#once on c8

[sanakimohara]

LUXURY/RACE CARS SKZ DRIVE PT 3

Seo Changbin

1. MCLAREN 🖤

2. FULL CARBON FIBER WIDE BODY C8 🖤

3. MATTE BLACK SHELBY G7500 🖤

4. HURACAN 🖤

5. MCLAREN SENNA VOLCANO RED 🖤

Main Choice: DODGE CHARGER 🖤

(FLASH WARNING BYW)

Changbin is a car guy -argue with the wall if you disagree- and it’s so evident. He is partial to muscle cars and prefers very eye catching but subtle vehicles. He customizes his cars very meticulously and will study what works for his vehicles and what won’t.

He’ll let you add on customizations too. You practically had a say or opinion on everything. So, when someone compliments his car or the style of it he’s quick to mention how you designed most of it. It’s another form of flattery Changbin imitates anytime he can.

Changbin had your signatures tagged on a specific place -bumper, spoiler, or right on the hood on the drivers side. You asked him why he wanted your signature on it and he smiled wide as he told you, “So people know who I belong to baby. It looks good too, don’t you think?…” It’s a sweet gesture on his part and it makes you blush every-time he admires it. He’s yours and wants everyone to know it too.

He keeps your perfume in the car at all times. Changbin sprays it anytime the scent of you fades away and it quite literally comforts him when you’re not around. You don’t say anything about it and secretly revel in the fact that if another woman ever did try to take your place as his passenger princess they’d be sorely disappointed.

Changbin has a real addictive habit of groping you while he’s driving. He just can’t help himself, needing to touch you even while he’s driving, and you’ll let him because in all honesty the sight of him driving turn you on more than it should. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other either palming your breasts, rubbing your thigh, or lazily cupping your clothes cunt he can maintain a sense of physical affection. Once or twice his eyes will drift over to look at your flustered or smug expression. “Eyes on the road Binnie,” you softly reprimand him, smiling when he groans, and reluctantly fixes his gaze back on the street.

Changbin ensures you have a set of his keys for your own use at all times. He’s adamant about giving you free range with his car when you need it. “You’re too cute when you’re driving baby,” he teased you the second you’re backing out of the parking lot. You scoff and try not to smirk at his compliment while putting the car into full gear, speeding down the road just under the posted limit, and Changbin chuckles at your eagerness for adrenaline. “Easy, pretty girl. Don’t get yourself into trouble…”

#changbin stray kids #skz #stray kids #skz smut #stray kids x reader #skz imagines #skz x reader #seo changbin stray kids #changbin skz #changbin x y/n #changbin x you #changbin headcanons #changbin x reader #changbin scenarios #changbin smut #seo changbin #changbin #changbin hard thoughts #changbin hard hours #seo changbin hard thoughts #seo changbin hard hours #seo changbin smut #seo changbin scenarios #kpop smut #kpop fanfic #kpop #caredit #sexy cars #racing #skz preferences

[kark-trooper-echo]

EchoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo! Congratulations on your milestone!

My questing is about clone armor! We are all familiar with clone armor and that it comes off an assembly line, as seen in the holo-drama Attack of the Clones. What's the process for customized armor? Do the Kaminoans just hand it to you, or do you submit requests and provide feedback? Or is customizations against regulations!?

Hello...OoOo, and thanks. You've got me feeling nostalgic, and I'm on my third cup of caf (don't ask), so here's the armor rundown from start to finish.

On graduation day, new troopers left their cadet barracks for the last time, headed to the mess, then filed into the armor repository. Everyone picked up a standard armor kit and took it to their newly assigned trooper barracks, where they changed and deposited their old cadet uniforms into the recycler, never to be thought of again. From there, they headed to one of the assembly bays to pick up a helmet from the central conveyor. After that, it was a quick stop to the armory for a rifle before falling in for the ceremony. It was the proudest day in the life of any clone.

Once you had your armor, it was yours. Technically, it belonged to the Republic, like everything underneath it, but that point was never brought up. It was ours, and we were permitted to alter it as needed for unit cohesion and utility in the field:

Chapter 8, Section 2, Article 1.3 Armor may be superficially altered to reflect the colors and symbols of a trooper’s assigned unit at the discretion of their CO.

Chapter 8, Section 2, Article 2.5 Non-component elements of helmet exterior may be superficially altered to reflect the colors and symbols of a trooper’s assigned unit at the discretion of their CO.

C8.S2.A2.5-1: No part of the visor, rangefinder, ventilation, filtration, vocoder, or comms are to be altered until schematics for such alterations are cleared and registered with a commander or higher.

As long as it wasn't distracting, our personal touches were always approved in the 501st. The Batch's changes were never a problem either. Tech's exact words were, "Commander Cody has agreed to approve anything of ours that comes his way, provided we maintain our 'impressive' success rate."

#karked-up regulations

[nobodys-saviour]

i think one thing that we glossed over is that Shen Xinghui (xavier) was once a researcher. in the beta, Zhang Su (josephine)'s group is called 深空信号研究小组 (shēn kōng xìnhào yánjiū xiǎozǔ), translated in english, that's deepspace signal research group.

now to my knowledge, we don't actually know when SXH became a researcher, but in an interview with people who knew of him, one of the interviewees was someone called Huang Zhenzhen (morgan). HZZ stated this:

“Yeah, I saw him when I was a child. He was a part of my uncle's research group. They were working in a forest in the outskirts, but I've only been there once. I was lost at the time. He was the one who found me. He should be a researcher. But why does he look so young?”

forest in the outskirts obviously mean one thing: the eventual no-hunt zone. HZZ probably referred to it as such, instead of no-hunt zone, because at that time, when he was a child, the catastrophe has yet to happen.

which in turns helps us pin when SXH became a researcher, which is: before the chronorift catastrophe. it can't be on 2032, as that was the year sxh became a cop (🤢/j). but he did “die” on early 2033. so that leaves him with the rest of the year, before 2034, when the rift happens.

so what am i proposing here?

SXH was a researcher of the deepspace signal research group, along with MC's adoptive grandma ZS, and

i was initially operating under the assumption that the "she" who stole the aether core the backtrackers refer to on c8 was an incarnation of MC— but what if it was ZS? i mean, she did steal the aether core in a way...

#love and deepspace

[britt-kageryuu]

Donnie is streaming. The model is a small version of him in a giant coffee cup that reads 'Science! But first C8,H10,N4,O2'. Shelldon has a cup of tea next to him. Donnie is playing a cozy game once again.

Donnie: We're actually interested in what future plans might be a possibility. Like I personally have been following a few events, just because even from an outside view is very interesting.

His model dunks itself in the mug and you hear Donnie taking a drink. It resurfaces with a verbal 'pleasant sigh'. Shelldon also 'drinks' his tea. Chat is asking what events, or what they would do.

Donnie: Well, we would probably use holoscreens and have our models there with cameras so we could interact. Or put together elaborate costumes based on our models. We don't fully have a plan because some of the possible technical aspects can get pretty complicated.

Shelldon: Not to mention you would totally need to bring me and River somehow.

Donnie: Yes, that's one of the technical aspects that I was talking about. Also our schedules make it hard to plan for all of us to participate in interactions. While it would be easy to just set up a screen, and have our models doing random poses for photos, it seems a bit impersonal and cheep.

Chat is throwing out suggestions, or commenting on the ideas.

Shelldon: Hey D, don't forget the whole Stagename situation.

Donnie: Yes, yes, the whole names thing. Sigh, we are close to finalizing that part, which isn't as important since the names would only be used to introduce us, and then we would go back to simple letters, and Red.

Shelldon: B wants to be called BlueNeon, or NeonBlue.

Donnie: That's a little close to the name he used as a wrestler that one time, but I guess that can work. For M, I'm half tempted to call him Mandarin, but it's not final.

Shelldon: B wants to suggest you be called DeadTired!

Donnie looks unamused, then contemplates it, but shakes his head.

Donnie: No, I think there were a few popular series in the past that had DeadTired as the name for something. This is somewhat annoying for a name we will only use for potential merch, maybe social media and events.

Chat is once again throwing out suggestions and emojis. It goes on for a while.

Donnie: If worse comes to worse, I could just go be Dee, that's D-E-E, yes it's lazy, but putting to much thought into it will just cause me a few headaches.

The model sinks into the mug again, and a few clicks could be heard followed by multiple notification sounds go off. The model surfaces, and Donnie continues the game.

Shelldon: Socials are being updated, and the group chat is debating over names. Can we switch topics yet?

Donnie: Yes the current topic is getting very very very, that's 3 verys, boring. Let's talk about the games I plan to buy, and probably not play for a few weeks after buying them!

That leads to a long rant about which games Donnie find dull, or annoying. Chat is taking part in these arguments, and the fact that the event(s) were never mentioned again.

Masterpost

#VTurtles! #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt donnie #rise donatello #rise donnie #rottmnt au #rottmnt #tmnt rise #rise tmnt #tmnt 2018 #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #tmnt #vtuber au #I realized I was worrying about a detail that was not as important as I originally thought #vturtles! #tmnt fanfiction

[skywlker-sluvtt]

ayo i hear you're doing a celebration, so imma hit you up with everything that comes to mind hehe 😈😈😈 dont mind me, i know i spam your inbox wayyyy more than i deserve both on anon and not tee hehe

you already know everything i send in is always for anakin my bae

take your time, enjoy yourself, dont stress out, dont burn out and remember to drink loads of water!!! love you lysss and CONGRATS ON 500!!!! you deserve it baeeee

C8 then D1 + F6! (add in smut dialougue prompt #45 if you feel like, i thought it might go well lol)

have fun with it babes ;)

~ your number 1 admirer

OMG GOT ME BLUSHIN IN SHIT 🤭💋 I drank plenty of water writing this dw. you literally created the best scenario with those prompts so I was going feral over it <3

500 followers celebration

anakin x afab!reader nsfw content below the cut (18+) word count: 834

prompts: C8. giving a failed striptease/lap dance + D1. rough sex + F6. against a wall + “just shut up and fuck me”

Anakin leaned his head back further glancing at your bedroom door once more. He’d been waiting for you in the living room since you strictly instructed him to wait for you here. Listening to the shuffling in your room he was resisting the urge to just walk straight in on you and whatever you were preparing for him. The lights of your apartment were slightly dimmed and Anakin looked around before you came out in a new sexy set of lingerie and a pair of stilettos. You grinned at him and Anakin’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You look…gorgeous” He said admiring your body, each and every single inch of it. He loved how see-through the set was exposing everything to him. He went to stand before you placed a hand on his chest. “Sit down, I want to give you a lap dance” You whispered. “A lap dance?” He chuckled. “Mhm,” You hummed turning around to move your ass into his view. Slowly sitting on his lap you teased him to the beat of the music. As much as Anakin enjoyed the view he couldn’t help but find the situation slightly funny. He let out a chuckle and you looked at him offended. “Whattt?” You whine. “Nothing darling” He laughed quietly placing his hands on your hips.

“I’m trying to be sexy and you’re ruining the mood” You rolled your eyes now standing in front of him with your hands on your hips disapprovingly. Anakin could barely keep his eyes on yours his eyes staring at your ample cleavage instead. “You don’t have to become a courtesan just to be sexy, this is sexy enough” He smirked standing up to dominate you as usual. “You can’t give up control for one second can you?” You teased as his hand ran down your shoulder. “Never, not when you look so good” He groaned and snapped the strap of your bra. Ducking his head to kiss you he backed you into the wall.

You fisted his long hair and pulled him closer. “I could fuck you right up against this wall, get you all full of my cum just how you like-” “Just shut up and fuck me!” You snapped tired of his dirty talk. If you didn’t get to do your sexy lap dance, he didn’t get to talk dirty to you. “Demanding little thing aren’t you?” He smirked pinning your arms over your head just how you liked it. Anakins mouth crashed into yours with lustful aggression, his tongue demanding dominance over yours. You melted into his touch as he picked you up letting you wrap your legs around his waist.

Squeezing hard around his hips he got the message pulling out his cock for you, resting his warmth against your clothed cunt. Glancing down you noticed the pre cum leaking from his tip. Anakin moved down to ravage your neck, probably leaving swollen bite marks along it. You moaned and shifted your panties to the side so you could feel his dick against your clit. A loud whine escaped your lips at the small amount of friction you felt and his fingers dug deeper into your skin, leaving perfect crescent moons on your thighs.

“Ani…” You moaned and he detached from your neck with a small pop. “You’re impatient y’know that?” He asked putting his lips back on yours with passion. “Fuck off, you ruined my lapdance, you owe me something” “Let me show you how sorry I am baby” He smirked slamming into you with ease. “Ah-” You clenched hard around him roughly grabbing the roots of his hair causing him to let out a similar moan to you.

Anakin roughly fucked into you, your brain feeling slightly fuzzy as his cock made you feel dumb. You yanked even harder on his soft curls and he groaned bucking harder into you. He pulled back from your lips panting desperately, both of your faces completely flushed and you rolled your hips into him with anticipation. “Harder” You groaned biting down on his shoulder to focus on your pleasure. Granting your request he slammed into you harder and you yelped at how fucking close you were.

Continuing to pound into you he grunted like an animal directly in your ear causing you to snap clenching your thighs you climaxed around his cock, the tightness of your pussy sent Anakin over the edge as he mumbled in your ear about how amazing you felt. Hot spurts of cum filled your insides. He finished you both with a few languid thrusts as your thighs trembled, your heels still on your feet Anakin tried to place you down before you were clutching his bicep. “Can’t walk” “Good, we’re just starting” He replied scooping you into his arms for round two.

#500 follower celebration #anakin skywalker smut #anakin skywalker x reader #anakin x reader #anakin smut #anakin x you #anakin imagine #star wars smut

[science-lover33]

Complement system

1. Activation: The complement system can be activated through three main pathways: the classical pathway, the alternative pathway, and the lectin pathway. Each pathway involves different initiating events but converges on a common cascade of reactions.

2. Cascade of Reactions: Once activated, the complement system triggers a cascade of enzymatic reactions that result in the cleavage of complement proteins. This cascade ultimately leads to the formation of several key components, including C3b, C4b, and C5b.

3. Opsonization: C3b and C4b are opsonins, which means they can bind to pathogens and label them for phagocytosis by immune cells like macrophages and neutrophils. This enhances the removal of pathogens from the body.

4. Inflammation: Complement activation also results in the release of small peptides called anaphylatoxins, such as C3a and C5a. These peptides promote inflammation by increasing blood vessel permeability and attracting immune cells to the site of infection.

5. Membrane Attack Complex (MAC): The final step of complement activation involves the assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC). C5b, C6, C7, C8, and multiple C9 molecules come together to form the MAC, which can create pores in the membranes of target cells, leading to cell lysis and destruction of pathogens.

References:

1. Walport, M. J. (2001). Complement. First of two parts. New England Journal of Medicine, 344(14), 1058-1066.

2. Ricklin, D., Hajishengallis, G., Yang, K., & Lambris, J. D. (2010). Complement: a key system for immune surveillance and homeostasis. Nature Immunology, 11(9), 785-797.

3. Merle, N. S., Church, S. E., Fremeaux-Bacchi, V., & Roumenina, L. T. (2015). Complement system part I – molecular mechanisms of activation and regulation. Frontiers in Immunology, 6, 262.

Please note that for the most current and detailed medical information on the complement system, I recommend consulting recent textbooks or academic journals in immunology and microbiology.

