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#computer and then i gotta copy the image then i gotta paste it and then i gotta resize it bc its bigger than my canvas
danpuff-ao3 · 8 months
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Fanbinding Process 1: Typesetting
Someone asked me to chronicle a fanbinding project a while back and now that I'm in the starting stages I figured "oh yeah I should do that!"
Disclaimer: still new at this. Please don't judge me. And also this is just what I do and really when it comes to some of the smaller details, that's personal choice and stuff you'll decide once you get going and know what you wanna do with it!
Anyway current project: A Choriambic Progression (one of my faves!) (I'm also doing In Between Days at the same time but I'm further along in that one so it's not a good one to really show.)
Step 1: Gotta save the fic! I'll say ahead of time how I do this with AO3 fic, even though A Choriambic Progression isn't on AO3. With that, I go to Download > HTML. I've found that way will copy over all the formatting whereas the other ones didn't for me. Then I open the HTML file and copy paste into Google Docs.
Instead with A Choriambic Progression I just went to the Wayback Machine link and copy/pasted all of that.
Step 2: I do my page setup before fixing the body of the work, so I inserted a few pages above the work. I consulted a few books on hand to decide the layout. Page 1 is a simple title page:
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I know when I print, odd numbered pages will show up on the right and even numbers will be on the left. So when I first open the book, the simple title page will be face up.
Step 3.) Which means for Page 2 I do the copyright page:
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I temporarily removed my actual location for this, but: I made a name for my bindery. Most I've seen have the location of the publishing company, so I have my location in that section. Most copyright pages vary in the setup and even some information, so I borrowed what I liked! A lot have like "First Printing: Date, Second Printing: Date" so I list where all I've found the work, plus when I'm binding it. Even though it's July right now, I figure most of my work on this will be in August so I put August 2023 for that.
For ISBN I usually will put AO3 ID: and the work ID #. Since this was originally posted to Ink Stained Fingers I used Ink ID instead and it's ID # (which is 21???? Very cool.) Also since this fic is old and not really anywhere else, I had to do my best guessing on the date, which as best as I can figure was sometime 2004? And the print line for funsies! Though I don't think I'll do more than this one printing of it, but who knows!
Step 4.) Images in Canva. Which is just....me creating whatever icons and images I want to use in Canva, which is at least a title image. In Canva I opened an Instagram Post sized template. I threw in the title + artist. I had no idea what sort of art I wanted, so I just typed in "magic" and found this crystal & plant art I liked. I fixed up the font how I liked and then went to Share > Download > check Transparent Background > Select Pages: 19 (to just save page 19) > Download.
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I also went into another Canva project for smaller images that i call "icons" to make my bindery icon and also a simple image I want to have at the top of the first page and downloaded both of those.
Step 5.) Back in Google Docs aaaand....I knew I'd need some pages before my title image so on Page 3 I added the "archive information" (which is where I'll normally pull the info from AO3, but I did the same basic idea here.)
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Then Step 6.) I inserted another blank page (CTRL + Enter) and on Page 6 I went to Insert > Image > Upload from Computer and added my title image. Below it I added my bindery icon and spent over fiddling with it to get it properly centered. (It never wants to center correctly.) Iirc I went into Format > Align & Indent and played with "center" and "increase/decrease indent" until it behaved itself.
Step 7.) CTRL + Enter for another blank page. Then I make sure the start of the fic is on an odd page (though I can always fix this later in Acrobat.) I inserted my cute lil story icon above the start of the story:
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Step 8.) I realized I had a problem in that I did all this setup BEFORE setting my font. So I had to CTRL + A to select it all and set it to Times New Roman 16, which I know will print in a way I like.
Next I'll say, I like to keep the space between paragraphs in an ode to fanfic-y ways. But I also like indented paragraphs. So this is a personal choice, but with everything still selected I went to:
Format > Align & Indent > Indention Options > set Left & Right to 0. Then select Special Indent > First Line > set to .5.
THEN I had to go back and fix my title, copyright, and archive pages, but it's less annoying to do that than it would be to try to highlight over 300 pages to do this for JUST the fic. I later added some extras (such as the poem at the end, the author's note, and some review/recommendations for the fic that I wanted to format differently.)
....Basically just figure out how you want to format it.
Step 9.) CTRL + F. This fic was a NIGHTMARE to fix up, ngl. I did all of this last night but basically...I had to find all the scene breaks by going CTRL + F and searching "***" so I could replace those with a horizontal line (Insert > Horizontal Line.) But a few places had tildes instead so I had to do an extra CTRL + F: "~~~~" That wasn't so bad.
The bad part was realizing how much had to be italicized. Regular italic words had a "*" on either side, while correspondence began and ended with an underscore. So I had to CTRL + F: "_" and then highlight and italicize all the letters. Then CTRL + F: "*" to find all the italicized words of which there were like 200. Very tedious.
Step 10.) File > Download > PDF Document
Step 11.) I opened the PDF in Adobe Acrobat for my final stages. Mostly here I make sure all of the pages are in an order I like and make sure all of my pages that need to end up on the right are odd numbers. And if not, I can go to the sidebar on the right and go to "Organize Pages"...there I can reorganize or add blank pages where needed.
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Step 12.) Page Numbers & Headers! Again this is personal preference but I can show you how I did it and you can make your own decisions about how you want to do it.
Close out of Organize Pages. Then from the sidebar I chose "Edit PDF." Then at the top toolbar I click on "Headers & Footers" and select "Add."
For me, I wanted the title as a header, and I wanted to insert page numbers. So in "Header Center" I wrote the title and in "Footer Center" I clicked on "Insert Page Numbers."
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Then because I want my page numbering to start on Page 3 (I like to start numbering at the Archive Information page) I click on "Page Range Options" and in "Pages From:" I changed "1" to "3."
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Note, if you fiddle with the pages later on and reorganize or add new blank pages, Adobe won't adjust the page numbers for you, which is why I make sure my pages are all in order first.
Step 13.) My least favorite part is REMOVING headers & footers from pages I don't want them on. So on all blank pages I took off the title & page number. I took the title off of the Archive information and the Title Image page. I took the title off of the "Recommendations" pages later on, too. It's not only tedious but Acrobat likes to be difficult about letting me select the page numbers so it takes a few tries of me getting the page just so before I can select and delete the page number.
Anyway at that point it's ready to go so I make sure to save it to my Fanbinding folder and next up I can print! So...we can do printing & page folding and maybe page cutting in Part 2.
You know...if I remember. 😬
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I've mentioned this before but I've just gotta mention it in its own post because it is so wild to me.
If AI was actually a compositing machine, that would be FAR more technically impressive than it actually is.
To dramatically simplify, diffusion models are really, really beefed up denoising filters that use text guidance to determine what the end result should be "under" the noise. They use statistical correlations between the text and images they've "seen" during training to figure out what patterns to enhance in a bunch of random noise, and what to smooth out. It's a huge breakthrough in computer science, to be sure, but compared to the collage machine people think it is, it's BABY stuff.
An automatic collage machine would have to:
Either store its source images locally (which would be actually MIRACULOUS to do in the file size of any known model even at unusably low quality, let alone at a high enough resolution to sample) or retrieve them from the internet live, EVERY time (which would take absurd amounts of time and severely compromise the model's reliability)
Have an even BETTER understanding of the correlation between pixel patterns and the words that describe them such that it would know WHAT to cut out even where its border isn't clear
Know WHERE to paste what it cut out
Be able to smooth out the boundaries between elements and alter the lighting and potentially even the style to look consistent - including being able to copy-paste more than one image of the same subject together and post-process it this way to create new angles
Be able to do this with or without an image as guide, no matter what that guide image is
Filter the result heavily enough that reverse image search won't expose it without making it unrecognizable as the subject it's supposed to be
And we somehow think THAT'S easier to program than what we have, AND it would still return hands that look like this?
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...I mean, hell, I know drawing hands is hard, but I don't usually see people fuck them up in that specific kind of way.
It's like how it was easier to land on the moon than it would have been to fake it with the tech we had at the time.
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rakneodesigns-blog · 6 months
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How to Create Faceless YouTube Short Automation Videos with Free AI Tools to Make Money Online and Work From Home
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Do you want to create attention-grabbing short videos that could get thousands of views on social media just by using free AI tools?, all you have to do is create faceless YouTube Short Automation Videos with Free AI Tools. Then read this blog post till the end, I will show you how you can do it. https://youtu.be/-8y6Cs1tq8o In this blog, I'm sharing tools tips, and tricks that can help you improve health, wealth, and relationships. Recently, I posted a blog post about a way to earn money on YouTube without recording videos, in this blog post, I will discuss another way to make money on YouTube by creating faceless YouTube Short Automation Videos with Free AI Tools. If you are interested in these kinds of content, you can give your comments and suggestions down below. Bookmark this post for future reference. First, sign in to chat.Openeai.com, you can write a question like "can you give me give me 10 popular quotes from the Democritus?"
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then chatGPT will give you 10 quotes. However, it's better to change it a little bit because, with these AI tools, it's always a good idea to use them as a tool instead of directly getting the response as an answer to create your content. Try to modify it and make it unique so the chances of another person getting the same results will be lower. For example, you can play with anything that you like, I'm gonna write something like "turn each of these quotes into business quotes". That will be something unique that we can create from the quotes.
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Then Chat GPT will give some quotes which can be related to business. Then, we gonna sign up for the Leonardo.ai website which is free. There's an option called AI Image Generation.
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You can type any prompt to create whatever character you want with any appearance. You can be creative to create a unique character. For this example, I have typed the prompt as Democritus Man with a black background. I got four impressive image results. Pick the one you want and upscale. I chose one and upscaled it by clicking the three-dot button. There are two options to upscale, choose whatever option you like. After upscaling, all you gotta do is download the generated image by clicking the download button. The image will be downloaded to your computer. The next free website we gonna use to create YouTube Short Automation Videos is called D-ID you can log in and hit the create video button. Click the add button and import the downloaded image to the website.
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Then all you have to do is go to chatGPT and copy one of the quotes. Next, come to the D-ID and paste the quote. After that, hit the Generate Video button. A talking video of the generated avatar will be generated. Click on it and click on the download option to download the video. Go to a CapCut free video editing software. This free amazing video editing software can help us create YouTube Short Automation Videos. You can download Capcut on your desktop or on your mobile phone.
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Click on the plus button and import the video we download from the D-ID website. Firstly, we need to change the ratio to optimize for short videos. Click on the ratio button and select ratio as 9:16. Now you will see there is the d-id watermark on the video and the video looks small on the frame. To fix these issues, expand the video dimensions to zoom in a little. click the tick mark to save changes. As the next step, we need to create captions. For that, we have to go back and tap the text button and you will see the button called auto captions, click that. Over here, we can customize, style, and add animations to the captions as we wish. Ensure you turn on the identify invalid clips option. This will make CapCut automatically detect tone sounds and pauses in the audio of the video which will make it easier for you to delete these parts with a click of a button. When we hit start capcut will automatically create captions and highlight the pauses and tone sounds of the audio clip. Double-check the invalid parts and delete them all by clicking delete all. You will notice that there is a CapCut watermark at the end. Just delete it by clicking on the part and the clicking delete button. We can add some effects to the video now. Go back and select effects, then click video effects. From the list of effects available, you can choose whatever the effects you prefer. You can also adjust the glow and intensity of the effects as you wish. The effects you add will be represented as tabs. Drag the tabs till the end of the video if you want these effects to last throughout the video. Similarly, you can change the font of the captions. Just go back and select the text button, then choose the part of the caption you wanna edit and click the styles button to customize the features of captions. Add a suitable audio track to your video. Always ensure you are using royalty-free soundtracks in your content to avoid copyright issues. If you notice that the background sound is louder than the audio of the video, you can reduce the volume of the background sound by clicking on it and clicking the volume button to lower the volume of the sound. Same way, you can select the video and tap on the volume button to increase the audio of the video. You may notice that the soundtrack is longer than the video in the timeline. To remove the unnecessary part, click the audio go to the place you want to split, and hit the split button. Then you can select the unnecessary part and remove it by tapping the delete button. By creating these types of videos around a specific niche, you can build a huge audience on one or more social media platforms.  After that, you can monetize these audiences to earn money online. You just have to select a relevant and great product's affiliate link in the bio section and drive traffic to these offers. Whenever a member clicks through your affiliate link and purchases something, you will earn a commission. This way you will be able to earn a decent amount of money online depending on your dedication and skills. I hope you found this blog post helpful and I would like to know your thoughts and opinions in the comment section. If you want to learn how to make money on YouTube without recording videos, check out this FREE training Read the full article
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sunnyrinusstudies · 3 years
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Going FOSS: An Intro to Open-Source software for studyblr (and also some privacy related bits)
Source for Header Image
Intro & attempt at TLDR
Hey everyone! Today I’d like to tell y’all something about Open Source Software, and also Why this should matter to you! This’ll probably be the first post of a series I intend to do, because I believe the Studyblr community, even the non-nerd folks, could really benefit from switching some things out in their digital environment. Since this is a long post, I attempted to summarise it below, please do read on if you have the spoons tho!
TLDR?
FOSS stands for “Free and Open Source Software” the “free” part doesn’t necessarily mean it’s free as in free pizza, but mostly means free as in freedom.
There’s a humongous amount of variants on this concept, but the core of FOSS specifically is the four freedoms:
1. To run the program however you want and for whatever you want
2. To study how the program works and to change it in whatever way you want
3. To be able to share it with whomever you feel like
4. To be able to share your modified version with whomever you want
There’s a whole host of software licenses built around these concepts, you can check those out at the Open Source Initiative website, or at Choose A License. Both have a good summary of what they all stand for.
Open Source software is used for a lot of products, nearly every single webserver is an Apache Linux server, Google chrome is built on top of their open source chromium (google is still the devil, but y’know, it’s an example), and even deep deep down, Apple computers run on top of a Linux Kernel. Many more can be listed, but I won’t do that otherwise this isn’t a TLDR anymore.
Now, Why is this important for you? The Open Source Initiative summed it up real nicely already, but heres a short paraphrase:
Control & Security. If software is open source then you can check if it really works the way it does, and to make sure it’s not spying on you. Even if you don’t have the skills for it, someone else who does will be able to check. Also if you don’t like how something works in a program, then you’ll be able to change it or find someone else’s changed version that you like more.
Training. People who want to learn programming can use the code to see what makes programs tick, as well as use it as a guide for their own projects.
Stability. Because everything’s out in the open, that means someone else can take up maintaining a project or make a successor of it, in case the original developers suddenly quit working on it. This is especially important when it’s software that’s absolutely critical for certain tasks.
Community. It’s not just one program. It’s a lot of people working together to make, test, use, and promote a project they really love. Lots of projects end up with a dedicated fanbase that helps support the developers in continuing to work on the software.
I’d like to add one more tho: Privacy, which ties in a lot with the security part. Nowadays with protests going on and everything being online due to the pandemic, folks have been and will be confronted much more with the impact of privacy, and lack thereof. Open Source software means that if any company or group tries to spy on you, then you and anyone who feels like checking, will be able to know and take action on it. Here’s the EFF page on privacy and why it should matter to you
If that got your attention then read on past the readmore button! Or, if nothing else maybe check out the Free and Open Source Software portal on Wikipedia? Or maybe the resources page of the Open Source Initiative?
Terminology: Let’s get that out of the way first
Open Source: The source code that a program is made up of is freely accessible, anyone can look at it and check whether it works well enough or to make sure it doesn’t spy on you.
FOSS: Free and Open Source Software. This doesn’t mean that you don’t need to pay for it, it’s free as in freedom and free speech, not free pizza.
There are four freedoms associated with FOSS:
The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).
The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others (freedom 2).
The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3).
By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
FLOSS: Free and Libre Open Source Software. This time it is “free” as in free pizza. The “libre” is french for “free” as in freedom.
GRATIS: Sometimes people use this word to mean “free” as in free pizza. Usually alongside “FOSS”
Licenses : A license is something that tells others what they can or cannot do with your code. Licenses also apply to art and literature, those are copyright licenses. There are many different software licenses and I’m not going to be able to list them all.
The biggest players however are:
Apache License 2.0
The 3-Clause BSD License
GNU General Public License (also known as GPL)
MIT License
Mozilla Public License 2.0
There’s even more and you can find a list of them Here on the Open Source Initiative site There’s so many licenses that there’s even a Choose A License site, where you can pick a license depending on what you want it to achieve
Who and/or what even uses open source software?
You don’t need to be some nerd to benefit from Open Source software, in fact, you’re using open source software right now! The biggest example is the whole entire internet. Websites are stored on servers, and nearly every single webserver is a Linux server. The second biggest browser Firefox is open source, and even google chrome is built on top of “chromium” an open source base. If you dont use an iPhone, then you’re probably on an Android phone. Guess what? Android is part of the Android Open Source Project, which is then built upon a GNU/Linux base. All Open Source. Chromebooks? Built on top of a Linux kernel (like a non-patented engine you could put into any motor vehicle you’d like). Heck, even Apple computers are, at their core, built on top of a Linux kernel.
Neat apps you may wanna check out!
I’ve made a little list of apps that might be especially useful for studyblr folks, but depending on how well this post does I’ll probably make some more posts for specific apps.
TiddlyWiki, has a bajillion different ways to organise your thoughts, and also a lot of variant builds out there. Check out their table of contents if you feel lost! There’s versions available for most big browsers, as well as windows, linux, mac, android, and iOS.
AnyType, is an app that looks and almost exactly like notion, but is much more decentralised. They’re currently still in development but if you want to support them, sign up for early access and give them some feedback so they know what works and doesn’t! They’re still in closed alpha, but are intending to give beta access to about 100 folks at a time throughout 2021, so please sign up if this looks interesting to you!
Trilium Notes, is slightly more like a “notebook”, however you can arrange your notes in nearly infinitely deep folders. You can use things like Relation Maps & Link Maps to visualise your notes and how they go together. There’s even more they do and I just cant list it all, so go check out their stuff for a more comprehensive overview! Works on windows, linux, and (unsupported) mac
LibreOffice and ONLYOFFICE are two office suites that function just as well as micro$oft office, often Even Better in my experience. I’ve used LibreOffice for years now and honestly? never going back. OnlyOffice is technically free (as in pizza), but it’s a slight hassle to get everything set up, cause you need to set it up on a server. They have a paid and hosted version available with educational discounts, but honestly i’d go with LibreOffice.
OnePile, is an app I haven’t used myself since it only runs on Apple stuff. But I’ve heard a lot of good things about it so that’s why it’s in here. It looks like it works similar to most general “note taking notebook” apps. Looks really pretty too honestly.
EtherPad, is similar to ONLYOFFICE, however this one’s a lot more focused on specifically text documents. Works with real-time collaboration which is really neat.
Anything that FramaSoft has going on. They’re a non-profit organisation, dedicated to promoting digital freedom. A lot of open source cloud related things are not really useful to people who don’t have the time and/or money to set up a whole-ass server. That’s where FramaSoft comes in, they do it for you. Just about everything they offer (here’s a full overview) are free (as in free pizza). They also have a separate site to help you get started!
It’s not free to run it all on their side, so if you find yourself interested in using their services please try to support them any way you monetarily can! (they even have a “minetest” server (not minecraft, deeeefinitely not minecraft))
Joplin!! Which is also what I used to write this post so I wouldn’t have to use The Tumble’s post writing thing. It’s good for taking notes, has a bunch of neat plug-ins, and can also sync with a variety of cloud services!
Nextcloud For if you want to go just that little bit further on the open source and the privacy. Nextcloud has honestly way too many features for me to list, but the important parts are that it’s a nigh perfect replacement for office365, and probably even GSuite. The one caveat is that you either gotta host it yourself, or get someone else to host it for you. Framasoft (mentioned above), has a nextcloud instance. It works on just about every single platform, and can integrate with an absurd amount of services. Here’s a list of providers that work with nextcloud, and what different apps they have installed on their server.
I personally use Disroot, because they’re a local (as in, my country) non-profit that offer about 2gb of free storage, and then for about 15 cents per GB per month you can get more storage if you want. They also have an email service which is hella neat. Their one main rule is Do Not Use For Business Purposes, because they’re here to help the individual folks, not companies.
Neat Links you may also want to look at!
Here are some sources, and also resources that I used for this post. There’s also some stuff here that I think folks may be interested in in general.
General Wikipedia Article on Open Source Software
The Free and Open Source Software portal on Wikipedia
Resources page of the Open Source Initiative
Free Software Foundation definition of “free software”
itsfoss page on what FOSS means
itsfoss page on the history of FOSS
Open Source Software Foundation list of projects and apps they really like
Open Source Initiative on “the open source way”, and how it goes beyond software
Check out literally anything the Electronic Frontier Foundation has going on maybe?
TED talk on privacy and why it’s important
The Surveillance Self Defense project by the EFF
This EFF page on privacy for students
ExpressVPN article on privacy (not necessarily endorsing this company, just a good article)
What’s next?
I’ll probably make some more posts on specific kinds of software that I think folks may like. Or maybe a general overview on the more privacy forcused reasons and solutions for doing all of this.
Future post ideas, none of these are set in stone:
Open source Note taking apps
Replacements for just about Every Single google service I can think of
My personal setup
Open source / privacy conscious social media that studyblr folks may be into
Chatting, Calling, Videocalling: Discord and whatsapp alternatives etc
??? More studyblr apps that could do with a FOSS alternative??
How to support open source when you’re not a big fudgin nerd
How to be better at digital privacy and security, while still maintaining that studyblr aesthetic
Apps, software, other stuff, for specific areas of study maybe?
Feel free to suggest other ideas! Or leave feedback! This is my first big resource post so I wanna know if/how I can do better when I make another one!
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fbfh · 3 years
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dear baby; strawberry milkshakes - leo x reader parents au
words: 1.8k
summary: You and Leo are getting used to adulting together, when Chiron asks for your help. Next thing you know, there’s a little demigod for you two to take care of - and you’re not going to let her down.
warnings: almost boning but getting interrupted, shit is said twice, one use of fucking I think, mentions of orphanages and the foster care system, mentions of CPS, being at a CPS building, adopting a child, leo has trauma, leo and reader take in a child when you’re both 19, technically teen parents but not really, the kid has some trauma too, everyone has trauma but literally what’s new
au: sort of college + parents au
song recs: raining in new york mix - the bootleg boy (tw for some sort of sad dialogue samples), falling in love with love - bernadette peters in cinderella (1997)
a/n:  I saw a kids book called Sophia Valdez Future Prez and I know nothing about it but immediately knew I had to do a parents au where you and Leo have a daughter named sophia???????? also I accidentally gave myself baby fever whoopsie
also I was barely able to proof read this and had no brain while writing half of it so if the beginning feels rushed at all that’s why teehee
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Straddling his lap, you start to take off Leo’s shirt. He tilts his head to the side as you nip at the skin gently. He moans softly, then tenses. 
"Shit!" He hisses, sitting up and pulling your shorts back up. You look at him bewildered, and he nods his head to the side, and you see a shimmery cloud that says that you have an incoming iris message from Chiron.  
"Oh shit," you echo, moving to a reasonable distance away from him, a thick throw blanket tossed gracefully across your legs and pulled up to cover your chest, and you're grateful your shirt hadn't been thrown across the room already. 
He pulls his shirt down and you toss him a throw pillow to cover his very obvious excitement. You give each other a ready as we'll ever be look and accept the call. 
"Hey Chiron… what's up?" Leo asks nonchalantly. 
"You must pardon my intrusion, dear children, I hope I'm not - er - interrupting anything.” “No, no, not at all,” you answer, hoping what you had been doing wasn’t too obvious in spite of how both of you are looking particularly flushed and deschevled, “we were just watching a movie.” 
Leo nods in agreement, and you list two different movies at the exact same time, the dark knight rises and moonstruck.
A beat passes, and you continue, “Double feature. Just finished Batman and we’re about to start Moonstruck.” 
Leo agrees. You can’t tell if Chiron is buying it, but he seems to move on relatively quickly. 
“Right. I’m afraid I must ask for your help with a rather time sensitive situation.” your brows furrow in unicen as he continues. 
He tells you about a young demigod a satyr found, not even four years old yet, but they haven’t been able to get her to camp. Apparently there were some complications, and CPS was called, now they’re looking for her parents to see if she’s going to a foster home or orphanage. If they can’t get to her before the CPS finishes processing her, she’ll be lost in the system. He’s asking older demigods and demigod families in New York, since processing time will go the fastest if the family or guardians are in-state. 
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but please consider taking her in, at least temporarily.” You and Leo share a look, hearts already hurting that life has gotten to this kid so soon. 
“I’ll give you some time to discuss this, please call me back as soon as you have an answer.” 
You agree, and the shimmery image of Chiron dissipates.
“... Oh my god,” you breathe. 
You turn to each other again, the same thing mirrored in each other's eyes. An immediate, unspoken conformation that there’s no way you can’t help this kid out passes between you. You know Leo, especially, will do whatever needs to be done to keep another orphaned demigod out of the foster system. The scope of the impact you could have on this kid’s life starts to dawn on you, and you lock eyes with Leo again, his face set in determination. 
“Estrella,” he starts, and you know what he’s going to say. 
“I know,” you confirm in agreement.
His leg is bouncing, and you lean over, grabbing a notepad and pen from the coffee table. Your mind is already racing, and you begin scribbling down a list of everything you’d need to do; get her a bed and clothes, research where she is in her developmental stages, put together a meal plan or at least some foods she’ll like - what do toddlers even eat? He starts pacing around the coffee table. 
“We gotta help this kid, we-” he cuts himself off, overwhelmed with determination. 
“We will.” you confirm, equally determined. You grab your laptop and start copying your list digitally so you can get everything organized. You stare at your reflection in the black screen while you wait for your computer to boot up. Once again, the reality of your situation hits you.
“We’re 19…” you state, in disbelief. Your mind is racing with doubts. What if you somehow make everything worse, what if you can’t handle it? He crouches next to you, placing his hand on your cheek.
“And we have a lot of love to give.” The smile in your eyes tells him that you know he’s right. You transcribe your writing, surprised that you’re okay with how fast this is all moving, and you let out another breathy laugh of disbelief. 
