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bellaireland1981 · 1 year

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Starting Over | 3

Summary: You come home to work to find your husband of three years in bed with your supposed best friend. It’s the wake up call you finally needed to take your two year old daughter and get the hell out of Texas. With nowhere to go you head to your big brother in San Diego. The sagger squad takes you under their wings, and shows you what having a family means. You get a fresh start… will you find your happily ever after?

Characters: Jake “hangman” Seresin x Sister! Reader, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Seresin! Reader (Eventually), Hangman x Phoenix (eventually) , Adorable OC Gracie! The Dagger squad

Word Count: 5313

Warnings: Angst, cheating husband, emotional abuse, eventual fluff, smut in later chapters, Sweet uncle Jake, Adorable Rooster with a toddler… if I miss any please let me know.

A/N: I don’t own the characters or storyline for Top Gun Maverick. All OC’s are mine. I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR ANYONE TO COPY OR REPOST MY WORK TO ANY OTHER PLATFORM! DON’T STEAL! Reblogs, likes and comments ALWAYS welcomed. THANK YOU @waywardodysseys as always for reading over my work and helping me flush out ideas!!

Taglist is open! If I missed anyone who asked to be tagged, please let me know! I tried to keep track!

CH 1 CH 2

“You definitely have enough of a case with the text messages and voicemails alone to be given a fairly cut and dry divorce on grounds of emotional and mental abuse, Y/N.” Lauren Kennedy said, the next day. Jake had once again worked his brotherly magic and arranged for Penny to watch Gracie while you had the appointment. “I have to tell you, even given the fact that he is in Texas, the nature of these texts and voicemails becoming increasingly hostile and threatening, I would recommend requesting an order of protection as well for both you and Gracie. With that said, I’m assuming you want complete custody of the child?”

“If there is a way to make sure he has absolutely no rights to her, that is what I want.” You said. “I don’t want or need child support from him. He’s admitted to never wanting her, does that count in our favor?”

“It does.” She said, “Would the protection order be something you would be willing to pursue?”

“He’s never physically laid a hand on me. Would a judge even order it without him physically harming me?” You asked

“With the escalating calls and texts, I would say the probable cause for him to become physical is not too far fetched.” She said gently, “I’m assuming you haven’t listened to the more recent calls or the messages he has sent your brother?”

“No.” You admitted, “It became too much and Jake just got me a new phone and number so I wouldn’t have to. If you think it’s for the best and necessary then yes, I am willing to request the order of protection.”

“I think it’s always better to be safe than sorry,” She said, “especially when a child is involved.”

“I will do anything to protect Gracie.” You said. “I have to be honest with you Ms. Kennedy, I don’t have a lot of money. I have a credit card I was able to get without Trent knowing, but he never let me have access to our accounts.”

“I’m willing to take you on as a client at a very low rate.” She said, “I was you, Y/N. My story is almost identical to yours. I was able to get out because I had people helping me. Now, I get to do the same thing for other women. There is a whole amazing life waiting for you. I’m going to help you grab it with both hands.”

“I don’t even know what to say.” You said, wiping away the tears that were streaming down your face. “Thank you… It doesn’t seem like enough… but thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.” She smiled, “I’ll get started on the paperwork and get it all filed ASAP. I’ll just need to know if there is any personal property you’re wanting me to include in the papers?”

“No, I got most of Gracie’s stuff before I left and I don’t care about any of my stuff.” You replied, “I’d honestly be shocked if any of it was still there anyway. I just want to be done with him and to move on…and I want my maiden name back.”

“That’s an easy enough fix once the divorce is finalized, I can walk you through that process.” She smiled, knowingly. “I��d say we should be able to petition the court for a name change for Gracie too.”

“That would be amazing.” You replied, “I want to cut him from my daughter’s life completely so she never knows the pain of a piece of shit father.”

“I will get this ball rolling and keep you in the loop on where things are at all times.” She promised, “I have to caution you that he may escalate in behavior once he’s served with papers. I urge you to keep up what you’ve been doing and not engage with communication. All communication can go through myself and a lawyer of his choosing if he hires one.”

“Trust me, I’m more than happy to not have to talk to him.” You answered, “It’ll make Jake happy too. He’s definitely not a fan of Trent’s.”

After leaving the lawyer’s office you sent a quick text to Jake to let him know it had gone well. You stopped off at the grocery store to pick up the stuff you’d need to make dinner. You decided to use your credit card instead of the card Jake had given you. You mentally added finding a job to your to do list though. Once you had everything you needed for the dinner you loaded the car with the groceries and headed back to the house.

“Thank you so much for watching her, Penny.” You said once you were inside and set the bags down on the counter. “I hope she was well behaved for you.”

“She was an absolute angel.” she replied, smiling, “It’s no trouble at all, Y/N. Honestly, I’m happy to help whenever I can.”

“I’m blown away by the amazing group of people my brother’s surrounded himself with.” You said, “It’s definitely not something we were used to having growing up.”

“I gathered as much.” She said, smiling gently. “I’ve had a soft spot for your brother since he first got to Top Gun as a new recruit. Saw right through the tough guy, cocky aviator act.”

“I’m glad he’s gotten better at letting people in.” You smiled, “He’s one of the best men I know. I might be biased because he’s my big brother and practically raised me himself, even though he was just a kid, but they don’t come better than Jakey.”

“You know,” Penny said, “I know you’re going through one hell of a tough spot right now, and it might seem a little hopeless, but as someone who’s been in your shoes, Sweetheart, I want you to know… you’ll find happiness after all of the dust settles.”

“I think one I’m free of Trent, I just want to focus on being a good mom to Gracie and building a new life for us here… one where Jake doesn’t have to support us, preferably.” You replied, “Maybe I’m just meant to be single. It’s not like men will be lining up at the door to date a single mom…an unemployed one at that.”

“Well the unemployment part I can help with.” Penny said, “I could use some help at the bar during the day. Keeping track of the ordering and the paperwork side of the bar is not my favorite. If you’re interested, I’d happily throw that stuff your way. It’s part time for now, but it might help get you back on your feet.”

“I don’t have anywhere for Gracie to go while I work right now.” You replied, “I’d love to accept the job…can I have a few days to try to find a sitter?”

“Of course.” Penny replied, “Let me know if you need any help. Once school is out for the summer, I’m sure Amelia would love to babysit too if you need it.”

“Thank you, Penny.” You said, “For everything.”

“Of course.” She replied, smiling, “You’re family now, Y/N. I know you’ve heard it a lot since getting here but it’s true.”

“I’m starting to think coming here was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” You smiled, tears once more forming in your eyes.

“It’s your fresh start.” She said, “Now’s your chance to make the life you want…for yourself and Gracie.”

“I was actually talking to Jake about maybe going back to school.” You admitted, “I need to get through the divorce first and find some semblance of a new ‘normal’ for Gracie and me, but then… maybe.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Penny said. “And don’t close yourself off to other possibilities either. You deserve a shot at happiness after this is over.”

“So I’ve heard.” You replied, “I just highly doubt men are lining up to take on a 26 year old divorcee with a toddler.”

“I can name one, that from what I saw when we were here helping get Gracie’s room set up, would be more than happy to be at the front of that line and be given a shot.” Penny said, “I don’t know how Jake would feel about it, but I for one can and will vouch for him.”

“Who?” You replied, shocked. You hadn’t noticed anyone paying any more attention than the others.

“Rooster.” She smiled, like the cat that caught the canary. “He was lookin’ pretty smitten with you and he definitely fell head over heels for that little girl.”

“Bradley?” You asked, eyes wide, still reeling from this tidbit of information. “I think he was just being nice. He’s really good with Gracie, but all of Jake’s friends were.”

“Just my observation.” She said, not wanting to spook you, “Just don’t count yourself out from finding a good man. Trent is the exception, not the norm. Real men, secure men…they don’t treat women like that.”

With those words of wisdom, Penny said goodbye and told you to call her about the job. Once she’d left you turned on music quietly in the kitchen and got to work preparing dinner for your brother. He had sent a text earlier to let you know the whole squad had jumped at the chance at a home cooked meal. You seasoned the pork roast and started it cooking so you could add the bbq and shred it later. The chicken you were frying so you needed to wait until closer to dinner. You got the ribs ready to start cooking before adding them to the oven. You planned on putting them out on the grill when it got closer. Once you had the meat sorted, you set to work whipping up a batch of the honey cornbread that Jake loved, opting to bake them into muffins for the safe of ease. Once those were in the oven baking, you set to work mixing up some bbq sauce. You hated to have to cheat and use store bought as your base, but you quickly added everything you needed to make it better. By the time you were cleaning the kitchen up from your first round of cooking, Gracie was waking up.

You wiped your hands to dry them and headed back to her room to change her diaper before bringing her out. She was starting to show signs of being ready to potty train so you made a mental note to pick up pull ups and a toddler potty next trip to the store.

“Hi, Gracie girl!” You said, walking into her room. She was sitting in the middle of the bed, surrounded by pillows, looking very much like the princess Jake called her. “Did you have a good nap?”

“Mommy!” She said, her little voice still sounding sleepy, “You back!”

“I’m back, Sweetheart.” You smiled, reaching out to pick her up. She happily stood and toddled to the edge for you to pick her up. “Let’s change your diaper then you can play while mommy makes you a snack ok?”

“Otay, Mommy.” She said, “Nanas?”

“Absolutely you can have a banana.” You agreed, “Did you have fun with Miss Penny?”

“Yes!” She exclaimed, happily, “Penny pway!”

“Penny played with you?” You asked as you changed her diaper.

“Yes!” She confirmed, “Mommy, Unko Jakey home?”

“Not yet, Sweetie but he’ll be home soon.” You assured her. “Uncle Jakey’s friends are coming over tonight too.”

“Woosta?” She asked, her eyes getting big. “Pwease, Mommy?”

“Rooster will be here too.” You promised, your mind quickly drifting to the last part of the conversation with Penny. You knew for certain that Gracie was taken with Bradley. She’d latched onto him almost from the instant they met. It made you wish her own father was as attentive and sweet with her as Bradley was.

You set Gracie down on the floor by her toys and went to cut up a banana for her. You put the banana into a bowl and then set it at the table by her Booster chair and got her a cup of milk in her sippy cup. Before you had a chance to go collect her though, the front door opened and you heard her squeal in delight.

You stepped into the living room in time to see Jake drop his flight bag and swoop Gracie into his arms, grinning ear to ear…both of them. He moved away from the door, kicking it closed with his foot, as he smothered Gracie with kisses, earning himself full on belly laughs from his niece.

“You’re home early.” You noticed, “I figured you’d be home closer to dinner time.”

“Mav had us knock off early.” Jake replied, laughing with Gracie. “We were in the air all morning and then went over next week’s plan for the new recruits. Wrapped up early so he dismissed us. Everyone was in a hurry to get out of there and get cleaned up. I think they’ll be descending on us here soon.”

“Home cooked food is really that much of a draw?” You asked, surprised, “Don’t any of them know how to cook?”

“Some better than others.” He replied, “But a home cooked meal they don’t have to prepare themselves is definitely a draw.”

“Well, then I guess we are going to make this a weekly event.” You declared, “I can’t have them starving from their own cooking. They’ll get at least one good meal a week.”

“I’m sure they won’t say ‘no’ to that, Tulip.” He grinned, “Thank you, by the way. I know your ulterior motives behind this dinner….and the weekly dinners you’re proposing.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about, Bubs.” You winked, knowing he was right. You were doing this on purpose. You wanted to give his friends, Phoenix specifically, a chance to see the real Jake more often. “Go shower, you smell like jet fuel. Then you can help me by keeping Gracie occupied while I cook.”

“Deal!” He said, handing Gracie to you and picking up his bag from where he’d dropped it, “Be right back Princess G, then we’ll play! Uncle Jakey will take you outside.”

You managed to get Gracie strapped into her booster seat to eat her banana while you got out everything you needed to get the sides going for dinner. You checked the meat, pulling the ribs from the oven and letting the cornbread muffins continue to bake. By the time you were ready to start getting the ingredients out to coat the chicken with before frying, Jake was walking into the kitchen in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.

“Brave to wear white when around Gracie.” You teased, “And barbecue sauce.”

“I love living on the edge,” He laughed, “What can I say?”

“While you’re outside, can you start the grill?” You asked, “The ribs need to go on to finish cooking.”

“Sure thing.” He replied, “Anything else I can do to help?”

“Just keeping Gracie entertained is a huge help.” You said, “Besides, this is your ‘thank you’ dinner. I’m not letting you help.”

He laughed, dropping a kiss on your head and getting Gracie from the booster. “Come on, Princess G. You can help me start the grill and we’ll play outside while Mommy works her magic in the kitchen.”

“Pway!!” She clapped, “Byebye Mommy!”

“Have fun, Sweetie.” You laughed, “Listen to Uncle Jakey.”

The two of them left the kitchen and you returned your attention to getting dinner ready. Once the muffins were done you set them to cool. You decided to add loaded smashed potatoes to the menu for the night, so you set potatoes on the stove to boil. Once they were done, you’d smash them onto a cooking sheet before loading them with cheese, bacon bits and chives and would bake them until the cheese melted. They were also one of Jake’s favorites. The two of you had done most of the cooking growing up. He’d loved it when you’d learned to cook, and had happily turned that task over to you.

“Hello?” You heard a voice from the front room.

“In here!” You called, continuing to move around the kitchen, preparing the dinner. You figured Jake’s friends knew to just come on in.

“Damn, it smells amazing in here.” Bradley said, stepping into the kitchen, holding a small bouquet of flowers. You felt warmth creep over your face and it had nothing to do with the stove being on.

“Hopefully it all tastes just as good.” You replied, smiling.

“I’m sure it will.” He said, then remembering the flowers, he blushed slightly, holding them out to you. “I brought these for you.”

“They’re beautiful, Bradley.” You replied, smiling as you gently took to flowers, “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome” He said, smiling back, “Didn’t want to come empty handed when you were gracious enough to invite us all for dinner. Thank you for saving me from my own cooking.”

“Jake said some of you cooked better than others.” You laughed, cutting the stems and placing the flowers into a pitcher as a makeshift vase. “I’m happy to cook for you all. You’ve been a huge help since I showed up on Jake’s doorstep, this is the least I can do. I also told him I’m making this a weekly thing, so whoever is available can come over and I’ll feed everyone.”

“You’re a goddess.” He declared, winking, “You should know that strays, when fed…keep coming back.”

“It’s a good thing then that I don’t mind picking up strays.” You laughed, opening the fridge. “Do you want a beer?”

“I’d love one, Y/N.” He replied, “Thank you.”

You handed him the beer, reaching back in to grab one for yourself. You popped the cap off the bottle and took a drink before setting it down on the counter.

“Can you do me a favor and run these out to Jake?” You asked, picking up the platter of ribs, “They need to go on the grill.”

“Absolutely.” He replied, taking the platter and his beer and heading out to the backyard.

You took a deep breath, finding yourself smiling as you continued to prepare dinner.

Everyone started arriving after Bradley got there, including Mav who had graciously accepted the offer to not eat his own cooking as well. You’d managed to get the rest of the food prepared and set out on the counter so they could come through buffet style and pile food on their plates. You plated some of the food you knew Gracie would like and be able to eat on her plate, getting her set up at the table. Bob, Phoenix, Bradley, Jake and Mav sat around the table. Coyote, Fanboy and Payback sitting at the kitchen island with their food.

You sat down between Gracie and Bradley once everyone had their food and were settled.

“This. is. AMAZING, Y/N.” Coyote groaned in delight, digging into his meal. “I’ve died and gone to Heaven.”

“I will definitely have to run extra miles tomorrow,” Fanboy added, “Extra time in the gym for sure once I fill up on all of this.”

“Thank you for feeding me.” Bob said, “This is the best meal I’ve had since I was home last year for Christmas.”

“I’m glad you like it.” You smiled, heat creeping over your face at the praise. You weren’t really used to people complimenting your cooking. Trent had always complained it wasn’t good enough.

“I told y’all you were in for a treat.” Jake said, beaming at you, “Y/N offered to feed you heathens once a week. Dagger squad weekly dinner?”

“I am so here.” Phoenix said, “But Y/N, you are not cooking every week. That’s not fair to you.”

“I honestly don’t mind.” You shrugged, “I like cooking.”

“Well, we’ll at least help.” Bradley added, “Or order takeout occasionally to give you a break.”

“Ordering takeout defeats the purpose of a home cooked dinner night.” You laughed.

“OK then occasionally you let us grill or something so you’re not doing it all.” Bradley suggested, “I mean, we can pretty much all grill at least.”

“I suppose,” You acquiesced, “But only occasionally.”

“We’ll negotiate the frequency later.” Jake added, knowing how stubborn his little sister was. “Who’s up for the zoo tomorrow?”

“Zoo!” Gracie cheered, “Aminals?”

“Princess G has spoken.” Jake laughed, “Yea, baby girl, we’ll go see animals!”

“I’m in!” Bradley said, winking at Gracie, “Wanna see some lions and tigers, Princess?”

“Wions! Woaw!” Gracie clapped, giggling.

Everyone laughed at her imitation of a lion. You brushed her hair back from her face, dropping a kiss on her head. It made you heart melt to see your little girl happy and surrounded by people who loved her. Jake, catching your gaze, offered a smile and a wink. He knew this was all still really new to you.

“I’d love to see some animals!” Bob added, “Can I come too, Gracie?”

“Yes!” Gracie said, causing everyone to laugh.

“Alright, then!” Jake said, “Dagger squad field trip to the zoo!”

After dinner you’re clearing away the leftovers, placing everything into containers and putting it in the fridge when Phoenix comes into the kitchen with Jake. You picked up a dishcloth and dunked it into the soapy dishwater to start the dishes.

“Put down the rag and step away from the dishes” Jake ordered, “Get yourself a drink and go sit down. Relax.”

“You cooked,” Phoenix said, “That means no kitchen clean up.”

“No arguments, Tulip.” Jake said, seeing you were about to protest. “Drink and go relax.”

“Yes, Sir.” You mock saluted him, then tossed a smile at Phoenix as you grabbed a beer and left the kitchen.

You walked into the living room to see Payback, Coyote, and Fanboy on the couch and floor playing a video game on the TV. Bradley, Mav and Bob were entertaining Gracie with all of her toys in the corner of the living room. You smiled as you watched the three grown men playing dolls with your toddler. You quickly pulled out your phone, snapping a picture before you made your way over to them.

“Mommy, pway too?” Gracie said, looking up from her toys. Bradley looked up, smiling at you, scotting over to give you room to join them all.

“Mommy would love to play, Gracie.” You replied, setting your beer down on the cabinet before dropping down to the floor to join the baby doll party. “In the interest of full disclosure, I definitely snapped a picture of you three playing dolls with Gracie. I fully plan to add it to a picture show at her wedding someday.”

“Wow.” Mav laughed, “She’s already getting blackmail photos.”

“I for one am happy to contribute to happy memories for this cute little Princess.” Bob said, handing Gracie a princess doll.

“I will happily embarrass myself if it makes the two of you smile.” Bradley agreed, reaching over to ruffle Gracie’s hair.

“She is an amazing little girl, Y/N.” Mav said, “You’ve done a wonderful job with her. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

“Thank you.” You whispered, suddenly choked up. “You have no idea how much it means to hear that.”

Bradley reached over, gently squeezing your shoulder in comfort, offering a gentle smile.

You let Gracie continue to play for a few more minutes until Jake and Phoenix were done in the kitchen. You smiled watching them laugh together over something as they walked into the living room to join the rest of the rest of the group.

Bradley leaned over so he could whisper, “I see your game plan, Little Seresin. Count me in.” He winked when you shot him a guilty smirk.

“Gracie girl, it’s bath time!” You told your daughter. “Tell everyone thank you for playing with you.”

She toddled over, hugging them one by one. When she got to Bradley, flashed him a big toothy grin. Your daughter had good taste in men, you had to admit. She was clearly taken with him. He hugged her tightly and dropped a kiss on her head before releasing her.

“Have fun, Princess.” He said, “Get squeaky clean!”

“Otay, Woosta!” She agreed, letting you lead her away.

“I’ll tuck you in and read you a book when you’re all clean, Princess G!” Jake promised his niece.

“Otay, Unco Jakey!” She said happily.

You got her into the bath, washing her hair and body before letting her play for a bit. She loved the water and bath time so you always hated to rush her.

While watching her scoop water with her toys, someone knocked on the door.

“It’s open!” You called. Phoenix poked her head in, smiling.

“Mind if I come in?” She asked

“Join the party!” You invited her. She opened the door further, stepping in.

“Thanks again for having us all over for dinner.” She said, “And for offering to put up with us all once a week to feed us.”

“It’s really no trouble at all” You promised, “I’m happy to have you all here. So is Jake. He might not admit it often or freely, but you all mean the world to him. He loves having you all here.”

“It’s nice to see him with Gracie…and with you.” She said, “He’s softer.”

“I hate to ruin his street cred but Jake’s always been a softy” You said, “He just had to develop a harder shell because of our parents.”

“I like the softer Jake….” She admitted, “Maybe too much. It’ll only end up complicating things.”

“I have a feeling it’s a whole lot less complicated than you think.” You said, “And for the record, I’m pretty positive that Jake likes you too.”

“Mommy, me done.” Gracie said, standing up in the tub.

“Ok, Sweet girl,” You said, “Let’s get you out and ready for bed.”

“I’m gonna head out, but I’ll see you tomorrow for the zoo.” Phoenix said, “Goodnight, Sweetheart.”

“Night!” Gracie said, smiling at her.

“See you tomorrow, Y/N.” She said.

“Goodnight, Nat.” You smiled. You got Gracie out, wrapping her in a towel and carrying her to her room. You got her into her PJs and combed her hair, drying it as best you could with the towel. Tomorrow would be a pigtail day for sure.

You were getting her settled into her bed when Jake appeared in the room.

“My girl ready for me?” He asked.

“She’s all yours, Uncle Jakey.” You smiled. Before leaving the room you bent over and gave her baby girl a kiss, “Goodnight my little Angel. I love you. Sweet Dreams.”

“Wuv you Mommy.” She smiled back sweetly.

You picked up the wet towel and took it back to the bathroom, hanging it over the shower to dry before making your way back out the living room. Everyone had left except for Bradley who was picking up the toys and placing them all back into the toybox in the corner.

“You didn’t have to do that.” You said, smiling as you popped down onto the oversized stuffed chair next to the couch. “Thank you, though.”

“It’s not a problem at all.” He replied, “It was just a few dolls and their accessories.”

“For someone so small, Gracie is a single toddler tornado some days.” You laughed, “Keeping up with her is a full time job in and of itself.”

“I can only imagine.” He replied, offering a smile as he lowered himself down onto the couch. “She’s great though. She naturally pulls you in. I swear she can make anyone fall in love with her in 5 seconds flat.”

“Apparently not her father.” You replied, sighing, “But pretty much everyone else yeah. She’s my whole world.”

“He’s a worthless bastard with no spine.” Bradley said, his voice taking on an angry edge to it. “He doesn’t deserve Gracie. Or you for that matter. He sure as fuck doesn’t deserve the title of ‘father’.”

“You’re very sweet, Bradley.” You smiled, “I’m kinda hoping that soon, he won’t be anything to either of us.”

“I hope so too.” He agreed. “You both deserve so much more, Y/N.”

You felt butterflies take flight in your stomach at his words. It had been a long time since you’d felt those.

“Can I get you a drink?” You asked, trying to keep from being awkward, “There’s leftover dessert too if you would like some of that.”

“I should actually get going, but thank you.” He said, flashing a sincere smile your way, “Dinner really was amazing and I’m already looking forward to next week.”

“Let me know if you ever have any special requests.” You offered, “I’m always game to make new things.”

“I just might take you up on that.” He replied, “I’ll see you tomorrow for the zoo. Make sure to lock the door behind me, ok?”

“Be ready to chase after Gracie.” You teased, “She’s a handful. And I’ll lock it behind you.”

Jake came in shortly after Bradley had left. You were on the chair again, your head laid back on the cushion.

“She’s out.” He said, sitting on the end of the couch closest to you. “Thanks for tonight, Tulip. It was really nice having everyone over.”

“You’re welcome Jakey.” You replied, rolling your head to face him, too tired to pick it up off the back of the chair. “They’re a lot of fun. I like them.”

“You’ve definitely secured yourself a squad full of best friends now.” Jake chuckled, “How did it go with the lawyer? We haven’t had a chance to talk since I got home.”

“It went really well.” You reported, “She’s going to take the case and said she’d charge at a very discounted rate. She thinks I should file an order of protection too to be on the safe side and that any contact with him will go through her.”

“That’s amazing, Tulip!” He said , his whole face lighting up with a smile. “Did she give a timeline?”

“Not really. She’s going to get papers started to serve him.” You said, “She said he might start calling more or escalate once he’s served, which is also why she wants me to file an order of protection.”

“I fully support that.” Jake said, “I also wouldn’t put it past him to come out here, Tulip. We need to make sure you and Gracie are safe.”

“I don’t think he’d come all the way out here, Jakey.” You said, “His pride will be hurt but really I’m giving him what he wanted… to be free of my and Gracie.”

“Don’t underestimate him, Y/N.” Jake insisted, “I’ve heard the messages he’s left you and for me. I’ll feel better if we take precautions to keep you both safe.”

“I’ll be careful.” You promised, “I’m mostly with you anyway except for when you’re on base. Penny offered me a job today too. She said she needs someone to help with paperwork and the inventory side of things…I told her I need to work out childcare but I’d get back to her.”

“I can ask on base for recommendations for a sitter or daycare.” Jake offered, “Someone’s got to have good reliable sitters.”

“They can’t cost an arm and a leg though either.” You said, “Working just to pay daycare defeats the purpose.”

“I’ll ask around.” Jake said, “In the meantime, you are well past exhausted. Go get some sleep, Tulip. We’ve got a big day at the zoo ahead of us.”

“You’re right.” You replied, stretching as you got up. “Goodnight Jakey. I love you.”

“I love you too, Tulip.” He answered, “Sweet dreams.”

After you headed to your room, Jake checked all of the doors, making sure they were locked, before he turned out the lights and found his way to his own bed.

A/N: Hoping you all are liking this series so far! Please let me know your thoughts!

Taglist: @gracespicybradshaw @awesomebooklover17, @bethabear12, @krismdavis, @mygyn, @ayniebop, @hisredheadedgoddess28, @jstarr86, @cherrycola27, @harrysgothicbitch @caidi-paris

#bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw fic #top gun fanfiction #Miles Teller #starting over

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toomanybandstocare · 2 years

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{Meeting the Weasleys}

Program: Eddie's not exactly too sure how he became one of the honorary Weasley adoptees, but he couldn't imagine his life without them.

Genre: Fluff

Counselor Notes: I'm very excited to share with everyone my part to @staygoldwriting and I's collab! We both think that Eddie would about absolutely thrive with the Weasley family, and they would just adore him!

Eddie first "met" the Weasley's when he and Uncle Wayne were walking through Diagon Alley his first year. While walking into Flourish and Blotts, the two couldn't help but let anxious nerves tingle through them at the sight of Eddie's long list of required texts and just how many people were crammed into the small shop.

It only seemed worse when a cohort of red heads entered the shop in a whirlwind and accidentally jostled them in the chaos. "Oh, oh my dear. I am so sorry, are you quite all right?" A frazzled mother, bundled in a green cloak and beret, gently places her hands on Eddie and Wayne's shoulders while carefully looking over them for any bumps or bruises.

Eddie's eyes widen as a doting warmth calms the anxious nerves. He never thought he would feel a mother's comfort again, and it felt like everything was right in the world again. "No harm done. It just seems to be the overwhelming rush to get my boy ready for school running its toll," Wayne assures the warm woman. "Seems like he needs every book in the store for his first year. Leaves me shaking at the thought of six more years," he jokes.

"Trust me it seems to change every year what they need," a man in a twisted hat wraps his arm around the woman and agrees, "We were hoping to reuse our oldest's for our youngests, but with the new professors, it makes it a small challenge". "Oh, where are our manners?" The woman waves her hands energetically, "I'm Molly and this is my husband Arthur. We're here to get our boys ready for the school year as well. Especially, the twins," she gestures to the two boys poking and nudging three other gingers. "It's Fred and George's first year as well!"

