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worldismyne · 1 year

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The Longest Sleepover Ch 10

Summary: The first year of school did not go as planned for Harv and he’s never felt more alone. That is, until a loud kid from the saga studies course decides they’re best friends now.

(Year 1 AU, Harv deals with homophobia, Finn is oblivious.)

Series: Warrior U

Pairing: HarvFinn

Rating: T

Ao3 Link

Harv woke up early that morning and left Finn curled up in his burrito of blankets. He needed time apart from Finn to sort out and bury his feelings. He ate his breakfast in silence, the morning sun casting the kitchen in a bleak grey light. He shouldn't wish for things just because they'd be convenient for himself, especially if it put his hosts in an awkward position. After he finished his meal, he stared at his empty plate like a man who'd committed someone to the grave. The occasional caw of a crow was hardly a comfort as he forced his heavy limbs to add the dishes to the pile in the sink.

"What's gotten into you?" Harv jumped at the sound of the witch's voice.

"Is there anything that needs to be done today?" Harv asked. "I'd like to get it done before Finn wakes up."

"See, now that's more like it!" Leenan collected her morning coffee. "I was starting to think you weren't really serious about the job." Harv's shoulders sagged a bit, still too tired to put on joyful airs. "There's a few potion ingredients I'm short on at the moment. Some of them can be picked from the garden, but one of them is... free range." She eyed the warrior's long hair suspiciously. "How flammable are you?"

Finn came downstairs after waking up to a cold bed and an empty room. It shouldn't have been so bothersome, after all he had spent most of his life waking up this way, but it was unsettling none the less. Harv had promised to wake him the next time he slept in, and yet here he was eating breakfast at mid-morning by himself. His mother, already dressed for the day, assured him nothing was wrong.

"Sweetheart, you can't expect him to be attached at your side every waking moment." Leenan chided.

"Why not?" Finn prodded his half-finished brioche. "It's not like he has anything better to do. Besides, he's still my guest. The whole point of him coming here was to spend time with each other." Leenan had always known her son craved other's approval more than she did. It was a phase every child went through. What concerned her was how quickly Finn was trying to rewrite the nature of his friendship with Harv. He usually only resorted to storytelling when something was bothering him. She took a seat across the table from him.

"It'd be a little difficult for him to find other things to do if you kept him busy, wouldn't it?" Leenan asked. Finn gritted his teeth and sloppily heaped a knife full of marmalade onto his bread.

"I'm not 'keeping him busy', I'm hanging out with my friend." He slammed the knife down. "Is it really so hard to believe that I finally have a real best friend that likes me? Best friends do things together all the time."

"...Not all the time dear." Leenan said.

"How would you know?" Finn dumped his scraps in the waste bin, his appetite lost. "You've never had a best friend."

"Finnegan!" Leenan stood up from the table. "You keep taking that tone with me, and you won't get to play with your friend at all today." She was only trying to help him, but the look he gave her was borderline scathing.

"You can't do that." Finn lingered in the doorway; his mother unwavering. "What we do is nobody else's business; not Beatus, or his dad and certainly not you. I thought you wanted me to be happy." Her expression softened a bit, even in the face of Finn's defensiveness. Others had tried to intervene already; he just didn't want to listen.

"I do want you to be happy."

"Then why is it so bizarre that I am?" Finn snapped back.

"I just don't think it's a good idea to pin all your happiness on one person." She said. The tension eased from his body, now feeling less attacked. It was still frustrating to hear over and over that people were worried about him when there should be nothing to worry about. "I don't like seeing you this anxious. Your friend should be able to run errands without you acting like he's abandoned you."

"I'm not-" Finn bit his lip. "It's not like that... I know I... I am anxious. It's just... I can count on one hand all the times I've seen him smile. It doesn't seem fair." Especially when he was saying things like Finn liked him more than he liked himself. He couldn't just force Harv to like him the way he did either, no matter how hard he'd tried. Knowing Harv had a tendency to try and run from his problems wasn't helping Finn feel more secure either. The best he could do was talk himself out of these anxious thought cycles. "I know he'll come back; I just wish I knew where he went."

"He just went outside." His mother sighed. "Maybe, instead of snapping at your poor mother, you could try asking."

"Sorry." Finn said. His mother hugged him, running her fingers through his hair, still a mess from sleep.

"And I don't think your friend would appreciate you assuming he's unhappy here." Finn nodded into her shoulder. It was hard for him to put into words in a way people would understand. It's not that he thought Harv hated being around him. He just wished Harv was as happy as he was when he was around. "Not everyone shouts joy from the rooftops like you do." It would just be easier if the people around him would stop saying that joy might go away.

He pulled away from his mother with a puzzled expression. Something was clucking outside, and the sound was getting closer. He cautiously entered the front room just as Harv opened the front door.

"Bwkaw!" A bright orange bird climbed from Harv's shoulder to his head. It danced on the top of his skull in a happy circle before settling for a good sit. The furs around Harv's shoulder were a little singed, but otherwise he seemed intact. A smoking beak started to comb through Harv's locs, looking for a good place to start cleaning.

"Hey now, what did I say about the grooming?" Harv said. He gently pushed the bird's head away from hair, only to be outmaneuvered again.

"...mother..." Finn said, catching Leenan the moment she set foot outside the room. "You neglected to mention he was running errands for you."

"Why should that matter?" Leenan shot back sheepishly. "Besides, it's for you too, you know we're almost out of Phoenix feathers. Now just wait right there, I'll get the tweezers." Harv had offered Finn a passing greeting, but otherwise had his handful trying to keep the affectionate bird from nesting on his head.

"Harvey, you didn't need to bring back the whole bird." Finn sighed.

"But it's so sweet, I didn't want to hurt it." Harv said. The dopey thing puffed up its chest with pride as its head flopped backwards against its own back. Thin waves of heat radiated off its feathers, as if a bird could blush.

"Get that thing off your head before you hurt yourself." Finn crossed the room, ideally looking for something to keep the fire bird at a safe distance.

"But it's harm-" The minute Finn made eye contact with the Phoenix he was engulfed in flames. Harv's hand shot up, closing the little beak barehanded. Finn coughed out a puff of smoke, his clothes ashed over and his bangs singed. "...less."

"To you, maybe," Finn dusted off his clothes with disgust, "but not us. And certainly not the furniture." He gasped, rushing to douse a small flaming throw pillow with leftover wine from the night before. He then had to smother the flame on the tile floor. The phoenix looked down on him smugly. "He's doing it on purpose."

"It's a she I think." Harv looked up at the preening bird.

"Even worse."

"Finn..." Harv couldn't help but be amused, even though Finn's face was pinched into a tight scowl. "Are you jealous of a bird?"

"NO!" Finn hurriedly tidied the mess the mystical creature made, his face flushed from embarrassment and the sting of a close flame. It shot off tiny flames when it laughed. If birds could laugh. "I'm not jealous, I just think wild animals should be outside!" Harv couldn't help but find the way Finn huffed afterward cute, even if the bard smelled of burnt lavender. "It's already set a couch on fire." A quick bite of the Phoenix's toes shook him out of his thoughts.

"Where's your mom?" Harv started wandering toward the study.

"Oh no you don't." Finn grabbed Harv's sleeve. "One spark and half of mother's work could explode." Again the bird tried to smother him in flames. "Take it outside!"

"Okay." Harv grabbed the bird by her chubby body and walked out as Finn held the door open. "Come on, we'll wait in the garden." Two sapphire eyes glinted at Finn over Harv's shoulder with pride.

Hours later, Harv was still getting caught up with chores. Finn had collected some biscuits and tea, ready to enjoy his gawking from the garden, but an orange speedbump was keeping him from setting foot outside.

"It's still out there." Finn grumbled as he leered out the kitchen window. The tailless Phoenix would follow Harv around like a little duck, but was always quick to rush to the back porch if Finn so much touched the handle. "Evil little thing."

"I think it's quite handy." Leenan laughed as she stole a biscuit from Finn's tray. "Imagine how much easier it'll be having one in our front yard instead of hunting it down every year?"

"Mother, don't even joke about that." Finn said. "Think of your roses."

"My roses will be fine." Leenan shook her head. "You can see him cleaning out the shed just fine from the window." Finn let out an aggravated sigh. "It's not like you were planning to help him." Finn mumbled a few incoherent complaints. His tea had gone cold, and Harv had barely talked to him all day. It was his first time wearing his new clothes too, and all Finn could catch were glimpses through the dirty glass.

"I'm going to try the north balcony." Finn picked up his tray and marched out the kitchen, much to his mother's growing concern. She had no problem setting up wards to keep magical pests out, not that her son had seriously tried asking for one. Rather he seemed quite focused on getting the best view of, in her opinion, just some guy doing ordinary things. Finn, who'd complain any time she kept the crystal ball focused on a rival garden for too long because it was 'too boring'. While she had her suspicions as to the cause of her son's change in behavior, she couldn't fathom why. At this point, she was a little afraid to ask.

It had been difficult for the bards to find rehearsal space. While all three had played for a live audience before, few people liked hearing the same half-finished songs ad nauseam. Shad and Beatus's hostel room was too cramped, and Finn detested playing outside if he could help it. If Harv was watching, he wanted everything to be perfect, even if it was the first time the three had played together in months.

Finn had reluctantly pointed them in the direction to his mother's shed. It was far enough from grass for Finn to feel comfortable with leaving his harp oil out and far enough from the house to avoid any magical artifacts. Mother's things had a habit of ending up in the wrong hands when visitors were left unattended. Harv's doe-eyed Phoenix had thankfully given up for the evening, waddling back to her nest with a heavy heart, and allowing Finn to finally go into his own backyard again.

The interior of the shed was dusty with plenty of standing room. Chairs from the patio had been cleaned off and brought in for them to use along with some dated linens. Sunlight fought through years of dirt to illuminate the wooden interior. With more time, they could have set up lights or some kind of drapery, but Shad hadn't given them prior notice their original space wouldn't work out.

They still couldn't agree on a name, and Finn was the first to propose playing first and worrying about the name at a later date. The group stumbled through Shad's first choice for a song. Each sour note causing Finn to glance up nervously at their audience of one. It wasn't like he never played for someone before. He'd done plenty of concerts for the palace in the past, but he'd never played this badly in front of someone before. Shad was off rhythm and he suspected Beatus was putting minimal effort as a form of protest over the song choice. He always hated playing anything with lyrics.

"Man, you're really off today Finn." Shad shook his head.

"Can we just play it through once today." Finn shifted uncomfortably at the feeling of blue eyes on his back. "We can worry about everyone's notes at a later date."

"I wouldn't be a very good friend if I let you keep playing badly." Shad said with a wry smile. The blond flushed, fists clenched tight around the frame of his harp. They were all accomplished musicians, anything they played together casually would sound fine. Not perfect, but fine. "What's the rush?" The rush was sitting five feet away from them, picking at his nails because they couldn't get four bars in without stopping. Finn would sooner eat his belt than admit that in front of everyone.

"I have to sleep sometime." Beatus said. "We all do." Finn thanked his lucky stars that for once Beatus was being a pain in his favor, rather than against. Shad shrugged, washing his hands of the other's performance and promised to hold his tongue until the end.

Finn started them off with a few plucky notes, finding the beat set by the drums. He let muscle memory take over, glancing up to catch Harv's full attention. While the warrior was tired, he offered a shy smile, only to cover it up with his hand. He couldn't mask the crescent creases above his cheekbones, and then Finn heard the bum note he played from getting distracted. Shad clicked his tongue, but said nothing. Finn spent the rest of the song struggling to fall back into the music with flushed cheeks.

Once the group started playing, Harv could relax a little, knowing that it was more appropriate for him to watch them when they were actively performing. Watching people perform was a perfectly normal thing to do. No one would blame him for watching the member he knew the best out of the group the most. It just so happened that Finn made the most interesting faces while he played and had taken his gloves off for once, all things that anyone who knew him would notice. From what he could tell, things were proceeding exactly how most rehearsals go. The other bards acted like it was business as usual and Harv applauded himself on how perfectly normal he was being about watching his cute friend get frustrated over playing the wrong note.

#warrior u #harvfinn #little finnharv things #fanfic

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netherworldpost · 2 years

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I just wanted to say I love how much fun you’re having with your blog and self expression. I’m going through a quarter life crisis at the moment and the people around me in my real life keep acting the second I got passed 25 my life was basically over, I’m passed my prime, and all my passions are basically dead except if I want to take up train watching or quarter collecting. I’ve even been told “it’s 1 to 25, then 26 to the grave.” Seeing you being so much older then me yet still having so much fun with weird creativity gives me so much hope for the future, that my own aspirations and projects didn’t die on the vine the second I aged passed 25. Keep on being you and thank you so much with sharing with the rest of us.

At 25, I was about halfway through grad school -- maybe a bit further, but we'll go with "still in grad school" because it helps frame everything.

The following is an incomplete, not exaggerated list of things bad and good that have happened in the intervening years. I admit it pains me to not exaggerate but in the interest of being helpful, it feels necessary:

I do reserve the right to put things out of order because otherwise I'll spend 10 hours assembling a timeline and Fang will throttle me.

I want you know, and I mean this with the entirety of my soul, if you only read this and not the list: life is long.

People talking about life ending after a certain age are trying to sell you something (a product or service or a worldview or some combination).

Or they are just fucking boring people who gave up before their number was punched. I'm not sure which is more frustrating, though I've discovered I do not have the emotional range to help, so I wish them well and move on as I have not given up.

People who say things like "your body begins falling apart at a certain age" have valid points (I can't eat like I did at 25, my legs aren't what they used to be) -- AND not BUT -- there are methods and equipment and exercises that can mitigate.

I can't eat the fried monstrosities at diners like I did at 25 but hell I enjoy the taste of food more, I've broadened my palette. I enjoy a million more foods than I used to.

Sitting at a chair for 12 hours at a time hurts my back now, so I saved up coins to get a better chair and learned stretches.

etc.

This is under a "keep reading" because even for an atty post it is... long. TW: alcohol, food

Moved across the country. Got a lot of tattoos. Solo trip to Salem, MA during a hurricane, staying at a haunted bed and breakfast, taking cemetery photos in said hurricane. Tattoo on said trip.

Meeting a client at a... we'll go with a bar. Wrong train station. See tattoo parlor. "I have a good idea for a story to tell client why I'm running late!"

Producer on 3 plays. These plays were of the barroom variety so they weren't exactly Broadway level but they were intensely enjoyable.

I've drawn approximately ten billion ghosts and monsters and robots. Started a design firm. Sold said design firm to the folks I was employing to go consulting. Stopped consulting because oh wow I was not having a good time.

Went to New York City on a whim to catch a client's attention but ended up helping him break up with his girlfriend of [I was very intoxicated because the deal was falling apart so I didn't catch the years] so he could move to China. Inadvertently spent a very long, weird, rambling night with someone who I couldn't understand because we had conflicting accents.

Professional ups (made a lot of money, made others a LOT of money). Professional downs (spent a LOT of money). Commissioned paintings of witches and ghosts and portraits on cardboard and wood and digitally and paper. Just straight up bought a lot of art.

"Babe are we sure we are straight?" self to self talk

"Babe are we sure we're a guy?" self to self talk

Hair (obviously) now fabulous. Realized the exquisite comfort of a really good, deep tissue back massage by a trained professional (life alteringly good). Took a date to Paris. Took a date to Jamaica. Took a date to a lot of places. Took myself to a lot of places. Dinner alone, movies alone, several hour walks alone.

So many jobs. To be fair I was a freelancer, so that comes with the territory.

Hired people. Fired people. Built departments from 0 people to 3+ and growing upwards as I left (ah consulting).

Took a pinup class (hair, makeup, wardrobe). Assisted launching an indie lingerie design company. Helped them grow.

Helped a lot of businesses grow.

Heartbreak. Love. Lots of both. Learning to say "no" and mean it. Learning to say "yes" and enjoy what is offered.

Fell in love with: people, reading about mushrooms, learning how Christmas tree farms work despite having no ability/desire to make a Christmas tree farm, the mechanics of folklore, the post office.

Incredibly incomplete foods I have tried (most I love): strawberries, blueberries, pumpkin pie, apple pie, cherries, pizza, salsa, chicken tikka masala, rye bread, pickles, banana bread, healthy cereal, tater tots, deviled eggs, mayonnaise, sea urchin, onion rings. Onion rings? I can't remember, that may have been early 20s. So much scotch. Just ridiculous amounts. Worth noting, very enjoyable.

Made a lot of art. So much art. Learned to write stories I wanted to see. Wrote so many stories. Launched my dream project. Closed my dream project. Came up with a new dream project.

So many shows (tv, cartoons, in person, sometimes me watching, sometimes me participating, sometimes me funding).

Experimented with photography and drawing and painting and calligraphy and sewing and woodworking and sculpture.

The list goes on because I go on.

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sirisuorionblack · 3 years

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One Spanish latte

Sirius Black x Reader

Summary - The one time where (Y/N) was soo naïve and got an internship, and that led to three roommates and that led to one love. (Muggle AU)

Warnings - None.

"Gods," I groaned, taking hold of my best friend - Angelina's arm, "It's so cold,"

"Yeah," she shivered, pulling her coat tighter, "but it's your fault, I told you to get a better jacket!"

"And I told you this is the best I have,"

"OK, you two," my other best friend - Lily intervened, "Look at Jane she is going to make a fool of herself"

We, ten 17-year-olds with two teachers had come to London for an internship at the Black Industries.

"Lily! She is not making a fool of herself she is making a fool of us all!" I exclaimed as I watched her catch fight with a group of boys whom she initially intended to flirt with.

"OK, imma head there and solve it, that's too embarrassing to watch," I said and the two girls beside me rolled their eyes.

I dived before Jane and a boy who was the most annoyed by her, he had shoulder-length luscious hair, sharp jaws, high cheekbones and striking grey eyes overall this guy was the definition of handsome. No wonder why she started to flirt.

"Um, uh," I coughed, breaking myself from the trance as well as what seems to be him too. I glanced at her best friend silently demanding her to contain her friend.

"Uh, I am really sorry for that," I managed to stutter out, feeling slightly intimidated.

"Well, just tell your friend not to do something like...this always," said a boy, with hazel eyes, messy raven black hair as if it could never be tamed and round glasses.

Feeling embarrassed I looked away before the grey-eyed boy who was still staring at me said, "It's alright, mate,"

He then outstretched his hand "My name is Sirius, nice meeting you,"

My eyes wide at his introduction, "Hello, uh, Sirius,"

He smirked, "And you are?" Not wanting to tell him my name, I find the situation rather too awkward for my comfort zone. Before I could answer him one of my teachers had called me, "(Y/N) come on fast!"

He smirked as I pursed my lips, throwing him one last glance, I rushed to the other side.

That was 3 weeks before, now including both of my best friends and I had gotten the internship in the Black Industries, today was the last day our teachers and classmates would be here before they had to leave back home. With one final trip to the coffee shop, they were off to their home.

Once we had settled down in the far corner, the waiter had come to take our order. I was shocked would be an understatement when I saw the same handsome boy - Sirius - I had a run-in with. He had a smirk on his face as he saw my shocked face and asked for the order.

"And for you, ma'am?" He finally asked me, the smirk still present on his face; though he never took his eyes off the notepad I had a deep intuition that he knew I was staring.

"Uh, um," I cleared my throat, "one tall iced caramel macchiato,"

He noted looking back at me and winked, "Coming right back,"

He walked back with a slight jump in his steps and as he went behind the counter I could see him whispering to the bespectacled boy that I had seen other day and another one - tuft brown curls, warm hazel eyes, a scar running down his face and we could classify him as cute but definitely not my type.

A nudge to my arm woke me up from my trance, "What are you doing, (N/N)?" Angelina asked, a smirk in her face.

"Shut it," I grumbled.

"So where are your dorms?" One of my teachers asked.

"What?" I asked puzzled, "Dorms?"

"Yes, the Black Industries provide you dorms. But you said you didn't want it though,"

"What!?" I asked annoyed and angry, "I was never even informed about dorms!"

"Yes, we had informed you, giving a form for you to fill and you said you didn't want,"

I had a snicker from the other side of the table, "Jane!? You did it, didn't you!?"

She had a smirk on her face as I looked away exasperated, "Oh my goodness,"

I stood up, the anger shooting up to my head but Angelina knowing me better than myself pushed me away from the table and muttered, "Its OK. Don't give in, that's what she wants."

"Well, I have no roof over my head now and that because of her,"

"They won’t compensate for it now besides if you do anything now, you have a maximum chance of losing the internship,"

I groaned and walked to the counter trying to calm myself down and forget the fact I am basically homeless now, "Um, hey," I called out to Sirius who seemed to be the only other person there along with the cute boy.

His eyes widened, "Yes?"

"Can I change my order?"

"What? Uh yeah. What do u want?"

"One Spanish latte,"

"Hot or cold?"

"Hot,"

He passed the order to the guy next to him - Remus, after I had seen his badge - who had grumbled something under his breath and left inside.

"What happened?"

"Huh?"

"You know, you look kinda mad,"

I scoffed, "oh, do I now?"

"I mean," he shrugged, "You look hot when you're mad"

"Woah! That's a big step to take,"

He shrugged once again, "Anyways, is everything alright there?"

"Nah, I actually got an internship and they allot us dorms if we want and some random girl meddled in my business and now I am homeless,"

He chuckled and I glared at him. "Dude, it's not funny,"

He put his hands up in the air, mocking surrender, "You could share your friends' dorms,"

"No, their dorms are full," I groaned looking away, "These people, gods!"

"Um," Sirius glanced at the other boy (James - from the badge again) a conversation sparking with their eyes and then he slid a visiting card across the counter, "you can call that number, perhaps you can get a room,"

"Thanks," I looked at the card and then back at him, "Thank you very much,"

"Uh, if you don't mind me asking, where are you doing the internship?"

Taking the coffee in my hands, and shooting Remus a grateful look, I turned back to Sirius, "Black Industries"

His eyes widened and he choked on nothing while James had burst out laughing behind him.

"This will be your room from now on and remember no exchange!" The house owner had warned strictly before rushing away.

Looking at the path he disappeared with wide eyes and a frown, I turned around fumbling in my bag trying to find the keys though before I could even fetch out my keys the door unlocked automatically...by someone in!

"Sirius!?" I exclaimed, staring at his "innocent" demeanor.

"You remember me!" He grinned, throwing an arm around me and dragging me inside the flat, "I am really sorry but you have to share a room with us,"

"First of all - Us!?! Is there more of you," I asked.

"Yes!" A chorus was heard, making me jump as I turned to see Remus and James.

"We live here too," said James.

Remus outstretched his hand waiting for me to shake it, "Welcome," he said calmly.

"What the hell!? Are you kidding me!? You lot could be criminals for all I know!"

Sirius gasped dramatically, "how can you!?" He moved to stand in front of me, his hands stretched beneath his chin, "do I look like a criminal?"

I couldn't help but let out a small giggle and nod, “but I still am not gonna stay with the three of you!”

“Oh come on!” Sirius said, as he moved behind me, taking hold of my shoulders as he whispered in the tone of villains trying to manipulate, “something is better than nothing,”

And lets just say he was good at that, “Fine, but promise me, no funny business,”

“We promise!”

