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mister-supernova · 4 years

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Memories Lost

Part 1 - Part 2

Pairing: Hope Mikaelson x Reader

Before Malivore

“Y/n L/n, please do not tell me that you forgot to add eggs to the cake mix.”

Your eyes widen like a child who is about to be in some serious trouble by their parents. Now that you thought about it, something did feel off about the batter you’ve been struggling to stir for the past five minutes.

You look up from your batter bowl to see Hope staring at you with daggers in her eyes.

Yep, you were screwed.

After gently placing your wisk on the kitchen table, you give the tribrid the best innocent smile you could, “Okay. I won’t tell you that, but I will tell you that we’re going to have to start over since there may or may not be a key ingredient missing from the mix.”

As much as you wanted the smile to dilute the situation, Hope still pinches the bridge of her nose and runs her fingers through her hair, obviously more stressed out than ever.

Today is Commonwealth Day and some of Hope’s family members from New Orleans are supposed to be coming into town, one of which includes her mother. If anything you felt that you should’ve been the one who was stressed out.

“How do you forget to add eggs to a cake mix, Y/n?” Hope asks, flailing the full carton of eggs around. She looked like she was on the verge of erupting like Pompeii.

You decide to approach with caution, “Okay, okay,” you slowly reach for the carton and carefully take it from her hand, “Let’s not break the only eggs left in the fridge, yeah? We do need those. Let’s also take a steady breather for a second.”

The two of you inhale one large breath of air together and then slowly breathe out.

“There we go, Hope,” she’s still looking at you with a small amount of fire in her eyes, “Hey, I apologize for my idiocy. I honestly don’t know what you expected when you left me alone to make this, but it’s a minor setback.”

“That was the only box of cake mix we bought, Y/n.” Hope states.

You fall silent for a moment to let that information sink in, “Okay, slightly more than minor setback,” Hope lets out a frustrated groan and moves past you, “We don’t have to make a cake, Hope. I saw a box of brownie mix in the pantry.”

“Yeah, that says ‘Lizzie Saltzman’s Brownie Mix: DO NOT TOUCH’ in big black letters. In case you don’t recall, I’m not exactly in her good graces at the moment.”

“Eh, name me one person who is in her good graces,” you shrug as if it’s no big deal and take the box out anyways, giving it a good shake, “Doesn’t feel like she put any jinxes on it. My arm has yet to fall off so therefore I think we should be safe.”

Hope gives you a look telling you that she’s still unsure of this.

“Come on, I of all people know how much crap she makes you go through on the daily basis. What’s a box of brownie mix compared to torment?” You pause and think, ‘that’s probably a little much’, “Maybe not literal torment, but you get the picture. I’ll even take the blame if she starts asking questions.”

“Are you kidding? She’d probably kill you if she found out.”

“That’s what I have you for,” you say matter-of-factly, taking a few steps closer to the tribrid until you were face to face, “What, you thought that I was your friend because I like you?” You ask in a playful tone, making Hope roll her eyes at you even though she was clearly amused, “Keep dreaming, Mikael-” her eyes widen and she covers your mouth with her hand before it’s too late.

You are the only student in the whole school who knows that Hope’s father is Klaus Mikaelson. It took many months of trust-building after your friendship began, but one night at the pier, Hope mustered up enough courage to tell you about her family history.

She half-expected you to go running for the hills and leave her in the dust. Instead, you blew her expectations out of the water by having the calmest reaction she had ever seen. You thanked her for trusting you so much that she felt that she could tell you something not everyone knew at the time.

She made you promise not to tell anyone to which you agreed to with a pinky promise. This moment has been the only time you nearly slipped up. Thankfully no one else was in the kitchen, but who knows who could be walking by.

You raise an eyebrow at Hope, glancing down at her hand that was still covering your mouth.

Hope quickly retracts her hand back, “Sorry. It was just, you know-”

“No, that was my bad. Good save though... Marshall.” You say, followed by a cheeky wink.

A tint of red flushes Hope’s cheeks as she gives you a thankful smile, causing your cheeks to warm up as well.

You clear your throat and break eye contact with the tribrid, “Shall we get started?” You ask, raising the brownie mix up to your face, “Ass beating from Lizzie or not, I still wanna make a good first impression on your family, especially your mom. God knows you’ve probably dragged my name through the dirt every chance you had.”

Hope playfully rolls her eyes, giving you a small shove before giving in and pulling out a clean mixing bowl. “Fine, let’s just get this over with before we get busted.”

“Atta girl!” You grin widely before ripping the box open.

There was no going back now. If you two were going down, at least you were going down together and you were getting a sweet treat out of it, too.

II.

It was a beautiful day to be out at the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young and Gifted. The weather was your idea of perfect; sunny, breezy, and clear.

Students were reading outside on the grass, the younger kids were playing tag, others playing Wickery, and you were getting your ass beaten by the world’s strongest tribrid.

This was your guys’ third round of sparring for the day and you had yet to win a single one. Just when you thought you had her arm locked behind her back, she whispers the incantation, “Dimiterre.”

Everything went by so fast that you didn’t have any time to think about landing on your feet. Instead, your back slammed against the small wooden pier after being flipped over the tribrid’s shoulder. It wasn’t fair that she could just chant any spell she wanted to throw you off guard.

“Is that really all you got today, Y/n? This is just embarrassing.” She shakes her head at you like a disappointed coach.

“I’ll make you eat those words, Mikaelson,” you grunt, feeling a new surge of energy course through your body as you jump back up to your feet, “We’re just getting started.” You smirk, wiping a drop of sweat off your forehead.

Hope grins back at you, readying her position for another round of sparring. The both of you share the same look of determination, neither one backing out as you throw the first jab.

Several more rounds pass. All of which ended with your ass hitting the pier as if it were some kind of magnet.

“You’re making this too easy.” Hope says triumphantly with a cocky smile.

You huff out an exhausted breath of air, “I’m obviously letting you win, Mikaelson,” you use your arms to help you jump back to your feet, “I could easily take you down if I wanted to.”

“Oh yeah?” Hope wonders, taking a step forward. She was a little less out of breath than you, but you could tell that she was playing it off just as much as you were.

“Oh yeah. Why don’t we do one final round? This time I won’t hold back.” You challenge her.

“You seem pretty worn out for someone who was holding back.” She states and you pretend not to be hurt by her jab at your lack of combat skills.

“Maybe that’s just to fool you into thinking you can beat me again,” you shrug as you watch her readjust her gloves, “Oh, and you can’t use your magic. Too much of an advantage.”

Hope’s mouth falls open and she shakes her head, “Then I’d be at a disadvantage. You’re like a whole foot taller than me.”

“Come on, if it’s so easy you should have no problem pinning me down within two seconds of the round.”

Hope silently thinks it over in her head, then quickly comes to a decision, “Fine. Loser buys milkshakes at the Grill.”

You grin, “Deal. Prepare to pay up, Mikaelson.”

After waiting for one of you to make the first move, Hope decides to sweep kick your legs at an unfathomable speed and knocks your back to the ground.

She straddled your hips and placed her hands on both sides of your head, “Ha! Looks like someone’s- wha-”

As quickly as she knocked you to the pier just now, you pulled her neck down to where her face is inches closer to yours, trapped her arm by wrapping yours around it, lifted your leg to trap hers and then rolled your body over to where you were now on top.

Breathless and cheeks redder than before, Hope stared up at you in shock. If you were completely honest, you had no idea that move was going to work, but you were so glad that it did. For one, now you get a free milkshake and two, you’ve never had Hope Mikaelson’s face this close to yours before.

Her legs were practically wrapped around your waist and your hands were holding her arms down above her head, making her face dangerously close to yours. It would only take one of you leaning forward for something to happen.

Instead, you kept your cool, “Looks like I win.” you smile, also breathless, “I like cookies and cream, by the way.”

III.

“So you do this… for fun?” You ask, sitting as still as possible on a wooden stool in Hope’s bedroom.

It was a stormy weekend in Mystic Falls, so most of the outdoor activities were closed off until the rain cleared up, which didn’t seem to be happening anytime soon according to the weather broadcasts. You weren’t a huge fan of being alone during thunderstorms--you’d never let anyone know that--so you found yourself hanging out with Hope.

Well, you were mainly watching Hope. She came up with the idea of painting a portrait of you sitting by her window to pass the time. Being that you’ve never had a portrait painted of you before, you thought this would be kind of fun. You didn’t expect it to be such a long and quiet process, but you definitely preferred this over being scared out of your mind listening to the thunder by yourself.

Hope hums a yes to your question as she concentrates on her strokes, “Can you look back out the window?”

You sigh, turning your head to look outside for about thirty seconds before nearly falling off the stool because of the lightning bolt that crashed a couple miles away from the school. As pretty as it looked, being struck by lightning was still one of your irrational fears.

“Are you sure it’s safe for me to be looking outside?” You turn back to look at Hope.

“Y/n, I promise nothing is going to happen to you. Now sit still,” she says in a not-so-reassuring voice.

You let out an annoyed huff, but you do you’re told and turn to face the rain covered window glass.

“How long does it usually take you to do these things? Asking out of curiosity. Totally not because I’m losing feeling in my glutes.” You wonder, shifting in your stool.

“I’m usually quicker when my subject isn’t interrupting every five seconds and moving around like they have worms in their said glutes.”

You face her again with an over exaggerated look of shock on your face, “Is that some sort of degrading werewolf joke? That is extremely offensive.”

She leans away from her canvas to look at you, her eyes squinted, “I’m part werewolf, too, idiot.”

“You’re a tribrid. That’s different. One third of a werewolf doesn’t count, therefore your little worm joke hurts me more.” You stick your tongue out at her.

“Why am I friends with you again?” She’s trying her best to hide it, but you can tell that she’s resisting a smile.

“Because as sad as it is, no one else can make you smile like I do, Mikaelson.” It took a few seconds until she couldn’t help but reveal a very faint yet noticeable grin. She leaned back behind her canvas to conceal it, but there was no use since you already caught sight of it.

“Just shut up and look out the window before I cast a freeze spell on you.”

You wanted to make another snarky remark, but you knew your friend well enough to know that she was serious about casting that spell. To avoid being frozen in an uncomfortable position for God knows how long, you closed your mouth and relaxed your body before looking back out the window.

IV.

“What do you mean you can’t dance? I’ve seen you do it all the time.” Hope asks, watching you from her bed as you pace back and forth in her dorm room.

“That’s me flailing my body around like a fool hoping it looks good! I don’t know what I’m actually doing!”

Josie asked you--as a friend--to be her escort for her and Lizzie’s 15th birthday party. You’d only be dancing with her one time, but the problem was that it was supposed to be a waltz and you had absolutely no idea how to do that.

“It’s embarrassing enough that she asked me to be her escort, I don’t wanna embarrass her even more for not knowing how to do a stupid waltz!” Hope rolls her eyes before having enough of your unnecessary freakout.

She gets up from her bed to stop you from pacing, “Y/n. Just relax, okay? You freaking out is freaking me out,” she says, holding onto your shoulders, “I can teach you how to waltz.”

Your body relaxes and a small wave of relief hits you, “Seriously?”

“What? You think I can’t dance either?” Hope playfully asks, placing her hands on her hips as she tilts her head at you.

“I’ve never seen you do it before,” you argue, getting a small smack to the arm, “Ow! Okay, I’m obviously kidding… sort of,” she smacks you again, making you laugh this time, “Okay, okay. Forreal now, I could really use your help.”

Hope sighs, pretending to have second thoughts because of your teases. You don’t worry too much though because you know she wouldn’t leave you to crash and burn like that... at least you really hope so.

“Give me your hand.” She gives in, fitting one of her hands in yours. You grin as your other hand finds her waist and hers rests on your shoulder, “Make sure you’re relaxed, you wouldn’t want to look stiff as a board while you’re dancing.”

You nod your head, taking in a deep breath as you let your muscles relax.

“Also, always have your eyes on your partner. You’re more likely to be tripping on their feet if you keep looking down.”

“That shouldn’t be too hard.” You say without meaning for it to leave your head. Hope bows her head for a second to hide the redness appearing on her cheeks.

After composing herself, Hope looks back up at you, “First, step forward with your left,” you follow her movements smoothly, “Step sideways to the right,” your right foot steps out, “Close your feet together, then step back with your right,” you glance down at your feet for a second which was your first mistake.

You slightly stumbled, but caught yourself when you put your feet back together.

Hope chuckles, “What did I tell you?”

“Hey, now cut me a little slack. I was doing pretty good for a second there,” you defend yourself before repositioning your feet, “What’s next?”

“Step to the left, bring your feet together, then repeat it all over again but a little faster. You’re going to want to count one-two-three in your head to stay in rhythm,” you raise an inquisitive eyebrow, making her smile, “Okay, I’ll count out loud and you repeat the moves we just finished learning. Does that sound good?”

You nod quickly, then she takes her step back and you follow, remembering what she taught you. Forward, right, together. Back, left, together. Forward, right, together. Back, left, together. The longer you two went on, the quicker you picked up on the moves and the more comfortable you felt.

Eventually, you felt that you didn’t need to keep dancing with Hope, but it was hard not to keep going when you have the most beautiful girl in your arms right now.

“Stop looking so smug.” Hope says, noticing the smile that appeared on your face. Even though she stopped counting, the two of you continued to flow around her room gracefully.

“I’m waltzing with the big and bad tribrid. How can I not be smug?”

It’s Hope’s turn to smile, but she gives you a playful eyeroll to counter the fact that she was enjoying this, “If you tell anyone I did this for you, you’re dead.”

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dare let anyone know you’re an actual decent person, Hope Mikaelson. It’ll be our little secret.” You wink at her, making her cheeks even redder. She moves her mouth to one side of her face to keep herself from smiling any wider.

It made your heart flutter, seeing how comfortable she was around you. You got to see the vulnerable side of her that she rarely ever showed to anyone else at the school. It’s the small moments like this that you knew you'd keep in your heart forever.

this one is more of a flashback situation in comparison to parts 1 and 2 and there’s some more happy moments since the first 2 were a little more angsty lol part 4 coming soon!

taglist: @chicken-wang09 @trikruismybitch @sodangtired

#hope mikaelson #hope mikaelson x reader #hope mikaelson imagine #legacies imagine #legacies x reader #legacies cw #legacies

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eleanorfenyxwrites · 3 years

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((Just under 2k of grieving Dad!Wangji))

(Part 1) (Part 2)

———

Demon Subdue Palace.

Wangji can't help but feel his features soften as he looks up at the cracked and weather-worn characters carved into the stone above the door. His Wei Ying had so proudly told him the joke behind his continuing to call it such, but even then - and especially now - the words clawed at Wangji's heart. The idea that anyone would think of Wei Ying as a demon is...painful. The fact that they did so, and Wei Ying knew they did so, simply because he'd dared to help innocent people whose survival didn't benefit the shifting politics after the Sunshot Campaign is nearly unbearable.

And he knows he played a part in it.

Wangji takes a deep breath in to steady himself before stepping forward, placing one foot slowly in front of the other until he's inside. He stops again once he's out of the wind and he lets his eyes adjust to the dimmer lighting inside. Everything is as he last saw it, only perhaps with a thicker coating of the ever-present dust that pervades the air now that the Wen remnants no longer tills the field to try to grow their turnips in the harsh soil.

He starts wandering through it slowly, dragging his fingertips along the surfaces of tables and along the foot of Wei Ying's bed, the grass mat covering the stone perhaps a bit moth-eaten and in desperate need of a cleaning but still mostly sound, and precisely how he'd left it. Everything is where it had been left, no animals would ever come this far into the Burial Mounds to search for the remains of any food.

Further inside, Wei Ying's work area is full of half-finished inventions and scraps of paper with half-drawn talismans. More talismans litter the floor and Wangji looks at them for a moment before sinking to his knees in the midst of them. He allows himself precisely five breaths to mourn, and then he settles in with his guqin.

‘Wei Ying?’

The strings stay silent, but that doesn't stop Wangji from feeling Wei Ying's presence everywhere around him. He knows it's not really him, but he can't ever be immune to the ache of seeing the last place Wei Ying had left the marks of his daily life, seeing the touch of his hand in every possible place, the evidence of his presence in all the untidy incidentals of a man who lived alone with nobody to impress.

Once he would've been irritated by the evidences of Wei Ying's carelessness with the parts of his life he deemed unimportant, but now? Wangji feels tears spring to his eyes to see the rocks holding down haphazard stacks of papers, the used bowls scattered over a different table clear of inventions, the beginnings of a wooden toy being carved.

The toy gives him pause and after a moment Wangji reaches out to touch it, lifting it after a moment's debate with reverent hands. It fits snugly into his palm and as he turns it he can see the early shapes of a rounded back and long ears laid back over it, a little tufted tail at the other end...He has to stop and tip his head back to breathe.

Wei Ying was carving a rabbit toy for A-Yuan, and Wangji can't breathe. He gently sets the rabbit down again where he'd found it and he stands after storing his guqin back in the pouch in his sleeve. He means to leave, but the sight of Wei Ying's bed captures his attention and he can't help but wander towards it. He brushes a reverent hand along the worn woven grass, feels the sharp ends of loose straw beneath it that can't quite be softened by the thin mat, both weak attempts to soften the stone slab underneath. The bundle of straw he used as a pillow is still in its place, though now full of dust. The plants hanging haphazardly from the ceiling have grown over the last few years and now wind along the floor and down the walls and Wangji is irrationally angry that they have had a chance to thrive while Wei Ying went to his death.

He sits down on the edge of the bed and after a moment he lays down slowly, stretching himself out on the structure and closing his eyes as he rests on the straw, his hands folded on his chest and Bichen at his side. He breathes slowly and listens to the wind howling through the barren trees outside, the sound dimmed and softened by the stone around him.

After an indeterminate amount of time he opens his eyes again and is surprised to find that the ceiling has gone dark above him, the sun having set behind the mountain. Outside the door the world is bathed in soft lavender twilight and Wangji waves towards the candles piled up in the crevices in the rocks around him to light them all with a flicker of energy, and the light suffuses the room with a warm glow.

It strangely feels less empty like this with the soft firelight and Wangji lies there a while longer, in no hurry to move onto the next disappointment in his search for the man he loves.

As tempting as it is to stay there forever in the hopes that Wei Ying will come back to him, he knows it's not feasible. Fist of all, he's relatively confident that only someone as incredible as Wei Ying could be the one to make the Burial Mounds livable. Second of all, he's already been gone for too long, and coming here was his last-ditch effort for this round. He's been chasing rumors and rumors of rumors for two months now, and he's still no closer to an answer than when he'd begun.

He misses his son. He misses the feeling of A-Yuan in his lap while he plays his guqin or, occasionally, while they eat dinner together. He misses singing to him and holding his hand while they walk down to the field in the back hill full of the rabbits that Wangji will always think of his and Wei Ying's. He wants to go home, he just wishes that he could do so with Wei Ying in tow.

He looks around the cave once more and then stands to head further inside, his footsteps still slow and easy as he looks around at the life Wei Ying left behind. There's not much to it and it certainly couldn't have been comfortable, but Wangji knows that had he been given the option, Wei Ying would've lived like this for the rest of his life if it meant he was going to get to keep the remaining members of the Wen Sect safe and as happy as they could be under the circumstances.

He wanders until the ghosts of his memories are too much to handle and then he retires, and as always he dreams of Wei Ying.