Platform 9 and 3/4 is an absolute nightmare of everything Eddie has tried to protect himself from. A large crowd that seems to only grow in number and volume sends stings of anxiety through him. Emotional family farewells send a pang that pierces his heart.

Eddie clutches Wayne's faded flannel and drags his heels into the platform. 'Hogwarts is just going to be another batch of disappointment,' Eddie thinks.

Wayne has to pry Eddie's death grip, finger by finger, before he kneels down to meet his wavering eyes. Holding back his own tears, Wayne gently encourages Eddie, "You are going to meet so many amazing people. People who will be able to support you in ways that I will never be able to, if I'm being completely honest. But, that will never ever break what we have. You will always have a family and home to greet you for vacation and have your back". With a pat to Eddie's shoulders, Wayne hands over his nephew's luggage to the baggage handler and lightly pushes Eddie onto the train.

Wayne crosses his arms to hide his shaking hands while watching little Eddie wander in confusion through the train cars. Keeping pace with his nephew, Wayne moves to follow him biting back the stinging tears threaten to fall. 'What if Eddie doesn't meet amazing people? What if it's the same situation like back home, or even worse?'

A bump into another caregiver breaks his worries as the familiar welcoming smile eases Wayne's worries. "Fancy seeing you here, Wayne," Arthur greets with a firm handshake. "Where's Eddie? Is he already on the train? Our boys just loaded on," Molly adds on and gestures with a tip of her head.

The three adults watch as the Weasley children practically pull Eddie into the train car with beaming smiles and excited chatter. Seeing Eddie sandwiched between the twins, Wayne is washed with relief. 'Maybe he already has met his people', Wayne thinks letting a few tears stray.

Eddie, with some hesitance, stays between the twins in the boats and as they line up to be sorted. Not really understanding why everyone is so excited to be so far away from home. Or why everyone seems to trust such a strange environment and it call their home for the school year.

"Where do you think you'll end up?" George nudges Eddie with a twinkle in his eye. "Dunno," Eddie grunts. "Well, where do you hope to end up?" Fred tries to pry from him. "Don't care," Eddie huffs and faces away from the boys as he tries to keep up his walls. Looking at each other, the twins respond in unison, "Then we hope you'll be in Gryffindor with us!"

And Eddie can't help but let their excited hopes warm his heart. He'd like that as well.

"Better be ... Hufflepuff!" The sorting hat announces and is joined by roars of happiness from the table.

It feels like a cold bucket of water was dumped on Eddie's head when McGonagall pulls the hat away. Eddie wades his way through his worry to walk towards his supposed new home.

Just before he begrudgingly seats himself at the end, the sound of McGonagall chiding another table breaks through to him. "Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley, I know you are excited for your friend, but you are disrupting the ceremony. Need I send a letter to your parents the first night of the school year?"

Peering over to Gryffindor's table, he sees the twins hollering and cheering at him. Excited waves are thrown his way when he meets their warm eyes. And the excited expressions don't disappear when the twins are forced to sit down by their brothers.

And so starts the story of how Eddie Munson becomes an honorary Weasley.

And how the twins come to be referred to as the triplets, because wherever Fred and George Weasley are, Eddie Munson is right between their sides.

Eddie joins the frog choir and Herbology club, and two heads of flaming hair can always be seen at seasonal concerts or sit atop the work tables while he prunes the plants.

His first detention is from throwing a punch to a student making fun of the Weasleys. They weren't even around, but anger made his vision red and sent his fist flying.

Back home for the winter holidays, Wayne hands Eddie a simple twine wrapped parcel addressed to him. With delicate hands, Eddie opens the gift and glee warms his heart from a red sweater with a yellow "E" knitted on the front. Identical to his best friends' signature sweaters.

In their later years, Eddie sits with Percy (and eventually members of the Golden Trio) to cheer on Fred and George as they dive through air and even perform little tricks in front of him.

Eddie forms a band with Jeff (Gryffindor), Gareth (Hufflepuff), and Sebastian (Slytherin), and they gain permission from Professor Dumbledore to play at the Three Broomsticks on Saturday afternoons.

Every Sunday, he can be found in Hagrid's hut either working on homework or helping tend to the creatures. Eddie is gifted a caretaker's belt, assorted with bottles, tools, and pouches, as well as a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in his third year for his birthday.

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mmollymercury · 2 years

Note

Character ask game: Bruno

BRUNITO!! HERE WE GO BABYYYY

⚧ - Pronoun hc: he/him.

🏳️‍⚧️- Gender hc: a cissy male,, but I also like the hc that he's trans (AFAB)💖

🏳️‍🌈- Orientation hc: asexual aromatic 😭✊

🌌- zodiac sign hc: I think the triplets were all born on October 17th, the start of the thousand day's war. So he's a Libra ♎💖💖

🧠- MBTI/Enneagram hc: legit had to google this, its that personality test with all the funky letters... honestly its too complex for my little brain and I think Bruno would say the same, he'd probably say something like: I don't know! Urm... I guess I have average personality *awkward smile*

❤- OTP hc: Bruno & himself 🥰🫂🫂

🧡- Everyone I ship with this character: ...😶

💛- Brotp: the FAB trio! Otherwise known as: Bruno, Félix and Agustín 🥰

💚- Notp: just... basically anything that's romantic 😭

💙- Crossover ship: Bruno and the onceler- jk NOONE-

💜- Crossover non-ship relationship I like: I'm not really big into crossovers (excluding Roger Rabbit, of course🐰) but I've seen some cute art of Bruno and Hector from coco interacting, so them🥰

📖- AU I'd like to see them in: Love me a good modern AU. I always smile at the idea of Bruno watching ratatouille after coming out the walls and being absolutely GLUED to the TV😭😭

❤🩹- Angsty hc: I love projecting onto my favourite characters, so Bruno has: OCD (this was basically confirmed so YAY! SO HAPPY 🥰🥰), that can be debilitating; an eating disorder, heart palpitations and a tendency to self harm. I mean, he hits his head as a compulsion, as someone who does that too, I can confirm that it is a form of self punishment. Yeah, not fun. And... come on, he was bullied in school, look at him-

💖- Happy hc: HAPPY THINGS! Bruno is an artist, fight me, he excelled at all the creative subjects in school. Hes best uncle😤😤😤 hes like the fun, doesn't shout, laid back uncle and all the kids love him. He loves his little rat babies and coddles them to an insane degree, to the point where Pepa and Julieta are like: are we bad parents/ hj-

😋- Funny/stupid hc: He can be very agile at the weirdest times but hellishly clumsily the rest of the time, I have an image in my head THAT IVE WANTED TO DRAW FOR THE LONGEST TIME, of when he was still the 🌟golden child🌟 and gave an amazingly good vision to this guy, Alma wanted to capture the moment in a picture: so she stands behind him, looking proud, hands on his shoulders, he's smiling all big while holding up the vision and the guy who got it, is standing next to him with a thumbs up... but Bruno’s teeth are like FUCKED UP because a few weeks previously he went flying into a wall and several of them fell out-

🪞- Appearance hc: not sure what to say since we all know what this man looks like... but I do hc him as having really bad acne scars in school, so much so that you can still see some of them.

🥖- Food hc: like I said... he's got eating issues but ignoring that- I think he's generally a bit fussy with his meals (I'm projecting again😶)and has been since he was young, Alma definitely worried over it😫 GIVE THIS WOMAN A BREAK- but I think he favoured salty things and soft meat/ things that don't have a tough consistency.

🛌- Sleep hc: he has sleeping issues ESPECIALLY after years of having to sleep in a chair. But now that he has a bed again, as soon as his back hits that flat soft surface, he's out like a light🥺🥺

🏡- Domestic hc: everyone agrees with this but I'm saying it again! His sisters fuss over him so much and treat him like he's years younger than them❤ Alma too. And for most of his life, he was called "Brunito" by his family, he was only really called "Bruno" if he was in trouble😭

🗡- Badass hc- we all know he'll do anything for his family, he's so selfless, honestly whats more badass than that? He definitely pretended to curse people if they threatened them, being mean to him is okay... but speaking to his family like they owe you something? You're dead.

❓- Anything else you want: hmm hmmmmm,,, what else??? That he gets sick often, always has but now moreso, his family are here to help tho!😭💖💖😫😫😫

#encanto #encanto headcanons #bruno madrigal #ask game #this took so long to do #😭😭#but it was fun!#thanks for the ask!#💖💖💖💖

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walkerwords · 4 years

Text

“Hold On” Rick Grimes & Daughter!Reader

GIF CREDIT: http://gph.is/2yDy2U6

Request from @joelsheartache: I'd like to request a Rick x daughter!reader. The reader it shot instead of Olivia, but instead of a head shot it's in her abdomen but the shot is still fatal. Rick tries to stop the blood flow and says things along the lines of "You're gonna be okay, baby girl! You just have to focus on me! No, no, y/n, keep your eyes open!" You can decide if she lives or not! This may not be the best request, but I really liked the idea!

Word Count: 3635

Warning: Major Angst

Song I Wrote To: “Hold On” by Chord Overstreet

Note: Oof this was a request that I was both excited and stressed to write. I hope you like it

------

When you discovered your brother was missing, you knew exactly where he had gone.

You knew Carl wanted to kill Negan and you knew that he had been becoming more reckless since everything had happened at Terminus. Then, when Negan had killed Glenn and Abraham in front of him, Michonne had told you that something had shifted in your younger brother’s eyes.

You hadn’t been there when the Saviors had taken your people and killed your friends, but when they had returned and your father, Rick, came to find you, he hadn’t hesitated to take you in his arms and make sure that you were still there, that you were still alive.

You were his eldest and whenever he wasn’t home, you were the one who wanted to look after your little sister. However, seeing how broken they all looked, a part of you wished you would have been there. Maybe you would have been able to stop Negan or at least stop him from taking Daryl.

Living with Negan’s boot on your necks was horrible. Every day you woke up and you didn’t know what was going to happen. While you were used to that due to the new world, this was a new kind of danger and one your father was determined to keep you and your siblings from.

That is until Carl decided to go all lone-wolf and test your patience.

The next time you saw your brother he was being led back through Alexandria by Negan himself. You were helping Gabriel in the pantry when they had arrived. Rage entered your chest as you saw the murderer walking alongside Carl, but when you saw where they were headed, that was when you nearly ran after them. However, Gabriel had grabbed your arm, shaking his head.

“Don’t,” he whispered. “Remember what Rick said. Carl won’t let him hurt her and I don’t believe Negan would harm a child.”

“He threatened to make my dad cut off his own son’s arm, Father,” you spat, staring after them.

“But he didn’t and I don’t know what happened with Carl, but he is still alive and looks unharmed. We have to trust that he will be safe.” You pushed away from him.

“Nobody is safe anymore,” you had told him, “and if he touches a hair on Judith’s head, I’m going to kill him.”

The rule that your dad had given you was simple: don’t let people know you were his daughter. At least, not his enemies’. You looked more like your grandparents than your parents and your Uncle Shane had once said that you could pass for Lori’s sister rather than her daughter which had come in handy at times.

Especially when Gareth hadn’t targeted you when he had attacked the church and so you were able to get a jump on him before your father had brought the machete down.

You kept out of Negan’s way for as long as possible until the moment arrived when Spencer Monroe decided to make an appearance. You never liked Spencer, nobody in your family did. He was proud, arrogant, and he had been stuck in Alexandria for way too long. He was a child trying to be a man and you were done with his high and mighty attitude.

When the moron had invited Negan to drink and play pool out in the street, that was when you had finally approached him and the others. Your brother was standing on the porch next to Olivia when you walked over. His eyes met yours and he shook his head, but you ignored him, planting yourself on the grass below him, crossing your arms.

You watched as Spencer tried to convince Negan to work alongside him instead of your father and you had to keep reminding yourself to stay calm. Rick and Aaron were on their way back. It was only a matter of time before they came home. You knew that was what Negan was waiting for, the opportunity to rub it in your dad’s face that Carl had been returned safely.

As you thought about all the ways you could potentially slit Negan’s throat, a cry of alarm brought you out of your thoughts. Looking up, you saw Spencer hunched over and in Negan’s hand was a blade dripping in blood. He was smiling as Spencer’s guts spilled from his abdomen. Monroe collapsed to the ground as his intestines slipped through his fingers.

Negan went to make some kind of speech when Rosita pulled a gun from the back of her pants. You barely had a second to stop her before she aimed and fired at Negan. You froze, waiting for his body to drop, but the bullet had hit his bat instead.

“Shit! What the shit!” Negan bellowed as Rosita looked at him in utter shock. The next second, one of Negan’s lieutenants slammed Rosita into the pavement, holding her down by her throat. “Shit! You just‒ You tried to kill me!? You shot Lucille!” he screamed. Rosita sneered at him from the ground.

“She got in the way,” she growled. Negan, fuming, turned Lucille to observe the slug that now marred her smooth surface.

“What is this? What is this? This little bad boy made from scratch? Look at those crimps. This was homemade. You may be stupid, darlin', but you showed some real ingenuity here,” Negan spat and then gestured to the woman that held your friend down. “Arat, move that knife up on that girl's face.” Rosita squirmed under Arat, but held her tongue. “Lucille's beautiful, smooth surface is never gonna look the same, so why should yours?! Unless... Unless you tell me who made this.”

“It was me!” Rosita yelled from the ground. “I made it.”

“You see, now I just think you're lying. And you lying to me now? Such a shame. Arat's gonna have to cut up that pretty face,” Arat pressed the knife against Rosita’s cheek. “One more try.” Rosita remained silent.

“Oh! You are such a badass! Fine. Have it your way. Arat…, Negan paused as he lazily looked around the group that had gathered. “Kill somebody,” he finished and Rosita yelled, trying to shove Arat off of her.

“No. It was me!” she tried again, but it was too late. In a single move, Arat spun on her knee, pulled her gun, and squeezed the trigger.

The next thing you heard wasn’t the gunshot, but the sound of your younger brother screaming as heat rushed into your abdomen.

-------

“No!” Carl screamed and Olivia watched in horror as you collapsed to the ground.

Carl vaulted over the railing and slid to your side. “Oh god,” he said, trying to figure out where to put his hands, but there was already too much blood. You stared up at him, trying to figure why he looked so stressed, and when you looked down at yourself and saw the blood, the wound, terror entered your mind.

Not like this.

From down the road came two people, running as fast as they could. Rick nearly dragged Aaron who looked to be beaten. When Rick had gotten to the group, both Tobin and Eugene tried to stop him.

“Rick, stop!” Gabriel said, trying to hide you from view. Rick pushed against the men that held him, handing Aaron over to Tara and Scott. When Gabriel tried to stop him again, Rick shoved him out of the way.

And then, he saw you.

It was like Lori all over again. He walked forward before his knees gave out and Tobin had to catch him again. Carl looked up at his father, tears already flowing from his left eye. “No!” Rick cried, agony soaking his voice.

“Damn!” Negan said, “someone was popular.”

“She’s Rick’s daughter!” Rosita snapped at Negan, getting her voice back as the cut on her face bled. Lucille went from his shoulder to down by his side in a single movement at her words and then Negan took a step back, his face full of shock.

Rick nearly crawled to you, forcing himself to be by your side. His eyes widened as he took in your condition. You knew what he was seeing, there was too much blood. There wasn’t anything anyone could do. Rick was shaking as he knelt in the grass. “No, no, no, dammit, please (Y/N), not like this, sweetheart,” Rick pleaded.

“(Y/N),” Carl choked out, trying to get you to look at him.

“No, I promised her,” Rick cried. “I promised Lori I would keep you safe! All three of you, I was supposed to protect all three of you…” Weak, you reached for your dad, sliding your hand up his face to feel the stubble that you loved so much. Blood smeared along his cheek as you tried to memorize the feel.

“It’s okay,” you whispered.

“She’s only seventeen!” Gabriel hollered, turning his attention to Negan. You were only a year and a half older than Carl and while the two of you had grown up together, you had always felt responsible for him and now as you began to not feel the pain, all you could think of was how you didn’t want to leave him.

“Dammit, Arat! What the fuck!” Negan yelled, approaching her.

“You said to kill someone,” Arat argued, but Negan wasn’t hearing it. He grabbed her by her arm and hauled her up.

“Not a fucking kid,” Negan snarled and then he threw her to his men. “Take her back to the Sanctuary. I’ll deal with her later.” As Saviors took care of their comrade, Negan turned back to you and your family.

Your father was leaning over you, brushing the hair from your face. Lifting your hand towards your brother, you ran it along the side of his face. Carl leaned into your touch, his best friend. You tried to wipe the tears that flowed down his cheek, but you could barely keep your arm up.

“You’re gonna be okay,” your dad said, pressing a firm kiss to the back of your hand, but you were shaking your head.

“No, I’m not,” you said with a weak cough. “I’m so sorry dad,” you told him, tears falling from your own eyes. “I promised not... to go… near him.”

“Shh, it’s okay,” Rick said. “Don’t apologize.” You began to cry more as the coldness seeped into your limbs.

“Dad,” you whispered, “daddy, don’t let me...don’t let me turn.” Rick’s eyes closed as his sobs took over him. “Promise me,” you finished.

“I promise, but you have to keep your eyes open for me. Don’t give up...” Rick pleaded and then you looked at your brother, your breathing labored as you mustered up the strength to look him in the eye.

“Tell Judith...Carl, you need to tell her…” you tried to finish, but Carl was already nodding.

“I will, (Y/N/N), I’ll tell her,” Carl promised.

“I love you both so much,” you said. “Michonne and Carol too and...Greene,” you said, not wanting to say Maggie’s name, not even then. “Tell them please.”

“We will,” Rick promised. “I love you so much.”

“I’m sorry, (Y/N),” Carl cried. “I’m sorry I snuck out to go there.” You shook your head, silently begging him to not blame himself. “I love you.” You squeezed your eyes shut as you nodded quickly.

You didn’t try to stop the tears now as they came at full force. You had thought about dying since the beginning of the outbreak. It was hard not too. You had seen so much death already, but you never imagined this is how you would meet your end.

With a deep breath, you turned your eyes to Negan, the only person who would be able to deliver your final message. Negan looked at you, bleeding and broken and he wanted to look away, but couldn’t.

“You,” you said hoarsely, “you need to tell Daryl that I meant it. Tell him I meant it. He’ll know,” you said and then with a cough, blood sprayed from your lips. As you stared up at the sky, your father turned his eyes to his enemy and they were as empty as he felt.

Negan’s eyes went from your father’s face to the hatchet at Rick’s hip. His hand curled around the handle, red entering those bright blue eyes of his. Negan looked as if he wanted to say something, but seeing Grimes leaning over his dying child had shut him up immediately.

Your father and brother held onto you as you lay in the grass of the front yard. There had been times that you thought you were going to die. The first time was when the farm was overrun, the second was when a Walker had nearly killed you while you were out on a run with Daryl at the prison, and the last time had been at Terminus.

You thought you would be ready, but you weren’t. You didn’t want to die and you just knew that your father would stop at nothing to avenge your death and that was something that you dreaded, but you also knew nothing would stop him. Not Michonne, not Carl, and not even himself.

Your grip loosened on your father and brother as you grew more tired. You didn’t know what would be on the other side. Perhaps there wasn’t anything anymore, but there was one person you were hoping to see and that was your mother.

All you wanted was your mom.

As darkness filled your vision, you imagined Lori reaching her hand toward you and with a small smile, you took your final breath.

------

Tara was the first one to crumble.

“(Y/N)!” she cried as Eugene caught hold of her, keeping her upright. Your best friend tried to get to you, but Porter made sure to keep her steady and in his arms. Rosita cried on the ground, guilt wracking her body as Gabriel stood by, saying a silent prayer for you. Carl stared down at you, your vacant eyes pointed at the heavens. He gently reached over and closed them, brushing his hand across your face.

“Rick,” Negan tried, but Grimes was frozen in shock. Instead, Carl was the one to answer the killer before him. Carl stood and slowly faced Negan, creating a barrier between you and the enemy.

“You killed my sister,” Carl said, tilting his head that was very much his father. Negan tried to speak, but Carl shook his head. “Get out, Negan,” Carl said between his teeth, his hand reaching for a gun that wasn’t there, “before I do kill you and trust me I’ll do it with my bare hands.”

The look on the teen’s face told him everything he needed to know, but before Negan could react, Michonne came running down the street, her katana swinging behind her back.

Everyone stepped aside as she ran towards you and her family. When she saw your body, Michonne’s eyes widened and then she ran to your side. “Oh, my girl,” Michonne said, gently, laying her shaking hand over your heart tears springing up behind her dark eyes.

Rick didn’t say anything as he reached over and took Michonne’s other hand, something he never did in front of outsiders. Michonne turned to the man she loved and pressed a kiss to his head as he leaned into her.

Then, because he knew that there wasn’t an infinite amount of time, Rick drew his knife, turning it over in his hand. Michonne lowered the blade, not wanting him to do it. He didn’t need to be the one to do it. Instead, Aaron staggered forward and opened his palm, ready to take the burden from the Grimes’ family just as they would do for him.

Michonne passed the knife to their friend as he kneeled down and turned your head to the side. Michonne buried her head into Rick’s shoulder as Aaron severed your brainstem and shoved the blade into your skull, placing you at rest for a final time.

Carl continued to act as a barrier between you and the Saviors, allowing your father and the woman who had become like a mother to you, say goodbye. Carl, who was still crying, never wavered.

“We’re leaving,” Negan announced and slowly the Saviors turned on their heels and walked back down the road, but not before Negan plunged his knife into Spencer’s skull, finishing him as he had begun moving once again.

Scott, Tobin, and a grief-stricken Tara followed the Saviors out of Alexandria, slamming the gate behind them. In the distance, Tara could hear the wails of Rick, Carl, and Michonne as they cried for their daughter and sister who was stolen from them.

-----

It was well into the evening when you and Spencer were buried.

It was agreed that Spencer would be buried next to Deanna and you, next to the flower bed. A part of Rick wished he could have taken your body to Hilltop to bury you with Glenn, but he knew he had to keep Maggie safe and not draw attention to the other community.

Rosita had taken a car with Eugene to inform Maggie, Sasha, and Jesus of what had happened to you. Rick knew how much Maggie loved you and he dreaded to know how she reacted to the news.

In the light of the moon, Carl, Michonne, and Rick knelt at your grave. Judith sat nearby, unaware that her sister was now gone forever. In her small hands was a bracelet that you had always worn, one she liked to play with. Carl had given it to her just before Gabriel had helped lower you into the ground.

It was silent before commotion drew the Grimes’ family out of their thoughts. From behind a house, Tara appeared, out of breath with wide eyes.

“What is it?” Michonne asked, but Tara was just shaking her head. Rick and Michonne glanced at each other before getting to their feet and following Tara who was gesturing them to follow her.

Carl stayed with Judith while Rick and Michonne made their way to the gate. What they saw, or rather, who, had Rick running at top speed. Leaning against Eric, bloody and beaten, but alive, was Daryl.

Rick ran to him, halting right before he plowed into the archer. Daryl squeezed Eric’s arm and promised him that he was good. Eric nodded and then left the brothers alone. “Daryl?” Rick asked, completely in shock.

“Son of a bitch let me go,” Daryl explained, shaking his dirty hair out of his face. “Just walked into my cell, dragged me out, threw me in a truck, and dropped me a half mile that way,” he said, pointing over his shoulder.

Rick was trying to understand Negan’s reasoning, but all he could think about was the fact that Daryl was home and no longer in his enemies clutches. “He lyin’ about (Y/N)?” Daryl asked and Rick shook his head.

Daryl didn’t hesitate any longer. He walked forward and took his brother into his arms. Rick collapsed against him, careful of his injuries. He clutched at Daryl’s back as the latter shook from emotion as well.

Daryl remembered when he had first met you. You were strong for a kid who had just seen the world burn and he liked you immediately. Then, you had met Beth on the farm and the two of you had been inseparable. He remembered how broken you were after her death and how you worked to overcome it, getting closer to Tara and your brother.

He couldn’t even begin to imagine you lying in the ground, still and cold. Michonne approached Daryl next and kissed him on the cheek as he held her, feeling her grief as well. The three warriors leaned on each other as they felt your loss and then, eventually, Daryl needed to see you.

-----

Michonne and Carl gave Daryl and Rick a moment by your grave. There was a simple marker and the necklace you always wore, a gift from Shane, was looped around the top of the cross for now. Rick was planning on giving it to Judith when she was older.

“What did she mean?” Rick said, breaking the silence. “(Y/N), she told Negan to tell you that ‘she meant it’. What did she mean?” Daryl sighed, rubbing a hand over his stubbled jaw.

“She once told me that she wanted me to fight,” Daryl explained. “It was after Beth and I told her about my old man.” Rick nodded, knowing the story of Will Dixon and what the bastard had done to Daryl as well as Merle. “I was doubtin’ myself, I didn’t think I could protect anyone again after I lost her. She believed I was a better man than my dad. I guess she really meant it.”

Daryl chewed on his thumb as he looked at the grave, willing himself not to cry. “She was about to be eighteen,” Rick said.

“Born in the winter, right?” Daryl remembered and Rick nodded. “Yeah, Lori mentioned that once.”

“I’m gonna kill him,” Rick said after a moment, his eyes on the night sky.

“No more waitin’, man,” Daryl said. “We gotta fight and we gotta fight for her just as she was willin’ to fight for Glenn, Abraham, Beth, and every other damn person we’ve lost.”

Rick nodded and then Daryl offered his hand to his best friend. Rick gripped it tight. He made a silent promise to you then just as he had to Lori as she died, he wasn’t going to let them win and he wasn’t going to let the world take any more of his family.

“We kill them all,” said Rick, “and Negan is mine.”

TAGS: @thanossexual @yes-sir-hotchner @felicisimor @amaroho

#twd imagine #angst #rick grimes x daughter!reader #reader insert #rick grimes imagine #carl grimes #negan #saviors #walkerwords #twd #the walking dead imagines #sad fic #sad imagine #The walking dead #the walking dead fanfic #daryl dixon

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latte-fairytaekwoon · 4 years

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𝑀𝑎𝑓𝑖𝑎! 𝐴𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑧: 𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴 𝐺𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑇𝑜 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟/𝑆/𝑂'𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑

Little continuation to this post.

Disclaimer: In no way am I condoning, supporting, justifying or encouraging mafia activities or lifestyle. This is all fictional and not meant to represent real life scenarios.

❥𝓚𝓲𝓶 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓳𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓰

You found yourself no longer being afraid of him. Sure things started off completely bad, but he redeemed himself through the care and protection he gave you both. And little by little, your son started to warm up to Hongjoong, eventually becoming quite attached to him. Even though you guys hadn't exactly placed a label on your relationship, it was more than clear you were obviously more than friends.

He enjoyed spending time with you and your son. He especially enjoyed taking him out, with your permission of course. It was in one of those times he took him out to eat. While waiting for the food to arrive, your son took out a deck of cards to pass time.

"Hyung! Wanna play poker?" The little boy asked so innocently it made Hongjoong chuckle.

"Do you know how to play?"

Even with the boy's enthusiastic nod, Hongjoong wasn't actually expecting a game of poker. After all, he's a child. But to entertain him, he decided to play along, even pretend to lose just to make him happy.

But Hongjoong was really surprised when not only does the kid indeed know how to play, but actually won the game. Hongjoong just laughed, thinking it was because he wasn't really trying, but another round, and the boy still beat him.

Hongjoong just blinked slowly, trying to face reality: a 5 year old boy actually beat his ass at poker...... yet he couldn't be prouder.

"Not bad at all." Hongjoong ruffled the ball hair.

"Aww is he your son?" The waitress asked when she set down the plates of food in front of them.

Hongjoong looked over at your son, who had a hopeful twinkle in his eyes. Hongjoong smiled before confidently stating:

"Yeah, he's my son."

❥𝓟𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓢𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓱𝔀𝓪

If you thought Seonghwa wouldn't leave you alone before, now it is 10 times worse. He was always showing up at your house, and you couldn't exactly tell him to leave. One, he's your boss and he's still terrifying, and two, your daughter adores him and is always running to him when he comes.

So you have to constantly put up with him being around, although before it was because you didn't want to get involved with him. Now it was because you were getting too attached to him yourself and you were afraid of that.

That didn't stop Seonghwa. Sooner or later you'd officially be his, but for now, he resigns himself to just helping you with your adorable princess, as he likes to call her.

"What are we going to play today?" Seonghwa asked her, expecting her to take out her dolls or her Candyland board game.

