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kingkennny10 · 9 months

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Please Please Please

SP Apocalypse AU

Pt. 5 It Begins

Here it is, the beginning of the end, where will everyone go? Who dies? Who makes it out? How will the show go? Another chapter i love, it took me longer to post because i keep editing it instead of just putting down what i wrote on paper, mb yall, theres plenty of blood at the end of this, your typical apocalypse stuff 💕

Tonight's the night, the big opening gig in Denver! You ride with Jimmy to the place an hour and a half early and sit in his mini dressing room sipping on some water as you wait for him to finish his rundown with the venue owner. Jimmy enters the room with a tired look on his face making you pout at him. "You alright there big fella?" You ask patting the other chair next to you. He comes over and takes a seat heaving out a big sigh before speaking.

"Yea, just before show n-nerves I guess..." He says and you let out a giggle. You've never known Jim to be nervous. "I'm glad your here with me though." He reaches over to hold your hand but you use it to take another sip of your water instead.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, you know I'll always support your career Jim jim!" You say after swallowing down the water. He gives you a breathy chuckle in response.

"There's already a couple p-p-people out there and I go on in 30, a-are you gonna head out there?" Jimmy asks and you nod.

"I guess I should, hopefully there's people I know so we can make fun of you." You say with a laugh. You get up and pat Jimmy's shoulder. "Good luck out there Jim." You begin walking towards the door.

"No good luck kiss?" Jimmy asks you as you reach for the knob. You give him a half hearted laugh.

"You don't need it, you're gonna knock 'em dead Jim." You said as you exit the room. You make your way to a door that opens next to the stage. You take a deep breath as you look around the sparse audience. As your making your way up the isle and towards the back you spot a very familiar face, belonging to non other than Kenneth McCormick. You make it halfway up the isle before you stop and drink in his appearance. No coat, just a white button down and some black slacks, his hair was long and half up. You didn't notice but you lick your lips at the sight. You continue walking slowly towards him.

"Do my eyes deceive me or is that my grease monkey!" You say loud enough for him to hear you now that you're halfway to him. He looks over and jumps up and into the isle to meet you halfway.

"The one and only! How've you been sweetheart?" He says and lifts you into a crushing hug. You giggle into his chest at the pet name.

"I've been fine. How 'bout yourself sweetface?" You ask him as he sets you down gently, leaving his hands on your waist. Your hands gently placed on his shoulders and your both making steady eye contact with big smiles across your faces.

"It's been a rough couple days, but you always know how to cheer me up, always have." Kenny says placing his forehead on yours. "C'mon, you're sittin' with me." He tells you as he grabs one of your hands leading you to where he was sat, only one seat between you and the isle.

"How's Karen and Kevin been? I haven't talked to you in who knows how long." You ask and he smiles all the way up to his eyes. You could never forget how close he is to his siblings, it's something you always found endearing about him.

"Kevin and I got into a bit of a fight a couple days ago, I'm out of a job now, oh well.” He shrugged. “Karen on the other hand, she's doin' amazing, she's gonna graduate early and she already has a bunch of scholarships racked up so she can go to college on the east coast!" He tells you full of excitement. You're sad to hear about the falling out with his brother, but the joy you feel about Karen's accomplishments overtakes those feelings. You were always close with Karen when you were still close with Kenny. “What about you and Jim boy?” He says laughing at the nickname. You laugh with him before letting out a sigh to answer.

“Its been great, he’s my best friend, but over the past 6 months he’s been pushing for more than that.” You say leaning back in your seat looking at the ceiling. Kenny only laughs at you. “What’s so funny over there mister?!” You ask jabbing him in the side. He laughs more and puts his hands between you to stop further jabs.

“I’m sorry I just always thought you guys were together and like, married.” Kenny said still laughing. You scoff and begin laughing in disbelief.

“Kenny, you’ve seen the guys I’ve dated, why would you think that?” You’re still shocked at his assumption. You’ve always dated more the asshole type or dudes that get their hands dirty. Kenny being one of the few you dated.

“You dated Tolkien for a bit! I could see Jimmy makin it in!” Kenny said with a laugh. You roll your eyes.

“Don’t you remember me complaining about how formal dating him was? It sucked, that’s why I dated you.” Both of your laughter died down but your smiles still shown brightly. You flinched and looked over at Kenny who began laughing again.

“And I was the best of them all. I don’t think you dated anyone after me.” You scoffed laughing at him. “The Mccormick charm is too good to beat, sorry dollface.” He said confidently with a shrug. You smacked his arm in response with a laugh. It’s true, but he doesn’t need to know that. Kenny was the best you had, he was an amazing partner and kept up with your spontaneous plans. Your break up with him is the reason you ended up in Jimmy’s group of friends.

“You’re only half right mister Mccormick.” You said as you took another glance around at the audience. Another familiar head of hair caught your eye leading you to cut Kenny off from responding with more questions. “Now thats either Craig or Stan. Place your bets now sweetface.” You whispered nudging Kenny and pointing to a head of black hair 2 rows in front of you. He laughed and rubbed his hands together.

“For sure Stan, ready?” Kenny asked with a devious smile playing on his lips. You giggled and nodded. “STAN MARSHTON!” Kenny yelled out making Stan almost jump out his seat. You and Kenny cracked up seeing him stand up making a ‘what the fuck’ motion before coming over to sit next to you and Ken. “It works every time.” Kenny whispered to you cutting himself off with his own laughter leading you to follow suit.

“Nice to see you guys too.” Stan said defeated crossing his arms. Finally slowing down your laughter you leaned in and hug him, Kenny squishing you to join the hug.

“You missed us, it’s okay we know.” You told him with a giggle. You guys let Stan go both staring at him for him to agree.

“God dammit, yes fine okay. I missed you guys.” He said with an eye roll and a laugh. He leaned back in for another hug trapping you in between him and Kenny yet again. You all laughed together feeling like the happiest people on earth.

“So where’s carrot top?” You asked with a pout. “Yall are like, conjoined twins or something.” You finished with a laugh, Kenny joining in.

“Oh, him an Ike had a family trip to Jersey pre-planned so they couldn’t make it.” Stan said with a shrug.

“I’m glad you could make it tonight then!” You said patting his shoulder.

“Oh yeah! You still work at Tweaks right?” Kenny asked from beside you.

“Yea, I get the weekends off so I was able to make it thankfully.” Stan said happily. “I’m glad I got to see you guys again. I missed you both.” Stan said and began laughing at you and Kenny’s faces. Both of you made the same puppy dog face obviously touched he said such a thing.

“Y/n hold me I’m gonna cry, I’m so emotional.” Kenny said dramatically falling into your lap. You held him like a baby and continued pouting nodding your head in agreement.

“Stanley Martian missed us. We need to go for coffee every day he works from here on.” You said adding sniffles for affect. Stan laughed at the both of you making you and Kenny return to normal seated positions.

“I’d love to see you guys more often, I spend all my time with the same 4 people, I miss how spontaneous you guys are.” You and Kenny let out a drawled out ‘awww’ at Stans words which made him laugh again. The lights in the auditorium dimmed leaving only a spotlight shining on the closed curtain.

“Yall ready for Slim Jim?” You whispered loud enough for both of them to hear. You didn’t catch any response yourself but they both nodded with eyes on the stage. The place was packed and filled with excitement as some un-copyrighted music played from the speakers. The curtains opened and a couple seconds after Jimmy made his way on stage bowing when he got to his mark in the center.

“W-wow! Thank you guys! Such a-a lovely audience!” He started off with a line that most of the familiar faces would know. “So many familiar faces tonight! Lemme hear you South Park!” Jimmy said causing a third of the audience to cheer loudly, including some party hounding from you and Kenny. His opening act got 5 minutes of normalcy before the main doors slammed open drawing everyone’s attention.

“And he’s here after all.” You said unenthused leading Stan to laugh. You didn’t need to turn around to know who walked in, but as he began his walk down the isle you watched quietly.

“Better late than never Cartman!” Jimmy said from the stage. Cartman flipped him off and made his way all the way to the front sitting at one of the booth seats in the front row.

“I feel bad for Jimmy.” Kenny said knowing Cartman was gonna heckle him. You laughed and patted his hand.

“It’s fine, he was counting on him showing up.” You said with a sigh. Both Kenny and Stan laughed seemingly more engaged.

“Fuck you J-J-J-Jimmy!” Cartman started. Jimmy laughed as he heard a couple groans from the crowd. Cartmans table was stocked with drinks and snacks as were the rest of the booth seats and he made quick work of them.

“Plenty of you here kn-know this guy here, but for those of you who don’t! Keep small children and p-p-pets away from him! He’ll gobble them down while your n-not l-l-looking!” Jimmy spoke to the crowd leading everyone to laugh. Cartman began a fit of fake laughter drawing attention back on him before he began coughing. “Woah! Slow d-down there man, don’t ch-choke!” Cartman didn’t stop coughing as he brought one hand to clutch at the side of his neck and the other to flip Jimmy off. “Hey can someone escort him to medical real quick! His necks bleeding bad!” Jimmy said looking over to the security by the stage.

“What the fuck?” Stan said quietly beside you. All you could do was watch.

“THIS PLACE IS GONNA HAVE A LAWSUIT! SOME DRUNK BITCH ATTACKED ME IN YOUR PARKING LOT!” Cartman yelled to the 2 security guards taking him out of his seat. His coughing continued as the brought him back up the isle passing your trio. Cartman stumbled to the ground before making it to the door falling limp. The security guards quickly tried picking him back up only for Cartman to yell out grabbing one of the guards and start attacking him.

“What the fuck is happening.” Kenny stood up grabbing you and holding you close. You grabbed Stans hand pulling him up as well. The other guard tried pulling Cartman off of the man but when he saw all the blood he turned to run. Cartman was covered in blood and the first guard was in a puddle of blood face down on the floor. He got up quickly with a scream running after the guard that was running towards the other main entrance. The first guard shook and got up running to the audience members across the isle from your trio attacking anyone he could.

