#i think the next chapter's gonna be a bit easier cause it's so distinct in my head tho

[bisexualstokes-archive]

Atrophy (3/?)

Chapter (3/?): Connect the Dots Rating: Teen+ (For: Language, Graphics Depictions of Violence) Summary: Nick's hope of getting out of this continues to drain, as Greg's anxiety isn't eased at all. Chapter Notes: Aaaand this chapter is the reason "Scared of the Dark" is on my playlist for this fic, which I plan on sharing once the fic is complete! (and I might make a moodboard, too) @letswaitforme, @deltajackdalton, @impossiblepluto, @mutatedsilverunicorn, @12percentplan,@telltaleclerk…idk, who else wants to be tagged in updates of this fic?? lemme know ;)

Previous Chapter | Read on ao3

“Is that a pickle in your pocket, or this is all getting a little too exciting for you?”

Nick was only vaguely aware as Veronica pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket. She held it up to her ear, her lips curling upward as she listened to a voicemail that Nick was unaware he had.

“Aw, your poor friend’s wondering where you are...don’t worry, I won’t keep him in suspense,” Veronica cooed, and typed a message on Nick’s phone.

Frozen in shock, Nick didn’t hear a word Veronica said to him. His eyes were transfixed on the space of the trunk, his breathing was increasing in pace and depth. Long, blood curdling screams rang through one ear and out the other. Screams that both were, and weren’t his.

Veronica closed his phone and tucked it back into his pocket. One final buzz taunted him, somehow, it was louder than the rest.

“We might need that again later. It’s time to go home.”

She pushed the shovel forward, his check rubbed against the wood of the handle. Some of the wood was chipped, it would leave marks on his cheek. She had to turn the shovel slightly, to fit the shovel awkwardly against Nick’s motionless body.

Motionless, except for his eyes, which betrayed the emotions he was desperately trying to mask.

“Oh, you poor thing, don’t cry,” Her voice was sickeningly sweet, mocking him. “What’s the matter, are you scared of the dark?”

A string of giggles intertwined into the screams, and he was plunged into darkness once more.

A jolt sputtered the trunk into a gentle vibration, the purr of the engine, smothered music didn’t quite get past the screaming in his ears. His body hiccuped as they hit a few bumps on his journey, but he paid no attention to that.

He was trapped, but not just in the trunk. Crushed under the weight of guilt, that he was chosen for Veronica’s...well, whatever she intended for him, while Officer Marsh was sentenced to the cruelest death.

A death, Nick could only hope was fast and painless, but knew otherwise.

Fast, sure. The pressure of the earth would have crushed Marsh’s chest. Dirt would have filled his lungs. Death by asphyxiation. But painless? Not so much.

He was suffocated, but not from the limited space nor awkward position of his body—his cheek was smashed against the handle of tool that sealed Marsh’s face.

Instead, questions bombarded him, he could hardly breathe, let alone answer them. Why didn’t Marsh just go outside? What was this psychopath’s deal? Who was this person? Where were they going?

Why didn’t Nick call for help?

He could have, before the paralysis set in. He should have.

Instead of cowboying up, drawing his weapon and running head first into danger, he should have called for help.

He should have gone to the back instead of Officer Clark.

He should be the one that’s dead and buried.

He was diminished. It was clear that Veronica saw him nothing more than a plaything, instead of a human being. It stung him to his core, if she wanted him dead he’d be dead by now. She definitely had something else in store for him, something beyond death.

And that scared him more than the dark ever could.

Scared him so much, that it seemed to trigger a reaction in him. His body began to convulse, a fire seized his entire body, twisting and elevating him. His hyperventilating worsened. Something rose up his throat, it felt like hot acid.

This was it, maybe his luck changed after all. He was going down the same path that Officer Marsh went through. Maybe Veronica would think he was dead, bury him. He survived once, he could survive it again.

Vomit spilled out of his mouth, onto his shirt and onto the trunk floor, but he didn’t drift off like Marsh did. He even closed his eyes in an attempt to do so, but was cursed with consciousness.

The car came to a halt, Nick heard a car door open and slam. Silence followed for a few minutes, until he heard soft knocks above him, a flood of light followed. Still daylight. In his dread-filled train of thought, he didn’t bother keeping track of how long the drive was.

“Hmm, guess you really are scared of the dark,” mock concern laced in her voice. Her eyes narrowed, staring at his trembling hands, the mess on his shirt. “Or...something else?”

He was unsure if he was successful in throwing daggers at her through his eyes.

“Now, let’s go clean up this mess you’ve made.”

A smile curled up her lips, she grabbed at his arms, pulling him out of the trunk. She began to drag him, her arms lifting him under his armpits. He was able to see the street, it seemed like a suburban area. No cars in the street, nor in the driveways across from them.

Hope shot through his veins, as a jogger slowed down in front of the house. His body was nearly dropped as Veronica removed one arm to wave at the jogger.

Help!

He tried to say something, but his vocal chords still wouldn’t work. A few gurgles, raspy breaths was all that escaped his lips.

“Too much to drink last night!” Veronica called out, her voice booming over everything. To Nick’s dismay, the jogger smiled and nodded sympathetically.

No...Help!

The jogger resumed their pace, and left Nick’s field of view. Veronica continued to move towards the house, into the garage.

Before they entered the house, Nick got his wish, he got to see another bird… it was motionless, sprawled out on the pavement of the driveway. Dead.

The house was dark, void of light save for the natural light of a few open windows. Nick was dragged through the narrow hallway, there seemed to be three doors on each side of the hallway, no stairways apparent. An odd layout for a house, but fitting for what he presumed was more of a torture dungeon than a house, anyway.

She brought him into a room that appeared to be some sort of living room, a few bookcases, a fireplace, a coffee table and a couch. There was a television above the fireplace, and also a small stereo to the right of the fireplace. To the left was one single window, with the blinds nearly shut--there was only enough light for him to identify objects in the room, but he couldn’t see any fine details.

She dropped him at the foot of the couch, moved the coffee table out of her way. Nick’s breathing had not yet steadied itself, he could see his body twitch, and wondered if he was heading towards another seizure.

Veronica picked him up and placed him on the couch, his head leaning backward against the top, his arms laid out at his sides.

“You stay right there, I’m going to get something to wash that pretty face,” Veronica purred.

She left the room, and Nick tried and failed to will his body into movement. He wondered how many hours it had been since he was first dosed, the longer it was, the more chance of surviving the toxin he had. At some point, the drug had to wear off, if it didn’t kill him first.

Veronica entered the room silently, sending Nick’s body though another startled state as she popped back in front of him, a washcloth in hand, and camera in other.

“Almost forgot…”

Click. Flash.

Without saying another word, she smeared the washcloth over Nick’s mouth. She held it in place for a few seconds, a dangerous look in her eyes, waiting for signs of a struggle for breath, before she moved it down his chin...and his neck.

“There, now let’s get that shirt off…”

She took Nick’s knife out of his vest, held it in front of his eyes. She touched it to his chin, drawing a thin line down his neck, before applying more pressure to cut through the fabric of his shirt. She cut it in half, stopped right before his pants. She removed the shirt completely, her eyes seemed to widen in some gleeful joy, as if she were unwrapping a Christmas present.

“What’s this?”

She enunciated her words by pointing the tip of her knife into the two scars he received from the restaurant shooting.

“My, my, what happened here, Nicky?”

She licked her lips, moved her body closer. She dug the tip of the knife into one scar, and drew the knife across his skin to the other.

“In connecting the dots, I figure...you’ve been shot?”

At the awkward angle his head was positioned, he could just see the blood trickle down from his two scars, and from the line she cut between them. But he couldn’t feel it.

Yet.

Click. Flash.

She tossed the knife aside, moved her fingers towards his chest, smearing the blood all over. Her other hand removed the camera from around her neck, she started to take off the vest.

You have a washcloth right there, you stupid bitch. He bitterly thought, though he had a feeling she was well aware of that fact.

Another buzz from his pocket distracted Veronica from...whatever the hell she was doing to him. She removed the phone from his pocket, checking the message. She cocked her head at him.

“Oh dear, a gal named Sara is getting worried now, too. Don’t tell me that’s your girlfriend, do I need to be jealous?”

She leaned in closer, towards his ear.

“Because you’re mine.”

Nick gulped as she giggled, leaning back away from him and texting something on his phone in response. She threw the phone onto the couch, near the knife. If he could use his arm, it was just within arm’s reach

“What else do you have in these pockets?” She wondered out loud. She dug through his other pockets, removing his wallet and keys. She took the money from his wallet, just because she could. She jangled the keys in front of his face.

“That reminds me...I have a few more errands to run, so I’m afraid I have to cut playtime short for now.”

Veronica stood up, tall over Nick, who was still slumped on the couch, still unable to move. She walked around the couch, Nick thought she had left the room, but she soon appeared again, upside down, in front of his face.

“Don’t move,” she told him in a suddenly serious, commanding tone.

She poked his nose playfully, and left the room.

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

Something wasn’t right.

After receiving the text that “something came up,” Greg had replied back with “is everything okay?”

He never got a response.

Nick wasn’t one to not at least reply with an “I’ll explain later” or something to indicate that everything was in fact, okay. And if it wasn’t, he would have heard about it by now, right?

He didn’t want to freak anyone out yet, more than he was already freaking out at the possibility that something terrible had happened to Nick, again. So he texted Sara.

Hey, have you heard from Nick?

Her response wasn’t a help at all.

No, why?

In that moment, he realized that he should have texted Catherine instead. She was the supervisor, after all, so if Nick had to step out for a family emergency or something, she’d be the first to know.

Maybe it was because they all shared an office together, the three of them. Maybe it was because Nick was being more open with them, about what was going on in not just his work, but his personal life. It had shocked Greg the most, for Nick to become so...open with them, even after all their years together, Nick had always tried to maintain some distance between his work and personal life.

A flashback to nine years ago, when Nick had taken Greg by the shoulder, telling him to stop invading his privacy, told Greg that he should just leave it. Maybe Nick had a bad day, a bad case, and felt like he wasn’t good company. Wouldn’t be the first time--he bailed on Greg on his own birthday two years back, after working a case that drove him to tears.

Then again, that hadn’t stopped Greg from making an effort to extend his hand anyway.

I’m sure it’s nothing, he just bailed on breakfast this morning. It happens.

He sighed, hoping that would appease Sara’s mind though something still didn’t sit right with his. He tossed his phone aside, closed his eyes, an effort to fall asleep.

He was just starting to drift off into a dream of being back in the lab, of a tearful Nick walking away, echoing previous words that had been said to him, when he heard his phone ring. He barely had time to register the caller ID before he answered immediately.

“Nick?"

#csi cbs #csi fan fic #nick stokes #greg sanders #whump fic #whump #csi #my fic #fic: atrophy #OOF this was actually harder to write than i thought?? #i think the next chapter's gonna be a bit easier cause it's so distinct in my head tho #edit: added the title cause i'm an idiot lmao #this is what i was working on all day while babysitting #sorry i like to see you suffer nick

[extremelyblackandwhite]

handmaid - 35

PAIRING: mob!sebastian stan x ingenue!reader

WARNINGS: age gap, guns

A/N: once again i am veryyyyyy late but i rly don’t wanna let go of this fanfic. hope you enjoy this chapter x

NEXT CHAPTER

The static sound of silence and the full view of darkness was what she woke up to. She wasn’t sure when she had lost conscience but at the moment the only thing she could see was the flickering light of a single lamp dangling overhead. Sometimes breaking through the silence, the irritating and yet somber noise of single drops of waters hitting the ground would make themselves heard leaving Y/N to feel like she was in imminent danger. As she tried to move, she noticed her ankle was tied to a shackle bolted to the ground which grounded her in the reality she had found herself in. However, instead of screaming or wondering what to do her first instinct was to lay her freed hands on top of her textile covered stomach trying to almost feel for the wellness of life growing inside her. 

Taking a deep breathe, she looked around, trying to understand where she was yet the low light room didn’t give much. However, the existence of a staircase a few inches away from her led her to believe she found herself in a lower floor than regular, maybe some sort of basement. Wherever it was, it was quite clear to the young handmaid it was a hard enough place to escape. The sheer chilliness of the room made her scared enough for her own safety, wondering what plans Mr. Williams had for her and if she would ever return to her life. What she’d give to return to the life she had known, in that sheltered, clueless mindset everyone believed she have. 

She sighed, biting onto her lip so she wouldn’t start crying. Her mind kept rushing, rushing too fast even with the events and stories told to her by the same man who now held her captive. She wondered what all of these years were, they surely weren’t truthful yet unlike lies they were palpable, palpable years of being placed right under everyone, hearing whispers of several other high society people pitying the orphan taken under a powerful’s family’s wing. What good was it to train someone to be submissive for the rest of her life for her safety? It was useless as she was standing idly at the feet of the same man who had brought her mother’s demise. 

All those thoughts did no little to help to tears remain in their ducts and soon, a few of those were rolling down her cheeks hitting the ground along. Along with this, one of her hairpins fell to the ground, the sound removing her from her pitying state. She grabbed it from the floor, looking at the details through the veil of her teary eyes. It was a rather sharp hairpin, she herself had noticed that prior when the hairstylist had stuck it into her hair, lightly scratching her scalp. 

Her eyes moved from the sharp edges to the shackle around her ankle and the key hole just a bit centred in the metal. Shaking like a leaf, she inserted the hairpin into the keyhole, shimmying it enough to cause the lock to give in, freeing her in the process. She found herself dumbfounded with it before quickly getting on her feet and climbing up the stairs to the door. Her hand gripped the door handle and pushed it down, however, the door proved to be locked. She sighed, looking around the room for any exits but there were no windows or any other doors. There was a drawer unit and her most hopeful self hoped there would be maybe a pair of spare keys.

Her hands rushed through the drawers which were mostly empty except the very last drawer where a small razor phone was. She looked around, ensuring her safety before she grabbed the phone with shaky hands, sighing in relief once she noticed one small bar on signal. Y/N quickly pressed the number on the phone, bringing her nails to her mouth as she waited and waited for the recipient to pick up but nothing came out of it. 

     - Please pick up ... I really need your help, I ... - she interrupted herself as she heard steps from above her. Quickly, she stuffed the phone back on drawer, rushing over to the chain which she shackled on her ankle again. 

The door opened rather fast, beams and beams of light streaming through the badly light room which hurt her eyes. Two voices were distinct and her eyes were glued to the door as Mr. Williams walked in with a smug look, however, it wasn’t him that made her heart beat a bit faster, it was Sebastian coming from behind. His pristine ironed suit was completely wrinkled, his tie loose enough to dangle around his neck, heavily wrinkled forehead, a very far cry from the put together man he normally was. 

    - You have a visit, birdie. - he stopped Sebastian from taking any steps further towards her. Ignoring her, Mr. Williams turned to face the mob boss, taking a particular pleasure in seeing him in agony over his own actions. - Told you she was safe. All it takes is just a signature and you can give her a happy ending. 

    - No, before I sign anything you gotta assure me that once you have that document she can go. - Sebastian wasn’t stupid. If there was a spark of his father that lingered in this psyche it was a very analytical and rational thinking, troubleshooting if you’d like to call it. For all he knew, he would sign those papers and Williams would do whatever he pleased with Y/N. The mob boss just couldn’t risk it with her. No, her safety came first. - She leaves, I sign it. 

    - Why should I believe you won’t just back away once she leaves? 

    - You’ll just have to trust me. 

    - You better not play me. Even if she’s out of this room, I have my own ways of making sure she doesn’t leave. - he threw the key towards Sebastian who strutted towards Y/N. Her gown was severely messed, almost a symbol of what he had done to her. It was his fault she was all over this mess, he could’ve protected her, he promised her he would protect her and here she was, shackled to the ground. He could feel his heartbeat pounding against his skull as he uncuffed her, hands still shaking. 

   - You’re gonna run. Okay, angel? You’re gonna run, run as far and fast as you can and you won’t look back, okay? - Y/N’s eyes didn’t seem as worried as he would expect, instead they held this creased look as her hand moved to cup the side of his face, the other hand pushing a piece of his hair away from his forehead. 

   - What about you? - her eyes quickly moved from Williams to Sebastian.

   - Angel, it’ll be okay. You gotta run, okay? Run. - he helped her onto her feet, expecting her to start running the moment she was up. Instead, she stood a few seconds immobile looking at him as her mind told her something bad was coming. She could just feel it, nevertheless the push on her back by Sebastian caused her to start running up the stairs. If only she could get to Dan or Mr. Forrest, they surely could help Sebastian.

Sebastian watched her leave, his heartbeat calming down as he realised she was safe. It didn’t matter what else would happen, she was safe and that was all that matter. Maybe Williams was right, maybe this wasn’t the life for him, a life with her sounded better, a life with her just sounded ... simpler, easier. Just him and her somewhere in a small town starting a family. With that thought in mind, he has handed the document and a black pen, his eyes wondering to the line asking for his signature. It almost seemed to mock him, mock him for not being able to keep a dynasty and her safe. With his gaze away from the paper, he quickly signed it, handing it over to the despicable man.

Mr. Williams smirked out of delight, eyes turning upwards to the door, giving one of his men the sort of look that led some doubt into his mind. This quickly got confirmed as the door was firmly locked, the darkness barely lit by the lamp on the ceiling involving the two of them.

    - You probably don’t remember her mother, you were too young but god ... does she resemble her, those beautiful eyes, exactly the same. Sometimes the universe does give you a second shoot. Maybe I couldn’t be with the mother but I guess the daughter will do just fine. - he raised his arm towards the now ex mob boss, pointing his gun at him. - After all why should I only control one family when I could control two?

   - YOU FUCKING BASTARD! - before he could make any moves towards him, a shot burst through his leg, weakening his stance sending him against the floor. 

   - Did you seriously think I would let you go on and marry her? Get her family support and gain your position back? I didn't peg you for a gullible one but I guess I was wrong. - he chuckled taking another shot to the same leg. - I will take such pleasure in raising your kid. I will raise your child to know just how weak you were, how you never rose up to the challenge. You will cease to exist, gone, just like things should be. 

His mother used to talk to him about death when he was younger, how people just shouldn’t fear it and that when it comes everything is white. Sebastian had to disagree as once another bullet hit him, this time close to his stomach, he didn’t see white, no, he saw her. He saw her, the very first time he saw her on the floor, he saw her eyes peaking from the covers whenever she would sleep near him, her touch, and her laughter. In that moment all he wished was for her to be somehow outside the house, to be safe, far away from all of this. Maybe it was this hope, this conviction that kept him pulling on the single thread belonging to his life. He really hoped she was safe.

   - Drop it. - a feminine voice boomed through the room. Mr. Williams furrowed his eyebrows turning around to a scenario he never expected to experience. Y/N had her arms forward, holding one of his guns and point it at it. - I said, drop it. 

    - Well, well ... - he lowered down sightly, placing the weapon on the floor before putting his hands up. - What are you gonna do, birdie? You’re gonna kill me? 

    - Shut up. - her hands were far from being stiff, shaking with the fear of the situation she was standing in but still firmly holding her revolver. 

    - What are you gonna do, birdie? You’re gonna shot me? For who? Him? Listen to me, Y/N, you and I are the same. We work hard and those above us mistreat us. Join me child, you will have the power you deserve. You won’t serve anyone else, no more hand me downs, no more screaming. 

    - I will not join you, you’re not powerful, you’re a coward. You’ll never be anything other than a coward even if you become the head of the family. You’re a coward, only cowards murder innocent, only cowards are so insecure in their own skin they would crave power. - she lowered her weapon. - I will not be the one to kill you. 

    - Well, isn’t th ... - he was interrupted by a gun shot echoing through the room sending him onto his knees leaving only a very weak Sebastian holding the same revolver he had placed on the ground.

    - She won’t but I will. - she had never seen this side of him. He sounded cruel, cold yet she couldn’t blame it, what she could do was be worried about him as he held a weapon with one hand and the other hand held onto his gashing wound. - I will kill you, slowly, painfully. Before you’re dead, I will make sure all your stupid bastards are dead, all your men are dead, and I will have you front and centre to their deaths. 

    - Y/N .. - the man winced in pain from the gunshot, eyes looking up to the handmaid who had took a few steps back.

    - Don’t you fucking say her name! - he shot him once more, no sign of mercy in his actions. 

    - Sebastian. - she called out to him, effectively gaining his attention. There were no words exchanged, she just looked at him, her lip trembling ... disappointment even. 

There are moments in your life when you can chose to be the villain or the hero of your story. You can either live being the villain or others can tell your story and keep it on. Sebastian looked at her, from her eyes to her hands laying on top of her stomach. No, he wouldn’t be the villain, he wouldn’t be his father. He lowered his weapon, cuffing the man he most despised where he had just had the woman he loved captive.

Once that was done, whatever was left of the adrenaline keeping his wounds from hurting ran out and the pain overtook his muscles, sending him against the ground. Y/N rushed from her standing position, lowering herself to catch him before his head hit the ground. She pulled him over her lap, pushing his hair away from his face. 

   - C’mon, you have to get up. - she spoke softly but he could hear the underlying anxiousness. - You have to get up, we have to get out of here, okay? Just you and me. 

    - No, angel. - he reached to his pocket, her music box still there, and he placed it softly on her hand. - I don’t think I can. You can, you can go, take the next plane out of this place, go to France ...

    - No. - she threw the box away. - You have to get up, you will get up, you’ll come with me to France. Just us, no one else. 

    - You deserve everything you’ve ever dreamed of. 

    - You are my dream. 

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#sebastian stan #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan/reader #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan/you #sebastian stan x y/n #sebastian stan/y/n #sebastian stan au #sebastian stan imagine #sebastian stan fanfic #sebastian stan drabble #mob boss!sebastian stan #mob!sebastian stan #mobster! sebastian stan #mafia!sebastian stan #mafia boss!sebastian stan

[kieraswriting]

Coffin Chapter Thirteen

Masterpost

From outside the bedroom, things started getting louder. There was the noise of people shuffling around, waking up, clanging of pans from the kitchen, running water.

“Listen, I don’t care! I don’t trust any one of you!”

That woke up Patton, and both he and Virgil went out to see what was going on.

Remy was in the living room, holding up Emile, who looked considerably less worried, and considerably more patiently exasperated.

“What’s going on?” Patton asked.

Instead of properly answering Patton, Remy fixed his eyes on Virgil. “You!”

Virgil took a step back, “I didn’t— I only just got up!”

“Exactly. You wouldn’t hurt a fly if it bit you first. Take Emile.”

Virgil found Emile dumped in his arms. “Eh-wha?”

“Thank you, Virgil, you can set me down now.”

Virgil set Emile down. “What’s going on?”

Remy rolled his eyes. “I’ve gotta leave with Logan, and I’m not about to leave Emile alone with these bi-“

“Language,” Patton interrupted.

Remy grumbled. He turned halfway, to see Logan waiting by the door.

“You keep him safe!” Remy said firmly. “Or so help me it’ll be your head rolling tonight.”

Remy stalked away, slamming the door on his way out.

Virgil gulped. There was no way he could protect himself, let alone a human, against all these vampires if they decided to attack.

“Ok, party’s over,” Emile said, his voice cheery despite all that had just happened. “If you need something to do I’m sure I can find you something.”

At that, the majority of the vampires crowding the living room dissipated.

Virgil let out a breath. That made things easier, but the sudden and unexpected responsibility still weighed heavy on his shoulders.

“You’ll be fine,” Emile said, hunkering down a bit so he could look into Virgil’s eyes even though Virgil had his head tipped toward the ground. “I’m pretty certain I can handle myself, and even if I can’t, I won’t let Remy do anything to you.”

“So are you and Virgil gonna hang out today?” Patton asked, coming back from the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

“If Virgil doesn’t mind,” Emile said.

Virgil just blinked. His mind was all fuzzy, and he wanted to sit down. He just nodded.

•^*^••

“I just… don’t quite trust it.” Roman said, driving the four wheeler.

Dee was riding behind him, and very pointedly not holding on to him, despite the jerking as they drove around the pasture. “I don’t either. We don’t know anything about him.”

They were looking for Remus, but so far had seen no signs of any vampires at all.

“Do you think he just took them all and left?”

“It’s definitely impossible,” Dee said flatly. There was not a hint of sarcasm in his tone, yet Roman had the distinct impression that he was being made fun of.

It was a while later that they went over a hill, and found the vampires at the bottom. They were… skinny dipping? It wasn’t even summer, or very warm at all.

“Bro! Snakey! Come on in!”

“That water is filled with cow pee,” Dee said. “You’d have to drag me in.”

“Oh, I can do that!”

“No!” Roman interrupted. “Please, just, get back in the water. Or at least put your clothes on.”

Remus sank down in the muddy water, blowing bubbles.

Roman cringed at the thought of having his mouth anywhere near the water.

“Is this just a visit?” One of the other vampires asked.

“Uh, more or less,” Roman said.

“Damn!” The vampire said, and was echoed by several disappointed groans.

Remus broke into a triumphant laugh.

“Let me guess, you’ll never tell us what that’s all about,” Dee said.

“I said we could only kill people that didn’t come for a visit,” Remus said. “And my bro looks tasty, even if he does smell bad.”

“I do not!” Roman blustered. “And I’m an only child.”

Remus shrugged.

“You intend to stay here then?” Dee asked.

Remus shrugged again. “Until it gets boring.”

“Let’s head back,” Dee said.

“What? Now? We didn’t even—“

“Go home, Hunter,” one of the other vampires said, and soon, encouraged by Remus himself, they were all chanting at Roman to go home.

Roman didn’t like it. But he left.

“What was that all about?!” He said, once they were probably out of earshot of the vampires.

“I can force people to tell me the truth. He wasn’t lying. And if we leave him to it he’ll stop the rest of them from attacking people for no reason.”

