Ooooh, what about this? Future!reader accidentally time traveled to 1940s when she met William Killick, and he had to take care of her due to injuries she had. She ended up staying with him while rejecting his advances because she was trying to find a way to go back to future, and it wouldn’t be fair to him if she were to accept his advances, but she didn’t know William was sabotaging the solutions to ensure she would stay with him forever.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL LIKE HOLY SHIT. I was about to write something like this with Tommy in Black Heart, but I opted out, and I hadn't even considered this with William, so I'm so glad you requested it!!
this was supposed to be a short-length fic lol, it's like the longest thing I've ever written on here
Home Is Where the Heart Is ⸻ William Killick
pairing | william killick x future!reader
summary | You don't think much of the box when it arrives at your front door. That is, until you open it and are transported decades into the past. There, you fall into the arms of a handsome soldier, who is intent on making you stay.
word count | 9k
Warnings: DUB-CON, possessive!william, future!reader, period typical sexism it's okay when it's william, reader has a software job, weird time travel plot (who knows how the box got there? it's totally not going to be revealed in part two ;) ), mentions of war, reader simps so hard, p in v sex, breeding kink
Disclaimer: The Edge of Love characters, plots, quotes, etc. do not belong to me and belong to the rightful owner(s). This is only fanfiction and this is just for fun.
A/N: I'm honestly not too proud with how rushed it was, but I'm glad it's out there. I'm definitely doing a part two. Be warned for errors.
You were lying in a field of grass, tall, bushy trees lining the area around you. You seemed to be in some type of countryside because in the distance you could faintly see quaint little houses and farmland (at least, you assumed it was; your vision was awfully blurry), but other than that, you had no clue as to where you were.
“Ah,” you hissed, noticing the cut on your body. When you arrived — however that happened — you had scrapped your arm on a sharp rock embedded in the dirt, and now it was bleeding, red blood trickling down your arm.
You sighed miserably, trying to make sense of the situation.
Yesterday, a packaged box arrived on your front doorstep. No address, no company, just a note in pen, To [Y/n] [L/n]. You were a little wary of its contents but brought it inside anyway. You opened it and uncovered a machine, steel and simple in its construction, yet difficult to understand. There was no instruction manual or labels for the buttons, and it took you a while to know if you were even looking at it right, the only hint being the Roman numerals inside the dials.
After tinkering around with it, you must have fallen asleep, because the next thing you knew, you were in a completely other place. All you had on were your clothes, some money, and your phone, which, surprise surprise, had no signal, so all you could do was look at your downloads — completely useless — and take a photo.
I must’ve been drugged, you thought, still feeling hazy. I should have called the cops the moment I realized something was off.
You got up and took off your socks, trying to stop the bleeding with it. It wasn’t the most hygienic, but it was all you had at the moment, and you weren’t about to tear off pieces of the shirt you had on, especially not when you were already shivering.
The contraption had traveled with you, and though you were aware it was the reason you were here in the first place, you thought it better to bring it along, as evidence. You could show it to the government, and they could use their little science ways to find the culprit. All would be fine.
All will be fine.
You started walking. You didn’t have any shoes on for protection, so it was difficult to step across the dirt, with all its rocks and insects swarming about, but you managed to get to grass quick enough, and it felt much better, almost healing to walk barefoot on the softness of mother nature.
But you didn’t get very far. Eventually, your stomach started grumbling, and you felt like your intestines were twisting inside with desperation. Your sock was now red, and your hand was trembling, so with a defeated sigh, you let go, of both the sock and the heavy machine, allowing the blood to flow freely. You bent over to pick the sock back up first, but the sudden movement made your head reel, and before you knew it, you were out again.
+++
“You’re awake,” a voice said, a male’s voice, a British accent that sounded like butter. Oh, butter, if you could get your hands on that alone you would be satisfied.
You opened your eyes, blinking. A figure, with pale skin and dark hair made it’s way over to you, and in a panic, you crawled away, eyes darting across the room. You were on a bed, bandages on your arm, but before you could calm down or even begin to think properly, panic took over, your heart rate elevated, and you sighed, before passing out again.
+++
For about the third time today, or however long you were out, you woke up. This time your vision was much clearer, but you still had this nasty migraine in your head. You were sick inside, the kind of sick that happens when you haven’t eaten in a while but can’t eat because you feel like you’ll throw up.
You wondered if you were in the same place again. You remembered a man, with a soothing voice, but he wasn’t here right now. Though the possibility that you had been kidnapped entered your mind, you noticed the lack of bonds and chains on your body. He was probably just helping you, you reasoned.
You slowly got out of bed, wincing at the shooting pain in your arm. You observed your surroundings. The bedroom was very minimalist, and . . . quirky. You loved the design and the materials used, as it reminded you of a cottage, but there was nothing helpful in sight. All the technology you could see, like the kitchen, needed to be updated and was worn out. There was some type of record player, or CD tape, or whatever that was called, on one of the counters and a radio beside it.
You didn’t bother with any of that. You were thirsty, throat dry and gnawing at you, so you went to look for water, hoping that whoever lived here didn’t go out and get it from a fucking well. He probably does. Look at this place!
“Shit!” you swore, your knees buckling from underneath you. You felt so weak and miserable and vulnerable. It hit you at this moment that you were probably a hundred miles away from home, in a strange place in a strange home you’d never seen before. How were you going to get back? What were you going to do?
Tears started welling in your eyes. You hated that you were being so emotional. Why couldn’t you toughen up and deal with the situation like a proper adult?
You leaned onto the counter, trying to balance yourself, when the front door opened up, and the man you saw before walked in, carrying a bag full of vegetables and other foods. He quickly placed the bag down and held you in his arms, his warmth comforting and relaxing.
He had short, dark hair, and a sharp jawline, and from this distance, you could see light freckles scattered across his cheeks. He had the most beautiful blue eyes you’d ever seen, like glaciers, like the ocean. Fuck, he was so handsome.
“Here,” he said, guiding you back to the bedroom. He set you down on the bed, gazing at you with such intensity, like adoration or devotion.
“W-who are you?” you asked, voice cracking. “Where am I? Hngh.” You rubbed your temples. Didn’t he have any pain medications?
“My name is William. William Killick,” the man introduced softly. “Don’t be scared, I’m not going to hurt you.” He went off into the kitchen and brought back a glass of water. You drank it slowly, the cool liquid flowing through your body, wetting your mouth. “I didn’t know if you had family nearby, so I took you to my place.”
William paused, as if thinking of what to say next. “Get more rest, it’s night.”
You hadn’t even noticed the time, but one look out the window told you he was right. It was pitch black outside.
“You’ll wake up tomorrow, and have some breakfast.”
You shook your head, and handed the glass back to him, only for him to set it down on the nightstand table. “Where’s my phone? Where’s my . . . box?”
He stared at you blankly, before clearing his throat. “Your stuff is in the back. I didn't know what it was — hey, don’t move.” William’s strong hands kept you in place, pushing you back down to the bed as gently as he could whilst still keeping a firm grip. “Rest,” he ordered. “Don’t need you fainting on me again.”
You wanted to argue, but you couldn’t. You laid your head on the pillow, without a choice but to trust William, and fell asleep, wrapping yourself in the blanket with a content sigh. All the questions you had, all the thoughts, faded away and were replaced by darkness.
+++
You dreamt of yourself and yourself. You, the spectator, were standing outside a window, but it wasn’t just any window. It was your window, the one that led to the inside of your bedroom, where you could see you and William — the strange man — entangled in the sheets. Lovers. You two were lovers. You two were making love.
