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deblklesb · 6 months

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[I Want You So Bad — Ellie x Reader, Pt. 1]

[AFAB!reader, friends to lovers, fluff MDNI] (part 2 here)

Summary: Ellie likes you so much, and it's crazy how you don't even notice it.

a/n: omg i finally did it!!!! it took me too long, so sorry anon, but it's finally here!! its a two part thing, I'll post part2 soon! hope you enjoy it, please let me know if you do!

cw: fluff and pining. as always i don't want minors interacting.

not proof read | reblogs are highly appreciated

It's a painfully hot day in Jackson, Ellie is wondering how Shimmer is doing down in the barn and contemplating about going there to spend some time with her beloved horse. The sun gives everything an extra glimmer and the roads hold small puddles of fata morganas, amusing her as always - astronomy it's her main target of curiosity but physics it's there too.

While she fixes her shoelaces and checks her pockets for the keys, she also looks at the small handmade candy wrapped in a simple paper, standing on the bench next to her door. The grocery brings back delightful memories of when you runned up to her with the cutest smile, a hand in her direction.

"Ellie, I made this candy from a recipe I found in one of those books, took some for you", you had no idea how that gesture reached the Williams girl right into the heart.

"Oh, thanks…!" She looked down at the brownish treat. It seemed to be so tasteful and you were known amongst your friends to be a very talented cook.

"So, are you coming to the Tipsy Bison tonight?" You put your hands in your back pockets. Ellie could only see a part of your tattoo coming out of your short sleeve, wondering what the entirety of it would look like.

"Uh, yeah, I guess. If I can finish all my tasks", she would definitely drop them if that meant to see you.

"Okay, cool! See ya later, then", and just like that you left with a small wave and a sweet smile.

Inside, Ellie beat herself up for not asking something like "oh do you want me there?" to slightly make a move and test the waters. You would always leave her speechless, lagging, absolutely fumbling on her words to even put a goof full sentence out.

On this incredibly hot day, she thinks it's finally the time to maybe taste your candy. She hasn't done it yet because… Maybe because she was holding onto the mere fact that you thought about her and went out of your way to give her some handmade candy. It was such a sweet act, it made her daydream for days and literally kick her feet when laying on her bed that night, thinking about your pretty eyes and cute lips.

Deciding to save for that night, she finally heads out to the hot weather and bright sun. The sunglasses she found on a supply run unfortunately were broken, she could make good use of them now.

It didn't take long to reach the barns, the shadow of the roof presenting a hope to cool down. The horses seemed to not mind the heat that much, and today was bathing day.

"Morning, Els", Pedro, a 15 year-old boy waved at her. She smiled back, finally facing Shimmer on her usual spot. But the horse wasn't alone.

In the barn, a brush in hand, stands you. Mindlessly stroking Shimmer's fur in circles, your back is not fully out since you're still with a tank on but Ellie can finally see the rest of your tattoo; it's a big tiger, an image mostly on your back with just a paw sticking on your front, under the clavicle - the part Ellie could always see. Today, it moves as your muscles do the same and you murmur a random melody, eyes careful to put the attention on the horse's fur.

The brunette has to take a deep breath before proceeding into the barn, trying to pull out that chill, laid back facade to hide the way you make her almost melt into a puddle.

"Hey, see you got up early today" She has you stopping on your tracks to look over your shoulder, immediately smiling fondly when seeing her.

"Yeah, I got the bathing job today so I didn't want to leave it until later", dirt falls from Shimmer's fur as you brush it. She's not the dirtiest one usually, but after some runs between the last bath and this one a significant amount of dirt is coming off. "Where have you been putting her to, by the way?"

"Oh, we found an old ranch somewhere west and I decided to let her run around a bit. It made a big cloud of dirt around her", Ellie chuckles as she gets closer from the horse, patting her neck. "This big girl enjoyed herself very much"

"Well, that's good, though", you go back into looking straight to your front, oblivious to how Ellie's gaze falls on your tranquil figure.

She captures the bridge of your nose and your adorable cheeks, the ones she just wanna kiss all the time so badly. Your hair, away from your face today, your attractive lips and the prettiest eyes she has ever seen. With your back to the barn's door, you almost glow in front of the light coming from outside. Like a divine vision, straight out of a fantasy book, demanding to be worshiped by the auburn haired girl. She feels her chest tightening and that feeling spreading to her arms and stomach, like it always does when she's around you; a visceral need to touch you in any possible way.

Shimmer ruffs and bumps her snout into Ellie's face, almost like she's calling her back to Earth.

"Easy", Ellie chuckles again, now trying to hide the last moment. From who? She doesn't know, there's just you, her and the horses here, but she feels so exposed whenever she's around you.

"It might sound crazy, but I do believe these horses have personality", you suddenly comment, turning to grab a comb.

"Right?! Oh, Jesse keeps saying I am crazy, that they're just horses, but I do feel this too! One time Shimmer laughed when she saw me fall. Like, a horse laugh, but I swear it was a laugh", and just like that, Ellie's loosening up.

Your laugh fills the space as you stand next to Shimmer to comb her black tail. Now facing your back again, Ellie takes in how your back muscles press your dark tank top and how your waist seems to call her hands to grab it, hold you from behind close to her chest. The desire to have your scent consuming her mind is so strong, she thinks she might actually pass out.

This is getting so out of hand.

"So", she clears her throat, looking around for another comb to work on Shimmer's mane. "Are you going to be here all day?"

"Tipsy Bison at six", you don't even care to look back at her, focused on the tail.

"Do you ever sleep?"

"Yeah, very well, actually", you chuckle. "Tomorrow I have nothing in the morning, so I can compensate"

"Oh… I thought we could, y'know…", she's trying to collect the millions of thoughts running around her mind at the same time, trying to not fuck this up. "Have a sleepover one of those nights… When you're free, I mean… But we don't have to if you don't want it- it was just an idea"

"It's a great idea!" The way you smile, turning to look at her, has her heart clenching. It's so genuine and sweet, just like you always do whenever you see her coming around and go compliment her. Do you even know the way she loses balance at each one of those acts? "The last sleepover was so long ago. We should call Dina and Jesse too"

"Yeah, absolutely", she rests her head on Shimmer's neck when you turn your attention to the tail again, cursing silently.

The rest of Shimmer's bath was calm, you both kept talking about whatever. At one point, when Ellie was rinsing the horse's back legs, Shimmer just threw her tail on the girl's face, making you laugh out loud and the auburn haired girl look stunned.

In the end you both got out a little cooled down due to splashes of water, past midday after bathing all horses. It was easier with two people, after all.

"So, I guess I'll let you get going to change and go to work…"

"Aren't you coming to the Bison tonight?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess I'll pass by", she tried to sound chill and nonchalant, not revealing how she always planned to go there as long as she wasn't patrolling.

"Okay, see you there then!" And you fucking leaned to kiss her on the cheek, smiling while you waved goodbye and turned in your street, leaving Ellie dumbfounded.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

If a stare could create holes, Jesse and Dina would cause trypophobia in anyone. Ellie was sitting across from them on the table, holding a beer bottle so tightly that it could break at any giving moment. Standing next to the table was you, listening to their shitty excuses about not being able to attend to the sleepover, oblivious to their real intentions.

"Oh, I get it, it's fine. Guess it'll be just me and Ellie then", you shrug, smiling to the auburn haired girl. She smiles back immediately under your gaze. "We'll, I have to go back to behind the counter, go talk to me if y'all need anything"

And she stares at your back while you walk away, always looking so fine while handling the objects behind the long wooden table.

"You're welcome, by the way", it's Jesse who says it, smirking.

"I'd beat the shit out of you if we weren't in public", she groans, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, come on! It will be nice having her all by yourself for a night, uh? Then you can silently pin over her while pretending to pay attention to some random ass movie", Dina is looking up like she's pondering the scenario.

"Shut up", her hands start to sweat with anticipation, all the possibilities running through her mind.

What you'll be wearing, what you both will watch, if you are going to sleep next to her, if she'll be able to hold you close absolutely in a friendly way, if you'll laugh and have a good time with her. Ellie thinks about the tragedies implicated in being alone with you for the whole night, how embarrassing it can be, how she'll combust just by looking at you so closely, yet, so far.

"Stop overthinking. Just wear those flannels, she likes it"

"No, she does not!" Her face warms up, because of the alcohol, of course.

"She already complimented you ten times about that shirt", Jesse points out.

It was true, though. And each and every time, Ellie almost melted into a puddle in front of your chaste gaze. If you only knew what ran through her mind when she looked at you…

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

This was messy, and Ellie didn't know what to do anymore.

At some point of the night, you decided to play a game and Ellie just agreed - because what could go wrong? Not going far from the known route, you opted for a Q&A game in which each one asked a question and the other one had to answer it or respond with another question. It would be nice and silly, if the given situation wasn't hard enough for Ellie.

You were sitting in front of her, legs crossed on the couch, in a tank top and the smallest shorts Ellie has ever seen you on - which was cool, it was okay, she could manage that because she was already used to holding her shit together next to you. But everytime you moved around, for some reason, that night, she just wanted to pull you close once and for all. An inexplicable energy was emerging from the whole situation and she couldn't grasp it properly, but it made her restless.

Her hands tingle whenever you lightly hold her arm or her leg, she starts to wonder why you were so touchy generally, but tonight more than ever. An indescribable feeling comes from her guts each time you laugh and lean on. She might as well be going crazy.

So, it was already hard enough. But then you asked her if she was currently into some girl around town and that was the first time Ellie responded with another question.

"Why do you wanna know?" It sounded like she was caught off guard, and that bought your attention.

"I was just curious… But your answer makes me think that you actually are", you smirk, playful.

"I didn't say I was"

"Didn't say you weren't either", damn you for being clever.

"But that doesn't mean anything…" The auburn haired girl looked away, resting her arm on the back of the couch.

"Is it Dana?"

"No" Dana was another woman that regularly worked on the Tipsy Bison. She was pretty and polite, but Ellie wasn't interested in her - not with you around. And she was so desperate to direct the conversation somewhere else that she missed the way your voice changed.

"So there is someone, it's just not Dana?"

"Why are you so interested?"

Why were you so interested? It was because of the game, right? Your only concern now was the fact that Ellie didn't answer your initial question, so you had to dig to the bottom of this topic. That sudden sting on your stomach when thinking about Ellie pining over Dana was just the prospect of your close friend having a crush on your coworker and not telling you. Absolutely.

It probably had nothing to do with the way you were weirdly infatuated by Ellie tonight, with her hair on a bun and a halfway buttoned up flannel - with nothing but a top underneath it. Or how she seemed to glow under the warm light of her room and her presence brought the biggest comfort you've ever felt in weeks. Or how her lips seemed so attractive right now, calling for your sight when she nervously bit the bottom one. Little scars were splared around her face amongst the freckles, gifts from a bunch of branches that accidentally crashed into her face once, during a patrol.

"Because… I'm your friend and I would like to know when you're interested in someone. I mean, we tell this type of stuff to each other, right?"

Not all the stuff, Ellie thought.

"Yeah, I guess. Well, you actually have never told me something like that"

"That, my beloved, is because I have nothing to tell. You know it, I'm not interested in anybody as for now"

"Or for any other time on this town"

"Ouch!" You chuckled, lightly punching her shoulder. "You're not getting away from this topic. I'll name every woman our age and you'll tell me when it's the one"

The auburn haired girl tried very hard not to express any compromising expressions, especially after the list ended and you didn't say your own name.

You couldn't think of any other person that fit into the category, and that was odd. Because if there was someone, then it should be one of those.

"Oh, you're lying!"

"I'm not!"

"You just said 'no' to every single name"

"That's the reality of the situation"

"But there is someone?!"

"You said that, not me", she shrugged.

"Alright", you seemed resigned, looking away from her green eyes. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine"

A sting got it right into Ellie's chest. She liked you too much to let you be this way, but at the same time she didn't want to tell you. The amount of terrible things that could happen; losing you and your friendship was at the top of this list, and it was bad enough.

"It's not it, I swear", Ellie collected all the strength to softly hold your face; now she was doing it as your friend who didn't want to see you sad. She turned it so you could face her, stare at her eyes full of vivid green. "I swear, you didn't say the name"

"Okay", you sigh, trying to understand what was that feeling on your stomach that grew while her fingers still supported your chin.

"Now… Wanna watch another movie?" Her thumb caressed your face with tenderness, inside she hoped this made you less uneasy.

"Yeah", it got cold when she retracted her hands to reach for the DVD options you both picked for tonight. "You can chose it now"

[dividers by @cafekitsune]

#ellie williams x reader #ellie williams #ellie x reader #tlou ellie #ellie the last of us #ellie williams tlou2 #ellie williams tlou #ellie williams the last of us #ellie williams the last of us 2 #ellie williams oneshot #the fanfic of us #ficwriting #deblklesb

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my3rzs · 1 year

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could i have a xavier thorpe request with an established relationship and the reader gets injured by the hyde or during the fight with crackstone? Thank you im just a sucker for angst.

KEEP YOU SAFE | x.t x fem!reader

summary: after getting a fight with xavier, you get injured

notice: she/her pronouns, swearing, reader gets hurt, overprotective xavier? bianca and xavier were never together, bianca is not a bully in here (i think thats all)

pairing: xavier thorpe x reader

a/n: i spent maybe 5 mins brainstorming abt the summary :’), but reblogs would help and im literally too embarrassed to read this so i could proofread it but enjoy lol, but check the hashtag #xavizgirl so you can see all my works there ahaha

you and xavier had a fight last week and you haven’t talked to him ever since because he was jealous of a guy he saw you walking to class with,

though it was really stupid, you have to admit you did miss him a lot, you missed his stupid face, how he peppered you with kisses, how he handed you paintings of yourself or one of your favorite things you told him about, cuddling with him almost every night, you just miss him in general.

“hey, do you wanna hang out today? maybe go shopping?” bianca asks

you were too busy staring at a picture with xavier and you in it,

“huh?” you asked cluelessly as you heard muffled noises from her mouth

“let me guess, xavier? you’ve been ranting about the fight between you two for about a week, ya know?” the siren stated

“he’s just so stupid, he didn’t even let me finish what i was trying to say after he pulled me off the fucking guy!” you explained

“well, maybe you should just try confronting the boy. who knows you two just need to talk?” she answers

“well maybe i could do that, but what am i gonna say to him? it’s gonna be so awkward” you whined

“just explain how you’ve been feeling about the fight, how you barely know the guy, and stuff, but it has to be sincere and it has to come from your heart” she advised

“i’ll try my best, thank you bianca, i really owe you for this one okay?” you gave her a smile

“goodluck, y/n!” she gave you a thumbs up

you pulled out your phone go text xavier,,

y/n: hey can we talk?

xay: uh sure? why?

y/n: can we plz just talk

xay: ok, when and where

y/n: like rn, and maybe our spot in the woods

xay: ok be there rn

you hearted his message and put your cellphone into your pocket, you were walking in the forest so that you could meed up with xavier and make things right until a large, hairy, grey, big eyes, bloodshot monster stumbled you over, it looked like a beast or some sort of creature. it trapped you and before you knew it, it’s claw’s scratched your skin through your clothes twice and you were a literal bleeding mess. you tried to run as fast as you could and tried to grab your phone so that you could call an ambulance or xavier but realized you have dropped it while running, and that was all you remembered.

xavier was still waiting for you and he was starting to get impatient and think he was getting pranked, he has texted you nonstop and sent you calls but it kept going to voicemail, eventually.. he gave up and tried to go back to nevemore but he saw your unconscious body and you were bleeding.

“y/n? what the fuck!” he screamed as he saw you

“everything’s gonna be fine, everything’s gonna be fine” he said running to your body panicking and immediately called the ambulance

once they have arrived they took you into the truck, while xavier was so awfully worried and kept blaming himself while pacing, bianca and ajax walked up to him and asked what happened,

“it’s y/n.. she got fucking attacked!” the artist cursed

“hey, it’s gonna be alright, okay? the nurses and doctors are gonna make sure she’s gonna make it” ajax calms him down

“and besides, we can also visit her. dont worry, we’re all here for you xavier” the siren added

it has been 3 weeks and you still haven’t woken up, xavier was so stressed, his lips are so dry, he looked like he hasn’t eaten in about a week, and he has very dark eye bags, it was the weekend and he decided to go visit you.

he opened the door and saw that you still haven’t woken up, he sighed and put one of his letters on the table.

“i miss you” he muttered while grabbing your cold hands

“it’s all my fault” the blonde boy sighs

you opened your eyes slowly and saw him tearing up a bit, “xavi..?” you say

“y/n! you’re awake!” he looked up and saw that you were awake so he quickly wiped his tears with his sleeve.

