#day 4 of living here again and maybe by day 14 or whatever i’ll be feeli ng stronger and more normal but the last few days have been so | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sergeantsporks · 1 year

Text

Gilded Family

Rating: Teen and Up, Gen

Ch 28/?: Rotted Memories

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6 , Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 18, Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 23, Ch 24, Ch 25, Ch 26, Ch 27

In which none of the previous golden guards or wittebro died, actually, they're all fine and living happily together as one big dysfunctional family

Ao3

Phoenix lurked outside of Sam’s lab, debating whether or not to go in. Was Sam even inside? Or would it just be Petro? He shuddered at the thought of sitting inside waiting for Sam with no one in there with him but his predecessor. Maybe he could just stay out here and catch Sam as he went in.

“Sooooooooooo,” Petro’s voice drawled, “You’re a smart guy, glasses.”

Phoenix jumped at the sound. We need to invest in soundproof doors.

“Thanks,” Sam answered shortly, “Glad you noticed.”

“You’ve got to know you can’t keep me tied up forever. Sooner or later someone’s going to slip, and I will take advantage of it.”

Sam heaved a sigh so loud that Phoenix could easily hear it through the door. “Make the pitch or don’t waste my time, Petro.”

“Alright, straight to the point; you’ve got a handle on magic, and you’re clearly logistically minded. You don’t have to hang around here. Those two idiots always dancing around in here causing havoc, having to use your skills for everyone else… you’re wasted here.”

“Are you going to tell me what you want, or not?”

“Let me out, and we can both leave. Whatever protection they’re providing here, I can match it. You and I can survive on our own out there, probably better than we can here. We could make our own base, and work on restoring the Isles to what it was.”

“To what it was?” Sam answered sharply, “Would that be with all the citizens dying from their coven sigils? Or perhaps the glorious empire you set up on the bones of Uncle Pip’s enemies?”

“Or something better,” Petro replied smoothly, “We could perfect the Empire. You could make it into something more to your liking. Get rid of the… issues. Between my combat prowess, and your brains—”

Sam chuckled. “Oh, okay. Okay. I think I’m picking up on your vision. Let me know if this sounds right; I let you out under the promise of an empire with my name in shining lights, and you immediately knock me out and run off to try killing Phoenix again. Is that right? Have I got it?”

“No. I’ve been doing some thinking, and you people were right. He’s not worth my time.”

“That is not what we said.”

“Still—”

“No.”

“What?”

“No. I’m not letting you out. I’m not running off. I stay here because I like it. I don’t need an empire, and I don’t want it.”

“But—”

“I’m intelligent, not arrogant. I don’t harbor any notion that I could control you if I did let you out, nor am I delusional enough to think you’ve changed your mind about killing Phoenix over the course of a day. Oh, and if you’re going to come up with a nickname, at least try to come up with something more creative than glasses. ‘Those two idiots’ Lake and Locke could sneeze out a more creative alias. Keep quiet and let me work. Or tell me where Belos makes his grimwalkers. Whichever you feel inclined towards.”

“If you let me out, I’ll tell—”

“Nope.”

Phoenix let out a long sigh. At least there was one person Petro couldn’t get to. Or at least, he hadn’t found an opening yet.

Phoenix raised his hand, knocking on the door.

It swung open almost immediately. “What?” Sam snapped. “Oh. Hey, Phoenix.”

In the lab behind Sam, Petro craned his head upwards to see. “Hiiiiiiiiiiii,” he called, “How’s that post-fight treating you, little bird? Having trouble moving yet?”

Phoenix’s muscles were, in fact, sore, and his scalp was still tender where his hair had been yanked, but he wasn’t going to let Petro know that if he could help it.

Sam shifted in the doorway so that Petro’s line of sight to Phoenix was blocked. “What’s up? Oh, in case you thought it was worth a shot, don’t try talking to Petro, he’s being obstinate.”

“Awwwwwwwwwww, thanks!”

“Quiet time,” Sam ordered, “or I’m not taking you on a walk!” He shook his head. “Anyway, whatcha need?”

“You take him on walks?”

“Yeah, we’re not monsters. And he’s got to go bathroom sometime. Don’t worry about it, what’re you after?”

“You said I could read Uncle Belos’ journal?”

“Oh. Sure. Yeah.” Sam stepped out of the doorway. “Go ahead. Just ignore Petro.”

That won’t work. He’d never let me just rip out pages in front of him.

Phoenix shifted back and forth on his feet. “It can take me a while to read,” he said sheepishly, “Is there any chance I could take it with me and bring it back when I’m done?”

Petro snorted.

“Qui-et,” Sam sing-songed. He retrieved the journal, turning it over in his hands. “…I don’t know. It’s really old, and a bit delicate. I’d like to keep an eye on it.”

“I’ll be careful,” Phoenix lied.

Maybe he won’t notice the missing pages?

Maybe I can say they shook loose of the binding?

“Hm.”

“Read it here,” Petro called, “Let’s have a story time. Read it out loud, I want to hear what he said about you and your failures.”

Sam shot Petro an irritated glance and shoved the book at Phoenix. “Take it. Just… don’t read anyone’s entry but your own? I mean, you can read mine, I don’t care, but some of us don’t really like talking about the past and… just don’t be nosy.”

“Did you read everyone’s entries?”

“Of course,” Sam replied matter-of-factly, “I had to, so I could check for any clues on how to reverse the draining spell, or how to unpetrify someone.” He coughed, shooting Petro a pointed look. “Which turned out to be a waste of time. Anyway. Respect their privacy okay?”

“Okay.” Phoenix tucked the book under one arm. “Oh, Sam?”

“Yep.”

“Do you know if anyone… has a problem with heights? Maybe Belos got rid of them by, I don’t know, tossing them off of a building or a bridge or something?”

Very smooth.

Sam squinted at him. “Why do you ask?”

Phoenix looked somewhere near Sam’s left ear to avoid actually looking him in the eyes. “I just figured… if we ever launch a rescue mission to the head, well, the archive house is floating, and if I’m picking someone to go…”

“You’d want someone with a good head for heights,” Sam finished. He still eyed Phoenix suspiciously, but nodded. “You might want to avoid Alex. Not sure if you could get them on a rescue mission anyway, but they’re not fond of heights. Or falling in general.”

“Thanks, Sam.” Phoenix turned to go, only to be stopped by a cleared throat.

“Phoenix? How’re your arms? Any problems?”

Phoenix froze.

He knows.

That was ridiculous. Sam couldn’t know, unless he’d been lurking around, and he wasn’t stealthy enough to get past Phoenix and Cherry’s radars. Unless…

Phoenix reached up to check his wounds, but they were normal. No dripping, nothing that Sam could pick up on. “No. Nope. No problems. They’re fine.”

“Mmm. Okay. I’d say have fun with the book, but it isn’t exactly a pleasant read.”

Sam closed the lab door, and Phoenix let out a sigh of relief. Step one complete. Now he just needed to get the diary to Cherry, track down Alex, get them to share the most traumatic experience of their life, go on a rescue mission, then get rid of this titan-forsaken curse before he got stuck in Belos’ memories forever. Sure. Fine. No problem.

Cherry was back in his room when Phoenix opened the door. The other grimwalker pored over a couple of sheets of paper and barely looked up when Phoenix approached. Phoenix glanced at the paperwork, but was met by a mess of lines and names on one paper and a chart on the other, both of them with text too small for him to read.

He held the diary out. “I got it.”

Cherry’s spine stiffened, and he jumped up. “You-! Wait, how?”

“I asked for it. Nicely. Don’t worry, this way, if pages go missing, no one will suspect you.” Phoenix chewed his bottom lip then burst out, “Sam’s already read your entry.”

Cherry’s hand faltered just shy of taking the book. “What?” he whispered.

“Sam’s already read it,” Phoenix repeated, “But Cherry, he hasn’t treated you differently—whatever it is you’ve done, whatever you think they’ll hate you for, Sam’s already proved that it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to destroy the evidence.”

Cherry stared at him, but didn’t respond, his hand still hovering near the book without taking it.

“I’m not saying you have to shout your past from the rooftops,” Phoenix said gently, “I’m just saying that you don’t need to worry over what people think. Everyone here has done something they’re ashamed of. They’ll understand.”

Phoenix set the diary in front of Cherry, and quietly exited the room, leaving the other grimwalker still frozen. He set off in search of Alex, reviewing what he knew of the grimwalker. It wasn’t much. He’d seen them at mealtimes, of course, but rarely at any other time. Jason had said once that they suffered from nightmares. What if they weren’t willing to talk about their death?

And where could he find them, anyway?

Phoenix studied the chart he’d snuck away out from under Cherry’s stack of paper when he’d set down the diary. Cherry’s handwriting was small, but at least it was neat.

Alex… Alex… wait, there’s an A… no, that’s not right.

Are they even on this?

“Hi, Phoenix!”

Clara sped down the hallway towards him, Ram in tow. She waved her arm, free of her cast.

“It’s all better now. Your signature helped with the magic!”

Phoenix smiled at that, crouching down next to her. “Yeah? What are you going to do with that brand new arm of yours?”

“Well. This is my good hand for drawing circles. My other hand? It’s okay at spells, but they can be a little wobbly. My good spell hand was stuck in the cast, but now that it is out, maybe I can help with the shields or the illusions.” She hummed. “Or I can help Frank make toast.”

“That’s a good idea. He’s not allowed to use the toaster on his own.” An idea struck Phoenix, and he held the chart up. “Hey, do you think you could help me with something? Can you find Alex’s name on here and tell me what they’re supposed to be doing?”

“Sure.” Clara disentangled her other hand from Ram’s, scanning the paper. “Okay, there it is! They aaaaaaaaareeeeeeee… helping feed the griffins. Oh, that sounds fun. Right, Ram?”

Ram eyed her skeptically, tugging her down to their level and whispering something to her.

“No, they don’t eat little witches. I think. Probably?”

Clara looked to Phoenix, who shook his head.

“Yeah, they don’t eat witches. C’mon, Phoenix, we’ll take you.”

Clara took his hand, and some reflex seemed to jerk Phoenix’s muscles without him thinking about it, yanking his hand out of hers. A tide of fear and something approaching the guilty anxiety that had come with failing a mission swept over him, tightening his chest.

“Who-oa,” Clara yipped, “Is your hand hurt?”

“Um.” Phoenix shook his head to clear the emotions away, tamping them down just as he always had in the coven. “I’m sorry. I just got startled.”

Still, he didn’t hold her hand, just followed her out of the house and to the griffin coop. Even though he knew where it was, he let the two kids take the lead, sweeping his eyes across the yard for potential threats as he followed up behind them.

His vigilance was ridiculous. He knew that. The house was protected from the Collector by its shield and invisibility spells. Still, traces of fear and anxiety stuck in the corners of his mind, and his eyes still darted everywhere, looking for hidden threats in the (now empty of Mole) garden, or around the corners of the house.

Not that he saw any.

Clara opened the griffin coop door, and immediately, four young griffins made a break for it, dashing around her legs and squealing.

“Get back here, you hooligans!”

Joseph ran down the ramp, jogging in place next to Phoenix. “Hi! Griffin chicks now rowdy griffin gradeschoolers! Careful with the door next time, I’m going to go round them up, bye!”

He dashed off after the chicks, calling their names. Lucy (or at least, Phoenix was pretty sure it was Lucy) waddled out the door, clucking and herding chicks closer together and towards Joseph. Phoenix shook his head, crouching down next to Clara and Ram.

“I need to talk to Alex alone. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Clara said brightly, and then promptly joined in the griffin-chasing fun, waving her arms and shouting and generally driving griffin cubs further away from Joseph and Lucy. Ram chased after her, eying Lucy warily. Phoenix watched them for a moment, unsure if they were trying to help him by keeping Joseph out of the coop for later, or if they were just very, very bad a griffin herding.

Alex peered out the door, their long hair swinging down around them and exposing one long scar going up their neck. “Um… Joseph? Okay. He’s gone. Alright. Cool. Right.”

“Hi,” Phoenix started.

“Hi.” Alex watched him for a second. “Oh. Welcome back. Glad you’re not dead.” They rubbed their arms. “Dad sort of thought you might be. Don’t tell him I said that.”

“Oh.”

What if I got it wrong?

What if it wasn’t Alex who had been in his dream? Or what if he wasn’t really seeing Belos’ memories, and he was just delusional after spending so long with the Collector and their reality warping powers?

Alex cleared their throat. “Um. Sorry. Did you need something? If not, I’m just gonna…” they gestured to the ramp and strode past Phoenix. Phoenix started to call after them, but couldn’t quite make his voice work to do it.

You’re wrong

You’re wrong again, you always are

Let someone else figure this out, you’ll only mess it up.

A small griffin streaked up the ramp, tangling up Alex’s legs. The grimwalker yelped, arms flailing.

Phoenix jumped forward, catching Alex’s collar before they could tumble over the edge of the ramp. His fingers curled in the fabric just like they had in the dream, and Alex looked up at him with the same wide, terrified eyes, the little scars from nicks and scratches that marked their face gleaming silver instead of the gold of a mask.

And then Phoenix pulled them upright and let go, and the moment was over.

“Hah—” Alex put one hand over their heart, sinking down to their knees. “Uh—sorry—thanks—I’m just going to… sit here for a bit.”

The fall from the ramp wasn’t a large one. At worst, Alex would have bruised their backside. But they looked like they’d narrowly avoided a fall from the tip of the titan’s horn. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. That is… yes. Thank you. I, uh.” Alex chuckled breathlessly, and a bit hysterically. “I don’t know why, I felt like… never mind.” They stood up brushing themselves off. “Bit of panic. I’m fine.”

“Reminded you of something?” Phoenix suggested.

“Maybe.” Alex fiddled with the end of their hair, twisting the ends around their fingers. “Thanks. Again. Sorry, I didn’t really wait to hear the answer, did you need something?”

“I was actually going to ask about…” Phoenix waved a hand at the ramp and the ground and Alex. “…that. Sorry, I don’t know how to ease into asking this, did you happen to get hurt falling off of a bridge?”

Alex’s shoulders hunched, and they combed their fingers through their hair frantically. “I didn’t fall,” they said sharply, “I was thrown. And I don’t want to talk about it. Did Cherry send you out to talk to me? Dad? Mom? It’s fine. I’m fine. It’s been years, it’s fine. I’m fine. Tell them I’m fine.”

“No, that’s not why I asked, I—”

Phoenix fumbled for his words. Did everyone know about the other grimwalker? Or was it supposed to be secret for now? Caleb hadn’t told him, and if it was supposed to be a secret…

His hesitation was apparently all Alex needed.

“Thanks for catching me. Bye.”

Alex bolted for the house, leaving Phoenix behind on the ramp.

That went well.

At least this confirmed that Alex was the grimwalker he needed. Not that it would help if he couldn’t get them to talk to him. Phoenix sighed. That weary, heavy feeling was starting to settle in his bones again, making him want to curl up right here. Let the infection take over and just… sleep.

Joseph paused next to him on the ramp, his arms wrapped around two wriggling griffin chicks. “What’s eating them? Everything alright?”

“No.”

“Do you need Luc—”

“I do not need Lucy to sit on me.”

Joseph eyed him skeptically. “Okay. If you say so.”

Clara and Ram carried the last writhing griffin chick between them, the creature growling and clucking playfully. “What do we do with it?”

“Take her inside,” Joseph told them. “Hey, kids, have you ever checked a griffin for parasites? Do you want to learn how?”

Phoenix shook his head, going back to the house after Alex. They weren’t in the kitchen—where Frank now threw water over the toaster while a wall of flame flickered dangerously close to the ceiling—and they weren’t in the hallways, either. Phoenix lingered near the front door, quickly dismissing the possibility that they’d left the house entirely. Had they gone to their room? Which one was even theirs?

He started down the hallway, but only made it a couple of doors down before stopping again, attention caught by an open door and Caleb behind it. The ortet shook a crystal ball furiously.

“Work, you wretched thing! It’s just a little cross-dimensional viewing, you can manage it!”

Phoenix knocked on the door. “Everything alright?”

Caleb jumped, dropping the crystal ball, which made a dull thunk as it hit the ground. “Fine!” He squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Okay. No. Wait. Not fine. I’m…” he sighed, picking up the crystal ball. “I’m trying to check in on the kids. Just to make sure they’re safe. But this stupid crystal ball is giving me nothing but static.” He spun the ball in his hands. “Before I thought it couldn’t find you because you…” He shook himself. “But now that I know you’re alive, and the kids are in the human realm, it should work, right? I know the location, the crystal ball should be attuned to Hunter anyway, so… so…”

Caleb sighed again, putting the crystal ball up on a shelf. “Who am I kidding? If communicating across dimensions was that easy, we wouldn’t have half our problems.”

“They’re safe,” Phoenix assured them, “They made it through.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Caleb shook his head. “I know it was the best option at the time, but the human realm is… it’s not a kind place. Not to people who are different, especially not Gravesfield. It can take even the kindest kid, and it’ll chew them up and spit them back out a monster. If it doesn’t just kill them immediately. I’m worried about them. Especially Jason.”

Phoenix felt sick. He’d assumed the human realm would be safer, and the human Luz had seemed nice enough, but he’d forgotten there must have been a reason Caleb and Luz had come here in the first place.

Maybe he had made the wrong decision sending Jason and Hunter and the rest of the kids through.

Maybe they should have stayed.

Maybe he’d gotten them out of immediate danger, but had sent them somewhere far worse.

“Maybe it’s changed,” he suggested, trying to convince himself as much as Caleb, “Maybe it’s different now.”

Caleb stared bleakly at the crystal ball on its shelf. “Phillip hasn’t changed in all this time. Why would the human realm?”

Phoenix didn’t know what to say to that, uncomfortably reminded of the plain brown journal sitting on Cherry’s bed, heavy with the words it carried. Cherry thought, hoped, really, that people could change. Phoenix would just have to hold onto the hope that the same was true of the human realm.

For the kids’ sake.

Caleb shook his head. “Nothing we can do about it now. They’re smart, hopefully they’ll lie low. Keep out of trouble.” He eyed Phoenix, looking him up and down. “How are you? How are your arms?”

The hairs on the back of Phoenix’s neck tingled. “They’re fine. Why would you ask that? They’re fine.”

One of Caleb’s eyebrows climbed upwards. “Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“And everything else? You got roughed up pretty badly. By the Collector and Petro. Are you doing okay?”

So he had just been generally concerned. Of course, he was probably suspicious about Phoenix’s arms now. Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck, acutely aware of the tiny stings and aches coming from all over his body. “…I’ve been worse.”

“Take it easy,” Caleb said gently, “There’s no shortage of help here; you don’t have to solve everything all on your own. I know you’re worried about the other Grimwalker, but you can’t help anyone if you’re falling apart yourself.”

Phoenix nodded along to the familiar advice. “So… any ideas?”

“The keep would be a likely bet,” Caleb offered, “Maybe the head, where he kept the door—and where the journals were. Unfortunately…”

“Those are both areas controlled by the Collector,” Phoenix finished, “What if they are there? What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. We can’t just leave them. But going directly into Collector’s territory…” Caleb shook himself. “We’ll figure it out. We don’t know for sure that they’re at either of those places, and even if that’s the case, Evelyn is excellent at breaking into places she shouldn’t be. We’ll think of something. For now, you should see Auric again. The last thing you need is a regular infection on top of a magical one.”

Phoenix nodded.

“And Phoenix? If you need to talk about what happened with the Collector, or what happened with Phillip, or anything else…”

And what was he supposed to tell Caleb?

That he’d lied and connived his way out of the archive house? That he’d left Eda and Lilith and Darius behind, and hadn’t even managed to get King out safely like he’d promised? That he’d planned to go back? That he actually felt bad for the Collector, the one they were all hiding from, who’d torn up their home and turned the population into toys? That he was still lying, this time to them, about his arms, about the memories and dreams, and he’d dragged Cherry into it? That all of this hiding and lying was building up in his chest and if he tried to think about it, he was worried he would fall apart, and somehow, the infection in his arms would spread and he’d turn completely into a shambling monster like Belos, but maybe that was happening anyway with all the lies he’d told?

Caleb looked at him expectantly, but Phoenix just nodded. “I’ll let you know,” he managed. He ducked out of the room, away from Caleb’s watchful eye. Enough stalling. He’d ask Cherry to help him find Alex, and he’d somehow manage to talk Alex into giving him information, and then he could finally, finally tell them about the infection, and he wouldn’t have to lie anymore.

The room was devoid of Cherry when he reached it, and the journal was nowhere to be seen either. Blankets had been dragged from the bed, leaving it a mess of exposed pillows and sheets. Phoenix stood in the center of the room, scanning for a clue as to where Cherry had gone, his heart throbbing in his throat.

Shouldn’t have helped him steal that book

Just making all sorts of good choices today, huh, Phoenix?!

He heard a muffled thump from the closet, and he opened the door. Cherry blinked in the sudden light, burying his face in the blanket he’d wrapped around his shoulders.

“Leave me alone,” he groaned.

His eyepatch lay on the floor next to Belos’ journal.

Phoenix squeezed into the closet, closing the door and sitting next to Cherry. He didn’t say anything. Just sat, waiting.

“Sam knows,” Cherry whispered, lifting his head, “You’re seeing Belos’ memories, so it’s only a matter of time before you find out. Hunter was in Belos’ mindscape, there’s no telling what he’s seen.” He clutched at his head, and for the first time, Phoenix saw under the eyepatch.

He’d expected that Cherry’s eye would be torn up and scarred, and he’d known it was blind. But he’d always sort of assumed it was there. Instead, a dark cavity loomed at him like an endless cave in Cherry’s face.

“It doesn’t matter if I destroy the pages,” Chery continued, his chest heaving, “It doesn’t even matter if all of you promise to keep it secret. There could be other records out there, copies of the journal, accounts from someone who lived through it, some survivor who’s passed down a story through their family—I can’t control it all, and I’ll never know what’s out there, what… what…” His fingers tightened in his hair, tearing at it. “They’ll hate me.”

“Cherry, they—”

“I know we’ve all done something wrong for Belos, I know that we all have regrets, but I was worse, Phoenix. I was like Petro; he’s right about that. I destroyed homes, entire towns! I ruined lives, I ended lives, and I didn’t even question it, because it was what he told me to do. And I—I can’t ever make up for it, because now I’m here. I’m here, and I can’t ever—I can’t—and there isn’t any making up for it, there wouldn’t have been even if I’d never left my time.” Cherry buried his head in his blanket again. “They’re all looking up to me,” he groaned, “They’re all trusting me. And I don’t want to see them hate me, I don’t want… And Jason, titan, Jason, he can’t find out.”

