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liibrii · 3 years

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Chapter 1: Still the same

Ojiro Aran x fem!reader

Synopsis: In Aran's eyes you've always been someone he could lean onto. Before you lost touch after graduating that was. Now that you've found a way back into his life, cracking under the weight of the world, he's determined to be there for you as you were for him. It really is only the question of time before he falls in love with you again but he soon starts to realise he might not know you all that well to begin with...

Genre: hurt/comfort, angst, slow burn, friends to lovers

Warnings: timeskip spoilers, internalised guilt and shame, intrusive thoughts, self doubt, depression, anxiety, swearing, use of alcohol

wc: 3.1k

a/n: if you wanna be tagged lemme know. as always feedback is greatly appreciated! a big thanks to @rosecaffelatte for the help with header and dividers!

“I dig the new look. But why just the beard, why not grow some nice moustache too? You could twirl them during matches. Like some super volleyball villain.“

Aran's coffee goes down the wrong pipe. “Is that how ya see me?” he asks during coughs.

Years later and your laughter still sounds the same. Warmth spreading through him is still the same. It's been a few months since you moved to Tokyo to finish your degree. “Better late than never, right?“ you told him the first time you got coffee together. An unfamiliar bitterness laced your voice then.

“Me? No. But the opponent might.“ You add some sugar to your cup before making a sip. Aran remembers seeing your favourite drink on the menu and wonders why you ordered something else. Maybe you just don't like it anymore. It has been some time since he last saw you.

Almost four years to be exact. Has it really been that long? He remembers the reunion as if it happened yesterday and graduation only a day before.

“We're graduating in a few days so I made you all a little something.“ You pulled neatly wrapped gifts from your bag. “Don't look so suspicious.“Seeing team's faces made you scrunch up your nose. “It's just a framed picture.“

You made one for everyone, even the first years who were merely bench warmers. It's the picture of the entire team taken after you returned from your last nationals. Aran remembers vividly how insistent you were on hanging team banner in the background. 'We don't need memories.' “But I sure do,“ you joked.

There's a hand written message on the back side. A different note for every single member.

“Take that 'Tsumu!“ shouted Osamu back then and pushed his frame under Atsumu's nose, “Look here, 'Don't tell 'Tsumu but yer my favourite twin!'“

Atsumu sneered at his brother: “What're ya talkin' about? 'Tsum-Tsum yer on the way of becomin' the best setter the world has ever known. And don't tell 'Samu but yer my favourite twin!' Take that ya pig!“

Aran laughed with the rest of the team. How typical that you would play twins against each other to create chaos. 'Aran,' his note read, 'don't forget to stretch properly after practice! And please, never sprain your ankle during matches. World doesn't have to know all your socks have holes in them.'

The first time he noticed your absence in his life was only months after graduating. The volleyball club manager who yelled at the cheering squad in front of the entire gymnasium for making a first year cry during a practice match. Fearless.

You were there when he needed someone to lean onto. With a snack and a sports drink, staying late just to make sure he didn't go overboard with practice. A light slap on his shoulders when he was wallowing in self doubt. On the days it got especially bad you pulled a pack of ritz crackers from your secret stash of snacks and bought him a drink on the way home. Sometimes you'd sit on the stone fence by the crossroad where your path home diverged, gossiping for hours about your classmates and teachers. Aran found it so easy to tell you all the trouble weighing on his mind. Be it about school or volleyball, you listened. Even when he knew he was talking nonsense, even when he knew his worries were just unfounded doubts you listened.

“Better to try and fail than to never try at all,“ you once told him.

Aran's lips curved into a small smile. “Where did ya read that? Some ancient philosopher?“

“No, it's a song.“ You pulled out your phone from the pocket and offered him a headphone. “Wanna listen to it?“

It really was no surprise he fell in love with you.

But he never spoke of how his breath caught in his throat, how his heart pounded whenever you were around. How could he when he had always known that look of pure love and adoration in your eyes would never be meant for him?

How could it be when you were so obviously in love with Kita?

No matter how much his heart ached for you he had to admit you and Kita were a match made in heaven. Years later and he still remembers the pictures in your room, you and Kita aged five or so holding hands, bruised knees and dirty cheeks, you and Kita on your first day of elementary school, you and Kita graduating Middle school. You and Kita joining volleyball club together. You and Kita locking pinkies on the way home. You and Kita. Always you and Kita.

He was so jealous back then. It drained so much of his energy trying to prevent the sneering beast from taking over. So much suppressed emotions trying to protect the friendship he to this day holds so dear. But no matter what he did he couldn't prevent his insides clenching every time you took Kita's hand. Well, why did he even expect you'd chose anyone but him? You've known him your entire life. Kita was your best friend from before either of you even knew what that meant. He understood you better than anyone. Why would you ever choose anyone but him?

For years you were happy and for years Aran believed he had moved on. Once in passing Kita even bashfully mentioned marriage. Aran congratulated his friend, even looked at engagement rings with him. That night he cam home and collapsed on the bed dazed from emotions erupting back to the surface. In his lonely, empty apartment he cried his eyes out. Never before had he been so angry at himself. He believed he was over you. And with one single sentence from Kita vines carrying your name sprouted thorns and pierced his heart.

He was a terrible friend, wasn't he? Perhaps this was his punishment for wishing you were in his arms instead. You are happy, right? So why can't that be enough? Even if it's with someone else, if he really loved you then knowing you are happy should be all that matters, right?

You were happy. Until you weren't. Aran was never glad to learn you and Kita broke up. But he wasn't sad either.

“I always thought ya and Shinsuke were gonna be it.“

Warm sunlight dances over your face. You stare out the window, the gaze of your eyes sorrowful. Aran doesn't remember ever seeing you sad. You've always been the happy one, the one capable of lifting others' spirits no matter how bad it was.

You stir your drink. “I thought so too.“ When you lean back your eyes still search for something in the street. “But that's how it goes you know, sooner or later you realise you've been wrong. One way or another.“

You're trying to sound carefree and Aran's heart cracks a little. Why are you trying so hard to conceal the pain? Don't you trust him?

You are still his friend. He's starting to think that maybe... Maybe he isn't yours anymore. He shouldn't have brought up Kita. Idiot.

