#gennie lock

[calbun]

what does genny like to do in his spare time? is he a board games type of guy or does he just doomscroll on social media or wha

when theres no one for him to play with/torment, he tries his damndest to entertain himself with the character sprites at his disposal, putting on little "puppet shows" for himself.

he runs out of ideas eventually. it gets lonely and boring, despite the level of influence he has over his world to do whatever he wants. it doesnt mean anything to him unless theres someone to share it with.

......

.......

......so yes he probably does doomscroll social media. (IN his head btw bear in mind hes a digital being and his world is also himself)

i bet he trolls comment sections. what a sad beast

#lock answers #genny tag <3 #appreciate the ask!

[rottenpumpkin13]

GENESIS RHAPSODOS HEADCANONS

[these are my headcanons, meaning the way I view him in my head and may not follow popular fanon]

↘︎ Genesis was trained in fencing as a child. This was his introduction to sword-fighting and what ignited his proficiency in swordsmanship—of course this is also the root cause of why his sword is modeled after a rapier.

↘︎ He was obligated to study Latin, old Banoran, and Mideelese when he was a boy and is proficient in all three, though sadly not completely fluent in any.

↘︎ He has a golden singing voice and makes sure everybody knows. He had started learning to play the piano as a young boy but that was cut short when he enlisted in the army.

↘︎ He still has his favorite stuffed animal from childhood, a plush phoenix named Braeburn. It’s a little worn and its fabric is matted but it’s still locked away somewhere in his closet

↘︎ Genesis is a total apple snob, frequently being rather arrogant in his opinions—e.g.: he thinks gala apples are atrocious.

↘︎ He claims to only listen to classical pieces and musical soundtracks, but anyone who knows him IRL knows how big of a lie that is. Genesis is obsessed with the band LOVELESS and can turn into a complete metalhead when he’s in a fiery mood. He’s also big into trashy pop music. Big.

↘︎ His childhood endeavors included participating in musicals and other performances, seeing as he did theatre in late childhood. He was also encouraged by his parents to enter various competitions. The trophies can still be found on his desk in the Banora mines.

↘︎ As I kind of teased here, Genesis’s parents are—contrary to popular belief—pretty decent people. Angeal would describe them as ‘eccentric rich people’ while Genesis would regard them as having no filter whatsoever. They’re Genesis’s #1 fans and love to boast about his achievements.

↘︎ Genesis’s mother and Gillian call him Genny, and he endures it seething with rage.

↘︎ Genesis’s relationship with his parents became strained in his teen years but mellowed out once he reached adulthood. His parents are the primary Banora White and Banora White juice exporters in Banora.

↘︎ Genesis can cook. How did he learn? By spending too much time around Gillian Hewley as a child, leading him to pick up the basics. And of course, he’s a big reader so he can follow a recipe—oftentimes challenging himself to cook complicated dishes. Genesis can bake, although he rarely has the patience to, and his specialties include Banora White apple pie and apple tart.

↘︎ Amongst his many pet peeves, his primary ones include seeing his name misspelled and not being the center of attention

↘︎ He’s sometimes invited to model and do photo ops for famous designers, something he’s immensely praised for due to his attractive features.

↘︎ Genesis isn’t scared of insects and certain animals like rats, so much as he’s grossed out by them. Having said that, he will scream.

↘︎ People who’ve met him say he smells like apples, cinnamon, and expensive cologne

↘︎ He’s a social butterfly and has friends in multiple departments at ShinRa. He often uses this as a ruse to get out of doing work. Lazard is tired of sending awkward 3rd classes to go fetch Genesis from the General Affairs floor, where they find him gossiping. Needless to say, his eternal best friends are Angeal and Sephiroth.

↘︎ Genesis also has many friends in the theatre industry and regularly supports smaller shows, and sometimes appears on podcasts.

↘︎ As much as he and Sephiroth fight and argue, they both know it’s purely for entertainment and would never deliberately hurt each other. Angeal gets a kick out of making them hug it out after every argument

↘︎ Genesis would never openly admit the jealousy and resentment he harbors toward Sephiroth, but he would also never reveal the respect he has for him. Genesis loves to buy Sephiroth childish knick-knacks, candy, and other stuff he knows Sephiroth never got to experience.

↘︎ Genesis himself has no filter and will openly insult and demean people in the name of being “honest.” He’s also a serial gossiper and will even go out of his way to create rumors to feed the mill at ShinRa.

↘︎ His first kiss was with a girl from Banora village. He kissed her under the large Dumbapple tree on his family’s property. Afterward, he got curious and kissed her twin brother in the very same spot.

↘︎ He avoids the sun like the plague in the summer for fear of his freckles resurfacing.

↘︎ He has a series of writing WIPs he never finishes and never will finish due to his dissatisfaction with his own writing.

↘︎ He refers to Angeal and Sephiroth as Angela and Sophia for laughs. He shuts up quickly when they call him Genevieve though.

↘︎ If you see him wearing sunglasses at 7 AM indoors, there’s a 97.8% chance he’s hiding the dark circles he acquired after staying up the whole night reading. Bonus points if he has overpriced coffee in his hands.

↘︎ He’s actually fiercely protective over Zack and Cloud, who he affectionately calls Puppy and Baby Chocobo. He would never admit this, of course, and whenever he sees the pair he goes “Oh, Goddess, the children are here.”

↘︎ Contrary to popular belief, he does hand in his paperwork and mission reports on time. Goddess forbid he’s outbested by Sephiroth in that department and seen as anything other than the perfect SOLDIER.

#ff7 #ffvii #ffvii crisis core #genesis rhapsodos #genesis rhapsodos headcanons #final fantasy #final fantasy 7 #sephiroth #angeal hewley #cloud strife #zack fair #headcanon #crisis core #headcanons

[baileys-3]

Another little sneak peak for you. This time on Chapter 5. Tim is with his sister Genny and helps her with the move and a few things that need to be done around the house on his day off. In the evening he has his first date with Lucy. The sneak peak is told from Genny's point of view.

Briefly the current status: Chapter 8 - 41000 words, period between 5x10 and 5x11

Let's go and enjoy:

"Do you want a coffee?"

Tim stretches briefly and nods to her. "Yeah. Coffee sounds good."

Genny slaps her hands together briefly and then wipes them on her trousers. On her way to the kitchen, a spontaneous idea strikes her. After all, Tim has been helping her all day and they had only had a couple of sandwiches with sausage and cheese for lunch. He at least deserves something warm to eat if he's already sacrificing his day off.

"Should we order pizza tonight? Or something else? We could watch some game on the side. I'm sure the boys would like it if they could watch a game with you."

She presses the coffee machines on switch as she passes, then goes to the shelf with the cups. And then two things happen at once.

Tim takes a little too long to answer and stammers something. Tim stammers to himself? That's unusual.

"Umm ... well ... good idea. But I don't have time today."

And just at that moment Tim's mobile phone lights up. Which he had taken out of his pocket while assembling the shelf and placed on the shelf under the coffee cups. The shelf she is now standing in front of. And of course, her gaze wanders to his mobile phone. She doesn't do it on purpose. But when a black screen suddenly lights up, you just have that instinct. She can't help it.

And she sees that he has received a message. She sees the name light up. And below that, the message text, which is displayed in full on the lock screen. "What kind of weird feature is that?" Genny thinks. When is the whole message previewed on the lock screen? But probably that had been set on Tim's phone by default and he had never changed it.

Lucy

I am ALWAYS on time. Do you think I don't know that you've been setting all your clocks to be five minutes fast for years???? P.S Are you waiting for me in the car park or inside? 😇

Genny combines both pieces of information in her head in seconds and is pretty sure Tim doesn't have time for pizza because he's meeting Lucy. Interesting. Doesn't mean anything though because it could be purely professional.

#archive of our own #chenford #chenford fanfic #lucy chen #the rookie #tim bradford x lucy chen #tim bradford #chenford fic #tim x lucy #ao3 writer #fanfiction working process #ao3

[four-loose-screws]

FE2 Novelization Translation - Chapter 2 Part 3

If you would like to start from the beginning, read a missed part, etc., click here!

FE Game Script Translations - FE Novel Translations - Original FE Support Conversations

If you are interested in donating to support my work, please check out my Ko-fi here. Thank you!

———————————

Chapter 2 - Mila’s Restoration Army

Part 3 - The Necrodragon's Trial

"Necrodragon Shrine" was just a name, or so Celica thought. The land of Zofia was under Mila's divine protection. Meaning it should have been unthinkable that one of Duma's guardian beasts could step foot in this country. 

However, that was all her wishful thinking. As Saber maneuvered the ship through the strait, still locked up in the helm room with Genny as his hostage; the waves were gradually becoming so high and violent that it felt as if the calm waters before now were all a lie, and dark clouds even moved in and covered the skies. Yet the ship moved straight ahead as if it was being pulled forward. 

Celica and the others all stood at the bow of the ship to confirm the path before them. They saw a small but tall black island, which appeared to be only the top of a steep mountain peeking out from the sea.

The island, shaped like the horn of a unicorn, was at the very center of the high waves and dark clouds. It was as if the island pierced through the skies and opened a hole from which the dark clouds and storm poured forth.

The ship reached land, and when Saber emerged from the helm room with Genny, hands tied behind her back, everyone else had no choice but to follow him. There was no flat land on the island for him to land the boat on. His only option was a steep cliff that rubbed against the side of the ship, which led to a single cave at the exact height of the deck.

They did as Saber ordered, and crossed the deck towards the cave, then gingerly followed each other one after the other across the rickety bridge leading to the cave, jostled by the violent seas. Celica took the lead, followed by Valbar holding his lance out at his hip, then Leo, Kamui, Boey, and Mae. Last was Genny and Saber, holding his knife against her back.