#science #biology #college #education #school #student #medicine #doctors #health #healthcare #immunology #immune system #complement system

[pxrxcxa]

Opposite Ends

Chapter Twelve | My girl

C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | C7 | C8 | C9 | C10 | C11 | C13 pt 1 | C13 pt 2 |

Chapter Thirteen pt 1 is out now, enjoy Sunflowers x 🌻

Pairing | Eddie x Female reader 18+. Steve x Robin x Female reader platonic friendship

Series summary | Dustins older sister got brought into the group during the events of Starcourt mall, 3 months on she's in her senior year and the kids are starting high school. After everything that went down she feels that she has to keep them safe at all costs, that includes keeping them way from the charismatic 'freak' Eddie Munson that runs a club based on their favourite game. They've both hated each other since freshman year -with good reason-, but when keeping distance between the kids and Eddie means putting herself in the firing line, boundaries get blurred, intentions get lost & the heart speaks louder than the brain.

The story is told from both Y/N & Eddies point of view.

What to expect | Slow burn enemies to lovers, Angst - with a happy ending (fix-it-fic if you will), fluff & smut (in the later chapters). 18+ to read this story.

Series Warnings | Mentions of abuse, drug use, 18+ smut content

Chapter word count | 10 K Word Count

Chapter warnings | Light smut, vivid violent description

Authors Note | I literally had to go into work off shift to use my computer for this :( I'm really hating not having my laptop rn *cries violently* - anyways, I hope you enjoy it ;)

As always, any & all comments/reblogs are most appreciated - Thankyou, P. x 🌿

Y/N | March 1986

Drowning.

It was the only word I could think, the only thought that flashed through my mind as I swirled deeper under the crushing wave of darkness.

I’d drowned once before.

I was a freshman, and as someone who had recently joined the cheer team, I’d been invited to the exclusive end of year party as the upper classmen celebrated their impending freedom of adulthood. 

An endless supply of warm beers hand been handed out amongst the rest of my squad as we lounged around the water’s edge of Lovers Lake, sunbathing, and drinking in the looming enjoyment of finishing another year of school.  As the sun set deeper behind the horizon, and I sunk deeper into my cup, the idea of joining the older boys screaming in glee as they jumped off the nearby cliff face, seemed better and better the more my head clouded from the alcohol.

As I’d stumbled up to the rock face, spilling the dark liquor from my red cup as unseen hoots cheered me on in the nearing darkness, I’d hesitated on the crumbling edge as I peered into the intimidating depths below. A wolf whistle had distracted me, and I’d lost my balance, slipping off the slanted rock face and spiralling into cold water. I hadn’t felt it at the time, but I’d smacked the soft flesh of my forehead into the sharp jagged rock as I’d tumbled off it, the blood and my hair blinded my vision as I plunged into the freezing abyss.

The silence was deafening as I over spun, kicking out against the heavy water. It was too dark and suffocating to tell which way was up, the fall had knocked away what little breath I’d had in me and the hit to my head had disorientated me further than the alcohol already had, as the panic set in, smothering blackness wavered in my blurred vision. Every nerve ending in my body was screaming for some sort of relief as the darkness won out.

As I came to, relieved laughs had been yelled far too close to my ear as someone wrenched me up right and smacked my back to bring up at least half of the lake up out of my lungs, as I sat shivering on the cold sand surrounded by drunk seniors, someone else slapped a fresh beer into my shaking hands and gave me a thumbs up. I’d tried to hide my terror behind a hesitant sip.

But the violent fear that choked me as I nearly drowned, was nothing compared the thrill of trepidation that floored me now.

I was vaguely aware, through the layers of thick haze, of large, warm pulsing fingers pressing painfully into my arms and shaking me roughly. It was dark when I opened my eyes, eerily as the darkness pushed in on me from all sides. Something unnatural that lingered in the air sent an electrified tingle up my spine as I shivered, slowly turning in a whole circle as I stared out into the blackness. The pressure of the unseen pair of hands was still there but lessening as a ringing screeched through my ears.

My breathing hastened as heavy footsteps echoed from all corners in my vision, fighting against the loaded clock chimes that sounded in the distance. I swung my head around wildly as tears sprung to my eyes and my entire body shook on the edge. Terror froze me to the spot as my name reverberated through my skull, silent but deafening as it was spoken into my mind, pounding into the soft flesh behind my aching eyes.

I gasped and snapped my eyes shut as an image of the ‘flayed’ me shot across the distant void space in front of me, crawling backwards on her snapped knees and hands. Even though those that had actually fallen victim to the fleshy monster, hadn’t exactly been so grotesque in real life, my nightmares, and paranoid feelings towards what happened last summer, manifested in the horrors that plagued me during my waking hours until they appeared more terrifying than anything that the Upside Down could spit out at us.

I know what you are

Like my name, the animalistic growl didn’t speak out loud but rather to me, straight into my soul as if it had unwarranted access to parts of me I’d hidden even from myself. I wanted to scream as I felt the unfamiliar presence lap at the festering sores in my mind, tearing through them until it found one it liked and put it on display for me to relive.

I’ve seen you. The real you

My breathing turned to gasps as I felt it move behind me, its presence felt larger than a skyscraper as the world around me as I knew it, changed. If it hadn’t been plaguing me since the fire, I would have thought the scene around me was an actual memory.

As it was, it was my dream – or more accurately, nightmare – that had ruled my life and every decision since it had first woken me with a petrified scream. Billy was spread wide as the monsters’ sharp tentacles stabbed in and through his torso, soaking his white sleeveless shirt with gut wrenching crimsons stains. A chorus of agonized screams erupted from the distance, and as I recognised my own amongst them, my stomach turned.

Too much.

As Billy’s own dying scream rained painfully down on me, my eyes travelled along the length of the deadly monster arms, shivering as I watched them come closer and disappear behind me.

No not behind me, from me.

Before the nightmare could completely take on its usual cruel twist, I snapped my eyes shut and spun around as I watched blue eyes melt into deep brown ones, short wavy hair growing out into long curls and Billy’s taught muscles deflating into lean skinner ones.

It was all too much. Not him. Please Not him.

I wasn’t sure when my begging became available for anyone but my own previously safe thoughts, but the creature responded.

I’m coming for you

For a split second, black rage overpowered the crippling fear as the reminder of what I had to fight for, what I would never stop fighting for replayed through my mind.

The warm embrace of Eddie’s laughter, his sweet secret smile as he handed me my mix tape, the first night he’d snuck into my home, his fragrant, intoxicating scent that was signature to him only, the day at his house when he’d hesitated on the word that I’d been waiting to hear for months – it all flashed through me in a moment like a movie reel of the happiest moments of my life.

But even that wasn’t enough to hold me from shattering into pieces as I turned to face whatever terror haunted me. 

A humanoid monster with black skin and movable vines that protrude from its entire body, resembling a desiccated corpse missing imperative parts of its body, was covered in distinctly creepy details —veiny skin, jagged edges, toothy appendages.

My stomach rolled and my knees buckled, I wasn’t strong enough to form the words out loud, but whatever psychic connection allowed it into my mind, seemed to work the other way.

What do you want?  The scream was impressively deafening inside the walls of my skull pounding with blood. It cocked its scaly head to the side as its dead eyes appraised me, it’s tone almost – but not quite – cordial.

I want you. To join me

Its words didn’t make sense as they jumbled my thoughts, but the monster took my silence for defiance, and it turned angry. It raised a large, deformed hand as its claws inched towards my face, tilting my head back as its sharp nails pinned against the sides it. My breathing became laboured, inhaling the rotting stench of its flaky skin as it stepped closer.

Max might have escaped me this time, but I’ve got you

I choked out puffs of breath as I was lifted to the balls of my feet, my eyes rolling back as excruciating pain set my network of nerves throughout my entire body on fire.

I’m coming for everybody

Its slimy hand crowded my vision as the mixed faces of my loved ones and fleeting memories spurred past, mixing in with the awful end that rushed towards me like a freight train.

I’m coming for him

Eddie.

My Eddie. The danger was here with me, and Eddie wasn’t. The safest place for him. I’d always known I’d die at the cursed hands of Hawkins, ever since I’d first been told about the upside down, deep down, I knew.

As certain death – or something heinously horrendous that the thought made me violently ill – loomed ever closer, I expected regret and anguish over not being able to fulfill childhood dreams, or fear at the unknown or remorse over unsaid words to those that meant more than anything.

But all I felt was a warm, comforting peace as I let my eyes flutter close and succumbed to the pretence of the only thing that brought me consolation.

Because maybe in the end, I got what I wanted.

I got Eddie.

And a short life lived with him was worth a thousand times more than any lengthy one devoid of his warmth and goodness.

I dug deep through walls of stone to dredge up the feelings I had vaulted away after I’d sworn to myself to protect him, I’d fought as far as I could, it was up to our friends now to save him.

For whatever remained of my life, I would spend it with him.

A soft smile played on the corner of my mouth as the feeling of Eddie’s strong hands wrapped around me, came back into focus.

My headache pounded heavier than ever before but like he always had, Eddie’s soft voice broke through the gurgling from deep within the chest of the monster and I tightened my eyes, focusing on the sweet octaves of Eddie’s voice as it wove through the sonnet of my favourite song. My smile deepened because I knew bliss must be close, he’d never sung it to me before – I doubted Eddie had paid much attention to learn it off by heart as he struggled to keep an interest in genres’ he wasn’t super passionate about.

Even though he loved teasing me about my ‘awful music taste’ he’d still let me listen to it in his van sometimes when he’d drive us home from school, and that’s how I must have imagined him singing it now because this surely was my own figment.

I scowled as Eddie’s hands tightened painfully around my middle, shaking me against something solid as the beauty of the song reaching its peak was interrupted by panic seeping into his voice, my name laced and dripping in sheer terror as his urgency broke through the veil.

“Y/N” My neck snapped back painfully as Eddie’s hands moved to my shoulders and shook me beneath his pinching fingers, slamming me against his chest as sweat dripped off his brow.

I collapsed against his quivering frame as my legs betrayed me, feeling the last vibrating hum leave his centre as his singing ceased and a relieved gasp left his lips. I slammed my eyes shut as a wave of nausea washed over me, breathing in the earthy scent of him as I buried my face against the soft fabric of his shirt, heaving sobs began to make me shake as I clasped my fingers around the collar of his shirt.

Eddie crushed me to him as hysterical cries ripped out of my throat, switching to a desperate plea of his name as he traced a careful touch up and down my back, muttering into my ear over and over that I was okay.

“It’s alright, I’ve got you.” He pressed a messy kiss to the sweaty strands of hair plastered to the side of my head, pulling back slightly but tightening his hold around me. Panic was flamed in the taught lines of his forehead as his eyes searched mine, I tried to keep them guarded as I focused on evening my breathing, not ready or wanting to tell him what I’d seen, concentrating on the surreal feeling of being back grounded in the boat house and away from grey decaying monsters, seemingly – at least for the moment - alive.

A flurry of high-pitched words screamed through the casted aside walkie, making me jump in fright under Eddie’s firm hold. He crouched down between us to snatch it off the weathered floorboards beneath us, bringing it close to his lips as he answered Steve’s hurried question.

“She’s okay, I’ve got her.” Eddie stepped closer as he wrapped his arm around my waist, his concerned dark eyes boring into mine. “Yeah, I thought to so, my singing wasn’t exactly oscar worthy, but I guess it worked enough.” He shot me a half smirk that made my heart flutter, even under the heavy threat of imminent danger and death, Eddie’s natural carefree attitude still didn’t fail to place a small shaky smile on the corner of my lips.

The warmth radiating from him burned into my side comfortably as I clenched my fingers harder into the fabric resting against his chest, refusing to let go of him as he rubbed small circles against my back. The very real feeling of him caused a last slow sob to bubble in my throat as my eyes burned with fresh tears.

How could I keep him safe?

It wasn’t a question anymore, I’d felt what it would be like to lose him, I wasn’t willing to be a risk to Eddie’s safety for much longer. I smashed my lips together as he glanced back down at me to hide my thoughts as my resolve hardened.

His eyes flickered across the slight waves bobbing above the surface in the hole of the middle of the room, following the movement as he listened intently to Steve, his tone had turned apologetic.

“No, it’s okay man. You guys take care of Max, we’re good here.” Even after everything that had happened in the past few days, everything that Eddie had seen and been told, he’d accepted me back into the pattern of ‘we’ just as easy as I’d fallen into it.

His eyes softened as I reached up to caress the stubble of his jaw line, swallowing the lump in my throat as I pushed away the thoughts that ate at me, Eddie caught my hand as it brushed past his cheek, holding it to his nose as he inhaled against my tingling skin.

“You’re pale.” He broke away suddenly, linking his fingers through mine as he tugged me off from where we both leaned against the back wall. Only then, as my head swam dangerously and my eyes crossed, did I realise how weak and fragile I felt. Eddie ran his eyes over me doubtfully, in a flash he swung my arm that he still had in his grip, over his shoulders as he wrapped his free hand around my waist to pull me close.

Eddie ignored my protest as he herded me towards the slightly ajar door, nudging it open with the toe of his dirty sneakers.

“We have to stay hidden Eds.” I raised a trembling hand to shield my eyes from the sudden onslaught of the blaring sun.

“You need to eat something” He fixed his grip on me as he practically half carried half dragged me up the uneven slope towards the darkened doorstep of Reefer Ricks house.

I shook my head as another rush of nausea passed over me at the thought of what Eddie considered ‘food’.

“Water then.” He argued, flashing a worried look at me as the rest of the blood drained from my face and I lolled heavily against him.

Eddie | March 1986

The back door of Rick’s place that led down to the waterfront of Lovers Lake, banged against the panelled wall loudly. I shot y/n a quick glance at where she laid peacefully against the aged pillows of the rickety couch before rushing over to snap the door shut slowly, cringing as it creaked out into the morning air. I spied a couple of elderly neighbours swaying lazily on a rusty fishing boat in the middle of the glistening water, nursing their poles as they glanced over in our direction. My hand hesitated on the door handle as jealously floored me, what I would have given to be enjoying the weekend in a similar fashion, as opposed to harbouring as a fugitive for a crime I did not commit.

The reminder had me slinking away from the door and pulling the curtains shut tighter to avoid drawing anymore attention, dousing us back in filtered darkness as dust particles swirled in the sunlight that snuck through the slack in the window curtains. Her breath fanned across the pillow where she had her hands stuck under her chin, her lips falling apart in a relaxed pout as I leaned against the doorframe to watch her.

It was silent for a moment before a muted moan reverberated in the space between us, I froze as I waited for another to confirm I hadn’t imagined it. After a long held in breath, y/n muttered again.

My name.

My dull heart ached as my stomach churned, was she dreaming of me? In the months I’d spent with her in my arms, she’d never once spoken in her sleep. I wondered now if it was a pleasant dream, doubtful considering the horrors we’d both suffered over the past few days, but a man could dream to, right?

Her hand shot out across the grizzly fabric to clench around thin air as her brows knotted together.

“Eddie…mmm. M’sorry.” A mixture of anguish and affection rushed through me, rooting me to the spot as I waited for more. I’d been wrong and angry the first night when I yelled at her that she wasn’t who I thought she was, because truthfully it didn’t matter to me that she’d lied, in her own opinion, to protect me, deep down at her core she was good and kind and selfless, my girl.