———

"Father!"

Wangji can't help but smile softly as A-Yuan throws himself into his arms, all thoughts of manners forgotten. The Elders watching and educating the children in the Children's Hall are clearly disapproving of the allowance of his poor behavior, but Wangji can't think of a reason to correct him. His son is happy to see him and is responding as children do, there's nothing wrong with that. He glares at them as he holds A-Yuan close and he's relieved when they break first, looking away and returning their attention to the other children to let him greet his son in peace.

"Missed you," he says quietly once he's knelt down to A-Yuan's height and he's rewarded with a beaming smile and a tight hug around his neck.

"Missed you too, father," A-Yuan mumbles and Wangji holds him a little more tightly.

Returning home is bittersweet without Wei Ying, but he knows he won't leave again for a while. Being away from A-Yuan was too difficult, and traveling alone in search of Wei Ying too heartbreaking. He needed a rest, he needed to be home.

"No more lessons today," he says decisively as he scoops A-Yuan into his arms and bows to the Elders watching the children. They know better than to argue, and Wangji stays only long enough for A-Yuan to wave goodbye to little Lan Jingyi and then he's whisking his son out the door and through the expanded complex of buildings out towards the back hill.

A-Yuan is still holding onto him and Wangji can feel his fists curling into his hair and he relaxes - as loathe as he is to feel like he's giving up on his love, he can't deny that this is much more preferable than wandering around chasing down a man who - to the public, at least - is nothing but a rumor of a horror story.

"Where did you go?" A-Yuan eventually asks as Wangji carefully makes his way down into the rabbit field.

"Many places."

"Uncle said you want to find someone."

"Mn."

"Who?"

"Someone important to me." A-Yuan is silent for long enough that they make it to the field and are able to sit down in the soft grass, the rabbits immediately hopping closer to investigate, and Wangji helps A-Yuan sit in his lap so that he can then pass him a rabbit to pet.

"Where did your person go?" A-Yuan asks as he pets his rabbit's soft ears and Wangji stays quiet for a long moment to gather his thoughts.

"I don't know," he finally replies when he's been silent for so long that A-Yuan turns to look up at him as if to make sure he hasn't fallen asleep. "He had to leave, but I didn't want him to."

"Oh. He didn't say where?"

"No."

Lan Wangji sits in silence and watches A-Yuan gently pet the rabbit in his lap as he seems to be thinking hard about that, his little mind turning the problem over and over as he tries his best to comprehend how someone could leave without telling where they were going. Since A-Yuan had woken up from the fever, malnutrition, and exhaustion he'd been suffering from when Wangji brought him home he'd been unable to remember a time before he lived in Cloud Recesses. His time in Gusu has been full of nothing but love and care thanks to Xichen and Wangji - and everyone else, of course, because nobody can resist loving A-Yuan - so the concept of true, genuine loss is foreign to him. Something which Wangji is immensely grateful for, seeing as the child actually has plenty of losses to mourn for if he only knew it.

"Father?"

"A-Yuan."

"I won't ever leave."

Wangji's heart clenches in his chest and he takes a deep breath in before looking down to meet A-Yuan's wide, dark eyes as the boy looks up at him. He smiles softly, just the slightest hints at the corners of his mouth, but A-Yuan is his son and he knows how to read him as well as Xichen or Wei Ying and he offers his own grin in response - the sort of happy, carefree grin that Wangji can't remember ever wearing on his own face, or seeing on the faces of the people he loved as a child.

Things are changing in Cloud Recesses, and despite the pushback from the elders - or perhaps because of it - Wangji is sure that it's for the better.

"Thank you, A-Yuan."

#the untamed fanfic #wangxian #lan sizhui #lan Wangji #a bit of grieving dad!wangji for your soft angsty needs

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raven-wraith · 3 years

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This is Actually a Completely Subjective List Written in a Completely Objective Voice, so I’m not Wrong, Y’all just had a Bad Year: A Look at the Best Titles of 2020 A.D.

By Orova

I feel like a recap or an intro that encompasses the past year will be redundant to both the reader and the writer, so I just won’t. Instead, I’ll just say that due to circumstances provided by 2020, I had a lot of time to just shut up and play games. And games did I play. I played a lot of good games[1]. I played a lot of bad games[2]. I bought the newest games that came out[3] and I went back down memory lane with some classics[4]. But at the end of every day, I was completely satisfied with how I spent my time and did what I wanted. So this is a list of the games that surpassed satisfaction, pushed the bar higher, and made me reconsider what a truly great game can be in 2020.

The Last Of Us Part II

This game is a beautiful work of art and storytelling. If gripping gameplay is what you came for, then you’ll be staying for the story. Naughty Dog continues to come out with games that push current gen Playstations to astronomical heights, making that hardware and software work overtime to get a game that becomes so overwhelmingly tangible that it cause the player to stop. The Last of Us Part II is no exception to this rule. So often does this game take lefts and rights when you expect it to go straight that it is absolutely insane how much ground it truly covers. Sneaking about before getting into claustrophobic gunfights feels smooth and natural, the new mechanics and enemies are unique, and while the non-linear parts can overstay their welcome at times, the game is long enough for them to not fill in empty space.

When I first played this, I was with my girlfriend for the whole journey and at the end, I didn’t feel quite as fulfilled as I thought I should’ve from the sequel to one of the greatest games I’ve ever played. It wasn’t until I returned on a higher difficulty did I find just how much this game has to offer, making the story all the more powerful as every fight truly felt like my last and every enemy made me rethink my choices and decision making and every arrow I fired and molotov I threw felt a nice weight to it that I have to emphasize once more. This game is a beautiful work of art and storytelling as the gameplay speaks for itself before anything else.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

To those that actually care, I reviewed this game when it came out[5] and I was shocked to find how many people didn’t appreciate it as much as I did. Final Fantasy VII is one of the most influential titles of my life that being able to see Cloud’s hair rendered so cleanly in this dystopian futuristic gothic fantasy world was a miracle in my eyes. A dream come true. The action comes in spades with enough sword fighting and magic to make Power Rangers to look like a fucking picnic.

The graphical design of the game, the direction of animation, and the cunning take on a lot of depth we never got to see so early on makes me very excited for future titles to come. There are some downsides, lots involving the side quests and voice acting, but that is just some of its downsides to look past to find the content at its core. Shooting moonbeams out of your greatsword at stormtroopers while in chase on a motorcycle. Take down a tyrannical oil monger as an eco-terrorist. Find cats for a little girl. Is this a Bioshock? No. But is it a game I keep trying to remind myself to not replay? Yes.

Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remake

Superman by Goldfinger played and my sister laughed as she watched me cry. This game brought tears to my eyes, literally. As I got to relive sitting in my grandma’s basement, I was propelled to complete absolutely everything I wanted to do. This game was a complete package and its delivery was spot on with what a remake should be. A collection on a past game with quality of life improvements, enhanced handling and accessibility, and a software overhaul.

The game is simple. Complete challenges, unlock drip, flex on your friends. Usually in that order. But it is finally that simplicity in a new game that makes it such a good title. We wanted the game we knew and loved and they promised that. Nothing more, nothing less, it is exactly what we got. A new soundtrack, updated graphics, and nostalgia not most can achieve is a massive point to play this game.

Huntdown

Contra meets Kung Fury. Why the fuck have you not grabbed a friend and played this masterpiece yet. I mean seriously. If you’ve got a roommate or SO or friend with nothing going on tonight, play this shit. It’s great. Moving on.

Mortal Shell

I would like to address the fact that, yes, this is a souls-like and it isn’t exactly the most friendly game because of it. However, this game came out of fucking nowhere and blew me on my ass. Going back to delivering on a promise, these guys crafted an unforgiving title with little to no hand holding to show that this-THIS[6]-is how you make a souls-like. It is balls to the walls skill based combat where the player has to use what little tools they have to overcome a myriad of enemies. Progress is possible only through rewards and items, meaning there is no grinding or farming, just straight gameplay.

This is a game where I paid half the price for a full game and got, while a shorter title, the enjoyment from a full priced AAA game. It takes no time to complete when the “click” happens and it is a fun, fulfilling title the whole time. There are some incredibly unique mechanics that forced me to break my souls brain and for that, it just makes the experience far more personal. If you aren’t weak hearted, I cannot recommend Mortal Shell enough.

Doom Eternal

When Doom Eternal dropped, my sister was playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons. After we both went into respective video game comas from it, we dubbed March 20th Doom Crossing Day. Doom is Doom. Nothing more to say past that honestly, but I will continue my rambling cause I know it’s what you all want anyway.

These guys keep cranking the intensity knob higher and higher. With Doom 2016 these guys said, “Hey, what if we gave the best first person shooter that requires no thinking whatsoever to completely obliterate enemies and zoom around the map at breakneck speeds?” With Eternal, the guys said, “Hey, what if we did what we did for 2016 except this time, we actually have the everyone (enemies and the player) move faster, hit harder, and actually require them to think?” With that, the gore orgy of Doom Eternal was born. Still very much a fast paced shooter with some extra content to fill the pockets of completionists, it delivers in fucking truckloads exactly what it wants from the player. To let loose and fucking floor every hellish abomination in their path.

And the soundtrack, while a sad story, is still one of the best things to listen to in gaming and probably the world.

Darkwood

The only thing that made me stop to consider buying this game was how reliant on a crafting system it seemed. I hate games that force crafting. I don’t know why, so I won’t elaborate. But, done with The Last of Us Part II and needing a survival horror itch to scratch, I sucked it up and bought it. After all, being an indie title for a genre I admire more than most, it couldn’t have been a terrible waste of time. That was probably the single best decision I made during the last year and Darkwood is not lost on me in that sense.

The fact that Darkwood has not only exposed the horizon of top-down horror, but it has experimented and perfected its use for the camera angle is astounding. The atmosphere rides on that perspective and, between the short days of scavenging and talking to the few NPCs you meet to the long nights crouched in the corner of your (un)safe haven, it is never lost. It’s a game where you constantly hear your heart in your ears. The combat can be sloppy at times but the story is one of a kind and its execution is phenomenal. If you are a fan of horror games or roguelikes, I cannot tell you enough. Get Darkwood.

Deep Rock Galactic

After lots of thoughtful consideration, I have deemed this the number one title of 2020. Not only did it keep me and my friends together and in touch during the hard times, it is a shooter that I support with my whole body. You and your friends play as a team of drunk space dwarves, tasked with a mission that sends you deep into a spider-infested planet, where you will have to use your class sets to fight, plunder, and escape the hostile environment.

With PvE at its core and ridiculousness as its foundation, Deep Rock Galactic is a masterpiece of cooperative shooting and procedurally generated dungeon crawling. Blending class play from Team Fortress 2 with unexpected and differing missions from Darkest Dungeon, one will find this lighthearted shooter is an easy, accessible title. With a hint of Risk of Rain to complete its graphics, the game is above all fun. That’s right. It. Is. Just. Fun. Shoot a spider that launches fireballs from its mouth, drink beer that teleports you into the farthest reaches of space, get rich off of gold veins while your team calls you greedy, dye your beard purple, and Rock and Stone in this amazing fusion of PvE and dungeon crawling.

Thank you for coming. There will be no score. It is simply a list where I feel those that need some new titles after the biggest disappointment of them all[7] should find some great titles in here for themselves. Have a safe next year and be patient. Patience is what will reward you. Practice is what humbles you. Hesitation is defeat. Toodles.

[1] Ghostrunner

[2] Hellpoint

[3] Mafia: Definitive Edition

[4] Silent Hill 3

[5] 9/10

[6] Not you Hellpoint

[7] Cyberpunk 2077 but I mean, we all saw this coming. I had to put it in here somewhere.

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mirohed · 5 years

Text

kim seunghun | love me, love me not

pairing: kim seunghun + gender neutral reader

wc: 3.7k

genre: hanahaki au + angst

synopsis: daffodils represent unrequited love. is that why you keep coughing them up?

warnings: implications of suggestive content, descriptions of illness (and mention of surgery), mention of alcohol

playlist: love me, love me not.

a/n: happy birthday to me!! im glad i finally got to finish and post this (its,,, been in my wips since at least february LMAO) !! they prob wont read this but i wanted to thank my irls for dealing w me and my kpop bullshit (esp bc none of them stan ygtb 😔)

It's getting worse.

Your knuckles turn white, gripping the porcelain of the toilet. Tears and blood alike fall into the bowl, disturbing the gentle peace of the water. You pound at your chest, the action causing you to hack up yellow daffodil petals stained suspicious red. It's a monotonous process at this point. Pound. Cough. Pound. Cough. Repeat until the damned coughing stops.

It takes ten minutes before you return to normal. Or at least as normal as you can get. You got lucky this time.

You watch the petals spiral downward into the gaping hole in the toilet and get flushed away.

Being with Seunghun wasn't always accompanied by a tightness in your chest and petals tickling your throat.

june 19, 2005; 2:52 PM.

"I wanna grow up," you had grumbled, your hands squeezed around the chains of the swingset. You and Seunghun had been riding your bikes for the first time since getting the training wheels off. You had sped down a hill ("First one down’s a rotten egg!") and lost control, falling off and scraping your knee on the pavement. He rushed you to your parents' house, supporting your weight with an arm around your waist. The two of you had settled for playing on the swingset in your backyard instead.

"Me too," he said. "I think." He'd been rocking forward and backward on the swing, eyes focused on the blades of grass underfoot.

"You think?"

"I don't know." You stayed silent, trying to gain as much height as possible with your uninjured leg. "I don't wanna grow up and stop being friends." That got you to stop right in your tracks, your leg planted on the ground.

"What?" You sent an incredulous look his way. "Why would we stop being friends?"

He had let go of the swing, his hands finding his lap. "Some of the older kids stopped being friends when they grew up," he mumbled. "I don't wanna stop being friends, but neither did they..."

You got off the swing, limping over to him and wrapping Seunghun in the biggest hug your six-year-old arms could muster.

"We're gonna be best friends forever. Don't forget that."

"Best friends forever." If he wrapped his arms tighter around you then, you didn’t pick up on it.

[09:54 PM] huniebee🐝: i had fun today :^))

[09:54 PM] huniebee🐝: i wanna adopt a puppy!!

[09:55 PM] huniebee🐝: will you promise to help me take care of it

You brighten as the messages come in, your phone's vibrations distracting you from the way your throat clogs.

[09:56 PM] you: ofc

[09:56 PM] you: well be the best puppy parents the worlds ever seen

[09:57 PM] huniebee🐝: wait i need to send the pics from the pet shelter

[Attachment: 8 images]

You save each picture, cooing over the puppies you got to meet. This time, you only get a precious few minutes of relative clarity before things get too distracting to ignore. You return to the bathroom with a resigned sigh that devolves into a fit of coughs.

You cough and retch and cough some more. By the time you're done, there are less petals and more blood in the toilet bowl. Your chest still feels full of something you can't quite spit out.

Then you hack up something new: a bloody stem with wet flowers still attached.

There's nothing left to do but cry, your whole body wracked with pain both physical and emotional.

august 29, 2011; 3:15 PM.

"Today was fun," you said, making yourself right at home on Seunghun's bed. Your new backpack hadn't lasted more than a couple minutes in his house before getting neglected on his carpet. Your best friend hummed in acknowledgement, already sitting at his desk with his workbook out. "I'm glad we got to meet some new people," you continued, "but that Hyunsuk guy? Seems like a major pain in the ass."

"Give him a chance."

"I know, I know. I will. But still," you huffed, “it was his first day too. No need to act like a know-it-all."

"I know. But it's the first day. Maybe he'll even himself out with time."

The conversation ended there, and you spent some time staring at his ceiling fan, the blades going round and round in a big, beautiful blur. Before long, you had grown bored, looking over at him only to see his pencil flying across the paper.

"Hey. Let's go to the mall and get pretzels." Seunghun spun around to face you, a foot stopping his chair from going too far.

"Sure," he gave a placid smile. "Do your work first."

You groaned as loudly as you could, sounding much like a petulant child straight out of elementary school. (Which was more or less the truth, but you thought you were better than that.) After a few minutes of uninterrupted whining and failing to get Seunghun to break, you spoke up. "Why do I need to do my work? You're Mr. Hardworking, Mr. Teacher's Pet."

"We're in middle school now," he had said, and you remember thinking you were in for a long lecture, "and pretty soon, we're gonna have to go to high school and take entrance exams and decide which university we want to go to and..." He averted his gaze, put down his pen. "We need to start growing up."

"We're still young," you reasoned, sitting up and letting your legs dangle off the side of his bed. "If anything, this is our time to experience things and, you know, make mistakes before we become adults!"

He was silent for a few long, agonizing moments, long enough to make you think you'd won. The pretzels were within reach; all you had to do was ask for them.

"I call a compromise."

Shit. Compromises were common in your friendship. Seunghun was always a little too good at stopping you from making stupid decisions. The worst part was that you could never argue with them. "We go to the mall to get pretzels—my treat—if, and only if, you do your work. We don't go until we're both finished. Deal?"

You opened your mouth, determined to pick the proposal apart, but his reasoning was (unpleasant, yet) bulletproof. Instead, you reached for your backpack with a heavy sigh. "First of all, fuck you. Second of all," you said, tugging your own workbook out, "you're impossible."

"I know. Do your work."

"Fine."

The math problems had been difficult, definitely harder than you were used to, but doable. If anything, the greasy mall pretzels that were way too salty to be healthy made it all worth it.

Seunghun gets understandably very worried when you text him from the hospital, but he comes to see you nonetheless. In his arms is a bouquet of daffodils.

"They symbolize friendship," he says, setting it down on the table next to you. You stare at the pristine yellow petals and flatten your lips in a tight smile. How ironic, you think, that he doesn't know they also symbolize unrequited love.

"The doctors wouldn't tell me why you're here. Classified information, they said." That much is true; nor much is known about the disease outside of shitty romance movies with unrealistically happy endings. Seunghun always believed in them. You never did.

You don't think your story's gonna have a happy ending.

You didn't want him to know anyway, lest he worry. (And you don't want to think about what would happen to your friendship if he found out he was the cause of it all.) "You don't have to tell me," he begins, sitting himself down on one of those rigid hospital chairs, "I just wanna know if it's bad. Like, well...you know.” He lowers his voice to a whisper. “Terminal."

"Like if I'm gonna die?"

"Yeah," he rubs the nape of his neck, a bit abashed, "more or less."

"I don't know. Sure hope not," you chuckle. That brings on a coughing fit, and Seunghun looks on, brows knit together. He moves close to offer what little comfort he can, but you hold your hand up to stop him; having him near will only make things worse.

Petals threaten to spill out of your mouth, and panic bubbles in your chest when he asks if you're okay. Your doctor, bless her, chooses that moment to enter. She shooes him out "to speak to you in private." Seunghun, to his credit, obliges and flashes you a smile and a thumbs-up as he goes. You try to mirror his expression (and hope your smile isn't more of a grimace).

The door closes behind him with a soft click. "Friend of yours?" the doctor asks.

You spit the blood-stained petals into your hand, your doctor graciously looking the other way as you toss them into the trash. "You could say that."

october 4, 2013; 5:11 PM.

You tugged at your clothing, feeling more than a little uncomfortable as you waited for your best friend to show up. The DJ, a former student, was already hard at work inside the gym. You heard the bass-boosted beginning of the Cupid Shuffle and shot a frantic text to Seunghun.