•^*^••

“I may be amazing, but I can’t just pull it out of nowhere,” Remy said. “I’m done.”

“We’ve only gone to two locations!” Logan said, already beyond exasperated.

Remy shrugged. “I’m done.” He walked away.

“Where are you going?”

“Out.”

“Where?!”

“Does it matter? I’ll find my own way home.”

“We haven’t accomplished any of the tasks we set out to do!”

Remy shrugged. “Look, tough luck, gurl. Chill. We’ll try again next week.”

“What about Emile?”

Remy looked at Logan over the top of his sunglasses, his eyes narrowed dangerously. “Is that a threat?”

“No. But you’d just leave him without warning?”

Remy shrugged again, his whole body relaxing into a casual posture. “He’s got a little baby vampire to take care of, he won’t get in trouble.”

“And he won’t worry about you?”

“Not with Virgil to worry about. And chill, I’ll call him if I wanna stay out more than a day or two. Not like you actually care.”

And then Remy zipped away, faster by far than a human could, and yet still managing to make his movements look casual.

•^*^••

Things had been far easier than Virgil had assumed. He’d spent a large portion of the day sitting watching cartoons with Emile. Mostly one called Avatar, the Last Airbender.

Emile stretched and got up. “Well, I guess I’ll make dinner tonight.”

Virgil followed and sat on the counter, swinging his legs and watching as Emile pulled out ingredients.

“Does…” his voice, already quiet, trailed off.

“Does what?” Emile asked.

“Does Zuko ever go back to his dad? After—after what happened?”

“Well, that would be a spoiler! I could tell you if you really want, but I’d be happy to keep watching with you, and let you see yourself.”

Virgil nodded.

“Why do you ask?”

Virgil’s mouth went dry. “Well… um.. just— it’s a long story.”

“I’d be happy to hear it, if you don’t mind telling me.”

Virgil was silent for several minutes.

“My um, my dad was a vampire.”

Emile nodded, flashing Virgil just enough eye contact to show that he was listening without being overwhelming. Virgil felt more comfortable talking to Emile’s back anyway.

“And he, he hurt my mom. And me sometimes, I guess.”

Emile just nodded.

“He— when I was turned it was cause he…” Virgil trailed off again.

“Was he the one that turned you?”

“No. But, after I got turned, I haven’t— I haven’t seen him again.”

“And you see a parallel between yourself and Zuko, since you both have abusive fathers.”

Virgil winced slightly. “I guess.”

“Virgil, if it’s not something you want to do, you do not owe it to your father to go back to him.” Emile set a hand on Virgil’s knee. “But if he hurt you badly enough that you could be turned, I wouldn’t suggest you going back at all.”

Virgil froze, chewing on his lip.

“Even though it’s still a spoiler, I’ll tell you. Zuko never got back the relationship he had with his dad, much less the relationship he wanted to have.”

Virgil’s face grew tight, and he blinked several times. He didn’t know why he was reacting like this. He’d barely even thought about his dad in months.

“Can I give you a hug?”

Virgil nodded, scrubbing at his eyes.

It was an awkward hug, with Virgil being up on the counter, but it didn’t make the kindness shine through any less. Virgil waffled between feeling like he was about to cry, and feeling strangely numb.

“Thanks,” he mumbled as Emile pulled away.

“Anytime. If you want a hug, you just have to ask.” Emile gave him a bright smile, and Virgil tried to return it, but his ended out rather weak and watery.

Emile stirred the food he was cooking so that it wouldn’t burn. “You know, Remy has a hard time with eating, but since you were turned, rather than born, I wonder if you can eat?”

The abrupt change in subject pulled Virgil out of his confused, rather yucky-feeling, spiral.

“I-I don’t know. I haven’t really tried. I was, I lived with my sire, and she didn’t keep food in the house.”

“Well, do you want to try?”

Virgil shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind. What are you making?”

“I’ve made it up. It’s sort of Italian-y.”

Emile held out a spoonful of the sauce. “Here.”

Virgil accepted the spoon, and ate the sauce. It tasted good. Not— not like he would have guessed. It didn’t taste like food anymore. But he wouldn’t mind eating more.

“Yeah, it’s good.”

Emile gave him a plateful, and Virgil ate it. Emile dished up the other plates, and covered them in foil for the other humans to eat as they were ready.

Another vampire happened by, saw Virgil eating, and just clicked his tongue before turning away. That was when Virgil started to get concerned.

It was not long at all after he’d finished eating that he stomach started to pain him.

“Emile.” Virgil clutched at his stomach as a wave of nausea swept over him.

“Oh, no. Come on, let’s get to the bathroom.”

Emile helped Virgil to the bathroom. The pain and nausea increased with every minute, until Virgil was heaving every bit of the food into the toilet.

“I’m sorry,” Emile said, rubbing Virgil’s back. “I should’ve told you what happens to Remy when he eats.”

“Not your fault,” Virgil said, letting out a groan as another wave ran over him. “I’m the one that ate it.”

“But if I’d told you you might not have eaten it.”

Virgil shrugged, unable at that moment to speak. It was true, if he’d known that this was a possible consequence he would have just left it alone.

There was a knock on the door. “Is everything ok in there?” Patton asked.

“It will be in a bit. Thank you.” Emile said, rubbing at Virgil’s back again as he hunched further over the toilet.

Virgil sat down on the bathroom floor. “Is it over?”

“I don’t know for sure,” Emile said. “Do you think it’s all out?”

Virgil wrapped his arms around his stomach. “Dunno.”

“If you want, we can sit on the couch. I’ll get you a bucket in case, and we can watch some more Avatar.”

“Sounds better than sitting here.”

Patton was very sympathetic about the situation, and sat next to Virgil, offering almost constant hugs while they watched.

#sanders sides #vampire au #vampires #blood #virgil sanders #roman sanders #logan sanders #patton sanders #janus sanders #remus sanders #emile picani #remy sleep #my own work #coffin #violence #speciesism #vampire virgil #platonic moxiety

[bookshelfdreams]

Ahhhh, your self bound books just look really beautiful? All the color choices and the layout just look soooo good together. And that's such a beautiful gift? I have not read primium non nocere, as I haven't watched Charité but if it is worthy of such a tribute I am definitely giving it a shot anyway. I'd also be really interested of your creative process and choices with the binding, if you're willing to talk about that

hi omg! thank you so much <3<3 Primum Non Nocere is a very good story, and I'd say even if you haven't seen the show, give it a shot anyway, if you're interested? I mean, by all means, try the show as well, season 2 is on Netflix w english subs afaik and it's also really, really good (not perfect, but leagues better than the stuff this country usually makes abt the nazi regime). It's a retelling of canon events from a character's perspective who isn't a focal character in the show - there's probably one or two points at which it skips canon events or may seem a little jumpy, but overall, it's more of a companion piece to canon than a classic fanfic. It's very well researched and detailed; it expands on canon in beautiful ways and honestly, fits with it seamlessly; it might as well be an official novelization (although its focuses are a little different than the og)

as for the bookbinding, I'm really flattered you're interested in my process! I'm still very much a beginner, but I'm slowly figuring out something that works for me.

Also, I don't really know what information you're looking for, so I'm just gonna share some things that come to mind. This isn't really a step-by-step how-to but if you're interested in that, I can try to take some pictures next time I make a book and make a better reference post.

Typesetting

I typeset in OpenOffice because that's my office suite of choice & I'm old; I have never used google docs and I don't plan on starting. I download the fic in html, and then just copy/paste the text chapter by chapter; that's easiest for me. As for fonts, I wanted it to look vintage but I definitely didn't want it to have Nazi aesthetics. I went with Baskerville for the main text (which is such a beautiful font, it might become my go-to) (Garamond is what is most commonly used in books I think, but it almost looks too professional for me. I love that Baskerville has this very distinct, vintage feel to it.) and an Art Deco font for the title and chapter headings. Overall I think it looks more 1920's which, considering that the Nazis really hated the Weimar republic, seems fitting. I'm happy with how it turned out and I hope the author is, too :) As for the rest, it's set in 16pt, 120% line spacing and the margins could be a little larger, tbh, but it works and I'm a little stingy with the paper XD

OpenOffice also lets you draw simple graphics directly onto the document which is what I did for the title page and the little ornaments at the beginning of the chapters.

To make signatures, I use Quantum Elephant Bookbinder. It does what it's supposed to, the only thing that doesn't quite work is the flyleaf option, but I can just add that in the og pdf.

Book construction

I print on copying paper, 80gsqm. It's recycling, 55CIE which is really quite grey; I like it, because white is uncomfortable for me to look at. As for grain, I cut my sheets from A3. The grain is also wrong there, so I ended up wasting half the paper. Whatever; I think it's worth it. Having the grain in the right direction (parallel to the spine) makes it feel so much more like an actual book and not just a stack of copying paper stapled together. I honestly believe it's more important than having fancy paper.

After folding, I do not use a model and an ale for punching holes; instead I put all the signatures together in my makeshift press (2 old cutting boards and 2 bar clamps), I draw some guidelines and then I use a fine saw to cut them all at once.

I sew the signatures on tapes for stability; it makes keeping consistent tension easier. I use linen bookbinder's thread (worth it) and cotton tapes from the craft store (they do their job, and linen sewing tapes are hard to source & expensive). I do not have a sewing frame; but what I do is, I tape the tapes to the underside of my cutting mat, place the signature on top (fold aligned with the edge of the mat) and use a weight to keep it in place. It works okay.

After sewing, I round the spine with this method, which works surprisingly well. I do not trim the edges (I know myself well enough to know that it would not end well) & instead tap the short sides & spine to the table to align the signatures as perfectly as possible.

The rest is done as in pretty much any other tutorial. No backing, because I don't have equipment for that. I like to sand down the edges of the cover boards a little, so they're a bit rounded; I think it makes for nicer haptics.

Decorations

I like to make as much of the book myself as possible. There's several reasons for that; first of all, fancy handmarbled or printed paper, headbands, bookmarks etc are expensive. Second, I have a crafting addiction & what's the point of projects like this when you buy everything you could make yourself, right? But thirdly (most importantly) it's simply that my book blocks look pretty shitty (that's, untrimmed and uneven). But that's okay; you gotta embrace the "amateurishly handmade" look & just have to amateurishly handmake everything. Adding just one or two perfect, machine-produced details looks kinda jarring.

Paper decoration - mix water soluble paint and wallpaper paste and go wild (videos are in German, sorry, idk if this is a thing that's really done in the anglophone world? But I think they're pretty easy to follow even if you don't understand the instructions). I like to use this for covers, mainly, I'm also experimenting with decorating endpapers this way. The paste makes the paper really rough and horrible to the touch; as the very last step, I wax the cover (with a beeswax-based furniture polish. Floor wax works as well, it just doesn't smell very nice). Be careful not to get any on the bookcloth, it will cause stains & ruin everything at the last second.

Headbands - I found this tutorial very helpful.

Bookmarks - this gave me so much trouble. Most amateur bookbinders seem to use cotton, polyester or satin ribbons, which is fine, I guess. I don't particularly like either option. At first I thought I could weave my own; that didn't work out, because weaving tiny bands is harder than it looks (& also the resulting ribbon was much too stiff). But! Bookmarks in professionally made books aren't woven at all; they're braided. Seven-stranded braids work pretty well (tutorial is for 5 strands, but 7 strands work the same). As for the headbands, embroidery floss is best imho (silk would, of course, be traditional but come on). Mercerised cotton crochet thread works as well but isn't quite as nice.

this turned out way too long lol. Sorry. Hopefully the answer you were looking for is in there somewhere. Again, thank you and have a lovely evening!

#also feel free to ask if theres anything more youd like to know #<3 #hoard of fanfiction #anonymaus #message

[trashforeverythingdotcom]

Wanderlust

Disclaimer: I’m a newb, and I’ve only seen the Netflix animated series because I don’t have any Castlevania games and, therefore, haven’t played any of them. But I kinda sorta really want to now, lol. The gif isn’t mine, I found it on google images 😔👉👈 also, I was gonna make this an Alucard x reader type of thing but umm… it ended up not being like that cause Aurora’s a cute name, don’t @ me, hah. Crazy, I know. Although I ended up making this an OC x Alucard, if anyone sends a request and stuff I wouldn’t mind making imagines and stuff 😔👉👈 Wow, this came out hella shitty, awesome. Let’s get it, y'all. 😤😤😤 I’m using too many emojis, can I be reported for that? Do I need to put a word-count? I see everyone do that, so I’m gonna do that because I wanna be cool and hip. It’s my way of making up for the fact that I’m writing a lame-ass/unoriginal fanfiction :)

Warnings(?): Cursing, a little Area 51 joke, and stupidity. Stupidity has a recurring role in this fic. It shouldn’t even be a warning, it’s a whole character. It’s the star of this story, okay?

Word Count: 2,528 (at least it’s pretty short)

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

 A/n: You’ve been warned, proceed with caution 😔

It was a 12-hour-long flight from Florida to Romania and Aurora was hating it. She was bored out of her mind watching other people that were also either bored out of their minds or tired or both. What made matters worse for her was the fact that she didn’t even have the window seat. Her identical twin sister, Marisol, claimed it the moment they’d gotten their plane tickets months ago when they decided to go to Romania to celebrate their eighteenth birthday. The trip seemed like a great idea since their birthday was in July and neither of them started college until the coming spring. Marisol’s justification for taking the seat was that she was older. Older by five minutes. They’d both argued for quite a bit before their mother told her to just go with it and let her sister have the window seat. 

    She rolled her eyes at the thought of it as she stared at her beloved ‘older by five minutes’ twin sister. “Take a picture, it’ll last longer." 

    "Oh, fuck you.” She answered quickly, rolling her eyes once more. She crossed her arms and legs and turned her body back around so that her backside was leaning back into her seat. 

    She heard rustling noises and a loud sigh coming from beside her. “Let’s switch seats.”

    Aurora scoffed, “what, the window seat isn’t good enough for you anymore?”

    “No, it’s great, but you keep eyeing me like last night’s dinner and I want it to stop. Therefore, I hereby forfeit this marvellous window seat for the sake of my sleep and sanity. Mainly sleep. I can’t sleep knowing you’re being a weirdo.”

     Aurora smiled and practically jumped out of her seat immediately, shoving her sister to the side as she took the seat that she wanted since the beginning. Even though she was very happy at the moment and thought nothing could bring her down because she’d be looking down at the world below; a voice sounded from the speakers that were built into the air-plane. The voice informed them that they’d be landing in ten minutes and requested that they turn off their phones. Her head snapped to look at her sibling who was visibly amused by her reaction. “You’re such an ass.”

    “At least you get to see the touch-down from the window seat.”

    Once they’d both gotten off the plane and gone through customs, Aurora made it known to her sister that she was going to use the restroom. Apparently, Marisol needed to go too, because the moment she said that, Marisol told her she’d come with her as they both made their way into the ladies’ room. Aurora entered the first clean stall, and her sister entered the one next to that one. When she finished relieving herself, she stepped out of the stall and walked over to the sink to wash her hands. 

    Aurora had this habit of checking herself out wherever there was a mirror. Whether she thought she looked good at the moment or not made no difference, she couldn’t help but peep and nitpick the little things that were out of place at the time of the viewing and fix them. In this case, it was her long, black curly hair that thought it’d be cute to act up in public. Luckily, her baby bangs weren’t being an issue. Then again, they were pulled back and held in place with bobby pins.

     Aurora rubbed her hooded icy blue eyes with her pale white fingers. Her long, almond-shaped nails that were painted black almost scratched the sensitive skin in the process. Moving her fingers upward, she slid them over her thick eyebrows to brush the hair back into place.

     With a sigh, she then turned to view her side profile. She was a bit chubby, but the mustard-yellow crop top and shorts she wore complimented her body well and weren’t too tight or too loose on her. And her backpack was a decent pick. Cute and convenient. She managed to stuff two extra outfits in there along with her mp3 players, a hoodie, her chargers, her headphones, and some personal products like tiny bottles of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. She then proceeded to make faces as she pulled her phone out to take mirror selfies. Considering this was a public bathroom, it was pretty clean. The airport cleaning staff must’ve been on top of their game. 

    Marisol did the same thing after washing her own dirty hands; wetting her hands and running them over her own long and curly black hair before pulling her earrings out of her bag and putting them back on. “My ear was irritated when we got on the plane. Hopefully, it’s fine now,” Marisol explained to her sister. She fixed her v-shaped bangs and stepped back a bit to admire her own figure. Fixing her sweatshirt and pulling her sweatpants up. Although they were technically identical twins, they were different in size. This made it easier to tell the difference between the two of them. Aurora was always the thick one, while Marisol was always the thin one. “Get in. I’m sure mami’s gonna want some proof that we’re still alive.” Marisol ordered as she held her phone up. Being bossy was one of her personality traits. The camera app was open and the rear camera was being used. They quickly took a picture and separated. Immediately after that, Marisol got closer to the mirror to analyse her facial features. “Ugh, I think I have bags under my eyes. Thanks a lot, Rory.”

    Cue yet another one of her legendary eye rolls, “so it’s my fault you couldn’t sleep?” 

    At this rate, her eyes were gonna get stuck.

    “Well, you were lookin’ at me for extended periods of time that made me feel very uncomfortable.”

    “It’s your fault for taking my seat.”

    And those two argued for quite a bit until Aurora noticed something odd: one of the bathroom stalls was emitting purple light. “Lani–” she called, only to get interrupted by her loudness. Lani was a nickname her family had given Marisol since she, as a little girl, thought Mari was too typical. 

    “Lani.”

    “What? What is it now? What do you want? Why should I–”

    “Look.” Aurora pointed. Now the other girl was intrigued.

    Marisol, being Marisol, thought it’d be smart, a real Albert Einstein move to walk toward the suspicious area. And Aurora made it a point to call her out for it. “Lani, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. There’s a reason why people die in horror movies. They run to the danger rather than from it. What if there’s a bomb or something in there? Why don’t we go tell the security, huh?”

    Marisol didn’t listen to her, no surprise there. Instead of listening to her sister, she stepped right into the bathroom stall and disappeared, the purple glow got brighter when she passed through. The brightness lowered a few seconds after Aurora herself had approached it. Needless to say, the teenager was freaking out. Marisol wasn’t much of a magician or a prankster, that she knew of, so how the hell did she manage to just- just… poof?

    “Ha ha, Lani, very funny. Cool. You can step out now.” She was feeling uneasy as it was and the period of silence that followed her comment only served to make things more unsettling. She decided to go for the tough mom act in hopes of luring her out. “Marisol Noelani Romero-Văduva, you’d better step the fuck out or else. I’ve just about had enough of your shit.”

“Oh, fuck it,” Aurora muttered before mirroring the other seventeen year old’s actions.

    It was pitch black, that was all she could see. Why was that? If her eyes were closed, she should’ve at least been able to see a red colour because of the bright lights inside the building. And it was cold. Very cold. She felt as if she could die of hypothermia, it was that cold. And she could feel the goosebumps all over her body; on her arms and legs. She didn’t think airports could be this frigid.

    Aurora was able to hear three distinctive voices get closer and closer to her. “Is she dead?” She heard a woman ask. Or, at least, she was assuming it was a woman since the voice sounded like it belonged to a woman.

    “I don’t think she is,” said a man, his voice oddly calm. It was quiet for a short moment before someone else spoke.

    “Who cares? Lots of people have been dying these days, let’s just go and get this Dracula business over with,” the man’s voice boomed, ripping through the forest.

    “You’re so rude,” the woman spoke again.

    “What do you expect from a useless drunk?”

    “At least I’m not a blood sucker.”

    “Wow, what a great comeback. Are there any more?”

    “Yeah, I’ve got some good ones I can shove up your ass, if you’d like.”

    Aurora groaned and opened her eyes, sitting up almost as soon as she did so. She looked around, it was awfully dark and she could hardly see anything until her eyes adjusted to the poor amount of light. “What the fuck?” Was all that came out of her mouth. 

    “Well, that’s definitely not what I’m used to hearing women say when they wake up.” 

    “As if you are ever anywhere near any woman when they are just waking up.”

    Aurora ignored their bickering and reached into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone. Yes, it was an android. A One Plus 7, to be specific. She dragged her thumb in the shape of a v on her black phone screen so she could turn the flash-light on and see better. Finally, she pointed it at the rag-tag group of friends that were surrounding her; they groaned, feeling the sting of a bright white light being pointing directly into their eyes. 

    “Who are you? Where am I? Why did you guys kidnap me? Why are we in the woods? And why are you dressed all weird like you’re going to comic con or some shit?” Aurora interrogated, though she wasn’t in much of a position to interrogate anyone since she was still on the ground beneath them.

    “Comi… comma… what?” The brunet mumbled to himself quietly. 

    “We didn’t kidnap you. We found you here. And I think we should be asking you why you’re dressed like that. Aren’t you worried?” The woman trailed off as her eyes glossed over Aurora’s figure. In her opinion, Aurora was showing way too much skin for her safety. Her yellow crop top and denim shorts weren’t modest in any way. “And what’s that thing you have there?” She questioned, her eyes stopping right at the weird girl’s hand as she pointed at the phone clutched tightly in it. 

    “Yes, what is that? A lamp?” The blond man asked, again, his voice calm and soothing to the ear considering the given situation.

    “Is no one going to acknowledge the fact that she’s showing more skin than a prostitute?” Everyone ignored the brunet’s comment, everyone except for the person the comment was addressing. 

    Aurora glared at him, “I think I’m dressed like a normal teenager. We’re not in the ’50s, dude.” She used her phone’s flashlight to look in her bag and grab her hoodie, closing it right back up again. Even if it wasn’t going to be enough to get warm, it was a whole lot better than nothing. She thought as she snaked her arms into through the sleeves.

    “Either way, shouldn’t we keep moving? The night creatures are out and we’ve got things to do as it is–”

    “Night creatures?” The seventeen-year-old scoffed, “what is this, 1475?”

    “1476, actually,” the tall blond casually corrected the girl.

    “Um… No, sir. Y'all must be hella delusional. It’s 2019, sweethearts.” Mrs. Generation Z turned her phone’s screen back on to show them today’s date. “See? July 5th, 2019. My birthday’s in like, thirteen days, I wouldn’t forget today’s date. So yeah.”

    “Alucard, do you know what this might mean?” The woman asked the blond man, her voice dripping with excitement. “Time travel! Time travel is possible!”

    “I’m sorry, what?” Aurora blurted, genuinely confused. 

    “Think about it,” the woman ignored her as she continued to voice her theory. “With all that we’ve seen in our lives, don’t you think time travel is very much possible as well? I mean, if magic exists, don’t you think–”

    “Listen, these dumb-ass millennial fuckers haven’t stormed Area 51 yet, and we’re not so technologically advanced that we’d accidentally time travel to different eras from the inconvenience of an airport’s public restroom.” 

    “It could very well be possible. Belmont, do you think they’d have anything about this phenomenon in your family’s library?”

    “If it exists, then yes, I’m assuming it’d be there. Another good reason to keep moving.” 

    “Yes, let’s go.”

    The three of them began walking once again, facing the direction of their destination. They walked a few paces before one of them realised Aurora wasn’t moving from her spot. “Why are you just standing there? Come on.” The girl laughed, head straight over to the girl before she looped her arm around hers and pulled the girl with her as she ran back to the two men that walked ahead of them. “My name’s Sypha. I’m a speaker. Those two idiots are Alucard–.” 

   "I prefer not to be called an idiot, the only idiot here is that obnoxious vampire hunter,“ the tall blond interrupted, not bothering to look back at them. "And my name is Adrian. Fahrenheit. Tepeş.”

    "Yes, Adrian, also known as the idiot that would prefer not to be called an idiot. And the person next to him is Trevor Belmont.“ Sypha continued. 

    "Hello,” ‘Trevor’ greeted with a grin, walking backward when he did so before facing forward once more.

    “Ah… Okay… It’s nice to meet you all… I’m Aurora Romero-Văduva… You guys can call me Rory or Nina if you want…" She trailed off. That was when she realised she’d forgotten something very important. The very reason why she’d stepped into that glowing bathroom stall.

    “It’s nice to meet you too.”

There was a tsunami of awkward silence as the group walked until Aurora decided to curse rather loudly. “Shit!”

    “Rude!”

    The teenager ignored her. “While you guys were doing whatever it is you guys were doing, did you happen to see someone that looks exactly like me but like, skinny?”

    “No…?”

    “Oh great, fuck me gently with a chainsaw and call me Heather. Fucking hell. I just keep getting royally fucked in the ass, don’t I? At least take me out to dinner before fucking me in the ass.“ She ranted, her hands motions were as intense as the words that were spewing out of her plump pink lips. She gasped audibly, her eyes widened and her right hand clasped itself over her mouth. "Holy shit, my mom’s gonna kill me.” 

    “Are you sure you’re not a Belmont?” Adrian asked teasingly.

    Being the quick and brainy vampire hunter he was, the Belmont did not hesitate to bless the group with a witty response. “Oh, shut the fuck up.”

#Castlevania #Alucard x oc #adrian fahrenheit tepes #alucard castlevania #hector x oc #hector castlevania #timetravel au #castlevania netflix #why am i doing this #i don't know #but i'm doing it anyway

[dyde21]

Olympus University 3: Shopping!

This is also posted on Ao3 Under the same name!

The third chapter is finally up! Sorry for the delay, my time is split so it’s hard for me to just sit down and write. It’s a long chapter though so I hope you enjoy it! :D

XxXxXxXxX

Annabeth walked out of her room with a yawn, her messenger bag over her shoulder. Leaving the room corridor. Checking her phone again, she glared at the time. Classes started up the next day, though just introductory classes, but still her new friends had convinced her to get up early. 

