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vickylamore · 3 years

Text

Missing Puzzle Piece

Pairing: Jeno x Female Reader, Taeyong x Female Reader (it’s barely there LMAO, platonic), NCT OT23 x Female Reader (Platonic)

Genre: Bulleted AU, Mafia AU, Crack (Includes writing style), Fluff

Word count: 8k

TWs: Death, Mentions of death, Swearing (a lot of it), Guns, Hostages, Unedited (ish, it’s 7am, you will find typos I’m sorry), An unhealthy load of crack :)

Summary: You stole something from your father. You joined another mafia group(ish). Stayed with them for nearly a year and you somehow have an on and off relationship with someone you’re convinced you don’t like? It’s complicated, kinda, not really. I mean, you guys were never dating but it was never a full-fledged friendship to begin with. It all depends on which puzzle piece will fit in first.

OKAY so you were honest with yourself, it probably wasn’t the brightest idea to yell a huge “fuck you!” to your crimelord of a father.

AND maybe it wasn’t worth your entire life.

PERHAPS you shouldn’t be running away from the dozen bodyguards running after you in nothing but pyjamas shorts, a hoodie and slides.

But you are and you had no intention of stopping.

I mean, why would you? You were literally in slides and you were running faster than all the men chasing you.

IT'S EMBARRASSING.

You don’t know how you didn’t draw attention to yourself, maybe it was because it was night or maybe because everyone was distracted with the midnight music festival that they didn’t give a damn to notice your nineteen-year-old ass running away from twelve men.

Honestly speaking, you were vibing. All you had to do was run and blend with the crowd while these huge ass men in tuxedos and sunglasses moved through the crowd to get to you were gaining attention.

Which slowed them down.

And you gained speed.

Not to mention that they still had sun glasses on despite it being pitch black with the exception of the lights from the item, food and music boots.

Fucking dumbasses LMAPDJK

So other than that, yes, you were vibing.

That WAS until one of them decided to draw their gun and start shooting at you… while you were in the middle of a crowd.

Real smart buddy.

OKAY so maybe you shouldn’t have stolen your father’s really important USB that told everyone where his biggest drug cartels are and when they’d be moving from SK to the States.

But like- was it your fault?

No, of course not.

No one asked him to piss you off, let alone put really important information on ONE USB port,

That he didn’t know you stole but whatever.

He only grounded you for being ‘disrespectful’.

Apparently, talking back during a conversation with a parent was rude?

You’d never tell him to his face but sometimes your father wasn’t the brightest star in the sky.

But that’s okay.

anYWHO- guns. shooting. you. Slides.

If you had known that your slides are hella useful to run it, you would’ve run with them in your track meet two days ago.

IT’S A JOKE- maybe.

No, actually, how the fuck are you not dead yet? LMAOSJ.

You wouldn’t be worth much as collateral damage, either way, your father did prefer your brothers after all.

Struggles of being the youngest of three; one brainiac (you obviously, duh), one asshole and an even bigger douchebag.

More shouting, more screaming, more guns cocking,

More running, you vibing, you being pushed onto the floor-

You being pushed onto the floor.

Oof.

THAT HURT DAMN

You struggled against the grip of a male, one around your age, as he rolled both of you away from the complete chaos that was happening.

He pressed you against his chest-

Not this being your first contact with a boy.

-and literally dragged you towards an empty alleyway.

oH HELL NO

You’ve watched too many police series and horror movies to know what’s going to happen next.

PLUS

Your father used to hire men every other week which means it’s very likely that the male is one of your father’s men.

So you being you,

You bit him.

On his shoulder.

He shrieked, let you go and you both rushed to your feet while glaring at each other.

The man hissed, your eyebrows furrowed.

“You bit me!”

“I don’t have rabies!”

“I never said anything about rabies!”

“Okay, so what’s the problem!”

“It might leave a hickey!”

You did a double-take.

Did you hear that right?

It might leave a hickey?

“D-do you have a girlfriend?”

“N-no?”

“How do you not if you have a girlfriend!”

“Your question confused me!”

If it wasn’t for his somewhat worrisome words, you would’ve thought he was cute.

In fact, he was cute. He had really dark black hair that glistened against the light from the festival behind him. He was tall, taller than you and had really… really nice eyebrows.

You wanted to touch them-

ANYWAYS

“What? No thank you?”

“For scrapping my knees? No, thank you.” You dusted off the dirt and grime off your legs. “Why did you help me?”

He seemed taken aback by your question. His eyes closed slightly and lightly grinned-

OMFG HE HAS DIMPLES UWU

“I mean, you were getting chased by like twelve guys.” He shrugged and leaned against the wall. “You wanted me and my team to leave you all alone?” He winked at you.

You don’t know if it’s because you're awkward but you just stared at him… blinking a good three times before looking back at the festival. Maybe it was because of the sudden change of personality or it was the still ongoing gunshots but he wasn’t affected by the noise;

Somehow the shots didn’t bother him? Which made you think that beyond that adorable face and smile, he was hiding something from you.

Not that he had to tell you or anything.

Okay but his attire screams bad boy aura; black on black (pun intended) from head to toe, he had a utility belt with what you presumed had a knife, gun and phone. He wore a tight long-sleeved turtleneck and black cargo pants along with black fingerless gloves.

A small buzz cut through the silence and you just barely heard it. You notice the small earpiece barely lodged in his ear canal. He pressed it, turned away from you and listen to whatever message he was receiving. “Alright, head out, I’ll be at the base soon.”

His sleeves must’ve rolled up when you both rolled on the floor earlier because you’re sure as hell you weren’t supposed to see tHE MFK NCT TATTOO ON HIS WRIST.

NOT THE NCT TATTOO

Out of all the days you could’ve ran into NCT, all _(add number of members)__ of them, it just happened to be today.

Ngl, you found it lowkey amusing. A male a part of the organization your father was trying to take down, it made you laugh.

You could use it to your advantage.

Cracking his knuckles and elbows when he was done, he sent you a small salute, “well sweetheart, it was nice to meet you but-”

“NCT huh?” You crossed your arms and it was your time to smirk. His obviously fell into a frown as he straightened his posture and clenched his jaw. “Guessing by how young you look, you might be in the Dream unit- ooh, I stuck a nerve, Dream unit it is.”

You purse your lips, blinking innocently, “leader or follower? Oop- struck another nerve, leader it is.”

In a matter of seconds, the male hand pinned you to the wall, a snarl leaving his throat. His eyes were now a lot darker and hostile, a completely different side to the guy.

“Who are you?”

“Bring me to your base to find out.”

“And why would I do that?” You reached for his ear, tore the earpiece out and crushed it on the floor.

You’re really trying to get yourself killed tonight, huh?”

“I mean yes but not but you need to bring me with you.”

“And that’s because..?”

“Valuable information that will help the entire organization to take down JYP.”

Bingo.

See, you knew your bargaining skills were on point. Sadly, you learned from your brother; the one you preferred so it’s not that bad. You saw the conflict between his eyes, you really didn’t blame him… I mean, you were a stranger he saved and now you have all this information that could help him and his team out? Almost seemed too good to be true.

Technically it was.

Look, you didn’t want the total demise of your father’s company, you just want him and your brothers to leave you alone and the only way you thought you could do that was by betraying him.

Because that’s so smart.

“Fine.”

WAS IT THAT EASY?

aND? He? Started? Dragging? You? Towards? Another? Alley? Before? You? Stumbled? On? A? Motorcycle?

You stood near his bike, glancing between him and the vehicle as he threw you his helmet. You caught it with ease. “You’re not going to blindfold me? It’s that what you’re supposed to do?”

He shrugged and hoped on the motorcycle, “I mean, I could.” He revved the vehicle as the headlights came on. “But then it gives me more of a reason to kill you if you are lying.”

Did you mention that you never wanted to ride behind this man again?

No?

Well, you never want to ride another motorcycle if he’s the one that’ll be driving because he might actually kill you for real next time.

You both got to the mansion in less than twenty minutes.

It was hella cold too, you don't know how you didn't freeze your ass off.

OH MAYBE BECAUSE HE GAVE YOU HIS JACKET.

You said thank you, despite the fact that he grumbled in response.

He unlocked the door with handprint recognition, cause yk,

Technology. Neo Culture Technology.

He opened the door and immediately, warm air welcomed you.

PLEASE IT WAS SO WARM

NOT YOU running into a house you've never been to before.

UH- I mean… You have.

Like once.

Technically like seven but,

It was when you were three.

“Please, you don't even know where you're going.”

I mean, he wasn't lying.

Your memory as a toddler wasn't the sharpest.

But like then again, this place was one of the first memories you had.

Lowkey sad, ngl.

“Just take me to your boss and then we can figure this entire thing out.”

Obviously, it wasn't that easy.

It's never that easy.

“Funny you think I'll bring you to my boss.”

“But you brought me to your base?”

HE DID.

“You left me no choice.”

“I did- I mean, I was. You threatened to kill me after I told you I had leverage.”

Did you blame him? No, not really. But you did think that his plan was stupid since he was WAY TOO TRUSTING.

Just wait until he learns who you're father is… then he can't kill you.

“What's your name?” You asked as he closed the door. His jacket was still draped over your shoulders and you fiddled with the zipper. “You know, for reference.”

Take his name and RUN WITH IT

Why? Cause you saw a couple people with guns creeping up on you.

Such a warm welcome.

Technically, the only reason you knew was literally by instinct.

They were super quiet, their stealth was off the charts.

You had one shot and you just gotta PRAY that their leader remembered you.

Cause if not, you're screwed.

“Jeno.” You hummed and smiled.

“Nice to meet you, Jeno.”

You greeted while sticking your hand out. He raised an eyebrow but took it nonetheless.

You really took it as a chance to flip him over your shoulder, “kk, bye now.”

BITCH, YOU MFK DIPPED.

SO QUICK TOO

You don't know if you skipped or ran down the hallway but you did a mixture of both.

But like, you took “get that bread, get that head then leave.” Too seriously.

At this point, you were running towards a certain room by sheer memory.

Forbid you ran into the wrong room.

Either the rest of his unit was incredibly slow or taking shortcuts to get to you.

Didn't really matter because you reached the room you wanted to get to and knocked.

TECHNICALLY, YOU COULDN'T JUST BURST IN.

You didn't even know if he was in heRE.

“Come in.”

Oh, he's in there.

And so are like… four other voices.

SMH WHAT IF HE DIDN'T REMEMBER YOU?

It's not like you guys haven't seen each other in 16 years.

Yes, sixteen.

But you knew the guy had a great memory for a nine year old so he should remember you.

Or you just tell him your name and it goes one way or another; either he just doesn't fking remember you OR he does.

You opened the door and closed it behind you.

“Taeyong, sweetie, you wanna tell me why seven of your men are chasing me with guns?”

Okay so maybe it wasn't the best introduction. Or just the best greeting.

But you looked at him and he had this shit eating grin on his face.

I MEAN YAY? HE REMEMBERED YOU?

“What did you do?”

“In all technically, nothing.”

Yeah, he didn't believe you, not once, you knew as soon as he tapped his finger on his desk.

PLEASE THE REST OF THE MEN IN HIS OFFICE WERE SO CONFUSED.

“Okay, so I might of flipped one of your men over my shoulder after I felt his teammates sneaking up on me with guns after he sent them a secret message despite the fact that I broke his comm- you gotta give me that new tech you got cause it almost screwed me over- and like… isn't my fault cause I somehow convinced him to bring me here after my father sent men to chase me with guns at the music festival downtown?”

Yeah, he believed you. At least now he did. His raised eyebrow just said so.

Work in your favor-ish.

“Is that why your fathers men are dead at that festival too?”

OH SHIT WAIT THEY DEAD?

OH UH, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

NO MA'AM, YOU DID NOT.

"Oh, yeah, maybe, I don't know. Ask Jeno and co."

"Your brothers are going to kill me."

"Okay yeah but like, they don't know it was your men? Unless you mark your bullets?"

"Why would we-"

"Exactly, they won't know."

They really don't, and even if they thought it was NCT, dumbasses have no proof.

Again, worked in your favor.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?"

Not you forgetting about the four other men in Taeyong’s study.

"Oh, hi." You waved at the tallest. You presumed he was taller since he looked tall.

That makes sense right?

"This might be super confusing but like, I'm not trying to die before I give you guys leverage on my dad so like can you-"

The door literally was thrown open and there was a gun to your head.

He didn't even let you finish, rude smh.

"You have five seconds to tell me who the hell you are before I kill you."

"You wanted to kill me from the get go, what's stopping you?"

YOU'RE REALLY PLAYING YOUR CARDS, HUH?

The situation isn't in your favor at ALL and you're STILL pushing his buttons.

No actually, why?

Is it because you know you won't die now or is it because Taeyong is in the room?

Either way, please stop before you get yourself killed.

"That won't be necessary, Jeno."

You couldn't see Taeyong but solely based on his tone, you knew he found it amusing.

You literally heard the smirk in his voice.

"Why not?"

"You kill her, you start a war with JYP."

Jeno raised an eyebrow towards you. "How? She's just some little girl who was running away from men with guns."

OOF.

Little whAT

oUch

Listen here you bitch-

"That girl is the daughter-"

Not you clearing your throat, coughing and sneezing for him to fix his words.

"Sorry, that girl is the adoptive daughter of Park Jinyoung and adoptive sister of Jaebum and Jinyoung."

Oh to have connections.

The gun was dropped from your forehead so quick. Oops.

You laughed awkwardly and stepped away from the shell shocked black haired man as you just

Made

Your

Way

Taeyong

Because you honestly felt like you were the safest with him???

"You still remember me?"

"Of course I do," he shrugged while you were digging into your hoodie and opened his laptop. "You're the only one that calls me sweetie."

"You based your memory on that small, minor detail?"

"Please, the only reason you remember me is because I gave you a scar behind your ear after I accidentally opened that very door when you were walking in."

"Touché."

That scar was hurt for a while, you think it gave you brain damage because you were lowkey a dumb kid smh.

You inserted the USB in the laptop as it was starting up. You looked up to see a LOT more men in his study then before.

Omg, you're famous.

"While that's loading," you waved at the… 12… 18… 22 members in the room.

WHY ARE THEY 22

Minus Taeyong of course

SO MANY SMH

"Hi," you greeted with a small smile, "based on your very confused faces, you guys have no idea who I am. Park (Y/n), adoptive daughter of Park J.Y, my brothers are dumb and dumber, also known as Jinyoung and Jaebum. Also the girl that tricked Jeno to bringing me here, oops."

Damn, so men with J as their first name

No wonder they're all Jackasses.

You winked at the male before turning back to Taeyong who tugged your hoodie.

"What did you do and why is your father’s shipment list on my screen?"

“It’s a really, really long story if you have time-- plus those shipments are happening like in three hours so you wanna get started on that.”

“JENO YOU DUMB BITCH, OUTSMARTED.”

“I don’t know who you are or where you came from but just know that I love you for making Jeno look more like the dumbass he actually is.”

So like after that entire thing-

Yes, it got you smirking.

Taeyong kicked everyone out.

And you were introduced to Johnny, Kun and Yuta.

Fun :)

What’s not fun, Jeno’s passive aggressive ass :}

There was one thing you liked about him though; his dimples. His DIMPLE IS SO MFK CUTE but everything else else is a no for you. Yes, he’s attractive and all but he doesn’t want to admit that his decision on bringing you here without knowing who you were was pretty dumb.

Irrational actually.

And Taeyong gave him quite the earful while you were gossipping with Johnny about your favorite chocolate bar.

For the next few days, you stayed with NCT’s huge ass mansion because you didn’t want to go back home.

Especially since, again, you were grounded, ran away and got your dad’s men killed.

AND got his shipments stolen :))

All of that because of a damn USB, funny.

You actually like it here?? A lot better than your home with your brothers.

You got really close with Dream? Like NCT Dream? Forget being strangers, the dumbasses are your brothers now.

Like brothers to the point where you almost smacked Haechan with a heated frying pan because he had ask you for food when you JUST finished cooking, almost pushed Chenle and his loud ass out of a window, threw your slides at Renjun for being a smartass and Jisung-

You’re lying, Jisung was your baby.

In another dimension.

No but you actually almost beat the crap out of him FOR breathing AND stealing all the snacks Taeyong bought for you. Like hoe, get your own.