Nothing she ever did or anything that happened would ever stop her from being my girl.

I jolted as she shivered, spurring across the space between us with light, hurried footsteps to tug up the withered blanket that pooled around her waist to tuck up over her shoulders. She smiled and sighed my name once more in content, like she sensed me near as she bundled down gratefully under the covers.

I brushed the stray hair from her eyes, letting the warmth of her breath send a longing shiver up my spine as I forcibly tore my hand away from her, arguing with myself that right now wasn’t an appropriate time to give into my more basic urges. I spun on my heels and headed to the barren kitchen to play house husband as a distraction.

The top draw clattered as I wrenched it open a little too roughly, my frustration seeping through as my male needs distracted me. I slammed it closed in annoyance as it revealed only rusted metal utensils and moved on to the cupboards beneath.

“Nope.” I muttered under my breath as I snapped those closed as well, the overhead shelf above the oven homed dusty cans of mixed soups and pastas. I snorted as I pictured y/n’s face when I presented her with a bowl of mushed food with absolutely zero nutrients.

“You’ll do.” I muttered as I snatched a cylinder of ‘SpaghettiOs’ and slammed down a semi clean pot onto the top of the stove, turning up the gas to high heat. It sloshed around in the metal as I bit my tongue between my teeth in concentration, no reason this shouldn’t be the best on-the-run meal y/n had ever had. She was sitting cross legged against the couch pillows as she rubbed her eyes sleepily when I sauntered back into the living room, balancing the two shared bowls of the food in one hand as I brought the walkie to my mouth in the other. I glanced away as she stretched her arms above her head with a yawn, the thin fabric of her shirt exposing the dip just before her pant line, a different kind of hunger churning within me.

She looked up with a with a sheepish smile and accepted the bowl I handed her without complaint, mouthing the word ‘thankyou’ as I spoke.

“Hey, Dustin, this is Eddie the banished and your sister with her mister, you there?” The radio clicked out as y/n let out an small, amused giggle, slurping up the food with haste. I tried not to let my relief show too much at the fact she seemed much better than yesterday, looking far more alive at least.

Silence

“Dustin, can you hear me?” The spoon froze in her hand as her eyes flashed up to meet mine and I turned on the spot, trying not to let the lack of a response send me into a panic.

“Dustin?” I dragged out, my chewing slowing as my stomach dropped, y/n let her spoon clatter against her bowl loudly.

“Earth to Dustin?” The walkie crackled promisingly.

Hey it’s Nancy

“Wheeler! Hey.” I shouted back happily, a little loudly as y/n winced. I switched the walkie to my other hand as I strutted over to the window, peering out into the blinding sun that filtered through the leaves of the swaying trees.

“Um, we’re gonna need a food delivery.” I glanced down at the mushy carbohydrates at the edges of my bowl as my stomach growled in distain, y/n shared a similar displeased look as she set her own half eaten meal on the coffee table in front of her.

“Like really soon, unless you want me going out into the world.” My empty threat was cut off as Nancy’s voice flowed back through and y/n shot me a frustrated glare.

No. No, no, no. Don’t do that. Stay where you guys are, and we’ll be there as soon as we can.

“Yeah yeah. Listen, um… can you pick me up a six-pack?” The couch groaned in protest as y/n rolled her eyes and shot up from it, coming to stand beside me.

“I know it’s stupid as shit, drinking right now.” My words were meant for y/n as her shorter frame stood flush against my chest to stare up angrily at me.

“But a cold beer would really calm my jangled nerves.” Y/n hung her head back as I smirked at her.

Hey, I’m gonna have to call you back.

“No don’t you dare- Wheeler? Wheeler?” Y/n shot me her own gleeful look as the line cut out and my face screwed up.

“You really think drinking right now is a good idea, Eddie?” She cocked an eyebrow at me as she sighed, crossing her arms. I gulped and looked away from her as she pushed her breasts up even closer to my face, my cheeks reddened as my eyes flashed back down without my permission.

“I think it’s a great idea y/n.” And truth be told I did, I could think of a hundred different ways a night of drinking with y/n could end right now, and I was a happy man in all of them.

She sighed and smacked my chest lightly like she knew was I was thinking. “I’m gonna take a much-needed shower.” I clenched my jaw as I watched her hips sway as she disappeared around the corner, trying very hard and failing, to keep my thoughts away from her as I heard the creaking tap turn on and the steaming water rushing down against the floor of the bathtub. With a grunt I turned away and readjusted my jeans against the growing pressure inside of them.

The sun was setting, making the frayed ancient furniture of Reefer Ricks living room look like it was on fire as they shone in the orange glow. I had my back pressed against the far wall across from where y/n sat cross legged again on the couch, absentmindedly toying with the hem of her jacket as she stared out the dirt crusted window above the kitchen.

I could watch her for hours like this, semi relaxed as she was lost in her own thoughts, unaware of anything else around her. She chewed on her bottom lip hard enough to make me jealous as a flash of anger flared in her eyes and her hand came away with threads of fabric she’d torn from her jacket.

She glanced up to meet mine as a laugh slipped past my tight lips, shaking my head as I flicked a non-existent speck of dust at her.

“I just hate this. The waiting.” She half growled, launching up to the middle of the floor as she wrapped her arms around herself, unsure what she was hoping for. She glared daggers at the silent walkie sitting on the coffee table between us.

“So impatient.” I grinned, loud enough for her to hear me but she ignored my teasing.

“It’s almost night, and their last update was hours ago. They should have found something at the creel house by now.” She let her arms hang by her side limply as she pouted again.

“No news is good news.” She sighed at my cryptic response, scowling at me as I held my hands up in innocence.

“We have to do something Eddie, we can’t just sit here and wait for the danger to come and find us. It’s too open here.” Her eyes filled with a distant look as she moved to the window, gripping the ledge of it as she peered into the encasing darkness like the monster was out there lurking right now. Hell, maybe it was.

I leant forward slightly, pulling the full bottle of whiskey that I found rummaging through Ricks nightstand like a creep, from behind my back, letting it balance on my knee as I cleared my throat. I half expected a snarky comment or disappointed shake of her head, but y/n’s face was blank as she considered my offer.

“Fuck it.” With quick strides she crossed the thin carpet, snatching the bottle from between my fingers and folding herself down next to me. I watched her from the corner of my eye, pressing my lips together as she pushed into my side to make herself comfortable as she stretched her legs. My skin beneath my jacket burned from where she’d rubbed into me.

“Easy there sweetheart.” I smiled, reaching out for the bottle as she tipped it back dangerously.

“I think I’m old enough to say when I’ve had enough Munson.” She snapped, flexing her hands wrapped around the lip of it as she glanced at me like I had razor teeth. Her face was filled with unrelenting fear as she relived something I was not privy to.

“That’s not why, I just want some left over for me.” I flashed an uneasy grin as I waited for her to laugh at my joke, the sweet sound didn’t tinkle into the air, but the corners of her lips did lift and as palmed it off to me.

We sat in a loaded silence for a few minuets as we passed it back and forth, watching the shadows crawl across the floor and wiping our mouths on the backs of our hands as we shivered at the burning liquid dripping down our throat. I held out as long as I could before the muted sounds drove me crazy, with the warm tingling of the alcohol finally kicking in and filling me with a new confidence, I broke the thin wall between us.

“You know, this is usually a lot better with games.” I held up the now half empty bottle in the dwindling light as she scoffed.

“Games? Like what?” She humoured me and offered a small smile as she nudged my shoulder with her own, it sent a thrilling zap up my arm.

“Well, how about truth for truth?” I let my eyes drop as hers became guarded.

“I’ve never heard of that game.” Her tone was even warier than her face as she took a hesitant sip.

“I just invented it.” I shrugged, that earned me a booming laugh as she shook out her hair, her cheeks reddening.

“Okay fine. You first.” She insisted.

“What happened with Carver?” I held my breath as I waited for her response, suddenly unsure if I wanted to hear her answer.

Her reply was quick and flowed easy like someone telling the truth, like she was reciting a fact rather than creating a story. “After I was in the bathroom, I had to leave. Clear my head. Him and his team found me after the game, walking laps on the field. I thought it would help clear my head. It didn’t. Anyways when they offered me their celebratory drinks, I figured if fresh air wouldn’t do the trick, getting blind drunk probably would.” I shook my head at her, not knowing what I was more pissed at.

“You looked like a mess when I found you.” The words slipped past without permission, and my stomach clenched painfully as she glanced at me with knowing pity.

“I’d tripped like a hundred times. Pretty hard to see through the tears Ed.”

“Carver’s a dick and a liar.” She promised, sitting forward so I was forced to look at her. Something further released inside of me, relaxing me to the point that breathing no longer took effort. The bottle went slack in my hand resting against my leg as she glanced up expectantly at me through her thick lashes.

“What do you wanna know?”

“Chrissy… you said it was just drugs, was that true? Nothing happened between the two of you?” I’d wanted to scoff at her, be angry with her for thinking so little of me and that I could have moved on so fast and easily, but as I glared back down at her I could see my fault, because as new tears brimmed in her eyes and her lips quivered, anguish washed over me at the fact that if there was ever a doubt in her mind, then I had clearly failed in showing y/n how much she meant to me.

I slid the bottle into her hands so I could reach up to cup her cheeks between my stern fingers, holing her with a feather light touch, being ever so careful not to break her as I turned her face towards mine.

“It’s you. It’s only ever been you. It’s only ever going to be you.”

The tears overflowed and ran down her pink cheeks as her eyes fluttered closed. I let the rough tip of my fingers wipe away the stray drop that met the corner of her lips, wishing it was my touch on her mouth instead but not wanting to push it too far. I’d seen and touched intimate parts of y/n that she never would, but still I felt like I had to start from the beginning. My lips had just formed around the question when she pulled back sharply, sniffling, and wiping her nose with a humourless laugh, bringing the bottle back to her lips.

I let my hands fall back to my lap as I watched them clench.

“On the field.” She cut me off, spinning to the side and sloshing some of the dark liquid down her front, she barely noticed as she faced me with a frenzied, pleading look.

“It killed me, Eddie. To say those things, I know I already sort of explained this, but I need you to know. I – I…” She sighed, leaning back and tilting her head against the wall as I sat up, wanting to rip the words from her mind as she held them back from me. I slipped her cold hand into mine as I traced a soft circle pattern against it. At my touch, her eyes flashed open again.

“You were the best thing that ever happened to me Eddie, it was like my life was this grey, meaningless repeat of the same day – no, nightmare – until you came along. Even when we weren’t friends – “She stumbled over the underestimation of the word as we both shared a knowing laugh, no doubt her mind flashing to same angry memories we shared over each other.

“My point is, nothing had any meaning before you Edward. You – you aren’t like anyone I’ve ever met, you’re good and kind and make me laugh and I’ve never felt safer than when I’m with you.” She choked up slightly as my throat burned, unable to meet her eyes as her words made my heart sing and practically leap out of my chest. She took another long chug of the whiskey like she needed it to continue.

“I never meant to hurt you or lie to you or drag you into all of this.” She gestured her hand widely around the empty room, staring daggers like this Vecna character was lurking in the shadows behind the couch.

 “I think I kind of got myself into this one y/n.” I scoffed, taking my own deep scull as I shook my head with self-deprecation as y/n trembled with anger.

“No Eddie, it’s me. I would have dragged you into this at some point or another. I’m cursed.” I knotted my brows together and readied myself to argue before she shot to her knees, tossing away the bottle as she kneeled in front of me and trapped my face between her hands.

“But I promise, I swear to you on everything that after we get out of this... I’m never going to put you in danger again.” Her face shone with, albeit, a more fiercer look than the one she had on when we met in the woods near school and I’d planned to sneak over to her home for the first time, but the trace of bad news still brewed under her pretty features, exactly like last time.

I couldn’t do it, not again, I wasn’t losing her again. Not after I just got her back.

With her pupils blown wide and her lips parted as her sweet, alcohol filled breath washed over me as her chest heaved in the dim light, I couldn’t help myself.

“Can I kiss you?”

Y/N | March 1986

After coming face to face with what was stalking me, threating everyone I loved and killing teenage Hawkins High students, it wasn’t a hard decision as I realised what needed to happen to keep Eddie safe, what I’d always known but just chosen out of selfishness to ignore.

Eddie would be in danger for as long as I was apart of his life, pretending that I didn’t love him and trying to stay away of my own accord, had failed. He’d been dragged into it all anyway. The others, my brother, Steve, and Robin, it wasn’t the same, most of them knew about the upside before I had, we were past the point of return of trying to save ourselves.

But it wasn’t too late for Eddie.

I knew what I had to do, but that thought didn’t make it any easier as I physically felt my heart slice into delicate pieces as my resolve hardened.

It’s why I didn’t hesitate as Eddie’s intimate and soft-spoken question hung in the heavy air between us. If I didn’t plan on letting my presence besmirch Eddie’s life for much longer, then I figured I may as well indulge myself right now while I still could, my throat closed around my answer painfully as the thought how much more it was going to hurt after this hit me like a boulder.

I nodded as the heat rose to my cheeks, gasping as Eddie’s hands wrapped around my thighs and pulled me into his lap. He gripped the sides of my face as I tried to crush myself to him, breathing in deeply as a whine built in my throat, his thumb ran over my cheekbone as he sweetly and softly brought his lips to mine, moulding against me with hurried intent as I responded with a moan, melting against the hard lines of his chest.

A mixture of salty tears that belonged to both of us helped our lips glide together easily as I ripped my mouth away from his, moving to the soft under skin of his jaw as he moaned my name, twisting his hands in my hair as I bit at his neck, trapping, and suckling at the skin until I left raw marks in the shape of my mouth, making Eddie shudder beneath my touch.

I felt his excitement grow as a pressure struggled against his jeans and his cheeks filled with embarrassment, avoiding my eyes as I pressed my smiling mouth against his exposed collar bone.

“First time?” I teased, rocking my hips down onto his hard cock.

“I just don’t want to push this – you.” He clenched his jaw under my touch but tightened his hands along my hips as they rocked back and forth, locking away his emotions as his guarded stare met mine, a rant of unsaid words glaring behind his heavy brows.

My heart clenched as I read the pain behind his eyes, even now after all of the reassurance and mounds of begging for forgiveness, my words on the field still stung deep.

Without breaking my eyes from his, I wrapped my hand around his wrist and guided his fingers under the fabric between my legs, a satisfying shiver rolling through me as his lips parted and his eyes visibly widened at the wetness there, all for him.

“I want you.” The sultry demand was dripping and laced with need as we both clashed together, all tongue and teeth, as pure desire overpowered me. Our moans and sounds of flesh smacking together could have burned holes through the walls as I threw my head back, loosing myself in the feeling of Eddie’s fingers working away at my release, his soft finger tip flicking faster over my clit as the moans tumbling from my mouth became shorter and quicker.

I shot up from Eddie’s lap like an electric current had zapped us both apart as the close sound of doors slamming broke through our heavy breathing, we were to distracted in the feeling of each other’s’ bodies and missed the growing sound of their engine.

Eddie shoved past me in panic as he vaulted himself over the back of the couch as he gripped at the window, cowering beneath the sill as he tried to stay hidden. His hands – reflecting slightly in the setting sun from my slick that coated his fingers – flexed angrily as he swore.

I was still frozen on the floor, half turned as I leant up from the floor. My blood ran cold as Eddie spun back to me with a frenzied look in his eyes, his face still flushed as the dark marks from my teeth showed no sign of fading along his neck.

