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writingintheshadowsforever · 8 months

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Imagine Abby confessing her love for you

You knew you were goner the first time you laid eyes on Abby Anderson. She was tough, guarded, emotionless, and serious about completing the task. Whatever it was Isaac put her charge of no matter the objective that was always her main focus. Despite her tough exterior and her knack for pushing people away whenever they tried to befriend her. Almost like it was her secret superpower or something.

You managed to worm your way into her heart with the resilience of a bear trying to protect its cubs, and the patience of a scorpion waiting for its poison to spread before moving in for the kill on its prey. If someone asked Abby how you were the one who got through to her first.

She didn't have an honest answer for them herself for she never understood how you did what you did. All she knew was once she let you in. There was no getting rid of you even if she wanted to. Abby found herself relying on someone else to keep her. Other than the need for revenge going for the first time since her dad's death. She'd do anything for you. There was nothing in the world you couldn't ask her to do that wouldn't be an automatic yes.

Unless of course you asked to be honest about her feelings for you. Because the second the two of you returned from scouting the outpost. You cornered her in the locker rooms knowing she would be in there to take a nice long, and hot shower. It was pretty late so no one else was present. You figured that would make it slightly easier to coax the truth out of her. Instead Abby gave you the run around insisting that yes while you were an important person in her life, and she indeed love you (like a friend) making sure to put an extra emphasis on the word friend. She wasn't harboring any feelings for you, or anyone else.

Abby then went on to make some stupid joke about her last relationship, and just how incompatible she was with anyone. You weren't buying it for one second, but nonetheless you still let it go. Knowing better than anyone if you pushed her too hard she'd shut down for a while.

But apparently that one push was enough because the next day Isaac asked you to report to him. He proceeded to tell you that for the next month or so. He was reassigning you to strictly supply runs only, and if you weren't need there. You were to report for dog duty every morning which included in helping training the dogs, cleaning up their kennels, and grooming them. No more field missions for you with reason being you showed reckless behavior on your last mission. That could've resulted in the death of either you, or you and your team.

"You got potential to be one of my best soldiers in the future y/n. I'll be damned if I lose you in the field because you want to be a show-off playing hero." Isaac scolded you with a grunt placing Abby's mission report on his desk.

Arguing with him wasn't going to change a thing. You might've been with the WLF longer, but Abby had way more experience in the field. Her history with the Fireflies and dedication to training moved her up the ranks faster than any other solider. She hardly ever went on a mission where she actually had to answer to someone else. So whatever she told Isaac was final.

The role change took place nearly two weeks ago, and you still hadn't adjusted in the change of pace. Plus the lack of action not to mention despite how pissed off you were with her. You missed Abby Anderson terribly. The two of you only saw each other in passing, and each time Abby avoided eye contact. Right now the supply run you were on took you a few miles away from main base. Abby had just returned from a pretty nasty confrontation with the Scars, and was resting up in the infirmary. You wouldn't be surprised if she had something to do with you being sent on a four-day run.

"Ahhh I don't see how these guys do this all day." You complained pushing the door to the lobby of the abandoned hotel open with your back. The room covered from top to bottom with containers filled with any items that were preserved and still of good use. With a grunt you heaved the large box in your arms up to stack it on top of more boxes. The pile held up not swaying the slightest bit.

You let out a sigh of relief leaning back on a heavier and stronger stack of containers. The person in charge would've made you clean it up alone if it fell. "This is literally the definition of grunt work."

"Wow its good to know how you really feel about us, and our contribution to the WLF's survival." A familiar voice chimed in only a few feet away.

You let out a surprise yelp looking up to see Nora positioned right in front of you. Her arms crossed over her chest, a single eyebrow quirked upward with a playful smile on her face. "How long have you been there?"

"Considering I'm in charge of taking inventory all day. What's in the box you brought in?" She asked her tone becoming a bit more strict for the moment.

"A bunch random clothes" You told her unsure of why it was important.

"They actually go over there." She pointed to the far left side of the lobby chuckling. At the way you groaned pushing off the containers. "Calm down I'll have some of the guys move it later."

You relaxed again shooting her a fake angry smile.

"So what did you do to get on Isaac's bad side. The only time he puts field operatives on supply runs is when we're navigating dangerous territory. And the only time he turns you guys into suppliers is when he wants to punish you." Isaac knew the change in pace of the work drew field operatives crazy.

"Its more like what I did to piss off Abby." You said unable to hide the irritation in your voice.

Nora's eyes widened a bit at your answer before her face scrunched up in confusion. "But you and Abby are like this" she stated holding up a hand with one finger crossed over the other.

"Yeah we were until I tried to make confess her feelings for me" You told her with a shrug. If Abby was going to lie about it why should you keep it a secret.

"Oh no you gotta start from the beginning girl" Nora demanded shaking her head. Not giving you a chance to protest she hoisted herself up onto a container adjacent to you.

You chuckled at her eagerness to hear some gossip, but knew nothing more exciting was going to happen. So you would indulge in it this once even though it was never your thing. Plus Nora and Abby were close enough the girl was in the inner circle. No easy feat to accomplish with Abby.

"We went on a scouting mission a few weeks ago, and got ambushed by a herd of infected. Abby got cornered and ran out of bullets, so I came to her rescue doing something that was kinda stupid." You admitted a bit guilty knowing Abby wasn't completely lying about the reckless behavior thing. "But it worked and I saved her life only I guess she thought I died in the process. Abby started freaking out and when after I reassured her I was fine. She went on to say I couldn't do stuff like because she cared about me too much, and stopped short of dropping the "L" word."

Nora held onto every single word that left your mouth following the story with genuine interest. When you to the end immediately she shook her head hoping down from her seat. "Nope we can't have this I'm going to help you get your girl."

Your eyes lit up with curiosity. "How?

"Oh don't worry I'll think of something" she replied already rubbing her chin.

You still wanted more insight which led to your next question. "Why?"

Nora turned back around and walked over to rest both of her hands on either of your shoulders. "Because you're my girl and Abby is my girl I want both of you to be happy. Plus I've been rooting for y'all since day one when the two of you met."

"And" you pressed her further sensing an ulterior motive.

"I got a running bet with Owen, Manny, and Mel about when the two of you are going to finally get together." she finally admitted with a sheepish smile. "Don't be mad."

I'm not but Mel." You laughed a little bit thrown back by the timid doctor being in on it.

"I betted it would be sooner than later, but Mel thought the opposite while Owen and Manny opted for it being never."

You wanted to disappointed in Owen but with the way Abby reacted to everything that happened. It made sense and Manny was her roommate, so he probably did have some type of insight on her unknown to you.

"So what do you get if you win? Money isn't exactly worth anything."

Nora just gave you a quick wink and motioned for you to follow her.

Three Days Later

Isaac didn't have any more assignments for suppliers, and your assistance with the dogs wasn't required. So you readied yourself to enjoy a rare free day or two, but a solider came banging on your door the morning. After you had just returned from your supply run with Nora to let you know the man wanted to see you in his office.

You dragged yourself out of bed with a sleepy groan cursing the entire world. What could Isaac possibly want now? He literally told you last night today was yours. A five minute shower and ten minutes spent going through your closest trying to determine what to wear, and a quick stop to the mess hall for breakfast. You finally arrived at his door giving it a gentle knock.

"Its y/n"

"Come in" replied his gruff voice.

You opened the door to the sight of Isaac sitting behind his desk with his hands folded together in resting atop it. Abby sat in chair on the right side with both of knees maintaining a steady bouncing pace. The second your foot stepped into the office she launched to her feet. Already red in the face jabbing a anger finger at you.

"What is she doing here?"

"Sit back down Abby" Isaac commanded rather than answer her question.

"But-" she started to protest until he fixed her with his steely gaze, and she finally listened. Plopping back down into the chair propping her elbow up on the arm, and placing her chin in her awaiting hand. Abby grumbled complaints under her breath while you took the chair beside her holding back an amused smile.

"Owen and Manny are both out of commission for the next few days, and you need a partner for your scouting mission today." Isaac said laying both of his hands flat on the desk.

"Are they okay?" You asked a bit concerned.

He nodded. "Mel said it was some type of stomach bug possibly caused by. A bad batch of fish from last night's dinner, but we're keeping them in a restricted area to be sure."

Your mind wandered back to your conservation with Nora just a day ago, and you knew without a doubt this was her doing. You fought off the urge to grin again.

"I don't need a partner Isaac I can handle this by myself." Abby argued throwing you a side glance trying to hide the guilt in them.

"After what happened on your last mission I won't risk it. The infected could be anywhere in this point, and you never know when a horde is going to show up. Plus those Scars are getting more bolder with each attack. Y/N compliments your skillset nicely, and has enough experience."

"But she's reckless-"

"And I trust you to maintain control over this mission, and put her in place if the need arises. Are you telling me you can't handle it?" Isaac narrowed his eyes at Abby almost daring her to continue questioning his decision.

"No sir I can handle it" Abby answered dropping her head with a look of despair.

The scouting mission was a simple one. Located about three miles from the main WLF base was a small cabin near a set of watchtowers. A group of soldiers stumbled upon it on they're way back, but didn't feel comfortable scoping it out. They were injured, malnourished, and sleep deprived after spending days hiding out in Scar infested territory trying not to be discovered.

It was close enough to base Isaac was sure none of the Scars were stupid enough to get this close. And if there were a few hanging out about you and Abby were more than capable of taking them out. He did order to bring one back for interrogation if the two of you found any.

The cabin was located in wooded area where the trees grew too great heights, and the bushes were dense. Abby walked ahead of you hacking any blocking vegetation away with her machete. She did it in such an aggressive way you were pretty sure this was her stress reliever. Anything would do rather than actually getting it off her chest through conservation. You followed behind her maintaining a comfortable distance. It went like this a solid hour or so into the trail before finally you couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Are you going to ignore me the whole time Abby?" You asked her.

"That depends what do you want to talk about?" she shot back not even bothering to pause to look back at you.

"I don't know how about the fact you lied to Isaac and got me put on supply duty."

Now she stopped whirling around to face you her face shrouded in disbelief at your words. "I didn't lie your actions were reckless on that mission." She raised the machete pointing at you, but then realized it and slid into the waistband of her pants.

"Yeah but that's not why you reported me is it? You accused closing the distance between you two.

"Why else would I report you y/n?"

If she was going to continue to play dumb then you were happy to bring up the elephant in the room again. "To get me away from you for a few days, so you could bury those feelings so deep inside of you again. You'd forget they were ever even there."

A red tint coated her cheeks as her eyes averted the contact from yours now. Instead she turned her gaze to the ground below swallowing a lump in her throat. "We should keep moving."

Not bothering to wait for your reply Abby turned back around and continued on the path to the cabin. You let out a sigh of exasperation running a hand down your face. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy to make her confess. You were going to play the danger card again.

The opportunity to do it without putting your life in any real danger presented itself. A whole hour later after the two of you finished hiking your way through all the deep bush. The trail cleared up a bit more till eventually one of the watchtowers came into view, and the closer you two got to it. The more realized getting to the cabin wasn't going to be easy as the group made it out to be.

The sound of rushing water filled the air when you and Abby got within ten feet of the tower. And the source of noise revealed itself once you reached the tower to it sitting on the edge of a ravine. Abby extended her arm out in front you. When both of you reached the edge of the grassy terrain that led down into a wide and deep ditch. That was filled up with water probably from the few storms to hit the area in the past few days.

