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imagine-darksiders · 1 year

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How would the horsemen react to another catastrophic event headed towards earth, like a giant meteor that would definitely end all life on the planet, and their human decides that they don’t want to escape earth, but stay behind to die with everyone else, because they already cheated their way out of one apocalypse, and can’t bear to be the last human on Earth once again?

You underestimate the lengths those Horsemen would go to protect you.

You've been through a lot together. You're practically family by now, and they take care of their own.

Death did not go through all that trouble to resurrect humanity just to lose it again to a natural disaster.

They get to work on their plan - an evacuation on a planet-wide scale. It's the largest in history.

Makers are all too eager to provide their services, building enormous cities in the unpopulated ares of their realm, or assisting with cultivating other worlds that have long been abandoned.

Humans are notoriously adaptable and acclimatise themselves to new environments remarkably quickly.

Heaven holds a vote as to whether or not they should open the gates of the White City to Earthen refugees, but the vote goes in favour of keeping the gates firmly shut. However, there were a surprising number of angels who rallied behind humanity. Chief among them is Azrael, who makes the unprecedented decision to give a derelict Eden back to the humans.

Samael can see the strategic advantage of 'allying' himself with Humanity, and he offers a portion of land of the fringes of his realm for them to settle on. The Horsemen are rightly suspicious and are reluctant to even allow this, but humans need the space.

The Dead Lands are out - nothing can survive there for very long because there's so little water and no plant life will grow from the ash. Humans would starve to death before they gained any sort of foothold.

Of course, the problem arises when it turns out that a shocking number of humans simply... don't want to leave Earth? Death no longer frightens them as it once had. They've been to the other side once before, it isn't so scary the second time around.

Much to the Horsemen's distress, you're one of those stubborn, humans. Earth is your home. You'd abandoned it and its people once before and the guilt had nearly eaten you alive from the inside out.

Besides, there are more people you know who are among those who just... won't go down and leave their beloved planet.

The Horsemen offer slightly different methods of extracting you. Ideally, it would be your decision. But after you inevitably put your foot down about leaving, they start to get serious.

Death has already demonstrated the lengths he'll go to protect his siblings, even against their wills. Why do you think you'd be any different?

He gives you every chance to see reason. He gives you the illusion of choice... But as time passes on and you remain unflinching in your decision to stay, he's the first to buckle.

Death resolves to ask for your forgiveness later as he drags you by the arm through a portal into his home real, somewhere safe, somewhere he can keep proper tabs on you.

He gets an earful from you, of course.

You hate him. You'll never forgive him. Why won't he let you die with dignity? How dare he try to decide what's best for you?

But the Horseman has heard it all before from his siblings in similar situations. He does know what's best for you. You deserve a full, gentle life, whether you want it or not...

Strife is ashamed to say that he plays the guilt card pretty early. You're the best friend he had. How could you even think of leaving him? What's he supposed to do when you're gone?

It drives him to the brink of insanity when you refuse to leave Earth, even if it means certain death. Strife can't lose you.

He won't lose you.

He's too selfish. He'd rather have you hate him for the rest of your life, so long as his friend is safe.

He clutches you possessively against his chest with both arms wrapped like vices around you to keep you from wriggling free. Unlink Death, your words cut far more deeply into this Horseman, because your opinion of him is one of the few that actually matters to Strife.

But it's okay. He'll look after you. It'll be great!

You can't stay mad at him forever, can you?

... Can you?

War respects your decision to stay on a doomed Earth... but he doesn't condone it.

The Horseman is ferociously loyal. You'd been his companion in his quest to clear his name, and over time, he felt your alliance with him grow more and more potent.

You've risked your life to help him. He's risked his to protect you.

The bond is unshakable now. It burns him fiercely to deny you your right to a noble death... but it would downright kill him to watch you die and do nothing about it.

He doesn't give you nearly as much time to explain yourself as Strife or Death. Instead, War listens to your reasons for staying on Earth, he considers them for a moment, and then he asks you if you're going to change your mind.

His stomach twists into a ball when you tell him no. You won't. You're sorry.

That was your last chance to leave with him of your own free will. War simply hoists you up onto his shoulder and carries you effortlessly from your home, his jaw set and a wall coming down around his heart. He has to steel himself against your icy tongue and your cries and pleas for him to let you go.

He's an honourable Horseman. And honourable Horsemen don't let their friends get themselves killed.

Fury is the least patient of the Four Horsemen.

She's always been quick to anger, but you didn't expect her to quite literally explode on you after you informed her that you'd be staying behind on Earth.

She hurls insults at you, calls you a fool, growing more and more heated as she works herself up into a frenzy. It's all just fear, badly disguised as outrage.

"WHY BOTHER SAVING ALL OF HUMANITY IF WE AREN'T SAVING YOU, TOO!?" she bellows.

You're disgusted by that The very idea that you're the only reason she helped her brothers find humanity a new home is not only galling, it's a blatant lie. She's only trying to hurt you because that's what she does when she gets scared.

She lashes out.

She doesn't want to listen to your attempts at consoling her. You insist that it'll be okay, you've thought about it a lot and you're at peace with your decision.

You want her to be at peace with it to.

But, what about her!?

Barring Rampage, Fury doesn't have any friends. Her whole life, she's been convinced that she's find on her own, she's better without someone holding her back or tying her down. And then you had to come along and ruin that! Ruin her solitude by being her first, last and only friend.

You opened her eyes to a world she'd been blind to for a long, long time.

Fury doesn't wait for you to come to your senses. She hauls you up over her shoulder and takes you to her home, off-world, where, in a fit of selfish abandon, she locks you away, deaf to your pleas to return home. This is home now. With her.

#darksiders #darksiders 3 #apocalypse #horsemen #reader

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lostelfwriting · 1 year

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I took a mid-day nap and either had a fever dream or a brilliant idea; judge for yourself. It's Hobrintheus and probably not an original take but you know. Fever dream.

Hob and Cori have been husbands for 50 years when Dream finally gets out of the fishbowl. Hob ran into Corinthian during one of his murder crazes, intending to kill the serial killer, but it figures that his arch nemesis of choice for this century is another immortal. So instead, he tries to capture Cori, but Cori is inhuman and still powerful enough to escape from an impossible situation.

Cori is intrigued by the human (presumed mortal) so he decides that he would have his eyes, but when they next meet, Hob bests him again. Cori's intrigue grows, so the next time they run into each another, he doesn't instantly try to kill Hob but instead they just talk. And somehow, Hob talks him out of killing random people. There are so many criminals Cori can do whatever to, but killing innocent people is bad taste and makes Hob try to capture him.

And to his own surprise, Corinthian begins to behave. Maybe Hob said something like, "Whoever you're working for, whoever you're doing this for, is it working? Are they pleased?" and Cori has a little private cry because no, it never worked, he has become invisible to Dream a couple millenia ago.

So, Cori and Hob fall in love and Cori changes. He tells Hob that he's a Nightmare and that he's bound to be terrible but even as he says so, it doesn't sound right. He's not really a Nightmare anymore, and he's making a choice to not be terrible. It's insignificant at first but it grows within him. He's eaten so many human eyes in the last few decades that he knows better than some humans what it means to be human. He's neither human nor Nightmare now. But he is leaning towards humanity. It even kind of changes him physically.

So, in the present day, when Dream escapes, it's not at night in the US but during the day in London that Cori gasps and realises that his happy life of half a century is over. He panics and tells Hob that he has to run, but Hob doesn't understand. Cori is insisting that his so far not present creator is out for his blood for the lives that he had taken, but Hob thinks that would make the creator a shitty god and convinces Cori to stay.