“Our semi-final match is next week. Ya comin'?“

Before you answer a small voice chimes in. “Uhm, excuse me? Ojiro-san?“ The boy's eyes sparkle with excitement as he asks for an autograph and a picture and Aran's more than happy to oblige. Two other kids show up and then their parents and some of the guests who had been throwing glances at your table for some time. Aran takes his time taking pictures and exchanging pleasantries. Meeting fans is the one aspect of being a renown athlete he likes.

When he turns back at you there's a fond smile on your face. “Remember those times when you thought you had no future in volleyball because you didn't get invited to youth training camp?“ Your voice softens. “Look at you now. Ojiro Aran, outside hitter of Japan's National Team.“

The light trace of pride in your voice makes his face heat up. “I was lucky to have friends who believed in me.“

“True. I better get going, my shift stars in an hour.“ You stand up and collect your things. “Talk to you later!“

What little of time you spent together always seemed to fly past too rapidly. Aran watches through the window as you hurry down the street. His coffee has gotten cold.

His spike wins them the semi-finals. In the eruption of cheering he can't hear your voice but he does see you bouncing on your heels right beside his family. You're wearing his jersey. Not a replica, it's the same jersey he wore the last season. You jumped from happiness when you opened the present. One more for your small collection of former teammates' jerseys.

Aran beams and waves in your direction. If he could he'd run over to hug and spin you around just like he used to do back in high school but he's called away. By the time interviews are over you're long gone. A part of him really hoped you would wait for him. Just like you did back in high school. All there is is a message telling him he was amazing and you're proud of him. His heart swells and for the rest of the day nothing can wipe the wide grin off of his face.

At the after party alcohol runs in rivers. Since there's no practice scheduled for tomorrow his teammates go wild. Aran downs his fifth or sixth shot having lost count a while ago. He's warm and giddy, from the victory, the alcohol, the girl on his lap running her hands up and down his chest. What was her name again? She pulls him to the dance floor, her hair is the same colour as yours and her body feels so nice against his... She looks at him funny when he calls her your name. He gets lost in the blasting music and dim lights, the haze of all the drinks and the arm around his waist.

The sound of the alarm clock might as well be a sack of rocks someone dumped on his head. Even still half asleep the blunt throbbing in his head is becoming unbearable. He wraps himself tighter with the thin blanket. Futon beneath shifts as someone climbs over him.

Or perhaps he's just dreaming.

When the second alarm rings Aran's eyes begrudgingly flutter open. He struggles to pick up the phone trying to hit that snooze button. He rubs the sleep off his eyes. That's not his phone.

The alarm is still ringing. Oh, he's going to have one hell of a headache today. His fingers shake when he finally finds the 'stop' button. For a few moments he lies motionless though the pounding of his heart rings in his ears. Last night is a haze of disconnected voices and pictures. The futon beneath him is too small to be his and he doesn't recognise the pattern of the sheets either. He probably slept with some girl from the party. Better get up and get the awkward 'morning after' conversation over with.

Sitting up he discovers all his clothes are still on. The room doesn't look familiar, yet the smell... There's something homey and intoxicating about it.

Standing up is a feat on its own. He's dizzy from the sleep and the alcohol and has to grab the edge of the desk to steady himself. He closes his eyes and waits for dizziness to pass. In the weak morning sunlight sipping through the window he notices books and pencils strewn all over. There's a framed picture on the window ledge. It takes a moment for him to recognise it.

Last year of high school, the last trip to the beach you made together. Akagi is giving you a piggy-back ride, Omimi holds both of your popsicles with a fond look on his face. Aran stands beside him, carrying the inflatable ring you guys later accidentally popped on a rock, and on the edge of the group is Kita. His face is covered with a post-it note.

Sudden sickness twists his stomach and it's not just too much alcohol to blame. He slides open the door and looks around before walking down a short hallway to the kitchen. You're just packing your bag. “Look who woke up from his beauty sleep. Want some breakfast?“

“Bathroom,“ is all he manages to utter.

“Last door on the right.“

He finds it not a moment too early. How embarrassing, to be throwing up at your place. He feels your hands rub soothing circles on his back as he leans over the toilet. Once his stomach settles down you hand him a glass of water and some headache medicine. His head is spinning. When he finally collects himself enough to stand up on his own you hand him a new toothbrush. “I gotta go in a few minutes. Professor doesn't like us being late.“

“What happened?“ His voice is hoarse.

“You had a drink too much Mr. Lightweight,“ you say with a loop sided grin. “A girl form the party called me in the middle of the night asking for someone to pick you up. It's a good thing she did cause everyone was so drunk they couldn't stand straight. You guys really did take celebrating to a whole new level. I did take you to your place but when we got there your keys were gone. So might want to look into that. Also I'm pretty sure I strained a muscle dragging you up the stairs.“ You glimpse over to the clock on the wall. “Listen, I really have to go. My roommate'll be home all day so you can stay if you want. And when you get hungry just take something from the fridge. You gonna be alright?“

Aran nods. Fuck, even that hurts. “Need to sleep it off,“ he mumbles.

You give him one more pat on the back before you leave. He struggles for a while trying to unscrew the tube of toothpaste. Never before has brushing teeth posed such a challenge. He washes his face with ice cold water that does nothing to improve the headache or his mood.

He collapses back on your futon. So, this is your room then. It's nothing like the one he remembers from back home. The Vabo-chan plushie team gifted you for your birthday lies on the pillow. It still holds the ball Omimi made at the last moment, not that he was the one given this task in the first place. It was meant as a joke yet you brought it with you to Tokyo. Aran snuggles it, noticing how pale and worn out it's becoming. He drifts back to sleep, thinking he should tell the others you still have it. They'll be glad to hear it.

No matter how hard Aran tries to pay you back the money for the taxi ride from the party you refuse. The only payment you're prepared to accept is a trip to the seaside. The moment you see the endless blue water you run closer, discarding your shoes on the beach. Seeing you splash around in the shallow water makes him laugh.

