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evillittlebirdie · 8 months

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Salvation (Tav/Kar'niss)

Tumblr Prompt Fill for Tezzy

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine

Kar'niss was the latest addition to the menagerie and stuck out more than anyone. By all rights, Tav's interaction with Kar'niss should extended to combat only. She should have looted his body and moved on.

Tav could not admit that she had a masterful experience with Drow. But, she knew that the abominations were paying the price of folly and incompetence. They failed a test and as such, were punished. She should have ignored Kar'niss like she ignored the numerous unnatural phenomena. But instead, she allowed a nagging sense of compassion to override good sense.

Kar'niss lingered on the line between death and life. Most of his legs were broken and twisted. Blood coated his lips. Still, even in apparent agony, Kar'niss tried to reach the Moon Lantern. Astarion had already grabbed the lantern and was enjoying goading the pixie inside. Kar'niss was using his arms, shaking from exhaustion, to pull his body along the ground. As heavy as his abdomen was, Kar'niss only managed to pull himself a few inches. Desperation clouded his eyes before he finally collapsed. The Harpers and Tav's party did a number on his body.

Tav walked over to the drider and raised her leg. She would give him a proper stomp to the head. Her body weight coupled with metal boots would ensure a cracked skull. Before she delivered the final blow, she heard a sudden whine. Something in her body lurched as Kar'niss' whimpers devolved into cries. Wretched, anguished sobs radiated from the drider. His voice was faint, but she could hear his pleas. He begged for his Majesty's protection, for the Absolute to save him.

Lolth disfigured him and now the 'Absolute' would abandon him.

Tav would later tell herself that his fanatical devotion would be useful. She would tell herself that his broken mind could be molded. He would be a loyal pet.

Tav returned her foot to the ground and pulled a potion from her backpack. She stared at the health poultice in her hand before kneeling. "Shh, shh," She hummed to Kar'niss.

"Heretic, don't touch me," Kar'niss hissed out, pain dripping from each phoneme. Tear tracks were running down his filthy cheeks. His capillaries had burst, reddening his vision.

"Just drink," Tav insisted, taking the cork out of the bottle.

Kar'niss began to lose the ability to utilize his words. He merely pulled back from Tav, shutting his mouth tightly. The eyes collected on his forehead blinked unseeingly through strands of unwashed hair.

"Hells," Tav muttered. "Stubborn little bastard." She did not want to utilize her tadpole, especially on such a delicate creature. But she pushed herself into his mind.

Voices bounced in Kar'niss' brain, bounding off the walls of his skull. Tav could barely decipher the madness inside the drider's brain. Her pity for him increased, as well as her desire to save him. Tav had to compete with the Absolute as well as the broken man's illness. "Drink..."

Kar'niss suddenly stiffened. His eyes turned to Tav but he kept his mouth closed. "I want you to live," Tav told him through her connection. "Please drink."

Kar'niss kept his eyes on her before finally opening his mouth. Tav sighed in relief before she slid forward. If the scene involved one of her companions, she would have told them to lie on their back. Then, she would support their head as they drank the poultice. But Kar'niss was awkwardly on his chest, his abdomen preventing him from rolling over. Tav quickly problem-solved. She used her free hand to tilt Kar'niss' head up. She could feel the particles of grime, the notes of blood.

"They are a True Soul. They would touch me..." The voice sounded astonished, almost bewildered.

"Yes, I would," Tav told him with a gentle smile, invoking a soft gasp from the drider. "What's your name?"

Suddenly, a foreign vision assaulted Tav's mind. A feminine voice, demanding and harsh, shouted, "Kar'niss!" A vile mixture of guilt, fear, and self-loathing twisted angrily before leaving Tav's cognition.

"Kar'niss. It is a lovely name. Mine is Tav." Tav brushed the hair out of his eyes, tucking it behind his ear.

"They walk without a lantern. They are sent from Her Majesty...A Chosen. A Fourth to the Three."

Tav could not deny Kar'niss and risk him rejecting the help again. "Yes," She lied to him, hoping that deception could carry telepathically.

"I accused you of heresy. I attacked you. Why would you save me?"

Tav could not give him a forthright answer. Instead, she ignored his question.

"Be careful swallowing," Tav advised before bringing the poultice to his lips. She tipped slowly and watched as Kar'niss took in the potion. She kept an eye out, watching as the cartilage in his throat moved. He didn't choke or aspirate. Tav let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. He would recover.

"Breathe," She stated, using her voice instead of the tadpole to communicate with the drider. She pulled the potion from his lips, allowing him to inhale.

To say the least, the adventuring party was not surprised when they learned of their new companion. "Tav, my dear, you have a penchant for collecting strays," Astarion told her with a playful smirk on his lips.