The first time, Dream doesn't come for him, so Cori grows some hope. But he has basically a breakdown about it every night, scared that his creator will come for him and unmake him without thinking twice, and maybe he won't even get to tell his husband goodbye.

Hob notices that Cori has stopped sleeping and tries to convince him to go to bed, because the bags under Cori's eyes are growing by the day. But Corie argues. "I'm a Nightmare, love, where else do you think I have the highest chance to run into my creator than in my sleep?" "You'll just collapse anyway," Hob argues. "Better do it before you lose your sanity to insomnia."

Nightmares don't need to sleep, until it is an important part of their specific function. The corinthian was supposed to be unstoppable, never tiring, always hunting, yet here he is almost too exhausted to keep his eyes open. It is the dame with hunger - the past 50 years humanised him. The more he viewed himself as a human, the more human he became, his essence reshaping itself.

Hob thinks that they have it under control until he comes back from work the next day to an empty apartment. There is a note on the fridge that says: "I RAN. HE'S IN LONDON. LOOK AT OUR FIRST KISS." It is a riddle. Hob carefully and completley destroys the note, because okay, if Cori insists he's in danger, he will protect his husband to the very end, and that means destroying all traces. The riddle leads him to a photo frame from their "wedding day" - they had a little vow renewal in this lifetime. At the back of the frame, a date, too old for either one of them to be alive back then. Which they, of course, both were, and it's the date of when they first lived together, back then still frenemies and not lovers. Hob knows where Cori is.

He is tempted to follow immediately but knows that would be reckless, alloving this "creator" to track Cori down if he already knows about Hob. And it is Thursday, so he would have to take Friday off. It'll be less conspicious if he leaves on the weekend, so he forces himself to go about his day normally and takes his work to the New Inn, because he can't handle the emptiness of their home.

To his great surprise, his Stranger shows up. For a moment, the happiness overshadows his worry. Hob wasn't really working - the papers were laying in front of him but he was scribbling a list of stuff to pack on a small note instead of focusing on work. Now he forgets both, having the lil "You're late..." moment.

The Stranger sits down opposite to him, and it is still amahzing and he feels like everything will be alright, but then he breaks eye contact to order a pint for his friend and his eyes catch the list he had been writing. He remembers the danger his husband is in. Maybe he could ask the Strangr for help?

The Stranger notices his worry and inquires, and Hob almost tells him everything right then, but then... Wait. His firend says that he had been held back, that he couldn't find him sooner. Were you captured? Wehn were you released? The Stranger is uncomfortable talking about it but you know what? Hob doesn't care.

"What is your name, Stranger?" he asks sharply. "You owe me that much."

Dream of the Endless. You don't happen to also rule Nightmares, do you?

Hob can't believe it. This generous god who gave him immortality is the same one who is hunting down his husband to kill him. No. No no no, over his dead body.

Hob would do better pretending that nothing happened but he can't, he's still human and driven by emotion and blows up at Dream. You're looking for someone, aren't you? You aren't planning on asking questions; youo rearely do. Will you kill him as soon as you see him?

Dream catches up and goes on this spiel that whatever The Corinthian has told Hob, he is not what he says he is. ("He's not a Nightmare?" "Oh, he is.") He is manipulating Hob. (Actually, Hob sometimes feels like he's the one manipulating Cori, with the way his husband is always trying to make him happy.) He needs to be stopped. (He's literally not doing anything!)

It's a kind of a stale-mate. They are connected by an old friendship and don't want to lose one another. But they are also both fighting for what is important to them - Hob for his love and Dream for the good of humanity. If Dream kills Cori, he will lose his friend. If Hob tries to fights Dream (and probably loses) he will lose them both (most likely). If they don't do anything, the issue will forever hang between them.

Hob proposes a deal - Dream will wait for a bit and if nobody dies, he will agree not to kill the Corinthian or whatever on spot. If even one person is killed by the Nightmare, Hob will take accoutability (though, he thinks, he will not let Dream kill Cori). The deal is sealed with a handshake and Dream disappears to attend to his other duties. Hob joins his husband in the countryside to tell him the news and to tell him that, apparently, his benefactor and Cori's creator are one person.

So, months go by, and Cori feels that he is the last runaway. All of the remaining Arcana returned to the Dreaming and he is alone here. He waits patiently and sleeps carefully in short bursts, but Dream doesn't hunt him down, bound by his pact with Hob.

When Dream visits them a year later, Hob feels confident enough for the three of them to meet at once. Cori is nervous about it but if Hob has managed to root Dream into a Pact once, maybe he is not as human and powerless as he seems. Dream is mostly stunned because it takes one look at his Nightmare to see that he is changed. Like Gault but even more - he used his own power up to be who he wanted to be. He can barelly walk through shadows anymore - a cost that he, apparently, paid for the ability to feel hunger and exhaustion and... love.

So, they talk civilly. Soon, all those previously unaddressed feelings between the three of them become suffocating. Hob knew Cori had a strange relationship with his creator, and Cori knew Hob was pining after his patron, and Dream is starting to realise that there is not much difference between what he feels for Hob and what he feels for his Nightmare, but hell if he knows what that feeling is called. (He is Dumb of the Endless.)

Something something, emotion-filled threesome and a three-way relationship!

#hobrintheus #hobrinthian

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iheardarumorthings · 1 year

Text

I posted 869 times in 2022

That's 568 more posts than 2021!

524 posts created (60%)

345 posts reblogged (40%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@thewafflemaker

@mad-elia

@ari-shipping-stuff

@just-laufeyson

@puppy-coded

I tagged 509 of my posts in 2022

Only 41% of my posts had no tags

#the great and powerful rumor speaks - 391 posts

#✨ anon - 280 posts

#huffle - 58 posts

#mad elia - 35 posts

#five hargreeves - 34 posts

#five hargreeves x reader - 32 posts

#lovely anons - 27 posts

#the umbrella academy - 27 posts

#five hargreeves x you - 26 posts

#tua - 24 posts

Longest Tag: 122 characters

#but only because my cat likes to bite me specifically and it’s not exactly the best way to wake up at three in the morning

My Top Posts in 2022:

five with a clingy!so

hi! i'm sorry these are so short and that they're so late!!

HEADCANONS FOR FIVE WITH CLINGY!S/O

This would be the best type of s/o for him probably

Like… the man is just so touch-starved that once he gets a taste it’s like-

He’s clingy too, dude, so it works

Along with this, it’s a lot easier because he doesn’t like being lonely on his time traveling escapades

Plus, whatever happens to him happens to you so if you’re both 13 again… welp at least one of you isn’t 50 with the other being 13

Especially with how touchy you are, that wouldn’t be good.

You’re just always with him, so unlike with other s/os he wouldn’t have to jump around and say basically the equivalent of “get in the car loser, we’re going shopping”

So he’d just be like, hey we’re going and you’d be like ok cool and everything would be happy and good :)

1,128 notes - Posted February 4, 2022

congrats on 100!!! I love your writing sm aaaa I keep coming back :')

for the celebration, fluff prompt, "I'm so proud of you" and "I can't believe I married you" with five hargreeves pls?

hi! i'm so sorry this is so late, i've had a LOT on my plate the last two weeks, it's been really stressful, but i've FINALLY done it! thank you so much for your kind words, i hope you love it!

warnings: tooth-rotting fluff, allison not resisting a little spying-session (you'll know what i mean), really short

LOVE WAS MORE LIKE IT

“You did it,” you whispered, just after letting out a cough. The dust from the farm had filled your lungs, the snow making a home in your hair. “You made it, you did it.”

