#i wanted her hair to start white act 1 -> yellow/blonde act 2 -> natural color by act 3 but every time i enter chara creator in BE | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

veiledsilver · 3 years

Note

Top five moments you've felt like the universe was messing with you.

Oh boy everyone get ready this is a long list. In descending order, from mildly funny looking back on it to "oh god oh shit oh fuck":

5. Catfishing: College Edition

In 6th grade, I decided to apply to colleges early to see how they were like. I was scared that if they knew I was too young, they'd arrest me. So I created a gmail account as my persona, a white 12th grader named Emilie Alexander. Emilie was planning to go into nursing, dating a high school linebacker named Kyle Kenderson, and deathly allergic to bee stings. If she even came near a bee, she would die.

This part was of the utmost importance.

See, I was constantly paranoid that one day, the jig would be up- I might forget that my fake last name was Alexander. Or the college dean might come knocking at my door and tear up my home in his mad search for Emilie. If that happened I would fake her tragic death, presumably caused by one big fucking bee.

I secretly collected my information. What nearby states were the prettiest to visit. Which colleges were the safest and most affordable. How often they held courses that I liked. In my emails with colleges I tried to sound as mature and professional as possible.

Then, one day, a college member asked me what high school I was in, so they could check my records.

My blood froze.

It was time to bring out the bee.

In response to their question, I sent an email that was like this:

"Dear Mr. McLaughlin, I was a proud graduate of- ugh! Ah! Kyaaaa! Uwaa! W-w-what's this... huge goddamn bee doing here?! Eek, pardon my foul language! It's just that, as I told you earlier, being stung by a bee would kill me.... and now it's stung me thrice (three times)!!

What do I do?! I can't die... I've always wanted to attend your beautiful college...

But this is... the end...

Mr. McLaughlin...

*looks at you sadly*

Tell... my mother... I loved her...

*dies*"

He never responded, probably because he was rendered speechless, but I never touched that account again.

My private gmail for fun stuff like tumblr still has "Alexander" as a surname, though.

4. Wild and Authentic

Alright. Alright. So. My art teacher in middle school.

Right off the bat, they endeared themselves to the tumblr art kids- they proudly used they/them pronouns, dyed their hair vibrant colors, deeply encouraged OC creation, and was chill with any art style even if it was anime. Mx. Mason was very cool, except for one thing.

We had complete artistic freedom when it came to their assignments, EXCEPT FOR ONE THING.

Drumroll, please.

Take a deep breath if you must.

Ready?

...

Cats had to have extremely distinct whisker pores.

YES, they believed that modern depictions of cats were too streamlined. Too... idealized. As a cat owner themselves, they were convinced that society's vision of cats did not do their feral feline ancestors justice. In making their faces flawlessly smooth-furred, we were stripping the cat of its true nature.

I found this out the hard way, when I was drawing warrior cats fanart for class (it was of Firestar cuddled in the arms of an orange haired anime catgirl who was his reincarnation in my first ever comic series, Warriors Neko Desu! ♡ Heart Academy Dokidoki).

Mx. Mason came over to look at my magnum opus, and I expected them to have their socks knocked off at my artistic talent. They lifted up my drawing for all to see, and I smugly leaned back in my seat.

Only for them to launch into a passionate lecture about how, in neglecting to draw whisker pores on cats, I was DENYING THIS FICTIONAL CAT OF ITS WILD AUTHENTIC SELF.

My friends absolutely lost it when I told them this story, and there was a period of time when all our discord nicknames were wild and authentic too.

As for Firestar and his counterpart Hoshineko Orenji-chan, I never did give them wild authentic whisker holes, but that's to be expected of a kittypet, I guess.

3. Stan Jungkook Or Whatever

A couple years ago, my family and I flew to Seoul, South Korea, to visit our relatives and teach me more about my heritage. It was very nice! I got to visit shrines and festivals and palaces, and I was in awe that this was what my ancestors had once seen in their daily lives.

Then, when we went to the modern side of Korea, I realized just how much I didn't fit in.

It was clear that I didn't know how to act, or how to speak Korean, and I spent my days fumbling around and getting scammed multiple times by salesmen. But I clowned myself the most... during an interactive event with kpop stars.

They had this experimental event where holograms of the boys would sing onstage and dance in place of the actual idols. Before the show began, girls could stand in booths that scanned their appearances, and holograms of THEM could dance onstage with the hologram boys.

I didn't know this.

When Cousin Ae-cha told me to step inside one of the machines, I thought I'd be hilarious and stand backwards, so it would scan the back of me instead of my front. As I walked out, I saw other girls putting on their best makeup, cutest clothes, and most expensive accessories, and I slowly realized that I was in danger.

But the danger didn't come until halfway through the concert, where the boys looked eagerly off-stage and a holy staircase appeared and all the hologram girls descended from heaven. There were cherry blossoms. There were roses. There was me, among the crowd of beautiful airbrushed girls, walking backwards.

I felt the judgemental gazes of twenty girls and their mothers.

Each boy danced with a girl, who got a cute animated moment with special effects, and sang about how they found a dream girl to have a true love romance with. Finally, all the girls vanished except one, and it was me.

One of the boys didn't dance with any girls, and now he was all alone in the rain, feeling dejected that HE did not find his true love girl to have a dream romance with. Then the rain stopped, the sun came out, and I emerged. Still backwards.

He was thrilled and sang about how my face (that he didn't see) stole his heart, and now everyone in the audience was giggling, and he slowly brought me very close to kiss me... but because I was backwards, his nose was cutely nuzzling my hair.

The audience members- at least the adults- were now laughing their asses off. His lips met the back of my head, and together we vanished into the wind.

I'd say I couldn't show my face there ever again, but I never did show my face, so... hm...

2. Horrid Little Temptress

If I wasn't a minor, I'd need a drink before starting this story. Sadly, I cannot drown my sorrows- and neither should you after you hear this, because it's only fair.

Mrs. Appleby was my Spanish teacher in like, 9th grade. Even the wild and authentic art teacher thought she was insane. Appleby forced kids to brew tea for her and yelled at them when they didn't get it right, and I thought she had a chronic squint until I realised she just did that to mock me and my Asian eye-folds. She forced us to watch Dora the Explorer to "absorb knowledge." Everyone fucking hated Mrs. Appleby.

But the worst thing she ever did... was during the school festival.

See, whenever she's angry, she zooms right into kids' faces to scream at them. Her wrinkled flesh would blot out the goddamn sun and all you see are her bloodshot yellow eyeballs so victims just stayed rooted to the spot like cornered animals or something similar. This is important.

Because when she was sampling her own brownies (read: hoarding them so no one else could eat them), one parent foolishly decided to grab one and she thought it was a student and she grabbed his wrist so hard she could've nearly snapped it and... and... zoomed into his face.

Except she underestimated his height and kissed him by accident, but it was more like her mouth was sucking in his face like a vacuum.

His wife was shrieking like an ape. His kid, my classmate, saw his social life flash before his eyes.

In her defense, she did not mouth to mouth with him on purpose and afterwards she cried in the bathroom and when I foolishly followed her in to comfort her, because I am a teacher's pet through and through, she snatched the paper towels I got for her and wailed that she was a-

A-

HORRID LITTLE TEMPTRESS.

If I had decided to not be kind, I never would've heard that string of fucking words. But I did. And I paid for it dearly. The end.

1. Violence IS The Answer, Sometimes

Thomas, my dearly detested.

Back in sixth grade, I used to have a crush on him because he had the surfer boy look with nicely tanned skin and pale blond hair and the clearest aquamarine eyes I've ever seen. He also liked surfing and swimming. He seemed like the perfect little trophy waifu except for one absolute dealbreaker.

He and his parents were extremely conservative and so, when I told him I liked him, his response was basically "haha no you're a [slur] and would probably eat my dog."

I was horrified and ran away to cry. But then, by the next day, I decided I needed to punish him. Thomas walked in before class started and I was waiting for him with these hands. I kicked him so he doubled over, slammed his face into his chair's seat, and quickly clambered on top of him to SIT ON THE BACK OF HIS HEAD. He started shaking and twitching and trying to pry me off, but eventually he went limp and stopped moving.

I thought he fell asleep, but Mohammed, another classmate who was bullied by Thomas, told me that Thomas might never wake up again (not that he was very sad about this. I didn't know until later, but Thomas said slurs at him too).

While I was sitting on the guy, he'd straight up passed out from the lack of oxygen.

Screaming and crying, I told our homeroom teacher that Thomas suddenly fainted, and she was the type of Caucasian that thought all little Asian kids were sweet and innocent, so it didn't even cross her mind that? It might've been me? Who sat on his head when she walked in?

He was sent home early that day. I had to go to a different school next year because Thomas's mom threatened legal action. The only reason I didn't get punished further was because my rich cousins out-Karen'd her and donated a huge amount of money to the school to keep them quiet.

Anyway, I never did anything that insane ever again, because something like that is enough for a lifetime. My cousins made it clear they would never back me up again. I was sure this whole event would be put behind me, too.

But last fall, during my first day of online learning... who did I see in my zoom meeting... BUT THOMAS! I had my mic and camera off, but the moment he saw my name, his face went pale. His soul would've left his body, but then it would've gone to hell, so it wisely decided to stay inside.

Still, out of shame and embarrassment, I never turned my camera on for the rest of the school year.

#asks #there you have it #i feel like I'm confessing my sins to the pope

18 notes · View notes

thisisthehardestthing · 4 years

Text

This Is The Hardest Thing - 2

CHAPTER 2

Synopsis: A exchange student from the US in enrolled into UA when her father has to move to help with the increased crime rates in Japan. The final year of high school is a lot to handle, adding on top the class of 3-A and the trouble they get into will make for a wild ride.

Author’s note: Switches to third person in the middle. I hope it’s not complicated lol. I have been reading this chapter over and over and over again trying to tweak it but I think this is the best I’m going to get it. After this chapter, the plot is going to get a jumpstart in a new direction.

Triggers: swearing

Word count: 3.4k

@whats-her-quirk , @aizawascumslut

CHAPTER 1 , MASTERLIST

CHAPTER 2 - BUTTERFLIES

Sun’s setting earlier, you mused. Different to what you were used to. The cool breeze of this morning was back. In a few days, it would officially be autumn. Your chest rose as you took a deep inhale. The scent of sweet grass lingered in the air as though it was recently mowed. There was a sigh of content that escaped your lips.

You walked to the dorms that you were to live in. Large doors loomed in front of you as you dragged your purple suitcase over the stoned walkway. The 3-A was hanging above the entrance painted in white on the red brick.

During the last class of the day, you were called to the reception to fill in some forms about the living arrangements, and received the key to your bedroom and front door. You recalled the amenities mentioned by the smiling receptionist; a full gym, kitchen, laundry and bath area’s. Your suitcase had also arrived, being couriered directly from the airport. You had only one that wasn’t even full, so it had felt like a waste to not have waited for it yourself.

As you stood in front of the large doors to the dorm house of Heights Alliance, the butterflies in your belly managed to start up again, wings fluttering and getting caught in your intestines. There you stood in front of the closed front door, not knowing what to expect on the other side. It almost felt as if you were supposed to knock before entering, even though you now lived there too. Your eyelids shut as you took a breath before gripping the handle with white knuckles.

The floor was wooden. A light birchwood that bent and bounced under your weight as you walked across it. Inside the large front room, the lights were bright and gave the room a warm glow. Some of your new classmates were sprawled in the lounge area, watching T.V. It was a collection of arms on the back of the chairs, legs thrown over the top of pillows. Mineta was sitting on the floor near the tv as an actress was jumping off a building, almost as if he could look up her skirt from his angle.

There were dishes clattering in the kitchen, it was carrying voices arguing about who is cooking and who is washing up. Kirishima wants barbecue meat, Momo wants a green salad with plently of fried sides to share. You heard them come to a decision of a mixture of both. Todoroki was standing in front of sink, filling up empty ice cube trays with water. It was as if the house was both the eye and the storm at once. They were working together in a neat chaos and you took it all in as you walked in.

The sounds of your footsteps and the bag wheeling behind you caught the girls’ attention and they all rushed to you. Mina and Uraraka gave you a welcoming hug. Your intestines unwound and you forgot why you were nervous in the first place.

“Finally! We were wondering if you were going to be living with us in the dorms or not!” Mina gestured, linking her arms with you like when you first met. She was extremely friendly and put you at ease with how natural it felt to talk to her.

“Yeah, I am. I had to go fill some stuff out before I got here.” You replied, smiling back at her.

“Awesome,” She said with a thumbs up, catching you off-guard because it was in English, and your smile widened. You pulled your arm out of hers and fumbled for your room key in your pocket.

“What room is 2-3?” You ask, showing the girls the yellow tag.

Mina, Tsuyu, Momo and Uraraka said they would accompany you up to your room.

“Do you mind if we help you unpack?” Uraraka asked, footsteps lightly padding on the floor as you made your way to the staircase, past the kitchen. “We want to get to know you! There are so many boy’s in our class, it’s nice to have another girl to talk to.” You heard a laugh that bordered on a bark.

“HA! As if she’s a girl.” Bakugo roared out, still bitter that you had the upper hand for a few seconds during the short fight. Kirishima grabbed him in a headlock, pulling him down low. Your eyebrows shot up as he was able to keep a firm hold on the neck, not faltering under the strength of Bakugo’s threats and tugs. He had a grey gym tank on that had wide armholes. The movement had shifted one so that half of a dark brown nipple was on display.

“Ignore him,” He flashed a toothy smile. “He just needs to get used to you. Kind of like a dog.” You gave Kirishima a small grin in return. Your eyes snapped back to Bakugo who had set off an explosion against Kiri’s side to free himself. The girls dragged you up the stairs as they rolled their eyes.

“See what we mean?” They all giggled.

Your bedroom was on the second floor, the third to the right of the split hallway. You unlocked the door. It swung open with ease, as if welcoming you home.

There was a simple bed with light grey covers folded neatly on the end. A dark wood desk and chair to do your work on, a set of drawers and a single closet, that already had some school uniforms hanging, courtesy of dad. The mini-fridge and microwave was snugly against a marble counter that had storage space both above and below it. There was an attached bathroom with a toilet and a sink. It was a bare room, which was fine because it meant you could decorate it throughout the year with things you come across.

Your bag fell heavily on your bed and Mina jumped on after it, giddy with excitement. Uraraka explained that they wanted to see what kind of clothes you wore in the USA.

“Well, I don’t want to disappoint you, but it’s pretty normal stuff.” You laughed. They were acting like you came from another planet. “I also don’t actually own a lot of things, so I’m sorry if it’s not up to your expectations.” The purple trolley bag was now unzipped and open. Tsuyu peered over your shoulder as everyone looked at the items. They watched as you hung up your clothes and they chatted animatedly among themselves, handing you some of the shirts and jeans.

It felt good to be talking to other girls your age. Ever since your mom left, it had been you and your dad. The people in your old school had started to shun you after a particularly bad incident with your quirk, which is why you didn’t want to bring it up for as long as possible. And the girls were fine to not talk about what it was, instead bringing up other topics. They’d seen how you’d danced around the questions about yourself from Midoriya’s examination during lunch. He’d been scribbling a notebook about your father but you had changed the topic as soon as he asked about you.

“Oh my!” Momo interrupted as she saw your underwear. It was a rather large collection of thongs, some lacey, most plain. Yet you only owned three bra’s in total. “So skimpy!” She lifted one up by the waist band and stretched it out gently, blushing red. You grabbed it from her, your own face and ears going pink, burning hot.

The girls fell down in their laughter. You quickly gathered it all up and stuffed it into a dresser, deciding to sort it out later.

“I like nice things” you shrugged, closing the drawer quickly.

“What else can we expect from the land of Victoria’s Secret?” Mina wiggled her eyebrows.

They soon left you to your own devices to sort out the rest of your room, welcoming you to UA as they closed the door.

It was 1 in the morning when you were finally ready to climb into bed, having just changed into your red night dress. Everything was meticulously packed away, and you were happy with the way the day turned out. Three framed photograph’s of your family sat atop the dresser. You were about 10, gap toothed smile on display with your parents staring lovingly at each other behind you. The other two were more recent pictures of you with each of your parents after their divorce.

But then your stomach rumbled and you moaned as you realized you had never eaten dinner. You raked your fingers through your thick hair, pulling it against your scalp. How could you have completely missed it? That’s also when you realized that you had not looked at your phone the entire day, and had no one’s numbers. Which was a shock. Your body was still not used to the time difference, so you convinced yourself to head downstairs since you wouldn’t have been able to sleep anyway.

Maybe there are leftovers? You thought to yourself as you shrugged on a thin, white cotton bathrobe and padded quietly down the hall with your bare-feet to make your way to the kitchen. The nerves in your feet hummed in response as your quirk begged to be used.

*************************

Bakugo was definitely not expecting to see anyone. He’d went to the gym after dinner, training until late and was once again hungry. He’d just finished a shower, drops were dripping down his neck. Fingers combing through the blonde hair to fluff it back to its usual points as he made his way to the kitchen, stopping when he saw the light was already on.

Who else could be awake at this time? He thought to himself, eyebrows knitting together as the corners of his mouth turned down.

He really did not feel like talking to anyone and he was exhausted from the extra hours of exercise, so he had every plan of ignoring who else was in there until he saw her. The sight of Rei’s back to him made his blood boil, white-hot heat exploding in his body. It was a melting pot of hormonal lust, embarrassment and knowing there was an unfinished fight. It was made worse by the red nightdress hanging on her body. It dipped into a slight V, showing half of her back. She was fit and muscular, it was obviously the kind of body only achieved by intense training. He found her insanely attractive, which pissed himself off even more. He was 100% focused on being the top hero when graduating at the end of the year. He did not have time for feelings. Especially when it was only normal hormonal lust. So he redirected the anger onto other things: the punching bag in the gym, the sponge he scrubbed himself with and at Rei.

He watched in the shadows as she opened the fridge, bending forward slightly to scan the contents. Her short nightdress rode up, dangerously close to the fold of her ass and he felt his hands begin to sweat. His frown deepened. It felt stifling hot in the dark common area and if he wasn’t already shirtless, he would’ve been pulling at the neck to try and get some air. She straightened up, not finding anything that would satisfy the midnight cravings, and her dress dropped again to a somewhat respectable length.

What an idiot. Dressing like this in a common area. He thought to himself, then he saw the bathrobe on the table that had been taken off when she thought no one was going to be there. He wondered if she was as warm as he in that moment.

He heard a huff and she put one hand on her hip, the contours of her shoulders muscled reflecting in the warm glow of the kitchen and moved the hair that was over her shoulder to the back, thick strands covering smooth skin. It bounced with the movement, natural highlights glinting from the hours she would spend in the sun. It was almost mocking Bakugo for staring so intently.

He watched as she moved to inspect the cupboards and scowled when his designated doors in the corner were opened. Rei’s hands lifted up above her head as she reached for a cookie tin that was just out of reach, her dress lifting up one again. Part of him wished for it ride a little higher, the other part of him wished she would crawl back to the hole she’d come from. It was his cookies that he saved for whenever he wanted a treat. There was no way he was letting her take some. They were his.

*******************

The cookie tin kept shifting away from your fingertips as you made a grab for it, pushing it back a little further each time. Your bottom lip was caught between your teeth as you stretched up onto your toes. You huffed as it scooted all the way back and you dropped back down onto your heels. Someone tall must be their owner to store it up so high, or someone wanting to keep it hidden. Your stomach grumbled again, egging you on for the sweet snack.

Fine. You grumbled, stretching your arm out, hand open. To an outsider, it seemed as if an invisible string was connected to the tin, dragging it from the shelf as it flew into your hand. But what you felt on the inside was pure bliss. It was the first time you used your quirk, in weeks. You loved the rush of endorphins it gave you to have control over the object and you smiled. The cool metal of the tin vibrated against your palms, double chocolate chip goodness gripped firmly.

“Oi, new girl!” A gruff voice cut through the silence of the kitchen and you froze, painfully aware that you were naked underneath the dress. Pivoting on your heels, you saw Bakugo standing across from you, leaning against the counter top with his arms crossed across his bare chest. His biceps and shoulders bulged, nostrils flared.

How long has he been standing there? You wondered. Usually nothing could sneak past you, especially when your feet could feel the vibrations of everything.

Then you realised he saw you. It was nothing impressive, just moving a small object to you, but it wouldn’t be long until the rush of power it gave you would call out to be used again.

“Is that your quirk?” He sneered, with an eyebrow raised, “controlling cookie tins? That’s so shitty.”

You frowned. It was anything but that, but you learnt your lesson a few months ago when people challenged you and it went horribly wrong, and so you bit your tongue.

“Whatever, I’m not trying to impress anyone.” You retort back, opening the lid. You saw his eyes dart to the cookie tin, pupils narrowing.

“I don’t think you can impress anyone even if you tried.” He snapped, his hands dropping to the counter behind him as he leaned back. The pose was relaxed, inviting you to prove him wrong.

“Oh yeah?” you challenged, slamming the tin on the countertop, taking a few steps forward. If he wanted to fight, you wouldn’t back down. You were now a meter away from him, and you puffed your chest up to show that you weren’t going to take any of his shit.

“Yeah, dumbass. You fight like a girl, can’t even punch right.” You had to look up to him. Even though you were tall, he was still a few centimeters above you. His eyes glanced down at your chest before glaring at your eyes again. It was so fast that if you weren’t paying attention, you most probably would’ve missed it. The purple bruise on your sternum that he gave you was bright against the skin of your chest, perfectly in between the sun and moon tattoos underneath both your collarbones. His eyes glinted wickedly.

Your body moved before you knew what you were doing. You stuck right your hand out diagonally, a few centimeters away from touching him. He didn’t flinch, eyes traveling to look at your outstretched hand, raising an eyebrow.

“What’re you going to do? Throw the cookie tin at me? Hah.” He barked, laughing at his own joke.