***

Tav knew of a small cave near the Last Light Inn under Isobel's protection. No one would bother Kar'niss. Once Kar'niss' legs healed enough to support his body, Tav split from the group to take him to the cave. Kar'niss still was not speaking to her. Instead, he kept his gaze on her in an intense fashion. Tav truly hoped that saving the drider wouldn't bite her in the ass later.

"You can stay here. It's safe. The shadows will not find you here. I promise," Tav told him, bringing him to the mouth of the cave. Kar'niss looked around the cave and a small chitter reverberated in his throat. Hopefully, that was a good sound.

"I imagine you would prefer raw meat, but there's a lack of that around with the shadow curse," Tav continued, not sure what would happen next in the care and feeding of driders. "But my friend, Gale. You saw him. He was the human wizard that..." Tav paused before she continued awkwardly, "was probably responsible for one or two of your broken legs. Anyway, he is a lovely cook. I'm sure he can whip up a nice haggis."

Kar'niss turned to look at her. He pursed his lips before inquiring, "They would concern themselves with my subsistence?" After speaking it aloud, Kar'niss visibly mulled over the dynamic. "They are too kind. To heal a wretch, shelter them, and feed them."

Tav's pity for Kar'niss intensified at hearing his words. Knowing how the Drow ostracized and abused driders, she was not surprised at his attitude. "Oh...well," Tav cleared her throat nervously, "I need you to regain your strength. And you need care, rest, and food to do that."

Kar'niss nodded, accepting this proposition, "They are merciful and benevolent."

Tav felt their cheeks flushed with guilt. If only he knew how close he was to having his skull smashed under her boot. She quickly changed the subject.

"Do you need anything for your nest?" Tav inquired. She looked past him to the cave. The ceiling was high and deep enough to deter claustrophobia, but small enough to sustain a web.

"I will not bother them with non-necessities," Kar'niss stated firmly, as though the idea was out of the realm of possibility. "Not spoiled, not needy," Kar'niss added, his tempo increasing, "I will make them proud, and make them pleased to save this unfortunate being." The words invoked a time long ago. Tav didn't have to be a genius to see the poisoned memory in his eyes. Kar'niss had a story that led him to this point.

***

Tav returned to the cave with dinner for Kar'niss. As she approached the lair, she was surprised to see how prolific he had been. Even halfway healed, Kar'niss had managed to spin a sturdy, intricate web in the space. Tav could see his nimble fingers moving along the strong strands, weaving the material. Kar'niss was so engrossed in his work, that he did not notice Tav's entrance. It was not until he looked up that he saw her. He let out an almost frightened gasp, "Her Majesty's Chosen!" He skittered from his place on the web, traveling to the mouth of the cave.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your work. I just wanted to bring by dinner," Tav offered with a smile.

Kar'niss stared at Tav, bemused by the offering. His gaze traveled to the bowl she had in her hands. He raised his hands almost hesitantly. His eyes darted back to Tav, and a breath caught in his throat. Confused by Kar'niss' hesitance, Tav cleared her throat, "Haggis, like I said before. But I can get you something else."

"Her Majesty's Chosen would allow me to take?" Kar'niss questioned.

"What? Of course. That's why I brought it to you," Tav insisted.

Kar'niss raised his hands as though to take the bowl before suddenly jerking, taking a few steps back. Tav could see the tension in his jaw traveling down his neck to his shoulders. He whimpered before returning to his position in front of Tav. "They shame me, Her Majesty's Chosen. They offer food with no stipulation. I return their pity with uncouth behavior."

Tav needed to add Lolth to the list of gods she planned to kill.

"Hey, it's alright, Kar'niss. You almost died today. You have the right to be a bit skittish. Here, take it," Tav offered once more. She kept a smile on her face, hoping the gesture made him comfortable with her. "Also, 'Her Majesty's Chosen' is a bit of a mouthful. Please call me Tav."

"Tav," Kar'niss repeated, his lips pursing at the sound. "It is not proper." But Kar'niss did not press the issue. He slowly reached to take the bowl. Tav took in his hands, especially his fingers. They looked normal at first glance before they morphed into talon-like claws. He took the bowl from her before retreating into his cave.

Tav let out a sigh. She could take minor victories where she could

***

"Her Majesty, I am forever in your debt. Thank you for sending me your Chosen. Thank you for leniency. I will serve them until I am cast away. Speak through them and I will obey."

Kar'niss climbed into the top cavity of the cave. He could see if anyone would invade his space before they could even notice his web. It was a fine nest.

"They speak sweetly. They offer. No demand. No request."