Then, Celica saw it. It appeared all too suddenly. It blocked her path, as if to say, 'Your fear is not caused by the power I will exert over you. Just standing here before you is enough to send you into pure terror.'

'It' was a massive necrodragon. Its body was like that of a lizard, its wings a bat, its tail a poisonous serpent, and its head a dragon. The rock wall of the mountain had been smashed in a way that allowed its body to fit perfectly inside the cave, meaning that this cave was its birthplace. The sacred light that radiated from within it was as bright as a burning fire.

A necrodragon was here. In Zofia. When she realized exactly what that meant, Celica was petrified in horror. Earth Mother Mila had lost all power over Zofia. And its presence also meant that Duma, the violent god of war, had to be the one who stole it from her. 

The first lesson drilled into the heads of the clergy was that of the Divine Accord between Mila and Duma. Until now, it has been as essential to their world as the air they breathed.

'This means that the Divine Accord is no more. Duma has broken it.'

Celica thought. That was the one certain truth at this moment. Yet knowing the truth did not mean she knew what would come of it. What would become of a world where the Divine Accord was broken? Not being able to guess made her feel pure terror.

'We must restore Mila to her rightful place, and reinstate the Divine Accord!' Her determination to go to the Mila Shrine was greater than ever, as if she had dropped an anchor in the seas of her heart.

"You go to the rear, Celica. Assume white swan formation!" Valbar shouted before the necrodragon's might.

Valbar was the vanguard, with Leo nocking an arrow behind him, and Kamui standing at a slight diagonal behind them, ready to support either the front or rear lines. The slightly curved line they created looked like the soft neck of a white swan. Boey and Mae stood next to each other, making up the wings, and protecting Celica in the back.

Now was not the time for them to feel threatened by Saber and make their moves based on that. Their current reality was nowhere near that soft. 

The fierce gust of wind the necrodragon blew in their direction was so great that it made even the fully armored Valbar shake.

He thrust his iron lance, twice as long as he was tall, into the wind, but it did not cause the necrodragon to flinch as it bared its fangs at him, fangs that bit through even his steel armor.

The beast flicked Valbar's body backwards, and he crashed to the ground. Genny tried to run up and heal him, but Saber strengthened his grip around the rope he was keeping her tied up with, preventing her from doing so.

Leo shot his nocked steel arrow. The arrow flew in vain past the necrodragon's neck, and smashed the rock behind it to pieces. The necrodragon immediately turned in the direction of the bow and stretched out its tail, which it swayed to unleash an attack in front of Leo.

Leo was knocked back and rolled across the ground until he stopped at Saber's feet. Genny tried to bend down to assess his wounds, but Saber would not allow even that.

"Thunder! Cut down my enemy!" Boey and Mae both cast thunder spells at the same time. 

Two bolts of lightning came crashing down from the heavens, through a hole that formed in the cave ceiling, scattering the light surrounding the necrodragon everywhere.

Amid the light and stormy winds, only one person stood, swaying with it.

It was Kamui. With both Valbar and Leo injured, it was clear to him what he must do.

Prepared for battle, Kamui shouted, "Saber, can you hear me?!"

Even in the great gusts of wind around them, Saber heard Kamui's voice loud and clear.

"I don't care if you can hear me or not. But I can't die until I say just one thing!" Kamui readied his sword at his torso, and the two ends of the fabric wrapped around his neck fluttered straight sideways in the wind. He always had it wrapped around his neck, anticipating that his arms may be injured. It was a sad custom among mercenaries. "I was no great mercenary. I just did what was my duty, and I have no memory of ever losing to anyone. I entrusted my life to Valbar. The money he paid me was enough to pay for my funeral. I can die in peace any time."

Kamui judged the distance between him and the necrodragon, then slowly stepped his worn out combat boots forward, one after the other.

It was only for a brief moment, but the memory of their fight against Darth's men, standing back to back, flashed through Saber's mind. He remembered Kamui's behavior then. 

"The odds are not in our favor!" He'd said.

"You got that right!" Kamui answered.

The memory made Saber feel that he'd found someone just like him.

"But us mercenaries don't have to act just out of our sense of duty! The deeper our sense of duty, the stronger our human emotions are. Saber! I can't truly say that I don't understand at all how you feel. I just can't say that I understand all too well, either. But I'm going to defeat this monster for you! I don't know where the Blessed Sword is, but you can search its corpse and find it."

The necrodragon twisted its long neck and looked down at Kamui. "How dare you laugh at me, monster!" He grumbled. "Saber! It is the one wish of all mercenaries that Rudolf would bow before them! You be that mercenary, or else I'll come back and haunt your ass!"

Those were Kamui's last words before it happened all too quickly. He swung his sword, and headwind to the great gusts of wind, he jumped into its chest. His body disappeared in the raging light emanating from the dragon.

"Kamui!"

Everyone heard a howl so loud it echoed through the shrine, even over the howling of the storm. Celica, Boey, and Mae all turned to see that it was Saber.

It was then that Saber realized it. Kamui was a true Mercenary. He was a true unit that faced the fate decided for him when he was born, and tried his hardest to fulfill that role.

His contracts were an afterthought. Dying for another was what it truly meant to be a Mercenary. It was the reason why Mercenaries were so proud of their freedom.

And what about the person Kamui sacrificed his own life for in the very end?

"Why would you do this for the likes of me?!" Saber released his grip on Genny and leapt forward. 

The necrodragon spit Kamui's corpse out at his feet.

Saber screamed so hard the blood flowing around his feet may have very well come from his own throat. "I killed Kamui! I killed my only friend with my own hands!"

His chest felt like it was about to burst with feelings that would never again be reciprocated, and he lost all his strength in his sword hand.

"You beast!" Saber shouted and challenged the necrodragon, already without even a chance at victory. He wished only for death.

The dragon flapped its wings, and Saber's body danced around in the wind. Then suddenly, the dragon became quiet, as if time inside the shrine had stopped completely.

A miraculous scene began to unfold. A red light like that of a newly ignited fire floated downwards, as if it were chasing after Saber.

This was not from the light the necrodragon emitted. Perhaps it was the light of Saber's soul as it exited his body? Or maybe a sign of Saber's divine punishment for his wicked plot?

It was neither. The red light lightly grazed Saber's body as it slammed to the ground, then flew past him, before finally moving in towards its true target, Celica.

For a brief moment, Celica saw a figure within the light. It had several sets of small wings that shined brightly. Then, a split second later, it disappeared.

"It's an angel!" Genny cried from beside Celica, clasped her hands together, and bent down on her knees. She had seen the true form of the figure within the red light that entered Celica's body.

"Heavens, cut down my enemies!' Celica shouted, the words coming out of her subconsciously from the very center of her mind. In her desperate mental state facing death, she had mastered Seraphim, the powerful magic spell that could defeat the necrodragon.

The spell conjured up countless rings that surrounded the necrodragon. Within each of those rings was an angel just like the one that had appeared before Celica.

The necrodragon split into a million pieces that vanished.

Seraphim. Celica mastering this spell was certain proof that even now as Earth Mother Milia was trembling under Duma's threat to her power, she was still everywhere in Zofia, and continuing to protect Celica.

-

Peace returned to the shrine. The dark clouds parted, and it was not the mystical glow emanating from the necrodragon, but now the sun's rays illuminating the shrine, returning it to its rightful state.

Saber was grieving. The only words he could manage to utter were those that expressed his remorse and how sorry he felt.

As he was crying with his face against the ground, someone walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

It was Genny.

With her left hand still on his shoulder, she raised her left hand towards the heavens and said, "This man is Saber. Judging by his current will and strength, he does not know if he is worthy of Mila and Duma's blessing to complete the transcendence ritual to become a Myrmidon."

Saber looked up. His face, covered in Kamui's blood and the dirt kicked up during the battle, twisted in pain, even more so than it already was from wrongfully taking the life of his friend.

'Me, a Myrmidon? I allowed my friend to be killed. I have been stained forever as divine punishment for my wicked deeds. Why me? I should not be forgiven. No… for Kamui's tragic death, I know I will never be forgiven.'

"No, stop!" Saber wailed, but when he tried to squirm out of Genny's grasp and run away, she put all of her strength into her left hand, and kept his shoulder down.

As Genny prayed, the white light that fell over the quiet shrine looked like a single strand dangling from the web of a spider living on the rock ceiling above. The light moved until it finally enveloped Saber and created a cocoon. When it vanished, Saber had transcended to become a Myrmidon, the unit class above Mercenary.

Mila had forgiven him.

-

They found the Blessed Sword lodged deep in the necrodragon's throat. Saber knew there was only one thing he could do with it. He gave it to Celica, and vowed his eternal loyalty to her.

The group arranged a heartwarming funeral service for Kamui. Saber requested everyone that he be allowed to remove the cloth Kamui wore around his neck in a moment of silence, and wrap it around his own neck. When Boey and Mae saw what he was doing, they allowed it. Leo did not speak a word, but slapped his hand on Saber's shoulder, and Genny prayed for Kamui's soul to find peace.

Zofia Harbor was in their sights. Still unable to shed a single tear, the Myrmidon Saber stared not at the waves, but beyond the undulating seas. He focused all his energy on maneuvering the rudder.

Their cargo ship had now officially become the warship for Mila's restoration army. On its bow stood Valbar and Celica, so different in size they looked like a parent and child pair.

"That's strange." Valbar said something concerning. "I can see a light coming from the southern fort. It has fallen to Desaix, and he is already no longer using it. It should be locked up tight."