You leaned over to try and determine just how deep it went wondering. If it was possible to walk across, but the bottom wasn't visible. The current was too strong to just outright risk it, and you didn't see a bridge or anything that could be used as one.

"We gotta find another way across" Abby said coming to the same conclusion. "Let's keep following the path farther down maybe the water level gets lower." She pulled out the map to look over for a possible better destination, so caught up with it. Abby missed the way your eyes lit with mischief when you looked upward. The two watchtowers were connected to one other by a decent size beam.

By the time Abby finished going over the map you were taking your first step onto the beam.

"Alright there actually might be a road..." Her voice trailed off when she discovered you were no longer beside or in front of her.

"Y/N" she called out your name her head swiveling in every direction in frantic search for you. Had the Scars managed to ambush and nab you with her so close? The thought terrified her so much she was five seconds away from working herself into hyperventilating just like last time. "Y/N" Abby cried out desperately again.

"Up here Abbs calm down" you shouted from your position standing on top of the beam. About thirty feet up in the air balancing on the metal surface with ease.

She followed the sound of your voice, and sighed with relief at the sight you. Bracing a hand to her chest she calmed her panicked breathing. It took a minute to get it back to normal then she glared up at you. "What the hell are you doing up there? Come down now."

"No we can cross this way" You argued with a tiny smirk.

"Y/N I'm not playing with you get down from there" Abby ordered again. Her voice more firm this time but you saw how nervous she was getting.

"But this is so much faster than walking like another three miles for a road that might destroyed. Plus that's farther than Isaac wanted us to go." You pointed out.

"I don't care I'm in charge and I said no. Now. Get. Down. Here." Abby pointed at you then the ground on her last two words.

"Fine I'll come down" You agreed. "But first I want to hear you say it." You added it as she relaxed again.

Your request made her quirked an eyebrow. "Say what?"

You shook your head. "No more games Abby finish what you were going to say to me. On our last mission before you stopped yourself I won't come down till you do."

Abby grabbed two fistfuls of her hair holding back a frustrated scream. It was a miracle she didn't unravel the braid. "Oh for crying out loud y/n let it go. I wasn't going to say anything besides what I actually said." Now please get down here before you fall and drown or something." Abby pleaded with wide and desperate eyes.

You dropped into a crouch swaying a bit but righting yourself immediately. A small cry exited Abby's mouths as she followed your every move in fear. "What would you do if I fell in? Would you try to save me?" You asked her softly.

"I'd do anything for you" she whispered so low you barely heard her. "Because we're friends and that's what friends do for each other." It was half a lie, and both of you knew it. You were too close to give up now. So you added more pressure by standing upright and turning to walk further away to the middle of the beam. "I thought it was because I was one of the best."

"You are y/n but you're my friend too. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting for the past couple of weeks. Is that what you wanted to hear? I'm sorry okay."

Close but not close enough.

"What exactly am I the best at Abby?"

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What?" she replied.

"You said I was one of the best but at what. It can't be fighting because that title goes to you easily. I mean not even our toughest guys can take you in a sparring match." You brought up your hand placing one finger down. "I know its not sharpshooting I mean I got I'm one hell of a shot, but so is Owen." Another finger brought down as you focused you on Abby again.

She dropped her head staring at the ground with her fists clenched at her sides. Her entire body was trembling with anger, or maybe the overwhelming emotion she kept trying to suppress.

"I guess it could be tracking I am really good at that" You said pausing.

"You're the best tracker we got, and I know that for a fact I'd be dead. If it wasn't for your tracking skills back when we got trapped in that cave during the blizzard." Abby said loud enough for you to hear her.

The memory came back to you in an instant. Almost two years ago the two of you had to seek refuge in a random cave while patrolling the area of a nearby hotel. The suppliers were searching it top to bottom for any resources. Back then the harsh winters had depleted many of your medical supplies, and other items. The area had an infected problem, so a small team of soldiers went along for protection.

You and Abby ended up wandering a little too far while following a stray runner to a small nest. No more than ten of them which was easy enough as long as you used stealth rather than bullets. Then the storm picked up making it all but imposing to find the way back. You were a survivalist before joining up with the WLF. Your father raised you in the wilderness teaching you every skill you would need to conquer it. When the world fell apart you were a little more than ready, and you put all that knowledge to use in an effort to keep yourself and Abby alive.

"I never seen someone fight so hard to live in a world that's just easier to die in." Abby went on looking up at you now. "It wouldn't have been fast but better than being tuned right? I was ready to accept defeat but you were there going out in storm risking your life for mine. Each time returning with food, or wood for the fire. You built a wooden door to keep out some of the cold, and no matter how bad things got during those five days. You never lost hope, or that cheerful attitude of yours."

The fear in her eyes dissolved to be replaced with adoration and the look warmed your entire body. "You never run out of it you know. It doesn't matter how bleak the situation is. And before I met you y/n I lost all that after my dad died. I lost all hope for a better world I didn't believe there was a single thing worth fighting for anymore. Owen was the only reason I kept going, but we fell apart so it wasn't the same. Then you made me see again just how beautiful the world can be. Because if my love for you isn't the most beautiful feeling I don't know what is. There I said it I fucking love you alright, and my biggest fear in this world is losing the person I love the most again. So please come down."

The speech that led to her confession caught you off guard hitting you like a ton of bricks. Her words tugged on all your heartstrings till they came loose, and tears of happiness clouded your vision. "Damn it Abby I love you would've done just fine." You said with a teary chuckle wiping your eyes on your shirt. One of your feet lost its footing and you stumbled before finding the beam again.

"Y/N come on" Abby shouted holding out her arms as if she could catch you. If you did indeed fall from that angle. "I want kiss you so hurry up alright."

The statement made you perk up a bit as the mischief came back sparkling in your eyes. "I don't know you made me work for that confession. You should have to work for our first kiss."

Her expression darkened but she smirked daring you to try her. "Y/N don't do this."

You smirked back while walking across the rest of the beam holding her eyes for the entire duration. She watched you disappear into the other tower in amusement and slight annoyance. Not wasting another second Abby bounded to the tower and climbed the ladder as fast as she could. Slowing down at the beam to take a deep breath, and doing her best not to look down. She took the first step placing one foot in front of another. Till she reached the other end your playful laughter filling her ears as you slid down the ladder. After making sure she made it across without falling, and you hit the ground running straight for the cabin.

Abby went down the ladder halfway before taking a huge leap. She didn't bother stopping to right herself giving chase almost immediately. Even with your head she started catching up to you in just a matter of seconds.

"Abby I get the bonus points for helping you face your fear right." You called out pushing your legs to go faster.

"Not a chance" Abby yelled back matching your pace.

Her arms wrapped around your waist from behind and you were yanked backwards off your feet. You let out a shriek of laughter when her fingers dug into your sides. "Abbs no" You laughed trying to break free of her grip.

Abby secured your back to her chest with a single muscular arm while her other hand continued to wreck havoc. She tickled you into you were breathless and in tears, and before you had recover. Abby turned you around in arms and pressed her lips to yours. Any breath you managed to get back into your lungs vanished again. As your eyes closed and your body melted in her arms. Lucky for you Abby kept you upright with her arms constricted around your middle.

You had dreamed of this moment more than a hundred times. Each time wondering if the real thing would live up to your fantasy. Of course the real Abby surpassed all expectations, and your questions of rather or not she knew how to kiss went out the window. Her lips moved slowly against yours in such a way. It was like she was guiding on exactly what to do, and you followed her lead eventually your hands found their place in her hair. You tugged her a bit closer and she moaned into your mouth pulling away for a fraction of a second. Before deepening the kiss swinging your body around to push you up against a tree.

The bark bit into your skin but the only thing you could focus on right then was. How your body lit up with a want no a need for Abby. It wasn't enough your toes were curling from the passion she kissed you with. You shoved against her shoulder, and Abby pulled away immediately eyes filled with concern. "Did I hurt you?"

"No but the cabin."

She scoffed. "We got plenty of time."

You flicked her forehead causing her to yelp in pain and pull back again. "What?" she whimpered eyes zeroing in on your swollen lips.

"I bet its a lot more comfortable in there way more appropriate for making out" You told her.

"That would be inappropriate behavior" Abby started nuzzling your neck. Her lips drifted to your ear "good thing I'm in charge huh." You squealed in surprise as she lifted you in arms bridal style, and began to carry you to the cabin.

Where the two of you would stay for a few more days, and long nights. Consequences be damned this time.

#abby anderson x reader #abby anderson imagine #abby anderson tlou2 #abby tlou2 #abby the last of us #abby anderson #tlou2 x reader #tlou2

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desert-fern · 6 months

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A Gun Amongst Daggers - Jake “Hangman” Seresin X Fem!Navy Seal Reader

Epilogue - Like Real People Do

Summary: When Jake meets a woman at the Hard Deck, the last thing he expects is for her to be a Navy Seal. And not just any Seal, the Commander of Seal Team 3. She’s beautiful, smart, dangerous, and everything about her just makes him want to get close. Her name? Bear. When the Seals need backup, Cyclone puts the Daggers on their radar and now, Jake has to work with Bear and her team, all the while trying to stay professional. Can he do it? Or will he end up falling for the Navy sniper and mission Commander?

Picture is from Pinterest AKA not mine

MINORS DO NOT ENGAGE! 18+ ONLY. MINORS & BLOGS WITH NO AGE/EMPTY BLOGS WILL BE BLOCKED.

Warnings: probably very inaccurate court proceedings, swearing, mentions of scars, Bear being a badass, sort of victim blaming (not really, but maybe), soft and sweet, author makes up for being an asshole for most of the series…

Word Count: 5.4k

Part 24 >> Masterlist

A/N: big thanks to @sarahsmi13s for helping me with the legal babble/criminal justice parts of this fic! You were a huge help for figuring out the details and made this part just that much sweeter!

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A year later, 365 days after the catastrophe that had been Operation Hellfire, the five Seals involved in the treasonous attack against Bear had gone to trial and the verdict was due any minute. Former Lieutenants Colton ‘Hazard’ Richards, Michael ‘Dex’ Lewis, Jackson ‘Dodger’ Cartwright, Andrew ‘Gallows’ Stevenson, and Grant ‘Chip’ Harding all stood trial together, four of the five pleading not guilty to the charges leveled against them.

Only Chip had cut a deal with the prosecution. He chose to testify against Hazard and the others and in exchange, he was dealt a sentence of five years at Leavenworth with a chance at parole for his minimal part in the terrorist plot hatched by the other men. He had also leveled charges of blackmail and assault against Hazard, the court finding the latter guilty on both counts.

Several other members of Bear’s team and a few of the Dagger Squadron had also testified as witnesses for the prosecution; each sharing their experiences with what the media were now calling the ‘Team 3 Traitors’.

Bear’s own testimony had lasted a few days as she shared her story to the grand jury, detailing her account of what had been done to her as a result of Hazard’s plotting. She denied and denounced any attempt made by the defense to try and undermine her, standing strong on the witness stand as a lawyer repeatedly tried to discredit her. She hardly remembered those days, but the media did.

A quote of hers, “With all due respect, Mr. Harmen, I believe I know what happened to me far more vividly than your files detailed. You do not get to try for ‘reasonable doubt’ when I will wear the scars of my torture for the rest of my life,” had gone viral. She hadn’t gone searching but apparently Jake’s sister had started sending TikTok edits of the trial to him and a few had made her laugh way harder than she should have. Leave it to the observer to ridicule the men who tried and failed to take her down.