[05:11 PM] you: holy shit theyre playing the cupid shuffle can you PLEASE hurry up

[05:12 PM] you: idc if this is our first homecoming you better get your ass over here

[05:12 PM] huniebee🐝: give me like two minutes!!

[05:12 PM] you: THE SONGS GONNA BE OVER IN 2 MIN

"Are you waiting for Seunghun?" Hyunsuk had asked, tie already loosened. You two had gotten close—not as close as you and Seunghun, of course—this year as a result of having classes together. You wondered why you ever hated him.

"Yeah. He won't be too late, thank God, but I'm pissed we're missing the Cupid Shuffle. What about you? I remember you bragging all week about 'flexing your dance skills in front of the ladies.' Or are you all talk, as usual?"

"You know, it's almost like you don't want me to wait with you."

You had laughed, knocking your shoulder into his. The chatter kept up for a minute or two before he made his leave. ("Well, it's time for me to flex my dance muscles in front of the seniors," he chuckled, giving you a salute as he walked off.)

"I'm here! God, I can't believe I missed the Cupid Shuffle," Seunghun said, head hung low. You began to feel a little self-conscious; you were feeling out of place in your semi-formal outfit, yet he looked right at home in his dress shirt.

Chasing those thoughts away, you grinned. "You're here now, aren't you? Come on." You took his hand and dragged him into the gym.

You don't talk to Seunghun or to Hyunsuk after that. You're not sure if you should tell Hyunsuk about the whole situation when he texts you. Seunghun must have told him something was up, of course, and he's insightful enough, sensitive enough (when he wants to be), but you worry. You're afraid he'll open his big mouth. Instead, you send a few messages to your best friend.

[04:29 AM] you: hey

[04:29 AM] you: i just wanted to say in advance that im sorry

[04:29 AM] you: im so so sorry for everything ive done and for what im about to do

There's one last message in the text box, daring you to send it. "I'm sorry I love you," you whisper instead, deleting the message before you do something you’ll regret. To seal the deal, you tap through a few menus until you reach his contact. The picture you've assigned to him is one you took; he's about to take a big bite of cotton candy bigger than his head.

With a heavy heart (though you hope it’s just the weight of the daffodils in your chest), you block his contact. It's better this way. It has to be.

Your doctor said you could get rid of the thick, thorned vines with a vicegrip around your heart and lungs, could pluck the flowers that threaten to spill out at the mere thought of your best friend.

The biggest side effect of it all, she told you, was that you'd forget all about Kim Seunghun. So you steel yourself.

The last thing you think about before they insert the thin needle of anesthesia in your veins is Seunghun's smile, and how you'll never see it in person again.

And how even if you did, you wouldn't remember it as the grin from the boy you love.

october 4, 2013; 9:16 PM.

The frenetic strobe lighting in the gym slowed to a stop, having been replaced with a spotlight making lazy rounds through the gym.

You knew that marked the beginning of a slow song, and dragged Seunghun off the floor in search of some punch. He seemed to have different plans, tugging you back on the floor and pulling you flush against him.

"Where are you going?" he had asked. "You're the one who wanted to dance the night away." His hands found your waist, yours instinctively folding behind his neck. You had wanted to say something about how that claim was void now; he was the one that made you miss the Cupid Shuffle, but the words get extinguished when you look at him.

It was just like that time you practiced in fifth grade, but you swore there was something different about tonight and the way you swayed. You thought back to your practice session in fifth grade, how you had stepped on each other's feet, how you spent the whole time laughing. (For the record, it wasn't for any lack of balance; you started it, laughing as he cried out before he stomped on your toe.)

There was no laughing during the song. Everything was vibrant and deafening and there all at once. But at the same time, it was like everything had been stripped away. Everything but you and Seunghun.

Things changed after that. You were left with a dizzying, free-fall sort of feeling that picked up with each glance at your best friend. Almost every butterfly in the world was taking current residency in your stomach, making you feel light as your body moved to the music. Before long, there was something lodged at the back of your throat, nudging its way forward.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom real quick," you said, a particularly heavy cough bringing the mysterious lump to your mouth.

Running your tongue along the smooth texture of the lump (okay, so not phlegm), you spat the offending object into the sink: a single yellow petal, coated in saliva.

You blinked.

Blinked again.

"Oh, what the fuck," you muttered, unlocking your phone. One quick Google search later—why the fuck am i coughing up flowers—you found an answer.

Flora mortem. You were loath to believe WebMD, of all things, but you found yourself tapping the link regardless. There was another term for the rare disease: Hanahaki.

Revising your search query was a mistake. The first result was the "hanahaki" tag on Tumblr, which showed nothing but models with tears in their eyes and bloodied flowers in their mouths. Yikes.

You made your way back to the party after that, but lingering in the back of your mind was the cause of the disease: a severe case of unrequited love.

There is only one definite cure for Hanahaki Disease: having the object of the afflicted's affections return their feelings.

You almost manage to purge the petal and the stupid WebMD page from your mind for the rest of the night.

Almost.

You wake up hours later. It's a little disorienting, sure, to come to with little memory of what landed you in the hospital. You peek under the oversized hospital gown to see bandages over your chest, get tempted to rip the IV drip from your arm. The doctor comes in right before you make a move on the needle. She tells you all about how the flowers in your lungs are gone for good.

"You're saved. But the final test," she says, pulling a phone from her pocket, "is this. Do you recognize the people in this picture?"

You recognize yourself next to a boy you don't know. His hand's around your waist, pulling you close. You wear matching grins. Given the way you're both dressed, you suspect the picture's from your freshman year's homecoming dance. Weird. Memory's kinda fuzzy from that night.

"Yeah. Myself. I don't know the other guy. Am I supposed to?"

"No. You're not. Congratulations," she smiles, placing a hand on your shoulder. "You're cured."

You look through all the old messages and pictures when you have some time to yourself. You reach out for the memory, the feeling of knowing Kim Seunghun. You get nothing, and while your brain knows something's wrong, you're more concerned about being able to breathe easy.

You move to a new city, far, far away from the place you grew up in. You finish your last year of high school, get a job, start college. You make new memories with new people. You forget all about Kim Seunghun.

It gets easy to forget that you weren't born with the ugly faded red scars that run up and down your chest. It's your only remaining tie to the man you loved so much you almost let yourself wither away. You think it's a good thing you cut him off; why stick around, why force yourself to suffer, for someone who doesn't love you back? Why be with someone if it physically hurts to stay by their side?

But sometimes you wonder. What happened? What happened to him after his best friend walked out of his life for good with no explanation?

Those days are never good. You distract yourself then, often with the familiar kick of alcohol burning in the back of your throat. You've never been much of a drinker, but you figure it's never too late to start.

Sometimes, the distraction comes from being in the arms of another.

(One of your favorite distractions, a young man named Byounggon, had run his fingers along the angry lines one night, jotting them down in his map of your body.

"Do you regret it?" he asked then, eyes half-lidded with drowsiness. You cupped his cheek, ran a thumb along the planes of his face.

"I wouldn't be here if I regretted it, now would I?" He let the corners of his mouth turn up just so, pressing his lips to yours.

You don't talk to him much nowadays, your interactions reduced to likes on Instagram, views on Snapchat. He's moved to a bigger city. "More opportunities," he said. You keep up with his dream of being a musician, always. There was a time when you were his number one supporter, after all.)

"Will that be all?" the cashier asks, jotting your order on the plastic cup. When you nod, he asks for your name. He jots that down too.

But then his eyes widen and he looks at you with renewed interest. "I'm sorry?"

"Is there a problem?" you asks, peering at your name (spelled correctly) on the cup. His eyes search for an answer within yours, some sort of explanation you can't seem to give. He averts his gaze, shakes his head, places your cup in the queue of orders.

"I'm sorry," he says. "Just thought you were someone I knew. Have a nice day." You parrot the phrase, catching a glimpse of the young man's name tag.

Seunghun, it reads in cheerful yellow. There's a doodle of a puppy in the top right corner. You think it's rather cute.

Two weeks later, you meet Seunghun again. This time, you're out for a morning jog. The crisp autumn air greets you as your feet meet the pavement and let out a satisfactory crunch under the burnt orange leaves on the sidewalk.

You both get stopped at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to change. While you catch your breath, you don't miss the way he flinches, as though he didn't expect you to show up. He schools his expression into something friendly within no time, and you wonder if you imagined the whole thing.

"The weather's nice, isn't it?"

"It is," you pant. "On your way to work?" He raises a hand to tug at the strap of his backpack with a small smile.

"Yeah. You should come by, give us business," he grins. "On mornings like this, I recommend the hazelnut latte." You hum in agreement, not yet recovered enough to converse. "Tell you what, you come and get one when I'm working, I'll make sure it's on the house."

"Really? Maybe I'll swing by." The light changes, and you leave Seunghun behind, waving goodbye as you do.

You come in later that day, ordering a hazelnut latte as promised. Seunghun's manning the register, same as two weeks ago, and when he takes everything down, he smiles. You miss it as you pay, but there's something extra on your cup.

As you take a sip of the (delicious; his coworker Yedam must be some sort of brewing prodigy) latte, you catch a glimpse of the extra writing.

Along the side of the cup is his phone number.

[10:58 PM] seunghun!: more than anything i want to adopt a puppy

[10:59 PM] seunghun!: or rather another one

[10:59 PM] seunghun!: i named this one after an old friend

[Attachment: 1 image]

The picture of Seunghun and his dog brings a smile to your face. You've been spending more time with him recently, whether it be going on coffee runs ("Are you sure you're not just using me for my employee discount?") or complaining about life as a broke college student ("My card got declined trying to buy a bag of chips last night...").

It's nice. Spending time with him is...nice.

It's more than a simple distraction, somebody to hold close on nights your decisions try to haunt you. It’s friendship, something to hold onto when you lose your way in the dense forest of your mind and to cherish when you manage to make it to a clearing and bask in the sunshine.

You've caught a cold recently (probably from that bastard Seo Changbin in your communications class). Seunghun's given you some homemade tea, swearing on its usefulness. It certainly tastes good, the sweet honey chased by tangy lemon. Unfortunately, the tea isn't able to stop the persistent cough you've been plagued with.

Feeling phlegm start to come up, you turn the bathroom lights on, hacking it up and spitting into the sink.

Huh. That's weird.

There's no phlegm.

The only thing in the sink is a single golden petal, coated in saliva.

#seunghun scenario #seunghun imagine #seunghun angst #kim seunghun scenario #kim seunghun imagine #kim seunghun angst #ygtb scenario #ygtb imagine #ygtb fluff #yg treasure box scenario #yg treasure box imagine #yg treasure box angst #seunghun #ygtb #ari.doc #ariweek 2019 #c9boyz

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everpantherr · 5 years

Text

Loved and lost. Pt 1.

Now before you cry guys everyone assume that Everett did survive the snap but my honest I hope he turned into dust like not a bad thing I want him to be kept good looking for T'challa so they can be together..and be in more marvel movies but this story he stayed behind :'(

Warnings: none

Mentions mpreg,

Official post to wattpad.

Artist: BIM

The story will go on to the characters pov and parts of narrator.

He remembered it was like yesterday when Shuri and okoye told him the breaking news and that the half of the population were gone..

It was two years since the snap happened and it was really hard for Everett because T'challa didn't survived and Everett fell into deep depression even though he had 3 children that are counting him was hard for him he couldn't decide if stay in wakanda to help Shuri the queen and help wakanda expand or go back to the USA and go back to help people who did survive.

He made a decision.

He decided to leave his baby's in wakanda with Shuri and Ramonda it was safe and the best for them while he does help in the America,he wasn't sure when he able to see them again

But it was for the best

He was getting to leave on his plane but he stop and give kisses to his kids

"Dada" his youngest son martin said as he give kiss on his forehead he teared up

"Martin.. I love you so much" he sniffed as T'chara and T'chaka came hubble over and hugged his arms

He kissed them both and rubbed T'chara cheeks

"Just like your father.. T'chara please take of your brothers while I'm gone ok?" T'chara just giggled as Everett smiled

He pick them both up ( he had lessons )

And brought them to there play rooms as he requested a Dora to watch them over

"Tell Shuri to look after them..."

"But consort-"

"I gotta go help back in the America it's safe for them to be here then the city I should be back in a few months..and also I'm no longer royal, my baby's are but now you have queen Shuri so respect that" Everett said as he grab his bag and headed off to America.

Not even a day that he was already crying and missing his kids but he had to stay strong and help the people.

After 3 months he came to wakanda he was hurting because he thought that his children won't recognize him he was done putting the gone list and the survival papers and send them around the world for the people and help the foods and etc it wasn't easy but he did, got it done

"Daddy!" They both scream and pulling him to the ground

"I missed you guys" Everett tears up as he hugs them both and kissing them

"Yeah know colonizer I should beat you up for leaving me to be the mother of YOUR children" she smiles

"But welcome back"

"Your highness thank you I'm sure I'm staying put this time..." There were sadness in that and Shuri knows it

"We are hurting Everett he was my brother"

"It was hard being out there and it's hard being here too.."

"How about take your boys to the field and get some air" she really didn't want to have more emotion as she has hands full already

"Yeah.. alright"

I grab my blanket and took my kids to a open field to watch them wonder and play

I play with martin as he was only a year old and barley can wonder around

It was peacefully and hearing my kids giggle away playing with there toys

But until I heard a deep voice startled me

"Ahh kitten you are alive"

Everett turns and sees M'baku alive and well

"Heh I could say the same thing to you.. how's your tribe are your people safe?"

"I lost so many especially children and familys"

"I'm sorry.."

"I'm sorry about T'challa... you know he did his best out there he loved you very much Everett just know that."

"Thanks M'baku.. I can't just think about the future how I'm going to tell them what's happened to this world and there papa"

"Don't think about that now kitten there still young you have long ways to tell them that"

"Sorry.. your right I'm just stressed.."

"I complete understand I heard you went back to help in America"

" I did.. it was like being in the air force again, God I'm so lost M'baku" Everett croaked and tears were falling down

"Kitten.. listen you are a strong man who you serves your country you help save wakanda and beinging strong to your boys, your just stressed out and need some rest.. if you want you are more welcome to Jabari and rest there since queen Shuri is busy with wakanda and since your... ahem but aside from that Everett I'm more welcome to open doors for you I know if you head to USA Your kids aren't safe."

"I... i-"

"Don't worry about the cold my tribe has made coats for every children and toddlers for the cold, and I have a hut I barely don't use since I'm busy with my tribe but you are more welcome to use.. just think about it it will take things mind off from the world. I'm not forcing or anything it's somthing to think about"

Everett stay silent has M'baku hold little martin

Everett was thinking about this and M'baku was right he wasn't much needed in wakanda anymore he wasn't sure if he should live here with all the stress that Shuri might put him through and back in the America will be worse so Jabari might just what he needed besides the cold though but it could help him and his kids, drop off the world and start a new life

"You know what.. you're right it might start help with a new life and my kids and besides they might love the snow but how I'm i going to get there with 3 kids? Oh I guess my plane could help.. I still have a job."

M'baku smirks

"Pefect saves me less traveling I'll give you a day to pack if that's fine see you then kitten"

M'baku walks off

"Why does he keep calling me kitten?" Everett mumbles as he packs up his kids and head back to the castle and pack up for the night and put his kids to sleep.

During the night Everett put his kids sleep expect martin he was crying and struggling to sleep

"Ssh... ssh..." rocking him back and forth

The door open and it was M'baku again

"Sorry I walked by and headed your little one crying do you need some help?"

"No.. no.. he's just being stubborn that's *yawn* all.."

"You are tired Everett let me i can help him sleep I promise I won't hurt your baby"

Everett was exhausted and he does trust M'baku since he did offered his home to him

"Ok thanks M'baku" he hands over martin

"Don't mention it just have a seat on the couch I have the rest from here"

Everett sat down on the couch and he eventually fell asleep

By the morning

He was woke up to a blanket around him and seeing martin in his crib sleeping Everett checked the time on his wrist watch and it was still early and have lots of time to pack so that's what he did during all morning

It was around the after noon that Everett packed up in the plane and M'baku came up

"Hey M'baku I can't thank you enough for last night "

"Again don't mention it you almost done?"

"Yes just waiting for my kids to wake up"

After heading to Jabari M'baku showed Everett and his kids to the hut where he was staying and it was cozy warm and roomie

He quickly made a little crib to put martin down and unpack while his toddlers are in playing in the snow already with M'baku he went his room and started un pack when he stumble across his wedding photo of him and T'challa he looked at it one more time until he shoved it down in a drawer to not look at it again as he was starting a new life.

"I'll start the fire for you but then I gotta go back to the tower"

I nodded as he starts the fireplace

"Alright the fire has started there's a market few down a hill for dinner but anyways you should be good to go" M'baku said as he was heading out

"M'baku... thank you"

He just nodded and left

"Well kids its time to a new start life" i smile at them

And Everett did what he did he dropped everything from the world expect his work because he not near to close to retirement even though he's living in Jabari for free but he still serves the America

M'baku helps around me and my kids for months now which i appreciate

But lately I started to feel feelings for him I mean He does bring me wine or beer after our tough days together

But that one night I drank because my son's called M'baku Daddy which I choked my food that dinner night and it through M'baku completely off the table too but laugh so hard

We sit on the he couch as the fire was going and the boys are asleep

M'baku had his arms behind me and I wrapped up in blankets

And I know that the fact he does lik- Love me

Am I started to feel the same thing??

"Are we going to talk about what happened?"

"Everett you are the one letting this happened I mean you let me into your house and let me help around what did you expect"

"N- uh... ahem I guess..." i had no words to that

"Do you want them to call you dad?"

"Do you want them to?"

"I don't know.."

"Look.. M'baku I appreciate what you do for me and my boys but.. after all of this and you being around i.. I started to feel about this-" Everett was interrupted by M'baku putting his hand on his mouth

"I can fix that.." he mumbled and he lean in towards Everett and Everett leaned in and they both connected lips

Everett closed his eyes as this happened he haven't felt a kiss for like Ever to be honest he doesn't even remember when was his last kiss from T'challa but he doesn't want to think about that now

Everett and M'baku stopped And pulled back

"Wow.. heh uhem" Everett was nervous and was turning red

"Haha my god Everett your reacting if it was looking your first time kissing!" He laughs quietly

Everett punches him on the arm

"Shut up its been 2 years M'baku!"

And since that night Everett and M'baku started a relationship but it was slow progress for Everett because he wanted to take things slow since he's new life with his sons were going good

But he still had emotions to T'challa but he had to move on

And eventually there love was strong

And after a few months

On the night of traditional winter blue moon festival

M'baku purpose on the blue night in M'baku palace on the deck were it was beautiful

And Everett said yes

They got married and Everett once again was a royal member

By next year Everett had some shocking news..

He was pregnant with M'baku child.

He had a hard time believing this was this a prank?

But it was true and it wasn't a prank

He can't believe it he was so happy did wanted a big family and he was shocked again by his age but he didn't care and when he told his husband he was filled with joy and happiness and he so happy that his child was going to heir to his Thorne

By M'baku's Jabari health care he told that Everett was going to have twins one boy and one girl

They couldn't be happier

By the time he give birth to his new born son M'baku and Everett named him M'Buka after M'baku great grandfather

After his long rest M'baku had to go wakanda for a meeting and Everett was actually nervous to go back because he moved on from T'challa and married M'baku

But M'baku said that it was going to be fine

But oh boy he was wrong

Queen Romada and shuri, okoye were pissed at Everett and M'baku and growling yelling at Everett for leaving T'challa 'so soon' apparently but Nakia was supportive and understand for Everett

By the year went and Everett was at his office when one the deputy agents came barging in unannounced

"Sir! We have some news! People are reappearing again from the snap!"