The southern fort Valbar referenced, atop the Zofian shore's cliff wall that had finally come into sight, soared high into the sky. Celica also saw with her own eyes that there was indeed a light lit on its steeple.

#fire emblem #fe #fire emblem 2 #fe2 #gaiden #fe gaiden #fire emblem gaiden #fe15 #fire emblem 15 #shadows of valentia #fire emblem echoes #alm #celica #japan #japanese #translation #novel #light novel #fe2 novelization translation

[centralperkchenford]

I think you should start doing line a series of ‘one word prompts’ basically we send in a word and you use it as a prompt!! It might be fun and creative!❤️

if you do I want to be the first word prompt😉😉

The word I choose is ‘hair’ (litro first word that came to my head tbh)

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR FICS, ESPECIALLY THE KINDERGARTEN FIC THAT WAS ADORBS!!

This seemed like a fun idea. And thank you so much that means a lot!

Chenford+ Hair

Flowers in your hair

There’s a lot of things Tim loves about Lucy, if someone asked what he loved about her they would be standing there all day. He loves her smile and especially the smile that she reserves for him. He loves the way she touches him lightly and briefly when she talks. He loves the way she’s not a morning person but will get up if he says they are going on a walk with Kojo. He loves the au she’s empathetic, kind and supportive of everyone she loves. He loves the way she whispers her love into his skin at night and in the morning, the way she rubs her fingers through his short hair. He loves everything about her and he tells her everyday, and he tries to show it too. And even when they fight.. he knows his love for her will never cease.

He looks over at her, she’s asleep next to him. Her hair is spread out on the pillow case and it’s a little messed up and wild. He reaches over to run his fingers through her soft locks making her stir a little. He pauses as she turns over, and slots her legs between his.

“What are you doing?” She mutters not opening her eyes. Tim hums but doesn’t answer. He nudges her a little.

“Roll over.”

“What?”

“Roll over.” He says again. “To your other side.” Lucy does open her eyes at that and blinks at him.

“What you don’t want to look at me this morning?” She asks her voice still sleepy. Tim clicks his tongue impatiently and Lucy sighs but finally rolls over. Tim scoots closer so he’s almost touching her but not quite.

He grabs a handful of her hair, and runs his fingers through it. He smiles softly and then starts twisting her hair up like he did with Genny’s when they were younger. He had learned how to braid hair when their mom was busy or their dad was on a rage and Tim would pull Genny aside to keep her from their bastard of a father.

It wasn’t anything special at first. He just needed something to distract him and he had seen his mom do it enough times he got the gist of it.

And then it kind of became their thing, Genny would always ask Tim to braid her hair before school. It’s how they bounded when everything around them was shit.

He hadn’t done it in a long time but once he got started it would be a piece of cake.

“Are you braiding my hair?” Lucy mumbles. Tim hums as he carefully twists her hair up.

“Yes.” He says. Lucy doesn’t move but he knows she wants to, so he pauses holding the almost braid it place.

“Why?”

“I used to braid Genny’s hair.” He says simply. Lucy makes a soft noise and moves her hand so she’s touching him.

“You did?” She asks her voice soft.

“Yeah. When my dad— or my mom was too busy I would make sure to braid it.” He tells her. “And it kind of became our thing. She always wanted me to do it.”

“That’s—” Lucy trails off and still holding her hair, he kisses her neck.

“I wasn’t always the best big brother.” He says. “But I did what I could to protect her and make her feel safe and loved.”

“Tim.” Lucy breathes and her voice hitches a little. “You are amazing.” Tim is silent and he continues to braid.

“Do you have a hair tie?” He asks after a few minutes of silence. Lucy moves away a little reaching on the night stand and grabbing a hair tie. She hands it back to Tim and he continues to twist her hair. Once he’s done, he ties the hair tie in place and then turns her back around.

Her eyes are swimming with tears and he reaches to brush them away. “Don’t cry baby.” He mutters.

Lucy blinks as tears fall freely down her cheeks. “It’s just—” She takes a deep breath. “You are amazing and loving and thoughtful.” She pauses again and Tim leans in to kiss her.

“I love you Lucy.” He mutters. She puts her hand on his chest and smiles at him.

“I love you too.” She says. There’s a brief silence. “You are going to make a really great dad one of these days.”

Tim grins at her and rolls over so he’s hovering over her. He reaches around and pulls the hair tie out letting her hair out.

Lucy pouts a little. “All that work for nothing?” She asks. Tim laughs and kisses her.

“I can do it again later.” He says running his fingers through her hair and then letting it fall. “But right now I have more important things to do.”

He feels her shiver and he grins. “You better.” She says and the squeals when he pulls the covers down.

He would braid her hair any time she wanted and when they eventually had daughters he would braid their hair too. He would do anything she asked of him, if it made her happy. Because he loves her and she was worth it.

#chenford #the rookie #tim bradford #lucy chen #tim x lucy #chenford fanfic #anon answered #chenford fic #lucy x tim

[ofsinnersandsaints]

“Okay, one: how do you have that picture, and two: why is it your lock screen?”

Your Picture in My Pocket

rating: G word count: 1502 one-shot

AO3

It was truly surprising, and perhaps a little worrying, how often Lucy and Tim found themselves in the hospital.

This time it was Tim’s turn to be in the hospital bed while Lucy kept vigil. She’d sent Genny home a while ago to get some sleep and remind her kids what she looked like. Lucy promised to text Genny the moment Tim so much as breathed differently.

But right now he was sleeping off being hit by a car and the subsequent surgery to fix a broken leg. He was going to be pissed when he woke up and found out he was going to be desk-ridden for the next few months.

As the night fell outside, Lucy stretched out on the couch with a hospital blanket and a stolen pillow.

“Lucy?”

She shifted on the couch, hadn’t realized she’d even fallen asleep, and looked over at Tim who was watching her from his hospital bed. “Morning.”

“What happened this time?”

“Someone tried to run you over with a car,” she answered, rubbing her eyes. “The car hit your hard head and was totaled.”

Tim snorted, “I remember a shit ton of pain.”

Lucy tossed her blanket aside and got up, completely not caring what she looked like. Tim had certainly seen her worse. “Your leg was broken in two places, they put it back together with steel and some screws.”

“Fuck.” He leaned his head back against the pillows. “How long?”

“Three months, at least. And lots of physical therapy.”

“Fuck,” he repeated. “Where’s Genny?”

“Hopefully home sleeping, I kicked her out around midnight.” Lucy sat down on the bed next to Tim’s good leg, but still careful not to jostle him. “I did tell her I’d call her if you woke up.”

Lucy reached over to the bedside table where she’d been charging her phone, but Tim stopped her with a hand on her wrist. Her eyes darted up to his, her breath catching a little at the look in his eyes. She couldn’t quite name it, but it caused her heart to stutter behind her ribs.

“You stayed here all night?”

She smiled and tried to keep her voice normal when all it wanted to do was go breathy with nerves. “That’s what we do, isn’t it? I get kidnapped and buried alive, you stay in my room all night. You get hit by a car, I sleep on the couch.”

His thumb rubbed against the inside of her wrist and she attempted to will her heart beat to slow down. “You didn’t have to.”

“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” she assured him and grabbed her phone. She unlocked it and found Genny’s phone number. “Talk to your sister.”

Tim took the phone and Lucy got up to give him the pretense of privacy. She stared out the window as Tim talked to Genny in low tones, but she could hear him assuring her and promising him he was fine and in good hands.

Lucy’s shoulders blade itched, because something about those words made her feel as if he was talking about her rather the hospital.

“Lucy?”

Figuring the conversation was over, Lucy turned back to Tim only to see him staring at her phone with a furrowed brow. “What? Did the phone drop the call?”

Tim shook his head and turned the phone to face her and her stomach dropped because she’d forgotten the picture she’d had saved on it.

“I have so many questions, but one: how do you have this picture, and two: why is it saved as your lock screen?”

Lucy could feel her cheeks flaming and hoped the dim hospital lighting was at least hiding her embarrassment. Months ago she had teased Tim about making a picture of him as her lock screen, and she had kept for months afterwards, and then she’d come across a picture of Tim on the internet from his military days. Apparently he’d been some kind of boxer in the army and some God-blessed person had taken a picture of him mid fight.

In the picture, Tim was shirtless, sweaty, and had a look of such focused concentration it had given Lucy sexy dreams for days afterwards.

“Oh, that,” she tried to laugh but was fully aware how nervous and awkward it sounded. “Well, Jackson had heard you used to be a boxer in the army, and after a couple glasses of wine we thought we should see if there were any pictures online.”

“And you found this.”

“It was on an old army newsletter site, I think. We were at the bottom of the bottle at that point,” she added as an excuse.

“Okay,” he nodded and looked from the phone back to her. “And the reason it’s on your phone?”

“If I tell you again how I drunk I was, can we leave it at that?” she negotiated.

“No.”

Lucy laughed because his answer was so deadpan, with just a twinkle of humor at the corner of his eyes. “I was drunk, and it was Jackson’s idea to save it to my phone as my lock screen. It seemed like a great idea at two in the morning.”

Tim nodded and began to put the pieces together in his head and she really wished he wouldn’t. “How long ago was this?”

Lucy thought about lying, but he knew her too well and he’d see right through it. “Two weeks ago.”

He huffed out a laugh and handed her back the phone. “I guess I should be glad you’ve got a picture from ten years ago instead of now.”

With a scoff, Lucy took her phone back. “Please, if I had a half naked pictured of you now, it would be my lock screen forever.”