“C’mon lets go!” Stan said sternly pulling you and Kenny with him. Everyone was in a panic to get away and you seen Jimmy wasn’t on the stage anymore. The rush of people was ridiculous but Kenny and Stan held a firm grip. “Too many fucking people.” Stan cursed looking around.

“Go through the side door by the stage!” You told Stan and he changed directions. You all ran to the door, Stan shoving everyone out the way to get all of you out safe. A few people had the same idea and there was also a flood of people coming into the hallway after you three.

The screams were deafening coming from behind you, you took a glance behind seeing blood splatter on the white walls near the door. Kenny shook his head. “Dont look back, keep going.” His voice was shakey which didn’t help the nerves and adrenaline rushing through you.

Passing by injured people along the way you all made it to the parking lot safely. One look around and you all were shocked. There was shattered glass from the windows of the buildings, many people running frantically to escape. Gunshots could be heard but you couldn’t tell from where. You couldn’t control your breathing no more. Kenny wrapped his arms around you applying some pressure to your chest and you began to focus hearing Stans voice. “Do you guys have a way out of here?”

“I was dropped off.” Kenny said with a shake of his head.

“I-I rode with Jimmy.” You said with a shaky voice. Stan gripped your hand tighter and pulled both of you with him again.

“Follow close! Its a 2 door get in on the passenger side.” Stan said wasting no time dragging you both to his car. He let you go once he made it to the tailgate and unlocked the car. Kenny opened the door pulling the seat forward for you to get in and hopping in as soon as you sat. Stan already had the car started as Kenny shut the door.

“WHAT THE FUCK!” Kenny shouted and put his head in his hands. Stan pulled out the parking spot quickly and made his way to the main streets of Denver hitting a few questionable looking people along the way. You were still in shock in the back seat looking out the back window of the car. Many people roaming the streets, some running, cars driving frantically hitting others, some crashed into buildings. “Phones are dead.” Kenny said making you turn around to look at him.

“Theres no way that fat bastard started the fuckin apocalypse.” Stan said in disbelief. You let out an exasperated laugh leaning forward onto the console with your head in your hands. Looking up you notice Kenny frantically fidgeting with his phone. You wrap an arm around his middle and use your other to bring his head to yours. He places his phone down taking a shaky breath before turning to hug you suddenly.

“We’re gonna get her first.” You say to him. He grips your shirt squeezing you close to him. “She’s alive, and we are gonna get her out safe and sound.” You say petting his hair. He nods his head in silent response. You knew he would be worried about Karen first. You knew his brain a little too well, and because of that you know how to calm him down.

“Thank you y/n.” Kenny says staying in your embrace. You rubbed his back and softly dragged your fingers through his messy hair. His breathing was still a little fast but it’s better than it was.

“To the Mccormicks then.” Stan says. You place one of your hands on Stans arms rubbing it as a thank you. Your glad that your in this together, you couldn’t have chosen better people to be with.

Yall i love this chapter, i had to rewrite it 3 times and it got deleted once but its here now, am i gonna elaborate on the past relationships? Yeah, is it gonna be in the next chapter? NOPE!! Wheres jimmy? Wheres Karen? Are Kyle an Ike alright? Who else was there at the show? Oooooooo

#south park #south park x reader #kenny mccormick #kenny mccormick x reader #stan marsh x reader #poly!stenny x reader #apocalypse au #px3 #please x3

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erisbaek · 3 years

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Stucky Fic Rec [Part One]

So I decided to split the fic recs up into parts because they will be too long otherwise. In each part I will link the Google Doc that I am typing them up in, which is where I will constantly update as I read. Within these fic recs, they’re mostly my preferences, so very few (if any) Shrinkyclinks, and ABO fics will be within them, as well as shorter fics, since I actively seek fics out that are longer than 10k (and completed)!!

The Google Doc Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10wqr5s-CzkFzLidQgt-y4-cjudHWwVeVPWCedMjK7t0/edit?usp=sharing

The first part is formatted under the cut, if you’d prefer to stay out of the doc!

Lightning in a Bottle

Word Count: 63k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Shrunkyclunks, Road Trip!AU, Angst with Happy Ending Warnings: Smut, Smoking Synopsis: The problem, Steve thinks, isn’t so much his motorcycle giving up the ghost on a lonely stretch of highway through a lonely stretch of the country. He doesn’t mind stretching his legs or the prospect of hitchhiking. The problem is the roiling black blanket of storm clouds slowly spreading itself over the landscape headed his direction… Steve Rogers is looking to hitch on a highway abandoned by everyone smart enough to avoid a looming storm. Bucky Barnes is the professional storm chaser who offers him a ride.

It gets more complicated from there.

Perspective and Truth

Word Count: 16.7k Rating: Teen and Up Notable Tags: Bodyswap!AU, Emotional Hurt/Comfort Warnings: None Synopsis: Bucky and Steve end up swapping bodies and learning a lot more about each other in the process

Carbs and Conversations

Word Count: 48k Rating: Teen and Up Notable Tags: Hockey!AU, No Powers Warnings: None Synopsis: Bucky was just looking for a chance. A chance to get on the ice and play. A chance to escape from Hydra. A chance to redeem himself. He didn't include 'A chance to be friends with Steve Rogers' on the list. That would be ridiculous. Lucky for him, Steve seemed determined to be ridiculous.

So Loud and So Clear

Word Count: 26.6k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Get Together, Slow Build Warnings: None Synopsis: Bucky had been careful, after all, leaving no trace of his comings and goings. It was horrendously disappointing to know that Rogers had found him. Bucky was a lot better than getting caught by a guy who wore the American flag as a onesie. He just really was. “Don’t you – Bucky – Bucky,” Rogers started, and to Bucky’s growing horror, it looked like Rogers was on the verge of some type of emotional eclipse. Anger, sadness, something, and Bucky wanted nothing to do with it. “Hate to break it to you, bud, but I don’t remember ever living here and I don’t remember you.”

A Loyal Viewer

Word Count: 36.1k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Camboy!Steve, Punk!Bucky, No Powers, Long Distance Relationship Warnings: Smut Synopsis: At almost exactly eight thirty in the evening, Steve settles on the bed before his camera and the computer. He signs into his account on Chaturbate and clicks the button that starts his stream.

In My Conditions, Love’s the Best Physician

Word Count: 9.1k Rating: Not Rated Notable Tags: Shrunkyclunks, Pharmacist!Bucky, Russian!Bucky Warnings: None Synopsis: ”This situation is a little more delicate because I don't even know if he speaks English and I'm tired of going down to the pharmacy for constipation medication and allergy pills when I haven't sneezed since 1941.” Steve shouts. The room falls silent, and he turns back around to find four pairs of stunned eyes watching him. Tony, as always, speaks first. “He?” - Or the one where Bucky is a hot pharmacist and Steve keeps making up bullshit reasons to go see him.

Rare Is This Love (Keep It Covered)

Word Count: 66.7k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Shrunkyclunks, Mechanic!Bucky, Slow Burn Warnings: Smut, Canonical Character Death Synopsis: It's 2014. Captain America has been out of the ice for three years and is trudging along, saving the world and trying to get used to living in the future. Steve thinks he knows how the rest of his life is going to pan out – a life of duty, which he chose when he signed up to be Erskine’s science experiment. But then, he meets Bucky Barnes: the out-of-this-world-gorgeous mechanic and war vet, who turns Steve’s life upside down and makes him question everything he thought he knew. Slowly, Steve comes to realize there is more to life than duty and punching Nazis. Just one problem though: how on earth does a 96-year-old virgin who only just realized he may not be entirely straight make the transition from crush to relationship? Cue healthy amounts of self-doubt, awkward flirting, pretty blushing, existential crises, emotional growth, and maybe, possibly, a sexual awakening.

Looking For A Place To Hide

Word Count: 33.3k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Endgame Fix-It, 2012!Steve Warnings: Smut Synopsis: It's 2012 and all Steve knows is that another version of himself said Bucky is alive. Steve will do anything to get his friend back, even if it means time traveling to 2023. He expects Bucky to be happy to see him, but instead he's wary, hurt. Turns out his Steve had left him for Peggy. How? Why? Steve can't believe it. Now he'll have to find a way to make sense of it all, and convince Bucky that it's the two of them to the end of the line.

The Wolf and the Sheep

Word Count: 50.5k Rating: Teen and Up Notable Tags: Shield Agent!Steve, Winter Soldier!Bucky Warnings: None Synopsis: Steve Rogers is a SHIELD agent who is recruited for a secret project: Becoming a handler for the Asset. Steve’s world is thrown for a loop when he discovers the Asset is an actual person and he needs to figure out who he is and what he’s going to do.

All Those Little Pieces

Word Count: 40.5k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Alternating POV, Post CATW Warnings: Smut, Panic Attacks Synopsis: Steve has never forgotten Bucky Barnes. Not their childhood together, not the horror of the moment Bucky fell too far for him to reach, and not the way he's loved him all the while. Bucky has forgotten everything about Steve, at least at first. But there's still a feeling there, warm in his chest—and maybe now that he's found his way back to Steve Rogers and his sunny apartment, there's a chance it might turn into something more.

My Dear

Word Count: 29.9k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Post CATWS, Recovery Warnings: Smut Synopsis: The Soldier stares down at the floor, breathing hard through his nose. “And you still wanna fix me,” he says. Steve shakes his head. “There’s nothing to fix, Buck. I just want to bring you home.”

Living On My Own

Word Count: 26.1k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Vigilante!Bucky Warnings: Blood and Gore Synopsis: James Barnes is back in the world and finds that not only has there been 1) an alien invasion, but 2) Howard Stark had a kid. One that dispenses unsolicited life advice, no less. Oh, and 3) Captain America is alive again, after getting himself killed by his own recklessness in a move so stupid only Steve could have come up with it. In which James learns to do laundry, turns into an accidental neighborhood vigilante and makes Tony Stark a happy grease monkey, all while he figures out where to stake his claim.