“Jason thinks the world of you,” Phoenix said quietly.

“That’s the problem. I don’t want to let him down, I want to be the person he thinks I am, but I already failed him. He just doesn’t know it yet.”

“Cherry. You’re not that person anymore. You’ve changed.”

“Have I?”

“Yes!”

“Really? A long time ago, you asked if I’d just replaced Uncle with someone else.”

Phoenix stumbled for words. He barely remembered that. It had been months ago! Forget Cherry, he’d changed since then! “That was—Cherry, that was wrong, I was new at this, and I didn’t—”

“No. You were right. I’m still…” Cherry waved a hand around. “Following orders. Doing what someone else tells me to.” He laughed hollowly, pulling his blanket tighter around himself. “If Dad and Mom asked me to kill someone, I probably still would, no questions asked.”

“I don’t think that’s tr—”

“Really? They told me to protect you, and I nearly destroyed Petro’s inner self when he threatened you. I haven’t changed. I’m just following someone more benevolent than Uncle.”

“No.” Phoenix stood up, nearly hitting his head on a shelf. “No. You’re wrong. You’re using what I said as an example? Well, that same day, you let me out, despite Caleb’s orders to keep everyone inside and safe. Right now, you’re not telling Evelyn and Caleb about the infection getting worse, even though you know they’d want you to, because you know it’s how we’re going to find the last Grimwalker. Maybe you are following orders from someone better. But you’re also disobeying them when you think it’s the right thing to do.”

Cherry rested his chin on his knees. “Hm.”

“You help Evelyn and Caleb because you believe what they want is good, really good, not just because they told you to do it and you’re scared of what they’ll do if you don’t. I know we thought we were doing the right thing with Belos, too, but they let you listen to your own conscious in a way he didn’t. And when you think they’re not right, you do something else. You have changed—you wouldn’t have even considered disobeying Belos before, but you’ve made your own decisions here. What does Petro know? He’s been here and awake for what, a day? Two? And all he wants is for one of us to slip up so he can wriggle out and try to kill me. He doesn’t know you.”

Cherry sighed, tugging on his hair. “No one really does. They don’t know the full story. Even with what I just told you, you still don’t have all the details.”

“They know who you are now. And that’s what’s important to them. Do you know every full backstory of every person in the house?”

Cherry opened his mouth, then closed it, and shook his head.

“And do you care about them anyway?”

A nod.

“And if you found out that they’d done something horrible and had been beating themselves up over it for years, what would you tell them?”

“That they can’t change the past,” Cherry grumbled, “And it’s what they do to fix it or to be better now that matters.”

“So why would it be any different for you?”

“I get it, Phoenix. I know. I know it doesn’t make any sense. Just…” Cherry sighed, picking his eyepatch back up. “I know I’m being hard on myself, but that doesn’t help me stop, and that doesn’t mean I think I should stop. And even if I feel that way about others, that doesn’t mean they’ll feel the same way about me. I just… don’t want them to look at me differently. I don’t want them to look at me the way they look at Petro.”

“I know logic doesn’t help,” Phoenix said quietly, slowly turning the door handle, “But they don’t look at Petro like that because of what he did. They look at him that way because he keeps choosing to be that person.”

He slipped out of the closet, shutting the door behind him.

Alex lurked outside of Cherry’s room, watching him. “What were you doing in there?”

“Talking.”

“Reporting to Cherry?”

Phoenix pushed past them, closing the door to the room to give Cherry more privacy, and to give he and Alex privacy from Cherry. “I don’t report to Cherry. He’s not my boss. What are you so worried about him finding out, anyway?”

Alex eyed him, but didn’t respond.

“Come to think of it, why’d you come back? You seemed dead set on getting as far away from me as possible.”

“Wanted to know what you were saying about me. You really aren’t reporting to Cherry? Or Mom or Dad?”

“No. Why? Don’t you trust them?”

Alex fiddled with the ends of their hair, combing it out. “Oh. I do in general. I… they always want to help. And it can get a bit much because sometimes I just want to give it time. See if it goes away on its own. Which it usually does. For a while.”

“What does?”

“You know. The usual. Nightmares and such.”

“And panic attacks when you fall?” Phoenix suggested.

Alex gave him a reappraising look, and started to edge away. “Hm.”

“I’m not interested in trying to help you,” Phoenix blurted out. “Wait—that came out wrong. I mean, if you want to handle it on your own, if you think it just needs time, that’s fine. I don’t want to push you, I won’t try to talk you through it.”

“Then what do you want?”

“It’s just—” Phoenix took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts in a line. Half-truths instead of full lies this time. “I’m trying to find something, and I think… I think you might have accidentally seen where it is. All I need to know is where… it… happened.

“Oh.” Alex tugged on the end of their hair again. “Hm. You might be out of luck finding… whatever it is. At least for now. Belos tried to kill me at the head—you probably saw the bridge while you were there.”

Phoenix’s heart dropped. Of course. Right in the middle of the Collector’s territory. They’d be lucky to get in alive, let alone get out with a new grimwalker in tow. But… maybe if they did go…

The gears in Phoenix’s head started to gently click. If they went up there anyway, for the Grimwalker, he could convince them to go for Darius as well. And Eda, and Lilith. They might even be able to rescue King—if the Collector left his side at all.

A small voice whispered that the Collector would be all alone if they did, with only Terra and Odalia, but he pushed that part down. For now, they needed to focus on the last grimwalker. Then they could go after everyone else. And then… maybe the Collector?

As if isolating him is going to make him hate you less.

“…Phoenix?” Alex ventured, “Are you still with us?”

Phoenix shook himself. “Um. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, yes.”

“Sure. But, uh… after I ran, why didn’t you just ask Dad where I died? He rescued me from there.”

Phoenix hadn’t gone to Caleb because that would have meant telling him HOW he knew that Alex had information, which would mean immediate surgery on his arms. But obviously he couldn’t tell Alex that.

“Didn’t think of it,” he lied. “Thanks, Alex.”

Phoenix started towards where he’d last seen Caleb, but stopped halfway down the hall, weighing his options. Caleb was concerned about the grimwalker, but he was also cautious. And he’d admitted himself that he’d probably ask Evelyn for advice on sneaking into the head anyway. If the way she’d shaken Petro for information was any indication…

Phoenix switched tracks, heading outside instead. Loud ‘ew’s burst from the griffin coop, but he ignored them in favor of the redheaded witch examining the magic on the fence. “Evelyn?”

“Hey. Oh, you—” Evelyn kicked a flickering fencepost. “Work!”

Surprisingly, it flickered two more times, then resumed a steady blue glow. Evelyn drew a circle, and the entire fence shuddered, hummed, and finally faded back to its steady pulse of magic. Evelyn dusted her hands off, and turned to face him.

“Maintenance. Never as sophisticated as people think. What’s up?”

“I know where the last grimwalker is.”

Evelyn’s constant energy stilled, and her golden eyes fixed on him like a fairy that had just spotted a bat. “How?”

“No time to explain, I’ll do it when we get back. Belos kept his grimwalkers growing at the head, at the very bottom of the skull. The whole thing’s probably been shaken up and damaged by the Collector’s remodeling, so we need to get them now.”

Evelyn gave him a short nod, and ran back towards the house. “Come on,” she called over her shoulder, “If we want to get out of this alive, we’ll need a couple of things—and a couple of people.”

Phoenix was about to follow when a chill swept over him, despite the sunlight, and his right hand started to twitch of its own accord. He reached slowly up to check his arms, even though he already knew the infection was oozing out again. Rolling up his sleeves revealed veins of blackish green extending all the way to his wrists, throbbing in time with his heartbeat. Phoenix rolled his sleeves back down, and tucked his hands into his pockets to hide their shaking, following Evelyn inside.

Just a little bit longer.

It’s almost done.

Keep it together for just a little bit longer.

#toh #the owl house #toh fanfiction #my writing #gilded family au #golden guard oc #caleb wittebane

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thaliaisalesbian · 2 months

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i get myself twisted in threads

Chapter 19: i see you smile

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20

Things had been fine, but Steve’s been quiet since his mom sent them to his room. Sure, Mom and Hopper might talk over dinner, but it’s not going to be anything bad. He doesn’t know what happened, unless something else is hurting and Steve just wants to deal with it on his own.

Will and El bring a tray of food—it looks like Hopper picked up one of those cheese and meat trays at the store, and some crackers and fruit, too. Something easy.

“There is soda in the kitchen.” El says, far too solemnly for it not to be a little funny. “I will get Steve his.”

Jonathan can’t tell if Steve’s asleep or not. “Steve, you want a pop?” He doesn’t know where El picked up saying soda, it’s not like any of them do it. Steve just hums again, like talking would be too much effort.

He’d said he was tired, but Jonathan doesn’t know what to do with this. Even when they’d been carrying him back home, when he’d been bleeding out, he’d been talking.

“I’ll get you one, Jonathan. But the next one you have to get yourself.” Will says, following El out. She hadn’t even waited for an answer.

“The kids brought our food, babe. You can always eat later, too, we can save your plate.” He knows that sometimes, when he was in pain, Steve wouldn’t eat because he felt too sick. Maybe that’s what’s going on.

Steve doesn’t respond at all this time.

After they eat—Steve does sit up for a few minutes, but he only really drinks the Sprite El had brought him—the kids go back out to sit with Mom and Hopper.

“Do you want to go watch TV with everyone?” He still hasn’t said a word. Steve just shrugs, and it’s worrying but also frustrating. Why can’t Steve just tell him what’s going on?

Jonathan would be able to help if he actually had an idea of what’s bothering Steve.

“Steve, what’s wrong? Is it your ankle? Your side? Why won’t you just tell me?” Steve just shrugs again.

Whatever. If Steve wants to be upset about something or in pain or whatever it is that’s going on with him, he can. Jonathan wants to spend time with his family, and Steve can stay here and mope.

“I’m going to go watch TV with them, okay?” He tries to keep his voice even, but he doesn’t do a very good job. “You can come and join us if you want. If you just want to sleep, that’s okay too.”

“Steve sleeping?” His mom doesn’t even make him make something up, she just offers it on a platter.

“Yeah.”

“Being up is still wearing him out that much?” Hopper frowns, looking at Jonathan’s door worriedly. “Maybe he shouldn’t be on his own yet. Or in school. That’ll take a lot out of him for sure.”

“I think he did something to his ankle.” Jonathan settles in next to Will. “He seems excited about going back to school.” It’s something Jonathan’s been saying a lot these days.

Personally, he wouldn’t be going back. He knows that Steve wants something normal again, but Jonathan would take the pass for what it was and stay away for the rest of the year.

“Maybe he should wait.”

“Jim, he wants to go back. He’s been working hard on his make-up work. He’s going to have bad days here and there, but it’s ridiculous to think we can stop him from doing anything.” Mom says. Suddenly, Jonathan thinks he knows what they talked about while they had the living room to themselves.

Steve could have just asked, they would have told him. And if he were out here, he’d know!

“Is Steve staying here again?” El asks. “I want him to come back to the cabin.”

“If he’s already asleep, El, we’re going to let him sleep.” Hopper tells her. “He can come back with us if he wants to, though.”

“I miss our reading time.” El stares at Jonathan’s door like she can summon Steve. Maybe she can, most of the kids seem to be able to do that. “We will not have reading time once he leaves.”

“No, not every night.” Hopper agrees. “But we can figure something out, okay?” El seems satisfied with that, for now, so they can watch Jeopardy in peace.

When the episode’s over, Jonathan goes back to his room. Steve’s not asleep, he’s staring at the wall, and he doesn’t move when Jonathan comes in.

“El wants to know if you’re going back to the cabin tonight.” Jonathan doesn’t know if he wants Steve to do that or not. Earlier, he would have said no. Right now, he kind of wants him to leave. “She said she misses your reading time.”

Steve doesn’t react. Why isn’t he saying anything? Or doing anything? Why’d he shut down? The day had been going so well, they’d had lunch with Nancy and then come home and things had been fine!

“Steve, are you ignoring me? Are you mad? What happened?”

Steve looks at him, now, but when he opens his mouth, he doesn’t say anything.

What the fuck, Steve.

“Do you need Mom or Hopper? Would they help?”

Steve shakes his head. “Then what, Steve? I don’t know what’s going on!”

Jonathan doesn’t raise his voice; he doesn’t want anyone else hearing. And it seems like Steve’s not talking at all, so he won’t be alerting anyone.

Steve just stares at him, before patting the bed. Okay, so Steve wants him to sit, or something.

“Did something else happen? Did you have a nightmare?” Jonathan sits, but he’s still pissed. He’s just trying to help, and Steve’s not giving him anything!

Steve shrugs again. “Do you want me to call Nancy?”

No response, but Jonathan wants to know if Nancy knows anything about this.

“Will, can I borrow your walkie?” He doesn’t have a phone line in his room, and as much as he’s upset at Steve, he doesn’t want to be that far away from him.

“What for?”

“We want to talk to Nancy.”

“Can’t you use the phone? Mike, give your walkie to Nancy.” Will whines, but he hands it over anyway. Mom would have made him put it away soon, so it’s not like he could have been on it for much longer.

Mike must keep the ‘talk’ button pushed down the whole time, because Jonathan can hear him grumbling as he goes up to Nancy’s room.

“Nancy! Your dumb boyfriend wants to talk to you.”

“Mike.”

“I’m not supposed to like any of your boyfriends!” Mike says; he must slam Nancy’s door behind him.

“Jonathan? Steve? What’s going on?”

“Hey, Nance.” Jonathan starts, looking at Steve to see if he’ll react. “Steve’s just kind of—not talking to me? He won’t tell me what’s wrong, or if he’s in pain, or had a nightmare, nothing. He’s barely even been reacting to me.”

“Is he completely uncommunicative, or is he just not talking?”

“He’s just not talking.”

“Sometimes he just does that, then. Just needs to be quiet for a while. I don’t think he usually knows when it’s going to happen. Wait, can he hear me?”

“Yeah, he’s right here.”

“Hey, Steve.” Nancy just talks to them for a while, telling them about her homework and what Holly’s been getting into now.

Steve never says a word, and Jonathan can’t tell if it’s helping or not.

Why would neither of them tell him that this is a common thing? So that he wouldn’t react this way when it happened?

Did they just not think of it, or was it not important enough to tell him?

Jonathan pushes those thoughts down for now. He’s not going to ask those questions now, but he wants to know why he wasn’t told.

Better yet, he wants to know how he can help.

finish on ao3 or continue reading

Steve lets Nancy and Jonathan’s conversation go right over his head. He’d been paying attention, earlier, when Nancy had first started talking, but he doesn’t want to focus on anything right now. It’s not the pain, his ankle doesn’t hurt right now. Laying down has helped a lot.

In fact, nothing hurts right now, he doesn’t even have a headache. This—this silence thing makes more sense when he’s in pain.

He hates this. He hates not knowing what’s going on in his own head. He should be able to figure that out.

He wants to be able to tell Jonathan what’s going on for himself. He wants to be able to talk to Nancy. He doesn’t know why he can’t.

It hadn’t been frustrating earlier. He’d just been… resigned? He doesn’t know if that’s the word he’s looking for.

Steve had just been accepting of it, when it had first happened. It’s not normal, maybe, but it doesn’t happen a lot. He’s gotten used to it. It’s just that he’s usually alone when it happens, and there’s no one to notice. Sure, Nancy has seen it once or twice, but she hadn’t acted like this about it.

And now Jonathan’s all upset, and he called Nancy, and now it’s hard. Steve can’t be numb to it anymore. He can’t just be. He feels like he has to explain, or something, but he can’t.

He wants to tell Jonathan that he’s not doing anything wrong, that there’s nothing he can do to fix this, it’s just what happens sometimes.

But he can’t do that, because he can’t talk.

He just can’t.

“Hey, Steve, do you want to change?” Jonathan’s tone has changed a little. Softer. Steve doesn’t know if he likes it or not.

He wants to keep Jon’s clothes on. He wants to disappear.

Steve shakes his head. “Okay, I’m going to change and then get in bed with you.” He doesn’t have to narrate everything he’s doing. Steve’s not a little kid, and he’s not that dumb.

But he can’t make words come out of his mouth to say that.

“Steve, I don't know what’s going on, but it’s okay. We can figure it out, and maybe in the morning you’ll be able to write or say what’s bugging you.”

He doesn’t know what’s bugging him. Other than that he made Jonathan upset, that’s bugging him. But he doesn’t know what else is wrong.

“Good night, Steve.” Jonathan kisses his cheek and takes the position of big spoon.

Normally, Steve wouldn’t mind, but for some reason it feels restricting tonight.

Why can’t he just tell Jonathan that? It should be easy, right? Just tell Jonathan what he’s thinking.

But he still can’t make anything come out of his mouth.

Steve wants to go back to not really caring that this is happening. That was a lot easier than doing all of this. He wasn’t upset, he wasn’t angry, he was just… numb. There was nothing going on, and while he’d cared that Jonathan was upset, it hadn’t been like this.

It hadn’t made it hard to sleep. It hadn’t made it feel like he shouldn’t be here with Jonathan. There had just been nothing.

But he can’t do that, either, no matter how hard he tries to get the numbness to wash over him again.

It’s her last week at school without Steve here. Jonathan’s going to be driving him, at least for the first few days. She’s excited for Steve to be here, of course, but she’s also worried that something will happen,

Nancy doesn’t think anyone else knows, yet, that he’s coming back next week. The staff who do know obviously haven’t spread it around.

“He was talking this morning.” Jonathan leans against her locker, not quite in the same way Steve used to.

“That’s good.” Nancy’s really only been around a couple of times when Steve’s needed to be quiet like that. He hasn’t told her much about it. “Did he tell you anything about it?”

“No. Do you know anything?”

“He doesn’t like to talk about it. The couple of times it’s happened around me, he hasn’t explained.”

Maybe he doesn’t know; maybe he just doesn’t want to talk about it. Nancy doesn’t know which it is and she’s never asked.

Maybe she should have. She might have been able to help more last night.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jonathan seems… almost angry. “I thought he was ignoring me, I got upset with him.”

“I just didn’t think of it. The ones I saw were pretty far apart, I don’t think it happens a lot. If I’d realized it was a frequent thing, I would have said something to you and Steve, and we could have figured out a plan.”

Which is something they’re going to have to do now. She, at least, will be happier once they have a plan in place to handle it. Maybe there are signs, maybe they need a signal. She’ll have to see if she can find anything about these episodes of silence.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Nance.” Jonathan must be reading her mind. “We have to talk to Steve before we do anything about it.”

She just wants to know. She wants to be armed with the right information before they sit down about this. If she knows what’s going on, she can actually do something about it.

“You’re going to look it up anyway, aren’t you?” Jonathan pushes off of her locker. “Well, I’m going to be in the dark room after school today, so I guess you can swing by when you’re done. I don’t know how much packing Steve is going to get done today.”

“He’s got all week!” He doesn’t need to be done today, that’s ridiculous.

“Irene and Owens are coming by today for a checkup, and apparently they’re going to give him some exercises to do.”

“That does not sound fun.”

“I think his other option is to not do them and possibly never be able to play sports again competitively.”

Nancy… hadn’t thought it was that severe. Sure, Steve had been injured quite badly, but he’s healing up so well! Aside from the one infection, he’s been fine, and he can even move around a lot better now.

“What’s he going to do, though?” Basketball season is over, or just about, so that was out anyway. “I feel like he has a sport every season.”

“Yeah. He can’t, this year. Maybe not next year, either.” Jonathan takes her hand as the halls get more crowded. “You’ve got that test today, right? You’re gonna kill it.”

“Don’t I always?”

“Getting cocky?” And that’s an expression Jonathan’s stolen straight off of Steve. “Suits you, Miss Wheeler.”

“Oh, don’t you start.”

“Well, it does. I’ll see you at lunch.”

As is usual now, people talk around her, but not to her. They can say what they want—she knows what she has, and none of what they think about it matters.

If only she could get her mom to see that.

Nancy is sent down to the office when she finishes her test—apparently Jonathan had turned some of Steve’s completed assignments in, and there’s more to pick up.

“He must be really bored, if he’s doing his schoolwork.” She hears one of the teachers in the back room remark. She can’t put a face to the voice, though.

Nancy wants to. Steve might not be the smartest in the school, but he understands things in ways she can’t. She hadn’t seen it, when they’d first been dating, and he hides it well under that famous smile and charm. People assume he’s all about sports and girls and nothing else.

“He’s always done good work in my class, but sometimes he’ll flip numbers around. His answers are almost always right when I use his numbers, though.”

“That means it’s still wrong.”

“Not if he did the problem in the right way and got an answer.”

“I was told he did well in history, last year. This year that’s not the case.”

“Are you having them read or lecturing?”

“Most of their assignments are reading, of course.”

“Those are the problems he struggles with most, in my class. The word problems. But he manages.”

“He can read, he’s a senior in high school.” She doesn’t hear the rest of the conversation, but it does get her thinking a little. Have any of the other teachers noticed this? Has this been a problem for Steve for a long time, or could it have something to do with his concussions?

Nancy shakes the thoughts away quickly, holding the folder tightly to her. There’s no one in the halls to try and steal it, but she doesn’t want anything to fall out.

She kind of wants to see if these packets have any of his graded work, but she’s not going to look through it before Steve gets a chance.

If they do have his graded work, though… she might have an idea. For when he comes back. She can add it to the little surprise that Will suggested—he’d passed the message to her through Mike, and Jonathan was easy to convince.

Nancy’s not sure that it will ever be hard to convince Jonathan to do something for Steve, though. She doesn’t think that either of them realize just how they look at each other. It might actually become a problem, when Steve’s back in school, but it’s cute and she doesn’t really want them to have to stop.

“Wheeler!” Carol Perkins grabs her as she passes the girls’ bathroom. Nancy’s not sure if she’s going to be better or worse than Tommy.

“What do you want?”

“Steve’s coming back.” Carol’s scanning her. “You’ve got work for him. When?”

“That’s his business.”

“Come on, Wheeler, don’t be a stick in the mud. He was my best friend for years, I’m not allowed to ask questions?”

‘No!’ Nancy wants to scream it at her. ‘No, you’re not, not after you and Tommy dropped him as soon as you got a chance.’

Steve had his part in that, she knows, but it’s not like they’d tried either. Even after Hargrove had tried to murder him, all they’d done was stop being seen with him.

She wants to go one day without worrying about this bullshit.

“Listen, if he needs it, whenever he goes home, tell him he can come and stay at mine, okay? I’m close enough. He’ll know what I mean.”

“Why would he do that? He could stay with the Byers’.”

“Is that where he’s been?” Fuck.

“No, he’s been somewhere more private.”