You held your tongue and just dragged your hand horizontally through the air. Your toes pressed into the floor, feeling for the vibration you wanted. His eyes followed your hand and before he knew what was going on, the cupboard door behind him opened and smacked into the side of his head. He grunted and you turned on your heel, walking back across the kitchen. You were no longer hungry, angry at a man that taunted like a child.

“What the fuck!” Bakugo shouted, his voice echoing in the empty space.

“What are you going to do? Swear at me?” You spat back his own ‘insult’. Your comeback felt sour on your tongue. It wasn’t any good, but you were pissed off and anything you said seemed to make him angrier, which was fine with you. “I was going easy on you during training today.”

His nostrils seemed to flare at that last sentence. The palms of his hands began to steam and spark. There was nothing he hated more than people not giving their all when fighting, people thinking they had to hold themselves back when fighting him.

“YOU WERE WHAT!?” He bellowed, his fists clenched. “I’M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS BACK TO AMERICA!”

If you weren’t already used to intimidating men in New York, you probably would’ve flinched at his shouting, but instead you squared your shoulders and started walking back towards him, your own fist closing. You both pulled back to launch punches at the same time. Then, the air got freezing cold and Bakugo’s fists came crashing down as two thick balls of ice wrapped around them. If he weren’t as strong as he was, he would’ve fallen to the floor. Instead, they dropped to his sides, making his shoulder droop down with the weight. A look of complete shock came across both of your faces and your heads snapped to look at the source.

Shouto Todoroki was standing behind the dining room table, looking extremely pissed off in his beige pyjama set. His half-white, half-red hair messy and shadowing his eyes.

“Can you guys please just shut up and go to bed. You’ve woken up the entire building.” He said, voice dripping with contempt. A slew of curse words erupted from Bakugo’s mouth as he lifted up the ice to bang them against each other, trying to crack them open.

You felt your nipples harden in the now cold room and grumbled, once more aware of just how bare you were. You grabbed your dressing gown that was on the dining table. Wrapping it around yourself as you walked back to the cookie tin to put it away. Bakugo seemed to ignore what Todoroki said, instead calling out to taunt you again. There was no way he was going to let this go.

“What, don’t want to eat the cookies anymore? Fine with me, you were pretty fucking heavy.”

You froze. Through the vibrations, you felt Bakugo adjust his weight to lean back, pleased that it granted a response from you. With the cookie jar away, you strode back up to face him for the final time that night. Shouto tensed up, ready to interject once more. It was a low blow, Bakugo knew it too but his chin was raised indignantly.

You said nothing as you stood in front of him. Your eyes searching one another for a hint that either one of you would back down. The balls of ice were already melting and forming puddles by his feet, the cold water spreading to tickling your toes, so you twisted them out. The cupboard door that you had opened next to his head slammed shut. The loud noise echoed in the kitchen and you turned away from the irritating man.

“Sorry, Todoroki. Good night.” You nodded to him and walked back to the stairs, fuming with anger. You could just hear Todoroki mumble about the time to Bakugo and a scoff in reply, but you couldn’t care enough to pay attention anymore, his insult replaying over and over in your mind.

****************

Thanks so much for reading Chapter 2! <3 Hope you liked it.

#bnha #bnha fanfic #bnha x oc #fanfic #TITHT #chapter 2 #swearing tw #bakugo #bakugo katsuki #mha #writing #mine #this is the hardest thing

73 notes · View notes

inmyarmswrappedin · 4 years

Text

DRUCK reactions - s4 ep4

No, I haven’t forgotten about these! I’m a bit behind, but I’m still on track to finish before s5 starts. Although I hope to be done even earlier, because I don’t know if Amira N’s season is going to leave me with a lot of free time.

( @wodrueckts looked this over! 💛)

CLIP 1: Smooth operator

Amira is finishing up her prayer, when we get a quick cut to a picture of Amira and Sam pinned to Amira’s mirror. So, even though Amira and Mohammed had like three separate moments in the last clip of last episode, Druck wants us to think Sam is still in the picture (literally).

Amira gets a text from an unknown number saying, “Wow, Amira, thanks!” She asks who that is, but then checks her other messaging apps for good measure.

So last Friday, Mohammed sent himself a text from Amira’s phone, making Amira out to have for Mohammed the feelings Mohammed has for Amira. Specifically, “I really like you, but you make me really shy somehow.” I like you, but you intimidate me a bit, as Mohammed has been communicating to Amira pretty much since the start. Calling her the woman with the ice cold gaze and such.

I mean, since this is a fiction series and not real life, we know Mohammed is genuine about his feelings. He isn’t playing Amira, he’s her endgame. But this is such a fuckboy move, lol. I dare you to look me in the eye and tell me none of the Penetrator Chrises (or the Williams) would pull something like this.

Amira can’t believe this man, but she’s also charmed! Relatable.

It’s really cute that Amira is so incredulous that Mohammed asks her if texting himself from her phone is bad, that she actually says “Yes!” out loud before she texts it to him.

Mohammed can’t see how charmed Amira actually is, so he acts a bit more vulnerable and confesses he feels the same way. Or rather, that this is how he feels, since Amira wouldn’t necessarily describe herself like that. (I think Amira, rather than shy, is scared.) Of course, this too could be a tactic.

I think it’s interesting that Mohammed comes across as the biggest player of the Yousefs, certainly more than Sofiane in this early stage, but it’s Sofiane who ended up playing Imane.

Anyway, Mohammed sends Amira a song that he hopes she likes. And I think it’s cute that the song is in German. We don’t know how long Mohammed has been living in Germany, but I figure German the language didn’t hugely feature in his life back in Syria. So this is a song he heard in this new country for this girl he met in this new country.

Then Mohammed teases Amira about only listening to Arabic music, and she’s like, “yeah that’s the only music I listen to!” So Mohammed immediately sends her a voice message. Of him singing. In Arabic.

This is adorable, and Amira is obviously charmed as fuck, as am I. And if Mohammed had previously sent Amira a song to symbolize his new life in Germany, this is Mohammed sharing a part of himself from before Germany. It’s very significant and, for me, the most vulnerable he’s been in this clip.

Mohammed is also a bit embarrassed by his singing voice, but Amira clearly doesn’t care. Nobody cares, Mohammed. Keep singing!

CLIP 2: Essam does dumb things to fit in

Amira wakes up to the dulcet sounds of Essam screaming, and doesn’t get what time it is at first.

She and Mohammed were texting until 11 PM, and Amira fell asleep right as she was going to send Mohammed a song. Her last text was at 23:07 and Mohammed waited until 23:53 before wishing her a good night.

A reminder to renew her vaccines for the Australia trip comes in, and Amira first curls up with her phone. Just lost in the romance of it all, until Essam’s shriek cuts through the song lmao.

Amira checks the phone again and wakes up quick when she realizes the appointment is in 45 minutes. She swears a bit, and I’m very intrigued by this because Amira Naybet avoids swear words entirely, going for PG versions of Spanish swear words.

She’s in a rush now, but Essam has locked himself in the bathroom and refuses to come out. They have a bit of a back and forth (Amira’s threats don’t intimidate Essam at all, it seems) before Essam, having wrapped his hair in a towel, finally opens the door.

He asks Amira not to laugh at him and then reveals that he’s bleached his hair… badly. It’s not even yellow, it’s pretty much orange. Amira says he looks like Donald Trump. Trump wishes he had that much hair tbh.

Essam is actually really upset, and even hides his face in the crook of his elbow. But fortunately he starts laughing a little once Amira cracks up at him. I don’t think I could take sad Essam, it’s completely antithetical to who he is!

Amira asks Essam why he did that to his hair, and said she would’ve helped him if he asked. Essam is all, “no, you wouldn’t. You hate me. You don’t love me at all.” And he just sounds so sincere that I believe he believes that. Like he’s so used to Amira bickering with him (and probably complaining about him to their parents lbr) that he thinks his big sister hates him. It’s just another way in which Essam’s self-esteem is absolutely fragile despite his brash nature.

Essam eventually confesses that he did it because girls (the girls he’s attracted to, that is) only like blond men. The music indicates this is a vulnerable moment for Essam. He feels like he will never be attractive to girls because he’s not white. To Essam, Amira must seem like someone who doesn’t care to fit in with white Germans, because she’s not voicing any complaints that white German boys aren’t knocking at her door. But Essam does want that. Both the white German girls and to fit in.

Anyway, Amira gets this is Essam opening up to her, so she tells him she’ll help fix up his hair. She’s in the middle of sharing her game plan when Mohammed sends a pic, which briefly distracts her.

Essam also sounds sincere when he thanks Amira, and Amira in turn assures Essam she’ll always help him… Though she’s still going to take a picture of him looking like Donald Trump.

We break out of Amira’s POV for a moment, to follow Essam a little longer as he looks at himself in the mirror and tries a Donald Trump sneer. He’s too cute to really pull it off, I’m afraid.

CLIP 3: Everyone (except Amira) is having sex!

I’ll just get it out of the way and say I don’t hate the David/Matteo make outs, nor do I think they were unnecessary.

Like the split screen editing is a bit 🤪 🤪 🤪 creativity! 🤪 🤪 🤪, but the point of this clip is that Amira is surrounded by sexually active people. And David and Matteo have always kept their PDA at cuddling and pecks on the lips in front of people, so it makes sense to me that we’d need to be back on their POV to 1. Show they are into each other, without 2. Actually talking about it with Amira, which would come across as awkward and weird because they’re not that kind of besties.

Like yes, it’s fanservice, but it makes way more sense from a storyline and character standpoint to do it like this than how other Skams handled it.

Though I find it amusing that Druck stans are so vocally opposed to the scene lmao.

Moving on, Kiki and Carlos’ screams of pleasure not only wake up the whole neighborhood from their afternoon naps, but also put off David and Matteo from pursuing their own activities in the hallway.

Amira comes up to them while they’re listening to music and is like, “hey why aren’t you going in?” They’re like, “we don’t want to mention the S word in front of you.” But Amira gets the picture quick once she comes closer to the door.

Druck teases its fans mercilessly as Matteo prods David into admitting his application film is an alien movie with flying body parts. David tries to argue that it’s deeper than that, but lbr this sounds like some campy Z movie nonsense with terrible special effects AND I’M HERE FOR IT. How dare Druck deprive me of this?

Amira’s like, “Yeah that sounds terrible.” Then she starts bickering with Mohammed over text, which makes David and Matteo very 👀 👀 (not that they’re relevant in this season lol).

Then, Sam comes in, and asks why they’re all outside. Unlike Amira, she figures it out for herself and outright asks whether they’re fucking. But she says it in a very pleased way, like she might come in and offer them drinks or condoms, ah god love you!

Amira can’t even take this bit of discussion of sex and wants to come in and end it all. I guess it’s because she’s wondering if people are just going to keep arriving and talking about Kiki and Carlos fucking, although it might also be because she doesn’t know how to be around Sam right now. (Because Sam isn’t just comfortable with people having sex, but she’s sexually active herself.)

Sam grabs Amira’s arm and says not to interrupt Kiki and Carlos, because maybe they’re doing the Happy Baby pose… And like… That’s a yoga pose. I’ll just let y’all google that.

Amira is like, ENOUGH OF THIS! And Sam’s like Okay, miss Priss! Amira wants a second opinion from David and Matteo about this prissiness, and they both plead the fifth.

Right after Sam’s called Amira prissy and put her on the defensive, Sam then says that, in the middle of making out with Abdi, she noticed Amira and Mohammed having a Moment. She’s like, I didn’t know you liked him, I’ll back off. Amira denies being into Mohammed, but Sam doesn’t buy it.

And like… That’s it for this storyline. It’ll never come up again.

I know that doing away with the Skam love triangle pleased the fandom, but I mean, did Druck really get rid of it? They incorporated it, it features heavily in the first couple episodes and is one of the reasons Amira initially is unsure about the viability of her relationship with Mohammed… But it’s never explored in a meaningful way. It doesn’t develop Sam beyond being interested in boysssssss, it doesn’t develop Sam and Amira’s friendship or explore its nuances as well as the nuances of the hypersexualization of black women as opposed to the assumption that hijabis are repressed. Amira doesn’t even get to tell Sam she likes Mohammed onscreen, she tells Mia instead.

Again, this is a storyline that comes across as not something the writers particularly wanted to do, but they needed some filler for the first couple episodes. And the fact that the show then proceeds to decenter Sam after this, while Kiki’s role only increases, is just incredibly disappointing.

And speaking of Kiki’s presence becoming larger… With this subplot out of the way, Kiki now opens the door, looking very much like Noora when she got out of William’s car in s4. (Crazy idea, but what if it was supposed to be a reference to that? Lmao.)

She’s like, “I and Carlos just got done talking to the landlord, which was a conversation that involved no pants in my part!” Matteo calls shenanigans, Amira’s like, “right,” while Sam and David… Kinda look like they think Kiki’s never looked hotter tbh.

Like I said, I don’t have an issue with this clip, but showing Amira being surrounded by sex, yet not giving Amira the space to verbalize how she feels about this, while also getting rid of the Yousef kissing someone else angle, kinda makes this clip pointless tbh. Like the point of constantly surrounding Sana with sexually active couples was meant to make her feel like she couldn’t give Yousef what he supposedly wanted, i.e. a girlfriend who’d be physical with him.

Again, I’m not saying we have to make the Muslim main feel like shit for not being like a white German (we have enough of that with Essam), but at least give this joke a bit of depth by letting Amira talk about it. One issue with the season is that Amira gets thrown a mountain of microaggressions and ways in which she’s different, but viewers aren’t going to get the point that this adds to the pressures Amira faces unless you hit them over the head with it.

CLIP 4: Foreshadowing – the clip.

Amira is practicing boxing at home in order to have an excuse for her to be covering her hair. (Genuine curiosity, should Skams work this hard on coming up with reasons why their hijabi actresses are covering at home? Like I can see the benefit of not wanting to lead people to think hijabi cover 24/7.)

Mohammed texts her a picture of Angela Merkel doing Merkel hands on which he photoshopped a screenshot of Amira from Matteo’s season, along with the caption: Amira for Chancellor. Mohammed be like, I love this show DRUCK, love making shit posts for it.

Mohammed’s memes have put Amira in a great mood, and Mia chooses that moment to call Amira on Skype. Amira can barely get through the conversation, she’s giggling so much. Mia also comes off as really young in this chat, she acted like more of an adult in s3.

Mohammed keeps texting Amira flirty messages about Amira’s political career, and Mia notices that she’s distracted. She wants to know who’s making Amira smile so much, and Amira deflects and says it’s just her brother. Mia notes that Sam’s been raving about Amira’s brothers (so not just Mohammed), and she and Amira have a bit of a back and forth about Amira hiding Essam and Omar from them.

Then Mohammed sends Amira another meme in which he shops himself as Chancellor Amira’s spin doctor, which is both the cutest and saddest bit of foreshadowing. Amira, not being genre savvy, just finds it charming.

Mia wants to know what’s so funny, and Amira’s like, “can you keep a secret?” Mia, being a former Druck main and thus having seen some shit, is immediately alarmed about what this secret might be, and promises to not say a word.

But there’s nothing to worry about. Nothing! Amira’s secret is that she kind of likes Mohammed. Not too much because he’s so tall and his hair is so nice and his eyes so dark. His eyebrows are terrible and so is his moustache that makes Amira zero in on his full, soft lips. Plus his body is so nice because he’s always working out! Mia’s like, so where’s the catch?

Amira’s crush is gigantic, and Mia’s so excited for her, but there’s still something holding Amira back. Maybe it’s that it all seems so easy with Mohammed, or that Amira’s not ready to revise her position that all men are shit, or you know, maybe it’s as simple as Amira enjoying being the lovesick one for once and indulging in the giddiness.

At any rate, Alex is visiting Mia next week (in Spain, where Mia totally is), so that’s coming up.

CLIP 5: Famous last words

Amira and her mom sit down to watch a movie. Amira’s mom is happy to be spending time with her daughter, but Amira is on her phone because Mohammed has asked her, for the hundredth time now, whether she wants to go on a date with him. The man is running out of creative ways to ask Amira out, and she’s still all No ❤️

Amira’s mom wants to know who she’s texting, and Amira says it’s just Kiki. Because Kiki is Amira’s bestie now. Amira’s mom likes her though. She thinks she’s nice and also reminds the viewers of a potential Kiki storyline by commenting on her weight. In hindsight I don’t know why I ever thought s5 wouldn’t somehow deal with Kiki, because the writing is so clearly setting up a Zoë season about Kiki.

Amira’s mom says Amira never confides in her anymore, and eh. I mean, Amira did just lie about who she’s texting, but when Sana’s mom said this to Sana in Skam, it was more significant because Sana had been hiding her Russ plans from her for over three seasons. Amira has been pretty forthcoming with her mom in comparison. She knows about her friends (or about Kiki, at least) and about the trip to Australia. She doesn’t need to know about Amira’s delivery job because she doesn’t have it anymore.

Anyway, Amira bites her lip because she can’t hide this feeling anymore! She likes a boy! He’s nice and smart and cooks well, and Amira’s mom teases her that she’ll never go hungry then, as Amira just burnt the popcorn.

Amira’s mom wants to know whether the boy is handsome (of course!) and Muslim (of course! Famous last words). She wants to meet the boy, but Amira would like to get to know Mohammed better first, which is never going to happen if she keeps turning him down.

With that out of the way, they finally resume watching the movie, which seems to be a Bollywood one because the characters dance all the time. Is it a movie where the climax happens at a wedding, perhaps?? It looks like all the dancing helps Amira make her mind up, as she says, “You only live once.”

CLIP 6: Never leave the house

Amira meets Mohammed at a park, and they exchange a bunch of “Na?” because they’re dumb and into each other. Then Mohammed bravely asks Amira if she missed him, as if he didn’t know at this point that Amira is going to laugh at him. Which she does, because she says no.

They’re in the midst of some mating dance, when Amira notices a hijabi and (presumably) her daughter. She hides behind a tree, because she doesn’t want to be the hot gossip at the mosque, but Mohammed is all, “aw, I remember when I wasn’t traumatized by war and cared about trivial shit like this.”

Or maybe he doesn’t care because he never goes to the mosque. Okay, okay. I’ll stop.

At any rate, this is the first time that Mohammed says or does something that would actually pose a problem to Amira. This is quickly brushed aside because they get lost in each other’s eyes as soon as they make eye contact.

Kiki rudely interrupts this moment, but Amira’s like, “I’m busy, bye.” So she and Mohammed go on a musical montage where they box and push each other, and Mohammed sticks a flower in Amira’s hijab. Just enjoying the romance of it all! Until Amira notices Kiki’s called her three times, and I don’t want to say Kiki is the secondary love interest, but, you know.

It turns out that, while the parents were away, Essam decided to throw a rager. And he invited Kiki as he’s been working hard for her to notice him on insta. Kiki thought Amira would be attending this party when she got the invite, and has by now realized Amira wouldn’t approve of any of this.

Amira arrives at the party with Mohammed hot on her heels, and Kiki starts apologizing for thinking this was all on the up and up. Amira says her parents are at a wedding for the whole weekend, and Kiki gets distracted by Amira’s pretty lipstick. I don’t want to say Kiki is the secondary love interest, but, you know.

Amira confronts Essam, whose hair is looking a lot better than last time we saw it. Essam doesn’t seem to realize the seriousness of the situation, so Amira leans in and sniffs Essam’s breath. She asks Essam if he’s been drinking but he says no. However, he must be totally out of it because he wanders off, hypnotized by Kiki’s mermaid-esque beauty (or something).

Essam starts dancing with Kiki, who looks uncomfortable but goes along with it. At one point he puts his hand on her hip, and she grabs it and removes it from her body. Carlos (who has been blowing off his friends for weeks but is at this party, lol) notices this as it happens. Carlos shoves Essam and they start fighting.

Essam is bigger, or the German boy squad are lovers, not fighters, or Carlos was totally holding back, but either way Essam gets the upper hand and needs to be pulled off by both Amira and Mohammed. Kiki gets mad at Carlos for getting territorial over her. This is like, one of the most actually feminist moments to happen in a Skam that isn’t Skam España, I gotta say. Meanwhile Amira and Mohammed try to hold Essam accountable, but he starts feeling sick.

As this is all happening, Amira’s mom texts her to let her know that they came back because dad is, coincidentally, also sick (but not for the same reason lol). Amira tells Kiki, who takes charge of the situation and kicks everyone out. She literally shoves people out of the house, and I just think Kiki was born to do this, tbh.

If you think about Kiki’s mom being an alcoholic, it kinda makes sense that Kiki thinks of spraying some air freshener as she leaves. She also takes a crate of bottles with her, but because this is Sana’s season, a couple are left behind. Amira and Mohammed weirdly hide them under a cushion, even though they have time to fold a blanket and regroup.

Mohammed thinks the date didn’t go too badly!

As Amira’s parents walk in, Mohammed has to carry Essam from where he was previously sitting on the floor waiting for the bathroom to be free, to a couch.

Amira’s mom is surprised to see Mohammed in the house, and I’m like, “why though?” It’s not like his outfit screams date (whereas Amira totally looks date-ready), and he and Essam are friends. Parents are so annoying, bless.

But she gets over it, especially as she notices Essam in a fetal position. She comes over to greet him and notices he’s cradling a vodka bottle like a baby, and of course she asks Amira and Mohammed what that is, cause you know, as the older sibling and friend they should be looking after him!

And then, Mohammed, Amira’s self-proclaimed spin doctor, tells Amira’s mom that he brought the bottle (and it just fell into Essam’s hands I guess lol). Amira’s mom is angry and reminds Mohammed that they’re Muslims, which makes me wonder if she knows he doesn’t believe in Allah. She’s also upset at Amira, because you know, they were just watching a movie yesterday and suddenly Mohammed is bringing vodka to her house for Essam to consume excessively, as Amira supposedly watches on in approval.

Amira doesn’t even respond, she’s so upset.