You go through your hastily made checklist, switching between tabs about child psychology, parenting advice, and kid’s furniture and clothes websites, strategizing with Leo on how you can pull this off, and a plan gradually comes together.
“I mean, this is a two bedroom,” he says as you look through pages of bed frames and mattresses, “we can clear out our studio and turn it into her room.” 
“And…” you add, checking yet another tab, “there’s a building nearby that rents out studio spaces and workshop areas. Ooh, and free parking.” you read on the website. It’s already late, but you send them an email anyway. Hopefully they’ll get back to you tomorrow. But for now… 
“We can get a bed tonight, but we’d have to hurry. We can probably get some pjs and maybe a stuffed animal while we’re there- toothbrush!” You exclaim, adding it to your list, “I knew I was forgetting something…”
 Leo stops pacing, and looks at you. “So… we’re doing this?” You can’t fight the smile on your face, and he already has his answer. 
“We’d better call Chiron back,” you say, excitedly bubbling out. You both enter the bathroom, and iris message chiron with mist from the shower. He answers almost immediately.
“We thought it over and…” you trail off, letting him finish.
“We want to help.” 
After changing into some presentable clothes and swinging by the store for a car seat and some other essentials (you almost forgot tooth paste this time), you’re driving with Leo to meet Chiron at the CPS office where they had Sophia - the girl Chiron told you about. You call the Ikea store not too far from your apartment, thankful you’re able to reach them before they close. You arrange to have them deliver a toddler bed to the spare bedroom in your apartment, your neighbor agreeing to let them in. Luckily, you had the presence of mind to get most of your and Leo’s stuff out of there, the corner of the living room now holding your desk and his drafting table. 
You’re still a little blurry on the details of how you’re going to get custody of this kid when you’re barely legal and have no ties to her or her family, but Chiron said he could work everything out. You assume the Mist will come in very handy. You and Leo discuss this on the way over. 
You can tell he’s worried. Knowing the horrors he went through in the foster system would be bad enough without all the demigod bullshit on top of everything. You take another deep breath. 
“This is what’s best for her,” he says matter of factly, “she needs to be with people who understand her.” You agree, and he continues, very fired up.
“She needs to be in an environment where she’s not going to be ignored and ostracized; she needs to be part of a family, not a fucking meal ticket.” 
You squeeze his leg supportively, and he takes another breath. 
“You’re right. And she’s going to get all of that.” He scoffs in agreement.
“There’s not a better place for someone like her than-”
“With someone like her.” you finish. He pulls into the parking lot and you enter, meeting Chiron in the building. Your hand holds Leo’s tightly, unsure of who’s shaking more. Chiron explains that he already had a discussion (wink wink) with the social worker, and knows that he has the perfect couple to take little Sophia in, and all you have to do is meet with her and sign some papers. 
So that brings you here, waiting outside the office door, holding each other’s trembling hands before finally entering. She doesn’t look up at you at first, until the social worker introduces you. Leo squeezes your hand, and she finally looks up, her eyes speaking a language you and Leo know. You know there is absolutely no going back from here, and you both sit down across from her. 
“Hi, you’re Sophia, right?” She looks away, clearly and understandably overwhelmed. 
“Don’t be rude, Sophia-” the social worker starts, but you cut her off. 
 “It’s okay, she didn’t do anything wrong.” you turn back to her, “You know, me and Leo have an extra bedroom at our apartment, and a kitten that I think would really like you. Do you want to come stay with us?” 
She doesn’t look back up right away, but she turns her head towards you. 
“Is it a boy or a girl?” she asks softly. How is she so precious already?
“A girl,” you reply, “named Jackhammer, because she purrs so loud.” 
She giggles, and you and Leo squeeze each other’s hands in unison.
“Really?” she asks. 
“Oh yeah,” you reply, “I’m sure she’d love to play catch the mouse with you.” She considers for a moment, then looks over at the social worker, who gives her an encouraging nod. After a moment of consideration, she replies quietly, “...Okay.” 
She hops down from her chair, and you both follow suit. The social worker hands you some papers, and you both sign. You guide her to the lobby, let Chiron know it went well and promise to update him soon, and bring her to the car. You pull out of the parking lot. 
Not long after leaving, you see a fast food place. 
“Are you guys hungry?” you ask, nudging Leo gently. 
“Yeah, I could definitely go for some fries. How bout you Sophia?” 
She nods, then asks quietly, “Can I get a milkshake?” 
Her expression is hesitant, and you get the sense she’s expecting a no. 
“Of course kiddo,” you say.
“What flavor do you want?” Leo finishes, turning to look at her. Her eyes are bright with hesitant excitement. 
“Strawberry, please.” 
After leaving the drive through, you have Leo search through your phone for any kid friendly music, and discover the only thing you have saved that’s appropriate for present company is the soundtrack to the Cinderella musical from 1997.
That’s how your little family started; driving late at night, singing along to Bernadette Peters, and drinking strawberry milkshakes.
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dickspeightjrs · 4 years
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Get Fit, Get Happy (au / 7.1k words / teacher!dean / football coach!cas
ao3 link
“Alright everyone settle down, let’s get started so we can finish.” Principal Ellen Harvelle addressed the teachers of Lawrence High, squashed into the teacher’s lounge for the weekly staff briefing. She ran through the agenda for the meeting as quickly as she could. 
No one liked the staff briefings. It was the same old shit every week. Please don’t use the printer for personal use. Clean up after yourself. And can whoever keeps leaving fish in the fridge please stop. We’re close to banning fish altogether. 
Dean just didn’t listen anymore. He’d been an English teacher at the school for five years now, he’d heard it all before. Now, he and Benny, the home economics teacher, would just sit at the back and make each other laugh like silly schoolboys. They were worse than the kids they taught. 
“And finally,” Ellen continued, “I’d like everyone to welcome our new football coach. Woulda like to introduce yourself?”
Dean looked up from where Benny had been doodling obscene images on the back of his copy of the meeting agenda, and his eyes went wide. Ellen was gesturing to a timid-looking guy standing just off to the side. How could this dude be the new coach? He was wearing a trench coat for crying out loud! 
“Um, hello everyone,” the guy waved awkwardly, probably not expecting to be put on the spot. “I’m Castiel Novak.” He then turned back to Ellen, who had clearly been expecting him to say something more if her confused look was anything to go by. 
Not a huge talker then. 
Thankfully, they were all saved from the awkward silence by the morning bell, which caused the teacher’s lounge to become much more hectic than it had been all morning. Teachers dashed out to get to their homerooms on time so their kids weren’t left alone for too long. They all knew what the consequences were if the kids went unsupervised. 
Dean bid Benny a goodbye and moved towards his own classroom. He walked past Castiel on the way, who was looking a little bewildered by the sudden commotion, and caught his eye. Dean only gave a nod in greeting. No way was he going to get himself stuck with the new guy. No matter how hot he looked up close. 
*  *  *
Later, at lunch, back in the teacher’s lounge, Dean was sitting at his usual table in the corner with Benny. Charlie, who taught computer science, had joined them. Castiel was still the main subject of conversation for many of the faculty members in the room. 
“I just don’t get how a guy like that is a football coach? Where did they even find him?” Dean scoffed. 
“His stats speak for themselves, actually.” Charlie answered. “And if you must know, he’s from Chicago. Moved here last month.” She shrugged before taking a bite of her sandwich. 
Benny and Dean looked at each other with matching looks of ‘what the fuck?’
“How the heck did you know that, Bradbury?” Benny asked. 
Charlie chewed slowly and refused to meet their eyes. 
Dean sighed. “You befriended him, didn’t you?” He took Charlie’s silence as a ‘yes’. “Dammit, Charlie. You always gotta take in the newbies, haven’t you?”
Charlie’s eyes narrowed in response. “I took you in when you started.”
Benny gave a nod of ‘fair enough’. 
Dean swallowed. “Yeah but, if you start being friends with him, then we’ll end up having to be friends with him too.” He whined. 
That clearly wasn’t the right thing to say as Charlie’s face went hard and she immediately stood up. “You can be a real dick sometimes, Dean,” she spat out as she angrily packed up her half eaten lunch. “See you later.” She grabbed her bag and turned to stride towards the door. 
“Wait, where are you going?” Dean called after her. 
“To see Castiel. I’m sure he could use a friend on his first day.” She retorted, with venom, over her shoulder. 
Dean turned back to face Benny who had a pained look on his face. 
“Well done, Brother.” 
Dean lifted his hands in exasperation. “What? The guy seems like a hard-ass. He needs to let loose a little. That’s all I was gonna say.” 
Benny chuckled. “Well, you’d know. You let loose a little too much. Maybe he should take a leaf out of your book.” 
It was true. Dean did live a laid back life. He wasn’t in a relationship, hadn’t been for years. Instead, he got by on one night stands and cheap beer until it was time to get up Monday morning and be Mr Winchester. 
He breathed a laugh. “You’re right about that.” 
Then a sly grin started appearing on Benny’s face. “Why don’t you be the one to show him what he’s missing?” 
“What’re you talking about, man?” 
“I bet that you can convince him to let go a little.” Benny raised an eyebrow. 
“No way.” Dean shook his head. “That dude has a stick so far up his ass, there ain’t room for anything else.” 
Benny pulled a face at the image. “TMI, Brother.” 
Dean rolled his eyes, but then thought to himself. He had to admit the guy was hot, even in that weird trench coat he’d been wearing earlier. It might be nice to change it up a bit and challenge himself. And if Castiel didn’t fall for Dean’s charms at least Dean would win the bet against Benny. Win-win.
“Fine. I’ll give it a go. What time frame are we talkin’ here?”
Benny thought for a second. “By the first football game of the season. You think you can do it in three weeks?” 
Dean scoffed. “Can’t believe you doubt my talents, man. It’s a deal.”
*  *  * 
Figuring he’d start his crusade as soon as possible, Dean went to watch football practice straight after school. He’d carefully avoided Charlie’s classroom, knowing that she was probably still annoyed with him. But, he knew he’d win her over again with a promise of being her handmaiden at her LARPing event sometime. However, that could wait, for now he had his sights set on Castiel. 
Dean climbed his way up onto the bleachers, hoping Castiel wouldn’t see him watching him like a stalker. He still didn’t really want to talk to the guy, not yet anyway. He was just gonna watch him in action and consider where to go from there. 
It was about ten minutes into practice when Castiel finally made an appearance, having already sent the boys out to warm up. 
Seeing the coach stride across the field to where the team waited, panting from their mini workout, made Dean’s eyes almost bug out of his head. 
Castiel wasn’t wearing that bulky trench coat anymore. Instead, he was wearing a very form-fitting workout shirt with matching running shorts. The outfit hugged the firm outline of Castiel’s body. It was clear now why Castiel was a football coach. He might not have been traditionally ‘bulky’ but man he certainly looked strong. 
Dean found himself letting his eyes wander across Castiel’s tanned skin a few times during the practice. And if they made their way up Castiel’s runner’s legs and settled on his firm looking ass, well that was no one else’s business but Dean’s. 
Even once the practice was over, Dean remained stuck to his seat. He was pretty sure he’d just witnessed a God on that field. At this point, he didn’t care if he lost the bet to Benny, he was definitely going to get with Castiel. Even if it killed him.
“So did you enjoy watching my practice?” 
Dean jumped out of his skin. He clutched a hand to his chest, willing his heart to beat normally again. “Jesus, man, don’t sneak up on people like that.” 
Castiel’s previously smiling face now looked downcast. “I apologise, I’ll leave you alone.” He turned around to walk back towards the field. 
“No, wait,” Dean called out. This wasn’t the way it was meant to go, he needed Castiel on side. “You don’t need to leave, you just made me jump is all.” 
Castiel turned back and regarded Dean, before walking up to him and taking a seat next to him. 
“Why did you watch?” Castiel asked.
Dean shrugged, nonchalantly. “I just wanted to check you out.” He smirked. “Apparently you have some good stats. You really know your way around a ball, if you know what I mean.” He raised an eyebrow suggestively. 
“I suppose I do, yes. The team I coached back in Chicago were champions three years in a row before I left.”
Was this guy being purposefully stupid? How did he not realise Dean was flirting with him? He referenced his fucking balls for christ’s sake!
Dean shook his head in exasperation. He was right, the dude did have a stick up his ass. 
“Is everything okay?” Castiel asked, squinting. 
“Yeah, I was just wondering if you could teach me some of those ball skills sometime?”
Right, Castiel had to understand the flirting now. 
“I believe, before trying to master any skills, you should first increase your level of fitness.” 
God fucking dammit! This guy was clueless. 
Wait, did he just call Dean unfit?
“Hang on a min-” 
“Would you like to join me on my morning run?” 
Dean looked into Castiel’s questioning eyes. He was doing that little squint and tilting his head again. How could this dude be hot and adorable? It wasn’t fair. (Not that Dean would admit to anybody, not even Benny, that he found Castiel cute). 
But this could be a way to spend some more alone time with Castiel - and turn on the charm. As much as the thought of running at any time of the day, let alone in the morning, made Dean want to hurl, he nodded. 
“Sure man, sounds good. Where and when?”
Castiel blinked in surprise. He clearly hadn’t expected Dean to agree so readily. 
Ha! At least Dean still had the upper hand. 
“Oh, um, well there’s a nice wooded area around my house that I’d quite like to explore a little more. You could meet me at my house and go there?” Castiel offered. 
“Sounds good.” Dean repeated. Though, it did not sound good. 
Castiel gave Dean his address and told him to come over at around 6.30 the next morning. Dean almost whimpered at the thought of being awake early enough to get there on time, but the flex of Castiel’s muscles as he lifted himself to his feet made him remember what it was for. 
*  *  * 
Nope. No one was worth this. No matter how beautiful and God-like they were. 
Dean could see his breath dance in front of his face. He just knew this was going to be the worst morning of his life. They hadn’t even started the run yet and Dean was already done. He’d also failed to realise the day before that he didn’t actually own anything to exercise in. 
So here he was, sitting on Castiel’s doorstep in a pair of Sam’s old Converse that he’d managed to dig out of the closet. He’d thrown on a band shirt and an old pair of tracksuit pants that he actually uses to sleep in during the winter and hoped that it would be good enough. 
He could feel himself begin to nod off  when Castiel’s door finally opened. 
“Oh, hello, Dean.” Castiel almost stumbled, not expecting to see Dean sitting on his doorstep. “I didn’t realise you’d arrived. You could have knocked and waited in the kitchen to keep out of the cold.”
Dean hastily rose to his feet to face Castiel. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I just wanted a bit of fresh air.” In all honesty, Dean had debated knocking on the door but he didn’t know what he’d find on the other side. He was already far enough out of his comfort zone for one day. 
Castiel looked sceptical but didn’t say anything. Instead he gave Dean’s running clothes a once over with a slight raised eyebrow. 
Dean almost started feeling a bit self-conscious under the gaze. It wasn’t his fault that he wasn’t an exercise nut like Castiel seemed to be. He definitely wouldn’t be coming back after today. He wasn’t here to be judged.
“So have you stretched already?” Castiel eventually spoke, as he began stretching his arms above his head and shaking them out after a few seconds. 
Dean scoffed. “Yeah, no. I ain’t stretching.” 
“That’s up to you. But you might regret it later.” Castiel shrugged, bending down to touch his toes. 
Fucking hell. Dean looked around to see if anyone else was watching this display too. Seeing Castiel’s tanned skin stretch and flex this close made Dean glad he wasn’t wearing tight running shorts like Castiel was. 
Once Castiel finished warming up, he directed Dean down his road until they reached the wooded area he’d talked about the day before. 
“I think it would be nice to run along this trail, it wraps around a lake and if we’re lucky we might see some of the ducks and their little ducklings.” Castiel smiled. 
Dean couldn’t figure this guy out. One minute he seemed mysterious and closed off and the next he was smiling adorably over freakin’ ducklings. 
“Sure, dude. Whatever you say.” 
“I’ll make sure to start slow so it’s a little easier for you.” Castiel assured. 
A little easier? It’s just fucking running. 
Castiel took off with a steady jog, and Dean rolled his eyes. He ran to catch up. There was no way he was going to be left in Castiel’s dust. 
*  *  * 
Half an hour later, Dean was regretting being so dismissive of running. His legs felt like they were on fire and his lungs were about to burst. 
Castiel had been jogging steadily in front of him the whole time while Dean panted his way along the trail. He knew he looked like an out-of-breath, sweaty mess but by this point he didn’t care, he just wanted it to be over and never have to exercise again. 
Just as he managed to catch his breath again and speed slightly to catch up to Castiel, he came down on an uneven part of the walkway. His ankle rolled and he stumbled to the ground with a none-too-quiet yelp of pain. 
Castiel immediately stopped in his tracks and appeared at Dean’s side, kneeling down to see what had happened. 
“Are you alright, Dean? What happened?” 
“I think I tripped on a tree root or somethin’” He hissed through gritted teeth, showing Castiel his swelling ankle. “Shit, man, this hurts.” 
Castiel hummed to himself before tentatively reaching his hands out to Dean’s foot. “May I?” He asked, looking into Dean’s eyes. If Dean hadn’t been in so much pain, he’d surely find himself getting lost in Castiel’s calming blue eyes. 
“Just be careful.” Dean said, harshly. 
Undeterred by Dean’s harsh tone, Castiel placed delicate hands on Dean’s ankle. He gently pressed around the swelling and apart from a couple of sharp hits of pain, which made Dean hiss again, his inspection was over quickly with minimal fuss. 
“It looks like nothing more than a sprain.” Castiel assured. “We can walk back steadily. You can lean on me if it’s easier, and I can take your weight. I think we should wait for some of the swelling to go down a little first though. There’s a picnic area just up from here, we can sit on one of the benches.” 
Dean was reluctant to get help from anyone, let alone the weird new guy but he knew he wouldn’t make it any further without help. 
After a couple minutes of limping (and trying not to focus on Castiel’s firm body against his) Dean settled onto one of the benches in front of the lake. 
They’d been out in the woods for almost an hour now and Dean had to admit it was pretty awesome seeing the sun rise through the trees. It was actually kinda peaceful watching little bugs skit across the smooth water of the lake. 
“I gotta say, Cas, this is actually kinda nice. Y’know the woods and the lake and everything.” Dean gestured to their surroundings. 
He glanced at Castiel and saw a small, peaceful smile on the man’s face. 
“Yes, I do enjoy being here. I’m glad I found it when I moved here. And I never seem to see anyone when I come here on my runs.” Castiel paused. “Does this mean you’re going to be nice to me now?”
Dean cringed slightly at being called out for his treatment of Castiel up until this point. He guessed the guy wasn’t as bad as he’d originally thought. Actually, he seemed like a pretty nice dude. 
“Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I don’t play well with others.” 
“That’s not the impression I got from Charlie yesterday. She spoke highly of you, and how much she values your friendship.” 
Dean snorted. “That’s surprising considering I pissed her off yesterday too.” 
Castiel frowned in confusion, encouraging Dean to continue. 
“Ah, I, um, was talking about you and she didn’t like what I was saying so she stormed off.” Dean explained, rubbing the back of his neck in shame. 
“Oh, I see. If you don’t mind me asking, what was it you said about me?” Castiel’s face was questioning. 
Dean couldn’t tell how the other man was feeling and he didn’t want to push him away when he’d just started genuinely liking the guy. 
“It was mainly that I couldn’t see how you were the new football coach because you turned up that morning looking like a tax accountant in that trench coat,” he explained, tentatively. He cringed a little now at how wrong he’d been in his first impression. For an English teacher he clearly had a hard time not judging a book by its cover. 
“Oh, well,” Castiel replied, starting to look a little uncomfortable. 
“But I don’t think that anymore!” Dean rushed to explain. “Man, you kicked my ass at running this morning. And you looked awesome at practice yesterday. The kids seemed to really listen to whatever you said.” 
Castiel looked down bashfully at his lap at the compliment. “Thank you, Dean. I’m glad I was able to change your mind.” 
“Seriously, Cas,” Dean continued, “I don’t know how you have the motivation to keep up with exercise all the time. Being the coach is one thing but going for a run every day, getting up at the ass-crack of dawn? I couldn’t do it.” 
“I suppose it’s because I don’t only do it for the physical benefits but also the mental health benefits too.” Castiel explained. 
“Mental health? How can exercise improve your mental health? I just spent the last half hour wanting to die because it was so painful.” 
Castiel chuckled. “Well, yes, I suppose getting started is always the hardest part. But doing exercise is proven to help clear your mind and help reduce stress and anxiety.” 
“You sure know a lot about this, huh, Cas?” Dean asked, impressed with what he was learning about Castiel. 
But Castiel’s expression changed. He was suddenly closed off again and looking at his lap. He cleared his throat. “It’s from personal experience. About five years ago, I fell into a deep depression. Exercise, running in particular, helped me get out of it.”
Woah, Dean had no idea what to say to that. Castiel may come across as a little shy and nerdy but Dean would have never thought he’d have a difficult past. Don’t judge books, Dean.
Dean let the silence around them build for a few moments before carefully choosing his next words. He didn’t want to outright ask Castiel about what caused his depression, and he knew enough to know that it might not have been any specific thing at all. 
“So how did running turn into becoming a football coach?” 
Castiel lifted his head to give Dean a strange look. It was like he wasn’t used to people not asking for more personal details. 
“There was an opening at the school my brother worked at and they allowed me to try giving coaching a go. Their team wasn’t the best anyway so they really had nothing to lose. As I said yesterday, that team went on to be champion for three consecutive years.” Castiel explained. 
“Wow, dude, that’s awesome! And it was cool of your brother to get you that job.” Dean said, nudging Castiel with his elbow. 
“Oh,” Castiel shook his head, forlornly. “You misunderstand me. It was the school my brother had worked at but he didn’t get the job for me. It was after he’d died.” 
Fuck. Dean wasn’t expecting that. That must have been what sent Castiel into his depression. 
Dean knew he’d probably be the same if anything ever happened to his brother, Sam. The kid may be out in California for college still but that didn’t mean his brother wasn’t still one of the most important people in his life.
Dean didn’t have to debate what to say next, as Castiel carried on speaking. 
“He was killed in a car accident. We were twins so we were always incredibly close. As you’ve probably guessed, that’s what made everything change. I took up running a few months after the accident as a way to be on my own and clear my head. And also, I suppose, be closer to him and talk to him.” Castiel shrugged, as if what he was saying wasn’t important and even a bit weird. 
But Dean didn’t think it was weird. There was nothing weird about Castiel now. Dean was in awe of his strength and his determination to carry on and get through one of the most tragic things that could ever happen to a person. 
The moment didn’t need filling with words so Dean just put an arm around Castiel and pulled him in a little closer. He still barely knew the man but he knew when another human being needed comfort and not judgement. And that was just what he was going to give him. 
Eventually, they parted and Castiel gave Dean a wordless nod in thanks, before helping Dean to his feet and guiding him back down the path. 
They never got to see the ducks but Dean figured they’d just have to come back another day for them. 
*  *  * 
Despite his initial grumblings about going running so early in the morning, over the next week or so Dean joined Castiel on some of his runs. He even bought himself some proper running shoes and sportswear, much to Castiel’s pride (and amusement). He’d threatened Castiel with bodily harm if anyone at the school found out he’d been wearing stretchy shorts - especially Benny, he’d never let Dean forget it. 
And as well as joining Castiel in the mornings, Dean found himself watching the football practices still too. However, he didn’t stay hidden on the bleachers for long once some of the kids on the team spotted him. He taught a couple of them for English and they convinced him to come down to the field and join in with their practice. Dean had looked to Castiel for permission and simply got a beautiful, welcoming smile in return. 
Watching Castiel teach, up close, was amazing. Even though the whole point of football was competition, Castiel never made it about only winning. He made sure the players knew their value on the team, and helped them work together. He was even open with them about his struggles with mental illness (though keeping some details private, of course) and how exercise helped him and could help them too. 
It made Dean think about himself as well. About what the cheap beer and one night stands was really covering up. Maybe he had his own demons that he’d been avoiding and keeping at bay with the wrong methods. 
He brought it up with Castiel after practice one night and they stayed talking with each other for hours until it was pitch black outside and there was a chill in the air. Dean drove home after with a rumbling stomach but a lighter heart. 
Through all their interactions, whenever Castiel laughed at something Dean said, or squinted adorably at a reference he didn’t quite understand, Dean felt a twinge in his gut. It took him a couple of days to fully understand it but a couple weeks after their first run together, Dean knew it. 
He was falling in love with Castiel. 
*  *  * 
Dean didn’t dare to mention his newfound feelings to anyone, not even Charlie, in case it got back to Castiel. 
But secretly, privately, he began working up the nerve to ask Castiel if he’d like to go to dinner sometime. He was nervous that Castiel would reject him and he’d be heartbroken but he knew, without a doubt, that Castiel would never judge him for it. 
Dean finally decided that he’d speak to Castiel after the final football practice before the first game. 
But when Dean arrived that afternoon, he could sense an immediate shift in Castiel’s mood. The coach never let it show in front of the team but Dean liked to think he knew Cas pretty well now and there was definitely something wrong. Cas wasn’t laughing at Dean’s silly little quips, instead just giving a polite smile and continuing with the drills. 
Once the final kid was picked up by their parents, Dean turned to where Castiel was usually waiting by his side. Only this time, Castiel was nowhere to be found. 
Dean jogged back over to the field and found Castiel collecting up the equipment they’d used during practice. 
“There you are, Cas! I’ll help with this if you want and then could I talk to you about something before you leave?” Dean asked, reaching to take one of the helmet’s Castiel was juggling. 
“No, it’s okay, Dean. I can manage. What would you like to talk about?” Castiel asked in a clipped tone. He didn’t meet Dean’s eyes, instead busying himself with tidying up. 
Dean shook his head a little in bewilderment. But he figured if Castiel had an issue he would have brought it up with Dean already. 
But being put on the spot, and not having a little extra time to prepare what he wanted to say, Dean suddenly didn’t know how to formulate everything he felt without overwhelming Cas and being rejected. 