My stomach lurched as Eddie ripped me to my feet, pushing his hand against my lower back to urge me forward as I planted myself and demanded an explanation.

“Carver and his cronies.” Eddie choked out, unyielding terror beginning to seep through his voice, the urge to protect him overwhelmed me but he was staring down at me with panic and concern like his safety was the last of his concerns, he had swerved in front of me to shield me with his chest, blocking me from view of the window as his fingers dug in painfully.

“Boat shed.” Eddie half growled, fed up with my icy hesitation as he dragged me across the quicky darkening living room floor towards the back door, my stomach dropped as I spotted Jason, Andy and Patrick storming down the uneven brick stairs straight towards where we were scarcely hidden, menacing crowbars swinging at their sides as they flexed their hands around the cold metal.

My worst fear was dressed in black tie, it looked like the inevitable man hunt had originated at a funeral. From the deranged, lifeless look in Jason’s eye’s, it seemed they had finally put what remained of Chrissy, to rest.

The alcohol that had warmly clouded my thoughts before, tangled my feet together as pure adrenaline shot through me and tightened my muscles, a metallic taste swirled on my taste buds as I roughly shoved at the back of Eddie’s jacket, yelling out a stream of profanities in a hushed tone as I tried to figure out a plan. He flattened himself to the side as he shoved open the creaking wire door, touching my lower back lightly as I shot out past him and down the stairs, slowing down at the water’s edge as I turned back to make sure he’d kept up with me. I flinched as his closeness caught me off guard, blocking out the slim slither of light that peaked through the curtains of the swaying tree branches.

“Shit shit shit, what are we gonna do?” I screeched, pressing my face into my hands as I considered our options. Eddie pulled out the walkie from inside of his vest, and I let out a deep relieved sigh that he’d had the forethought to grab it.

My stomach rolled as I watched the dark shadows pass the dirty windows of Ricks place, chewing at my raw nail beds as I sent a prayer out to anyone that might hear it that we wouldn’t be noticed anytime soon, I crouched down next to Eddie as the wind picked up and he brought the walkie to his mouth, spit flying between his teeth as he clenched his jaw.

“Hey Dustin, you there?” My teeth chattered and I jolted, burrowing down further against Eddie as clanging resounded out from the open front door of Ricks place.

“You remember us, right?” The radio line dropped out with a crunch as we were met with stone cold silence.

“We might be in a bit of trouble here. Wheeler? Anybody?!” He slammed the antenna down angrily as my eyes slipped past him to an aged fishing boat that barely looked big enough to hold one person. My nails dug into the leather of Eddie’s jacket as he followed my stare and nodded, shaking under my touch as he waved his hand out for me to go first.

With a quick glance at the where Jason and the others tore Ricks place apart as they searched for Eddie, I ran in quick little leaps across the wet grass, my shoulder burned as I let it reach out behind me, refusing to let go of him for even a second, afraid that without my eyes on him, he’d disappear into the oncoming darkness.

The water rippled against the head of the boat, making it sway and throb lightly as I lifted my leg to take a careful step, Eddie’s hand flashed out to support mine as I slipped against the wet metal flooring, helping me take a seat against the strip of wood baring down the middle of the boat. Dark stains splashed across Eddie’s jeans as he pushed us off from the shoreline, jumping in beside me as the boat rocked dangerously beneath us. I shivered into the night cold air as the fresh moonlight broke through the heavy clouds, shining a luminescent blue onto Eddie’s stressed face as he tried to form a smile and shoved a heavy oar into my hand.

I sucked in my cheeks and leant over the side, grimacing against the resistance as I dipped my paddle in the dark water and swung back, with Eddie’s combined strength we shot forward into deeper waters, rocking us in our seats.

I bit back a yell as an angry scream floated out across the lake’s surface, bouncing off the swaying trees the surrounded the edges. I watched a muscle in Eddie’s jaw clench and his eyes blow wide as we both spun around at the sound. Jason and the others were gathered on the shoreline, stripping off their clothes as they shouted out more profanities at the sight of us.

Eddie’s eyes snapped to mine for an instant before he shot up from the seat behind me to tear at the cord attached to the ancient motor.

I held my breath with him as his motions swayed us, ripples of miniature waves spiralling out from where drifted into larger circles.

Silence

“Come on, Fuck.” I gripped the wood besides my thigh painfully as Eddie swore under his breath, laughing at the dim hope I had that it would start. I glanced at the boys as they leant down to untie their laces, listening to Jason’s curt demands as he snapped at them and convinced them to swim out after us.

My legs shook like crazy as I stared at Eddie’s forearms tensing with each long, purposeful stroke as he spoke and begged to the engine like it wasn’t an inanimate object. I jumped to my feet as Jason ran towards to waterline, sending up loud splashes of water as his eyes trained on me, a revealing ferociousness flaring in them as his lips pulled back in a snarl.

Eddie’s sneakers kicked up and dislodged the layer of dirt the coated most of the surfaces as he flashed past me, yelling out a jumbled stream of directions as he didn’t pause for breath, shoving the oar back into my trembling hands as he leant over the helm, paddling furiously.

I was slow to join him as I refused to tear my eyes away from where Jason shot through the water with easy strokes like a shark as he closed in on us. A white foam filled the choppy waves that pulsed out from the boys naked chests.

“Eddie!” I cried out, stumbling away from the ledge of the boat as Jason’s pale arm reached for it.

Eddie shoved me the side roughly as he pushed forward, shielding me behind his shoulder as he brandished the dripping oar. “Hey stay back man, Stay back!” His eyes were unfamiliar to me as a rage filled strength seemed to overpower him.

All at once the water seemed to settle as a loaded silence filled the air in between our heavy breathing and slow laps of water slapped against the metal sides and the bright moon broke through the mixed clouds, shining down on the horrors beneath.

“Hey man we’ve almost got them.” Eddie’s arm lowered slightly like he already knew, the boat levelled beneath our feet as all sounds of the natural nature around us, vanished.

“Patrick?” Jason failing arms traced across the water as he shook out his hair and spat out accidently swallowed water. The younger and slower boy, Patrick, was gasping for breath as he swung his head around widely, his pupils blown wide as he searched for something that the rest of us couldn’t see or hear.

If I’d blinked, I would have missed it, Patrick’s head shot under the water entirely, disappearing under its black depths as the blank reflective surface calmed almost immediately. I turned to stare at Eddie to see my own panic and confusion reflected in his gaze as his eyes swept the water.

I shut out Jason’s shouts as my body tensed, the seconds ticking by at an agonizing pace as I waited for a glimpse of something. Cold droplets splashed against my cheek and damped my jeans as a roar echoed around us and Patricks body shot up from the water, hanging limply in the air with his eyes rolled back as Jason’s call died on his lips.

I didn’t need to see the colour drain from Eddie’s face or his muted gasp of ‘no’ to know that this was what he had struggled to describe about Chrissy as he held back tears. My stomach clenched as the first sickening snap rang in my ears before the boat lurched under me and Eddie’s back moved alarmingly closer to my face, slamming into me, and knocking my breath away as we both tumbled as one into the freezing water, plunging deeper as the cold bit into my skin and pounded on my ears, drowning out the next quick snaps as Patricks body dropped back into the lake a few paces from me. Through the air bubbles that ruptured around me as I kicked back towards the distorted image of the moon reflecting through the wavering surface, I watched the bloodied, empty eyes sockets and cracked slack jaw of Patrick disappear into the black water.

Eddie | March 1986

I had to remind myself to slow my pace again as y/n swiped a branch out of her way with a frustrated sigh, tripping over undergrown roots as she swore.

“Sorry.” I mumbled, stopping in my tracks, and reaching for her elbow as I held the low hung branch away from her scratched face. Her clothes were nearly dry now, same as mine save for my t-shirt plastered to my skin, hidden from the blaring sun under my leather jacket. We’d been walking – well running- all night, sweat dripping down the napes of our necks as we shared very few words between us. There was an alight moment after we’d dragged ourselves to the shoreline, soaked to the core and shivering against the mud before she nudged me, and we took off running before we stopped out of breath to figure out what the hell our next move was.

Y/n’s face had fallen as I patted my wet, empty jacket pockets, shaking my head with my lips pressed into a thin line as she asked about the walkie.

“I just got lost in my thoughts. I won’t go so fast.” I tried to muster up a small smile to soften my curt tone as she glanced up at me through heavy lashes, reaching up to squeeze my cheek as I let my eyes flutter close at her touch.

“I get it.” She murmured, tracing the thin membrane of skin across my cheekbone and across my nose, letting it rest at the corner of my mouth as my heartbeat raced.

Ridiculous, even here, on the run from supernatural monster alike, I couldn’t keep my thoughts off of her. The flash of Jason’s teammate body being snapped, burned behind my lids as I pulled away from her hand, running my own through my knotted locks as I spun away, looking up through the green canopy of treetops to the blaring blue sky as a flock of birds flew overhead. The woods were teeming with insect life as the groaning and ticking filled the silence between us as y/n chewed on the inside of her cheek.  

“We need to contact the others. Tell them what happened, find out what they know.” She just started to suggest sneaking into her place when she was cut off by a resounding screech and rock clutter that scared a squirrel scampering up the trunk of a nearby tree.  

“Come on.” My words were lost as I reached forward to take her warm hand in mine, linking our fingers as I dragged her through the tight woven branches behind me as I took off towards the tell tale sounds of a construction site, my idea taking root as a glimmer of hope twisted in my chest. I was back to square one, racing through the woods as I ran away from some unseen force that was snapping kids apart.

Except this time, I had y/n with me, and even though it shouldn’t have, because the thought made my chest warm and sent a sturdiness through me, I was grateful for it, but the stakes were higher this time. I might have had a sense of survival, but I would happily lay my life down for hers if it meant I could get her out of this.

I should have been the one putting on a brave face, coming up with ideas to save the day, but as she tightened her hand around mine and broadened her steps to keep up with me, her face full of determination, I couldn’t help being filled with awe.

I’d reverend her before, but seeing her like this now, lips parted as she panted, brows narrowed as her eyes darkened towards any sound that scurried underfoot. She was a force to be reckoned with, and for a moment, as her probing gaze met mine and the sunlight bounced across her face, deepening the colour of her eyes, I knew things would be okay as long as I had her with me.

I squeezed her fingers as the bush thinned, exposing piles of dust that clouded the hi-vis shirts of workmen that carried loads twice their weight and shouted back and forth at each other over the sounds of whirring machinery. I crouched down behind a berry bush, pulling her with me as I watched the movement of the construction crew dart between the open beams of the new building. There was a digger twice as tall as me and a port-a-potty close by, I shot down further into the shrubbery as a laugh echoed and beamed closer, one of the younger guys I vaguely recognised from the ‘Hideout’ had slung off his belt, leaving it along a bench as he went to relieve himself.

Before she could argue, I dropped y/n’s hand, shooting out into the open as my sneakers crunched against the gravel, with a quick look up at the group of men huddle around something in the middle of the concrete slab, groaning and rubbing their bald heads as some of them pulled their hats off on frustration. I bit down on my tongue as I freed the radio from its pocket, with a grin of success I took off running back to the woods, slamming into the portaloo as I stumbled. I left the angry, muffled shout of ‘hey’ from inside of it behind as y/n yanked me down beside her.

“Eddie!” She hissed, digging her nails in. “don’t do that again, you can’t just go rushing off.” She threw her hand around wildly before letting it fall to her lap as I held up the radio between us with a smirk.

“What’s the station?"

“Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler?” I stared up at y/n’s slightly quivering form as we waited for a hopeful response. I’d offered her a seat along the aged mattress under Skull Rock that was littered with beer cans and cigarettes and had seen more teenage antics than King Harrington himself. She’d shot me a disgusted, disbelieving look and opted to stand against the smooth rock face, watching the shadows linger across from her.

“Eddie! Are you guys okay? Where’s y/n?” She jolted at Dustin’s voice, running to my side as I pumped my fist in success.

“Nah man, pretty goddamn far from okay.” Y/n pressed her lips together as I rubbed mine.

“Where are you guys?” I could hear a mixture of voices and a strange clicking as y/ns face stared back at me with the same questioning look.

“Skull rock. Do you know it?”

“Uh yeah.” The line dropped out as someone spoke over little Henderson.

“Hold tight. We’re coming. We’re coming.” It crackled back up as Dustin let out a hurried and rushed assurance before the static spiked and then silenced completely.

I let the radio fall between my feet as I rubbed my eyes, shielding it from the hammering sunlight as I felt y/n move beside me.

“Ugh, more waiting.” She groaned, pressing her fingers against her temples as she rubbed slow circles, her hand shot up to hold a finger in the air at me as my snarky remark died on my lips.

‘And before you say, ‘so impatient’, how do you suggest we pass the time Eddie?” She raised her eyebrows at me sarcastically as a slow grin spread across my face.

Disbelief and shock made her drop her hands as I nodded my head at the mattress, cocking my brow in a suggestive question as she stared back at me, resting birds took flight quickly as the sharp octaves of her laugh reverberated across the trees, slinking down my back to warm my core as I watched her relax with a small smile on my face.

“Let me know if I need to sing again.” Her smile sobered up as it slid from her face at my words, paling as the clouds shrouded together heavily over head, blocking out the warming sunbeams as engulfing shadows slid between the cracks of Skull Rock.

Chapter Thirteen Part one

➢ Eddie Tag List } @dotslabyrinth @chanaaaannel @lem0nb0iii @xcarabear @projectcampbell @munchabunch @grungegrrrl @sammararaven @ches-86 @alinepichi @halbhohehalluzination @kalalikalas @thetrashqueen23 @bruh-tato-chap @sagittariughs @c0rroded-coffin @averagemisfit03 @eddiesgffff @churchmuffins @mrsdollardog @ms1oftheboys @pearlsyeaaa @hanahkatexo @bex-tk1 @thatonecluelessbitch @briasnow-blog @aftermidnightwriting @blue-eyed-lion @@figmentofquinn @brittanyyydamnit @edsforehead @ick90

Copyright © 2022 by P.McCann.

All Rights Reserved.

#eddie munson #eddie munson fan fiction #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x reader #eddie smut #eddie x reader #eddie munson headcanon #eddie stranger things #eddie munson one shot #eddie x y/n #eddie slow burn #eddie munson slow burn #eddie enemies #opposite ends #eddie fanfic #stranger things 4 #eddie fluff #eddie munson smut #eddie imagine

[tangledbea]

Where's Eugene in the episode "the wrath of ruthless ruth"?

Not there. He didn't need to be in every episode. (Hell, Rapunzel didn't need to be in every episode, and I think it would have done the plot well to not include her POV once in a while.)

As it is, Eugene only failed to be in two episodes: "The Wrath of Ruthless Ruth" and "A Tale of Two Sisters". Other than Rapunzel, he is the human character with the highest presence per episode. (Pascal has him beat, though, because I think he's in every episode, too.)

You know, that would be another interesting idea: Rapunzel completely alone for an episode, or at least without any of her usual companions. No Pascal or Eugene to talk to, no enemies she's familiar with. But having her have to navigate a situation with absolutely no one there would have given them an opportunity for some real introspection, and also perhaps a bit of trauma (c8), since she hasn't been truly alone ever since Pascal came into her life.

