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thankskenpenders · 10 months

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As I'm sure many of you are already aware, Did You Know Gaming (who have been doing some really great investigative work lately) recently put out a video on canceled Sonic games. The whole thing's worth a watch, but I have to bring it up here specifically because they talk about the plans for Sonic Chronicles 2 with a LOT of new info directly from the lead designer.

youtube

The section on how the story of Sonic Chronicles 2 would have went starts at 9:45. It's very interesting! He outlines the whole plot, including the fact that they were going to end with ANOTHER obvious plot hook for a sequel in the hopes that they or some other studio could keep the Sonic Chronicles series going indefinitely. Sonic Team even claimed they were interested in using Chronicles characters like Shade in other games. It's crazy to imagine a timeline where this might have become a pillar of the franchise.

I refuse to mourn the loss of the sequel, though, because y'all saw me stream the original. It was miserable. And with the original game selling and reviewing decently well, they would have had little reason to go back to the drawing board and overhaul that game's bizarrely hateful design.

Of course, DYKG also had to talk about the reason why the game was canceled. I was dreading this because of how often people tend to get the basic facts of the Penders cases wrong or downplay the obvious Archie Knuckles inspiration in Chronicles. But no, they did their homework! And they got the details right in part because, well... they asked Penders for comment directly. And he sent them back a MASSIVE wall of text about the whole ordeal, including some fascinating details that I don't believe I've heard before!

You can go to 15:19 in the video and scrub through to read the many, MANY screencaps of their emails from Ken, but here are the most interesting and/or hilarious tidbits to me:

#1: Perjury!

As we already knew, Ken claimed that the incomplete, photocopied contract Archie presented in court was a forgery, and that he had never signed a work for hire contract.

The judge obviously knew that one side had to be lying here, and thus was more than willing to present the case to a jury to let them decide the truth... and send whoever was deemed the liar to jail for perjury. (The judge apparently looked Ken directly in the eye when he said this, which... well, make of that what you will.)

Archie's lawyers knew that they didn't have a completely airtight case and obviously did not want to go to jail. So they decided to settle instead of going to trial in front of a jury.

(I will reiterate that Archie's arguments not working out is overall a GOOD thing, because we really do not want to set a legal precedent where corporations can "lose" a contract for a creator, make up a story about what was on the contract, and then have that hold up in court. They gotta get that shit in writing. And they didn't. They fucked up!)

#2: Sega was threatening to revoke the Sonic license!

As we knew, Sega wanted nothing to do with the comic copyright lawsuit. To them, it was Archie's job as licensee to deal with their freelancers. (Y'all watch Succession? You know how Logan loves lackeys who will eat shit for him without him having to even hear about the problem? Yeah.) And, in fact, according to Ken, Sega gave Archie an ultimatum: if they wanted their license to make Sonic comics renewed, they were gonna have to deal with Ken on their own, and cover all the costs.

Yeah, uh, this kinda makes me think that Sega being pissed about the ongoing Scott Fulop copyright case in 2016 may have been a bigger factor in Archie Sonic's cancellation than I previously thought. There was a lot going on at the time that could have contributed, but, y'know.

Anyway, Archie sued Ken for "damaging their business" largely because Sega was threatening to take away the Sonic IP. But because Archie couldn't ask Sega for help and they couldn't produce an original contract, they had to settle.

There's another detail I find funny here, though. Ken WANTED Sega to get involved in the comic copyright case, thinking that Sega would strongarm Archie into paying him the millions of dollars he wanted for "using his work without permission" so that they could be done with it. I mean, sure. I guess Sega wouldn't have cared about Archie's finances, but still. I'm not so sure that would've worked out for him.

#3: Shade!

Yes, Penders still claims he legally owns Shade, and under advice from his lawyer still intends to put out an NFT of her to put his claim to the test. Yes, it's incredible that he still hasn't put out the damn NFT. It only needs to be one image, which he already drew! The market has collapsed!

Anyway, building an argument off the legal concept of estoppel, he says that if Sega continues to not do anything about his claims that he owns Shade then, in the eyes of the court, they'll be forfeiting their claims to Shade altogether. But they aren't going to do anything because they never wanted any part in the copyright battles in the first place, and to them Chronicles is a long dead asset not worth fighting over. Why bother trying to use Shade again and giving Ken a reason to take them back to court when they can just move on? It's not like this franchise is short on characters. And so Ken can say that Shade and Julie-Su are literally the same character, and if he owns Julie-Su then therefore he also owns Shade.

Our copyright system is, indeed, a nightmare. Chronicles should have been halfway to the public domain by now.

#4: Sega's oversight on the Archie comics!

Ken says that in his first year on the series Sega only requested some dialogue changes here and there through the editor. They never requested huge script changes, and also never spoke to Ken directly. After that first year, they stopped asking for dialogue changes altogether, and Ken "had a free hand to do pretty much whatever he wanted." Yeah, no surprise there.

He does, however, say that Archie's original deal with Sega stated that they weren't allowed to create ANY new Sonic characters without informing Sega. They would've needed to make a contract every single time to get Sega's approval and make it absolutely crystal clear that Sega owned the whole cast. And then Archie just... didn't do that! And didn't tell any of the freelance creatives not to come up with new characters! Had Archie followed this rule, the trajectory of the comics would have been completely different, but there also never would've been a copyright battle in the first place.

What a shitshow. Truly.

#tkp post

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callsigns-haze · 3 months

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You came back to me

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Y/n 'Haze' Mitchell

Summary: Now you're gone away, and he watched you disappear

Based of the song: Lavender Haze by Taylor Swift

Warnings: Angst, cheating, throwing up, pregnancy test, mention of abortion, cursing, pregnancy

Part 1 / Part 2/ Part 3/ Part 4/ Part 5/ Part 6/ Part 7/ Part 8/ Part 9

You were packed. Ready to leave the damn state for good now. Bags packed, boxes ready, papers tidied, passport at go and you were ready to go and start again.

You took the decision to leave again but you didn't think twice either, you couldn't stand the thought of staying around any longer.

You were pregnant again, once again with his child and once again you were gonna disappear into thin air. This time it's not the same story though, this time you sent Andrea a letter from you to Jake once you're going to be gone already, this time you wanted to tell him about his child and tell him that Andrea will tell him about the decisions she'll make in the future but the thought of having to say it to him gave you the creeps.

You sit on the bed of your childhood room as your dad enters and smiles at your sitting form. He walks over to you, slowly and carefully sitting down beside you pulling you into a hug. He pulls you into his chest, just like he used to when you were a little girl and then he tells you, "God, I know you don't know what to do but just know, I'm always on your side, okay, kiddo?" You nod and take a deep breath as the two of you get up and he says.

As the two of you stand up you pull into a hug again. Maverick understands that his doings in life caused him to you not having a father figure and that your mother abandoning you as a baby proves you don't have a mother either.

He wasn't too proud about you always disappearing but surely he did the same to you. You must've caught it on from him, since he was the exact same when he was your age, he was always up and about and never fully around.

But that didn't mean he wasn't an amazing father. He was that. He was patient, understanding and he gave you freedom and space to develop and that's all you needed.

"Let's go before you're late."

-----

You see Andrea is not an athletic person and the last thing that she definitely isn't is a runner. She hates running, her legs were short, she easily got out of breath and she just wasn't good at it but when I tell you that the woman sprinted to find Jake that's exactly what she did.

She looked everywhere and the last place he could be is the break room. He had to be there, that's the only place that's left and she was going to find him.

"Seresin!" She shouted down the halls while running as fast as she could through her workplace halls as her voice echoed down the narrow ways. "Hangman!" She screamed so that her shy voice was bouncing off every possible corner of this building.

Once she spotted him she called out his name one last time and he walked over to her quite annoys and confused, "What do you want?" He didn't care about what she truly wanted. She told him to stay away and now she's been hunting him down, this all doesn't make sense.

"I know we hate each other but listen to me Bagman. Haze is leaving again and this time for bloody good and once again the cycle repeats but this time you have to go after her."

That was the thing that Jake never did about you. He never came and stopped you or went after you, he always just stayed in the bleachers. The point is he would go after you but you didn't want to see him so why would he in the first place.

"Why would I go anyway, she doesn't want to see me anymore." That was true, you didn't want to see him because once you thought your love was getting into something bigger, a bit after you began to feel a sense that you were betrayed. He was the reason behind this situation, this time going so he has to fix it.

"Because she's going to have your child, dumbass, so don't repeat the same mistake that brought you into this position."

-------

You were just past security, you went to one of the available stores at the other side to get a refreshing drink and something to read. Your gate was number nine and your flight was in around an hour so you had plenty of time for everything.

You pulled out one of the books you are reading but quickly put it down, you weren't in the mood of reading so anything you would've read would be torture.

You put the book back into your bag, closing it after you do so and pull out your phone. You were getting deployed to Poland. In Powidz, you Americans have a navy base which you were getting sent to.

You looked up the file about your new station on your phone and began to read through it, it didn't seem so bad, it was a pretty decent looking base and your position was well decided.

You just couldn't comprehend to yourself that this time going, your leaving to another continent, your brain just didn't comprehend that well enough. You didn't want to leave again but you were scared. Absolutely terrified. You never ran so far or crossed so many lines.

You didn't want to do it, you didn't want to head so far but it was for the best. You wanted to stay in San Diego but the thought of having to stand Jake like this killed you so your best thing to do was leave.

You broke his heart before and now you broke his again but he broke yours. He's moved on, fully this time and you were moving to another place, there was nothing left of it, your relationship was done.

You've taken a paracetamol and some anti-travel sickness pills and chugged some more water to ease you off. You've been feeling lightheaded and sick again. You really needed to check in with a doctor but you'll book it once your in Poland, a bit more settled.

Your flight was nearly here so you started to gather up. You shoved your phone in your pocket, books in your bag, put the water in the side pouch, put in the antibiotics in your carry on and then got up from your chair. You were heading towards gate nine which was quite close to where you are situated now.

You walked with a slow pace, down the long corridor, towards the gate. Your gate closes in around twenty minutes so they started checking people's passports and tickets so they could board. You slipped into the line and just started scrolling through your phone on your work chat. But you looked at the unread messages. There were several messages from Bradley and Nat, some obviously from Jake and then your phone as blowing up from the daggers.

You finally decided to get the courage and read some messages from Jake. Not to be surprised most of them were apologies and him trying to earn your forgiveness and the previous where him begging you to please come home, but you didn't.

You wonder if Javy told him about that he caught you while you were getting essentials out of his apartment. You doubt he did, just like when he barely let you into the house seven years ago. Javy did have the balls to tell Jake something that would hurt him.

"Y/N!" Someone called your voice from another side but the accent was fairly familiar but who hear would know you, who here would be calling out your name. "Y/N!" And that's when you recognised the voice of the strongly built, blonde sun kissed hair and the fresh green coral eyes.

You didn't see him and hope you recognised the voice wrong, he couldn't be here, not now, not ever. You took a deep breath and shook your head lightly, you've just misheard yourself, that's all it was, a mishearing. You keep your thoughts straight and don't look back to only lift your head to see the cowboy who broke your heart.

"Y/n, please." You've had enough of these pleadings, he broke you and now he wants you to listen, over what. "What do you want, Seresin?" Each word in that sentence was tough and cold. You didn't let emotion into your sentences, you wanted him to suffer guilt.

"For you to listen me out." With that he drags you out of the line and pulls you to the side, and since your weaker it caused no oppose. "Jake what are you doing here?" You had no clue how he got here or what hin plan was but all you could at least do is listen.

"I'm not letting you go this time, Haze. I made you a promise that I'd never let you leave the same way as before and I'm keeping it."

You didn't understand why this was coming from him, and what he truly wanted. He was being unclear, sending very mixed signals. At the hard deck he clearly presented that he doesn't need you and now he shows that he wants you to stay. "Jake stop."

"No, I'm not going to stop. How I acted was stupid, arrogant and that's not how I want to be to you. Haze, I love you."

He still loves you, he actually still has feelings for you. You've been telling yourself that all feelings were doomed and that he doesn't care anymore. You had a mindset that he was over you and wanted nothing to do with you but clearly senses have proved you wrong.

"Don't say anything, angel, nothing yet just listen. I love you so damn much that fifteen minutes ago I bought a overly expensive ticket to a plane I knew I wasn't going on. I only did that to get you, and stop you because I'm never again letting the only person I ever loved go."

That brought tears to your eyes and quite shock. You forgot Jake had to make his way through security meaning he had to have a boarding pass which meant he must've spent hundreds. He ran here only to tell you he loved you and try to stop you from going and here he was.

"Y/n, you've been there for me always, and your the first person I knew how to love and understand. You're the only reason I'm standing, angel, my heart beats for you. I know this is quick and soon but I wanted to do this for a long time and this has never left my suit."

He ran straight from work, causing him to be in his flight suit as he digs through a top pocket where his patch is stuck on. He takes out a red box and holds your hands together as he lowers himself upon one knee, "Y/N 'Haze' Mitchell, will you marry me?"

Jake has just proposed.

the end..

@callsign-magnolia, @shanimallina87, @rosiahills22 dont kill me for the unexplained ending please

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allthingsfangirl101 · 29 days

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The Basketball Coach Part 2 – Steve Harrington

Part 1

Steve's POV

It's been about a month since Y/N and I found out the truth. When Y/N told me that I was Johnny's father, I had a lot of things I needed to figure out. I instantly knew that I wanted to be a part of his life; of both of their lives. The things I had to figure out was how I would support the two of them on my small salary.

After finding out I was a father, I went back to work for my dad. It sucked but it was worth it if it meant I could spoil the woman I loved and take care of my son. Every decision I've made has been to benefit my son and Y/N. All I think about is what I can do to make their lives better.

Tonight, Johnny was at his friend's house while Y/N and I were having a date night. We got back to her house after dinner and started watching a movie. I looked down to see Y/N watching the movie as she played with my hands. My arms were wrapped around her and she was leaning back against my chest.

"The school is having a clothing drive Saturday morning," I started. "I had to sign up, but I figured it would be fun if you and Johnny came with me. We could get lunch after."

I smirked when Y/N quickly moved so she was straddling my hips.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," she smiled. I gently put my hand on the back of her neck and brought her lips to mine. She let out a soft moan as our lips started moving in sync. We were just about to get into it when the front door opened. I held back a laugh as she quickly got off my lap.

"Johnny?" She called out as she fixed her shirt. "Is that you?"

"Yep!" Johnny said from the other room. When he walked in and saw his mom and me on the couch, he smirked.

"What's up, sweetie?" Y/N asked as she stayed on the couch but turned so she was looking at him. "I thought you and some of the boys were hanging out at Tyler's house tonight."

"We are," he said, sending me one last look before turning back to his mom. "That's why I'm here. The guys wanted to stay late playing that new game. Tyler's mom suggested we sleep over so we didn't have to drive home at 3 in the morning. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Y/N smiled. "But make sure you're back here tomorrow morning. All three of us are helping with the high school clothing drive."

"What time do you want me home?" He asked.

I smiled when Y/N looked at me. "The clothing drive starts at 10. If we want to help set up we should be there around 9."

"Okay," he said simply. "I'll make sure I'm home before 8:30."

"Thanks, baby," Y/N gushed. "Have fun with the boys."

"Will do." Johnny walked over and kissed his mom's forehead. He sent me a look before saying, "You two have fun with your sleepover."

Before either one of us could respond, Johnny ran upstairs. Y/N turned to me with bright red cheeks.

"I think it's safe to say that our son is okay with us being together," I chuckled. It was hard to ignore the feeling I had when I said our son.

"I would say so too," Y/N smiled. She leaned over and gave me a soft kiss. I deepened the kiss by grabbing her face. We didn't think about how long we'd been making out until we heard Johnny running back downstairs.

"Have fun!" Y/N called out.