Castiel turned his back on Dean to collect some plastic cones and stack them together again. 
Okay, Dean could work with that, at least it might be easier without having to look Cas in the eye.
“Uh, okay, well I guess I’ve realised lately that how I feel about you isn’t strictly platonic. And I was wondering if you wanna go out for dinner after the big game on Friday? Y’know as like a date, type, thing?” Dean cringed, he sounded like an idiot who couldn’t string a sentence together. 
Castiel stood from where he had been bending down and turned to face Dean. 
Instead of happiness or even disgust, Dean could only see sadness in Castiel’s eyes. 
“I didn’t think it was actually true. I didn’t want to believe it. I thought I’d finally found someone who knew me and didn’t judge me. But it was all a lie, wasn’t it?” Castiel whispered, tears building in his eyes. 
Dean was flabbergasted. What was Cas talking about? 
“Cas, man, I don’t understand.” Dean begged, eyes searching Castiel’s for any sign of where this had come from. 
“I found out about your bet with Benny. You know the one to try to sleep with me by the first football game of the season?” Castiel spat out with more anger than he’d ever heard the man speak. 
Oh fuck. Shit. Fuck. 
Dean had honestly forgotten all about that stupid bet. Ever since that first morning they went jogging and Dean twisted his ankle, what Dean had been feeling for Castiel was nothing but true. And now just as it could all be even better, it was taken away just as quick. 
Dean swallowed, “How did you find out?” 
“I overheard Benny telling someone in the teacher’s lounge this morning.” Castiel said with a glare. 
“Cas, I-” 
“Forget it, Dean. I was happy to have your friendship and up until this morning, I would have been even happier to have more. But I’m not going to be used for some childish, immature schoolboy bet. Grow up, and please don’t speak to me anymore.” 
And with that Castiel took the pile of cones he’d collected and strode across the field away from Dean with his head held high. 
Even as he watched Cas walk away, and felt his heart break too, Dean couldn’t help but admire Castiel’s strength and certainty of his own self-worth. 
*  *  * 
The next day, Dean cornered Benny in the parking lot before school. He’d been tossing and turning all night trying to think of ways to get Castiel to believe him and forgive him but anxiety and self-hatred overpowered any logical thinking.
“Benny, why the fuck were you talking about our bet in the teacher’s lounge yesterday?” Dean practically growled. He didn’t want to be angry with his friend but none of this would have happened if he’d kept his mouth shut. 
“Woah, Brother.” Benny held up his hands in defence. “Why are you so heated? I was only telling a coupla the IT guys that it seemed like you were getting somewhere with the bet considering all the time you’ve been spending with Castiel.” He explained. 
Dean grit his teeth. “Yeah, well, Cas overheard and now he won’t talk to me.” 
“‘Cas’ now, is it?” Benny raised his eyebrow with a smirk. 
Dean just glared at him. That was not the part to be focussing on. 
Benny relented with a sigh. “Okay, fine. I’m sorry, man. But I don’t even see the big deal. It’s my fault he found out so I can forfeit the bet.” 
Dean was close to punching the car door next to them with frustration. “I don’t give a single fuck about the bet. I care about the fact that Cas thinks I only spent all that time with him just to get into his pants.”
“Dean, Brother, you’re making it sound like you’re in love with the guy.” 
Dean just gave him a desperate look. 
“Oh. You are in love with him.” Benny muttered as realisation dawned on his face. 
“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know, man. But it doesn’t matter now because he won’t talk to me. I tried going to the lake to catch him on his jog this morning but he never showed.” 
Jesus. Dean was really starting to feel like he was back in high school with all these feelings and relationship drama. 
“So come up with some way to make him listen.” Benny shrugged, as if it were that simple.
“But how am I meant to do that?” Dean asked, frantically. 
“Don’t ask me, I’ve already put my foot in it once. I ain’t doing it again.” 
Dean groaned and wandered off towards the school building. He knew Benny was only trying to help by not helping but Dean was running out of ideas.
The closer he got to the front doors, the more he realised who he’d have to go to for help. 
Charlie. 
*  *  * 
It turned out that Charlie had already heard from Castiel about everything that had happened and was also reluctant to talk to Dean. But he did eventually manage to get her to hear him out. 
The pitiful look that Charlie gave him after he’d explained his side of the story was enough to make Dean want to cry. He was screwed. 
Charlie stood there and let him say his piece before giving him a look, telling him to ‘Nut up, Winchester’, and started planning what Dean could do to win Castiel over. 
*  *  * 
Dean decided to put his plan in motion the Monday after the first football game of the season. 
Lawrence High had won, of course (there was never any doubt with Castiel leading them). And by Monday the victory high was still present amongst the students and the teachers alike. 
At lunch, Dean had seen many members of staff come up to congratulate Castiel on the win. Some of them had never even spoken to him before, which pissed Dean off. They didn’t give a shit about him until he made the school, and therefore them, look good. Assholes. 
Castiel was too polite to say anything other than a small ‘thank you’ and give them a blushing smile. Dean’s heart melted a little when he saw it grace Cas’ features.  But, Dean couldn’t jump to his defence, Castiel still wasn’t talking to him. It hurt, but Dean hoped by the end of the day, he’d win Cas over. 
That afternoon, Dean anxiously watched the clock tick down to the final bell. As soon as it rang, he was with his students rushing out the door. He had a lot to get ready before Charlie lured Castiel to Dean’s classroom in half an hour. 
That half an hour went quickly with Dean dashing around to make sure everything was perfect for Cas’ surprise. But finally everything was ready. 
Dean had converted his classroom into a mini movie theatre with various blankets and cushions laid out on the floor in front of the projector screen. He’d even ordered some limited edition burger pizzas because Cas had mentioned last week that he’d seen them advertised and wanted to try one. 
With everything in place, Dean was left to wait for Castiel to arrive. He tried not to watch the clock tick with every second but it was the only way to keep himself from over-thinking and doubting everything he’d planned. 
When another ten minutes passed with no sign of either Castiel or Charlie, Dean was beginning to give up hope. 
Maybe Cas caught on to the plan and still didn’t want to speak to Dean. Maybe Dean just needed to give up and get over it. He’d ruined his chance and that was it. 
“But Charlie, why do I need- oh.” 
Dean’s head whipped up at the sound of Castiel’s voice. 
There he was standing in the doorway of Dean’s classroom, with Charlie poking her head over his shoulder and giving Dean an encouraging thumbs up. Then she gave a salute and scampered off, leaving the two men alone. 
“Dean, what’s all this? What’s going on?” Castiel asked, gesturing to the items on the floor. 
Suddenly, Dean was painfully aware of how stupid he probably looked right now. He searched his brain for the right words to say but he couldn’t. For days he’d been thinking about what he’d say to Cas in this moment but now he was faced with the man, watching him with those beautiful blue eyes, Dean was stuck. 
But nothing good ever came easy. So he took a leap. 
“This is to say sorry for everything that happened with that stupid bet.” Dean explained. 
Castiel looked skeptical. He didn’t move from his place at the door. 
Dean sighed and walked towards him. “Look. You don’t have to stay but I need you to know that it stopped being a bet when we first went to the lake together.” Dean searched Castiel’s eyes, trying to get him to understand the truth. 
Castiel's eyes looked hopeful but still guarded. 
“I’ve never met anyone like you, you’ve been through so much and you’ve pulled yourself out the other side. I guess I still need a little help with that.” Dean shrugged. 
Castiel still didn’t say a word. 
“Please, Cas, stay? Watch a movie with me?” Dean begged.
Castiel took a deep breath. And finally spoke.
“What movie is it?” 
Dean’s mouth split into a grin. “It’s, uh, it’s not actually a movie. It’s a documentary on ducklings and other baby animals. After I told Charlie that we never got to see any at the lake, she told me about this guy, David something? who makes documentaries. And, well, I thought you’d like it.” 
“David Attenborough.” Castiel supplied.
“Uh, what?” 
“The man’s name is David Attenborough. He makes very interesting television shows about animals all over the world.” Castiel explained. 
“Oh, cool.” Dean nodded. “So, what d’ya say? I don’t wanna rush you but Charlie only convinced the janitor to keep the school open until ten. So we’ve gotta start it soon if we don’t want to be locked in.”
“I’ll stay on one condition.” 
“Sure..” Dean answered, unsure of where this was going.
“Kiss me.”
Dean didn’t have to be asked twice. He closed the gap between them and pulled Cas as close to his body as he could. He had him now and he was never going to let go. 
Once they broke apart, Dean guided Castiel to take a seat amongst the pillows and blankets while he pressed play on the computer. 
They spent the next couple of hours eating pizza and watching the documentary. Cas would interrupt the commentary with his own knowledge of various animals and Dean did nothing but smile and pull him closer, happy to listen to Cas talk for hours about what he loves. 
The next thing Dean knew, he was waking up with Castiel’s warm body pressed up against his and the early morning sunlight streaming through the windows. 
Dean sat up and searched for his phone. 
07:18
Oh crap. They’d fallen asleep and ended up being locked in after all it seemed. 
Luckily, Dean had woken up before the school day began and they were found by the janitor or, god forbid, some students. 
He turned to wake Castiel but paused for a moment to take in the man lying next to him. 
Castiel’s hair was a mess and his shirt was rumpled from sleep, and he was the most beautiful soul Dean had ever seen. Now Dean had him, he wasn’t ever going to fuck it up again. 
Running a soothing hand through Castiel’s hair, Dean leant down to whisper in his ear. “Cas, you gotta wake up. We fell asleep, dude.” 
Castiel blinked awake, and squinted up at Dean. Yup, Dean was pretty sure he was in love with him at this point. 
“Good morning, Dean.” Castiel said, his voice even more gravelly than usual. 
And even with the risk of getting caught, Dean couldn’t help but lean down and place a soft kiss on Castiel’s lips. 
Eventually, the two men rose to their feet and tidied the classroom ready for the day. It was as if nothing had happened there that night. 
They snuck out of the classroom, checking for any teachers that had come in early and went to the teacher’s bathroom to freshen up. 
As they walked into the teacher’s lounge later on, Dean had a smug smile on his face. He’d had an amazing night with Castiel and they’d got away with staying there all night, cuddled up like high school sweethearts. 
The smile fell from his face when he saw the new addition to the notice board. 
There in full colour, on poster paper, was a photo of him and Castiel curled up around each other on Dean’s classroom floor. 
Dean felt the heat rush to his cheeks. He turned to Castiel and saw the same on his face. 
“Ah I see you guys have seen the newest item on the agenda for our staff briefing.” Charlie’s voice appeared from behind them. 
Dean turned from the picture to face Charlie’s grin. 
“What did you do, Charlie?” Dean growled. 
“What can I say? I stumbled across you two this morning when I happened to come in early and you just looked so adorable all snuggled up together. I couldn’t keep it to myself.” Charlie smirked. 
Man, if Dean didn’t love her so much (and wasn’t so grateful to her for helping him get Cas back) he’d tear her a new one. Instead he just rolled his eyes and shrugged, putting an arm around Castiel’s shoulders and pulling him in with a proud grin. 
“Keep it up there. I think it looks good, right Cas?”
“I agree. In fact, would it be okay to get a copy, Charlie?” Castiel smiled, sweetly. 
Dean threw his head back with laughter. God, he loved him. 
*  *  * 
A few months later, Dean’s life was completely changed for the better. And it was all down to Castiel. He’d taken a leaf out of Castiel’s book and joined him for a run every morning. Life without turning to alcohol whenever something bad happened or when he felt low was infinitely better and Dean felt lighter. 
Now, he turned up to Castiel’s house when he was getting inside his own head and they’d either stay in and watch some more David Attenborough documentaries (what could Dean say? That dude was awesome), or they’d go for a run around the block. Said run would always end in a race, which Castiel would always win. Dean could never stay a sore loser for long when he saw the blinding smile on Castiel’s face every time he won. (And getting to see him from behind, muscles tight and flexing under his running shorts, well Dean couldn’t complain.)
As the summer months came in, they even took to using the race track at school to challenge each other on. 
Soon enough, the kids on Castiel’s team and some of the other students they both taught caught on and would come to watch their teachers race each other. 
Even with Dean’s improved fitness, Castiel still beat him to the finish line. But it never mattered to Dean when the rush of endorphins took over him and he’d pull Cas into a hug as they both tried to catch their breaths. Their chests moving together as Dean placed a secret peck to his boyfriend’s temple. 
Only, today was different. It was almost the end of the school year and the kids on Cas’ team had convinced him to challenge Dean one last time. Dean, as always, was down to have a friendly spar with his boyfriend.
They did a couple of laps and Castiel took an early lead like he always did but this time Dean pushed hard in the last couple of meters and passed Castiel to go on and get across the finish line first. 
Dean’s students were cheering for him as he leapt with joy, smashing as fist in the air. 
Castiel walked up to him, catching his breath, with a wide smile. He went to pull Dean into their usual casual hug but this time Dean didn’t just settle for a secret peck. Instead, he pulled Cas in for a deep kiss, drowning out the increased cheers of the students on the bleachers. 
When they broke apart, foreheads touching and panting into each other’s mouths, Dean whispered. “Thank you, Cas.”
“For what?” Castiel frowned.
“For everything.”
-
A/N: So this ended up being hella longer than I was expecting but Dean and Cas wouldn’t let me stop lmao
Hope you guys enjoyed!
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imaginetonyandbucky · 3 years
Text
(Give Me A) Reason To Live
Chapter 2
by @dracusfyre
“Do you know where they are planning to take him?” James asked as he headed for the stairs up to his room. Tony started to follow him then realized that James was going to drop his towel to get dressed and after a moment of temptation, stayed at the bottom of the stairs instead.
“SHIELD facility in New York,” Tony called up, trying very hard to concentrate on anything except what his imagination was currently trying to show him regarding a naked James next to a bed.
“SHIELD SHIELD, or Hydra SHIELD?” James said from above, voice slightly muffled.
“SHIELD SHIELD, as far as I can tell,” Tony said. “Fury himself is taking the lead, for now. But there’s always the question of what will happen after he wakes up, and I’m sure Hydra will be trying to weasel themselves into those plans.”
“True.” James jogged back down the stairs, his shirt clinging to damp skin and hair pulled away from his face. “So what do you think? Intercept before or after he wakes up?”
“After, I think.” Tony led him downstairs to the lab, where James had his own computer setup. He sat down at it and powered it on while Tony fired up the fancy coffee machine in the back of the room. “I mean, we have no idea how to thaw out someone safely, and no equipment to do so if we did.”
“True.” James pulled up the Hydra files and read the message that had sent Tony racing up the stairs, then started searching for the exact location of the Valkyrie and the NY SHIELD office to start planning. After a few weeks of fits and starts due to poor communication, they had finally settled into a good division of labor: Tony dug through the files for appropriate targets and when he had them, James would come up with the actual plan of attack. “The exfil will be a lot easier if he’s awake.”
Tony nodded and silence reigned for a long time, broken only by the sound of keyboards and James occasionally making notes. He didn’t realize he had fallen asleep at his desk until James shook him awake and herded him to bed. He’d been having a dream about Captain America, some fuzzy half-remembered thing where the man was scolding him for something, then he had turned into Tony’s father and sent Tony to his room. You didn’t have to be a shrink to pick up on that symbolism, Tony thought as he fell into bed.
“You should get undressed,” James said and Tony froze, suddenly wide awake as his heart hammered. Did he really…?
“What?” He managed, rolling over to look up at James.
Who raised an eyebrow and pointed to Tony’s feet. “You’re still wearing the shoes we went hiking in,” he pointed out, and Tony let his head fall back against the pillows as his face got hot.
“Right,” he mumbled, and toed them off to fall on the floor. James was still standing there, looking expectant, so with a put-upon sigh Tony sat up and started peeling off the rest of his clothes as well.
“This is going to change everything, isn’t it?” he said as James started to leave. “This thing with Cap?”
James hesitated at the door, the hand on the door frame gleaming in the dim light from the computers in the next room. “Get some sleep, Tony,” he said after a moment. “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”
There was that sick feeling again. Tony tossed his clothes in the corner and fell back into bed, and recited the digits of pi until he fell asleep.
                                                 ~~~~~
By the time Tony woke up and stumbled up the stairs, James was awake and thankfully already making breakfast. He shuffled up to the kitchen table and muttered a thanks as James slid a cup of coffee across the table. James knew better than to attempt conversation before Tony was ready, so they sat and ate in silence until Tony was finally awake enough to say, “Any news?”
“Nothing much. They needed special equipment to break through the ice without destabilizing the plane and sending it to the bottom of the ocean,” James said between bites of pancake.
“So we’ve got time?”
“Little bit.”
“Got a plan?”  At that, James tilted his head back and forth in an eh, sort of motion. “What do you need?”
“More intel.”
Tony just grunted and finished off his coffee. If James still had questions they would be ready and waiting for Tony downstairs, and since they had time, Tony needed at least one more cup of coffee before dealing with that. He pushed away from the table and put his plate in the dishwasher, then refilled his coffee and sat back down while James kept eating. This was another good system that they’d figured out over the past year; James ate twice as much as Tony, at least, to power that supersoldier metabolism, which worked out because by the time James was done eating, Tony was finished with his second cup of coffee and they were both ready to start the day.  “Hey, where’s he going to sleep?” Tony blurted out without thinking, then cringed. “Nevermind, that’s a stupid question.”
James just shrugged as he used his last bite to sop up some maple syrup. “Dunno. One of us will have to double bunk with someone, or take the couch, or get another mattress. Does it matter?”
“No, of course not.”
But James was eyeing him thoughtfully. “Is that what you meant? Last night?”
“Huh?”
“You said this was going to change everything.”
“Oh.” Tony looked down at his coffee cup to avoid James’ eyes. “I, uh, I meant we’re not going to be able to fly under the radar anymore, you know? After stealing Captain America out from under SHIELD and Hydra’s noses.”
“True.” As James picked up his plate and put it in the dishwasher as well, he said, “You should call him Steve. We’re rescuing Steve Rogers, not Captain America.”
Right. Of course. Like Tony could forget that James and Cap- Steve had a past. “Yeah, sure, sorry,” Tony muttered, taking a sip of coffee against the sour taste in his mouth. “I’ll head downstairs and get started on that intel.”
Once downstairs, he could see why James had left these questions to him. Questions like finding the building plans for the SHIELD facility and learning which personnel were going to be assigned to Steve were going to take some hacking to find out. Fortunately, when it came to SHIELD, Hydra was already infested in their systems, and Tony had a backdoor to Hydra, so by lunch time he was jogging back up the stairs to tell James what he’d found and almost tripped over a Barret MK22.
“Careful,” James said, sitting at the center of what looked like an explosion in a firearms factory. “I thought you’d be down there for longer.”
“Packing for the trip?” Tony asked, stepping carefully around the sniper rifle and picking his way through the rest of James’ collection towards the kitchen.
“Planning. Trying to figure out what we might need to pick up before we go.”
“I got that info for you, if that helps your planning.” Tony took one of the many frozen meals out of the freezer and popped it in the microwave. “Looks like they are keeping this information pretty close to the chest, which is good for us. Not going to be a lot of attention on him when it comes time to do our thing.” James only made an absent noise, clearly still lost in thought as he stared at a stack of C4, so for a while there was only the humming of the microwave until Tony got impatient and opened the door early. “I’ll be downstairs,” he told James as he grabbed a fork and gingerly picked up his molten hot lasagna.
“I’m coming,” James said, getting to his feet with a smooth, easy motion that made Tony feel every one of his years. Tony settled down in his computer chair as James stood behind him, leaving Tony with a prickling awareness of how close he was. Tony took a deep breath to steady himself and pulled up the report he’d slapped together. First was the building plan, and after it got James’ nod of approval Tony sent it to the jumbo printer because he knew that James liked to work off of hard copies. Next was a series of internal shield memos proposing a variety of plans for what to do when Steve woke up, and James snorted derisively as he read them. “Not a single one of these people know anything about Steve, do they?”
“I mean, only what they learned from history books, I guess. What would you do?”
“You mean what am I going to do? I’m going to say, ‘Wake the fuck up, Steve, we gotta get out of here now follow me.’”
Tony laughed and saw James’ mouth curl up at the corners. “Simple and effective. I like it.” Since SHIELD was still trying to decide its plan of action, Tony dismissed the emails and started pulling up the personnel list.  Like he’d said, it wasn’t long; SHIELD was playing this one close to the vest for now.
“Wait.” Tony immediately stopped scrolling as James leaned over his shoulder, smelling like shower soap and gun oil. “I know her,” James said, frowning. He pointed at the redhead. “Who is she?”
“Well, her SHIELD ID says Natalie Rushman,” Tony said. “Is she Hydra?”
“No…” James said slowly, eyebrows drawing together as he tried to remember. Many of his memories had come back surprisingly quickly once they’d escaped Hydra, making for some really touch-and-go moments in the early months as James had often woken up screaming from nightmares and had wandered around the cabin hollow-eyed and haunted. Going into the woods had been his escape in those days, and he’d only told Tony what he was up to after Tony had gotten cabin fever and decided to go for a hike and figure out what all the hype was about with fresh air and nature. “I think I shot her once.”
“Think she’d know your face?”
“Maybe.” Tony could tell that James was still frustrated by the almost-there memory so he left the image up on the screen for him to stare at.
“That’ll be a complication, since she’s part of his reintegration team,” Tony mused. “Strangely enough, I guess that means between the two of us, I’ll be the one least likely to be recognized. Not something I ever thought I’d say.”
“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”
“Um…” Tony squinted at James and realized that obviously James wouldn’t know much about Tony’s past, other than what he’d told him or what James would have seen in the Hydra files. Especially if it hadn’t occurred to James to look him up on the internet, which he guessed was possible. “I was, uh, kind of a celebrity.”
“What for? Were you a movie star or something?”
Tony made a face. He didn’t want to admit that he was mostly famous for a series of sex scandals to someone who had personally known Captain America. “Nothing good,” he said finally. “Stupid stuff.” No chance James wasn’t going to Google him now, but at least he wouldn’t have to explain to James’ face why there were so many pictures on the internet of him naked. Thankfully, James just shrugged, apparently willing to leave it at that, so Tony quickly went through the rest of the items on James’ list. There was also no further updates on the efforts to get Steve out of the ice, so they were officially in Tony’s least favorite part of any operation: the hurry up and wait part.
With nothing else to do in the lab, Tony set JARVIS to keep an eye on any further communication and followed James back up the stairs. Since the couch was the only part of the living room that wasn’t covered in some kind of weapon, Tony perched on it and turned on the TV while James organized his collection. Making sad noises at James got him his forgotten lasagna from downstairs with the low, low cost of grumbling and an eye roll, leaving Tony to have a pleasant couple of hours hanging out in companionable silence with James. At some point, James had changed position to lean against the couch while sitting on the floor, which had meant that his back was pressing against Tony’s leg, warm and solid and something Tony only thought about every 15 seconds or so for a solid hour.  
“I was thinking about what you said earlier,” James said after a while, sitting up and sadly moving away from Tony as he started to put away the weapons, sorting them into piles and returning some to their hiding places. “About this operation breaking our cover.”
“Yeah?”
“Your suit. Could you make it flashy?”
“Flashy?” Tony echoed in confusion. He had a couple of suit builds now, based on the various types of missions they went on, but all of them were matte black and had a rubberized exterior to reduce the noise and radar profile. “I mean, sure, that wouldn’t be hard. But why?”
“Our best bet might be for you to create a distraction, and I think you zooming down 5th Avenue would be a good distraction.”
Tony stared at him, stomach turning as his whole body went hot and cold with fear. “No,” he said shakily, turning away from James and sliding further into the couch, staring resolutely at the TV screen. “No fucking way.” Tony pulled the blanket tighter around himself, curling into a ball. Everything depended on him not being seen, on Hydra not knowing he was alive. Everything. How could James not know that? Was Tony supposed to jump at the chance to sacrifice himself for Steve? Because one look at the suit and Hydra would know, Stane would know, and then– then-
A sudden warm hand on his shoulder made him jump and lash out. When his hands only met hard muscle fight turned to flight and he scrambled away. But as he tried to get to his feet he tripped over a blanket and hit the floor hard, knocking the wind out of him. His heart was pounding in his ears but eventually he heard James talking to him, saying “Tony, fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize, just wait,” and that was like a bucket of water to the face. He realized he was sweating and his breathing was fast and shallow, and as he looked up at James he felt the hot crawl of humiliation.
“I’m fine,” he said shortly as he climbed to his feet. “I’m going to take a shower.” He could feel the pressure of James’ eyes and his silence against his back as he went to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He shook for a while, leaning against the bathroom door, before he finally managed to turn on the shower.
The awkwardness lasted until dinner, with James clearly wanting to say something but unsure how to bring it up, and Tony too embarrassed to meet his eye or give him an opening. Thankfully, JARVIS gave them an update halfway through dinner, and the tension eased as conversation turned towards their plan. Since James had cooked, Tony reluctantly got up to do the dishes, only to have James gently crowd him away from the sink. “You need to get ready for the mission,” James pointed out, which was a flimsy excuse because it didn’t take that long to get the suit ready to go now that Tony had figured out how to make it deploy from something the size of a suitcase, but Tony didn’t argue. He hated doing dishes.
It was also better than staying upstairs and risking that James would say something, so he went downstairs to prep the suit. Once down there, though, he slowed as he approached the Mark VII, remembering James’ suggestion earlier. Though the thought still make his limbs feel weak and his heart race, he forced himself to sit down and consider the idea instead of running from it. He knew what James had been trying to suggest; he could get the attention of the police and any SHIELD agents in the area and draw them away from James while he rescued Steve. He could even put a few holes in the building to cover their escape then disappear as soon as they were clear. It was smart, it was simple, and it was fucking terrifying.
