he took in the scene before him.
The light was low in the office, as the two of them sat on top of the desk, looking out over the parade grounds. Hawkeye had discarded the jacket – which Edward realised was Mustang’s dinner jacket and was resting her head on his shoulder. In the dim light, he could almost make out their hands intertwined as they spoke to one another in low tones.
It was hard to look away, and even harder when Mustang turned and pressed a soft kiss onto her bare shoulder.
A hand reached out from behind Edward and pulled back the oak door. He twisted jerkily, so tired at this point he didn’t have the energy to cry out in surprise.
Hughes raised his eyebrows deliberately as he shut the door with a definitive click. “Not now, kid,” he said quietly, guiding Edward back towards where the remaining men were, dealing out cards and promising to go easy on Alphonse. “That’s a story for another time.”
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dilfhakyeon-moved · 6 years
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Fire should be illegal - Ralbert
It really should js, but it’s fun so who cares
Second part, here’s the first part ewe
Race has fire powers, he deals with the consequences of his tomfooleries, but... not today
Please REBLOG if you liked it !! ( also don’t be afraid of commenting )
Tag list: ( ask if you wanna be removed bc tbh i’m kinda too tired to tag so many people when half don’t read it, save me some time and energy i already don’t have a lot ) @well-the-kids-do-too @racetrackcook @i-got-personality @imjusttheoutgoingsidekick @thatfancyclam @we-dont-sell-papes @ben-cook-can-cook @not-your-cigar @fuckinviral @jackhasdreams @racescoronas @suddenly-im-respecsable @purplelittlepup @hopeful-broadwaybaby @broadwayandbookblog @crazymecjc @maiawakening
The prompt for this one was “We’re all a little stronger than we think we are.”, hehehe
Ever since Race had found out about his abilities - and things had been sorted out between Albert and him regarding this matter -, he'd... somehow tried to control it a little better. Small beginnings, of course ; accidents that occurred because they had to. After the candles had been lit perfectly, Race had thought it wouldn't go too wrong, but he'd managed to be wrong about something yet again. Nothing unusual, but unlike many things, this one was actually dangerous.
He hadn't deemed wearing the gloves useful, at first: he'd managed to control it this time, that meant he could control it as a whole, right ? Mistake !
See, Race somehow had spotted the beginning of a painting of Albert and himself Jack had began, and while his excitement had overcome him and he'd grabbed it to go and show his boyfriend, his hands had done the work. In under a few seconds, there were ashes on the ground, and a true feeling of... yes, terror. He'd burnt one of Jack's paintings. Great, but not the worst one ; Crutchie had recently adopted a puppy despite Davey being unconditionally terrified of her. The blond, once again getting excited at the sight of the little thing, almost burnt her - the fire fortunately left his hands before they were against the pup, and he just rushed himself outside instead of saying anything about it. He'd also almost set the kitchen on fire again, but he'd fixed it before it got too bad, and they didn't have to buy anything. It'd suck, with the amount of no money they had.
All this had happened in two weeks, pretty much, and now Race was just sprawled out on his stomach on their bed, looking at the door with a lot of feelings internally, but externally he was deadpanning. At himself. Albert was watching him from time to time, himself scrolling down his phone, then eventually chuckled and shifted so he'd be close enough to gently tap his shoulder.
"C'mon, don't make this face. What's wrong now ?"
"Y' know what." The answer clearly wasn't as enthusiastic, which earned a laugh from the redhead as he ruffled his hair.
"I mean, you ain't been doin' so bad, huh ?"
"Yea, ain't been doin' too bad. Been doin' awful. Clearly, there's a difference, an' we sure gotta point it out."
This time, Albert rolled his eyes. Race wasn't looking at him, but he could tell if he did have a better reaction it'd be pushing his hand away. Things weren't going well for him, nor for anyone else really - and by his fault -, and he was supposed to... not make this face ? What a joke. If he had the ability, he'd be hidden underground, living as a hermit with no prospects. He was already doing the "no prospects" part well, though, to be fair. The redhead kept his hand in his hair, either way. Just ruffled it some more.