“were you crying, xavi?” you asked and tried to sit up and but felt a pain in your stomach and hissed in pain,,

“fuck!” you cried

“hey, hey, hey, the doctors say your stomach is still not okay, so they don’t recommend sitting for now, yeah? but they say it will heal a bit fast, so you’re gonna be okay, alright?” he dodged your question

“xavi.. you’re ignoring my question” you gave him a frown

“i’m not crying, silly. and even if i was it wouldn’t matter, we need to focus on you right now, bubs” he points to you

“and i kinda want to apologize, for you know.. being jealous and overprotective, i’m the reason you got here..” he says

“don’t blame yourself, i should’ve waited for the next day” you chucked reaching out for his hand

he held your hand and kissed your forehead, “i won’t let anything happen to you, i promise i’m gonna keep you safe, okay?” he assured

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

i didnt know how to end this and got lazy ahahaha

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unforth · 1 year

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Heyo Danmei Fans and Twitter Refugees!

Do you love danmei? Do you love fanart?

WELL HAVE I GOT THE SIDEBLOGS FOR YOU!

Hi, I'm unforth, and I also love danmei and fanart, and I wanted to just make a huge gorgeous pile of art and roll around in it so I've made and run for years eight, yes eight, side blogs of danmei art, all with the kind of organization and searchability that twitter can only dream of.

So, if you want to flood your dash with fanart (or if you're an artist and want a little assist getting more eyes on your work now that you're posting here - you can DM me or @/me), why not consider giving a follow to...

Mo Dao Zu Shi/Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation/The Untamed: @mdzsartreblogs

Tian Guan Ci Fu/Heaven Official's Blessing/Eternal Faith: @tgcfartreblogs

Ren Zha Fanpai Zijiu Xitong/Scum Villain's Self-Saving System/Scumbag System: @svsssartreblogs

Erha he Ta de Bai Mao Shizun/The Husky and His White Cat Shizun/Hao Yi Xing and Yuwu/Stains of Filth: @erhaartreblogs

Daomu Biji/The Graverobber's Chronicles/The Lost Tomb/Too Many Other Names to List: @dmbjartreblogs

Zhenhun/Guardian: @zhenhunartreblogs

Tian Ya Ke/Faraway Wanderers/Word of Honor and Qiye/Lord Seventh: @tykartreblogs

Literally Everything Else I Can Find (especially works by Meng Xi Shi, works by Priest, manhua on Bilibili, books by Fei Tian Ye Xiang, books by Please Don't Laugh (so yes, baihe too!), and so much more): @cnovelartreblogs

All blogs run on a queue; I post at a "the queue will last for 7 days" rate that changes more-or-less every day and varies from 30 to 40 posts a day (mdzsartreblogs) down to 1 to 2 posts a day (zhenhunreblogs) and everything in between.

Note that these spaces are all ship and let ship, don't like don't interact, and pro-kink. (I won't reblog everything, but I do reblog almost everything, and even if I'm personally too uncomfortable with something to reblog it - I SUPPORT YOU.) I tag extensively - you can check the pinned post on each blog for currently used trigger warnings (they're consistent across all the blogs) and many of the other tags I use for characters, ships, etc., and I strongly encourage you to use the tags to find That Rare Thing You Love, and also to blacklist anything that's not your thing. Antis kindly fuck off challenge.

Welcome to Tumblr (or welcome back, as the case may be), don't be a stranger, like and reblog works to support artists, and have fun!

(help signal boosting much appreciated. <3 )

#unforth rambles #this got too long #I tried to find the last one of these i wrote and just reblog that but tumblr search algorithm buried it oh well #mdzs #tgcf #svsss #2ha #guardian #zhen hun #qi ye #word of honor #shl #tyk #dmbj #spl #qian qiu #tsomd #idek i could tag about a biollion things but that's probably enough #happy art loving y'all

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lustrous-dawn · 2 months

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Some Positivity

I'm absolutely surprised I do not have an image of my sona with a heart so Zhen will have to do it. Especially given his ‘job’

The start of the year for me has been rough. The folks who know my situation know my words are a severe understatement but I can’t let that hold me down. But it has made it abundantly clear that I am loved.

Loved.

I genuinely have folks who love me for who am I.

I couldn't ask for any more words than that today.

I am loved for what I am and what I do and that's all I could ever ask for. And I love myself for it.

So today, lets give out a little bit of love to some folk today.

Edge; @casteliacityramen

I love how you are incredibly indecisive about reblogging some things on your side account. Something that means a lot to a character that someone may get a free hint on. I mean hell I used to do that all the time in my younger days to keep them on my brain to stay a little consistent on it. But man, I'm sure you've been hearing a lot from other people and honestly I'll be one of them hollering in the back about how we love Rio.

MepersonallyIwanttoseeRaybutwe’llgetthere.

The point is your story and characters have managed to grab people by the throat. You have an eloquent way of making them pretty relatable and gripping their attention.

Hope you're enjoying the day with your significant other :0

Owli; @askvekpa

I always wonder if you be like “THERE GOES THIS GIRL AGAIN ASKING FOR HER DANG LUGIAS TO BE DRAWN AGAIN.” I can't help myself. You're too damn good at your craft and your attention to detail on beasties, dragons and animals alike. It's praiseworthy so I hope you always treat yourself kindly when it comes to what you do. Also, you seem to be doing better in the anxiety department, or I hope so. It's been a pleasure to see you be more interactive as of late with others so I hope you have been able to adequately spread your wings in that environment and get better.

Vega; @pokitsune

MAN I SURELY DO MISS YOU RIGHT. I HAVE SO MANY BRAINWORMS ABOUT YAKO AND ROSHI FIGHTING AND TEA TIME WITH ROSHI. Then I remember you're literally a DM away and my ass is just straight-up forgetful. I remember you chatted away about your Ninetales lore and goddamn I was eating it up. It FUELED ME to be so motivated with my characters, you have no idea. And coupled with your old ask blogs, I am so glad we started to chat last year and I am always grateful you send me images of stuff I can relate with on my characters.

I hope you're having fun with FFXIV and I hope you and gf are doing something good today or both of you are taking some good ass time to relax.

Skins; @asksavel

I mean there are a lot of words I want to say. Overall it is always overwhelmingly positive. We were both there for each other in a horrible mental down. While mines is a bit still ongoing, you still have been sending me kind words and images to make the day all the more bearable. You noticed I have been withdrawn lately and you consider that when talking with me.

Communication. It's something I always prized and I really appreciate it when we have chatting. Thank you so much for being the person you are and helping me. It has meant a lot to me.

Kai; @bunnkick

I'm pretty sure you weren't expecting me to do this! But HA I GOT YOU NOW TODAY.

EVER SINCE YOU TOLD ME YOU CONSIDERED ME A FRIEND I HAVE BEEN LIKE A NERVOUS LITTLE PERSON TO CHAT MORE WITH YOU. I have been doing good to shoot messages your way to check in on you though and I'm proud of that much. Ah, I love your work man. I have been saying this for years as I have been working with you and imma saying it again, your style rocks man. And the chats we have, I love staying up for 3 hours to chat with ya. It's always a great time.

Now I gotta hit you up for shows. I have been watching some and I always loved your insight ~

#ooc #This will have to continue on Munday #Positivity

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secretaccountlol · 1 year

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Peter Parker x Stark!reader (dating)

Peter and yn got into a fight that morning and Peter shows up at the tower and runs to find her room with sad puppy eyes.

Then fluffy and they stay together for the night (not sexual just fluff)

Awe man this was a challenge! But I always keep

My word! So a story with no smexy stuff coming up!

No cw this time! But your comments and reblogs are much appreciated

DOUBLE DATE.

“Peter, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” You sniffed on the phone, hanging up before he could utter another word.

You blew your nose into another tissue before snuggling deeper into the chair in your dad's office.

“That’s the 3rd call-“ Tony checked his watch, “in an hour.”

You huffed, “Ya- I know, Dad. Thanks for the riveting advice.”

“Hey we both know I don’t do the advice, stuff-“ Tony sighed, causally tilting the trash can towards you, you throw your tissue in as he grimaces making you roll your eyes.

“You know most dads help their children during heartbreak? “ you pouted.

“Yeah how so, kid?” Tony retorted.

“I don’t know! By being like, ‘I’m gonna kill that boy the next time I see him!!’ “ you mimicked his voice shaking your fist in the air which made his eyebrow quirk,

“I don’t sound like that…and it’s totally not a heartbreak, kiddo. He literally just missed your date today.” Tony tapped his finger on his desk as he worked on his computer.

“Yea- but it was a double date, dad! I was sitting there like an idiot! Third-wheeling cus my good for nothin’ boyfriend decided not to tell me, he wasn’t coming!” You grumbled, he just didn’t get it, did he?

“Ooo, yeah that does sound painful.” Tony winced. “But cut the kid a break? He was probably doin’ some Spider-Man stuff or something. I mean, it is the first time he’s done something like this, right?”

You think, guess it is the first time he’s done something like this.

“I guess.. you’re right. But, I'm still upset! He should have told me.” You exclaimed, throwing your hands up in the air making your dad's eyebrows raise again.

“Yeah, yeah, I know kiddo. Accidents happen, especially in this profession. Remember you decided to date a hero, not me. Cus’ I am the hero” Tony grinned, making you groan.

“Thanks for the pep talk, Father. I’m gonna go to

My room.” You wave him off as he yells out “no problem kiddo.”

Peter swings frantically towards the tower, almost smacking the side of it when lost his grip on the webbing.

“Kid?” Peter turned his head to see Stark staring back at him, incredulously.

“Mr.Stark! I-I need to speak with you, it’s about-“

“Yea, I know. Come in before someone sees ya.”

Peter nods before hopping into the window Tony was speaking from.

“Next time, use the front door.” Tony sat back down in his chair.

“Right! Right right… I- uh just needed to come urgently.” Peter’s breath escapes him as he stands in front of Tony, how do you say “hey I broke your offspring's heart, now can you please tell me where they are so I can apologize?”

“Room,” Tony spoke, tapping his pen on his desk.

“Huh?” Peter’s head quirked like a dog.

“She’s in her room, Lover boy. “ Tony clicked his tongue.

“Oh. OH!” well that was easy, “Uhm- can I-?” Peter pointed to his suit, Tony simply nodded before Peter pressed the button making his suit go limp.

Peter scrambled out of the suit eager to see you, “Before you go, what's with the backpack?” Tony pointed at Peter’s bag with his pen, “Not a school day.”

“Oh- I.. brought her favorite snacks, drinks, and activities as an apology.” Peter sheepishly explained.

“Attaboy, but if she asks, I like- yelled at you or something.” Peter nodded about to head towards your room,

“Wait kid-“ Peter turned back to face Stark, “Yes, Mr.Stark?“

“Try not to let this happen again, got it?” Tony frowned, making Peter gulp.

“Got it.”

You heard a gentle knock at your door, “Come in.” You called out, shutting the book you had been reading moments before.

Your eyes light up as you see Peter’s face.

You sigh softly seeing his puppy dog eyes, they made all your anger disappear.

“Peter..?”

“I’m sorry.”

You watched as Peter put his bag down, before running to hug you tightly.

“I am so so so sorry babe! I swear I didn’t mean to ditch you today! We had a robbery and I thought it would be quick, but it wasn’t quick! And by the time I was done, that’s when I realized.” Peter's words rushed out so fast you could barely understand.

“Peter.” You brush your hands through his hair, Peter’s eyes meet yours, his lip in a tiny pout.

“I forgive you, just- tell me next time okay?” You kiss his lips, feeling him smile.

“Okay.” Peter hugs you closer, kissing you again and again.

“Pete.”

“Hmmm?” Peter mumbles, arms wrapped around you, face smushed in your side.

“What’s with the bag?”

“Oh..!” Peter sat up, making you grin. “I totally forgot- I..brought some of your favorite foods and stuff.. to- to make up for me missing our date.” Peter rubbed the back of his neck, too cute..

“Our double date, Pete.”

“Right.. it was a double date. I’m sorry.”

“I know. Now show me what you got!”

Peter's grin mimicked yours, “Gladly.”

You burped as you drank the last of your soda, making Peter giggle. Gummies, Chips, and board games litter your floor, and you couldn’t be happier.

“This is way better than our date.”

“Our double date rememberrrrr” Peter corrected you, making you giggle.

“Right right…!” You nod wrapping your arms around his neck, kissing his nose.

You pouted suddenly as you looked out your window behind Peter, it was almost night. Which means Peter has to go home.

“What’s wrong?” Peter kissed your cheek, breaking you out of your spell.

“You have to go home soon, it’s almost your curfew..” you motioned to the window behind you, Peter doesn’t bother to look, instead he stays focused on you.

“Who says I’m goin’ home?”

“Uhm..May?”

“Noope!”

“No?”

“She said I could stay over.” Peter's toothy grin made you jump with excitement.

“Are you serious?” You whisper watching Peter nod like a madman.

“Oh my gosh!!! Sleepover!!! “ You laugh glomping Peter.

“Wait. I have to ask my dad, one second.”

You run out before Peter could say anything.

“DAD DAD DAD, CAN PETEY AND I HAVE A SLEEPOVER?” you yell, startling Tony.

“Uh..sure? I’m guessing you both made up?”

You nod uncontrollably before dashing back out and running back into your room, where Peter sat nervously.

“HE SAID YES” you scream tackling Peter, making him burst out in laughter as you snuggle into him.

Both of your giggles subsided as you lay next to each other in bed.

“I love you, y’know?” Peter snuggled up to you.

“I love you too, I’m really happy you’re my boyfriend.” You kiss his cheek, as he squeezes you.

“Me too.”

#peter parker x reader #peter parker x you #mcu!peter x reader #mcu!peter parker #tom!peter x reader #tom!spiderman #tom!peter parker #mcu!spiderman x reader

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alieinthemorning · 3 months

Text

In Sickness and In Sickness [Eraser Head | Aizawa Shouta]

Content: Fluff, Sick Fic, Sick Character, Established Relationship

Pronouns: None

Header: @/oliries

Reblogs: Let me know that you enjoy my work and want to see more, so don’t forget to like and reblog (and comment in the tags. I love seeing people’s rambles in the tags)!

This work’s concepts, plot and original characters are my own which means I do not allow any sort of creative theft nor do I allow my work to be entered into any sort of A.I. bots. Thank you for respecting my space and boundaries.

Of course, he would get sick. As if being exhausted fucking constantly wasn’t enough. He just had to overwork to this point. Your stupid fucking wet cat of a husband, doing stupid wet cat of a husband things like being outside while it’s fucking raining and thinking he’ll wake up fine the next day, and on top of that—wait, what were you doing again?

You heard a string of coughs from the bedroom.

Oh, yeah. You were making Lemon Tonic.

For the both of you because he got you both sick.

You coughed into your elbow and looked into the fridge, grabbing a lemon and a bottle of liquor. You placed it on the counter and grabbed a pot from the cabinet. You sniffled as you filled it with water and sat it on the stove. You sliced up half of the lemon (almost cut yourself), put it in the pot and turned on the eye. You opened the bottle and poured a reasonable amount of liquor in there and put it back in the fridge. You left it to boil and went into the bedroom to check on your sick cat-like husband.

You poked your head in, “How you feelin’?”

“Like shit.” He mumbled. You made your way to the bed and flopped down on it.

“Same,” You grabbed a tissue and blew the shit out of your nose, “I wonder who’s fault that is?” You elbowed him in the side. He grunted and shoved your arm away. You started to laugh, but it agitated your lungs, and you ended up in a coughing fit.

After catching a gleam of that bright light, you checked the nightstand for any painkillers and sighed when finding they weren’t there. You begrudgingly got back up and went to get it from the bathroom. You grabbed another box of tissues as well, since Shouta was making a snot rag mountain of his own. You sat it on the nightstand and went back into the kitchen, turned off the eye, then grabbed two water bottles. Quickly dropping them off in the bedroom, you returned to the kitchen and grabbed two mugs, then filled them with the Cold Killing Lemon Tonic.

“Alright,” You sat in the bed and handed him his mug, “Try to drink this quickly.” You took a sip and burnt your tongue, but mama didn’t raise no bitch, so you kept going.

Shouta stared at you for a long time before finally drinking the Lemon Tonic like a shot.

“Okay show off,” You grab the painkillers and water, “you’ll be needing this.” You swallow yours without water like a damn boss, but still drank a bit after to make sure the pills went down.

Shouta again only stared as he did the same sans the after the fact water.

You glared at him a little.

“Now what?” He put the water bottle against his face, “didn’t you say this was sort of a miracle drink?”

“I didn’t say miracle drink,” you got underneath the covers and tucked him in as well, “I said Exorcising Drink.”

Shouta blinked, “What?”

“This drink will literally exorcise the sickness out of you.”

“…”

You gave him a Cheshire grin. “By sweating.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Nope! Now shut up and sweat!” You tucked the covers under your chin even snugglier, “Don’t worry. The sickness will come at you full force, so it’ll probably knock you out pretty quickly.”