Though there was no escaping the fact that Tony had put in a lot of effort making sure Hydra would think he was dead, and this was going to undo all of that work. “Fuck,” Tony groaned, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes. It wasn’t like James wasn’t risking everything, too, but apparently he was willing to let Tony take the cowards way out even if it made their plan harder. “JARVIS,” he said finally, voice muffled behind his hands. “Warm up the machines, we’re modifying one of the suits. We’re changing up the armor.” What was an eye-catching color? Probably red, a bright red. All the better to wave himself in front of the metaphorical bull. But all red would look like shit. “Red and gold,” Tony said finally. “Make me a mockup of the armor in red and gold.”
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baepop · 5 years
Text
PRIVATE // 1
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You meet a captivating stranger whose sudden appearance stirs the unrequited feelings of your best friend.
Word Count: 7.5k
Pairing: Jungkook x You x Jennie
Genre: Slight angst/fluff, slight smut (aka: the buildup)
A/N: Happy pride month bitches! Bisexual fic coming your way!
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12
Everything about Jennie was as proper as could be. Her shoes never seemed to scuff, not even the pair with the studs that she loved so much; her pleated skirts never dared utter a single wrinkle and if you ever thought to see a hair out of place, even after a session of hot yoga, well…you’d thought wrong. When Jennie first started coming around, you swore she was some park avenue princess with the way she insisted on paying for meals and buying you things without having known each other long. You two had met through a friend of a friend at a mellow house party but never exchanged social media or anything. You just couldn’t see yourself befriending her, preferring instead to focus on your studies for your senior year of college. Making it to these parties occasionally and chatting up strangers for a while was all you really had time for. So it was much to your surprise running into Jennie at a café on campus that you frequented weekday afternoons whenever you didn’t have class or work. She had tapped you on your shoulder then embraced your figure once you turned around to see who was invading your personal space. That day she had on a canary yellow peacoat and her hair smelled of coconut, two things you’d noticed as her arms lingered around your frame for a beat too long. The next day she wore a mauve peacoat that perfectly complimented the blush on her cheeks. Next was periwinkle and then taupe before you finally asked her why she was suddenly such a fan of the coffee on your campus seeing as how she wasn’t a student at the university.
“Well, I…I’m not actually. The coffee here is subpar and don’t even get me started on the tea selection.” You stared at her with a blank expression until she defeatedly sighed and placed her mug on the table. “You didn’t give me your number before you left Yoongi’s party. And when I asked him for it, he refused to give it to me and instead told me I could probably find you here.” You both sat there staring at each other for what seemed like minutes before you gave up, breaking eye contact to sip on your coffee and turn to the next page in your psychology book. At that point you didn’t care why she wanted to befriend you so bad, but you also didn’t care enough to push her away, so you two sat there in comfortable silence as you went over this week’s cognitive dissonance chapter. You figured you had made a good impression at the party and she probably didn’t have much going on to keep herself busy.
It didn’t take long for Jennie to weasel her way into being your best friend despite your callous indifference of her incessant presence in the coffee house. It also wasn’t a coveted title to obtain as you hadn’t been a social butterfly lately. It took a good amount of begging before she convinced you to sign up for yoga classes with her, held on the evenings 4 floors below her penthouse, only a month after she began visiting you on campus. At that point, you hadn’t minded her company so much anymore as you got to know the goofy yet intelligent aspects of her personality that vibed well with your own. If you were being truthful with yourself, you were happy Jennie had managed to become a good friend of yours because things had gotten stale and lonely having only your schoolwork and job to focus on. Still, however, Jennie remained an enigma to you as generally people of her stature didn’t go out of their way to befriend someone like you, especially when you’ve made them work for it. One night, you agreed to go up to her place for a glass of wine after yoga and that’s when all the walls finally came down. The façade of her perfect image came tumbling down as she admitted to feeling immense pressure to be who everyone else thought she was. She also admitted to finally feeling seen that night you two met at Yoongi’s party when you complimented the song she played on the stereo. Everyone was complaining about her music choices being too mellow to dance to but once you had arrived at the party you loved the strum of the guitar you heard as you sipped on your drink and decided to compliment whoever it was that was playing the song. The memory of her babbling into her glass for 45 minutes as her top knot loosened and drooped over her forehead was a warm one that never quite left you. And it was also the same night where you started to finally let her in.
***
“Let’s get pizza.” Jennie looked up from scrolling on her endless Instagram feed at the sound of her stomach rumbling.
Without looking up from your phone, you shook your head no and replied, “Nah, sorry I have to tutor that kid in a bit, remember?” Jennie sucked her teeth and solemnly went back to her phone screen.
“Why did you agree to do that anyway?” she whined childishly.
“You know I could really use the money Jen. A girls got bills.” You sighed as you scrolled past a beautiful pair of boots advertised on your timeline.
“I will literally buy you whatever you want, you know that.” Jennie rolled her eyes as her face settled into a pout while leaning her head into her palm.
“I know, and that’s the problem.” You chuckled bitterly. “I’ve got way too many family members born next month so I need to save up some money for presents. You can come shopping with me if you want.”
“Ugh okay, but I’m not letting you drag me into another thrift shop! Those places give me the heebie-jeebies! Who knows what ---”
The alarm on your phone signaling the tutoring session approaching interrupted Jennie mid-sentence. You shot her an apologetic look as her pout became even more pronounced. “We can get pizza when I’m done. Gotta go for now though! Text ya later.” You swung your bookbag across your shoulder and swiftly entered the elevator that would take you to the main floor. As you descended through all 21 floors, you recalled how uncomfortable it was to hang out at her place in the beginning stages of your budding friendship. Now you’ve gotten so used to the obscure paintings on the walls and expensive decorations that you wondered if it was you who was making space for her eccentricity in your life or if it was her lavish lifestyle that was making way for boring old you. Just then the doors swung open into the hustle and bustle of the lobby, effectively interrupting your train of thought as you blended into the chaos of busy people.
 ***
“Jeon Jungkook?” You bent over to peer at the brown-haired boy who was huddled over his laptop’s screen. This café on campus was one of the less popular ones, which made it easier to assume this boy was your tutee as he was the only one at the café apart from a girl hunched over a table lightly snoring. He peered up at you in a double-take then settled on the screen of his laptop as he ferociously jabbed on the directional keys of the keyboard.
“Yeah, that’s me…are you the…tutor?” His distractedness during your introduction confused you before you glanced at his computer and realized he was in the middle of an online SMITE match. Normally you would be content in waiting for him to finish before you could start the session but the idea of missing out on pizza annoyed you. You decided to close his laptop shut and keep your finger on top of it until he was forced to give you his undivided attention.
“Hi! I’m (Y/N), your English tutor. If you don’t mind, I have plans later so I’d like to get started as soon as possible.” You plastered a wide smile on your face. The boy, too stunned to respond, sat there frozen as you dropped your book bag onto the chair and began taking out a notebook and a pencil.
“Sorry.” You heard him mumble under his breath but pretended not to hear it to avoid an awkward moment. Instead, you smiled at him again and asked exactly what he needed help with. “We’re reading this book in class right now and there’s a book report due next week. The language is really obscure, and I don’t even know how to begin analyzing the context.” You picked up his copy of the book and fanned the worn out pages.
“Well, lucky for you this is one of my favorite books! So I can actually help you a lot with your report.” You handed the book back to him with a smile and wink. Jungkook instantly blushed and chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck.
“Thanks in advance, I have a feeling I’ll be needing a lot of your help.” Jungkook’s quick sweep of your body didn’t go unnoticed but nonetheless, you decided to dive into the tutoring session. It was hard to ignore the butterflies in your stomach throughout as you noticed more and more how boyishly handsome he was and what a nice smile he had. The possibility of him being into you made it harder to concentrate and made you blush when you accidentally had skin to skin contact while taking a paper from his hands. Being flustered was extremely unlike you, but you credited your sudden lameness to your year-long lack of sex. Taking a deep breath gave you a moment of clarity and the resolve to finish the session as professionally as possible.
“So…when can I see you again? For tutoring I mean?” Jungkook tried hard to stay as nonchalant as possible but his crooked smile directed downwards as he packed up his belongings gave it away. During the session you realized he didn’t need much help at all and would most likely only need the one day of tutoring. Nonetheless, you decided to take the bait, but not without making him work for it.
“If you feel the need for more tutoring sessions you can schedule an appointment on the school’s website.” With that, you swiftly zipped up your book bag and headed out of the coffee shop.
***
It only took a couple days to receive Jungkook’s request for a follow-up tutoring session set for Thursday of next week. You chuckled in the bright glow of your computer’s screen that shown brightly in your dark room. When you clicked on the notification to expand the details of his request, you noticed the location preference was set to his dorm room. Your light chuckle turned into a breathy laugh. This kid had balls, you had to admit. You kept waiting for his cheekiness to rub you the wrong way sober you up but the more signs he showed of interest the more you were inclined to entertain them. It wasn’t like you to let the other person take charge in your relationship, preferring instead to be completely transparent from the beginning and taking joy in asking the other out. You didn’t care much for games and titles but the one of “dominant” given to you by your freshman year friends was not lost on you. You, instead, chose to embrace it and accept that your ‘take charge’ attitude would turn off undesirable suitors and attract the kind of people you could actually be with. You leaned back in your chair and sipped on your tea before hitting the “accept” button and shutting off your computer.
That night you tried to fall asleep but too many thoughts of your upcoming graduation, approaching due dates for schoolwork and a very cute brunette junior kept you up until dusk. Just when you finally started to drift off to sleep, you felt a soft dip in the bed that instantly woke you.
“Sorry, sorry...” Jennie whispered as she got under the covers. You looked at her incredulously before she responded again, “I couldn’t sleep and your bed is comfy. Also, you left your keys attached to the door again. You should really be more careful (Y/N).” You hummed in agreement, too tired to address her forced entry into your apartment and settling to be big spoon for the night.
The obnoxious sounds of your phone’s alarm awoke both of you with a start. Jennie grumbled and pressed a pillow to her ears. “It is an ungodly hour to be awake! Turn it off!” You immediately grabbed your phone and hopped out of bed to start getting ready for work. “What are you doing?” Jennie rubbed her eyes and squinted at you through the golden morning rays shining through the discombobulated shutters on your bedroom window.
“I have work in an hour. We can’t all be sleeping princesses until noon.” You stuck your tongue out at her before beginning to brush your teeth. Jennie rolled her eyes and went back to bed. She was already long used to your poking fun at her lazy and rich lifestyle, choosing to simply ignore your quips.
You managed to get ready at a record-breaking speed of 20 minutes. As you slipped the last shoe on, you peered at Jennie whose body lay impossibly still under the covers with her shiny black hair spilling out onto your pillow like plant roots. You decided to tip toe over to check if she was already sleeping. You didn’t want to wake her, so you settled for moving her bangs out of her eyes and whispering “I’ll see you after work” before heading out for the day. You could’ve sworn you noticed her blushing but figured it was all in your imagination.
 ***
Working at the boutique wasn’t your favorite thing in the world but the pay was decent. You had started working there your sophomore year after seeing a “help wanted” ad in the window of a small men’s formal suiting shop. You were at the downtown fashion district with your usual group of freshman year friends killing time and decided there wasn’t any harm in filling out an application at the counter. The job had looked easy enough, but after getting hired you soon learned differently. You realized just how difficult it was to take charge of older men in conversations about men’s suiting, and even more so dressing them. It took a lot of guts and studying men’s fashion before you grew into your own at the shop. The effort you started putting into your job along with increasingly difficult classes had you falling out of contact with those same friends. You had to admit that the thought of growing apart from your friends was much less painful than you thought it might be freshman year. Your likes and goals were entirely different by now, but most importantly, you were becoming someone you liked and respected.
That afternoon after leaving Jennie in your bed, you found yourself focusing on steaming the leg on a pair of gray linen pants when suddenly you heard the bell at the top of the entrance ring signaling a customer entering the store. You immediately turned off the steamer and rushed to the counter to greet them only to be dumbstruck at the sight in front of you. Jungkook and an older man entered the store amidst conversation. Your utter confusion rendered you speechless as they looked around the store for help.
“Ah, young lady, do you work here?” The older man addressed you kindly across the store.
You looked between him and Jungkook for a moment before your professionalism kicked in. “Yes! Hi, sorry! I was busy steaming and didn’t see you guys. Welcome to Suits 4 U, how can I assist you guys today?” You kept your eyes trained on the older gentleman but didn’t miss how Jungkook’s mouth hung open the entire time. Did he know you worked there before showing up or was it just a mere coincidence? Either way, the excitement of seeing him unexpectedly before your tutoring session gave you a tiny thrill masked under your polite smile.
“Well, I’m here with my son to get him fitted for his first suit. He has an internship coming up this summer at a finance company and we need him to look his best.” The man chuckled while patting Jungkook’s shoulder. His eyes formed crescent moons while smiling which instantly disarmed you. “Is Raphael here? I’ve been coming to him for years; this shop is just great.”
You laughed and tucked some hair behind your ear. “Thank you so much! He’s not in right now but, I can help you out myself if that’s okay. Your son looks to be about a 32 waist and 34 inseams?” The older man nodded in astonishment and looked towards Jungkook to confirm.
“Uh…yeah that’s exactly right.” Jungkook rubbed his neck in embarrassment.
“Don’t be shy, kook! You let the nice lady fit you for a good suit and I’ll be right here if you need me.” You and the man exchanged smiles before walking around the counter to show Jungkook to the fitting area behind the curtains. You helped him up onto the platform in front of 3 adjacent mirrors before busying yourself looking for a style of suit in his sizes that would flatter him.
Jungkook cleared his throat before speaking, “So…I didn’t know you had two jobs. Must be rough during your senior year.”
Without missing a beat, you responded, “How did you know I was a senior?”
“You mentioned it in your Facebook status.” Jungkook quickly replied with a straight face.
“So, you stalked me?” You laughed incredulously.
“More like researched. You’re a pretty private person so I didn’t find much if that makes you feel better.” Jungkook smiled widely which made you instinctively blush. Too flustered to respond you simply handed him a white button-down shirt. He immediately removed his plain black t-shirt and began buttoning the white one at an incredibly slow pace. You caught his eyes in the center mirror and realized he saw you ogling at his pecks. You immediately turned around as he continued watching you through the mirror with a shit-eating grin.
“Here, put these on.” You handed him a matching black chino suit with a European tailoring finish. Jungkook hadn’t stopped staring at you as he removed his pants and dressed himself. You were determined not to swoon at his gorgeous physique in front of him, choosing instead to jut your hip out and cross your arms while tapping your foot. “You take forever to get dressed.”
“I could use your help.”
“With?”
“Tucking my shirt in, I don’t want to wrinkle it.”
You scoffed and proceeded to gingerly tuck his shirt around his waist. You didn’t miss the way his abs reflexively twitched as your hands got to the front of his pants. He put the blazer on at once then adjusted his cuffs in the mirror. You had to admit that the way the pants tapered in on his ankles and how the blazer did the same around his waist was very flattering. You absent-mindedly brushed lint off his shoulder and brushed out the wrinkles on the arms while admiring your work in the mirror. As your eyes made their way up his frame you caught his cocky ass grin again which only made you roll your eyes. “What now, Jeon? What is so funny to you?”
“Just admit you’re into me.” You froze for a second before responding.
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, you heard me pretty well. I think that you’re into me and the way you act all tough in front of me really turns me on, so I’d like to take you out on a date sometime.”
Before you could reply, Jungkook’s dad appeared from behind the curtains and whistled at the sight of his son in a tailored suit. “Wow, that looks really good. If you’re okay with it Kook I think we’ll take it!”
“I don’t know dad, what do you think (Y/N)? Does this look good on me?” Jungkook bit his bottom lip, looking you in the eyes and daring you to confirm his beliefs. The audacity this guy had to call you out had you at a loss for words for the second time tonight. You settled for nodding and smiling.
You decided to wait behind the counter for Jungkook to undress, making small talk with his dad to pass the time. His love for his son was evident in the way he spoke so highly of him to a mere stranger. The thought warmed your heart. In a matter of 5 minutes, you were waving them both out of the door with Jungkook’s new suit in a garment bag. The remainder of your shift went by painfully slow without the silky haired boy entertaining you. You briefly considered canceling your upcoming tutoring session since it was evident the professionalism between you two was shot after this afternoon. But who were you kidding? There was no way you were going to let him get the better of you, it just wasn’t in you to submit.
 ***
You snapped out of your reverie at the feeling of a piece of popcorn bouncing off your cheek. As you turned your head to look at Jennie, several popcorn pieces fell out of your hair and onto the shaggy white rug you were sitting Indian style on. It was movie night at Jennie’s apartment, but the foreign film wasn’t captivating your interest, not when you had Jeon’s abs on your mind.
“Hey what gives?!” You started to flick pieces of popcorn back at Jennie as you found them in the carpet. She giggled while swatting them away from her face.
“Watching this movie was YOUR idea and you’re not even paying attention! You’ve been all daydreamy lately. Are you going to tell me what’s up or not?” Jennie set her bowl of popcorn aside and crossed her arms, giving you a pointed look. When it comes to Jennie, there is no escape once the interrogation starts. This wouldn’t be the first time you were under fire for withholding information from her. Despite preferring to be a private person, you never minded being completely transparent with Jennie. With time, you came to understand how loyal and trustworthy she was. Being left in the dark was just something that always bothered her, which you could understand. You sighed as you turned away from the television to face her.
“You know that guy I tutored the other day?”
“Yea?”
“I kinda want to fuck him.” Jennie froze for a second as she searched for something in your eyes.
“Okay…um…well, does he reciprocate your feelings?’
“I think he’s made it pretty obvious yeah. I just don’t know though, I’ve never been into younger guys but he’s…really hot.” You laughed as a blush overtook your cheeks. Your admission embarrassed you, even in front of your best friend. Jennie bit her lip as she laid horizontally on the couch staring at the ceiling.
“Do you have a picture of him?”
“Hmm…I can show you his Instagram.” Admitting you already perused his social media made you further embarrassed. “Before you judge me, it’s been a really long time, okay?” You scrolled on his page for a bit before finding a good enough picture of him to show her then reluctantly handed your phone over. After analyzing the selfie of him on his bed, Jennie went back to his page and started looking at other pictures of him: ones of him in his baseball uniform, laughing on a couch with a few of his friends, dancing in a goofy manner to some pop song and the list goes on. After a minute, she rolled her eyes and handed the phone back to you. Her reaction had you quirking an eyebrow as you grabbed it from her hands. “…What?”
“Oh, nothing.” Jennie closed her eyes and intertwined her hands over here stomach, intent on not giving anything away. You lunged at her sides to unleash a flurry of tickles.
“Tell me, wench!” Your consistent tickling had her hollering at the top of her lungs and squirming to escape your grip.
“I’ll never say, peasant!” You decided to straddle her midsection and pin her flailing legs down,  holding her wrists to do the same.
“Jennie Ruby Jane. Tell me, NOW!” Your long brown hair fell over your shoulder and tickled her cheek. She turned her head to the side as a final act of rebellion which only spurred your torturing on further. You began to hock a loogie dramatically which earned a valley of squeals from the pale girl.
“Okay! Okay!” You chuckled at the sign of her defeat and sat back on her hips, letting her wrists go. She sat up on her forearms pouting up at you. “You’re so extra!” the girl shouted with amusement in her eyes. After a moment of silence, she spoke, “I just think he looks like a fuck boy. It’s not going to go anywhere between you guys.” You let out a breathy laugh at her admission.
“No shit, I just want some dick!”
“Then why are you getting blushy and daydreamy if he’s only a dick to you?” She challenged you.
“Ummmm, maybe because it’s been a while and it’s nice to get some male attention during these barren times?” You rolled your eyes and climbed off of her.
“Yeah, whatever (Y/N). Keep telling yourself that.” Jennie returned your eye roll with her own and fully sat up on the couch.
“Are we going to watch this movie or not!? You’re making it hard to focus!” You continued on with your dramatic act but failed as a smiled tugged at your lips.
“OMG, you are unbelievable!” Both of you laughed and resumed your movie, only one of you being content to put that conversation behind.
***
Your Thursday afternoon shift at work dragged on because of how much you were looking forward to the tutoring session with Jungkook set for right after. Your finger drumming on the front counter and persistent glances at the clock earned some questions from the shop owner which you easily shrugged off as some trip you were looking forward to after work. As soon as the clock struck six you grabbed your jean jacket off of the coat rack and caught the shuttle back to campus. The junior dorms were just a stop before the coffee shop stop, so you already knew where you were going. You decided to just wear your work clothes paired with a denim jacket since the tight-fitting black dresses you wore as a work uniform were nice anyway. Just before you arrived at the lobby of the dorms, you caught your reflection in a car window and decided to check how you looked. Nothing unusual stood out. Your long curly hair swung just above your behind and your mascara and eyebrow gel still held on strong, the only two things you allowed on your face since the number of times you rubbed your face during class made it virtually unrealistic to wear a full face of makeup. Because of that, you settled for wearing shorter clothing that would show off your long legs. Feeling sexy in your own skin without putting way too much effort into your image was something you learned was the perfect combination to feeling happy with yourself, which was hard to do as you were generally always the tallest woman in the room. It took a long time to build self-confidence, but you were happy with where you currently were in your life. With a deep breath to calm your excitement, you headed into the lobby where Jungkook was already waiting for you. He looked up from his phone and immediately spotted you entering the building. His eyes lingered on your legs covered in sheer black tights before meeting your eyes with his own dark orbs. You felt butterflies at the instant your gazes locked and held for a few seconds. You decided to breakaway first, looking down with a small smile and waving.
“Hey, Jungkook. You ready to study?” Jungkook simpered as he looked down towards his feet with his hands in his pockets.
“Yeah I am, but it looks like you aren’t. Where’s your book bag and why are you dressed like that?” He gestured towards your subtle cleavage. You crossed your arms and gaped at him, confused as to why he was questioning you instead of complimenting you. Jungkook watched your mouth open and close before he chuckled and began heading towards his room. Luckily his room was on the first floor so there wouldn’t be an awkward elevator ride. As you walked behind him you pressed your cold hands onto your hot blushing cheeks wondering if you misread this whole situation. “Thanks for agreeing to come to the dorms this time. This was the only time I was free to get tutored, but I couldn’t leave the dorms tonight. I hope it didn’t make you uncomfortable.” His words made you all the more confused. Surely he didn’t feel the need to pretend this was anything other than a hookup, especially since he had already gotten you to come without much of a chase? You didn’t understand what he meant until he unlocked the door to his suite and a small child bombarded his legs, clinging on for dear life.
“Kookie! Kookie! You took forever!” Jungkook smiled and patted the child’s head before picking him up so you could enter into the suite.
“I was only gone a few minutes! Anyways, what do you say to a pretty lady?” Jungkook laughed as the small boy buried his head into the crook of his neck with shyness.
“…Hewwo…” You smiled at the child and greeted him back before looking up at Jungkook in utter confusion.
“I’m babysitting for my parents tonight while they celebrate their 20th anniversary. This is my little brother, Sammy. He’s a real good kid and agreed to quietly color in his coloring book while I study, right bud?” The young boy nodded without looking up at him, clearly displeased to have a stranger take his big brother’s attention away. You smiled sweetly at Jungkook to show him everything was okay with you. It was only after he placed his brother on the floor in front of his crayons that crippling embarrassment settled red and hot behind your face and prickled at your scalp. You had misread the situation after all, and even worse, assumed Jungkook was just some fuck boy looking to fake being serious about his studies in order to fuck tutor girls. He wouldn’t have been the first one you ran into, but it was now clear that you shouldn’t have lumped him into the same category. Swallowing your pride and shame, you placed your jacket on the back of his chair and pulled another one up to the desk to start the session. For about an hour, you helped Jungkook finalize his book report and put the finishing touches on his powerpoint presentation about his report. Once you both looked out of the window and saw how late it was getting, you decided to wrap things up. Turning to Sammy who was busy passionately coloring an orange elephant, you smiled and squatted near the page.
“Ready to spend some time with Kookie, Sammy? You looked up at Jungkook and winked, appreciating the way that the nickname coming from you flustered Jungkook. The young boy looked up from his art and nodded.
“Bye-bye! Um…”
“(Y/N), how do you do.” You talked in a funny voice that made Sammy giggle. Standing up and stretching your arms once more, you looked towards Jungkook who held your jacket for you to take. “Thanks. So…good luck with your presentation.” You kicked yourself at the lame way you chose to say goodbye but decided it was best to cut your losses and avoid further embarrassment.
“Thanks, I’ll walk you out.” Both of you headed out into the hallway and walked slowly towards the lobby in silence. After a few long moments, Jungkook finally broke the quiet, “So about that date…. What do you say?” You turned to him in disbelief before looking back down at your shoes. You had thought when he asked you on a date back at the shop that it was his way of getting you into bed. Once again you felt shame for being such a pessimistic pervert.
“I didn’t know you were serious about that.” You admitted.
“Yeah, I figured with the way you showed up to our study session.” Jungkook laughed as he playfully pulled on the hem of your dress so that it slapped your thigh when he let go. You pouted and stared straight ahead, unable to defend yourself. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d have loved to show you a good time tonight, but that’s not really my style. Especially with intellectual women. I want to show you a different kind of good time, at least at first. You turned toward his face in time to catch him biting his bottom lip. It was as if his mouth had a direct connection to your lower abdomen, feeling that magnetic pull between you two that you couldn’t shake. Part of you felt relieved to know it wasn’t all in your head, and the other part of you was determined to redeem yourself.
As you opened the door to the outside, you paused and swung your hair over your shoulder to look at him briefly. “Pick me up this weekend. I want to go see that new DC movie, you can take me to the movies and then we’ll get ice cream. DM me on Instagram so we can agree on a time.” With that, you closed the door behind you and headed towards the shuttle stop, content with yourself for not sneaking a peak behind you. When did you become so lame in front of guys? You idly wondered about the effects that lack of sex could have on the psyche of woman the entire shuttle ride towards your apartment.
***
You woke up to the thin rays of sunlight peering through the drawn blinds of your bedroom window. They illuminated Jennie’s face with a healthy golden glow, showcasing the subtle rhythmic movement of her chest as she slept. You felt a wave of affection at the thought of her being extra careful last night getting into your bed so as not to wake you. You idly wondered why she preferred to share this bed with you when she had a big beautiful canopy bed at her even more beautiful apartment. Then again, you remembered how lonely she must have felt when moving here without friends or family. You cuddled closer to her as the big spoon, wrapping your right arm around her torso and pulling her into your chest. The slight movement woke Jennie for a few seconds before she hugged your arm tightly and went back to sleep, taking you into unconsciousness with her.