#Tangled #Tangled the Series #Eugene Fitzherbert #Rapunzel #TTS #The Wrath of Ruthless Ruth #Answered

[pandorafallz]

Lest We Rest Upon Our Graves | C8

Alma hadn’t dared mention what she had seen to Reeves. Not the woodsprite nor the possible cave or where she had gone, she had simply mentioned she thought she saw something but it was probably just a sick animal caught in the smog. Was Reeves convinced, probably not but the doctor didn’t look like she cared at all; as long as she wasn’t doing anything ‘stupid’ that would get her killed.

It meant that in the days following the woodsprite ‘incident’, Alma hadn’t found the time to go back without her absence being noticed until Dr Reeves had been called back to the Resistance Hideout and so, she had the doc take her mushroom samples back for Alexander to look into after her initial research showed some positive results from smog tests in the lab.

Alma decided to take the chance when it presented itself to her. She left a customary note if the doc got back early at the very least before she had set off and had a story in mind if she was caught but, she had confidence she had timed everything well. On her belt packs, she did have some food and water. Her knife was sharp, a flashlight on her belt and she packed a small sample kit with her scanner in before she set off back into the smog.

The smog remained around for only a quarter of the way before she entered the clear patch. There were still little signs of animal life which was an indication that the smog kept things far away so retrospectively, an animal attack was less likely to occur than if she was walking normally through the Clouded Forest. No huge animal to sneak up on her.

The air that tickled across her skin had a soft chill to it as she continued, enough to make her shiver but nothing more than that; ever the reminder of what she was missing out. No more smells of the plant life. It ached her heart for a moment.

Her eyes trailed around as she found the spot she had stopped at days ago, taking a moment to properly orientate herself before she caught sight of the rock crevice from a bobbing woodsprite that was still about. Alma hurried towards it curiously; she didn’t want anything to pull her away again (even if it was unlikely).

Indeed, to her observations, it was an entrance to some sort of cave. Like a crack through the rock foundation of the shallow hillside that stood around the flat land between trees. The entrance reached about two metres in height but width-wise… it was very narrow and she could see enough to see some bioluminescent moss on the inside. Alma could see she’d have to crawl through to get in comfortably. There was no way a Na’vi would squeeze through that gap unless they were a child themselves. Small blessings, she supposed.

Perfect for little, old human her.

After checking to make sure her mask filter wasn’t at risk of being knocked or broken as Alma knelt and began to make her way in carefully. Her arm ached which was another consistent reminder that she was neglecting her doctor’s word of care, nonetheless, she did try to use her elbow against the wall side as more support than directly onto her hands.

The front of her trousers became with damp moss and the coldness of the rock inside was sharp on her bare skin but the rock was not as deep as she expected. Four feet of cracked stone before the gap opened right up into an open space but it also opened downwards from the angle of the moss along the floor and seemed to invite her further in.

How big would this cave turn out to be, she couldn’t fathom. While her scanner was good, it was old and for cave scanning; she was ill-equipped. Another time, she’d need better tech once she knew what was down here.

Alma carefully got back to her feet. “Fuck!” she hissed a little as she cracked her splint against the uneven wall side, her hand hastily withdrawing back to her chest but from her belt, she tugged her flashlight free and with a click, allowed its light to filter into the moss-light darkness (not that the moss produced enough light for her eyes).

The tunnel was indeed showing a direct tunnel down, wide and tall but… looking at the crack way out was off for such a wide internal system. Was it a broken fissure of some kind? A windy pit? Pandora had plenty of heat outlets. Why such a small entry for a big structure?

Alma licked her lips a little thoughtfully but allowed herself to step on and slowly follow the tunnel. There were… no other passageways that split off. Deep crevasses in the wall but never amounted to anything but lichen (she’d take a sample back for Alex as a gift)

All in all, it took only a few minutes before the tunnel evened out from its decline and a soft turn to the left before there was a wall of foliage. Like glowing ivy but she could feel a tickle of breeze against her skin so she pushed the curtain aside and gasped.

The tunnel gave way to a massive chamber, circular in shape with only a few natural rough edges and the whole space was lit with bioluminescent life. Ivy coated the walls, along with lichen, moss and roots that spread across the stone floor and up the walls.

But… at the far end, there was brightest plant in the room was… a tree. A small beautiful tree that looked to be perhaps a sapling of sorts; white and moss-green bark but the branches tiled off with long pinkie-yellow tendrils that were like willows. There was… almost a dais of roots that came from its trunk; some of the roots had even a small pond down the left side but Alma couldn’t see that far on if it had life.

She knew the tree; much like the ones at Glade of Light, or maybe a sapling like the Tree of Souls. Those were stunning sites of Eywa and there was a soft comfort in being there. Here…it felt different. It felt…sad.

The yellow in the tendrils immediately flagged concern; they were white naturally but they were turned pink at night. Yellow was often an indicator of a deficiency or a disease but of what, Alma knew she had to take samples to find out; she couldn’t connect to see but the fact this was a… site of Eywa would make it far more complicated if the Na’vi found out. They couldn’t come down here.

Was that why she was here? Small enough to get in, smart enough to know or find out what was wrong and how to fix it? Of course, she knew a Tsahìk would figure it out but… Anufi wasn’t here and wouldn’t be in this area for another three days.  Still… the Na’vi would be furious with her for taking samples of such a plant; to cut or remove anything at a site of Eywa would be a blasphemous act

Her eyes followed the bobbing woodsprites that floated peacefully around; unconcerned about her presence as she stepped into the chamber. She was here for a reason. Plus, another project would be a welcome distraction; she could fix this problem better than she could with the smog.

Carefully, Alma set her flashlight away and stepped along the uneven root floor to the dais of roots and set her sampling kit down and opened it up but… she couldn’t help but hesitate as she did so. The glimmer of metal shining in the dark

Was this the right thing to do? These roots were important and while it was a lot, the tree was unhealthy. Was the damage worth the knowledge? Should she come back with Anufi? Get a team to crack that entrance open?

A soft tickle at the back of her hand pulled her mind from her concerns to a woodsprite just... sitting there; its little jelly-fish body ticking at her flesh and she felt her heart pick up a little but it just sat there then promptly lifted and floated onto her sampling kit, even onto the metal blade for a moment.

“<Permission?>,” Alma asked quietly under her breath, not sure for a moment if that was… an indicator but she knew the woodsprites didn’t do anything without reason. Was talking to a tree going to provide a solid answer? Probably not but it felt like the right thing to do.

Even if the scientist part of her thought of talking to a tree was…absurd. But she had Kìoetey walk through her memories; connected through to the Circle and ancestors. Through Eywa.

Talking to a tree was probably the few things she could do to get the message across; she was sure Eywa was feeling her intent anyway.

“<Assuming…permission. I’ll take root, bark, soil and plant samples. See what you need.>” She also needed to set up a probe monitor as well; to see how its activity was going under the surface of the roots as well.  She could run a pH scan on the samples when she got back as well as the other tests. No need to do too much here anyway.

Alma was careful with her sample collections, taking what she said but she also took some of the pond water (a few fish were living in it and were swimming about) for more tests and some of the lichen in the crevasses for Alexander, she also took a few photos to look back on for later before she bid the tree farewell to start getting her investigation underway.

Dr Reeves hadn’t returned by the time she had gotten back so she gladly disposed of her half-ass note and got to the lab happily to sort out her samples and found a good amount of test tubes to help and she felt… inspired. Content to turn her attention to something else important. Once she had it on its way on the mend… surely others would see her in a more positive light, right?

 -

It had been hours before Dr Reeves actually returned back from the Hideout and only saw her briefly when the woman was checking to see if she was still alive (or making sure she was about) and hadn’t seen her since she disappeared into her module.

As Alma waited for the results of her morning escapade into the cave, she opened up her inbox to see if there had been any updates from the smog since her last message. Hopefully, it was an update from the mushroom samples she had Dr Reeves drop off for him.

One message was blinking away from Alexander.

Good.

Alma opened it up eagerly, leaning forward to read.

Cortez,

The samples you’ve sent look promising for cleansing. A few Kame’tire have offered to create mushroom farms around the affected sites to at least start the process and to stop any potential spread. Cleaning is good but the source will need to go otherwise it’s still futile.

I have found a few chemicals that can help take the corrosive edge out of the air so that is only a mild neutraliser but not enough for the sites to really make a difference quickly. It’ll take a lot to create and out in the open, it’ll be scattered too thin. I’m open for more options.

Dr Tremayne

Alma sat back, chewing her lip. It felt like he was a little slow, or maybe he hadn’t gotten a team together to brainstorm some ideas to make this work. Probably the latter; it felt off for this sort of work. Not ideal and certainly explained why he was…thinking more limited on options. He must be busy there as well. No surprise; she had volunteered him as Resistance Leader and people were starting to see it if he and So’lek had accepted the position once it became public knowledge.

Nonetheless, Alma decided to reply back swiftly.

Dr Tremayne,

If we can’t neutralise the source on site then we should still remove the barrels, seal them and put them in Tap Con-1; localise them as areas are still sealable. Big enough and no longer exposed to the environment. Susceptible to your chemical treatments. Can the chemicals be made or stolen from the RDA? Distilled from local flora? Extensive mushroom farms (think rows of garden planters) throughout Tap-Con 1 would be another viable solution for long-term absorption.

Changeover and disposal of used and contaminated mushrooms could be something to continue for a few years at the facility still but it would be a faster route to cleanse the exposed area.

Let’s also not forget another most obvious option but it will take time to construct with our limited resources; baghouse filter. Mining and other resource-gathering RDA sites would have tools to construct for personnel safety in the event of an uncontrolled gas leak…

Alma continued on in a rather long tangent in her reply, making a note for him to check in with other scientists than just her about this. She reread it to make sure she hadn’t missed anything before she sent it off with a sigh and sat back. They needed all the help they could get. Not people getting snobby about working with her on it. They needed some professionalism here at the very least for them to function as a group.

The monitor gave a small ding, pulling her attention to it before she scratched at the skin at the edge of her mask then leaned back towards it to see what news the samples had brought back. The soil samples were first which was of no surprise but the readings didn’t show anything…unexpected.

Low minerals and nutrients. It needed Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and copper for starters. All are easily assessable with a compost solution. Bone meal and slurred meat for a quick liquid diet would be easily absorbed by the roots. There wasn’t a lot of insect activity which probably didn’t help but… the sites of Eywa had woodsprites instead. Some nutrients that were in the reports did show some worm-like species living in the soil that were keeping life going. Enough for now but… with the tree’s state, it wouldn’t last forever.

But there was good oxygen flow from the plant life still. The fish were still alive and were swimming about happily. Maybe there was a waterway in and out which kept the pond water from stagnating. She’d probably need to explore the area better and see properly what it already has available. A one-time solution wouldn’t keep it going; it would need multiple treatments or ways for it to gain minerals independently. Its placement in a cave was probably the main cause; away from sunlight, animals passing through or even Na’vi’s connections to it.

Alma checked through the other reports, taking note of the fungal growth that looked to have been growing on the tree bark and added that to her collection to go over.

It was another three days of working between the tree problem and the smog problem that Alma found very little time to pay attention to anything else. Dr Reeves was the one who kept reminding her about her tea and pulling her to bed.

Alma had already come up with a basic compost solution from the soil close to the lab. She had some bones from old samples which she ground up and mixed in with some water and let the soil absorb it with some water. Na’vi rood rations that had long-expired but she had been too lazy to dispose of had also made its way into the soil. All organic, some meat and more nutrients. She had taken it down to the cave when Dr Reeves was busy the day before; telling her she was sample collecting again.

She hadn’t checked in on it just yet and it was probably too soon to tell of any difference but her time had to be at camp for Nalin and Anufi’s arrival. So she waited in the lab with her smog reports to read through.

Her eyes took in the new data reports from Alex in relief to see construction plans from a new RDA haul. He had taken well to the suggestion of a baghouse. The main air filter would be repurposed and the Aranahe had dedicated some weavers into making the fabric for the filter tubing with their redesign specifications. Apparently, Kat’nat had agreed to show good faith towards the Kame’tire by lending his weavers to clear the lethal pollution.

It warmed her heart a little to see Kat’nat of all people allowing this and offering aid. The Kame’tire needed allies and the Resistance wasn’t enough. The reconnection between the clans was what they all needed. To be unified against the RDA.

This was a good start.

At least now, with a few years with the fabric filters and mushroom farms, the air would clear up. She’d need to check on his plans about the barrels but now…there was hope the air would clear and then Sarentu and Kame’tire would visit the moot site for their rituals for the deceased clan and they’d be able to properly move on together.

The sound of a Samson pulled her attention away from her monitor, her head craning around in relief to see the distant ship heading her way. She padded out from the lab and waved as it touched down but to Alma’s surprise, Anufi looked to be hurried unclipping herself from the back with a displeased expression.

Anqa waved back but didn’t otherwise get out when Nalin did. A new bag on her shoulder and her steps seemed lighter as she led the way.

“Cortez, nice to see some colour in your cheeks.” Nalin noted, “Been out in the sun?”

“Collecting samples mostly.” Alma said, “It’s been…a weird experience.” She hadn’t really paid too much attention to the mirror to notice if she retained any colour. Always avoided it where she could and it hadn’t changed in her week away.

“Either way, that’s good. You’re absorbing a form of vitamin D. Now, I wanna do your weight check first and other little tests first. Anufi needs a moment to settle from her trip. She only took the ship since she was already at the Hideout.”

“Already at the hideout?” Alma frowned but followed the doc to the lab. “Why?”

“That is a story for later.” Nalin brushed off, coming around to pull out the weighing scales that was resting against the wall to set down and set down her bag of tools.

Alma complied with the doc as she was weighed and had her blood pressure taken before Anufi waited for them to be done with those tests before she was able to put her shoes back on and join Anufi at the steps.

Nalin took to the back of her neck for the monitors Alma was surprised as the Tsahìk took her arm and tilted the splint carefully.

“<Your arm, is it healing?>”

“<I believe so. I haven’t done a check myself but it’s been a little less painful.>

“<Yet I see more bruises?>” Anufi tilted her arm, showing off the new bruises she had gained in her cave exploring visits. The Tsahìk was swift to pull the Velcro straps as Alma hissed a little at the action.

The main bruise was still there; the distinct shape of Kìoetey’s hand was still marking her flesh in a way that Alma didn’t want to see. Still horribly purple. But there was only a small bruise beside it along her wrist that Anufi was looking at pointedly. One that didn’t come from a hand.

“<I was out exploring for samples. It’s not uncommon to knock my arm into things.>” Alma reasoned. “<I’m not hurting myself if that’s what you’re worried about.>”

Anufi’s lips pursed and while she wasn’t pleased, she had no other reason to but buy it. “<The bruise should not be this dark. It should be fainter and show signs of fading.>”

“Alma, did you bruise your arm? Is that what Anufi’s all tense about?” Nalin realised when she caught sight. Her hand came to her wrist carefully.

“I banged it, nothing more,” Alma said, pulling the splint back down her arm and her arm free of their touch. “You’re both here to look at my brain, not my arm so please do.”

Nalin clicked her tongue but thankfully plugged her tablet into her monitor’s port which this time was on a longer cable but Alma wasn’t able to see the screen as Nalin moved behind her and Anufi moved to look at the results.

The silence was long, and the soft… hum from Nalin made her nervous as she waited.

“All good?” she asked after a moment.

Nalin moved around, her face…careful. “Alma, have you been drinking Anufi’s tea?”

