#choices interconnected universe

[sceptilemasterr]

Endless Winter (ES Book 2) Act 2, Scene 5 - A New Year Dawns

Title: Endless Winter

Main Pairings: Estela x Ian (M!MC), Jake x Alyssa (F!MC)

Other Pairings: Craig x Zahra, Grace x Aleister, Michelle x Quinn, Diego x Varyyn

Genre: Full Rewrite

Rating: PG-13 for swearing, violence, alcohol, and sexuality

Summary: It's New Year's Eve on La Huerta, and the Catalysts are determined to make the most of it.

Previous Scene: Any Port in a Storm

Masterlist: Link

INT. ELYSIAN LODGE RESORT - LOBBY

Several hours later, the sun is just beginning to set outside the windows of the Elysian Lodge’s expansive lobby, which has been completely transformed into an ornate party room, complete with marked-out dance floor in the center of the area. A series of tables laden with food have been set up near the walls, with a haphazard arrangement of various candles scattered around. Craig, dressed in a tight-fitting dress shirt and tie, leads Furball around the room as the little fox freeze a series of impromptu “ice coolers” around the bottles of champagne and other drinks scattered about.

CRAIG: Nice job, little guy!

FURBALL (proudly): Mrrrrrffff!

Raj emerges from the kitchen, dressed in a suit and tie with an apron over it, bringing another food-laden tray out into the lobby. Quinn follows close behind with a tray of desserts, a similar apron to Raj covering her ornate blue dress.

QUINN: Where should I put these?

RAJ: Over here is good!

He indicates a table, and she sets her tray down. Raj looks down at one of the fruit trays and frowns.

RAJ: Hey… has someone been eating all the strawberries?

CRAIG: Don’t look at me… but I think I spotted Alyssa usin’ some strawberries to practice her Time Lord stuff.

RAJ: Aww… (brightens) Ah, never mind! Good for her. If I know anything, it’s that the Time Twins are gonna be the key to getting us out of this place. Besides, there’s still a bunch more fresh strawberries in the kitchen fridge!

FURBALL (excitedly): Ffrrrruuulll!

A few of the Vaanti trickle in, all wearing haphazard mismatches of formalwear. Varyyn, dressed impeccably in a suit and tie, accompanies them.

VARYYN: Hello, Centaurus. I am told today is your people’s New Year celebration. I thank you for inviting us.

Varyyn bows deeply. Raj blushes and laughs.

RAJ: No need to be so formal, Varyyn! You invited us to your festival the other day, the least we can do is return the favor!

Michelle and Ian enter the lobby, chatting animatedly about school. Michelle is wearing a sparkling golden dress, while Ian is dressed in a black tuxedo with matching bowtie.

MICHELLE: --so I think you’d only need one more bio elective if you already finished Genetics and Ecology. And the MCAT, of course, but I’m pretty sure you can take that anytime…

Michelle’s voice trails off as she sees the newly redecorated lobby. Behind her, Sean and Grace walk in, chatting excitedly to one another.

MICHELLE: Wow! Look at this place; Raj, you did all this?

Raj turns and grins broadly at her.

RAJ: Yep! With plenty of help, of course. Quinn here was--

He stops abruptly when he turns and sees Quinn is no longer in the lobby. He frowns, puzzled.

RAJ: …Uh, Quinn was right here a minute ago. Huh.

IAN: This place looks amazing! Perfect for a Raj party!

RAJ: Haha, thanks!

ALYSSA (O.S.): Alright, let’s get this thing started!

Alyssa strides confidently into the lobby, wearing a long white dress with a plunging neckline. Michelle looks her up and down approvingly.

MICHELLE: Wow. Looking good, Alyssa!

ALYSSA: Thanks, Michelle! You too!

Alyssa frowns as she looks around the room, evidently searching for something.

RAJ: Hey, Alyssa, everything okay?

ALYSSA: Yeah, I’m fine, just.. y’seen Top Gun anywhere?

It takes Raj a moment to realize who she is referring to.

RAJ: Oh, you mean Jake? Actually, I haven’t seen him since--

A sudden commotion from the top of the lobby stairs draws Raj’s (and everyone else’s) attention. Emerging from the second-floor hallway, Jake, Estela, Quinn, Diego, Aleister, and Zahra stand on the landing, all fully done-up and impeccably dressed. Alyssa, Ian, Michelle, Varyyn, Grace, and Craig all stare open-mouthed at the sight of their respective significant others, completely lost for words. Estela frowns.

ESTELA: What? What are you all looking at?

RAJ: Hey, there you all are! Come and join the party!

All of them descend the staircase, though Estela is blushing heavily as she does so. She doesn’t look entirely comfortable in her formal dress. When she reaches the bottom of the stairs, she beelines immediately for Ian.

IAN (stunned): I… uh. You. Wow.

ESTELA (shyly): I… I know Raj wanted us to dress up for New Year’s, but I never… really went to big parties or anything. Is this right?

Ian smiles warmly at her as he takes her hand in his.

IAN: More than right. Wow. Uh... I actually can’t even think of any other words right now.

In spite of herself, Estela giggles.

ESTELA: You… uh, you’re looking pretty good yourself.

Ian blushes heavily. Near the back of the room, Raj plugs his phone into the stereo system, but nothing happens. He frowns.

RAJ (frustrated): Damn, and here I thought this would work…

Craig and Zahra approach him.

CRAIG: Man, can’t believe it’s been a whole year already.

ZAHRA (frowning): …It hasn’t. We skipped six months, remember?

CRAIG: Oh. Right. Duh. I knew that!

ZAHRA: Raj, y’need some help?

RAJ: Yeah, I’m tryin’ to get the music working, but…

Zahra takes his phone in her hands and fiddles with it for a few moments. Before long, party music starts playing through the whole resort.

RAJ: Awesome! Thanks, my dudes!

CRAIG: Anytime!

ZAHRA: Craig, you didn’t do anything.

CRAIG: What? Naw, I… uh…

Any retort he may have had is cut short when he looks back at her in her formal dress. Craig can only stare open-mouthed.

ZAHRA: Huh. Guess there may be perks to dressin’ up like this after all…

Zahra playfully reaches out a finger and closes Craig’s mouth for him. Near one of the tables, Jake pours himself a glass of whiskey and raises it into the air.

JAKE: So! Who’s up for a toast?

ALYSSA: Personally, I can’t believe I’m still sober. Drink, please!

ESTELA: What are we having?

Jake grins and glances toward Ian.

JAKE: Why don’t we let Hero Boy pick?

IAN (surprised): I… what?!

ALYSSA (smirks): You heard him, “Hero Boy.”

Ian looks nervously at the assortment of drinks laid out on the table, feeling put on the spot.

IAN: I, uh…

Alyssa nudges him, glancing meaningfully toward the glass of whiskey in Jake’s hand.

IAN: Alright, how about this one?

He grabs a similar glass to Jake and pours himself some whiskey as well, then pours two more glasses for Alyssa and Estela. Estela takes a sniff of her glass and frowns.

ESTELA: What is this? It smells like sawdust.

JAKE: Trust me, there’s an art to whiskey. Now, the key to appreciating it is--

ESTELA: Getting it over with. Cheers.

She clinks her glass against Ian’s and throws back the whiskey. She winces.

ESTELA: It burns.

IAN: That bad, huh? Sorry, I--

ESTELA: Pour me another.

JAKE: Looks like Dragon Rage’s a fan, y’all.

Ian pours Estela another shot of whiskey as the four of them clink glasses and toast to the new year. In another area of the party, Varyyn and a few of his Vaanti warriors sip their own drinks as they chat with Diego, Lila, Raj, and Quinn.

VARYYN: It is interesting that your people count your years. You say this year is…?

DIEGO: Well, in a few more hours, it’s about to be 2018.

RAJ: Y’know what Varyyn here needs? One of those party sunglasses with the year on ‘em. Then he’ll never forget!

He, Quinn, Lila, and Diego burst into laughter. Diego claps Varyyn’s shoulder and pulls him into a hug.

DIEGO: Varyyn, I know you probably don’t get it right now, but we will take a picture next year while wearing those, okay?

VARYYN (warmly): I trust your judgement, my light.

Diego and Varyyn snuggle into one another as Quinn glances wistfully across the room. The camera follows her gaze to where Michelle stands chatting idly with a few of the others…

Some time later, the sun has set and most of the Catalysts are noticeably tipsier than they were previously. Several of the Vaanti warriors excitedly clink glasses of whiskey together with a triumphant cheer, then all down their drinks in one shot as Zahra looks on approvingly after downing her own glass.

ZAHRA: Doin’ great, guys! Now this is a New Year’s party!

Behind her, Aleister takes a seat at the grand piano as Michelle stands beside him. The others all crowd around. Aleister begins to play Auld Lang Syne.

MICHELLE (singing): Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never come to mind…

Aleister accompanies her, infusing each note with a delicate, classical touch. A few people sniff back tears, including Quinn and Grace.

MICHELLE (singing): For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne…

Alyssa looks pensively up toward the ceiling while Jake wraps an arm around her. Estela and Ian look deep into one another’s eyes. Raj sniffs back a tear. As Michelle begins the final part of the song, Quinn stands up and joins her:

MICHELLE AND QUINN (singing): We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne!

Everyone bursts into applause. Aleister stands and takes a formal bow. Quinn and Michelle look at one another; Michelle is the first to blush and look away. Jake walks up and claps Aleister on the back.

JAKE: Nice job, Schroeder. Didn’t think you had it in you.

ALEISTER: Ah. You are most welcome. I did enjoy that quite--

RAJ: Whoa! Everyone, hold up! I almost forgot; we still gotta sing “Happy Birthday!”

Everyone looks back at Raj. He grins broadly and gestures to the crowd.

RAJ: Dunno if I mentioned it to everyone yet, but with the skip forward in time, we missed a bunch of birthdays! Including Aleister, and the Time Twins here! …Not to mention myself, of course!

He steps between Alyssa and Ian, pulling them both into a group hug.

RAJ: Anybody else we missed? Who’s had a birthday between… uh…

GRACE: June 6th and December 26th!

Aleister, Michelle, Craig, Quinn, Estela, Zahra, Raj himself, and the Czasa twins all raise their hands.

RAJ: Alright, cool! Aleister, if you don’t mind?