Chase the Lighting From the Sky

Word Count: 39.4k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: No Powers, Age Gap, Farm!AU Warnings: Smut, Past Character Death, Animal Death Synopsis: If Bucky has to be stuck doing this ridiculous summer work program before his senior year of college, on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, then at least he’s got a hot as hell cowboy for a boss and host. Steve Rogers, owner of the Truth & Justice Ranch, is what Bucky’s completely theoretical but very imaginative bisexual fantasies are made of. Steve’s a widower though, and a nice guy in need of help, and no doubt 100% straight… so Bucky’s gonna work his ass off and keep his head down. But neither Bucky nor Steve are prepared for the friendship that forms between them as they work side by side. And they certainly aren’t expecting the budding feelings, confessions, and passions that summer heat and the loneliness of the great open plains stirs in each of them. What rages to life between them will shake each man to his core and will linger long after the storms and the summer have passed.

Cinder and Smoke

Word Count: 51.7k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Sheriff!Steve, Blacksmith!Bucky, Old Western Warnings: Smut, Period-Typical Homophobia, OC Death Synopsis: “They say there’s no law in Parasapa. Is that true?”

Art Thief, Heart Thief

Word Count: 58.8k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: FBI!Steve, Thief!Bucky Barnes Warnings: Smut Synopsis: Agent Steve Rogers is facing a series of art thefts that has him stumped, and looking for a break in the case. Convicted art thief and general high end criminal Bucky Barnes wants to make parole and happens to know all of the right people who could make Steve's job easier. So they strike a deal, mutually beneficial and entirely business. But a few days undercover, an undeniable growing chemistry, and some ill-timed Feelings entering the mix, and all bets are off.

Laws of Thermodynamics

Word Count: 14.6k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Post CATWS, Recovery Warnings: Smut Synopsis: He never had to relearn how to love Steve Rogers. It might be the one thing he never forgot.

Abstract Art

Word Count: 26.6k Rating: Teen and Up Notable Tags: Friends to Lovers, Artist!Steve, Ex Sniper!Bucky Warnings: None Synopsis: They survive almost a year of torture together, cells side by side, banter and teasing and stories. They keep each other alive. Then everything changes. They tell Bucky that Rogers's been killed. He tries to piece his life together, to move on. Steve owns an art store. He's given up looking. It's over. Except it's really not.

We Discovered Gold

Word Count: 18.7k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Post CACW, Fix-It, Wakanda Warnings: Smut Synopsis: “So you got these safe houses scattered all over Russia?” Steve jokes into the soft hair over Bucky's temple, not pulling away, “Or did we just get lucky?” Bucky shakes his head and then replies, “Got myself a few. It’s been a long two years.” “Yeah pal,” Steve nods, burrowing further, “I hear that.”

Never Mind to Hold

Word Count: 21.6k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Soulmate!AU, Not CACW Compliant, Soulmarks Warnings: Brief Suicidal Ideation Synopsis: Steve didn't know the name of Bucky's soulmate. He wasn't even sure when it had appeared across Bucky's heart. But Steve knew it wasn't his name hidden under that patch.

Where There’s Smoke

Word Count: 95.1k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Firefighter!AU Warnings: Smut Synopsis: Steve is a Brooklyn firefighter who is about to be saddled with a new, rookie crewmate. James Barnes is that rookie, just looking for a fresh start at a new station. Steve's friends think they know what's best for him...start dating his new crewmate. Steve thinks they're crazy...or possibly right. But events from James's recent past may pose a threat to any designs they have on each other.

Let Them Eat Cake

Word Count: 31k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Shrunkyclunks, Pastry Chef!Steve, Sommelier!Bucky Warnings: Smut, Drug Use Synopsis: Steve picked up the piping bag and returned to the ramekins. Bucky left, though not without shooting one last look at Steve's wide back. Bucky could already tell Steve Rogers was trouble, not even counting the near-religious experiences he inspired among the staff. It wasn’t that Bucky didn’t appreciate him as well; he did. He just tended to appreciate people he found attractive from afar, because explaining the metal arm was hard, and because he didn’t really know how to handle letting someone in close. But that wasn’t why Steve was trouble, not really. Bucky wanted to know why their new pastry chef had gun calluses on his right hand.

Adrenalize Me

Word Count: 58.5k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Vampire!Steve Warnings: Smut, Blood Synopsis: Leaning against the side of a wall, taking an indolent drag of a cigarette, there he stood. Watching Bucky with an inscrutable gaze. Staring at Bucky for long seconds, the blond seemed to consider him before breaking the silence. “You know, nice guy like you walking alone at this hour – people might think you were looking for trouble.” Trying not to shudder at the sound of that voice, which wrapped around him like smoke, Bucky managed a smirk, lifted a brow. “Well, if I was, it looks like I found it.” Two strangers meet in a dark club. One just happens to be a vampire.

The Change in Us

Word Count: 23.4k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: N/A Warnings: Smut Synopsis: “I’ve found your BFF,” Stark says without preamble. “My… what?” “James Barnes. Winter Soldier. Bucky. I don’t know, I don’t care, but right now he’s perched on the roof of the next building with a gun on me, and it’s not so much my idea of a relaxing afternoon, so could you get down here?” Steve hangs up and starts running.

Things That Go Bump in the Night

Word Count: 38.2k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Shrunkyclunks, Ex Army!Bucky Warnings: Minor Smut Synopsis: Many an odd critter and item have ended up on the front porch of the property Bucky house-sits in the Middle Of Nowhere, but a bleeding blond man is a first. A short inspection reveals the man to be none other than Steve Rogers; ex-Captain America, vigilante, and a wanted fugitive. Steve’s stay of a few days of recovery is prolonged, under instructions for him to lie low until the Avengers can sort out the mess that has become the Sokovia Accords. Bucky is pretty sure that he’s committing an act of treason by providing Steve a place to stay. He is also pretty sure that lengthy interaction with Steve makes one prone to impending headaches and possibly ulcers. And he is certain that he is, very assuredly, in danger of falling in love with Steve.

The Soldier’s Revenge

Word Count: 76.4k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Canon Divergence, Enemies To Lovers, Slow Burn Warnings: Smut Synopsis: Bucky Barnes turns himself in to SHIELD two years after dragging Captain America out of the Potomac River. He was deprogrammed in Wakanda and has been hunting down Hydra ever since, but he needs help if he wants to take proper revenge on his captors. He turns to his old enemies: SHIELD and the Avengers, but it'll take more than a few words to win their trust after the Winter Soldier brought SHIELD to its knees not long before. Now at SHIELD's mercy, the only thing that stands between Bucky and his revenge is the approval of Captain Rogers: a self-righteous asshole that Bucky barely knows.

The Best Way to Wake

Word Count: 42.2k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Canon Divergence, Slow Burn Warnings: Smut Synopsis: James Buchanan Barnes lay in a glass pod in the middle of the table, frozen since he fell. Steve’s hands were on the glass before he realized he’d moved. “Wait, Captain!” “Get him out,” Steve whispered, his hands searching for a clasp, a keypad, something. “Captain, we need to keep him in stasis—“ “I said get him out!” In which Bucky Barnes lay frozen in the Alps for seventy years only to be woken up a year after Steve Rogers was uncovered from the Arctic.

Latte Art and Slow Dancing in the Dark

Word Count: 89.5k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Age Difference, CIA!Steve, Barista!Bucky, Sugar Daddy!Steve Warnings: Smut Synopsis: Bucky is a somewhat well-adjusted former army sniper that got his shoulder blown out. He took his discharge and went home to finish school and is working on his international relations masters. His best friends and roommates (Nat & Clint) are CIA agents and tip him off that their local Sbux is hiring. He gets a job there and meets none other than the hottest guy on earth. So how does one get a date in the most top secret government location in the US? What happens when that guy is more than just a hot dorito and wants to give Bucky everything he wants? Bucky is going to have to figure out his shit and fast. That's what's up.

Laughter Lines

Word Count: 100.2k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Bodyguard!AU, Slow Burn Warnings: None Synopsis: Bucky Barnes is a rising Hollywood star with a tragic past and a reputation for driving his bodyguards away. Steve Rogers is a veteran with the same tragic past and the need to get back out in the world. The two of them have been estranged since they were teenagers, so when Steve joins SHIELD as a bodyguard, he is less than thrilled when he finds out that Bucky is his first assignment. But how bad can it be? They're both professional adults, right?Wrong.

From Hydra with Love

Word Count: 21.2k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Spies!Steve and Bucky Warnings: Smut Synopsis: Captain Steve Rogers is one of the best spies in the world - a marksman, a martial artist, an expert in strategy and tactics. There's not a lot he can't handle. Heck, he's even saved the world once or twice. So why does every run in with the mysterious Winter Soldier leave him feeling like the Bond Girl?

Goddamn Electric

Word Count: 67.8k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Bodyguard!Steve, Musician!Bucky Warnings: Drug Use, Alcohol Use, Smut Synopsis: Steve Rogers works for a discreet private security company and gets assigned to James Barnes, a musician who takes the idea of 'sex, drugs & rock 'n roll' just a little too seriously.

There Was Something About Steve Rogers

Word Count: 46.7k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Post CATWS Warnings: Smut, Panic Attacks Synopsis: The Winter Soldier knows Steve Rogers has deep feelings for Bucky Barnes, and decides that he can use that to his advantage to gain protection from the Hydra agents still trying to find him. What he didn't bargain for was actually starting to care about the man they call Captain America, or the strength of Bucky Barnes' memories as they begin to resurface.