Reyna and Jason were both chilling on the third floor, going over some notes and just chatting happily, if not kind of tired. 

They both perked up as she turned the corner, Jason waved and Reyna gave her a nod. “You’re up early.” She offered.

Moving over, Annabeth plopped down on the couch next to Reyna. “Yeah. I’m grabbing my books with Ashe and some residents.” 

She nodded. “I grabbed mine yesterday.”

Jason nodded as well. “I snagged mine right before they closed.”

Annabeth just stretched out,yawning as she once again was regretting her life choices that lead to being an RA that is getting up early on Sunday on her last day before college begins for her junior year.

Reyna could apparently read her mind because she just sighed and patted Annabeth’s leg. “On the bright side, in ten weeks we get a break for a week.” 

Glaring at her friend, she just sighed. “That doesn't make me feel better.”

“I know.” Reyna teased, and Annabeth just swung the pillow over at her side and hit Reyna. Pausing, Reyna glared at her friend. “Really?”

Annabeth just stuck her tongue out. You should know not to mess with me when I’m tired.”

Reyna reached for the pillow at her side, but Jason was sitting on it. With a glare at him, his eyes widened as he quickly scrambled off the couch to the love seat next to it, not wanting to get in the middle of what was about to happen. 

With no hesitation, Reyna swung back with the pillow, hitting Annabeth. Annabeth recoiled, before staring at her. “What are you twelve?” She scoffed for a moment, her own hand tightening its grip slowly. A second later and they were off, hitting each other with pillows perhaps a little too aggressively. 

Jason just looked on from the side, terrified of cross fire. 

“Ooooh! Pillow fight? I wanna join!” Ashe’s voice called out from the fourth floor as she started to sprint down lobby staircase.

Annabeth and Reyna continued to fight for a moment before they both broke apart, staring at each other with an intense gaze. Annabeth cracked first as a smirk slowly crept up on her face and she burst out laughing, Reyna joining in a moment later. Soon they were both laughing against each other and Annabeth wiped a tear from her eye.

“I missed you this summer.”

Reyna just nodded. “I missed you too.”

Ashe finally made it down the steps. “Aww…” She complained, causing Annabeth to roll her eyes. “You’re an RA. You’re supposed to break up fights.” She said, raising an eyebrow while she still caught her breath. 

“Not if I could win them…” Ashe countered.

Annabeth just laughed as Reyna rolled her eyes. “I’d crush you.” Reyna said, raising an eyebrow at the pixie haired girl. 

Ashe straightened up a bit, crossing her arms. “Is that a challenge?”

Annabeth raised her hands between the two. Sure Annabeth was competitive, but those two were something else. Reyna was usually the most mature of them, but when she got competitive she wouldn’t back down. Annabeth had learned that first hand, and Ashe was just as bad.

Looking around, she found a convenient excuse. “Is Tyler actually awake?” 

The boy was slinking down the stairs, and Annabeth wasn’t actually sure his eyes were open. He had a backpack over one shoulder, and seemed to be functioning on autopilot. 

Ashe continued to return Reyna’s challenging look for a few more seconds before she finally pried her gaze away to switch to her resident. “Technically? I think? It took a long time to actually get him out of his room so I’m calling this a win.”

“I can hear you yo-” Tyler started to complain but was cut off as a massive yawn just overtook whatever retort he had. 

Jason, who looked a little calmer now that the danger had passed just looked at him sympathetically. “It’ll get easier to wake up earlier soon.”

“I left home so I could stop early morning workouts and I’m still getting up early.” He complained, managing to get the words out without a yawn.

Ashe just tousled his hair. “I’ll buy you a coffee on the way.” She offered. 

“I don’t drink coffee.” He responded automatically, before his eyes widened. “But thank you!” He quickly scrambled to cover, realizing his rejection could have sounded a little rude.

Ashe nodded. “One of those freaks.” She teased. “Their hot chocolate is just as good.”

“They don’t let me have coffee anymore.” She complained, giving a pointed glare to Annabeth and Reyna.

Shrugging, Annabeth brushed some hair behind her ear. “Cause you and caffeine are a bad mix. You get way too energetic. You’re like one red bull from actually combusting into flames.”

Before Ashe could retort, or Tyler could pass out standing, the sound of the doors opening on their floor rang out again and soon Piper and Percy came wandering around the corner. They both looked a little tired, but better off than Tyler.

Percy yawned as he adjusted his beanie, futily tucking some hair up under it, though it didn’t make much of an impact on the mess peaking through. Annabeth smiled softly, he looked cute like that.

Piper tightened the flannel around her waist as she walked over to Annabeth. “Mornin;”

Annabeth gave her a small wave. “You seem to function well in the morning.” 

Piper just shrugged. “Better than some others.” She said with a laugh glancing at Percy then Tyler.

“Ready?” Annabeth asked, earning nods from the group. “Ashe said we’re stopping for coffee on the way at the snack shop.”

Piper’s eyes lit up. “Please tell me they have fraps” 

Annabeth nodded. “With all the sugar you could need. It’s how I get through finals.” 

Piper dramatically placed her hand to her chest and let out a deep sigh of relief. “I think I might actually be able to survive college now.” Annabeth rested a hand on her shoulder. “A sister in arms, I see.”

“Nerds, let’s go.” Ashe teased jealously, ushering her sleeping resident off towards the elevator.

“Is he gonna be okay?”

Percy asked, seeing the boy just lean against the corner of the elevator and seemingly fall asleep.

“Probably.” Ashe said dismissively, though her eyes flickered over to him out of concern for the briefest moment. 

“Do you know what books you need yet?”

Annabeth pulled out her list as Piper and Percy shared an equally helpless look. 

“Don’t worry, they have the books sorted by classes. As long as you know your classes you can find your books. It’s also good sometimes to wait until the first week for more expensive books to see if you actually need them. Sometimes teachers have other options available or you can share depending on the class.” Annabeth reassured, and they both paid careful attention to her advice. Meanwhile Tyler’s head slumped farther into the corner and the bell dinged. 

“Come on.” Ashe said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed his sleeve and tugged him along. As soon as they left the lobby and into the chilly winter air, they all felt a little more alert. Even Tyler had woken up by that point and was stretching slightly. 

“Well you woke up fast.” Annabeth said, raising an eyebrow as the boy who just seemingly woken up from hibernation started to be fully functional. 

Tyler yawned once more but shrugged. “Usually when it’s cold in the morning and I’m outside I’m about to workout so my body wakes me up. Years of practice. Till then I rest.”

Ashe just stared at him. “I can’t tell if that’s impressive or kinda sad…”

“Both?” Annabeth and Percy chimed in at the same time, before looking at each other and snickering while Piper looked between them with a growing grin. 

Ashe just laughed while Tyler pouted slightly and walked a little faster ahead. 

Annabeth bit her lip, feeling a pang of guilt. She didn’t mean to tease the poor boy. This was still that awkward first week of school where everyone was bumping up against each other, finding friends and trying to figure out how to interact with each other.

Ashe wasted no time though, speeding up a bit herself and nudging him in the side before starting to talk about how she gets up early but can’t stay up late without passing out.

Soon they were chatting happily again and Annabeth just looked on impressed.

“She’s really good with people.” Piper commented, falling in step next to Annabeth. 

Nodding, the blonde smiled slightly. “She’s been like that since I met her. I can read people pretty well, but making them feel welcome is something else. I’m kinda jealous…” Annabeth offered, mostly thinking out loud. 

Piper was looking at her with a soft expression, and nodded.

“I think you do a pretty good job of making people feel welcome.” Percy chimed in, making her turn to look at him with surprise. He was still walking, not making direct eye contact as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I just mean… I was really nervous when I got here. It’s my first time living away from my Mom, and sure I dragged Piper out here with me but I’ve never been the best in school and I have a habit of getting into trouble but you… and the other RA’s too, have helped me feel… welcome. Like maybe things won’t be so bad after all.” He confessed, glancing over at Piper who was giving him a “proud mom” grin before he looked even farther away. Annabeth couldn’t help but notice a very distinct red blush to his cheeks. 

“I’m… uh… we’re glad. That you feel like that! Yeah… uh… I’ll be sure to pass that along.” She mumbled, her emotions overwhelming her mind for the first time in a while. 

Piper just glanced between the two, rolling her eyes and smiling. This time it was just too easy. 

Soon they made they’re way across campus and suddenly there were veered off course as Ashe lead them to the local cafe run by students. 

As they entered the smaller shop, “Demeter’s garden” an overpowering smell of coffee beans assaulted their senses. “Welcome! Morning, Annabeth.” A chorus of voices called out, causing the new students to glance at her before she shrugged. “Like I said… I kinda need coffee to function.”

“What, no greeting for me?” Ashe challenged, raising an eyebrow. 

“You’re still on our no-serve list.” One replied, with a shrug glancing at Annabeth.

Ashe pouted. “This is discrimination.”

Patting her friend on her back, she shrugged. “You know it’s because we care about you. You really don’t need to get hooked on caffeine.” 

Shooting a glare at her friend, Ashe just looked away from her pointedly before turning back to Tyler, shoving him towards the register. “He’ll have a medium hot chocolate. With whipped cre- You like whipped cream, right? Right. Of course you do. With whipped cream.” She ordered for him, having barely waited for a confirming nod in the middle of it. “I’ll have a strawberry Italian Soda.” She ordered. 

Annabeth noticed Tyler start to reach for a wallet but Ashe was already handing over a card, ignoring Tyler’s somewhat shy attempts at getting her attention to offer to pay. Watching with a small smirk, Annabeth had a feeling those two would be a pretty steady source of amusement for her this year. 

When Ashe had turned back around, she saw Tyler holding out a five for her. She looked at it, looked at him, snickered and just moved towards one of the tables to wait, with him trailing behind her still trying to give her the money. 

Annabeth glanced over at Percy and Piper as they conferred on the menu, debating what to get.

Piper walked up first. “I’ll have a medium caramel mocha frappuccino, please.”

The boy nodded, writing it on the cup as Percy stepped up. “I’ll have an espresso.” Percy said, starting to reach for his wallet as Piper literally started pushing him aggressively to side as she fished out her own card. The pair of friends were shoving each other aside in a way that reminded Annabeth of herself and Reyna while she just walked up and whistled slightly. The barista caught her eye and moved over and Annabeth handed her card over. “The usual, please. Thanks Malcolm.” He just nodded, swiping it and registering all three drinks on it. 

By the time Piper and won out, she was confused to see a receipt being printed, before she turned accusingly to Annabeth. 

“Let’s go sit.” Was all she said as she walked past them to where Ashe seemed to be dealing with the same conversation. 

“... it doesn’t seem fair for you to have to pay for me. I already appreciate you help me getting my books.”

“Tyler, it’s fine. I’m your RA, just let me treat you. You can cover me next time.” She said with a wink, leaving Tyler stunned as if he was suddenly trying to realize if he was being flirted with or not.

Annabeth was wondering if Ashe was seriously flirting with him or not when Piper looked mad as she sat down. “Don’t tell me I have to start distrusting you in shops too.” She threatened. 

Annabeth shrugged. “It’s like Ashe said, we’re RA’s. We like treating our students when we can.” 

Piper glared at her, clearly not going to let this drop but stayed quiet while Percy smiled at her. “Well uh… thanks. I’ll make it up to you later.” 

“Sure.” Annabeth said dismissively, not really caring much about settling any debts. 

Before long their drinks were called up and they grabbed them, everyone satisfied as they made their way towards the store. 

“This is… like really good.” Piper said, taking another big sip.

“I wouldn’t know.” Ashe mumbled, earning a snicker from Tyler who looked away innocently when she glared at him.

Annabeth ignored her friend. “It’s because they’re very very picky about their beans. Everything is pretty local and the baristas are carefully trained. They have high standards and it shows.”

“You should apply there.” Piper said, nudging Percy. 

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t take you for a coffee lover.”

“I’m not really, but my mom works in a candy shop and for a few summers I worked as a barista at the cafe across the street since my mom befriended the owner and got me the job.”

“What do you think got me addicted to fraps? I felt bad bugging him at work if I didn’t order anything so I kinda picked up the habit.” Piper continued.

Annabeth glanced a Percy, suddenly picturing him with rolled up sleeves and an old apron as he worked at a coffee machine, swaying his hips slightly to whatever popular song was on the radio and Annabeth wondered if she could put in a good word with Malcolm…

As they walked, Ashe and Annabeth took turns pointing out other smaller locations that were good to know about the campus that wasn’t covered in the tour. 

Approaching the store, they saw a line that formed outside the doors. “At least it’s not that bad.” Annabeth offered.

The new students shared a look, disbelieving her. 

Smirking, Annabeth shrugged. “The first few days are pretty crazy.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“It’s awful.”

Tyler and Ashe said at the same time respectively, before looking at each other with surprise. 

“Did you two practice that or…” Piper offered.

“It won't be that long of a wait.” Tyler replied.

“But standing around doing nothing in the cold is the worst.”

Ashe turned to Percy and Piper. “And now you get to see Ashe’s kryptonite. She’s impatient and hates the cold. The time to strike is now.” She explained as if tutoring them. 

Ashe just kicked the back of Annabeth’s shoe gently. “What happened to being a team?”

“We have a wait so I figured messing with you was the best way to pass the time.” The line inched forward as a few more students were allowed in the store to start shopping so they stepped forward. “See? Time flies.” She teased, earning a laugh from Percy. 

Ashe was pouting slightly, rubbing her arms. Before she could say something most likely rude, she was cut off be a cup being offered to her. Tyler was smiling softly, if not looking a little sheepish. 

“You look a little cold… and it’s still warm and you did pay for it. So I thought you might want some.” He clearly started to lose his confidence and he started to take his hand back. “Er… so-”

Ashe reached out, grabbing the cup gently. Taking a brief sip, she smiled before handing him the cup back. “Thank you, that actually did help warm me up.”

Judging by the blush on Tyler’s face, Annabeth had a feeling he was feeling pretty warm too. 

“N-No problem.” He offered.

Ashe tucked some of her hair behind her ear, looking off towards the crowd, giving Annabeth a chance to see the back of her neck was flushed. 

Glancing over at Piper, Piper was giving her the same look as if saying “Are you seeing this?”

Annabeth smirked and held up 2 fingers. Percy seemed clueless but Piper seemed to get the hint before shaking her head and holding up three.

Annabeth mouthed “weeks” and Piper shook her head, mouthing “months.” 

This brought a frown to her face, wondering why she thought it would take so long for these two dorks to get together when they’re so obviously crushing on each other already, but she couldn’t really have the conversation sneakily, at least without the pixie girl probably actually hitting her and based off what she knew about one of her sisters, Ashe probably knew how to hurt someone if she wanted to. “Resident Angel” or not, Annabeth did learn to avoid getting on her bad side if she could help it. 

They made their way to the door to enter the little hallway of the student union leading to the store and without any hesitation, Percy had moved over and was leaning against the door to prop it open since they couldn’t quite make their way in fully yet.

Smirking slightly, Annabeth had to admit that was nice to see guys that seemed so thoughtlessly considerate. 

“So, I’m not sure if you were fully awake before Tyler. Do you know what books you need?”

Tyler looked at her, pausing mid sip from his drink.

Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out a paper, unfolded it to show a clean list of his classes, and each book with a few marked with a (?) causing Annabeth to raise an eyebrow approvingly while the rest of them looked shocked. 

He just glanced at them, mildly confused. “If you check online for each class it often says what books to buy or wait on, or at least a list. I didn’t want to spend time fumbling around a store so I wrote it up last night. I wasn’t fully sure how ordering them ahead of time would work either, so I went with this.”

Annabeth felt proud someone else out of their group seemed to be responsible and she gave a pointed look to Ashe. 

“I learned eventually!” She mumbled, refusing to make eye contact. 

“After borrowing my book for 4 weeks cause they ran out by the time you went to buy them…”

“They should have ordered more!”

She gave a mildly betrayed look to Tyler who was still surprised by the reaction to him being responsible. 

“Stop making me look bad and just go back to sleep!”

She complained half heartedly, taking another sip of her drink. 

They started to approach the entrance finally and Annabeth down the rest of her drink. “Finish up your drinks, they’re really picky about not letting drinks in the shop. Too many people spill stuff.” They all nodded and quickly started finishing their drinks, tossing them in a nearby trash as they finally had the chance to filter in. 

Annabeth lead the way to the back of the store, starting to point out where the various sections were and how to read the shelf tags. Some time passed, and after helping Piper find her last class, and reassuring Percy that used books were perfectly fine, and the smarter choice for the price, Annabeth quickly scooped up her books.

They made their way to Ashe who was finishing up picking up a heavy book on cooking theory, who seemed utterly disheartened at the prospect of having to lug it around for at least a term, they saw Tyler standing off to the side looking sheepish. Her RA instincts took over, and before she could try to aid him Ashe was already approaching him with a warm smile. 

“Trouble finding something, Mr. Prepared?” She teased, a genuine care obvious.

“No… I uh… didn’t want to ditch you guys. And… I didn’t… really know where the line started…” He mumbled, his shyness clearly creeping back up. 

Ashe just nudged his basket with hers. “They really do need better markings. Especially on opening days like this, plus its not like students ever follow them anyway so they have to keep fixing it like every two minutes. C’mon it’s over here.” She said, leading the way while comparing the rest of the shop to an escape room while trying to find anything. 

Annabeth just appreciated how smooth her friend was, yet again.

“Ready?” She said, double checking to see that her own residents had all the books they needed. She saw Percy’s eyes trail over to the clothing shelves. “Wanna look?”

He shook his head after a moment. “Nah… I should see how much these books end up being first anyway. I can grab one later.”

Annabeth nodded, before making sure they got in line behind Ashe and Tyler. 

A few more minutes later and they were out of the shop, bags in hand as they started the rather long trek back to their dorm. 

As they walked they compared book weights, and it seemed like Percy drew the short straw this time, his bag was pretty heavy. Meanwhile Tyler was pretty well off relatively, earning yet another glare from Ashe as she hoisted her bag a little higher, that one rock of a book reminding her of her burdens. 

As they passed by the cafeteria near the dorms, they noticed Tyler slowing down slightly, starting to drift towards it. 

“Let’s put our stuff away then we can grab some food.” Annabeth offered, noting how hungry Percy was looking too.

As they made their way back up to the rooms, they promised to meet for food in a bit and Annabeth went back to her room. Setting her books off to the side near her bag, she smiled.

She was glad she had already made some new friends. The last year she mostly hang around the other RA’s and focused on getting through her work. Sure she got on well with most of the students, but finding her own friend group was never a high priority. She wasn’t in college for fun after all. But… thinking back at Percy’s laugh Annabeth figured it might not be bad to adapt her plans a bit.

After they got breakfast together, the day passed pretty quickly. Another meeting to go over some more RA responsibilities and the floor meeting they had tomorrow morning. Some students had some more questions, like always, and she took the opportunity to hang out in the lobby and read the first part of the first chapter for one of her classes to get a headstart on the work. 

Towards the end of the night it seemed most people were feeling the effects of a crazy day. Percy and Annabeth were lounging on the couch again, watching a basketball game with a few others. Jason and Reyna were out on another walk through the dorms to make sure everything was okay, Ashe was letting another student who had been locked out. Tyler was in the corner of the room pouring over some kind of folder and intently staring at some pages. Her curiosity was piqued, but she figured Ashe would figure it out eventually and ramble about it to her.

Ashe returned not long after, plopping down at the table she was sitting at with a dramatic sigh. “People should be able to remember their keys this early on…” She complained. 

Annabeth just patted her arm. “They really should… chocolate?” She said, sliding her a piece of her hershey’s bar. 

The girl’s eyes lit up like it was christmas and she ate it happily, seemingly back to normal. A small smile graced Annabeth’s lips, amused with how easy it was to pep up her friend’s spirits. They chatted a bit about the floor meeting coming up, and how they planned to cover all the subjects. Eventually though Ashe’s attention shifted to Tyler and his mysterious focus and she wandered over before long. Resting her chin on her palm, Annabeth watched Ashe talk to the boy, point at the paper, and leaned over his shoulder to get a better look. Which amusingly had the boy get flustered and start stammering as he tried to explain whatever it was. A moment later the paper was on the ground and Tyler was starting to explain whatever it was to her with a lot of pointing and hand gestures, which Ashe seemed to be eagerly responding with. 

Glancing down at her own page of notes, she suddenly felt like she was falling into her old habits again. Closing the book and setting it in her bag, she made her way around to plop onto the couch next to Piper. 

The girl turned her head to her. “Done with your homework for the semester?”

Scoffing, Annebeth just adjusted her ponytail. “I was just getting some work done. Being an RA means you never know when your free time will be taken away from you.”

Piper nodded. “That’s fair I guess. I’ll make sure I’m super inconvenient for you.” 

“Already doing a good job of that.” Percy chimed in, earning a laugh from the blonde and a glare from his best friend.

“For real though, I’ve said this before and I’ll say this again. Feel free to come to me with any worries you two have. We’re RA’s for a reason and it is our job to help anyway we can.”

They both nodded and were seemingly satisfied. As the night wrapped up Annabeth could tell they were starting to get a little antsy. “Nervous about classes?” 

“Yeah… we did two years at community college but I’ve heard horror stories of actual universities…” Percy muttered. 

Piper just nodded, playing with the feather in her hair. 

“It’s really no different. Every teacher is different. Some are stricter and some are more goofy. As long as you are honest with them, go to them if you need a little more help, you should be fine. I can’t promise you won’t get any annoying teachers, but this really isn’t much different from community colleges. Just a little… nicer. And more expensive.”

Annabeth paused, noticing how earnestly they were listening to her. A few other students nearby seemed to be listening to her so she sat up a bit, shifting into RA mode a little. 

“The most important thing to remember if that you guys aren’t alone here. I don’t just mean the RA’s or the counselors either. All of the students here are just like you, just trying to graduate and get through this year.” She offered. 

“She’s right, as usual.” Ashe’s voice chimed in from behind her. Tilting her head back, she saw Ashe standing behind the couch, her hands resting on Annabeth’s shoulders gingerly. 

“Even the people who you think are the most put together are also just trying to keep things together. No one has all the answers, and everyone has the same doubts.” She continued, her voice carrying a bit. “Annabeth isn’t the perfect student, and I worry about making friends just like you all. Don’t think that we’re any different from you. So don’t lock yourself away. The worst thing you can do in college is make it make a lonely experience yourself.”

Annabeth smiled up at her friend, appreciating the honesty. The students were all murmuring agreement, seemingly taking their words seriously. 

“They’re right. Besides, we have a lot of different kinds of students here too.” Jason’s voice cut in with a confident tone as he returned with Reyna from their patrol. 

“Any interest you have I can assure you there’s a few others here with it as well. Whether its sports, academics, gaming, music, food, musicals, or even just relaxing your days away. You can find people with similar interests.” He continued.

“But also remember that college is the best place to learn about new things too.” Reyna chimed in, crossing her arms and offering a confident smile. “While there are plenty of people here that you can connect to, there are plenty of people you might not have many more opportunities to talk with in the future. Try new interests, listen to other people’s perspectives. You don’t have to agree with everyone, but be respectful and listen and you might just learn more around others than you will in your classes.” She continued. 

“Just look at your RA’s. Jason’s the captain of the cricket team, I’m the captain of the volleyball team, Annabeth is one of our best students and Ashe just likes food.” She said, earning a glare from the pixie girl. Reyna just flipped her off, though she was grinning at her friend. “And she’s one of the sweetest friends you could have, I guess.” She relented, a hint of fondness slipping through. “But Jason is a dork who also likes staplers…” Which earned a swift kick to her leg from the boy. She continued on with a slight grunt of pain in her first few words. “Annabeth works so hard she forgets she’s human during finals week and starts to fall apart.” Annabeth shot a glare at her friend, hoping she had a point with all of this. “Ashe is the antithesis to Annabeth and once forgot she had a midterm…” “THAT WAS ONE TIME.” The girl cut in, earning a laugh from Annabeth. “And I almost got kicked out freshman year for fighting.”

That earned some murmurs from students who were now looking at Reyna with a healthy respect. 

“We’re all a mess, and all very different from each other, even if we’re good at different things. But they’ve been my closest friends since I first started going here and I never would have expected it before.” Reyna confessed, her voice uncharacteristically soft. “So college can be a bit unexpected, but as long as you come into it with an open mind and an open heart, I have confidence that you all will be fine. Now get some sleep because missing your first class of the year isn’t the way to start it off.” She finished. 

The students all looked at each other for a moment, before nodding. A few of them said thanks, and one asked about the cricket team, another about volleyball, and they started to trickle to their rooms. 

“Like staplers? REALLY?” Jason asked, glaring at his friend. 

Piper turned towards him. “I was wondering about that…”

Jason dropped his head in his hands. “I hate her. If I didn’t think she could kick my ass I’d have kicked hers by now.”

Reyna just laughed, resting an arm on his shoulder as she leaned against him. “That scar on his lip is from when he chewed on a stapler as a kid.”

Piper just burst out laughing. “That’s really cute.” Jason looked mortified and Percy laughed.

“I just like food?” Ashe said with a dangerous lilt in her voice as she started walking towards Reyna, squaring her up. “That’s all you could say about me?” 

“I had to make you sound kinda good for the point I was trying to make. You didn’t give me much to work with.” She countered.

Ashe glared at her before her gaze drooped slightly. “Sor-” 

Reyna pulled her friend into a tight hug. “You know I’m just teasing. You’re the best chef I know and the only thing sweeter than your pastries are you.” 

Ashe returned the hug before looking at her with a warm smile.  

Reyna shrugged. “Besides, I can’t tell everyone you’re the best chef otherwise they’ll have you cook for them and I’ll get less food.” 

“You just like me for my food.” 

“Yes.”