He gestures to the piano. Aleister nods and takes his seat once again at the keys.

DIEGO: Are we even allowed to sing it? I heard it was copyrighted--

CRAIG: Who’s gonna stop us, bro? Unless… (completely seriously) Dude, does Rourke own the rights to Happy Birthday? That’d be his most evil plan yet!

Zahra shakes her head and sighs. Aleister begins to play, and everyone else starts singing along, with the Vaanti catching on after the first few bars…

EVERYONE (singing): Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear…

A variety of names are all shouted out at once. Ian makes a point to sing Estela’s name rather than his own, and she likewise sings his name in return. They both smile warmly at one another.

RAJ (excitedly): Dudes, that was flawless! Best birthday song ever!

CRAIG: Ha! Take that, Rourke!

Everyone applauds and hugs one another after the song. Lila stands off to one side, glancing around at the others with a strange expression on her face. She glances around furtively for a moment, then quietly slips upstairs as the others continue celebrating.

SEAN (shouting): Hey! Don’t forget, it’s only a few minutes ‘til midnight!

Everyone startles at this pronouncement, glancing at various clocks… which all show completely different times. Sean shrugs.

SEAN: Well… as close as I can tell, anyway. Who knows on this island?

ALYSSA (laughing): Fair enough. Alright, let’s do this!

RAJ: Craig, you ready for our master surprise?

CRAIG: You know it!

Craig and Raj lead the others up onto the roof of the Elysian Lodge. A large crate full of red flares has been set against one edge of the roof; Craig rushes toward it excitedly with a lighter in his hand.

MICHELLE (worriedly): Uh… guys?

JAKE: Are those flares?

Craig stops and turns around, grinning broadly.

CRAIG: Yup! One of those commando dudes dropped ‘em! Me and Raj thought--

JAKE (fiercely): Don’t you dare light those--

RAJ: Aww, c’mon, don’t ruin our fun! I’d have thought you’d be all about this! What’s the harm in--

Estela crosses her arms and steps closer to Raj, glaring angrily.

ESTELA: So, right now, we’re hiding from a death squad of highly trained, well-armed mercenaries… and your plan is to shoot off a bunch of flares directly over our location.

She holds her death glare on the two of them. There is an awkward silence before Craig and Raj finally glance at each other, both clearly embarrassed.

CRAIG: Okay, when you put it like that…

RAJ: Sorry guys. No fireworks this year.

Raj looks down dejectedly and starts heading toward the stairs, when suddenly:

GRACE: Wait! Look!

Everyone follows her gaze off toward a distant mountain range, where the sky is lighting up in beautiful, otherworldly colors. Jake and Alyssa exchange a shocked glance: the colors are identical to those they had seen during their first day on La Huerta, back at the airstrip.

SEAN: What is that?!

VARYYN: Ah, the Lights of Vaanu. Among our people, they are believed to be a sign of good fortune to come.

JAKE: Dunno about y’all, but I’d say we could definitely use some good fortune right about now.

Raj shrugs.

RAJ: Well, it’s not fireworks, but it’s close enough for me! Fifteen seconds ‘til midnight!

Everyone starts looking around at one another, most of them pairing off: Alyssa with Jake, Aleister with Grace, Craig with Zahra, Diego with Varyyn, and two of the Vaanti with one another. Quinn looks as though she is about to approach Michelle, but shies away at the last minute. Ian nods toward Estela, who approaches him. Ian starts to turn away, when Alyssa not-so-subtly kicks him with her heel, pushing him back toward Estela.

IAN (annoyed): ‘Lyss!

He bumps into Estela, who awkwardly catches him in her arms.

ESTELA: Oh! …Hey.

IAN (awkwardly): …Hey.

Everyone else starts counting down from ten. Ian scratches the back of his neck and glances away from Estela. Alyssa shoots him an “are you kidding me?” glance, while Diego raises his eyebrows so far that they nearly vanish into his hairline. Ian sighs and nods in acknowledgement, then takes a deep breath.

EVERYONE: Five… four… three…

Estela steps close, the brilliant otherworldly lights reflecting in her deep brown eyes as she and Ian gaze at one another.

ESTELA: I…

EVERYONE: Two… one… HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The other couples all pull one another into New Year’s kisses as those who are single celebrate in their own ways. Ian starts to hesitate, then relents and pulls Estela into a deep kiss. When they part, Estela smiles up at him.

ESTELA (laughs): I almost thought I would have to do everything myself. Again.

IAN (laughs): Guess I just thought… I was worried you might not want--

He is interrupted by Estela pulling him back in for another kiss. Elsewhere, near the rooftop jacuzzi, Diego and Varyyn sit side-by-side, just breaking apart from their own midnight kiss.

VARYYN: This tradition of yours. Kissing at midnight.

DIEGO (awkwardly): Well, it’s not exactly my tradition--

VARYYN (warmly): I enjoy it quite a lot. Does it apply only to midnight?

DIEGO: Well, uh, if you’re asking if we can kiss again… I won’t say no.

VARYYN (ecstatic): Wonderful! Then, may I…?

Diego nods, and he and Varyyn kiss once more. In the background, Raj can be seen nodding at the two of them, and Craig groans and hands over some cash. Elsewhere, Jake and Alyssa stand hand-in-hand, gazing off at the multicolored lights.

JAKE: Looks familiar, huh?

ALYSSA: How could I forget? That was kind of a big day for me. Y’know.

JAKE: Why, ‘cuz you met me?

ALYSSA (teasingly): Don’t get too excited, Top Gun. A lot more happened than just that.

JAKE: Alright, answer this: were you really looking at those lights the whole time?

ALYSSA: I--

She laughs and rolls her eyes in tacit admission that her attention had indeed been elsewhere at the time. Jake wraps his arms around her and pulls her in close.

ALYSSA: What do you say we take this somewhere else?

JAKE: What were you thinkin’, Princess?

ALYSSA: Somewhere with a bed, if you know what I mean…?

JAKE: I am never gonna say no to that. Lead on.

Alyssa takes him by the hand and leads him back downstairs. As the night continues on, several other couples do the same. Diego and Varyyn are on their way toward the stairs when Diego stops for a moment near where Ian and Estela are sitting.

DIEGO: Go ahead, Varyyn, I’ll catch up. I’ve just gotta check on something first.

Varyyn nods and continues down the stairs. Diego approaches Ian and Estela, resting a hand on the former’s shoulder.

IAN: What’s up?

DIEGO: Can I talk to you for a sec?

IAN: Uh… sure?

Ian gives Estela an apologetic look, and she nods in response. Diego leads him over to a secluded area of the rooftop and lowers his voice.

DIEGO: You know the night’s not over yet, right?

IAN (genuinely confused): What?

DIEGO: Ian! Seriously! Surely you noticed the other couples heading off, right? Me included?

IAN: Yes… and?

Diego seems to be fighting the urge to facepalm.

DIEGO: You. Estela. Do I need to say anything more?

IAN (nervously): Okay, I get what you’re saying, but… where would we even go? It’s not like the lobby is exactly private, and--

DIEGO: This is a hotel, Ian! Are you kidding right now? All the bedrooms you could possibly want! Just go find one!

IAN (laughs): Alright, alright. I’ll ask her. You know, she might say ‘no’--

DIEGO: With how she’s been looking at you all this time? If she says ‘no,’ I’ll literally eat my shoe. Not even kidding. (sighs) Just ask her, would you?

IAN: Will do, Diego. And thanks for the push.

DIEGO (shrugs): What can I say? It’s kinda my job.

He nods at Ian, then turns to rejoin Varyyn and head back downstairs. Ian steels himself, then heads back toward Estela.

ESTELA: What was that all about?

IAN (awkwardly): Diego. He, uh, not-so-subtly hinted that… we should… y’know, ‘find a bedroom.’

ESTELA (coyly): Oh? And what did you think about that?

Ian scratches the back of his neck awkwardly.

IAN: Well, uh… if you said ‘no,’ I’d definitely understand--

ESTELA (genuinely confused): …Why would I say ‘no?’

IAN: Dunno, guess I just thought--

She holds a finger up to his lips and smiles.

ESTELA: You think too much.

With a wink, she takes him by the hand and leads him downstairs…

_______________________

Note: If anyone was wondering, Ian was born at 11:59 PM December 31st, 1995, and Alyssa was born at 12:01 AM January 1st, 1996.

Next: The Fourteenth Vaalta (Coming soon!)

CIU Tag List: @brightpinkpeppercorn @endlesshero1122 @bbaba-yagaa @acidsugar0 @shaylan211 @griselda1121 @acanthisorbis @marmolady @choicesbabie @mauvecatfic

Endless Summer Tag List: @mysteli @edgydepressedchoicesthot @endlessly-searching-for-you @lovelywrites

#choices endless summer #choices stories you play #csyp #endless summer rewrite #es book 2 #endless winter #choices interconnected universe #ciu project #craig hsiao #zahra namazi #furball #raj bhandarkar #quinn kelly #ian czasa #estela montoya #michelle nguyen #diego soto #varyyn #alyssa czasa #jake mckenzie #aleister rourke #grace hall #estela x mc #jake x mc #grace x aleister #craig x zahra #michelle x quinn #diego x varyyn #still salty that estela never got a canon birthday #grrrr

[ghost-with-a-teacup]

Hi! Just here to say that i loved What's in Between so much and i truly was meltinggg with part II 💕💕💕

I've never requested anything before and I don't rlly know how this works so it's all good if you decide no to write this one, but for the request: is it possible for it to be a hurt/comfort, Miguel x reader with the prompt "Talk to me, please. You need to keep your eyes open. Just a little longer"?

𝐎𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞, 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞

Pairing: Miguel O'Hara x Reader

Summary: It was supposed to be a regular mission on any normal day at Spider Society, but momentary distractions are costly and you may have just paid the ultimate price.

Warnings: Mentions of injury and death, BUT IT GETS SOFT I PROMISE.

“Miguel!” you say, bounding up to him with a pep in your step. He looks down at you with a small smile on his face, but it disappears as Jess glances over at him.

“You know you don’t have to pretend to be stoic all the time, how long have we known each other?” She asks, and he only rolls his eyes.

“This isn’t pretending,” he says to her before turning back to you. “Ready?” he asks.