Through the Mist

Word Count: 14.5k Rating: Teen and Up Notable Tags: Soulmate!AU, Post CATWS Warnings: None Synopsis: He usually kept it covered. Whether it be with long sleeves, a cuff of some sort, or make up Natasha skillfully showed him how to apply. He didn’t cover it up because he was ashamed or because he was one of those people who didn’t like others knowing who his soulmate was- no. He covered it up out of respect. Respect for his fallen partner, and respect for himself because he knew looking at those swoopy lines of James B. Barnes on his wrist always made him crumble like his legs were kicked down. When he crashed into the ice all those years ago he thought he was going to see Bucky again- he thought he was finally going to be with Bucky without people giving them ugly looks and throwing slurs their way. He thought he was going to be happy again.

Take Me Home

Word Count: 78.1k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Shrunkyclunks, Veteran!Bucky Warnings: Smut, Torture, Referenced Suicide Synopsis: “I’m so sorry, I’m gonna help you I promise, just don’t move, fuck, I ran over Captain America–” the man apologized, over and over, and all Steve managed to say was, “You’re really attractive,” before passing out on the guy’s lap in the middle of the road.

Where the Circle Ends

Word Count: 29.8k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: Zombie Apocalypse!AU Warnings: Smut, Gore Synopsis: In which the world has gone to hell in a zombie apocalypse handbasket and, in the middle of it all, Steve finds the one person he never thought he'd see again. Angst and feelings (amongst other things) ensue.

Our Souls (They Were Made to Last)

Word Count: 53.8k Rating: Mature Notable Tags: No Powers, Veteran!Steve, Doctor!Bucky, Ghost!Bucky Warnings: None Synopsis: Dr. James Barnes is too busy saving lives to actually have one of his own. When he finally agrees to go on a blind date, he gets into an accident that will change his life forever. Retired Army Captain Steve Rogers is depressed, and when he moves into his new apartment he finds it already occupied....with the ghost of its last tenant. To make matters worse, the ghost is adamant that he's not dead. As they navigate their way through their new living arrangements, can they save each other, before it’s too late? Or have they missed their one shot at a happy ending?

By Any Other Name

Word Count: 36.9k Rating: Explicit Notable Tags: Assassins and Hitmen!AU, Spies and Agents!AU Warning: Smut Synopsis: Steve was a good spy. It turned out one good spy didn't stand a chance against a rival security firm, a contract killer, and his own heart.

#stucky #stucky fic rec #stucky fic #stevebucky #stevebucky fic #starbucks #wintershield #steve rogers #james barnes #bucky barnes #the winter soldier #captain america #marvel

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assassin-in-a-hoodie · 4 years

Text

Brooklyn’s Here

Words: 2941

Part 1

Warning: none really. Blood? Don’t walk at night alone kids.

Paring: Jack/Katherine

A/N: Thank You @trekkiehood for helping me edit this mess. You’re a Queen. Story evolves around Spot’s and Jack’s Friendship. Calm ya selves

“Aye watch it!” I slap away the hand of the small kid who went up for a hug and instead started sticking his small sticky hands into my empty pockets. I don't have any money to be stolen...or pockets that doesn’t have holes in them. I don’t mind giving money to kids. I hate to see anyone hungry, but around here most kids who try to pickpocket just end up giving it to some bully.

It's 4 o'clock, the sun dipping low in the hot August skies. It may be time for everything to start cooling down but the heat is still in the air and my shirt is completely soaked through, making it stick to my back.

I woke up early this morning to sell my papes so I could make the three-hour walk to Brooklyn. I lost almost half a day's pay, but that isn’t important. This is more important than worrying about if I'm eating breakfast in the morning, ‘sides, the nuns feed us. I don’t make it a habit of coming to Brooklyn, but when I do, it’s because I need to talk to Spot. And every year, on this unbearably hot August day, me and Spot have a meet-up.

When I first meet Spot Conlon I was nine years old and very new to the newsie life. As it turned out, I hated Spot. A lot. But it was fine because Spot hated me right back, maybe even a little more. Fists was never thrown ’tween us, but every time we saw another we danced on eggshells. Over a few years, we grew more friendly with each other, stopped trying to throw each other in the mud face first. We went from hate to tolerance, and ending with almost family. Spot went from a bull wanting to run me over, to an annoying older brother who worries a bit too much.

We finally became friends when I was fourteen and Spot was sixteen That's when our little ”incident” happened. All I can say is that it involved ice-cream, a dress, the Pope, and a monkey. Spot and I are sworn to secrecy to never, ever tell, even under threat of torture to ever tell what happened that day. But after that,Manhattan and Brooklyn became close allies. So to keep this peace and as a reminder to never tell anyone of the incident that happened between us, me and Spot meet every year. We pick a cheap place to ear, or just simply get a soda. We switch every year who pays for the food or drink. This year is Spot’s turn. We makes it so that we meet at the buyer’s turf, that way they get a full day of selling.

I saw Spot two weeks ago. He gave me the place we were meeting. I look back down at a scrap of paper with Spot’s sloppy handwriting, then back up at the building. The sign above the door read,” Winnie’s Place.” Sounds homie. I was about to climb the old stairs to the place, when a middle-aged man with a thick graying beard busted out the swinging door dragging an older man by the seat of his pants and neck of his shirt and throwing him down the three steps.

“Stay out ya drunk! Don't come back ‘till you paid your debt!” The bearded man dusted his hands off and walked back inside the... bar? Did Spot lead me to a bar? I don’t drink, Spot knows that. The old man slowly rose from the ground. He was dressed in almost rags . There were holes in his pants and in the white stained shirt, he was bald with a thin, fading beard. He staggered for a few seconds then closed in on me.

“Say, boy. You ain't got a nickel to spare for an old man, d’ya?” Half hopped, half limped to me, a hand thrust out, grasping at the air as if expecting me to hand him the money he wanted for his liquor.

“I ain't got nothin’ on me.” I slowly sidestepped the man one foot on the stairs, not wanting to turn my back to him.

”Come on boy. Respect ya elders. Give me a chance, will ya.” The man stumbled closer to me. The stench coming from his breath and clothes woulda been enough to wake Racer from a dead sleep.

“Sorry.” I turned and half ran up the stairs, ignoring the pleads from the old drunk. I push the swing door open, stepping into a roaring crowd.

The place was a mess. Men gambling in the corners, a fight just starting to break out between two very drunk men, ladies on a stage dancing and singing, cheering, and drinking. Spot, why? Out of all the places in Brooklyn, why here?

After weaving through the crowd of drunk people, I make it to the open bar. I sat the in cleanest chair that I could find my knuckles wood, but stop soon after realizing the wood was very very sticky.

“Hey, boy!” I looked up, the bartender was the same man who threw the drunk outside. Now he was waving a finger at me, “I don't serve no one under the age of eighteen, ya got that? So scoot!”

“I’m not here for a drink. I'm waiting for a friend.” I said trying not to let him see that I’m scared I am.

“I don't serve loitering either, boy!”

I hold up my hands to the man, trying to prove my innocence. I try again.

“Like I say, sir. I'm waiting for a friend-”

”Sure boy, I've heard ‘em all before. Young boys with no respect for my rules! I know all the tricks.-”

“Aye Winnie!”

I turn on the stool towards the recognizable voice coming from the door. There stood the little King of Brooklyn. Spot Conlon.

Spot did the same thing I did, weaving through the drunk people, except he called everyone by name and slapped some of them on the back. So Spot is a regular. Spot drinks. Nice.

“Aye, Jackie!” Spot says hopping onto the barstool beside me slapping me on the back.

“You know this man?” the bartender asks pointing at Spot. I nodd.

The man says something in another language clapping his hands together then rubbing his hands through his long beard.

“Why didn’t you say so! Any friend of Spot is always welcomed here. What can I get you.”

There is no menu laying around, or anything written above the back wall, so I just turn to Spot. Trying to play it cool.

“Jackie here will have a basket of onion rings and soda pop. Same for me.” Spot says laying down a hand full of change.

“Coming right up.” The old man says and turns away to grab us our food and drink.

I turn to Spot and give him a questioning look. Spot doesn't say anything, only rolling his eyes.

“I ran to get him a doctor for his wife and baby once. Saved the baby and wife’s life, see. So now Mr. Winnie took it upon himself to “adopt” me.” Spot shrugged

And the rest?” I asked, waving to the crowd behind us. Spot rolled his eyes.

“Sometimes I have to come down here and drag the boys back home."

“Ah. So you went soft on ‘em.” I joke. Spot gives me a death glare, slaps his hand over my sweaty shirt grabbing a fist full then making a fist with the other hand.

“Ayee calm down Spottie. I'm only joking with ya.” I raised my hands best I could.

“Your pretty nose better hope you are or I’ll mess it up for ya.” Spot let go of my shirt just as this Winnie fella came back with our food and sodas.

“So, how’s Manhattan Jackie?” Spot asks popping an onion ring in his mouth.

“It’s mid-august, so it stinks like fish,” I answer taking a bite out of my food. The onion ring is still hot and dripping with grease. Disgusting but hey, who am I to be picky on an empty stomach? At least the soda’s cold.

“Eh, you don’t live next to the bay. When it gets like this, the fish sometimes starts to go belly up.”

“Free meal.”

“Yeah Kelly, eating belly up fish sure is a fast way to fill a stomach only to empty it.” Spot wrinkled his nose in disgust before taking a big gulp his soda.

We have this unspoken thing, the conversation only lasts as long as the food does. Spot’s my big brother, but the kind you only see on holidays and funerals.

We talked for a bit. Spot asked me how Crutchie was doing. I asked him if he needed a new roof on his lodging house. Just our typical small talk. Then Spot smiled like he knew something I didn’t.

“So, tell me if I’m wrong,” he began, wiping his hands on his pants,” Because honestly when I heard about this I thought someone was sick or somethin’.”

“What, Spot?” I sigh shoving two rings into my mouth. I haven’t eaten since last night.