Did I know in the tiniest bit that we would become thick friends something similar to what I had between my best friends yet there was a small gap between Sirius and me; the relation between the two of us was different from that I shared with James and Remus, something that I couldn't identify, something that included longing stares, lots of forehead kisses, a huge variety of nicknames and hugs lasting longer than normal friends but I still didn't know Sirius' last name, he never allowed me to see it either.

"Love!" Sirius hollered from the kitchen, "(Y/N)! Come here fast!"

"Oh my gods! Yeah! C 'mere!" Remus's voice joined.

"What happened!?" I asked frantically, running into the room only to see the pan on the stove on fire, Sirius holding a jug of water and about to pour.

"No! Don't do it!"

It all happened in a slow-motion, he poured the water on the burning pan and the fire grew, hitting the ceiling and burning it.

"Oh, my gods!" I exclaimed, running a hand through my hair and rushing to the kitchen.

"Dude..." I breathed, turning to look at Sirius, "What the-?"

I chuckled, "You are useless at kitchen, idiot,"

I didn't notice how rapidly his smile slipped, and his breath quickened, what I noticed was however the way he sprinted to his room as if hiding something.

I stared after him not knowing what I did wrong, 'idiot' was something I used in a normal instance. I turned to look at Remus, my eyes blown wide, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Uh," he looked around confused, "You kinda did, but it's alright, I will take care,"

"What did I do wrong?" I asked, afraid I had made a grave mistake.

"No, nothing, actually," he said, quickly wrapping an arm around me and rushing back into Sirius' room.

A week later things were back to normal (as normal as it could become) my friends were coming to our home. Yeah, that's what this was, my home.

A knock on the door alerted their arrival. I smirked at Remus, "She is here,"

Remus pursed his lips a light blush on his cheek, "shut up" he grumbled, walking to the door.

"Ooh," James cooed, "Eager are we?"

You see, Remus has quite developed a crush on my best friend Angelina but as everyone does, he denied it.

After the exchange of greetings and loads of chat later, we resigned to the couch in front of the TV with pizzas and cokes.

"What movie do you guys want?" I asked. The rest of the people in the room started going on with the suggestions, denying for almost everything until, "Fault in our stars," James, I scrunched my eyebrows looking at him before he glanced at Remus and Angelina. My mouth formed an 'o' shape as he grinned.

Squeezing the two of them together on the couch I sat next to Sirius who had an arm draped around the back of the couch which looked more like around my shoulder.

The movie - well, had gone...good. But the plan, it was sailing in the right path with such a speed. Within minutes into the movie, Remus's arm was around Angelina's shoulder, her head leaning on his shoulder.

I turned around to look at Sirius, who seemed to be watching the same scene beside me and as I turned our faces were so close my nose was almost touching his. He stared into my eyes, my breath quickened as we slowly leaned in before the door bell rang loudly startling the both of us and pulling away with bright red cheeks.

Sirius groaned lightly standing up and walking to the door and opening it. There was a courier at 11 PM. Sirius' eyes widened looking at the man before him and as I noticed closely it had the logo of the Black Industries.

"Mr Black," the man nodded as my breath hitched and Sirius shot me a worried glance before turning back to the courier, "Your mother asked to deliver this,"

Sirius' breath once again came ragged as he took the parcel in his hands and closed the door.

I stared at him dumbfounded as he looked back at me, his grey orbs holding an almost fear. I cocked my head to the side, "Mr Black?"

He looked away, fiddling with the parcel in his arms. With a few long strides, I was in front of him, "You are a Black?" I asked again.

He shook his head, "I was a Black," he chuckled without any humour in it, "I am disowned,"

My shoulders dropped. He was disowned. Repeated in my head. I had missed such a major part of his life. I took hold of his hand, gently guiding him to my room and shutting the door, not caring about how disrespectful it was to my friends but they would understand and this was way more important to me.

He sat on my bed, the parcel still in his hands. I moved to kneel before him, taking away the parcel and keeping it on the bedside table and encased his hands into mine, "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked gently.

Sirius' bottom lip quivered as he looked around my room, trying not to let the tears in his eyes fall. It broke my heart, the always cheerful Sirius was now looking so vulnerable. I let out a ragged breath, placing my hand on his cheek and swiping my thumb below his eyes.

"She disowned me, my sweet old mother. Said I was a disappointment, useless traitor, betrayed the family name for being friends with "common people" as she likes to call. I didn't make any mistakes. I just wanted to be free, I just wanted a family that will love me; not order me. I was scared, love, I was scared that if I told you, would start hating me or even worse...leave me an-and decide you don't wanna be friends with me."

By now tears were cascading his cheek like a waterfall and stung my eyes.

"No, no, no, Sirius, I would never leave you," I said, furiously wiping my tears and pulling him into my arms, "I could never leave you, Sirius, I swear. I love you,"

He pulled away, "Huh? You love me...?"

I nodded rapidly, placing a long kiss to his forehead, "I love you,"

He wiped his tears and beamed at me and chuckled excited, repeating, "You love me, she loves me," to himself. He repeated that so often that it was painful to even hear.

So, I smashed my lips against his, shutting him up and the force pushing both of us onto the bed. He kissed me back with the same amount of passion. Smoke and lemon mixing with strawberry and creating a new taste, sending us to a state of pure bliss.

I pulled away, still laying on top of him, both our lips swelled from the kiss and wide grins.

Sirius turned us around so that he was hovering above me, my hands on his chest and his forearms resting on the bed holding him upright. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ears, "I love you too," he muttered before crashing his lips onto mine once again.

#sirius black x reader #marauders #sirius orion black #sirius x reader #sirius black x y/n #sirius black x you #Remus lupin x platonic!reader #James Potter x platonic!reader #Remus lupin x OC #sirius black

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dreaming-of-the-end · 3 years

Text

In Another Life: Percy x Annabeth

A/N: I want comments more than some sick sunglasses! Sierra went and enabled me!! I hope you’re prepared for the consequences!! (Ask game 50: kisses with their last dying breath)

Summary: They will meet again, in another life. They’ll find a way.

TW: death, blood, wound, grief, fire/smoke, tell me if I should add more!

Taglist: @real-smooth @completekeefitztrash @sovereign-of-the-skittles @rune-and-rising @venecs @lavender-and-rainy-days @chasteliac @confuzzilinh @in-a-fever-dream @stardustanddaffodils @a-harmless-poison

Tell me if you want to be added or removed from my taglist!

Percy was well accustomed to loss.

He was used to the numbness that accompanied death, the frozen world around him, the blisters on his hands that bloomed from digging the endless graves.

He was versed in the tears that would slip down his face as the burial shroud burned, in the thick smoke and flames that rose to the sky. Sometimes, there was a rumbling in the skies, and rain. Perhaps a random animal watched from the shadows or wove around a demigod’s body one last time.

Yes, Percy knew exactly what would happen when someone he knew drew their last breath, when those he loved, those he couldn’t shield collapsed in a heap.

He comforted others. He cried his tears. He went on with his life, because what else was there to do? He thought he was prepared for death, resigned to it, for the last whispering breath exiting a friend’s lungs and the screams and sobs, the rising flames.

Turned out he wasn’t completely ready for death. Not hers. Never hers.

And yet it seemed he didn’t have a choice in the matter. He never had a choice in anything.

And no matter how much he screamed to the gods to save her, he still had to be satisfied with the owl that swooped from the sky to land on his arm and allowed him to stroke its head.

It wasn’t enough. It could never be enough. He could never be enough.

…

Annabeth could hardly walk, but she gritted her teeth as she forced her legs to keep moving. Her arm wrapped around her stomach, putting pressure on her wound, and the other one held her knife in a weakening grip.

Her ankle collapsed under her as she tried to take another step, and she fell to one knee. Her knee hardly burned with the bruise that would be forming if she survived, as if her nerves were already overworked.

An arm wrapped around her waist, hoisting her up, and Annabeth’s breath escaped her in a gasp as she managed to stay upright. A tear leaked out of her eye, but she couldn’t wipe it away.

“Come on,” his voice urged desperately, and she swallowed hard as a sob escaped her throat. “Come on, Wise Girl, don’t give up on me now.”

His voice cracked on the last word.

She was going to tease him mercilessly for that when she was healed. If she was healed.

By the way her legs were collapsing under her with each step, that possibility was growing slimmer with each moment.

“Just a little longer,” Percy pleaded, but she knew he wasn’t talking to her anymore. This was for the gods.

But they wouldn’t intervene. They never did.

Not for Thalia, not for Silena, not for Luke, not for Jason or Michael or the countless others she’d lost. The best they would ever do was sending a sign down to the funeral pyre.

Perhaps Athena would send an owl for her.

“Stop it,” Percy ordered, as if he could sense her giving up. “Please.”

His words dissolved into the blood puddling beneath their shuffling steps. She took a deep breath to tell him what she needed to, but a cough racked her instead.

Blood flecked her lips, and she tightened the arm around her waist to hold in the blood spilling out of her.

“Hey,” she whispered, and Percy sagged against her as he recognized her tone.

He’d heard it many times before. They both had. The exhaustion. The resignation. The fear.

Percy gently set her down, and she didn’t bother hiding her flinch as her body connected with the ground, sending a shockwave through her wound.

“Sorry, Seaweed Brain,” she whispered, and he closed his eyes as if he was the one in pain.

“Please don’t go,” he begged, opening his eyes as he laid her head on his lap. “Don’t leave me.”

He traced the back of his hand down her cheek, and she blinked slowly. He cupped her face in his palm, and a smile traced her lips. It almost hid the terror in her eyes.

“Stay with me,” he tried hopelessly, his voice breaking. A tear splashed from his eye as he blinked, trickling down Annabeth’s forehead. “Annabeth…”

“I want to tell you it’ll be okay, that it’s my time, and I’m not scared,” Annabeth rasped slowly, and a sob shook Percy’s shoulders. “But that would be a lie.”

She was fearless. She was brave. She was invincible.

She was dying in his arms.

“I know,” Percy murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to her hair. He gently rested their foreheads together. “I know. I’m sorry.”

He didn’t tell her she would be going to Elysium, because she already knew that.

He didn’t tell her that he would get through this. He didn’t tell her it would be over soon.

She didn’t need any lies right now.

“I’ll see you again,” Annabeth breathed, and Percy blinked hard as he nodded. “I will find you. Whatever happens.”

They’d talked about this, come to a conclusion.

“I’ll wait for you,” she promised. “We’ll go together.”

They would go to the Lethe together.

Become new people together.

And maybe, just maybe… they could find each other again. In another life.

Percy kissed her one last time, and her eyes dulled, stormy gray losing their spark.

“Together,” he said softly. “We’ll be together again. I swear it on the River Styx.”

There was no one to hear his oath but the gods, and thunder rumbles above them.

…

Sometimes when the pressure became too much, he swam down into the ocean to scream.

To scream, and scream, until his throat was ravaged and raw and broken.

To cry and cry and cry where no one could hear him besides his father. But Poseidon knew better than to bother him. He, too, was well experienced with grief.

“Your fatal flaw is loyalty. You will sacrifice the world for your friends,” Percy remembered Athena saying.

But what happened when he couldn’t save those he loved?

Percy thought he might just let the world burn.

There would be others left to extinguish the flames.

…

“Hey,” the blonde girl said distractedly, sparing him a single glance with her stormy gray eyes. They sparked in the light, and he found himself studying them curiously. “Can I help you with something, or are you just gonna stand there?”

He grinned, brushing dark hair out of his eyes as he leaned against the girl’s desk. “Would you want to get some coffee sometime? Or lunch?”

She glanced up at that, and he swallowed hard at the steely look in her eyes, as if she were preparing for a battle as she scanned his features. She looked like she was struggling to put something together in her mind, to order what she didn’t know into a neat equation. But something in her face relaxed, and she nodded. “Sure.”

And something in her voice was strangely familiar as she added, “Maybe we can check out a museum or something.”

He wasn’t usually particularly interested in checking out a museum, but something in him made him say, “Sounds good.”

And when she shot him a surprised and satisfied smile, he knew he made the right choice.

#hee hee!#summer's writing #percabeth #percy jackson #annabeth chase #percy x annabeth #angst with a happy ending #death tw #fighting tw #soulmates??? ???#rrverse #riordanverse #pjo #percy jackson and the olympians #heroes of olympus #some kind of au

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alyssaallyrion · 3 years

Text

Hard hearts and rocks and thorns. (aka InoDei arranged marriage AU)

Chapter 1

ao3 link

It dawned cold and clear on the day Ino’s fate was sealed.

She should have known that something was amiss when she saw three ANBU members outside her family’s home. Given her father’s station in the village, it was not unusual for one or two ANBU to appear to summon him to the Hokage, but never three. Exhausted from the night shift at the hospital, Ino doesn’t dwell on it for long. Moving past them, she pushes the house’s front door open and heads up the stairs to her room.

Turning on the sink, Ino takes a deep, shaky breath and submerges her hands under the cold stream. She’d washed her hands before leaving the hospital, but somehow there’s still blood under her nails, and Ino scrubs them clean until her skin feels raw. Ino looks into the mirror and sighs, noticing her sullen cheeks and deep circles under her eyes. Due to her long shifts at the hospital, it’s been more than a week since she’s gotten a good night’s sleep.

But now is not the time to worry about her appearance.

Old hurt ran deep, and Konoha was on the brink of war with Iwa, yet again. Tension growing over the years finally came to a head, resulting in endless skirmishes at the country’s border. Konoha’s hospital was overwhelmed by the shinobi injured in the conflict, making all medical-nin, including Ino, work day and night to save lives.

And that still wasn’t enough – so many died due to the lack of resources.

Lost in her thoughts, Ino doesn’t hear her mother enter the room.

“Your father is expecting you in the meeting hall,” she tells Ino.

Remembering the ANBU she saw outside the house, Ino frowns, turning to her mother, “Is something wrong?”

“You should go now,” her mother simply says.

Worry rises in Ino’s chest, but she does as she’s told. There are two ANBU stationed outside of the meeting hall, and her heart sinks - something is undoubtedly wrong.

Pushing the door open, Ino sees all the elders of the clan seated at the table with her father at the head. To his right hand sits the Rokudaime himself, looking more haggard than ever before. Quietly slipping into the room, Ino walks up to the table and takes her seat at her father’s left hand. Glancing at her father’s face, she knows that whatever brought the Hokage to their house must be serious – there is unusual, cold stillness in his gaze that she had only seen in the times of crisis.

She’s across from the Rokudaime now, but as she looks at him, he doesn’t meet her eyes. The silence stretches, and Ino feels her heart flutter nervously in her chest.

“Rokudaime-sama,” Inoichi says, “Everyone is here.”

His voice seems to bring Kakashi out of his thoughts.

“Right,” Kakashi says, then pauses, clearing his throat. Ino doesn’t need to read his mind to know that he’s worried, “As you know, the situation between Iwa and Konoha has been growing quite precarious. That said, the recent negotiations went quite well, so there is a chance we will arrive at a peaceful resolution and avoid the war.”

A quiet murmur runs through the crowd, and Ino smiles softly. If the fighting stops, the hospital will not be overwhelmed anymore, and so many needless deaths will be avoided. Still, there’s a worry niggling at her heart – the Hokage has brought good news, but that still doesn’t explain why he’d come to their house.

“We have come to an agreement that to bind Konoha and Iwa together and to ensure lasting peace, a marital alliance will need to take place between our villages,” Kakashi continues after a pause, “The Tsuchikage has offered up his own ward for this marriage – and has chosen Ino as a bride for him.”

The room spins, and Ino has to lean against the table to steady herself.

“Absolutely not!” Inoichi exclaims, rising from his seat, “No.”

“Inoichi…” Aiya – a clan elder – says in a warning voice, but Inoichi doesn’t listen.

“Rokudaime-sama, I hope you have refused the Tsuchikage’s terms because this marriage won’t take place,” Inoichi looks at Kakashi, his eyes full of anger, “I will not allow it.”

There is a pained look on Kakashi’s face.

“If I had refused, I wouldn’t be here,” he says.

“So you are entertaining the idea?” Ino cannot remember ever seeing her father this angry, “You know better than anyone how the Iwa-nin are. Marital alliance or not, they will double-cross us in a blink of an eye! I will not send Ino there like a lamb to the slaughter.”

Ino feels lightheaded, and it seems as though all sound leaves the room. Her future is at stake, and yet she cannot bring herself to utter a single word.

Political marriages were not uncommon among old clans, but Ino never thought that she’d end up in one. As a child, she’d always dreamed of marrying for love. First, her dreams were of a stranger who was invariably tall, dark, and handsome and loved her very much, and, later, of Sasuke. Though childhood had ended soon enough and her infatuation with Sasuke as well, she still never conceived of the possibility that she may end up in an arranged marriage. After all, her parents married for love, why couldn’t she?

“Inoichi, think of what this union can bring to our village, to the clan! The Tsuchikage’s ward is likely to succeed his seat; this marriage will bind Iwa and Konoha for years to come,” she hears someone say, “Ino is your daughter and heir, and we all care for her very much, but we cannot be selfish. Not with this. Not when the alternative is the war with Iwa.”

“Yes,” someone else chimes in, “We are shinobi, and it’s our duty to give everything for the village. Besides, refusing the offer will be seen as a grave insult.”

Ino looks at her father, and dread rises in her chest at the cold anger in his eyes.

“Don’t talk to me of duty,” he spits out, “You know better than anyone that I will gladly lay my life down for the village, but I will not sacrifice my only daughter. Never.”

“I understand your position,” Kakashi replies calmly, “But I would like to hear what Ino has to say. It’s not an easy choice – and it certainly isn’t a choice anyone can make for her.”

Ino wants to smile as fear leaves her chest. Her father has always been her greatest defender, and she knows that he will never let anything happen to her. He’ll always protect her, no matter the cost, until his dying breath because he wants her to live a long and happy life.

Ino’s about to say no, that she will never marry the Tsuchikage’s ward when she glances down and notices a fleck of red under her fingernail – a missed spot. Instantly, the protest dies in her throat as the world narrows to that single speck of blood.

If Konoha and Iwa go to war, more people will die in the hospital and on the battlefield. Her father’s life, her friends’ lives will be in danger. But if there is no war…

Ino’s heart flutters like a caged bird as she tries to steady her breath. She won’t be able to live with herself if someone dear to her dies in the war that she had the power to prevent. Her father is right, of course, the marriage is no guarantee that the Tsuchikage won’t go back on his word, but if they refuse, the war is inevitable.

If there is even the smallest chance that she could keep her friends and family safe…

She doesn’t want to say yes, doesn’t want to be a wife to some stranger from Iwa. But she’s a shinobi and has grown up knowing that one day she may have to give her life for her comrades. Only, she never imagined she’d be giving up her life like this.

“I’ll do it,” her mouth is suddenly dry, and the words come out quieter than she intends. No one hears her, too preoccupied with the argument.

Ino takes a deep, shaky breath.

“I’ll do it,” she says as loudly as she can manage, “I will marry the Tsuchikage’s ward.”

Suddenly, all eyes are upon her.

“Absolutely not,” Inoichi says, turning to her, “You don’t have to do this. I will not allow it.”

He reaches over and takes Ino’s hand in his, as though there is no one else in the room.

“You deserve to be with someone who’ll love you and make you happy. I will do anything to keep you safe – and I won’t let anyone force you into a marriage,” the break in his voice shatters Ino’s heart.

Ino smiles sadly at her father, but before she has a chance to respond, Kakashi intervenes.

“Inoichi, I understand that this is hard for you, but Ino…”

Her father’s eyes snap back to Kakashi.

“You understand how hard this is?” he almost hisses, “What could you possibly understand when you have no children of your own and couldn’t even keep safe those that were entrusted to you?”

Shocked silence falls upon the room. Kakashi slouches in his seat and glances down, suddenly looking about a dozen years older. Ino cannot bear the argument any longer, so she pulls at her father’s hand to get his attention.

Taking a deep breath, she meets his gaze.

“I will marry the Tsuchikage’s ward,” she starts softly, “Because that’s the right choice to make. I know that you want me to be happy, and I promise you this – I will be. Once I know that you and my friends are all safe and sound because there is a peace between Iwa and Konoha.”

“Ino…” her father breathes out.

“Dad,” sad smile blooms upon Ino’s lips, “I want to do this – for our family, for my friends, for the Village.”

The pain and guilt in her father’s gaze are almost unbearable. She knows that he will blame himself for putting her in this position, for not fighting hard enough to save her from this fate. Ino wants to tell him that none of this is his fault, that he’s always been the best father she could ask for, and that she is a woman grown now and doesn’t need protection but knows that she can’t, not when there are so many others in the room.

And, since so much cannot be said, she squeezes his hand in a gentle, reassuring manner, hoping and praying that he’ll understand her meaning.

She hates that this is her only choice, but she cannot show it – if her father notices her resolve falter, he’ll never let her go through with this. So Ino puts on her brightest smile as she looks back to Kakashi.

“So, when is the wedding,” she asks calmly.

She doesn’t want to get married, but having a wedding cannot be so bad, especially since she’d barely got to see her friends ever since the conflict with Iwa started. She misses them so – and a wedding is a perfect excuse to bring everyone together. Even if that means that she’ll have to marry the Tsuchikage’s ward.

“I should make an appointment with the dressmaker,” Ino continues, trying to sound enthusiastic, “After all, the dress I want will take at least a month to make…”

“The wedding is in three days,” Kakashi speaks up suddenly, “We’ve decided that it’s best to proceed with it as soon as possible to avoid any incidents.”

All air is suddenly gone from her lungs as she stares at Kakashi, dumbfounded. Three days? They want her to get married to a stranger in three days?

Ino blinks angrily, forcing away the tears that threaten to well in her eyes – half her friends are away from Konoha on different missions, and most of them won’t make it back on time. Shikamaru might not be at her wedding…

It was easy to be brave when she thought she had time, when she was sure that, at least, she’d have the dress she always dreamed of and that all her friends will be at her side, but now, staring at the dire reality of her situation, Ino is terrified.

“That’s ridiculous,” her father looks at Kakashi, “Ino needs more time! We won’t be able to organize a wedding on such short notice.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Kakashi replies, “I’ll have Shizune personally handle the logistics.”

“The wedding will be in Konoha then?” Ino murmurs.

“Yes,” Kakashi nods, finally meeting her gaze, and looking into his eye feels almost agonizing – it is as full of pain and guilt as her father’s, “The wedding will be in Konoha, but the Tsuchikage requested that you reside in Iwa for at least three years after you get married. After that, you are free to split your time between Iwa and Konoha as you see fit.”

Color drains from Ino’s face – she’s the heir to her clan, and she never expected to leave Konoha. She loves the village – and already hates the thought of living in Iwa. She had only been to the Earth Country a couple of times, and she did not like it at all. And, given just how “friendly” Iwa-nin were to the residents of Konoha…

Ino steels her heart – she knows she needs to be brave.

“A change of scenery won’t be so bad,” she says, hoping that her smile looks more sincere than it feels, “So long as I get to come back often.”

“If you accept all these terms, then we can proceed with the preparations,” Kakashi says softly.

Ino doesn’t want to accept – she wants to run to her room and cry and then spend the afternoon complaining to Choji and Shikamaru that she’d even been approached with such an offer – but she knows it’s too late to backtrack. She has to be strong, to do what needs to be done.

“Ino,” her father interjects, “If you don’t want to…”

“No,” Ino raises her hand, stopping him, “I accept.”

“Then it’s settled,” Kakashi nods, “The wedding will be in three days. The Tsuchikage’s delegation should arrive here the day before the wedding, and you will depart for Iwa the day after.”