“Always.”

Today was like any normal day at Spider Society, filled with missions to protect the canon of the multiverse. Albeit a little different, because it wasn’t too often that you were able to go on a mission with Miguel. He typically went on them alone, working best without distractions. But whenever he needed a partner you were his first choice.

With one last glance at each other (and a wink that makes Miguel snort) you both head through the portal.

It never gets tiring, travelling to a different dimension. What’s fascinating is the in-between, swirls of bright oranges, reds and blues all as an interconnected web between all possible universes in the multiverse. You get lost in the view, which is probably why you never realize that at the same time, Miguel gets lost in you.

After a little bit, you both emerge on the other side.

“That never gets old,” you grin at him.

“No…no, it doesn’t,” he says, his eyes trailing over your form for a moment.

“So, what’s the deal with this universe today?” you ask, and Miguel huffs softly.

“You would know if you ever listened to the mission briefings,” he says, giving you a side-eye as you both walk around the abandoned factory.

“Why do I need to listen when you’d just tell me anyway, love?” you ask, and he only sighs.

“Yes, but I shouldn’t have to say it twice, amor,” he mocks and you laugh out loud. Your laughter is contagious because Miguel lets out a chuckle himself before continuing.

“She’s a villain from Earth-17502, her main weapons are wooden spikes that emerge from her back and a pistol. What she lacks in speed she has in brute force, and the spikes can be shot out at 100km per hour, regenerated with hammerspace,” he explains.

“So like…a demented Sonic the Hedgehog?” you snicker.

“What? No, I just said she wasn’t fast,” he says, confused.

“No wait, a demented porcupine,” you say, and he only snorts. “Sure, querida.”

“Ugh, disgusting. Romance,” a disembodied voice interrupts, and the two of you immediately go on the defence. From the shadows emerges said villain in question, a cruel expression on her face as she readies her pistol by her side.

Without warning she begins shooting, but the two of you are fast and in sync, splitting off and slinging away with your webs.

“Look bud, I’m sorry that your love life is sad but don’t take it out on us!” You shout, swinging around with a relaxed look on your face.

She only lets out a growl, continuing to shoot at you to no avail. Behind her, Miguel is making his own advance, but like a triggered trap her spikes shoot out before he can get too close.

“Shit!” he says, leaping out of the way just in time.

“It wouldn’t do you well to sneak up on me, little one,” she laughs cruelly. “Wouldn’t want to get skewered!”

Now it's a game of ‘try to avoid the bullets and the spikes flying in all directions at once’, and it seemed like you were at a stalemate.

“There’s no way to get close to her!” you say frustratedly, leaping from pillar to pillar as you continue to evade her bullets. It seemed her frustration seemed to reach a peak as well as she lets out a shout, unable to hit her marks. You move down to the floor, trying a new approach from the ground.

“We’ll figure it out, we always do,” Miguel reassures, and you let out a little smile.

But in that minuscule second of distraction the villain finds an opening, and before you know it a spike is flying straight for you with no time to evade it.

“NO!!” you hear him shout, but it was already too late. All the while, the villain only laughs in the face of your anguish. The spike impales your side, and for a few breathless moments, you don’t even feel it, as though it was nothing more than a punch to the side, a bit of pressure. The adrenaline pumping through your veins does its job of allowing you to not feel the pain.

But as you stumble slightly, it starts to settle in. All at once the searing hot pain hits you like a train, and you collapse to your knees, unable to hold yourself up anymore.

Every breath you take becomes more difficult than the last as a ringing fills your ears.

In front of you, Miguel fights with a new vigour you had never seen in him before, claws slashing and webs flying. Each action is served with purpose and no restraint on his strength, and the villain can no longer keep up. But before long your vision starts to fail you as well, closing in on your line of sight as you collapse onto your side with a wheeze. What felt like an eternity was in reality only maybe 30 seconds, but you were so, so tired.

Out of the corner of his eye Miguel sees you collapse, and all he sees is red. Before he can realize it his fangs are out, and he bites through the villain’s neck effectively paralyzing them instantly.

Within moments he is by your side, scooping you up into his arms as you blink blearily up at him.

“LYLA, SEND BACKUP NOW,” he shouts, his voice cracking at the end and for once there is no funny banter between the two of them as she does his orders immediately.

You open your mouth, but no words come out. Slowly you feel your eyes begin to close, but he shouts your name.

"Talk to me, please. You need to keep your eyes open, just a little longer,” he begs, clutching you close. You’ve never heard his voice so broken, not even when he told you about his past.

“It-” you gasp. “It hurts so bad, Miguel,” your voice weak with pain.

He looks at you with panic and fear, but most of all a feeling of helplessness.

“Querida, come on. You’re strong, mi vida. Stay with me, alright?” he says, his hand gently brushing your hair back before he scoops you up, carrying you in his arms.

You can’t help but cry out in pain as he does, the spike digging deeper into your side.

“Fuck, fuck,” he says, moving as fast toward the portal Jess had just opened up. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I need to get you to the infirmary, alright? You’ll be okay, you’ll be okay,” he says, trying desperately to believe it himself.

But he doesn’t know anymore. You’ve lost too much blood, the injury too serious.

It throws him back to when he was carrying his daughter like this, frantically running as the world falls apart around him.

But this time it was you. His light, the best to have ever happened to him amongst the infinite possibilities throughout the multiverse, the one person that managed to pull him out of the pit he had fallen into after the destruction of his daughter’s world.

You were his salvation…and he was about to lose you.

“I love you, Miguel,” you say softly, before you let out a violent cough. “In case…in case I’m not here to say it anymore.”

“No, no. Don’t say that. You’ll be able to say it a million more times, alright querida? A million more, and even then it won’t be enough,” he says, but you can’t hear him anymore. You can’t even make out his beautiful face so broken in anguish.

All you can see are the colours of the space between the universes. The oranges, reds and blues.

~

You didn’t think death would be so cold and monotonous. You weren’t exactly sure if you believed in the concept of ‘heaven’ or ‘hell’, the Fields of Elysium were probably closer to what you expected the afterlife to be like. But you definitely didn’t expect it to be so…bland.

It was like an endless void you walked through, no warmth, no ‘light’ to go towards, just you and your thoughts.

Your thoughts.

Miguel.

The guilt hits you like a tidal wave at the fact that you left him alone. Another person was ripped from his grasp by the hands of fate. You couldn’t bear the thought of hurting him, and you did just that by leaving him behind. Even though you promised each other forever on your wedding day, here you were breaking that promise.

You couldn’t find the strength in your legs to continue walking aimlessly anymore. Like that fight in the factory, you fell to your knees, not because of your injury but because of the pain you felt in your heart for hurting the one you loved the most.

You remember his face as he held you in his arms, pleading for you to stay.

He was so warm. He always was.

You missed him.

“Miguel…” you whisper. “I’m sorry for leaving you behind,” you sob.

~

~

~

“Don’t leave me, querida,” a voice says, far off in the distance. Your head whips up at the sound, and you look around desperately trying to hear it again.

“Please…please, I can’t. I can’t do this without you,” the voice says, and in an instant you’re back on your feet following the sound.

“You were the best thing to ever happen to me, vida mía. Somehow loving me in spite of my brokenness. I don’t…I don’t know how to live without you by my side.” You’re running toward the voice now, running through the darkness with it as your guide.

“Don’t leave me…” the voice whispers before fading away, leaving you with nothing to follow anymore.

“NO!” you shout, and before you know it your webs are shooting out from your wrists, catching onto something, and then you’re swinging forward into the unknown.

~

Your hearing is the first of your senses to return, the steady beat of the heart rate monitor gratingly irritating after a while. It was ironic considering it was the first to disappear when you first got injured.

Next is your touch. You feel the weight of the hospital blankets, scratchy but warm.

Not as warm as the hand that grasped your own though, holding it tight.

Your sense of smell and taste come back around the same time, the sterile scent of the hospital unfamiliar, your mouth dry.

The last is your sight. Granted it was a bit difficult to see with your eyes closed, but you hadn’t quite found the strength to open them until now.

Blearily you blink as the bright lights temporarily blind you, but your attention isn’t on them for long. Instead, you turn to Miguel who sits staring at you in shock, eyes so wide it was almost comical.

“Hi,” you say softly, and he only blinks once before his forehead is pressed to your thigh, a broken sob escaping his throat. He grasps your hand all the tighter, as though he was never going to let go.

It makes you almost want to cry too, but instead you lift your arm up weakly before running it through his hair the way you knew he loved.

“I thought, I thought I was going to lose you,” he whispers, his face still pressed into your leg. He says it so quietly that you can barely hear him, like if he uttered the words too loudly they would come true.

“I could never leave you, my love,” you say. “I have to say ‘I love you’ a million times before then, remember? Or was it a billion?” He can’t help but chuckle, finally lifting his head up to look at you.

He looked exhausted, his usual dark circles darker than usual, his red eyes bloodshot. But he looked so, so relieved.

“No amount of times could ever be enough, vida mía,” he says before pressing his lips to yours.

You both smile into the kiss of a thousand swirling emotions, a million words left unsaid but you both understood even despite it all.

“Guess I’ll just have to get started then,” you say with a grin as you pull away.

“I love you, Miguel,” you say.

“I love you, querida,” he says in turn.

Taglist: @beiroviski, @scaraza, @blueoorchid,@phobia0325, @remuslupinwifeee, @local-mr-frog, @johfaam0, @raweggohan, @honeycriess, @alexenoirex, @chimpkinnuggies, @rqdior, @banana--belle, @notasadgirlipromise, @6billionyearsold, @gods-perfectidiot, @phobia0325, @alcinas-darling-side

A/N: Was thinking of leaving it on a cliffhanger, thought that would be too cruel LMAO. Thank you for reading! And thank you for requesting, anon <3 I had fun with this one hehe

#miguel o'hara #miguel o’hara x reader #miguel o hara #miguel ohara x reader #miguel ohara #miguel x reader #spiderman #spiderman 2099 #spiderman across the spiderverse #across the spiderverse #across the spider verse spoilers #spiderman 2099 x reader #marvel

[chocolatepot]

Twitter is rapidly sinking as people are only allowed to look at it for about ten minutes a day, so I thought I would put together a post explaining the best way to get started on Mastodon! It can be an intimidating prospect as it's not as immediately user-friendly as Twitter or other corporate social media sites.