"C'mon, it's fine. We're just... all a bit stronger than we think we are."
"Oh, what - don't pull that shit on me !" This time Race turned around, shoving Albert before sitting up and huffing, reaching out to throw a pillow at him.
Another light laugh left his boyfriend though, and he shifted back closer to him, forcefully pulling him into a hug and bringing him back down, lying down but keeping him in his arms. Which the blond didn't really fight against, instead leaning into it and sighing quietly. These embraces were comforting, and he didn't have the strength to stay angry. He was upset with himself, but he wasn't as angry and frustrated. Or maybe he was. But it didn't manifest as much.
For a while, nothing else moved, only breathing could be heard and eventually Race calmed down, his frown having softened by then.
"I don't know, Al. I jus'... keep fuckin' it up, like it's gotten worse or somethin'. Whenever I feel a bit more of anythin' than usual, everythin's on fire."
"Maybe works with your heart rate ?" The other suggested, raising an eyebrow.
"No idea. But I burnt that thing Jack was doin' an' I feel like shit. Didn't even say sorry, kinda just... ran away, I should'a waited for him to come back but how do I explain to him that I burnt his stuff ? Couldn't have been an accident..."
If someone had to know about Race's troubles and insecurities, it could only be Albert. And of course, he did understand where his lover was coming from, how was he to explain ? If only he knew. Sigh.
"Just... Maybe just tell him."
"What ? You're crazy ! What's he gonna say if I jus' tell him my hands made fire ?"
"I don't know. Try it so you know what's he gonna say."
The look on Race's face was something. Part of him seemed like he just didn't comprehend what he was told to do, and... well, he understood, yes, but was that a normal thing you just told your friend ? Was this something that happened ? Perhaps, because if he had these powers then it wasn't so unusual, but he still couldn't tell what the reaction would be. Or if it'd be a good idea to come out about it.
"Think I should... tell everyone ?" So he was considering it either way.
"Yeah, I think so," Albert began, holding him closer and pressing a kiss on his forehead. Hopefully reassuring him a little more. "They'll understand, I mean... If I understood, they can understand too, yea ? We're all friends."
"I guess."
Race did feel vulnerable at the moment, but everything was just exhausting anyway. He'd deal with this another day, surely ; at the moment his thoughts were well enough, he didn't need more... bleh.
"Can I nap an' forget this shit ?"
"Do I look like I'd say no to a nap ?"
"... No, but I 'on' know. Oh, whatever, shut up." The blond groaned and buried his face in Albert's chest, frowning some more. "Shut up an' just hug me."
Albert laughed, shaking his head before closing his eyes. "Sure thing, shithead."
"Nah, you."
"Love you too."
That was probably the best way to end this conversation ; a good, well-deserved nap.
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martinlawless · 5 years
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March Hare Classic, Masters Race E1234
Lee Valley VeloPark, Saturday 16 March 2019
The March Hare Classic is a full day of crit racing: from Youth to National B Seniors, over at Lee Valley’s road circuit in the VeloPark. Maybe because it’s sort of the start of Spring and more likely because it has a podium full of prize money attached to it, it attracts a large and highly skilled range of riders.
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I wanted to give the Masters (40+) race a go. I want to race a couple more times before the Tour of Malta at Easter. The plan, confirmed when seeing the start list, was simply to finish in the bunch and - hopefully - have a sprint for a top ten place. It’s an E1234, and sure enough there are Elites in the race, including our Mitchy, racing for Contour. Who, bravely, would be racing the National B race an hour after we had finished.
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Top-tips-time for the aspiring racer…
Pack your race bag two nights before your race. Get everything you can prepare in advance ready. I pump my tyres up then and leave them. I think pumping your tyres up shortly before a race is Russian Roulette and I’ve seen a good few tyres go boom with minutes or seconds to go before a race. Pack your clothes, shoes, helmet, put your race licence in your wallet. All your gels, liquids, pins and creams, options for clothing: like thicker gloves and arm warmers, tools: everything two days before. That way, you get a better night’s sleep. The next evening… firstly, stuff happens and you don’t want to be messing around late into the night faffing with your bike or whatever. Secondly, your nerves and being unable to switch-off can get the better of you and a poor night’s sleep the night before can often happen. So, at least you had a good night’s sleep the day before.
