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angelicmichael · 3 years

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God is a woman

(Fem!Michael Langdon x reader)

Summary: After being stranded a few days before Halloween, Reader resorts to going into the forest to look for help and instead runs into our favorite blonde antichrist and instantly becomes infatuated.

Words: 5.5k+

Warnings: This fic gets rlly fucking dark and this is lowkey dark! Michael, very detailed sacrifice scene in the beginning, stepping on someone’s neck, manipulation, neck bruises. No smut but LOTS of sexual tension hehe.

A/N: I’ve never written anything this dark before so I’m lowkey nervous to post 👉🏻👈🏻 also this is my first wlw fic! 🥳 plz reblog or heart if you enjoyed and let me know if you wanna be on the taglist! I saw a prompt about where a main character hates Halloween so that inspired me to write this. Also, romance doesn’t rlly happen until the second half of the fic so I guess this could be considered slow burn haha.

It was exactly three days away from Halloween night. In the past, you and your friends always had a ‘get together’ right before Halloween but by the looks of things; you weren’t going to make it. On the car ride over to your friends you had gotten lost, and when you stopped to look up directions on your phone - your phone died. And then.. as if the night couldn’t get any worse, your car refused to start either. You were fucked, in the middle of fucking nowhere, scared out of your mind.

So now - here you were. Lost and left only with the choice to test out your survival skills. You went into the forest to try to go find help or maybe find a house.. After all, you heard rumors about how teenagers would often go into these woods to conduct rituals, but those were just rumours.. right? Those rumors were especially prevalent near Halloween and it was only a mere three days away. It was nearing on midnight too which only seemed to make things even more creepy and set you even more on edge.

The gentle breeze that shook the trees and the brush almost made it sound like as if you were being followed. Everytime you swore you heard footsteps behind you - you would see nothing execpt a nearly black, dark green landscape instead. Shadows started to dance in your peripheral vision, you felt as if you were going crazy. You breathing quickened and you took faster steps, wanting desperately to find any signs of life or to run into another main road.

The sound of your heavy breaths and the leaves crunching under your feet seemed to be the only thing that occupied your senses; until you saw a light. In fact, it wasn’t one light but several little lights - you counted about ten of them. They seemed to be spaced out strategically, it almost looked like a circle but the shape seemed to be more intricate than that. The flames stayed low to the ground, and as you cautiously took steps closer and closer, it was easy to tell that the flames were attached to small white candles.

It wasn’t until you slowly crept forward when you noticed that in between the candles were several hooded figures. You couldn’t make out faces or any distinct details, but you could tell the robes that were a silky red satin, and that all the figures appeared to be holding hands around the odd circular shape with.. something that almost resembled a body in the middle of the circle.

You brushed that thought off about quickly as it had came; there was no way that could be a human body.. right?

You took a silent deep breath before taking more quiet steps toward the mysterious individuals.

You finally stopped venturing forward and settled on leaning on a tall tree that was only a couple feet away from the group; just close enough to see what was happening but - still concealed by the leaves so that they couldn’t see you.. unless you made a sound of course.

You jaw dropped once you realized your suspicion was right, it really was a fucking body that the group seemed to be huddled over. Trying to breathe quietly was now more a struggle and you could feel your body start to shake like a leaf once you started to get a horrible idea of what was happening here.

The genders of the small congregation was mixed but, the leader - the one who previously had sat in the center or tip of the ‘circle’ and had now sat crouched next to the civilians body - was female.

There was no denying how beautiful she was. Her hair fell to about her shoulders in perfect golden ringlets, it was as if she had curled her hair but it seemed to looked natural - like it had just happened to naturally fall down her shoulders in that way. Her eyes were a light crystal blue and were framed with thick black eyelashes which were angled down; staring at the body that lay in front of her. And finally, another unforgettable feature she had were her lips. Her lips were full and you couldn’t stop yourself from daydreaming about how soft and plump they looked until you were brought back into reality - when you saw this woman grab a dagger that was lying next to the random civilian.

This random person; whom you knew was random because unlike the other members of this odd ‘cult’, they wore normal street clothes - like how you did. This made your blood run cold, you could be next. What made you different from this person who - by the looks of it - was about to be killed in cold blood? Absolutely nothing.

You knew it was cowardly to just hide and watch but you felt terrified, and in denial. This person was tied up with their hands and ankles bound with some kind of cloth, along with a cloth gag around their mouth. Although they looked to be unconscious - so maybe the woman was grabbing the dagger to free them? You could only hope.

You couldn’t help but think back to the rumours that always seem to float around this time of year about a local satanic cult, but those were just rumours.. stupid fucking rumours. And you were just paranoid because of the fact that it was literally midnight and you were stranded.

You tried to shake away these irrational thoughts as you remained at the tree; holding your breath as you watched the woman hold up the knife. She let out a slight giggle, and you swore for a second she almost looked childish - the way her eyes lit up and how the corners of her mouth turned in a small closed mouth smile. For a second she looked genuinely happy and excited, and then she did the unthinkable.

All it took was three seconds for her to plunge the knife right into the center of the persons chest cavity, blood instantly spurted out from the mans chest and if he wasn’t dead ealier.. He certainly was now. she ran the knife up a bit in his chest before quickly throwing the knife out of the way, somewhere in the forest. She quickly plunged her hand into the persons chest with no hesitation - it was obvious by the way her armed moved that it was as if she was searching for something or a certain organ?

Your reaction was immeadite, you couldn’t help but to gasp and let go of the tree in shock - shaking harder than ever. But yet; you still stood and watched. Like a idiot. You could slowly feel your body succumb to shock and you knew you only had so much time to move and get the hell out of there before you passed out but you felt frozen in place. You couldn’t bring yourself to move your legs or any other part of you. Maybe it was some kind of fucked up fate or destiny that you were meant to be here and witness this.

You flinched at the awful squishing sounds that omitted from this woman’s victims body, it was clear to you now what she was looking for in the chest.

The heart.

You started to shake with fear as you watched her forcibly rip the heart out of the chest cavity and away from the blood vessels that previously connected it to the body. Blood continued to ooze off of it as she slowly raised it up closer, and closer to her. She wore a sly smirk but her eyes seemed to be turning darker and darker; which made it impossible to read her emotions but for some reason; you felt if you could see her eyes - that they would still hold the same wonder and excitement you saw in them ealier.

That thought made you dizzy.

“Ave satanas”. She spoke.

Her voice was clear and smooth, the murder and this horrific dissection didn’t seem to disturb or affect her in any way, or any of the members that were witnesses.

The rest of the members watched her as diligently as you did, their eyes daring to not leave her body for a second. They also repeated her sick mantra.

She swiftly raised the heart up to her lips and took a bite, blood instantly staining her porcelain skin and cascading down her mouth and neck. Her eyes rolled back into her head - her entire pupil was now pitch black, even the whites of her eyes seemed to turn black as well.

This image was almost seductive to watch. Your not sure if this was your way of discovering you had a blood kink, or if it was the way she bit into the heart.. or maybe it was how content she looked after the bite.

But, you knew that this was fucked up and that if you wanted to make it out alive - you had to leave NOW. It was a human heart, she was a fucking murderer and possibly a cult leader at the very least. It didn’t matter if she looked like Aphrodite - she was a fucking killer and you would be next if you didn’t start to think logically.

You turned to leave; your intention was to walk away as quietly as possible but as soon as you moved your legs - it only took a couple seconds for you to break out into a clumsy sprint. Very clumsy.

It felt as if your heart had temporarily left your chest when you tripped (a stupid tree branch had fallen onto the pathway), and you felt scared out of your mind. Your breathing turned heavy and erratic as you opted to lie on forest floor; too terrified to get up.

You weren’t that far away at all from the tree you were previsoily standing at, you knew there was a good chance they had heard you fall.

You could hear hushed voices.

“Did you hear that”? You heard a male voice ask and immeaditly you heard a quiet chorus of voices that seemed to affirm his suspicion.

You listened as he offered to go look but a female voice spoke up again.. for some reason you felt as if it was the woman you saw ealier and you don’t know if that excited you or scared the shit out of you.

“No.. I’ll go”. She replied.

You heard a subtle rustling of clothes and a distant crunching of leaves as she approached and your heart leapt in your throat. You couldn’t breathe. You screwed your eyes shut; fighting every single instinct you had that was screaming at you to stand up and run for your life. The earth underneath you seemed to grow extensively more uncomfterable, the rocks, mud, dirt and the scratchy grass made your urge to leave even more stronger.

For a second; this state of being uncomfterable made you forget about the predicament you were in and how a literal cult leader was approaching you. It wasn’t until you smelt something new; a slight musky scent with a hint of floral that you knew she was nearby even though you couldn’t hear footsteps anymore.

The sharp, blowing pain you felt on the back of your neck threw you off guard so much that you couldn’t help but let out a soft scream - choking on air, your lungs grasping for more of that sweet delectable oxygen. You thought you were dying at first but you quickly realizing that she was stepping on your neck. You could feel her body weight shift as she crouched down, closer so that she could talk to you.

“Your not a very good actress. I know your not dead; I can hear your heart beat.. pathetic”. The woman above you mused, you could hear it in her voice how she was smiling.

You continued to wheeze for air desperately and you let out a weak, “please”! And miraculously, you felt her shoe slightly let up. Just enough so that you could breath but the agonizing shooting pain still remained.

“Please?! That’s all you have to say for yourself? Use your words. Beg”. Her voice stayed cool and confident as she spoke.

Meanwhile you could feel tears at the edge of your eyes as you gasped at the relief of finally being able to breath properly again. Your voice came out as rough and you stuttered at first as you struggled to find the right words.

“P-please, I just need help. I’m stranded - I only came out here to look for help. I don’t want any trouble”. You said.

You tried to push yourself back up - to see if she would let you atleast sit back up but you felt the pressure remain, even come back a little more forceful than before.

“Why should I let you go? You really think I didn’t notice you the second you started watching? You didn’t just happen to stumble upon us - you watched for a solid fifteen minutes”. Her voice held rage and fire as she started to speak, however by the end of her statement she maintained to retain her cool tone.

However there was a hint of urgency in her voice, as if she knew that her members would be coming back any second to see what was taking their dear beloved leader so long.

This entire time you were looking at her shoes - and the forest floor. You crained your neck in a way that was awkwardly painful just so that you could make eye contact with her before you spoke. Sure enough, it was the same woman who you had watched eat the human heart of the poor civilian ealier. The same.. undeniably gorgeous woman.

Most of her forefront was still stained a messy daunting red, most notably from her lips down to her chest. You also noticed how some of the ends of her hair was also dipped a messy matching red.

“Look - I couldn’t help it. When I saw you, I had to stay”. You replied dumbly as you continued to make eye contact; praying that she would pick up on your cue of what you meant.

You knew how fucking stupid it was to even try to flirt with her when she had the perfect opportunity to kill you. Out of all the stupid stunts you had pulled off in your life this had to be the worst - you didn’t even know if she was gay. Fuck, you didn’t even know her name but to be honest - you didn’t really care. You were simply enchanted and enthralled by her presence alone.

You two continued to make eye contact until you could hear the voices of the congregation start to grow louder and louder.. she didn’t looked exactly panicked by this but she looked bothered and annoyed.

You felt the pain on your neck subside as she retracted back her foot; standing up as she turned around and quickly left. You took that as your cue to get the fuck out of there, and that she wasn’t going to hurt you.

You laid on the forest floor for a couple minutes as you gathered your bearings and mustered up the strength to stand up, and attempt to find a way back home away from this hellish nightmare.

That horrid night of your run in with the satanists not only plagued your dreams to turn into nightmares, but it also become your go to story to tell at parties.

You knew telling ‘rumours’ of a satanic cult (espically around Halloween) was incredibly cheesy and you doubted anyone really believed you, but it always made people laugh and kept them intrigued. Hence why you were at currently at your own party on Halloween night, telling the same story yet again but worded a bit

The party you decided to throw remained somewhere in the middle between a casual friendly house party, and a frat party. This left you (and your friends) with a cup of alcohol in hand, in a somewhat revealing angel costume. You wore a silky white dress along with a cheap pair of angel wings and a halo to go along with it; along with makeup to match. Right now you just happened to be conversing amongst some acquaintances but more and more people seemed to be filing through into the house; people you didn’t know.

You knew you were just borderline tipsy because you couldn’t help but laugh at every line that this person whom you were talking too was saying but they seemed to look amused too.

“No way that happened”! The person you were talked too replied.

“Yes way! Why do you think I’m wearing this scarf? The number she left on my neck wouldn’t exactly go with the rest of my outfit”. You said with a small giggle at the half truth you told.

That definitely wasn’t a lie. When that woman had stepped on your neck she left a trmendous amount of bruising on your neck. Your neck was painted dark blues and purples, the real tone of your skin barely peeking through. Luckily you were able to pin wearing scarves on just the cold weather, and no one really think twice or seemed to question you over it.

You took another sip of the beverage you held, preparing to tell more of your notorious story before you heard the doorbell ring. You excused yourself as you walked through the dense crowd, wondering who the hell it was.

All of your dearest friends and everyone else that was invited was already here.. you could feel fear and anxiety start to nag at you but nevertheless you quickly opened the door without a second thought.

And you were speechless.

It was her. The woman who was the main character of the horror story you were previously telling stood in front of you, and she looked pissed.

You immeaditly felt in shock as you stepped outside with her and shut the door. You would’ve invited her inside but who knows what the hell her intentions were; you knew what she was capable of.

“How did you find me”?! You asked, the words came out as if you were angry but you really weren’t - just in shock and a bit scared.

She looked amused when you said this, like she could almost laugh but she just smirked at you instead.

“You made it too easy. It was common knowledge you were throwing a party this weekend, all I had to tell them that I was some relative of yours and I got your address just like that. Do you like my outfit”? She mused, throwing her hair over her shoulder as she did a quick spin for you.

It was obvious she was attempting to dress as the devil, she wore a headband that had small devil horns on them along with a beautiful red dress that clung tightly to her skin, showing off the best parts of her body. She also wore a black cape on with two metals clasps on either side with a chain connecting them; she looked beautiful. Although this did nothing to the fact of how confused and mildly annoyed you were at her appearance.

“I know your not here for the party. What do you want? If you wanted to just see me, or find another victim - this is not the place or time to do it” You said.

You two stood outside by the front door, the air was just cold enough to make you want to go back inside but not to the point where you were uncomfterable. The sounds of halloween filled your sense, the vague smell of pumpkin and the sound of kids roaming the neighborhood for candy was a comforting distraction. However it wasn’t enough for you to forget about the woman standing in front of you. She lost her smirk and amused look completely before she replied to you.

“Who exactly do you think you are to know what my wants are needs are? And what makes you qualified to fulfill them?” She asked and you stood there.. utterly speechless.

She took a step toward you and looked at you directly in the eyes - clearly not intimidated or scared of you at all. It was almost as if she was teasing you; taunting you.

You felt so fucking stupid, you didn’t have a good answer to her question. In fact you don’t really know why you even asked her that. You took a deep breath and even though she was a mere foot or two away from you; you refused to back up and look as if you were intimidated.

“It’s just, I don’t even know your name. I don’t know the first thing about you or how you even found about this party. I just.. don’t know what your intentions are”. You stated dumbly.

You had no expectations or guess for what she would do next but you felt your soul leave your body for a split second as she advanced toward you even closer - almost like she was going to kiss you only for her to just brush up past you and open your front door. She got so close to you to the point where you felt her soft blonde hair brush up against your face for a moment.

“I can’t talk to you about it out here”. She stated and grabbed your hand, pulling you inside behind her. You held onto her hand as walked you into the house, not even letting you shut the door which stayed open ajar.

You couldn’t help but blush at how soft and smooth her hand felt, yet the feeling also made you shudder since her hand seemed to be ice cold.

You were worried about getting weird looks from people about holding another girls hand but everyone seemed to preoccupied to notice, or merely just didn’t care.

She led you into one of the first rooms that was visible from the front door, clearly not caring whether it was a bedroom, bathroom or some other kind of room. She quickly opened the door and closed it after nearly pushing you in. Almost immeaditly she pulled off her headband and took her heels off, throwing them carelessly in the room as she rolled her eyes.

“I’m so glad I don’t have to wear that shit anymore”. She said with a slight chuckle.

“Why dress up then if you hate it?” You asked, genuinely curious.

“Because I had to look the part in order to come to this party to get to you. Anyone not dressed up on Halloween always looks suspicious, I thought you knew that”. She answered.

You blushed at her first sentence but out of being shy you decided to ignore that part, assuming she was probably referring to something else - there was no way she would’ve came all the way here just for the sake of asking you on a date. The thought was stupid and irrational.

“You could’ve just dressed up in your satanist outfit, you did look beautiful in it”. You said.

As soon as the words came out of your mouth you felt stupid for even admitting that you thought of her as attractive let alone beautiful.

“Beautiful? Even with blood dripping down my neck you think I looked beautiful”. The second part was said as if it were a statement.

She took a couple steps toward you, putting her fingers lightly on your cheek as she gently pushed her thumb under your chin - forcing you to look up at her. It didn’t hurt by any means but it definetly felt uncomfterable. You waited for her to make a move; either to kiss you or say something but she did neither. She merely stared at you. To break the suffocating silence you spoke.

“You know, you never answered my question ealier”. You said as she still held her face gently on your face. She looked at you as if she was studying you, observing - waiting for you to do something.

“The one about why I came here? I already told you - I came for you. I’ve heard all of the crazy bullshit rumours you’ve been telling - and if you were anyone else I would’ve just slit your throat and sacrificed you by now but.. I think I’ve already tainted your beauty enough with those delicious bruises I left on your neck”. She said, she eyes traveling down to the scarf that you wore that covered the bruises.

You felt beyond bewildered and as if the air had been completely knocked out of you once again. The fact that she was trying to gaslight you into thinking that what you saw that night wasn’t even real was the most shocking. The next was how she commented on your beauty, was she returning back your feelings or was she just trying to lead you on before she murdered you? Under your own roof? You wouldn’t put it past her.

“Take it off”. She spoke, her hand that was on your face slowly traveled down to the end of your scarf, giving it a gentle tug.

You gave her a slight smirk, you figured you might as well flirt - who knows how this night was going to end after all.

“Your not even going to buy me dinner first”? You teased.

Your hands gently started to unwind the scarf that you had tightly wrapped around your neck and she watched intensively, almost like she was in a trance.

“Sorry angel but I’m not really the type who likes to go on dates, or let alone has the time or patience for them”. She said, making eye contact with you again.

A darkness gleamed in her eyes but you still tried to stand your ground and not let her intimidate you.

You threw the scarf on the floor. You still were fully clothed but you couldn’t help but feel naked and exposed, your embarrassing bruises on full display. She pushed your chin up and got even closer. Taking a finger and very lightly traced the outline of one of the more prominent bruises. It didn’t hurt but you felt on edge, and scared at the fact that your neck was on full display for basically a cannibal. What was stopping her from pulling out a knife or doing something crazy such as biting into your throat?

The idea of your life ending so suddenly with this woman you didn’t even know the name of made your heart start to beat rapidly, and you felt sick.. anxious.. you needed to get out of this room but you stayed put.

It was almost as if she could sense this and she drew her hand back, as you lowered your head back down in its normal position.

“You look divine, beautiful isn’t even the right adjective to describe your beauty. You would put a real angel to shame with your looks”. She said. For a second, you completely forgot it was Halloween or that you were even in a costume to begin with.

She only strayed a inch again away from your face now. She slowly approached closer and closer, you felt her cold hands gently grab at your waist - and you couldn’t help but jump just slightly at the suddenness of it. You couldn’t help but breathe faster when you felt her nose gently bump against yours - knowing what was about to happen.

“Are you okay”? She asked you, barely whispering.

You swore you could almost taste her breath and feel her lips moving at how close she was. Close but yet not close enough.

You wanted this; you wanted nothing more than to close the gap between you two but you also knew deep down this was wrong. This woman was a murderer, she didn’t deserve love.. right?

Everyone deserves compassion and acceptance - sure. You could offer her that but you knew certainly it wasn’t your place to forgive her for her acts but.. after all that’s not why you were currently in the posistion that you were in. You weren’t about to kiss her because you felt sorry for her, it’s because you felt hopelessly drawn to a woman you barely even met. A woman you didn’t know the name of.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, you knew she was dangerous but yet.. that almost made you want her more.

It felt wrong to speak out loud so you merely nodded your head very slightly, the posistion you were in made it hard to move but you were still able to move your head a little bit. You doubted her eyes were open to see your movement but you were hoping maybe she felt you move instead; and that was when you heard her soft sultry voice ask you,

“Can I kiss you”?

You swiftly wrapped your arms around the back of her neck and you moved in a inch closer, just enough so that the distance between you two was finally closed.

The kiss was wet, and short lived. The taste of her lipstick lingered as you pulled away rather reluctantly. The way how her lips lingered on yours told you that she didn’t want to stop but you knew you should pull away; this chaos had to stop.

This was a dangerous fucking game you were playing, what were you thinking? That you would somehow be different and that she would decide to spare you for some reason? You removed your hands from her shoulders as you awkwardly stumbled back. Your heart started to race and you could feel yourself start to turn backwards, getting ready to open the door and just dip. You could never explain how you feel, how would she understand? More importantly - why would she care?

Just as you felt your feet move to turn your heard her voice, it was soft yet still held onto her confidence that her voice typically held but.. she sounded a bit defeated.

“Your scared”. She stated.

You froze as you took a deep breath, now facing the door with your back facing her.

“Scared of what?” Your words hung in the air for a few dense, quiet moments.

Scared of what she would say, yet scared of the thick silenceness that seemed to be your only other option. You decided to muster up the courage spontaneously to turn around and face her and that’s exactly when she answered your question.

“Of me. Your scared of me. I can hear your heartbeat, I can tell your terrified of me”. She stated.

Her words felt like they cut you as if she had thrown knives at you; you immeaditly felt embarrassed for how you felt, the urge to just leave was stronger than ever but you had a feeling she wouldn’t just let you go so easy.

The mention of her hearing your heartbeat seemed to fly right over your head, you didn’t give it a second thought.

You wanted to move to leave, or to hug her but you did neither. You stood frozen, as you felt tears start to well up in eyes and run hotly down your cheeks.

I’m sorry. I-I don’t want to be scared of you but it’s not fair for you to assume that I can just ignore what I saw”. You answered.

Taking another deep breath you looked up and met her eyes, she looked at you curiously - still as if she was studying you.

She took steps toward you, up until her hand gently rested on your cheek and you couldn’t help but foolishly lean into it ever so slightly.

“Baby, I’m not expecting you to ignore it - all I want is for you to keep quiet about it. I can’t have the entire town thinking I’m a satanist anymore darling”.

You wanted to argue but you merely giggled and smiled.

“That’s understandable. Speaking of.. your hobby.. shouldn’t you be elsewhere on Halloween? Like at some elaborate death ritual or some kind of Halloween ceremony”? You asked.

You felt completely shocked when you felt her hand suddenly pull away and you felt her tongue lick a stripe directly from your chin up to your cheek, licking up your precious tears. She kissed the side of your mouth before pulling away.

“Halloween was never my favorite holiday. My job.. requires a lot out of me. Some of which you’ve seen but celebrating a holiday that practically mocks who I am and makes it into entertainment just isn’t my style”. She explained.

“Then who are you”?