Tav, as she told him to call her, was beautiful. Even though his lantern lay broken, he could feel a light shone on him through her gaze. Her words foretold of a future where he could serve safely. Her hand was steady and gentle. If she were to punish...

"And yes they would punish. Because I am weak, your Majesty. Foolish, lazy, spoiled boy! But they would punish to correct. Only to correct, like you would. Not like Matron. Too far. Too much. Ilhar, Ilhar, please, I am sorry. Despicable, useless boy!"

Kar'niss could feel his body tremble as his mind took him to his childhood. He shook his head and ran his clawed fingers along the wall of the cave, hoping the sensation would ground him.

He would ensure that Tav would not regret wasting her time, her healing supplies, on him.

"I have no right to ask this of you, Your Majesty. But if you could spare me one more blessing, please do. I wish to recover quickly. I shall protect your Chosen."

Kar'niss' heart began to race as he thought about Tav. If her smile would shine on him once more if he served her well. Until he was healed, he could not physically protect her on her journey. But perhaps there were other ways to show his appreciation. His throat vibrated at the implication. But reality slapped him.

"Foolish thing. Your Majesty, guide me. Give me humility. They have a harem of males to serve them. To think they would allow me to serve her in that manner. Hideous, twisted, castrated, pathetic."

For once, the voices lowered to whispers. And Kar'niss could give into his exhaustion.

#whumptober 2023 #no.1 #but now this room is spinning while I'm trying to just fill in all the gaps #safety net #swooning #“How many fingers am I holding up?”#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #tav/kar'niss #kar'niss #baldur's gate fanfiction #violence tw

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lbibliophile-sw · 7 months

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Breaking Habits

Also on AO3 @whumptober-archive - day 1: safety net, day 22: "watch out", vehicular accident @clonefandomevents - Haunted Clones week & 501st bingo - day 1: time loop

They say that it can take as little as 21 rotations to build a habit.

Rex doesn’t know just how many weeks he was trapped in the loop – he lost count somewhere after the 30th morning of waking up in the Coruscant barracks. Yet eventually he found the combination: he saved Fives, made the Jedi listen, defeated the Sith.

But then there is the aftermath. For all that he had been desperate to unravel the mystery, the routine had become familiar, comforting, safe. Details fading into the background as he focused on each variable.

Now… People aren’t where they’re supposed to be. Conversations take unfamiliar turns. Someone moved ‘his’ caf-mug from the shelf. Things change without his input, and it leaves him wrong-footed and unsure.

The first time he leaves the barracks After, only Jesse’s reflexes keep him from being run over by a speeder-truck. Rex didn’t check, because this intersection is always clear. Rex didn’t react fast enough, because dying just meant waking up.

He has to remind himself that consequences linger; people remember and injuries take time to heal. He has to relearn how to accept uncertainty.

#haunted clones week #501st bingo #whumptober 2023 #no.1 #no.22 #safety net #vehicular accident #“watch out”#star wars #sw:tcw #ficlet #fanfic #time loop #time loop aftermath #car crash near miss #captain rex #bingo fill

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one-piece-aus · 8 months

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Whumptober Day 1

Uta

Lmao so we're starting off with Uta this year because I noticed October 1st is her birthday, and what better way to celebrate than to give her the first Whumpday hororororororo TW: Mention of destruction, abandonment, guilt of unconscious criminal actions, and Uta considering herself a monster

For as long as she could remember Shanks and his crew had been there for her.

Until that fateful day, the music island had been destroyed.

With the pirates being the only survivors, they fled the scene with her before the Marines arrived. Uta slept in Shanks' arms, unaware of what they were discussing.

"What do we do?" Roux asked pushing the plate of food away from him. "If the Marines found out she was the one behind this..."

The members worriedly glanced at Uta who clung onto Shanks' arm. Heavy silence only fueled the anxiety clawing in their minds.

"She might have a higher bounty than the Devil of Ohara." Hongo set the stack of bounties he had been looking through on the table.

"It's not right for kids to have bounties," Yasopp said, his arms folded and staring at the ground.

"She would've gotten a bounty eventually," Limejuice reminded the group. "We're pirates, and marines don't discriminate who to make an outlaw."

"Well, we didn't expect it this soon."

"It'll be dangerous if she stays with us."

"We can't just drop her off and leave her behind."

The last statement ceased the others from conversing further. Shanks, who had been quietly looking at his daughter, at last spoke up, "Let's head to Dawn Island."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luffy waved goodbye to the pirates, shouting he'll meet them again someday with his own crew, when a thought wormed it's way into his mind. He dropped his arms and scratched his head in search of his memory. Did he say bye to Uta? She didn't talk to him as the crew was packing up to leave, which was weird. Uta would've been right by Shanks, teasing him before Red Hair gave the strawhat to the boy. Maybe she was already on the ship sleeping, her devil fruit did take up a lot of her energy. Luffy shrugged it off and walked back to Makino's bar.