Anyone would have felt creepy watching someone else, and anyone would have noticed someone watching them, but none of that happened. The sun should have cast a shadow on you, but it didn't. The passerby should have called you out, but they didn’t.
You had just enough awareness to realize that this was a dream. How were you back at home already? Why were you and William kissing?
While originally you felt nothing, like a simple observer without thoughts, you were suddenly flooded with heavy emotions. Confusion, shame, lust, confusion.
But in just a few moments, the world around you crumbled, like an earthquake, and the sun and moon passed by, stars moving across the heavens, and you were warped by time, back in the same place you were before.
+++
You woke up with a gasp, cold sweat running down your body, and immediately William was by your side. You rested your head on his chest, grasping onto his shirt desperately, not wanting him to leave.
“Shh, shh,” he cooed, running his fingers through your hair.
“Sorry,” you muttered, making no effort to leave his side. “I don’t know . . .”
“Shh.”
You both were like this for a while. Faint images of your dream passed through your mind, and from what little you remembered, you assumed it had been a wet dream.
I can’t believe it, you thought. Having a wet dream — about a guy I barely met. Control yourself!
You pulled away, already missing his warmth. William frowned a little but didn’t say anything. “What’s your name, darling?” he asked.
You hesitated.
“I told you, I’m not going to hurt you.”
“[Y/n],” you finally told him. “Where are we?”
William narrowed his eyes. You had a feeling he knew more than he was letting on, but you didn’t want to press.
“Wales,” William answered.
You froze. How the fuck did you get to Wales? What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck.
“Um, that’s nice,” you said awkwardly. “How long has it been since you found me?”
“A few days.”
You tried not to panic, but all you could think about was your job and your friends and your family. Have you been reported missing yet?
“You must be hungry,” William said. “I’ll cook something for you. I’m not the best, but I don’t want you to wear yourself out.”
“It’s alright.” You waved his concern off, though it did tug at your heartstrings that he was worried. “I'll get some fast food.”
You dug through your pockets, hoping your wallet was still in there. Thankfully it was. You pulled it out and grabbed two crisp twenty-dollar bills, but William hissed and pushed it back in, his hand not leaving yours.
“What are you doing carrying around that much money?” he asked, giving you an incredulous look. “How are you meant to protect yourself? Where’d you get that? Do you have a husband?”
You pushed his hand away. “I work. And what’s the problem?”
You knew that the American dollar wasn’t equivalent to a British pound, but was the difference that bad? Sure, forty dollars was a lot of money if you were just going to a gas station or something, but nothing to get excited over.
William huffed. “You can’t just show me that much money like that. What if I was a thief, hmm? What would you do then?”
“Are you?” you asked, not understanding why he was making such a big deal out of it.
“No. I’m a gentleman.”
You scoffed, amused, but there was a little smile on your face. “A gentleman?”
“Yes,” he insisted. “A proper man.”
There was a moment of silence between you both. You wanted him to hold you again, but you thought it would be best if you just went on your way.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” you said, getting up from the bed. “And bandaging me and all.” You gave him one of the bills. “I know it’s in dollars, but I’m sure you can convert it.”
William didn’t take the money. “You’re not leaving — you’re still hurt. I’d be remiss if I let a lass half as pretty as you alone on the streets.”
You chalked up his way of talking to the region. You honestly found it quite attractive. That, coupled with his British accent, made you feel like you were in one of those romance movies. You had to remind yourself that he wasn’t in love with you and that you were just acting irrational and horny.
“I’ll be fine. We’ll exchange numbers, do you have a charger?”
“What?”
“A phone charger. My phone’s probably dead.”
“The box?”
You narrowed your eyes. “No, the rectangle. The phone.”
“Ah, the one that glows?”
You briefly wondered if he simply didn’t know what a phone was. You knew some people preferred not to have modern technology in their life.
“Yes. I need to call someone — ”
“ — It stopped glowing.”
Great. William obviously didn’t have a charger. And if he didn’t know what it was, no one nearby would. All that was next to do would be to walk to a big city and hope someone there could help you get back home.
“Look, darling.” You ignored the way your heart fluttered when he called you that. “I don’t know what a phone is, or why you’re here, but I know that you still need to recover.”
“I appreciate it,” you said. “But I really have to go. I have work and — ”
“ — Surely you can take a day off. What is it you do?” William asked.
“I’m a software developer. I code.”
William had a blank face. A pink blush dusted his cheeks. He cleared his throat, “I, er, I’ve never heard of that. You mean computers? The big ones that take up a room?”
“No, it’s not the fifties.”
“Well, 1946 is close.”
You didn’t know what to make of that. “What does 1946 have to do with this?”
William observed you intently. “The year. The year is 1946.”
You blinked. It couldn’t be. It couldn’t be the 20th century — that was impossible. So many things were wrong with that. How come it was you who traveled in time? Why didn’t the government know about this? Even if you were ignoring the question of how, there were still so many whys.
“No,” you said slowly, inching away from William. What kind of sick prank was this? He was supposed to be helping you, not confusing you. “You’re messing with me.”
William sensed that you were uncomfortable, because he backed away, his hands in the air. You could tell he was waiting for the perfect moment to get closer.
“I’m not a liar . . . Are you from the future?”
Fuck. You weren’t sure. How could that even be possible?
“No,” you said hesitantly. “I dunno, I must be . . .”
Your eyes subtly peered past William and at the door. If only you could get past him . . .
You looked straight at the window, making sure to grab his attention. “Oh,” you whispered, putting on your best shocked expression. The moment he was distracted you sprinted past him and bolted out of the room and out the house, running across the field to the next house you could see. Your arm still hurt, but you were willing to shove down the pain.
“No, no, please!” William shouted, running after you.
In just a minute, he had caught up to you and tackled you to the ground. He pinned your hands above your head and sat on your lower stomach, rendering you useless. His lips were so close to yours, and the look on his face was pissed.
“What are you doing?” he asked, voice forceful, gripping onto your wrists tighter.
“P-please,” you pathetically sputtered out. “Don’t hurt me.”
He didn’t budge. “I’m trying to help you — I’m not lying to you, and I’m not going to hurt you.”
“You’re hurting me now,” you cried, squirming.
William’s eyes softened as he realized what he was doing. “You promise not to run again?”
You nodded, your lower lip wobbling.
“Alright.”
He still didn’t let go of you, but he did pull you up from the ground, wiping the dirt off of your back. Tears flowed down your cheek like rainwater, and you couldn’t help but curl in on yourself.
William held onto your arm as he walked you back to the house, not allowing you another chance of escape, but he did wipe your tears gently and soothe you. You felt embarrassed. Why did you run? You had acted purely on instinct there. This man was clearly only trying to help.
“Look,” he said softly, sitting you back down on the bed like a child. “I’ll take you into town, hmm? Show you around and all — maybe that’ll convince you. You must be quite far into the future to be dressing like that and to have a . . . phone with you, so things will be different, right? What year are you from?”
“. . . 2023.”
“I knew it. On your phone, there was a date. I wasn’t sure then, but . . .” William suddenly reached his hands up and rubbed his thumb across your chapped lips, catching you off guard. “They’re dry,” he said. “I’ll draw up a bath for you so you can bathe while I cook. I’ll get you some lotion afterward.”
You nodded. What else could you do?