She gave you a smirk, and just as you heard a crack of thunder (or lighting, it was impossible to tell) you swore you saw her crystal blue eyes turn a jet black, before returning to their typical appearance. You swore maybe it was just your mind playing tricks on you or maybe a trick of the light.. you supposed you would never know.

She wore a shit eating grin as if she wanted to say ‘if only you knew’. She swiftly walked past you once again and opened to the door to let herself out;

“Call me Mikey”.

The door slammed shut and there you stood, feeling defeated, hopeless but determined. Determined to find her again, even if all you had to go off was a appearance and a nickname.

You were going to be this woman’s girlfriend whether or not it killed you.

#my fic #my works #Michael x reader #Michael Langdon x reader #fem! Michael #fem! Michael x reader #fem! Michael Langdon x reader #I also posted this on AO3 #AHS #AHS apocalypse #AHS fics

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letterboxd · 3 years

Photo

In Focus: Interstellar.

Inspired by Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar placing high across three notable Letterboxd metrics, Dominic Corry reflects on how the film successfully hung its messaging around the concept of love—and what pandemic responses worldwide could learn from its wholehearted embrace of empathetic science.

“Love isn’t something we invented. It’s observable, it’s powerful. It has to mean something.” —Dr. Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway)

This story contains spoilers for ‘Interstellar’ (2014).

Although it is insultingly reductionist to both filmmakers, there are many reasons Christopher Nolan is often described as a modern-day Stanley Kubrick. The one most people usually settle on is the notion that both men supposedly make exacting, ambitious films that lack emotion.

It is an incorrect assessment of either director, but it’s beyond amazing that anyone could still accuse Nolan of such a thing after he delivered what is unquestionably his masterwork, the emotional rollercoaster that is 2014’s Interstellar.

In the epic sci-fi adventure drama, Nolan managed to pull off something that many filmmakers have attempted and few have achieved. He told a story of boundless sci-fi scope, and had it be all about love in the end. It sounds cheesy to even write it down, but Nolan did it.

That Interstellar is such an overtly cutting-edge genre film that chooses to center itself so brazenly and unapologetically around love, is frankly awesome.

Love informs Interstellar both metaphorically and literally: the expansive scope of the film effectively represents love’s infinite potential, and love itself ends up being the tangible thread that allows far-flung astronaut Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) to communicate with his Earth-bound daughter Murph (played as an adult by Jessica Chastain) from the tesseract (a three-dimensional rendering of a five-dimensional space) after Cooper enters the black hole towards the end of the film.

Matthew McConaughey as Joseph ‘Coop’ Cooper, Mackenzie Foy as Murph, and Timothée Chalamet as Tom.

In transmitting (via morse code) what the robot TARS has observed from inside the black hole, Cooper provides Murph with the data to solve the gravity problem required to uplift Earth’s population from its depleted home planet. Humanity is saved. Love wins again. Hard sci-fi goes soft. Christopher Nolan’s genius is confirmed, and any notions of emotionlessness are emphatically washed away.

This earnest centering of love in Interstellar is key to the film’s universal appeal, and undoubtedly plays a large role in why it features so prominently in three significant Letterboxd lists determined by pronoun: Interstellar is the only film that appears in all three top tens of “most fans on Letterboxd” when considering members who use the pronoun he/him, she/her and xe/ze. (“Most fans” refers to Letterboxd members who have selected the film as one of the four favorites on their profile.)

To get a bit reductionist myself, sci-fi adventure—in cinema, at least—has traditionally been a masculine-leaning genre, but Interstellar’s placement across these three lists points to it having superseded that traditional leaning, hopefully for the better.

Yet the film reliably still provokes reactions like this delightful tweet:

few movies make me as mad as Interstellar. who the fuck makes 3/4 of an excellent hard sci-fi movie backed up by actual science and then abruptly turns it into soft sci-fi about how the power of love and time traveling bookshelves can save us in the final 1/4? damn you, Nolan

— the thicc husband & father (@lukeisamazing)

February 13, 2021

Although this tweet is somewhat indicative of how many men (and women, for that matter) respond to the film, I think it’s pretty clear the writer actually loves Interstellar wholeheartedly, final quarter and all, but perhaps feels inhibited from expressing that love by the expectations of a gendered society that is becoming increasingly outdated. The “damn you, Nolan” is possibly a concession of sorts—he’s damning how Nolan really made him feel the love at the end. It’s okay, @lukeisamazing, you don’t have to say it out loud.

Conversely, it can be put like this:

“The emotion of Interstellar is three-fold: Nolan’s script, co-written with his brother as with all his best stuff, masters not only notions of black holes, wormholes, quantum data and telemetry, but it also makes a case for love as the one thing—feeling, fact, movement, message—that can mean more and do more than anyone in our current time, on our existing planet, can comprehend.”

The writer of this stirring summation, our own Ella Kemp, is paraphrasing a critical section of the film, when Nolan goes full literal on the concept of love and has Cooper and Dr Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway) debate its very nature, quoted in part at the top of this story. It comes when the pair are trying to decide which potentially humanity-saving planet to use their dwindling fuel reserves to travel to. Brand is advocating for the planet where a man she loves might be waiting for her, instead of the planet that has ostensibly better circumstances for life.

Brand: “Love is the one thing we’re capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space. Maybe we should trust that even if we can’t understand it.”

“Love has meaning, yes,” responds Cooper, heretofore the film’s most outwardly love-centric character, exhibiting a stoic longing for his dead wife, while also abandoning his ten-year-old daughter on Earth for a space adventure (albeit one designed to save humanity) than has now inadvertently taken decades. “Social utility. Social bonding. Child rearing.” Ouch.

McConaughey with Anne Hathaway as Dr. Amelia Brand.

Brand: “You love people who have died. Where’s the social utility in that? Maybe it means something more. Something we don’t yet understand. Some evidence, some artefact of a higher dimension that we can’t consciously perceive. I’m drawn across the universe to someone I haven’t seen in a decade who I know is probably dead. Love is the one thing we’re capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space. Maybe we should trust that even if we can’t understand it yet.” Amen.

Cooper remains unconvinced by Brand’s rationale, but this dispassionate display presages him going on to realize the true (literal) power of love (and his poor, science-only decision-making—thanks Matt Damon) when it provides him the aforementioned channel of communication with Murph in the tesseract. Nolan has a female character make the most eloquent vocal argument for love, but it’s the male character who has to learn it through experience.

So while Interstellar does initially conform to some prevailing cultural ideas about love and how it supposedly relates to gender, it ultimately advocates for a greater appreciation of the concept that moves beyond such binary notions. That is reflected in how important the film is to Letterboxd members who self-identify as he/him, she/her and xe/ze. We all love this movie. Emphasis on love.

Brand’s speech—not to mention the film as a whole—also can’t help but inform the current global situation. Interstellar argues for a greater devotion to both science and love, in harmony; such devotion might have mitigated the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic where both concepts were drastically undervalued by many of those in charge of the response.

Jessica Chastain and Casey Affleck as the grown-up Cooper siblings.

Despite the reactions cited above, responses to Interstellar aren’t always split down gender lines. We’re all allowed to feel whatever we like about it, and substantial variety comes across in the many, many reviews for the film.

Zaidius says Interstellar is so good that, “after watching [it], you will want to downgrade all of the ratings you have ever given on Letterboxd.”

On the other hand, Singlewhitefemalien takes issue with Dr. Brand’s aforementioned love-based decision-making in her two-star review: “She wants to fuckin’ go to Planet Whatever to chase after a dude she banged ten years ago because women are guided by their emotions and love is all you need.” A perhaps fair assessment of the role Nolan chose his sole female astronaut to play in the film?

Sam offers food for thought when he writes “First, you love Interstellar; then you understand Interstellar.”

Letterboxd stalwart Lucy boils it down effectively in one of her multiple five-star reviews of the film: “I needed a really good cry.” It’s hard to say whether Vince is agreeing or disagreeing with Lucy in his review: “Fuck you Matthew McConaughey for making me cry.” The catharsis this movie provides for dudes becomes clearer the deeper you venture into our Interstellar reviews (and I ventured deep): “How dare this fucking movie make me cry… twice,” writes John. Let it out, John.

Then there’s Rudi’s take: “I sobbed like an animal while watching this but I’m not exactly sure what animal it was like. Like a pig? Like a whale? I don’t know but I do know that I cried a whole fucking lot.”

Emotionless? With all this crying?

Christopher Nolan inspires more debate than any other filmmaker of the modern age (when we’re not getting unnecessarily riled up about something Marty has said, that is) and while Nolan has the passionate devotion of millions of viewers, I’d argue he still doesn’t quite get his due. Especially when it comes to Interstellar.

By so successfully using love as both a metaphorical vessel and a palpable plot point in a sci-fi adventure film, he built on notable antecedents like James Cameron’s The Abyss and Robert Zemeckis’ Contact, two (great) films with similar aspirations that didn’t stick the landing as well as Interstellar does. In Contact, McConaughey engages in a similar debate about love to the one quoted above, but notably takes the opposing side.

Steven Spielberg (who at one point was going to direct an earlier iteration of Interstellar) did a pretty good job of showing love as the most powerful force in the universe with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, but there hasn’t been a huge amount of room for such notions in the genre since then.

Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Interstellar’s most obvious forebear, is often accused of being the director’s most brazenly emotionless film. And while that’s perhaps a bit more understandable than some of the brickbats hurled Nolan’s way, there’s more emotion in the character of Hal 9000 than in many major directors’ entire oeuvre. It’s also, in part due to Hal’s place in the examination of queer consciousness in the sci-fi realm, the film currently in the number one spot on the xe/ze list.

Two films that notably exist in Interstellar’s wake are Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, which expands upon Interstellar’s creative use of time-bending (and like Contact, features a female protagonist) and James Gray’s Ad Astra, which tackles the perils of traditional masculinity with more directness.

Interstellar doesn’t solve the sci-fi genre’s cumbersome relationship with masculinity and gender, but it makes significant strides in breaking down the existing paradigms, if only from all the GIFs of McConaughey crying it has spawned. Its appeal across the gender spectrum is an interesting and encouraging sign of the universality of its themes. And the power of love.

Fans out of touch with their feelings may complain about the role love plays in the film, but that says more about them than it does the film. Love wins. Also: TARS. How could anyone not love TARS?

TARS and Christopher Nolan.

Related content

Men/Boys Crying: a master list

“I Ugly-Cried Like Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar”: Amanda’s list

“I Liked Interstellar”: Sar’s list of what to watch afterwards

Follow Dominic on Letterboxd

#interstellar #christopher nolan #2001 a space odyssey #stanley kubrick #letterboxd #science fiction #sci fi #sci fi film #sci fi movies #queer consciousness #the meaning of life #love

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liminal-storage · 3 years

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About: Abel Imbertain

About

Server: Mateus, Crystal Data Center

Age: 35

Race: Duskwight Elezen

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Demisexual

Heritage: From somewhere in the Black Shroud.

Current Residence: Usually dingy inn rooms, or the couch in Shadowbox Inquiries.

Relationships: Single

Patrons: Nophica, Oschon

Vocation: Snake-oil Salesman, healer for hire, paperwork lackey

Hobbies: Collecting odd knickknacks, brewing remedies, sightseeing, fishing

Appearance: Ridiculously tall, leanly muscled. Purplish eyes and dusty light grey hair, darker in some places. Dark skin with a slightly bluish tint. Has a large scar across his face, as well as having scarring at the left corner of his mouth. Teal-colored markings over his eyes. Dresses in a lot of rather shabby clothing with few exceptions. Favors reds and golds, and always has some kind of hat. Frequently carries a spiked healing cane, and it isn't entirely clear whether it's to use as a focus or to smack people.

Personality: Comes across as spastic and flighty. Easily impressed, loud, a habitual liar, and somewhat twitchy. Occasional moments of sincerity betray the fact that this may not be his real personality.

Hooks

Snake-oil Salesman: This man is somewhat infamous within the city-states, Gridania and Ul'dah in particular. Carrying a large leather and metal case stuffed to the brim with bottles and vials, he never misses a chance to try to shill his wares. Some of his potions are legitimate, and quite effective at that. But the rest smell like vinegar and look like colored water.

Abel is quick to crack under pressure, his mannerisms showing that he isn't doing this completely of his own will. Feel free to use this as a means of calling him out, chasing him down, demanding your money back, and generally lecturing him about his life choices.

Office Assistant: While his skills as a salesman leave much to be desired, Abel actually does have some legitimate talents in organization. Working as an assistant to Okuni Tomioka, he spends quite a lot of his time doing paperwork and keeping things at the office running when the Raen isn't there. And sometimes he fancies himself something of a detective as well, taking on cases with good intent but often terrible results.

If you need a willing lackey for a venture, he's your guy.

Deep Debts: Somehow, this man has found himself racking up a huge debt to a certain organization headed by a shady-ass Elezen. While he does his best to avoid the organization's headquarters, the debt ever looms over his head, and he's not above doing humiliating or stupid things in order to pay it back. Questionable business ventures, daring him to do something for a few gil, and even just hiring out his services as a healer are all things he's willing to do.

{Note that this does include the possibility for darker scenes, but that does not have to be the primary focus.]

A Familiar Face: Spending most of his time within the Black Shroud, Abel seems to be fairly well-known in the area, though not always for good reason. He seems to be connected to rumors of a particular incident years ago involving a dam, a storm, and the death of an unfortunate young man...

Maybe your character recognizes him. Maybe they know details of that little incident. Maybe they know exactly what he has to hide.

OOC

The best way to get into contact with me is through a message here on tumblr, or via Discord (Ritz#6652). Please note that I will have to accept a friend request from you first.

Players and characters must be 18+ with 21+ preferred.

Please do not approach me with the intent of shipping and ERP right out of the gate. While I'm certainly not opposed to writing relationships and adult content, I'd really prefer it to be as a result of natural progression and organic interaction. In addition, Abel is definitely a character who's less eager to just hop right into bed. So if that's your angle, I'm afraid you're very likely to be disappointed.

I'm a fan of a lot of different types of rp! The hooks above are merely a few avenues to approaching me. If none of these really work for you but you still want to interact with me, just ask! We can definitely figure something out.

Abel is an alt and not my rp main. If you wish to contact me in game, it's easiest to do so through my main, Okuni Tomioka@Mateus.

#ffxiv #lfrp #Abel Imbertain #Mateus roleplay #ffxiv rp #crystal data center

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silkylious · 4 years

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Funny Way of Saying I Love You (Dabi x Reader)

Pairing: Dabi x Reader Warnings: angst(i have an addiction i swear), fluff Prompts: #9 “That’s a funny way of saying ‘I love you’” and #16 “When have I ever let you down, babe? Okay, don’t answer that”

A/N: Thank you for the request! im taking my time writing these since im physically incapable of writing drabbles. I hope you like this!!

Shutting the door behind you, a soothing dusk breeze fluttered your hair as you moved farther away from your daily hell. Your boss had made it a point to be a pain in the ass today, well, more so than usual. Working overtime on a Friday evening wasn’t what you’d hoped to be doing but you couldn’t exactly complain, it wasn’t like you had anything planned and the promise of an extra paycheck didn’t sound displeasing. Rubbing your temples to ease the headache (courtesy of your boss’s incessant bitching), you walked on autopilot to your apartment, you couldn’t wait to treat yourself to a bubble bath and maybe even some wine. Little did you know that your plans would be thoroughly ruined by a certain scarred villain.

You made the decision to pass by a nearby convenient store that wasn’t too far from your residence to cop some snacks. Filtering through the brands of alcohol, you grimaced at the overpriced tags of the various red wine brands, you settled for some cheap liquor with a sigh. It ain’t much but it should do the trick. After paying for what little stuff you’d fetched, you continued on your trek to your humble flat. The sun had completely vanished from the sky, a lingering crimson bleeding into a rich indigo. Your thoughts were so spellbound by the beautiful sight, that you just barely heard a strained grunt from your left. Blinking back into reality, you halted in your steps right next to a comically shady alleyway. Just like in those horror movies. You snorted at the thought, briefly comparing yourself to that one character who always dies first in movies. Though your internal jesting was cut short when the same sound propagated through the alleyway again, this time much more haggard, closely followed by violent coughing. Against your better judgment, you treaded forward cautiously. Why were you doing this? You weren’t sure. Maybe it was the unfulfilled dream loitering in the back of your mind resurfacing after many years of suppression, but you couldn’t not help someone out in a time of need.

The deeper you ventured into the alleyway, the louder your rationality shouted, begging you to turn around and book it to your apartment complex. You were stopped in your steps when an aggressive cough broke the quiet, the sound now impossibly closer and blood splattered all over the ground before your feet. Your eyes followed the vermilion trail, skinny legs covered in bloodied up, skin-tight jeans came into view, you were met with familiar scarred features. His eyes were struggling to stay open, though at the sight of you he forced his lids apart, flashing you a bloody, half-pained smirk, red liquid running down his scarred tissue.

You blinked. Dabi blinked. You blinked again and then-

“What the shit, Dabi! Are you okay?!”

You dropped to your knees next to his limp body propped up against the shaggy wall. He gave a humorless chuckle, more blood oozing out of the corners of his lips. Dabi hummed when your hands touched his fucked up face, your quirk already pacifying most of his pain. It wasn’t a healing quirk, you were simply able to transfer emotions, feelings and sensations (to and fro) with skin on skin contact. You didn’t want him knocking the fuck out from sheer pain (heaven knows there is no way you were going to lug this human heater home), so you had to ease him a little before tending to his injuries. Your body twitched as the hurt from Dabi’s body merged into your own.

“I’ve seen better days, sweetheart,”

“You don’t say.” The words came out harsh, reprimanding. Dabi winced, from the pain or from your tone, he wasn’t sure.

The plastic bag that had been temporarily abandoned came in handy, you sorrowfully used the liquor to clean the large gashes on his abdomen (not wanting to risk an infection on the way to your complex), wrapping them up securely with scraps of his shirt. So much for a relaxing bath and liquor. You heaved him up on semi-steady knees and took a different, more desolate route back home. The last thing you’d want right now is for authorities to see you walking an injured Dabi, one of the most wanted villains in the current climate, home. He leaned most of his weight on your shoulder, his shit-eating grin told you he was doing it on purpose. You couldn’t find it in you to retaliate as you usually would, too worried to come up with any snarky comments.

This had become way too much of a ritual for your comfort. You’d find him bleeding by your doorstep at ungodly hours, silently asking for shelter. Each and every time, you’d patch him up, provide him with food and your company. You’d grown attached to the scar faced male, and even if you disdained his line of work, you’d respected his life and independence (as independent as someone who crashes on your couch near daily can be). For the past couple months, his tasks had been getting progressively more and more dangerous. Your heart couldn’t help but clench each time you saw him beaten and bruised. You knew it was risky letting these feelings develop, Dabi had made it quite clear that your relationship was nothing beyond physical, with a level of mutual respect and trust.

But this was the worst condition you’d ever seen him in after one of his missions. Not too dissimilar to the first time you met; bloody, bruised and half-conscious, truly a sight to pity. You’d noiselessly knelt down, pressed your hand onto his cheek, he hadn’t even been able to flinch at your touch, too disoriented to react properly. Though in mere moments, he began feeling the pain ebb away; the injuries were still there, he just couldn’t feel them, he equated the numbing sensation to painkillers and drugs. His eyelids parted, revealing gorgeous teal irises. Full of ethereal beauty, despite being unfocused. You had to actively shun your quirk from relaying your attraction to him as you soothed his pain, his staples and marred skin a stark contrast to your soft fingers. That night you gave him a place to stay while he was on the run, you didn’t know why, but you did. Just this one time you’d said. One time became two times. Two times became countless and the rest is history.

The apartment door was slammed open, you were beyond irate. The more you thought about him, his situation, your situation, the more you felt the urge to knock shit over and scream bloody murder. Turquoise hues followed you with contempt – and mild amusement – but mostly contempt. Dabi took his usual spot on your worn-out couch, while you stomped your way into the bathroom to get a first aid kit. With your absence, Dabi was left to his own thoughts running amuck. Dabi wasn’t oblivious. He knew what your silence meant, knew what the look of unbridled worry in your eyes implied. Yet he didn’t want to address the less than subtle growing feelings you have for him. Attachment in his line of work was a surefire way to get hurt, he figured that if he kept whatever relationship you guys had physical, he wouldn’t have any issues to fuss over. But he couldn’t lie to himself, Dabi was conscious of the budding adoration in his heart from the moment you helped him out that first time, in that filthy alley. God, he needed a cigarette.

Much to his pleasure, you came back before his mind could implode in on itself. You sat beside him on the couch, leaving more space between you than usual. Without saying a word, your hands undid his makeshift bandages, slowly but surely patching him up an inch at a time. It honestly felt like a routine at this point. That prompted a sour taste in your mouth, you couldn’t stand how careless he’d been recently, and it was eating you up inside. But you didn’t dare voice your concerns, not wanting another aimless argument with him. If silence would save you another headache inducing fight, then silence it was–

“So, you gonna tell me what crawled up your ass?”

Or not.

“Shut. Up.” You weren’t in the mood for his quips today. Fatigue from work, babysitting a villain and dealing with unrequited feelings severely fouling your otherwise warm attitude. You were just on the brink of throwing caution to the wind and letting loose all the muffled feelings you have for him. One more comment and your composure would shatter. Conveniently – or not so conveniently, he seemed to be in a talkative mood tonight.

“Seriously, what’s up with you?” The question was redundant, he knew exactly what was up with you, but he couldn’t think of anything else. Your quietness was killing him. He had to say something. He should have chosen his words a little more wisely though.

“What’s up with me?! Are you being fucking serious right now?! I come home and almost every day find you bleeding on my doorstep. Almost every day I give your reckless ass a place to stay, only for you to go and get yourself hurt again!” Pent up rage exploded from within you, an amalgamation of emotions gushing out of your pores. His eyes blew wide, not only because he had never seen you this angry, but because of the surge of emotions flooding him. In your fury filled stupor, you’d let go of the tight rein you had on your quirk. With a hand still touching his bruised forearm, you began unintentionally bleeding your feelings into him. Rage, sorrow and worry were just a few of the many emotions that rocked his being. But one stood out among the rest, outshining the others with blinding ferocity. And it honestly scared him, how powerful it was, zapping through his body. He figured you had feelings for him, that much was obvious, but he didn’t think they were that strong. Your breathtaking emotions awakened something in him too, pulling it out of the depths of where he tried to hide it, push it down in hopes of abolishing it.

It was too much to handle this, he kept coming back for help when he could easily seek any of his colleagues out, the implication that you meant something to him was so elating yet so damaging. It kept you stuck in place, barred from shutting him out or walking away. You couldn’t keep hanging onto the hope that he might reciprocate your love. It was harming you, no matter how sensuous he was in bed, no matter how gently he held onto you afterwards, he would never call you his lover. He made that crystal fucking clear. You had to put a stop to this. You leveled your shaky voice as much as your vocal cords would allow, barely whispering.

“Get the hell out, Dabi. I don’t wanna see you here again.”

The emotions sifting through him mellowed out, no longer was rage at the forefront. Pain, hurt and heartbreak ravaged him. But that one emotion was still there, despite him being a gaping asshole, it was still present. He smirked.

“That’s a funny way of saying ‘I love you,’ doll.”