“Very well,” Ino breathes out.

Everything after is a blur. Finally, the meeting ends, and Ino bids farewell to the Hokage and the clan elders before heading to her room. She wants to cry, but tears don’t come. So instead, she settles on the floor by the armchair, pulling her legs close to her chest and burying her face in her knees.

She doesn’t know how much time passes until there’s a soft knock on her door. She doesn’t need to ask – she knows that it’s her father. Immediately, Ino pulls herself to her feet.

“Ino…” her father’s voice is soft and pained when he enters the room, “Are you alright?”

“Of course, I am,” Ino says, as nonchalantly as she can manage, “Just thinking about going back to the hospital to tell Forehead that I’m getting married before she is. Not that anyone has ever seriously doubted that, of course, but she certainly had some delusions.”

“I see,” is all her father can manage.

As Ino looks at her father, there is nothing she wants more than to hug him, bury her face in his chest, and cry about the unfairness of the situation, but she doesn’t move from her spot. She knows her father too well – if he sees just how upset he is, nothing will stop him from storming into the Hokage’s office and demanding that the wedding be called off. But she cannot allow that, not when so much depends on it.

So instead, she says, “I’m heading out now, dad. I’ll see you later.”

As she passes by her father, she’s careful lest she accidentally looks into his face. She’s a woman grown and very strong, but still her father’s little girl – she knows she’ll crumble if she sees the pain and guilt he carries.

#ino yamanaka #inodei #deiino #decided that it's time to give the one true crackship some love

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primroseprime2019 · 3 years

Text

Masters and Students

"Such a shame." Starscream said as he watched the Space bridge explosion, "But I applaud you, Megatron. You certainly made a grand exit."

Echo clenched her fists tightly as she left the control bridge and Soundwave walked over to Starscream.

"Ah, Soundwave, cue the audio/visual. I wish to address the troops." Soundwave only nodded.

All over the screens and throughout the halls, the troops had heard Starscream give out his message.

"The loss of Megatron, leader of the great Decepticon uprising, is certainly a blow to our cause. Yet we mustn't despair of his tragic demise. But instead embrace his ultimate sacrifice and build upon the foundation he laid with an even mightier hand."

A Vehicon had spoken up, "With all due respect Commander-I mean Lord Starscream."

"Yes, yes, what is it?" Starscream said.

"If we failed to conquer Earth under Lord Megatron's command, what hope do we have now while the Autobots still defend it?" The Vehicon asked.

Starscream sighed and replied, "Allow me to be crystal clear... I studied for millennia under our former Master. Thus I am equipped to lead you. I, Megatron's true heir, Lord Starscream, Emperor of Destruction!" The crowd of Vehicons looked to each other and talked to one another. Starscream let out a scoff and had Soundwave cut the feed and audio.

"What use are troops who can't rise to the task of inflicting unspeakable destruction in my name?" The Seeker huffed.

"Maybe it's because they actually have loyalty towards someone who's led them for years," Echo spoke up as she stalked towards Starscream, her optics blazing with fury, "you're too cowardly and hardheaded to be a leader!"

"I suggest you watch your tone, Echo," Starscream growled. "Make me, you sorry excuse for a Decepticon!" Echo snapped, her digits turning into claws.

Soundwave stood between his sister and Starscream and Echo stared up at him, her wings shaking with bitterness towards Starscream. Soundwave shook his helm at his sister, silently telling her not to start a fight that she did not want to finish.

Echo clenched her fists tightly before she turned and walked out of the room. Starscream huffed and turned away from Soundwave, "now with that out of the way... Legend tells of one capable warrior, one who exists here upon this very planet, one who can be student to my master."

◊◊◊◊

Optimus sighed as he stood, overlooking the rock formations that surrounded him. It's been a week since they disabled the Decepticon Space Bridge, which resulted in Megatron's demise.

"Optimus, why so glum? This planet – all planets – are finally free from Megatron's tyranny!" Ratchet cheered.

"I do not disagree, Ratchet," Optimus admitted, a very large part of him content in knowing that his family would be safer than they were when Megatron lived, "It's just...a small part of me hoped to change Megatron's mind. Not extinguish his spark."

"Optimus, his vileness was not slain by your hand! But by his own twisted arrogance!" Ratchet protested, earning a hum of displeasure from the Prime, "I'm sorry. I know the two of you have quite a history."

"But the Megatron whom I once fought aside perished eons ago; the day he chose to become a Decepticon," Optimus rumbled before quickly changing the topic, "The Decepticons may be in disarray. But they aren't without leadership. And while Starscream is no Megatron, he is far from predictable." Suddenly an explosion shook the base.

"Decepticons! We're under attack!" Ratchet exclaimed and he and Optimus ran to the source of the explosion. Only it wasn't an attack. It was Rafael's volcano science project.

"It's not an attack Ratchet. It's my volcano," Raf said as he waved his hand against the smoke that started to fade away and his volcano deflated, "or was."

"Hold still, Bulkhead," Miko said as Bulkhead held a small model of the Solar System, "Jupiter needs its red spot. Whoopsie!"

"What... in the Allspark is going on around here?" Ratchet demanded. "Our projects are due tomorrow," Jack said.

Arcee picked up a part of the motorcycle she and Jack were working on. "Maybe it needs one of these doohickeys," she said.

"You're a motorcycle Arcee," Jack said with a smirk, "shouldn't you know how to build a motorcycle engine?" "You're a human, Jack," Arcee shot back, "can you build me a small intestine?"

"Burn!" Miko and Paige said and Firestorm snickered. Jack huffed.

"Well you can't make these projects in here," Ratchet said, "you're making a mess!" "But the science fair's a big part of our grade," Raf said.

"Yeah," Miko agreed, "if Bulkhead doesn't help me finish this model of our Solar System-" "Oh?" Ratchet interrupted, "and what does Bulkhead know of your solar system? Or Bumblebee of your volcanoes? Or...?"

"Arcee of our motorcycles?" Jack asked, earning a look from his guardian.

"Precisely," Ratchet said, "we're not Earthlings and they're not scientists." "But the Autobots are their guardians, Ratchet," Optimus said, "would it hurt to learn more of Earth by helping our young friends with their schoolwork?"

"Well maybe our young friends should learn more of Cybertron," Ratchet huffed. Raf looked over at Paige, "what are you and Primrose working on, Paigey?"

"I'm just holding the flashlight," Primrose said. "I'm painting the galaxies and the constellations," Paige said as she sat on the far side of the main hangar, painting a rather large canvas. Primrose held a Cybertronian-sized flashlight and shined it down on the painting.

"Plus I’m making another project, but you can’t see it yet. Also, Ratchet," Paige said, making the Autobot medic look at her, "if you want- and if it's not too much trouble, can you teach me about Cybertron?"

"Really? You actually want to learn?" Ratchet asked, surprised. Paige smiled and nodded, "what's wrong with teaching a Galatrian about Cybertronian history and culture? Nothing, I'm sure. Plus, I've been meaning to learn about your planet."

Ratchet stared at Paige, completely shocked. "Someone's actually made Ratchet speechless," Firestorm chuckled, "I'm impressed. Ow!" He held his helm when a wrench suddenly decked him in the helm and he glared at Ratchet.

"Alright. I'll teach you," Ratchet said with a soft smile. "Yay!" Paige said happily. Primrose squeaked in surprise when some paint was flung her way and it landed on her faceplate.

"Whoops! Sorry Prim," Paige said with an apologetic smile.

"It's alright. The messier, the better," Primrose chuckled.

◊◊◊◊

Starscream, Soundwave and Echo were currently in the canyon looking for the warrior that Starscream had spoke of earlier in the warship. Though it had struck Echo as odd that they would look in a place such as Earth. And as much as she would've loved to beat Starscream into a bloody mess, she was also glad that Soundwave was here to stop her- most likely electrocute her in a way.

"Starscream." Echo said calmly, getting his attention, "This warrior that you talked about earlier, why in the name of the Allspark would they be here on Earth?"

Starscream said, "During the Great War, so much energon was hidden on this forsaken rock, that our departed master sent some of Cybertron's greatest to guard it-True warriors now lying in stasis, waiting to be reawakened."

"When you put it like that, it actually makes the most sense," Echo said.

"Yes," Starscream replied, "Though it was such a folly that late in life Megatron searched for distant space for warriors, rather than here beneath his feet." Soundwave was still trying to figure out where the warrior was; despite him not saying anything Starscream had said, "What do you mean you can't pinpoint his signal? I know we're close! Boost the power to your sensors!"

Soundwave did this and they found what they were looking for.

"Is that it?" Echo asked. "Yes," he said, "there." With that, he, Soundwave and Echo transformed into their aerial forms and flew up into the air.

◊◊◊◊

Raf was rebuilding his volcano. But he wasn't really paying attention. He was paying more attention to Bumblebee's stories from the war, particularly when Bumblebee mentioned that he hasn't made warrior class.

"Really, Bumblebee? Then how do you make warrior class?" Raf wanted to know, causing Bumblebee to bleep some stuff about experience getting in the way, "But I've seen you in action! You're awesome!"

That was when Optimus decided to intervene, placing his servo on his adoptive son's shoulder whilst saying to Raf, "I second your opinion, Raf. But Autobot lifecycles are much longer than those of humans. And though it may be hard to believe, our young scout still has much to experience."

"Well experience is the best thing to have," Paige said as she walked over to Optimus, Bumblebee and Raf. She was wearing a white shirt, along with some overalls and she was wearing her sketchers shoes.

"You done with your painting already?" Bumblebee asked.

"Yeah. I took it outside on the roof to dry," Paige said, rubbing her hands on the pants of her overalls, 'I think Cliff would've loved it.' She jumped when the monitors started going off.

"Exposed Energon! And it's on the move!" Ratchet proclaimed.

"And since we're not moving it, guess who must be!" Bulkhad challenged.

"Decepticons," Arcee answered as she stood next to Optimus.

"Without Megatron?" Miko asked in disbelief.

"Unfortunately, Megatron's legacy will live on as others rise to take his place," Optimus sighed gravely. "Why am I suddenly being reminded of wolves?" Paige asked aloud, making Optimus look at her curiously.

Optimus turned to his team, "Autobots, you have projects to complete. Ratchet, I may acquire first aid."

Ratchet was a bit hesitant at this, and turned to the three kids currently working on their projects.

"Science fair is a big part of their grade." Ratchet said to his leader, "Perhaps I'm best suited to remain and advise."

Optimus agreed to this, "Very well." He said, before turning to his scouts, "Bumblebee, Primrose, let us see about this energon in transit."

"Can I come?" Paige asked. "No," Optimus, Bumblebee and Primrose said in unison, making the fourteen year old girl squeak.

"You know it is too dangerous," Optimus said firmly. Paige frowned, "well I'm Dauntless enough to face danger!"

"This isn't Divergent," Jack called out. "Watch it, Jackson!" Paige said, glaring at the sixteen year old boy who put his hands up in surrender.

"What would your mother say?" Primrose asked in a playful tone. Paige opened her mouth but closed it and she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted.

Bumblebee buzzed with laughter as the ground bridge opened. Paige let out a meow of protest and she kicked invisible dirt with her foot. Optimus gently rubbed her head before he, Bumblebee and Primrose went through the ground bridge.

◊◊◊◊

Echo watched as Starscream and Soundwave pulled out what was a stasis chamber as she stood back. After they pulled the the stasis chamber out from where it was, they took a step back. "Soundwave, the cube." Starscream said.

Soundwave took out a container containing a single energon cube. He handed it over to Starscream; he placed it in the slot that was provided. The capsule had started to activate.

"The energon infusion!" Starscream said, "It's working!" They were soon blinded by a blue light.

In the distance, Optimus, Bumblebee and Primrose walked out of the ground bridge. They heard sounds just nearby. "Do you guys hear that?" Primrose asked.

"This doesn't feel right," Bumblebee said. "No Bumblebee, it does not," Optimus said, "hold your position and await my command."

Primrose and Bumblebee both nodded.

The stasis chamber opened and reveal the warrior inside; Starscream had stepped forward.

"Awaken warrior!" He said, "Rise and serve your new master!" Echo could tell that he was as large and giant as Megatron was; his color scheme was of green, white and red, and his optics glowed red. And a part of her was glad that he was another Seeker.

He spoke with a booming voice, "Skyquake only serves one master." "Excellent." Starscream said, "Your loyalty and devotion will set a fine example for the troops," he sent Echo a glare, "among other things. No need to be timid, Skyquake. You may bow."

Echo felt her right optic twitch and she ground her denta together to hold herself back. Soundwave placed his servo on his sister's shoulder and gave a light squeeze.

"You fail to grasp my meaning." Skyquake said, "I am here on a mission assigned to me by my one true master- Megatron." "Yes. Him." Starscream said, "Sadly Megatron is no longer with us."

"Impossible." Skyquake said.

"Why is this so difficult for everyone to accept? Skyquake, I located you. I awakened you. Thus I, Lord Starscream, am your one true master!" Starscream snapped.

Skyquake growled, stepping towards Starscream who quickly stepped back. "It has been quite awhile Skyquake." Optimus spoke up, getting his attention.

Skyquake turned to him. "Optimus Prime." He said, "I haven't seen you since the Battle of Technar. Megatron ordered me to annihilate you."

"That was a long time ago." Optimus said.

"That may be, Prime, but my orders still stand," Skyquake said.

"Is this ancient war still worth fighting when so many comrades have been lost and worlds destroyed? If you want to be a true leader, Starscream, then stray from Megatron's path and lead the Decepticons towards peace," Optimus said firmly.

"I would be willing to consider a truce..." Starscream said, "If you are willing to bow before me... Optimus Prime."

"Again?" Skyquake said angrily, "Bow to this!"

Skyquake swung his arm and with one hit, Starscream was sent flying right into the wall. Echo widened her optics in surprise before she transformed into her aerial form and flew up into the air with Soundwave and Starscream following.

"Skyquake, this is a new era. On another world. Side with the Autobots and help me end this conflict forever," Optimus once again pleaded the newly-awakened Decepticon.

"I will NEVER side with a Prime!" Skyquake proclaimed as he ran towards Optimus.

Optimus never saw the next hit coming. So when Skyquake threw a punch at him, he didn't block it. Instead, he let it knock him into a nearby archway. Skyquake picked Optimus up by his shoulders and threw the other around.

Above the ensuing battle, Starscream, Soundwave and Echo watched everything unfold. "What need have we for peace when we have Skyquake?" Starscream asked rhetorically to Echo and Soundwave.

"With some disapline, he will learn to respect his new master," the Seeker continued, "And once it becomes known that Skyquake destroyed the great Optimus Prime under our command, all Decepticons will greatfully bow to us."

Bumblebee and Primrose watched the fight between Optimus and Skyquake become intense. A little too intense for Primrose's liking. Optimus unlocked his blaster and shot at Skyquake twice.

The large Decepticon Seeker pulled out his own blaster and fired at Optimus. Each rapid shot hit the Prime, knocking him back but he still stood on his pedes. Having seen enough, Primrose and Bumblebee ran forward.

"Bumblebee, Primrose, no!" Optimus shouted. Bumblebee fired at Skyquake's back, catching the large Seeker by surprise. He whirled around, his blaster reloaded and ready. With each fire he made, Bumblebee avoided being hit. He jumped from wall to wall within the canyon, avoiding fire. Eventually, one hit Bumblebee, sending him crashing to the ground.

Primrose jumped forward and she grabbed Skyquake's blaster. Skyquake grabbed Primrose and threw her aside.

"Do not miss a single moment, Soundwave!" Starscream instructed, "We shall need visual documentation of Optimus Prime's demise for the historical record!"

Optimus and Skyquake punched at each other, both bots often missing and hitting again and again. When Skyquake knocked Optimus back, Bumblebee and Primrose got up beside their leader.

"He can't transform yet?" Bumblebee asked, confused. "Skyquake has not yet acquired a vehicle mode," Optimus said.

Skyquake charged at the three bots. "Fall back!" Optimus exclaimed. Before Skyquake could swing at the three Autobots, they quickly transformed into their vehicle forms and drove away.

“So time has made you a coward, Prime?" Skyquake called after him as he fired a few more shots from his blaster.

◊◊◊◊

"Let's see. Where is it?" Ratchet muttered as he used his blowtorch to assemble Raf's volcano.

"Um...what is it?" Raf wanted to know.

"You'll find out," Ratchet answered.

"But Ratchet, shouldn't I be doing the work?" Raf protested.

"Zep-yip-yip-yip! Don't touch! Just watch and learn!" Ratchet said sternly as he shooed the twelve year old boy away.

"So we're just gonna help Jack and Miko finish theirs..." Bulkhead trailed off as he referred to himself and Arcee.

"Without my supervision?! You want them to be right, don't you?" Ratchet asked, causing Arcee and Bulkhead to look at each other and give small shrugs. "Then watch a master at work!" Ratchet said eagerly.

"Control freak," Miko murmured. "That's the understatement of the century," Jack huffed as he walked over to Paige who was messing with some wires. She had some scissors in her hand.

"Paige?" Jack called out. Paige jumped and she hit her head, making her yelp and she shouted in pain when the scissors cut her arm.

"Fudge nuggets it all! Jack, don't sneak up on me like that- especially when I'm lost in thought!" Paige snapped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Jack exclaimed.

Ratchet, Bulkhead, Arcee, Raf and Miko hurried over to them. "What happened?" Ratchet asked.

"I accidentally scared Paige and she cut her arm," Jack said.

"Not to mention, I hit my head," Paige said. "What were you trying to do?" Bulkhead asked.

"Well I was trying to untangle some wires in the main wall because I figured that might give you some trouble," Paige said, "I had a toolbox stashed away."

"Let me see," Ratchet said as he activated his human form and he gently held Paige's arm, "it's a small cut, nothing major. I suggest you let me handle those wires from now on." He started to wrap her arm in some bandages.

"Sorry," Paige said, "thought I could help." "I appreciate that," Ratchet said with a soft smile and he looked at Paige.

She stared at him, her light brown eyes connecting with his light blue eyes. He stared at her, his face meters away from hers. He felt his human heart pounding against his chest and he felt his cheeks warm up.

Miko looked between the two and a sly smile appeared on her face. Paige's phone started buzzing and she picked it up out of her pocket.

She gave it to Ratchet who looked at the text message and his eyes slightly widened. The text was from Marcus and it said: 'make a move on my daughter and your spark is mine.' A shiver ran up the medic's spine and he sighed softly.

"Protective Dad?" Jack asked. "Yep," Paige giggled, "my parents have protective daddy and mommy senses- and they tingle."

"Remind me again as to why and how your parents know about us yet Ratchet and Optimus know them?" Bulkhead asked curiously. "They thought it'd be a good idea to tell me about my home planet," Paige said, "although it sounds weird, coming from me. Plus, Mom said that Ratchet and Dad met when Cybertron still had it's Golden Age. I don't know how to explain it myself."

◊◊◊◊

"We've lost sight of them! Soundwave, why aren't you tracking them?" Starscream screeched, "What? What is it?"

Soundwave was showing Starscream something else. A different map. It wasn't of the area they are currently watching Skyquake's battle with Optimus and Bumblebee. But a map of Earth and the space that surrounds it.

"A second Decepticon life signal? But Skyquake is the only sleeper buried in this area!" Starscream scoffed in disbelief as he studied Soundwave's map closer.

But Echo noticed something perculiar about the life signal. She knew that area well. After all, they were there just days ago.

"The sight of our destroyed Space Bridge! You're not telling us that life signal belongs to Megatron?" Starscream gasped as the realization dawned on them both, "but he was microns from the detination point! Nothing could have survived that blast! Your sensors must be faulty! Ignore the contact! Delete the coordinates!" Echo gave Starscream an icy glare which was quickly unnoticed.

"What am I saying? Of course it must be investigated! If Lord Megatron is up there, I shall bring him home. Soundwave, Echo, remain here and monitor the outcome. When Skyquake snuffs Prime's spark, I must bare witness," Starscream instructed.

With those words said, Starscream jumped into the canyon below. Once he was close to the ground, he transformed into his alternative jet mode and flew away from the canyon. Soundwave and Echo just stood by and watched him leave.

"Must bare witness," Soundwave repeated before he deployed Laserbeak and she flew up into the air.

◊◊◊◊

"Tango 6 Alpha to Station Command. We're picking up transmissions from unidentified technology. Possibly hostile. We are moving to investigate."

"Negative, Tango Six Alpha," Agent Fowler interrupted the communications between the two respective personnel, "This is Special Agent William Fowler intercepting. Strike your report from the record and abide origin coordinates. I'll take it from here."

◊◊◊◊

Down in the canyon below, the chase appeared to be working out in the favor of the Autobots. Primrose continued to drive around the canyon with Skyquake hot on her trail. However, Primrose eventually reached a dead end. Once she did, she transformed into her bipedal form.

"It will be a shame to crush you, young Prime. But it is my duty," Skyquake remarked.

Suddenly, he heard the familiar sound of a truck horn behind him. He turned around and saw Optimus approaching him in his truck mode. Immediately, he started firing shots from his blaster. Whilst taking hits, Optimus transformed into his bipedal form and punched Skyquake in the face.

"Excellent strategy, Primrose," Optimus complimented his scout as Bumblebee drove up beside them.

Skyquake began to get up. "Skyquake, stay down," Optimus instructed as he retaliated with his own punch.

Bits of shrapnel broke off from Skyquake's face due to Optimus' punch. Skyquake fell to the ground weakened. Optimus, Primrose and Bumblebee stood above him. He appeared to be defeated.

"Fowler?" Optimus gasped as he looked up and saw a familiar fighter jet.

While Optimus, Primrose and Bumblebee were distracted, Skyquake looked up at the jet with a sinister grin. His eyes glowed green as he took in the appearance of the jet.

"Agent Fowler, fall back!" Optimus pleaded Fowler through their radio connection.

In his eyes were the designs of the fighter jet he had just scanned. Skyquake jumped above Optimus. Before either Optimus, Primrose, Bumblebee or Fowler could do anything about it, Skyquake was no longer in his bipedal form. But instead, he was in his recently-acquired alternative mode. His alternative mode was the jet Fowler was flying and Skyquake had scanned. He flew towards the skies at high speeds, intent on finishing his enemies once and for all.

"Well, I'll be a bald eagle!" Fowler remarked as he noticed Skyquake flying next to him.

"Air superiority achieved," Skyquake proclaimed as he fired shots at Optimus, Primrose and Bumblebee below him.

Immediately, Optimus, Primrose and Bumblebee started running for cover from Skyquake's shots. Needing more speed to do so, they transformed into their vehicle forms and sped away.

"Stealing plans for classified military aircraft will NOT be tolerated on my watch!" Fowler proclaimed as he fired shots at the phoney classified military aircraft.

To Skyquake, Fowler was now his new target of destruction. He fired a group of missles at the government agent. And they are no ordinary missles.

"HEAT SEAKERS!" Fowler gasped.

Fowler was now thankful of his intense compulsory pilot training. With his special maneovers, he managed to avoid the missles. When he reached a dead end, he pulled up immediately. Below him, the missles flew into the rocky cliff face and exploded upon impact.

"I still got it," Fowler boasted rather proudly.

◊◊◊◊

Bits of shrapnel from the Space Bridge explosion remained in space, floating around Earth's orbit.