+++
William had cooked some simple fish and chips while you cleaned yourself. You had to use a tin tub, which was insane to you, but you didn’t complain about it. He supplied you with clothing, an old-fashioned dress his mother had accidentally left here. You were grateful it was not from some ex-girlfriend or wife, even though you had no right to feel that way. You put aside your other clothes to wash later.
After finishing with that, you sat down at the dining table, and like the hungry girl you were, you gobbled the food down eagerly. It was so fresh and delicious, not at all like the food you had in the future, pumped with chemicals and artificially bred. You tried to be as neat as you could, but it was difficult when you were starving. William had watched on with amusement, telling you to slow down and straighten your back every once in a while.
He took the plates away when you both were done, and then did as he promised and gave you some lotion, but instead of letting you apply it, he took a bit of cream on his fingers and rubbed it on your lips. “Stay still,” he murmured.
“I-I can do it—”
“No, you can’t. You’re still injured.”
You understood his reasoning. And you didn’t mind him touching you like that.
“The rest of my body is dry, too,” you blurted out.
What were you thinking? You didn’t even know this man. Trying to get him to touch the rest of your body — stupid girl.
William’s breathing hitched. “As in . . . your knees as well?”
“. . .”
He cleared his throat. “Well, then. Put them out, over my lap.”
You bit your lower lip, watching on as he rubbed his hands over your legs. His touch was so warm and it felt more like a massage. You felt bad about doing this, leading him on. If he was right about the time travel, then you couldn’t entertain any sort of relationship with him. It wouldn’t be fair.
But it was just an act of service. It didn’t mean much, right?
“Oh, that’s nice,” you said, resting your head on the bed. You felt a bit off allowing a random man to do this to you, but he wasn’t random now, was he? He had saved you. And besides, he was he who insisted he rub the lotion in the first place.
“What is the future like?” William asked. “Is there another war?”
“Sort of. Not really,” you answered, which panicked William. “Don’t worry. If you’re talking about America and Russia, no one dies.”
William chuckled. “I should hope not. I don’t fancy serving in another world war.”
“You served?” you asked curiously.
“Yes. As a captain in the British Army.”
You supposed it was normal. Most men in this time either signed up for the military or were drafted. You couldn’t imagine the horrors William must have gone through. You would never be able to understand the trauma he carried with him. You were curious, but you knew better than to ask. He didn’t need your pity, and you certainly didn’t want to offend him.
“I’m sorry,” you said.
“For what?”
“That it had to happen. War and all that.”
“Does war not happen in the future?”
Now you felt a little stupid.
“Well — yes. It does. I’m just sorry. We learned about the world wars in history — and I just — I’m not claiming to know anything. Yeah, sorry.” You looked down.
William didn’t say anything to that. He just kept rubbing your dry skin. Afterward, he put the lotion away and sat next to you, running his fingers through your hair.
“I expect stories from you. I want to hear everything about the future.”
You still didn’t believe you were in the past, at least, not completely.
“You can tell me as we pass through town,” he added.
“I need to wash my clothes first.”
Willian narrowed his eyes. “You’re not going to wear that anymore.”
“Why not?”
He pursed his lips. “It’s too revealing. A woman should never go out wearing those types of clothing.” He sighed. “Perhaps it’s different in the future, but here, you’ll get hurt if you dress like that.” He continued playing with your hair. “I want you to be safe. So, you have to promise me that you’ll stay by my side at all times, yes?”
You nodded. You always thought that if you caught men talking to you like this, you would slap them, but here you were, turned on by William’s sexism. It was different, you reasoned. He was more focused on protecting you than restricting you. Was it bad that you found that hot?
“Good girl,” he said proudly. “Good girl.”
+++
Walking through town had been more of a frightening experience than you expected. You realized, without a shadow of a doubt, that you were indeed in the past. Producing a prank with this level of investment and money was pointless, and you never had any mental issues in the past, so why would one suddenly show up now? And even if it did, you couldn’t possibly be imagining this all in your head.
All the cars were shiny and new, yet old models, ones that wouldn’t be produced in the future. All the women and men wore traditional clothing, like the dress William picked out for you. The hairstyles were medium-length and curled, or slicked back, with lots of gel and products used to keep them in place. You were grateful William didn’t ask you to do any of that. Not that you would have let him. At a certain point, you would have drawn a line.
“I have to get back,” you told William as you walked on a trail. “The machine has something to do with it. I just have to figure out how it works.”
“That’s an engineering job,” he pointed out.
“I’m good at math and science. I work in advanced technology, so I should be able to figure something out. All it needs is a bit of testing . . . I was wondering if I could stay with you for a while until I figure out a place to stay. I’ll give you all the money I have and I promise I’ll find a job — ”
“ — No need. Stay as long as you like. I don’t want your money. I won’t stop you from finding a job, but it’s not necessary. I can handle any expenses.”
You didn’t argue with him. He didn’t seem averse to the idea of letting a stranger stay at his place. It made sense. People in this time were more hospitable and open (at least, when they felt like it), and William, being a man from the forties, would never allow you to carry any of the financial burden.
You still felt a little bad.
“Thank you. It means a lot to me. Now, what is it you want to hear about the future?”
William’s eyes lit up excitedly. “Do flying cars exist?”
You chuckled. “No. But we have self-driving ones.”
“Self-driving? How do they work?”
You paused. You had no idea. “I’m not sure. They probably have sensors to detect other cars. And, well, there’s a map. So it’s connected to a satellite . . .”
“Satellite?”
“It’s this thing in space. It does . . . stuff. It’s manmade.”
“Space? Have we discovered alien life?”
“No. But we have sent rovers to Mars and we’ve landed a person on the moon.”
William stopped walking. “The moon?” he repeated, bewildered. “Have you gone?”
I wish. “It’s only for astronauts. You have to be trained for that sort of stuff.”
“And when did this all happen?”
“Around the 1960s. There was a space race between America and Russia, and America won.”
Once you got the ball rolling, William would not stop asking questions. You answered them as best as you could and avoided topics like the current political climate and weaponry and all that. After he was done with all the serious stuff, like advancements in science and whether robots had taken over the world yet, he moved on to more social and cultural topics. You were relieved to find out that he wasn’t racist or homophobic or incredibly misogynistic. If anything he was rather tame about it all, and was glad that women had earned more rights, though he seemed upset that the dynamic of a gentlemanly husband and lady-like housewife wasn’t pushed upon society.
“There’s nothing wrong with things going the opposite way around,” he had said. “Two people of the same gender marrying. It’s only that women need to be looked after, and if she doesn’t want to work, then it is her man’s obligation to do it for her. And in return, she must be obedient and serve him whenever he pleases — whether it’s by cleaning the house or . . . other things.”
“And what if she doesn’t want it?” you questioned, referring to the other things.
“A man should always make sure she likes it.”
You could practically feel all the feminism leaving your body at that.
The conversation ended when you reached back home (home? It’s not your home, you reminded yourself). William replaced your bandages with care. You were already starting to feel better, since the cut wasn’t too big, and you offered to help with cooking dinner this time.
After that, you decided to tinker with the box.
It was made out of some type of metal, with two different dials on the top and a button on the side. But it wasn’t like anything you’d ever seen before. The first dial went from zero to nine (zero being nulla) in Roman numerals, and had four hands, each of them colored in order: red, green, blue, and yellow. Respectively, there were four tiny colored knobs on the side, like the ones by a watch, where you could move each hand. The other dial was the same case.
“It must be the date,” you said aloud to yourself. “But which is which?”
Taking a gamble, you pressed the button, but it didn’t do anything. All it did was signal a small lens to start blinking red.