What the media and those TikToks hadn’t seen however, was the way her hands shook on her lap with every word she spoke. No one saw the fear in her eyes as she sat across from the men who had orchestrated this plot against both her and the US Navy as an institution, and how could they? Bear had stuffed it deep down where it couldn’t be seen, but there were moments where Jake had seen it. Moments where her voice shook.

But in the weeks this case had been in court, Bear had sat diligently behind the prosecution in her dress blues, her medals proudly on display. Among them, her Purple Heart that had been presented to her not days before the trial. She looked the very picture of a war hero. She had refused to cower, her hand held tightly by Jake’s own. He too, had testified, detailing his own experiences and his involvement in rooting out the traitors among those on the mission.

Today though, today was different. Bear knew that Flare, like Chip, had brought down charges of stalking, blackmail, as well as assault and battery against Hazard before this trial had begun. Meaning that even if this jury found him not guilty, he would at least be spending some time in prison.

As the court reconvened after three long days of deliberations, Bear’s heart was in her throat. This was it, the moment of truth. She would know in a few short minutes if she could rest easy or if she had to be worried for the rest of her life. She could feel the glare that Hazard’s mother was throwing her way, hell she had weathered insults from the wives and parents of her former Seal Team members. That would be nothing compared to their reactions if the verdict came back as guilty. “Has the jury reached a verdict?”

“Yes your Honor.” A short Black man stood, holding an envelope in hand. It was brought up to the judge, who opened it and read it silently.

“For the two counts of attempted murder, how do you find the defendants?”

“We the jury, find the defendants guilty.”

Bear nearly sunk to the floor as emotion overwhelmed her, but she forced herself to remain seated, listening intently. The rest of the charges were read off: conspiracy to commit murder, destruction of government property, domestic terrorism, and espionage.

The jury found the defendants, Hazard, Dex, Dodger, and Gallows guilty of all of them. “And lastly,” Judge Davies said, “For the crime of terrorism, how do you find the defendants?”

The world seemed to slow to a crawl. Bear held her breath, clutching Jake and FAK’s hands tightly as the foreperson spoke. “We the jury…” Silently, Bear sent up a prayer, begging for them to be found guilty. Hoping that they would pay for what they had done, that they would rot in a cell, but unlike her, they stood no chance at freedom. It was the least they deserved. “…find the defendants guilty.”

The room exploded in a cacophony of sound; protests from the opposite side of the courtroom, shouts of victory from the Seals, and words of congratulations from the prosecution to one another filling the room. Reporters began shouting over one another, camera shutters clicked and lights flashed, adding to the wave of noise that rolled around the room.

Bear let herself collapse back into her seat, hands coming up to cover her face as she sobbed in relief. The fear and apprehension that had lived inside her everyday since she had confronted Hazard began to overflow as she cried. It would all be okay. How could it not be? These four men, the men who had blackmailed Flare and Chip, the men who had begun working with terrorists and who had orchestrated her capture and torture, all of them were going to spend the rest of their lives in jail.

That thought made Bear sit up and wipe her face, sniffling as she did so. She had to show her strength and as she stood, she could feel the hands of her team on her back and shoulders, all of them showing their undeniable support for their Commander.

Jake had gone to shake the hands of the prosecution, their conversation unintelligible over the din and Bear took a moment to let her eyes trail over him, over the sharp angles of him in his own blues. His shoulders looked broader, the cut of this jacket, while the same as hers, made what little blue he had in his eyes stand out. He looked beautiful. How she had managed to keep him in her life, she didn’t know, but ever since their reunion a year ago, Jake had practically moved in and was staying at her home.

No one else had been made aware, as far as everyone knew, Bear and Jake were still figuring everything out. They didn’t know about him living with her, and Jake knew for a fact that Bear didn’t know about the ring currently burning a hole in his pocket. He had waited eight months after moving in to buy the ring, and it had been almost four since he walked out of the store with a little box in his pocket. He just hadn’t found the right time.

Maybe today was the day.

The bang of the gavel quieted the room quickly. “Order in the courtroom! This court finds the defendants, Colton ‘Hazard’ Richards, Michael ‘Dex’ Lewis, Jackson ‘Dodger’ Cartwright, and Andrew ‘Gallows’ Stevenson guilty on all charges. Due to the precedent for these crimes, Mr’s. Richards, Lewis, Cartwright, and Stevenson are sentenced to life in prison at Guantanamo Bay.”

Shrike bumped Bear’s arm. “I’ve got friends there. They’ll be looked after.” The sharp grin on her face implied anything but, but Bear couldn’t find it within her to care. Not when Hazard was finally paying for all his crimes.

She composed herself and stepped up to the prosecution’s team, next to Jake, shaking their hands. “Thank you, for everything,” she said tearfully. “Your work will not be forgotten.”

“Neither will your testimony, Commander.”

Jake watched Bear draw a shuddering breath as she nodded. “Thank you,” her voice was soft, barely audible over the angry shouts from the families of the now guilty. “I will be forever grateful to you all.”

“Extend some of that to yourself,” James told her. “You were the cornerstone of the entire case, so thank you. You made sure they wouldn’t walk free, we just did the legal speak.”

Those who heard him, laughed and Jake grinned when Bear cracked a smile. It was a bright beam of grin, one that grew wider the longer she talked with the lawyers. But good things only lasted so long because as Bear turned around, a woman came racing up to them, yelling obscenities. “You FUCKING BITCH!”

Bear stepped back, her hands raised. “I’m sure you’re right, ma’am, but I’m going to need a little more clarification as to why I’m a bitch in this particular moment.”

Jake had to turn away to hide his snort of laughter and it seemed to him that the Seals nearby were all in the same boat.

“My son did nothing wrong! You villainized him for no particular reason all because you KNEW that he was better qualified for your position!” Bear regarded her calmly. She knew Hazard’s mother was convinced of her son’s innocence, hell, she had nearly been called as a character witness before the judge shut that down. “You cheated him out of a job that should have been his! You faked all of this!”

“Mrs. Richards,” Bear said in a cool tone. She had drawn herself up, standing tall like there was a steel rod straight through her spine. This woman would never believe that her son was guilty, nothing Bear could say would convince her of that. “I am well aware of your delusion that your son is innocent, but I have to disagree,” she began in a steady voice. She had begun unbuttoning her jacket, each gold button sliding out of its place smoothly. “If your son were truly innocent and I were faking my torture, then why would I have these?”

Bear lifted up her shirt, displaying the scars that ran across her lower stomach. Hazard’s mother gasped, cringing at the sight. But Bear wasn’t done. “You may maintain your son’s innocence all you like, but nothing will change the fact that your son is the reason I will wear these scars for the rest of my life.” She dropped her shirt, tucking it back into her pants and began rebuttoning her jacket.

His mother opened her mouth to say something, but Jake cut her off and in a tone so cold, the temperature dropped, he spoke “Ma’am, I would recommend you retake your seat so you can say your goodbyes to your son. Otherwise, I believe that no one will blame your son’s former Commander when she smacks some sense into you.”

The woman before Bear stammered and stuttered, unsure of how to reply. All Bear did was snap her fingers and the Seals behind her stomped a foot on the ground in unison, snapping to attention. The suddenness of the movement startled most of the courtroom and the stare leveled at Mrs. Richards had her slinking back to her spot next to her family. Bear turned back to Jake and nodded at him, the look in her eyes darkening for a completely different reason now, and Jake felt his dress pants tighten from the heat in her brown eyes.

“Fuck,” he thought. “This is a shitty time for this.” But he couldn’t really help himself, Bear had done what she had done and she had done it proudly. Sue him. “We should leave,” he whispered, his gaze darting between the woman he loved and the media personnel filing out of the courtroom. “Don’t want to get caught in the media storm outside.”

Bear nodded, a faint smirk rising to her lips, but she said nothing. Instead, she straightened her uniform blues, watched the prosecution file out ahead of her and then she followed immediately afterwards. The flashing cameras and shouting reporters chased her, Jake, and the lawyers out of the building, snapping pictures the whole time.

No one said a thing. Not the prosecution lawyers, not Bear or her Seals, Jake and the Daggers remained silent as well. No one wanted to be the one quoted as saying something after this trial, the Navy had yet to comment and they all knew that whatever the organization had to say would be the end-all, be-all. No room for arguing, debating, or the like.

She and Jake made it to his truck, Rooster and Bob cramming into the back seats. Bear felt Rooster’s hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Proud of you, Bear,” he said quietly. He had grown to see that whatever connection that existed between Jake and Bear was more than just the trauma that they shared. As far as he knew, neither one had acted on the obvious feelings that were always thick in the air whenever they were around one another. “You got them.”

Bear nodded, placing her hand over his. “Thank you,” her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you both.” She would thank each and every one of her Seals when the time came, but right now, both Bob and Rooster had to know how much their own testimony meant to her. “I couldn’t have done it all without you.”

A small chuckle came from Bob. “Pretty sure you could do anything you set your mind to, Bear, but you’re so welcome.” Those were the only words he said to her as he slipped out of the truck in front of his house, tapping the driver’s window in thanks.

Rooster was next, clambering out of the cab awkwardly. “Have a good night, Bear. If you need anything, call me.” He was serious, she could see it in his eyes. “Promise me.”

She smiled at him, nodding. “I promise that if I can’t get through to this lug, I’ll call you if I need anything.”

“Good.” The truck door slammed shut, making both her and Jake jump, as they watched Rooster run up his front steps as the door swung open for him. A quick wave at the truck was the only indication of his goodbye before he disappeared inside.

Jake and Bear drove home in comfortable silence, the radio softly playing some old country song that Bear didn’t recognize. The second Rooster had gone inside, Jake’s hand had moved to its usual place on her thigh, giving it a squeeze. “It’s finally over,” Bear breathed in disbelief as she walked in the front door. “Jake, honey, it’s all over.”

Bear pulled her hair from its bun, groaning softly at the feeling when she ran her fingers through it. She hated having her hair up that tight, preferring a ponytail or a claw clip to keep it out of her face when she wasn’t in uniform. It just made sense.

Distractedly, she undid her boots, placing them in the coat closet, not paying attention to Jake behind her.

The late afternoon shone through the windows, casting both Bear and himself in a wreath of golden sunlight. From here, Bear seemed softer, the near permanent furrow in her brow relaxing and smoothing itself away into her skin. The firmness that she carried herself with, the so-called stick up her ass, had lessened as she seemed to transform under Jake’s adoring gaze.

His heart clenched almost painfully in his chest, the guards she let down around him nearly sending him over the edge and Jake found himself struck by the startling need to keep this woman in his life. He’d found his moment, if the way his heart beat as he tracked her movements with the same intensity she had analyzed him with years ago. Everything in him was screaming at him that this was his chance to drop to one knee, to put that ring around her finger and anchor every part of him, his name, his soul, to the incredible woman that she already was.

His mama did say that when it was right, he would know. And who would Jake be if he didn’t listen to his mama?

“We can sleep easier now, and you didn’t hear Shrike, but apparently she has a friend at Gua- Jake?” Bear cut herself off mid-ramble to find Jake on one knee before her, a small velvet box in hand. “Flyboy… what?” Tears welled in her eyes at the sight, a shaky hand coming up to cover her mouth in shock.

“Teddy…” Jake’s voice was soft, eyes cataloging every expression that flitted over her face. “I started off my attempt at telling you I loved you by becoming a shaky, rambling mess, and it’s only fitting that I’m here now, the exact same way.”

