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a-edgar-allan-hoe · 3 years

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The Last Chthonian

Bucky x Reader, Sam x Reader, Zemo x Reader

Part 1

Author’s Note: Had this idea living in my head rent free so hopefully I don’t butcher it.

Summary: Imagine being Hekate, the Greek goddess of magic and witchcraft, the night and the moon, doorways and crossroads, creatures of the night, and ghosts and necromancy. You stumbled upon Earth many centuries ago and since then have resided on the foreign planet. During the recent years you created an alias for yourself to hide your true identity, and after the war against Thanos you chose to live out your days in the Scottish countryside, until a certain trio appear at your doorstep one day.

Warnings: language

Part 1 , Part 2

“So, where are we going again?” Bucky asked Sam, confusion written on his face as he leaned back in the front passenger seat of the car.

“You’ll find out. We’ll be there soon.” Sam answered, his eyes glued to the road and hands gripping the wheel.

“But we’ve been driving in the middle of nowhere for an hour now.” Bucky fussed while staring at the never ending green grass that passed by, clearly irritated with Sam’s lack of details.

“I too would like to know where we are going.” Zemo spoke up only to add to Sam’s annoyance.

“YOU don’t get to ask questions.” Sam glared at Zemo through the rear view mirror before staring back at the road. He was starting to get fed up with their questions and lack of patience.

The three men had been driving with their windows down for what felt like hours through the Scottish countryside, watching the green highlands pass by. Though they admired the beauty of the landscape, they were extremely anxious to stretch their legs and get to their unknown destination. Not to mention, they were starting to get a little hungry as well.

“Are we there yet?” Bucky broke the silence after some time.

“We get there when we get there.” Sam snapped, his knuckles turning white from gripping the wheel a bit too hard. He was really looking forward to getting out of the car and away from those two.

After a short while they neared a small seaside village. The place was not that busy, save for the few locals and fishermen going about the cloudy day.

Sam drove on a little further before finally reaching a quaint stone cottage that sat on a hill at the edge of town, overlooking the ocean. He pulled up next to the 60s convertible cream colored Volkswagen Beetle that had a surfboard tied on the roof, parked next to the cottage. Sam took the keys out of the ignition and stepped out, stretching his legs as the others followed suit.

Sam smiled to himself as he walked up the path leading to the front door and glanced upon the flower garden and the decorations out front. He knew for sure this was your place. The other two quietly followed behind while looking around the residence, from the neatly kept garden and the vines that crawled along the house, to the fishing equipment hung up on the side, down to the handmade birdhouses and the wind chimes and sun-catchers that clinked melodically against the ocean breeze, including the collection of garden gnomes. The place reminded the men something straight out of Jane Austen’s novels, not that they’d like to admit they knew such a thing.

Sam stopped at the front door before turning to the others with a pointed finger. “Now whatever you do, don’t stare.”

“Wait what?” Bucky scrunched his nose.

“Just don’t.”

Sam paused for a moment, thinking of how to explain this situation to you before tapping on the wooden door. No answer. Sam could feel Bucky glaring at the back of his head, ready to scold him about how this was a big waste of time. So he knocked again, this time calling out if any one was home.

Before Bucky could open his mouth there was rustling coming from inside and the sound of someone knocking into furniture before a faint “ow” and “fuck” of a woman’s voice made Bucky and Zemo glance questioningly at each other. Where the hell did Sam lead them to?

The locks on the door were fumbled with before opening up to reveal your head poking out from behind.

“Sam?” You breathed out. You were slightly out of breath and your hair was disheveled with strands falling out of your bun at the front from under your silk scarf. The sleeves of your button up blouse were rolled up at your elbows, revealing your dirt covered arms. You were working on your vegetable garden in the back before you were interrupted by your unexpected visitors.

Bucky stood behind Sam and couldn’t help but widen his eyes when he saw you. He only met you a few times during the threat of Thanos and before, but the interactions he had with you were very brief. All he knew was that you were a good friend of the Avengers, especially Thor, Clint, Nat, Wanda, Tony and Steve and now apparently Sam. But after Thanos was defeated you disappeared and nothing was heard of you since.

Zemo glanced out from behind Bucky and tried to remain hidden behind the super soldier once he recognized your face. You weren’t exactly an Avenger and you weren’t on Earth when he tore the Avengers apart, you were helping Thor at the time and little to everyone’s knowledge, you were also defending your planet against an inside threat. But you had heard of him through your friends, and though you hadn’t met him, Zemo knew you would strangle him once you spotted him.

“Hey y/n.” Sam smiled at you, calling you by your alias name. He knew who you were through Steve, but even then, he didn’t know everything about you and about the recent events that took place in your home planet that still devastated you.

“What the hell are you doing here?” You asked with a mixture of surprise and annoyance, wiping your hands on your apron. There was a reason you chose to live all the way out here, and though you gave Sam your new address, you didn’t expect him to bring company.

“I came to see how you were doing?”

“Bullshit.” You scowled, crossing your arms over your chest. “If you wanted to check up on me you wouldn’t have brought someone.”

Sam opened his mouth to speak but decided against it, refused to meet your stern eyes and looking down at the ground instead with his hands in his pockets. He often forgot how well you were able to read people, almost as if you were telepathic. Little to his knowing, you were in fact a telepath but decided against telling him. You’ve known people who became uncomfortable when finding that detail about you and noticed how they tried to avoid you, constantly guarding their thoughts when around. If only they knew you never bothered to do such a thing because you respected their privacy and because you’ve seen things in people’s heads you wished to forget. You’ve only ever used your telepathy when it was absolutely necessary. Straightening up, you finally took a better look at the other man behind him and instantly recognized him as Bucky.

“Barnes?”

“Hi y/n.” Bucky smiled shyly at you as he looked into your eyes. And that’s when he noticed for the first time that your eyes were different from when he last saw you. Your irises were now a shade of purples and blues with flecks of gold that spread out, a reflection of the stars and the universe. So that’s what Sam meant when he said to not stare. But could you have just been wearing contacts? Bucky’s stare was cut short as Sam noticed, glaring at him and clearing his throat before elbowing him in the stomach.

Suddenly, there came the sound of a little girls squeals coming from inside your home, startling the men except for Sam. And before they knew it, a small girl in overalls who looked to be of 6 years of age sprinted through your legs and out the door. “Uncle Sam!”

“Oof! Athena wait!” You gasped against the impact as you tried to reach for her.

“Hey hey little Athena!” Sam smiled as he picked the excited girl up into his arms before setting her on his hip. “How’s my favorite little warrior?”

“I’m helping Mommy with the garden! See!” She squealed in delight before showing off her dirty hands.

“I can see that.” Sam chuckled. “Looks like you’ve been working hard.”

“God, I’m so sorry Sam. She’s covered in dirt.” You tried to apologize with an embarrassed face.

“Hey no worries.” Sam smiled at you. “Some dirt is not gonna kill me.”

“Mommy who’s this?” Athena questioned as she looked at the man next to Sam.

You looked at Bucky and gave him a look that questioned what name he would prefer, to which he nodded and mouthed Bucky to you.

“That’s Bucky sweetie.”

“Hi Bucky! I’m Athena!” She stuck her tiny hand out to for him to shake, a big grin plastered on her face from meeting new people.

“It’s very nice to meet you Athena.” Bucky smiled as he gently shook her hand, making her giggle.

The scene made you smile to yourself as you pushed a strand of your hair behind your ears. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that Sam and Bucky decided to pay a visit.

“Mommy who’s the man in the back?”

The man in the back? You looked to Sam and James with a raised brow before craning your neck to see who the third guest could be, only to tense up and clutch the door frame, forcing yourself to not go over there right now and throw him off a cliff.

“What the hell is he doing here?” You glared daggers at Zemo as he watched you with caution, before you turned to Sam.

“I can explain.” Sam tightened his jaw as he saw your expression.

“Athena, sweetie.” You turned to your daughter with a gentle smile. “I want you to go up to your room and clean up okay?”

“Okay mommy.” Athena looked back at you with a worried look as Sam set her down.

You caressed her head as she walked in, watching her go up the stairs and waiting for the sound of her bedroom door to close and her shower to turn on before shutting the front door behind you.

“Are you out of your goddamn minds?” You glared at the two, trying to not yell, your fists balling up in anger. “What in the three hells is going on?”

“Look y/n. He might be of some use.” Sam tried to explain.

“So you broke him out of prison?!”

“Well technically he got himself out.” Bucky rubbed the back of his neck. He was starting to think that this wasn’t such a good idea and felt guilty for coming here.

“Oh? So what? He magically decides to join your little boy band? The Wakandans are after his ass in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Look I get it. Working with Zemo sounds like a terrible idea and you have every right to be upset. We just need a place to lay low for now. Just...hear us out.” Sam responded with a pleading look.

You stood there with a hand on your hip, squeezing your eyes shut while you pinched the bridge of your nose, not even caring that you still had dirt on your hands.

“Please y/n.” Bucky spoke up, making you look up at him. “Sam wouldn’t come here if he didn’t know what he was doing.”

You looked between the two, rubbing your chin in contemplation as you thought everything over. Bucky was right. Sam would never try to purposely put you in harm’s way.

“Fine.” You breathed out. “You can stay for the night. But you are going to tell me everything. Every last detail.”

“I promise.” Sam looked to you as he placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“Well come on then. Get in.” You nodded your head towards the door as you opened it, letting Bucky and Sam in before putting yourself in front of Zemo and blocking him with a threatening look while speaking in a cold tone. “I swear to the gods, if you so much as try anything, I will bury you alive in my backyard and use you as fertilizer to grow fungi.”

“Y/n what the fuck.” You heard Sam utter from inside.

Zemo gave you a bewildered look and decided to keep quiet as you stepped aside to let him in, watching him closely as he went in. You stuck your head outside again, looking around for any bystanders and making sure the men were preoccupied before muttering something in Ancient Greek, waving your hand around and moving your fingers in specific gestures as a clear glass like film covered the area around your home for protection. You did another once over before going back in and closing the front door, readying yourself for the conversation you would have with Sam and Bucky.

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alpaca-writes · 3 years

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Mystics, Chapter 36

84,000 words later....

I can’t thank everyone enough who sent in asks, commented, liked, and reblogged Mystics as it was being created. It meant the world to me and gave me so much inspiration to continue! Special thanks to Myst, of course. Continue to send in asks for the OCs as much as you want. A part 2 is in the works.

Enjoy Mystics’ final chapter. I hope its been as much fun to read as it was for me to write! <3

Xx -Alpaca

Taglist: @myst-in-the-mirror & @livingforthewhump

CW: captivity, blood mention, drug mention, cheesy dancing at the end.

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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: THREE LITTLE BIRDS

Remember: Matter. How tiny your share of it. Time. How brief and fleeting your allotment of it. Fate. How small a role you play in it.

- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.

Shining white, pristine walls lined the hall. It didn’t take long for Hekate to catch up. Paimon didn’t know why he expected anything less. Now his arms were held behind his back by a cosmic force, unknown even to him, and the inorganic urge to continue walking by her side pushed him forward. He spoke little, and listened even less to what the old hag was saying.

“I cannot promise you will be happy here, but at least you will not be alone in your imprisonment,” Hekate said.

They turned around a corner through the maze of halls and landed upon a wide set of sliding doors. The whole realm was practically space-age. Hekate was clever to disguise the entryway to her realm as his own Labyrinth.

He should never have jumped through. That was a rookie mistake. The moment Apollo was released, he should have known something was amiss. Lyrem certainly didn’t have the talents to perform such a feat.

“This is best for you, Pan,” Hekate continued. “I know that with a little more helpful guidance, you can return to your true nature, and your true glory.”