“Are you sure you should do that now?” William asked, coming up from behind you. “Look at this.” He crouched to your level on the floor. “Your eyes have bags underneath them. You’re still tired.”
You rubbed the area beneath your eyes. Did they really have bags? You hadn’t realized.
“I should probably go to sleep then,” you said, putting the box down and getting up.
William walked you over to the bedroom, and was about to leave when you asked, “Where are you sleeping?”
“The couch.”
You frowned. “It’s your house and I’m your guest. You’ve already done so much for me – ”
“— If you’re going to suggest you sleep on the couch, then it’s a no. That’s final.”
“But — ”
“ — Final.”
You sighed. “Then come sleep with me. I’ll stay on the floor—”
“ — No—”
“ — Then we can share the bed. We’ll put a wall of pillows between us, like this.” You grabbed a pillow and placed it in the middle of the bed, separating the two sides. “Not so bad, see?”
William relented. “Alright.”
He crawled into bed with you. His hair fell over his face as he adjusted, and the last rays of sunlight coated his body in colors of orange and yellow. If your phone wasn’t dead, you would have asked him to sit still for a picture, because at this moment, he truly looked breathtaking. He was a beautiful man. You wondered if he knew it.
“What?” William asked when he noticed you staring.
Flustered, you turned your head to look up at the ceiling. “Nothing. I was just making sure you were comfy.”
Out of the corner of your eye, you could see William lick his lower lip.
“You’re a sweet lass,” he commented. “You always think about others first.”
He reached over, and for a moment, you thought he was going to kiss you (which, admittedly, despite having had a wet dream about him, scared you), but he only brushed a small speck of dust off your shoulders and murmured “Goodnight”, before burying his chin into the blanket and drifting off into sleep.
You followed in suit soon after. A part of you was hoping that you could start a life here. You’d buy a nice house and live out a simple and peaceful life. You and William didn’t even have to be romantically involved. You could just be friends, and you would be happy with that.
But a part of you also hoped that when you woke up the next morning you would be back in your own bed, in your small one-story house that you remember being so excited about buying. You knew you would never like living here in the long term. There were too many things wrong with this time and you didn’t want to be the brunt of its issues. Not only that but being aware of all the tragedies that would soon occur . . . Did you want to be faced with the moral dilemma of whether or not you should stop them? How would your presence affect things in the future? After living your whole life in 2023, you could never adjust to life in 1946.
You had to find a way back. There was simply no other choice.
+++
William showed you many things. Just as he was interested in the future, you were interested in the past. The things that excited you most of all were old-school versions of what you had in the future. Washing machines, refrigerators — they were all so different, yet the same, and it was fascinating.
You even met a few people in town. They were nice enough to hold a conversation with, though they found it weird that you lacked decorum and the social understanding of the time. The women were chatty and mildly passive-aggressive, and the men — well, the men flirted with you quite openly.
William had told people that you were family, someone related but not close enough to be bothered with technical terms like cousin or niece. No one asked questions when you two explained it like that. All the men must have thought that if you were his family and that if you had no ring on your finger you must be looking for a partner.
You were charmed by their advances, but never serious about them. Besides, William hardly let them get a word in before he shooed them away.
By the time weeks and weeks had passed you became acquainted with everyone, seen every sight to see — including the swan lake William took you to — and become close enough to William that he opened up to you. You learned that while he wasn’t an orphan, his parents never held much interest in him other than the occasional birthday letter, and the reason he came out here so far away from the city was to find peace of mind.
You grew to admire him, and you were sure he grew to admire you, too. And soon, you started to feel a certain type of way. A way that made you daydream about all the things that could be, only for reality to stomp across it and remind you of the harsh truth.
+++
William was driving a car, a modern car, your car. He was humming a little tune on the radio, singing some lyrics, hands loosely holding the wheel as he passed by a gas station. It was some Taylor Swift song, and you remember faintly thinking: Of course, he likes Taylor Swift.
He looked over to you. You were sitting by his side, a passenger princess, looking out the window. All of a sudden it was night and you two were driving down a lonely road, parking by the side of some lake. In the distance, you could hear crickets and ribbits, but you paid them no mind.
You were curled up in William’s arms, looking out the sunroof of the car, the light of the moon gently descending through the glass. You offered him a piece of chocolate, and you two just sat there, in the dark, nibbling on snacks and observing the sky, until you woke up.
+++
William had to leave for work, like usual. He again told you not to leave his property line or stray out too far, which, again, was fine by you because most days were cold and bitter.
You spent your time messing around with the box, careful not to touch the wires in the back. Once you put your mind to it, you figured out how it worked. You paid attention to where the hands were currently located and found something promising. The first dial’s hands had the numbers I, IX, IV, and VI, and the second dial was nulla, IX, nulla, and V. Alone, you wouldn’t have been able to tell what the numbers meant, but with context, you understood. The first dial was the year, and the second one was the month and date.
You didn’t quite understand how the box brought you from the future, but that didn’t matter, as it was broken. There was a little loose piece on the backside that had been damaged — a little dent, probably when you were first transported here. All you had to do was plug it back in, but the only problem was, you didn’t have a screwdriver, and you certainly weren’t going to wrench your fingers near a bunch of wires.
When William came back you told him your solution. He agreed and said that tomorrow he would take you to a local store to buy a screwdriver, and he even apologized for not having one in his house. But for now, he said he wanted to take you out to lunch.
“Lunch?” you questioned nervously. Was he asking you out on a date?
You thought about it for a moment. You did want to go, but your mind was too preoccupied with getting back to your time. Besides, it wasn’t fair to him. You did like him, but you two could never actually be together. It was all in your head.
It’s all in your head.
“You know I’ll have to go back someday,” you said, watching William’s expression become more neutral as if he was hiding his emotions. “I dunno . . . I’m getting a little attached to you,” you said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
William seemed to understand where you were going with this. “It won’t be like that. I wouldn’t blame you,” he said earnestly, taking a step forward. “We ought to enjoy our time together, while it’s still here.”
He made a valid point, enough to convince you. He had been doing that an awful lot. Convincing you.
William took you out to a nice restaurant. The food was a bit plain, but it was good and wholesome. It reminded you a lot of William’s cooking, only fancier and more well-presented. Not only that, but the atmosphere felt calming and almost romantic. You noticed that most of the people here were couples, holding hands and giggling with each other, however young or old.
Was this William’s intention? Did he like like you? Or was this just him being courteous? You couldn’t imagine that many people here were used to dating or one-night stands. But you wouldn’t know unless you asked him, and you were too nervous to do that. Besides, you didn’t want to make a fool of yourself. William was a very traditional man, would he even want a woman like you? A 21st-century girl?
After you two were finished eating you engaged in another walk.
“Come closer,” William said, holding out his arm for you to take. If you didn’t have any self-control, you would have jumped his bones right then and there. He was right. He was a gentleman. No man in the future would have done this for you unless they were trying to make a joke out of it.
You placed your hand on William’s arm hesitantly, trying to figure out the exact placement, walking side by side with him. It was a little cold, however, and you shivered, catching William’s attention almost instantly.
“Oh, you poor thing,” William cooed, talking of his coat and wrapping it around you. It smelled of him, a little musky, smoky like a cigarette, but in a very subtle way. “You’re so nervous. Have you never had a man do this for you?” he asked. “Hold out his arm for you to take, give you his coat?”
“No,” you admitted. “Men don’t do that in the future.”
“I do,” he said, stopping both of you in your tracks. The area was secluded, mostly covered in trees and bushes, far away from any passerby. “I would do that for my woman.”