“Wha–“ Before you could question his response, he swiftly captured your lips in his own to shut you up. It was a quick, firm peck, but its aftermath amused him greatly. The look of bewilderment on your face was damn priceless. You were, again, transferring your feelings to him. Adoration, confusion, the overwhelming urge to pimp smack him; it was all too entertaining for him. His vibrant teals settled upon your hand still gripping his arm. No fabric to separate them. Your own eyes followed suit. Oh. You immediately stopped your quirk, redacting your palm in the process for good measure. Dabi delighted in the bashful look that overtook your face, his own growing soft. He had trouble accepting his own feelings, but after experiencing yours, he would, at the very least, try for you. Awkward silence ensued. You both knew it was his turn to talk, to finally let out the unsaid words you’d been longing for.

“(name), I… I wanna do this right, take you out on dates and shit,” He cleared his throat. “If you’d let me.”

Your answer came in the form of a crushing hug. Your love was pouring into him again, this time of your own accord. You held onto each other, his hands biting into your skin, your own carding through his dark locks. You didn’t need words. Figuratively and literally. He felt everything in bright, flashing colors, he never wanted this moment to end. But it did. His phone rang.

Clear annoyance shined in both of your eyes. With a heavy sigh, he left your embrace, getting up to answer the call.

Another mission.

With the very recent revelations both of you had come to, the idea of him going on missions carried a lot more weight than it used to. Now in front of your apartment door, he put on his shoes, ready to head out to the League’s hideout. Dabi turned around, breath hitching when he saw you standing there frowning, eyes tearful. For some reason, you had a gut feeling this mission wouldn’t be so easy. You didn’t want him to go. And it was showing.

“C’mon, baby doll. Don’t give me that look. I’ll be back, I promise,” When you didn’t even crack a smile at the nickname he sighed. “When have I ever let you down, babe?” He quickly backtracked. “Okay, don’t answer that,”

You managed a small giggle, shaking your head. You approached him slowly, silently wrapping your arms around him. You relished in his quickening heartbeat. Pulling back, you placed your hands on his clothed shoulders. You edged forward, puckering your lips against his own, the point of contact allowing you to relay your inner turmoil to him. Your hands itched towards his face, fiddling gingerly with the multiple staples aligning his cheeks. “Come back, okay? I love you.”

Breath caught in his throat, Dabi tried to push the words setting him aflame through his lips, but he couldn’t. This was happening too fast; it was giving him whiplash. He didn’t know how to say those words yet, so he opted for calling out to you.

“(name)…”

Without even using your power, the conflict in his eyes told you everything you needed to know. you pushed your forehead to rest against his. His love burned through you, so intense, so like him. With a tiny tug at your lips, you lulled the raging storm in his mind. “Shh, Dabi. I know.”

With a parting peck, he was out the door. He didn’t know what was to come out of this mission, but he did know that he now had one more reason to come out alive.

#dabi x reader #dabi x y/n #dabi x you #dabi boku no hero academia #dabi my hero academia #bnha dabi #mha dabi #todoroki touya x reader #touya x reader #todoroki toya x reader #dabi fanfic #dabi imagine #someone help why cant i write drabbles ffs #100 followers event

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hannah-deserved-better · 3 years

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The Union of the Companions Chapter One

Part one of my Dungeons and dragons style four fandom crossover.

Summary: The land of Faerun is just one of Chuck’s many realities, as is Middle Earth, and Kenshin’s Meiji era Japan. He’s been toying with Kenshin, Drizzt, and Fili, and Kili just like he toys with the Winchesters. Now, as the Winchesters rebel against him, he’s decided to bring them all together for one final showdown.

This is a dungeons and dragons style story of eight companions traveling Faerun, looking for a way home and encountering many villains.

Pairing: Castiel/Hannah. This will be the only romantic pairing as this fic will focus primarily on platonic love and brotherly love. The characters will be Drizzt Do’Urden, Kenshin Himura, Sam, and Dean Winchester, Castiel, Hannah, and Fili and Kili.

Fandoms: Rurouni Kenshin, Supernatural, The Hobbit movie verse, The Legend of Drizzt Dark Elf Trilogy by R. A Salvatore

Warnings and tags: fandom typical violence, massacres, blood, and gore. Tags may change as the story progresses as I haven’t planned details for that far ahead. Note that this story does fall within a canon timeline, it is AU. For Supernatural, it takes place shortly after the events of s15 e03 “The Rupture.” For the Hobbit, it takes place after the battle of the five armies except for an alternate ending in which Fili and Kili survive. For Drizzt, it takes place during the early events of the book “Sojourn,” and for Kenshin, it takes place after his fight with Shishio in season two of the anime. Although for Kenshin, this will be a blend of the anime and the live-action movie trilogy.

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29948202/chapters/73718643

FFN Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13837115/1/The-Union-of-the-Companions-The-Eight-Companions-of-Faerun

Chapter One

“How long will they pursue me, Guenhwyvar?” Drizzt lamented as he peered down into the ravine to see the small band of adventurers who had been on his trail for days. No matter how he tried to evade them, they pursued him, spurred on mostly by a large burly human and his dog.

That human wanted revenge on Drizzt for their encounter which had ended the life of one of the man’s dogs, and had left him without an ear. Drizzt hadn’t wanted to hurt him, and it pained him to have to kill such a loyal companion. After all, where would he be without Guenhwyvar? His faithful black panther had stayed at his side and accepted him where no other had.

But the human had left him with no choice. He’d been cornered, and forced to defend himself. His need for acceptance and his distaste for violence hadn’t yet extended to the idea that he should sacrifice himself to such principals.

After all, he’d avenged the bloody murder of the farming family, a murder scene that he still couldn’t get out of his head. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the terrible slaughter, the children dead in their beds.

As Drizzt stood on the lip of the ravine, peering down at the humans, shrouded from their view by a copse of trees, he imagined himself being accepted by them. If only they could see past his drow heritage. Belwar the gnome could attest to that. Of course, it would help if Drizzt could speak their language.

The sun was beginning to set and Drizzt was getting tired. He was still wounded from the barghests. His chest ached, although the bite of pain was less than it had been before. He was healing, but he continued to walk with a limp.

“Let’s find a secure place for the night,” Drizzt said to his panther companion as he struggled towards the mountains, searching for a cave. When he rounded the sheer cliff and came upon a thick growth of trees, he saw a twinkle down by the trees. Kneeling, he picked up a thick blade laying in the grass. It was broken in two, but the hilt bore a strange insignia, and the design was reminiscent of a goblin.

Looking further, Drizzt saw what seemed to be blood smeared in the grass. With a frown, he exchanged a glance with Guenhwyvar before getting to his feet and putting a hand on the hilt of his one remaining scimitar, moving slowly into the forested grove, cautious and alert.

He ventured further into the forest, the trees dimming the light above. He walked a few feet until he came to a small clearing, and there, he discovered a travesty. Bodies were scattered everywhere, spears impaling some corpses, and others were hacked to bits. Drizzt counted about six prone bodies.

Upon closer inspection, Drizzt discovered that they were elves. Four females and two males. The image brought up haunting memories. The last time he had witnessed such a sight was after his own kind had murdered and massacred an entire village of surface elves. Drizzt squeezed his eyes closed, silently praying to any gods or goddesses who were just, that this was not the work of his kin.

He opened his eyes, steeling himself, and examined the torn bodies, looking for the telltale sign of drow weapons. There would be the slashing wounds caused by swords of the Underdark, and crossbow bolts. There certainly would have been a priestess in the party, so Drizzt looked for signs of enchantments.

He let out a sigh of relief upon finding no signs of such weapons. The bodies were surrounding the remains of a campfire. A few feet away lay an overturned cart and two dead horses.

“Traders, perhaps,” Drizzt murmured to himself. He wasn’t sure what kind of creatures could have caused this atrocity. He was unfamiliar with the creatures of the surface world. He thought perhaps they could be gnolls or goblins, as he recognized the spears. But he couldn’t be sure. One thing he did know is that he would have to remain in the region for longer than he had hoped if he was going to ensure that nothing threatened this village.

The villagers may hate him and they may blame him for their recent calamities, but Drizzt bore them no ill will, and he was determined that before he could leave the region and search for a new home and possible acceptance, he would have to find the killers of these magnificent elves, his cousins.

Drizzt had hoped that he would meet elves upon coming to the surface. He’d been curious about them ever since the massacre more than ten years ago now. They were slender, agile, light on their feet, with ears shaped like his. The only thing that differed was Drizzt’s dark skin and white flowing hair.

And indeed, one of the members of the party currently chasing him was an elf. Drizzt longed to make contact with him, talk to him. But he did not dare get close. He knew his pursuers were likely after his life, spurred on by hate and a need for revenge over the massacre they assumed he had caused.

But here, strewn across the forest floor, were more of his elven kin. Silenced forever by some unseen foe. Drizzt promised to himself that he would avenge them. One way or another. Silently, he slipped away and further into the forest, searching for tracks that could lead him to his new enemies.

Chuck watched as Drizzt set about burying the bodies of the slain elves and then limped off in search of shelter. The smug deity smirked. There were only a few of his worlds left. He thought he should be upset at all his failed projects, but this was all the Winchesters’ fault, after all.

He’d saved the last couple of worlds because they were his favorites. The drow elf experiencing the surface world for the first time, the samurai who vowed never to kill again, the dwarf brothers who followed their uncle into battle and saw more than they were prepared to, and of course, those pesky Winchesters. They’d always been his favorites.

But lately, his favorite creations were causing him far too much grief. He was the writer after all, and they were only his creations. How dare they try to control themselves? He had ultimate control.

As he wandered through the woods, he wondered where the story should take him next. Juggling this many projects at once was challenging, even for a god. He had been indifferent to all the others, but these last few were the most challenging, with characters as willful as these. Writing was hard after all. And Amara was being a total bitch to him. Well, he hadn’t bothered to tell her of these other projects that he’d kept. He fully planned to get around to destroying even these last few worlds, but he wanted them all to go out with a bang.

Then, just as it always had, inspiration struck. He grinned as the idea came to him. Maybe instead of juggling these projects separately, he’d put them all together! But that would take some major planning. There would need to be a plot, a setting, and of course, plenty of conflicts. But it could work. When he glanced around at this world, he couldn’t think of a better setting for his master plot. The world of Faerun was certainly one of his masterpieces. He’d created the entire reality just so he could watch his favorite pet in this particular reality- Drizzt. Unlike Sam and Dean, who were a constant thorn in his side, Drizzt wasn’t even aware of his existence. Sure he knew of all the other gods and goddesses who had stepped in to help him with this place, but he didn’t know that he was simply a playing piece on Chuck’s massive chessboard. And he certainly didn’t know how many chess boards Chuck had.

Well, maybe now was a perfect chance for his favorites to meet each other. Chuck rubbed his hands together as he set about putting everything together Prepping this world for the others would be quick work for a god, but it still took perfect planning.

#fan art #Drizzt Do'Urden #Union of the companions #Chapter One #Supernatural #Castiel/Hannah #Rurouni Kenshin #the hobbit #fili and kili #sam and dean

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bitch-i-migth-be · 4 years

Text

Crash Course | Chapter 05: Priorities

Fandoms: Danny Phantom, Batman,

Relationships: Danny Fenton & Jazz Fenton, Danny Fenton & Jazz Fenton & Vlad Masters, Ember Mclain & Kitty, Danny Fenton & Cujo

Characters: Danny Fenton, Jazz Fenton,Cujo, Ember Mclain, Kitty, Lunch Lady, Younblood, Skulker, Johnny 13, Random ghosties mentions *boo*, Vlad Fucking Masters Everyone

Words: 6′582

Tags: BAMF Danny, Ghost zone shenanigans, Sibling bonding, Shenanigans, Swearing, Family dinners, Heteronormativity?? The fuck is that, Danny in Cosplay, Ghost King Danny,

Summary: He swore his sister was trying to make him go into cardiac arrest - considering his halfa status that was quite the accomplishment-

But there was no other explanation to his sister’s stubbornness, and if he knew her at all there was just no talking her down from interning at goddam Arkham.

A/N:

Some of you *coming here for the fights, angst and The Drama™ that a DP & DC crossover inevitably involves*: “Hey-”

Me *Trying to write fluffy shit to liberate and soothe my deranged soul from this mortal prison*: “S'up?”

-.-.-.-

This is so long compared to the other chapters. Whhy is this so loooong. UGH- It’s almost double the length of the first four chapters together? I thought it was less? This would have been bigger if I hadn’t posted chapter 4 first? What is happening

THIS IS ON AO3, IF ANYONE WOULD PREFER TO READ THERE. LOVE COMmENTs so if u have anything to say IwillBeReallyHappyYesThankU

CHAPTERS: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7

-.-.-.-

Phantom was currently drifting on the Ghost zone trying to hunt down his next unsuspecting victim among the ghosts.

‘Oh, how the turn tables.’ the halfa chuckled.

Jazz had kept her word and after pulling an all-nighter they had come up with some interesting options.

Now he just needed to pull them off.

The sound of growling at his back made him freeze on his tracks. He turned around to look at the source of the sound.

“Oh,” Well, this certainly had not been on the plans. To stumble upon such a mighty beast this early on. He smiled. “Hi, Cujo!”

The happy barking that followed the greeting was rather endearing, normally whenever he crossed paths with the pup he would spare some time to play with him and teach him some tricks. After some months of the pup following him around and of the halfa trying to deny to anyone who would listen, especially Val, that the dog was not really his, Danny finally gave up and got him a new collar.

The little guy was quite spoiled nowadays.

Sadly, right now he was on a timeline.

“Sorry, bud. No playtime today, I’m on a rather tight schedule.” Phantom cooed softly, reaching down to briefly scratch behind the pup’s ears.

Cujo sat on his hind legs, paws in the air and tail wagging, effectively cutting off his path.

Not like he couldn’t try to fly around, mind you, but with a dog that could go gigamax on your ass, it was better to just talk your way out.

Just when Danny was about to open his mouth the pup upgraded to excited wiggling on the non-existent floor of the zone.

The halfa sighed to himself. Fond smile growing without his explicit permission.

“Cujo-” he tried, just to be interrupted again. “And there goes the whining, Oh. My. God.”

The boy covered his face with his hands, not daring to look until the sounds stopped completely. After a moment, he finally took a peek from between his fingers.

Sad, puppy dog eyes were looking up at him, small little whine making a comeback.

Fucking shit.

He was going soft.

-.-.-.-

“Match head.”

The sound of the nickname momentarily dragged Ember’s full attention from the tuning of her guitar to the new arrival.

“Baby Pop.” She took notice of the green puppy posing as a hat on the white-haired boy’s head and snorted, eyes going back to the guitar. “Blessed the eyes. You going Cruella on us now or what?”

“Please,” The boy jested. “Like we need a remasterized skulker around here.”

“At least the woman did it for fashion.” She hummed. “You would make a horrid carpet, you are too fucking skinny.”

“Excuse you, bitch.” Phantom shot back, irritation clear on his voice. Ember rejoiced on it.

She faked a gasp,“ Are you saying you want Skulky to make you into a rug, baby pop? Scandalous!”

“T-that’s not-!” the halfa spluttered before Ember cut him off.

“What do you want, cupcake? It’s not like you to venture so far into the Zone willingly unless you are looking for blood.” She questioned, carefully putting her guitar back in the case.

The boy huffed.

“Whatever, Ashley,” he grumbled under his breath. “I think it’s time we revisited the terms of our agreement ” The boy sat by her side nonchalantly, not noticing — or outright ignoring — the sudden rise in temperature as the girl’s blue hair flared violently, a deep frown marring her face.

Cujo did notice. But the little doggo was more distracted with the movement of the pretty light-emitting hair, and the fluffiness of the hair on his current method of transportation to register the imminent danger to his fur.

Priorities.

“Revisit? You want to fucking revisit?” She growled. “I will tell you what you can fucking revisit-!”

The halfa just laughed at her reaction. Ember’s hair doubled in length. The laughter died off.

Her hand was getting dangerously close to her guitar.

Danny swallowed hard, deciding to just get on with it before Ember tried to use the instrument as a wanna-be war hammer again.

“It’s quite the contrary, my dear flaming hot,” he rushed to appease her “I want to expand on it,” he said, throwing in a sickeningly sweet smile for good measure.

He hoped it was enough to regain her attention in a more positive light. He didn’t want to explain to Jazz why his ghost form’s eyebrows were singed off. Again. He didn’t have time for more lectures. Thank you.

Luckily, If the hair-inferno reducing to a cheerfully blazing bonfire and the growing smirk taking over ember’s face was any indication he had succeeded. Cujo whined for the loss. Danny wanted to squeal for the win.

He did not. But it was a very close thing.

“Oh ho, now we are talking, baby pop.”

-.-.-.-

The window of opportunity to pull this off was very small. He had to take into account the amount of time that had passed since the last fight, the reason for the aforementioned fight, and how much of an emotional investment the objective really held for it to be a proper detonator.

This operation required surgical precision, which meant a lot of preparation. And research.

It was a good thing it happened so often.

“I will be direct with you, sister,” Phantom spilled, sprawling himself on the free seat on Kitty’s right side. “your bitch boyfriend doesn’t know the jackpot he hit with you and that just ain’t gonna fly.”

knowing where Kitty would end up after a fight with Johnny was not a problem. tracking down which bar she was going to be crashing for the aftermath was the real problem.

Danny hadn’t even known there were bars in this place.

In the last months of his treaty with one Ember Mclain, he had learned plenty of- interesting facts about the Zone that he would prefer to forget. Not that he really had an option, Jazz had taught him early on that information on the enemy — and sometimes on friends —was a valuable asset to ensure victory.

So he would play dumb about knowing these things. But he would not forget about them.

Couldn’t afford to forget them.

If the Ghost Writer pulled another surprise quiz on him and the answers were less than perfect the man would riot.

The halfa stretched out a hand to take a menu and leaned his elbows against the bar-top. Cujo chose that moment to leave his position on the teen’s head to sit next to his forearm so he could peer at the menu too.

He skipped the drinks section and went straight to the food. There was no way he was getting any alcohol.

Don’t get him wrong. They would serve him whatever the fuck he wanted if he asked for it on the zone, but the teen had tasted it before and hated it with a passion. Fuck the peer pressure. Never again. Good for when you are sad? Bitch, just get ice cream. Maybe he should have asked Ember for Kitty’s favorite flavor and save himself the hassle. Oh well.

Too late now.

Danny chose his order but decided to risk a look at the drinks for non-alcoholic options while he waited for Cujo to paw at whatever he wanted.

Kitty, who had been spluttering and getting progressively redder since he made his entrance, was about to smack him upside the head because even if it was true the brat shouldn’t just go saying it like it was any of his goddamn business. They were in the middle of a crowded bar, these people didn’t need any more confirmation for her relationship problems. Couldn’t she keep some dignity?

Before her hand could connect though, a pair of arms surrounded her, bringing her firmly into a backward hug against a warm chest.

A very familiar warm chest.

Startled, she looked up to stare into fiery green eyes.

“Cool it kitten,” Ember purred, clad in a leather jacket that was, most likely, scammed off some unfortunate soul. Still. She looked damn good. Kitty got so tongue-tied she couldn’t manage to even begin to stutter a response, let alone a protest. Danny took advantage of Ember’s intervention to finally place his first order. “Babycakes is right.” Ember continued, effectively cutting off all the air from kitty’s sails once and for all, because really, Ember was her best friend and if there was anyone who knew exactly how many times Johnny and Kitty had fought it was the blue-haired girl.

Kitty let out a defeated sigh and wiggled a little on the embrace to settle into it properly. Might as well get the best out of this-

“Oh, they have frappes!” Phantom trilled in awe. Kitty twitched.

If only Phantom would go away. Ugh. She couldn’t deal with males right now.

“Can’t you leave that thing alone?” Hissed Ember, who had seen the teen open the conversation with her kitty kat just to completely ignore her right after in favor of the menu. The bitch boy needed to focus, they were supposed to be on a mission here.

“Hey! You were the one calling me skinny earlier!” Remarked the teen, only to get a raised eyebrow back from the rockstar.

“As if a single frappe is going to fix that. Give me that!�� She sneered at him and snatched the laminated paper from his hands. Phantom tried to snatch it back and failed. So he resorted to pouting and tried to give her the sad puppy dog eyes.

It wasn’t going to work with the matchstick, he knew, but it was good practice.

To pull this shit with Ember you had to be either Kitty, Youngblood, or an honest-to-god puppy. He was not risking ticking off Kitty more than he already had. Youngblood was not here — for obvious reasons—. Cujo was here and didn’t hate him, but sadly the dog wouldn’t be any help right now.

The pup was already accepting belly rubs from the waiters and completely ignoring the world around him.

Again: Priorities.

So really, Danny was just doing this for the sake of being extra.

While Ember and Danny continued with their dramatic standoff, the other girl blinked rapidly and turned her head towards Phantom.

“Oh” Kitty’s bad mood banished almost magically in favor of curiously peering at the teen’s figure. Danny fidgeted on his seat apprehensively.“I hadn’t noticed. You are really lean.” Ember snickered. Cujo — coming back from the belly rub induced coma — barked. Phantom sighed and just accepted defeat.

“I suppose that’s somewhat better-” He grumbled under his breath.

Kitty allowed a tiny smile to escape from her lips but shook herself slightly to get back on track. “What are you two even doing here anyway?” She asked, alternating glances between them.

“Pretty sure you already know,” Ember answered, rubbing her cheek against kitty’s green hair and sending A Look at Phantom. “Because someone is not subtle. at. all.” She ended with a hiss and a flare of her hair. Kitty winced lightly at the confirmation. Phantom rolled his eyes.

“Oh, Cry me a table, matchstick.”

Kitty knew alright. Ember made it her personal business to get involved in whatever petty fight Kitty got into, more so if it was about Johnny. Phantom getting involved in the aftermath — and not the fight itself — was new though.“It was just another stupid fight. And- You know, his obsession-”

“Nope. That’s no excuse, Kath.” Ember cut her off. “If you can work around yours for him, then so can he.”

“You can do better.” The teenage boy agreed while Ember continued squeezing her.

“What do you suggest then?”

Phantom and Ember exchanged a look, mirth flashing in their glowing green eyes and matching smirks growing bold, they turned to look back at Kitty. The green-haired girl gulped down her growing unease. In her experience, these two banding together was never a good thing for anyone.

“We are here to talk to you about the Remember Initiative.”

-.-.-.-

“Such a skinny boy!”

“Hey! I’m just lean-!” Phantom let out a yelp as he ducked under yet another juice box “What’s with you people and your obsession with my weight-! Ugh! If you would just listen-! Wait. Is that apple grape?” He said the last part in a hushed rush, looking in silent awe at one of the little juice boxes she was about to throw his way.

The Lunch Lady preened.

“Boxy got them for me! 100% Juice Fruit guaranteed!” She was radiating smugness about these facts.

“Oh my gosh- Wait! NO. That’s not what I came here for!” Danny managed to shake himself out of his stupor just in time to keep evading the Lady’s attempts to shove a spoon full of food down his throat while he was distracted with the juice.

The last time she had gotten a hold of him he had ended up feeling like one of his mom’s thanksgiving turkeys. Danny gulped. Best to just go for it and hope for the best.

“Did you know that there are 37.2 million people living in food-insecure households?!”

The screamed question froze the lunch lady on her tracks. At the look of horror his words achieved, he decided to keep going.

“1 in 6 American children don’t even know where their next meal is coming from.”

The lunch lady let out a horrified gasp, “Those poor children-!”

And with that, the woman exchanged her attempts at stuffing him for furious-but-mournful whisperings. She looked really constipated about this new information. Danny almost felt sad. Almost.

“There is a way to help, you know?”