"Makino, can I have some juice?" Luffy requested as he climbed onto a stool in front of the bar.

"Of course, Luffy." She smiled and got out a glass.

Luffy happily waited, kicking his legs back and forth, when he heard a girlish yawn behind him. He spun around, eyes going wide. "Uta?! What are you doing here!?"

"Hmm?" Uta shot him a confused look as she rubbed her eyes. "Why wouldn't I come here? I'm hungry, I want breakfast."

"Luffy-" Makino tried to explain the situation but Luffy opened his mouth first.

"BUT SHANKS LEFT! I THOUGHT YOU WERE WITH THEM!"

"He wHAT?!" Uta snapped awake not processing what he just said.

"Shanks and his crew left earlier this morning, why aren't you with them?"

Uta's face contorted to one of horror and she dashed out of the bar, unable to hear Makino calling out to her. Her little legs carried her to the docks, she glanced around in devastation at the empty port.

They left her.

They actually left her.

She thought the conversation she overheard was a bad dream. They wouldn't abandon her, right? They loved her, she loved them. So why? Why did they leave her here?

Just as the question appeared in her mind, a brief memory from Elegia's destruction popped up and for now her questions stopped. She bawled her fist as rain fell onto the ground in front of her. Luffy ran up to the docks, Uta wiped away the rain before turning to the boy wearing her dad's strawhat.

"Did-" she paused to get a hold of her emotions. "Did he say if he was coming back?"

"No, he said they won't be returning," Luffy bluntly said but quickly scrambled to fix it. "But- uh- I'm sure they'll come back for you. I mean- we can get Makino to call them and have them pick you up-"

"Don't bother." Uta brushed past him. "He's not going to come back."

Just like her world shattered. Her family, that she could fall back on, disappeared. All that remained were gaps that needed to be filled with answers explaining why they would leave her, and she had a vague idea of what they were.

As the gaps filled with her thoughts of the music island's destruction, a seed planted itself in the back of her mind.

'Monster.'

Tags: @bookandyarndragon @roseoftrafalgar

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fictionadventurer · 11 months

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How can I be known to history as a charming and witty correspondent if I don't write any letters??? This is a problem!!

#random thought of the day #a trip to the bigger-on-the-inside used bookstore netted me a book filled with letters between presidents and their wives #which neatly marries last summer's interest in epistolary books with this summer's obsession #i've only barely started and am already lamenting the lost art of letter writing #there's a charming bubbly one from a courtship-era abigail adams #a surprisingly sweet love letter from john tyler to his soon-to-be first wife #a witty start to a letter by grant where he teases julia for how long women take to answer letters #between this and the julia sand letters and 84 charing cross road i am in distress #because i have no avenue to send charming letters to people

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amongthebooks · 8 months

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{whumptober: day 1}

FANDOM: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (Reboot)

PROMPTS: Safety Net | Swooning | “How many fingers am I holding up?” | "But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.”

PAIRING: Simon 'Ghost' Riley / John 'Soap' MacTavish (SoapGhost)

WORD COUNT: 1.7k (AO3)

TAGS/CW: falling, near death experience, light angst with a happy ending, hurt Simon "Ghost" Riley

SNIPPET:

Ghost had no time to react as both he and his attacker were sent flying. His muscles tensed to brace for a quick impact… only it never came. Fuck, it still hadn’t happened yet - they were still falling. Why were they still falling? A fact realized only a moment too late, was that both men were fighting in a wing that was still under construction, around a place that would soon be a stairwell. The caveat? Instead of that finished structure, there was a big gaping hole. or Ghost takes a fall while on a mission.

“I’m in place, you’re clear to move,” Ghost stated into his comms, settling into his position of overwatch.

The 141’s latest mission had sent them to the heart of a city, seeking out a target of extremely high priority. The immediacy and sensitive nature of the man they were looking for had been the sole reason that the team had agreed to infiltrate an area where things could go south quickly.

All it meant for Ghost is that they had to practice extreme caution. That one misstep could lead to an unwanted interaction with civilians.

Ghost was posted up in a multi-story building, chosen due to the fact it was in the middle of being constructed. It had been relatively easy to gain access, the toughest part coming where he had to navigate through the various ladders and scaffolding, the tools serving as the only means of getting between levels.

Setting up his lookout post using a top floor apartment allowed him a clear view of the building across the street without being too obvious from the outside. There, he provided support as Gaz and Soap infiltrated the building, constantly updating them to the security detail’s locations as they swept each floor.