You awoke a few hours later, well into the afternoon in the same position you had fallen asleep in only this time, Jennie’s snoring was loud enough to quake the glass of water on your nightstand. Your raspy chuckle was barely audible as you stared at her mouth that hung open while she violently slept. Careful so as not to wake her, you gingerly slid your arm out of her grasp and pulled the covers off of your bodies since the heat was making you a little sweaty. Your eyes bulged while taking in the view south of the bed. Jennie had taken her pants off before climbing into bed and was only sporting a bright red G-string. You forced yourself to look anywhere other than her perfect bottom until your heart stopped beating as fast as it was. What the hell, Jennie? You cursed yourself for giving her a key to your apartment after her initial forced entry. The lack of sex is really getting to you, you thought as you carefully covered her back up and climbed out of bed. Suddenly, you heard the snoring stop and a few light moans coming from the bed.
“Where’d you go?”, Jennie softly called out as she rubbed her eyes.
“In the bathroom!” You reply as best you can while brushing your teeth. Jennie groans then rolls over, pulling the covers on her further.
“Come back…”
“Sorry, I overslept enough as it is. I have some stuff I need to get done before my date tonight!” You replied in a sing-song voice before spitting the foam out of your mouth and rinsing your toothbrush in the sink.
“Your WHAT!?”, Jennie immediately sat up and ripped the covers off of her.
“Yeah, sorry I totally forgot to update you. I didn’t end up fucking that guy. Instead, he asked me out on a date! I’m actually excited to go, I feel like such a freshman.” Your giddy mood seemed to frustrate Jennie even more. She quietly got out of bed, pulled her pants on, grabbed her purse from your nightstand and left your apartment.
“Jennie?!” You called after her but the only thing you got in response was your door slamming loudly. You sucked your teeth and continued washing your face. You didn’t know why she was in such a bad mood. Sure, you didn’t tell her about how things progressed with Jungkook but it wasn’t exactly her business. This is why I haven’t dated any girls on campus recently, girls can be so moody sometimes. You took a deep breath and headed into your room to get changed, determined not to let Jennie’s childishness ruin your day.
***
Your date with Jungkook had been going well so far. He picked you up from your apartment 5 minutes early on foot. You two walked to the shuttle stop in silence since there really wasn’t much to talk about. You two had only just met and didn’t know much about each other or shared any experiences yet. You hated first dates for this reason, preferring instead to just hook up without the need to feign a relationship or only date someone you’re already friends with. You had gotten good at small talk since working at the suit shop had you conversing with all kinds of people regularly. But it still wasn’t thrilling nor any less awkward. Once you both had exhausted all the commonplace questions like “How was your day” and “What’s your favorite color”, you both sat on the shuttle on the way to the campus’ cinema in silence. Why had you agreed to this? You were really off your game at this point in time. You looked over at Jungkook and noticed him staring off into the distance looking quite alarmed. His pensive face made you giggle which snapped him out of his reverie.
“What?” He looked at you with a half-smile confused.
“Your face…you looked so…shook!” You let out in between laughs. His cheeks became tinted pink with an exasperated gasp.
“Not you too! My teammates make fun of me for it all the time! Ugh!” Jungkook complained with exaggerated exclamation. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he began tickling your sides for not taking him seriously. The guffaw that followed was obnoxious enough to catch the attention of surrounding students riding the shuttle. It was at that moment that Jungkook realized how ticklish you were, to his elation and your immediate embarrassment. You both settled into your seats immediately after meeting the eyes of annoyed riders but couldn’t contain your giggles and light shoving for the rest of the ride. Eventually, after sufficient physical contact, you two ended up walking off of the shuttle holding hands.
***
Jungkook’s lips ravaged your neck as you struggled to open the door to your apartment, fumbling your key on the lock. You eventually did open it and the door slammed backward into the adjacent wall as Jungkook reached your lips and leaned into you, holding you by the hips. Your hunger to taste him had been contagious as you had taken the opportunity that the light ‘goodnight’ peck he gave you on the lips in front of your apartment presented to start a make-out session. There was no way you would let it end that way after wanting him the entire date. He had been a perfect gentleman, waiting in line to get you a bunch of snacks at the concession stand while you held your seats, draping his jacket over your shoulders once the chill of the night set in, and bringing you all the way to your apartment even though it was past the junior dorms. And now, as he tugged on your bottom lip with his teeth while his hands held both sides of your face in the middle of your apartment, you were absolutely sure you wanted to go all the way with Jeon Jungkook. You slowly lead Jungkook to your bedroom without detaching your lips. Once his legs made contact with your bed you pushed him back onto it and climbed on top of him. You began kissing down his neck as your arms made a cage around his head. With his eyes closed and sporting a cocky smile, “Woah there (Y/N), aren’t we taking things a bit too fast?” A throaty chuckle escaped his lips as you reached his Adam's apple.
“Shut up, Jeon.” You moved back up to his lips and stuck your tongue into his mouth which he welcomed, swirling his tongue around yours in equal fervor. His fingers slid up into your hair and tightened their grip on your strands, pulling lightly but firmly so that your head moved backward, giving him access to your neck. As he sucked on your neck, you could feel a bulge forming in his pants. You decided to rub your clothed mound on his growing bulge while he kissed behind your ear.
“Don’t do that.” Jungkook let out a breathy whisper into your ear which made tingles run down your spine and had you heavily convulsing. You decided to rub even harder down onto his clothed member which was now rock hard. However, you couldn’t keep it up for too long as Jungkook was suddenly on top of you in one swift motion.
“You don’t like to listen, do you?” He stared at your lips as he interlocked your fingers together, holding your hands above your head on the bed.
“Not really, no” Your breathy reply brought back that crooked smile you were starting to love so much. In response, Jungkook lowered himself onto you and began rubbing the head of his bulge right around where your clit would be under your pants. You couldn’t help but writhe under him, struggling against his ironclad grip on your hands.
“You’ll get this…”, Jungkook bucked his hips roughly onto your mound, “…when I say you can.” You took his attempt to dominate you as a challenge, wrapping your legs around his waist to bring his member back onto you while biting your lip. Jungkook’s eyes rolled backward in brief pleasure before attacking your lips again with renewed passion. After a while, you were both breathless with puffy lips. Jungkook cleared his throat and moved back to look into your eyes. You both let out laughs as your chests heaved in unison. Jungkook looked down at your swollen lips and ran his thumbs across them before rolling over and climbing off of you. “I should go.” Too stunned to say anything, you watched him straighten his clothing and wipe his mouth.
“Ummm…did I do something wrong?” You asked as you sat up to look at him properly. Jungkook smiled and walked back over to the bed, bending over to place a brief kiss on your pink lips.
“Of course not, just practicing a little restraint. I want to do things right.” He smiled with crescent moon eyes before turning and exiting your apartment.
Do things, right?
You let out an exasperated sigh and sagged back onto the bed with one arm covering your eyes in frustration. Suddenly you heard something shift in your room which made you sit back up in alarm.
“Jungkook?” You searched your room for the source of the noise before your eyes locked with another pair of eyes peering through the slits of your closet door. You froze in utter fear as you realized someone was in your closet. Suddenly, the door opened and you screamed, chucking a pillow at the intruder because it was the closest thing to you. Jennie caught the pillow and held it to her chest, watching you warily.
“Hey (Y/N)…”
“Jennie!?”
“I can explain.”
“YOU PERVERT!!!!!!”
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Viper’s Vengeance Chapter 3: Peril Among the Stars
Chapter 1
So, its been almost six months since I updated this story. Primus it feels like so long ago. I had so much going on in my life, I’m happy this is over, now I can start working on the next chapter!
~
Ten years since the incident. Program updating, systems operational, protocols online, activation, begin. The eternal darkness ended for the longest time. A figure stood there, bearing a skull for a face. Scanners indicating an unrecognizable soldier. Not of any origin. The prototype stared, a life hidden behind black glass, leaving worry in the samurai. Bludgeon stepped back, pointing a katana's tip at the symbol on the failure's chest.
“State your designation.” The mech ordered, leaving confusion on the Rattler.
No reply, instead, the machine pushed the sword away and walked towards the exit. The skeleton sneered, noticing the warnings going off all around them. “Alert, unknown enemy detected, alert.” Said in such calmness that didn't seem to care.
“You'd better prove yourself whatever your name is. I don't want to return to base with a defect for spare parts!” That seemed to trigger something in the dark blue mech's systems, and off he ran...
“Viper?” Her voice broke the processor's glitch. Viper blinked a few times, turning to face her. “Are you sure you're okay here? I do remember that your processor acts up in certain locations.” She reminded, glancing at the lights bringing the place back up into operation.
“This is where Cobra sealed me after my malfunction. Ten years after that, Luca revealed this location to Megatron. He grew impatient of the human's failures, so the human spat out this. Bludgeon found me right as an Autobot got too close to the area. Took care of Sideswipe, which was all that bone face needed to prove that I was worth the time.” Viper walked past the femme and towards a large machine. “Here, this is where my new life began.” The mech gave a swift kick, then tearing apart the rest of the stasis pod.
The femme ninja listened to the denting metal and shattering glass. Standing still as this continued for a bit. Yellow optics took notice of the interior, finding old forgotten machinery. No wonder Cobra dumped their failed prototype here. What was the first mission she took on in the Earth Wars? Ah yes, when she had to face Arcee who hid secret codes. Far simpler times, before the Prime Cores, Demigods, Deathsarus, GI Joe, and Cobra. Such insanity in a few short years. That voice in her helm kept repeating that confession, yet, she couldn't say. Why is it so difficult to talk?
She waited until Viper finished crushing the stasis machine apart. His wings flared, back hunched over. The snake got up, turning to face her. “I'm better now, sorry about that, there are some things I never want to see active again.” Viper trailed off, heading over to a big computer. “In this, it houses the answers I am seeking. From what I can know, this system has a lot of Cobra plans and projects. Bludgeon insisted that we leave this place soon so I could meet Megatron. I couldn't uncover its secrets at that moment. I want to know why Cobra created me, it's impossible for someone to come up with an insane idea. A whole organization going along with it. A robot soldier wearing the shell of a Rattler.” His bulky digits pressed on the small keyboard, being careful to ensure not to break the source of his past.
Words scrolled by which showed so many forgotten ideas. Nightbird listened to the swearing before tugging him aside. Then she typed it out herself. “I'll handle this, I'm used to tiny keys.” The Japanese fembot interjected, finding it to be easier for her to do this. Odd, nothing on Viper, yet the name Rattler and Transformer did appear a few times.
After a bit of digging around, a file appeared with top secret reports. The two read through them, both taking it all in. How could the American government know so much about Cybertronian technology? Its documentation came thirty years before the Autobots and Decepticons arrived to Earth. It didn't make any sense, nor the live specimen documented. The identity lost, making it difficult to guess who would give up their body for them to research.
Viper took a while to say anything, left in silence over all the materials they read. “Those documents, they must've been the blueprints Cobra used to create me... Nightbird, can you find anything about who wrote this?” He whispered, optics glued to the screen as they found a picture file.
A bunch of humans, all posed by a piece of machinery that appeared advanced for the time based on their clothes. Some men and women, all in Triple-I: Intelligence and Information Institute. Nightbird typed around a few files, noticing how their names appeared.
“I recognize some of them from my collected memories, and all their names are in the files. They're the ones behind how Cobra created you.” She trailed off, yellow optics glanced at the dark blue mech. He stared at the humans in their thirty year old days.
“Do you know where they are now?” Viper came up to the screen, taking in the details.
“A quick search on the internet gave me everything I needed, oh how clumsy they are to use this 'social media'. I assume this was a long forgotten program, happened in North Dakota, August 16th, 1986. No one knows of this as they retired from the military. All this time, America had access to those of the stars. Why do you ask?”
“I may have killed my creators, but knowing this, I cannot let more of me be born by their hands. I'm not yet done with my thirst for revenge. Nightbird, I'd suggest you go back with the others. There's a high risk that I will die once this task is complete. All hiding in America and other parts, they forget, not knowing that their pasts will haunt them once again.” The mech copied the data, making the best route based on where the humans live. They'll all pay for their foolishness. Their thirst for eternal knowledge will destroy them.
Nightbird held his shoulder, her optics narrowed. “Its not easy to complete a task solo. I'll come along, you've already shown me your second birthplace. Before you complain about how I can't because of the water, I'll find my ways. Where are you heading first?”
“Los Palmos Observatory, located in Texas close to Mexico. Two of the scientists at the Triple I worked at North Dakota. They wrote a bit about Cybertronians ability to travel through the stars. Nothing too major, but its a start. Think your tires can handle that? Its farther than from here back to base at Arizona.” He chuckled, wings twitching and ready to leave this trash heap.
“Sounds good, will meet you there when I can. Take care Viper, we're going to be dancing with death soon.” She flipped her body, transforming and driving out of the hidden base.
Why is she so intent on helping him? All the dark blue jet knew is that he's the only Cybertronian created by humans. Viper waited till she's far away to dim the computer's screen. He turned to stare at the scar embedded into his helmet and face. Primus he felt tired, unsure what to think knowing how right she is. Its a suicide mission to enrage the American government and the Autobots, but this has to happen. Taking a few deep vents, the mech connected a few cables to his helmet and lied down. Gotta leave one last present to those who documented the creation...
Data, so many pieces swirled around the unconscious mind. Downloading into his helm, awakening those old memories that most forgot. Humanity stole the gift of those from the stars. Living aliens, mastering the ability to change shape. Documenting entire histories far before the first man sharpened a rock. Yet, as Viper continued this, strange images began to form. Among them, the complete blueprints of the Rattler Transforming Soldier. Bright blue optics widened, noticing something wrong. It has no face underneath the visor and mouthplate... The Decepticon stared, before touching his own mouthplate and broken visor. The dates don't add up, these can't be the complete ones! He stared before deleting the information once its registered into his helm.
After a while going through the tediousness, its over now. Viper forced his processor out of this self inflicted slumber. Now no one can look up those old documents anymore. No human deserves to know the existence of Cybertronian life, not if they gave birth to imitations. Those who are fakes, that shamed upon. Yet, that empty face remained etched into his optics. More questions came than answers, leaving the mech in silence. As the snake got out of his forced slumber, he noticed an acid gun lying by his side. The same weapon left behind after Cobra's demise. Fingers touched the aged metal, knowing how good it is to wield this old weapon once more. Must've been a gift from Nightbird, who seemed to get it all fixed up. “Canary, I'll figure out why you hide so much from me.” Came a chuckle, before he got out of the old place once again.
Back in the harsh sunlight, why is the western coast so darn hot? No wonder there isn't that much greenery around here. Why couldn't the Decepticons set up a base somewhere nice? Rather than the remains of human activity. Still, the images he saw made his tanks clench. How could those blueprints show no face? Processor in a daze, forgetting Nightbird as she drove beneath him. They traveled across the shadows of the canyons once leaving civilization. So many lives passing by, children at a school, people buying at stores, watching movies. Oh the movies; such strange concepts that Cybertronians never got into until the war. Easiest way to document any traitors or secret plans. That's from what he recalled listening to the others when they got overcharged off their afts.
Oh what fun times to hear the cheery voices that everyone gave out after a successful raid. Also when a new bot comes over from wherever. Moon, Earth, any planet, depends on if they're liked among the others to care. Why is Earth such a gathering place for these guys? There are other planets too, yet they stay on what they called the 'dirtball'. Viper never felt right to call his home the dirtball. This planet is where his creators got the materials to create him. The mech exhaled, noticing how the Sun began to set. The yellow sphere that rotates around this planet. Cybertron didn't have any light up above, nor any oxygen. Three moons which the Autobots claimed as their own. The Rattler remembered how happy he felt to be on the metal moon, that its the home far away from home. Due to their technology, both could move across the deserts further than a regular car on a road trip. The suburban family riding out to somewhere like Palm Springs or Las Vegas.
It took a long time to travel from California to Texas. Baking in the hot sun never helped his mood as music kept playing from his radio. A lot of Spanish songs, getting closer to the border. What a strange choice for an advanced observatory's location, but no matter what. They'll be the first to pay for their crimes. Down below, a stylish black and white car drove on the road. Nightbird is quite durable, but that makes sense for everyone. Cybertronians are able to handle the heat. Viper’s quite lucky that he won’t have to endure any pain in the Summer warmth. Still nothing back from Megatron or the rest of his soldiers. Its good, no reason to worry as he must’ve taken the request for a break for granted. Never easy to obliterate an entire army by oneself. The rest of the flight is a blank, with the dust devils coming and going. Once the mission is over, he’ll try to visit Tijuana to eat some barbecued iguana. Whatever that may taste like.
The misery ended in the night sky’s greeting. A lone observatory lay still, lens continuing to observe what may be out there. Los Palmos has seen better days, forgotten to the world beyond the science community. Hiding a sin, that desire to find life beyond the Earth. Two life forms detected in the scanners, the files state for them to be Jack and Sue Richards. Two astronomers who’ve spent long lives exploring across the world. To the most exotic places for the greatest lens to observe the distant nebulae. Before their journeys, they accepted being members of the Triple I, which meant a piece of his birth. Los Palmos is their home, far up in the mountains that could show much more of the desert had the sun blessed them.
Viper landed on the rocky top, bright blue optics stared for a long time. His turbines slowed down to reduce the heavy noises. Acid gun clenched in a firm hold. So, this is how revenge grows, to slaughter them, their work is the reason he grew in the Cobra’s nest. To awaken as an abomination, there is nothing left they can give to the Earth that will matter. Time’s left them old and weak. No matter how old or young, its time to never return from the path he once stepped on. Their intense craving will be their undoing, thirty years later.
Sue finished another cup of coffee, heavy bags underneath those brown eyes. Weary eyes glanced up to the old photographs of so many places she once been to. Jack is nearby, back to work on their favorite machinery. A telescope meant their lives, the reason Triple I came to them with their suggestions. To work with them for extra payment and free vacations, oh how perfect it seemed to be. Until that one day… Sue waited for the drink to kick in, an influence rushing through weakened veins. No longer a thought about what may come next, unless it’d be an old family member or friend. Their nephew, an old photo showed said child gripping a diploma while enveloped in blues. “Its been a good life, hasn’t it Jack?”
A man stepped away from the large telescope, coming down to her. “Are you thinking about the Grim Reaper again?”
“Why would I dream of a snake bearing those dark ominous robes?”
“Sue, you should cut the caffeine out, the doc did say it’ll influence your medication.”
“But, we still need to record a few more sights. Los Palmos is our home. I miss those days, and I wished we never got involved with Triple I. To know that aliens exist, to hide that from everyone.” The woman trailed off, taking a large gulp. A nearby candle burned among the heavy lights above which gave light to this dark dome. Silence, a gentle breeze brushing the exterior as always, a hope to bury away the past.
Nightbird transformed, finding Viper standing still. “Once I begin, I cannot go back. Think of your choice Nightbird, I know the consequences of my actions.” He came closer to the observatory as the ninja watched, remaining still.
The Cobra prototype slammed his body against the large building, causing it to shake. He rammed into it a few more times, breaking away the concrete and storming into the building. Something shattered, it must be where they are! Viper prowled into the hallway, kneeling down to ensure he wouldn’t damage his wings.
Sue and Jack ran, a broken mug lay on the floor as the alarms blared. A large shadow emerged from a hallway, causing them to hide in a spare room. Lying on the walls were a few guns, a pitiful attempt to save themselves, but what else could they rely on? Faraway help? They waited in the darkness, holding onto each other and weapons as their ears rang. Hearts racing faster once seeing blue staring back at them.
“Sue and Jack Richards, Triple I, you've chosen a grave mistake for both Cybertronians, and me. The atonement is death.”
Sue fired a few shots at the mech's face, each bullet bouncing off of the mouthplate. The gun slipped from shaking hands, as Jack tried firing back, but with no effect. “Please, don’t do this! We have a nephew who always visits us!” Sue gripped her husband’s jacket, tears coming down the wrinkled face.
“Then he’ll understand.” He aimed the gun, shooting the two with a powerful blast of acid. Emotion drained from blue optics as they screamed. Bodies melting down into puddles of decaying flesh. A rush of energy came to the mech once hearing nothing but alarms. Without warning, he tore through more of the observatory. Acid gun put to use getting rid of everything. “What do you think Cobra Commander!? Do you believe me to be a failure now!?” His roar echoed through the bleak sky.
Nightbird remained still, staring as the building melted into concrete and steel puddles. Yellow noticed the mech walking up to her. She stared up at his optics, finding nothing but a blank blue. “We need to leave before the humans get here.” The femme transformed, driving across the mountain range.
Viper glanced back before running over to the edge of the cliffside and transforming. Soaring through the darkened canyon, dark blue blending in with the darkened oranges. That’s it, no way back once the candle burned bright. A flame that will never die. The flier followed yellow headlights as she swerved across the mountain's paths. In the distance, bright red and blue lights glowed through a known road. ::We’ll need to find a place to hide, I can see the humans coming this way!:: He messaged her.
::I’ll find my way down, we can’t hide here! Go get to somewhere safe and message me when you do!:: She kept driving, never speaking as the Rattler vanished in the night sky.
The ninja femme touched the ground, sprinting away before the vehicles could find her. On the enhanced tires, she didn’t strain under the pressure. A rush of wind graced her back, must've been the human vehicles driving by. So they were going that way too. Nightbird stared at the large puffs of smoke from what remained of the building. Viper did this, but its for a greater good, was it?
After roaming through the darkness, she’d soon slip into a hidden cave. She took a few minutes to relax, then noticed a small fire in the larger part. Nightbird crawled in, finding Viper illuminated by the reds and oranges. Blue optics staring up at an opening in the ceiling.
“I got worried the humans found you.” Not a sign of damage on him, so strange since he’d went through a mess earlier. A bit dusty, but nothing wrong with that. She sat down on the other side, tossing him a cube.
“They’re not meant for speed, they're for emergencies. I’m amazed at how fast they were to arrive, we need to find the best time to get out of here.” The femme leaned back, exhaling a deep vent. “We’ll need to wait until the event dies down before we can head over to our next destination. Do you know where we will go?”
“I’m thinking about it, since the other targets are in further parts of America.” He brushed off the dust, blue optics glimmered alongside the fire burning bright. “You’d better get some rest, you’ve been driving everywhere to tag along with me. I’ll make sure nothing happens.” Viper waited, putting his gun down.
“What about you? Weren't you the one who destroyed the observatory in one swoop? I'm sure none of them will find us, they're too concerned about the two who died. How many more do we need to hunt down?”
“A few more, they kept it a secret. The document states how eight made contact with the Cybertronian on that fateful day. Two are dead, leaving the rest still hiding in their regular lives. Most are in America, yet two aren't. We'll find them, but must keep secret, because the Autobots will find out.”
“But once its over, we'll return to the others, won't we?”
“Depends on if I can survive long enough. But, if I do die, then I will be okay with that once their dead. I do wonder though, will I go to the Allspark? I am human made, wouldn't Primus consider me to not be one of his? It makes me wonder if there is an afterlife for me.” He opened his chest, showing the lack of a Spark.
“I'm sure there is, don't you remember what Starscream said? He saw something after death, and is alive with us now to tell us.”
“He wouldn't stop talking about it, after the death of Unicron.” Viper looked up, hearing the sirens get louder. “Looks like its time to rest.” The mech grabbed a clump of dirt, dropping it over the flames and letting them die down. “We leave as soon as the morning comes.” He lay down, dimming the lights on his armor and entering into a soft recharge, closing the chest.
Nightbird stared before following his orders. She kept to the shadows as the investigation began further away from them. “Six more, you're quite risky to do this.” Came a soft chuckle before joining him in the rest.
Darkness, that's how life begins, doesn't it? Something strange is happening. Whirling machinery, a rush of Energon, dripping, praying, is this where life comes from? Its quiet, what is this? A dream? But, I can't have dreams, I'm not real...
Someone's calling for a name? What is this name? Who's name is it? Why can I hear it? I don't remember it...
My optics opened up, I don't remember this. I'm not at the Cobra base? Its some sort of lab, but not one I recognize. I sat up, taking in my surroundings. Its all Cybertronian, no sign of humanity's work. What's going on? My helm moved down to my body, no. Its not mine! I got off the table, shaking before finding other mechs staring at me. All seemed to be joyous at the sight of my movements. Some came closer to me, speaking about their troubles and what they hope my awakening will mean. If I can concentrate enough, I should be able to move, or speak. Why can't I do this? My controls are gone, I'm lost in this mech's body. Why aren't I scared? This is a dream, I'll wake up when my processor decides to. But, pure Cybertronians can dream, I'm a fake, I can't dream.
A mech came up to me, bearing blue and white armor, a grand smile on his face. He seemed to be talking, but under deaf audio receptors.
Everything flashed white, I now faced an open door to Cybertron? Its golden, much like the mysterious cities of gold on Earth. Cybertronians walked in the streets, speaking among themselves. None bore any symbols, speaking of their lives. I watched this dream run far from the door, exploring this new world. Life, I felt alive, that this was me. No, what I saw wasn't who I am. I will wake up, then forget. Yet, I wished I lived in this Cybertron before the war. Everyone's in union, its so different compared to the one I stepped upon. Gold glimmered alongside the orange lights. If I was human, I would've shed tears upon sight of this marvelous wonder.
Another flash, taking me away from the rushing views, I'm staring up at the stars in some sort of crystal garden? Its so beautiful, much like the sky when I first awoke. They glimmered among the stars, leading me to wondering why I'm here. Then, someone came into view. She stared at me, or this body I'm residing within. A rush of something came back, I couldn't recall why I felt this way, yet, I wanted it to last forever. The femme spoke to me, yet I couldn't hear what the words meant. I wanted to know what this meant, it hurt so much. She's... pretty, I like how she looks in those soft colors. She smiled, cupping this body's cheek, meaning no visor or mouthplate. But, it faded away to white... Wait, don't go! I want to know who you are, who this body belongs too. I'm not real, I'm an imitation... Please, stay...