Five collapsed on the ground just next to you, his arm swinging around your shoulder, pulling you into him. You had forgotten the last time you two had gotten to do this, just being together without the looming threat of death over your heads. You had missed it.

You could tell that he did too.

“We both did it, sweetheart. It wasn’t just me.”

You barked out a laugh, “Yeah, sure.” You looked him in the eye then, face becoming more serious. “I’m so proud of you.”

It meant a lot to him, you realized. It meant so much, the validation. His siblings wouldn’t give him any, but you would. The tender kiss on your temple was enough to tell you so as he leaned his head on yours.

~*~

You were sleeping. You deserved it, he thought, fighting off the urge to shake you awake and go for coffee. You needed a healthy sleep schedule. You couldn’t get sick just after the end of the world was avoided, not after all you two had done to keep yourselves alive.

His fingers grazed your forehead on a reflex. You didn’t have a fever. The last time you did had been harrowing, putting everything into perspective.

“I can’t believe I married you,” he whispered, looking down at your closed eyes.

~*~

Allison never realized how much her brother could love a person. She never realized that every seemingly-over-analyzing look he gave you meant something different, something more.

He didn’t just drag you around because of the time you two had spent together, he dragged you around because he liked you- love was more like it, she supposed. He loved you. That much was apparent.

Why else would he be so enamored with whether or not you seemed well or if you had drunk enough water or eaten enough.

“You were amazing,” she heard him whisper, watching his fingers take a stray hair out of your face.

She smiled then, tears welling up in her eyes. She smiled then because her brother was happy, and so were you. She smiled because he had someone to watch his back, and he can experience the euphoria he deserves.

She smiled even wider when he pulled the covers closer to your chin before laying down himself for a well-deserved rest.

1,167 notes - Posted January 21, 2022

HEY BESTIE CAN U MAKE A BLURB OR SOMETHING ABOUT FIVE HARGREEVES DURING THE FIRST EP OF S3 like yk the one where he saw delores after jayme spits on him and the reader who happens to date him saw it and like "wtf is he doing" and heard the name delores coming out of his mouth and the reader just goes silence after that scene BECAUSE THE READER IS THINKING ABOUT IT A LOT LIKE "is he actually still in love with a mannequin" and like very angsty afterwards but Five confronted her why she's being so quiet after their visit at the sparrows and the rest is up to u :] TYSM IDK ITS MY 1ST REQUEST ACTUALLY AND I CANTTT STOP THINKING ABT S3

ANGSTANGSTANGST

warnings: i think there's swearing, female reader (in my mind, but i can't remember using pronouns), angst. hardcore angst

tags: @mad-elia

PERFECTION

You were both running to get to Allison, his arm was around your waist, the other arm stretched toward the cornered woman.

“Thanks,” she heaved once the three of you made it to the upstairs.

“No problem,” Five said.

And then you saw her. She was a taller woman with electric black hair and green eyes.

He told you guys to go, that he’d handle the woman. While Allison ran, you lingered, hiding behind the wall, watching.

He hit her over the head and she let out a groan of pain. Good. He could handle anything, your boyfriend. You had no doubt he’d be able to handle this easily; after all, he was probably the quickest thinker out of everyone. He could do anything and everything and that was only one reason you were irretrievably, desperately in love with the man.

And then came the spit, along with a hiss bubbling from the woman’s mouth. Jayme, you think her name was. Jayme. It sounded about right.

You wrinkled your nose, much like Five who began to berate her. “Agh! Hey, gross, alright?”

But before he could continue the usual lecture about sanitation, his face went glassy. Sweat built up on his forehead, and he began to walk around almost aimlessly.

“What the hell?” you heard him whisper. His eyes were directed toward the stairs, as were Jayme’s.

You ran out, looking at him, but didn’t touch him. Disturbing people when they’re in a trance could end dangerously, you heard.

“What did you do to him?” you whispered, but she heard it and only smiled. It wasn’t one of those soft smiles; it was something similar to Five’s smile when he was irked. It was crooked, fake.

“I’m only showing him what he wants, kid.”

“Dolores?” Five whispered. You could feel your heart shatter.

The mannequin; that mannequin that sat with the both of you through the darkest nights of the apocalypse. She was there through everything; he always seemed to choose her over you. Even after you two were together. Dolores this; Dolores that; “Dolores would look good in this, wouldn’t she?”; “Dolores, you’re perfect”; “Dolores, I love you”.

You thought it was over. You thought he was over the stupid mannequin; you thought he loved you, only you. You thought that you two were meant for one another, the stupid soulmate shit everyone preached. But, you could see now, you clung on too tightly to the dreams a little girl would have.

You could see him break out into a smile, a genuine one. “Dolores.”

And then came the italian.

“Really? Italian? Holy shit. Do you think I could get out of this without fighting you?” you asked Jayme. She raised an eyebrow at you before quickly turning to Five. “I’m way to tired for-”

He began to make out with thin air.

Well, fuck.

“Okay, I’m just going to go,” you said, holding back the tears that threatened to spill.

You only just turned your back when you heard Five tumble down the stairs.

~*~

“Just gonna sit. I’m just gonna sit for a minute,” Luther groaned.

See the full post

1,670 notes - Posted June 24, 2022

For tua

Their reaction when you fall asleep on them (the family)

as their s/o or as a friend, it’s your choice :)

sorry this is so late!

HEADCANONS FOR YOU FALLING ASLEEP ON THEM

Luther:

“And then on my favorite crater I- Y/N?”

Um- excuse YOU

Falling asleep on him while he’s talking about the moon? He never fell asleep on you when you talked about whatever you were interested in, he just pretended to listen!

This was blatant, and it will not be stood for.

He pushed you off the couch.

Diego

See the full post

2,238 notes - Posted February 18, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

holyfuck okay i don’t know if you would be okay with writing this but like the last requester, the wedding scene just did something to my feelings and what if,, five and reader broke up in 1963 texas and during the wedding scene they ended up sitting in the same table and the reader says “don’t look at me like that” and five asks what look and she says “like you still love me” and it’s just mutual pining since they still love each other and angst and deargod my heart

I HAVE MORE ANGST TODAYYYYYYY

warnings: long for me; five says fuck a lot; swearing; five breaking the reader's heart; angry confession; reader being set; reader denying anything and everything; reader being hurt (emotionally); female reader; reader is a fan of chocolate

tags: @mad-elia

SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE

He had wrecked you.

“I don’t think… I-” He pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes scrunched up. “We can’t do this anymore. You’re my wife, and I love you. But I’m not… in love with you. Do you know what I mean?”

He had wrecked you, but you stood taller, agreeing with the man child. So he didn’t love you after every piece of you was offered to him on a silver platter. He didn’t love you after you nursed him back to health in the apocalypse. He didn’t love you after you assured him that it wasn’t his fault all of you were separated, stuck in time.

He didn’t love you.

“No,” you laughed breathily, strained. “I get it. I totally get it. It’s no problem-”

“I’m glad,” he said, giving you a tired smile. “Now, I suggest we both go get some sleep. It’s been a hellish twenty days, hasn’t it?”

~*~

You had grabbed a tight-fitting sweater and overall shorts. It was much better than the uniform, you had to admit.

You hopped down the stairs of the hotel, greeting your brothers and sister in law.