The lunch lady’s head snapped back towards the half-ghost, eyes narrowed in a glare. Not the usual I’m-going-to-choke-your-skinny-ass-in-food glare, but an I’m-paying-attention-to-your-skinny-ass glare.

Danny refrained from openly cheering after sensing his upcoming victory. Better not chance it.

“Have you ever heard about old San Nicolas?”

-.-.-.-

“You know,” Danny murmured, slurping noisily from one of his juice boxes as he watched from a safe distance how Johnny and Skulker got wrecked by a pair of cute-murderous-girls, “I wasn’t expecting that to work so well.”

His only response was a pair of little barks from the green puppy that was happily squirming on his lap.

The boy paused on his watch to look down at Cujo. Danny extended one of his hands towards the puppy to carefully try to swat at him. The cub rolled onto his back and trapped Danny’s upcoming fingers between his paws with a playful growl, giving little nibbles to the appendage.

He couldn’t help the giddy giggles that escaped him.

Those little paws were precious.

At the sound of high pitched screams Danny’s head snapped back up to continue watching the ongoing smackdown, surrendering complete possession of his hand to Cujo to do as he pleased.

If the Initiative didn’t work out, both girls would do awesome on the wrestling circuit. Not like Ember lacked in the costume department.

Speaking of costumes, he wondered if the match stick would let him borrow her feathered hat. That thing was awesome.

Better just ask.

Once she was done throwing down with skulker, of course.

He was not about to become cannon fodder.

Priorities.

-.-.-.-

“Ahoy! me fellow comrades!! Your future Cap'n ’s talking!! I’m here on a recruiting mission to embark on the most perilous dangers of the Realms!! May ye, dear comrades, embark under your own risk! Arrrgh!! ”

Thanks to Youngblood’s presence the main residential area of Phantom’s keep was starting to become complete disarray. The adult ghosts were frantic for the possible kidnapping of the tiniest ghosts that was most likely going to happen. The children amongst them were cheering for the possible playtime in their future.

The guards were starting to panic. No one had seen the kid enter, much less bring along that enormous ship of his. The little brat was not supposed to be here!

“Who the freaking hell let Young Blood get in?!” One of the guards hollered.

“It’s fine, I invited him.” Came the cheerful reply from behind the guard. “I’m expanding the lair so the kids have more space to mess around. Just don’t tell them.”

The ghost was startled at the voice but didn’t panic anymore. Instead, they started to relax. They knew that voice, but they needed to confirm-

“P-Phantom?”

Phantom, in full cosplay and sporting the biggest feathered pirate hat on this side of the realms, landed lightly beside the startled ghost with a little chuckle, “Just play along, man.”

“Also, pretty sure there should be a ‘Lord’ in there somewhere.”

“I-I thought you preferred to not be called that, my lord?”

Phantom winced.

“Ah- No. It’s- You know what? Never mind, I keep forgetting you guys don’t really get updates of pop culture on this side of the coin” Phantom frowned. “I really should see about getting some wifi for this place”

He continued to murmur about the updates he would need to do to the tech to make that possible. But the guard was not paying attention to his words anymore.

They were staring speechless at the whole pirate get-up the halfa had managed to assemble. It had been mostly borrowed last minute — not that the guard knew that—. It looked really good. Especially the gold hoop earrings that kept swaying slightly alongside the fluffy white hair with every motion of Phantom’s head.

The guard let out a dreamy sigh.

Their Lord was so cute.

“How is everything going?”

“Wha-?” Getting suddenly pulled out of their daydreaming

“The preparations?” Danny hummed distractedly, diligently searching for his journal and pen among the numerous layers of clothing he had donned for the occasion. Why the fuck did this thing have so many pockets?

“Oh,” Came the ghost’s soft exclamation, suddenly remembering the requests the owner of the keep had left the last time he had come around. Finally emerging victorious from his search, Phantom turned to look at them, raising an eyebrow at the lack of proper explanation “Oh, yes! Everything is going smoothly, and we received the last confirmations this morning, sir.”

Danny smiled at the answer, completely unaware of the effect his playful smile had on the guard and the other ghosts that had started to converge there upon seeing their ‘landlord’. “Awesome.”

That was the last one.

-.-.-.-

Well, almost the last one.

He must admit that the shell shocked expressions on Sam and Tucker were funny the first few minutes.

But after having to repeat himself over and over again it had gotten increasingly less funny.

“Y-you are leaving?” Tucker stuttered.

Danny sighed, “Yes, we are leaving. As in, Jazz and me.”

After gaping at him for another few seconds, Sam finally gathered herself enough to start talking again.

“what about the ghost?”

“I- um- already took care of that,“ Danny mumbled, nervously avoiding eye contact while playing with his milkshake straw. “I also cashed in some debts and asked some favors from my allies, so most will be taken care of until we come back. Either way, I will leave enough Fenton Tech for the both of you and Val. Just in case.”

“Enough tech?” Sam repeated incredulously. “That’s it? Just leave some tech and jump boat just like that?” Danny frowned but refrained from answering her until he thought it through. Sam wouldn’t accept less.

Jump boat? That was not really the case. Jazz and he had really put some thought into this, heck even before the Internship on Loony Capital had come up — specifically, since Jazz’s breakthrough — the siblings had already been toying with ways to get some of the most persistent ghosts to back the fuck off, distract them with better and useful targets or entice them into submission.

At first, it had been a tentative thing, something fragile that they didn’t let themselves hope for. But with Jazz’s change of course of action, it had become something more urgent.

They had to pull it off. There were no other options.

Danny pursed his lips, then took a deep breath to strengthen himself for what was coming. “That’s not it-”

“You are just going to dump us.” She announced like it was final in a harsh whisper.

At least she was keeping her tone quiet.

“No one is getting dumped, Sam,” Danny tried to reassure her in the same tone of finality, sans the harshness. “I told you. We already thought this through. I already put some plans in motion and rigged some backups and- ok. Meaby they are not good enough to be permanent but-”

“You are going to put everyone at risk just because Jazz somehow got the ridiculous idea that ‘talking it out’ is the answer” She scoffed.

“Maybe it is. Maybe not. We won’t know until we try.”

“They are ghosts-”

“So am I.” Danny Interjected. Sam seemed to choke on her next words.

“You are not a ghost Danny.” She had, somehow, gained a tone even more quiet and harsh than her previous one.

“Aren’t I?” He was looking directly into her amethyst eyes. Daring her to fight him on this.

He already knew she wouldn’t.

She had opened her mouth to rebut but closed it immediately after. She took a long breath; most likely to prepare for her next rant than to calm herself. Weighing her options. She didn’t seem willing to have that particular conversation. Not yet. Danny had counted on that. “It’s still a goddamn risk.” She finally countered, a slight sliver of defeat coloring her words.

Maybe he had been a little harsh, but he needed her to understand. “There is risk in every choice I could make. This is not different-”

“What about us?”

Ok, so she was just getting her second wind. Fucking amazing. “Sam, please-”

“We are your friends!”

“And she is my sister!” He finally snapped.

She startled. Gazing at him speechless for a moment before standing up and storming out of her seat without a backward glance, making the people on her way part like the red sea. Leaving in her wake a bunch of curious persons staring after her and throwing shameless glances to their table.

So much for not causing a scene in the middle of the Nasty Burger.

The boys ignored the stares. They were already accustomed to being the focus of attention. Almost never positive, mind you. But that was what cleansings were for.

Tucker, who had been silent for most of the back and forth, finally spoke.

“She just needs time to cool off.”

The Fenton boy would be lying if he said he hadn’t seen this coming. Sam had always been very opinionated and believed herself to be right most of the time. In her defense, she usually was right and knew how to go about expressing it to her friends without resorting to this kind of standoff. This just appeared to have struck a nerve.

Living with her parents and having to fight for every single choice she wanted to make had left her on a constant defense mode that the boys had learned to navigate in their years of friendship. It hadn’t been easy for anyone. But neither Danny nor Tucker were perfect. They had their quirky shit to deal with.

The three of them stuck together and hadn’t bothered to try and expand their friend group that much over the years. Not like they had many options. But that was ok.

Until now.

With Danny leaving them the relative feeling of a support system was trembling at its foundation.

She was probably scared. So was Tucker if the wobbly but sincere smile he was giving him was any indication.

Danny had to admit that when he let himself think about it he got scared too.

They had been in the same boat for a while and parting ways was not something they had accounted for, not for the near future, at least.

In a weird way, they still would be in the same boat even after they were apart. Struggling to learn how to function without the other there. Sam and Tuck would have each other, they were resilient, he was sure they could cope. He would have Jazz like he always had, enough said. And they would keep going like they always did.

Tucker was right. She would come around. But-

Danny slumped on his seat, running a hand through his hair releasing a big sigh.

“Yeah, I know” He murmured looking pensively in the direction their friend had stormed off. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“So, you are not mad?” Danny asked when he finally turned around towards Tucker.

“Nah, man. Just a little squeezy about dealing with this without you. But if your sister is really going to do this she is going to need you there.” Tucker shuddered a little bit. “I have never been there personally but if the social media and forums are not lying Gotham is a goddamn beast dude.”

The halfa hummed in agreement. Not like Amity Park didn’t have its own reputation on their corner of the internet, but still.

Gotham.

Danny took a sip from his milkshake before doing a mental check-list and frowning, “I’m starting to feel like I’m forgetting something” he whispered.

“Oh god, please don’t say that.”

“It’s okay,” Danny had made his best at planning, so his friends wouldn’t have to deal with the ghost in his absence. But with things like this, you never knew for sure. Not until it slapped you right across the face.“Probably just the paranoia.” ‘I hope’ he finished mentally with a weak laugh.

“Dude,” Tucker started before taking hold of his friend’s hand and squeezing it. “If you need help with anything I’m your man. just say the word.”

Tucker may not understand the full extent of the situation, but he was trying, and that meant a lot to the Fenton. He squeezed back and shot his friend a small but grateful smile.

“It’s ok. Thanks, Tuck-” He cut himself off, being interrupted by the sudden ding of one of Tucker’s devices.

The afro American boy ignored the sound though, in favor of putting his full attention on his friend, an action that demonstrated how serious he was with his words, but Danny was already lost in thought, staring intently at the briefly, but brightly, illuminated screen.

“Actually-” The halfa suddenly chirped, turning his full attention back to the boy across the table. Tucker just blinked back, waiting. Danny leaned forward dragging the other boy towards him so he could continue with a whisper. “You could help me with a pair of things.”

The mischievous smile Tucker was witnessing had come out of nowhere and couldn’t presage anything good, but as it was not aimed at him — necessarily — he couldn’t help but join in.

Several cities over, some of Gotham’s more infamous residents couldn’t find an explanation to the sudden shiver that ran up their spines.

-.-.-.-

When Danny made it back home he didn’t waste time tracking his sister down. She was down in the lab, typing away on the main computer and using one of her shoulders to keep her mobile pressed against her ear.

She was in the middle of a conversation and still managing to rewrite part of the ghost portal code like a pro.

His sister sure loved multitasking.

At the sound of the door closing behind the younger Fenton, Jazz looked up from the screen to shoot a brief smile to her brother before carrying on with her conversation.

“Yes. That’s perfect, I will be sending the three files then-”

The boy froze on his step and blinked a pair of times. She was already talking with one of the G. A. proctors? When he left this morning he had just dumped his proposals on Jazz for a second revision. He wasn’t expecting to have them sent already.

Hmm. Well, to be fair, he had rambled at Jazz about his projects relentlessly whenever he had a chance and didn’t feel like death warmed over.

Which weren’t many times. But once he got into a ramble it was an Olympic endeavor to shut him up. He was a Fenton. It was in their blood. Jazz did it too, even if she tried to chalk it up to healthy-and-completely-natural excitement.

So. Jazz already knew the contents pretty well, it was just a question of pulling off the presentation, which was the thing that Jazz was supposed to check over.

His sister had given him some tips, and even if his parents were not as invested in the writing process as in the practical, the fruit loop had more than enough experience doing it and didn’t give two flying fucks over whether or not Danny wanted his knowledge.

Danny knew monologing was an essential part of a villainous experience but he had spent way too much time listening to Vlad bitch about most of his employees to last him a lifetime.

Even little Madeline couldn’t stop the loneliness that had brought the madness. Danny had put so many hopes in the fluffy thing.

Letting out a resigned sigh the boy decided to just let it go and be grateful that his sister - who had more than five Universities fighting over her- deemed it acceptable already.

He liked writing his ideas down, but using formal language and fudging APA was fucking exhausting.

Good fucking riddance. He thought, shaking his head slightly and sending a light sneer in the computer’s direction. As if the files on it could feel his disdain from his position on the other side of the room.

Danny spotted some of her sister’s nail polish bottles by her side on the table and made a beeline for them and took most of the little bottles before retreating to a chair on the other side of the desk.

He had heard some of the cheerleaders saying that the nail polish helped to keep the nails from getting all fucked up quite as easily, and it had caught his attention.

Danny had looked down at his hands and winced. Normally he didn’t pay much attention to his nails, but ever since getting on a constant string of fights he was more aware of how easily the goddamn things could break on you if you didn’t trim them properly, and it hurt like a bitch every time. It always seemed to be the tiniest things that told you to ‘fuck off’ to your face like nothing else.

Danny guessed that it was worth the try. And if anything, putting some color on them would help hide some of the blood — and ectoplasm — that got under his fingernails.

So he tried it out.

By this point, he was not sure if it really helped or he was just fooling himself into thinking it did work. The only sure thing was that he didn’t feel comfortable going without it anymore.

Danny liked to borrow the clear nail protector from Jazz, but most of the polish he had in his possession had been previously Sam’s. All pastels and cheery colors that her mom kept insisting on buying her because they kept being used.

“Thank you, Miss Gordon!”

If she had bothered to pay more attention to her daughter’s friends for more than sneering at them she may have noticed Danny’s pastel pink nails. But she hadn’t. And that had just ensured Danny a constant supply of pastels to cover his bloodied nails with-

“So, how did it go?”

“Uh.” The boy startled at the sudden proximity of the voice. He looked up from his nails and to his sister, who was now seated beside him.

“The execution.” Jazz prodded, smiling at him in anticipation. It looked downright creepy, considering the words she used.

“Seriously Jazz?” He snorted. “You make it sound like I went there to dispatch murder at random.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” His sister scoffed, watching how her brother resumed painting his nails. “They are already dead. You couldn’t kill them any more than they already are.”

“I could certainly try.”

“Danny-”

“Let’s just say the all-nighter paid off, and leave it at that.”

“So you had fun.” She teased. Stealing back one of the bottles of polish to finish her own nails with a second coat.

“For the most part, but-” He stopped, struggling to find words to describe the sheer mayhem that went down in the zone-

Jazz just hummed and gave him a little nod, still focusing on her nails. Danny relaxed. He could tell her later. When he had cooled off some more from the attack-protect mode he got into whenever he visited the zone. Remembering it all right now would just set him off again.

“So, what do you want for dinner?” The redhead asked suddenly.

Danny blinked a pair of times, perplexed, and stole a look at the clock.“It’s a little late to be asking that, don’t you think?”

“I suppose, but I decided to wait for you and then got sidetracked with the files.” She really needed to work on her awareness of time. “Didn’t even notice the hour.”

“I don’t even remember what we have in the cupboards.”

“Maybe we could-” She didn’t manage to suggest something before she got interrupted by their mother’s voice.

“Dinner is ready!”

“They made dinner?” Danny whispered to Jazz in dread.

“So it seems,” she responded, sharing his dread.

“Why did they make dinner? They never make dinner!”

“I mean, they do for special occasions, like-” She shuddered. “Like thanksgiving.”

This was ridiculous. Jazz and he were normally the ones cooking. Their parents spent most of their time in the lab or trying to hunt down ghosts. Today was not a holiday. They hadn’t invented anything new worth the ‘celebration’. There wasn’t a reason for them to-

“Oh! and Vlad is here~!”

Danny slammed his face against the desk with a groan.

Jazz winced at the sound.

“Time to face the music, little bro” She closed the polish bottles and patted him carefully on the back a few times before standing up and going to the kitchen.

“I still feel like I’m forgetting something…” Danny grumbled under his breath before following his sister upstairs.

-.-.-.-

It was the last Friday of the month and this could perfectly be one of Jazz’s many attempts to make them a functional family unit.

Except that the Fenton girl had let said efforts slip in favor of pursuing her little brother’s scholarship.

Oh, And the fruitloop was here.

Vlad had weaseled into the family’s — unplanned — plans because of course, he did.

“Everything looks absolutely lovely Madeline.”

Jazz would have believed his words. If she hadn’t seen the man poke at the food on the table with the wariness of a man on the death warrant whenever mom was not looking.

The siblings had spent way too many family dinners doing the same thing whenever they couldn’t quite manage to keep the older Fentons off the kitchen. And even when they did, they didn’t lower their guard. The chance of contamination was always a latent threat to the house.

Jazz turned her head slightly to look at her brother. The boy was, very pointedly, not poking at his food and just watched it with all the scorn he could gather. He refused to do the same things as Vlad, which didn’t mean he was crazy enough to try and eat the food on his plate.

The dinner proceeded with making some catching up, abundant science talk, teasing, scathing remarks, sighing, and finally dissolved in a three-way match between the Fenton children and one Vlad Masters to see who could dispose of the food in the most sneaky way.

She had always wondered how the man survived with her parents for as long as he did back in their college years. She knew now.

“Oh! And Jazzrinces finally decided on a college! The G.S.A. is backing up her research on ghosts! Isn’t that incredible?!”

Vlad smiled blandly at Jack. Skillfully suppressing the sneer the man’s cheeriness was trying to invoke to his face. He had lots of practice.

“And Danny decided to tag along to help his sister! Isn’t he such a sweet boy?” Maddie added with a cheer a little more forced than her husband’s. But still, cheer.

Now, that. That got Vlad’s attention. And he decided to take advantage of the children’s distraction to get more information and decide a proper plan of action.

Dany was making it a point to completely ignore the three adult’s conversation. Jazz stuck to taking small sips from her glass of water. That was, until-

“Surely you’re not planning on sending them without some proper equipment, are you?” Vlad tutted. “Don’t get me started on weapons. I mean you never know for certain what will be indispensable, right?”

“That’s a wonderful idea!”

The heads of both children snapped up.

“I mean, most of my research isn’t-” Jazz tried hastily to stop this on its tracks.

Sadly, it was not to be.

“Nonsense Jazz,” Her mom interrupted her, “It’s better to be prepared!”

Vlad hummed in agreement, “They won’t, after all, have anyone else to protect them from those trashy ghosts.”

Just like that, the Fenton parents started to list out loud all the things the kids would surely need for the research.

Vlad smirked.

Danny narrowed his eyes at the pompous fucker.

Jazz resigned herself to keep sighing until the end of times.

-.-.-.-

“How are we supposed to take this with us..?” Danny whispered looking horrified at all the equipment his parents had just thrown their way

“Can’t you just put it in the thermos?”

“The ectoplasmic energies of each Item would clash horribly” Danny winced

“You tried to…?” Jazz side-eyed him

“Yes.” He said curtly, “Wouldn’t really recommend” he continued with the air of someone haunted by the consequences of their life choices. death choices. Both were accurate, she supposed.

Jazz swallowed.

Cue in more silent horrified staring at the equipment.

“Maybe if we start with some boxes-”

“BEWARE!!! THE BOX GHOST!!!”

“Oh my god-!”

“I Fucking knew it!!”

-.-.-.-

A little while after, once the ghost box was gone, and the siblings had retreated to Jazz’s room for safety and the opportunity of proper evening gossip. The fruitloop came barging into the room.

“Ok. I raided the kitchen. There is nothing edible in this house. How do you even survive.” He stated, not asked, in a deeply judgemental tone.

“Magic. Pokemon Magic.” Danny deadpanned from his place on the bed. Jazz, who was cuddled beside him, was still chewing on the dry crackers that managed to survive the onslaught of their parents, for the simple reason that the things had been in her room.

Vlad sighed and started to massage his temples.

“Fine. Truce. Grab your things, we are going out.”

Jazz slightly choked on her crackers. Danny just choked on air. “What? Where-?”

“To get some proper food, of course.” The man sneered like it was completely obvious and tagging a smirk on for good riddance.

“Why would-”

“You have directions. I have the money. Chop chop. Before your parents catch us.” With that, the millionaire turned around and left, leaving the door wide open fully expecting them to follow along.

The siblings stared at each other for a moment before scrambling after Vlad.

Food was more important than playing the archnemesis-game.

For the hundred time that day:

Priorities.

ENDNOTES:

I couldn’t help the fucking references. Danny is a dork and I am ashamed.

-.-.-.-

I headcanon Danny as someone who really likes pet names, be it because he really likes the person or because it pisses them off. Two stones a deader bird.

-.-.-.-

What do you mean The Avengers aren’t a boyband?

-.-.-.-

The siblings are firm believers of the borrowing culture. There is no shame in asking to borrow some things.

Are those Ember’s hat & earrings? Yes. Yes, they are.

Why does Danny have his ears pierced, you ask? BECAUse there is no absolute heteronormative bullshit in this household AND I MUST ADD THAT-!

-Danny & Jazz watched ‘The parent trap’ when they were small little beans and were really interested in whether or not piercing your sibling’s ears was the ultimate bonding moment.

Jazz insisted on researching a lot more about proper sterilizing, mind you- but like the tiny feral unsupervised cupcakes they were, they decided to try it.

Jazz already had her ears pierced, SO, yeah.

It hurt like a bitch for Danny, and Jazz panicked for a week afterward about infections, but it was indeed a good bonding moment.

-.-.-.-

If I ship Jason with some fucking therapy does that mean I can ship him with Jazz?

Ship’s name is JJ for you.

… I just gave myself YOI flashbacks.

Fuck.

-.-.-.-

You might want to say: ‘but author-san, those are not all the ghosts Danny deals with?’, and you are damn right they aren’t, but you must trust in Danny thousand-back-ups Fenton, my children.

(Also, where would be the fun if everyone was accounted for since now? You will see what went down later on. :p)

-.-.-.-

Don’t know if you noticed, but Jazz is not the only one that thinks Danny is a cutie patootie :v

Danny has long ago resigned himself to the being called “Lord” thing. Is better than the ‘K’ word.

-.-.-.-

The thing about the nails is something I do. I started because they looked pretty, I kept painting them because I felt they broke up more easily if I didn’t put like three coats of polish on them.

At least I don’t bite them as much anymore. :p

-.-.-.-

If there is someone on this green earth that knows about the struggles of living with Jack and Maddie Fenton, that someone is Vlad Masters.

Change my mind.

You can’t.

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fez-whyiwaited · 4 years

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Chapter II - Why I Waited

Masterlist Wattpad

Our new house is not that small, but also not that big. It certainly is not that awful, it’s clean and it has some rustic and old details to it, but over all it’s a simple one story house, with tree bedrooms, two bathrooms, a small kitchen, and a sad small couch with a tv on the floor in the living room.

‘’Jona, the house smells amazing’’ is the first thing Sarah says when we drop some moving boxes into the house.

Jonathan is who gave us the opportunity to move into this town, he’s the manager of ‘The Handler - Strip club’, or as he likes to call it ‘’exclusive men restaurant’’, same one Sarah will be starting working tomorrow.

‘’It really does’’ I laugh.

‘’My Yankee Candle dropped, it’s a bitch to take the wax off the carpet’’.

‘’Well, that apple-cinnamon smell is to die for’’. Sarah adds.