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The evening before a race: eat normal. Don’t stuff yourself with pasta. Be dead normal. Don’t go to bed too early, just do what you normally do. The next day, eat a normal breakfast. Which is probably a version of porridge or muesli anyway and so perfect. If your race is in the early afternoon, like so many weekend crits are, I’d go a small sandwich around an hour and a half before the race. Don’t ride on empty. Or eat too close to the race. I avoid chocolatey things too in the morning as it messes with my metabolism. I will have an americano. A banana. Apple. Health bar.
I drive to my races. I wear loose clothes and don’t put kit on early. I change at the venue. I will apply chamois cream before setting off, as it’s one less thing to faff with. I wear my racing socks. I put on mostly what I will wear on my warm up.
I will double-check I haven’t left my essentials behind: helmet, shoes, licence. I leave a spare kit set in my race bag at all times. socks, bibs, jersey, sunglasses. I also pack a spare tyre and tools. Gels and pins. I drive down thinking positively about doing well.
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I love to get to a race a good 1.5 hours before the start if I can. It’s amazing how quickly that time will fly. Pinning your numbers on can take a long time. I always over-pin to make the numbers flat to the body in the wind. It’s easy to get pinning wrong. And races will often have protocol on how the numbers should be orientated. Check: ask. I’ve seen riders sent back to unfold their numbers. Don’t mess about. There are many ways to get your numbers on the way you like. I just do it on the floor, taking care not to be too ambitious on how tight I can put them.
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My jersey is alway pre-prepared with the requisite gels and nutrition. I use Lucozade Sport or similar energy drink for liquid so there’s no messing about with powders.
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I often forget to take a gel just before the start: which is really more of a superstition than a practical tip. I have nearly forgotten to set my bike computer off at the start lots of times.
Toiletness… This is a tricky one. The chances are, the toilet situation at your race will be rubbish. But if you don’t disturb normaiity on what you eat and drink in the run-up, and simply don’t be late at home or at the venue: you’ll be all right. Be normal.
If it’s a crit, there’s often a whistle before the start to call riders up, a short briefing and you’re off - like rockets. So don’t be faffing when it’s near the start. Get close to the start and keep warm however you can. In the start line, be sensible, be wary of the riders in the front who will clip in like you are and so just be calm and efficient with it all. Don’t panic.
The beginning of the race will most certainly be fast. Don’t panic. It will likely ease back at some point soon enough if you plan on just being in the bunch.
Hold your line on every corner. Follow the line of the rider in front of you. Simple.
Don’t overlap wheels. If it’s a squash and you kind of have to: do what you can to let a rider know you’re near them. Say so. Touch them. Get into a safer position when you can: carefully.
Snot rockets: aim them down and at yourself if you’re boxed in. 
Be a good group rider. This can’t be learned quickly. Join a club, go on club rides, do the local chaingang. Chaingangs are you best way into racing.
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The race…
The strong wind was causing a chill. It’s overcast and rain is in the air. I opt for shorts, arm warmers and a really light undervest.
As expected, our race went off like a rocket. I recorded my joint fastest lap of Lee Valley at 28mph average, and the next couple of laps at the start were similar too. It was tough as one team weren’t hanging around in launching their break. Two top riders went clear and that was that. They’d go on to get 1st and 2nd. Thereafter, there was a mix of bunchness and launches for a break on this 25 lap, 25 miles race. All I wanted to do in this early period was keep out of trouble and away from the back. We’d lost one rider who got caught out at the start. All this pre-race effort for 6 minutes of racing. But that’s how it goes sometimes and I hope he happily comes back for more.