Correction: Ex-in-laws.

“Good morning, peeps! How are we all doing?”

“Excellently, dear sister of mine,” Klaus responded. You stiffened; he didn’t notice. “And how are you this morning?”

You were crying all night.

“I’m amazing. Best sleep of my life.”

Allison’s shirt was soaked.

“Mimosa, (Y/N)?” Five called out from behind the bar. He was dressed in a t-shirt, a flannel and a vest…and a fedora. A plaid one.

“You look like you’re retiring and about to go on a fishing trip with the grandkids.”

“Oh ha ha,” he mocked, starting to pour you a drink. “You sleep well?”

“Best one yet. I don’t care if the mattress smells like sweat.”

His nose wrinkled. “Do you need me to run and grab you some new sheets?”

“I think I’ll take a trip today; I have nothing better to do anyway.”

He nodded. “Just be careful- there are a lot of alleyways that weird shit happens in.”

“Oh, well that makes me feel better.”

Before he could respond Klaus ran up to the both of you. “Okay, so I know that you’re retired Five, and I’m assuming your lovely wife-” You both winced; again, he didn’t notice…or he didn’t care. “-is also in retirement. What do you two say to a road trip? It’s what retired people do! You two, me, the countryside! What do you say?”

Five looked at you; you looked at Five and shrugged.

See the full post

2,667 notes - Posted June 24, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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lily-janus · 2 years

Text

My Monster

Summary: Patton makes Janus go to a therapy session.

Pairing: platonic dukeceit

Warnings: major character death, dealing with grief, denial, bullying, violence, angst If there's anything else lemme know.

Word count: 1,627

Day 3 of this amazing week! Yesterday was a bit of fluff break but now we're back on track with the angst, enjoy😉

@dukeceitweek day 3 shedding/monster

........

"Janus?"

Janus didn't respond, instead just letting the silence stretch. This is stupid, he's fine!

"You haven't said a thing for the past 20 minutes…"

He remained silent.

The man sighed. "Why are you here, Janus?"

He shrugged. "Because my brother made me."

"And why do you think he made you?"

"Because he thinks I need help." Janus said dryly.

"You disagree?" The man raised an eyebrow at him, hands resting on his writing pad.

"I'm fine, Patton just gets worried easily." Janus waved dismissively.

"Are you uncomfortable right now, Janus?"

He huffed. "Aren't therapists supposed to be good at listening? I said I'm fine."

"You've been twiddling with your bracelet since you walked in here." The therapist said.

Janus froze, as if only now realizing he was doing that.

"Does the bracelet mean something to you?" The therapist asked gently.

"I don't want to talk about it." Janus said sharply.

The therapist sighed again. "Janus, I can't help you if-"

"I don't need your help! I said I'm fine!" Janus snapped.

The therapist didn't say a thing and soon the silence returned until he sensed Janus calmed down. He then tilted his head slightly.

"My monster?" Janus suddenly realized the therapist was reading what's on his bracelet. He flushed and hid it behind his sleeve.

"That's a rather unusual nickname." He said conversationally, as if Janus can't see what he's trying to do.

"Yeah that's the point." He still said.

He raised an eyebrow at him, clearly waiting for more.

"Just an inside joke." Was all Janus offered.

"Janus, look, this can go in two ways. You can keep your walls up and not betray a single thing to me, walk out of here and never come back."

"Great, so I can go now?"

"Or." He continued. "You can open up to me a bit, let me help you work through your emotional baggage which might help you move on with your life." He smiled warmly at him. "It's up to you, I can't solve your problems for you but I can listen and help guide you to a solution."

Janus bit his lip, not saying anything.

"So what'll be? It's up to you."

All Janus wanted was to go back to his room and hide away from everything. But his brother's stupid words kept itching in his mind.

I don't think he would have liked seeing you like this…

Dammit he hated it when Patton was right. Remus will most likely tackle him to the floor if he saw him like this.

"Fine." Janus said through gritted teeth. For Remus.

He peeled back his sleeve, revealing the bracelet again. "It's a joke we have… from the first day we met…"

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

"Don't worry, Jan, everything will be fine!" Patton assured him from where he was sitting next to him in the back seat of their mom's car.

"I'm not worried." Janus said dismissively. A full out lie, he was terrified. At least at their old school everyone was used to his um… skin problem. But here? They didn't know a single kid! He's going to be eaten alive.

"We're here!" Their mom announced cheerfully.

"Is it too late to pretend that I'm sick?" Janus' belly churned uncomfortably… maybe he wouldn't need to pretend after all…

"Aww honey, I'm sure once your classmates get over their initial shock you'll be mister popular in no time!" His mom tried to reassure him.

Janus snorted. "That's your best joke yet, mom." As if she forgot all the bullying he endured in his old school, which only stopped because 'the joke got old' or something.

Patton was vibrating in his seat and as soon as their mom parked he unbuckled his safety belt and jumped outside. Easy for him, his body was perfectly normal and every kid he encountered adored him.

Janus took his time in grabbing his bag and unbuckling his safety belt.

"Have a good day kiddos!" Their mom called when they were both out, already driving away as she was at a rush to get to work on time.

"I highly doubt it…" Janus mumbled.

Patton ran to find his classroom, shooting Janus a hasty goodbye before leaving him in the dust in his excitement.

Janus sighed, shouldered his bag, and walked inside, bracing himself.

Inevitably, people started staring immediately, but Janus was used to that so he just continued on walking, finding his classroom rather quickly and going inside.

Everyone was already in their respective groups, chatting loudly and laughing on occasion. Great, so not only was he new with an ugly skin problem… Everyone else here already knows each other… oh yeah, this will turn out wonderful.

As he walked around the room to find an empty seat, kids started noticing him, staring. Some with wide eyes, some with confusion. But no one said anything… yet.

"Ew! What's wrong with your face?"

Janus sighed, here we go again…

"Just a skin prob-"

"Do you have a rash?!"

"Is it contagious?!"

"That's so gross, you look like a freak!"

He finally found an empty seat and was about to sit down when he was pushed to the ground, landing on it painfully.

"I think you're lost, freak! The zoo is on the other side of town." The one who pushed him grinned wickedly, some kids next to him snickering.

"I'm not a freak, it's just a skin prob-" he tried to explain again but was cut off once more.

"You're right, you're not a freak." The one who pushed him now grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "You're a monster." He snarled in his face, some of his spit landing on Janus' cheek.

Just then the bell rang, signaling the start of class and the kid let go of him. "If you tell anyone about this you're dead." He warned him and they all sat down as the teacher walked in.

As soon as class was over the name calling and beating started up again. Things like "monster" and "freak" and "this school has no place for monsters or contagious kids." Were thrown at him as he was kicked to the floor.

He barely managed to crawl away from them, getting to his feet as soon as he was out and running for his life, tears brimming in his eyes. He ran into the school's yard and found a hidden spot beneath a tree where he sat and crawled into a ball, finally letting himself cry and sob pathetically.

"Never seen your face 'round here before."

Janus looked up and startled as he saw a kid hanging upside down from one of the tree branches. He sniffed. "Just get to the bullying part and get on with it." Janus said miserably.

The kid just looked at him with that piercing stare of his. "What? Yes, I have a skin problem okay? I'm not a monster!" Janus crumpled under his stare.

"You're not? Lame, that means you're like the rest of the looser kids here. And here I thought you were actually interesting, my bad!" The boy said chirply, swinging himself carelessly until he was sitting on the branch and hoping off of it to the ground. "See you later!" The boy grinned as he started to walk away.

