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thelastarchangelaskblog · 2 months

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Seventh Year: Forgiveness Bonus Scene 1

So, I only have the one bonus scene so far for this chapter. There may be one or two more but for now this is it. And this was one I wrote a while in advance because of the vibes. Such vibes.

It'll be pretty evident what this is for. :)

The art is by @the-grey-hunt! Ne did a fabulous job of it. <3

Should Samael do this? Probably not, in the most technical sense of the term, but Samael could do it, and that made all the difference. But ne needed a little more information first, and Michael was not going to be the right person to ask.

The last thing Samael wanted to do was cause that terrible grief again. It reminded nem too much of Gabriel’s, though this grief also had a nice helping of guilt. It was a double dose of nastiness and Samael had other people ne could ask.

Only Michael’s friends seemed to be dealing with a hangover from hell. As far as Samael could currently tell, Michael was attempting to console the ones still left behind in the room. He would probably have a better chance of that if he took their hangovers away but Samael wasn’t going to judge him wanting them to learn from experience.

But there were three who weren’t in the room, even if they were all also nursing nasty hangovers. They were in the kitchens, apparently trying to coax some post-hangover meals out of the staff. The food was going okay; the drinks – namely pumpkin juice and butterbeer – not so well, as the staff gave them blank looks on hearing about butterbeer.

“You know, I’m not sure butterbeer is the best cure for a hangover, but sure. We can give it a whirl.”

There was a startled flail from Justin, Ernie, and Neville. Neville knocked over a bucket of eels on the counter that Samael saved from spilling over the floor. Åse would make nir next so many meals miserable if Samael let that happen to their beloved kitchen floor.

“Michael isn’t here,” Ernie said, squinting at Samael. “He’s currently trying to coax the others out of bed.”

It was a mental image Samael had never known ne wanted. Ne refrained from peeking in, since Michael definitely would notice that.

“I know that,” Samael said cheerfully, not making any effort to lower nir voice. “I’m here for you!”

“Why?” Neville asked suspiciously. He steadied himself with a hand on the counter, making sure there wasn’t anything else there he could knock down.

“If this is about last night, I have nothing to tell you,” Ernie said firmly.

Samael paused, giving him a curious look. “Why? What happened last night?”

“Even if I knew I wouldn’t tell you. Malfoy’s smug face this morning is already going to give me nightmares.”

“I’m regretting not taking Michael up on his offer to sober me up,” Justin moaned, rubbing over his forehead. “Now he won’t even bother, since it’s a ‘learning experience.’”

“That sounds like him. Let me know how the learning experience goes.”

“Why are you here again?” Neville asked. “Just to poke fun at us?”

“No. I mean, I could, but that’s not what I’m here for. Why don’t we get some actual food for you and then we can talk?”

They all exchanged doubtful glances.

“Susan’s going to kill us if we don’t return with food,” Ernie said dubiously. “That’s why we’re here.”

“Another thirty minutes won’t kill them,” Samael said dismissively, glancing at Åse and raising nir eyebrows. “Michael’s there.”

With Samael supervising and helping, breakfast was soon ready and plated. Samael also went ahead and made some butterbeer, recalling the ingredients from those DIY recipes when the series had been so popular. It likely wouldn’t be the same given Asgard didn’t have exact matches for the ingredients but it would be close enough.

“I thought you said no butterbeer,” Justin said, though he took the mug when it was offered.

Samael shrugged, sliding down two others for the other two and taking the last for nemself. “I felt sorry for you.”

“…I don’t know if I should say thank you.”

“Don’t,” Neville muttered into his eggs.

Samael muffled a laugh into nir butterbeer. “Take your time.”

It wasn’t until they finished their breakfast and had copious amounts of water that they seemed even remotely ready for the conversation. By this time Samael was on nir second mug of butterbeer.

“You didn’t just come here because you felt sorry for our hangovers,” Neville noted. “Why are you here?”

Samael brushed a finger through the foam of nir butterbeer. “I could have, but you’re right.” Ne licked the foam off nir finger. “I don’t want to ask Michael about this because it would upset him, so I’m asking you. About his parents.”

They’d been wary before, but now they all looked at nem suspiciously. It was marred by how they were still slightly squinty-eyed.

“Why do you want to know?” Justin asked. He still had his head propped up in a hand.

“I can bring them back,” Samael said plainly, “but I won’t if it would hurt him more.”

“Michael couldn’t bring them back,” Ernie said. Unlike Justin and Neville, he was doing his best to appear professional despite how he kept squinting into the light. “He said he couldn’t find them. Why would you be any different?”

So Michael had tried? That was surprising. But perhaps Samael should stop being surprised by him since Michael was so different from the one ne knew before.

“I’m Death,” Samael said simply. “I have a better idea of where they would have gone than he does.”

“How are you Death?” Neville was incredulous. He was also picturing the previous Death, having somehow met him before. “You don’t look at all like him.”

“Wait, when did you meet Death?” Justin demanded, turning towards Neville.

Neville looked a little shifty. “Around.”

“Around? Around? Around when?”

Neville looked down at his drink. “When You-Know-Who died,” he said. “He took care of it.”

Samael very carefully took a drink of butterbeer, watching the three of them.

“You mean the night all of you refuse to tell us about?” Ernie’s voice was dry.

“Yes,” Neville said blandly. “That night.”

Samael wasn’t looking, but it was very difficult to avoid hearing the sound of chewing, as well as the image of a heart being eaten by a mangled mouth. Ah, that was Michael’s work.

“I’m Death,” Samael said, rescuing Neville from having to think any further on that night. Nausea was imminent. “My predecessor passed it on to me. So…deaths fall under my purview – all deaths. So I have the ability to bring them back, but I’d like to know what I’m getting into before I try. Because Michael blames himself for what happened, but I don’t really think it was his fault.”

“It wasn’t,” Justin said immediately.

“What happened?”

They shared uncertain looks.

“If he doesn’t want you to know, I don’t think it’s up to us to share,” Ernie said slowly.

“I didn’t ask him,” Samael admitted. Ne almost had but for that awful, terrible grief. “It would have hurt him more to remember. He was only just able to share what sort of parents they’d been.”

“Is it just morbid curiosity?” Neville asked. “Why do you need to know to be able to bring them back?”

Samael considered nir answer, taking a long drink. Ne wiped a thumb over nir lips, wiping the foam off. “Depending on what happened, they may not want to come back. I won’t force them, but it would help to know the details so I know what I’m looking at.”

The three shared looks again.

“We don’t know the specifics either,” Ernie said eventually, subdued. “Michael never shared, but from what we gathered, it was…bad. You-Know-Who sent Death Eaters after them. His dad…his dad was a Muggle. But his mom… She wasn’t.”

“He blames himself because You-Know-Who knew who he was. He was still alive after what Michael did,” Justin said. “It’s bloody stupid, but he blames himself for it.”

“I can see that.” Samael huffed out a breath, shaking nir head. It was Michael putting the weight of the world on his shoulders, even if it wasn’t solely his burden to bear. Death Eaters… “Which Death Eater?”

“If you’re asking because you want to go after him, he was sentenced to Azkaban,” Justin said. “He was…pretty badly off. I’m not sure what happened there…”

Neville didn’t meet anyone’s eyes, and this time Samael was treated to a full HD, surround-sound image of a blank, emotionless Michael holding a crackling, writhing soul that was screaming.

“I think Michael already did the job there,” Samael said lightly, deliberately not looking at Neville. “Who was it?”

“Carrow,” Justin answered when no one else responded. “Amycus Carrow.”

Samael distinctly remembered asking Michael if Amycus Carrow had been his father. Oh dear.

It put Michael’s utterly aghast expression in a new light.

“Ah. I see.” Samael was briefly disappointed the Dark was dead-dead. How did they just pick the worst vessels to inhabit? “I assume Michael didn’t know what happened until after.”

“We don’t know why,” Justin said. “They knew who he was.”

Samael couldn’t say why either. Maybe for his father, a Muggle, he might not have had time. But his mother…? She probably did have time, given she had magic. Why wouldn’t they have called for help?

“Maybe he can find out,” Samael said.

“You’re getting them back?” Neville asked.

“If they want to.” Samael couldn’t say if they would want to come back. Not everyone who died did. “Don’t tell Michael, as I don’t want to get his hopes up.”

“Why are you even doing this?” Neville stared nem down. “Do you think that by doing this it’ll fix what you did?”

Samael managed a smile. “No. It doesn’t fix anything. But it’s the least of what I can do. Because I can do this – give him something back that he lost. I’m not doing this for anything else beyond the fact that he’s my sibling.”

“That didn’t stop you before.”

Samael’s smile twitched. Ne swallowed, dropping nir gaze. “No. It didn’t.” Ne had been…far too furious at Michael. Blaming him for things out of his control. “I don’t have an excuse for what I did, but that’s a conversation for Michael. And he and I have spoken about this.”

It probably wouldn’t be the last time. Samael still wasn’t sure what to do about the revelation that Michael had just…let nem…do all that. Pain was something even angels shied away from, yet Michael had just…let it happen.

Ne didn’t know if Gabriel knew. It wasn’t something ne felt comfortable telling him at this point, not when ne scarcely knew what to do with it.

“So you’re doing this for him,” Ernie said. “For Michael.”

Samael managed another smile now, and this one came easier. “I think more people should do things just for him, don’t you think? He’s done enough for the rest of us.”

There was no immediate response here, just them studying nem and also glancing at each other. Still, Samael had the impression of having said something they approved of.

“He deserves that,” Justin said. “If that’s what you’re doing…then yes. We’ll keep it quiet for you and hope it works out.”

Samael’s smile widened, more genuine. “I hope so, too.” Ne downed the remainder of the butterbeer, then sent the mug to land neatly in the sink. “It’ll take me a bit. I don’t know how long, but I’ll be out of touch.”

“He won’t go looking for you?” Ernie asked.

“We’re not in each other’s pockets. We never were. He might notice my absence but probably won’t think anything of it. We’re all adults, technically speaking.” Samael brushed nir hands off. “Thank you. I’ll see you later. Have fun dealing with the hangover.”

Ne didn’t wait for a response, switching between the dimensions for the world of Hogwarts. Death was connected, and so were the afterlives, but it would nonetheless be easier to start in this world.

When Samael stepped through, ne stepped onto a white platform. It was a train station, though the only one way could tell was by the train tracks by the side. There was no ceiling, though pillars stretched up into a white void; there were no walls. The place gave off the impression of a liminal space with no boundaries.

At least it was somewhat familiar – somewhat expected from what Samael knew of this world.

Hands in nir jacket pockets, Samael stepped up to the edge of the platform, waiting for the train that would come.

It didn’t take long. The whistle of a train and the rhythmic chug-chugging of the engine came first before Samael saw a white train emerge from the white nothingness that surrounded this platform. The train didn’t stop, but it did slow, albeit without the hissing of brakes.

In the front of the train, wearing a conductor’s cap, was Billie. She looked very unimpressed with the current state of affairs, one elbow leaning on the window sill while the other took care of driving.

Space slowed, time turning into a crawl. Samael looked up at her. “What are you doing here?”

“Where Death is, so follow nir reapers,” Billie intoned, face impassive. “What are you doing here, Death?”

“You already know.”

“You have no right.”

“I am the only one who has the right.”

“Not even Death can break the rules as ne wishes.”

“No?” Samael raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem to have kept up to date on the news, Billie.”

“There are rules for a reason, Death.” Billie wasn’t looking at nem but instead the train tracks that stretched on to eternity. “You break them as you wish…chaos ensues. You know how that looks all too well.”

“The former Death and my Father made mistakes, leaving their chaos for us to take care of. Their inaction cost us too much. No one said I was going to break the rules as I wish – I know my own duties too well for that – but following the rules blindly can also lead to chaos. Inflexibility is as gross an injustice as inaction.”

“You are not justice.”

“No,” Samael said softly, “I am death. I am life. I am the nothing. I am the End. I am the beginning and the end of the line. And there is something I can do here – a postponing of a death that happened too soon.”

“That is not your call to make. Death follows its path; everyone has their time.”

Samael straightened nir jacket sleeves, fiddling with the little zipper at nir wrist. Ne didn’t look away from Billie. “Is that your professional opinion as a reaper, Billie?”

“You asked me to help guide you,” Billie said, the slightest hint of wariness entering her tone. “You asked for a second-in-command. Are you rescinding that?”

Samael shrugged, tucking nir hands back in nir pockets. “No. Call me on my bullshit however and whenever you please; I won’t hurt you for that. I’ll take your advice under consideration, but I won’t always listen. Have you ever carried the scythe before?”

“No.”

“Then don’t presume to tell me what is and isn’t my call to make. Not when I feel the pulse of every death in existence – every life that has passed and is about to pass and will pass. Not when I know exactly what boundaries there are and what shouldn’t be crossed. And this? This is no hard boundary. This is a choice I will be offering. A choice I will not offer nearly as much as you’re worrying about.”

“This is a very slippery slope you’re traversing, Samael.”

Samael’s answering smile was cool. “Didn’t you know, Reaper Billie? My existence has been about the slippery slope.”

Billie gave nem a long look, eyes narrowed. “The ego of you angels.”

Samael shrugged. It was true enough. Death had said it frequently. “And yet this was given to me. Consider what that means.”

Billie’s mouth twisted into a grimace. She looked away, back to the train tracks stretching into eternity. “Fine. You and I both know I can’t stop you.” The train whistle screamed, and the brakes hissed as the locomotive slowed, a door opening. “Do as you wish.”

Samael didn’t thank her, grabbing hold of the handholds outside the door and stepping into the moving train. The door slid shut behind nem, and the eerie whiteness of the platform faded.

Billie wasn’t happy with nem, but they had eternity together for Samael to try to form a better working relationship. But this…this was too important for simple rules.

Samael turned to the right, walking through the carriages. It wasn’t like the subway cars of New York City of old. It resembled a train from Europe, which made some sense. There were tables set up on both sides and four seats to a table. The train wasn’t empty, numerous other souls filling the seats.

But they had no features. They were beings of light, composed of numerous lifetimes of memories.

There was nothing to be seen outside the windows beyond shapeless white, but somehow the train still had shadows flickering across the floor and the souls, like there were things outside blocking the light source. The shadows flickered between trees, mountains, buildings… All vague and nebulous.

Perhaps it was for familiarity’s sake for these souls.

Not all the seats were taken. Some had four and some had three. Some had two. Some only had one. They were all silent, watchful, though they didn’t seem alarmed at Samael’s presence.

Samael continued walking down the narrow path through the carriages. Ne didn’t know Eleanor and Alan Hopkins. Ne had never met them, never seen how Michael saw them. Ne only had their names to go off of, but if they were Michael’s human parents… It was likely something of Michael would still cling to them even now.

There was no end to the train. No end to the rhythmic rumbling beneath nir feet. No end or change to the surroundings outside. There were just the shifting shadows inside, as well as the different souls in each carriage.

It was okay. Samael had time. There was no rush.

Eventually, sixty carriages later, something familiar pricked at nir senses. Something warm, like a crackling fireplace on a cold winter’s evening. It wasn’t anywhere near as hot as Michael could run, but it was still him. A sense of him.

There were two souls at the table in the middle of the carriage. They sat next to each other, facing empty seats on the other side of the table.

Samael slowed to a stop next to them, studying them curiously.

Like all the other souls ne had seen thus far, these two were a compilation of numerous lifetimes. There were no names attached to them, just a wealth of experiences and Michael’s energy.

Samael slid into one of the seats in front of them, sliding towards the window and leaning back against it, legs spread out along the length of the bench, which obligingly lost its arm rests. Folding nir arms over nir chest, ne waited, continuing to study them closely.

Finally, there was acknowledgement from one of them. A question asked, an inquiry about what ne wanted.

Samael smiled. “I’d like your names.”

Okay, ne cheated a little here. Nudged a tiny bit, pulling slightly on what was there of Michael’s energy to help the souls remember their most recent lifetime.

It was the one closest to the window who started changing first, the nondescript light of the soul shifting into something more distinct. The light faded, pulling inwards, revealing tan skin and laugh lines around light-colored eyes. Her dark hair was in a braid with only a few gray hair speckled throughout. “My name is Eleanor.”

The other soul changed second, a little more hesitantly. Soon, a dark-skinned man with wire-framed glasses sat next to Eleanor. His eyes were dark, kind, and similarly framed with laugh lines. “Alan.”