"You two!" Johnny teased. "Be careful."

Y/N sighed as the door shut behind him. I grabbed her chin and gently made her look at me.

"It's okay," I whispered. "I know it's a little weird, but he's okay with this."

"I think it helps that you're his father," she whispered. "Not sure if he'd be this okay with me having a sleepover of my own if it was some random guy I'd been dating, but. . ."

"We're a family," I shrugged. "It's a big adjustment for all of us."

* * * * *

Reader's POV

As Johnny and I drove to the school to meet Steve, my mind went back to the conversation Steve and I had last night. I couldn't help it. I needed to hear it from him.

"Are you sure you're okay with Steve and me?"

"Mom," he sighed. "We've talked about this. A lot. I liked Coach Harrington before I found out he was my dad. Plus, I'd have to be a complete idiot not to see how happy he makes you."

"It's not weird for you?" I asked.

"Of course, it is," Johnny shrugged. "It's a little adjustment but I like having him around, Mom. I'm not just saying that. When he's around, it feels like we're. . . It feels like we're a family."

"I know how long you've wanted that," I whispered, my voice breaking. Johnny let out a small chuckle as he reached over and grabbed my hand.

"I promise, Mom," he whispered. "I don't have an issue with him being around a lot. I want my dad in our life."

We pulled into the school parking lot and my eyes instantly landed on Steve. As I parked, Steve jogged over to my side. He opened the door and helped me out. He gently kissed my lips but froze when he pulled away and saw the look on my face.

"Everything okay?" He asked, looking over my shoulder at Johnny.

"She asked me for the millionth time if I was okay with my mother dating my father," Johnny sighed.

"Hey," Steve warned in his teasing voice. "Don't sass your mother, young man."

"Sorry, Dad," Johnny chuckled as he jogged over to a group of his friends. Steve grabbed me and pulled me into his chest.

"I love when he calls you that," I whispered.

"Me too," he whispered before leaning in and pressing his lips to mine. I broke the kiss with a teasing push. I laughed at his pout.

"Put that pouty face away," I giggled. "We've got canned goods to sort, donated clothes to fold, and toys to organize."

A few hours later, I was writing up tax receipts for people who donated when someone grabbed my waist. I looked over my shoulder to see Steve smirking at me.

"What?" I chuckled.

"Come with me."

He took the clipboard out of my hand and placed it on the table. He then took my hand and led me out of the gym.

"Where are we going?" I giggled as Steve led me down the hallway.

He stopped in front of a science lab and sent me a wink before pulling me into the empty classroom. The minute the door was closed, he pressed his lips to mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

I giggled against his lips as he picked me up and gently placed me on the edge of one of the tables, standing between my legs. We broke the kiss and pressed our foreheads together.

"You think Johnny's okay out there?" I asked.

"He's fine," Steve chuckled as he leaned back and gently grabbed my chin. "He and some of the other boys on the team are helping put food baskets together."

I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him closer to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, smiling at me.

"I don't think I've ever been this happy," he said, his voice dropping.

"Me either," I smiled. "I mean, Johnny makes me incredibly happy but it's nice not having to do it alone."

"You don't have to do it alone anymore," he chuckled. "You and Johnny never have to be alone again."

I ignored the tears in my eyes as he pressed his lips to mine. I let out a small moan as our lips started moving in sync. Things started slow but slowly picked up. Before we could get too carried away, I broke the kiss.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about," I started off shaky.

"Oh?" Steve asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, his hand lingering on my cheek. "What is it, baby?"

"I've been thinking. . . What if you moved in with Johnny and me? Now, I know there are a lot of logistics we need to figure out and everything but. . ."

Steve cut me off by grabbing my face with both hands and kissing me. I reached up and grabbed his wrists but didn't pull his hands away as I kissed him back. He broke the kiss with a small moan.

"I would love to move in with you and our son," he whispered, his face inches from mine. "It would make us feel even more like a family."

Steve's POV

As Y/N helped some of the other team moms organize the clothes by size, I looked for Johnny. If I was going to go through with my plan, I needed his help.

"Hey, Johnny," I said when I found him playing with some of the toy donations.

"Hey, Dad." I ignored the feeling in my stomach when he called me that. "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you about something." I couldn't help but look over my shoulder at Y/N.

"Please tell me you're finally going to ask Mom to marry you."

"Wait, what?" I stuttered. "You really. . . You want. . ."

"Yes," Johnny laughed. "Hurry up and marry Mom. I love you guys but I'm kinda tired of Mom worrying about me and your relationship. You make Mom happy. That's all that matters to me. Plus, you're my dad. We should be a family. Officially."

I was at a loss for words. If I'm being honest, I was worried when Y/N told Johnny the truth. I was worried that he would hate that I was dating his mom or that I was his biological father. But ever since the beginning, he's been supportive.

"Want to help me with it?"

* * * * *

"She's coming!" Johnny yelled as he ran into the family room. I moved in with them three weeks ago and Johnny and I have been planning this since then.

"I'll go to Drake's house so you guys can celebrate. I'll come home tomorrow and we can have a family celebration."

"Thanks, bud," I chuckled.

Johnny ran over and wrapped his arms around me. "I love you, Dad," he whispered.

"I love you, too."

I let out a shaky breath as Johnny ran out the kitchen door.

"Hello?" I heard Y/N call from the front hallway. "Is anyone home?"

"I am," I called back. "I'm in the family room."

"Where is everyone?" She giggled as her voice got closer. "For a second I thought I saw Johnny hoping the side fence. I was starting to worry that. . ."

Y/N cut herself off when she walked into the family room and saw me standing in the middle of the room. She looked around at the photos of us and the candles spread out around the room.

"What is going on?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I think it's time we officially become a family," I started my speech. I walked over, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the middle of the room. "I love you, Y/N. I've loved you since that night all those years ago when we got drunk and hooked up. I had no idea who you were, but I constantly thought about that amazing girl. Every day we've been together has been extremely wonderful. Before we reconnected, I felt like I had a giant hole in my life. But now? I have a woman I am madly in love with and a son. There is only one thing that could make my life better."

I grabbed the black velvet box out of my pocket and knelt down on one knee. I smiled when she gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.

"The only thing I'm missing is having my family be official. I need for my son to have both parents. I need the woman I love to officially be mine and marry me," I continued. "I love you so much, Y/N. I promise to do everything I can to take care of you and our son. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," Y/N said between tears. I slipped the ring on her finger and stood up. I laughed as she threw her arms around me and pressed her lips to mine.

"I love you, baby," Y/N whispered as she broke the kiss.

"I love you," I chuckled. "I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Me too," Y/N said, her face turning pink. "But, baby, I have a small question."

"What is it, darling?"

"Where's Johnny?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "He's hanging with Drake tonight," I explained. "He wanted to make sure we had privacy to celebrate."

"That was sweet of him."

I leaned down and kissed her. Our kiss got heated as we fell back onto the couch. I hovered over her and heard her giggle as we didn't bother stopping from getting into the kiss.

"Steve," she gasped, breaking the kiss.

"Yes, baby?"

"Let's go celebrate upstairs."

#steve x reader #steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things imagine #steve harrington family #joe keery #joe keery imagines

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hesbuckcompton-baby · 3 months

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Damage Gets Done - SAS Rogue Heroes x OC - Chapter 8

Summary: Tension runs high as the SAS carries out a potentially disastrous raid on Benghazi

Relationships: L Detachment x Platonic!OC, eventual Reg Seekings x OC

Warnings: Language, descriptions of graphic violence, implied death, Randolph Churchill

Word Count: 4.3k

Tags: @20th-centu-fairy-girl @trenchenjoyer @dcyllom @footprintsinthesxnd

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Diana crouched down to eye level with the jeep's side mirror, squinting against the sun that reflected in the glass behind her as she did her best to tuck every last curl safely away beneath the headscarf she had shrouded herself in. Their raid on Benghazi was fast approaching, and it had been decided amongst the group that the easiest way to smuggle her into the city would be to dress her like a regular civilian, rather than attempt to explain away her military garb.

Once she had finished the task, pinning back one last curl that simply would not stay put on its own, she had moved to stand, but the sight of her own reflection gave her pause. It was rare that Diana remembered much of anything of her mother, but some days she looked so remarkably like her that it seemed to draw long-buried memories back to the surface. She had those same dark eyes, the same curve of the lips and point of the nose. She could almost half-remember sitting in her mother's lap as she put on her hijab each morning, the calming tones of her singing keeping the child from getting in the way. When she was herself, the similarities were hardly noticeable. But now that she dressed like her mother too, those brief, hard years were becoming visible again in the back of her mind, as if watching on through a veil.

"Hey," Jim Almond's voice rang out behind her. Springing upwards to resume her regular posture, she glanced at him with a welcoming smile. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Diana nodded assuringly. "Yeah, I just... I look like my mother." She grinned at the confession, and he couldn't help but return the smile. Jim squeezed her shoulder affectionately, and their heads both turned as Stirling's voice came from over by the well where he stood with Randolph Churchill. Since the Prime Minister's son had arrived, she had managed to avoid speaking to the man, but it appeared Stirling was not going to make it easy on her.

"You've been summoned, milady," Almonds teased, and she slugged him gently in the shoulder, kicking up sand as she marched over.

"Oi," Diana greeted, tipping an imaginary hat to Stirling as she rested a hip against the side of the well.

"Diana, it seems you haven't yet been introduced to Mr Randolph Churchill, here," David spoke. His tone was jovial, friendly, but she could tell he was teasing her, and sent him a sideways look as Churchill reached for her hand, pressing dry lips against the back of her palm. She did not attempt to disguise her grimace, especially as she heard Pat and Johnny chuckling at her discomfort from back by the truck.

"A pleasure," He greeted, maintaining his attempt at a charming smile even as he noticed her wiping the back of her hand against her trousers.

"Winston's boy, eh?"

"... The Prime Minister. Yes."

She shrugged. "Not my Prime Minister."

Randolph let out something between a huff and a laugh. "Oh, you didn't vote Labour, did you?"

Diana's brow raised as she lit one of the cigarettes in her pocket. "I'm Egyptian, Randy."

"Right, yes... Of course... You're a rather striking young lady, you know."

Stirling almost choked on the dirty water he had pulled from the well as he tried not to laugh, and she stomped hard on his foot, digging in her heel. "Yes. I do know. Is that all?" When neither of the men spoke, she nodded firmly, patting Stirling on the shoulder. "Wonderful exercise, thanks David."

Pat was still laughing at her as she returned to the others, his enjoyment only enhanced as she flipped him off, propping herself against the back of the lorry with her elbows.

"He liked you," Cooper teased, a boyish grin overtaking his expression as he jammed a fresh cartridge of bullets into his gun. Beside him, Reg didn't say a word, his brow furrowed, expression thunderous, the only sound coming from him the occasional indecipherable grumble.

"Fuck off," She sang, holding her cigarette between her teeth as she sifted through the bullets they had brought to fill the small pistol she had been given to conceal on her person. To go with her civilian costume, Sadler had acquired her own car - a creaky, unassuming thing with a bad paint job, but an almost brand-new engine that could get her out of a tight spot should the need arise. It was risky, to enter Benghazi alone, to separate herself from the rest of the group, but once inside the walls she would find them again, and finally receive a gun that was worth a damn.

Seekings had scarcely looked away from his weapons since the moment of her approach, checking and re-checking every gun and knife he had on his person as a permanent scowl etched his face. His hat was resting in the truck bed beside Diana, and she noticed, seizing it by the visor and planting it firmly onto his head, forcefully capturing his attention. A smile curled the corner of her lips, and he couldn't help but do the same, finally able to take in her new appearance up close. He missed her hair - the only part of her wild enough to reflect the spirit inside. She looked wrong without it, every inch hidden from the world.

"Chin up, soldier," She teased. Reg hated this plan. He hated it more than he'd ever hated any of Stirling's batshit insane ideas before.

They were putting Diana in danger. More danger than they ever had before. She would take her own car into Benghazi, alone, with nothing but a tiny pistol to protect herself and a cache of explosives hidden under her seat. They were relying on nothing but her pretty face and Arabic tongue to get her into a building none of the others would dare try to breach for fear of a bullet to the skull. And worst of all, she didn't seem to care.

"You're good on the plan?" He prodded.

Diana let out a chuckle at his uncharacteristic concern. "All good."

There was no certainty they'd all see each other again after tonight. And one question plagued Reg - one question he ached to know the answer to yet could never bring himself to ask. Did she remember that night in Stirling's flat? The night she had spent sitting on the hardwood floor in that wonderful dress, the night she had kissed his bruised knuckles and smiled at him and made him feel all kinds of confusing things. If only she cared as much for herself as he did.

In order to avoid any suspicion, Diana was ordered to pass the checkpoint into the port city an hour before the others - a measure taken to dispel any possible assumption that they may be arriving together, but an altogether risky move. If the others were intercepted at the border, she would be in Benghazi alone, forced to carry out her objective and escape without any backup whatsoever. In the Great War, General Hannigan had made his reputation through acts of reckless daring, and it seemed he had passed this lack of regard for self-preservation onto his daughter. A quiet fell over the small group as the time came for her departure, a duffel bag of explosives hidden in a compartment Sadler had hollowed out beneath her seat. Diana seemed unphased, quickly affirming their rendezvous point with Stirling, but the others watched on in grim silence, hesitant to even wish her good luck for fear of jinxing their fortunes. They all knew there was a chance that this could be the last time they were all together. It wasn't an impossibility. They'd lost Eoin. They'd lost Jock.

Tonight had the opportunity to ruin everything.

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The desert road unfurled itself before her, the wheels of the car kicking up sand as Diana streaked across the landscape, radio tuned to a local station as she sang off-key to an Arabic cover of a Billie Holiday song, occasionally interrupted by static from the terrible reception all the way out here.

It was not until the checkpoint came into view that she realised she was driving altogether much too fast, and the breaks let out a terrible shriek as Diana attempted to slow down, jostling the wooden barrier with the bonnet as she rolled to a clumsy stop. Now she remembered why Stirling had initially appeared so horrified at the prospect of letting her drive herself.

One of the soldiers marched up to her window, knocking harshly on the glass until she rolled it down to let him speak. He scolded her in a flurry of Italian that she only partially understood, and Diana attempted to thrust her forged papers at him, matching the man's irritated tone in her own rambling Arabic, spouting meaningless nonsense whenever she ran out of things to say once she as confident he didn't understand a word.

The soldier examined her papers, occasionally asking her questions as he peered closely at the writing. Diana could only decipher a few words here and there - certainly not enough to gauge the soldier's meaning - and so she continued her meaningless tirade in the hopes of moving things on.

"I really like this song!" She declared, brow furrowed, tone angered as she pointed sharply at the radio, the soldier's expression growing more confused by the minute as he attempted to decipher what the frustrated woman was yelling at him. "It's very good! But I'd like to get moving, I'm very hungry!"

"Cosa?" The soldier asked, still clutching her papers.

Diana resisted the urge to roll her eyes, reaching out and tearing the document from his grip. "Is this really the best your lot could do? Fucking embarrassing really." His mouth hung open, gaping as he found himself helpless to decipher a word of her ranting. With a pointed gesture towards the barrier, she finally seemed to get through to the man, who hurriedly ordered for her to be let through.

Nodding to the soldier in mock appreciation, Diana cranked the radio back up to full volume as she passed, resuming her sing-along as she trundled towards Benghazi, taking extra care to regulate her usually reckless driving as she entered the pedestrian-littered streets. It wasn't entirely unheard of to see a woman like her driving alone here, but just unusual enough to ensure that, whenever she slowed down or stopped for traffic, she would hear a wolf whistle or jeer from some passer-by. It was nothing Diana hadn't heard before, but still, her grip on the steering wheel tightened with agitation each time.