"Wait!" Janus called before he could think better of it.

The boy stopped and turned around with a grin. "Already can't get enough of me, new guy? Can't say I blame you."

Janus wiped his tears. "You… don't seem scared of me.." he said quietly.

"I'm not scared of anything." The boy puffed out his chest proudly, and Janus was chuckling before he realized it.

"I'm Janus." He reached his hand towards the boy, smiling slightly.

The boy's grin grew and he shook his hand with vigour. "Remus!"

"Thank you for… not calling me a monster or a freak." Janus hugged his knees close to his chest.

Something in the boy's gaze softened. "Hey! I'm a monster too! It only means we're tons more exciting than the rest!"

"Right, I'm sure that's exactly what the kids here meant." Janus huffed.

"Who cares? They're boring! Like, what's more interesting, a fire breathing monster or a plain ol' human?" Remus grinned, a wild glim in his eyes. "We're the monsters of this school and we wear that title with pride!"

Janus watched Remus dance around the tree in that care free way of his, smiling. "Yeah… with pride."

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

Janus finished the story, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"So he was more than just a friend." The therapist said gently.

Janus nodded. "He was the first… that treated me like I have a place here… the only one who truly inderstood me I… I'm so lost without him and… and scared and I don't know what to do." He burried his face in his hands, all the tears he kept inside since the funeral flooding out of him in a rush.

"Janus, I'm proud of you." The therapist said in that soothing voice of his.

"For what? Being weak?" Janus wiped his tears, angry with himself.

"For being volnarable." He corrected him. "It's important to acknowledge our feelings, that's the only way we can work through them."

"So… what now?" Janus asked, voice timid and uncertain.

"Now, we begin the healing process." The therapist said.

Janus took a deep breath. "I… don't know if I can.. "

"Only one way to find out, we'll take it slow, one day at a time. Any progress we'll make or won't make is up to you, nothing will be forced on you here." He reassured him.

Janus took another deep breath. For Remus. He reminded himself. "Okay… one day at a time, I can do that…"

I hope you appriciate it, my monster.

#janus sanders #remus sanders #platonic dukeceit #angst #major character death #tw bullying #tw violence #tw character death #tw grief #Lily writes #dukeceitweek2022 #day three shedding/monster

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mishkakagehishka · 1 year

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stares at you. tsuki no yakata (i cannot remember the entire title so this is what you're getting) like. the beginning mika sounds like he's coming through a radio or something, right? so. concept. mika and shu live in some sort of mansion out in the woods; but nobody can actually prove it exists because the only people who can find it have to be summoned via mika's message over the radio - a summons, to find them, to seek them out. and those people never return.

i have nothing else i was just thinking about the idea of shu and mika being like, youkai or something that summon people to like, devour/trap them using mika's alluring voice over the radio to make people want to search them out; but nobody else can find them unless they've been explicitly summoned.

Wait bestie pause pause pause.

The lyrics are also stuff like. I'm quoting on memory, but the "you didn't think we'd let you leave, did you?" lines and the. "look, it's a child of man" and the. yyyy. yeah. like little demons. Mika's alluring voice, like a siren's, calling you over. From any electronic, I fucking LOVE when the supernatural fucks with electronics btw.

You're on your phone? Suddenly something is coming in through the receiver, a glitchy voice calling out to you, to "find him" and "find what it means to be alive", right? You're on your PC, same thing, the screen turns black and the speakers let out the same voice. Radio? Cuts out to be replaced by Mika's voice. Television? Suddenly all you see is hands that look as if they're holding the camera down so the speaker's face can't be seen as the voice says the same thing. ... And the voice is just so beautiful, you can't help listening to it, right?

And so true, they're hidden in plain sight... I like to imagine the moonlit mansion is a splendorous western styled mansion in the middle of the woods. Probably surrounded by a protective barrier so only the ones who were summoned by them can see it. Everyone else could walk right past it and not notice it, save for a sudden horrible premonition, a gut feeling screaming at you to get away from that place. You still get it if you're "invited", but the memory of that voice keeps you going. It's almost as if you can hear it again, in your head, whispering that if you keep going, you'll find out all the secrets of the universe, all that you seek will be in that mansion. All they ask is that you provide the two lonely residents of the manor company over a meal. You can do that, can't you? It's just one meal.

Shu offers you liquor and wines, Mika gives you sweets, you are sat down at the long table, that seems to elongate further with every bite you take, you are given food and drinks you've only dreamt of until that moment... and then when you get up, thank the men for their hospitality, and move to leave <3 "You didn't think we'd let you go, did you?"

And that same beautifully alluring voice giggling and laughing alongside the enchantingly rough voice. And you realise that they haven't eaten anything during the supposed shared dinner. And as you are held down on the table, a knife coming closer and closer to your skin, you realise that "what it means to be alive" was something you were supposed to learn in that moment. What it means to desperately want to live, as a blade threatens to blow out the candle of your life any moment now... Devilish faces mockingly laughing at you, fangs glaring and soulless eyes twinkling <3

#hi.#ensemble stars #asks

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whattodowithace · 3 years

Text

Shattered Maze (Byeongkwan)

Title: Shattered Maze

Paring: Reader x Byeongkwan (A.C.E)

Genre: Angst. Maze Runner AU

Word count: 2873

Writer: Kpopmadness (Ju)

Summary: Byeongkwan has been trapped in the Maze for 4 years. You come into his life and things change. But you notice that something isn’t right. Ever since you showed up, the sun keeps getting hotter and the nights colder. The maze has never been normal. Neither of you know why you’re there. But what you see happening you know for sure isn’t normal.

Day 1

The maze is cool with the teasing of the early morning sun peaking over the horizon of the steel encloser. The sun already threatening to be hot with no hopes of a cool breeze to soothe the heat. There was no trees in the maze. Or even grass. Just wall to wall steel. Its rays beating down against the black and silver steel, making it glisten in the sunlight.

Byeongkwan groaned from within his hammock that was several feet off the floor. His body hugging the wall that was encased with twisted green vines that poked at him while he slept. But that wasn't his biggest concern. He hadn't had a decent nights sleep in four years. The amount of time he had been locked away like a rat in this hellish maze with monsters that came out to feast at night.

He heard a familiar loud click and groan of gears below him where a steel trap would open up and dispense his rations for the day. They were located all over the maze. No matter where he went they never let him starve to death.

He sat up in his makeshift bed bleary eyed as he started to climb his way down by means of the sturdy vines. He reached the bottom a few seconds later, landing on unsteady legs.

The trap gave off a hissing sound followed by a beep. Signaling that it was unlocked. It was more like a huge crate that came through a sort of elevator inside the wall. Byeongkwan had tried to escape through it once, he regretted it when a piercing pain sliced from his neck down to his spine. The trap slamming shut and not opening again until 2 days later. Denying him food until that time.

He opened the large door that was on top of the crate, expecting to just see his usual supply of a canteen of water and a plate of bread and cheese. Which he got everyday.

But he let out a startled screech when he opened the door and saw a girl curled up inside the crate. Her dark hair spilling across the crates cement floor. Her eyes closed, but twitching with subtle movement of lucid dreams in her mind.

Byeongkwan stared down at the girl in shock. He had been alone for four years and now suddenly he had a visitor besides the monsters that came out once the sun went down. And he had no idea why she was here.