He lays out the blanket and watches over you. It's good seeing the exhaustion on your face being washed away. Even if you didn't complain at all and said nothing he could tell balancing college and work is taking its toll. Despite smiling and appearing as carefree as always you seem tired. Aran is starting to fear you'll break under the weight of whatever it is you refuse to tell him.

He lays back on his bag, basking in the warm sun. Soon he dozes off. Once he wakes up you're laying beside him and scribbling in the margins of an article you have to read for an upcoming lecture. He lets you work and simply enjoys your presence. He missed hanging out with you, even if you don't do anything special he's just glad to have you around.

As evening falls he draps his jacket on your shoulders. You always loved stealing – not stealing he corrects himself, borrowing- you always loved borrowing jackets and hoodies.

“Hey Aran? Can... Can I tell you something?“ You hide your face beneath the hood of his jacket.

“'Course ya can.“

“Remember the old maple tree by the crossroad?“

Aran thinks for a moment. “Ya mean the one Suna dared ya to climb and ya fell down from?“

“That one yeah.“ A shadow of a smile flies over your lips at the memory.

“Everyone thought Oomi-sensei would throw ya outta the club. Shouldda seen the second year's faces when they thought we'll lose our precious manager.“

“A few months ago I walked past it. Thought about climbing it.“

“Lemme guess, ya couldn't? College life sucked all the strength from yer arms? Told ya ya should exercise more.“

“I was scared.“ You take a deep breath. “I climbed that tree a thousand times before. And now I'm too scared to even touch the lowest branch.“ You fidget with the hem of his jacket. “It scared me so much you know, not noticing how much I've changed.“

“Ya haven't changed that much.“

You look at him. “Haven't I?“

“No.“ Lies. A part of him knows it's lies. “Yer still the same. Our precious manager.“ He playfully pokes your shoulder. Yeah, you're still the same. You're still the you he remembers. “Yer my friend. Fearless. Always there to kick some sense into me.“ You're still the same girl he fell in love with all those years ago. “Yer one of my best friends. Nothin's gonna change that. Besides-“

“I hated you.“

Seagulls' calls. Waves crashing on the shore. People chatting in the distance. “Well, hate might be a bit too strong...“ You pull your knees to your chest and hug them, your eyes fixed on the waning light on the horizon. “I was so envious of you, you know? Of all of you... You, Akagi, Omiren,... You all knew what you wanted, you going pro, them going to college, and Shin... Even back in school I was the odd one out. I couldn't admit to myself that I envied you. Now I know it was wrong. So fucking childish. But that's how I felt.“ You can't bear to look him in the eye. “Sometimes I still feel like the one who has no idea what to do with her life...“

A lump forms in Aran's throat. He had no idea. Too blinded by your light, too engrossed in his own feelings to notice what was happening underneath your carefree facade.

“Knowing that tell me,“ you glance at him and tears in your eyes glimmer in the last beams of the setting sun, “can really nothing change our friendship?“

Ch. 2: Tattered

#ojiro aran #ojiro aran x reader #ojiro aran imagine #ojiro aran angst #aran x reader #ojiro aran x y/n #hq #haikyuu x reader #inarizaki x reader #inarizaki angst #all that is gold #libri scribbles

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xsecretblastsx · 4 years

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1x10 - High Society

Finally I’ve reach a double digit episode, and what an episode, I feel this is where I really start questioning characters decisions, but I also love drama so, withouth more preamble, here’s the recap. Again it got insanely long.

Thoughts I had while watching the episode:

I love “comin home baby”, so right there this show is making me so happy.

I’ve actually paused the episode to see the date of the debutante ball a.k.a Cotillion

I love Blair’s red tigh outfit, also where did that guy Prince Theodore came from?

Chuck’s proud face when Nate mentions how happier Blair seems lately, and also, dude really you don’t miss your girlfriend haha

Honestly I feel this scene with all these parallel conversations about Cotillion is great, right up my alley.

All the subtle drama in that rehearsal, the secret glances, Chuck and Nate keeping their eyes on Blair all the time, this is the kind of content I’m here for.

I would like to know why everyone is in their preppy uniforms and then there’s Kati and Is who look like they’re part of Flashdance

Lilly rolling her eyes the moment she sees CeCe, and then really enjoying Cece’s mortification when she realizes Dan is a Humphrey. I love Lilly.

And from Cece’s horrified face we go to hottest PG-13 make out ever. For real though I love this scene, they both look so good and so into it, and they’re so deliciously flirty and their chemistry is out of the charts. Great choice in music too.

I don’t know who is more frustrating by Nate interrupting Chuck or myself.

Chuck’s little smile when Blair says to Nate they should move on, only to be whipped out in the next minute

Two things about the heart pin: that was an incredibly smart move on Nate’s part, and if you had any doubt Blair Waldorf is such a hopeless romantic.

Cece such a manipulator, it’s unbelievable. Imagine if Serena was more like her family...

Nate’s tux fitting deserves an honorable mention just for the fact that Blair’s actually wearing jeans. Also he kind of deserves she’s lowkey ignoring him

I mean, Dan is so annoying, like yeah I get his point Cotillion is such an elitist unnecessary event, but the way he goes about it gets on my nerves.

Hello Carter. I actually don’t mind him this episode.

Out of all the seasons I feel like Season 1 is the one where it’s weirder for the final reveal of who gossip girl is, right now it makes the guy really look like a sociopath, with all the stuff he pretends not to know.

Oh Nate! This scene is so fun, like Chuck is so done with the conversation and then “you guys are still pretty close aren’t you?” Dude you have no idea. And the Cherry on the cake “Could you find out who she’s seeing? - Me” he told you Nate, he told you.

Cece’s words to Dan are cruel, but it is the crux of their relationship,, right until the very end and he deals with it in the worst way possible, and why in his mind, every issue in their relationship is always Serena’s fault. Ugh.

Between Dan and Carter, yeah she should have ended with Carter, too bad Cece’s word weren’t profetic.

I wish we had a clearer view of Blair’s outfit in that scene she’s talking with that New York Times guy, because I think it’s purple, and I wish we had seen her using that color a bit more.

Chuck is so jealous and Blair’s like yeah whatever as if. But a jealous Chuck is scheming Chuck.