"Wait what!?" Everett rushed to the scene and he couldn't believe his eyes

"Get everyone and I mean everyone to work and get around fast! And get the avengers!"

"I gotta get back home!"

Everett landed back in Jabari and rushed to M'baku and his boys

"M'baku!? Honey? Kids???"

"Your highness your husband is helping in the tribe as people are coming back. And your kids are safe in the another room"

"Thank you" He said and ran off to find M'baku.

After the whole incident and things settled down

Everett was getting ready to the market for dinner and he put on his wakadian blanket on and had his vase for water when his son martin and T'chara and T'chaka came running up to him

"Daddy!! Daddy!!"

"What's wrong??"

"Some guy wearing a black suit came up to us claiming that we are his kids and we were scared and trys to claim that he knows you but we ran!" T'chaka cried

I froze as I think who it was..

Can't be..

#blackpanther #everpanther #everett ross #t'challa #everett/t'challa #marvel #M'baku #M'baku/Everett

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kayann9 · 5 years

Text

Distance Part 2

Sorry it has been a while! Hope everyone had a great holiday season. More Parker fluff - the conclusion and make up to part 1. I won’t post now before New Year so I hope everyone has a lovely start to 2019 :) Characters are choices and not mine

Parker X Mc

Tags: @mind-reader1 @mistersinclaire @krish58100

Words: 1,781 Rating: T

“So, you’re just not getting dressed. Ever?”

Elliot clucks at me whilst rummaging for his second favourite shirt. Apparently, it’s my fault that the one with the blue has shrunk even though he definitely pressed the ‘on’ button for that load of laundry. I roll my eyes as he throws piles of similar looking t-shirts onto the bed; all crumpled and wrinkled from not being unpacked when I’d told him to. Although, I suppose, in my current state, I can’t judge him too much. I smooth out my grey joggers, a size too big now thanks to my lack of appetite over the last month, and scrape my hair up again still damp from the shower.

“I am wearing clothes thus dressed.” I give his shoulder a shove out of the way and open the bottom drawer of his dresser. Quickly, I throw the black shirt at him.

“How did you-”

Because you look for things with your eyes closed. That had been mom’s favourite thing to say to Elliot when he lost his shoes, or his bag, or his everything. “I have my ways.” He screws up his nose as he throws it over his t-shirt. “You are going to be late.”

Panic floods his wide eyes as he looks at the clock. “Shit.”

“Elliot!” I snap.

“You curse all the time. I heard you calling the tv an asshole yesterday for not having Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on at scheduled timing.” As if that’s an argument. I’m a grown woman. I glare at him, unwavering and it doesn’t take long for him to break the eye contact. “Fine. Some of us are more equal than others.” He mutters.

“Don’t George Orwell me. When you’re eighteen curse all you like. Now get going Scooter.”

Grabbing his hat, he rolls his eyes and sticks out his tongue. “Fine. But – why don’t you go and-” I cut him off with another glare. I don’t want to go anywhere. “I’ll be home before dark.”

Meeting Robbie hadn’t been the first thing I’d have liked him to do, not after the whole scenario in his basement but, I suppose, he made Elliot happy and at least one of us should have that opportunity. I grab a bagel because bread is my friend. I’d be singing from a different hymn sheet when I couldn’t fit in my dress for Imogen’s creepy initiation ceremony I’d, for some reason, agreed to partake in.

The door goes as I’m about to take my first bite of starchy goodness. Scooter. Probably forgotten to make a snarky comment about something else or perhaps he’s short a few dollars. “Just so you know, I’m not giving you a ride. It’s your fault you’re late.” I call into the kitchen with my mouthful of processed starch.

“Yeah it is kind of my fault.” I almost choke, caught somewhere between panic and the realisation that this had to have been some kind of twisted dream. There is no way Parker Shaw is here; not after our last conversation. After we’d both silently reached the conclusion that we were quietly hoping for different outcomes to this already bad situation. I look up. He’s here. His hair still a mess, face creased, and eyes rimmed in red from tiredness. He shrugs. “Elliot told me to come in. I was going to knock but then-”

I shoot up from the couch, my plate clattering to the floor. “No, no it’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting -”

I look like shit. I look worse than shit. My joggers have a hole in the knee. My shirt is Care Bears. I’m not even wearing a bra. Wonderful. Way to win him back.

With a little smile, he cups my jaw with his hand and for a moment I think he’s going to kiss me. God, I want him o kiss me. His thumb gently runs over the skin and he chuckles gently. “You have a little-” Crumbs. I have a face covered in crumbs.

“Oh. Sorry. I was having-” I don’t even know what meal I’m meant to be eating right now. Three in the afternoon so perhaps a late afternoon snack?

“No.” Parker states firmly. “I mean no. I’m sorry Harper. I’m sorry for the other night.”

Since it happened, since he’d left that night, I’ve played out in my head what I wanted. There are times he apologises and promises he’ll never leave and there are times I’ve sought him out, in my brave imaginary state, to let him know how valid his pain is. None of them included me covered in half-eaten bagel. None of them happened in this living room with M.A.S.H reruns in the background. But, I don’t care. I’m just glad he’s here, and with him, my shred of sanity.

I motion for him to sit.

“Parker, you have nothing to apologise for. You were right. I have no right to assume that-”

“Yes, you do. You have every right. You have every conceivable right to question this considering what you’ve lost.” He sighs, and his hands grip his knees. “I don’t want Arthur to be guilty. I don’t want Abe to be either but if he is, I’ll be ok. I think.”

No, he won’t.

How did we get here?

I can’t stand seeing him like this. His eyes are shiny when he looks at me and I wipe my face, my own tears starting to burn again. But, he looks so hurt and broken. A man who’s resigned himself to the misery that is to come. I don’t even know what I want now other than for all this to go away. For me and Elliot to be fine and for me and Parker to be fine and everyone living happily ever after with songs and talking animals – preferably ones that don’t have several heads.

I squash onto the arm chair where he’s sitting. I don’t have much space but, I don’t need much space. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I rest my head on his shoulder. The second his arms go around my waist, tight and firm, I kiss his cheek.

“I don’t want you to lose things either.”

Slowly, he leans back in the chair and I rest on him. “I know you don’t. It was stupid of me to even think that.”

“You’re not stupid.” I growl at him. I need him to stop saying that; to stop believing it. “This is a stupid situation. This whole thing is stupid. We are not. We’re doing our best with what information we have and-”

His lips press against mine, slowly but decisively. When he pulls away, my heart beat is thundering in my ears. “I’m sorry.” Oh god. Does he regret it? Is he apologising for our near-death making out session? Couldn’t he stand to even look at me now? Sickness gnaws at my stomach. “I shouldn’t have left. We promised that when it got bad, we’d not do that, and I broke that promise.”

I’d not even thought about that. I run my fingers through his hair and shuffle to sit on his thigh. “Nobody broke anything. We’re talking. You, Parker Shaw, are a man of your word.”

The smile on his face makes me feel lighter than I have in days.

“I am indeed a man of my word.” He rubs his hand over his stubble and winks. “I just want you to know something. This whole thing is terrible – worse than that – it’s shit. Just utter bullshit. I hate that you’ve lost your family. I hate that this town is a mess. I hate all these lies and secrets. I especially hate ghosts and zombies.” Parker grabs my hand and wraps his fingers in mine. “But one thing I could never hate, is you Harper. You are the only thing making some sense to me and I want you to know, whatever happens, that I truly believe that.”

For the first time, maybe even since I got here, genuine warmth spreads in my chest.

Softly, he presses a kiss to my forehead and I let my eyes close. Thank god. Thank god he’s back.

“I know. You’re important to me too.”

The laugh he releases is warm and makes my spine tingle. “You know, I might even treat you to a romantic dinner when we put all this behind us.”

“I quite enjoyed the cramped supply closet whilst being chased by murderous crazy people.” His head shakes at me and I press my lips to the corner of his mouth. “Fine, I suppose I can let you wine and dine me.”

Even though it had been days, I’d missed this. Like I said, my only shred of normality. The only time I don’t have to be on or responsible.

“I quite enjoyed the supply closet too. In fact, I seem to remember something about carrying it on when sound wasn’t an issue?” His eyebrows raise. I had said that, hadn’t I? “You, Harper Vance, are a woman of your word.” I swat him in the arm.

“One make out session and you’re a regular Don Juan but, you are in fact correct. I have an empty house and a promise to make good on.” As Parker’s mouth brushes against the skin on my neck, my spine shudders. Bliss. Probably more bliss than I deserve. “I mean it is improper to get to third base without at least popcorn and terrible movie -”

When he laughs, his breath tickles my flesh. “I swear, I will keep this between us. Your reputation is safe with me.”

I doubt that.

Slowly, his mouth moves to mine and I lose myself in it; safe and warm and everything.

“Shit! God, my eyes!”

We both fall out the chair, trying to untangle our limbs faster than a human possibly could. As Elliot and Robbie stand above us wide-eyed and pale, I glare at Parker. Didn’t even lock the door; a cop, that didn’t lock the door.

“Elliot! Hi Robbie – Parker and I were-”

“This is most gross thing I have ever seen.” As Elliot speaks, Robbie bites back a smirk. “And please, spare me the ‘he stopped breathing and I was giving him mouth-to-mouth’ yarn; it didn’t work when I caught you with Brendan Gibson and it won’t work now.” With a snort and a head shake, Elliot hops up the stairs leaving Robbie awkwardly shrugging in our direction.

Silence befalls us as we sit on the floor; my ass bone probably bruised from the landing.

Parker, despite the redness on his face, is the first to laugh. “So, Brendan Gib-”

“Don’t you dare Parker. Don’t you dare.”

#playchoices #choices ilb #pixelberry #it lives beneath #elliot vance #parker shaw #harper vance #ilb parker #robbie sutcliffe #it lives 2

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imaginetonyandbucky · 6 years

Note

Bucky found early au. Laura Barton is Iron Woman and she and Clint have kids au. During AOU (Hank made ultron maybe?) Bucky takes them to a farm where they meet his husband, Tony and their kid (Harley? Peter?)

Give Me a Home (where the robots can roam)

Part 1 of 2

Many thanks to @polizwrites for the wonderful beta and @orbingarrow for the cheerread!

“I’m happy to keep flying in circles, I guess?” Clint offers.

The rest of the Quinjet is silent, the Avengers reeling from Hill’s update about Ultron’s reach on top of the blows of the fight. The witch had messed with everyone’s heads, and the nightmare she had showed Bucky still danced in his vision every time he closed his eyes.

They needed, he needed, a place to regroup. Bucky hesitates, but then heads to the cockpit. He reaches over Clint’s shoulder to type in the coordinates.

“Fly here,” Bucky directs.

“Tennessee? What’s there?” Clint asks, though he’s already making the adjustments to their course.

“Safehouse,” Bucky explains. “Not one in SHIELD’s databases. Ultron won’t be able to find us.”

Bucky crosses his arms and takes a deep breath. Is he making the right decision? Is he making his own decision? Can he tell if he’s following some order by the witch? Can he trust his own mind?

Steve comes up behind Bucky and peeks over his shoulder.

“You sure about this, Buck?” Steve asks softly.

Bucky gives himself another moment to hesitate. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

(More after the break!)

Eventually Clint announces that they’re approaching their destination. Bucky comes up to the cockpit again to point out a landing spot - an area just east of the barn kept clear for such a moment as this. Clint doesn’t comment on how the Quinjet fits perfectly.

The rest of the Avengers, all except Steve, crowd behind Bucky to get a glimpse of where Bucky has taken them. The white two story farmhouse stands out amongst the fields - the paint job that they’d undertaken a few summers ago still holding up well, Bucky notes. He spots a drone skimming the top of the cornfield. The crop looks to be coming in nicely, but Bucky will check the readings from the drone later to be sure.

Bucky suspects that’s a new barn in the northeast corner, and he sighs. As if they didn’t have too many barns and sheds already.

Bucky leads the Avengers off the jet, and he strides forward to outpace them to head off the four legged robot dashing towards them. With practiced ease, he grabs the metal collar around its neck to stop it from leaping on their guests.

“Yes, SPOT, we have visitors. Don’t jump,” Bucky orders, forcing the canine-like robot to stay on the ground rather than jump up on Bucky instead.

SPOT barks, one of the twelve types that are in its register. It dances at Bucky’s feet, instead, but doesn’t make to leap on Bucky or anyone else. Steve is the first to approach, the others hanging back in caution. Bucky lets SPOT go, and SPOT races around Steve, barking, while Steve tries his best to pet the overexcited bot.

“A robot dog named Spot. Really,” Natasha comments with one judgemental eyebrow raised.

Bucky shrugs. “Sentry Patrol of Terrain: SPOT.”

“Uh, what?” Clint asks.

Bucky ignores him to continue striding toward the house. He hears Steve coaxing SPOT and the other Avengers on, too, but Bucky’s focus is on the house. He does wish he’d called ahead, at least, but he’s happy to be yelled at for that as long as there’s someone in the house to yell at him.

SPOT wouldn’t be his fine and normal self if something was wrong, right?

Bucky leaps up the porch steps and bursts through the front door to silence. His heart pounds, the nightmare from the witch coming to the forefront, and Bucky fears he might throw up all over the new wooden floors they’d just put in six months ago.

“JARVIS, where is everyone?” Bucky croaks.

Silence.

Then there’s the sound of quick feet racing down the steps, a cadence Bucky recognizes, and the tension in him slackens.

“Daddy!” Emma squeals when she comes into view. She leaps over the last few steps, and Bucky races to catch her before she lands on her face.

Bucky sweeps her up into his arms and spins her around. “Hey pumpkin. I missed you.”

“I got a new watch!”

“That’s exciting,” Bucky compliments. He waves the rest of the Avengers into the house but doesn’t let go of Emma.

“…Okay. This I did not expect,” Clint mutters to Laura.

“It’s Dora the Explorer,” Emma explains. “It’s special.”

“It sure is,” Bucky replies with a smile. Her arms are wrapped around his neck so Bucky can’t tell if she’s actually wearing the watch, but there’s no way Bucky is letting go. “Emma, these are the Avengers. Everyone, this is Emma.”

“Hi!” Emma greets, releasing one hand from around Bucky’s neck to wave. Then she gasps. “Uncle Steve!”

Bucky winces from the volume right next to his head. Enhanced hearing is not always a benefit.

“Hey there, princess,” Steve greets with a broad smile. “How are you?”

Emma starts chatting, talking about everything she’d already seen and done that morning - what she had for breakfast, the bugs she saw on the porch, the drawings she did. Bucky half tunes her out as he cases the rest of the house. He’s still missing two people, and he didn’t forget that JARVIS never answered him.

Bucky spots Harley lurking around the corner to the living room and breathes a sigh of relief.

“Harley, come meet the Avengers,” Bucky beckons. He rearranges Emma onto his hip, leaving his metal arm available.

Harley slouches and shuffles forward, playing it cool. “You’re in trouble,” Harley tells Bucky.

Bucky frowns. He definitely should’ve called ahead, but where was Tony if Tony already knows about Bucky bringing the Avengers home with him? But before Bucky can question Harley, the boy has already moved on.

“Steve!” Harley greets with a rare smile.

It hurts to see the smile directed at Steve instead of Bucky, but Bucky hides it. It gets harder when Steve opens his arms and Harley races to him for the hug.

“Heya, squirt,” Steve replies, smiling, though he does a sympathetic grimace at Bucky.

Bucky shakes his head and kisses Emma’s temple. It’s not great, but Bucky can handle Harley’s teenage rebellion or whatever it is, especially if Steve is still allowed to look after Harley.

“Where’s your dad?” Bucky asks his kids.

“In the basement,” Harley replies as he eyes the other Avengers. “He said not to bother him.”

“How long ago was that?” Bucky asks. “Never mind, he’s about to be bothered. Is everything alright with JARVIS? He didn’t answer earlier.”

“My apologies,” JARVIS says. Several of the Avengers twitch at the sudden voice coming from the ceiling, and Bucky winces because he forgot that JARVIS might seem similar to Ultron to the Avengers. To Bucky, JARVIS is far, far removed from what Ultron is. Harley smirks, because they don’t have many guests over who they can spook with AI butlers anymore, but Bucky shoots Steve an apologetic glance. Steve glares as he frantically whispers to an explanation to the Avengers. “I’m afraid I was rather tied up at the time. Sir is on his way.”

“Thanks, J.”

“Anytime you want to explain a little, Barnes, please feel free,” Clint voices.

“JARVIS is an artificial intelligence who manages my home,” Bucky explains. “These are my kids, Harley and Emma. My husband, Tony,” Bucky introduces as Tony walks through the door to the basement.

“You,” Tony snarls, pointing a finger at Bucky. “What did you do? You’re in the doghouse, only I wouldn’t do that to SPOT, so you’re in the barn with the tractors.”

“You put heating in the tractor barn last winter so your tech wouldn’t get cold. That’s not much of a punishment, babe,” Bucky replies, relief almost making him dizzy. He tugs Tony to him and kisses his cheek wishing he could keep his family like this, forever. No nightmare, no destructive sentient robots. Just… them.

“Harley, think of something creative to punish your father with,” Tony orders. He takes in the rest of the Avengers. “Or whoever it was that let that thing onto the internet that’s trying to hack every country’s nuclear codes.”

“Ultron,” Bruce sighs. “He’s gotten the nuclear codes?”

“No, I’m blocking it - Ultron?” Tony sighs, rubbing his eyes. “Well, JARVIS is now. Most of his processing power is directed to that, so please don’t bother him.”

“You’re Tony Stark,” Hank realizes, voice flat. “When the tabloids stopped mentioning you, I figured you were dead.”

Bucky turns, metal fist clenched and ready to defend.

“Hank Pym,” Tony sighs and rolls his eyes. “I should’ve known. This is definitely one of your disasters. And it’s Barnes now.” Tony pulls out the wedding ring that hangs on a chain around his neck.

“Sorry to barge in on you like this, Tony,” Steve redirects.

“Oh, right. Pleasantries. Hi everyone. Welcome to the farm. I know you but you probably don’t know me.” Tony points at Pym, whose lips had pursed. “You definitely don’t know me, so shut up.”

Hank mumbles something that Bucky intentionally ignores so he doesn’t have to do something about it.

“I’m ignoring you,” Tony tells Hank. But then Tony sees Laura and does a double-take. “You. You wonderful genius superhero. Iron Woman. May I please see that gorgeous flying armor? Repulsor-tech, right?”

“Hey now, don’t drool at my wife,” Clint complains.

“Honey, we talked about this,” Bucky reminds him.

Ever since Laura had taken to the air in a flying suit of metal armor, Tony had been pestering Bucky with questions. Which was fine - better than Tony pestering Fury, because that never ended well - but then Bucky was playing middle-man in science speak that sometimes he got wrong and then Tony quizzed him until Bucky ended up with a scrambled jumble that made even less sense. And Bucky had to pretend to Laura that it was Bucky who was interested.