“Paimon.”

Hekate paused. “No, no, no, my dear. You are Pan. You always have been Pan. You will always be Pan.”

The sliding doors opened. Inside this room there was yet another hallway, but instead of previous areas, this one was lined with clear walls. Perfect for seeing through into the cells that would hold a chosen prisoner.

Many of them were empty. Hekate continued toward the end, until Paimon reached the last of the cells. There was a simple bed and some books on a nightstand that had been left untouched. The room was covered in a white rubber. The bed, made of wood.

“I am not going in there,” Paimon said, his brows furrowed.

Hekate agreed with a nod of her head.

“You are correct. You are going into this one.”

The cell door across from the one that had taken Paimon’s attention opened with a whirring noise. Unable to stop himself, Paimon stepped through the threshold. The door whirred shut behind him and he was released, finally, from whatever command Hekate had over him.

“This is an abuse of power!”

“An abuse of power is what you had for many, many years on Earth my darling dear. And quite frankly, I have had enough of your games,” Hekate observed calmly. “You will have much in common with your cellmate. Let me put it simply, Pan. The sooner you behave, the sooner you will be released.”

Pan- no! Paimon looked around his new home as new objects formed around him out of nothingness. A simple bed, nightstand, all as white as snow on Christmas day and one thing in the corner that stood out among everything else because of its red mahogany sheen- a Pan flute.

“If you wish to have anything more, then you will need to earn it,” Hekate stated.

Darkly, Paimon turned around, meeting his great aunt’s eyes.

“I will destroy you for this. I will ruin you. I will make sure no one ever knows of you. I will turn you into a forgotten relic! Just as you deserve to be!”

Hekate raised a brow to show how meaningless Paimon’s threats truly were to her.

“I would think it something to be admired, if you could do any one of those things, darling dear. Certainly, if even your own father could not do those things, then it would be worth true congratulation.”

Paimon charged the clear wall and then stole a glance to the cell across from him, where someone had returned from using a restroom. The mysterious person sat on the edge of his bed. Someone vaguely familiar, with light eyes and a trimmed white beard, looking drastically different than he remembered. Paimon blinked.

“Dad?”

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

“Have you ever heard the tale of Sisyphus?”

“It may shock you to learn I haven’t ever quite finished the Iliad, but yes, I have.” Lyrem replied to Hades’ question. “So, you’ll have repeat a meaningless, trivial task for all eternity in my afterlife as a punishment for imprisoning you as per Pan’s command. How very original. Did you think of that all on your own, or did you need your brother’s help?”

“My brother Zeus has not been heard from for a millennia. While he had given me some inspiration, I thought it better to put my own ironic flair into your suffering.”

Persephone interrupted with a short squeak.

“No, uncle, please don’t be so ruthless. He’s lost so much already!”

Artemis had switched back into her cat-like form, comforting her brother Apollo in his lap and purring. She had let out a protest of her own in Lyrem’s favour as well.

Apollo translated. “Arty agrees. We should be kind to him. Truly uncle, I have to imagine that Pan had quite the psychological hold on this man. Perhaps it would be wise to show him a tad bit of mercy?”

Hades looked to the naïve children and back to the human-mortal-man with growing disinterest. Then a light crossed his face, as though an idea dawned on him. He allowed himself to smile, ever so gently.

“Well, I can see that you have created quite the positive rapport with my nieces and nephew already. I don’t know why I am so surprised.”

Lyrem shot a quick wink to Persephone as a thank you.

“Which is why, I shall grant you eternal life.” Hades continued.

Lyrem looked back to him, and stammered.

“What- what did… Did you just say what I think you said?"

Hades nodded. Everyone looked joyful. Excited even. Lyrem could last forever- very nearly be one of them. Yes, everyone thought this to be a grand idea, except for obviously, Lyrem.

“When you die, I will refuse to take your soul. Every time without fail. You will forever grow old, then older… then older. And you will never die.”

“No.”

“Welcome to a lifetime of arthritis and aching legs and never-ending cataract surgery,” Hades said. “Oh, yes, that is right, Thomas. I know how old you are, and how much older you will get before your cells no longer hold you together. Consider this a gift.”

“No, please, God Hades. I need to find Ros-”

“Goodbye ‘Lyrem’. Have yourself a wonderful life.”

He was gone. All the mortals had left the Underworld, finally. Now, Hades could return to restoring his realm to its proper state.

Persephone perked up, realizing she was free to create and grow everything back to the way it was in the Underworld.

“My pond!” She cried, running out the dining room doors towards the Depths of Despair. “I swear, if Pan killed my koi, I am going to be furious!”

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

“Why the hell are there empty bins in the hall?! Where are all my photos?! What on earth happened to my stereo?!”

Arch groaned, sitting up from the floor of the living room. Their mother was already back to her old self, standing and shouting and asking questions that no one would care to answer for her.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Arthur answered. He stood to his feet and limped slowly down the hall. “I’m pouring myself a bath.”

Charlotte rushed past her brother and her child, throwing herself through the house in a frenzy. Arch stood with their back against the wall, arms crossed. It wasn’t anything defiant. They just wanted to be held.

“Where are all my clothes?!”

DING DONG

“Arch, I swear to God, you will tell me what happened while I was away, and where all my f-” ding dong “stuff is!”

Arch removed their bloody apron from their body, moved a short few steps to the kitchen sink and rinsed their hands that were still stained red.

DING DING DING DING DING DONG!

Arch rubbed their temple with their hands and out of instinct, walked to the front door.

It was Benji. Through the screen door, Arch saw him standing on the sidewalk in front of their house. He had just pressed play on his Bluetooth speaker sitting in the grass. It started playing a bizarre melody.

“Hey! You answered! I was hoping you would! You have no idea how many texts I’ve sent!”

Arch stepped out onto the top of the stairs, still puzzled to know what was happening. The summer heat still lingered in the air.

“Look, I don’t know what I did to deserve the cold-shoulder, but I thought you deserved a visit at least on your birthday, okay? So, sue me.”

“My birthday?” Arch said. “It’s… It’s August? Thirteenth?”

‘Me, my, oh, what a life So lean on my people, gon' be stepping in time’

“Yeah, dude! Did you seriously forget?!” Benji exclaimed, bobbing his head from side to side.

‘So, thank you!

For coming to my birthday party!

I am one minute old today

And everything is going great-’

Arch sputtered a reflexive, well-needed laugh. Benji had started dancing like an absolute fool on their front lawn. He pulled out a birthday candle from the recesses of his pocket and held it forward.

“Look, I’ve been wanting you to show me that magic trick again, I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Arch placed their hands in their pockets, trying to work past their tears of both exhaustion and entertainment. They shook their head. They really didn’t want to know if they could still perform that trick.

“I… forgot how.”

Benji stared back up, crestfallen. He checked his phone and lowered the volume on his music player.

“Fine, okay. Whatever. You don’t want me around. That’s cool. I get it. I’m a big shot. Not really your type to hang with-”

“What?”

Benji swallowed back his pain, and shrugged.

“It’s cool Arch. School’s over and we gotta go our separate ways. I understand.”

He started backing away. Arch leapt forward, and caught him by the elbow before he turned away completely.

“I want you to stay!” Arch admitted. “It’s totally cool if you want to hang out. Please stay... I… Honestly, I have been so lonely...”

How did the air get so thick?

“And I have missed you… so much.”

Benji’s sad, soulful eyes skeptically narrowed, and then widened with a realization.

“Dude… Have you been struggling? This whole time…? All summer? You gotta come to me with your shit! Don’t bottle it up, bud.” Benji wrapped them in a tight hug and rocked them to and fro. “Oh, I had no idea... You’re my main enby, Arch… I’ll be your Rick Astley forever… The Bernie to your Elton… Okay? Always. No doubt. No doubt.”

Arch took a moment to sob grossly into his shoulder. They pulled away before it got too squishy for their liking. If allowed, they knew Benji would let them cry on him until the end of time.

Arch took a deep breath of relief.

“Sorry, I’ve just been really stressed.”

“Yeah, hey. No kidding.” Benji said. “Look, here’s the plan, Shazia said that if I could reach you today that she’d meet us at the park with some of that fancy hash we like so that we can smoke up cakes.”

Arch scrunched their face.

“Cupcakes. Shazia would meet us in the park with cupcakes. Hey, Charlotte,” Benji cleared his throat, seeing the dark haired woman, who seemed to be hanging by a very fine thread from behind the screen door. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Benji. Arch, just go.”

“Wait. Really?” Arch turned around, wondering how she could be serious.

“You’re eighteen now, aren’t you?” Charlotte asked.

Arch nodded.

“Then get out.”

There wasn’t anything warm about the way Charlotte said those words. Instead of lingering too long on the nuance, Arch only nodded, watching the door to the house shut its inhabitants in.

Benji bent over to pick up his speaker. He didn’t miss a beat cutting the music.

“What was that all about?” He asked. Like Arch, he looked up at the closed door.

Arch wiped the wetness away from their face with a couple fingers.

“I… I think I was just kicked out.”

Arch cleared their throat. They turned back to Benji as the summer sun beat down on them both.

Oh Benji. He was the most welcome sight in this world. The only good thing left that Arch had yet to ruin. Shazia would soon await them both in the park. Their life with Paimon, Lyrem, and hell, was now in the past. A future containing Arthur and Charlotte filled with shame and regret awaited them.

That didn’t matter yet. All that mattered was what was right in front of them.

And Arch really, really, really wanted to get high.

“Anyways, you said something about smoking up?”

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diaryofabeautyfiend · 3 years

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Some warnings: Implied violence then some magical violence. Just covering my bases.

This chapter is long and it gets weird. Continuing on with a very slow burn. I hope you are all still enjoying this fic. Comments ❤️❤️ and reblogging all encouraged and appreciated. Please don’t pass this off as your own writing. I’ll find out and laugh at you.

Small Time Witch (5)

When you got back to the compound Steve’s phone rang. He walked several feet away from you to speak to whomever was on the other end. When he came back he looked flustered. “Everything ok?”

“Yeah. I’m actually going to have to run. I had a lot of fun with you today. I’d like to do it again. Maybe without stabbing?”

Before you had a chance to answer he kissed you on the cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

You felt like he rushed out of there really quick and that made you nervous. You walked back towards the building from the garage and tried to call Loki. No answer. You tried Wanda but the call kept dropping. No texts from either of them. You pressed then elevator button several times. It was taking forever. You decided to take the stairs. All of the hair on the back of your neck stood up. You looked around and saw nothing. When you opened the door to the stairwell something (or someone) clocked you hard on the back of the head. You blacked out.

STEVE

Steve hated everything that was about to happen. He got the call on the way into the building that he needed to leave you there. It was time. Two masked agents would be waiting for you in the stairwell. They would blindfold you and take you to a small dark room. There, you would remain bound and blindfolded while someone would repeatedly ask you about sensitive information while you were being “tortured”. No one was going to physicality hurt you. Loki would use his methods to trick your mind into thinking you were being hurt. All SHIELD agents with high level security clearance went through this training.

Everyone was waiting in the upstairs viewing area. Steve sat down with a huff and prepared to watch. “You said this was to test her endurance under pressure. This is torture. For the record I hate this.” he said to Loki.

“Duly noted, Captain. I’ll have an ear piece and Dr. Banner will be able to monitor her vital signs. This is ultimately for her safety.”

“It’s cruel.”

“As a habit I do not deal in cruelty. I will keep her as safe as possible. I assure you no physical harm will come to her.” Loki felt guilty. He’s never experienced the emotion before but now, with a pit in his stomach, he had to betray your trust.