Benghazi was littered with administrative buildings and headquarters for the Nazi and Italian forces, with guards at every entrance. This was not a problem. Diana didn't need an entrance. One of the key Italian admin buildings had a side wall facing a nearby alleyway, used almost exclusively by street vendors and tourists, when there were any. But there was not a guard in sight, for the wall had no doorways or windows that could be used for infiltration. Engine rumbling to a stop, she yanked the gearstick, pulling in to park along the side of the alleyway. Rummaging below her seat, Diana retrieved the explosives she had been given, concealing them in a small compartment she had sewn into the bottom of her handbag, hidden beneath all manner of day-to-day belongings.

The only explosive she left behind was a primed Lewes bomb, prying open a loose seam in the driver's seat cushion with her fingernails and burrowing it deep inside among the stuffing. Worst case scenario, the car would be removed by guards hoping to keep the perimeter clear, and provide a helpful distraction come nightfall.

Best case scenario, this explosion would rip a hole straight through the building, killing dozens.

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The moment their truck pulled to a stop, Reg was on the lookout, his gaze scouring their surroundings for any sign of Diana among the sparse, moving crowds of civilians.

"Hey," Almonds hushed voice reached out to him as they clambered out of the truck bed. "She's not coming. Stirling told her not to be seen with us until it's time to go." Reg almost questioned this - questioned why, of all things, Jim knew he was searching for Diana. But it struck him as best not to ask, best not to come face to face with his own weakness that apparently everyone could see. This wasn't the time for it.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Diana had spent her afternoon in a nearby cafe, sipping on herbal tea to calm the beating of her nervous heart as she waited for nightfall, pretending to read a book as she watched the soldiers walking around in her peripherals. Anyone who had paid enough attention would have noticed that she hadn't turned the page in almost half an hour, but there were hundreds of women in Benghazi who looked just like her. She was utterly unremarkable, utterly unworthy of notice. The disguise was working wonders.

But darkness was falling. And the longer she stayed, the more suspicious her presence would become. Ensuring her headscarf was still on properly, Diana departed, shoving her book back in her bag as it covered the concealed explosives within. She prayed the carefulness with which she handled the bag had not been too obvious as she made her departure, slipping away down a nearby side street.

The car was still there. She made a mental note as she passed, tossing a crumbled paper bag containing a Lewes bomb into a nearby trashcan, one of many lining the back wall of another administrative building. Laying individual charges was never going to do a significant amount of damage, but it would certainly provide ample distraction. If the guards were too busy chasing after exploding bins and cars, they would miss the real targets.

She wanted a cigarette, but frankly, the idea of smoking one so close to a bag full of bombs made her nervous. Diana was just about to throw out her matchbook as a precaution when a lone guard turned the corner towards her, rifle slung lazily over his shoulder, gaze pinned on her from the moment he entered the space.

"What are you doing?" He called, eyeing the matches in her hand with suspicion. His Italian accent was heavy, but his English wasn't half bad. He thought she was a local - that was good, he was searching for some in-between dialect to bridge the language barrier between himself and the Libyans.

"Smoke break," Diana replied simply, trying to maintain the accent of her mother tongue even as she spoke her second language. It was difficult - she had been taught Arabic by Egyptians and English by the Brits, it was not a line she was used to blurring.

The guard flicked his wrist, beckoning her closer as he reached into his breast pocket for a proper lighter. As she plucked a cigarette from the battered box in her bag, he held the flame up to her, just far away enough that she had to lean in towards his chest, dipping her chin to meet it. She could feel his eyes on her, tracing every inch of her face and quickly travelling downwards. His hand reached up, knuckle brushing lightly against her cheek. Diana felt the urge to recoil, nausea dredging up the pitifully sparse contents of her stomach. Instead, she pulled herself back up to full height, a pleasant smile curling her lips as she took a puff of smoke.

"Pretty girl like you shouldn't be out here alone," The guard tutted, a glint of lust in his eye that made her want to vomit straight onto his boots. "Anything could happen."

She let out an easy laugh, shaking her head slightly. "Well, then it's a good thing I have your gun, isn't it?"

He paused for a moment, head tilting to the side as he squinted in confusion. "...What?"

Diana's hand shot out at his face, not even pausing to drop the cigarette, its burning butt scorching the flesh of the soldier's cheek as her fingernails met his eyes, scratching painfully at his corneas. Before the man could scream, her free hand, balled into a tight fist, punched him sharply in the windpipe, and the guard choked for breath, staggering backwards as blood began to run down his face from where her nails had taken chunks out of his eyelids.

Blinded and winded, he groped for his rifle, but Diana seized it in an instant, a kick to the stomach sending him toppling backwards onto the ground. If she had shot him, she would've drawn half the guards in the port. Besides, this was more fun.

"Fascist fuck," She muttered, tearing off her headscarf, curls erupting outwards like a lion's mane as she balled up the fabric, stuffing it down into the guard's mouth so he couldn't speak. With the pocket knife tucked in her boot, she sliced off one of the straps on her bag, using the long strip of fabric to bind the man's hands behind his back. The guard whimpered helplessly, sounds muffled by the fabric that he found himself unable to spit out as his feet lashed out, kicking wildly but never landing a blow, his vision still blurred and useless in the dark.

Diana manoeuvred the thrashing, whining man into a nearby alcove, propping him up against the backdoor of a local restaurant. Delivering a swift, sharp blow to the head, the guard fell unconscious, and she was free to leave his limp body for someone else to find once she was long gone.

But now there was a problem. Her disguise was ruined - her headscarf gone, bag noticeably torn, blood staining her fingernails. A wad of spit was enough to clean most of the visible dirt from her hands, and she realised she had little choice but to get rid of her bag. Carefully retracing her steps back towards the car she had abandoned, Diana tossed the entire cache of explosives into the trunk and made a run for it. Perhaps multiple distractions were off the table for tonight, but this distraction was certainly about to be a big one.

Tousling her hair and undoing the top few buttons of her shirt, exposing a sideways view of her cleavage, she felt satisfied with her new disguise. If she couldn't pass as someone's dutiful housewife, she could at least do her best to blend in with the local prostitutes.

God this was humiliating.

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Reg and the others were waiting impatiently behind a nearby car, anxiously watching Stirling and Churchill approach as soldiers swarmed their truck, which had - until now - been their only means of escape. David approached the group, strolling casually so as not to betray his agitation, although his brow began to furrow as he surveyed the group.

"Where's Diana?" He whispered, leaning in close. Reg thought he might vomit.

"She's supposed to be here?" Riley hissed. One by one, their expressions began to fall with concern.

"I told her to meet us at the rendezvous, she's supposed to-" Stirling had gone from a state of panic to one of confusion, trailing off as his gaze locked itself upon something behind the others. Reg turned to follow his eye, brow raising as he spotted Diana across the street, purposely avoiding meeting their gaze as she strolled through the crowded space. But something had changed since that morning - she looked different. She looked good.

There was no time to express relief, no time to calm the thumping of his heart as Stirling ushered the group out from their rendezvous spot, marching across the street. They were making it up as they went along now - the most dangerous way to be. But she didn't follow, simply stood in a nearby doorway, leant casually against the wall.

"Seekings, go over and pretend to chat her up," Stirling ordered under his breath. Reg suddenly realised what was going on. "Get her over here with us, now."

Seekings slipped away from the group, taking extra care to look at ease, confident, not like he was following orders. His eyes met Diana's, and he stepped up onto the doorstep beside her, the pair standing close. "...You look different," He pointed out.

"It's been an... eventful afternoon," She explained. As she spoke, she maintained an easy, flirtatious smile, ensuring that anyone passing by would still believe she was a prostitute trying to chat up a client, despite the words being exchanged. Reg felt the blood rushing to his cheeks, turning his face redder by the second.

"We've gotta go," He said, and she nodded, following alongside him as they moved to rejoin the others. He felt her gently nudge his side, and slug his arm casually over her shoulder. They would have to keep up this pretence until the very last minute, until they were somewhere free from any prying eyes. But Reg couldn't even pretend to dislike the position he now found himself in, her body slotted against his in a way that just felt right, her shoulder somehow comfortable as it dug into his side. Her hair blew gently with each exhale he took, and he was almost too distracted to pay attention to the others, watching her instead of the guards Johnny was attempting to negotiate their way past. Reg couldn't even understand Italian - in his mind, this was a much better use of his time.

It seemed Diana had realised this distraction, for a sharp poke to the ribs alerted Reg that they were moving again, sauntering past the men after whatever ruse Cooper had concocted had worked. "Start paying attention," She muttered, beginning to smirk.

But there had been no time to formulate a retort before an earth-shattering explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet, a great ball of fire turning the sky red as a building burst into flames a few streets over. It was bigger than the blast from any single Lewes bomb, and Reg raised a brow, looking down at Diana who had begun to cringe slightly. Stirling turned to stare pointedly at her.

"I had to improvise," She shrugged, and Reg almost laughed before his own charges exploded somewhere behind them, and the group broke out into a sprint, making a wild dash for the nearest side road that could potentially promise a means of escape.

The first explosion had been so huge that almost every guard in the port had began running towards it, and once the other bombs went off as well, the place was plunged into chaos, no one sure of which crises they should tend to first.

"Where's your gun?" Stirling hissed as she ran alongside him.

"Like I said, change of plan," Diana huffed, catching a pistol as he tossed it over to her, the group crouching around the corner of a nearby building to evade the scattered guard force.

"Well, y'know," Almonds shrugged. "At least the bombs worked."

She let out a breathless laugh, but no sooner had she stopped running was she compelled to start again, dashing towards a jeep Reg had managed to commandeer.

"You got it?" Diana asked, a grin spreading across her face as he touched two wires together and the engine burst to life, rumbling steadily as they dogpiled hurriedly inside. They trundled away at a regular pace, so as not to draw attention, but it may as well have been a hundred miles an hour for how quickly her heart beat inside her ribcage, chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath, feeling as if it were the first full breath she had taken since the moment she had first arrived in Benghazi.

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Stirling's car ahead had burst through the checkpoint they had passed that morning in a flurry of bullets, picking up speed, the jeeps going faster and faster by the second until they were streaking across the desert. Johnny had been standing atop the back of David's jeep, mowing down the nazis with his machine gun as they passed. As they passed back into safe territory, he turned back to face the second car, grinning elatedly, and Diana replied with a whoop, laughing at their success. She had not quite realised how scared she had been to die tonight until the relief of surviving had settled in, and now she was euphoric, the desert wind whipping her hair wildly in all directions.

Reg had the wheel, unable to tear his eyes from the road for how fast they were travelling, but he began to grin as Riley started singing a raucous drinking song, Diana and Jim joining along by the second verse. Almonds had taken off his hat, jokingly attempting to plant it on her head, but she let out a yelp as the wind caught its brim, tearing it clean off as the hat vanished into the night. They laughed at this too, everything suddenly hilarious as they were consumed by the joy of victory. The jeep's side mirror had been jostled in their hurried attempt to climb in, and rather than reflecting the road behind, Reg could see her - smile visible even in the darkness, both hands trying in vain to hold down her hair against the desert wind.

It may have been the greatest night of his life.

#sas rogue heroes #sas rogue heroes oc #sas rogue heroes fic #sas: rogue heroes #reg seekings #david stirling #pat riley #johnny cooper #jim almonds #oc: diana

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little-tyrant-gortash · 4 months

Text

Oathbreaker

Pairing: fem!Tav x Enver Gortash, fem!Tav/Astarion

Tags: Emotional Manipulation, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Paladin Tav (Baldur's Gate), Vaginal Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Drunk Sex, Unrequited Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Scars, Blood and Injury, Injury, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Torture, Psychological Torture, Implied/Referenced Torture

Word count: 2,310

Ao3 here.

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2.

Chapter 3.

Chapter 4.

Chapter 5.

Chapter 6.

Chapter 7.

Chapter 8.

Chapter 9.

Chapter 10.

Chapter 11.

Chapter 12.

Chapter 13.

Chapter 14.

Chapter 15. ⬇

Chapter 16.

Chapter 15: For the Future

"Really? Must you eat each other? Right in front of us??" Karlach groaned, which made Gortash laugh in the kiss.

"Now that you say it", he pulled away from Tav, glancing at the other three – feeling utter delight at Gale's devastated expression, "I must have a proper taste of her later tonight~"

"Eeww!"

Tav hid her face behind her hands. She really underestimated just how evil Gortash could be.

"Please just go", she whined without even looking at her companions.

"Come tomorrow, you'll have a lot to explain", Shadowheart's voice sounded thoroughly entertained as she'd never seen Tav so flustered – and she was very determined to make her squirm in the future.

With little laughs from the girls and a beaten puppy look from Gale, the rest of the team finally left. Gortash couldn't help his wide smirk; he could solidify his relationship with Tav in front of some of her friends, acquired Karlach's forgiveness – to a minimal degree, but she wouldn't want to kill him instantly if they met again, he was sure of that –, and wiped Gale off the table in one swift sweep: he considered it an enormous victory. Glancing at Tav, he saw that she was looking after her friends, peeking through her fingers, still way too red.

"Come, dear", he told her, kissing her temple – accidentally, just when Gale glanced back at the two of them. "We need to find you some nice shoes."

"No", Tav murmured, finally lowering her hands from her face.

"No?"

Gortash furrowed his brows. Until now, she rarely said no to anything he told her, and he wouldn't like it if she made a habit of it now. Seeing his darkened expression, she tilted her head.

"We're healing you first." He blinked at her, assessing if she really meant it. She smiled up at his confusion, then pecked his cheek. "You take care of me, I take care of you."

He shouldn't feel so... soft... from this response, right?

"I feel fine."

Nevertheless, he let her pull her back inside and also let her lead him back in his workshop. Every breath hurt, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. Frankly, he'd been through worse. And the fact that she'd been holding his hand after he pulled that stunt in front of all of her friends, distracted him.

Tav let his hand go and rummaged through her backpack to reveal a healing potion. She handed it to him, and he stared at it for a long minute. Tav tilted her head again, gently raising her hand to touch his with which he was holding the potion.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently, and he shook himself.

"I feel fine", he repeated, but his voice sounded off.

Tav didn't push it, and he uncorked the bottle then sent it's contents down. The effects were instant, the pain was gone, his broken rib – and bruises from hitting the floor – vanished. Now, he took a look at the empty potion bottle in his hand. She bit her lower lip as she was watching him, wishing once again that he had a tadpole so she could connect to his mind and feel what he felt.

But nothing would've prepared her for the hurricane in his mind. There were countless people who fought him. Countless people who cursed him. Countless people who put their lifes on the line to stop him. Even those he worked with, Orin and Ketheric, his own God he followed – all of them would crush him if he gave them a chance and a reason. It felt like the entire world was against him. A lot of people wanted him to fail, ever since he was born.

But not her.

He slowly put the empty bottle down on the nearest desk and looked in her eyes. That in itself was enough to make her shiver with anticipation; that one look was enough to let her know just exactly what he'd do to her as soon as possible.

And they had a lot of time, now. He always made sure he was free in the evenings to spend time with her, and she agreed she'd visit him every night to work on her past traumas. He couldn't bring himself to bring up the past; especially not after how her little act of kindness raised a lot of questions in his own mind.

"I think those shoes can wait", he murmured, making her smile.

"Oh? Slippers, then?"

"Hmm… no."

"But my feet are dirty, Your Grace", she teased softly when he snaked an arm around her waist to pull her against himself.

"I don't care."

"I'll get your posh silk sheets dirty."

"I don't care. We will make them dirty anyway."

A mischievous glint sparked to life in her eyes.

"Will we?"

"Oh, I'm afraid we must."

Tav giggled when he picked her up the same way he picked her up when she burned her feet, and this time, there weren't anyone there to stop him from leaving his workshop with her. His kisses were desperate as he placed her on his bed, his hands were uncharacteristically trembling as he undressed her, but he spared no energy and time to satisfy her thrice before he finished.