Selecting a server

The main difference between Mastodon and Twitter is that you don't just "sign up for Mastodon". Mastodon is effectively made up of hundreds of small sites (called "instances") that are all interconnected ("federated") and use the same interface. The instance you choose has only a minor effect on your experience. The main one to be aware of is that if an instance is known to be poorly moderated and have users who cause a lot of trouble, other instances may unlink from it ("defederate") and make it more difficult for people on it to interact with you. This is rare. The very big, unthemed instances like mastodon.social are more likely to have this problem than any fannish one, in my experience. (You can also make a personal choice to block an entire instance if you have an issue with it.)

The other effect is that each instance has its own universal feed of all users on it.

The sidebar looks almost exactly like Twitter's, except for "local" and "federated". Your home feed is just the people you follow. "Local" is everyone on your instance, and "federated" is everyone on any instance yours is federated with. The local feed is why it's worthwhile to choose an instance that has some sort of theme you're interested in, like fandom, tech, queer issues, history, etc.

The two main fannish instances I'm aware of are fandom.ink and federatedfandom.net. There's also wandering.shop but that seems to be more for writers, in my experience. If you want a different sort of instance, just google "[topic] mastodon instance" and you should find it.

Applying to your instance

Because instances are more tightly moderated than the rest of social media, you can't always immediately get into the one you want. (Though I suspect that many have opened up slightly as Twitter flails.) You may need to submit some kind of application and wait a few days.

If you know someone on the instance you want to join, they may be able to get you an invite code so you can skip the queue. I have unlimited invites for fandom.ink, hit me up if you want to join.

You can also join an instance that's currently taking new accounts and then transfer into the one you want later. For the impatient souls.

Posting

The mechanics of posting are just like Twitter's.

You type in the box, you hit "toot" (I know), and out it goes. You may notice that you get a 500 character limit! This is nice.

If you add an image, make sure to add alt text. Not including alt text may get you flamed or shamed. You can also make a poll, set privacy levels, and add a content/spoiler/trigger warning that will require people to click through to see the text.

Use of hashtags is strongly encouraged on Mastodon. I've seen some talk praising Tumblr's style of having a separate field for tags and suggesting Mastodon add that, but I don't know if it'll happen. But unlike Twitter, there's an earnest culture of incorporating tags into your text (eg "I just bought a new #fountainpen") and following tags to get posts about different topics. This is the main way to find people with similar interests to follow, outside of your local feed.

It's also Mastodon culture to write an introductory post with your interests, including hashtags, so that people can find you.

Something else to be aware of is that you can edit your posts! If anyone has already rt'd ("boosted") them - they will just get a notification of your edit.

You cannot qrt on Mastodon at this time. It's a hotly debated topic. You will have to settle for boosting and then replying, or making your own post with context and linking to the post you want to qrt.

Following other people

If the person you want to follow is on your instance, that's all well and good. Click on their name, go to their profile, click the "follow" button.

If they are not on your instance, you need to make sure that you're accessing them through your instance. Clicking on their name from your federated feed, or if someone has boosted them onto your home feed, will automatically take you to the version of their profile on your instance. Also all well and good.

If you get to their profile from somewhere else, such as a direct link from another social media platform, that's a problem. If you try to follow, their instance will bleat at you that you don't have an account. There are two ways to get around this.

One is to paste their entire username (eg "@[email protected]") into the search bar on your instance, from your home feed. The other is to navigate to "http://[your server address]/[their whole username]" in your address bar. Both will take you to the same place.

#mastodon #tutorial #please join me on mastodon it's lonely

[animentality]

How many times are y'all gonna fawn and gush and fall for Disney dragging yet another actor back to the franchise in a desperate attempt to keep people subscribed to their streaming service?

Hayden Christiansen was even already on a new Star Wars show.

What next, they drag on Alex Guinness's corpse?

Are you going to piss yourselves with ecstasy when they pull back Natalie Portman for a five second cameo that she filmed on her phone?

Are you going to cut off your fingers and toes and mail them to Bob Iger when Carrie Fisher's corpse is tied to strings and danced like a marionette in the newest episode of The Return of the Death Star Star Death: Returning Actor of the Week: Anthony Daniels?

It's always been eye roll inducing but now it's just sad.

How many times can they do this, and still have you weirdos clapping and screaming and frothing at the mouth?

I normally just don't care about other people's entertainment choices, because God knows you have the right to be a fucking idiot, but I really wonder how long Star Wars and Marvel can continue to parade corpses before a rapt-eyed slack jawed audience of buffoons who love a little necrophilia.

I also despise what Marvel and Star Wars have done to entertainment. Multiverses as an excuse to shoehorn in old actors and dead actors and overdose you on memberberries. Endless cameos that rely entirely on older, more original stories that have already been told before. Interconnected universes with none of the narrative consistency that could make them interesting, used primarily so that you can ooh and ahh as you see actors from the 90s reprising roles, for the sole purpose of nostalgia baiting.

I'm so sick of Disney. I'm so sick of star wars products. I'm so sick of marvel drivel.

I'm so sick of blockbusters like Indiana Jones 6 and Transformers Rise of Beasts and endless sequels and remakes and retools.

Make. New. Fucking. Things.

Ahsoka was already bad enough for existing purely to satisfy Dave Filoni's fetish for his own character. Giving her a solo show was banking entirely on your love for the clone wars.

Bring back Hayden...how bad was ahsoka doing?

Book of Boba Fett must've been doing far worse, because that random episode of the mandalorian plopped inside of it was Disney desperately trying to backpedal and bring back its audience.

Maybe if the ratings don't improve they'll bring back Jango Fett or something so you can go make your gifs and your tiktoks and your gushing posts about how exciting it was for you.

And before you even ask or start drafting something, no.

I was not soliciting opinions on this.

#star wars

[harpieisthecarpie]

Harp rants about Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang AGAIN

The dichotomy of Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang in Link Click is, to me, a painful one that I understand both sides of. That I think is so meaningful, and wherever you fall within that dichotomy will tell you a lot about yourself.

The dichotomy

Lu Guang: I love you so much it makes me selfish Cheng Xiaoshi: I love you so much I can be selfless

Both matter. Both are perfectly okay to feel, to accept, to fall into. And what's wonderful about Link Click is that these mindsets both hurt them and heal them, but from what I can tell are never demonized or shown as wrong.

They see each other, even if they don't know all of the other's secrets. They don't need the answer to everything to love their best friend, their partner.

Not to be lame, but it's very much "I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world" (Probably a Song of Achilles quote).

They orbit each other and I truly believe in any universe, any timeline Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang would find each other, not by fate but by sheer force of will. They have been irrevocably changed by each other's presence. There is something found in the other that nothing and no one else could provide.

It's why hands and their clapping is so important throughout the show, why there is so much focus on it. They reach out to each other, a show of vulnerability and trust. Fate isn't grabbing a hand. No, that's choice. That's real love. Through adversity I am with you. Every time I choose you. You are my choice. You are my choice. You are my choice.

I was talking to @fluffy-rulos and I ended up rambling something I think is neat. The vulnerability they show each other is truly "I give you the pieces of me that have been broken, the shards that cut into my hands. You could hurt me, stab me in the back, carve into my heart with them. But I hope you won't. I'll give you my faith and my trust. Know neither are blind." (All from me, baybeee)

Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang show love in different ways, feel it and know it differently, but ultimately it is the intersection of their devotion, their trust, and their dichotomies.

They are juxtaposed, oxymoronic, irrevocably interconnected ideas.

And they are both so, so, so human.

#link click #link click spoilers #shiguang daili ren #shiguang #guangshi #cheng xiaoshi #lu guang #sorry for the very long rant i am mad caffeinated #and i spent like an hour and a half rambling about lc with rulos #thanks rulos ily #also does any of this make sense????

[ahsoka-in-a-hood]

I feel like Bail and Mace's prequel stories are a bit paralleled. A bit connected.

Mace is a good jedi of the republic. He has a strong moral code of conduct. He does the things that are within his power while respecting the boundaries set forth by a democratic state.

By RotS he has become radicalized.

(I'm using the word 'radicalized' as a neutral term. This is not a criticism of his choices either before or after. He is responding to changes in the universe that he inhabits.)

Operating within a republic meant that he did not fully challenge Palpatine until all the democratic avenues had been shut down. That shutting down also caused him to need to compromise part of the code that defined being a jedi in the republic- not being executioners- if the courts existed, and if the republic existed, he could arrest Palpatine instead of killing him. But they don't, and without those resources not killing him will have only one outcome: the death of his people. (he knows this. "i sense a plot to destroy the jedi." He knows how this ends.) Rebels don't have resources. Rebels are fighting for survival.

He becomes a rebel.

Bail is a good senator. He is not accused of being corrupt, or complacent. He is Padme's supporter in her efforts in the senate, and in a deleted scene he argues for the clones. He does it all right. Again this is not a criticism. He is active, he is not a part of the problem, but he is outnumbered.

In RotS he becomes radicalized.

He sees what is happening. The avenues of democracy are closed. He is prepared to commit 'treason' against a state to whom he no longer holds allegiance. He will risk death and worse to protect the victims of the empire, and to fight.

He becomes a rebel.

The Phantom Menace has this little theme of symbiosis, and the problems that occur when any one part of an interconnected system should fail. The midicholorians and the jedi connect to the force together. The humans and the Gungans of Naboo have been ignoring one another, but together they save their planet. The jedi send help to a planet in trouble, but the senate turns away.

Mace, the jedi, dies with the republic. Bail, the senator, takes up the fight and creates a rebellion.

(The rebellion overthrows the emperor when a jedi and a rebellion full of citizens are joined together.)

#it couldn't be padme and obi wan because their stories are too much a part of anakin's #bail organa #mace windu #sw meta

[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

Batman/Batfam Masterlist

Batman

Jason Todd

Dick Grayson

Batfamily

The Batman

🌟= new post

🤕= Whump 😥 = Angst 😘= Fluff/ Relationship

✍= reader insert ✉️ = ask/ request

Main Masterlist

Fics:

One Bad Day…. (Ongoing Batman x Batmom Series) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

The Joker killed your son Jason, but your husband Bruce refuses to break his code in order to get revenge. Too bad no one told the Joker but you don't share that code. And how will you deal with the consequences of your actions?