There was a horrific headwind. Weather Warning level. It made every turn into the blast an art in positioning so as to be in the thin line fighting against it. Once or twice I had no cover and the effort required was intense. The data shows I never got higher than 12th place on each lap start. This was in part because eventually, several more riders made a break. After that, it eased back a little. Mitchy was still with me, but after around half way through, he gave me a little sign to say he was going to launch off the bunch. I shook my head as he glanced. We turned from the headwind and into a total tailwind - the perfect place to launch - as the pack are knackered after the hard work. Mitchy fired the quads. In a blink he was gone and no one could haul him in. Eventually, Mitchy would consolidate with several other riders and catch 5th place overall. Great work.
At one point, a rider knocks into my side, but he says, ‘Watch out’. I don’t react. As ever, the pace is high and serious concentration is required at all times.
Not to say there are no moments of light relief. One rider who is desperate to work the bunch into greater efficiency starts losing the plot at our less than equal sharing of the front. The rider next to me starts laughing, and I remark that I was unaware this was a Tour De France stage.
Suddenly, it’s 6 laps to go. The race has got a bit mechanical in the bunch with our collective lack of imagination and aggression. I wake up a bit and start looking around. I can count how many riders are ahead and work out that we in the bunch are probably sprinting for 10th place and a solitary BC point.
I feel quite strong by now and wonder if I need 45 minutes to get going in a race. And if I do, that’s a pretty bad thing. I am enjoying lolling near the front. As we enter the final lap, we are laughably slow: like 15mph. But it picks up. Now, as we approach the final bend, what I should have done - in 2nd place in the bunch - is put the hammer down and go for it. I don’t really know these riders and don’t know the good from bad. However, at the last minute I see the guy in front moving into a sprint position ahead of me. He looks pretty handy, so I plan to use his wheel to launch my attack.
As we enter the finishing straight, my plan starts to unwind. The guy blows up pretty quickly and I get swamped either side. I’m stuck and a bit gutted I just didn’t use my 2-3 bike length gap at the start of the sprint better. Riders bump around a bit and I don’t like the maelstrom, especially when there’s nothing to play for. I cross the line and consider it objective job done.
I nearly crash faffing with turning my computer off: idiot. Then roll around to see how Mitchy got on. I’m well impressed he broke away late but hauled in to the others.
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I unpin, change, collect my licence and grab a coffee. I wait to see Mitchy go again in the National B race. It’s the first time I’ve seen 80 riders start at Lee Valley. I cheer him on. I go inside the velodrome for a hot chocolate and late lunch toastie, then cheer Mitchy on more who is understandably finding it tough after racing already. Brave.
As I leave, the wind seems to have got worse, but the sun is trying to get out. The VeloPark looks good in early Spring. I look forward to returning in two weeks for one more Masters race before the Tour of Malta. Hopefully, the field will be more my level of competitiveness and I can be more creative in my racing than being so super defensive. Though these defensive races are very good learning for racecraft and things like drafting and handling wind direction and positioning.
Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/2217157546
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skulmerayer headcanons... :^)
bc I’ve kept quiet about my ot3 for too long, dammit! I’ve mentioned most of these things at one point or another, but because everything’s so scattered, I decided it would be best to compile everything here (that’s why there are some links). Pure, unsolicited fluff that’ll rot your teeth for days. ☺️❤
Player (and some Eph) hcs / Ephemera hcs / Skuld hcs
I like to think of them being in a more sensual-based relationship above all else
but hey guess what they can be in a platonic, romantic, queerplatonic, any kind of relationship I don’t care as long as they’re together
if Ephemera is Player’s prince charming, then Skuld is their knight in shining armor.