Ashe laughed and punched Reyna in the shoulder, before yawning. “It’s so late.” She mumbled, eyes drooping now that the responsibility of being a good RA had passed her body wasn’t liking the hour. It was starting to near midnight after all. 

“Really? It doesn’t feel that late to me.” Tyler chimed in, having listened to the little speech patiently behind one of the chairs.

Glancing over at the two, Annabeth noticed the stark contrast to the morning. Ashe looked like she was about to pass out and Tyler seemed like it was dinner time for him. 

“Stupid night owls.” Ashe muttered, before yawning again. 

“Alright, that little speech applies to us too. You should all go to bed since you’re not on call tonight. Reyna and I have it from here.”

Jason ordered, looking at them. 

They all finally agreed and gathered their stuff heading off to their rooms for the night.

As annabeth put her bag off to the side so it would be ready for her classes in the morning, she began changing into her pajamas. Smiling, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was really looking forward to this school year.

XxXxXxXxX

Oooo that was a long chapter. Still, I liked it! Lots of dorkiness and flirting. Please let me know how you like the AU and if I should continue it!

#percabeth #Percy Jackson #annabeth chase #pjo #HoO #reyna avila ramirez arellano #jason grace #Piper McLean

[lokis-lady-death]

Doesn’t Play Well With Others Episode 2

Loki x Reader

Lady Death: This is less of a series and more of a few snippets of of stories from Stark Towers in Brazil. Reader is an ice mutant that, when S.H.I.E.L.D. disbanded joined the Avengers. Months had passed since the defeat of Thanos and Loki has become a live-in member of the team. The problem? You’ve been put in charge of his training.

Episode 1 (part one has in-heat Jotun!Loki smutt, but this chapter can be read without reading it if that’s not your fancy)

Doesn’t Play Well With Others Episode 2

Paperwork. The bane of anyone's existence. Monotonous, repetitious, boring paperwork.

That was what your Wednesday had become consumed with, more specifically the finalized, typed up, official statement of the Avengers regarding a special mission you, Sam, Nat and Loki had undergone in Russia (codename:Operation MotherLand). The reason you were doing this tedious deed? Because while on the mission, a civilian was caught in the crossfire. Luckily she survived with only a few bumps and bruises, but (as a part of the deal Tony and Steve had made with Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross in construction of the new Sokovia Accords) there must be a detailed report of what caused the civilian to be injured during one of your missions.

It was a hassle, but a necessary one. Just a small price to pay to have the Avengers reinstated and everyone cleared of their past grievances with the legislation.

But the reason you yourself were tasked with this assignment was a bit more complicated: the woman hurt in Russia was injured due to Avenger-in-training Loki, who happened to be under your supervision. His mistakes, it turned out, were your mistakes.  

On Monday:

~”Oh, no, Loki was y/n’s responsibility in Russia,” Sam exclaimed when Ross informed Tony over the speakerphone that there would need to be formal documentation of the entire mission. “I’m not getting stuck with homework all because she couldn’t handle that green diva!”

“No one can handle him, that’s why he was dumped on me in the first place!” you argued. “Nat, come on, you can't agree with him?”

But the Black Widow only shrugged her shoulders. “Im sorry, y/n, but you are technically in charge of him. You knew the risks when you let him come on the mission with us.”

“He has to get experience in the field, you all know that…!”

“All mute points,” Ross interrupted, silencing the room. “I need this event documented or else…”

“Yeah, yeah, or else you’ll have us extradited out of Brazil back to the states and charge us with treason, lock up our loved ones, bla bla bla, evil government jargon. Yes, Rossy. We know the whole spiel, we’ll get you that stuff as soon as… oh no... you’re ….breaking up… Ross-ter?”

“Stark!” echoed in the room before Tony ended the call.

He rolled his eyes and sighed before he turned towards you. “So… about this report?”

“You’re really going to stick me with this? That was an eight month long mission, its going to take me days to write it all up!”

“Then I suggest you get to writing,” the man of iron suggested before patting you on the back. “And next time maybe keep a better eye on our little Shakespeare in the Park. This time someone got a little banged up, but what about next time?” ~

So here you were, writing out a novel’s worth of information to satisfy the governments of the world rather than doing any actual work or training. Which wasn’t too bad, you had to admit. After this past weekend, you could use a break from Loki’s contentious attitude. You hadn’t seen him since the two of you were locked together in the containment box and frankly you didn’t want to.

It had turned out Loki Odinson, declared prince of Asgard, was actually a frost giant. What's more, he had convinced Thor to lie to you while he hid away, going through some type of animalistic heat cycle that ended with the two of sleeping together. Suffice to say, things between you were a tad more complicated. You had an already stressful enough relationship since he had joined the Avengers, so much so that you didn’t need the added complication that would come from talking about what had happened: one time, didn't mean anything, never gonna happen again sex.

You typed away on the computer, trying to push Loki to the back of your mind as you turned up the music on your phone.

He had distracted you since Saturday when the “incident” occured. Afterwards you locked him and Thor in the containment cell to teach them a lesson about lying to you- and partially because you needed a moment to yourself before having to face the brothers Grimm.

You had even threatened to tell Tony about the entire incident just to “put the fear of God” in them. In reality, in the three days since Tony has been back at the tower, you hadn't had the slightest inkling to rat the Odisons out.

And they both knew it, too.

Though you hadn't seen Loki since releasing them from their makeshift jail, Thor had made it a point to find you once he realized you hadn't reported them.

~”I greatly appreciate you keeping this weekend a secret, Lady y/n. It means  lot to my brother and I that you didn't tell Tony Stark… though I know I should tell him myself, but you see…” The god of thunder paused, trying to feel out his words carefully. “You see, I don't know if you've noticed, but Loki staying here has been a bit…”

“Messy, chaotic,” you interrupted, “Dangerous?”

“Yes, admittedly all of those things. It's just that I am all Loki has left. He doesn’t feel accepted by the Asgardians, he doesn’t feel accepted by Midgardians. I know him being here is not ideal and everyone has their doubts,  but I cannot abandon my brother. So you keeping this secret for him, it really means a lot to us both. Even if he won't admit it.”~

There wasn’t much you could say to him at the time, just nod and go on about your day. Truth be told, you were keeping another secret for Loki (the two of you sleeping together) but you weren’t going to be the one to let him know.

“Shit, I’m never going to finish this,” you grumbled when you were STILL dwelling on Loki and things related to him. It wasn’t made easier that the report you were writing was practically about him.

Accepting you weren’t going to get anything done, you looked down at your mug. You didn’t know how long you had been working, but what was left of your coffee had gotten cold and you were starting to get hungry. Saving your work, you closed your laptop and ventured out of your room to the kitchen in your apartment.

You were walking through the hallway when you heard three distinct, short raps at your apartment door.

“Just a sec,” you shouted, peaking in the mirror that hung in the hall. You cursed yourself for not bothering with makeup this morning, less from the dark circles under your eyes and more for the sizable teeth marks embedded in the crook of your neck from where Loki had bitten you. You pulled your hair out of its tie and wrapped it methodically around your shoulders until you were sure it was hidden enough.

When you got to the door, you tapped the special keypad on the side to activate the two-way-mirror feature installed on all the apartment doors that allowed anyone inside to see who was at their door.

Your heart thumped extra hard at the sight of Loki standing with his hands folded behind his back, impatiently shifting from one foot to the other as he stared off down the hall nervously.

You couldn’t help but scoff, “Speak of the devil.”

Closing your eyes you tried to envision what could possibly come of speaking with him, until he knocked again in the same manner.

This time you managed to make out the squareness of his shoulders, the tightness of his lips.

He was in a serious mood, making you all the more apprehensive to answering the door.

You finally swung it open, meeting his grimace with a wide eyed and toothy smile. “Well if it isn’t everyone’s favorite My Chemical Romance backup dancer. Is there something I can help you with?”

He pulled a piece of paper out from behind his back. “We had training. We were scheduled at 0800. It is now 1200,” he told you pointedly. You couldn’t help but quirk you brow, confused that, of all things, this is what he had come to discuss.

“What a surprise. All the times I’ve had to hunt you down and drag you to training and the one day I forgot, you actually hunt ME down?” You took a moment to appreciate the poetic irony of the moment before declaring, “Yeah, I’m not doing that. I’m busy with paperwork. But I appreciate the enthusiasm, keep it up and I’ll be ready to get right on that training as soon as I’m done. Okay bye,” and you tried to shut your door.

Loki shoved his heavy boot in the doorway in time to stop it from closing.

“No, that isn't all. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you avoiding me. First you didn’t even tell me of the meeting with the man of iron Monday and, counting today, you have missed three training sessions.”

Your eyes narrowed up at him but you didn’t say anything.

What could you say, he wasn’t wrong. Even now, being this close to him, you felt an ache begin to form in the pit of your stomach. An ache you didn’t quite know how to place.

Loki cleared his throat, looking away when he told you, “While I appreciated the peace and quiet at first, now I am quite curious as to whether or not we should discuss what happened…”

You begged your heart to stop pounding in your chest, but failed. “Absolutely not, there’s no reason to do that. We can go back to our regularly scheduled bickering sessions when I’m not knee deep in this report.”

“Report, what report?” There was a height in his tone, perhaps concerned over the linguistics of your report.

“Don’t worry, it’s not on THAT. It’s about the mission in Russia last week.”

“Why?” he asked incredulously. “If I remember correctly, the mission was a success.”

“You realize you caused a woman to get hurt?”

At that Loki let out a scowl, realizing what particular moment you were speaking of. “I diverted a weapon from hitting a teammate- you, actually, if I remember correctly. I thought that’s what Avengers did was save people? Is that not what you heros are always going on about? Saving lives?”

“Not teammates lives, you greased up Link-wannabe, you’re supposed to protect civilians! Not help a building to fall on them!”

In the midst of Operation MotherLand, while coming under heavy fire from several assailants, Sam and Nat were split up from you and Loki. You had instructed Loki to maintain the four civilians with you while you tried to get the upper hand in the situation. You had managed to radio Nat and could make out a clearing to get through behind the shooters. Unbeknownst to you, someone had come up behind you with the intention of ending the stand-off. Loki instinctively grabbed hold of the man and threw him. Fortunately for you, the assailant hadn’t had time to take the shot. Unfortunately for one of the civilians, Loki had thrown the man into a column supporting the roof over your heads, crumbling the the already damaged structure. The building began collapsing around you all and, while all four civilians weren’t killed, one woman’s leg had gotten pinned under some rubble.

“I promise I’m the first one to acknowledge what you did was... helpful. But the fact remains that our job was to secure the terrorists and help any innocents who got in the crossfire. My safety, your safety, anyone else on our team, it all comes after. There is only the mission and ensuring civilians make it out.”

Squaring his jaw, Loki clicked his tongue before responding, “I’m sorry, Lady y/n. Next time I’ll simply allow the enemy to shoot you.”

The two of you locked eyes as you opened the door enough to step up to him. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen up: I didn’t join the Avengers to be saved, Loki. I’m not some damsel in distress. I joined to SAVE lives and while I love every single member on this team, I know, and they know, that if it comes to an innocent or one of us,” you shrugged your shoulders. “It’s called sacrifice. Everytime I go out, or Steve goes out, or Nat, or Sam or even Thor, we know there is always that chance that we may not come back. We do what we can to be smart about it, but the fact of the matter is innocents come first.”

“Oh! Please!” Loki snorted, pressing a finger to your chest and making you step backwards into the apartment as he moved forward. “You expect me to believe you’re so self righteous that you believe sacrifice to be the only way? The midgardian was hurt, but she lived. And you lived. Yes, she may have been worse for ware, but you would have died. I don’t see that as a bad trade.”

“Yep. Self righteous. Okay, Loki, I think that concludes this week’s episode of Days of our Lives, you can leave now,” you strained to say, no longer looking at him. This wasn’t the first time you had this fight. The two of you argued the entire flight home from Russia about this very same thing.

Letting out a sigh, you shook your head. “I’ll pick up our training when I’m done with this report. If you’re so broken up about missing training, you can go play with Tony’s simulators until then.” When he didn’t make a motion to move, you glanced up. “This is the part where you leave.”

You were stunned when, rather than turning to leave you in peace, the god of mischief stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

“Loki?” you spoke softly, feeling a rise in your chest. “What are you-”

“Why didn’t you tell Tony or the others?”

The change in subject was unexpected, and honestly you wondered if he was talking about him being a Jotun or the sex you had. “Maybe I did?” you lied.

Loki snickered at the suggestion, tilting his head to show you the smirk on his face. “Please, darling, lying to the prince of lies?” He tsked. “Really. Why didn't you tell them? I know you have all been itching to cast me out, so why ruin a perfectly good opportunity?”

“Cast you out?” you repeated. You backed away, needing some distance and hoping he wouldn’t notice how tense he made you. “We don't want to cast you out, you hard headed asshat. We want you to FOLLOW DIRECTION. And NOT LIE! Two habits that CLEARLY seem to be a foreign concept for you.”

When the god of mischief only  narrowed his eyes, you went on with a sigh. “Look, I already told you I won't tell anyone about you turning into Smurfette and as far as everything else,” despite yourself you blushed thinking about it, “It's really not a big deal. So much so we don't have to mention it. Ever.”

Loki watched you, no longer smiling, but deep in concentration as he mulled over what you said. “So you would keep all of this a secret?”

“What's a secret between teammates?” And in a bold action, you held out your hand. “I'll make you a deal, right now. I won't tell anyone about you being Frosty.” Loki reached out to take your hand, but you retracted it before adding, “BUT you have to promise you won't lie to me anymore cause that shit is getting real old real fast.”

The poker face the god of mischief wore was enough to make you second guess yourself, contemplating just how much risk you were taking in keeping his true Jotun bloodline from the rest of the Avengers. You had never had to keep a secret from your team and the feeling was bitter. You knew after the falling out between Steve and Tony that secrets didn’t make friends, but Loki and Thor were both right: the team didn't care for the raven haired x employee of Thanos. Any reason to discredit him would most likely result in his expulsion from the team.

But if you could train him to not be such a liability on missions, the new development might prove easier to wave off.

Before you changed your mind, Loki took your hand, wrapping his fingers tightly around your hand. “I accept.” He offered you a sly smile that only made you feel more uneasy. You hastily pulled your hand away to reach for the door’s handle.

“So now that's all cleared away, you can go play with the simulators and I can get my report….” as the door clicked out of its lock, Loki reached over your head and pushed the door back shut. You turned, looking up at him as you pressed your back to the door. “I take it there's more?” you tried to say in your normal bemused tone, when really your chest was fluttering. He was so close.

There was a darkness to his face you couldn't quite read, just different enough from his normal brooding manner to make you hold your breath.

It was the same look he had in the containment cell, minus the red eyes.

“Loki, you're sorta freaking me out, you’re not about to tell me frost giants lay eggs that burst out through people's chest right?” It was a half joke half serious concern.

“I haven't slept in days, y/n,” Loki confessed. He pressed a hand against his forehead as he went on, “Ever since I changed back -I cannot explain it- but I haven't felt… myself. Normally once a cycle is complete I feel fine but these past few days...” His eyes left yours just as you felt his hand come up and swipe through your hair. It wasn't until you saw his eyes widen that you realized he was looking at the bite mark he had left on you. “Did I...” His brow creased.

“It’s really no big deal,” you forced out, trying your damnedest to convince him so he would drop it.  

His jaw clenched while he tried to read any hidden messages you may be concealed. “Y/n, are you afraid of me?”

“Excuse me? Don't be ridiculous, of course I'm not-”

“Really?” he pressed, closing the space between you before leaning down into your ear. “Because I can only imagine how terrified you must have been-” His fingers traced up your arms, sending goosebumps all over your body. “-trapped alone in a cage with a monster...”

A hard set of knocks vibrated through your back, instantly making you go quiet even before Loki’s hand came down over your mouth. You didn’t know if he did it out of reflex or because he honestly believed you would scream, but you furrowed your brow at him before smacking his hand away.

“Yes?” you called out, noting the distinctive flaring of Loki’s nostrils as he waited for you to give him away.

“Hey, it’s Nat!”

You backed off the door and shoved Loki to the side, cracking the door just enough to not be rude but also hiding the god of mischief. You smiled at your neighbor from across the hall, beaming, “Sup! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Actually, I need a favor. I got a call to go back out to run more surveillance in Russia.”

“That job has really become a shit show hasn't it?”

“You don't even know the half of it. We are all due back out after we get a bit more intelligence on the overall operation. Turns out it's a little bigger than we originally thought.”

“Isn't it always?”

She huffed in agreement before asking, “Anyway, d’ya mind feeding Maleficent for me while I’m gone? Should be back in the next day or two.”

“Yeah, sure, no problem. Her food’s in the fridge, right?”

“Yup. Alright, I’ll see you when I get back, keep the satellite phone on hand for when I get bored of listening to Sam and his invincible move on Mortal Kombat.” You were jealous Nat always got paired off with Sam on these missions; he always had the best handheld games to make the time pass.

“Most definitely,” you agreed, leaning through the doorway to hug her shoulders. “See you. And stay safe.”

“I’m so safe my codename should be Safety Nat.” She shot you a look before you began pulling your door closed. You knew when she didn't start walking that she had something else she wanted to say, only opening it back up when she came out with, “Y/n, are you okay? You’ve been kind of quiet since the meeting the with Ross. You missed our wine date.”

“We had a wine date?” you laughed.

“Every weeknight is our wine date. So you've missed two.”

“And here you are, blowing me off for tonight's date. What a terrible pair we are.” Shaking your head with another chuckle, you clarified, “I’m fine, just been working on this stupid report.”

“How much more you got left?” But she didn’t let you answer. Instead, Nat reached out and took your hand in hers. “I’m sorry you’re kinda getting drug through it because of Loki, but it’s just like that with new recruits. Sometimes you luck up and get trainees that want to give it their all, follow the rules, and always know just what to do. But sometimes you get…”

“You get someone who wants to be a solo act and doesn’t understand how to be a team player,” you finished, feeling Loki’s eyes burning on the back of your head. “But it’s fine now. We’re working on some team building skills… ya know, something to help get him ready for our next mission. ”

“Well, I wish you all the luck in the world,” she told you honestly, giving you her signature smolder before waving her fingers at you, finally heading off.

You watched her disappear into the elevator down the hall until suddenly Loki's hand caught the door and pushed it closed, nearly clipping face. “Now, where were we?“

You pressed your hand to Loki's chest, forcing him against the door, making sure he saw you didn't flinch. “Let me take this opportunity to make this perfectly clear: I am NOT afraid of you. You think just ‘cause you turn blue and have freaky eyes you scare me? Please. I've gone head to head with the Hulk after Bruce flipped out in the middle of a covert mission in Argentina. Blue, green, purple, I dont give a shit what color someone is, i’ll kick anyone’s ass that breaks off from a mission.” Loki inhaled sharply and you could tell you had made your point to the god of mischief: that he, in fact, didn't frighten you in the least.

After a long moment of the two of you trying to stare each other down, you let him go.

“You lied to your friend,” Loki grumbled under his breath while he straightened his cloak,, his eyes never once leaving you. “You said we were working on team skills.”

“We are,” you snapped back, aggravated by his relentlessness. “1800 hours. Meet in training room 7b. And don’t bring this shitty attitude.”

His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed, all while he thought on the suggestion. “Alright. 1800 hours, 7b. I’ll see you then.” Retreating, he glanced over his shoulder at you one last time before closing the door behind him.

Leaning your back against the door and letting your body slide down, you couldn’t help but breath out in relief that he was finally gone. Regardless of how good your straight-face game was from years of training in special ops and concealment, you were beginning to waver. Putting your hand on your chest, you willed yourself to breath, trying to calm down enough to think straight.

How were you going to be able to train with Loki if simply looking at him made your heart race? When touching him made you breathless?

You ran your hands over your face, letting out an UGH as you remembered you still needed to go finish the report.

Like my garbage? Read more of it! Master List

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[blueyesandleatherjacket]

Ghost of you, 5/?

Volume: 1.

Number of parts: 5/?.

Pairings: Human!Nine x Rose; Human!Ten x Jack; Clara Oswald x Olivia Baxter (OC).

Synopsis: "The tension reached its climax when the lockdown was pronounced. Rose’s heart sank in her chest. The lockdown meant the danger had come to the building. The team outside had gone into troubles and they were running back inside for safety."

A/N: I've started writing this fiction last year after I had a particularly weird dream (as usual) and after I wrote the prologue, I've put it aside to work on other stuff. I've gone back to it not so long ago and decided that it would be the fiction I would post next, after not posting anything for a while. I must have watched I am legend and Game of thrones way too much to come out with something like this but I hope you will like it. I am not a scientist, nor did I have a particular knowledge of sciences. I do my researches on the internet like everyone to make sure everything is as close to the reality as possible. I have a literature degree only. Writing is what I do and it makes me explore next fields, and learn new things.

“No matter how devastating our struggles, disappointments, and troubles are, they are only temporary.” - Mark Twain.

CHAPTER 5:

Rose was pacing up and down nervously in the entrance hall. Clara was by her side but nothing she was saying was helping. The woman was too worried and too angry to calm down. Her husband had been missing all day and now she was learning that a team had been outside and that they were coming back in a rush. She had jumped to conclusions maybe but she was certain that he was part of this team. Liv had openly lied to her when she said she didn’t know where he was. She had all their names. She had approved of them leaving the building. She had kept everything secret until that alarm rung through the building. Someone had turned it off now that Liv was inside the tent with Jack, but the tension had increased because no one knew who was coming in. Had Martha been a part of the team? That would explain why she had been absent all day. The tension reached its climax when the lockdown was pronounced. Rose’s heart sank in her chest. The lockdown meant the danger had come to the building. The team outside had gone into troubles and they were running back inside for safety. Were they together? Rose felt bad. A bad feeling was growing inside her stomach, suffocating her. Maxence had often told her how a panic attack was starting but she never felt this way before. She wondered if that was what he was going through every time he had one. She was barely aware of the lockdown, of Clara’s hand on her shoulder. She resisted when her friend tried to take her away from the entrance hall, from the doors that were separating her from her husband, but she couldn’t do much and ended up in a small storage room. Clara forced her to sit down. She rummaged through the selves to find a single paper bag. She knew how to treat a hyperventilation fit thanks to her medical course and Rose, as a reflex, breathed into the bag until she was calm again. She was left with her anger for Liv, for Maxence, for whoever had forced him to go outside. She was furious against that damn virus that had stolen their lives and caused them to live in that constant nightmare oppressing them all. Anger was easier to handle than pain and fear but Rose had never felt an anger so intense. An anger mixed with a suffocating fear that was boiling in her veins and forcing its way. She couldn’t just stay here while her husband was outside. He would move heaven and earth to find her if she was out there. She had to do the same for him. She couldn’t give up on him in this critical moment. But first, she had to tell Liv her point of view on the matter. Rose didn’t like being lied to, and certainly not when it came to something as big. She put the bag aside and looked at Clara. The brunette almost stepped back. Rose’s eyes were burning with such a rage that anyone who would want to face her right now would get smashed on the face. Clara was feeling a bit of fear. She wasn’t scared of Rose – time had taught her how to be on her good side – but she was scared for Olivia who was gonna have to face her fury first, for Maxence who would definitely would have to sleep in a dormitory after the quarantine. She wasn’t gonna forgive this any time soon. Her husband was the most precious thing Rose had in life. Clara knew her story well. If she ever lost him… Clara closed her eyes and sighed as Rose clenched and unclenched her fists, ready to punch someone. They all had a story with Maxence in here, but for Rose, he was the knight in shining armour who had come on his white horse to save her from an abusive boyfriend. At that moment, he happened to be living in the flat’s above Jimmy Stone’s. It wasn’t the first time he was hearing yells that night. He had gotten used to it and was feeling sorry for the young woman who was handling so much hate from a despicable person. He had met her a couple times. She was a lovely woman – not half of the things she was being called by Jimmy – and she was beautiful. He had been jealous at one point, but then, he knew that she was unhappy and he hated the fact he had no clue to have Jimmy Stone sent to jail. However, that night had been different. He had heard the yells, the fight and the distinct sound of door slamming. A long silence. And Rose yelling again, begging for Jimmy to spare her life. Maxence had forgotten about studying to run downstairs. He had knocked down the front door of the miserable flat and run toward the yells he could hear. Rage had filled him when he saw the poor Rose huddled on the dirty ground trying to protect herself from the man standing above her, his fist ready to meet with her face. Maxence was quicker. He grabbed the man’s wrist and pushed him away. Of course, Jimmy wasn’t happy with this and he charged Maxence. The two men had fought until Maxence managed to knock him out. He hadn’t lost any time and had gathered a terrified Rose in his arms to run to his mother’s. Not to his flat, he had run straight to his mother. In the family, they sure knew how to deal with violent men. Maxence was only two when Joanne Spitz had thrown her husband out of the house. She had handled his abusive behaviour for too long and him starting to take his rage out on her son was the last straw. She had protected her son and gotten rid of the man. He could have come back, but he never did. Not that Joanne knew at least. But Maxence remembered that night his father had sneaked into the house to threaten him to come back one day. Joanne had always thought the fingers of his left hand got broken because he had caught them in his room’s door after a draught pushed it shut. He had never admitted to her that it was his father that had done this, that he had had to bite the inside of his cheek very tight not to scream from the pain. He had only cried after his father was gone again. Joanne had only shown gentleness to Rose and given her all the good cares she needed. Maxence wasn’t much around because of his studies but when he was coming, he was always making sure she was okay. It had taken her a while before she could recover from this relationship. She had grown fond of this family who adopted her like it was something they did every day. Maxence was accompanying her when she wanted to have a day with Olivia – still living at the orphanage after his last foster family got rid of her – and Clara and the four of them were having fun together. He was the one who had inspired them to study sciences. They had picked their own field and followed his steps. In a way, he had saved them all from terrible lives and shown them a bright future. And when the time had come, he had called them all to be a part of his team. “Maybe he’s not part of this team,” tried Clara. “No. He would have told us if there was a team going outside for whatever this mission was.” Clara had to admit that Rose was right on this point. Maxence was always keeping the team updated on the missions and the new leads. He sure had sent them the latest discover and they had sent him their first attempts to create a cure but he had never talked about a mission. What was it all about? “He wouldn’t have done it if he was given the choice, you know that.” “And that’s all the problem. It means that he’s been forced to go outside and there’s one or two persons who can cause that.” “That’s what is frightening me.” Rose put aside her rage. She couldn’t let it out now. She couldn’t go and yell at Liv until she was done with the people coming back, nor could she yell at Maxence who better be in that tent with the rest of the team. So instead, she let the other emotions come. Now, the sadness was coupled to the fear. What would she do if he wasn’t in that tent with the others? What would she do if he hadn’t come back? Ever since she had met this man, she never imagined her life without him. He was her lifesaver, her knight in shining armour, but most of all, he was her husband, the man she loved. Without him, she was nothing. She would go back to that terrified teenager she was when he had knocked down that door. When that virus had hit the world, she thought to herself that if one of them had to be infected, she preferred being that one. He could survive without her and find this cure. Rose took her head in her hands and closed her eyes, letting out a deep sight. Tears were burning her eyes and the grip of panic was oppressing her chest again. What had she done to deserve this? Hadn’t she suffered enough through her life? “Rose. You can’t go on that way thinking… Thinking that he’s infected or…” “Dead already?” “Yes. You know him. You know him better than anyone. You need him and he’s very aware of this. He hasn’t gone and thrown himself in the lion’s den. He has been careful and now, he’s back here. Liv is making him go through all the tests before she can send him back to you.” “But what if…” Clara placed her hand on Rose’s chin and tilted her head up. Her eyes were bright with a certainty Rose wished she could have but only the despair and tears were shining in hers. “There’s no buts and ifs. He needs you to stay strong, Rosie. He’s doing all of this for you, for your future.” “There’s no future if he’s not there anymore.” Clara sighed. Rose was convinced that something had happened to her husband and nothing was comforting her. Clara didn’t know what to do or what to say anymore. Rose and Maxence were soulmates so maybe they could feel it when the other was in danger. If that was the case, Rose knew, before anyone else did, that her husband wouldn’t come back.