Day 2

I sit with my back against the wall as I take in my surroundings. I had no memory of who I was, where I came from, my name or anything from my past. When your memories are striped from you its more scary than being in an area unfamiliar place.

I stare at the boy named Byeongkwan across from me that was currently working on starting a small fire for warmth. He seemed used to the steel jungle we were in. I had been out for most of the day and night he had told me. Only fragments of the night come to my mind. I remember being hauled up to a bed above ground, and the eerie sound of a clicking and growling that rumbled across the large walls.

"How long have you been here?" I blurt out. Making Byeongkwan look up at me through his black hair and unique shaped gray eyes look up at me.

"Four years." He answers. "I arrived the same way you did I suppose."

"Do you remember your past?" I ask shakily. Trying to hold back tears I didn't even know sprung into my eyes. As if the memories haunted me but never made themselves known.

"No." Byeongkwan sighs. "I sat on this very ground for days wishing I could remember. Wanting answers. But I never got them. You'll get used to it."

I watch as the warm flames of the fire steadily grow larger and larger. Byeongkwan sits back on his heels and stares at it as if it has him in a sort of trance. He looked tired, worn out. His hands calloused as he rubbed them together.

"Is there no way out of this place?" I ask, letting my eyes scan the large walls with thick vines snaking up them. The walls looked old.

Byeongkwan looks at me, his gray eyes scanning me. "Listen," He says gently, scooting over to sit beside me. "I have searched every inch of this maze. I have yet to find an exit. We get our meals from this maze to keep us alive. But this maze..." He pauses, an uneasy look in his eyes.

"What?" I press. My heart pounding in my ears.

"It moves." Byeongkwan breathes quietly. "The walls. They shift and change. The paths always change. Its like it resets itself every night. That's why I 've never successfully found an exit."

I feel my heart shatter in my chest. If there was no way out of this place, what were we here for?

"I... I heard something last night." I tell him shakily, feeling crazy for even bringing it up. "I probably just imagined it. But I could have sworn I heard something last night. Something big and..."

"Monstrous?" Byeongkwan finishes for me. Meeting my eyes. I nod, feeling my palms start to sweat from nerves.

Byeongkwan sighs and rubs his hands together in thought. "When it gets dark out, its important you listen to me and get above ground. You can't scream or make noise during that time. Because what you heard was real. But you need to listen to me carefully, okay?"

I nod slowly. Feeling scared now and even more questions race through my mind.

"As long as you don't get eaten by the Grievers, me and you will be just fine." Byeongkwan says before getting up.

Day 28

I stretch my sore limbs as I sit up in my makeshift hammock that was several feet above ground. Byeongkwan's hammock was behind me. I look around the maze, excepting it to not be there someday. But everyday it was there. Its towering walls glistening in the sunlight. My shoulders felt tight every morning from falling asleep tense from hearing the sound of the Grievers below us. I never got used to their sounds.

"You're up early." Byeongkwan says from behind me, making me crane my head to see him.

"I can only sleep in this fake bed for so long." I answer sarcastically. Making Byeongkwan chuckle as he rises from his hammock. I follow him as I climb down by way of the thick vines.

"Don't you ever get sick of the same food over and over?" I ask him as I stretch my limbs once on solid ground.

Byeongkwan stops walking and meets my eyes, a smirk on his lips. "You mean to I miss having food like pasta and sweets? All the time."

I smile at his back as I gaze around the maze. It was already hot out. It seemed like everyday I was here, it only got hotter. Only cooling slightly at night. I couldn't help but feel something was off about the weather pattern. But I kept that to myself. Telling myself I was imagining things.

"Byeongkwan?" I call. He doesn't look up from his place on the ground as he washed his face with water from a canister.

"Hm?" He hums in response. Not opening his eyes as drops fell from his face.

"We should move." I blurt out. I was tired of sitting around and doing nothing day after day. I wanted to move, to explore this giant prison. Especially if I was doomed to stay for the rest of my life.

Byeongkwan stops running water over his face and looks up at me, his eyes wide. "What?"

I sigh and take a step toward him. "We've been camped in the same place since I got here. And you've been here even longer before I arrived. I think we should move somewhere else."

"I told you there isn't any point." He says calmly. "There's no way out of this place."

"You said yourself the maze resets every night."

"But there's no point in going and getting our hopes up."

"But it doesn't hurt to try." I point out.

Byeongkwan sighs and rubs his eyes. He stays silent for several moments. So long that I think he has refused my request to leave.

"We'll leave in the morning." He grumbles quietly. Making my heart leap with excitement.

"But don't cry to me when you see there is nothing out there." He adds as he stands up and walks off.

Day 30

Me and Byeongkwan had been exploring the maze for a few days now. Our hammocks serving as a sort of backpack with our few belongings on our back. And Byeongkwan was right. There was nothing out here. The walls twisted and turned in every direction possible. Despite there being nothing, I still hoped we would find some clue as to why we were here. Even if Byeongkwan had given up hope and had stopped asking questions, I had not. I refused to.

We walked slowly, taking small sips of water through out the hot day. I swore the sun was getting hotter everyday. It made my skin itch and burn and sweat pour down my back in large drops. I walked behind Byeongkwan slowly as I took a small swig of water from my canister, my eyes scanning the maze as I did so.

"Her life signs are stable." An unfamiliar female voice said from beside me. Making me jump and almost choke on my water as I scanned around me. Seeing no one there.

"Hey." Byeongkwan calls, stepping in front of me. "You okay?"

I keep scanning the area, goosebumps rising on the back of my neck and arms.

"Did you hear that?" I ask, craning my head. Still looking for the source of the voice.

"No..." He answers, looking at me worriedly.

I continue to scan my surroundings, still feeling a sense of panic. I jump when I feel Byeongkwan take my hand in his gently.

"Hey." He says gently, catching my attention. "You're okay. We're okay."

I stare into Byeongkwan's gray eyes, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. Then my face flushes from his close proximity, making him blush and drop my hand quickly. He clears his throat before stepping away from me.

"We should go." He says awkwardly before walking on. Leaving me staring at his back in confusion.

Day 60

I take a deep breath of morning air as I stand looking up at the sky. I felt my stomach twist in worry. The sky had been blue when I first arrived, now it was turning more of a white color. The sun seemed brighter with each passing day and again, it only seemed to be getting hotter. The nights bringing plummeting cold.

I release a worried sigh as I continue thinking. I had hoped I was only imagining these changes when I first arrived. But now I knew, I couldn't ignore these signs any longer.

I jump when I feel arms wrap around my waist, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Morning." Byeongkwan whispers sleepily into my neck. Pecking it gently.

"Good morning." I whisper back. A smile tugging at my lips. We had grown slowly closer and closer the longer we spent in this maze together. Each other being the only thing that kept us sane sometimes.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks, still holding me tightly.

I take a deep shaky breath and turn to face him. Taking his hands in mine as I think about my next words carefully. "Byeongkwan, something is wrong with this place."

Byeongkwan stares at me puzzled, but keeps quiet. Allowing me to speak.

"The sun is getting brighter everyday and the days keep getting hotter. And then how cold its been getting at night? This weather pattern isn't normal, Byeongkwan. And the Grievers, they've been more active at night recently. There's more of them now."

Byeongkwan takes a deep breath and nods his head. "I know. I've noticed it too."

I stare up at him hopefully. "You have?" I ask, my spirits lifting.

Byeongkwan nods and runs his thumbs across my hands gently as he thinks. "Its been like this since before you came. But I don't know what we can do about it. The weather doesn't seem to kill the Grievers."