“I hears from Crutchie that after the strike you found yourself a pretty lady friend.” Spot gives me a wicked smile moving his eyebrows up and down. Oh, he knows it's true. And he’s going to nag me ‘till the cows come home.

I smile just at the thought of Katherine. I sold her a pape just this morning. Her smile is like the sunrise. I told her that I would be and I wouldn’t be able to see her until other late into the night or the next day.

“Ah, so it’s true! You sly dog you! Who is it?” Spot took another mouth full of his soda.

“It’s um, Katherine Plumber.” I wince slightly, unsure of what his reaction will be.

Spot suddenly snorted his soda out of his nose. I groaned as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

“Katherine Plumber? Pulitzer’s daughter? That Katherine? Same doll?”

“Women ain't dolls Spot.”

“Yeah, yeah, Brooklyn slang. Pulitzer’s daughter?” Spot’s brown eyebrows are up so hard they're almost in his brown hair.

“Same Katherine.” I take a long drink from the soda almost finishing it off.

Spot doesn't say anything only whistled, smirking at me, then bumping me with his shoulder.

“What about you? You got some girl ‘round here?” I ask taking the last of my onion rings and final drops of my soda. Spot didn't answer me, only shoved the last of his onion rings into his mouth.

“Spottie?” It was my turn to raise my eyebrows.

Spot shook his head.

“Come on Spottie.” I elbow him. He glared at me, finishing his soda.

“I'm waiting.” I say with a smirk, turning around in the stool and resting my elbow on the sticky counter. Spot doesn't say anything for a minute, ‘till he pops his last onion ring into his mouth.

“Its… complicated.” Spot mumbles not looking at me. I look at him, raising my eyebrows at him waiting for a further explanation. “What's difficult Spottie?”

Spot didn't say anything, then cleared his throat. “The, um… talking part.”

”I'm sorry what?” I ask turning to Spot. His face was beet red, “you can't…?” I started giggling, which turned into full-on doubled over laugher.

“Shut up!” Spot hissed at me. Kicking my leg. Which only made me laugh harder.

”Food is gone. I'm gone.” Spot said shorty hopping off his stool. I was still laughing, getting down from the stool and following Spot out the door. Once outside, the air had cooled a bit, but the humidity was still in full force. The sun was about an hour from setting, the meeting place was an hour walk from Spot’s place, but a two-hour walk from mine. It's not safe walking New York at Night, no matter who you are. An easy mark for getting mugged. But I need to get home, I told Crutchie I would be home tonight and I need to work tomorrow.

“You need a place to sleep?” Spot asked using his hand to block his eyes from the setting sun.

”Nah, I's got to get back. Told Crutchie I would be home. Plus I got to get to work in the morning, I love ya, Spottie, but I missed the evening pape bein’ here. Gotta make money somehow.”

“You sure? You can bum some money from me if ya need ta.I don't want some ‘Hattan boy screaming at me ‘cause you got mugged.” Spot turned so he was fully facing me. The Big brother I never had.

“‘Preciated but I need to be home,” I said holding my hand out to Spot..

“Last chance Jackie.” His eyes held a little too much concern.

“Stop worryin’, Spot. If you don’t hear nothin’ I’m home, if ya hear somethin’ I’m probably dead. ‘kay?”

Then Spot got serious stepping closer, but not too close, so he could whisper somethin’ to me.

“You didn’t tell no one did ya?” He’s talking about the accident, the reason we even meet every year.

“I didn’t even tell Crutchie. You say anything?” I whisper back.

“If I told anyone, I’d lose my rep in Brooklyn.”

“That or called ya an idiot.”

“Aye,” Spot said pulling away from me. He fixes his hat on his head, then nods at me.

“Same time next year.” Spot started walking down the sidewalk.

“Only if you grow three more inches.” I badger. Spot stops walking, turns, and lunges at me. I jump back. The Brooklyn boy smiles, pointing a finger at me,

“You know I can soak ya, Jack Kelly.”

“Sure thing Spot.” I say, walking away from him.

“I know where you live.”

“Okay, Spot.” I wave behind me, smiling, and turn the corner.

I start the long walk home, wishing I brought some kind of money to a lest get a trolley ride home, but wishing didn’t get you much. I walk no more than five minutes before I feel someone drag me from behind into an ally-way. I didn’t have any time to respond or throw a punch at who every grabbed me before my back was shoved against the brick wall and a knife was pressed into my neck. The gold setting sun shone on an old man's face. The same man who was thrown out of Winnie’s. The same man who was asking me for money.

“Hey, boy.” His breath smells so heavily of liquor that my eyes began to water. One of his front teeth is missing, the rest are yellow or black.

The oldest part of my brain wakes up. The part that supposed to keep me alive. Preparing me to either run or freeze. Every fibre in my body pushing me. Commanding every cell to not move unless I want to be headless before I can even take in the next breath. I’ve had this happen to me before, same story just different chapter. A cold sweat starts in my hands and drips down my back. I start thinking of every way I can run, but I can’t move as long as he has a knife pressed up against me. Think Kelly. Run kelly, Run!

“Like I said before. I don’t have-”

The man’s fist collides with my right temple so hard I see white, I would have hit the floor but the knife bit into my skin.

Stand up jack! Stand up! I inwardly scold myself.

“Shut up.” The old man growls. His hands find my pockets and start turning them out.

I blinked hard. Come on Jack, get your grounding! Come on, think!

The drunk’s hand lowered so did his eyes, I saw my chance and took it. I threw my knee hard towards him. The drunk stumbled over and lowered his knife. I raised my hand and grabbed this shoulders ready to head butt him, but before I could-

.....He lunged at me.

I couldn’t even scream, I didn’t even gasp. I let go of the drunk, he let go of me.

The man slowly stepped away from me, looked at his hands then at me. I slowly sunk to the ground. I was just sitting there, gasping. Just trying to breathe. But… I.. Its kinda hard to breathe with a knife in my lung.

Stabbed. I was an idiot.

I was-

I’m-

“Should have just given me the money.” The old man said. Then ran off leaving me alone.

I looked down, blood seeps out from the small knife stuck into my ribs. I raise my hands slowly, pressing around the wound. The blood instantly made my hands wet. My heart was beating out of my chest.

I need to get home. I need to get home. The boys, Crutchie. I can’t stay here in the ally. I can’t..No! This is not happening. This is not real. This is not happening. This is not me. I am not here. I am not. I-I.. I’m.

I was-

I need to-

I...

“Jack? What are you- Jack? JACK!”

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theateared · 4 years

Text

What’s Wrong With You? ❜

Summary: There's a reason that Murr’s career is almost entirely self-made. Warnings: N/A.

His eyes were drawn to the sticky mess covering the floor. What was left of his pudding cup had been smacked out of his hands, plastic spoon snapping painfully under the weight of a hefty palm. With disbelief, Murr shifted his gaze to look his manager in the face.

“What the hell? What’s WRONG with you?! I was just tryna enjoy a snack befer gettin’ back t’work!”

“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with YOU?! You know that stuff will only make you fat. We’ve had this conversation a million times!”

The words stung more than he cared to admit-- not necessarily because of their implication, but because of his own struggle with an eating disorder. It had taken him a hell of a long time to get into good habits, and though he wouldn’t fall back into bad ones for the sake of one comment, it did make the gears in his head turn in that all-too-malignant manner.

Maybe he’s right. Maybe one cup won’t matter, but one cup everyday? Maybe that will matter.

After taking in a subtle breath, steadying the slight incline of his heartbeat, he replied in a calm but firm tone: “Yer bang outta line, Zach. However ya feel, ya can’t just go hittin’ shit I paid fer outta my hands.” He cut his manager off with a tut as he spotted a dark stain forming on his shirt. “Yeesh, y’owe me dry-cleanin’ money...”

The sound of the dressing-room door slamming shut made Murr look up at him. Only now was he beginning to feel slightly worried.

Zach hadn’t been his first choice for a professional opinion. However, when they’d met while he was working in Vide, the man had wormed his way into Murr’s good graces with his patience and humour. On the surface, he was mild-mannered and fun, somewhat quirky to boot, but Murr had soon realised that he wasn’t really the person that he thought he was. His fuse was short, he was a control freak, always wanting to micromanage every tiny decision he made about his productions, and he was aggressive. Though he’d never laid his hands on him, Murr suspected that that much would change - and he wouldn’t allow it.

“You’re just so fuckin’ UNGRATEFUL! You think you can do whatever you want just because some people know who you are! You eat shite! You don’t take care of yourself! You drink and smoke like an idiot! You don’t think that shit’s going to ruin your look? Your VOICE?”

“Listen, yer not my fuckin’ dad. Back off ‘n’ mind yer own damn business, alright? I ain’t yer DOG, Zach, y’can’t tell me how t’live.” He turned his back on the man then, eager for the argument to fizzle out. Hands searched his desk for his revised script, darting past a celebratory bottle of champagne for after the show. Part of him knew that it likely wasn’t a good idea to show him that he’d made some last-minute changes to the play, but he was desperate to divert the focus elsewhere. He couldn’t stand being talked down to like a child. Not even his father spoke to him that way. “Look, I have some--��

“I don’t CARE, Murr!” He lurched forwards to slap the papers out of his hands, scattering them across the floor. The star stared at him at a loss for words, mouth half-open in a desperate attempt to neutralise the situation, when suddenly Zach’s hands entangled in his collar. He pulled him closer with a vehemence that startled the huro, horns bumping against his forehead as he was met with a furious glare. It smelled as if his manager had been drinking, a hint of whiskey hovering on his breath. “What do I have to do to get you to fuckin’ listen?”

“Let go’a me…!”

“YOU’RE SABOTAGING YOURSELF!”