“The Byers’ are further away, and if he’s walking he has to go through the forest. That might not be safe. I know I don’t know a lot, but I miss him, and I’ve been worried. Isn’t that enough?”

Nancy just stares at her.

“So, I don’t know where you were when it happened, but I’m the one who organized the search party. I’m the one who stayed out late looking for him. You found him, maybe, but I wanted to find him too. I wanted him home as much as you did.”

Well, Nancy doubts that, but since Carol doesn’t know about the Upside Down, she’ll give her a pass on that one.

“He’s okay, right? That’s all I want to know right now.” She asks Joyce this at least once a week.

Nancy doesn’t know what answers Joyce has been giving her.

“He’s okay.”

“And he’s doing schoolwork. And he’s been seen out around town.”

“Yes.”

For the first time since she grabbed her, something in Carol’s face softens. “Will you tell him? That I miss him? I know it’s not enough, but I don’t want to say everything I need to through you.”

Then Carol looks her up and down again, shifting back to someone a little harder, a little meaner.

“Wheeler, if you break his heart again, I will destroy you. You and Byers running off together—that was cruel. I won’t pretend I know what’s going on with you and Steve, or you and Byers, or even Byers and Steve, but if either of you hurt him again I will make sure you get what you deserve this time.”

Nancy thinks about the movie theater marquee. She’s never thought it was solely Steve’s idea, and he’d even cleaned it up after.

Then the rest of Carol’s words catch up with her. ‘Byers and Steve.’ She could ruin their lives with that. Get them run out of town, at best. Get them hunted, beaten, killed at worst.

“You remember that sign? I’ll do so much worse than that. Watch your step.”

Nancy’s not scared of Carol the way she was the other year. Her words don’t hold the same weight. At least not when she’s referring to Nancy. If she tries anything, anything, against Steve and Jonathan, she’s not going to know what hit her.

“I’ll tell him.” Nancy says. “And I don’t know what you’re seeing, but I’m not going to hurt Steve again. I don’t want to hurt him. I didn’t mean to in the first place.”

“Doesn’t matter what you meant, you did. We were hardly talking when it happened and I could tell it was bad.” Carol pauses for a minute. “Thank you, by the way. I’ll let you go now. And if Tommy asks, I didn’t talk to you.”

That’s… interesting. Had Tommy told her not to approach them? Or was it something else?

If Carol’s always been that protective of Steve, Nancy can see why he stayed friends with her for so long.

She’s reminded of some of the rumors that spread, mostly about girls Steve had been seen with, and what she’d heard those girls giggling about—how easy Steve was, how he treated them—before those rumors went around.

She’d tried hard not to listen to them; they’d seemed like the typical small-town rumor. Like they were spread just because of a date, or because someone was mad about something. Most of the time, she’d been pretty good at it.

Carol, or least her circle of girls, was usually the source of the rumors.

Fuck the research she wanted to do, even if it’s for Steve’s health, she wants to ask Steve about this.

She’ll still do her research; it’s already written in her planner, and it is important.

That doesn’t mean she’s not curious about what was really going on with most of the rumors—she’s tried her best to avoid paying any of them much attention before now, because they’d mostly seemed mean and untrue—and asking Steve might be the only way she finds out.

It’s not like she’s going to chase down Carol and ask her, even if part of her wants to.

For today, Nancy’s going to try and keep them out of her head; she’s not even going to mention this to Jonathan at lunch.

Hopefully by the time she sees Steve, she’ll have forgotten all about it.

<;- 18 20 ->

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lumiereandcogsworth · 3 months

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tagged by @thavron thank you my dear :)

1. are you named after anyone? yes! my great-grandma lydia. we share a birthday AND she died on her birthday exactly one year before i was born. a very fun and slightly spooky anecdote

2. when was the last time you cried? last night, i got a very angsty fic idea and as usual i somehow manage to put myself into the character’s shoes so easily and i was crying a character’s tears. last time i cried my own tears was the night before i think, or something like that. idk, i cry a lot lmao.

3. do you have kids? no but my build-a-bear stitch IS my son

4. what sports do you play / have you played? i played basketball from ages 6-17 and it was basically my entire personality. haven’t done any sports since then and probably won’t, though i’m trying to find some kind of exercise that could actually be fun :/ i loved rock climbing in college but there’s no wall near where i live. but anyway i’ll figure it out

5. do you use sarcasm? noOooOoo i would Neverrrrrrrr

6. what’s the first thing you notice about people? i genuinely have no idea, i don’t really look at people. maybe their voice/the way they speak? or their shoes cuz that’s where i be looking lmao

7. what’s your eye color? i don’t knoowww. blue green grey. depends on what i’m wearing, sometimes the blue really pops. but sometimes it doesn’t look like my eyes are blue at all so. i think they’re mostly grey.

8. scary movies or happy endings? once again this question makes no sense because a lot of scary movies (most?? nearly all????) HAVE happy endings. but anyway to quote the fairy fauna from sleeping beauty, i just LOVE happy endings :”)

9. any talents? well i like to think i’m an alright writer! i actually Know i’m a good writer at least when it comes to school essays because that was always where i got the most praise. but i think my fics are pretty good too!! writing’s just always come naturally to me. other than that idk, i’m pretty good at memorizing stuff when i want to.

10. where were you born? pacific northwest babey!!!! (northwestern united states)

11. what are your hobbies? writing and day dreaming are like, my two staples. i’m striving to make 2024 the year i start being more crafty though. i have a couple projects brewing and i have a batb 2017 coloring book that i just bought some markers for to start coloring more. in the future i’d like to try crochet and embroidery but i don’t wanna overwhelm myself. one step at a time

12. do you have any pets? no :( i’m just an auntie to a lot of pets. the one i see most often is my brother’s shiba inu, mishka. he’s my little baby nephew and i wanna eat his face off. but anyway i’d like a cat or two some day! probably whenever i move out of my parents’ house. (which i’m not in a big rush to do, i like it here :3)

13. how tall are you? somewhere between 5’5 and 5’6. but with shoes definitely 5’6

14. favorite subject in school? elementary to high school it was probably english/creative writing, since i’ve always had a knack for it. in college it was my two majors, comparative ethnic studies and history. my favorite CES classes were “race and racism in pop culture” and “blackness in film.” my favorite history classes were “history of the late middle ages” (shout out to my girl joan of arc!) and “history of ancient greece” which was my absolute favorite course in all four years of university. it was actually one i happened to take in the quarantine year (my junior year of college) but it still slapped even despite being over zoom. that professor was awesome and i was so obsessed with the material, i kept most of the books and even asked him for more recommendations. (haven’t read them all yet, but i like seeing them on my bookshelf lol)

15. dream job? whatever ends up supporting my desires in life, and brings me at least some semblance of joy. the job i have right now is actually really awesome. it has a couple downsides but overall i’m extremely happy with my job and it feels great :)

tagging: @gayassbenaffleck @freakwiththeknifecollection @gavotteangel @roberrtphilip @ariiiloves @autumnrose11 @ginnyweatherby @enchanted-keys @romeoandjulietyouwish @japhan2024 @splendiferous-bitch + anyone else can say i tagged them :))

#tagged

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harryglass · 9 months

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Catch 22!

1 You’d like to read some verse? Please do! Our story starts inside a zoo Where animals from Africa Arrive in North America. It’s here the hero of this tale Is brought – the zoo’s new holy grail, The ‘King of Kings’, a mighty lion! (At least, that’s what HE thinks) – meet Brian.

2 You may feel sympathy (“Boo hoo!”) For this lion locked inside this zoo But DON’T – young Brian roamed his cage Like pompous actors strut the stage; Visitors would point and stare As Brian pranced about his lair And grinned, and shook his shaggy mane: “My fans! They love me! Global fame!”

3 Each morning he was brought a meal Of pork: “My favourite food!” he’d squeal. Then days would end as they began– Lazing around (he NEVER ran). But this easy life was soon forgotten When the zookeeper (who spoiled him rotten) Died, and another took his place Who took one look at Brian’s waist 4 And gave a thumbs-down sign, and booed And said: “You need some faster food!” He came back with an Ostrich (live): “Catch that!” (He knew it would survive). The Ostrich ran superbly fast– Two hours on, it still blazed past And (far behind) there’s Brian (puffing) Very nearly dead (or bluffing).

5 The Ostrich ran him round in rings! The poor, exhausted 'King of Kings' Collapsed, and held his paw up: “Truce! My…knee is hurting!” (Lame excuse). The big bird laughed and screeched to a halt. “I’m far too fast, agreed – my fault! I’m a bird, but you see, I can’t fly in the air So I’m super at running! They call me D’Anger!”

6 “I’m Brian and I’m…dying,” he puffed, “I’m hot…and quite…unfit,” he huffed. “I’ll nap ‘till two…we’ll go from there… Fan me, Ostrich, use your hair!” “They’re feathers–”. “Whatevers! Do I look like I care? Aren’t feathers for lifting birds up in the air? If so, why don’t you ever fly? You call yourself a bird? You LIE!”

7 Just as Brian settled, though, The weather turned; large flakes of snow Spun down. The lion watched the sky. “What’s happening? The sun’s gone! WHY?” He’d never seen it snow before. He caught a snowflake on his paw: “It’s FREEZING! Agh! What is it? Ick! Ostrich! Get it off me! Quick!” 8 The Ostrich scooped a ball of snow And caked the lion’s face (good throw!). Brian snarled and shook his mane Then threw a snowball back again But Ostrich heads are like a pin– The chances of a hit were slim! Brian missed him once, then twice… The Ostrich teased: “You’re being nice!” 9 The Elephants then yelled: “Attack!” And spat out snowballs: RAT-A-TAT-TAT! With trunks like guns they blew them out Through bars at every beast about– To hit the giraffe, the brutes aimed higher And blasted anti-aircraft fire! The Elephants sang: “This snow’s a hoot! With trunks like these, we’re born to shoot!”

10 The zookeeper (who’d only just started) Was hit so hard on the bum, he farted. The visitors screamed, and ran away And the keeper fainted (what a first day!). They shot the locks off every gate– The animals could now escape! The creatures numbered 22 All running from the city zoo… 11 But what do you think Brian did? Absolutely right – he hid. He hugged the Ostrich like a teddy. When the zookeeper stood up (unsteady) He looked around, and sobbed, and said: “They’re GONE! The zoo will close! I’m DEAD!” And fainted once more – down he fell! (His first day hadn’t gone too well). 12 Brian said: “Hang on a minute– The zoo will not be closing, will it? The food in here’s spectacular And (usually) so regular… We’re famous, Ostrich – even you! We’ve got to help him save this zoo! (And maybe then he’ll treat me right And bring me hot meals every night…)” 13 The Ostrich knew this to be true. “Alright, let’s catch those 22!” The lion tried to run, but slipped. “If only birds could FLY,” he quipped, “You’d fetch them while I rested here!” A pair of Penguins then appeared: “It’s wonderful, our kingdom’s grown! We love the snow, feel right at home.”

14 “I’m Watson, yes?” “I’m Crick, no?” “Emperor Penguins, don’t you know? We’re birds, but you see, we can’t fly in the air”– Brian guffawed: “I do despair! What’s YOUR excuse? Why can’t YOU fly? You tell me you’re all birds – you LIE!” Watson and Crick waddled next to D’Anger: “But we’re super at slipping and sliding, so there!” 15 “Ostrich legs look strong,” they smiled– “Use us as skates, D’Anger, go wild!” D’Anger hopped on: “At last, some speed! I’m skating! Who needs wings? Indeed! The lion may be ‘King of Kings’ But Emperors are more useful things!” “Fine,” said Brian, “you’ll be my reindeer– Get skating, then! You pull, I’ll steer.” 16 With Penguin skates on Ostrich feet They searched down every snowy street: Four monkeys, and a crocodile, A hippo (with a goofy smile), A leopard, two lemurs, two giraffes, Three hyenas (with three loud laughs), A pair of rhinos, plus one snake, And a gorilla by the name of Blake. 17 Asked Brian: “Is that 22? Fantastic! Right! Back to the zoo! It’s feeding time, and my bottom’s sore.” D’Anger replied: “We’re missing four– Four Elephants, and there they are! You tell them, Brian – you’re the star, The famous ‘King of Kings’, the lion!” “I’m doing no such thing!” said Brian.

18 Four trunks – just like four cannon – boomed! Four snowballs – fairly large ones – zoomed! Brian was hit (chest, face and mane); His reindeer turned: “Poor you, what a shame.” The animals didn’t know what to do And soon retreated back to the zoo; They disliked this city, it was sombre and grey, And their fans acted strangely, kept running away… 19 But the Elephants stood – the ‘Awesome Foursome’! Brian threw snowballs and then tried to roar some, But snowballs bounced right off their flanks Just like marshmallows hitting tanks. Brian wiped his snowy nose. “That’s it, our cosy zoo will close.” Then, at the end of the street, they saw An enormous, chomping dinosaur!

20 The Elephants turned and rubbed their eyes– “The King of the lizards! Run for your lives!” Back they ran! Retreat at last! They trumpeted a warning blast And stumbled back through snow and ice– Back to the zoo, like frightened mice! The Ostrich, Penguins and lion went too. D’Anger declared proudly: “Now THAT’s 22!” 21 The dinosaur rose up into the sky! “Wow!” gasped Brian, “A T-Rex can FLY? The King of Kings is lost for words.” “That ‘T-Rex’ is a flock of birds,” D’Anger explained, “your brain’s a joke!” A Starling landed, bowed, and spoke: “A favour – from the family! Birds help other birds, you see.”

22 Brian hugged the Ostrich: “Why, You ARE a bird! You didn’t lie!” D’Anger looked round the city zoo: “What fun catching the 22! But I don’t want fame, nor fans – I want freedom!” “Then RUN! I’ll explain that I caught you – you’re ‘eaten’!” He winked. The keeper awoke: “Have I dozed?” “You have! Without MY help your zoo would have closed!”

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be-ready-when-i-say-go · 2 years

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A Moment's Surprise--Chapter 13

Whether it’s called an accident or the fates of the universe, you and Calum find yourselves taking on the next level of your relationship: parenthood.

Reader (Gender Neutral) X Calum. Multi-chapter Series.

Series Note: Across this series, pregnancy is discussed thoroughly. While I have made this series specifically a reader insert and have done my best to avoid coding for cis women, I am taking this moment to acknowledge that this content may not be suitable for every reader. I want to acknowledge even if I’ve been careful some things (like uteri) are still mentioned and if that causes you discomfort please DO NOT read this. You may keep scrolling (as there is a read more) / skip this series as necessary.

Series Masterlist

The first week after the leak, Calum waits every day at the door for you to return home. He reminds you before you leave that he can always call him--that he’s only a phone call away should anything happen. But there is only calm. You don’t know what’s happened on social media--if more videos have popped up, if rumors are circulating. Calum makes a point to keep you off social media when he can. The curiosity festers on some days, wondering if everything has sorted itself out. But it appears the less you worry about it, the less you prod and poke, the more at ease Calum seems too.

As the second week rolls around, you’re not even focused on the possibility anymore that people are watching. Then a third week rolls. Whatever has passed stays in your rearview mirror. Soon there’s only what’s upcoming and what’s on your present plate. What presents presently is the prizes scarred across the floor of the living room. The baby shower is a few days away and though the games and catering have all been settled, you and Calum have struggled with prizes for the winners. “I’m telling you champagne and chocolates was the way to go,” Calum giggles as he ties up the box around the coasters you two selected as a potential prize.

“The chocolates weren’t going to last,” you return and stuff the basket with a bathbomb. It was a little selfcare basket that you thought could be fun. But you’re regretting it as you deal with the paper confetti. Duke keeps wanting to get into confetti and you’re trying to keep him out of it.

Joy settles the bottle of champagne that you two did buy into on top of the paper inside the box to keep it from shattering. “Still got time,” she offers. “Duke, come here. You little rascal.”

Duke heeds the call and turns in the direction of Joy. He settles at her feet.

“Mum’s right. I can get an order in for the day before the shower and they should keep alright for the day,” Calum offers.

“Do you want to add chocolates to the mix?” You finish the self-care basket and move to wrapping one of the candles you bought in some soft blue tissue paper.

“It’s only a trip,” Calum returns. “I think it might help with our current spread.”

“Okay, maybe we’ll do that tomorrow. Right now, I want to see what we do have and if it’s going to be enough.”

“Sure thing.” Calum finishes with his first tasks and brings over the bags that contain party favors for all the attendees. “Mum, do you have the finalized guest list with you?”

Joy nods, pulling the folder out from the stack of tissue paper on the dining room table in front of her. She’s careful to step over Duke to hand the folder over to Calum. “It was checked last night. But I think the site might’ve given people a couple more hours to RSVP so you two might want to double check later today again.”

“Thanks. I guess I’ll double check this list before going through favors,” he states, glancing down at the first page.

“Damn it.”

Calum and Joy turn to the swear to find you perched on the edge of the couch trying to reach to the floor but not being able to reach. “Hey, I got it,” Calum laughs. “You can ask for help. It’s an option.”

You sigh. “Thank you.”

He hands you the certificate. “I know, you’re just used to doing things yourself.”

“I’d just like to see my toes again at this point.” You want it to come out humorous, but even to you you can catch just how much truth clings to the statement. Officially only 7 months and a few days pregnant, you’d recently hit a point, where as much as you had a relatively easy pregnancy, your body had new symptoms on what appeared every day. Where previously, you’d had gotten back some of the energy that felt zapped in the beginning, now it was fading all over again.

Your doctor did warn that the last trimester could be hardest as your baby and your body prepared for delivery, but you hadn’t imagined it to be quite this hard. Maybe you expected too much from yourself, but giving grace to yourself when there still felt like there was so much to do was hard.

“Let me tell you all your toes are intact and lovely,” Calum whispers before squatting down to your eye level. One of his hand drops and you can feel his fingers gently brushing over the top of your foot. “And I’m not really a foot guy so that’s saying a lot.”

“Oh as often as I ask for foot rubs I’ll make you into a foot guy,” you tease.

“That I don’t disbelieve. But go easy on yourself, okay?”

You can only nod. Grace—a concept that felt tangible when it was for others and mystical when it was for you. But you only nod. What is there to say that articulates the sense of unease that creeps up and frustration when you can’t do what you’ve always done before. It’s not that you feel useless, you feel restrained in more senses of the phrase than you’d like to admit.

Calum brings your head down just a little to press a kiss to your forehead. His lips brush over your skin in gentle caresses as he speaks, “He’s almost done baking. Almost done.”

“If it were anyone else I’d lose it right about now,” you laugh, fingers tracing random lines over Calum’s forearms.

“It’s gonna be okay,” he whispers. “I think you’re allowed to lose it just a little. You know, as a treat,” Calum teases.

You snicker. “I like the sound of that. We’ll see what happens after I sort through the certificates.”

“I’m going to confirm this guestlist and then make sure you and the certificates survive, sound good?”

“Yeah. Sounds good.”

Almost done baking. The finish is closing in closer and closer. And maybe it was less about the finish line and more about knowing that quicker than you think this chapter will close and the next one will open.

____________________________________

In the corner, you watch that the cake is settled onto the table by Calum and Ashton. To your right you can hear Joy and Michael laughing as they set up the party favor table. Luke is settled in with Sierra who are both following your detailed and typed instructions on how to arrange and set the tables for the baby shower.

“What’s next, boss?” Ashton asks with a laugh approaching you. Calum’s lingering behind just a little to make sure that the utensils are set up.

“I think the last thing is getting the gifts from the games and then setting up the games,” you answer.

Ashton nods. “And you want all that on the table to the left of the party favors and guestbook or in the back?”

You turn for a moment. “Gifts in the back--where the spare stuff is at. The game supplies can go on the table to the left, but can you hide the black balloons behind the baby bottle guessing game?”

Ashton nods. “Sure, if that’s what you want. But why are their black balloons?”

Calum slips an arm around Ashton’s shoulders. “Just wait and see.” He winks over to you and then the two slink away back to the trucks to grab the gifts and remaining supplies.

You catch faintly from behind you from Ashton, “What in the hell have you two planned?”

Just as the last of the supplies gets settled, the DJ arrives. Catering dropped off the food and left as it wasn’t anything too extravagant. For the first little bit--an hour or so you’d guess--the music and food seems to hold people’s attention well. Though it’s a lot of attention on you and Calum, there’s an easy flow of conversation as each person comes up to congratulate you and Calum. When they are done, they step along to food and drinks and more guests arrive to the two of you ready to congratulate.

But there’s a pretty distinct lull and you and Calum, along with Joy’s help, start introducing the games. There’s multiple rounds of a few games, like pinning the diaper on the donkey. Calum handles most of those as you sort through the guesses for how many jellybeans are in the giant baby bottle. Joy bounces between the both of you, helping with the winners of the games and making sure you’re in a good position on the counting. While it feels like so much is happening the laughs and reactions of the crowd let you know that things are going well.

With the mic in hand, Calum settles the crowd after the last round of a game. “Okay, okay, so--there’s just a couple more things we need to get through. First, I just want to say thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate this moment with us. It really means a lot. Y’all have made today incredible.”

Calum watches you approach with the box of champagne. “It appears we have a winner on the baby bottle.”

You nod. “Yes, lots of counting, lots of fretting, but all the numbers have been crunched.”

“We love crunched numbers. Would you like to do the honors?”

“Goodness, don’t trust me with that.” Your response falls on deaf ears as Calum takes the prize from you and you take the microphone. “So, having this many eyes on me still is unsettling. Anywhoosies. The bottle is holding 1,232 jelly beans.” The crowd erupts--some sounds are cheering, some are groans You can clearly tell that those people who groaned either undershot it or overshot by a mile. “Lots of good guesses, I will say.”

“C’mon!” Michael heckles from the sidelines. “You’re teasing us.”

You laugh into the microphone. “Yes, I am. Now please hold all heckles and blue balls until the end thank you.” Another round of laughter filters around the crowd.

“Ouch!” Michael returns. “Holding.”

“Without further ado, the winner, the one with the closest guess on how many jellybeans are in the jar,” you pause to give a pointed look to Michael. He holds his hands up in defense. “Is,” you pause again. “The one, the only, Mr. John Feldman,” you cheer. “His exact guess was 1,219 jelly beans.”

Calum had been adamant about inviting John and you were not going to stop him. The applause is immediate and John’s shy as he steps forward to collect the prize. He embraces both you and Calum, giving you another round of congratulations and thanks before slipping back into the group.

You hand the mic back to Calum. His grin is wide and you think there is something more mischievous about the look but before you can ask, Calum turns back to the room. “If you think that that was the last game of the day, you are sorely mistaken,” Calum starts. “This is a partner activity. Pick your partner and please get consent.”

“Consent? What have you done?” Ashton hollers.