As for Shotaro, that man, despite being older than you, is your baby aND NOBODY IS GONNA TOUCH HIM OR TRY HIM.

Cause you will beat them up as a compensation fee and the rest is determined on your level of anger that day.

Which keeps rising because of Lee Jeno.

Did you like him? Absolutely not.

For the love of everything, you bit him.

But did you dislike him?

Yes.

Quite a lot actually.

Because Taeyong, being Taeyong, was such a smart cookie, he just put you in the Dream’s unit because they were hella close to your age and you just stood there and said ‘okay’ when he finished?

And guess who was your training partner?

There's a reason all the knives in the training hall are locked away. And all the guns are empty.

You wouldn’t actually call him training partner, more like, killing partner and emphasis on the killing because the amount of scars and cuts on YOUR back from him trying to disarm you to prevent you from killing HIM is remarkable and looks like your fell off a tree and all the branches scared you to break your fall.

The only thing attempting to break you was Jeno tho.

Fast forward a week; finally got to meet 127 because for some reason they had business in Japan because Yuta apparently fucked up but that’s a story for another day.

Of course he didn’t, he just had trading issues and needed back up.

You already know Taeyong so skipping over him, you met Taeil. Great guy, super attentive and a genius too… like man’s is WAY too smart for your liking and can read you like a book but also super quiet and reserved and talks only when talking to. Oh! And doesn’t kill? Respect because he doesn’t get his hands dirty but respect.

Johnny is the brother you want but will never get because you’re not in the best position to be emancipated. But the way you can relate to this man is ridiculous BUT you also bribe him to give you food and buy you your favorite drinks.

And then Doyoung terrifies you?

Like if security cameras weren’t around, you’re sure all of Dream would be dead right now… but a great name to use when Jisung tries picking on you.

Other than that, he’s really resourceful which is nice if you even wanted to buy a new gun.

Yuta is another brother that you want because you can look in his direction, not say anything as he proceeds to sigh and say, “fuck off, we’re not going to the restuarant.”

Lowkey spoils you but you are a crime boss daughter; you wouldn’t say you were used to it but his small gifts were always more meaningful than anything your father gave you.

Jaehyun gives you ‘I’m too pretty to get blood on my hands but I do it anyway because Taeyong won’t pay me if I don’t’ kind of guy. Those are for the award kind of guy.

You clown him WAY TOO MUCH but it’s so normalized that this one morning, you went to the kitchen and said:

“Who does it feel to be a Jeffrey now?”

Jungwoo is just.

Hot.

And the biggest dork ever smh and sassy and a really good liar. He scares you sometimes. However, you both are great liars so in all technicality, he should be your partner in crime but you were paired with… him. For some reason, the more you hang out with him, you become more chaotic than you were???

I mean, good for you.

Mark, oh my, where do you start with Mark? You don’t understand why you admire him so much?

I mean, for one, he’s great at sparring and much more interesting to be around than…

Jeno.

UH so Mark is really nice and cool and you want to stuff him in your pocket but decided against tit cause he looks like he could kill you with one of his hidden guns.

Is a bitch, lowkey. Bosses you around because you're new.

But it’s fine because he’s nice about it so it’s whatever.

Sungchan is your best friend, you don’t make the rules sorry.

You actually haven’t gotten the chance to meet the WayV unit since they’re, currently, in China.

You have talked to Sicheng and Lucas.

Great guys, especially Sicheng because he’s the ‘normal’ one in the unit.

Noticed the ‘’?

Yeah so he isn’t normal, far from it, but is really nice to talk to.

HOWEVER there’s no reason for Lucas to be towering over you like Jack and the beanstalk.

Ad being hella loud.

But you like that because it radiates your energy.

Ten-

No because he’s just… like-

You don’t know how to explain it??

He’s there, a great friend, huge brat, amazing fighter.

At least, that’s how Kun describes him and you’re leaning towards that explanation of Ten because of their leader.

Yes, Kun, great person, in your pocket he goes, thank you.

No actually, this man is so thoughtful, it hurts.

You didn’t have the chance to introduce yourself to Yangyang, Hendery and Xiaojun since they’re on a trip in Europe but from what you’ve heard, they’re really annoying.

Just your type.

And Xiaojun has really nice eyebrows?

Like excuse me sIR, hand them over.

Also, NCT is nothing like your adoptive father’s company…

What did Taeyong do to these people

Really nice and really cruel at the same part.

You’re glad you aren’t at the other end of that knife.

Anyways back to Jeno :(

You’ve been here for three months and it really hasn’t gotten better.

With everyone else, hell yeah, with Jeno?

Crying hours are open.

HE’S SO MEAN AND FOR WHAT

All you did was breath, damn.

He’d pick on you

And call you names

Talk about 2nd grade insults, embarrassing.

And he’d let you win at sparring matches.

THAT HURT YOUR EGO, YOU WEREN’T GOING TO LIE

Your pride just… declined after Dream pointed it out one time

You rather not know because at least it feed into your ego

Now you didn’t even want to spare with him anymore.

You talked to Taeil about it over hot cocoa cause, why not.

He had the audacity to say that Jeno liked you.

sIR IT’S BEEN THREE MONTHS

There was no way.

And then what was more offensive was when he said that YOU LIKED HIM

And so you started sparring with WayV :)

He wasn’t right.

Of course not.

So, WayV sparring, yes.

Ten was a really great sparring partner and so was Hendery and Yangyang and Xiaojun,

You haven’t sparred with the others cause they simple,, dont,,.

But you found your new sparring partner and that was Yangyang and Ten was your instructor.

SO EITHER YOU’RE JUST REALLY OBLIVIOUS OR YOU DON’T SEE IT.

But… was Jeno jealous when you switched partners?

He did roll his really bright eyes each time you were talking to Yang.

And HE DID cross his arms over his chest all cute while pouting.

And he---

NO.

You were nOT falling for him.

PLEASE YOU BIT THE GUY.

What happened to “did you dislike Jeno? Yes. Quite a lot.”

Oh hOw tHe tAbLeS hAvE tUrnEd.

This is so embarrassing.

Now a lot more um

Petty fights :)))

“Jerk, you stole my chocolate!”

“There was no chocolate to begin with!”

“You don’t know that!”

“Yes I do!”

“So you did take my chocolate you asshole!”

And like… flirting.

Please, your moon sign was Gemini, it wasn’t your fault.

If you don’t get to joke, it’s okay.

“Hi, my name is Microsoft. Can I crash at your place?”

“(Y/n), we live in the same house.”

AND THEN HE SAID ONE TO YOU ONCE, YOU NEVER RECOVERED.

“Did your license get suspended for driving all these guys crazy?”

Never recovered.

BuT fast forward to now where you’re one your…

23rd mission with N-City.

:))))

Taeyong had finally let you go on one six months prior after you kindly asked.

“You’ve seen me fight before, why won’t you let me go?”

“Because you’re clumsy!”

OkAy, so maybe you had to ask more than ONCE but it’s not your fault your limbs have a mind of its own.

You never asked for long legs.

Speaking of long legs, Jeno was cute.

It didn’t come from you though, it came from your mind.

Huge difference.

This mission was simple enough, it was an infiltration mission where NCT had to steal this super important USB from an important figure in the mafia world.

And what’s the best way to do that? Attend a gala.

And they wanted you to attend since they gave you a pretty important role.

Distraction.

You could do that.

Maybe… if Jeno wouldn’t breath down your neck the entire night.

Yeah, Jeno was your gala date :)

Sadly WayV weren’t going and neither was Dream since they needed to be on cams and the former were stuck in Beijing.

No tall giants to bug.

No sassy ass companions to tease.

Just your love for Jeno :)

You were wearing this long black dress and grabbed your very beautiful body and you have to admit that you looked ravishing.

You did your hair in your favorite hairstyle and wore gold flats.

CAUSE I KNOW DAMN WELL I WOULDN’T RUN IN HEELS

And neither should you.

You walked into the 127 com room where Dream was and nearly walked back out with the way they were looking at you.

“Can you guys like… not? The sky's a beautiful view too, you know.”

“Yeah but why look at the sky when you’re right here.”

LEE JENO.

YOU REALLY SET YOURSELF UP FOR THAT ONE.

It's been eight months… get on with it and ask him on a date.

You turned away, completely hiding the very light blush.

Except that Jaemin was making kissing faces to your right.

And of course, when you turned around,

Haechan was smirking like a madman.

OH TO HAVE ANNOYING ASSHOLES IN YOUR UNIT

“Shotaro, sweetie, you're the only one I tolerate.”

It was true, you've been saying it ever since you got here.

Your heels clicked as you walked over to the bureau filled with monitors and computers. You leaned your lower half and Shotaro's chair, "any news?"

“Yeah,” handing you a ear set and was really an earring with hooks so it clung onto your ear. “Earring coms, activated by the word 'go' and is voice recognition.”

“Thank you," you hooked the earrings in. "Whos monitor am I connected to?”

“Well, we’re working in pairs since we’re kinda short on people on monitors tonight.”

Pairs = two people with one operator.

“So both you and Jeno will be connected to Jaemin’s mic. Taeyong and Yuta with Renjun. Doyoung and Jaehyun are with Chenle, Mark, Sungchan and Jungwoo with me and Jisung and Taeil and Johnny with Haechan.”

OF COURSE YOU WERE WITH JENO.

You expected it but DAMN.

“Oh and here,” raising an eyebrow, he handed you a box before typing away on the monitor again. “Jeno told me to give it to you. I modified it so it’ll be acting as your coms for tonight.”

^#*!@&(!&^@!?!@

UH WHY ARE THE EARRINGS HE GIFTED YOU REALLY NICE </3

AND WHY DID HE GIVE YOU EARRINGS

Smh it even goes with your outfit.

Black and gold = perfection.

“Thank you,” turning towards the rest of the boys chatting away, you walked over to the entrance and said, “I’ll see you guys later and Jaemin,”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let me die.”

“What about me?” Jeno pouted next to Jaemin.

You rolled your eyes and finished wearing the jewelry. “Bold of you to assume I care about you.”

“You’re wearing the earrings I bought you.”

“Ooooooooooh.”

PLEASE-

“No dumbass,” glaring at him, you nodded your head towards the hallway. “They're coms too, my safety, not yours.”

He only chuckled, something he does a lot lately before walking behind you towards the garage where the rest of 127, minus Haechan, were waiting.

Yeah no, we aren’t talking about that fucking care car.

You were in a separate car with Jeno to make it seem like you guys got there alone and not with the rest of NCT.

Because, you know, security cameras and stalkers behind monitors are a thing.

PLEASE THE CAR RIDE YOU WERE NOT HAVING IT

Because you’d somehow say something really, really inappropriate and you weren’t going to embarrass yourself more than you already have in the last eight months.

So you just shut up.

bUT YOUR MIND SMH

Couldn’t really blame you though?

HE HAS AN UNDERCUT

And his side profile <3 <3 <3

AND HIS DIMPLES PLEASE

You finally got to the huge mansion, a lot bigger than the NCT one and that speaks numbers since that house contains 23 members and counting…

The car finally came to a stop and Jeno was the first to get out of the car.

And open your door.

Oh, whAt a GenTlEmAN

Please, he was smirking too.

He was just so perfect for you----

“You know how to distract right?”

“I’m super offended by that comment and if it weren’t on the dozen pairs of eyes on us right now, including Taeyong’s car, I would’ve punched you.”

You smiled at the people right outside of the mansion and who were standing in the garden for whatever reason as your looped arms with your date, eyes glued in front of you.

“Why don’t you do it then, sweetheart?”

“Oh, fuck you.”

Though you talked through clenched teeth to maintain your smile, you did accidentally step on his toe with the sole of your shoe.

You really wish you wore those heels.

Not really.

As soon as you walked into the mansion, your communicator turned on and Jaemin’s voice came through, “your target doesn’t have much description since we just got the info however, the person he’s with has long hair, black and white suit and the most noticeable feature is that he has a nose piercing.”

STFU

RIGHT NOW

HOLD ON PAUSE

“Jaemin,” you called as softly as possible as you and Jeno walked around others, “do we know any other organizations that might be here?”

“What? Is princess scared?”

“No, Jeno, actually shut up.”

“Well, according to what we have right now and what we already knew, no other company should be here except ours, why?”

You actually didn’t know why but the feeling of your heart dropping upon hearing the physical description was the worst and you hoped that your hunch was wrong.

“Nothing, it’s fine.” You dismissed, biting your lip.

You were suddenly pulled towards the dancefloor when a slow song was playing and spun around. You laughed softly at the gesture as your arms warped around Jeno’s neck, his own around your waist.

You don’t know if it’s because you were so caught up in the thoughts you were having that you weren’t screaming at him to get his hands off your waist cause you know, PDA but you didn’t really seem to care.

I mean, you did, you just haven’t processed what was happening.

Speaking of happening, you looked around you and you gotta admit, however organized this gala had taste. The room was white, gold and royal blue. The chandeliers glittered the entire first floor and even if you haven’t been on the second floor, you could tell it was really beautiful.

“What’s up?”

WHERE YOU HAPPY HE ASKED? Maybe. Maybe he could take your stress away and all the feelings you have for him with it.

IT’S A JOKE.

Avoiding his eyes, you sighed and turned to the side.

“I don’t know.”

“It can’t be nothing if something is bothering you.”

I mean, he isn’t wrong.

Wise words from a wise man---

What?

“It’s the description that’s bothering me,” you confused as he spun you around another time, “I don’t know, I could be overanalyzing but-”

“Jeno.”

Jaemin’s voice cuts through once again. “You’re needed on the second floor, boss’s orders.”

OOP- that’s not good.

“What did you do?”

“Obviously nothing, I was with you the entire time.”

“Sadly.”

Rolling his eyes, he brought you to a nearby table and sternly said, “don’t move, I’ll be back.”

“I can fend for myself----”

DID

JUST

BOY!?w?2

He really kissed your forehead.

HOLD ON, YOU WEREN’T READY.

Seeing your flabbergasted face, he smirked and whispered, “I’ll be back sweetheart.”

AND HE WAS GONE LIKE THAT>!

Sir.

“You guys are so infuriating, oh my gosh, kiss already.”

“If you were next to me right now, I would’ve punched you, you know that?”

“And I’ll push you into Jeno if you guys keep acting this way, please, it’s been eight months.”

“Okay,” you scoffed, “and? It’s my relationship, not yours.”

“Your point? My sanity, not yours.”

Both of yours actually, if you want to get technical with it.

But yes, you’re finally admitting that you like Lee Jeno.

Everyone act shocked.

Now all you need to do is find a way to tell him with getting rejected.

Only a few months ago, you said you didn’t like him.

AGAIN, oh, how the tables have turned.

Okay and what about it? People aren’t giving you enough credit for at least catching feelings, it’s hard work okay?

“Well, this is awkward.”

FUCK

PLEASE THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO CHOKE ON SPIT

YOU BETTER NOT TURN AROUND AND SEE-

Oh shit.

You were in big trouble now.

“Actually, this is hilarious.”

Oh so you weren’t hallucinating or hearing things.

They were really here.

You called over a waiter and downed the champagne drink closest to you and smiled before putting it back on the tray, touching your earring as it sent a distress signal to Jaemin.

“(Y/n)!”

You whirled around with the fakest smile you could muster, eye focus bouncing from Jackson to BamBam.

So like yeah, you were screwed.

How screwed?

You can literally see Jaebum glaring you down from the balcony to your left with Mark on his side.

That’s four out of seven.

“Jackson, BamBam, what a horrible surprise,” you beamed before your smile falls, “this is the worst birthday gift ever; not only are you ten months late but I don’t want any of you.”

“Aah, don’t be like that.” Tsked the taller mall, his goofy smirk still on his lips. “It’s a little family reunion!”

“And who says I wanted that?” You laughed, fingers drumming on your dress as you thought of a way to slip away from them. “Anyways, it was really great seeing you guys, but I have to go.”

PLEASE IT’S THE BEST THING YOU COULD PULL OUT.

“Your brother is upstairs waiting to talk to you,” both their faces that were once joyous fell into blank ones as Jackson pointed to where your brother was leaning on the rails on the second floor. “Shouldn’t keep them waiting.”

Um so you really didn’t want to know what they would do to force you to go talk to your brother, let alone brothers if Jinyoung is here, but you REALLY didn’t want to risk it.

Why?