ok but…..Player being smol and Ephemera and Skuld taking advantage of that by picking them up/leaning against them. short ppl problems smh
alternatively: imagine Player being tall enough to just swoop in and hug both Ephemera and Skuld by the neck and squishing their faces together
(a personal fave of mine and @aqua-phoric :D) Ephemera flirts all cheesy and relentlessly even during unfitting situations, but the second Player and/or Skuld flirts with him, his brain short circuits
they are…the biggest memers
Player is the middleman person whenever Skuld and Ephemera disagree on something. Rarely do they ever stir anything up with their partners
but holy crap if Player does somehow get upset enough, they become absolutely hysteric and it’s just really really bad for everyone. What’s worse is that after they let all their anger out, they completely shut down and go back to making nonverbal gestures, as a sort of defense mechanism, which Ephemera and Skuld can pick up on rather quickly
On the flip side, sometimes Player just likes to sign things out instead of speaking verbally, especially if they have to say something embarrassing
catch all three of them throwing that “I love you” sign in public gfdsdfghsdf
(lemme just…..drop the ESP AU in here. it’s not a headcanon but this is my post and I make the rules)
Ephemera keeps trying to make up for leaving both his partners hanging on two separate occasions even tho Player and Skuld have already forgiven him for the most part
“Please, for the love of light, don’t let them do anything stupid,” Chirithy begs tiredly.
“We’ll try.” Skuld replies.
“No, I meant ‘them’ as in both Player and Ephemera. I don’t want to deal with double the amount of complaints tonight.”
Player is also literally always in the middle when they’re sleeping. Skuld is always closest to the window/wall and Ephemera is always next to a nightstand or the side furthest from the wall. Cuddling and blanket stealing are almost always a thing.
Skuld and Player are total snuggle buds bc they usually go to bed first and Ephemera often has the job of tucking them all in when he’s done reading or whatever. 
More often than never, Ephemera stares lovingly at their sleeping faces…even after getting punched in the face by Skuld on reflex
Ephemera will not hesitate to offer Skuld and Player his scarf and gloves when it’s cold
Player borrows their partners’ clothes most often, wearing combinations of all three of their clothes as part of their outfit
"I love you!" "I love you more!" "I love you MOST!"
overall they just love each other very much
I love them very much
ok that’s it thank you for your time :>
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granteares · 7 years
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some extremely self-indulgent patater snow day fic bc of my snow day today and Why Not right. i hope it’s enjoyable!! ~3k words under the cut.
“Kent— Kenny— Wake up, котёнок.”
Kent moaned in protest, rolling onto his other side and away from the voice murmuring by his ear. “I dunno what time it is, but whatever it is, it’s too early,” Kent mumbled, hiding his face in the pillow.
Alexei’s laugh was familiar and warm and he felt the breath lightly against his hair. “Is ten, you are sleeping long enough, is time to be waking up now,” the Russian insisted. “Big snowstorm they are promising come. Очень красивый.”
“Baby, I’m not awake, don’t make me try to understand Russian right now,” Kent whined, because he had never had that kind of talent Alexei clearly did for another language— even if it was out of necessity; he had attempted to gain some grasp of Québécois in the Q and had never mastered more than introducing himself, really, and it was about the same for Russian.
“Very Beautiful,” Alexei translated, pressing a kiss to the shell of Kent’s ear. “Snow is very beautiful. You come look, котёнок.”
Kent reached up to pull the blanket further over him. “You remember I grew up in New York, right? I’ve seen snow before. I'd be fine without seeing any more of it.”
“Is too bad, because you are helping me to shovel,” Alexei replied, and Kent could hear the teasing lilt to his tone.
“Fuck you,” Kent muttered, groaning. “Fine.” He couldn’t exactly tell Alexei no, even though he doubted shoveling was too hard of a task for a 6’4” man with the build of a hockey defenseman. Then again, with the addition of a 5’10” man built like a hockey forward, maybe Kent could get them back inside far sooner, where he could sit under blankets on the couch, curled up with Alexei and the dog, and pretend there was no such thing as snow— which had lost its magic by the time Kent was twelve and realized he hated everything about being cold down to his bones and always having to shovel the stoop and sidewalk of the New York City brownstone apartment he lived in with his mom.
"Спасибо," he heard Alexei respond— and Kent could translate that, at least, as 'thank you', because he'd heard it umpteen thousand times.