The room went slowly dark around them as they were waiting for their hearts to beat in their normal rhythm, still entangled in the bed, holding each other. Tav stared forward at the wall as she was resting her head on the middle of his chest, listening to his heartbeat, deep in thought. She hummed – as if asking if he was still awake, and when he hummed back, she started to murmur in the dimming light.

"What if we do it all? I mean... if Orin is out of the picture and you seize control over the Brain?"

Gortash remained silent for a few seconds as he was moving just slightly to grab the blanket to cover them both with it. She sighed, relieved, as he gently tucked her in, wrapping her with the blanket and his strong arm, making her feel safe and comfortable. She loved it there. Being so close to his warmth, listening to his heartbeat, bare skin against skin. Tav was reluctant to admit it to herself: she didn't want this to end.

"We seize control over the Brain", he corrected her quietly. "Then, we unite all races and we rule over them together."

The answer was whispered with confidence; it was his original plan, and he wouldn't change his mind about it.

"And then?"

Tav's soft question made him chuckle quietly. He gently ran her fingers in her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He couldn't look at her face to deduce what she was thinking, but he wanted to... tiptoe around a subject which had been on his mind lately, especially after how she made him feel earlier that day.

"Let's say, that, in theory, I'd ask you to marry me." Gortash let the silence stretch for a few seconds to allow this to sink in. He tried to ignore how fast his heart was beating against his ribs again at the idea, but at the same time, he was aware that she could hear it, too. "And in that case... in theory, of course... what would you say?"

Tav's face burned like the surface of the sun. This was what was so different about him. Whenever she compared Gortash to Astarion – and she'd done it a thousand times a day... Astarion never had any plans for the future. He let things unfold as they would with him always just reacting to the events, not forming them himself, which made him pretty much unpredictable. His lack of dedication made the future foggy at best. Tav was always just... blundering in the dark when she was thinking about their future together. Of course, this was different once he'd ascended, but...

Being with Gortash who had a solid view on how he wanted to spend his life with her, taking one step at a time, was a breath of fresh air. There were no doubts, no hesitation, just focusing on the next step of their plans and everything else would fall into place – or they'd make them fall into place.

It gave her a sense of immense comfort and safety.

Being the leader and going through with her impossible adventure has taken a toll on her; she had been toying with the idea that after they've killed Orin and took care of their tadpoles, she'd bestow the party's leadership to someone else. If they wanted to remain together, that is. Tav was surprisingly comfortable with the idea of staying here with Gortash and spending the rest of her days on his side, trying to ease his firm ways. The people needed a strong leader, of course, but they also needed some gentleness, and she would be able to provide that.

And now, she knew he was thinking about marrying her. After just a tenday of even knowing each other. She must've had a great impact on him, if he truly was imagining her as his wife.

Her, who lived in a camp and had nothing to her name.

What could she give him? What did he gain from being with her? If and when he had the Netherstones himself, he'd have the entire world at his fingertips – why would he want her? She didn't feel like she was worth it for him at all. Others would think her mad if she turned this idea down, but she was so aware that compared to him, she had nothing to give. Her heart swelled with happiness – and pain. So, so much pain. Even if she toyed with the idea and came to the conclusion that she wanted him, too.

"Maybe", she whispered back.

Enver's chest swelled with hope instead. A soft and indecisive maybe was so much better than a firm and confident no.

"Where does that maybe lie?" He murmured. "Closer to yes or closer to no?"

Tav giggled quietly, nuzzling to his chest, his hair tickling her face as she did so.

"Closer to yes."

"And why not?"

Tav bit her lower lip as she pulled the blanket up a bit so she could hide her mouth in it. Her voice was muffled when she spoke.

"I'm not entirely sure why would you want to choose me."

"Are you joking?" Gortash's brows lifted up, and he tried to look her in the eyes. With no success. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I can't give you anything, and I have nothing. No wealth, no family, not even a home I can call mine. I don't even have my Oath of Vengeance anymore. I am nothing."

Now that prompted him to move and with himself, move her as well. He manuvered the both of them until they laid on their sides, facing each other, his hands cupping her cheeks.

"It is nearly impossible for me to concentrate on anything when you're not around. I'm constantly worried for your safety. Whenever a day finishes and you're not here with me, I can't sleep."

That made Tav's lashes flutter.

"You can't sleep?"

"No." Gortash's brows furrowed slightly. He hadn't thought about how it sounded like, but it was the truth. "Not when you're not with me."

"Was this the reason you chased me into that condition? That I come here every evening?"

"Well…" Gortash paused for a few seconds. "Maybe." He paused with a little smile when he saw she was rolling her eyes. "You may think you're nothing, but you mean so, so much to me."

Tav remained quiet for a few seconds, then snuggled close to him, nuzzling to his neck.

"Alright."

"Then", Gortash swallowed, "will you marry me?"

She thought of how the news would shake the entire city up. She imagined the Vampire Ascendant, perched up on a throne behind the walls of the Szarr palace, learning the news.

She knew what Orin was capable of, but she was in the dark when it came to Astarion. More importantly, she had absolutely no idea how he would react. Because that was what he always did. Act on impulse. And given the fact how badly he took it when she refused his "gift"... she wished now that she'd kept him on her side for a little longer, to see if he had weaknesses at all. Raphael said a Vampire Ascendant's vampiric powers would get amplified – but nobody knew how much. And remembering how hard it was to defeat Cazador, a 'regular' vampire...

No. Gortash wasn't even aware of the mortal danger he was in. And she didn't want to go into it now. She was too tired.

"Not yet." Tav murmured, trying to ignore the panic that was rising in the pit of her gut. "I still have to hunt down Orin."

The always pre-calculating mastermind who held her in his strong yet tender arms, found it excruciatingly annoying that Tav turned him down. But he fought the feeling. He shouldn't push it too hard, not yet. Still, he couldn't help himself. Something in the back of his mind told him that if she kept rejecting him, he'd only want it more. Whenever he couldn't get something he wanted… he wouldn't rest until he had it.

"Our future plans shouldn't be hindered by her."

Tav sighed tiredly.

"We should rather think about some sort of fool-proof method to sniff her out if she takes on our form."

Tav decided to focus rather on Orin than the vampire. It'd be better that way, for both of them. At least for now; she wasn't sure how much time she had before she'd need to tell Gortash everything. Of her love, her dedication, her failure.

Of the monster she allowed, encouraged Astarion to become.

#Oathbreaker #little tyrant [enver gortash]#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg 3 #enver gortash #archduke enver gortash #lord enver gortash #fanfic #Oathbreaker fanfic

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yanderes-galore · 9 months

Note

So sorry, I didn't notice there was several numbers! The prompts are the delusional section.

Those of you who have played Outlast: Whistleblower know what Waylon's gone through. As a result, yeah I don't doubt it if he lost his mind.

AU/Plot: You are an old friend of Waylon and his family. Waylon ends up walking to your house after escaping the asylum and receiving medical care. You offer him and his family hospitality until they can relocate. However... it looks like Waylon's time at the Asylum has changed him for the worse. Now he sees the family he worked so hard to make as an obstacle... and you're his new desire.

Prompts Here

Yandere! Waylon Park Prompts 2 + 9

"Why’re you crying? Aren’t you happy being with me?"

"I think they might be a problem. Don’t worry, love, I’ll take care of them for you."

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Some gore mentioned briefly, Trauma, Waylon snaps, Obsession, Possessive behavior, Waylon may have learned too much from The Groom, Blood mention, Forced relationship, Implied mass murder, Delusional behavior, Slight forced touching, Probably OOC Waylon but he's insane in this so-

When you had seen Waylon again for the first time in ages, you were surprised at his state. One day you had received a knock on your door. When you opened it, Waylon stood there with his family.

He frantically told you he needed to lay low with his family for awhile. He thought you were the only one who could help. You, being the good natured soul you are, agreed to shelter Waylon and his family.

His wife, Lisa, was also a friend of yours. Their two sons were adorable and you didn't mind helping to take care of them. Waylon always loved his family and you knew he'd do anything to protect them.

When you had got them all situated about maybe two weeks to a month ago, you had pulled Waylon aside. After all, your friend didn't look like himself. You wanted to know what happened. Why was he even on the run?

The nightmares Waylon spilled from his mouth sent shivers down your spine.

The entire time he told his story, you sat there with your mouth wide open in shock. Waylon, the sweet and gentle man who cared deeply for family and friends, endured the depths of hell. You were just happy he was okay.

He told you of the blood, the gore, the variants, the constant adrenaline, the wounds.... You watched as he kept bringing up memories. You watched as he talked about the experiments they put him through.

You saw tears in his eyes each time he thought back on what he's been through.

You made sure you were there for him. You pulled him out of his state of fear and gave him a hug. It was nothing more than a friendly hug with a pat on the back, but it made everything feel right. Waylon was stressed, in danger...

He's just glad he's alive and hidden thanks to you. He's so happy you wanted to help him and his family.

Caring for Waylon in your home was a case of monitoring him and his family while looking for any sign of Murkoff. You watched him closely with Lisa to make sure Waylon was recovering okay. Therapy wasn't available currently, Murkoff could find you all that way.

You had no idea Waylon was developing anything in the first place, he seemed like his usual self if not a little shaken.

It was sad that this was the way you caught up with the Park family. Despite this, you took care of them as if they were your family. You gave them rooms, one for Waylon and Lisa while the other was for their kids. You gave them food, you discussed their future plans, you became their rock.

As days passed you thought Waylon was healing. He told you he didn't wish to talk about all of this with his wife, she knows but he doesn't like scaring her or the kids. As a result, you listened and spoke to Waylon often. You two have been friends for years, he stopped talking to you so often due to his family and Murkoff.

You're happy you're talking now... you just wish Waylon hadn't seen so much horrors. Part of you worried about the experiment he went through, something about Dream Therapy. Waylon told you he felt fine... you believed him because he's your friend.

Waylon didn't seem off until half way into the month. He barely talked to his wife and often ignored his kids. Instead, he seemed fixated on you.

You tell Lisa it's most likely due to his mental state. You share your concern for her husband and she agrees. His... attachment to you makes you uneasy.

Yet you still try to help.

If only you didn't.

Conversations with Waylon shift off from Murkoff and Mount Massive. Instead, conversations with him shift to compliments and more private questions. It catches you off guard.

Waylon often looks at you with half-lidded eyes, saying how you look so cute. You've caught how his stare looks hungry. At times, Waylon mumbles like he's insane.

You try to distance yourself as a result. You leave your house for long periods of time to get groceries or just relax. You gave Lisa your phone number for emergencies.

It doesn't appear to help, however. In fact your absence makes Waylon worse. It, he only continues to scare you.

Sometimes Lisa will call you on the phone, saying how Waylon has grown more snappy, aggressive, and scared when you're gone. Other times Waylon would call you, telling you he borrowed Lisa's phone to speak with you. After that he often asks if you're safe or when you're coming home.

Waylon's mental state doesn't get any better. He starts to yell or snap at his own family. He's only ever at ease when you're in his sight.

You share concerns with Lisa, asking if they have plans to leave for another house soon. Perhaps even get Waylon help in secret. Despite your attempts to plan, it appears they don't know where to hide yet.

In the meantime, Waylon experiments with getting closer to you. You can no longer talk to him in private before he tries to shuffle closer, holding your hands and laying his head on your shoulder. He acts like you're the couple.

He's a married man!

Waylon's behavior only keeps scaring you. The longer he stays in your house, the longer his delusions fester. He seems to think you're in a relationship with him. As a result, he tries to speak with you in private away from his family. He acts like you're the love of his life, grabbing your hand to kiss it while he murmurs sweet praises.

It gets to the point you can't take it anymore. You flee to your room one day to cry in your room. You need to vent. You want your friend back.

Waylon happened to catch you crying and nearly broke the door down to talk to you. When you caved and let him in, he immediately pushed you inside and sat you on the bed. You're sniffling softly when Waylon pulls you closer, rubbing your back.

"Why’re you crying?" He asks sweetly before hitting you with a gut punch of a question. "Aren’t you happy being with me?"

It's that sentence of delusion that sends you back into full blown sobs. Waylon doesn't seem to understand and only holds you closer. You shake your head when he tries to kiss the top of your head.

"Waylon, please!"

"What's wrong, dear?"

"You're a married man! Listen to me!"

You pull away with tears dripping down your cheeks. Your sadness seems to be the only thing Waylon thinks about. He's... distant.

"You have a wife... you have kids... you LOVE your FAMILY, Waylon! We're just friends... what the hell has gotten into you!?"

Waylon looks at you after your breakdown. You swore you saw him twitch or flinch like his head hurt before he shakes his head. He hums to himself, looking back to your hands.

"I think they might be a problem..." Waylon whispers in thought. You stare at him in saddened confusion. Waylon then perks up with a smile, holding your hands like you're his one true love. "Don’t worry, love, I’ll take care of them for you."

Your heart sank.

"...what?"

"They're getting in the way of us, right?" Waylon asks. "They're the reason you aren't happy... I can fix it."

You fear what he means. When he stands up, you throw yourself on top of him to keep him still. You dread what he means by this.

"No! Waylon! They aren't why I'm upset!"

"You can't love me because I'm married..." Waylon frowns, holding you close and flipping you over so he's on top of you. "Love... I can fix that. I simply won't be a married man anymore."

"Waylon...!"

"It won't be that hard." Waylon continues. "When I'm done, it'll just be us!"

"What are you talking about!?"

"Don't be so naive, dear..." Waylon smiles, using your shock to his advantage to kiss your cheek. "I'll kill them."

Time slows around you.

"You... Waylon... stop-"

His grin never fades, he had the gaze of a madman.

He deserves to be in the asylum.

He deserves to be locked in it and torn to bits like those variants he ran from.

He IS a variant now, isn't he?

"No, dear, this is my gift to you... this will show you I love you." Waylon chirps, standing up and putting his hand on the doorknob.

"Nothing says 'I love you' more than murder, darling...." He whispers under his breath. "Just stay here, I'll show you my work when it's done!"

He shuts the door before you can shoot up and stop him. The door clicks with a lock and thump as if something was placed on the other side, leaving you to helplessly jingle at the door. You feel caged, trapped... guilty.

You feel guilty for letting this monster in your home...

You feel guilty when you hear the screams of those you once called your friends from the other room.

#yandere outlast #yandere outlast whistleblower #yandere waylon park

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vexic929 · 6 months

Note

2, 4, 5, 8, 9 for the halloween prompts

#4 몸을 맡겨 내 입술은 니 목을 노려 Trust me as my lips aim for your neck (Vampire) from this prompt list info on Alex and Mihael here and here

"Alex, I don't really think now is the- oh, Christ, Alexander-" Mihael groaned as Alex bit hard on the junction of his neck and shoulder, just below his shirt collar, and tangled a hand in his hair, tugging hard. He was already late for his meeting, they didn't even have time for a quickie, but god he didn't want Alex to do anything but pin him to his desk and take what he wanted.

Alex laughed softly, his breath tickling Mihael's skin as he trailed more kisses and bites up the column of his future husband's neck. "Thought I might help get rid of some of your stress, babe." He teased.

"I'm going to be more stressed if I'm l-late- fuck-" Mihael gasped as Alex grabbed his hips and tugged him impossibly closer.

"Alright, alright," Alex finally relented, pecking Mihael on the lips once more before releasing him and stepping back, smoothing the other man's rumpled dress shirt and fixing his mussed hair so he looked slightly less debauched. Mihael still looked dazed as he caught his breath, bracing himself on the edge of his desk.

"Hot damn, you're sexy. Go kick ass, baby, I'll meet you at home, okay?" Alex promised, fixing Mihael's suit jacket as well and giving him one more kiss.