He let out a breathy laugh, trying to find his next words. “When we met, I was the cocky asshole that you shot down in less than 10 words and I just walked away because I had a feeling that if I didn’t, I would lose something incredible. I ended up being right. You drove me crazy over the next few weeks, constantly on my mind with your snarky comments and the way you made me work for every second of your time. I don’t think I knew I fell in love with you until I thought you were gone. I gave you my heart without knowing I had yours and I’m making this up on the spot right now so I really don’t know where I was going with this.

“I love you, my gorgeous girl and I can only hope that you love me as much as I love you otherwise this will be very awkward in a little bit.” Jake’s hands were shaking, he was sweating under Bear’s teary gaze and he could feel his cheeks flushing from his nerves. God he hoped she’d say yes. “So I guess the only thing left to do is ask. Teddy, would you do me the greatest honor and marry me?”

The foyer was silent as Bear stared at him with wide eyes. She had been hoping for this for a while, wishing desperately that she had a way to keep Jake with her forever. Every part of her had fought for him, had fought for herself so that she could see his face again. Now though, as Jake knelt on the wooden floor of their home, Bear felt everything click into place and it felt like sunshine had been poured into her veins, warming her.

She loved him, had loved him in silence since before they had deployed. Hell, she was pretty sure that it had taken his crash for the last threads to find their place because every action she had taken after that had been done with love for the man before her. “Jake…” she breathed, taking a cautious step towards him like she was afraid he would disappear if she moved too quickly.

Jake held his breath, begging whoever was listening that Bear accepted his proposal. God. He had proposed and she still hadn’t said a thing. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she wasn’t ready for this, was he even ready for this? He’d ruined this by asking. They hadn’t even had a full conversation about marriage yet. He fucked this up. Of course he had.

He felt a palm press against his cheek, chasing his panicking thoughts away. “Did you hear me Flyboy?” Bear said, laughing lightly through her tears. “I said yes.”

“You did?!” Jake couldn’t keep his outburst from slipping out, making Bear laugh. “You said yes?” His next question was shyer, almost like he couldn’t believe it.

“Ask me again and find out.”

Jake took a deep breath, opening the ring box as he did. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

The universe seemed to align upon her acceptance, stars falling into place and lighting up the world around them. He fumbled with the ring, slipping onto her finger before tossing the box behind him and kissing her deeply. Bear gasped against his mouth, surprised by the sudden intensity behind it. Jake pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. “Would you believe me if I said I had been planning that for weeks?”

“Proposing, or the speech?” Bear teased softly, playing with the short hairs at the nap of his neck.

Jake sighed, shaking his head, but even he couldn’t keep the wide smile off his face. He drew Bear’s left hand away from the back of his neck, kissing the palm gently before turning it over and running a thumb over the ring he had only just given her. The ring itself was a simple gold band adorned with round-cut diamonds arranged to look like a flower; it had screamed Bear the moment he saw it. “Either or,” came his soft reply.

Bear tilted his chin up to look him in the eyes and was stunned into silence at the love that seemed to shine from Jake’s green eyes. “No,” she told him, running a thumb along his jaw. “But it was from you and I was always going to say yes. If you ever had plans to ask me, that is.”

He said nothing, dipping his head back down and capturing her lips with his own. This kiss was in sharp contrast to the pure passion that had filled his earlier kiss. It was soft where the other had been fierce; Jake was content to stand there for the rest of his life, kissing the woman he loved. The woman he would marry.

This time, Bear broke the kiss, pecking him one more time before stepping away. She held her hand up, watching the stones sparkle in the late afternoon light and it brought a smile to her lips. “You did good, Flyboy.”

“Yeah?” Jake took a step closer, pride radiating out of him. He picked a good one and it was like his concerns had been completely wiped away. Bear had said yes, she loved the ring, and he felt unstoppable. Like he was gliding through the air in his F-18, nothing tethering him to the ground.

Only now, he did have a tether to the ground, a reason to fight harder than he had ever fought before. She was standing in front of him, eyeing him like he was the only thing she had ever wanted. He felt the weight of that settle in his heart, but unlike the fear of her rejection, this weight was different. It made him feel like he had both protected himself while tearing himself bare and wide open. “It just seemed like something you’d wear, if you ever wore jewelry.”

Bear met his gaze and rolled her eyes, but he knew that it was done with love. It was the only way Jake could describe the way she looked at him. He’d seen it before, in the early days where Bear seemed to doubt his own love for her, but when he wasn’t looking, that’s when he’d feel it. “You’re such a goof,” she told him, moving towards the stairs. “But you’re soon-to-be Mr. Goof, so I guess I can love it like I love you.”

Jake watched her ascend the stairs, gaping at her. “Now who’s the sap?” He yelled up the stairs as he tugged his boots off in a hurry and raced towards her bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

“Still you. You’re always the sap.”

===

Flare didn’t know why Shrike called her and told her to meet at her place nor did she know why they, a few of their colleagues, and the Daggers showed up outside Bear’s house 30 minutes later.

All she knew was relief.

Her charges against Hazard had stuck and she had been cleared of any wrongdoing given the intensity of her predicament. That, and Bear had gone to the mat for her, refusing to give up Flare in return for another person who couldn’t do her job half as well. She had been demoted however; losing her position as a Lieutenant Commander and dropped down to a Lieutenant while also dropping a few clearance levels as the Navy conducted an internal investigation.

That was a headache for later though.

Now she and the others stood outside Bear’s front door, Fireball having rung the bell and she waited curiously. She heard Fanboy whisper to Phoenix “Is that Jake’s truck?”

“I think s-“ the door swung open, revealing Bear, clad only in a large, wrinkled black t-shirt. Her hair was a mess, sticking to her face, and if you looked closely, you’d find a bite mark or two along the collar of the shirt that kept sliding down.

“Can I help you?” She asked, leaning on the doorframe, the edge of the door being held in her left hand. “You could have just texted.”

“We did,” Fanboy replied with a shrug. “But you didn’t answer.”

Bear narrowed her eyes. “So all 13 of you just decided to show up at my front door? At fucking 10 pm on a random Thursday?”

Phoenix gave her a strange look. “Well initially we wanted to all get together to celebrate the win, but clearly you’re celebrating in your own way,” the smirk was audible in her tone and it matched the look that had emerged as she took in Bear’s appearance.

“I was,” Bear replied coolly, but the blush on her face was hard to hide. “But a few people on my doorstep changed all of that real quick.”

A voice from near the back of the group had Bear’s head snapping over. “Was there a reason you taught the pilots proper weapons techniques?”

“Because no one ever asked. And why the hell would I teach them the wrong thing?” She just looked confused at the mere suggestion of improper weapons handling. “Can we just meet up tomorrow? I was in the mid-“

“What’s taking so long?” A voice yelled down the stairs, just audible for the team to hear it.

Bear’s jaw twitched and she looked annoyed. “Give me a second!” She yelled back into the house, turning and stepping inside for half a moment, forgetting that her ring was still on her finger.

“Bear…” Rooster began. “What’s that on your hand?”

“What does it look like?”

A chorus of gasps sounded and everyone immediately started yelling over one another, choosing to ignore the fact that it was 10:30 on a weeknight. “YOU’RE ENGAGED?!”

Bear groaned, running her hand over her face. “Yes, I am. No that it’s any of your business.”

“When were you going to tell us?” Bug gasped, reaching for her hand. “Were you just going to hide this from us?”

“I would have kept it between me and my fiancé for as long as I could have, because this only just happened.”

Bug blinked in surprise. “He proposed tonight?”

Bear nodded, her eyes glancing down to her hand, smiling softly at the blue stones. “He did. We got home and he was on one knee. Caught me completely by surprise.”

The fondness in her tone made the gathered Navy members look at her with their own grins. “So when do we meet the lucky man?”

She went to reply but the creaking of her stairs had her pausing. “Teddy? What’s going on? Is it another chatty Amazon driver?” Jake’s voice came closer and closer, finally stopping behind Bear. His large hands came to span her hips, burying his face in her neck. The warmth from his bare chest soaked through her stolen shirt, making butterflies erupt in her stomach. “Guess not.”

The team before them stood in complete silence. A few had had their suspicions about the two of them being together, but no one had any proof. Now though, the proof was staring them in the face. Jake had wrapped himself around Bear like he’d been doing so forever and Bear, always in charge, stoic, and firm, was bright pink as she tried to fight the urge to turn and kiss the man behind her.

Once again, the explosion of noise hit her hard. The pilots yelling at Jake for not telling them, the Seals yelling at Bear, spouses and partners just yelling in general and it became too much very quickly. She turned into Jake, hiding her face in his shoulder, her ringed hand clutching his arm.

He lifted his head, glancing down at Bear, who’d curled into him. “Okay guys, we can talk about this later.

“But…”

“No.” Jake’s voice was firm as he took in his teammates staring at him like he grew another head. “I just put the damn ring on her finger, give me at least 24 hours alone with her as my fiancee before you start hounding her.”

His eyes met Reaper’s who gave him a nod. “You did good,” she mouthed, and if Jake got a little teary-eyed as he looked down at Bear where he was still holding her, no one would judge him.

Strangely enough, it was Rooster that caught Jake’s eye next. There was a moment of understanding in his wingman’s eyes, a sort of approval shining bright in them. “Congrats man, happy for you.”

Jake merely nodded, choosing to press a kiss to the top of Bear’s head rather than reply. Just standing here, Bear in his arms, watching his team catalog every gesture, every movement that he made, filled his heart with so much joy.

If he had been asked nearly two years ago what he wanted from his life, he would have shrugged the question off, preferring a non-answer to revealing the heart that yearned for more than he had. Two years ago, his life changed when he was challenged by the woman he would soon call his wife. Two years ago, Jake knew nothing of love. Now though, he knew how bright his life could be. He knew the warmth that love could bring his spirit, and best of all, he knew that he was worth it.

For Bear, clad in Jake’s - her fiance’s - shirt, wrapped in his arms as she stood in front of her friends, it was in such contrast to everything she had known before. Sure, back in Riyadh, she had toyed with the idea of forever. Playing with it, spinning the threads of this blossoming relationship into something more, if only to have as a thought. That ‘something more’ was this. Joy, endless support, someone who understood her, and love. Pure, simple, boundless love that was shared.

And now as Jake shooed their friends away making promises to see them soon, Bear knew that she had found everything she had ever wanted. One random night, at a random time, had changed everything she had hoped for in her life. Tonight, standing in her home with Jake, wearing the ring he had given her when he had asked if she would spend the rest of her life with him, this was it. Her career had filled her life, now she was ready to share that life with someone who understood her pain, her sacrifice.

“I love you,” Jake said softly, freeing her from her reverie. “More than you could ever know.” She looked up, seeing his eyes shine with unshed tears.

“Careful Jake. I could get used to this,” Bear teased gently, swiping a tear from his cheek. “You’ll spoil me.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting his lips linger for just a moment. “A wise woman once told me that I was her everything. Now that I have a future with her in the making, I finally get to make good on my promise to never let her forget how much I love her.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Maybe. She’s about your height, similar build, most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. She’s a firecracker, but cares so deeply for everyone around her. I watched her crawl through hell and still look like she wasn’t done fighting. And by her, I mean you, Teddy.”

“Sap.”

“You know you love me.”

Bear nodded, her smile fond as Jake caught her left hand, pressed a gentle kiss to the knuckles. “I really do.”

“No comment?” Jake asked curiously, a look of brief concern flickering over his face. “Are you okay?”

She glanced up at him, kissing Jake sweetly. “You are the best thing that happened to me. I never saw you coming, Jake, and I am so thankful that you tried and failed to flirt with me that first day.”