Nat tried reassuring Steve the best she could, “Look, Steve, we’ve all been through the real thing at some point in our careers. No one likes this. Better that she experience it now so she knows what she’s up against.”

He wasn’t convinced. Bucky sat next to him and patted his thigh. “She’s tough. She whooped your ass earlier. She can handle this.”

“How can you of all people believe that?”

“Because I have to or else I couldn’t bare it. If things get too dicey we’ll stop it ok?”

The room they were in was sound proof. They had mics to be able to hear you. It was all two way glass so, even if your blindfold came off, you wouldn’t know they were there. The agents brought you in. You were awake and fighting hard. They were instructed not to hit you or fight back but to secure you. They both looked extremely frustrated. One of them had a cut above his eye. They tossed you in the chair and slammed the door. When they went in the room with the rest of the team everyone stared.

“What the hell happened?” Steve asked

“She threw an elbow, sir. She almost got away. Had to taze her.”

Steve bounded across the room pinning the agent to the wall, “You were told not to hurt her.”

“Yes, sir. We were also told not to let her get away. We didn’t want to hit her again.” His nostrils flared and the back of his neck was red a splotchy. Nat put her hands on his shoulders and directed him away.

“Good job, guys. You can go.” They couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

“See? She did exactly what I taught her. She’s going to be ok.” He shook his head and went back to his seat. He couldn’t take his eyes off of you.

They removed your gag but kept the canvas hood on your head. You struggled against the bindings trying to free your hands. They bit at your wrists. You called out demanding to speak to someone in charge.

Sam laughed, “Damn. Is she asking to see the manager?” Mostly everyone laughed. Steve’s jaw clenched. He couldn’t understand how anyone could make jokes right now.

“She’s remembering her one day of training so shut the fuck up, Sam.”

“Sorry, Cap.”

“Does anyone else feel disgusted that we’re having a public viewing of our colleague being tortured?” No one would look at him.

Bucky was the only one who was quiet. He was remembering himself in this very situation. He knew your mind was racing which is why you couldn’t magick your way out of this. If he could only get you to calm down. That’s when he saw Wanda pressing her face to the glass. She looked distraught. He went to sit next to her. Neither of them spoke for several seconds. They held hands and wallowed in their shared trauma. “She’s screaming for me, Bucky. I can hear her.” She wiped a few tears from her eyes, “She’s so scared.”

“You can’t tell her what’s happening? Can’t she hear you?”

“Loki put up a barrier. She’s alone.”

“How can he do this to her?” Bucky was furious with Loki.

“He is doing as he was ordered. You know what that’s like.”

“Ordered by who?!” he said in a harsh whisper.

“Director Fury. The Security Council. They won’t give her clearance for this or any future missions unless she undergoes the same training as any other agent. It was Loki who convinced them to do it this way. He takes no pleasure in this.”

“Then why did he agree?”

“Because if he didn’t do it SHIELD would have. She would be in the middle of nowhere being tortured for real.” Bucky was seething. Surely Steve didn’t know any of this. He went to tell him when you let out a blood curdling scream.

Everyone was silent. All that could be heard was Wanda sobbing. Nat tried to comfort her to no avail. The interrogator asked you another question. You played dumb. You screamed again.

“I hope Loki is enjoying himself.” Steve grumbled

“He’s not. How dare you say that?! This is hurting him too.” Wanda was pushing against Steve. Her eyes glowed red. He couldn’t think of anything else to do so he hugged her.

“Nat, call down to the booth. Tell them stop. Tell them now.” She grabbed the receiver to call the booth when the line went dead. “It’s dead. Somethings wrong. I’m going down there.”

Bucky was already out of the door running to where you were.

The whole place was plunged into darkness. Wanda smiled knowing that you were fighting back. A brilliant white light emitted from the room. You were floating above the chair with your hands out. You lifted the interrogator from the ground and flung him against the wall knocking him unconscious. Steve and Wanda ran down the ramp leading to the booth to stop you. Loki was already in the room.

“Y/N! Stop this! Listen to my voice. You are safe.” You lifted your hand again slamming the door behind him. The two way mirror shattered. All of the shards of glass were pointed at Loki.

“Y/N! Please. I’m not going to hurt you.” Wanda was behind him now and tried to use her magic to subdue you. You whipped your head in her direction and pointed a shard at her throat.

“We will not be trifled with any longer.” Your voice was calm and steady. Behind it echoed many more voices. “We are the daughters of the moon. Daughters of Diana. Daughters of Hekate. You seek our power. You will receive it in abundance.”

“Enough!” Loki shouted, “I know you can hear me, Y/N. Fight this.”

“Loki?” you whimpered.

“Yes, pet. I’m here. Please. You’re safe now.” The glass dropped to the floor and so did you.

He was at your side at once brushing your hair from your eyes whispering your name. Begging you to wake up. His eyes were wide. He looked at Wanda pleading, “What have I done? What have I done?”

“Bruce! Someone get Bruce! We need help.” Bruce rushed in and instructed Loki to put you on a gurney. They rushed you into a room and started examining you. He and Tony hooked you up to electrodes to measure your brain waves and monitor your heart.

“Tony I can’t find anything medically that would be causing her to be unconscious. But look at her brain waves.” There were several lines spiking indicating that there was more than one brain essentially.

“I’ll call Strange.” Tony went pale when he looked at the monitor.

Loki and Wanda refused to leave your bedside. Steve paced the hall outside of your room. Fury walked in looking actually worried for once. “How is she?” he asked Nat. Before she could answer Bucky was lunging for him. Fury regarded him unfazed. “You wanna take your hands off me, Sergeant?” Steve pulled him away.

“Come on, Buck.”

“She didn’t deserve this.” He walked away to get some air.

“Is this how you do it? You pit them against each other under the guise of ‘security’ so you can break them down? Are you so afraid of someone else having power...” Fury raised his voice to interrupt Steve.

“Yes, Captain Rogers, I am. I am especially afraid of the one in the bed who is basically a nuclear bomb. I’m afraid of her teaming up with the other one to become a formidable force. If a demigod joins them they become unstoppable. It is my job to squash that before Loki gets the bright idea to take over the world again. Those two can be more powerful than the entire Chitauri army of they wanted to be.”

“She’s just a kid, Nick.”

“A kid with a lot of power.”

“Yep. And we just pissed her off.”

Wanda was asleep on the couch in your room. Thor patted Loki on the shoulder, “Brother, why don’t you rest? I’ll stand watch for a while.” Loki didn’t take his attention away from you.

“I’m not leaving her. What if she wakes up and I’m not here?”

“Loki? What’s come over you? I’ve never seen you worry over someone like this.”

A smile ghosted over his face, “Only over you, Brother.”

“Is this love or guilt?”

“Perhaps a little of both. No matter. She has feelings for the soldier. And, when she wakes up and realizes what I’ve done, I’m sure she’ll hate me.”

Thor’s brow furrowed, “Tell her the truth. She’ll understand your position.”

“I should have crushed their skulls. That should have been my position. I’ve hurt her. Who can blame her if she never wants to see me again?”

Thor returned to the common room where the rest of the team was sitting.

“Any change?” Sam asked

“No. I’ve never seen Loki like this.”

“Like what? Remorseful?” added Tony

“This is on all of us, Tony. We should have put a stop to it. We watched it happen. Given Loki’s criminal status with SHIELD he wasn’t really left with a choice. He did what he thought was right.” Steve scolded

They all looked up when they heard faint footsteps. “Were you defending me, Captain?” he didn’t give Steve a chance answer, “The wizard’s here.”

They all went into your room where Doctor Stephen Strange was ruminating over your chart. Dr. Cho was already there talking to him. “Dr. Banner join us won’t you?” Strange adjusted hung your films from your MRI. “What were the results of her CT?”

“Her brain was functioning at an extreme rate mostly around the hippocampus.”

“That’s her memory center” Bruce explained to Wanda who was still sitting vigil by your bedside.

“Well team medically, with the exception of the heightened brain activity, she’s healthy. Magically speaking, it looks like the spell she cast had a built in safety feature.”

“Can you fix her?”

“I can. I need everyone out. Not you.” He pointed at Wanda, “You stay.”

“I’m not leaving.” Loki said sternly

“You’ve done enough. Bye.” He waved his hand and Loki went flying through a portal into the next room. Strange waved his hand, “Let’s have some privacy. This should keep out the riff raff.”

“Can you fix her?” Wanda was hopeful

“Oh yeah” he waved a hand over you “She’s good.”

“That easy?”

“Yes. You know you could have done this?”

“I wouldn’t know how or where to even begin.”

“Yes, you do. I know you know that you are more powerful even than me. You are so afraid of disappointing those fools out there. You shouldn’t be.”

“They are my family.”

“Your family fears you so you think you have to muzzle yourself. You don’t.”

You opened your eyes and sucked in your breath, “Where am I?!”

“There she is. Y/N it’s very nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Stephen Strange. You gave them quite the scare.”

“Loki! Is he ok?”

“He’s fine. He’s the one who put you here.”

“I need to see him.” You started pulling out wires and ripping off electrodes.

“Honey let me go find him. You need to stay in bed.” Wanda was trying to stop you.

“The newest Avenger. How does that feel?”

“I’m not an Avenger. I’m helping out. I work for SHIELD.”

“Either way you’re backing the wrong team. I know what the Kale’s did to your coven. If you ever want real answers here’s where you find me.” He handed you a card with an address on it embossed in gold. He winked at you and excused himself when Loki appeared in the doorway.

“Wizard” “Sabrina” Loki cocked an eyebrow but Strange kept walking.

“Darling. Are you ok? I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” You knew of only one other time that Loki looked this wrecked and that’s when his mother was killed. Poor guy.

“You didn’t. I mean not really. The spell has a fail safe. Only meant to scare my attacker.” He sighed with relief.

“Are you very angry with me?”

“No. I couldn’t hear your thoughts but I could feel you. I knew you were there.”

“So you knew I was hurting you.”

You put your hands on the sides of his face, “I thought you were trying to protect me.” You stared at each other for a moment. His heart was racing. He placed his hands over yours. You brushed an errant hair out of his eyes. “Darling I...”

Steve burst in the room wrapping you in a hug, “I’m so sorry I left you. Are you ok? Are you hurt?” Loki stood watching what was unfolding. You looked back at him. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. He left the room to give you and Steve a minute.

“Steve. Shhh. I’m ok. I swear.” For reasons neither of you could explain he grabbed your face and crashed his lips into yours. Your eyes went wide then you acquiesced. Your tongue massaged his. He leaned his weight into you. When he broke the kiss he said quietly, “I’m staying with you tonight.”

“You really don’t need to. Loki will be there. I’m ok. I promise. I’m much stronger than I look.”

“I would feel better:”

LOKI

Loki sat alone on the big fluffy couch in the common room. He toyed with the frayed edge of a throw pillow. It was silent but he could hear your heartbeat quicken. Your breath catching in your chest. Your racing thoughts. He felt your butterflies when Steve came into the room. You liked Steve. He supposed the captain was a decent enough guy. That didn’t mean he had to like him.

For a moment when you were touching his face he felt something. He wasn’t sure if the feelings were yours or his. It felt deeper than just a crush. The way you looked at him. Almost like you were committing his face to memory. Your eyes studied him. For a moment he felt seen.

Thor sat next to him and pulled him in for a very firm embrace. “Get off of me you oaf”

“You’re staying with me tonight. It’ll be fun. We’ll bunk together just like when we were children.”

“Do you still snore?”

“That depends. Do you still talk in your sleep.”

“I wasn’t talking in my sleep. I was whispering spells to silence you.”

Thor smiled, “I hope you remember them.”