Because one look at your brother and you knew he was the target that carried the USB on him, long hair, black and white suit and especially the nose right.

Although it could be someone else, everything lined up really quickly. From the description to the sudden appearance of Jackson and BamBam, you wouldn’t be surprised if they went out of their way to make sure NCT wouldn't know they’d be here, let alone the organizers of the gala.

WAIT-

Do they know you were with NCT the entire time?

Forbid.

With a passive aggressive smile, you started walking towards the stairs halfway across the room.

AYO DOES NO ONE SEE THAT YOU AREN’T FOLLOWING THE PLAN?

AND WHERE’S JAEMIN?

WHERE’S JENO?

“(Y/n).”

“Listening,” you mumble a bit while covering your mouth to fake a cough, knowing damn well your brother is watching your exact move.

“Everyone is caught up on the second floor by GOT7.”

BITCH I-

“You’re literally the only one that isn’t with them so I’m pretty sure you know who the target is if you put two and two together.” A soft hum later, he continues. “If it’s possible, get the USB from Jinyoung and literally run for your life. Or if you could get a weapon because Jeno is currently unavailable.”

“Mh-hm.”

Walking up the stairs, your heart is breathing faster than usual as a tight smile fell on your lips.

This is great, your brothers took everyone hostage and you’re the only one free.

Splendid.

But you don’t think they know why you or NCT are here since the gala was also a fundraiser event so they expected them already.

Reaching the top of the stairs, you glanced down to see all the guests midnight their business and being carefree, that’s a good sign.

It means that they have no idea about the shitshow happening somewhere on this floor.

“Jaebum,” you called hesitantly, walking further down the corridor. “Listen asshole, I heard you wanted to talk to me--?!”

A MFK ARM WRAPPED AROUND YOUR WAIST AND À HAND WAS PLANTED ON YOUR MOUTH.

Hold on, getting kidnapped wasn’t a part of the plan?@>!?>

You were dragged into a room while your screams were drowned by the hand.

You really didn’t expect this to happen but oh well, desperate times call for desperate measures.

You bit his hand.

You hope this isn’t becoming a kink LMAO.

The man, who you easily recognized as Youngjae upon his scream, literally-

NO HE ACTUALLY THREW YOU INTO THE ROOM.

“Bitch.”

You rolled a few times on the cold hardwood floor and landed on the base of Jingyoung’s shoes, creased eyebrows playing on his face as he looked up at Youngjae.

“No need to be so ruff, jeez.”

“She bit me,” complained Youngjae.

“Okay and?” You asked, still laying on the floor, this time on your back, finding it quite comfortable. “You called me a bitch- only my brother can call me a bitch.”

“Bitch.”

“I was being sarcastic you imbecile,” you glared at Jaebum who just walked into the room, closing the set of double doors before him.

“Alright,” Jaebum walked into the room and twirled his gun while looking behind him, “now that everyone is here-”

“WAIT.”

The room went quiet as you looked to where your brother was looking and waved to the ten NCT members pointing their guns to the GOT7 members and some of their men. You knew they’d be fine but you looked around the room for one person.

Looking up to the younger brother of the two, you asked, “where’s Yugyeom.”

“Right here dumbass,” your smile grew wider as you turned on your stomach to face the youngest member of GOT7. “Been a while.”

“Hell yeah,” you chuckled, “no hard feelings, still love you though.”

“Figured.” He chuckled as well before standing straight, “you wanna make cookies if you come back?”

“For sure. Chocolate chip?”

“I got a new cookie brownie recipe, if you’re down to try it?”

“I might ditch NCT to make it with you before going back.”

“Alright, enough!”

Well someone’s a buzz killer, damn.

Yes, we’re going to ignore the conversation you just had with Yugyeom.

“The USB (Y/n).”

UH????

Turning back on your back, you looked up at Jinyoung, “the one?” Upon no response, you continued, “old man please, it’s been eight months, can’t believe your memory goes back that far.”

NOT CHENLE CACKLING IN THE BACKGROUND OF YOUR COM

So your brothers kept asking for the USB that you stole when you ran away because you still have and you’d bring it here with you???

At some point Taeyong got fed up with it and a screaming match broke out between Jaebum and Taeyong.

“Go Taeyong go!”

“Shut up!”

Jeno kept looking at you asking if you were okay and you just kept nodding your head, assuring him that you were fine and that the floor was rather comfortable.

I mean, that is until Jinyoung was done being patient and grabbed his gun, pointed it at your forehead and step on your stomach to stop you from moving.

It’ll be your own sometimes.

“Alright, enough,” the sound of his voice was enough to get everyone’s attention and nearly all of NCT’s jaws clenched at the sight of you at gunpoint.

“You guys have people on the sidelines, right?” He asked, “get one of them to get that fucking USB.”

“Well damn,” you laughed while untying his shoelace, waiting for his reaction, “if you’re so eager about that USB then go get it yourself.”

You really didn’t expect him to take the safety off.

AGAIN, it’ll be your own sometimes.

Some of the members of your own group--

GOT7 because technically, GOT7 is also your group cause you know, legal daughter trope or whatever so it should be GOT8 but you don’t really like it--

Some members of GOT7 were protesting at Jinyoung’s actions but you didn’t really seem to care, at least, not as much as you should at gunpoint.

“This is why Jaebum is my favorite brother,” you rolled your eyes, “I mean, my favorite is Yugyeom but for legal reasons it’s a joke cause you look hella heated enough to kill someone--- that someone will be me if you don’t move that gun off my forehead.”

HE REALLY WASN’T HAVING IT LMAO

But you kept pushing your buttons so if you die, that’s your own fault.

“You won’t kill me though.”

“I will.”

“I’m your sister.”

“And?” He asked, “you're my legal sister, I break the rules all the time, you really think I give a damn right now?”

He does have a point.

But this is getting NOWHERE.

“I’m done.” A gunshot suddenly blasts through the room as everyone ducks to take cover. You crawl away as fast as you can from dumb and dumber and seek shelter almost immediately behind the wooden tables.

You’d have to slap Jeno for shooting his gun towards the air. Dumb bitch-

AND you’re getting dragged by the ankle by Jinyoung.

AGAIN, THIS IS WHY JAEBUM IS THE FAVORITE BROTHER.

“I need a hostage.”

“You need a better life choice.” Kicking him in the shoulder which knocks him back, the own USB you were looking for falls.

And what do you do?

You take off your flats.

Throw it at him.

Run towards the flash drive and grab it.

BEFORE DIPPING SO MFK QUICK.

YOU GOT AS FAR AS YOU COULD

Until you're knocked to the group right as the trigger goes off again.

You land on the floor with arms wrapped around your waist before pulling you up and rushing out the door, hands interlocked.

“Bye Yugyeom!”

Of COURSE Jeno is your savior.

If it weren’t for him, you would’ve been shot!

After a few more minutes of running and getting back to the car to seek shelter, you both fall against the doors, sliding down while panting heavily.

Greatest escape from brother and death.

“Hey,” catching your breath, your lightly push Jeno’s shoulder, “that was so fucking dumb you dumbass.”

He pushed you back, his chest heaving as well, “hey well yeah, you did it too so cry about it dumbass.”

“No,” you leaned your back against him, your throat on fire from all the running and talking and fighting. “Don’t do that, you didn’t know what my brothers could’ve done, if they went out of their way to get me back, they wouldn’t hesitate to---”

Oh.

OH.

Damn, you weren’t expecting the kiss that soon but you’re all here for it.

I mean, it’s a kiss.

On the lips.

OOp

You melted into it and as subtle as you could, you wrapped your arms around his neck.

It was not like this that you expected your first kiss with Jeno… but are you complaining?

Of course not.

Did you regret it?

Not with him you didn’t. And to be quite frank, you enjoyed every jolt of happiness and butterflies that came with it, especially the smirk that played on his lips after pulling away.

“Who knew kisses would get you quiet.”

39 notes · View notes

foxtophat · 3 years

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MERRY CHRISTMAS IN JANUARY EVERYONE yeah i know ~nothing is fixed~ but whatever, fuck you, have some fanfic

so anyway i’ve been planning this for a while, i’m kinda shocked tho b/c i finished writing it in like less than 3 days??? (aside from editing) usually it takes me longer to at least figure out how to wrap things up, but at least this one was easy money. i’m sure none of the other ones will be so kind to me

this one takes place a month or so after the last one; it’s set in spring 2028 (omfg finally on a new year!!!!) and it has a little something to do with carmina finally getting some chickens!!!! one thing about new dawn that i think was really lacking is the explanation of how life... restarted before the highwaymen. i definitely remember a few houses having chicken coops, too, so i know i’m not crazy putting these feathered friends in. to me, chickens are the most sensible post-apocalyptic pet outside of a dog; easy to care for, provide food while alive AND after death, and they can reproduce easily enough if you’ve got a rooster on hand. i can imagine a family making quite a life for themselves as a poultry farm in the apocalypse!

ugh idk what else to say so i’ll just say it: thank you so much for all of your comments and kudos on this series. i am so stoked to know that my self-indulgent trash is delicious to more than just my possum ass! i’ve had a lot of fun worldbuilding in ubisoft’s playground, and i hope to continue doing more fun stuff that other people will enjoy too!!!

with all that said, i hope you enjoy the fic :) i’ll put it below the cut for you if you don’t wanna leave tumblr, but ao3 looks so much better. anyway, thank you and have a great jan 20th!!!!

Winter melts away the same way it does every year, leaving in its path wet dirt and green buds of spring growth. John, nursing what's likely the last cup of coffee they can wring from this batch of grounds, stares out over the back yard and idly marvels at how quickly the snow had disappeared. Montana had been his first experience with white winters; even though he's gotten used to the changing seasons in theory, though, he can't help but be distracted by it year after year.

Across the yard, situated just in sight by the hangar, John can plainly see Carmina's new chickens looking for breakfast. They're the newest addition to the homestead, but so far John has only had to watch from afar as the Ryes worked to adjust them to their new home. He's not sure who's raising chickens out here, but at least they were willing to barter. Fresh eggs are going to mean a lot more than the dwindling supplies out of Jacob's cache.

The misty-gray of early morning has almost evaporated in the rising sunlight, and still the chickens haven't been fed. John watches them from where he stands, their frustration leading to subdued crows as they scratch at the dirt. He doesn't know who's noisier — them, or Nick and Kim arguing at the table behind him. Thank Christ the wet end of winter is over; John doesn't think he can tolerate much more of their married nagging. On some level, he's glad they don't make a habit of yelling at him instead of each other, but Jesus, he can't wait for them to both get some space from one another.

"This is why we said we weren't gonna do pets, remember?" Nick says. "Because if she got a pet, we would end up taking care of it. Remember?"

"Yes, Nick, I remember."

"Yeah, and here we are!"

Kim sighs. John doesn't have to look to see the exasperated eye-roll that comes with it. "It wasn't me who kept her up late last night! Which one of us was egging her on when she should have been asleep?"

This is exactly why John has never owned a pet. They're more trouble than they're worth, and the only thing they seem to be good for is teaching shitty life lessons to kids who don't care enough to learn. The only good thing about the chickens is that they provide something in return other than obnoxious crowing.

Carmina thumps around upstairs. John isn't looking forward to having to listen to Kim lecture her on responsibility, but he's not thrilled to listen to much more of this bickering, either. If his choices are to stay inside and fester or go out into the first nice day of the year — well, that's not much of a choice, is it?

"Fine," John sighs before either of the Ryes can set their sights on him, "I'll do it."

"Nobody's asking you to do it," Kim replies. "It's Carmina's responsibility."

John shakes his head. "Of course it is. Where's the feed?"

Nick points out a white plastic container sitting on the pass-through to the kitchen. "Not gonna wait for us to boss you around?" he asks.

John picks up the container and rattles it to make sure it's full. "I'm streamlining the process," he replies. "Unless you enjoy giving me orders."

Sure enough, implying Nick might like being a bossy piece of shit is enough to get him to shut up. He sighs with a deep frown at John, who ignores him as he heads out to the coop. It's a petty satisfaction to take the rug out from under Nick's feet, but John's not above it. Not by a long shot.

Some of it might be compensating for the disintegrating peace that had come with winter. Before the blizzard set in, they'd had enough on their collective plates as they prepared for the worst of the season. Afterward, the snow had prevented them from doing much more than what was necessary to survive, and the resulting downtime had settled like a comfortable blanket. Even now, with a few weeks of grating interpersonal interactions, John feels more focused, more rested than he can ever remember feeling. Living underground for eight years, he'd naively thought that he'd gotten enough rest to last him a lifetime — but he'd been strung out on Bliss and trying not to suffocate, and he hadn't known what he was doing. He's starting to suspect that the Bliss might've had a worse effect on him than the myriad other drugs he'd ingested. Hell, he's not sure he's clean even now — but he's managing, and that's what matters.

It's only once he's halfway across the yard that John realizes Kim forgot to argue about him going off on his own. Sure, he's only going as far as the hangar, but it's become something of a pleasantry she uses whenever John pretends to have the freedom to go where he pleases. Her irritation at Carmina and Nick probably made her forget. She's gotten so used to trusting John that she's finally found other things to take up her attention.

Weirdly enough, the casual disregard for his potential backslide irritates him. It really shouldn't. He should be thrilled that he can finally disappear from view for an hour without somebody calling out a search party. He's more than earned it, he thinks, but their trust highlights their naivety. Luckily for them, John means it when he says he's changed — but it's a line they're going to hear time and again from people far less genuine than he's been. They're so willing to help everyone and anyone that they don't even realize how much of a target they're making themselves. John's had to hold his tongue whenever Nick gives free supplies to shifty-eyed tweakers who are "just passing through," and while he trusts Kim not to let anyone obviously suspicious into the house, he doesn't trust her to recognize a cunning liar.

The last thing John needs is for the Ryes to put their trust in the wrong reformed psychopath. At least he's capable of picking up their slack. After all, John has his time at law school and years of psychological abuse under his belt — plenty of real-world experience dealing with unrepentant garbage. He'll notice it when somebody cases the hangar or acts too erratically, and hopefully the Ryes will listen to him if he gets the nerve to voice his concerns.

Not for the first time since summer, John is struck with a newfound respect for Jacob and the role he'd inhabited in the Project. It used to be his job to look out for insurrectionists, and he'd taken on that burden even when John and Joseph would openly dismiss his concerns. John can't imagine how many fires Jacob must've put out while the rest of the family was distracted by the Bliss. Looking back on it now, it's honestly a surprise they maintained their operation as long as they did, considering only one of the four of them was ever sober.

The chickens are hopping at his arrival, scuttling around the dirt and crowing as John reaches the pen. They don't notice him so much as the bin he rattles on approach, full of vegetable cuttings and strange white worms that come out whenever it rains. John doesn't mind one lick — he's never been much of an animal person, and he certainly doesn't care if Carmina's so-called pets notice his existence. Of course, knowing Carmina, she's going to use this as an excuse to shift breakfast duty to John full-time, and John won't have much of a say in the matter.

Well, that's not strictly true, but if Carmina asked, he knows he would do it, if only to give his day more structure. Truthfully, he's grown to depend on routine, when before it was impossible to keep to a schedule that didn't involve other people's expectations of him. There's probably a metaphor to be made about trains on and off the tracks, but John has never been particularly interested in locomotives.

John shakes the dead bugs and scraps out into the pen, watching the hens as they race to be the first to eat. They're perfectly happy now that they've been fed, cooing and clucking as they peck the dirt. They certainly seem content with safety and food — not entirely unlike the survivors living day-to-day in the town and beyond. Sure, John might not always be satisfied by bare sustenance, and one day he'll chafe under the grind of surviving week to week, but for now, he might as well be a dumb chicken crowing in the morning sun.

He throws some more feed into the pen, watching the three hens waddle after their meal. One of them lingers by the fence, freezing for a moment as her head swivels back and forth. She pecks at the dirt away from the feed before hustling after her two companions. John watches as she stops again; when he tosses a few worms in her direction, she pecks briefly at them before lifting her head to survey her surroundings.

The primal sensation of something being wrong nearly overtakes John's reasoning, before he manages to remind himself that a chicken's predators aren't exactly his to worry about. Still, he rattles the container to bring the hens scuttling towards him; all three are easily distracted by food now, but John can't shake the feeling that he'd missed something they hadn't. A fox, maybe? A snake? Anything could be lurking in the woods on the other side of the wash. Not a whole lot that could hurt him , of course, but he's not about to be blamed for Carmina's chickens being eaten by a wild dog.