Jake’s face softened as he drew her into his arms once again. “So am I, Teddy. So am I. I have never been more thankful that I failed to win you over the first time we met.” His words were barely above a whisper, their pronunciation thick as he fought back tears. “If I’m your everything, then I don’t even know how to explain the depth of my love for you. I gave you my heart in the time it took you to glance at me with even a hint of curiosity and I will do everything in my power to make sure you are the only one keeping it safe for the rest of my life.

“You are it for me, Teddy.”

Sometimes two people are just destined for each other. One usually flies high, so sure of their own skill that they forget that life is waiting for them on the ground. The other stays on the ground, their head down, fighting to break free of the weight they shoulder everyday. The free-flier learns how to anchor themself and the weighed down learns how to fly among the birds, both getting what they always desired in their darkest moments.

There is always uncertainty when the grounded learns to soar, fear of giving their heart away and of falling, yet here, in the moment, there is nothing to fear. How could there be when both swore that the other was their everything? That they would travel to the bitter end of time and back again for one another?

The next step is always scary, but for Bear and Jake, they knew that it was only the start of the next chapter of the rest of their life together. One full of peace, love, and happiness that steadied them through it all.

It wasn’t the end, merely the beginning.

===

A/N: This is it. I can't believe that this was 25 chapters worth of Bear and Jake and I am so thankful to everyone who has read and will continue to read this fic now that it's over. AGAD is my baby and my first ever completed fic, so it will always be special. You cannot possibly know how much your endless support means to me, how much of myself I poured into this series. Bear and Jake’s story is done, for now. I have plans for them in the future and I cannot wait to see you all there!

Thank you to @startrekfangirl2233 @sarahsmi13s @dakotakazansky for being my biggest supporters and always being there for me and this fic. I love you all and I’m sorry for breaking your hearts on more than one occasion. For the last time, thank you for reading!

Taglist: @horseshoegirl @roosters-girl @lovinglyeternal @lavenderbradshaw @roosterforme @bobby-r2d2-floyd @bradleybeachbabe @footprintsinthesxnd @twsssmlmaa @fandomxpreferences @dempy @gizmodear @fighterpilothoe @chaoticassidy @eli2447 @iwantmyredvelvetcupcake @djs8891 @rhirhikingston @sisterslytherinog @impossiblebagelcowboyfreak @sgt-barnesveins @taytaylala12 @urmom-999 @formulapierre @pinkpantheris @havlindzk @a-beaverhausen @killcomet @buxkybarnez @topgunruinedme @hangmanscoming @smoothdogsgirl @a-court-of-roscoe-and-baby

#fern writes #a gun amonst daggers #jake hangman seresin x reader #bear and hangman #jake seresin imagine #top gun maverick #jake seresin x reader #top gun imagine #top gun maverick fanfiction #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin #jake seresin series #jake hangman x reader #jake x reader

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c00kietin · 11 days

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HERE I AM ONCE MORE WITH TWO MORE MHA OCS!! Thank you all so much for the positive feed back on my first one, seriously it made me feel so good <<333

Yea I once more just came up with the names last moment just so I can refer to them- if any of you have better name suggestions please let me know :')

Wasn't able to fit info on the art but I have some stuff bout them below!!

both of them are in the Hero Training Course!! I don't really have an assigned class for them though so I kinda just have my own-

AXEL (he/him)

His Quirk is Building Blocks, and, as it says in the name and appearance, he is made up of wooden building blocks. He is able to reconstruct his body to build structures such as walls, ramps, or seats.

His Quirk is a lot weaker to fire and sticky substances such as glue.

He is fairly strong, more defensive than offensive.

Axel has a calm and level headed mindset and is the more responsible of the two. He has a good sense of empathy and understanding for others. However, he can sometimes come off as monotonous and doesn't quite catch on with sarcasm or metaphors.

At home, he helps out with his parents' preschool, giving him good experience with kids. He enjoys playing with them and talking to them.

He doesn't like cats and dogs though. They've tried to chew on him many times.

DEBBIE (they/she)

Quirk is Cannon; their forearms can transform into cannons and shoot out cannonballs. The size of these cannonballs depends on how much energy they have.

This Quirk wouldn't really have a lot of weaknesses I'd think-

Debbie prefers to be offensive than defensive, and is a ranged fighter.

Personality wise, they're rebellious, a rulebreaker, that jazz. She loves socialising and impressing others with both her Quirk and hobbies. They are very irresponsible, immature at times, and not the best to be put in charge.

Debbie plays the electric guitar and enjoys singing- and is very good at it. Her and two of her friends formed a band and like to play every few weekends when they aren't training or doing schoolwork. Debbie finds it a good way to be out of the house for longer, as they don't particularly like being at home with the family.

They really want a septum piercing and tattoos. Unfortunately, she doesn't have the money to get either.

yippee :D

@nerdyneko6373 @ghosty-0w0 hee hee :>

#my art #my ocs #oc art #mha oc #mha ocs #mha #art #have a nice day/evening #Axel #Deb

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lesbianwriter · 1 year

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Part two

“I mean, I get the rehabilitation thing—giving second chances and that stuff—but why me? Why do they have to be in my house?” Hero asked, looking down at the file with a frown.

Superhero took a sip of his drink, smiling at the waitress and asking for a refill before finally paying notice to Hero. “Villain’s docile. We think. She doesn’t talk much, she doesn’t do much…we figure she’s the best for this experiment. And you, dear Hero,” he paused to take a bite of his food, purposefully taking longer in a way he knew irritated Hero, “were chosen because you’re an understanding person—a good hero. You won’t be tempted to do anything bad to her because of her past.”

“I don’t want to let a stranger—a villain at that,” she added, whispering and leaning closer across the table, “into my home. That’s unsafe. Yeah, I don’t intend to hurt anyone, but that doesn’t mean I want them in my house.”

“Hero, everything will be cared for.” He assured. “All you have to do is train her and give her a room to sleep in. We pay for food, water, all that. And if she does end up a threat to you or anyone else’s safety…there are measures to keep her in line.” He slid a remote across the table.

Hero stared at it in shock…and a little horror, too. “What does that do?”

“Nothing bad—it’s a little beep in her ear that gets louder the longer you hold it. The staff have barely had to use it on her. We believe she isn’t a bad person at heart, but was simply roped into this and ended up with the wrong people.”

“That’s poetic and all but she’s still a villain. If you want to rehabilitate her, I’m fine with that, I don’t care, I think people should have second chances, but I don’t want to be the one handing out those chances at my expense.”

She leaned back in her chair, the plastic squeaking behind her.

When Superhero said he’d take her to dinner, she was foolish enough to think for all her hard work, he’d take her somewhere nice—somewhere where all the food on the menu didn’t come with a free side of grease, grease, and more grease. Superhero wore a suit to work, had a meticulously trimmed silver mustache, and spoke in a voice that would be in a mystery audiobook. Finding him seated in his suit tie at an obnoxiously yellow chair in the center of a diner had been quite the juxtaposition, to say the least. It had been clearly done to annoy her, that much was obvious by the grin on his face as she sat down.

The setting was the cherry on top of the other news he was delivering—Hero was in charge of rehabilitating a villain.

That didn’t exactly put her in a stellar mood either.

Villains were people too, that she could recognize, and sure they deserved a shot to try again, but her job was to capture them and to bring them to justice. She did that. She did it well. Her job wasn’t to play therapist for some troubled criminal.

Superhero smiled at her disdain. “You should give her a chance. I doubt she’ll bother you—everybody thinks she’s mute.”

“Is she?”

“That’s undetermined.” He hummed. “Read her file a bit more, get to know her, and she’ll be dropped off tonight.”

“Do I get her a bed?” Hero looked down at the file in her hands, absently reading over the more mundane snippets of information. “Wait—“ the sudden thought hit like a brick, making her reel back a moment. “Does she have a power?”

She glanced around, but the diner was mostly empty. The waitress was only just now coming back with Superhero’s refill.

Naturally, he smiled at her and made small talk while Hero waited for a response, grinding her teeth.

“Yes, but it’s undetermined.”

“What else about her is undetermined?”

“Quite a lot.” He sipped his drink casually, eyeing Hero a fraction more seriously. “Look, Hero, I’m going to be serious when I tell you that you were chosen for this because I believe you can do this. You have a caring heart, deep down beneath your cynicism. There’s a lot we don’t know about her—we don’t know her past, her powers, or anything much—but we can change her future. I see a promise in her.”

“I’ll remind you of this when I end up stabbed in my sleep.” Hero muttered. She breathed in through her nose, and exhaled heavily. It wasn’t like she had much of a choice about this. “About the bed? Do I have to buy one?”

“Do you have a spare bed?”

“It’s a crumby old futon, but technically, it can function as a bed.”

“That’ll work—she’ll have a blanket and a pillow, so don’t worry about that part.” He stood up, wiping his fingers on a napkin.

“I’m worried about being murdered in my own home.” Hero argued fruitlessly, her too wiping her hands on a napkin, despite not having touched her food.

“Give her a chance, Hero. I believe she can be good if she has the opportunity. I see the same spark in her that I saw in you.”

———

True to his word, Villain showed up on Hero’s doorstep later that night.

Hero’s first impression was that Villain certainly looked the part of a silent hermit. She was short, accentuated further by how her head hung low, and her eyes were downcast so much so that Hero couldn’t catch a glimpse of her eye color. She hung awkwardly in the foyer upon arrival, holding her meager luggage like an unwelcome relative showing up for the holidays.

Hero cleared her throat. “I can show you where you’ll be sleeping, if you want to set your stuff down before we…talk.”

Minutes before Villain was left at her door, he called to inform her that the procedure would be to have an informed discussion about the rules, expectations, and such and such before anything happened—pretending that either person in the situation actually had a choice.

Villain stared silently, but eventually gave a small nod.

“Are you capable of talking?”

Stiffly, Villain froze up for a minute, but nodded, stray strands of hair falling loose into her face.

Hero’s immediate instinct was to ask—why don’t you talk then?—but that would be too hopeful for a verbal response.

“Okay then.”

After the awkward beginning, Hero took her new trainee upstairs.

And, as Superhero said, Villain was docile. She didn’t make sudden movements. Every twitch, every bend of her fingers, every turn of her head seemed oddly meticulous. Suddenly, the idea of her having the sound device seemed useless because Villain didn’t do much of anything, much less resist. Hero got to merely stand off to the side and watch listlessly as Villain set her few belongings on the futon.

Though, it also made her skin prickle, preparing for when it would snap and Villain would whip around and attack.

———

Back downstairs, Hero sat on the couch across from Villain, explaining the rules of her stay and how her training would function.

“Do you understand?” She questioned, mostly to fill the silence in the room.

Villain nodded, her hands clasped in her lap.

“Okay…good. I’m Hero. What’s your name?”

Of course, Hero knew her name—she had, unfortunately, done as Superhero said and read the whole thing—but she wanted to try to get her strange new ‘roommate’ to talk. However, the attempt proved unsuccessful when all Villain offered in response was a blank stare.

Hero grimaced, but tried to nod reassuringly. “You don’t have to talk right away, but it’d be good if you could say something in case you need help or anything like that…no pressure.”

It felt like she was applying pressure.

This situation painfully reminded Hero why none of her friends came to her for comfort—they came for brutally honest advice that they needed to hear.

Unsurprisingly, Villain stayed silent and went to bed a few minutes later.

Hero warned Villain before she locked the door, and then she went back downstairs to eat dinner. Usually, she was alone in her house, but now she wasn’t alone…it felt stiff, as if the air had gone stale because of the presence of another person—a villain that Hero had never met before.