x

The quarantine lasted three full days and Liv had avoided Rose all along. She couldn’t face her. The names of the ten persons of that team hadn’t been revealed yet, but with the time passing by, everyone had noticed who was absent and they had guessed who was in the tent from there. They had all understood that the reason why Maxence wasn’t there was because he had gone outside and all the rumours had spread. Liv was fearing that day because the seven persons under the tent got to go back inside the building, because it was the day they were ending the lockdown. It meant that Rose’s suspicions would be confirmed. Liv’s phone was full of Rose’s messages asking her if she had seen Maxence and how he was. The woman hadn’t answered. She couldn’t. She didn’t know what to say. The truth would be too much for her. The doctor grabbed the papers coming out from the printer, the latest results on the seven members of the team. So far, they hadn’t shown any symptoms and the tests were all clear. None of them was infected it looked like. It was a relief for Liv, but she was too worried about the three missing persons. There was no doubt about the fact they were infected now. They couldn’t have survived so long outside. No one could. Especially not with the current times, with the virus mutating and causing the people to be aggressive. They could have found another place to hide, but if it was the case, why hadn’t they come back yet? Had they had a problem with the van? Were they walking? Liv hadn’t gotten any information from the seven members of the team she was keeping apart from the others. They had refused to speak, even to Jack who was accredited to hear reports from a returning team. Liv read the results the printer had just finished printing. All negative. They were all sane patients. She walked out of the med bay and straight to the tent. She didn’t pull on a hazmat suit. It was useless now. They all looked up when they heard her coming in and when they saw she was unprotected, a general feeling of relief filled the atmosphere. “The quarantine’s over. You’re all negative to the noctiagus. You’re free to go.” She didn’t need to tell it twice as they all got up at the same time and quickly went through the airlock and inside the building. Soon enough, Liv was alone inside the tent. She cleaned it. She didn’t want to go out. She was afraid of facing Rose. They all knew the quarantine was over today and they would come to see if their friends were back and safe. Rose would be first in line and there would be so much disappointment in her eyes, so much fear and anger and despair when she would see that Maxence wasn’t there. But staying hidden didn’t work this time as Rose came inside to find her. Well, she first looked around to see that there was no one left in there. Many emotions showed up on her face but only one remained when her eyes met Liv who hadn’t moved since she was in. She walked to her. “Tell me you’ve released him early because he is the boss.” For a few seconds, Liv remained silent. It was Rose’s last hope and she was gonna crush it. She swallowed, opened her mouth. Rose raised a hand. “No, don’t say anything.” Rose started pacing around. At least, here, no one could see or hear a thing. They wouldn’t see her blow a fuse and break down. It was totally sound-proofed. How could a tent be sound-proofed, no one had thought about it but nothing happening here had ever been heard in the building. “He was part of that team, innit? Of course he was. We haven’t seen or heard of him in almost four days. The only reason for this is him being absent. And for what? For a stupid mission who brought back just seven people out of ten? Maxence likes teams of ten people for this shit. Just the number of people he needs. Usually, he lets us know about his projects of going outside. But not this time. No, he has preferred going outside like a coward…” “I don’t think coward is the right word in this case.” “I don’t mind what you think!” Rose stopped pacing around the tent and darted her eyes burning with rage on the doctor. Liv didn’t move. She was ready for what to come. Now, she was the target. “If you had thought about this just for one minute, you would have told me what he had in mind. You would have told me he was going outside and I would have done everything to have him stay here. But no! You’ve kept silent! You’ve avoided me because you knew I would react this way and blame you for this!” “Yes.” “You’ve let him go, Olivia!” yelled Rose, and Liv took one step back at the mention of her full name. They never used it for a reason that belonged to her. “You knew he was going into the lion’s den! You knew he could die out there and you’ve let him go!” “Yes.” “Why have you done that?” “It was the orders.” “I don’t care about the orders!” “He has told me not to tell you anything until he was back. He didn’t want to go. He was terrified at the idea of not being able to make it back to you.” “So why has he gone?” “The Prime Minister asked him to. They were supposed to bring a living specimen to continue the researches. The governments are getting impatient. They want answers.” “The fucking governments are fucking hidden in those bunkers. They’re safe and they’re pushing us, sacrificing us for their world to come back, but they should wake up because the world is never gonna be the same way anymore if we ever find a solution. It won’t go back to a normal state, people won’t trust them anymore after that. And for the infected, hm? Even if we find a fucking cure, there still will have been deaths, people that will never come back to their friends and their families. And Maxence…” Her voice broke. “My Maxence will never be back because of them.” Thinking the rage was gone, Liv stepped closer to her friend and wrapped her in her arms but Rose pushed her away violently and slapped her chest. For a moment, Liv could just protect herself from Rose’s resurgence of rage and then, the woman just broke down in her arms and Liv just held her tight while she cried. She wanted to apologise, to say she was sorry but nothing would stop Rose’s pain right now. Maxence was gone. He wouldn’t come back. He would never come back. “He has promised.” “I know.” Liv put her hand in her pocket. She had kept this in there hoping she wouldn’t have to do it but obviously she had to. She pulled out Maxence’s access card and slipped it into Rose’s hand. “He wanted me to give you this if ever… He has left something for you in his office.” Rose sniffled and closed her hand tight around the card. He had known there were risks and he had left her something. A goodbye message. A message for her and her only. His last words to her. She pulled away from Liv and slowly made her way out of the decontamination tent. She was gonna straight to his office and listen to the message he had left her. And then, she would withdraw in their room and mourn the only man she had ever loved.

x

Liv was left alone in the tent now that Rose was gone but she didn’t have the strength to do anything anymore. Her friend’s rage and despair had gotten to her and she felt just as angry at the government for this and just as sad as Rose for losing Maxence. She sat down on a camp bed and took her head in her hands. Memories of Maxence crossed her mind. She remembered how radiant he had seemed to her the first time they met. It was a very bad time for her at the moment. Fifteen years old kid who had just been dumped from another foster family. She could have handled this if none of what had occurred in this family was so serious. She hadn’t spoken to anyone about this. Rose was recovering from the Jimmy incident and Clara had her family. Why would Liv bother them with her own problems? Maxence was Rose’s knight in shining armour and she wished she had had that chance when she was in this family. She wished someone could have saved her from hell. But there was just her. At first, it was nice. They were a gentle family and they were treating her like she was one of them. After all, they were all foster kids. She hadn’t realised the slippery slope she was on until she fell between his claws. The father was always making comments about her, always ogling her whenever she was around him. It was making her uncomfortable but she thought it was her imagination, that she was so shy and on alert – like all foster kids – that she was imagining things. Until she woke up and found him observing her during the night. Until he slipped into her bed and raped her. “Making love” he called that. The harm was done, for him and for her. He pretended that they couldn’t keep her in the house, that she had a bad influence on the other kids, that she was creating troubles and sent her back to the orphanage she had spent almost all her life in. She had been treated like a pariah and no one had ever wanted to adopt her after that. But worse of all, she had gotten sick at one time. So sick they had had to call an ambulance for her to go to the nearest hospital – more money spent for her, she would have to pay for it later – and they had found out she was having a miscarriage. She had been told a surgery was necessary, that this surgery had gone wrong and that she could never have children now. And throughout all these ordeals, she had hoped so hard that someone would come and save her. She had never gotten that chance. All of this threw her into a state of anxiety and mental breakdown. She had kept it all for herself but she was slowly drowning and wishing for it all to stop. She didn’t mind dying. After all she had gone through, it would be a relief. She had never found the courage to kill herself though. She couldn’t even harm herself. All she could do was stare at this scar on her belly and cry at night. And one day, she had met this man, Maxence. Oh magnificent heroic man. He had saved Rose and he had done something better for Liv the day he found out that the man who had hurt her was his father. Jeremy Backfire had recycled himself as the father of a foster family and was hurting other persons. Maxence had gone to confront him but he never gave the first punch. He had provoked Jeremy and let him beat him until the police was called. And Maxence had filed a complaint and sent Jeremy to jail. Just for Liv. After that, he had become her best friend, sort of her therapist too. He was the only one to know – she hadn’t dared telling Rose or Clara – and he was always there when she needed to talk. He sometimes had managed to sneak into the orphanage just to hold her when she needed to cry. He didn’t mind the hour of the night and day when she was calling, he was just making sure to free himself from whatever he was doing to come. Just because she needed him. He had never changed with time. In a way, he had saved her too, like he had saved Rose. She was the greatest danger for herself in the state of mind she was in and he had managed to change this. Now that he was gone, who would save them all? How would they survive without the man they owed everything to? They had to find him and create that damn cure. They had to bring him back to repay him for all the good he had done around him. “Open the doors!” Liv started as she heard a voice coming out of the security intercom. Wasn’t the lockdown supposed to be over now? The building should be open again. Unless someone else was coming in. But who could that be? They weren’t expecting anyone. Not until next week. And Liv didn’t dare hoping that it could be the three missing people. Jack rushed inside the tent followed by Rory and another security guy named Mickey. They were all wearing a hazmat suit. Liv raised an eyebrow. “Oh, Liv. You haven’t gotten the message?” “I was with Rose. What’s the message?” “Pull on a suit. I’ll explain you.” Liv nodded and went through the airlock and straight to the room where all the hazmat suits and other protection stuff were kept. She picked a suit that fitted her and pulled it on as fast as she could before she ran back inside the tent. No one was around this time. This was done in secret. Again. “Right,” started Jack. “to say it simply: I’ve been in touch with Allegro. He’s survived outside but when they came back here, the lockdown was already in place.” “They survived three days outside?” “Allegro did. We had a video chat from his hiding place. He isn’t infected.” “What about Maxence and Xavier?” “Xavier died on the field. Maxence is with Allegro. They’re bringing a living specimen.” “I’m sorry?” asked Mickey. “Listen, this was all the goal of this mission: bringing a living specimen. Something has gone wrong but they managed to catch one anyway and they’re bringing it here for us to work on it. They know they have to go through the quarantine and that’s why they’ve called us. Liv and I will do the tests on them. Rory and Mickey, you’ll bring the crate to the cages.” “What about the lockdown?” “We’re keeping it for another couple of days. London has fallen into complete madness and we have to stay safe.” The orders were given. Now, they just had to wait. Anxiously. Bringing a living specimen in wasn’t without risks. They had to be careful and do it the most discreetly possible. Liv was as anxious as the others but she was relieved still. Maxence was still alive. He was with Allegro who was keeping him safe. Maybe she had given his card to Rose a bit too soon. Once again, they were asked to open the doors so the van could come in the loading bay and parked as close to the tent as possible. Jack did it remotely. He was a brilliant scientist but when it was needed he could become a leader. Everyone – except for Colin maybe – recognised his authority here. The doors opened slowly with their distinct grating and that alarm sound they hadn’t cut off. But it wouldn’t be heard from the building anyway. Jack opened the tent and stepped outside. Liv, Mickey and Rory followed him. A black van was waiting for the doors to be opened enough to drive in. It sneaked inside and Jack ordered the doors to be closed immediately. Rory smirked when he recognised Allegro’s particular way of driving – as if he was chased down by the police and had to race and slalom all the way to his destination – but it disappeared when the van parked, back doors in front of them. Allegro jumped out of the car, his black combat dress partly ripped, and unlocked the doors. Liv was looking at the other door, hoping to see Maxence but thinking of that, if they had a living specimen, he would be sitting with it at the back. Her disappointment was huge when she saw there was nothing but the crate in the van. “Where’s Maxence?” “I’m sorry, Jack. I should have told you but the circumstances weren’t good.” “What do you mean?” Allegro grabbed the crate and dragged it to the edge of the van. It was a normal crate for the scientists. They were using it all the time to bring living specimen – usually it was animals and not humans. But to Liv, it was seedy. It was a long white plastic box with a square of Plexiglas for a window. There was a system for the prisoner to be able to breathe all along the trip. Nothing but a coffin for the doctor who swallowed her anxiety. There was a groan and the sound of someone knocking against the box. Terrifying. “It took me a while to load the crate with him inside in the van. We were surrounded. They haven’t touched the van thankfully.” “Allegro.” “He is inside the crate.” Liv closed her eyes and pushed away the wave of dizziness that overwhelmed her. She had thought he was dead because Maxence would have preferred being dead than being brought in that coffin. He maybe was back home but he was infected. If they didn’t find a cure, Rose would have to watch her husband wander like a zombie in a cage for the rest of her life. “Things have gone wrong the field. Xavier died to get Maxence back to us. The others just ran away in front of the danger.” Everyone was still, affected by this turn of events, while Maxence was roaring inside his box. Allegro respected their silence and knew the pain they felt but they didn’t have time to waste now. They had to bring him to the lab and go back to work to find a way to save him. Their motivation would be up now. No one wanted him to die. “Before the change started, he asked me to bring him back here. He wants his team to work on him. He recorded a video for them. Now, take him to the cage.” Rory and Mickey finally snapped back to reality. They both grabbed a handle of the crate and carried it inside the tent. They tried not to look through the Plexiglas but their curiosity was stronger. Rory felt the rage filled him. This was exactly what had happened to the woman he loved. Seeing their leader like this was like a stab in the heart of everyone and it reminded him too much of the day he had lost his Amelia. He pushed the thought aside and walked to the underground lab, making sure not to meet anyone on the way, while Liv and Jack started the tests on Allegro who had been exposed to the virus for too long for him to be fully healthy…

To be continued...

Ghost of you © | 2017 - 2018 | Tous droits réservés.

×××

In the next chapter:

I feel it, the noctiagus. It’s spreading in my body. It’s in my veins, burning every single nerve inside me. You probably can’t see it well but I know it. My eyes have turned black. Allegro has stayed with me. He locked me into the room of this sort of bunker we have found so I could record this last video for you. I’m gonna film my whole change into a nightwalker so you can have as many leads as possible for your researches. I’ve asked Allegro to lock me in the crate and to bring me back to the lab. I’ll be the living specimen I was supposed to catch. Jack has sacrificed Peggy for his new lead. I’ve been sacrificed for this mission and I’m giving you myself for your researches. I’m sorry this had to end like this. I believe in all of you. You’ll find that cure without me. No matter the time it will take. Goodbye.

×××

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#doctor who #ninth doctor #rose tyler #tenth doctor #jack harkness #doctor x rose #ficandchips #Ghost of you

[fullmetalgunfire]

So we finally finished the actual, final version of the eighth and final chapter of my gift fic for @blackwolfchimera... Sorry for the delay! But hey, at least there’s finally a good ending... Anyway, I do hope you enjoy it! We’re working on posting it to AO3 soon, too, which might be easier to read than on here...

Chapter 1 (plus explanation) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

The weekend passed in a blur that would have made the Tasmanian Devil dizzy. Even the small handful of school days that preceded the callbacks went by faster than usual as they crammed as much practice as they could into the time they had. They weren’t able to do as much without meeting for hours with their friends, but they still did what they could. Which meant time for anything but rehearsals, homework, and class was rare.

“Are you ready for this?” Roy asked when they finally saw each other the day of callbacks, squeezing Ed’s hand gently as they met up outside the theatre.

“I’m fine, Roy. Good to go. It’s you we need to worry about; you’re the one with the game to get to,” Ed replied with a light frown, “How are you feeling about all this?”

“Fine? I mean, I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” He said, running a hand through his hair nervously, “I have my uniform in my backpack just in case I have to change and just... Run to the gym.”

“I’m surprised you’re not already wearing it,” Ed teased, sliding his hand around the back of his boyfriend’s neck and pulling him into a brief but heated kiss, “Relax, okay? We’ve practiced for days. We’ve got this.”

Roy hummed softly into the kiss, looking more relaxed than before when Ed pulled away from him. “Yeah, I know. Just… Hoping it goes well, I guess. Shall we?”

Ed just nodded as they headed into the theatre together. Looking around, he noticed a distinct lack of people around, though he didn’t remember there being a lot of names on the callback list that had been posted. Maybe that was normal, it wasn’t like he was at all experienced in theatre productions. He noticed Ling and the other guy, their competitions for the leads, and a handful of others whose names he couldn’t remember in the slightest; he hadn’t bothered to pay much attention to anyone in particular on the list.

He and Roy wordlessly walked down the aisle and took seats together near the front, which was when Mr. Garfiel decided to make his appearance.

“Well, I’d like to welcome you all to the callbacks,” he said, looking out over them all as he took center stage, “All of you are in the running for some of the biggest roles in the production, but obviously I need to figure out who works best for what part. With that in mind, I’ll be calling you up in pairs and having you do a scene involving the characters I’m considering you for. When I call your names, please come onstage and I’ll give you the scripts I want you to use.”

Ed smiled a bit, completely relaxed as he squeezed Roy’s hand reassuringly. His hand, however, clenched down onto his boyfriends when Garfiel called up, not himself and Roy, but Roy and Ling.

“What the hell?” he hissed, glancing over at Roy, who suddenly looked panicked instead of calm. Panicked and probably just as confused as he was. He wanted to jump up and demand answers, and even let go of Roy’s hand to do so before he stopped himself. With them already on thin ice with this guy? Probably wouldn’t be the best idea to cause any kind of fuss.

Luckily, Ling decided to pipe up, and if he wasn’t sure that he was instrumental in sabotaging them, he might actually be grateful.

“Sir?  Why aren’t we being paired with our previous partners? I’ve been preparing for-”

“I might cast anyone in any role,” Garfiel interrupted, giving Ling an unimpressed look, “I need to know you’re prepared to work with any partner, not just which person is best for which role.”

“I guess that makes sense…” Roy sighed softly as he suddenly reached over and took Ed’s hand again.

Ed blinked at their hands, wondering why he did that, and why he wasn��t moving, for a moment. Then he realized he was probably seeking some kind of reassurance, so he smiled a bit and squeezed it gently. “You’re gonna do great, Roy. We’ve got this, remember?”

“Thanks.” Roy said with a small smile before he stood up and headed to the stage without another word.

Ed and the other boy were called up a moment later and he sighed softly as he stood and grabbed the script, then stepped over to meet up with his new partner. The guy didn’t exactly look happy to be there, more resigned than anything else, and Ed couldn’t help but wonder why.

“So…” he began, deciding to just cut to the chase rather than stand there awkwardly, “Which part have you been working on?”

“Um…the tutor,” he replied, finally looking up from his script, “You?”

“Shit...” he groaned, his eyes sliding closed, “Me too…”

“Oh, really?” the boy asked with a frown, eyeing the teacher thoughtfully, “Maybe we should go ask to swit-”

“No.” Ed interrupted, cutting off the guy’s thought before he even had time to finish it. He did not want to even be in the group that caused some kind of fuss... He sighed a bit, shaking his head. “No, I’ll just switch roles. I’ve been reading the entire script anyway, shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Oh, okay, thanks,” he said, offering him a small smile, “I’ve only really been thinking about the one role…”

Ed frowned at that, raising an eyebrow, “That’s not the smartest idea. Not if you want to get cast, anyway…”

“Well… I don’t. Not really.”

Ed’s eyebrows shot up at that and he stared at the kid for a moment, “If that’s the case…why the hell are you even here?”

The boy shrugged and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ling is a friend, you know?  And he thought he’d get the lead but he wanted someone opposite him that wasn’t horrible and I did theatre awhile back. I wasn’t bad, I guess, but I didn’t enjoy it much. But of course, Ling remembered and, well…”

“He asked you to audition with him to make him look good…” Ed supplied, shaking his head.

“More or less, yeah.”

“Right,” Ed mumbled, rolling his eyes with a sigh, “Well, anyway, want to go over this or whatever?”

They discussed what they were going to do with the scene for a bit, though the conversation died pretty fast. Ed found himself wishing that he was still working with Roy, at least he’d given him ideas as to what to do with things. With his partner not saying much, he let his attention wander a bit. His eyes drifted over to the stage, where Mei was sitting with Mr. Garfiel and pointing out little things here and there, trying to make him get the students to do the scene over again. He half smiled at that, but it was only moments later that the teacher lost his patience with her and called up the next pair before Mei could protest further.

His half smile dropped, and he automatically glanced over at Roy, who seemed to be arguing with Ling over something or other. Well that wasn’t good. Ed forced himself to take a deep breath and stay calm, telling himself that it wasn’t going to turn into a disaster. Just because it wasn’t going perfectly didn’t mean it was all going to go to hell, he couldn’t jump to conclusions.

The teacher called Roy and Ling up to do their scene a moment later, and he watched closely as they stepped up onto the stage and performed. It wasn’t great, both of them struggling to put up a good performance with different partners than they were used to. Clearly they didn’t gel well... But at least they were both pretty rough, which meant Roy wasn’t quite out of the running yet. And neither one of them was terrible.

He and his partner went up right after, and he felt they did pretty good. Probably a little bit better, actually. Which was to say that his partner was so incredibly flat that he could pretty much do whatever he wanted with his part and it still worked.

“That went well…” Roy muttered softly as he met up with Ed when he came down from the stage.

“No kidding. I know he’s trying to throw us off but fuck, how would that crap help him decide anything?” Ed asked, keeping his voice low so he wouldn’t be heard, “How was it, anyway? Working with Ling?”

“He’s actually not bad. Way less of a diva than we’ve been hearing, anyway,” he told him, also keeping his voice hushed, “But he definitely has his own ideas of how to do things.  Trying to get a word in about my own was like…”

“Pulling teeth?  Ripping limbs? Breaking bones?” Ed supplied with a grin before Mr. Garfiel interrupted their conversation.

“Alright all, that… Wasn’t bad,” he announced, clearing his throat and shifting some papers around,  “We’ll be moving on to the next segment – this one will be strictly for the four in the running for the two leads. I’ll be asking each of you to sing a solo sung by the character you’d prefer to play.”

Ed froze and his eyes widened a bit – that was unexpected. Glancing over, he saw that Mei had pretty much much the same reaction as him, so he assumed this one had been a surprise to her as well, probably a last-minute addition by the teacher. He felt incredibly lucky that she’d made them both go over the entire play several times, even if they didn’t practice everything. He had some confidence they’d do alright with this.

Mei managed to recover after a minute and quickly waved down the teacher. “Sir?  If we’re making the leads do that, why not everyone else? It’d only be fair…”

Ed smiled a little, mentally congratulating Mei for coming up with a brilliant solution for stalling the choreography section of the auditions… Right up until he heard the chorus of groans and complaints from the rest of the group.

“Well, unfortunately it doesn’t sound like anyone else is prepared for that. That isn’t much of a shock, as this was a surprise to all of you.” Mr. Garfiel said, eyeing him and Roy, “I do hope that our potential leads are prepared anyway?”

“I’m sure we’ll be able to come up with something,” Roy said smoothly in response.

The four of them got called up one after the other and it actually went alright. Ed and Roy were unpolished with their lack of practice, but with Mei’s excellent coaching and knowledge of the script, they were far from bad. Ling was pretty much in the same boat they were, but the last boy basically just copied Ed and Mr. Garfiel was completely unimpressed. He didn’t seem to mind in the slightest, however. Ed hoped that, however the casting went down, that he got to stay out of it. He very clearly didn’t want to be there.

Unfortunately, even with the song auditions, it didn’t take nearly long enough. He could see the girl who did the choreography ready to come out, and it just seemed too soon. He didn’t see any other way they could delay it, though, besides the little sabotages Al and Mei had planned. Which he had no idea how well they would work. He sighed a bit and reached over to squeeze Roy’s hand, just hoping he had the stamina to keep up with this and still do well in the game.