The fence-line is... nebulous past the hangar, sure, but John's positive Kim doesn't consider the rest of the old airport off-limits. Then again, she might be in the mood to lecture him once she gets through with Carmina. It's a risk he's not sure he's willing to take.

Two chickens continue to eat as one keeps watch, their heads bobbing up and down as they switch off. Their unease mirrors his own, and John can imagine Faith giggling at him for being swayed by some dumb birds.

"Very well, ladies," he sighs, shaking the remainder of their breakfast onto the ground. "Don't let them say I don't care."

The chickens don't give three shits about John's motivations, of course; they watch him go, pecking at the food with increasing carelessness as the distance grows. John rolls his eyes at their sudden fearlessness, half-convinced to let whatever animal is lurking eat them out of spite.

There's a wide swath of dirt behind the hangar, separating it from the mostly-overgrown remnants of Rye Aviation that couldn't be saved. John can see the edge of the chicken pen from here, but the hangar is blocking him from the house. Even though he knows the Ryes trust him not to run off, he still feels distinctly uneasy going somewhere where they can't see him. At this point, Nick would probably only tease him for it, but John's not about to linger out here and risk turning Kim's irritation on himself.

To the right of the derelict hangars is a sparse wedge of trees that have grown in uninterrupted. John knows there's a path cut between the trunks, one he'd made himself while hauling the tire-planters for Kim last year, and there's a long stretch of unused runway beyond it. It isn't a great place for anything bigger than a fox to lurk in. That doesn't explain the feeling of being watched that comes over him as he stops halfway across the empty dirt lot; he looks around, but there's no place for anything to hide out here. The overgrowth on the old hangars can't be more than two feet high, and the bushes in the copse are brambly and sparse. The only place anything could hide would be in the trees, which is why John approaches them with more caution than they're worth.

The thinned underbrush is easy to explore, but John goes carefully as he picks through the trees and bushes. He doesn't know exactly what he's looking for — some sign of predators, whatever those might be — but he doesn't find much. There are some hoof-prints clear in the dirt, curving sharply away from the Rye homestead and back out to the airstrip, which tells John that the goddamn deer are back, probably looking to eat their hard-grown crops. Other than that, there's no sign of anything that might be stalking the hen-house. The ground is still somewhat soft from the rain a few nights ago, but it barely takes the imprint of John's boots as he explores the small grove.

That's why it's such a shock to see the tread of a narrow boot in the dirt by the trunk of one of the trees, well off the beaten path. It's an old print, he thinks — but he doesn't remember the last time any one of them had been out this way. Certainly not since the last time it rained.

An electric shock conducts itself down his spine. Somebody had been out here, hiding here in the trees, and it's only been two, three days since the last rain. John turns, and from his vantage point, he can clearly see the coop and the back of the hangar, but not the house. For that, he'd have to move out of the trees, into direct view of the porch.

It has to be Grace's boot. She's the only one he could imagine creeping around the property with good intentions. But even that explanation doesn't settle the anxious flip of his stomach; he tries not to let it show as he marches from the trees, intent on dragging Nick over and proving to him once and for all that they need to be more goddamn careful about who they let around the property. Somebody is going to want the copper fixtures they've salvaged, even if there's nobody to sell the metal to these days.

John gets halfway back to the coop when he catches something in his peripheral vision. Terrible, primal terror grips him as he fixes his gaze on the trick of the light that had scared him, ready to catch Grace peering at him over the abandoned hangars, or maybe a pack of wild dogs. What he sees instead turns his blood to ice, caught like a deer in headlights as the low-hanging shrubbery and thick vines shift and part for a rising mass of dark brown fur. The shape that rises from the underbrush is a tall, dark smudge against the blue sky, and John nearly swallows his tongue when he sees its face — or the horrifying absence of one, replaced with white, flaking skin and two huge, empty eye-sockets that are fixed on John's position.

It doesn't move. Neither does John, frozen to the spot as the chickens begin to crow and fuss. He can't fathom what he's looking at — a bear, a person, a fucking mutant? — but whatever it is, he suspects it's infected with Bliss. Who knows how many angels ended up underground after the Collapse? What might've happened to them in the years since? All John knows about them is that they're dangerous to everybody but Faith, and Faith died a decade ago. If this is an angel — God, there'll be no stopping it. And if it isn't — then what the hell is it ?

There's no way for John to get from here to the house without the thing chasing him. The hangar is blocking his brutal oncoming murder from the two people who might actually be able to do something about it. He doesn't have to look to know the distance from here to the house is insurmountable.

The creature lifts its arm, and the situation that couldn't get any worse takes an even more horrifying turn as it reveals its weapon of choice: a crudely fashioned bow, the same kind of handmade weaponry that Joseph's followers have been seen with.

All at once, Nick's voice is ringing in John's ears, warning him of what's going to happen if this gargoyle takes him away. The things John hadn't considered before — the Ryes' reputation, Carmina's safety, the hard-won trust John's gained from the survivors — it's all in jeopardy. The situation barrels into him all at once — the realization that whatever Joseph did to create this thing , he won't hesitate to turn on John.

He tries to shout a warning, but his breath is caught in his throat. Faith's voice, faint on the breeze, laughs and whispers sing-song into his ear:

They've found you!

The monster barrels down the slope of the hill as if prodded into action by a hot poker. Its gait is wide, bringing it towards John at speeds impossible to outrun. This time, John's shout comes out clear as a bell, panic screaming through him as he turns and bolts for the house. He nearly clips himself on the pen as he hangs a sharp right turn, the porch coming into full sight —

Something snags the back of John's shirt, and his momentum briefly chokes him. A thick arm bears down across his neck before he can rip free, the creature grunting in exertion as it yanks him backward. John feels his boots scrape on the dirt as he's dragged towards the trees, away from the safety that's plain in sight.

Animal instinct kicks in. John gnashes his teeth but there's nothing to bite, so he kicks out his feet instead, first in front of him and then harshly backward until he can hook his shin behind his assailant's and trip them both to the ground. The creature goes down with a surprised grunt; John does his best to roll away, only to be yanked back by his hair. He's distantly aware that he's spitting like a cat in a sack, clawing and biting, the two of them rolling in the dirt as John screams profanities and heresy at the monster trying to pin him down, anything to convince the universe to take mercy on him for once in his fucking life!

The creature manages to grab him by the shoulder, throwing him into the dirt before backhanding him violently across the face. It's enough to daze him; for one horrible second, he's unable to do anything as the monster begins to drag him across the dirt by the legs.

There's a commotion coming from the house. For a split second, the creature looks up, and John realizes his opening at the same time the monster realizes its mistake. It looks down just in time for John to kick it square in its barky, hollow-eyed face, sending a split down the wooden facade.

" John !"

The monster reels backward as if burned, grabbing at the mask as it falls away. John catches sight of a single dark, wild eye behind the broken wood before he kicks out again, sending both boots into his assailant's chest. As soon as the creature staggers back, John bolts, scrambling towards Kim as she races toward him with the rifle drawn. Nick is hot behind her; he grabs John's shoulder and drags him partway back to the house. John doesn't need the escort, and so Nick quickly leaves him to scramble up the porch as he goes after his wife.

John gets all the way to the stairs inside before he realizes there's no safe place to hide. He'd found out this winter just how flimsy the prisoner story had been; if somebody wants to take him, all they have to do is climb onto the roof and jimmy the lock on the nearest window. Whether it's through the broken window in his room or a gap in the roof leading to the attic, the Project will find him. He can't possibly outrun them forever. He'd be stupid to even try. God, he'd been a fool for thinking Joseph wouldn't send someone looking for him, that he wouldn't want to snatch John back from the clutches of apostasy. There's no way Joseph will leave a loose end like him untied.

John sinks to the bottom steps in his mounting despair, only to realize for a second time that he's being watched. The realization is less of a shock as Carmina peers at him around the kitchen archway; she jumps at the distant rapport of gunfire, staring owl-eyed at John as though she expects him to do something.

"Stay down," John hisses, setting an example as he keeps low on his way into the kitchen.

"What happened?" Carmina asks, frantic, "Is mom gonna be okay?"

"Yes," John replies, although he can't possibly know that for sure. He waits a beat, listening for more gunshots, then carefully lifts his head to check out the window when none come. He lets out the breath he'd been holding when he sees Nick standing with his hands on his hips, staring at Kim further down the yard. Whatever the danger had been, it's not pressing enough to warrant immediate action.

"Seriously," Carmina whines, as if that could hide her fear. "What was it? Was it a bear? Grace says there are bears in the woods but I've never seen —"

John sinks to the ground, his mind reeling even as the panic passes, leaving him numb. "It wasn't a bear."

Carmina chews on her lower lip, looking up towards the window as though she might try looking for herself. "Are the chickens okay?" she asks.

"They're fine," he sighs. He pushes his hair from his face, only to realize that his hands have started to tremble with run-off adrenaline.

"Are... you okay?" she asks, frowning as though she can't decide whether or not his wellbeing is her problem to deal with.

Goodwill must be genetic, John laments. "I'm fine," he tells her. She gives his shaking hands a hard look; he sighs and reiterates, "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"I'm not," Carmina huffs. Apparently, Nick's attempts to teach Carmina how to bluff haven't worked out.

John is saved from needing to reassure her as Nick abruptly appears in the kitchen arch, out of breath and red-faced. His shock gives way to relief at the sight of the two of them huddled by the counter. He's out of breath and visibly bewildered.

"Shit, John, you okay?"

"I'm fine," he says, although he doubts Nick will believe it any more than Carmina had. His foot jogs uselessly against the floor. "Kim — did she...?"

Nick shakes his head. "She tried," he says, "But it was too fast. What the fuck was it ?"

"Somebody from the Project."

"No shit. But — look, it wasn't an angel , was it?"

John shakes his head. "I don't know."

Kim storms into view, making her way to the pass-through from the living room side. She sets the rifle down on the counter, catching John's eye with a glare. John hurries to explain himself, as if he could possibly apologize for bringing the cult back to her doorstep.

"I was checking for foxes," he tells her, "I didn't think it — if I'd known what it was, I wouldn't have gone on my own."

Despite the fury in her eyes and the hard edge to her voice, Kim seems to mean it when she replies, "As long as nobody's hurt."

But the damage is done, and John can't help but babble on uselessly. "I wasn't looking in the right place. But I shouted as soon as I saw it. I just — couldn't outrun it. I wasn't fast enough. And I wasn't — it was stronger than I expected, stronger than..." Even he can hear the panic edging into his voice, cutting himself off with one last worried question. "Do you think it's gone?"

"It better be, if it knows what's good for it," Kim replies. "Are you sure you're okay?"

At any other time, John would be irritated to have to reassure every single Rye individually that he isn't in the throes of a panic attack. Right now, he's only grateful to realize that Kim doesn't blame him for the thing's appearance.

"I am," he says. "Thank you."

Nick groans, covering his eyes with one hand as he leans against the counter. "So much for it being safe to go out alone. Damn it, we got too comfortable."

" I got too comfortable," John says. "It wouldn't have cared about either of you."

"What about the chickens?" Carmina asks, "Are they safe there?"

Kim crosses her arms. "What I want to know is what the hell the Project is doing out here."

Her question is the only one John has any insight into, although he doesn't know how realistic his theory is. "They might be hunting deer," he says. "The only thing I saw, other than — than that , were deer tracks."

"All the way out here?" Kim asks skeptically.

"The hunting can't be any good in that swamp they're hiding in," Nick points out, frowning as he considers the idea. "And there are more survivors around the river these days. I'd bet that'd make for slim pickings."

"I doubt we'd even know they come out this far if I hadn't been the one out there. At least we've confirmed they're actively searching for resources beyond their compound — and they're relying on traditional methods to do so. Most likely because the armory was destroyed."

"Thank God for the Deputy," Nick sighs. "Okay. We're just gonna have to... I dunno, be willing to shoot, I guess." He doesn't sound so sure about it, and he quickly softens the intention. "At least a couple more warning shots. Once they remember guns outstrip arrows every way but sustainability, they'll probably keep back."

"We can push the fence-line out, too," Kim says. "It won't necessarily stop them, but at least it'll give them a line to cross. They're not cavemen — they remember property laws and how those get enforced around here."

"We'll have to start checking the traps more often. They might be living like bloodthirsty Mennonites right now, but that doesn't mean they aren't willing to steal to survive."

"They'll justify it one way or another," John sighs.

"So I guess we don't have to move the chickens after all," Nick says, "So long as we establish a perimeter. Sound good, Carmina?"

Carmina must have slipped out at some point during the conversation because she's nowhere to be found in the kitchen. Nick glances over John's head and out the window, swearing loudly.

"What the hell is she doing out there?"

John gets to his feet as Nick and Kim take off. He watches them through the window as they chase after Carmina, who's stopped to look around partway towards the coop. Either she's dumber than she seems, or she's inherited both of her parents' reckless streaks. Either way, she's going to leave herself open the same way John had. She's too confident that nobody wants to hurt her. The only way John knows how to teach that lesson, though, is not one that Kim or Nick would approve of — and so he sidelines his worries in favor of sticking with whoever is more armed than he is.

By the time John comes outside, Kim is knee-deep in the middle of a heated lecture about safety and responsibility. Carmina scowls at her feet, her face turning red as she's scolded. John ignores them, passing them by in favor of catching up with Nick, who's come to a stop a few yards past the coop. He's staring out into the unoccupied land — land that used to be his property, once. Now Nick is as much a stranger here as John is.

"Check it out," Nick says, holding out a thin, white-barked piece of wood. John takes it and recognizes it immediately as part of the mask he'd broken in two. The hole for the eye is a roughly cut gouge in the soft wood, and the bark flakes as he wipes his thumb across it.

"I hadn't even considered a mask," John admits. "I thought it was a monster."

"You and me both," Nick replies. He heaves a sigh. "Still waiting for the mutants to crawl out of the sewers, I guess. But I think we can handle a couple of jackasses with arrows."

John squints across the clearing, as if maybe his assailant has hung around waiting for them to reappear. "Next time, it might be Joseph," he points out grimly. "That hunter recognized me immediately. They'll tell him I'm here, and he'll want to find me."

"Come on. Like Joseph's gonna risk crossing enemy territory on foot. I'd be more worried about those goddamn hunting parties you used to send out."

John unconsciously reaches up to rub his throat. "Yeah," he says. "You're right. One of them clearly wasn't enough, but if Joseph decides I'm worthwhile, they'll come as a pack. If he's still manufacturing Bliss somehow, it would be easy to subdue me. And then..."

He's surprised out of his would-be reverie as Nick slaps his shoulder with a heavy hand. "We're not gonna let that happen," he says. "As long as you put up the same fight you did today, Kim and I are gonna come running."

Despite the reality of hidden archers and surprise ambushes, John allows himself to be reassured by the sentiment. At the very least, he pretends for Nick's sake. "I suppose you two were quick to the rescue," he drawls. "But if they get me to the tree-line, I'd rather you just put me down before I get dragged all the way back to the compound."

Nick chuckles. "We'll try to avoid that for now."

Looking over his shoulder, John catches Kim crouched down in front of Carmina, hands on her shoulders. Whatever she's saying, it's too quiet for John to hear, but Carmina's sniffles are a loud precursor to a lot of tears.

"I guess she believed you when you said the Project wouldn't care about us," Nick sighs. "At this rate, we're gonna have to put a bell on her."

"I could tell her about the child soldiers from the summer camp, if that would prove the gravity of the situation."

Just the mention of it makes Nick look a little queasy, and John immediately regrets bringing it up. "I don't want to scare her that badly," Nick says. "She's a good kid, she means well. She just needs to stop going off half-cocked, is all." He rubs his hand across his forehead and complains, "I thought we taught her to be smarter than this."

"She's still your kid," John says. Nick gives him a sour look, but it's the truth no matter how bitter Nick might feel about it. "You can't expect her to be utterly obedient, given her genetics."

"I guess ." He sighs, shaking his head. "At any rate, it's time we stop sugar-coating the cult for her benefit. She's obviously not taking it seriously."