They both seemed to realized what she’d said at the same moment, their eyes colliding with such force it was a physical thing. They should definitely not being having this conversation now, he was probably still a little high from the drugs, and she was exhausted from trying to sleep on an uncomfortable couch.

Lucy rubbed her forehead, looking down at her socks. “I should probably let the nurse know you’re awake. They’ll probably want to ask you questions or something.”

She was fully aware there was a button on his bed which would call the nurse, but she needed an out. He let her walk three steps away before saying anything. “It’s a little unfair, don’t you think?”

Lucy froze in her tracks and slowly forced herself to turn around. “What is?”

“You’ve got this picture of me on your lock screen, but I don’t have one of you.”

“That’s true,” she agreed as she twisted her moonstone ring around her finger, her dumb heart catching in her throat. “I’m sure I could find something which would make things…fair. Your phone’s broken though, so you won’t see what it is until you get a new one.”

He nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. “No rush.”

Four days later, Lucy walked into Tim’s house with a tupperware full of food and wearing her walking shoes.

It was her turn to take Kojo on his evening walk and she’d been doing an absolutely amazing job of avoiding being alone with Tim. Thankfully, when she opened the door she could her voices coming from the kitchen and she wouldn’t have to face the consequences of sending him one of the sexiest pictures she’d ever taken of herself.

She heard the click-clack of Kojo on the hardwood floors and bend down to greet him. “Hi! How are you? Are you ready to go outside?”

Kojo’s response was to sit down and wiggle his butt with excitement. “Good boy!”

Lucy was petting Kojo’s ears when she felt Tim’s presence in the room. She looked up to see him standing on a crutch. “Were you going to say hi?” he asked.

“Yes, I just have priorities,” she smiled at him. “Can I fill up my water bottle?”

“Be my guest,” he nodded back towards the kitchen where Lucy saw Angela and Genny were laughing around the kitchen island.

Lucy greeted the two woman and filled up her water bottle as they talked about a bet. It sounded like they were betting how long it would take for Tim to lose his mind on desk duty.

As she screwed the top back on, Tim leaned against the counter and very intentionally set his phone down in front of her.

She looked down at the lock screen and saw her own picture staring back at her.

It had been taken last year when she’d been feeling especially good about herself; she’d been lying on her couch and her tank top had shifted to show hints of the lacy bra underneath. It was nothing particularly pornographic but Lucy had always thought the picture was incredibly sexy.

And now Tim was walking around with it as his lock screen.

Lucy looked up from the phone to meet Tim’s gaze and there was an intensity there she hadn’t expected or been prepared for. She gripped the edge of the counter to steady herself.

“I’ll see you soon,” he asked and Lucy knew he wasn’t talking about coming back with Kojo after his walk.

She nodded slowly, “I’ll see you soon.”

#chenford #the rookie #chenford fic

[sisterofficerlucychen]

“Do you want to talk about it?”

No. No she doesn’t. Quite frankly Lucy isn’t sure what it is considering everything that has transpired in the last twenty-four hours but she’s certain that out of the two options currently spinning in her mind, neither of them are ones she wants to discuss.

If he brings up Rosalind again, she’s going to cry. She’ll fall apart then and there and wait for him to pick up the broken pieces of everything she’s been holding in. She’s terrified for so many different reasons starting with the memories it’s threatening to bring up and ending with the fact that she’s miles away from home and despite the fact that Tamara is at the station, Lucy still isn’t there to protect her. These are thoughts she cannot have. She knows she needs to have her head in the game, nothing other than their undercover operation should be circling around in her mind. He’s right. If she loses focus, it could get her killed. Both of them and that’s another thought she can’t let herself spiral down.

“About what?”

It’s easier to act clueless than allow herself to think of the second option. It’s inevitable and she knows that she’ll have to provide an answer but she’s really trying to give herself another second or two to come up with a justifiable excuse.

“The airplane bathroom. Your apartment. Look, I-I don’t know, call me crazy, but it just doesn’t feel like pretend.”

She stares at him as he draws closer, suddenly frozen in place as she’s unable to even blink. Her brows raise in surprise as she locks gazes with him. She’s at a loss of words, her lips part as she tries to say something, anything, but the best she can do is stutter an “uh …”

She feels trapped. Like prey that’s just been backed up into a corner with no escape. She’s not, she knows this. It’s Tim after all. Tim who has always and without a doubt been by her side; Tim who has challenged her and pushed her to be better, reminding her to never let anyone stop her; Tim who is arguably her biggest protector and supporter. He’s Tim. He’s home.

Except she can’t say that as much as she wants to. He’s right, it’s not pretend, it hasn’t been for a while. She’s not sure of how it happened or when, it just did. It’s just like how he went from being a stranger, to a pain in her ass, to a mentor, to a friend, to her best friend, to the most important person in her life. It just happened.

It’s messy, complicated, and there’s far too much to lose if she says that it isn’t pretend because he’s right, it’s not pretend. She knows this because of how shocked she was to learn that he was dating someone. At first, she thought it was because he didn’t tell her. How he just casually dropped it into the conversation with Genny like it was no big deal. It was easier to lie to herself and say she was upset because of how she found out but deep down she knew that hadn’t been in. It wasn’t until she thought he was going to propose that she was finally able to put those feelings into actual thoughts. How uncomfortable she felt at the thought of him marrying Ashley, then how heartbroken she was when he got down on one knee when he pranked her.  

“It’s an intimate act. I mean, we’d have to be dead inside for it to not trigger something, right? I mean, it — it’s basic biology.”

All she can come up with is what he’d call ‘Intro to Psych’ BS because that’s exactly what her answer is: bullshit. It’s the first thing she thinks of, an excuse that hopefully he doesn’t see right through. Sure, there’s some merit to it. Biology does have a slight hand in it but it’s definitely not the reason why anything was triggered. It wasn’t the reason she kissed him in her apartment or in the airplane bathroom. 

The first time it was because she knew it’d be her only chance. In her defense, he was the one who brought up the suggestion, the sold called ‘elephant in the room’. Her mind hadn’t gone there but once he mentioned it, the taste of his lips was all she could think about. Then he pecked her. A disappointing little kiss that left her needing more. Then they kissed, actually kissed, and Lucy knew she’d never stop wanting more. The airplane kiss was within the same vein but maybe a little different. Sure, Hajek’s crew was expecting them to be joining the Mile High Club but that was just a cover, much like this one. The reality was that she needed to be grounded and he was the only person who could help her do that. He’s always been the one she turns to, her Northern Star, and hours ago up in the air was no different.

“Okay, so … you’re saying it’s not a big deal? Doesn’t mean anything?”

She hates that he’s asking her this. Of course it’s a big deal but it doesn’t mean her admitting to it will create a different outcome. At the end of the day, he’s chosen Ashley and Lucy’s chosen to settle. So, it doesn’t mean anything because it can’t. The only thing she’ll accomplish by saying otherwise is to drive a wedge between them and losing him isn’t an option. She may not be able to be with him how she longs to but a friend is still something as long as he’s in her life.

“Right?”

Wrong. The question feels weird at the tip of her tongue but this is where she chosen to make her bed and now she has to lay in it. He’s questioning her in a way that makes her wonder ‘what if’ but she can’t allow herself that privilege. There’s too much at stake not just with their relationship but with the op as well. One wrong move, one wrong word, and they’re done. She’s ready to keep repeating this, to act indifferent if it means keeping both of them safe. He stares at her in a way that all but sends a shiver down her spine, like he knows the truth which perhaps he does. She knows that if anyone knows her best, it’s him. But she’s stubborn and determined, ready to shut down the conversation and thankful once his phone starts ringing for the distraction. 

She didn’t want to talk about it and she’s glad she no longer has to.

#the rookie #chenford #chenford fic #chenford fanfic #lucy chen #tim bradford

[silverskull]

What are you top 3 episodes in each season of The Rookie, aaaaaand your least favourite in each season? (Same rules apply, no 3x13, 5x15 or anything like that...)

y u trynna kill me, ms sarah.

Okay. *cracks knuckles* Let's do this.

We’re going in reverse chronological order. Non-chenfordy episodes (like 515) don’t count.

SEASON 5 - Top 3

1 - 501 - Double Down And, tbh, this is probably my favourite episode OF. ALL. TIME. The disguises. The private jet. Las Vegas. “Do you wanna come in?” THE SHEER RIDICULOSITY. 5/5, no cap.

2 - 518 - Double Trouble If there’s a ‘double’ in the title, there’s a silverskull in the audience. Again. RIDICULOUS. Brilliant. Colourful. Silly. Insightful. I’m of the opinion that the True Crime episodes exist outside of reality, but that doesn’t mean that what they said doesn’t still stand. Lucy has nightmares that Tim will get killed. Tim bottles shit up. Sava is a spicy cinnamon roll. Jake should not have died.

3 - 512 Grrarararrra, how to pick between this and 508 and 510? BUT. I think this episode tops them because we get to see both Couple!Chenford and Work!Chenford, and both are beautiful and brilliant in their own rights. There is nothing to match the perfection of the colouring in 508, but the warmth of the ending of 512 is a close contender. I just. love. basking in it.

SEASON 5 - Bottom 3

1 - 503 I think Eric and Melissa did a lot with the little they had, but I would love to have seen more of the characters’ terror at Lucy being missing. Missing and trapped in a small, locked, space. Missed opportunity.

2 - 514 I don’t dislike this episode, but since Tim is spending all this time at Lucy’s apartment - to the point that Tamara is signing herself an exit ticket - I would love to have seen him interact with the two women a bit more. Or at least pick up on the tension between them.