I think Druck pulled off this storyline the best out of the Sana versions, including Skam itself. One of the biggest problems with this storyline in Sana’s season is that it affected characters Sana wasn’t all that close to. Like, best buds and everything, but at the end of the day, Isak and Sana rarely hung out. Because the show is ultimately about the girl squad, not Isak’s squad or his friendship with Sana. So in Skam this storyline affected a school friend of Sana’s, his boyfriend, and a friend of her brother’s. Druck instead made it about Amira’s brother, one of Amira’s closest friends and her boyfriend.

Druck also chose to introduce this storyline in a multi pov episode, so that we got a better understanding of Kiki’s and Carlos’ mindsets going into the episode.

This will be more debatable, but I personally prefer that Druck didn’t hide the fight from us. In Skam, we don’t get to see the fight because Sana is supposed to believe those islamophobic Pepsi Max girls (and Yousef’s interpretation of why Even transferred) over her own brother. And I’m sure part of Julie’s intention was to make Skam viewers examine their own assumptions as to what happened, but the thing is… If people don’t want to examine their prejudices, they simply won’t. There are Skam viewers who, to this day, are convinced that Julie bowed to political correctness or whatever the fuck. Druck makes all the characters’ motives clear and show us how the fight happened, and I’m sure there will still be assholes, but at least it’s not a “he said that’s what happened” situation.

It also doesn’t involve hypothetically homophobic Muslims, which was already dealt with in Isak’s (and Matteo’s) season. I personally don’t think this topic needs a rehash in a Sana season unless Sana herself is queer. Similarly, by making Amira’s brother the person to bring alcohol into the house, you don’t need to make the Sana bow down to the peer pressure of white mean girls.

Given that Essam is the one to bring alcohol into the house and to get handsy with Kiki, Druck did the absolutely correct thing and showed us Essam’s vulnerability before the fight. I would say, aside from Yousef, none of the Skam balloon squad was vulnerable in the same fundamental level that Essam is. Of course Elias is happy to hear that Even asked about him, and Mikael is quiet for a moment when he sees Even in his contact list. But ultimately, that’s friend drama. Essam changing his hair in hopes to fit in and be liked is about Essam himself.

I think Druck dropped Essam’s character arc right there because they intended season 5 to air in fall or winter last year. (Otherwise, why make Essam and Zoë Machwitz be the same age?) Now that both Zoë and Essam would be in their last year of high school, and Nora is slated to be the main instead, I hope they find a way to still fit Essam in there. So at least one Mahmood is done justice, you know.

On the downside, the focus on the Essam/Kiki/Carlos/vodka storyline means that Amira’s and Mohammed’s first date is not just cut short, but because of Druck’s time constraints, it also means that it’s mostly cuteness set to music.

Social media

Apparently Abdi heard that, without an insta, he just couldn’t match up to Mohammed, so he got one. Of course the first person he tells is Sam…

Mia posts a picture of a flamenca, because she’s in Madrid. Alex sends her a bunch of messages about arriving on Sunday, but Mia doesn’t respond to them (she did read them though).

Kiki posted a video of her workout, with Essam posting a similar video the day after to no response from Kiki. Kiki later posts a video of her yoga session, and when Essam does the same thing, he actually goes ahead and tags her in the story. The second hand embarrassment was felt across the globe.

After Amira tells Mia about her crush on Mohammed, she texts Sam to let her know as well. Sam takes it well (she’d pretty much figured it out after all). They agree to hang out later, and we get a couple pics on insta to commemorate the event. Which Abdi later copies to get Sam’s attention. Just a terrible week for thirsty men on Druck.

Meanwhile, Matteo takes David to meet his mom, and David later posts an evocative drawing to commemorate the event. And that’s all we’re ever told about that, much to the frustration of David/Matteo stans.

Abdi poses with a sleeping Sam and posts the pic to his insta and omg, Abdi! Just stop.

Before the party, Kiki and Carlos fight over text because Carlos has decided to get a Fachabi rather than an Abi (so, like, a kind of high school diploma that would make it harder for him to go to uni, and better suited for a trade) without telling Kiki. I gotta say, I know Kiki and Carlos have moved in together and everything, but I think Carlos’ tertiary education being a team decision is way too intense for two high school graduates, as far as I see it.

There’s this one pic from Kiki’s stories where Essam is posing with a bunch of white girls, and it just gave me the worst flashbacks to those sorority videos where everyone is scarily in sync.

Final thoughts

The boy squad and balloon fight is the turning point in Sana’s season, and by moving it up and combining it with the booze left behind storyline, Druck turned it into a side storyline about Essam, instead. As I said, I think they pulled it off much better than Skam, but it also means that this is Amira’s third episode and Druck has chewed through most of the storylines in Sana’s season (including the love triangle with Noora/Sam, which is tossed aside this episode).

At this point, the only storylines left are Yousef’s lack of faith, Noorhelm drama and… The cyberbullying storyline which ends up unintentionally hurting Vilde. Ideally, Druck would’ve focused on the former of the three, and would have still gotten four episodes to really deal with it in a nuanced way, but we’ll see how that worked out.

#druck #about druck

9 notes · View notes

everlarkficexchange · 5 years

Text

The Price Of One's Soul

Written by: @peetaspikelets

Prompt 65: “You did all this for me?” Submitted by anonymous via @katnissdoesnotfollowback

Betaed by: @sponsormusings

Rating: M, for adult themes and coarse language.

A/N: This is the first part of my new story. There will be one or two more parts to come which will feature the prompt. It’s been awhile since I’ve written anything, especially Everlark and I’m so glad I decided to go for it. I’ve really missed these two beautiful souls.

This story was heavily inspired by Mockingjay and Brooklyn 99 because I have no idea what it’s like to work as a police detective.

Summary:

“I’m proud and relieved to say that due to the FBI’s efforts, and Mellark’s outstanding work, Operation Mockingjay was a success and last night the FBI arrested Snow and 16 of his associates with a number of charges longer than my arm.”

Everyone in the room applauds and shouts out in glee. It’s not the most professional reaction you would see in a police station, but knowing Snow has finally been arrested brings an enormous sense of relief to everybody who’s ever come across his brutal handiwork.

Katniss, however, remains silent, her mouth unable to form words. She feels overwhelmed by the news and what Peeta was a part of. Luckily, Finnick looks over and must be able to read her mind as he’s voicing the only questions she wants to be answered right now.

“Does that mean Peet’s back? It’s over? He’s back at the seven five?”

Katniss eyes Haymitch with a wide, hopeful expression. Beside her, she thinks she feels Gale tense up, but she’s too engrossed in what’s happening right now to linger on it. Finally, Haymitch meets her gaze and his lips curl into a small smile they don’t see very often. “The boy is back.”

Really? Are you sure about that Haymitch? *EVIL CACKLE*

Enjoy! Let me know what you think :)

CHAPTER 1

“Everdeen! Hawthorne! Where the hell have you been? The daily briefing started 10 minutes ago.”

“Sorry, Captain,” Katniss replies, dropping her backpack on the dirty floor of the briefing room and taking a seat at the front. “We thought we could get in some shooting practice before work. Instead, Gale spent most of his time flirting with Recruit Officer Undersee.”

“I was not,” Gale huffs, taking the empty chair beside her. “She didn’t know how to hold her gun properly, so I thought I’d be a nice guy and teach her how to grip it correctly.”

“Yeah right,” Katniss answers dryly. “With all the giggling I heard in her booth I bet that’s not the only thing you helped her with.”

“What, are you jealous Everdeen?” Gale asks, shifting in his chair to face her, his eyes glinting with smugness. “Because really you don’t need to be. I could always take you out the back and show you how to grip my –”

“That’s enough!” Captain Abernathy snaps, his voice booming off the rooms yellow stained walls. He looks around the group in annoyance. “It’s like I’m stuck here on a daily basis babysitting a bunch of kids.”

“Aww don’t say that, Dad. You know you love us,” Detective Finnick Odair chimes in from across the room. He starts swinging back on his chair and looks over to Katniss, giving her a cheeky wink.

Katniss rolls her eyes and shrugs her braid off her shoulder. She knows when Finnick gets in this type of mood there’s no point in trying to stop him from riling people up. Even someone as superior as the Captain doesn’t miss out on his juvenile antics. It can be annoying at times, but with the seriousness of the job, she’ll admit there are some days she’s grateful for his jovial character.

“Finnick, be quiet,” Annie hushes beside him.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Finnick reassures his girlfriend. “We all know deep down the Captain is like a big cuddly teddy bear. He pretends to act all gruff and indifferent when I know for a fact the other week he gave Effie from Human Resources a big –”

“If one more person speaks out of turn again, they’ll be on desk duty for a month,” Captain Abernathy snaps, interjecting into the conversation. A vein pulses in the middle of his wrinkled forehead for emphasis.

Sighing, Finnick falls silent and tilts his chair forward, so all legs are safely back on the ground. He stares at the front of the room with a pout like he’s a child who’s been scolded by his favorite teacher.

“Now children, eyes to the front, and let’s get back to discussing the Coin murder case.”

Everybody straightens in their chairs, giving him their full attention as he turns on a large television. Katniss stares as a number of photographs pop up on display, showing the latest crime scene the precinct is investigating. She hasn’t seen these before, so she leans forward in her seat to examine the images of the body.

After all her years of working as a police officer and then being promoted to detective, most crime scenes don’t faze her anymore. It’s like she’s been immunized to the absolute horror human beings can inflict upon one another and today, this case is no exception. The female victim got repeatedly shot with a crossbow. It isn’t a pretty sight, but her mind has the ability to compartmentalize.

After a few minutes, Katniss feels bored as she isn’t one of the lead detectives on the case. Instead, she turns her head to where Finnick and Annie are sitting across the aisle from her. Both are great detectives and good friends of hers. They’re also known as the precinct’s most nauseating couple. Katniss can count on multiple hands how many times she’s caught them at work in a compromising position. She’s had more views of Finnick’s bare arse than any other guy she’s dated. Not that there’s been many, as she’s too committed to the job and not a big socialiser. After a 12-hour shift investigating murders, assaults and robberies she never feels the need to get dressed up and go out. She much prefers going home to her small but comfortable apartment, sitting around in her pyjamas, drinking hot chocolate and watching Netflix.

She doesn’t have many friends. When she was a teenager, she lost her beloved sister Prim and her parents in a car bombing, and ever since then she’s had difficulties in learning how to trust and be vulnerable around people. Even now years later, the hurt is still raw, but she knows - thanks to years of therapy - that she can’t live as a hermit for the entirety of her life.

So, over time and working in close proximity with Gale, Finnick and Annie she’s slowly taken baby steps and allowed them to worm their way into her heart. Even if she wanted to run and hide, their tenacity and loyalty have made it impossible for her to leave. They have her back and she has theirs.

Even Captain Abernathy plays an important role in her life. When they were growing up, she and her sister used to call him Uncle Haymitch, as he was good friends with their parents. He was always a permanent fixture at family barbeques and any big social occasion. Like her, he didn’t handle the nature of their deaths well. Where she purposely isolated herself from the world and didn’t eat or speak to anyone for months, Haymitch turned to white liquor for comfort. In the end, it got so bad that he could barely function. Now years - and a few stints in rehab later - he’s proudly sober and continues slaying that demon daily.

There is another person in Katniss’ life. Certainly the most important person. But these days she tries not to think about him too much.

From the moment Detective Peeta Mellark started his first day at the 75th precinct in Panem, he made it impossible for anybody to hate him. When he first stepped out of the elevator with his carefully styled blond hair and shining blue eyes, it was like he’d just come from a GQ photo shoot. His friendliness and charisma soon followed and caught the attention of everybody immediately, especially the women. Katniss tried to hold it against him, as she was wary of people who had that kind of influence, but his detective skills were too damn good to ignore. In the first few weeks of his arrival he helped her bring down Seneca Crane, a cybercriminal mastermind she’d been hunting for 2 years. After that, they’d worked multiple cases together and he quickly rose from being her casual drinking buddy and trivia teammate to her best friend and confidante.

On their shared days off they would often have lunch together at his family’s bakery before Katniss took him to the local park to teach him how to use a bow and arrow. He wasn’t very good, but he was always keen to join her every week. He had a habit of trying to make her laugh in order to throw her off, but it never worked and the day always left a big smile on her face.

But while he may not have been good at archery, one of Peeta’s many talents was baking. A taste of one of his flaky cheese buns always had her moaning out in pleasure. It soon became a weekly ritual for him to bring in an assortment of baked goods for the whole squad to massacre.

Those were the good old days filled with wonderful memories.

And then things changed.

The day Peeta told her he had to go away for a case and he wasn’t sure when he would be back had come as a shock to her. He had become such a permanent fixture in her life that she felt a sudden rush of loss and sadness. The rational side of her understood and knew the job came first, but the whole situation sucked. After they finally managed to say their goodbyes, she watched him walk away with nothing but a box of his belongings in his hands. But before he got into his car he’d paused and turned around to face her. She swore she saw intense longing staring back at her, an emotion she’d never seen from him before, and it had caused her to freeze in place.

As weeks flew by, she continued being haunted by that moment and spent most of her days trying to decipher what it meant. But ultimately, cases piled up on her desk and she soon stopped replaying the moment, coming to the conclusion that it meant nothing.

“Now, O’Dair. Cresta,” Haymitch barks, pulling Katniss out of her thoughts. “How’s your investigation going on John Cato and Rebecca Clove?”

“We don’t have anything solid on them yet, Captain,” Annie answers with disappointment.

“It won’t be long though,” Finnick adds. “They may be cunning, but they’re also overly confident. It’s a bad combination. They’ll slip up eventually.”

Haymitch nods, satisfied. “Hopefully it’s sooner rather than later.”

“According to our informant, they’re supposed to be meeting with their supplier in a couple of weeks. This could finally be our opportunity to arrest all their sorry asses,” Finnick tells him.

“Good. Keep on them for the next couple of weeks. If you need back up call Everdeen and Hawthorne.”

“Aye, Aye, Captain,” Finnick says, giving him a mock salute.

Haymitch groans in annoyance and closes his eyes. His mouth starts moving slightly, giving Katniss the impression he’s trying to keep his anger in check by counting to 10.

“Hey, Everdeen,” Gale whispers.

Katniss looks over and notices his chair is too close to her own. His muscular thigh is now touching hers, and she can feel the heat radiating off him like he’s trying to burn a hole through her pants.

“You feel like getting some breakfast at Sae’s after we wrap up here? My treat,” he adds, his gaze penetrating.

She narrows her eyes and wonders what the hell is going on with him lately. She’s not sure why he’s basically sitting right up against her and she can’t crack the ardent look he’s now giving her. Over the last few months, she’s noticed the increase of social invitations from him, all of which seemed to be on the romantic side. Only last week he invited her out to dinner to the swanky Panem Bistro. Luckily she’d been sick with a cold, so it had been easy to get out of it. But it hadn’t prevented him from stopping by her apartment with a container of soup.

The shooting range they attended earlier this morning was his idea, but as it was work-related, she didn’t see any harm in saying yes. But now the whole situation was getting confusing - one moment it seemed he was asking her out on a date, and the next moment she’s witnessing him flirt with Recruit Officer Undersee. She doesn’t get men - or more specifically, she doesn’t get Gale Hawthorne.

“Now, before I dismiss you I have an announcement to make,” Haymitch says, turning off the screen. Both Katniss and Gale straighten up in their chairs, forgetting their conversation for a moment, taking note of their Captain’s serious tone. She swears there’s now a look of pride etched upon his face as he looks around the room. And she must not be the only one who notices the change, as all voices in the room cease, and look up at him with renewed interest.

“Now, what I am about to tell you we’ve never been able to discuss as the details were highly classified. But as you all know, 18 months ago Detective Mellark left us to be part of an undercover operation with the FBI.”

Katniss’ body freezes. The sound of his name hits her hard.

“What you didn’t know was that Detective Mellark agreed to infiltrate the Capitol Mafia.”

There are surprised gasps all around the room, the loudest coming from Katniss. She knew he was going undercover, but she had no idea who or what it was for. Obviously, he couldn’t tell her anything and she understood that. But the Capitol Mafia?! That was huge. They’re the worst of the worst. Their leader Cornelius Snow is a sadistic bastard, who runs a highly dangerous underground gang who engage in money laundering, murder, kidnapping, drugs, and bribery. He’s known as the most notorious criminal in Panem, and he was good at covering his tracks. Whenever the precinct investigated one of his crimes there was barely any evidence to link him and when a witness did come forward they were always found poisoned with Nightlock days before they could testify in court.

“It was called Operation Mockingjay,” Haymitch continues above the hushed whispers. “It was originally supposed to be a 6-month stint. However, there were…complications and Detective Mellark was forced to stay undercover longer than we would have liked.

Katniss grips the table, her knuckles turning white.

“Does that mean Peet’s back? It’s over? He’s back at the seven five?”

“Yes!” Finnick yells, jumping from his chair and fist bumping the air.

“When can we see him? Where is he?” Katniss bursts out, thankful her mouth is finally cooperating with her brain.

Haymitch pauses for a moment, a flash of hesitation in his eyes before he says. “You’ll find him in my office.”

Before Katniss knows what she’s doing, she’s leaping out of her chair and racing towards Haymitch’s office. She hears Finnick’s loud, hurried feet rushing up behind her.

When Katniss reaches her destination she’s confused for a moment, and wonders if in all the excitement and shock she’s accidentally run into the wrong office. She looks up at the name plaque on the door and knows immediately she’s in the right spot. But sitting on the opposite side of the Captain’s desk with his back to them is a man with broad shoulders and ink black hair. His whole body stiffens at their sudden intrusion before he slowly stands up and turns around to face them.

Katniss’ mouth drops open in shock. After Haymitch’s announcement, she was expecting to find her best friend with his signature grin waiting for her, before running over and wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. But to her utter disappointment, none of that happens. Instead, the person in front of her looks like a stranger. He has Peeta’s familiar blue eyes, but they’re now etched with harshness and shaded by dark circles. His cheekbones are also sharp and defined like he’s lost some weight and his overall demeanour is wary and guarded.

“You’re back?” Katniss says, her tone coming out more like a question than a statement.

Peeta takes her in silently for a moment. His eyes narrow in quiet contemplation as they travel down from head to toe, mapping her out, trying to become reacquainted. His shoulders relax slightly and he nods his head in acknowledgement. “Katniss.”

His voice is rough and deep like he’s been smoking a pack a day and he makes no other effort towards her. He’s just standing there, staring at her intently and it makes her feel lost.

“Wow, Peeta,” Finnick says, coming up to stand beside her, and taking in his friend’s new hair and dark leather attire. “You’re a brunette now.”

Peeta smirks and runs a hand through his hair, the action making it scruffier. “Yeah, well I thought if I’m going to join the dark side, I may as well put the effort in and go all out.”

Finnick chuckles nervously and leans against the door frame. It’s clear he’s not sure how to take this new Peeta Mellark as well.

“You didn’t join the dark side,” Katniss blurts out before her brain can catch up with her. She doesn’t like the way he’s talking. “You’re a police detective who went undercover to bring down one of the worst criminals in Panem’s history. What you did in the last year and a half was incredibly brave and the operation was a success because of you.”

Peeta looks over to her and shakes his head.

“Peeta, you’re a great detective –”

“Katniss, stop,” Peeta says, raising his hand suddenly, cutting her off. “I don’t want to talk about this now. So don’t go there.”

“It’s okay Peeta,” she continues, ignoring his wish and taking a tentative step towards him like she’s approaching a baby deer. “You’re home and you’re safe. It might take you awhile to forget about Snow, but –”

Peeta suddenly charges towards her, making Katniss freeze mid-sentence. He’s up in her face, looming down at her with a twisted and grotesque snarl. A rush of fear floods her insides.

“Forget, about Snow? Really, Katniss? You say it like it’s so damn easy, but you have no idea,” he spits out. She hears him take a few deep breaths, his eyes still piercing hers, before he transforms his face into a look of indifference. “Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I don’t want to forget? That I don’t want to forget Snow? That I don’t want to forget my time with him?”

His words scare her and suck the breath out of her lungs. His cold, unfamiliar glare awakens her need to run and lock herself in a cupboard like she used to do when she was younger. No matter what she ever said, the old Peeta would never have treated her like this. He’s not her Peeta anymore. She can’t even see a glimpse of the old him. He’s acting like their friendship never existed.

The atmosphere in the room is left cold and uneasy as Peeta takes a few steps back and looks down at the floor. He rubs a hand roughly across his forehead multiple times like he’s in pain or agitated.

“So, ummm…you’re back for good then?” Finnick asks carefully in the soundless space, hoping to break the discomfort.

“For now,” Peeta replies simply, not caring to extend his answer as he leans back against Haymitch’s desk. “So, enough about me. What have I missed around here?”

“Nothing much,” Finnick shrugs. “We got a new vending machine in the break room and the department finally updated our surveillance equipment. I wanted to take the new body cams home to try on Annie, but she wouldn’t let me.”

The corners of Peeta’s mouth curl up. “I’m glad to hear you’re still together. I would have thought by now you’d have fucked things up.”

A look of hurt flashes across Finnick’s face before he puts his signature smile back on. “Nah, man. Annie’s my reason for living. She’s my everything.”

Peeta’s eyes soften slightly at the sentiment and he nods his head. He briefly looks over to Katniss, but before she can meet his eyes, he’s turning back around and giving his attention to the new face standing at the door.

“Hey, Mellark. Good to see you, man,” the familiar voice of Gale rings out as he saunters into the office and stands beside Katniss.

“Gale. Nice to see you,” Peeta replies curtly, his eyes narrowing at his old colleague.

Although back in the day the two never fought and worked well together when they had to, there always seemed to be an underlying tension between them which Katniss never understood. She found it difficult sometimes as they were both her friends, yet if she wanted to hang out with them, she usually had to do it separately.

“I like the look you’ve got going on at the moment. It suits you.”

Katniss and Finnick turn and give each other perplexed looks.