I love Rufus, you go Dan (just for this one time)

I’ve always felt Serena’s look for Cotillion was a lot of gold, not in a good way, but right now? I’m kind of feeling it. And she looks gorgeous.

I mean I think there was probably a better way to say that Grandma Cece is evil, but still I’m not sure it would have matter Serena didn’t want to listen, she never does actually now that I think of it, the end of S3 comes to mind.

Blair has the funniest lines “I’m gonna go Naomi Campbell on you” Is so sad though that we got to see so little of that Erickson Beamon necklace, it’s lovely.

“Hey Beatiful” oh the things one notices when one no longer hates Carter and VanderBaizen is your second Serena ship.

Lily and Cece’s faces at Serena’s presentation stament are to die for.

The pretty little liars song! But since I haven’t watch that show, this one is going to remain a Gossip Girl song for me.

Seeing Cece and Lily at Cotillion makes me think that Blair’s parents are the worst, it’s their daughter debut and none of them could be bothered to attend the event

It didn’t remember this was the first time they mentioned the Santorini incident, less of all in the way Carter tells it, I thought this was first mentioned in S2,

Not exactly a fan of Lily’s scene with Dan, because yes I agree at this point for the most part Dan is a good influence, but she almost makes it look like Serenas change is thanks to Dan, and that’s not the case. She had decided to change even before she met him.

Also this is feeding Dan’s ego and his belief that he’s the best thing to happen to his girlfriends.

Oh Chuck finding out than when it comes to Blair scheming is not an easy feat, and to think this in only the first time this is going to happen.

Poor Chuck, that hurt. Nate’s wink adding salt to his wounds ouch.

That phone between Ruflus and Lily, yes you shouldn’t have let her go!!!

Oh how I used to like that last scene between Dan and Serena.

Seeing that scene of Cece taking her pills made me think of S5, and that’s probably the episode I hate the most in the whole show.

Blair and Nate finally get to it, but seriously Blair doing it with Nate while wearing the necklace Chuck gave you, is tasteless. Also compared to a certain scene at the start of the episode, this looks a bit dull..

Chuck running away, also him looking at the news paper where Blair is happily smiling with some guy, reminded me again of S5.

Ending this episode with “Apologize” was so 2007, remember how popular this song was?

This was a really packed episode. It introduces us to Cece, and gaves a bit more insight into Rufus and Lily’s history. We have Jenny picking the UES over her family, she’s changing. A dash of Van der Baizen, and our first glimpse to their shared past. Dan and Serena having another clash of worlds, that ends with Lily finally acepting Dan for real; and finally the end of Chuck and Blair 1.0 and the star of Nate and Blair 2.0.

While interesting Jenny’s and Rufly bits this episode, they’re a small part of the episode, Jenny’s in particular feels like a setting up of events to come and as such I feel I have not much to say about it right now. So this episode Dan and Serena had to deal with quite an opponent: Grandma Cece.

Cece while manipulative did raised some interesting points, mainly how out of place Dan feels in the UES, all those things she mentioned are things that Dan resents about the UES, and he may be brushing it up aside for now, but that doesn’t mean it won’t linger and fester in his mind. And then we have Serena who for some reason (which i can’t help but feel is related to Dan) has decided to ditch Cotillion, the even that according to Lily she wanted to attend since she was much younger, and sure people change, Serena is proof of that but in this case I feel her not going is in part to annoyed her mother but also to prove Dan she’s the girl he thhinks she is, i know I may be projecting my dislike of Dan and Derena on this, but it just feels like that to me, and it’s a troubling aspect of their relationship. Also when Dan mentioned to Serena about Cece’s ploy, she doesn’t believe him, doesn’t want to hear it at first, and I just feel for her because sadly is not the first time she’s going to have to accept that her family is not who she think they were.

Last but not least there’s Chuck and Blair. So their secret fling lasted only a month, since the beginning it took Chuck much less effort to embrace the situation, for all his playboys ways the morning after their first time... he wanted them to get breakfast, and it took him Nate messing up again for him to convince Blair of giving them another chance. So when Nate shows interest in Blair, this is Chuck’s worst nightmare come to life, Blair had her whole life with Nate planned out since she was a little girl, she only gave up on that dream when it was clear Nate wanted no part of it, and sure Chuck knows the potential they have, he lowkey always knew, and that’s why he falls so fast, because subconciously he was halfway there since foreve, but it’s very hard to compete with years of Nate, Nate Nate, in Blairs head. So he panics, he gets jealous... and he plots. And it backfires horribly. And for the first time in his life he gets his heart broken.

I don’t judge Blair on this one though because well she knows Chuck, he has an agenda always, and him being Chuck Bass it never occurs to her that he may be realy into her beyond just sex, to her all they being doing is fooling around, she tells Chuck that he needs to learned to behave for them to move to something more, and Chuck behaving is an eufemism of so many things: trust,knowing that she matters to him enough, that he cares. And that’s a big step and it’s a conversation that needed to happen.. and then it doesn’t. Thanks Nate. But really having Nate finally wanting her, and then Chuck seemingly only caring for himself and his own amusement is not suprise she picks Nate.

I do feel for Chuck because when he gets desperate he doesn’t think properly at all, he knows Blair, how smart she is and that she’s a good at him at plotting and manipulation,and yet he fails to take that into account, like this episode, he wants Nate to cause a scene to shatter Blair’s image of Nate, because she tells him he would never, so it’s not hard for Blair to see that Nate only caused one because Chuck manipulated into it, it’s transparent. And this is a lesson that sadly he’s not going to learn anytime soon.

Random bits I would like to mention: ( a bit surprised I got so many for this episode)

So Blair’s birthday is the 15th of november, this means Chuck and Blair version 1.0 lasted a month. Common knowledge I suppose, but I’ve read fanfics where the timeline is much shorter.

A bit of personal trivia: I love the song “you’re a wolf” (the one playing when Chuck and Blair are making out) and last year was kind of weird for me and I had like a thousand mood changes so anyway, so there was one week I started listening to this song, and I just couldn’t stop re playing it, just so out of nowhere, I played it so much, it ended up being my most played song last year according to Spotify.