He most definitely was not expecting her to bring out a mini sized roulette wheel to the living room. He looked over at you with a raised eyebrow.

"What? She wanted it and it's not harming anyone." You shrugged.

Seonghwa saw this as an opportunity to get something from you and actually decided to bet: if he won, you'd have to officially go out on a date with him. If your daughter won, he'd buy her anything she wanted, and in this case, she just really wanted ice cream which she'd been craving since she got sick. It was a done deal and Seonghwa thought he'd win. He's played the game so many times in his work, he felt confident.....

But after so many rounds, somehow that tiny girl in front of him seemed to accurately guess the winning number, leaving him stunned. You just laughed as he had no choice but to admit defeat.

"Well it was worth a shot......but a deal's a deal."

Picking up the girl, he kissed her cheek and smiled at her.

"Now let's go get you that ice cream you wanted princess. At least you're willing to go on a date with me."

You couldn't help rolling your eyes at his statement. Maybe one day, you'll say yes.

❥𝓙𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓨𝓾𝓷𝓱𝓸

Seonghwa's words ended up becoming a reality: Yunho and you had been married for over a year now and you were still much in love with him as ever. He was happy and proud to finally call you his wife and to show off his son anywhere he went now.

He especially loved taking him with the other guys and their kids to their weekly game nights. Usually the kids would simply run around and play with each other while they sat around the table and play a round of Blackjack. More than one of the kids got interested one night and the men started to teach them how to play.

"So basically, if you get close to 21 without going over, you win." Yunho explained to his son.

"I wanna play!" The little boy exclaimed enthusiastically.

Seonghwa mixed the cards up and handed them to Yunho. Yunho set up the game and turned to the boy.

"Ready?"

To his surprise, and everyone else's, his son beat him in the game. Nobody was really expecting it since he'd never played it before. Yunho was astonished himself.

"Play another round. I wanna see the outcome!" Wooyoung encouraged them.

And after Seonghwa shuffled the cards again, they took turns flipping the cards over. Yunho thought for sure he was going to win since the boy decided to call stop at 16. But when he flipped his card over, it totaled to 28, meaning he automatically lost. Everyone erupted into laughs.

"You just got owned by your own son." Mingi chuckled.

Yunho wasn't upset though. He was happy that his son won. Seeing his giddy smile when he won made him feel content.

"You know, if it had been someone else, you would have been mad that you lost." Seonghwa said to him once they were cleaning up.

"Yeah, but how can I get mad at him? Not with that sunshine smile he gets." Yunho smiled.

"Yeah that's exactly what I thought....which is why I rigged the cards when I shuffled them." Seonghwa confessed.

Yunho turned to him in shock.

"You what?"

Seonghwa began laughing at Yunho's expression.

"Thank me later." Seonghwa winked at him.

"Wait! How many other games have you rigged?!"

❥𝓚𝓪𝓷𝓰 𝓨𝓮𝓸𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓰

Some things never changed: Wooyoung and Yeosang were still close as ever. After all, they were not only best friends but also brothers in law. And Wooyoung loved coming over to play with his little niece, who was now nearing 5 years old.

She was such a curious little girl. Like her father, she hardly talked, but would always seem to poke around whenever Yeosang and Wooyoung would play a game amongst themselves. She especially was interested when they would play Roulette, she loved watching the wheel spin.

Sensing her curiosity, Wooyoung picked her up and sat her in his lap.

"All right baby girl, wanna help out Uncle Wooyoung? Pick a number."

That's how it ended up going: the little girl would point to a number, not sure what it would do, but for some reason, Wooyoung would end up screaming in victory.

"I'm telling you! This kid has powers or something!" Wooyoung said, holding her up higher and kissing her cheek.

You came in the room just as he was parading her around.

"What in the world are you doing with my daughter Wooyoung?" You asked, knowing your brother was up to one of his shenanigans again.

"Celebrating the fact she helped me beat your husband and now he owes me 500 dollars. Haha!" Wooyoung released his unique hyena laugh.

You turned to look at Yeosang and gave him a questioning gaze.

"Did you just teach our daughter how to gamble?"

Yeosang raised his hand to argue.

"In my defense, it was all Wooyoung's fault."

❥𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓲 𝓢𝓪𝓷

San felt so proud of his son. Not only did he just beat him at poker, but he never even taught him how to play himself. He simply learned by watching him play with Mingi whenever he came over.

"Do you know what this means Y/N?!" San of course had to tell you about this accomplishment.

"That you're sleeping on the couch for teaching our son to gamble?" You replied, not at all happy with this information.

"It means our son is a genius! Y/N! You and I created a really smart kid! Isn't that amazing! Aren't you proud of him?" He exclaimed.

"Choi San, I'd be proud if he had won a spelling bee, gotten straight A's or won a soccer match, but knowing our son can play poker at 6 years old is somewhat concerning to me."

You crossed your arms over your chest.

"Honestly San, how could you teach him those types of games?"

San gasped.

"Were you not listening? I told you! I didn't have to teach him! He learned himself by watching me and Mingi play!" He repeated himself.

You squinted your eyes at him before walking away from him.

"You're still sleeping on the couch." You said.

San began to whine.

"Oh come on Y/N! It's not that bad!"

"Why not teach him to play monopoly instead? Family friendly games?" You called out from the kitchen.

"Monopoly?! Are you insane?! That devil game destroys relationships!"

❥𝓢𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓲

Mingi knew that he was screwed the minute he allowed his daughter tag along with him to Yunho's house. But he couldn't say no to her when she was looking at him with those doe eyes and pouting lips.

"I want to go with daddy." She begged, tears threatening to spill out.

So there Mingi went, bringing in a 4 year old to his best friend's house, where the other mafia members were also gathered.

"Stuck with babysitting duty?" Yeosang asked him when he came in, his tiny daughter on one of his arms.

"Don't make me say something in front of her." Mingi warned.

"Ok ok, settle down you guys. And let's try to keep it PG for the princess here." Yunho said, trying to keep the environment safe.

Clearly Jongho and Yeosang didn't understand that since they took advantage of the fact Mingi was occupied in a phone call to teach his daughter the basics of blackjack, which she caught on quick. Mingi came back to the scene and was shocked.

"What the hell are you two doing?!" Mingi screeched.

"Language." Hongjoong reminded him.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing?" Mingi picked her up from Jongho's grasp.

"Playing! Want to play with me?" She pleaded with him.

Mingi thought that one round wouldn't hurt her. They'd play, they'd leave and he'd pretend like this never happened. But it did hurt. It hurt him when his daughter beat him, not once, but 5 times! Because she liked the game so much and kept asking him to play again and again.

"Can we play with mommy when we get home?"

Mingi's heart sank as he realized how you were going to react when you found out he took her to Yunho's house and she might have become a blackjack enthusiast.

"Uh.....sweetie how about we don't tell mommy about this? Hmm?"

❥𝓙𝓾𝓷𝓰 𝓦𝓸𝓸𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓰

"Are you ready to get your butt kicked yet again son?" Wooyoung smirked at his 7 year old son.

"I'll beat you this time old man!" The little boy held up his fist, making Wooyoung chuckle.

Although Wooyoung had wanted a little girl, he loved his son to death. He was his best friend, his playmate, his new partner in crime, and more often than not, it resulted in both of them getting in trouble with you. He was the exact replica of his father, personality wise that is. Physically, he resembled you more.

You were disappointed when you found out Wooyoung had been teaching his son to play, not just poker, but every single card game known to man. But boys will be boys, and your son was just as competitive as his father and vowed that one day he'd beat him in one game.

"Keep dreaming buddy." Wooyoung would usually respond to him.

But the day finally came. Your son beat his own father and mentor in a card game. Wooyoung just stood there for a minute, contemplating if this was reality.

"What the fuck just happened?!" Wooyoung completely forgot that he shouldn't swear in front of his kid. As if he didn't forget almost every day.

"I beat your sorry ass old man!" The kid began running around with joy.

Wooyoung stared at him in disbelief.

"You cheated didn't you?! I demand a rematch you little demon."

Wooyoung began chasing the little boy down. You came in the room, wondering what all the fuss was about. You managed to scoop up your son in your arms.

"What is going on around here?" You demanded to know.

"Boomer here can't accept the fact I kicked his shitty ass." Your son stuck his tongue out at Wooyoung.

You widened your eyes.

"Where on earth did you learn those words?"

Wooyoung looked at your son, silently begging him to blame Mingi or Yunho. But the little boy grinned at him evilly before responding:

"Daddy did of course."

You whipped your head to Wooyoung, who just started laughing nervously.

"Kids say the darnest things these days....right?"

❥𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓲 𝓙𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓱𝓸

You absolutely refused to at first. But you gave in and started bringing your daughter to work with you because Jongho kept insisting. The other people would often fawn over her cause she was just the most adorable and precious being they've ever seen.

Jongho doted on her the most. People were shocked to see him hold her in his arms, gift her endless presents and overall just show a side of him they'd never seen before. You were surprised yourself. How on earth was this young mafia boss so good with kids?

You hated to admit it, but you actually felt more relaxed than before. Now you knew Jongho would never use your daughter against you and spent time with her because he found her cute. So you had no problem leaving her alone with him at times.

During one of these times, you were busy making several calls to different people and checking certain 'materials' that needed to be looked over to make sure it was what Jongho ordered. Having been satisfied that it was, you went back to the office and found Jongho and your daughter sitting across from each other, cards displayed in front of them.

When Jongho saw you, he smiled.

"Hello there Mrs. Choi." He'd often call you that just to tease you.

"Jongho, I swear if you are teaching my daughter poker or any card game-"

"Relax baby. We're actually just playing speed. I'm not dumb enough to teach a 3 year old girl any sort of those things. That's something Wooyoung or San would do." He interrupted you.

During his conversation with you, he didn't realize the little girl had already finished up all her cards, making her the winner. Jongho looked down at the 5 cards he still had left. He turned to you and frowned.

"See? Now you made me lose."

He sighed and looked at your daughter's smiling face. It was contagious and it made him smile as well.

"But since it's you I don't mind at all." He cooed at her, cupping her cheeks in the process.

He then turned to you.

"You however, it was your fault I lost. You should make it up to me." He said as he lifted your daughter in his arms as if she were only a feather.

You rolled your eyes.

"And how do you want me to make it up to you?"

Jongho smirked at you. Since the beginning, he had been asking you constantly to be his, and this time, it was no different.

"Say yes."

Gifs not mine. Credit goes to their respective owners.

#ateez #ateez reactions #ateez mafia au #mafia!au #mafia!ateez #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez hongjoong #ateez seonghwa #ateez yunho #ateez yeosang #ateez san #ateez mingi #ateez wooyoung #ateez jongho

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avengershumanresources · 3 years

Text

blood 9 - Strange/Stark!Reader

Relationship: Dr. Strange/Princess!Stark!Reader

Rating: M

Warnings: Adult Themes, smut, adult language, implied sexual violence, general violence

Synopsis: Reader is the daughter of the legendary King Anthony Stark, Uniter of Lands, The Iron Defender, and leader of the realm. When the king disappears during battle, hope is lost and he is presumed dead.

When the late king’s uncle, Obadiah, takes the throne until your brother Peter is of age, he quickly arranges a marriage for you with a wicked king in a neighboring kingdom.

With the realms politics in question, and rumors of an upcoming siege to overthrow Peter’s rule before it starts, you quickly learn who is loyal to the crown and who is not.

part 8 - part 10

Masterlist

Chapter Playlist

WARNING: Mention of violence/attempted assault from prior chapter

9 - a king’s arrival

Thank the gods Loki crossed Stephen’s path first, because things were happening far more quickly than the sorcerer had anticipated. He had heard a particularly chilling rumor upon his return to the castle from surveying the magical barriers with Amora and was in route to your quarters to check on you.

Loki intercepted him and caught him up to what had happened.

Loki had told Peter the details of what he’d stumbled upon between you and Brock. Immediately inflamed, Peter started in motion the rebellion he’d been planning with Nat and the guard. With the Asgardian army’s support, Peter could easily usurp the throne from Obadiah by the end of the night.

Especially now that the alliance between him and Brock was in question with the betrothal in a murky area.

Less than twelve hours, Stephen calculated while Loki kept pace with him toward your room. That’s all it took for the plans to go into motion and the next steps to proceed.

“He didn’t-,” Stephen asked after they’d arrived, his anger simmering and threatening to boil based off of his companions response. He needed to keep control. He needed to kept his head or risk you falling into harm.

“No,” Loki stated clearly. “It was stopped before he finished his task. Her seidr did well to protect her. You acted in good judgment by not fully sealing it.”

“Amora?” he pressed and Loki smirked back at him.

“She’s been tending to Brock the last hour, but I’m certain they won’t have time to rally a guard to their cause,” he explained quickly. “My men outnumber theirs two to one, and from what Natalia has told me, the majority of the guard will support Peter.” He paused and glanced around, lowering his voice.

“Besides, even if they mobilize troops, after you finish your part, Brock will have nothing else to gain from an alliance with Obadiah.”

“And the queen and younger princess?” Stephen’s hand rested on the knob of your door. Eyes shut while he listened to Loki’s report.

“James is with them now,” Loki nodded. “They’ll be moved once Peter makes the first move. I’m meeting with Thor before dinner to confirm some of the entry points to the castle in case Obadiah tries to deter us once things get.. chaotic.”

Perfect. Everything was falling into place, and you were none the wiser, which meant neither were your enemies.

Loki disappeared once Stephen summoned a tray of stew and started through the door, unsure how he’d find you on the other side.

Personally, Stephen wanted to rip Brock to shreds. He wanted to cut the skin off of him and sprinkle salts and other acids over open wounds and watch him scream. He wanted to gauge his eyes out, fling him from the tallest balcony, and listen to his cries for mercy.

It wasn’t a pride thing. Stephen wasn’t the least bit upset that you’d been sullied or marked by another man, no, he was upset because he’d hurt you.

And seeing the aftershocks for himself only further fueled Stephen’s rage.

You were in a sleeping gown, hair pulled loose, legs curled into yourself, fully submerged in your bedding. When he set the tray of food down on a nearby table and stirred you, his heart broke at your swollen eyelids and red, glossy eyes.

He should have been there sooner.

“Stephen?” you asked sleepily. You clearly cried yourself into exhaustion, your cheeks still puffy from the ordeal.

“My love,” he sat on the edge of the bed and fully enveloped you in his arms. You were a bit tense at first, but immediately sank into him when he started rubbing soothing circles into your back. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.”

“It’s not your fault-,” you murmured with a small hiccup and a sigh. Pulling away, you looked up miserably toward him. “He’s a monster... we knew that. I shouldn’t have sent Steve to find you.”

Stephen stopped, taking your hand and pressing his lips to your palm, cradling the shaking digits tenderly.

“You did nothing wrong,” he stated firmly. “A lady shouldn’t have to fear her company- her betrothed- would... dishonor her in such a horrendous manner. You were brave and defended yourself. I’m proud of you for being so strong.”

Your eyes watered again, your bottom lip trembling. A few tears snuck down your face and before you could wipe at them angrily, Stephen caught them with his thumb, his hands moving to cradle your cheeks.

“Loki... he said he would fix it... is everything...?” you asked meekly and despite the gnawing feeling that lying to left him, he nodded.

“All is under control,” he assured you softly. “Why don’t you have some stew and continue resting?”

“Will you stay?” you asked, gripe tightening around his hand.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, pressing a kiss to your forehead and helping you settle into bed, before handing off the tray.

He sat next to you while you picked at your food, listening while you told him about what had transpired in the garden earlier and how your seidr had reacted when you’d fought Brock off.

“Loki was right,” he noted, passing you a slice of bread from the tray. “It was lucky Amora was off the grounds when that happened. She would have noticed and retaliated immediately.”

You hummed to yourself, dipping the corner of the bread into the stew and taking a small nibble.

He could tell you were still out of sorts, the fresh exchange with Brock having come so unexpectedly and traumatically. More than anything, he wished he didn’t have to do what happened next.

“Here,” he finally relented when you barely touched your meal, pulling the tray aside and out of the way. “You should sleep.”

“I’ve rested plenty,” you protested, but after a pause, gave in and snuggled deeper into your blankets.

“I’ve got something that should help,” he pulled out the small glass vial, holding it between his fingers for you to examine. The liquid inside shimmered an almost stunning cobalt blue against the light from your fireplace.

“A sleeping draught?” you guessed, reaching for the vial and examining it for yourself.

“Not quite a sleeping draught,” he explained, plucking the cork free and letting you give the scentless liquid a sniff. “It’ll relax you enough to let you ease into a full and restful sleep.”

“So, a sleeping draught?” you teased with a small grin, swirling the liquid in the bottle with a tilt of your hand..

“Call it what you’d like, but it’ll help. You just drink the whole vial,” he instructed, watching you consider it briefly.

“Am I going to fall into an eternal enchanted sleep?” you asked, joking, but unaware of how close to the truth you were. “Like the old stories?”

“It won’t be eternal,” he assured you with a forced chuckle, settling his hands at his side so you wouldn’t see him shaking. This was it. The most crucial part of the plan. “You’ll wake with a full night’s rest. It’ll help you feel a little better.”

“At least that’ll help me face him tomorrow,” you murmured, swallowing the contents of the vial in a single gulp. You let out a yawn. “Don’t leave until... sleep..?”

Your eyes were already fluttering shut and he plucked the bottle out of your hand before it broke on the ground.

“Stephen?” you asked again, voice laced with sleepiness. “I love you.”

“And I you, princess,” he choked out, standing and pressing a final kiss to your head. “Please know I do this all out of love.”

You mumbled something incoherent before your body fell unnaturally still, the potions effects quickly taking over.

He had to work fast. Waving his hands over your body, he changed your night dress to the outfit you’d worn earlier with Brock.

The image made him sick. Your skirt was covered in blood, the corset nearly ripped off your frame- fortunately, your recent tears had swollen your face and reddened it more.

He positioned you delicately above the blankets, draping your hand over the edge of the bed and wrapping the vial carefully in your slack fingers.

He dug through your nearby desk for some parchment and enchanted a quill to mimic your handwriting. A final goodbye, as far as anyone was concerned.

After all, the events had been so traumatic to you, you’d raided Stephen’s observatory and crafted a deadly poison to kill yourself.

And aside from him, Tony, Loki, and Wanda- everyone would think it was effective, in turn, removing you from harms way while the castle was reclaimed.

Not even Peter nor Natalia was privy to what he and his fellow magic users had planned.

Once the coast was clear and your body was taken to the family tomb, Wanda would bring you back to his ancestral home, now occupied by your father’s rebel army.

Stephen couldn’t imagine you were going to be pleased with his dishonesty, particularly after drugging you and keeping your father’s survival to himself, but at least you’d be safe.

And in the end, that’s all that mattered.

Satisfied with the scene he’d crafted, Stephen removed the dining tray with a wave of his hand and portaled outside of the kitchens where he intercepted your personal maid, Violet.

“The princess is unwell,” he explained, letting the princess expression of solemn sympathy flash across her features. “Could you bring her a tray for dinner?”

No one would know he’d crossed your path, and Amora would be too focused on healing Brock to notice any non-seidr magical ongoings around the castle.

Excusing himself to his own quarters, Stephen cleaned himself up for dinner... and a show.

(—)

“The princess-!” he heard Clint call into the dining room that evening. Pepper had excused herself from the meal to tend to the suddenly ill with pox, Princess Morgan.

Brock had the audacity to actually join the group, with Amora smiling dutifully at his side while he and Obadiah discussed trade routes.

Loki and Thor had graciously accepted the kings invitation, and as usual, Stephen was in his place next to Peter.

“What is it?” Obadiah demanded sharply.

“She’s-,” he paused looking to Brock with unease. “Your majesty, the princess has killed herself.”

Stephen waited until someone else reacted first, putting on the most confused and dismayed expression he could manage.

“Take me to her,” he demanded with Peter hot on his footsteps.

Sure enough, you were still laying in bed. Someone (probably Violet) had folded your hands over your chest delicately, and placed the empty vial next to your note.

Stephen made a show of checking you for signs of life, even offering Amora a chance to give a second opinion.

Fortunately, he was that good at what he did.

The potion mimicked the effects of death so well, even the enchantress was shocked by the sudden turn of events. He could tell she was trying to feel out any signs of your seidr, but after a brief pause, turned to confirm the truth to her king.

Loki hissed a curse under his breath and turned on Brock, knife in hand, pressing the cowering king against the wall, demanding justice for the premature death of his bride.

Peter, for his part remained composed. He ordered that he be the one to inform the queen, and parted with his fists clenched at his sides and his eyes filled with fire.

“This is... a tragedy,” Obadiah knelt by your bedside, nudging Stephen aside and taking your hand into his. “So young and just before her wedding. A cruel circumstance of the fates!”

Stephen could have sworn he heard Loki snort at the dramatic scene the king was putting forth.

Thor had managed to pry the prince and king apart, demanding Amora “remove the villain from his sight before he changed his mind”, leaving the two Asgardian princes, Stephen, and Obadiah alone in the chamber.

“Is there no saving her?” the king asked quietly, looking up to Stephen with a desperate frown. “I know what she was to you. Tell me, is there truly no hope?”

Stephen cleared his throat, letting a slight break in his voice crackle as he spoke.

“My grace, I’m familiar with the poison, and Enchantress Amora will confirm my words,” he looked down at you with a heartbroken sigh. “The princess was well aware of the potion she was consuming. There is no return. My most sincere apologies for your loss, your highness.”

Obadiah nodded to himself, standing back up.

“Then the kingdom goes into mourning,” he stated decidedly. “Alert the priests, and have the maids prepare her for viewing.”

He looked at the Odinson brothers, a small sneer tugging at his expression.

“Perhaps we can renegotiate our trade deal,” he suggested, earning a snarl of insults from Thor.

The room now empty and the door closed while maids and servants scurried about with the news outside, the two sorcerers exchanged a look.

“You did well, the effects are convincing,” Loki lifted your arm and let it drop to the bed. “You’ve accounted for rigor mortis?”

“Brother?” Thor stepped forward, lips pressed together tightly as he took in the exchange. “Surely this isn’t another of your tricks?”

“Of course not,” Stephen waved a glowing hand over your body, a small spell that would mimic the effects of rigor mortis, and eventually wear off as the natural sensation would in time. “This trick is mine.”

He repositioned your hand delicately over your chest.

“Is the princess... asleep?” Thor lowered his voice.

“In a sense,” Loki patted his brothers arm. “Keep it to yourself, brother. We need Peter’s fury if this is to go as planned.”

“But she’ll be moved to the crypt-,” Thor started and paused, a knowing smile on his face. “I see. Let me know if I can be of assistance.”

The door swung open and Pepper swept inside with a quiet, red haired, maid behind her.

“The loss is truly a tragedy of our time,” Thor continued, putting on a better performance than Loki and Stephen combined. “The beast that pushed this beautiful maid to an early grave must face justice!”

He slammed a fist against your armoire, meeting Peter’s gaze with a passionate nod when the prince reappeared to comfort his mother.

“Morgan can’t know until the morning,” Pepper stated, her eyes were wide in horro, her voice wavering. “I want that man out of my home.”

She looked between Thor, Loki, and Peter, the men nodding curtly and excusing themselves from the space.

“Stephen, dear Stephen,” Pepper took his hand. “I’m sorry.”

It was a genuine reaction that, admittedly, startled the sorcerer. He’d had suspicions that the queen had known about the two of you- and you’d as much confirmed them earlier in the evening- but the way she looked to him with such earnest sympathy made him realize something.

The queen had stood in his very place not even a few months prior.

She too, had lost the love of her life to senseless violence at the hands of King Brock Rumlow.

It was no wonder she wanted the king out of her sight.

“If it’s comfort to know, it was painless and peaceful,” he mumbled with a nod toward the vial. “She fell asleep and felt nothing.”

“That will bring me some peace,” Pepper murmured, eyes returning to your still form. “Thank you.”

She reached for his hand and gave it a tight squeeze before asking that she be left alone with you for a few moments to mourn.

“Take the time you need,” he stated softly, managing to blink back tears in his own eyes.

Leaving the room, the countdown began.

You’d be awake in four days, and he needed to ensure you were out in the family crypt and removed to safety in that time.

Loki would prod Peter to remove Brock by force, and depending on how the king responded, would likely expedite any funeral plans for you.

Who would have time to mourn when the castle descended into chaos?

The queen and younger princess would be removed for their safety and then the real challenge began.

Getting Peter onto the throne.

“Did you know she would do this?” Natalia asked, pulling Stephen aside after leaving the queen. She caught tugged on his arm furiously. “Stephen, look at me!”

Natalia would be the most difficult to convince. He knew it from the beginning. She was your oldest friend and most trusted confidant.

“I... she assured me she was going to be fine,” he kept his eyes low, guilty even, if she looked at him too carefully. “We spoke briefly after Loki had informed me... I shouldn’t have let her out of my sight. She’s said she’d wanted to rest.”

“And then you asked Violet to bring her a meal?” Natalia questioned, eyes narrowing. “It’s not like you to leave the princess behind when she’s distressed.”

“I don’t think she was particularly pleased with my gender at the time,” he shot back. “Please excuse me, I’d like some time alone with my thoughts.”

He parted abruptly, praying to himself that Natalia wouldn’t dig around too deeply and ruin this whole charade.

(—)

Across the kingdom, just outside of the House Strange keep, Wanda lightly touched Tony’s shoulder, eyes glowing bright crimson.

“It’s happened,” she informed him. “The dawn truly brings a new day.”

“And a new king,” Tony grunted. “I just hope Peter is ready.”

(--)

10 - a trick

TAG LIST (message to be added!):

@ayamenimthiriel @ladynothing @im-a-bi-disaster-help @idkwhatthisislol

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procrastinatorimagines · 4 years

Text

Okay

Fandom: One Chicago

Series: Okay

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5 // Part 6 // Part 7 // Part 8 (Final)

Characters: Will Halstead x Halstead!Reader x Jay Halstead, eventual Casey x Reader

Warning/s: kidnapping, assault, drugging, fire, guns

Word Count: 2,542

Request: If you’re still taking requests can you do a jay x will x sister reader were she ends up getting kidnapped then they save her but she’s badly hurt and they freak out and worry about her when she doesn’t seem like herself please?

Summary: Reader has a comfortable life in Chicago and works a safe job at a library in town, but her life is thrown upside down when she gets kidnapped on her way home from work by people who want revenge against her brother Jay Halstead.

You didn’t really seem to fit the Halstead mould, the your oldest brother, Will, was a doctor, your other older brother, Jay, was a detective, and you, well you were a librarian. Will and Jay hadn’t always been around, Will had gone to New York for his medical degree and Jay had left to fight a war, you didn’t hold any ill will towards them for that, but someone had had to stay in Chicago to take care of your parents, especially when your mom got sick. So that fell to you, the youngest child, which was honestly fine by you, you hadn’t had any big plans for your life anyway, and you enjoyed what you did now... or at least, what you did now was safe and kept a roof over your head.

Your brothers didn’t mind that your job wasn’t heroic, they actually prefered you far away from the front lines, and you couldn’t blame them, there’d been a lot of tragedy for the Halsteads, and you didn’t plan on being the next casualty.

Well, you may not have planned to be, but whoever grabbed you and pulled you into a moving van when you were heading home from your usual week day shift clearly hadn’t gotten that memo.

One minute everything was normal, the next everything changed.

Your attacker wore a mask, and he wasn’t alone, there was at least one other person in the back with you and someone was obviously driving. You tried to kick and scream but they overpowered you, securing your hands and feet. The last thing you remembered before everything went dark was an odd smelling cloth being forced over your mouth.

By the time you woke up your head was pounding and your mouth was dry, your ankles and wrists chafing against the ropes that tied you to a beam in the room you were in, where ever that was. You weren’t sure how long you’d been out, but as your eyes slowly focused in on your surroundings you noticed a small window on the opposite side of the room you were in, the night sky partially visible through a crack in the newspaper that had been used to cover it up.

This was bad, very bad, you thought, panicking as you tried to desperately to free yourself from your restraints, which actually seemed to do more harm than good. Taking a very shaky breath you tried to focus, breathing in and out of your nose slowly as you though of what Jay might do in this situation. Jay... he’d come for you, with the full force of the Intelligence Unit behind him; it was a comforting thought, and one which enabled you to steady your heart rate enough so that you could hear your own thoughts without it pounding in your ears.