"No one could have survived this." Starscream said as he looked through the rubble. "As I suspected faulty sensors, the last thing I need now is rumors that Megatron is still..." A painful moan interrupted him and Starscream hesitantly found the source. Megatron's burnt body was present and still in one piece. Every bit of him was charred and black and he had scratches everywhere from his body. There was a large whole in the center of his chest, right where his spark should be. "Megatron.." Starscream said amazed. At the slightest touch Megatron reacted.

"AAARRGGHH!" He roared as he grabbed at Starscream, who's optics went wide with fright. He wasn't sure if Megatron recognized him or not, but just as quickly as the attack started it ended with Megatron going limp again.

"But how?" The seeker said puzzled, until he saw a familiar purple glow. "Dark energon." Starscream leaned into Megatron's unconscious form. "Everyone believes you are deceased, who am I to disappoint them...master." He slowly pulled out the shard and Megatron groaned in pain before collapsing again. "And this time stay dead." Starscream snapped before pushing off his body. Suddenly he heard the chittering sound of Laserbeak nearby as the minicon flew over to Starscream and Megatron.

"Soundwave!" Starscream gasped as he hid the Dark Energon shard, "If you are listening, I have found Lord Megatron. And he is...unwell. We must transport him to sick bay...immediately!"

◊◊◊◊

Down in the canyon, the chase continued involving Optimus, Primrose and Bumblebee on the ground and Skyquake and Fowler in the air. Optimus, Primrose and Bumblebee narrowly avoided every shot Skyquake fired. One missle came too close for Optimus' liking. It sent him flying through the air. Optimus transformed into his bipedal mode to prevent potential self-harm.

But Skyquake ignored the Prime. He continued going after Bumblebee and Primrose. They continued to drive through the canyon with Skyquake flying close behind them firing shots from his blasters. Eventually, Primrose drove around a corner and Bumblebee drove up a hill at high speeds, causing him to fly over the top of the hill. Midair, Bumblebee transformed into his bipedal mode and ran across the hot, sandy ground underneath his feet. Skyquake flew above the gap of the canyon.

Bumblebee jumped from the edge of the canyon and landed on top of Skyquake. Immediately, the jet began flying out of control, randomly knocking Bumblebee into cliff faces in the process. From the ground, Optimus witnessed the events between the two. And he immediately knew that Bumblebee would need further support.

"Agent Fowler, we acquire immediate assistance!" The Prime said.

Bumblebee was punching Skyquake and ripping out bits of wiring vital to his bodily functions. Bumblebee's actions sent Skyquake into a crash dive, rapidly approaching the ground below. Immediately, Fowler was hot on their tail.

Bumblebee looked to Fowler and buzzed and beeped his thanks.

"Anytime, fella. Ground floor's coming up fast!" Fowler remarked.

Bumblebee jumped from Skyquake and landed on top of Fowler's jet. Immediately, Fowler pulled up to avoid crash-landing alongside Skyquake. The smoking Decepticon jet continued his crash dive towards the ground.

From the ground, Optimus watched as Skyquake landed nearby with an exploding bang. The burning jet skidded along the desert ground before coming to a stop a few feet away.

"Happy landings, 'Con," Fowler wished cockily.

Fowler flew his jet near the edge of the canyon so Bumblebee could jump off. Once Bumblebee was off of the jet, Fowler flew away. Bumblebee stood by the edge and observed the still-smoking remains of Skyquake. Eventually, he climbed down to meet up with Optimus and Primrose. Together, the three watched as the red optics of Skyquake went dark and his spark gave out.

"Had Skyquake chosen to stray from his master's path, we might not be burying him today," Optimus remarked.

Primrose stared at Skyquake's body and she clenched her fists tightly. Bumblebee glanced at her.

Soundwave and Echo watched the three Autobots from their spot on the canyons. Echo looked to Soundwave, a familiar look in her optics.

Soundwave only transformed into his aerial form and flew up into the air. Echo watched her brother for a moment and she looked back at the Autobots and Skyquake. She shut her optics tightly, holding back tears that threatened to form before she transformed into her aerial form and flew after Soundwave.

◊◊◊◊

"Bumblebee, putting yourself at risk was perhaps not the wisest of strategies. But you performed admirably," Optimus complimented Bumblebee after Ratchet finished checking him over for injuries.

Bumblebee bleeped to Optimus his thanks for the compliment as he stepped out of the chamber. Ratchet laughed gleefully as he heard the sounds of car horns from the hallway. Bulkhead and Arcee had returned with the kids. Jack and Paige hopped off of Arcee while Miko and Raf climbed out of Bulkhead and the two transformed into their bipedal forms.

"There you are! Well, how were my – I mean, our – projects received?" Ratchet asked eagerly.

"Well...," Raf trailed off.

◊◊◊◊

"Miss Nakadai, what planet would that be?" Mr Capizzi asked, referring to the model Miko displayed.

"Um...Cybertron?" Miko answered nervously.

Just as she answered the question, the metallic planet fell off the wire holding it up and rolled around the classroom, causing many kids to jump up in fear.

◊◊◊◊

"It's large, Mr Darby. But is it operational?" Mr Capizzi questioned nervously.

Jack hit the button and the machine went wild. It even left the classroom to terrorize the kids who were unfortunate enough to have free period at this time.

◊◊◊◊

"I hesitate to ask, Mr Esquivel. But is it active?" Mr Capizzi whimpered.

To answer his question, Raf pressed the button that activated the electrical volcano. It almost destroyed the entire school.

◊◊◊◊

"Well, on our planet, you would have been awarded the highest honor!" Ratchet snapped before walking away grumbling, "Absolutely no credit whatsoever."

"Speaking of highest honors," Arcee smirked as she glanced at Paige.

"Why are you guys looking at me?" Paige asked nervously.

"I don't believe it. My best friend has forgotten that she was awarded the highest grade in the entire school!" Jack exclaimed.

"WHAT?!" Ratchet screeched before promptly fainting.

"I only introduced and showed my painting and constellations and galaxies to the teachers," Paige said, blushing and smiling shyly, "especially my favorite constellation: Orion and Cassiopeia."

"So what are you guys going to do next year?" Primrose asked them with a smirk.

"They should've strayed from Ratchet's path," Bumblebee bleeped.

"Indeed, Bumblebee. Our human friends would have been wise to stray from Ratchet's path like Paige did," Optimus agreed.

"Hey. You made Ratchet faint! I LIKE THIS GIRL!" Bulkhead proclaimed, causing everyone except Optimus and Ratchet to laugh.

"What happened to your arm, Paige?" Optimus suddenly asked, noticing the white material covering Paige's arm.

"She was surprised by something and cut her arm with a pair of scissors," Jack said, "Aunt Tasha had to put some alcohol on it and wrap it up even more."

"What?!" Optimus exclaimed. "I'm okay," Paige quickly reassured him, placing her hand on his digit, "you're starting to act like my Mom."

Optimus only vented, blowing gentle and warm air against the girl, making her laugh and she hugged his digit.

After the events, Optimus gave Paige a lecture about safety and she half listened and half smiled at the Prime. She was thinking of the last night memory of her parents talking to her about her second planet and how it had become desolated when Cybertron became dark.

"So you met Orion Pax and Megatronus when you were at least my age?" Paige asked her dad curiously. Marcus chuckled and gave a small nod.

"I was at least twenty-one when the War started," Marcus said, "Orion Pax became Optimus Prime. And Megatronus became Megatron."

"So... what are we?" Paige asked, looking to her mom. Tasha smiled softly, "we're Galatrians. And we're very special Magic users. We got along with Cybertronians very well. At least... up until the War began. Galatrians, along with many other Magic users, were either captured or killed by Decepticons and many went into hiding or just disappeared."

"There were many Magic Users we had met just like your parents," Ratchet said, "there was one named Kaitlin Elisabeth Prime."

Paige blinked in surprise and she looked to Optimus who gave a solemn smile. "What was... what was she like? Did you meet her?" Paige asked.

Tasha and Marcus nodded. "We did. She was an amazing and brave Irilian. Even Megatron loved her and she loved him," Tasha said, hugging her daughter close, "and I bet she would've loved to meet you."

Paige smiled softly and she looked at her markings. "What magic can I do?" She asked curiously. "You can do what many Galatrians can do," Marcus chuckled, "your eyes may be light brown but when you use your powers, they change to ruby red. Those are your Galatrian eyes."

"Show us some magic Paigey!" Miko said excitedly. Paige smiled nervously before she closed her eyes in concentration. The markings glowed sapphire blue and apparitions of Sky Children appeared around the base.

Tasha chuckled and shook her head with amusement. Paige smiled softly as a Sky Child walked up to her and gave a happy musical sound.

Paige giggled happily and clapped her hands together with delight. Optimus smiled softly.

After Arcee, Bumblebee and Bulkhead took their charges home, Paige had fallen asleep on the couch and Tasha drove into the base, silently parking her truck on the side.

"Optimus?" Tasha called out, making the Prime and Ratchet look at her.

"Paige insisted on sleeping over tonight," Ratchet said. Tasha chuckled softly, "I see. I actually wanted to talk to you both."

"Of course," Optimus said as he knelt down in front of her.

"If Megatron was found by his... followers, is it possible that he knows about my family?" Tasha asked. "That will not happen," Ratchet said firmly.

Tasha looked over at the still sleeping Paige, "my daughter is no Kaitlin. She's no bright blue dragoness. She's no Valentine."

"Megatron may or may not know that," Optimus said, "he knows the history between you and him. He knows the history between him and your mother." Tasha gripped her arm tightly at the mention of her mother.

"I am not losing anyone else," Tasha said darkly, "I don't care what it takes. I will fight Megatron till my last breath."

"Let us not focus on that now," Optimus said firmly, "focus on your daughter. The only child you have ever brought into this Earth- she needs you."

"And she needs you," Tasha said firmly, placing her hand on Optimus' digit, "just as you will grow to need her." Marcus picked Paige up into his arms and walked over to the truck.

Tasha turned and walked after Marcus but she paused. "Optimus," she said, "no matter what happens... do not let Paige's darkness take a hold of her."

Optimus stared at her for a moment before he gave a small nod. With that, Tasha got into the truck and she drove out of the base.

◊◊◊◊

"The troops will be pleased to hear of our success in rushing Lord Megatron into stasis. Let us hope that our master pulls through," Starscream said. Echo stood in the medlab, staring at Megatron coldly.

Her leader was hooked up to life support cords. No matter what, she was going to guard her leader. Especially from Starscream.

◊◊◊◊

Starscream and Soundwave walked into the control bridge. Starscream paused when he saw a cloaked figure.

"Reveal yourself!" Starscream snapped, "Decepticons, attack!" The Vehicons didn't move an inch.

A dark chuckle came from the cloaked figure. "I'm surprised you think that they would follow your orders, Starscream," the voice said, "you truly have forgotten who I am."

The figure removed her cloak and Starscream widened his optics. A bright orange and white femme with yellow highlights turned to them, her fiery orange optics glowing.

"I have heard of Lord Megatron's... steady recovery," she said calmly, "and while he is in recovery, I shall lead the Decepticons... unless anyone has a problem with that."

Soundwave didn't say anything but the femme somehow knew his answer. The Vehicons in the control bridge stayed silent. Starscream's wings twitched and he lowered his helm.

The femme smirked and turned back to the large screens, clasping her servos behind her back.

#fanfiction #transformers prime #my ocs #self insert #the girl among the gods

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dorevenge · 3 years

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where ignorance is bliss - chapter 4: except the willow

SUMMARY: Maria is forcefully escorted from the betting room, when she encounters the owner of the casino himself. [AO3 LINK]

CHAPTERS: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ☆

November 20, 1959 – Monaco, France, The Hellfire Club

I’ve never thought about my what last words would be. I had always assumed I would be 98, having aged better than brie, lying in bed surrounded by my family, my curls perfectly falling around my face, with a pristine pale pink lipstick and pearls on my neck and diamonds on my ears. I’d have outlived my husband, as I’ve always flocked towards older men, but I would see him reflected in my great-grandchildren, one of whom would have shared my philanthropic interests. I’d leave them all with some well-planned poetry, a single sentence that would change every one of their lives, resound in them and inspire them to change their actions for the better, but, as of now, due to my arrogant foolishness, my last words were to be “I’d rather stay here and keep losing.” And no one would remember them.

Thick arms wrap around mine, hiking me up by the armpits, and I am escorted out of the casino and through the hotel lobby, my high heels scrambling to make purchase on the ground below me. The few people scattered in the lobby pause to look at me, and then keep walking. The fun from the baccarat game has dwindled, the rosiness falling from my cheeks and panic settling in my chest. I couldn’t pull against them; there’s no way I could win in a fight even with some of Peggy’s training. I should have taken her up on her thigh holster offer.

The men stop briefly at the front desk. “What room is Ms. Carbonell staying in?”

“Obadiah won’t let you get away with this,” I grit, my arms pinned behind my back.

“Mr. Stane is currently preoccupied.” One of the men asks for a spare key, and the desk attendant fumbles in the cabinet to find the correct one.

A man in glasses walks past, tall but not intimidating, broad-shouldered but not bulky, nose buried in a pile of papers in his hands, and glances up, pausing to evaluate the scene. Our eyes make contact, and it takes him a second to evaluate my panic.

“Do you need any help, madam?”

“She’s fine,” one of the suited men replies. I’m too startled to scream, or speak, or even think at all. All I can hope is that someone in the lobby reads my face and intervenes. Grumbling, they forgo the key, and pull me out of the hotel lobby towards the parking lot.

This is how I’m going to die, I think, reminiscing what a waste finishing school was since I never learned to hold my tongue anyway, and it is my penchant for petty remarks sending me to an early grave. I can’t keep up with their pace, my high heels catching in almost every dent in the asphalt, and I almost lose my balance several times.

We approach a long, sleek black car with darkened windows, and I finally start calling out, “Obie! Obadiah!” to the empty parking lot, writhing against the arms around me.

“Ms. Carbonell! I think you dropped an earring.” The voice comes from behind. It’s the man in glasses, walking swiftly, with authority, except for the little cowlick of dark black hair on the right side of his head, twirling in the breeze as he stalks forward.

The men holding me turn to confront him as he takes off his glasses and slides them into his breast pocket. The men’s postures drop and their faces fall. Their grip on me lessens. He runs a hand through his hair and stares them down.

“Mr. Stark.”

“Release Ms. Carbonell at once.”

“We’re sorry, Mr. Stark, she-”

“You do know what at once means, don’t you, boys?”

They release me.

“I cannot apologize enough, Ms. Carbonell, for the behavior of these men. If they offend you again, I will personally write to their employers.” He looks at each one of them sternly, in turn.

One of the men stiffens defiantly. “We didn’t recognize you, Mr. Stark. In the betting room-”

“When you are the one who owns the casino, only then should you be concerned about its finances.” Stark’s stern face softens when he turns to me, offering me his elbow. He nods at each man with authority, and they shrink away. My heart is still racing, and I still must not be thinking straight, because I loop my arm through his, my life in the hands of yet another stranger.

The dinner at one of the restaurants inside Hellfire is delectable, but dining with the owner probably helps. There were too many options on the menu that I eventually pointing to something at random and ordered that. I had very little to say, besides non merci to the waiters who kept offering us champagne and thanking Mr. Stark for his kindness. The anxiety has set into my bones and I can’t help but fidget.

“I already told you, Maria, just call me Howard.” Up close, I can see that he’s older, probably in his forties. Creases line his eyes and mouth, probably from charming the pants off too many investors, and the investors’ wives.

“Okay, Howard, does wearing glasses actually work? To go unnoticed.” I peer at him over the top of my waterglass.

“It does. Works wonders. I had read about it in a comic and wanted to give it a try. People act different when their boss is lurking around the corner, and sometimes I just want to be a guest in my own hotel.”

A waitress clears Howard’s empty plate, leaving my full one, and she brings the dessert menu to him. Without looking at it, he hands it back to her, ordering two beignets. She asks if we need anything else, chest puffed high and smiling bright, and Howard responds in near-perfect French without looking away from me. The waiter walks away, dejected, her hopes of charming the billionaire dashed.

I pick at the dish, too rich for my current anxious appetite. My anxiety hadn’t run out of fuel yet. “What’s eating you, doll?”

“Why were those men watching me? And where were they going to take me? I wasn’t cheating.”

“I know you weren’t cheating.”

“You know? How?”

“There are cameras everywhere in the game rooms, tiny ones in lamps and plants and around every corner. They can tell when someone is cheating, and your moves seemed very intentional. And putting money in my pocket isn’t exactly cheating.” I don’t ask how the cameras would be able to tell, as I’ve been to two of his expos now and haven’t understood any of the gadgets presented. Any explanation would just go over my head. I wonder how many cameras litter the restaurant.

He doesn’t answer my question and instead asks one of his own. “Why were you spending your partner’s money like that?”

My partner. That’s right, I am technically in business with Obadiah; we’ve kept our short engagement to ourselves, and he’s always introduced me as his accountant. I slide my hands into my lap to hide the ring on my finger, and slide the ring off once it’s out of view. “My answer to your question might be the same as your answer to mine.”

Howard’s face lights up, and he leans forward on the table to get a better look at me. “So you’re clever, too, and not just pretty.” He doesn’t ask it like a question, but a statement, and I try with all my might not to blush like a child. The waitress returns and clears our plates, bringing the dessert he ordered. Howard leans back with a sigh. “I’ve kept my eye on Stane for the last few years. Not a bad man, but not a great one. Desperate. I was desperate, too, for a while, ‘til I realized the only thing that gets you anywhere is hard work. That’s how America does it.”

“He says while dining in France.”

“Hey, I paid for the meal in America dollars, doll.” His smile is wide, and honest, and youthful and endearing and… and it belongs to Howard Stark, notorious womanizer. Still, I find myself smiling in return, chin propped up in my hand, gazing at him. I can’t get caught up in his displays of wealth, but his confidence is something else. Obadiah isn’t confident like Howard. Howard has confidence to spare. He could bottle it and sell it, and convince everyone he met to buy it, that’s how confident he is. “How long are you in Monaco?”

“I leave November 22nd. Obadiah has had long meetings every day.”

“And because he leaves you alone in your room, you squander his earnings at the betting table in retaliation?” I look up at him, in surprise and defense, and he chuckles to himself. “If I were him, I’d bring you to every meeting with me. You belong in the business room. What do you do at Stane International?”

“I keep the books. Accounting. I went to Columbia.” I want to impress him.

“And what do you do when you’re not working?”

“I work a lot with charities.”

“When you’re not working.”

“I suppose I dine with handsome strangers in foreign hotels.”

Howard takes one bite of the dessert delivered, then wipes his hands and rises to his feet. “Let’s go have some fun, Maria.”

“You’re only here for one more full day, is that right?” Howard asks me from the rooftop of the Hellfire Club. “Spend it with me. Obadiah won’t mind.”

He’s right; Obie wouldn’t even notice, and I don’t feel guilty for accepting. “What do you have in mind?”

We sit up there for hours, talking until sunset, the wind licking at his hair, teasing it from the gel. The soft colors of dusk make Howard look younger. I want to kiss him, I realize, and I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone before. At least, not like this. I push the feeling down deep. Every woman wants to kiss Howard Stark, with his deep brown eyes and his even deeper pockets. And if he wants to kiss me, he’ll have to work for it.

As if reading my mind, he whispers, “God, Maria, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’d give it all up just to kiss you.”

“Does that line usually work?” I turn away. I feel like a child in his gaze, naïve and eager.

“I don’t know. I’ve never used it before.” I don’t look at him, but I can feel his eyes on me. I fix my gaze hard on the horizon in front of me. After a moment, “Actually, I take it back. I don’t want to kiss you until I’ve earned it. I want to do right by you, Maria. I’ll become an honest man for you.”

I want to believe him, but I also believe the stories. I don’t know what makes me so special in Howard’s eyes, but I feel more seen with him than I ever did with Obadiah, and it’s the last sign I need to leave him.

#where ignorance is bliss #wiib reading #marvel #iron man #howard stark #canary writes a fanfiction

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scullysexual · 4 years

Text

Time Can Heal (6/ )

Season Two | Abduction Arc | Canon Divergence | Angst |

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | AO3 |

Mulder realises his quest for the truth costs too much.

Tagging: @today-in-fic @bevh78 @mypanicface @weseeusinthefall

[In which it is time to intervene]

- - -

When the phone rings, Dana isn’t in the mood to answer it. It was late anyway, past 10:00 when she last looked at the clock, the only other person who used to call her this late doesn’t bother with her at all anymore.

If she had the courage to wear an elastic band around her wrist she would snap it against her wrist. Thoughts of Mulder were bad and she was trying to never go there, it only made her miserable.

The phone goes to voicemail but no message is left, instead the caller tries calling again.

Only then does Dana pick it up, huffing as she does so, apparently the person on the other end doesn’t understand she’s not in the mood to talk.

“Dana, hi. What are you still doing awake?”

It’s her mother and immediately it has Dana feeling guilty at wanting her to go away.

“Um…just catching up on some work.”

It was a lie, there was no work to be seen, she makes sure to keep that in the office now.

She was doing nothing actually, nothing but sitting on her couch. There were thoughts to turn the TV on but she hadn’t quite acquired the energy to press buttons on the remote.

“I just wanted to check in with you,” her mother says on the other end. “Is everything okay? You haven’t called in a while.”

Dana used to call her mother every weekend (if she was home). She hadn’t exactly stopped doing that but lately it had been using to much energy to talk and pretend everything was okay when it really, really wasn’t. One look around her apartment would tell her that; take-out containers everything, dishes piling up in the sink, two weeks’ worth of laundry still to be done. She couldn’t hide behind the excuse of ‘too much work’, there was never too much, not anymore, she just did not want to do it.

Maybe part of it was in rebellion. Mulder had made her apartment all nice and pretty for her to return to so it was her job to make it a mess, to erase any notion that he was ever here.

There she was thinking about Mulder again.

“I’m good,” Dana says. “I’ve just been busy.” There’s another lie. She was getting as good as Mulder’s conspirators.

“Good,” Maggie says though she sounds a little off. “I was thinking of coming around on the weekend. Will you be home?”

Dana tries not to audibly sigh. Her mother coming around would mean she would need to clean her apartment otherwise Maggie will definitely know something is amiss.

Dana’s not even sure why she’s hiding it from her mother exactly.

“It’s okay,” Dana says. “I’ll come round to you.” Yes, that’s better. She can shut the door on her apartment and nobody has to know anything more.

“It’s really no bother me coming—”

“Mom, it’s fine,” Dana says, cutting her mother off. “I’ll go to you.” Her tone leaves no arguments.

“Well, I’ll see you on Saturday then.”

“See you Saturday.”

She hangs up, placing the phone back in its place then looks at it. Mulder got her that, he replaced her last one. Another reminder of Mulder. Maybe she should get rid of it.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Talking was never one of Dana’s strongest points. She kept things bottled up and locked in a box at the back of her brain. Her problems were her own, it was nobody else job to deal with them.

But then somebody invented the therapist profession and then it did become somebody’s job.

“I heard you were placed in a new department,” Karen- you can call me Karen, there’s no need for formalities here, Dana- tells her. “How’s that working for you?”

Horrible, Dana thinks.

Instead she says. “It’s okay. It’s not that different from the X-Files.”

Karen smiles, nodding.

They fall silent, Dana choosing to look around the office. A bookshelf, some personal items on the shelves, Karen Kosseff’s diploma sitting nicely in a picture frame hanging off the wall. Dana hadn’t put her up when she had an office in Quantico, she thought about it but decided against it, she doesn’t actually know why.