‘’Here Joy, let me show you your new room, it has a window to the garden, Sarah told me you needed to have that view, please do whatever you like with the space… by the way, it does need a little time and patience’’.

‘’Thanks Jona’’ I say.

This bedroom is probably the biggest thing I have ever had for myself, Sarah and I always shared a bedroom since kids.

I look out the window and see a big wood doll house, getting eaten by termite.

I don’t know much about Jona’s private life, just that he’s a protective friend to Sarah, and that her daughter was taken away by her ex girlfriend.

I can really make this garden look better, the first thing that needs to go is that nasty doll house.

Gardening has always been easy for me, while my parents were not present in most part of my childhood, my grandma was. She used to teach me all about it, something about taking care of a living being made me feel important, that’s why I never want kids, because plants and animals can give me that happiness, one that has no expectations, you just need to be there, give them love and a little time, and they will not complain or ask for more.

‘’Hey, do you like it?’’ Sarah enters the room

‘’Yup, pretty cool, can’t wait to remove that doll house and plant some lilacs’’ I say pointing out of the window. ‘’Also I’m pretty excited to not hear you snore, I don’t even know how it is to sleep without a bear sound’’

‘’Ha, ha, smart ass. Hey? We should totally wreck it or something, ask Jona if he has a baseball bat, or something’’

‘’Will do’’

- - - - - - - -

It only has been a few hours since we arrived, unpacking boxes was not that hard since we only had a few ones. My new room used to be of Jona’s daughter, so the walls are painted in baby pink. Completely empty, there’s two doors that lead to the wardroom.

My belongings are not that hard to place, most of it is clothing, two bags of makeup, and a photo of Sarah, grandma and me.

Jona placed a sleeping bag and a quilt on the floor for me to sleep. It’s not that bad, the room is quiet, and I know that if I open the window, I will hear the crickets, which sometimes the sound of nature gives me serenity.

I lay down in my new ‘bed’, and while battling my thoughts, that I know if it wasn’t for my actions we could still be in our apartment in New York City, back to a comfort zone that took us years to built after our parents went finally away. As my grandma used to say, I should ‘’only focus on the next day’’, so tomorrow I will: A. Find a new job B. Try to get back to school and C. Buy pink hair dye.

- - - - - - - -

‘’Good morning’’ I say entering the kitchen

‘’Hey! Can you grab the orange juice and ketchup? They’re in the fridge’’ Jona answers

‘’Sure, want some help? What are you cooking?’’ Taking the juice, I take advantage to also place tree cups on the table.

‘’Eggs with ham, I suppose you are hungry, Sarah told me you really didn’t ate yesterday’’

Avoiding to answer, I start to wonder the kitchen, learning the place of every single one of the dishes and at the same time helping with the table. I’ll definitely find some time today to accommodate in here.

‘’Oh, oh, I already see your eyes, girl, chill a little, if something bothers you… you’re free to change it, just remember to calm’’

‘’Thanks Jona’’

‘’So, what’s the plan for today, I already know you’re all scheduled’’ Sarah says entering the kitchen ‘’I start work at 10 p.m. and we will probably be back at 6’’ she adds.

‘’Try to find a new job, search for the nearest public school and buy hair dye’’

‘’First thing we need to go grocery shopping’’

‘’And that too…’’

‘’Hey have you tried this? Jona put ketchup on the eggs, this shit revolutionary’’

‘’Ew, there’s no way that’s entering my body’’ she says disgusted

‘’Oh common, when have I failed you? Close your eyes’’ he goes near Sarah and puts the fork near her mouth. Sarah closes her eyes and gives a bite, while processing she opens her eyes fast.

‘’Okey I need more’’ she states

‘’Told ya’’

- - - - - - - -

In the grocery shop, while Sarah’s taking the essential food and toilettree products, I use my phone to search the local public school.

‘’Do you really think I can go back to school?’’

‘’I mean, of course, it’s January, you are good with grades, your advisor said she was going to send what was needed for you not to loose what you did for the year’’

I know it’s Sarah’s dream for me to go to college, but that’s just not going to happen. I know that because we don’t have extra money. A week ago, I had it all figured out, even the money, now… nada for college.

‘’I really want to work, I can do school and a part time job, I know Jona even offered you for me to work in the kitchen of the club - ’’

‘’Which you’re not’’ she cuts me off

‘’I’ll search for the hair dye, you want something?’’

‘’Water, chips, milk and Lucky Charms’’

I write everything on my phone, and start to venture the store searching for it.

When I gather the food, I take it all with my two hands, as I walk to the beauty aisle I’m intercepted by someone, provoking me to fall and drop the stuff.

‘’Oh shit, sorry, here let me help you’’ the male voice says

I collect the cereal and chips, and he quickly pass me the water and milk.

‘’Thanks’’

He looks me to the face and his expression is just the same as the ginger guy from the store.

Uncertainty… Doubt… Incertitude… Dubiety… but not judgmental.

‘’Hey? It’s everything okey?’’ He dares to ask

The question completely surprises me, I know people see it, I didn’t even made an effort to hide it , putting and removing makeup in the bruises will just hurt me more and just seem like a lot of work.

‘’Yeah, thanks for asking’’

‘’Okey, I mean if you’re in trouble or something, I can get you some help, it does look painful’’

How the fuck does this guy reads people so well?

‘’Thanks I just, you know… was cooking and the knife accidentally got to my face, I then fall’’

I smile a little just to make the comment more bearable, not for him, but for me.

‘’Yeah, sure… Hey look this is my phone if you ever need something’’ he shows me his contact number on his phone waiting for me to take mine and save it.

Struggling with the groceries I put the stuff on the floor and grab my phone from my jeans pocket. This guy has a friendly and welcoming aura that I like.

‘’Are you in private school? I have never seen you before’’

‘’Is this town really that small? Am I suppose to expect just to see the same faces?’’

He laughs, damn he really is a town cliché.

‘’Something like that, my name’s Ethan by the way, I go to public, are you a rich kid that likes buying at this cheap store?’’

‘’I mean I just save you as the guy who didn’t saw where he was walking and hit me’’.

He gives a small nod and smiles back.

‘’No, actually I just came to live here, my life isn’t that wild’’ I add

‘’Hey did you found everything?’’ Sarah yells from the distance

‘’That’s my cue to go, thanks for asking Ethan’’ I say grabbing the stuff from the floor, and going without waiting for a reply.

Author’s note

Hey! I hope you like this new chapter, please remember this is a Fez story. Not an Ethan, but I need to do some character development. Please be patient for next chapter <3 I promise so much fez!

#Wattpad #Euphoria #Zendaya #Angus Cloud #Fez #Fez Fanfiction #Fez Fic #Fezco #Fezco Imagine #Fez Euphoria #Fezco Euphoria #Ethan #Austin Abrams #One Shot #Fezco X Reader #fezco edit #fezcoedit #Rue Bennett #Euphoria Edit

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paradise-creator · 3 years

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Pandora's box, Part three

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The Princess and the Nervous knight

A @liliannyah and Asahi Azumane fic

Asahi Azumane, the ace of Karasuno. Some say that he’s an adult that stayed behind. Others say he used to be a part of a Mafia. Needless to say, rumors of Karasuno’s ace were almost always bad but they never were true. The poor brown haired male, got used to it. It was a daily basis for 3 long years. So it wasn’t really much of a bother anymore. Then when everyone heard that he had a girlfriend, all hell broke loose. Gossip and rumors about the two were rampant. A series of “Did you hear that the former Mafia 3rd year has a girlfriend?” or “Poor girl, she must’ve been threatened” or anything along those lines. Their voices were soft and silent but their words spoke loudly. No one dares to even lay a finger on either of them. Their words and voices do the bidding and dirty work for them.

“Are they always like this?” Lia asked the taller male. “Yeah, it’s not that bad!” Asahi then said. “Plus the only thing I’m worried about is what you think of me,” He muttered as he looked away. Lia sighed as she went closer to Asahi. She hated the fact that they assumed stuff about her and Asahi. But, because Asahi is right beside her, there was no issue that will happen today. The feeling of his arms around Lia made her heart flutter. The subtle smile that is on his face, his gentle touches, and his loving gaze. All of it made her heart skip beats. She wasn’t the only one that was feeling this way though. Her headstrong personality, the mysterious glint in her eyes, and her adorable expressions. All of that can make his heart, soul, and mind go crazy.

“Let’s go to the gym now, okay Princess?” Asahi said as he put his arms around the girl. “You’ll be watching me practice, won’t you?” He added but then realized how rude it must’ve sounded. “I’m sorry that so-,” He was going to apologize but was cut off by a giggle. “Its fine, babe! And I will be watching,” She said. So, they ventured around the school to get to their destination. “I need to go get something! You can go on ahead,” Lia said as she turned before the male was able to respond. The brown eyed male chuckled and went on, he trust her after all. Lia walked around the halls as she tried to find her class. She had just remembered that she left a gift for Asahi on her desk. Once she arrived there, the brown teddy bear was sat on her desk, just like how she left it. She took the plush and smiled softly. This bear reminded her of her lover. It was slightly bigger than the usual plush and it was all soft looking.

“I hope he likes this,” Lia thought as she held the plush close to her. It may not seem much but she just wanted to remind him that no matter what the rumors would say, Lia’s mind won’t change at all. Once she acquired her plush, she went as fast as she could to the gym. As she passed by people, they looked at her with pure curiosity, especially the 1st and 2nd years. They wondered how a beautiful soul like her end up with a former mafia member. It was to be expected, so Lia didn’t really mind. She did promise Asahi she would ignore it if she can. Once she arrived at the gym, the guys were already doing their practice. They didn’t notice her, so she went ahead and go to her usual place. The balcony at the top, where she could clearly see the game right at the center, he favorite place. As she went up, she stumbled upon the place where Asahi confessed. She stopped and a memory popped into her head.

A tall brown haired man with a goatee stood nervously in front of the light brown hair girl. Asahi Azumane’s loving gaze was evident but he didn’t want to make it seem obvious. Love is way more complex than what it seems. He has this urge and desire to keep her close. The desire to be there for her no matter the cost. The urge to claim her for himself, to be able to call her his. The desire to be the one that makes her smile and be the one that sets aflame to her heart. The urge to proclaim is undying love for her. But, he was also willing to take a deep dive into rejection. He knew it would hurt but for her he would do anything. He was willing to take that risk, even if things get awkward, as long as she is still there it’s enough for him. “So you are the one that sent me those letters?” The female asked as she looked at him. “Y-Yeah, that’s me. Before you respond, can I say something?” He then asked. With a soft smile, the female agreed. Seeing her smile made his heart race even more and a small pink tint covered his face. “Y-you are the most wonderful and the most beautiful person I have ever met. Everything about you just makes me go crazy… IN A GOOD WAY OF COURSE,” Asahi started nervously. “Every time you smile, my heart beats like crazy! And whenever I see that soft and gentle gaze, I melt.” He added as he took a deep breathe. “What I’m saying I like you. PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME?” He ended as he bowed sincerely. The silence as his response broke him a bit but then he heard a soft giggle. “I like you too. And I’m happy to be called yours,” She then responded.

“Princess! There you are,” A voice then pulled her out. It was the very same man who confessed to her a year before, now stood in front of her anew. She smiled brightly and opened her arms for him to come to. To which the male responded accordingly and hugged her tight. The Teddy bear she was carrying sat behind her, waiting to be claimed. “So what did you get? You said you needed to get something?” Asahi said as he then pulled away. Lia kissed his cheek and presented the Teddy bear. “This is for you,” She said as she handed him the teddy bear. The taller male held it gentle and stared at it for a while. “It reminded me of you, do you not like it?” Lia asked as she looked at him. She was nervous, this wasn’t the first time but even so. “Like it? I love it, princess! Thank you so much!” He then said as he envelope her in a hug. “I love you so much, princess,” He whispered. “I love you too, my nervous knight,” She responded.

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Author's note

I hope you enjoyed this fanfic! If there is anything that needs to be changed please let me know~

I really enjoyed writing this since Asahi isn't really a character I write often, so it was super fun!

#snowfall writing #anime #fanfic #fiction #followers #haikyuu #haikyuu!!#snowfall #haikyuu asahi #hq asahi #Asahi x Lia #💝. moots #💘Lia #❄️writing #Asahi fluff #Fluff #Fanfiction #Pandora's box

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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years

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Survey #326

“life by life / waste to waste / i'm the harbinger: the master of decay”

When you get married what do you think you’ll put most of your focus and money into? Do you mean like, for the wedding? Probably the venue. Or possibly the photographer. Have you ever had a teacher that also taught your parents? No. What’s something you complain about frequently? My legs. Are you afraid of falling in love? Very. Are you close to any of your aunts/uncles? Not very. Do you hate it when people smoke around you? Very much so. Do you own anything that is special edition? Yeah, things like DVDs. Do you have any funky bookmarks? I have this one meerkat bookmark where the image moves when you tilt it. Did you ever watch Pokemon? Hell yeah I did. Are there more females or males in your family? Females. Does anyone in your family snore loudly? My mom does due to having gerd. Dad did too when I actually lived with him. I wouldn't know nowadays. Do you own a camera tripod? Yes. Did you ever believe in mermaids? No. Have you ever purchased alcohol? Yes. Any essential quirks/interests/other you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Similar interests, like being a metal fan and gamer especially, as well as a serious animal lover for sure. Any romantic gestures you really like? Okay if someone did that little bow thing while reaching out for my hand to dance, I'd melt, lol. I also appreciate love interests holding open doors, SHOWING INTEREST IN HOW I FCKN FEEL, asking permission before doing anything in sexual exploration, stuff like that. Any sexual fantasies? Are you daring enough to share one? Yep, not sharing those lmfao. Have you ever been in love? Twice. What is your favorite/least favorite word? My favorite is "serendipity/serendipitous," and my least favorite is "retarded." Have you ever been skinny dipping? No. If I actually had a body I was confident in, I probably would in privacy tho at night lmao. Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Oh yeah. What is your favorite thing to do? Probably RPing with my favorite OCs when I'm in a really creative mood and during a great scene. Did you go to your senior prom? Yeah, I did. Prom's honestly pretty damn overrated, but I did it and his senior prom anyway. It's the picking out a beautiful dress and taking pictures that I loved. What did you do after graduation? I don't remember. We probably went out to eat or something. Favorite home cooked meal growing up? Spaghetti. What item most embarrasses you to purchase? Nothing, really. Do you give cards to people for holidays or events? No. Name the coolest thing about one of your grandparents. Uhhhhh idk. Name two things you put whipped cream on? I hate the texture of whipped cream. Do you ever eat peanut butter straight from the jar? Sometimes if I want a snack but am trying to be healthy-ish, I'll eat just a scoop. What was the last pill you took for? Pain. Do you prefer your clothes loose or close fitting? Loose, 100%. Favorite thing you’ve ever painted? Meerkats grooming. I did it in high school on a large piece of burlap. Are there any songs that remind you of your mother? "Take It Like a Woman" by Alice Cooper, for one. How did your elementary school teachers describe you? Very smart, sweet, friendly, and nice. Game you were best at in PE/gym? Pf, none. Obsession from childhood? Dinosaurs and Pokemon. Best way for someone to bond with you? Let's talk about deep stuff regarding the world or about how awesome animals are. Top 5 favorite Vines? Oh boy. There are just way too many. I'll try to name a few: 1.) the "I can't find my berries" saga guy; 2.) *in drive-thru, asked what he would like to order* "I wanna FUCKIN DIE"; 2.) "i cOUldA DROPpeD my CroISSAnt"; 3.) "it's Wednesday, m'dudes"; 4.) "a d a m"; 5.) "I WON'T HESITATE, BITCH." God, I miss Vine. What is the first meme you remember seeing? Holy cow, I have no idea. Sci-fi, fantasy, or superheroes? Fantasy. Favorite tradition? Dressing up for Halloween, even though I don't do it anymore... Talent you’re proud of having? Writing. Favorite website from your childhood? Webkinz was unbeatable. I was obsessed. Any good luck charms? I don't believe in those. Favorite potato food? French fries. Tell me the color of your eyes, without using the name of a color: Uhhhh a cloudy sky right before rain? Ever been through a goth phase? Goth is my fucking AESTHETIC. I wish I could afford a truly gothic wardrobe, because you bet your sweet ass it's all I'd wear out. Can you remember your first phone? If so, what kind was it? I think so? It was a Blueberry, I believe. Who is your favourite character from Alice in Wonderland? Obviously the Cheshire cat. What is your favorite type of YouTube video to watch? Lately, it's been tarantula and snake channels/pet YouTubers. I still think my overall favorites are let's plays, but right now it's just stepping back a bit. What’s the next project you are excited to start? I have this pretty cool drawing I wanna do of a morbid meerkat doing a big toothy smile, doing a peace sign (but his fingers are syringes) with a crown blinking over his head. Inspired by the "Professional Griefers" lyric of "lab rat king." I just really wanna make it perfect and am procrastinating in fear of failing... Have you ever experienced a miracle? I don't think I believe in miracles. What are your top three names you like for a daughter? Alessandra, Justine, and Chloe, to name a few. Which did you like better: high school or college? High school, at least in most ways. What is the theme of your bedroom? It doesn't have a theme. My interests just kinda threw up everywhere, haha. Have you ever lived in a dorm? No. Were you raised religious? Yes. Do you do your own taxes, or do you hire a professional? I don't have to do taxes yet. What was the very first thing you ever saved up to buy with your own money? Venus was the first big thing, I think. Describe your favorite Christmas ornament: I don't know what that would be, honestly. We have so very many. What jobs did your parents have when you were growing up? Dad's always been a mailman, and he also had a second job as a carpenter for a while. Mom worked with special needs children at my elementary school as a teacher assistant. She also worked at the hospital at one point, doing some computer work. I don't remember her actual position. Are you taller than your mom? We're the same height. Would you marry someone if they were unable to have sex? Sure, that's not a big deal to me. Last reason you went to the ER? For myself, a suicide attempt/overdose. What was the last word document you typed? This survey, actually, so I could save progress as I combine them. What’s something you don’t think people take seriously enough? Global warming. Have you ever dated someone who had a child from a previous relationship? No. Is there any drama currently going on with your family? No. What was the last fruit or vegetable you chopped/sliced up? An apple. I wanted apple slices with peanut butter. What is your favorite Hostess/Little Debbie snack? Holy SHIT that is impossible. Maybe the devil cakes, but I really don't know. I love most of them. Do you/your family buy loaf from the bakery or bagged on the shelf? Bagged. White, wheat or other? Mom buys white bread, but my favorite is pumpernickel. What was the last non-fiction book you’ve read? (Not a school textbook!): I ain't got a clue. I don't really read non-fiction. What color are your headphones/earbuds? These are blue. Would you be embarrassed to find out you snored loudly in public? Yep. Thankfully, I don't snore. Do you feel guilty about killing bugs? Yep. How do you feel about coconut? Not a fan. ^ Ever cracked one open? Ha, I've always wanted to. Who did you last worry about and why? My mom. She's getting a CT scan ASAP due to chronic headaches and stomach pain, so I'm worried her cancer might be re-emerging. When was the last time you ate/drank something gross just to be polite? I don't know; I struggle to do this. If I don't like something, my face shows it. I can't help it. When did you last make up a baby’s bottle? Never. Do you have any framed black & white photos in your home? Who are they of? No. What’s the most expensive thing your car needed to get done? N/A If you had a thousand dollars to spend on a pricey brand you like but can’t really afford (until now of course), which ONE brand would you chose? I don't know. Real talk, I find most luxury brands to sell pretty ugly stuff... Do you like candy canes? Yeah. Do you still talk to any of your old teachers? Yes; one is my landlord. What color was the dress you wore to your senior prom? It was black. Ever go to another school’s prom? No. Do you like burning candles or incense? I love incense. Do you ever venture into the woods? What do you normally do in there? When I used to live in the woods, I did every now and then to take pictures. Does your significant other ever make you mix CDs? Single, but that would be so romantic. /swoons How did you dress your freshman year of high school? I was this emo/metalhead/goth creature. What is the best present you have ever received? My dog Teddy. <3 What is the best present you have ever given? I put the most effort into a scrapbook thing of well over a hundred reasons I loved my then-boyfriend Jason. Even though we're done, I honestly hope he still has it, just to remember. What is the best surprise you have ever had? Sara's parents paying for a flight up there to be with Sara for her birthday. Have you ever been robbed? No, thankfully. Ever kiss someone on the first date? No. Ever sleep with someone on the first date? Definitely a nope. Ever give someone a wrong phone number on purpose? No. What’s the strangest thing you have ever witnessed firsthand? I have no idea. It's... very morbid, but possibly dogs twitching after being euthanized. Seeing Teddy do it was such a strange, painful experience. Like there was still life in there... even though I know it was just his nerves doing their final hoorah and he was already dead. Ever seen a psychiatric ward? I've been in a mental hospital five or six times, so I'm uncomfortably familiar with them. What is the last thing you did that you didn’t want to do? Group therapy. I'm really burning out on it. Thankfully, I don't have it on the weekends. What is the last thing you convinced someone else to do? I dunno. If you could live in a different time, would you? When? Nah. Do you prefer to sleep alone or with someone else? Sleeping alone is more comfortably physically, but I usually prefer sleeping with a partner because there's this amazing feeling of safety, love, and companionship. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two. Do you prefer cold air and blankets, or warm air and no blankets? Cold air and blankets by ten miles. I can't sleep if I'm even remotely hot. How often do you dust? Sigh, not as much as I need to. What is the most "extreme" activity you have ever done? I haven't done very much that fits that description... so idk. Dr. Pepper or root beer? Dr. Pepper. I hate root beer. Last room you cleaned? Mine. Last thing you did that made you feel like an adult? Checked into the doctor's office by myself, haha... Talk about sad. What’s your favorite picture of your mom? Dad? It's not my business to actually share those pictures, but I can describe them. I fucking ADORE this candid photograph I took of my mom laughing; I will forever cherish it. It's morbid to think about, but it's absolutely a picture I'll frame of her once she's passed away. I don't have many pictures of Dad, but I do really like this picture we took together at Red Lobster once. Are you subscribed to anything (Magazines, monthly boxes, streaming sites, etc.)? Mom pays an Adobe Creative Cloud photography bundle subscription for me, but that's it. Last TV show series you finished? Fullmetal Alchemist with Sara. It was a rewatch for me, but she'd never seen it. What’s something exciting that’s happened to one of your friends recently? A childhood friend got engaged a few days back. Do you have any board games? If so, where do you keep them? We have a few somewhere. What were the last things you glued together? I don’t recall. What are your friends’ pets’ names? I'll just use Sara here since she's my best friend. She has two family dogs, Buster and Beesly, a cat named Winter, four ball pythons named Martha, Crowley, Little Dot, and Jane Marie, and Doris, a bearded dragon that I personally adore most. :') What all did you do today? I played World of Warcraft early this morning, but not for very long. I've been in a phase of being very uninterested in it lately. I've mostly just done surveys... lots of surveys. I'm just in the mood to. I've also been listening to music and watching John Wolfe play Amnesia: Rebirth periodically. If you live in a house, how many floors does it have? If you live in an apartment building, how many units does it have? It's just one floor. Would you like to live in a world with mythical creatures, even if they turned out to be evil or dangerous? Honestly... I probably would, haha. Are you scared of heights? Yes. When was the last time you lost something of great sentimental value? Did you ever end up finding it again? Never, I think and hope. What food do you find to be the most filling? Is this something you eat a lot of? Eggs or oatmeal. Not really. What do you think of people who purposefully train their dogs to fight or to be aggressive? They're fucking garbage human beings. If you suffer/have suffered with acne, do you squeeze your spots or do your best to just leave them be? Ugh, I was so bad (and still am if something pops up) about picking at it. Does your father have any hobbies? What are they? Sure. He loves sports, fishing, idk if he still plays video games, fantasy football... and I can't forget playing with his grandkids. It's hard for me to know all of them when I don't live with him and see him rarely. What did the last face mask you wore look like? It was just a white cotton one. Is there a specific song that you always request at parties? What is it? I don't go to parties. Would you rather read poetry or write poetry? Write it. Have you ever had any really infected injuries? I've had infected piercings as well as a badly infected pilonidal cyst. Is there any band out there that you like every song by them? No. Are you popular on any websites? No. What was the last song you listened to? Aaaaand now I'm hooked on "NIHIL" by 3TEETH. Are you currently texting anyone right now? No. When was the last time you played jump rope? Yikes, probably not since I was a kid. I used to love it. Who was the last person you offended? I dunno. What’s the earliest you’ve ever had to wake up for work? Not early. Do you know anyone who has changed their first name? I know trans people who have, yes. Do you know anyone who has been on life support and survived? No. At least, I don't believe so. Do your parents have a strong relationship together? They're divorced, and Mom at least can't stand him. Dad doesn't really care. Do you ever feel like you’re sharing too much about yourself online? Oh, I absolutely used to. I still might, idk. I've tried to reel it back some. How many windows are in the room you’re in? Eight, but they're just small, vertical rectangles stacked together, so it's not as revealing as it sounds. What was the last necklace you wore? My spiked choker, I think, for pictures. Or maybe the one I have with a bunch of big silver skulls. Do you think there are more dimensions than what we’re able to perceive? I don't think so, no. Does anyone in your family have schizophrenia? My half-sister on Dad's side that I've never met. Have you ever been in an abandoned house? A shack, yeah. Do you like art? I positively adore it. I could NOT imagine life without it. How about theatre? I don't care for it. Have you ever made breakfast for someone? Yes, for Sara. Do you talk to your crush? If you have one. Yeah, she's my best fren. If yes, what do you usually talk about? Nowadays I ask her almost daily how she's doing in regards to her progress of recovering from both serious physical and mental stressors. I try to always be an available ear if she ever wants to vent. Would you rather read or watch a video about something? Watch a video. In what ways have you fulfilled some of the hopes and dreams you had as a teenager? I've fulfilled none of those. What’s one stressful thing you’ve been trying to deal with lately? How have you been dealing with it? Inexplicable, chronic boredom/serious anhedonia. I've just... put up with it. I get pleasure out of essentially nothing most days, and it sucks big time. I just try to distract myself and force myself to do things I usually love, though I've been bad about actually succeeding in making me do said stuff... Is there a regional chain of store/restaurant/etc. in your area that you feel very loyal to? MOTHERFUCKIN BOJANGLE'S, BITCH. You think YOU have good fries somewhere? Oh hunny, sit down. Oftentimes, people warn us against getting tattoos or body modifications or dying our hair unnatural colors because we could be judged poorly for them. But has a more “alternative” look ever worked out in your favor? Well, I like myself better with my piercings and tattoos, and that's all that really matters to me. Do you have any daily routine/habit of that you’re really proud of keeping up? No. .-. Pick one of the following activities to do in a forest (assume you would be equally good at each one of these): Foraging for mushrooms, identifying trees, searching for specific types of bugs, trying to build something out of fallen branches and logs. Searching for bugs w/ my camera!!! But that all sounds fun. What’s the hardest class you’ve ever taken? My most recent math course that I failed horribly.