You could see stairs on the otherside of the room leading up, you were definitely in a basement, but there wasn’t much down here besides a broken games table, and a washing machine and dryer that looked like they hadn’t been touched in years - somewhere abandoned maybe? a foreclosed house? God a drug den even? This place clearly didn’t have a white picket fence outside, and the thought of who might be staying here, who might be staying here, who might have taken you, had your mind racing...

The sound of a door opening snapped you out of your thoughts, jumping as someone came stomping down the stairs, phone in hand and paying you no attention. He was a heavy set man, white and maybe middle aged, and you didn’t recognise him from anywhere. His face was uncovered, which was bad, you knew enough to know that if your captures didn’t go to lengths to hide their identity, then you probably weren’t making it out alive to ID them. What you needed was time, you thought as he slid his phone back into his dirty jean pockets.

“Good,” he said, approaching you as you tried to shuffle away, your wrists and ankles burning from the strain, “you’re awake.” He pulled the gag down from your mouth so that it hung around your neck and stepped back again as another man came down the stairs. He looked considerably younger than the first man, but still in his late 20s at least, leaner and with much more hair, but the family resemblance was clear, father and son you guessed. Which meant the third guy was probably a brother, or uncle.

“You gonna call him now that she’s awake?” The younger one asked, and you had a sinking feeling you knew who they were going to call, your cop brother.

“Yeah,” he dug a phone out of his pocket, but it wasn’t his own, it was yours. “Get her to unlock it.” He passed the phone to his son who approached you, grabbing your hair to make you look at him.

“What’s the password?” He demanded, giving your hair a rough tug as you struggled in his grasp.

“Go to hell,” you tried, your voice audibly shaking with fear. He let go of your hair and back handed you across the face, your cheek stinging with the contact as he grabbed you again.

“Try again,” the father said and you nodded, telling him the number combination to unlock the phone, if you were braver you might have held out, but you weren’t trained for this, you were a librarian for God’s sake.

The phone started ringing and your brother’s voice came through on the other end, “hey Y/N, I’ve been worried, you were supposed to come to Molly’s but you didn’t show, everything okay?” You opened your mouth to say something but the son shut you up, the father taking the phone from him as another man came down the stairs, gun in hand, and definitely another son.

“I’m sorry detective, but your sister can’t come to the phone right now, she’s a little tied up,” he said.

“Who the hell is this!?” Jay demanded, “where the hell is my sister!?”

“Someone who you owe Halstead, you took my son from me, destroyed my family, and now I’m going to do the same to yours,” he said venomously and you swallowed a large lump in your throat, the pit in your stomach growing painfully large.

“If you harm a hair on her head-” Jay began but the man cut him off.

“Do you remember my son detective? You put a bullet in him! You took my Joseph from me, now I’m going to show you what that pain feels like!” He yelled, face going red with rage. The son on the stairs had come down and his father snatched the gun from his hand. “This is only a taste of the pain you put my family through detective.” He pointed the gun and fired, pain shooting through your shoulder and your entire body as you cried out.

“Y/N!” You heard Jay yell frantically, but it was drowned out by your own screams.

“You’ll never see her again detective, just like I’ll never see my boy and my sons will never see their brother. Just remember Halstead, this is on you.” He grabbed your shoulder and squeezed the wound, making you cry out again. “Goodbye.”

“No, no!-” Jay was cut off as the man hung up, dropping the phone and smashing it beneath his heel. The gag was put back on your mouth, but it wasn’t necessary, your vision was blurring and you passed out from the pain.

You were beaten, bruised, bleeding, so groggy that it had taken you a few seconds to realise what had finally pulled you from your unconscious: the room was on fire. That’s right, you thought, your mind still foggy from the beating, and the smoke probably, they’d doused the room in gasoline when they’d left.

You struggled to move, realising they hadn’t even bothered with your restraints when they left you for dead; it was too hot, you couldn’t breath, could barely think as the flames got closer to you. You tried to crawl to the stairs but you saw that they had collapsed, the wood hadn’t stood a chance once the gasoline was ignited.

You stayed as close to the floor as you could to breath clean air, not that you could stand up if you tried. Darknessed threatened to overcome your vision as you tried to stay awake, soundlessly screaming for help. There was movement at the top of the stairs, muffled noises, and the last thing you remember before unconsciousness claimed you again was strong hands pulling you out of the flames.

They told you that they’d managed to work out who the perp Jay shot was, that they’d found a car that had been reported stollen by someone matching the description of one of the sons outside a gas station leaving town and caught them before they could make their getaway. But by the time they found out where you were, everything was up in flames. 51 had arrived at the scene at the same time as Intelligence, and Ruzek and Atwater had had to hold Jay back as Casey and Stella had come in to get you out. You had minor burns and smoke inhilation, they told you, three broken ribs, a broken ankle, severe bruising and laserations, a deep gash on the back of your head, and of course, you’d been shot.

Will had filled you in the best he could after you’d finally woken up. The bullet hadn’t gone all the way through and you’d needed emergency surgery to save your life. You’d been in and out for a few days after that, when you were awake you were so hopped up on pain medication that you couldn’t tell if you were just dreaming.

But you were fully awake now, and very much aware of the ache in every body in your body, as your brother spoke. You didn’t say much back to him, or Jay, or anyone who came and went, you just felt numb.

You’d grown up knowing all the dangers in the city, in the world, but you’d always been pretty sheltered by your brothers, and to go through what you did... you felt vulnerable, bare, like your world view had been stripped off and you were left seeing the true horrors around you.

“Y/N,” Will said, touching your arm to get your attention. You jumped and he pulled back, face stricken with emotion as he looked at his little sister, God you must have looked as bad as you felt, you thought, turning to face him to show you were at least listening. “We’re going to keep you here a couple more days for observation and then discharge you in the morning okay?” You nodded, “you can go home then, or stay with me or Jay if that’s what you want,” another nod, your eye lids getting heavy again all of a sudden. Will noticed and stood to leave, kissing you on the top of the head. “I love you Y/N, I’m so sorry- it’s going to be okay, I promise, just rest for now.” You knew he meant it, you knew he believed it, but you weren’t sure you believed it too.

It’d been a few weeks since the incident, your arm was still in a sling but most of the damage was fading, the external damage anyway. You’d stayed with Jay for most of the first week out before you forced yourself to go home to your apartment, but you still slept with all the lights on. You didn’t know when you were going to stop feeling this powerless, but you’d recently been starting to think that the way to get some control of your own life again was to take charge of something that you could do. You didn’t want to go back to the library, you’d spent the past week shelving books the best you could with one hand, but it felt wrong, you wanted to do something more, something to help people, like you’d been helped when you needed it.

You were meeting your brothers at Molly’s, and you’d finally made up your mind on the way over, you knew what you were going to do to take charge of your life again.

“Hey, there she is!” Jay waved to you from where he sat at the bar and patted a seat next to him, “Will’s just chatting to Maggie he’ll be over in a minute, want a drink?” He was trying to sound normal but you could tell it was strained, he’d been beating himself up for weeks about what had happened to you, blaming himself even though there was nothing he could have done differently, nothing he’d done wrong.

“I’ll just have a water, thanks,” Stella nodded to you from across the bar and went to fetch one as you took your seat.

“You good?” Jay asked, giving you a careful once over.

“I’m good Jay,” you said softly, squeezing his hand as your drink arrived. He opened his mouth to say something else but you shook your head and said more confidently, “I am.”

You could tell he wanted to say more but at that moment Will came over and took a seat on the other side of you. “Hey, glad you made it, I was beginning to think you would show.” He patted your arm, the same concern in his eyes that Jay had.

“Why would I not? I am the one who asked to talk to you guys you know.” You smiled.

“Uh-huh we know, is everything alright?” Will asked.

“Yeah you said you had something to tell us,” Jay sat up straighter, and both men got very serious.

“Relax, I’m fine, it’s nothing bad,” you reassured them before continuing, “I know I haven’t really been seeming like myself lately, and I know you guys are worried, but I just needed you to know that you shouldn’t be. I’ve needed some space to think things over, make sense of what happened-” Jay cast his eyes down guiltily and you grabbed his hand again “-and I’ve come to a conclusion, I’ve made a decision about my life that I think will really help me move past this.”

“Oh?” Will said questioningly, “you’re not like, leaving Chicago are you?”

“No, nothing like that,” you said, “I’m quitting the library, not right away, but it’s time I do something else with my life, something more impactful, like you guys.” Jay and Will shared a worried look.

“Are you sure? After what happened, don’t you want to be somewhere safe?” Jay asked.

“I was somewhere safe when what happened happened Jay,” you told him, “and I can’t go back and pretend nothing happened, I want to move forward, make a difference,” your voice was confident and steady, “I’m not a kid anymore, this is my decision, I’ve given it a lot of thought and I know it’s the right one.”

“Okay,” Will conceded but Jay still shook his head.

“What did you have in mind?” He asked, “what, cop?”

“Doctor?” Will followed on.

“No,” you shook your head and smiled, “I’m gonna become a firefighter.”

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silenteyes · 3 years

Text

你的答案 | Your Answer

By 阿冗

Warnings: Spoilers, Angst, Canon-typical Violence (Also it doesn’t follow word-to-word, I put in my own twist because I cannot for the life of me remember all of the scenes and their specific words. I need to remind you all as well, this is an AU! It mostly follows canon but as I said, I put my own twists to it.) ; Other than that, I suppose it’s a happy ending

也许世界就这样我也还在路上

Maybe the world is just like this | But I am still following my path

Wei Ying sighed as he looked back at the Burial Mounds. He continued walking - although he was convinced he might as well be limping, with traces of resentful energy following him.

Sentient he thinks, perhaps a tad bit maniacally.

没有人能诉说

With no one to confide in

“Demonic cultivation harms the mind and body.”

“The Yiling Patriarch is so arrogant, he uses his power to take advantage of everybody!”

“I will not spare Wei Wuxian any mercy.”

Wei Ying laughed hysterically. Sure, no one had the same views as him, and sure, he may be alone. But he could live on without the whole cultivation world watching his every step, waiting for him to break.

“To be honest, Wei-xiong’s words were quite interesting. Spiritual energy can only be obtained through cultivation and taking great pains to form a golden core. It would take I-don’t-know-how-many years to do, especially for someone like me, whose talent seems as if it was gnawed by a dog when I was in my mother’s womb. But, resentful energy are from the fierce ghosts. If they can easily be taken and used, it would be beyond wonderful.”

也许我只能沉默眼泪湿润眼眶

Perhaps I can only remain quiet | Tears glistening my eyes

“Qing-jie...”

Wei Ying had tears threatening to spill as he struggled to move. Wen Qing stared at him with tears in her eyes as well, smoothing out his hair. Wen Ning was watching both of them, and if he wasn’t a fierce corpse at the moment he would’ve burst into tears.

“A-Ying, thank you. And I’m sorry.”

He could only stay silent as the two walked out of the cave, heading towards Lanling.

可又不甘懦弱

Yet not willing to show weakness

He could not, not yet. He will not die before avenging his second family, who all actually cared about him.

To Nie Huaisang, my second brother,

I am sorry. You have helped us a lot, but it seems as though our efforts were in vain. You are not at fault, please do not blame yourself for not being able to help me. We will meet again in another life, as brothers.

With a smile I sign this letter,

Wei Ying, Wei Wuxian.

低着头期待白昼

With my head down | I await for the dawn

He sighed with his head tilted down as he waits for the cultivation world. All those who are greedy, who seek power and fame, and those who seek vengeance are sure to come. He could almost chuckle at the fact his martial brother - no he’s lost right to call him that months ago, Sect Leader Jiang was the on leading the siege.

He hopes A-Yuan won’t be too heartbroken, but maybe A-Yuan might be dead. He actually tears up at the thought.

接受所有的嘲讽

Accepting all of their taunts

“It’s the Yiling Patriarch!”

“Kill him!”

“Monster!”

“You killed Jin Zixuan, spare him no mercy!”

Wei Ying just accepted them with what one may call an exasperated sigh, but if you listen closely it sounded breathy as well. Why should he refute them if they won’t believe him anyways?

向着风拥抱彩虹

Facing the wind | Embrace the rainbow

Nie Huaisang stared in horror at the letter. The Wen remnants... dead? They were clearly just elderly people if you don’t count Lady Wen and Wen Qionglin, but even then they were just doctors!

He begged an begged for his brother to not participate in the siege but to no avail did he succeed.

“Wei-xiong, I’m glad even at the edge of death you still remember me. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you in our next life, maybe it would be better than this.”

勇敢的向前走

Bravely walk forward

Wei Ying smiled as he walked towards the edge of the cliff. He took another step and fell.

Oh, the part where they say Sandu Shengshou killed him? He couldn’t really remember much, but he knew it was a lie.

If anyone was going to kill him, he’d rather it be himself.

黎明的那道光会越过黑暗

The light of dawn will always cross the darkness

He closed his eyes as he awaits for death to embrace him. They say death is another adventure, but he hopes it leads to peace.

He’s tired.

打破一切恐惧我能找到答案

Defeat all my fears, I will find the answers

He opened his eyes as he remembered A-Yuan and the others. Qing-jie would’ve used her needles on him, he’d also like to think she may be crying over him. But he wouldn’t want to push his imagination.

QIng-jie crying is one of the last things he wants.

哪怕要逆着光就驱散黑暗

Even if I need to go against the light and disperse the darkness

To defeat the monster, he had to become one himself. He had no other resources to help them defeat Wen Ruohan after all.

Why is it that when they turned their backs on me, I’m not allowed to do the same? Am I supposed to stay defenseless when they choose offense?

丢弃所有的负担不再孤单

Throw away the burdens, no longer alone

He laughs, and he cries. And at last he smiles once more. He feels like his death would be a peaceful one. He’d be able to join Granny, Uncle Four, Qing-jie, A-Ning and all the others soon.

Maybe shijie would also forgive him. He hopes Madam Yu will stay ten feet away from him though.

不再孤单

No longer alone

His eyes widened as fierce corpses surround him. And he screams.

He never wanted to be truly alone after all.

---

黎明的那道光会越过黑暗

The light of dawn will always cross the darkness

“Senior Wei!” Jingyi gawked.

A burst of laughter came from said senior and the juniors’ reactions ranged from eye rolls to small chuckles.

“We almost died!” Zizhen cheered.

“Why the fuck are you so happy?” Jin Ling snapped, panting for air.

“We almost died! We have a cool story to tell to other people now!” A kid from the Ouyang Sect exclaimed. Wei Ying ruffled their hair and it took the juniors a lot to not drink vinegar.

打破一切恐惧我能找到答案

Defeat all my fears, I will find the answers

“Get that beast away from me!” he screamed.

“Da-jiu! Fairy is not a beast! And you have to get over your phobia of dogs!” Jin Ling said in exasperation.

Fairy sat still, ears drooping as she looks at Wei Ying with sad eyes. She might as well be pouting while she’s at it. Even he couldn’t stand the dog looking like that.

“...Fine. Just ONE pat! If it bites me I will not have it be in the same room as me EVER!”

Fairy wagged her tail and looked at Wei Ying. He trembled as his hand got close to her and he closed his eyes. Fairy stared at the hand which hadn’t touched her and she slowly bumped her head into his hand. He jumped and stared at her and she stared back, clearly happy to at least initiate some kind of physical contact with him. He gave her a clearly scared, but small smile.

“There, see. She isn’t that bad.”

She may not be, but as if HE’D ever admit it.

哪怕要逆着光就驱散黑��

Even if I need to go against the light and disperse the darkness

“Senior Wei!” The juniors all screamed in fear. The Lans may have broken a few rules just by doing that, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

“Fuck,” Wei Ying swore under his breath. This spirit was not a simple one, and they had fucking minions with them. He would’ve compared them to a mother duck and their ducklings if not for the fact they looked absolutely horrible. He looked back at the juniors and heaved a sigh.

Whistles could be heard as the juniors watched in both fear and awe how Senior Wei was actually communicating with the spirit using resentful energy. They never really saw it in action since he has tried to stop using demonic cultivation, he didn’t want the sects to think he was teaching them things like that.

A few more whistles which sounded eerie and the spirit let out a loud wail and collapsed, before fading.

The juniors all stood still for a few moments - Wei Ying thought they were finally afraid of him, before they all crowded him with stars in their eyes as they admired him.

有一万种的力量淹没孤单

There are ten thousand kinds of power to drown the loneliness

“Wei-xiong!” Nie Huaisang’s voice rang out. Wei Ying froze before he slowly turned to face Nie Huaisang, who looked desperate, as if he couldn’t believe that Wei Wuxian himself was alive again.

“Nie-xiong,” was all he said before the Nie Sect Leader pounced on him, seemingly throwing away his last ounce of dignity. It’s fine, it’s worth it for this.

“Do not EVER die on me again,” Huaisang said in between sobs. Wei Ying chuckled before wrapping his arms around Huaisang tightly, warmly.

“I’ll try, brother,” he murmured, patting the sect leader’s back. “I’ll try.”

不再孤单

No longer alone

“Wei Ying.”

“Lan Zhan.”

In the darkness, two broken lovers could only hold onto each other, ignoring reality.

Right now, in each other’s embrace, the world finally felt whole.

---

Heya~ terribly sorry for being dead. I had no motivation. Hopefully this is good and HOPEFULLY it shows up in the tags.

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creepy-spooghetti · 3 years

Text

A Hapless Endearment [Creepypasta x F. Reader]

Chapter 10 - Tag, You’re It

_____

Jack doesn't return for several minutes, though she can hear the sound of muffled talking from the confines of another room nearby. The words are incoherent and muffled, but considering that there's nobody else in this house that she knows of, she guesses that he's on the phone, mostly based on the fact that the only voice she can hear is Jack's. She ponders what he said to her and tucks her knees into her chest, trying to tame the steadily rising fear that's making itself more and more apparent in her chest.

She knew from the beginning of all this chaos that there had to be a deeper meaning buried beneath the surface, even though she didn't want to acknowledge it and instead opted to come up with valid explanations for everything that happened, reasons that wouldn't make her seem crazy. But now? Now, it doesn't look like she has another option but to accept it. She has to admit, Jack made some pretty reasonable points, even if the points in question take a great suspension of disbelief. How else is she supposed to explain the things that have taken place over the past several days? She didn't have a clue about what was happening and why it was happening, and now she does. But is it the honest-to-God truth?

Being stalked by some supernatural being is definitely hard to believe, but so is mentally predicting the death of one's aunt and uncle, being kidnapped by someone without eyes, and subconsciously drawing some kind of freaky symbol. She hasn't another explanation for all of the eerie occurrences lately, what else is she supposed to think? At least she's been provided with an answer—whether that answer is correct or not has yet to be solved—but it's still an answer. It's more information than she could ever get out of her grandparents or anyone else. A therapist probably wouldn't even know what's going on with her. This way, she has a theory to go off of, something to build around until she finds something more... realistic. More believable.

Her eyes flick up to Jack as he re-enters the room, being ultimately pulled from her deep thoughts and watching him stuff, what she identifies as a phone, into his pocket. He turns her direction, his uncanny oozing gaze sending goosebumps up the length of her arms. "There will be someone over here in a bit to pick you up and take you to Brian's house. She's bringing a pair of shoes with her, too."

Oh, it's a girl. Maybe I can find some common ground and convince her to let me go. Unless she's trapped here too... She brushes a strand of hair behind her ear and sits more naturally in the chair, her feet meeting the hardwood floor and her posture straightening to come across as more intimidating. Granted, she knows she isn't going to intimidate this monster of a man, but it makes her feel a little safer anyway.

"Who is she?" Her words are sharp and straight-to-the-point as she stares up at his tall frame in an attempt to seem, for the most part, fearless.

"Wisteria. Don't get your hopes up, she's almost as bad as Jeff." Releasing a huff, she rolls her eyes though chooses not to respond. "Do you want a glass—no, sorry—do you want a cup of water?" He puts great emphasis on the word 'cup', indirectly reminding her of the way she launched the glass at his head in an attempt to escape previously. It did work out in the end, she supposes, and she would have actually gotten out of this place had Jeff's hellhound for a dog not taken it upon himself to chomp down on her ankle and keep her firmly planted where she laid in the dirt until someone came to retrieve her. That 'someone' being Jeff.

"What, so you can poison me?" She mutters, crossing her arms stubbornly. "I think I'll pass."

"Did you not hear anything I just told you a few minutes ago?" He sighs, running gloved fingers through his copper-brown hair. "If I wanted to hurt you I would have done it by now." Ignoring the dryness in her throat, no doubt from lack of water, she only stares up at him with an obstinate expression, refusing to take anything that he has to offer. After a couple of moments, he too crosses his arms. "Ya know, it won't do you much good if you dehydrate and end up dying anyway."

"I'd rather dehydrate than trust you with anything." They continue to stare at each other for what feels like minutes when in reality it's only around ten seconds before Jack shakes his head in defeat.

"Fine. Suit yourself." He takes a seat on the couch, being mindful to keep a fair amount of distance between himself and Y\n, and leans back to get more comfortable. "I know this is a lot to process, but you're gonna have to get used to the fact that you can't go back home. You can't see your family again, it would be too dangerous for both yourself and them."

"Is that a threat?"

"No. It's a warning. You go back home, try to live a normal life, and you eventually snap. You'd be compelled to go to the very thing you've been trying to avoid and kill whoever got in your way. Even if that includes your family." She leers at him through skeptical e\c eyes, comprehending what he's telling her and trying to brush away the feeling of trepidation that rises within her stomach. "It's happened before. I've seen it, too many times to be proud of. It isn't a nice process."

"You're crazy if you actually think I'd kill someone, much less my own family." It's true that she has less-than-desirable parents, but there's no way that she'd ever lose herself enough to physically harm them or take their lives. She isn't a bad enough kid to do something like that, not even under the direst of circumstances. Especially if it involves her grandparents. They've shown her nothing but kindness and support, why on earth would she ever murder them? The very thought sends shivers down her spine.

"Denial is something most people express at first. But it would happen, whether you wanted it to or not." She shakes her head, furrowing her eyebrows together in objection.

"I would never."

"You say that, but you don't know what he's capable of. You don't know how much power he possesses." She averts her gaze to the ground, hugging her torso insecurely and listening to the slightly muffled words that leave Jack's mouth. "He drives you mad. It may start off subtle, maybe you'll have some bad dreams, or minor coughing fits, nothing too concerning. But it will get worse, and worse, and soon you'll be seeing things that aren't there, becoming paranoid because at every turn you feel like something's watching you, but you don't know where or by what. You'll isolate yourself, refuse to talk to anyone, become distant from your friends, your family, society as a whole. And it will continue getting worse, and worse, and worse until you're at your breaking point. You'll just want it all to stop, you'll just want it to be over. You'll be desperate. So you'll listen to him, obey his commands. He'll take you to your breaking point, all without lifting a finger."

The words leave his mouth slowly, making the situation all the more unnerving. There's a sinister kind of truth to what he says that makes an eerie fog blanket her mind in a sense of dread and impending doom. He's right. She knows he's right. There isn't definite proof, but the very tone of his voice and his serious posture tells her right then. He isn't lying. This is real. This is all real, no matter how much she may try to deny it.

Letting out a shaky sigh, she rubs her face with her hands and attempts to slow the rapid beating of her heart. One question floats to the top of all of her thoughts, and she picks it up and analyzes it for a few moments before speaking. "...Why me?" She sees him tilt his head to the side a bit, silently questioning her inquiry and asking for clarification. She happily delivers. "Why, out of seven billion people, does it want me?" She scrapes a hand through her hair in an effort to compose herself, her voice trembling. "What did I do to attract it? I'm just...I'm just a normal person. Why would it want me to do...whatever?"

He takes a few seconds to respond, stringing the words together in his head and coming up with the best possible answer. "I...I don't know." He shrugs lightly, craning his neck toward the couch beneath him. "You told me you had some family issues. He preys on the weak and vulnerable. If you've been going through stressful things, that's likely to be a big contributor to the reason he chose you."

"So you're telling me that I'm being hunted by a paranormal entity because I have garbage for parents?" She chokes down the bile threatening to rise in her throat. "How is that my fault?"

"It doesn't have to be," he simply says, shifting in his seat to better face her. "He's attracted to whoever is at a bad time in life and isn't handling it very well. If you've been stressed, he'll try to get you. It isn't always the victim's fault." Thoughts swarm her mind, though they zip by so quickly she barely has time to process each one before the next one takes its place. But one question manages to stand out above the rest, and she stares at the floor intently.

"But... but I've been going through stuff for years and I haven't had any problems like what's been happening recently until I got here." Her eyes shift up to his featureless, navy-blue mask curiously. "If it wanted me, why didn't it start before?"

"It's difficult to stalk someone and drive them insane when they're in the middle of a city," he says after a moment. "He probably knew about you before, at least to a point, but he couldn't really get to you until you were closer to where he resides." She gulps, eyes glistening with unfallen tears of dismay. "He wanted you more isolated. He can affect you easier that way."

"He's only after me, right?" Worry blooms in her chest and she leans forward absentmindedly. "My... my grandparents aren't a target, too? It's just me?"

"I doubt he'd have anything to do with two people like that, unless..." He pauses, and she presses her lips together in an anxious line.

"Unless?" Her voice holds a sense of distress. "Unless what?"

"Unless..." She can tell he's hesitant to finish his thought, though if it concerns the well-being of Nana and Pops, she won't stand for any unanswered questions. "...well, unless he wanted to use them. To manipulate you."

"How would he do that?" Now fully invested in the conversation, she tries to stabilize her breathing as she stares impatiently at Jack, desperate to get a response.

"He has different tactics. It'd be hard to say which one he'd use on you." Releasing a tremulous breath and trying to ease the nervous pit in her stomach, she clenches her fists.

"Would he hurt them?" For now, she's going to assume both of them are still alive and well, though utterly frantic over her sudden disappearance. Jack hasn't given any proof that he didn't harm them in any way, but she'd rather think about the possibility of life over the possibility of death.

"I don't know. He might."

"Well, then I have to get back to them!" She shoots up from her sitting position, causing a wave of dizziness to wash over her and nearly make her stumble to the floor, but she manages to keep her balance before that can happen. "So let me go."

"Y\n, being irrational isn't going to get you anywhere."

"I'm not being irrational!" She shoots a glare at where he still sits on the couch, starting to limp her way to the front door. "I'm being a good granddaughter. I'm not letting them get hurt." He sighs, a sound that's really beginning to get on her nerves, and slowly stands. She backs away warily in response.

"Your grandparents are fine. He likely won't even do anything that involves them because they're so far away from you now." Just how far away from them is she really?

"Where did you bring me then??"

"I can't tell you. Not yet." He eases closer to her, and she eyes the door. She isn't getting anywhere with her ankle being the way it is, and she knows it. But it's worth another try, right? She darts across the rest of the living room, but before she can even get close to grabbing the knob, a pair of strong arms wrap around her torso and pull her back. Despite her attempts at freedom, his hold doesn't even loosen.

"Let me go, Jack!"

"You already know that isn't going to happen." She lets out an exasperated groan, trying not to put pressure on her injury as she struggles fruitlessly against the tall male currently holding her back and succeeding, much to her displeasure. "You need to calm down."

"How am I supposed to 'calm down'? The only two people who actually give a crap about me are in danger!" She growls, attempting to kick him in the leg or elbow him in the gut, though he skillfully dodges each time and locks onto her tighter, remaining unphased by her actions.

"And you'll be putting them in even more danger if you go back. You heard what I said. Do you really want to hurt your own family?"

"Just shut up! I'd never do something like that. Not if my life depended on it."

"Well, it would. Y\n, you don't understand." He effortlessly spins her around to face him, her neck having to bend upward due to the large height difference between the two of them. She watches the tar-like substance as it leisurely drips from his empty sockets and down his mask before having to glance away. "Once you get to that point, he controls you. He owns you. He can make you do whatever he deems necessary to please him, and you can't stop it." She huffs, biting her bottom lip and holding back distressed tears. "Do you really want that to happen to you?"

She brings both her hands up and pushes harshly against his chest to create some kind of space between them before crossing her arms and sending him a glare, gathering the nerve to look directly into the vacant pits in his head. "I don't want any of this to happen to me," she mumbles, taking deep breaths just to stop herself from crying. "I just want to go home and be with people I love." The words leave her lips as a harsh whisper, voice cracking in the process.

"That can't happen." His tone changes from mildly irritated to sympathetic in an instant, and he takes a small step back in an effort to make her feel more comfortable. "I'm sorry."