#steve rogers fanfic #captain america x reader #mcu x reader #steve rogers x reader #loki x you #loki x reader #loki of asgard #steve Rogers slow burn #marvel witches #marvel #slow burn #mcu witches #witchyvibes #witchythings #wanda maximov #bucky reader insert

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edgydepressedchoicesthot · 4 years

Text

Act of Courage (Noah/MC, Lucas/MC)

Summary: It shouldn’t feel like this, after all this time. We won, didn’t we?

No, Josh realized. We didn’t.

In which a survivor contemplates what was, what is, and what could have been.

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061654

@ladyseaheart1668, @marmolady, @it-lives-in-westchester

A/N: Between work, college, and my f*cked up head, finishing this up took a lot longer than it should have. I'm trying to make writing into my coping mechanism, so that I'll do it more, lol ;D

I have one more fic I promised on tumblr, an AME one I'm gonna work on. I'm also gonna try to go back to my ES novelization, so stay tuned for that for its continuation.

————————

The two of them were at Josh’s place, waiting for Ava, Andy, Dan, and Lucas. Lily was sick in bed and Stacy was visiting her grandma out of town, leaving Noah and Josh waiting for the four others while they drew figures in the dirt in the yard with sticks and talking about anything their minds jumped to.

“Hey, Noah?”

The boy turned towards his friend.

“Yeah?”

For a moment, Josh, who was as lively as ever seconds ago, was being uncharacteristically quiet.

“Do you…like anyone?”

“‘Like’,” Noah repeated. “Like I like you and Jane and the others? Or you mean like-like?”

“Um, yeah” Josh nodded, blushing. “Like-like.”

“Then no,” the other boy shrugged. “Stacy, Lily, and Ava are fun to hang around, but I don’t like-like anyone.”

“What about,” Josh began hurriedly, but slowed down. “What about boys…?”

“Huh?”

“Do you like-like any boys?”

Josh was beet red. Noah was just confused.

“No,” he shrugged. “I’m a boy. It’d be weird if I liked-liked a boy. That’s what my mom says though.”

“Right…” Josh looked hurt. “Right, forget it.”

Noah wanted to ask why his friend looked so sad.

He hated it when Josh got upset. Unlike Jane, who’d get mad, Josh would be quiet, pouty, and would go off by himself, refusing to ever acknowledge what made him upset in the first place.

But before Noah can say anything, the doorbell rang and their friends poured inside.

Noah forgot that Josh even asked him any question about who he liked.

It was something they’d both forget in the years to come, a memory of the conversation fading into a small feeling.

————————

After reading Lucas’s texts, Josh shoved his phone into his pocket. His smile started to fade as he continued down the road, focusing on his surroundings.

It really is a beautiful day, Josh mused.

And he hated it.

The sun shone through the trees in a way that reminded him of an image you’d find on a tourist pamphlet.

It made Josh think about how the only thing this town is good for is being fake.

Like how the town somehow fooled themselves into thinking everything was just a freak animal attack.

But the more he thought about it, Josh guessed he couldn’t blame the town for that. Having to deal with the truth might actually be more of a clusterfuck than it all happening.

It was all a question of why.

Why did this all happen to them? Why was he the one who had to find Redfield’s shack?

All he had to do was keep his goddamn mouth shut about some stupid fucking rock floating all those years ago…

It’s my fault.

Josh scoffed.

Like that’s big news.

And when it was time to pay the piper, Josh was too much of a coward to do anything…

Shoving his hands into his pockets, Josh forced himself to think about something, anything else.

His mind wandered from the date Lucas promised they’d have before he went back to his university, to that new video game Lily’s been raving about, Stacy’s latest Pictagram post about celebrating another perfect score on an exam, Ava’s latest binge on occult books in the library, Andy whining about how he just wants to be free of high school already, Dan’s updates on his new art blog…

…Noah crying, apologizing…

Josh wiped tears from his eyes as he kept walking.

————————

Noah always envied Josh.

He was a charismatic go-getter where Noah was shy and bookish. Josh always got stickers that came with having a perfect score on spelling tests, ones that Noah just passed by never more than five points. Josh was brave enough to make the first move in befriending him and Jane, and began their circle of friends the same way.

Noah not only hated how he was too wimpy to ever say any of this out loud, but also that he held this kind of resentment towards one of the best friends he’s ever had.

Noah hated how nervous he feels around Josh too. How he can’t help but constantly compare himself to him.

Josh was like the sun; radiant and bright and impossible to miss, and Noah had felt like the grimy earth beneath it.

But everything changed after Jane died.

Their whole group of friends changed. They started to see each other less and less, and eventually, they never saw each other outside of school.

Having different classes in middle school widened the gap between them, leaving silent nods as the last bit of interaction they had.

Soon, even those were gone.

Even after they all fell apart, Noah couldn’t help but notice Josh.

Before, Noah had always seen Josh happily chatting with at least one person.

Now, Noah never saw him hang out with anyone ever again. He was like the dusty remains of a star that went out.

There were times Noah wanted to reach out, to see if they could be friends again, to hang out, laugh together, be together-

-and Noah would stop himself when he came short of any reason Josh would want to talk to him.

————————

“You look like shit.”

“Hello to you too, Ava.”

Josh was semi-thankful that his shift at one of the town’s few fast food places started early in the morning. Only a handful of people stepped in here for breakfast, and none of them were impossible to deal with. So, for a few hours, Josh could enjoy a bit of peace before the lunch rush.

And it was always good to see a friendly face.

“Alright, fuck the pleasantries then.”

Usually.

Ava stretched her hand at Josh and waved it dramatically.

“In the name of the Dread Goddess Hekate, get me my usual.”

Josh punched in the register an order for an apple pie and a milkshake.

“That’ll be $2.78.”

Wordlessly, Ava hands him money and Josh went in the back to get her order.

“Talked to Tom today,” Ava said. “He looked really interested in the stuff I found in Cora’s shack. Maybe he can be my apprentice or some shit.”

“A witch’s apprentice?”

“Turned him down. Teaching is a rock bottom I’ll never hit.”

“Cuz the teacher’s at school we sooo great.”

“You get it.”

Josh finished up, pie in a paper bag and milk in hand.

“So, you talk to people,” she asked before he held out her order. “You’re social like that. Everyone’s gonna be at the memorial tonight, right?”

“Yup,” Josh nodded. “All seven of-”

Josh stops himself, remembering what happened to the seventh.

Ava’s face went steely, and for a moment it looked like she had a lot to say.

“Hand me my order,” she sighed. Josh obliged.

Before Ava walked out, she stopped and did a half turn. Josh sees several shifts to and from anger and sympathy.

“Tale care,” she said before leaving.

————————

Noah couldn’t remember the last time he and Josh talked.

So, when Josh sat next to him at the pep rally, he hoped his quietness came off as indifference, and hid his anxiety about the whole situation.

Josh didn’t seem to mind, since he started talking semi-comfortably. He was mellower and less gloomy than he used to be, and Noah felt the familiar jealously that was always the third companion amongst the two.

The pep rally ended after the blackout, Josh called everyone to meet after school, and four of them were stocking up on makeshift weapons.

When Josh told Noah that he won’t leave him again, he let himself believe it.

Noah halfheartedly thanked Josh, and for a second was afraid his sort-of-friend would take offense.

But instead, Josh smiled at him, and Noah felt like he was looking at sunshine.

A warm feeling bloomed in Noah’s chest, and it stuck around even when they were done talking and gone back to looking for weapons.

Noah remembered the warm feeling later on, when he noticed how Josh’s face was red when he was close enough to Lucas, how he stammered a bit more when the two were talking.

Noah wasn’t as dumb as he was as a kid. He knew that Josh liked Lucas. He also didn’t want to believe he was feeling jealousy, because of what it implied.

It wasn’t until during Britney’s party that Noah started to ask himself where these feelings for Josh came from. Was it sometime after everyone drifted apart, and their absence leaving an ache in his heart? Or was it before, when they were younger, innocent, and still friends?

After the party and after Josh revived his hope for the future (something he’d been doing well the past few days), his own personal devil reared its shadowy head, and signaled the end.

In the near future, while they were all forced to play the game again, Noah would wonder if anything could have happened to keep this whole mess from happening.

If he just told Redfield to fuck off, or just ignored him (no, her).

————————

“In school,” Andy said with a mouth full of pizza. “You froze up every time you had to present something. And up there, you didn’t break a sweat.”

Josh was taken by surprise when Stacy’s mom called him up to say a few words (he didn’t even think the town’s mayor even remembered his name). Surprisingly, where there was usually quick breath and sweating, there was just emptiness.

His mind flashed to Cora when he was up, about how she risked her life to help them and went to warn them while she was injured and dying.

And then it went to Noah.

He kept his part about Noah as brief as possible, and stepped down the second he gave his last “thank you”.

Josh would like to say that Lucas’s hug and quick kiss after the memorial made him feel better, but after talking about Noah, he couldn’t shake the feeling like he was betraying him.

“I get a lot of speech practice when dealing with customers from hell,” Josh finally answered, shrugging.

“You mean Ava?” Andy snarked.

“Andy, don’t be mean,” Lily scolded

“You think I take offense to that?” Ava grinned evilly. “I go there on the weekends.”

Josh finished his Graveyard, and turned to Lucas, right next to him.

“Bartender, one more.”

“One for me too,” Stacy smirked, wiggling her empty cup.

“I think you’ve both had enough,” Lucas said in mock seriousness.

“How can you stand to drink those?” Tom asked. “I almost hurled taking a sip!”

“That’s it, you’re dead to me,” Stacy pouted theatrically.

“Aw, come on,” Lily nudged Stacy with her shoulder. “We all just pledged our eternal devotion to each other five minutes ago!”

And just managed to avoid talking about Noah…

Noah could be here. Right now.

Maybe not here though. The others might still hate him, maybe not, but at least he’d be alive. Maybe everyone would even slowly come to stop hating him.

He could find a way to pay for culinary school. He could open up the diner he talked about…

And I wish I could just stop thinking about those last moments…

Josh has vague memories of blushing and being embarrassed around Noah when they were younger, but he didn’t think it had meant anything.

Every time Josh started thinking about his...crush, if he could call it that, he’d just start thinking of Lucas, and guilt of betrayal would stab at his gut.

Josh’s eyes drift over to Dan, who’s been silent the whole time, aside from giving halfhearted laughs and accepting Graveyard refills…

…along with bringing up the one who’s been on Josh’s mind for a while.

“Well…not the whole group.”

Josh remembered that this night would end, and that everyone would go back to dealing with their trauma.

Not alone. Please for the love of god not alone.

He felt like some kind of traitor again, for feeling this awful around people with whom he should be happy.

It shouldn’t feel like this, after all this time. We won, didn’t we?

He remembered the panic attack he talked Lily through by phone after Britney called him, begging for help. He remembered Ava’s blank face as the signs of a flashback started to show. He remembered the bags under Stacy’s eyes as she drank more coffee than was healthy. He remembered the late night texts from Andy faking small talk when he couldn’t sleep and needed some anchor to reality. He remembered the way Dan finally admitted with tears that he wasn’t fine, was anything but fine.

And he remembered seeing the thing that used to be Noah in the ruins, looking back at him with those white eyes before vanishing.

No, Josh realized. We didn’t.

————————

Seconds ago, Josh had gotten Noah out of Redfield’s (no, Jane’s) control as he was seconds away from being stabbed.

He goaded and taunted the monster they all feared since childhood, and fended it off with a whistle.

So this should be easy, right?

Taking Jane’s place so she could finally be free of the hell she spent nearly a decade in.

“I’m sorry, Josh,” Noah sobbed. “Please…please tell my mom-”

“Wait!” Josh said shakily. “It doesn’t have to be you!”