“The next game will involve partners popping a balloon. The twist,” Calum pauses glancing over to you and then back to Ashton, “is that the goal of each couple is to pop this balloon in a more suggestive position than the couple previously. The crowd will be the judge. So do think about your audience.”

“So, porn?” Michael laughs.

“No,” you swat at him. “Absolutely not. Unless you think it’ll help you win.” The tease causes a few people to laugh, for those who can hear it. There’s a few murmurs. And Calum clarifies a few more things--there is only one shot per couple, partners only need to be two willing people and that the balloon cannot be on a table or chair and then popped by only one body. It in essence has to be popped between the two people’s bodies.

The first couples are clearly shy in their approach, a hug that turns into a kiss. But as the couples progress more and more positions get more interesting--a squatting position that you’re sure your knees can’t support right now at all. You tilt your head trying to see if you figure out for later exactly how the position is set up.

Calum nudges you, and when you look up briefly, he says, “I’m taking notes, don’t worry.”

You snort at the retort, but you don’t really expect anything less from him. More and more couples go, the crowd’s cheering grows louder. You know it’s really a ridiculous task and maybe a game that not all want to participate in, but you’re glad that those who have chosen to participate seem to be having fun. The last couple approaches--Ashton and one of your coworkers, Angie. You haven't been keeping close tabs on them; though, now as you watch them you think maybe you should have.

They talk quietly amongst each other and Angie laughs but she nods. Angie was about a year or older than Ashton but had only been with the company for about a year and half. She was sweet but a little bit reclusive. Though she has a quick wit, she was slower to open up to those around her. You were part of her training team and she seemed to have taken a liking to you as you noticed her messaging you on the side more when she had a question. It didn’t bother you and when you first found out the baby, she started sneaking more and more things onto your desk--certificates, books, extra snacks.

And now, you watch the quiet Angie find a spot clear of people and settle flat on her back on the floor. She crosses her ankles due to the dress, but it is a long skirt which helps in case of any modesty concerns for Angie. The crowd silences, anticipating what Ashton might be doing. “You’re sure?” he asks again. The silence makes his voice echo even more than usual.

“I’m sure,” Angie nods. She holds the balloon over her pelvis.

It doesn’t take you long. When Ashton steps closer to Angie staying mostly near her feet, you know. “No way. He’s not,” you whisper.

Ashton makes a big show stretching out his shoulders. There’s laughter that erupts and right on the cusps of the laughter dying down, Ashton pops up, getting a little bit of air. His arms come out to catch him and brace for the descent. Pop, the sound of the balloon popping between their bodies--specifically pelvis to pelvis-- echoes as Ashton rests his weight directly atop Angie’s body. A moment lingers between Angie and Ashton. They’re both smiling at each other as if the room around them is not erupting loudly into cheers, as if they did not just do what they just did in a room full of people. Ashton’s quick to get up and help Angie up as well, but they still huddled close together.

The cheering hasn’t quelled. Calum’s voice cuts slightly above the room thanks to the microphone. “I don’t think we even need to vote.”

Joy presents both of them with the gifts--though it looks small, you know the certificates for a day pass at Disney were short of small. Calum insisted on making the gift for this seem deceiving. Ashton and Angie look over to you and Calum before they peer inside the envelope. Their steps bring them closer to you. The crowd’s cheering subsides little bit by little. When Angie peers at the print that beholds her, she immediately shakes her head. “No, I can’t. This is insane,” she returns.

You merely shrug when she looks at you. “I mean you beyond deserve it!”

Ashton’s slower to look at the certificate but when he does, he laughs just a little and then holds it out to Angie. “Since it was your idea.”

“Wait! It was your idea?” you question Angie.

She nods, but gently pushes the certificate back into Ashton’s body. “No, you earned it. I couldn’t take it.”

“You could take your sister,” Ashton counters.

Your brows furrow. Not even you knew Angie had siblings. How did Ashton manage to get that information out of her in just a few hours? Angie stares down at the certificate. “Only if you’ll let me pay for your ticket to join us?”

Ashton sputters for a moment. “I-I-”

“You gotta say yes now. I mean, after what we did,” she teases.

A shyer smile takes over Ashton’s face. “Yeah, you’re right. Just let me know the day and time.”

You and Calum try to turn away but as you two walk away, you are occasionally looking at each other to make sure what happened was real. “I’m not hallucinating, am I?” Calum asks.

“If you are, I definitely am,” you snicker. The two of you will have to wrap things up soon but that doesn’t stop you from grabbing another bunch of grapes from the platter. “Both of us need to do recon,” you say around a grape. “Next week, Thursday, we need a status update on what the hell happened in two hours between Angie and Ashton.”

“Oh absolutely,” Calum agrees. He picks a grape from your plate and pops it into his mouth. “We can make a bet to keep things interesting.”

“What’s yours is mine already and what is mine is yours. So I’m not sure why you’re trying that.”

“Hardy har har,” Calum mutters and picks another grape from your plate. “Steal that bunch. These grapes are fucking great.”

“We bought it! The platter is ours. But where’s Joy? She has the tupperware specifically for this.”

Calum kisses your cheek, spotting his mother in conversation with some of your family. “Love my mum. Woman’s god-sent.”

Tagging: @busstop @wonderlandiswhereitsatyo @sunflowercalum @wiiildflowerrr @icelily13 @one-sweet-gubler @markaylafruitcup @fandomfoodiedancer @carma-fanficaddict @rosie-posie08

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dawllick · 7 months

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Stranger Things Thoughts

No one asked but after my annual rewatch wanted to share some season 4 musingssss

Okay so first:

I really hope that Nancy ends the series single. I don’t see the writers back tracking to make Robin x Nancy thing (which I’m for and find delightful and hilarious due to their canon dynamic), and I don’t want her to end up with Steve or Jonathan at this point. Jonathan wants something different, and I feel Steve has this idolized version of Nancy. Her character is one I could see still seeking mystery and adventure in the future, if they kill Nancy in S5 I would be genuinely shocked. I truly love the idea of her ending the series single and on good terms with everyone, mainly due to her age. Going through college I saw way too many people that have been dating or haven’t been single since middle school, and it’s be cool to end the show with a character was a focal point in the romance aspect for a good chunk of it single.

Kiddos:

Dustin: I literally just want him to live. I don’t think they’d kill any of the kiddos but like….Max is on thin ice soooooooooo

Lucas: For the other kiddos to give him more love? Season four he gave and gave and gave and gave. Lucas needs more like…appreciation lol

Max: omg girl I need you to live or something pls

Mike: …..they won’t kill him and nothing bad has happened to him. Like no, the worst thing to occur to him was when Billy knocked him out in S3 and he was fine a few mins later. He’ll be fine.

El: my sweet baby angel, I want you to tear a whole dimension apart. I’d love to see her do smth new with her powers…idk what but like if she’s back to full steam I think she deserves some new tricks as a treat

Will: best boy for last, I am still holding out on Will getting powers. He was in the upside down for a week, AND had Vecna in his mind for like…..a few days and managed to still get a message to the gang. Plus! I wanna see more sibling interactions between him an El, I am more interested in that than whatever shipping is going on between the children which I can’t get behind bc….they’re like…13? 14? They’re babies. ALSO I hope Will comes out to his friends as well, but also I hope they don’t introduce some random new character for him to get a crush on. I’m not huge on Will x Mike mainly bc I’m not a huge Mike fan, and again….shipping….

Adults:

Joyce: this woman and her children need a fucking vacation, Joyce should get a gun and like….idk what else Joyce is a great woman and she and Hopper deserve a long nap

Hopper: I hope he has like something go right for him this season. Like have a super good time with something and it not be a direct part of story development let the man have emotional rest. Also get him some lasagna and bread sticks.

Enzo: pls give me more Enzo, he’s a lil daddy also seems like a…character who has more to add to the story

Murray: He’s my baby girl, he has a black belt, he speaks Russian, my father and I both adore him, he’s a bitch, he’s got the biggest heart, he flew out to check on Joyce after she lost the call, he went with her to Russia to get Hopper back, and the funniest guy on there (to me). IF he dies, after making me watch Bob, Aleksi, and my beloved Eddie die I actually become a hater. He is the one character whose death I don’t think I could handle, well maybe Steve but yeah

Teens:

Robin: let her function, like a bit better around Vicky, I still need her to be a disaster otherwise however. Also live, she’s sweet and should not be separated from Steve

Nancy: see above

Jonathan: I hope he and Nancy amicably break up, and be better friends because of it. They do work well together. If they stay together I’ll be surprised because they had some issues in season 3, and then more obvious ones in season 4. Narrative wise they are headed for break up city, I’ll be shocked if they make it.

Argyle: I need him to live, he’s the gentle giant, the Shaggy and scooby, he’s precious.

Steve:

…

Where do I start? Okay SO Steve is babygirl, and I’m over here thinking it would be neat for Steve to work on himself S5. I don’t see Nancy x Steve working again because 1: I’m not a fan of a character ending a relationship and jumping to another. I didn’t like how quickly Jonathan and Nancy got together in S2. 2., Steve had no romantic interest in Nancy in season 3. Literally none, it felt weird to have him pining over her in season 4. Steve has been used to subvert quite a few tropes already, and has become a very kind character because of it. He spends time with Dustin and gives him advice, he went to the basketball game and cheered for Lucas when everyone else was doing something else (Max gets a pass but she wasn’t there tho), constantly put himself between the kids and danger, accepted Robin for who she was when she came out to him, and ran back into danger for Nancy and Jonathan when they first fought the demogorgan.

I think Steve is my favorite character in this entire show, there are aspects of him that I relate to. He’s not the smartest guy there, but he tries, he wants to help his friends. He wants to protect, he wants to love and be loved so bad. Steve looks out for others so much, and I want to see him have a happy ending, but like…a satisfying happy ending. Idk how else to put it.

Hopes/Theories:

Eddie is still alive, because I’m delulu but also it would be fun to have him come back in season 5. He doesn’t have to come back as a bad guy, but I’m not opposed to him coming back with suddenly no memory and to be used against the kiddos and teens as a friend they left to die in the upside down (again), annnnndddd maybe having some more monstrous features about him…that go away as he remembers his friends and humanity. Anyways I really would love to see him again because also…like Eddie / Robin / Steve / Nancy as a group working together had such chemistry oh my God. Like they all had such fun chemistry together, and Jonathan is def better suited to be with Will/Mike/Argyle. Good dynamics.

Will should get powers and rip Vecna apart or at least help El in doing so. See above for more reasons why. But also Vecna put Will through a lot. Will needs some closure from the trauma he had.

Alternatively: Max gets powers from where El brought her back, being connected to Vecna who tortured her mental health, and being “blank” at the end of season 4. Her mind it’s own sensory deprivation tank, and during her “coma” maybe she develops something.

Thats all I got and if you read this, I’m so sorry this is just rambles and I’m not even going to tag it other than long post lol

#long post #long text

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returntosaturn271995 · 1 year

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April 18th: Totally fricken’ pissed

Trying to be funny but today is absolute bullshit. There’s a child screaming nearby like the world is ending and I appreciate his honesty.

Things that shouldn’t have me enraged but somehow have me insane

1. ChicExecs took my 10 page presentation and never emailed me back. I added a negative review to Glassdoor (among many already there) and somehow that just made me angrier?

2. My interview (the third one) with Diff Eyewear was disorganized and I felt like the execs were sexist despite reaching out to me on Linkedin. GOD. Job hunting is bleak.

3. Marvelous Mrs. Maisel hasn’t been good since season 2

4. Pretty sure Effexor withdrawal gives me vivid nightmares and night sweats.

5. Now that Scott’s back in Austin he never reached out again. Which is weird because he basically wanted to marry me before. I guess pussy power is about proximity.

6. James hasn’t reached out since our date last week. After all the stuff he said about being in to me. Maybe he’s just a bad texter because he’s always been like that but still. Am I allowed to be angry? Why does this make me like him more when two weeks ago I wasn’t even sure if I was that crazy about him?

7. I got drunk and sent my college roommate a nice text wishing her well on her engagement. Ugh I’m lame. No, she did not respond.

8. Kate’s had a dude here for two days straight and he keeps using my and Hannah’s bathroom. He goes through toilet paper at an alarming rate. He’s either buidling a mummy costume or Kate’s dating another dude who lives in his van.

9. Kara Godfrey. She’s just a shitty friend. And she reminds me of a lot of shitty friends. So I project a lot of anger at the idea of her. Sara sent us both a text today, which was actually very sweet of her. I’ll try and focus on that.

10. Is it me? Why does it feel like it’s me? And why hasn’t therapy made me less annoying yet? I know I’m supposed to FEEL better, but I would sure love to be treated better and somehow deemed lovable. All this anger is more perceived rejection than anything else. So maybe it’s a good sign it pisses me off. Because honestly I’ve been working hard on myself goddamnit. I’m having my back here.

11. I was pretty shitty at yoga today. Maybe I’ll give it another shot now that I’ve hopefully journaled a chunk of my crazy out.

12. Once James messaged me and said “Why are you acting like a stranger?”. When he was the one who hadn’t reached out after our first date.

13. I still haven’t made the goddamn smoothie I promised myself I would make. I bought the ingredients Saturday. Maybe I’ll put on a murder podcast and TRY.

14. I was reading about Joe Biden and his first wife died in a horrible car crash right before Christmas that also took the life of his daughter. Yes, it was 50 years ago. Yes, I already new about this. But now I’m downloading his autobiography and just lamenting the fact the BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE AND DONALD TRUMP GETS TO DO WHATEVER THE FUCK HE WANTS.

15. Made the mistake of thinking too long on my walk home about a guy who took sexual advantage of me in college and realized that’s why I can’t stand soccer outside of a Ted Lasso episode. Idk why this is under the Mrs. Maisel season and yoga, but it is.

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50-percent-winchester-sister · 3 years

Text

Just Get Out

Prompt: After John dies, Dean and Sam take it upon themselves to look after you, but...

Dean: 18

Sam: 14

Y/N: 7

Word Count: 2,030

It's just been a month since your dad, John Winchester died, and all you have left family wise are your older brothers Sam and Dean. You didn't know what death really meant since you are so young, but your brothers knew, and they knew too well. Since you were seven your dad didn't really let you in on what he and your brothers did, all you know is that you and sometimes Sam get left at a motel for a while and they come back bloody and bruised. So when John died, Sam and Dean don't really talk as much as they used to, but for you, they really do try.

What you did know is how to practically annoy the hell out of them...well...sometimes. You are mostly a good kid according to Sam, who decided to take on the 'motherly' role, and Dean the 'fatherly' role. When Dean turned 18, he decided on his own to drop out of high school, but you and Sam are still in school, and Sam plans to keep it that way.

Okay now onto the story

Its 7:36pm, Sam went to the library for homework, so tonight is just you and Dean. You and Dean are in the kitchen and hes making dinner while you sit on the kitchen table. "Alright Y/N, we don't got much tonight, so I'm making mac and cheese...the good kind, not the kind Sam makes," Dean says with a tiny smirk.

"But De, I don't want macky cheese, I want chicken!" You say with a small but excited voice. Dean turns back to you, frowns and says "Y/N, we dont have chicken, this is all we got until Sam goes to the store."

"Wait what!?!?! But De I want chicken now!!" you say filled with whine and a little bit of sass. 'geez I really don't want to deal with this right now,' Dean thinks to himself "Y/N please, just reason with me tonight, I'll make Sam go to the store tomorrow," He says sounding defeated. Oh but hell no, in your tiny seven year old brain, you knew what you had to do

Step 1: Be quiet and wait like a good sister

Step 2: Once De is done and sets food in front of you

Step 3: PUSH IT OFF ON THE FLOOR

Step 4: Wait hold on-

Step 5: Why does De look like hes about to ye-

"Fucking hell, really Y/N!? You cant be fucking serious, what the hell was that for?" Dean yells at you. "De I said I wanted-" But he cut you off and said "I JUST TOLD YOU THIS IS ALL WE GOT" He says louder than his first statement. Now your'e shaken, but you know it takes more to make you cry.

"I don't care! I don't want macky cheese De!"

"Y/N, just get out"

...This is the calmest hes been all week

"Wha-"

"JUST GET THE HELL OUT" Dean practically screams.

Okay now that there is starting to make you cry

You quickly get off of the kitchen chair and you bolt to the stairs where all the bedrooms are. But of course you have to turn around and yell

"I WISH DAD WAS HERE, HE WOULD GET REAL MAD IF YOU YELLED AT ME!" and then you run up the stairs and slam your door shut, locking it in the process. _______________________________________

'Great that's just fuckin' perfect,' Dean thinks to himself. 'What the hell am I supposed to tell Sammy? Oh yeah, I screamed at Y/N because she wouldn't comply, and now foods all over the floor and I think I'm having a meltdown!'

'Sometimes I wish I never came here!' you think to yourself, pretty much sobbing while laying down on your bed. 'wouldn't be surprised if he didn't want me here too-."

You fall asleep shortly after the thought and Dean couldn't be any more relieved when he hears the door open and to see Sam with his backpack in one arm and a couple books in the other hand.

"Hey whats-...what happened?" Sam says slowly putting his backpack on the floor. Sam staring at Dean and all the food that's on the floor around him "oh, haha, this? oh, its nothing Sam, just a minor fuckin' mishap!" Dean says laughing through each word with eyes that look like hes about to sob any minute.

"....Dean?" Sam asks. Its been a while since there was major conflict... well since the whole situation with Dad anyways. "Was it Y/N?"

"What? No of course not, this is just a normal Friday fuckin night....yeah just, don't worry 'bout it" Dean says with his voice dying down a little bit.

"Should I go talk to her?" Sam asks. such a small voice but its filled with a lot of concern.

"No, she's asleep...maybe later?" Dean says back to him. 'He seems tired' Sam thinks to himself. 'Well I did leave her here with him...' _______________________________________

You wake up pretty early... well early for you anyways, its 9:30am and you got woken up to puffy red eyes and really messed up hair. You go ahead and leave your bedroom and when you enter the kitchen you get greeted by Sam, who is making breakfast.

"Morning sunshine," Sam says with a slight happy tone, but still pretty monotone. 'he's trying, that's a good thing' you think to yourself.

"Morning..." you say back, rubbing your eyes and climbing up onto the chair near the kitchen table. "So...wheres De?" you ask in a sleepy tone. "He's more or less still asleep" Sam replies. Sure enough right when Sam says that, Dean walks in all sleepy-like too. 'so similar' Sam thinks. "Morning to you too sunshine" Sam says with a pretty wide grin afterwards. "Bite me, princess" Dean shoots back, also with a small smirk.

You look at Dean, Dean looks at you, and a couple seconds later you two look away, but the stare you two gave felt like it was forever.

"Hi" you managed to squeak out. Without meaning to, you were quiet and a little bit nervous.

"Hey" Dean replies, but not looking at you, instead looking at the table, then to his hands, and then to Sam.

"Hey Sammy, do you think dad had any hunts that he wrote down in his journal for us to do?" Dean asks. Looking around Dean finds your dads journal on the couch in the living room. He picks it up and skims through the pages.

"I...don't know? Dad never talked to me personally about hunts, just you" Sam says as a matter-of-factly. Sam sets your breakfast down in front of you, and a plate for Dean on the other side of the table. "Why?" Sam asks.

"Because I want to hunt? We haven't in a while and you know dad will tear us a new one if he sees us on our asses doing nothing," Dean proclaims, in a slight aggressive manner, though it was almost accidental.

"But he's...not here," you say out loud without meaning to. You look up to see Sam and Dean both looking at you, and right then you look back down. While looking down you hear footsteps, and right when you look back up, you see Dean staring right at you. 'The eye contact is unbearable' you think to yourself

"Just because hes dead, doesn't mean we can just fuck around and do nothing," Dean says with so much venom you begin to shake a little.

"Dean. Back. Up." Sam says, looking at Dean with an angry look and his teeth practically glued together. Sam takes Deans shoulder and yanks him back, and he makes Dean bend down so he can whisper something into his ear.

"I know you and Y/N have this personal issue going on right now, but I'll be damned if I ever hear you talk to her like that again, hear me?" Sam whispers, he lets go of Dean shoulder and looks at Dean. Dean looks back at him, looks at you, looks at Sam again, and nods, running his hand through his hair.

"Good," Sam says quietly. Sam walks towards you and bends down, "When you're finished with your breakfast, head on up to your room, you're not in trouble, but I'll talk with you later, okay?" Sam tells you,

"Okay" You say, looking at Sam. You finished your breakfast rather quickly. During that time, Dean went into his own room, and Sam went out into the backyard to do whatever he does, you're not really sure. You put your dirty plates into the sink and you fast walk to your room, and you quietly shut your door. _______________________________________

Waiting.....sucks. You have no clue how long you waited for Sam but it felt like forever. In reality it was probably like thirty minutes, but thirty minutes to a seven year old is all day.

You begin to space out when you hear a small knock on your door. You jump a bit because you didn't really expect it since you didn't know when Sam would come by.

You get up off your bed and you begin to walk to your door when the door was already opening. you stop and look up

"...Dean?" You ask. 'uh-oh' you think to yourself. You walk back a little bit and he sits down on your bedroom floor and holds his arms out for you to come sit in his lap. He hasn't said a word yet you heard exactly what he is wanting to ask.

You look at him. He looks at you. Both have no clue what to say to each other.

You slowly walk towards him, and you climb into his lap, both getting comfortable in the process

It had to have been like five minutes before Dean starts talking. "I'm sorry" he says to you. Smiling, you start talking too. "Me too" you say and you look up to see Dean beginning to tear up.

Okay now its time to panic

Dean crying is something that you never see so...you begin to tear up too.

"De? Are you okay?"

"I wish Dad was here, He would get real mad at me if he saw the way I was acting" Dean says. "Wouldn't be surprised if he beat my ass, just because I'm eighteen, doesn't mean shit to him" he says with a small laugh after the comment.

"Well I think you're doing a good job" You say to him quietly, but loud enough for him to hear. "Just because you're eighteen, doesn't mean you aren't bad at being a brother, neither is Sam" You add.

Dean, trying not to just sob in front of you, breaths in and breaths out a couple of times.

"You're seven, when did you become so smart?" Dean asks hugging you rather tightly

You giggle at his comment and say, "I'm your sister, I had to have learned something from you."

"Good answer" Dean says.

Without knowing, Sam is leaning on the door frame, with his arms crossed looking at you and Dean with the biggest smile ever. "Hey," Sam says and makes both you and Dean jump slightly, Sam giggles and that and continues,

"The garage called, they want you to come in and help fix a 67' Mustang," Sam says.