“Yes. Dr Reeves has been on my ass when I was close to forgetting.” The fact she hated drinking it was probably Reeve’s motivation to keep reminding her to have it. “Three times a day, half a cup of the first. Full cup second after a nap.” She gave Anufi the translation as well.

Nalin’s eyes returned to the screen before her shoulders sagged. “Alma…. The aneurysm has grown. Only by a few millimetres but… it’s not shrunk like we had hoped.”

Alma felt her inside turn cold and her heart thump faster in her chest. “What?” Her mouth ran dry. “<it’s grown? I thought your medication was to help?!>” She turned her attention to the Tsahìk. “<Why did it grow?>”

Nalin reached forward. “Look, we need to run more tests. Blood tests for starters. You’ve still got tea left?”

Alma nodded. “One cup left of each.” She said tightly.

“I’ll get that put through our systems as a precaution. It should all be safe for human consumption, Anufi wouldn’t have made something not fit for you. Believe me, I checked. But just because it’s grown, it doesn’t mean it’s untreatable.”

“You can’t operate and the herbal remedies didn’t work.” Alma scoffed, “What other options do I have?”

Nalin stared at her for a moment. “You’ve put on weight and you’re in better shape which gives you a fighting chance here. Better than last week.”

“But it’s not a guarantee I will survive?” Alma asked, anxiously bobbing her knee. “<I can’t die. I don’t… I don’t want this thing to kill me!>” She had too much work to do.

“<There is no certainty of anything, Almacortez. Do not jump to the assumption until we have learned of why your body has reacted to my tea in the way that it has.>” Anufi said, “<Your energy flow is good. I feel more life in your body. That is good. One of the teas has certainly helped circulate your stagnated energy back into a sequence.>”

“We should get to the hide-out. I can…run a chemical analysis there and blood tests. A proper physical.” Nalin said, “I can update your headset to something more compact since we got new medical kits.”

“Anything to—“

“Nothing to treat the brain like this.” Nalin shot down quickly. “Sorry.”

Alma’s shoulders sunk down. “Fine.”

“Kìoetey was planning on coming down but I doubt she’ll be able to right now since there’s been a huge development at the Hideout so be prepared to hear a lot and not get a lot of answers. Pack your clothes.”

“<What’s she saying?>”

“<Dr Laine wants to return to the Hideout for more extensive tests than what she can do here. She warned me a lot of going on.>”

Anufi nodded rising to her feet but she looked…relieved to hear that. “<I will walk the journey this time. I do not like the metal bird despite the convenience of speed. I will be swift>”

-

Nalin was both glad and worried about returning back to the Hideout with Cortez. The woman had been silent the entire way and refused to look at her even as they walked in. The hideout was bustling with people and new technology was in the works to help with the toxic fog outside. But news from Kìoetey had pulled most of the clan to the hideout and they were no doubt waiting on Anufi’s return to the hide-out now to continue the debrief.

Getting Cortez to the medbay was relatively easy and getting her to give a new blood sample was without complaint. The woman looked to be in her own bubble which…was a relief in a way that meant she wasn’t paying attention to the mutters around.

Small blessings.

She left Cortez in the medical bay and went to the lab to start her blood tests. She had to figure this out for both Alma and Anufi’s sake. Despite their language barrier, Nalin had heard and seen enough of Anufi’s grief and belief that she had caused death with her medical practices that…if the tea was the cause of Cortez’s new condition… then it would reflect poorly. That her healing would turn to harm.  She didn’t want that for the Tsahìk when she was this close to returning as a confident Tsahìk.

And Cortez, the woman who clearly didn’t want to die to this before she had regained a footing with everyone, more so with the Sarentu. She couldn’t imagine how it felt with a ticking clock that was counting down. Limiting her time with people. Cortez didn’t deserve to die from this.

She worked a while, distantly hearing the other clan leader’s voice echo as they spoke to one another and when Anufi returned.

But… Nalin’s gut sank as the results finally came back in and each…data didn’t show the expected results.

“Is that the sick human’s results?”

So’lek’s voice almost made her jump but… the weight in her gut was too heavy to care for being surprised.

“Yes,” Nalin whispered shakily, clenching her first and she took a stabilising breath.

“From your tone, I sense it’s not good?” So’lek’s head tilted. “They are to die?”

Nalin swallowed the lump in her throat. “A-Anufi helped by providing a medicinal tea for them to drink multiple times daily for the past week. Instead of…thickening the blood vessels to prevent the aneurysm from bursting, however, the human biology twisted the effects. The blood vessel thickened but… the membrane around the aneurysm thinned out. It grew in response and… there’s the fact their blood thinned. Not… a lot but enough. It shouldn’t have happened.” She turned her attention to the warrior who was frowning at her. “Please…don’t tell Anufi. It… she was trying to help. She can’t know it helped cause more harm.” Nalin begged.

So’lek’s face softened a little, his eyes turning out from the lab to the direction of the leader walls away from them. “You want a kind lie?” His tone was… surprisingly understanding.

“Yes. I’ll…look into this more. It could be the human has a gene unique to their family that caused the reaction or simply the remedy can’t work with a formed aneurysm. I’m still trying to understand. The chances are it would have expanded without her treatments on its own. It just… sped up the process. If… Anufi asks if it’s the result of non-effect. It simply didn’t work.” Nalin said.

So’lek’s tail swished for a moment, weighing up the cost of the lie for a moment. “Would the human blame Anufi? Resent her?”

“No. She’ll understand. I haven’t told them the possible cause either. I could lie to them as well, let them live with ignorance for whatever amount of time they had left.” Nalin mused carefully, very aware this was a very…tense thing to lie about. For a good cause as well but… as a doctor, was it something she had to say? Was it good to lie?

“I do not like lies. Human lies are often for deceitful reasons as we’re all familiar with,” So’lek was no doubt thinking about Cortez there, “but… to protect is not one often heard. Anufi would… not take the news well if she heard. The Kame’tire need their Tsahìk now. They cannot afford to lose her to a small mistake. Human biology is not Na’vi; even if she understands that… I fear her response will cause her to withdraw again.”

Nalin let out a breath. “I’ll inform the human it was also… non-effective treatments. That way…they don’t risk telling Anufi if they find resentment or discontent. I can… I can live with that lie.” She could feel the…sheds of guilt but it was necessary.

“Change the results if the human wants your proof. I need to go and assist with the debrief.”

-

Kìoetey waited patiently as the clan leaders waited. Nesim and Minang were talking to Kat’nat. Etuwa was talking with Anufi who had only just joined from a brief outing but it gladdened her heart to see all of them here.

Priya returned and So’lek shadowed after her, his gaze briefly to Anufi but he seemed too focused.

“I got it!” Priya said, plugging in her datapad to the holotable. “I’ve double-checked everything and.. I think it’s as good as we’ll get.”

The clan leaders turned their attention around as the holo changed to the mobile drill platform. The Zeswa sister’s noses turned up at it in disgust. Kìoetey couldn’t help but notice a small, familiar person at the doorway, listening but she couldn’t keep her attention on her long before So’lek began the debrief but her presence made her heart flutter uncomfortably.

“<This is the Mobile Drill platform, the sky people put it on the Zeswa’s land by the arches.>” So’lek said, mostly to the Aranahe and Kame’tire clans “<The Resistance was able to keep track of RDA ships and their movements. Priya noticed unusual activity, dangerous activity which pushed Kìoetey and the Zeswa to intervene. This metal beast was designed to impact the ground and to break into it for oil underneath. The force alone, if it had been turned on, would have been enough to shatter the arches and if the Zeswa hadn’t been evacuated, would have been killed.>”

Kat’nat’s eyes narrowed at the machine. “<It is no more?>”

“<It was successfully destroyed before its construction was completed, but that’s only one part of the problem. It was operational at a second location where we stole more data from and Kìoetey was able to retrieve data from the floating devices in the Kinglor forest. What we found… is concerning. For all the clans. Mercer’s endgame, so to speak.>”

Priya took the nod from So’lek to change the picture to a new RDA site. A massive structure.

“<The device on Zeswa’s land is a child’s toy to what Mercer has plans here. At this base.>”

Nesim hissed. “<A toy? That was a toy?>”

“&lt;That platform would have torn down the great arches. This building has the potential to cause a chain reaction of shattering the plates along the western frontier. Inside,” So’lek ignored the enraged hissed as the holo displayed a simulation of the effects before the building returned, “<this had a structure similar to the ones you destroyed but it has an explosive. The sky people have been scanning the Kinglor forest for months. The terrain and even under the surface of rock for minerals, oil and gas. Their site is over a massive oil deposit and they can only reach it through with their explosives. They’ve just breached the cave systems but They’re not willing to cut through slowly or for small explosions which is through denser material.>”

“<Then we should charge in and take down every sing sky person on the base to ensure it doesn’t happen.>” Nesim said, “<Why are we still waiting for such a threat to occur when we can go now and sort it?>”

“<If you go unprepared, you’ll be shot down quicker than you can turn for cover.>” So’lek said bluntly. “<theses are called turrets.” The holo zoomed in towards the turrets that were stationed around the building, “<these turrets are designed to kill both air and ground troops that aren’t RDA. They’ll slaughter you all before you even get close so no Ikran or Direhorse can get in range. The turrets are invulnerable to our weapons>”

“<Then how are we to get in? We need to take this building down!>” Nesim hissed.

“<Most likely would be from the inside. Someone needs to find a way in without raising alarms and disabling these turrets to allow Na’vi on either mount to safety to engage the RDA.>” Kìoetey said, “<I’ve taken down enough RDA sites to figure something out.>”

“<What about cave systems?>” Cortez’s voice echoed, “<The resistance has the raw survey data, that has to have something? Caves connect underground. If Mercer’s base had breached the caves, then there’s your way through.>”

Kìoetey’s eyes lingered on the women but So’lek turned to Priya and asked for that data. Priya frowned but moved ahead and brought up the data onto the table and began to cross-reference the data with the Kinglor forests. In fact, it only took a minute before the map of the building returned but expanded to show a cave system that…went right under the floor.

“<That’s your way in,>,” Cortez said, coming in closer to the group but didn’t breach the circle. “<once they know you’re inside, the chances are Mercer will try and…speed up the process. If he can’t win, he’ll take you all out with him.>”

Kìoetey wrinkled her nose but… that didn’t sound unexpected. Once they made themselves known, they certainly were on a timer.

“<Right now, they’re not ready and the failure we have imparted on their test site may have set them back which gives us the time to get prepared.” So’lek said, turning his attention to the leaders, “We need protection, weapons and explosives. Sky people do not fight with honour. The resistance will constantly monitor them and let us know of their plans but, I wish to gift you all with a throat-com or radio. This device will allow great distance of communication between clans as we prepare.”

“<They are made of metal?>” Anufi asked weirdly.

“<Yes, but you do not have to keep it. Once the battle is done, you no longer need it. There are rituals to cleanse yourself for handling such metal.>” So’lek said.

Nesim didn’t look thrilled but her eye returned to the hologram for a moment in debate. “<I will wear that strange metal only to aid in this coming battle.>”

Alex, who had been a bystander came forward with a selection and those willing to accept, took some. Kat’nat didn’t take anything, but Etuwa took a throat com and radio and clipped it onto her front despite the clear disapproval of her father.

“<I will not be deafened by distance.>” She said as she slipped the throat-come’s earpiece in.

“<Unless we hear anything, two days preparation and on the third morning, we strike.>” So’lek swapped out his old earcom for the newer one. “<;Early. Portions of sky people do not have fast reflexes when they’re freshly awoken or disturbed from sleep.>”

Kìoetey had to smirk a little at that. A very true statement. She had seen many grumpy and sleep-deprived humans without their morning stimulants like coffee. It was a good advantage too, the night crew sleepy from a long day and the next lot still barely functional.

With that, it was more or less the dismissal and everyone was sooner to take their leave Anufi though seemed to head away towards the medical bay than the door but Kìoetey’s eyes returned to the spot Cortez had been…only to find it empty.

“Cortez?” Her eyes flickered about, just catching sight of her disappearing through the airlock out with a few of the others. Damn. She moved after them, sidestepping a few humans with a soft apology before she reached the door as it began a new cycle. She expected it to be empty as she went to step in but… instead, she almost walked into a smirking human (what was his name, Jason? or Ryan?) who nodded at her brightly as he passed. Clearly satisfied about something,

Kìoetey stepped in before the doors shut and sighed at the changeover and the doors opened to the late-morning sun steaming through the clouds. Its warmth was pleasant as she walked, following the pathway which would lead towards the only expected place to find Cortez.

Cortez was… there. Standing a few feet from her avatar’s grave, shoulders slumped and her back to her but she had a sense Cortez knew she was there; she wasn’t trying to be sneaky. Kìoetey hadn’t visited the spot since after she had killed those avatars. The… three little graves added made her heart clench. Tiny little graves that had been her fault. A reminder of her actions.

Kìoetey was slow in her approach but the moment she was within two metres, Cortez seemed to make a step away and pulled her arms into herself. The splint was hidden under her other arm but it made her gaze linger nonetheless as Cortez’s demeanour turned…colder. The walls going straight up. A distance between them.

“I won’t hurt you again,” Kìoetey said quietly. “I’m sorry that I hurt you the first time.”

There was a long pause.

“If…So’lek hadn’t told you to let go, would you have broken my arm?” the question was soft, but she questioned it as if either one of them didn’t know the answer. It still stung a little, nonetheless. After a moment of non-answer, Corte let out a snort. “I don’t care that much that you hurt me. I don’t feel safe around you but… this is Pandora. There are worse things out there to be afraid of.”

Kìoetey flinched at how casually she spoke. How… ill she spoke of harm so blatantly done. It waved a red flag that she didn’t like. “A-are you okay, Cortez?”

Cortez gave no indication, but her head turned down towards the graves as if deep in thought. “I’ve had better days. I’ll be fine. Just…need rest.”

Kìoetey moved, though not close to Cortez and instead she stepped closer to the grave itself. The little ones. “I’m sorry I killed your avatars. My anger consumed me and…I reacted.” The words were…hard to say but she felt relief in actually apologising. “I should have reacted differently and I cannot undo the death I caused. The harm I caused. I am sorry.”

Cortez let out a shaky breath. “I do… forgive you for that.”

Kìoetey blinked a little in surprise. “You do?” Honestly, she thought the woman would nod, acknowledge it and then just… find a reason for one of them to leave to process. This was… unexpected. Forgiveness straight off from a human? Even Cortez. She knew the woman valued the avatars over her own life which was a concern in itself.

Cortez nodded, yet still not turning to look at her in any way. “What’s the point of holding a grudge? Grudges won’t bring them back or… allow anyone to move on. I’d rather not be a hypocrite either. How can I expect forgiveness if I’m not willing to do the same.”

Perhaps it was not meant to sound like an insinuation (in her gut, she knew it wasn’t) but it certainly made her feel…off on what she actually meant. Kìoetey’s eye twitched a little at her words. Cortez spoke as if what she had done was on equal terms of pain and harm. As if they were the same. As if Kìoetey owed her forgiveness for her forgiveness. As if the death of her avatars and hurting her was the same as sixteen years of hell with the RDA, the abduction and… callous slaughter of her people.

It was not the same.

She didn’t have to forgive Cortez for her part in all of that and…she hadn’t. Not yet. That much pain…she simply needed more time. Certainly not yet. She needed to see things through with Mercer first before she could really reach deep inside to determine how she could emotionally deal with Cortez.