This is the show’s biggest flaw, IMHO. We would kill just to see these characters sitting around and talking to each other, but they’re always so damn busy. I love 513, but they could have done the entire episode in Nolan’s living room and I wouldn’t have complained. That’s how much I love them. How much we love them.

3 - 511 I’m clutching at straws here, because I adore season 5. BUT! I would have loved Genny to stick her nose into Tim’s business a bit more. I know the episode dealt with serious DV issues in Lucy’s storyline, but since she was there anyway, I think Genny should have done more wondering aloud as to why Lucy was always by Tim’s side. Cough cough. I don’t ship my siblings with their partners, but you can bet your ass I’d be snidely commenting if their “work partner” turned up to randomly coach my son’s baseball team!?!

It turns out, exactly as I suspected, this question is gonna take A LOT of time, so I'm gonna make it a series, thank u, @queseraone.

#chenford #the rookie #silverskull's top 3s #queseraone is to blame #as usual

[makeitastrength]

By the time they finish dinner, Lucy is practically vibrating out of her skin.

She’d texted Tim as soon as she woke up – Good morning! Looking forward to celebrating you tonight. Where do you want to go for dinner? – and he’d answered with the name of his favorite steakhouse, followed by Wear the same dress you wore on our first date.

Really? she’d replied.

Yes, he’d texted back almost immediately. This time I get to be the one to take it off of you.

So really, she’s been on edge since this morning, and the heated looks Tim has been throwing her all through dinner have only further heightened her anticipation. She’s caught him staring at her chest more than once as well, and she knows she looks good in this dress but apparently she underestimated just how good.

He looks really f*cking good as well in a blue button down that brings out his eyes and two days’ worth of scruff dusting his jaw.

Lucy pays the bill – “we’re celebrating you, Tim, you’re not paying for dinner,” she argues when he protests – and then he guides her from their booth all the way out to his truck with his hand on her back, palm spread warm and wide across the exposed skin and the tip of one finger just barely dipping beneath the fabric. It falls away as she climbs into the passenger seat, quickly replaced by his other hand resting on her thigh as he drives them home. He doesn’t move; it’s just a warm, solid presence, fingertips pressed against the inside of her leg halfway between her knee and her hip. And yet just his touch is enough to fan the flames of her arousal.

His hand finds her back again as he guides her inside, and Lucy leaves her shoes at the door and heads straight for the bedroom while Tim locks up and resets the alarm for the night. Kojo is with Genny for the weekend and if he has any say in it, they won’t be leaving his bed – let alone the house – until tomorrow morning.

In the bedroom, Lucy pauses in front of his floor-length mirror to remove her earrings, and she’s just setting them on his dresser when Tim steps up behind her and rests his hands on her hips.

“You chose this dress on purpose that night, didn’t you?” he asks in a low voice.

“Maybe,” Lucy teases, though in truth she’d second-guessed it just as she’d second-guessed every other dress she tried on that night. If not for the fact that she was in danger of missing their reservation entirely, she might have ended up wearing something completely different. But the way this dress revealed enough to be teasing without letting it all hang out made her feel confident, which ultimately helped calm her nerves.

At the moment, though, every nerve ending in her body is on fire.

Read the rest on AO3

#rated E #like #very E #post-ep for 5x13 #chenford #chenford fanfic #the rookie fanfic #lucy chen #tim bradford

[sgtbradfords]

Chenford + why didn't you ask me out?

It was a simple question, one that shouldn’t have taken Tim by surprise, but it did.

“You want to discuss this now?” Tim straightened his arms down by his side, pulling on the sleeves of the navy jacket he wore.

The night had been surprisingly fun, much to Tim's astonishment. An evening filled with 12 fusion courses, half of which Tim couldn’t pronounce let alone tell you the main ingredients of, at a pop-up restaurant on the beach.

“I'm just saying, you could have chosen anyone to accompany you in wining and dining the owners,” Lucy stated as she brought their stroll to a halt. “But you chose me."

Tim’s gaze wondered over her form as he came to a stop beside her. The formal look she wore tonight was a stark contrast to the low bun and suit he often times saw wearing around the arena, her luscious brown locks styled in soft waves that fell down her back and over the shoulders of the maroon dress she wore.

“I don’t think Chris and Ashley would have cared for Genny’s insight's on how we preform as a team.”

“Tim…” Lucy sighed softly, her teeth digging into her bottom lip.

“I know.” Looking away, Tim shoves either of his hands into the pockets of his slacks, running his tongue along his bottom lip before his gaze returned to hers. “But we can’t.”

Tim also knows that the look she was giving him, umber colored eyes glossing over with unshed tears, was a look that would haunt his reoccurring thoughts over the coming days.

“I think we can, but you’re too afraid of letting yourself be happy.” The proverbial knife that had been hovering over his chest, plunged deeper as she stood on the tips of her toes, gently placing a kiss to the day old stubble that ran along his jaw. "And if anyone deserves to be happy Tim, it’s you.”

“Lucy I-“

“Don’t.” Her voice cracked with a forlorn smile as she shook her head, taking a step back. “Please, don’t.”

Tim nodded once at the request, running a hand over his dirty blonde strands to prevent himself from reaching out. He was loosing her, and it was no one’s fault but his own.

“I’ll see you at the airport?”

They were both due to fly to New Jersey in just a few hours for an eight game road trip, but Tim couldn’t possibly think about getting on a plane right now.

“Yeah, see you at the airport.”

Giving him one last glance Lucy adjusted the bag on her shoulder and turned around, making her way towards her own car.

Tim stood in the middle of the packed parking lot, standing in her rearview until the glow of her break lights faded into the distance. He knew he needed to fix this, but the problem was he didn't know where to even begin. 

Pulling out his phone, Tim called the one person who may be able to help him sort out the conundrum he found himself in.

“I need your help.” He pleaded lowly as he climbed into the cab of his truck. 

“Let me guess, this is about Lucy."

“Angela...” Tim scolded, knowing that his best friend was on the other end of the line with a smug grin.

"What? I've only been telling you for how many months now to get your head out of your ass." Tim grunted in response. He wasn't going to discuss this over the phone. “The garage door is unlocked. Maybe you can help me convince my husband not to pack the green suit.” Wesley’s muted protests filtered over the line before the call was disconnected. 

Tim released a sigh of relief, though it did nothing to ease the pain, the emptiness, that remained in his chest. Things were going to be ok, they had to be. 

#thanks for the ask! #anon #fanfic #chenford fanfic #chenford fic #i am in an angsty mood forgive me #hockey!Tim #hockeyverse #chenford

[calbun]

feeling Unwell for various reasons can people send asks about my little guy xenogenesis or something

#lock sez #genny tag <3 #danbgerous but i guess ill tag this #sonic.exe

[amberlynnmurdock]

New Love, New Haven

Chapter Sixteen: Blue & Silver

Pairing: Benjamin Tallmadge x Original Female Character

Summary: Sadie reunites with her father and Nathan for one last family supper at the start of the New Year: 1776. Sadie and Ben have a reunion before he officially leaves with the Continental Army.

Ao3 Link

January 1776

New Haven, CT 

It felt like a lifetime since she was last in New Haven, Connecticut. 

As the carriage made its way through the snowy tracks in the woods, Sadie gazed out the window feeling less than excited to be returning home for the foreseeable future. Tensions were higher than they’d ever been and her father insisted she come back to New Haven until things settled. But Sadie made a promise to herself she wouldn’t spend more than a month here—she’d find a way to convince her father to go back to Middletown with Genny. There was absolutely no way she would stay. 

She fiddled with the hem of her light pink dress and adjusted the earmuffs on her head as she recognized the familiar bend of the trees signaling she was almost there. She had her bags at her feet and her books next to her. On top of the pile was a small poetry book, green with gold lettering. Inside the book was a letter she received from Ben recently. To pass the time, she read and re-read the letter. 

My Dearest Sadie, 

It’s a good thing you are returning to New Haven for the time being. I know you are likely unhappy but it truly is for the best right now. The air has been so uncertain as of late. Soon, it will be me, you, a new book, sharing port wine. 

I love you, 

Ben 

She bit her lip, carefully placing the letter back in the book. She rested her head against the back of the carriage and closed her eyes. 

☆☆☆☆

Not a thing has changed in New Haven since she left it—save for a few extra Red Coats prowling the streets. She no longer felt intimidated by their presence. She adopted the mindset of “If I’m not doing anything wrong, they can’t hurt me” and it had helped her a lot. She smiled when she passed one. She greeted them when she was spoken to. She kept on her merry way. The carriage passed two officers in conversation walking down the cobblestone path. Still, she sunk lower in her seat. 

Finally, she arrived at the Ordinary. Her father was waiting outside the door for her, arms crossed with a look of anticipation on his face. When he saw the carriage pull up, he uncrossed his arms and immediately opened the door for Sadie.

“Father—“

“Sadie!” Her father, Richard, greeted her loudly, helping her step out of the carriage. She blushed in embarrassment as he pulled her in for a hug, but eventually, she hugged him back. She didn’t realize how much she had missed him until she was back. Maybe being home wouldn’t be as awful as she thought. Maybe it was something she didn’t realize she needed.

The Ordinary was still the same as it had been: dim lighting, wooden floor, same barrels, and oak table. The bar still had the same musty, syrupy smell—a scent that brought her back in time when Nathan and Ben were still in school. She smiled to herself as she could almost imagine herself there, behind the bar, carefully watching Ben in secret. She was intrigued by him then as she still is now. 

The bar was closed for the day for family matters. Richard wanted Sadie to get settled before she would eventually assume the position behind the bar again. Slowly, she was warming up to the idea of being home again: she truly is happy to help her father again, even if for a few weeks. 