“GET OFF OF ME!” His voice was shrill as he shoved hard at Zach’s shoulders. The man staggered away from him - and the momentum sent Murr staggering back into the dresser, an arm stuck out haphazardly to support himself. The adrenaline had kicked in by now; he felt like a bird trapped in a cage, one that flapped and cawed and squealed, and his father’s words ran through his head like a strike of lightning.

You know your worth, son. Always be kind, always be generous, but don’t bend.

Murr’s gaze darkened. You don’t treat me like that. Nobody treats me like that. I’m not something for somebody else to control. Slowly, he straightened his stance, taking a deep breath in an attempt to steel his nerves before he pointed at him firmly. “Don’t ever lay yer hands on me again.” His voice dripped with venom so potent that it gave the drunk man a moment’s pause. He couldn’t tell whether he was affronted by being told what to do or if he was seriously considering the fact that he was wrong-- and he didn’t care.

At least, he didn’t until Zach squared his shoulders and advanced on him. “Or what, huh? What’re you gonna do? Don’t forget that YOU’RE in MY debt! Who’s gettin’ your name out here in Vide, huh?”

“I AM!” Murr retorted angrily, a thumb jabbing into his own chest as he glowered at him without restraint. If looks could kill, a glare from Murr would send a man straight to hell. “Don’t take the credit fer MY hard work! I’M the one singin’ ‘n’ dancin’ ‘n’ writin’ ‘n’ performin’ like a goddamn grease-monkey! This shit is MINE!”

“Like you’d ever get anywhere in Vide without a Vvder’s help!” Zach bit back, getting closer to him with every step. I’m going to punch this huro’s teeth in. I’m going to bend his stupid fucking horns until they snap. “You’re NOTHING here! You huros are all the goddamn same-- you’re all so PROUD.”

“Get away from me, Zach.”

“You’re all so EAGER to KISS YOUR OWN ASSES! You all pretend to work hard, but the only things you’re ‘fixing’ are the problems that you made yourselves, because your district is founded on false generosity and LAZINESS--”

“That’s NOT true!” Murr barked. Really, this realm wasn’t a great one. Though it was wondrous and beautiful, with surprises at every corner, things that could never be found on Earth, its people were so angry and hateful. Though Valor’s quest had done a lot to quell a lot of bigotry, it also wasn’t magically erased in one day. There was still a lot of work to be done-- which was precisely why Murr felt it appropriate to defend his district. It wasn’t out of patriotism; it was a direct response to a racist ideology that viders perpetuated every day. Even in spite of The Crossover, their districts very much conjoined at this point, some viders still fed each other the same dastardly lies like Nazis did with Jews.

Unacceptable. Disgusting. And what makes it worse is that you yourself are doing it. There’s no Big Bad making you think these things, or say these things-- you’re just terrible, and unwilling to learn.

Distracted, he fell when Zach’s hands met his chest in the form of a hard shove. For all of the grace that he possessed on stage, he tumbled to the ground like a sack of bricks, confused and dazed, staring up at him with a stupefied sort of silence. His manager wasn’t a very imposing man. He was a little smaller than him, and his stature was nothing to write home about, skinny like a weed; however, towering above him like that, with the intention of hurting him, Murr’s fight-or-flight response kicked in. Just as Zach drew back his arm for a punch, Murr hurriedly reached up, fingers coiling around the thick glass of the bottle and dragging it into his lap. Without even thinking about it, he hit it against the leg of his dresser, splintering the glass and spilling champagne all over himself and the floor. The jagged end was brandished like a weapon, teeth grit in a furious sneer, malicious intent clear.

In a fierce scream: “I SAID GET AWAY FROM ME--”

The dressing room fell silent then. The lights surrounding his vanity mirror were the only source of illumination ( he found it easier to proof-read and edit in dimmer places ), their space bathed in a baby pink glow. In any other context, one might have deemed it romantic; instead, Murr regarded it with the same quiet dread that he might a red room.

Slowly, Zach raised his hands, backing off. “... I’m drunk.”

“You’re fired,” Murr hissed in response, trying hard to hold back the urge to cry. Far from a crybaby he was, but adrenaline had a funny way of reducing him to tears. He was overwhelmed when it kicked in; torn between lashing out in furious anger and crumpling in on himself with unrelenting sorrow. He’d always been emotional like that. “Just go.”

“But--”

“I said GO!” He didn’t think about it as he hurled what remained of the glass into the nearby wall. The noise startled the other into a hasty retreat, the door barely flung shut as he disappeared from Murr’s life for good.

In the newfound quiet, Murr sat still. Slowly, he brought his knees up to his chest, chin settling atop them as his arms coiled around them like a snake. He didn’t cry. He didn’t yell. He didn’t work. He just sat there, willing his heartbeat to slow down, willing his eyes not to fill up, willing himself not to run back home to his parents now that his dream was almost within his grasp. They had too much faith in his ability to abandon the position he’d found himself in. Manager or not, he’d make his way in this district, and he’d do it despite all of the naysayers that expressed their doubt in him.

You can’t make it in Vide without a vider’s help, huro. Fuck that. I can do it.

After a few minutes to collect his bearings, hands no longer shaking, Murr slowly unfurled from his position on the floor, hands and knees climbed to as he searched for the pages his ex-manager had struck out of his grasp.

His heart sank when he was met something wet and soggy.

With mounting grief, the star slowly turned one of the sodden pages over. It fell to bits in his grasp, ink that had formed words now a blurred mess. He didn’t need to look at the others to know that they had all met a similar fate.

Tiredly, Murr sank back into his previous position, huddled in front of his dresser, the rosy light only touching the tips of his shoes; a black mark in the blushing light.

The show’s tomorrow morning. I’m screwed.

#🞮 — i think you're gonna be my biggest fan! ❜ ( murr. )#☆ — i never promised you your dream boy. ❜ ( main. )#☆ — i'm just here to destroy. ❜ ( ic. )#drabble *#/ JUST SOME DEETS ON ONE OF MURR'S PAST VENTURES!#AND HIS DICKHEAD OF A MANAGER AT THE TIME!#THSI IS THE FIRST PROPER THING I'VE WRITTEN IN A WHILE AYYY #might be gettin over that block!

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sweetcircuits · 5 years

Text

Chinmay Week Day 5: Mechanical

I actually didn’t write this specifically for today - I had it sitting in my wips document for longer than I’d like to admit (probably at least a year, yikes). I thought of it when I saw the prompt list and decided now was as good a time as ever to post it. It was originally a little longer but I edited it for clarity and stuff.

* * * * * * *

Annie D. Roid

Chiro felt his vision tinge red. He suddenly knew how Sparx felt when Nova was the one in danger. “I’m going to ask nicely one more time. Let her go,” he growled, voice low and menacing. “She isn’t yours. She’s not a thing. She’s a person with people who care about her. Drop her, and get out of here.”

* * * * * * *

Jinmay was terrible with directions. Whenever her gps malfunctioned she always, always, always got lost. It figured that her gps malfunctioned within twenty minutes of their search of the unfamiliar city. Of course Otto could fix it in less than five minutes, but that didn’t help them now.

“Chiro?” Jinmay’s voice rattled out from Chiro’s comm.

“I copy. Jinmay, what’s the matter?” Chiro stopped short and landed on the nearest rooftop.

“My stupid map system broke again and I can’t see anybody’s locations. Where are you?”

Chiro groaned. This was the third time in two months. He wanted to just chalk it up to overuse, but it was just too inconvenient for it to keep breaking like this. When they got home, he was going to have to ask Otto to check Jinmay’s operating system and see if it was a bug in her programming.

“Chiro?”

“Ahh! Sorry!” Chiro searched around him for some landmark that would help her find him. “Fly as high above the rooftops as you can and look for a big glass building with a billboard on the side.”

There was a few moments of silence before she replied. “I see a glass building but no billboard?”

Chiro swooped around the sides of the building and confirmed that the billboard was only on one side of it. Whoops.

“Wait, I think I see something moving, flying, over there. Is that you?”

Chiro released a blast of Monkey Fu aura.

“It just turned green. That is you!”

Within moments she had tackled him from behind, grabbing him around the waist. He grabbed her and hugged her. “Okay, so I guess we’re gonna stick together from now on,” he chuckled.

This worked well for all of a half an hour until the trail they were following split into two. They looked at each other and their hands slowly slid apart. They looked at the twin paths disappearing down identical streets.

“I guess we have to split up?” Jinmay said, more of a question than anything.

“Guess so,” Chiro replied unenthusiastically.

“I’ll follow this one,” Jinmay pointed to the left “and you follow that one,” she pointed to the right.

“What if you can’t find me?” Chiro mumbled, more to himself than to her, but she heard anyway.

“Um, if my path doesn’t lead to anything, I’ll follow it back to the ‘y’ right here, then I’ll follow your path to find you.”

“Okay.” He kissed her on the temple.

She broke apart from him, blushing, and ran down the street following her assigned trail. Chiro started down his own, searching carefully.

A few moments later, Jinmay’s voice rang from his comm again. “The trail stopped. The street keeps going but the trail’s ended. What do you think I should do?”

Chiro thought for a moment. “Does it go up like a ladder or a window or anything? Or up onto the roof?”

“I don’t see anything, even with my best ultraviolet vision.”

“Hmm. Well, go down to the end of the street and if you still don’t see anything, turn right around and go back the way you came and find me, okay? Do you want me to backtrack and meet you in the middle?”

“That’ll just waste time. We’ve gotta hurry and find the Chronometer.”

Chiro sighed and pressed his back to the alley wall. He pulled his comm off of his shirt and stared at it, as if by force of will alone he could keep her safe. “Please be careful,” he begged.

“Don’t worry. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay. Chiro out.”

He stuck the comm back to his top button and turned down the alley again, looking for any clues, anything at all. Minutes and minutes passed and he wondered if he was even in the correct place. Gibson’s instructions had been surprisingly non-specific.

A scream rang out in the alley and Chiro jumped, the hair all over his body standing on end. It took him a moment to realize that it was coming from his comm.