In the Dark of the Night (Bruce Wayne x Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

When your children ask you to tell them a bedtime story, you tell them of the creatures who come out at night.

Leaving on a Jet Plane (Bruce Wayne x Reader) 😘 😥 ✍ ✉️

When you are offered your dream job overseas, it is the perfect chance to escape the violence and crime of Gotham City. But it also means leaving behind the man you love…. Will you really be able to say goodbye?

Drabbles:

“Are you trying to make me angry?” and “Why would you even care?” = Bruce Wayne

Fics:

Questions (Ongoing Jason Todd x Reader Series of one-shots) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

A collection of interconnected one-shots set in the same universe that documents the reader's relationship with Jason Todd, otherwise known as the vigilante the Red Hood.

I'm So Sorry (Jason Todd x Reader) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

4-Part Series: When the Joker captures you and Jason on the night of your engagement celebration, reveals some truths about your past that may threaten your relationship with Jason.

Anyone You Want (Jason Todd x Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

Your next-door neighbor Jason is one of the best people you know. Too bad he would never give you a second glance. And why would he when he could have anyone he wants?

Wrong Bat (Jason Todd x Reader) 😘 🤕 ✍

Someone discovers your boyfriend is part of the Batfamily so you are abducted and tortured for their identities. Too bad they didn't realize which Bat you were dating.

Not So Invincible After All 😘 🤕 😥 ✍ ✉️

Tired of living in your father’s shadow, you move to Gotham where you meet Jason Todd. As the two of you become an unstoppable team (in love and crime fighting), everything seems perfect. Until something goes wrong…

🌟 It's Not Funny 😘 🤕 😥 ✍ ✉️

When you are kidnapped by the Joker, Jason is frantic to get you back. But once he finds you, things might be worse than they first appear....

Drabbles:

“How did you get in here?” = Jason Todd

Perfect = Jason Todd

Fics:

Don't Make Me Choose (Dick Grayson x Reader) 😘 🤕 😥 ✍

When your twin brother Jason goes against the family (again), your boyfriend is hurt by your choices. But will a secret from your past help him understand your decision?

Happy Meals (Dick Grayson x Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

For months, you and Dick have been searching for that one specific Happy Meal toy. However, is there something more nefarious behind the reason you can't find it?

Drabbles:

“It was a joke.” and “You do have a stupid face.” = Dick Grayson

“Honey, I’m home!” = Dick Grayson x Pregnant!Reader

“Looks good on you.” = Dick Grayson x Male!Reader

I’m Not Sick = Dick Grayson

Fics:

That's What Family is For (Damian Wayne & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

What happens when you and your adopted brother, Damian, are kidnapped and held for ransom? Nothing good.

Seeing Red (Batfam & Wayne!Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍ (First Part Before Seeing Green) (Seeing Red (Alt POV))

When Superman becomes infected with Red Kryptonite, it is up to you and the rest of the Batfam to stop him. If you can.

Seeing Green (Batfam & Wayne!Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍ (Sequel to Seeing Red)

After your encounter with Superman, your family tries everything in their power to save you.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time (Batfam & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

You just left the movies with Dick and Jason when you realize you left something behind. When you go back, things go terribly, terribly wrong.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Aftermath (Batfam & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

After the events of Part One, Dick and Jason must break the news to the rest of the Batfamily.

It Was an Accident…. (Batfam & Third Person Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

Damian and his twin sister were sparring when a distraction leads to a painful accident.

The Masks We Wear (Batfam & Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

Your father is one of the most beloved men in all of Gotham, but that's because they don't know the truth…..

Time Slows Down (Batfam & Reader) 😥 ✍

When a patrol goes wrong and you are flung off the side of a building, you reflect about the people in your life.

Tonight's Entertainment (Batman & Wayne!Reader) 🤕 😥 ✍

When you are taken prisoner and drugged by the Joker around Christmas, he has some interesting plans in store. Tonight's entertainment: You.

I Have Missed You (Damian Wayne & al Ghul!Reader) 😘 ✍ ✉️

When you finished your latest mission for the League of Assassins, all you want is to go home and see your brother Damian. But what happens when your mother informs you he is now in Gotham with his father?

Countdown (Batfam x Batsis!Reader) 😥 ✍

You find yourself in a very similar situation to the one that took Jason's life years ago. But will the outcome be the same for you?

Drabbles:

“Bake me a cake and we’ll talk.” = Dick Grayson x al Ghul Reader

“Don’t worry I got this!” = Duke Thomas x al Ghul Reader

Fics:

Some Wounds Leave Scars (Part One, Part Two, Part Three) (The Batman x Reader) 😘 😥 ✍

Being Alfred Pennyworth's daughter, you have known Bruce Wayne your entire life. But when you return to Gotham after being gone for three years, you realize that neither of you are the people you used to be.

#masterlist #dc #dc x reader #batman #batman x reader #bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #jason todd #jason todd x reader #red hood #red hood x reader #dick grayson #dick grayson x reader #nightwing #nightwing x reader #batfam #batfamily #batfam x reader #batfamily x reader #batmom #the batman

[squash1]

here’s what i’m taking from trc (& my recent extensive ley line research) right now: interconnection. ley lines literally connect different places, they bind spiritual/natural landmarks together into something universal. so i’ve been thinking about what the metaphor of being “awake” means in trc/tdt. being awake is being connected to other people. it’s understanding the interconnectedness of humanity and striving to enhance that connection. “waking” someone else up is about giving it a little piece of yourself, connecting them to collective humanity.

in greywaren ronan finally “wakes up” after hennessy decides that she owes it to ronan to connect him back to the waking world. ronan ultimately has a moment of reckoning after hennessy reminds him of what it means to be awake and connected to humanity — connected to his friends and family. he chooses to return to humanity instead of staying isolated in his mind or returning to a world without humanity. he chooses to be joyfully and painfully connected to the collective. and after making this conscious choice, he finally wakes up.

in the raven king when gansey dies, ronan, adam, and blue essentially pool their collective humanity with the energy of the ley lines and cabeswater to save his life. the humanness of gansey’s friends is willingly given to him in an effort to wake him up. after they make this last ditch effort to save gansey, blue whispers “wake up.” she wakes him, they wake him, with what it means to be interconnected, to be a little bit of everyone you’ve ever met.

as ronan lynch once said “reality is where other people are!”

#yes i’m doing an entire research project on ley lines #yes i am in my gansey era #(never left) #trc #ronan lynch #adam parrish #the raven cycle #blue sargent #richard campbell gansey iii #pynch #adam and ronan #the raven boys #blue lily lily blue #the gangsey #gangsey #the raven king #noah czerny #bluesey #greywaren #call down the hawk #mister impossible #mine

[talonabraxas]

Spiritual Ascension

There are many types and forms of ascension, but these five seem to be the ones most people have questions about. These five are chosen to illustrate the point that we are all interconnected on a microcosm to a macrocosm scale.

1. Personal Ascension

Personal ascension is unique to you. It’s the culmination of your soul’s karmic path. Your actions, reactions, and the free will choices your soul has made throughout your soul’s history.

Our souls are eternal, we live many lifetimes, and our souls exist between lifetimes. When we can understand that our souls exist outside of earthly time, space, and dimension, it helps to expand our conscious awareness of ascension, making ascension and de-ascension possibilities limitless.

2. Planetary Ascension

Our planet Earth, some call it Gaia or Terra, is also involved in the ascension process, the evolution of our planet. Planets are also considered to be a life form.

All life changes.

This is the beauty of life as we are incarnated on this planet. We are seeing many changes; some we perceive as wonderful and others as somewhat horrifying.

No planet is stagnant, and that includes our weather and climate, oceans, rivers, landmasses, and all the inhabitants.

3. Galactic Ascension

And I am not talking about the video game here. We are not alone. There are many, many other types of beings and entities in the universe. All beings are spiritual. Some choose to evolve or ascend; others choose the opposite.

4. Universal Ascension

We live within the multiverse, meaning ours is not the only universe out there. Each universe is based on its own frequencies and will ascend as they are ready.

5. Multidimensional Ascension

Every dimension has specific vibrational frequencies. These frequencies create the dimensions in which a multitude of beings reside.

For example, think of our color spectrum and the rainbow.

Each color has its own set of frequencies, and each set looks like a layer. We can view the multitude of other dimensions in this manner, it helps us to wrap our heads around this concept.

The Ascension Talon Abraxas

[lokisprettygirl]

Under his influence (Post Avengers! Loki x female reader)

Read chapter 26 here/ Series Masterlist

Chapter 27

Summary : Loki's ex fiance brings trouble.

Warning: 18+, Smut, HUGE Canon divergence(Just me making shit up), masturbation, dry humping mention of stalking, mention of psychological torture, angst, insecurities, ptsd, self deprecating behaviour, panic attack, soft precious bean loki, polite bean Loki

That night Loki was taken to a group meeting where he was instructed of things he would have to do in order to repent for the crimes, under the influence of Thanos or not, so many lives were destroyed by his actions and Loki himself wanted to redeem himself, he remembered how much people hated him but somehow he had managed to win the hearts of the people of Midgard but then he remembered Melissa. He was hoping he would not run into her this time.

He already had to deal with the matter of his ex fiance.

You couldn't sleep at all that night, you called your mother and told her that you were staying at a friend's house since your apartment had mold problems and you also told her that your phone was broken because you knew she'd continue to call and will get suspicious sooner or later.

Things seemed messy, your mother was back to hating him again and this time you had no idea how will you tell her again, you couldn't share anything with Mrs Geller and you missed Jane terribly.

Next morning you woke up to the phone ringing so you picked it up thinking that it was your mother.

"Y/n? It's Steve Rogers, I am leaving for Minesotta" you sat up as he said that.

"Umm okay..good luck and have a good journey and i hope you will find your friend"

"You pray for that y/n" you squeezed your eyes as he said that. Once he hung up you quickly showered and put on a summer dress, you missed Loki terribly, it felt like a heartbreak all over again, you knew you had him still, you knew his heart belonged to you but there was a fear eating you up, a gut feeling that something was going to go wrong. As you stepped into the dining area you found Loki, he was in earth people clothing and you always found him adorable like that, but he was accompanied by Thor as well as Natasha, Tony, Clint and Bruce, they were having a meeting of sorts so you didn't want to interrupt them. You turned around to leave but Thor had seen you already,

"Lady y/n" you stopped and turned around and everyone was just staring at you so you smiled awkwardly, your eyes met with Loki and you quickly averted your gaze, the way he was fucking you with his eyes wasn't helping at all.