Richard placed her bags at the floor and locked the bar. 

“Goodness, Sadie, what do you keep in these bags, rocks?”

“Books,” Sadie simply said as she looked around the bar amused. “Not much has changed, has it?”

“No,” her father answered, placing his hands on his hips. “I got the bar waxed again recently but it’s still sticky. Ah, oh well. No one really sits there anyway.”

“The same regulars come in?” Sadie asked, slowly walking around the floor. 

“O’course,” he shrugged. “We get a few more… Red Coats now, too.”

“I suspected that,” Sadie affirmed. “Well, I can take my bags upstairs and settle in.”

“Will you need help with that?” 

Sadie turns around in startling surprise at a third voice. Her jaw drops and her eyes widen as she sees her brother, Nathan, coming out from the kitchen.

“Nathan!” Sadie exclaimed, immediately running into his open arms. So overcome with emotion and surprise, Sadie couldn’t help the tears that formed in her eyes and shed on her brother’s jacket. She squeezed him tightly as he held her in return, kissing the top of her head.

“Hello Ace of Sades,” Nathan laughed, pulling back to look at his sister. “How are you?”

“How am I? I—wait…,” Sadie trailed off, scrunching her brows. “You’re not supposed to be seen. You’re—“

“I snuck in overnight. In disguise, through the basement. I cannot stay long but I knew I had to see you before I went back to the post,” Nathan explained. Sadie looked over her shoulder at her disapproving father. After reading Ben’s letter last year, Nathan did indeed join the Continental Army as a lieutenant, which loomed a dark cloud over the entire Hale family (at least the members who knew). Sadie was dismayed when she found out from Genny and couldn’t help but feel that familiar pang in her heart as she did when she first saw Ben’s letter. But if there was a chance for them to be free from the King, then there was hope, too. 

And now, the bar being closed for "family matters” makes a lot more sense to Sadie. 

“I’m so lucky I get to see you tonight,” Sadie smiled. “So that means you’re staying for dinner?”

“Yes,” Nathan nodded. His blonde hair was tied back. Sadie wasn’t sure if it was the lighting or not, but over the past couple of years, it went from a bright golden color to a dirty blonde. He was wearing a dark jacket and pants that were slightly tattered. He truly has traded in his career of teaching for putting their country first. 

“So, should I salute you now whenever I see you?” Sadie giggled, trying to make light of a rather daunting situation. Nathan smiled brightly and scratched the back of his head rather sheepishly.

“Actually,” he began, “I was just promoted to Captain.” 

If it were possible for her heart to leap and drop at the same time, then it surely just did for Sadie. How could she be excited for her brother and yet terrified for what this could mean? A more important rank in the army meant for more important…missions, whatever they were. This was a subject she hadn’t studied at all with Nathan nor Ben: war. She knew nothing of it, other than that she didn’t like it. 

Still, to be a good sister and to show support for something her brother clearly believed in and wanted to do, she cheered for him and gave him another hug. Sadie ignored the sinking feeling in her chest as best she could. 

☆☆☆☆

Nathan spent most of the time in the basement hiding. Sadie went upstairs to her old room and began to unpack her belongings, the memories this room held overwhelmed her mind. She puffed the pillows and remade the bed with fresh sheets. She lined her books on her old desk and placed every letter Ben had written her safely tied on top. 

Sadie passed the time by reading in her bed, waiting for her father to finish cooking dinner. They blocked out the windows of the bar and only lit a few candles at a table in the middle of the room. Nathan and Sadie sat next to each other across from Richard. As they ate their chicken and gravy, Sadie took in this rare and special moment. Nathan was talking to their father about what subjects he was teaching before he decided to join the army. Richard told him about the updates on the bar and what changes were happening in New Haven. 

Sadie wished it could be this simple all the time, but she knew these easy times wouldn’t last long—at least for the foreseeable future. She didn't know it, but this would be the last time the three of them would ever be in the same room again. 

☆☆☆☆

End of July 1776

Middletown, CT 

Sadie was lying low in her abode, on the outskirts of Middletown, CT. Like she promised herself all those months ago, she wouldn’t stay in New Haven forever. To her advantage, living on her own was easier to obtain than she thought. She stayed in the back house of Genny and her father’s farm. 

She was expecting Ben at any moment now. It was late. She lay in bed with her hands folded across her chest, staring at the wooden ceiling of the small house she lived in. There was a fire going and the only sound that filled the air was the crackle of the wood. When she heard the familiar clops of hooves from outside, she shot up in bed and stared at her door in anticipation. 

A special code of knocks came from the door: twice fast and three times slow. Once she confirmed the code, she immediately went over to the door and opened it, ushering Ben inside. She didn’t even get to have a good look at him until she locked the door shut and turned around.

It was quite the sight to see: Ben had longer hair now, and just like Nathan’s, his hair too had gotten a bit darker. Though his golden locks still shined when the light hit it just right. Ben, with his soft blue doe eyes and light blush on his cheeks, felt Sadie staring at him, taking all of him in. He was taller when he wore those boots. It wasn’t the musket that was the most distracting thing on him though—it was the blue and silver jacket he wore, with tassels on each shoulder. It was the white lining down the middle and matching silver buttons. It was the way Sadie was looking at him like it was the first time she ever saw him. 

“Wow,” she breathed. This was the first time she had seen him since he too joined the army. Ben slowly lifted the musket off his shoulders and set it carefully down in the corner of the room, watching Sadie as he did so. She held his gaze. His boots stomped across the floor. Sadie felt the vibrations in the wood. He took off his boots and placed them carefully by the door. 

Despite how this image of Ben was telling of their future, she couldn’t deny how incredibly handsome he looked in his official uniform. 

“Is this the last time I’ll see you?” Sadie asked, skipping niceties and getting straight to the point. She had an edge in her tone that even shocked her when she spoke. Something in Ben’s expression softened. He knew this reunion would go one way or another. 

“At least for a little while,” he answered truthfully, gentleness in his voice. The fact of the matter was this: two of the most important men in Sadie’s life were going out to war. The risk was self-explanatory. Ben wanted to be understanding and think of this from her point of view. She had every right to be upset and scared. Just as he had every right to decide to join. 

She couldn’t meet his eyes. She kept her gaze on the floor. Ben sighed—he didn’t want this moment to be sour. It was just as hard for him as it was for her. He took a step toward her and lifted his hands to touch her face. When she felt Ben’s warm fingers on her jaw, she melted to his touch. It was no use to continue being stubborn, when all Ben was offering right now was peace amid the war in her mind. 

“Sadie,” Ben whispered, “I don’t want to leave on a bad note.”

“But you are leaving, no?” Sadie questioned, that shining rage sparking in her heart. “You are?”

“I have to,” Ben answered her again, keeping his voice low. “But you’re mistaking it for leaving you as well.”

“That’s what it looks like,” Sadie argued, biting her lip to keep from crying. “You’re going to be gone for God knows how long—and you being in the Continental Army, well, I sure can’t be seen with you, or else they’ll take me and—“

“Shh,” Ben hushed her, caressing her cheek with his thumb. She looked him deeply in his eyes. Despite being in the presence of a different Ben, she fought hard to still see the stars in his eyes. “I’ve snuck around to see you before. I’ll sneak around again.”

Sadie wanted to believe him, but being part of the army came with lots of traveling and stations. How on earth would he ever be able to leave a post in secret, just to see her? It was wishful thinking, she thought. It was something sweet to coat something bitter. It felt like a lie. 

But there was one thing about Ben: he’d never lie to her. And Sadie knew that. She was struggling harder with this reality than she thought she would. She thought she was stronger than this. 

“Do you know how hard this is for me?” She whispered, more to herself than to Ben, and looked away. Ben placed his other hand on the small of her back, bringing her a step closer to him.

“Of course, I know,” Ben replied. “It’s hard for me, too. But sometimes we have to do hard things so that we can move closer to the future we want.” 

“I don’t know if I’m strong enough to watch you go away,” Sadie admitted. “I was hardly okay with Nathan. And now I have to worry about both of you.”

“I will protect Nathan,” Ben told her. “You have my word, Sadie.” 

“And what about you?” She asked, meeting his eyes again. “Who will protect you?”

“My love for you will,” he answered simply, shrugging his shoulder. “I’m doing this for our country and us. I’m doing this so I—“ Ben’s voice faltered, almost confessing to something he hadn’t even spoken to Sadie about yet. In the pocket of his coat was a silver ring he had made for her. When they were ready, he would take it to a proper jeweler but for now, it was all he had. A promise. A wish. A hope to make her his wife when this was all over. 

The struggle of his thoughts was written all over his face. Sadie looked at him expectantly. 

“What? What is it?” Sadie asked. 

What was the use in waiting, Ben thought? As certain as he wanted things to be, that he would come back to her and that everything would be okay, the truth was nothing was certain. Except for what he’s about to confess. 

“I’m doing this so when I come back I can properly ask for your hand in marriage, Sadie,” Ben said earnestly, locking his eyes with her hazel ones. He continued to caress her cheek and wiped a tear away that fell. Sadie closed her eyes and placed her hand on top of his. 

“Oh, Ben,” Sadie cried. Ben wrapped his arms completely around Sadie and brought her into his chest. He rested his head on top of hers and swayed her gently. 

“I want you to be my wife one day, Sadie. I need you to understand why I’m going now.”

“I’m sorry, Ben,” Sadie uttered against his blue jacket. “I’ve been so mean. I know you are doing what you want for our country—I know. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Ben shook his head. “It’s nothing any of us could’ve prepared for. Listen, Sadie,” he pulled back to look at her again, “I love you. I will come back to you. It’s going to be hard, but I promise you it will be worth it.”