Blue lights came back online, finding himself in the cave. Nightbird is still asleep, a dream. Yet, what was it about? What body did he see himself in? He lowered his helm, noticing the sounds of sirens are gone. They must've chose to wait for the morning to inspect for the damage. Optics inspected the opening of the cave above, finding glimpses of morning. Its' time to go. He crawled over to the femme, holding her shoulder.
“Wake up Canary, we've got to go before they find us.” He muttered, causing her to stir.
“Ah, so they're gone?”
“Yep, we don't have to worry about them for a while. Gotta get going now before they come back. Our next stop is over in Florida, so I hope you brought your sunscreen.” Viper chuckled, earning a glare from the femme.
“Don't make me report you in for that.” Said with a playful gesture before leaping up onto the ground above.
Viper jumped up as well, soon the two were off again on their long journey. Yet, in this morning light, it brought back the sight of Cybertron when it bore gold. At first, it wasn't good to dwell on strange dreams, yet, now, he wanted it more. How he craved to step into that other mech's life, how he wished it was his. But, life proved to be cold and cruel, leaving him to lash at those who lost trust. Yet, Nightbird so far, she seemed nice, but no one can tell if a ninja has other motives until revealed later. For now, its best to keep his guard up, and prepare himself for the next target of his past.
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etes-secrecy-post · 4 years
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Hi, before I explain my post, I want to say something important.
What you see my blog has become a major overhaul. And despite the changes, I decided that my 2nd account will be now my artwork blog with a secret twist. SO PLEASE DO NOT SHARE MY 2nd ACCOUNT TO EVERYONE, IT’S JUST YOU AND ME! AND IN CASE YOU WANT TO SHARE MY POST THEN DON’T REBLOG IT. INSTEAD JUST COPY MY LINK AND PASTE IT ON YOUR TUMBLR POST! JUST BE SURE THE IMAGE WILL BE REMOVED AND THE ONLY LEFT WAS THE TEXT.
Okay? Capiche? Make sense? Good, now back to the post…↓
My Kenkobei Instant Noodle Chicken Yakisoba (w/ my Paper Dolls) - Part 2 (Final) [Jul 24,2020]
Here’s my Part 2 and Final of my Kenkobei Instant Noodle Chicken Yakisoba with my Paper Dolls. 🙂
BTW: Some of my photos I took (using my Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505) are combined into one image via GIMP software, despite the total of 18 photos in this part.(26 photos combined with part 1 & 2)
So without further ado, let’s get started:
9th & 10th Images [combined]: • I’m now switch from my computer desk to a food table at the same room, only few meters away. Anyway to find out what style that I’m chosen, I need to open the noodle pack and put it on the plastic container. 🙂
11th & 12th Images [combined]: • Next pour hot water on to the container noodle and wait for one to two minutes. ♨️
13th & 14th Images [combined]: • Here you see the noodles are started to bit softy after a short waiting 2 minutes. ⏱️
15th & 16th Images [combined]: • So now I decided to go ‘Canton / Chow Mein Style’ 🍝 for this review. And to do that, I need to drain the hot water by revealing two holes on either side of the plastic cover.💦
17th to 20th Image(s): •[17th & 18th Images combined] And here’s the result after draining the hot water. 🍝 •[19th & 20th Images combined] Now I’m proceed to mixed-up the seasonings using the included plastic fork.🧂🍴
21st to 24th Image(s): •[21st & 22nd Images combined] I put all the seasonings from into the plastic noodle container. Both me and Paper Dolls smell the flavor when I opened the packs 👃 (although Paper Dolls are made from paper so they don’t do that but let’s not argue, okay).  •[23rd & 24th Images combined] Then mixing all together and viola! My Kenkobei Pancit Canton / Chow Mein Noodle Chicken Yakisoba! 🍝 My Paper Dolls saying that the noodle looks good, let’s try it out and chow down with my personal chopsticks! 😋
25th & 26th Images: •Okay so, after I ate my Pancit Canton / Chow Mein Noodle here are my thoughts 🙄:  - The taste of Chicken Yakisoba in Chow Mein Style was... Ummm okay, but sometimes when I continuing chowing my noodles I don’t taste the flavor of Chicken Yakisoba. - Also their soy sauce and vegetable oil are weak, and other toppings as well. Otherwise it’s totally decent taste in my opinion. • My Paper Dolls say that they agree with my critic thoughts.
Overall: • For the price of only ₱104 ($2.11) with shipping fee of ₱40 included at Lazada Philippines [CLICK ME!], I have to say was... Pretty decent but lack of flavor. Also I got this item for free from redeem corner using my earning coins,minus free shipping because I have to pay though. And much like my review of my Instant Chao Fan, it is good item in case of emergencies or planing a picnic (but not that year for now because of pandemic) or rather in case that the gas stove was rang out, then go pick this instant noodle with hot water instead (just be sure that thermal hot water was the right temperature). However, I would not recommend this item for those who want a delicious instant noodle from a different brand. And to be honest, after I ate two instant foods,well suffice it to say that I would not order another food from Kenkobei / Patagonia Foods Philippines Inc. in the (near) future and favor on something else... Plus I wouldn’t say that I hate that food company but I guess they’re doing a good business practice, gotta give them a credit. Hmm... I think I need a two bottles of probiotic milk drink right now.
Well that’s the end of my review. If you want to see my Part 1, then please [CLICK ME!].
And in case you missed my 1st food review, I’ll provide some links down below. ↓😉
My Kenkobei Ready-To-Eat-Rice / instant Chaofan Beef Supreme Flavor (w/ my Paper Dolls) [Jul 15,2020]: Part 1, Part 2
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kiritella · 5 years
Text
The Long and the Lost [9.5]
Title: The Long and the Lost [9.5]
Words: 1.8k-ish
Pairings: Father!Bucky x Daughter!Reader
Warnings: none
A/N: This one sucks and I am so sorry.  It is mostly just details and not really necessary.  This series is updated every Saturday at 12 pm CST.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 9.5 | Part 10 (end)  |  Epilogue
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Previously…
The sound of a recording being turned off draws your attention back to the other side of the room where Steve is looking proudly at his phone screen before back up at the two of you, “I’ll send you a copy,” he says to Bucky before walking down the hallway to his room to upload the video to his computer, Sam following behind him.
“Forgot we had an audience,” you mumble, slightly embarrassed but not regretting a single second.
Bucky laughs lightly and looks back at you, “Yeah.”
Shaking your head slightly, you bring yourself back into the present, “Well, what’s the plan for today?  Work?”
“Actually, I finished my reports yesterday, so I was thinking we break into Sam’s secret candy stash and have a Star Trek marathon?”
“You grab the goods and I’ll make the popcorn.”
--------------------------------------------
Now…
A smirk forms on Bucky’s lips as he watches you spin on your heels and into the kitchen, damn, you’re even his partner in crime.  He slips his way down the hall and around the corner to the very end and lifts a picture frame off the wall, revealing the little, candy-filled cubby-hole Sam had made a few months ago.  He grabs and stuffs the items into his pocket as he hears the popping coming from the kitchen before placing the picture back carefully and making his way into the living room and leaving the apartment, heading to the common room to set up the TV.
With your nightmares happening less and less, there have been fewer movie nights.  Not that he’s complaining about it, you are getting better.  You’ve been sleeping and you haven’t needed to talk to Sam about the nightmares or memories as much, and although you still have panic attacks now and then, they aren’t as frequent or severe.  You still flinch a lot, though, loud noises, sharp movements, you’ve even lashed out a few times on accident, left a few bruises on Sam and him, hell, even Nat, but no one can really blame you, especially when you nearly break down in tears apologizing.  However, because you are getting better, he’s had less time with you, now that he isn’t needed at your side every minute of the day, he has more time to work, go on more missions.  So, he misses you and enjoys these few times that he can just spend the day relaxing with you, getting to know you better outside of your fear.
You shuffle into the common room with a bowl of popcorn and a couple sodas, setting them on the coffee table before plopping onto the couch next to him, “Which one we on now?”
“VI: The Voyage Home, it’s weird, but still a good movie.”
“Hmm, we’ll see,” you mumble while stuffing a handful of popcorn in your mouth as the intro to the movie starts playing.  Bucky smiles in amusement when he hears you humming along to the music.  He grabs the assortments of candy from his pockets and lays it on the couch between the two of you, Hershey’s, Reese’s, mints, Snickers, Milky Ways, the whole nine yards.  
Several hours and a few movies later, you and Bucky are cleaning up your mess, which may or may not include scattered popcorn from when you had a little food fight after a disagreement in the best characters.  When you are finished, you both head back to the apartment, grabbing some actual food before settling on the couch, each with a book in hand.  
Bucky’s eyes are on the page, but they flick back up to you every now and then, too focused on how relaxed you look to actually be reading, the gentle crease of your brows as you drown in the book, your slightly puckered lips that he swears makes you look like your mom.  You’ve come so far since they found you, hell, it’s been almost seven months since you both were prisoners at Hydra, and here you are, becoming a happier person every day, becoming you, not some tool or weapon.  His mind drags back memories and he sees you being thrown into the room, blood soaking your clothes and fresh bruises shining on your face.  His stomach twists and his grip on the book tightens, he has to remind himself of the present, the reality happening right now.  Right now, you are both at the compound, and you’re sitting right on the other side of the couch, safe.  Something keeps poking at the back of his mind though, you can move and react better in the dark than he’s ever seen anyone capable of, you can’t stand harsh sunlight, which he could blame on the fact you were isolated in a Hydra base for most of your life, but something is nagging in his gut telling him that’s not the case.  Bucky knows you were trained in extensive ways, and according to you, it started very shortly after you were kidnapped, he just doesn’t know the details.  No one does, except probably Sam…
“Hey, Doll?” Bucky asks and you hum in response, “Could we talk ‘bout something?”
You peel your eyes from the book and up to Bucky, there is a certain wariness in his eyes that tells you it’s about your past.  It has been something you haven’t really spoken to him much about, not that you don’t want to, but you notice how tense he gets, the pain in his eyes when you do, and you figure it would be easier for him not to know.  You answer all his questions, however, sometimes giving fewer details, but you don’t want to leave him guessing about certain things.
“Sure…” you say as you rest the book in your lap and move your legs from their curled up position so you could see him a little better.  
Bucky shifts and faces you better, a hesitance in his voice as he speaks, “It’s about your training…” he pauses and you nod for him to continue, “You mentioned the Midnight Project, what is that?”
You tilt your head a little and think a second before answering, “The Midnight Project is a training program designed for black-op missions, primarily stealth.  The training starts out like any other program, martial arts, endurance, weapons differentiation, examination, and accuracy, then it moves into the stealth aspect.  Training to move swiftly and silently, how to incapacitate your enemy in the most efficient and quietest manner, lighting angles, behavioral manipulation, but one of the things that set it apart, was what they called midnight sight.  They place a disc behind each of the trainee’s ears,” you say as you move some of your hair and show him the circular scar, two branches breaking off, one leading behind your neck and the other just slightly over the tip of your ear, “When activated, they unravel and a form a protective shield around their eyes and secures itself behind the neck, blinding the trainee until the device is shut off.  They will leave it on a few months at a time, forcing the body’s other senses to heighten.  They continue the training until the agent can perform blind, it optimizes efficiency for the missions, which were almost always at night.  There weren’t many that survived the process, but those that did became some of the most lethal agents Hydra possessed, next to the Winter Soldier program.”
Bucky keeps his eyes set on you the whole time, sometimes nodding with the information, but you notice the darkness and tension in them grow as you speak, “How many others were there?”
“Besides me, there were eight.  I was the first and highest ranking agent, so that’s why I received the Midnight name.  But in the end, each of us could have torn apart organizations in the dead of night while everyone was sleeping.  There were a few attempts at a new generation of Midnight agents, but I hear they didn’t turn out as well as Hydra had hoped.  A lot of files were lost after the Howling Commandos and later Shield took out testing bases resulting in a loss of techniques and specifics of the program.  As for the originals, Jones, Miller, and Raftire were sent out on a few long-term undercover missions before they were decommissioned.  By the time I woke up next, Venhine and Piltor were nearly seventy, I’m not sure what happened to Xander and Tulman, and Alex was…He, uh…” your heart sinks as the image of the ceiling collapsing on the blonde-haired, green-eyed boy resurfaces and you pause a second before clearing your throat, “He died on a retrieval mission.”
Bucky watches as your face flashes from a neutral discomfort to pain then to a walled-up heart, and he recognizes the faraway look in your eyes, “Hey, C’mere,” he says so you scoot closer to him and he wraps an arm around you, “He was important to you, wasn’t he?”
“Yeah, he was…”
Bucky tightens his hold around you and presses a kiss into your temple, “You okay?”
You nod, “Yeah, talked to Sam ‘bout it.  Still hurts, but I’m okay.”
“You know you can talk to me if you want to, right?”
A smile forms on your lips, “I know, Dad.”
Bucky’s heart warms when you call him Dad, it seems so simple, but it is something he never thought he was going to be able to hear again.  To have you here in his arms is more than he thought was possible after so long and he has missed it more than he ever realized.  
The ring of his phone calls the two of you out of your trance and Bucky groans when he sees Stark’s drunk face pop up on the screen before swiping the answer button, “It’s my day off.”  Some muttering is heard on the other end and Bucky’s face twists in disgust, “No, I don’t—Stark—Stark!”  The line goes dead and Bucky nearly throws his phone across the room, “That goldfish-brained Romulan.”
You remove yourself from his grasp despite his little pout and look at him curiously, “Gotta go to work?”
Bucky shakes his head before muttering, “Might as well be, Stark is throwing a party tomorrow night and is ordering all Avengers to be there.”
The idea of a party doesn’t seem that bad, if it is like what you’ve read about, so it is a little confusing as to what the problem is, “It’s a party, it can’t be that bad...right?”
A sarcastic chuckle and a shake of his head has your face lighting in confusion but amusement, “You’ve never been to one of Stark’s parties…” he says as he smiles at you but his face falls after a moment, “Wait...you haven’t been to a party.”
You shrug and almost laugh as your Dad’s face lights up instantly, his voice losing every ounce of disdain as he speaks, “Wanna come with me?”
“I-I don’t know…” you stutter, eyes blown wide.
“C’mon, you’ll have fun, and you being there will make it bearable for me.  If you don’t like it, it’ll just be a reason to leave early.  How ‘bout it?” Bucky practically pleads, his best puppy-dog eyes making it really hard to say no...you thought that was supposed to work on couples, not fathers and daughters.  
Your teeth bite into your lower lip and your nervous fingers fiddle with the hem of your shirt, “We can leave if it gets too much?”
“You say the word and we’re gone.”
The anxiety builds in your stomach at the mere thought of going, but you want to see what the fuss is about.  Why Stark likes them, why your Dad hates them, why Steve is always on Sam patrol on those seemingly common parties, “Okay.”
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Okay, I know this one was lame, but I have been sick and school is a real pain right now, I am really sorry...
Tags:
@darkphoenixrisingwrites @afictionaladventure16 @kaelyn-lobrutto24 @stop-talking-about-supernatural @avngrsinitiative @death-by-viola @sunnyshoes @jsmith509 @alicat-life
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alphawave-writes · 5 years
Text
Play me a memory--A sigma fic
Summary: Sigma hopes to transcribe the universe's melody, in hopes of awakening his true powers, but gets more than he bargains for when the government facility he has escaped from has found him once again.
Read it here, or find it on AO3
-
Sigma sits in front of a piano. Not the Bechstein studio grand piano that used to sit in his apartment in The Hague but a cheap, upright Yamaha instead. He knows it is old just from the touch, the damp thud of the keys and the slow responsiveness of the pedals. Most aggravating of all is the tuning, the way the notes sound off to his ears. He does not have perfect pitch, and he never will, but if he concentrates hard enough, he can feel the shape of a note. Middle C is a yellow circle, and if he rises it up to a D, it transforms into an orange triangle. He hypothesizes that his abilities over gravity have given him a sensitivity to the electromagnetic waves that make up sound, but he cannot test this without rigorous testing. The beauty of these powers is that there are so many potential experiments and possibilities.
It’s been a long time since he’s played. Or at least, he thinks it’s been a long time. The last time he had touched a piano was one week before he went up to the international space station that caused his accident, but time is no longer linear and memories no longer make sense and he cannot say how many years have already passed since then. Has it been three years or longer? He cannot say.
He very much prefers listening to music rather than playing it, but he does not have that luxury. Talon is many things but it is not a musically inclined organization. His previous request for an parabolic microphone must have fallen upon flat ears for the next day he gets a regular microphone, the kind used for karaoke parties. It didn’t even have the batteries in it. So it is a miracle of sorts that his request for a piano got through. It was probably salvaged from a nearby dump, but it is still in working order, and he is grateful for whatever gifts Talon bestow upon him.
His body suddenly stiffens as he feels a shift in the air. He turns his head slowly, eyes wide as he finds himself staring back into his face. Only it’s not his face but another version of him, decked out in the orange jumpsuit that government facility crafted specifically for him. His copy smirks sinisterly.
 “Gravity is like sanity. All you need is a little push.”
“W-w-what?”
 “They called the geniuses of old insane back in their times.”
He is frozen in fear, staring into a face that is his but not his. The other approaches him and places his hands on his shoulders. He can feel the energy being sapped away from his body, his twisted mirror image growing larger, impossibly larger than him. As the energy leaves his body, he can feel his mind clearing. As his mind clears, he can see this twisted alter ego for what it truly is. It is sin, the devil in disguise. And behind that disguise is the black hole that destroyed his career and his mind. And it laughs. It laughs so viciously.
He feels his body suddenly being rattled back and forth, and his mind is clouded once more. The cloned image of him is gone, replaced by an annoyed woman with chocolate skin and purple lips. Her hair is parted to one side, showcasing the cybernetic implants glowing on her skull.
“Are you OK, old man?” She huffs.
Sigma is about to say “no” but he shakes his head and clears himself of the hallucination. It is easier to keep the fractured pieces of his mind together when he has a familiar face by his side. “Y-yes, I’m OK. Sorry if I scared you, Miss Olivia.”
“Ay, don’t call me that. Call me ‘Sombra’ like everybody else.”
“Sorry. I’ll…try and remember for next time.”
“I give myself a cool name and no one takes it seriously anymore,” she mutters to herself. Her eyes fall on the piano. “We have a piano? When’d we get one?”
Sigma smiles, relieved for the change of subject. “I asked Talon to provide it for me. I told them it was necessary for my experiments.” He raises his eyebrows. “I guess you could say this is an instrument in more ways than one.”
Sombra makes a face that is a cross between a cringe and a wince. A lot of people make that face when he tells jokes. So many years later and people still do not appreciate a good pun.
“A-anyway, I had a breakthrough last night,” he continues. “I have harnessed the harness that is gravity, but I have yet to maintain it in whatever shape and form I desire. I was at a roadblock. Then, it hit me! I’ve been thinking about it all wrong, you see. I’ve been trying to use my equations and quantum instruments to further my research, but I’ve yet to use the most important tool at my disposal.” He smiles in excitement. “I’ve got the universe’s melody in my head, playing on repeat. I’ve heard it so many times before, so I must be able to play it in the real world. If my theories are correct, it is as simple as transcribing a piece of music by ear.” He plays a chord and frowns. “Unfortunately, it seems music appreciation does not equate to music composition.”
“Wait wait, so you’re telling me that playing the piano,” she gestures wildly at the object, “is going to help you create a black hole again?”
His eyes brighten. “Yes. That’s precisely it! I knew you would understand.”
Sombra raises her eyebrows in disbelief. Out of all the Talon operatives that Sigma has encountered, she is the least judgmental—or rather, she is the least likely to dismiss his ramblings completely. She can be rather judgmental when she wants to be, often when it comes to Reaper and Widowmaker, but she makes no remarks about him. Perhaps she thinks it is bad taste to make fun of a man crippled psychologically like he is. Or maybe she doesn’t care enough to say anything about it.
He turns back to the piano and starts playing discordant notes. It has been years since he played but he remembers how to lie his hands, where the keys were, how to make his fingers glide over the faux ivory. He’s almost startled by the ease in which he remembers, because he knows he cannot account this for mere muscle memory alone. There are some things people do not forget, he knows that, but it’s unnatural how comfortable he feels in front of the piano.
It’s almost as if he is supposed to be here. Like the universe is calling to him from within the hidden strings. His fingers fly across as if in a trance. He hears the whispering in the air, but he’s not sure if it’s the benevolent universe or the demonic other or some other creature outside the confines of time and space that have decided to play their games with him. He listens and copies their words. A dark expanse of his own creation surrounds him as his eyes turn cloudy.
He hears someone snap their fingers impatiently in his ears, and turns to find Sombra next to him. She looks annoyed but there’s a familiar shimmer of pity in her eyes. It betrays her, just like his mind betrays him.
“Earth to Sigma.”
He winces. “My apologies.”
“I don’t know what goes on inside your head. You have the thingy on. The pedal. You’re pressing on it.”
He glances down at his feet, which are currently covered in pink wooly socks. They are expensive, and currently his only frivolous purchase since joining Talon. He does not remember putting them on, or when he bought them, or why he chose pink of all colours. On closer inspection, he sees that his foot is firmly pressing down on the right pedal.
“Oh,” he says, surprised himself. “So I have.”
Sombra groans loudly. “I don’t know why they tell me to watch you. I just wanna go back to my computer and watch some videos. Play some games. Hack some dudes or something.”
Sigma frowns. “You do not have to supervise me if you don’t want to, Miss Oli—I mean, Sombra.”
“Nah, the boss will kill me if I do that. I gotta make sure you don’t get yourself into danger.” She walks over to the side and leans dramatically over the top of the piano. “C’mon, piano man. Play a song.”
“This piano is for research. It is certainly not to be played with.”
“But I’m so booored.” She rests her head on her arms. “You must know some song, right? Play me one.”
“I shouldn’t…” he begins to say, but his mind is already buzzing with the songs of his past. One sticks with him, imprinted in his soul. A song from his past that spoke of simpler times.
He looks up into her eyes and falls victim for her doe eyes. He takes a deep breath, composes himself as best as he can, and begins to play Erik Satie’s Gnossienne 1.
It’s not long before he gets lost in the melody. Music is a language as easy to speak as English and Dutch. Sentences flow from his fingertips, time condensed into notes and sounds. Dark magic threads and twists from his wrist as gravity lifts up and away from his body. His mind drifts away to become one with the song, splinters of his childhood resurfacing. Images of his piano instructor in his majestic home, stern and imposing. His father falls asleep for the last time in his study, the sky outside the window going from day to night, the stars twinkling in rhythm to the invisible song.
Objects float and fly above him. Particles transform into one-dimensional strings that ascend into higher dimensions. The piano rises with him. There’s a yelp of surprise. “Let me down, let me down!”
His eyes widen as he finally notices Sombra, flailing her arms as she floats helplessly in the air. In that instant the spell is broken and the world returns to clarity. Gravity returns with a shuddering thud as the two of them crash back down into orbit. He is able to land gently. Sombra does not have the same luck.
“D-Dios mio, you’re going to kill me!” She hisses, rubbing her backside painfully. He doesn’t want to tell her how lucky she was. A few centimetres to the right and she would have been trapped under the piano. On one or more occasion, he has commended Talon for having the mindfulness of nailing everything in his lab down. It has prevented more than a few accidents due to his ever shifting powers.
She looks at him sternly, fire in her eyes. He shrinks a little.
“I’ve theorized for a while that my abilities are linked to my mental and emotional state. It seems music is able to amplify my abilities.” Sigma puts his hand on his chin and frowns. “Perhaps later I can determine the source of this ‘amplification’ and utilize it myself. Right now, however, it is an unfortunate complication to my experiments.”
“I’ll say. You’re going to hurt yourself at this rate.”
“I realise that, but I am close, I can feel it.” His hands glide over the dusty top of the piano. “If I can just find the correct song, I might be able to harness the fullest potential of my abilities.”
“Then maybe put the piano in a different room? So you don’t destroy everything in this room if you do find it?” She suggests.
“No, I…it’s better that I am here, where I cannot hurt anyone.”
Death has unfortunately become the new norm in his life. As payment, Talon tasks him with going on missions with their officers, and that often leads to a battle to the death. No one expects an old man like him to fight, and they definitely do not expect to be flung around like paper ragdolls in the wind. It’s frightening how the guilt washes away easier the more blood he must spill. During one such mission, he almost found himself enjoying the violence.
He places his fingers back on the keys. Sombra takes her place in the far corner of the room and watches warily, away from danger. There are no more fluctuations in gravity that day.
-
He plays and he plays, morning day and night, but he is no closer to his goal. He has continued his normal experiments, with the piano experiments continuing during his break. He eats and drinks and sleeps, but it is at a bare minimum. Why is it now, when he seeks out the song does it decide to run away? Why is this silence louder than noise, overwhelming him with nothingness? Why is it when his mind has never been clearer does a part of him yearn for the spark of insanity?
There is madness in his actions, but it is controlled and tempered. His equations are correct, as they always have been. He has ripped out a bit of paper to write sheet music on and has done his best to interpret the song. He can only work through sound. If only he knows an expert in music composition, or sound engineering. His understanding of sound is limited to his extensive knowledge of electromagnetic waves. Tonality, timbre, chord structure, they are patterns he hears but does not understand.
It’s late at night but he presses onward. He’s close, so very close, and he must work now while his mind is still whole. The pieces never hold together for this long, and sooner or later it will fracture, but he must press onward while he still has control. He wants to feel normal, and to feel normal is to surround himself in his research, pushing forward to new limits and new heights. The stars call out for his name. First he must understand and master his abilities. Then he can continue his original dream to see the stars outside their humble galaxy and walk on the surface of planets that are not his home.