“Josh, please, it had to be me,” Noah begged. “Let me do this. Let me fix my mistakes.”

“NO!” he screamed. “Don’t you dare! Let me do this! Let me take her place instead!”

Except…

Josh didn’t say any of that.

He wanted to stop Noah, he wanted to so much, but no matter what, his throat wouldn’t obey.

When it mattered the most, all he could give is silence.

If the two of them were any closer, their faces would touch. Unfallen tears pooled in Noah’s eyes, filled with regret

Josh didn’t know what to do. He wanted to scream at Noah. He wanted to hug him and never let go. He wanted to punch him.

But Noah acted before Josh could.

His lips weren’t soft, but warm and gentle, and soon turn salty when tears hit their lips. Neither of them knew whose.

“I’m sorry,” Josh lost count of the number of times Noah’s apologized today. “I just…I needed to do that. Just once…”

Those are the last words Noah ever said as a human.

————————

The night ended with everyone promising to see each other tomorrow, and soon after that.

And so, here were Josh and Lucas, waiting together on a bench on the sidewalk for Josh’s mom to come pick them up and give Lucas a ride to his house.

Despite everyone parting with the unspoken promise of this goodbye isn’t for good, Josh couldn’t help that irrational fear that the opposite would be true, and they’d all fall apart over again.

“You good?” Lucas pulled Josh out of his thoughts.

“Huh?” he mumbled dumbly.

“You’re squeezing my hand pretty hard there,” Lucas shakes his hand holding Josh’s, and he finds out he’s right; Josh is squeezing Lucas’s hand like some kind of lifeline.

“Sorry,” Josh says sheepishly as he eases his grip, but Lucas gives a gentle squeeze, keeping him from pulling away.

“Hey, you’re alright,” Lucas says before Josh can apologize any more.

Josh smiled at him, not trusting himself to speak right now. Unfortunately, it just gave way to an awkward silence.

“Josh?”

“Yeah?”

“You know you can tell me anything, right?” Lucas asks.

“What…” do you mean, Josh wanted to say, but he just didn’t have the heart to lie to his boyfriend’s face.

“I know,” Josh sighed.

And he did. But that was a different story than being able to do it.

“I’m here for you. So is everyone else. And if something’s been on your mind, we’d all listen if you wanted to talk.”

Josh wanted to.

He probably needed to.

Josh remembered Dan, how he desperately needed someone to talk to, how he needed help, and what happened after he didn’t get it (it wasn’t his fault, it was mine).

But what could he possibly say?

Is it okay for me to have lingering feelings for someone else? Someone who betrayed us and led us to a monster? Someone who’s a monster now himself? Someone almost all of you understandably hate?

There’s no way he can bring that up. Not to his friends, not to his boyfriend.

“I don’t wanna talk,” Josh sighs. “Could we just…be here…? If that makes any sense?”

“It doesn’t,” Lucas jokes. “But it’s a good thing I’m a mind reader.”

Lucas put an arm around Josh, pulling him closer.

Josh rested his head on Lucas’s shoulder and closed his eyes, enjoying his boyfriend’s presence.

In the future, when Josh finally found it in him to talk, he’d be able to go back to the cabin. Against all advice, he’d look for Noah in the shadowy figure that haunted the woods. And he’d find him. And soon after, Josh would be able to help more people who were forced into a world of monsters like he and his friends were.

#playchoices #pixelberry #it lives in the woods #fanfiction #noah marshall #lucas thomas #ava cunningham #andy kang #stacey green #tom sato #lily ortiz #dan pierce #my fics

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providentially-demonic · 5 years

Text

Miraculous Mystery Skulls: Chapter Six

First Arc: a Spellcaster, a Ghost and a Mechanic walk into a bar Paris

Summary: On their honeymoon in Paris, the City of Lights, the trio of Vivi, Lewis and Arthur encounter more than sightseeing… in the form of monsters, supervillains and a pair of teen superheroes. Sometimes, miraculous things can happen, when you least expect it.

(A Mystery Skulls/Miraculous Ladybug crossover event)

A/N: This all started with this fic by @phantoms-lair and the silly idea of them running into Chat Noir and Ladybug while there. It grew…

It’s a tale of heroes, miraculous, found family and more (with a healthy dose of puns). Co-created and written with assistance from @phantoms-lair, so she deserves some of the credit and a lot of the blame! :P

Back to Chapter Five

Chapter Six: Lost, Found and Other Descriptors

Arthur was indeed a little groggy when his alarm went off in the morning, and he wasn’t sure if it was because of the broken sleep, the meds, or a combo of both. Vivi was still asleep against his side as he reached out to shut off his phone, but someone was awake and watching him with bright blue eyes. He started badly before he remembered. “Zippi.” he said flatly.

The Kwami stretched out and leapt off the headboard and into the air. “Morning, morning! Are you hungry? I’m starving! I haven’t eaten since the fall of Rome!” He seemed pleased by his own joke, rolling in the air with laughter.

Arthur carefully sat up, trying not to wake Vivi. “Hilarious. What do Kwami eat anyway? You look like I should find you a nice tree full of nuts.”

Zippi made a disgusted face, tongue sticking out. “Ew.”

Arthur sighed and looked down at his sleeping wife. “I should probably order some breakfast anyway before sleeping beauty here wakes up.”

“Ooh, breakfast! Wheat pancakes? Dates and Honey? Garum? Please tell me there's garum!"

“I have no idea if they have any of that on the room service menu. Also I have no idea what the hell garum is.” Taking a deep breath, Arthur began the task of linking his prosthetic to the port in his shoulder.

Zippi watched with wide eyes, but continued his plaint. “How can you not know what garum is? It’s yummy! We used it on everything.”

“Easily. I have never even heard of it, thanks. Now quiet down before you wake Vivi up.” Arthur hissed as the first of the connectors clicked into place.

“Too late.” A bleary blue eye regarded him from where her face was smashed into the pillows. “Please tell me you haven’t been up long.”

Arthur turned enough to offer her a half-smile. “Only a few minutes, Vi, promise.”

She squinted at him before rolling over to sprawl on her back. “You set an alarm, didn’t you? You coulda slept in. This is our honeymoon. We don’t have to adult until we get back to Tempo.” she tapped a finger on the locket. “Hey, Lew, wake up and convince our husband he doesn’t have to be a workaholic on vacation!”

Purple haze leaked out of the locket and Lewis materialized beside the bed. “What makes you think he’ll listen to me?”

Zippi darted forward to look in Lewis’s spectral eyes. “Fantomă!”

“Talking mouse!” Lewis backed up fast.

Vivi rolled her eyes. “Lewis, honey, you have been a weirder thing than a Kwami. Lew, meet Zippi. He wants to buddy with Artie. Zippi, this is Lewis, our husband. Yes, he’s a ghost, but most of the time we don’t hold that against him.”

"I said I was sorry for making the van a mini dekotora." Lewis retorted.

“Not forgiven.” Arthur and Vivi replied in the same breath.

Zippi peered at Lewis, head cocked to one side. “You don’t feel like most of the unquiet dead.”

Lewis paused, confusion causing his human facade to flicker. “How?”

“Most of them are... lost.” Zippi darted forward and tapped the side of Lewis's head. "Inside. You aren't. You are very... anchored. Very part of the here and now. I like you!"

"Um... thanks?"

Zippi turned in midair and darted back to Arthur, who flinched away from the sudden movement. "More importantly, he likes you."

"Ah—?" Lewis's bafflement was plain.

"If he's going to be my bearer, he needs a strong foundation. You are part of that. So is she. His feelings for you make him strong." Zippi circled the three of them. "Not everyone is as stable as the three of you make each other."

"What if I'm not your bearer?" Arthur questioned with a grimace as he locked the arm into place.

"You are." Zippi's reply was assured.

"You only just met me last night."

"Doesn't matter. I know you are meant to be my bearer." Zippi tried to land on Arthur's right shoulder and looked a little confused and hurt when Arthur shied away.

"I still think you got the wrong guy."

Vivi sighed heavily. “Arthur...”

Arthur didn’t look at her. “What? Vi, he’s known me for all of what, an hour, awake? How does he— or any of you— know there’s not a better choice out there for him?”

Lewis might not have known everything that happened last night but he recognized this mood. He came around the bed and unceremoniously toppled Arthur back into the pile of blankets and pillows. Vivi immediately rolled over and latched onto him with all four limbs. Lewis settled down behind him and tucked Arthur into the curve of his body before he could struggle. “Snuggle attack!” Vivi declared.

Arthur carefully put his real hand under her chin and shoved her back. “Vi, knock it off!”

“Nope!” She ducked away from his hand with a cheery grin. “You know better than to go down this road. It’s not allowed. Not ever again.”

Lewis sighed into his hair. “Arthur...”

Arthur’s shoulders tightened.

“You’re doing it again. It’s not now and never was your fault.”

Vivi repeated the mantra softly, a breath after Lewis. She caught Arthur’s chin and made him meet her eyes. “Look at Zippi. He only just met you and he can already tell you’re a good person. Good enough to be his bearer.”

Arthur’s sigh was thin, a whisper of defeat. But he relaxed into their hold. "I love you two, you know that, right?" His voice was soft.

Vivi leaned in for a kiss. "Of course we do. It's why you said yes when we asked you to marry us."

Lewis said nothing, only pressing a loving kiss against Arthur's temple. They remained that way for a while, simply soaking in each other's presences. Allowing them all time to ground themselves in the touch and smell and sight of those they loved... more than life itself.

Zippi hovered close, obviously wanting to join them, but hesitant. The rejection still stung.

After a time, Vivi rose. She paused briefly to stroke Zippi’s head. “Give him time,” she whispered before turning to her husbands and declaring, “Well, I’m all kinds of starved. Lets get some breakfast and head back to the museum!”

Lewis looked up. “But—”

Vivi cocked her head toward Zippi. “We need to research something we picked up there, Lew,”

“Ah.” Lewis rose and tugged Arthur to his feet. “Well, unless you want more pastries, I think breakfast will have to come from the room service menu. Breakfast isn’t a big deal over here. Mostly it’s coffee and toast or a pastry.”

Vivi laid her hand across her forehead. “Blasphemy! How am I expected to function without my breakfast? I’ll wither away!”

“Yeah!” Zippi enthused. “I still want some garum!”

“What the hell is garum anyway?” Arthur grumbled.

“It— it’s a fermented fish sauce,” Lewis said, obviously choosing his words with care. “It was a major thing in Roman times.”

Arthur perked up a little. “Huh. Wonder how it would taste on Surf’s Up Surprise?”

“Arthur— no.”