“Okay,” Sadie nodded, letting go of her anxieties and worries inside. All they had was right now. Sadie needed to keep this moment with her forever. She looked at him in jacket again and wiped her tears away. She took shaky breaths as she fiddled with the buttons and pulled on the tassels at his shoulders. She smiled. 

“Maybe I was just so upset with how handsome you look in this uniform,” she laughed. Ben laughed in return and smiled now that he saw Sadie smiling. 

“It’s a lot to get used to,” he answered. 

“Captain Tallmadge,” Sadie breathed looking at him in amusement. “You must love that.”

“Another thing to get used to,” Ben blushed. “Sadie,” he began more seriously, standing a bit taller now. He reached into his pocket and slipped out the silver ring. “This is my promise,” Ben whispered as he slid it on her left ring finger. 

“Let me say yes now,” She whispered. Sadie tried to hold his gaze but all she could see was how close his lips were getting to hers. Before she knew it, he was kissing her with so much intent and passion, it made her fall into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her again and spun her around to lead her to her bed. 

His blue and silver coat was thrown on the floor as they made their way to her bed. Ben sincerely hoped the next time he was this intimate with Sadie, they’d already be free. 

#ben tallmadge #amc turn #turn #turn: washington's spies #seth numrich #ben tallmadge x reader #ben tallmadge x oc #new love new haven

[my-shields-are-down]

Karaoke #2 - Because Tim loves 80s Classic New Wave

“OK OK OK! Thank you Luna and Wade for that weird but really excellent version of “Islands in the Stream” by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton! Tim - you have a very… um… eclectic list of songs for our singers to choose from, did you make it this random on purpose?” Angela asks of the tipsy and relaxed birthday boy. “Why don’t you come up on stage for the Grand Finale?”

The MidWilshire crew + friends had packed the karaoke/burger joint on Sunset and had basically taken it over for Tim’s surprise birthday celebration.

For the past three weeks, Nyla, Lucy and Angela had been asking Tim’s friends and family about his favorite songs. Rachel, Isobel and Genny had come through with most of the songs on the diverse song list. But it was Tim himself who provided the last two songs of the evening, the ones that Lucy heard him sing in the shower or when he was cooking and cleaning - when he thought he was alone.

Everyone by now knew that Lucy was a phenomenal singer, so Angela waited a few minutes for everyone to refresh their drink, come back inside, or take a last minute bio break. Angela told the crowd her favorite Tim birthday story from when they were rookies and had to arrest the second largest pumpkin farmer for smuggling cocaine in his pumpkins at the County Fair and then had to break up a pie fight that broke out during the pie eating contest. Their shops had smelled of blueberries and pumpkin for weeks.

Backstage, Lucy was once again thanking her very special guest star for coming out for this party and going over the timing of her entrance during the first song and then discussing the harmonies Lucy would sing during the second song. Once they had it figured out, Lucy waved to Angela who came back to check on Lucy and was immediately star-struck by her guest. Lucy laughed and told Angela this is what happens when you delegate - you miss out on some kick-ass connections.

Thankfully, Angela pulled herself together and walked back onstage. She asked for the lights to be dimmed and turned to Tim and said, “happy birthday. Please welcome to the stage - The newly minted Lucy Bradford!”

Lucy stepped on stage and waved to the crowd, then leaned down and kissed her husband and said to him, “because you love classic 80s new wave, this one’s for you.”

The synthesizer began to play and the older members of the crowd who knew either the original version or the more recent remake started cheering and clapping. Tim’s eyes lock on Lucy as he beginsto sing along…

“funny how I find myself, in love with you

If I could buy my reasoning, I'd pay to lose, one half won't do

I've asked myself, how much do you, commit yourself?

It's my life, don't you forget, It's my life, it never ends (it never ends)”

During the very brief interlude before the second verse starts, Lucy turns to the audience and says, “Please welcome to the stage, my new best friend, Mrs…..”

+++++++++++

By total random chance, one of the cases Lucy had helped crack several months ago had closed and the evidence from an upstart “bling ring” where celebrity pooches were having their diamond encrusted accessories stolen needed to be returned to the animal owners. Her second to last return after listening to Harrison Ford regale her and Aaron with baby beagle stories from the set of the last Indiana Jones movie, was to the woman standing next to her on stage. Her blonde labracorgidoodle mutt had a four carat collar returned and she and Lucy hit it off instantly, probably because the dog loved Lucy on sight. When the woman asked to be called if there was any thing she could ever do, Lucy immediately thought of this night 11 months later. Lucy had checked with Wade, IA and HR to make sure she wasn’t going to be accused of accepting kickbacks or anything and got the all clear.

+++++++++

Lucy turns to the audience and says, “Please welcome to the stage, my new best friend, Mrs. Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani!” The crowd roars and Tim’s jaw drops to the floor of the stage.

He swivels on his bar stool so fast his Burger King crown almost falls off - and there before him in motocross pants, red checkered vans and a black/red “No Doubt” T-shirt stands the only woman he would ever consider leaving his wife for. Tim’s face morphs into a dreamy, yet bashful smile and his cheeks turn pink as Gwen leans over and kisses his cheek before stepping around him to finish singing It’s My Life - the version she and her band No Doubt made famous in 2003 - 20 years after the original version by Talk Talk burst onto radios everywhere.

Once done, Gwen leads the crowd in a rousing version of “Happy Birthday” to Tim who smiles and hugs Lucy close to him. Then Lucy nods to Gwen who says, “I hear this is your favorite song, so I dedicate it to you from Lucy.”

As the opening notes of “Don’t Speak” begin to play, Tim begins to cry. He’s overwhelmed with emotions watching his favorite singer, sing his favorite song with his absolute favorite person. Their voices blending beautifully during the song’s melancholic verses and chorus. He realizes this whole restaurant is full of people who love him (well they love Gwen right now) but they love him too. He never imagined a life with this much joy and love before Lucy came around. If this moment is a glimpse of his future with Lucy? He’ll take it and then some. He pulls Lucy close as the song ends and nods to Gwen. He nuzzles Lucy’s neck and whispers “best birthday ever.”

#chenford #tim bradford #lucy chen #the rookie #tim x lucy #i love them #ask andrea #one word gets you one shot #version 2 = karaoke #i'm in chenford withdrawal #things that are awesome #is the hiatus over yet #andrea writes #talk talk #bryan ferry #no doubt #gwen stefani #I met gwen stefani in san diego at a garage band contest

[zadien]

I don't have time to write a Chenford Fanfic but I have an idea - Part One

I do not have the time or the energy to write a Chenford Fanfic (I have an 800k behemoth to finish instead) but 6x06 got me thinking things. So if I were to write one, it would be this (under cut because it's LOOONG and this is only part one):

Lucy gets some distance by taking some PTO and goes to visit Rachel in NYC. This gives her a friend that she can talk to who knows the players in this story but isn't involved with them and is fully on Lucy's side.

They drink, they have fun, they cry, they examine every sentence of the conversation from multiple angles.

Rachel helps her think things through, applying her own experience and knowledge

Lucy goes through the stages of grief - but doesn't quite hit acceptance.

But she's in a more solid place when she goes back.

While she was away Tamara moved out. Unfortunately Tim happened to arrive to pick up his stuff from a neighbour just as a moving truck leaves with Tamara following in her car.

Timothy throws a wobbler, goes to Grey demanding to know if Lucy's left (she's not been at work, she's not answering her phone, she's not answering the door).

Grey explains, with a certain pointedness that Lucy is away on PTO and that she let everyone who needed to know.

Tim vents to Angela - Angela points out that Tim doesn't have a leg to stand on since he went AWOL for 36 hours and only let Lucy in when Ray showed up. She suggests that maybe he should figure out what he wants while she's away.

He goes to Genny, pretty much gets the same talk and a gentle prod to consider therapy.

When Lucy comes back, he tries to talk to her but she's civil and to the point.

After rollcall he sees Lucy and Nolan leaving the war room and overhears Nolan asking if she'll be okay to work with Tim and Lucy tells him that she's worked with an ex before, she'll be fine. Nolan laughs and says that they were a bit different. Lucy makes a face but the job's the job right?

Besides, she was planning to break up with Nolan anyway, he just jumped the gun.

Tim is staggered, he puts it together that she and Nolan were together. He stews all day on this, Thorsen is on egg shells beside him, hand locked in a death grip around his seatbelt.

Other things fall into place and Tim has a timeline of their relationship and, running on self righteous temper, he goes to Lucy's apartment and challenges her on lying to IA when Nolan had the officer involved shooting. Lucy shoots back that he wasn't exactly toeing the company line himself.

This rocks him because his already shaky foundation is crumbling. She points out that he taught her that some things matter more, that there's ethics involved and the world isn't black and white, but he, getting emotional, retorts that their job is black and white. Realising this isn't getting them anywhere, she backs down and tells him she'll see him at work and if he wants to report her to IA, go ahead.

Leaving her apartment, Tim heads home to Kojo and reruns through those moments Lucy talked about and realises that he does need to figure out what he stands for. He starts therapy.

Time passes.

Noah Foster returns. Needs some help. Offers Lucy a comforting ear, and suggests a move to his location if she wants one. Lucy considers it.

Later that day Tim comes across Aaron and Celina in the bullpen speculating on whether Lucy is leaving since she's been in Grey's office a while and they heard Noah's invitation. His heart sinks because why wouldn't she avail of that opportunity.

Grey talks to Lucy, checking in with her after EVERYTHING

Lucy tells him that things have been tough, that she feels like she's stuck going nowhere.