“Thanks,” Peeta answers tightly, his jaw tense and eyes cold.

“Yeah, so you’ll notice some changes around here,” Gale continues, swinging his arm around Katniss’ shoulders, and bringing her in closer to his body.

She grows rigid on the spot, too surprised by the public display of affection to push him away.

“We moved some people around in the bullpen after you left on your…mafia holiday. Katniss is now at your desk next to me, but there’s an empty one near the kitchen you can have –”

“No!” Katniss cuts in and wriggles herself free of Gale’s grasp. “Peeta can have his desk back. It’s fine. I’ll take the spare one.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Peeta replies back gruffly. “I’ve already spoken to the Captain and I’ll be moving a desk down to the records room.”

“The creepy basement where no one ever goes?” Finnick asks surprised.

“Yeah, it’s perfect. Besides, open spaces don’t agree with me anymore.”

As he says this Katniss looks down and notices his left hand is shaking like it’s in spasm.

That’s new.

She watches the action sadly, feeling a sudden rush of warmth towards him, which is unexpected after their disastrous reunion. It’s a vulnerable moment (which the others choose to ignore) and it reminds her of the old Peeta. Yes, their first meeting has gone horribly, but once he gets back into his old routine he will remember who he is again and will be back to the Peeta Mellark they all know and love.

She’s pulled out of her reverie by Peeta who’s picking up a ratty box from the floor. She’s curious to know what’s inside, but he quickly balances the weight against his muscular chest before she can sneak a peek. As he heads towards the door, he stops calmly in front of Katniss and Gale.

“So, I’m assuming you two are together now,” he states evenly, his expression giving nothing away.

Katniss’ eyes widen at his assumption but before she can correct him, he’s already walking past them and calling out unkindly over his shoulder. “Sending you my condolences.”

The words sting and Katniss feels tears start to well in her eyes.

They watch him walk down the stairs to the basement, without even a backwards glance. Finnick turns to her in disbelief, while Gale mutters out, “I always knew he was an asshole,” before stomping out of the office.

Katniss wants to run after both of them. She wants to yell at Gale to find out what’s going on with him. And she wants to shake Peeta so hard that he comes back to himself, but her body won’t move. Instead, she feels exhaustion set in and it keeps her rooted to the spot.

“It will be alright, Kat,” Finnick tells her kindly, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We all know you and Gale aren’t a couple and never will be. And even if it was true it’s none of Peeta’s business anyway. What he said was really uncalled for.”

Katniss nods her head, refusing to show any emotion. Instead, she says, “Thanks Finnick,” and heads towards the bullpen in a daze.

“He’ll come around,” he calls out behind her. “Just give him some time.”

Quietly, she sits down at her desk, ignoring the worried looks being sent her way and opens her top drawer, pulling out a handful of colored photographs. For years the squad used to display pictures of themselves all around the precinct. Some were from Christmas parties, training days, or simply goofing around with each other in between cases. When Peeta went undercover, Haymitch made her take down all the photos that featured him, in order to protect his cover. And they’ve laid in her drawer safe and sound ever since.

She stares sadly at the bundle in front of her, each colored memory seeming like a lifetime ago. In every photo, Peeta is either making a funny face or staring at the camera with an easy-going smile. She wonders when she’ll see it again and then a painful thought occurs to her.

What if they’re wrong? What if he never comes around?

A single tear falls quietly down her cheek. What if Peeta Mellark is lost to her forever?

#Springtime Edition 2019 #submission #peetaspikelets #prompt 65

138 notes · View notes

128andfalling · 5 years

Text

Not Easily Forgotten 2

Mutual Pining

Post-Oblivio Fic (part 3 in the works!)

@melyxan @coccinellegirl @bratayleysdraw @bowser14456 @miiiraculous @writerzblock12 @7701deathlyhalfbloodprincess Thanks for your comments/encouragements on the first chapter!!

And a big thanks to @baelfyre1053 who’s awesome!

Part 1 Ao3

Adrien didn’t need photoshop to be up in the clouds. All weekend, he practically floated to each of his scheduled activities. Marinette was Ladybug, and his world had never seemed brighter. He hadn’t seen Marinette since leaving school on Friday, though. Adrien had started a few texts to her, but was at a loss of what to say. What if he was the only one that remembered? Of course, it would be his luck for that to happen. But it would be the sweetest of torture. At least, he knew his lady’s name.

Arriving at school Monday morning, Adrien wasn’t sure what to expect. He wanted to be as normal as possible since he didn’t know if Marinette knew. Plagg had teased him for practicing greetings in the mirror earlier, and he was suddenly feeling very nervous to see a certain classmate.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the car. Nino waved at him from the steps. I can do this. Just act natural. Cool cat. Adrien greeted his best friend with a fist bump and joined the conversation he was having with Max about the new Ultimate Mecha Strike IV: his lady’s favorite game. Adrien felt himself start to blush. Cool cat! COOL CAT!

“I’m going to go to my locker!” Adrien barely announced before bolting off. This was going to be harder than he thought.

After retrieving his books, Adrien settled on waiting in the classroom. Being in the courtyard proved to be too overwhelming as he constantly scanned all the students for a pair of pigtails. Marinette typically arrived with only a few seconds to spare, and even though there were a few minutes left until class began, he couldn’t help but look each time someone entered.

Adrien jumped at the sound of Nino’s voice. “Dude, are you okay?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Adrien offered a sheepish smile. “Yeah, sorry. Just worried about an upcoming fencing tournament.”

“You’re the best fencer in the league, though! You got nothing to worry about.”

“Thanks, Nino.” Trying to relax, Adrien focused on talking to Nino about their weekends until Ms. Bustier called the class to attention.

As predicted, Marinette entered the classroom without a moment to spare. Adrien’s heart thudded in his chest, but he kept his eyes on their teacher despite the temptation to let his eyes follow her. As Marinette slid into her seat, Adrien thanked the stars that she wasn’t in front of him, else he would never be able to focus.

Behind him, however, Marinette worried her bottom lip as she stared at the mop of blond hair. He hadn’t even acknowledged her when she came in. If he remembered, he would have at least looked at her, right?

Going into the courtyard for lunch, Marinette tried to conceal her disappointment. When she had tried to talk to Adrien in between periods, he treated her as he always had: just a friend. He barely responded to her before taking up a new topic with Nino.

Picking up on her friend’s mood, Alya nudged Marinette. “Hey, do you want to go to the park after school? I heard that someone was going to be making balloon animals today.”

“That sounds fun! As long as we aren’t out too late. I have to work on that history report tonight.”

“Oh, yeah. Me too. I am not looking forward to that,” Alya sighed. They were almost to their favorite bench when a loud voice bellowed above them.

“I am Recyclops, and I will take revenge on behalf of the earth!” The akuma shot a recycle sign at a table causing it to grow vines and come to life. Students screamed as the table began chasing them. Marinette reached out to grab her best friend only to have her hand pass through empty space. Alya was already running closer to the akuma with her phone held out in front of her.

Marinette scanned the area for a safe place to transform, but was tackled to the ground before she could even take a step. A trash can behind her began to sprout leaves. Before Marinette could recover, Adrien was pulling her to her feet and guiding them to an empty classroom.

Once inside, Adrien braced his back against the door, breathing heavily. “That was close. Go find a hiding spot. I’ll chill here and make sure nothing gets in.” The door budged as something hit it from outside.

Marinette hesitated, not wanting to leave him. “There must be something—”

“No. There’s no time. Go!” Adrien urged.

She nodded and moved towards a back door, stealing one last glance at the boy over her shoulder. He’s Chat Noir. He’ll be fine. This would be so much easier if he remembered, though.

Marinette checked that the hallway was clear before transforming into Ladybug and making her way back outside. Landing on the roof of the school, she surveyed the situation. Recyclops must have moved to a new target, but a small, lively forest remained, terrorizing the school grounds. Below her, Chat batted vines away from some students that weren’t quick enough to escape.

Ladybug landed behind her partner. “M’lady,” Chat Noir greeted, “What’s a flower like you doing among thorns like this?”

“Focus, Chat,” she chided, grabbing hold of the students and guiding them towards a nearby open door. Ladybug recognized it as the classroom Adrien had pulled her into only a few minutes ago. He must have transformed as soon as she left and joined the fight while she made her way out through the back.

Closing the door behind the students, Ladybug turned around just in time to see a leafy vine wrap around her partner—who had been distracted trying to glimpse her reaction to the room they had just been in—and pull him into the canopy.

Hanging upside down, Chat Noir offered her a guilty smile as he swayed.

“Now’s not the time to have to rescue kittens from trees!” Ladybug called as her yoyo collided with the vine and freed him.

“Trunk you for the rescue.” The heroine rolled her eyes. “Let’s stop beating around the bush and get to the root of the problem. He went West.”

Instead of responding, Ladybug jumped to the roof. The akuma had already transformed most of Paris into a giant hedge maze, the streets barely visible below. Finding Recyclops was going to be difficult.

Chat’s tail flicked as he crouched next to her overlooking the city. “Well, I’m stumped. What’s the plan, m’lady?”

“Stay out of the maze and stick together. We need to lure him out without being caught in a trap ourselves.” Ladybug caught Chat’s smirk at her unintentional pun before setting her eyes back on the horizon. A plastic bag drifted through the wind only to be plucked out of the sky by a vine. “I think I have plan. But we are going to have to do some recycling.”

Ladybug had had a lot of strange plans, but none quite as strange as turning Chat Noir into a giant piece of garbage. Her partner was covered in plastic water bottles that she had borrowed from the school’s recycle bin.

“Why do I always have to be the bait?” the cat whined.

“Because you’re cute and sappy. It’s the perfect combination.” Ladybug tried to conceal her smug expression as Chat Noir’s face reddened. She waited for a response, but her partner was still blushing and avoiding her gaze. Ladybug pursed her lips. How am I supposed to flirt with a guy who doesn’t think I’m interested even though he thought I was his girlfriend 3 days ago and just forgot?

“Let’s leaf.” Ladybug resisted the urge to slap a hand over her face. This is where she was at now. Making puns. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts. Akuma. Focus on the akuma.

Next to her, Chat Noir was trying and failing to steady his heart beat. Be. A. Cool. Cat. Coooool.

The pair set of across the rooftops, careful to avoid any creeping stems until they reached the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug shivered at the unsettling silence. Most akumas could be located through their taunts to the heros. Recyclops, however, was choosing to hide in the shadows. The pair exchanged a nod before Ladybug swung up to the rafters to wait. Chat Noir clanked his baton against the rails as he dropped a an extra bottle on the ground. Just as Ladybug suspected, vines started creeping up and leaves began to rustle.

“Now, I don’t mean to bark up the wrong tree, but why do you care so much about a piece of plastic?” Chat smashed one of the vines trying to wrap around his ankle.

A recycle symbol hit the plastic bottle that Chat Noir had dropped, turning it into a flower.

“Nice to see you branching out,” the hero said as Recyclops emerged. “Let me guess, you want to harvest my miraculous?”

“You have no respect for the planet!” the akuma called floating above Chat Noir. “I speak for the Earth who has no voice. Humans are bad for the environment, and I plan to show them the errors of their ways.”

Ladybug studied their opponent as the duo below her engaged. Recyclops’ yellow boots and gloves were an eye sore against the rest of his blue and green suit, but nothing stood out as a potential akumatized item. The only option was his blue helmet which covered his eyes and featured a white recycling symbol.

“I can be a little rough around the hedges, but I think you’d like me if you got to know me.” Chat leaned on his batton, sending the akuma a playful wink.

“I wish I could recycle your jokes!” Recyclops yelled, hurling a stick at him.

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say that you don’t have a good sense of humor to begin with.”

At that, the akuma sent all sorts of plants towards Chat Noir. Ladybug swooped down, knocking her partner off his feet and barely dodging the torrent of thorns.

She smiled down at him and said, “You know, I never heard you say timber when you fell for me.”

Chat remained sprawled on the floor as she got up to ward off Recyclops. This is it, he thought. I’ve died and gone to heaven.

Despite her distracted partner, it wasn’t long before Ladybug had Recyclops tangled in his own vines and she was cleansing the unwelcomed bug.

“Pound it,” the heroes exchanged their signature fist bump.

“Recycling is really important,” Ladybug said, helping the akuma victim to his feet, “I’ll talk to Mayor Bourgeois about opening more recycling centers around Paris.”

“It’s never too late to turn over a new leaf,” Chat piped in. The heroine rolled her eyes as her partner failed to contain his smug grin.

“Well, bug out!” Ladybug removed her yoyo to return to her civilian life but was stopped by a hand on her arm.

“Ma- Lady,” Chat Noir froze, forgetting what he wanted to say after almost saying her name. Her eyes locked with his, and he could feel himself losing his footing in a sea of blue. He longed to kiss her, but knew that he had to wait until he heard his name from her lips once again. In attempt to satisfy the urge, he swooped down and pressed a kiss to her hand instead.

The world around them stopped. Ladybug didn’t withdraw hand like usual, and Chat Noir was still at a loss of what to say or do. His fingers ached to interlace with hers, but he could hardly move, let alone breathe as he gazed at her.

Think! Adrien’s brain screamed. Say something! Say anything!

“You, uh… You look really pretty today.” Dumbass, she looks pretty everyday!

“Thanks!” Ladybug squeaked, a tint of pink seeping out from underneath her mask.

The boy continued to stare at her unable to function and still holding her hand.

“I-got-to-go-now-bye!” Chat Noir barely caught her string of words before she turned and left. He watched her disappear in the distance, his fingers tingling where hers had just been.

#miraculous ladybug #oblivio #oblivio fic #ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #chat noir #adrien agreste #ladynoir #adrienette #my fic #ml spoilers #akuma #original akuma #that was inspired by the office #because i'm not that original #not easily forgotten #i can't believe how popular this story has gotten #i feel so validated #thanks for all the comments reblogs and notes <3

99 notes · View notes

snovaness · 6 years

Text

Living at U.A

Part 2 is up: http://scorpionbite.tumblr.com/post/175895425919/living-at-ua-pt-2

Part 3: http://scorpionbite.tumblr.com/post/175953456369/living-at-ua-pt-3

Your father hasn’t always been there for you so when he submitted a recommendation for you to enter U.A hero course it shocked you. Your father may be the number one hero in the United States but he was nowhere near number one father. In your opinion he probably couldn’t even be on the top thousand list. Despite his neglectful nature even he had enough sense to see how powerful your quirk was and to him his offspring deserved to go to the best hero course available. Meaning he was sending you off to japan.

“Mom I know like maybe 500 phrases of Japanese! Couldn’t you have dad send me to school in a country where I at least know the language? Spain, France, Canada, Mexico, Italy! The list goes on but Japan?!” Your mother scurried around the house packing everything she believe you needed for your stay at U.A’s dorms. “Oh (y/n), dear, please your father wants what’s best for you. Your Japanese is great your language tutor said so herself.” You scoffed “well of course she did. You guys are paying her more than the average Quirkless person makes in 2 months in 2 sessions.” Money didn’t matter to your parents because they were rich now. Ever since your father became number one hero the paychecks kept rolling in meaning that anything you wanted you had. The problem was that the only real thing you wanted was for you and your parents to act like a real family for once.

“Ma, please stop packing. I don’t need all this stuff. I don’t need the best hero course. All I want is to stay here with you.” She paused for a moment and then quickly brushed off what you had to say to grab more useless items for you to take. After she was finished packing your things she rushed you to get ready in order to leave for Japan in an hour. The airport for pro hero’s was only 15 minutes away from your house so once you were ready it was time to go and meet up with your father. He was already at the private airport waiting to take you. “Are you ready? Your mother and I will be joining you on your flight and be staying in our vacation home we just bought near Tokyo. You’ll be staying in the dorms with the rest of your classmates luckily they have an extra room for you to make your own.”

To say this trip was exhausting is an understatement. 15 hours of pure torture from having to listen to your parents argue, snore, complain, and worst of all talk about you. “(Y/n), first order of hero business is to go to the vacation home and get cleaned up. Your items will be sent to U.A during that time and then we’ll head over there in order for you to be introduced to your new classmates. I know it’ll be odd since you’re a transfer student but remember… you’re a/an (l/n) and we’re always number one!” You got out of the car rolling your eyes at your father's speech. He’s not even in the top five number one heroes of the world anymore you thought to yourself. As you got ready your mother came in and dropped off a new cell phone “it has a Japanese phone number so you can talk freely with your new classmates. It has mine and your father’s numbers already saved. Plus you have Anthony’s number there too in case your father and I don't pick up, you know his assistant always does.” Shoving the phone into your jeans you follow her out the door. Stopping in front of what seems to be the main office of the school you notice your door open. A few feet ahead of you, you see a small mouse like creature in a suit. “Hello, I am principal Nezu. You must be (l/n) (f/n), it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m very glad that you are the new addition to our class 1-A hero course. Your homeroom teacher will be Mr. Aizawa here. If you follow him he will introduce you to the rest of your class while your parents and I finish discussing what you’ll be learning over your time at U.A.” You follow the man with shaggy black hair to a different part of the school.

“I do not tolerate misbehavior. I don’t have the time nor the energy to spend on kids that are not serious about becoming a pro hero. I will not hesitate to expel you no matter who your father is and most importantly I need you to submit your hero name and costume to the front office by the end of the week. I’m sure your father already has a lot of that planned for you but I need you to present your hero name to the class on Monday.” He stopped talking the movement you arrived at the door to enter the building. It seemed as if everyone was already aware that they would be getting a new class member because a group of about 18 kids sat waiting in the common room. “Class this is your new classmate (l/n) (f/n) they’re from the United States which is very different culturally than it is here so please make them feel welcomed and help them whenever they do something wrong. That’s it. Your parents will stop by to wish you goodbye I guess. I’m going to go take a nap now. Don’t bother me until Monday” he zipped himself up in a yellow sleeping bag and inched away from the building. You couldn’t believe that he just left you there standing awkwardly with nothing to say.

“As class representative I, Iida will introduce myself first. It is great to meet you! We will all enjoy having class with you!” After his introduction everyone else started to come up to you and tell you their name. You thought you had met everyone until a blonde boy came out of the elevator with another boy who had half white half red hair. “Who the hell are you?!” The blonde one asked. “I’m (l/n) (f/n) I just transferred here.” You turn to the other boy noticing that he looked a little familiar. “Todoroki Shoto, this is Bakugo Katsuki, don’t worry he’s like this with everyone.” Your face lit up at the mention of his last name. “Oh I’ve heard much about you Todoroki! Your mother is a lovely woman! She is actually friends with my mother. I haven’t seen her in a little over a year I hope she is doing well.” Shoto seemed uneasy after mentioning you knew his mother. He was not use to having people know about his personal life and told himself the next time you’re alone he will ask you about your relationship with his mother.

174 notes · View notes

psychiccupid · 6 years

Note

All the asks

YES. THANK YOU. BLESSED.

1. What is you middle name?

Nicole! It works really well with my birthname, but not so well with my new name!

2. How old are you?

Turning 24 in December!!

3. What is your birthday?

December 5th, 1994!!!

4. What is your zodiac sign?

Sagittarius!!

5. What is your favorite color?

YELLOW > PINK >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Orange>Red>Brown>WhiteI like warm colors...

6. What’s your lucky number?

Don’t have one!

7. Do you have any pets?

Not like, under my name or responsibility! But back home I’ve got two cats! Sophi and Cleo!!!

8. Where are you from?

I was born in Arrowhead, Arizona and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona until I went to college in Flagstaff, Arizona and finally escaped that state in January of 2018 lol

9. How tall are you?

Fuck if I know but also 5′3″

10. What shoe size are you?

8 1/2!!!

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Maybe 10?? Nah, less. 2 sneakers, 1 work provided shoes, 2 heels, 2 boots, 1 flip flops but I loooooooooove shoes... love to actually wear them someday.

12. What was your last dream about?

Almost all of my dreams are “adventure dreams” where I go on a grand adventure in a new world. I can only remember bits a pieces but they’re all the hero’s journey with different settings and circumstances. Sometimes I’m a warrior - more often than not I’m a spy - sometimes a super hero. I honestly think they’re all real and my conscious life is just a villain keeping me at bay.

13. What talents do you have?

I have so many talents!!! Like I can’t even describe how talented I can be!!! I am a phenomenal musician. My best instruments are mallet-piano-like ones: Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibraphone etc.. I have been playing the violin since I was 4 and while I’m not a master at it I can carry a tune. I am a pretty great singer (so I think at least) and sound exactly like Mandy Moore. I was also the drum major for my marching band (the person who conducts). I can also play the alto saxophone and to a much lesser extent: all woodwinds. I love music so much!!! I can also act and improv really well! I’ve been in many school plays but never as a main character so I don’t know for sure, but I’ve been the leader of the chorus many, many times. I’m a great manager!!! I won an award for the best crew head for costumes (which is my dream job) which is costume management and backstage quick changes! And if I don’t sound egotistical enough, I’m very good at it. And finally (I promise) I’m really amazing with numbers. I can memorize dates and sequences really well and recite them almost rhythmically (like music and I also think this is why I’m good at music). I know everyone’s birthday, and anniversaries, and I can name 21 digits of pi at the drop of a hat. Look, all I’ve ever wanted to be was famous ok? lol

14. Are you psychic in any way?

Not that I can prove. I can see ghosts? And I feel like I give luck to people? But nothing like mind reading or telekinesis.

15. Favorite song?

+♂ by GigaP as sung by Len Kagamine!

16. Favorite movie?

Listen... not only have I had a Tangled themed room... and over 24 things of Rapunzel merchandise... but I get a picture with Rapunzel or go see her show every time I can.

17. Who would be your ideal partner?

One that gets me and lets me do what I want but also makes me laugh and takes me on adventures. I have no ideal partner - they’ll show themselves when I need them.

18. Do you want children?

Yes I do!! I would like 2!