He was quiet for a moment, “Remind me to never eat anything from your family again.”

“Yeah sure, no more peach cobbler for you then.”

“I take it back.”

“That’s what I thought. Now, shut up and sweat!”

“I told ya it would work,” You danced around Shouta in the kitchen. “But…”

It was the next day and the both of you were back to full health. Shouta didn’t seem all too pleased about it, though.

“So, why do you look like you’re pissed?”

He groaned, “I have to go back to work,” He shuttered, “back to night patrol.”

You laughed, “Who said we were going back to our jobs,” You nudged him, “we can play out this sickness a little longer.”

He grabbed you by the waist and gave you that maniacal smile that you loved, “I’d like that.” You grabbed him by the cheeks and gave him a quick peck.

“Great! You can take me on a date!”

He gave you a blank stare.

“…or chill at home and call that a date?”

He, like the gentlemen that he was, escorted you to the couch to put on something to watch while he grabbed the snacks.

“Next time we’re going out to eat though!”

Lemon tonic is the truth.

Ko-Fi | Commission | Masterlist

#alie ficlets #alie ficlets: version 2.0 #bnha x reader #mha x reader #aizawa shouta x reader

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bokuroskitten · 2 years

Text

᯽⸱៰ ͘ ࣭⸰ 𖥔 ͙ࣳ Lil Love ft. Ken "Draken" Ryuuguji

genre: 18+ NSFW MINORS DNI

warnings: BD//SM elements, DD//LG dynamics, daddy kink, silk ropes, ball gag, fluffy pet names, fem pet names like "pretty girl", "baby girl", fem bodied reader, mentions of subspace, fingering, squirting, Draken treats you like your his precious lil baby and you are <3

this is highly self-indulgent. Reader is literally me y'all I'm sorry. But I'm posting anyway cause it's Kenny's bday and he deserves all the love and attention today. Plus, he's the perfect daddy who always knows exactly what you need <3. I've been meaning to write this post for a while, so I'm glad I finally got the energy to do so! I hope yall enjoy <3 Reblogs, comments and feedback are greatly appreciated <3

Draken knew, from the second you basically collapsed into his arms after you came home from work. He knew what you needed from him, could tell by the way you gripped onto his shirt so tight, dug your face into the familiar expanse of his chest. He was going to question you, just in case his suspicions were wrong, and was going to check in and ask about your day. But the soft muttering of your words confirmed for him what he already knew.

“Tie me… don’t wanna be in control anymore, Ken.”

And who was he? To deny his pretty girl the things she needed? He knew how easily overwhelmed you could get, and how it was the least he could do. He'd take over, no problem.

“How are you feeling, babygirl?” You felt his words rumble against your back, low and gravely, the tone he knew lulled you into this headspace you so craved. You sighed when the silky material tightened around your wrists, successfully pinning them in place along your spine.

“Good, daddy…” You practically hummed back at him, large palms smoothing up your bound arms to help smooth out the goosebumps that had formed there. Once they travelled over the expanse of your shoulders they settled on the ropes framing your breasts, making sure the knots were just right. “Need these a little tighter?” He asked close to your ear, pressing into one of the knots so you knew exactly what he was referring to.

He knew you’d nod, knew that his girl needed just the right amount of compression so your chest could relax, so you’d allow yourself to truly slump into the bonds so he could take care of you properly

He wrapped the leftover rope once, twice around his palm before tugging, slowly. Kept two fingers over the knot on your sternum as it tightened. When you started to slump back against him, a soft, little whine leaving your lips, he knew it was tight enough for you.

“There you go…” he kissed the lobe of your ear, nuzzling against the soft patch of flesh before using the leftover rope and looping it around one of your thighs. “That’s better, isn’t it precious?”

You nodded, head rolling back into his chest as you inhaled a shaky breath. The action alone had the ropes digging into you the way you needed them to, keeping your body encased, locked in, secure. You started to feel your eyes get a bit heavy as you balled your fists up, on instinct tugging at the knots there but already knew they’d hold firm. You let out the softest of whimpers, one that was barely above a breath, fingers grazing at the expanse of his abs that were pressed up against your back.

“Shhh…” Draken’s coo was barely above a whisper, large palms planting on your hips to hold you as close as possible. His hands swallowed your skin as they travelled down to your thighs, massaging at the flesh that already seemed to tremble from your excitement. “Relax lil love, daddy’s got ya.”

The massage eased you onto your hunches, thighs relaxing now that he had you bound with the perfect design. When he felt your head roll, your soft puffs of air against his collarbone he hummed in approval. “That’s it… doing so good for me.” His praise made your eyes glassy, lips attempting to latch onto any skin you could reach but instead leaving sloppy kisses along his chest.

He made sure to keep one hand on your body, and splayed it over your tummy so his thumb could rub along the rope that sat on your waist as he reached for the bedside table. He scooped up the familiar red ball gag, pressing a kiss to your opposite ear this time. “Open up, nice and wide f’me”

Your lips hung open for him, tongue poking out to lick along your lips before he hummed in approval. Draken’s palm came to grip your jaw, tilting it up so he could press a kiss to your forehead, and of course, get a better sight when he rubbed his index finger across your dampened lip. You instantly latched onto it, blinking up at him with a doughy gaze that made a chuckle rumble in his chest. “You want it?” He asked, in the same tone that made your eyes flutter, made you nod your head nice and slow before releasing his thumb with a soft pop.

“Use your words for me, babygirl.” It may not sound like a demand, but you know it is one with the way he grips your jaw just a little tighter, raises a single brow just a little as he looks down at you. You pout, only for a second before your voice comes out shaky, a whine managing to slip past your words. “Yes p-please, daddy…”

“Good girl.” He hums the praise, not wasting another moment as he presses the familiar silicon between your plump lips. He makes sure the ball is pushed between your teeth before he lets go of your jaw, thick fingers brushing past your ears before securing the leather straps behind your head. When he hears you let out a deep sigh from your nose, and slump back against him even further he smirks to himself, pride flooding through his chest and travelling straight to his cock.

He loves that you have so much trust in him, to feel so completely relaxed in his touch completely bound like this. You’re helpless, vulnerable. And yet you slump against him, muscles loose and eyes glazed when you make eye contact with him again.

He loves it so fucking much.

“My pretty girl…” His words are whispered against your cheek, his own body pressing back against the headboard and bringing you with him. You’re knelt pretty between his thighs, and it doesn't take him much effort to move your legs just so right so you’re sitting, legs spread wide and hooked over the wide expanse of his own legs. From this spot, you can see yourself in the full-length mirror set up beside your shared bed. The sight of Draken’s handy work with the ropes, the way it pinches at your skin just perfect enough to make it bulge, the way drool is already making the silicon shiny with spit, the way a single tear already slips from your pretty lashes. You can’t help but look away, sounds of protest being muffled.

Draken’s smirk just deepens, his palm finally sliding down your waist to cup your cunt. His nose nuzzles into your ear, and he shamelessly takes your form in through the mirror, letting out an approved hum. “You don’t think you’re my pretty girl, angel? Silly, You’re so beautiful…”

He knows he shouldn't tease you when you’re like this, but sometimes he just can’t help himself. He likes feeling your fingers curl up against his abs, loves how your body heats up against him, loves it even more when you start to squirm just a bit, hips pressing up into the warmth of his big palm that just sits over your pussy, still hiding it from view.

Reluctantly you bring your eyes back to the mirror, not to look at yourself, but to look at him. The sight of his slitted eyes as he takes in your appearance, the way he groans right up close to your ear when he slowly spreads your pussy apart with two fingers, watching the way your arousal stays webbed along your pretty little lips.

“Yea, so fucking beautiful.” He reiterates his point before finally giving you exactly what you need. Two of his thick fingers slip into your velvet walls, curling upwards to scoop up as much as your slick as possible, as well as to poke at your sweet spot before starting a slow steady pump. He keeps the heel of his palm pressed firmly to your clit, rotating his wrist in a circle to keep the stimulation going, working you up slowly just how you like it.

How you need it.

“Feels good, doesn't it lil love?” He keeps his words low, leaving open-mouthed kisses along your heated cheek and neck. His eyes switch from the reflection in the mirror to looking down at you, his free hand tracing the ropes that outline your breasts. “You’re doing so good f’me too, taking everything daddy gives you… my pretty girl, my good girl.”

You mewl against the gag, eyes barely staying open as the pleasure he gives you makes you melt. You’re putty for him, legs only trembling when he focuses on the gummy spot deep within your walls. Drool leaks from your puffy lips, down your chin and landing as a glob on your breast. His fingers are quick to smear the liquid around your perk nipple, before giving your mound a tender squeeze. Another pleasurable tear leaves your eye and Draken huffs out a laugh, nothing teasing this time.

It's just fondness in that breath.

“You’re okay, my baby” He reminds you of that, using a little nudge of his shoulder to get your head to lull up. Your foggy gaze meets his and he presses a kiss to the ball wedged between your lips, which makes your cunt flutter so tightly around his digits. “You needa cum, yea? Cum nice and pretty f’me?”

You nod, a muffled noise that Draken knows is a ‘yes daddy’ coming from your lips. His fingers don’t pick up in speed, rather his palm just presses more pressure on your clit. He knows that’s what really gets you going, what brings you over the edge of pleasure. The tip of his fingers massaging at your inner walls also helps, but as soon as he presses firmly into your pulsing clit, rotating the bud in a perfect circle you come undone for him.

Your body shudders once, twice, before your whining. Your thighs tense up, threatening to snap shut had it not been for his steady palm squeezing your supple flesh and keeping them at bay. Your pussy hugs his fingers so tight, only to release silky smooth arousal onto his flesh. It’s his turn to sigh as he works you through your release, blood making his cock twitch when he sees the milky ring that starts to build up around his knuckles. You always came undone so quickly for him in this state, each time being messier than the last.

Which is why it was his thumb's turn to catch onto your clit, flicking the little bud before pressing into it. The tapping motion from the pad of his finger had you gasping, your body being held firmly by the ropes and his hands as he continued to beat a steady rhythm against your clit. Your skin bulges against the silky material, the pinches of flesh and rope only heightening the experience for you, body being set ablaze by his ministrations. When your head lulled sideways into his chest, drool spilling freely now from your chin and nonsense being muttered into the gag he pressed into the nub, the tight, calculated heart outline making you tremble all over before your abdomen contracts.

“That’s my girl…” Draken praises, hunger dripping from his words as he watches in awe through the mirror. How your legs simply flop open and your arousal gushes his fingers, droplets spewing from your clenching hole and settling over the heel of his palm, his wrist. He finally lets up when a sob shakes through you, body going limp again against your bounds as your high rides out. He smears your milky slick gently along your lower lips, toying with them so gently as if they were the petals of his favourite flower. He presses his lips firmly to your cheek, helping you ground yourself.

“My baby was so pent up, wasn’t she? Needed that lil love, daddy knows ya did.” He kisses all over your dampened flesh until he reaches the corner of your stretched lips. That's when your eyes finally blink open to look at him, your high-pitched, needy noises only making him grin gently against your skin.

He uses two fingers to tug the soaked ball from your quaking lips. He doesn't take the toy all the way off, he knows you’re gonna want it back between your lips in no time. He gives you what he knows you want at this moment and that's a kiss of his lips to your own, his tongue slowly tracing your bottom lip as you mewl into his mouth.

He barely pulls back to speak, his words vibrating up against your lips before his fingers start to trace the knots along your body yet again. “Gunna sink ya down on my cock and stuff you full sweetheart. Gunna fuck a couple loads into ya too. Gunna feel nice and warm all night, you just let daddy do the work, understand?”

“Yes, daddy.” <3333

Property of bokuroskitten© DO NOT REPOST, TRASLATE OR SHARE ONTO ANY OTHER PLATFORM. ‼️

Member of @tokyometronetwork @hanayanetwork

#happy birthday kenny #<33 #kenny <33 #y’all don’t even understand how self indulgent this is #I’m obsessed #ugh #tokyo revengers #tokyo revengers fanfiction #tr fanfiction #draken fanfiction #draken fanfic #draken smut #ken ryuuguji smut #ken ryuguji #draken x female reader #fem reader #draken x y/n #draken x you #ken ryuuguji imagines

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mlmxreader · 10 months

Text

Feisty | Alfie Solomons x nb!reader

anonymous asked: Hey, its me again! I hope you're doing good and sorry for literally spamming your asks but could I request the following for Alfie Solomons X a nonbinary reader:

"Off ya go, bugger off"+"I beg your pardon?"+"Fuck you!"

Any combination of these (of you like one, or two or all three). I'd like to preface this with the obvious fact that all creative liberties to you but I just have an idea that I need to get out and maybe it'll stick.

So reader has lived in Camden Town the majority of their lives and is well aware of who the King of these London streets is. Maybe they have a small shop or something and a couple of lads rough up one of their employees (or threaten to), an act they are none to pleased with so they take the compaint straight to the top, which happens to be a one Alfie Solomons. He's kinda shocked at first because no one talks to him like that but the shock quickly turns to one of admiration at the full force of reader's willingness to protect their own, even at the potential risk to themself?

Gods, I hope my rambling made even a lick of sense!

Thanks again and sorry for the long ask!

🐍anon

summary: Alfie comes face to face with a shop owner who has more gall than sense, and although he shouldn't be, although he should be pissed and get violent with them, he just can't.

tws: threats, swearing

support your fanfic writers by reblogging what you read & enjoy

When you heard glass smash outside of the little shop you owned on the corner street, right next to the Donowitz family who owned the barber shop, you sighed heavily as you trudged through; you expected it to be some sort of idiot, more often than not it was just a local gang trying to throw their weight around and get you on their side, and you had grown accustomed to it.

Things were better now that Solomons owned the streets, keeping it off limits for the most part, but assholes still managed to slip through the cracks. So you sighed as you grabbed the crowbar you kept in your office, expecting a fight as you stepped outside.

One of your employees, another nonbinary person like yourself, was cowering as they held their hands above her face to try and protect their teeth. You gripped the crowbar tightly, and clenched your jaw as you stood between them and her attacker.

"You got a problem, mate?"

The attacker took a step back, dusting his hands off on his jacket as he nodded. "Message from Mister Solomons. You either accept our proposal for business, or you move."

You scoffed as you shook your head. "Tell Mister Solomons he can shove his offer and I ain't moving. My family owned this shop before me, you can ask the Donowitz family next door, they'll fucking tell you."

"I don't wanna hurt you," he admitted. "Solomons ordered me and the other lads to just… y'know. Scare you a bit."

"Ain't gonna work," you got ready to swing. "Get the fuck off my property. Off ya go, bugger off and don't come back."

He whistled, and a few other lads came out and started to follow him; you made sure that your employee was alright, dusting them off and checking her for any injuries, but they were only a bit scared. So with a sigh of relief, you told her to lock up while you handled the matter; thankfully, Solomons wasn't far.

His office was only a short walk down the road, and although a few of his guards asked what you were doing, once you explained who you were, they allowed you through. All the way to his office.

You didn't bother knocking, your employees safety was more important than that. So you barged in, planting your hands on his desk as you growled at him.

"Fuck you!"

Alfie looked up at you with shock for a moment, raising his brows as he swallowed thickly and dared to grin. "I beg your pardon?"

"Fuck. You." You stated. "I'm not fucking letting you harass my employees for your own fucking gain. You can fuck right off."

He beamed, daring to laugh. No one had ever spoken to him like that before, such blatant disregard for his status as the King Of Camden. Such blatant disregard for who he was and what he was capable of. He was shocked, he couldn't deny it. But he admired it.

"Feisty one, ain't ya?"

"Did you hear a fucking word I said?" You snarled. "Or is your hat too tight for your head?"

Alfie tutted, gesturing to the seat opposite him, the one you were leaning over. "Sit down. Let's chat, yeah? Like adults?"

You huffed, scoffing as you yanked the chair out and slumped down in it. "What?"

"Look, it ain't what you think," he started, "let me explain, yeah?"

"Hurry up. I ain't got all day."

Alfie couldn't get rid of the grin on his lips. "My fuckin' days… alright. Well, I only want you to accept me proposal so I can protect you. You're next to the fuckin' Donowitz family, ain't you?"

You nodded.

"I don't wanna see any Jews get hurt," he explained, "so, if you accept, you and the Donowitz family can be under my complete protection. I don't want your fuckin' money. I don't wanna overtake your fuckin' business. Just askin' that, every two months, you and me do some business - say I buy somethin' from your little shop, yeah? Or you buy rum from me - and we can act like it's a business deal, innit?"

You were reluctant, glaring at him. "That's all?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "That's all. Honest. Ask the fuckin' Cohen lad round the block, we got the same fuckin' deal as I'm offerin' you."