She uses the back of her arm to wipe away a stray tear that had begun rolling down her cheek as her gaze lingers toward the hallway. She doesn't want to be anywhere near Jack, or anybody besides her grandparents. She wants out of this mess. At least she knows it isn't her fault, not completely anyway. Not that the thought soothes her very much, but it's something. "...Where's the bathroom?" It comes out as a half-hearted demand, and he answers immediately.

"First door to the right." She nods in silent gratitude and starts walking that way, ignoring the bit of pain that erupts through the bottom half of her leg as she does so. Once inside the desired room, she shuts the door behind her, flicks on the light, and tries to calm her fast, unsteady breathing and erratic heart rate. What is she supposed to do? Take Jack's word for it and stay here? Escape and try to find the way to a police station? Neither option sounds too appealing at the moment. She doesn't forget the words Jeff used before he ever so kindly walked her back to her kidnapper's house.

"Cops don't scare me. I've dealt with way, way worse than guns and tasers."

It sounded like a threat, and given the brief, though memorable, interaction with Jeff she had, it's very probable that's exactly what it was. A threat. Like he was telling her if she managed to break free and get the police involved, he'd hunt her down and wipe out everyone within his path. And it wouldn't bother him a bit. Of course it wouldn't, if he's crazy enough to supposedly carve a smile into his face, then he's crazy enough not to care in the least as he straight-up murders people.

How could somebody be so... twisted? Is it the doing of that thing, the one Jack informed her about? Or is it something totally different? Well, if she's going to be here a while, as she assumes she will be whether she likes it or not, then she'll be sure to gather as many details about the ones that live around here as she can. Maybe she can ask that girl that's supposed to be coming by with shoes, according to Jack. What's her name? Wendy? Whitney? Wanda?

No, dummy, it was a flower. She's named after a flower... Petunia? Lily? She shakes her head in disregard. That isn't even close. The bathroom is small, with a sink counter to her right, a toilet to the side of that, a tub to her left, and a slender cabinet ahead of her, right beside a window. The thought only crosses her mind briefly to use the window to escape; not only is it too high for her to properly reach without some kind of boost, but it's too small for her to even begin trying to squeeze through.

Nausea bubbles in her stomach as she thinks more and more about her hopeless situation. How does she handle this? Her whole existence just got flipped upside-down in the matter of a few hours. She doesn't know where she is, the people around her seem completely off their rocker, and her grandparents are at risk of being hurt, or possibly even killed by some other-worldly creature that she's seen a grand total of once, and that sighting was vague. What about that one time she saw that figure in the woods? The one with the white mask? Was that a hallucination, or was it real too?

She has no way of knowing for sure, and that thought alone makes her want to collapse and cry until she can't anymore about her misfortune. But she won't, not right now. Instead, she throws herself at the sink, desperate to rid herself of the foul taste filling her mouth and swallowing the vomit creeping up her throat. She turns on the faucet and welcomes the cool water that spills out, pressing her lips against it and gulping it down. She savors the pristine liquid as it slips down her throat, bringing an end to the dryness she felt in it prior and relieving her of the discomfort.

Letting out a strangled cough, she turns the faucet off and looks up, only now noticing the large piece of cloth—presumably an old sheet or blanket—covering the area where a mirror usually is placed. She lifts the corner of it up, only to find that there is, indeed, a mirror underneath, but finding herself a bit perplexed. Why would there be a sheet blocking the mirror? Did Jack do it? Does he not like to look at himself?

How would he see himself if he doesn't have eyes? She knits her eyebrows together, sniffling and licking some residual water away from her lips to stop it from dribbling down her chin. But he seems to move around just fine as if he can see where he's going. She's already established that he isn't normal, but just how not-normal is he? How does one see without eyes? Does he have some kind of sixth sense that allows him to somehow know his surroundings? If the whole 'no eyes' thing is only part of his mask, it's definitely fooled her. It looks so... so real. Just like every other aspect of him.

If he's like that, and Jeff is like that, then what do the other ones look like? She knows that there have to be others, Jack made that blatantly obvious by mentioning someone named Brian and the other named...Daisy? No, that's not it either. How much freakier is it going to get for her? Just how many more psychos has she yet to come across? She isn't too eager to find out. Jack's bad enough, and though he hasn't given her any more reason to hate him, the fact still stands that he took her from her house. Not only that, but he drugged her to do so, and before that, tricked her. Lied, right to her face, all to make her think he was trustworthy. Which he clearly is not.

She isn't sure whether to feel mad, betrayed, or a mixture of both. No, the two weren't friends, but they had talked for quite a while and she had told him things about herself that she certainly wouldn't tell some grey-skinned, eyeless thing. Is he even human? He doesn't look like one. She thought that there was a sort of bond that had sparked between the two of them during their encounter, though now she knows it was just a big, dirty trick.

She sighs through her nose, rubbing her eyes and leaning against the counter. Should she have just stayed home? Sure, she didn't really have a choice but to go to her grandparents' house while her mom and dad went wherever their work lead them, but she knows for a fact that her father in particular would have much preferred to keep her away from them. For some reason though, he had still hauled her off to a place she hasn't visited since she was eleven years old. It may have had something to do with Y\n refusing, under any circumstances, to stay at the penthouse with their absolute snob of a nanny, all alone, for God-knows how many weeks on end.

And seeing as how her mother's parents weren't an option, it was either her father's or summer camp. The last time she was at summer camp, she didn't have a very good experience, and pair that with all of the people in a hurry to make fun of her just because they're jealous of her parents' money, yeah, her grandparents were the better option by a long shot. But... if she would have just stayed home, would this have happened? Would Nana and Pops still be safe? Would she still be leading a generally boring, miserable life? Jack said himself that the creature chasing after her wouldn't be able to reach her in a populated area, like a city, and that's why he only now started attacking her. Because she was easy bait.

Is this actually her fault? Could she have avoided all of this had she just stopped being stubborn and stayed put in her home? What if Nana and Pops get killed if they aren't already? All because of her want to reach out to and see family that actually still care about her? Throwing around blame isn't going to help anything. Though that's what she tells herself, she can't help but think about it and feel guilty.

If I'm dreaming, now would be a good time to wake up. It all feels a bit too realistic to be a dream at this point, but she still clings to that little sliver of hope that this whole charade has been something her mind created while she's unconscious, and that soon she'll awake, perfectly healthy in her bed, with no giant noodle man to worry about, or crazy weirdos with masks, or strange dreams, unexplained dizzy spells and coughing fits. No whacky symbols. That would be incredible, even though she knows that really, she's never that lucky. It's all actually happening, and there's no way to escape it.

She doesn't even try to stop the tears that softly slip down her cheeks and make tiny little drip noises when they land in the porcelain bowl beneath her, only huffing in agitation and dipping her head to collect her bearings. And I thought I had a screwed-up life before...

After a few minutes, she's able to compose herself and gather enough courage to step back outside into the hallway, glancing toward the living room and catching sight of Jack on the couch, book in hand, and head craned down as if reading the words on the pages. Now how does that work? She steps forward, and at the sound of another presence nearing, he tilts his head up and meets her eyes with his soulless black pits.

She pauses under his gaze, nerves jumping with unease at his attention before she continues walking, stopping to idly lean against the wall farthest from him. "You okay?" His voice makes her flinch slightly, having not expected him to speak and break the tense silence that had built between them, though she's able to blow it off and act as if nothing happened.

"No," she says, tone harsh as she crosses her arms and drops her gaze down to the floor. "Why would I be 'okay'? This isn't exactly an everyday occurrence."

"I know, I know." He folds his book over and rests it in his lap, slanting forward slightly. "I'm not expecting you to be alright with this. Not for a while, at least." She narrows her eyes at him and presses her lips together. "I just need you to understand that this is your best option. It ensures both your safety and your family's safety."

"You just told me that my family could be used to manipulate me." Her tone is taut and her eyebrows furrow together, peering at him through resentful e\c orbs. "That doesn't sound very 'safe' to me."

"Yes, and then I said he probably won't feel the need to use them at all because you're so far away from where they live." He straightens his posture and tilts his head. "Trust me, going back would be more dangerous."

"And what if he does decide to 'use' them, huh? What then?" It takes a few infuriating moments for him to respond, and she shuffles around on her feet a bit to give him a well-aimed glare. He either doesn't notice or chooses to ignore it.

"We'll have to cross that bridge if we come to it." She opens her mouth to complain, to say something along the lines of, 'no freaking way am I standing aside and letting my grandparents become targets for some freak of nature,' but before she can there are three firm raps on the door, coming from the outside. It startles her, and she cautiously averts her gaze to the source of the sudden noise.

Jack moves the curtain to the side and glances out through the window placed directly behind the couch, seemingly checking for who could possibly be at the door. "Relax, it's alright." He stands to his feet and heads toward the wooden portal. She sends him a questioning look, and he motions outside. "Wisteria's here."

#creepypasta #creepypasta x reader #female reader #Y\n L\n #Eyeless Jack #Jack Nichols #Eyeless Jack x reader #creepypasta x female reader

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redassassin · 3 years

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please don’t say you love me

happy holidays @darkalinas!! here’s an extra-angsty nodrian fic for the gift exchange hosted by you and @scxundress!!

wc: 1388

tw: death, angst in general (i went all out)

Nova’s eyes filled with tears as she stood over Adrian, gun in hand, finger hovering over the trigger.

“Pull the trigger, Little Nightmare,” Ace whispered behind her. “You can make the decision for yourself now. His parents made the decision for you all those years ago. It’s your turn, Nova. Pull the trigger.”

Adrian only stared at her, still shirtless, a hand pressed to his arm where Honey had cut away his tattoo.

“Pull the trigger, Nova. Kill him. End this, and we will start anew.”

Perhaps the worst thing was that Adrian didn’t say anything. He wouldn’t even look at her, instead staring blankly past her. She could tell that he was in pain. He sat so still that the only sign of movement was the shaky rise and fall of his chest.

Pull the trigger.

Her mouth moved this time, whispering quietly to herself.

A chill swept over the room, announcing the arrival of Phobia. He settled behind Ace, watching her from the shadows.

Nova adjusted her grip on the gun, her hands sweaty and her arms shaking. This was her revenge. She had been waiting for this for 10 years, and yet, she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t.

She remembered the night where she’d lost everything. Evie’s silenced cries, the dull thud of her parents’ bodies hitting the floor. Her labored breathing as she stood over the sleeping hitman, waiting for the Renegades to come, whispering over and over to herself to pull the trigger and that the Renegades would come.

The Renegades didn’t come, but Ace Anarchy did. He had saved her, and raised her and fueled her hatred for the Renegades, using her as his weapon to destroy.

She’d been blind for so long. They’d never cared about her, Ace especially. They hardly cared for each other. When she’d killed Ingrid there was no mourning. In fact, they’d hardly mentioned it.

She wasn’t an Anarchist, not anymore. They’d never truly been her family, and could never replace the family she’d lost. Of course, she would rather die than become a Renegade.

She wouldn’t kill Adrian. She couldn’t kill Adrian.

“No.”

Adrian’s eyes snapped to hers, something incomprehensible on his face.

“No?” Ace laughed. “You dare defy me? He is a Renegade. The very thing you despise more than anything.” He scoffed. “I always knew you were weak. Just like your parents. Unable to do what needs to be done. I should have had you killed too.”

“You did it. It was you.” Her voice quavered, barely over a whisper. She wanted to scream, to yell, to ask him why, how he could kill his own family, but the battle still raged around them, getting closer and closer. Her jaw clenched, heart pounding in her ears.

In that moment everything was clear. Ace would stop at nothing for power, and she could stop at nothing to stop him. He was right, this was her one chance for revenge, but not against the Renegades. Against him.

This ended now. She spun around, pointing the gun at Ace.

Pull the trigger.

Her arms started to shake, finger twitching over the trigger.

Ace sneered. “Even now, you can’t do it. Pathetic. Kill him.” He motioned at Adrian and Phobia moved in the shadows, his scythe glinting.

Nova squeezed the trigger.

She winced at the blast as it echoed around the chamber of the cathedral. Ace stared at her, eyes wide as he stumbled back.

A loud crash sounded from below. Nova looked over the edge to see the Captain climbing up the wall. He was climbing impossibly fast, determined to save his son.

A shadow loomed behind her. Phobia raised his scythe, ready to end Adrian in the same as Callum.

Nova acted without thinking. As the blade fell she ran to him and pushed Adrian to the side. He gasped in pain, and a second later in horror. The scythe was embedded in her stomach. Ace laughed, hand pressed to his thigh.

“I guess it was all for nothing. How’s it feel, Insomnia, to die for nothing? You sacrificed your life for him, but you’re outnumbered. He will die, and you will watch. If you even last that long. Maybe I’ll make him watch as you bleed out, helpless, and then kill him. Or maybe I’ll keep him around just long enough to make his parents watch.”

Nova stumbled back against the wall, hand pressed to her stomach, praying that the Captain was close and could at least save Adrian.

Something clattered behind her and the Captain launched himself at Ace. They disappeared from Nova’s view and Phobia floated after them, leaving Nova and Adrian alone.

Adrian watched as Nova pressed a hand to her stomach, staring at the blood that stained her hands. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, still staring at her bloody hand.

“Nova!”

Adrian rushed to her side, kneeling beside her and gathering her in his arms. One hand was pressed against her stomach in an attempt to stop the blood loss.

“You’re going to be okay, Nova. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Adrian.”

He stood up with her in his arms, looking around desperately for anything to help, but everyone was fighting.

“Adrian. There’s nothing you can do.”

He looked down at her, and Nova could see tears forming in his eyes, threatening to fall. “No. No,” His voice broke. “I have to do something, there has to be a way-”

She reached up, cupping his cheek with her hand, still smeared with blood. He sunk down, still cradling her in his arms. One of his hands covered hers, squeezing her hand slightly. His tears began to fall, splashing gently against her face.

“Nova, I-”

“Please don’t say you love me,” Nova whispered.

“What?” He choked out.

“That makes leaving so much harder.”

“You are not dying. You can’t. I love you, Nova. I have for so long.”

Adrian just shook his head, holding her closer and burying his face in her hair.

“Adrian.”

“I love you.” He whispered once again.

Her hand slipped from his cheek, smearing blood down his face as it fell to his chest, right over his heart.

“Nova!” Her eyes were starting to glaze over and her breathing was ragged as her eyes struggled to focus on him.

“Make sure we win, Adrian. Destroy him. Destroy my uncle. He can’t win.” Her words slurred together. Adrian cupped her face. Her skin was so cold and pale, it was as if she was a ghost.

Her eyes started to unfocus, and he shook her gently, bringing her eyes back to his.

“Hey, look at me. We’ll win, and you’ll be there to see it. Just hold on, Nova. Hold on. For me.” He took his hand off of her stomach, threading his blood-soaked fingers through hers instead. He kissed her hand, ignoring the metallic taste of blood. He held her hand against his cheek, closing his eyes and leaning into it, searching for any warmth that might remain.

“Adrian?”

He opened his eyes. The pain behind his eyes broke her heart.

“I love you.”

Adrian smiled, ever so slightly. He leaned down, kissing her as gently as he could, only for a second. When he pulled away, she was smiling, her eyes closed.

Adrian’s suit was covered in blood, his helmet discarded beside them. His attempts to stop the bleeding had been unsuccessful, and they were both soaked from the blood pooled around them.

Nova’s breathing was forced, and her eyes unable to stay open. She gave his hand a weak squeeze before her hand loosened its grip and her hand fell open on the ground.

“Nova.” Adrian shook her, gently at first, then harder. She didn’t wake.

He fumbled for her pulse, desperately waiting for anything, just one beat.

“Nova, please. Please don’t leave me, it’s almost over. We’re going to win, Nova. Everything will be fine, it’s almost over. You can’t leave before it’s over. Please.” He broke down, cradling her head against his chest.

An explosion rang through the air near them. Wiping his tears away, Adrian stood up with Nova’s body in his arms. He brought her to the sidelines, away from harm, and donned his helmet.

Adrian only knew one thing.

The Anarchists were going to pay.

#nodrian #tw: death #nova artino #adrian everhart #renegades #marswriting #multifandom gift exchange 2020 #archenemies #supernova #renegades fanfic #angst <3

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friendofhayley · 4 years

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This one’s a little late because I’ve just started work again this month! Thank you again to all the fandom content creatures for giving us an escape. Here are the best fics I read in August and they’re all bangers. This rec includes 13 fics from the One Direction, Teen Wolf, and Umbrella Academy fandoms. The starred ones are fics I would drop in front of your door if I was your cat.

Larry (One Direction)

1. Naked Attraction by reader_chic_2 | reality tv au - Louis is basically a pixie dream guy - rock star Harry - true love - 12k

Louis Tomlinson was the only gay and unfortunate staff member chosen to step in for one of the six possible partners when someone dropped out. He hated working there, and he definitely didn't want to agree, but it was too good of an offer to be turned down. Nothing would come out of it, surely, and they even agreed to keep his identity a secret.

That all changed when famous singer Harry Styles walked out. Louis had no idea who he was, and Harry liked that about him.

2. thick alpha (series) by @eeveelou | a/b/o - Louis just wants to take care of his man and that includes kink hijinks - emotional hurt/comfort - chubby kink - 3+ parts

Louis loves Harry's body from the first moment he sees him. It takes Harry a little convincing to see what Louis sees.

3. *still feel the same around you* by @gaycousinlarry | this gave me cavities!! - out of order - girl direction - older Larry - 13k

Twenty-five years is a long time to fall in love with someone, to learn all the ways a person can fit into one's heart. It’s also an awful long time to lie to one of the most important people in your life.

Sterek (Teen Wolf)

4. Who Can Take the Sunshine (series) by Anonymous | fae Stiles - dad Derek - this is just so pure and can just take you out of any bad mood! - see how magic works - 12+ parts

It all starts when Derek and his five year old daughter meet Fairy Stiles at the market.

5. *Blood is (Not) Thicker Than Water* by Anxiety_Baker02 | tw: abusive extended family - BAMF Stiles - pining Derek - this WILL get you worked up - 78k

Stiles hasn’t seen his extended family in years- mostly because they’re assholes. His cousins bully him relentlessly, and his aunts and uncles aren’t much better. So when he hears that they’re coming out for a family reunion, he’s understandably upset. He knows the next week is going to be hell, and it’s made worse when a new pack shows up, vowing revenge on their pack.

6. Be still, my love (series) by tugela54 | werewolves are known and discriminated against - omega Stiles - pining - misunderstandings - 3 parts

When Stiles’ boss unexpectedly goes into rut, he offers himself to the lycan, knowing all too well how utterly terrifying it can be.

Will his gamble pay off, or ruin everything…?

Klave (The Umbrella Academy)

7. Like Real People Do (series) by ObliqueOptimism | yeah so Klaus self-harms himself to deafness - family bonding - good siblings communicate, who knew? - fluff and angst - 6+ parts

Vanya got a call from the hospital, Klaus had harmed himself while in rehab. She decided then and there to be there for him. Together they heal, grow, become the family they'd never been, and change the future in immeasurable ways.

8. And When I Look In My Window, So Many Different People To Be by ObliqueOptimism | witch Klaus - BAMF Klaus still has daddy issues - bless this author - the more ghosts you know - 24k

If you were to go looking for Klaus, you wouldn't look to the alleys where drugs are bought, or to a rave where you could lose yourself in dance, no. No, you would look to his garden full of protective herbs, to his bedroom at three in the morning where he tends to make magic amulets. Klaus grew into his power, both as a witch, and as the Séance.

9. Tombstones In Their Eyes by @siriuspiggyback | disabled Klaus - despite themselves this family can care! - hurt/comfort - angst with a happy ending - 12k

His siblings don't pay a lot of attention to Klaus, don't notice the dog tags and new tattoos, but even the Hargreeves have to notice a missing limb.

10. *Choirs Threaten in Voices I Only Feel* by @veteranklaus | hey veteranklaus? I’d die for you - blind Klaus - I love how this fic changes Harold Jenkins - Ben as a seeing eye ghost? perfection! - 61k

The last time Klaus saw his siblings was at Allison and Patrick's wedding. A lot had changed since then; including the not-so-accidental, irreversible loss of his sight.

There's no time to tell them that, though. Not with the return of their long-presumed-dead brother and the impending apocalypse. Plus, it doesn't matter. He's got Ben as a good seeing-eye ghost.

11. *Numbers (series)* by @veteranklaus | this series legit made me disocciate for a few days especially since I just finished The Accident by Wiesel - the Holocaust is a trigger warning - very dark - the writing is literally award-winning, like the research done? the empathy paid to the characters? god tier!! I’ve written several research papers on post/during-holocaust times and i just want to applaud you for the work you’ve done in writing this - 2+ parts

The briefcase transports Klaus into a time to fall in love with a bookshop owner and photography enthusiast with soft amber eyes and a yellow star sewn into all of his clothes. And later, Klaus will stand next to that same man behind a fence, and he'll hold his hands up to a camera and pray to a merciless god that his siblings open a history book and find him.

12. *At the Edge of the Universe* by @veteranklaus | this is turning into a veteranklaus rec post but i don’t care - this is the life Klaus and Dave deserved!!! - the gays are really winning today y’all - cottagecore but make it the 1970s - 58k+

There is a knock at the door. With a heavy sigh, Klaus untangles himself from the mess of Dave's limbs with a mutter of 'I've got it'. They rarely get visitors out here, their closest neighbour being about three miles away, and Klaus didn't even hear a car or see any headlights outside.

He opens his door, expecting to see old Mrs Richards asking for one of the dog treats they always keep for the occasions her dog runs off. He does not, however, expect to see his siblings - all of them, standing outside his door. Well, Five is being held up by Diego, and Vanya is being carried by Luther, but they are all there, on his doorstep, on this evening in 1970.

13. Counting Down The Days To Go by @siriuspiggyback | sick Klaus - sibling bonding - Klaus goes to therapy - there are some lines that just kick the breath out of you - 24k

It started off small. Easy to explain away. That was his downfall, in the end. By the time they diagnosed him, it was too late; the cancer had gotten a tight hold on his body.

Klaus wouldn't tell his siblings, not yet, no matter how much Ben begged him. He wanted to feel as normal as he could, for as long as he could.

#larry fic rec #sterek #the umbrella academy #klave #monthly fic recs #august #monthly reads #larrie hijinks #tua

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ugly-crying-over-bucky-barnes · 3 years

Text

Field of Poppies Part 24

Summary: After being apart for six years, childhood friends Tommy and Amelia reunite under odd circumstances. Tommy is an outspoken young man and Amelia is pregnant and out on the streets. The bond of family can be unbreakable but it is tested often. Especially when Europe descends into war.

Part 24: Tommy and the others try to settle in, but there’s unrest.

Seeing Tommy sitting at the table during breakfast the next morning made Amelia’s heart skip a beat. Especially since he was sitting between Max and Annie. Both were chattering on about things they could do together now that he was home.

“You can come down to see me ride. Uncle Charlie says that I’m as good as a horse rider as you were when you were my age!” Max said proudly.

“That right?” Tommy chuckled.

“Mummy says I’m too little to ride.” Annie pouted.

“Oh, nonsense. No Shelby is too little to ride.” He shook his head.

“I heard that.” Amelia glanced over her shoulder as she finished cleaning up the kitchen after making them breakfast.

The three at the table shared a smile. “Well, we’ll go down to the Yard this weekend,” Tommy promised.

“Okay!” Max looked thrilled.

“But for now, you two are going to go over to see your Auntie Martha and Uncle John after breakfast,” Amelia said. “Daddy and I are going to go to church.”

“Church is boring,” Max mumbled, not about to ask to go with them. But he seemed uneasy to know that Tommy would be away from him even if just down the street.

“Then will daddy come back?” Annie asked.

“Of course,” Tommy answered. “We’re going to come back to make lunch then we’ll go to the park.”

“So, go wash up,” Amelia said once Annie cleared her plate. “Get teddy if you want to bring him to your aunt’s.”

“Okay!” Annie popped up from the table and rushed upstairs. Max picked at the rest of his food.

“What’s wrong, love?” Amelia stroked his hair back.

“Just thinking ‘bout something.”

“What are you thinking about?” Tommy wondered.

“We went to London when you were gone,” Max said. “Annie was little. Really little.”

“Oh yeah? That must’ve been fun. Where did you go?”

“To the park.”

“That’s right.” Amelia nodded. She was surprised that he remembered that day. But she supposed it was a big change from being in Small Heath all the time.

“There was a lady there that mummy was mad at.”

Tommy looked up to his wife who frowned. “Oh…” He figured it was something she didn’t want to talk about in front of their son. “Well, are you done?” He pointed to the plate in front of Max.

“Yeah.” He nodded.

“Okay, go get ready to go over to your aunt’s.” Amelia cleared the table.

After Max was heading upstairs, Tommy glanced over to her at the sink. “What happened?”

“When we went to Hyde Park, we ran into my mother.” She admitted quietly. “It wasn’t pretty.”

After all they’d gone through, Tommy hadn’t given much thought to Amelia’s family or past in London. They had done enough harm to her that he was willing to write them off. He didn’t want them to hurt her anymore and that meant keeping even their names out of their lives.

“Did you talk to her?”

“Of course, I-I didn’t know what else to do.” She sighed. “She tried to claim Annie and Max as her grandchildren and she threatened to tell…” Even after all those years she couldn’t speak his name. The man who had assaulted her. The man her parents chose to believe over her.

Tommy’s eyes froze over. He looked calm on the outside, but Amelia knew him well enough to see a storm was brewing in him. It began to spill over when he finally spoke. “If that man ever comes near Max-”

“I know.” She walked over to him and sat beside him in Max’s empty chair. She gently took his face in her hands, still in disbelief that she could hold him again. “I’m just glad you’re home. I feel much safer.”

“It puts me at ease too.” He agreed, his anger simmering down beneath her touch. “Felt helpless over there knowing something could happen to you and I couldn’t be there to stop it.”

“Let’s just enjoy our time together again.” She suggested gently. They could get hung up on the past years but what mattered was they were back together.

~~~~~~~~~`

After attending church service with Amelia and Polly, Tommy returned to the betting shop. He promised Amelia that he wouldn’t work, he would just step in for a bit while she made lunch. Arthur was already back in one of the offices while John was back at the blackboard jotting down odds. It was almost as if they hadn’t left at all.

“How’d Polly leave it then?” Tommy asked as he stepped into the office.

“How’d you think? She’s smarter than any of us. You can look over the books but don’t think any one of the girls made a mistake. The money kept coming in too, steady income.” Arthur replied.

“I didn’t have any doubts.”

Arthur studied his brother. “So, how are you feeling back home?”

“What else would I be but happy?” Tommy replied without any joy in his voice. “Out of the trenches and back home with me wife and kids.”

“Yeah, but Tom…” Arthur was cut off. Someone came running into the shop, the door slamming into the door on their way in.

Tommy was still very much in soldier mode and went into action, reaching for his gun and running toward the chaos. But all he found in the shop was Rosie Owens. She was sobbing and clutching a shawl around her shoulders.

“Tommy, please, you have to come quick. It’s Danny.”

He frowned. “What’s wrong? What happened?” He walked over to her, releasing his hold on his gun.

“He’s gone mad. He’s wrecked the home, won’t stop shouting.” She hiccupped in between words. “I can’t calm him down, s’like I’m not even there. He just keeps shouting about nonsense.”

“Alright, Arthur and I will take care of it. Stay here, Mel’s in the kitchen with the kids.” Tommy looked back to gesture to his brother to follow him.

~~~~~~~~~

It took a bit to calm Rosie down. The experience with Danny had left her shaken.

“There was nothing in his eyes, Mel. He was a completely different person. That wasn’t the man I fell in love with.” She cried.

“I know.” Amelia held her friend’s hand as they sat at the kitchen table. “It’s the war, it’s not him. It’s not his fault.”

“I was so stupid to think things would be okay once he came back.” She sobbed. “I just don’t know how to help him.”

“We’ll figure it out. Maybe things will settle once everyone’s feeling back at home. They just need to put some distance between them and the war.” Amelia tried to reason even though she felt like she was just making things up as she went. “There’s still news about the war everywhere, I’m sure it’s not easy. People are still talking about it and what not.”

Rosie nodded and wiped her eyes. “Maybe you’re right.”

The door to the flat opened and Tommy came in looking a bit disheveled. Arthur came in behind him, leading Danny into the home.