“What about your new co-workers?” Karen asks. “Are they treating you fairly?”

Of course not. Haven’t you heard, I’m Mrs Spooky.

Instead Dana shrugs. “I guess they’re treating me as they would any newbie.”

Karen nods again, writes something down in her notepad.

Dana sighs, looking towards the clock on the wall. How long was this session supposed to be again?

Karen follows her eyeline.

“Do you have somewhere else you need to be?”

Caught off guard and feeling guilty, Dana answers. “No, it’s just…”

Karen nods, understanding. “We can stop here if that’s what you want. Pick off next Wednesday.”

It’s mandatory these sessions be an hour long but Karen is giving her an out.

So Dana takes it. She nods, Karen smiles, and Dana leaves hoping next Wednesday never comes.

.:.:.:.:.:.

“Where have you been?”

Hello to you too, Davis.

“I had something to do.”

His feet are on her desk. She looks at them pointedly but Davis is too dumb to realise.

“Don’t you have your own desk to put your feet on, Davis?”

He sighs like it’s the biggest thing she could ask of him.

“Alright. You don’t need to be such a bitch about it.” He moves his feet, deliberately knocking her pot of pens over. Dana glares at him as she moves to pick it up.

“Fuller wants you in his office,” he tells her.

“What for?” she asks, half intrigued, half concerned.

“I don’t know, I’m not your fucking messenger.”

She rolls her eyes, mutters asshole under her breath.

“Did you say something?” Davis asks.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” she answers making her way to Fuller’s office. She knocks on the door.

“Come in.” She opens the door. “Took your time,” Fuller says upon seeing her.

Dana shuts the door and sits down in one of the chairs.

“Sorry, I had a meeting.”

Fuller makes some noise.

“Well, it’s your lucky day,” he tells her. “You’re going on your first field trip with VCS.”

This early, Dana wonders. It’s been a month, she thought they would give her more time.

“Why me?” she asks.

“You were requested. Consider it part of your probation.”

“Where am I going?”

“Minneapolis,” Fuller says smiling. “You won’t be going alone, however. Davis will go with you.”

She tries not to audibly groan, tries not to show that she is in any way dissatisfied with that.

“Is there nobody else?” she tries instead.

“He’s a senior agent, you’re not. Not here, at least. You’ll need someone to guide you.”

Guide me. Like I haven’t done this before.

“There are plenty of senior agents. Why does it have to be him?”

Fuller sighs and leans forward. “It’s him because I said it’s him. Is that alright with you?”

She laces her fingers together beneath the table, resists the urge to push his face away.

“Yes, sir.”

Fuller smiles. “Good.” He leans back in the chair. “You leave Monday. Please let Davis know.”

Dana gets up from the chair and leaves the office.

“You been fired yet?” Davis asks pretending to do some work.

“We’re going to Minneapolis,” Dana responds.

Davis smiles brightly. “Looks like we’re about to be partners, sweetheart.”

Out of all the agents in this goddamn department why did it have to be him?

.:.:.:.:.

A file is placed down on his desk, delivered personally by Cavanagh himself.

Mulder looks at the file then at Cavanagh.

“What’s this?” he asks.

“I got a call from your FBI building. Somebody higher up asking if I had any cases that could do with some help and I was told to put you on the case,” Cavanagh explains to him.

Mulder opens the file up. His breath catches in his throat momentarily at the crime scene photograph that stares up at him. An unearthed grave and a mutilated body. Mulder regains his posture and closes the file.

“Not a pretty sight,” Cavanagh says with a grimace. “Anyway, people from VCS are coming up on Monday.”

“Do you know who they are?”

“Didn’t mention any names. Bocks will work on it with you.”

At the mention of his name, Bocks swivels over. He takes the file as Cavanagh walks back to his office.

VCS, Mulder thinks with a grump. I swear to god if it’s Colton…

VCS was the most logical department to assist them. Mulder had witnessed this type of thing before. They were usually good cases, gruesome, but interesting. Maybe it was a chance for Mulder to do some decent profiling, stretch those muscles again.

“Whoa,” says Bocks who is now looking at the photos. “Think I’m gonna give MUFON a call.”

Mulder frowns, turning to his partner. “Why?”

The phone in his hand, Bocks explains. “Looks like the literature, doesn’t it?”

“The literature?”

A wary glance towards the office, lowering his voice.

“The hair and nails have been cut away, like in the cattle mutilations.”

Mulder looks at the photograph. He guesses he can see why Bocks has made that leap but he shakes his head.

“Aliens didn’t do this.”

“Well, how can you be so sure?”

Mulder picks on the photographs up. He knows the work of a very disturbed person when he sees one.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.

She’s just about finished packing when there’s a knock at her door.

Spying her gun on the bed, Dana picks it up and cautiously moves towards the door. The gun beside her but her fingers ready on the trigger, she looks through the peep hole.

Relief spreads through her when she sees her mother. Removing her fingers from the trigger, she unlocks the door, pulling back the chain.

“Hi, Mom,” she says.

“Hi.” Maggie smiles, her smile leaves her when her eyes fall to the gun in Dana’s hand. “Why are you holding your gun?”

Dana looks down at it to, moving it around like she’s never seen it before.

“Um…I was just getting ready to pack it,” she answers. She opens the door more, allowing her mother entry, and walks back over to her bedroom where a suitcase lies on her bed.

Maggie follows, hanging in the doorway as Dana begins busying herself with packing the last few things.

“You didn’t come over yesterday.”

Shit. Dana pauses. She had forgotten all about that.

“I was going to call but you’ve seemed off lately so I decided I’d see you in person.”

“I’m sorry,” Dana apologises. “I forgot.” Not a complete lie. “They’re sending me to Minnesota, I was catching up on the case.” A lie. They wouldn’t get information on the case until they arrived.

“I see,” Maggie says. “Is it not too soon for you to be out in the field?”

It’s been a month. Two if you include from when she came out of her coma.

“They think I’m ready.”

“Do you think you’re ready?”

Dana has thought about that a lot since she was assigned this case. She came to the conclusion last night that yes, she does feel ready. A change of scenery might be good for her.

“I think so.”

Maggie smiles. “Well, I’m glad to hear.” She goes to move away from the doorway but stops. Dana waits wondering what else her mother has to say.

“Do you know when you’ll be back?”

Dana shakes her head.

“Well, I was hoping you would come to church with me when you got back.”

Church, Dana thinks with a heaviness in her chest. Her cross still sits against her skin. After wearing it for fifteen years she forgets it there but there are some moments were it is heavy against her chest. Suddenly cold with the reminder that you missed mass last Sunday or you haven’t been in a while, maybe you should go?

It became a habit to ignore her faith whenever she knew she wasn’t doing so good. Her strengths came from herself not from others or a religion. Mostly, she was scared she would become dependent upon it, so she just ignored it all together. It was easier that way, safer.

“Yeah, maybe,” Dana says nodding because maybe if she says it aloud to someone she might actually follow through with it.

“Well, I’ll let you get on with your packing,” Maggie says, moving away from the door now.

Dana looks at her suitcase and at the clock. She was done packing, there was still some time left.

“Stay for a bit,” she tells her mother. Her apartment was finally clean. 3am this morning with a sudden burst of motivation. Turns out it wasn’t that difficult after all.

Dana motions for her mother to sit down.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Tea, please.”

Dana does that, putting the kettle on the stove and tries not to think of how many lies she’s just told.

#txf #xf fic #season 2 #canon divergence #time can heal 2 #i write

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ficsandcatsandficsandcats · 4 years

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If you're not too bogged down with fics, would you mind doing one where the reader has an unspoken anger against Yennefer because she knows Yen makes Jaskier upset? Like she tries to hide it but cant help getting offended on Jask's behalf and is kinda jealous of her beauty? Like when Jask called her sexy (but insane)

Fandom: The WitcherPairing: Jaskier x ReaderWord Count: 1,375Rating: GTaglist: @heroics-and-heartbreak a/n: Never too bogged down for a req! This was an interesting prompt and I saw a few different ways it could have been. I’m kind of a sucker for Yennefer being a part of the gang so I hope this still works the way you wanted it to turn out.

Yennefer of Vengerberg was a talented sorceress. She was resilient, brave, and a famed beauty. She also insulted the love of your life at every opportunity and you tasted blood whenever she made an offhand remark to Jaskier. He always gave as well as he took but you resented that he was put in that position in the first place. What could belittling him give her, who had so much? You’d raised the issue with Jaskier before but he’d insisted it was a sort of banter the two of them shared, which didn’t make you feel better but for different reasons altogether. The good news was you rarely saw the sorceress, she was usually off pursuing her own goals and your paths rarely crossed. Until tonight.

The evening started so well. You’d left Jaskier properly tongue-tied in the burgundy dress you wore. You’d made Geralt laugh, a rare feat indeed, and Jaskier was having the time of his life. You loved watching him perform, in his natural habitat before a crowd of admirers. You were clapping along to one of his new songs when you saw her walk in and your heart sank.

She was fucking gorgeous. The black dress she wore was simple but accented her curves and made her brilliant violet eyes shine. Her hair was done up in an elaborate style and you saw her ruby colored lips twist into a sardonic smile when she saw Jaskier performing. You felt yourself bristle and had to remind yourself to breathe slowly. She was walking towards you because Geralt was there and you prayed that Jaskier would stay on the other side of the hall.

“Good evening Geralt, Y/N,” she said in greeting.

“Yennefer,” Geralt said. You nodded, not quite trusting yourself to speak. You heard Jaskier finish and moved to go join him where he was and leave Geralt and Yennefer to each other but he was already halfway to where you stood.

“Yennefer,” he said, his voice flat with disappointment, “You came.”

“Well,” she said, her mouth twisting up into a nasty smile and you knew whatever came next would make your blood boil, “I had heard Valdo Marx was going to perform but I see they were unable to get him.”

Jaskier opened his mouth but the words came from yours.

“Maybe you should go find him,” you said. She glanced at you, a glimmer of interest in her eyes.

“I would but all of the interesting people are here,” she said.

“And yet not all possessing good taste,” you bite out.

“Y/N! Come, you must see this fountain they have out back,” Jaskier says, intervening before Yennefer can reply. Jaskier ushers you away, pulling you outside where there was a fountain but neither you cared about it.

“Y/N, you can’t let her get to you like that,” he says.

“I wouldn’t but she says the most awful things and you get upset and I hate that,” you argue. He smiles at you endearingly, torn between how much he hates to see you upset but loves that you are on his behalf.

“I know,” he says, “But truly, this is just how are with each other. We have been for ages.”

“I know you have a long history with her,” you mutter.

“I do but she’s Geralt’s problem. He can have the insane, sexy sorceress. I’ll take you any day,” he says. He doesn’t realize at first that he’s made a grave mistake. Then, when you meet his eyes and he sees an indignation that was most definitely not there a moment ago, he scrambles to think over what he’s said and how this went so wrong so fast.

“Oh,” you say, your voice icier than the approaching winter’s air, “Geralt can have the sexy one. You’ll take me. How very generous of you. What a fucking saint.”

“No – wait – what? No, Y/N, listen…” he stammers over himself trying to sort out the words but losing them in his panic. “What I meant was, I mean, you’re very lovely too I just-“

“Oh I’m lovely as well? Oh happy day!” you exclaim sarcastically.

“Listen that’s entirely, that’s not, I’m… remember when you were mad at Yennefer? Wasn’t that a good time?” he says, trying to redirect your anger if he can’t ease it. You spin away from him and stalk off into the night. He debates following you but he’d learned that sometimes you needed a few moments to breathe and he definitely needed time to figure out how he was going to make this right.

You find yourself standing on a balcony alcove, tucked away from the crowd and far enough away you can mumble the words you didn’t say to his face because you knew they’d hurt him too much. Stupid bard that you loved even when he made you so angry.

“I’ve often found that men are fools,” the last voice you want to hear says from the shadows. You turn and face the sorceress who considers you carefully.

“Yes I imagine most men act foolishly in the face of your beauty,” you say, not bothering to hide the bitterness in your voice. She laughs and even her laughter is beautiful.

“I’d say that you’d be surprised but you no doubt have faced that quite a bit yourself,” she says. You look at her, searching for signs of sarcasm but she appears to be surprisingly sincere.

“I came to apologize,” she explains. A second surprise.

“For what?” you ask.

“I know that it bothers you when I trade barbs with Jaskier,” she says, “It’s become a habit, but I imagine I would feel similarly if someone spoke ill of Geralt in front of me.”

“Well, that’s very… kind. Jaskier has said that it’s an old habit for the both of you,” you admit.

“Yes he’s not always the wisest,” she says and you can tell she’s biting back about a dozen other remarks and you’re grateful for her restraint.

“Why are you here?” you ask, genuinely wondering and without a trace of the bitterness your tone held before.

“Why are you here?” she echoes, “To follow the man I love of course. Even if it just for tonight.”

“At least you have the gift of knowing that Geralt only has eyes for you,” you say, hating how contrite and petty you sound to your own ears.

“Oh come now you must see the way he looks at you,” Yennefer says. You never expected to be having a heart to heart talk about love and men and its many disappointments with Yennefer of Vengerberg, but here you were.

“He looks at many people that way. It’s kind of his thing,” you argue.

“Y/N, if you take one thing away from tonight, take this; the bard loves you. Sometimes it pays to trust someone at their word. And that’s me saying that.”

You laugh and she gives you a slight smile.

“Well I still think he’s an idiot,” you say.

“You’re not wrong,” she agrees, “But they all are.”

The two of you stand in silence for a moment and then you hear Jaskier’s voice, mumbling to himself as he approaches.

“I was an ass, I’m so sorry, you’re a goddess, you’re love incarnate, you’re – Yennefer!” he’s shocked to see her standing there and he looks between the two of you, sheer incredulity freezing him to the spot.

“Don’t worry, the spell will wear off soon,” Yennefer says, glancing at you and whispering, “I couldn’t help myself” before walking past a stuttering Jaskier. As soon as she’s walked past him he comes up to you and pulls you into his arms, looking you over carefully.

“What has that bloody witch done to you?” he asks.

“For the love of gods stop, I’m fine. She just wanted to talk,” you say.

“Oh god it’s worse than I thought. She’s controlling your mind. Or worse! She’s wiped it clear of memories! Quickly, what’s my name and who am I?”

“Julian Alfred Pankratz, man that I love and pain in my arse,” you answer. His face rises with the first part and falls with the second, landing somewhere in the middle in a confused expression before you pull him in for a kiss.

#Anonymous #jaskier x reader #jaskier imagines #drabble #reader request

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eyeslikefoxglove · 4 years

Text

Episode 14 - WangXian are a (v soft) Battle Couple & Foxglove is hella mad

Hi! Welcome to episode 14. I should be studying. It’s day two of morning runs, so my soul has left my body already, send help. Yesterday I went to buy plants with my mum and got so excited I just whacked on a bunch of eyeshadow because I haven’t seen the outside in weeks, I’m also wearing makeup today, because I have nowhere to go, but I really need to finish this bb cream before it goes bad, so my parents are getting my full fresh faced “woke up like this and put on mascara” routine (which is a fucking lie because I’m wearing at least three blushes and two highlighters). I’m determined to get this bitch down in under five minutes so I can have another five to do eyeshadow, I have way too much eyeshadow to not wear it (I have way too much everything except maybe mascara and eyebrow stuff).

Yes, if y’all were wondering I am in fact a makeup magpie. ANYWAY BACK TO THE ACTUAL THING WE ALL CAME HERE FOR.

(Btw further down I discuss once again how shitty I think the Yunmeng sibs’ parents are if that causes an issue for you)

Ok ok ok, so I was talking with damnpoe-2187 here about how we found that sometimes WWX crossed from gremlin into asshole when he tried to get LWJ riled up. Like in the Cold Springs, putting our shippers hearts aside, that was a dick move and he should have stopped undressing the second LWJ went from annoyed to incredibly uncomfortable. I find this scene the complete opposite, a show of character development if you will. It is kind of similar in that they’re both hurt, and alone (although this time is much more serious) and there was some undressing going on; however WWX here behaves like a fool in love considerate person and knowing how uncomfortable LWJ already is tries to make it easier for him. They’re also super soft and I’m weak.

A brief interlude from my one track mind: That pond is full of corpses isn’t it? Or at least the remnants of the Murder Turtle’s meals I suppose. Damn right WWX should not have gone into the water with an open wound, but think no one should go swimming in there without a full hazmat suit tbh (I want to pump them full of antibiotics at this point ngl)

So I love this tiny montage (is it even a montage) of the, getting themselves ready to kill the Murder Turtle.

Teamwooooooork.

Listen, I have read a few fics in which their mind-meld stays in place due to reasons and I need me more of those.

Ok, turtles don’t work that way, but then again, giant murder snake-Trex-turtle so that’s low on my list of priorities. What’s not low is the fact that this guy is knee deep into pretty much a mass grave and I want to take a few showers just watching him.

Yeah, I know exactly what he’s smelling and suddenly I hope I don’t have meat for lunch today tbh.

The screaming sword has always been fucking creepy and does LWJ’s fist clench mean that he’s also hearing them?

BATTLE COUPLE! BATTLE COUPLE! BATTLE COUPLE!

So I know killing the thing took them something like six hours. And while it feels quite a long time in the show, I think that, if they cut the scene with idk, JC running towards Lotus Pier, then back to them, then back to JC, but now the sun is in a different position, back to them, but now the blood from LWJ’s hand has dripped down his arm; and so on a so forth it’d convey more clearly how long it took for the Murder Turtle to die. I know fuck all about cinematography tho so feel free to ignore all this if it is in fact an abomination.

Tiiiiiiny interlude here to say that Yiling Patriarch!WWX is probably one of my favourite character archetypes. He’s slightly creepy, slightly amoral (smiling while torturing and murdering bad guys is still amoral ok), more than a bit on the Dark Side, cocky, smirky, a bit of an asshole a BAMF, a rebel with cause and yet he will still do the right thing, not despite his nature, but because of it. He’s kind of like a Chipped Spike? But you know, he doesn’t need electroshock to behave.

I just want a fic where he’s this Dark Lord of Evil in everyone’s eyes however the ‘good guys’ take a break from trying to off him because a bigger threat just popped up and they have no choice but to ask for his help. He agrees, keeps being his charming self while also saving everyone’s asses, LWJ is smitten.

TL;DR: The Necromancer is hot. Oh and nobody dare deny LWJ has a Yiling Patriarch kink.

Oh my, this is the part when I always get teary eyed.

WUJI ON A CELLO? DO YOU WANT TO KILL ME?

“Why hasn’t Jiang Cheng shown up and rescued me yet?” THIS IS ALL THE PROOF I NEED THAT WWX IS THE BABY SIBLING.

“Lan Zhan sing me a song”

IT IS HAPPENING, STAY FUCKING CALM EVERYBODY (I’m crying)

That slideshow of their best moments set to WuJi is a masterpiece, and also, it kind of drives home the point of “how tf did we go from flirting during summer camp to this mess”?

(Btw if that’s YiBo humming he’s got one hell of a deep voice)

Ok ok ok, so this moment had me spitting up my tea the first time I watched it. Believe it or not my dumbass thought these people were actually serious with the censorship and we’d get scraps of their actual relationship. Lots of charged moments like in some other western tv shows I’ve seen when two dudes have chemistry but “they’re not gay”, no longing glances, no tender touches, no being unbelievably soft with each other; just you know, amped up, because if I’m not mistaken you can be arrested in China for “promoting the gay”. I mean, they changed the beginning when people insult MXY’s sexuality to insulting his mental health; no one would think “ah yes, the gays are good” when they hear it used as a slur, but they still erased it completely. One of the things I thought they’d fully take away was WangXian, I mean, the into/outro is named Wuji, which, you know, still a mishmash of their names, but not their ship name. It is such a significant part of the story with all the “what’s the song name? Figure it out yourself” that if something were going to give away that they’re married with a kid it would be that. I thought we’d get an artful fade to black BEFORE LWJ would say the name not after. And also, YiBo is enunciating it so clearly that, even with the sound muffled and the blurriness I, who don’t speak Chinese, can make out the two syllables. That’s deliberate, I can say “WangXian” loud and clear without moving my lips too much. At this point in time I must assume someone in charge of looking for censorship violations in the show is a fan and just ignored it.

Censorship person 1: dude, isn’t that a bit too gay, maybe you shouldn’t greenlight it.

Censorship person 2: shut the fuck up, sit here and watch.

*a full rundown of the whole of CQL later*

Censorship person 1: oh my god they’re so in love and they deserve to be happy.

Back to the commentary: I’m sorry but I have a mighty need of a WWX & Peacock friendship ok? This might be me just wanting WWX and LWJ to make other friends besides each other but I think that the Peacock is just bitchy enough to not take any of WWX’s bullshit.

And the Yunmeng bros timing for banter strikes yet again.

That’s terrible quality fake blood btw.

@ Yunmeng disciples: STOP SHOOTING FUCKING KITES PLEASE AND THANK YOU

Oooof even with a change of clothes our boy is still looking rough as hell.

MY LOVELY YUNMENG SIBS BEING SOFT AND HAPPY WITH EACH OTHER.

It hurts my soul that the second JFM starts praising WWX for surviving the Murder Turtle our boy’s knee-jerk reaction is to start praising JC in return. It is instinctive, how many times must this have happened for him to know his brother won’t even get scraps of praise? (Seriously fuck their parents)

It was going so well, I mean, JFM had a point warning him to not say things in anger. But I thought he was going to tell him that it is because sometimes he’ll hurt someone without wanting to, yet, this asshole decided to, once again, remind his kid he thinks he’s a failure.

And here comes Mme Yu who I can only assume had a servant posted at the door to warn her when WWX woke so she could throw some verbal abuse at him. I mean, she must have been missing it.

And JFM’s misogynistic bullshit strikes once again, because why defend ALL your kids when you can insult your wife.

(Every time someone berates WWX for “intervening” I want to scream. I mean, seeing this I can believe why the society as a whole thought genocide was a good idea.)

I love how they use their kids as props in their fight, I mean it’s not like they have feelings or anything. This woman is gaslight-y as hell too “you don’t love your kid because I gave birth to him”, you can’t tell me saying that in front of the son she’s supposed to love isn’t going to hurt him. And she knows it, I mean, besides the Wen attack I’ve never seen her hit the kids (although I very much doubt she hasn’t), so a good part of the abuse must be verbal. There’s no fucking way a person who regularly uses words that way won’t realise where she’s aiming those arrows. Which means to her (to both) the kids are collateral.

But FR, the barely-out-of-adolescence disaster bi necromancer PTSDing all over the place and living in a mass grave was a better parent than any of the current adults in this thing.

Which brings me to another point, Shijie is textbook “the oldest sibling is just another parent” and I’m making myself very angry.

[this is when I start frothing at the mouth and itching to write a modern-girl(and friends)-dropped-in-CQL because someone has to be a positive adult influence in these kids’ lives and it sure as shit ain’t the ones in the actual show.]

CAN WE STOP BRINGING PEOPLE’S DEAD PARENTS INTO THE FIGHT?

*deep breath*

I am going to feed JFM & Mme Yu each other’s spleens. Look, listen, look and listen, let’s first talk about how calmly they lay out the facts of their lives, one is only loved because he’s been brought up in the shadow of his dead parents, the other knows with certainty his father dislikes him and his mother uses him as leverage in marital disputes. When have these two not exploded their emotions all over the place? Fucking never. Yet here they are, talking about this bullshit like some bout of inconvenient weather. They’re used to it!