Before long, he watched through two sets of windows as Gaz secured the target. Both men having a tight grip on him, quick to cuff his hands and gag his mouth.

Ghost watched as they descended back the way they came, heading to where Price was waiting outside with the exfil vehicle.

A few minutes later, and he was sitting on his heels, waiting to hear his favorite words.

“Mission success. Ghost, regroup on us.”

That was his cue. Ghost lowered his scope as he turned to grab his gear and leave. He didn’t get far, though, before the door suddenly burst open. And behind it? A man pointing a gun in his direction.

Shit.

Ghost wasted no time in rolling to the side, hearing a shot fly by him as he ducked into the adjacent room, hand reaching to unsheathe a knife on his thigh. He stayed low to the ground, waiting for the other man to take the bait.

The fight was anything but clean - Ghost not expecting resistance, and the intruder not expecting a tank to be his target. Fists and blades flew, guns abandoned as the close quarters got tighter.

Before long, the two had burst back out into the hallway. Both were out of breath and pissed that the encounter hadn’t ended yet.

With one last attempt, the intruder lunged at Ghost, putting his entire body into sending the man to the ground.

Ghost had no time to react as they were both sent flying.

His muscles tensed to brace for a quick impact… only it never came. Fuck, it still hadn’t happened yet - they were still falling. Why were they still falling?

A fact realized only a moment too late, was that both men were fighting in a wing that was still under construction, around a place that would soon be a stairwell. The caveat? Instead of that finished structure, there was a

big

gaping

hole.

Ghost used his strength to kick at the man mid-air, succeeding at prying the arms off of him seconds before his back connected with something firm. The wind was knocked out of him as he tried to understand the reason for his sudden cease of movement.

But before he could assess things, he heard a snap, his fall continuing seconds later.

What was going on?

His body spun as his leg snagged on something, and then everything stopped. Well, to say that everything stopped would have to mean that the room wasn’t upside down and spinning - but it most certainly was.

Ghost felt as if he was going to be sick.

He tucked his head to his chin, looking around to assess the situation. As it was, the fall had to have lasted at least a few stories at the minimum. His leg had been caught up in some rope, miraculously enough that it had looped in a way that stopped his descent in its tracks.

It was a safety net.

It made sense now, recalling the harsh snap when he had first fallen.

The nets were only meant to handle a fall of six feet, and Ghost guessed that he had easily doubled that amount. He had been lucky that it had snapped in a way that had snagged on his leg, though it had definitely pulled something and left him still suspended up in the air.

The alternative would have been a much worse fate.

Peering to the ground below, Ghost clocked the body of the man that had fought him, and how it was in a contorted, unmoving heap at the bottom of the stairwell.

That could have been him.

Ghost’s head spun as he tried to reorient himself. Too disoriented on the fact that luck had saved him from certain death that he didn’t hear his radio going off.

'-ost? Lieutenant, check in, godammit!'

'Price, I’m going to Ghost’s last known location.'

All the while, the man dangled like a fish on a line as he resigned himself to his fate in the net, blood already rushing to his head. He had definitely gotten whiplash from the fall, feeling sick to his stomach and sore in more places than one.

Ghost was still utterly disoriented when he barely registered his name being called; far away at first but getting closer with every passing moment.

Footfalls that seemed to pick up until, “Oh my god,” he heard Soap mumbled breathlessly. Of course it was Soap that had come to find him.

Ghost assumed he was creating quite the sight, even when he couldn’t see the other man. Walking into a room to see your lieutenant hanging upside down, entangled in rope, would get a rise out of most of his men, he knew.

Though Soap wasn’t like most of his men.

He had half of a mind to attempt rotating around to greet the man, though he didn’t want to risk the seven foot fall that awaited him. That, and he felt like he’d be sick if he moved even an inch.

“Ghost? Ghost! Shit, no, please tell me you’re not-“ The man circled around him until he was facing him properly. In lieu of a verbal greeting, Ghost raised one of his hands to wave gingerly, ignoring how the movement made the nerves in his arm tingle like crazy.

Even from the vertical distance between them, he could clearly make out the loud sigh Soap let out. Presumably figuring out his predicament.

“Steamin’ jesus, are you serious? You can’t just not answer your comms, Ghost! What’s a man supposed to think, walking in here to find that body over there and you suspended in the air like that?” The smidge of relief on Soap’s face had morphed into something more harsh, his accent getting stronger as he ranted.

And oh…Ghost hadn’t even thought of it like that. Of the conclusions that could be made from seeing his attacker’s broken body below him, and his limp one all tangled up. He opened his mouth to reassure the man, before another wave of nausea washed over him.