You knew the Cohen lad. He was nice, ran the fishmongers near the corner, a keen angler and always caught the best fish.

You nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll ask him. I ain't making my mind up til I do, though, and if your fucking guard dogs come to my door again, I will fucking send them back with more wounds to lick than you can count."

Alfie nodded slowly as he held up his hands, laughing. "Alright, sunshine, no need to make threats… what can I put you down as? So the fuckin' lads at the door don't get funny again."

"Mx," you told him blankly. "Not Mister or Miss."

"Mx," Alfie hummed as he scribbled it down. "Alright. I'll make sure they don't give you shit again next time you visit."

"Who says there'll be a next time?" You scoffed. "If Cohen says you're a lying cunt, I'm not fucking coming back."

"Sure there'll be a next time," Alfie mused. "A person as charmin' and fuckin' feisty as you? I wanna see you again, treacle."

You rolled your eyes at him. "You won't win me over with flirting."

"That's a fuckin' shame," he admitted, linking his fingers together as he leaned forward. "I'd quite like to fuckin' get to know you."

You stood up, pushing the chair back. "Good day, Mister Solomons."

He didn't have time to answer by the time you had left, but he sat back in his chair, grinning to himself as he thought about what had happened; you had gall, he was impressed and he certainly admired you for it.

Not many people were willing to immediately give him shit for throwing his weight around. He pursed his lips, wondering if he should give the shop a visit and buy something - even if only so you would shout at him again.

"Ollie!" He shouted. "Cancel the meetin' with that Italian cunt! I'm goin' out!"

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maybeamultiverse · 7 months

Text

Got sent a loooooong essay about apparently being an 'anti-semite' (I am literally of partial Jewish descent, albeit patrilineal, not that that matters) and an 'abusive bully' (I believe in standing up for Palestine and calling out the dominant white sci-fi/fantasy community, especially the one online, for its hypocrisy) that 'uses slurs' (I did not use a single slur towards anyone, feel free to go back and check).

I would answer this directly, but, when I first opened it, I was advised to just delete it. Besides, anon also doesn't really deserve a direct answer from me, but I just wanted to put it out there in case this communicates an important and relevant message to someone out there.

If you are a Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, anti-Zionist Jew, whatever, you are CONSTANTLY asked if you 'support Hamas.' We're tired of it.

No one likes violence. No one wants violence. That's a given, and I shouldn't have to declare my dislike of Hamas every time I talk about an ongoing genocide against indigenous people.

It's been a harrowing week. Lots of hate going around. Many of my friends and I have been legitimately hate-crimed IRL on the street (spat on, called like actual slurs).

Right now, I am in what I'd like to call the 'numb zone' emotionally. I did what I had to do, went to protests and events, and completed all my work. Didn't get much sleep, but I did what I needed to do.

As for my 'shitpost,' I will definitely keep up the energy, thank you, anon. <3

Hopefully, I can get back into writing fan fiction and reblogging stuff that brings me joy from the fandoms I love. Might start doing that now, even while the occupying state has begun to deploy white phosphorous on Gaza and southern Lebanon, ya rabb.

Anon, I feel bad for you, really.

!فلسطين سوف تتحرر

#free palestine #palestine #anon #asks

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thatlittleegyptologist · 1 year

Note

I'm so sorry ya have to deal with this shit... I absolutely love the quantity and the quality of informations you always put in ya reblogs! Thank you so much.

It’s largely part and parcel of being a semi public figure here, don’t worry about it! Sometimes people ask really ridiculous questions, and there are numerous reasons for doing so (didn’t think the question out before typing/didn’t do a little background check to make sure what they were asking was even possible/literally didn’t read it back to themselves before sending etc). I usually try to answer them as politely as possible, but sometimes I get asked something and people are really lucky I don’t respond with “what the fuck?” Trust me, I want to sometimes. But I know I’ll get accusations from anons like I did today if I step outside the placating and handholding. It’s just like that when you have a large amount of followers. Random people think you owe them niceties and zero complaints.

So, if I was everything they say I am, then I’d be having an rather large issue being on this site. I’ve seen what happens when you lot turn on someone. Fortunately, many people here can testify to being provided with free resources, Dropbox links to books and pdfs, or links to information by my very elitist and very rude self. People have been following me here for years, some over a decade, so they know what I’m like and what I’m about. Those people are more important than one person who got in a snit because I wasn’t as nice as I could have been.

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spotaus · 1 month

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(hi I’m just gonna finish what I wanna say here cause the tags are getting excessive and people can only handle so many reblogs of moots gagging)

I won’t get burnt out! I’m perfectly content right now just really hyper fixated on pretender. Also he is still taller then Ozzy without heels by like half and inch. It still counts for something.

low-key wanna continue this comic but I have no idea how he’s canonically react to being kissed. Flustered yes but who isn’t? Anyway that’s it for my ramble I just finished making a quiz for a whole new fandom so. Yippieeee!

thanks spot for making Pretender and N! They’re the silliest AU’s I’ve come across. (And the most smooch able.)

Heya!! (And yeah, good call! I forgot that Asks exist lol-)

And nice! Glad ta hear you'll be good lol, I always just like to check in on folks ^^. And NICE! Tall Pretender from comic holds strong then! (Plus who knows, Pretender does shape-shift so he could totally just... change height to mess w/ ppl or tease hehe)

And Ooh!! I'd love to see where you could go with it! If ur looking for a potential reaction I might have a few? (Adding them... now: 1) Pretender kinda like, melts a lil. When he's emotional he kinda loses his shape and sinks into that purple mist, so I could totally see him just kinda getting flustered and literally deflating for a sec before popping back up with a stuttered little surprised response. 2) He's definitely Blushing, but doesn't like, react very obviously. More of a, "Well, that's a first!" Followed by a cheeky, "Usually I try to eat a human's face, not the other way around.... Not that I'm complaining!" Or something with a stupid lil grin and a wink, before he continues conversation. 3) "You sure know how to greet a new pal!" As he kinda squints at them and goes, "So, do I get a name to match the kiss?" Looking flustered for sure, but low-key smug as he jokes to cover his loss of composure. These would just depend on how competent u think he'd be in the face of a Random Wonderful Smooch hehe...) And those are just loose ideas? I'm actually not sure how he'd react to romance yet, if only because I haven't written him in that situation often enough yet hehe! U got him p spot on tho, so take any or none of these as guidance if you want! (And if not this was still a fun chance to write him some dialogue lol---)

And You're so welcome!!! Thank you for enjoying them so much!!! I pride myself on the Silly since my Serious sticks to writing, so I'm glad ya like em! (And wanna smooch em too! The rizz was built-in I suppose lol---)

#moot shenanigans #frfr Asking was so smart thank u for that-#AND do u have any particular nickname you'd like me to refer to u by? sometimes folks have one but I don't wanna just keep calling u “YOU”🫵#hehe.... I don't like to assume #but if not that's cool too! just double-checking!#oh!!! and I wanna add this:#I'm so grateful that folks are enjoying my dopple boy because I made him w/o expecting to draw him too often. just an old au idea from year #back. but then Ood and u and Four and others looked at him and interacted and Idk it warms my lil soul lol!!!#o- and N is my persona/self-insert/au and I've had her for years so I'm honored u think they're silly 😌🫡#that's all!!! sorry for the rambles!!! have a lovely day!!!#<- I say as though I'm not still gonna respond lmao--#edit: ur also free to dm me if u ever wanna chat more! i swear (unlike Tender) I don't bite lol!

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rowansparrow · 2 years

Text

Until the Stars Burn Out

(Art by @/space-b33)

**This fic is rated 18+, Minors do NOT interact or you will be blocked**

Summary: You are one of the many rebels who serve in the Dantooine rebellion, and after a bad injury leaves you out of commission, two of your fellow soldiers take it upon themselves to take care of you.

Rating: Explicit (smut, graphic sexual content, piv sex, oral sex, alien sex, graphic description of injury, the whole shebang)

Ships: Fives x Quill x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 7.3k

A/N: Hello hello! I took a brief break from other writing projects to do this little gift for @witchklng. Not only is Madly’s birthday coming up, but they haven’t been feeling so great the last few weeks, and I thought maybe this would help lift their spirits. :) I love ya, pal. I hope you enjoy this!

This has literally so much plot I’m so sorry I got very carried away.

This takes place with in the Rose-verse, or the BAON Universe, or however you like to think of things lmao.

Sensitive content is tagged #Ro’s Protected Tag. Please block that tag if you are concerned about content.

Reblogs are so appreciated!

“This is bullshit and you know it!”

You slammed your hands down on the desk, but Athena Brisbane didn’t even so much as lift her eyes from the ‘pad she was looking over, scrolling absently even as you fumed in front of her.

“I’m ready to go back in the field, General! We need all the hands we can get out there!”

“And we need plenty of hands here, as well.” Athena replied, finally dragging her eyes up from the datapad and setting it aside with a sigh. She leaned forward, folding her hands under her chin and resting her elbows on the desk. “Look, I know you want to get back out there, but what good are you going to do us if you’re barely strong enough to take care of yourself?”

“I’m fine!”

“No.” Athena said plainly. “You aren’t.”

“My arm’s practically healed, there’s no need to -.”

“I’m not worried about your body.” Athena responded calmly. “I’m worried about what’s been going on in that head of yours.”

You seethed, barely able to keep your anger in check. “General Brisbane,” You said through gritted teeth. “You only have two Captains, me and Sho’cye. A lot of your men don’t trust him to lead them yet.” You jabbed your thumb into your chest. “But they trust me. They’re counting on me to get back out there, to lead!”

“Captain Sho’cye is perfectly capable of handling the men in your absence.” Athena replied, giving you a stern look. “I told you already once: Rex and the others are our allies. It’s time you put your faith in them as well.”

“I do.” You protested. “It’s just – how long are you going to keep me sidelined?”

“As long as it takes for you to heal. And to get your head on straight again.” She added, narrowing her eyes at you. “I won’t lose any more of my men just because you’re too trigger happy to get back out there.”

The comment stung, and Athena must’ve seen it written on your face, because she sighed again, standing up and coming around the desk to face you directly. She put her hands on your biceps, holding you firmly in place for a moment.

“You’re one of our best warriors.” She said gently. “And that’s why we need you at one hundred percent. We can’t afford to lose you because you’re pushing yourself before you’re ready.” She dropped her hands. “You aren’t going on any more missions until Soteria’s cleared you, and that’s final.”

“So what do you expect me to do in the meantime?” You demanded.

“Guard rotations if you must, but I’d prefer it if you just kept your nose clean and took this time to rest.” Athena replied, already settling back into her chair and picking up the datapad again. “Don’t bother me with this again. Until Soteria’s cleared you for combat, I don’t want to hear from you.”

She waved her hand in dismissal, and you stewed in front of her desk for a few moments longer before storming out, making sure to slam the door roughly behind you.

Your feet carried you to the public refresher just down the hall of the Command Center, with a few scattered rebels giving you salutes and skittering out of your way at the absolute fury written across your face. When you made it to the ‘fresher, you slammed the door behind you once again, storming over to the sinks and banging your fists against the counter, grunting in frustration as the thunk-clang of your two opposing hands hit the metal.

You panted for a moment, willing yourself to calm back down as you slowly dragged your eyes up to the mirror, forcing yourself to look at your own reflection.

The explosion you’d endured months earlier had gnarled the entire right side of your body. You could see the burn scars poking out from your tunic top, creeping up your neck and along your jaw, the whisps of the scarring curving up around your cheekbone and nearly to your eye.

You pounded your fists again. Thunk-clang.

You’d been lucky to have a cybernetic arm at all, with all the nerve damage that had been done in the explosion that had killed all your men but you. And Soteria had told you that you’d been lucky to keep both your legs as well. The scarring was gruesome, and you knew it continued down your neck to your shoulder and across your back and torso, down your legs and twisting your skin. You were grateful you were able to cover most of it with your clothing. But you could only hide so much of it.

You’d spent weeks in bacta tanks, physical therapy, prosthetics fittings, every fucking medical procedure imaginable. You’d seen more of the inside of Soteria’s hospital wing than anyone else on this gods-forsaken planet. Even though you felt perfectly fine now, and your wounds had healed and you’d completed your mandated physical therapy and retraining, Athena was still refusing to allow you back onto the battlefield.

Losing your men had been hard – and so too had the damage that was done to your body, ravaged and changed forever. But you weren’t crazy, you wouldn’t have some psychotic, PTSD-induced breakdown, or whatever it was that Athena was so worried about.

You had so little rebels for the cause. You couldn’t fathom why Athena wouldn’t just let you help.

You composed yourself, sighing quietly as you straightened back up, the tight, scarred-over skin on the burned half of your body protesting your movements slightly. You hadn’t applied medicine in a day or two, and the old wounds were flaring up with pain on occasion.

Reluctantly, you exited the refresher, trudging through the Command Center until you made your way to the main street.

The marketplace was filled with small vendors and stalls, and with a growl your stomach reminded you that you hadn’t eaten yet that day either, and perhaps it would be wise to stop and pick up something in the market for food before you headed home.

You parsed through your credits, stopping at the first vendor you came upon and buying a smattering of fruits and vegetables. What you’d do with them, you had no idea, your mind still too preoccupied with your conversation with Athena to really focus on what you were doing.

A little girl caught your eye a few stalls down, and you lifted your head. She was small, coming up maybe to your hip at most, but she had massive green ears sticking out on either side of her head. She was holding the hand of a man – a clone, you recognized his face, despite the scars dividing it – and weaving through the busy market with him. You knew the man was the Outlander, he’d been a scourge on the Rebellion until Athena had inexplicably allowed him into the village. Sometimes you just didn’t understand your leader, but you trusted her judgement even if you didn’t trust the stranger.

The little girl turned to look up at him, saying something excitedly to him and tugging on his hand, and the smile he gave her was soft, fatherly, and so sweet that you had to look away.

Maybe he wasn’t all bad.

Your thoughts were interrupted by someone calling your name.

You turned towards the sound, absently thanking the shopkeeper as she handed you your bundle of goods, and you stood at attention when you recognized the man coming towards you.

“Commander Cawthon, sir!” You greeted, saluting Athena’s right-hand man. “I didn’t realize you were planetside again, sir.”

“At ease.” Quill Cawthon chuckled, reaching for your hand and clasping it gently in his own. He’d grabbed your metal arm instead of your flesh one, but if he noticed, he didn’t react to it. “I’ve been meaning to check in on you, old friend. It’s been quite some time.”

You bristled slightly. “There’s no need to worry about me, sir.” You replied coolly. “Besides, I’m sure you’ve been kept busy.”

Quill’s tendrils twitched, and you cursed yourself inwardly. No doubt the Nautolan had sensed your change in mood (although in fairness, you guessed anyone with half a brain would know you were more pissed than calm these days). But Quill, to his credit, made no further comment, and you changed the subject.

“Your latest mission, was it a success?”

Quill chuckled again, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. “Something like that.” He flashed you a grin. “I trust Athena briefed you?”

“No.” You admitted, trying to rein in the anger mounting in your chest again. “No, she’s been leaving me out of things since I’ve – since I’m not active duty at the moment.”

“Ah, well allow me to fill in the blanks.” Quill said cheerfully. He regaled you with the story of going undercover in a club to obtain encoded information from an Empire operative, and you couldn’t help your smile. It was nice to feel included again, and Quill held nothing back. He wasn’t walking on eggshells around you, nor was he doing this to appease you.

“Any casualties?” You asked when Quill had given you the rundown of the mission.

“No, though we had a close call.” Quill replied. “Though thankfully, he seems to be making a swift recovery.” He turned slightly over his shoulder, and then his tendrils flicked again, abruptly turning back to you. “Forgive me, I’ve been terribly rude. I don’t believe you’ve met my partner.”

Partner. Well, that was certainly an unexpected and new development. A small part of your heart twisted at the news. “No, no I haven’t.” You replied.

Quill turned again, calling to someone over his shoulder, and you peeked around him. You spotted another clone dressed in civvies, the shadow of a bruise across his cheek – no doubt from the latest mission. He was handsome, with thick, dark curls tickling the back of his neck where they’d grown out. He’d clearly been in the middle of stuffing his face with something, because when he turned toward Quill’s voice, his cheeks were puffed up like a jooperfish. Beside him was the little green girl from earlier, her cheeks equally full of whatever they’d been eating, and she snatched a bag of something out of his hands and scampered back to the Outlander before the clone could react.

You hadn’t pictured Quill as the type to have a serious partner. Sure, he was kind, open, and very well-loved by the village, but you never really saw him as someone who would settle down with anyone in particular – even more surprising that his apparent partner was one of the clones who’d arrived with Captain Sho’cye’s troop and allied himself with the Outlander.

Immediately, you didn’t trust the stranger. Especially not around someone as gentle and trusting as Quill.