"Come have a meal with us" Thor said.

"Ummm I think you guys are busy with some top secret Avengers business so I'll come back later" you mumbled nervously.

"We were just talking about the shawarma we had the other day" Tony said so you walked back to the table and took the empty chair next to Thor, there was a space next to Loki available but you didn't want to look suspicious.

"I love shawarma, the chicken one with the garlic sauce and beetroot is the best" you mumbled and you could feel their eyes on you.

"I don't like that, I like the one with tahini" Natasha mumbled as she munched on her pancakes.

"That is absolutely a good choice" you answered her, she looked so intimidating even having a normal conversation. You couldn't help but wonder if they were all the same in other universes, you wondered if all of them were good guys, heroes, the most of all you wondered if your lives were interconnected in those other universes as well.

Sometimes it was hard to process this turn of events in your life, eight months ago or should you say two days ago in this timeline you were living a completely harmless boring dead life where you had no hope or dreams for future and now you were sitting in the Avengers tower discussing the type of shawarma you liked. What the hell happened?

"Brother what are you doing?" You turned your head to look at Thor as he said that and Loki seemed horrified.

"Nothing, what do you mean?" Loki gulped.

"Why were your toes rubbing against my shin?" You burst out into a laughter as Thor said that, others did as well but Loki was so embarrassed, that sweet poodle, you really needed to hug him and kiss him as soon as possible.

"I have done no such thing brother" he answered before he went back to eating, in order to comfort him you took your heels off and rubbed over your toes up and down on his shin just like last night. The pink shimmer of embarrassment from his cheeks has faded and a smile returned to his face as he felt your touch.

After breakfast you went back to your room, if Steve would find Bucky soon then you'd have no business being here but you didn't want to leave just yet. You couldn't leave him here because you knew they won't allow him to go anywhere, Thor wouldn't take him to see you now that he had no memory of you two ever meeting.

You had to come up with something to prolong your stay here.

You stepped out of your room at the supposed lunch time wishing to run into Loki again but you weren't ready to see what you did. You found Loki, Thor and the bunch of Avengers along with tens of other people you didn't recognise, you did recognise Dalia though. There was a woman dressed in a princess gown, loaded with jewels from head to toe clutching onto the love of your life, he stood there awkwardly with his arms barely touching her waist as he tried to comfort her.

"It wasn't until that you left my beloved is when I came to the conclusion that you Loki, my love, you are all I need in my life, you're the man I want to spend the eternity with" she pulled away to speak and he opened his mouth to say something but then his eyes met with yours and he was completely baffled, you seemed hurt and he never wanted to put you through such pain ever again, he didn't understand why fate kept coming between you two. He also didn't understand why Atrishia visited him now, she never came in the previous timeline but then the previous timeline was never supposed to exist.

"Prince Loki why are these mortals staring at us? Can we go somewhere private?" She asked him so he nodded and she hooked her arm in the crook of his elbow as they left for his room.

He had hoped for her to move on because he had come so far from that place, they were never even in love with each other, even their engagement ceremony consisted of them barely speaking to each other, sure they had a rendezvous here and there but the spark just wasn't there, he never felt the toe curling heat that he experienced with you, the marriage was a political alliance, she knew that and he did too.

Before he met you he never felt that need for a partner he'd want to love day in and out but now that he had you he knew he couldn't even imagine being with someone else, he craved his father's approval but now it didn't matter to him as much as you did.

"I can not comprehend how you and Prince Thor can live here, it is so warm and crowded and mortals are so …erratic" She let out a chuckle

As soon as they reached his room, he turned to her and took a deep breath.

"Lady Atrishia i need to tell you something"

"What is it?" She looked at him curiously and he had no idea what to say to her, he couldn't tell her about you just yet, Strange has said to not tell anyone anything.

"I'm afraid I can not continue with this union of us, i reckoned that you must have carried forward with your life, i was considered dead for more than a year" he said nervously, his voice was soft but formal.

"And I have yearned for you every single day Loki, when I learned of your demise a part of me died as well. You have no indication of the predicament i have suffered through during the time, but you are alive and that is all that matters " she hugged him tightly again and he squeezed his eyes as he didn't know how else to push her away, he didn't want to be cruel to her, he was betrothed to her and he knew he had a responsibility here, breaking an engagement wasn't something that the royals took lightly. He knew she would be ridiculed for it.

"Princess Atrishia, i appreciate the concern and i apologize for every hurt that i have caused you or will do so in future but I am not in love with you and I am assured that you are not either" she chuckled and pulled away as he said that.

"Not in love with me? What is that supposed to mean Loki? I didn't come so far for you to tell me that you do not feel love for me, you will learn to love me Loki" she said to him so he took a step back from her.

"That is not how it is going to be now, I am sorry"

"You should be apologetic Loki, for offending me so when I went through all this trouble, when I have spent every night wailing for you to come back, our union was arranged and nothing has changed, you will come around Loki" she insisted and he was starting to feel offended by the sudden change in her tone.

"No I will not, my heart is not yours , it never was, the union was arranged by our families but I'm not the same man any longer, i have changed, i desire love and i have found it in someone, I am sorry"

Her eyes teared up as he said that, he felt bad about her situation but he wasn't going to hurt you any more, not for her or Odin or Frigga, after everything you two thad been through, he wasn't just going to let it all slip away from him again.

"Well who's she? Have you fallen for another princess?"

"Yes but She's not an Asgardian or from Vanaheim"

"Then who, Loki? Who else is there that you have given your heart to?"

"I'm not ready to reveal that information, you need to let go of this union and move forward, for all the hurt that I have caused you I really am deeply apologetic for the same" she crossed her arms and glared at him as he said that. She stormed out of his room and he sighed and then he followed her back into the living area

"Prince Thor, i would love to stay here for a while, arrange a feast for me, would love to experience a Midgardian celebration" she smiled at him so he grabbed her hand and gave it a formal kiss. He looked at Loki and Loki shook his head slightly but he couldn't just deny the Princess, this was her first visit.

"Come i will take you to your private chamber" Thor said to her as he gave out his arm for her to hold on to and she glared at Loki as they walked past him.

Loki looked around but you weren't there anymore and he was worried about you. He quickly went back to his room and then he teleported straight to yours, he found you on the bed all curled up, crying your heart out, the broken sniffles rendered his heart. You already had several insecurities and he was afraid he had brought them to the surface again.

He crawled on the bed and as soon as you felt him around you, you turned on your back to look at him.

"There you are" he whispered softly as he got on top of you, cupping your cheeks he wiped your tears but you were just staring at him mindlessly as if you couldn't believe that he was there.

"How did you get here" you felt his thumb rubbing against your cheek softly and he gave you a smile, just being able to hold him felt surreal again, his scent intoxicated you and made your mind go all hazy as soon as he was in such close proximity.

"Teleportation" he mumbled as he leaned down and kissed you softly, your fingers curled around his neck as he pulled away, you brought him back to you and kissed him feverishly, it felt like ages since you had touched him last even though it's barely been three days.

"God i have missed you" he hummed in agreement as you said that "Do you really remember everything or it's just me that remembers everything and you just have like bits and pieces of the memories?" You asked him as you sniffled so he kissed you

"I remember everything darling, from the moment I laid my eyes upon you to the moment we were seperated i remember each and every little thing we experienced. I remember becoming friends, best friends, then lovers, i remember the heartbreak and the fears we both had, i remember the dreams, I'm here my darling, I'm here" you nodded in desperation as he confirmed everything, not that you doubted him but you were feeling extremely insecure at the moment.

"The dress..you make it look beautiful my love" you smiled at the compliment, your legs hooked around his waist and he moaned slightly at the closeness, he had been wanting to hold you and do other dirty things with you, your presence here but him not being able to touch you was killing him.

You lifted your head up and pressed kisses on his neck, he put his hand behind your head to give you support so you weren't straining your neck like that. The way you were sucking on his skin, he knew you'd leave him all marked, it would heal soon so he didn't mind it either, if you felt territorial about him then he was going to allow you to do whatever you wanted, he needed you to know that you owned him.

"I am all yours my princess" you pulled away as he said that.

"What about the princess…the real one?"

"You're my real princess"

"And i love to be but we have to talk about the princess in the living room" he chuckled as you said that.

"I told her my heart wasn't mine any longer"

"You did?" You looked at him surprised as if he wasn't ready to destroy the multiverse for you.

"I did, I do not understand why she is staying though but I promise she won't be a trouble"

"I do feel kinda bad for her, i have been in a situation where I wasn't..picked or chosen and it hurts alot"

"I know it does, I know how it feels but I can not hurt you or our relationship just to protect her newly found feelings, we were not companions, we barely even knew each other, she didn't even come see me when I was losing it all over there" he let out a exasperated sigh as he finished his sentence so you scratched his scalp and he immediately melted into the touch.

"She knew?"

"Of Course she did, i became the King of Asgard, she must have heard"

You nodded as he said that. Maybe he was trying to make you feel better because the way she was holding onto him out there, she really seemed desperate for him.

"Maybe she was just confused about it all"

"Perhaps you are right but I know if it was you, you would have come for me, you would have come to save me"

Your eyes teared up again as he said that.

"I would come for you, anywhere anytime" you took his shirt off and the double innuendo didn't go amiss.

"Can I make love to you my darling?" He whispered in your ears and you bit on your lips as you nodded with utter desperation, tucking his hair to the side you kissed his neck again, his hands roamed over your thighs and he took your underwear off, your back arched as you felt his fingers on your wet lips, sometimes it was hard to wrap your mind around the fact that a man like him desired you this way.

Even after everything that had happened it was still incomprehensible to accept that he really wanted you and you only.

You unbuttoned his pants and pulled his cock out to stroke him slowly, he let out pretty little moans that you have been dying to hear again.