Some minute tension Samael hadn’t noticed before left nem. Ne hadn’t thought ne’d gotten it wrong, but there was always the chance… At least now ne could be sure. “My name’s Samael.”

“Samael,” Eleanor repeated, watching nem with open curiosity. “How can we help you?”

“Well, I hope you can.” Samael smiled again, looking at both of them. “You…may be familiar with my brother? Michael? Or…Wayne?”

There was instant recognition on both their faces even before Samael gave the name of Michael’s human alias. Recognition and love. It slammed into Samael with the force of light speed.

“You’re—” Eleanor covered her mouth with a hand, her other going to grab hold of Alan’s tightly. “Do you know? Is he okay? Is he doing well?”

Samael’s smile brightened into a grin. “He’s doing well, Eleanor.”

Eleanor’s eyes closed in visible relief, her breath escaping with a loud sigh. Alan laid his hand over hers, squeezing it reassuringly. He seemed relieved as well, a quiet sort of relief that was nonetheless still intense.

“What are you doing here?” Alan asked.

Samael shrugged. “I’m here for you. To give you two a choice.”

“A choice?” Eleanor sounded hesitant.

“Yes.” Samael shifted, sitting upright and folding nir hands on the table, leaning forward. “Come back with me.”

Eleanor and Alan exchanged glances, confusion and worry most prominent on their faces.

“We’re dead,” Eleanor said, looking back at Samael.

“Yes,” Samael agreed bluntly, “but you don’t have to stay dead.”

Eleanor inhaled sharply even as Alan shook his head slightly, brow furrowed. They didn’t seem to understand.

“I don’t know what Michael shared with you about what we can do, but resurrecting the dead… It’s entirely possible. So I’m here. Giving you the choice.”

“He…didn’t tell us much,” Alan said after a moment. “I think he was worried how we would respond.”

That sounded very much like Michael. Especially the one Samael knew now. “That doesn’t surprise me.”

“It was our time,” Eleanor said, squeezing Alan’s hand. “Our time to go. I know you’re…an angel?”

“An archangel,” Samael said, “second oldest to Michael.”

Shadows flickered over Eleanor’s face, the odd light changing as the train continued moving. “I…don’t recall seeing your name.”

Samael shrugged, fiddling with the end of nir jacket. “The Bible doesn’t have a lot of us. It names a few – Michael being one. I was in there as well.” Ne didn’t wish to mention Lucifer yet. The goal was to get them back, not scare them off. “I am an archangel, and I do have the ability to reverse death.”

“It was our time,” Eleanor repeated.

“…You died because Michael interfered,” Samael said gently. “Without his presence, you two would have continued living.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” Eleanor said sharply, a surge of protectiveness rising.

“I didn’t say it was. But the fact remains that if he hadn’t acted as he did, you two would never have come into the picture for Voldemort.”

There was a slight flinch from Eleanor at the name, one not mirrored by Alan. He gave her a concerned look, squeezing her hand.

“If you have to look for a loophole, then you know this isn’t right,” Eleanor said.

“No loophole. Just the hard facts. The only reason Michael didn’t do it himself is because he didn’t know where you two went. You can’t retrieve souls without knowing where the souls are.”

“How did you know?” Eleanor asked.

Samael smiled. “I’m Death.”

Ne wasn’t sure what they saw of nir other aspect, the new power that now resided in nir Grace, but something must have shown, for they both flinched backwards.

“Yama,” Eleanor breathed, a hand at her chest.

It wasn’t a name Samael was familiar with. Hesitating, ne reached out to glean what Eleanor meant by that. They were Hindu? Their Father must have had one hell of a sense of humor to put Michael in a family that believed in pagans. “Ah. No. I’m no god.”

“You said—”

“I’m Death. Not the god of death, but death itself. Death is my domain; all souls that die fall under my purview. So I have that final say on what happens to souls.”

“You said it was our choice,” Alan pointed out, watching Samael warily.

“It is. I won’t take you if you have no desire to go back. But you have the option.”

Eleanor shared glances with Alan once more.

“I don’t regret it,” Eleanor said eventually, turning to meet Samael’s eyes once more. “It wasn’t his fault what happened. He did what was right. What happened afterwards…it was our time. If not then, at some other point in the future. Wayne – Michael will do well without us. He’ll move on.”

Samael could leave it at that – not influence their choices. It was a choice. It was a perfectly fine choice.

Except…ne felt fingers run through nir hair, a warm Grace blanketing nem and trying to reassure nem despite the pain tearing nir Grace apart. The grief that suddenly appeared and then disappeared without warning.

“A med-witch… Was she…where you learned to do that?”

“When I was still human…yes. She was a good teacher. They both were.”

The grief of loss that never really went away no matter how much time passed. Seeing Gabriel through the years, how he would put on a mask and yes, he had been happy, but it hadn’t been happiness, that grief of loss remaining millions of years later.

And that had just been his friends.

From everything Samael had heard, Michael’s parents had been good. And here, just in this small conversation, Samael could see that. Could see how much they loved Michael, how much they would do for him. That Eleanor had fought to the death to protect someone who didn’t need that protection.

Samael knew how that felt. Knew what it was like to be so cherished and valued that someone would go to incredible lengths to make sure ne was safe. And it had been by the only real father ne had known.

Gabriel would never know. He had found it awkward enough to be put into that position when Samael had just been Sam, an AI.

But Samael could never forget.

“Why would you do that after - after everything I did? Everything that – that other me did?”

“…Because I wanted to. Because I could. Because you’re family.”

“You don’t—”

“Regret it? No. Never. I’d do it again if I needed to.”

Ne had always, always known Gabriel would be there for nem. Even after the nightmares. Even after ne found out who ne was. Even after regaining nir Grace and the struggle of rebuilding a relationship that Samael had shattered.

Gabriel had been there.

That security of knowing – that was what was so important.

And Samael cheated again, because Michael was nir sibling and he deserved something. And this was something Samael could fix. “You’re right,” ne agreed. “He’ll be fine. He can take care of himself. But he will never stop grieving you. Or blaming himself for his role in what happened. You should have had long lives, but they ended much sooner because of what he did. Not,” ne said quickly, putting up a hand to forestall the indignant protests, “because it was actually his fault, but because he believes it was. You’re gone because of his interference.”

“He – he’ll move on,” Eleanor managed, voice strangled. “We’re just—”

“Human?” Samael smiled sadly. “You were never just human to him. You were his. Time will pass, but he won’t forget, and he won’t stop grieving. It’s not in our nature.”

Gabriel had never stopped grieving. As Tony, he had it a little easier, able to soften the intensity of an archangel’s grief, but he was still too angelic for that to truly work. They were just two sides of the same coin.

“We all die,” Alan pointed out slowly. “Now or later…there’s no difference.”

“The difference is time. It can make all the difference.” Samael hoped. It hadn’t helped Gabriel much, not with the anvil of his friends disappearing over his head. But maybe Michael was cut from a different cloth.

Eleanor and Alan said nothing, both of them looking at each other and seeming to have a silent conversation that spoke of years together.

Samael gave them a little bit, before nudging once more. “Would you let Michael continue to believe he’s at fault for your deaths?”

Eleanor looked stricken, shaking her head. She pressed a hand to her eyes. Alan frowned, swapping the hand he had over Eleanor’s to pull her into his side.

“This is your choice,” Samael said again. “I’ll let you think it over a little more. I’ll be at the front of the carriage.”

Samael stood, sliding out from behind the table to make nir way to the front and the empty table ne had seen earlier in this carriage. It was still empty. Ne sat down, then laid down on the seats; the armrests once more decided it would be better for them to go elsewhere.

The ceiling of the carriage looked remarkably normal, shadows flitting over it. The seats below Samael rumbled with the slow and steady chug-chug of the train’s engine and the wheels over the train tracks.

Ne felt for that scar in nir Grace, that wound where Michael’s sword had almost killed nem. It throbbed slightly, an ache that had yet to fade.

There was no such thing as time in this realm, but Samael’s extremely accurate internal clock stated it had been thirty minutes and forty-five seconds by the time ne was approached by Eleanor and Alan.

Ne propped nemself up on nir elbows, hit nir shoulder on the table, winced, and then managed to wiggle back into a upright sitting position. Hopefully without looking too stupid.

Judging from the restrained smiles on both of their faces, that was a failure.

Samael did not rub at nir shoulder. “So, uh…made a decision?”

“Yes,” Eleanor said. “Take us back.”

Their souls were warm against nir Grace. Samael made sure nir grip was gentle, harmless. Billie didn’t stop the train again, but Samael didn’t need her to. Ne opened the door of the moving train and stepped out onto a platform.

The train chugged away, disappearing into the whiteness. Ne tugged nir jacket closer, around the two souls nestled close to nem, and stepped back into the world of the living.

There were a few ways one could revive the dead. One was with their actual bodies, rejuvenating them and putting them back in working order. That was the easiest, since healing what was destroyed was always easier than making something from scratch.

Eleanor and Alan guided nem to their hometown, which was easily enough found. It was a small village on the cusp of being a town in the English countryside. It was quiet and peaceful, so Samael could certainly picture how much of a shock a double-murder must have been.

The cemetery was on the outskirts. It wasn’t very large, which made sense. There was an older one more in the inside of the village by the church, but this one was newer.

It was also here that Samael ran into a snag, because Eleanor and Alan had been cremated. Naturally. Given their culture and religion. They did have two tombstones, but Samael didn’t need to dig down to know they had urns and not caskets.

The tombstones seemed a little impersonal, not at all like Michael had a hand in them himself. But he had cremated them. Personally. His Grace still shrouded their urns.

There was worry from Eleanor and Alan at this, their souls more aware of such matters than they would have been if they were alive.

Samael could try for their ashes, but that seemed a little crass. And ne would have to get past Michael’s Grace to do so.

So option two it was. Ne would have to rebuild their bodies from scratch.

Or maybe mud…? Ne could be traditional about it but skip taking Alan’s rib to make Eleanor.

Ne chose an isolated spot in the middle of the moors for this. There was plenty of earth to use here, to ground them to life.

Samael recalled the physical appearances they’d used on the train. Ne could recreate that easily enough, though the smaller details would be missed because ne had no idea about Alan’s eyesight that led to him wearing glasses. He probably wouldn’t mind having perfect vision…

When asked, Alan just requested his frames, which Samael could do without any issue.

In the end, Samael only used a little bit of earth, a reminder for their souls where they came from. Air went into their lungs, as a way for them to breathe. Water was also used for the composition, since human bodies needed so much of it.

Ne recreated their clothing based off what they’d been wearing in the train.

Once done, Samael slowly and carefully took their souls and placed them in their new bodies, pressing nir palms to their foreheads and easing the transition. It took several minutes for them to settle, transitioning from an ethereal state of being to something more physical.

Samael watched them closely. It was a little trickier with new bodies instead of their old ones, and this was too important to mess up.

Eleanor was the first who opened her eyes, blinking rapidly and squinting into the light. She caught sight of Samael a moment later, eyes widening.

Samael smiled at her. “Welcome back.”

Eleanor looked over at Alan, who had his eyes screwed tight against the sunlight. She reached out to touch his arm, a little clumsy. “Alan…”

It was a moment before Alan opened his eyes, turning his head towards her. He stared, not speaking.

Eleanor laughed, the sound breaking slightly. “Alan…we’re here.”

Alan reached out to touch her cheek, clumsy and shaky. He didn’t say anything, just touching her.

It felt unbearably intimate, like something Samael shouldn’t be privy to. Ne quickly whisked nemself away, giving them privacy but also still keeping them in eyesight so they knew where ne was.

Ne sprawled out on the ground, looking up at the sky.

Earth was nice. No other planet compared to it. Though, to be fair, no planets compared to each other either. They were all unique, different.

It was just that Earth was nostalgic. So much about what had happened revolved around it. At least now ne had positive memories and not just…

The sky was pink and orange by the time Eleanor and Alan made their way to nem. Samael sat up as they approached, looping an arm around a knee and watching them.

They carefully sat down by nem, Alan steadying Eleanor.

“Thank you,” Eleanor told nem.

“You’re welcome,” Samael said, smiling warmly at them. “It’s not a favor. I didn’t do this to make you owe me anything. This is for Michael. For the boy you call your son.”

“Your name is Samael?” Alan asked.

“I’m his younger sibling,” Samael said. “Though he’s the oldest, so we’re all younger compared to him. But I’m the second oldest.”

“I didn’t see your name in the Bible,” Eleanor said slowly.

Samael’s smile faded. “It was there. But I have more than one.”

Eleanor hesitated. “Which one was it?”

Samael held her gaze for a long moment. “You would have known me as Lucifer.”

Alan stiffened, drawing in a sharp breath. His grip on Eleanor’s hand tightened. Eleanor’s grip tightened in response, the skin at her knuckles whitening.

“Lucifer?” Alan’s voice was quiet.

“At one time.”

“You and Michael were enemies,” Eleanor said, nervous.

“Yeah.” Samael shifted, folding nir legs. “At one time. We’re not anymore. For my part…not for a long time. It’s been less time for Michael.”

“He was supposed to throw you down,” Eleanor whispered. “The serpent.”

Samael winced, folding nir hands together. “…He did. A long time ago. The book of revelations, if you read it…it never came to pass. Or perhaps it did, a version of it.” Gabriel had blown his horn for Lucifer, all those years ago. “But Gabriel dealt with it then.”

“The Messenger?”

Samael hummed in answer. “The youngest of us four. The best of us.” Even if Gabriel would disagree.

Eleanor laid her other hand over Alan’s. “You really didn’t bring us back with any ulterior motives.”

“No.” Samael gave them a smile, as reassuring as ne could make it. “I brought you back because of Michael.”

“Where is he?” Alan asked.

“He isn’t here.” Samael looked out at the moor around them, the vast expanse of brown and green and the pink-and-orange sky. “This is your world, the one where you and he were born. This was the easiest place to bring you back because you were familiar with this. Michael is where I’m from. I can bring you back there.”

“Could you bring him here?”

“Theoretically,” Samael said slowly. “But he doesn’t know I did this. I didn’t want him disappointed if you two decided not to come.”

“You would have respected that,” Eleanor said, wondering.

“I usually did,” Samael admitted quietly. “Lying…was never one of my vices. I know humans said I did – that I lied. But the truth hurts more than lies ever do, and it was a weapon I wielded to achieve my goals.” Ne looked down at nir hands, smaller and gentler than the ones of Nick ne had inhabited so long ago, or even that of Sam Winchester. “Those are goals I no longer hold.”

Eleanor and Alan exchanged glances. Their expressions were difficult to read, though Samael made no effort to, keeping nir eyes turned away from them.

“We believe you,” Eleanor said after a moment. “You’ve given us no reason not to trust you.”

Samael looked at her sidelong. “There are many who would say otherwise. Still…I appreciate your trust.” Ne extended both hands to them. “Would you come with me? To Michael?”

Eleanor and Alan didn’t let go of each other’s hands, but they had two hands, and it was with their free ones that they clasped hold of Samael’s in a silent answer.

Samael exhaled slowly, smiled at them, and linked their fingers together.

Michael was probably going to be happy. At least his human parents could deal with that awful grief-guilt.

#first born #my writing #the last archangel #seventh year: forgiveness #bonus scene

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keyheartsia-dorm · 3 years

Text

The Dorm Leaders with a S/O who Burned themselves making Microwave Food

(This is definitely not something that just happened to me like 10 minutes ago but you should definitely like and subscribe and don’t forget to hit the Bell icon Cause seriously some parts of my hand Hurt like a B...Not that I burned myself or anything)

Riddle Rosehearts

• So Your feeling a Gosh dang HUNGER

• You’re too hungry to wait For Trey to bake anything So

• So Kennel Corn it is!