It was quiet for a moment.
“Well,” you said, wistfully, “whoever she is she’ll be a lucky woman.”
+++
William took you to a local shop to buy a screwdriver next. It all felt very domestic, something that you could get used to. You imagined running errands like this with William in the future. He would be absolutely fascinated by a grocery store, by the internet, by everything. If you thought hard, you could see it — a wondrous smile on his face, a giggle escaping his lips.
You tried not to think of it that much. After your fantasy passed your thoughts turned sad and cold, because you knew that would never happen. It will never happen. As much as you liked William, you missed your family, you missed your house, you missed everything.
When you both got back home, you plugged the broken piece in and screwed the nail. William watched on beside you, a frown on his face, drinking some tea.
“Here,” he said, inching closer, “I don’t want you exerting pressure on your arm. Let me do it.”
He grabbed a hold of the screwdriver, but he bumped into you in the process. With a gasp, he dropped his cup of tea. It shattered across the floor, glass pieces flying every, hot liquid (thankfully not boiling) splashing all over. You shrieked and backed away, watching as one of the glass shards cut right through one of the wires.
“William!” you snapped, but then your eyes turned watery, because of the cut on your hand.
He immediately went over to you, careful not to step on any glass, and picked you up bridal style, moving you away from the mess and towards the couch.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed out, looking panicked. “It was an honest mistake — I’m so so sorry, I can’t believe I just did that — are you hurt?”
You laughed at the absurdity of it all, even though you were clutching your finger in pain. It was a very small cut, something that would be healed within a day. “Calm down, William. I’m fine. Are you hurt?”
He shook his head, looking worried, or perhaps, scared was the right word. Yet, you couldn’t figure out why.
“William,” you said slowly. “It’s fine. You do realize we can just fix the wire? I just need a heat-shrinking tube and a soldering iron, nothing I haven’t done before.”
“. . . Oh.”
His tone made you wonder about his intentions. You’d been so caught up on how good of a person he was, helping you and giving you room and food, but really, what was his motive? Because it almost felt like he was trying to get you to stay . . . It sent a sinister feeling down your spine, albeit a tug on your heartstrings as well.
What do you want from me, William? What do you want?
+++
More time had passed. It was difficult to acquire things in this small town, and it occurred to you that such resources were not readily available at this time. You didn’t want to bother William by pestering him to go into the city for materials, so while you would bring up the topic every once in a while, you mostly kept quiet.
You took the chance to relish your break. After all, you weren’t working. It was like a fully paid vacation, so you might as well take advantage of it.
William still had a job, but when he came back, you two would just talk and talk and talk, conversations so smoothly flowing that it felt like you’d known him for years. When you weren’t talking, you were still in each other’s presence, doing your own thing. Occasionally, William would make sneaky moves like wrap his arm around your shoulder, or do the la bise. He claimed he was part French, and it was part of his custom, but even if that were true, you knew the la bise didn’t involve full-on smooches on the cheek.
You never stopped him from doing things like that, but you also never reciprocated, despite how badly you wanted to. All this stalling wouldn’t change the fact that you still had to leave. Not only that, but you were starting to feel homesick.
You missed calling your friends late at night, you missed watching colored TV, and you missed hot showers. You missed easy-access painkillers for your periods, and searching all your queries on the internet. You missed the future. Badly. And you could just feel that the day of return was near.
+++
“You dance, yes?”
Snapped out of your thoughts, you turned to William. You were both lounging on his couch, relaxing, talking, as the time passed by. He had given you a magazine to read, but you weren’t reading it, just dozing off.
You shrugged. “Yeah. I’ve gone to clubs. But — no, I can’t dance like that — William,” you whined, half-heartedly struggling as he pulled you up to you feet. “I’m going to ruin it, I don’t know where to place my feet or — ”
“ — You could never ruin anything, darling. Your presence alone is enough to satisfy me.”
You looked away. “You can’t say things like that, William.”
“Why not?”
You took his hands off you before he could even start the music.
“I don’t like it,” you lied.
William frowned. “That’s alright. Let me hold you. I know you enjoy that.” He chuckled. “When we first met you wouldn’t let go of me.”
The memory, still fresh in your mind, made you flustered.
“. . . William, what do you want from me?” you decided to ask.
He furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
“I mean — what do you want from me?”
William licked his lower lip. “Nothing. I just want to take care of you.”
“But why?”
You could practically feel William’s nervousness. It was like when he dropped that glass. He radiated an almost jumbled energy, a desperate energy.
“Haven’t I made it more obvious?” he finally said, his hands on your waist. He brought his fingers up to brush the hair out of your face. “Am I not clear?”
You knew what he was going to say. But you wanted to hear it from him. “Clear about what?”
“I want you.” Your heart started beating. “I don’t care if you’re not from this time. I don’t care if you have a life in the future — I can be better. I can be your life.”
“. . . William.”
“Don’t take that tone with me,” he said, tilting your chin up so you could look him in the eyes. “I know you want me too. I can see it.”
“But we can’t,” you weakly protested.
“So is this what you do?” His tone grew more sharp. “Imagine things in your head and never act on them?”
You stayed silent. He was putting you in such a difficult position, couldn’t he see that?
“What’s wrong?” he continued. “Am I not good enough?”
“William,” you tried to pull away. “I have to go — ”
He locked you in his arms. Your body was so close your noses were brushing up against each other, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “Maybe you’re worried I can’t please you right.”
You could have shouted. Why was he being so forceful? You ignored the way your body grew warm — you couldn’t do this. You couldn’t and so you wouldn’t.
“I don’t want it,” you lied again.
“Well, I told you, a wife should always submit to her husband’s desires.”
“We’re not married!”
“We will be.”
You froze.
William took your silence as an opportunity. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to yours, turning his head slightly as his hand rested on the back of your head. You were caught off guard but didn’t try to push away. It felt so nice, and warm and inviting. Why you were denying yourself this? Why were you denying yourself love?
When your lips parted, a string of saliva connecting you both, you placed your hands on his chest. You had an idea. A brilliant idea. Why hadn’t you thought of this before? “William. I still have to go, but — ”
He growled and lifted you up, carrying you over to his bedroom, tossing you onto the bed, and pinning you down on the mattress. “No. I won’t let you. I won’t let you! Don’t you understand? I’m perfect for you — I can — I can.” He looked miserable. In fact, he looked like he was about to cry. “Let me show you,” he said, determined. He started unbuckling his belt with one hand. “Let me show you what I can do.”
You hadn’t realized how hard William was, but when he finally took out his cock — fat and pale, with pre-cum leaking at the tip, his balls a little hairy, you gulped, the area between your legs getting wetter.
“Take off your panties,” he ordered. “And lift up that damn dress.”
You didn’t. To be honest, you were a little frightened by his behavior.
William sighed and did it for you, spreading your legs apart, only for you to shut them close. “You don’t even have a condom!”
“I’ll put out,” he said impatiently, forcing your legs apart again. You gasped, not expecting contact to be made so soon.
He rubbed his cock against your wet cunt, soaking himself. He had this satisfied smile on his face, eyes closed for just a moment, before he looked down at you.
“I thought I’d have to warm you up a little,” he said. “You’re beau — stop it! Don’t struggle.”
He held your arms down as you writhed. “Please, William — I believe you,” you said. “You can fuck me good. Just listen — ”
William shook his head. “You’re the one who's supposed to listen. Listen and take it.”