You frowned, sizing up the clone as he walked closer, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. He swallowed whatever it was he’d been eating, licking powdered sugar from the corner of his lips as he sidled up next to Quill, smiling adoringly up at the Nautolan.

“Who’s this?”

You introduced yourself before Quill could, offering your hand to shake. “And you are?”

The clone was just as perceptive of Quill, and you caught the brief look of distrust in his eye before he took your hand. “Fives.” He introduced himself.

“A pleasure.” You replied, not at all meaning it. “I’m one of the rebel captains.”

“Funny, I’ve never heard of you.” Fives drawled back, shaking your hand anyway.

You ignored the barb, instead electing for a cool smile. “Well, it’s good we’ve finally met. I like to know the men who will be serving under me.”

“Under you?” Fives barked a laugh. “I report to Captain Sho’cye, no one else.”

“Not even General Brisbane, or our Commander Cawthon here?” You shot back. “Awfully disloyal for someone who was welcomed with open arms, despite throwing in with that Outlander scum -.”

“Alright, play nice, both of you.” Quill stepped in and turned a stern eye to Fives. “Must you pick a fight with everyone I introduce you to?”

“She started it.” Fives muttered under his breath.

If Quill heard him, he ignored him. “The Captain has been recovering from some serious injuries, which is why you haven’t had the opportunity to meet before now.” Quill said. “But she is one of our finest warriors, and Athena trusts her implicitly.”

Quill turned his stern gaze to you. “Athena also trusts Fives, as do I, and we trust the rest of his companions as well. They are a welcome addition to the village. I hope I’ve made myself clear.”

“Of course, sir.” You said, stiffening at once and saluting him. “My apologies, I overstepped.”

Quill’s easy smile returned at once, and he clapped his hands together. “Good. Well, it’s been lovely getting to catch up with you, Captain. I trust you’ll be rejoining us in the field soon?”

Don’t count on it. “I’m sure I will, sir.” You said instead, offering him another salute. Quill returned it in kind, and offered his arm to Fives. You watched as the trooper hooked his arm through Quill’s, and the two of them continued their stroll through the market.

You watched them over your shoulder, a bitter feeling settling in your chest.

“I’m sorry.” Soteria’s voice was sheepish, avoiding your ire. “You know I can’t give you approval to return to the field, yet.”

“Why not!” You groused, yanking your tunic top back on. “I’m perfectly fine! My injuries have healed, you’ve said so yourself.”

“Athena won’t approve it until she’s certain your mental state can -.”

“My mental state is fine.” You snapped back. “I’m tired of sitting around being useless.”

“I’m sorry.” Soteria said again. “My hands are tied.”

You sighed, pushing yourself roughly off the observation table and heading back out to the main room of the small medical practice. It had been three days since your last conversation with Athena, and still there was no sign of you getting to go back to battle any time soon.

You had stubbornly not been using your medication on your burn injuries, and they once again protested the sharp movements your body made as you stormed towards the exit. You were so focused on leaving that you almost missed the other Captain sitting in the waiting room.

He’d called your name almost tentatively, then louder when you didn’t seem to hear him, and you stopped.

“Oh, Captain Sho’cye.” You mumbled. “Forgive me, I’m a bit distracted.”

“No problem.” Rex said, awkwardly rising to his feet and wiping sweaty palms on his trousers. He seemed uncharacteristically nervous.

“What’re you doing here?” You asked him suddenly. “You aren’t hurt, are you?”

You cursed the small part of you that hoped he was hurt, so Athena would have no choice but to put you back on missions.

“No, no I’m alright.” Rex said hurriedly. “It’s my – well, my um, my – partner.” He settled on the word finally, rubbing the back of his head as though he wasn’t sure what to call her. “She’s – we’re expecting a child.”

Dimly, you recalled having been given this information before, but at the time, you hadn’t cared to get to know the clone Captain much, still not trusting him after aligning himself with the Outlander Gol’Chek, who had been the rebellion’s enemy for so long.

“Oh.” You said dumbly, glancing around the waiting room. “Where is she?”

“Refresher.” Rex said. “It’s just a routine checkup. Everything’s fine.” He almost sounded like he was trying to reassure himself more than answer a question you hadn’t asked.

You tried to make polite conversation. If you wanted to go out on missions again, you’d have to learn to work with the clones sooner or later. “How far along is she?”

“Just over twenty-three weeks.” Rex said, a small smile on his face. “It’s a boy.”

He sounded almost relieved to share the information, and you wondered if he’d been able to tell many people yet. You offered him a small smile in return. “Congratulations.”

Before Rex could continue, Quill stepped out of one of the neighboring rooms, thanking a medic over his shoulder. When he caught your eye, he beamed. “Ah, what a pleasant surprise, my two Captains in the same place.”

“Commander Cawthon.” You saluted him, and Quill waved you off. “Are you hurt, sir?”

“No, regrettably, this is for Fives.” He said, holding up a small jar of bacta. “We ran out.”

Rex suddenly looked guilty, clearing his throat and stepping back to the waiting area while you and Quill exited together.

“I’m sorry to hear he’s still hurting.” You told the Nautolan.

“No you aren’t.” Quill replied.

“I am, sir.”

“Please.” Quill chuckled. “Even if I couldn’t taste the disdain in the air, it wouldn’t take a clever man to know you don’t care much for Fives.” He tilted his head to the side. “May I ask why?”

You hesitated, not wanting to overstep. “Are you sure he isn’t just sleeping with you to earn your trust?” You blurted out.

To your surprise, instead of chastising you, Quill laughed.

“I assure you that isn’t the case.”

“How do you know, sir?”

“Because I came on to him.” Quill said, flashing you a grin. “And have you forgotten?” He flicked a tendril towards you pointedly. “One’s true intentions are not easily hidden from me.”

You relaxed, but only marginally. “I suppose you’re right, sir.”

“Speaking of which, I can sense your anger. It’s all I can taste when you enter a room.” Quill mused. “You want to go back out into the field, yes?”

“More than anything, sir.” You said emphatically.

“You need to be able to trust the men we’re working with if you want to go on missions again.” Quill told you. “Let me prove to you that Fives is someone worth knowing. Will you join us for dinner?”

“No, no I couldn’t impose.”

“You’re no imposition. Besides,” His tendril curled around your bicep as you walked. “Your anger is not the only thing I can sense.” His expression turned gentle. “You’re in pain.”

“It’s nothing.” You dismissed quietly. “It’s just… things are different now, I suppose.”

“Understandably so.” Quill agreed. “Nevertheless, let us help you.”

Quietly, you agreed, reluctantly following Quill back to his home instead of yours.

Quill pushed open the door first, holding it open so you could step inside.

“Hey!” Fives’ voice called from the kitchen. “Welcome home, I’m almost finished. I can’t promise it’ll be exactly the same as the stuff the boys and I used to eat when General Skywalker took us to Dex’s, but I’m pretty sure I’ve gotten at least close with this -.”

He cut himself off, catching sight of you and Quill standing in the entryway to the kitchen. He put his hands on his hips.

“Why?”

“Be nice.” Quill chastised, stepping up to him and kissing the corner of his pout. “The Captain will be joining us tonight.”

“I gathered that. Why?” Fives repeated.

“Be. Nice.” Quill murmured, holding Fives’ chin and kissing him slowly. You looked away, heat creeping up the back of your neck and pooling in your stomach. Quill’s voice had always done something to you that you hated to admit.

Fives looked back to you, then turned his attention to the stove. “Hope you like nerf stew.” He mumbled, stirring the pot with a little more force than necessary.

Quill stepped up behind him, murmuring something in his ear that you couldn’t hear, his tendrils twisting around Fives’ arms and shoulders. The clone chuckled, tilting his head toward Quill. “Promise?”

“Only if you behave.” Quill said softly, pulling back from him and grabbing two bowls, getting one for you and one for Fives before returning for a third for himself.

You made idle if not awkward small talk over dinner, trying to understand why Quill had fallen in love with someone like Fives. To you, Fives still felt like the enemy, and despite his easy laugh and gentle smile, you had a hard time trusting him no matter what Quill said.

You were relieved when dinner was finished, and you stood to go with more abruptness than you intended, your injuries making you gasp as you stood.

“You’re in pain.” Quill noted at once, rising to his feet to steady you.

“I’m fine.” You muttered, trying to gently shrug him away.

“You most certainly are not.” Quill said, guiding you to the stairs. “Go on up, I’ll bring you some bacta momentarily.”

“Sir, I really shouldn’t -.”

“I insist.”

Well. You couldn’t say no to that.

You made your way up the stairs, taking in the bedroom. There was a holopic on the nightstand of Quill and Fives that you noticed almost immediately, with Quill beaming at the camera and Fives tucked under his arms, smiling just as wide. Clone armor was stacked neatly on one side of the room, near a separate set of drawers. It was clear that Fives had moved in with Quill, the two of them making a life together.

And the way they’d spoken at dinner. The gentle touches, the soft smiles and easy laughter…

That certainly didn’t seem like something an enemy operative would do if they just wanted easy information.

“Hey.”

You jumped, turning around quickly as Fives knocked his knuckles against the doorframe. “Sorry, didn’t mean to spook you.” He said. “Just brought some bacta. Quill said you’re welcome to borrow one of his shirts to wear if you don’t want the stuff staining yours while it dries.”

“That’s kind of him.” You murmured, taking the bacta from Fives. The clone hesitated slightly.

“You… want some help?” Fives offered.

“Why do you want to help me?” You asked, though there was no malice in your voice.

“My brother’s got an arm like yours.” Fives explained. “He was blown halfway to hells too. I… know what you’re going through, a bit.” He shifted his feet. “Forget I asked.”

“It’s alright.” You said, waving him forward. “I suppose we might as well get used to this. We’ll be seeing a lot more of each other once I’m cleared for duty again.”

“That’s the spirit.” Fives hummed, sitting in front of you and unscrewing the lid of the bacta. He started with the burns along your neck and jaw, carefully dabbing bacta on his fingers and rubbing them delicately over your scarred skin. The position forced you to meet his eyes, and you found yourself swallowing. They were quite handsome eyes, big and doe-like, framed with thick dark lashes.

“So, what happened to you?” You asked him. “Wasn’t this bacta supposed to be for you?”

“Quill’s just a worrier, I’m fine.” Fives dismissed you, tugging slightly at your tunic. “Can I pull this down a bit?”

You nodded, opening up your tunic and partially shrugging it off to give him more room but keeping yourself as covered as you could. “Quill seems to care about you a great deal.”

“Yeah?” Fives chuckled, turning your head to the side so he could get at your collarbone. “I care about him too, despite what you may think.”

“I’m sorry.” You admitted quietly. “I know I come off… harsh.”

“Anyone ever told you that you’re like Athena?” Fives hummed.

A part of you swelled with pride at the comparison, but you quickly tamped it down. “I could never be like her.”

“You’re a lot like her.” Fives corrected with a soft laugh. He gave you a little smile. “See? I’m not so bad once you get to know me.”

“I’m sorry.” You said again.

“It’s alright. I get it.” Fives said, moving down your shoulders carefully with the bacta. “So… what happened to you?”

“There was an explosion.” You explained quietly, not wanting to elaborate. “I was the only survivor.”

“I see.” Fives resumed his careful ministrations.

“She won’t let me fight anymore.” You said finally. “Athena. She’s – she’s holding me back.”

“Maybe for good reason.”

“I just feel so… useless.” You said. “I should be doing more, I should be helping.” You looked down at your hands, flexing the metal fingers. “I’m nothing to her, to Quill, to anyone anymore.”

“I assure you that isn’t true.” Quill said from the doorway, stepping in fully. You jumped at the sight of him, and instinctively drew away from Fives, but Fives held you in place. “You’ve saved my life more times than I can count.” He settled down on the bed. “More than that, I consider us close.”

You shook your head, tears welling up in your eyes before you could stop them. “She doesn’t trust me anymore.” You whispered. “I lost all my men, I can’t even – I mean, look at me. I’m – I’m –.”

“You’re a survivor.” Fives cut you off, his hands stilling where they were covering you in bacta. “And don’t let anyone tell you different.”

You shook your head, still not believing it, and Fives pulled back from you, setting the bacta aside. He whispered something to Quill, and Quill took his place.

“May I do something for you?” He asked.

“What is it?” You asked, swiping at your tears. Quill reached out to cup the side of your face, brushing at a few of the traitorous tears with his thumb.

“I’m going to help you relax, if that’s alright.”

Before you could ask him more questions, Quill moved around behind you, wrapping his tendrils carefully around your body and holding you firmly against his broad chest. He held you close, and almost immediately, you could feel yourself beginning to relax. Your pain was dulled, and all the stress and tension in your body evaporated.

“There.” Quill rumbled quietly in your ear. “How’s that?”

Heat pooled low in your belly at the sound of his voice, and you pressed your thighs together, hoping Quill wouldn’t notice, but with the Nautolan so thoroughly wrapped around you, it was difficult to keep secrets.

He broached the subject carefully.

“Fives, darling.” He called to the other end of the bed where Fives was sitting. “Our friend could use some help. She needs to be… taken out of her own head, for the time being.”

Fives seemed to immediately pick up on what Quill was saying, and he raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”

Quill nodded, and Fives looked to you.

“What do you need?” He asked you gently.

And fuck, you suddenly became very aware of the situation: Your tunic was halfway off, Quill, who you admit had been the subject of numerous private imaginative sessions of your own, was holding you against his chest, and Fives’ handsome brown eyes had turned dark.

“What are you doing?” You asked instead of answering his question.

“We’re giving you the opportunity to unwind. To relax. To remind yourself that you are someone worthy of time and attention, no matter how serious your injuries or ailments may be.” Quill rumbled quietly. “Though, if you do not wish for this to proceed -.”

“No.” You said a little too quickly, and Fives’ eyebrow arched higher across from you. “No I – yes. I want you.” You said softly, turning your head towards Quill. “I want you. Both of you.”

Quill and Fives looked to one another for a moment over your head, and Quill reached for your tunic.

“May I remove this?”

You nodded, and Quill carefully eased it off while Fives pulled his own shirt over his head. You took a moment to admire him, the contours of his chest and abdomen, but also the large, fresh scar in the center of his torso.

Quill made a soft sound behind you, and Fives looked up at him. “I’m alright.” He assured his partner, leaning past you for a moment to kiss him. Then, he pulled back just enough to look at you. Tentatively, he leaned forward, catching your lips in his own.

Fives’ lips were surprisingly soft, and you fell into the kiss at once, all your worries about the clone forgotten. You shifted to wrap your arms around his bare shoulders once Quill had removed your tunic, and Fives deepened the kiss. You whimpered softly against his lips as he pushed you further back, his hands drifting to your breastband. He broke apart from you just long enough to push it up over your head, baring your chest to him.

He pulled back to look at you, and you shifted, trying to cover yourself better now that your cybernetic arm and scarring was completely exposed.

“Hey, none of that.” Fives stopped you, taking your wrist gently in hand and guiding it over his torso, littered in scars of his own. “You aren’t the only one who’s seen a war or two.”

Quill’s tendrils had twisted around your arms, and he trilled quietly in the back of his throat, the sound oddly comforting to you.

“C’mere.” Fives murmured, pulling you into his lap and nodding over your shoulder to Quill. You could hear the rustle of clothing behind you as Quill undressed, but your eyes were on Fives as the clone shifted you to lay back on the bed, against the pillows. “Eyes on me.”

You didn’t dare look away as Fives pressed his lips against your scarred cheek, then down your neck, his soft, warm lips leaving a trail down the evidence of your body’s traumas. His mouth ghosted over each breast, his tongue darting out to lick at your nipples. You gasped softly, your hand finding a home in his thick hair, holding his head against your chest.

Fives rolled his hips against yours, and you could feel his clothed erection straining against the fabric of his pants. The friction wasn’t enough, and you whimpered again, fumbling for your leggings while Fives quickly made a move for his trousers. Your movements had become hurried, desperate, and when Fives’ mouth found yours again, it was in a crash of lips and teeth and quiet groans as he hauled you up into his lap.

Your clit brushed against his dick as he sat you on his thighs, and you glanced down, shuddering at the sight of him. Long, thick, and already beading precum at the tip. Your mouth watered.

Fives chuckled. “You like what you see?”

You nodded, not trusting your voice at the moment, and Fives grinned, crashing his lips against yours again as his hand slipped down between the two of you. You gasped against his lips as his thumb found your clit, swiping between your soaked folds to collect your juices before dragging back up to the sensitive bundle of nerves and rubbing it with quick, vicious little strokes.

“Fives!” Your fingernails left crescents in his shoulders, but Fives didn’t seem to mind at all.

“C’mon baby, let’s see you come on my fingers first, yeah?” He purred, nipping lightly at your jaw. “Gotta loosen you up a bit before we can have any real fun.”