• In your HUNGER daze you threw the popcorn in carelessly and forget to Press the Popcorn Button and just pressed the 4 Button instead of the 3 Button like you meant to even though 3 PROBABLY would’ve Ruined Your Popcorn anyway

• You text Riddle to see if he’d wanna Share some Popcorn He said he would bring some Tarts he had just put in the oven So you waited...Thinking about Food...not noticing the disaster you were Setting into place

• Anyway you Open the Microwave Full of Hope like a Doe being born on a beautiful spring day then as soon as the black Popcorn started shooting out of your Microwave in Ramshackle you then had the same disappointment as a spring Doe who was just forced to watch Fox and the Hound Like Holy Heck that Movie gives me the Hecko Deppreso

• One Burning Kernel Hit your Cheek Just as you Wince Riddle Comes into your Kitchen With Wide eyes

• He Drags you out Picnic Basket with Tarts in Hand and Takes you to the Nurse’s Office and Asks for...whatever Burned people Need As He Patches you up you 2 Share a ~Moment~

“Riddle Honestly it’s not THAT big of a deal” You Chuckle Anxiously “Don’t be Ridiculous Y/N!” he keeps Patching you up “It Must Seriously Hurt..” He looks a little Sad and while looking sadly into your eyes he kisses your cheek where the Burn was you wince as He Quickly Spits an Apology you Chuckle “You can Kiss it better if you want~” he Looks away bright Red as you 2 Sit in the Nurse’s Office Sharing Tarts

Leona King Scholar

• “I can’t Hecking Cook!!!” you found yourself Exclaiming in the Savannaclaw Kitchen Ruffling your hair

• You see Poor F-Ing Ruggie Needs a Break that’s not a secret to anyone (# Please Stop Hyena Abuse # Please Edit A Garfield Comic Where Leona is Garfield and Ruggie is John) so you said you’d make Leona his Lunch

• why the Heck you said you’d do this you Adorable stupid Hecking Idiot you but hey you did dumb dumb

• So here you are looking in the Freezer and BINGO Big ole Meat Chunk!

• So you being A fanfic protagonist Put a giant mystery meat chunk in the microwave pressed some Buttons and said..”Eh Good enough” Guess your sex god heart throb Boyfriend Is rubbing off on you ok I see how it is Y/N OK I SEE HOW IT IS

• Anyway besides my needless aggression with my words You started to look for some utensils you found A Bento Box and a Spoon thank goodness but you figured you might Need some mittens Lunch was soon and The meat was long done but no mittens

• You take it out..and HOLY MOTHER GOD WHY DID YOU THINK THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA YOUR PALMS MIGHT AS WELL BE ON FIRE

• Leona Nonchalantly Enters The scene cause Ruggie Told him you’d be making his Lunch and Lunch started like 15 Minutes ago

• He looks at the Scene before him and sighs and takes your hands like the sex god heartthrob he is and looks at your red palms almost Deadpanning

Your face a light red “Yeah...I know I massively Screwed up with your Lunch But I really wanted t-“ “I know And I appreciate it even though you are a massive screw up..But you keep trying I appreciate that about you” He starts to lick your Palms and your face Erupts into a Blush “What the Heck!?!” he looks up at you “It’s to cool your hands down but you ARE gonna go get me Food from the vending machine afterwards”

Azul Ashengrotto

• you slam your Hands Dramaticly on your Kitchen Table “I CANNOT ACCEPT ANYMORE FREEBIES FROM THE MONSTRO LOUNGE” You were sure Azul Would start making you pay if not Azul Jade for sure

• So time to start making Food for yourself!! You Quickly Head to a Convience store where a Certain Chaotic Neutral Eel Notices you Buying like 10 Frozen...PIECES OF FOOD

• You Dump like all off them on your Counter and Choose to make some Weird fish

• You Slap that Sorry Sucker in the Microwave and like the other Sorry Suckers in this Scenario you will Burn yourself and beautiful Bishounen Shenanigans will ensue but we’re not there yet

• You literally just bought a piece of not even normal looking fish Of course it didn’t come with a Time Recommendation So you while staring at it for like 10 minutes (Letting it thaw quite a bit but you didn’t notice) You threw it in for 7 And figured “eh 7’s a lucky number this’ll work” Didn’t you read Leona’s Scenario? What happened when THEY said Eh

• You Dumby You Dating a Merman Boughta Eat a fish Dumbo what do you have? Ears?

• Anyway Floyd and And Azul are Chatting well it’s more like Floyd is talking At Azul while he does paper work Yeah I totally Saw them Buying a bunch a Random Frozen Weird Massively Weird Right? Anyway So Apparently They Let you Mix ALL THE slushie is Flavors”

• Azul hearing this After finishing up some more Paperwork Decides to go Visit You and to his Shock he finds you Trying to hold a Basically at this point Charcoal Fish and when you drop It on your leg Leaving a SEXY weird fish shaped burn he’s Immediately on that

He puts a Hand to his Temple and sighs For a Moment before sweeping you off your feet before you could say a word..the you did say a word a few in fact “I’m Sorry Azul I know you can’t give me freebies forever but I’m a terrible cook” He Kisses your forehead and gives you a reassuring look “You’re my Beloved you can rely on me as much as you want I’ll get you some bandages when we’re back at the monstro lounge and Jade will make you something not made of Charcoal” and you bet he carried you all the way

Kalim Al Asim

• you both wanted to cook Something for Jamil...Okay this’ll go south fast.

• the road to Heck Is often Paved with Good intentions

• You Were tasked with picking out food and Kalim for Kitchen Prep

• Anyway Let’s get this poor Wreck Jamil’s gonna have to fix over with

• “I Picked out some Tofu! Smart people like tofu right?

• Kalim Tossed that And all sortsa Stuff Into the Microwave and Waved off all your concerns figuring it’ll be fine! come on Y/N you coward Your a fanfic Protag you don’t have to think Silly goose no thoughts head empty

• like 15 minutes later you 2 Hear Smoke while trying to make Pulpless Handsqueezed Orange Juice cause HECK PULP

• He Opened The Microwave and the only thing that Looked even Remotely salvageable was the tofu and because you 2 are the cutest most head empty Couple Apparently you didn’t Put a plate underneath so you braving all the danger reached into the Microwave...

“Ouch!” You teared up a little And were about to Put your finger in your mouth as you do Before Kalim put your finger in his Mouth You looked at him shell shocked after a couple seconds he started pressing light kisses on them “I’m so sorry! I should’ve thought this through more! I’ll nurse you back to health!” And For the rest of the day he essentially treated you like you were crippled he carried you he fed you everything don’t worry you slipped away for a little to clean up the mess in the kitchen before Jamil got back Kalim Babysitting is always an Experience to be Had for sure

Vil Schoenheit

• “Vil! I wanna Eat Carbs Heck you!!”

• if that’s not how Every story I do With Vil Starts I’ll be Gosh Danged

• “FINE EAT YOUR MAC AND CHEESE YOU’LL RUE THE DAY-“

• anyway after you stopped listening to him you looked him DEAD in the eyes and Shoved that frozen Mac and Cheese in the Microwave and slammed...Some Numbers In wow what a power move

• He Gasped and Power walked away

• You Laughing Manically Triumphantly

• But after awhile you felt kinda bad and decided to make some Carb free food for Vil as an Apology for Deliberatly and spitefully trying to make him Mad

• But that was the final nail in your microwaved coffin When you took out your Luckily not entirely burned Mac and Cheesies it was real hot like

• You were trying To get it to a plate Quickly And Spilled some on your Wrist Luckily Your Sexy mean Boyfriend was Here To save the day and wow he’s holding something”

“Sweet Potato?” He peeked through the Door and saw you Holding your Wrists in Pain he immediately walked in And Held them tenderly “I’m Sorry Sweet Potato things got heated I did get you a..Low Carb Meal at Olive Garden I Hope this Makes things up to you I know I can’t Control your life it’s just kinda my nature” You Smiled at him through the pain “It’s Fine Vil I got WAY too Mad I’m sorry I made you a salad” you both Enjoyed your food him feeding you yours then later he put some lotion on your Wrists

YES ITS BEST BOY-

Idia Shroud

• Omg it’s the best boy 🥺

• I mean I am not Partial to any character Do not worry I do not want to be in a Poly relationship with both Malleus and Idia

• So you wanted To Hang Out with your Boyfriend today he said sure but that he would be Busy doing raids with his Online friends you agreed and even said you’d bring snacks which you did

• Including Instant Ramen! My-I mean YOUR favorite

• you decided to show how reliable in the Kitchen you are to your boyfriend by making such a Delicacy for him while he doesn’t have the time to himself at the moment

• This is will work out Well

• You decide to do it in your kitchen and bring to him

• this will work out well

• You..ACTUALLY MAKE IT PERFECTLY

• You also Make it mostly towards his room before divine intervention Intervines and says That’s not the point of this fanfic idiot

• It probably mostly worked out for you cause you have the best taste tho so-

• Ortho Hears a Mighty Loud Catwerwhail (here’s hoping I spelled that right) and Comes to check whose outside the door

• “Big Sister/Brother?” He Quickly Runs some Water on your Shoulder and Bandages you Up And Leads you in Idia’s Room With the snacks in tow meanwhile he’s wondering if your Ok or not

“Idia Senpai!” You Sit next to him And he notices your Bandages “What Happened?” You look away a little Blushing a bit “I Spilled hot Instant Ramen on my shoulder Ortho parched me up though but! I brought the rest of the snacks though sor-“ Before you can apologize he Puts his Jacket on your shoulders “No I’m sorry for not noticing I would’ve...Tried to help” His sad expression turns into one of his Competitve smirks “I’ll Finish this Raid Boss so Quicker then you even Burned Yourself!” And He did cause he’s the best Gamer boy then you played Monoply With Him and Ortho cause he’s the best boy you have the best taste RAMEN TASTES SO GOOD-

Malleus Draconia

• My Second Love I mean nothing Let’s finish this I’ve been here since like 4 it’s 7 rn

• You invited Malleus to dinner And you wanted a Good Blanced Dinner!

• Chicken From Panda Express

• McDonald’s Chocolate Milk

• Some Patties from Burger King

• Oh Yeah Veggies!

• Wait! Everything’s Closed now!!! Y/N I KEPT TELLING YOU TO STOP BEING DUM-

• Oh you have some frozen Vegetables? Okay Touché

• You Toss them in the Microwave for 6 Minutes and get ready

• You dress as Nicely as Possible in 10 Minutes cause you plan Things Horribly apparently...not that I relete having been here for like at least 2 hours

• He’s Here~ him being Also the best boy is already setting the table with Magic cause he’s just nice like that and even Enchanted the food to be set on the table and the milk in the Glasses

• But you INSISTED to present The Vegetables

• “Child of Man I really don’t min-“ “No! I got this really!!”

• Let’s see how well that turned out for you

You got the Vegetables Outta the Microwave in such a Haste you didn’t even notice how hot it was and dumped it on the plate it wasn’t horribly burnt but was Horribly Hot Malleus was Amazed though “So Man’s Growing Vegetables in Bags now?..” he Reached to touch but you smacked his hand away so fast your hand touched the food and burned you “Ouch! I’m sorry Mal But it’s really hot” He immediately Understood and Summoned some Magical Water as he do and your burn was gone “I love you Child of man even though us Fae Can’t burn you tried to shield me anyway my sweet gentle Child of man”...Did you know that I ain’t know that?

I have a Masterlist it has all my X reader fics And my Oc Stuff I will be Adding this in like a day or 2 probably now if you’ll excuse me I never Wanna Look at another word again except also I’m literally probably gonna go read fanfic

#twisted wonderland #disney twst #twisted wonderland dorm #twst imagines #twst x reader #twst headcanons #twst dorm leaders #dorm leaders x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland headcanon #twisted wonderland dorm leaders

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princewished · 2 years

Note

Mozenrath is half-dead weight on a nearby sofa, and a deceptively small bottle dangles loosely from his right hand.

"I think," he mumbles, his voice throaty and his pupils blown wide: "you're my most consistent companion. I think-- well, besides Xerxes-- I think you..."

He blinks at Aladdin. For a second, it seems as though Mozenrath's forgotten what he was going to say.

"You just keep coming back." Looking away, he whispers, "why's that?"

-fallowfinality (idk im mormon idk what being drunk is like 😭)

( @fallowfinality )

welcome to Aladdin’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad day.

it started, as most terrible horrible no good very bad days do, with breakfast. as in, Aladdin missed it.

this was normally not a big deal. Aladdin had literally gone days without food, been so hungry he wasn’t hungry anymore, been so weak he couldn’t move or speak or even cry. as such, breakfast was still a luxury even years after he’d been living in the Palace, and Aladdin liked to indulge in this luxury as often as humanly possible. in all manner of meals. the kitchens were very accommodating.

breakfast wasn’t in the cards today. instead, Mechanikles decided to attempt his monthly invasion of Agrabah exactly six days early, an oversight that Aladdin truly hadn’t thought possible considering the way the man obsessively kept track of his schedule, but whatever. maybe Mechanikles was having an off day or something.

now if the day had ended with Mechanikles, maybe it would have only been a bad day, or a no good day, or a horrible day, or a terrible day. but since this was a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad day, naturally it involved an overabundance of villainy, a lack of food, a fight with Jasmine, general exhaustion, and Genie having taken a vacation yesterday, meaning Aladdin got to deal with the brunt of this himself.

and at dusk, just as Aladdin had been lured into a false sense of security, the eel. of course, the fucking eel had to show up.

“Master dying,” it whimpered, its ugly expression pathetically pleading. “Master dying!”

“Bummer,” Aladdin said, because he was tired and had had an overly named, awful day and he hated Xerxes almost as much as he hated Xerxes’ apparently dying master. “Backfired plan? or is this just a ruse to get me there?”

“Master dying,” Xerxes wobbled, and its face turned a different shade like it was going to cry, and Aladdin’s patience was already so razor thin it could fit through the eye of a needle. the last thing he needed was a magic eel weeping all over the place.

but Xerxes seemed determined to be a nuisance. “Master—”

“Mozenrath dying is not my problem,” Aladdin scowled, but even as he did he was packing a bag, cursing himself all the while. always gotta be the Allah forsaken hero, huh? jerk.

“Then why packing?” Xerxes said smugly, ostensibly just to be a little shit.

“so I have a front row seat,” Aladdin snapped, clamoring onto Carpet and hating his life. “see you.”

Xerxes let out a screech of protest, but Aladdin and Carpet were already zooming away and revenge, however petty, was satisfying. that was quickly replaced by guilt, that was quickly replaced by satisfaction, and so on and so forth. and that was how the ride to the Land of the Black Sands was spent.

“why am I going? what did I do to deserve this?” Aladdin wondered aloud. Carpet shook a tassel that could have meant literally anything. “thanks, Carpet.”

if someone had asked Aladdin what the plan was at that moment, Aladdin wouldn’t have had an answer. there wasn’t really a plan at all. Aladdin would get in, see if Mozenrath was dying, get out, and go home. probably do something stupid to save Mozenrath’s life somewhere between steps two and four if he was dying; if he wasn’t, then probably something stupid to save his own life between the same steps. Allah, what did he do to deserve this.

Tree of Renewal, Aladdin listed tiredly. Cup of Life. probably a spell Sadira could do—or undo. Eden, if I can find her. can the sprites heal?

by the time they’d reached the Citadel, Aladdin had a fair few potential solutions, a (not) plan, and had managed to wrestle up some worry, too. hated as Mozenrath was, Aladdin didn’t actually want the guy dead. well, maybe not. when he was feeling nicer, probably.

if this was a ruse? forget it. Mozenrath deserved what was coming.

creeping through the halls on Carpet, ears pricked, Aladdin checked every door they came across. none of them were locked or barred, which was instantly suspicious. there were no Mamluks lying around either (not that they guarded much of anything), but the lack of security could have been as much part of a plot as it was Mozenrath’s own ego getting in his way. Aladdin couldn’t be sure.

“if this gets me killed, the last thing Jasmine will have said to me is that she wished I did jump off the balcony,” Aladdin muttered bitterly under his breath. the words had their intended effect: the pain that stabbed him in the gut was expected and almost embraced, a good enough distraction any day. “kinda unfortunate.”

but it kept him sharp. on the lookout. he couldn’t let that be their last interaction, so naturally he had to live. Allah, he was so fucking tired.

they had to be coming up on one of the last corridors by the time they were actually successful.

oh, was Aladdin’s first thought. he is dying.

there was Mozenrath, sprawled out on a sofa in the dark, a vial dangling from limp fingers, paler than usual and without his Gauntlet. his decayed flesh and protruding bones were stark in the low light, and Aladdin’s mouth went suddenly, horribly dry.

“Mozenrath?” he stumbled down from Carpet, approaching carefully. there was a huge likelihood this was a trap, that this Mozenrath was an illusion and the real one was lurking in the shadows, but the man looked half-dead and Aladdin couldn’t ignore that no matter how much he might’ve wanted to. “Mozenrath?”