Tony knew some things already, having hacked SHIELD’s files about the armor, but Laura had kept the arc reactor and repulsor tech under wraps. When she and Clint had confiscated the technology from Vanko, Vanko had carved a swath of destruction across Russia and the Balkans so wide that had Fury content to keep the knowledge off the grid.

Laura had taken Vanko’s technology and created the Iron Woman, a sleek black and gray armor that was, to be honest, almost indispensable in the field. Tony had even distantly consulted on the low level AI helping to pilot the suit.

Tony tosses a glare at him, and Bucky thinks it’s a bit sharper than warranted. They had talked about it, and Tony had told Bucky to make sure that Tony played it cool. “It’s not like you bring geniuses home with you every other day. All I get is Captain Forties over there who insists on reading physical newspapers and pretends he doesn’t know how to send an email.”

Laura laughs obligingly and Steve rolls his eyes.

“I’m happy to show you the armor, Tony,” Laura replies.

Then Tony turns. “And Banner! You brought me Doctor Banner!” Tony exclaims, shaking Bruce’s hand. “Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I’m a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.”

“Thanks,” Bruce replies, a confused smile on his face.

Emma squirms in Bucky’s hold, so Bucky lets her down. She goes over to Natasha, who Bucky realizes has been suspiciously quiet and still in the corner. But Natasha bends down to chat with Emma about whatever Emma wanted - her hair color, it sounds like - and so Bucky turns his attention back to Tony.

“The team needed a safe place to stay while we plan our next move. We have to stop Ultron,” Bucky explains.

Steve sighs. “Before he destroys all of humanity.”

“…yeah, okay. Fun,” Tony replies with only a blink of surprise. “Make yourselves at home? I’ll upload FRIDAY to run the house while JARVIS is occupied, and she’ll speak up if you’re doing anything you shouldn’t be.” Then he points at Harley. “The footage will be played back, so don’t think you can get away with anything sneaky until she’s up and running.”

Harley pouts.

“Are your kids okay? Safe?” Tony asks Laura. “If they need a place to hide out, we have plenty of space.”

“Thank you for the offer,” Laura says, “but Maria has it under control. We have safety measures for this, but thank you.” Then she follows Natasha and Emma up the stairs, seeing Natasha’s signal for backup as Emma tugs Natasha to her room to show of her drawings.

Clint nods his thanks as well. “If I knew Barnes had his own kids, I would’ve made him babysit more.”

“We’re not his. We’re adopted,” Harley chimes in.

“Harley!” Tony reprimands sharply.

“Adopted makes you his,” Clint argues with a smirk.

“Oh God. If you two are going to argue, take it outside where I can’t hear,” Bucky sighs. Of course, that only encourages Harley.

“You’re Hawkeye, right? Why do you use a bow and arrow? I mean, don’t you run out? And wouldn’t it be faster to use a gun?” Harley questions.

“Kid, I’m gonna show you why. Find a couple things that can get holes put in ‘em and that you can manage to throw with those kiddie arms of yours and we’ll have some fun.”

Tony sighs as Harley races toward the back of the house with Clint sauntering behind him.

“I’ll just wait until I hear screams,” Tony decides.

Bucky frowns. He doesn’t need Harley absorbing any dangerous ideas from Clint - the kid gets enough of his own - but Clint does have his own kids. Neither of them should end up too injured, probably. Hopefully.

Thor walks out the front door, and Steve follows him.

Bucky will go after Steve soon. Steve had been too quiet and pained over whatever that witch put in his head. Bucky can take a few guesses as to what Steve could’ve seen that would shake him up like this, and Bucky likes none of them. But right now, Bucky has his own head to get on straight.

“Hey, Banner. I’m sure Tony wouldn’t mind you checking out the lab space in the basement,” Bucky suggests as he takes a hold of Tony’s elbow.

“I’d be happy to give you a tour!” Tony offers. Tony steps toward the basement door, but Bucky tugs him back. “But science?” Tony questions, turning to Bucky.

Fortunately Bruce picks up on what Bucky wants. “I’d love a tour,” he says, “but later is fine. Hank and I can go check on Clint.”

Then Bruce pulls Hank away, toward the back of the house and to probably the backyard, and then Bucky is finally left alone with Tony.

Bucky yanks Tony to him and kisses him, deep and desperate. Bucky searches for home in Tony’s mouth and finds it, clings to it, until he finally pulls back with a shaky breath.

“Now that’s what I call a welcome,” Tony purrs as he reaches his hands up to stroke the back of Bucky’s neck. “Hello, husband.”

Bucky rests his forehead against Tony’s and tries to even out his breathing. He keeps his hands on Tony, even though Tony makes no motion to move away from where Bucky has Tony trapped against his chest. The memory of the vision returns though, even now, and Bucky shivers.

“Tell me,” Tony whispers.

Bucky licks his lips. “It was a witch. She - she got in my head. Made me see things.” Bucky tightens his arms around Tony. “You were dead. You, Harley, Emma. I was the one - the programming -”

Tony shushes him. “I get it. But we removed it. We got it all, James. You aren’t going to hurt me or the kids. You wouldn’t.” Tony kisses him, chaste and sweet. “You aren’t going to let her get in your head again. But we could scan you, check you out again, if that would make you feel better.”

Bucky nods. “Please.”

“Alright, baby. Come on down to the lab. I’ll get FRIDAY going and she’ll help me scan you.”

“Okay,” Bucky breathes.

Tony gives him one more quick kiss before he tugs Bucky to the basement. “And if everyone is still occupied when we’re done, I’ll give you a more fun hands-on scan, hm?”

“You can never resist the tac gear, can you?”

Tony grins. “It’s always so fun to strip you out of it.”

#winteriron #tony x bucky #tony stark #bucky barnes #background clint x laura #hddnone #prompts #Anonymous

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Why the PS2’s Sales Record Will Never Be Beaten

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As the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S set incredible sales paces in the midst of strange times, and the Nintendo Switch continues to exceed all sales expectations, many fans find themselves wondering whether or not any of those consoles can eventually dethrone the best-selling video game console of all-time: the PlayStation 2.

Well, as you probably guessed based on this article’s headline, my answer to that question is “No.” The PlayStation 2’s position atop the best-selling console chart isn’t an accident and it’s not a record meant to be taken lightly. It’s arguably the one video game sales record that will never be beaten.

Here are just some of the reasons why the PS2’s astonishing 155 million unit sales record likely isn’t in danger of falling anytime soon.

PlayStation 2’s Release Date Gave It One of the Most Notable Head Starts in Console Gaming History

By November 30, 2000, gamers in Japan, North America, Europe, and Australia were able to get their hands on a PS2. The PS2’s only real competition at the time of its global release was the struggling Dreamcast (as well as previous-gen consoles), and the Xbox and GameCube wouldn’t be available worldwide until 2002.

By the time that the Xbox and GameCube were finally released worldwide, all-time great games like Grand Theft Auto 3, Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy X, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Gran Turismo 3, and Devil May Cry were already available on the PS2. What was already seen by industry insiders at the time as an incredible head start is now viewed as the kind of head start that will likely never happen again.

PlayStation 2’s Price Set the Industry Pace

The PlayStation 2’s U.S. launch price of $299 was reasonable enough at the time ($100 more than the Dreamcast and the GameCube and the same launch price as the Xbox), but what pretty much guaranteed the PS2’s victory was Sony’s decision to drop the price of the PS2 to $199 in May 2002.

Microsoft and Nintendo immediately responded to that price cut by dropping the prices of the Xbox and GameCube to $199 and $149, respectively. It was bad enough (for them, at least) that those price cuts came just as those consoles were properly entering the global market, but they sent a clear message to consumers everywhere that the PS2 was setting the pace of the console race.

PlayStation 2’s DVD Player Advantage Will Never Be Replicated

It’s no secret that the PS2’s built-in DVD player was a big part of the reason why the console was so successful in those early months and years. DVD players at that time were expensive, scarce, and, rapidly becoming the must-have accessory for anyone trying to keep up with the Joneses. The PS2 simply offered one of the best ways to get one.

Years later, I’m convinced that there will never be another multimedia accessory a future console could theoretically include at launch that would have as much of an impact as the PS2’s DVD player. The technological world is just different these days, and most people just don’t have to rely on a console to get the multimedia entertainment they’re looking for. Just look at the Nintendo Switch. It’s breaking sales records and doesn’t even officially support the Netflix app.

PlayStation 2’s Backward Compatibility Was an Early “Secret Weapon”

It’s easy enough to overlook now, but anyone who owned a PS2 at launch (or around thereof) knows that the console’s backward compatibility features were almost as big of an early selling point as its DVD player. Indeed, I don’t know if the PS2 would have gotten the full advantage out of its year-long head start that it ultimately did if it weren’t for this feature.

You never really heard anyone talk about the PS2’s mostly dry early game lineup largely because those who owned a PS2 at that time were having more than enough fun watching DVDs and playing upscaled versions of PS1 games they hadn’t yet gotten to. Of course, it wasn’t long before those great next-gen games started rolling in…

PlayStation 2’s Game Library Was One of the Most Diverse Ever

I was originally going to write one entry for the PS2’s library of games and call it a day, but when you’re talking about one of the greatest video game libraries ever assembled, it’s worth spending a little more time on what exactly made it so special.

So far as that goes, the word I keep coming back to when describing the PS2’s lineup is “diversity.” Yes, the PS2’s popularity among Japanese developers gave it a distinct advantage (more on that later), but the PS2’s final library includes all-time great action, open-world, RPG, and horror games from developers across the world.

When a list of the most underrated PS2 games is more impressive than a list of the best games for many other consoles, it’s hard not to argue that the PS2’s success will never be equaled or surpassed

Games

15 Hardest PlayStation 2 Games of All-Time

By Matthew Byrd

Games

15 Hardest PlayStation One Games of All-Time

By Matthew Byrd

The PS2 Was the Home of Numerous New Franchises

Every year, it felt like there was either an incredible new franchise launching on the PS2 (Devil May Cry, God of War, Kingdom Hearts, etc.) or a franchise that was using the platform’s power/popularity to firmly establish itself as one of the biggest in the industry (Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill). The excitement surrounding new PS2 games wasn’t always focused on sequels but rather what kind of new experiences we were going to get next from often surprising places.

I think most gamers are still open to such new experiences, but the industry has just shifted in a way that makes it incredibly difficult for any console to boast such a consistent onslaught of truly new experiences.

PlayStation 2 Quickly Established Itself As The Ideal Third-Party Console

The PS2’s true exclusives certainly put it over the top, but the thing that impresses me most all these years later is just how much popular the platform was for most of the major third-party, multiplatform titles. Obviously, timed exclusives like the GTA games were pretty much soft PS2 exclusives in the minds of many, but even franchises like Madden sold significantly more units on the PS2 than anywhere else.

This is one element of the PS2’s success Sony has certainly tried to replicate over the years. They understand that once you get that momentum going and convince people that your console is the best place to go for games they could technically get elsewhere, then you’ve most likely got a hit on your hands.

The PlayStation 2 Had Little True Competition

Before you go running to the comments section, let me make it clear that I actually love the Xbox, GameCube, and Dreamcast. I think that’s one of the best console generations ever from a pure software quality perspective, and, in a perfect world, you would have owned every console and a great gaming PC as well.

Yet, the PS2’s immediate competition just couldn’t replicate (or offer a consistently viable alternative to) what Sony’s console brought to the table. Microsoft had almost no Japanese developer support, Nintendo alienated so many third-party companies, the Dreamcast died out, and PS2 owners ultimately ended up with exclusive (or early) access to many of the generation’s best games. The PS2 just offered a little bit of everything.

The PlayStation 2’s Longevity Was Stunning

Even if you tell yourself that the PS2 “died” when the PS3 was released in November 2006, that still means that the console enjoyed an incredible run of six strong years. However, most people know the PS2 didn’t really go anywhere until much later than that.

The PS3’s weak launch, the novelty of the Wii, and the Xbox 360’s hardware issues meant that a lot of people didn’t abandon their PS2s quite so easily. If anything, the PS2 enjoyed a second life when Sony released a new PS3 model that no longer supported native PS2 backward compatibility. To this day, the PS2 still commands a surprisingly high resale price.

The PlayStation 2’s Biggest Flaws Never Really Caught Up With It

The PS2 was not a perfect console. Its launch lineup was relatively weak, its DVD player was quickly replaced with better options, it wasn’t especially durable (and suffered from disc read errors in the long-term), its online options were generally terrible, and the console’s initial shortages were some of the worst the industry has ever seen.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Yet, none of that really mattered in the end. All those little things that should have strengthened the PS2’s competition turned out to be just that. Little things. Sony never really derailed the PS2’s success, and no major console of its generation was able to capitalize on the console’s most notable flaws.

The post Why the PS2’s Sales Record Will Never Be Beaten appeared first on Den of Geek.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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alliebruns-blog · 6 years

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Mega Blog 4000 - London Marathon, Bad Cow Double, Dorchester Marathon, The Ox Epic and 100 miles across the South Downs Way.

Well I’m doing really well at this blogging malarky aren’t I? I haven’t posted in AGES mainly because i have been too busy doing all the actual running. So grab yourself a beer because this is a LONG one.

My race diary for this year is what some people might call ‘busy’. At the moment I have 27 marathons and ultras booked, but me being a suggestible fool, means this number will only go up. April saw me complete my 5th London Marathon on what was possibly the hottest day of the year ever, plus a little trip to Dorset for the Bad Cow Frolic. Two very different races done in very different ways.

London is my favourite road marathon - it’s home turf and you cannot beat the crowd and the atmosphere along the route. This year I was running solo - in past years I have had a number of first timers running with me, so it’s rarely actually “my” race, but this year I was running alone and so had high hopes of qualifying for Boston, with a sub 3.40. However, that most definitely was NOT to be. It was brutally hot as you all know, so I decided to be sensible and rein it in a bit. Watching people throwing up and falling by the road from mile 10 onwards was proof that I had made the right decision. Weirdly I found the crowds to be a little overwhelming this year. I have spent so much time running on trails that I am now more used to peace and quiet so having thousands of people cheering was lovely but kind of strangely uncomfortable.

Here’s a picture of me NOT in running kit.

The heat meant that I was running without a base layer for the first time in 2018, and around mile 16, I realised that the tops of my flappy little arms were chaffing on my vest, and they were stingy. I wasn’t running with my pack, so I legged it over to St Johns ambulance and asked them if they had any vaseline. They had just run out but offered me some baby oil instead. Sexy scenes follow - I am throw it all over myself, basically basting Bailey up to get mega sunburnt for the rest of the day. I finished in 3.59.40 - classic sub 4 attempt done. Was still pretty pleased - I hadn't broken myself and I felt fine - which was good because the following week saw me trotting up to Dorset for White Star Running’s Bad Cow double.

Hot metal on London marathon day

Bad Cow is based in Burnbake - a beautiful part of the Dorset countryside. The event is run over two days - day one is the 12 hour frolic - as many laps of the 4.5 mile course as you can do in 12 hours and day 2 is the marathon. I was entered for both and was aiming for a marathon a day. There were a lot of Do-Badders signed up for this one, so we all camped together for maximum LOLS. It’s also dog friendly, which meant that we had a total of 3 dogs to help us round the course - BONUS.

Bad Cow Squad - Me, George, Susi, Julius and Toby

Now the thing about having a load of Do-Badders camping together is it is NOT A GOOD IDEA. We like a drink and a chat and managed to control ourselves on the first night - a few beers, nothing extraordinary and a decent bit of sleep meant getting up the next morning wasn’t the worst thing that had ever happened. To be quite honest, I was exhausted from Arran and London in the previous 3 weeks plus work had been a nightmare the week before so I decided to trot this one out with my pals and the dogs and trot it out I did. We were taking it in turns to run with dogs, look after kids and drink beers, so all in I managed about 30 miles for the day whilst having the best time ever. That night it all went pear shaped. We stayed up til about 4am yapping and drinking beer and playing with our new fire pit, which would have been fine, had we not had to get up for the Marathon at 6am. No chance of sleeping in when the race director drives up to your tent at 5am, puts a huge speaker outside and starts blasting Cotton Eye Joe at 100DB into the tent. Thanks for that Andy. The funny thing is, I still didn’t wake up.

It shames me to say it but this was the first race that I have ever DNS’d. I was knackered, hungover and sleep deprived - all my own fault and I will make it up at East Farm in August, but I just couldn’t run it. The best thing is that I still had my number on my leg so looking at the results, I actually did it in 4 hours. Because I went too close to the mat when shouting at someone to do press ups. Classic Do-Baddery.

Having a nice time with Toby at Bad Cow BEFORE the booze started

Next up was The Ox Epic at the start of May. Now I bloody love The Ox - I ran and won the 50 last year, so this was a key race for me - I wanted to defend my title, like the competitive tit that I am.

I was signed up to do all 4 races - The Dark Ox on Friday night (6 miles), The Ox Ultra on Saturday (50 miles), the light Ox on Sunday (6 miles) and the Ox Half on Sunday (13 miles). Completing all the races means that you get The Ox Epic medal and are inducted into the WSR hall of fame for being a bad ass. My plan was to take it easy on the dark, smash the ultra and take it easy on the light and half. I had no intention of winning the Epic, I just wanted to win the ultra. And then disaster struck.

A close friend of mine went missing on the Wednesday before the race, and we were desperately worried about him. On the Friday morning it was announced that he had been found dead and my whole world collapsed. I was numb and I was overwhelmed with grief. From the minute I found out I was taken care of with Susi and Julius coming to find me to make sure I was OK. I didn’t know what I was doing from one second to the next and started questioning if I should even be running. I was fine one minute, and in floods of tears the next. I didn’t know, but from the minute they turned up, I was under the care of my running buddies - constantly being watched and monitored.

Susi drove me onto the site on Friday - we were all camping together again and the boys put the tent up. I sat there staring at nothing. I was going to run. I couldn’t think of anything else to do rather than run. I got my number on and followed them all to the start at 9.30pm. I had the wrong number on, I had to go back to the tent and get my proper number. I was such a state. Lee and Susi ran with me - it took us 1.20 to get round a 6 mile course in the dark, but get round I did. I realised that this weekend wasn’t about winning, It was about finding sanctuary through running and just getting round would be good enough.

No. No I didn’t.

After a couple of beers and some crying (yay), we went to bed ready for the 50 mile race on Saturday. The Ox is a looped course that runs across the Rushmore estate. Each loop is around 6 and a bit miles, so 8 laps gives you 50 miles. I am NOT a fan of loops but strangely The Ox doesn’t bother me at all - the route is very beautiful (apart from the long drove of death) and there are hills so walking breaks are made easy. I ran with Julius for the whole day. He was brilliant. Chatting to me when I needed to be chatted to and letting me be silent when I needed to, he fed me, made sure I drank water and kept an eye on me the whole time. We gave parts of the course nicknames to make it more bearable Crisp Mountain (the hill that you can eat crisps walking up - later renamed to Peanut Mountain when we ran out of crisps) the Forest of Joy, The Droves of Death, the Hills of Despair, Lamb Kingdom - I think most of the other people thought that we were mental, but it works for us. We came in for the 50 at around 10 hours 30 mins - over an hour slower than my 2017 time and certainly not a win for me, but again I had got round. My demons had not defeated me and I actually felt better than I had all week. Then came the news that changed the weekend for me. I was told that in the overall results from the two races, I was second lady - with only 1 minute and 14 seconds between me and the current front runner. THANKS ANDY. In a way I wish I hadn’t found out, but now the game was most certainly on. I was going to try and win it.