He doesn’t hear the thudding footsteps approaching in the dead of night. He doesn’t notice the red light on the security camera suddenly go dark or the crack of his lab door breaking open. It’s only when he hears the unmistakable sound of a gun’s safety being taken off that he finally notices that he’s no longer alone. Three men stand before him, each training their guns on him. The sigil of the government facility he escaped from is displayed fully on their uniforms. It taunts him in a way that a gun to the head cannot. His heart leaps out from his chest.
“Subject Sigma,” one of them barks. “Come with us quietly, or we will shoot.”
Despite every instinct in his body, he cannot move. He is frozen in place in front of the piano, trapped, as if he is still tied down to that accursed bed, like his freedom and everything since is a dream he has conjured. He can imagine their hands forcing him into horribly itchy orange jumpsuit, the unprofessional way they injected their sedatives into him, the way they talk about him like he’s beneath humanity, a hideous creature without thought or intelligence.
“Didn’t you hear what he said?” A second soldier growls. “Get a move on!”
His eyes glance around, desperate for a way to escape, but there is none. The exits are watched by more soldiers. The very safety features within this room, designed to minimize the harm he can cause with his powers, are now the portents of his doom. In this section of Talon’s HQ, no one will hear him if he screams, and even if someone does, he will have less than a second before he’s shot dead. He might be able to block or absorb most of the bullets, but it will be futile. It will buy him seconds, maybe a minute. It’s not enough.
Even the voice that screams for violence in his ear is unnaturally quiet. It knows that taking the offensive will not help them survive in this situation. They’re trapped.
The third man steps forward, a curious smile spreading across their face. He orders the other men to stand down. As Sigma watches, he sees that this man is not dressed like the others. He wore glasses over his eyes instead of the tactical masks everyone else did, and his uniform has the markings of a combat medic rather than a soldier.
“It’s good to see you again, Siebren.”
The realization floods him with a feeling of terror but he hides it behind his gritting teeth. This is the doctor that was in charge of him back then. This was his torturer above torturers, Satan amongst the demons. “Dubrovnik,” Sigma spat.
“You’ve done well for yourself, haven’t you? A nice fancy lab, some powerful friends on your side,” His eyes glance down. “Loving the socks. Really sells the old man look.”
“What do you want?”
“To finish my job, and that is to keep you contained,” Dubrovnik said.
“You cannot stop progress.”
“You are a threat to humanity.”
“I am in control.”
“Until when?!”
Sigma stiffens. Dubrovnik puts his gun away and approaches slowly, the hunter coming to collect his prize. Sigma doesn’t react when Dubrovnik tugs his chin forward, jerking his head up to look into those cold, black eyes. Dubrovnik is significantly shorter than him, but in his seated position, their heights are roughly equal. It’s a frighteningly familiar feeling, being manhandled like this, like he is just a piece of trash on the ground.
He wants to choke him, make him suffer, make him hurt in all the ways he has been hurt, but he can’t and Dubrovnik knows this. Dubrovnik relishes in it. He was, and still is, a sadist.
“Out of the oven and into the fire, right, Siebren?”
“What are you talking about?” He rasped.
“You don’t know what Talon is?”
“They saved me!”
“You never thought why?” Dubrovnik’s lips curl. “I’ll tell you why. It’s because they want a weapon. They want Excalbur, and you happen to be the one who pulled it out of the stone. They want war, Siebren, they don’t care about you. As soon as they can wield Excalibur for themselves, they will throw you away like trash. And when they have Excalibur, no one will be able to stop them. They are terrorists. You know this.”
He wants to tell Dubrovnik that he’s wrong, that Talon is an organization of intelligent men and women who want to help humanity take the next big step, but he sees the heat in Dubrovnik’s eyes and he cannot help but take pause. Dubrovnik truly believes this. But why? He is needed, he is important. They will not go through the trouble of saving one man unless he’s important. They have been so kind to him, provided so much for him. They will not abandon him…right?
Dubrovnik takes a step back, Sigma rubbing his neck self-consciously. He’s not sure he imagines it but there’s a flicker in Dubrovnik’s eyes, almost like he pities him.
“If you come with us, we will help you subdue these powers. No one will hurt you or use you. I promise.”
“How can you promise that, you Croatian hypocrite?” Sigma snarls.
“Because no one should wield the powers you wield. Not you. Not Talon. No one.”
Dubrovnik puts his hand out and Sigma is left dazed. He glances around at the guards, emotionlessly watching the exchange. As far as Sigma can tell, Dubrovnik is sincere. And that terrifies him, because Dubrovnik knows something he doesn’t. About Talon, probably.
Sigma realizes in that moment how little he knows about Talon. All he knows is that they support cutting edge research, and have a private military to protect themselves. What is Talon’s goal? Why did they bother with an old man like him?  
He almost reaches for that hand, but Dubrovnik’s form swirls and shifts and suddenly his mirror image is standing there, orange jumpsuit and bitter smile and all.
 “Will you really submit yourself to him again?”
“What else can I do?”
 “You know what to do.”
The mirror image gestures behind Sigma, pointing at the piano. His skin pales.
“I-I can’t. I need to hold it together.”
“A little push,” they say as Dubrovnik appears once again from the smoke. The mirror image is no more.
“If you’re done with your muttering, would you kindly come with me, Siebren?”
Sigma turns back to the piano, his eyes wide. He can hear the melody again. The universe is speaking for him again. It asks him to play its song. It shows him the chords. It tells him the price it will wreak upon his mind.
It’s a price he is willing to pay this time. He turns around and opens the lid for the piano.
“What are you doing?” Dubrovnik asks.
“Let me play one more song before I go,” he says. “It’s my final request.”
He sees the blank faces looking at him in the reflection of the lacquered wood. In the darkness he finds his place on the faux ivory easily. He presses his foot lightly down on the pedal, spreads his fingers on the keys, and pushes his fractured mind off the cliffside. With perfect precision he plays a song of his own creation, a tribute to the song the universe sings.
Memories of his past resurface. The bitter judgment of his academic rivals, the callous disregard of his piano instructor, the stars in the sky, the sorrow of losing his home, the rage of knowing no one cared enough to find him. Dark emotions coalesce into space as gravity releases itself from its chains, sending everyone in the lab flying. There’s screams and shouts as guns are ripped from people’s grasps. Dubrovnik is saying something to him. A plea, a beg, something along those lines, but all Sigma can see is the cosmos expanding, with him at the epicenter. He’s no longer playing the piano; gravity is doing the work for him. He flies above everyone else, his hand outstretched. With every bit of himself he loses, he gains control. The dark voice in his brain laughs in murderous glee.
“D-d-don’t do this, Siebren, please! You’re better than this! You’re not a murderer!”
Alarms are going off above his head, painting the room a bright red. People are holding onto each other, trying to hold on. They know what is coming before he does. Despite the chaos and turmoil before him, he is strangely at peace. The universe sings its lullaby to him from the piano. There is no time signature, no bars, no rhyme or reason. It should not work, but it does.
A placid smile escapes his lips as he brings everyone crashing down. The crunch of broken bones is followed shortly by the bellows of pain. The dark voice takes over, grabbing one of the guns, still hovering up in the air. He shoots—not accurately, but he shoots. There is silence, save for the klaxon above his head and the whimper of one more person.
Dubrovnik crawls towards the door, broken. His left shin bone is sticking out from his pants, trailing blood. Sigma calmly floats forward, the dark voice in control as he pushes the might of gravity upon Dubrovnik’s head. There’s a gasp of air, and then the crunch of bone, and finally a squish. Red liquid oozes out of every hole of Dubrovnik’s head.
It’s not long before Talon realizes the reason for the breach in their HQ. Reaper and Widowmaker are the first ones there, guns at the ready. They round the corner to Sigma’s office down, ready to fight, only to discover the aftermath of a bloodbath. The entire lab is splattered in crimson, dead bodies lying in crooked angles and twisted postures. A pile of guns are stacked in one corner, all crushed and broken. By the door, a man's head looks to have been squeezed together.
Sigma sits alone on the piano stool in front of the cheap, upright Yamaha piano. He is perfectly clean, as is the piano. As they tiptoe over the bodies, careful to not step on the blood, Sigma turns to them with a stern but relaxed expression.
“You’re late,” he says, before waving dismissively. “It’s fine, though. I handled it. I think I even learned a new trick or two.”
If Reaper is not wearing his mask, they would see his mouth open and shut. He’s speechless.
“Since you’re here, how about a song?” Sigma cracks his knuckles and places his fingers on the keys. “How about ‘Piano Man’ by Billy Joel? An old classic.”
No one says anything. Reaper and Widowmaker stand there while Sigma plays and sings along from memory. They do not move. Their eyes are concentrated on the swirling dark energy hovering over the piano, bopping in tune to the beat of the song.
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crystalninjaphoenix · 4 years
Text
Chaos Theory
Part Eight
(The last installment in solving puzzles. Appropriately, it’s the longest.)
The time was 4:12am. Or 4:13, as Jackie booted up the laptop once more and watched the numbers shift. He sighed. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, and now there was a bone-deep weariness dragging him down. But he couldn’t stop. He had no doubt that the gamemaster had more tricks up his sleeve that he had to prevent.
Jackie was sitting in the passenger seat of the car. He briefly looked away from the screen and around at the others. Chase was in the driver’s seat, leaning on the wheel with his head in his folded arms. JJ and Marvin were in the back seat. Marvin had his forehead against the window with his eyes closed and his legs folded up on the seat. JJ looked composed, sitting straight with his hands in his lap, but anyone who knew him well could tell he was on edge by his shaky breathing and wide eyes staring directly forward.
They had to finish this.
Jackie’s eyes hardened, and he turned back to the laptop. He’d received one last email, and this one had only one thing attached: a file called 4.png. There was a message written as well: Good luck with this one. You’ll need it :)
“Fuck you,” Jackie muttered, opening the .png file.The image was nothing but a white screen, with lines of black rectangles. But Jackie recognized the formatting immediately: blacked-out text. And by this point he knew to plug the image into the picture editor and play with sliders. Brightening it up revealed the writing that had been blacked out: a bunch of numbers that by now he recognized as hexadecimal code. He groaned; this was an image, which meant he had to type it into the translator by hand instead of copy-pasting. That’s going to take forever.
As he was typing the code into the online translator, Jackie noticed something odd. This particular code was just a lot of repeating 30s and 31s, with the occasional 20 thrown in. That was...weird. Did that mean it was really just a few characters? Jackie clicked translate, and then immediately understood. It was binary language; a bunch of ones and zeros. He sighed. Well, at least he could copy this one.
The binary turned out to be yet another url: yourfinalset.com. Jackie frowned. “That’s not ominous at all,” he muttered, plugging it into the browser.
A loading bar popped up, and a cheerful-sounding chiptune began to play. That got everyone’s attention. JJ and Marvin looked at Jackie oddly, while Chase leaned over to look at the screen. “What kind of puzzle is this?” he asked.
“I dunno,” Jackie said, shrugging. A moment later, and the screen had loaded up. Jackie blinked. “Apparently it’s not a puzzle. It’s a game.”
“Wait, what?” Marvin pushed his head into the space between the driver’s seat and passenger seat. JJ did the same, pushing his way into an empty spot. “Oh my god, you!”
“What?” Jackie looked at him peculiarly.
“You!” Marvin pointed at the computer screen.
“Wait, bro, I get it.” Chase pointed as well. “The little avatar, it’s you.”
Jackie looked at the screen again. It showed a pixelated room with stone walls and a squiggly design on the floor, connected to three more identical rooms that were only half-on the screen. There was a character in the center of the room wearing a red outfit with a blue mask and brown hair. Jackie gaped. “Oh, it is. Shit, how long has this guy been planning this? If he had time to make a full video game.” He moved the little avatar into the next room, revealing more of the screen. And then again, only to find a dead end. “Oh, not just a game. This is a maze game.”
Marvin inhaled sharply. “I hate these.”
“Yeah, they can be annoying,” Chase agreed. “My guess is you have to make it through while taking notes of the letters on the floor.”
“Letters?” Jackie moved back to the first room. “Oh, that is a W, isn’t it? Well, can someone write this down? Cause I’ll be too busy trying to find my way.”
If someone can give me a pen, I can, JJ signed.
“Here.” Chase grabbed a pencil off the dashboard and tossed it to him. “This person probably won’t mind if we use their pencil. I mean, we already stole their car, I don’t think they’ll be any more annoyed than they already are.”
My sentiments exactly, JJ agreed, grabbing a napkin from a compartment in the side of the car door next to him.
Ten minutes later, Jackie reached the end of the maze, signified by a small golden crown of pixels in the middle of the last room. The screen turned red, with black text: YOU WIN! Enter password for next level.
“Shit,” Jackie cursed. “I think this is where the letters come in. Jays?”
JJ passed the napkin to Jackie. There were a few crossed out rows of letters, but the final circled row was another url: 73707963616d657261.com. “Why is nothing simple with this guy?!” Jackie suddenly shouted, punching the ceiling of the car.
“Because he hates us,” Marvin stated. His tone was casual, but he’d suddenly gone very stiff, as if he just remembered being in a small, enclosed space filling with water.
Jackie took a deep breath. “You’re not wrong. Gotta keep going.” He checked the time real quick: 4:27. Then he opened a new tab and entered the url.
The new website was just a white square with a play button and a download button. Jackie hesitated, then clicked play. The white square revealed itself to be a video, as the camera panned up from where it had been pointing at the snowy ground. The camera panned across, showing it was filming the city streets. And then it zoomed in on a pair of people across the road. There was no sound of the city, just a weird, distorted noise overlayed.
“Oh my god,” Jackie whispered. Chase covered his mouth, eyes wide.
“That’s...that’s us...” Marvin muttered, looking at JJ, who was significantly paler than he had been a few seconds ago. The video showed Marvin and JJ walking along the city streets, signing with each other and occasionally stopping to look in shop windows. The person filming followed entirely silently, always at a distance. “That’s...that’s fucked up.”
“There’s snow,” Jackie muttered. “How...how old is this?”
“I remember this,” Marvin muttered. “Look, we’re gonna stop outside of Gimley’s now.” The video showed them doing exactly that. “This was when I was giving JJ a tour of the city, showing him how it’s changed since he was...you know.” Marvin took a deep breath. “That was December two years ago.”
“Fuck. Fuck this,” Jackie said, pausing the video. “Two years...fuck this guy.”
JJ looked away from the screen, disappearing into the back seat once more.
“What do we do with this?” Chase asked quietly.
Jackie took a deep breath. “Well...did you hear that weird audio? My guess is we’re gonna have to look at that closer.” He downloaded the video.
Running a spectrogram on the video’s audio revealed a hidden message in the sound: The letters JCHMJ. Jackie immediately switched back to the maze game and entered those as the password. The screen loaded, revealing another level of the maze, the pixelated stone walls a darker color.
“No letters on the floor this time, “ Jackie noted. “Let’s go.”
4:39am by the time the next maze level was complete. Once again, the YOU WIN! screen popped up, but this one was different. In addition to a space to enter a password, there was a message: Password is the timestamp, followed by a date and the YouTube logo.
“We need to find a YouTube video?” Jackie asked.
 “How are we supposed to know which video?! Do you know how many there are?!” Marvin cried.
“It’s 3:54,” Chase said all of a sudden.
Jackie and Marvin looked at him. “Chase?” Jackie asked. “How...do you know—”
“Trust me, I know,” Chase said. He was deliberately not looking at either of them. “It’s better than you guys looking for a video that’s not up anymore.”
Marvin looked confused, but Jackie’s eyes suddenly widened. He entered the timestamp into the space for the password, and the game instantly loaded up the next level. He looked over at Chase. “Hey...”
“Let’s just get through this next level, okay?” Chase cut him off.
Jackie stared at him a while longer, then nodded.
The last level had red stone walls, and took until 4:45 to complete. This time, the YOU WIN! screen didn’t have a space to enter a password, but instead a few lines of binary. Jackie sighed, then began typing the binary into the online translator by hand. Once translated, it turned out to be more hexadecimal code. Translating that once again let to an address: 25 Waverly Street.
“We only have an hour and a twenty minutes left,” Jackie said, rubbing his eyes.
“We could just...not go,” Marvin suggested. “What do we have left to lose if...no one else is...” He went silent.
“I don’t know,” Jackie said. “But I don’t want to find out. And honestly, at this point I wouldn’t be surprised if this guy had sniper rifles trained on us to take us out if we stop playing along.”
“Then we better get going,” Chase said, starting the car.
In a building in the center of the city, the gamemaster watched through cameras as a car pulled away from the curb and started speeding through city streets. He wasn’t about to lie; he was impressed. He honestly hadn’t been expecting Jackieboy to get this far.
But the question was if he would survive the final stage.
The gamemaster swiveled in his seat, turning his attention to another camera. He pressed a button activating an intercom. “Are you ready for the grand finale?” he asked. Though the intercom was two-way, there was no answer. He laughed to himself.
Just a quick test run of the crucial mechanisms, and then...the gamemaster glanced at the edge of his desk. A mask was dangling off the corner.
 The gamemaster smiled. This was turning out to be so much more satisfying than he ever could’ve guessed.
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brittle-bone-gabe · 4 years
Text
The Forgotten: Chapter One: Act One
Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Chapter Six, Chapter Seven, Chapter Eight, Chapter Nine, Chapter Ten, Chapter Eleven, Chapter Twelve, Chapter Thirteen, Chapter Fourteen, Chapter Fifteen, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Seventeen, Chapter Eighteen, Chapter Nineteen, Chapter Twenty, Epilogue
Summary: Barry Berkman couldn't remember much of his childhood; he knew he used to live in Derry, Maine, but that was about it, besides being taken by his "Uncle Fuches" at age 16 to move to Cleveland, Ohio. Eddie Kaspbrak moved from Derry, Maine to LA, becoming a police officer, surprisingly enough. Normally things were quiet for the most part, besides the occasional drug busts, but it's when someone named Barry Block enters his line of sight as a possible suspect for the recent string of murders he has to push the feeling of remembrance to investigate.     Pairing: Adult Reddie  (Richie x Eddie) Or, technically, Barry x Eddie Read on AO3: Here Word Count: 2665
It was a Monday afternoon when LAPD Officer, Eddie Kaspbrak, was sitting at his desk in the precinct, bored out of his mind. Yeah, he loved his job here in LA, it was certainly a different area than Derry, Maine, his hometown, but it grew on him quickly. The normal quiet life he had in Maine that he left when he was twenty-one-years-old was replaced with heavy traffic, an amount of homicides like you wouldn't believe, and for some reason your shoes were always sticky the moment you step out of your house. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t miss his friends back at home, the Losers Club. It had been years since they’ve seen each other, either everyone was too busy or Eddie couldn’t get ahold of anyone, so it wasn’t like he wasn’t trying. Well, the five that were left, nobody had any idea what happened to Richie; one day he just… disappeared without saying anything. Maybe that was the true reason Eddie wanted to be a cop; he wanted to help people, he wanted to help find people who were missing, and he was damn good at his job. 
Eddie jumped in surprise out of his thoughts  when the phone on his desk started to ring. Normally that phone didn’t go off unless there was an emergency, or someone wasn’t available… or if nobody wanted to work in general. A sudden burst of anxiety plunged its way into Eddie’s chest as he reached out to grab the phone. Normally he didn’t have any issues answering the phone, but this phone was scary for obvious reasons. 
“LAPD, this is Kaspbrak,” he answered, fidgeting with the pen that was sitting on his desk. He called it his fidget pen because he didn’t actually use it to write anything. Detective Mae had given it to him so he would stop drumming on the desk with his fingers when he became anxious.  
“Officer Kaspbrak, there were reports of gunshots at 9913 Cambridge rd. There are no available officers at the moment, are you able to check it out?” Dispatch had asked him. 
Eddie narrowed his eyes. “Is it that there aren’t any available officers, or they don’t want to do it?” He finally asked. 
There was a silence on the other end of the line. “Okay, but hear them out.” Eddie snorted. “So you know how the reptile show is in town?”
“I got it, I got it, I got it,” Eddie said quickly, “I’ll go check it out.” 
When Eddie hung up the phone he looked at the blurry picture from the lipstick cam that Detective Janice Moss clung to as if her life depended on it. Eddie had tacked it next to his computer at his cubicle, he always used it as a reference point whenever there were reports of gunshot or murder since he knew that this guy is still out there somewhere going on a killing spree. It wasn’t fair the woman who trained him, making him a better officer and pushing him out of his shell, was murdered for what seemed like no reason. Eddie felt as though he owed it to Janice to catch this bastard; then the case would finally be put to rest and hopefully the other shit going on around here would stop.  He would be a liar if he said he didn’t try everything he could to try to enhance the image to at least make out the face, or at least some of the features.
God, first they lost Janice then they lost Detective John Loach, which, in all fairness, was something about him and the guy that stole his wife? Eddie still wasn’t sure on those details, something about them being in a supermarket and the two men ended up killing each other. He knew that Loach had been torn up over his wife, since Eddie was the one who had to sit through all the many boring stories about how he bought a… what was it? A Quinceañera shop for his wife? Even after that she left him for another man and divorced him. It was a wild ride of a story, and in all honesty Eddie couldn’t keep up with the details of it all. He just remembered a few days before Loach got killed he was very secretive, jumpy, and acting out of it more than usual; so it had to have been a planned thing, right? Well, at least they knew what happened to Loach, they still had no clue where Janice was or what happened.
Eddie got on his old Dell computer, printing out a copy of the lipstick cam picture, he didn’t like taking the one he had pinned up as that was Janice’s personal copy and he felt as though that was the only thing he had left of her. Yeah, he understood there was no fuckin’ face on the damn thing, but he did remember Janice telling him that he would reconize the person in the picture if they were standing in front of him. Eddie slapped the printer after his computer gave him an error saying Printer Not Found. Which was bullshit… Eddie was looking right at the printer! It was right there! He was grumbling to himself as he made sure all the cords were plugged in properly before trying again, finally printing… slowly…. 
He rubbed his face, hunched over his desk while waiting for the picture to print while mumbling to himself, obviously lost in thought. Mumbling about how he was going to catch this son of a bitch, that he would get the info of where Janice was at (hopefully still alive), and that this whole thing would finally be over. Eddie was telling himself this, but he noted how unconfident he sounded, which made him sigh heavily. 
“What’cha doin’?” Detective Mae asked loudly when standing outside Eddie’s cubicle. 
Eddie jumped, whipping around to see the brown haired woman looking at him with a smile on her face. She always did that. Whenever he was thinking aloud or trying to get something done, she was always there. It was almost on cue. Every. Single. Time. 
“Oh, I’m…” Eddie trailed off, picking up the picture from his printer, “on my way to investigate some reported gunshots.” 
“Mhm...” Detective Mae trailed off, taking the picture from Eddie’s hands, “Kaspbrak, why do you always think this guy is involved?” She asked, holding the picture up to him. 
Eddie bit his lip, thinking of a good answer. Because he didn’t want to let this go? Because he wanted to find out what happened to Janice? Because he wanted to make sure that nobody else gets hurt because of this asshole?  
“I just think he’s involved,” Eddie finally answered, avoiding eye contact as he took the picture back from the detective. 
“The case has been closed, Kaspbrak. You know that, right?” 
“Wrongfully closed,” he snapped on accident, looking up at Detective Mae who looked confused at his sudden aggressiveness. Totally out of character for Eddie. “I’m sorry, I… I gotta go.” 
He tried squeezing past her, but she managed to grab his arm before he could get too far. 
“Do you need any help?”  
Eddie’s eyes went wide, avoiding eye contact with her. She always tried to make some kind of physical contact with him somehow. It always made him uncomfortable, something about… someone else touching him with their dirty hands made him sick. 
“Uh, no…” he said, rolling his arm so she’d let go, “no, I think I got this under control.” 
He finally moved past her, going outside to where his police cruiser was sitting. He had inherited Janice’s old cruiser after his got destroyed in an accident. Eddie made sure that it was always in perfect condition; went through the car wash once a week, no trash, no scratches, no nothing. He remembered when he first joined the force, Janice made it a point to show off how her cruiser was the one in the best shape and she intended to keep it that way. 
Eddie missed his best friend. 
                                                          -----
The sun blinded Barry Berkman for a good few seconds the moment he stepped outside the house he had just broken into via the sliding glass door. First accomplishment: he killed the guy he was ordered to by Fuches. Now… he had to figure out how the hell he was going to escape. The wired fence was way too high for Barry to climb, there weren’t any fencing around the sides of the house, but he didn’t want to risk that way since the guy fired a couple of rounds and the police were surely on their way now. 
There was blood all over the front of Barry’s black hoodie, thankfully none of it was his; he had his hood pulled up just in case. A small itch landed on Barry’s face, when he reached up to scratch it he could feel his fingertips were now wet; great, he had this assholes blood on his face too. Nice. Totally nice. 
Barry peered around the corner of the house, debating if he wanted to take the chance of trying to escape through the front of the house and cut through the neighbors yard. It could theoretically work as long as nobody saw him. Barry was hyping himself up to do exactly that… until a police cruiser pulled up to the scene with its lights flashing.  Well, fuck. Barry backed off a little, but still being able to see the police officer walk around behind his car, his pistol in his hands as he walked up to the front door of the house. 
Breathing heavily, Barry pressed his back against the house siding, not sure what to do now. Were more officers coming? Were there more than that one officer in the police cruiser? Now that the red, white, and blue lights were flashing it would surely attract some attention to what was happening. Letting out the breath he was holding, Barry took out the ski mask that he was holding in his hoodie pocket, putting it over his head before dropping the hood. 
When he turned back around to the sliding glass door, Barry noticed that there was a security camera pointed down at him, the red light blinking, indication that it was, in fact, recording. Fuck. He didn’t see that there earlier. Fuches didn’t tell him that this asshole had cameras around his house. Barry glanced inside the house, not seeing the police officer in his sights. Perfect. He pulled out his pistol with a suppressor, shooting it down. 