Cortez, unaware of her brashness turned away from the avatar’s grave. “I need to go. I’m tired.”

Kìoetey just nodded, though her eyes lingered on the grave for longer as the woman left, only really noticing a small yellow stream that looked to be soaking into the settling soil. She could pick up the faint smell of urine but—

“<Sarentu, come.>” Her attention turned to So’lek as he joined her, “There is much to do and to prepare for. I’ve made you a new bowstring. It should work more efficiently.”

Distracted, Kìoetey nodded. Yes. Much to do indeed.

#avatar #avatar au #avatar frontiers of pandora #frontiers of pandora #sarentu #anqa #priya chen #avatar james cameron #etuwa frontiers of pandora #etuwa #anufi #ka'nat #ri'nela #so'lek #nalin laine #avatar rda #john mercer #minang #neism #zeswa clan #aranehe #alma cortez

[greetingfromthedead]

C8: Odd Job

For more information on the series (tags, CW, etc) click the banner!

Series Rating: 18+ / Explicit

Chapter: 8/84

Words: 1.9k

No particular warnings for this chapter.

← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

You head back to the inn and slip back unnoticed. Before returning to your room, you give him back his red coat that he had refused to take earlier. You didn't speak much while you walked back, and Vash is still worried he might have pushed too hard. Saying goodnight to you once more at the door, he is happy to see your face this time, and he gives your shoulder a light touch before going to his room.

You had decided to sleep—not that you need to do so, but more so to pass the time, and maybe then the noises in your head won't bother you.Before that, you go to the dirty and broken mirror over the washbasin in the corner of the room. You look at your tired eyes and the trails your tears have made onto your face, where the dust clings. You touch your cheeks, your skin is smooth and flawless. Has it always been like that? You think back on the faces of the people you've seen; time has left its mark on them, be it wrinkles or scars.

You take off the black long-sleeved shirt, and you are greeted by the dark stain over your heart, still visible on the wrappings around your chest. Your fingers brush against the hole in the bindings where the knife pierced through. You unwind the cloth and look at yourself—not a single scar or mark, nothing to suggest you have spent 150 years on this planet, that you have had people throw rocks at you, that you have been slashed and shot at. Just flawless skin.

After stripping yourself naked, you make use of the basin and large jug of water to wash yourself. To get off the grime time had left on you. Untangling your hair took longer than expected, but in the end, you felt clean, almost like you had washed some of your sins away too. Giving your underwear, or what was left of them, a quick wash, you ring them out and leave them to dry before getting into bed and pulling the sheets over yourself. The fabric is rough, but it is comforting in a strange way. You turn to have your back against the wall, unaware that just on the other side sleeps Vash, his back against yours.

You open your eyes at high noon. The sunshine pours into your room, and you are surprised at how this happened. You feel calm and rested; there is no sign of the troubles you had fought with last night. You turn to be on your back and stretch from your fingertips to your toes. Has your body ever felt this good? That's a dumb thought; of course it has, but now it's something more. The way Vash had admired your strength and speed last night had given you a different kind of confidence; it was his acceptance of you that made you feel this way.

A small knock on your door is what finally gets you out of bed. You haphazardly drape the linens around yourself, holding them up on your chest when you shuffle to the door and open it. You aren't surprised to see the blond man standing there, practically towering over you.

"Good afternoon! I'm glad you're still here! Your room sounded so quiet, I was afraid you had left me all alone." His voice sounds genuinely cheerful and happy to see you. "I brought you something. I hope they fit; if not, you can exchange them! I tried my best!"

He takes out a pair of boots from behind him and presents them to you. Only then does he notice your bare shoulders and the bed sheets hanging down from where your hands held them over your chest, the skin over your ribs visible. The realization that you stand in front of him naked with just a sheet covering you makes him immediately shoot his eyes towards the ceiling.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The words tumble out of his mouth. You see redness climbing up from underneath his turtleneck, over his upturned chin, and painting his cheeks and ears pink. His free hand covers his eyes, which were still directed to the ceiling.

"I... I just wanted to make sure you hadn't run away, and I got you these boots so you don't have to walk around barefoot! I didn't mean to disturb you or anything! I mean, you did choose to open the door like that while you could have just told me to wait or come back later or something, so it is kind of your fault..."

You reach out one hand and gently stroke over his hand before taking the boots from it. Once free, that hand also moves up to cover more of his face.

"You could just come in, you know, instead of lurking behind my door. Don't you want to see me try on the boots? I might just skip all other articles of clothing." You say it with the most devious voice you can muster. Teasing him really gives you a kick, and it is just too easy.

"Oh boy. Really?" You see his chin move down, an eye peeking out from between his fingers as it looks at you, but all he sees is you closing the door on him. "Ahhh, that's not nice of you!"

You look at the boots; they seem to be new and simple, yet they will make walking a bit easier, and you would probably invite attention when walking around barefoot. You put on your other clothes first, smacking most of the dust and sand out of the shirt and pants. Finally, you sit on the edge of the bed and start putting on the shoes. You are happy to find a pair of socks in them. They fit you well; there is no need to exchange them for something different. You wonder how he nailed the size so well.

A quick glance in the mirror, some fixes to your hair, and out you go. You don't feel like hiding in your room; if anything, you feel like giving the world another chance. Things surely have changed in the past century, and after all, you met Vash, and he doesn't shun you; he celebrates you. To your surprise, the man who had just crossed your mind was waiting in the hallway, right across your door.

He looks you up and down, seemingly thinking for a moment.

"You look good. A lot less tired... and sad. How are the boots?"

"Perfect. Thank you so much."

"Glad to hear; they suit you well." He smiles. "I heard that there's an old widow with a toma ranch right outside of town who has fallen a bit ill and could use some help. I was thinking of offering my services there. What do you think? Wanna come with me?"

"Yeah, I have to earn my keep somehow."

"Oh, don't start with this," he scolds you, but his tone is still light. "You want to have some breakfast or more like lunch first?"

"No, but you should."

"Not to worry, I am prepared!" He tries to sound serious with his voice lowered as he pulls out a nutrition bar from his pocket.

Moving through the inn and town makes you uncomfortable, and some people occasionally look at you. Keeping off the larger streets and mostly hiding behind Vash, you make it to the edge of town. It's not difficult to find the ranch; a large pen has the blue birds running around; some of them seem to be playing. As soon as the two of you approach, the curious creatures come towards you to have a look. You stroke the heads of a few who reach out, and so does Vash.

At the farmhouse's door, an elderly woman greets the two of you and is more than happy to have the two of you help her out. She has sweet eyes, with wrinkles radiating from the corners of them as she smiles. She uses a cane to get around, her hands shaking on both the handle of the walking stick and the other clutching a blanket around her shoulders. As she talks, she seems very worried for the well-being of the birds, as she hasn't been able to clean the pens well and has been too weak to get enough food and water from town for them. From her words, you can assume it also goes for her. The house seems in disarray as she invites you in; she needs to sit down, too tired from standing at the door. She explains where things are and what needs to be done. She keeps apologizing and thanking you with every breath. Letting Vash do all the talking, you sit silently and look around, taking in the conversation.

After everything has been made clear, you follow Vash outside, and you realize there's another pen further back with five little blue chicks chasing each other around. When the two of you get to work, you get the task of cleaning the food and water troughs. Once you have rolled up your sleeves, you get to scrubbing. The little chicks flock around you while Vash shovels out all the other waste and mess. You carry the water and feed buckets with ease from the little warehouse behind the house. Every free moment is spent petting the little birds, and they make happy little chirping sounds at you. Soon you move on to the bigger pen, repeating the same process.

"I'll go back into town to get some more feed and water. I'll saddle up one of the tomas to make it quick. I understand if you don't want to come with me. How about you stay here? Maybe there's something else that needs to be done. Or you can stay with the birds if you prefer; you've already done so much after saying you wouldn't," he laughs, thinking back. "Either way, if you get scared or want to run away, go to the rock formation over there," he tells you, pointing to a landmark a bit away from the ranch. "Wait for me there; I'll come and find you. Promise."

"I'll try to be brave," you say with a fake and teasing resolution.

"Don't push yourself. And I mean it, I'll come and find you." He nods at you to drive home his point.

It doesn't take long for him to be on his way with the tomas, and you return to the house. The old lady is overjoyed as you awkwardly give her an update. She doesn't scare you; her eyes remind you a bit of Vash's. She hands you a small stack of doubledollar bills.

"It's not much, but I hope it covers your work. I give the young man's share into your hands too. Such kind children, the world really needs more people like you." She lightly cups your cheek, and you are dumbstruck. She doesn't know you, yet she acts so trusting and kind. "Now, how about we have some tea till the gentleman gets back?"

You offer to help her put some water to boil—the last of what was left of the water in the house at least. You help her clean up a bit while she talks about her late husband and their son, who moved away to May City a long time ago. While the tea is left to infuse, you go to get some more water from the warehouse. You fill the reservoir of the house halfway with two buckets, and as you head back to fetch more, you hear gunfire and shouting from the town. The immediate reaction is for your legs to freeze, the empty buckets clattering to the ground. And when the fear takes over, you run. You run as fast as your legs can carry you.

For more information and chapters, check out the MASTERLIST.

← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

#tempest wind #fanfic #fanfiction #writing #Trigun #trigun stampede #tristamp #Humanoid Typhoon #vashxreader #vash x reader #x reader #plant boi #Vash the Stampede

[spoops-inliyue]

| Can’t win with him

Character(s): Shikanoin Heizou

TW: Heizou is just annoying as hell but that’s normal

Genre: Fluff kind of? Maybe Gen fic? I’ll figure it out eventually

Notes: Gender neutral reader || I basically have C8 Heizou rn if he has the audacity to come home ever again I’m killing him personally get out of my house please

Heizou was usually good company. Great company, even; he was interesting and always had an engaging topic or case to talk to you about. There was never a boring conversation, never a moment of discomforting silence - the accuracy of his ability to be able to tell when you were feeling awkward was something that you attributed to him being a detective that had more than just a talent for reading the situation to be able to catch people off guard during interrogations and such - and it was nice.

At least, it was the first few times. Heizou was never straight forward. He likes to make things into little games that he could play with someone else as a piece of it so you’re constantly moments away from clocking him in the face whenever he shows up to your place, unannounced and with that stupid knowing grin on his face.

He knew that his presence was starting to grate on your nerves and, archons, did he enjoy it. You can tell at least that much from that way that he spaces his visits out so sporadically. Having been friends with him for long enough, you knew exactly what he was doing - less so because you’d seen him do it before but mostly because you knew what he was like.

Coming to bother you often enough that it was annoying but not quite enough for you to kick him out or otherwise.

And he would hit you with that same knowing smirk every time you let him into your place with a barely held back annoyed sigh. Sometimes you did sigh - and very openly at that - at his presence and you knew that the little chuckle and cheeky smile were at your expense.

A mop of dark reddish hair flopped on to your lap and you rolled your eyes at the action, about to push the detective off while his face was still flat on your thighs until he rolled over and smiled up at you, green eyes crescents that twinkled with amusement. Only he would have the audacity to look so relaxed while dancing merrily along your last nerve. He was always so carefree around you as if he wasn’t constantly this close to being picked up by the back of his shirt and thrown straight out of your window.

Most likely an exaggeration of what you could do to him, sure, but pretty spot on for what you wanted to do to him.

You stayed staring down at him for a couple moments more, hoping that it would deter him from being a nuisance at least for a little while but he held your gaze easily, still smiling as if he had never faced a single hardship in his life that couldn’t be solved with a simple persuasive smile and “please”.

You hated being the first to relent, your hand reaching to card through his hair and you once again rolling your eyes when he sighed at the feeling and smiled more comfortably.

He would relent first eventually, a lie that you liked to repeat to yourself every time you lost to his deceivingly pleasant smile. You knew that there was no way to win whenever it came to him.

His job as a detective had unfortunately taught him more than just how to solve cases and it was not doing you any favours.

Do not repost or claim. Only reblog 💛

#shikanoin heizou #genshin heizou #genshin impact heizou #gi heizou #heizou fanfic #genshin fanfiction #genshin #genshin impact #genshin fanfic #genshin impact fanfiction #genshin impact fanfic #heizou x gender neutral reader #heizou x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader

[zoeykallus]

Somehow, I thought about the batch + Rex and cars.

What car would they drive?

How they behave when you drive?

And how they drive? I can imagine that tech is a pretty good and careful driver but when you are in an hurry, oh boy. And Echo has a problem with road rage and comment every other driver (there are rules!), but tries hard to keep calm....

PS: Deine Geschichten sind immer gut zum runter kommen. Grüße aus Deutschland;)

Okay this is a newer request and I'm picking it out to do before the others because I already actually thought about this and made some notes on it, weeks ago. Now I can finally use those notes :D The first time I ever made notes for something I write ^^'

Wo kommen denn nun all die Deutschen her? XD Grüße zurück! Freut mich sehr das zu lesen :D

The Bad Batch Headcanons - Cars And Driving

Hunter

Affordable Car: A muscle car. It's a guilty pleasure, but he loves the soul and beauty of old American muscle. He knows they drink fuel like hell, but as mentioned before. It's a guilty pleasure. He'd probably be going with an old Dodge Charger, 1970 440 ci or R/T. It's raw, it's powerful, it's loud and yet elegant.

Look

Look

Car if he had the money: Same car. His guilty pleasure is more or less affordable, so why pick any other car?

How he drives: Hunter is a cruiser. His car is loud and big, it's raw in itself. He doesn't need to race around to be seen. Besides, he's not the kind of guy who feels the need to be seen. It's more about the feeling of driving that car. Feeling the vibration of the V8 engine, the growling sound. Imagine him behind the wheel of such a car, hot damn.

I owned that car once by the way ^^'

When you drive: He's relaxed. Unless you are a hasty or nervous driver. He's not the kind to tell you how to drive or anything like that. He's actually a decent co-driver.

Echo

Affordable Car: Probably an older and used Volvo V70. He's all about safety, especially when he's driving with you. Volvo ha a great reputation of building safe cars. The V70 has a lot of space, for guests, kids or pets. Just in case, you know.

Look

Car if he had the money: The newest Volvo V60, with all extras possible. You know, he's actually a Volvo Fan.

Look

How he drives: Echo is calm and collected. Mostly. As long as no other idiot breaks any rules. He's fiery commenting on idiots breaking rules, but he's not cursing. At least, he tries not to. Driving by the book is his motto.

When you drive: Remember, he loves you, and you love him. He's nervous when he's not driving himself. Telling you when you are 2 miles too fast, reminds you of every sign. Tell's you when to hit the brakes and so much more. Very annoying, wouldn't recommend.

Wrecker

Affordable Car: An old, used Ford pickup truck. It's simple, it's big. Kinda like him. He can transport stuff with it and that's pretty much all he needs.

Look

Car if he had the money: Inkas Sentry. A Canadian beauty build for SWAT Teams and Military. Armored and Off-road fit. Under the hood sits a massive 6.7-liter turbo diesel with eight cylinders and 367 hp. 4WD is standard, and there is room for eight people in the cabin. He doesn't need that beautiful beast, but he wants it.

Look

How he drives: He's chaotic but relaxed too. In traffic, he keeps his calm, he's not that easy to rattle. But if he gets the chance to drive Off-road, he goes nuts. You don't want to be his co-driver when he leaves the road. Break-neck maneuvers and speed, he loves to make the car jump.