And now let’s talk about yet again siblings-are-just-extra-parents, with an added pile of WWX’s terrible self awareness that, to the man who brought him up, his worth is due to his dead parents. Again I’m extrapolating, but with the amount of times Mme Yu brings up his parents in such a negative light I refuse to believe JFM hasn’t made all the “you’re so much like your parents” comments to him every time WWX does something right. I mean, telling an orphan about their parents if they ask is a good thing, but WWX seems starved for stories about his them, which leads me to believe JFM refuses to talk about the topic except to make those little comments. What a fucking stellar way to give someone all the trauma if you ask me. May also explain a lot of WWX’s self worth issues if the biggest praise he’s ever heard is that he resembles dead people, yes, people who were loved, but they’re dead, and it doesn’t look like any adult has bothered to go and differentiate WWX from ZSSR&WCZ.

I’m just really mad, despite all the silly anecdotes I put in here my parents are fucking great at parenting, so I know what good parents should look like, and this ain’t it.

Ok, so I made myself angry and I don’t know if I should move onto the next episode now or wait till tomorrow but thanks for reading!

#the untamed #cql #mdzs #mdzs live action #foxglove watches cql #foxglove watches the untamed #wei wuxian #lan wangji #wangxian #jiang yanli #jiang cheng #yunmeng shuangjie #yunmeng trio #yunmeng siblings #yunmeng bros #Foxglove is hella mad #good parenting? Less likely than you think

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fierce-little-miana · 4 years

Text

Meetings

Here is my first entry for the @saitofest 2020 following the prompt Fond Memories | The Best of the Best, beta-read by the lovely and frighteningly fast and efficient @fleeting-blossom-of-the-dawn (thank you so much). Thank you to @impracticaldemon for organizing and @queengurako for helping with the information.

This is a onceagainbutwithfeeling fic about Saito arrival at the Shinsengumi. Technically this is canon compliant and historically ‘informed’ (just like your favorite period dramas are). Enjoy!

(and if I made a mistake in the way people addressed each other just know that I am sorry, I did my best)

Edo was not as loud as Saito remembered it. The city was as heavy as the summer heat, but it was more bearable than it had been two years ago, like a wound which had closed. People’s accent wasn’t singing to his hear but it wasn’t accusing him either. He found himself capable of walking as he had done in Kyoto, one step after another toward a goal. Yet, he still caught himself stopping for a few seconds, looking for something familiar. Nothing came, even the cicadas chirping sounded foreign.

“And this our main courtyard,” Inoue said pointing to a square in front of them. “Kondo-san likes to organize contests here.”

Saito nodded to his guide who was smiling at him. The moment lasted a bit longer than it was comfortable and he saw the man’s muscles around his mouth twitch, the smile never disappearing. Had he expected another answer? Before Saito could even try adding something to show proper respect to Inoue the man declared with some affability.

“Well I guess you would rather want to meet everyone Saito-kun? Follow-me.”

This time the man turned away without waiting for an answer. Saito went after him in silence letting his eyes take the courtyard in a bit more. It was very neat. He had heard conflicting things about the Shieikan dojo, not all of them good, but everyone agreed on the fact that it brought together unusual men. He was glad discipline wasn’t disregarded nevertheless.

“You studied with Yoshida-san in Kyoto, right?”

Saito’s attention snapped back to Inoue. Tentatively he answered:

“Ha…”

“You didn’t want to continue there?”

He felt no ill intention behind the question, just honest curiosity.

“I was unable to attain the Menkyo Kaiden,” he answered while putting his right hand on the hilt of the sword he carried on the same side.

It was Inoue’s turn to answer with only a nod. He did so after a short instant of consideration. Then he kept leading him within the compound. Saito wondered what it must feel like, to welcome in one’s school someone who had failed somewhere else. Surely no-one wanted a student like that. Still as long as the man was ready to guide, he was willing to follow.

Saito could now hear voices. Two more turns on the engawa and they arrived in front of a room whose shoji were wide open to try to create some sort of draught to fight the summer heat.

There was a dozen of men in the room, training with vigor. Two of them were directing the session. The first instructor was the largest and the loudest of the two. He wore a green bandana and was correcting a group of three men at the same time. Saito was first taken aback by his conduct, but he quickly realized that the advice he was giving was clear and appropriate. The trainees looked attentive and eager to satisfy his demands. His stance was quite good too. If his apparent physical strength was matched by enough kenjutsu talent he could be a dangerous opponent.

But it was the second instructor that drew his attention. He didn’t look much older than Saito but clearly he was the one who most set the trainees on edge. He walked through the room, apparently relaxed, but his pass had something feline about it. Something that didn’t bode well for anyone crossing him. And indeed, when a trainee started to get distracted and sloppy the man would stop in front of him and fix him up until he was somehow capable of correcting his form. This was not an efficient teaching technique by any means, but Saito had to recognize that the instructor was razor sharp in noticing mistakes and lack of discipline. His green eyes seemed acute to his surroundings. Unsurprisingly they had fixed upon Saito when he appeared in full view of the room.

He wasn’t completely hostile but not far off and didn’t even bother to hide it. Still Saito did not budge. There was something about this man that gave him the urge to face him.

“Hey Gen-san, who is the visitor?” a red-haired man sitting at Saito and Inoue’s right asked.

“This is Saito-kun,” the man kindly answered. “He has expressed interest in our dojo.”

“Hajimemashite Saito-san. I am Harada Sanosuke and this is Todo Heisuke.” he said while pointing to his neighbor.

“Hajimemashite!” the latter exclaimed.

Saito slightly bowed to both of them while answering in the same manner. He felt a certain curiosity coming from both men but none as potent as the one of the green-eyed instructor.

“Sano-kun are Toshi or Isami around?” Inoue asked.

“No, they are out on business and Sannan-san is with them. Considering the hour I doubt they will be back before tomorrow, probably enjoying the pleasure of a night out.” Harada added with a grin.

Inoue sighed before turning toward Saito.

“I am sorry Saito-kun, I thought you could meet and discuss with them today. Would you mind coming back tomorrow?”

“I don’t mind Inoue-san,” Saito turned toward Harada and Todo. “It was nice meeting you two.”

“Same,” the red-haired warrior simply answered.

His guide started to walk back toward the entrance and Saito followed. As long as he was in view of the training room he could feel the green eyes of the instructor on him, unyielding.

* * *

“What was that about this afternoon?” Shinpachi asked while entering to join them for dinner.

This made Souji focus. Finally, a conversation that might be more interesting than Heisuke complaining about his seasoning. The Shieikan dojo did receive unannounced visitors from time to time but they were rarely coming with good intentions. Having an unknown left-handed warrior walking in the compound was probably bad news for Kondo. What was Gen thinking showing him around?

“No idea,” Sanosuke answered while moving to the right to leave some room for Shinpachi to seat. “I wanted to ask Gen-san but he apparently left to run some errands just after escorting our ‘guest’ out. He hasn’t come back, so I guess he joined Kondo-san and the others.”

“Come on! You talked to them, you know at least more than Souji and I do.”

Sanosuke’s eyes went to Souji who nodded his support to Shinpachi. The more they knew the better. If people thought they could just scout Kondo’s dojo before making trouble they were gravely mistaken. Sanosuke sighed:

“He wasn’t much of a talker, we introduced each other that’s all.”

“That’s an understatement,” Heisuke intervened. “The guy was gloomy!”

“You might want to take a page from his book. I doubt he was much older than you and yet he had so much more gravity,” Sanosuke added with a smile.

They were getting distracted. Who cared about the gravity of the man? It was just another way to add to his humorless demeanor. Souji couldn’t care less about that.

“And was our dark and not-so-tall stranger’s name?” he asked while putting his chopstick down.

“Saito.”

Souji snorted. So, mister mysterious was indeed surrounded by secrecy. Did he think anonymity would protect him from retribution? That was an issue though. It would be complicated getting info on him with just his name.

“That’s extremely convenient,” he finally commented.

“Is it?” Heisuke asked. “How many left-handed Saito could be running around Edo?”

“Are you serious? Do you realize how many people have this name? I know at least three left-handed Saito. One of them is working in tea shop. She is taller than you shrimp.”

Heisuke tried to send his elbow into Sanosuke’s side for that. The red-haired man only had to move a little to dodge it. They kept fighting even as Shinpachi said under his breath:

“That’s odd.”

Souji’s attention was entirely on him now. Shinpachi looked absorbed in his thoughts. While noisy the man had a head for politics that sometimes lead him into long and apparently captivating conversations with Kondo. Souji never took part in them but he stayed around. Currently Shinpachi had the same look on his face that when I was about to make some decisive point. Unfortunately for Souji he was staring to get pulled into Heisuke and Sanosuke’s oral jab.

“Keep talking Shinpachi-san.”

His three companions went silent. Their eyes were on him. They were uneasy. People, expect Kondo, sometimes looked at him like that. Sometimes he knew why sometimes he didn’t. His voice tone was probably off. In any case that served him well.

“It is nothing Souji, don’t worry.”

Ah, Shinpachi was already recovering from whatever he had felt. Usual. Souji had to act quickly because if Shinpachi decided to ignore him no matter what he would then do, even more deliberate things, it would just slip on the man. But before he could add anything it was Sanosuke who surprisingly came to his help:

“Just tell him. He has the look on his face that says that he won’t leave us alone until he knows whatever he thinks you are hiding. He is going to be an ass all evening.”

Well he didn’t exactly like the formulation, and he had to fight back the urge of retorting something - he didn’t know what but something - but it worked.

“It is just that it reminded me of something. One or two years ago two idiot kids ended up dueling each other. One of them was a Hatamoto’s son and the other one the son of a lowly samurai. Surprisingly it was the Hatamoto’s son who was killed. Long story short it was quite a scandal and the lowly samurai son was forced to flee Edo.”

“And?” Souji asked.

“I think the kid was left-handed.”

Souji found nothing to say to that, nor was Shinpachi ready to tell him more. Slowly the evening meal went back to its normal rhythm. While the chatter grew around him, Souji considered what he just learned. It didn’t mean that mystery man was the lowly samurai son of course. It was probably just a coincidence. And even if it wasn’t, having killed someone wouldn’t give his adversary an edge on him.

He forced his hands to open. At some point they had contracted on his hakama. No, whoever this man was, whatever he had done, it wouldn’t change a thing.

* * *

Saito came back. This time no-one was there to welcome him. He had hesitated at the gate. Wandering alone, and armed, in a dojo was a bad idea. Especially considering that he didn’t come to make enemies. Still he had been told to return today, so he entered.

He was able to come right to the middle of the Shieikan, where he had witnessed the training session the day before. Today the shoji were closed and it felt as if he had failed something. The cicadas were singing again making the day look like a distorted repeat of his first visit. He didn’t particularly like hot weather, but he usually endured it without a complaint. Right now, it was more suffocating than ever. He would have been lying if he said that at this moment he didn’t consider turning back, yet he called out:

“Pardon me, is anyone in?”

There was a movement on his right. The four men he had noticed in the training room yesterday were standing in the shadow of an engawa. The green eyes were once again fixed on him.

“Who is it?” the instructor asked looking like he had very much been waiting for him. “Did he come to challenge our school?”

Saito was expecting that. There was apparently no-one else around despite Inoue’s word. Probably they had made their decision before he came back and let their best students handle him. He saw no point in correcting their wrong assumption. The man was spoiling for a fight. The three others weren’t as antagonistic, but they didn’t look ready to stop their peer either. Well he was used to that. He could give the man what he was looking for.

Facing his silence, the green-eyed instructor joined him. His mouth was smiling but his eyes weren’t, and his informality had an edge to it.

“Follow-me.”

He went into the training room with him, the three other men following behind. Today the room was mainly closed which gave it a stifling atmosphere. His interlocutor gave him a bokken and they faced each other. The green-eyed man was still smiling when he started speaking again with faked candor in his voice:

“I still haven’t asked for your name yet, haven’t I? I guess I might as well ask while you can still talk.”

“Saito Hajime,” he simply answered unfazed by the bravado of his adversary.

“Saito-kun, ne? I am Okita Souji, nice to meet you.”

His surprise and his politeness were feigned but his confidence wasn’t. Saito assured his grip on the bokken.

“Shinpachi-san, could you act as our referee?” Okita suddenly asked to the other instructor.

“Sure,” he answered with a bit of hesitation.

The man took his place before turning toward Saito, much to his surprise:

“Hey, are going to be okay? Souji’s the star student of our dojo.”

“There is no need for concern,” Saito answered and he took his stand.

Okita’s smile grew wider and he joined Saito. There was a short moment in which their bokken touched and they were only facing each other. Both of them were intensely focused and Saito had no trouble believing what Shinpachi had said.

“Hajime!”

Saito kept his stance as it was but Okita changed his guard calmly, bringing his bokken behind him. Fine he would engage.

He went toward Okita at full speed aiming for his head. His adversary seemed surprised for a split-second but managed to dodge. Saito carried on with multiple thrusts, nearly landing a blow several times. Still he didn’t manage to actually make a hit. Okita finally warded his attack off and Saito was forced to draw back.

That was unexpected but not as much as the nearly immediate counterattack he barely managed to fend off. He was good. Very good. Saito hadn’t had an adversary like that in ages, forcing him on the defensive. He took a vicious blow on his left side, several inches under the heart. It should have taken his breath away, but he gritted his teeth and put all his weight in a counter blow that allowed him to regain some edge.

The referee had screamed something that Saito barely registered. He had to focus on his adversary, thankfully Okita seemed in the same mindset. They traded several other blows, perfectly countering each other none of them managing to gain the upper hand.

At some point they came to a halt, if one could call it that. Their bokken were pushing against each other and both of them were putting as much of their weight in their confrontation as they could without risking unbalance. Okita was panting as much as him but he still surprisingly managed to speak:

“You are stronger than I expected. No one’s been able to dodge my thrusts before.”

“You are the first person I fail to defeat in my first move.”

Okita smiled more earnestly this time, a bizarrely gratifying sight. Unfortunately for Saito his adversary was considerably taller than him and his superior size ultimately gave him the advantage in their current confrontation. He was once again thrown a few steps backward and they started giving and repelling blows. Someone else was screaming now. Saito didn’t recognize the voice and had no time to try to.

Suddenly Shinpachi and Todo were on Okita. Saito barely managed to take a step back in surprise before Harada caught his right arm. It took an enormous effort from Saito to break his fight like that, but he recognized an immediate request to stop when he saw one. He went still trying to find his breath back. In front of him Okita was struggling against the two men who had more or less physically restrained him. His eyes were still fixed on Saito.

Now that he was a bit more able to take his surroundings in Saito noticed that two men had arrived, one of them looking quite angered by what he saw but it was the other one who spoke:

“You were quite impressive!”

The compliment surprised him. He wasn’t used to this. He took two more breaths in before messily answering with a question:

“I fight using a left-handed stance, does that not bother you?”

His interlocutor seemed surprise, as if he hadn’t even noticed it. It was the other man, the one with the long black hair, who reacted. Somehow his comment seemed to have made him angrier but strangely not at Saito:

“Whether you use a right-handed stance or a left-handed stance, it doesn’t change the fact that you are strong.”

Saito was struck dumb. He had never expected that, maybe a grudging welcome, but certainly not at total acknowledgement. The men were talking in front of him. He had to focus to listen to them.

“He is the boy Gen-san told us about. I wanted to test him, but I think this won’t be necessary, don’t you think Toshi?”

“Indeed, I don’t think it will be necessary Kondo-san,” the man with the long hair answered with a smile on his face.

Kondo-san? So this man was the head of the Shieikan dojo. Saito knew he was supposed to bow to him but somehow he did not manage to. His attention was fixed on the man with the long ponytail.

“So, would you follow us uhm?” Kondo asked.

It took Saito a minute to realize that the man was talking to him. He was supposed to introduce himself. By the time he had actually intellectualized this Okita was answering for him:

“This is Saito Hajime-kun.”

“Would you follow us Hajime-kun? We have things to discuss.”

Kondo and the other man started to lead the way out of the training room. He wanted to follow. He wanted it so bad he might have never wanted something as badly in his entire life. But he couldn’t. Maybe if he started moving again all of this would disappear. He would again be the left-handed warrior no-one wanted to be associated with no matter what.

Someone gave him a friendly slap in the back. He was forced to take a step forward not to fall.

“Welcome Hajime-kun, I am looking forward to sparring with you again,” Okita said with a wicked grin while going after Kondo and the other man.

Everything was still here. The training room, his uneven breathing from the impromptu duel, Harada, Shinpachi and Todo next to him, Okita, Kondo and the black-haired man in front of him. The welcome was new. It was a good change.

#saitofest #hakuouki #hakuoki #saito hajime #okita souji #and a lot others #and yes it is canon compliant #just because you have suspicions that your best friend has already killed someone doesn't mean that you know for sure

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theangriestpea · 4 years

Text

In the Shadows : Five

Summary: Jughead Jones, resident werewolf, just wants to protect his family and his pack from the incoming doom of The Red Circle. Sweet Pea and Lily join him to help keep the Southside safe from human tyranny. Meanwhile a demon princess named Myra and succubus named Lavender had a plan to bring on the apocalypse. <ao3> <masterlist> <playlist>

Rating: Mature // Explicit

Pairings: Jughead Jones x OC, Sweet Pea x OC, Kurtz x OC

Warnings: Smut, Mentions of forced pregnancy, Rough sex, Hair pulling, Intense choking, Fingering, Oral, Anal, Degradation/Humiliation, Dirty talk??? , NO AFTERCARE

Word Count: 6.3k+

A/N: This chapter has a very serious warning. At the end there is a very graphic and violent, CONSENSUAL sex scene. If you are not comfortable reading about rough, violent sex then you might want to skip it because it gets a little brutal imo. If you're not in a good headspace for that, then please come back and read at a time when you are.

Part Five: Alone

A few quiet days passed. Lavender spent her days lounging with Charlie, enjoying the fighter’s company more than loneliness. During the night was when Lav hunted as Charlie could only see her partner after the sun had set. Charlie’s relationship was open and Lav’s was nonexistent.

As it turned out, Charlie was the newest member to the Jones pack. She had been an outsider from Greendale that escaped a desperate situation to what she thought would be safe in Riverdale. Once she arrived and found the plague that was The Red Circle, she realized that she had been gravely mistaken.

However, having a strong pack to back her up and support her was better than the broken home she had been barely surviving in. She also struggled with loneliness and did not quite fit in with her packmates yet. Despite her fierce loyalty to the Joneses for taking her in, it was said that she had yet to prove herself.

She was a champion in the ring. Charlie had never lost a fair fight. In Greendale she was forced to fight for scraps. She excelled and it was used to bind her into servitude. Now it was her greatest strength as it earned her enough respect on the Southside to not get messed with. Everyone knew there was a bite to back up her loud bark.

Seeing their blossoming friendship, Jughead decided to give Charlie a job to do. He wanted her to keep an eye on the succubus for the time being to make sure that she was trustworthy. The only reason he had to distrust her was that it was the very nature of a demon to be dishonest and conniving.

There was still two weeks until the next full moon and Jughead wanted everyone to meet together. Lavender was dreading this as it meant she’d have to see her baby daddy. While she wasn’t showing yet and didn’t really have any symptoms of pregnancy, she had a feeling he would know. Most likely because of Jughead’s big fucking mouth.

But she could always deny that it was his. She pondered this and eventually found that it would be the most beneficial tactic for her. The last thing she wanted was there to be strings attached to her in any way. Her forced commitment to Myra was bad enough. Her fling with Charlie was hardly anything more than friends with benefits.

Jughead had not probed any further about who the father was. Though he routinely asked her how she was doing in regards to pregnancy. Lav kept telling him that her human symptoms weren’t bound to start for another two weeks or so while her demonic ones were already in full swing. Never in her entire demonic life had she been so hungry, so insatiable that she thought she might go insane.

Myra even brought her supplemented souls to feed her. She could always tell when the succubus was starving. The demoness asked Lav why she didn’t take Charlie’s soul as often it was during the day that she needed more sustenance. Lav always dodged the question.

Presently the demon was on the back of Jug’s motorcycle as he drove through a large beaten path in the woods to the cottage where the witches lived. Her grip was tight but she was not nearly as pressed against him as she had been against Sweet Pea that fateful night. Her clothing choice was also a bit more modest since she knew there would be a toddler present.

The wolf had to assure Lily that Lav would not harm her child. It took a few lengthy conversations before the white witch that smelled of sunshine finally gave in. He pulled up into the smooth driveway and parked as Lav hopped off and threaded her fingers through her messy hair.

Jughead swung his leg around and stood as Lily came out to greet them. Lav watched her with curious eyes as she seemed to beam at the werewolf. She wondered what had happened the night he saved her from Kurtz when he took her home.

It was clear to Lavender that he was enamored with her and she suspected that Lily felt the same for him. It was cute in some way. Their energy was radiant when they were close to one another. She even suspected that they might be soulmates. It was incredibly difficult to take the soul of someone who had met their cosmic match. She always avoided those who gave off that aura.

Then, Lily looked at Lav with distrust. “Come on, Sweet Pea is already inside.”: The witch’s eyes flickered to the demon’s stomach that showed no sign of a child growing within. She shook her head before turning and walking back into the small home.

The succubus said nothing as she kept a blank look on her face. Once inside she noticed that all of their gazes were trained on her, specifically her abdomen. She put a hand on her hip, “if you have something to say, then say it.”

Sweet Pea was enraged with her, feeling as if she had deceived him. If he had known she could get pregnant then he would have worn a god damn condom. His anger was boiling, threatening to bubble over. The only thing that stopped him was the thought that if either of them were dead then those that remained alive wouldn’t have the necessary power to protect Daisy. Daisy was the only thing keeping him sane.

“You’re pregnant.” Lily said in a tone that showed just how much faith she currently had in their newest partner. It was very little. “Were you pregnant before you stole his soul or was that part of the packaged deal?”

Lav felt like she didn’t have to explain herself to mortals. Not when they were being this aggressive towards her. She kept her feelings calm. Any alarm would summon Myra or worse, Kurtz. That was the last thing she needed right now. She truly did want to help Jughead as the Southside had quickly become her new home.

“Before.” She lied, wanting to ease the tension. “I killed the father and ate him like any good demon would do.” It was so easy to let the deceit roll off her tongue. So easy to just pretend that she wasn’t in this complicated situation.

The air seemed to have left the room as all three of the others sighed with great relief. She felt herself irked that the thought of Sweet Pea being the father was such a bad idea that it caused them that much distress. Clearly she could never let the truth be known. It almost hurt her. But then, she never expected him to be in her daughter’s life in the first place.

“I don’t understand all of this hostility after I saved you for the vargulf the other night.” The succubus said, displaying her annoyance openly now.

Lily’s face dropped while Sweet Pea looked completely confused. “You saved her? When?!” He was snapping at the both of them. Neither woman appreciated it.

“When the vargulf attacked her. You didn’t think you got him off of you all by yourself, did you, little witch? Your magic was so weak that night that you couldn’t stop him from bruising your throat, don’t think I can’t see it under your charms. It was right in front of my trailer. I flung him off you and pinned him down. Jughead took you back to his home before I let him go again.” She hadn’t planned on ever admitting this but obviously earning their trust was something she was going to have to do.