“Sir, I know we were waiting to do the duets at the end to see how well they do after going through the choreography,” Mei called out quickly, “But maybe we should have them try a little piece of it first?  Just to make sure we have the two best pairs at the end?”

Ed stiffened in his seat, fighting a grin, waiting to see if he took the bait.

“That… Actually sounds like a good idea,” the teacher agreed after a long pause, “I’ll have you sing the chorus in the pairs I assigned you earlier. If you’d come on stage please…”

It wasn’t much, but he’d take anything he could get at that point. The singing went about as well as the scenes had gone, then teacher asked them to switch partners, and that was almost worse than it had been before. Grudgingly, as if he’d been hoping some other pair would be surprisingly good, he asked that they pair up with their original partners, and Ed was floored at how much better it went. He and Roy sounded fantastic, and so did Ling, despite his performance falling a bit flat because of his partner.

“Well, moving on then, I suppose.” Mr. Garfiel sighed, waving the choreographer out onto the stage, “We’ll be doing a dance audition next. You’ll be taught a crowd dance from the show, and then will perform it as a group.”

The smattering of groans from the rest were quickly silenced at a look from the choreographer, who was quite intimidating despite her petite stature. Still, it was more than clear that the majority of the group was completely unprepared for this part of the audition. Some even asked why she had started to lead them through stretches, to which she briskly explained that she didn’t want or need any of them hurting themselves. Of course, since none of them seemed to be dancers, at least half of them did the stretches wrong.

The confusion sparked an idea in Ed’s mind, and he quickly began to do the stretches slightly wrong himself. Not enough to raise the girl’s suspicions, just enough to add to the list of others that she already had to correct. He glanced at Roy and was amused to see his boyfriend frustrated, obviously trying to prove himself. But the less time was left to wear him out, the better off they’d be, no matter what he wanted to prove. His eyes then found Mei, who he saw was fiddling with her phone behind her back, probably signaling Al to start their other sabotage plans.

Soon after that, they finally began to learn the different combinations, and almost immediately Ed asked a question about some term she’d used to describe a move. To be fair, it was a genuine question, he wasn’t a dancer and had no idea what she was referring to, though he supposed he could have figured it out if he’d really wanted to. It worked out in his favor though, and he couldn’t help but grin as all the others began to voice their own questions and unknowingly contribute to the sabotage efforts.

A few minutes later, as they’re working on a particularly difficult combination, the lights flickered on and off a few times, then turned off completely.

“Stop, stop!” Mr. Garfiel called out, looking annoyed at the interruption, “It’s not safe to keep going with no lights. Can someone please figure out what’s going on so we can continue?”

There’s a bit of a careful scramble, some using the flashlights on their phones to light the way, but no concrete answers came of it. After a minute or so, the lights came back on and they were able to resume the lesson for a minute before the lights started to flicker, then go out again.

On. Off. On. Off. On. Off.

“Can you teach them something simpler?  We’re running out of time.” Mr. Garfiel called, his frustration with the situation almost tangible.

“There is a simpler number from early in the show that I’ve worked out,” the girl said with a nod, quickly showing them the steps. It was all still stop and go, but with the simpler combinations it went faster than before and Ed finally managed to relax. He couldn’t imagine the teacher throwing anything else at them with how little time they had to finish up, and Roy wasn’t nearly as tired as he’d feared he’d be. It looked like they were finally out of the woods, and they’d actually managed to handle it just-

“Thank you for that, all but the four in the running for the leads can leave the stage,” Mr. Garfiel called out, “I’ll be having you pair up and do a different bit of choreography, just the two of you. I need to make sure our leads have the right chemistry.”

Ed went rigid with surprise and anger, glaring at the back of the man’s head as he turned to talk to Mei again while the rest filed off the stage. They’d been there for ages already! And if it kept on like this Roy was going to be late to his damn game, didn’t he realize that? Not just barely on time, but actually late. “Hey-”

“Ed, don’t,” Roy said gently, rubbing his shoulder a bit, “We’ll handle this, okay?  If it really starts to go too long, we still have our last resort.”

“This is just getting fucking stupid!” he hissed irritably, his eyes popping wide as Roy placed a soft kiss to his lips, stifling any further protests.

“I know. But we’re almost through it,” he said with a smile.

Ed went slightly pink and cleared his throat. He was still massively irritated, but the kiss had distracted him long enough that he wasn’t as eager to jump up and voice his displeasure at the situation. And then they started to dance and he was thoroughly distracted from any irritation but the the unexpectedly intimate new choreography.

Just as Ed was starting to really get the hang of things, the fire alarm went off and they were forced to evacuate, the whole group left standing in the parking lot. That must have been what Al and Mei planned as their last resort...

“Shit…we didn’t finish,” Ed said quietly to Roy as they stood there in the open, “We didn’t even get to the duet.”

“I know…” Roy murmured back, sighing and rubbing his face in frustration, “I hope he doesn’t make us wait…”

The teacher, however, seemed far too frustrated to even consider that as an option. “Alright, let’s just… Do the duets out here and be done with it,” he groaned, eyeing them, “Can you four handle that?”

“Absolutely!” Ling said, grinning cheerfully, though his partner looked less than enthusiastic about the prospect.

“Fine.  You two go first.”

They sounded worse than before. Apparently being forced to sing with no music behind him in a parking lot zapped what little ability and confidence Ling’s partner had left. Ling sounded alright, but with his partner’s lack of enthusiasm, his audition completely fell apart.

Mr. Garfiel sighed softly and shook his head, then turned to Roy and Ed.  “Alright…are you two ready for this?”

Roy turned to look at him, smiling confidently, and Ed immediately grinned back at him.  “Yeah. Totally ready.”

They performed the duet just as they’d practiced, and while it wasn’t as good as usual without background music, it was fantastic all the same and Ed could tell from the slight upturn to the teacher’s mouth that it was exactly what he was looking for.

“Well, I think that will be enough for today. Thank you all for your time, and I’ll have the cast list posted sometime in the next few days. Though… Ling? May I speak to you for a moment in private?”

Ed allowed himself to wonder for a moment what that was about, but quickly snapped out of it and grabbed Roy’s hand. “Come on, you’re going to be late if we don’t hurry!” He and Roy arrived outside the boy’s locker room just in time for him to get inside and not be late, and Ed decided he might as well linger and watch the game. Roy wasn’t the star player he usually was that day, or at least not the one Ed had been told he usually was, but the team easily picked up the slack and netted them a solid win over the opposing team.

Ed pushed his way through the crowd, grinning like an idiot when he finally broke through enough of the people to set eyes on Roy.

“Hey! Congrats on the win!”

Roy blinked, then turned to look at him, a wide grin immediately breaking over his face.  “You came!” he exclaimed as he jerked Ed into his arms and kissed him deeply. “Of course I did, you dork, I was already here,” he laughed when he finally pulled away for air, his face colored red with a blush.

“I hope you never stop blushing like that, it’s adorable…” Roy chuckled, brushing his thumb over Ed’s reddened cheek. “I can’t believe we actually pulled this off…”

“I know. With everything that happened...” Ed hummed in response, “I was way more on edge than I expected to be. Though, honestly, we won’t know if we actually succeeded until the cast list goes up.”

“Yeah, guess not…” Roy murmured thoughtfully, before looking sheepishly at him, “Is it bad that I really want to know now?”

“No,” Ed laughed, shaking his head, “I kinda wish we-”

“Congratulations!”

Ed turned quickly, blinking and frowning simultaneously as he saw Ling striding toward them cheerfully. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Oh, well, I just thought I’d congratulate you on getting the parts!”

“Wait, what?!” Ed asked, gaping at him, “Did you just say-”

“How do you already know that we got them?” Roy interrupted.

“Mr. Garfiel told me he was going to cast you when he pulled me aside. He wanted me to do a quick audition for a different part. The rival love interest from act 2? So he had to explain things to me.”

“And you’re not upset? That we got it over you?”

Ling just looked confused, raising a questioning eyebrow.  “No?  I mean, why would I be? It’s about time we got some fresh talent around here! I’m actually a little sad that you’re  graduating this year, Roy, you two are really great together. But I hope I’ll see you next year too?”

“Uh… Yeah.  Maybe.” Ed said, nodding numbly when he realized Ling was talking to him, “I’ll think about it.”

“Fantastic!” he grinned brightly, “Oh, and congrats on winning the game, too! I’m really impressed that you managed to balance all this and callbacks. I actually had to reschedule an appointment with the dentist to manage it myself. No idea why he decided to change the date like that...”

Ed and Roy exchanged glances, neither of them at all sure what to say to that. Ling, however, seemed completely oblivious to their unspoken confusion and carried on with a smile.

“Well, I’ve got to get going. I guess I’ll see you two at rehearsals!” he called as he walked off, waving and disappearing into the crowd once more.

Roy stared after him, then burst out laughing, Ed following not long after.

“Well, I guess we had the wrong idea about him.”

“I guess we did.” Roy said as his laughter died down again. He stared at Ed wordlessly, then kissed him again, sweeter this time. “I’m so glad I met you, Ed.”

“Yeah, yeah. Me too…” Ed admitted, grinning a bit himself, “I’m honestly glad that Al convinced me to go to that stupid party…”

“Glad you changed your tune,” Al teased as he came up behind them with Mei.

“Of course I did after – why are you guys holding hands?”

Al blushed and Mei beamed, pressing a little closer to Al’s side. “He asked me out after callbacks were over!”

“Well... Faster than I expected, but good for you,” he said, snorting and shaking his head.  “You guys wanna go out for dinner or something?”

“Oooh! Double date! I’m totally okay with this!” Mei grinned as she tugged Al toward the door.

“Shall we then?” Ed asked, laughing as he reached over to take Roy’s hand.

“Yeah. I just gotta get changed,” Roy told him, kissing his forehead, “Meet you outside?”

“Sure,” Ed said, nodding before he walked after his brother and Mei, grinning happily. Everything was going to be great from now on, he just knew it.

#royed #our stuff #our writing

[robininthelabyrinth]

Fic: Interconnect (ao3 link) - Chapter 4 Fandom: Flash, DC Legends of Tomorrow Pairing: Mick Rory/Leonard Snart

Summary: Fate has decided that Leonard Snart and Mick Rory are soulmates.

Yeah, okay, they’re good with that.

(for @coldwaveweek2017)

A/N: Instead of doing different fics for coldwave week, I decided to do one with multiple chapters, each based on the various days.

Chapter 4: Alternate Universes/Alternate Earths

—————————————————————————————–

"- and no cursed!"

Len stops day-dreaming very abruptly. "What was that?" he mutters to the guy next to him.

"Oh, the boss just don't like cursed folks," the guy replies with a shrug.

"Neo-Salemist?"

"Nah, he's not that much of an asshole. Don't think any of the guys here are -"

"There's literally a neo-Nazi across the room that I'm planning on stabbing once this job's done," Len points out. "It's basically the same thing. What's his problem with the cursed? Not like it's their fault."

"Yeah, well, apparently the first time he got thrown in the can, it was 'cause some bad-luck cursed fucked up his timing."

There's no such thing as a bad-luck curse, as far as Len's ever heard, but there are always people who fuck up.

"And, what, he's pissed at all of them?"

The guy shrugs, indifferent. "Who cares?"

"Not me," Len lies. "It's just weird, and I don't like weird."

"It ain't that weird."

"If the world's greatest safecracker walked up and said he'd do your job for only five percent of the take, you get the rest, but, hey, he's cursed with technoshock, would you turn him down?"

"Obviously not."

"Would the boss?"

The guy frowns. "Well," he says slowly. "I mean. Technoshock's such a mild curse, y’know - I know plenty of people who are shit at using electronics without technoshock curses -"

Len rolls his eyes. "Bias is stupid," he says. "That's all there is to it."

He misses Mick.

Normally, when he misses Mick, he gives him a shout, but -

Well.

Len's on a job, which he told Mick he wouldn't do, and it's with the local Family, which he doubly told Mick he wouldn't do, and the local Family Don apparently hates the cursed, which makes it in Len's best interest not to bring it up.

He'll just have to fake it.

Len can pick-pocket, steal, and con so effectively that he's talked himself out of an arrest while ditching his gear in the policeman's own pockets. How hard can this be?

The answer, of course, is horrifically.

"People singing in the shower is for themselves," Len hisses to a bar of soap, his voice gargled by the shower. "Did you know that?"

"I'd heard," Mick says, but he sounds dubious. "I did tell you they couldn't all be soulmated..."

"Yeah, but still. It's dumb."

"You gonna tell me why you suddenly decided to go on radio silence?"

Just then someone walks in - goddamn Family couldn't even shell out for private showers - and Len has to shut up.

Len shutting up, of course, has nothing to say on Mick shutting up.

Do you know how hard it is to keep a straight face while your very scary Family boss is talking to you when his paperweight is singing Bohemian Rhapsody at you?!

And Len can't even retaliate with a set of horrible puns.

Mick is definitely suspicious now.

Oh, well, if he'd wanted Len to behave, he shouldn't have gotten himself thrown in jail right when Lewis was sulking around asking for money and threatening Lisa's schooling if he didn't get it.

Yes, Len's aware that Lewis being around while Mick's in jail isn't Mick's fault, but damnit, Len's having to not make puns right now and it's his own damn fault, so he's going to be immature and push it off to other people.

He's only twenty. He can do that for a bit longer before it starts getting stupid.

Len nearly makes a comment to Mick four times the next day, but only twice the day after.

He's getting better.

The plan is totally working.

"I think you should go to therapy," the boss's hat says. "I found a good one. You'll like her."

Len ignores him.

"You can talk about your daddy issues."

"Oh fuck you," Len says.

Everyone in the room turns to stare at him. "What did you say?" the creaky old-but-utterly-terrifying assassin, who had apparently chosen this moment to break his silence of several days running.

"...have you ever heard of alternate universes?" Len asks.

"What?"

"Alternate universes. Like ours, but not quite," Len explains. "Where all of us are the same, but with minor differences. Differences like - you're left-handed. Or three inches taller. Or a ginger -"

"Anything but a ginger," some asshole in the back says automatically. Half the Irishmen in the room – Central’s got plenty of them – glare at him on equally automatic instinct.

"Take me, for instance," Len says. "In another universe, I might not be a thief. Or a Jew. Or half-black. Or be able to keep my mouth shut." He pauses. "Or not be cursed."

The boss scowls. "You're cursed?!"

"I am," Len says. "And proud of it. You know what else I am?"

"What?" he growls, standing up. They're all standing up.

"Leaving," Len says, and runs out the door he's backed himself up next to.

They give chase, but this is Len's city, and they can't catch him or find him.

They all end up getting arrested two days later, so it's all for the best, but damn. That was no fun.

Mick still laughs for half of forever about it.

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

"I still can't believe you," Mick says to the rock. "You ditched me."

"Oh, shut up," the rock-Len grumbles back. "You agreed."

"Yeah, yeah," Mick says. "Do you remember how to do radio silence? Assuming you ever learned?"

Len carefully doesn’t respond.

"Uh-huh."

"Shut up. I don't talk all the time."

"Just most," Mick taunts. He watches the fire on the hill below him spread. It's a real beauty, and normally he'd be happy to sink into it, but he's got a job to do.

Time pocket or no time pocket, someone's going to notice a pile of ash where there should be a forest.

It takes another four hours for the Time Masters to show up.

Mick charges them, less for any prospect of success than for the fun of it.

"Seize him," the leader orders, his eyes greedy. "I know precisely how we can use - ugh! Is that the corpse of a rat?!"

Mick had just thrown it into his face. And yes, yes it was.

"He must've been eating them," one of the Time Masters says.

A local fox had, actually, but Mick's not going to quibble. The good thing about a time pocket, they'd figured out from Gideon, is that even the Time Masters don't know how long you've been there.

They take him back to their base. It's shittier than Mick would've thought, what with them being Doctor Who rip-offs and whatnot. Space station stuff has always been Len's thing, not his; it was one of the ways they kept their personalities distinct from each other.

"He's the cursed one, isn't he?" the Time Master they hand him over to asks. "Soulmates?"

"Yes, Master Declan," the one delivering him says respectfully. "He's the one, alongside Leonard Snart."

"Good," Declan says, and smiles. "That just makes him easier to break."

Mick hates Declan already.

But at least he's predictable. Oh, there's a few beatings, disrupted sleeps, that sort of thing, all while he's still dazed and angry, but they're Time Masters. They know all about deprivation chambers, and what they do to people like Mick. But Len had been right useless for a good long while after his experience, and they don't want that. They're impatient.

They put him in a curse-breaker.

Curses might be curses, but if you don't break them by their own very particular parameters, the sense of loss and despair is practically overwhelming. A literal part of your identity is missing, all of a sudden, and you're vacant without it.

That didn't stop the government from inventing standard-issue curse-breakers, of course, ones that could work on anyone. Ones designed to cut off any curse, no matter how powerful.

When Mick comes out of it, he's vacant and ready to be filled with new thoughts, Time Master thoughts.

"Perfect," Declan says, and gets to work creating Kronos.

Or, at least, that's what he thinks happens.

"He can't take too long on the training," Mick slurs into a pillow after a long day of pulse-rifle training and obedience commands. "Wants to avoid time-lag. He'll send me out on a few mission runs, spread rumors of my reputation around younger Rip's time, and then send me after you."

"Fuck them," the pillow grumbles.

"Shhh," Mick says, his mouth filled with feathers as he tries to muffle himself. Stupid down pillows.

"Gideon, what's time lag?" the pillow asks. Mick can't talk much, of course, he's supposed to be curse-broken, but Len can. Barry gave him the overrides to make sure Gideon won't report to Rip on him. "Huh. Yeah, okay, that makes sense; there's no point in grabbing you if you show up an old man that I don't recognize."

Mick nods.

"Any luck on the primary mission?"

Mick doesn't respond.

"That bad, huh. Well, nothing going on my side, neither, except for the fact that they all think I killed you."

Mick grunts.

"Yeah, even Jax, but at least Jax is on the warpath over it."

Mick snorts, amused.

Honestly, he's not sure why.

You can't break a curse that wants not breaking, after all. The only reason the curse-breakers ever worked on the unwilling is because everyone wants their curse broken, just a little, and the curse-breaker sneaks in that way.

But Mick learned at a witch's knee how to defeat a curse-breaker, an old lesson with Sung-hui's sister to defeat his and Len's terrible fears of loss, and he fears no evil.

He smiles.

The Time Masters are in for a very nasty surprise.

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

“Mr. Mayor, were you just talking to your lamp?” a hesitant secretary asks, as she shows his guest into the room.

“My eyes just fixed there,” Len lies.

He’s going to murder Barry for getting him into this whole alternate earth bullcrap. Murder, murder, murder –

“Is it budget season again?” Len’s guest asks, chuckling and taking a seat. “You only ever get that look in your eyes when taxes are involved.”

“You don’t say, Mr. Ramon,” Len says, smiling with teeth.

Cisco – sorry, Francisco was his preferred name on this earth – shrinks back into his seat. “Uh, Francisco is fine,” he squeaks, true to form.

“Are you sure I can’t get you a glass of water?” Len asks, leaning forward and pinning him with his best Mick-intimidating-a-Family-goon impression. “Some coffee, maybe?”

“Will it be poisoned?” Francisco asks.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Nothing! I just – uh –”

“In that case, we should just get down to business,” Len says. “You know, ever since the Zoom crisis, I’ve made my feelings quite clear on the subject of…vigilantism.”

Also, that damn Spiderman is up to no good again.

They don’t even have comics on this earth. No wonder Cisco was forced to go into business and become a multi-millionaire.

“Uh,” Francisco says. “…yes?”

“Of course, I’m not against it per se,” Len says, leaning back and weaving his fingers together. His old lawyer used to do that; that's who he's mimicking now. He always thought it made her look appropriately super-villainous, though. “As long as the vigilante in question is willing to come here and answer some questions first, of course – nothing as crude as registration, naturally, but a certain cooperation between the government and the local superheroes seems beneficial to avoid any future Zoom incidents.”

“Right.”

He’s sweating.

And he hasn’t even kissed Len’s sister this time.

Wait, has he?

Damned if Len knows.

Stupid alternate earths.

“You see, therefore, why I’m…concerned,” Len draws it out. He’s starting to have fun with this, actually. Even when he actually was a crime boss, he never got to do the whole intimidating crime boss thing. He just hates dealing with people too much.

This is totally like being Shere Khan in Talespin.

…not that he watches that. Really.

He'd say he's pretending to be Lex Luthor, but that's a lie and also, that guy's an asshole. Fuck that guy.

“Uh,” Francisco says. “Yes?”

“So we’re on the same page?”

“We…are?”

“Then why don’t you tell me the problem,” Len says. “Us being on the same page and all.”

“The…problem?”

Len pins him with a look. “Do you think this is funny, Mr. Ramon?”

“No!” Francisco squeaks. “No! Not at all! Oh god, you’re related to King Shark, aren’t you?”

Len stares.

“…please forget I said that,” Francisco whimpers.

“Sure,” Len says, deciding to just give him that one. He remembers that shark. It’d been stuck back on Earth-1, guarding ARGUS’ toys that one time he and Barry had had to break in; Mick had been his watch and had sniggered the whole time. “Tell me, Francisco, what you know about – Reverb.”

“Oh my god.”

“Yes, I agree it’s a terrible name,” Len says, because he can’t help himself.

“If you don’t stop hamming it up, I’m going to kick you,” Len’s lamp says.

Len ignores him.

Francisco looks ill. He has him right where he wants him.

“I’m sorry,” Francisco says. “This – this may be a weird question. But did your lamp just talk?”

Goddamn vibe powers.

They’re different on each Earth, Len should’ve remembered that.

“Do you often hear inanimate objects talk?” Len asks, arching his eyebrows, because if there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s keeping calm and covering up for any flubs Mick makes on jobs. “That’s a cause for some concern, Mr. Ramon – I’m sorry, Franscisco –”

“No, no! Just – I – er – forget I said anything.”

“Good,” Len says. “Now.” He stands up. “Why don’t you and me go for a walk?”

“To a short stop and a long drop?”

“I’m not going to kill you,” Len says soothingly. Then he pulls out his best sharp-toothed smile again. “We’re just going to have a little chat.”

Francisco looks like he’s seriously wondering whether or not he’s updated his last will and testament properly.

“C’mon,” Len says.

Francisco doesn’t move.

“Now.”

Francisco moves very quickly when properly motivated, it appears.

Fixing the effects of Earth-2’s Flashpoint might not be as hard as it seems, Len reflects.

“Follow me,” he says. “And we can talk about that talking lamp…”

A nearby chair sniggers.

Len ‘accidentally’ kicks it as he walks Francisco out.

#dccoldwave #coldwaveweek2017 #mick rory #leonard snart #my fic

[lowkeyenvy]

Punished

Summary: Very carefully and skillfully, you have been stealing from the Saviors for over a month now. Until one day you allow your ego to get the best of you and you challenge Negan to try and catch you, himself. Prompt: I had one of the Hide and Seek prompts! I decided to put a twist on it and incorporate more of a cat and mouse type of game. Word Count: 4,265 Pairing: Negan/Female Reader Chapter: One-Shot Warning: NSFW, Smut, Language Author’s Note: I’m so sorry this took so long to complete! Thank you Ash for extending the deadline. Congrats on 2,000 followers! I’m not sure if I’m 100% happy with this but I hope you enjoy! Tags: @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash @negans-network

“God-fucking damnit!” You heard the loud, thunderous voice of the Saviors leader, Negan, roar out into the woods. “Someone better catch that little fucking thief, TODAY!”

Laughing to yourself, you hurried through the woods, maneuvering your way through the series of trees.

So here’s the story; you’ve been stealing from the Saviors for almost over a month now. You happened to spot the, what you thought was an abandoned factory, in the distance one afternoon. It was on the hike there that you realized it was in fact inhabited. The scattered traps set up in every possible path there, was enough to convince you of that. You had managed to make it there. The place was incredible, and well guarded. Typically, you would wait until nightfall to make your move. One of the dumb pricks on watch almost always fell asleep. After that, it was pretty much fair game. By now, you had stolen so much from them that it was almost becoming too easy. Each week you would increase the number of times you looted their shit.

The first week, you stole mostly food and a radio that was next to a Savior who had fallen asleep. Having the radio made stealing from them that much easier. You could hear every conversation and know where most of them would be at any given time. Plus, it was so much fun to fuck with their leader. Negan would get on the radio multiple times a day either barking orders or giving long inspirational speeches that made you roll your eyes. He would call out things like, “So and So, get to the armory and do this or that.” That was your que to make your voice sound deep and respond with; “Fuck no, go to the armory yourself.” Which then set off a chain reaction on the radio and you cracking yourself up every single time. That’s also what got you caught too. One day after tapping into one of their conversations, Negan left a message specifically for you. “Well, hello out there. Sweetheart, I know you’ve been stealing my shit and I am not fucking amused by it. You think it’s funny, you tapping into my radio conversations? I almost bashed somebody’s head in for a response that was in fact you and not one of my men. You better run like fucking hell and pray I never find you.” He had laughed after that. A laugh that gave himself away. He was a liar. You knew he was actually amused by the entire situation.

The threat only made you want to steal from them even more. More specifically—him. You started sneaking in during broad daylight. You wanted them to see you. You wanted them to try and catch you. Every time you snuck in, one of his men would see you as you were leaving, alert the others, and it’d turn into a fun game of hide and seek. But, they never found you. Sometimes you even purposely made yourself visible. Only one time, were you almost caught. A very tan, muscular man, with a mustache for days, nearly caught you right outside the front gates. Thankfully, you had thew him off, making him think you ran in a different direction. Other than that one close call, no one else had come even close to you. To be honest, none of the Saviors were quite impressive. Hell, Negan never once set foot out to try and catch you. You were slightly disappointed by that too, seeing as you needed a challenge and this man was apparently the big bad wolf of the apocalypse.