Mihael returned the kiss, finally regaining his composure. "I love you." He said softly, and Alex just grinned that sweet, genuine, lopsided smile that always sent butterflies fluttering in Mihael's stomach.

"Love you too. Now go." He gave Mihael a gentle push and watched him leave with a contented sigh. He was a lucky man.

#this didn't end up halloween-y at all lol #negative-speedforce #negative speedforce #vexic writes #vexic ocs #vexic lives #ask game #writing prompt #agent j-57 #alexander jacobs #mihael ireton

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lacontroller1991 · 2 years

Text

Kinktober/Whumptober/Flufftober

HEY GUYS!!!!! So I am incredibly indecisive on which one of these challenges to do, so I combined them all into a list and chose which prompt I want to do each day during the month of October, and this is what I came up with:

Day 1 Dirty Talk : “This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen” : Wearing Each Other’s Clothes

Stephen Holder - He can't find his hoodie despite it hiding in plain sight.

Day 2 Mommy and Daddy : Confrontation : “You’ve told your parents?”

Gordo Stevens - You and him have some fun while the kids are asleep.

Day 3 Sweat : Gun To Temple : Thick as Thieves

Rick Flag - Rick finds it distracting (but really hot) when you work out.

Day 4 Breath Play : Hidden Injury : Hobbies

Bucky Barnes - You hide a stab wound from Bucky.

Day 5 Breeding : Running Out of Air : “Oh no, you’re a morning person.”

Gordo Stevens - After an asteroid hits your capsule's air supply, you and Gordo face your inevitable death together.

Day 6 Cock warming : “I’ve Got a Pulse” : Candles

Rick Flag - You find him dead, until he proves otherwise.

Day 7 Costumes : Silent Panic Attack : Movie Marathon

Gordo Stevens - After Ed announces the crew of STS-83-R, Gordo gets overwhelmed and you're quick to notice.

Day 8 Creampie : Back from the Dead : Shooting Stars

Ed Baldwin - After a tiresome day at work, Ed takes you star watching.

Day 9 Stripping : Tossing and Turning : Game Day (Sports)

Rick Flag - Rick and you take your kid to their first soccer game.

Day 10 Drunk Sex : Waterboarding : Love Language

Johnny Lawrence - Who knew a couple of beers would end you up in the arms of your ex.

Day 11 Erotic Photos : Self Done First Aid : Music

Ed Baldwin - "YOU SENT ME PICTURES OF YOURSELF NAKED WHILE I WAS AT WORK", prompt requested by @a-reader-and-a-writer from ages ago.

Day 12 Voyeurism : Rusty Nail : “You kept this?”

Daryl Dixon - Daryl finds a necklace that he gave you years ago.

Day 13 Dry Humping : Fracture : Secret Family Recipe

Stephen Holder - You're horny and Holder looks really handsome when concentrating.

Day 14 Love Bites : “I’ll be right behind you” : Truth or Dare

Stephen Holder - You didn't know you were dating a vampire.

Day 15 Overstimulation : New Scars : Accidents don’t just happen accidentally

Rick Flag - He comes home from another mission with new scars.

Day 16 Bath/Shower Sex : “No one’s coming” : “I hate you” “I love you too.”

OPEN

Day 17 Pegging : Breaking Point : Animal Shelter

Rick Flag - Rick finally snaps, accidentally ruining your relationship.

Day 18 Bondage : “Take my coat.” : Soulmate AU

Frankie Dalton - Despite you being royalty, Frankie knows that you're his and his alone.

Day 19 Masturbation : Head Lolling : Hot Chocolate

Takeshi Kovacs - Takeshi watches you while you pleasure yourself under his command.

Day 20 Mirror Sex : Going into Shock : Bedtime Stories

Joe Pickett - You watch your husband give bed time stories, except the stories are real.

Day 21 Praise Kink : “Take me instead.” : Kiss for Good Luck

Takeshi Kovacs

Day 22 Phone Sex : Withdrawal : “Have you heard?”

Stephen Holder - Holder hasn't been feeling his self lately, and you know why.

Day 23 Food Play : Forced to Kneel : POV Outsider

Gordo Stevens + Ed Baldwin - The duo invites you over for a BBQ except you're the menu.

Day 24 Outdoor Sex : Blood Covered Hands : All the Hugs

OPEN

Day 25 Sex Pollen : Lost Voice : First Dance

Gordo Stevens - When a solar storm hits Jamestown, you and Gordo accidentally breathe in regolith, igniting a spark you didn't know either of you had.

Day 26 Sexting : Separated : Blankets

Rick Flag - Rick comforts you on a bad day.

Day 27 Stockings : Muffled Screams : Reunion

Ed Baldwin - When Ed gets back from a mission, he's expecting you to be there to greet him, except you have other ideas. - @a-reader-and-a-writer

Day 28 Formal Wear : Punching the Wall : Picnic

Rick Flag - Rick tries on his old uniform and you can't keep your hands off.

Day 29 Body Worship : Sleep Deprivation : Leaves

Gordo Stevens - Gordo feels unworthy because of his weight, you prove him other wise.

Day 30 Public : Manhandled : Dear Diary

Gordo Stevens - After a flight, Gordo takes you in the hangar.

Day 31 Mile High Club : Comfort : A Sweet Treat

John Tavner - He's stressed and you help out.

The ones in Bold are the ones I'm doing each day! I combined prompts from @the-purity-pen @whumptober and @flufftober so make sure to check out these blogs for October writing challenges!

I will be taking requests if anybody wants to see a specific character for a specific day, though I do not guarantee I will go with that choice (I have most of them planned out but I would love to see what people come up with!) So please send some ideas in!!!!

Characters I Write For:

Rick Flag, Takeshi Kovacs, Stephen Holder, Ed Baldwin

Johnny Lawrence

Gordo Stevens, Joe Pickett, John Tavner

Negan, Daryl Dixon, Rick Grimes

Bucky Barnes

Can't wait to see what you guys come up with!

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staytinyzen01 · 8 months

Text

Family Truths

Stray Kids 9/10th member AU

Jiah X Minho

All the boys were excited. Their families were paying a visit to their concert. Jiah, on the other hand, she felt jealous. Her family didn't support her or her dreams and neglected her from the moment she started training to be an idol. It was only recently that she got an official confirmation from the family lawyer that they were not to have contact and she was no longer their daughter.

She watched as Jeongin and Seungmin were happily talking about which family members were coming to see them, saying about how they were going to put in 110%. She held back a sigh and glanced to her left, where she saw Chan talking to Felix. She was so focused that she didn't see Minho sit beside, so when he tapped her leg to get her attention, she let out a small squeal of surprise and jumped slightly.

"Lost in thought, Melody?" He asked gently, to which she just nodded in response.

"Just a little. Are you excited to see your family?" Jiah asks.

Minho's face lit up with happiness and let out a giddy nod. "Of course, aren't you?"

Jiah gave a non-committal shrug. "They aren't going to come." She glanced to the side and quickly thought of a lie. "They have both been called to perform surgery, so they can't make it."

Minho eyed her suspiciously but allowed her answer. "Well, I can get my family to record it so they can see if you want." But Jiah just shook her head. "That won't be necessary, but thank you."

Once again, Minho eyed her weird before he gently took her hand and led her to a quiet area.

'Come on baby, don't lie to me. You looked away, and you bit your cheek. It's a tell tale give away that you aren't being truthful.'

Jiah sighed sadly before she glanced at him through wet lashes. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. Minho panicked slightly and brought her into a hug, stroking her back gently with one hand and playing with her hair in the other. She sniffled into his shirt but pulled back to look at him. She cleared her throat before she spoke.

'My family won't be coming. They will never be coming. Ever since I joined the company, they pretended I didn't exist. 2 weeks ago, the family lawyer sent a letter to confirm the fact I was disowned. So, technically, I don't have a family to come see me.'

Minho stood stunned for a few seconds before he brought her into a tighter hug.

'That's fine then,' Minho said as he held back his emotions. 'You can join my family instead. I know they won't mind, I definitely know I won't.'

Jiah shook her head. 'I don't want to impose.' Minho just scoffed at her, giving her side-eye.

'Too late, I have claimed you as my own. You are now my daughter. No take-backsies.'

Jiah let out a little laugh, which caused Minho to smile.

'Thank you for trusting me with this information. I know it took a lot to tell me. Are you planning to tell Chan hyung or do you want me to or...' Minho trailed off, unsure of what she wanted.

She let out a sigh. 'I will tell him after this performance. I know questions will arise when they don't see my ex-family after the show.'

Minho nods before taking her hand jn his and leading her back to the others. 'You ready to show them you don't need them?'

Jiah gives a half smile and nods. Later that evening, she gave a brilliant performance. What she didn't realise was that Minho was serious when he claimed her as his daughter but spoke to his parents and they said they would take her in on the paperwork, but Jiah would be unofficially Minho's daughter

#kpop addition #kpop au #stray kids #stray kids 10th member #stray kids 9th member #stray kids au

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squeakyfir · 1 year

Text

A small hostage (A night at the museum 2 X Child! Reader Fanfiction)

Description:

You, an eight year old child who was left behind on a school field trip gets locked inside the Smithsonian and are held hostage by wax figures of historical figures. Though one was cruel, the other's were a bit mean but they showed a bit of care. So much for being evil. There were questions that needed answers.

Will you live?

Will you die?

Will you see your family again?

Will you even remember this night?

Enjoy!

*I do not own the night at the museum movies. All rights to the characters and storylines belong to 20th Century Studios ™*

Chapter 9

Previous ~ Next

Two days went by and your mother kept her promise and even after that, she kept bringing you back. Everytime your mother brought you to the museum, Al was waiting for you. Hugs and all, he truly cared for you. There were other exhibits that you liked to be around like the hall of miniatures, the hall of African mammals and the Egyptian exhibit. Al made sure to stay by your side at all times even when your mom was with you. The three new exhibits were getting a bit frustrated of staying in storage but after some time, Napoleon and Ivans exhibits were finished but Capones exhibit was taking longer than expected.

Capone was understanding of the situation and said that he and the boys would continue to wait. Even with being storage, Capone was still anxious to see you and your mother again.

Wait???

Why would he be anxious to see her?

Well... Remember when they first met? And that flirty look he sent her way? And how she gave that same look?

It's pretty evident that they like each other but your mother was a bit in denial. You could see it but she denied it. Right now, Capone and your mother were sitting on a bench watching you play with the lions. It had been two months since the whole ordeal and Capone and your mother were getting closer and closer every time they were together. "She's a bright kid, ya know".

"I do know. I'm her mother". Capone chuckled a bit but then asked a question he was thinking about for awhile. "What about her old man"? Your mother was silent for a moment and seemed upset. "What's wrong"?

"It's nothing, it's just... It's difficult to talk about".

Capone stayed silent for a moment. "It might make you feel better. I can tell your upset". Your mother sighed and said, "When I was pregnant with (y/n), her father didn't want a child but it was too late. He verbally and physically abused her and abused me. I don't like to talk about it but to put it briefly, he's in prison and we have a restraining order. (Y/n) only had to live through that whole ordeal for three years but she still remembers a small amount of it. I don't want her to remember any of it".

This brief summary hit Capone hard like a ton of bricks. "I'm so sorry. He's lucky he's in prison otherwise I would've killed him myself, just for you". Your mother smiled and looked at him. "Thank you". They ended up talking to change the subject but they also ended up staring at each other and Capone slowly moved forward and your mother leaned forward. Both of their lips connected into pure bliss. Your mothers anxieties and fears over this man and everything else here was now non-existent.

"Your kissing"?

Both Capone and your mother pulled back and saw you standing there being curious. "Uhh... We were, uhhh. It's nothing, (Y/n). Why don't you go play with the lions" your mother said.

"Ok, but I had a question".

"Alright, shoot".

"It's for you Capone... Privately". Your mother rolled her eyes and stood up. "I have to use the restroom anyways. I'll be back in a minute". Your mother left and you hopped up onto the bench.

"Alright, what's up"?

"It's about you and my mom".

"Ok.."?

"Do you... Like her"?

Capone chuckled a bit and said, "Not to be rude (Y/n) but you just saw us kissing. So, yes. And besides, why wouldn't I? Does that bother you"?

"No. But I... I-"

"What is it"?

With a big deep breath you said, "I would want you and her to be together".

Capone was taken back by this statement. Having just heard what your father did to you and your mother was sad enough. But why would you want a man who no longer exists and is made of wax to be your father? No matter how many times your mother denied it and just carried on with a different conversation, you knew she doesn't want to be alone. The problem was finding a suitable man to be your stepfather and Capone was definitely perfect for the role. Good with kids, having expierence with them, charming, loyal and protective.

But sadly... He's made of wax currently and his background was very upsetting.

"Listen (Y/n), I care for you and your mother so much but I'm not real. I'm made of wax. If I was real, I'd propose to your mother right here, right now. But... I can't". You sighed sadly and Capone pulled you close. "I'm sorry (y/n) but I promise you this". You looked up at him. "As long as I'm still here at this museum, I promise to always care for you and your mother. I'll do the best I can with all these rules of not leaving. Ok"?

"Ok". Capone pulled you closer to him in a big strong hug. "I promise".

Your mother was watching this whole thing from around the corner and almost started to cry. She could see the bond you and Capone had and it was just as powerful as yours with her. Your mother quickly turned away before she was spotted and went to the Egyptian exhibit. She had an idea and it could be the hope of Having Capone become real... Hopefully.

Your mother went to the Egyptian exhibit and avoided eye contact with the statues. The Egyptian king, Ahkmenrah, was speaking with Larry until they noticed her presence. "(Your mothers name), is something wrong"?

"I have a question. I know this may seem like a dumb question but I want to know. Is it possible for these exhibits to become... Real"? Larry and Ahkmenrah exchanged some glances at each other. "What are you talking about" Larry asked.

"The tablet. If it can bring things to life at night then can it bring things to life permanently"?

"Well, actually madame, it can, but it's not recommended nor is it safe. At least, I assume it's not safe" Ahkmenrah said. "I have never attempted to try it out of fear that it may bring death to someone". Your mother sighed sadly and was now lost as to what can be done. "Hold on" Larry started. "Why do you want to know so badly? It's because of Capone, isn't it"? Your mother nodded. "Ok, so you want to bring back the gangster that ravaged all of Chicago and killed people, might I add, just because you like him"?

"You think I'm doing this for me"!? Your mother yelled. "My daughter and I have seen many things. Many things that would confuse and anger somebody easily. Her father might as well be the devil himself. He's abused her and me. My daughter did not deserve that at all and neither did I. But when I see Capone and (y/n) together... Laughing and smiling, I can see her sadness fade away and she never wants to leave this place because she knows he's here". Larry and Ahkmenrah had worry and sadness in their eyes. "She patiently waits for me to grab the keys when I say were coming here. She loves him. And so do I. Her happiness is all that matters to me. And if it can't be done, then it's just a dream". Your mother looked at her watch. "It's almost three anyways. I have to go".

Your mother turned around and walked out of the exhibit, leaving behind two men who were now contemplating their next move. Your mother made it back to where you and Capone were and said, "Come on (Y/n), we have to go". You groaned and hugged Capone tightly. "I'll see you soon, kid. Ok"?

"Ok. Bye Capone".

You ran to your mom and left. Your mother gave Capone a sad smile but she said, "I'll see you soon. Bye".

"Bye".

Your mother left and drove you home. All she thought about was Capone and you. A relationship like this was impossible to maintain and unfair for you. But there was nothing she could do.

Meanwhile, Larry and Ahkmenrah were talking to Capone and his boys. "Is that possible" Capone asked excited. "Yes but there is a problem" Larry said.

"What"?

"If I perform the chant, I'm worried it could cause death" Ahkmenrah said. Capone instantly looked worried but quickly had the look of determination. "I don't care. I would die for them anyways. I love them too much".