“You just have no taste, Vi.”

~~~~

After breakfast, they took a bus back to the museum. Zippi hid in Vivi’s handbag, distracted by a handful of goldfish crackers, though he had complained that they had no actual fish in them.

“I don’t know what you’re hoping to find.” Lewis murmured as they worked their way back through the building to the same area the battle had been in. “I mean, he did say his miraculous had been hidden for a long time, right?”

Arthur shrugged. “Something, Lew. I don’t know. At this point anything is more than what we know now.”

Vivi was chewing on her lower lip, a sign she was deep in thought. Lewis reached over and tugged a lock of her hair, making a soft questioning noise.

She glanced up at him. Her voice dropped to a near-whisper. “Okay, so near as I figure, the miraculous must have been in the case that Artie got smashed into, and must have fallen into his jacket. I don’t know why Ladybug’s miraculous cure didn’t put it back, though.”

“I know this one!” Zippi’s voice came from her bag. “Her cure only works on a miraculous that’s damaged. Mine wasn’t. And it was already where it belonged, with my new bearer.”

A muscle jumped in Arthur’s jaw, but he said nothing. His hand briefly went down to touch the pocket he had stowed the miraculous in. It could stay there for now. He still had his reservations about accepting Zippi’s claim that he was meant to hold it.

Vivi pointed past a group of museum patrons. “That’s the case.” Her voice was still very low. “And that brings up my second point. Have they noticed it’s missing?”

“It doesn’t seem like it,” Lewis offered. “I mean, wouldn’t they have blocked off the area or something if they had?”

Vivi scanned the people around them silently. Nothing seemed any different from when they had been here yesterday, groups quietly talking as they looked at the displays, but no sign anything out of the ordinary had happened here.

They moved toward the case, Arthur pretending interest in the brochure he had picked up at the entrance, and Vivi leaning around Lewis to point at something on the page. At the case, Lewis bent to read the placard, his voice soft and conversational. “Examples of pottery and jewelry found in a buried shrine of the goddess Hekate, the roman goddess of magic and crossroads, at what was one time the juncture of two major trade routes. The shrine was discovered, relatively intact and untouched, in 1975 by a group of graduate students, after having been buried in a pyroclastic mudflow sometime in 280 AD. These items are believed to have been left as offerings to the goddess for safe travels.”

Zippi made a soft sound. “He thought it would be safe there. That the Goddess would protect it.”

Vivi, patted her bag. “In a way, he was right. The shrine would have been robbed in later centuries if it hadn’t been buried.”

“Oh...”

Arthur peered more closely at the other items in the display. There was a small gap that looked like it might have been where the miraculous had been, but it was barely noticeable. Had the magic made it so the missing piece would go unnoticed?

Vivi had obviously noticed it too, but said nothing. Best if it remained unnoticed by the museum staff. “Let’s go see the Egyptian display next.” She made sure to pitch her voice at conversational levels, just in case.

She tucked her hand in the crook of Lewis’s elbow and Lewis rested his other hand in the small of Arthur’s back, steering them through the crowd toward the Egyptian Hall. When they got there, though a majority of the display was open to the public, there was a small area roped off where several workmen were placing things under the direction of a young man in a tweedy coat. They were not the only ones to stop and peer at the set-up in curiosity. A small group had gathered near the roped-off section. “ — heard the mayor donated the new pieces from his personal collection. Kubdel is happy as a clam, being that most of the donated pieces are from his favorite era.” A woman in a bright turquoise pants-suit explained, gesturing expansively at the group of workers.

“Kubdel? Didn't he get Akumatized over that? I’m surprised the museum let him anywhere near the new pieces.” Her companion looked a little aghast.

“Oh, don’t worry. As long as he’s happy, nothing like that will happen again. Ladybug said in an interview that Hawkmoth is only drawn to strong negative emotions, so as long as he’s kept happy, there's nothing to worry about.”

“Not sure my concern over you getting hurt would really be considered a negative emotion, but he certainly thought it was good enough.” Arthur said softly to Lewis, leaning into his side a little. “Ugh, I can still feel his nasty voice in my head.”

Vivi peered around Lewis with a loving grin. “But you kicked him out of your head.”

“I tried, at least.” Arthur managed a wry smile for her. “It helped that we had some help that night though.”

Lewis chuckled. “Pretty sure you gave Hawkmoth a ringing headache with the fight you put up, even before we got that Akuma out of you.”

“He deserves more than that.” Arthur muttered, clenching his fist. “Way more.”

“And he’ll get it, Arthur.” Vivi captured his hand and held it, caging Lewis between their outstretched arms. “We’re going to make sure of it.”

“Right.” Arthur sighed.

“Good. Now, unless there’s something else we want to see here, I still want to get some pictures to send back to the Pepper’s and Lance. Then maybe lunch? Lewis, you said you found a cafe that looked good?”

~~~~

They had arranged to meet the kids in the park where they had met up the first time. Arthur had sprawled under the shade of one of the trees and was dozing, still a little foggy from lack of sleep and medications. Zippi had abandoned Vivi’s purse to tuck himself in the collar of Arthur’s jacket. Lewis sat on a bench near where Arthur drowsed, Vivi in his lap, holding a book that they were both reading from.

Marinette was the first to arrive, her backpack slung over one shoulder as she trotted up. “Adrien will be here soon. He had fencing practice first.”

She didn’t get to say more because with a happy squeal, Tikki launched herself from Marinette’s purse. “Zikikii!!”

The noise woke Arthur, who jerked upright, looking around wildly.

Zippi left Arthur’s jacket to meet her halfway and the two Kwami tumbled over and over in the air, laughing happily and babbling at each other in something that wasn’t English or French.

“Oh, Tikki—!” Marinette covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

Vivi snorted and held open her shopping bag. “You two are lucky that we’re alone here, but to be on the safe side, why don’t you get out of sight?”

Tikki made a small sound and dived into the bag, followed quickly by Zippi.

Marinette laughed and dug out a small box of cookies from her purse, handing it down to the kwami in the large paper bag. “Here, some treats to share.”

“What is with nothing having fish anymore?” Zippi complained.

~~~~

It was a good twenty minutes more before Adrien came trotting up, slightly out of breath. “Sorry. Practice ran long.” He looked curiously at the bag on the grass, rustling slightly. His gaze turned to Marinette. "Oh, by the way, what on earth did you tell Alya? She’s been either giving me a death glare or typing furiously on her phone. I think she’s plotting my death. Possibly with Nino.”

Marinette flushed slightly. “Oh— um, I may have had to tell her our cover story.”

“I get the feeling that’s not all you told her. I think I’m bleeding from all the pointed glares I was getting.” Adrien looked mournful.

Tikki peeked her head out of the bag and giggled. "She may be looking for your supposed replacement."

Adrien went wide-eyed. "Replacement? What?"

Marinette blushed and frantically shooshed Tikki. But she wasn't proof against Adrien's woebegone kitten look. "Well, I-I knew Alya wouldn't buy into me n-not like-liking you anymore when she's been there since day one. So I—" She buried her face in her hands and rushed all the words out at once. "IkindatoldherthatImetsomeoneelse!"

“What?!”

“I had to give her something more! She doesn’t give up easily, you know!” Marinette hunched her shoulders up around her ears.

“Wait? Who? I mean—” Adrien flailed helplessly for a moment. “Who—?” He blinked for a moment and bit his bottom lip. “Is it someone I know?”

“It is you, you idiot!” Marinette exploded and then covered her mouth. “I— I’m sorry. I— it’s not anyone else. I just—” Her cheeks flamed red and she ducked her head. “I pretended that I met someone else, someone who— who kept getting rejected by someone he loved. Sound familiar, kitty?”

Adrien looked perplexed. Plagg groaned from his pocket. “Seriously, cheese is easier. No asking if it likes you back. She’s talking about you, kid.”

“I— I hinted at her that I liked Chat Noir, just to give her something else to focus on.” Marinette covered her face with both hands.

“Wait, so you told Alya you’re not with me... and then told her you’re with Chat Noir.”

“God, were we ever that young?” Lewis muttered into Vivi’s hair with a laugh.

“No,” Vivi chuckled back. “But we were that stupid in love.”

Arthur, who had joined them on the bench, covered his eyes with his hand. “Even dumber. I was there to see it all.”

“You shush,” Vivi leaned over to kiss him. “You were just as dumb, just all stoic about it.”

Adrien grinned brightly. It was the same wide grin he gave her as Chat when he loved one of her plans. "That's brilliant, Ladylove!" He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"It is?" Marinette was taken aback. She was expecting him to be upset.

"Not only is Alya distracted from being mad at me, it means I get to be all affectionate with you if I'm in costume and you're not. I really like that." He leaned close, his eyes sparkling with mischief and his grin entirely that of his feline counterpart.

Marinette eeped softly, rose dusting her cheeks, but couldn’t seem to look away.

Zippi stuck his head up, popping the moment like a soap bubble. "Are we done here? Can we go now? It's been so long since I've seen Pollen and Fluff and Sass and—”

"We get it, Zippi, thanks," Plagg groaned from Adrien’s pocket.

"It's not too far from here," Tikki assured. "Come on, you two, you can cuddle while we tell Master Fu what happened." She giggled before ducking back out of sight, pulling Zippi down with her. Vivi rose and picked up the bag and it’s magical occupants.

Marinette and Adrien both turned red, but didn't say another word. They walked next to each other the whole way, their arms reaching to almost grab the other's hand before dropping back to their side.

"At least Mystery’s not here to tease us about history repeating itself," Lewis muttered.

Arthur chuckled, hands firmly entwined with both of theirs.

When they reached the correct arrondissement, Marinette rapped softly on the heavy wooden door.

There was the sound of a bolt sliding back and then Fu opened the door, eyes wary. He relaxed a little when he saw them and stepped aside to let the group in. He looked less defeated than yesterday, but he still moved like he had aged a hundred years in the span of a day.

He re-locked the door behind them and motioned to the table, laden with a teapot and mismatched cups. “Wayzz has told me something about the Lost Miraculous since your call this morning. I was unaware that there were more than I personally knew of.” He seated himself carefully on a cushion. “So, please, tell me what occurred.”

“Talk later! I want to see everyone!” Zippi burst out of the bag and whirled around Arthur’s head. “It’s been so long!”

Wayzz floated up beside Fu. “A little respect, plea—”

He was bowled out of the air by a brown bullet of excited Kwami. “Wayzz, you old hardshell! It’s been waayyyyy too long!”

Wayzz’s eyes widened and he righted himself, reaching out to grip Zippi’s arms. “Zippi?!”

“Hi-hi-hi!” Zippi crowed gleefully before Tikki darted over to join in the excitement. “I missed everyone!”

“Why didn’t you try to contact us sooner? The guardians would have found you and brought you home!”

“The lazy rat was sleeping,” Plagg grumped.

“Master?” Wayzz looked hopefully at Fu, still clinging tightly to Zippi.

Fu sighed. “You may go.”

With twin squeals of excitement, Tikki and Wayzz darted toward the miraculous box, pulling a gleeful Zippi along. “Plagg?" Tikki called back.

“Eh, you guys go ahead. I’ll keep watch out here in case something bad happens while you’re in there. Tell the others I said hi, though.” Plagg settled on the table. "Hey, Master Fu, you got any cheese?"

Tikki darted over to plow into him in a hug. “You can grump all you want, but you’re sweet, Stinky.”

Plagg shoved at her, but gently. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Sugar Cube. Just go so we don’t have to hear all the noise anymore.”

Laughing, she booped his nose and darted back to the box, vanishing inside with Wayzz and Zippi.

“So, shall we start at the beginning...” Fu invited. “I think we need to get the whole story, all of us.”

“It’s gonna be a long story, then, because it goes back before there was even a guardian order—” Plagg began.

~~~~

Fu stared at the round brooch, gleaming softly in the light, the jewel a rich umber brown. Arthur had pulled it out of his pocket, and set it on the table, sliding it towards Fu as he finished. “Near as we can tell, it was in the case Grand Master threw me into and it must have fallen into my pocket. It looked different when I first pulled it out of my pocket, though. Had white and black stripes on it.” He continued with what they had read on the placard in the display.

"Disguise magic. The same way the kid's ring is silver and pigtail's earrings are black when they aren't transformed." Plagg explained, munching on a slice of cheddar. "When we're inside the miraculous, whether it's to transform our bearers or when we don't have a bearer, it looks different."

Fu’s eyes never left the gem, though he made no move to pick it up. He swallowed thickly. “It is rare that a Kwami strikes upon the correct bearer. Rarer still for it to have come in such a number of coincidences like this.”

Marinette bit her lip, leaning into Adrien, his arm resting around her shoulders. “We thought it might have been some of Tikki’s magic affecting the outcome. Her luck magic...”