It made her lose much of her appetite, so she put the leftovers in the fridge and cleaned off her plate a little earlier than normal.

She needed the rest, anyhow.

The next day would be a long day—the first of a new mission always was—and rehabilitation programs were especially difficult because of how fragile they were. Hero could only hope she wouldn’t wake up with a knife to her throat.

#hero x villain #redemption arc #villain x hero #heroes and villains #my writing #sapphic

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connecting-the-stars · 7 days

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OKAY-Okay-okay….

That did hurt. I am hurt. WHY does the season 2 end like THAT!?

As someone who’s in a late crowd, I would be so seething in anger at the amount of time that’d I’d have to wait for all the shit to be solved in the next season. It really leaves such a dreadful note and kinda definitely depressing.

I’m over here like - yeah I know My Main Man Tech is gonna “kick the bucket” but I’ll be fine - I AM NOT FINE!

Bruh him sacrificing himself, Wrecker refusing to let him go, Omega being injured to have to remember his fall all over again, everyone is Big Sad and then Omega refuses to follow orders and tries to save Hunter and Wrecker to then have her be taken anyway! And Crosshair just lying unresponsive! It’s 28 minutes… My life was ruined in that span.

It’s definitely giving fighting a losing battle. Man, that was not an easy watch, everything just crumbles around them just as hunter has decided to go through with the plan to retire at Pabu too! It’s defeating in every sense of the word, but Star Wars is about hope persevering - (S3 please give me hope in the end!)

Seeing Cid have this regret about herself and I’m like “shut it! SHUT IT!” I guess it’s fine to show characters have remorse but she’s pouting as if the situation isn’t entirely her fault.

Seeing Wrecker in that neck brace and on his knees surrounded by the soldiers - my heart like sunk. The writers went after the character thats always been shown to overcome overwhelming amounts of soldiers and this time he can’t.

- I’ve seen some perspectives that point out that going on this mission to place a tracker on Hemlock’s ship was mute, like it was an excuse to give Tech his Hero Moment and kill him. But I don’t want to believe that the writers who put so much emphasis on his growth this season would make this his end. In the end, his actions prove Omega’s initial misassumptions wrong. “Doesn’t act like he cares.” He down write was the one to double check if crosshair was actually a prisoner, he fully supported the plan of getting his brother out. He reminds Hunter that Crosshair is still their brother, he has shown his care for Omega, and his growing connection to Phee - improving in places where his wealth of knowledge does not support him. I know the mission failed, that hemlock’s ship was never tracked and Crosshair is still very much a prisoner, but I don’t think it’s in vain. At least to me, his death almost certainly feels not permanent.

- Hemlock looks for Tech’s body and retrieves his shattered goggles, uses them as a tool to force Hunter to bend his knee. Use this emotional leverage to make hunter doubt himself and increase the fear of losing another brother. This ploy turns my head because hemlock has been shown to be quite determined and unshakable in his quest for completing his project for palpatine, of course he wants to capture Omega at any means, but he is also working with his unsightly experiments. The adult sized green tubes that held all sorts of people when Omega found Crosshair. I don’t find it hard to believe that he knew exactly how to pressure the bad batch in order to get them to surrender and he took a gravely injured Tech as his latest project. The head scientist in charge of this doomsday-esc lab facility on the planet that can’t be found, the scientist that brought back the Zillo Beast. He’s the one who seems to eventually be able to create clones with enough M-count for the emperor. If he got his hands on a member of a genetically enhanced clone group, it’s like a holiday present, of course he’d take them as another tool in his arsenal to ensure his mission and impose his control over the clones.

#Techisalivetruther

Also it was uncalled for when they played “when do we ever follow orders” his last words to open the recap of season 2 for season 3. (This literally made me have some inhuman miserable noise escape me)

(Many have pin pointed this behavior and I agree) But this also give me pause because the bad batch DOESNT follow orders! Who else doesnt follow orders well? >:D

#hes alive #i can feel it in my nose #i swear #really strange move to not reveal the identity of CX-2 tho in ep 12 #feeling a bit of being strung along and I haven’t gotten through the season yet #tech is alive #tech the bad batch #tbb tech #tbb s2 #the bad batch season 2 #thoughts aloud #tbb #the bad batch

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fatkish · 5 days

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Todoroki boys x Cow Hybrid Reader

Hybrid AU

In this AU, Enji wasn’t an abusive father, instead of being a hero in this world, Enji is the proud owner of Endeavor Farms. His farm is home to Hybrids that he breeds and sells. He’s trained each of his sons on how to handle the hybrids and how to care for them. The farm sells milk, wool, produce, etc. Enji had heard of a mistreated and very skittish cow hybrid that was rescued from an underground hybrid ring. These rings are notorious for either being a sex ring that makes money off of people’s kinks or fetishes using hybrids or for being fighting rings where hybrids are made to fight each other and people bet on them. Enji decided that this would be a perfect first hybrid for his sons to experience. So he brought the hybrid to his farm and put them in the barn in their own stall.

Enji:

Despite his intimidating demeanor and appearance he’s actually very kind and gentle with his hybrids and animals

He treats them all nicely since happy animals means better produce

He’s tall and muscular so you thought he was some kind of hybrid, especially since he smelled like them but since it was nighttime when you arrived at his farm, you couldn’t tell

He checked your hooves and made sure to trim them since he has the most experience with it

Surprisingly he’s one of the first people you were comfortable around

He prefers the machines since it’s a faster milking process but he’s not opposed to milking by hand

Touya/Dabi:

He teases you

He was the last person who you let milk you

You learned to trust him when he saved you from coyotes one night. They had somehow gotten past the dogs that protected the farm and were about to attack you when Touya got in between you and them. Seeing him get bit by them, you charged the coyotes and drove them away

You both were bitten and had several scratches but you didn’t care, you wanted to make sure Touya was safe

Touya doesn’t have a preference but does enjoy the noises you make when the machine milks you

Natsuo:

Natsuo had gone to medical school to learn how to treat hybrids and became a licensed doctor for hybrids

He gives check ups on all the hybrids and animals

He gave you a check up when you got to the farm, making sure you were healthy and that you didn’t have any underlying health issues or conditions

He was the third person you trusted

He’s very gentle and is kind of a clown

He’s constantly making jokes since that’s how he learned to help his patients nervousness

He’s pretty funny

He doesn’t have a preference when it comes to milking by hand or using the machine, whichever one you’re more comfortable with is what he uses

Shoto:

He was the second person you were comfortable around

Since he’s still rather young, you tend to view him more as a child or a smaller animal

His aloof personality is what makes you feel safe around him

He was the first person who was able to milk you since you’re a dairy cow

He often takes walks around the farm with you

He sometimes takes naps in the barn with the animals. Since you’re more comfortable around animals than humans, you stuck with the cows on the farm. When you saw how comfortable they were with him and how they trusted him, you decided he was trustworthy too

He spoils you the most, he gives you treats more often than anyone else

He prefers to milk you by hand instead of using the machines

#mha x reader #bnha x reader #enji todoroki #enji todoroki x reader #natsuo todoroki #Natsuo x reader #todoroki shoto x reader #shoto todoroki x reader #x cow hybrid reader #x hucow reader #mha hybrid au #bnha hybrid au #dabi x reader #dabi todoroki #touya todoroki #touya x reader

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what-even-is-thiss · 1 year

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By now you can probably tell what I'm researching in depth at any given time for my secret project by how much I blorbo post about mythology on any given day.

Anyways, yes. Today was an Achilles day. A comparing a couple different translations of the Iliad day.

But anyways, people have been debating since ancient times how Achilles feels about Patroclus. I'm personally on the side of their relationship being romantic, but that isn't actually the most important thing. The most important thing is that Patroclus is the single most important person in Achilles' life.

What's often forgotten about Patroclus is that he was a competent warrior on his own and he was older than Achilles. In fact, other characters use this as leverage when trying to convince Patroclus to talk to Achilles for them. Achilles, though higher in rank than Patroclus who was a disowned man in exile, was the younger in the relationship and would have been expected to listen to Patroclus' extra wisdom from his life experience.

What's interesting in this dynamic also, is that if you read their relationship as romantic, because Achilles was younger, that would traditionally put him in a slightly submissive role in a male/male relationship. And whether you read Achilles as being in charge, Patroclus as being in charge, or if you read their relationship as completely equal, it's a little weird. It's not totally clear what the power dynamic between them is supposed to be.

Whether they're friends or lovers they appear to genuinely love each other. Achilles is noted at times as being a generally angry and snippy person who doesn't get along with anyone unless he's with Patroclus. Then he generally becomes more gentle.

Achilles is a weird and complicated character, but his defining act as a hero is going on an unstoppable rampage caused by his love of another man. He says in the Iliad that the Trojans have done nothing to him. They have not taken or destroyed anything important to him. And this is true, until Hector kills Patroclus.

What's interesting to me is that Achilles and everyone else in the Greek army is an example of toxic masculinity, but it's a type of toxic masculinity that doesn't really exist anymore. Achilles was created by a society where men wept openly and loved each other. They also saw women as their property. Achilles is not an exception to this. The loss of his abducted girlfriend Briseis wasn't just a massive blow because he loved her. It was a massive blow because she was his prize they had stolen from him.

There's a lot about Achilles that toxic manly men would take issue with. According to some versions of the myth, he absolutely has sex with other men. He also would likely disrespect women to an extent that would even make incel podcasters cringe. He was an expression of the culture that created him. Of their values, their flaws, their frustrations. Books and books have been filled on him for good reason. He's weird. He's disturbingly familiar. He's a cautionary tale of what happens when you let your emotions consume you completely. A lover and a fighter with no contradictions to be found in that. And he mostly dies offscreen.

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antianakin · 1 year

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I have such mixed feelings about the Clone Wars "Heroes on Both Sides" episode because I appreciate what it's TRYING to do with the idea of showing that the Separatist side has legitimate grievances and the Senators in it are/were good people who've just been duped into being on the side of a war that's literally enslaving people, but I also think it handles it incredibly badly.

Take Mina Bonteri, for example. We're SUPPOSED to like her and think she's this honorable woman who mentored Padme and is still Padme's friend, but she also thinks Dooku's somehow a good honorable person and will literally not hear a single word against him even though this person she's mentored could tell her that Dooku is the one who nearly executed her on Geonosis. Padme can literally speak to how those events in the Geonosis arena ACTUALLY WENT, but she can't because Mina refuses to hear anything bad about Dooku because she's apparently got a political boner for him or something I dunno.

And then her whole story of woe that's meant to show us how the Republic also sometimes commits atrocities boils down to "my husband worked at a lab and clones attacked and now he's dead" and I feel like my reaction is supposed to be "wow that's horrific that the clones attacked an innocent person" but knowing what I know about the Separatists and how they worked my reaction is actually "well what the fuck were they doing at that lab huh Mina? Did you even know your husband or was he a bitch who was coming up with some sort-of bio weapon to use against Republic civilians?" Because I don't believe for a SECOND that the clones would've just attacked a random lab for no obvious reason. That lab was up to some shit and they never tell us what it is because they want us to feel bad for Mina's loss, but I... don't. Because I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility for Mr. Bonteri to have been caught up in shady shit that Mina had no idea about.