However, Kent made no moves to change position or get out of bed, if anything just burrowing himself into bed further. Alexei seemed content with this for a few moments, just leaning over Kent and lazily mouthing at his jaw, until Kent finally blinked his eyes open because obviously he wasn’t actually getting back to sleep. “Okay, okay, I’m up,” he sighed.
Alexei pulled away as Kent sat up, rubbing his eyes, and when Kent looked over he saw the brunette was grinning. “Good! Is time to play in snow!” he exclaimed.
Kent rolled his eyes. “I don’t get how you’re so excited about it. Bet snowstorms are even worse where you grew up… I’d hate it.”
“Нет, Kent, I’m find very nice… very refreshing. Do not mind the winter.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?”
Alexei smirked, nodding. “But you are still loving me, baby.”
Kent laughed. “Yeah, uh-huh. C’mon, you goon, let’s get this over with.” He pushed himself from bed, simultaneously running his fingers through his hair in lieu of a comb, then going through Alexei’s drawers to find some extra layers to put on top of his own clothing. Anything Alexei owned for himself was baggy on Kent, but not baggy enough that he drowned in it— just enough to be comfortable— and it certainly wasn’t a con that they also, of course, smelled like him. He pulled on his own clothes, threw what he’d borrowed from Alexei over top, stumbling a bit in his still-waking-up state. When he figured he was wearing enough to be fairly warm, he followed Alexei downstairs to the entryway of his house, where they had outerwear hanging.
Kent had had to buy new, real, winter outerwear when he’d started visiting Alexei more regularly. Even if the season was ongoing and he couldn’t get over much during the wintertime, he’d quickly realized that his Vegas-winter-wear wasn’t going to cut it whatsoever. It had been a while since he’d been out east any time but the off-season.
He pulled on boots, gloves, and his jacket, before tugging on his ridiculous Aces winter hat complete with a stupid pompom on the top. Alexei was similarly bundled up, but sporting a Falconers’ beanie, of course.
Kent followed Alexei outside and frowned at the cold breeze that blew flurries in his face. It was still coming down lightly, he realized, but it looked like at least a foot had collected on the ground already and Kent saw other neighbors had ventured out to clear what had settled on the ground before there was double the work to do later. He sighed, pouting at Alexei, who just gave him that loose and lopsided grin that always made Kent melt instantly, and rolled his eyes instead as his lips pulled up into their own smile.
There were two shovels set against the side of the house on the porch, so Kent grabbed one and Alexei grabbed the other, and after a quick debate over who would start shoveling what area, he got to work.
It had been years since Kent had had to shovel snow. He remembered a few occasions of helping his billet family shovel during snowstorms in juniors, but even that had been almost ten years ago. Then, of course, Kent had spent his winters in Las Vegas. Well, he could confirm he still hated shoveling as much as he ever had. He grumbled as he pushed snow off of the steps, clearing them and the walkway that led from Alexei’s house to the sidewalk.
“It’s cold as shit out here,” he complained when Alexei was within earshot.
“Thought you growing up in New York, used to snow and cold?” Alexei chirped, and there was a look in his eyes that Kent recognized well by now as his fucking-with-you look.
So Kent rolled his eyes and huffed, exasperated. “Doesn’t mean I like it. I’m freezing, babe. I’m about to turn into a popsicle.”
Alexei laughed, because he was a merciless bastard. “Sooner you stop complaining, sooner we are finishing shoveling. Need to shovel Mrs. Everett’s house, too,” Alexei explained, gesturing over to the house across the street, where said Mrs. Everett lived alone. She was an elderly, spitfire of lady, but also the kind who brought over containers of homemade soup for Alexei, especially during the season, and made sure his fridge had something in it. Kent remembered the first time Alexei had excitedly explained Mrs. Everett, and how she had learned to cook a few Russian dishes for him— which were admittedly, and understandably, not as good as his mother’s, but the sentiment was all that mattered. In turn, Alexei was always willing to go over and help her with housework when hockey wasn’t in the way. In short: Kent wasn’t surprised that they were digging out her house, as well, and he only nodded his head with a small pout on his face as they finished up Alexei’s home.