I remember when the type of purse Jenny has was on fashion, and it was cool because it got to the point that street markets they were sold really cheap because they made them out or recycled materials

Chuck tells to Nate that “like the book says she’s just not that into you” and it made think that this was so long ago that there was only the book, the movie wasn’t out yet, wow..

I wonder what would have happened if she hadn’t fight with Dan, because then Carter wouldn’t have been at Cotillion, and then the drama between Chuc, Blair and Nate could have ended up in a completely different way.

The Palace does likes like a good place to have the Cotillion, not sure that would have been the case in real life, but here it fits nicely.

Irrelevant but apparently Kati and Is do everything together at such an extent they were scorted by two guys that I guess were brothers because they had the same last name.

You won’t believe but The Pierces have a 2020 version of Secret, it came out on my new releases list on Spotify last week.

#gossip girl #gossip girl recap #gossip girl rewatch #1x10 #high society

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georgecrecy · 5 years

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Charlie 4

"This is a fine pickle we're in now, bucko." James said as he rested on the ground against the side of a breathing, scaly mass behind him. The grizzled miner leaned against the belly of a massive, eight ton lizard-like beast that he had called compatriot and friend for several years, scratching at an almost perpetual five o'clock shadow on his chin. Charlie in turn was curled on the floor of the cargo hold, while the comparatively massive eyes looked guiltily past its snout toward James. "And all because you had to have a big romp through a public park. One'd think you'd been drunk again." Casting a sidelong glance towards the large head nearby James said, "You weren't, were ya? You didn't get into the Adroxan Ale again, right?" The only reply was a thump of the long tail that hit the metallic floor with a clang, along with a quick snort of hot air through the ribbed nostrils.

"Mhmm, sure you didn't. Don't mean I ain't gonna check their levels later." James chuckled lightly and patted the side of his scaly companion as he heard the beginnings of a slight whine forming in the vocal cords. "Agh, don't you be worryin' my ole friend, I ain't holdin' nothin' against ya. Bunch of uptight snobs anywho if'n y'ask me." His arm continued to brush against the large heaving side as he thought back to a week ago, when lawyers from the Southtech Corporation had brought a warrant of restraint and removal for Charlie because of destruction of company property at their park. Despite James’ protest, Charlie was led away by several wary members of animal control to be impounded. James immediately went with the lawyers to their headquarters, where he met a loathsome cretin - or as they called him VP of Operations. Seated at his desk as the group walked into the expansive office, he sprang lithely out of the chair to stand in front of an ornate and needlessly wide desk.

“Ah, the miner... James, is it? A pleasure.” He held out a hand which James didn’t deign to take. Rather than taking offense, the suited man smiled even wider with teeth that were too white as he put his hand back down. “I am Crassus Jaul, I understand there has been an unfortunate incident at our park including your….” Searching for the word for a moment, he snapped his fingers at one of the lawyers flanking James, a brief blaze of anger showing through the facade. The lawyer jumped and mumbled hurriedly, “A- a Tilluxian Dragon sir-” “A Tilluxian Dragon, yes.” Jaul interrupted officiously. “But naught to worry, once the Dragon is disposed of, you only need worry about the replacement costs, and then-” “Wait a goddamn minute, you’re gonna put down Charlie? Like he was some dirt beneath your shoe? He ain’t done nothin’ to deserve that!” To his credit, Jaul looked surprised at being interrupted, but he was better able to hide his anger this time. “Why, Mr. James, I’m afraid you forget what sort of pet you brought to our planet. You chose to bring a Hazard Class 1 species into a populated urban area, so be grateful you aren’t locked up as well for endangering the public.”

“Look mister, he ain’t no pet, he is a thinkin’ being who didn’t mean any serious harm to nobody, and he’s my friend. You ain’t gonna put ‘im down. Not on my watch. And, ain’t there somethin’ we can do? We’d be happy to pay ya back fer any of the minor damage he might’a caused.”

Jaul gave a calculating look at the miner before motioning to the other lawyer, who handed him a combi-pad. His manicured fingers perused through lists for a few minutes before saying, “I’m afraid it is more than minor damage. Several acres of lawn torn to shreds, an imported Japanese bridge from old Earth now on its side, its pylons needing repairs, this is a hefty sum that I doubt a man of your… station… would be able to afford.” His grey eyes brightened as if hit by a sudden thought, “However, we could come to some sort of arrangement. You have a good-sized freighter if I heard correctly? Then we might have a quick set of jobs that a man of your rough and tumble talent might be able to handle. My men will hand you all the information, and once done, you can return for your little… ahem - friend.”

James, however, was already shaking his head. “Oho no, that ain’t gonna pan out. Charlie ain’t a fan o’ bein’ caged. He’d do more damage to wherever they tried keepin’ ‘im than would be worthwhile. And I ain’t gonna let ‘im be mistreated like that. He’s comin’ with.” Jaul smile turned into a dower scowl, “We can hardly let you merely wander off never to return with your pet. But I suppose what you say might be true. In that case, we will be implanting a charge tracker.” James began to protest, but Jaul held up a hand, “No, Mr. James, I’m afraid that we at Southtech have to protect our investitures, a charge tracker will have to do. Let us say that it will add further… incentive to get back to us in good time with the tasks complete. Now, please follow these gentlemen who will give you the particulars. Goodbye now.”

Waving them off without hardly a glance, Crassus Jaul wound his way back to his chair on the opposite side of the desk, while the lawyers none too gently escorted James out of the office. The last thing James saw as the doors shut behind him was Jaul dialing into a keypad to make a call.

From the end of the catwalk above, a control panel next to one of the doors which exited the massive cargo bay beeped insistently, which roused James from his thoughts. With a sigh and a groan, he hauled himself off the metal grating which comprised the floor, heading for the ladder leading up. Charlie’s large head rose with him and tracked his movements with cat-like grace despite the size.

"But we got a job to do now, much as we don't like it. They gotta whole bunch o' clout with the right folks, leavin' us little choice. And we gotta be there for each other." Clambering up the ladder, he punched the annoying alarm off before heading through the door towards the bridge. As he left the room, the Tilluxian Dragon snuffled mournfully and bent his head back over his monstrously taloned feet, its gaze snapping back to the door soulfully every few minutes, and scratching at a puffy incision mark behind its left ear.