On second thought…talking would have to wait another moment.

Soap let silence fall over them for a few moments before he sighed again.

“Alright, let me find something to soften the fall, LT,” he offered before turning on his heels, pausing in the doorway. “Oh, and don’t go anywhere, ‘k?”

“Fucker,” Ghost mumbled as the other man’s laugh echoed down the hallway. Deciding to blame the fact that he was lightheaded as the reason he let a few chuckles of his own out.

Soap was back after a few minutes, hauling two bags of insulation behind him.

He made short work of placing them underneath where Ghost was dangling before disappearing again, presumably to get to a position where the rope could be cut.

In the meantime, Ghost allowed his eyes to shut. An overwhelming feeling of exhaustion seeped into his body the longer he continued to be suspended.

“Ready?” Soap’s voice echoed down the empty stairwell.

“ ‘mm?” Ghost grunted as his eyes fluttered open. His mind trying to fill in gaps again as the room seemed to spin again.

His reprieve was short lived when there was suddenly a distinct snap was heard, and Ghost’s body was in free fall once more. This time for a much shorter amount, though, before he impacted something soft beneath him.

Ghost stayed prone until Soap caught back up to him.

The man immediately tried to help haul him to his feet, balking when Ghost swatted at his hand and insisted that he didn’t need help standing.

Soap scoffed, “There’s no way you can stand after dangling like that, sir.”

When he received a side eye from the man, he added, “Alright, how many fingers am I holding up?”

After a few unsteady steps, Ghost had made it to his feet, though he had to immediately brace himself on the nearby wall.

“Uh,” he squinted towards Soap, looking for where his hand even was. Fuck, why was the room spinning so much?

“None?” Ghost settled on, before suddenly swooning, eyes rolling back as he started to go down. Soap luckily lunged to catch him before his body hit the ground.

“It’s alright, LT. I gotcha,” he said reassuringly, repositioning his arms so that he was essentially bridal carrying the man. He figured it was the easiest way he’d get them both outside, especially when Ghost couldn't be awake to protest.

Soap couldn’t help the mote of excitement that buzzed through him as he made his way out of the building.

After all, it wasn’t every day the lieutenant was found hanging mid air, and he had a feeling there was no way that the rest of the team would let Ghost live this day down.

#whumptober2023 #no.1 #safety net #swooning #”how many fingers am I holding up?”#“But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.”#callofduty #fic #near death experience #ghostsoap #soapghost #mw2 #mwii #ghostMW2 #soapMW2 #Scar's SoapGhost Fics

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meyerlansky · 21 days

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sorry i'm gonna be obnoxious with curt gifsets this week because i played myself and now he's my favorite and WE HAVE BUT A SHORT TIME TOGETHER

#this is what i get for churning out dctctc before the egan [REDACTED] fic #also i am contemplating doing a 'per episode' gifset for my three faves #which will net out to 18 gifsets because rosie shows up just in time to fill the curt void (😏)#and then there's egan #but maybe that is too many? WHO KNOWS.#I WILL DO IT ANYWAY.

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pochapal · 4 months

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assuming this is a) not more witch narrative stuff and b) not referring to the Real Kinzo/Ideal Kinzo split then i think there's something telling about kinzo's other side being entwined with/triggered by beatrice

#umineko liveblog #i think to answer this we need to know who the beatrice kinzo spoke about was #my earlier theory is that for kinzo the witch obsession is a stand in for a woman that he was sexually obsessed with #and likely did something horrible to that nanjo covered up #that occurred around the same time that he acquired the gold #however this does little to explain the personality shift thing #other than he was not kinzo the wise businessman patriarch when it came to beatrice #but does this mean the woman beatrice might have once been or is this towards the witch myth?#him going insane about a woman he maybe abused and/or murdered is one thing but it feels like an insufficient explanation #but if it's just the myth then our net needs to expand way wider #idk this is frustrating i Know the hazy outline is right there but i can't quite fill it in

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theflyingkipper · 2 years

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Even when cold and silent iron, a steam engine can be plenty intimidating

#hole in the net more like hole in my brain #and I am filling ttte fic with it #ttte #thomas the tank engine #art #ttte fic #fr no 3 old coppernob #ttte coppernob #coppernob (oc)#kips art #I found a comic font on procreate and wanted to put it to use

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yioh · 1 year

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these make me think about kaeya and diluc honestly it’s so heartbreaking 🥲🥲