Mozenrath stirred. blinked at him. said some fucking nonsense that left Aladdin frozen, staring at him like he’d grown three heads.

a suspicion began to form as Aladdin’s eyes darted from Mozenrath’s expression, to his appearance, to that nondescript vial. what he’d previously assumed was medicine could have been any number of things. Mozenrath was insane; he probably didn’t care what he put into his body so long as he was in control of it.

not that this looked much like control.

“um,” Aladdin said, blankly. what the fuck was he supposed to say to that? was it earnest or was this a trap or what?

Terrible, Aladdin gritted to himself, Horrible. No Good. Very Bad. fucking day.

then, taking a deep breath, he said, “look, I kinda don’t have the patience tonight for this, Mozenrath. I’m just here to make sure your slimeball was lying since it insisted you were dying, or to stop whatever plot you’ve lured me out here for. so which is it?”

#IVE MISSED HIM AND HIS POTTY MOUTH #✧ ° ωιѕн fυƖfιƖƖмєηт | answered ask · ° ✧#✧ ° вυт i rєαƖƖу αм α ρrιηcє! | ic · ° ✧#IT’S the way i love this #✧ ° ρєrнαρѕ уσυ ωσυƖɗ Ɩιкє тσ нєαr тнє тαƖє? | drabble · ° ✧

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stranger-who-writes-fiction · 3 years

Text

Gonna make full use of my ‘comic rant’ tag and roast Future State: Superwoman.

Spoilers! And yelling! Of the disgruntled kind!

So a few things at the start here: 1.) I wanted to love this book. I wanted it to be great. I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt, in spite of some iffy stuff in the solicit text. So this rant is not coming from a place of having decided this was going to be awful ahead of time. 2.) My tolerance for bad Supergirl comics is pretty high! Takes a lot for me to actually come out and say that a particular issue is trash. Reader: This story is trash.

It’s not ‘middle-aged white guys writing/drawing a story about sending a minor to a potentially hostile planet fully nude’ trash, mind you. It’s the compost bin, rather than the landfill. Slightly nicer trash, but it still stinks to high heaven. Allow me to expand!

PROLOGUE - SUMMARY: ...I actually can’t summarize this comic b/c it would devolve into a lot of senseless yelling. We’ll just have to tease out this terrible plot as we go along.

PART I - DEAD DOGS TELL BAD TALES: The comic opens with Kara standing at Krypto’s grave. That’s not why this comic is trash, but it bears mentioning. Because why. Why would you do this.

PART II - IN WHICH IT ONLY GETS WORSE: So, Kara has a running inner monologue, and the main thing we gather from Kara’s thoughts is that it was Krypto who taught her to be a hero. On paper, that sounds very sweet! In practice, it reads as Kara having no moral center whatsoever—whatever good qualities she might possess, she did not learn from her parents, or her foster parents, or friends, or fellow heroes. Nor do they come from within Kara herself. Nope, t’was Krypto who taught Kara not to be a jealous rage monster. That is not hyperbole--Kara’s walking around angry about her cousin all the time and she’s like, ‘It was you, Krypto, who taught me not to judge, and to let go of anger.’ Listen, I love Krypto, but this? This is, as the youth would say, a bad look.

PART III - THOSE CERTAINLY ARE...SOME THEMES: The set-up here is that Kara is on the moon, and has established a sanctuary for alien refugees. That’s a dynamite idea! I love that! Buuuuut Kara didn’t look at the plight of alien refugees and say, ‘I want to help!’ Really, she didn’t even look at herself and say, ‘I don’t want others to feel like I’ve felt.’ No, she said, ‘Earth won’t accept me as a hero, and Clark didn’t name me protector of Earth, so. I’m out!’ (Honestly, if your moral compass is so whack that you need a dog to walk you back from Hulk-Smashing...can’t say I blame Clark for not picking you, Kara!) But apparently, the people on the moon don’t really like her either. And it is literally never explained why. There’s a whole montage of Kara fixing stuff and saving lives and all the moon folk just glare at her. This makes both the moon people AND Kara look like a**holes, because they come across as ungrateful, and she comes across as a glory hound. Thanks! I hate it! So the ‘peace’ Kara’s found on the moon isn’t really peaceful at all, cause she still resents her cousin, and people still don’t like her, in spite of the fact that she’s constantly performing acts of service for them.

Also, side note, I’m just now realizing this is an entire population of alien refugees...and Kara is somehow still the odd one out. Like, Earth I get, because everyone else is a human and maybe freaked out by the super powers. But a bunch of aliens? WHY. Why did you do this. Why did this need to be set on the moon with alien refugees if you’re not going to interrogate Kara’s identity as an alien refugee herself AND all of the aliens are inexplicably humanoid in appearance and utterly ordinary in terms of power levels.

Like. This is not the CW show, where they have a budget, and a huge ensemble cast to serve. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE. AAARRRRRGHHHH.

PART III CONT’D: There’s also this weird ‘birthright’ element introduced...like, Clark and Jon stole Kara’s ‘right’ to be earth’s defender which is...a terrible reading of Kara’s modern origin. It brings in the idea that Kara is a ‘chosen one’ and because she didn’t get to be that chosen one, all of her hero work is for nothing. Never mind the whole central conceit of what makes Clark and Kara heroic...that they have this incredible power, and choose to do good with it. Nah...it’s all about her ‘right’ to protect the people of Earth! And mean ol’ Clark took that away! THANKS. I HATE IT.

PART IV - A POOR USE OF SPACE: So, all of the Future State books kind of struggle with the issue of too much exposition, which is understandable. They have to introduce an entirely new status quo in a very limited amount of literal page space, so you *really* have to have a handle on how you allocate your time and focus.

Introducing a brand new, lore-heavy heroic character who gets all of the development and dynamic art and pulls focus away from the character you’re meant to be writing is a bad use of a two issue limited series.

Like, this is a crappy Supergirl comic but it’s a great backdoor pilot for a Lynari ongoing, I guess.

Imagine if in the Jon Superman book, they introduced a random, brand new best friend for Jon, and he got the big character arc instead of Jon. That’s something you save for an arc in an ongoing title, NOT A TWO ISSUE EVENT COMIC.

Back to said new character, there’s a lot of forced attempts to parallel Kara and Lynari, but Lynari’s backstory is so confusing, rushed, and poorly explained that it’s like: okay, they’re both...angry? And the moon jerks hate them? ...uh. Okay.

(I’m gonna bring back my ‘why is this set on the moon, even’ question so that my ‘poor use of space’ header becomes a better joke.)

PART V - I'M HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO...B/C THERE SURE AIN’T ONE HERE: I’ve already mentioned that Krypto was apparently Kara’s conscience so when Lynari’s aunt arrives to...kill them? (again, everything about Lynari’s backstory is rushed and poorly explained) Kara gets real mad and basically pulls a Gothel: ‘You want me to be the bad guy? Fine! Now I’m the bad guy.’ But thank goodness Lynari is there to tell Kara no! Don’t murder the giant aunt eel! Lynari then steals Kara’s powers and gives up the swamp jewel that’s been hidden inside their body and now their aunt is less murder-y!

WOW. Couldn’t even give the big damn hero moment to Kara in her own book, huh?

So the day is saved. It takes Kara a while to regain her powers, and it’s only then, when she’s no longer ‘above’ the moon jerks, that they’re like, ‘oh, we like her!’ There is a bit of narration about how that attitude is awful. But that narration is provided by Lynari. See, the inner monologue is no longer Kara’s thoughts, but rather it has switched to Lynari’s point of view. They’re telling us this story. And do you know why?

PART VI - WHY THIS COMIC *SUCKS*: KARA DIES. SHE’S THE FRIGGIN’ ‘SECOND GRAVE’ OF THE TITULAR ‘TWO GRAVES’

Fudge this comic to heck.

See, Kara dies on the moon, presumably of old age. She’s buried next to Krypto. And this random character who we’re suddenly supposed to care about tells us her story. Not Clark. Not the Danvers. Not Brainy. Not even one of the supporting cast members from her solo title. No one from Kara’s life is mentioned at all, save for Jon and Clark, and they’re pretty much relegated to flashbacks of Kara punching them.

PART VII - TIME TO COMPARE DEATHS, I GUESS: First and foremost can I just say that I hate that’s a sentence that I’m typing about Kara in the year of our lord, 2021. But okay: Kara’s big famous death in Crisis stopped the entire DC universe cold. Everyone paused in the middle of the destruction of the multiverse to mourn her loss and honor her (GENUINELY HEROIC) sacrifice. Clark and Barbara--two established characters with a strong connection/relationship to Kara--offered lovely eulogies.

This one: Kara gets to die of old age in obscurity after a lifetime of striving to be recognized and only achieving it by de-powering and serving a population of jerks.

Not the warm and fuzzy ending you think it is!

(Meanwhile, Clark lives for millennia and spawns an entire dynasty of Els, all of ‘em out there, protecting the cosmos. I was looking forward to House of El in the hopes of maybe seeing some Kara stuff but NOPE. Thanks to Superwoman, we’re probably not gonna see any future Kara stuff beyond this! G R E A T)

And like, the argument could be made that this ending makes Kara happy. This is the life she chooses! She wants to be alone and garden on the moon! Except, we get zero insight from Kara regarding the remainder of her life. We only have Lynari’s narration and some montage shots...nearly all of which focus on other characters. But honestly, even if we did get Kara’s side of things, I doubt it would shed much light on her feelings, bEEECAUSE...

PART VIII - SUPER BLAND: This Kara really has no personality outside of ‘detached and vaguely bitter.’ I like Sauvage, I think she’s an incredibly talented artist, but here, Kara is stiff and her expression often reads as aloof. She’s very pretty, but it comes at the expense of being expressive. (And I know Sauvage can do expressive stuff...because Lyanari gets to be expressive.) Like...I love that shojo manga vibe but this is a Kara devoid of spark and warmth.

...Like...Melissa Benoist’s portrayal of Kara is right there...

I’ve already sort of touched on this but her inner monologue doesn’t have much personality either. She’s just parroting the same, ‘I need to do as Krypto taught me!’ nonsense for both issues. Until, of course, we shift to Lynari’s narration, and lose Kara’s thread entirely.

PART IX - LET’S WRAP THIS UP: This book frustrates me to no end because it had a lot of stuff going for it. It’s got a female writer and artist--still a rarity for the Supergirl book--it’s a limited series mostly free of continuity and character baggage, and it’s not tied down to the grimdark cyberpunk stuff happening in the Gotham books. YOU COULD’VE DONE ANYTHING. And, once again, DC goes with a pitch that’s: Kara is angry, Kara resents Clark...and Kara dies.

It’s also happening...right as Kara has no dedicated ongoing title, the movie’s been shelved, the TV show is entering its sixth and final season, and all promotion has shifted to new CW and HBO shows.

*screams into the void*

MAAAAAAN I hate this book. I hate that it retroactively makes me hate the Andreyko run a little bit--a run that I took to be about a traumatized young woman forced to confront her grief, and who leans on a beloved animal companion for comfort. Here, Krypto is L I T E R A L L Y the reason Kara’s not constantly frying folks with her heat vision.

I hate that this book has made me use the word ‘literally’ so much in this rant.

I hate that this could possibly be more in continuity than Millennium.

Remember Millennium? Where Kara was in like...five pages? And she was warm, and kind, and promised to help Rose because it was the right thing to do, and oh yes, WAS PRESIDENT OF EARTH?!??! AND A CLASSY OLD LADY!?!?!?!?! WHO WAS STILL ALIVE AND KICKIN’ IN THE FAR FLUNG FUTURE!?!?!?!?!

I hate that I’m using my lunch hour to rant about how much I hate this comic.

I hate that DC editorial seems hell-bent on erasing the interesting aspects of Kara’s character to sand her down to ‘the angry one’ or ‘Batman 2.0′

PART X - LET’S END ON SOME (?) POSITIVES: Don’t read this book! Don’t do it! Don’t waste your time and money!

Instead, check out ANYTHING ELSE. If you want mom!Kara, read Tom Taylor’s ‘Last Daughters of Krypton’ in the DC Nuclear Winter special. If you want heroic oldlady!Kara, read Millennium. Honestly? Pick up anything by Bendis that has Supergirl in it. It is miles away better than this. You want angry Kara working through her grief? Andreyko, Red Lantern, even Infected. ANYTHING BUT THIS. HECK, grab Superman of Metropolis instead! That has bad Kara characterization but at least she doesn’t end up dead.

Anyways. This comic is bad. I wish it wasn’t! And this is now the SECOND TIME IN A ROW that Kara’s book ends on a terrible note before the character disappears from monthly comics for an unknown period of time.

*screams into the void again*

#SG post #future state #future state superwoman #comic rant #and oh it is a RANT

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evabellasworld · 3 years

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Storm of the Republic

Chapter 26

AO3 Link | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26

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Summary: When Tup murdered General Tiplar during a battle, Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex dispatched Ahsoka, Fives, and Yara to solve the mystery that was plaguing the Clone Army. Meanwhile, Senator Padme Amidala contacted Commander Fox, Commander Tori, Riyo Chuchi, and Dipper to help her continue investigating the death of Palpatine, suspecting that Dooku was behind the evil plot. But when Dooku send an ISB agent to stop them, the team had to race against time to search for the truth, which could alter the course of the galaxy.

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“So, how are we getting inside?” Tori asked, sitting next to Fox in speeder. “Like, what’s the plan?”

Fox turned to her in a blank eye, his brows furrowed. “Do you ever pay attention, Tor? Like, are you always daydreaming whenever you’re being brief about something important?”

“You never even told us,” she crossed her arms as she tapped Dipper’s sleeves, catching the ARC Trooper’s attention. “Dip, please tell me what Commander Fox said about this stealth mission?”

Dipper lifted his shoulders, holding a datapad in his hands. “He only told us that Riyo and I were the ones who will sneak into the Chancellor’s penthouse and grab the files from there. You two were supposed to watch the speeder in case things go wrong.”

Pouting her lips, she focused her gaze towards the view of the city, which was much livelier than last night. There were people pacing up and down the streets, going about with their daily life, while the lights from skyscrapers and houses were lit. Tori couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

There were schoolchildren clad in uniforms rushing towards their classrooms while office workers had their blazers and blouses on, carrying their datapads and briefcases. This was like how it was 6 months ago, before the war came to the capital of the Republic, which the Empire tried to crumble with their iron fists.

As long as they were people fighting for the Republic, then it still exists to Tori, Fox, Riyo, and Dipper. Riyo saw the smiles on the citizen’s faces, which made her lips curled downwards. She enjoys seeing others happy, but somehow, she doesn’t share their sentiments.

Are they really content with their life? The former senator pondered, glancing at the little Rodian boy, who was enjoying his ice-cream underneath the sunny day, which reminded her of home.

Riyo misses the paddy fields on Pantora. Her father used to harvest a massive field of rice, and brought a sack of harvest for the entire family. It wasn’t much, but she enjoyed the rice that was grown just kilometres away from her village home. If her father was lucky, he would also bring some eels, which tasted juicy.

“So once Dipper and I got the files, does that mean we’re leaving Coruscant?” she asked Fox.

“Yes, dear, we’re bringing Senator Amidala with us after this,” Fox affirmed. “We can’t stay here for too long. It’s not safe for all of us here.”

“So, what do we do with the files? Padmé did suggested us to show them to the Imperial Senate.”

“I know she did, but the general’s order was to get the senator out of the planet and head back to base. It’s too risky to head into the Senate building. We don’t even know what’s waiting for us down there.”

“Foxy has a point,” Tori agreed. “This planet is under heavy surveillance. If we are caught, then it could compromise not only the location of our base but also the number of our army as well. We’ve lost so many soldiers in battle, and we can’t afford to lose anymore.”

Riyo frowned from their answers, making Fox sighed. “Look, I understand you want to help your friend, and I’m all for it, but we also need to think about us as well. I know it seems selfish, but we can’t always have it all.”

“I understand, dear,” she gave a weak smile. “Let’s hope our plans go smoothly. We don’t want anyone interfering with it.”

Dipper chirped. “Don’t worry about it. By the time the Imps realized it, we would already be long gone by now. I have a good feeling that we will successfully escape from Coruscant with ease.”

“Fingers crossed on that. I really don’t want to be interrogated by the Imperial secret police. From what I heard, no one made it out alive.”