"But what about your other gang members"?

"I'll have to say goodbye. I'm sure they'll be ok... Right"? Capone felt a hand rest on his shoulder. "We'll be alright, boss. But try to come back and visit us, at least".

"Of course" Capone said obviously.

"If that's the case", Larry said, "We'll need another Al Capone". There are voiced agreements and when Ahkmenrah reminded him of the potential death that could happen, Capone didn't care. He was hopeful and confident. Ahkmenrah chanted the spell and before Larry's eyes, Capones whole body transitioned from black and white to full color. The inside of his wax body was replaced with working organs, real blood and a strong skeleton. He was now alive. The chant ended and Capone was over the moon ecstatic and happy.

"Quickly, let's get you to (your mothers name)".

Capone understood and rushed out the door and jumped into the car. During the drive, Capone kept expressing his worries but he was assured that it would be ok. Luckily, Larry remembers where your mother told them where it was. They pulled up to the building and Larry parked the car. "Come on". Capone followed after Larry with his new heart pounding in anticipation. He crossed his fingers and walked up to the door. Capone knocked on the door "One second"!

A couple moments went by and your mother opened the door. She was surprised to see Larry and Capone at the door. "What are you doing... How are you... Are you.."?

"I'm alive".

Your mother embraced him so tight and with him returning, he kissed her so deeply. "I love you".

"I love you too"! Your mother pulled back fron the kiss and said, "Come on. (Y/n) will be excited to see you"! Capone was pulled inside the apartment which prompted Larry to leave. "Good luck" he said quietly enough to where only Capone heard him. Capone followed your mother inside and stopped outside a door. Your mother opened the door and saw that you were still sleeping. "Go ahead". Capone walked over to your bed and gently shook your shoulder. "(Y/n)? Wake up".

You opened your eyes to see Capone with a warm smile. You instantly smiled and wrapped your arms around his neck. "What are you doing here"?

"Take a look at me. What's different"?

"Your not black and white!? What happened"?

"I'm alive, (Y/n). I'm here". You smiled so brightly and wrapped your arms around his neck and started to cry. Capone picked you up and held onto you. Your mother came forward and hugged him as well. "I love you both, so much".

"I love you too" your mother said.

"I love you too... Daddy". Capones eyes shot open and he had a real tear fall from his eye. He kissed your head and squeezed you a bit tighter. "I love you".

"Welcome home".

#will add more tags later

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aroace-moron · 10 months

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15 Questions for 15 followers

Thank you @tathrin for tagging me! I know that it has been literal months, but I forgot I had screenshotted the questions and couldn't find them on your blog. Oops. Anyway!

1. Are you named after anyone?

Indeed I am! Alexander the Great, to be precise! Why would my mum name her child after a colonising murderer? I kept kicking her. Like, in uterus. I was a very agressive fetus. And also a very agressive baby, I just kept. Biting her. Like I was angry she gave me life. (Which on second thought, considering the people I've had to deal with so far... understandable, little me.)

2. When was the last time you cried?

Tonight! I had a recurring nigtmare of a zombie chasing me. I escaped, the thing that made it a nightmare was that I had locked it in with my family. And when I woke up, I was convinced I had killed them.

3. Do you have kids?

No, and I hopefully never will! Fun fact about 8 year old me, when a teacher told us that every girl would find a boy to settle down and have kids with one day in sex ed, I very confidently announced that I would never start a family because it would hold me back in my career. This is like one of those moments I should have realised I'm aroace, lol.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Kind of. The issue is that people often think I'm serious.

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

When I see them, what they look like. When I talk to them on the phone, it's their voice. Is there another option?

6. What's your eyecolour?

Green.

7. Scary movies or good endings?

Both, as long as I get to analyze the living hell out of them. (Example: when watching The Menu for the first time, I kept bothering my mum like: Look, she said she doesn't want an intellectually callenging dinner and he literally crushes meatballs that look like brains for her cheeseburger! Mum look! Mum isn't this amazing??) I also really love tortured characters, so scary movies or stuff with a lot of angst potential is what I usually gravitate towards, but I really like some happy movies too.

8. Any special talents?

First and foremost, I don't really believe in talents, and get irrationally angry when people tell me I must have a natural gift or something because to me, that implies I didn't work my ass off for years to get to a good point but that Fortuna just emptied a bucket of goods over my head as soon as I entered this world kicking, screaming and biting everyone. The only thing that I would count as a talent (in a very loose meaning of the word) is that I started reading whole books about 3 months after getting to school. I think that's hyperlexia? Might be wrong, I never really researched it.

9. Where were you born?

Not in switzerland, despite my elementary school certificate saying so.

10. What are your hobbies?

Reading, writing, drawing, playing the lyre, at the moment everything Tolkien, though that can change in like a day to something completely different.

11. Do you have any pets?

I do!! She is a cat, her name is Indira, she is very cuddly and sounds permanently pissed, to the point that a friend who was watching her while we were on vacation sent us a very concerned message because she had actually meowed like a normal cat for once. She hates other animals of all kinds, had to be kept in a seperate room in the shelter we picked her up from, was born on the same day as me (though two years later) and has a habit of sitting in a spot in the garden where she can be seen by the dogs on both sides of the fence and meowing very provocatively. The people in the shelter actually wanted to name her Diva because she is such a little bitch, but they decided on Indira since they thought people wouldn't take her in if her name was Diva. I love her very much.

12. What sports do you play/have you played?

I was forced to play batminton in 7th grade because of a stupid rule that said that all band kids had to do a sport thing too. I hated every second of it.

13. How tall are you?

1,63m. At my birth, people calcualted that I would never get over 1,45, and I was the shortest kid in everything until I was 16, when I grew 20 centimeters at once without warning. I very much enjoy telling people I am taller than them.

14. Favourite subject in school?

Art and English.

15. Dream job?

A published author. I am actually working on a trilogy right now! It might take a while until I actually get it done though. Does anyone know how cold it has to be that your fingers have to be amputated? Google is failing me.

Tagging (only if you want, also yay I have nearly enough followers to actually do this now!) @strawberriesinmoominvalley @dirtmuse @babybat98 @eight-ball-juice @liamwinters @harmoniousworld @hyperlexia-1 @daeron-the-flautist @mistergandalf @the-sewerrats @slowdeathhymn @suuzzzzzzannnnn otherwise this is an open tag.

#tag game #15 questions

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makotoarashi · 1 year

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Part 2 of my Tokyo Revengers ANGST

June 30 2018

You were locked in your room, not even caring about the job you studied 9 years so hard for, you just wanted to disappear, not to bother Mikey and Kazutora ever again. At this point you preferred to go back in time and die in Baji's place so nobody would miss you because nobody in Toman would be attached to you. All of a sudden your phone rang cutting your trail of thoughts, you looked at incoming call screen just to see an unknown number calling. The last thing you wanted was a scammer taking all of your money through a simple tap so you ignored it, the phone rang again showing the same number, you had no choice but to answer it. "Who is it?" you asked right after accepting the call trying not to show off that you were crying. "You may not remember me but Mikey asked me to check if you're okay- …or at least alive" you couldn't recall the male voice from the past, you knew it but you couldn't remember the person "Oh... What's your name? You guessed right I don't remember you but I wouldn't mind a reunion after I get better." you could hear a sigh of relief before the male gave you the answer "Takemichi Hanagaki". You remembered that Mikey liked to talk a lot about how amazing Takemichi is despite being such a weakling like you, but you just assumed that he's strong just because you're not the same gender. "Listen to me, Y/N..." the voice broke your trail of thoughts, the male sounded serious so you decided to listen to what he had to say "I used to think I was weak just because I couldn't do anything to save the one I love, not even fight those who would do harm to her. But someone... my best friend made me realize that willing to fight is more important than what I think I'm capable of, because everyone have their limits and only a few people are willing to go past through them." his words dried your tears, moment of silence passed before you started to laugh. Mikey must have really cared about you to let his brother/friend to check if you're still alive, you found it cute. "D-did I say something funny?" Takemichi was surprised why you would laugh, his shocked reaction actually made you laugh more. After you calmed down you picked up the phone again "Takemichi, you're really amazing. I can see why Mikey adores you." you praised him hoping it wouldn't come out the wrong way. "Oh c'mon... I'm not that great" you could sense that he got flustered so you continued to tell Takemichi how much the great Mikey adored him until he hung up. That phone call really cheered you up, you forgot how upset you were or how much you blamed yourself.

You got out of the bed, dressed up then went to see Mikey without telling him beforehand, the only person who knew about this surprise was Takemichi, he was asked to keep Mikey in one place until you give him a sign by sending a message to Mikey. After you got to the place Mikey was at you sent a message to him as you were hiding nearby "Mikey, can I ask you something?", you were patiently waiting for Mikey to reply, he took out his phone to check the message and immediately replied "Sure, go ahead!", you decided to walk up to him from behind. Takemichi could hardly hold in laughter so he decided to distract himself by talking to Mikey, you couldn't tell what they were talking about but it was working. When you finally got close you hugged Mikey from behind "How do you feel about me?" you repeated your question from the other day making Mikey blush. He tried so hard to hide his face it made him even more cute in your eyes. Mikey looked at Takemichi "Thank you..." he said in half-whisper, you decided to pretend you didn't hear this. "So Mikey? How do you feel?" you asked him again with even more cheerful voice. Takemichi watched you two smiling, you could sense that he was hoping to have saved the one he loved "Michi... how much do you think Hina loved you?" you didn't know how to cheer him up but you decided to let him talk about his love life instead. It seemed to help, the more Takemichi talked about Hina the more confident he sounded. "I really wish you the same, Mikey" Takemichi added looking at both of you. It made you remember the promise you made with Kazutora, the thought of accidentally breaking it was giving you chills, making you worry if Kazutora would go insane again after that.

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hesbuckcompton-baby · 5 months

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Damage Gets Done - SAS Rogue Heroes x OC - Chapter 7

Summary: As L Detachment is granted leave in the wake of Jock Lewes' death, more of Diana's personal life comes to light, and her friendship with Reg is cemented more than ever

Relationships: L Detachment x Platonic!OC, eventual Reg Seekings x OC

Warnings: Language, drunkenness, violence

Word Count: 5.2k (Got a bit carried away with this one)

Tags: @20th-centu-fairy-girl @trenchenjoyer @dcyllom @footprintsinthesxnd

A/N: Sorry for the slow updates! Anyone who's been to university knows November is ROUGH and I honestly had zero time to write until now, but I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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"We're all down right now - give it time, give them time, let them get some rest. We'll bounce back soon enough."

David Stirling would never admit how desperate a bid it had been when he first gave the order for the men of L Detachment to disperse - to take some time away from the bleak desert wasteland and dwell amongst the living for a while, to see what Cairo had to offer and wash the taste of grief from their tongues. The loss of Jock Lewes had hit every single one of them in a variety of ways, the stagnation o death hanging thick in the air at Jalo, and it seemed they were hanging on by a thread. They could only live at half mast for so long before something went wrong, before they lost someone else too.

And so he had sent them packing - dispelled the group with the distribution of their uniform, and L Detachment had been allowed to descend on the streets of Egypt's capital. He almost pitied the rest of the city, but from high up in his apartment, Eve resting comfortably in his arms, he found he couldn't quite give a shit about what the rest of them were getting up to.

The Cairo sunshine was beating down on Diana Fayed's scalp as she made her practised way through the city streets, a stack of bangles jangling on one wrist, an antique watch ticking away on the other. A cigarette hung from between her lips, a long stump of ashes building up on its tip as she wove through the bustling crowds, narrowly avoiding a few stray Brits and carefully dodging the street vendors she had come to know as the most persistent. It was a hub of life, and she knew its walkways like the back of her hand, each step so rehearsed she scarcely had to think, years of repetition ingrained in her very bones.

It was this intimate knowledge of the place that made it so easy to tell when something was off. Which was why the din of a brawl down a nearby alley made her ear prick as she passed, pausing to stomp out her cigarette against the pavement.

The alley in question was usually quiet, especially during the day, its path better trodden at night when the brothels on either side were most active. Shuttered windows, often used to lure in customers from the street below, had been bolted tightly shut, the inhabitants of the two establishments decidedly ignorant of whatever was going on outside. In cities such as these, people perfected the art of minding their business very quickly.

Dian leant her shoulder up against the brick arch that lined the entryway, peering through the rabble as the uniformed men scrapped and beat each other senselessly, and she fought to suppress a sigh at the familiar-looking berets she spotted in the crowd.

Only had the uniform for a day, and already they're showing us up.

As the chair in Fraser's hands collided swiftly with the back of another soldier's head, she winced, beginning to rather enjoy the spectacle as it went on. Here in Cairo, she wore no uniform - here in Cairo, she didn't have to worry about being associated with this band of beloved morons. Bill's decisive blow seemed to end the squabbling, and a moment of stillness almost had a chance to descend upon the group before the far-off sound of the MP's whistle shattered any illusion that this was over, that there might not be a consequence for their actions this time.

There wouldn't be if she could help it.

Roughly shouldering past a confused-looking soldier, necklace bouncing against her chest with each forceful step, Diana raised her fingers to her lips, filling the absence of a cigarette, and released a sharp whistle. The sudden sound drew the attention of every man in the alley, alarmed expressions of recognition spreading across the faces of her comrades.

"MPs. Move." She barked, the others bolting to flee the scene before they could be reprimanded or returned to the military prisons some of them had been recruited from.

Reg fell in step beside her as they hurried to escape through the opposite end of the alley, fidgeting to adjust his beret as he spoke. "Y'know, we only did it 'cause they were-"

"Yeah, I don't care," Diana interrupted, tugging at his arm and gesturing for the others to follow as she led them through a labyrinth of dark, narrow passages - remnants of what had once been streets, now built up and over so much so that they were little more than tunnels, hidden from even the sunlight above. They could hear people walking over their heads as they navigated the alleyways, the MPs' whistles growing fainter and more distant with each turning.

The men squinted in the sun as they emerged back into daylight, the maze of back streets opening out onto an actual road, trafficked by the expensive cars of the city's richest, men dressed in military uniforms with women on their arms traipsing the pavements. She had not taken pause even once since their escape had begun, taking each twist and turn on their route without an inkling of hesitation, and the others noticed. Reg had never known her in the city she'd grown up in, but it was as if Cairo became an extension of her own body, the streets so familiar beneath her feet it was as if they had been born as one, created as a single entity. She was almost a different person here - above them in every conceivable way.

Reaching the front door of a large residential building, he paused to frown at the armed guards posted on either side of the doorstep, Diana fumbling for a key in her pocket before sliding it into the lock and herding them inside with a sweeping arm. Whatever this place was, Reg had never seen anything like it - Persian rugs lined the stone floors, pieces of stained glass dotted in every window, the hallways leading inwards to a huge central courtyard, visible from the foyer, a fountain bubbling away peacefully within.

"Where are we?" Fraser asked, passing his weight from foot to foot as if still expecting the MPs to burst in at any moment.

She turned to reopen the door they had entered through, craning her neck to survey the street outside before addressing his question. "My house."

"Fuuuuck me," Seekings muttered under his breath, taking a moment to look around, pausing as he noticed a painting hung on the wall at the base of the stairs. He could tell it was Diana - or supposed to be her, at least - although the resemblance wasn't quite there. Her hair hung in the elegant, artificial curls he saw the Englishwomen sporting, far from the wild, tight ringlets he was used to. Her eyes were gentler, her smile softer, as if every bit of hardness she possessed had been filed down and dulled. The woman in the painting was beautiful, but she wasn't Diana - not the way he knew her. She wouldn't even spare the artwork a glance as they stood there in the hall, as if she were ashamed of its existence.