John looks again and sees Kim embracing Carmina tightly. He can't help but worry about what might happen if the hunters come back. When he'd been with the Project, he'd understood Joseph's motivations — at least superficially — but now he's completely in the dark. They used to fill their ranks with abducted children and their desperate parents. He has no idea if Joseph is in a position to expand his flock, but if he is... John does not doubt that they'll start with the young and impressionable. Carmina, being young but not as impressionable as they'd like, probably wouldn't make it back to the compound before she got herself killed. He can't imagine anyone having enough patience to break her.

"You... uh, think we should be worried?" Nick asks after a brief stretch of silence.

"Not yet," John replies grimly. After all, the Ryes have a bargaining chip like no other, in case their daughter is ever taken. John can see to it that she's left alone, but it will only work once — and after that, who knows which brother will be sending hunters after her.

"Good thing we got ourselves a couple of extra guns," Nick says. "You and her are gonna have to start carrying pretty much everywhere."

"I'm sure people will love that."

"Fuck people, man, did you see the size of that fucking guy?"

John can't help a wry smile. "They weren't so big. If I were a couple of years younger, I would have taken them."

"Yeah, sure. "

The lecture must be over with for now, as Carmina's attention has turned back to her chickens. Kim watches her from a distance; John can't read her expression from here, but her posture is tense and defensive. John can't blame her — he doesn't have a parental bone in his body, but the stress of raising a child in these conditions isn't lost on him. Trying to instill a sense of fear into somebody who lived their formative years without a threat in sight can't be easy. Doubly so, considering Carmina can no doubt outgun the rudimentary weaponry the Project is utilizing. Hell, maybe they really are only a threat to him. Maybe it doesn't matter if Carmina sneaks out of the house.

"She won't leave unnoticed again," John decides, because it's the only promise he can genuinely keep.

"Oh yeah? You're gonna eat those words when she's a teenager."

"I'd hope she would be smart enough to bring back up by then."

"Me too." Nick exhales loudly enough to get Kim's attention, stretching one arm over his chest, then the other. "Well, I guess we better get started if we want to have anything to show for it by nightfall."

Even so, it takes Nick another moment before he brings himself to move. John lingers behind, unable to help himself as he eyes the trees distrustfully. There's nothing saying that hunter isn't still out there, watching them from a safe distance. If Jacob had a hand in training them, it's unlikely that John will ever see them coming again. He's likely lost the one chance at a level playing field, and he hadn't even realized it was something he could lose.

Fuck it. It doesn't matter. John has adapted time and again to every disaster in his life, and there's something to be said for the person who he's become. If this is the next catastrophe that he'll have to weather, then so be it. If he isn't capable of dealing with Joseph by now, then it's likely he never will be — and if that turns out to be the case, he can only hope that Kim is as quick on the trigger as she seemed to be today.

#far cry new dawn #fcnd #john seed #nick rye #kim rye #carmina rye #far cry fanfic #my fic #ugh tagging sucks on this site #mercyverse

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apriki · 4 years

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RISE OF SKYWALKER

IT HAS BEEN SEEN MY FRIENDS... LET’S GO

IT WAS A LOVE STORY ALL ALONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU. GUYS. I AM SO... ALIVE RIGHT NOW I

okay that opening scrawl i laughed so hard... THE DEAD SPEAK!!

‘supreme leader kylo ren’ will never not be funny

OKAY OPENING WITH KYLO I SCREAMED.... HIS BEAUTIFUL FACE

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH I CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN TO YOU.... HOW MUCH

okay and his ruthless hell bent search for this silly macguffin.... we love a demonic legend

and ALSO his determination to kill the past!!!!!! HE HAS LITERALLY BEEN CIRCLING THIS THE WHOLE SERIES

look, i am biased because kylo is my favourite and he has been the one thing that’s been consistently written and done across this trilogy and i’m very spoiled because i got everything i wanted here

but KYLO REN. KYLO REN!!!!!!!!!!!

laughed my ASS off at the snoke in the tube and palpatine being like ‘surprise bitch.... bet you thought you’d seen the last of me’

laughed decidedly LESS at ‘i’ve been every voice you’ve ever heard in your head’

look this isn’t going to be a review.... just my thoughts really and this decidedly isn’t a comparison with the last jedi which it seems like everyone wants to do in a weird victorious kind of way

but kylo killing snoke/his abuser in tlj was a terrifying powerful moment to watch and i loved it fiercely and still do, and for kylo to see that he hadn’t done that at all.... and that evil still abides.... fucking nightmare, honestly

and that’s when i started getting a feeling in the back of my head because look he is so determined to kill the past

(let the past die)

that he will kill himself as well to do it. that has always been kylo’s character since the very beginning. SO!!!!!

also the structural integrity of palp’s hideaway.... not great

palps: kill rey heh heh

kylo: i am absolutely not gonna do that but okay

omfg when kylo was like ME AND MY KNIGHTS OF REN ARE GOING HUNTING

i cannot explain to you how HILARIOUS the knights of ren are to me

they do nothing! they say nothing! they just stand around and look stupid in their stupid helmets..... i laughed every single time they were on screen

it’s like kylo’s uselessness manifests into what 6? 7 more useless things. the Knights of Ren

‘we’re going hunting’ are you TWELVE YEARS OLD

this film felt like it was going a million miles an hour, all the time, and that started for me in that first scene in the falcon which was going all over the place? for some reason?

anyway THERE’S A MOLE IN THE FIRST ORDER and i know it is hux but i kind of wanted it to be kylo on the side.... though i know he is not capable of any such subterfuge. about as subtle as a wrecking ball... and my SON

loved the comraderie with poe and finn. i liked the lived-in feeling of the relationships between the rebellion characters this time around

felt like they had that new alien dude in the falcon for no reason and for two seconds like... why

(to sell toys, of course. the same reason why they have a new tiny droid)

but that of course is just the first in a long line of new and underdeveloped characters in this movie. but you know what? i can accept this because the core emotional story was strong and also, it’s star wars? a big sprawling mess is what it has always, always been. ANYWHOMST

REY IN THE FOREST LEVITATING!!!!

the white outfit!!! how at one she is with nature??? SORRY IT WAS BEAUTIFUL

and okay the specific framing of rey and rey’s power in this movie as not only a part of the force but so specifically as a woman using the force... like the power of empathy! the power of healing!!! IT WAS BEAUTIFUL WHATEVER

when she called leia her MASTER? MY HEART

THE POWER OF WOMEN!!!

on the flip side, doesn’t it kind of feel like poe has a problem with women?

like as soon as he started riffing with rey i was like GET A JOB STAY AWAY FROM HER

but in hindsight i feel kind of better about them and their interactions... more on that later

FINN! finn in this movie was WONDERFUL

(except it annoyed me how they had the whole ‘there’s something i want to say to you’ and never had him say it... like even if he was going to say he loved rey okay just don’t leave it hanging like that?)

FORCE FUCKING SENSITIVE!!!!!!

look i really think they did they best they could with a really difficult job in incorporating leia and previous footage into this movie. it wouldn’t have felt right without her and the scenes were a bit clunky but again, a very very difficult thing to do

LEIA AND REY’S RELATIONSHIP..... MY HEART HURTS

i love that rey’s storyline has depth and motivation and kylo’s storyline is literally revolving around rey like she’s the sun

like i literally love this. MORE OF THIS!!!

FORCE BOND STILL EXISTSSSSSSSS

KNEW IT CALLED IT CLAIMED IT LOVE IT

the soft gasp rey does whenever kylo is about to show up for forceskype i love this song

the knights of ren standing around while kylo’s helmet got fixed omfg they are the stupidesttttt

kylo: maybe i don’t want to wear the helmet

the knights of ren: maybe shut the fuck up

Let’s Go To Burning Man

i actually kind of liked seeing these people doing their own cool cultural thing. like again this movie went at lightspeed but i did enjoy that. what’s better than this? just aliens being dudes

when rey talked to that little girl and she asked her last name i was like LOLLLL HERE WE GOOOOOOOO

as soon as lando showed up it was like ‘oh it’s lando’

‘i offered you my hand’

‘I’LL OFFER YOU MY HAND AGAIN’

WHY DID HE SAY THIS... LIKE IT WAS A PROPOSAL

I WAS SCREECHING SORRY... WOW.

i have never really found C3PO funny but um he was going off in this movie... when they all looked at him and then he looked away I CACKLED

and the mind wipe like whew man... one day we’re gonna have a conversation about Droids And The Uncomfortable Conclusions About Droids in these movies

but also, i wish they’d had the guts to stick with it and not restore his memory because, what a symbol for the past dying and the end of a saga? like 3PO has been there since the start!! the star wars live in his memory banks ???? and R2 as well i suppose

don’t think too long about this cause then you realise that for some reason they’re still using like 80 year old iphones and R2 and 3PO should be decommissioned for scraps

WHEN HE TOOK THE NECKLACE OFF HER I FOUND IT HOT I FOUND IT SEXY I FOUND IT UMMMM

the sand was a cool visual thing but then THE SNAKE

it felt so GREEK HERO MYTH but then rey stops the script!!

AND DOESN’T FIGHT IT

AND SHE HEALS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

as soon as rey healed that snake i was like

‘kylo ren is that snake’

blah blah dagger blah

the sith language and being forbidden actually interests me. i want more proper sith lore

basically i want a revan and bastila movie. make it so

keri russell was WASTED in this movie

but that one scene with her and rey where they had Mutual Respect was so much better and more important than anything she did with poe

poe is like... sure i guess. i mean i liked him better in this movie than tlj and i liked him more as the movie when on but hmmst

but hey if i get to have a kylo then the poe people can have i poe. i begrudge no one

except, uh.... hux people. y’all really got done this movie huh. ouch

double as bad cause there was literally no point to the new general character. should have just been hux and then had him die in the final battle?

but i laughed when he was like ‘i don’t want you to WIN. i want kylo to LOSE’

THAT’S KING PETTY

omfg when kylo was like ‘where are you’ and then saw the vader mask and was like ‘oh you’re in my room’

SCREECHED

KYLO’S EVIL BOARD MEETING

LAUGHED MY ASS OFF

WHEN HE SMACKED THAT DUDE TO THE ROOF

sorry the first order is a startup. not even an ‘evil’ one especially because they’re all just a bit evil

when kylo reacted to that guy saying ‘we should take more children’ and the small thread winding through this movie about children being indoctrinated and rey and ben stopping THAT cycle.. important to me and i wish it had been bigger but i was glad it was there

all kylo did in the first half of this movie was chase after his girlfriend and tell her how they were meant to be together and that he wasn’t going to kill her even though he should. i love one stupid man

kylo flying his ship at rey deliberately wanting to ‘push her’ and her jumping over it and crashing the whole damn thing

and then him just getting up and walking out of the wreck not a scratch on him

like some kind of hero in a romance novel in his stupid cape lmfaoaoooo... you love to see it

THE PUSH/PULL WITH THE TRANSPORT?

THEIR POWERRRRRR

and then rey with her fuckin LIGHTNING

as soon as that happened i was like, oh lol rey palps then....

but also, THE LOOK OF WONDER BUT ALSO VICTORY ON KYLO’S FACE

ADAM DRIVER SIR

okay to be honest the whole soujourn to the like space swiss village is kind of a blur to me

keri russell was wasted, did i say that already?

although okay that bit when poe was like ‘were you a stormtrooper? were you a scavenger?’ maybe give him his rights

when kylo said WE’RE TWO PARTS OF THE SAME BEING

A DYAD

TWO WHO ARE AS ONE

two? WHO ARE? AS ONEEEEEE

NEITHER WHOLE WITHOUT THE MOTHERFUCKING OTHER I

‘i never lied to you’ AND HE NEVER HAS AND NEVER FUCKING DIDDD!!!!!

all the stormtroopers getting knocked back and kylo steadying himself with the force lol... it’s these little things ok

JODIE COMER?

rEy PaLpAtInE

I LAUGHED MY ASSSS OFFFFFFF

like... sure jj. sure

look, i have always understood and respected the choice to make rey ‘nobody’ (like anakin was! the force just makes who it needs to create the balance!) but if rey was going to be anyone i guess.... this is the best choice?

and i think there IS merit in the story going from ‘person burdened with legacy vs person with no legacy’ to ‘person with a legacy of good turning evil and person with a legacy of evil turning good’

i gotta think longer and more about this but. besides its inherent silliness i do not hate this ‘twist’

this movie jumped from planet to planet like a ping pong ball! it felt a bit jarring but my mum pointed out that the galaxy IS big and they’ve never really done this before and i was like hmmm Points Were Made

THE FIGHT ON THE OLD DEATH STAR

KYLO DODGING REY’S SWIPES AND NOT EVEN PULLING HIS SABER UNTIL HE HAD TO

THEN ONLY FIGHTING DEFENSIVELY

and her DESPERATION

ALMOST LIKE SHE’S FIGHTING HERSELF

BECAUSE THEY ARE TWO HALVES! OF ONE WHOLE!

and then oh my god

‘you can’t go back to her (leia). just like i can’t’

and the VICTORY in his eyes and the acknowledgment of the truth in hers

because THEY ARE THE SSSAAAAAAMMMMMMMMEEEE

when rey SCREECHED and force threw finn back.... oh fuck

(sidebar the way finn was so determinedly THERE for rey this whole movie... even when she said about the sith throne... his faith in her didn’t waver im verklempt)

WHEN HE DISAPPEARED AND REY LOOKED BACK HORRIFIED

because he can’t go! because the fight is what they have and what she’s clinging on to!

AND THEN HE WALKED UP OUT THE WATTTTEERRRRRRRRR

absolute romantic nonsense.

AND THEN

SHE KILLED HIM

SHE KILLED HIM!!!!!!

SHE KILLED KYLO REN WITH HIS OWN DAMN CRUCIFIX SWORD

I COULD NOT

BE LEEEEAAAF

THIS HAS BEEN MY DREAM ENDGAME SINCE THE START AND IT’S HERE TWO THIRDS THROUGH THE FUCKING LAST MOVIE?

A GIFT. LICH RALLY A GIFT TO MEEEEE

leia gave her LIFE for her SON I...

this was the only moment in the movie where i started to get some tears cause like... IT WAS JUST SO MUCH

AND REY.... TOOK LEIA’S ENERGY THROUGH THE FORCE...

AND SHE PUT HER HANDS ON HIM

AND SHE HEALED HIM

SHE’S A SCAVENGER

SHE FIXES BROKEN THINGGGGSSSSS

HE DIED BECAUSE SHE KILLED HIM

AND HE LIVES BECAUSE SHE HEALED HIM...

WHEN. WILL. YOUR. FAVES?????????

‘I WANTED TO TAKE YOUR HAND. BEN’S HAND’

take my hand? take my whole life too

IIRENGOWENRGKLJEWNGFKJBKJBKJBKJLB

ALL THE BEAUTIFUL WINDSWEPT CLOSE UP SHOTS OF KYLO’S BEAUTIFUL WINDSWEPT FACE IN THIS MOVIE. I WAS BREATHLESS

KYLO STNADING ON THE EDGE OF THAT SEA WITH THE WIND GOING AND HIS LEG OUT LIKE THE STUPID BYRONIC HERO HE IS

HEATHCLIFF? HEATHCLIFF ON THE MOOR?

HAN’S HAND ON BEN’S FACE

HE CALLED HIM. DAD

‘kylo ren is dead’

OHHHHHH BABBBBYYYYYY

look i loved the crossguard saber but i understood why it had to go

and like ben shedding the persona he had built as a defence mechanism... rey killed that part of him? powerful too powerful

i know i have rose coloured glasses because i care about the core story of kylo/rey enough and i’m passionate enough about it but okay the way they are entwined with one another on the journey to identity is the greatest thing a silly blockbuster series has maybe ever given me

it’s tam lin. IT’S FAIRY TALE NONSENSE AND I LOVE IT

i 100% know in my bones they wanted the scene with han to be leia but they obviously couldnt have that so that was fine. when ben turned his head around and heard her and felt her.... DONT LOOK AT ME

the most emotional moment in this movie was when chewie heard about leia and broke down and collapsed and screamed

us too buddy. damn

rey stealing kylo’s ship and yeeting away lmfao

and when she went back to ach-to and burned it and was like IM STAYING HERE 4EVA >:(

she’s literally the exact same stupid reckless as kylo and i love

rose was wasted in this movie. very annoying

i DID laugh when they said ‘we should pull a holdo manoeuvre’ like of course that’s the one thing jj took from tlj. ohhhh jj

loved finn meeting the ex stormtrooper lady. i always felt like the one weakness of tlj is that it dropped this thread of finn’s indoctrination that i thought was being woven alongside rey and kylo’s issues with their childhoods in force awakens. the look of wonder on his face when she said that the whole battalion defected.... and saying the force lead them to do it like it lead him... and you could see john boyega feeling that with his whole heart!!!

i laughed at palps’ fleet of star destroyers that like all have death star capabilities now? so dumb

and also, a star destroyer is basically an aircraft carrier.... do you think the people who make star wars realise the empire is america? no...??? alright imma head out

missed opportunity for a shot of jar jar or a gungan when the galaxy fleet showed up like those towboats at dunkirk. to be HONEST

where did sheev palps find that stadium of goons? are they on retainer?

yeah so palpatine’s lair is the underworld and rey is eurydice and ben is orpheus. YEAH. YEAHHHHHHHHH

LEIA WAS TRAINED AS A MFING JEDI

THAT FLASHBACK WAS EVERYTHING FUCK

LEIA’S SABER!!!!!!!!!

i have Questions about leia ‘seeing her son dying at the end of her journey’ like ?