You continued to run through the woods, not hearing any footsteps behind you. You chuckled, they were nowhere close to you. The radio in your back pocket went off. “SPLIT THE FUCK UP. Any of you get eyes on this girl, you take her the fuck down. Bring her back to me. ALIVE.”

Laughing at the anger in Negan’s voice, you stood behind a tree, scanning your surroundings. Still not a single person in sight.

“If you fucks come back here again without her, you’re all gonna pay. That’s right, points will decrease drastically. That’s how fucking serious I am.”

So dramatic.

“Bunch of pussies getting fucked over by a little girl.”

Little girl? You scowled and pulled the radio from your pocket. “This message is for Negan. If I’m getting your little pink panties in such a bunch, why don’t you grow some balls and come find me yourself?”

Silence.

Your heart thudded against your chest as you waited for a response.

Nothing.

“If you can’t catch me, how about I steal triple your shit next time?”

You waited again. It was only then that you heard the static of the radio from someone holding the button in for the channel. You raised the radio so it was right at your ear, waiting for him to say something.

“If.”

You dropped the radio instantly, taking off in a sprint, running faster than you ever had before. This time, he was coming for you.

Dodging through the woods, you jumped over branches, and tried to keep your footwork as quiet as possible. You thought you had made it a good distance away until you heard sets of footsteps not too far behind. Needing to catch your breath, you darted behind a tree. Pressing your back against it, you stood silently, pricking your ears up to hear even the slightest of movements.

That’s when you heard it. A loud, distinct whistle. You couldn’t tell what direction it was coming from but you knew who it belonged to. You clasped your hand over your mouth, trying to steady your breathing. You were not going out like this.

Slowly, you slid your back down the tree and picked up a handful of rocks. You slid your body back up the tree and looked over each of your shoulders. There was no one there, but you knew he was close. You threw the rocks off into the far right of the woods, causing the leaves to shuffle around as they hit the ground. Perfect decoy. That moron would be just like the others and follow the sound of the rocks.

You stepped forward ready to take off again, but you felt a strong hand wrap around your forearm, lurching you back and slamming you back against the tree.

“And the cat catches the mouse.”

Looking up, you met the dark brown eyes that belonged to Negan. He towered over you, his tall frame being at least six feet, or more. He placed a hand on either side of your head, trapping you. “Now what do I do with you?” He whispered, his hot breath smacking you in the face, he was that close.

You stared up at him. He was so much more attractive than you thought. Sure, you saw him before, but never close up. It was always from a distance. Where you could barely make out his facial features and he was much… smaller. How terrible you were at calculating.

“If you’re going to kill me, get it over with.” You finally spoke.

He seemed surprised that you had a voice. “You know I should,” he scanned the surroundings before his eyes landed on your bag of stolen supplies, “what kind of shit do you got in there?”

You shrugged, “oh you know, the usual, food, bullets, some knives.”

“Knives?” Negan echoed, clearly not happy about that. “And bullets? What the fuck do you need bullets for? You take one of my guns?”

You snorted, “Don’t be ridiculous, I stole two of those last week, not today.”

Negan’s face hardened. “I really should fucking kill you. But I’m feeling generous today. I think I’ll settle with a punishment. Yes I—“ He was cut off by a small group of his men approaching.

“Boss! You found her!” One of them shouted.

You watched as Negan’s nostrils flared. The sight of it made you want to laugh.

“Get the fuck out of here,” Negan commanded, looking you directly in the eyes but talking to the group of men around him. It didn’t take long for them to hurry away like the terrified little pussies they were. You’d been stealing from the Saviors several times a week and only once were they able to get within a good amount of distance to catch you. It was only today, when Negan joined the hunt, that you were finally caught.

His features softened slightly, “You know, you’re a lot hotter up close.”

So… he thought you were just as attractive as you thought him. “Up close?” You pretended to question. You then snapped your fingers acting like a lightbulb just went off in your head. “Oh, that’s right, you’ve never actually seen me before because you’re so used to seeing my backside.” You continued, sarcastically.

He cracked a small smile. You knew you had him. You could see the glisten of hunger in his eyes.

“Come on Negan, either kiss me,” you reached up to place a single finger on his shoulder, twirling it around in circles against his leather jacket, “or kill me.” You finished simply.

Negan gave you a look between curiosity and mischievousness. Without fully thinking it through, you pulled him down into a deep, bruising kiss, trapping his bottom lip between your teeth before finally letting go. His hands were tangled in your hair as you pulled away. “Fuck!” Negan breathed with a heavy sigh. “The things I would fucking do to you.”

“Do them,” you challenged.

His eyes narrowed. “You want to be punished by the man you’ve been stealing from for the past month? I don’t play nice with others taking my shit.”

You slapped him, hard enough that he took a stumble back, his hands pulling out of your hair. You stood in a face off, heavy panting filling the silence in the air. The tension thickened. You bit your lower lip as he ran his tongue across his own lips. You watched the smirk play across his mouth. Seeing a flash of red, you tried to slap him again, but he caught your hand and pulled you back to him.

“Don’t do that again, sweetheart.”

“Or what?”A smirk of your own spread across your features. Negan’s eyes flickered to your lips and he kissed you hard, taking total dominance over your mouth. His arms circled your tiny frame, pulling you close enough that the length of your body was pressed against him. You could feel his arousal through his pants.

“Fuck, sweetheart. You’re…”

“Let me guess, perfect?” You finished his sentence, rolling your eyes. “I’ve heard it all before, let’s cut the small talk. Are you going to punish me or not?”

His look of reverence turned devilish. He lowered one of his hands to the front of your jeans, searching for the zipper while still holding your gaze. He pulled the zipper down slowly before tugging your pants down until they hung around your ankles. Kneeling on one knee, he looked up at you with those same hungry eyes. You stepped out of your jeans, kicking them to the side.

Placing his hands on either side of your legs, you shivered at the contact. Agonizingly slow, he trailed his fingertips up the full length of your legs. He continued up as he reached the hem of your shirt. Gripping it tightly, he balled the fabric up in his hands, ripping it in half, before lifting what was left up over your head. He threw your shirt, not paying attention to where it landed. You were left standing in nothing but black panties and a cream colored bra. So much for the apocalypse. It didn’t exactly give you a great selection to choose from. However, you didn’t think they’d remain on much longer. His hands traveled up to your hair, and wrapped it around his fingers pulling your head back just enough to force you to look at him.

“After today,” he whispered, his voice low and husky. “you’re mine.”

You close your eyes in pleasure as his tongue runs out across the sensitive area just below your ear. Your breathing hitches in your throat as his teeth sink down into a sinful bite. His teeth are razor sharp, taking tiny nips at the skin there, before moving up to your earlobe. You tilt your head backwards, giving him more access as he moves to run his tongue along your jaw. Moaning quietly, you try not to show that you’re enjoying it too much. You nearly chuckle at the thought.

“Turn around.”

His voice is sudden, pulling you from your trance. Before you could question him, he turned you around and left you standing there, waiting for him to do something, anything. Just as you were starting to feel self-conscious, the feather of a kiss touched the back of your neck and then continued downward, tracing your spine. Goosebumps formed on your skin and his warm breath began to tickle. When he arrived at your bra, Negan slowly unsnapped each hinge and took it off, throwing it to the ground along with your other forgotten clothes.

The cool air hit your upper body and you felt your nipples harden. His hands made a place at your hips and he continued his feather like trail of kisses down. Your breathing aligned itself with each kiss Negan took, inhaling with one and exhaling with the next. When he got to your panties, he paused and you found yourself holding your breath, waiting for his next move. His tongue trailed the top of the silky undergarments and you let out a shuddering breath. You jolted forward slightly as you felt sharp bites over both cheeks. You couldn’t help but smile at the pinch of pain mixing with the pleasure.

Negan trailed the silk down your legs, taking them off. “Bend over,” he commanded. “All the way over against that tree.”

He left no room for negotiation and you couldn’t help yourself in following his order.

“Now open your legs wider.”

You obeyed. The cool air now touching every part of you. It excited you even further.

“So you like it from behind, huh?” You laughed at your own bluntness.

“Something like that,” Negan responded before taking a long lick of your mound from behind, his tongue moving from your front to your back.

“Oh fuck,” you moaned before pressing yourself further against the tree so that your left cheek was resting against it.

Negan licked your core with relish, moving from side to side, one out lip than the next, from back to front, then front to back, making sure to snake his tongue inside your pussy every so often to fuck you with it. He would pull out and then focus back on your labia, sucking before biting hard and cooling it down with another lick. His tongue touched your clit, lightly circling and laying pressure directly on it, but Negan never gave it the full attention you wanted. Bastard. You thought. Now you knew what the true punishment was.

You lifted yourself higher and Negan was giving unencumbered access, diving in, drowning in all of you wetness. He snuck two fingers inside of you and you groaned, enjoying the new intrusion. You began to grind back on them, getting your own self off on his thick, clad fingers. Just as you were in a groove, a stream of air hit your clit. You jerked backwards and Negan’s fingers landed on that perfect spot.

Negan maneuvered himself underneath you and clamped his lips around your now overly sensitive clit and you rocked back harder, faster, getting yourself closer and closer to the orgasm you so desperately craved. His tongue then swirled around your nub, faster and faster until it matched your pace. He hooked his fingers deep inside you. You could feel the sensitivity bundling up in your nerves. You were so close to being sent over the edge. Squeezing your eyes shut tightly, you prepared yourself for the wave of pleasure. And then he stopped.

Greedily, Negan removed all traces of himself from you. He dislodged himself from beneath you and rose, standing up tall behind you. He pulled you upwards and you fell back into him, trying to catch your breath while regaining your footing. You turned around and glared at his smirking face. “What the fuck?” You swiped some of your wetness onto your fingers and held it up before him. “You’re not going to finish?” You questioned, a hint of annoyance lacing your words.

Grasping your wrist in a tight grip, he took your coated fingers into his mouth, cleaning them of its substance. His eyes closed and he moaned, seeming to enjoy your taste. When he pulled your fingers out of his mouth with a pop, Negan licked his lips. The act sent a jolt down to your core and you reached up, crossing your arms around his head. “Oh I plan on finishing.” He made sure to put and emphasis on the “I.” You ran your fingers through his hair, tugging on it roughly.

His hands trailed down your back, over your ass, and onto your thighs before he lifted you up, your legs circling around him. He lurched forward causing your back to slam up against the tree. You saw the hunger in his eyes once more as he removed his leather jacket from his shoulders, tossing it to the side. What was left underneath was a plain white t-shirt. You felt slightly faint at the sight of him. Your eyes traced the definition of muscles that were evident even with his shirt still on.

You were pulled from your gaze as he captured your lips in another greedy, dominating kiss. You moaned at the taste of yourself still on his lips. Reaching a hand down, you fumbled with the belt on his pants, frantically undoing it. You pulled the button open, freeing his quite obvious arousal. You opened your legs wider, urging him to move forward, but he didn’t budge. Instead, he continued kissing you roughly, his tongue invading your mouth. You took the length of his cock in your hand and he moaned against your mouth. You took your thumb and rubbed against the head of it, earning a low growl from Negan.

Unable to take the foreplay any longer, you took Negan’s face in between your hands and smushed his face together, making sure he was looking only at you.

“Fuck me. Now.”

“Hmmmm, feisty little thing you are,” his voice was like velvet and you were sure that you were going to explode from impatience.

Negan winked before aligning himself up to your entrance. He teased you by slowly rubbing his cock up and down against your clit. He moved his head down and swallowed a dark almost purplish nipple, biting into the erect flesh, earning a curse from your mouth. He soothed it with his tongue before biting it again, harder this time, and again used his tongue to wipe away the pain. He then sucked on it, making it nice and hard before moving to the previously neglected nipple, repeating the process, biting then licking, biting and sucking.

This was pure torture. A few more moments of this and you wouldn’t be able to take it any longer. This really was the worst punishment ever. Constant teases of pleasure with no release? Negan was a cruel, greedy man. You wanted to punish him yourself for causing you such distress, but his body had you completely trapped beneath him that you couldn’t move even if you wanted to.

“Fuck you, Negan.” You groaned, angry with his antics.

“I told you,” he placed his hands on your hips and leaned towards you, “I don’t play nice.”

He paused before lifting you up slightly and ramming you down hard on his cock.

A cry slipped from your lips at the suddenness of his actions, and your body finally surrounded his thick member. Pain and pleasure shot through you.

It only took three thrusts for you to feel yourself on the edge of pleasure. “Negan!” You screamed in pleasure, urging him to continue so you could come undone.

“Don’t. You. Dare. Fucking. Cum.” Negan threatened, and your eyes jolted open. He looked back at you with clouded eyes mixed with his own pleasure.

“Wha—“

“Not until I fucking tell you to.”

Negan continued to lift you up and push you down as you yelled his name. He rocked your body slightly as he pushed you on him so that your clitoris was stimulated against his body at the same time.

You threw your hands down on his chest and dug your nails into his shirt, gripping the fabric through your fingers as he continued to thrust into you. You gasped for air as you tried desperately to control yourself. You began moving up and down his erection on your own.

“Fuck,” Negan moaned, “you better not cum yet.”

You dropped your head back as you felt yourself about ready to do just that. You forced your eyes open to look up at the sky. You tried to focus on it and not the building sensation inside you.

Suddenly, Negan was moving much faster and harder. Your hands grasped at his back as you felt your clitoris rubbing against his body once more, pushing him inside you. You opened your legs wider, allowing him to move deeper. You moaned loudly, almost reaching the peak of your orgasm.

“Go ahead doll, fucking come for me!” Just as he was going to explode, he sank his teeth into your neck and groaned loudly.

You screamed as you simultaneously felt his teeth against your neck, his cock pumping under your skin, and your own body tipping over the edge into release.

Negan continued to thrust himself into you as he came. He moaned again in bliss.

You continued in that position for a few moments, you still around his cock, him holding you up, each coming down from your high.

“Mother-fucking hell,” Negan dropped you gently to the ground, a lot more gentle than you expected him to.

Your feet hit the ground lightly. “So I guess we’re even now?” You questioned as he buttoned his pants up and fiddled with putting his belt back on.

A slight flicker of amusement was evident in his eyes. “Fucking, fuck no.” He replied with a curt laugh. “You steal my shit and think that’s all there is to it?”

You buttoned your own pants, and clasped your bra back on before looking at him in astonishment. “Well, what are you going to do now? Kill me after you just fucked me against a stupid tree?!”

Negan walked away and you thought he was leaving you there, until he leaned down to pick up his barbed wire bat that was propped up against a tree. Your heart froze as you watched him toss it back and forth between his hands, before swinging it aggressively. He flashed you a smile, revealing his perfectly straight white teeth. “Fucking relax! I’m not going to beat your brains out,” he propped the bat up against his shoulder. “Fucked them out instead,” he added with a laugh.

You rolled your eyes.

“Put your shirt on, pick up that shit you stole from me, and let’s go.”

“You’re joking.”

Negan cocked an eyebrow, “Does it look like I’m joking?”

You folded your arms across your chest. “I’m not going with you.”

“You take my shit, I take you in return. I own you now.” Negan stepped forward, closing the distance between the two of you with each step. “So put your shirt on, pick up the shit you stole from me, and let’s go. It’ll be getting dark soon.”

You glared back at him, “You ripped my shirt in half. I don’t have another.”

“There’s nothing in that bag you can wear? Don’t tell me your sticky fingers didn’t grab one article of fucking clothing.”

“I didn’t.” You admitted.

Sighing, Negan looked around and you wondered if he was pondering on what to do next. However, it didn’t take long for him to decide. He slipped his leather jacket off and placed it over your shoulders. “Zip that up, I don’t want any of those sorry fuck’s eyes wandering when we get back.”

You picked up the bag of supplies you took today. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as you thought it would be. Negan was taking you back to the Sanctuary, willingly. At least now you wouldn’t have to steal from them anymore. You laughed at the thought of it. Or maybe you could just bolt now and steal Negan’s precious leather jacket.

Negan threw his arm over your shoulders, pulling you close against his side. “You just keep on laughing sweetheart. Today? There’s plenty more where that came from. I’m not always as generous.”

Following his lead, you started back in the direction of the Sanctuary, his arm still possessively around your shoulders. How bad could it possibly be? Sure you were definitely punished today with his agonizing torture of not letting you have your release, but how much worse could it get? Would he fuck you again and not let you come at all? He wouldn’t dare. And you were up for the challenge if he did. Negan’s voice pulled you from your thoughts.

“Yep, I’m not even close to being done with you.”

END.

#ash's 2k writing challenge #negan #Negan's thirst squad #oneshot #negan x reader

[awkwardpenguinproductions]

Alliance Chapter 2: the waterbender

Part 9 of the Dragon of the Yuyan

Read on AO3 | Series Masterpost

Previously:

Sokka has just closed his eyes for a nap when he smells something burning and hears Katara’s voice demand shrilly “you’re a FIREBENDER?”

Katara can’t believe she’d fallen for this. The stranger they’d woken up to in their camp, who is so polite and had saved Aang and could say so much without saying a single word out loud, is a firebender. He’s holding a half-burned scroll in one hand, and a handful of flames in the other, and is staring at Katara with wide, startled gold eyes. Like he hadn’t thought that they might have a problem with firebending.

“Zuko, what are you doing?” Aang asks, in a tone far too jovial and curious for Katara’s taste.

“Is that the note your brother left with your stuff?” Surprisingly, Katara’s paranoid brother doesn’t seem at all phased by the spirits-damned firebender sitting less than two feet away. Did he get brainwashed somehow while he and the ash-maker were alone together?

The firebender nods, and continues burning the scroll until the ashes are blown away on the wind. Katara watches carefully, thumb on the cork of her waterskin in case of emergency, but the firebender never lets the flame grow any bigger than his palm, keeps a tight, effortless-looking control, and then when he’s done, puts it out as easily as Katara would blow out a lamp.

“Are you a Master?” Aang asks, awed, and Katara wants to scream at him don’t trust the firebenders all they do is destroy but Gran-Gran’s stories are clear: the Avatar must learn all four elements in order to be fully realized. Aang, specifically, has to do it by the end of the summer, according to Avatar Roku. Like it or not, Aang has to learn firebending, and the only way to do that is from a Master Firebender.

The firebender nods, and makes a gesture with his hands like he’s scribbling a note.

“Sorry, we don’t have any writing materials,” Katara says flatly. It’s a bald-faced lie, one that Sokka immediately calls her on with a hard look and a rougher-than-necessary dig through their supplies for a blank scroll and a stick of charcoal. And Katara knows she’s being a brat, but she doesn’t care right now, she wants some time to sulk and be difficult before she has to think about the idea that even a firebender could reach his limit for death and destruction.

The firebender takes the scroll and charcoal with a grateful smile for Sokka and a quizzical glance at her, which she ignores in favor of digging through the huge heavy sack that had come with their new addition. Judging by the Fire Nation insignia stamped on every container, it’s filled with Fire Nation Army camp rations, which seem to consist mostly of dry noodles, some kind of jerky (what a shock), and little paper packets. When she opens one of the packets, the contents make her sneeze. There’s also a ridiculous amount of dried tea leaves pressed into a massive brick, and Katara can’t imagine drinking that much tea in her entire lifetime.

“Oh, can I read it out loud?” Aang asks suddenly. “Okay! I became a Firebending Master on my sixteenth birthday this past fall. Hey, my birthday’s in the fall too! Oh, here you go!”

There’s rustling, but Katara refuses to look up from the mending she’s taken out to work on. She wants some time to think, and when she’s sewing the boys mostly leave her alone.

“What are your preferred pronouns? Uh, I’m a boy, so he/him?”

“Wait, why would you assume otherwise?” Sokka asks, and he sounds actually curious instead of insulting, which never would have happened before leaving the South Pole. “Manners? Really? Get that look off your face, Jerkbender, we have manners in the South Pole. Whatever, I’m gonna take a nap, don’t set fire to the saddle while we’re all in it.”

Momo purrs suddenly, and Katara tenses in preparation for the lemur jumping into her lap and ruining her work. But instead she hears a sharp, nearly silent intake of breath, and on reflex looks up to find the lemur wrapped around the firebender’s head, his tiny hands delicately picking through the dark hair, his tail gently curling around the pale neck. The expression on the firebender’s face is… the only word Katara can think of is charmed.

“That’s Momo,” Aang says. “He likes it when you scratch him under his chin or behind his ears.”

The older boy does so, his expression so utterly adoring that Katara expects him to start cooing at any moment. Instead, Momo purrs in delight and folds himself into a lemur-loaf in the firebender’s lap. The smile on the firebender’s face grows, and he starts stroking a hand down Momo’s back in time with his own deep and even breaths. Momo melts, his purring ratcheting up in volume and his little furry body going completely limp.

“Whoa, how are you doing that?” Aang whispers, his stormy eyes huge. The firebender smiles gently, and keeps petting Momo with one hand while reaching out slowly and placing the other on top of Aang’s bald head.

Aang’s sharp gasp nearly makes Katara water whip the ash-maker right out of the saddle, but when it immediately resolves into Aang’s distinctive belly-laugh, she stays her hand.

“It’s so warm!” He chortles, as the firebender’s large hand gently rubs along his arrow. “Are you firebending? Can you teach me?”

The firebender holds up one finger and nods, then holds up two fingers and shakes his head.

“Why not?” Aang doesn’t whine, but it’s a close thing, and honestly Katara feels like doing so herself. What’s the point of having a Firebending Master in the group if he won’t teach the Avatar firebending?

The Firebending Master in question gives Aang a quelling look, then gestures to his mouth like he’s holding it shut. Then he makes a short series of movements with his hands that Katara can’t make heads or tails of.

Aang seems to get the picture though, because he deflates like a squeezed waterskin. “Oh, yeah,” he says dejectedly. “The no talking thing. I can see how it’d be hard to learn firebending when I don’t understand your language.”

The firebender gently flicks the point of Aang’s arrow, causing him to giggle, then begins scribbling on the scroll, leaning over Momo in his lap to write against the floor of the saddle. Katara goes back to her mending, somewhat assured that they’re safe enough with the firebender for now. Beside her, Sokka snores. If nothing else, Katara can take comfort in the knowledge that Sokka wouldn’t be asleep if he didn’t feel safe.

They make camp that night beside a clear, fast moving stream, and Katara has to admit that having a firebender around could actually be pretty useful—he gets the campfire going in seconds with a quick punch, he’s a much better hunter than Sokka, and he can get jerky dried and packed in less than an hour. Katara samples a little bit, just to make sure it’s actually edible, and is shocked at how much flavor it has despite not having been touched by any of the salt that was in their supplies. Sokka tries some and nearly eats the entire bag before he can be pinned long enough to get the bag away from him.

Sokka shows off his boomerang, and the firebender his huge sword which somehow turns into two swords, and Aang shows off his glider skills which prompts a chase through the trees surrounding their campsite as the firebender jumps effortlessly from one branch to another. Their antics allow Katara some peace and quiet to  finish her mending and practice waterbending. She’s gotten the water whip down, and now she’s working on forming ice consistently. Sometimes she gets it and sometimes she doesn’t, and it gets on her nerves that it’s so tricky. For whatever reason, it’s easier to do at night.

The boys return from playing as dinner finishes, and Katara hands out bowls of jerky on noodles, with just noodles and some wild vegetables for Aang. The firebender bows when she gives him his bowl, and after taking a few bites, he digs through the sack of supplies he’d brought and comes up with a massive paper packet. He tears open a corner and sprinkles some kind of bright red powder all over the contents of his bowl, then pinches and folds the packet closed and stirs his food vigorously with his chopsticks. The noodles take on a pinkish hue, and after another taste, the firebender grins and starts eating with gusto.

Katara is speechless with outrage. How dare that ash-maker insult her cooking! Sokka’s eyes are wide and he has noodles hanging from his mouth. Even Aang is cringing a little, and Katara remembers him saying he had friends all over the world before the war.

“Uh, Zuko?” Aang says cautiously. The firebender looks up curiously and immediately goes pale at the sight of Katara’s face, which really must be something fearsome if the heat in her cheeks is anything to go by. “Yeah… you did something… really really rude in Water Tribe  culture… sorry, I should’ve warned you… you can’t… put stuff on food after you get it… it’s super insulting to the cook.”

The firebender looks absolutely stricken, staring at Katara with wide eyes. Then he bows deeply, and comes back up rubbing a circle on his chest over and over.

Why does he look so afraid? Katara wonders, and it’s hard to hold on to her anger in the face of such obvious distress. It had been a mistake, one made in ignorance, and she really has no right to be as angry as she wants to be.

“It’s okay, Zuko,” she says, and forces herself to smile when he looks up at her. He doesn’t look very reassured, and makes the circle against his chest twice more.

“If that means sorry, then I forgive you,” she says. She takes a deep breath, lets her hurt feelings flow away on the tide, and when she smiles again, it doesn’t feel forced. “I understand that you didn’t know, and I’m sorry for assuming that you would. Next time, you can show me what you want me to add to your bowl, and after that you can just ask.”

The firebender, Zuko, smiles suddenly, bright as the sun, and tips the fingers of one hand, palm up, from his chin to her.

"Does that mean thank you?" Katara asks, and after Zuko nods, replies, "You're welcome."

Sokka leans forward and grabs the huge packet from where it sits on the ground beside Zuko, and opens it up to take a sniff. "What is this stuff, anyway?"