#survey #surveys #questions #lyrics: ''master of decay'' by 3teeth

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fyrapartnersearch · 4 years

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Sci-fi shenanigans!

Hello ladies, gents and fellow rpers. After having a writing blast and seeing how I’ve got room for some more partners I’ve decided to come back in search of some partners who are interested in what I’m looking for.I’ve got a good ten or so odd years of rping experience under my belt but any potential partners do not necessarily have to have the same experience, they simply need to fit under these three things: -third person only with correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. - at least one small (no less than seven lines) paragraph per post as well as being willing to write more if the situation calls for it. Please do not contact me intending to give me only small paragraphs with each response as the above is simply the bare minimum I’ll accept if there’s not much going on in the rp that warrants a full paragraph. -no one liners, one worders, script talk, poorly written sentences or just laziness in general. This isn’t terribly much to ask for as picky as it sounds. An important thing I shall mention is that NSFW (i don’t fade to black nor do I care when the smut happens. Just please don’t leave me once the smut has happened like lots of people seem to unfortunately do) and dark themes are a thing that occur in all my rp’s so I require you to at least be eighteen before you reach out to me. I will not accept anyone younger than 18 since I myself am in my early twenties. Underaged characters are also a no go as well. Please know that I’m in the eastern Australian time zone but almost any time zone Is compatible for me as I am awake at very odd hours. Another important thing I shall add is that you must be able to post at least once or more a day and if I don’t get any response after two weeks then I shall simply move on (only exception is if you notify me beforehand as to why you may not be able to post for a while. I’m not that vicious). I only rp as male characters, as it’s simply my preference, but I will do either MxM or MxF pairings. I will not double and I do not play multiple characters. I don’t do sub/dom dynamics when it comes to any aspect of the relationship. My characters are also non human (they’re aliens since this is a sci-fi rp after all) but what species your character is doesn’t matter to me at all as long as it’s not some god modded Mary Sue. Please remember that alien simply means a creature not from earth. Aliens can have fur, scales, feathers, etc, depending on where they come from. An alien with fur or scalies is not a furry or a scalie and please do not refer to them as such as it’s rude to label someone’s character as something they’re not. I will not write with someone who will insist that the theory of chimpanzees and humans unable to crossbreed should apply to hybrid characters regardless of whether they’re alien/alien or human/alien. This is fiction, not reality. Please also do not control my characters or dictate their actions. My characters are also premade and only have descriptions, I don’t do face claims or pics. I also do not care if you make a character up on the spot. Please remember that this is a sci-fi rp and that I will not accept requests to do fandoms or any genre that doesn’t fit within the category of sci-fi.i will not accept a character that has no place in a sci-fi rp either like a dragon,harpy,demon, elf or some other fantasy creature. I do have a few ideas and I’ve listed them down below: Space criminals and the law: *humans and aliens have been living amongst each other side by side ever since humanity dared to venture beyond the Milky Way and made first contact with aliens. With the solar system no longer being man’s only playground other planets were quickly colonised under the new alliance between extraterrestrials and Homo sapiens. Whether you were an alien, human or a hybrid did not matter in the known galaxies. All that mattered was who you were. Not everyone took to the integration very well (there were numerous protests on both sides) but most people were willing to share in the hopes of peace. Not everyone had good intentions though……* Trouble in the alien kingdom: *the planet of (insert generic planet name here) was one of prosperity, hardship and wealth. The kingdom of (insert generic kingdom name here) was ruled by a king and a queen whose heir was betrothed to a rival planet in the hopes that a political marriage would prevent another war from happening. Only problem was that no one could see the rival planets true plans….all but one. Unfortunately no ones going to listen to a deranged commoner who probably may not even be telling the truth. What’s one to do when no one will listen?* Exile: *The wind howled as thunder crashed and shrieked all around the abandoned cargo ship. Rain pelted the metal hull, turning the ground into a cold, treacherously slippery and muddy shallow river. The ship itself had crashed into the planet countless centuries ago and was slowly being reclaimed by the environment. Plants grew from cracks in the floor as moss and vines decorated the walls. A figure sat miserably hunched in what was once the cockpit of the ship, their only shelter from the raging elements outside but not from the storm that raged inside of them. The figure leapt to their feet as the sounds of footsteps in the mud drew closer and they held their breath. Who would dare to venture out here on such a miserable night?* War of the worlds: *humans and aliens were never meant to coexist peacefully with one another. There was too much fear, Too much misinformation and too much bias on both sides for such a thing to have ever been successful. It was the humans fault that the war had started. They were the ones who’d shot down the alien ship that had been packed with specially chosen diplomats that represented each alien race known to the galaxies they dwelled in that had been on their way to earth to negotiate a truce and a plan for peace. They hadn’t even hesitated to shoot the ship full of aliens yet they’d been surprised when war had been declared on the spot. Two races. Two worlds so different yet the same fighting one another for what was either a mistake or intentional murder.* Rehab: *The UGWP alliance (unite the galaxies for the protection of all worlds and for peace alliance) portrayed themselves as calm, charismatic and kind men and women who held only the thoughts of a life together with all species living happily together. They advertised campaigns for inter species jobs, provided information to the public about human/alien interactions and encouraged diversity amongst planets. Their rehabilitation program for troublesome fellows was considered to be a god send to try and cut down on the amount of space related crimes. No one ever questioned what went on beyond the closed doors to the facility, if they did, the UGWP would have their darkest secrets revealed. Something they strove to keep under wraps. When the arrival of a particularly wild prisoner occurs, the threat of their first failure and first escaped prisoner is lurking around the corner.* (Important point of notice: in this rp idea I’d be playing said prisoner, I don’t mind if you choose to be one as well.) Academy days: *the galaxy alliance and military defence force academy was one of the most respected training academies in the known galaxies. Men, women, aliens, humans and all of those who were in between went there to study, train and, one day if they passed the mentally, emotionally and physically gruelling years of tests, fly and be put in their own squadron. There were approximately six spots to fill on any team and the cadet who suited that spot the most would be given the title of pilot, squad leader, second in command, engineer, gunner and navigator. Each team was similar but unique in what they did. Not everyone gets along though and rivalries grow high during that delicate time between graduating and being put on a team. What happens when the top student and the lonesome outcast with a temper clashes?* Captured: *Space criminals have been around ever since advanced technology allowed others to travel and live in space as if they were living anywhere else. They’re often cunning, tricky to catch and more often than not are clever at disguising themselves whenever those wanted posters come up. It takes skill to be on the wrong side of space law and true talent to get away with it. The galaxy's current most wanted man has finally been captured by an alliance captain and his crew. Will he beg for mercy? Will he be given a trial before being thrown into a cell to rot or will he be given a chance to turn himself around with some hard labour?* (Important point of notice: I’ll be playing the criminal for this one. You will be the alliance captain) Enslaved: *imagine living the life of one of the most successful people on the run that could exist. Galaxies trembled at your name. You and your crew swam in wealth and the going was good. Mutiny, sadly and sometimes not sadly, exists on its own accord. One man reflected on this as he was forced to his feet. A collar attached to a chain and electromagnetic handcuffs prevented his escape as he stood for all those who cared to glance as they walked by in the market to see. No one wants to have their only life’s purpose to be to serve another......only sometimes people don’t get that choice.* (Important point of notice: I’ll be playing the slave/servant. You’ll be the master/mistress.) Sooooo..... about those pairings. What is in Bold is what I’m going to play if we choose the scenario: 1: enemies to lovers or rivals. 2: **captured criminal** x prison guard or other prisoner. 3: two soldiers from seperate sides falling in love. 4: **academies bad boy** x top student 5: **low ranking ship crew member/second in command/captured space criminal** x captain. 6: **commoner/rogue/street rat** x prince/princess. 7: **slave/servant** x master/mistress. 8: army superior x **lower ranking soldier**. PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH ME IF: 1: YOU GHOST AT THE DROP OF A HAT. 2: YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO PUT EFFORT IN TO MEET MY REQUIREMENTS. I’m open to discussing and potentially mixing these ideas up till we get something that we both like. If you want to learn more about a certain idea tell me the name and I shall expand on it. The only platforms I rp on are discord,telegram,email and google hangouts. I will not rp on any other platform other than the ones listed. If you do not have any of those then unfortunately we cannot rp. When you reach out to me requesting for an rp please In the opening message tell me what idea you liked, why you liked it, give me a little introduction about you and you must put 123 somewhere in your message so that I know you’ve read all of my post, don’t just put “hi wanna rp”. Make it interesting. I look forwards to meeting potential partners. My contacts Discord: tiberionsunsconqourer#6187 Telegram: Tiberionwars Email and hangouts: [email protected]

#oc rp #multiple paragraph #para #long term #action #adventure #original #romance #scifi #submission

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keichanz · 4 years

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what the hell should i title these things? lol

@artistefish THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN TO WRITE ;ADJFLAJFIA;

two sketches to go along with it; i’m thinking this one is sort of like a rough draft to this one (the first two pics anyway lol)

originally i was gonna wait to post them until i had all of them written up, but i changed my mind because one i’m impatient, and two, i have no idea how long that will take lol so i’ll post them they’re completed.

a little note: i’m giving the characters their own personality quirks so they won’t be acting exactly like the characters in the movie. for example, i’m having Kagome be a bit more fiery tempered than Evy is and it shows in her mannerisms. i am, however, still following the dialogue.

[ i ] [ ii ]

Cairo Prison, 1926

“Come, come! Step over the threshold. Welcome to Cairo Prison, my humble home.”

The man that led them inside was stout, a bit on the short side, and with an unusually pale face despite no doubt spending most of his time under the hot desert sun. The dark markings on his face, a loud and deliberate boast to his status as the warden, had the side effect of making it look as if he had perpetual raccoon eyes. The white bandana wrapped around his head was dusty and sweat stained while the rest of his garb remained neat and relatively clean.

Clinging to her brother’s arm, Kagome Higurashi was severely beginning to doubt the sincerity of his words, and what he said next only confirmed he suspicions.

“You told me you got it on a dig down in Thebes,” Kagome hissed, warily looking around at all the prison workers as they followed the warden deeper into the prison.

“Yeah, well, I was mistaken,” Miroku returned, looking five times more uncomfortable than his sister, and if Kagome didn’t know any better she’d say he even looked a little nervous.

“You lied to me.”

“I lie to everybody. What makes you so special?”

“I am your sister,” she reminded him, as if that would make him feel even an ounce of guilt.

It didn’t. “Yes, well, that just makes you more gullible.”

“Miroku, you stole it from a drunk at the local casbah!” she heatedly reprimanded, sounding truly appalled to be related to such a deplorable character.

“Picked his pocket, actually,” Miroku corrected, sounding a bit harried and then suddenly he was swinging her around, urging her back toward the entrance. “So I don’t think it’s a very good—”

“Miroku, will you stop being so ridiculous,” Kagome huffed, pulling on his arm and forcibly turning them back around to cross the remaining distance to where the warden waited for them before briskly asking, “Now what exactly is this man in prison for?”

Leaning casually against the steel bars that made up the cell, the warden grunted and relayed, “This I did not know, but when I heard you were coming, I asked him that myself.”

Kagome blinked. “And what did he say?”

At this, Mukotsu the warden adapted a rather exasperated look as he pointed a finger in the air.

“He said he was just looking for a good time.” He turned his hand in a careless gesture and the door to the cell banged open.

With wide eyes Kagome watched as two armed men roughly dragged the prisoner into the cell, slamming him against the cold steel of the bars separating them, and Kagome gasped. One of the guards punched him in the back and with a grunt the prisoner sank to his knees, teeth bared in a grimace, and though unkempt, shaggy silver hair fell messily into his face from the rough treatment, it did nothing to retract from the absolute brilliant gold of his eyes as they bore into her own.

Slightly shaken, Kagome asked a little breathlessly, “This is—this is the man you stole it from?”

Looking like he’d rather be anywhere else but there, Miroku grinned a little awkwardly and revealed, “Yes, exactly, so why don’t we just go sniff out a spot of tiffin—”

“Who are you?” came a flippant male voice and the siblings both turned their attention toward the scruffy looking man behind the bars.

Appearing bored, Inuyasha slid his hands down the bars and flicked his golden gaze to Kagome, a sardonic twist to his mouth that might have been a smile.

“And who’s the broad?”

Aghast, Kagome echoed incredulously, “Broad?” Her brows snapped low over her eyes in indignation; however before she could give him a piece of her mind, her dear brother spoke up so she simply narrowed her eyes in affront.

“Well,” Miroku began, taking a step forward, “I—I’m just a local sort of missionary chap, spreading the good word and all that.” He offered what he hoped was a charming grin and reached back to tug Kagome forward. “But this is my sister, Kagome.”

“How do you do,” Kagome greeted softly, still a bit wary, but willing to overlook his initial rudeness. After all, he was behind bars; she supposed his temperament was justified.

The golden-eyed inmate frowned as he blatantly looked her up and down.

“Yeah, well,” he snorted, unimpressed. “Guess she’s not a total loss.”

While Miroku gaped at the man’s audacity, Kagome’s brows snapped low over her eyes and she stepped forward, glaring at the man as she said in aghast, “I beg your pardon?”

The prisoner looked completely unapologetic as he merely raised an eyebrow at her, but before anymore words – or insults – could be exchanged, the prison warden started shouting in an unfamiliar language before releasing a curse.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” he said distractedly and walked off, his face screwed into a displeased frown.

Seizing their chance, Miroku stepped in close to his sister and whispered, “Ask him about the box.”

The face she gave him suggested he should be the one doing the asking, but nevertheless she obliged and once more faced the man behind bars.

“Ah, we have found—” Kagome frowned again. “Hello. Excuse me.”

A white fear flicked before he slowly turned his head and golden eyes were trained on her once more, looking bored.

“We both found your…your puzzle box,” she continued, offering a small smile. “And we’ve come to ask you about it.”

Beside her Miroku silently nodded, attempting to look serious.

The man considered them both for a moment before saying bluntly, “No.”

The siblings both blinked.

“No,” Kagome echoed, smile gone.

“No,” Inuyasha repeated, shaking his head, and the look he leveled them with was deadpan. “You came to ask me about Hamunaptra.”

Alarmed, Miroku started shushing him and frantically looked around to see if they’d been overheard. The startled look on Kagome’s face gave way to dubious confusion, then cautious hope.

“How—how do you know that the box pertains to Hamunaptra?” she breathed, leaning in a bit closer for fear of eavesdroppers.

The silver-haired hanyou rolled his eyes. “Because that’s where I was when I found it,” he drawled, pegging them both with another look that loosely translated to duh. “I was there.”

Miroku narrowed his eyes in suspicion and knelt down to be eye-level with him, unwilling to let he or his sister be fooled by this prison rat. He had been drunk when he’d stolen the box, after all. There was no telling what sort of tales the man would weave to ensure his freedom.

“But how do we know that’s not a load of…of pig’s wallow?” he asked.

Amber eyes took him in and then narrowed as a frown knit his brown.

“You know,” Inuyasha rumbled, bringing up a clawed hand and pointing at him. “Do I know you?”

While Kagome inwardly snorted, Miroku chuckled nervously and said, “No, no, no, no. I’ve just got—you know, one of those faces—”

“Casbah!” the inmate growled, abruptly thrusting a fist through the bars and landing a solid punch to the English dandy’s face.

Miroku landed on the unforgiving grounded with a pained groan while the guards reprimanded the prisoner with a hard blow to his back and then again to his side. He grunted and hissed through his teeth but other than pegging them both with a harsh glare he didn’t retaliate.

Kagome barely spared her brother a glance as she carelessly stepped over his prone form and approached the man, thinking that they just might have found their ticket to the mythical city and the hope was obvious on her face.

“You were actually at Hamunaptra?” she asked, eyes wide as she stared into twin pools of melted honey, daring him to lie to her.

The grin that surfaced on his face was slow and devilish. “Yeah,” he rumbled. “I was there.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You swear?”

“Every damn day,” he said, smirking.

Kagome huffed. “No, I didn’t mean that—”

“I know what you meant,” he interrupted her, any amusement gone from his face now. “I was there. Seti’s place. City of the Dead.” He shook his hands in exaggeration, cocking a brow at her.

Trying to contain her excitement, Kagome bit her lip and then ventured, “C-could—could you tell me how to get there?” Dark eyes locked with burnished amber, pleading, hoping.

Inuyasha’s eyes widened and he blinked slowly at her as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard, clearly stunned.

There was more shouting in that unfamiliar language, sounding a bit closer, and looking over her shoulder, Kagome bit her lip and brought her hat down to give them a bit of privacy as she leaned closer. The intensity in those golden eyes of his had butterflies erupting in her stomach but she paid them no mind.

“I mean…the exact location,” she murmured, holding her breath.

Those honeyed eyes went hooded as he drawled, “You wanna know?”

“Well—well, yes,” Kagome answered, nodding as she bent closer.

“Do you really wanna know?” he asked in an octave lower, and when she once more gave the affirmative, Inuyasha crooked her finger in a bid for her to come closer. She did, putting her face inches away from the bars, her eyes locked on his.

There was a pregnant pause as is gaze bore into her own, and then without warning Inuyasha grasped her chin through the bars, tugged her forward, and slammed his mouth onto hers. It was rough and careless, his lips dry against her own, and yet Kagome still felt his kiss all the way to the tip of her toes. She whimpered, her body frozen, unable to pull away.

But then it ended as quickly as it had begun and he tore his mouth away from hers.

“Then get me the hell outta here,” he growled right before the prison guards fell on him, delivering harsh blows and Kagome stumbled back with a gasp, watching in stunned silence as he attempted to fight back but to no avail.

“Do it, wench,” Inuyasha growled at her and then he was being dragged away but he wasn’t making it easy, struggling, kicking out his feet and twisting his upper body to jostle their grip on him. He endured their blows with gnashed teeth and pissed off growls, but he kept his gaze zeroed in on her until the door was slammed shut, separating them once more.

Kagome could do nothing but stare after him, mouth parted, eyes wide, and face flushed. But then evidently her senses came back to her and she gasped, gesturing to the door.

“Where are they taking him?” she demanded a little breathlessly, heart still racing in her chest.

“To be hanged,” Mukotsu answered, appearing beside her and giving her a rather dry look. “Apparently he had a very good time.”

#inuyasha mummy au #inuyasha #kagome #miroku #mukotsu #inukag #artistefish #oneshot #keizfanfiction #fanfiction #GOD THIS IS SO FUN LOL

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okimargarvez · 4 years

Text

FAILURE

Original title: Failure.

Prompt: Penelope takes the first step with Luke and is rejected; but really he doesn’t feel the same for her?

Warning: what if for 15x4.

Genre: sad, angst, family, romantic.

Characters: Penelope Garcia, Luke Alvez.

Pairing: Garvez.

Note: oneshot 67 in Garvez collection.

Legend: 💏😘.

Song mentioned: Seconda pelle, Tiziano Ferro.

Note: this is my first “what if” about the spoiler for 15x4. I’m writing right now another one, I hope I can post it before the episode will be aired... to see if I will be right, even for little details.

GARVEZ STORIES

FAILURE

The heart is somewhere else now, far from where you put it, far from where I hoped and often, if I try I only feel bad bad bad...

He sees her standing in the doorway of her office, her gaze lost in the void. -Hey, are you okay?- he observes her gradually returning to reality, without wincing. A slight smile appears on her lips, not at all comparable to one of her classic ones.

It was a tough case for everyone, but especially for him. -Yes, pretty good, thank you for asking.- and Penelope is perfectly aware of it, in fact, she goes out, quickly enters the code and reaches him. -And you?- she looks at him with an implicit reproach in her eyes. Although they can now be considered friends (indeed, best friends), Luke doesn’t dare to hope that she has worried too much about his safety.

He shrugs, flanking her as they walk towards the elevators. -I get by.- they exchange another brief glance; the unusual shortened duration, especially for him, is due to the fact that they are thinking about the same thing, or rather, the same person. -Roxy and Lou keep me company.- he smiles in turn, sweetly.