Fu hummed thoughtfully. “Perhaps. That part of her magic is unquantifiable. Luck is a fickle thing.”

“And how do you think he chanced on the right bearer this time?” Arthur asked, his voice more than a little high-pitched. “I mean, didn’t you guys test for traits in the candidates?”

"The Order did. We had many tests designed to weed out those not meant to hold a miraculous. But they would do no good in this case. You— while I do not recall most of what occurred at the museum, I have had your descriptions and the footage from the Ladyblog. You have more than proven yourself worthy. Zikikii has made his choice and it is one I cannot deny him." Fu said solemnly, using one finger to push the brooch back toward Arthur.

Arthur made no move to take it, actually leaning back a little, like it was a poisonous spider or something equally unsavory. "But how can you be sure he's made the right choice?" His tone was almost desperate.

"While we chose candidates for the miraculous, it was rare, but always heeded when a Kwami made their own choice of bearer. It only happened once that I personally know of but there were records of it happening before. I read some of them during my training." Fu answered, tipping his head to regard Arthur, His eyes showed confusion and something else undefinable. "You—"

"I'm pretty sure he just latched onto me because I was the first person who touched his miraculous."

"No." Fu shook his head. "I admit to being— a bit lost. There is much about this situation I don't know, but this I know.”

“Wisdom is knowing how much you don’t know,” Vivi put in.

Fu looked up and chuckled softly, if a little weakly, “That sounds like something I might say.”

Vivi only smiled.

“When a Kwami has made their choice, there is no naysaying it.” Fu continued softly, “That was one inarguable rule passed down from the masters of the Order. At this point, Marinette, I could no more take Tikki away from you than break her miraculous with my bare hands. Or Plagg from you, Adrien. They have made their choices, as has Zikikii.”

“But—” Arthur protested. “I know you think I’m worthy, but I’m really not. I can’t wield that kind of power. You don’t even know me and you want to trust me with him?!”

“You— you do not want the power he offers?”

“No!” Arthur shook his head. “I— I shouldn’t be trusted with it.”

“Arthur!” Vivi’s tone was sharp enough to cut glass.

Arthur flinched, his shoulders coming up around his ears. "Vivi..."

Vivi moved from her cushion to slip her arm around Arthur's waist. He shivered before leaning into her.

"I can't, Vi. He des—"

Vivi put a fingertip over his lips. "I will be very cross with you if you finish that sentence.”

“So will I,” Lewis added. “You stopped needing to apologize for yourself two years ago. Don’t start again. You are strong enough and selfless enough to do this.”

Arthur sighed. “I don’t trust me.”

“We do, and Zippi does.” Vivi poked him. “Give us a little credit for good sense.”

“We do too,” Adrien put in. “You didn’t have to try and save Alya and I at the museum. You didn’t have to keep the Akuma distracted when you were wounded, but you did anyway. Isn’t that a good measure of yourself?”

"Out of the mouths of babes—" Lewis grinned at Adrien and poked his husband gently. "Listen to the kid."

Arthur scowled, but stopped leaning away from the miraculous like it might bite him. "I really don't think I'm cut out for this. I'm a lot of things; a superhero is not one of them, though."

"You're already a hero, why not add the super part to it?" Vivi chided.

"Viviiiii—"

"There are all kinds of different heroes," Marinette's look was thoughtful and she held tight to Adrien's hand. "Mama always said that heroes came in all shapes and sizes. It might be something as small as feeding a stray mama cat so she can feed her babies or as big as saving Paris. A hero isn't who you are, it's what you do."

Arthur looked at her strangely. “You don’t know me. You wouldn’t call m—”

A finger across his lips silenced him. “Nope.”

Vivi was smiling at him, her eyes soft. “You were always our hero. After all, Lewis is hopeless at keeping the van running.” She continued, her voice taking on a teasing lilt.

That seemed to break through to him and he huffed a breathy laugh. “So that’s why you married me, eh?”

“One of them,” she teased back. “Now stop fighting us on this, you’re outnumbered and outvoted.” She waved her hand at the room at large. “Six to one.”

Arthur made a show of looking around. “Your math skills suck, Vi.” He pointed at the black Kwami drowsing in the remains of his cheese feast. “Plagg wasn’t voting.”

She reached out and pressed the miraculous that had been on the table into his hand. “I wasn’t talking about him, silly.”

Arthur sighed and looked down at the brooch. He didn’t say anything, but let her close his fingers around it.

Adrien glanced at his watch and frowned. “I hate to say it, but I have to leave. If I’m not back at the park for Gorilla to pick me up for the photoshoot, I’ll never hear the end of it from Father.” He poked his Kwami. “Wake up, glutton. You need to go get the others before we go.”

Plagg batted at the poking finger but roused and headed toward the miraculous box. “You owe me for this, kid.”

“Yeah, yeah. So says the one with his own mini-fridge of gourmet cheeses.”

It wasn’t long before the Kwami returned, with Tikki and Wayzz chattering at Plagg and Plagg sniping at Zippi. Tikki broke off and darted to Marinette for a cuddle. She was giggling. "Sass was so shocked! He thought Trixx was playing a trick on us with illusions!"

Wayzz settled on Fu’s shoulder and Plagg returned to his cheese plate for one last bit of brie.

Still hovering by Wayzz, Zippi looked at Arthur, uncertainty clear in his posture.

Arthur took a deep breath and slowly pinned the brooch to his vest, not far from his star pin. “I wouldn’t call me a hero, but we can start by being friends, right?”

Zippi broke and was at Arthur’s side in a heartbeat, tucking himself into the hollow between vest and neck. “Friends. Friends is good.”

Arthur sighed and reached up to scratch the kwami’s head with one fingertip. “Yeah. Friends is a good start.”

Vivi rose to her feet and offered Fu a bow. “We’ll leave you for now, but I expect we’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future.” She turned her attention to Adrien. “We’ll walk you back to the park. Marinette, know a good place to pick up a cell phone around here? I want a local number you guys can contact us through, if you need anything. My regular cell phone is really only good for calling home.”

“Oh— um, sure. I know where Alya got her replacement when I dropped her phone the one time. It’s not far from there.” Marinette reluctantly let go of Adrien’s hand. They couldn’t be together as more than friends in public, she reminded herself.

“Excellent.”