19. Do you want a church wedding?

No I do not but I am going to have a beach wedding and probably have a friend make a fun wedding and just get married via court but have a fun joke wedding. My dress is gonna be Rapunzel’s wedding dress (or at least themed off of it).

20. Are you religious?

Not in the slightest - but I’d like to be? I’d love to believe in something.

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?

Yes, twice! Once for cracking my head open lol. Once for getting strep throat in places that aren’t my throat.

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?

No, but I’ve been threatened lol. (Like, was threatened to have to police called on me).

23. Have you ever met any celebrities?

I go to conventions lol

24. Baths or showers?

Showers!! Had a traumatic scorpion-in-the-bathtub-while-I-was-bathing scenario as a kid and I never looked back.

25. What color socks are you wearing?

Black and that’s all I ever wear.

26. Have you ever been famous?

No but I WANNA BE.

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?

YES.

28. What type of music do you like?

ALL.

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

No and I really would like to...

30. How many pillows do you sleep with?

One and ONE ONLY YOU HETHANS

31. What position do you usually sleep in?

I am forever the jetpack to your little spoon!

32. How big is your house?

I don’t have one... my apartment is p average though?

33. What do you typically have for breakfast?

A Banana!

34. Have you ever fired a gun?

Yes, once. A hunting rifle that my dad hid away and told me was dangerous. When I was ten he asked me if I wanted to shoot it, Carli (my sister) said yes and I tried it. Wasn’t bad wasn’t good. I prefer archery.

35. Have you ever tried archery?

Oh shit that was unintentional lolol yeah I own a bow and arrow set that I use all the time!!!

36. Favorite clean word?

Via!!! Dunno why I just love it!

37. Favorite swear word?

Fuck is the perfect word always and everyone who says otherwise is lying.

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

God I think I’ve done 60+ hours before? But I’ve gone many nights of like - don’t sleep one night sleep the next don’t sleep the next.

39. Do you have any scars?

Yes! I super injured myself on a brick and cut my leg open and the bruise will never leave.

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

I don’t... actually know the answer to this question????

41. Are you a good liar?

Yes. Incredibly. If I want to lie I can do it with no problem because I just convince myself it’s the truth!

42. Are you a good judge of character?

I would like to think yes but I’m a little too trusting honestly.

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?

Yes. I’m a voice actor I’ve had professional dialect training. (ok so it was a college class - but yes).

44. Do you have a strong accent?

It is very western-american. Lot’s of “y’alls” and removin’ the g’s of off ‘ing’.

45. What is your favorite accent?

I don’t?? Have one??

46. What is your personality type?

Cute, Quirky, and unique beyond anything you can imagine.

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?

If accessories count - my ring. If not then my prom dress!

48. Can you curl your tongue?

Yes, easily.

49. Are you an innie or an outie?

Innie!

50. Left or right handed?

Right but I trained myself to be ambidextrous!

51. Are you scared of spiders?

Not at all! They are our friends!!

52. Favorite food?

Bean n Cheese burritos followed immediately by Sushi.

53. Favorite foreign food?

... Bean and Cheese burritos followed immediately by sushi??? I don’t think America has any food that I like that originated here??? Ok I looked up a list there’s plenty of food that I like but none that I ever crave or wouldn’t take nearly anything else over?

54. Are you a clean or messy person?

Messy as all get out that then proceeds to explode when I’m messy and needs it to be clean.

55. Most used phrased?

Hmmm... I don’t really have one??

56. Most used word?

Definitely absolutely either “fuck” or “love”!

57. How long does it take for you to get ready?

Anywhere between 5 minutes to 2 hours and everything in between!

58. Do you have much of an ego?

Honestly no. I quite despise myself and find me gross and unattractive in all forms (emotional, physical and sensual). However, I know my strengths I just don’t wanna make it.

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?

Suck and this is a dumb question? lol

60. Do you talk to yourself?

All the time.

61. Do you sing to yourself?

ALL THE TIME.

62. Are you a good singer?

Yes. I. Am.

63. Biggest Fear?

Fatal Car Crush.

64. Are you a gossip?

YES!!!!!!!!

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?

Love, Simon. Tangled?

66. Do you like long or short hair?

All hair is good.

67. Can you name all 50 states of America?

Yes because I was raised in this brainwashing country and I can sing a song about it.

68. Favorite school subject?

That wasn’t lunch or extracurricular: Math.

69. Extrovert or Introvert?

Extrovert all day!

70. Have you ever been scuba diving?

No but I would LOVE TO!!!!

71. What makes you nervous?

Literally everything????

72. Are you scared of the dark?

Not at all!!! I love the dark actually. I prefer the light more but dark is good too.

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?

Only if I am in a position where I feel like I can correct them? Like I’m not gonna correct a manager but I’ll correct a coworker (nicely lol).

74. Are you ticklish?

Incredibly but I can turn it off??

75. Have you ever started a rumor?

Not on purpose but yes.

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?

Many times and I like it a lot.

77. Have you ever drank underage?

Yeah but honestly never enough that I ever would’ve gotten in trouble ahaha

78. Have you ever done drugs?

Nope but I’ve been in lots of rooms with lots of different things

79. Who was your first real crush?

All my crushes have been valid as heck so preschool crush RJ

80. How many piercings do you have?

Just my ears!

81. Can you roll your Rs?

Yes I can!

82. How fast can you type?

95 words a minute with minimal mistakes. If I’m not tired and my nails are cut? No mistakes at all!

83. How fast can you run?

Definitely not as fast as I can type lolol - I couldn’t tell you at my best I ran the mile in 11 minutes at the worst 16. (over a 6? year testing span)

84. What color is your hair?

Currently my natural color which is brown it used to be bright pink and I’m sad it’s gone and I’m gonna dye it blonde soon!

85. What color is your eyes?

I call them Green. But they’re gray/blue/green!

86. What are you allergic to?

Nothing! Maybe milk??

87. Do you keep a journal?

I keep like 5?

88. What do your parents do?

Ohohohoh! My mom is a design center manager at Interior logic and my dad is a freelance carpenter who is building a house in Colorado for their retirement!

89. Do you like your age?

I do!

90. What makes you angry?

Literally everything involving politics???

91. Do you like your own name?

NO THAT’S WHY I CHANGED IT. NOW I LOVE IT!

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?

I have 2!!! My firstborn son is going to be named Liam Clancy no ifs ands or buts!!! and then I also like Ezra Gregory but I’m not as picky on that one! I really want girl names in my brain but I have none :c Amber Marie is nice but too southern lol

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?

Yes. lol

94. What are you strengths?

I am determined. I am not a quitter. I can be spit at and slapped by life and you will never see me give up. I am kind. I can forgive. I am passionate. I am creative. I am positive.

95. What are your weaknesses?

I do not take care of myself. I will stretch too thin. I am constantly running late. I am lazy. I am depressed. I am not happy. I will never be satisfied.

96. How did you get your name?

Parents liked it - And then I found many different symbolisms for a star in my life and once Star vs the Forces of Evil happened and I knew that name could be a thing I changed it!!

97. Were your ancestors royalty?

I have no idea but I’d love to find out!!!

98. Do you have any scars?

You asked this already.

99. Color of your bedspread?

Seafoam Blue and I miss my Tangled bed lol

100. Color of your room?

White because it’s a Disney apartment lol my room in my parents house was dark blue because I wanted to paint a forest in it and draw a bunch of owls.

#WHOOOO #LONG #I'M REALLY TIRED IF YOU'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH ANSWERS COME SEEK ME OUT #ME #ABOUT ME #Anonymous

5 notes · View notes

maudanouk · 3 years

Text

ACT I - ABOUT VEIL AND IMAGE

EXT. GARDEN - DAWN

LENNY arrives at the WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE. Here is the garden and around it some flower beds, a space cultivated for flowers for Margot, to make a spray for her hair, to perfume the sheets.[2] The WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE embraces him warmly with its garden.

WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE

Every man must create it new and different out of himself: new and different. [3] Once on a June evening, in those long gone years when the ends of days sank into silence, I was waiting for a total eclipse of the sun on a terrace facing a garden, overlooking the foliage of a maple tree. [4] And I thought of you Lenny. In the sudden darkness I saw you, hidden behind a veil, the massive walls of the Vatican Palace. A faceless silhouette.

LENNY

I have no image [...] because I am no one.[6] To become like everybody else; but this, precisely, is a becoming only for one who knows how to be nobody, to no longer be anybody. [9] And so, for my first adress the lightning was so dim, no photographer, no TV cameraman, and not even the faithful saw anything of me but a dark shadow, my silhouette. They did not see me because I do not exist.[10] The prim speech imposed upon them, the lessons in good behaviour, the veil of mystery you profess to hang before their eyes, serve but to stimulate their curiosity. [7] In being everywhere and nowhere I was [...] the object of much social curiosity; people payed attention to this, spoke about it, remembered it.[8] Now that I am pressed on all sides, I maintain my equilibrium, because, no longer attached to anything, I depend on myself alone.[10]I love the immediate presence of him who is in possession of no space other than that in which I exist.[11] I keep praying for You to make something happen so why this awful, crawling feeling that nothing ever does? [11]I either hardly feel it, or don't feel it at all.[12] God does not shout. God does not whisper. God does not write. God does not hear. God does not chat. God's infinite silence...[13] I said to myself: Why should I strive to find what does not exist? [14] By extending myself precariously I exist, outside of the stability where the other subject remains asleep or dead. [15] And in the end I only thought of her[16], my Margot. I don’t know her yet but you will help me find her.

WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE (hesistates)

The new is born of the old; the new is only the repetition of the old.[5] What you’re looking for is a complete inversion. Again a mystery, a face that is not yours but this time it will not be no image but all image. The new self is constructed from a triple contingency: faith and doubt; hope that will be happy at an indeterminate time; bonds of unconditional Love.[18] When i watched the total eclipse of the sun that summer evening it soon became dark and an eclipse wind, like a wave, had risen when suddenly from the neighbouring house burst forth a sort of wild dance, with the strange, biting, astringent sound of Pan’s pipes. Young people were celebrating some festival, they had confused shadow with twilight and were playing as night fell. However much one knows about it, the veiling of the sun’s light is disturbing and transports one to another world. [18] I saw you cover up in darkness and now i see you longing for the unveiling of the sun. And in this twilight a party shall rise so that the heart, that obscure, celestial flower, undergoes a mysterious blossoming. 19]That is the only way great loves stories are born and I don't want any more part time believers.[20]

ACT II - ABOUT BEES AND HONEY

EXT. GARDEN - MORNING

LENNY discovers a garden in this Genesis, naturally, and in this garden only the apple tree interests him, tempts him: he can see its flowers.[21] He walks towards the tree. The WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE is observing him. As LENNY reaches for one of the blossoms a bee flies out of it.

LENNY

But how can i find my Margot in this city still so strange to me?

WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE

You have to understand what she likes. Margot is the bee and you are her honey. What does Margot like?

LENNY (looking at the flowers)

Margot likes wind in her hair and salt cristals on her skin, lace and hoodies, rings on her fingers and flowers in her hair, black panthers and partridges, walking barefoot on wet grass and wearing mid calf boots, day dreaming and ADHD, dancing underground and sleeping in white sheets, birch trees and skyscrapers, gel nails and knitting, smocking and drinking tee, equal rights and mini skirts, her birthday and celebrating christmas with her family, a Ferrari Portofino and umberella pine trees, Fellinis Roma and Mario Cart, Los Angeles and Palermo, seashells and pinecones, Zorra by Bad Gyal and playing the Bach Suite Nr. 1 on her Cello, passion fruits and rough fights, oranges and jeweled persian rice, fig trees and Coke, dry white wine and soft cheese, creaky parquet and soft carpets, stone basins and hot springs, ....

WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE

The mask does not hide the face, it is the face.[21] Your new face should combine all these elements to a story. You become invisible by making, on the contrary, a lot of noise.[22] [...] the veil of mystery you profess to hang before their eyes, serve but to stimulate their curiosity[23]. In being everywhere and nowhere [...] the object of much social curiosity[24] people will pay attention to it, speak about it, remember it. And I will be the embodiment of your story the place where all elements manifest in a happening. A great feast Margot will want to attend.

ACT III - THE INVITATION

INT. MARGOTS MURCIELAGO - AFTERNOON

A downpour of summer rain patters on the front window. MARGOT is waiting at a red light. Her phone buzzes and she opens the message.

TEXT ON SCREEN

My darling friends, there’s one spectacular party in the making! Join us tonight at the Wittgenstein House to another glass of white wine under the fig trees, eating fresh fish on soft carpets next to blossoming anthuries. Glowing cheeks from dancing till dawn. Bring a delicate, floating, spring bouquet of florets in new leaf green, cherry blossom pink, and marigold yellow[25] and we’ll serve everything else. XOXO EROS (Gossip Girl, Prince Charming, SHY GIRL, haha)

ACT IV - THE PARTY

EXT. THE CITY INT. AVAS FERRARI PORTOFINO - SUNSET

The rain had stopped. The water evaporated on the hot asphalt and left a sultry summer evening air. AVAs car is speeding down the Ringstrasse. The roof of the cabrio is folded down and the wind blows through their hair.

AVA (lost in thought)

Do you think EROS will attend the party today? I wish we’d find out who’s behind all this uproar. Maybe it’s one of our friends hiding behind a second persona. It would make sense because EROS seems to like all the things we do.

MARGOT

Some weeks ago we’ve never heard about him and now he's everywhere. Noise, ruckus, rumors spread.[27] I’ve heard the parties are supposed to be unique in its kind and his face, enveloped by a more or less dense veil[26] has sparked many suspicions. (sighs) I think he looks like Hauru, wearing drop earrings made of rubies and emeralds combined [...] dripping down[27] his lobe, a radiant boy [...] his blonde chin length hair making him the cynosure of all eyes.[27]

AVA shakes her head and starts laughing.

EXT. THE SITE - RADIATION INTO NEIGHBOURHOOD - SUNSET

It’s dark but the garden is enlightened by the colourful lights emerging the windows. The WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE is radiant and reaching in all directions, emitting visual, audible and perceptible vibrations. The air smells of Un Jardin en Méditerranée. The Ferrari Portofino enters the SITE. AVA and MARGOT step out of it. Instantly they are surrounded by an electric atmosphere. People get chauffeured around in Mercedes Benz with Cristal champagne.[28] On inspecting the entrance facade, you can discover a series of metaphors and symbolic signs.[29] It would be too strong to call this fantasy a portal to Hell, but it is surely no entrance to a Heavenly Jerusalem[30]. AVA and MARGOT join the stream of guests walking through the garden towards the WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE greeting, kissing, hugging.

INT. THE ENTRANCE - APERO - THE FIRST IMPRESSION - SUNSET

The party begins as people are moving in, gathering in the entrance hall and taking a stand up cocktail.[31] There is champagne, caviar and fireworks.[32] Ahead, some distance from the entrance, is a great mural of brilliant color.[33] Opulent Ornaments, heavy textiles, reflecting surfaces. The materials come from the everyday domestic sphere, much having to do with ornamenting the body: copper and brass wire, buttons, beads, baubles, hooks, eyes, straps, false fingernails, makeup, hair, ribbons, lace, thread, shells, feathers, and bones. The amulets are fetishes, beautiful ornamental objects, and they are connected to the fetishism of architectural representation.[34]

WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE (whispering to the YOUNG POPE)

This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. First Impressions are made. About me as the entrance always affects the following impression of the whole house and about you. Especially Margots first impression of you. I am preparing you, bit by bit, so that, at the desired moment, I can give you the final instructions and have it all fall into place.[35]

MARGOT (whispering)

Ava! Look at this man sitting on the seashell sofa in the garden. He’s knitting all alone while everybody else is clinking glasses.

AVA (teasing)

Why don’t you bring him a glass of Prosecco. I know it, I feel it, and you will say it.[35]

MARGOT (concentrated)

You just know me too well and yes, he is cute.

EXT. THE GARDEN - THE TALK ABOUT LOVE - SUNSET

MARGOT walks over to the LENNY carrying a glass of prosecco. Rising up in a warm haze, the innumerable modern statues towered on their pillars half way up the golden webs of sunset.[36] The garden is a collection of living beauties, rare Plants, exotic Flowers and Fruits. The trees are old and high and in between long white cotton cloths are hanging in the trees, blowing in the wind, rendering shadow plays. LENNY is sitting in the seashell sofa sheltered from the wind, warm sunbeams began to play, streams to flow, and groves of pines diversified the rocks. [37] MARGOT hands him the glass.

MARGOT (laughing)

Hello strange man, what are you knitting?

LENNY

Some of the more exotic plants have to be taken indoors for protection from the cold night air and swaddled in thick woollen garments.[38]

MARGOT We have, indeed, become a flower growing people.[39] So you’re actually a textile and dress designer[40] for plants of all kinds. (laughs)

LENNY

When, on a summer evening, the melodious sky growls like a tawny lion, and everyone is complaining of the storm, it is the memory of the Meseglise way that makes me stand alone in ecstasy, inhaling, through the noise of the falling rain, the lingering scent of invisible lilacs.[41] Or when I reach out to touch a fragile tree and blossoming spicules float downwards and fade, each with its clear, tiny tinkle.[42] These are the moments I cherish most. I am in love with them and that is why I take care of them.

MARGOT (hesistating)

But for me love is not only loving and caring. It fun when it starts getting way more complex. It is raucous, low, full, pleading, vulgar, sharp, cutting, jovial, harmonious, commanding, harrowing, seductive, explosive or irritated[...] noble, high pitched, servile, majestic, ample, sick, affronted, clothed in silence, echoing with the sea or forest, undercut by the twittering of birds, howling like a wild beast, [... ]asking questions and saying come here, an alarming voice, broken, sobbing [43].

LENNY (sighs)

Until now I’v only got to know a more one-sided monotonous love but thats another story. I’d be excited to get to know your kind of love.

MARGOT (excited)

Oh look over there! It’s a real black panther prowling through the peach trees!

EXT. WINTER GARDEN - DAWN

People are appearing in the open doors of the WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE following the excited call of MARGOT. People start bringing out plates with all kinds of foods. The WITTGENSTEING HOUSE opens all the windows that all the curtains flow in the summer breeze. A stone basin appears and now the air is filled by lapping and cricket chirping.

INT. SALON - DANCING AND TEASING - NIGHT

After eating the WITTGENSTEIN HOUSE starts playing Promiscuous Girl by Nelly Furtado. Slowly the dancefloor is filled with curiously dancing people. Tossing their hands in a wanton and lascivious manner, rolling around, twerking. MARGOT catches LENNYs eye and they dance towards each other.

SPEAKERS

♪ Promiscuous girl You're teasing me You know what I want And I got what you need ♪

MARGOT (smiling)

Feeling a little afraid is normal when facing something new, in a place or in a way you’ve never experienced before.[44] You don’t look like you’ve ever danced before. SPEAKERS

♪ Promiscuous boy Let's get to the point Cause we're on a roll Are you ready? ♪

LENNY (laughing)

You’re not that wrong with this assumption but you dance the way you love, it seems. Raucous, full, pleading, vulgar, sharp, cutting, jovial, harmonious, commanding, harrowing, seductive, explosive.[45] SPEAKERS

♪ Wait... I don't mean no harm I can see you with my t-shirt on ♪

LENNY takes MARGOS hand and twirls her around. SPEAKERS

♪ I can see you with nothing on Feeling on me before you bring that on ♪

[2] Serres, The Parasite

[3] Deleuze, Francis Bacon The Logic of Sensation

[4] Serres, The Five Senses

[5] Serres, Hermes Literature Science Philosophy

[6] The Young Pope

[7] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[8] Foucault, The History of Sexuality Volume 2

[9] Deleuze Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus

[10] The Young Pope, (Grammatics changed)

[10] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[11] Serres, The Five Senses

[11] The Young Pope

[12] Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations

[13] Aquinas, Summa Theologica

[14] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[15] Serres, The Five Senses

[16] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[18] Serres, The Five Senses

[18] Serres, Branches

[19] Hugo, Les Miserables

[20] The Young Pope

[21] Deleuze Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus

[22] Serres, The Parasite

[23] Rousseau, Collected Works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

[24] Foucault, The History of Sexuality Volume 2

[25] Kassinger, Slime

[26] Deleuze, Cinema 1 The Movement Image

[27] Serres, Troubadour of Knowledge

[27] Rand, The Fountainhead

[27] Hovestadt Buehlmann, Quantum City

[28] Hovestadt Buehlmann, Quantum City

[29] Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968

[30] Frankl, The Gothic

[31] Schumacher, The Autopoiesis of Architecture Vol 2

[32] Carter, Anthony Blunt His Lives

[33] Ockmann, Architecture Culture 1943 1968

[34] Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968

[35] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[35] The Young Pope

[36] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol IV Sodom and Gomorrah

[37] Wollstonecraft, Complete Works

[38] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol II Within a Budding Grove

[39] Gothein, A History of Garden Art

[40] Callan, Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers

[41] Proust, In Search of Lost Time Vol I Swanns Way

[42] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology

[43] Serres, The Five Senses

[44] Del Toro, Cabinet of Curiosities

[45] Serres, The Five Senses

0 notes

jolienjoyswriting · 4 years

Text

Electrical Distubance, Ch. IV

Chapter 4 of "Electrical Disturbance," a Rockman (Dr. Chou Numbers universe) fan fiction story.

I sure do love worldbuilding. I'm also a big fan of world-wrecking, it seems.

Word count: 3,296 – Character count: 19,020 Originally written: July 18th, 2020

Kaitlin quickly finds herself on the wrong end of gun as she tries to figure out what's going on.

Elecman, Thomas Right, Roll, Blues/Breakman, “Rockman,” and related characters and concepts created by various people and © Capcom Co, Ltd. "Dr. Chou Numbers" concept and related characters and concepts created by and © Jussy Kaitlin/Thundergirl created by and © KaitlinEXE

[ ↶ Prev. Story | ← Prev. Chapter | Next Chapter → | Next Story ↷ ]

The room fell silent. Well, silent… apart from the maniacal cackling that filled it. Kaitlin had just dropped a bombshell on the room by announcing herself as a Wily-‘bot. Dr. Right and Roll were positively agog with surprise. Elecman, however… “I know what’s going on!” He went full-aggro on the girl!