“Speak of the devil, and he will come to you,” Tori scolded Riyo. “We don’t want any sort of trouble during this mission.”

It better not, Fox hoped, as he drove in mid-air, searching for Palpatine’s penthouse through his scope. He had been there many times before, and memorised every single room in his building, including the bathroom. He was in charge of security along with Thorn, which was important for him to know the building schematic. He never said his last goodbyes to Thorn, or spent their last moment together before the latter was gone.

On the other hand, he wasn’t particularly sad that Palpatine died, but if those files mean turning the tide of the war, then he has no other choice. I hope his misdeeds were recorded, so that everyone knows what a terrible man he was.

As Fox noticed the penthouse’s balcony from afar, he slowed down the speeder, driving away from the highway. “We’ll be arriving in 5 minutes,” he informed them. “Get into position.”

“Yes, Commander,” Dipper saluted, as he gave a wink at Riyo, who was clutching her hands together. “Don’t worry. I’ve done this kind of mission before. You’ll befine, Riyo. We believe in you.”

“May the Force be with all of us,” she prayed, as they arrived in front of the lobby, which was on the ground floor. With silence surrounding them, the former senator noticed plenty of overgrown weed between the bricks on the grounds.

No one was inside the apartments, except for the complete void inside. There were people here when the Chancellor was still alive. Did the Empire forced them out as well?

Fox and Tori glanced at them, giving them a nod. “Good luck, and be careful,” Tori said. “We don’t know what’s in there.”

“We will, commander,” Dipper acknowledged, as he gestured to Riyo to follow him inside the abandoned apartment.

As they stepped inside the lobby, both of them noticed the red carpet was torn, covered in fungus. The paint on the walls was peeled off, and the fluorescent lights were hanging on the ceiling, waiting to crash on the floor.

“It looks scary in here,” Riyo commented, glancing at the vacant receptionist counter. “What do you think happened here?”

Dipper observed many blast marks in the room's corner, clicking his tongue. “Whatever it is, I doubt the tenants here left voluntarily,” he replied as he turned towards the lift and pressed the button, much to her bewilderment.

“Are you sure this lift is working?”

Before he could answer, the lift door opened, with the background music playing and the golden lights working. “Well, looks like your question is answered, Ri. After you.”

“Thank you, kind sir,” she smiled and walked inside, pressing the button that leads all the way upstairs. “I’m surprised there’s still something working here. I wonder who switched on the power?”

Dipper felt uneasy as they arrived at the penthouse, which was well kept, despite no one living there for months. He felt the cooling air coming from the air-conditioning and the scent of nutmeg lingering, prompting him to draw out his blaster.

“Riyo, I don’t think we’re alone,” he warned her. “Stay closer to me.”

“Alright then,” Riyo bobbed her head, holding a blaster as well. “The files could be in his studies, but we have to be careful not to trigger the sensors.”

“That’s why I’m here,” he took out his Onderonian army knife, as he tiptoed towards the study room, where everything on the bookshelves were arranged in order.

Riyo remembered how the place was. She attended a party in the Chancellor’s penthouse, where many of her colleagues were there, along with close associates. There was champagne and wine, and she only had a sip of the sweet alcohol. She also had some cream puffs at the party, and offered them to Fox, who was in charge of security. He enjoyed the pastry, and Riyo would love to make them for him, when there’s a place to bake, of course.

“The sensors are on the top shelf. Maybe that’s where the files are.”

“Good eye, senator,” Dipper praised. “I’ll disable it for you.”

“Alright,” she took a deep breath, as she wore her rubber gloves, which won’t leave any trace of fingerprints. Riyo never done a stealth mission before, and she will not fail their team.

Stretching his arms, the ARC Trooper flipped the switch behind the small, black sensors, deactivating it. Using his screwdriver on the pocket knife, he slowly removed them from his shelf, tossing them aside. Riyo searched through every file from the bookshelves, starting from the letter ‘A’.

Audits for Coruscant, Audits for Alderaan, Banking Clan accounts, well, that’s a lot of files that start with the letter ‘B’. Bursary Market, Core World populations…

Dipper tapped his foot as Riyo was still searching through the files. He never thought it wouldn’t take long, but he was mistaken. He always thought anything involving paperwork was easy, but it was otherwise. Counting files from ‘A’ to ‘Z’ was quite a challenge for the both of them, and time is not on their sides. Now I understand why Commander Fox hated paperwork so much.

“The Death of the Young twins, Grand Army of the Republic Protocols,” Riyo muttered underneath her breath, wiping her sweat on her forehead. “Project Cyborg, Project Starfleet, wait, I think I found it.”

“You did?” his face lit up. “Can I see?”

“Yeah sure, the file was named The Assassination of Chancellor Palpatine,” she showed him. “It was pretty easy to find it, if you ask me.”

“Yeah, sure,” he groaned, his clammy hands still gripped on his pistol. “I still think this was too easy. I have a funny feeling something bad is going to happen to us soon.”

“We should head to the lift,” Riyo reminded, hiding the files underneath her blazer. “We can’t keep Fox and Tori waiting.”

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taehyung-rambles · 3 years

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My Top 3 BTS Outfits in Each Era (Up to Permission to Dance)

Disclaimer: These pictures are hella grainy because I used the wrong edit and only realized after I’d done like 10 eras. Plus it’s hella hard to catch a shot of the boys during the MV when they’re not moving.

Okay, so I don’t know why I wanted to do this. That’s a lie; there’s a very specific outfit that made me want to do this, so look out for that one if you want to know why I’ve decided to dedicate myself to this terribly long and arduous post.

This post is what it sounds like. One thing I’m gonna say before we get going is that I skipped the Make It Right era because the boys didn’t actually film anything for it (it was just a stage mix); ergo, I’d be ranking the outfits they had for the Love Yourself Tour, not the outfits that were selected for them for that particular song. So, I figured it’d be pointless to be like, “Oh, you see this outfit that Jimin wears for these four songs on tour that he happens to wear in the Make It Right stage mix? I like it.”

Also:

This isn’t based on my bias or the members themselves at all; it’s literally which outfits I liked the best.

That means that there are eras where there’s two of one member plus one other member in my top three since the boys usually have at least two outfits. Actually, there’s one era that only has three outfits from one member in it because that member was styled really well for that era.

I will be, like, talking about the outfits through the members’ names, though, because... how else am I supposed to do it? “Yes, so IDOL outfit #9 was really cool”? Not gonna work.

Some of the representations of the members’ outfits aren’t actually that good because I literally could not take a full-body screenshot of them since they were always moving.

As such, I’d advise you to actually go to the MV for outfits you wanted to see in full.

I didn’t use any promotional shots, behind the scenes MV shootings, or outfits from secondary versions of the MVs (with one exception I’ll talk about later)--such as the Manifesto Film for ON or the Japanese version MVs--because I wanted to pull them all from the main MVs. Plus, there was always the chance that the outfit I liked wasn’t shown in the behind the scenes shooting or didn’t have a promotional shot taken of it, and I wanted all the pictures to be taken from the same place.

So, you should prepare for some funny faces from the boys because some of these screenshots are questionable for the sake of capturing the outfit.

I’ll probably talk about their hair if I feel like I need to because it’s so good that’s it’s almost like a part of the outfit; that’s gonna be rare, though.

Disclaimer #2: I do not have any real knowledge about fashion, so I’m just here to say, “Wow. Don’t they look so good?”

Disclaimer #3: I sincerely apologize to the boys for all the ridiculous faces that are to follow.

No More Dream

Boy oh boy, was this era hard to decide on. BTS’s early MVs had a certain mood to them, you know? And that meant there outfits weren’t always amazing. However, I did my best to understand the concept of putting the boys in over-the-top outfits to sell the genre of music and image brand they were going for; that being said, I did end up picking the most basic outfits from the No More Dream era.

Taehyung: I mean, it’s a basic outfit, you know? I’m a sucker for all-black outfits--though the all-black wardrobe in the No More Dream MV was not exactly my flavor of fashion--and Taehyung in a leather jacket is always gonna be awesome.

Jin: Jin’s arms said wassup, you know? That’s not really why I picked this outfit for my top three, though; it was mostly because I liked the shirt they put Jin in, and the accent with the bandana on his pants was nice.

Jungkook: So, the print on Jungkook’s pants was used for all members in one way or another--like, for instance, Taehyung had a T-shirt with it--but I like the print being on the pants Jungkook has on. Also, the style of his pants is a style I love; I have no idea what style they’re in, but the loose fabric at the top is nice. Also, his high-tops (or boots?) are a nice contrast to the rest of black in his outfit.

We Are Bulletproof Pt.2

Talk about another era of questionable fashion. It’s not really the style of clothes they were wearing or which pieces they’re wearing because I know BigHit did the best it could with the money it had at the time; I mostly don’t like the early eras’ stylings because there was a lot going on. Like, you got the leggings under the shorts, knee socks, shirts tied around waists, etc. They’re doing the most, and I don’t really vibe with it. Not that layering is bad because BTS has outfits that are layered later, obviously, and some of those are really nice. I think it’s just awkward to look at when it’s a bunch of sportswear. Anyway, that’s not what this is about.

Jimin: I know Jimin’s got eels or fish on his shorts. I didn’t realize until I look at Taehyung’s T-shirt and realized that he was also wearing the same print. However, Jimin’s shorts being gold looks nice between his black socks and shirt. I can’t explain why. Because pants are usually the darker color in outfits, so the fact that it’s inverted is interesting? Maybe I like the eels after all? Who can say?

Jungkook #2: I’ve no idea what’s going on with Jungkook’s outfit in the middle photo, but the print on his shorts in nice. I mean, I like that he’s got red accents throughout the entire outfit because it’s less gaudy than the gold accents on the boys’ other set of outfits for this MV. Other than that, I just like it better than the rest of the outfits (besides my number one, obviously).

Jungkook #1: No, there is not a full-body shot of this outfit in the MV, and yes, I’m still listing it as my number one. Is this partially because I didn’t like any of the other outfits? Maybe. But, I also really like the print on Jungkook’s--what I’m going to tentatively call--shoulder-pad-jacket. Like, the sports uniforms were a little dumb, but I like that Jungkook’s was a bit more fancy, if you will, than just a jersey. Even if I can only see the top half of it.

N.O

Now we’re getting into some fashion, kids. I mean, the N.O concepts weren’t the best, but it’s better than fish-shorts, you know? Throughout doing this project, I realized that the boys have done the all-white thing a few times--like in Black Swan, Boy With Luv, and Film out, to name a few--and I really like it. Just like in N.O, it’s always a really nice contrast with, either the music, or the members’ images or both. The white clothes make everything seem softer, but then you put a song like N.O on top of it or an image like attractiveness-can-kill Kim Taehyung, and it offsets everything in a really interesting way.

Taehyung: I mean, honestly, I didn’t know what outfit to put in this spot, but I like Taehyung’s shirt, so here we are. The texture on it is nice, actually, because the boys were mostly wearing stuff on top of plain white hoodies or shirts, so Taehyung having a shirt with a bit of visual to it was good.

Jungkook: I don’t know; I like casual clothes, okay? It’s a baggie hoodie, sweatpants, and some chains, but I like the look a lot. Don’t @ me--not that this is a controversial opinion. Maybe I’m influenced by the choreography or something, but I liked this particular Jungkook outfit in N.O.

Yoongi: Can I say Yoongi looks a bit like a ‘90s rapper or is that inaccurate? Yoongi’s got the curly, red hair with a bandana in it, y’all. That shit’s wild. And he’s got a fluffy, white vest. Legit, his outfit says, “I’m cute,” but his expression and rap verse say, “Sit the fuck down,” you know what I mean? That’s the type of shit I’m here for.

Boy In Luv

This era was difficult to decide on, as you can imagine, because they were all in school uniforms with very tiny differences in between them. I think, because of that, this era was a little bit about how each member looked in their outfit for the MV because I didn’t have much to go on.

Jimin: You can’t see it in the picture I was able to get, but he’s got little metal pieces on the collar of his shirt, which is also a black collar, and both of those little details are cool. That’s literally it all I have to say.

J-Hope: Hobi was in all-black, y’all, so I wanted to include him. Would you like to know why his picture is so terrible? There were zero full-body shots of him during his rap verse. Why? So difficult it was to get a shot of Hobi looking fine as hell in this uniform.

Namjoon: I think one other member had a plaid shirt under their button down--Jin, I think--but the pattern of Namjoon’s plaid shirt was the one I liked the best. It’s a really nice pop to the black-and-white the other guys had.

Just one day

This MV was so difficult to find good shots for, let me tell you. Take a shot every time I say that from now on if you want to, you know, poison yourself. Anyway, the outfits for this era were pretty simple. The boys also had school uniform-esque outfits, but they were all the same, so I didn’t include them. At least, they were close enough to the same that I didn’t like any of them individually.

Jimin: When I tell you Jimin only has close-up shots in this MV--I digress. You can’t really tell with the picture I was able to get, but the patches on his pants looked really cool, to me. He also had a long, baggy shirt on on top of the tight pants, so the entire outfit ended up looking really nice.

Jungkook: I don’t really know how to explain this one. I just like the look of it. Jungkook looks like a ballet dancer, you know? I like the asymmetrical sections of his shirt, I like the leather pants, I like the neckline; it’s a good outfit, simple though it is.

Yoongi: This is a boyfriend look if I’ve ever seen one. I’m also a sucker for denim jackets, so that’s part of the reason I liked this outfit on Yoongi. Also, the layering of the jacket, hoodie, and shirt is a combo that can rarely ever go wrong. This is another neutral-toned MV in terms of the outfits, so I like the bit of blue from Yoongi’s jacket, as well.

Danger

This is the first BTS era in which everyone’s outfits killed, and I had a difficult time picking out which ones I liked the best. These outfits definitely fit the Dark & Wild concept well, and I think each member was styled amazingly for this MV.

Taehyung: There is a strong part of me that loves Taehyung in this ballcap. I also love the leather accents on his blazer and the fact that he’s got a white shirt on for that bit of contrast. I don’t know; the entire visual for Taehyung in this outfit was working.

Jimin: Isn’t Jimin’s shirt so cool? It’s, like, kind of a stiff material, so when he dances, it looks really cool. Plus, the button down and chain he has underneath it are such cool little accents. It almost looks like he’s wearing a turtleneck from a distance because the button down is buttoned all the way up, and I like that vibe.

Jungkook: I don’t know how to explain the emotional attachment I have to Jungkook’s outfit in the Danger MV. The plaid shirt around his waist, the denim jacket, the dark and ripped jeans; I mean, please. This is an iconic MV look, and you can quote me on that. Legit, this would be in the catalog of “Jungkook’s most iconic looks,” for me.

War of Hormone

Can I talk about how cool the concept was for the War of Hormone era? Like, the punk look was such a good choice. It made them look like British teenagers from the 80s, but I’m not mad at that. Also, the mussed hair? What a look these guys had during this era. I don’t think there’s a whole lot of BTS eras that kind of come with their own predetermined fashion themes like War of Hormone came with the punk one. You got Dynamite with the 70s theme and Dope with the costumes theme, but that’s kind of it. The rest of the time, the boys kind of just match while the outfits compliment the song, rather than the outfits embodying the song. So, War of Hormone is a special era because of that.

Jungkook: These stripped sweaters and skinny scarves were such a fad for me when I was in elementary school, but somehow Jungkook makes it seem actually cool. Plus, he’s got all those holes in his sweater that make it look all grungy, and it’s so fun that that’s how they decided to add a focal piece to his outfit.

Taehyung: I wasn’t initially thinking Taehyung would be on this list since the other members have louder outfits than just a leather jacket, but Taehyung’s outfit is so cool. It’s got the print on the back of the jacket plus the buttons on the front that really sell the punk vibe, but he’s also got pinstriped pants, y’all. What a combo.

Namjoon: I don’t like to say “daddy,” but this outfit on Namjoon is, you know? I mean, it’s just a really nice suit in the first place. You got your little pocket square, really nice lines, gorgeous pinstripes; plus, Namjoon’s got that white shirt under it instead of a button down. It all works really nicely, and the overall outfit stuck out to me right away when I was looking at this MV.

I Need U

It was so difficult trying to grab the outfits for I Need U and RUN because they’re basically short films, which meant there was no choreo I could pause during to get a full body shot or cuts of the boys singing their solos. However, I managed to grab these three, so let’s get it.