With that, he pushed his cock in and started thrusting, hard and fast, your hands still pinned, his face contorted in pleasure. His moans were loud and shameless. He had his head right above yours, peppering small kisses on your lips. You tried to ignore how good it felt — him inside of you, but it was becoming increasingly difficult by the moment.
“Ah, I knew you weren’t a virgin,” he said, noticing the lack of blood or discomfort. “That’s okay — I still love you.”
“Love?” you repeated, trying to focus, but your abilities were lost when he used his thumb to rub your clit. “Wa-a-it!”
“Don’t say that,” William said, his tone surprisingly soft given how rough his movements were. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought you didn’t want it. Just enjoy. Enjoy me.”
The bed was starting to creak, moving back and forth, rubbing up against the wood floor. Your breasts were bouncing, catching William’s eyes every once in a while. His cock slid in and out of you with precision, hitting that swollen part inside of you every time. His thumb on your clit only added to the intense sensation.
Your eyes fluttered shut, and you stopped struggling. You let your head hit the pillow, mouth parted, breathing heavy and hot. At the same time, you were overcome with a feeling of hurt. You couldn’t deny that you wanted it, but for him to take you so forcibly . . . and for you to actually like it . . .
“Are you alright?” he asked, slowing down his pace a little. He looked you in the eyes. “Do you feel good?”
You thought about lying, about crying out No, please stop!, but that wasn’t the truth, and in the end, your desires overcame you. “Y-yes. I want more.”
William relaxed, and his grip on you loosened. He placed one hand on your hip, the other by the side of your head.
“You’re beautiful,” he praised. “Every day I look at you and think of how grateful I am that I found you. Laying there in that field, little flowers around you. An angel. My angel.”
You wanted to tell him how grateful you were, too. That it was him who took you in and not someone else, but the words never came out, only sighs and moans, but he seemed to understand what you were trying to say.
Another kiss.
“You’re soaking me. You’re soaking the sheets.”
A little embarrassed, you turned your head. “M’sorry.”
William forced you to look back at him. “Don’t be sorry. I like knowing how eager you are for me.”
Another kiss, but this time he slipped his tongue in, sweeping against yours before he pulled away, a string of saliva breaking as he did.
“We’ll live here,” he continued, his thrusts becoming more erratic, “in this house. Together. I’ll take you to the movies, we’ll have picnics in the garden, and I’ll write you love songs on the piano. We’ll have children — a girl, I hope — and she’ll look just like you. It’ll be wonderful,” he promised. “I’ll make you so happy, and you’ll make me happy, too.”
You couldn’t help but ruin the moment. “If I did that I would never see my parents again.”
He frowned and didn’t say anything. Then, “I think you’re getting agitated. You need to come, that’s it. You need to come and then you’ll finally understand what it is you’ll be missing out on if you leave.”
“T-that’s not the point — ”
“ — I’m so close,” he murmured. “Fill you up, so damn tight. Ah, you’re perfect.”
When you realized what he meant your eyes widened and you shook your head adamantly. “You said you’d pull out!”
“That was before. I’ve changed my mind.”
You felt familiar pressure build up inside of you. You could imagine yourself, breasts big with milk, belly round and smooth, William reading children’s books to your unborn baby as if he could be heard. The thought alone made you sickly sweet, the idea that life between you and him could be so domestic.
But couldn’t he just wait for a moment?
“I’ll — ah — be with you — every step of the way,” he grunted. “I won’t leave you. So, don’t be scared.”
“William,” you said shakily. “Just listen — ”
But it was too late. Collapsing on top of you, William poured his hot seed inside your cunt, his whimper addicting, like it was something you could hear a thousand times over. A few seconds later, you fell victim to the same fate, and there you two lay, with each other, chests heaving, bodies sweaty and sticky, coming down from the heights of ecstasy.
You could feel his heart pound against yours. Thump, thump, thump. And you could feel yours as well. To think that this man had just gotten you pregnant. It all happened so quickly. It happened so quickly and you were completely fine with it.
“William,” you said after finally catching your breath, turning to face him. “You know I still have to go.”
It was his turn to cry. His tears watered up, glassy, his lower lip trembling, but you could tell he was doing his best to keep it in. “But I love you,” he whispered. “Am I not enough?”
It broke your heart to see him like this. So vulnerable in front of you. It was then you knew you were making the right choice, a hundred percent. You had finally found your match. And to think that you almost let him go . . .
“But I want you to come with me,” you said, hopeful. “Come with me, William. Come with me to the future.”
Taglist: @henrywintersdearestgirl @shroombloom-rry @meetmeatyourworst @mrkdvidal1989 @madnessandobsession @slut4thebroken @qqquartz7 @madeinuk
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The Malware Rewrite Part 2: Present and Overall Arc
Heads up: This is part 2 of the Rewrite project.
If you haven’t yet, read Part 1, ‘cause a bunch of things in here will not make sense if you go in blind.
If you have, welcome back!
As you probably guessed by the title, this part will focus on Malware’s appearances in the presence, meaning the flashbacks that take place after “Trouble Helix” and OVs present, how I would change them to improve his story and his character arc in general. Part 3 will be focusing on the end of said arc and his redemption.
Alright, on with the Rewrite!
Of Predators And Prey:
Let me take this opportunity to mention something I forgot about in part 1. The ending of “Trouble Helix” would still be Khyber extracting the data he needs, but it’s not entirely clear which time period he got it in.
To clear up any confusion: In the Rewrite, Khyber gets his info on Ben’s powers and Malware’s whereabouts shortly after “Trouble Helix”, maybe about a few months later or so.
So Malware being back on Ben’s ass in “The More Things Change, Part 1″ would not be anachronistic. (No, I totally did not register this little writing fumble of mine only after I posted part 1 of the Rewrite, what are you talking about, haha ^^’‘)
Malware’s appearance in “Of Predators and Prey, Part 1″ Is kind of perfect as it is, but in order to fit in with the Rewrite’s story, I’ll have to tweak it juuust a little bit.
So Malware returns to Dr. Psychobos’ lair after his fight with Ben in “The More Things Change, Part 1″, having successfully obtained Omnitirx-software.
The thing that would be most changed in this version of events would be the dialogue and one scene in particular.
So in the original, when Malware shows him the software, Psychobos, after being a dick about Malware’s condition messing it up a bit, asks him how he managed to get it in the first place, then shows disbelief when Malware tells him he got it from battling Ben 10. To which Malware retaliates by grabbing and throwing him.
In the rewrite, the conversation is instead more about Psychobos’ and Malware’s current arrangement and how it came to be.
Psychobos: “Hmm. Crude, corrupted, incomplete. But still, a suitable partial blueprint. So breaking you out of that little private prison Azmuth built for you wasn’t a c-c-complete waste of resources after all. Though your defective state might prove to make this task challenging.”
Malware: *grabs Psychobos and lifts him up* “Your opinion of me is not my concern, Cerebocrustacean. Can that massive, pink blob you call a brain built an Omnitrix from this?”
Psychobos: *uses his electric powers to shock Malware, prompting him to yelp and let go* Sir, and I use the term loosely, I would suggest you keep your hands to yourself, if you know what’s good for you. As for your question, constructing a level 20 tech-device will be no more difficult for me, than it would be for a baby G-G-Galvan to soil it’s undergarments.”
This change in conversation establishes a few things from the get-go:
It was Psychobos, probably with help from Khyber, that broke Malware out of his imprisonment.
Malware may work with Psychobos, but only out of necessity. He doesn’t like him one bit.