The enthusiasm of the woman, however, is overwhelming, irrepressible, in hearing the name of the two dogs. -I would like to see them again.- she says, without looking at him. Agent Alvez has been single again for two months now. He first said to her and to the others that he is not suffering, that he is well, that it was the best thing for both of them. Penelope doesn’t know whether to believe him, but the fact that he has not stopped staring at her during the cases, or giggling at her jokes, and flirting, makes her believe that she has still hope. They hear the sound that warns them that the elevator has arrived. -I miss them!- she exclaims then, going up first. He is always so gallant.

He presses the button, making the doors close and they leave. -Well, it's still early, if you want...- she could pretend not to know what is different today in him or her. But she knows perfectly well: he risked exploding for a bomb. It was fake, okay, but for three minutes she thought she had lost him. As she stared at that damned red dot flashing inside the hospital, and no one on the team was able to tell her about him.

That's why she throws herself not even letting him end. -Yes!- it should be a good thing that she just grabs him by the arm. However, she instantly comes to her senses, even if it is just that second late. -I meant...- the red cheeks, even the ears, until the tips. -If I want what?- she sees him with the corner of her eye chuckling. No, he will never get used to her way of doing things, even in a thousand years.

He takes little to recover. The advantages of repetition. -If you want, you could come to my house tonight.- hearing him say exactly what she had imagined, she feels a hand play at weaving her intestines, compressing her stomach and lungs. No, it's not a date, put it on your head, Garcia. Even if it would be the first time in his house, alone, without the team, without a party. Alone with two dogs.

She must learn to manage her emotions better. She must started right away. Instead of screaming, as she would like, she merely nods, smiling gracefully. -It seems to me a beautiful idea .- she ventures to scrutinize him, or rather, she cannot in any way prevent her eyes from falling into the male ones, as always attracted like a suicidal phoenix. The comforting silence is broken by a muffled sound, which seems more like a rumble. Penelope blushes, quickly looking away. -Oh, sorry, it's that I haven't had time to eat yet...- Luke, to her surprise, touches one of the hands that she was waving, in agitation, in front of him.

He stops her, both physically and only with his eyes. It paralyzes her. -Don't worry, neither do I.- and his tone is exaggeratedly low, not required by the circumstances. And his gaze lasts too long. Just enough to send all the good intentions of the blonde to hell.

But, in her defense, she doesn’t wrap his arms around his neck to kiss him passionately, instead she smiles at him with great warmth. -Oh, then maybe we could have dinner together... it would be... nice .- she lingers, trying not to seem what she is: a person who is inviting herself to his house, full evening, including dinner.

However, the man doesn’t seem offended, nor does he want to reproach her for having overcome an invisible line between what a colleague/friend could do and what is forbidden to her. -Yeah.- he replies only, initially. -You are right.- then he seems suddenly embarrassed. And it wouldn't be that way, if he only saw her as a friend, right? She needs to believe it, otherwise she is heading for yet another disappointment. Much worse, but better not to think about it too much. -So... Are you already off-duty?- that's the winking and mischievous voice again. He watched her do it, he knows it's true. It's one of his useless phrases or questions, such as "I made lasagna". Just to provoke her.

Can she resist such a temptation? Obviously not. -Yes!- she jumps in a little content on the spot. -I'm ready and quick.- she adds in the same tone.

Luke stares at her in a strange, indecipherable way. -Well.- he bites his lips, as if undecided. And then he says it. -Hey, Garcia, you don't have to be nice to me just because Lisa and I broke up.- that name makes her jump. They were friends, but she never stopped wanting to be in her place. -I'm fine, really.- Penelope would like to believe him, with all her heart. It would make her feel less like someone who is taking advantage of the weakness of the man she loves. -It's been months.- he adds, perhaps just notcing her uncertain, insecure gaze.

She tries to deny. -I am not kind to you for that...- but it is impossible when on the other side there is a profiler trained to conduct interrogations with the most serious serial killers and you are incompatible with lies. -Ok, even for this.- she concedes, ignoring the smug smile that appears on Luke's lips. -But mainly because I love you.- and she is fortunate that he cannot know in what sense she intends it.

But his eyes widen and his mouth a little too. -Wow.- the serious expression turns into a joke in a moment. -This almost seems like a statement.- but still something glitters in his pupils, and it stuns her, drives her crazy to the point of replying.

-And if it were?- but still an internal protection system prevents her from saying it too loudly, so Luke is not able to understand exactly what she said. Just to sense it, to make mental journeys and decide to have misunderstood. Perfect.

-What?- he asks, but he knows that she would never give him an answer.

She shakes her head, quickly descending the elevator. -Nothing, we've arrived.- Luke watches her walk for a few seconds, lost in who knows what ruminations, then hurries to reach her. He follows her trajectory with his eyes and identifies the goal.

An orange convertible car. Bright orange, bright, not pale. Could he expect less from her? -Where are you going?- in his voice Penelope feels more confusion than sadness, and this, of course, hurts her, even if it is stupid and absurd, because he has no reason to desire her company as much as she does. Or maybe yes? She's going to his house just to find out. -Shouldn't we have had dinner together?- he asks, placing himself exactly in front of her, who instead leaned on the car door and only looks at him.

After a kilometer break (or so it seems, in the eyes of those inside), the blonde decides to reply. -Well, I thought we would go...- but Luke anticipates her.

-On two cars?- she nods, almost intimidated, sad. She is a completely different person than just five minutes ago. -No, I can accompany you home later, it doesn't bother me, really.- he proposes, naturally, spontaneously, without even elaborating the thought at first only in his mind, evaluating the pros and cons, as he usually does... or rather, as he used to do once.

Penelope doesn't seem to be sufficiently convinced. -Are you sure? Because I...- indeed, the only feeling (if it can be considered, or perhaps it is more a sensation? She must stop discussing with Reid about certain topics) that dwells in her chest, is fear. One could almost call it terror. Why the hell does she always have to end up like this? She would already know the truth, she would have already throw off this weight years ago, if it didn't end up like this every time. She is unable to live up to her own proposals.

Now she is in fact hoping that he will withdraw, freeing her from the root problem. She stares at him, pleading with her big dark eyes, but he doesn't get there, this doesn't even crosses his brain. He touches her shoulder, pushing her towards his van, parked next to it. -Yes, sure, come on, go up.- Penelope stumbles, staggers, but the male arm is always there, like a parapet.

-I don't think my shoes are suitable for your car.- she mumbles, believing he hasn't heard it, but it's not like that. She feels relieved and in an instant, she is seated in the passenger seat. She looks at him in passing, blushes. -Thanks.- she whispers softly.

Luke, instead of immediately walking around the car, barely touches her knee, sending other electric shocks along her spine. -You’re welcome.- and after another pause, he gets on board and starts the engine. -Then... what would you like to eat?- Penelope is still rethinking the sensations he caused her. She gasps, listening to his voice.

She doesn't dare look at him. -I don't know, I practically invited myself into your home...- she tries to look nice, funny, to go back to being herself, but it's more difficult than expected. -So I would say that you have to decide.- but she cannot fail to add one thing, no matter how much embarrassed she is. -Just... you know I'm a vegetarian, right?- Luke's face melts into a smile as he turns and looks at her out of the corner of his eye.

He turns immediately to focus his attention on the road. -Yes, I remembered it, don't worry.- again it is practically impossible not to delude herself that she has seen far beyond lines, adding it to everything else, but at the same time she tries to stay with her feet on the ground. Nothing of what he did is also not interpretable as a friendly gesture, right? That sweetness in his eyes could only be affection.

Seeing that he offers nothing, she takes courage. -I know your favorite is the Tahi, but I don't know if... sorry, I didn't want to make you think about her.- and she doesn't last long. She bites her lips until they bleed, mentally cursing herself.

Although he is driving, Luke notices it. -I told you. I overtook it.- he changes gear and meditates for a moment if to touch her hand, to make her understand that he really means it. He just sighs. -But do you like it?- for a moment it seems that they are talking about something else, not just food.

Penelope however nods. -Yes sure. Who doesn't like tahi?- she glances at him while smiling. Then a thought takes over. -I can't wait to see my two puppies again.- she exclaims, clapping her hands like an excited little girl on Christmas day. When she realizes that he is staring at her, because they are stopped at a traffic light, she freezes and becomes even more red.

It is an incredible, unique show, and he enjoys it to the end. Seeing her uncensored, pure, even if sometimes it happens that she still treats him as a sprawling creature. -It's been a long time since the last time. Why you never came to see them again?- she must consider it as a kind of reproach, or he would have wanted it? Or is it just a sentence of circumstance?

Penelope shrugs. -Well, I didn't want to intrude, I've already done too much.- Luke shakes his head, annoyed enough, but in reality he is fighting inside not to let emerge what he really thinks and feels. It is not normal for her to continue to surprise him, after four years of knowing her, and above all... this is already the third time, at least, in... a quarter of an hour at the latest. He still not used to her way of being? Did she really believe that his (now ex) girlfriend saw her as a nuisance?

He knows the answer perfectly. -Don't kid, Lisa adored you and above all that painting you gave us.- his view fades for a moment. And his voice flickers. -She took it away with her.- of course she deduces that it is because, despite what he has said, he misses her, he feels bad.

-Oh, Luke...- everything's in his name. All that he would need.

But he ignores it, as he has learned to do, always better, especially in the last period. -No, everything is ok.- he says simply, clearing his throat to recover a tone of voice with a normal appearance.

And, for the umpteenth time, she amazes him, coming out with a question that no one else would have ever asked. -You never liked it, did you?- he feels observed, physically feels the weight of her gaze on himself. -Don't lie to me, you know I understand when you do.- and it's his turn to reply with an almost whisper.

-Not always.- but Penelope is unable to hear anything.

-What did you say?- she frowns and eyebrows. Luke just shakes his head and purses his lips. He concentrates every particle of his body on driving, not because he is afraid of an accident, but because he is afraid of getting stuck.

-Nothing.- in fact, it happens. -And... let's say... it was very... particular.- particular, like her, this is the meaning he would like to give to this adjective, but he is not good enough, and if he were, they would not be here together in this bubble of embarrassment. They would be together, but in a completely different attitude. And Penelope misunderstands, of course she does.

-You mean strange. You can say it, I am not offended.- she is sympathetic, nice, and doesn’t pretend anything, however... but it is not fair. -Really.- she reassures him, touches the hand on the gearbox, but immediately withdraws it, and she gives in.

-Well, yes, it was strange. But I was still fond of it.- he gains a series of sounds difficult to interpret, for those who don’t know her well, but if extrapolated, it is easy to think badly. -Are you able to order?- he asks her, fortunately that he is able to avoid blushing. Years and years of training. Penelope nods.

Less than five minutes later, he parks in a perfectly clean and tidy garage. Just like everything of him. And bare. He follows her to the entrance of the apartment building. She walks confidently; she has been there a few times, at his house, but she has already learned the way, apparently. He watches her literally shudder in the doorway, while he turns the key in the lock. He lets her enter first, like a true gentleman. Here is the noise of the nails of the two dogs running towards her. Poor floor. -Roxy! Lou!- she greets them, kneeling. Both of them lick her, cover her with kisses, even risking to make her drop. -I missed you two too much.- her hands don’t skimp on caresses. -My gosh, how old you are, Lou.- he notices that her eyes are shiny and he thinks he sensed the reason.

Penelope gets to her feet, watches the two dogs run into another room and sighs. -How is Sergio?- he asks, trying to distract her from certain sad thoughts.

-Pretty good.- she answers, without looking at him. -You know, he's very old.- Great, Luke, you made the right move, as usual. Now she is even more depressed. He shakes his head, cursing himself for being such a idiot. He stops suddenly when he finally sees her turn towards him.

-How long will it be before dinner arrives?- he really means how long before his mouth is engaged in another activity, preventing him from continuing to say the wrong thing?

Fortunately, Penelope doesn't read his thoughts. -Theoretically five minutes...- he prays they are on time. And usually... considering the previous occasions... but he absolutely cannot rethink what he was doing with Lisa to employ those downtime. And here he is doing it. Your brain is the worst enemy you have, Alvez. -What is it?- she asks, noting his strange and embarrassed look.

It is a real fortune that for once they arrive on time. And the atmosphere becomes decidedly more relaxed, pleasant... dangerous. Because it would be a dream to be able to live moments like this every evening. He just closes his eyes, blinks once and here he can convince himself that he is having dinner with his fiancée and not with his best friend... and the two people correspond in one.

Penelope looks at the table covered with their remains, then at him. -All very good. I'm happy to have invited myself.- Luke stands up to clear the table, put it in order. This is stronger than he.

-Stop it.- he scolds her affectionately. And he understands her intentions. -What are you doing, are you already leaving? You have only been here for an hour.- she frizzes and they stare at each other a few centimeters away. They hesitate, waiting for the other's move.

She surrenders first. -I thought... It doesn't matter.- and the shock is almost visible between them. -What would you like to do now?- Luke shrugs. He must quickly stop thinking about those things and find alternatives.

-I don't know.- miraculously, a stroke of genius. -Do you like video games?- she raises her right eyebrow, in a theatrical way. Safe, bold, so sexy. Not that there are periods or circumstances in which she is not, but in some moments like this, it is so brazen. The lower lip inclined to form an oblique line.

-I'm a nerd, a hacker and a computer technician, all in one person.- she reminds him, because he needs. -Why you asked that.- she is flirting at a higher level, unattainable. Luke is lost first in her eyes, then in her red lips. He desperately wants to kiss her, and perhaps, indeed, almost certainly, she also wants the same thing. But it is not possible. It's wrong.

But even he cannot resist the temptation to answer her in the same tone, staring at her in the same way. -Forgive me.- he replies, then looks away first, continuing to smile. -Look at that shelf and choose one.- he watches her body as she walks. Is she doing it on purpose to be so seductive? He doesn’t believe that she is aware of her charm, especially not on him. This is good.

The desire to have her increases while they challenge each other and also when she beats him. After more than an hour they are exhausted, leaning themself against the back of the sofa. She looks at him. Messy hair, slightly sweaty skin. He notices the weight of her eyes and catches them. A break. -Do you feel lonely, Luke?- she reaches out and places her hand on the male one. The man observes it and doesn’t move it away.

-Yes.- he answers only, feeling all too vulnerable and without more strength. To fight against himself.

In a blink of an eye Penelope has approached and now a few centimeters separate them. -Do you need company?- she asks. The reassuring smile reminds him of his mother's. It is an absurd association and even more so is the fact that this keeps excite him.

He interlaces their fingers. -Yours always.- he answers, all too honestly. He warns the danger too late. Penelope leans out a little more. It takes little for those forbidden lips to rest on his. For a moment he sees himself, as with an external eye, taking her on the sofa, his hands going under the dress, tearing it from her, freeing her prominent chest from her bra. And then, seamlessly, her face covered in tears. It is this last image that makes him react so abruptly. -What..?- he grabs her by the shoulders, pulling her away. -What's wrong with you?- he asks, looking at her as if she had betrayed him, shocked to say the least. And the desire didn’t go out at all, on the contrary, it hurts physically, and presses on his jeans. Penelope, however, doesn’t venture to look at that part.

She brings her hands close to her mouth, hoping to at least to be able not to cry. -So... Sorry, I thought...- she can't bear that expression though. -...I thought I noticed something, all those exchanges of glances and the tension...- and the loneliness that united them. But being with someone to not be alone had never been the right solution. -It seemed to me that we were flirting.- their first kiss was not as she imagined. No butterflies, choirs of angels. Luke kissed her back for a second, probably as an unconscious gesture, as an involuntary reflex. -I'm sorry, I'm a stupid.- she stands up, staggering, almost stumbling. -I'm going to back home right away.- she would like a romance reaction so much. That he blocks her and tells her that he was only afraid. That's why she doesn't believe in her own body when she feels herself grabbed by the wrist.

-No, wait.- but she couldn't have imagined also the voice. She should seriously go to be visited by a good expert, book some appointments with the psychologist, if she were at these levels. -You're right, it's my fault.- she turns around, but he doesn't let go of her arm anyway; of course neither of them notices this slight detail, which is not slight at all and which could have changed the course of events, perhaps only in some nuances, perhaps completely. -We flirted, it's true. But I didn't think we would ever go further.- his admission should comfort her, make her feel better. She didn’t completely dream of everything, static energy and those other stupid things. She just... exaggerated the situation a little. -Didn't you say I'm not your type?- it doesn't seem like a joke. How can he remember something she said to him... at least three years ago? During his first date with Lisa. And theoretically... he was talking to the waiter.

Rather than ask him one or all of these questions, she prefers to let what is left of her wall collapse to the ground. She has nothing more to defend. -Well, I could... I might have changed my mind.- she ventures, still absurdly hoping that this will make him change his too as well. That it was only the foolish belief that she didn't like him that has stopped him. That he has thought the kiss had been an attempt to comfort, a kind of... pitiful act? But Luke looks at her without saying anything, not a single muscle of his face moves, giving her clues, some suggestions. -Or... I could have said it to... Protect myself from an embarrassing situation and a refusal.- she admits then, feeling silly and at the same time better. She has never been good at keeping secrets and if she did it in this case, it was only because she hadn't revealed it to herself, until not long ago. -What it's happening now.- she adds, finally noticing those amber fingers still around her pale wrist. The man seems about to say something consoling, compassionate. But that's not what she wants from him. -No, don't worry, I'm used to it...- she says, freeing herself from his grip. -I call a taxi.- she wears her coat, grabbing her bag. Roxy and Lou look at her moaning in displeasure. She caresses them and only a few tears bathe their fur.

When she gets back to her feet, she believes there is no longer any trace of it. -No, wait, Penelope.- here comes the pitiful phrase. -I'm... I'm sorry.- the blonde nods seriously.

-I’m more than you.- she swallows. -Can we forget everything?- his silence is like assent. -Thanks.- and she looks at him one last time, then she goes towards the exit, never turning, as Orpheus should have done to bring his beloved Eurydice back to the world of the living.

With my heart I am somewhere else now, far but I am not allowed myself, remotely to touch you now, far and I will remain far and still... bad bad bad

The following weeks are certainly not easy for either of them. Garcia begins to behave like... Garcia, only by not treating him "badly" or teasing him, on the contrary, limiting herself to the mere professional sphere. She answers his calls, even when it's just the two of them and the others aren't online, she continues to be the genius of the BAU lamp. She almost always calls him by name and rarely by surname. Nothing seems to have really changed outside. Even from O'Keefe she finds a way to always keep at a distance, chatting quietly with others, but never with him, even when Luke precisely tries to involve her, to attract her attention. Their eyes hardly ever meet, although he certainly doesn’t suddenly stop staring at her, especially in the less opportune moments. He manages to hold back a little, mulling over the same stupid thing, every evening. If only he had at least accompanied her home. But no, he had allowed her to take that fucking taxi. Anything could have happened to her.

It hadn't happened, but that if, that uncertainty, was enough to send him into crisis. To not let him rest well at night. And her coldness, her distance, didn't help him. He had tried to do the right thing. Not reciprocating the kiss and not having sex with her on the sofa on which he had spent many (but not so many, counting them all) evenings with Lisa. And his ex-girlfriend had nothing to do with it. It hadn't been out of a strange sense of retrograde respect. And the second right thing he had tried to do, was to give her these spaces, because she was hurt, she felt rejected. She needed it.

But it is when he realizes that her jokes have generally become duller, that he decides not to be able to continue in that way. He enters her office without knocking. -Garcia?- he says when he is now very close to her chair.

Maybe he expects her to ignore him, waiting for him to vanish with the mere thought. Instead she turns to him immediately. -Hello, Luke.- she even makes a small smile. -I already shut down the system. Do you need anything?- in fact the screens are completely black, all of them. And she is still here. Was she thinking about something, or maybe someone? He tries not to ask, he focuses only on her.

Another small step, almost unconsciously. -Yes, but it's not about the job. I just wanted to know why you behave like this with me.- it seems like a phrase from an alternative past. He had asked himself a thousand times before some pious soul informed him about the place he was still occupying, even though he was not officially part of the team. But he had never told her out loud. And now, all that progress, that comfort and that serenity they had come to... all gone, vanished. Exactly as he had feared. -In this period you're a bit cold.- he also ventures, his thumbs stuck in his trouser pockets, the gun still hanging from his hip.

Penelope doesn’t scoff him, doesn’t deny. The opposite. She nods, with guilty air or better... of those who feel guilty. Responsible. It is a tremendous sight to see her like this and to know that he is actually the result of her actions. -Yes, I know. It’s just that... After what happened I thought it was better a little distance.- nothing creative or surprising, but sometimes there is no way to make things more interesting than they are.

Certainly not in full control of his actions, Luke feels a decidedly hypocritical phrase come out of himself. -Didn't we say we wouldn't talk about it anymore?- since he was the first to bring up the matter.

And Penelope, instead of pointing it out, continues to agree with him. And her eyes escape his ones, for the very first time since he met her, he seems unable to capture them, make them his. There may have been other people, among themselves or in their hearts, but when their eyes met, nothing existed outside of them. Precisely as they say it happens in movies or when you are truly in love. Shit. -Yes, but it is more difficult than I imagined.- since what she feels towards him is much more than what she let him understand. -See you every day at work. You know... do you understand me?- she is so uncertain, insecure, and he could bet he would be able to guess much of what she is thinking. She is convinced that he doesn’t want her, that he doesn’t desire her, especially from a physical point of view. One of her last sentences of that night confirmed it to him: I'm used to it. As if to say, I don't know how I could have thought that an attractive man (even if he doesn't feel he is) was interested in me.

Rather than telling her that she is wrong, he staggers between his fears. -I guess so.- which are not big enough to prevent him from reaching her, placing himself right in front of her chair. She crosses her legs a second late. Long, sensual, shapely. Perfect. -But you know, I miss our squabbles, our friendship.- he was mean, but he accomplished his purpose. Those big baby eyes are now chained to his. Slightly lucid with emotion.

Did he know he loved her or not? Yes, of course. With all the non-working moments they had spent together. And after that hug, after that dance. Impossible that she wasn't aware of it. -Even to me.- both would like to get carried away, at least this, but neither of them brings thought into the real world. -Thank you for talking to me.- it tastes so much of farewell. She is again distant, unreachable.

-You’re welcome.- silence, long and bewildering, heavy. He reads in her face that she is wondering why he hasn't gone yet. Another step. He can’t do another one. He is on the brink of the abyss and has no intention of jumping. -Hey, would you like to go for a walk with Roxy?- it seems to him an acceptable, by no means ambiguous, friendly proposal. And above all tempting. How can she refuse to see his dog?

Penelope, however, shakes her head. -I don't know... I love Roxy, though...- her cell phone saves her, giving her a truce, even if only momentary. -Oh, sorry. Hello?- Luke walks away, to give her privacy, but has a hearing developed and improved over years of stalking in the dark, in the cold, and also an excellent view. -Yes, me too.- there are wrinkles on her forehead and the general attitude of her body is tense, much more than just a moment before. -No, now I can't.- a vein in her neck starts to throb. -I have just finished working.- and the tone of the voice is also forcibly friendly and kind. -Maybe another time. Bye.- she hangs up, staring at the phone screen, even when it gets dark.

The colleague reaches her again in a few quick steps. -All right?- the hand touches her knee. Without covers. Naked. She winces. It was a mistake, but in good faith, not intentional, they cannot accuse him of premeditation.