When you drive: Layed back and relaxed. No matter how you drive. He is used to Tech's driving and flying. He regularly falls asleep when you drive longer than an hour.

Tech

Affordable Car: He likes German cars. No, not BMW and not Mercedes either. Audi. Aside from the fact that BMW and Mercedes are generally expensive, he does prefer the Audi Design. An old, used Audi A3 is his got to car.

Look

Car if he had the money: 2020 Audi RS7 Sportback (C8) - 600hp/800nm - V8 4.0 TwinTurbo Mild Hybrid. 0-100kmh(62mph): 3.38sec(tested), 3.6sec (official), Top Speed: 305km/h (191mph) Strong, fast, pretty, all extras. He loves that car, almost treats it like a lady. Almost.

Look

How he drives: He knows the rules, but he likes to break them. He drives pretty fast. He's got everything under control, but he likes it speedy and a bit risky. Don't eat before you drive with him, might be better for everyone involved, including the car.

When you drive: He gets travel sickness when he doesn't drive himself, he can't look at his holopad without throwing up, you both learned that the hard way. So he is focused on you. He talks a lot, telling you something about everything he sees while you drive. He can't help it, his brain needs food, and right now he can't do anything but talk to you.

Crosshair

Affordable Car: None. If he can't get his dream car, he doesn't want one.

Car if he had the money: A 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish S. V12.

5.9-liter V12 pumping out 580 hp and 465 lb-ft (630 Nm). Drive is sent through the rear wheels courtesy of an eight-speed automatic transmission. An elegant beast.

Look

How he drives: Despite owning a race machine, he's not a speeder at all. He's surprisingly average at driving, unless he wants to show off in front of you. The car is pretty and fun, but to let the beast out from under the hood, he likes to go on racetracks, and rent some time to drive a few rounds, but you'll never see him speed in normal traffic. He doesn't really want or need that.

When you drive: Very quiet. The only thing you might hear from time to time is a passive-aggressive sigh or grunt when you drive in a way he doesn't like.

Rex

Affordable Car: Any older used car. He really doesn't care much, he takes what he can get and afford. Most likely an old Ford or Kia. The car is not that important for him, and it's certainly not a status symbol, like it is for so many others.

Car if he has the money: Well, if he had the money and could actually really choose, he'd pick a classic car. He likes the vintage charm. Some 1956 Cadillac Fleetwood will do. He's a huge Elvis fan by the way.

Look

How he drives: Calm, collected, sticking to the rules. He's a cruiser like Hunter. He's quick to judge and lecture others about their driving, though.

When you drive: Rex is pretty much the same as Hunter, he is pretty quiet and relaxed as long as you are too.

Personally I love the cars Hunter and Tech picked, but I'd rather drive with Hunter.

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

@meshla-madalene

@chxpsi

@thebahdbitch

@nahoney22 @ladykatakuri

@darkangel4121

@ttzamara

@arctrooper69

@padawancat97

@agenteliix

@puppetswithteeth

#headcanon #star wars #the bad batch #clonelove #clone force 99 #tbb #sw tbb #tbb tech #clone trooper tech #tech #bad batch tech #star wars headcanons #tbb headcanons #hunter #echo #wrecker #crosshair #car #cars #asks #star wars asks #bad batch hunter #hunter x reader #hunter the bad batch #hunter tbb #hunter bad batch #bad batch wrecker #wrecker tbb #tbb wrecker #echo bad batch

[teaandfiction-28]

Fluff - “Never speak of this again.” With Al and/or Trudy, pretty please 😊

@indelibletraces - I *love* the way you think!! 😂

I could write for this prompt over and over so I think I might leave it as a staple on the list. The possibilities are endless...

I was going to wait and post this later in the week ‘cause I didn’t want to bombard you with content but I literally *cackled* my way through writing this and I wanted to share the mirth! 

Really hope you enjoy! 💛

—————————

Prompt: “Never speak of this again."

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: None

Timeline: Set between C7 and C8 of ‘Brand New Day’.

“Ok, wait for my signal. We spook these assholes and they’ll go scorched earth.”

Hank killed the transmission, listening to a ripple of confirmations from his team before he pressed the radio against his lips, eyes trained on the derelict stash house that they had been surveilling ever since Kevin and Adam had disappeared from view almost an hour ago. It was supposed to be a simple buy-bust, in and out inside of ten minutes but, thus far, he hadn’t heard hide nor hair from either of his officers. 

“The hell are they doin’ in there?” He grumbled, jerking his arm away from his body to get a glimpse of his watch before returning his forearm to the strip of plastic just inside the window, fingers tapping rhythmically in an unusual display of impatience. 

“They’ll call it if they need to Hank.” Trudy reasoned, casting a glance across the cab towards her friend. The two Intelligence Officers had been cultivated by the very best and there was no doubt in Trudy’s mind that they would know when to pull the plug if the time came but his insistent tapping was making her unnecessarily anxious.

“So, how’re the sleepless nights treatin’ you?” Trudy asked, hoping that idle chit chat about his newborn would distract him from his goddamn tapping! 

“Last time I slept through the night was before Justin and Erin got their drivers permits.” He muttered with a huff of amusement. He had lost count of the number of nights he had lain awake waiting for the phone to ring and, knowing them both as he did, it had...many times. “At least I got some company now.”

As a matter of fact, he actually quite enjoyed those quiet moments in the middle of the night where it was just the two of them pacing the length of the nursery, her warm weight nestled securely against his chest and her sweet baby scent surprisingly soothing as he bounced, rocked and shushed her back to sleep. 

“Kate doin’ okay at home all day?”

He hiked a shoulder, shifting slightly in his seat. “It’s not been easy but she’s findin’ her rhythm.”

While her transition into motherhood hadn’t been without its hurdles, he wasn’t at all surprised by how naturally Kate had adjusted to parenting. Having been through the process once before, he sometimes forgot just how soul destroying it could be to cradle a tiny human in your arms, screaming at the top of their little lungs and having absolutely no idea how to get them to stop. She valiantly fought to put on a brave face every time Alexis’s earsplitting wails would fade into little whimpers the moment he stepped through the door and scooped her into his arms but he could see in her eyes how much the thought of not properly bonding with her firstborn was killing her. But with time and patience, she had steadily grown in confidence and both mom and baby appeared to be thriving. 

Before Trudy could respond, his cell phone began to vibrate in the centre console, Kate’s caller ID flashing up on the screen. He connected the call via the bluetooth speakers and instantly his SUV was filled with the familiar sound of Alexis howling in the background.

“Everything okay?” He asked in lieu of a greeting, his brow pinched as he instinctively listened for the subtle nuisances that differentiated the fussy from the serious. 

“Aside from the fact we’ve had two blowouts in about as many hours, everything’s peachy.” Was Kate’s slightly terse reply and he couldn’t help but grin in amusement having already been on the receiving end of an explosive diaper once already.

It soon became clear the that the cry he was hearing was a ‘you’ve dunked me in the bath twice today and now I’m royally pissed’ kind of cry. Bath times had been categorised as a ‘daddy task’ early on given how much of a fuss Alexis made being at submerged in a tub full of soothing warm water and, obviously, the experience was much more bearable when you had your favourite person on hand to get you through it. 

“Listen, um, could you stop at the drugstore on your way home?”

“What do you need?” He asked, thinking that she might be out of diapers or wipes given the unfortunate morning she’d had but what she actually asked for was so unexpected that it stunned him to silence. 

“Nipple what?” He eventually blurted when his brain finally caught up with her request. 

“Nipple cream. Between you and your continually ravenous daughter, my nipples could guide Santa’s sleigh right now.”

“Christ Almighty Kate.” He mumbled, trying desperately to look anywhere other than Trudy who had, thus far, remained blessedly albeit suspiciously silent. 

Of course he knew the toll breastfeeding was taking on her body and, admittedly, his obsession with her chest hadn’t waned since she’d given birth so stopping to pick up some products that would ease her discomfort felt like the least he could do. 

“It’s in a pink jar.” She continued, entirely oblivious to that fact that she was on loud speaker and he was, unfortunately, not alone. “You know the one, it’s next to the lube on the nightstand.”

‘Oh sweet Jesus.’

Never before had he wanted the ground to open up and swallow him more than he did in that very moment. Grinding out a few words of acquiescence, he jabbed his index finger at the button on the steering wheel and cancelled the call as quickly as he could, the car suddenly falling completely silent. 

For a few painfully long moments, neither of them said a word. Hank idly wondered if she’d just let it slide but he had known Trudy for far too long to even begin hoping that he’d get a free pass on something this embarrassing! Typically Hank was a man who valued his privacy but Trudy was one of the very few individuals who had enough dirt on him to fill a damn canyon. 

“Ya know, I’ve known you over thirty years and yet I feel like I’ve learned more about you in the last thirty seconds-”

Hank scrubbed a hand over his face with a groan of utter mortification, resigning himself to the fact that it was probably going to cost him a fortune in favours, scotch and candy to buy her silence on this one.

“I’m beggin’ you Trudy...please, let’s just...never speak of this again.”

He shot her his best pleading expression but he instantly knew it was a lost cause when she levelled him with a look that very clearly said she’d be filing this particular incident away for future use. 

“Oh, not a chance.” She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest with what could only be described as a shit-eating grin plastered across her face. 

His fiancé owed him, big time. 

#hank voight #chicago pd #hank voight fluff #hank voight imagine #hank voight x ofc #hank voight fanfiction #fluff #writer #prompt #fanfiction #trudy platt is my queen #trudy platt #one chicago

[constantvariations]

It's kinda funny to me that so many people are up in arms about Neo's actions in C8 when it's easy for me to dismiss simply because that ain't Neo, yknow?

Like, Neo has never pussyfoot around murder. If she wants you dead, you gonna get dead. From Neo about to stab Yang while the latter is unconscious to Neo and Ruby falling through the void while Neo uses the visuals of Ruby's loved ones to try and weaken her enough for Neo to strangle her to death, Neo has always been fairly direct in her methods

So, it's difficult to reconcile that version of Neo with the one who would passively let her target take themselves out

Not to mention the semblance shift. Neo's semblance, Overactive Imagination, is illusions manifested via semblance glass. They shatter upon contact. Because they're illusions

That's the biggest deal breaker for me. Crwby changed her semblance so much she might as well be a whole ass other person. Fuck, it could've been an Afteran. It's not like Neo was needed here, especially with how easily she was discarded

Instead of illusions, Neo's new abilities seem to be... animorphing people/creatures she may or may not have met via semblance clones and allowing them sentience

Mcfucking what???

The point of illusions is they're not physical. It's not an actual transformation, but rather the aesthetic of one. This could have worked if they kept the semblance evolution to multiple illusions at once OR allowing physical transformation, either of which would have been super cool to see, but they pushed too far. There's too many upgrades that deviate so much from the original ability that it's a whole ass new power

So, immediately on her introduction, the og Jabber is killed(?) and in its place is... multiple Neo-Jabbers. Who can eat other creatures alive. And apparently desire to do so

McFUCJING WHAT

This implies that all her semblance clones of others have their own sentience. Which would never make sense when she never interacted with anyone in that torture scene besides Roman. Seriously why the fuck is Lionheart here? Give us nothing, king

Now, given that we are shown the stream of souls, what could have happened is the illusions were possessed by folks who needed to get a last word in, but that's not. what. happened.

Instead, we have the writers disregarding a character's inability to speak so they can brutalize a teenager in the stupidest way possible, and throwing away all logic of a fairly easy to understand power because it suits their plot needs

Riveting

#rwde #idk its hard for me to actually hate anyone in this show besides jaune bc of the writing #and jaune specifically BECAUSE of the writing #neo deserved so much better than this storyline bb i am so sorry you ended up in this dumpster fire #but honestly the fucking semblance evolution thing is absolute bullshit plot convenience and this is its peak #neo gets like. 3 fucking upgrades to her semblance because *checks notes* she was betrayed by a bitch she knew was unstable/ untrustworthy #fan fucking tastic #whats even the point of having a pre established villain if you're gonna switch them out last minute anyway??? #idk its always silly to me when people stretch a character's influence beyond writer capabilities #like 'urgh oz is evil because uhhh politicians in other countries suck' #like babe. youre putting way more thought into this than the writers who couldn't come up w a more evil oz than 'bird twins' #the energy is wasted #at that point write your own damn story bc its clearly more interesting than anything crwby can come up w #i have more thoughts but i need to sleep or else my next 12 hr shift is going to drag my spine through an apple orchard so peace lol

[damnedrainbows]

" Sera, I need you to tell me the truth. Don't....don't bullshit me for once, please...

Am....Am I mistake? Do you guys....regret making me?"

( Here have some angst c8)

Sera’s fingers stall around the papers she was holding, shuffling, and now crumpling in distress at the sudden question. Her gaze falls, forlorn on the angel. First man, but in moments like these reminds her of a child that he tragically was never even permitted to be.

“I regret what you have become,” she tells him honestly, putting the scrolls aside and coming forward. “I resent many of your actions, and regret ever listening to you about certain matters.” Humanity was the children of Adam, but the first humans…are the children of her.

“I don’t regret making you. You are the first life we breathed into the garden.”

#oh wow no foreplay or anything just gonna FUCK me in the heart /j #i love it #(sera) #lettherebemonsters

[vividracing]

New Post has been published on https://www.vividracing.com/blog/vrp-x-tfl-italy-new-exhaust-line-released-for-european-cars/

VRP x TFL Italy New Exhaust Line Released for European Cars

VR Performance (“also known as VRP”) has partnered with TFL Italy to release a series of high quality performance exhaust systems for popular European vehicles such as Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Audi. Each VRP system from TFL is hand built to order in their factory near the heart of Italian horsepower in Modena. Instead of just another company building exhausts off factory jigs, TFL Italy creates each system from the ground up. Having the car in their R&D facility, each vehicle gets 3D scanned to design the system for the best flow and function. Once completed a prototype is built to test the most important aspect for any exhaust buyer which is the sound. The exhaust systems feature high quality TIG welds, thick CNC machined flanges, and a laser engraved VR badge. Some exhausts are available in 304 Stainless Steel or highly sought after Iconel. The VRP x TFL exhaust systems are made to work with the factory valve functions and sensors that are on the vehicle. In addition to the exhaust systems that are generally catback or mufflers, competition race pipes and headers are also available for certain models.

Have a look at the entire collection of VRP x TFL exhaust systems available here.

Porsche – View Here

Porsche 992 Turbo | Turbo S

Porsche 992 Carrera

Porsche 992 GT3 | GT3RS

Porsche 991.2 Carrera | GTS

Porsche 997 Turbo

Porsche 718 GT4RS

Porsche 718 GT4

Porsche 997 Turbo

Ferrari – View Here

Ferrari F8 Tributo

Ferrari 360 

Ferrari F430

Ferrari 488

Ferrari 812

Ferrari California T

Lamborghini – View Here

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ

Lamborghini Aventador SV

Lamborghini Huracan

Lamborghini STO

Lamborghini URUS

Maserati – View Here

Maserati MC20

BMW – View Here

BMW M2 G87

BMW M3 M4 G80

BMW M2 F87

Audi – View Here

Audi RS6 | RS7 C8

Audi R8

#Audi #BMW #Ferrari #Lamborghini #Maserati #porsche #TFL Italy #VRP