Yoongi: It’s simple, I know, but I like simple sometimes. I think it’s mostly the jeans that made me choose this Yoongi outfit in I Need U because the shirt was plain white, and the jeans being ripped an rolled was just enough diversity to make me love the outfit. Plus, Yoongi’s shirt is tucked in, so it’s a nice vibe.

Taehyung #2: The outfit in the middle photo is kind of a weird outfit, to me. I think it’s because the jack and the pants are the same material, but in any case, I like it a lot because it looks strange but simple at the same time. The outfits in I Need U were a little geeky, if I can say that, which is totally fine, but I just ended up liking Taehyung’s the best because of the fit of the outfit and the material.

Taehyung #1: It’s that jacket-hoodie-shirt combo again. It’s also all black; it’s also got a leather jacket. It’s the stuff I love, and it’s all on Taehyung, who I love. I mean, there’s also the factor of him wearing the hood up to mimic the dark tone of the MV and song, so all of that contributed to me liking this outfit a lot.

For You

I didn’t expect to like the outfits in the For You MV all that much since it’s a bit of a basic song, but I thought a lot of the pieces were really beautiful. Jungkook had a nice outfit during the choreo, Jin had a nice outfit for the scene when he was washing cars; I mean, all the members had several really nice looks for this MV.

Namjoon: I was trying to decide between this and Jin’s denim jacket outfit, but I really like the dark wash on Namjoon’s jacket and jeans. Also, the jeans being rolled to expose the boots is something I also really liked. This is an aside, but doesn’t Namjoon fucking wear this shit? He looks hella good.

Yoongi: I really like the stark white of Yoongi’s jacket and pants against the black of his shirt. Plus, the shirt has a really gorgeous pattern on it, which is a big reason why I ended up choosing this outfit for my top three.

Taehyung: That jacket is so pretty, isn’t it? It’s not just the floral pattern of it, but the stripes underneath the floral pattern are so lovely against the white in the rest of Taehyung’s outfit. It makes Taehyung look older, too, which has nothing to do with the outfit, but I figured I’d mention it.

Dope

Does anyone know why the concept for this MV was basically Halloween costumes? Was it because the song is about dudes who work hard for their dreams and they wanted the boys to be dressed like various kinds of employees? Anyway, it was a fun MV to look at.

J-Hope: I thought Hobi’s outfit was fitted very well, so I ended up choosing it mostly because of the cut and shape it had. However, the actual leather itself looked really cool, too, with the white and red accents.

Jimin: Like, all the boys wore the white-shirt-black-tie ensemble, but it was Jimin’s only look for the MV, and he wore it the best, so I had to put it down. This one is another case of it being kind of about the member, but sue me, okay? I stan this Jimin.

Jungkook: We all knew, didn’t we? I mean, the police officer’s uniform is iconic. The pants being tucked into the boots gives Jungkook such a nice silhouette, and the fit of the uniform did the same thing. Jungkook looked incredible in this era.

RUN

This era gave me so many issues; you don’t understand. You see how shitty these pictures are, right? None of the members were still during this entire MV except for that one shot of Jungkook sitting on the floor; I mean, I guess that’s indicative of the song being called “RUN,” but ya know. Honestly, I really liked a lot of the outfits during the RUN era because all of them had so much character. It was really difficult to choose only three, so let me know in the replies which outfits you liked from this era.

Jin: A lot of my decisions are based on jackets, but you’re gonna have to bear with me on that one because it’s gonna continue. The picture sucks, but go to the MV and look at Jin’s jacket because it’s got such a nice pattern. It stood out a lot to me because it was different from the other members, and Jin doesn’t usually wear jackets like this.

Taehyung: You’re also gonna have to go check this one out for yourself, but I though the brown jacket and red flannel together looked really nice, especially on top of the dark jeans Taehyung was wearing. I mean, the sunglasses are a vibe, too, but that wasn’t really on my mind when making this decision.

Yoongi: I love this Yoongi outfit in the RUN MV. It had just enough going on to make it look interesting but not busy. The red-and-black striped shirt under the ripped, acid wash jacket provides such a nice contrast. Plus, Yoongi’s got moe sleeves here, which is adorable.

EPILOGUE: Young Forever

This was sort of an awkward MV to do because it’s such a short song, but I got there in the end. The outfits weren’t terribly complex, so we won’t be here all that long, especially since all the members were wearing just about the same types of outfits in terms of color profile.

Yoongi: I like the pattern on Yoongi’s shirt a lot, and I like the little ribbons or whatever they are hanging from his sleeves. This isn’t a style I see on Yoongi that often, but regardless of who was wearing it, the outfit did it’s job because it looks awesome.

Taehyung: I really like the cut of Taehyung’s shirt. Like, the way it buttons looks really interesting, the lack of a collar looks cool, and he’s got a little ascot/scarf thing that has a nice pattern on it. Plus, the scarf was sitting underneath the neckline of the shirt, which was a cool detail.

Jungkook: So, Jungkook was the only member with color in his outfit? I know he’s the center of BTS, but it’s a bit weird? I’m not complaining, though, because the color of his shirt is gorgeous. The rosy-brown was such a nice pop of contrast against the grey background of the MV. It also tied in nicely with the warm tones at the end as the sun is setting.

FIRE

This was an era for outfits, y’all. They kind of a SoCal vibe going on in this MV, and all the members looked super cool. It was interesting to see their outfits shifting as the scenes changed, too. Like, when they were outside, they had outfits with more pops of interests, but when they were inside or when it was dark, they had slightly grungier outfits with more subdued patterns. Or, when they were just messing around and singing or shooting skits, they had goofier outfits on. Anyway, this MV is rad, and so are the outfits.

Taehyung #2: I just really love Taehyung’s jacket that he has on for the majority of this MV. On top of the black shirt and jeans, it became a nice focal piece. Taehyung’s jeans are ripped, too, and it provides some shape to Taehyung’s legs that’s super nice. I mean, all the members have knee rips, but in an all-black outfit, it looked awesome. Also, though you can’t see it in the picture, he has brown boots on, and it’s such a weird addition to a black-and-denim outfit, but somehow, it works really well.

Jungkook: It’s the cardigan for me, fam. It’s such a pretty piece; actually, that’s not all I love about Jungkook’s outfit in the middle picture because he has this band around his leg that stands out so much for some reason. I don’t even know what the band is or if it’s a part of the jeans or what, but it actually really does elevate the look.

Taehyung #1: This fit is it, y’all. First of all, the jacket is bomb; the color is stunning, and the fringe is so fun. The belt Taehyung’s wearing pops--at least to me--and the black jeans work really well with the jacket. And Taehyung’s boots plus the jeans? Please.

Save ME

This was the most difficult MV to get screenshots for by far. This, War of Hormone, and Film out are the only MVs where the boys only have one outfit, right? Boy In Luv might, as well; I can’t remember. There’s probably more, but anyway. I’ll keep it a buck: I’m not gonna have a lot to say about Yoongi and Namjoon, but we’re gonna try our best.

Yoongi: The ripped jeans are nice, as always, and I love Yoongi’s boots, but other than that, this is just about me liking the type of outfit this is. I mean, having a long-sleeve tee under a T-shirt can be kind of lame, but when it’s a nearly all-black outfit with pops of light coming from the undershirt, it can look good.

Namjoon: I picked Namjoon’s outfit because the jacket he was wearing was fitting pretty tightly, and I thought it made his silhouette look really sharp. The ballcap did the same thing since Namjoon’s hair wasn’t out in the wind. Also, he’s got converse high-tops on--I think--and that’s always a vibe.

Taehyung: Taehyung’s outfit is the only outfit I freakin’ love from Save ME. He’s got the moe sleeves, guys, and it makes Taehyung look so soft. Plus, the sweater that’s on top of his long-sleeve tee is cut really nicely so the sleeves are really big and make Taehyung’s silhouette look really cool when he’s dancing. Also, red-haired Taehyung is an icon.

Blood Sweat & Tears

So, I kind of both loved every single outfit in this MV and didn’t find any of them particularly stand out-ish. That’s probably because they were all awesome so none of them could be more awesome than another. Still, I came up with a list. Let me tell you, I was so mad that the suits the boys were wearing in the beginning were not shown that much in the MV because they were all gorgeous.

Jungkook #2: Which is why Jungkook’s face is covered because I could only get this shot of his suit since it’s basically invisible the rest of the time. How pretty is the print on it, though? The flowers are gorgeous on top of the black.

Yoongi: I really like light nude-colored fabric because anything you put on top of it looks a little bit lacy, and that’s what Yoongi’s blazer looked like in this MV. Plus, he’s got a choker, which looks really interesting since he’s wearing a suit.

Jungkook #1: It’s basically just the shirt that I really loved, but it’s got such a beautiful print on it, and it’s pale nude, and he has--I think--a velvet choker on. Plus, his shirt’s all flowy and nice. It doesn’t get better than this, kids.

Spring Day

Is it just me, or were their outfits a little bit strange in Spring Day? Not a whole lot, but the winterwear they had on was really unique. Especially the heavily patterned sweaters a few of the members were wearing. Quirky is the word I want to use, but it’s not really quirky as much as it’s just a bit off center.

Yoongi: I honestly didn’t know what the third outfit should be, so Yoongi is kind of here because I liked the simplicity, and the pink of his sweater is a good pink and not that gross hot pink that never looks good. He’s also got rips in his jeans in a really weird spot, which is probably not that good for the winter, but it looks nice.

Namjoon: I can’t tell if Namjoon is wearing a white hoodie with an orange hood or if he’s wearing a long-sleeve sweater on top of an orange hoodie, but either way, he looks great. Also, the blazer on top is, like, kind of weird but also a vibe. It’s an outfit that doesn’t really match, but it doesn’t clash, so I guess you’d call that complimentary?

Jungkook: It’s a simple black-and-white outfit, but the specific pieces Jungkook was wearing were all really pretty. The stripes being concentrated in the middle of the sweater and the jacket having flecks of white that look like paint go together so well.

Not Today

Everybody was poppin’ in this era, outfits and otherwise. I really like the red theme that colored everybody’s concepts, and it kind of makes me think of Not Today as a red song. Is that weird? Who knows? Anyway, this era was hard to choose from.

Namjoon: Namjoon looked like a king in this MV. He’s got purple hair that actually really pops against the rest of his outfit, and his pants being red is so fun. Also, the bleached out area of his button down shirt looks really awesome. Jungkook has a shirt like that in this MV, as well, but the stripes on Namjoon’s make the bleached spot stand out more.

Yoongi: The leather pants were a good choice because Yoongi looks awesome in them. The red detailing on them is also awesome, but the money piece is his jacket. What a nice color that jacket is, I tell you what. It stands out so much because of how vibrant it is, especially against Yoongi’s pitch-black hair.

Taehyung: This is one of those outfits that I’ve always loved, and now I get to talk about it. I cannot tell what is hanging from his hips, but the tie-dye look of it is fun; the shirt Taehyung is wearing is super weird, but I love it a lot. Also, Taehyung in a bandana always slaps. The jacket, though, is so cool. The pure white of it is already eye-catching, but the actual fit and shape of it is really unique, too.

DNA

This era doesn’t have the outfit that made me want to make this post, but it did have the MV that made me want to make this post. I mean, we all know the DNA MV is vibey as hell, and the bright and bold colors and patterns in everybody’s outfits sold that theme really easily. This was another era that was difficult to choose from because I liked a lot of the individual pieces the members were wearing, but I didn’t like many outfits as whole packages.

Taehyung #2: Taehyung looks so elegant in this outfit, and I know it’s also because of his hair, but damn. I wanna say it makes him look rich, but that’d be stupid since, you know, he is rich. Again, it’s simple, but the silk, red shirt Taehyung’s wearing is stunning.

Yoongi: I don’t really know why I chose this outfit, but I still love it. Like, it’s just a jersey and a blue jacket, but the colors are coordinated really nicely, and the blue is a pretty blue. I don’t know; I just thought it was well put together.

Taehyung #1: I did not think Taehyung in sweats and a dress shirt was gonna end up being my favorite outfit in DNA, but here we are. The red-white-and-blue theme is all over the place in the DNA MV, but it doesn’t look too gaudy of a color combo in Taehyung’s outfit in the leftmost picture. He looks comfy and cute, and I like it a lot.

MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)

Is it okay to say that this MV has some of the best stylings for the boys in any MV? I mean, they all looked dope, no? It was so hard to get these screenshots, and I couldn’t even get the best ones in the world, but I really liked everyone’s outfits in this era since it was like sportswear but more swaggy.

Yoongi #2: This is a shitty screencap, but I couldn’t get a better one without Yoongi being three pixels. Anyway, the all white tracksuit is a vibe and half. Yoongi looks so damn cool. You can’t see it in the picture, but his sweatpants have black stripes on them that look awesome, and he’s got red shoes. Epic.

Yoongi #1: I hate camo, but this look is it, fam. The top half with the hoodie and the bandanas is enough, but I think Yoongi was also wearing a really long, black shirt underneath that hung the middle of his thighs, and it’s awesome against the black pants.

Taehyung: Taegi really was blessing us with the headbands in this era. This look is badass, periodt. The loose pants, the combat boots, the leather jacket with the orange lining, the Mastermind World hoodie--I mean, it’s a legendary look for Taehyung, no doubt.

FAKE LOVE

This era was a good era. Jimin’s hair looked like a tiger, Taehyung had a mullet, Jungkook had a jacket that made him look like a ruby; I mean, everyone looked amazing in the Fake LOVE era. I don’t have it in my list, but I do wanna talk about the ruby jacket Jungkook was wearing because, wow, was it pretty. That is all.

Taehyung #2: I don’t know why I like this outfit so much, but I think it’s because it’s weird? Like, it’s all neutral colors, which is why it’s not too much, but the leather straps are so strange. I love it, though, because it’s like Taehyung’s in a straitjacket, which was the point, I guess. Also, his shirt is a bit asymmetrical, so that’s fun.

Jungkook: I mean, this whole ensemble is iconic, to me. The jacket is so sporadically colored because it’s, like, tie-dyed but also sectioned off by color, so that’s awesome; then you got his ratty tee and the plaid shirt tied around his waist. And if that wasn’t enough to butter your bread (pun intended), JK’s got ripped jeans and blocky shoes, baby. What a combo.

Taehyung #1: How pretty is Taehyung’s shirt? It’s flowy and flowery and the colors are absolutely gorgeous. Taehyung’s jeans are also really interesting because they’ve got different shades of denim, little frays and rips, and striped details that make them look interesting. I guess it’s just a shirt and jeans, but the pieces are so beautiful.

IDOL

I take it back; this era was the worst era for getting screenshots. The pain I went through to get Taehyung in that suit and Jungkook in that hanbok was ridiculous. Anyway, as IDOL is a chaotic as fuck song, the outfits were equally chaotic, and all of them were kind of awesome in their own quirky ways. Like, even though Taehyung’s red-and-white outfit with the suspenders is ridiculous under normal circumstances, with Kim Taehyung and the IDOL MV together, it was somehow an awesome outfit. That’s basically how I felt about 90% of the outfits in the MV.

Yoongi: It’s just a really nice outfit. Is that enough? The color of his scarf is stunning, and he’s got a pretty turquoise shirt that you can see beneath the hemline of his white shirt, and both of those add nice pops of color to an otherwise neutral set of outfits the boys had during these shots.

Jungkook: Jungkook’s hanbok is a revelation, for real. It was so hard to get a screen shot of it, and the one I have doesn’t do it justice at all. The faint red details in the jacket are so pretty, especially when they pop up here and there as Jungkook is dancing. Also, the dandelion print on the pants is beautiful. It’s all-black, so it can kind of look basic depending on the shot, but the accents of the hanbok are stunning when you see them.

Taehyung: Taehyung is the only member who’s suit pants did not match the jacket, and I do not know why, but it kind of looks better than the rest of the suits because of it? Like, Taehyung’s blazer pops more to me because his jacket is the only piece of print he has, and the print is gorgeous. There’s these orange sections on his dress shirt collar, too, that are fun. Also, can you see his shoes in the picture? They’re super cool looking, aren’t they? I’ve no idea what they’re called, but I like them a lot.

Airplane pt.2 - Japanese ver.