“Elecman, no!” Dr. Right shouted as the robot charged an electrical attack. “I must have infected her with a time-release program during our regrettable skirmish in Nevada! She thinks she’s one of Wily’s machines – I must make this right!” Elecman took a fighting pose and put his hands over his chest, one above and one below, both pointing opposite directions. As he slid the two across each other, a loud crackle of energy sparked to life between them. In the next second, his hands went over his head in preparation… “This is for your own good, Thundergirl! Thunder Beam!!” Then, he threw them outward in an open-clam position, sending a powerful bolt across the room and… “Nooooo…!!” Straight into Roll’s waiting chest.

Once again, the room went entirely silent. Even Kaitlin, who was completely convinced she was going to be zapped, stood in awe of what had happened. “Roll…” Dr. Right weakly called to his creation as she awkwardly lay on the floor. “You dear, sweet child,” Elecman whispered, looking away, “what have you done…” “She… She saved me. She saved me?! Why did she save me?!” Indeed, just as Elecman had prepared to disable Kaitlin with a Thunder Beam… Roll had run in as fast as her feet could carry her, screamed in rejection, launched herself between the two, then crashed into the closet door, clutching her chest and trembling in agony, her body surging, crackling, and smoldering from her younger brother’s attack.

“She saved me…” Kaitlin couldn’t make heads-or-tails of it. “A Right-‘bot saved me from gettin’ zapped…” She fell to her knees, her eyes filling with tears of confusion and another emotion she didn’t quite understand. “I…” “Get away from her!”

Just as Kaitlin was about to pull Roll onto her back… Dr. Right came in swinging! Even though she was only stunned by the coat rack that was smashed against her full-metal head… it was more-than-enough to get her back onto her feet and scurry right out the front door! She didn’t want anything to do with those crazy Rights! “Gotta get outta here…” she panted as she ran even faster than before. “Gotta find a radio…! Gotta call Papa Wily and… and have him save me…! Gotta– ooph!” But, that was going to have to wait…

After being bounced to the ground, Kaitlin looked up… then she shivered with fear. Standing in front of her was a man in a gray jumpsuit with a yellow scarf and red boots and gauntlets. He had a shield on his back and… one very large arm-cannon pointed right at her head. “You have exactly five seconds to explain yourself, Thundergirl,” he told her in a cold voice that lacked any mercy. “After that… I’m going to blow your head off.” A lot of words came out of the frightened girl’s mouth as she stared down the barrel of his glowing plasma weapon. She could feel it scorching her face as it gathered energy for a powerful attack. Naturally, seeing that sort of thing was enough to keep her from saying anything coherent, but when she realized she couldn’t get a word out… “Aaaaahh…!!” She curled into a ball, covered her head, and hoped for a miracle. “Okay. That will do.” And, that’s exactly what she got.

The girl dared to peek through her arms, violently shaking and hyperventilating out of pure, unrestrained fear. Twice, today, she was sure she was going to die and twice, today, she was saved by some unexpected circumstance! If her luck held out… maybe she could be back in the cozy comfort of her papa’s latest castle before sundown! She hoped, anyway…

“Get up.” The sharply flinched, drawn from her thoughts by the man-in-gray. “I said…” A kick to the leg made her yelp. “Get up.” She was quick to follow directions, then. The kick didn’t hurt that much, but it was pretty clear that this man… robot? This person wasn’t screwing around…

“Now…” Kaitlin stood at full attention. Whatever his next order was… she planned to follow it! “Explain… slowly… why you decided to make a mess of my family’s house after the doctor took time out of his day to save your worthless life.” For some reason, the urge to turn it around and call him worthless boiled up inside her. Thankfully… she decided not to act on it. “I-I-I didn’t know he f-fixed me…” she openly admitted with a stutter. “I j-j-just woke up in a s-strange place, s-surrounded by people my dad hates! I was s-scared…” “Liar!” She shrieked as he shouted at her. A second later, she noticed him cross his arms. “Let’s try this, again… Why did you make a mess of my family’s house?” “I… umm…” She hesitated before admitting, “I did it in the name of Dr. Wily…” “Are you one of his creations?” She shrunk before answering, “Y-yes… I… I’m a Special Wily Number. L-like Big Bro Forte and Lost Bro King!” The man in the red helmet and black visor hummed. “Has this always been the case? Wily tends to… ‘find…’ a lot of ‘his’ robots.” “A-as far as I know…?” Unfortunately… she really didn’t know.

“Hmm…” The unnamed man looked to one side as he thought out loud, “You told us you were an amnesiac, but you never told us you were a Wily Number. Why the change-of-heart? Why the change-of-alliance…?” “What?” Kaitlin blinked in confusion. “I-I’ve always been a Wily Number, M-Mister…” “Breakman.” “M-Mister Breakman,” she corrected without hesitation. “Did your… creator… ever specifically tell you of your creation?” “Um… no. B-but, a lot’a my brothers don’t remember bein’ created by Papa Wily, either!” She looked down at the ground, rubbing her arm. “He doesn’t tell us stuff like that ‘cause, even though we think of ourselves as a family, he just sees us as tools… moving from one ‘project’ to the next… B-But, that’s okay, ‘cause we kind of are just tools! People who get attached to ‘tools’ are stupid and wrong! I mean, that white-haired beardo got all freaked-out when Elecman zapped that dumb, blond maid, and–” All positive emotion – not to mention color – brained from the girl’s face as she found her eyesight obscured by the faintly-glowing end of Breakman’s weapon. “Watch your mouth, Thundergirl…” She thought about keeping quiet. However… “W… wh-why?” A question found its way out of her mouth, instead. “I happen to like that Right Number.” He lowered his gun as he added, “She’s the only one who isn’t trying to change me…” “Ch… ‘change you?’” “Never mind.”

Breakman crossed his arms, again, before turning to the side. Even though Kaitlin couldn’t see his eyes through the visor, she knew he was looking at the Right House. She figured he was probably thinking, too, considering how quiet he got…

“Thundergirl.” “Wh-why does everyone keep calling me that?” “What?” He turned her way. She was scowling and looked annoyed. “Why does everyone keep calling me ‘Thundergirl…?’” Kaitlin repeated. “I dunno who that even is! My name is ‘Kaitlin!’ I guess it’s technically Special Wily Number error: Kaitlin… but ‘Kaitlin’ is way less of a mouthful!” Though she was smiling… Breakman was not. “Say that, again,” he half-demanded. “Say what again?” She tilted her head. “‘My name is Kaitlin?’” “Your full name.” “My full name… my… designation, ugh.” She scowled. “It’s Special Wily Number error: Kaitlin. I’m a Special Wily Number just like–” “Again.” Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “I’m… Special Wily Number error: Kaitlin.”

“Thundergirl. Kaitlin, rather…” Breakman leaned to one side, tilting his head. “Are you aware of what you’re saying?” “Of course I am!” She huffed. “What kind of stupid question is that?” The other robot smirked. He liked it when her true personality out-shined her fear. “Say your full designation one more time.” Kaitlin stomped her foot and threw her hands down, losing patience. “I’ll say it five more times if it’ll get you to stop asking!” she shouted. “Okay.” He continued to smirk as he told her, “Go ahead.” So, she did.

“I am Special Wily Number error: Kaitlin, I am Special Wily Number error: Kaitlin, I am Special Wily Number error: Kaitlin, I am… I… w-wait…” A look of fear and confusion came to her face as Breakman’s smirk became a smile. “Why… why don’t I have a number? Why can’t I find my number? Breakman…!” Her anxiety grew into panic and she grabbed the other robot by the shoulders. “Wh-why can I find my Special Wily Number?! Wh-what does that mean?!” “It means…” he started as he knocked her arms away, “you don’t have one. Wily never gave you a number.” “No… No, you’re wrong!” she cried, shaking her head. “I have a number! I-if Big Bro Forte is 1 and Lost Bro King is 2, then… then I’m 3! Zero-zero-three… I am Special Wily Number error!” Her eyes shot open. “I’m Special Wily Number error,” she repeated without meaning to. “No, I’m Special Wily Number error. I-I’m Special Wily Number error! Error!! Eeerr-herr-rooor…!!” “I think that pretty much sums it up, don’t you?” “You…!”

All-at-once, Kaitlin’s confusion, fear, and anxiety turned red-hot and she took a swing at Breakman! To her utter surprise… “Ah…” It connected.

“I… I…” The girl whimpered as she pulled her fist back. Breakman didn’t even so much as flinch when he was struck. Even after-the-fact, all he did was stand there, his head jerked back in the position she’d forced it into and his body in a neutral position. There was one other thing, though…

He wasn’t smiling, anymore.

“Oh, god!!” For some reason, the girl curled into a ball, hugging her head and whimpering in fear instead of running. She was far too panicked to even consider leaving the area. It took her a good minute of cowering before she looked up… but when she did… “Ahh– aah…!” She found herself pulled by the collar of her hoodie.

“Well?” “W… w… w-well…?” the girl stammered, almost too afraid to answer. “Did you get it out of your system?” There was a long pause before she asked, “A-aren’t you mad at me?” “I don’t get mad.” She blinked as he let go of her… only to make a horrible choking sound as his fist forcefully found its way into her stomach. “I get even.”

When he withdrew, she doubled over in pain, tears welling up in her eyes. She hissed and growled, huffing as she pain kept coming. He hadn’t even hit her with that plasma gun, but it sure felt like he did! “You… you sonova…!” “That’s right, Kaitlin.” He grinned. “Get angry.” “You hurt me…!” “You hurt Roll.” “Elecman hurt Roll!” “She got hurt saving you.” “You… you…!” “Me.” “I’ll kill you!!”

A few things happened in the instants that followed Kaitlin’s outburst. Firstly, she found herself on the ground, several paces away, laying there in more pain than before. Secondly, Breakman had pulled his shield around and, as best as she could figure, used it to whack her over to where she was. And, thirdly… “Wh… what…?” Her hands were sparking and crackling with white-hot plasmatic electricity.

“Did I– ow!” Kaitlin tried to get up… only to fall right back down, clutching her mid-section. “Careful,” Breakman warned in a mocking tone. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret.” “What… what did…” She looked at her hands. “What did I just do…?!” “You just lived up to your name, Thundergirl.”

After reeling for a minute, Kaitlin finally got back to her feet. When she did, she noticed… there was a large, veiny sort of scorch mark on Breakman’s shield, as well as something similar on the ground. Between that, the tingling and crackling of her hands, and the constant nickname everyone kept using, she could only come to one conclusion… “Did… did Papa Wily upgrade me into a ‘battle android…?’” For some reason… she started beaming. “This is the best-worst-best birthday, ever…!!” Then, when she tried to pump her fist in the air… “Ow…!!” She collapsed back on the ground, her aching stomach telling her that it wasn’t going to happen.

“Ahem…”

Several moments passed after Kaitlin made her discovery, in which time, she started playing with her newfound power. For example, she spread her fingers and made a current arc from-one-to-the-next… She created a series of small sparks that crackled like fireworks… She even wrote her name in the air with a lovely cursive font! Just as she was starting to enjoy herself, though… Breakman broke in.

“What’s up, Breakman?” she called, still full of mirth despite her head and stomach aching from his counter-attacks. “You’re probably not going to believe this…” he told her, “but, before today, you were galavanting around, passing yourself off as a ‘superhero’ named ‘Thundergirl.’” “Me? A superhero?” The girl blinked her brown eyes. “I could never… Well, maybe…!” As she clapped her hands together and formed a ball of lightning… “Don’t get any funny ideas.” Breakman gave her pause. “I wasn’t doin’ nothin’…” she said, feigning innocence as she popped the ball and started drawing in the dirt with a sweet smile.

“In any case… this isn’t your first visit to the Right Labs compound.” Breakman stepped over as he told her, “A couple of months ago, Dr. Right invited you here to study you.” “That doesn’t sound right!” She slowly got to her feet, hugging her stomach. “Ow… Uh, why would Dr. Right invite me, a Wily-‘bot, to his place? That’d be like Dr. Wily asking Rockman to come over for cake and punch!” She winched from her stomach ache, suddenly wishing she’s said “cake and soda…” “At the time,” he continued, slipping his shield onto his back, “you didn’t announce yourself as a Wily Number.” “What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense, Breakman…” She frowned a little, wincing as her head throbbed. “I’ve always been a Wily Number since… since… why… um… why are there these huge gaps in my memory?” “You’re an amnesiac.” “Don’t get smart with me, Scarf-Boy!” He smirked as she scowled.

“You came back here after fighting a Wily-controlled Elecman, five days ago,” the robot said. “He was simply out-of-commission while you had severe internal damage. Once he was fixed-up, it was your turn to go under-the-knife, so-to-speak.” Kaitlin tilted her head, listening to the story with a doubtful look. “My best guess? The doctor couldn’t help himself and took at peek at your brain.” “My brain…?” “Yep. And, if I had to guess… he screwed something up and set you back to your factory defaults… or at least somewhere around the time Wily first activated you. The question is… whose side are you really on?” “Papa Wily’s, of course! And, with my new electric weapons…” She gave another mean smile before mimicking Elecman’s pose from earlier. “I can be a hero for justice!”

There was an awkward moment where Kaitlin continued to charge and play with her electricity. She kept tossing Breakman glances, hoping for a reaction of some kind. When he didn’t give her one, though… she stopped her movements, put her hands into her hoodie’s front pockets, and sighed, looking away. “Couldn’t you… ya know… at least pretend t’ be scared?” “Scared of what?” Breakman replied. “Of me!” He was grinning when she snapped back… which only made her angrier. “You’re no threat to me,” he told her with that same grin. “Oh, yeah?!” When he nodded, she pulled her hands back out and charged an attack. “You’d better run!” she warned. “I mean it!” Rather than run, though… “Wh… what are you doing?” “Calling your bluff.” Breakman did something crazy.

As Kaitlin held her attack, Breakman nudged his shield off of his back and… to her continued surprise… tossed it some distance away. Then, he held his arms out, away from his body, and made the girl a promise. “If you plan to attack me, Wily Number, then I won’t stop you. I won’t even try and avoid it. I’ll stand right here, with my arms out, and I’ll let you hit me.” “Are… are you insane?!” the girl cried, her face showing anger and befuddlement. “No.” He smirked. “I just don’t think you’ll do it.” “Of course I can!” Her smile returned and she hunkered down. “The Rights are your family, right? So, that makes you my enemy! I’d be doin’ Papa Wily a favor by destroyin’ you with my fancy, new upgrades! He might even reward me! So, why wouldn’t I?” “Because…” She gritted her teeth. Somehow… she knew he’d narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re no threat to me.” “I am too a threat!” “You aren’t.” “I am!” “No, you aren’t.” “I am, I am, I am…!!” “You really aren’t.” “I… I am, though…!” Even though she seemed ready to strike… her resolve was starting to crack.

“I’ll do it!” she told him, sounding less confident than before. “I’ll… I’ll shut you down!” “Go ahead,” the grey-suited robot said in a calm voice. “I’ll… I’ll zap you from-head-to-toe and make you hurt!” “I’m waiting.” “I’ll… I’ll… I-I’ll…” She sighed, canceling her attack. “O-oh, alright, fine. I won’t attack you.” The girl kicked a rock and pouted. “Happy?” “Almost.” “Wha–” “Blues Strike!”

Time stood still as the girl felt something… odd. Her eyes went open and the world seemed to turn to gray. She didn’t know what was going on or how it had happened… All she knew was that she felt kind of a sharp pinch… but only for a second. Then, after what seemed like forever… she felt herself collide with the ground. The instant the touched down, time resumed and color came back to reality. She heard herself gasp then, all-at-once, felt a burning… seething pain. When she could finally bring herself to look, she noticed a massive, burning scorch mark covering most of her chest and part of her belly. There was a little trail of burnt dirt leading up to her, as well. She followed that line with her eyes… only for another feeling to overtake her.

“Why…?”

Her brown eyes filled to the brim with tears and overflowed down her warm cheeks. She genuinely couldn’t believe that the robot… who had been so nice to her… could have been the one to attack her! Yet, the proof was right there, pointed roughly where she was a few seconds prior.

Breakman stood up straight, looking at his target with contempt and holding his smoking weapon upright. Even if she could see his eyes… she knew she’d see no mercy, whatsoever… “Because…” She flinched as he spoke, expecting him to fire, again. Thankfully… “You hurt my family.”

The man whistled a little tune as he retrieved his shield. Shortly after, he cast the wounded girl another look… then, he huffed with a smirk. Without another word, a pinkish-red glow overtook him and he disappeared in a beam of light, leaving the girl to lay there… dying.

“I’m ho– oh, my gosh…!!” “Kaitlin…?! Kaaaitliiiiin…!”

Kaitlin grunted at the new voices. Both sounded concerned, but one sounded absolutely grief-stricken. They both seemed to know her, so she tried to ask for help. However, she couldn’t hear her words… When she tried to turn toward the voices, she could only catch glimpses – her optics were starting to fail. As her systems powered down, though, she thought she saw two things: A boy in a blue helmet… and some sort of wild animal with glasses…

#gift #fan fiction #Mega Man #Dr. Chou Numbers #Electrical Disturbance #commercial characters #Elecman #Thomas Light #Roll Light #Protoman #fan characters #kaitlinexe #Kaitlin Wily #drama #suspense

0 notes

texanredrose · 7 years

Text

Aaaaaaand the Freezerburn Arranged Marriage AU continues. I think I’m going to stick with the name ‘Queens of Vale’. It’s either that or keep calling it the Freezerburn Arranged Marriage AU and that’s a lot to fucking type. Plus, the acronym makes me laugh too much. (I got you, FAMAU, lol, wtf is wrong with me.) So... yeah. Here ya go. Bonding shenanigans.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 (here) / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10

A cold wind whipped through the trees, rustling bare branches and sending a few dead ones tumbling to the ground while dense grey clouds churned overhead, obscuring the sunlight and adding to the dreary feel of the day. In Atlas, such weather would be considered mild at worst and pleasant at best, a welcomed reprieve from the harsh storms that ushered in the cold season and brought snow up to one's knees and waist, but here in Vale, many residents took it as a sign that the winter would be severe, the children staying indoors while the adults bundled themselves in layers of clothing against the low temperatures. Smoke billowed up from every house in the village and a thinner column rose from the spot in the forest where the blonde's childhood home stood, but Weiss couldn't help but feel grateful they weren't inside.

Despite living in the warmer country for months, she could still feel the lingering effects from her homeland and opted for a much different ensemble compared to the others; she wore a simple, long sleeved white dress that brushed the tops of her shoes, the fabric split at the waist to allow ease of movement, and thin white pants to match, both with light blue around the hem and the little wooden ties fastened at her shoulder. Faintly- so much so she hadn't noticed herself until running her hands over the fabric- a dragon design was stitched into the dress with white thread, its tail curling around one ankle and wrapping around her waist, sweeping its way up so its neck slipped over one shoulder and the head rested over her heart. On her back, blue thread outlined her customary snowflake, and while the whole outfit was probably intended for spring or early fall, she couldn't help but relish the sharp bite of cold air filtering through the silk, a faint reminder of her home without the unwanted memories of cold, empty halls and even colder eyes.

Yang, on the other hand, looked like a knight in soft armor, bracing against the weather as best she could. Gloves and thick boots accompanied her heavy cloak and the extra tunic she wore under her vest, all dyed brown or a faded yellow, and Ember Celica's straps had to be loosened a hole to accommodate the extra padding. She even had the orange fabric Ember Celica usually rested upon while they slept wrapped around her neck and pulled up, the hood of her cloak down low to shield her face and leaving all but the sliver of skin around her eyes hidden away.

The weather had turned much colder in the days following their reconciliation, forcing the blonde out into the forest alongside her father and Ghira to help harvest the last of the wood needed before winter began in earnest. Weiss wasn't left without things to do, of course. She cleaned the house while the others were out, regaining her strength and endurance along the way, and she managed to find some old books that helped further her written Valen, the characters simple enough for her to copy and understand. When the three returned bearing bundles of wood bound by leather straps, she helped stack them by the house or took them into the village with her wife, passing them out to those who needed them. News of her recovery preceded her, with many of the villagers offering her little tokens and charms in addition to whatever they gave Yang as trade for the wood, and now she had a nice little collection of various trinkets beseeching the Fall Maiden's mercy arranged on the dresser where Myrtenaster rested. After their burdens were distributed, they returned to the little house while the sun began to set and settled in for the night. The Atlesian had insisted Yang write a letter to Blake before the Faunus returned to his kingdom, so Yang spent the time bent over a scroll, brush in hand as she tried to word her message without reflecting her lingering frustrations, while Taiyang and Weiss prepared dinner side-by-side, and Ghira regaled the lot of them with stories from Menagerie and his own versions of the Valen legends he'd learned when younger. Then, Taiyang would challenge her after dinner to the strange game of red and yellow pieces, their matches sometimes lasting late into the night and requiring them to wait until the following day to continue.

However, things had to change eventually, and the Faunus determined her fully recovered and left to bear the blonde's letter the previous day. One would think her wife would feel more at peace now that everything returned to normal, yet, Yang seemed more eager now than ever, rising with the winter sun and gently prodding her to leave the warmth of their bed.

"So, are you ready to train today?" She looked up, lilac eyes peeking out from under the hood. "I know it's not ideal conditions-"

"That can't be helped." The Atlesian feigned thoughtfulness as the wind picked up again, prompting Yang to turn her gaze skyward and watch the clouds for a moment. While the blonde was distracted, she studied the woman's posture, noticing she seemed far more relaxed now that they were back in the clearing. From what she could gather, it was the first time Yang had returned to the space since their reconciliation.