He ripped it from his shirt and yelled into it. “Jinmay! Jinmay, do you read? Jinmay!”

“Chiro! I can’t…!”

Then there was a burst of static and for a long moment he couldn’t hear anything. This was followed by a loud buzz and an unfamiliar voice.

“Yo, grease, an android!”

“A pretty damn sexy one too. She’s gonna be worth a lotta money.”

“Hey!” Jinmay’s voice shouted.

“Ey, Annie, where’s your bolt?”

“My what?”

“Yer bolt, yer… eh, yer restrainin’ bolt. Ah, maybe you ain’t got one. That’s okay. It don’t matter. We were gonna take you anyway.”

“You can’t do that and my name’s not Annie!”

“Sure it is. Yer an anne-droid, ain’t ya?”

There were whoops and howls.

“When Chiro gets here, he’s gonna rip you guys apart!”

Damn right he is, Chiro thought, already dashing back down the alley the way he had come.

“Who’s Chiro? Is he your owner? Your master?”

More howling laughter.

“No! Hey! Stop it!”

“Careful, babe. Those nets are woven titanibur. Short-circuits all the weapons. Don’t wanna scratch the merchandise.”

“Get close to me again and I’ll claw your face off myself!”

That’s my girl.

“Grease, I don’t like this Annie’s mouth!”

“Lance her then. Only one dose though. Gotta keep her sorta coherent. Better yet, start pulling out wires and try to turn her off. That’ll keep her quiet.”

Chiro had his comm out, trying to follow the pink dot that indicated Jinmay’s position. How was she so far away?

There was another loud buzz and a screech and more static, which was followed by a piercing scream that rent him to his core. His heart thudded painfully in his chest.

“What’s this thing?”

“…no… not…”

Jinmay’s voice was the last thing he heard before the comm went silent and her pink dot disappeared. “No, no, no!”

It took nearly fifteen minutes and three panicked calls to the rest of the Monkey Team for them to triangulate her position. But they succeeded. Thank goodness for the Super Robot’s advanced radar systems.

Chiro peeked around the corner and saw Jinmay—thank gods—but she was curled up in a ball on the ground and that didn’t mean anything good. What was more, she was surrounded by a group of thugs, maybe seven or eight of them. Many of them had weapons, mostly knives. Chiro chewed on his bottom lip. He was pretty durable against blunt injuries—he’d been hurled against walls and fallen from not insignificant heights and not come out terribly worse for wear. But there was probably no way the Power Primate could protect him from a knife stuck between his ribs.

He did want to go back to Shugazoom sometime this week.

And preferably take Jinmay back with him.

He rolled his options over in his head. He could run in there and maybe knock a couple of them out before they could injure him. He could Monkey Fu them from here but then they could just run away. If he pulled out his Inner Primate aura they’d definitely turn tail and run and he was trying to avoid that. Maybe… maybe he could start with his lowest powered ability. Something he’d learned in tactics with Antauri was that he could always start small and escalate from there, but if he started with the big guns, there was not much going back from that. He took a deep breath and released his Hyper Form transformation, turning back into normal jacket and jeans.

Chiro turned the corner and dashed toward the end of the alley. He was stopped short by a thug and the knife that was pointed at his chest. “Jinmay!”

She was bound in a net of a brown rope-looking material. Titanibur, they’d called it. Her eyes were wide and filled with pixels instead of iris and sclera. She looked as terrified as one who probably wasn’t fully conscious could possibly be.

“Untie her! Let her go! She’s mine!” Chiro yelled.

“We found this little android in the gutter, and ya know what they say, finders is keepers here,” one of the thugs drawled.

“She’s not just an android,” Chiro said. “She’s my teammate, my friend… my… my girlfriend. She doesn’t belong to you. Give her to me.”

“Chiiiii…rrooo…Chiiii…ro…” Jinmay articulated unsteadily.

Chiro tried to run at her but was stopped again by the switchblade that was aimed at him. “If you touch her, if you break her, if you hurt her, I will turn you inside out so fast you won’t know which way you’re going!” He didn’t know where the words had come from; yelling at them probably wasn’t a great idea. But there was Jinmay, lying on the ground, probably broken somehow, and his blood ran hot and cold and hot.

“Touch and break her, huh? Guess you don’t want us to do that because you want to do it yourself, huh, kid?”

Anger and embarrassment pricked at his cheeks. He was seventeen. He could handle a couple of jerks making rude assumptions about him. He clenched his fists. The thug with the switchblade looked at him uneasily.

“You look like a clean-cut, respectable typ’a kid. Never woulda pegged you as a robot-fucker. Ha!”

“Chi…ro… Chi…ro… so…rry… got… lost… Chiro… got… lost…” Jinmay’s voice wavered out once more.

“Kid, she’s tellin’ you to get lost, so get out of here! Yain’t welcome here!” One of the thugs jabbed her in the side with a prong of metal. Electricity laced through her and she fell silent.

The biggest thug laughed. “Oh, look, this kid thinks he can boss me around in my own end of town! Forget it! And I think you’re the one who needs to get out of here. No telling what can befall a hapless child in these dangerous streets.” Two other thugs advanced on him, one with a laser pistol and a second one with a knife.

All right. Negotiating hadn’t worked. Time to pull out the party tricks.

“You may think that this is an ordinary street in an ordinary town, and that I am an ordinary person. And you’d be wrong.”

Starting with the soles of his feet and moving up, he worked his Hyper Form transformation. But instead of using light, as he always had, he used fire. The Power Primate often manifested itself as a flame, and as such, it was only an illusion. But the looks on the faces of the thugs as he slowly lit himself on fire was a treat he’d savor for a long time to come.

“This is an ordinary street in an ordinary town, but I am not an ordinary person.”

As the fire came to his face, he made his eyes to glow green as he filled himself with the power of the Power Primate. “My name is Chiro. I am the Chosen One. I brought balance to the universe. I defeated one of the greatest evils the universe has ever known at the age of fifteen. I control energy and lightning.” He summoned a Chiro-spear-o that was as tall as he was. It waved and sparked in his grasp. “Let her go… and maybe I won’t fry you until your skeletons are crispy and golden.”

That was good enough for all of the thugs. They dropped their weapons and Jinmay and promptly got the hell out of there.

Chiro dismissed the lightning bolt and changed back to his normal clothes and snorted. He kicked the knives out of the way distractedly as he made his way over to Jinmay. Then he picked one up and cut the knot holding the net closed. With his heart in his throat he noticed that one of the panels in her neck had been pried open and there were loose wires. Those creeps—!

Jinmay didn’t move until he’d untangled her from the net and put his hands gently on her shoulders to help her sit up. When she felt his warm hands on her cool skin, she blinked. The pixels in her eyes wavered. “Siro.”

“I’m here, Jinmay. It’s me, Chiro.”

“Siro.”

Chiro ignored the fact that she was getting his name wrong and attributed it to the fact that her system had suffered severe shock. “You were really brave, Jinmay. I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. When your comm broke, I couldn’t locate you and I panicked but Sparx was able to find you and I’m glad I got here before anything really bad happened.”

He helped her to her feet and she wobbled a little. “Come on, Jinmay, let’s go. We need to get you fixed up.”

He looked around the alley and realized that one of the shock-lances was still lying on the concrete. He picked it up, clicked it off, and shoved it into his inside jacket pocket. Maybe Gibson could reverse-engineer how to fix Jinmay if he had one of the weapons they’d used on her.

His rocket pack was in the garbage can at the end of the alley where he’d left it, thank goodness. He put it on his back and clicked the buckle over his chest. The pack fired up and he zipped up almost to the rooftop when he realized that she wasn’t following him. “Jinmay?”

She tilted her head at him and tried to walk toward him but her foot dragged and she almost fell. She got up and stepped on the side of her foot, tripping again. Chiro raised an eyebrow. “What’s the matter?”

She didn’t look up toward his voice, didn’t get up again, only blinked once very, very slowly. Chiro wasn’t even sure if she’d heard him. “You know what, if you can’t fly, I’m just gonna carry you.” He scooped her up princess-style and activated his rocket pack again, setting off back toward the Super Robot. She tucked her head against his chest and was quiet. He thanked any and all gods, spirits, lucky stars, and benevolent cosmic beings.

“Chiro to Hyperforce. Chiro to Hyperforce.”

“Reading you loud and clear, kid.”

“I’m on my way back with Jinmay. She’s malfunctioning and acting weird and she’s gonna need some repairs.”

“’Kay. I’ll get Otto. Are you okay, kid?”

“Tired. More relieved than anything. I feel bad though, I got distracted by Jinmay getting lost and I wasn’t very much help finding the Chronometer artifact.”

“Don’t worry about that, Nova found it.”

“She did?”

“Yeah, while Gibson and I were trying to track down Jinmay, she called us saying that she found it. Antauri’s meditating over it right now.”

“Phew. Good. Oh, I see the Robot. Hang on, I’ll be right in. Chiro out.”

Chiro flew into the chest hatch and landed in the main room. Sparx and Nova met them. “Chiro, I’m glad you’re back,” the yellow Monkey said, relief etched plainly on her face.

“Glad to be back.” He shifted Jinmay’s weight in his arms. “Hopefully Antauri can figure out the date with the Chronometer.”

“If he can’t we’ll figure something else out,” Nova said. “Come on, Otto and Gibson are waiting.”

Chiro laid Jinmay down on the examination table and Gibson plugged the back of her head, her chest, and her thigh into the main computer. “These readings are so strange,” the blue Monkey said. “It’ll take me a minute to pinpoint what exactly needs repairing.”

Otto moved Jinmay’s arm so that her hand rested on her stomach and took a look at her neck as Gibson tapped on the computer’s keyboard. A yellow lightning bolt icon flashed on the screen. He tsk’ed and turned back toward the robot girl. “Otto, don’t touch her wiring—”

“Ow!” The green Monkey shook his hand and stuck out his tongue.