The boys’ outfits were so fun in this era. I don’t know what style I should call it, but it’s like summer in Mexico, you know? Anyway, I thought all the members looked really unique in this MV because all the pieces were put together really well. Plus, everything was really sandy in tone, which felt like a solid representation of the song for whatever reason.

Jungkook: Is it the dark red jacket? Is it the weird red-and-brown striped shirt? Is it the white pants? It’s a lot about the white pants, actually. Regardless, I can’t explain why Jungkook’s outfit in the beginning of the MV is so nice to look at, but it is. Is it the--I think they are called--spectator shoes?

Taehyung #2: This looks like a plain outfit, I guess, because it’s almost all white, but the individual pieces are awesome. I can’t tell if Taehyung’s got a white cardigan over a white button down or if it’s the same shirt, but two of them; either way, the layered look came out really well. Also, the hat and the glasses straps are a mood. I think what made me love this outfit as a whole, though, are the pants because, I think they’re silk, and they’ve got blue dots all over them, which I apparently really like.

Taehyung #1: I don’t know why I think of Taehyung’s outfit in the leftmost picture as the outfit that represents this era, but I guess that’s why I like it so much. It’s hard to tell in the photo I have, but the lacy cardigan is so pretty. It almost has a glimmer to it because of the material, so that’s nice, but then there’s the scarf and the tan pants and the moccasin-like shoes, and--listen, this is a good fit, okay?

Boy With Luv

If you’ve made it this far, congrats! You’ve found the only era in which I’ve chosen one member for all three outfits. We’ll talk about that in a minute, but Taehyung was styled so damn well for the Boy With Luv MV. I don’t know why they decided on two seperate styles for the boys that was all-pink and then all-white, but they looked so damn good. Like, their other two sets of outfits were just kind-of-retro-and-goofy randomness, but then they had such strong color themes as well. Whatever; it turned out amazingly.

Taehyung #3: I really couldn’t find a third outfit that I really like for the last slot, but I chose Taehyung’s outfit in the rightmost picture because the light denim, white dress shirt, and white detail on the jacket was simple yet interesting. I don’t know if that’s weird, but the little details like the cuffs of the jacket or the cropped jeans with the detail at the bottom made me love the outfit.

Taehyung #2: I thought I knew this was gonna be my number one, but I digress. I don’t know why the other members were basically just in sweats that looked like pajamas--besides Namjoon, who, for some reason, was in a suit and sweater--for the pink theme, but they put Taehyung in a gorgeous jacket that made him look like the dude that invented sex. Does that make sense? Anyway, the tone of pink for outfit, the tie-dye shirt, and the silk jacket are all iconic.

Taehyung #1: No, but Taehyung’s white suit is so stunning? I don’t think the material is silk, but whatever the name of it is that escapes me right now is gorgeous. It’s got, like, a sheen to it that’s really beautiful. And the fluffy sleeves? Please. They’re such a cool texture, and it makes Taehyung look so elegant. As an aside, they definitely darkened the blue of his hair for the shoot with the white suit, right? Because it looks like they did, and the blue his hair is in the leftmost picture is amazing.

Lights

I mean, this era was basically just clothes the boys already wear rather than costumes for the MV, but I’m talking about it anyway. I guess the idea was for the outfits to be casual but colorful to mimic the message of Lights and the tone of the song.

Jungkook #2: This is yet another case in which I didn’t know what outfit to put in the third slot, so I said, “Hey, Jungkook’s pick jacket is nice,” and I arrived here. I mean, it is a nice jacket. Normally, I don’t like hot pink, but I think since Jungkook’s jeans are light and he’s wearing a light shirt, the jacket almost acts as a dark color and offsets the light pieces.

Jungkook #1: I mean, how do I talk about a simple outfit, you know? It just looks nice. He’s got a blue shirt underneath, so that’s a nice pop of color. I think I mostly like the shirt he has on over his tee because it’s pinstriped, and I like pinstripes. That’s all I got, but I really do like the outfit.

Jimin: Can you say, “This is my favorite outfit because of the jacket?” Good. Genuinely, though, this is the nicest outfit, by far, in the Lights era. The way the color is printed on the black is super interesting because it’s like one long stripe, but the stripe is a bit of a gradient with the black from the rest of the jacket creeping in. I don’t know; I like it more than I probably need to.

We’re going with the main MV, kids, but let the record show that Taehyung’s outfit in the Manifesto Film was bomb as fuck. Actually, they were all bomb as fuck. Anyway, I guess this MV was going for a peasant vibe? I don’t mean that in a rude way, but it’s supposed to be about people fighting their fears, right? So, it makes sense that the concept would be about scruffy characters that stand up and fight. So, yeah; a chic peasant vibe.

Jimin: You can’t at all see it in the picture I have, but the reason I chose Jimin’s outfit is because it has some synching in down the front that looks really cool. I don’t want to say that made my decision, but that one detail turned it from a basic outfit to something that looked a bit more elevated. I mean, it’s the same thing with the boots and the fact that the jacket on top is cropped. Little details matter to me.

J-Hope: It’s a basic outfit, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t cool. I think part of the reason I love it so much is because it’s dirty. Is that weird? It’s an outfit that reminds me of scuffed boots because it’s black but a little mussed. Anyway, the overall affect was awesome.

Taehyung: I think this goes down as an iconic Taehyung look, for me. It’s such a good costume. There were a lot of browns in this MV, so--much like with Hobi’s outfit--the charcoal of Taehyung’s pants stood out a lot to me. He’s also got this grey-white combat boots that stick out so much when they’re on camera. Mostly, though, it’s the vest and shirt that got me wild. The vest is such a nice color, but it’s got that ragged feel, the shirt is ratty and antique looking, and the entire ensemble is a win from head to toe. Including the thorns on Taehyung’s neck because, holy shit, are those the coolest additions to any concept in any BTS era.

Black Swan

I tried so hard to capture these outfits, but you really do need to go look at them yourself to understand how pretty they are. Black Swan has kind of a simple MV if you think about it, but honestly, the wardrobe brings so much life and character to it. In the same way I Need U has the shorts stories in it and IDOL has all the CGI in it, I really think the magic from the Black Swan era has a lot to do with the outfits. Especially considering how well the wardrobe looked in conjunction with the choreography.

Yoongi: This was almost another entirely Taehyung era with Taehyung second all-black outfit, but Yoongi really had a stunning concept for his black swan ensemble. I really love that they put him in boots, and his slacks are really pretty, but the shirt they styled him in is such a good piece. It’s entirely black, but it’s still striped, and the contrast in it is so beautiful to look at.

Taehyung #2: So, Taehyung had the most black showing in his white swan outfit, and I don’t know if that’s because Taehyung was supposed to seem like the member that would transform the fastest or what, but I loved his suit a lot. The jacket is super asymmetrical, as you can see in the photo, and it looks gorgeous during the choreo. Also, underneath his black vest, he’s got this sheer turtleneck that looks absolutely beautiful when you see it up close. Plus, the feather detail on Taehyung’s necklace is really pretty, too.

Taehyung #1: Please go look at the suit in the leftmost picture in the MV because it is stunning. I don’t know anything about who designed it or who put Taehyung in it, but it’s crazy beautiful. Like, his shirt is velvet, I think, which is already an interesting textural piece, but then the suit itself has detail work everywhere. The base material has a sheen to it, but then there’s patches that are glittery and gorgeous, as well, and when the light hits them, they’re so, so pretty. I love, love, love this suit.

Stay Gold

This is another era that’s kind of full of typical outfits, but they’ve got some interesting pieces going on that make the wardrobe for Stay Gold stand out more than in Lights or RUN, for example. Because the MV moves from inside to outside, their main outfits look different in each area since you see them in cool-toned scenes and then warm-toned scenes, which is pretty fun.

J-Hope: I’m sorry these photos show, like, nothing, but let me tell about Hobi’s outfit. So, initially, there’s a blue cardigan on top of Hobi’s other two shirts, and that’s not a piece we need to concern ourselves with. The button down Hobi is wearing is blue primarily but the fabric is plaid at the bottom of one of the sleeves and the shirt, which looks awesome. Plus, his pants are kind of mossy looking, and I think they’re red, as well. I don’t know why that looks so cool to me, but there it is.

Yoongi: Yoongi’s just got a lot of nice layering going on. First of all, the boots are awesome. Secondly, the cut of his pants is really nice, especially since he’s got boots on. The baggy sweater he has on is nice, as well, because of the holes in it--I understand that’s weird--but the part that makes his outfit look awesome to me isn’t even in the photo I was able to get. Yoongi’s got a plaid shirt around his waist that’s, like, sand colored, and it compliments his boots so well. Basically, the outfit was built around the boots, and I vibe with it.

Taehyung: I mean, all Taehyung is wearing is a white shirt, and denim jacket, combat boots, and what I believe are black jeans, but it looks so nice because of the specific pieces they are. For instance, the denim jacket is a really stunning shade that I don’t feel like I see enough, and it worked really well with the black jeans. It’s a simple outfit, but I love it because of the solid elements.

Dynamite

This was, without a doubt, the most interesting era of BTS’s wardrobe. Maybe you’d give that title to IDOL, DNA, or War of Hormone because those outfits were so song-specific, just like Dynamite, but the disco theme on these boys is a cultural reset. I think I can confidently say that, for me, the Dynamite era had the absolute best set of outfits as a whole. Every single era has had an outfit I don’t like, but every outfit in the Dynamite MV was fire.

Yoongi: I mean, look how cute he looks, you know? My man’s got a Space Jam jersey on for fuck’s sake; how can I not include this outfit? Real shit, though, the black and white sweatpants and shirt or whatever it is that Yoongi is wearing is so pretty. Like, the print on it is so pleasing to look at, and the cut and stitching of the top piece is super nice.

Jimin: I struggled between choosing this Jimin outfit and the denim outfit with the rainbow details, but I love Jimin’s bomber jacket so damn much. It looks like candy. Whether you think that’s weird or not is your business, but it’s colorful like candy, and it’s shiny like candy, so that’s what the outfit it. Also, he’s got those jeans on that you can tell are hella expensive because they look really nice, and I like those, too. Just as an aside.

Taehyung: This is the reason I’m making this post. This fucking green suit has lived in my mind rent free since I saw it. Whoever it was that put Taehyung in this suit deserves to rule the world because it’s such a focal piece. Legit, like, you put everyone else in loose shirts and denim, but you put Kim Taehyung in a green suit that makes him look like the richest man alive? How could it not be a focal piece? I could talk about Taehyung’s shoes, I could talk about the tan silk of the vest, I could talk about the striped tie, I could talk about Taehyung stunning blonde hair for this era that makes the outfit and the song even better for days. Just know this look is iconic, and it’s probably my favorite look on this list.

Life Goes On

So, I cheated for this one, but I also kind of didn’t. None of these photos are from the main MV because I couldn’t get good photos of these outfits from the main MV; however, these outfits are actually shown in the main MV, so it’s not really cheating. I just went to the other MV versions to get better pictures of them. Anyway, what a comfy vibe they went for with Life Goes On; I love it a lot since the song is what it is. It’s nice to have MV outfits that represent the song so well and play into how you take in the music.

Yoongi: It’s the pastel cardigan, for me, fam. I mean, obviously, the entire outfit is nice, what with the light wash jeans and the white tee. It’s just that the cardigan adds an interesting piece to it to make it less basic.

Jimin: It’s kind of the same thing with Jimin. Well, Jimin’s also got a bear on his shirt, so that’s adorable. Honestly, the violent green of his sweater is both appealing and not appealing, in a way, but I think that’s why I like it so much. It’s fuzzy and has nice texture to it, as well. Jimin definitely looked the most comfy of all the members in this outfit.

Taehyung: Why I love Taehyung in tan-and-white pajamas, I couldn’t say. I think it’s because the pajamas are already nice and have a nice pattern on them, but then you put a cozy looking cardigan on top of them, and it makes it look even better. Or do I like it so much because the cardigan is a solid color where the pajamas have a pattern? Whatever; Taehyung looks cute. That is all.

Film out

I’ll be honest: this era was hard to choose outfits from because everyone kind of looked the same since everything was almost entirely white sweaters and button downs. The outfits were all nice, it’s just that none of them stuck out that much. I mostly went for the outfits that looked the best as a whole rather than considering the individual pieces.

Jin: Jin looked the most unique out all the members; that’s for sure. I like that he’s wearing black pants, but I also really like the short-sleeve shirt he has on top of his white tee. Rather than it being a plain white outfit, the pants and the stripes made it look a bit more interesting.

Yoongi: Yoongi in a white suit always slaps. I don’t know; I like the suit because it’s not really a real suit. It’s a thinner fabric, so I guess it looks a bit more casual than a usual suit, and I like that a lot. Plus, Yoongi’s got some really pretty white shoes that he wears with it.

Taehyung: Of the sweaters and button downs in this MV, I liked Taehyung’s sweater the best. His is similar to Jungkook’s but Jungkook’s sweater was a bit darker, I think, and I like the shade of Taehyung’s. Plus, Taehyung’s got white shoes and white pants, which make the whole outfit look really beautiful. The textural difference between the pieces makes the difference, I think.

Butter

So, the queen came out and broke records. She also gave me a Taejin goldmine. Y’all, it’s not like the other members aren’t flirty as hell in Butter, but Taejin were absolute other beings. Anyway, I think the boys had something like five outfits for this MV? Mostly suits, but there were two sets of outfits that were odd but also fun. Those ones, I didn’t love, but suits are hard to choose from. These three are the ones that really stuck out.

Taehyung #2: I think it’s the shirt. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out what in the world is on it, but I like the texture. I liked JK’s suit in the beginning, too, but I think I liked the Taehyung’s lighter shirt a lot better. Otherwise, the two are close to the same. Oh, the sunglasses are a vibe, too.

Jin: Why has no one put Jin in yellow before now? Why did take a song about a yellow spread to put Jin in yellow? Honestly, of the yellow-detailed outfits at the end of the MV, I liked Jin’s the best because the yellow was used in a few, small places that popped rather than being too understated or overblown (no offense to Taehyung and Hobi’s yellow jackets). Like, Jin doesn’t have a tie, so it’s not blocking the shirt, the yellow stripes on his pants look so cool when he dances, and the pocket square is a nice detail. So, Jin looks good as fuck in this MV.

Taehyung #1: I was done for the second I saw Kim Taehyung in a bright orange suit. Taehyung is always the one that gets the suits like this, isn’t he? I mean, he can work it, though. The nude tie was a really gorgeous detail, I thought, because it didn’t retract from the suit at all. I guess the same can be said about the shirt, too. I don’t know, I just really love the entire package of Taehyung’s outfit in the leftmost picture.

Permission to Dance

This was such a cute little music video, and I thought the cowboy/Western theme was super fun since the boys have never done this concept before. I knew what my number one was gonna be from the teaser, but the last two were difficult to pick. I liked Yoongi’s outfit at the end of the MV, and I liked Jungkook’s outfit in the last frame (but there were no close-ups of it, unfortunately). Ultimately, I settled on what I did because I liked the details.

Jin: Sometimes I like simplicity, and Jin’s outfit was simple, but the gold paisley design on his pants--which are leather by the way; I know, absolutely criminal--is gorgeous. I also liked his boots a lot and the fact that his fringe was on his shirtfront pockets.

Taehyung #2: Initially, I had Namjoon’s first outfit in this list, but after watching the Permission to Dance MV way too many times, I ended really loving Taehyung’s all-red outfit. I liked the fringe on the legs, I like the fit of the slacks, I love the cut of the shirt, I love the way they styled this outfit, I like the boots, the accessories are awesome, and this outfit flatters Taehyung so damn much. Basically, even though it’s just red on red, it’s a damn good way to do red on red.

Taehyung #1: This fit is it, fam. It’s it on Taehyung specifically, and it’s it in general. Especially on Taehyung, though. That’s not what this is about. Anyway, the pieces of this outfit are really nice. The hat, surprisingly, fits this particular outfit really well. The denim wash on the shirt and the jeans look really nice together, and all the details--from the rips in the jeans to the bandana at the hips to the belt to the chain--were all things that made me think this outfit was awesome the moment I saw it. Not to mention the boots and accessories.

Alright, that’s it. I don’t know if you actually read this post or just looked at the photos (which, if you did the latter, I’m so sorry for the shitty screenshots.) If you have a favorite outfit, era, or set of outfits, let me know in the replies. And if you know the types of clothes these boys were wearing in any of these photos, I’d be interested in actually knowing what I’m talking about next time I talk about their clothes, so drop me some info. Anyway, thanks for reading!