"Oh whaaat," you whine. you begin to get off of Dean so he can go to his job when he quickly snatches you back up, gets up off of the ground and throws you over his shoulders.

"How do you feel about coming with me? Who knows maybe-"

"Will Seth be there?" You ask excitedly. (For some backstory, John's long time friend Seth works where Dean works, and ever since you met Seth, you've practically 'fallen in love' with him)

"More than likely, he likes old cars like we do," Dean replies. "Yes! okay come on, lets go, come on, come on, come on" You say, trying to hurry up Dean,

"Okay, okay, lets go" Dean laughs while replying. You two leave the room, and Sam closes your door. Again, with a big smile on his face, Sam starts thinking to himself, 'Yeah, everything will be okay'

#dean and sam #sam and dean #sam winchester #dean winchester #supernatural #sam x sister!reader #dean x sister!reader #sister!winchester #winchester sister #winchester!sister #winchester

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minaramen · 2 years

Text

New Year’s special story - Werewolf Idols ~ LIVE or HEAVEN ~ Part 13: Nighttime War Council [Day 5]

*A dark place*

Yamato: You must be kidding me, Riku…! Wooo!

Yamato: All of you….! Be sure to execute Kujo too, at least!!

Yamato: That guy is a wolf…! Trust me..!

*Cut to the game*

Iori/wolf: You’ve been saved by that absurd fine play from Nanase san

Tenn/wolf: It seems so

Iori/wolf: What happened? Is there something you’re worried about?

Tenn/wolf: I feel like Ryuu suspects me

Iori/wolf: Tsunashi san?

Tenn/wolf: Maybe. However, Ryuu is a kind soul. I don’t think he will put the pressure on me before being certain that his suspicions are right

Iori/wolf: He’s not really a suspicious person and there is a little chance he’ll get executed. He would be the perfect target for us, but given the moment we can’t bite him…

Tenn/wolf: Yes. I’ll be executed tomorrow, so let’s just stick to the plan and bite Nanase san

Iori/wolf: Understood. Let’s think about who is better to forecast tomorrow

Iori/wolf: If we get to have that person executed before you, we win

Tenn/wolf: Okay. Let’s see… I’ve already forecasted Ryuu

Iori/wolf: Then, we need to go for somebody else…

Iori/wolf: Say that Inumaru san is a wolf. He’s suspecting me, after all

Iori/wolf: If he keeps on living he’ll make my life difficult at some point

Tenn/wolf: Got it. We need to gain Ryuu, Isumi san and your brother’s trust

Iori/wolf: Not really. If we gain one person’s trust, we have two votes available

Iori/wolf: We can bring it to a tie vote. In case we need to vote again, it will be a mutual fortitude game

Tenn/wolf: In case we can’t reach a decision, we will win even if one single vote is changed

Iori/wolf: Exactly

Tenn/wolf: The majority rule is scary

Iori/wolf: It is

Iori/wolf: The more days pass, the more we become suspicious. If there’s a chance, I'd like to make it end tomorrow

*Cut to the TV studio*

Tamaki: Iorin, Tenten…do your best!

Gaku: Ryuu! And also the older Izumi, Inumaru and Isumi, we’ll be outwitted by these wolves!

Nagi: Uhm…it’s going to be hard

Minami: What do you mean?

Nagi: Without any solid information they became an anxious and doubtful community…

Nagi: They may end up following the wolves easily, since their will is so strong

Momo: Yeah

Torao: Six is the perfect number when it comes to exposing a suspect

Torao: However it’s unexpectedly hard to realize that if you’re part of a circle

Torao: Even if somebody has a good argument, he won’t say out it loud because he’s afraid of becoming suspicious

Minami: As a result, the wolves will take possession of the game while the others remain silent

Momo: We can see that ourselves. Whatever you say, no matter if you’re wrong…

Momo: It’s important to keep those who understand your real nature close

Gaku: You’re right

Sogo: It’s difficult to fight when you’re not trusted. I was executed the very first day…

Tamaki: I’m very sorry…!!

Sogo: I’m not angry. I got very few votes supporting me anyway

Sogo: When you apologized to me, the one saying I was probably a fellow wolf was…

Nagi: Iori

Sogo: Mh…? Wah, how smart…he really got it all worked out…

Nagi: It’s an exciting game! I’d like to play again!

Yuki: Shouldn’t he be almost here, by now?

*Doors open*

Yamato:.........

Audience: Kyaaaaah

Yamato: Ah…

Yamato: Is this Heaven?

Audience: Kyaaaaaah

Yamato: Happy new year!

Audience: Happy new year!!

Yamato: Did you see this old man doing his best?

Audience: Yes!

Audience: So cool!

Audience: Yamato san, I trusted you!!

Yamato: Thank you!

Yamato: You made me feel a bit refreshed!

Audience: Kyaaaaah..!

Tamaki: Hello, Yama san

Nagi: Yamato! Welcome!

Yamato: I can see beer, right among the new year dishes! You’re having a good time here, uh?

Sogo: Fufu, yes

Yamato: Damn, I wish I had come here earlier

Momo: Hey, you were the real deal! You couldn’t have come earlier, don’t you think?? Here, have some beer! Divinator is a rough job!

Yamato: Too much of a rough job, honestly. Momo san, you were pretty good…

Yuki: Too good, actually. I’d say he was scary

Yamato: Ah, here you are! The partner he sold out!

Yuki: Yes, here I am

Sogo: Tamaki kun and Momo san have joined a new unit! It’s called “The circle of hell for those who sold out their partners”

Yamato: The hell from the unit’s name is…

Minami: Oh…? So, is there a chance for the game to end tomorrow?

Torao: 1,2… yeah, there is. If they don’t execute a wolf tomorrow they will reach the same numbers as wolves the day after, and it’ll be over

Yamato: I wonder if they will become aware of it on time…

Gaku: Ryuu understood how the game works…maybe

Minami: Inumaru san and Isumi san leave any detailed calculations to Izumi Iori san

Minami: If they keep on being so silent, they’ll end up losing

Yuki: I still don’t understand this whole numbers thing…

Momo: If Riku gets bitten tonight we have six people left, including wolves. Are you with me so far?

Yuki: I am

Momo: If tomorrow the wolves have one villager executed and another one bitten, they’ll become the same number as them by the day after tomorrow

Momo: And so the villagers will lose

Yuki: How terrible

Nagi: Oh! Fight, Mitsuki! Count the wolves!

Tamaki: Iorin, Tenten! Do your best, it’s almost done!

Momo: Stay strong, besties…!

Gaku: Hey, Natsume. Who does the fox spirit cheer for?

Minami: Let’s see… being an intruder myself, shall I cheer for the wolves?

Torao: You’re a fellow enemy, after all. Touma, Haruka…do your best!

Sogo: Mitsuki san! Please, suspect Iori kun once more!

Yamato: Has he ever suspected Ichi? Whose forecasting did he trust?

Sogo: Yours, I think…?

Yamato: Mitsu..! Trust me!

Gaku: Ryuu! Avenge me and strike them down!

*Cut to the game*

Ryunosuke/villager: Maybe…Tenn is a wolf…?

Ryunosuke/villager: He said that he announced the forecasting result for the fox spirit in advance due to enthusiasm, but…

Ryunosuke/villager: This is not something that Tenn would normally do…he always has strong self control

Ryunosuke/villager: Even when he gets hurt in the middle of work, he doesn't let the smallest moan come out. There's no way he could just…

Ryunosuke/villager:.....dunno. Maybe he just had a strong reaction to increase the viewers’ excitement?

Ryunosuke/villager: No….

Ryunosuke/villager: I don’t think so

Ryunosuke/villager: Everybody has always waited for the countdown to announce their forecastings

Ryunosuke/villager: Nobody ever broke this rule. You can't just change it yourself, just because you want to

Ryunosuke/villager: If he did such a thing, he probably wanted to achieve something. In other words…

Ryunsouke/villager:.......

Ryunosuke/villager:...Tenn is a wolf?

Ryunsouke/villager: What do you think, Gaku!?

*Shade in and out*

Mitsuki/villager:...and so we executed Yamato san. I wonder who the real divinator is…

Mitsuki/villager: I want to believe it was Yamato san, but Kujo acted so calmly, just like he knew he had nothing to worry about because he was the real divinator

Mitsuki/villager: We’ll execute Kujo tomorrow. Then we need to discuss about who the wolf who’s not hiding among the divinators could be

Mitsuki/villager: Looking at his reactions, I don’t feel like Tsunashi san is lying. So, maybe it’s Inumaru?

Mitsuki/villager: It can’t be Tsunashi san. It can’t be Iori nor Isumi. There’s only Inumaru left

Mitsuki/villager: I don’t really remember when, but I'm pretty sure there was a moment when I thought it was weird he hadn't been bitten yet

Mitsuki/villager: Maybe it’s better to execute Inumaru right after Kujo…

*Shade in and out*

Haruka/villager: I'm super shocked! I really trusted Minami…

Haruka/villager: Minami, Kujo and Nanase definitely were the village’s very favorites! Uhm…maybe I’m wrong…

Haruka/villager: So, is Kujo the real divinator? Today he was like “Hooray!”

Haruka/villager: “The fox is gone! Hooray!” He’s acting like the real deal

Haruka/villager: There’s no way it’s Izumi. The little brother.

Haruka/villager: When we were discussing Yotsuba's situation he was like “yeah, let’s execute him, let’s execute him” . He wouldn't have said that if Yotsuba was a buddy of his

Haruka/villager: Then… Touma?

Haruka/villager: But when I said I suspected him, today, he was kinda shocked. Was he also acting or something?

Haruka/villager: Maybe, he was. Yes…...aah, I'm so pessimistic!

Haruka/villager: I cannot help thinking that it would really suck

Haruka/villager: The more I think I don't want to be fooled by Touma, the more I'm convinced this is exactly what he's doing!

Haruka/villager: That’s the reason why I cannot see the wolf inside him! Is it okay for me to trust him? What do you think, Torao?!

Haruka/villager: Regarding Tsunashi, well..everybody says he's a good person. The same goes for the older Izumi

Haruka/villager: So, maybe they're not so good at lying. But they all act in dramas. It's the same thing as Minami, basically…

Haruka/villager:......

Haruka/villager: Ah, enough of all this! I want to die eaten by a wolf before taking on too much responsibility!

*Shade in and out*

Touma/villager: So, Mina was the fox..

Touma/villager: I don’t have a clue about the divinator's identity, but apparently we're gonna execute Kujo tomorrow

Touma/villager: So another person will definitely die

Touma/villager: After Kujo's execution there'll be five of us left, including one wolf

Touma/villager: We have two more days, so we can afford another mistake

Touma/villager: Seems like I'm becoming the suspicious guy here. Even Haru suspects me. Is it due to my wolfy face..?

Touma/villager: For some reasons, I can’t trust the little Izumi. However he's got such a resolution that, if a wolf, he's a pretty scary one!

Touma/villager: If I were a wolf, I would have bitten him at the very beginning

Touma/villager: Of course, maybe they needed to worry about the hunter and the medium first and didn’t really have the chance to bite him

Touma/villager: Yes…

Touma/villager: Right after Kujo, we should execute the younger Izumi

*Cut to the TV studio*

Torao: Tomorrow's the decisive battle day and nobody has noticed yet

Nagi: Oh! I hope the village’s peace will be protected

Momo: Besties! Keep fighting!

Yuki: What about me?

Momo: You too, Yuki, you too! Of course!

End of part 13

#Idolish7 #ainana #ainanatranslation #idolish7translation #zool #trigger #re:vale

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creweemmaeec11 · 3 years

Text

My favourite prompts:

A list of my favourite prompts that I’ve posted in the past, all curated into a huge list just for you guys!

Finally, the day has come. The villain is thought to be dead. The hero has won.

Until suddenly the hero learns the villain left them EVERYTHING in their will. Made them the owner and operator of all their illegal business.

Obviously, the hero plans to shut everything down immediately. But they quickly realize just how many people the villain employed… how many family’s they fed…

“You kissed me,”

“I did… and?”

“What-!? What do you mean and!?,”

“What more do you want?”

“An explanation would be a good start!”

“…or I could just do it again…”

*other person turns bright red,*

“Or… or that, I suppose,”

“What the hell are you doing here!?”

“I think the better question would be what in the hell are you wearing,” the villain replied, amusement clear on their face, like they were struggling to keep from laughing.

“What- it’s-” the hero blushed, remembering what they were wearing, “their pajamas! What are you-!”

“Oh my god…” the villain replied, like they were struggling to come to terms with what they were seeing, “the hero of the city not only own, but wears a onesie,”

“Excuse me!” The hero snapped in defence, “They’re comfortable!”

“They? You have more??”

“I gotta say hero,” The villain mused as they casually moved toward the cell bars, “I’ve been called many things in my life: monster, villain, outcast, loser, scoundrel,” they tilted their head, examining the hero before them, “but ‘our last hope?’” *clicks tongue* “that’s a first,”

You live in a world where anyone born with superpowers must become a super hero. It doesn’t matter what the power is, or how small it is, it is mandatory. It was deemed that having anyone with superpowers work alongside regular people was “unsafe” and “unfair.” Every year, dozens of superhero’s with powers useless for fighting are killed. You’ve managed to make it this long with nobody finding out you have a superpower. But how much longer can you hide in plain sight?

The city’s villain mysteriously disappears and hasnt been seen in a week. The people are celebrating, but the hero is worried. What if the villain is planning something big? Determined to stop whatever evil plan is brewing, the hero tracks the villain down, but they dont find what they expected. Instead of evil plotting, the villain:

-Has been taking care of a sick pet -Come down with the flu -Been helping arrange a friends wedding -Found out they were pregnant -Is getting married themselves -Mourning the death of a loved one -Has adopted a young pet and been occupied taking care of them -Has been helping one of their lackeys who’s in a desperate situation -Has been feeding the homeless and offering blankets

You’re the most wanted villain by all highest ranking authorities, but all the heros “just can’t seem to catch you” (they always let you get away) because all your crimes are things like stealing expensive medication and then donating it to hospitals, robbing toy stores and donating to orphanages, robbing banks and giving to charity, robbing grocery stores and feeding the homeless, ect

A hero/villain with the power to materialize their own tattoos. Got a wrench tattoo? Now you’ve got a wrench. Got a tattoo of wings? A bomb? A get away car? Well…

Dragon tattoos have always been popular, havent they?

Write about a genius inventor villain who, while watching the news, learns about a sick child in hospital doctors arnt sure they can cure. The villain realizes something theyve invented could cure the child. Now the hard part is convincing them to let the villain help.

The villain starts to notice the hero is feeling more down the usual, so they start leaving the hero little notes to cheer them up. All is going well until the hero figures out who is sending them.

In a world of magic users where everyone is divided into the 6 eye colours, and the colour of your eyes represents what your powers are. Each colour has an elemental power, can talk to a certain type of creature(Invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals), and has 3 other powers. For example, blue eyes control water, can commune with fish, etc. Everyone in the world has either red, orange, yellow, green, blue or purple eyes. Except for you, you were born with black eyes. Everyone is afraid of what your powers will be, but they should be more worried about the kind of creatures you can talk to…

A hero and a villain (and maybe their sidekicks, up to you) trapped in a haunted house or haunted location.

-One is scared so the other comforts them. They are both scared but trying to act like they aren’t. -One doesn’t believe in ghosts, and the other has the power to communicate with them or see them. -Ghosts aren’t real, but one continues to try and freak the other out, who claims they aren’t scared. -Ghost wingman. I need’ d say no more -One gets possessed, so the other has to do the whole ‘kiss to break a curse’ thing to bring them out of it. -The classic Person A thinks ghosts aren’t real so they prank Person B to scare them. Then shit gets real, but person B doesn’t believe person A, thinking its just another prank.

“I trusted you! You promised!”

“I kept my promise! I got you your results! Don’t question my methods from a top that high moral horse or yours, especially when the only reason you made a deal with me in the first place was because you were too much of a coward to do what needed to be done!”

The local wildfire has been growing out of control, forcing the city to have to evacuate. Suddenly, the villain with water powers shows up to lend a hand to fire fighters.

“Tell me hero,” the villain spoke, chains jangling from where they hung on the villains wrists as they walked up to the bars of the jail cell, “If you wanted to skip a press conference, could you?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re sisters getting married, but your needed for a big event at the hero academy that day. Would you be allowed to attend the wedding? What about if your brother stole a pack of gum. Could you let it slide? Not would you, but could you?”

The hero paused. Could they? They had responsibilities! They had commitments to the city, and to the serving of justice!

The villain laughed at the heros silence, “I may be in jail, but you’re more chained then I’ll ever be,”

“So tell me,” the villain drawled, dragging a finger across the heros skin, making them shiver, “what changed your mind?”

Hero discovers the villain has a day job. It isnt at all what they expected. (Day care, animal shelter, etc)

“What are you going to do if you beat me, and suddenly the city dosent need a hero? What are you going to do if you get hurt and can no longer fight, and the city forgets about you just like all the heros before you? Who will you be when your legacy crumbles under the weight of all those who follow? Will you take up knitting?”

The hero stared unblinking and frozen as the villain took a step forward.

“Sure, your a hero. But what are you without that?”

The villain took another step forward.

“Your nothing, heroism is all you have. That pathetic title you curl up to every night. But without it?” They looked the hero up and down, “Absolutely nothing…”

A villain retires from villainy and gets plastic surgery (or simply never showed their face) so they can live a normal life without being recognized. While living their new life, they bump into the hero, and the two start falling for eachother. But the villain is terrified of the hero finding out the truth

The hero slammed their front door as quickly as they could, eyes wide, heart pounding.

The villain. The villain was outside their door.

“Well that was rude,”

A hero with magic powers, in a world where magic is unheard of. They have always kept their powers a secret, fearing they would be shunned, or tested on. They never use their powers in battle.

One day, while practicing their magic alone in the woods, the villain appears out of nowhere.

Before the hero can explain, the villain asks, “you have powers too?”

A hero dies. Or at least, they think they do. The next thing they know they wake up at their own funeral. And the only person there? Is the villain.

“The worst part, is you had the nerve to call it love”

#hero x villain #prompts #prompt #writing prompt #writing prompts #story prompt #fic prompts #hero x villain prompts #hero x villain prompt

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butwhyduh · 3 years

Text

Ghosts

Tim Drake x reader

Warning: grief, maladaptive grieving strategies, alcohol, smut, ghosts

I wrote this probably 3 months ago and just now edited it.

You met Tim Drake at the graveyard. It was a blustery early February day. The snow was on the ground but hadn’t snowed in a few days. A short dry blessing for Gotham. Graveyards were the few places that were treated as sanctuaries that they were. Most people in Gotham knew more than their fair share of loved ones residing in multiple across the city.

You walked down the stone path. In the summer the lazy shade of oak trees covered the path but right now, the bare branches just hung mockingly as they protected only a little from Gotham’s frequently bad winds.

You pulled your coat a little tighter and wished you had grabbed a scarf too. Nevermind, your visit was going to be short. You moved with practiced ease through the tombstones. You knew exactly were they were buried. A delicate iron fence surrounded a small spattering of stones. His family plot.

You walked through the gate to a grave on the right side. A small stone vase was attached to the tombstone. You placed a single white daffodil before standing silently. You had nothing to say. Funny when you miss a final goodbye, you often run out of things to say afterwards. You couldn’t cry. It was too stiff. Too odd. All you could do is sigh deeply before walking out of the yard.

You swiftly walked down the path as you hoped to escape the place that caused so much pain. In your hast, you hadn’t bothered watching for others. People very rarely visited on such cold days. You ran into someone.

“I’m so sorry,” you gasped. You’d ran into a man that was clearly grieving. How terribly rude.

“I’m okay,” he said steadying you with a hand on your elbow.

“I’m so sorry to bother you. I’ll let you be,” you said, flushing even in the cold weather.

“Are you alright?” He asked looking at you carefully. You nodded but didn’t move. “Grief is odd, isn’t it? I had to come down here but feel nothing. Not a damn thing.”

You froze. Most people weren’t this honest. “I get it. Grieving sucks. And it never makes any sense, hu?”

“No. It really doesn’t. I think that I’ll come down here and have a deep conversation with him but nothing comes out. I get over here and feel silly talking to a stone,” he said with a sigh. You looked at him. He was about your age and wore a long black peakcoat and a red scarf that whipped in the wind. His clothes were impeccably tailored but looked almost too mature for him. Something a man closer to 30 would wear rather than a guy around 20. Black hair, icy blue eyes. A little bit of a natural sarcastic smile.

“Sometimes the words come when I sit for a while,” you offered.

“Do you- do you mind if I ask who you were visiting? Not their name but who they were to you? You don’t have to. I just wonder,” he said. You hesitated before speaking.

“My boyfriend. He was my boyfriend. And you?”

“My best friend,” he said. “I don’t visit enough. Not near enough.”

“I understand. I’ll let you be then. So you can talk to them instead,” you said carefully. Most people wanted quiet alone time with their dead loved ones. Unlike you. You felt a sense of relief. At least your ghosts weren’t speaking to you when there was someone there.

“Please don’t,” he said quickly. Perhaps not. Maybe you weren’t the only one haunted by ghosts, even if his was more metaphorical. “I just hate being here alone. You don’t have to stay. I’m just a weirdo asking you to hang around a random grave.”

“It’s okay. I really hate being here alone too,” you said barely over a whisper. He nodded. “Do you- do you want to talk about them?”

“Him. Not really. He was just so young. To be dead already,” he said. You looked at the headstone. Yes 22 was far too young to be in the ground. You didn’t say anything.

“I’ll wake up and forget he’s dead sometimes,” he said playing with his fingers roughly. “And it’s like he dies all over again.”

“I’m so sorry. I’ll have a dream so vivid that it’s like he’s back. Sleeping can be so cruel, can’t it?” You said, feeling your throat tighten a little.

“It’s the worst. I just see his death over and over. I think my mind hates me sometime,” he admitted before gulping. You nodded again. You didn’t trust your voice not to break and you could bear to cry.

“You’re freezing,” he said suddenly, looking at you. “Here,” he offered you his scarf and put it around your neck before you could truly protest. His soft cologne invaded your senses. “Do you want get a drink? Or a coffee?”

“I could use a drink,” you answered and he nodded. He kicked the dirt with the tip of his shoes.

“There’s a little pub around the corner. They play cliche Irish music but it’s pretty quiet with good drinks,” he said.

“What’s your name?” You asked.

“Tim. Yours?” He asked back and you told him your first name. “Drinks? It’s cool if not.”

“Yes. I’m half frozen at this point,” you admitted.

“I can tell. You need to wear more layers,” Tim said with a small smirk.

“Is that Gotham’s version of ‘you’re not from around here?’” You asked. He huffed in amusement.