After they had finished Mrs. Everett’s house, Kent was making his way back across the street, shovel dragging along behind him, when something thunked against the back of his head. The beanie stopped most of the cold, but he shivered at the small pieces of snow that fell against his neck.
He whipped around, eyes narrowed at Alexei, who was poorly feigning innocence, working too hard to suppress a smile.
“You really want to start a snowball fight with the best shot in the NHL?” Kent accused. If there was one thing he didn’t feel like doing, with the cold officially having seeped into what felt like every last centimeter of his being despite his effort to layer up, it was find himself sopping and covered with snow.
“Am not being such bad shot myself. I’m having many goals this season.”
Kent laughed at Alexei’s comeback, because he knew that. He obsessively kept himself up to date with Alexei’s stats. Besides, he’d always known Alexei was a good player, his goal scoring records impressive for a defenseman. “You’re not goading me into this. I want a hot chocolate and a fluffy blanket,” Kent replied instead.
“Such grumpy old man, Kent Parson. No fun.” Alexei’s stance took on one that Kent recognized from on-ice moments: a challenge, daring Kent to back out of the competition; it was the posture he took whenever he was lingering on the edge of a face-off, ready to jump into the melee and take the puck for the Falcs.
And damn, if being a competitive motherfucker wasn’t something Kent couldn’t seem to grow out of. “First off,” Kent said, and heard the glint of challenge in his own voice, “You are older than me, Mashkov. Second, I’m so much fun, it’s illegal. Third: you’re going down.” Kent let his shovel drop where he was standing. The street hadn’t been plowed yet, and Kent had the feeling it wouldn’t be any time soon, considering the other neighbors coming and going across it like automobiles were a forgotten thing of the past.
He leant over, picking up a handful of snow and forming it into the rough shape of a ball (when was the last time he’d had a snowball fight? Probably the Q, he thought, on the occasion a bunch of rowdy teenage hockey-playing boys had an off-day and the snow was the right consistency for it). As he concentrated on pressing the snow together in his hands, another thud of snow hit against his chest, and he tensed for a moment before chucking what he had formed right back at Alexei, nailing him in the chest as well.
They continued like that for a maybe ten minutes, until a few of the neighbor kids caught on to the snowball fight— and Alexei was the kind of guy that always joined in when he had spare time and they were out playing some sort of game in the street, of course; Kent had watched last summer from the porch as the kids had set up a game of street hockey and yelled to Tater to join them, and then Alexei had convinced Kent to join in as well, and they had been awestruck that they were playing hockey with Kent Parson, but they had treated Alexei like he was just another one of the kids (and Kent had forcefully pushed aside his feelings about watching Alexei with children to examine at a much, much later date)— and before Kent even realized it, they were pausing to develop strategies and build defenses, Alexei with a handful of children on one side of the street and Kent with his own handful on the other.
Things turned into a flurry of snow and shouts when one of the kids called to resume the war, and Kent forgot for a moment that he was uncomfortably cold and that his gloves were starting to soak through as the kids chirped his poor snowball-making skills and he was told he was only allowed to throw them because, yeah, he was Kent Parson.
And then suddenly, Alexei’s team plowed through their own defenses, charging at Kent and his kids, and Kent was trained to prepare himself for ambushes like this, body turning and tensing in a way that would make Alexei’s body slamming into his hurt a little less, throw him a little bit less off balance even though he wasn’t on skates, but it was instinct at this point in his life. And sure enough, Alexei’s body connected with his own, and he was so much bigger, so much heavier, that without any boards to catch the impact or the ability to skate away at a lightning speed, Kent fell into a drift of snow with a huff of breath as Alexei knelt over him and— motherfucker!— shoved some snow down his jacket.
Kent spluttered as the cold bit at his skin, trying to censor his curses in front of kids suddenly ten times more difficult. “I’m— I’m gonna— you are dead, Mashkov,” he finally stammered out, pushing at Alexei’s chest with all the strength he could muster, as the big Russian laughed and fell off to the side, lying beside Kent in the snow.