Psychobos sees Malware not as an equal partner, but as a pawn and looks down on him for his incomplete state. Yet he also seems to have plans for him. Why else would he go to the risk of breaking him out of a high-security facility?
Psychobos is not a pushover. He’s able (and willing) to use force, in order to keep his associates in check.
Malware’s appearance in “Of Predators and Prey: Part 2″ stays unchanged, since literally all him and Psychobos do in that episode is picking up Khyber and roasting him about getting his ass beat by Ben and Rook.
Though I think it would be Psychobos who tells Khyber that “for his sake” it would be better to do the job right next time, since I wanna make Psychobos into a more threatening villain in this Rewrite.
Outbreak:
As with “Of Predators and Prey” before, I would make only minimal changes to Malware’s apearances in the episode.
The beginning stays the same, but with a few tweaks. Khyber is still struggling to get control of Zed after her Nemetrix malfunctions and Malware complains to Psychobos how the Nemetrix is very obviously not working.
But while Psychobos complains, Malware notices that Khyber is breaking out a whip-like device, obviously to get Zed under control. Before he can use it, Malware steps in and uses his strength and size to subdue Zed peacefully. He also gives her a few barely noticeable pets after she calms down.
This scene is to show that Malware is capable of empathy and also foreshadows another change to his backstory I want to make in ths Rewrite, but that I won’t spoil here. Basically, Rewrite!Malware has a soft spot for Zed in that moment because she, like him, is suffering from the incompetence of the person who was supposed to take care of her.
Psychobos gives his spiel about how they need the Omnitrix’ core to complete the Nemetrix, which is going to be a tad tricky because, as Malware remarks, Ben has the Omnitrix and he’s currently in the very well guarded Plumber Headquarters. Khyber immediately volunteers to get it, but Malware counters that Khyber’s obsession with making Ben a hunting trophy will just cause him to mess up again and that Ben is inconsequential to their actual goal. Khyber argues again and while doing so uses the weird laser-device he had in that episode to incarcerate Zed, which obviously causes her pain.
Cue Malware aiming hs Tachyon-gun arm at Khyber and threatening to un-alive him if he can’t control “his mutt”. However, with the added scene from before, this remark and action hold a bit more weight, since Malware isn’t just being a murderous asshole here like in the original episode, he’s relating to and defending someone he relates with from her abuser.
Psychobos jumps in, electrocutes both Malware and Khyber and then skittles off to get the Omnitrix core himself.
Malware would show back up together with Khyber when Psychobos returns with the core and repairs the Nemetrix, stabilizing Zed. Instead of Malware it’s Khyber who starts to bitch about how things were done. Because Psychobos went to Plumber HQ, Khyber didn’t get his chance at a rematch (rehunt?). Psychobos tells him that Ben isn’t important to their plans while Malware is patting Zed in the background who is obviously ejoying it.
Smash cut to black as Psychobos does a hammy evil laugh.
Malefactor
So here’s where I’ll make one of the biggest changes. Because “Malefactor” isn’t going to just be a part flashback-episode anymore. It’s going to be a Malware-centric flashback-episode. One half will be the flashbacks, the other will be the regular episode. Because let’s be real, the Mt. Rushmoore flashback was superfluous as heck and really only served to explain where Malware got his gun-arm. We can just do a slight retcon and still fit that little detail in.
We start right off with a flashback, this time with Malware still in the secure facility Azmuth put him in to ignore him some more to keep him safe so he could work on his cure. Malware is sitting in his cell, not really doing anything. He hears some steps and looks up.
Malware: “I figured it would be you. Haven’t you gotten tired of trying to ‘redeem’ me by now?”
???: “Nope! Besides, without me who’d interrupt your regularly scheduled brooding?”
The person steps into the light and reveals herself to be....Eunice, smiling.
Now the Ben and Rook parts of the episodes would remain unchanged, with Ben fighting Zed and Rook fighting Khyber. Aside from the episode’s ending, there won’t be too many changes here, so let’s focus on the flashback parts first and foremost.
The flashbacks delve more into Malware’s time in imprisonment after the events of “Trouble Helix”, how he met Eunice and how she kinda had a hand in his mental state improving. Until Khyber broke him out, that is.
Eunice is revealed to have been moved to the facility after completing her last mission for Azmuth and because Azmuth is a shitty father who doesn’t know how to communicate with his offspring outside of a professional enviroment, he just shunted her off to do a job very few people wanted until he had another mission for her.
So Eunice plays the part of Malware’s warden in-between missions. Unlike all his other wardens though, she isn’t afraid of him. She’s friendly and open, talking to him without a hint of scorn and treating his disablity not as something that makes him a horrifying monster, but simply a part of him.
Surprisingly the two get along quite well. Malware is still a bit distrustful of her, but he still talks to her more readily than he does to everybody else. They bond over both being anomalies and beings Azmuth has dismissed as “mistakes”, with Eunice even telling Malware about how Azmuth wanted to throw her into storage after she emerged before being convinced otherwise by Ben. This would lead to an exchange a little bit like this.
Malware: “And despite this, you continue to be in Azmuth’s service?”
Eunice: (shrugs and smiles) “It’s not that bad. At least running errands for him means I don’t get to see him that much.”
Malware: (huffs) “Then I suppose I should be grateful for my imprisonment as well. He has not bothered to show up here at all ever since he had me put in this cell.”
Eunice: (looks at him sadly) “Malware, I know you’re angry at him. And you have every right to be. But believe me when I say, he is trying to find a cure. It just-”
Malware: “Takes time?”
Eunice: ...
Malware: “I have heard that many times before.”
Of course Eunice still works for Azmuth, so she isn’t there all the time and has to leave quite often to do whatever errand runs or other jobs he assigns her.
And let’s just say the time in-between Eunice’s shifts isn’t all rainbows and sunshine for Malware. His talks with Eunice have become the few bright spots he has in his existence, though he would never admit to it. All of his other wardens don’t exactly treat him like a person, more like a caged beast. And a big reason for that is that everyone knows about his attack on Galvan Prime and his taking the First Thinker’s assistant hostage.
That being said, they don’t exactly treat Eunice right either. To the Galvans she is little more than Azmuth’s intelligent robot that he sends out to do his dirty work now and again and while they respect her abilities, they don’t really respect her personhood.
It’s yet another thing Malware and Eunice bond over, which would have another dialogue in the vein of Malware questioning how Eunice turned out so different from him. Azmuth treated her like trash, still does and while the other Galvans aren’t nearly as bad, their behavior toward her leaves much to be desired.
Eunice would respond that it does bother her how she’s treated and that she would be lying if she said she feels no resentment at all toward Azmuth, but that she has decided long ago not to let others determine who she is. She isn’t a tool or a thing, she is Eunice. She knows this and so do those who really matter. Besides, she would add with a little smile, back when she emerged she had someone who showed her kindness when she was scared and insecure and who helped her assert her identity and stand up for herself. This showed her that the galaxy isn’t just filled with jerks like Azmuth who would dismiss her for being who she is. Just because others think you’re unnatural or a monster doesn’t mean you are. You still decide on who you are at the end of the day through your actions. Malware grows silent at this and seems to honesty think it over.
The last part of the flashback would take place at a point in time where Eunice was absent from Malware’s prison due to another mission she had to do for Azmuth. Malware is already a little down in the dumps because of this and it doesn’t help that the other wardens are being their usual “pleasant” selves toward him. And of course, this is when Khyber stages his assault on the prison to free Malware.