"I'm so glad you remember lo, i wasn't ready to lose you"

"I'm so happy you remember as well darling" his voice came out all breathy as the sensation in his belly grew, he was so desperate for you and he hoped you knew exactly how much he needed you like this. He made you arch your back so he could unzip the dress and pull your breasts out of the confinement, his lips latched onto your right nipple, you almost lost your train of thoughts as he sucked on them slowly one by one.

"So perfect, you are ethereal my princess" he mumbled before he licked your nipples one more time and all of a sudden he stopped and pulled away a little as he realised something.

"What's wrong?" You asked him but your hand kept stroking him.

"I uhhh.. norns darling you have to stop so I can Think" you bit on your lips as he said that.

"You want me to stop? Really?" You gave him a naughty smile and he placed his hand on yours, brought them both over your head and you felt him rubbing his cock over your lips.

"No I want us to keep going sweet girl" you moaned as his precum smeared on your clit, your body felt on fire and you wanted to keep burning in this flame. Forever and ever.

"Norns I need to stop" he let go of your hands and sat up on his knees so you looked at him with a perplexed look on your face for a second and then sat up as well, while he buttoned his pants you pulled the straps of your dress over your shoulders.

"Everything okay lo? You are worrying me" you chuckled nervously so he cupped your cheeks and kissed you softly.

"I don't have a protection"

"What?"

"Condoms, don't have it" your brows furrowed and it took you a second before you realized that he didn't have a condom in his vault. He only got them once you both had agreed to be more than friends, nothing like that happened in this timeline.

"Ohh…that..is a bummer" you pressed your lips together in disappointment so he smiled.

"It is alright" he said so you climbed on his lap and he was taken aback by the sudden urgency but he smiled as you sat right on his crotch and your arms wrapped around his neck.

"We will do it like this" you mumbled as your hips rolled back and forth on his crotch, the seam of his zipper rubbed against your wet naked lips and the sensation felt too good to be true. His mouth opened, jaw clenched and brows flared as he watched you move in a rhythm, his hands cupped your ass and gave them a squeeze, a guttural moan escaped his throat as the pressure built in the pit of his stomach.

He wrapped his fist around the hem of your dress and pulled it up to take it off your body, the sight of your naked body humping against his half clothed one, your breasts jiggling with every move, your eyes drunken with the feeling was too erotic and he knew it wouldn't take him long to combust.

"You're dripping on me darling" he mumbled as his eyes remained fixated on your cunt rubbing against his bulge. The image would probably make you blush later but right now you just wanted to please you both and you didn't care how obscene you must have looked.

"Mmm you are so hard lo, so perfect..it's heavenly and you are such a good boy, so pretty, i love you" you kissed him softly while your hips continued to gyrate on him.

"I love you my goddess..I'm your good boy, all yours, forever yours, you own me, I'm Yours" his voice came out in broken whispers and you kissed him again and then again.

"You promise?"

"I swear on my manhood darling" you chuckled which in turn made him laugh but both of your heads lulled backwards and he moaned loudly, a little too loud as you both chased that burning feeling together.

This was perfect, every time you gave yourself to him this way it just felt right and you felt as if you belonged to him and that he belonged to you but the moment he was away from you, when other people had his attention you felt insecure again and you had no idea how to get rid of that feeling.

As you both came he picked you up immediately and took you to the shower, you both needed it after that, in the shower he made you cum all over again as he went down on his knees and pleasured you until you had no thoughts left in your head, he was all you could think of and you wished that feeling could have lasted forever but you knew you weren't that fortunate. This new life with him had just begun and it seemed more difficult to live this relationship than the last time.

Loki couldn't stay in your room for long so he teleported back to his, he didn't want anyone to suspect you two.

In the evening Thor had organized that feast for Princess Atrishia and you asked Natasha Romanoff if you could join the feast, she glared at you a little too long before she agreed but she asked you to dress nicely, thankfully you had a fancy black dress that you had worn for your mother's and David's dinner rehearsal.

As you walked in the lounge you suddenly felt out of place, everyone seemed elegant with their suits and gowns, your eyes traced the room and you found Loki along with Thor, Loki was in a black suit while Thor had a blue suit on that seemed too small for his size, they were having a conversation with princess Atrishia, your eyes met with Loki and he gave you a sympathetic look so you quietly walked towards the bar and sat down. You noticed Tony right next to you and he was talking with that bitch Dalia. For some reason you wanted to take all your frustration by smacking the shit out of her.

"This is perfect Tony, in order to present him as a reformed man we can use his past and show the people of earth that he wasn't always evil, he was in love and engaged to a beautiful woman like her, I mean we have hit the jackpot here don't you see?" She said to Tony and all of a sudden you had a sense of dejavu.

This was Melissa fiasco all over again but this time you'd have to compete against the Princess of Vanaheim. A goddamed Princess.

Not again though, you swore to yourself that you won't allow Loki or yourself to suffer all over again. You had no Idea that Atrishia was no ordinary woman and she came here to take Loki. By hook or crook.

😐😐😐😐😐😐😐��😐😐😐😐😐

@annoyingsweetsstranger  @mcufan72  @nixymarvelkins  @stupidthoughtsinwriting  @fictive-sl0th  @eleniblue  @violethaze  @anukulee  @ladymischief11  @12-pm-510  @wolfsmom1 @whylokiissocute  @pics-and-fanfics  @daddylokisqueen  @olivertwistrabbit  @blog-the-lilly  @prettylittlepluviophile  @vanilla-daydreaming  @somewiseguy  @yaaamadaa-blog  @dragonmurray  @elthreetimes  @gruftiela  @thenotoriouserg  @greep215  @yallgotkik  @tactac286  @janineb86  @sflame15-blog  @nyxlaufeyson  @lokidokieokie  @purplekitten30  @sunnixart  @nikkig496-blog  @frozenhuntress67  @qardasngan  @rosecentury  @lokiswife-dark-fox-queen  @hrefna-the-raven  @jennyggggrrr

@cosniffee

#loki x female reader #loki #loki x reader fluff #loki x reader #loki x reader insert #loki x reader fic #loki x you #loki x reader angst #loki x reader smut #post avengers loki #canon divergent au #soft loki

[monroeknoxwrites]

for your valentines prompts: zzl/tlj (or zzl/sqq if you're not feeling it), cybernetic au 👀

Shen Qingqiu walked circles around him. Once, twice, stepping in to examine something up close then retreating a step to mutter behind his tablet.

"Is Dr. Shen enjoying himself?" Zhuzhi-lang asked. His vocal wires had seen better days, the words leaving his fanged mouth with a metallic hiss.

The playful tone to Zhuzhi-lang's voice hid a mounting discomfort. He hadn't allowed another organic this close to him in ages.

Shen Qingqiu was too absorbed in his work to notice either way. He typed on his tablet, fingers flying fast as he noted the small metal scales on Zhuzhi-lang's lower half.

"Immensely! These, they consist of a flexible alloy, correct? May I touch them?" Without waiting for an answer, he ran two fingers along what was essentially a robotic tail.

Zhuzhi-lang twitched under his touch but Shen Qingqiu only marveled at it.

"The interconnectivity is flawless, it moves just as a snake would. The choice to build with smaller, individual pieces to mimic scales allows for greater mobility and speed."

Shen Qingqiu glanced up at Zhuzhi-lang from where he squatted to inspect the thinner part of his tail. While he had little respect for personal boundaries, Shen Qingqiu's eyes reflected genuine wonder and appreciation.

No one had ever looked at Zhuzhi-lang like that. Like he was an undiscovered marvel of the universe and not some wretched abomination, worthless mutated skin grafted to metal, highlighting his grotesque form rather than enhancing it.

Echoing his thoughts, Shen Qingqiu spoke, so breathless in his ramblings it was almost a reverent whisper, "I have never encountered anything as unique and beautiful as you.

"Neither have I." Zhuzhi-lang's confession was lost to Shen Qingqiu racing all over his lab to grab this and that, filling the space with talk the entire time. So too did the ends of his long ponytail slipping harmlessly through outstretched metal claws as he stepped away.

#svsss #zhushen #zhuzhi lang #shen qingqiu #my writing #prompts

[nomacam]

The Stray Kids Megaverse: A Journey Through Parallel Realities

In the vast expanse of the multiverse, where infinite possibilities unfold across countless dimensions, there exists a phenomenon that transcends time and space. This is the Stray Kids Megaverse, a complex and interconnected web of parallel realities that has captured the imagination of fans around the world.

At the heart of the Megaverse lies Bang Chan's Room, a mysterious chamber that serves as a gateway between dimensions. Bang Chan, the leader of Stray Kids, possesses a unique ability to navigate this vast and ever-expanding universe, guiding his fellow members through the myriad of worlds that lay before them.

As they journey through the Megaverse, Stray Kids encounter a multitude of alternate selves, each living a life shaped by different choices and circumstances. These alternate selves serve as a reflection of the group's own journey, highlighting the themes of fate, free will, and the power of choice.

The connections between the members are a central theme in the Megaverse, with each alternate reality revealing new facets of their relationships. Bang Chan and Changbin, for example, are often depicted as close friends and allies in one universe, while in another, they may be bitter rivals or even enemies.

Similarly, the bond between Hyunjin and Felix is explored in various ways across different realities. In some universes, they are depicted as inseparable friends, while in others, they may be estranged or at odds with each other.

The "I am" series represents the group's initial exploration of these alternate realities, with each album offering a glimpse into the diverse and captivating worlds they encounter. In "I am NOT," they confront their innermost fears and insecurities, symbolized by the dark and dystopian landscapes they traverse. "I am WHO" sees them questioning their identities and roles in the universe, while "I am YOU" explores the interconnectedness of their lives and the impact of their choices.

The "Clé" series then builds upon this foundation, introducing new dimensions and challenges for the members to overcome. "Clé 1: MIROH" plunges them into a world of chaos and uncertainty, where they must navigate through a maze of trials and tribulations. "Clé 2: Yellow Wood" sees them facing the consequences of their actions, as they strive to find redemption and a sense of purpose.

Mirrors, doors, and clocks are recurring motifs in Stray Kids' music videos, symbolizing the interconnected nature of the Megaverse. Mirrors represent self-reflection and the discovery of alternate selves, while doors and clocks signify the passage between dimensions and the fluidity of time.

One of the most intriguing theories involves a "lost" universe, where a version of Stray Kids exists that never debuted. This universe serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of seizing opportunities and embracing change.