“I could have let him tear you apart,” She continued, “because he would have had I not intervened. Jughead wouldn’t have been able to save you without getting himself killed in the process. My child has nothing to do with any of you.”

Jughead’s eyes softened. He had questions about what had happened that night himself, but didn’t think that it had been his neighbor who had saved his crush. The distrust in him was quickly fading. He did have one very important question though, whether or not she would answer him he did not know.

“I don’t understand, why did you save me?” Lily asked, her own voice light now instead of harsh. “He would have killed me. You are right, I wasn’t strong enough that night. My head was in a bad place for magic.” Her gratefulness was overcoming her doubt. This demon was the reason she could still hold her little girl every day. The reason she could still hold Jughead….A blush quickly crossed her cheeks but she hid it well.

Lav shook her head. The real reason was that Lily was important to Sweet Pea and he was important to her. She didn’t know why the prick was important but more often than not she believed that Charlie was just a distracting substitute for him. They did have some frank similarities that she really couldn’t ignore.

All eyes were still on her. She shifted uncomfortably. Normally she felt quite starved for attention but this was too much to take it at once. “You have a young daughter. I know what it’s like to grow up without a mother. I do not wish that on anyone.” She said, telling a half truth this time.

The white witch seemed to connect with her on a deeper level then. She was abandoned at a young age by her own mother so she also knew what it was like. “Thank you.” She said with great sincerity. “I truly appreciate it. If there’s anything I can...we can do to repay you, then let us know.”

“We? She took my soul! It was the least she could do to save your ass!” Sweet Pea said loudly in a voice edged with fury for being volunteered.

“Because you’d be lost as a single parent, Sweet Pea.” Lily replied harshly. “You’re a good dad but you couldn’t do it all by yourself and you know it.”

He backed down a small bit, knowing what she was saying was ultimately true. He couldn’t do it by himself and he didn’t have any disillusion that he could. “Fine.” He bit back, clearly not happy. “If she’d like another orgasm, I’ll happily give her one.”

Jughead couldn’t help but roll his eyes before sitting down on the couch. Lavender just stared at him with the same blank expression as before. “Believe it or not, witch, your dick is not the gods’ gift to womankind. If I want an orgasm then I already have someone in my care who will gladly oblige and I can assure that her head is much better than yours.”

His neck turned red with rage, eyes aflame despite the immediate arousal he felt from the mental image of her with another woman. One seemed to be fueling the other. “No girl can fuck like I can.”

“I suppose you’re right. Women don’t just pound into you until you have a mediocre climax. So no, she can’t fuck exactly like you can. She’s much, much better.” Lav said, a smirk on her burgundy lips now with pride in the fact that she knew she would win this argument, even if she was lying.

Lily was standing there awkwardly, not knowing exactly what to say. She only had experience with sex with one person and that was Sweet Pea. She was unsure what it was like with other people. Her eyes darted to Jughead as the thought ran through her as to what he would be like between the sheets. Her cheeks were instantly pink again.

Jughead saw her looking at him and smiled before motioning for her to take a seat. She returned the smile before sitting down beside him. Close but not too close. Sweet Pea noticed this and frowned, jealousy twinging in his empty heart. He huffed and sat down in his old tattered recliner, crossing his large arms across his chest in a masculine pout.

“So, you’re asking for my help because you need another boost of power.” Lav said, successfully changing the subject. “I’m not concerned with my levels or Sweet Pea’s as having no soul means there’s no longer a barrier on how much he can hold. Sex with a demon will give you more than one witch can possibly handle. I’m sure you’ve noticed his lack of control.” Lily nodded, she had noticed but she hadn’t said anything. Sweet Pea scoffed, wanting to protest but decided not to.

Lav took a seat in a nearby chair, crossing her legs clothed in tight black denim pants. “Which is fine for what we’re doing, but a bigger concern of mine is that your level is relatively low, Lily.” She looked at her, hazel and green eyes meeting. “Not to say that you don’t have great magical strength, because I sense that you are quite powerful in white magic. Protection and healing mainly. Which is why you will need to lead the spell and why you need to be stronger. I suggest you have sex. Anyone will do. I will gladly have sex with you if you want, I love taking beautiful women to bed. Although, I understand if you do not want to partake in the risk.”

Lily was quiet, her entire face red. Sweet Pea was smirking, “Lily, I’d happily show you another good time. For old time’s sake?”

Her eyes cut and narrowed at him, “no thank you, Pea. And no thank you, Lavender. I’ll handle it on my own.”

Lav shrugged, not offended in the slightest. She wouldn’t have taken Lily’s soul but she knew that Lily did not trust her enough yet to understand that. Her cutting Sweet Pea down was extremely entertaining as the male witch’s face went from smug to enraged. If she didn’t know any better than she thought there may have been some hurt in between.

Jughead cleared his throat, wanting to throw his name into the hat but also not being confident enough to quite do that. “We have a few weeks before that’s necessary, I think. Fourteen more nights until the next full moon. What else will we need?”

“I have all the other ingredients, Jug.” Lily said with a confident smile, “As long as everyone is at their best then this will work. We just have to make sure everyone is inside the woods or some other safe place during that night.”

The wolf’s eyes moved to Lavender, his question from earlier finally coming to fruition. “Why didn’t you kill the vargulf the other night? You had the chance but you let him go.”

Lavender shifted, pretending to be simply adjusting herself to be more comfortable. In actuality she had been nervous of this being asked. Did she tell them the truth or simply add more to her ever growing web of lies? “It would be against the orders from my master.” Was the best way she could put it.

“Master?” Jughead asked, eyebrows rising at the word. “You have a master?”

The purple haired hybrid sighed. This was not something she ever liked admitting to anyone. “I am indebted to someone. Another demon. She has a hold on me.” She pointed at the faint pentacle on her pulse point of her neck, “She has marked me. And she is the one that I warned you about. She forced me to become pregnant to use my child. If anything were to happen to me or it. She would literally raise hell.”

They all fell silent. The pause was nearly as pregnant as Lavender was. This was more embarrassing for her than not. Admitting she didn’t have much free will was not something any demon wanted to talk about….ever.

Lily looked at her with a doleful expression. “She forced you? She’s going to take them after you have it? Will you ever see them again?”

Lavender did not want to think about that. Her attachment to the growing fetus was getting stronger each day. The thought of Myra taking her daughter from her filled her with despair. She attempted to hide it, and perhaps the two boys didn’t notice, but Lily sure did. After all, she was a mother herself. She knew .

“Yes. She made me drink a potion that made me fertile enough for conception to be possible. My daughter will not belong to me when she is born. As I do not even belong to myself…” The last part came out more sadly that she had meant it to. Even Sweet Pea felt a small spark of sorrow for the demon. It quickly faded and was never thought of again.

Jug bit the inside of his cheek, “I know we made an agreement before about payment, but what if we help you keep your child and gain your freedom? Would you want that?” Lily nodded her head eagerly, wanting nothing more than to keep mother and child together.

The succubus did not like the sound of this. “She will kill you for even thinking that, Jughead Jones. Do not ever say that aloud again. I will not even consider it.” She snapped harshly, her voice extremely stern. “When she is born, my master will take her and will do whatever she so desires. Are we clear? You are not to help me in this matter in any way.”

The wolf sighed, his determination squashed for the time being. “Alright. I won’t. You said daughter? You’re having a girl?”

Lav smiled, taking a small exhale of relief, “yes. I’m destined to have a girl.”

One witch practically squealed with excitement while the other looked bored to tears. Lily was about to say how much fun girls were, but then stopped herself. Lav would probably never know. She nearly started to cry from the rush of despair.

“If that’s all for now.” Lavender said, standing up, “I need to leave. I have an appointment. You have my number.”

Jughead stood, “let me drive you home. I’ll text you later, Lils.” He shot the little witch a toothy grin and a wink before turning to leave with the demon. Sweet Pea’s eyes were but slits as he examined the blush on Lily’s face at the pet name. This was not good. This was not good at all .

Later that night, Lavender and Charlie were visiting the Whyte Wyrm. This was not entirely usual for them as they normally went separate ways after sundown. It just so happened that tonight they had the same destination. Lav needed to feed but Myra had given her a soul late that afternoon. She would be fine for several more hours.

She was at the bar, wearing a black mini dress and stiletto heels. She stirred her Shirley Temple slowly. The red of the grenadine swirling around in the ginger ale. She still had a cheery bobbing on top of the ice.

A familiarly large figure sat down next to her and ordered a beer from the pink haired demon slayer. His dark eyes looked at the demoness through a sideways glance. He eyed her form, the fabric of the dress was skin tight. Again she left nothing to the imagination and he believed she must be there hunting.

“Why did you lie earlier?” He asked as a fresh bottle of beer was set in front of him. He nodded a thank you to the slayer before taking a sip.

Her spine went rigid, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The warlock made a sound of annoyance, something between a scoff and a huff.

“The night we met you were drinking alcohol.” He said. “You said you were pregnant before we were together but now you’re drinking a virgin cocktail. Tell me the fucking truth, am I the father?”

His tone was extremely dangerous and she was worried what a fight with him would cause. It wasn’t often that Lavender feared for her safety, but the mere thought had Myra suddenly appeared in the back of the room, eyeing the situation. The demon princess was quiet and hiding in the shadows. Only Lavender could feel her presence.

“You are.” She confessed. “I thought I’d spare you the trouble of another child.”

There was a dull ache in Sweet Pea’s chest. The fact he was having another kid on top of the fact that he’d never get to see her. He thought he was a boiling kettle about to scream instead of whistle. Lavender forced her nerves to quiet as to not raise attention to herself. “So you thought that I shouldn't know that you’re having my kid? And you’re not even keeping her?!”

“It’s not my choice.” Lavender hissed angrily, her eyes turning black for a moment. “I would not even be in the situation if I had any choice, don’t you fucking understand that?”

The dark witch backed down at the sound of pain in her voice. She thought she had hidden it with anger, but not well enough. Not for him. He knew the feeling all too well. “Where’s your girlfriend?”

Lav’s head turned to look at the stage. Charlie was dancing provocatively on it, showing off to her lover. “She’s with her boyfriend tonight. She wanted a nice ride.”

“So she needs dick but you don’t?” He asked, eyes flashing dangerously as he turned to face her completely.

The succubus shrugged, “dick is abundant and incredibly low in value, witch. When a woman wants it, she simply needs to ask for it. That’s it. Me? I don’t even have to ask. I just have think about it.” She proved her point by flushing the room with her hormones. Almost everyone’s attention then tuned in on her and she smiled with triumph.

Sweet Pea felt the pull stronger than everyone else due to his close proximity. His cock started to harden and he had to bite his tongue for a moment to control himself. He leaned in to whisper to her, voice low. “You won’t be so cocky when I’m making you scream.”

A thrill ran through her and Lavender was almost disgusted with herself. One minute he was borderline scaring her and the next he was trying to seduce her. She felt herself getting whiplash. Myra backed off, understanding that this was some weird courtship ritual she did not understand and that her sex demon was not in any actual duress.

“Is that a promise or a threat?” Lav asked, eyebrow quirked with a matching expression of a curious cat. “Because if I remember correctly, it’s an awful long drive back to Fox Forrest. I don’t think you can hold out that long.”

She put a manicured hand on his knee, thumb rubbing in small circles as she let her influence seep into him. His arousal surged almost painfully through him as he grit his teeth. He didn’t like anyone having this kind of effect on him, much less a demon.

“You don’t deserve to sleep in my bed again, not after what you’ve done.” He said darkly. Her smooth skin was suddenly replaced with gooseflesh. She bit into her lower lip so that she was pouting at him, pretending that what he was saying wasn’t fair when in all honesty it was.

“No?” She countered before taking a sip of her drink and setting it back down. “Then where do you suggest, daddy?” She cooed to him so that only he could hear her voice. “Did Lily ever call you that? Or was she too innocent to let you do the things you really love to do?”

Sweet Pea stiffened. Lily didn’t have much experience with sex so he had to be more...generic than he would have liked. They could have worked up to the kinkier stuff if things had worked out. He wondered if they ever would...Certainly not with the way she was pining over Jughead.

His heart sank for a moment before turning icy. “No.” He replied flatly, “She was boring as shit.”

Lavender giggled, hand creeping up his thigh. She squeezed playfully. “You don’t ever have to hold back with me, Pea. I can take it.”

He stood up abruptly and grabbed her wrist with a bruising grip. As he yanked her past the spot Myra had been spying in, she noticed that the demon princess was gone. Lav let out a sigh of relief, not wanting Myra to witness what was about to go down. She was certain to disapprove.

The demon slayer, Toni, yelled something at Sweet Pea as he stormed past her with his demon in tow. The witch ignored her as he went into the supply closet, forcing Lav inside before slamming the door and locking it from the inside.

He spun her around and grabbed a fist full of hair as he leaned down and kissed her lips so hard that it was almost painful. He forced her against the door, pinning her there as his knee went between her legs. He pulled away abruptly, panting with heated anger. “You think you can come into my town and talk to me this way? Talk about how much you don’t need my dick when I know you’re dripping already from the thought of it?”

He reached down, yanking her dress up and grabbing her crotch to prove his point. She was wet, her lacy panties practically soaked. No one in existence had ever turned her on the way he had. It made her full of want and she absolutely hated him for it. She found herself wishing he was dead.

Life would be much simpler if he was gone.

Sweet Pea wasted no time in ripping off her underwear. The fabric was so thin that it was as simple as opening a can of beer. She kept her weight against the door, unable to speak, fearing for what needy whine might come out of her mouth. Christ, all she wanted in this moment was for him to be inside of her.

His finger was within her core in an instant, “does your master have your tongue too?” He hissed at her before biting her earlobe. “Or can you not concentrate when I’m fingering you? Oh baby girl, you have no idea what you’ve started. I don’t care if you’re pregnant with my kid. I don’t care if you were ordered to take my soul. I’m going to fucking ruin you.”

She knew this was his darkness talking. If he had a soul then she imagined he’d care a little more. However, this wouldn’t be nearly as fun. Her breaths were staccato puffs through her nose as she held onto his denim vest. Her only response was the moan she let out when he added a second finger and started pumping at an insanely fast pace. She could feel the ring around it’s base against her walls.

“That’s it, take my fingers like the whore that you are.” He growled at her, “You just couldn’t wait to get me alone again, could you? You talk such a big game about how you don’t need my cock but as soon as I make the proposition you fall right into my lap. I’m not as stupid as you think I am.”

He bit at her neck next as she pulled him closer to her. She couldn’t help the sounds that started to come out of her. Small whines of pleasure as she felt herself climbing higher. Release was imminent and it felt so damn good. The succubus was somehow at a loss for words. Mostly because he had a valid point that sent her into a pit of self loathing. He did have some bizarre effect on her and it was possibly the worst thing to have ever happened to her yet.

A third finger went in and her head lulled onto his shoulder pitifully. She could feel him using magic to enhance her pleasure. It was a dirty cheat. A trick she often used herself but she had never had it used on her . She grabbed at the hair on the nape of his neck, desperate to inflict some kind of pain. She tugged the locks twirled around her fingers aggressively. “You’re….fighting...dirty…” She managed to say between whimpers. Her eyes were screwed tightly shut.

“Telling me the big bad sex demon can’t even take my fingers?” He asked condescendingly. “Are you going to come already? What a fucking slut.”

She pulled his hair again but it had little to no effect on him. He was winning and she could try to grapple for control but the battle was lost and deep down she knew that. By bringing up Lily she had crossed a line that she shouldn’t have crossed and now he was going to make her pay dearly for it.

Lav clenched her teeth together tightly to keep from crying out as her climax was in fact building rather rapidly. His pace seemed inhuman. She’d never lost herself during just foreplay before. This was so humiliating... and she liked it.

“You’re going to come on my fingers and then I’m going to shove them down your throat.” His thumb brushed against her clit for a split second but it was enough to send her crashing over the edge. Volume control was thrown to the wind as she moaned loud enough for Toni outside to hear. The door was rattling on its hinges and she was sure it would break when he finally fucked her.

Sweet Pea did not let her ride it out. He yanked his digits out and just as he said, they were forced into her open mouth. She sucked on them hard, eyes rolling back as she felt like she could no longer stand. He held her up by pinning her hips with his own.

He gagged her with the pads of his fingers and she could feel the anger rolling off of his touch. The witch was full of it. Her lies. Her deception. Her taking his child from him despite the fact that he wasn’t sure if he even wanted it. Not having a choice in being in his second daughter’s life had him so full of rage that he could barely see straight. He was determined to take it all out of her because this was entirely her doing in his eyes. Master or not. Certainly she still had free will. She was a demon after all.

“If you think I’m done with you, slut, then you have another thing coming. Get on your fucking knees.” He released his grip from her, pulling away so that she fell forward, landing onto her knees so hard that pain shook her patellae. Lav cursed under her breath, enjoying this more than she knew she ought to.

He unbuckled his belt and tore it off of him before wrapping it around her throat, threading the end through the buckle and tightening it under she gasped for air. He kept it in one hand while he unbuttoned his pants with the other. He shoved his pants and underwear down so that his cock flopped out, hard and ready. He’d choke her with it too and she’d fucking like it.

Lavender opened her mouth without him even forcing her to. Her gaze was eager and he found himself almost wishing she wasn’t such a willing participant in his torture. He grabbed her hair with his now free hand and knotted it into his fist. He inserted himself inside of her mouth, groaning as the feeling of her tongue against the belly of his shaft. It seemed longer than before, nearly wrapping around him and he realized she was shifting the appendage with her power to make it more serpentine.

She pushed her demonic magic into him, just as he had done her a moment before. He tugged on the edge of the belt and she abruptly halted. Sweet Pea glared down at her hatefully, taking away any last ounce of control she had. Lav, who almost always dominated in sexual situations was suddenly on the bottom of the food chain.

His hips bucked hard into her mouth and she nearly threw up on him from the force of him hitting her gag reflex. The warlock didn’t care and he didn’t stop, thrusting hard into her mouth so that his scrotum smacked her defined chin. Tears streamed out the corners of her eyes as her tongue moved in sync with him. He loosened his grip ever so slightly as he lost an ounce of the control he had. The pleasure he was feeling clouding his aggression.

Lav put her hands on his thighs to keep herself a little more steady although he was holding her in place with his own grip. Between the belt and his dick she could barely breathe. Her heart beat fast and hard in her chest with excitement as she moaned around him.

He suddenly pushed her away and forced her to stand by tugging on the belt. He didn’t want to come just yet and he knew if he continued like that then he would. Plus, he didn’t want to wait any longer before he showed her what he could really do when he put his mind and skill into his favorite pastime.

In the next instant, he had her face pressed against the door and was lining his tip with her ass. “What the fuck-” She breathed out, knowing he was going to go in raw and that it would probably hurt more than she’d like.

“Shut the fuck up.” He ordered before pushing into her. Lav cried out at the sharp pain of him entering her rectum. It wasn’t totally unpleasant, just unexpected. She didn’t mind anal when the guy was small but Sweet Pea definitely wasn’t small. “Fuck your ass is so tight. Guess no one has been in there in a while. Good.”

She wanted to roll her eyes at the stupidity of his statement. While it was true, the amount of anal one had didn’t have anything to do with tightness. He knew that, of course, it was just something to say to her to degrade her further.

“Your cunt is so used out, I don’t want to fuck that anymore.” Lav growled at him lowly, threatening to turn on him if he insulted her much further. He was hip deep inside her but she’d castrate him if he started doing something she truly didn’t want him to.

Sweet Pea understood what she was trying to say. He didn’t apologize for he didn’t care if he offended her or not. She was just some sex crazed whore to him now and that was how he planned on treating her. His hips ploughed into her and the door began to shake again. She swore she heard the wood splinter for a moment after one particularly hard thrust.

Despite the initial pain, Lavender was almost fully immersed into a pool of pleasure now. Her moans had returned, vibrating the door with the echoing sound as her nails dug trails into the old wood. He yanked the belt back, causing her head to be forced back with it.

He reached around and pulled down the top of her sleeveless dress so that her bare breasts were exposed. He grabbed one nipple, fiddled with the hardware of her barbel before pulling roughly. The sensitive spot made her sounds go up an octave as he was effectively breaking her, just as he planned to.

Lav managed to turn her head to the side enough to look at him. His eyes seemed almost pitch black as he was looking down with concentration. He reminded her of a demon almost. Only a demon would not have let her feel any pleasure at all.

He was slamming into her without a shred of care for her well-being. If she had been human then he would have been causing a massive amount of damage not only to her orifice but also to her throat. She was lucky she didn’t need to breathe to survive.

Sweet Pea was lost in his own dark mind, giving into his carnal desires as he moved without a care in the entire world. He’d never been this rough with anyone before. He found himself enjoying it way too much and he had the sudden worry that sex with anyone else just wouldn’t compare.

He was cursing madly as he released into her, Lav was strictly being held up by him at this point and after his orgasm ceased he promptly dropped her to the floor. She collapsed into a muddle of skin, muscle, and bone. “You’re mine now.” He hissed as he redressed. “Don’t ever fucking forget that.” He put his belt back on and moved her out the way before leaving and slamming the door behind him.

Myra appeared, looking down at her little demon with an inspecting gaze. She eyed the bruising around Lavender's throat and tutted. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any more pathetic, you let a human walk all over you. Pull yourself together, we’re going home.”

Lav was so numb that she couldn’t feel anything. She sat up, collecting herself and the shards of her dignity that had been laying on the floor there with her. She pulled her dress back up over her chest before pulling it down over her naked genitals. She had to use the nearby shelving unit to pick herself up off the floor. She couldn’t look at Myra, not with the amount of shame she had in her heart for what had just happened.

When she left the room her head was high as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. The demon slayer was starting at her and Myra, weary of their presence and the whirlwind that was Sweet Pea now storming through the bar.

Once home everything was as it was before and Lavender was alone.

Tags: @the-gargoyle-queen, @southside-vixen, @princesweetpea, @lilhemmo, @wayward-river, @redhairdontcare732 (comment/ask/message if you want to be added or subscribe to AO3)

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thegoldenavenger · 4 years

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Chapter 2 of the kny fusion no one wants haha

Content Warnings: aftermath of death, uhhh some non named, non canon characters get munched, content warnings applicable to kny canon and to iron man canon. not beta’d we die like mne. mobile beware of read more cut.

Read Chapter 1 | Read Everything |

Steve asks Tony if they can return to the humble homestead where Bucky was turned. It's not a terrible idea to see if there are any clues as to the whereabouts of the Demon King there, and Tony understands the need to say goodbye.

The small house smells like blood. Tony sees Bucky's hand clench tighter to Steve's but the newly made demon doesn't react otherwise. Steve let's go of Bucky and begins the arduous task of dragging his family's bodies out into the night snow.

Tony does not help. He walks the perimeter, keeping his eyes away from Steve and Bucky's lonely work. He traces a long cold trail to the edge of the woods, traces it back to the house.

He traces it until Steve and Bucky are knelt, quietly over five unmarked graves, the freshly turned earth blemishing the white snow. Tony waits as long as he can before approaching the two, his footfalls intentionally heavy.

"Unless you want your friend to fry, we should get moving."

Steve makes a scoffing noise in his throat, but he pushes himself up anyway. After a moment's pause, Bucky follows. Tony leads the way, trusting his senses to let him know if the demon starts making a move.