As he spoke, he slipped a finger inside you, and your mouth fell open in a silent moan.

“Be gentle, Fives.” Quill chided somewhere behind you.

“She can handle it. She wants it bad.” Fives chuckled, slipping a second finger inside you and curling them. “Looks like I finally figured out how to shut your smart mouth up.” He teased. “All it took was playing with your cunt.”

“Fives.” Quill scolded again. “Have a bit more couth than that.”

“What? You wanted to help her relax, and that’s what I’m doing.” Fives retorted, thrusting his fingers in and out of you. “Come on, darling, I can feel your pussy clenching on my fingers. You gonna come for me?” He leaned in close to your ear. “Or do you want Quill to watch? Yeah, is that it? You want Quill to watch the way you come on my fingers? You want him to see how pretty you look when I fuck you?”

Your whimper seemed to be answer enough for Fives, because he withdrew his fingers and spun you around so your back was against his chest, and he hooked his legs over your thighs, spreading them wide.

With one hand, he held your chin in place, forcing you to look at Quill while his other hand slipped back down between your legs, stroking your aching cunt and teasing your clit with every pass of his thick fingers. “Look at him.” Fives whispered in your ear. “You’ve thought about him before, haven’t you?”

Quill had undressed completely, his dark eyes trained on you as his tendrils flicked around him. One hand was down between his legs, fisting a pair of –.

Your brain short-circuited at the sight of Quill stroking himself. Gods, there were two of them.

The sight alone was enough to make you gasp, your stomach tightening as you bucked your hips into Fives’ hand, your orgasm cresting over you before you’d even fully realized what hit you, and you gushed into Fives’ hand.

“That’s it, that’s my girl.” Fives praised quietly, bringing his hand up to his lips and licking a stripe through the mess on his palm. He chuckled softly, beckoning Quill closer. “C’mere, baby.”

You watched through heavy-lidded eyes as Quill wrapped his lips around Fives’ fingers, sucking your juices from his outstretched fingers.

“Fuck.” You groaned softly, a small aftershock rippling through you at the sight.

Quill chuckled quietly, bringing his head closer to yours and captured your lips while Fives held your chin up towards the Nautolan.

“Are you well?” Quill asked you gently, bringing a hand up to cup your cheek. You nodded, tilting your head to the side and kissing his palm.

“I’m alright.” You promised, and rolled your hips back against Fives’ dick, making him swear quietly. “I want to keep going.”

Quill and Fives once again met each other’s eyes, a silent conversation passing between the two of them. Fives tilted your chin up, catching you in a heated kiss until Quill pulled you away, kissing you breathless right after him.

“Let us take care of you, little one.” Quill rumbled, guiding you back against the pillows. Quill propped himself up on one arm, laying beside you while Fives settled himself between your legs, wrapping your thighs around his hips.

“We’ll make you feel good.” Fives promised, a playful glint in his eye as he bent to press a kiss to each of your breasts again before rising to kiss the corner of your mouth. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, your fingers tangling in the dark curls at the nape of his neck, and Fives leaned forward, pressing his forehead against yours. Slowly, you felt Quill’s hand sneak down your abdomen, his thick fingers pulling apart your folds and holding you open as the head of Fives’ dick pushed inside you.

You gasped at once, and Quill shushed you gently, using his free hand to hold your chin and tilt your face towards him, away from Fives for a moment.

“That’s it, it’s alright.” Quill soothed, giving you a soft, doting kiss while Fives pushed deeper inside of you. The Nautolan glanced to Fives. “How does it feel, love?”

“So kriffin’ good.” Fives panted, inching in as slow as he could manage. “Fuck, you’re so warm, so wet, so fuckin’ perfect. This perfect little pussy was made for my cock.”

You pulled his hair, spurning him on, and Fives sped up, thrusting forward with a bit more force than he’d intended, finally bottoming out. He drew back sinfully slow before pounding into you roughly again, making you gasp.

“Gently, Fives.” Quill scolded lightly, kissing along your jaw.

“You can be gentle on your turn.” Fives replied tightly. “I want to ruin her.”

Quill hummed, giving Fives a warning look out of the corner of his eye, but Fives only smirked, pulling back and thrusting roughly into you again. He picked up the pace, snapping his hips loudly against your thighs as he set a brutal pace. You threw your head back in a moan while Quill’s hand drifted away from the lips of your pussy and instead began rubbing your clit, his mouth trailing down to one of your breasts while Fives fucked into you mercilessly.

“C’mon, baby, say my name.” Fives whispered, adjusting the angle of his strokes to hit that deep place inside you that sent a coil of heat through your belly. “Tell me who’s fucking you this well.”

“Fives!” You groaned, crossing your ankles over his lower back and yanking him closer with every thrust.

One of Quill’s tendrils wrapped around your other breast, his cocks writhing in anticipation against your thigh while Fives rutted into you.

“Fives – Fives, I’m gonna come.” You whispered, each breath punched out of you with how hard he fucked you. “Gods, I’m gonna come.”

“Come on my cock, princess.” Fives chuckled while Quill played with your clit, his fingers moving with more precision than before. “Wanna feel your cunt squeeze my cock when you come.”

You nearly screamed at the combined sensations of Fives’ cock driving into you over and over again while Quill stroked your clit, and when you came, it washed over you with even more intensity than your first orgasm. Your juices squirted out around Fives’ dick as he fucked you through it, and he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth.

“Fuck – fuck I –.” He pulled out abruptly, coming across your stomach in short spurts, shaking slightly as he came down from his own high.

You’d barely caught your breath when you heard Quill chuckle, his surprisingly soft tongue gliding across your stomach, chasing Fives’ release across your skin. He gently pushed Fives aside, and you had to spread your legs wider to accommodate his massive size as he moved between your thighs.

“My turn.”

You whimpered softly, a shudder rippling through you as one of his cocks pushed into your fluttering pussy. The appendage wasn’t particularly thick, but it was long, and your mouth fell open as you felt Quill press further and further inside you, curling up towards your cervix as his cock made a home inside you.

“You’re doing so well, darling.” Quill praised. “You’re taking me so beautifully. Do you think you can handle another?”

You hesitated, your eyes wide as you felt the second of Quill’s cocks press against your folds, rubbing briefly against your clit in a way that sent shocks through your body.

“Trust me, sweetheart, there’s nothing like it.” Fives chuckled over Quill’s shoulder.

“Will it – will it fit?” You asked softly, and Quill shuddered, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment before reopening them.

“I’m certain Fives has done a thorough job of opening you up for me, darling.” He cooed. “I’ll be very gentle.”

You nodded, and you felt the tip of Quill’s second cock push between your folds. You gasped, the burn of both his dicks inside you almost too much to bear until it slowly gave way to pleasure, Fives reaching between your bodies to apply a soft pressure to your clit, keeping you grounded as Quill pushed inside you.

“Shh, you’re doing so well. That’s it. Breathe for me, little one.” Quill praised, his tendrils curling around your arms and face as he loomed over you.

He kept to his word, and moved gently, slowly dragging his hips back before pushing into you again, but the way his cocks moved inside you – the way they twisted against one another, stroking the deepest parts of yourself in ways you’d never imagined before – was enough to send you careening towards the edge before he’d barely began to move.

“Quill.” You whimpered, your voice rising in pitch. “Quill – Quill, Fives, I -.”

Quill’s tendrils tightened around you, and you gasped again, arching your back off the bed as Quill moved a little faster.

“Oh – oh, oh gods, Quill – Fives!”

“Fuck, listen to her, baby.” Fives purred, leaning over you and smirking. “Bet she’s gonna come again any second.”

“Could you do that for me, little one?” Quill whispered to you. “Will you come for me? Let me feel your warmth around me, pretty girl. I want to feel you come undone.”

Fives flicked at your clit again, and Quill thrust particularly hard, and that was enough to send you over the edge.

You gasped, hands scrabbling for purchase on Quill’s broad body as you came for the third time that night, Quill letting out a strangled sound as your pussy clenched around his cocks. Fives cupped your cheeks, kissing you through your orgasm even as you trembled.

“That’s it baby girl, that’s it, you did amazing.” He murmured.

Fuck, your whole body felt like jelly. Quill pulled out of you, his tendrils uncurling from you at last, and you felt your own juices leaking from your pussy. Before you could even move to do anything, Fives dropped his head between your legs, the scratch of his goatee against your folds almost too much to bear as his thick tongue lapped at the mess, the tip catching on your clit with every pass.

“Fives,” You whimpered, fisting his hair and trying to drag his head back. “Fives – it’s t-too much.”

“Sorry.” Fives mumbled into your skin, reluctantly pulling back. “Couldn’t help myself.”

“Come, little one.” Quill rumbled to your left, his strong arms gathering your body against his chest and carrying you to the other room. “Fives. The sheets?”

“On it.” Fives nodded, swinging off the bed and stripping it down behind you.

“Where’re we going?” You slurred, sleepy and sated.

“The shower. You need to be cleaned up.” Quill told you.

You could barely stand, your knees nearly buckling as Quill sat you down, but the Nautolan was gentle, holding you upright and gently washing you down as he stood under the spray of the shower with you. His tendrils curled in towards his body, and he tilted his face up to the water more than once, clearly relishing in the sensation.

You dimly registered Fives squeezing his way into the shower behind you, his firm body pressed against your back and his low voice echoing in the shower.

“Kriff, Quill, she’s nearly asleep already.” He chuckled. “We wore her out.”

“Good.” Quill murmured, clicking his tongue softly. “Gods know the last time she was able to get a decent night’s sleep.”

You leaned forward against Quill’s chest, and the Nautolan wrapped his strong arms around you, almost protectively.

You must have nodded off slightly in the shower, because the next thing you knew, Quill had redressed you in one of his shirts, so big on you that it nearly reached your knees, and he’d lain you down across the freshly made bed.

“I should go.” You murmured sleepily, your head already turning against the pillows.

“Nah, just stay.” Fives said, flopping down on your left side while Quill climbed in on the right. “It’s late, anyway.”

You hummed your assent, and you felt Quill trail his fingers gently down the scarred side of your face.

“I should consider myself lucky,” he murmured. “To have such a loyal captain so willing to go back into battle, despite all that has been stolen from her.”

You smiled, leaning into his touch. “I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, sir. Until long after the stars have burned out.”

Quill chuckled, and reached around your hips to squeeze Fives’ hand. “Rest. Both of you.”

For the first time in a long time, sleep came easily.

Tagging just a few moots who may find this entertaining: @djarrex @space-b33 @witchklng @literallydontlook @moonstrider9904 @book-of-baba-fett @ladykatakuri @gotomarvelgal @pro-fangirls-unsocial-life @writingbylee @wild-karrde

#ro's protected tag #OC Quill #OC Athena #Fives #ARC Trooper Fives

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leebrontide · 6 months

Text

Secondhand Origin Stories, Chapter 13

Here's this week's chapter! Reblogs welcome!

For those of you just joining us, I'm posting a chapter a week of my free near future scifi/low neon cyberpunk YA/NA novel, Secondhand Origin Stories, which has been described as

"-a character driven, compelling story full of family, queerness, corruption, brain altering nanites, secretly teen parenting AIs, and taking aspects of the superhero genre to their very human and rarely-explored natural conclusions."

For an index of already uploaded chapters that hopefully I will remember to update, content warnings and more, check here:

You can follow along by following #SHOSweekly

Chapter 13

Opal had no idea how to bring up the day’s revelations to the tower kids. Yael wasn’t even back yet, but Issac was absorbed in his tablet, obviously hard at work for his evil overlord, with a stack of energy drinks on the coffee-table-slash-trunk. Jamie was perched on the back of one of the couches, watching the news.

Opal didn’t know what to do, so she settled on pulling out her gym clothes. They needed washing. Somewhat urgently. She’d have to head back to the laundromat soon.

Did she even need these? If she wasn’t going to be a superhero, she didn’t need to train to fight.

Plodding footsteps heralded Yael’s arrival, sweaty and slouching so badly xe was almost a normal person’s size. Xe closed the door behind xyr, then slowly lay down on xyr back on the concrete floor. “I hate heat.”

Jamie climbed over the sofas towards xyr while Issac got up and went to the fridge. Opal cocked her head to the side. It was completely gross outside. But-- “Don’t you have literal ice powers? Like, aren’t you pretty much immune to heat?”

“Only when my exoskeleton is out. Otherwise, heat is my nemesis.”

“I thought you said cars were your nemesis.” Yesterday, xe’d had to ride here in the back of Aldis’s truck. Xyr larger-than-life frame didn’t fit in the cabin.

“Heat. Cars. Also diet pop and actual evil.”

Issac strolled over and handed a huge Gatorade to Yael, who took it wearily. Well, if Yael’s genetic lineage was secret, xe couldn’t walk around all silver, could xe? Even if refraining meant risking dehydration or heatstroke or something.

Yael shoved xyrself up, leaving a surprisingly complete puddle, and chugged the whole drink in one go. Oh, the joys of Midwest summers. Xe lay back down, and turned xyr head towards Opal. “I need a pizza and a break before we train. Ugh, I miss the pool.”

The VIP suite itself was fully air conditioned and humidity-controlled-- the building housed delicate antiques, and any VIP suite residents got the same thing as a fringe benefit. Yael would cool down soon. There was a bigger concern. “Do we need to train?”

Yael looked at Opal, and then sighed, closing xyr eyes. “Well, I still need lessons…?” Everybody looked at Issac.

He made a face. “You guys can obviously talk to me with the contacts in. Why would you bother?”

Jamie answered. “Because you obviously hate them. Plus, you can’t wear them all the time. I don’t think you should be sleeping in them.”

Oops, had he been? She hadn’t noticed. He seemed like someone who didn’t read the instructions. “Oh, you should definitely not be sleeping in those,” Opal agreed wearily. “One eye patch is cool. Two eye patches, less so.”

Yael piped up with a serious tone from xyr floor puddle. “It has puns. American Sign Language has built-in puns.”

“I am not tempted by puns,” Issac objected with an attempt at contempt.

“Liar,” Jamie answered promptly.

Ah-ha. So puns were the key. “The sign for ‘pasteurized’ is the sign for ‘milk’ passed in front of your eyes.” She demonstrated. He tried so hard not to smirk. Bless his heart.

She liked these guys. Even Issac. That made this all that much harder. “Look,” Opal continued, “I’ll help if you want, while I’m still in Chicago. But it’s up to you.”

Jamie, who unfortunately was still adorable by the bright light of day, watched her sadly. “You’re really leaving?”

Yael put xyr hands over xyr eyes and made a rough and sudden noise of frustration. Opal startled. Issac scowled, probably trying to figure out if his contacts were mistranslating or not. Jamie leaned over the back of the couch.

Yael sat up with a sweeping gesture. “But you’re good! You’re brave and selfless and moral!” Xyr voice was raising, and xyr eyes looked suspiciously shiny. “If you’re quitting--”

Opal was beyond startled by Yael’s vehemence. “It doesn’t mean you can’t--”

“Yes it does! You’re a real hero! You were gonna fight Ezekiel, by yourself with no support, to save a girl you didn’t even know! If you think the APB is too corrupt-- and you know more about what they’re doing than I do--”

Well, one benefit of giving up her lifelong dream was that she wouldn’t have to worry about how mad Helix would be if Opal accidentally talked Yael out of being a superhero. LodeStar had been waiting for Yael to replace him. Now, maybe xe never would. Opal hoped she hadn’t just made things worse.

Issac attempted to console his sibling. “Yael, you’ve been studying the APB since you were like eight.”

“But I didn’t know anything about the prison, not really--”

“The prison,” Issac interrupted, standing a little straighter, “isn’t exactly what it sounds like.” He shot a challenging look at Opal. “They hired me-- and at a very competitive rate, by the way-- to help with rehabilitation.” He looked at his siblings. “You know what that brain injury did to Jenna. Lasansky wants to treat the inmates with head injuries, so they can go back home. Be safe to join society.”

Bull. Shit. “Nuh-uh. No way,” Opal challenged immediately. “They don’t give a crap about the health of the people stuck in there.”

“They care about recidivism,” Issac answered with a tinge of triumph he had not earned. “Preventing second offenses.” Such bullshit.

Yael dragged xyrself back up unenthusiastically. “Nodiah does care about that. He was so angry about the pilot having been recently released early from his sentence.”

Opal’s mouth dropped open. “Early release?” Opal repeated. “That’s-- they never even do that!” She’d never heard of anyone getting out early. If anyone should qualify for that, it should be her daddy. Her nails dug into her palms.

Yael tilted xyr head to the side. “Really?” Opal nodded stiffly, and xe frowned. “But the pilot…Eustus whatever-his-name-was…he was released early. And he has to have come from the Detroit prison.” Yael’s eyes went wide with horror. Xe looked at Issac. “Could Lasansky afford a jet?”