#also made me think abt me and my brother i may have cried HA #anyways back to dilu and kae #it’s so bittersweet knowing how they had such a good relationship before things were revealed like they look so so sweet together #the kind of brothers who do EVERYTHING together and are equals in every way and u just can’t have one without the other #i wonder how diluc feels as the older brother who broke his younger brothers heart #that last quote talking abt the responsibility of an elder sibling.. i wonder if it breaks his heart that he couldn’t exist in that way for #kaeya for the longest time #also the way their outward personalities kinda switched around #i think they maybe wanted to keep a piece of eachother within themselves #there really is no person out there that could replace what a sibling is #how strange of a connection filled with comfort animosity annoyance love and safety #like your other half ??? someone who is linked to you but is so uniquely another person #someone who shows you another perspective of the world #i wonder how kaeya felt after he no longer could savour the safety net his older brother provided him #feeling so bare against the thorns of the world now that his brother isn’t there to hold him in his arms #how identityless he must feel to have someone who was there since the start to be ripped away

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psychologeek · 8 months

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Mind the Gap

(For day 1 of Whumptober )

She is fifteen and trying to make sure it's ok.

She's fifteen and nothing really matters but her brother's joy.

She is fifteen, which is like being fourteen only worse - because her friend is dead no longer there to talk to.

#danny phantom #jazz fenton #whumptober #whumptober 2023 #fic #fanfic #no.1 #But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps #swooning #safety net #How many fingers am I holding up?#whump Jazz Fenton #poverty #poverty tw #malnutrition tw #food insecurity #food insecurity tw

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sometimesraven · 8 months

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Perfect

Whumptober No. 1: “But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.” Safety Net | Swooning |

Fandom: Quantum Leap (2022) POV Character: Ian Wright Whumpee: Ian Wright

Mental illness isn't pretty, and sometimes the thing that sparks a spiral seems completely unrelated to the spiral itself -- Jenn knows this. Sometimes supporting your friends means a patience, forgiveness, and knowing when to walk away.

AO3 Link

Doors locked. Windows locked? No, windows open. Stinks in here. Adjust the rug. Adjust it again. Adjust it again. Why? Something bad. What? Something. Do it again.

Ian huffed to themself, sweeping dust out of the rug for the sixth time that day, ready to be vaccuumed again. Was that a stray hair settling on the table? Hm. They made a mental note to spray and clean it again, chiding themself for letting the place get this dirty. They'd just have to work harder whenever they got back from Quantum Leap. Sleep be damned.

"You know the place is fine, right?" Jenn was here. Right. They'd forgotten she had a key, and now she was stomping all over the rug they just cleaned and eating chips near the couch and putting an empty can on the table.

"Are you stupid?" The words snapped from behind clenched teeth before Ian could stop themself, snatching the can up and throwing it unceremoneously into the trash. Jenn rolled her eyes at them, smart enough to at least fold over her chip packet and shove it back in her pocket, but then dusted her hands off on their jeans, which led to another bout of rug-sweeping.

"What? I was gonna throw it away in a minute."

"The place is not fine," Ian snapped, ignoring her defence entirely, "it's gross and you're not helping."

"Oooh-kay." Jenn rolled her eyes again, flopping down onto the couch with a huff. "Lemme know when you're done with whatever this is."

Of course she didn't understand. She never understood when it was important; nobody did. A wave of deep, crushing loneliness squeezed at Ian's chest and settled like poison on their tongue -- she couldn't understand how important this was. They were alone with it, as always. Worse still, they couldn't even begin to describe the mess of directions in their head when everything they felt just mixed and soured into rage: she's mocking you. Wants you to fall apart. If you listen to her she'll ruin you. "Just because you can live in that nasty-ass apartment doesn't mean we all have to live to that standard, okay?"

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Jenn was offended now. The vague judgement that seemed to permanently live in her eyes was narrowed into hurt and somehow the guilt only made them more mad.

"It means stop sitting there like you're trying to ruin my life and help me or get out!"

Jenn winced at the tone of their voice. She hated being yelled at, especially by Ian. She hated being told to leave. Ian knew all this, but they continued scrubbing the table as if the state of the glass was directly responsible for this entire situation, while their stomach clenched and their chest pounded just leave just leave, I don't want to hurt you any more.

But then she was gone. A door slammed and a cry tore from their throat. Don't leave! I need you!

When did they end up on the floor? Why was the world swimming-- when did Jenn come back? Why were her arms around them, guiding them to the couch, they should be mad they should be screaming at them, they were imperfect.

They couldn't bring Ben back.

"I'm so scared," they whispered, Jenn's shirt already damp from their tears.

"I know," she sighed, petting their hair in soothing circles.

"I screwed everything up..." Great, they were full on ugly-sobbing. Jenn was gonna have to change her shirt and Ian was going to be all puffy for days.

"It's not your fault."