He takes it off, never ceasing to look at her. She sighs. -Yes, yes.- but she seems annoyed, bored, tired... as if she came off from a difficult battle. That was only the beginning of a thought turns into a spy that flashes in the brain of Agent Alvez, complete with a full-blown siren.

Based on the percentages, he has exactly half the chances of getting it right. But he is still certain. On the other side was a man. -Are you sure?- he asks her, obviously without getting an answer, nor expecting one. -I seemed to perceive...- he gesticulates, ignoring having read an article that listed "the 8 things that will make you understand if he is interested in you", including, needless to say, there was also too much gesticulation -... strange vibrations, in your voice.- yes, a beautiful definition. -But I know, it's not my business.- he pulls back, as always. He has never been able to live up to his words. Just like she never ran to him to cry in his arms. And maybe it's better this way. Having seen her so fragile had destabilized him and the fact that he had conducted a prison interview and participated in the resolution of a case hadn’t diverted his mind from that indelible image. The result had been that anti-stress kitten and that sentence out of any logic, which in any case he would never renege.

Penelope gives him half reason. -Yeah, I'm not. But... if we want to be friends, maybe I should start to open up more to you.- even if she would have been willing to open more than one thing for him, the woman thinks, incredibly without blushing.

He, puzzled, can only say one thing. -Maybe you should.- the blonde nods, smiles, and psychologically prepares herself for tell her story.

-It was Sam.- a name that says absolutely nothing to him, that he has never heard her pronounce. He stays quiet. If he stops her, she will probably not talk about it anymore. And even if he is masochistic and well, this certainly won't be good for him, he must know. -The last man I was with...- that's the grip around his heart, and the fog that surrounds his brain -I meant... with which I was busy.- who knows what she deduces from it, since she hurries to correct. -Do you remember your first days, when you had not yet joined the BAU, when I told you about my handsome boyfriend who helped me with the fingering techniques on my clarinet?- it was really necessary to use the same, almost identical words, right? He nods, biting his tongue until he loses sensitivity. -Here, it was him. He also taught me to play the ukulele...- her eyes are lost in who knows what parallel world -but why am I telling you?- she blushes, and, heck, it may not exist in this or in other universes, something more sexy? -Anyway, not long afterwards he got a job offer and moved out.- fuck, so she was really engaged when he met her. And the thought that it didn't last long doesn't make him selfishly happy. Then maybe there is still hope, something good in him. Certainly not enough. -I haven't seen him since...- he almost seems to be able to hear the gears of her brain at work -four years.- she look towards him, because they have come to the same conclusion.

Luke asks the right question. He is not only an expert profiler; he is particularly insightful and intuitive. -And now he's back in town?- her eyes run away, before she answers him.

-Yes.- just that monosyllable, nothing else. And even in a low voice. As if it were her fault. -And he wants to try again with you, right?- he prays to all the saints in Heaven (although a part of him, with an elderly voice, certainly belonging to his abuela, tells him that it is something bordering on blasphemy) that she doesn’t notice the bitterness in his tone.

And someone must have looked down at him anyway. -Yes again.- she replies.

He sighs, more than once. -But you don't seem very convinced.- and damn if now all his neurons are dancing samba, so much for selfishness. It makes no sense not to want her to be with another man, since he has no intention of claiming her for himself. But he already did it. His best friend reminds him of this every day, before going to sleep.

-No, I'm not- she admits, always afraid to meet his gaze. But what exactly is she afraid of seeing inside? Reproach? It is certainly not required to run in the arms of an ex just because he suddenly woke up from the numbness and realized what he lost. And that you will never have. -We were good together, yes, but... but he never understood this job.- Greg Baylor's example would be only the tip of the iceberg, but in any case she doesn't feel like telling him this too, he doesn't need to know that she shot a person and witnessed his execution. -He has never really accepted it.- a chuckle, which sounds almost out of place, in that room too silent and dull, for its canons.

-Yeah, I know what you mean.- that grimace he hadn't seen on his face for some time.

She gets there right away. -Oh, sorry, I didn't want to make you think about...- but it is as if she did the right calculations and has get wrong the result. I.e. associate that displeasure with Lisa.

He makes a dry gesture with his hand. -Leave it, how many times do I have to tell you that it doesn't hurt me anymore?- not being able to do it concretely, he caresses her face with his eyes. -I really mean it. I am not the type who lies for quiet living.- and Penelope knows it, cannot deny it. -Back at you... what are you going to do?- he moves away, realizing that she has the intention of getting up.

Like that evening at his house, he watches her wear her coat. -I don't know, I think I will meet him and make it clear that I am not interested in a new relationship.- she is desperately seeking his approval. -Better than by phone.- but it's hard to agree. There are so many stories of women killed during a "last desperate date". The last chance in some cases cannot, must not exist. Of course, this doesn't have to be the case with this Sam. He just can't cope with Garcia's idea in an unhealthy relationship.

Thus, he comes up with the most neutral sentence he knows. -Yes, definitely.- and just outside, while waiting for the elevators, he starts to charge again. -Are you sure you don't want to go for a walk with Roxy? It helps a lot to clear ideas.- and he cannot renounce her presence, her company, like a drug addict who struggles not to take his favorite pills, but he allows himself at least to smell the aroma, which of course is the only one able to perceive... because it is only in his head.

Penelope however doesn’t yield. -No, forgive me, Luke, but... you are not alone in not being able to pretend to live peacefully.- when his eyes catch hers, he feels himself shaken to the bowels. -And I just can't pretend, pretend I don't like you.- it's the first time she says it explicitly. -It would be embarrassing for both of them.- he cannot deny having felt a strong heat in the chest.

For a hair he doesn’t smile. -Okay, I understand that, even if I'm sorry.- they come on board. They are neither distant nor close. They don't talk until the doors reopen.

-Good night, Luke.- she says, with one foot already almost outside.

The man's gaze stops her. He takes her by the arm, slowly, and places a kiss on her cheek. -Night, Penelope.-

On the border between terror and another mistake, rare rare rare, that the more it hurts me to death and the less I learn...

Gradually, things improve, or rather, they return almost to normal. It is not possible to deny sexual tension, but also the need to be close. All in all, this manages to win against the pain of rejection and the willpower to "do the right thing". That's why they are together, both dressed in a casual way, no pistol on his belt, no work tool.

They walk side by side on the sidewalk. Close enough to be able to take each other's hand, far enough away to leave room for ambiguity, for doubt. Minds and bodies are not of the same idea. -I am very happy that you accepted my invitation.- and he really is, since she had declined all the previous ones, even if they involved both Roxy and Lou. Penelope looks at him in passing, chuckling.

-Well, you know, I didn't have many alternatives.- she's flirting. The mischievous tone is valid as confirmation. -It is strange not to have cases. A whole free Saturday.- here, she pushed their luck. -It seems like a dream.- and for Luke it is only thanks to her presence. Otherwise he would never have gone to a hacker competition in a semi-unknown area of Washington DC on Saturday afternoon. He could have spent it running, watching a game... in a lot of different ways. But for a week he had had that flyer hanging on the fridge. And for once the unknown subjects had decided to be lenient.

In any case, he focuses only on the first sentence, answering them with the same provocative intonation. -Very nice of you to underline it.- it's nice to be able to play this way again, even if it still isn't enough. -Hey, we're here.- he keeps the door open. From the outside the place didn’t promise so good, peeling walls perhaps due also to the chemical reaction of the paint contained in the spray cans... inside it is slightly better. It doesn’t take more than twenty seconds before someone starts pointing in their direction, particularly pointing to her.

-Penelope! Is that really you?- exclaims a man with glasses and an exaggeratedly nerdy appearance, which at first glance Luke feels he detests him. Perhaps already because of the fact that she used her name, and this indicates a certain familiarity... but she didn't stiffen. She smiles at him and greets him with her hand, making her way through the people. It's probably not Sam, but... another ex? Another to add to the list of fools.

He hears a shouting around them. -Hey, you have seen, it's Garcia.- and his colleague's surname is repeated over and over again, together with another sentence, a kind of nickname which, however, he is unable to place. -The black queen? Possible?- he puts a hand on her back, trying to help her reach the center of the competition, an area equipped with two-person sofas.

-You are apparently little known.- he whispers in her ear, bending down.

She raises her face, dangerously close to his. -Well, nice guy, I'm still still at the top of the ranking of the worst or best hackers in the world.- she replies, and it's not just about flirting or joking, no, it's the environment that loads it this way. This is her element. -Or rather, I would be if I hadn't gone the other side.- she corrects herself, but she can't cancel that effect. Anyone who shines when they are in their own world, even shy people, if they have to talk about something they know deeply, succeed almost without problems. But Penelope, surrounded by all those looks, not only male, fortunately, Penelope is as if illuminated by her own light. They have good reason to act in that way. She is the absolute star.

-It's easy to forget it.- he replies, after a century, as they sit practically in front, in a place that has suddenly freed itself. Privileges to be VIPs. The competition begins, and Penelope wins challenge after challenge. Comments on her and her skills are wasted. Luke tries to isolate his mind, but he can't help feeling them, some decidedly too hot, at the limit of the vulgar, others in technical jargon, which he cannot fully grasp. One guy in particular just stares at her, practically drooling. This is even worse than he is. He can't stand it. He has no way of stopping. -Hey, take your eyes off my girlfriend! - he shouts, but in the confusion and with the adrenaline that flows a thousand, Penelope seems not to notice.

He feels himself touched on the shoulder. -Man, is she your girl?- a boy who is at least half his age is asking him. -You are really lucky!- he rolls his eyes, counting up to a thousand three times, but at the speed of a formula one.

-I know.- then turns to the serial voyeur. -Go away!- that one finally gives up, very annoyed. A first break is announced. The blonde abandons herself unceremoniously on the sofa, but since it this so little, very close to him. She is sweaty, yet she smells like flower; he is enchanted watching as her chest rise and fall as she catches her breath. Her dress is not particularly low-cut, but it is not this. He grabs her by the wrist, dragging her in the direction of the bathrooms. In the corridor, before the branch, he bangs her on the wall, in a decisive but at the same time delicate way, taking her face in his hands and kissing her with overwhelming passion. Their lips are not the only thing moving during that outpouring. And she realizes it, even if she kisses him back with transport and her hands don’t remain inert along the body, but wander between the neck and his hair.

She moans, struggling a lot to free herself enough to speak. -Luke... what...- she was already in oxygen debt before and he certainly didn't help her. -Do you want to have sex in the bathroom of this place?- as if to give her an immediate answer, his hand ends up on her thigh, on her butt, without palpating, almost in a caress.

He rests his forehead against the lighter one, chaining it with his eyes. -It's just that... Dios, how sexy you are when you type absurd codes with those perfect fingers.- probably as much as he is when he uses the Spanish accent. But she won't tell him now, first because she needs time to work out what happened... and secondly, because the speaker is recalling all the participants.

Something hard is throbbing against her leg, making her wide eyes, as if she hadn't felt it before. -Wow, well, yes, I guess it's the truth.- she lets herself be dragged for another two minutes into his vortex of kisses, lust and fire, then she detaches and rearranges herself as best she can, both hair and clothes. Too bad for makeup.

Luke looks at her as if she were an alien creature. -Where... where are you going?- she shakes her head. She knows she's probably missing out on one of the biggest chances of her life... if what he left her to guess is just an appetizer of what she tasted.

However, she remains adamant. -I have a competition to win!- she reminds him, not trying very hard to look nice. -I'm sorry, but I can't blow it up just because you ate too much spicy at dinner...- he takes a century to decide to follow her, after rinsing his face several times with cold, frozen water, which still cannot cool his fire. Too bad that a case still prevents her from bringing home the trophy that everyone knew she deserved.

The silence lasts about three seconds, when they are on that same sidewalk, heading for the subway station, much faster than going to one of the two houses and taking a car here to reach Quantico.

It is she who breaks it. -So, you want to talk about it or not? You decide.- she is far too generous, granting him such grace. Is that why he decides to be just as brave and reveal at least part of the truth to her? We will never know.

-I... I have been jealous of the attentions other men have given you.- it is a big step for him. They say admission is always the hardest thing to do, even more than anger and acceptance. He expects a slap, instead he gets a laugh.

-Oh, then I'm not crazy.- she seems even reassured. -I thought I heard you say... I was your girlfriend. And a dirty word.- the eyes laugh first than the mouth. -In Spanish.- he can't understand what she find so funny, but he goes ahead.

He shrugs, seriously risking blushing. -Yes, well, I... I did it to defend you, some of them had bad intentions, in my opinion... but...- he has said his half shit of the day. As if she needed his defense from minions with ten years younger than her. -About the kiss...- he sees hope shining in her eyes and the hilarity completely vanishes.

-Yes?- she hangs from his lips, that mouth that he had the honor of being able to taste again, and this time it went much further. One could almost say that he took advantage of the situation, if not of her. Luckily, she was more rational than he, she has managed to stop him and avoid... something better. Why how could he refuse her after having sleep with her? No, it would have destroyed their friendship forever.

-I'm sorry.- he says then, and here the hope is definitively dead. Her look is comparable to the expression she made when he said no, Phil hadn't asked about you, at all. -I shouldn't have crossed that border, not after what you told me.- in fact, because he had the upper hand, but he didn't want it. He didn't want to be aware of that little detail... that she also felt something for him. Believing he was the only one, it had made things much easier for him. -It was just a moment of... as you said.- he is awkward, clumsy, ridiculous.

None of this it’s important for her. -Oh, I understand.- now she is not taking any blame that is not hers. She is angry. Red with rage. -Try to take more cold showers and... stop protecting me. I'm doing fine on my own.- she says, before she runs down the subway stairs.

And every wound you have is a pain for me and every slap you take, I take it for you too

He doesn't expect the case to be such a personal matter. So much that he doesn't notice Penelope's gaze, apart from the others. Everyone knows the effect that name has on him. Jeremy Grant, the man who killed Agent Alvez's best friend, managed to escape from prison. History repeats itself. After Cullen, another of the people he hates most has run-away, escaped justice. Perhaps to that of the United States, but not to his. Everyone notices how his gaze darkens, staring into space. Emily knows that her absolute ban on participating in the case is vain.

Like last time. Another woman has already tried to stop him from taking this risk, endangering his life to find that bastard and kill him. Making sure he can't escape anymore. Letting God decide what to do with his soul.

But he didn't consider another variable.

The sounds of heels that follow him down the stairs. Impossible not to recognize the wearer. For erase any doubt, she says his name. -Luke.- he continues for a few steps, then stops. Maybe she managed to penetrate the curtain of smoke that clouded his brain. -What are you going to do?- her tone is severe, not at all desperate, pained. It looks like that of a mother with an unruly son.

He has achieved it. With difficulty, he turns to her. -I have to take him, Garcia, I have to...- he is the one between them who stutters, falters, delirious. She puts her hand over his mouth, silencing those unnecessary slurps. It hurts so much to see all that pain.

-You want to kill him, right?- she asks, but she shas already read it in his mind. -Only so you will be sure that he cannot escape again.- he nods, with too much emphasis.

-Yes, it is so. I want him dead.- that shadow has obscured everything. Even his soul. It is almost scary. -Like I wanted Cullen dead.- Penelope grabs him by the shoulders, shaking him with all her strength, but the height difference makes it ridiculous.

-You are not like that!- she scolds him, and yes, now her eyes are a little shiny. -You are better than that!- he grabs her too, but he takes her by the hips, causing her damn chills, not at all suitable for the situation.

Now there is not only the black of murderous fury, but also the red of anger. -But what do you think you know?- he seems to want to hurt her, offend her, just to get rid of her and complete his mission. Nothing can be get in the way. Not even the woman he loves and that loves him just as warmly. -We have known each other for four years. How do you know what I’m?- however, the calculations are wrong. Penelope is not Lisa.

She doesn’t realease up her hold of an inch. -I just know it.- she says, with decision. -As I know that if you go after him, you will get yourself killed or you will be removed from service the FBI.- neither prospect really seems to shake him, or have the power to make him worry. His life or career worth nothing in the face of that primordial need.

Not even this is enough to shock her. Luke realizes it, and decides to say everything. Even if it means that he will even lose her greeting, not just her friendship. -Now listen to me very carefully, Penelope.- she might have preferred that he called her by surname, but she makes this fucking personal. -I am ruined. I'm rotten inside.- he waits to see the condemnation in her big eyes. -There is something wrong with me, that doesn't work.- and instead only confusion and pain. In his ones, and in his chest, however, bitterness. -I am a failure. A waste of time.- there are several ways to say the same thing. And each of the periphrasis hurts her terribly. -That's why it was better to break up with Lisa.- and never start anything with you, adds his gaze.

They are in the middle of the stairs, entwined like two lovers, red faces, while they shout at each other. -No, you are not!- they are lucky that someone hasn’t yet appeared to divide them. It is not professional at all, none of this. But every second that holds him back is one more that he will be live. Maybe the team will find Grant before him.

They are both stubborn. -I am instead and you have to start accepting it.- he catches her face and seems to be about to kiss her. Instead, he abruptly rejects her. -Not even your love can save me.- no, if you don't even let me try, she seems to reply. -I don't want... I don't want to dirty you too.- caresses, an infinite amount of caresses in every part of her body, without criteria or discrimination. -You are such a pure soul... so perfect... a kind of angel.- and he really believes it. He is almost about to cry, but he is the type who comes to the edge of the abyss and then doesn’t throw himself. -You are not crazy. There really is something between us.- and it's really nice to find out in this circumstance. -I hoped it was only on my side... I really hoped it, even if it hurt .- she grabs his hands and squeezes them until she hurts him, even if not a single groan of pain escapes his lips. -Because I don't want to bribe you, corrode you. I don't want to ruin you.- she would like to slap him, stun him to such a point that he will no longer be able to do anything, say this shit, nor chase a trained ex sniper.

-None of this will happen!- now she is angry, furious too, because she can't bear to see him throw himself away in this way. One of her favorite quotes, by a Russian author, says something like "Do not devalue yourself, others will take care of lowering your price". But she always knew that Luke had this kind of thought inside him. It is the first and main reason why she fell almost instantly for him, although it was not such a rapid drop... like falling from the hundredth floor. A long and laborious process, but started too quickly. That's why she was so afraid of her feelings, because she knew that he was different, that his depth made him so similar to her. -But what does it mean...- she is silent, letting him answer.

-Why deny? I am in love with you, from the first fucking and damned time I saw you.- maybe two had fallen without notice. -I wish I had never accepted that assignment.- and he really wants it, he didn't say it just to open his mouth. -You are a ray of sunshine, literally. But not even your splendor can survive in my dark sky.- yet another thoughtful phrase that makes she burst.

She starts punching him, trying to silence him. -Stop that! Stop dwarfing yourself like this!- he lets her do it, also because there are no serious consequences. -You want to know why I fell in love with you?- his shocked expression. -Exactly, I'm also in love with you, you stupid asshole!- the dirty word seems to be the right choice. -I fell in love with a man who adores his dog.- she starts to list. -That gives everything for the team, and not only now, even before.- this clarification is fundamental. -That needs time to settle down, but then... he knows how to jokes, and it makes me laugh a lot.- she smiles, a sad smile but it is always a smile; it almost infects him. -A man who can't mask the disgust he feels in front of certain things, certain abominations.- like Calvin Shaw. -A man who was alone and wanted to be alone, but then ended up in a family. A sensitive and caring one.- she is challenging him to deny even one of these things, but he cannot do it. -A man who makes mistakes, but doesn’t give up on this.- she tries to remind him that they are those believe in Van Gogh's active melancholy, not in passive depression. -A stubborn man, who could let it go or ignore me... but he preferred to stay in the game.- no, it was not a matter of choosing, it was inevitable, but he doesn’t believe there is a need to correct her. -A man with light brown eyes but behind whom you can see the darkness... a destructive potential given by who knows what sum of traumas.- and that doesn’t scare her. Not enough to run away and leave him alone. No, no way. -And that despite this, he manages to give me an anti-stress kitten.- with their eyes they conduct a parallel conversation. I'm not like Lisa. She was unable to stop you. You'll have to go over my dead body first if you want to go on this suicide mission. -A man who would like to be punished for all the evil in the world. A man named Luke Alvez who I will not stop loving whatever happens.- she has finished, and she doesn’t seem exhausted, despite the long monologue.

-God, Penelope, why do you always have to be... so yourself? - that's all he can reply. Who else am I supposed to be? Someone who would make things easy for you, ah, but he shouldn't even try to hope for it.

-I don't know what Lisa told you trying to make you change your mind.- here the two dialogues, verbal and ocular, merge into one.

Luke pulls her closer to him, until her breasts tickle his chest. -This is a low blow.- Penelope deliberately ignores his comment.

-I only know what I'll tell you.- and he knows he has lost before he even listens to her reasons. -If you go there and chase that bastard, then congratulations, you're right. You are nothing but a failure and you should jump off a bridge, you would do a favor to all humanity.- in a bad tone she gives voice to his darkest and most buried thoughts. -If you stay here and take care of the case that has just arrived and let your ex-teammates from the fugitive team catch him... it means that I was right.- she drops him suddenly. -The choice is yours. I will not ask you to decide between me and this.- she is wrapped in a cold that starts from the inside. -But in fact it is so.- she crosses her arms, resolute.

He has reached the breaking point. Tears begin to flow down his cheeks. -I'm too afraid to hurt you... I've already done it... you remember Phil, he, he...- Penelope doesn't waste time. She hugs him, making his head rest on her breast, maternal, stroking his hair. It is even more miraculous that no one has come to interrupt them. Do federal employees hate exercising so much? All of them cheerfully in the elevator?

-Shhh, it's all right, I already know.- she warns, but doesn't allow him to come out of her embraces, which are a comfort prison. -I talked to JJ. I forgave you.- even if it had been hard, start to trust him again. -Even if I never would have, in your place.- she says instead. -But you're a human being. We are human. And as Spencer would say... human means fallacious.- she manages to snatch a chuckle.

This however doesn’t mean that she convinced him. -I don't deserve your love.- he reiterates, stubborn. But she understood what the way of "tricking" him is, for his own good.

-And yes, you deserve it and I decided it.- she holds his face in her so small hands, to force him to look at her. -Want to blame me? Will you give me this pain?- obediently, Luke shakes his head. -Are you going to chase Grant anyway?- reluctantly, this time he nods. The woman sighs. -I imagined it.- but she still has a special card in store. -Then, try to think about this. You go and when you come back I'm dead.- he starts to protest, but she stops him. -For the pain of not knowing if you could survive. Or you die.- she shrugs, as if to say that it doesn't change much. -But in any case, you can't see me anymore. How would this make you feel?- it seems like a therapist question.

Penelope must have a gift because it works. -...missing. Lost.- it brings out nothing but pure and simple truth.

And here is finally the moment of realization and shortly thereafter, acceptance. -Do you still want to go?- he struggles to stop crying.

-No, I... I understand your point.- she smiles, and intertwines the fingers of their hands.

-Great .- her approval is everything, or almost. -Take me to my office.- it's not really a proposal. She drags him up the stairs again. -I'm an expert at fixing things.- she exclaims, half joke, half serious. -And I'm not as perfect as you think. You have to bear in mind, if you want to start something serious with me.- he is the one who stops and drags her against him.

-I want it.- Penelope feels a shock, and he too. Their minds go on for about four years, in a not too distant place, dressed very differently. Then they return to their present bodies.

-Good.- she just replies. -We'll be able to put our failures together later... now, let's deal with this case.-

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