“—yet.”

“She’s live,” Otto complained as he wiggled his fingers gingerly. “Did she get infused with electricity or somethin’?”

“Oh yeah.” Chiro took the lance out of his jacket pocket and placed it down on the other table. “This thing. Those creeps who were gonna kidnap her, they had a bunch of these and they stuck her with them. I think they called it ‘lancing.’ I think it overloaded her system and maybe that’s why she’s acting weird?”

Gibson turned a bit pale. “How many times did they lance her?”

“Two times that I know of. Maybe more. I lost contact with her for maybe fifteen minutes before I found her.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know. I really hope she’s going to be okay.”

“Oh, dear.” Gibson shook his head. “No wonder she’s unconscious. Well, in any case, I cannot fully connect her with Diagnostics until the excess electricity is drained out. We don’t want the current to feed back into the computer as that would cause a significant amount of damage.”

Chiro sat down on the other table, a sick feeling pooling in the pit of his stomach. She was damaged because she’d gotten lost without him, because he was in too much of a hurry to stick with her, because her map system was broken…

“Otto, is there any chance you can check her system and fix her maps and gps? Permanently? I don’t want this to happen to her again.”

“I’ll see what I can do, Chiro,” Otto said, smiling at the boy. “Don’t worry about it, it’ll be okay.”

“Well, it’s easy enough to drain the excess electricity,” Gibson said. “Sparx! Sparx, get in here!” he yelled out the sick bay door. “I could use your help.”

Sparx stuck his head around the edge of the door. “You need my help?”

Gibson waved his hand. “I just need your magnets.”

“Oh, just my magnets.”

Gibson looked over his shoulder at the red Monkey. “Jinmay received a severe electric shock and her body is live with electricity. I need you to drain as much of it as you can in order for us to be able to commence the rest of the repairs.”

“Got it.” Sparx pulled out his magnets, aimed them at Jinmay, and concentrated. A slight hnnnnnn arose in the room as Sparx drained crests and crests of electricity from Jinmay’s still form. After a few moments he stopped and Otto touched Jinmay’s wiring again, this time without damage.

“Chiro!”

Chiro snapped his attention back over to the red Monkey. “What?”

Sparx’s magnets had taken all Jinmay’s excess electricity and had formed it into a rolling red ball of electricity. “I can’t just dissipate the energy. Give me something, anything, something small, doesn’t matter, I just need to… to…”

Chiro’s fingers closed around something narrow and threw it in Sparx’s direction. Sparx’s Magno-Ball hit it in midair and there was a resounding szash. Particles rained down on everyone in the room and Chiro covered his face. Gibson and Otto leaned over Jinmay, covering her.

“Aw, that was my favorite wrench,” Otto said mournfully.

Gibson blinked. “Use a bit more care next time, Sparx. I don’t need you to set off the Robot’s alarm systems.”

Sparx turned his magnets back into his hands and glared in the blue Monkey’s direction.

Gibson’s expression softened. “But thank you.”

Sparx crossed his arms. “Yeah, you’re welcome.”

Otto looked over at Chiro. “Chiro, you don’t have to sit here and watch us. You can go check on Antauri and we’ll tell you when we’re almost done, okay?”

“You sure?”

“Yes, please, go,” Gibson said, pulling down his zoom goggles. “This could take a bit of time.”

An hour or so later, Chiro entered sick bay again, the door hissing closed behind him. “How is she?”

Otto had his zoom goggles on and was tinkering with something tiny in the side of Jinmay’s neck. He looked over at Chiro. “She’s much better now. Those guys really messed her up.”

Chiro’s adrenaline rose and his hands clenched at his sides. “I’m gonna go back and snap their necks,” he grumbled to himself. I let them off way too easy by just scaring them off. I should have beat them up when I had the chance. How dare they hurt her!

When Mandarin had gotten a hold of her, he’d ripped her head and body apart and had searched through her memories, looking for something. He still remembered the way Mandarin had chortled about it afterwards. …oh, how I enjoyed examining the sweet circuits in her head, and THAT had pissed him off like nothing ever had before. She’d been reprogrammed by one of the Five and the biker guy was lucky that he hadn’t been there when he’d done it or he would have broken every bone in his body three times over. Jinmay screaming as her programs were overwritten and her circuitry was rearranged and her systems ran out of her control was his ever-present nightmare. No one, NO ONE was allowed to touch his girl’s circuits without her permission.

“Gracious, Chiro, you’ll do no such thing,” Gibson said. “She’s all right. We were able to mitigate the damage and repair her accordingly.”

Chiro knelt to the floor with a thmp and took Jinmay’s hand. Her eyes were closed now, and if the wires in the side of her neck weren’t still exposed, he would have sworn she was only sleeping. “What did they do to her?” he asked quietly.

“There were a number of things,” Gibson said. “You must have noticed that some of the wiring in her neck and shoulders was exposed when you brought her in.”

“Yeah.”

“A number of wires were pulled loose and one of her circuits was removed in order to make her more docile. Luckily Otto was able to replicate the missing piece.” Gibson turned to the other table. “That tool, the lance. Those are actually illegal on twenty-seven worlds because of the damage they can do to sensitive machinery. What they do is to emit a low frequency alongside a certain voltage of electricity. It is supposed to shock the robotic system and shut it down, not unlike a taser, but it also short-circuits certain centers in an inorganic brain.”

“That’s why she couldn’t say my name right,” Chiro replied, putting his chin on the table.

Otto pressed her neck panel shut with a tiny click. “I’m done. Just gotta reboot her and she’ll wake up fine.”

Chiro gripped her hand tighter as Gibson went on. “It’s not the worst damage we’ve had to repair,” the blue Monkey sighed. “It was easy enough.” He turned back to the boy. “But Chiro, I don’t want you to go out and cause trouble. Everything worked out accordingly, we found the Chronometer and Jinmay is all right.”

“I’m just really worried about her,” Chiro mumbled. “I hate when these things happen to her. This is like the third time. I hate when people think they can just dig around in her head whenever the heck they feel like it.”

“It’s an occupational hazard of being inorganic,” Gibson said, laying a hand on Chiro’s shoulder. “She is a little more vulnerable because of it, and we all need to be more careful because of it, but she’s all right now and that is truly all that matters.”

Sparx wandered back into the room. “How’s Jinmay?”

“Almost there,” Otto said, unplugging her from the computer.

“She needs a few moments for a system reboot, and she will be in perfect health,” Gibson said.

Sparx walked up to Chiro and put his elbow on his shoulder as they both waited for Jinmay to awaken. There was a low pnnnnn and then a louder ping and Jinmay’s eyes opened. They glowed red for a moment before settling back on mint-green irises. Chiro was so relieved he wanted to cry.

“Chiro?” she grunted. She swallowed and tried again. “Chiro?”

Chiro slid her fingers between his and squeezed tightly. “I’m here, Jinmay. You’re okay. You’re back in the Robot.”

Jinmay sat up very slowly. “Easy, Jinmay,” Otto said, helping her up gently with a hand between her shoulder blades.

She looked at the green and blue Monkeys. “Thank you so much. I’m sorry for causing so much trouble…” She looked down at her lap dejectedly.

Chiro leaned over her lap. “You’re okay, and I’m really, really glad for that.” He took her cheek in his hand. She leaned into it and smiled, and her smile was like soothing ointment for his aching heart.

“All your systems seem to be operating at full capacity,” Gibson said from the computer. “You’re good as new, Jinmay.”

“What happened?” Jinmay asked, rubbing her head. “I remember those thugs, I remember yelling at them, and then they shocked me the first time. Then everything is fuzzy, I remember being dragged along the ground. Then I saw you, and I tried to call out to you, and then they shocked me again… and I don’t remember anything after that until Otto rebooted me just now.”

“Well, I scared those creeps off, then I picked you up and took you back to the Robot so you could get fixed up. It wasn’t much.”

Jinmay nodded. “I’m okay now, Otto?”

“Yeah, you’re good to go, Jinmay. I think I fixed your positioning systems for good this time, it shouldn’t break anymore,” the green Monkey explained. “There was just one error that was messing it all up but I cleared it so you’re fine now.”

“Thanks, Otto. You don’t know how much I appreciate that.”

Otto beamed like sunshine.

She turned toward the blue Monkey. “Thank you, too, Gibson.”

“Of course, Jinmay. It wasn’t a problem at all.” Gibson crossed his arms and smiled.

He turned back to the computer and Jinmay hopped off the table. Together with Chiro, she waked out the door and out into the main room. Sparx had already wandered off somewhere. Chiro pointed upwards and Jinmay nodded. They took the tube upstairs to the top of the Robot’s head and sat down next to the antenna.

Jinmay leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Chiro.”

He laced his fingers between hers. “You apologized already, and you didn’t even need to apologize the first time. It’s okay. I’m here. We’re all here for you.”

“I feel like I’m always the one that’s getting kidnapped.”

“That’s not true, remember that one time it was Sparx? And that one time it was Otto? And you and Nova did get kidnapped together that one time so it wasn’t only you.”

“Yeah, okay. But it would still be nice if I had to be the one to rescue you, instead of the other way around.”

“Don’t say it. Now it’s gonna happen, and it’s gonna be your fault.”

She laughed, which made him laugh, and then they were just rolling in hysterics for a good few minutes. It felt so nice to laugh. They didn’t get to do it nearly enough.

After the laughter tapered off, they just sat together for a few minutes. Jinmay snuggled up to Chiro’s side and sighed. He was so warm. Warm and soft and safe.

Chiro exhaled as Jinmay slid her head under his chin. She was cool and solid and grounding. His heart beat a bit faster as she entwined her fingers with his. The sun began to set across the skyline, bathing them in its last golden rays. The Power Primate hummed contentedly in his chest and he smiled. And without even looking down at her face, he knew Jinmay was just as happy as he was.

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