“Rose…” Danny looked devastated.

“Oh, Danny.” She stood up and didn’t hesitate to embrace him. “I was so worried.”

“I’m sorry, love.” He held her close. “I didn’t know what happened…honest I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Amelia looked to her husband who shared a worried glance her way. They thought they were leaving the war behind when they left France. But it seemed the war wasn’t ready to release its grip on them.

~~~~~~~~~

“Arthur said Polly and the rest of you kept the books perfectly,” Tommy remarked. They were at the park eating a later lunch than they planned. Max and Annie had gobbled down their food quickly so they could run around and play nearby.

“Well, you know Pol. Once she sets her mind to something there’s nothing standing in her way.” Amelia smiled. “So, did you think about how things are going to progress?” She wondered.

He nodded. “We’re going back to the same plan I had before the war. A plan to legitimacy.” He took her hand in his. “But I don’t want you to worry about that stuff anymore.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Tom, the shop was my life for a few years. What do you think I’m supposed to do now?”

He shrugged. “You can do whatever you want. Once we get the money coming in, you’ll have anything you want.” There was still that ambition he had all those years ago when they reunited. The drive to have what the wealthy had. The horses, the cars, the property. The stability and safety. The notoriety and perks. Tommy had played the part of a warhorse. A disposable foot soldier. An underground fighter that the brass didn’t care about. He wasn’t going to play that part again. He would be the one giving orders.

Amelia lay back on the blanket, resting her head in Tommy’s lap. “What I want most is for you to be happy and for our family to be safe.”

He didn’t want to admit there were things he could never give her. His wife deserved the world in his opinion, so he would strive to give her everything her heart desired. But there were things that were almost unattainable.

“Tom?” She nudged him out of his thoughts.

“Hm? Yeah, well…anything you want.” He reiterated. “It’s yours.”

~~~~~~~~~

To a Shelby man, there was no greater joy than seeing their children on a horse. Carrying on the tradition of being natural born riders, independent enough to hold the reins, and strong enough to lead their horse with purpose.

Max was thrilled to show Tommy that he could walk and trot on the little pony. It was a tiny thirteen hand thing that Charlie had gotten from one of the Strongs so that Max and the other children could learn to ride.

Amelia wouldn’t quite warm up to the idea of plopping Annie onto a horse even with Tommy leading the pot-bellied pony. So, he tacked up one of the larger horses and let Annie sit in front of him in the saddle. Despite what had happened a few days ago with Danny, Tommy felt at peace. He was finally back on a horse and what was better he could share the love for the animals with his children.

Annie was chuffed that she was sat up on the chestnut mare. She placed her hands over Tommy’s as he held the reins, feeling as if she were really the one running the show.

Amelia watched nervously from the sidelines although she was happy to see her daughter so excited. And it was such a relief that Tommy was there. He wouldn’t miss another milestone. There was no guilt or sadness behind the event. She wasn’t feeling like something was missing. Everything was whole.

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gustafsnightangel · 3 years

Text

Shattered Lives Ch 39 Pt 1

The noise that filled the apartment woke her up, the sheets cold on Gustaf’s side of the bed telling her he’d let her sleep in. In the few days since the visit from Uncle Elias the kids had hardly been home. Gustaf taking them out for lunch and the movies, Stellan and the boys going bowling, and the pajama party with Valter and Gustaf’s two youngest brothers last night. She could hear Gustaf chatting to Stellan through the ajar door, the boys settling back in after the overnight with grandpa. The happiness in their voices made her smile, far less grief than this time last year, not a hint of anger or sorrow. She heard Gustaf get them situated before he came in, smile wide, damn she loved that smile, the look of him.

“Hey there lovely lady.” He murmured sitting on the edge of the bed and leaning down to claim her mouth. God the man knew how to kiss.

“Hi.” She breathed out, wrapping her arms around him securing him to her. “Sounds like the monsters are back.”

“They are, and they’re excited that we leave for the cabin tomorrow.” His kiss lingered. “Time to get up, lots to do.”

“Yeah, I need to take them shopping later for snacks, I promised them one treat each for the trip.” She kissed him sweetly. “I’m starting to regret my decision as it means I have to take them out in public.”

He chuckled, those laugh lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes. “What were you thinking?” He said, the sarcasm thick.

“I wasn’t, that’s the problem.” She snorted, thumb brushing his crows feet. They both laughed at the squeak of dad dad as Lily padded her way into the room all excited, Gustaf picking her up and kissing her until she giggled. “Someone had a good time away.”

“Dad said she was running the house as soon as she woke up this morning, keeping the boys in line.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me.” She muttered. Just looking at him with her in that instance made her belly flip, the whole kids of their own thought sailing through her head like a bright neon sign. He placed Lily on the bed and she crawled over to Sildie for cuddles while Gustaf took a shower.

“He’s much happier today huh little lady.” She murmured as Lily snuggled in. She’d been worried, the days since Elias had been brutal on him. She’d phoned Elsa and dealt with more paperwork while Gustaf was shut up in his office laying down the law with his lawyers and security team. She’d never heard him so angry, the shreds he’d stripped off the building security, the anger and fury that had unleashed again as he made arrangements to have Dana’s entire family under surveillance. Especially when they were informed he’d made bail and the trial wouldn’t be until April 5th. Sometimes the system just sucked and so did the timeframe. She also knew that being away for filming over the next few months was making this whole situation far worse, she sensed his anxiety already poised to drag him under. It was a clusterfuck and added pressure he didn’t need.

“I’m going over to mums for lunch today, she wanted to chat about the whole Ana thing.” He said as he came out wrapped in nothing but a towel, setting all her wild fantasies aflame. “She’s... concerned.”

“That’s one way to put it.” She said softly. “Do you need us to be there?” Her voice was quiet, apprehension he thought.

“Not if you don’t want to be.”

“I do, I just don’t want the kids around when we’re talking about all that, about her.” She would protect them from it as much as possible. “They don’t need that in their lives.”

“I already told mum it would just be me.” He toyed with her wisps of hair at her face and kissed her tenderly. “For exactly those reasons, and I also know that Eija and Alex are there today too, family meeting about it really. I’ll get them up to speed. It’ll be fine.”

“You know the spiel as well as I do now anyway.” She trailed a finger along his jaw. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” His thumb brushed the dark shadows marring her cheek, it still made his anger flare. He tossed a shirt and jeans on and collected Lily from the bed. “Up you get love, I’ll make some tea.” He kissed her quickly and went to see why the boys were suddenly so quiet.

She could hear them play fighting as she dressed, and smiled. The beginnings of their family, fun times, happy memories, they’d build more tomorrow and over the coming weeks. The ruckus she came out to made her chuckle, three boys tackling the fourth freakishly tall one. He was a big kid at heart, that gorgeous smile plastered across his face, not a hint of anxiety or stress in him. They were both eager to be in the mountains away from everything for a while.

Leaning against the counter she watched, videoing what she could. She laughed as Lily came to the rescue of her dad dad, the boys laughing, so carefree and happy, just as it should be. Gustaf could never fully understand the precious gift he’d given them, stability, love, a family. He’d brought them together as a family unit. “I hope you’re seeing this brother.” She muttered under her breath. “He loves them as if they were his own.” Her smile went wide as Lily tackled Gustaf to the floor, the boys cheering. She fisted a hand and tapped it on the counter thinking. “He’d make a great father.” She whispered, her breath catching. Breathing out a steadying breath she saw Gustaf calm them down and leave them to play some Mario cart.

“They’re ready to go when you are, they’ve had breakfast.” He chuckled, that gorgeous smile lighting up his face as he stopped in front of her, fingers reaching to toy with the soft waves of her hair she’d left down.

“I love seeing you this happy.” She said, hands cupping his face and kissing him sweetly.

“You make me this happy love, so do they.” He kissed her, sensing something had knocked her off kilter a little. “I love you Sildie, the five of you are my world.”

“You’re ours sweet man.” She smiled, her kiss lingering. “Go have a good lunch with your mum, we’ll get some snacks and shopping for the trip. I need to get Lily another jacket, she’s grown out of her other one and the twins need new boots.”

“Fun times.” He grinned.

“Joyous.” She said sarcastically at his chuckle. “Go on. Get going.” She swatted his ass and took a sip of her tea. His arched eyebrow at her butt slap had that mischievous smirk tug her lips.

“A very dangerous game to play kitten.” He growled and devoured her mouth thoroughly.

“Text me your dinner order, I’ll pick something up.” She said changing the subject as her body melted at his touch.

“Mmmm hmmm. Will do lovely lady.” He purred. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

He could tell something was bothering her, more than her usual grief and the shitstorm that Ana had created, the way it had dragged Elias and Dana’s side of the family into the mix. So much going on in that wicked smart brain of hers. He knew she was piecing something together but there was something else she was chewing on. Walking across the street to his mothers he thought about the conversation they were all about to have, the steps he would take, had taken, to protect them all, those measures Sildie had already put in place. They would rally around him, protect him, protect Sildie, the kids, like a family should. It still irritated him that he had to resort to such drastic measures of security and legal restraints but he was out of time, options, and patience.

Sildie and the kids hit the mall, John, their shadow as she like to call him, following their car and staying a respectable distance from them as they shopped, eyes ever watchful. She felt bad for dragging the guy out on a chilly afternoon for them to go shopping, but if this was going to set Gustaf’s mind at ease while he wasn’t here with them she wasn’t going to argue. He was already under enough stress and pressure, he didn’t need anymore. She didn’t think Ana would blatantly harm her or the kids, but there was always the what if, the maybe. Those thoughts that raced through her head a mile a minute. Just look at Elias, she thought bitterly. Not in a million years did she see the connection between him and Ana coming.

Her lawyer brain kicked in as she helped the twins find shoes. How did he fit into it? How did he know her? Was he just a junkie? Was Ana just his supplier? Something more? Had there been a relationship between them? Was Elias part of the syndicate? Was the rest of Dana’s family involved? How far did Ana’s claws dig in? Questions she hoped would be answered when the law finally caught up with her. After that, it wouldn’t take long for Elias to sing, to rat on her to save his own ass.

With a new coat for Lily and new boots for the boys, Brendan included because his toes were already touching leather from the pair she’d bought a few months ago, they stopped in for ice cream. It was their weekly thing, an after shopping treat that had carried over from Dana that she didn’t have the heart to stop, especially when mint chocolate chip was involved and it kept a part of their mother with them.

With groceries in hand they headed back to the car, John helping with the heavier stuff, boys laughing, and a chattering Lily in her arms playing with the zipper on her new coat. As they neared the car the happiness of the afternoon turned to ash and vinegar in her mouth as she looked closer.

“John take the kids to your SUV please.” She said quietly and handed her bags to him. “Brendan, take Lily please and get everyone in the car with John, stay with him ok?” She saw the shock on the teens face, the questions of, who and why echoed there. “I’ll explain later.” Was all she heard herself say as she approached her vehicle slowly.

The windows had been smashed in, seats ripped, red paint covered every surface inside as if a paint can had exploded. The vulgar messages on the doors, the paint splattered and shattered windshield. She felt the panic attack surge up, the nausea and lightheadedness threatening to consume her. “Breathe.” She whispered and sucked in a breath. “Just breathe, the kids are ok, it’s just a car.” A car Gustaf had bought for her, for the kids. He’d bought it to take care of her. Pulling out her phone she took photos of it all and texted them straight to Detective Holmberg, her phone rang a moment later.

“Sildie it’s Leon. I’m on my way. Are the kids somewhere safe?” He said hurriedly. She could hear him moving as he spoke. “Are you safe?”

“Yes they’re with John our security detail, in his car.” She didn’t like how pathetic and shaky her voice sounded. “I’m fine.”

“Don’t touch anything.”

“I haven’t, I just took pictures.” As she was speaking to him she noticed a blonde woman watching her a few cars over. It took her a second to recognize her through the haze of adrenaline and anxiety coursing through her system. “Ana’s here, a few cars down from me.” She snarled, an overwhelming urge to cut a bitch slammed into her so violently the anxiety flipped a one eighty into full on lethal rage.

“Don’t approach her, pretend she’s not there. We maybe able to box her in, I’ll have the parking lot cordoned off.” Which she could hear him relaying that order as he drove. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

“Ok.” She would not crumble and give Ana the satisfaction, and she would not retaliate. She wanted to though, oh how she wanted some divine retribution right here, right now at her own hand. Everything she’d done to get at Gustaf, to cause him more pain, more grief. Yes, she thought, I’d like to have a knock down drag out with you, you vindictive bitch, she thought as her gaze flicked to Ana and then back at the car.

Calming the rage her thumb hesitated over Gustaf’s number. She knew she had to make the call or he’d be more furious at her for handling it on her own, especially after what went down with Elias. But part of her wanted to spare that sweet soul of his any further pain. She choked back a sob as she knew this would hurt him, cut into him so deeply. Her rage gave way to anxiety once more as she stared at his number. All that peace he’d found these past few weeks was ebbing away. “Together.” She breathed and hit dial, the sick feeling in her stomach growing with every ring.

“Hey lovely lady.” She could hear the joy in his voice and she was about to shatter it.

“Hey handsome.” She breathed, anxiety rising.

“You ok?” He went on full alert, he knew that tone, something had happened.

“I’m fine, so are the kids, the car not so much. Not an accident.” She blurted out quickly and held back the sob.

“Ok, good to know.” His gut threatened to abruptly launch his meal out via his teeth. “Talk to me love.” He said gently at her sudden silence.

“Ana’s here, she vandalized the car and is sitting a few cars from me. I’ve called Leon, and he’s just pulling in.” The lawyer had surfaced to take care of the situation, he could hear it in her voice, but it shook.

“God fucking damn it!” He roared, his temper snapping out. She could hear the chair he was sitting in get pushed back explosively, crashing to the floor. It was the last straw for him, she knew it would be and felt sick for it.

“Gustaf, take a breath, please.” She stayed calm, her voice quavering with the tears that threatened to fall. She was only just holding it together. “Were fine, the kids are in the SUV with John at my request. I’m not in any danger and Leon is here.” She willed her voice to not shake. “He just pulled up.”

“I’m on my way to you.” He seethed, he would fucking murder the bitch.

“You won’t get in they blocked the car park so she has no where to go.” She tried for calm, her voice betrayed her as the anxiety surged forward again.

“The hell I won’t.” He spat and she heard the unmistakable slam of a car door. “I’m on my way.” The line went dead.

She’d never heard him this angry, never had him be so short with her. New Year’s Eve was one thing, confronting Elias another, but this? This was an entirely different level of anger, explosive, reckless, and violent.

“I take it that was Gustaf?” Leon asked coming to stand beside her.

“Yes. He’s on his way and rather angry.” That was the understatement of the century.

“Quite rightly.” Holmberg muttered. “Where is she?” He asked, paying particularly close attention to a spot on the drivers side door as he spoke.

“Your eleven o’clock, four cars down, blue...” She said softly, only flicking her eyes to make sure she had the details correct.

“I see her.” He texted the location to his team and let them handle it. Before Ana could tear her eyes away from Sildie and the mayhem she was gloating over, her car was boxed in and police were hauling her out.

Sildie wasn’t interested in the takedown, or the profanity spewing from Ana’s mouth as they cuffed her. She turned her back on Ana, not giving the woman another moment of recognition. It was difficult not to retaliate, because she wanted to, she wanted to March right over there and lay her out cold for what she’d done to Gustaf. Rarely did Sildie want to get into a physical altercation but she was certainly ready to make an exception in this case.

She peered into the car once more, her focus drawn to the rear view mirror and what was no longer hanging there. “She took it.” Her choked tone had Leon turning sharply.

“Took what?” He asked, but she couldn’t answer him, her voice had ceased working as the grief swallowed her whole. Silent tears tracked down her cheeks and she felt her world bottom out. As they placed Ana in the back seat of the police cruiser she felt familiar arms around her, turning her slowly until she was breathing in that familiar scent.

“Sildie.” Gustaf sighed, the relief that she was ok flooding into him. Eyes searched for John’s car and landed on him a moment later, the respectful nod saying the kids were fine setting his mind at ease.

“Sildie, what did she take?” Leon asked again softly as she buried her face in Gustaf’s chest and wept.

“Something missing?” Gustaf asked flatly looking at Leon with ice cold eyes.

“All she said was she took it.” Leon shrugged.

Gustaf leaned down to peer into the car and his temper went nuclear. “I will fucking murder her.” He snarled, holding Sildie tighter to him. “The charm from her rear view mirror is missing, the one her brother gave her.” He said evenly, barely able to contain the contempt in his voice.

“I’ll need you to check the rest of the vehicle to see if anything else is missing.” Leon’s voice had turned flinty.

“Give us a minute ok?” Gustaf asked, he had to talk Sildie off the ledge of a panic attack and stuff his violent fury back into its box.

“Take your time, it’ll take us a while to process this mess.” Leon said and moved away.

Gustaf stood there, soothing her as best he could when he knew all she’d be able to feel would be the waves of anger rolling off him. “You’re ok love, I’m here.” He murmured. “I’m here.”

“I’m sorry.” She sobbed. “I’m sorry... the car.”

“No, no, you’ve done nothing wrong, look at me.” He said tenderly trying to get his anger under control. “Look at me love.” When she did it crushed him. “I’m the one that should be sorry for dragging her into your life.”

“But the car.” She hiccuped.

“Is just a car. It’s insured. I’m more livid about what she took from it.” His rage banked as he wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, she needed him to be calm. They were both stressed and him letting the anger gain the upper hand wasn’t the answer. He’d have time to unleash later.

“It’s gone.” She sobbed.

“It is love, I’m so sorry.” This was tearing her apart and cleaving his soul into pieces. That charm wasn’t something he could replace. He couldn’t fix it.

“Oh shit, the kids, they’re still with John...” she said hurriedly swiping the tears from her face, realizing she didn’t have the luxury to fall apart. “And I just left...”

“They’re perfectly fine, look.” He pointed to the SUV and the kids waved back.

“We have to get them home.” She sniffed pulling it together, it was a stupid charm, it wasn’t like someone had died, she berated herself.

“How about you hang here for a little bit and help Leon out while I go and grab a new car seat for Lily? Because we can’t take anything from the car and her seat is trashed.” He said softly.

She let her gaze drift over to the items already being bagged, spare shoes, sweaters, and Brendan’s hockey gear. “Leon? Can you open that bag real quick.” She asked pointing to Brendan’s gear.

“Paint in the bag too.” Leon said sharply.

“And his mask.” Sildie sighed, before another sob broke free.

“I’ll have another made love.” Gustaf said softly.

“It’s not the same.” She sniffed. “You had that made for him, your first gift to him. You have no idea what it means to him.”

“I know it’s not the same love.” He pulled her into a hug while Leon was trying his damnedest to wipe the paint off the teens hockey mask. “I might be able to take it back and get it cleaned and refinished. I’ll figure it out, I’ll fix it. Somehow I’ll fix it.” He kissed her temple and lingered, willing his system to calm down so in turn he could soothe hers. “Are we able to get this stuff back at some point?” He snapped at Holmberg and immediately regretted his tone. It wasn’t Leon’s fault, Gustaf was just on a razor thin edge.

“I’ll get them back to you as soon as I can.” The detective looked at Gustaf, yes, he thought, Leon was pissed too, good.

“Appreciate it.” He kissed Sildie softly. “Go sit with the kids a moment ok? I’ll get Lily a new seat and we can go from there ok?” She just nodded and walked to John’s car. The slump of her shoulders told him this had kicked her hard.

“I knew her brother.” Leon said quietly. “My wife was close friends with Dana. I’m doing everything I can Gustaf, but I have to stay within the confines of the law, so do you. Don’t go doing anything crazy, get a good attorney and take the spiteful bitch down.”

“Do me a favor.” Gustaf said bluntly. “Search Ana’a car real quick for that charm, or her pockets. The rest of this I can replace, that I can’t, and it will destroy Sildie if it stays missing.”

Leon nodded. “Go get Lily a car seat, I’ll look myself right now and call it in for when they process her at the station.”

“Thanks.” He huffed and scrubbed a hand over his face. As he started to walk away he turned. “I’m sorry, for snapping earlier.”

“Not necessary, I’d be a little snappy too considering the circumstances.” Leon said, a tight smile gracing his lips.

“Well regardless, I’m sorry. There was no need for it, you’re only trying to help.” He wasn’t that person anymore, to rage without reason, without sucking it up and apologizing like the man he was trying to be.

“All good.” Leon said, clasping a hand of Gustaf’s shoulder and squeezing it in support.

He knew he could be an insufferable prick when he put his mind to it or the rage swamped him, that wasn’t him anymore. “And that’s what you’re hoping for isn’t it you fucking bitch.” He muttered as he walked to the baby store across the street. “You’re hoping to get me so riled up I’ll snap. Well I’m way past that. Coming after me was one thing, going after Sildie was the biggest mistake you ever made. By the end of this you’re going to wish you’d never fucking met me.” He said with conviction.

She explained it as much as she dared to the boys, the plea in her eyes to Brendan to just go with it so she could explain more when they were away from the twins. His tight nod all she needed to have some measure of relief. She watched Gustaf walk back to his car and fit the new seat. This will destroy him, she thought, all that peace he’d found obliterated in the instant she’d phoned him. Destroying another life, just like she’d destroyed the boys. It was a spiral, she knew it was happening yet she was powerless to stop her thoughts diving so deeply out of control. It was all too much and she’d reached her tolerance level of bullshit.

She hopped out of the car as he approached and went to him.

“Load the kids up and head home, love. Take care of them and let me worry about all this ok?” He said gently, he would be her calm now as he knew she was far from done today. “You ok to drive?” A nod was all she could give him. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I need to get them home before Lily implodes.” She said trying her damndest to pull it together, she had shit to take care of not wallow in self pitty.

“I’ll stay here with Leon until the car’s towed and then go hire one for our vacation. I’ll send John back with you to help with the groceries ok?” He watched her carefully and was concerned.

She nodded and leaned her forehead against his chest, breathed him in, his scent soothing her jagged emotions.

“That’s it love. Breathe a minute. It’ll all be ok, you and me, we’ll fix it.” He murmured and stroked the nape of her neck tenderly.

She let herself just exist for a moment, collect the shred of composure she was clinging to and pulled it together. Drying her eyes she kissed him softly, the grief he felt already echoing in his eyes.

“There’s my girl.” He said softly, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “I’ll be home a little later. Do you need me to send mum over, or dad? A sibling? I have plenty to spare.” His attempt at humor got the chuckle from her he was hoping for.

“No, I’ll be ok.” You won’t be, he thought, but nice try.

“I love you Sildie. Together love.” He kissed her tenderly.

“Love you too, not letting her win, it just knocked me a bit.” She sniffed.

“I know, me too, but we’ll knock back harder.” He kissed her brow and looked at her. “Come on, I’ll get Lily bear settled, because I can hear her starting to ramp up for a full on I’m tired and hungry meltdown.”

Gustaf helped her get the kids settled in the car, fielding questions from the twins as vaguely as possible. “Text me when you get home.” He said softly.

“I will.” Her voice was that eerie quiet he didn’t like. It only got like that when she retreated into herself and it killed him to see her like that.

She seemed to be on auto pilot as she drove home, aware enough to drive, but not really caring about what was happening around her. John helped her get the kids inside, the groceries for their trip piled on the counter. With the kids occupied she sat in her office, the process of writing notes about the incident clearing it out of her mind as the words appeared on paper. Gustaf’s text tone interrupted her asking if she’d got home and she swore, she’d forgotten to text him.

We’re home. I’m so sorry I zoned and totally forgot.

It’s ok love. You’re all home safe that’s what matters. I’m headed to hire a car, be home soon. Is John still there?

He left a little while ago but he said they have someone watching the building. He stayed until we were settled.

Ok, that’s good.

I love you.

Love you too lovely lady. I’ll be home soon.

He came home an hour or so later and could hear Sildie reaming someone on the other end of the phone in her office, door shut tightly.

“She’s been in there for nearly an hour.” Brendan said quietly.

“You know who she’s flaying?” He asked carefully and the kid shook his head.

“I haven’t seen her this mad since she yelled at grandma after mum and dad...” He stopped suddenly and shook his head not wanting to voice the rest of the sentence.

“Well she’s super upset about the car so I’m not surprised.” Gustaf said carefully, he wasn’t sure how much he should divulge.

“Why would someone do that?” Brendan asked as he walked with Gustaf to the kitchen out of the twins hearing.

“I don’t know B.” Gustaf sighed, he was beat to hell and he knew he’d have to talk Sildie down before she imploded. “The short version ok, because I’m beat to hell.” He scrubbed a hand over his face and tried to collect his thoughts. “It’s an ex girlfriend, the ex girlfriend, the one that screwed me up. They arrested her and things could get a little messy. Your mum has had to bust ass on making sure you guys are safe and it’s all just a little too much for her today.”

“Is that why we have John and Andrew come with us everywhere?” The kid was a quick study.

“Yes. I promised Sildie I’d keep you all safe too.”

“Oh.” The teen looked a little shocked.

“I love you guys, you’re my family Brendan and there’s absolutely nothing I won’t do to protect you, to make sure you’re safe, that Sildie’s safe.” He said softly as the teen hugged him tight. “Absolutely nothing.” His head came up at the sharp shout from Sildie’s office and he decided he needed to get in there and deal with it. “It’s getting late, you guys eaten yet?”

“Yeah we got something on the way home, there’s some here for you too. We weren’t sure when you’d get home.”

“Thanks. Can you get the twins in a bath or shower, I need to go see if she’s ok. Did the cold groceries get out away?”

“Yeah they’re away.” He said and started to unpack the rest.

@hausofobsession @ill-skillsgard @grandpa-sweaters @authentic90skidd @tuckersgirl @fairlyfallacy @flowers-in-your-hayr @raewritesfiction @stinkerbelle007 @kamie-b @mrsaugustwalker @skrsgardspam @loliwrites @trippedmetaldetector @lihikainanea @fay-walden @nandadb

#gustaf skarsgard #gustaf skarsgard fanfic #shattered lives

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mirkwoodshewolf · 3 years

Text

GOC; AU! Queen x oc female x reader Chap. 7.2

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@ixchel-9275

@simonedk

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

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@queen-paladin

@kinole009x

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The scene once again changed and now you stood out in an open field. However unlike the other scenes before, it was the middle of winter because all that lay before you was nothing but pure white snow. Never have you seen snow this white and pure before (at least to this degree).

You both hear footsteps coming up beside you and coming up standing just a few feet beside you was Serafina. She looked older roughly around 15-16. She wore black winter dress with a blood red overcoat around her. Her hair was now almost down to her butt but it was tied up in a French braid.

Soon coming up beside her were two men roughly around their mid to late 40s. They almost looked alike except one had short hair and the other had long hair. Both their hairs were as black as night and they both sported short beards.

The one with the long black hair had piercing blue eyes and he held his presences like a king. His watchful eye scoured the field with intensity. The wind softly blew his hair around but he remained unfazed by it.

The second man was slightly younger than the other man and had a lighter shade of blue eyes, almost hazel like. He had a more relaxed spirit about him but there was still a wise aura you felt around him (the same aura you get from Brian).

“Protecting the borders of our homeland is sacred Serafina. It has been our family right since we were chosen by Thomas Riddle Deacon himself. No creature gets pass these rolling hills, and one day it’ll rest on you to defend it.” The long haired man spoke. Wow just when you though John’s father had a deep voice, this guy’s voice was like soft thunder.

“But father I just don’t understand why magical creatures need to be killed. Why not give them a warning or allow them to go free?” she asked him.

“They’ll seek to destroy us all if they could. Nagas, Dragons, Nokks, Faes.” You hear Freddie scoff.

“But it was Riddle who started this war! And we’ll gladly finissshhhh it!” Freddie hissed angrily.

“Easy Edmund no need to scare the poor girl.” The second man spoke. His voice in a way reminded you of Brian’s. Soft and warm and held a sense of comfort. “We understand your concern Serafina but…..there are some creatures who unfortunately cannot be reasoned with. Plus it’s just the way the Deacon family law states. And has been for thousands of years.” He said to Serafina as he placed a comforting hand to her shoulder.

“You always did try to sugarcoat everything Albus. But Serafina is my daughter and I know what is best for her to understand.” Soon a flash of light was shot up high in the sky. “It’s Regulus he’s found it. Come on!” he roared out the command and soon with a flash of speed, all three of them shifted into wolves and ran across the snow towards the flash of light.