“Please, you mustn't take it! What will we do when the winter comes? Our children and old will starve!” The tinny, croaking audio from the auto-translator did little to mitigate the urgency of the colony headman. James hung his head in defeat and frustration, and could only say in return, “I know, mister. I really wish it could be different.” Prior to setting down on the planet, he had poured over the documents trying to find some loophole that the Corporation’s own nitpicking accountants hadn’t already factored in, but he couldn’t find anything that would save them from their debt being collected upon.

The Yallarians had had the misfortune of a bad harvest after buying what seemed a foolproof farming package deal for their new colony from the Southtech Corporation. They were refugees to begin with, and they didn’t have any founding society to rely upon to back up their losses, so their only capital to bargain with was their future crop return, and they lost the roll. Now with nothing left to leverage, their one source of future food - the greenhouse network and it’s main processing computer, which the whole system relied upon - had been ripped out and placed on a hover dolly on its way to the hold of James’ freighter. The eyes of the headman looked desperately after the retreating computer core over James’ shoulder, but he ripped his eyes away from the agonizing sight as James continued, “You know, I got a few friends at a colony only a few jumps away, helped them with a problem a few years back, they might have some extra food for you to get through the winter with.”

The blubbery skin of the Yallarian shook side to side in their version of motioning no, the auto-translator again sounding tinny and light despite the gravity of the situation. “What would we pay them with? Even if we could pay them, what will we do at the end of the season? We have nothing left to bargain with, our colony is doomed. I do not know what will become of us.” James shook his head, “But you got yourselves, yer hard workers, I seen that in the reports.” The Yallarian’s eyestalks narrowed, and the other bystanders to the conversation all began to mutter fiercely among themselves. “You suggest we become enslaved? We left our planet because of such depravity, and are not intent on returning to it.” The miner held up his hands in what he hoped they understood to be a conciliatory gesture, “Us humans haven’t been to fond of it either, not for a few millenia now. I’m suggestin’ a mutual agreement between yourselves and them to help each other, given they accept, and I’m sure they might. They owe me big time. I only need ta get ‘em on the horn. Please Headman Ulla, I wanna help.” Through the frustration and defeat he had felt during his task, the idea had come across his mind as they were signing the paperwork. He wasn’t completely sure it would work with the interests of two colonies and their residents having to be considered on a single planet, but he had hope.

James could tell that Ulla was conflicted, as well as skeptical. First the miner had destroyed the future of their colony by repossessing their computer, and then in the same breath offered a possible salvation. The headman wasn’t sure if he wanted to attack him or hug him. The eyestalks cast about the faces of its fellow colonists, which returned his gaze with uncertainty and fear. In the distance, he watched as the strange man’s colossal friend played with the young in one of the fields, showing a gentleness and grace with them while they weaved through its legs despite the size. Finally, he made a decision.

“Call them.”

After what seemed to James as forever, he cast himself wearily onto the couch/bunk of his rather spartan crew space. A vessel even of this size was largely automated, which was what first drew him to it many years ago, given his preference to go solo at the time. It hadn’t been built with the expansive crew quarters of other comparable mining or hauling ships. Given his rather bachelor lifestyle, it was also bereft of more than basic decoration, except for two pic-files that were mounted in frames on a wall rack near the bed. One showed him from a few years ago, his grizzled frame nearly being ousted out of the shot by a massive and scaly snout with a row of dangerous teeth flashing out of the top and bottom lips, one of James’ arms curled around from underneath as he laughed. The other was a shot of a beautiful vista in twilight, and in the foreground were two figures silhouetted by the two suns they were gazing at together, one a small blue cat-like species that sat atop Charlie’s head. Both were bathed in the pink and aquamarine color that permeated the thin atmosphere.

He gazed at these reminiscently as his mind also battled the conundrum he was currently positioned with. The Yallarians were but one of several colonies he had been tasked with repo-ing something from over the last three weeks. Besides the computer core of the Yallarian colony, there had also been the entirety of a mining system from another colony of Vashas, a lab setup from a startup research firm, and the defense network from an outer rim planet that really didn’t want to give it up. Considering the amount of pirate activity in the area, he could understand why, but if the Southtech folks hadn’t also sent along the kill codes for the network, he was sure the negotiations would have been short for him indeed for the last one.

With every part of the job he had pored through the orders and the warrant information that showed the credit history of each, and all he could do was scratch his head. He was a miner, not an accountant, and while he knew his way around ore breakdown folios and asteroid surveys, he was lost elsewhere, and he didn’t risk sending the info to someone who did lest it cost him his friend if the company got wind. In frustration he hit his hand on the hard metal bulwark, and instantly regretted it, grunting from the brief stab of pain. From the cargo bay he felt the weight of the ship shift as a lizard-like muzzle poked as much as it could through the open door, its nostrils sniffing the air for trouble. Clutching his smarting hand, James got up to show his friend all was okay, and scratched the skin around Charlie’s nostril with his non-injured hand, which he knew he liked and would calm him down. From the door he watched as Charlie lifted his serpentine head and neck off of the metal catwalk, which groaned and creaked in protest from the weight now lifted off it. Once Charlie had settled back on the floor of the bay, James slowly turned and walked back through the compartment and past the bed which his body achingly called him back to.

Instead, he continued past and through another door which led to the bridge. Sitting down and ordering up another cup of coffee from the dispenser to his left, he picked up his combi-pad and scrolled through the mining returns of the Vasha colony again. He scrolled past lists of part requisition orders and breakdown logs to the return forms of all the ore they had sold. It seemed their system was a good investment if the surveys were anything to go by, but they still couldn’t put enough dough up to cover the expenses for some reason. There were a lot of breakdowns, but the company listed the majority as user error, and the Vasha were well known for being hard on equipment without caring much about maintenance, so he was left stumped.

The ding of his dispenser alerted him that his coffee was ready, and he gingerly sipped it as he gazed out the cockpit window. The many stars of the surrounding sector glistened and shot past like the fleeting thoughts in his mind. Despite being overjoyed at finally being done with this loathsome assignment, something was nagging at the back of his mind.