It still boggled her mind how the woman could be so adamant about being forgiven when she'd done nothing wrong but Weiss accepted that, in the end, it didn't really matter. The warrior bore her no ill will and promised to make amends when the Faunus princess next came to visit, so granting unnecessary forgiveness to put the events behind them seemed a small price to pay. Though, if she was brutally honest with herself, she rather liked how everything turned out; for as horribly as things might've gone, the Atlesian instead found herself looking at her wife in a new light.

Perhaps it had something to do with the way Yang had doted on her while she could hardly control her own body, tucking her in and lending her heat whenever needed, making sure she felt safe and grounded even while lost to the fog of her fever. Or how readily she consented to having her wound tended with just a pointed look or two, as if she felt absolutely no shame in letting the Atlesian treat her with the same care despite being a strong, decorated warrior. Then again, it could very well be the mental picture now stuck in her mind of the fearsome warrior hiding behind her while a harmless garden spider crawled across the floor that continuously struck her as... charming. It reminded her of the blonde's honest blush when confessing the meaning of her joke the night of their wedding ceremony, the open fury on her features while cursing the former King of Atlas for his transgressions against Weiss, the genuine alarm in her voice when she realized she'd fallen dead asleep while snoring loud enough to rattle the panes of the window in their bedroom- a very endearing sort of fallibility she appreciated more and more with every passing day.

It might be all those things, which culminated in the realization that Yang Xiao Long, warrior Queen of Vale, stood as exactly the opposite of what Atlas would consider a proper noble. She accepted her faults- especially the ones that only she thought of as such- she never failed to be open and honest, and it seemed her sense of fairness skewed in the favor of whoever she dealt with rather than herself. The novelty of it all still hadn't worn off. Weiss' father would have a heart attack were any child of his to act in a similar fashion.

Well, a daughter of Atlas she may be, but embracing a few of her new kingdom's customs seemed appropriate, and the one she wanted to exemplify today stemmed from that reassuring touch and warmth she'd felt while being thrown from one extreme to another, the genuine care with which the blonde had treated her when she was at her weakest. She wanted to repay that, and despite how calm Yang looked now, Weiss could still see the tension in her shoulders and the way her fingers seemed a hair's breadth away from curling into fists. Every time they settled down for bed, she could feel the restless energy running through the blonde's frame.

It would be easier, she eventually decided, to burn off some of that energy before trying to discuss anything. "Where should we start?"

"We start with principles," Yang replied, tapping a finger against her temple. "Your semblance is part of you- your very spirit released and honed like any blade, but a sword's no good if the person holding it doesn't understand how it's meant to be used." The blonde looked around, shaking herself as if to ward off the chill in the air despite her layers. "Let's go through the forms as a warm-up."

She nodded, settling into her stance, dimly aware of Myrtenaster pressing against her hip. Wearing her weapon again after the few days of bed rest felt odd at first, like suddenly becoming aware of a limb that had fallen asleep, turning and flexing the newly rediscovered muscles until everything felt right again. Across from her, with about four feet between them, stood the blonde, mirroring her position. On an unspoken count, they began moving, flowing from one position to another as reflections. By this point, she didn't question which of them moved first- if she followed the warrior's lead or vice versa. The motions felt natural, repetition making them familiar despite the comparatively short amount of time she'd had to study them- methodical, measured, calming- and her breathing slowed to match the rhythm of each transition, finding comfort in the practice.

"Have I ever told you how good your form is?"

"You've called me beautiful before, yes," she replied, lifting the corner of her mouth in a smirk. "Or did you mean something else?"

Yang blinked, surprise shining bright in lilac orbs before she chuckled. "Oh, so someone has jokes, is that it?"

"I've learned more than just exercises and breathing techniques from you." Both of them slid from one pose to the next, shifting from being as fluid as water to solid as stone, then light as the breeze and, in brief flashes, quick as a flame. The forms corresponded with the Maidens- the guiding deities the Valens turned to- and the entire exercise emphasized how they worked together to create the whole. While she didn't personally subscribe to the religious connotations, Weiss could appreciate the story they wove. "Your teaching skills are superb, by the way. Perhaps I've mentioned that?"

"You have, but you forget: I have an excellent student." The blonde twisted her hips in time, so they stood side-by-side, and the two took steps forward in tandem while moving through the later forms.

Their feet brushed across the barren ground, any grass that might've once grown there long ago trampled by Yang's use of the clearing, each step muted in the cold morning air. They twisted and turned, following the poses until the final one, which brought them both back to center, once again standing across from one another, though... it certainly looked like they'd drifted closer, somehow.

Not that she was complaining, of course.

Together, they drew in a deep breath and released it slowly, allowing the tension to flow from their muscles, ready to begin the training in earnest.

"Can you feel your semblance?" Through her scarf, the blonde's breath came out as wisps of white fog, curling in front of her face like smoke. "Where is it?"

"Yes, it's..." Weiss closed her eyes briefly, acutely aware of the familiar chill thrumming through her body, at harmony with the cold of the season while remaining distinct. Ever since falling under the tea's sway, she'd been able to feel the cold within her easily, as if it couldn't quite retreat to wherever it hid before. However, right now she could feel a concentration of the internal energy resting in her chest, and she brought one hand up to hover over the point. "It's everywhere, but strongest here."

"That's great!" Her eyes sparkled like gems, conveying the mile wide smile currently hidden from view. "You've got the two most important parts down, then. First, you have to know what it is. Then, where it is." She lifted her arms, curling her hands into tight fists and allowing them to hover in front of her face. As she shifted to the balls of her feet, the air around her rippled, the cold driven back as steam began to rise off her clothes while lilac morphed into blood red. "It's a part of you, in every bone and muscle and your very skin, ebbing and flowing with every heartbeat, and controlling it is second nature, like breathing." The blonde threw a few jabs at the air- quick strikes that Weiss almost couldn't follow with her eyes- as her feet danced beneath her as she battled an imaginary opponent. As she drew near to one edge of the clearing, the warrior reared back, eyes sharpening to throw a punch aimed at a nearby tree that never actually made contact, heat rippling out from the points of her knuckles and somehow turning the withered bark black as the dried wood began to smoke and smolder. The Atlesian nearly stepped back in surprise; of all the times she'd felt the fire burning within her wife's soul, she'd never imagined it could manifest in such a destructive manner. All those reports- stories her father passed off as shaken soldiers allowing their imaginations to run wild- depicting the Queen of Vale as a dragonspawn wreathed in flame seemed much more accurate than before. After a moment, Yang drew back from the tree, taking another deep breath and releasing it slowly. "Your semblance is a weapon that needs only a thought to be drawn; if you know what it is and where it is, you can wield it with just as much ease as you move Myrtenaster." She chuckled, her stance relaxing. "After all, the best defense is a good offense."

Pale brows furrowed. "You mean, the best offense is a good defense."

"Uh... no?" The blonde chuckled nervously, obviously replaying the words in her head to ensure she'd said the right thing. Satisfied she hadn't misspoken, she coughed into her hand. "Is... that what you were taught?"

"Of course," she replied, absolutely certain of her answer. "For centuries, Atlas has faced threats from within and without our borders- the other, former nations of Mantle, the ferocious beasts that roam the remote regions, raiders and bandits- and we have maintained a strong standing army to defend ourselves against them. It's how my father unified Mantle when the civil war erupted."

A small pause followed her words where the other woman fidgeted, looking almost nervous and also a little confused. "Well, that... explains a lot." Brows creasing in concern, the Atlesian took a step forward, silently bidding her wife continue. "During the later parts of the invasion, Atlas' soldiers would land on Vale's shores and try to build fortifications, or turn our existing structures into ones." She spread her hands. "But this is our home and each one of us is capable of fighting. We outmaneuvered them, rendered their defenses useless, and struck when they were exhausted from the effort of trying to turn our own land into unfamiliar territory. We had no strong defense to speak of ourselves- no walls to hide behind- but every time Atlas soldiers mounted an attack, we met them with greater force and broke their ranks, turned their neat lines into chaos, and they couldn't recover." Lilac met blue briefly before being redirected towards the ground. "With an emphasis on defense, Atlas stands strong against invasions, like an aegis. But aggressive action requires the force and decisiveness of a blade's edge. The blunt strength of a shield can only do so much damage; it takes wielding it just right to get the same effect."

"I suppose you have a point. The other nations of Mantle had comparatively smaller forces than Atlas. We overwhelmed them; had the armies been evenly matched... I'm not sure we would've triumphed." She conceded, shoulders falling slightly at the reminder of her father's foolishness. "We truly stood no chance at successfully invading Vale, did we?" Immediately, she shook her head, refocusing on the task at hand. "It doesn't matter. My former countrymen couldn't manifest their semblance the way Valens can, so I suppose it's a moot point."

"Well, there's still a lesson to be learned from that way of thinking. It all comes down to discipline, really." Yang stepped towards her, lightly laying her hands on the smaller woman's shoulders. "When I say 'the best defense is a good offense', I mean that drawing out your semblance is, in itself, an aggressive action. It's pulling a weapon that formerly hadn't been brought to bear out into the open, like unsheathing a blade. You might only use it to block or parry, but that's still your sword doing the work. Does that make sense?"

She bit her lip, looking down at the ground between them. "I... think."

"That's okay; it'll become clearer with time. It's just a mentality you're not used to," the blonde said, crossing her arms over her chest. "But, I think there's something inside of you that understands it on a deeper level. I caught a few glances your way while you dueled Blake; she couldn't break your defense and, when your semblance manifested, it acted as a shield, blocking Adam's attack. Now that I know how heavily your people emphasized defense, that makes sense- it's how you're naturally inclined to manifest your energy."

As much as it pained her to admit such, she couldn't quite take pride in that assessment. "She got very close a few times."

"Maybe, but 'very close' is as good as 'not', in that case. I can't tell you how many times I've almost had an ax or a sword slice into my throat, or an arrow embedded in my back." She held up a hand, keeping her thumb and forefinger just slightly apart. "Sometimes, only that much separates you from death- it's the difference between a missed attack and a killing blow."

She raised a brow at the word choice. It seemed strange to her, how easily Yang spoke of the dance with death. It reminded her of the difference between their homelands, how Atlesians looked at war as a grim but ultimately necessary tool to expand their nation's borders and defend against the 'barbaric' peoples of the world. Valens, meanwhile, thought of it as an integral part of life, another form of the eternal struggle between opposing forces. Day and night, light and dark, hot and cold- Taiyang had gone on at length about them while teaching her the encircling game but never in a negative light, as if such a thing shouldn't exist. It simply did. "I suppose it comes down to strength, then?"

"Or speed. Or skill. Or cunning." The blonde moved, holding both arms out wide before curling her hands into fists and bringing them up. The effect was lessened by the layers of clothing she wore but Weiss could still make out the bulges of hard won muscles straining against the fabric, drawing tight across her arms and chest, almost as if she might rip the very seams. "Strength is my approach of choice, obviously, but it doesn't have to be yours." She heard the smile in her wife's voice and continued staring long after both arms dropped. "You'll figure out how to wield the weapon once you have a firm grip on it, when you can feel its heft and balance for yourself. What matters is that you're decisive when wielding it and, unlike any other weapon, your semblance will never leave your hand; you can only be disarmed if you allow your spirit to be broken."

She met the warrior's gaze, brows pinching together, feeling as if Yang was talking in circles. "Then how do I draw it? How do I control it?"

"Easy." The warrior shifted her stance, moving her right foot back and raising both fists. "You need to tag me."

"Excuse me?"

"Tag me." She shrugged, a little lost as to how to explain. "You know. A punch, a slap- just get a hand on me somehow." Then she pulled down her scarf enough to flash a little grin. "And if you actually manage to knock me to the ground, I'll give you a kiss." Almost too quick to catch, something flashed across Yang's expression, eyes widening and her lips quivering before they pulled a little wider. A month or more ago, she might've been fooled, but Weiss could tell when her wife was faking cheer to keep others from being concerned by this point. She'd seen it enough during the journey back to Patch. "Or maybe breakfast in bed, or I can cook dinner one night? I'm a pretty good chef."

Ah, so that was it. Narrowing her eyes, Weiss settled into a stance of her own- a fencer's pose, the same discipline Yatsuhashi had taught her what seemed like a lifetime ago- with her left arm outstretched towards her opponent and her right curled into a fist at the small of her back. How he came by the knowledge escaped her but he taught her well and she wouldn't disappoint. After all, how different could a game of this 'tag' be from a duel? "I accept your challenge."

Lilac eyes brightened, her guard lowering ever so slightly to beckon her forward with both hands. "Alright. You have until lunch. Now, let's see what you got."

She didn't move, biding her time and analyzing the situation. Yatsuhashi had warned against such goads when first instructing her during the journey to Patch; he emphasized striking only when she felt ready, never allowing another to dictate her motions or else forfeit the battle before it began.

"From great wars to solitary duels- in the end, all conflict is decided by who retains control," he'd said, holding his large greatsword perfectly level with one hand. It stood as tall as he did, weighed more than she could carry, and gleaned under the fading sun like the strange, staggered pauldron that covered his off arm and functioned as a shield. "If you sacrifice control of self, you will never gain control of the conflict."

While this may not be as serious a battle, the test laid before her required her utmost attention, studying the way the blonde awaited her opening maneuver. Weight on the balls of her feet, hands up, her center of balance high and evenly dispersed. Bringing her down wouldn't be easy... but it was possible.

As the wind picked up, she rushed forward, darting her hand low to get beneath the woman's guard. She missed, the blonde skipping back a step and rolling to her right to dodge the obvious follow up swipe, and so they began their dance around the clearing. Weiss pressed forward relentlessly, trying to back the warrior into a tree, but just when she thought all avenues of escape were cut off, Yang would surprise her- jumping clear over her head accompanied by a blast of heat, sliding beneath her outstretched arm, stopping her momentum too quick for the smaller woman to do the same, steam streaming behind her in wisps. Always maintaining her balance, the upper hand, and always with that little grin in place- she was having fun as the Atlesian's frustration mounted. As the smaller of the two, one would think she could move quicker, change direction easier, but she found herself thwarted with every attempt. If she darted to the left, so would Yang, somehow anticipating her actions the moment she decided on them, remaining just out of arm's reach. Simply thrusting her arms forward never worked- the blonde would dodge to one side or another and skip a few steps away- and swinging horizontally or vertically produced similar results.

Defending was always the easier of the two sides to pick, in her opinion. Assess your weaknesses, decide if they should be strengthened or intentionally weakened to draw in the enemy, and keep your greatest strength a closely guarded secret. When attacking, one had to be ruthlessly efficient, because the opponent would capitalize on every mistake, every extra bit of expended energy gone to waste, and Weiss could feel the sweat dripping from her brow as they continued variations of the same dance all over the clearing, with her wife sometimes ducking behind trees to create distance. Her breath started to burn her lungs, begging her to stop, but she pressed forward, pushing aside everything; she would not be so easily defeated.

Through it all, Yang was careful, never using her forearms to block or redirect the Atlesian's momentum. The metal of her cestus gleamed in the weak light of the sun peaking through heavy clouds, the barbs designed to catch blades and shred skin never coming even close to Weiss. If anything, the blonde seemed to keep her arms up out of habit, muscle memory burned too deep to be set aside despite the obvious effort made to merely duck and dodge rather than counterattack. Theoretically, it should've made the warrior's movements more predictable, easier to gauge, limiting her in reactions and freeing her opponent to go all out in pursuit of her goals.

Reality, however, proved her wrong at nearly every turn.

The longer the exercise went on, the heavier she breathed, not used to nearly so much movement and just a week past being on bed rest. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, each breath scorching as she sucked it in, trying desperately to catch just the fabric of her wife's vest if nothing else, but even that eluded her. For her part, Yang seemed a bit amused, her smile never dimming and her breathing not nearly as labored despite the sheen of sweat collecting on her face, bangs becoming plastered to her forehead.

Finally, her frustration mounted, and she realized the only way she would possibly win this little game would be to force the blonde to react to a move she didn't plan to make. She would have to change her momentum before her wife could register it; she had to rely on not just speed but her ability to misdirect. With her plan firmly set in mind, Weiss lunged to her right, and the other woman, of course, broke the other way. Then she did it again, and again, until they were circling the clearing in an odd shape, straight jagged lines cut every time the Atlesian struck towards the right and her quarry skipped away. In those lilac eyes, she could see that Yang knew what she planned- had to, she'd done nothing to hide it- and seemed ready to break to the right the moment she gave an indication that she would switch her pattern.

She lifted her left hand, clearly expressing her intent, and her wife read it immediately, shifting her weight to break back towards the Atlesian's right, but waiting for her to commit first. Which she did, beginning her lunge to the left, prompting Yang to move the other way. However, that first change in direction brought with it a slightly shorter back step, something she'd noticed throughout the exhausting exercise. In that moment, her resolve solidified, the cold energy within her pushing out and invigorating every muscle, and Weiss capitalized on it, jumping back to her right and throwing herself forward.

Lilac eyes widened in surprise as the woman's arms immediately went behind her, preparing to break their fall, because while she'd finally figured out how to beat the warrior at her game, she didn't quite take the most graceful option. Her shoulder slammed into the blonde's chest, both of them going to the ground as neither could keep their balance, landing with her wife flat on her back and Weiss somewhat curled up on top of her.

The warrior groaned, raising a hand to her head where she'd hit the ground hard, prompting the smaller woman to push herself up using her arms. "Yang? Are you alright?"

"Yeah." She chuckled, smiling up at the Atlesian. "I knew you could do it."

Puffing out a breath, Weiss shook her head, sitting up and just barely registering that she now effectively straddled the woman beneath her before she spoke. "As amusing as it may be to you, I'm not sure what it accomplished." She crossed her arms over her chest, surprised to find that she wasn't gasping for air, a stark contrast to hardly a minute ago. She felt a little tired, perhaps, but her muscles weren't complaining and her breath came even and steady. Strange. "But I expect to receive my reward regardless." A pause followed as she weighed her words, looking down into her wife's lilac eyes before speaking. "You promised me a kiss."

They hadn't spoken about it. Noble Atlesian wedding ceremonies carried few traditions outside of the giving of gifts, the exchanging of rings, and the eventual bedding; frankly, more concern was given to the seating of guests and displaying the proper heraldry than the ceremony itself. Vale, in contrast, had many nuances to their unions- the burning of incense, the chanting of the soothsayer, the exchanging of weapons, and on the list went- but physical affection... well, in the kingdom across the sea, the bedding itself served as all that would be required on that front, aside from the necessary task of providing heirs. In Vale, she couldn't tell. The villagers of Patch seemed affectionate, often exchanging kisses in greeting or farewell, giving hugs freely to family members and friends, and sometimes the children would even run through the streets and latch onto whatever adult didn't have their hands full.

But Yang didn't push one way or another. She initiated some contact, yes- brief embraces to comfort, chaste kisses to the top of her head to reassure, a lingering touch on her arm for guidance- but never asked for anything to be reciprocated, and Weiss certainly hadn't taken the lead.

Except when they were sleeping. The night of their bedding, she'd allowed her wife to hold her, telling herself that it was only for the practicality of the position- to keep the dreaded snoring at bay- but the night her wife returned to the bedroom with her eye nearly cut to the bone and swollen shut proved otherwise. While the blonde slept, she'd gathered her courage and laid down beside her, curling around the solid warmth and pressing a soft kiss to Yang's forehead, even as she began to snore. She'd already spent enough time acutely aware of how empty the bed felt without her wife and hoped the woman wouldn't begrudge her the comfort. Which she didn't, initiating their usual contact upon waking, and the sleepy apology that followed never failed to pull a small smile from her whenever she thought of it.

So, this would be new- a new challenge to overcome, a new boundary to test. With luck, perhaps it would chase away those lingering agitations that plagued the woman. Even if it didn't... she felt like it was a step they'd take eventually. Might as well test the waters now, to better prepare herself later.

Surprise showed plain in the blonde's face, which was almost immediately overtaken by a broad grin. "Yeah, I did. But first..." One brow raised. "How did you change direction without touching the ground?" Thrown off by the question, the Atlesian looked towards the spot, expecting to see some mark from where she'd pushed off- because she did touch the ground, had to, in order to push off with enough force to cut Yang off and then spring forward- but instead found the fading remnants of her family sigil, the white snowflake slowly breaking apart and disappearing into nothingness. She stared, mouth popping open as her jaw went slack, confused as to how she'd managed to conjure such a thing without thinking. "Using your semblance is second nature, like breathing." As Weiss continued staring, the woman beneath her shifted, pushing herself up into a sitting position without forcing the Atlesian from her lap. "But you breathe subconsciously long before you're able to control it."

She remembered how the cold spread through her in an instant, her own soul surging in response to her plan, ensuring that the moment she needed to move, she could. Decisive, the blonde had called it, an aggressive action- now she understood that Yang hadn't meant that she should focus on attacking someone to draw it out. The energy within her could be both sword and shield, and even more- it could take whatever form she needed. Right then, she needed something solid to push off of, and her chi immediately provided that, just like it blocked the bull horned Faunus what seemed like a short lifetime ago. It functioned as an extension of her will just like Myrtenaster served as her arm.

"I... I did that." She spoke out of awe more than disbelief, yet the edges of her voice lilted just slightly, almost indicating a question.

"Of course you did." Then the blonde moved, leaning forward and pressing her lips to one pale cheek while Weiss' gaze remained focused on the slowly dissipating snowflake, which winked out of existence the moment she realized what was happening. She stiffened at first, surprised, but realized that she should've expected such- Yang would take whatever option demanded the least from the other woman- and relaxed, waiting for the blonde to draw away before turning her head. At first, lilac eyes stayed hidden beneath her sweat slicked bangs, her head tilted down. "I knew you could."

"Thank you," she replied, gently slipping a hand beneath her wife's chin and coaxing her gaze up. When their eyes met, she could see the faint blush in the warrior's cheeks and it curled her own lips into a soft smile. For a moment, she thought about leaning forward and initiating a kiss herself- it would only take a few inches- but something held her back. A chiding tutor's voice echoing in the back of her mind, chastising her for giving those peasant fancies a passing thought, saying such public displays were uncouth, unseemly, and barbaric.