Opal didn’t wait for Issac to answer or to figure out what Yael was talking about. “Yes. They make a fortune off government contracts and prison labor. They’re loaded.”

Yael took a deep, slow breath, gears clearly turning in xyr head. “OK. Nodiah told me Lasansky is a suspect. For something. He’s being investigated-- I thought it was because he’d hired Issac-- but he had access to the pilot, he had access to a jet…what if Nodiah thinks he’s the mastermind behind the attack on the tower?”

“The news said they couldn’t figure out how the pilot had access to a jet,” Jamie added cautiously.

Opal looked at Issac-- the one injured, and the one working for the maybe-suspect. Issac was already shaking his head, but one hand was drifting up to his ear, and he looked haunted. “No. No, guys, you’re being paranoid. Lasansky’s got no reason to want to blow us up, or deafen me, or any of this. Without superheroes, he’d be out of a job. None of you even trust Bridgewater. Even if Bridgewater does think that, it doesn’t make it true. If more people are getting put in prison than they should, it’s on Bridgewater, not Lasansky.”

As if it had to be one or the other. Opal looked at Yael. “What did Bridgewater actually say when he saw you today?”

“Mostly it was a bunch of stuff about needing to look good in front of people and…”

“And?”

“…and making sure to separate Issac from Lasansky before--” Xe winced. “Before he gets too much blood on his hands.”

Opal felt a chill.

Issac snapped, “I am trying to help people!” Opal jumped. She recognized his defensive, angry posture from when he yelled at his mom. This really got under his skin. He almost looked on the verge of crying. And since he wasn’t planning to use his creepy tiny robots on himself…he must really be thinking about what they could someday do for other people. Jamie put a hand on his shoulder.

So Issac was trapped between two powerful men who Opal loathed. The demonstrably horrible jerk who profited off of other people’s forced prison labor, and the demonstrably horrible jerk who was funneling people into Lasansky’s hands. But it didn’t make sense. “Why would those two even be fighting? They’re a perfect parasitic match.”

Her answer came in disorienting surround-sound from all their phones and tablets. “I have an idea.” It was Martin. “The APB just released some press about a new bill being proposed by Secretary Bridgewater on Monday. He is calling it an ‘anti-recidivism’ measure, and it’s aimed at reducing the number of superheroes and prison beds required.”

“What’s the bill?” Jamie asked.

Silence. Issac frowned. “Martin? You there?”

Martin was quiet, apologetic. “It’s a ‘reform’ to sentencing laws for altereds. It…would make any violent crime eligible for the death penalty. In some cases it could be retroactively applied.”

Daddy. It felt like being kicked right through her ribs.

Officially, he was “dangerous.” A violent criminal. No. She felt a crashing tsunami-swell of anger as she spun towards Yael. “Your uncle’s trying to kill my dad!” She knew this wasn’t under Yael’s control. That the feeling of betrayal welling up inside her was unfair. Yael didn’t even go on the defense. Xe just stood there, shoulders slumped-- looking as helpless as Opal felt, but without matching Opal’s fury.

Opal didn’t know what to do with her rage. She could see the glinting reflections of the fear, anger, and pain lighting her skin refracting off the tears in her eyes. She’d come here to protect her dad and the others like him. Now things were getting even worse, and she couldn’t do anything about it.

She’d been planning to give up, and this was what happened. She’d been so busy worrying, she hadn’t even had time to feel ashamed yet of giving up on him when she gave up on being a superhero.

She hadn’t thought his life was on the line. Not like this.

A butterfly-light touch connected with Opal’s shoulder. Jamie, offering an invitation with an open arm. It gave Opal a path to move along. Jamie was still sitting on the back of the couch. She folded herself around Opal in a protective embrace. Opal tried to get herself settled, but really, she didn’t want to let go of this anger, or this fear. They were real and just, and she wouldn’t recognize herself if she couldn’t feel pain like this. Opal could feel a fast, fluttering heartbeat in Jamie’s neck. Jamie, upset by the injustice, or by Opal’s pain. Opal didn’t care which, in that moment. She put one hand on Jamie’s back and pulled her closer. Not to soothe, but to center herself. To feel she wasn’t the only one feeling. Jamie held her tight.

What would happen when Shani heard about this? Or her mom? Did Daddy know?

Issac’s nanites were supposed to affect Issac’s hearing. And they were supposed to go to Lasansky. Who would they test them on? She didn’t think for a second they cared about head injuries. She didn’t know what they wanted them for. But her deaf daddy would make an obvious target for testing. For them to pretend they were helping. Never mind that Daddy wouldn’t want that help. That he didn’t want or need to be fixed.

They said Issac’s nanites had almost killed him. Who would be there to save her dad?

“It’s just a bill--” Issac started.

Opal drew up out of Jamie’s arms to whirl on him. He flinched and put up his hands, but he held his ground. “I mean it’s not a law. Not yet. People will be fighting this. Lasansky will be fighting this.”

“You think he cares? Do you know how many people die in there--”

Issac shook his head vehemently. “He gets paid per prisoner. This could wipe out his business. You don’t have to trust him at all to trust that he cares about his bottom line.”

“That’s motive,” Jamie interjected, as if the words startled her. “Bridgewater was in our house, the morning of the attack. We weren’t the target. He was. To keep him from proposing his bill.”

“Exactly,” Martin agreed.

“But Nodiah is fine,” Yael objected. “If Lasansky had tried and failed to assassinate him, then why is he still here, hiring alienated bioengineers instead of getting away?”

“Overconfidence? Greed?” Jamie suggested.

“Or he still thinks he can get it to work.” Opal looked at Issac. “Which would mean he has a new plan. Probably one that involves a desperate and alienated bioengineer.”

“Firstly, everybody stop calling me that. And secondly, he hasn’t asked me to kill anybody, I promise.”

“Hasn’t he?” Jamie asked. “Issac, your nanites. They almost killed you.”

“But they didn’t.”

“Because I was there. But if you wanted to use them to kill somebody, wouldn’t they be perfect for it? Nobody at the clinic could find any trace of them. Even after I told them what happened.”

He looked down at his tablet, which Opal now realized had that stupid little thumb drive she’d given him plugged into the side.

“Perfect for assassination,” Yael agreed, darkly.

Martin surrounded them again. “With a little modification they could mimic stroke, cause a coma, or even dementia. I suspect a little further development could make them ideal for torture.”

Opal felt sick. “So you just handed a perfect murder weapon to him.” And Opal had handed it to Issac. Oh, God. She’d made it worse. She’d made everything so much worse. She’d just been trying to help out.

Her attention was glued to Issac as he slowly pulled the drive out of his tablet. “I haven’t sent it yet. I was still securing the connection.” He looked haunted. Good. Let him take this seriously. He looked up. “I actually do care about safety. I do get that-- I just wanted to help people!”

What could she say to that? She really did think he wanted to help. He was naive, but he wasn’t cruel, and he seemed to try not to be careless. She held his eyes with her own. “Then you can help by making sure he doesn’t get that data.”

“This is all speculation,” he answered, glancing away. She bit her tongue. He wasn’t really arguing anymore. He was just turning the drive over in his hands.

“We need more information,” Jamie agreed.

The fight went out of Yael. “He’s being investigated.”

“By Bridgewater,” Opal growled. So, great, even if they beat Lasansky, the APB would get the thumb drive. The same APB that was trying to kill her daddy.

Opal hadn’t realized Jamie was still holding on to her until Jamie’s hand balled into a fist on Opal’s sleeve. Jamie’s voice was quiet, but solid. “Then we should do something.”

Jamie had suddenly turned Opal’s despair into something else-- something fragile, bright, and terrifying. They all knew this moment from every story about every hero. The moment when you decided to be a hero, or a bystander. To commit completely or walk away. Either way, she’d have consequences to answer for.

If they did this-- if Opal did this-- she’d be making herself vulnerable to the same vigilantism charge that lost her her daddy. The same charge that might cost him his life. Even if they won-- even if they saved the day, Opal could still wind up dead. Dr. Tillman promised Opal legal protection. But that was conditional on Opal guarding her kids. Joining them to guard others-- that was no guaranteed pass.

But these three were who she had here. Jamie was tiny, Yael had already attacked one superhero, and Issac was the root of this whole thing. The four of them weren’t exactly the Sentinels, but she trusted that each of them cared about doing the right thing. And at the moment, the right thing was about protecting Issac’s invention from evil usage, and exposing Lasansky.

It was what Opal had already pledged her heart to. Just like her daddy, she had to do the right thing, and hope her family would forgive her if it all fell apart.

“We have the data,” Opal said. “We have the thing Lasansky wants, the thing that has to be kept out of the wrong hands, right here. Nobody else has that.”

Issac looked down at the flash drive. He looked sick. “Bad guy bait.”

Opal nodded. “Maybe I’m not going to be a superhero. Maybe none of us are.” She glanced at Yael, who said nothing. “But I don’t trust the APB and I don’t trust Lasansky. I trust all of you. And I think, together, we can make sure this ends here. That nobody else has to get hurt. If you’ll help me.”

“I’m in,” Jamie said immediately. Opal put her hand over Jamie’s hand, still on Opal’s arm. Jamie wasn’t altered, but conviction and courage had to count for something. And Jamie had both in spades.

Issac messed up his hair. “Oh, this is so stupid... Fine. I’m in. If I’m going to tank my career at eighteen, at least I’ll be sure my tech doesn’t hurt anybody. Else.”

Just Yael left-- the one with the most to gain from the APB. The strongest of them. Xe watched the thumb drive in Issac’s hand. Xe was silent for long enough, Opal started to wonder what Yael would do if xe decided not to go along with this. Would xe call Nodiah? Yael’s voice was quiet and xyr hands gleamed silver when xe answered. “Superhero or not, I want to protect people. If we can do what the APB can’t, what our family can’t, then I’ll do what I can.”

“Then I think I have the start of a plan.”

* * *

Jamie set up the tablet on the coffee table and sat back on the couch. She should make the call before she had a chance to second-guess.

She never had called home, this morning. Apparently, this was the push she needed.

If Mom was talking to her, she would tell Jamie that she was in a strong position to negotiate right now. Dad had to have realized he'd messed up. He had to know he’d crossed the line.

Did he think Jamie had crossed the line, too?

Jamie glanced over to Yael, who was stretching on the concrete floor. Preparing for a fight. Yael wasn’t mad at Jamie, as far as Jamie could tell. But Yael hadn’t actually gotten hurt.

Opal leaned a hip on the back of the couch. She looked grim, with violets and green flashing in her skin. "Couldn't you call Capricorn or Helix instead? I think that’d be easier."

It would be easier. But it wouldn't get the questions Jamie needed answered, answered. "It'll be fine," Jamie assured, her voice hollow. "Besides, he's in charge of the team."

Opal chewed her lip and leaned over the couch. “I hate that I’m the one telling you guys this…but according to Capricorn, LodeStar isn’t in charge anymore. He’s a figurehead. Capricorn says he’s been giving the orders for a while, now.” Jamie frowned as Opal licked her lips, looking at each of them. “He said that the reason LodeStar’s so messed up is because his joints are pretty much destroyed. Even before yesterday, his shoulders and spine and everything were a mess. And he’s taking serious narcotic painkillers pretty much non-stop. My mom told me that for that to work on someone with an altered’s metabolism, he’d have to be popping them like candy to keep them in his system.” She shifted, uncomfortable. “I thought that you all deserved to know.”

Jamie’s mind went blank. It was as if Opal was speaking a language Jamie didn’t know.

Dad was one of the top superheroes in the country-- a force of nature. He could shatter stone under his feet, fly, and was even immune to aging. Painkillers were for pain. Why would someone as strong as him ever need them?

But Opal wouldn’t lie. Drew would never make up something like that.

And it fit Dad perfectly, didn’t it? She didn’t think any amount of pain would make him stop. He’d never complain. He would always keep fighting, no matter what. And if he had to take something for that pain, he’d do it quietly. He wouldn’t want to draw attention to it. Just like how Issac hated the text on his eyes being visible. Don’t draw attention to weaknesses, as if they mattered. Just keep going.

No matter what.

Jamie’d known there was something. She’d known it. She never would have guessed this, but something was wrong.

Jamie could tell this was as shocking to Yael and Issac as it was to her. She watched empathy and anger brawl in Yael’s eyes. She could see Issac mentally scanning years of memory-- testing this new information against his experiences, checking for a fit.

Jamie’s pocket sighed with Martin’s voice. “Thank you, Opal.”

That put an end to any doubt.

Jamie attempted a smile for Opal. “Thanks. I think I needed to know that.” Opal nodded back. Jamie just wished she had time to really process this before she talked to Dad.

She could call Drew, instead of her dad. Opal had just given her the perfect excuse. But that still wouldn’t get her all the answers she needed.

Jamie re-prepared herself, drawing herself up. "OK, everybody else stay out of the frame. I don't want him to get distracted."

Issac sat on his bed, knees up and elbows braced on them, glowering. "I don't understand any of this."

"Yes, you do," Jamie countered, looking back at the screen. "You just don't like it."

Her stupid heart was speeding up. Was she scared of him? No. She refused. "OK, Martin. Call him, please."

Martin put the call through. It rang. And rang.

Jamie stayed put as the others paused their preparations to turn and look as it kept ringing. As he kept not answering.

That scared her.

She was about to tell Martin to hang up with the screen flickered on.

At first, she didn't understand what she was seeing. Dad sat in the center of his couch, dimly illuminated by the screen of the TV he was watching her on. The blinds were drawn, and only thin slices of light sketched the space behind him. Something was off about the shape of him-- unshaven, wearing a bathrobe and pajama pants, watching her with that grave, motionless intensity.

One sleeve of his robe hung flat, empty. The front of his robe was open enough, she could tell his arm wasn't in a sling against his chest.

It was gone. Like Jenna's. And like Jenna's, it hadn't been designed to come off. Jamie could see black and red bruising creeping up his neck from the shoulder, and the edges of a cast’s network at the edge of his robe.

She remembered the sound of cracking. They must have taken his arm off because his collar bone was...just that shattered. His body couldn't support his metal arm anymore. In all the fights he'd been in, that had never happened before. Jamie's eyes tracked back to Yael. Yael had done to LodeStar what no supervillain had ever managed to do.

No, that wasn't true. It was Dad's right arm, gone. A supervillain had destroyed his original right arm before Jamie'd been born. And both his legs. How many times had he been taken apart, in his life?

"Jamie," Dad said. His voice was tight, clipped. Angry? Or just in pain?

She couldn't read him, and had no idea how he was reading her. She'd have to hope words would do the job anyway. "I need backup," she told him, as matter-of-factly as possible.

She could see him try to sit up straighter. Now she knew to watch more closely. While nothing else in his face shifted, his pupils contracted in pain at the movement. "What happened. What do you need?"

"Issac took a job with Lasansky Securities International. He didn't know they were under investigations for the attack on the tower. But we think they’re trying to weaponize Issac’s nanites, and that Lasansky tried to kill Bridgewater to prevent him from introducing this new bill."

"I can be there in ten minutes--" Dad started.

"Dad, no. Listen. We have a plan. Issac is going to try and get him to confess. And we can get it on security cameras. I'm calling you because we want the team standing by just in case everything goes wrong, and to make arrests at the end. But we want you to wait, Dad. You need to give us a chance to get this done. Without the APB jumping in."

"You can't be serious--"

"Yes, I can!" she held up her gauntleted wrist. "You gave me this. This was your idea. Because you know that if there's a problem I can fix, I'm always going to try. And this means I can help. So I'm going to. Even with how you acted yesterday, I still trust you, so I called you. I didn't have to! We have Opal and Yael. We could have just done this ourselves. But we wanted you to help us make a perimeter. Because your home and your family got attacked, too. I...I know you want to help.” Even though his body wanted to quit, Dad wanted to keep going. Keep helping. Jamie understood that.

“This isn’t what I meant. I meant for you to defend yourself. Not set up a problem deliberately. The professionals can handle this.”

“Well, they haven’t yet. Lasansky is going to underestimate us. Just like everyone always does. And Issac has what Lasansky wants. If you come in before we have a chance to help, Issac might wind up getting arrested along with Lasansky.”

That was what it took for Dad to allow pain to show on his face. His left hand came up, rubbing over his face. “This isn’t what I--”

“Will you help us, or not?”

“Of course I’ll help you,” he nearly snapped.

“Then make sure Lasansky doesn’t get away, and come in if we need you.”

“Yael and Issac agreed to this?”

Issac grunted and shoved himself upwards, stalking around to lean in behind Jamie, where Dad could see. “I made a mess, so I’m fixing it. Jeez, Dad.” Jamie felt Issac stiffen as he got a look at Dad for the first time. Hearing that Dad was hurt and seeing him like this were not the same.