Two hours later, their freighter jumped out of warp nearby the green and blue planet where all the trouble had begun. He had been cleared to land and with Charlie in tow made their way to the Southtech Corporation Building, a tall white edifice that contrasted against the dark clouds which had begun to darken the skies as they had descended, people gazing in awe or simply fast-walking by a different route once they saw the pair. Since Charlie could hardly fit through the front doors, they were instead ushered in via one of the supply docks to the side of the building. It was in the expansive warehouse section that they were met again by Crassus Jaul, flanked by several of the building security forces. He wore yet another expensive suit, his shoes clicking on the smooth quik-crete floor.

“Ah, my friend, you have returned! We have received all the shipments in good order, so we must congratulate you on a job well done. Surely it is men such as yourself that ensure all creditors are good to their word.”

James merely scowled in return. “Save it, Jaul. We’ve done your dirty work, now get that damn charge tracker out’a his neck and we’ll be on our way. Where’s the vet?”

Jaul pouted his lips in an almost mock expression of sorrow. “Ah, yes, about that arrangement of ours. I’m afraid our lawyers first glance at the law came a bit short. The charges are a bit more serious-”

James’ anger and frustration burst through the surface, “What!? What’re you talkin’ about, you bastard! We had a deal!” Charlie growled menacingly, and the guards immediately raised their rifles at the ready. Jaul quietly pulled out a small remote pad from a pocket in his jacket, and waved it suggestively in the air. James signaled to Charlie to calm down, but even with Charlie’s growls down to a low murmur, the room was tense. Jaul smiled sickeningly. “That’s better. Now, as I was saying, the charges against you and your mutt are more serious than we first realized. I’m afraid your services - while appreciated - was not enough for judges on the planet to look the other way considering. Not to mention that your little shenanigans with the Yallarians cost us a repeat client. So I am afraid the government will be taking possession of the subject and terminating it.”

James was dumbfounded. Barely keeping a bubbling fury in check, he said through clenched teeth, “How convenient. I looked into this world ya know, and your corporation owns this whole damn planet! You own the judges, you own the lackeys in the government, you practically write the damn laws! We done your laundry and you still gonna leave us dry? Why don’t you just write another new law, eh?”

Jaul barely tried to hide a crooked smile. “Why Mr. James, I haven’t the slightest clue what you are talking about. We live in quite the democratic society, and one which fines heavily for such slanderous and unsubstantiated talk, which we shall overlook considering the stress you are in at the moment. Now, we can do this quietly and it can be put down in a more civil manner tomorrow. Should you try to cause trouble, however, that charge tracker in its neck has enough explosive to send its head across the room, and you will get to clean up the mess in chains, after having been sentenced, of course.”

Inside his head he expected screaming, the sound of combi-blasters and roars, but instead it was only silence. He realized he was in shock. The only thing he could think to ask was, “Can... I say goodbye?”

Jaul shrugged unconcernedly. “Fine. Be quick. Make the thing stay quiet when it is taken if it is possible to keep such a beast in check.”

Not even bothering to look towards the loathsome prick, James shouldered past the guards and went straight for the huge head of his friend who had been with him for so long. Behind him, the guards looked surprised at each other. Most were uncomfortable being as close as they were now to such a stereotypically dangerous species, let alone go and hug the maw of one, bristling as it did with sharp teeth. James buried his face against the bridge of Charlie’s nose so Jaul and the others wouldn’t have the satisfaction to see the tears now glistening down his scrabbly cheeks. Doing his best to bite back the sobs which threatened to burst forth, James could barely put two words together to say, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry bud. Now you gotta be quiet and nice okay, and… I’ll come see ya before… before.”

Jaul’s feet clicked impatiently on the floor. “That will be all Mr. James, the government needs to take possession of your beastie, and I’m sure there is some asteroid or godforsaken planet for you to crawl around on, or whatever it is you do. Guards, please escort them both out.”

Charlie could tell something was wrong, his human never acted like this. He was always so strong-willed, like a pup first learning how to hunt despite a lack of success. And now he felt wetness on his muzzle where the human’s not-muzzle was… also wet? He didn’t understand until he felt the rope being wrapped around his neck and flanks and begin to pull him away. He snapped at a few of them before he noticed his human sign for calm. He was confused, didn’t the human not want them to take Charlie? He obeyed, but he keened a cry of anguish low and long, as he had heard several times before on his home when his family grieved a still one. Charlie saw the human sign several more times the calm signal, more wetness cascading down the human’s not-muzzle.

James stood there and shook in silent sobs as Charlie reluctantly let the guards drag him into a different room, and as a door slid down to close, Charlie made sure to crane his neck down to follow the opening so as to not lose sight of James despite the ropes which bit at his neck. His bellowing rumbled through the large warehouse until the door sealed the sound away to a low rumble. The guards practically had to drag James as well back out the door. Once outside, however, one hesitated and looked backward briefly before sifting through his pockets and writing on a business card. Silently he handed James the card, which he discovered had a time and address scrawled on it. The guard quickly closed the door in his face as he looked at the paper in disbelief. He wanted to scream. He wanted to bash the walls down with his fists until he found his friend. Instead, after what seemed forever, he dazedly turned around and staggered out of the side alleyway. He stood there at the junction of the street and alleyway for a while before turning again and starting down the street with only one destination in mind.

After two information kiosks and several police officers accosting him for possible vagrancy, he looked up and realized he was at the address listed to where it was to take place. What greeted him was a solemn, dismal building that matched the unforgiving purpose that lied within. Dirty sandstone columns rose up to meet with ionic capitals, all of which supported the top of the triangular roof in the fashion of a Greek temple from old Earth. The pediment inside the triangle formed by the roof showed a large sculpture of galaxies and stars, which were intertwined with a scroll with the ancient Latin words listed in a flowing script, ‘fiat justitia ruat cælum,’ which a posted info tablet told him was translated as ‘Let justice be done though the heavens fall.’ Without comment, James sat down at a nearby bench to wait the many hours that were left, which to him didn’t seem to be enough.