The low hum of conversation could be heard from somewhere upstairs, and the men turned their heads at the sound of footsteps against tile, the figure of General Hannigan strolling merrily towards them. Even the months of SAS conditioning had not removed the deepest impulses of military training, and their small group snapped to attention, hands raised to their foreheads in salute as the General approached, jacket emblazoned with medals yet hanging unbuttoned, one of his shirt tails hanging untucked from his trousers.

The General surveyed their appearances, left a mess by the alleyway brawl, bruises already blooming on the skin left bare. "These are your boys then, eh?"

Diana was perched on the bottom step of the staircase, untying the laces of her shoes, the bangles on her wrist jangling noisily with the movement. "Aye," She nodded, a slight smile curling her lips. Her boys. Reg supposed they were really. There was very little she could ask of them that they would not do.

"Well, I'm sure you lot have some stories under your belts. I'll have to have you round to tell me about them soon, don't you think Diana?"

"Yeah, sure," Diana replied, padding barefoot across the hallway to an opening out into the courtyard, attempting to wrangle a stray cat that had made its way in as it lapped at the water in the fountain. Reg's brow furrowed, and Dave struggled to suppress a laugh beside him as she reached out and grabbed the creature, holding it at arm's length as it hissed and scratched the backs of her hands. Letting out a flurry of curses under her breath, Diana hurried to the front door, her father holding it open just long enough for them to expel the beast and bar its re-entry.

"Damn things," She muttered, sucking one of the cuts on her knuckles as the General straightened his jacket.

"Right, well, I've got half of senior command upstairs drinking their tea and wondering where I am, so I ought to go. Will you join us, Diana?"

"I'd rather be shot," She replied without hesitation, her jovial tone making Pat snort loudly. Hannigan seemed unphased by this response, giving his daughter a pat on the shoulder before disappearing up the staircase.

Silence hung among them for a long, awkward moment, droplets of blood blooming against her skin from where the cat had scratched at her. Diana looked up after a while of nursing her wounds, noticing the frown creasing Kershaw's expression. She shrugged. "We get them in here all the time. Dad keeps birds, so we've got to keep them out as best we can."

"... Right."

"Do you usually have half of senior command drinking tea in your house?" Fraser asked.

"Only on Wednesdays."

"Ah."

The coast outside had cleared, not a single MP in sight amongst the hustle and bustle of wealthy Englishmen sweating through their expensive suits in the Cairo heat. Diana had made sure to lightly scold them before letting the boys go, writing a shortlist of clubs they could actually enjoy and get appropriately hammered without military intervention. Kershaw took the list with a grin, tucking it into the breast pocket of his shirt with as much care as if it were the holy grail itself. Their evening plans secured, the small group made to leave, filing back out through the front door, keeping a keen eye open for any more cats attempting to gain entry.

Reg was the last to leave, pausing in the doorway to look back at her one last time. The afternoon sun slipped through at an angle, and in the light, he could see light shades of brown running through her dark curls. Whoever had painted her had been a fool. They hadn't looked close enough - they had missed everything that made her truly beautiful.

"Forget something, soldier?" She asked softly, a smirk teasing her expression. He reached out, taking her hand in his with all the care he had the day Jock had died, brushing the pad of his thumb across her scratched knuckles, leaving a slight smear of blood in his wake.

"Look after yourself, eh? Have a good night." Reg nodded, dropping her hand as swiftly as he had taken it and leaving without a word.

The sensation did not come easy to him. Reg Seekings had only ever been familiar with anger - with rage, violence, and the feeling of adrenaline coursing through his body after he committed it. It was hard to be gentle - hard to force his hands to work softly, as if he were reeling back every muscle in his body that knew how to hurt, tucking what seemed the biggest part of himself away and digging down deep in the hopes he might find something better. As they headed down the street, getting further and further from the house with each step, he looked down at his hand, a smudge of Diana's blood dried and dark against his thumb. It was the first drop of blood Reg had felt on his hand that had not been born of violence - that had not come from the force of his fists.

"Y'alright there, Reg?" Kershaw's voice came from ahead, looking back over his shoulder.

He pushed his bloodied hand into his pocket and out of sight. "Yeah."

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When Reg, Dave and Pat had decided to go out that night, they were almost certain the address Diana had given them was incorrect. She had doodled a star beside the club's name - a sure sign of its quality - but the men could not help but share a look of uncertainty as they were led down a dark, narrow alleyway, silent in the cool evening air, the only sound the whirr of engines a few streets over.

"We better not be lost," Dave muttered, tearing the map from Pat's hands who surrendered it with an almost insulted scoff.

"The address is wrong, it ain't my fault."

At the other end of the alley, a basement door opened, a sliver of warm light escaping towards them along with the soft sound of music. A man and woman emerged, arm in arm, swaying side to side, clearly intoxicated as they staggered past the three of them and disappeared around a corner, the heavy metal door they had existed through being pulled shut with a creak.

"Well. I s'pose that's it then," Kershaw said, ignoring Riley's sideways look of 'told you so, asshole'.

They approached tentatively, Reg's knuckled rapping against the metal with a loud thud thud thud. A letterbox-sized slot was tugged open, a man peering at them from inside, bathed in the golden glow of lamplight.

"What d'you want?" He demanded.

They could not simply demand entry. That wouldn't work, they were smart enough to know that. Reg opened his mouth, hoping something smart would come to him, but nothing did. Shouldering his way to the front of the group, Pat spoke up, turning on his American charm, his voice coming calm and smooth.

"We're friends of Diana Fayed."

The door was hauled open wordlessly, creaking on its hinges, and the trio looked at each other in disbelief at their luck, Dave clapping Pat on the shoulder in approval as they headed inside. The sound of live music hit them the moment they entered, the club opening out before them with as much wonder as a distant mirage in the desert. They entered through the basement into the club's second floor, balconies adorned with tables running around the walls, the centre open above the main floor below. Despite being burrowed deep in the ground without a window in sight, they had somehow created the illusion of daylight, and it felt as though they had stumbled upon a time machine, transporting them to the heat and brightness of midday sunlight.

A band was in full swing on the main floor below, playing raucously atop a small stage that had been built up opposite the bar, the tiled floor dotted with tabled and dancing couples, Cairo society mingling freely as the alcohol ran ceaselessly.

"She knows her stuff, our Di'" Dave chuckled, unable to wipe the giddy grin from his face as they made their way to a table. Reg lowered himself into a seat, doing a double-take as he noticed a pair of beautiful women nearby, gossiping amongst themselves as they stared at the uniformed men. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling a smirk coming on. But there was an inkling of hesitation, a sense of unease somewhere deep in his stomach. This wasn't like him. He needed a drink.

"Speaking of Diana," Pat frowned, peering over the balcony railing at the crowd of people below. Reg looked down, spotting her almost instantly.

She was making her way from the bar, a glass of whiskey in each hand, red lips spread in a grin as she chatted to a uniformed soldier next to her, his shoulders carving a way through the crowd for her as they headed towards a table. Her curls fell neatly without the disruption of the desert wind, the dark hair in stark contrast against the white silk of her dress. It held her close in all the right places, a flattering v-neck in the front, and a deep back exposing the curve of her spine. It was as if she had been carved from marble, so perfect did she look in Reg's eyes. He felt his mouth turn dry.

"Hey, Di'!" Dave called, and she met their gaze, lifting one of the glasses in something between a wave and a toast. Whatever she called back had been lost beneath the din of the music, but Reg couldn't tear his gaze away from her, try as he might.

"She looks good," Pat observed. Seekings almost glared at him.

"Oi Reg, look out, got an admirer over there," Kershaw teased, gesturing towards the pair of women who had been watching since they entered. He spared another glance to Diana down below. She had reached her table, sitting amongst a crowd of military men and well-dressed women, the group chatting and laughing like old friends. She didn't need him looking out for her, even if he wanted to.

Fuck it.

Reg picked up his glass as their drinks arrived, taking a sip and rising from his chair. "Fellas," He nodded, the others jeering in encouragement as he made his way over.

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It had been the first drop of real, good alcohol she had felt on her tongue since everything had happened. She hadn't had a drink when Eoin died, she hadn't had a drink when Jock died. Tonight it seemed Diana was drinking for both of them. No more sipping out of scavenged bottles they'd stolen from the New Zealanders. This was the good stuff.

"You sure you're good?" Jas asked from beside her. Jaspreet Nadar had been her best friend since they were children, since her father had followed the flow of cash from India to Egypt and decided to set up his business here, becoming friends with the General along the way. The pair hadn't seen each other in months, but their much-awaited reunion was becoming somewhat tainted by the tragedies Diana had witnessed. The moment the first drop of drink rolled down her throat it was as if she remembered everything she could be drinking for - and with that came the urge for another glass. And another.

Diana reached over and took Jaspreet's hand in hers, their palms slotting together perfectly. "Will you get drunk with me?" She asked sincerely.

The corner of Jas' mouth curled upwards in a smile both sympathetic and mischievous. "You know you never have to ask me that twice," She said, and Diana laughed as she watched her best friend upturn a shot glass and let its contents spill down her throat.

Their company for the night was largely comprised of the sons of Diana's father's friends - young, bright, military men hoping to live up to their fathers' legacies - and university students who had crossed the river in search of a good time. Neither Diana nor Jaspreet knew any of them as more than acquaintances or drinking buddies, but the atmosphere was jovial, and for a moment one could almost forget there was a war going on outside of that basement.

Except Diana couldn't forget. Sometimes she would wake in the dark, and for a moment find herself back in the desert the night of her first jump, staring up at the endless blackness, Eoin McGonigal's corpse a dead weight behind her, every muscle in her body screaming for release. She had ached for a week after that night, and was beginning to suspect Paddy had noticed her reluctance to meet his eye. In the SAS there was no time to stop, to process, to find a healthy way to cope instead of drowning in the horrors you had seen - and those you had committed yourself. The warmth of the alcohol in her throat was a calming presence, a mellowing influence that held the memories at bay. She began to find herself reaching for the next glass before she had finished the first.

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Reg's night was coming to a close. Comfortably buzzing from the alcohol, a beautiful woman ready to accompany him home - it was everything a night should be in a place like this. Downing the last of his drink, placing the glass down with the finality of a man ready to leave, he held out his arm to the woman - whose name he found he was struggling to recall - and she took it as they rose to their feet, a sense of anticipation hanging between them for what was to come.

It was just as he was about to leave when a hand seized his shoulder. He felt his entire body tense, mind suddenly racing in an attempt to pin who it could be. An off-duty MP who recognised him from the brawl? One of those cunts from the alleyway looking for a round two? Reg squared his shoulders in preparation for a confrontation as he turned, only to fall limp again as he found himself face to face with Kershaw, his brow furrowed in concern.

"What is it?" Seekings asked, tilting his head towards the woman on his arm to signal his preoccupation.

"We've got a... situation," Dave frowned.

"What the fuck is it?"

"Well..."

Over the din of the band, Reg heard a familiar cackle erupt from down below. Expression furrowing to match Dave's, he stepped towards the balcony railing, peering down at the main floor below. Diana's table was now empty save for her and another woman he didn't recognise - thick black hair curled fashionably, draped in a dress of purple silk - and the both of them were visibly, utterly, unmistakably shit-faced. Pat had already gone down, and had a gentle grip on Diana's arm, attempting to help her up from her chair as she continued to tell the other woman a very loud story, her words coming slurred as her companion struggled to contain her giggles.

"Oh, fuck," He muttered, his companion for the evening suddenly forgotten as he made his way to the stairs, descending with Kershaw close behind him.

Riley was visibly embarrassed by the attention they were drawing from nearby patrons as he attempted to steady Diana on her feet, ankles almost buckling as she tried to balance in her heels. "No, because he had a gun!" She slurred, halfway through her story, the other woman at the table letting out another laugh.

"Jesus Christ, how much have you had?" Reg scolded, wrapping an arm around her torso as he reached her side. Diana's brow rose in surprise at this, peering down at where his hand had a firm grip on her waist.

"Handsy," She noted, snorting back laughter.

"Fucking hell. Let's go."

The men attempted to steer her towards the exit but she tugged against them with all her might, craning her neck to look behind them. "Nooo, we have to bring Jas!"

"Who?" Dave asked, preoccupied with shouldering his way through the crowd ahead.

"She's my best friend, we have to bring her!" Breaking free of Reg's grip, he let out a frustrated sigh as he realised she had kicked off her heels, leaving them discarded in the middle of the floor as she returned for her friend, the pair swaying against each other as Jas stood up. "If you don't bring her I'll shout kidnap. I'm not fuckin' around."

None of them had the energy to argue, and so they helped the two women up out of the club, emerging into the cool night air, squinting in the darkness. Kershaw had a firm hand on Jaspreet's arm, and it was only once she was certain the other woman was with the group that Diana let Reg help her along, leaning into his side as he kept an arm around her.

"What happened to all your fancy friends, eh?" He asked quietly, feeling the warmth of her skin through her dress.

"They got bored - we got loud and they got embarrassed - went off to find somewhere else to sit."

There was that anger Reg knew all too well, bubbling up inside his chest so quickly he had to keep himself from clenching the hand that had a hold on her. She had been vulnerable, and they had ditched her. Who knew what could have happened, where she could have ended up had someone less savoury showed up? The possibilities flooding his thoughts made his blood boil, and his grip on her tightened slightly.

It had taken almost a half hour of wandering for the three soldiers to admit that they could not remember the way to Diana's home, the realisation hitting them with a sense of slight panic. Even with her knowledge of the city, there was no way she'd be able to guide their way back in this state. After some time deliberating, it became clear that they had only one option.

Stirling's butler opened the door to his flat promptly, an immediate expression of dread crossing his face at the sight before him. Reg, Dave and Pat were stood in the hallway outside, smiling hopefully as Diana and Jaspreet attempted to recall the lyrics to a song that had been playing in the club, giggling as they failed to find the words.

"No. No." The man protested, shaking his head despite his willingness to step aside for the group, the men shuffling past him and into Stirling's living room.

"Where's Stirling?" Kershaw asked, guiding Jas into a nearby armchair.

"He's out. You're lucky he doesn't have anyone over tonight, or you'd be in real trouble."

"Yeah, well. If he had a problem with this, tell him to call General Hannigan," Reg grunted.

The butler left the room swiftly, clearly choosing to pretend he hadn't seen anything at all. Diana was half-lying down on the sofa, her head pressed against the armrest, kicking off the shoes Reg had made her put back on before they left.

Without a word, Seekings turned to leave, fists clenched. "Woah, where are you going?" Pat called. He was satisfied that Diana was safe, but another pressing issue was tugging at him.

"I'll be back soon," He said simply, the door to the flat closing behind him with a slam.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

It was well into the early hours of the morning when Reg returned, entering far more quietly than he had left as he eased the door shut behind him. The flat had slipped into a comfortable silence, the only light creeping in from the streetlamps outside, a faint orange glow bathing half of the main room.

He collapsed backwards into the nearest armchair with a sigh, exhaustion tugging at his eyelids as he nursed the cuts and bruises that now littered his knuckles. The sudden shift of the light somewhere to his left startled him, sucking in a loud, sharp breath. "Fuckin' hell," He whispered.

"Sorry," Diana's voice replied from the darkness, and as his eyes adjusted he realised she was crouched on the hardwood floor, gently removing the pins from Jas' hair as the other woman slept soundly, her face pressed into the sofa cushions.

"Oh, it's you," Reg sighed, relaxing into his seat once more. "...What are you still up for?"

"These'll hurt when she wakes up," She pointed out, forming a neat pile of hairpins in the palm of her hand as she removed them one by one. It was such a caring gesture that he couldn't help but smile, almost forgetting the twinging pain in his fists.

"... Where did you go?"

"Oh, uh..." Reg looked down at the cuts on his hands. Diana shuffled across the floor towards him, the skirt of her dress creasing and bunching up around her hips with the movement. Even in the dark, he could make out the exposed skin of her thighs, and tried his damndest not to look. She was still drunk, after all. "Had some shit to deal with."