"Fire-chili powder, right?" Aang answers, glancing at Zuko for confirmation. At his nod, he continues, "It's SUPER spicy, and my friend Kuzon used to put it on everything. He was from the Fire Nation, too," he tells Zuko.

Sokka takes a pinch and sprinkles it on his tongue. Immediately his face and eyes turn red, and tears start streaming down his cheeks as he emits high pitched squeaks of pain. Katara uncorks her waterskin in alarm, but Aang only laughs and Zuko rolls his eyes and digs around through the supplies, coming up with another wrapped package. He opens it to reveal a loaf of bread, which he offers to Sokka. Her brother falls upon it like a ravening polar bear-dog, and before any of them can blink, the loaf is gone, and Sokka is panting like he'd just run from their home village to their nearest neighbor three days away.

"Tui and La, Zuko, you just dumped a ton of that in your food!" Sokka gasps out, rubbing the tears out of his eyes. "You're absolutely nuts!"

Zuko only shrugs, and finishes his bowl of noodles. Katara goes back to her own bowl as well, and once everyone is finished, gets up to start collecting bowls to wash. However, as she reaches for Zuko's empty bowl, he easily plucks her own out of her hands with a smile. He points to her, and makes gesture like stirring a pot, then to himself, and holds up the bowl and pretends to be cleaning it.

"I cooked, so you'll wash up?" Katara asks hopefully, and Zuko beams and nods at her. "That's so nice of you, Zuko, thank you! It's nice to have some kind of help around here!" She narrows her eyes at her useless brother and best friend, who are trying to get Momo to try some of Zuko's fire-chili powder. Zuko scowls, making him look rather terrifying in the flickering firelight, and snaps his fingers. Sokka looks up, pales at the look on Zuko's face, and hurriedly closes up the fire-chili packet and puts it with the rest of the cooking supplies. Aang looks confused until he looks at Zuko and grimaces at his expression.

Katara laughs, and digs out the sachet of seal blubber soap while Zuko takes the cooking pot off the fire with a rag and puts it to the side to cool. They head over to the stream together.

Katara watches as Zuko dips his hands into the stream, and steam starts to rise from the water as he starts scrubbing out the bowls. She's never seen firebending used so… innocuously, and she remembers Momo's delighted purrs as the firebender had stroked his back with unnaturally warmed hands. Gran-Gran's stories of waterbending had described the way it had been used for both fighting and for everyday things, but Katara had never thought to apply that logic to firebending as well. She still doesn't trust him, not yet, but…

"Zuko? I owe you an apology, too," she says quietly, dropping the water globe she'd been idly playing with as she'd been thinking and sitting down beside the older boy. From this angle she can't see the scar, and he glances at her out of the corner of his eye. "I… didn't treat you very well when I realized that you're a firebender. It's just… a firebender killed my mother. In my house. It's not an excuse, but… it's hard, now, to see firebending as anything other than destructive. I was really scared when you burned that scroll in the saddle. But you're not like the rest of them, are you? You're different. I think… if you promise to be careful… I can try. To not be as scared."

Zuko finishes washing the bowls, laying them out on a cloth to dry, and turns to face Katara fully. He taps his scar, then holds out a hand and wreathes it in flames.

The implication is clear, and Katara's throat goes dry. Zuko nods, expression grave, and then brings the fire closer to his face and flinches back dramatically.

Katara swallows hard, and croaks, "You're scared of your own element."

Zuko shrugs, and repeats the motion, but without the flinch.

"You were, but now you're not?"

Zuko nods, and banishes the flames with a wave of his hand, throwing them back into the semi-darkness.

They sit in silence together for a while, listening to the sounds of Sokka sharpening his boomerang and Aang playing with Momo.

"How did you stop being afraid?"

Zuko gives her a gentle smile, and writes in the sandy dirt, Time, and someone patient to show me the true way.

Sokka calls out to them then, inviting them back to the campfire, and Zuko gathers up the bowls and cloth and heads back over. Katara stares at the writing in the sand for a moment more before wandering over to sit beside her brother. Sokka is filling a wide-eyed Zuko in on their adventures so far, his hands flying everywhere. Katara rolls her eyes as he adds sound effects to their run of the Fire Nation blockade.

“So now we’re on our way to the North Pole to find a Waterbending Master for these two,” he finishes. “You coming with?”

Zuko nods firmly, grabs a stick from the pile of kindling, and writes out, I have useful intelligence about Fire Nation military movements in the Earth Kingdom, and as soon as Aang learns my hand-language, I can start his Firebending training. In exchange I would appreciate it if my status as a citizen of the Fire Nation in general and my status as a firebender in particular could be kept quiet. For obvious reasons, we’re not exactly popular in the free areas of the Earth Kingdom. He shrugs sheepishly, not quite meeting anyone’s eyes.

Sokka nods. “Sounds reasonable to me,” he says. “Welcome to the group, Zuko!”

Aang’s grin takes up his whole face, and he cheers. “I can’t wait to start learning from you, Sifu Hotman!”

Zuko’s recoil at that nickname is a thing of beauty, and Katara can tell by the predatory gleams in the younger boys’ eyes that they will never let it go.

Katara sits and lets the boys’ chatter and crackling of the campfire wash over her. She’s bone tired, probably still not 100% after that illness, and she’s thinking very seriously about heading off to bed when someone gently touches her hand. She turns to find Zuko looking at her gravely, and when he sees that he has her attention, makes a gesture with his hand: a fist with his pointer and middle fingers out straight, spreading and then closing over a lock of his long black hair.

“Do you want to cut your hair?” Katara asks. Zuko nods, and writes in the dirt with his stick.

I am a traitor to my nation, technically, and so it’s not appropriate for me to wear a topknot. I will make the first cut, because that is a ritual, but can you help me neaten up afterwards?

Katara can understand the importance of ritual, so she gets out her shears and follows Zuko back to the stream. He gathers his long hair into a low tail, takes a deep breath, and slices it clean through with a dagger. The remainder shadows his face as he drops the tail into the water.

Without a word, Katara goes to work with her shears, snipping at the remaining length until Zuko holds up a hand for her to stop. The result is a mop that covers his burned ear and with bangs long enough to flick over his scar if he so desired.

Zuko runs his fingers through his shortened hair, a sad but satisfied expression on his face. He turns to Katara, bows, and signs, Thank you.

“You’re welcome,” Katara replies, returning the bow. “We should get some sleep.”

Zuko nods, touches the fingertips of one hand to his bottom lip, then sort of glides it over his other hand held horizontally in front of him, just above his chest.

“Er… goodnight?”

Zuko beams, and repeats the sign. Katara copies him, and they retreat to their bedrolls.

Katara’s last thought before sleep claims her is He’s not so bad, for a firebender.

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#atla #atla fanfic #awkpenproductions presents #dragon of the yuyan #part 9 alliance #chapter 2 the waterbender #full text post

[pink-valkyrie]

Catherine Hope Summers Story one piece oc

One Piece OC Catherine Hope Summers; Catherine Hope Summer's is a young blonde hair, green-eyed(blue when she uses her powers) bombshell. She positively the most bubbly pirate there is on the sea today. She ate a devil fruit and gained the control over air, yes that also includes control over air inside and out of the body.  Catherine is a great navigator. She wants the title of shibuchi because she has always had a fear of dying. She lost her family at a very young age. She is very flirty especially in the presence of the 2nd divison commander of the whitebeard pirates. Fire fist Ace.  While it was only teasing she did have an attraction towards him. He was just a good friend. Upon his seeing his death in the new world she vowed to work even harder. She had a few crew mates after seperating from her 'teachers'. In the new world She makes friends and enemies. But will she find her brother? Will she find love? What kind of places will she visit?  Only time will tell. This is just chapter One of her story, Catherine's life was one every little girl could dream about. Her family was very rich an provided the best of everything. Her father wasn't around much that she could remeber him much about him other than his dark hair and striking emerald eyes , he was a businessman who had married her mother after the death of his first wife. He was quiet whenever he was home, always in his study. An never wanted to be bother when working.  Catherines only distinct fatherly memory was when she was six, she bravely walked to his office door and knocked asking him politely to come to dinner. When he opened the door he didnt look happy to see her or upset. He didn't have any emotions splayed on his face at at all. She remembered muttering a quiet "happy birthday dad, mom had them fix your favorite and we have gifts for you if have time to come down." He was silent for the whole time studying her face. "Yeah kiddo I think I can spare some time to come down an eat with everyone." It was a brief show of emotions with a smile on her father's face she didn't think he'd ever forget. Her mother however she remembered her long flowing blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Her personailty lighting up a room the minute she entered it. How she gained attention easily with her looks, but straight forward in every action she took. Smiling at the the memory of her mothers voice, "Catherine looks are nothing in the world if you don't have the brains to go with it, I want you to grow up smart, confident in anthing you decide you wanna do, I want you to learn to attract attention not with your body but your skills. My child looks are an asset to use to get nearly anywhere in this world but don't ever let it be the only thing you are ever know for. If I teach you nothing else always remeber that. Looks only get you so far."  That was one of the few times she ranted about what happens when you looked good and were only seen as an object or another's possesion, such distaste she had for people like that "It's the world we live in though I suppose." Sighing and then just like that the tone in her voice evaporated  and she was back to my happy go lucky mom. I remember I had two older siblings as well a sister that favored my father in looks dark hair and dark green eyes, she fought with mom all the time. She had such an awful outlook on the world. She wasn't exactly moms bioloical child but mom tried to treat her as such. I think her name was Jasmine. She was the oldest at 16, she wanted to snag herself a rich husband just go off on her own. She didn't get along with anyone very well and always caused trouble for the staff of the house. Then there was Lance my older brother he had aspired to be a marine he was only eleven. He had dads emerald eyes  to go with his dark brown hair. I had gotten mom's haircolor and mix of the two eye colors. The staff was alway nice to me when I was younger, we rarely left the house. Dad was always at work, with one of his business partners and attending the parties the only one who left with him sometimes was Jasmine. Mom said when me and my brother were older we'd be allowed to leave more often. She said because we had money that there would be alot of bad people in the world that'd wanna hurt us. She said its one of the reasons she stayed inside the house going to the private garden outback. The world is a beautiful place and you two will see it when your older I promise. I don't want anything to happen to you especially while your young. Mom was right about the world and the people with bad intentions in it. However sheltering us and teaching us only helped so much.  I was only nine when my family died in that terrible house fire. One of the maids that worked for my father happened to spot me in the crowd and ran to me. She told me it was gonna be okay, I'd stay with her until we figured things out. Her name was Marie, she put me to bed that night and went back to see if anoyone else had made it out. I was left with but ashes and memories. I had nightmares and cried for days. Marie had a hard time getting me to eat. I barely said anything. Then Marie said something that'd stay with me a life time. "Death happens to everyone, it happens anywhere, anytime, and while  we can fight it, deny it, prevent it, prolong the out come alittle longer. It will alway occur no matter what it will happen. It doesn't care about gender, age, race, religion, good, bad, rich, or poor, it happens. There are a millions ways for death to occur but once it does it can't be undone. An I know your hurting really bad Catherine sweetheart you suffered a lot because of it, but for you to live you have to acknowlegde it, an accept its gonna happen. " As she said that tears poured down my face. My first reaction to anything in days. Thats good. She wrapped her arms around me and let me cry it all out. After that Marie took on a motherly role for me for alittle while.  Marie provided and saved for us just enough for to live stablely.  I learned a lot about the world through her and others. I learned housework cooking and providing from Marie and books.  I often went outside though while she went to work. I observed others when I went outside.I began making  friends, it was odd thing at first but nice to have, I played with other kids. I sometimes went places in the town. I mainly found myself in a bookstore reading about other places. The owner knew who I was an knew Marie very well so he never said anything to me. He did have a code for when alot of buyers/costumers were in the store. I'd bookmark a page an leave or I'd help as his assitant. eventually I was trusted enough to leave with a few books and bring them back. I when I did leave I'd sit inside a bar/resturant Marie worked at. She'd bring me water and snacks. and go back to work. I would take breaks from reading an eat while I observed everyone there. It was a rowdy place but no one bothered me. The regulars always made sure I had my own spot to read out of the way incase things got out of hand. An there were a few fights. That caught my attention. It it was always hand to hand until others broke it up an told them to take it outside if they were gonna do anything more. The bar manager and Marie always came to talk to me after every fight to make sure I was okay. They didn't know I had a growing interest. While walking on the street I met one of the guys who had gotten into a fight at the bar. It looks like he was the winner. The other guy was still on the ground. "Hey mister, can I ask you why you fight?" He stopped an gave me a thoughtful look. Everyone else had cleared the streets when he had started to brawl again outside the bar.  "I fight for many reasons, I fight for fun, I fight because it makes things easier, I fight because its what I know, its what I'm good at.  I fight for my beliefs. Mostly I fight to protect myself, the people I care about, my crewmates, on my good days for people I think need help." He paused letting it all soak in. It had been a few months since the fire. In that time I had learned alot. Recoginition flashed in my eyes. I was satisified he answered my question. Judging this man I decided to speak to I could identify him as probably a pirate. What he said struck a cord. I found out why I was interested. The concept to defend himself and others. I wanted to be able to do that. I wanted no needed to know how to for myself.  Espeically since my dream was to travel. I had learned about places through reading and I wanted to visit them. I was afarid of dying but adventure and many other reasons intrigued me far to much to worry at my age.  "Thanks mister, for answering that. It  helped me figure it out The next step to what I have to do now is to learn to fight." Shock showed across his face. Then he began to laugh. "I think thats the first time I've ever heard someone of your age say something like that. A lady at that." As his laughter died down. He relaized it was a serious declaration. "What's a girl like you need to know fighting for?" smiling I told him. "I wanna travel everywhere when I get older see the places I've read about. Meet people have fun. There's alot of people out there with bad intentions. I don't wanna get hurt and die. I wanna be strong enough to fight back. I know not every situation will be an easy one to get out of but it be useful thing for me to know."  I smiled remembering moms words I had something to add to it. "Beauty and brains will only get me so far in this world. I'll need to be strong, be able to adapt to different situations. Be able to fight for myself, my beliefs and the people I care about. I'll need to learn everything and be able to use it before I leave on my adventure." The man in I had figured his name was Issac smiled broadly. " Yes you'll definetley need to learn quite a bit then. " Walking closer to me. Issac said this "I'll tell you a few things before I have to go little miss that might help you. Learning to fight will be good like you said but it'll do nothing if your punches and kicks aren't strong enough to hurt somebody. I recommend you practice basics,  an work on building strength, you'll also need to be fast at dodging attacks. Fast in running would be good too incase the situation is bad enough. Stamina training would be good for you too. Also in a fight you will always need to have a back up plan, a weapon and a escape route. The most important thing you'll need is that brain of yours. You'll need to be able to read situations, the fights, people, outcomes. You'll need to be ahead of the other person which sometimes is a hard thing to do. That brain will be able to keep you out of dangerous of situations an will be your best friend in a fight but don't get overwhelmed an neglect to focus on the fight cause then you'll lose. An with losing sometimes you loose more than just a fight. Understand and remeber that. I gotta be going then." Getting up Issac flashed a grin. "I have a feeling I'll be hearing about you in the something in the future. Regardless of which side you end up on take care." Before he began walking away. "Catherine Summers, its my name and I hope we meet again when I'm a navigator for a crew." He waved to me as he walked away. I went to return my books. I'll have to remember that. The next books I began to read were about weapons, fighting, and reading situations, there literally were hundreds of things I'd have to prepare myself for. The read about multiple styles and as I began the basic I began to apply different techniques. But as I read and practiced I realized the trouble. While doing the things Issac had said I didn't have someone to practice with or know where to hit. Medical books. I read on the human body, weak points,if necessary where to kill. I shivered to make up for that I also it be good If I knew how to help heal. I began basic first aid and even going as far a reading medical books an talking with the towns doctor. I learned I'd have multiple skills sets that'd make me useful. As I got older I began to read and practice less because of the responsiblities around the house. Even getting a job as a waitress at the bar and assitant at the book store. I trained an read and slept aft going home an doing chores. I was exhausted but it was paying off. I began breaking up fights at the bar which got me into trouble with worried Marie, bartender, manager, an regulars. They laughed it off though, the shock that I knocked out two guys. I was happy to see results. I had also shown reults in first aid helping the doctor treat paitents with minor injuried and illnesses. I dealt with a few with major injuries though. Stab victims, gunshot, even a few burn victims who survived a house fire.  The last one stung as I treated them imagining for the first time in a while, the events of that night. When I arrived home Marie as there with food fixed. I promptly hugged her and told her what had happened. I was old enough now I asked her about it. She told me, there weren't any survivors that she knew about my mother, father and sisters bodys had been found and identified my brothers. They had no idea what could've happend to him. She told me it that everyone seems to think the fire was orchestrated by one of dads unhappy bussiness partners. But nothing could be done because there was no proof but the fire itself wasn't an accident. She said she was worried when I first came there that the people involved with the crime would try to hurt me if they knew I was alive. She was happy they didn't especially when I started going outside. After we ate, we talked alittle more an I told her not exactly what I wanted to do. She laughed an said it was very like me. To wanna go see the world and explore. For my birthday she told me to go visit the guy in the dojo for some real training. I also attained, maps, log poses, money, books, first aid stuff, some wepaons. As I was leaving the dojo after a training session I ran into Issac again. So much older now that I was nearly sixteen. Laughing he said, "little sooner than I aspected but me and the crew were needing to make a stop and restock. I stopped at the bar heard everyone was in a uproar about Catherines Birthday. Thought I'd come to see you. Looks like you've remembered what I told you. Wanna test out you abilities, If you win or we have a draw I'll offer you one or two gifts since it's your birthday. Hows that sound?" My eyes sparked and my heart pounded in excitement. "Sounds like a pretty good plan to me!"  Going to an area where we could avoid drawing alot of attention our way he began. We both were dodging each others attacks, thinking of his next moved a made a quick dodge using the momentm to swing my leg around for a kick to the stomach he fell back but rolled to his feet again. His attacks from that point on became more aggressive.I could only dodge for so long, I wasn't gonna let him back me into a corner, i lungaged forward swinging, he caught fist and suddenly were falling backwards. I had thrown him off balance acting quickly i manuvered to him taking the brunt of the fall and moved in, only for him to turn us, not good he was gonna have the upperhand if i didn't knee him in the stomach and put distance between us. As I stood up I watched his movements he was starting to breath heavy. I finally made a decision that might help me when or cause me to lose. "Practice what you preach Issac and maybe you wouldn't be so winded." Laughing at my taunt. "Nice try little girl, taunting me isn't gonna throw me off my game enough for you to take advantage of the fight. In fact you got be careful with a gutsy move like that could get you killed." Those words echoed in my head, Killed, how I hated and feard that word. Issac noticing the change from fear to a more serious demenor braced himself. He figured out the trigger word thinking back to the young girl he talked to long ago and the expresssion she wore when that word was brought up. Anything related to the word death seemed to set off fear and anger in her. Probably something to do with her past. Dodging the attacks that were calculatedly aim with force to hurt. Yeah He'd definetely would talk to her about it later. For now he had to focus apparently she was a class a student cause she went beyond the means of what he asked of her years ago. Yep she was smart then, deadly smart now. Reading all those books and whatever else she did was gonna pay off. Finally after taking and landing hit he decided it was time to end it, she'd proved herself. Catherine Summers, yep this lady was gonna be trouble. Pinning her he managed to bring her back to her sense. You did good, very good. But I'm gonna say I win, but you proved yourself to be worthy. Sighing she grumbled something that sounded like a few feet more and I'd be a winner. Glancing behind him he was right she was backing him into a tree root to where if he'd trip, he'd take a tumble down a big hill and she would've gain the upper-hand. Damn she was gonna be a good fighter. Especially god-forbid she had weapons an that. He got up and pulled her up looking her over little to no injuries just a scratch and a brusie at the most. She dusted herself off. "Let grab something to eat and we can discuss things there." Following behind her they ended up back at the bar, where a beautiful waitress made her ay over. Looking up noticing alittle panic in Catherines eyes he was alittle unsettled. "Catherine," the woman began about to lecture the girl for being late to the surprise party and hanging out with what she noted to be a handsome to old for Catherine pirate. "your alittle late and thats fine, but what have you been doing all this time?" Glancing at the two of them noticing he was alittle worse for wear than Catherine. It clicked. "Marie, this is Issac, I met him a few years ago after he got into that bar fight, he's the won that fight after leaving the bar that day. I kinda ran into him on the streets asked a couple of questions and he gave me some advice on achieving my goals. To answer your question his crew was in the area and he heard about my birthday from someone so he thought he'd visit. " Catherine wasn't sure about that expression, Marie was hard to read sometimes cause she never reacted the way you'd think she would sometimes. An she added "He wanted me to show him what I learned. I nearly turned a draw into a win if that counts." Instead of sighing she began giggling, "My what am I going to do with you with you Hope?" Smiling she left to get refreshements and some food for them. "Who was that?" Issac inquired. "Marie, shes been taking care of me since my family died in a house fire a few year ago. She worked as one of the staff but after she took me in she began waitressing. She helped me through everything, there will never be away I could repay her for what shes done and gave up for me. It would be wrong to call her mother since I did have a good one, but Marie would be the next best thing to her." Issac didn't know what to say, he didn't really know what to ask. "Catherine could..would it be okay if I ask you questions about the fire?" he finally got thw words out. "It's fine, you don't have to walk on eggshells around certain topics. My Dad was a wealthy man, had alot of bussiness partners, from what Marie told me he made a few of them mad enough to hire some people to burn the house down with us in it. My father, mother, older sister were confirmed dead, my older brother, they never found his body, we assume he's dead but no ones come forward or found any information on his whereabouts. If he's alive I'd like to find him. He used to talk about wanting to become a marine, if he's still alive I think that's how I'm gonna find him, when he seems my wanted poster." Marie came back with the food and refilled there drinks. She had heard the conversation upon returning. She seated herself at the table with them. "Hope you don't mind if I sit here." Catherine rolled her eyes and remarked. "To late to move you know already sitting down now." Issac looked at them. Yeah they behaved like family. "I actually think it'd be good for you to sit with us since you an Catherine are practically family, I have an offer for her." Marie glanced at her she knew nothing yet, "We'll hear you out, but in the end its her decision, and I'll support whatever she decides." Issac smiled and sighed in relief. Last thing he wanted was the pretty lady in front of him to go on a rampage. "I was going to offer to drop/escort Catherine to the next island, help her get started on her journey, but before that I'd like to have her as a temporary member of my crew, I would say permant but she's gonna need to learn and expand at some point. So I figured I'd help out with that before hand if she okay with that." Marie already knowing the answer smiled at Issac and cast a glance in her would be daughters direction. Her eyes were shining, but she glanced at Marie. I'll support you, you just gotta promise to write and come back and visit." She reassured her. Then casting a glance to Issac this was gonna be the fun part. "AN you she began,better take good care of her, teach her all you know,help her with whatever she'll need and watch her progress. Make sure that you always keep track of her and if you think she's in over her head step in." "But you will come back to visit also and write me to..?" She questioned what she was even saying at this point. Catherine began laughing knowing. "Telling my handsome captain he better come back an see you, after laying into him about taking care of me. That'll get his attention hook , line and sinker, Marie." As soon as those words left her mouth she saw both her captain and marie wearing matching blushes. Yeah she'd caught him stealing glances to but wasn't gonna get an immedate crew punishment. Then it struck both of them, she'd said the word captain. Issc smiled "I certainly will take good care of Catherine like she was my own, Miss Marie, an I'll be coming back with her. As for the writing you don't mind if I send mine seperate from hers do you?" Yep getting awkward fast. "Well while you too adults talk things over, *cough use protection cough* I'm gonna go enjoy the town, an go pack my stuff. Use a hotel not the house." Blushing as she said that rushing out of the bar. Visiting a few people as she said, the book owner, the master of the dojo, and when morning came she found Marie in the kitchen cooking, trying not to cry. "Thank you, for everything, you've done so much I don't know how I'm going to repay you, but I'll keep my word, I'll visit when I can, Write as much as I can, take care of yourself, mama." With that they both started to cry, they hugged, straighten themselves ups ate a normal breakfast, and then the captain had come to get her. Issac placed a quick kiss to Marie and with his vivre card giving several to Catherine. He grabbed her stuff an boarded His Ship. She was Issac and his crew for a few years, she'd learned and matured alot in that time. Still one of the most joyful people in the crew though always giving them a reason to smile, laugh, helping them, they learned from her as much as she'd learned from them, they went back to visit Marie, wrote her once a week. Catherine had recently consumed a devil fruit that let her control air Issac began to start the next page of the letter. She had learned to control it pretty well, even used it for naviagting ad fighting. Yes she'd lost her ability to swim but she gained somethng else that might help her more, an as long as someone was near her they could alway help if she were to where she couldnt use her newfound powers. The day had finally arrived, she turned eighteen, she was supposed to leave the crew get her own ship, they had a celebration dinner her gave her tons of gifts, but then captain Issac walked to her smiling he laid a letter from Marie on the table, and his captain logs and few other items, puzzled Catherine looked up. "Sir,?' He cut her off. "Today as we discussed  men, I'm stepping down as captain, I'll still be a member however, we will be under the rule of our new Captain Catherine Hope Summers, I trust she will do her best, guide us through more adventures, we will gather a lot of crewmate for her in the younger gneration before we step down, help them as we helped her and under guidance send them off to the new world. All of those oppose speak now. SIlence went accross the room with encouraging smiles. All those For cheers! An everyones voice rang out through the room. Aye Captain what's your first orders? Before we go gather you a new crew to go with you to the new world. After that we'll leave you to decide what you wanna do then! After all its hard not to go on one more adventure!

#one piece oc #one of many oc fanfics #one piece #future storys coming soon #onepiece oc chapter 1 #Catherine hope summers