“On her father’s side, as you now have heard, the Black family has been the protectors of England’s wizard tribe since the reign of……” he trailed off and when you turned to Freddie you swore you saw a flash of anger in his eyes. He took a deep breath in before exhaling out and continued, “The Deacons saw that the Black family were not only skilled in Transfigurations, which came in handy for less threatening creatures, but also their knowledge on Mythical creatures themselves. In fact a rumor has been said that the Black family may be connected to Archimedes himself. Because only he had such power of knowledge especially when it came to Magical creatures. But it’s never been proven.”

“I thought you could prove that? After all you see the past and future right?” you tease. Freddie glared down at you which made you back off.

“You are one step closer to finding out what the inside of a Naga’s stomach is like if I here another comment like that.”

“Sorry Freddie won’t happen again I promise!”

“Good. Now there is one last thing for you to see. And it’s what truly began John and Serafina’s journey.”

The snowy fields disappeared from your sight but for some reason the rest of the scene didn’t change. It was sunny and the field before you was now filled with tall yellow meadow grass.

“John! John wait. I—I still don’t feel comfortable about this.” Serafina’s voice said. Soon enough coming up from behind you were John and Serafina.

They were now the current age you’ve come to know them as however John looked slightly different. He had long black hair that went well past his shoulders, his skin seemed paler than when he was a child, but he was still pretty handsome.

And of course Serafina was as beautiful as ever. Her hair was now the same length as John’s. The two of them holding hands with each other as they finally stopped and Serafina said.

“John you know what my father has said about being out this far. Especially with what’s been lurking around the border lately.”

“I know but—he said he wanted us to meet here.”

“John I—I have to be honest with you. I’m scared.” John cupped Serafina’s face in his hands as she looked up at him with pleading eyes. “I’ve heard of the things your grandfather has done, and……what if—”

“Nothing will happen to you so long as I’m around. Besides he—he’s known about your skills and said that there’s no one better he/d rather have at my side.” He stroked her cheeks lovingly with his thumbs, “Plus he seems to be the only one in my family that actually approves of us.”

“I know you want respect from him but my father……he’s always feared your grandfather and if he finds out I met him……you won’t leave my side, will you?”

“Never. I’ll never leave your side.” She softly smiled and the two of them softly kissed one another when the sound of the grass rustling started them. “Grandfather?” John questioned after a moment of silence.

“It is time. You both musssst follow.” A familiar voice spoke. You quickly turn to Freddie in shock but he pointed out for you to keep watching.

“Get behind me John!” Serafina stood in front of John and took out her wand. “This man is under the protection of the Black family. Whatever you are, show yourself or face the consequences.” Soon slithering out of the tall grass was Freddie. Both John and Serafina stood there in horror as you watch Freddie tell them.

“Be calm. I do not wish to harm either of you. It issss time. You both are finally ready. The world needssss you both now. Follow me.”

“We aren’t going anywhere with you Naga! Now leave us alone!” Serafina growled as the tip of her wand began to glow.

“That is not your decision Serafina Rhea Black!” Freddie warned as he slithered closer to them and stood almost two feet taller than them.

Both John and Serafina stood there terrified and frozen with fear. They knew that magic wouldn’t work against a Naga so they were completely helpless at this point. As Freddie continued to glare down at the two of them, he was unaware of something stalking behind him.

A thunderous roar soon came from behind as Freddie was now jumped by a very large dark maned lion. The lion continuously scratched and bite at Freddie. He tried to grab the lion with his coils but it soon leapt off of him, leaving Freddie bleeding from his back and sides.

Soon all of Serafina’s family both on her mother’s and father’s side surrounded the area.

“GET OFF OF OUR LANDS NAGA!!” Her father roared as he now stood where the lion once stood. Her mother, cousins, aunt, and uncles all glared at Freddie with pure hatred as their wands were at the ready, glowing with the most powerful spell they could think of that would at least drive Freddie away.

Panting he lowered himself to the ground but not before staring once again at John and Serafina. Then with a quick burst of speed, Freddie disappeared into the grass never to be seen again. Serafina’s father now once again as the lion let out a fearsome roar as he panted aggressively.

Serafina turned to John and checked him over as did he, the two young lovers cupping each other’s faces to make sure the other was still there. For no one had ever survived a Naga encounter.

“Did it hurt you?” her father’s voice suddenly said as he took Serafina away from John. He soon began checking her over as Serafina said.

“Dad stop it I’m fine.” He then cupped her face as he said.

“Don’t ever do that to us again. We were so worried.” He placed his forehead against hers in a comforting gesture. Thankful that his daughter was still alive.

“Nothing happened dad, I’m fine. As is John.” That’s when her father briefly glared at John before turning to the two ginger haired twins.

“Fred, George. Take Serafina back to the Burrow along with the rest of the children.” The twins soon walked up towards Serafina and linked her arms with theirs.

“Fred, George put me down! Stop it you guys!”

“You’re lucky to be alive Serafina.” Said one of the twins.

“Yeah Serafina. Nagas eat wizards and witches. You would’ve been a perfect appetizer.” Then with a spiral of wind, the three of them disappeared from the field. You remember John calling it apparating.

The next scene however would prove to what Freddie told you earlier about Serafina’s father. And you would find yourself even being afraid of her father more than John’s.

When Serafina was gone, her father turned back to John who tried to make himself smaller.

“How. Dare you!” her father growled.

“I’m sorry sir.”

“YOU’RE SORRY!?” He roared. “First you take my daughter away from watching her younger cousins. Then you take her out straight to the border despite KNOWING! A NAGA WAS IN THE AREA!!!”

“I know a Naga was here. I don’t know what it wanted, I was only here because my grandfather—” that’s when John stopped talking and as Serafina’s father let out a low yet angry lion growl out of his throat, John’s face suddenly changed to an ‘oh shit’ face.

He knew he had screwed up by mentioning his grandfather before her father.

“YOU’RE GRANDFATHER WAS HERE!?!?” Edmund roared out.

“No. I—” John tried to save himself but Edmund pointed his wand right at John. The tip glowing bright green as he sneered.

“Do not lie to me John Deacon!” he towered over John’s frightened form. His eyes filled with fear as he looked up at Mr. Black. You wished you had existed that way you could defend John from the oncoming wrath of Serafina’s father.

“My grandfather said he wanted to meet Serafina. And he insisted it be out here but I’d never let him hurt her I promise!” John suddenly spat out as fast as he could. It almost sounded like he wasn’t even speaking English with how fast he was talking. Suddenly he was hit square in the chest with a blue blast of magic and knocked down to the ground.

The wind practically knocked out of him as he tried to sit himself back up.

“I don’t know what my daughter ever saw in you. But it ends now! YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN A CURSE UPON MY FAMILY!!” John curled in on himself trying to hide like a turtle in its shell. That’s when you saw Edmund Black raise his wand and began to say.

“Avada Ked—” but then a crash of lightning lit up the sky before it began to suddenly downpour rain.

Serafina’s entire family was confused and one young girl around Serafina’s age (probably another cousin) spoke up.

“Why’s it raining? It’s dry season.” That’s when her mother said.

“It’s true. The Curse of Grindelwald!” that’s when her father backed away fearfully.

“You did this. You’re-you’re a demon! I’ve known it since you came into our lives!” he screamed down at John.

“What? No I’m not! I’m…….” John trailed off not knowing what else to say.

“If your grandfather won’t let me kill you. Then I’ll just erase my daughter’s memory of you. Every last ounce of it!”

“Edmund No! She didn’t do anything I’m sorry it was all me! Erase my memory just—”

“STAY AWAY FROM HER!! DEMON!!” then like Serafina and her cousins Fred and George did, Edmund Black apparated out of the fields.

John turned towards the rest of Serafina’s family and pleaded over the sound of the rain and thunder.

“Someone help me stop him! Serafina’s innocent in all of this! Rhea please!” he turned towards Serafina’s mother who refused to look at him with her chin up and her eyes closed.

“You’ve endangered my child for the last time John Richard Deacon. As her mother I know what’s best for her, you will be obliviated from her mind.”

“WHAT KIND OF MOTHER ARE YOU!?!?” He roared at her. “You would willingly allow your daughter to have her mind erased!? You’ve never liked me! Hell you never even loved her! If you were really her mother you wouldn’t allow this to happen to your only child!” John continued to unleash his wrath on Serafina’s mom.

“I do love her John! I love her so much it hurts! And never have I seen her more happy than when she’s with you!” her mother wept. “That’s the problem. Don’t you see?” this time her mother spoke with venom in her voice. “Merlin’s beard! You are a descendant of Balthazar! You are a Deacon for Merlin’s sake! And yet……”

She exhaled her anger shakily as she now continued in a softer tone.

“When I think back on the chaos your family has caused; All I think is the danger my daughter will be in. It makes me feel—” she trailed off as her face now showed pure heartbreak and you could swear from the rain, you saw a teardrop fall down her face as she choked out. “Afraid.” Her fearful expression then hardened as she spoke in a stronger tone now, “Fear. Is one thing that your family has forbidden in the cult!”

She then turned away from John once again as she spoke gravely.

“That’s why I never looked at you. Serafina should’ve done the same to protect herself. Love like that gets you killed. And if she has to be erased of that…….so be it.” She then turned to the rest of the family. “Let’s ensure that Naga is far from these borders everyone.”

Soon her whole family took off on their brooms to do a search party for Freddie but you watched as one wizard stayed on the ground. Serafina’s uncle Albus.

“Albus wait!” John pleaded. “You know this can’t be right. Please I really need your help. I can’t stop your brother alone please. Serafina wouldn’t want this.” Albus whom you had seen earlier to have a clam exterior finally broke as he turned to John and spat at him venomously.

“I may have been accepting of your romantic relationship with my niece John. But now I draw the line here!”

“I’m sorry. I was stupid to bring her out here with the Naga on the loose. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“It’s not the Naga I’m upset about. It was the mention of your grandfather that broke my trust in you. You know as well as I do that those you meet your grandfather never. Come. Back. Alive!”

“I said I’m sorry what else is there for me to say?!” John begged to her uncle.

“We don’t care what you say from here on out. We care what you’ve done. All of this is your own fault. As I once taught you back in school, you can solve this on your own.” He walked a few feet away from John.

“Albus come on!” her uncle Albus lowered his head before turning back to John with broken eyes and spoke softly.

“For the first time in 35 years I agree with my brother. After today I don’t want you anywhere near Serafina.” After he said that, John’s eyes filled with tears before he apparated away broken heartedly. All the while Albus with his own heartbroken expression on his face before flying off.

The scene faded away before slightly altering itself. You turn to Freddie, tears pouring down your own face.

“Must they really blame him for his families actions? Why couldn’t they see that he’d never hurt Serafina? Hell, even now a thousand years later he never harmed her.”

“That’s the fear of the hierarchy. The Weasley’s and the Black’s feared the Deacon family more than anything. As did almost every other family all over England. That’s what power and bloodline can do for you. But this is what really set John over the edge.”

The scene still showed it was raining. The ground was even more wet than it was in the last scene you saw.

“After they saw me, both John and Serafina’s memories were wiped away of seeing a Naga. But when her father tried to erase her mind of John like he promised, Serafina fled and no one saw her for three days. That’s when in secret her cousins Fred and George told John about Serafina’s disappearance. He was planning on fleeing England since he didn’t belong anywhere but when he heard about his beloved missing, he feared the worst. So he went searching for her, never stopping till he found her. Even as it rained for days on end. Till finally he came across something that changed the game for him.”

You soon saw John land down on the ground racing across the field crying out Serafina’s name.

“SERAFINA! SERAFINA MY LOVE! If you’re out there please! Please answer me!” you then saw him trip over something. “Morgana damnit what did I just trip—on?” a flash of lightning soon revealed the most horrifying sight that made both you and John scream.

There on the ground motionless, scarred up and eyes glazed over was the corpse of Serafina’s father. Dried blood stained from his gaping mouth and his back littered with whip marks.

“The first of the hierarchy will perish. The family that he……no!” John first muttered to himself before gasping in horror. He was just about to take off when a blue fire whip wrapped around his waist slamming John to the ground before dissolving n the rain. John slowly turned around and you could see a figure from the rain and mist that started to form around the man.

When the mist cleared there stood a man that just gave you such a feeling that you couldn’t help but hide behind Freddie just to shield yourself away from this man. He had the same hair color as John’s father but instead of long it was spiked up and each side of his head looked shaved off. Both his eyes were different colors, one was deep dark brown while the other was so white it almost made his eye blind.

A slight mustache could be seen from his upper lip and in his hand was a wand unlike any other wand you’ve seen. It looked like it was made out of human bone and the joints of them stuck out like little bulbs along the length of the wand.

“Play nice now Johnny boy. No cheating.” God even this man’s voice sent fear up every inch of your body. The way it groveled in that low baritoneish register.

“G-Grandfather Grindelwald. Th—this was the family you…….”

“A little overboard on your mother’s part. Now where are the rest of them?” his grandfather said as he got right into John’s face.

“I……..”

“As I said to you earlier John. No lying. Play fair for your grandfather unlike this poor soul.” He said as he gestured towards Serafina’s father. John remained silent before his grandfather snapped. “Answer me! Now boy!”

“They’re searching for one of their own! And the younger children are at the family home at the Burrow!” John surrendered. Oh god John what have you done?

“That’s a good boy. I’ll have to thank ole’ Albus for that little tip of his brother’s weak spot. It was very……informative. Now, my dear grandson. The time has finally come for you to take your stand amongst your family.”

“Wait! You can’t kill them!”

“You would still defend them even after they abandoned you?” his grandfather stroked John’s cheek with the back of his hand. You could visibly see John shaking underneath his grandfather’s touch as he continued to pull the heartstrings on John. “John Richard Deacon, my grandson. The next in line for the title of Sorcerer Supreme. Surpassing my own sons and your older brother. Mistreated by your own blood, unloved. And feared by others. Oh……but not all. There is one—who loves you so dearly.”

The whispers of his grandfather were haunting to listen to. This man was a true manipulator.

“If her family really knew her, they would’ve found her already. What do you say lad?” John stayed silent before looking down. His shoulders shaking and his grandfather wrapped his arms around John. “We can be her family now. You both can be together forever.”

“If you really want me to prove myself to you, let me be the one to do it.” John said. His grandfather released him from his hug and said.

“How do I know you’ll finish all of them?”

“I’ve been with them for over 16 years there’s no one they’ll trust more than me. I’ll kill every last one of them. Find Serafina and bring her to the manor. Even if I have to put her under a spell to do so! But call off the hunt and let me kill every last one of those filthy Half-blood traitors and cowards!”

His grandfather eyed him while John held firm. His eyes showing darkness and anger behind them.

“Very well. Go.” John walked past his grandfather but he gave John one last piece of advice. “And Johnny boy. None of this is personal. It’s what one does in order to keep the peace. We can’t allow naysayers or doubters in our midst. Once your Sorcerer Supreme by the end of the Summer, you’ll understand.” With that John flew off.

You and Freddie follow behind John to see him now landing at the Border’s entrance of the English wizard’s homeland. John turned around with solemn eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

“JOHN! JOHN!!” His head raised up at the sound of a female voice calling out to him. Racing through the rain was none other than Serafina.

“SERAFINA!” he dropped his broom and raced towards her. The two of them embraced as he lifted her up and spun her around in his arms. The two of them frantically kissing each other. “What are you…..doing…..here?! Are you…..okay!? Why did…..you do this? Why!?” John said between his kisses.

“My dad was trying to erase our memories and I couldn’t let him do that to me and then I heard that my dad hurt you! I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to help you. I should never have allowed Fred and George to take me away! If only I fought against that Naga then my family wouldn’t have been there……this is all my fault!” she wept brokenly.

“No, no, no. Shhh, hey, hey shhhh. Shhhh” John embraced her tightly. He rocked her back and forth as she wept into his chest. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m sorry I put you in the middle of all of this.” He kept Serafina close to her, kissing the top of her forehead and the crown of her head.

After she calmed down, Serafina looked up at John and said to him.

“When my family finds us, I can explain everything to them. Including my dad. They’ll understand I promise.” Hearing the mention of her family’s ultimate fate and even seeing her father’s corpse with his own two eyes made John look down in shame. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” John said solemnly.

“No. Something’s on your mind. What is it John?”

“It’s just……I—I’m running away from home.”

“What?” she gasped out. “But you know you have a home with me. My aunt Molly and Uncle Arthur accept you. As does uncle Albus. I don’t care what my parents say you can stay with us at the Burrow.”

“It’s not that it’s just……” he trailed off again. His silence was beginning to worry Serafina down to her very core.

“John you’re scaring me. Tell me what’s going on?” suddenly a flash of lightning was heading straight down for Serafina but just before it could strike, John apparated the two of them out of harm’s way.

“Serafina I need you to trust me right now I promise I’ll explain everything but now is not the time! Please my love come with me!” John desperately pleaded with her as he extended his hand out to her. Serafina turned back towards their home before looking back at John.

“Are we—ever coming back?” her voice choked out. John remained silent before saying.

“Unlikely.”

“I’ve never been further than this before. I’m frightened.” She whimpered. That’s when John took her left hand with both of his and he said as he held her hand to his lips.

“Me too.” He gave her hand a soft kiss before continuing, “But as long as we’re together, we can face anything. Right?”

“Okay. As—long as we’re together.” John brought Serafina close to him and the two of them shared a soft kiss before getting on top of their brooms and flying off away from their homes, their old lives.

The scene fade to black as you felt that feeling of being pulled back upwards and you let out a gasp before coughing and finding yourself back in the attic.

It was now nightfall as you and Freddie stood there in the darkness of the attic together. Stumbling back, you left the attic and collapsed half way out of the hallway at everything you had seen. That familiar pain in your chest that you felt just shortly after your final test was now growing stronger.

You clenched your heart as you tried to take deep soothing breaths. You feel a pair of hands touch your shoulders and soon you’re looking into the eyes of Brian.

“I know what it is you saw. For it has also been in our minds.”

“I—I can’t……..” Brian rubs your back comfortingly as you feel the tears trinkle down your face. “Does…..Did she ever find out?” you say after a while of nothing but silence.

“She’s clever. After a few months of traveling together she pieced why John took her without a good reason. And she found out from John just who exactly killed her father.” Brian said.

“Earlier when John knelt down before Serafina and she looked like she wanted to attack him. Why did he not try to fight back?”

“Since it was his family that killed hers, every year on this date. John nulls his magic so that he’s powerless to even fight against Serafina. He then offers himself to her as penance for her to unleash her magical rage upon his body. To inflict every ounce of pain that not only has ran through her body, but her families. But every year she can’t bring herself to do it. Because she knows it wasn’t John’s doing.” Freddie explained.

“Poor Serafina. I can’t imagine the guilt that plaques her mind. Or what she’s going through. I mean I’ve lost family members naturally or back during the War but—I can’t imagine mass murder.” It was then Freddie left the hallway without another word.

“One other person can though.” Brian tells you. You turn to the Elven lord and he continues, “Remember when Freddie said that he and Serafina share something in common?” you nod. “Did he sneer at the name of Thomas Riddle Deacon?”

“Yeah in the flashbacks he mentioned that Thomas started the war and—wait. You mean……” Brian nodded solemnly.

“Never did I think it could be possible, but he did it. Thomas Riddle Deacon. John’s great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather was the first wizard of Balthazar’s line to destroy the kind wizard name of the Deacons. Thomas Riddle forged the most powerful wand known to all Wizards and Witches. The Eldar wand, made of the bone of a wizard and harnessed by the most powerful lifeforce. Legend says that that wand has enough power to extinguish an entire race. And with that wand, he used it to obliterate all the Nagas of the world. The Nagas fearing this power was too much for one wizard to handle, assembled an army to stop Riddle. In the end…..Freddie was the sole survivor of the massacre.”

Poor Freddie. No wonder why he’s so cautious around others, so quick to strike first. He had to watch his entire family be killed right in front of him.

And now learning of how Nagas can live eternally and last eons, carrying that guilt with him for that long—no wonder why he is the way he is.

“Can—can I see Serafina?”

“You won’t have much luck. She’s never spoken until after a week of mourning her family. You can try but don’t get your hopes up. And be cautious of what you say around her. Last time I tried to help, I got shot back 30 feet and ended up stuck in the tree of a wasp colony for 2 days.” You stand up and walk back out towards the garden.

The crickets chirping away their nightly orchestra song, the stars twinkling in the sky and the half moon high at the center of the sky. You saw Serafina, Roger and John in the same position as this morning, none of them moved an inch.

Slowly you walk up towards them and finally speak up the names of your teachers.

“John? Serafina?”

“What do you want?” John’s voice graveled out as he kept his head down low.

“I—I know what happened. I know your stories.” You say. None of them move till John slowly turns his head towards you. His eyes narrowed and cold.

“How much do you know?”

“Everything. Freddie showed me with Brian’s mirror and using both of your tears. The day you both first met each other, your families, even the day you both left. I know everything. I—”

“Don’t say you’re sorry! You don’t know the first thing about what we went through. Seeing it is one thing but actually going through it is another! Now leave us and let Serafina grieve in peace!” John snarled. His hand slowly starting to glow purple.

Fearing that he was going to attack you out of pure rage and send you flying across the sky, you slowly back away from John fearfully.

“Wait.” A voice spoke up. Roger’s and John’s face turn to pure shock as Serafina now finally free of her broken shell spoke up. She steps toward you and says in the same low tone, “After knowing everything, do you still trust John Deacon with your life (Y/n)?”

You turn to John who looks at you with a grim look on his face. Even after seeing what John went through in his childhood, you knew that wasn’t who he was today. You’ve seen how he’s acted around you, the guys, but especially Serafina. How loyal he is to her and how he’s protected her.

“Very much so.” You say determinedly.

“Then your final test was a success.” She said softly. “I had hoped mine would be the same after all these years, but—” she turned her head away from you, shutting her eyes tightly and biting her lower lip. You could see tears at the corner of her eyes even through the half-moon’s light.

“It wasn’t your fault though Serafina.” You say softly before reaching out and placing your hand on her shoulder. Her head snapped right back to yours and you saw for yourself her eyes glowing pure red with rage as she snapped at you.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!!” the red light faded from her eyes as she looked down and spat out, “I don’t want any more pity!” you back away from her. Even feel John’s hands on your shoulders as he pulled you away from her rage. “For this next week; Freddie, Brian and Roger will continue your training. I’m sure you also know why you’re learning all of this?”

“Yes ma’am. Freddie told me the morning of my final test.” You didn’t bother to even ask how she could’ve found out about that. Being a witch (and a very, very skilled telepathic witch as John told you on your one on one sessions) she must’ve known from reading either yours or Freddie’s mind.

“Of course, he did.” She sighed solemnly as she got down to her knees. “After a week John and I will resume your magical training.” With that she became that broken shell once again. Her face frozen yet her eyes looking like they were traveling far back in time.

Searching eternally for answers on why but only coming up with pain and regret.

“There. You’ve spoken your mind to them. Now let Serafina rest and John to accept his punishment.” Roger tells you sternly.

With that you don’t say another word. You turn your back on them and leave the three of them in the garden in the cool spring weather.

In your bedroom you just lay there staring up at the ceiling digesting everything that happened today. Suddenly an even greater pain struck your chest. You don’t know whether it was sympathy pains for John and Serafina but this time around after seeing their childhood, the pain in your chest was growing bigger and more painful than ever before.

“I’m sorry Serafina. I’m sorry John. I wish you both didn’t have to go through all that.” You shut your eyes, and fell into na restless sleep.

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comicgeekscomicgeek · 3 years

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Their Hero Academia - Chapter 83: Of Sound and Wings

Continuing my nextgen MHA fic!

Earlier chapters can be found here

To say Toshi was worried was an understatement. While no one had said anything bad would happen if they lost the relay, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to give it his all. Which meant he had to make sure he wasn’t going to let anyone else down either. And he was more than certain that, however the relay worked out, Aizawa and Uncle Kacchan would be using whatever he saw to help format their lessons going forward. Their teacher would just use any failings to push them all the harder.

He couldn’t allow his differences with Tatsuma to be the reason they failed. While there hadn’t been any more violence or any scuffles between the U.A. and Shiketsu students (Not even from Katsumi, which seemed to be a minor miracle in and of itself), there was still a strained feeling when some members of the two groups interacted. And Tatsuma had made a point of avoiding him.

He needed to be able to clear the air with the Shiketsu girl. Even if there was still bad blood afterwards, he needed to apologize and he needed to make sure that they’d be able to work together. Plenty of Heroes didn’t get along off the field but could put their differences aside enough to fight alongside each other. He would have liked to at least get to that point.

They had a few minutes before they had to start getting ready, so he sought her out, finding her standing alone. The other Shiketsu students looked to have already peeled off to find their respective U.A. partners.

“Ah, hey, Tatsuma,” he began. “Do you have a minute to talk?”

Tatsuma didn’t budge an inch. When she spoke she didn’t even turn around. “Later than I expected this to happen. The instructors have forced your hand.”

Toshi frowned and swallowed nervously. “You’re right,” he said. “I have been putting this off.” Not very heroic of him, really. “And the timing makes it look even less great than it already is.”

Best to just get it out there.

“I owe you an apology.”

She turned to look at him now. With her arms crossed and her stoic stance, it made her already tall figure even more imposing.

“For what?” The question is not one of confusion or lack of knowledge, but rather did he understand what he should be sorry about.

Toshi was of average height for his age, with maybe a few more inches to go, but the way Tatsuma simply towered over most people did nothing to ease the situation. “I was pretty insensitive when we talked near the beginning of the camp,” he began. “And didn’t do a good job of listening to what you were actually saying. It’s been pointed out that I don’t always see the privileged position my family gives me and I trivialized something very important to you.”

He looked up. “And for that, I’m sorry.”

Tatsuma listened, looking at him carefully before speaking. “Well I can’t find a realistic problem with your apology. So..thank you.” Her eyes narrowed a bit. “I’d argue it’s something many Heroes should see as important, but now is a pointless time to argue it.”

Toshi nodded. It was about as good a reaction as he could have hoped for. Tatsuma didn’t seem like the type to lash out violently, the way Katsumi might (Though in truth, Katsumi was always more bark than bite), but he’d been deeply afraid of making things worse. He was a Class Representative. He was supposed to be a leader, someone others looked to and who helped make things right, not someone who caused trouble with other schools.

“You’re not wrong,” he agreed. “I’ve grown up around enough Heroes, not just my family…” He winced slightly. A reminder of all that probably wasn’t the best choice of words. “But a lot of them question if they’re not good enough, if they’re not doing enough. And their failures stay with them too.”

Dad didn’t talk about it much. He wanted to keep a smiling face, especially for this family. But as Toshi had gotten older, he’d been more willing to talk about the lives he couldn’t save, the times he was too slow or too late. He’d wanted to impress upon Toshi that being a Hero could bring great joy, but that it would weigh you down too.

“I don’t know why the press or the public treated your mother differently. But she didn’t deserve that.”

For a time, he had had her attention. Maybe he’d gotten this right. Tatsuma was also a Class Rep. and as such she represented her school. As much as she may have wanted to show up UA, she had to know holding grudges like that weren’t good for anybody. And it was true that in the past, the rankings had led to a lot of damaging and toxic behavior. You just had to look at Izzy’s grandfather for that. But things were different now, right? But when he mentioned her mother, he suddenly felt the situation change, the hairs on the back of his next standing up.

Human life had started long after the dinosaurs had died out, despite what a lot of science fiction would have people believe. But if a man had been threatened by a t-rex, he was certain it would felt like what he was feeling now.

Toshi would later swear that he saw Tatsuma’s eyes go red. “Because of the damn rankings!” Smoke started to unfurl from her nostrils. “She fell from the all-mighty Top Ten! The heroes of all heroes! You think anyone says anything if someone drops a rank in the 20’s or 30’s? No, no one cares about their efforts. But if someone can’t cut being in the Top Ten-!” Her skin looked like a very thin layer of scales was forming.

“That's all my mother ever heard! ‘You couldn’t cut it.’ ‘Leave it to the men!’ ‘You weren’t meant to be among the elite!” All because of how the rankings portray what Heroes are supposed to be!”

She was now towering over Toshi now. “I won’t dismiss what your father has done for this country, or any of the others in the Ten, but if you can’t see how it has also harmed those who have done nothing but sacrificed-!” Her hands clenched. She was very, VERY close, then snarled and turned away.