The night is cold, it makes breathing difficult. He focuses on the sharpness of it, like the moon is holding a knife to his lungs, like it will freeze the shapes of five lonely graves from his mind.

He should have been faster.

The walk is too short and they arrive in a small, quiet town before the sun rises. Tony finds an inn, asks for a room, pays cheaply so they're guaranteed one without windows, and leads his two new charges inside before the morning light can touch them.

As the pre-dawn breaks he can see Bucky get fidgety, but the demon stills when he notices Tony's glance. Fine enough. He doesn't look like he's about to go feral, just like he's uncomfortable.

"Steve, get food," Tony tosses a pouch of money at the man, resisting smiling at his shocked face as the purse's weight settles in his hands.

"I'm not leaving Bucky here," Steve says .

"Then feel free to starve, because he can't leave this room today." Tony's tone brooks no argument as he shrugs out of his over jacket.

He unbuckles the belt his sword is attached to setting the whole mess on the small end table provided in thee room, and untucks his undershirt, finally collapsing into a pile on the tatami. Steve furrows his eyebrows at him, but Tony ignores the glare, instead stretching extravagantly and leaning back on his hands.

There's fight in Steve's eyes but Tony isn't in the mood to encourage it. He leans back his head and pretends to sleep, his eyes closed. A long second passes and Steve slams the door to the room shut on his way out.

Tony peaks at Bucky. He has retreated to a corner of the room, knees drawn to his chest. His hair mostly obscures his face, but Tony doesn't need to watch his eyes to see the way the fingers on his good hand tremble.

The hastily made bandage covering his left arm is still wet with blood. It should have dried by now. It should have healed completely by all rights. How many demons had Tony dodged limbs that he had just taken the liberty to remove? A demon's healing factor was one of the things that made fighting them so difficult.

But here Bucky sat, fangs peaking out of his mouth, claws sharpened, yet wound still dripping.

Tony sits back up, facing the demon. Perhaps sensing Tony's focus, Bucky raises his head to stare warily at him. His eyes aren't human but they don't look like a demon's.

"Does your arm hurt?" Tony asks.

Bucky does not respond other than clenching his fingers.

"Blood might help," Tony says before he can stop himself. The pupil in Bucky's eyes constrict. "But if you eat a human, I don't know if there's any saving you."

Tony isn't the one who studies demons, he designs swords and puts them to use. He's never regretted the distance between he and his fellow Pillars more so than now.

Tony clicks his tongue, shaking his head. "I don't know if saving you is even the question here. But if you're willing to try... I will stand behind you."

Bucky furrows his brows, creasing his skin in such a sad manner, but he seems to consider. Tony cannot tell how much Bucky can put together. He doesn't act like demons Tony has met before--fully sentient but capricious, murderous. Bucky is quiet, following where Steve pulls.

But this must be a decision made without Steve, Tony thinks.

"It's your life, you should decide how it's led."

Bucky doesn't answer, just sits in the corner, quiet, until Steve returns.

They travel at night so Bucky doesn't burn and so people are less likely to notice anything odd between the three of them.

Tony has drafted his letters and sent them. One to Fury, one to Bruce. He doesn't acknowledge his nerves as he waits for a response.

It's quite on accident when they stumble across a minor demon celebrating its hunt of a small caravan. Despite Tony's training, the first sign anything is wrong is the way Bucky stiffens.

"What's wrong?" Steve asks as Bucky trembles.

When the wind changes and brings with it the smell of blood, Bucky starts growling low in his throat. Tony's grip is loose, but steady on the hilt of his blade.

"Careful," Tony warns, lowly, and he doesn't know if he's addressing Steve or Bucky.

They keep walking, cautious now, Tony half distracted by Bucky. Still, he soon picks up the crunch of a demon chewing.

"Demon," he says, and Steve's confused eyes widen with dawning realization.

So enraptured with its meal, the demon does not sense Tony and his companions. Twenty or so meters away Bucky halts and refuses to move. Steve seems to be unable of taking his eyes of the demon and its meal. Tony tightens his grip on his sword.

He breaths in, falling into stance, picking one from Pepper's style. It is made to cover distance. Tony expands his lungs and launches forward, hearing the surprised gasps of his companions as he leaves them behind. His blade striked true, cleanly slicing through the demon's neck and its wrists where it held up a hunk of meat to its mouth.

The pain must register after its head slides away from its body because its head is already falling when it starts screaming. It's so loud he nearly misses the sound of steps on the ground.

He brings his sword up just in time to block sharpened claws coming towards him. Another demon? Tony narrows his eyes, swinging his sword. They don't tend to travel in packs.

These demons are far, far below his level and this one falls to his blade as quick as the first had. Nothing short of a Moon demon would falter Tony or his fellow pillars.

Steve yells and Tony whips around to see the shape of another demon attacking the two he'd left behind. He tenses to intervene, but a rough hand on his shoulder stops him. Even now, and Fury still manages to sneak up on him.

He abides only by Fury's insistence and they both watch Steve get bowled over. Steve is too small to put up a fight, he is reedy and thin. Still, he struggles with the small pack he carries and manages to bludgeon the demon enough to distract it.

Bucky takes a step but it is in the wrong direction. Towards the butchered bodies of the caravan.

Tony senses Fury's hand reach for a hidden blade, and this time Tony puts his hand on Fury. Asking him, silently, to watch.

Bucky shakes under the moonlight and Steve thrashes under the third demon.

"You brat!" The demon cries, Steve must have gotten lucky somewhere.

"Buck--Bucky!" Steve yells, not pleading but commanding from his position in the mud and dirt.

It's enough, and Tony isn't skilled enough to quiet his sigh of relief when Bucky flings himself at the demon on Steve.

He kicks it so hard its head goes flying.

“A demon,” Fury says, voice even. Tony still feels like it’s an accusation.

“He has a name,” Steve hisses, indignant. Bucky sits quietly behind Steve.

“He--Bucky,” Tony says in deference to Steve’s squawking, “doesn’t act like any other demon. You’ve seen it.”

Fury doesn’t say anything, only looks at Bucky over Steve’s shoulder. Compelled, Tony continues, “Demons aren’t social, they don’t process emotions the same was as humans. They follow different instincts. But Bucky hasn’t succumbed to his hunger even once, he blatantly prefers having company!” Tony gestures with his words, like he’s scoring his argument.

Is he arguing? Tony just wants Fury to see the potential Tony has seen.

“He’s my brother,” Steve says, “He’s the best man you can ever meet and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like he’s a monster! He’s not one. I’ll prove it to you!” His fists are clenched tightly over his knees, his back straight and determined. He’s short and thin but Tony feels like that wouldn’t stop him from fighting both of them right now if he felt like he had to.

“How can you prove it?” Fury asks.

“I--” Steve cuts off, looking angrily at the pot over the fire. “There’s demons who do hurt people, right? The one who did this to him, the one who hurt our family. We’ll find him and show you! That Bucky’s better, that we can help.”

Fury only hums in acknowledgment of Steve’s declaration, he doesn’t say anything further. Tony sidles closer to the pot and starts serving them all. The stew is thick and smells delicious. He doesn’t know if Steve has noticed, but Fury must have started on this early in the morning and he’s prepared too much for just an individual. He’d been waiting for them, all of them.

He ladles the stew and feels warmth spread through his chest when he notices Fury had added some of the hard to find wood mushrooms Tony had shown a preference for back when he’d studied under the Mist Pillar. Such a small thing, to show someone still had room for you in their life.

Steve takes his bowl, obviously still concerned about the conversation and not like being left without an answer.

As Tony pulls a fourth bowl towards the stew he hears an inquisitive noise and he smiles at Bucky, peaking around Steve’s shoulder. Tony fills the bowl, sprinkles a garnish over it, and puts in a shallow spoon before holding it out to Bucky.

No one has really had a chance to study demons thoroughly, Bruce is really the only one in the field, but it’s general knowledge that demons don’t need to eat proper food, though Tony is sure that they can. Since Bucky isn’t eating a demon’s preferred diet, he can’t imagine offering a substitute would be a terrible idea.

Bucky reaches out to accept the bowl, staring at it for a disconcertingly long amount of time. Tony isn’t sure Bucky realizes it’s for eating, but he holds the bowl with a sort of relish, and Tony surmises that at least he’s enjoying the warmth.

“Start eating,” Fury says abruptly, and Tony realizes that Bucky isn’t the only one not enjoying his meal. Steve startles at Fury’s stern voice. “You’ll need the energy come tomorrow morning.

Steve blinks, confused and Tony can’t stop the laugh that spills between his lips. The way Steve’s blue eyes reflect the fire remind Tony of fireflies over a still pond at night, and he thinks, perhaps the Breath of Mist may find a suitable successor tonight.

The morning comes quickly, perhaps because Tony insists on waking before the rest in the humble house. He gathers his belongings and is working on his shoes, sitting out on the engawa in the dawn’s pre-morning light. He hears shuffling and is not surprised to see Fury walk around the house to meet him. He’d never managed to wake before Fury.

“I thought you may want to watch your strays a little longer,” Fury says.

“They’re in good hands,” he replies, truthfully, but also to see the way Fury’s eyes soften. He turns his attention back to his feet, fingers tapping against them, stalling. “I can’t stay. I’ve got to relay everything back to the other Pillars, inform them about Bucky’s condition.” He smiles wryly at Fury, “Make it sound like he’s not an incredibly unstable, unknowable force of nature.”

“You could write a letter.” Fury says, but with an air that shows he doesn’t particularly think it a wise move.

“If you’re lonely, you can always write me, Nick.”

It’s not an empty offer, but they both know they won’t take it. Neither of them take particularly well to letters. Fury’s distaste comes from a life time of intercepting letters to gather information instilling a practical paranoia in him. If he must he will send a messenger crow with a missive so encrypted and vague it’s almost useless.

Tony finds it difficult to communicate with written words. His greatest strength is disarming people with his words, more than one person has accused him of wriggling his way into their lives, and that’s harder to do when his words come off as dry and clinical.

Tony sighs and stands, checking his sword on his side. “I think he’ll do good with a shield,” he says as he steps onto the packed dirt path through Fury’s small garden. “Don’t get him used to swords, because I won’t be making one of those for him.”

“Don’t tell me how to train the brats you leave on my doorstep,” Fury says to Tony’s back.

#tony stark #steve rogers #bucky barnes #nick fury #kny #demon slayer au #kamaeteWRITES

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trishmilburn · 5 years

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An Exploration of The Untamed’s Romance & Mystery, Episode 2

Disclaimer: This post and others in this series will be filled with loads of spoilers if you haven’t seen The Untamed, the Chinese drama based on Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s novel, Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation). My chief interest in doing this series is to chronicle the development of the romance between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, but I also highlight the progression of the mystery that helps bring them together. Keep in mind that I’m writing these posts with the knowledge of what’s going to happen throughout the series and having read the novel. If you’d like to read my post on Episode 1 first, you can see it here.

On to Episode 2 (as I listen to the lovely soundtrack to The Untamed)…

Having left Mo Manor, we see Wei Ying traveling through the beautiful countryside with his donkey companion. While resting at a roadside well, he hears people approaching and soon ascertains some of them are fellow cultivators. One of the guys in the group says to another that his compass still isn’t working. Wei Ying learns from them that they’ve heard about a soul-eating fiend at nearby Brahma Mountain, but another guy says there has been no strange movements in the Compass of Evil (yet something else invented by Wei Ying that is still in use, along with those Spirit Attraction Flags from Episode 1). First guy mentions that Wei Wuxian (aka Wei Ying) is his idol. Now that’s not something you hear every day.

Another one of the travelers, a woman named Ah Yan gives Wei Ying an apple to get his stubborn donkey to move, and thus the nameless donkey becomes Little Apple. A little while later, after Wei Ying climbs to the top of a hill, Ah Yan joins him and starts dancing while facing Great Brahman Mountain, at one point striking a pose that is foreshadowing for what’s to come. Her mother tells Wei Ying that Ah Yan hasn’t been right since she recently lost her husband and father.

Wei Ying hears people calling for help, and when he arrives he finds several people hanging in the air inside Immortal Binding Nets. A teenage guy shows up, and we the audience know this is Jin Ling, even if Wei Ying doesn’t at this point. Jin Ling recognizes Wei Ying as Mo Xuanyu (remember, he’s wearing a mask and Jin Ling was just a baby when Wei Ying died so wouldn’t recognize him anyway). Little does Jin Ling know that he’s talking to basically his uncle. Wei Ying isn’t a Jiang by birth, but he was raised alongside Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli (who is Jin Ling’s mother), and Yanli especially considered Wei Ying her brother.

When Wei Ying puts a paper man talisman on mouthy little Jin Ling’s back to keep him down, Jin Ling is furious and warns Wei Ying that he’s in trouble when his uncle gets there. During this conversation, Wei Ying, not knowing who Jin Ling is, gets in a couple of digs about his parents or absence thereof, which understandably upsets Jin Ling. And then the uncle arrives, and Wei Ying is stunned when he hears Jiang Cheng’s voice. And the intervening years have just made Wei Ying’s adoptive brother more bitter and harsh. There’s no hint of the playful, smiling side of Jiang Cheng we’ll soon see when the show goes back in time to show us the characters’ formative years and the beginning of the love story between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan.

Jiang Cheng is upset that Jin Ling let Wei Ying (who he doesn’t know is Wei Ying yet) get the better of him, but the fact that this unknown person has used evil sorcery means that he must be immediately killed and fed to the dogs. Jin Ling thus starts to attack Wei Ying, but his sword is knocked away by a blast of familiar energy from Lan Zhan’s guqin (a type of zither). Lan Zhan arrives with the Lan disciples while the soundtrack plays the beautiful zither music associated with him.

Showing some of his natural humorous personality, Wei Ying thinks to himself, “I should have checked my horoscope for any bad luck before heading out today.”

Jiang Cheng accuses Lan Zhan of being in the woods to look for someone (we all know he means Wei Ying) and mentions how Lan Zhan has done a lot of traveling around the world the past 16 years (also looking for Wei Ying or some piece of his soul). When Lan Jingyi asks Jiang Cheng what he means by that, Jiang Cheng says Lan Zhan knows what he means. And there’s no denying this infuriates him.

Lan Sizhui directs the conversation away from the tense moment between these two men who obviously do not like each other. Sizhui notes that the monster hunt they were all taking part in was supposed to be a fair game, but Jin Ling put nets all over the mountain. Wei Ying is amused when someone in the Lan clan uses the muting spell on Little Lord Mouthypants (Jin Ling). Still stewing, Jiang Cheng looks at Jin Ling and says that if he doesn’t capture the thing wrecking havoc on the mountain to not bother coming to see him. Poor Jin Ling, even though he’s annoying in these early episodes, you grow to love him because not only was he orphaned while a baby, his uncle is an unforgiving ass. His character is one about whom I changed my opinion the most, and you’ll see why in my future posts.

When everyone else leaves, Lan Zhan looks toward where Wei Ying is hiding behind a tree. But when Wei Ying turns away, Lan Zhan lets him be and walks away. He either knows in his heart or at least greatly suspects that he’s Wei Ying, but he doesn’t have conclusive proof yet. And obviously Wei Ying isn’t ready to reveal himself to him. It’s got to be hard for Lan Zhan to walk away when he’s that close after all those years of grieving and looking for some piece of Wei Ying to hold on to.

Next we see Wei Ying walking beside a river. He takes off the mask as he bends down beside the water. In the reflection he sees memories of Jiang Cheng scolding him about assisting him and Yanli saying that she, Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng would be together forever. But that’s not true because he’s lost them both. He overhears someone on the road nearby say that both the Jin and Jiang families are spoiling Jin Ling too much, to which a woman replies that it’s understandable since he lost his parents when he was just a baby. Another man notes how Jin Ling’s dad died because of Wei Wuxian and then his mother, Yanli, also died because Wei Wuxian. The painful truth of Jin Ling’s identity hits Wei Ying hard, and he slaps himself for the comments he’d made to Jin Ling about his missing parents.

The Lan disciples encounter an old man in a graveyard, and Jingyi asks why he’s sneaking around. After learning he’s the caretaker for the graveyard, Sizhui asks if anything strange has been going on in the area. The man says they should check out the Goddess Temple up the mountain, but it’s not until they walk away that he reveals that the dancing goddess statue can move.

Wei Ying sees Little Apple eating Spirit Gathering Grass that can collect the spiritual energy from the soil near cultivators’ graves. He soon shows up at the same graveyard and encounters the same old man, but Wei Ying can tell that the area is masked with a black aura. When the old man tells him this is the Wen clan’s graveyard, he sees a vision of Wen Qing, a woman he knew in his past. She tells him that this is her ancestors’ graves, and Wei Ying realizes the young disciples are headed for a bigger danger than they realize.

The Lan and Jin disciples are in the Goddess Temple, talking about local legends that say the people in the area come to the temple to pray to the goddess who grants wishes. Jin Ling, being his smartypants self, says he wishes the entity causing all the trouble would reveal itself to him right then. And thus the dancing goddess statue starts to move. Wei Ying shows up, starts throwing talismans at the statute and tells the kids to get out of the cave. Once they are outside, he tells the Lans to send up a signal flare to call Lan Zhan, but the disciples realize they don’t have any. They used the last ones during the battle at Mo Manor and didn’t replenish them. Remembering all the trouble he got into as a teen studying in Gusu with the Lans, Wei Ying teases the boys that they’re going to be in trouble when Lan Zhan finds out.

Wei Ying tells them how he knew the goddess statue was the one eating souls – soul-eating beasts and fiends thrive off absorbing spiritual consciousness that has not departed from dead people. If there are so many dead people buried nearby, why take souls from the living? Something be fishy.

We next see a brief scene of Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan sitting at different tables at what looks like a rural tea house/eatery. It’s abundantly clear that they do not like each other, which is understandable. After all, Jiang Cheng is the reason that the man Lan Zhan loves fell to his death and he’s had to mourn his loss for the past 16 years. This was made even more heartbreaking considering how until he met and started falling for Wei Ying, Lan Zhan was a very closed-off person. Some would say he was even emotionless, but he really had a big heart hidden away. But Wei Ying gradually wormed his way into that heart, filling it, and to have him suddenly ripped away forever was unbearably cruel.

Then we’re back to Wei Ying telling the boys about how Ah Yan prayed to the goddess for her husband, and her spiritual consciousness was taken. Her father, seeing this, went to pray for his daughter to get her spiritual consciousness back. She did, but it was damaged when the goddess spit it back out, and her father’s was taken instead. Ah Yan’s experience was why she was able to pose and smile like the goddess statue.

Wei Ying realizes Jin Ling is missing just before the goddess statue shows up outside chasing some of the Jin clan members. Jin Ling flies through the air and starts shooting arrows at the statue. I have to admit, this looked pretty darn cool. Wei Ying thinks, “Something’s not right. Lan Zhan and I sealed her up.” He takes Jingyi’s sword and cuts a section of bamboo to make an improvised flute, his musical weapon the same way Lan Zhan’s is the guqin. Jin Ling is about to be trampled by the goddess statue when, to everyone’s surprise, including Wei Ying’s, his flute playing causes Wen Ning, aka the Ghost General, to show up. Wen Ning was the first fierce corpse Wei Ying created as the Yiling Patriarch. I must pause here to just share how much I love Wen Ning’s character and Yu Bin’s portrayal of him. Even though he can be unbelievably deadly in his Ghost General persona, he’s an adorable cinnamon roll of a guy with the world’s biggest heart otherwise. It’s a wild contrast. Anyway, the kicking-ass version of Wen Ning saves Jin Ling and destroys the goddess statue, but still everyone except for Wei Ying turns on him. Seeing this, Wei Ying realizes he needs to play a calmer tune to cool Wen Ning’s bloodlust and lead him away from the others.

And the playing of that particular tune is the confirmation that Lan Zhan needs to know for certain this is Wei Ying. It’s a song Lan Zhan wrote and played for only Wei Ying at a moment when the two were in a dangerous situation (which we’ll see in a later episode). It’s a love song named “Wangxian,” a combination of both of their names, though Wei Ying doesn’t know that or that this is how he’s finally revealed to Lan Zhan who he is. (Note: On the soundtrack, this song is called “WuJi” and is sung by Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo, who play Wei Ying and Lan Zhan.) Lan Zhan shows up and grabs Wei Ying’s wrist. Wei Ying stops playing the flute and looks into the eyes of the last person he saw before he died, the person who tried to save him, the person who evidently has been searching for him ever since that moment he fell off that cliff. Lan Zhan looks at Wei Ying as if convincing himself he’s real, that he’s finally found him.

Wen Ning flies off and when Lan Zhan turns to pursue, Wei Ying drops his flute and this time he’s the one who grabs Lan Zhan’s wrist, his eyes pleading with him to let Wen Ning go.

All this Wen Ning action and obvious touching and feelings between Lan Zhan and the masked dude is too much for Jiang Cheng, who has arrived just in time to make a hateful ass of himself. Convinced the masked dude is Wei Ying, and determined to get rid of him once again, he uses Zidian, his weapon that usually resides on his wrist as a bracelet but can turn into a whip of purple lightning, to prove Wei Ying’s identity. You see, Zidian has the ability to separate a soul from a body they’ve seized. When he tries to use the whip on Wei Ying, however, Lan Zhan steps in between them and sends out a wave of power from his guqin, blocking Zidian. This is the second time that Lan Zhan has protected Wei Ying in this episode, and you’ll see him protecting him a lot more. It’s his thing – protect Wei Ying at all costs. After all, that’s what you do for the person who owns your heart. Wei Ying, the adorable dummy, makes a break for it. Jiang Cheng, seeing another chance, slashes him with Zidian. But when Wei Ying gets up and no soul pops out of the body, Jiang Cheng is stunned. How did Zidian not work? The technicality he doesn’t think of is Wei Ying didn’t seize Mo Xuanyu’s body. It was willingly offered. Big difference.

Furious, Jiang Cheng makes a move to strike him again, but Jingyi steps forward and says it’s already proven that Wei Ying hasn’t possessed Mo Xuanyu’s body, that Wei Ying is dead. To which Jiang Cheng asks him how he knows he’s dead. Jingyi says, uh, weren’t you the one who killed him? And thus begins my love of the Sassy Lan.

During all this, Wei Ying wishes he could go back to 16 years before, back to his home at the Lotus Pier in Yunmeng. And with that wish we are taken back to that happier time, where we will stay for quite a while as we see the characters’ teen years and how this whole story started.

We see Wei Ying lying in a boat with a big lotus leaf covering his face. Jiang Cheng and Yanli are teasing him to wake him up, telling him they’ve arrived at a town in Gusu on their way to study at the Cloud Recesses with the Lan Clan. As they walk through the streets of the town, Wei Ying spots a vendor stall where carvings of little animals on sticks draw his attention. He immediately zeroes in on a bunny one, and this is also foreshadowing. Bunnies will play a part in his story with Lan Zhan. Another bit of foreshadowing is when Jiang Cheng tells his sister that he’s afraid Wei Ying will cause chaos at the Cloud Recesses. Yanli, being her sweet and caring self, responds that Wei Ying just has a lively personality and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

But even the sweetest, most fun-loving people can be driven to take dark paths when they are backed into a corner and lose too much.

#the untamed #wei ying #wei wuxian #lan zhan #lan wangji #xiao zhan #wang yibo #wen ning #yu bin #jiang cheng #jin ling #lan sizhui #lan jingyi #grandmaster of demonic cultivation

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