And of course then there's her son and the whole interaction he has with Ahsoka. Again, I understand the point of them saying that Ahsoka has only ever met "military commanders" on the Separatist side and not any of the actual Separatist civilians/senators, but the comparison being made is with Lux's experience with the JEDI, who are ALSO military commanders in this war. Ahsoka is judging the Separatists by the people they've PUT IN CHARGE of their side of the war and who are the ones actively causing atrocities. Ahsoka is judging the people who are her PEERS on the Separatist side. And while there is obviously merit to getting to know Separatists civilians, I don't think it counts the same as Lux saying he's never met a Jedi before and is now choosing to judge an entire culture when he's never met a single person from that culture until now.

The Onderon arc and the Gerreras do a WAY better job of getting this concept across, that there are literal REBELS on some of the Separatist planets who didn't choose to be Separatist and don't necessarily care for the Separatist government. Ahsoka (via Anakin) seeing every Separatist as an evil person simply due to being Separatist would have been incredibly paired with having to help out some Separatist rebels fight for their world because they KNOW what's going on, they're LIVING it, they just can't really do much about it due to lack of resources.

I love the idea of making sure the Separatist side is given a little nuance, that there IS an explanation as to why the Separatists seceded and became what they did and all, I just think it got handled SO SO BADLY and it makes me so sad/mad every time I think about that episode.

#star wars #star wars the clone wars #sw tcw #tcw #the clone wars #mina bonteri #lux bonteri #ahsoka tano

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greenhappyseed · 7 months

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While I agree that liddol Toshi wasn't saying that there was no other role for him in the society, even with your interpretation he still gives himself less value as the others. 'Nothing is expected from me and I have no family, so I can freely go and put my life on the line to protect everyone else'. And it's not just that he was brushing off other people's kindness, it's also the fact that he saw All Might as more needed and important than Yagi Toshinori. He felt useless and helpless once he lost OFA, and had troubles with seeing how he can still be needed and usefull. Horikoshi even brought up the moment Toshi told Izuku that he can't be a hero without a quirk in this fight.

I definitely agree that Toshi felt useless and helpless without OFA. But I’ve come around to the idea that there’s not really a duality between All Might and Toshinori Yagi. OFA or not, they are the same person. It’s what Toshi tells Shoto in Ch. 386 — the body and mind are two halves of a whole. And I think Toshi’s need to feel useful arises from the person he is. It’s not that Toshi values himself “less” as much as his heart beats for others. His soul and his consciousness are at peace when they serve others. It may sound “crazy,” but young Toshi originally intended to become the Symbol of Peace without a quirk. As a teenager, he thought of his quirklessness and orphan status as assets — it meant he had nothing to lose. Why not try to change the world without a quirk? Like Izuku, Toshi just doesn’t care what happens to himself. Toshi is glad to try saving someone with his metal pipe, even if it’s a dumb idea that probably couldn’t succeed (like Izuku charging at the slime villain). Toshi thinks saving is “the coolest thing someone can do,” so he thinks nothing of putting himself in danger. Toshi’s fantasy was never having a quirk or being a superhero; it was stopping the cycle of grief and hatred so everyone could live with a smile.

Once he had OFA, and became All Might (which was before Nana died, as she calls him by his hero name in All Might Rising), things got muddy. Actually, I dare say it’s Nana’s presence in his life that changed things — she cared about Toshi, and was like a mother to him. That screws up his entire reason for himself being the ideal symbol that had nothing to lose. And then he DID lose Nana, so he doubled down on keeping others at arm’s length. I don’t think it’s possible to separate young Toshi’s understanding of himself as “All Might” from his need to be isolated. He successfully pitched the idea of becoming “All Might” because he was alone, and then his life experiences proved to him that, yes, All Might needed to remain alone. Then, the more successful All Might became, and the more people forgot about the man behind the hero, the more Toshi got lost in All Might.

Over time, Toshi distanced himself from his original idea to be the Symbol without a quirk. He became less “human.” In his 50s, having survived a gruesome injury, he saw that idea as youthful folly. So when Izuku asks in Chapter 1 if he can be a hero without a quirk, well, we get Toshi answering “no.” Just like Nana, Izuku’s young enthusiasm and selfless spirit wins the hero over, but Toshi still thinks Izuku needs a quirk. It’s only after Ch.326 and the Stain pep talk that Toshi understands the real “All Might” was his heart and soul all along, not OFA. Toshi realizes his original teenage ideals were right. It’s why Ch. 398 shows us these 3 panels together:

Toshinori Yagi cannot live his life in any way except for the sake of others. That means accepting he will put himself in danger in order to save. As he told Nighteye after his initial injury, he won’t stop helping until he’s dead. The difference is that now the risk of his death is far less because he’s accepting his humanity and accepting the help of others. Toshi is understanding that he’s not the only one who lives for others — people are willing to die to save HIM.

That’s why I struggle with the argument that Toshi and Izuku see themselves at this point in the story as having “less worth” than the people they save. We’re now seeing other characters like Stain laying down their lives (or close to it) to save Toshi and Izuku, as well as other heroes, villains, and civilians. The story has been clear that true heroism inherently involves risk, and frequently some kind of sacrifice. The key is knowing the difference between needlessly rushing towards death and living on to save another day. Right now, Toshi has to keep living to distract AFO, as he’s the only one who can. Beyond that, I’d say he has to keep living to see AFO eradicated, and Izuku and 1A rising to take up the mantle of the Symbol along with citizens. Creating a bigger network of hope and light is how Toshi’s fantasy becomes reality.

#bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #all might #Toshinori yagi #iron might #Dadmight #mha meta #bnha meta #bnha 401 #mha 401

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randomfoggytiger · 4 days

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Mulder's Alien Baby Baby Trauma In-Depth (Part VII): Trickery, Terror, and Tears

Mulder and Scully have, overall, managed to navigate his return from the dead rather well.

The distance put between them is constructed from his guilt and shame, not misplaced or irrational anger. He knows, logically, the baby is his (posts here and here); and she's backed off from bringing it up for the sake of his recovery. He's sneaked into the basement and sneaked into the evidence room and sneaked in a shove (to Doggett); and she's sneaked along (disapprovingly) after him.

But there's a bit of a shift that happens here: boundaries are clarified, and Mulder and Scully follow faulty personal decisions to their dissatisfactory ends (and also share tender angst and another near-death experience. What else is new on The X-Files?)

WALKING THROUGH (FIRE)WALLS

Back in the saddle, Mulder is alive with the scent of the chase, nodding and swiveling his eyes from one talking head to another as Scully and the Lone Gunmen fill him in. He has, indeed, found something big.

“All right, what are you boys waitin’ for, get crackin’.”

It’s Frohike who pumps the breaks: “Unless you think we’re all idiots, it’s only Langly who’s the idiot.”

Mulder, pulled up short, looks at the guys in confusion while Langly decries the allegations brought against his expertise.

Frohike, meanwhile moves further down the table to look over Langly’s shoulder… but also to stand next to Scully. (During the rest of this conversation, he and she will exchange loaded glances that are very interesting.)

Scully shifts around as she uncomfortably explains that nearly impenetrable firewalls were recently constructed, making it not only increasingly difficult but also exponentially more dangerous to hack the system.

“And why do that?” Mulder’s rhetorical is filled with muted ire, and a thrilled, sarcastic little smirk pulls at the corners of his mouth. He’s ready to dig up more information, track down more villains, and shove them back into their chairs (ala the Doggett treatment here.)

It's here that Frohike and Scully begin to share subtle glances: the Lone Gunmen will try to keep Mulder off the field; but the burden of talking him out of it falls solely to her.

We, the audience, later find out that TLG and Scully had an off-screen conversation, concluding that Mulder needs to be kept off the case. However, Mulder’s findings have proven to be substantial; and Frohike’s serious, firmly resolved expression is showing his change of heart-- letting Scully know that, if Mulder pursues the truth, the guys will back him up. Scully sees this; and, frustrated, looks to the others for confirmation before sighing.

“Because I’m right,” Mulder crows, delighted to have his instincts proven once again.

He’s back. And he is. And Scully is aware of this, is aware that TLG are aware of this, is aware that something needs to be done and by someone. She is also aware that Mulder is insisting he be that someone-- and right now, Scully is convinced Mulder's not ready for hero work.

Scully wanted him back on the X-Files with her, like old times; but since Mulder’s apathy, his sudden desire for reinstatement, and his prickly insistence on charging ahead without listening to reason, she now believes (correctly) that this mission is tainted with dark intentions and darker outcomes for her partner.

At Mulder’s “Because they would kill to protect what’s in those files,” everyone becomes fidgety.

“Unless you’ve got a password,” Byers stipulates, “we don't any way short of that of getting a hold of this data.”

“And the thing is, even if you have a passcode, you’d still have to break into the FFC just to use it,” Langly adds, a nice little period to the other’s statement.

The camera shoots from Byers’s watchful, appraising stare of Mulder to Mulder’s befuddled reaction as he tries to process why the guys wouldn’t consider breaking into the FCC as a matter of course.

Then Langly-- true to Frohike’s claims of idiocy-- reveals the hidden agenda: “We all agree. You’re going to have to let this one go.”

Mulder takes a moment to respond, scratching at his face as confusion morphs into anger. He feels placated rather than respected: that Scully has overstepped in her zeal to protect him.

“Oh. I see.”

Mulder turns the full weight of his rebuke at Scully-- a first in the entire episode. Before, any flare of irritation had been extinguished by her support, reason, and even humor; but now… now he’s caught her plotting behind his back with the expectation that it’d go right over his head. It’s such poorly executed manipulation that it irritates more than angers or upsets; but if not for his instinctive understanding of Scully, Mulder might have felt truly hurt or betrayed. Instead, he feels coddled and head-ruffled; and responds in kind.

“Somebody’s been doing a little campaigning for her cause,” he smirks. It’s a warning more than a flat-out accusation-- this is a line you do not cross-- that directly addresses Scully’s actions and indirectly references her underlying motivation (i.e. Mulder being around for the baby.)

Scully is taken aback by how quickly she was caught out, opening her mouth and looking over at TLG (possibly to fumble together an excuse.)

Mulder ends the conversation with, “Well, just remember boys this is America-- just because you get more votes doesn’t mean you win” before turning from TLG to Scully, letting his meaning sink in with a pointed staredown.

Now the question is: did his remark wound Scully? No-- nor did he intend it to-- because she is exasperated (even a touch amused) instead of hurt or ashamed. The distinction is crucial; and lays groundwork for the next scene.

NOT EVERYTHING IS CHANGED

After the Lone Gunmen leave, Scully is caught outside her apartment by Doggett, who eagerly fills her in on the (very conveniently handed over and named) password. Conflicted, torn, and fearful over having the responsibility to tell her partner herself and potentially lose him (or not tell him and potentially lose him anyway), she trudges back inside with tears nearly spilling from her eyes.

Freezing just inside the doorway, she turns her head side-to but stays still and silent. For all intents and purposes, Scully stares at Mulder like she’s seen a ghost (or will again, if we factor in her partner’s spectral form in This Is Not Happening.)

The music softens as we pivot to Mulder, who is hunched over his computer, guard down, silent himself: likely staring with dwindling hope after his and the Lone Gunmen’s fruitless attempts. It’s an all-too-rare look into Mulder’s state: fragility that he covers up with distance or constant movement-- the look of a man who'd rather sit in his apartment than seek reinstatement.

In this frame of mind, he looks up, taking a half-second to focus fully in the present.

“Scully, what are you doing here?” he asks, expression guarded but voice soft and intrigued.