“Basically. You’re from somewhere warmer,” he said. You shrugged in agreement. “Let’s get going before you freeze.”

“It would be the most ironic place to die,” you responded. He shook his head but didn’t seem upset at your dark humor.

The pub was Irish themed in a way that made you wonder if they did anymore research besides the color green and putting on Flogging Molly which isn’t really Irish anyways. But it was warm and smelled like fried food. You sat in a cramped booth in the back and you couldn’t help but notice just how out of place Tim looked. Everything about him screamed rich and this was a working class bar. Tim didn’t seem to mind though.

“Are you hungry,” he asked and you realized you had a rumbling in your stomach. When was the last time you ate?

“Yeah. I wasn’t hungry until just now,” you commented.

“Yeah I usually force myself to eat,” he said waving over the waiter, a tall skinny guy that looked about 14 with almost white blond hair wet with sweat. You both ordered food and drinks.

“What do you do for a living,” you asked Tim as the food arrived. You were finally warm.

“My job is really boring. I work in investment in a technological corporation,” he said and your eyebrows rose. Tim shedded his coat. “I told you, boring.”

“Sounds... serious,” you said with a little smile and he chuckled. His smile was handsome and he had pretty blue eyes.

“Well, yeah. What do you do? Is your job fun?” He asked in a teasing voice. Even as you smiled back at him, you felt guilty. How could you be happy right now?

“I’m a painter. Or I’d like to be. I mainly design advertisements for companies right now,” you said.

“Painting? That actually sounds fun,” he said a little surprised. “Sorry. I haven’t really been around people since...”

“Yeah. It’s hard to be there when their happy and you’re...” you said. Great. You just made it dark again.

“Yeah...”

“Hey pretty lady,” a drunk man said, sitting next to you in the booth, pushing you closer to the wall. “Have I seen an angel on a star, or whatever.”

“Okay, let’s get going,” Tim said standing up and putting his hand on the guy’s shoulder and the guy shrugged him off. “She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“How do you know, rich boy? Maybe she wants to talk to a real man,” he said with a lopsided grin.

“I don’t,” you breathed as he leaned towards you. You pulled back against the wall. Tim pulled the man out of the booth. The guy growled and sized Tim up. He must have thought he had a good chance, being at least 4-5 inches taller and 50 lbs or more heavier.

He took a drunken swing at Tim who easily deflected away from him. The man didn’t stop but tried to punch Tim again. When he deflected another attack, the man grew even more red faced and tried to tackle Tim against the table. Before the gasp you made could fully come out, Tim had slipped out of the way and grabbed the back of the man’s neck and popped his face on the table. The man slid down unconscious to lay on the floor.

You stared with your mouth slightly agape. What the hell just happened??

“Are you okay?” Tim asked and you stuttered before assuring him you were. “Then we should probably get going. The bar won’t like this.”

“It’s a pub,” you corrected.

“Yeah, let’s go,” he said and you snapped out of it as he grabbed your hand and left out the building before the owner could throw you out. He instead screamed out the door that neither of you could come back. You and Tim ran down the street before stopping at the next block. You laughed loudly and after a confused second, Tim joined. He was still holding your hand.

“That’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” you said loudly before Tim shushed you. “How did you? He didn’t even get one hit in,” you breathed.

“Luck I guess?”

“Not a chance. You do karate or something,” you said, standing way too close to him. He grinned at you.

“Some Krav Maga. A little Jui Jitsu,” Tim said almost shyly and you nodded.

“I’ll pretend to know know what those are,” you said and he chuckled. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem,” Tim said staring at you. You caught him looking down at your lips. He was really handsome and had just saved you. Cliche? Totally. Did you care? No.

You put your arm on his other shoulder, Tim’s free hand slid to hold your waist. He bent until he was just short of kissing you. All you had to do was lean up to kiss him.

“Can I?” He breathed.

“Yes,” you whispered. He pressed his lips against yours. The kiss started gentle but before long Tim’s hand held your jaw as he pushed his tongue in your mouth. You made a little breathy moan. Tim pulled back to catch a breath but still rested his forehead against yours. You grabbed his collar and pulled him back in. He grasped your back and pressed your body against his. You were panting when you finally pulled your lips apart.

“My place is a few blocks away,” you breathed. He gave you a questioning look. “If you, if you wanna come back.” He nodded before giving you a dizzying kiss. “Through this alley and we’ll be there in 2 minutes.”

“You shouldn’t walk through alleys,” he said before giving you another kiss. You pulled him along.

“I think I’m fine with you.” You said kissing him before walking some more.

“Okay but still. Alleys are dangerous.” He answered before you placed another kiss on his lips.

“Yeah, and we’re out of the alley now,” you said. “And here’s my building,” you said suddenly shy. You didn’t want your neighbors seeing you kissing some random guy. Especially one obviously rich like Tim. He probably didn’t even know he stuck out. You pulled away from him.

You unlocked the door and quietly offered for him to walk in. Where did your boldness go? Tim stepped in and you thanked your stars that you had cleaned up that morning.

“Do you want a drink?” You asked as you shut the door. Tim hung his coat on a coat rack that had come with the places. He shook his head and walked over to you. His eyes looked over your body like he wanted to eat you.

“What do you want?” You whispered. He looked down at you with dark eyes. His lips were red from your kissing.

“You?” He said more as a question. Can I have you?

“Hmm,” you said with a little smirk before pulling him down by the collar to kiss more. Tim’s hands roamed your body, gentle at first and then more aggressive.

You knew you shouldn’t bring a man home. Not a one night stand. Especially because you were grieving. Emotional. But as dusk fell outside your window and his hands held you firmly, you couldn’t help but be grateful that he was chasing your ghosts away. He leaned over your in bed, his lips pressed against your collarbone as he fingered you.

“Do you have condoms?” He breathed against your skin in a rough voice.

“Bedside table, top drawer,” you answered. Tim reached over to grab one. “Are you sure? Do you want this?” He asked, holding it in hand.

“Yes,” you said taking the condom to roll it on yourself. Tim breathed out quickly as you jerked a few times before sliding it on. He leaned over you and carefully looked over your face before sliding in.

You arched into his touch as he moved. His touch was soft, sweet, cautious. But not in the way anyone in your life treated you. There was no pity. You weren’t a broken doll to be tiptoed around. He was grieving too. His movement sped up as you both got closer and you got out of your head.

You softly moaned his name as you came. Tim groaned before resting his forehead against yours as he finished. He pulled out and threw the condom away. He pulled on his boxers but didn’t seem to know what to do next.

“Stay,” you said and he looked at you surprised.

“Are you sure?”

“Just-just tonight. I hate sleeping alone,” you said, feeling small. The idea of him leaving had the place feel colder, darker. Tim seemed to deliberate in his head before nodding.

“I can stay just tonight,” he said and you weren’t quite sure if he was telling you or himself. He climbed in bed and you scooted closer. He laid on his side and you slid closer to spoon. It was comforting to hear another heartbeat and feel the warmth of a body. It’d been months since you’d had that. Even if it was just one night, you didn’t feel alone. It felt secure and you quickly fell asleep.

You woke up to the unfamiliar but pleasant sensation of laying on a man’s chest wrapped up tight in blankets. A steady heartbeat and warm skin was soothing in the early morning light. You almost drifted off to sleep to the sounds of his breathing when you saw her.

A ghost. A woman in her late 30s or early 40s in conservative upper class women clothing that wasn’t too out of date. She had her arms crossed over her chest and she looked down at you both in disapproval. Her nose looked like Tim’s and she had the same black straight hair as he did.

You gulped and tried to blink her away. That worked some times. Not today. It was weird to see her anyways. Wasn’t it his make best friend that died? Who was she? She stepped closer and you stiffened. She was self-aware and was trying to speak to you. A very determined ghost indeed.

Tim moved in his sleep as if he could sense her presence. She reached out her hand as if she wanted to push the hair back on his forehead. You gasped as she moved closer. What kind of fucking ghost...? Tim woke up and she disappeared with a pop.

“You okay? You look scared or something,” he said in a rough pretty morning voice. You debated answering him truthfully that he was haunted by a mean looking woman but decided against it. He was a one night thing right?

“Nothing. Go back to sleep,” you said and he nuzzled closer.

“Hmm I’d rather have breakfast,” he muttered kissing your neck. You flushed. You hadn’t bothered shopping in a while.

“I don’t really- my fridge is-“

“Not the kind I’m talking about,” Tim said gently pushing you to your back.

“Oh,” you said as he slid beneath the sheets. You certainly weren’t complaining as he kissed down your body. He was good at it but it was also a great tactile distraction. Ghosts weren’t there when you were far to busy to see them.

It’s a little different so let me know what you think.

#batboy x reader #Tim drake x reader #Red Robin x reader #Tim drake smut #Red Robin smut #Tim drake angst #Red Robin angst

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imonthinice · 3 years

Text

The Criminal Psychology Majors, Jason Todd x Fem!Reader Part 3/?

Word Count: 1.5k

Author’s Note: Y/N - Your name, A/N -Any name (your best friend’s name)

Part 3! Date 2 is going to be underway with this one. Enjoy!

I had to change my pfp and my header cause they were being dickheads so just be aware if you liked looking at the batboys when clicking on my profile lmao <3

Warnings: Swearing, no beta bitch we die like Jason Todd, Dark humor.

(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (Part 4) (Part 5) (Part 6) (Part 7) (Part 8) (Part 9) (Part 10) (Part 11) (Part 12) (Part 13) (Part 14) (Part 15) (Part 16) (Part 17) (Part 18) (Part 19) (Part 20)

Y/N woke up the next day feeling like she could take on the world, energized, with a new crush, and full of life, a stark shift from how she usually was. She was never normally a morning person and had a severe addiction to caffeine. I mean, the addiction was still there and she still needed coffee before she could go to her 3pm class and meet up with Jason again, but she was happy. She would put on her clothes and pack her bag before even getting coffee.

“G’morning, A/N!”

“Who are you and what did you do with my best friend?” A/N joked.

“Down girl, I’m just peppy today, it’ll probably wear down and it’s probably a once-in-a-blue-moon deal,” Y/N said as she started brewing her coffee.

“You got a date with Jason today?”

“I do!”

“That explains it,” A/N joked again.

“Says the one with a boyfriend,” she shot back.

“He’s not my boyfriend, we’re just hooking up right now, trust me, if he was, you’d know, darlin’.”

“So what did dreamboat ask last night?” A/N asked.

“Well I said ‘What do you want to know?’ and he said ‘We’ll talk about it today, maybe during notes or maybe during our lunch date, we’ll see how i’m feeling.’ so I think that’s good?”

“You kidding? You got that man wrapped around your finger, respect.”

“Shut up.”

“No thanks, I have free speech y’know.”

“Yeah you can say whatever, but I can also use my free speech rights to tell you to shove it, so, checkmate,” you sneered at her.

“That’s fair,” A/N paused and then changed the subject, “Have you heard Brutal yet?” she asked.

“You’re damn right I have, I wonder where that was for me at 17. But to be fair, I would still blast it now at my parents just to make them irk.”

“They would kill you for listening to that song instead of their Christian Rock.”

“Worth it, I’ll die swinging and singing.” Y/N mused.

“It really is Brutal out here.”

“Leave, get out, that sucked, blocked, friendship over.”

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

She walked up to her 3pm class, to be greeted by Jason at the door, with of course, her new knowledge of the tabloids and their minions, she questioned why he’d do this.

“Hey, Y/N.”

“’Afternoon, Jason.”

“I’m trying to give the tabloids a show, don’t mind me.” he mused.

“I’m not surprised, but class is in 5.”

“Then I guess we should sit down and get ready to write at lightning speeds.”

She went to sit down, followed close by Jason. She couldn’t help but notice everyone was staring, but she didn’t care. This is going to be fun, she thought, I’m glad they’re gonna get a fucking kick out of this, she finished her thought.

Class went on as usual, with her scribbling down the notes so quick her arms hurt by the end of it, and Jason just sitting around making sure she wasn’t losing her arms to the writing, and casually laughing at the Professor. Then, the Professor brought up Barry Allen. Dr. Barry Allen and what he does for the criminal psychology people.

“Forensics go hand-in-hand with criminal psych, normally we can tell, as scholars, from the hitting of the weapon why and who might’ve done it.” The Professor said.

She saw Jason tense up a bit, and whispered over to him;

“You know Dr. Barry Allen don’t you?”

“He’s my uncle,” he whispered back.

“Well, be sure to tell him I’ve read some of his essays when I wanted to go into forensics instead of criminal psychology.”

“Really? He has essays?”

“Many. Very good writing. 10/10.”

“You’re going to make his week if you keep talking like this.” he mused.

“Good.” you mocked.

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

“So, you’re intermixed with a renowned journalist, a legend in forensic testing and you’re the son of Bruce Wayne?” she asked Jason, she couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth, but there they were, all cards on the table.

“Yeah, I know this is all new to you but famous people tend to know other famous people.” he joked with her.

“Well that’s fair, I guess I kind of know Clark, I met him once at a office party with my mum.”

“He’d probably remember you.”

“Enough of your family ties, huh? You said you wanted to know more about me?”

“Yes, that, did you tell your roommate to pick up your car?” he asked her.

“I did, why was I meant to do that, by the way?” she asked him.

“Because, we, you and I, Y/N, are going to go for a joyride on my motorbike and try to get away from these,” he lowered his voice, “bitch ass cameras,” he grabbed her hand and started running towards his bike, dodging all the paparazzi who just wanted the snag shot of the two. They don’t even know my name, and they’re going off about this, she thought.

When the two met his bike, she looked over it fondly. This guy really likes his red, she thought, that’s fair, I do too.

“Nice bike.”

“Thank you, Y/N. We can ride this bad boy out to the country and try to escape the cameras, which kind of cuts into the lunch date, but hey-”

“That’s just the life someone famous has to live?” she questioned.

“You’re catching on.”

“I could have been a detective if I wanted it.”

He laughed and sat down on his bike and like instinct, she sat behind him and wrapped her hands on his chest and leant in. She didn’t know how to passenger a motorbike, but he didn’t say she did it wrong.

“You ready?”

“Jason, are you going to kill me?”

“Well if the shoe fits.” he mused.

“I’m ready.”

And off they went.

There was something about the way the bike drove through the streets of Gotham that she loved so much, she had already fallen in love with the restless city and called it home long before right now, but this was exhilarating for her. Somehow driving at 120mph was amazing, it brought out this feeling of freedom, something she hadn’t ever felt back home in Metropolis.

It’s worth it, she thought, it’s forever going to be worth it.

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

Pulling her off of his bike, the two of them laid underneath the tree on the small hill Jason pulled over by.

“Do you think we escaped the pap?” she asked him.

“Probably not.”

“Festive.”

“So, Y/N, it’s your turn to open up about your family. Besides your mum, I already know about your mum.”

“So, my twin sister goes to our rival school, the Metropolis one, I think she’s more of a people person than I’ll ever be. My parents are still together, they got married after they had my sister and I, so I’m a bastard,” she laughed, “I always like telling people I’m by definition a bastard, a lot of them get mad all like, ‘don’t call yourself that you’re a lovely girl’ and it’s just funny to me,”

He laughed, “You call yourself a bastard out of spite?”

“Am I supposed to not? I think it’s funny-”

“It’s pretty funny. I live out of spite too,” he said, almost like he was pulling out a bad memory, but she egged him on slightly,

“Spite who?” she asked.

“Spite God.”

She let out a laugh, and he seemed to let go of whatever memory he had clung onto to watch her laugh. It was clearly a distracting laugh.

“God tried to strike you and you just went ‘Nah mate, go away’? Respectable. I would do that.” she said while laughing.

“That’s exactly what happened, Y/N-” and his phone pinged, he turned it over, it was Dick.

“Mind sharing who that is?”

“I don’t mind, it’s my older brother sending me an article of us today. We really gave them a show holding hands,” he began reading, “ ‘Millionaire’s Son, Jason Todd, Caught Holding Hands with the Mystery Girl.’ “

“One day they will know my name. And it will be a massive article. Like a gender reveal.”

“Like a gender reveal?!” he said back to her, laughing so hard his smile reached ends she didn’t expect it to be able to go.

“It wasn’t that funny of a joke, Jason,” she said.

“It’s a better joke than my brothers and sister could ever come up with, Y/N, and they’ve had Galas to practice for,” he retorted.

“I’ll set it ablaze like the California gender reveal,” she continued with the joke, expecting this to be too far, but this also showed her that Jason liked dark humor, and she did too.

He burst out laughing at this, and she smiled.

“You have perfect teeth, Jason.”

“Is that what you’re focused on?” he asked.

“They are the forefront when you smile, it is hard not to.”

“Romantic,” he mocked her.

“I can be more romantic next date, if you want it,” she said, inclined towards him saying I want it. She was right.

“I want it.”

#jason todd #jason todd x reader #jason todd x fem!reader #jason todd x y/n #jason todd x you #jason todd fluff #red hood #red hood x reader #red hood x fem!reader #red hood x y/n #red hood x you #red hood fluff #batfam #batfamily #batbros #dceu #dcu #dc

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supercorp-hosie · 3 years

Text

My thoughts for Legacies 316: (here we go again😂)

(I’m combining after thoughts with live thoughts)

1) The soundtracks for this episode are amazing, they fit very well even for Finsie that I heard that a lot of people were complaining on Reddit.

2) I finally get my team Sowanby! I just feel so much from them! They kind of make a great team, but please, do not go on another heist again. You both sucks at that! The holes are, the museum don’t have a fucking alarm for Leonardo DaVinci’s work? Are you kidding me? And Landon beating the shit out of the guard but not putting him out first is so dumb. The worst is Cleo calling Landon’s name so loud, I can’t😂😂😂😂😂😂 you don’t want people to be on your back when you have the Malivore threat going on guys! And ha! You guys are on the headline! That’s why I really feel like these supernaturals are so outdated and solidified from modern technology, even in 2030! Are you going to tell me everything technology will still be the same like now?? Come on, there’ll be cameras watching everywhere. Like they can see Cleo using magic! I need my Trimini (or bridge) coven and Hope starting to integrate the supernatural world with the modern world. About Trimini and Hope future career, click here.

3) the line about “many who shaped it are never acknowledged” I stand! After that, about the key card my random thoughts were about Landon being the one that stole the key card😂 just out of the blue and I’m proven wrong though.

4) Landon bonding with Cleo!!!! They thought the same way, and “I can promise that anyone that have to get to you, they have to get to me” is so strong! But the scene after, is the moment I started really doubting Landon, the look is too alarming. But there are still Sowanby scenes😭😭😭 and the melted heart mud... I mean I genuinely believed that the spell didn’t work because Landon is also mud himself. But in hindsight it is horrific, like the serial killer is just standing next to you but and the signs are right in front of you.

5) Malivore mud being artistically friendly! I can’t haha! Oh and when Holarke walked on Sowanby inspiring moment🤣🤣🤣I can’t, they act like both of them are cheating on one another it’s hilarious. Thank you for acknowledging each other Holarke and Sowanby🤣. By now, I should have known that’s MaliLandon. It’s humiliating because Holarke and Sowanby got me so happy that I didn’t see the clues lmao! Because there’s this line: “Following the footstep of the Renaissance greatest man? ” but this thing, Cleo only did it with Leonardo, with whom she slept with......

6) And damn, after that, I felt like a FOOL, CLOWN, WHATEVER after that! All I have for team Sowanby is fake 🙃🙃🙃🤡🤡🤡 Anyway we still have to admit that the promise still stand true right, cuz it’s literal.🤣🤣🤣 MaliLandon fulfills his promise by eating Cleo. TYPICAL.

7) Holarke! Clarke is still handsome as ever😍. We can see his presence is clearly affecting Josie and making Hope giving him information. Can we talk about how cute is he sleeping soundly here?

8) Lizzie being the only unaffected queen here. AND IT’S FINALLY LIZZIE’S TURN FOR “AD SONNUM” I can totally see her pleasantness in doing that to somebody after being on the receiving end🤣🤣🤣 Josie and Hope had done it before so now we actually see her doing it. I somehow feel completed.

9) The look Hope and Josie shared. Hosie!

10) Josie is going to be the death of me! I like her look. And how the camera moving upward gosh! And I’m totally digressing here, what is a razzleberry? And what is a slush? I have no idea what they are, I just feel like tasting what she tasting now. Lizzie’s line, crashing and splashing😂 Am I colour blind? Cuz I really can’t tell whether Hope is wearing dark blue or dark green 😅 if it’s green, then the traffic lights colour are back again lol. If blue, then Hosie matching clothes! Did Finsie ever have matching colours? I’m just wondering.

11) Hosie scene! They talked about how seeing Clarke traumatised Josie~~ damn and Josie says traumatised is her permanent resting state. I mean even on her birthday she was buried alive lmao. And Hope wants to help Josie stop the traumas by sacrificing herself to defeat Malivore, like by literally dying. Which she didn’t want because she didn’t want to live forever.

12) Holarke scene again! I love all those banters and their dynamics😂😂 how Hope is the only one that trusts Clarke now. The mimic spell! It’s their thing😍😍. Oh it totally surprised me that Clarke isn’t mud man anymore. I’m really happy for him, because he finally break himself out of the abuse! It seems like triad is totally gone?? But I still kind of think that there may be something more? And Clarke’s reaction to Hope opening the artefact! 🤣🤣🤣 and the way that Clarke sensed the familiarity with Cleo! Yea boy, she’s the inspiration to the creation of you.

13) Clarke keeps calling Hope and Landon kids🤣 how’s the feeling of getting kid!Hope kicking your ass and saving you😂😂😂 oh she’s totally your equal. Frenemies at best! YES! I love Holarke bonding. And the fact that Clarke being Hope inspiration to believe in friendship and her family now can help her to defeat Malivore, I Stan! Don’t lose sight of the corner! Josie! Lizzie! Clarke! Yes you have them! I’m glad that Clarke didn’t die, I’ll be so mad because the writer would be bringing him back for nothing. Oh the incendia is painful, affecting me more than the fake looking MaliLandon eating Cleo. The height difference again🤣 with Holarke this time.

14) I love Maleb clothes, not really shipping them just short form for their bromance😂 but I do enjoy if there suggests shipping cuz it’s fun! Love that them being supportive of each other, superheroing, and the hero name🤣🤣they’re clueless too. Poor Kaleb and Cleo. I really need his backstory 😫

15) about hero names, I’m still having playback of “blursome and essential” in my mind. MG is looking at the mask longer than Kaleb, I feel like he’s missing Ethan, like a lot. Another thing is, since we see the effect of someone else being compelled so clearly, but we never seen Ethan’s compelling effects. Or it’s a budget matter? They must be kidding right? So maybe Ethan is really faking it? So that leads us to Lethan....