Something must've shown- or perhaps nothing did, but the warrior Queen was always extremely perceptive- because Yang raised a hand, cupping the cheek she'd just kissed and allowing her thumb to slide towards pale lips. "Next time?"

Lilac met blue, the remainder of the words left unspoken but understood regardless. "Next time."

"Okay." Through the brightening of her blush, the blonde's smile stretched wide. "How about we take a break?" Weiss nodded, carefully extracting herself and offering a hand to help the other woman up, leaning back to act as a counterbalance to the warrior's superior weight. Upon standing, Yang took a step back and curled her right hand into a loose fist, laying her left over it and bowing her head, motions which the Atlesian quickly copied, having temporarily forgotten how the Valens ended their friendly sparring matches since her last bout with Yatsuhashi. When they straightened up, the blonde stepped forward and carefully put a hand on her shoulder, gently guiding them towards a small bundle she'd brought with them. "I, uh, packed us a lunch."

"When?" Not that Weiss wasn't grateful, seeing as she'd suddenly become aware that all that exertion had worked up her appetite. She'd chased her wife around the clearing for hours, the sun now high overhead despite being obscured by the clouds. "We left so quickly this morning..."

"Last night, while you were bathing." Yang cleared her throat, almost seeming like she had more to say but instead turning her attention to the package, revealing two bowls with rice and two more filled with steamed dumplings, plus two little bottles.

"You brought wine to training?"

"I brought it for celebration." The blonde smiled wide, sitting down and crossing her legs. Her wife invited the Atlesian to join her, which she did, tucking her legs beneath her and accepting one set of bowls and a bottle of the sweet rice wine. Although she couldn't drink it with the same enthusiasm the warrior did, she'd grown a bit fonder of it over the past few months. "I had a feeling you'd be able to get the hang of it before we stopped for our first break." She chuckled. "You're too stubborn to have quit before then."

Weiss brushed some dirt from her knee before opening the bowl with the dumplings, picking one out with her chopsticks and holding it a moment to raise a brow at her wife. "I might've passed out."

"Then it would be a pick-me-up when you regained consciousness!" Yang teasingly clicked her sticks together before starting on her bowl of rice.

She couldn't help but chuckle. "Ever the optimist."

They ate in silence a while, the heat from their activities protecting them from their cooling sweat. With just the clinking of wood against ceramic and the wind blowing through the dead trees, she had plenty of time to consider her next actions carefully. Now seemed to be as good a time as any to address her concerns, both of them in high spirits after making such progress, but... was it wrong for her to want to hold onto that feeling a little longer? Surely she could put things off another day or two without any detriment. She didn't want to come off as intrusive- her wife continued to be patient and respectful of her every wish, and it would only be fair for her to be the same- yet she'd also promised to be more forthcoming on the things that plagued her mind, and this certainly had over the past few days. Curiosity mixed with a bitter sort of understanding- she didn't expect to be surprised by the answers she sought yet still felt inclined to ask.

Shouldn't she just leave the matter alone?

"Is something on your mind?" She looked up, now aware that her contemplative silence hadn't gone unnoticed.

"I... have a question, actually." Yang tilted her head, enough of an indication for her to continue. "Who is Summer?"

She didn't expect a particular reaction, aside from either remorse or anger, but braced herself anyway.

What she got... troubled her.

#Freezerburn Arranged Marriage AU #Queens of Vale fanfic #Freezerburn #TRR writes

23 notes · View notes

infinitywartorn · 6 years

Text

International Incident Part 2

Part 1

In the past, a group known as the Illuminati was formed by King T’Challa of Wakanda. He gathered leaders and figureheads from all over the planet in order to better protect it from ever-evolving dangers. The Wakandan King initially recruited Susan Richards, Charles Xavier, Stephen Strange, Namor of Atlantis, and Medusa of Attilan. Over time, they would add and subtract members to account for the changing world. Though the ominous name would eventually change, the group did a lot of good for the planet. They now call themselves the Infinity Watch. The current incarnation is the largest it has ever been. And it is about to become a little bigger.

Sam Alexander. Super Nova. Field Leader of Alpha Flight. Superpowered Space Cop.

Ava Ayala. The White Tiger. Member of the Defenders. An ancient tiger spirit lives around her neck.

Sam and Ava have been friends for a long time, way before they were invited to be part of this gathering of lords and leaders. Sometimes they long for their teenage days when things were simpler. However, their responsibilities have significantly grown. Sam spends his time running around Earth space, making sure the skies are clear of alien invaders. Ava, on the other hand, does the same basic thing but with magical threats.

But right now, they get a break from fighting looming threats. They each have a coffee in hand, sitting in a dining area next to a large conference room. While they are sure everyone will be coming in super regalia, Sam and Ava are currently in civilian wear. Sam is in jeans and a canary yellow hoody, while Ava is in a white pantsuit. However, if needed their uniforms are just a watch button press or amulet touch away. Sam and Ava turn off the multiple screens with various news channels.

Sam: Sooo, what’s the over-under on Johnson being pissed?

Ava: She was mentored by Maria Hill. But Kate says she has a level head. I am inclined to believe Kate. You?

Sam: I think she’s going to be pissed. Director Rambeau and her butt heads all the time.

Ava: I can see why though. SHIELD is supposed to be Earth’s police force. Meanwhile, you space cowboys-

Sam: Hey I resent that! Remember, Alpha Flight was started by Canadians.

Ava: But you answer to SWORD, the companion organization to SHIELD. How many times has SHIELD demanded something of SWORD and they complied?

Sam: Well-

Ava: Zero. Because it is built into the UN charter that SWORD overrides SHIELD.

Sam: Alright, alright I get it. I wish you could turn off work mode sometimes. *laughs*

Ava: Sorry, just being in this place works me up. We are literally a stone’s throw away from royalty half the time. You and me? We’re just lucky to be invited.

Sam: We have been part of the group for years, you need to drop the imposter syndrome.

Ava: Easy for you to say. You are the Nova corpsman for this sector of space. Who am I? Just a girl who just so happens to be on a team that these people were interested in. If I was part of some other team, or going solo? I wouldn’t be here.

Luna: I think you earned your place here.

Princess Luna, Daughter of Crystal the Queen of Attilan. Nuhuman. Empath. Really good at sneaking up on people.

She wears an elegant green dress befitting royalty as well a black circlet made of a translucent material in her platinum blonde hair. There are intricate black patterns accented in silver that wrap around the dress, most likely Nuhuman symbols.

Ava: Your Highness, I-

Luna: I am an empath my dear. I know. No need to be stressed out. Not until Director Johnson gets here anyway.

Sam: See Ava? Nothing to worry about.

The familiar hiss of teleportation energy rings in the room.

Sam: Maybe I spoke too soon.

Daisy and Kate appear at the edge of a large conference room. Daisy keels over, holding in a retch. Teleportation can really mess up one’s senses.

Kate: You okay there?

Daisy: I hate magic.

Shortly after, Megan also appears through her own portal.

Megan: I’m going to grab some tea, anyone else?

Sam, Ava, and Luna pass Megan on the way to the kitchen, exchanging quick hellos. The former reach Daisy and Kate.

Sam: Director.

Daisy: You’re here too?

Sam: That doesn’t sound like she’s happy to see me.

Ava: Ignore him. Welcome to Symkaria Director Johnson.

Daisy: Symkaria, interesting. I am guessing you-

Kate: Have permission to be here? Don’t worry, we do.

Luna: Symkaria has been a gracious host to these gathering for many years. We are glad you have accepted our invitation.

Daisy: Your Highness… um, I’m sorry to say I am not entirely sure why I am here. Or why you are here for that matter.

Luna: Oh, I see you have not been fully briefed.

Megan returns with tea for Daisy as well.

Megan: Drink up, you’ll feel better.

Daisy: Thanks… I think. So who else are we expecting? I doubt it is just us.

Luna: That is an accurate deduction. We are awaiting quite a few of our compatriots.

Daisy: How many is a few?

Somewhere in Latveria.

Azari: Come on Valeria. We’re going to be late.

Azari. Prince of Wakanda. His Aunt Shuri rules as the Black Panther.

Valeria: I just need to make sure these data sets are triple checked.

Valeria. CEO of the Future Foundation. Also Lord of Latveria… long story.

Neena: The sooner we get out of here, the better.

Neena. Daughter of Namor and Emma Frost. Possibly in line for the throne of Atlantis and not thrilled about it.

Valeria: Almost done.

Azari: So how does it feel?

Neena: I’m not Empress yet.

Valeria: Actually, Atlantis has a Queen. Lemuria has an Empress.

Neena: Whatever.

Azari: But you have to be excited! You’re about to become one of the most important rulers on Earth.

Neena: You know they won’t accept me.

Azari: They can’t argue with science.

Neena: I can’t even breathe underwater Azari. How am I supposed to run an underwater kingdom?

Valeria: Unfortunately the alternative is not acceptable.

Neena: I know my cousin. She won’t be a threat.

Valeria: Surface nations will not feel safe if Atlantis and Lemuria merge. Regardless of how the surface world will react, Lemurians and Atlanteans are just too culturally different. Atlanteans may not react well with a Lemurian Queen. Atlantean Civil Wars can be very bloody.

Azari: You will have the full support of Wakanda, Genosha, Latveria, Attilan, and Asgard.

Neena: But the support we need the most is Atlantis itself.

Valeria: She has a point. But the good news is that you are 40 percent Atlantean.

Neena: How is that possible?

Valeria: Well when it comes to DNA-

Azari: Short version Valeria, tick tock.

Valeria: Ugh, fine. DNA doesn’t always perfectly split. Some genetic material may activate while others won’t. It was possible for you to have zero or even half. So lucky you.

Neena: Lucky me…

Neena never thought she would be called up to lead a nation. Emma Frost was never one to be tied down, so she never really got to know her father. It is not surprising that Azari is living vicariously through Neena. Azari is eager to become the Black Panther, but Shuri believes he is still too young to take over. Ironically many people are rooting for someone that young to lead Atlantis, as long as they have a favorable outlook to the surface world.

Azari: Now can we go Valeria?

Valeria: Fiiine. HERBIE, finish up here please. If there are any issues contact Chase. I am going to be busy for the next few hours.

A floating robot takes over the console and quickly switches between watching several screens filled with data. Valeria walks onto a platform and several pieces of armor form around her almost out of nowhere.

Azari: I will never understand why you always come to meetings geared up.

Valeria: Unlike many of you, my brain is the only thing extraordinary about me.

Neena: I thought we met up so we don’t fight each other.

Valeria: Don’t be naïve. With a gathering so powerful, we open ourselves up to all manner of attack. Our homes are left vulnerable. Our teams incomplete. Striking us when we least expect it would be a brilliant opening move toward a favorable endgame.

Azari: Jeez Valeria, I think you have been thinking about this too much.

Valeria: I think you have been thinking about it too little.

Azari: Um... Neena, can you get the door?

Neena: Teleporter, access Symkaria Base Echo.

A gate-like structure before the group turns on and brings the group into the large boardroom.

Valeria: Oh look, we are still early.

Azari: Fine Val, you were right.

Neena: Director Johnson, it’s good to see you.

Author’s Note

Just some notes on the characters introduced here.

I am basing Sam and Ava’s friendship a little on the Ultimate Spider-Man animated show. Probably an early version of the Champions had Nova and White Tiger on it. Even back then, Ava would have been a workaholic while Sam was the easy going guy. Even with their responsibilities completely changed, their attitudes haven’t changed. However, don’t mistake Sam’s easygoing nature for a lack of skill. He is really good at his job even if he acts like he doesn’t take things seriously.

While none of these characters are mine, I want to specifically shout out to comic artist Kris Anka for Neena. Neena is not an official Marvel character, which is a real shame. I was a really big fan of the idea of Namor and Emma together, so I have included Neena in everything I have come up with that deals with a future Marvel Universe.

Also Azari is based on the character of the same name in the animated movie, Next Avengers. I like the idea that Azari is pumped for Neena to ascend to a throne. I imagine they are of similar ages and the irony that everyone, including Shuri, is rooting for Neena to become Queen of Atlantis while Azari has to wait until he is of age. Also, don’t worry more characters from Next Avengers will show up :)

#Marvel #Fanfic #Nova #White Tiger #Quake #Hawkeye #Pixie #Earth 605

1 note · View note

egooksconnolly · 7 years

Text

20 Uber Cool Ways To Style Your Micro Braids

Delicate. Intricate. Feminine. These are the words that jump to my mind when I look at micro braids. Similar to box braids, micro braids are tiny individual sections of hair that are braided right till the end, usually with hair extensions added to them. The only difference between box braids and micro braids is in their size. While box braids are quite thick, micro braids (as apparent by their name) are super thin. They almost create the illusion of natural hair when seen from a distance. But take a closer look and you’ll realize that they are actually super thin individual braids. So not only do they look gorgeous, but they also make for a great protective style!

Before we get into how you can micro braid your hair at home, it’s imperative for you to know that these can damage your hair quite a bit as they are tightly done braids on very small sections of hair. Hence, you need to have your hair in perfectly healthy condition before you start. So it would be a good idea to deep condition your hair 2 to 3 times in the weeks leading up to doing your micro braids.

Now, let’s get into how to actually do this gorgeous protective style!

How To Micro Braid Your Hair At Home

What You Need

5 packets of synthetic braiding hair

Rat tail comb

Water

Hair gel

Sectioning clips

Hair elastics

How To Micro Braid

Start off by parting away a horizontal section of hair that is about 1/4th inch in width at the nape of your neck with the help of the tail end of your rat tail comb.

Pin up the rest of your hair above this section with the help of a sectioning clip.

From one corner of this horizontal section, pick up a small 1/8th inch section of hair and wet its roots with your fingers.

a). If you are micro braiding your natural hair: Simply divide this section of hair into 3 strands, braid it tightly right till the end, and secure the ends snugly with a small hair elastic that matches the color of your hair.

b). If you are adding extensions:

– Add a little bit of hair gel at the roots of your section of natural hair.

– Separate a 1/4th inch section of hair from your packet of extensions and wrap it around your section of natural hair, right at the roots.

– Now with the hair extension acting as the 2 side strands and the section of natural hair acting as the center strand, start braiding.

– With each stitch of braid, keep adding hair from the natural hair strand into either strand of the hair extensions so that each section maintains equal thickness throughout the braid and so that the extension is securely braided in place.

– Once you have reached the end of your micro braid, secure it with a slip knot. To do so, combine the tail ends of all 3 strands and wrap them around your index finger to form a loop. Remove the loop from your finger and carefully insert the tail of your braid into it and pull it tight to knot it in place. You can do this a couple of times to secure the ends completely.

– Once you are done braiding all the hair in one horizontal section, section another horizontal section and repeat all the steps until all your hair has been micro braided.

To get a clearer picture of how to micro braid your own hair, you can follow this easy video tutorial by hair vlogger Miss Rubys Beauty.

How Long Can You Keep In Micro Braids?

Since micro braids are braided in quite tightly into very small sections of your hair, it’s best that you remove them after 2 to 3 months. This too should preferably be done by a professional as your hair can be extremely prone to breakage after staying braided for so long. Make sure you deep condition your hair thoroughly after removing the micro braids to restore moisture in them. Now that you know how to micro braid your hair and how long you can keep them in, let’s jump into all the cool ways that you can style them!

20 Ultra Cool And Funky Ways To Style Your Micro Braids

1. Ombre Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

Let’s start off with a bang, shall we? Now, picture this – you are walking down the streets of New York in your oversized fur coat and catching everyone’s eye. What hair are you sporting in this scenario? Ombre micro braids, of course! This gorgeous style that starts off as dark rooted cornrows at the top and fades down to warm blonde micro braids is as trendy as it gets.

2. Cool Toned Micro Braids Cat Ear Buns

Image: Instagram

Since watching Disney’s insanely popular movie Frozen, all I’ve wanted is to give off the same cool toned vibes as Queen Elsa. Have the same childish fantasy as mine? Then it’s time you sported this multi-toned micro braids style! These brown, white, and sky blue micro braids have been tied up in half cat ear buns to create the most adorable hair look ever.

3. Emerald Green Micro Braids Half Knot

Image: Instagram

If you describe your style as rich and opulent, here’s a micro braid style that you will absolutely love. This dual toned black and emerald green style looks like something fit to be sported by royalty. Tie these gorgeous micro braids in a half knot style to showcase them in all their glory.

4. Jet Black Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

Like to keep things simple and basic? No frills and fancies for you, huh? No problem! If you truly believe that less is more, then you have to check out this simple micro braids style. These understated jet black micro braids left long and loose keep things elegant and classy without calling for too much attention.

5. Curly Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

It’s weird, right, to even think about using a heating tool on a protective style? But, believe it or not, you actually can do it! Provided that you read the instructions on the packet of extensions about the maximum heat that can be applied to them. So whip out that curling iron and give your micro braids some nice, tight curls to make them look even more striking!

6. Half Up Blonde Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

Always wanted to dye your hair blonde but were too afraid of the damage it would cause to your hair? Then here’s a simple solution for you! Just invest in some blonde hair extensions to make your dreams come true. Add these gorgeous extensions to your hair in micro braids and tie them up in a half up style before you walk out with a swagger in your step.

7. Bubblegum Pink Micro Braids Half Bun

Image: Instagram

Fancied yourself as the princess of CandyCaneLand when you were a kid? I know I did! Fulfill your childhood fantasies by going for this cutesy as hell half black/half bubblegum pink micro braids style. Tie your braids up in a half bun to show off the striking contrast created by the light and dark shades.

8. Micro Braids Undercut

Image: Instagram

If a badass look is what you’re going for, then a badass look is what you’ll get with this micro braids look. First, you’ve got the platinum blonde micro braids that are a class apart all by themselves. Then there’s the undercut at the back that makes the style as edgy as it gets. Now, add in a cute little powder blue dyed heart at the nape of your neck and you’ve got some adorbs thrown into the mix as well!

9. Accented Micro Braids

Image: Shutterstock

Ahhh Gabrielle Union. Besides being a supremely talented actress and having the coolest last name ever, she also rocks the most gorgeous micro braids in Hollywood. And she does this in the simplest way possible by going for a few silver beaded accents and sweeping all her braids over to one side to create an elegant yet sexy look.

10. Silver Grey Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

If the mighty cute arctic fox is your spirit animal, then this micro braids style will suit your personality perfectly. These silver grey micro braids will make you look like you’ve stepped right of the future (or the pages of a really cool alternative magazine). Just throw on a casual baseball cap to shoot the cool factor of this look out of the roof.

11. Micro Braids Half Updo

Image: Instagram

Be it a full day of classes or a casual day out with friends, this is one style that will suit any occasion. Just tie up your jet black micro braids in a simple half up style to create an understated and graceful look. And it only takes a minute to perfect!

12. Unicorn Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

Forgive me but no hair trend list is complete without featuring a unicorn do. And can you blame me for it? Just look at this technicolor style! The various shades of blue, pink, and yellow come together to create an epic micro braids style. The giant half bun on top only adds to the drama of this look.

13. Super High Micro Braids Ponytail

Image: Instagram

Now here’s a summer micro braids style that you need to check out if you live in a particularly hot city. The cornrows at the top ensure your scalp can breathe while the micro braids tied up in a super high ponytail keep all your hair off your neck. The bright red shade of the micro braids jazz up the hair look in a jiffy!

14. Micro Braids Shaggy Bun

Image: Instagram

These dark micro braids are dynamic all by themselves thanks to their peach tinted edges. But what adds to the beauty of these braids is the high bun that they have been styled in. The shaggy edges of this bun add some quirk to the whole look.

15. Colorful Boho Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

Fancy yourself to be a free spirited boho chick? Want to express that side of your personality to the world? Then you need this micro braids style in your life. These super long micro braids in shades of blonde, beige, and khaki green have been accessorized with colorful beads and threads to create a gorgeous boho chic look.

16. Blonde Micro Braids Loose Bun

Image: Shutterstock

When it comes to styling micro braids, no one does it better than Zoe Kravitz. And ‘effortlessly chic’ are the only words that come to mind when looking at her hair looks. Here she has gone for a simple low bun that she probably did in under 2 minutes by pulling her hair only halfway through the last loop of her hair elastic.

17. Hippie Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

First, let’s take a moment to appreciate the ethereal beauty that is Zoe Kravitz. Now, take inspiration from her sense of style that knows no fear or apprehension. With some decorative butterflies and fresh flowers balanced precariously on her blonde micro braids, she looks like a wood nymph right out of a fantasy novel.

18. Simple Black Half Knotted Micro Braids

Image: Instagram

Having one of those days when everything (including your hair) is getting on your last nerve? Or maybe you’re just feeling hot and want to keep your hair out of your face? Whatever the reason, this simple half knot done with your micro braids will fulfill your purpose while leaving your hair looking oh-so-chic.

19. Beaded Micro Braids Bun

Image: Instagram

The term ‘avant garde’ takes a whole new meaning with this bun hairstyle that’s one for the ages. As if the blonde micro braids weren’t cool by themselves, they have been topped off with heavily beaded faux micro braids bangs to make the whole look even fresher and funkier. But the real highlight of this look is the big jumbo braid bun at the back that makes her look like an absolute goddess.

20. Black And White Micro Braids Half Dutch Braid

Image: Instagram

Now, this is what I call trippy. This is a look that knows just how to play with the contrast created by its black and white micro braids. A chunky half Dutch braid blends the dual-toned micro braids beautifully to create a look literally no one will be able to take their eyes off of.

Now, wasn’t that something? Who knew you can try out so many colors and styles with micro braids, right?! So comment below and let us know if we’ve convinced you to micro braid your hair and which style you would love to try out first!

The post 20 Uber Cool Ways To Style Your Micro Braids appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

The article source is here:Style Craze

0 notes