Barry’s heart started to pound against his chest, normally he wasn’t so anxious during these jobs, but he didn’t want to have to kill another cop. That just wasn’t his thing to do. They were just doing their jobs, like he was doing his. He took a deep breath as he silently opened the sliding door. You will not kill another cop. You will not kill another cop. You will- He kept thinking to himself over and over as he was crouched down, moving over to the wall in the kitchen that held the staircase, pressing his back up against it, making sure his breathing was steady. He peeked around the corner of the small wall he was hiding behind to see the cop, his arms were crossed holding his pistol in one hand with a flashlight in the other so he could navigate this dark house. 
“LAPD!” The officer had called throughout the house, causing Barry to worry that he may have seen him. 
The officer slowly backed out of the kitchen, not seeing anything and moved to the living room that was on the opposite side of the staircase. The footsteps that were once so heavy and close were now starting to slowly fade away, as the officer was checking every single corner of the living room. The only thing Kaspbrak could find were traces of blood and an obvious sign of a struggle. Although, he couldn’t find the body anywhere, he even checked the living rooms closet, where he would’ve assumed someone would put a body, but it was only filled with coats and shoes.
Taking a silent, yet deep breath, Barry moved out from his spot behind the wall. He was still crouched as he moved towards the front door, stopping every so often to listen for any footsteps. From what he could tell the officer was still in the living room and therefore should be free to escape without any hassle. Just in case, Barry peeked through the railing into the living room, the officer had his back to him as he was looking behind furniture now. Great, this was perfect. With the door still slightly opened still it would be easy for Barry to slip out.
The absolute second Barry was about to reach the door he accidentally stepped on an old, creaky floorboard. Barry’s eyes went wide as he whipped his head around to see the officer looking at him, his gun pointed at him. 
“Stand up! Put your hands up!” The officer yelled, walking over to Barry with the gun still pointed at him. 
Now seeing the officers face up close sent Barry into a slight state of confusion. Did he know him from somewhere? Maybe he just had one of those faces that looked familiar to everyone, but that reasoning didn’t set right with Barry. No, he’s seen him before, he just couldn’t place where. Barry glanced at the man's uniform, on the left side it was printed as: E. Kaspbrak. 
Barry slowly stood up, taller than the officer with his hands raised like he was told to do. 
“Take off the mask,” Officer Kaspbrak told him in a somewhat calm tone. 
“Look, man, this is a huge-”
“Take it off!” Officer Kaspbrak shouted, indicating that he was ready to shoot him. 
With a sigh, Barry began to reach up with his left hand, acting as if he was going to remove the ski mask, but he knew he couldn’t do that. Not while he was trying to turn his life around. Not while he knew that this was going to be the last ever job that he was going to do for Fuches. He had a life now, he had friends, he had a purpose. He wasn’t going to let it get ripped away from him so easily. 
While Officer Kaspbrak was distracted on seeing the mans face, he didn’t even notice Barry’s right hand going for the gun he still had on him. He quickly reached for it, even before Officer Kaspbrak could react, he pointed the gun down to the floor, shooting the officer in the foot. 
Eddie let out a scream, dropping his own gun before collapsing to the floor, holding his foot. 
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, man, I really am,” Barry kept apologizing, kicking Officer Kaspbrak’s gun across the room so he couldn’t shoot him while his back was turned. “I did it so I didn’t have to hurt you… worse… than that,” he added quickly, his hand on the doorknob. “Put… put some ice on that, you’ll be fine,” he said before leaving the house, closing the door behind him. 
Groaning, Eddie grabbed his radio. “It’s Officer Kaspbrak, I’ve been fuckin’ shot. Suspect is about 6-”
There was a sound of static on the other end of the radio before another man spoke. “Uhh, Kaspbrak? Is this important because the guys and I are in the middle of holding a turtle at the reptile show-”
“I got fuckin’ shot, you assholes!” 
He dropped the radio, staring up at the ceiling, feeling the blood coming from his foot fill his sock and shoe. It felt like the world was spinning at an unreasonable speed, causing Eddie to throw up from the shock of it all. It wasn’t long before he closed his eyes, passing out.
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whatarubberchicken · 5 years
Text
Marichat May 14
(Another lost episode! But this one might not make sense unless you’ve read the others, so here’s the Ao3 link to the whole story!)
I Told You It Was a Bad Idea to Do That
Ladybug dashed behind a building, her earrings already beeping again. Blast. Hawkmoth was getting mean. First the Minotaur, now a Ladybug-fanboy who’d decided to hunt her as a trophy. He was collecting her Lucky Charms as quickly as she could make them and crooning over each one before attaching it to himself. So gross.
Things were getting so bad, she’d had to call in their reinforcements. She glanced over. Rena Rouge and Queen Bee were certainly giving Bug-Catcher a run for his money, but he kept targeting her.
“Rena,” she hissed, motioning for the other superheroine to come closer, while Queen Bee attempted to sting the villain again. Rena Rouge bounded over to her. “I need you to make a copy of me and get him to chase it for a while,” she said, looking around to make sure they weren’t overheard.
“Sure, boss,” Rena chirped happily, spinning her flute. “Do you want me to make a bunch, so he gets confused?”
“No, just one,” Ladybug decided. “If he knows he’s being fooled, he may start shooting them instead of just trying to capture me. Just lead him on a good chase while I recharge. And protect the fake like it’s the real me.”
“Got it. Mirage!” Rena called. A false Ladybug appeared beside her and they both saluted the real one before diving back into Bug-Catcher’s line-of-sight.
Ladybug breathed a sigh of relief and went to go find a place to hide.
Moments later, she was listening to Tikki munch on her cookies, cringing as she watched Chat Noir get thrown into a bus, only to emerge, yowling and more furious than ever. He seemed to be taking this particular villain rather personally.
Don’t worry, kitty, she thought, biting her lip. I’ll be there with you in just a minute.
“LADYBUG IS MINE!!” Bug-Catcher screamed, tossing Chat away again. Marinette winced as he hit a car nearby.
“Gotta catch me first!” Rena’s fake Ladybug called, swinging away. The villain snarled and chased after her.
Marinette watched them go, noting that they were headed for the Eiffel Tower. She glanced back at where Chat had landed. Poor kitty. Good thing their suits were indestruct—
Her breath caught.
Chat had gotten up, and was staring at her in shock. Her. The un-transformed her.
Marinette froze, noting the way his eyes darted from the image of Ladybug leading the villain away, and then back to her.
Oh.
Oh, damn.
He didn’t know about Rena’s illusion. He thought that was really Ladybug up there.
But this was a good thing, right? Now he had proof that she wasn’t Ladybug, and it would put all of his suspicions to rest!
Right?!?!
…So why did her heart ache?
“Mari-Marinette?!”
His voice had cracked. Why had his voice cracked?!
“Chat,” she said, stepping towards him. “Chat, I can—”
“You need to get out of here!” he said, shaking himself out of it and reaching for his baton.
“But, Chat—”
I should tell you. I should tell you!
“Go, princess!”
And then he was gone. And she was left with the same empty feeling she’d had the past few times they’d met.
“This is a good thing, Marinette,” Tikki chirped, swallowing her cookie. “Chat Noir can’t know your identity. You know that.”
“I know,” Marinette said miserably. “But I—”
I want him to.
“Are you really willing to risk it?” Tikki asked.
If I wasn’t willing to risk things, I wouldn’t be a superhero, she thought wryly. But she didn’t dare say it out loud. Think with your head. Think with your head, she reminded herself sternly. First things first. Defeat the akuma. Then we deal with Chat.
“Ready, Tikki? Spots on!”
Chat Noir landed in his bedroom, his transformation falling away as he instantly started pacing. Plagg raised an eyebrow, and then shrugged and went to go get his camembert.
Adrien was still pacing when Plagg settled down on the couch with his prize.
“You know,” the kwami said casually. “I’m surprised you aren’t over at your girlfriend’s.”
“She’s not my girlfriend. We’ve been over this,” Adrien muttered, not stopping.
“And you didn’t even stick around for your fist-bump with Ladybug.”
That got him to pause. “She was busy with the other superheroes.”
“Uh huh.”
“I panicked!” Adrien exclaimed, running his hands through his hair. “I was so sure—so sure I was right….”
“If you’re that upset about your princess, why don’t you go talk to her?” Plagg suggested, gulping down another wedge of cheese.
“And tell her what?” Adrien asked. “That I thought she was Ladybug and I’m really disappointed she’s not?!”
“Are you?” Plagg asked, studying his cheese.
“Am I what?” Adrien asked, finally coming to a stand-still.
“Disappointed.”
“Of course I am!” Adrien cried. “I thought—”
“She’s still your friend though, isn’t she?” Plagg pressed.
“Of course she is!”
“And don’t you think she’d be a little hurt if she found out that you were avoiding her because she turned out to not be the love of your life?” Plagg grinned at his bearer. Oh, how he loved playing Devil’s Advocate….
“I just…,” Adrien trailed off, thinking about it. “You think I should still go, then?”
Plagg laughed. “It is safe, warm, and dry, with plenty of treats, toys, and napping areas,” he said, rolling his eyes. “The cat in me is legally obligated to tell you to go, kid.”
That coaxed a smile out of the blond. It was true. He’d made a place for himself there, long before he’d started suspecting Marinette was a superhero. And….
I want to see her. I don’t even want to think about Ladybug right now.
“Plagg,” he called. “Let’s go home. Claws out!”
Marinette was frantically pacing in her room. When Chat had left without even giving her their usual “pound it,” she thought she’d have to race him to the bakery. Instead, he was nowhere in sight.
Part of her wanted to leave again and reclaim those Miraculouses, but really, Chloé and Alya had proven themselves trustworthy. And it was getting dangerous to go to Master Fu’s in the middle of every hard battle, just to get backup. She’d explain it to him later. Maybe he’d even give Nino his to keep as well.
Her heart jumped when she heard a familiar knock on the hatch above.
“Lucy, I’m home!” Chat called, jumping down.
Marinette laughed, relieved that he seemed to be his old self again. “Lucy?!” she said in mock anger. “How many princesses do you have, cat boy?”
“Ha ha, it’s a movie quote.”
“I know,” she said, rolling her eyes and giving him a hug. She pulled away enough to look at him. “Look, about earlier….”
“Nope, we are not talking about work right now,” he said, putting a finger against her lips.
“But—”
“I smell… cinnamon,” he said, licking his lips. “And superheroing is hungry work, princess! Got any cookies for a poor, starving cat?”
Marinette sighed and smiled. “Maman made a whole plate with your name on it,” she said.
“Yes!” Chat fist-pumped, letting her go to skip down the stairs.
She opened her mouth to continue from earlier, then closed it. If he didn’t wanna talk about it….
“Bring me back something to drink!” she called after him. He waved to show he’d heard her, his head already disappearing beneath her trapdoor. Sighing, she threw herself into her computer chair.
“Marinette…,” Tikki called softly from her corner, her glowering expression saying exactly what she thought about the conversation her bearer wanted to have. Marinette looked away.
“So, Mari,” Chat drawled as he came back up the stairs, balancing a pair of drinks and a plate of cookies. “What are the chances that you’ll let me beat you in Ultimate Mecha Strike III?”
She snorted. “Nil, pussy cat. You wanna beat me, you have to earn it.”
“What if I bribe you with cookies?” He waved the plate under her nose. “Mmm, snickerdoodles….”
“I had some earlier.” She looked up at him and bit her lip. “Chat—”
“You’ve got this serious expression on your face, princess,” he said, putting the snacks down on the desk and leaning in close to her personal space. “We need to do something about that.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but instead, a squeal came out when he started to tickle her.
“Who’s the best at Ultimate Mecha Strike III, princess?” he teased, tickling her mercilessly as she tried to get away from him. “Who? WHO?!”
“I am, you furry cheater!” she exclaimed, finally kicking him off.
He grinned at her and sauntered back over, taking a cookie from the plate and munching on it.
“Maybe,” he acknowledged. “But your mom tells me you’re behind on your design project for Gabriel Agreste’s new contest.”
Marinette groaned at the reminder.
“So you’re gonna have to just sit there and give me pointers while you work,” he said, cheekily turning on her computer. “And no talking about anything serious. I’ll lose my concentration.”
She glowered at him while he pulled up another chair and started the game.
Fine. After. She would talk to him after, she decided, pulling out her project.
Hours later, it was only after he’d left that she realized she’d forgotten.
But her designs were complete, her cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and Tikki was happy her secret was safe.
Did she have to tell him? Was it really necessary? she wondered. Especially since Chat seemed to want to keep things the way they were?
The thought kept her up late that night.
...WaRC
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takadasaiko · 5 years
Text
Second Chances: Chapter Sixteen
FFN II AO3
Summary: Nick Fury pays a surprise visit to the Stark cabin.
Chapter Sixteen
Peggy toyed with the ring on her left hand as she made her way out to Tony Stark's workshop. An Irish woman's voice - a computer system, she had been told - announced her presence the moment she crossed the threshold and into the space.
"Back here, Peg!" Howard shouted from much further in.
In true Stark fashion, the workshop was huge and filled with gadgets of all shapes and sizes. There were notes on some, small slips of colourful paper stuck to the inventions and a few seemed to be a very vivid reminder that Howard wasn't allowed near them. Peggy found herself chuckling at that as she wound around and found both Stark men bent over the engine of a t-bird. "You boys look like you're having fun."
Howard popped up at the sound of her voice, covered in motor oil and grinning like a loon. "You didn't mention you were coming out today, Peg. Finally figure out you're gonna miss me when I'm gone?"
Tony snorted a laugh, still half buried in the engine.
"That was never in question," Peggy answered softly. "And there's no we two today. Just me."
"Cap let you drive his truck?" Tony asked as he finally surfaced, wiping at stained fingers.
"Oh no. He's apparently still sharing that with Mr Wilson and Sergeant Barnes. His bike's not too unlike the ones from our time though."
"You drove his motorcycle all the way out here?" Tony asked, and she wasn't sure if he sounded impressed or horrified. "I could have sent a car or the chopper if you—"
"There was no need. I needed the time to think."
She didn't miss the way Howard's gaze locked in her, those clever brown eyes searching out answers. She smiled sweetly at him, effectively shutting him out of her thought process. The difference between Howard and most other men was that he knew exactly what she was doing while others might have just seen a pretty smile they didn't bother to try and look past. She watched him purse his lips, thinking his words over before his jaw dropped to speak, but she beat him to it. "Are these your suits?" she asked her friend's son, motioning to the collection at the far side of the room. "They look much smaller here than they did on display at the expo."
"Lifesize," Tony answered and moved to join her as she made her way over to them. "The fit has to be pretty snug or you'd rattle around inside with every blow."
"Would have, isn't it?"
He pushed a long breath out through his nose, one dark eyebrow lifting. "Exactly what were you here for, Peggy?"
"I was curious if you'd begun creating the serum needed to send Howard back yet."
"Scratch that. Apparently you can't wait to get rid of me," her friend popped off from his place leaning against the car and drinking that awful looking green goop she had seen Tony drink before.
Tony shot Howard a withering look before turning back to her again. "Yeah. It started last night. We have about thirty-six hours left to it."
She steeled herself. "Would it cause too much trouble to add more to it?"
"More what?"
"Particles."
"You second guessing things, Peggy?" Howard asked, his voice strangely distraught in the question. "You just got him back. Everything you wanted. You —"
"Not everything is about getting what we want, Howard," she snapped, her tone icier than she'd meant for it to be. A twinge of guilt tightened her chest as she saw him flinch back at it like she'd physically struck him.
"I know it's not," he said with soft conviction and she saw him glance towards the son he had managed to start building a relationship with and that he would soon have to leave.
Peggy's lips parted to try to ease the sting of the statement, but Tony's computer cut her off. "Boss, you've got a… vis...i….tor…."
Tony was immediately on alert with the way that the voice wound down and cut out and Peggy followed to where his gaze snapped to the door. A tall man filled it, broad and intimidating with his dark expression and patched eye. Peggy had seen him very briefly and at a great distance when SHIELD had arrived at the expo. She hadn't gotten a name, but he worked for them. For the organization she was supposed to help Howard form.
"Fury. What the hell are you doing here?" Tony asked tightly.
"I'm here for your answer," the older man said, his voice gravelly and dangerous as he strode into the space like he wasn't trespassing.
"I told you I'd get back to you on it. It's a big call. Pep and I need time to —"
"Cut the bullshit, Stark." He stopped, glancing past Tony to Howard who looked ready to jump into the fray if the situation arose. What he hoped to do was another matter entirely, but the determination was there. Fury's single eye focused on Tony again. "You knew your answer at the expo. Now I need it."
"It's not just my call. I need time —"
"We don't have time. I told Parker and I told you that the day would come when the ones we haven't been able to find would pose a threat. The day is here." He handed Tony a thin slab of what looked like plastic. A tablet, Peggy realized. A flat computer capable of holding a tremendous amount of data.
Tony took it and she couldn't make the images out from where she stood. He could though, that much was obvious by the way he paled. He slid his finger across the screen as he read, worry deepening the lines in his face as he did. "He's dead. Coulson said you recovered the body."
"Coulson told you what you needed to hear."
"He lied to me and now he's on the loose," Tony snarled, his expression darkening and sharpening as his gaze snapped to meet Fury's. "And now you want me to clean up your mess."
"It is what it is, Stark. You don't have to clean it up, but if you don't put a team together, I will, and you know my first choice."
"Stay the hell away from the kid."
"Then you'll put one together?"
"Don't really have a choice, so I?"
"Everyone's got a choice. You just have to decide where your line is." He nodded at Howard. "Howard -" then at Peggy - "Ms Carter -" before turning on heel and leaving them alone with a seething Tony Stark.
"Who the hell does he think he is?" Howard demanded.
"Nick Fury. Director of SHIELD," the man's son answered tightly.
"Is the threat real?" Peggy asked, hoping to pull him off whatever emotional ride he was on.
"Yes."
"Then we'll do whatever we can to help you. Why don't I go call Steve and we can start forming a plan?"
Tony blinked, looking startled by that. "This isn't your fight, Peggy."
"It is now."
"We're with you, kid," Howard offered. "Anything you need."
Tony looked between them both and drew a slightly unsteady breath. "Okay. Call Cap. We've gotta move fast."
                                                  ________________
He had wondered when Tony's conversation with Nick Fury would come into play. Steve didn't know the details of the "deal" the SHIELD director had put on the table, only that he hadn't been approached for it and Tony wasn't happy. From the sounds of it, Fury wasn't going to give Tony time to find a way to wriggle free and enjoy his retirement that he'd earned. Hell, that they had all earned after the battles with Thanos.
The call from Peggy had been limited, but Steve hadn't wasted any time getting out to the Stark cabin. Retired or not, no Avenger left another to face the fight alone. Nat had been right. They were a family. Bizarre and squabbling half the time, but a family nonetheless.
He found it busy when he got there, Tony on the phone, Pepper and Peggy speaking lowly with each other in a somewhat conspiratorial manner, and Howard was perched on the arm of the couch with a tablet in hand. Steve's old friend looked up as he entered. "You made good time."
"It's important. What's going on?"
Howard loosed a long breath, shoulders sagging a little as he did. "Man showed up and overrode Tony's computer system."
"Fury. Peggy mentioned he dropped by. He has a habit of doing that."
The dark haired man nodded. "He wants Tony to put together some sort of team to get this guy."
Steve reached forward and took the tablet. There was a lot of information, but large portions of it had been redacted. One name, a code name for the villain, was clear: Iron Monger. It was accompanied by what looked like a suit of armor copied from one of Tony's early designs. "So SHIELD wants us to go after this guy on limited information. Great."
"Tony did that," Howard said, his voice tight. "Apparently it's someone he knew and someone I'm going to know."
Blond brows drew together. He knew the name, but he couldn't place it. It must have been someone from before he came out of the ice and that affected Tony's path in a way that he didn't want Howard messing with. Nothing was ever simple around them.
"Great. Happy'll get them all set up at HQ in midtown. Anything they need moved I'll have a team transport over." Tony ended the call and looked over. "Hey Cap. You made better time than I expected."
"Everyone keeps saying that," Steve huffed. "I don't drive that slow."
"Compared to other hundred-year-old men or...?" He flashed a grin, knowing full well how irritating he was sometimes.
"I'm sorry, Tony. Did you want my help?"
"I told him what was going on," Peggy said from her place.
"So who's this Iron Monger?"
Tony's grin finally lapsed. "A threat. One that they told me was dead, but apparently just hidden away in some SHIELD bunker somewhere until the Snap."
"And when everyone was brought back…"
"Exactly."
"So why didn't Fury come to me directly? Out of the two of us, I can still fight."
"Not everything's about brawn, Cap," Tony said with an exaggerated cheer. "Some of us are brought in for our minds."
"And?"
The dark haired man feigned insult before shrugging. "And he thinks you're distracted these days. I know that if you're on board, you're onboard all the way."
"What exactly would I be getting onboard for?"
"The Avengers."
"Tony -"
"His methods leave a great deal to be desired, but Director Fury isn't wrong when he says we're facing a threat," Peggy said as she made her way over to Tony's holotable and motioned. "Here?"
"And flip it up," he instructed.
Peggy did so and Steve watched multiple files spring into existence. He stared, hating what he knew they meant.
"Fury sent these over right after he left to make his point," Tony said softly. "A team is coming together to handle the Iron Monger threat, and if it works out, we'll make it permanent. You can say no, and you'd have every right. I can do this without you, Cap, but I'd prefer not to."
Steve glanced back at Pepper who was sitting very quietly at the table. "And you're okay with this?"
The ginger woman purses her lips together as if she were weighing each word before letting it go. "Fury put us in a difficult position by dragging Peter into it. At least this way Tony can have his back from behind the scenes." She gave him a pointed look and Steve could feel the unspoken words.
"And I'll have his," he promised, risking a glance over to Howard, the promise he'd made some nights before to protect his son and do what he could to keep Tony out of trouble pushing its way to the front of his mind. He let his gaze slip back around to the Stark he'd fought beside more recently. "Who all are we thinking?"
"Well, I can't suit up. The expo proved that, and there's only so much I can do from behind the scenes when the fighting breaks out. Would your buddy Falcon be down for it?"
"I bet I could convince him. Bucky too."
Tony groaned loudly, but waved it off. "Rhodey'll be onboard."
"What about Parker? I know you didn't want him working directly for Fury, but-"
"Honestly, I don't want the kid anywhere near Fury if I can help it."
Steve caught his friend's darting gaze and held it. "He's part of this, if you want him to be or not."
"Kid's sixteen, Rogers."
"You should have thought about that before you recruited him."
Tony looked like he wanted to argue, but instead his shoulders sagged and he held his hands up, palms outward in surrender. "Toché."
"And the kid's good," Howard offered from his place. "Both in a fight and in the lab."
"Hey." Steve waited for Tony to look over to him again and he did his best to keep his voice even. The last thing he wanted at this moment was to jump off on the wrong foot, but Tony was already barreling towards a world of hurt. "Parker went behind your back with Fury. If you go behind his back here, you two are going to get caught in a loop."
He watched the emotions play out on Tony's face and finally the dark haired man sighed. "Fine. I'll call the kid, but we need to move. We don't have a lot of time on this."
                                                 ________________
The world had changed a great deal in the last few years. Half the universe had been snapped out of existence by a deranged alien and then snapped back in five years later. In many ways it had helped society heal, but it had also caused problems that an already struggling world couldn't cope with. And those problems fell to them. They fell to him.
If Fury had his way, he'd have let Rogers and Stark have their retirements. Let Captain America settle down with the woman he'd been pining over since he woke up from the ice and let Tony Stark live out the rest of his days in peace with his wife and his child. Maybe even his father pulled out of time, if he changed his mind. If anyone deserved a break, those two did, but the world wasn't having it. Obadiah Stane coming out of the woodworks was proof of that. He'd been useful enough when they had him in a deep, dark cell, but the Snap had changed that. Loose on society he had popped up the day before and taken off with SHIELD weapons that were still untested to their full extent. They could do a lot of damage as it stood. In Stane's hands, he could alter them to level a building in a single shot. He needed to be handled and handled quickly. Tony knew him better than anyone else, and while he couldn't physically go head to head with his former mentor anymore, Fury was confident he could pull together a team that could.
There was a shift in the wheel under his hands and Fury's good eye narrowed as he watched the readouts on his SUV glitch, a sure sign of an override. Which should have been impossible. After the fiasco of Hydra he'd made sure to upgrade everything to tech he trusted.
That was it. He'd upgraded it to Stark Tech. Dammit. He loosed a frustrated breath. Apparently Tony wasn't complying quite as amiably as he'd hoped in the end.
The SUV pulled into the next lane and then the next, just fast enough that if he were somehow able to override the locked doors he would have trouble getting out anyway. Fury reached into the glove compartment for his gun. Just in case it wasn't Stark at the other end of this merry-go-round.
One dark eye watched as the vehicle slowed and he heard the locks pop up. He shoved the driver's door open, finding himself seemingly alone in an alley. He tightened his grip on his sidearm. "Okay, Stark. You've had your fun."
"I'm not here for fun," a crisp, decidedly feminine voice said from behind him and Fury schooled the impressed smirk that threatened to tilt his lips as he turned.
The CEO of Stark Industries looked anything but impressed as she stood in her designer pumps, chin tilted up and shoulders squared to bring herself up to her full height. Those blue eyes of her were ice. "Director Fury, we've never formally met."
"I know who you are, Ms Stark. I'll admit, you're not the one I expected to pull a stunt like that."
"I needed your attention and I didn't have time to jump through all the security you'd put in my way."
"Well now you have it. What can I do for you?"
"We need to have a talk about my husband."
                                                 ________________
TBC
Notes: I've toyed with the idea that SHIELD saved Stane's life and held him for intel for a while now, but I've been going back and forth on if this was the story I wanted to introduce the idea into. I've been dragging my feet a little on this chapter because I had to make a choice: to wrap it up and simply send him home (something that just felt too easy for the world that they work in) or lean into one more arc before the close. The more I looked at it, the more Obadiah just made sense with his connection to Howard and the fact that it's going to dredge up a number of painful memories for Tony that many of the main cast of this story don't know a great deal about. Also, it finally gave me the scene I've been wanting to write between Pepper and Fury since the expo XD
I'm really looking forward to these last few chapters.
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