Sunday morning came - game face was on, and we set out for the start of the 6 mile Light Ox. My pals were trying to find out where the first lady was, I kind of didn’t want to know. Having looked at the results, it was clear she was a fast shorter distance runner - something I am not. I had to really make the effort on this. I started at the front and shot (well, shot for me) round the course with Julius - coming in at just over an hour and five mins. The first lady had not come in yet. The minutes ticked by, 5, 10, 15 - my lead was going up and up, and then about 30 minutes after me she came in, hobbling, and that was the end of her racing weekend. The ultra had broken her and she wasn’t going to take on the half. I was in the lead.

Now for the final slog - The Ox Half - it had got quite hot and I was physically and mentally exhausted. Plus I had added pressure on me (that I was totally putting on myself) to bring home the Ashtray Trophy of joy. I did NOT enjoy the half. My tiredness meant my brain was doing what Lee calls Vordermaths - numbers and times and numbers and times going over and over that make NO sense, and I was completely terrified that the second lady was somehow going to make up her 40 minute time difference over the half and beat me. That was never going to happen on the half course which was SO hilly and hot. I came in at around 2 and a half hours and took the win for the ladies. I was overwhelmed, exhausted and completely thrilled to be the first lady winner of The Ox Epic. 75 (ish) miles in 3 days on what could have been one of the worst weekends of my life. It taught me that the love and care of the ultra running community knows no bounds. I also just want to do a little shoutout to the 2nd and 3rd ladies - Kirsty and Debbie who were just brilliant, wonderful humans - it was Debbie’s first ultra and she smashed it. Good work team!

YAS QWEEENS! L-R Debbie, Moi, Kirsty. Fucking badass women.

The spoils of The Ox Epic.

A couple of much needed weekends off and it was back to Dorset again for ANOTHER WSR event - their only road race event in the form of Dorchester marathon. This is a very different type of run to the ones I am used to - there are a LOT of people and it’s entirely run on the road - it’s sold in as Britains’ prettiest road race and turns out that is actually true - it’s beautiful.

We arrive at 8 in the morning in the worst rain ever, Thunder, lightning, rain, humidity - all the good ones. It’s raining so much that we are doing 30 mph on the dual carriageway. I am NOT looking forward to this. We park the car and walk towards the start and it’s stopped raining. Usual pants with the usual suspect at the start - I LOVE the White Star Runners so much. The race director is in a cherry picker, which rises towards the sky and, no shit, as it does the clouds part and it’s brilliant sunshine. Now I’m not saying Andy is a God, buuuut….. Oh and guess who is not wearing suntan lotion? (Clue - it’s me)

Yeah, this is better than London

Sweaty medal picture

The atmosphere is slightly different at this race - usually you get all the LOLS at the start but there are some really tasty runners here - aiming for PB’s and aiming to win. I ran most of the race alone which was fine, and spent a great deal of time petting lambs and goats as per usual. I bumped into a few people I knew and some who I didn’t and had some great chats. The route is relatively flat with a few big old hills, and the heat made it difficult. This was never going to be a sub 4 for me - I had SDW100 to deal with in 2 weeks and didn’t want ANYTHING to go wrong for that. I reckon I’ll be back for a better crack at it next year - as far as road races go it is one of the best in the country - would defo recommend it. Fast forward 2 weeks and we are looking down the barrel of the South Downs Way 100.

Looking fresh at the 6am start of the SDW 100

This is only my second attempt at 100 miles on one day. I have done a lot of multi day ultras - I really like them! But only one 100 miler in a day (Autumn 100 back in 2017). This is another one of my key races for 2018, and I was hoping to be able to beat my previous record of 23 hours and 38 mins. One thing I hadn’t taken into consideration was how different SDW100 is from A100.

For a start SDW had 12,700ft of elevation across the course - that’s like climbing Snowdon 3 times. It runs from Winchester to Eastbourne through the beautiful South Downs National Park. It hadn’t rained for a while and the ground was super hard packed chalk with rocks sticking out of it for most of the way - looking back on it, I should have thought about this and worn road shoes - but I didn’t do that because I am an idiot. I had already recce’d half the route with some of the Do Badders a few months earlier - it was the last 50 we had run which was brilliant as this was the part I would be covering in the dark.

Making friends on the SDW100

I was extremely lucky to have 2 great pacers for this race. First up from mile 50, Lorna Spayne - a Do Badder and very tasty marathon runner - my WSR nemesis (always beating me dammit) and very good friend what I made through the internet. Lorna is a very experienced runner, and completed her first 50 on the SDW back in May, so was perfectly placed to help pace and crew me. She is the single most organised person I have ever met in my life. She is kind, patient and fiercely protective of her runner. She crewed me from early on in the race - making sure I had all the delicious food, ice, Calippos (yes really) from very early on, and then joining me at mile 51 to run 30 miles in the middle of the night to drop me off with Lee. You all remember Lee right? Lee who force fed me sandwiches on the A100. Lee who has given me PTSD every time I hear Your The Voice by John Farnham? Yeah - that Lee. Lee was pacing me from mile 83 to the end. A highly inexperienced ultra runner (not my words) Lee knows exactly what he is doing when it comes to pace and hills - and that is exactly what I needed for the death march.

We started the race at 6am. I bumped into a lot of Do Badders at the start which was great - nice you know you have someone to shout FUCK YOU BUDDY at on the way round. I started the race with Tania who I know through WSR and her friend Melanie. It was Tania’s first 100 and I was SO excited for her - the first 10 miles flew but chatting about running and stuff and running and stuff. I knew that we were running to fast - doing around 9.30 min miles when I should have been doing 11. I decided at about 20 miles to pull back and let Tania go on - I couldn’t keep this pace and expect not to start breaking and it was already getting hot. It was very challenging underfoot too - the ground rock solid and a number of splendid long slow ascents. My favourite (Fuck you long, slow ascents). At around mile 25 there is the glorious Lorna and she has got ice cubes and ice lollies and I think I love her. She fills my bottles, gets my rubbish out of my bag, refills the sandwich supplies, checks me over, gives me life and off I trot. There were a lot of VERY jealous people when they saw me fishing my Calipo out of my sports bra.

L-R: Melanie, myself and Tania off to a flying start.

This is my “quick photographer run” face. Mel obvs finds it hilarious.

It was at this point I reached the dead zone. Miles 35-40 were a real challenge - I was on my own and was bored. I wasn’t at half way and I was nowhere near the end. I could feel myself starting to mentally go. Then, as if by magic, Melanie is there behind me. I am SO happy to have a running pal. We trot along laughing at stupid things, hating on cyclists, and encouraging each other for 10 miles until we reach the halfway point. I now know that I am on my way to meet Lorna and my race will get better. I reach 50 mile 45 mins short of my target - it’s hotter and hillier than I thought - but I know if I want to go sub 24 then I need to put some effort in to the 50-80 mile leg.

Lorna is a dream. She chats away to me and makes me run when I don’t want to. She asks me stupid questions and distracts me from the task in hand, asking me if I have drunk enough and eaten enough and generally pushing me on. About 10 miles into this leg another Do badder emerges in the shape of Professor Russell Banks who has bough me a can of beer. NOMS! We run along with Mike - yet ANOTHER Do Badder that we have collected en route, and drink some beer and laugh at stupid stuff. It’s at this point I bump into Tania again - she’s suffering a bit so we scoop her up and run a good few miles with her in tow, leaving her at an aid station to drink coffee. I hope that she will be OK but I have to make up my time.

Hydrating like a proper athlete around mile 55 (L-R Mike, Me, Russell)

A Fuckwittery of Do-Badders (L-R Russell, Me, Lorna, Mike)

Lorna and I trot through the afternoon and into the evening. Head torches come on, and we are running through the darkness to the 83 mile point where I will meet Lee. At some point on this leg, I lose my sense of humour completely, but she deals with it, allowing me space to eat my Peppa Pig pasta and clean my teeth and shout “a new fucking body” when the marshalls ask if I need anything. It would have been a much sadder race without Lorna and I am so grateful for everything she did for me. Everything is hurting, but I am so close to the end now.

Lorna disappears into the night....

At mile 83 we pull into the aid station and there is Lee. Boring the shit out of everyone with his Monarchs Way tales. I grab water and some snacks and give Lorna a hug - 16 miles to go and me and Lee set off up yet ANOTHER hill.

Tea with Lee. 91 miles in.

Lee’s brilliant as always and we chat about stuff, walk up hills, he lends me his cheat sticks and I start talking to him about times. He thinks I can beat my A100 time - I am not so sure. I have been eating really well on this race and it shows. I am hurting all over and my body feels bruised, but I still have petrol in the tank and I run the downs and walk the ups and we listen to Queen and debate what their best song is for about 2 hours (It’s The Show Must Go On BTW).

Day starts to break at about 4am. The beauty of the Downs around this time - when the moon and sun are out at the same time - is astonishing. When day breaks on a 100 mile race, you know it’s over and you know you can do it. It spurred me on and I felt like I was only getting stronger. We stop for a coffee at the aid station at mile 91 and Lee is treated like royalty. I am left to wait in the wings for my coffee and water - the marshals are very apologetic when they realise he is my pacer and I am running the race. Fucking Lee, man.

Having a moment as the sun comes up and moon goes down. Thanks for the photo Lee!

We leave the aid station and trot out the next 9 miles. It starts to become a reality that I can PB this. I can do it in a faster time than A100. I start to get faster. I feel brilliant. Lee is complaining a lot about the hills. I tell him to shut the fuck up. We keep going and eventually come off the hills and down onto the road towards the finish. The road seems to go on forever, but I want to run not walk.

23 hours and 20 mins in the end is on sight. One loop round the athletics track, and I am done. 23 hours, 28 minutes. 9 mins off my previous time with about 7,000ft more elevation.

BOOM.

I am presented with my buckle, I get the beer out of my bag and at 5 am have a delicious beer and a hot dog. I am exhausted and elated. Second time round is not easy, but it’s easier. Thank you to Lee and Lorna for everything they did for me. I won’t ever forget it. Shout out to Melanie who finished in 25 hours - this photo says it all.....

So, what’s next? Well I am back with my Rat Race pals doing The Wall this weekend - just 69 miles along Hadrians Wall , followed by a pretty exciting recce in Snowdon. I will also be attempting to not leave my blog so long. If you’ve got to this bit you’re a stronger person than most - ultra reading.

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negatopoji · 6 years

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get to know me

1. What is your full name? (For safety reasons I'm not going to put this :3)

2. What is your nickname? ageha

3. What is your zodiac sign? Gemini

4. What is your favourite book series? Manga maybe d.grey-man?

5. Do you believe in aliens or ghosts? Yep

6. Who is your favourite author? 芥川龍之介　Akutagawa Ryuunosuke or 治太宰 Osamu Dazai

7. What is your favourite radio station? N/a

8. What is your favourite flavour of anything? Maybe red been, or sweet cream?

9. What word would you use often to describe something great or wonderful? ”Oh cool” but apparently I'm pretty emotionless when speaking

10. What is your current favourite song? Ace - illion

11. What is your favourite word? 我儘 wagamama, it means selfish

12. What was the last song you listened to? High five - ROACH

13. What TV show would you recommend for everybody to watch? Dad of light

14. What is your favourite movie to watch when you’re feeling down? The imitation game or silent hill

15. Do you play video games? Yes

16. What is your biggest fear? Dying from sickness or from something I can’t control too early

17. What is your best quality, in your opinion? My eyes

18. What is your worst quality, in your opinion? My personality

19. Do you like cats or dogs better? Dogs but I love eve most

20. What is your favourite season? Autumn

21. Are you in a relationship? No

22. What is something you miss from your childhood? Having no responsibilities

23. Who is your best friend? Kaylin

24. What is your eye colour? Hazel

25. What is your hair colour? Currently orange naturally black

26. Who is someone you love? Kaylin and eve

27. Who is someone you trust? Kaylin

28. Who is someone you think about often? Kaylin and my mum

29. Are you currently excited about/for something? Going to Japan with Kaylin, and going to school

30. What is your biggest obsession? What to do with the empty space I have in my life.

31. What was your favourite TV show as a child? I didn't grow up with a tv

32. Who of the opposite gender can you tell anything to, if anyone? Kaylin

33. Are you superstitious? A little?

34. Do you have any unusual phobias? Zombies, they scare me

35. Do you prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it? In front if I looked better

36. What is your favourite hobby? Maybe doing make up but I also do this as a job

37. What was the last book you read? No longer human, by Dazai I'm currently reading it. And finished was a book of short stories I read again by Akutagawa

38. What was the last movie you watched? The isle of dogs

39. What musical instruments do you play, if any? Saxophone, and flute.

40. What is your favourite animal? Maybe ducklings?

41. What are your top 5 favourite Tumblr blogs that you follow?

42. What superpower do you wish you had? Speaking all languages

43. When and where do you feel most at peace? In my house and around my plants

44. What makes you smile? Eve

45. What sports do you play, if any? I used to play soccer I would like to take up boxing

46. What is your favourite drink? Coffee with milk no sugar

47. When was the last time you wrote a hand-written letter or note to somebody? A month or so ago when I wrote to send out my pictures and write a note to Japan.

48. Are you afraid of heights? I'm afraid of the things I'm on breaking so if I'm high I can’t save myself?

49. What is your biggest pet peeve? People who don’t say the truth

50. Have you ever been to a concert? Many

51. Are you vegan/vegetarian? No I used to be but not anymore

52. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? A rock star

53. What fictional world would you like to live in? mmm maybe the one from kyou kara maou? But the demon side

54. What is something you worry about? When I'm going to die.

55. Are you scared of the dark? No more I'm afraid of bad things outside in the dark

56. Do you like to sing? Yes

57. Have you ever skipped school? Yes

58. What is your favourite place on the planet? behind my middle school there was this forest with a slightly spongy floor and it was amazing to just round around there. I miss it very much and it was very relaxing and wonderful to go.

59. Where would you like to live? In a forest around nature

60. Do you have any pets? Eve my black cat and ouro my snake

61. Are you more of an early bird or a night owl? Early for sure

62. Do you like sunrises or sunsets better? Rises, a star of a new is always wonderful.

63. Do you know how to drive? I do

64. Do you prefer earbuds or headphones? Both, depends on what I'm doing

65. Have you ever had braces? Yes

66. What is your favoruite genre of music? Soft rock, rock or alternative

67. Who is your hero? Kaylin;m she's been though so much with me, and has seen me at my lowest and has been threw all my medical issues and has heard me talking abut death and wanting to die. And she always is there for me. She is one of the most wonderful people in my life and is my family.

68. Do you read comic books? Yes

69. What makes you the most angry? When people are ignorant

70. Do you prefer to read on an electronic device or with a real book? Both depends on what it is, but typically real books.

71. What is your favourite subject in school? Art, biology, math, and social studies

72. Do you have any siblings? Yes

73. What was the last thing you bought? Quinoa

74. How tall are you? 158.5 cm

75. Can you cook? Yes

76. What are three things that you love? Eve, Kaylin, and every morning I am alive

77. What are three things that you hate? Ken; my mothers ex husband, ex friends who are too self centred, and ignorance

78. Do you have more female friends or more male friends? Female

79. What is your sexual orientation? Straight-Iso? I think no one is straight or gay because I can look at a man and think “he's attractive” but I don’t think id sleep with one.

80. Where do you currently live? Canada

81. Who was the last person you texted? My friend Julia

82. When was the last time you cried? A few moments ago

83. Who is your favourite YouTuber? Zero Punctuation

84. Do you like to take selfies? Yes sometimes, but not always

85. What is your favourite app? Spotify

86. What is your relationship with your parent(s) like? Rough

87. What is your favourite foreign accent? Any are okay

88. What is a place that you’ve never been to, but you want to visit? Hmm maybe Finland?

89. What is your favourite number? 11 or 19

90. Can you juggle? Kind of haha

91. Are you religious? Not at all

92. Do you find outer space of the deep ocean to be more interesting? Both are very interesting

93. Do you consider yourself to be a daredevil? Not at all

94. Are you allergic to anything? Yes, sunlight, rain water, bagels, morphine

95. Can you curl your tongue? Yes

96. Can you wiggle your ears? No

97. How often do you admit that you were wrong about something? If I am wrong I will admit it

98. Do you prefer the forest or the beach? Forest

99. What is your favourite piece of advice that anyone has ever given you? ”This too shall pass”

100. Are you a good liar? Sometimes

101. What is your Hogwarts House? I think Gryffindor

102. Do you talk to yourself? Sometimes

103. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Introverted extrovert

104. Do you keep a journal/diary? No

105. Do you believe in second chances? Yes but it depends

106. If you found a wallet full of money on the ground, what would you do? Turn it into the police

107. Do you believe that people are capable of change? Yes but only if they want to inside deeply

108. Are you ticklish? Not anymore

109. Have you ever been on a plane? Many times

110. Do you have any piercings? Yes lots

111. What fictional character do you wish was real? Rosette Christopher she was nothing but goodness

112. Do you have any tattoos? Yes

113. What is the best decision that you’ve made in your life so far? To allowing myself to be happy

114. Do you believe in karma? Yes but sometimes things just happen

115. Do you wear glasses or contacts? Both

116. Do you want children? Never

117. Who is the smartest person you know? I think everyone is smart in different ways

118. What is your most embarrassing memory? Hmm I try to not allow myself remember the embarrassing things

119. Have you ever pulled an all-nighter? Yes many times

120. What colour are most of you clothes? Black

121. Do you like adventures? Sometimes

122. Have you ever been on TV? Yes

123. How old are you? 27

124. What is your favourite quote? ”This too shall pass”

125. Do you prefer sweet or savoury foods? Umm mildly sweet?

tag 5 people that would be interested

@crazyanime3 @kikusaurus @miss-arlert-orihara-watanuki @quietlyobscure

and anyone else who’d like to . :3

#get to know me #negatopoji

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mayacook95 · 4 years

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How To Save My Marriage Quiz Sublime Ideas

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Stop Your Divorce Book Review

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#How To Save My Marriage Quiz Sublime Ideas #Save The Relationship

0 notes

dunbarimagines · 7 years

Text

Soulmates... I think (Scott McCall) Part 2

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3

@lotte142 // @minnie-boss17

alright, part 1 of “Soulmates… I think” has gotten such a good response and i’m really proud of it, but honestly, i’m nervous to write a part 2 that’s gonna ruin that (i literally have no plan for this, so we’ll see what happens lol)

again, this ending needs another part, so let me know if you want it!

warning(s): bad words, but what else is new?

Dear Diary,

It’s been a depressing few weeks to say the least. I’ve had my head down, trying to ignore any and all distractions that would keep me from doing what I need to do to get the hell out of this school and move on to college. Besides having a huge work load and a part-time job after school, I’ve been heading to the local library and using the modern miracle of Google to see if there are stories of someone finding a soulmate who doesn’t reciprocate.

So far? No luck. I am literally the only one. On the face of the earth. Great. Fucking wonderful.

The only good thing to come out of this is the fact that I now can confirm that the sky is blue and the grass is green. Since I’ve made no friends and haven’t really tried, I use my small window of free time to lay a blanket out at the park a block from my house and watch the vibrant world go by. Depressing, I know. But what else can I do? The person I am supposed to spend the rest of my life with, the person who my soul is attached to, is a dud.