“Seung’s worked too hard to keep her emotions in control. I can’t disgrace that effort.” Tatsuma let out a breath, a steaming hot one. “You’ll never get it. You’re too ingrained. I should probably just accept that.” She was quiet for a moment, before finally speaking up again. “What else did you want?”

To his credit, Toshi had managed to stand his ground during Tatsuma’s tirade, only taking a slight step backwards once. As it was, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. “I’m sorry,” he began. “This is important to you, I can tell. And I’m sorry for the pain it’s caused you and your mom. What happened to her wasn’t right and wasn’t fair.”

He straightened up a little. Maybe this was too much meddling. But wasn’t meddling the job of a Hero? Tatsuma had so much anger in her, it was going to consume if she didn’t find a way to break it.

“And maybe I am too close to see some things. But I’m also close enough to a lot of things to see some of the details. When your mother started dropping in rankings, it was a different time. The world was still hurting from the loss of All Might and wanted its Heroes to be more perfect than they were, than they could actually be. I don’t know, can’t know, if that was the cause, but I’d be surprised if that didn’t have something to do with it. And none of that would make it right or fair if it did.

“But while I can’t quote you chapter and verse like Shota could, I can tell you that plenty of people have risen and fallen out of the Top Ten in the last decade or more, and only the trashiest and least reputable ‘news’ sources and commentators are bad mouthing them. Creati dropped down to Number Eleven a while back. And you know what she did? She congratulated Rodeo, who jumped up to Seven and knocked her ranking down.”

He frowned. “What happened to Ryukyu wasn’t right. I agree with you on that. And you’ve every right to be angry about it. But I don’t think it’s like that anymore.”

He shook his head. Maybe there was still something he was missing. But he had to try and bridge that gap. “But maybe you’re right. Maybe this is something we can’t agree on. But can we work together?”

She looked back at him. “If Ground Zero and Deku could learn to work together, it would be embarrassing and shameful if we couldn’t.” There is the vaguest hint of a smile. Maybe he’d said some of the right things. At least, he hadn’t made it any worse.

Toshi gave her a small smile of his own. “Oh, the stories I could tell you about that…”

***

The Rookies’ relay course was set up in the woodlands around their compound, virtually invisible from the treetops, but complicated once you got to it. There were bridges and swings, with complex structures built into the trees. The tree line itself was thick with trees and other vegetation, making it difficult to see where any attack might be coming from. Fortunately, their path was pretty straightforward.

“You got Tomodachi okay?” Inuzaki asked. He was ahead of Shota, in dog form, pausing every so often to sniff the air.

“Good enough,” Shota told him. The “civilian” they were rescuing was a training dummy, like the kind they used at U.A. It was about the size of an adult man and loaded with sensors that would tally up injuries and damage. They had immediately decided that he’d needed a name. Shota had him over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry. He didn’t need his arms free to use his Quirk, after all.

“He’s pretty heavy though!” Shota said. “Maybe he should run the course too!” He was in good shape—you couldn’t be in the Hero course and not be—but he wasn’t anywhere near as fit as Toshi, Kirishima-Bakugo, or Shoji. Even Inuzaki was in better shape than him when he was in human form. Still, his joke did get a laugh out of Inuzaki, so it was worth it.

Dad always said you had to take care of your body as much as your Quirk. Maybe he needed to start working out more. Toshi was always working out. But he got up so early to do it!

“Smell anything?” Shota asked.

Inuzaki stopped and shook his head. “Maybe. Lots of smells. I can smell people. Mostly the Rookies. They’ve been through here a lot. Might be trying to make it confusing.”

“Let me try,” Shota said. He took in a breath then started to unleash one of his sonar-screams, but stopped when Inuzaki started whining.

He cut the scream immediately. “What, what is it?” Shota asked.

Inuzaki winced. “Your scream hurt my ears,” he said, quietly. “It was like a knife through my skull!”

Crap! His Quirk and Inuzaki’s weren’t compatible? How were they going to do this? He had to scream to use his Quirk! When they got attacked, he’d have to use it! But if it hurt his friend, then what could he do? Maybe it was only certain frequencies?

“That’s only when you’re a dog, right?” Shota asked. “Change back for a second. I’ll get a quick look and then we can keep going.”

“Okay,” Inuzaki agreed. He stopped though, his back leg scratching at his ear. “Hang on, gotta scratch first.”

“Oh! How cute!”

The girlish voice seemed to come from nowhere. It could only be Ojiro! But where was she?!

Inuzaki sniffed. “Ah ha! Got you!” He jumped up and seemed to collide with something in mid-air. Ojiro reappeared as they hit the ground.

“Oh, dang it!” Ojiro cried out. She tried to get up, but Inuzaki’s weight was keeping her down. “I got distracted!

“Hold her still!” Shota said. They’d been given ‘capture cuffs’ so that they could harmlessly take their classmates out of the fight, though there was a good chance they’d have to do at least a little damage. He had some in his pocket, but he also had the dummy! Crap! What were they going to… Inuzaki changed back to his human form in a puff of smoke. He had capture cuffs too! Right. Why was he worried?

Ojiro was quick though, using that moment of transition to act. She brought her legs up, flipping Inuzaki over her, then sprang up to her feet. “So close!” she said. “But not quick enough!” Meanwhile, Inuzaki changed back to dog form in midair, landing easily. He and Ojiro circled each other warily.

Before he could help, the ground started shaking. Shota swallowed hard. He remembered now, one of Class 1-B had a vibration-based Quirk, didn’t she? Mio Yamaguchi, a dark haired girl.

The vibrations picked up intensely, knocking Shota off his feet. He hit the ground, twisting to minimize the damage to Tomodachi, but he knew he took at least a small hit. “Sorry, sorry, sorry,” Shota told the dummy. Carefully getting back to his feet, he looked around for any sign of Yamaguchi or anyone else. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of Ojiro and Inuzaki fighting.

He wanted to help. He really did. But if there was more trouble coming, somebody had to watch.

Doing the right thing sucked sometimes. But he had to trust that Inuzaki was going to be able to handle it. “Better hold your ears, Tomodachi,” he told the dummy. “It might get loud!” If he kept his powers really focused, hopefully he’d wouldn’t hurt Inuzaki either.

There. Yamaguchi stepped into view, looking beyond Shota. “Can’t you catch one dog, Ojiro?” she asked, sounding annoyed.

From behind him, Ojiro called out. “It’s really hard! He’s really fast!”

Yamaguchi rolled her eyes. “Okay, let me just take care of the kid and I’ll help.” She brought up both of her hands, unleashing vibrational waves that seemed to blur the air in front of her.

Dang it! Just because he was short and a few months younger, it didn’t mean he was a baby! Why did everybody treat him like he was a little kid!

“YOU’RE NOT GONNA STOP ME!” he shouted, clenching his fists. He unleashed his Quirk, turning a shout into a broad sonic wave. His wave met Yamaguchi’s vibrational blast in mid-air, where there was a small explosion of air as the two different waves hit each other, before his own caused hers to dispense. Somewhere behind him, he heard Inuzaki yelp. He just prayed his new friend could hold on.

“What?” Yamaguchi said. “How’d you do that?”

Shota grinned. “I canceled out your vibrations with my own!” Maybe not as good as Uncle Shota’s Erasure, but his sonic vibrations could stop hers well enough.

Again and again, Yamaguchi threw her vibrational blasts at him, but Shota kept canceling them out. Her vibrations were at least as strong as his sonics. Keepings up that kind of pace, matching vibration with vibration, was making his skull rattle. Even without the blasts hitting him, he could practically feel the vibrations in his bones. Even though he wasn’t used to fighting someone with powers even a little bit like his own, he was holding his ground, but if he didn’t do something, he was sure to lose!

“Okay, that’s it…” Yamaguchi said. A look of annoyance crossed her face. “Guess it’s time to bring down the house!” Her eyes narrowed and she brought both hands together and pointed them down, ready to unleash another vibrational blast. The air was practically humming as she charged up her power. He had to do something… now!

Shota took in another breath and screamed, hitting the ground under Yamaguchi with a carefully modulated sonic pulse. While he mostly used his Quirk for purely destructive sonic screams, he could do so much more than that depending on the frequencies he hit. Everything from sonar to force fields to all kinds of other effects. In this case, he could hyper-agitate molecules causing…

An explosion! It wasn’t a big one, but the ground underneath Yamaguchi exploded, knocking her off her feet and several feet back. As she landed, Shota rushed over, unclipping one of the capture cuffs from his belt. Yamaguchi was still trying to get her bearings when he slapped one end on her wrist and then the other.

“All right!” he cheered. “Got you!”

Yamaguchi just stared at him, then rolled her eyes. “Monoma’s never going to let me hear the end of this.”

Shota wondered why Monoma would give her a hard time. She tried her best!

“Oh, dang it! This is so unfair! How you can you be this cute and this tough?! IF YOU WERE CLOSER, I’D GIVE YOU SUCH A SMACK!”

Shota’s attention was instantly drawn to where Inuzaki had managed to corner Ojiro. She’d climbed up into a tree, and Inuzaki was back in dog form, circling the bottom of it.

Inuzaki transformed back to his human shape. “Can you get her down? I’m not so good with climbing.”

Shota nodded. “Let me try this one…” He let lose another scream, shifting the pitch a bit. This time, when his sonic attack hit the tree, it began to shake and vibrate violently, but it didn’t explode.

“Nnnnnnnoooo fffffaaaaiiiirrrrr,” Ojiro wailed. She was struggling to hang on and ultimately lost the fight. She fell, landing flat on the ground. “Ouch…” She held her up arms. “Just cuff me already.”

***

They’d probably gone another two kilometers, easy. Shota wasn’t really good with eyeballing distances. Every now and then, they’d trade off, with Inuzaki resuming his human form so he could carry Tomodachi and so Shota could scan the area with sonar. But the forest was so thick with trees and everything else, it was hard to see anything that way. Buildings were a lot easier.

“How much further?” he asked. He was pretty sure they’d been told how far they had to travel for the hand-off, but he may not have been paying the best attention.

“About another couple kilometers,” Inuzaki said. “I think. Everything looks bigger from down here.”

Not too much farther then. But there were definitely more of his classmates or schoolmates out there, waiting for them. Unless they were really dogpiling the other teams, there had to be at least one, maybe two more coming after them. Even Shota could do that kind of math.

“Do you smell anything?” Shota asked. It hadn’t worked so well last time, not with all the other smells in the forest, but maybe they’d get lucky.

Inuzaki made a weird face, one which looked even stranger on a dog. “I smell something,” he said. “Like ink, maybe?”

“Oh!” Shota said. He knew who that was! “Fukidashi!”

“The cartoon girl?” Inuzaki asked. He sounded a little annoyed, which was surprising, given how well he got on with everyone. “I tried talking to her a few times, but every time I did, she just kept going on about how cute I was. Just like the invisible girl. It got old really fast.”

Shota frowned, looking around. Where could she be? His eyes fell on a strange looking patch of ground. “Do you see that?” he asked, pointing.

“Is that patch of ground a different color?” Inuzaki asked, curiously.

Shota bent down and grabbed a stick from the ground. Getting back up with Tomodachi on his shoulders was tricky, but he managed it. He gave the stick a toss towards the patch of ground.

The stick hit something, making a small thunk sound. Instantly, Anime Fukidashi sprang from the patch on the ground, partially covered in leaves and dirt. “Aw,” Fukidashi said as she landed. “How did you know?!”

“The ground was a different color,” Inuzaki said. He bent down low, ready to pounce.

“Dammit!” Fukidashi yelled. Her head somehow got larger as she yelled, becoming larger than the rest of her body. “Betrayed by the drawing on the animation cell!”

Inuzaki looked over at Shota. “Is she all right?” he asked. Shota just shrugged. Even he and Toshi had no real idea how her Quirk worked or how it affected her.

Before any of them could act, suddenly, something snaked around Tomodachi, yanking him off Shota’s shoulders! There was Kaminari, coming out of the bushes behind Fukidashi, her Cords wrapped around the dummy and dragging it towards her. He could even see a few sparks dancing across her Cords and areas of the dummy lighting up as it registered damage.

“Nice job being the distraction, Fukidashi,” Kaminari said. Her expression turned slightly apologetic. “Sorry Shinso, but you’re not winning this one.”

He couldn’t get in a good sonic blast with her holding Tomodachi like that. He was in the way and she could still shock him either way. “Aw, c’mon, Kaminari,” he said sadly. “We gotta win this one! Everybody’s counting on us! I don’t want to disappoint everybody! I just… I just gotta…”

Her face fell as he talked. There. There was his moment. “Aaaaah!” Shota let out a shout, a regular one, and charged, tackling Kaminari about the middle and knocking her to the ground. He hated tricking her like that, but if everybody was going treat him like a little kid, then maybe he should take advantage of that. He landed on top of her, with his head on her… He jerked his head up quickly!

Kaminari’s Cords reflexively reeled in when he tackled her, but as she soon as she was able, her Cords poked into his back and unleashed a jolt of electricity. It wasn’t a strong shock, just enough to make him release his grip, but it still hurt. Shota let out a cry of pain and let go, as Kaminari shoved him off her. As he hit the ground, he could see Fukidashi trying to hit Inuzaki with a comically oversized hammer.

“Dang it!” Fukidashi yelled when her latest hammer strike failed to hit Inuzaki. “Why won’t the music change? Isn’t he a comedy character?!”

Kaminari, meanwhile, was back on her feet, heading for Tomodachi again. She was too close! If he missed with a sonic blast, he’d hit the dummy. But he’d been working hard on his Quirk all through the camp. And Bioshock helped him figure out some other pitches he could use. If he could go high, Bioshock had said, he could go low.

Infrasound.

He opened his mouth and pitched his sonic power low, buffeting Kaminari with waves of low-frequency sound. She stopped in her tracks, suddenly clutching her stomach. She wobbled on her feet, before falling to her knees, throwing up. Shota was already on his feet, running past her. “Sorry!” he called out. “It won’t last long, I promise! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!”

As quick as he could, he hoisted Tomodachi over his shoulders again.

Inuzaki had Fukidashi cornered now, growling. She let the hammer fall from her hands and it vanished as soon as it let her fingers. “Sure, now the dramatic music plays.”

Inzuki reared up and hit Fukidashi hard with both front paws, knocking her to the ground. She hit her head on the ground and laid there, stunned, with little cartoon birds floating around her head.

Shota definitely didn’t understand how her Quirk worked.

“C’mon,” he said, moving as fast as he could. “They won’t be down for long!”

He and Inuzaki ran. Soon enough, he could see Kocho and Shida waiting up ahead, standing next to a small sign that clearly marked the second leg of the relay.

They’d done it!

***

Shinso and Inuzaki had definitely looked worse for wear by the time they’d arrived and handed off the training dummy (Which they’d named, for some reason.) to Koharu and Shida. The two had spun a tale of being ambushed twice, but had managed to successfully fight their way through. It gave her a good idea of what to expect. There would probably be at least four attackers then, though there might be more. She’d done the math. There weren’t quite enough students for a totally even split.

At least for now, Shida was carrying the dummy. With her spider-legs carrying her in a way that reminded Koharu a lot of how Shoji traveled with his own Quirk, she was able to hold the dummy in her arms and remain mobile. Koharu herself was flapping her wings, floating just a bit above ground level. That way, if they needed to engage, she wouldn’t waste any time on a takeoff. The forest canopy, for now, meant moments to fly really high were going to be few and far between, but there was enough space between the trees that someone could still fly under it.

And flying above the canopy had been strictly prohibited. Even if it wasn’t against the rules, there were several other students with flight Quirks and it was likely at least one of them would be playing the Villain for their leg of the relay. And she’d be leaving Shida behind if she did that, which seemed like it would defeat the purpose of the exercise.

None of which did anything to quell her body’s primary panic at the spider-like aspects of the Shiketsu girl. Given there were spiders that ate moths, it was a natural reaction for animal-type Quirks like theirs. She was getting better at it than when the camp had started, though. It helped that the other girl was incredibly nice (and, she admitted with a blush, rather cute), but her instinctive reaction was still just below the surface.

On the plus side, the two of them were going to be incredibly hard to sneak up on. Between Shida’s multiple-eyes and her own antenna, they had a range of extra-sensory perception.

“See anything?” Koharu asked quietly. Her antennae weren’t giving her any good information, unless you counted knowing where several squirrels and more than a few birds were.

“Not yet.” Shida said. If she’d noticed that Koharu tended to keep her distance from her, she didn’t let on but she seemed happy enough to be working with her. Her six eyes glanced about in multiple directions. “I doubt that will be the case much longer.” It didn’t help that she wasn’t sure where exactly to look. Knowing who the “Villains” were would have helped, but Heroes seldom had a heads-up.

“Me neither,” she replied. But Shida was right. Sooner than later was to be expected.

It didn’t take long for that sooner to become now. There was a great cracking sound and one of the trees fell, blocking the way forward for a moment. Someone strong then, or maybe Kaniyashiki from 1-B with her scissor Quirk? But even then, between her ability to fly and Shida’s legs, it would only slow them down for a minute. So what was their enemy’s plan?

A sound like jet engines told her what it was: a distraction!

Faster than a bullet, one of the Iida twins--Sora, she realized--blasted through the air right towards them. She was fast enough that Koharu couldn’t react in time to stop her, only to get out of the way. Iida stuck an arm out as she flew past, grabbing the arm of the dummy Shida was carrying as she tried to rocket away.

Like Koharu, Shida hadn’t seen Sora coming. She’d told Koharu before they’d set out that, while spiders had six eyes, their sense of sight actually wasn’t all that strong. She could see more than most people, but only by volume, not by magnification. There was no way either of them should have been able to see her coming in time. But somehow, Akira’s second-from-the back left spider-leg to shot out in a reflexive strike.

It was a solid strike, enough to send the Iida girl flying off course, slamming head first into a tree trunk. She still had the dummy though, which made things complicated. Already, she was scrambling back to her feet, although quite unsteadily. Koharu spat a blob of String Shot at her, pinning her to the tree with a mass of sticky strands stronger than steel.

“How did you do that?” Koharu asked, unable to keep the amazement out of her voice.

Shida bowed her head slightly and smiled. “My leg hairs. They’re very sensitive to vibrations. It’s a bit of an instinctive reaction to danger like that.”

“This is excellent tensile strength,” Iida said, as she struggled to break free. She sounded impressed. Koharu could hear the other girl’s Jetpack engines firing, but for the moment, her String Shot held. “I would love an opportunity to examine this at a later date! The uses are practically unlimited!”

“Sister!” a voice called out. It had to be Tensei Iida. “As much as I am in agreement with you, now is hardly the time for scientific curiosity!”

“It is always the time for curiosity, little brother!”

“I have asked you to stop calling me that!”

“Maybe you two could have this discussion another time?” Another voice asked. It was Shoji. He sounded very, very tired. Koharu didn’t blame him. The Iidas were very nice, but they could also be exhausting.

Shoji dropped down from between two trees, using his extra arms like spider-legs, free-falling the last few feet to land with a slight thud. Tensei Iida, meanwhile, dropped down with a series of shot Jetpack bursts to slow his fall. Both of them were between Koharu and Shida and the dummy.

She shot Shida a quick glance. “How long can you hold your breath?” she whispered. Iida and Shoji were playing defense for the moment, watching them.

“That’s a complicated answer with my mixed body. But I can “hold it” long enough. What are you planning?” Koharu remembered, vaguely, that spiders didn’t breathe in the same way as some animals, but she didn’t know how that applied to the spider-girl.

“I can drop a sleeping powder from my wing scales,” Koharu said quickly and quietly. Shoji was eying them warily, all six of his arms up in a fighting stance, while Tensei Iida attempted to free his sister and the dummy without success. “If I can cover a wide enough area, I can knock them out. Iida’s crazy fast and Shoji’s crazy strong. Probably the best chance we’ve got.”

“Hmm, I could use my legs to lift my body above the powder. Plus I should be able to use my leg hairs to feel the vibrations of where they might move even if I can’t see them,” Shida suggested.

Koharu nodded. These were all Hero students with months of training that she simply didn’t have. And many of them had even more than that, coming from Hero families. Neither side here had a full understanding of what the other could do, so evening out to neutral was the closest they had to an advantage. “Let’s do it.”

She flapped hard, gaining height and propelling herself forward towards the boys, already releasing her Sleep Powder from her wings. Down below, Tensei Iida looked up and let out a cry of alarm, while Shoji moved towards Shida, his top pair of extra arms stretching out to grab at her.

Shida saw Shoji heading for her, scanning above herself with her uppermost eyes. Staying on the ground was a bad idea as she had no idea how strong Shoji really was. She bent her legs, took a moment to look Shoji in the eyes, and gave the six-armed boy a wink that Koharu would have called flirtatious, before her legs suddenly unbent and sent her flying up into the air. Shooting well up past the smaller trees, Shida extended several of her legs to pierce and grab onto the nearest larger specimen. Others of her legs lashed out at Shoji.

Shoji dodged out of the way of the initial strike, pushing himself to the side with his lower set of arms. “Good reflexes,” he said, his voice smooth, like silk. He craned his neck to follow Shida, top arms extending out at her, but his maximum extension wasn’t enough to get him close.

Meanwhile, having recovered from his initial shock, Tensei Iida was rocketing into the air. He was a major threat, though without the armor and support equipment Koharu had seen him use during the final exam, possibly slightly less of one. And she had the advantage in maneuverability.

She flapped hard as she flew, releasing her Sleep Powder from her wings until the air was filled with the orange powder. Iida got the worst of it, flying directly into the cloud of it. He coughed and sputtered and was out almost immediately. Which meant that his Jetpack cut out and he started falling like a stone. Koharu cursed and went into into a dive, catching him in midair by grabbing his wrists. She let loose a cry of pain as her jerked to a stop. It felt like her arms were being torn from their sockets!

“Dammit,” she hissed. Iida was heavy, muscular and compact. She could just about manage to carry her own bodyweight when flying, but he was definitely heavier than she was. She dropped down low and released him, letting him hit the ground. He’d gotten more than enough powder that he didn’t wake up.

Shoji, meanwhile, was still standing. She’d had to stop spreading her powder to keep Tensei from dropping and he hadn’t gotten nearly as big a dose. His arms lashed out again, grabbing her wrists!

It had been a gamble that she’d be able to drop Shoji, especially as big as he was and as little powder as she’d been able to release. She was glad Shida had her back. As soon as she’d seen Koharu drop down to save Iida, the spider-girl had already been making her way down the tree when Shoji extended his arms to grab Koharu.

She watched as Shida did her best to land from an angle that she hoped was in Shoji’s blind spot. Her legs made surprisingly little noise when they were in motion, and she sped toward the big, six-armed boy. When close enough she extended her two front legs and brought them in a scything motion toward the back of Shoji’s knees.

Shoji was a big guy, which made him a pretty big target. The blow from Shida knocked him down, bringing him to his knees and making him release Koharu. Looking over his shoulder, he tried to swat at Shida with his Extendo-Arms, but the move was awkward and uncoordinated. Koharu used the moment to escape, taking to the air again. She swung out with her legs, striking Shoji upside the head. The blow wasn’t enough to put him down, but it did spin his head around. He looked back and forth rapidly, now caught between her and Shida.

Shida dodged Shoji’s clumsy blows easily, her eyes and leg hairs giving her incredibly reaction time to his attack. She used her four back legs as a brace as she used them to hold herself in an almost standing position. She launched her remaining arms at Shoji, each attempting to strike at the arm joints of his extended arms.

When it came to extra-appendages, Shoji was definitely unarmed by comparison to Shida. Even as he’d been able to turn to face her, her spider-legs struck home, nailing him in each of his Extendo-Arms. The silver-haired boy let out a cry of pain as his arms retracted, snapping back with a strange, stretching sound that was more than a little nauseating.

He’d done a remarkable job of staying upright, but between the pain from Shida’s attack, the blow to the head, and the whiff of sleep powder he’d gotten earlier finally making its way through his system, Shoji went down, slowly sliding to his knees and then to the ground.

They’d done it! Three hero students, and they’d managed to beat all of them! She’d even managed to take out two! Of course, Shida was also a Hero student, so that evened the playing field a little, but still!

“Let’s get the dummy,” Koharu said. It should still be where they left it, next to Sora Iida. She quickly glanced in that direction. The other girl was asleep. She must have gotten enough Sleep Powder too. Koharu stopped, her antennae moving rapidly. There was something stirring up a lot of air.

Anything Shida might have said was cut off as something swooped down and slammed into her. Rough, clawed feet grabbed her shoulders and she felt herself being carried into the air. It had to be Hizashi Koumori, the bat-like member of Class 1-B.

“Sorry, Kocho,” he said. “Totally most heinous to do the sneak attack, I know, but we gotta win this one!”

Just before Koumori had grabbed her, Koharu had seen Shida briefly give herself a smile of triumph. That had abruptly ended when Koumori struck. Koharu could see Shida move on instinct to try and help, but she stopped, as though remembering what Koharu had told her. They needed to get the dummy. Shida cursed quietly before heading over to Sora to grab it. With any luck she’d be able to secure it and get back quick enough to help.

But Koharu couldn’t count on that. She needed to do whatever she could to try and free herself.

It was the element of surprise that had let Koumori grab her. He was bigger and stronger than her, to be sure, but all he had was his feet around her shoulders. Her wings were still free. And he wasn’t rocket-powered like the Iidas. He was as dependent on muscle power and flapping for flight as she was, which meant his flight was a lot easier to disrupt. She flared her own wings out, spreading them wide. It attacked like an immediate drag chute, jerking Koumori back.

“Whoa!” he cried out. Reflexively, he released his grip on her as he sailed back. That was all she needed. For just a moment Koharu let gravity grab hold, then flapped her own wings, diving back toward the ground.

Just as suddenly, however, she was hit by what felt like a solid wall of force that set her bones rattling and seemed to echo through her skull. Flailing, she started falling again. It was hard to think clearly, everything was spinning…

Clawed feet grabbed her again, this time grabbing her legs. “Sorry about the sonar, dudette,” Koumori said. He did sound genuinely apologetic. She knew he was pretty mellow guy most of the time, though how mellow tended to change with how awake he was. “I’ll have you down in a second.”

No! She had to prove herself! She couldn’t lose now! “No,” she said, “I’m sorry… for this!” With his grip on her legs, she flapped her wings just once, giving herself just enough ot a push to swing upward, slamming both of her fists into his snout! Koumori let out a cry of pain and released her again. This time, she flapped and kept herself into the air, but hit him with a blast of String-Shot, pinning his arms--and more importantly, his wings--to his sides. A pang of regret shot through her as he dropped like a stone. Koumori was even bigger and heavier then Iida. There was no way she could keep him from falling…

Koumori, at least, was awake. He twisted in the air, trying to break free from her String-Shot, but hit the ground hard, letting out a soft moan, his eyes fluttering. That looked like it had hurt. Maybe she’d make it up to him back at U.A. with a fruit smoothie from her stash of exotic fruits.

Koharu landed next to him, bending down to make sure he was okay. Kuomori was still breathing and it didn’t look like he had any major injuries. Didn’t look like that had felt good, but it looked like he’d be fine.

It wasn’t the first time she’d had to hurt someone. She’d sparred with friends and fought in the Sports Festival and trained against others here at the camp.

It didn’t mean it felt good. Maybe Park had been onto something about children fighting like this…

Shida skittered to a stop next to her, the dummy safely in her hands. “That was amazing, Koharu! I came as quickly as I could, but it turns out you didn’t need it.” Skida smiled, but frowned slightly; she must have noticed the disturbed look on Koharu’s face. She frowned, all her eyes narrowing in concern. “Are you okay?” She didn’t specify if what troubled her was physical or mental, but there was something in her voice that suggested this wasn’t the first time she’d seen someone react like this.

Koharu shook her head. She had plenty of options that didn’t involve hurting people when it came to takedowns. Maybe she could learn to focus on that. But she’d have to fight anyway if she followed her dream and became a Hero. But what did that mean for now?

Maybe those were questions for another day.

“Just thinking about something your friend said,” she told Shida. “But c’mon. We can talk about that later. Let’s get this thing to the next marker.”

These were definitely questions that needed answers. But for now, she’d faced one of the first major challenges of her Hero training and she’d come out on top.

For now, that was good enough.

#my hero academia #their hero academia #fan fiction #fan fic #shota shinso #koharu kocho #toshi midoriya #my writing

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