"I think we really do need to find a way out of here soon." I say.

Byeongkwan sighs. I knew he thought there was no way. Especially since we had been on the move for a long time and had found no way out.

"Please," I plead, taking his face in my hands. "Trust me on this?"

Byeongkwan gives me a weak smile and kisses my forehead, making me sigh against him. "I will always trust you." He whispers, making my heart leap with joy.

Day 90

I move slowly in the hammock, stretching out carefully. I open my eyes upon noticing Byeongkwan's absence. He usually was still in bed at this early of an hour. The sun barely peaking over the mazes walls.

"Byeongkwan?" I call, an eerie silence answering me as I get up. Something was wrong.

I feel a chill go down my spine as dread grips me. When I reach the ground my heartbeat only picks up as dread fills me.

"Byeongkwan!" I yell, searching frantically for him.

"Heartbeat 130 and rising. Life signs are stable." A voice says in my head, making me crane my head looking for it.

"Hello?" I call into the maze. Feeling scared now.

"Byeongkwan!" I call again, feeling tears fall down my face. Then I freeze, seeing a dark, spider like creature crawl down the wall beside me.

My feet seem rooted to the ground as I stare up at the Griever, dread pulsing through me. Its black eyes staring back at me before it lets out an icy screech, making my feet move into action as I run across the maze. The Griever on my heels.

"Byeongkwan!" I scream, trying desperately to find him. My feet get caught on a vine and I fall to the ground. My hands and knees throbbing from the fall. I go to stand when I feel hot breath run down my back, making my heart leap and my hands quiver.

The Griever growls as I turn slowly, meeting its monstrous form. My scream fills my lungs and head, a sort of pain ripping through me. I was positive I was dying. My vision never going completely dark though, only blurring.

"Simulation complete." A female voice says, the one from several days ago. "Shes a smart one.”

"We need to draw more blood in order to complete the cure though." A male voice says. He wears a lab coat and dark glasses on his thin face.

"Start another simulation."

"There's no point." Another male voice says. Stepping so close to me I can feel his breath on my skin. He was a middle aged man with blonde, short hair and dark eyes. I felt like I knew him, and didn't like him.

"Stop running tests on her." He commands, stepping away from me to go to a computer.

"Janson, we need to run more tests." The man in the lab coat says anxiously. "She's an immune. She might give us the cure."

"She won't." Janson says briskly as he walks back over to me and lifts the hem of my shirt. Revealing dark veins that snaked up my stomach in an angry mass.

"Give her another week and she'll just be another crank. Don't bother with anymore simulations."

The man in the lab coat nods and disconnects several wires attached to my arms and forehead. He seemed nervous to touch me now, his eyes darting from the wires to me. My body limp with exhaustion, my head aching.

"Who was that boy you had in the simulation of the maze with her?" Janson asks, watching as I was detached from the machine.

"We did research on her past." The man says, stepping away from me. "He was her boyfriend before the plague."

"What happened to him?" Janson asks, then he shakes his head, as if the answer was too obvious. "Infected?"

The man in the lab coat nods. "A year ago. He's one of the ones beyond gone by now."

"And now she'll get to join him." Janson says coldly, looking me over slowly. "That's a love story for you."

I feel my body collapse to the ground, the restraints gone. I lye on the lab floor, soaking in the cold that seeped through my shirt to my feverish skin. I felt strange surges of anger now, for no reason and some for a good reason. I didn't remember Byeongkwan being my lover before. But I knew him from the maze. And as guards picked my limp body off of the ground and hauled me away, I thought of him. How I would prefer being sick and gone like they said he was, then live without him and be healthy.

#a.c.e #a.c.e x reader #ace kim byeongkwan #ace byongkwan #ace byeongkwan x reader #a.c.e byeongkwan x reader #a.c.e byeongkwan #a.c.e kim byeongkwan #ace #a.c.e imagine #ace fanfiction #fanfiction #kpop x reader #kpop #kpop fanfiction #kpopmadness writings

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annaphoenix1994 · 3 years

Text

Colter - Enter, Pursued by a Memory (2)

"Goddamn, this cold!" Arthur groaned as he entered the morning freeze, using the sole of his boot to light the match for his cigarette, taking a long and slow puff of the tobacco as if his life depended on it. He forced himself to walk through the snow, mentally preparing himself to feel the cold wind cling to his skin through his clothing.

He rushed into the main cabin, seeing Missus Adler struggling to stay warm while she kept her distance from everybody else while Abigail Roberts, Tilly Jackson, and Mary-Beth Gaskill were surrounding the hearth for warmth. "Hello, Arthur," Abigail started as Arthur chucked a fresh log into the small fire.

"Abigail." He replied gruffly, holding his palms to the fire.

"Arthur...how you doing?" She said nervously as she approached him. He looked at her nervously, taking her in. He had always scolded himself for not marrying her when he had the chance, but he knew that wasn't how things were supposed to be. He cared deeply for her and young Jack, but in a way, he still loved her from when she had been friendly with not only him, but almost every man in the gang at one point.

He gulped as he held those memories at bay, where they needed to be, "Just fine, Abigail, and you?"

"I need you to...I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry to ask but..." She stuttered.

"It's little John...He's got himself into a scrape again." Arthur replied with annoyance and a bit of jealousy coating his voice. He brushed her off as he continued to find warmth from the fire.

"He ain't been seen in two...two days!" Abigail protested.

"Your John'll be fine," Arthur said, opening his arms at her. He hated arguing with her, but she needed to hear it. "I mean, he may be as dumb as rocks and as dull as rusted iron but that ain't changin' because he got caught in some snowstorm!" He argued.

"At least go take a look," Hosea intervened as he closed the book he was reading to young Jack. "Javier?"

"Yes?" Javier Escuella replied, looking up from cleaning his gun.

"Javier, will you ride out with Arthur and take a look for John?" Hosea asked. "You're the two best-fit men we've got."

"Now?" Javier questioned, exhaling a puff of smoke from his cigarette.

"She's...we're all...we're pretty worried about him." Hosea continued, taking note at the look of jealousy on Arthur's face as well as a bit of concern eating at him.

Hosea had played a major role in Arthur's life in the earlier years, seeing Arthur as a son to him. He could tell when things were bothering him or when he was keeping something to himself. Hosea knew Arthur and Abigail had a brief romantic history and that Arthur at some point thought that young Jack was his son, but he couldn't stop Abigail from falling in love with John Marston, who was his fellow brother, but also his competition.

"I know if the situation were reversed, he'd look for me." Javier said as he handed Arthur his sewed-off shotgun. Arthur nodded as he took the gun before turning on his heels, pushing out Abigail's 'thank you's out of his head as he walked through the doorway.

"This way! Last I know, John was headed up the river!" Javier said over the wind as he took the lead.

"For all we know, he kept ridin' north and never looked back," Arthur grunted, bowing his head so that the brim of his hat would shield his face from the wind.

"He wouldn't leave. Not like that." Javier doubted.

"Well, wouldn't be the first time," Arthur replied, clutching the reins tighter, wishing he had on two pairs of gloves instead of one. He and Javier trekked north, both of them encouraging their horses to continue on their journey. Arthur may not have had a bond as strong with this horse like he did with Boadicea, his fallen horse after the failed ferry robbery in Blackwater, but the mahogany bay stallion was pushing through. "Good boy!" Arthur encouraged as he gave the stallion an encouraging pat to the neck. "So... You were there, Javier, what really happened on that boat?" He asked.