It’s another incredibly rare glimpse into Mulder and Scully’s Three Words off-screen dynamic: his question zeros in on her, not the case; and, while more open and interested than we have seen him, Mulder still bolts upright and scoots back into a less vulnerable position. Work is stabilizing him-- which explains why Scully lobbied for Mulder to come back to the FBI as soon as she did-- and his interest in Scully’s comings-and-goings are an extension of his gratitude and buried tenderness.

When Scully turns fully, Mulder jumps to his feet, on-edge with worry: “Did something just happen?” he demands, walking swiftly over with dangerous intent for whoever bothered or hurt her.

“I’m… um…,” she begins.

Mulder reacts to her vulnerability: he tents his eyebrows, loosens his jaw slightly, and bites his lip briefly.

After Scully evens out her shaky voice, she replies, “I’m not exactly sure I should tell you, Mulder.”

On the heels of her secret meddling earlier that day, It’s the worst thing Scully could have said.

He blinks, gathers his thoughts, and says, “Scully, if you know something that can get us moving forward again, then you need to tell me” with increasing frustration. Mulder has never taken kindly to being kept in the dark, especially concerning important mytharc information-- in fact, most of their professional (and personal) fights bloomed from either his stubbornness or her purposed silence. Now that it’s of life-or-death importance to him to end these abductions, Scully quibbling over sharing important information with him is stretching the last of his patience thin. Still, he doesn’t handle her roughly: insistent, but not angry; sharp, but not caustic; demanding the truth but not prying it out of her.

Scully is even more shaken, knowing she can’t keep this from him but wishing, deep-down, she could. The last six months have stripped her of her past denial: she is no longer able to fool herself with half-truths or half-hearted ignorance-- and she was never good at lying to Mulder, regardless.

So, she tells him the truth. Unfortunately for them both, it's actually a lie.

MULDER'S SOUL LAID BARE, PART ONE

By the time Doggett shows up to save the day, Mulder's already hacked into the system and is working fast and furious towards (what he believes to be) the truth. He ignores the other man's ferocious banging and warnings, turning once towards the door to take in the view before turning back to the task at hand; and brushes off Frohike's concerned question with a flippant, "Just a fly buzzing around the window."

Doggett shoots the glass out and Mulder startles, staring blankly in his direction while the Lone Gunmen react in pain on the other end of the line. It's an interesting symptom of Mulder’s months of torment: an underreaction to milder forms of pain or fright (the opposite of his typical response.) When no other shots are fired, he, again, turns to the computer while Doggett, closer now, implores him to get to safety.

Mulder's response perfectly exemplifies the turmoil, pain, resentment, bitterness, and fear he is fighting with: nearly in tears-- and without meaning to-- he lays his soul bare: “I think you’re trying to keep this information from ever seeing the light of day just like you did with this before, Agent Doggett. That’s what I think. …[A lot of other people] Are going to learn they’ve been targeted because of their genetic profiles for abduction....”

He pauses, tightening his mouth for a split second before continuing in an increasingly distanced voice-- “and replacement by alien facsimiles.”

He swallows another wave of emotion while flippantly asking, “What’d you say we start with the Washington Post?”

It’s painfully obvious that this mission is about righting the wrongs done to him, more so than exposing the truth. And that’s not a bad thing-- it’s a reckless thing, with so many variables that can (and will) go wrong because of the willful abandon with which he’s acting out.

The only other time Season 8 tackles Mulder's fears to this transparent depth are in his opening monologue in Essence-- too few moments for such a potentially rich, complex storyline.

“You can believe whatever you want, but that information’s never going to make it outta here,” Doggett warns.

“What are you gonna do, shoot me?” Mulder sarcastically snipes, daring him to do so. He isn’t surprised when the other man doesn’t, figuring Doggett’s intentions aren’t lethal because there isn't a bullet already lodged in his head.

The cavalry shows up; and Scully calls in, telling the Lone Gunmen to get Mulder out of the building.

Mulder immediately blames Doggett-- who had brought Scully the password-- but continues his reckless truth seeking, accepting that his life may very well end in a matter of minutes. When Doggett tries to pull Mulder off the computer, he fights back, then sinks down to continue typing. (This dynamic between them builds on itself in Vienen, when Mulder doesn't want to die.)

It’s pretty clear Mulder is willing to perish for this truth; and Doggett, realizing the gravity of the situation, gets eye-level in a last attempt to get through to him.

“If I set you up, I wouldn’t be here trying to convince you to go. They’re coming to kill you-- they’re gonna kill me, too. That’s the setup.”

Mulder drops his deaf pretense after Langly’s voice pipes through, confirming that it’s useless to pursue this data; and he looks up at his hated rival with clearer, eyes, only shifting them away when yelling over Byers’s fumbles for an escape route.

The last we see of him is their quiet escape through the ceiling.

CONCLUSION

Mulder and Scully drive away (together or separately) have a conversation, maybe some space, and iron out a few things between them. ...We'll never know what those things were exactly; but we'll be making a deduction or two as we go. That conversation had to, at least in part, address his PTSD symptoms and recovery; though, again, to what extent we'll never know.

Personally, I believe Mulder and Scully laid out a plan post Three Words; and part of that plan involved him putting the pieces of his life back together in paperwork and therapy. (Perhaps that's why Scully thanked him for joining her in Lamaze-- because he rescheduled a therapy appointment for her.) Who knows?

Inferences can (and will) be made about the missing scenes between this episode and Empedocles; but those will be explored in the next post. Until then...

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

#txf #Mulder's Alien Baby Baby Trauma #In-Depth #Part VII #Trickery Terror and Tears #xf meta #meta #xfiles #x-files #the x files #S8 #Three Words #Mulder #Scully #TLG #Doggett #mine

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lchufflepuffcorn · 1 year

Text

Murmurs of life

Warning: Pregnancy, fluff... that'll be all.

Word count: 1, 164k

Author's note: I hate this, took me ages, I don't like it and I really don't like talking about early pregnancy.

Masterlist OG Writing Masterlist

Soft hands caressing your skin hidden under the covers. Breathless kisses and secret whispers, promises, ushered in the dark of the night. In the anonymity of your bedroom chamber, it was the most affection Keigo would offer you. You're used to the surprising softness the Winged Hero could provide in moments of calmness.

Most days, you sleep in a cold bed, after all.

You don't blame Keigo for his absence, not when he works to apologize for those lonely times when he comes back home. It's not his fault he got caught up in shit at such a young age. And he only wants what's best for you. Which, in this instance, is not to be known by the public.

"It would be a bore." He said once when you asked.

That had been another date spent at home, a nice homemade dinner and the preview of a soon-to-be-released movie he obtained you-didn't-know-how. And at this point, was it worth it to ask?

"Why?" You'd asked while putting the dinner plates away after drying them.

He sighed and placed the sponge back in the sink before turning to you.

"Cuz there'll be journalists everywhere, and we'd have to move again, and my manager would probably try to use you to use me or something…"

His perpetually unbothered face scrunched in disgust, and his shoulders bent forward in a bad posture you were trying to rid him of. The memory of your rushed move three months prior is still fresh in his mind. So many camera flaunting him while you cleared out of the apartment building from the back. Not an experience he wished to redo so soon.

You had only nodded and changed the subject. Again.

But now, in the darkness of your cold bed, only the memory of warm hands on your body to overthrow the heavy feeling resting in your stomach could help you get through your day off. One that you'd spend alone. Again. Hadn't Keigo said it was off today too? Welp, what was new. Of course, they would pull Keigo out of his vacations to work.

The necklace sporting one of Keigo's feathers flew centimetres away from your face, trying its mighty best to get you up and start your day. Without much luck as it seemed. Gently pulling on its rope to incite you to rose, it soon fell back in its place just below your breast, inert.

It shuddered and started to float again. Tugging twice, it let itself fall back toward your stomach and nuzzled. (Y/N) raised one of her eyebrows and moved to push the feather away, but it came back and swatted her hand in retaliation. It began to shake as if taken in a panicked frenzy or excitement. (Y/N) didn't think much of it. Sometimes, when Keigo worked, its feathers followed his movements.

Making her way toward the kitchen, (Y/N) started her day, as she usually did, stirring her coffee, opening the TV, and placing the news channel as background sound. The woman started prepping the ingredients for her breakfast, something with fruits and eggs… and olives, because why not. The feather shivered again, nuzzling closer to her stomach.

"More news coming from the arrest happening earlier this morning. We now have confirmation that the suspect was, in fact, part of the group attacking Ms. Takamori this summer. Authorities did not reveal the suspect's name. And as a matter of privacy, to quote the agent in charge, refused the journalists." Said the commentator, a hand covering his ear. Behind him, the visual showed a busy street, many police cars and the familiar red wings flashing for a brief moment before disappearing.

Preferring to skip the drama for today, (Y/N) changed the channel and turned to her preparation once more. The Takamori attack made headlines after the poor woman was found by a bypasser beaten up in an alley. Terrible thing.

The apartment's door opened with a bang, and a burst of air surprised the woman as two arms wrapped around her middle, gently pulling her to a muscular but warm surface. Only two people had the apartment's key, herself and…

"Keigo!" She laughed, swatting the part of his chest she could easily access.

"Are you alright?" Asked the figure, shaking her shoulder. A face rested in the junction between her neck and shoulder as the question echoed against her skin.

"Yes, why?"

"You're heartbeat's all messed up. It's been like that for days now…"

(Y/N) shrugged, continuing her preparation. Silence floated around her and Keigo for a moment before he talked again.

"Can I listen again?"

There was a beat of silence where (Y/N) looked over the raw scrambled eggs before her, making turning his question in her head, trying to make sense of it. "To my heartbeat?" She asked, turning her head to look at Keigo.

"Yeah!" He responded, raising his head from its perch. He turned to look at her expectantly.

"You do your thing." Said (Y/N), dislodging from his arms. "I thought you were working today…"

Situating a big hand right over her throat, covering the fluttering of (Y/N)'s heart, the other covering her belly, right over the feather necklace, silence is the only answer Keigo gives her. His ear is awkwardly placed against her back, which can't be comfortable, but she doesn't say anything. Breathing deeply and leaving her body to be supported by her lover as he listens to the echo of her heart, (Y/N) closed her eyes. The scent of eggs was starting to heavily hang around her, making her stomach turn in disgust.

"I don't think I want eggs anymore." She whispers to no one in particular. Keigo only hums against her shoulder.

"I'll make something else." There's a pause. "Did you feel, I don't know, weird those past couple of days?" He asks finally.

(Y/N) thought for a moment, scanning her memories for any inconvenience she could have felt. The back pains shooting near her hips and spine came to mind, but that was usual. The headaches too, but they'd become more frequent those past weeks. The nausea was new, but she'd been stressed by her work lately. Nevertheless, (Y/N) related all those to Keigo, who only hummed.

"What about the thing I asked you to do?" He asked finally, moving away from her gently yet still keeping a hand on the small of her back.

It was her turn to hum. "Forgot it. It's in the bathroom, I think. I was in a rush yesterday…"

Keigo slapped her ass playfully, then kissed her lips when she turned to chide him. "Go check on that. I'll make something else to eat."

A short moment passes before a clatter can be heard, and giggles and sobs echo in the apartment, (Y/N) comes back jogging toward Keigo and jumps in his arms.

"We did it, Keigo, we did it."

"I know!" He laughs.

In the bathroom, the pregnancy test forgotten on the counter shows two pink lines.

#takami keigo #takami keigo x you #Takami keigo x reader #Hawks x reader #Hawks imagine #bnha imagines #bnha x reader #fluff #pregnancy #pregnancy imagine #x reader #x reader imagine

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