Khyber pretty much curbstomps the security together with Zed and walks over to Malware’s cell, who was kinda just forced to watch all this happen without being able to do anything.
Malware: “Who are you?”
Khyber: “Your ticket out of here.”
He disables the lock and the force field keeping Malware in his cell dissipates. Malware is hesitant because 1. he doesn’t know this guy and he has pretty severe trust issues already 2. maybe part of him is still hoping that Azmuth will find a cure like he promised and running away might throw a wrench in that.
And then comes the security back-up and what would they carry with them but the big, scary Tachyon cannon. It was originally meant to be strictly a back-up weapon, to be used only if Malware really went off the deep end and started actively attacking or even killing people.
But because the Galvan wardens see Malware as an out of control monster first and a person second, they bring it along - and actually shoot him in the ensuing scuffle. Now what happened in the original Mt. Rushmoore scene happens here: Malware reassembles and is now royally pissed. He grabs the Tachyon cannon from the security squad holding it, absorbs it and makes it part of himself, resulting in his second mutated form.
Malware then lowers his gun at the Galvans who now suddenly try to appeal to his better nature, explaning that the Tachyon cannon will do severe damage if he fires it at them. Malware gives his chilling “A bonus” - remark, only now you can kind of understand where this cold-bloodedness is coming from. Those are the jerks who have treated him as less than an animal and were fully prepared to shoot him dead then and there. Now that he has a modicum of power over what are basically his abusers, of course Malware’s not in a merciful mood.
But just then, who should appear but Eunice, finally back from her latest mission and immediately rushed over when she heard the holding facility was apparently under attack. So she runs into the room, sees Malware aiming the cannon at the scared Galvan guards and Khyber and Zed standing next to him, Khyber looking pretty amused about the whole thing.
Eunice calls out to Malware in the hopes she can talk him down and prevent the situation from escalating. She half-succeeds. Seeing her does calm Malware down enough to refrain from blasting the Galvans, probably remembering what she said about not letting the world turn him into a monster. But there’s still no way he’s gonna let himself be locked up again after all this is over. So instead he thinks fast and fires into the ceiling, causing parts of the building to collapse. In the ensuing chaos, Khyber, Zed and Malware manage to get away and onto Khyber’s ship, which then manages to fly away from Galvan B unhindered.
After they’re in the clear, Malware demands to know why the heck he was just freed by a total stranger and Khyber would merely make some quips about how Malware has a short fuse and then be a dick and say his temper’s probably due to his defective DNA after which Malware comes very close to beating him up. Khyber prevents a fight from breaking out by saying that he’s not the mastermind behind Malware’s break-out and that he has a feeling Malware and the mysterious client he works for will understand each other really well.
So they arrive at Psychobos’ base and Psychobos welcomes Malware, introduces himself and probably brags about his intellect. Malware tells him to get to the point and Psychobos explains that he’s been watching Azmuth’s affairs for some time now. Of course he caught wind of Malware, as well as the incident in “Trouble Helix”. And he decided to pick up where Azmuth evidently left off. In other words, he’s going to fix Malware. This results in this exchange.
Malware: “And what exactly do you gain from helping me?”
Psychobos: “Well, my friend, and I use the term extremely loosely, succeeding where that arrogant G-g-galvan has failed will prove once and for all that Cerebrocrustacean are the superior species in the g-g-galaxy.”
End of flashback.
Back in the present, things go just like they did in the canon episode up to a certain point. Ben realizes Khyber and Zed are just distracting Rook and him, calls Rook about it, Khyber tells Rook that he should probably check the Proto-TRUK and Rook passes on the information to Ben who immediately makes a mad dash for the TRUK while Khyber and Zed retreat.
Ben arrives at the truck and catches Malware accessing the TRUK’s computers. As in the original episode, Ben is shocked and horrified that Malware is still alive. Malware for his part isn’t exactly thrilled to see Ben and makes that clear though his body language and tone of voice, but he’s a bit less cruel about it than in canon.
For one, he isn’t being gleefully sadistic when he warns Ben not to follow him and just stay out of his business in general. He just...genuinely tells Ben to stay out of this, similarly to how he did in “Trouble Helix” when they first met.
He then runs off, leaving Ben to work thorugh all of that. Rook arrives and Ben tells him that Malware took something from the TRUK and that Rook should find out what it was while he goes to stop Malware, once and for all. To fit what I want to do with this rewrite, the way he says it would be a whole lot more sinister and less heroic will power-like. It’s clear that Ben has some sort of deeply personal grudge against Malware and that it makes him want to put Malware down, but in this case this wouldn’t be portrayed as a good thing, but rather a “hero gets lost in murderous rage”-thing.
Ben transforms into Humongosaur and chases after Malware. They have their banter where Malware is dismayed that Ben didn’t heed his warning about staying put and Ben jokes about how he was never good at following orders. They have a quick brawl and now is where I put another big change.
In the original episode, Malware distracts Ben by chucking a fuel truck at a bus full of kids, basically forcing Ben to choose between apprehending him and saving the children. Needless to say Malware being willing to potentially kill a bunch of children wouldn’t work with his being redeemed in this rewrite, so let’s change that up a bit.
Instead of the fuel-truck-school-bus-situation being a calculated action by Malware, now it’s an accident. During the fight either Malware or Ben/Humongosaur crash into the fuel truck, pushing it down the road and towards the just now arriving school bus. Ben and Malware notice this at the same time.
Ben/Humongosaur takes a quick look at Malware, growls in frustration, then makes off to save the school bus. There’s a tense moment where it looks like Ben/Humongosaur won’t be able to reach the fuel truck or the school bus in time. And then, all of a sudden, a car flies right past him barely missing him. Ben/Humongosaur dodges on instinct, but the car doesn’t hit him and it’s seemingly not even headed for him. Instead it hits the fuel truck, making it turn away from the bus and saving the children and the driver in the process.
Ben/Humongosaur runs up to the bus to ask if everyone is alright and the kids cheer in response. Ben/Humongosaur looks back where Malware was standing, only to find that the Mechamorph is gone. Ben/Humongosaur frowns.
Ben arrives back at the Proto-TRUK and him and Rook discuss what just happened. Rook can’t tell exactly what Malware took, only that parts of the memory core and some of the auxiliary power systems were destroyed. He asks who Malware is, since he can’t exactly call up his Plumber file right now.
In the original, Ben calls Malware a psychopath for obvious reasons, but with how we’re doing this rewrite, that wouldn’t make much sense anymore. Yes, Malware is still an antagonist and there is still bad blood between him and Ben, but with what Ben has observed today with Malware seemingly saving kids, he’s conflicted on what to think or feel.
So in this rewrite Ben instead says:
Ben: “Short answer, he’s a Galvanic Mechamorph with serious anger issues. Long answer?-”
They get interrupted by a kid and the episode ends like it did in canon with Ben getting trolled by his boyfriend partner again.
And there you have it!
Part 2 is complete. Now all that’s left is for us to finally wrap things up in Part 3.
Including Eunice in Malware’s story is honestly such a no-brainer, I’m surprised I didn’t think of it sooner. They’d have the best and most wholesome sibling-dynamic, no you can’t change my mind. And Malware having at least someone who genuinely cares about him was a nice thing to write. Eunice will play a very big part in Malware’s redemption in Part 3 and I really liked the idea of her idealism and positivity playing off of Malware’s jaded and bitter personality. They’re so similar yet so different and I’m convinced if they’d ever met in canon, they would have been friends.
Tell me what you think of Part 2 and stay tuned for Part 3!
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