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

#whumptober2023 #no.1 #“But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.”#swooning #safety net #quantum leap 2022 #quantum leap #fic #dr ian wright #ian wright ql #jenn chou #jenn chou ql #jiann #mine #fanfic #whumptober

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gophergal · 3 months

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Early morning Blorbo thoughts are the best. It's like having TV static in your brain, but with bonus happy chemicals

#gopher rambles #my brain no work rn but it is filled with medic so thats a net positive actually

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wormsin · 8 months

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bruce & dick whumptober

No. 1: “But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.” Safety Net | Swooning | “How many fingers am I holding up?”

first | master list | next>

When Bruce wakes up, he knows he’s in danger before he opens his eyes. For one thing, he has no recollection of how he got where he is and his last memories are spotty. For another, he’s waking up from a drugged state. And lastly, there’s something heavy wrapped around his neck.

Opening his eyes, he evaluates. Plain concrete room with an odd ceiling design he can’t place. Floor slightly sloped in one direction. Perpendicular to that, a clear barrier divides the space in two and Nightwing is sitting in the other half. He gives Bruce a wave. “Good morning. Or good evening, hard to tell. My internal clock is broken.”

So is Bruce’s.

Both he and Nightwing are dressed in plain white clothes. Natural fiber. Their masks are gone. And around Nightwing’s neck, there’s a heavy metal collar. Must be the same one on him.

It’s not much of a silver lining, but at least they’re not injured and are alone.

No doors that he can see.

“They probably have cameras on us,” Nightwing says. Bruce looks around the room and finds two. Nightwing saw them too, but he’s wisely playing down his abilities. “Do you remember anything useful?”

“The last meeting,” Batman answers. Doesn’t say it was for the JLA. “Then we were tracking…”

That weird signal. Nightwing nods. “Right. No idea how we got here though. Don’t suppose you recognize any of this.”

“Come here.” Batman stands at the clear divider, and Nightwing meets him there. It allows him to get a better look at the thing around his neck. It looks like seamless metal, two inches high. The clasp and locking mechanism, whatever it is, are well hidden.

Nightwing’s eyes are calm. Good. They’ll need to keep their cool.

“It’s not really my style,” Wing says, and then calls out to the room at large. “I’m a gold guy, not silver. Helloooo? Anyone home?”

There’s an odd, popping sensation in Batman’s ears, and a figure appears in Nightwing’s room. They’re humanoid and wearing a large helmet that shows nothing through the visor, a black robe, and matching gloves and boots. Not much to go on. No one Batman knows. “Impatient, are you?” the stranger asks in a distorted voice, some kind of filter.

“Mostly curious,” Wing says. “What are we doing here?”

“You have something I want.”

“A dazzling sense of humor?”

“Information.”

Dick taps his chin. “Hummingbirds are the only birds to fly backwards.”

The stranger pauses. “What?”

“I’ve got more information. Swifts can fly for almost a year straight.”

“Be quiet now.”

Nightwing just grins. “Wait, let me tell you about ducks—”

All of a sudden, Nightwing’s body seizes with a crack of light. It goes on for two horrible seconds, and then he collapses to the ground, groaning.

That explains one of the collar’s functions. Batman doesn’t let any alarm show. Nightwing can handle a little electrocution, and knows they need to keep their cards close to the chest.

“What do you want to know?” Batman asks.

With another pop, the Stranger teleports to his side of the divide. “The Starcore. Its location and defenses.” They seem to look Batman up and down. “I have many ways of gaining such information. If you cooperate, you won’t have the misfortune of experiencing them.”

“Oh boy.” Nightwing chuckles from the other side, pushing up onto his elbows. “You really picked the wrong two people to torture for information. Not that there are a lot of great choices.” He sits up and brushes off his white clothes. “Do you even know anything about us?”

A distraction. It’s working. The Stranger’s attention is turned towards Nightwing. “You’re mere humans. Weak, but intelligent.”

“Too bad for you, we’re torture-proof.”

“Everyone has their breaking point.” The stranger turns more. “And your kind are so—”

Batman punches him fast, but before he makes contact his whole body explodes with pain. All of his muscles seize up. He comes back to himself and he's on the ground, still twitching.

“No more of that,” the stranger says, in their flat, distorted voice. “Not unless you want your hearts to burst from the strain.”

Pop—and they’re gone.

At least now they know what the stranger is after—they're a member of one of the alien organizations vying for the starcore. It's well hidden on earth. But if it falls into the wrong hands, it won't just be their system under threat. Once again, Bruce and his partner are the last line of defense for planet.

Nightwing glances at him. “This is gonna suck, isn’t it?”

#whumptober2023 #no.1 #But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.#safety net #batman #nightwing #this is a continuous story!! stay tuned #electrocution

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