BUT HER PUTTING AWAY THE SABER TO PROTECT BEN!!!!

THIS FAMILY

fuck. benjy solo in that jumper.... USING A BLASTER LIKE HIS DAD.....

THE X WING AND THE TIE FIGHTER PARKED NEXT TO EACH OTHER!!!!!!!!!

PALPATINE CALLING THEIR BOND ‘AS POWERFUL AS LIFE AND THE FORCE ITSELF’

NOT FOR GENERATIONS HAS THEIR BEEN A DYAD LIKE THEM!!!

FUCKING

DESTINED

BITCH

THEY ARE EACH OTHER’S DESTINY? WOW SORRY.... WOWOWOOWOOWOWOOWOWOW

ben versus his idiot knights of ren.... yeah i love my son

sorry rey had a vision of her AND kylo sitting on the throne but the throne is.... one seat? what are the logistics here? her on his lap? him on her lap? both of them sitting on an armrest like awkward kids taking a photo with santa?

I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS FOR LIKE FIVE MINUTES COMPLETELY DISTRACTED

THE LITTLE SHRUG BEN DID WHEN HE GOT THE LIGHTSABER AND WAS LIKE ‘YEAH SORRY NOW YOU’RE GONNA DIE’

I SCREAMED. IM LOVE HIM

rey giving ben the saber through the force bond!!

ACROSS SPACE??? LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS THE WORLD

palpatine taking, SPECIFICALLY, the power of rey and kylo’s BOND to strengthen himself because it is THE STRONGEST THING IN THE FUCKING UNIVERSE???????? CANONICALLY????????

REY AND BEN FIGHTING WITH LUKE AND LEIA’S SABERS

FUCKING... I FUCKING....

when palps like flicked ben away sorry i laughed... i mean i was like REALLY? FOR THE BIG FINALE HE’S GONE? but i understood why and that rey is the hero etc etc

THE JEDI SPEAKING TO REY! OBI WAN! QUI GON FUCKIN JINN

yoda is there too

AND THE POWER OF THE JEDI FLOWING THROUGH HER!!!!!

god her power.... SHE AMAZES MEEEE

(initially i thought ben was gonna kill palps for rey because of the whole The Sith Live in My Killer thing and then she’d have to kill him but HOISTED ON HIS OWN PETARDDD)

palpatine:

and the power was too much and it killed her ooooof

(the power of being a legacy... of channeling all that has some before!!! these movies get so ridiculously meta sometimes. best believe we’ll talk about THIS)

BUT HERE COMES BEN

BENJY BOYYYYY

his hair JUST long enough to be scraggly and devastating

literally dragging a broken leg

ADAM DRIVERS PHYSICALITY IN THESE MOVIES (WELL ALWAYS) (BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THIS ROLE)

and he knows

WHAT HE HAS TO DOOOO

HE FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING HE LOVED ENOUGH TO DIE FOR

I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE THIS

when he held her body holy shit... HOLY SHIT, GUYS

FULL CIRCLE????CVMSDFJNVDSLKFJVLDKJFVLKJDBFV

A PIETA.... A FUCKING PIETA

OH MY GOD THIS MOVIE

and his heartbroken face.... stumbling back to her... oh my good goddd

and then

‘I KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO BUT I’M AFRAID TO DO IT’

HE DIED FOR HER

HE GAVE.... HIS LIFE..... FOR HER.....

I CANNOT BE LIEVE THISSSSSS

HE GAVE UP HIS LIFE!!!!! HIS FUCKING LIFE!!!

he fought.... his whole life.... and he gave it up....

THAT’S LOVE? THAT’S FUCKING TRUE LOVE HOLLYL SKDJBVDKBF

REVAN AND BASTILA!!!!! REVAN AND BASTILA!!!1

and then she was alive again!!! ROMEO AND JULIET OKAY WOW

AND

THEY

KISSED

I’M SORRY I DID FREAK THE FUCK OUT

HIS SOFT EYES

(super spoilery shot coming up here but)

OH MY GOD

FOR FUCK’S

SAKE.

i’m sure people will be mad about how little kylo like... talked in this movie but like sorry this was perfect

she saved his life! and she saved the world! and he quietly gave his life to her, for her?

this humble act of love? PURE LOVE?

WHAT WONDERFUL AND TERRIBLE THINGS THEY ARE CAPABLE OF.

THAT THEY PUSH EACH OTHER TO

THIS TRILOGY WAS MADE FOR ME AND ONLY ME. THERE’S NO OTHER EXPLANATION

and her look of JOY and she said, ‘BEN’

look. i have been on the record for YEARS as saying my dream endgame would be for rey to kill kylo and for him to be forceghost with her always

AND SOMEHOW UMMMM THIS IS BETTER?

1. SHE DID! KILL HIM! AND THEN BROUGHT HIM BACK

2. AND THEN HE WILLINGLY DIED FOR HER?

3. AND NOW SHE CARRIES HIM WITH HER ALWAYS??????

when his body faded and leia’s did too..... wo OOOOOOOOOOWWWW

SHE TOOK

HIS FUGGIN

LAST NAMMMEMELRKNWELKJBNLKJBFLKJBFKLRBJKLERJB

I’M SORRY THIS MOVIE WAS MADE FOR ME. KYLO REN WAS BREWED UP F O R MEEEEEEE

listen. there is a video game where a lady’s boyfriend gets killed and his soul goes into a sword and she carries the sword around with her

THAT IS THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

I CARRY YOUR HEART I CARRY IT IN MY HEART BITCH??????

THE FUCKING ORANGE SABER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and look. ben’s story is allowed to be just about rey and rey’s is allowed to be bigger than just him. that’s EQUALITY. that’s JUSTICE

look i know it’s very douchey of me but i wrote this paragraph about a character of mine in a book i wrote and it is like..... LIKE IT’S JUST KYLO REN OKAY

he was never gonna be someone who could settle down and live like a quiet life of monkhood or whatever luke was doin on ach-to....

okay when finn poe and rey hugged at the end okay I DID FEEL SOMETHING IN MY COLD DEAD HEART

FINN JUST LOVES THEM! SO MUCH! THERE IS SO MUCH LOVE IN THAT BOY’S HEART

and probably up until that moment i hadn’t really cared about having a Trio in the new movies like we had han and leia and luke but that hug had me feeling like... okay... Friendship IS Great

okay back to kylo, i tweeted this but i’ll repeat here: my favourite arc in media has always been snape’s, to me it is the perfect ‘redemption’ arc (and yes this will make people scrunchy-nosed angry, so i will point out: redemption to me has always meant redemption in the eyes of the reader/viewer, not in-world, this is true for anakin/vader too, who also has a nearly flawless ‘redemption’ arc) but now it’s kylo solo ren ben

I LOVE HIM. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH I CAN’T STAND IT A LITTLE

HE FELL IN LOVE? AND IT SAVED HIM

HE WAS LOST AND HE FOUND HIS OTHER HALF

AND HE DIED BECAUSE SHE WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY IT ALL

CARRY THE LEGACY WHEN HE COULDN’T!!!

IT’S JUST SOSSOOSOOSOSOOSSO

i want a funko pop of ben in his comfy jumper running to fuck sheev palps the fuck up

i don’t even LIKE funko pops

naboo has a lot to answer for. literally all of these problems come from naboo

sure this movie was a big ole mess and i surely can’t wait for the good old disk horse

but i’m riding this high for as long as i can

because it was always about LOVE! LOVE CAN IGNITE THE STARS

so sure, this movie pandered terribly. but i am one of the people it pandered to and i am HAPPY INDEED

remember when maz kanata was like ‘your parents aren’t coming back but there is someone who still could’ YEAH IT WAS BEN!!!!!

#star wars #star wars spoilers #rise of skywalker spoilers #SPOILERS

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vampirefreakism · 5 years

Text

The Scientist (Chapter 26)

Summary: In the events following Asgard’s destruction, Loki finds himself on Earth seeking refuge to await the inevitable. Much to his surprise, it comes from a source he would never have expected.

AO3 Link

The Soundtrack So Far

Warnings: some fluff, some tension, idk ice? cold stuff?

Word count: 3.9k

A/N: Tell me something: why do I have to make these chapters so long? Why can't I be a more normal writer and release chapters that are, at most, 2k words in length? At this rate, I'll be 250k+ words before I'm done and omfg that's an "at least" prediction. Anywho, I'm seeing Captain Marvel tomorrow, and I am so excited. My soul might leave my body and transcend into the next dimension all from my love for women. Hell to the yeah, folks.

Masterlist

----------

The voice of the newscaster resounded about the shared apartment, holding the attention of one Norse god. His human companion sat near him, on the floor, still in the process of fixing his damaged armored suit. The rips and tears littering it were all stitched up using various techniques, and the scuffs and stains all distant memories. The boots and shoulder pieces, however, were a challenge. They were not ripped but scraped and frayed. Such damage to hard material could not be sewn back together or scrubbed clean with soap, water, and alcohol.

Luna grabbed a few extra items from her room – quick-dry epoxy, a scrap piece of cardboard, and a flat stick – she believed would work in laying down and repairing the tattered areas. Loki kept a watchful eye on her, as he always did when she handled his close personal belongings. She didn’t mind. It was the one time she meddled in the things she hadn’t bought him, so as per common decency, she handled them in front of him.

“You think that’ll work?” Loki chimed, his green gaze set on the woman seated on the floor.

She lifted her eyes to meet his. “In fixing it? I sure hope so.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“I just keep trying different things until I feel like giving up.” Luna returned her attention to the shoulder piece.

She smoothed the clear epoxy mix firmly and carefully till it was too tacky to continue. Slowly, she switched to the other side. The layers made it tricky, but she had all evening if she didn’t want to leave the house. Loki was satisfied for the moment, the fridge was stocked with enough leftovers to last them the weekend, and, in case they were plagued by unwanted sleepless nights or the occasional dark emotion, the freezer had plenty of ice cream pints.

Loki stuck to his program. The subject matter interested him in a way Luna could not fathom. To each his own, she reminded herself. If he didn’t attempt to create unrest under her roof, he could do as he liked. She liked the peace in her home too much to let someone else disturb it. It seemed he liked it as well and took steps on his own to ensure it.

Satisfied with the job she had done, Luna slowly got up, suit top in hand, and walked it to the empty chairs by the counter. She set it down on one, resting the undried epoxy patches away from any surface. She dusted her hands. Another job well-done, if she said so herself.

Upon returning from putting her supplies back where they came from, Loki called her attention.

“Tell me, who is that?” He pointed to the television playing a local news station, in particular at the figure the story was about.

“Him?” Luna confirmed. “That’s our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”

“Oh, I know that but who is he exactly? Beneath the mask?” Loki was a tad perturbed.

Luna shrugged and lied. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t think anyone does.”

“They trust a hero they cannot see? Odd concept.” The master of lies believed her. Another victory of the day.

“I'm sure people are skeptical, but he's never done anything malicious, and he helps out the little guy. You know, the underappreciated.” A little slice of truth for him.

“Huh. I suppose he is appealing.” Loki crossed his arms and observed the individual clad in red and blue. “Is he an Avenger?”

Luna chuckled, shaking her head. “Oh, no. No, he is not. Good thing, too.”

“How come? He seems capable enough.” Luna paused.

“Because, uh, he, uh, that’s his job. You know, he’s more of a freelance vigilante than one tied to an organization like the Avengers.” She could see the look on Loki’s face. He didn’t believe her for a second. “You know, I don’t really know. You know I mainly keep to myself, so any newbies go right under my nose.” She waved a hand in the air.

“Mm-hm.” Loki eyed her, not sounding convinced, but he didn’t need to be yet. Luna feigned ignorance well enough.

The pair watched the rest of the program with Luna now perched atop the couch arm. She was at a loss for what to fill the rest of her afternoon and evening with. The oncoming snow storm looked to be getting worse each day it didn't show. There was residual fear of being snowed in, or at least cautioned to not venture outside. Shopping needed to be done, and additional activities had to be seen to, for either of the apartment occupants could easily succumb to cabin fever. Loki was a patient fellow and didn’t show his restlessness easily, but he hated being cooped up as much as Luna did.

An idea popped into her head, making Luna snap her fingers. “Hey, after we do some shopping, how about we do something?”

“What kind of something?”

“A fun something, at least before it snows. Like, uh,” she tapped her lower lip, “ooh! Like ice skating! If we go now, we can make it before there are too many people.”

“Ice skating?” Loki was perplexed. “Where would we be going?”

"Rockefeller Center," Luna said as she scurried to her room. “It's stunning this time of year." She called out. She shuffled back into the living room, phone in hand. “Ok, I can reserve some tickets online. So, yes or no?”

“This place is not in Manhattan…is it?” Loki asked tentatively.

Luna paused. “Yeah, but you’ll be fine. It’ll be fine,” she said quickly, waving a hand around. “Come on, let’s get ready. We need to at least get you a coat before we’re snowed in for a week.”

--------------------

“You know, I don’t even really need the coat. My jacket is enough,” Loki said, grabbing cradling his rental skates. The new garment reminded him a bit too much of his Stuttgart outfit, and it was wholly disconcerting.

Luna picked up her pair after him. “I am aware, Mr. The-Cold-Never-Bothered-Me-Anyway, but it is about 30 degrees out and getting colder, and since we’re going to be around a lot of people, you not wearing a coat would be cause for alarm.” She hastened over to a free bench and sat down. Loki followed suit and took his place by her side.

He watched as she pulled her boots off, stretched a foot out, and force it into the bladed skating boot. She repeated the action with her other foot and laced them up with practiced precision. Loki looked at his own and copied her to the best of his ability. The crisscross of the laces he was able to get, but their desired tightness proved more difficult.

Luna had tested her laces a few times – loosening them, retying them, standing up, and repeated the procedure – before Loki first finishing his. Luna stood upright and firm as though she were on the flats of her feet, not balanced on the edges of twin blades. She shifted her weight from left to right and felt satisfied. Loki mimicked her, but he did not feel the same.

With a stumble, he sat down and roughly undid his laces. Luna, noticing his agitated state, sat back in her spot.

“Aren’t you supposed to be an expert with the blade?” She joked, hoping to dissipate some of Loki’s frustration.

“Yes, in wielding them. Not wearing them.” He quipped back with an evident edge in his voice.

Luna knocked the edge of her boot against his. “You can wield these too. They can cause some serious damage if they’re sharp enough. I’ve pricked myself on my own skates more times than I can count when I was younger.”

Loki fiddled with the stray lace. “You did this a lot?”

“Oh, yes. I used to be quite the figure skater.” Luna smiled, recalling the memories from her youth.

“Figure skater?” Loki pondered, knitting his brows. None of his investigative endeavors have yet provided an inkling of this kind of information. He was curious.

“It’s like ballet, but on the ice.” Luna glanced down at Loki’s still-undone boots. “Here, let me do that for you.” She twisted around to straddle the bench they sat on and spun her hand around, gesturing for Loki to do the same. He did as she asked and faced her full-on.

Wishing to get on with the task, Luna gave Loki’s left leg two firm pats for him to lift it. She had to scoot back once he stretched it out. It was easy to forget how long he was. She maneuvered his foot into a proper resting position and got to work, loosening and retightening his shoe.