The blonde seized the moment before he even really thought about it, grabbing a handful of snow and sitting up to let it drop down onto Alexei’s face. It wasn’t compacted, wouldn’t hurt, just give Alexei the same cold sting of snowflakes on skin. The bigger man gasped in surprise, bolting back up into a sitting position, and pouting at Kent as he wiped the snow off his reddened cheeks.
The neighbor kids had already forgotten about them, continuing their snowball war with single-minded intensity, leaving Kent and Alexei in their own little world.
So Kent stood up, then offered out a hand of truce. “Ready to go inside?” he suggested.
Alexei sighed, but nodded, taking Kent’s hand and allowing himself to be pulled up (not as much of an effort as it sounded, considering Kent could bench more than Alexei’s weight during his workout routine). “Cannot believe you put snow in my face.” Kent knew the anger was feigned. It wasn’t as if Alexei had never fallen face first onto solid ice before. A little snow in the heat of a moment of play was nothing.
“You shoved snow down my shirt, so, fuck off,” Kent chirped back easily. “It’s still down there.”
“Guess you are just going to have to be getting undressed when we are getting inside,” Alexei replied, all-too-giddy about the prospect.
Kent rolled his eyes. “Nope— No— You are not getting in my pants right now. I’m putting on the fluffiest, warmest clothes you have immediately and cuddling on the couch with Willow while you make me a giant mug of hot chocolate.”
Alexei laughed, but took Kent’s hand and squeezed it. “Yes, котёнок, whatever you are wanting,” he conceded as they crossed the threshold back into the warmth of Alexei’s house.
They walked up to the master bedroom together, unlinking hands when they reached the bathroom— the safest place to strip off their wet clothes without getting snow all over the carpets and making a bigger mess. Kent felt goose bumps rise over his flesh when he was standing naked, and quickly walked back into the bedroom, grabbing a pair of his own boxers before yanking open the drawer of Alexei’s dresser where he kept pajamas. He pulled on a pair of flannel pants, then found a worn and soft sweatshirt. When Kent was done getting dressed, he padded downstairs to the living room, settling on the couch where Willow was already napping. She repositioned herself against Kent when he sat down, and Kent threw a blanket over himself.
A moment later, Alexei walked in on his way to the kitchen. He paused to ruffle Kent’s hair from the back of the couch. “Making hot chocolate now. You are wanting marshmallows?” he asked.
Kent tilted his head back to smile upside down at his boyfriend. “Please, babe.
“Да, be back in few minutes.” And with that, Alexei was walking out of the room.
The warmth seeping back into Kent’s body as he waited had him half-asleep by the time Alexei came back, nudging him to alertness. He had placed the mugs on the end table, and when Kent was awake again, Alexei sat down and repositioned them so that Kent was in between the v-shape of Alexei’s legs, pressed close, and the blanket was over both of them. Willow shifted as well to get closer to the both of them, laying herself half across their legs.
Alexei pressed a light kiss to the back of Kent’s neck before twisting, and a few seconds later, a steaming mug of hot chocolate, topped with a ridiculous amount of marshmallows already melting into it just the way Kent liked them to, was in front of his face. He took the mug with both hands, enjoying the hotness against his semi-stiff fingers.
“Thanks, Tates, you’re the fuckin’ best,” Kent murmured, taking a cautious sip. Hot, but not enough to burn too much. He lowered it from his face and relaxed against Alexei’s chest.
“I’m know, am best,” Alexei replied teasingly, “But thank you. And thank you for helping with snow. Was being fun day. Not so bad, the snow, да?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Kent agreed half-heartedly. “I guess it’s not terrible. I still like the desert better, though.”
“Will convince you eventually, Providence being much better than Las Vegas.”
Kent laughed sleepily. “Right, okay, Alyosha, if you say so.” He took another sip of the hot chocolate Alexei had made, feeling content.
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