16) if my suspicion is true, then damn, Ethan is using Lizzie to get into SBS? I’m worried for Lizzie’s wellbeing. Also the look on Josie when Ethan drives near tight after she said like some eligible will fall out of the sky🤣🤣🤣 the timing is impeccable lmao. For real, Lizzie wanting Ethan to be Hope’s rebound after her kiss with him in the trio imagination, is ....so the trio is now sharing guys now? Jandon is still there in the history! It’ll be like a very messing love multi-triangle😌😌😌

17) the way Lizzie talked about how Hope is perfect the whole way and judging by the day when they arrived at SBS? That’s very long! Lmao, Lizzie are you sure you’re not in love with Hope? Hizzie rights! (I don’t even know when I started to ship Hizzie, it’s a mystery🤣) I think I can only talk like that about my love. Why don’t you make you and your sister Hope’s rebound? I’ll be happy with what I get🤣

18) The decision to bring Ethan on a tour, is so bad. What if ethan ended up enrolling SBS and Alaric can’t deny the application? Did she ever think of that?? And Josie and Mg is going to face the consequences in the near future🤣 dreadful! From there I already felt the cliche sweetness that when you’re trying to be a wingwoman and ended up “selling” yourself out🤣🤣 fuck CW for cutting the scenes of Lizzie’s epic facial expression when she was slapped with her own words😂😂😂anyway, it’s no way she can refuse the ask out after 315 where Lizzie still thinks that she can’t be the chosen one when Hope is there, but someone actually chooses her even after all the Hope is perfect speech. As much as I mourn for Methan and Mizzie, I’m happy that she got someone to tell her that. But I think they’re destined to backfire😅

19) so does the Mizzie “will they won’t they?” officially end here? I’m confused. Btw it’s really a way to mention Sebastian’s death being relocated permanently 🤣 oh wait...she knew that that prison world is destroyed forever right????? Someone save me.

20) okay I have to go back before Ethan picked the twins up: while Lizzie is actually worrying about themselves being stranded, Josie is just more concerned about Hope? Hosie! Poor Josie, she never sees that she is Hope soft spot and can totally make Hope happy too. Look at your dumb joke at 103, Hope’s laugh is magnificent too. It’s because of you. And yes I’m with Josie, I just ship Hope with herself and her axe right now, don’t put her with anyone for at least 5 more episode please.

21) The one that doesn’t dissolve into goo! Now is Clarke! And the both of you my dear twins. Btw, the dna thing, where Clarke confirms that dna is still toxic... so it applies to Landon too right? And it’s now just more overwhelmingly apparent that handon sex is without protection. Yea so much for epic love. And this is about the possibility where (hopefully) it’s not MaliLandon when the sex scene happened.

22) Finsie time! I got to say, it’s really improving. Their scene is beautiful, finally. That feeling that they’re nice together is now going on continuous for me. I’m happy for them! They are now stepping up on Hosie, not derogatory, I’m just seeing some parallels from hosie here. The disclose of Ethan broken arm, where Hosie has done, before that there’s Clarke’s traumatising Josie thing with Hosie. Next, the focus on the hand holding, I’m thinking of 207 and others. The “me being here with you”, with hosie 308 “then I’ll be here with you”. The whole thing is very comforting for Josie. The hug is good too. We can see that they finally have some nice scene and the bgm is good for them.

23) I have no idea what is magical agronomy, so I look it up. Again, that shows how Josie love plants, like someone in Reddit said they observed that Josie’s side of room has several plants. And in 307, the herbs, that she remembers. I think it can help a lot if Hope is starting a magical technology company. Josie’s interest in that can come in handy. They’ll make a great team. About TRIMINI INDUSTRIES tap here.

24) we are still missing Jed here. Justice for Jed. We need Jed real first name. Did anyone notice when the super squad faces MaliLandon there’s no werewolf present? They’re really downplaying that huh? But maybe I can be satisfied that they are not making Finch being there but not Jed.

25) We need to address this thing about Handon. It’s like one and a half time that Hope couldn’t recognise that Landon is not Landon right? We still have to give credits to her memories shared with Cleo actually make Cleo kind of recognise the difference? So half a time. I agree with Josie’s words that Landon makes Hope happy. I mean, yes, most of the time they failed in working but there’s still sweet scenes between them. So that’s actually what makes Handon tolerable. They are what makes me only do facepalm rather than skipping them. So yes of course Hope has happy moments with Landon. Just that it doesn’t mean that they’re good together.

26) it’s always Landon’s bros that first find out Landon wasn’t Landon😂 this time is Clarke. It’s Clarke that tell Hope, “Landon will never leave you”. That’s the inconsistency of the writers, not counting MaliLandon’s time, it’s still two times. And there’s time that some will argue that Landon’s feet literally walk away from Hope. So...that’s not true, do not stuff that in our throat anymore. “I always thought you two are destined to be together” is this the writer way of saying they’re not doing Handon anymore or otherwise? Cuz “thought” is past tense and “are” is present tense. I’m tired. It’s normal that Hope still wants Landon to be happy and still love him. But after the breakup, when she still doesn’t know that it’s MaliLandon, the “still dying to get Landon again” is obsession. Girl, it’s derogatory to your self-esteem. “If a mud man like me can beat his fate, maybe you kids can too” yea that’s Handon going on.

27) we shouldn’t need to be told that Handon is epic love multiple times. We should be able to feel them, see them ourselves. Why did I start approving Finsie now, because instead of them being only all talking and no showing, now we see them working well (until now). I have been widely accepting to any other legacies ships and why I never ship Handon? So really these multiple telling us that how good is Landon to Hope, is not working. I’ve never been so frustrated.

28) Let’s appreciate the Handon parallel with 101. It’s interesting that how Landon is inside the cage and Hope is outside the cage again. The meaning of the cage has deep meaning here. Handon first kiss is in the cage, that kind of mean that their love is trapped there. Like how their relationship being so troublesome and bound by these fateful encounters. The lights are quite similar, handon always has this blue lighting for them, which sometimes it’s kind of weird. The first time it is Hope decorating the ceiling with stars for Landon. It’s sweet, but also implying that what Handon has is the false beauty of them and not keeping the cage symbolism in mind. In other way of interpreting it, this is the writer foreshadowing their endgame. Cuz they’re trapped there, no way in no way out.

29) I think I’m not the only one bothered by the mostly lack of real Landon appearance in s3. As we can see how MaliLandon words sits so right about, Landon not belonging to SBS if it weren’t Hope. Then he leaves with Cleo, that’s a thing for Sowanby too, they still don’t have roots with the school, and it’s a great bonding between them, friendship or not. It’s the bond between them that matter. In 314 315, we always see that the students were totally fine without Landon. Like the three trios paralleling? It’s sad that Landon is like bouncing here and there in SBS but never really belong. And now the writers kind of ripped his personal development. So now he has neither his pheonix powers nor fighting skills, great? And even Hope’s growth too. We are seeing her moving to a good direction and the writers have to drag her back in the hell hole. Hope needs to not always looking at Landon for her happiness, it’s not good for the both of them. Like MG said, be your own person.

30) THEORIES regarding Landon: a) It’s MaliLandon all the way? I hope not, it’s reminding me of Lost Girl that one of the characters slept with the father personating the person she loves, and got pregnant. Tell you what was more alarming? When the episode ended, I was recommended to move on to Lost Girl on CW seed. It’s disgusting! Why do you want to help make me hate Handon? I don’t even hate them initially! I’m like struggling to be logical and lean on the positive side here. Why I can’t move on from this possibility: first, I’ve always headcannon that Malivore has partial control over Landon. Like how Landon actually wasn’t lying in 102 103? That’s Malivore. And Handon, as genius as always, doesn’t talk about it. Second, the way that Landon dissolved, he was human back then, but he turns into goo? how does it even work? If he is human, toxic to dna will make him die, not become goo, right? Even if that wasn’t a problem, it can also be MaliLandon trying his luck. Third, Malivore purpose is to make the perfect legacy, he will totally give it a try to make tribrid-Malivore babies. Fourth, during the inspiration from Cleo, MaliLandon has Landon’s memories, enhancing the theories that Malivore has partial control over Landon, so even if it wasn’t MaliLandon, it’s still partial-MaliLandon. Fifth, after the inspiration, MaliLandon said that he doesn’t need Hope to tackle his problem or for his purposes, which means he initially wanted Hope, thinking getting to Hope can help with his purposes. It’s really not a far-fetched.

31) THEORIES regarding Landon: b) it’s real Landon during sex, but Malivore got him in the prison world. While having Landon’s personal growth ripped and Handon still dragging out are not pleasant at all, this is still a more pleasant theory for me. At least Landon did start fighting for himself after sometime, and while the sex is still partial-MaliLandon, at least it’s not MaliLandon. (I’m always using at least for Handon 🙃) maybe we can still have Landon fighting skills? Cuz I was happy for him about this though. But I just don’t think so. The evidence for this theory is, my feeling about Landon in 306 is that it kind of fits Landon personality, but he did start his violence there. Another thing is the letter. There’s care in “to whom it may concern”. However, that can be just me being simp. And there’s also possibilities that the partial control from Malivore is cultivating Landon’s behaviour starting there and slowly taking control. Because making a deal with the devil always has its consequences. It’s either that or Landon was taken after the letter.

32) regarding the picture above, i just want to point out about another interesting point about the structure of the scene, if you scroll back and see sowanby picture with the door and another bonding talk, you can se that there’s always pillar and frames that’s framing or trapping them together. Like Handon. I mean that’s totally MaliLandon, so this pointing out is not mean to be romantic. It’s just a thought about how devastating that Cleo is stuck in something her whole life, especially the picture structure that implies that she’s stuck with MaliLandon again.

33) overall I’m thinking this is a good and disgusting episode. With all the unexpected twist, it’s really good, there’s actually layers in showing us that Landon is not Landon every time. Then those bonding. The soundtrack, the scenes. Disgusting, is about the theory, and how we are all tangled back to Handon again after we finally have some fresh air. Not to mention the always surprisingly convenient that Landon always has an excuse when we see Landon did something bad to Hope. Like he can never be making big mistake while only having little questionable doings that can’t possible tarnish him being the perfect person in the show. The first time he lies, Malivore controlled him. During the pageant competition, he is justified to walk away when he totally chose the wrong timing to ask that question, leaving Hope alone breaking in front of such important event. 207, monsters are coming for him, he’s protecting people by leaving. Musical episode, he needs to cross boundaries because it’s bound to be, without further reasoning it with Hope, when Hope specifically was very respectful of him in 111 about his songs. And now, this. That’s not him, we can’t blame him. He will never be blame for something big because the writers is biased. Very biased in making that Landon is better than anyone else in the show, so he’s the perfect guy for Hope. Like no one can compare with him. He’s almost perfect. Perfect than Hope.

34) Reflect on what Hope did in 308, MG is kind of right, she shouldn’t have touched it without fully prepared. Because it totally let Malivore running out free instead of him being an originally contained problem. It’s for the good view in whole. Heroes make hard decisions. There’s still the hair thing cut from Hope and Golem!Landon.

These pictures is my work, while it’s easy to get it yourself, and not that I’m professional in doing this. But I still did screenshot them one by one and did some editing. So please like or label the sources when you save or use it. ♥️

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half-bakedboy · 3 years

Text

one of the few things (read on ao3)

Pairing: Evan “Buck” Buckley/Eddie Diaz (& Eddie Diaz & Fire Fam) Rated: Gen Summary: “I want someone who’s going to take care of him, love him just as I would without babying him or making him feel like he can’t do things, you know? I want someone who is going to fight for him, not against him, who would literally go through hell for him because he deserves it--” Eddie cut himself off, but Hen didn’t need him to continue.

Or five times that Eddie tells someone else that Buck is Christopher's legal guardian plus one time he finally tells Buck.

Contains spoilers from Season 4 Episode 14: Survivors.

One.

“Hey, Hen, can I, uh, grab you for a minute before…” Eddie trailed off and Hen narrowed her eyes at the rest of the team who had already started excitedly toward the loft. She turned to Eddie who looked… anxious. It instantly unnerved Hen as just a few days ago, he was trapped under forty feet of dirt and almost lost his life, and even then, he let it slide past as if it was nothing.

“Yeah, Eddie, what’s up?” She asked, following him into the changing room where he seemed to deliberate between settling on the bench and standing a few too many times for Hen not to intervene. She rested her hand gently on his arm and smiled openly at him, hoping it would at least get him to stop pacing. “I gotta admit, you’re acting really weird, Diaz,” Hen teased.

Eddie sighed and relented, sitting down as he said, “I shouldn’t be this nervous. Or scared. Or… Whatever is happening in my head.” Hen squeezed his bicep and hoped she looked as confused as she felt. She was sure she must have been missing important details she needed to comfort Eddie like she instinctively wanted to.

“Whatever it is, you can talk to me,” Hen urged, “or I can go get Buck—”

“No!” Eddie said abruptly and Hen’s eyebrows shot straight to her forehead at what she thought was an overreaction.

“Alright…” Hen said slowly, crossing her legs because she was entirely more intrigued than she had been before. If Eddie didn’t want to talk to his best friend, it must have been something secretive and Hen was all for gossip. “You gonna let me inside that crazy head of yours?” She asked once Eddie finally looked up at her.

“If something were to… happen, to you and Karen? Who gets Denny?” Eddie asked quickly like he was ripping the proverbial band-aid off of the conversation. Hen considered him for a moment; the way he refused to look in her eyes and how he rubbed his fingers against the scratches on his face absentmindedly.

“First it would be Karen’s sister. Then, if for some reason she couldn’t, it’s Athena and Michael,” Hen told him.

“And how did you… decide?” Eddie asked, twiddling with his thumbs in his lap which was a habit she had seen Buck do on occasion, but never Eddie.

“It wasn’t really a decision. Karen and her sister made that choice before they even had kids and she’s the kind of person who needs backup plans. Athena and Michael made the most sense after that,” Hen explained. There wasn’t some big talk about it between her and her wife. They trusted few people in their lives, especially with the upbringing of their children, so the choice was pretty obvious when they felt the need to make it. That need came pretty quickly into Hen’s career as a firefighter when she realized she wasn’t as invincible as either of them wanted it to be.

“How did—When did you—” Eddie groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face. “I don’t know what to say next,” he said honestly.

Hen rested a soft hand on his back and reassured him, “You almost died a few days ago, Eddie, it’s normal to put some more thought into these things.” He smiled sadly up at her and it tore into her heart. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re thinking right now?”

“I don’t even know, Hen, I—” Eddie stood and started pacing again before Hen could stop him. It seemed like he needed to move so Hen crossed her arms over her chest and let him. “When Shannon died, my parents tried to take Christopher from me. They—They came here under the guise of support for my son and I and they just—” Hen didn’t know that and now that she did, heat boiled under her skin. She knew exactly what it felt like to have family try to take the most important person to a parent away and all she wanted to do was wrap Eddie up in her arms.

“Your parents are Christopher’s legal guardian right now?” Eddie nodded and let out a huff of laughter.

“I’m not quite sure they wouldn’t try to kill me themselves to get Christopher back,” Eddie joked but it fell flat as Hen stared up at him. Before she could say anything else, Eddie spoke quickly, as if figuring things out in his own mind, “I want someone who’s going to take care of him, love him just as I would without babying him or making him feel like he can’t do things, you know? I want someone who is going to fight for him, not against him, who would literally go through hell for him because he deserves it--” Eddie cut himself off, but Hen didn’t need him to continue.

“You want it to be Buck.” Maybe she should’ve been more surprised or she should’ve asked the question instead of saying it so surely and causing the bit of panic that erupted in Eddie’s eyes, but it was obvious in everything Eddie was expressing. There was one thing she didn’t understand, though. “What’s holding you back?” She asked, patting the seat beside her so she could rest her hand on his knee. He relaxed at the touch.

“What if he doesn’t want that?” Eddie muttered. Hen gave him a look that easily told him he was insane if he thought Buck wouldn’t agree if he was asked. “Okay, then what if—What if it means more than I’m willing to… think about?” Eddie asked, pressing his lips together and glancing up at Hen as if he had just bared his entire soul to her. He might as well have.

She couldn’t hold back anymore and pulled him into the tightest hug she could without risking additional pain to his already stiff muscles. She had always wondered if they were more. She had wondered if the times Buck teased Eddie were his roundabout way of flirting or if those moments when Eddie’s eyes lingered a little too long on Buck when he dove headfirst into danger meant… more. She wouldn’t ask, though, knowing that it was a journey Eddie needed to begin on his own. She couldn’t start that for him, but she would help him in any way she could.

When she pulled back, she said, “I’ve got an attorney who specializes in these kinds of matters. I can give you his number and maybe he can help you out?” Eddie nodded again, seemingly grateful for no extra rounds of questioning, and rested his hand over Hen’s that still patted at his knee.

“Thanks, Hen, just—Thanks.” He let out a long breath just as Buck knocked on the glass surrounding them, gesturing up to the loft and rubbing his stomach to probably indicate lunch was ready. He ran up the steps, tripping on the first one and glancing around to make sure no one had noticed, sticking his tongue in their direction when he realized he’d been caught. Hen laughed, gripping onto Eddie’s bicep as they both stood.

“You sure that’s who you want to parent your kid?” Hen asked. No response came because Eddie was too busy watching Buck in the kitchen, the grin wide on his lips followed by his own hysterical laughter as someone undoubtedly made fun of him. Eddie shook his head and smiled down at the floor before glancing up at Hen, blushing when he realized he had been caught lingering.

“I’ve never been more sure.”

Two.

If Carla was asked to choose her favorite clients, she would say it was impossible, but really, her answer was easy. The two men in front of her had spent the day together and still both were hesitating at leaving the residence. They had some more time, but they didn’t want to spend it away from each other, that much was clear. Carla also understood because if she was asked, she would easily say the Diaz-Buckley’s--as she so fondly called them in her mind.

“There’s some yogurt in the bottom drawer that Christopher doesn’t know about, so if he gets all of his homework done, he can have that as a treat before dinner,” Eddie instructed, glancing over to where Buck was leaning against the counter, his legs crossed and his arms over his chest as he stared at Eddie fondly.

“Yes, dad, I know the rules. I’ll make sure he finishes his homework before I let him raid the sugar drawer and spoil his dinner so that you have the hardest time getting him to bed,” Buck teased, winking at Carla as Eddie tossed the empty roll of paper towels in his direction. Buck caught it and sent a glare at Eddie, tossing it in the garbage like the well-oiled machine they always were. “You never let us have any fun,” Buck complained, pouting at Eddie who just rolled his eyes in response.

“Now, boys, don’t make me put you both in time out,” Carla chastised, her eyes darting between both of them playfully.

“Now you’re just threatening us with a good time, Carla,” Buck teased, pressing a kiss to her cheek as he walked past to grab his keys. “I figured Christopher and I could stop on the way home from school and grab some ingredients to make dinner together. You’ll be home by then, right?” He directed at Eddie who nodded almost shyly in return.

“Yeah, the meeting is at three and I don’t think it’ll take longer than two hours or so if everything goes as planned,” Eddie guessed, sliding his shoes on and nudging his shoulder into Buck’s when the other man tried to knock him over. Carla watched on affectionately, leaning her hip against the counter and raising her eyebrows at them as they turned, their arms pressed together even though there was plenty of room on either side of them.

“I’m gonna go get your kid. Good luck?” Buck offered and Eddie laughed, pulling him into a brief hug that, if Carla had to guess, he wanted to hold onto a little longer.

“Yeah, thanks, I appreciate you taking care of him,” Eddie said nervously, holding Buck at arm’s length and gazing up at him as if they were the only two people in the world. Carla wondered when they would start to realize they shared that look every time they saw each other.

“You know I’d drop everything for that kid, Eds,” Buck noted easily, patting Eddie’s cheek as he made his way out of the front door. When it shut, Eddie let out a deep breath and turned back to Carla who gave him what she hoped was a knowing look.

“You gonna tell me why we’re going to see this attorney now, Eddie?” Carla asked, raising her eyebrows at Eddie as his cheeks turned pink.

“After the well incident, I started doing some thinking…” Eddie trailed off and Carla just waited for his explanation. “I hadn’t really thought about my will since I left El Paso. I should’ve when Shannon died, but—”

“You were grieving,” Carla immediately interjected, knowing that Eddie still blamed himself for that-- and everything else--that wasn’t in his control. He glanced up at her and smiled before leaning back against the counter opposite Carla.

“I figured it was about time to think about it again so, Hen, our coworker, connected me with a local attorney who specializes in estate planning,” Eddie continued as if that explained exactly what they were doing. Carla nodded her head to urge him on and he took a deep breath as if preparing himself before he spoke again. “I’m going to make Buck Christopher’s legal guardian if anything were to happen to me,” he admitted, his eyes darting to Carla’s as if waiting for some big response.

“You said the meeting is at three, so we should probably be going,” Carla said, clapping her hands together as she stepped away from the counter.

“Wait, that’s it? You’re not going to question me or—or tell me to consider someone else?” Eddie asked. It was like he was repeating what someone else had already said, trying and failing to talk himself out of the decision that Carla couldn’t agree more with.

“You know your child better than anyone else, Eddie Diaz, and I’ve seen the way that man,” she gestured toward the front door where Buck had just left, “cares for your son. You’ve witnessed it more than any of us. If you believe that he is the best choice for Christopher if—God forbid—anything happens to his daddy, then it’s the right choice,” she finished, leaving no room for argument. Eddie nodded, staring up at her with wide eyes that shined with gratefulness and love. Carla held his face in her hands and nodded back reassuringly, hoping her words reverberated through that thick skull he had.

“You sure you don’t mind coming with me?” Eddie asked. “I—I want you to be there for this,” he added as if he needed to make sure she knew it. She did. She knew that she was just as important to the Diaz-Buckley family as they were to her and wondered how she ever got so lucky.

“I’m by your side through it all, right?” Carla reiterated, holding out her hand for Eddie to grab and dragging him through the door. They had a will to change.

Three.

“Hey, Cap, can you spare a minute?” Eddie asked, peeking his head into Bobby’s office with a feather-light rap of his knuckles on the door. Bobby gestured for him to have a seat and when Eddie shut the door behind him, Bobby had to admit he was a bit nervous by the sudden meeting.

“Everything okay, Eddie?” The nod he received in return did nothing to reassure Bobby when he saw the papers in Eddie’s hands.

“Everything is great, Cap. I’m feeling completely back in the game after the…” Eddie trailed off as if he couldn’t even mention the well and Bobby didn’t blame him. Everyone was still on edge from the fear they had felt that day, Bobby included. “I just wanted to talk to you about something,” Eddie began with a deep breath.