Grey admits that while he was disappointed FOR her not getting detective, secretly, selfishly, he was a little pleased he got to keep her around. That maybe he doesn't say it enough but she earned her hotshot status but that because she's set the bar so high, that they expect her to do better than the others but that a failing on his part. That she's one of his most competent officers, the kind that he can assign to any task and know she'll complete it. That other departments ask for her specifically because she's got a reputation for being good. That she shouldn't let anyone's actions deter her from continuing to strive to go higher and that he'll start exposing her to other departments, get her name out there so that if anyone tries to black mark her again, there'll be enough people who know her to veto it. (because I need Lucy to get some kudos)

Grey asks if Lucy’s going to take up Foster on his offer and transfer to a different department

Lucy says no, that her family is here, and while things aren’t going how she expected, she doesn’t want to give up. Not yet. Besides, there’s a petty little part of her that wants to show Tim what he’s missing

Also side note but this would involve pining across the bullpen and Tim spending time staring at the curve of Lucy's cheekbone, the purse of her lips, the endless fidgeting with her (their) travel mug.

#chenford #chenford fanfic #ignore the sp&G this is just notes #I do know how to write properly #And this is not an indepth as the actual story would be #and Tim would get therapy #I just need this out of my brain #it's been percolating for days now #and I do NOT have time #I haven't even properly watched season 6 because Ireland doesn't have it yet #but I have ideas #just no time

[altocat]

Dear Genny,

After the recent break ins to your office and apartment and the tragic destruction of your personal property, I decided to be nice and go ahead and get the Turks to change the locks on both for free for you. I left the keys with Angeal.

Ps. I MIGHT have taken a bottle or two of pumpkin spice creamer from your stash. I forgot to stock up last year and stores aren’t selling it yet IM SORRY. When it comes back around I’ll repay you

Sincerely a second class that has elected to remain anonymous

Dear KUNSEL Anon,

Is what it is. Thanks, I guess. At least SOMEONE has a sense of chivalry within this hive.

Enjoy the pumpkin spice. I'm too exhausted to mind. I'll go find Angeal for the keys once I'm done hating my life.

Also, Zack says hi.

Cheers,

Genesis Rhapsodos, Soldier First-class

#asks #ff7 #ffvii #crisis core #final fantasy 7 #genesis rhapsodos #Zack fair #Kunsel

[artdecosupernova-writing]

Find the Word Game IX

(Double Feature)

tagged by: @druidx!! my words: basis, boyfriend, bedroom, breath, rack, vehicle, trust, scan tagging: @drippingmoon, @sleepy-night-child, @ashen-crest, @zmwrites, @sleepyowlwrites, @drabbleitout, @oh-no-another-idea, @pertinax--loculos, and anyone who wants to buy my books your words: weakness, despise, reach, relative, solve, arrange

basis (Meridian)—

"I get it." [Warren] sighed. "Your life is your life, now. You can do literally anything you want with it, and doing something to earn money while also fulfilling your purpose is never a bad thing. If you're looking for my blessing or something, you've got it."

"It would mean relocating," Scot said. "Possibly on a permanent basis."

"Nothing's permanent when it comes to ———." Warren smirked. "We'll see each other around. We can communicate. I'm not dumping this friendship, so we're clear."

Scot looked as if he wanted to say something, but refrained, and Warren wondered if he'd wanted to voice his exact thought at that moment—he was the only friend he had left.

Warren extended a hand, and Scot took it.

boyfriend (Rebirth)—

"I lost a lot. I'll probably never see Esther again, and my…Brayden."

Thrive propped his heels up on the desk and reclined in his two-legged chair. He slid his finger against a smooth button on the device and released it.

"—See Esther again, and my…"

Every time. He never touched the recording except for that exact moment every time without fail. He hated the impulse but he couldn't stop it no matter how hard he tried. The instinct for Warren to refer to Brayden as his boyfriend was something Thrive in no way blamed him for, but it still stung, and for reasons he could not understand, he opted to punish himself for it on the regular.

"…And maybe I would've found a better life than the one I had before I met you, but you are the life I needed, E.T."

Thrive looked at the door again, unable to hear the murmuring anymore.

bedroom (Warpath)—

Surprised, Cascidi passed his fingers over his bottom lip. "I've rented a room for the duration of my Node stay."

"Will I get acquainted?"

Cascidi's eyes traveled down Warren and back up once more. "There's something about you I can't get over."

"Chemistry, baby," Warren purred, sidling up to him. "We doing this or what?"

Cascidi's rented room was opulent and modest all at once; reasonably sized and lusciously decorated. Half the size of the Halcyon penthouse but just as luxurious. Warren didn't even realize he'd absconded with the champagne glass entirely until his back hit the bedroom door and it slipped out of his fingers, bouncing harmlessly onto the thick carpet beneath their feet.

breath (Aurora)—

Thrive stopped in front of [Warren], cautiously pulling the hood of his cloak off his own head before reaching up to smooth his fingers across Warren's cheekbones to clear the tears he'd tried so hard to hold at bay.

"Damn," Warren muttered, embarrassed.

Genni cleared her throat between them, and she sounded far away. "Orthrive'poliea. Protector of Tey under the Oath of Caala."

"Yes," he said, voice low. He kept his eyes locked with Warren's, and he smiled warmly at Warren's flushing face.

"You are here to ceremonially bind yourself in the eyes of Consortium law to Warren Levi Cougar. This will tie you in heart, mind, and soul, and here you promise to love him with your every breath, to hold him in your power for as long as you both are alive. Say your piece."

rack (Meridian)—

"Nah, nah," Warren moved to get out of the tub, grabbing a towel from the hand-carved wooden rack beside it and throwing it around his waist. "Thrive, we agreed—"

"I know," Thrive muttered, tipping his head onto the back of the tub.

"We agreed we weren't gonna let the burden of raising the babies fall onto ———."

"It's one morning." Thrive flexed his hands, apparently in no hurry to rectify the situation. "They wanted to help us. Am I mistaken, or were you the one who kept giving me ultimatums about letting ——— take over the brunt of running this planet while I spent time with you?"

Warren slowed his rush to pull on his jeans. "Okay, yeah...but that's different."

"The difference is a whole planet versus a child."

"Look, I just…" Warren gestured to the door. "Whenever I'm home, I like waking [Thoeala] up. I like getting her breakfast ready, I like seeing that tiny alien face light up when she sees me, I like our morning routine. Sue me."

Thrive smiled, draping his arms over the edges of the tub. "This suits you."

vehicle (Rebirth)—

The resulting jolt caused one of the two graha to fall out of the open shuttle. Thrive caught them by the back of the neck and tossed them into the vehicle beside their companion, who'd been pressed into the wall by centripetal force.

He signaled to Sussa and glided into the shuttle after them, planting his feet firmly on the floor while she put a stop to the spinning. Thrive marched to the control console and checked the engines.

"Overloaded. We'll be taking the difficult way down." He turned to the cowering graha. "Where's Ysha?"

They spat obscenities at him in a graha dialect, brandishing their weapons at him and Sussa. She knocked a club out of one of their hands.

"You have a choice," Thrive said, firm, in their language and dialect without the help of the suit's translations. "Tell us where Ysha is located, or we run the shuttle into the ground. Whose side are we on today?"

The graha who lost his club began to advance toward Thrive in a burst of courage, only to be stopped short by the other graha belting him in the face hard enough to dislodge one of his large tusks. It bounced off the floor and zipped out of the shuttle.

trust (Eternal)—

"...Warren?!"

Warren looked up as Thrive's blown eyes met his, enraged and surprised and scared.

"Look," Warren stammered. "I...I can explain—"

"You...IDIOT!!"

Warren grimaced and braced himself as Thrive marched over to him, lifted him by the shirt with both fists, and shoved him against the wall. Tiny pieces of glass jammed themselves deeper into his skin.

"Why, Warren?!" Thrive growled, real hurt and shock in his voice. The rest of the crew stopped at the end of the hall to investigate the commotion. "Tell me why you refused to trust me, now out of all times, when I needed you to trust me more than I have ever needed you to trust me!"

"Because I'll follow you to the ends of the universe and back," Warren shot, blinking back the strobing white spots and his arm going numb. "Even if it means walking directly into the fires of hell, or facing the eliyi, or the Emmuli, or anything else we could possibly imagine and even things we can't. You feel this fear? This terror right here, right now that you're taking out on me"—he thumped the center of Thrive's chest with a fist to demonstrate—"that's me, too, fucker, and for once in my goddamn life I'm being selfish about it. You're gonna need me here, and honestly I don't care what you think—I'm not leaving you ever again and you're not leaving me ever again, and you can fucking deal with it!"

scan (Eternal)—

R'lis looked like a greener, more colorful version of Earth from the last time Warren had seen it. The alien world orbited a star much like Sol, with one moon that Thrive told Varussa to approach instead of the main planet.

"They take their defenses seriously," Thrive told everyone on the bridge. "Their moon acts as a security hub of sorts. Their barrier is deployed from there and nobody can shut it down without extensive verification first, including the DNA of ten individuals living in various, undisclosed parts of the galaxy. At least, that's how they operated when I lived on Slodia."

"Did you say their barrier?" Emnophene said. "They have a barrier around their planet?"

Thrive approached the navigation console and made a few keystrokes, running an infrared scan on R'lis and its moon. A sharp shimmer encapsulated the space around the planet, red laser-like light curving and warping around it, cocooning it within a defense system unseen to the naked eye.

"Whoa," Warren said. "That's...incredible."

#find the word #tag game #have like eight paragraphs per word cuz fuck you that's why /j