Overall, the Stray Kids Megaverse is a testament to the group's creativity and the boundless imagination of their fans. It is a journey through parallel realities, a quest for identity and purpose that transcends the boundaries of our own universe.

#kpop #skz stay #stray kids #skz bang chan #skz changbin #skz felix #skz han #skz hyunjin #skz i.n #skz jeongin #skz jisung #skz lee know #skz minho #skz seungmin #skz woojin #changbin #lee know #bang chan #han jisung #woojin #kim woojin #lee felix #hyunjin #skz megaverse #skz universe #skz theories

[city-of-babel]

Doorways into Other-When, Else-Where

“Time and space are not just linear or fixed, but a rich tapestry of experiences, choices, and potentialities, where each moment holds infinite possibilities.

The mirror, often a symbol of truth and revelation, signifies the City’s ability to reflect not just our physical appearance but the deeper aspects of our psyche, our choices, and the consequences thereof.

Within the City—and indeed within each moment—there are doorways to other times and places, "lateral byways" that lead to different aspects of reality. The City itself is a sort of time machine, with corridors and passageways that can transport one to different dimensions of experience.

As you move through the City, you carry with you the knowledge that each moment is a crossroads, each place is a nexus of potential, and that within you lies the power to choose not just your path, but also the time and nature of your experiences. The City is your Memory Palace, your Labyrinth, and your Mirror, reflecting the infinite within the finite confines of its streets and stories.

In the City, time may behave as a fractal, where the patterns of history, personal journeys, and cosmic cycles echo and repeat themselves in varying contexts. Each alley, building, and inhabitant of the City reflect this fractal nature, embodying stories and events that resonate with past and future moments, creating a rich, interconnected tapestry.

The fractal structure of time in the City means that a single event can mirror the larger patterns of the universe. A conversation with a stranger might reflect the rise and fall of civilizations. The pattern of a falling leaf might echo the grander dance of celestial bodies. In this fractal time, the City becomes a place where every moment contains the whole, and the whole is found within every moment.”

From “The Book of Babel, Vol. 7118, Book VIII, Chapter Twelve”.

#city of babel #mirrors #doors

[dilemmaontwolegs]

hihi!!!!

could i pretty please have a bucky x fem or gn avenger!reader? something along the lines of reader having mind reading powers(maybe forced?) and theyre new at coping with it. it causes dissociation, migraines, nosebleeds, etc. reader tries to hide it from the team but bucky notices? either an established relationship or new acquaintances to lovers (your choice) you can really play with this concept as much as you want! i know i put a lot of little details which can be tedious so just whatever you’re comfortable with is more than enough :)

thank you for all your amazing work i adore reading your stories 🥰

Promises || Bucky Barnes

Warnings: Angst, fluff, mention of blood. WC: 1k

You had got too close, you knew it was stupid but you had to try something - it was the last hail mary in the war against Thanos. Bucky had watched helplessly as you tried to get between Vision and the giant purple alien, his fist easily closing around your throat as he tore the golden gem from Vision’s forehead. Bright light blinded you as the stone’s release fractured your body and ignited a power you had never felt before. 

Memories of the madman infiltrated your mind and you felt his sorrow as well his fear of failing. He truly believed he was saving the universe by wiping out half of all life, he didn’t even care if he was one of the incalculable victims of the decimation - he had already lost all he cared for in the search for the stones. 

The connection to his mind was cut as he dropped you to the ground, your throat burning as you desperately gasped for air. The relief lasted only a moment as the stone settled into place and he raised the gauntlet, snapping his fingers without any hesitation. You struggled to your knees, eyes scanning the crowd for Bucky only to see him stumble as he reached for you.

“Buc-” Your words were lost to wind, dust tumbling from lips before the rest of you followed.

Five Years Later She looks tired.

“I’m fine.” You snapped at Bucky, instantly feeling guilty that he bore the brunt of your recent mood swings. “I’m sorry. I have a bit of a headache.”

“It’s fine.” He sighed, rubbing his own head as he tried to stop himself thinking too loud. “Do you want me to walk you to the medbay?”

You shook your head and retreated back to the bedroom instead. “I’m just going to lie down.”

Warmth rolled over your lip and you tasted the metallic bite of the blood running down your face. Pacing past the bed, you made it to the adjoining bathroom and found the culprit was yet another nosebleed. Everyone else had returned as they were from the blip, but not you. You had changed, and Dr Banner had determined the Mind Stone to be the reason. 

The door behind you creaked open and you looked up from the sink to find Bucky’s concerned reflection in the mirror. “I smelt blood.”

You sighed as you dropped the washcloth into the sink and turned to face him. He crossed the room in two strides reaching for the discarded cloth, his hands turning the tap to warm before wringing it out and lifting it to your face. You kept still as he dabbed the blood away, tipping your chin back to make sure he didn’t miss any before he tossed the washcloth into the hamper in the corner. 

“That was surprisingly gentle.” You teased, trying to lighten the mood in the room, a ghost of a smile gracing his face.

“I had a lot of practice.” He smiled bitterly. “Steve was always getting himself into fights, someone had to patch him up.” I guess it didn’t mean that much to him. He still left.

You flinched as you heard his private thoughts and his nostril flared as he inhaled deeply. “I didn’t mean to. I don’t have any control over it…”

“I know.” He said as he swallowed and took a step back. “I just need a moment.”

As quick as he arrived, he was gone and you turned back to the mirror to practice the breathing exercises Dr Banner had taught you. He knew just how interconnected power and emotions were and the deep breathing was something he had practised a lot with over the years when he was internally fighting the Hulk.

The ache in your head eased as you lost the tension from your body, the overwhelming sounds of the world and minds in the building dissipating to a background buzz. A drop of blood on your shirt almost sent another wave of emotion through you but you quickly tore it over your head and grabbed a clean one before leaving. 

…forgot to buy onions…

You shook your head as if you could throw their thoughts from your mind before picking up the pace, you needed to find some place where you could be alone in your mind. 

…she’s going to want a divorce…

You began to run, the endless halls that circled the compound leaving you dizzy until you reached an exit and broke free from the concrete prison and into fresh air. A few heads turned your way but most had their own concerns in life to think anything about you and yours. 

Your lungs were beginning to burn as you slowed to a walk, eventually finding solace beneath an old oak tree. The twisted knots of its roots made an almost comfortable place to sit and you dropped down to catch your breath as a bird song began. 

God, she’s so beautiful.

You looked up from the blades of grass you were running your fingers through and saw Bucky crossing the field. 

I wanted you to hear that. I want you to hear it all, no secrets. He said as he continued to close the distance before crouching in front of you. It’s just going to take some getting used to.

“But we are going to get through this together.”

You dropped your head to his shoulder as you felt a weight of pressure, you hadn’t even known you were carrying, lift at his promise. “Are you sure? You have tried to shelter me from your past for our entire relationship. At some point you are going to have to fall asleep next to me and share your nightmares with me. Are you ready for that?”

No. “I’m willing to try.” For you. His voice wavered as he took your hands in his, bringing them to his lips. “I want to protect you more than anything but if it’s at the risk of losing you then…I can’t lose you.” Too.

“I’m not going anywhere, Bucky. I’m here as long as you want me.” 

Forever won’t be long enough.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x poc!reader #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes x you

[violet-moonstone]

if anyone lets me talk about clipping for too long i get so excited that i have to stop myself from tearing up...like not just from excitement but because so much of clipping's work is so dark and honestly horrifying but like my favourite horror it's so fascinating that I can't look away

like splendor and misery to me is not only an afrofuturist album but just as much of a horror album as there existed and addiction to blood and visions of bodies being burned . I was expecting horror from those two albums...but the existential dread of splendor and misery mixed with the darkness of allegory for the transatlantic slave trade hit me right in the gut.

I made the mistake of listening to that album for the first time at like 2 in the morning and I got into this weird panicked state that happens sometimes when I'm up really late and thinking about something upsetting where I feel completely and utterly isolated from the rest of humanity - like nothing else exists and I'm the only consciousness left - and considering that narrative of splendor and misery, that was bound to happen

don't even get me started on "true believer". something about that song freaks me out. it's a beautiful song but I can't handle it most of the time.

one a sidenote, Daveed Diggs was a great choice to play the protagonist of Snowpeircer because that show freaks me out the same way splendor and misery does - something about dystopian, futuristic narratives and complete isolation from the rest of humanity, which is either inaccessible or destroyed, etc etc

"the deep" affects me in much the same way. IMO that song did so much that Black Panther 2 hardly accomplished (although I noticed the similarities right away and I really wished that movie had played out differently).

and then there's the horror of the "story" tracks...all of these people trapped in ongoing narratives of tragedy, trauma, and violence, and THEY'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED. THEY ALL HAPPEN IN THE SAME UNIVERSE BUT YOU HAVE TO PUT THE TIMELINE TOGETHER. ITS SO GOOD.

man, I love clipping

#clipping #daveed diggs #splendor and misery #music #clipping.

[deusvervewrites]

"if All Might hasn’t fully decided and doesn’t contact Nighteye about it, then he wouldn’t act, meaning that he wouldn’t have taken in Togata."

The alternate universe where Togata doesn't intern with Nighteye, thus it takes longer to master his Quirk (depending on who he interns with instead), and possibly isn't part of the "Big Three" by the time of canon.

I would say that this is another thing that the fandom doesn't take advantage of, but I have seen numerous times that people have the timelines mixed up of when exactly Nighteye mentors Togata. Specifically, people think he already picked Togata by the time All Might tells him about Midoriya.

It's easy to forget how many moving pieces there are to canon and how they interconnect. Nighteye picked Togata after All Might picked Midoriya because he thought that choosing a Quirkless middle-schooler was a mistake and refused to hear otherwise until Midoriya shattered one of his predictions. Before that, he and All Might had been largely out of contact, presumably since he used his Quirk on All Might without the latter's permission.

So if All Might doesn't make his choice then, Nighteye wouldn't be in the market for a 'superior' selection.

Considering Togata's previous Sports Festival performances, it would likely be a struggle for him. However, a good mentor could get him that control he's missing, and Nighteye is hardly the only qualified teacher out there. So what happens to Togata is pretty much up to interpretation beyond that point.

#asks #meta