"We had the money, it seemed fine, then suddenly they were everywhere," Javier explained.

"Bounty hunters?" Arthur guessed.

"No, Pinkertons. It was crazy. Raining bullets," Javier continued as the horses were now on steeper terrain. "Watch out for this crevice!" He warned. "Dutch killed a girl in a... bad way, but it was a bad situation."

"That ain't like him, though." Arthur replied.

"They continue along the cliff wall here!" Javier said, referring to the horse tracks he and Arthur found shortly after they left camp. "Davey got shot. Mac and John... Both shot too. Sean, we don't even know. I'm surprised we escaped at all. By the time you boys showed up from the other side of town, we were only just holding on." Javier continued.

Arthur sighed, "Bad business alright."

They were now trotting through fresh snow, which was too much for Arthur's liking, so he decided to slow his horse down to a walk as he knew the fresh and deep snow had to be hard on his horse. "You're alright boy," He encouraged. "The horses are struggling."

"Yeah, a lot of fresh snow here."

"I don't know about this, Javier. W-we can't follow nothing." Arthur doubted.

"Let's push on a little bit, maybe we'll pick up the trail again," Javier encouraged as their horses continued to push on up the steep embankment.

"Almost there, boy, c'mon now!"

"Hey, look! Over there, you see that?" Javier pointed as the men stopped their horses before nudging them to a lope. Upon closer inspection, it was a deceased horse. "John was riding that horse when we left Blackwater." Javier sighed.

"Oh... That's..." Arthur grunted. He didn't mind killing an animal when it came to hunting but seeing a dead horse hurt him on the inside. Aside from a buck, horses were his favorite animal as they represented so much freedom, beauty, and spirit. Something Arthur wrote fondly about in his journal was Boadicea. He sighed as he looked away from the deceased animal before turning his attention back to Javier.

"Let's see if he can hear us!" Javier said before firing his revolver, the gunpowder echoing through the icy canyon and empty mountains.

"Hey! Help! Here!"

"Come on... Up there!" Javier suggested as he pushed Boaz into a steady lope up the embankment.

"Hello? Over here!"

"It's coming from up ahead somewhere. I don't think we can go much further on the horses. We'll have to walk from here." Javier said as he dismounted Boaz. "I'd grab that shotgun from your horse. Who knows what's up ahead."

───※ ·❆· ※───

"That's quite a scratch you got there." Arthur said as he and Javier were now looking at John Marston from over the cliff he had sought shelter.

John looked up at the pair with his new three lacerations, "Never thought I'd say this, but it's good to see you, Arthur Morgan."

Arthur sighed as he eased himself down to where John was, looking him over briefly, "You don't look so good." He said as he slung John's arm over his shoulders.

"I don't feel too good neither," John groaned as Arthur easily lifted the man up, helping him get atop the cliff so Javier could help. "I'm freezing!"

"Don't die just yet, cowboy." Arthur said as he hoisted himself back up before slinging John over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, slowly walking behind Javier as he figured out a way to get back to the horses without having to go through the rough terrain they had encountered on foot.

"You see that on the ridge?" Javier said as distant howls echoed from afar. Arthur felt John shift his weight as he was still slung over Arthur's shoulder, looking up at what damage the animals had caused.

"Shit," Arthur mumbled as he helped John to his feet. "I'll distract them while you get to the horses. Go, I'll draw 'em off you." He insisted.

"Let's get back to the others!" Javier exclaimed after Arthur had successfully terminated the three wolves after a brief scrapple. Arthur clutched his wrist to rid the pain as he had gotten bitten, but it luckily didn't pierce through his skin, only his coat.

"I don't feel too good," John complained.

"You'll be fine. It's just like a...a dog bite."

John sighed, "I knew a feller, got bit by a dog. Died an hour later."

"You ain't gonna die! Not yet-" Javier assured. "More of 'em to the right!" He shouted.

Arthur quickly pulled out the sewed-off shotgun Javier had given him, hoping that his new horse wouldn't spook too bad from the shots and the wolves coming at his fetlocks. "Easy boy!" Arthur said as he shot two wolves quickly, regaining control as his horse's natural instincts took over.

"You see any more, Arthur?" Javier called.

"Don't think so." He grunted.

"Jesus!" John whined.

"You still with us, Marston?" Arthur teased.

"Just about." He groaned.

"You're gonna be okay. We have some shelter now." Javier assured.

"Thanks for coming for me."

"Of course. That bullet in Blackwater, now this? You had a hell of a time."

"And Arthur always says... I'm lucky." John croaked.

"You know, we're gonna need to come up with a better story for that scar!" Arthur teased as the horses trudged through the current of the river in an attempt to cover up their scent.

"So, freezing, bleeding, starving, damn near getting eaten to death, ain't good enough for you?" John questioned.

"Yeah...c'mon. Let's push hard and get back."

"See those buildings up ahead John? That's where we're camped. Nearly there." Javier assured as the camp was inching closer.

"Come on! Someone help John down off this horse!" Javier exclaimed.

"Can we get some help here?" Arthur intervened as he pulled his horse to a halt, dismounting as he heard the main cabin's door squeak as Abigail came running out. "You're alive! Oh, you're alive!" Abigail cried as she gripped onto John's jacket.

"Ay, careful idiotas, it's his leg!" Javier warned as he was still atop Boaz.

"Come on, let's get you warm!" Abigail said as Bill was acting as a crutch for John, leading him to the cabin. "Thank you! Thank you both!"

Arthur and Javier nodded as they were soon joined by Hosea and Leopold Strauss. "Thank you, Arthur. Thank you." Hosea said, patting his shoulder.

"You got any other lost maidens need savin'?" Arthur groaned.

"Yeah, that Minnie Barlow," Hosea teased, referring to the brief conversation he and Dutch had about the woman after they brought Sadie Adler to camp, Dutch explaining to Hosea that Arthur had kept asking questions about the fellow outlaw relentlessly, making it clear to Dutch and Hosea that he may be under the impression of a crush, which Hosea loved to play "matchmaker."

"I don't know what you're talkin' about," Arthur scoffed. Hosea chuckled as Javier and Leopold Strauss retreated slightly, "Dutch told me about your crush."

"Whatchu talkin' about? I don't have no crush!" Arthur blushed.

"You're forgetting that we know you better than you do, Arthur. Since when have you been so curious about an outlaw when you're an outlaw yourself?" Hosea questioned. Arthur shook his head as he wanted to get the topic of love interests from his head. 'Yeah, like a woman like that would have me anyways.' He scolded to himself.

"Have you and Dutch talked about how we're gonna get out of this?" Arthur asked, changing the subject.

"I was just discussing with Herr Strauss when the weather breaks I suppose we'll have to keep heading east."

"East? Into all of that civilization?" Arthur objected.

"I know," Hosea replied. "The west is where our problems are worse. C'mon, Herr Strauss, let's get warm."

Arthur nodded as he thrust through the snow, rubbing his palms up and down his upper arms in an attempt to generate heat, but he felt as if he was getting nowhere. He quickly shut the door to the cabin, retreating to his room for a brief bit of isolation, something that he needed. He had a sudden urge to write as if nothing that was going on even mattered. He sat on the edge of his cot, pulling the nightstand closer to him to make a table:

𝓦𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓻𝓾𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓴𝓼. 𝓦𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓵𝓭 𝓪𝓫𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝔀𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓲𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝔀. 𝓗𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓭 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓸𝓻.

#rdr2 #minniebarlow #arthurmorgan #reddeadredemption2 #fanfiction

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