Loki felt the tap-tap of her fingers through the thick material, but her light touch barely preoccupied his thoughts. It was clear he did not know everything about her and his snooping could only take him so far. He wondered how much her Avengers knew. If they knew more than him. He felt jealousy grow at the prospect of missing out. However inconsequential it may be, Loki loved being the first in the know about everything.

Tentatively, he continued the conversation. “You miss it?”

Luna looked up from her task. “Hmm?” With his head, Loki gestured to the skate in her hand. “Oh. Uh, yeah.” She nodded, a little despondent. “I almost completed my training when I had to stop.”

“What made you? Stop, I mean.”

“School.” She jerked his foot a bit as she fastened the laces around the metal loops. “I had to choose between spending my time practicing triple axels and working on homework and, well,” she chuckled, “my three science degrees should be enough to tell you what my decision was.” A few more tugs and a knotted bow finished the job. “Alright, circle your foot around. You want it to feel firm on the joint, but not painfully so.” Slowly, Loki lifted his foot and rotated it clockwise, switching directions once he felt satisfied. “How is it?” Luna asked.

“It’s good,” Loki muttered.

“Good,” Luna echoed, smiling lazily and placing a hand on his opposite knee. “Now for the next one.”

--------------------

Loki, gripping the edge of the rink wall, stood as static as his body would allow. “So how on earth do you move with these?” He was capable on the ice, but the kind he has experienced in the past was always blanketed with a thin layer of snow. The surface beneath him now beheld no such traction.

Before him, Luna kept a watchful eye on his posture. “You just, you know, stand. Like this.” She presented her feet, the blades positioned in a small V. “And push with the edge.” Her foot facing away propelled her forward to Loki’s side.

“I've been doing that, and it's not working.”

“That’s because you’re treating it like you’re walking.”

“Oh, you make it sound so easy.” Loki sneered a little.

Luna let out a low groan and moved backward to stand face-to-face with him. "Pretend you’re dancing. Feel the ice beneath you and use it. Follow it as you would a partner. And, if you want,” she held her gloved hands out, “I can help lead you.”

Loki kept watch of her open hands as he slowly extended one of his towards them. Settling a firm grasp on the one he held, he let the other follow. “Don’t worry, I got you,” Luna sent him a sweet smile, careful not to lose her grip on him. Loki presented himself as calm. He had captured the attention of the right person and, though he loved attention, was intent on not drawing more.

“Now, stand up a little straighter and push gently.” Loki did as he was told and pushed with the blade at an angle. Luna glided backward, guiding him steadily over the shallow divots in the ice. “And again. And again. See?” With a pivot of her foot, she swiveled to stand beside Loki, still holding onto the hand furthest from the wall. “Not so hard.”

Loki looked down at her, smirking a little, and nudged her. “Well, I have an excellent teacher.”

Luna giggled and bumped him back. “Hey, don’t jinx it just yet. The last time these skates were sharpened was probably during the time of Lewis and Clark, and this ice is already pretty cut, so it’s very easy to trip on.” A glance down confirmed her feet to be at a safe distance from Loki’s. “Fresh, smooth ice is like heaven to be on, but you probably know that already.”

Loki hummed in response. He had an idea of how it would be. Being on the ice at this moment was pleasant. In tandem, they skated in silence, staying close to the wall for safety but far enough away to let other struggling patrons cling to it.

The cold crept up on Loki, quickly and quietly. It didn’t hurt him like it would a human, but he knew it was there. The air alone took less from him than if he came into contact with the ice itself. One touch from his bare hand may expose him. He wasn’t willing to take the risk. Not in a crowded area filled with people whose lives he had directly affected. He was lucky to be holding the hand of someone with a giving and forgiving heart. The couples and families around him would not grant him as much grace, no matter what pretty lies he may spin.

His eyes strayed from the people in front of him to the decorations above and around him. The settling darkness in the sky enhanced the brightness of the colored lights. The ice reflected them, making it seem like he was floating above a white sea of rainbow stars. The Christmas tree stood high above them, a beacon of glad tidings during a happy season. A sweetness settled within Loki’s heart, but it did not come without a thin lining of bitterness.

“Answer me something,” he asked Luna.

“Okay,” she replied, keeping her voice hushed.

Loki paused, feeling the words circle about, and spoke. “Was this place destroyed?”

“When?” Luna knew what he was referring to, but she had to make sure.

“During…,” Loki looked down, “my first visit.”

“Probably,” she stated, “but look how nice it is right now.”

Loki didn’t bother. Visions of destruction plagued his mind, obscuring his view. He enjoyed the place and his present company. Thinking of it no longer existing didn’t sit well with him.

Luna sensed the storm brewing inside him and squeezed his hand. “Don’t dwell on it.”

“Why not? It’s my wrongdoing.”

“Because it doesn’t do any good. Dwelling never fixes anything.”

Loki blinked and looked down at the crown of Luna’s head as he regarded her statement. The first time she had confronted any issue regarding his past, and it was over and done with before he could spare any additional words. And how nonchalant she was about it. Loki was almost convinced she had forgotten about the incident or never heard of it. No, she was worlds smarter than that. Loki was the one who forgot and took her for granted. She was as merciful as she was gracious.

Yes, dwelling doesn’t fix anything. He would follow her example and brush it off for a time when it is a problem, for it wasn’t now.

Carefully, Loki changed the subject. “You know, many centuries ago, people used these as a method of transportation.”

Luna peered up at him, eager to know the context with which he spoke. A tilt of his head towards the ground gave her what she needed to continue.

“And you traveled with them, I suppose?”

Loki snickered. “Heavens, no. That was well before my time, around the era of my grandfather Bor’s rule.”

“Did you know him?”

He paused. “Also before my time.”

“I never knew my grandfathers either. One died of cancer; the other, a stroke.” Luna caught herself. It was early enough to stop. “Sorry. You didn’t need to know that.”

Alas, more information Loki couldn’t find in her diaries. “What do you know about them?” He had to know more.

“Well,” Luna assembled her words, “I know I would have liked one more than the other. But isn’t that how it is with all family?”

Loki let out a laugh. “How right you are.” Memories of times passed surfaced here and there in his thoughts. Yes, how right she was. If she only knew how much.

Unabashedly, as his gaze fell elsewhere, Luna admired him. She had gotten him to smile out of genuine amusement. And his laugh. A reward in and of itself. ‘Tamed the beast,’ an onlooker might say. But such a statement couldn’t be farther from the truth. He was no beast.

The two skated further around the rink, passing straggling children trying to stay on two feet and teens doing their best not to get too rowdy. No one bothered to notice them. Glances were spared only to prevent any unnecessary collisions. They spoke naught for they felt no need to. The peace they achieved at home had extended out past the threshold. To say the least, it was nice. Others could do the chattering in their place. Until, of course, one decided to take the reins.

“So, is it true?” Luna asked, a slight smirk making its way onto her face.

“Is what true?” Loki asked back, not bothering to look away from the ice before him.

“About Sleipnir?”

Confusion passed over Loki, as such a thing had not crossed his mind in many a moon. But, he caught on to what she meant and snickered lightly. “Dear, no. He was real, yes, but he was another being from before me. I took a liking to the creature while in my youth and most people mocked me for it, aptly calling me his ‘mother.’”

Luna smiled at the sentiment. “That’s nice you gave him company, though. How beautiful he must have been.”

“Quite so. A magnificent animal. Odin didn’t appreciate him properly, but then again, he rarely did with anything." Rather than get into another tense topic, Loki dispelled any increasing strain. “However, perhaps in another universe, he would have been my true son.”

Luna paused and tittered a little. “Yeah, and you would have vibrant red hair and a whole wife.”

“My goodness, just imagine!” Loki bolstered, pulling a laugh from her.

Moments like these granted him a precious second to admire the beauty of his young friend. Could he call her ‘friend?’ As he thought on how delightfully warm he found her smile, he found himself treading back into dangerous territory. Friends, in his experience, were never around for long and he was so blinded by the wishful thinking he couldn't catch their lies until it was too late for his heart. Maybe they did like him, but they never preferred him. Then again, they were not her. None from his past were like her, and perhaps it would be alright for him. But, for now, only the Norns could tell.

Before long, announcements were made for all active skaters to vacate the rink for the Zamboni to makes its rounds. Luna and Loki took their sweet time, unlike a select few who thought it would be fun to race to the exit. The loud, rapid scraping of their blades alerted those around to their oncoming presence; a presence Luna did not keep track of.

Heads were turned, and gazes averted. The instance spelled disaster. Luckily, Loki possessed a distinct taste for it. He felt the moment coming a breath before anyone else did. One individual was going too fast, got bumped by a friend, and was careening towards the spot Luna was gliding towards. With a rough yank, Loki took hold of her and moved her out of the stranger’s path. He held her tight against the wall to prevent her from slipping and rendering his efforts naught. The stranger recovered quickly, threw them an apology, and continued on their way.

The two stood for a spell; Loki’s arms around her torso and Luna’s hands gripping his coat’s collar. Slowly and steadily, he leaned back.

“Are you alright?” He asked, a bit breathless.

“Uh-huh, yeah.” Luna moved her hands to the sides of his shoulders. “Thanks,” she whispered. He was closer than usual. Not something she was used to.

“Of course,” he whispered back as he stared into her eyes. They were full and dark from the night sky, shining in the lights from above. Again, they captured him. Inconveniently, at best, but it couldn’t be helped.

Time caught up, and Luna slid her hands down to his biceps with the sole purpose of gently pushing him off, but one touch and she stopped. The words of May Parker surfaced in her mind. Loki was indeed firm and strong by the way he held her. She knew so from her first dance with him but feeling him again like this was a whole other matter. Coupled with the intenseness of his gaze, he made her feel hot under the collar. A completely involuntary reaction. It couldn’t be helped.

Dragging herself back into reality, Luna gave his arm a tap. “We, uh, we should get going before we’re forcibly removed.”

“Oh, yes,” Loki muttered, pulling back and standing at his full height. He gestured to the ice in front of them on the path to the gate. Ever the gentleman, he allowed Luna to go first if she wished. Eager to escape the awkward situation, she took the invitation and skated off with Loki trailing behind her.

In the sitting area, they sipped on individual hot chocolates and let their minds scramble in different directions. No thought led gracefully to another. The abruptness of their proximity left no room for control. They faked it well, though. Luna gradually regained it by tapping out the beat to a song playing over the speakers.

The first thing she consciously felt was comfortable. A bit rattled from the experience, but not wishing she could get away from Loki. She didn't have to try with him, in the best way. She'd admit it was scary, for it might be too good to be true. She wondered how he was in his past. If anyone else felt like this around him. Perhaps they did. Maybe it was none of her business. No harm in imagining, though.

“You must have had a lot of friends on Asgard,” she said, snapping Loki out of whatever musing he was in.

He turned the cup around in his hand. “Why would you think something like that?”

“Because it takes no energy to hang out with you.”

Loki creased his brow. “Thank…you?” In all his years, never had he heard something like that.

Luna laughed, a little nervous. “No, no, it’s a good thing. It’s inviting, at least to people like me.” She fiddled with the plastic lid, trusting he could see what she meant. The growing grin on his face gave her a hint of what he felt.

“Well, for your sake,” he held up his half-empty cup, “I’m glad,” and tapped it gently against hers.

Cheers to someone who preferred his company. Cheers to someone he liked to be around. Cheers to his beautiful friend named after the moon.

----------

Taglist: @the-doctor-9-10 @pinkieperil @sherlockfan4life

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kingsofeverything · 6 years

Text

Annual Writing Self-Evaluation

*All answers should be about works published in 2017.

1. List of works published this year:

In the order that they were posted

Fall At My Door

Collide

Mercedes Boy

The Oldest Magic Word

With a Word (part 2 of FAMD)

Possessing All of Me (part 2 of MB)

It Had To Be You

One of Many

Stranded in a Dream

How Fast You Fall

Soft Wings

Has The Ocean Lost Its Way

Splish Splash

Don’t Want Shelter

Wasted Like A Memory (part 2 of DWS)

Just Around the Corner

Find You Home

Sweating ’Til My Clothes Come Off

Number 84

Let Me In (part 3 of DWS)

Admission

Intention

Resolution

2. Work you are most proud of (and why):

Don’t Want Shelter, definitely. The idea for it came to me over a year ago, and that was basically exes to lovers stuck in a hurricane together. I tried to write it earlier in the year and scrapped it. It was a completely different story and they were actually exes, but it just wasn’t working. RIP those 10k words. But I set out to write something with more emotion and I wanted to write something different and I feel like I succeeded. I’m very emotionally attached to their characters in DWS too. It’s been hard to get my head out of that universe.

I’m putting the rest under a cut because this got really long.

3. Work you are least proud of (and why):

Soft Wings. It was soooo hard to write at that time. I was just struggling to write anything at all and every single word of that fic was a giant pain in my ass. It was a bday gift and I actually decided not to do gift fics anymore because of how hard it was to write. The last gift fic I wrote was DWS and it was like 2 months late-- sorry about that @justafatbirdonaboat <3

4. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

So, this was actually difficult and I would rather include the sex scene I mention below in question 7, but it’s long and... it’s smut and I feel like dropping it in here with nothing leading up to it or after it takes a lot away from it. This is from DWS:

If he keeps himself busy enough, which he’s fairly successful with, he doesn’t have time to think about Harry and how once again he practically laid himself bare for absolutely no reason. It’ll fade, he knows that, but at the same time he doesn’t want it to. It’s how he finds himself going out of his way to some specialty store to find Harry’s organic cinnamon toothpaste. It’s why he bought some fancy vanilla candle for his bedroom. He’s fighting with himself over trying to forget and wanting to remember, because he knows that eventually it’ll be gone no matter what he wants. The toothpaste will be empty and the candle will burn down, and it’ll all become a distant memory.

5. Share or describe a favorite comment you received:

i got a super long and detailed comment on FAMD from one of my favorite drarry authors and bloggers that came at the perfect time when i was feeling really shitty about writing and also life in general. it was such a surreal thing for me because i was reading the comment and it was just super lovely and the whole time i was reading it i was like OMFG and fangirling lol

all of the comments on DWS from people who read it as a WIP. they were like some sort of super fuel for me. and it was... idk a special thing for me. i’ve never done a WIP before and idk if I ever will again. it just worked out with that fic because of the chapters and betaing etc. but every time i posted a chapter and people would comment on it, it was just... idk it meant a lot that anyone would follow along, i guess.

6. A time when writing was really, really hard:

Writing Soft Wings, so late May, and then again after I posted DWS, I struggled with Sweating ’Til My Clothes come off. That was Reason #14 and literally NO ONE wanted to write that prompt, so I took it. Mainly though, my struggles have been with fics that either I’ve abandoned (the old version of DWS) or my unfinished sci fic au.

7. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

i feel like everything i write surprises me. i’m constantly shocked that i write anything at all. i think that most of dws was surprising to me. i had a vague idea of what i wanted their personalities to be like, but the way they ended up was so much better than i thought they’d be. I MEAN, i legit thought that the entire fic would take place over 3 days and would end when the storm ended! and then the storm ended and i was like... wtf i’m not anywhere near finished with this. and then a scene specifically, umm... there’s a sex scene in ch 7 of dws that ended up being wayyyyyyyyyyy more emotional for me to write and it still makes me sad to read it. and i’m like 99.999999% sure if you’ve read that fic, you know what i’m talking about. i wrote that and immediately was messaging nic like “i’ve made myself sad with smut! what is wrong with me?”

8. How did you grow as a writer this year:

i’m much less messy, though i’m still messy. i think i was easier on my beta this year. less cliche (unless i’m cliche on purpose) and better at getting the emotions across? I DON’T KNOW @louandhazaf is better at this stuff. she answered a different question about this earlier in the year actually.

wait. also. i think i’m better at conceptualizing a story BEFORE i start writing. i still suck at it, but not as badly as last year.

9. How do you hope to grow next year:

i’d like to write another long fic. i’d like to get better at developing secondary characters. i’d like to write more emotion into my fics. i’d love to be better at outlining and planning fics, but idk if that’s who i am lol

tbh i’d like to be better at the part of writing that, up until this point, and to a certain point, come naturally to me. i don’t think about my character’s motivations or what they’re separate stories are or backgrounds and shit like that until i’m writing and sometimes i do it and don’t realize i’m doing it? i guess? I DON’T KNOW. coming from a math background and never having written or even taken a creative writing class or anything like that, like... some of the most important aspects of writing, i have no clue about them. at least that’s how i feel. a lot of what i do is just................. like me flying by the seat of my pants.

10. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

this is my answer from last year and i’m just going to leave it because it’s still true.

NIC @louandhazaf my friend and forever beta. one day we’re going to take over the world. just depends which one of us is in charge of the brain that day as to whether it’s for good or evil.

however, i’ll add to this a bit. nic is the best cheerleader and beta and all of that. bouncing ideas around with her is always fun and always productive. we laughed so hard when we were talking about ideas for DWS. like... i think we both laughed so hard we cried.

having writer friends -- so all of you -- has been such a positive thing for me. knowing that we all sort of go through the same shit makes it easier when it’s my own lol.

specifically, i’ll say that @phd-mama influenced me with her fic ‘feels like coming home’ because i read that fic and when i finished i decided that i needed to write something with more emotion behind it, something with a really great (though not necessarily good) back story. the history between her characters in that fic..... idk a lot of it hit home for me. and because of that fic, i wrote DWS. so, thanks <3

11. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

ummmm... yes. let’s just say.......... yes.

12. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

yes! write what makes you happy, even if that means writing something sad and depressing. but also try to challenge yourself to write things you’re not used to or things you haven’t done before. also, just write. you can edit later. put words down.

13. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

my near misses fic, which is what i’ll call it until i title it, that i am super excited about (this one just came to me yesterday)

moodboard fic - it’s anon, so i can’t say anything other than that. i started it, but i think i’m going to start over.

2 time stamps for ‘don’t want shelter’. one that takes place the summer they’re 13, and one that takes place between chapters 8 & 9, but before ‘let me in’

my sci fi au - it’s been kicking my ass for most of this year

i have a fic idea where they go from friends to lovers, but it’s a long long road to get there. idk if i’ll get to it. it would be loooong.

i want to do a valentines fic but idk if i’ll have time. i’d like my near misses fic to be for valentines, but that’s a lot of pressure on me and then on my beta.

28 proposals with jess @someonethatsfunny and if we want to do it for an advent fic for next year, i need to at least write a proposal per month.

i want to do the new relationship travel the world fic with nic @louandhazaf that we’ve talked about co-writing, but we both have so much going on.........

oh and the tiny penis fic series. which is 5 short fics that are not connected, but one of them has a tiny penis in each fic (it switches around and also maybe they both do in one fic)

14. Tag three writers/artists whose answers you’d like to read. ;)

I would like to tag all of my writer friends, sooo you’re all tagged. Also, this is more than 3, but idc

@dinosaursmate @allwaswell16 @letsjustsee @gaycousinlarry @goodmorningtoyouuniverse @assisreal (writing or art, saori! or both!) @prettytruthsandlies @someonethatsfunny @phd-mama ok i’ll stop tagging so that y’all will have people you can tag lol

#*#2017 writing self-evaluation

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fanfic-inator795 · 7 years

Text

OK KO Oneshot: Blorpers Gonna Blorp

Plot: When an annoying meme comes back from the dead, it’s nice to have people - specifically a slightly obnoxious robotic boyfriend - by your side.

((Sorry about the stupid title, lol. But yeah, I’m not hugely into the Radmond ship personally, but at the same time I think it’s pretty cute and I’ve had this idea for a while so, why not write it? Anyway, enjoy!))

To the two of them, actually being a couple wasn’t too hard. Sure, both of them admittedly had quite a bit of pride and Rad did struggle with showing his true feelings at times (though he had been slowly improving at it, much to the delight of his boyfriend and co-workers). However, after the initial confession and whatever embarrassment or nerves that came with it, the actual act of being in a relationship was pretty much smooth sailing! Even their contrasting alignments to ‘good’ and ‘evil’ respectfully didn’t provide much conflict!

...Setting up dates on the other hand was quite the challenge. With one working a full time job and the other being at the beck-and-call of his father and his missions, it was pretty difficult to find time where they were not only both free but were sure that they wouldn’t get annoyingly interrupted.

Still, they took whatever they could get, hence why Raymond would usually make his way to the plaza around the same time every day, about when Rad’s lunch break started. And, luckily for the alien, Enid would usually let him be a few minutes late getting back, just as long as he brought her back a small snack from wherever they decided to eat.

Today it was this small diner just about a block or so away from the plaza, recommended specifically by Mr. Logic since they were one of the few places that served several dishes that catered specifically to robotic tastes. Definitely a plus!

“Mmm! The mix of olive oil and engine oil with just a dash of soy sauce is practically decadent! Are you sure you don’t to try a bite, Radicles?”

“Nah man, I’m good,” Rad replied, “I mean, not that my totally stomach can’t handle it but, gotta save room for dessert, you know?”

The green bot shrugged. “Alright, fair enough. ...Besides-” He gave a small smirk, “I suppose if you ever just wanted to experience the taste of it without actually eating it, I’m sure I could easily help you out with that~”

Rad stared, taking a moment to realize what Raymond was getting at - and once he did he practically set off one of his blush blasts. Still, Rad smirked back at him. “Heh, if you’re suggesting a quick make-out sess before I have to get back, I’m preeeetty sure that that can be a-

“RAD!” Radicles flinched at the sudden squeal while Raymond just blinked in surprise. Who in the world-?

And just like that, the couple’s casual lunch-date went from private to VERY public, with several people now surrounding their table. They didn’t look familiar, Raymond was certain he hadn’t seen them around the plaza. However, all of them knew (or at least acted like they knew) Rad, who was clearly forcing a smile back at them despite how much he was trying to shrink down in his seat. Some of them were even dressed like Rad, complete with blue shirts, pink pants and homemade antennas!

“Wow, it’s been forever since your video!” one guy said, “It’s practically a classic now!”

“Yeah, when’s you’re next one?” a fangirl asked, “I bet it’ll be just as hilarious as the last one!”

Still trying to force a smile, Rad rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away from his ‘fans’. “Heh, well, comedy genius takes time, ya know? You can’t rush it if-”

“Umm, don’t you mean blorp-edy genius~?” Another fan retorted, causing the rest of them to fall into a fit of laughter.

Raymond raised an eyebrow. “Blorp-edy...? Rad, what-?” As he turned his attention back towards his boyfriend, his question almost immediately died in his throat once he saw the expression on Rad’s face.

There wasn’t even a fake smile there anymore. There was however annoyance, anger, frustration... Maybe even a bit of hurt. And that bit was too much, at least for Raymond.

Gritting his metal teeth, the bot turned back to the fans, who had thankfully started to quiet down (though their smug smiles and clueless grins were still enough to anger the bot). “Excuse me, but I don’t believe any of you were invited to our lunch - a lunch, by the way, not some blooper reel screening! So-” His arm began to shift into a laser cannon, “If you don’t mind, I think it’s time to-

“UHH TIME TO get going back to work!” Rad quickly interrupted, sitting up now. He also gave Raymond a small kick in the shin, and while it didn’t hurt, his boyfriend quickly got the message and (reluctantly) deactivated his weapon. “Heh, yeah, I should get going back to the bodega soon so, we should probably finish eating.”

Of course, the fans gave him a disappointed look, but thankfully they didn’t try to argue. “Alright, have a good lunch, Rad!” “Yeah Rad, we’ll BLORP you later!” “Heh, and don’t forget to get your leftover food to blorp!” “Bleeble blorple!” The fans laughed again, being loud enough that the couple could still hear the chuckles even as they walked out and past the diner.

“Ugh...” Rad facepalmed, slouching back into his seat. “Just when I thought it was finally done...” Then again, was anything ever truly forgotten on the internet?

“...Radicles?” The alien glanced up, catching the bot’s concerned look. “Hmph... You should have let me take that penalty shot,” he grumbled, “I think they more than earned one for upsetting you.”

“Hey hey, it’s fine!” Rad insisted, forcing another smile (and causing Raymond’s frown to deepen), “Tc’ch, it’s just some dumb meme that I accidentally created! People repeat memes, it’s just somethin’ you gotta deal with! Besides, it takes more than some dumb ‘fans’ to keep me down for too long! Really, babe, it’s fine!”

“Well, if you’re sure...” Raymond still didn’t quite believe it though, especially since his date spent the rest of their lunch hour together being pretty quiet and only picking at the rest of his food. Still, Rad tried to at least look like he was enjoying himself though, even giving the bot a quick kiss on the cheek after they walked back to Gar’s together. But even so, it was easy for Raymond to tell that what those ‘fans’ of his had said was still bothering his boyfriend.

Determined and still annoyed at the situation, Raymond activated the jets in his feet and flew back over to Boxmore. “Perhaps I should look more into this ‘blorp’...” And, as soon as he touched down on the factory’s roof and his mind connected to the wifi Boxman had set up, that’s exactly what he did.

“Okay,” he said, closing his eyes and sitting down as he mentally opened up a browser window, “What are the search results for ‘blorp’...” He was pretty sure that was how it was spelled. It certainly came up with enough results, with one of the top ones being connected to a Planet X dictionary. But without a doubt, the most popular result was a six-second video that had well over several million views. And, in the screenshot for it, was none other than Radicles. Raymond quickly selected the video.

“Rad rocket’s on the roof ready to roll!” *crash* “BLORP!”

“Pfft.” Raymond couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. Alright, maybe that was funny. A bit embarrassing perhaps but... Where was all the grief coming from? “There has to be more,” he mumbled as the clip continued repeating. Pushing away the video, he continued to search through the results.

Beyond the initial video and results that it only referred to the word itself, there were mostly forums. ...Many, many MANY forums. And, in Raymond’s opinion, almost none of them even had a scrap of information! All of them were just people simply reposting the video or screenshots from it, writing comments, and posting images with Rad’s face photo-shopped onto them, usually referencing the fact that he was an alien. The images weren’t too bad, but the comments...

“Grop he is just SOOOO funny!!! If all aliens were this funny, maybe we’d see more of them around!”

“Such a goof! Blorp me up, lol!”

“Why hasn’t this guy made more blorpin’ videos already?!”

“Omfg haha, so stupid! aliens gonna blorp!”

“So great! Heh, wonder how many times he blorps up when the camera’s NOT rolling?”

“BLORP BLORP! Hehe, so weird, but still so funny! Blorpy blorp bloop!”

“...Okay, now I’m starting to get it.” Raymond sighed, shifting his mind off ‘internet mode’ before opening his eyes. “No wonder he was so annoyed... Ugh, those fairweather ‘fans’ aren’t even fans of him! They’re just fans of blorp and whatever other ‘wacky alien’ thing they like about him!” Honestly! It was like those old cartoons that he and his siblings had found from centuries ago where the robots were complete jokes or only spoke in beeps and boops! So insulting!

“If they truly knew what Radicles was like, they wouldn’t even care about blorp because-!” He paused. “...Because there would be too many other things to like about him.” Slowly, the bot smiled.

Maybe that was the real answer he had been searching for.

()()()()()()()()()

“Oh, hey Rad. Do you think you can move some of those power-ups boxes we got today out here so we don’t have to worry about getting them tomorrow?”

Rad gave a small groan, but sat up from his spot anyway. “Fine, whatever.” He headed towards the loading dock, not even noticing that his youngest co-worker was watching him.

“...Psst, Enid!” KO whispered, “I think something’s wrong with Rad!”

“Yeah, maybe,” Enid said as she sat up, taking her feet off the counter and instead choosing to lean on her arms, “He’s been lazier than usual, and he’s not even enjoying it.”

“Yeah! And he hasn’t made any jokes, or tried to show how tough he is, or anything like that!” KO added, getting more concerned, “He just seems so down!”

“Well, maybe he’s just having a bad day?” Enid shrugged, “Nothing a little sleep can’t fix, probably. Or maybe he just had a bad date with Raymond?” KO hummed, thinking about it. Either of those could have been the reason... But before he could agree or offer up any theories of his own, a familiar voice caught their attention.

“While you’re certainly close to figuring out, you’re still throwing air balls.” The two employees turned around, spotting Raymond casually posing against a rack of fruit-themed attack projectiles.

“How did you get in here without us noticing?” KO asked while Enid just rolled her eyes at the bot.

Of course, Raymond ignored them both and walked further into the store, towards the back. “Besides, knowing why he’s upset won’t change much,” he added in a lower voice, “After all, no one can destroy something once it becomes memetic.” But there was something he could do to maybe counteract it...

No sooner had he reached the back of the Bodega, Rad returned with several floating boxes surrounded in pink aura. “Hm?” he blinked, “Uhh, what are you doing here, Ray?”

“Just thought I’d stop by for a bit to talk with my favorite Bodega worker~” Raymond replied simply, “Maybe brighten up the last few minutes of your shift with my presence.”

“Tc’ch.” Despite everything, Rad couldn’t help but give a small smile. “Alright, works for me.” With that, he began stacking the crates against the wall.

Raymond hummed as he watched him. “Though, I must say, my dear Radicles, you’re quite the all-star yourself.”

“Real- er, heh, yeah I am,” Rad nodded.

“You’ve got plenty of power and strength. Why, I’m sure you’ll even level up soon! Your fingerblasts are very useful, and you’re able to apply them to your own style of fighting, making them all the more unique - just like you! Plus you’re light on your feet, very useful!”

“Uh huh,” Rad nodded again as he continued stacking boxes, though his boyfriend’s compliment marathon was far from over.

“But it’s not just power and fighting that keeps you at the top of the starting line-up, oh no. I’d also say you’ve very stylish, much more stylish than other bots- er, people - that I see each day! You’re also very charming-”

Raymond paused, hearing a small snicker. He shot Enid a quick glare before continuing. “As I was SAYING, you’re very charming - from your interesting conversation topics to your wits, your dancing, your flirting. Why, I’d say you’re one of the most unique and most exceptional organic beings that I’ve ever-”

“Okay.” Rad dropped the last box he was holding and turned to face his boyfriend, giving him a look.

Raymond blinked. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

“Well, no but-” Rad crossed his arms, not looking angry or even annoyed by any means, but still looking a bit confused. “Look, I get that couples are supposed to compliment each other and stuff, and yeah all the things you’re saying are totally true but, don’t you think you’re laying it on just a little too thick? Seriously, Ray, what’s up?”

“...Well...” Raymond sighed, deflating slightly. This wasn’t going quite as well as he assumed it would. “I just thought that, well, after what happened at lunch, you could use some comments that weren’t just jokes at your expense... Comments that were genuine, and that were from someone who actually knew you and admired you - and not just the things you’ve said - and who-” He cleared his throat, his face heating up slightly. “Who... cares about you. I just didn’t want you feeling like everyone just saw you as a joke or a meme or whatever.”

“...” Rad turned his head away, staying silent as Raymond watched him blink a few times, and even giving a small sniffle. However, once Rad looked back over at him, the only thing on his face was a big - and genuine - smile.

“Heh... Like I said,” Rad told his boyfriend as he stepped forward, “I already knew all the things you said about me, but-” He leaned forward, allowing their noses to touch (surprisingly, Raymond’s nose wasn’t nearly as deadly as it looked). “But it, you know... It still means a lot to hear it from someone who does care. Thanks, Raymond.”

With that, Rad moved his head over slightly. Knowing now what he was planning on doing, Raymond happily lifted his own head up slightly, allowing their lips to meet.

Once their kiss broke though, Rad did add one last thing. “And just so you know, babe... I think you’re pretty great too. Great AND unique, no matter how many other Raymonds there are.”

Raymond smirked. “Of course. Coach Boxdad made me to be the greatest after all. But, it sounds even greater coming from you~” And with that, the couple shared another kiss.

“Aww!” KO smiled, clapsing his hands together, “That’s so sweet!”

“Heh, yeah yeah,” Enid smirked, “Hey Rad, just remember you’re still on the clock for another half hour! So let’s wrap it up, okay?” Though, even if her co-worker didn’t get much else done that night, she didn’t think she would mind - at least, not tonight.

Sure, Rad and Raymond could sometimes be annoying or frustrating on their own. But together, they really were a sweet sight.

THE END

((First OK KO fic so, hope everyone was in-character and that you all enjoyed reading! ^v^))

#ok ko let's be heroes #radicles #raymond ok ko #radmond #oneshot #my writing #fanfiction

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