“You don’t have to be nervous, kid. Whatever you have to say, we’ll get through it,” Bobby reassured, leaning back in his chair to prepare himself for another member of his family to take their leave. It had hurt when Buck had looked him in the eyes and said those dreaded words, but he had almost been expecting them, but he always knew Buck would be back. Eddie looking in the same direction was a surprise that he wasn’t sure how he would handle. He wasn’t sure how Buck would handle it.

As if sensing Bobby’s own nervous energy, Eddie’s eyes darted to the papers in his hands and back up to his captain’s in panic. “Oh, no! No no no! This isn’t— Fuck, Bobby, I’m sorry. I’m not quitting if that’s what you’re thinking!” Eddie reassured and Bobby would be lying if he said his heart didn’t stop beating for a moment, so he was glad to feel it pump back up.

“That’s incredibly relieving to hear, Diaz,” Bobby said honestly, leaning forward onto his elbows placed on the desk. “Then…?” Bobby asked, holding out one hand for the papers that were slightly crumpled in Eddie’s tight grasp.

“Oh, yeah, I—” As if not knowing how to explain it himself, Eddie held out the papers, crushing them into Bobby’s hand. He had to smooth them out to read even the first sentence.

Last Will and Testament of Edmundo Diaz

Bobby glanced up at Eddie to ask what all of that was about, but Eddie just lowered his eyes to the papers as if pleading for Bobby to read so he didn’t have to explain out loud. Bobby nodded and continued scanning through the all too familiar words before a name caught his eye.

“In the event I shall die as the sole parent or guardian of my minor child, then I appoint Evan Buckley as legal guardian of said minor child,” Bobby read, hoping his shock wasn’t too prevalent on his face. He glanced back up at Eddie who was smiling almost proudly after hearing the words aloud. “Eddie, this is—”

“I’m sure about it, Bobby. No one is going to take care of that kid better than Buck would,” Eddie said quickly and defensively. Bobby rested a hand on the back of Eddie’s that had clenched into an anxious fist on the desk between them.

“I was going to say that this is a great honor for him,” Bobby said slowly, leaning his head down so that Eddie would look at him. “Why are you giving this to me, though?”

“Everyone who needs one has a copy. My attorney, my abuela, my doctor, and Carla, just to be safe,” Eddie explained. Bobby couldn’t help but notice there was a very important person absent from that list. He didn’t need to say anything as Eddie sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. “I can’t tell him yet, it's just—It’s not the right time… for us.”

The us was louder than Bobby thought Eddie had intended it to be.

“I’ll keep this in your file, but you know I have to urge you to tell him before it’s my responsibility,” Bobby said. “You know better than any of us that in this job, things can go wrong faster than they can go right again. Buck isn’t going to let you down with this,” Bobby promised because he truly believed it. He thought that Eddie did, too.

“I know and I’ll tell him. When the time is right,” Eddie said with a nod. He stood up and wandered to the door, turning back to his captain with another small smile on his lips as he added, “And thank you. What you think means the world to both Buck and I which is why I—” Bobby nodded in understanding and opened his bottom drawer to file the important paperwork away.

“Hey, it’s what I’m here for,” Bobby said before adding, just for good measure, “remember that.”

Four.

Maddie watched her brother cradle her newborn child in his arms and a warmth she had never known before spread throughout her entire body. Eddie was leaning over, wiggling his finger above her face before gliding it delicately down the bridge of her nose and her pouty lips, her eyes mesmerized by the motion. He let her grab onto it, his face feigning pain as if her small form could ever inflict it. Maddie couldn’t help but notice how Buck was staring at Eddie at that moment and was almost too focused on what a perfect little family they would make when Chim walked in with an armful of drinks.

“So, do we get to tell him now, or…” Chim asked excitedly, smacking his hands on his thighs as he sat on the couch. Buck refused to hand the baby off to anyone else, cradling her in one arm as he used the other to take a large gulp of the lemonade Chim brought out. Eddie watched them carefully as if making sure Buck didn’t drop her while simultaneously eyeing the way his throat bobbed and she suppressed a laugh behind closed lips.

“Tell him what?” Eddie asked, taking a sip of his own drink and gulping almost nervously. Maddie tilted her head at him, asking him silently if everything was okay and he nodded in response, smiling softly at her.

“Well, Buck, as you know, Jee-Yun here is very lucky to have two parents who love her in her life, that will do anything in the world for her,” Maddie began, resting her arm on Chim’s shoulder and gesturing for him to continue just as they had practiced.

“You also know that literally no tomorrow is guaranteed,” Chim said solemnly, reaching to brush his finger down Jee-Yun’s arm. She instinctively reached out to her father and Maddie’s heart squeezed in her chest.

“We were hoping that you would accept the honor of being Jee-Yun’s god—”

“Yes! Oh my god, are you kidding me?!” Buck interrupted, his eyes darting from Maddie, to Jee-Yun, and over to Eddie who had a smile on his face that looked... fake if Maddie had to put a word to it.

“This is a gift that can be taken away at any time, Buckley, remember that, but yes. We want this for her, both of us,” Chim said, holding onto Maddie’s hand and staring up at Buck seriously. No matter what Chim would say, he didn’t need nearly as much convincing as Maddie had been prepared to do to make Buck Jee-Yun’s godfather. It was either him or Albert and neither of them was about to leave that responsibility to the person still sleeping on their couch.

“You’re not gonna judge me if I cry, right?” Buck asked, sniffling exaggeratedly and holding Jee-Yun even closer to him. He looked down at her like she was his world and everyone in the room knew it was true. Maddie couldn’t help but glance back at Eddie who still had that faux smile plastered on his lips. She tried not to be offended as she walked by him, knocking her knee against his and gesturing for him to follow her to the kitchen.

Buck pulled her into a one-armed hug and kissed her cheek before she could pass, whispering words of thanks into her ear. Before they could get too far, he grabbed Eddie’s arm and raised the baby up as if offended he could possibly leave the room without saying goodbye. Eddie pressed his lips gently against Jee-Yun’s outstretched hand and for a moment, Maddie thought Buck was going to toss their friendship out of the window and kiss him even though he had his godchild in his arms. Instead, he let Maddie pull Eddie away.

She crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrows expectantly. When he didn’t speak up and actively avoided her gaze, she spat, “Spill it, Diaz.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Eddie said, mimicking Maddie’s pose and narrowing his eyes in her direction.

“Don’t pull that with me, Eddie. I saw that flash of worry before you pretended to be happy my kid had a kickass godfather, so spill or I bring Buck in here to—”

“No, don’t—!” Eddie sighed, and pushed off of the counter, pulling Maddie further into the kitchen so they were out of sight of Chim and Buck. “He can’t know, not yet.”

“Can’t know what? That you’re in love with him and want him to have your babies?” Maddie teased, eyes widening when Eddie didn’t even bother to convince her otherwise. “Oh my god, I knew it!” She yelled, smacking Eddie a few times in excitement. He rolled his eyes at her, a look she had seen directed at her brother more times than not, but she wasn’t worried, because there was too much affection in the gaze.

“Good to know both Buckley’s need to be the loudest person in the room,” Eddie noted, peeking around the corner to make sure the other two were still preoccupied.

“You can’t insult us anymore, now that I know for sure that you love him!” Maddie squealed, holding onto Eddie’s arm that was crossed over his chest again. “But wait, that doesn’t explain why you’re so…” She mouthed an exaggerated frown and furrowed her eyebrows to mimic his face only for him to roll his eyes again.

“I didn’t look like that,” Eddie complained.

“You’re doing it right now,” Maddie said, pushing at the wrinkles in between his eyes with her index finger so that he might relax his face. He laughed and swatted her hand away, but didn’t let it go far. He held it carefully in his, staring down at her fingers like he was avoiding her questioning. “What’s going on, Eddie?” She asked quietly, ducking her head so he would look at her.

“Remember a few months ago when…” He trailed off and Maddie immediately knew what he was talking about. “I almost didn’t make it out and all I could think about was my kid. You get that now, right?” Eddie asked, nodding his head over to where Buck had finally given Jee-Yun back to her father. Maddie knew exactly what he meant. Nothing else was more important than Jee-Yun anymore.

“What does that have to do with my brother?” Maddie asked. She didn’t mean it to sound unkind, but Eddie blushed and ducked his head again and she was worried that maybe she had pushed just a little too hard. Buck had warned her that Eddie was like that sometimes; open until he wasn’t, guarding every little piece of him to protect himself and Christopher. She had yet to see it but hadn’t yet had the opportunity to really bond with him. She knew that moment was as important as it felt.

“I haven’t told Buck,” Eddie warned before continuing, “but after everything that happened, I decided to make him Christopher’s legal guardian in the case that I… die.” Maddie’s jaw dropped open and she had to hold her hands back or risk smacking him again.

“And Buck doesn’t know this?” Maddie asked because she couldn’t have heard him correctly. Why wouldn’t Eddie have told him? It made absolutely no sense in her mind and her blank stare must have clued him in.

“If I tell him, I have to admit that maybe my reasoning isn’t ‘hey, my best friend should be the one to take care of the most important thing in my life’ and more…” He trailed off with a sigh and repeated Maddie’s earlier words, “more that I'm in love with him and want him to actually have my babies.” The admission made Maddie burst into hysterics, Eddie throwing his hand over her mouth before the other two could hear them. It was too late, though, because Buck wandered around the corner, concern in his eyes.

“I know you and Chim aren’t married yet, but he’s like… right there, Mads,” Buck joked, gesturing over his shoulder where Chim was too focused making faces at Jee-Yun to care about what was happening in the kitchen. His eyes darted back and forth between the two of them with not as much playfulness in them as his words insinuated. Maddie pushed Eddie away with a laugh and a smack to his arm causing him to roll his eyes again.

“Watch it, Buckley, or I might make my new favorite firefighter Jee-Yun’s godfather,” Maddie threatened with a wink at Eddie before she waltzed toward her brother. When she was close enough, she whispered, “Jealousy is a new look for you.” She barely avoided the hand that swatted at her as she went to go hold her baby, leaving the two of them to talk.

She tried not to focus on the way Buck and Eddie worked so easily around each other or how Eddie treated Buck like he was something of utmost importance. She had also never seen her brother fit so perfectly to someone else’s side and the two of them together, playing with Jee-Yun and handing her back and forth until she fell asleep, was almost too much for her heart to bear.

As they said their goodbyes, Maddie pulled Eddie closed and whispered, “The way you saw Buck look at Jee-Yun tonight? It’s the same way I’ve seen him look at Christopher.” Eddie nodded back, his eyes shining in agreement like he didn’t need to be told twice. “He deserves to know,” Maddie urged softly, squeezing his arms as she pulled away.

“I’ll tell him about Christopher, I will,” Eddie promised, glancing over to where Buck placed multiple small kisses to Jee-Yun’s sleeping face.

“Tell him about you, too, okay?” Maddie asked, patting his cheek gently. “He looks at you the same way you look at him.” Eddie seemed too stunned to respond and by the time he pulled himself out of it, Buck was tossing his arm around Eddie’s neck and leaning into him sleepily.

“Ready to head home?” Buck asked as if home was the same place for both of them.

“Yeah, I am,” Eddie responded easily. With one last glance back, he mouthed his silent thanks at Maddie who nodded back and smiled warmly at him.

Once the door shut, Chim wrapped his free arm around her waist and muttered, “We made the right choice, huh?” Maddie smiled, that warmth in her chest spreading further as she glanced at the love of her life holding her infant, then to the door where the first person she had ever loved more than herself had exited.

“We all did.”

Five.

Eddie wasn’t expecting the question when it came. He was eating breakfast with Christopher who had spent the majority of his morning complaining that they had run out of his favorite cereal. He half considered asking Carla to pick some up on her way over, but Christopher settled for eggs and toast and was chatting away about his new friends at school, so he let himself space out. Eddie was not much of a morning person.

“…And Alyssa lives with her grandma because her parents couldn’t take care of her. Mrs. Quinn said sometimes that happens and kids have to go live with other people,” Christopher explained and Eddie nodded in response, not really paying attention to the conversation in favor of spacing out at the full plate in front of him.

“That’s great, buddy,” he said absentmindedly, compiling a grocery list in his head that he would have to find the energy to do after his shift. He was grateful that Buck had offered to spend some time with Christopher this weekend because that meant he might be able to get a nap in when they inevitably played Punch Planet.

“Who would take care of me if you couldn’t?” Christopher asked and Eddie froze. He continued to stare down at his plate, his eyes wide as he let the question echo through his mind. “Dad?” Christopher asked.

“I, uh—Sorry, kid, what was that?” Eddie asked even though he had heard the question quite clearly. He just wasn’t sure how to answer.

“Who would take care of me if you couldn’t?” Eddie cleared his throat and tried to come up with an answer. Turns out, Eddie didn’t have to because Christopher already had the perfect one. “I think it should be Buck,” he decided, nodding his head as he grabbed another forkful of eggs.

Eddie’s head shot up and he gaped over at Christopher as he squeaked, “You do?” Something about Christopher agreeing with the enormous decision Eddie grappled over for weeks had his heart beating out of his chest even though he shouldn’t have been so surprised.

“Yeah,” Christopher began as he swallowed his eggs, “he would still make me do my homework before I could have dessert, but he would play video games with me and help me do really cool things.”

And wasn’t it really that simple? Buck would treat Christopher exactly how he deserved and nothing more or less. Eddie had seen it for almost a year—longer if he allowed himself to think about it—and Christopher obviously had no issues with it. Buck fit into their family just as he was, with no expectations or exceptions. Suddenly, Eddie wasn’t sure why he was so nervous to let Buck in on the secret he had held so close to him for such a long time.

“Would you like that? If Buck were to be the one to take care of you?” Eddie asked almost shyly.

“Buck already takes care of me,” Christopher decided and yeah, he was right. Buck already took care of Christopher— and Eddie—so it only made sense. Eddie had known that, but to get confirmation from his son was everything he could have wanted it to be. “Only if you can’t,” Christopher added sternly as if it needed to be said. Eddie let out a huff of laughter, reaching across the table to pat Christopher’s hand softly.

“Yeah, only if I can’t,” Eddie confirmed, “and we’re going to hope that never happens, okay?” Christopher seemed satisfied with that and nodded, taking a bite of his toast and turning his hand so he could hold his dad’s tightly. Eddie wasn’t sure what he had done right in his life to deserve the family he had—Buck included—but he wasn’t about to question it, not when things were so good.

Plus one.

Eddie had been shot. A bullet found its way through Eddie’s shoulder while his blood splattered onto Buck’s face, a heat he wished he could forget but was etched into his mind. He had done his best to keep Eddie alive in the firetruck, pressing his hand to the gaping wound while the other hovered uselessly over his face, a shouted reassurance that they were almost to help. To Buck’s utmost relief, the surgeons had saved him, and he was grateful he was with Christopher when he got the news.

The waiting was the worst of it. He stayed with Christopher because he couldn’t go home without knowing that Eddie’s son was safe each night and every morning and they waited together. Christopher woke him up most days which he tried not to beat himself up about. He did feel a little guilty for how much he apparently snored as Christopher would not stop pointing it out, but he was okay with being the butt of the joke because it meant that Christopher was smiling even though Eddie had still not woken up.

When he got the news Eddie was conscious, it took everything in him not to spend every waking moment at his bedside. He updated Eddie on Christopher’s schoolwork, what he had for breakfast and dinner each day, even little details that he was sure the father didn’t care about, but Eddie listened to them all. He stared over at Buck with so much appreciation in his eyes and Buck almost couldn’t stand it. Not when he had messed up and Eddie didn’t know.

“He doing okay?” Eddie asked, waiting until after he was sure the video call had ended. Christopher had a bright smile on his face that matched the joyous laughter that left his lips the moment he saw his father, but they all knew the last few days had to have been tough on him.

“Better than me,” Buck huffed, “I, uh, kind of lost it when I told him you got shot,” Buck admitted when he couldn’t hold it in any longer. Eddie was falling asleep, his eyes blinking slowly as if trying to keep them open. Buck wanted to stroke his hand over Eddie’s hair and kiss his forehead until he let himself dream again. “I’m sorry, I—should’ve held it together.”

“You were there for him when I couldn’t be. That’s what matters,” Eddie said simply, but that wasn’t enough. He wasn’t enough for Christopher and no one could be except for his father who was currently in a hospital bed for the second time since Buck had known him.

“Still,” Buck began, “I think it might’ve been better for him if I was the one who got shot.” If looks could kill, Buck would’ve taken Eddie’s spot in that bed. Eddie tried to sit himself up as if preparing himself to chastise the man beside him for his words, but Buck retracted them quickly, sensing the discomfort it had Eddie feeling. “I’m sorry, I didn’t—Just get some rest, Eddie, you can yell at me later,” Buck promised, finally relenting to his urges and grabbing Eddie’s hand in his. The touch relaxed Eddie and Buck decided not to think of what that could mean.

He left before Eddie could have the chance to make due on the promise and when Buck could finally come back, Eddie didn’t seem to be in the mood for yelling. He looked too serious considering that’s all anyone had been for the last few days. The sniper was caught and at home, Christopher and the rest of Eddie’s family were preparing to welcome him with the warmth he deserved after his time in the hospital. Eddie patted the bed next to him, said he had been meaning to talk to Buck and it was like ice shot through his entire body.

“So, you might have noticed I almost died. Again,” Eddie said as if it wasn’t playing on repeat in Buck’s head every time he closed his damn eyes. “Yeah, I’ve had a lot of close calls. This one wasn’t even my closest,” he pointed out as a huff of laughter escaped his lips.

“Eddie…” Buck began, but Eddie shook his head.

“Just let me finish?” Eddie pleaded, finally glancing up at Buck with a softness in his eyes Buck wasn’t prepared for. Buck quieted. “After the last time, when that well collapsed on top of me—”

“Which you survived,” Buck pointed out, pressing his lips together when Eddie glared over at him. There wasn’t nearly enough heat in it, but Buck opted to really let him continue that time.

“After that, it got me thinking—you know, what would happen to Christopher if I hadn’t?” Buck was about to interrupt again, reminding him of all of the people—including himself—that wouldn’t hesitate to take care of Christopher, but the words got caught in his throat because he couldn’t imagine a life without Eddie in it just yet. “So, I went to my attorney and changed my will. So someday if I, uh, didn't make it... Christopher would be taken care of. By you.”

“What?” Buck asked through bated breath. He lost the steady beat of his heart, the comforting rise and fall of his chest, and the ability to control the way his hands shook in his lap at the admission. Eddie seemed to notice and turned toward him, holding his trembling fingers in one hand and avoiding Buck’s eyes once again. Buck couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t looking at him, opting instead to stare at the plain white floor as if the tiles were more interesting than the life-changing news he had just shared.

“It's in my will that if I die, you become Christopher's legal guardian,” Eddie explained simply. He said the words with such a clear voice, so sure that it was the right decision, and Buck couldn’t think enough to argue against it.

“I mean, h-how—How does that even work? Don't you—Don’t you need my consent?” Buck stuttered, his mouth barely able to catch up with all of the questions racing through his mind.

“My attorney said you could refuse,” Eddie noted, an upturn to his lips that almost had Buck laughing.

“You know I wouldn’t,” Buck finished for him.

“Nah, I know you wouldn’t,” Eddie said as if proud that he was right. Buck felt a warmth spread throughout him at the thought of Eddie innately knowing him so well. Then all he could think about were reasons why what Eddie was saying didn’t make any sense.

“I mean, he--he has grandparents, other family,” Buck began, but Eddie just shook his head again and held Buck’s hands tighter in his. He could finally feel them settle and equated that to Eddie’s calming touch.

“Yeah,” he let out a dry laugh, “after Shannon left, they all tried to guilt me into giving Christopher to them. It's not what I wanted then, it's not what I want now.” If Buck knew anything about Eddie, it was that when he knew what he wanted, nothing was going to change that. The way Eddie stared so firmly at their entwined hands both scared him and elated him.

Buck hated thinking about it already, but he had to ask, “ If it came to that, w-wouldn't they fight for him?” Eddie considered the question for a moment, but only a brief one.

“I don't know. Maybe. Probably.” When Eddie finally glanced away from their hands, Buck saw the worry clouding his muted eyes. He wasn’t sure how to make it go away and that killed him almost more than seeing Eddie lying just out of reach. “But no one will ever fight for my son as hard as you. That is what I want for him.” There was nothing Buck could say in return, because there was no denying it. Buck would do anything for that kid, but he still had one more question.

“Well, you said you did this last year. Why are you just telling me now?” As if Eddie had expected and dreaded the question, he glanced away from Buck once more, removing his hands from Buck’s slowly. Buck wished he hadn’t.

“Because, Evan,” Eddie began and Buck was sure that was the first time Eddie had used his given name. He had always hated it. It was a token that his parents had given him that they treated like a gift and he usually wanted nothing to do with it, but coming from Eddie’s mouth, it sounded like music. “You came in here the other day and you said you thought it would have been better if it had been you who was shot.” He shook his head and stared at the wall in front of him. Buck tried to meet his eyes, but Eddie wouldn’t budge, letting out a long sigh.

“You act like you're expendable, but you're wrong.”

Buck had never felt a surge of emotions quite as strong as the ones that rushed through him at those words. When Eddie finally pulled his eyes away from the blank wall to meet Buck’s gaze, his eyes held everything Buck had ever wanted to see. The years he spent gaining Eddie’s friendship, his trust, his love, had amounted to something more than Buck had ever expected it to. His eyes screamed that Eddie loved him back.

“Why are you just telling me now?” Buck repeated because as much as he appreciated the answer he received--and would be thinking about it like a spiral in his mind for as long as he lived--there was something more held in Eddie’s gaze and Buck wanted that just as bad.

Eddie cupped Buck’s face in his uninjured hand, licking his lips before he admitted, “Because I’m ready .” It was as if both of them could finally breathe as Eddie explained, “For us to be more. That is, if you—” Buck didn’t let him finish. He moved carefully forward, pressing their lips together gently, twin sighs leaving their mouths as they finally— finally —took that extra step forward.

It was a leap both of them were ready to take, one that Buck had waited for since the moment he saw Eddie’s strength, his bravery, his loyalty, his love. It was that final jump into each other’s arms that meant they were nothing if not family. Eddie had just taken it a year sooner than Buck had expected and that was completely okay with him.

#buddie #evan buckley #eddie diaz #henrietta wilson #chimney han #maddie buckley #bobby nash #carla price #christopher diaz #buddie fic #buck x eddie #eddie x buck #911 #911 on fox #I love this fic #so i hope you do too!!!#my writing #911 spoilers

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