It is official, I am changing my name and moving to Alaska. This might be the last time we get to talk, Diary. It’s been real.

Peace.

I lay my head back and it bangs against the wall. I’ve heard it’s better to write things down, but all it’s doing is showing me how utterly pathetic my life has turned out to be. At the ripe age of eighteen, no less. I sigh and rip the page out, rolling it into a ball and tossing it at my wastebasket. I glance at my clock and see it’s 6:55. Another day of Beacon Hills hell begins.

As I open the double doors to start another uneventful day, my eyes meet those baby brown ones I will never be able to forget. My heart begins to race and I look away, ducking into my Bio class, which, in hindsight, will only delay Scott and my interaction until the bell rings.

“Good morning, Mrs. Finch.” Since my first day, I have been able to work my way to becoming a favorite of hers. Without using names, I have told her what my current situation is. Being a smart lady, she has no doubt been able to put the pieces together that this mysterious soulmate is Scott. Because of this, she has rotated everyone’s seats, so now I am partnered with the smartest person in the room, Lydia Martin. She and Scott seem to be friends. I manage to overlook this because one, she hasn’t mentioned him (yet) and two, every partner test and lab report has a huge 100% written across the top. Again, I’m just keeping my head down and trying to get out of here and never look back.

I know I’m expected to mope and fall into sadness, but I can’t afford to do that. I am going to stay strong and accept that I am going to make the story of my life one that doesn’t include a love interest. It’s just me, myself, and I.

Scott’s POV

“You know, just because you don’t want to deal with this, doesn’t mean it’s going to magically go away. You might as well accept it and move on. Talk to her or ask her out. Something.” Another day, another stern talking-to.

“Lydia, please, it’s way too early for this. I get that this girl is my soulmate and we belong together or whatever, but like I’ve explained a million times, she’ll forever be in danger if I tell her that I saw color the moment our eyes met. It isn’t fair to bring her into our world.” She turns her head to look at me, lips slightly parted and eyebrows drawn together. “I’m sorry, but you don’t know the struggle I’m having with this. Stiles saw color since the first moment he saw you and by the time you really saw him and how he was yours, you were both already aware of the fact that monsters exist. This girl hasn’t had to deal with any of that. She can be spared. She can live an exciting and normal life.” I conjure up a pleading look that lets Lydia know to drop the subject.

“Scott, I love you, but there is nothing exciting about being normal. You of all people should know that.” With this, she shrugs and enters Mrs. Finch’s room, leaving me in the hallway to think about what she has just said.

After a few minutes of silent anger over the fact that no one in my life is proud of the selfless decision I have made regarding this soulmate business, I realize the bell has rung and I am alone, signaling another day in hell that starts with talk of phenotypes and alleles. Great.

Right when I walk in, my eyes find the curve of her cheekbones and the elegant stroke of her cursive as she copies down the words on the blackboard. There is a slight crease between her brows and she nibbles on her pink lips as she concentrates on the topic at hand. The way her body moves is like a dance, so smooth and choreographed. I am pulled out of the trance by my hip hitting the corner of a lab table.

“Mr. McCall, is my teaching interrupting something? If you need some time, please take it to the hall.”

“No, Mrs. Finch, I’m good. Sorry.” Satisfied with my answer, she turns back to her lesson and I find my seat. After I have done so, I turn back to the girl who was the source of my interest in the first place and find she is already scowling at me. She mouths “stop” and turns back around. It is going to be harder to resist her than I had originally thought.

end of Scott’s POV

“Alright, guys, the lab is getting passed back right now. When you get it, put your names at the top and gather your materials. Don’t forget to answer the questions on the back when you have finished.” I sigh and grab a petri dish from the top drawer of our lab table.

I see Lydia flick her hair from her shoulder as I set everything up. She licks her lips and clears her throat. “So, rumor has it, you found your soulmate.” Shit, she finally brought up what I wish would remain untouched.

With my heart beating strong in my chest, I reply. “I did, but I don’t think we’re gonna work out.” Trying my best to keep things nonchalant, I shrug and suggest we start working, hoping she takes a hint and drops the subject. “Okay, so I put the clear solution in this flask and we just have to...” I speak to fill the empty air between Lydia and me, hoping she doesn’t report my dismissive answer back to the man himself.

What I don’t know is that she doesn’t need to tell him because he has heard everything... and it breaks his heart, more than he would ever admit.

After another day and another headache, I head home to get ready for my job, which is a few hours a day working at a frozen yogurt shop. I know, it’s boring as hell, but it pays the bills (or it would, if I didn’t live with my parents). It’s only a ten minute walk from my house, which I use to take in more of the colors this world has to offer and think about how this whole soulmate thing will play out. It’s crazy to me that only a little while ago, I had wished to find my person more than anything and now, I wish I could ask the metaphorical manager of this soulmate business if I could get a refund or trade Scott in for someone who wants to love me back.

To distract myself from spiraling into a hole of frustration, I chuck on my ugly uniform shirt, some basic shoes and pants, and head out, calling a goodbye to my mom. I take the time alone to once again remind myself that although Scott has hurt me, it doesn’t mean everyone else in this town will. And just because he is some popular, kind, cute, funny, wildly fit-

Stop.

Just because a lot of people know him, doesn’t mean they know he’s my soulmate. I can still make friends without interacting with Scott McCall. I just need to try a little harder. Do you hear that, self? Try harder. Make an effort. Okay? Okay.

Before I know it, I am pulling the door open to take over for the person finishing their shift before me. I get set up, plug my phone into the speaker system, and put on some chill music. Since this place doesn’t get much traffic in terms of customers, I am basically alone here, free to steal some candy from the toppings bar and relax.

Right as I am loosening my shoulders and leaning back against the stool in front of the register, the bell rings and none other than Lydia Martin enters. Followed by some other people I’ve seen around Beacon Hills High and...

Scott.

Oh, shit. He’s here. We make eye contact and I look down, cheeks blazing. I can’t believe he is here. Oh lord, is this what drowning feels like? He is here, in this tiny shop, walking towards me. Oh my-

“Hi, lab partner!! I didn’t know you worked here!” I am caught off guard by Lydia’s chipper nature as she greets me like I’m an old friend.

“Hi, Lydia. Nice to see you.” Come on, man up and make friends. “What brings you here?”

“Oh, we just came for something sweet,” she finished this and grins, grabbing a cup and heading for the chocolate yogurt. Looking over her shoulder, she continues. “Guys, this is my lab partner in Mrs. Finch’s Bio class.” I give a slight smile and wave at all of them. The brunette boy with the big brown eyes and moles jumps slightly and basically yells.

“You’re the one. You saw color when you looked at Scott and he-”

He is interrupted by a whack on the back of the head. Lydia follows up. “I’m sorry, Stiles here doesn’t really have a filter, but he means no harm.”

“It’s fine, really. And to address the elephant in the room, I do see color now. Thanks to your friend Scott. Things just didn’t really hold up on his end, which is no one’s fault.” I look at Scott and he is trying to busy himself by adding toppings and doesn’t say anything. “Okay, I’ll ring up whoever’s ready.”

Gosh, acting as if this doesn’t bother me is proving extremely hard. On my walk home, I admittedly let a few tears out, heartbroken that this is how the rest of my life will be. I will fade into history as the only girl who died without ever having their person. I guess whoever pairs everyone was tired when it came time for me. He or she gave Scott two soulmates and I drew the short straw.

I am so pre-occupied that I don’t notice the bushes shaking and the glowing eyes until it is too late. There is a sharp pain in my temple and everything goes dark.

thanks for all the feedback and interest you guys have shown for this series // i really love it and I’m so happy you do, too!

#scott mccall imagine #scott mccall imagines #scott mccall x reader #teen wolf imagines #teen wolf #soulmates #stiles stilinski #lydia martin #Scott McCall

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ariyadaivaris · 7 years

Note

HEY here's smth i've been thinking about lately: who on 205 Live would u like to see turn face and how would u like to see them do it? i been thinking about this and it's hard because the heel boys are all so close to each other and i don't wanna see em split up...

now–okay. 1) im sorry i took forever to read this im very shy and 2) im gonna be THEEEEEEeeEEEEEEeeeeEEEeeE most biased person on earth about this but this is SUCH A COOL QUESTION and i’m living for it, thank you cat for my life

and like. i mean the answer that’s easiest is OBVIOUSLY ariya. i mean. like. let’s be real here, especially if i’m the one answering, like, who else could it be, but ariya? he’s never had a face run in his career, iirc, and i want to see it, with my eyes, and live it forever.

and YEAH splitting up those sweet terrible heel boys is a bad time, and that’s something that always gets me when i’m thinking about turns, because ideally everyone remains friends, face or heel, but like…i think that with ariya that’s something that could be accomplished WHILE the rest of the heel boys stay heels. and i know this is a topic i am on about a lot, or at least it feels like it, but i think it would work if you had ariya turn face against brian, specifically.

jack’s not involved in this yet, i know that’s like, HI HELLO IT’S ME BUZZ INTERNET, but this turn doesn’t have anything to do with jack. okay it might have a BIT to do with jack but that’s not the most important part of it. it’s a subplot and not like, the main conflict driving this turn. the main conflict driving this turn is VERY much between ariya and brian, and there are a few points of interest here:

brian betraying tony in the contendership elimination match, which is a relatively small insignificant betrayal, but still a betrayal of one of ariya’s friends

brian outright allying himself with enzo and ariya, but not to convince enzo to leave wwe entirely (which, until proven otherwise, has to be ariya’s goal here because jesus christ) and instead either for manipulation reasons or because he sincerely relates to everyone being jealous of the cruiserweight champion. because he’s brian kendrick

brian not only fucking with jack but fucking with him to the point jack is ALLYING with him; ariya might be a bastard but he’s really loyal to the allies and friends he has, even noam, who ariya was never EXACTLY FOND OF but to whom ariya’s remained loyal and is pretty straightforward with

and just like…ariya’s a brutal guy and he takes pleasure in fighting people in the ring, and he’s pragmatic and not afraid to bend the rules to win, but as a person, he’s fundamentally…pretty genuine? genuine isn’t the right word, but. he’s blunt and what you see is what you get with him for the most part. he’s sneaky and tricky, but he’s also a pretty bad liar beyond playing a wounded gazelle gambit in the ring! like, his alliance with enzo? he’s of course a very sweet boy but he’s got a reputation as well and he’s very VERY much just…pretending it doesn’t exist and hoping that’s convincing. ariya is…pretty sincere, at heart. he doesn’t Perform unless it’s for the greater good, he doesn’t try to be anything he’s not, and who he is MIGHT be a pretty rude and sharp person but that’s who he is. and he’s fine with that.

brian kendrick kinda spits on every single idea of that!

ariya believes he’s an honorable person, but like, ariya will back down and admit he’s outmatched when necessary (that’s kind of a running thing he does, with neville, with braun, etc), where brian is just a dirty coward who cheats and lies and plays dirty all the goddamn time. he’s the man with a plan and his plan is despicable from the beginning! and ariya doesn’t trust that, no one trusts brian, obviously, and i think that they could butt heads in a way that easily transitions into a face turn for ariya.

i think that could happen in a tag team match? not one where they’re pitted against each other, but put on a team. brian’s usually paired up with jack but jack’s got his own shit going on this particular night, so brian needed a new partner, and he came to ariya. and ariya doesn’t trust him for a goddamn second but he doesn’t have anything to do tonight, so he agrees. and then he discusses it with the rest of the gold standard, and tony’s clearly Not Happy that brian would even consider coming to one of them, even if this IS what ariya’s gotta do, and that definitely stays with ariya. because ariya is a dick but he loves tony and drew a lot and he isn’t the most forgiving person of slights against the two.

but brian and ariya team up for the night, they’re taking on, who knows…OH no wait i know, they’re taking on mustafa and akira, ding ding ding! ariya and brian both have past rivalries with akira, but ariya’s got a weird frenemies thing happening with mustafa over twitter at the VERY least, and ariya’s still thinking about how much of a manipulative lying motherfucker brian is. and while they’re in the match, brian pulls some SKETCHY SHIT that results in akira getting pretty fucked up on the turnbuckle, and ariya’s no akira fan but he knows that was fucked up. akira recovers and tags mustafa in and the match moves on, and ariya is stuck on this moment, and he looks back at brian in the corner and thinks, man, i fucking hate this guy

and he makes a decision, to get back at brian for tony’s sake at least and now for akira’s sake as well, because if brian can play dirty, ariya can too, and maybe it’ll teach him something about not being a HUGE SHITHEAD ALL THE TIME. he tags brian in for a double team move and makes a surprise transition; instead of whipping brian into mustafa, he catches brian up in the hammerlock lariat he does! and he takes a moment to kind of process “oh shit, oh SHIT this is happening”, before coming back into focus. and he just shakes it off, nudges brian towards mustafa and gestures to the top rope like “hey i set up your dumb flip for you, you’re welcome”, and just rolls out of the ring. before he starts up the ramp, he catches akira’s eye and nods, and then he’s just Outie, and then it’s just. okay! it’s an ambiguous move and he doesn’t break apart from his heel faction, of course, but it’s a start. it’s at LEAST a move from “allies with monster heels” to “allies with goofass heels and tweeners” territory, and it’s a start.

another opportunity for an ariya face turn, and like, if we’re following this same thread, a CERTAIN, CONFIRMED face turn, is ariya turning on enzo! i will die on the hill of “ariya is trying to get enzo out of here”, but if it happened for real after the above moment, that would be a pretty clear turn into face territory. it’s like…to expand more on ariya’s previous rivalries, it’s like a smaller scale version of what neville did. it’s no secret that drew and tony don’t get along with enzo, but ariya’s working with him because GOD everyone wants enzo to leave wwe. not even just 205, but wwe. please god. and ariya’s thinking that at any rate this COULD mean he gets a friendly title shot opportunity. it won’t. he knows it won’t. enzo’s a cruel stingy son of a bitch he’s never gonna give anyone a title opportunity if he can help it, but ariya thinks he could break ground if he just tries hard enough.

and then that hope is buried for good, because enzo goes after drew, like he’s wont to do. tony starts shit with enzo, and drew steps in to get a match with enzo and finish it, because Of Course He Does, it’s very noble even though tony and drew are both the worst. drew gets a match with enzo, and tony chills on commentary and ariya’s sitting in the back watching and ariya’s just fuming silently, but tolerating it. and then enzo cheats to win, because of course he does. and then for no good reason, he grabs a steel chair to attack drew, because he’s a dick! and tony comes after him, and enzo’s not afraid to attack him, too.

ariya comes out as soon as the steel chairs get involved. it looks for a second like he could be out here to back enzo up. tony and drew get fucken worried for a second that the plan’s gone wrong. but ariya wouldn’t dream of betraying either of them. not ever. if he’s got beef with them, he settles it, he talks through it, that’s how they’re good friends STILL. he doesn’t let things stew, he doesn’t fume over imagined slights silently. ariya’s a lot of things, but he likes to think he’s an honorable person. and there’s no one he’d honor more willingly than these two.

he convinces enzo to give him the chair, and at the last second, he turns it on enzo instead. he chases the rat out of the ring, back up the ramp, and barely spares him a final look before going to check and make sure drew and tony are alright. it doesn’t lead to those two chucklefucks getting a face turn, they’re still VERY embroiled in their own heelish pursuits, but ariya’s given up his pursuit of the title and his attempt to earn enzo’s trust, because he cares about his friends. and he really does consider the tactics he uses that he can see enzo using, too, and he actively starts working to stop using them. he’s not like enzo! he isn’t. he’ll never be like enzo.

and in that, ariya earns his face turn.

also, this isn’t the best argument for it, but ariya’s pretty well learned in high flying, which is a style he hasn’t gotten to use as much as a heel, and the style change from heel to face could be a good factor in that turn? that sentence was worded like DOGSHIT but i hope it made sense haha

also HOOOOOLY SHIT THIS GOT LONGER THAN I EVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED I KIND OF THINK ABOUT FACE ARIYA A LOT IM SORRY

#catsi #long post -#meta tag #booking tag #JESUS CHWIST #ariya daivari #IM....SO SORRY THIS GOT SO SO SO OUT OF HAND SO SO SO QUICKLY I JUST. LOVE HIM #UHHHHHH PWEASE FEEL FREE TO SKIP THIS POST IT GOT SO SO SO LONG SO QUICKLY IM SCREAMING IM SORRY #FHDSKJDS I.......I......THINK ABOUT FACE!ARIYA A LOT #i hope i worded all of this well hooooooly shit this isnt even everything i wanted to say either #AND LIKE THIS IS WITHOUT J*CK FACTORING INTO ANYTHING EITHER. MAN. MAN!!!!!! HUH #im so sorry thank you for asking this though genuinely i had THE MOST fun talking about it and i love booking these things #and i love 205 and i love talking about it with you!!!!!! thank you so so so much for asking this cat i love you so much omg #im SO SORRY FOR ALL THE WORDS

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ramajmedia · 5 years

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Once Upon A Time In Hollywood: All The Manson Family Actor Cameos

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood included one of the most infamous cults in history: Charles Manson’s family, with some well-known faces portraying some of the members of this group. Four years after the release of The Hateful Eight, Quentin Tarantino came back with a new film, titled Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Just like he did with Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino retold real-life events and added some fictional characters to create his own version.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has received some mixed responses and caused plenty of controversy, mostly aimed at the portrayals of real-life figures, such as Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and Bruce Lee (Mike Moh). The film also included some infamous characters like Charles Manson (Damon Herriman) and his “family” – the members of his cult and the ones responsible for Sharon Tate’s murder. Although the film changed that part of history, the whole Manson family made an appearance, and most members were seen briefly when Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) visited Spahn Ranch.

Related: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Cast & Cameo Guide

The Manson cult mostly just appeared in the background of the movie, but still has some recognizable names and faces playing them. Here are all the actors who appeared in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as part of Charles Manson’s family.

Lynette Fromme didn’t take part in Sharon Tate’s murder, but she did have a criminal record. George Spahn, owner of Spahn Ranch, where the Manson family lived, gave her the nickname “Squeaky”, and as mentioned in the film, she regularly slept with him. Fromme was later convicted for an assassination attempt on President Ford. Dakota Fanning, who rose to fame as a child star in films like I Am Sam and Man of Fire, has taken on a variety of roles ever since, most recently in the series The Alienist, and her role as Squeaky in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is unlike anything she’s done before.

Pussycat is a composite character: her nickname is based on Kathryn “Kitty” Lutesinger’s, but she’s modeled after Ruth Ann Moorehouse, both Manson family members. Manson would constantly send Moorehouse into the city to seduce men with money and bring them to the ranch, just like Pussycat does with Booth – although he wasn’t wealthy at all. Margaret Qualley has previously appeared in Palo Alto, The Nice Guys, Native Son, and most recently in the miniseries Fosse/Verdon.

Tex Watson was Charles Manson’s second-in-command and was involved in the murders of Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, and Wojciech Frykowski, as well as Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. Unlike other members, Watson didn’t have a criminal record prior to joining the group. Austin Butler is best known for his roles in teen TV shows such as Zoey 101 and iCarly, and is set to play Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s biographical film about the King of Rock and Roll.