She reached up, taking one of his wounded hands in hers and squinting to make out the blood that was now beginning to scab. "Did you beat someone up?" Diana asked, almost teasingly.

"Went back to the club," He admitted. "Found one of the blokes who ditched you..."

He could make it out in her expression the moment she realised what he had done. Reg tensed, half expecting her to be angry, but in her intoxicated state, she merely smiled, letting out a giddy chuckle.

"Well, I am flattered," Diana grinned, and he had begun to do the same when she pressed her lips against the cuts that covered his knuckles, holding them there for a moment before turning her head to rest her cheek against the back of his palm, curled up on the floor beside him.

Reg sucked in another deep breath, fighting hard to bury anything he might have been feeling in that moment. In the dark he could feel the band-aids wrapped around her fingers from where the cat had scratched her, could feel the warmth of her cheek against his hand and hear the slow lull of her breathing. He could have stayed in that moment forever, but all at once it began to seem selfish.

"Right, come on," He grunted, pushing himself up from his chair. Diana looked up at him in confusion, and he spared a glance around the flat. "Where's the others gone?"

"Bed," She shrugged.

"Right then, that's where you're going too," Placing a hand on either side of her rib cage, she gripped his wrists as he hauled her up onto her feet, her skirt falling back down past her knees. Suddenly it was a little easier to breathe. Reg manoeuvred her awkwardly towards the sofa, accidentally stubbing his toe on something hard in the dark. He almost swore, and she pressed a finger to her lips, fighting a laugh as she shushed him, Jaspreet still sleeping soundly close by.

"Yeah, yeah," He whispered, shaking his head dismissively as she lay down along the length of the couch, curls splayed against the cushions. "Goodnight then," Reg nodded affirmatively, taking a step back.

"I think, technically, it's morning."

"Oh, shut up," He muttered, fighting a grin as he turned to leave, heading towards the spare room Stirling kept for guests on nights like these.

Just as he was about to leave, Diana's voice came, quiet and soft, from the darkness. "Thank you. For beating someone up for me, that's very sweet."

Reg nodded, a long pause lingering in the cool night air as he fought to find the right words.

"I will always be there to beat someone up when you need me," He said. Even in the dark, he could tell she was grinning.

"How romantic."

#sas rogue heroes #sas: rogue heroes #sas rogue heroes oc #sas rogue heroes fic #reg seekings #reg seekings x oc #dave kershaw #pat riley #david stirling #eoin mcgonigal #oc: diana

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micanthrope · 9 months

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Ok im a teeensy bit late to Heartstopper s2 coming out (no pun intended) but i just binged the whole thing and Wow.

After s1 last year I had really high expectations for season two and it did NOT disappoint

I tried not to keep it too spoilery lol ⬇️

First of all the recap was really enjoyable with all the cast members and i watched the whole thing even though i was all caught up. Usually recaps are just a bunch of important scenes from the last season but i really liked what they did!

After last season i really did want to see more of the side characters, Issac in particular. I feel like season 1 mostly focused of the relationship between Nick and Charlie but season 2 had all these side storylines that gave so much more depth to the side characters.

One of my favourites was Imogen getting explored more with her friendship with Nick and her relationship with Ben. In season 1 i didnt really care for her, but now i think she's definitely one of my top three characters, the others being Elle and Darcy

And can we talk about Darcy?? The ending of episode 9 and throughout 10 they showed how her relationship with her mum was.

I think it was really important to show that because Heartstopper is a show about queerness, and while i love that all if not most of the other characters have supportive parents, it's important to show that not every queer experience has that. I didn't, and i really empathized with Darcy right then.

Another thing about Darcy, the birthday present she gave Tara was actually iconic. Love that for her <3

And Charlie's parents make an appearance

Charlie's parents' reaction to him telling them about Nick was kind of surprising tbh, i thought they'd be more happy for him.

Im so glad his family got to meet Nick's, and that scene where Nick told off his dad really just. Hit in the heart. He really doesn't give a fuck anymore and that's amazing.

It was also really satisfying to see Tori kick David for saying that stuff about Charlie lol

I loved the scene of Tara's birthday. It just felt really fun. And Nick gathering the courage to come out to everyone!! It got a bit awkward, but I'm really proud of him for that <3

Elle and Tao have happened!! I really loved seeing Elle so happy and successful, getting accepted to Lambert. When she came out in her prom dress she looked so pretty i just wanted to go into the screen and hug her. It's just so liberating to see another trans person so happy. My dysphoria's been really bad lately, mostly because of me being sent to a religious school. It's comforting to know i might be her one day. Seeing trans rep on screen is just. Fuck i love her sm.

That last scene had me crying actual tears. I don't wanna say too much bc im trying not to spoil too much!! But wow. That hit so much harder than any seasin finale ive seen before, except maybe The Good Place. Im so happy to see Charlie overcome all his past traumas and be so happy. Because I used to do that too. And i can really resonate with Charlie, because I also got past that. And those last few frames dude??? Fuck. Yes. I've come to love Charlie so much. And i just. Yeah.

I could go on abt Heartstopper forever lol. I hope s2 hits the media as hard as s1 did. And season 3 is official!!! September 2024, only a year from now. The actors have done amazing, and im so looking forward to s3!!!

#heartstopper #heartstopper show #heartstopper season 2 #elle argent #charlie spring #nick nelson

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 2 years

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India Lima Yankee - Chapter 3

Pairing: Rooster x Female OC

Word Count: 1991

Warnings: None

Summary: Juliette Kazansky discovers Maverick is back in town for a special training detachment, but she's more than a little blindsided when her Rooster arrives too. Having not spoken to him for almost ten years after their less than amicable break-up, Juliette can only imagine how the next few weeks are going to play out when she remains head over heels in love with him while he wants nothing to do with Juliette other than to forget her.

Or so she thinks.

Notes: Chapters in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: All Too Well Breakeven

Chapters: Chp 1 Chp 2 Chp 3 Chp 4 Chp 5 Chp 6 Chp 7 Chp 8 Chp 9 Chp 10 Chp 11 Chp 12 Chp 13 Chp 14 Chp 15 Chp 16 Chp 17 Chp 18 Chp 19 Chp 20 Chp 21 Chp 22 Chp 23

Juliette turned her back to the approaching ex, pretending to be checking the shift book. In reality, she watched him in the slightly tilted mirrors underneath the bar meant to allow the bartenders to keep an eye on the patrons behind them. She'd never appreciated the mirrors so much before in her life. As Bradley approached, Juliette saw the recognition dawn on him, evident shock flashing across his face. She couldn't help feeling a little relieved, if not her own surprise, when no anger etched itself into his expression.

"What can I get you, Bradshaw?" Juliette asked without turning around, surprising herself with how casual she managed to make herself sound. The weight of his gaze on her sent the hairs on the back of her neck standing up as the atmosphere between them became heavy and electrified with the past.

"Two Buds," he replied, leaning against the counter. Juliette grabbed the beers from the mini-fridge, popped off the tops, and placed them in front of him.

She moved over to the register, anything to put distance between them so Bradley wouldn't feel the anxiety rolling off of her in tidal waves. "Want to pay now? Or do you have a tab?"

"I'll close out."

Juliette nodded, finding his tab in the register and handing him the bill. Not wanting to stand there like an idiot waiting for him to finish signing the receipt, nor did she want to create an even tenser atmosphere by ignoring him, Juliette grabbed some dirty glasses and washed them while inquiring, "So, what should I call you? Do you prefer Bradley or Rooster?"

Bradley opened his mouth to respond, but Hangman's southern drawl cut him off. "I think he'll let you call him anything you want. Bradshaw hasn't been able to take his eyes off you all night."

"Seresin, if that were true, which I doubt it is-" Juliette began, forcing herself not to look at Bradley even though she wanted to gauge his reaction to determine if Hangman's words held any truth to them- "then that means you tore your gaze from me, and we both know that's not true since you're obsessed with me."

Hangman leaned against the bar. "I have to scope out potential competition."

Juliette rolled her eyes, bracing herself against the counter in front of Hangman. She'd be damned if she said she wasn't glad for the distraction Jake provided. "What can I get you?"

"Your number," he responded smoothly. Juliette opened her mouth to oblige for the sheer fact he'd been bold enough to ask for it in the first place despite being Admiral Kazansky's daughter. No other pilot had the gall to do such a thing. Still, Juliette hesitated. She shouldn't be flirting with Hangman in front of Bradley. They evidently had some sort of rivalry going on with each other, and the last thing she wanted to do was exacerbate the situation when they had a mission to focus on. Then again, why should Juliette care? Bradley gave up on her long ago and had moved on. He didn't love her anymore either and would have no reason to be upset with Jules for flirting with Hangman or even dating him if it came to that.

From her peripheral, she observed Phoenix sidle up next to Bradley, resting a hand on his shoulder and taking one of the beers. A twinge of jealousy shot through Jules, and she made up her mind. Maybe she hadn't wholly moved on from her ex, but that in no way meant she couldn't have some fun with a hot aviator.

"Better have your phone ready because I'm only going to say it once," Juliette warned, giving Hangman a few seconds to pull out his device before she rattled off her number. "All right, you want a drink before you close out?"

"Only if you let me buy you one," Hangman replied.

"I can't. I'm-"

"Free to go," Penny said with impeccable timing, coming to stand next to Jules. "I'll close up tonight."

Juliette shot her a look that said, "Really?" This had to be payback for earlier with Maverick, and judging by the gleam in her boss's eye, Juliette was confident she was right. Although, knowing she couldn't argue with Penny, Juliette acquiesced and took off her apron. She placed it on a shelf and then poured herself a glass of the strongest whiskey they had, hoping the potent alcohol would soothe her nerves and numb her feelings.

Hangman pulled out a stool for Juliette when she joined him on the other side of the bar. He remained standing, shifting closer to her and turning his back to Bradley and his friend, effectively blocking Juliette's view of her ex.

"So, tell me, what-" Hangman started to say, but he was interrupted by the female pilot.

"Watch out for Bagman, here. He's nothing but trouble," she warned, eyeing him with a mixture of displeasure and amusement. The girl extended her hand. "Natasha Trace, callsign Phoenix."

Juliette shook her hand and introduced herself. "Nice to meet you. I hope to see you give these boys a run for their money."

"If anyone could, it's Phoenix," Bradley said, coming to stand beside her and bumping his elbow into his companion. Juliette smiled, proud of the female aviator for holding her own but unable to help the second twinge of jealousy at her relationship with Bradley.

"Good. I can't wait to hear the SITREPs, Phoenix. You're the only one I trust here to give me accurate ones," Juliette remarked, refusing to give in to her jealousy. Phoenix had done nothing wrong other than having great taste in men. Besides, the women needed to stick together in this male-dominated world they found themselves in.

Hangman clutched his chest. "You don't trust me? You wound me!"

"I'd sooner trust my ex than you."

"Which ex?" Bradley inquired. His response made Juliette finally lock eyes with him. His gaze remained neutral, but the insinuation in his question was still there: Did she trust Hangman more than him?

"The cheating one," she answered coolly.

Bradley nodded while Phoenix grinned, smothering her laughter by taking a sip of her beer. Regaining her composure, she inquired, "So, how do you and Rooster know each other?"

"Old acquaintances," Juliette responded before her ex could utter a single syllable. "What about you two?"

"We were stationed on the same ship for a time."

"It's nice you were able to stay in contact."

"Oh, don't be fooled," Phoenix said, elbowing Bradley in the stomach with no small amount of force. It caused him to grunt and clutch his abdomen. "He was shit at keeping in touch."

"Sounds about right," Juliette joked, the words tumbling from her mouth before she could consider the repercussions of her statement. She refused to look at Bradley, not wanting to see the look of disapproval he had to be sending her way. Of course he wouldn't have stayed in touch with her. He'd broken up with her for keeping a secret from him. A big one. A life-changing one. Who the hell was she to think he'd stay in touch with her after that?

"You going to be here tomorrow night?"

"I'll be working, but yes. Why?"

"You should hang out with us. I'll introduce you to the real men of the group next to Bradley here." Phoenix shot an antagonizing smile at Hangman, who merely chuckled in response.

"Jules, you're not working tomorrow," Penny said, sliding into the conversation once more.

Juliette frowned. "I'm not? But I just checked it a few minutes ago."

"You were looking at next week's schedule."

"Great!" Phoenix exclaimed, taking a sip of her beer. "You can join us."

"You sure the other pilots won't mind an outsider joining in?" And by other pilots, Juliette meant Bradley, but she felt he wouldn't be getting a choice in the matter regardless of the answer Phoenix or Hangman provided.

"'Course not," Hangman said confidently. "And if they do, I'll put them in their place."

Jules mulled it over. What exactly did she have to lose? "Then count me in."

"It's a date." He kissed her on the cheek, placed forty dollars on the counter, and swaggered out of the bar.

"I should probably head out too. I'm sure my dogs are missing me," Juliette decided, more so from not wanting to third wheel Phoenix and Bradley than anything else. She genuinely liked the female aviator and looked forward to getting to know her better, but not with Bradley hovering behind Phoenix. "It was nice meeting you, Natasha. Bradshaw, good to see you're doing well."

"You need a ride home?" he asked. The question took Juliette by surprise, amazed he offered to willingly be around her, even though she knew that he was only acting as the gentleman his mom raised him to be. He might've hated Juliette now, but he wouldn't let anything bad happen to her.

"I'm good. I drove here, and a double of whiskey isn't going to make me unsafe to drive a couple of miles down the road. Thank you, though." Juliette finished the rest of her drink and hopped off the bar stool. Shouldering her purse, she bade the two aviators good night and strolled out of the bar with her head held high. Juliette wouldn't let Bradley see anything but a confident woman before him because she had no doubt he could still read her like a book. He probably already knew his presence had had some significant effect on her, but Jules would only allow him to think it happened initially, not that it continued or that it would continue until he left North Island.

Reaching her quaint, beachside house, Juliette tossed her keys and purse on the counter and plopped down on the floor to hug her two German Shepherds: Raptor and Lightning. They showered her with kisses and wagging tails that whacked her face.

"I know, I know, I'm happy to see you too," Juliette whispered once they had calmed down. "You are the only men I need in my life besides my dad and brothers, you know that?"

Raptor and Lightning responded with more kisses to the face. Juliette, laughing, stood up, handed them some new bones, then made her way to her bathroom. There, she took a long, hot shower, letting the water wash away the smell of the bar and the memories of the past assaulting her. Echoes of the hurtful words and harsh truths they'd hurled carelessly at each other in the heat of the moment rang deafeningly in her ears, followed by the image of Bradley storming out of her bedroom and out of her life, never to speak to her again.

Juliette stepped out of the shower and solemnly got ready to go to sleep. She crawled into her comfy, inviting bed. Raptor and Lightning took their usual positions on either side of her, sleeping on pillows of their own like humans. Juliette reached over to charge her phone and discovered three text messages waiting for her. The first was from Maverick, asking her to join him on base tomorrow. She didn't know why, but she also wasn't going to say no. If Juliette was lucky, she could convince him to take her up in the plane with him for one of the hops. If Admiral Simpson put up a fight, she could have her dad make a call.

The second, although from an unsaved number, was undoubtedly from Hangman, saying: Hey sweetheart ;)

She ignored it.

The third text came from another unsaved number, but that didn't matter. Despite having deleted it years ago to avoid the temptation to text or call it, Juliette would recognize the number anywhere. The message was short and to the point, but it read something she never thought Bradley Bradshaw would ever say to her again: It was good to see you, Jules.

#top gun #maverick #rooster #hangman #phoenix #bradley bradshaw #iceman #bob #jake seresin #coyote #payback #fanboy #fanfiction #fanfics #romance #india #lima #yankee

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