The walk back was too quick, but the softly whispered, “See you later tonight, Ladylove,” brought a new spring to her step. There was something to be said for her cover story after all!

~~~~

A little late the next morning, but not as bad as many times before, Marinette rushed into the sciences classroom. She paused in the door, a little surprised not to see Ms. Mendeleiev already in place at the front. It was lab day and she was always early for those. A babble of voices caught her attention and she turned to see most of the class was gathered around Juleka's desk.

Juleka had her tablet out and the Ladyblog pulled up on it. Alya's voice came very clearly from the screen. "—tacking the Akuma with a combination of fire and ice. Who are they?"

She was interrupted by what Marinette knew was Arthur's voice. "Record later! Run now!"

"That was the scene at this morning's Akuma attack." Alya's voice was now in reporter mode. "The Akuma was attacked by two new superheroes before Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived on the scene. Who are Fire and Ice? Are they new miraculous holders?"

Alya, seated on the corner of the desk, pulled a frown. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get much footage of this Akuma battle itself. You won’t hear me say this too often, but that was a real dangerous fight. If that guy hadn’t grabbed me, no telling how badly I would have gotten hurt!”

“I think you got enough!” Rose said, hand pressed over her mouth. “The skeleton guy is scary!”

“But think about it, if these are new miraculous holders, something big could be coming. I want to say I got the first footage of them!”

“Technically, babe, you did.” Nino tousled Alya’s curls. “You got some great shots. You just didn’t get the chance to interview them since they bugged out after the fight and vanished like ghosts.”

“I know!” Alya batted at his hand and grumped sourly at him. “How cool would it have been to have a major scoop like that? The first ever interview with Lady Ice and Skullfire!?”

Adrien looked a little like he'd bitten into a lemon, lips puckered in an effort not to laugh.

Fortunately, Nino did it for him. "Skullfire? Babe, you read too many comics!"

Alya rolled her eyes and elbowed him hard enough to make him wheeze. “We basically live in a comic book, Nino.”

Adrien lost the fight to keep a straight face and guffawed.

Alya looked like she was going to take a piece out of him until everyone else joined in the laughter.

"Nino, whatever you do, don't let her name your kids!" Kim hooted.

Alya flushed almost the same color as Ladybug's suit and Nino wasn't far behind.

“Don't make her too embarrassed, Adrikins, or she might get Akumatized again." Chloe added, without looking up from the nails Sabrina was carefully painting.

“So says the one who is statistically responsible for more Akumatizations than the rest of Paris combined,” Alya retorted, still red but willing to throw down.

“Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Those results are skewed and you know it, Césaire!” Chloe glowered at Alya.

“Actually, the statistics are correct, Chloe,” Max put in, never looking up from the calculator he was tapping away at. “Of fifty-seven known Akumatizations in the past year, thirty-eight of them were a direct result of some action of yours, and another six were indirectly related in some way to you.”

"That many?" Adrien whispered sharply. He knew his first friend wasn't the greatest person but...that was a really large number for anyone short of Hawkmoth himself.

Chloe huffed and turned away. “I’m just too fabulous for most of you plebeians to appreciate properly.”

“Chloe— winning friends and influencing people wherever she goes,” Nino muttered in a low voice to Marinette.

Marinette stifled a giggle.

“Hey, has anyone seen Ms. Mendeleiev?” Adrien asked.”Class should have started ten minutes ago.”

“Shh, dude, you’ll jinx it!” Nino shushed him. “Juleka was watching the footage of the fight and talking about the kind of magic those two new superheroes were using, said it looked more like elemental magic than the magic we’ve seen Ladybug and Chat Noir using. Ms. Mendeleiev got irked with her and started on about magic not being a real, definable thing, even though she’s been affected by it before!” Nino snorted and shrugged his shoulders. “Principal Damocles told her to go chill for a few minutes till she calmed down, y’know?”

Alya rolled her eyes. “What, she thinks it’s super-science or something that lets Hawkmoth take over people? That’s not scepticism, it’s flat-out denial!”

“You know Ms. Mendeleiev. She doesn’t like anything that challenges her understanding of the world,” Adrien tried to soothe.

Alya glared at him, obviously still not having forgiven him.. “Doesn’t mean she has to be dumb about it, Sunshine.”

There was the sound of a scream— abruptly cut off midway— from the school courtyard. Everyone jerked to attention. A scream like that usually only meant one thing.

Alya was already out of her seat, headed for the window and digging in her bag for her phone.

"Oh no, another Akuma!" Rose exclaimed, clinging tightly to Juleka's hand.

Marinette shared a resigned look with Adrien over Nino’s head. She rose to her feet, slapping a hand down on the desk with a loud crack to get everyone's attention. "Akuma Evacuation plan, everyone. The classrooms are too exposed so find someplace sturdy to go to ground. Let's move!" She waved people toward the classroom door.

Alya had her phone out and was filming through the window. "The Akuma looks like some sort of judge, maybe," she reported. "They have a gold scale in one hand and what looks to be a whip in the other."

Marinette hurried the last few students through the door and turned to Adrien, nodding. He slipped away silently. She knew he’d keep the Akuma busy until she could get there. “Alya, that goes for you too! Do you want to get hurt?”

“C’mon, Marinette! I’m not gonna go near the Akuma, but I gotta get some footage, especially if those new heroes show!”

“Alya. I love you but you are way too willing to risk your life for a scoop!” Marinette exclaimed in frustration. “I’m half-tempted to steal your phone so you don’t get close enough to get hurt!”

“I’d just get closer, in that case,” Alya smirked. “I’d have to see everything without the zoom on my phone!”

“Uuuurrrrghh!” Marinette huffed. “Fine, you stay here and stay out of sight, okay? We don’t know what this Akuma can do! I’m going to make sure everyone has gotten somewhere safe. If it even looks like the battle might come this way, you get to safety!”

Ayla offered a two-fingered salute, most of her attention on the Akuma outside. “Chat Noir has appeared on the scene first, No sign of Ladybug or the other unknown superheroes yet...”

Marinette hurried to find a hiding place to transform. Vivi had given her the number of her new cell phone so she shot off a quick text before ducking into the restroom.

A few moments later she was swinging into the courtyard. Chat was doing a good job of keeping the Akuma occupied, while also trying to herd those caught in the courtyard away.

The Akuma wore hooded, long robes, the dark red of drying blood. Under the hood the face was like a porcelain mask, stark white and serene except for the glittering black eyes. In one hand it held a golden scale and in the other, a black cat o'nine tails. The whip flicked out and touched a fleeing girl. She barely managed a gasp before she was transformed into a glowing ball of energy. The hand holding the scale lifted and the former student was sucked into it. One side of the golden scale tipped infinitesimally lower.

The still white face tilted to regard the scale. “Another Believer. Deluded.” Those glittering eyes fastened on Ladybug. “I am Judiciala. I have judged Paris as infested with those who believe in false magic and mysticism. I will cleanse the city of light of this corruption, with each believer I capture. Once this scale is full of captured believers, I will destroy all magic. Starting with yours, Ladybug and Chat Noir. I will add you to my pool of believers and deliver your miraculous to Hawkmoth.”

Chat snorted a laugh, posing with both hands resting on the top of his baton like a cane. “I am a-paw-led by your deliberate blindness. You do realize that our miraculous are magic, right? Hand them over to Hawkmoth and he’ll use the magic in them for his own ends.”

The glowing butterfly mask occluded Judiciala’s face for a moment. “Hawkmoth will cleanse them of their magic taint after his wish. The world will be free of the corruption of belief in magic when there is no more magic.”

Chat laughed again. “I hate to break it to you, but you’re just a cat’s paw for Hawkmoth. He’s duping you!”

The cat o’nine tails flicked out and Ladybug had to yank Chat out of the way. “Careful, kitty!”

He flashed her a quick smile and returned to taunting the Akuma. "It's rather hypocritical of you to judge magic when it's magic that empowers you, you know."

Judiciala's black gaze glittered with rage, and the whip flashed out again. But it wasn't aimed at Chat this time, but at a student desperately trying to take cover beneath a bench. The whip's strands coiled around the cowering boy and he glowed with the same light that had transformed the girl. But after a moment it changed, color shifting to a vibrant yellow. The whip dropped away and the boy stood transformed, a hooded figure like Judiciala standing there. His robes were black, and his serene mask was red. "Logic. You believe only in what you may quantify. You shall be the first of my Scourge, razing the Believers at my command."

"Wow, super cult-like rhetoric there, Judgie-McJudgiepants," a new voice called out over the panicked screams of the students who had not yet escaped the courtyard. "And making disciples and calling them your "Scourge"? Yeah, you reek more of cult than most actual cults we've gone up against."

Chat and Ladybug looked up. Lewis hovered in midair, full skeletal mode, holding Vivi in his arms. It was her mocking voice that had captured Judiciala's attention.

“Do not mock me, foul believer!” Judiciala’s voice scaled up in rage and the strands of the whip lashed around the hem of their robe like infuriated snakes.

“How can I not?” Vivi’s grin was cheerfully malicious. “It’s so easy! I’ve faced a lot of cults, crazy, and you are just like them. Ignoring reality and anything that doesn’t fit your rhetoric!”

While Judiciala's attention was not on them, Ladybug sidled over to Chat Noir. “The Akuma has to be in either the whip or the scale.”

He nodded. “I’d take the whip out of play first. It’s the most dangerous.”

“My thoughts exactly, Kitty. Want to—”

She was interrupted by a shrieked “Banzai!” and could only look on in appalled horror as Lewis let go of Vivi in mid-air. She plummeted down, her bat clenched in both hands and a gleeful look on her face.

Chat reacted faster than she could, his baton propelling him toward the falling woman.

But someone else was faster still. Arthur darted in while Judiciala’s attention was on Vivi and Chat. He brought down a fire extinguisher on the back of the robed figure’s head with a resounding ‘klooonng.’ Judiciala crumpled like wet tissue.

Lewis snatched Vivi out of the air right before Chat could reach her, her gleeful whoop echoing around the courtyard.

Lewis set her on the grass and she flung herself at Arthur. “Brilliantly timed, Artie!”

Arthur held her up, chuckling. “Not too shabby yourself, either of you.”

Chat landed by the unconscious Akuma victim and scooped up the whip. His claws made short work of it, but no corrupted butterfly darted away. He picked up the scale and smashed it against the stone lip of the fountain. Gold light emerged and resolved into several stunned, frightened students. A black butterfly fluttered away from the smashed pieces.

Chat had to clear his throat loudly before Ladybug reacted, flinging her yo-yo out to capture the butterfly. Her voice was faint as she breathed her usual farewell before releasing it to flutter away. Her gaze was fixed on the trio even as she released the swarm of ladybugs that would right everything.

The robes melted away, revealing Ms. Mendeleiev, who stirred weakly. Chat helped her sit up. For the first time since he had started at school, her disagreeable frown was gone, replaced by frightened confusion. Her fingers dug into his arrn hard enough to be felt even through the tough material of the suit. “You’re fine now,” he soothed. “We took care of the Akuma.”

"I— I— don't..."

He gratefully surrendered her to the care of Ms. Bustier and Principal Damocles, who had come rushing out is the building as soon as the fight was over and hurried to Ladybug's side, touching her arm. "Milady?"

She blinked back into focus. "That was—" her voice trailed off.

"The shortest Akuma battle ever!"

Ladybug and Chat both jumped, Chat coming down in a defensive crouch, his baton ending up barely an inch from Alya's gleeful grin.

"Alya!" Ladybug exclaimed, a hand pressed over her chest. "What are you doing here? It isn't safe so close to an Akuma battle!"

"This is my school and—" she pointed in the direction of the wobbly teacher being escorted back into the building. "That is my teacher. But you know I try to make every battle I can, Ladybug. I wouldn't be the Ladyblogger, otherwise! But enough about me. Will you introduce me to your new friends? Are they Miraculous holder's too? Paris wants to know!" She panned her phone's camera over the three before directing it back to Ladybug.

Chat made a small sound and leaned in, resting a claw on the top of her phone and pushing it down. "Ah-uh. It's rude to film them when they haven't consented to anything, much less an interview."

“It’s quite alright, Chat,” Vivi raised a flippant hand. "We're here to help, after all."

"I...would rather you not show their faces. But an audio interview is fine." Lewis, at least, was aware that broadcasting the undisguised faces of his loves could lead the enemy to them all too quickly. If need be he'd have a deadbeat fritz her phone out, but polite measures first. "But all Paris needs to know if we're here to help stop Hawkmoth and give Ladybug and Chat Noir the support they deserve to have."

"Awesome!" Alya cheered. "Like, I can blur their faces in the footage I already got of this battle during editing. So, mark and... Hello, Paris! This is your Ladyblogger, with an exclusive interview with the new heroes that helped take down an Akuma in record time. First, can we get some names to call you by? I've been told my stopgap names were— less than stellar."

Vivi shrugged. "No real names, sorry. You can call me... Frost." She flipped her hand at Arthur. "The Fixer."

He gave her a flat, unamused look. "Way to sound like a mob movie."

"You prefer Mr. Fixit?" She smiled and gestured to Lewis. "And this is our Inferno."

Even with the limited ability of a skeletal face to show emotion, Lewis's hollow stare conveyed a distinct lack of amusement. "Really?"

"...And we'll get back to that later." Alya quickly said. "Next question, we've seen some pretty amazing things from you. Things both like and unlike Ladybug and Chat Noir's talents. Are you Miraculous holders too?"

"Yes, my miraculous grants me the power of common sense and fire extinguishers." Arthur said dryly, pointing at the discarded fire extinguisher he'd used to brain Judiciala.

"Does is matter?" Vivi added, more than a little cheekily. "We're here to help. And we're going to keep helping till Hawkmoth is in a six by eight where he belongs."

"So you've joined the fight against Hawkmoth, then. Does this mean you have some new information on the villain orchestrating this?" Alya's hazel eyes were glittering with enthusiasm as she leaned in. "I won't ask for specific details, since Hawkmoth could foil them by knowing, but do you have anything you can share safely?"

After a glance at Vivi, Lewis leaned in, allowing the spectral distortion he normally sought to keep under strict control to creep into his voice, imbuing it with a distorted echo and distinctly creepy feel. "Just this.W͜e ̡k͜no̧w͟ wh̨at̴ ̡you've ͝do͠ne͝ and ̵who̧ you͢'v͜e̷ enda̧nge͟r͜e̢d, Hąw҉kmo͏t͞h. ͡W͜e͡ wi͡l͢l̛ b̸e̴ ͟co̴m̕i͝ng ̶for yo͏u,͜ ̸a̛n̸d w͝e ̡won̸ '̸t śt̴óp.̕ "

Even Alya shivered, taking an automatic step back.

Ladybug's earrings chose that moment to beep and she touched her ear in surprise. "We should go. All of us. Be safe, Paris." She pulled her yoyo out and spun it. "Bug out."

Lewis scooped up Vivi in one arm and offered his other hand to Arthur. Arthur accepted and was tucked against Lewis's side as the ghost lifted from the ground in a deliberate burst of showy purple flames.

"So Paris," came Alya's voice behind them. "That's an exclusive with our newest heroes. I think the names are still a work in progress, though. Got any suggestions for them? Send them to the LadyBlog. Ladyblogger out!"

~~~~

Vivi was still delighted by the time they made it back to the hotel after the pause of finding a place to land unseen and for Lewis to resume his human guise. Vivi unlocked the door, tossing her purse aside and kicking off her shoes. “That was great, admit it, Arthur! The way Lewis put Hawkbutt on notice; the way you—” Her hands described the arc of the fire extinguisher, punctuating it with a descending whistle and her best imitation of the sound it had made striking the Akuma.

Arthur rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “Lets not forget you deciding dropping out of the air was a viable attack strategy.”

Lewis snorted. “To her it is.”

“It was!” Vivi fixed him with a pout. "I knew you'd be ready and there was no doubt in my mind that Lewis would catch me."

"And if something had gone wrong?"

"I had a contingency plan."

"Which was?" Lewis prodded.

"It doesn't matter. I didn't have to use it."

"AKA: there wasn't one." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"You could have used my miraculous to save her, you know." Zippi emerged from his hiding place in Arthur's vest. "With me, you would be fast enough to catch her."

"See!" Vivi crowed triumphantly. "I told you I had a plan."

"You did not. Besides, I don't even know how to use his miraculous, so that's another strike against you."

Vivi puffed out her cheeks.

"It's 'Scamper,' to transform," Zippi hovered near Arthur's face. "You only have to tell me that and I'll transform you."

Arthur stared at Zippi, fingers plucking at his goatee, mouth half-open as if to say something.

There was a sudden knock on the door that made him jump in place. "Mr. and Mrs. Pepper-Kingsmen, this is the police. Please open the door."

#mystery skulls animated #miraculous mystery skulls #tales of ladybug and cat noir #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #arthur kingsmen #vivi yukino #lewis pepper #Alya no longer gets to name things #dun dun duuuun

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