Related: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Luke Perry's Cameo Explained

Patricia Krenwinkel was part of the group involved in the Tate-LaBianca murders, and following the death of Susan Atkins, she is now the longest-incarcerated female in the California penal system. Madisen Beaty played a young Daisy Fuller in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and had roles in The Master, Other People, and most recently in The Clovehitch Killer. She also played Talya Banks in The Fosters, but Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is her biggest movie yet.

Susan Atkins was another member of the Tate-LaBianca murder group. Like Krenwinkel, she was initially sentenced to death, but was consequently sentenced to life in prison. She died in 2009. In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood she was the one who convinced the rest of the group to go after Rick Dalton instead. Mikey Madison has mostly appeared in short-films and had a role in the drama film Nostalgia. She’s currently part of FX’s Better Things.

Although she was part of the group that went after Tate and company, Linda Kasabian didn’t take part in the murders – instead, as the only member of the group with a valid driver’s license, she drove the rest to Tate’s house and stayed outside the whole time, which was changed in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood as she fled the scene. She was a key witness during the trial and testified against everyone in exchange for immunity. Maya Hawke made her screen debut as Jo in BBC’s adaptation of Little Women but got her big break as Robin in the third season of Stranger Things.

Leslie Van Houten was convicted for the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, which took place the night after the Tate murders. She was sentenced to death but was ultimately sentenced to life in prison. Victoria Pedretti is best known for her role as Eleanor “Nell” Crain in The Haunting of Hill House, and will play Love Quinn in the second season of You as well as Dani in The Haunting of Bly Manor.

Related: What Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Changes About The Real Manson Murders

Catherine Share wasn’t involved in the Tate-LaBianca murders but was convicted for another reason: trying to intimidate a witness against testifying. She later served five years in prison for armed robbery. She has completely disassociated herself from Manson’s family and now speaks out against cults. Lena Dunham is best known as the creator and lead of the series Girls, and among her recent projects is the series Camping, and she's one of the bigger cameos among Once Upon A Time In Hollywood's Manson cult.

Steve Grogan was sentenced to death for the murder of Donald “Shorty” Shea, ranch-hand at Spahn Ranch, where Grogan lived before the Manson family moved in. However, the judge stated that he was “too stupid and too hopped on drugs” to make decisions on his own, and was then sentenced to life in prison. He was released on parole in 1985. James Landry Hebert has had several small roles in films and TV shows, including Stranger Things season 2, where he played Axel.

Sandra Good is one of Manson’s most devoted followers. She was indicted for “conspiracy to send threatening letter through the mail” and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but was paroled after serving 10. Good continues to show her loyalty to Manson. Kansas Bowling is also a director, screenwriter, and cinematographer, and is currently working on her second feature film. Her directorial debut, B.C. Butcher, was released in 2016.

Not much is known about Dianne Lake and her involvement in the Manson family, but she was portrayed in the film by Sydney Sweeney, who has appeared in a number of TV shows such as 90210, Grey’s Anatomy, and Pretty Little Liars. Among her biggest roles are Emaline Addario in Everything Sucks!, Eden Spencer in The Handmaid’s Tale, Alice in Sharp Objects, and Cassie Howard in Euphoria.

Related: No, Cliff Booth Didn’t Kill His Wife In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

There’s no record on a Manson family member referred to as “Froggie”, nor about the character being a composite one, but Harley Quinn Smith had a small role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as this one. Smith appeared in an episode of Supergirl and in the films Holidays and Yoga Hosers. She will also appear in Kevin Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot as Millennium “Milly” Faulken.

Angel is yet another character that is unknown if she’s based on a real person or not. Still, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is Danielle Harris’ return to big films after having mostly small roles in various TV shows and films as well as voice roles (most notably Debbie Thornberry in The Wild Thornberrys). Harris is mostly known for playing Laurie Strode’s daughter Jamie Lloyd in Halloween 4 and Halloween 5, and Annie Brackett in Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween II.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was also a platform for new talents, such as Dallas Jay Hunter, Dyani Del Castillo, and Parker Love Bowling, who played Manson family members Delilah, Pebbles, and Tadpole, respectively. It’s unknown if these characters are based on real life people or not. Hunter has mostly appeared in short films, as well as Parker Love Bowling, who had a role in her sister’s directorial debut B.C. Butcher. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Dyani del Castillo’s first credited role.

Next: How Mindhunter & Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Have The Same Charles Manson Actor

source https://screenrant.com/upon-time-hollywood-manson-family-actor-cameos/

#screenrant

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embracetheapocalypsewithme · 7 years

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Embracing the Apocalypse, Part 17: Well Fuck Me Gently with a Chainsaw

It’s a cold and snowy Canadian winter day up here, and I could use some angsty smut to get my mind off of it. Enjoy!

Summary: The scavenger team return from their mission and life returns to normal. Almost normal. Rebecca and Negan are still on the outs. Will they kiss and make up?

Word Count: 2,989

Content Warnings (or selling points?): Smut, Negan, Negan being Negan, language, boobs, and erectile dysfunction.

Part 1: The Tale of Thelma Facefuck

Part 2: What’s Up, Doc?

Part 3: A Successful Job Interview Begins with a Firm Handshake and Ends with a Salty Surprise

Part 4: A Crack in Everything

Part 5: Sorting Duty Sucks

Part 6: A Faint Whiff of Bullshit in the Air

Part 7: Turn and Face the Strange

Part 8: Poor Life Choices

Part 9: In Which Negan is a Total Jerk

Part 10: No Plan

Part 11: Negan Settles Rebecca’s Hash

Part 12: I know Where That Hand Has Been, Negan

Part 13: Gimme Danger

Part 14: The Loneliest Hours of the Morning

Part 15: Well, Fuck You Too, Kitty!

Part 16: That Escalated Quickly

Part 17: Well Fuck Me Gently with a Chainsaw

Part 18: Shards of Glass

Tag List Roll Call: @negans-network @lucifers-trash-stash @unicorn-blood-splatter @opheliadawnwalker3 @thedeadwalks @ali-pennell @negans-dirty-girl @grab-my-boner

Read on AO3 here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/8807527/chapters/21997385

Part 17: Well Fuck Me Gently with a Chainsaw

The group began their journey back to the Sanctuary the next morning after loading themselves up with the supplies they had scavenged from the building. Rebecca was content that she had proven herself to the others, and she could feel them gradually warming to her as the group together, joking and enjoying one another’s company.

As the day wore on, her thoughts returned to Negan and her feelings of pride were dampened by memories of their fight the night before. He travelled with Chris at the head of the group while she stayed at toward the back to chat with Phil and Ben, avoiding Negan as much as possible. The fearless leader had spent most of the day with a scowl etched into his features and remained unusually silent, only breaking the tranquility to bark clipped orders at the team in a tone that was more aggressive than she had ever heard him use before.

They stopped for the night in the same field that they had camped in on the way out, and Rebecca took the first guard shift again. Sitting atop the small hill, she found herself hoping that she would see his hulking form lumber from the group to sit with her again. Maybe she would apologize for getting frustrated with him. Maybe he would tell her that he didn’t mean the things he had said.

Rebecca spent the two hour shift alone in the dark.

Chris came to relieve her after two hours. As she descended the hill and made her way to her sleeping bag, her eyes were drawn to Negan’s body lying on the ground at the other end of the camp. For a moment she thought she could see his eyes reflect the light from the dying fire before he closed them, pretending to be asleep. But that might have been wishful thinking on her part.

She slept alone with her back to him. In the morning, they moved on.

***

Negan was in a shitty mood. He had been this way for the duration of the week following the scavenger team’s return to the Sanctuary after their mission to the nursing home. Rather than being able to shake it off as he normally would, the negative feelings had only deepened as the days passed. He tried his best of stay busy, occupying his time with meetings and other administrative bullshit, but there seemed to be too many hours in the day.

He spent his nights barely sleeping. Instead he lay awake in his bed, his thoughts unwillingly dragged back to Rebecca over and over. A part of him, the adult part he supposed, wanted to see her and to apologize. At the same time, the more stubborn and childish side of his personality wouldn’t give her that satisfaction. Besides, she was in the wrong too, so fuck her!

A few days following their return, he had nearly broken down and extended the proverbial olive branch to her after a meeting with Chris. The two men had met in his office to discuss tactics and future scavenging missions, during which time Chris had brought forward some of Rebecca’s suggestions.

“How’s she working out? She still doing ok?” Negan had asked as casually as possible.

“Well, that depends on what you mean,” Chris said and then lowered his voice, “She’s full of great ideas, but I feel like she’s starting to deteriorate physically for some reason. She says that she’s just tired, but honestly she looks like shit and a few of the guys have seen her outside in the middle of the night just walking around.”

“Fuck,” Negan’s face fell for a moment before he could regain his neutral expression, “That sounds serious. Think you should make her go see Krouse?”

“I had considered it, but thought that she might take the order better from you.”

“And why would you think that, Christopher?” Negan asked, his eyes narrowing.

“No real reason. You just seem to have some kind of rapport with her. At least that’s what it felt like during the mission. Maybe I’m wrong.”

“Maybe you are fucking wrong,” Negan said, his gaze still burning holes into Chris, “And maybe you should mind your own goddam business.”

“Sorry. I was trying to be diplomatic,” Chris replied, seemingly unfazed, “It’s just that there’s been talk about you and her. It’s just gossip, really. You know how things go around here. A woman gets promoted into a good position quickly and people start to make up rumours about you restarting –“ he cut his train of thought off abruptly.

“Continue,” Negan said, “Restarting what?”

“Playing favourites with certain women who might not normally have gotten so far on their own,” Chris never broke eye contact with Negan as he spoke, “I know that Rebecca is talented, and that she deserves to be where she is. But not everyone here is privy to that information. And so rumours get started. That’s all I’m saying. I thought you would want to know.”

“Well, thank you for bringing this ridiculous bullshit to my attention. You can go now,” he said coldly.

Chris stood wordlessly and left the room. Negan strode to the large window that overlooked the area outside of the fence. With his eyes scanning aimlessly across the surrounding countryside, he turned over the information he had gleaned from the conversation. Someone either knew or suspected that he and Rebecca had been closer than just employer and employee, and they were spreading that information around.

Julie and Ryan were the only two who knew about them for sure, and Rebecca seemed to believe that Ryan was trustworthy, though Negan had his misgivings. On the other hand, he had put his trust in Julie to keep her mouth shut about the things she had walked in on. Perhaps that trust had been misplaced.

Turning abruptly from the window, he muttered a stream of curse words that would have been very in place on a pirate ship before making his way across the room and to the door. This was getting ridiculous. He would find Rebecca and apologize, and then he would make her go see Krouse himself. There was clearly something going on with her, and she needed help.

His hand hovered over the door handle for a moment as his mind brought him back to the night they had spent together in the nursing home. He remembered how her tear-rimmed eyes gleamed in the moonlight as she pulled on her clothing before turning from him and muttering the words, “Bye then,” dismissively. She hadn’t even looked back before slamming the door on him, thus ending whatever it was they had. Maybe if she had looked back and shown any modicum of remorse, he would have said something. Instead she had cut him off as if he had meant nothing.

So, why should he be the first one to break? Rebecca was not his responsibility, and she clearly felt she could take care of herself. His hand lowered from the door handle, dropping to his side as he shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. He could feel a headache coming on from the stress of the past week. Rebecca was really getting to him, and he needed to put an end to it.

“Fucking fuckity fuck!” he hissed to himself before grabbing the handle and yanking the heavy door open. Still fuming, he marched decisively down the hall in the direction of the commissary. It was time to pay Julie a visit.

As Negan made his way toward his destination, he hummed tunelessly to himself with his gaze fixed ahead. Making no attempt to greet, or even look at anyone he passed, he nearly took out several people who managed to step aside at the last minute and avoid being bowled over by him. He was on the war path today and god help anyone who got between him and the goal of fucking his former wife into oblivion.

His pace slowed as he approached the room that housed the Sanctuary’s more frivolous items. Julie sat atop a stool just behind a wooden counter, with her elbows on the smooth surface and her chin perched between her hands. Her red hair shone in the light that had snaked its way from the windows to the spot where she sat. She looked bored as fuck until she noticed Negan approaching her. Then she just looked annoyed.

“What?” her voice was cold and emotionless as her blue eyes behind hooded eyelids that were weighed down with disinterest.

“Hey! Let’s go fuck!” was the opening line Negan chose to go with on this day.

“Piss off!” her features twisted with disgust, “Fucking dickbag…”

“I’m serious. Close up and come with me. You can take the rest of the day off and I’ll find someone to re-open once we’re done.”

Julie’s gaze narrowed, “What? Did the little lady with the big ass break your heart?”

“Rebecca? No. She was just some slut I was playing with. I thought it might be nice to switch it up from my usual type. You know I don’t have a fucking heart!”

“Uh-huh,” Julie’s voice had taken on a sarcastic edge, “And what exactly is your usual type?”

“Sexy ladies, like yourself,” he said as he leaned against the counter, bringing his face toward her, “So, how about it? Want the rest of the day off? And how about tomorrow too? Hell! Take the whole week.”

“Are you fucking serious this time?” her eyes lit up slightly at the mention of a week off.

“Yes! Of course!” Negan’s eyes landed on a young man strolling toward them, paying no attention to where he was going. Pointing directly at the very confused adolescent’s face he bellowed, “You! Get your pimply ass over here!”

The young man’s eyes widened as panic took over, “M-me?” he stammered.

“Yes, fucking you! I don’t see anyone else in the hallway, do you?” Negan’s voice dripped with contempt and impatience.

The young man tentatively walked toward tem, looking as though he feared that Negan would bite him if he got too close to the man, “Wh-what can I do for you, sir?”

“You can plunk your ass down on this stool for the rest of the day and keep track of the stock and the points of anyone who buys shit. Think you can handle that?”

“I’ve never been trained for this job, sir,” the young man replied.

“It’s not exactly a hard job, kid. You’ll be fine,” he motioned for Julie to follow him as she came out from behind the counter, throwing a glance over her shoulder at her replacement. Negan grabbed her arm and tugged her in the direction of his room before calling back at the boy as an afterthought before turning around a corner, “And don’t fucking steal anything!”

***

A teasing smile played upon Julie’s mouth as she entered Negan’s bedroom and spun around to face the room’s owner, who was following behind her. Negan’s stomach fluttered with something he had not felt for so long that he scarcely recognized the feeling at first.

(fuck! am i actually nervous to fuck julie?)

As soon as the thought entered his mind, he dismissed it as being utterly ridiculous. He had fucked Julie hundreds of times, and in every imaginable way that was humanly possible during her stint as one of his wives. It was true that they hadn’t been together for several years, but he couldn’t imagine that he would be nervous to rekindle their former relationship.

“This place is just like I remember it!” the redhead exclaimed, “I guess Sherry didn’t feel the need to redecorate,” her smile faltered as she noticed the peculiar expression on Negan’s face, “What the fuck is wrong now?”

“Nothing!” he replied almost too quickly, plunking himself down on the edge of the bed, “It’s just weird being here with you after so long. That…and you look fucking sexy as fuck today.”

He hoped that his compliment would sound convincing to Julie, because it set off every one of his personal bullshit detectors. After stripping off his jacket and throwing it into a nearby armchair, he walked to the bed and sat on the edge, his eyes roaming over the young woman’s body.

“Like what you see?” she asked, her eyes softening seductively. Julie took a few steps forward, until her slight frame was standing between Negan’s opened legs, her chest inches from his face, “You can touch if you want to.”

Negan took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to meet hers before placing a hand on either one of her breasts and squeezing them slightly, “Mmm. Those are even nice than I remember. Did your tits get bigger, Jules?”

The woman giggled with delight, “I don’t know! I don’t think so…” she brought her hands down to the hem of her shirt before lifting the thin garment over her head. Once this was accomplished, her hands disappeared behind her back to unclasp her bra. As the second item of clothing fell to the floor she asked, “What do you think?”

“I think they look fucking great!” he said, trying his best to sound sincere as he brought his mouth to meet her hardened nipple, taking it between his lips and swirling his tongue around it. Julie let out a slight sigh of contentment as she moved her hands to stroke his hair lightly before placing her knee against his crotch to feel his arousal.

“Hm. You’re not very excited yet. Maybe I should see if I can fix that,” she purred and pushed him back into the bed as she straddled him, pressing her body against before kissing his mouth deeply. Once her tongue broke through the barrier of his lips, Negan felt his stomach tighten again as a sour taste rose into the back of his throat. It was becoming apparent that this was not simple performance anxiety.

A memory nagged at the back of his mind; something distant and bitter was bubbling to the surface. He recalled the first time he had cheated on his wife, Lucille, with one of the secretaries at the middle school he had worked at. They had only been married for two years at that point. He remembered that same tightness in his stomach, and the same sour taste. He also remembered the remorse he had felt afterward as he drove home after inventing a plausible excuse to tell her.

(not like it stopped you, fucker! not that time, or the dozens of other times either)

He pushed the memories aside and kissed Julie back as passionately as he could before grabbing her around the waist and flipping her onto her back with a growl. Lowering himself on top of her, he began to tail kisses across her neck and collarbones before returning his attention to her breasts. Julie arched her back and let a dramatic moan break the silence of the room. She had always been a great actress, and today was no exception.

Lifting her head from the bed’s surface to look Negan in the eye, she began to undo her jeans and lower them from her hips, “I think it’s time for you to fuck my brains out, don’t you?”

Negan froze at the realization that he was in no way physically prepared for intercourse at that very moment. In fact, his cock hadn’t so much as twitched once during the course of their foreplay.

“What?” asked Julie, her face hardening, “What the fuck is with your face right now? You look horrified.”

Negan cleared his throat and attempted to think of an excuse, “I…I’m more into giving at the moment, really. Wouldn’t you like me to eat you out until you come all over me?” his voice lowered to what he hoped was a sexy growl.

“Fuck no! I want to you fuck me,” she sat up abruptly, nearly smoking him in the face with her head, “So get this thing ready and get it inside me-“ as she spoke she cupped his cock in her hand, squeezing it roughly. Her words cut off at the realization that he was still very un-aroused.

“Yeah, I’m not really ready for that yet,” Negan said sheepishly, avoiding her eyes.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Julie’s voice rose, “Are you seriously fucking limp-dicked at the thought of fucking me?” she pushed him off her and slid to the edge of the bed before tugging her jeans back over her hips and zipping them up, “Maybe if I was short and had a huge fucking ass and a bad dye job with roots for days you’d be into me. Isn’t that right?”

“It’s not you, Jules. You’re fucking gorgeous. I’m just really tired, and things have been stressful lately,” he explained, carefully omitting his fight with Rebecca during the mission, “I thought that hooking up with you would get my mind off of it.”

“Fuck you, Negan!” she screamed, pulling her top back on and striding to the door, “I am not some fucking distraction for you when you get dumped by ugly fucking sluts like What’s-Her-Face from the supply room.”

“Her name’s Rebecca and you can watch your fucking mouth when you talk about her!” he bellowed, surprising even himself with the sudden anger that Julie’s words evoked.

“Don’t fucking talk to me again, asshole!” she yelled as loudly as possible before exiting the room and slamming the door so hard that it rattled the paintings hanging on either side of it.

Negan sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, breathing heavily while he calmed down. Maybe Rebecca had gotten further into his head than he had thought. Closing his eyes, he muttered under his breath, “Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw.”

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