By the next day, news had gotten around the city that a big and dangerous Tilluxian Dragon was set to be destroyed by the state, and many arrived as the hour drew near to see the spectacle. It was a brusk morning, and dew glinted off of the street lamps that lit the area, including one that hung over a lone bench that a haggard man with dirty orange overalls and a haunted, grizzly look on his face sat on. Bystanders would be hard put to tell whether the glistening water that sat on the end of his stubble was dew or tears. He sat staring at the words etched in the granite above without moving until an hour before when the doors were unlocked and opened. People in business attire and upscale clothing alike were allowed in, but when the guard at the door saw the miner in his dirty clothing come up, he was about to turn him away. James flashed the card he had been given, and after a quick check was allowed in, though the other people looked at him with disdain. He followed the flow of people which eventually led to a dimly lit audience hall, where several tiers of seats faced a curtained plas-steel window. James found a seat near the front, barely noticing the looks cast his way, or the fact that quite a bit of clearance was given him on either side by those afraid for the sake of their clothes being stained.

The murmuring in the hall came to a standstill as the lights dimmed further, but changed to an audible gasp as the curtains were mechanically drawn apart, revealing the lighted chamber beyond. Inside stood several solemn looking people in white doctoring robes as well as several armed guards, but everyone’s attention was drawn to what was restrained in the center.

His muzzle was clamped shut, and his legs had been forced into an uncomfortable lying position on the black and white tiled floor, many lengths of titanium cord three inches in diameter wrapped around the large body before bolting to the floor. The sheer size and a glance at the muscles tight with tension added an element of wonder that the comparably minuscule restraints seemed inadequate for the job, but they held. Charlie’s head had little leeway left to move, but he could glance up as the curtain opened to see the room outside, and a deep and rumbling howl echoed through the plas-steel and quaked inside the very bodies of the bystanders watching in awe. Charlie’s eyes cast about the room frantic and confused, before finding the eyes of James. When he saw him, he lashed about in place, unable to move enough to find purchase to get back to his friend, though trying with all his prodigious might. His head did not stop looking at James though, with a puzzled and frustrated expression, his keening now coming at a feverish pitch.

The doctors and guards were startled for a moment at the sudden movement before bursting into action, the guards standing ready with rods in hand as the doctors readied their gruesome concoction. A final somber figure entered the scene from the side and stood in front of the crowd, though keeping well away from the thrashing thing to his side. “Thank you all for coming today, as we witness the destruction of a member of the vilest and most perilous species that plagues our corner of the galaxy: a Tilluxian Dragon. We have it well restrained, I can assure you all, and in one minute, it will be put down, and from there taken to the Adrax Laboratory for study and dissection to further the cause of fighting these beasts.”

James barely comprehended the words the official said, he was having more trouble ensuring that he kept to his seat instead of bursting towards the glass because he knew that even if he spent all the fury welling inside of him, the glass would barely show a scratch, and he would only make matters worse. He rocked imperceptibly back and forth as the last minute he had with his companion of several years ticked down, wishing he had the chance to hug his enormous side, or sit with him one more time in the familiar space of his freighter’s cargo hold, the memories of many adventures flashing with lightning speed through his mind.

The doctors inserted several large needles into Charlie’s side, each connected to a different container of fluid. The official watched a clock inset onto the wall in the tiled room as Charlie stopped thrashing, his energy spent. Instead, he called out to James again and again with pitiful bleats, confused and feeling abandoned. Why didn’t his human come to his call? What kept him in place? What was going on? Finally, the official motioned towards the lead doctor, who nodded and switched the pumping mechanism on. First one fluid, then another, and then the last began to pump into Charlie’s veins, and his bleating and keening finally quieted down after several agonizing minutes, the large eyelids slowly closing over the yellow eyes. A heart monitor sat nearby which beeped with a constant, but slowing rhythm until at last, it held a continuous flat line. The official nodded again, and the curtain drew closed.

The audience chamber was awash with light again, and the burbling of chatter from the many excited people dwindled away as the room emptied out, leaving a solitary orange-clad figure sitting where he had since the beginning of the macabre event. Ever so slowly, he stood, and finally exited the room to head to a lonesome ship on a landing pad on the other side of the city. Outside, the clouds still clung dark and brooding, brushing the tops of some of the spires of buildings. Where the quiet of a single-crewed ship had once been exciting and preferable to James when he first bought it, it now seemed unbearably lonely and bleak.

Behind the curtain, shortly after it had closed, Crassus Jaul entered the room, and with a wave sent the official and most of the other staff packing, which was just as preferable to them. The lead doctor stayed per the plan, but he still nervously shifted from foot to foot. Jaul tenderly felt the now stilled side of the monstrous body before him, feeling his hand slide over layers of scale and the muscle underlying it, now lacking the tension it had had before. The doctor coughed anxiously which Jaul annoyedly acknowledged with another wave of his hand as one would do to swat away a fly. “I know.” After several more minutes of gazing, Jaul motioned the doctor to continue, and he swept into action. Inserting a large syringe into the closest vein he could discern, he wiped the sweat off his brow as Jaul stood like a hawk at a distance, surveying his work. The doctor deployed the antitoxin and after several minutes gasped in relief when the heart monitor bleeped back to a slow and steady pulse. The sides of the Dragon began to lift up and down as a regular breathing rhythm accompanied the bleep of the monitor like the lashing of waves on the shore. Jaul clapped the doctor on the shoulders who had been watching the readouts from his machines carefully, making the nervous man jump. “Relax, my friend, you have done well! I was sure your expert hands could perform this little miracle of ours. Now, you can expect remuneration shortly in your account, and we needn’t have to worry about the welfare of your wife and children if this stays between us. Understand?”

The doctor’s eyes grew wide in fear, and without speaking nodded emphatically before ducking out of the room. Jaul then turned his eyes back to his new prize and smiled fiendishly in self-satisfaction. “Now, my pretty thing, you are much more profitable to me alive. My friend will be paying a pretty penny for your smelly hide. I’ve made sure of it.”

Read the other parts of the series!

Part 1: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183762132696/charlie-1

Part 2: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183787102041/charlie-2

Part 3: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183794906326/charlie-3

Part 5: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183818824461/charlie-5

Part 6: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183819131196/charlie-6

Part 7: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183819391261/charlie-7

#haw #hfy #humans are weird #humans are space orcs #earth is space australia

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