Yael stayed off camera, reaching out to xyr toes, on the floor. Xyr tone was curt. “You’ve been training me for this my whole life. If I don’t protect people from dangerous altering tech, what was the point?”

Expressions too cloudy for Jamie to decipher slid across Dad’s face as Yael spoke. Even if things worked, and they all went back to make sure Martin was secure, there would still be a lot of work to do.

“What about that other altered girl? Where is she.”

Opal slid in beside Jamie, chin up and shoulders back. “I’m right here, Mr. Voss. And I wouldn’t have come to Chicago if I wasn’t willing to do what I could to prevent dangerous technology from being used on innocent people. This is exactly what I came here to do.”

Dad let out a long, low breath. “Your mother is going to hate this. I hate this. But fine. I’ll back you up.”

Everybody used to say that Jamie was just like her dad. As they’d drifted apart, she’d stopped believing it. This was what it took for her to feel that connection again.

Dad was one-armed, fresh from surgery, and probably in worse pain than Jamie had ever experienced. If he was taking painkillers that could cloud his mind, it was because the pain was bad enough to do worse. But he didn’t want to quit. He probably didn’t know how. Just like Jamie.

“Not you.” Finally, her voice sounded like she’d always wanted it to. Sure, clear, and steady. The soprano version of his. Her heart rate slowed, and something in her centered for the first time.

It was like she’d been looking in a fun-house mirror her whole life, and had just now figured out that the real world was right behind her. Dad was a mess. He was just struggling to cope. So was Mom with her missing nails, and Solomon with his hiding. And Drew, keeping other people’s secrets when he knew better.

“Dad, you’re in no shape. Send Drew and Solomon. They’ll be enough.”

In another time and place, Dad’s shocked reaction would have been funny. Not much shocked him. “I’m not going to sit by while my kids--”

“You need to take care of yourself,” Jamie said, her words rock-solid enough to quiet him, at least for a second. “You’ve been doing this for too long. Drew told us what’s going on with you. Yesterday, you stepped over the line. If you can’t control yourself, then you need to sit this out. Send the others, but I don’t want you here.”

Dad was stunned. Warm fingers interlaced with Jamie’s, and Opal squeezed Jamie’s hand, down where he couldn’t see them. Jamie kept her eyes on her dad’s.

It hurt him. But it needed saying. All her life, he’d kept Jamie from hurting herself by over-reaching. Now, he needed the same thing. Issac leaned over the back edge of the couch, and when Dad’s eyes flitted to Issac for a moment, Issac nodded, backing her up.

But he looked squarely to Jamie when he conceded with a tight voice, “I’ll send Solomon and Drew.”

Jamie nodded. She nearly hung up, right then. But guilt gnawed at her. There was always a chance this plan could go wrong, with too much left unsaid.

“Dad, I’m not sorry about pulling the gauntlet out, yesterday. But I’m not scared of you. I want you to know that.”

His eyes softened, just a little. Maybe as much as they could. “Thank you, Pumpkin. I’ll see you when all this is over.”

Jamie smiled back. There was too much to do for her to be happy, but finally, she felt like she had her dad back. “I’ll see you then.”

* *

Issac’s attention flipped to Yael as Jamie’s screen went dark. “Well, congratulations. You’re the first altered to take LodeStar out of commission for an indefinite amount of time in like twenty years.”

Xe sat up. YAEL: What?

“They took his arm off. Because you fucking shattered his clavicle.” He hated this. He hated this more than anything. The whole family was going down in flames. He wasn’t supposed to have to see this. “Maybe he’ll get a crate of his own. We can store Jenna’s with the Christmas decorations and Dad’s with the Hanukkah supplies.”

It wasn’t fair to be mad only at Yael. He knew that. Xe wouldn’t have done that without having some kind of reason. But it was hard to face. Yael looked sick, eyeing him suspiciously. Not wanting to believe it. Xe was the only one who hadn’t seen him.

Jamie had taken on a weird, serene look Issac didn’t like. It looked too much like someone prepared to die. JAMIE: He’ll be OK. She stood up. We can worry about Dad later. He’s safe at home. We should focus on the plan.

“Aren’t you mad at him? You pointed a weapon at him.”

Jamie tilted her head, considering. JAMIE: Yeah. But he doesn’t want me to be scared of him. And now he’s actually listening to me. So it’ll be OK.

“‘It’ll be OK?’ We’re trying to lure a potential terrorist to the place we’re living, taunt him with dangerous experimental tech, and the best case scenario has me handing that tech over to the same organization that’s apparently been feeding our dad serious narcotics for years, and has repeatedly snatched limbs from our family. Where are you getting ‘OK’ from that?” Issac still wasn’t completely convinced that Lasansky was the real bad guy, since Bridgewater seemed to be even worse than Issac had imagined, but Issac still needed a lot of answers before he’d hand his tech over to just anyone.

Opal, at least, had some of the somberness Issac felt the situation warranted. And she was holding Jamie’s hand. Huh. OPAL: We can’t completely win this. This is damage control.

A Kobayashi Maru. An unwinnable fight to test your character.

The flash drive was still in Issac’s hand. He hadn’t set it down since Yael’s suspicions came up.

He turned it over, running it between his fingers.

“I just wanted to help people. This could still help people.” People like Jenna. Maybe people like him.

But, unfinished, it was a lot more of a weapon than a medical intervention.

JAMIE: Jenna would be mad you took this job. Even if Lasansky isn’t a terrorist, testing experimental tech on people who can’t leave, who have to depend on their captors for food, and medical help--

OPAL: --And who can’t always even call home. I haven’t heard from my dad since I got here. They can isolate him whenever they want, for whatever they want. You really think they’d just…be nice about this one thing, and only take willing participants?

Fuck. Jenna would be furious. Mom would kill him.

And they’d both be right. Damn it. Progress without ethics was…like the plot of 50% of the science fiction he’d ever watched, read, or listened to. He knew better. But he’d wanted to help. He’d just…trusted the ethics of powerful organizations too much.

And he’d been too afraid. Too ashamed.

He wasn’t going to put anyone else at risk over his damn feelings.

He’d come this far, in less than two years, before he was even 18.

He could always invent it again, someday. If he could create a place and an organization where it could be made safely. Where an agency he could actually trust would do the job the APB was supposed to.

The only way to win a Kobayashi Maru was to change the game.

He got up and went to the kitchen. He made his mind as blank as he could, trying to ignore the way his heart was a staccato spasm in his chest. Just one foot in front of the other. That was all he had to think about. The drive was the bait. They needed it to lure a confession out of Lasansky.

But they didn’t need the actual data for that.

If Lasansky turned out to be the good guy here, Issac was going to be furious at himself for this.

Issac dropped the drive into the toaster and pushed down the lever before he could second-guess himself.

A few bursts of shocked but not especially coherent text blipped up, and he ignored them. He watched the coils turn a deep, smouldering red. There was no turning back now. It was over. He didn’t have to worry about whether he could go through with it. “Sorry, partner. Maybe someday.”

MARTIN: I understand. This is better. Thank you.

That was Martin. They had nothing to prove to anybody. No ego to soothe. Just a pure desire to imagine, invent, and help.

The coils turned from red to glaring orange. The drive case was titanium. He couldn’t break it. He didn’t even trust deletion. But it had no wireless access, so unless anyone plugged it in, there was no way to tell the data’d been destroyed by the heat.

Even if this whole thing went completely belly-up, Issac wouldn’t leave behind a legacy that could be used to hurt anyone else.

The time went off, and the toaster tried to give him back the useless husk of a thumb drive. But it had fallen into the coils. “Yael, can you dig this thing out for me? I don’t want to burn my hands.”

Slowly, Yael stood, and came over to him. Everyone was staring.

The attention was harder to bear than watching the toaster. His eyes started to itch the way they did when there was too much liquid between cornea and contact. His nose felt runny. He sucked it up and produced the best smirk he could while Yael silently took the appliance, unplugged it, and fished out the drive with a silver-black hand. “Whatever. I’m a genius. Make something better later, anyway.”

Jamie looked proud of him, so that had to be worth something. And Opal looked less like she was going to cry, which was a relief.

“And I do like puns. And androids.” He looked at Jamie and Yael. “Think Mom’ll give me a job fixing shitty software for contacts?”

Yael handed him back the drive, and put xyr other hand on Issac’s shoulder. YAEL: Whatever happens, you’ll have us.

* * *

Yael knew that, really, most battle plans didn’t make it past the first engagement. They were more like optimistic outlines than anything.

But their plan didn’t even make it that far.

Issac had sent a rude email to Lasansky saying that Issac quit and would head home in the morning.

Just like they hoped, Lasansky showed up in person not too long after. Just like Yael expected, he brought uniformed, armed guards. Which, for Yael, completely settled the question of Lasansky’s villainy. You didn’t bring armed altereds to deal with a concussed, unaltered string bean like Issac if you weren’t up to something.

So, all of that was fine. Yael was prepared for all of that.

The problem was the tall figure in neon orange who slumped out after the guards. If the orange jumpsuit wasn’t signal enough, Yael knew his face.

“The pilot,” xe breathed. And he wasn’t cuffed, wasn’t shackled. Lasansky was “transporting” him, but the man was obviously not a prisoner. That was more than enough proof for Yael that they were colluding.

He wasn’t as tall as Yael, but still stood nearly a head taller than the rest of them. His eyes scanned the area along with the guards.

A real supervillain. The one who’d taken aim and knocked Issac into the sky. Who’d wrecked Yael’s home and xyr family.

Xe turned back to the garage, where everybody was in their places, as ready as they could be. Xe couldn’t see Jamie from here. Issac was slouched in a folding chair, one leg bouncing. Him being bait was xyr least favorite part of this. Xe’d sworn to protect him. Opal leaned against a truck nearby, almost casual. Yael whispered, “The pilot is with him-- no cuffs or anything. That proves it.”

It proved it to Yael. And by Issac’s suddenly red face and Opal’s stoic nod through flashing amber lights, it was enough proof for them, too. But they needed more evidence than that for an actual court.

“Yael,” Jamie hissed from her hiding place. “Silver.”

Yael shook xyr head. A lot of the plan hinged on Yael staying out of sight until after they had the information they needed. Opal, who Lasansky didn’t know, would stay in the garage to protect Issac and, if necessary, Jamie. Yael’s job was to keep as many guards as possible from getting into the garage in the first place.

It didn’t matter if xe was silver. Nobody would see xyr.

Xe slipped out the back door and ducked into a mound of scraggly shrubs to make xyr way around the building. The gravel and the bushes were impossible to move silently through, but even though it was night, there was some manufacturing noise from the other buildings. That should cover any little sounds.

Xe made it to the front just in time to see Lasansky and three guards enter the garage door they’d left open. That left five guards and the pilot at the cars. Just like Jamie predicted, they didn’t expect anyone here to put up a fight. Xe crouched in the densest part of the bush xe could find.

Then there was a whole new problem. Xe had to wait. Just sit here, with the others out of xyr sight, watching the pilot lean against one of the SUVs with his arms folded and a distant look on his face. Xe wondered how old he was. If he was actually around Yael’s age, or if he was from an age-stable line. What sort of crime had gotten him arrested in the first place? What heinous thing had he done that would make Lasansky team up with him for the attack?

He kept himself away from the lackeys. Maybe he was higher up in the chain of command than them. He was unarmed. Either he was his own weapon, or he was Lasansky’s weapon.

Either way, Yael struggled to stay put. And the damn guards were chit-chatting so much, xe couldn’t make out what anybody was saying in the garage, even though xe could hear voices.

Xyr muscles coiled tight.

If it weren’t for him-- if he hadn’t started it all, xyr family wouldn’t be in tatters. Yael would be at home. Issac and Jamie would be safe. Yael would still be able to trust everyone, and Opal would probably already be a Sentinel.

Yael had killed two men in Hopkins, Minnesota, three years ago. Xe’d done it to protect Issac. Xe hadn’t wanted to.

But it had been so easy at the time.

It was only afterwards that Yael had felt sick. Started feeling those rippling memories under xyr skin.

For the first time, the sense-memory of a brittle, flaking crunch followed by the sluggish ooze of cold blood didn’t repulse xyr. The instincts that knew that violence would always favor Yael projected those memories, and the wet grind of Neil’s bones, out onto the body of the pilot. Like a map to follow. How many more deaths would live under xyr exoskeleton by the end of today?

He wouldn’t be as easy, but there was no way killing him would leave xyr with that sick feeling in the pit of xyr stomach. Xe wouldn’t need to lock the memory of his death away.

Papa said guilt was good. That killing should never be easy. That the fear of guilt kept powerful people in check.

Yael didn’t want to be kept in check. Xe wanted to crush the villain who’d ruined xyr peace.

Xe couldn’t stay still. Xe was shaking with rage. Xyr temperature lurched from hot to cold as xyr exoskeleton tried to cope with the heat of xyr fury. The man who’d caused it all was right there. How could xe care about some elderly bureaucrat with a real supervillain standing right there?

It was more than xe could hold in. Some tiny shift, some grit-toothed breath, some reflection off xyr skin gave xyr away.

He turned to watch the bushes where Yael hid. Yael didn’t move, but xyr mind was spinning out possibilities. See me. Give me an excuse.

His posture changed, sensing danger, preparing for the fight that was feeling closer and more inevitable every second.

He shoved off the side of the van. Took two slow, testing steps towards the garage door. Like Hell would Yael let him get anywhere near the others. It was enough of a reason.

Yael leapt from the bushes, ready to tear the pilot apart. He moved back, and Yael didn’t register the sound of clicks fast enough.

Xe did register the sound of gunshots. Xe didn’t realize till xe felt the air rip behind xyr that xe was the target. Xe’d forgotten about the other henchmen.

Xe turned to dispatch them as quick as possible, but a word ripped through the air like another bullet. “Ezekiel!”

Xe stared at them. They believed it. Just like Opal, the darkly shining silver was enough to convince them that 18 years of death wasn’t enough to hold xyr birth father down.

There were still machining sounds in the distance. More signs of life. More people that might hear that name and believe it. And if they believed it, then anyone seen helping Yael would be at risk from a terrified mob.

The pilot broke rank and ran.

Jamie, Issac, and Opal were here. They needed protecting, but they also needed to not be tied to Ezekiel. Two instincts tore Yael in opposite directions.

Xe let rage cast the last vote, and sped after the pilot, ignoring the sounds of bullets.

They raced through a labyrinth of warehouses and factories. Yael ran harder than xe’d ever run before. Every ground-swallowing step took xyr further and further away from xyr real goal, xyr real purpose, like a tether that might snap.

Yael turned a corner. It dropped xyr into a throng of trucks, crates, and warehouse workers.

The pilot ran through the crowd-- deftly leaping over, darting through, and dodging every obstacle. His prison uniform caused a commotion.

But Yael’s showing up caused a cacophony of falling crates, terrified cursing and evacuation commands. They instantly forgot the pilot. Yael actually paused, first to look for the pilot, then to take in all the fear and chaos xe’d caused. More than the obvious escaped criminal.

In the corner of xyr eye, xe caught one idiot pointing a phone at xyr from inside. Xe scowled at him before xe could think about it.

Nodiah’s warnings rang through xyr head, echoing inside xyr exoskeleton.

This was Yael’s debut-- terrifying everybody. Looking like a monster.

Looking like xe always had, inside.

Xe froze long enough for a few loading dock workers to find their nerve. Xe saw some of them cautiously lifting crowbars, hammers, all kinds of improvised weapons. Xe could just about make out a pitchfork.

It was noble of them. Odds were, hardly any of them were altered. Maybe none of them were. But they saw a supervillain and a mass killer back from the dead, and armed themselves.

If xe went around them, xe’d lose the pilot for sure. If xe went through the crowd, they might attack. Xe couldn’t fight them.

Xe couldn’t cry when xe was silver. The exoskeleton locked any moisture inside it. Xe couldn’t sweat, couldn’t even bleed.

No fighting and no avoiding. One last desperate option available to avoid civilian injuries.

Xe pulled in as much air as heaving lungs could manage, deepened xyr voice, and tried to channel every booming command xe’d ever heard from the team. “Get out of my way! I’m after the terrorist, not you!”

Xe hoped the man with the camera was still rolling.

If only xyr voice hadn’t sounded so wrong.

But they mostly scrambled. Xe didn’t hear any crowbars drop. They cleared a path, only a few of them turned clumsy by fear.

“Move move move move!” xe demanded, running all-out. Xe’d lost sight of him. Had to find him, prove which side xe was on--

The briefest flicker of orange, reflected off a fender facing an alleyway, gave xyr new direction.

Xe found a new reserve of energy, and sprinted after him.

Two turns later, xe had the pilot fully in xyr sights. Three turns after that, he made a mistake.

He’d trapped himself in a dead end, with xyr blocking his only way out of a concrete and iron box.

He turned to face xyr.

#SHOSweekly

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