#bts #bangtan sonyeondan #kim taehyung #park jimin #jeon jungkook #min yoongi #kim seokjin #kim namjoon #jung hoseok

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loveafterthefact · 4 years

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Love After the Fact Chapter 65: Broken Spell

Keith enjoys a morning out with Lance... Except for this one, *tiny* problem

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Keith wakes to a bare leg slung over his hip, fingers trailing from his shoulder and down his side, sliding across his waist to form teasing circles low on his abdomen. Lips flutter against the edge of his exposed ear, just a hint of teeth.

“Seriously?”

“What? I spent almost a decaphoeb celibate for you!” The Altean snuggles closer. “And now I find myself with a beautiful man in my arms who, unlike anyone else I’ve ever had, is entirely mine.”

The growl on Lance’s final word has Keith wavering, until he shifts and discovers the discomfort between his legs. He sucks in a breath between his teeth. “I think the fuck not, Lance. What did you do to my vagina?”

“Crude. Also, nothing. Discomfort is normal your first time. But I can fix it, if you like.”

“Please do. And how would you know that’s normal?”

“Well, I have an ass.”

“Gross.” Keith sighs as Lance’s quintessence slips beneath his skin. He’s come to associate that warmth slithering into his veins and nerves with Lance’s love and affection. It's familiar to him now, bringing him comfort, a sense of home and belonging. Basically, he’s a huge sucker.

“Hm… I’d love to have you in it.”

“Lance!” Keith roles over, discomfort gone, glaring at his mate. Lance raises an eyebrow. “I’ll... think about it. Thace says that I have to check and make sure my dick works anyway.”

“I’d be delighted to help, either way.” The Altean's smile is playful, easy-going.

“I’m sure you would.” Keith sighs. “So that’s the plan then? Have sex all day?”

“Mnh, no. We're going home before your season.”

“Lance, I need to have my season here. And stay two movements after that to see if I’ve conceived-”

“I meant your home, beloved. Your childhood home, remember? We said we’d-”

“Really?! You- Really?!” Keith’s face lights up like a thousand stars.

Lance beams. “Yes, really!"

Keith throws his arms around his mate. He'd never really doubted Lance's word, but that word still means worlds to him. Furry, plumed tail twisting around his ankle, purring loudly in his throat, Keith nuzzles into Lance's neck. He loves this Altean so much, couldn't think of a better place to be than right here.

Okay, maybe he's riding the high of being freshly mated, but he actually doesn't feel that different than before. Maybe a little giddy, but other than that... no more or less full of love. Still just as overflowing.

Laughing, Lance squeezes him tight, fingers running through his long, loose hair. He lets go all to soon- "Let’s go! Get your clothes on!”

Keith leaps up, scrambling for a fresh set of clothes. Lance flops back on the bed, chuckling as his spouse’s eagerness. The Galra pauses, turning back to meet Lance’s soft gaze. “What?”

“I love you,” Lance sighs.

“Well I should hope so, since I just gave myself over to you.” Keith grins, just a little cocky. “I love you, too.”

He pulls his shirt over his head, tucks the hem into the waist of his pants. Lance is still staring at him. “What?”

“Are we really gonna have a baby?”

“So that’s what you’re up to, is it?” Krolia leans in the doorway. Lance shrieks, pulling the blankets up to cover himself. “Making kits?”

“Well, we’re going to try. We’ll see what happens,” Lance squeaks. “Could you, um, let me get dressed?”

“Yeah, seriously, Mom. What the fuck?” Keith snickers, settling his circlet on his head. He hasn’t worn it in a while, but feels like it today. Lance wears his every day.

“Fine.” Krolia turns around, still leaning against the wall. “You do realize, don’t you Altean, just how easy it is for a Galra in season to conceive?”

“Uh… Not really, no. Altean females ovulate every ten movements -two phoebs-, and even then pregnancy is far from assured. It can take decaphoebs to-”

“During season, pregnancy is all but guaranteed, even for intersex people like Keith, though they do have a slightly lower success rate.” Krolia turns back, slow, slim smile on her lips. “So you’d better be damn well sure you want a kit with my son.”

Lance, fully dressed, slips an arm around Keith’s waist. “We have a responsibility to provide my kingdom with an heir. It’s an ugly thing, but it is something that we must take into account.” Keith’s tail twists around Lance’s ankle, squeezing tightly, approval of his honesty and forthright. “That said, I have wanted to be a father since I was a small child myself. I’m more than ready for it, and more than certain. Especially if I’ve got this one by my side!”

Lance beams, pressing their brows together. Keith purrs, soft and sweet in his throat.

“Right. So, we need elk, and supplies, and to meet up with hunters-”

“I want to visit the Sanctorium. I need to get an offering for my father.”

“You’re going back home? It’s almost your season!” Krolia frowns.

“Yes, which is why we’re going now,” Lance argues. “It’s not terribly far, it’ll give me a chance to see some of the wilderness, and we’ll be sure to return within a movement. In the meantime, we’ll send a message to Thace and inform him of our intentions to conceive, and he can begin collaboration with our own castle health care professional, Tavo, and Hunk, who is in charge of providing Keith’s meals. Additionally, I’ll have Adam and Pidge break into Daibazaal’s database and steal Lotor’s medical records. Honerva and Zarkon refused to unseal them for us.”

“Odd.” Krolia cocks her head, counting her coins, passing them to Keith. “Why would they refuse?”

“Not sure. Perhaps his records will tell us something. I intend to ask the man himself, as well.”

"Let me do it," Keith murmurs. "He's my cousin."

"Sure, of course! Do let me know what he says, though."

Krolia eyes them, gaze dark. “The Imperial couple is as morally dubious as Alfor is. Everybody knows that.”

Keith ties the bag of coins to his belt, scooping BleepBloop onto his shoulder. The primate works a hand into Keith’s hair, the other exploring his circlet. “Possibly even worse, though that is debatable.”

“Oh. Remind me to tell you about that later,” Lance mutters, suddenly looking nervous. “But for now, to the square! I want to see this 'Sactomium' you talked of.”

Arms linked, Keith leads Lance through the crowded streets, attention completely on each other save one moment where Lance murmurs something to Krolia, and she heads off with a nod, and something shiny in her hand...

The Sanctorium is a large structure, much like a den, but much larger, surrounded by gardens, vines creeping up the sides. Druids in long robes and masks walk among the vegetation, taking clippings and peeling bark from trees. Windchimes made of metal, wood, glass, and stone sing from tree branches and metal stands. There are Galra praying, meditating, simply walking about the grounds. Some converse with Druids, perhaps seeking spiritual council or advice on different rituals.

“So what are we here for?” Lance asks, gazing up at the structure. It’s clearly treated with respect. The stone is cared for and polished, painted with intricate designs, stained glass in the windows.

“Herbs. And a few different crystals. I need to make an offering spell for my father. For both a reunion and a goodbye.” Keith passes BleepBloop over to his mate, leading the way into the Sanctorium.

Inside is just as fascinating as the outside. There are shelves, arranged in a spiral shape, a single aisle through the middle to a desk, a Druid standing just behind. The shelves are lined with… stuff. Some, Lance can tell, are herbs, seeds, bits of stone and crystal. Some are definitely pieces of animals, like feet, claws, teeth, tails, and feathers. Others are… presumably one or possibly more of those things, but Lance can’t really tell.

“Hey, what do you think about this?” Keith holds up a clawed foot of some kind, only for BleepBloop to snatch and start munching on it. The Galra rolls his eyes at his uncooperative pet.

Lance shrugs. “I… Know nothing at all about your religion, either your magyks or your gods.”

“The basics are as follows,” Keith says, wandering through the aisles, grabbing seemingly random objects. “Different stuff does different stuff and only the druids know all of the stuff. And we have gods. There are hundreds of them, and everyone picks one or two to observe.”

“So who do you observe?” Lance leans over to inspect a box of he knows from his studies are shards of volcanic glass.

“Trija.” Keith continues selecting, measuring, gathering different objects, setting them all in a clay jar.

“Trija?” Lance’s brow furrows, a bit of forgotten knowledge tickling at his mind.

“She’s a star. A small one. She was our first empress, who supposedly married a sorceress and joined her in the stars when they both died.”

“I see… Why did you pick Trija?”

Keith pauses, fingers hovering over a box of dried fruits. Or maybe they were some kind of dead animal? He shakes himself, sets one of the dried… things in his jar.

“It was the only star I remembered. My father, he tried to teach me about the stars. I was really little, only six when he died, and I was a… precocious child-”

“Sassy. Opinionated. Stubborn. An adorable pain in the ass, no doubt.”

“Heh, yeah. Pretty much. But the one that managed to stick with me, no matter how unwilling a pupil I was, was Trija, because of the story. I held onto that, all those years. I was little, and alone, and I couldn’t sleep hardly at all. So I’d sit on top of the den, or in a tree, and I’d stare at her for hours, and it made everything just a little bit better. It made me feel less alone.”

“Keith…”

Keith’s fingers stop trailing over jars of herbs, turning to look at his mate, only for the Altean to latch onto him like a sucker eel, squeezing him tight. “I’m sorry. It was Altea’s fault you went through all that. My people took your father from you. I’m so sorry, Keith.”

“It’s not your fault,” Keith mutters, voice surprisingly thin. “Don’t apologize for them.”

“I promise I’ll ruin our childrens’ childhoods by spoiling them, not killing their parents.”

“Well, I am one of their parents, so…” Keith noses into Lance’s neck. “Let me buy this, and then we can-”

Keith’s eyes find Krolia, leaning in the entryway, glaring at Lance with absolute loathing. Something inside him breaks a little bit. She’d promised- Well, no, she hadn’t promised, but she’d agreed to give Lance a chance, to give him the opportunity to prove himself. And yet here she is, his mother, staring at his mate like she wants nothing more than to eviscerate him.

Something in Keith hardens, even as he squeezes Lance harder so he won’t pull back and see. He feels betrayed. It must reach his eyes, because Krolia falters in her glare, blinking at him in alarm.

Keith meets her gaze, stares her down as he rubs his cheek against Lance’s skin. Petty? Totally. Possessive? Oh, yeah. Necessary? Absolutely. He hates it, but yesterday, he would have chosen Lance, and today, it wouldn't be a choice at all.

“Come on, beloved.” Lance rubs his back, soothing circles. “Let’s get the stuff for your offering, and then get you home.” The prince draws back, lacing their hands together. “I want to meet Akira of house Kogane. I want to thank him for saving you.”

“Of course you do,” Keith murmurs, smiling, hand slipping up to link their arms. “I don’t remember him very well, but Dad would have liked you. He was the fun-loving, mischievous type. I think… That’s how I remember him, anyway.”

“If he made you, he must have been. You certainly didn’t get it from Krolia.”

“Yeah…” Keith grimaces, paying the druid behind the desk for his stuff. “You’ve no idea.”

“I mean… I’ve shared a room with her. For about a varga. I think I’ve at least some idea.”

Keith laughs. He just wants to enjoy Lance’s company, riding the high of their freshly consummated bond.

“But you know… Your mother has had a hard life, and one far from painless. It might just be taking her a while to remember how to do those things.”

“Yeah. I guess. Maybe.” They step together out into the sun. “Maybe she’ll loosen up as time goes on, huh?”

“Lance!” Krolia jogs up, like she just arrived. “I need to speak to you for a moment. Alone.”

“Very well.” Lance lifts their joined hands to indicate a pair of elk, laden with saddlebags, suddenly reminding Keith of his first night in the castle, when Lance gave him a tour of their quarters. “Your mother procured some supplies and elk for us, over there. Do you mind?”

“I guess not…” Keith eyes his mother cautiously. “See you soon?”

“Yes, and then we’ll leave.” Lance kisses his cheek, hurrying after Krolia.

Anxious, Keith heads for the elk, recognizing one of them as Lance’s doe from training, Bruna. He rubs her nose. “Hey, pretty girl. You’re gonna take good care of my dumbass mate for me, right? Assuming my mother doesn’t kill him first?”

Lance comes running up, a bag over his shoulder. “Okay, lets go!”

“What’s in the bag?”

“I’ll tell you later; let’s go!” Lance vaults onto Bruna, turning expectantly to his dazed spouse. “Kee-eeith. Let’s gooo-oooo.”

“R- Right!” Keith mounts his own elk -nameless, because he’s not an enormous dork-, urging him into a walk. “So we’re really leaving, then?”

“Yes, we’re really leaving! I can’t wait to see it! I want to see everything, remember? Remember when I-”

“You’re going to talk the entire way there, aren’t you?”

“Wha- No! No, I’m not! But I just want to mention-”

Keith smiles, shaking his head. His mother’s glare still stings, but it’s hard to be angry when facing off against Lance’s smile. He doesn’t see his mate like this very often -hardly ever-, so he might as well enjoy it while he can.

He does have a question though, one that’s been nagging at him for the better part of a movement now…

#LoveAftertheFact #LAtF #klance #galtean au #altean lance #galra keith #adashi #altean adam #galra shiro #voltron legendary defender #vld

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cardest · 3 years

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Cleveland & Ohio playlist

CLEVELAND ROCKS!!! Actually, it sure does. Ohio has a lot of bands, a lot of songs that totally rock. Ever since I used to watch the Drew Carey Show and seeing Dave Mustaine appear on an episode, I had the idea of one day making a Cleveland/Ohio playlist. Being a huge DEVO fan also sparked that flame. What a spin out the US Election is right now. I have the TV muted and the Cleveland playlist on.

001 DEVO - I got summthin’ for everybody 002 Stampeders - Sweet City Woman 003 Ian Hunter - Cleveland Rocks 004 Randy Newman - Burn On 005 Filter - Welcome to the Fold 006 The Cramps - Sado County Auto Show 007 Chi-Pig - Apu Api (Help Me) 008 PURPLE IMAGE-What you do to me 009 Steppenwolf - Ball Crusher 010 The Damnation of Adam Blessing - Ba Dup 011 Womack & Womack - MPB ( Missin Persons Bureau ) 012 Cleveland Rocks - The Drew Carey Show theme song 013 Nine Inch Nails - Sin 014 Bobby Womack - Lookin' for a Love 015 DAZZ BAND - LET IT WHIP 016 Screamin Jay Hawkins - I Want Your Body 017 The Pretenders - Precious 018 Ohio Players - Fopp 019 Frank Zappa - Lets move to Cleveland 020 DEVO - Speed Racer 021 Chimaira - Pure Hatred 022 R.E.M - Cuyahoga 023 Craig Bell - I Hope It's Not Our House 024 Electric Eels - Bunnies 025 Guided by voices - i am a tree 026 Human Switchboard - Fly In 027 Pere Ubu - Heart Of Darkness 028 The Waitresses - I Know What Boys Like 029 Knowso - Like a buzz 030 Skeletonwitch - Reduced To The Failure Of Prayer 031 Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music 032 PAGANS - dead end America 033 PERVERTS AGAIN - Get You Out Of College 034 Poli Styrene Jass Band - 'Drano in Your Veins' 035 Rocket From The Tombs - Life Stinks 036 DEVO - Strange Pursuit 037 Mourning [A] BLKstar - Situations 038 The Cramps - I Was A Teenage Werewolf 039 Filter - Soliders Of Misfortune 040 Midnight - Rip This Hell 041 Huey Lewis & The News - The Heart of Rock & Roll 042 Nine Inch Nails - Terrible Lie 043 Mike Stanley - My Town 044 MC Breed - Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin 045 Crosby, Steelo's and Neill Young - Ohio 046 RINGWORM - Death Becomes My Voice 047 Tom Waits - Drunk On The Moon 048 The Brak Show - Ohio 049 Cactus - A Mean Night In Cleveland' 050 DEVO - Through Being Cool 051 Pillärs - Beneath the Ice 052 Jefferson Starship - Stairway to Cleveland 053 Granicus - You're in America 054 The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio 055 APARTMENT 213 - btk 056 The Outlaws - Girl From Ohio 057 Pleasure Leftists - The Conversation 058 Mushroomhead - Sun Doesn't Rise 059 Enabler - F.A.T.H 060 Embalmer - I Am The Embalmer 061 The Raspberries - LET'S PRETEND 062 The James Gang - Walk Away 063 The Moonglows - Sincerely 064 The Afghan Whigs - Debonair 065 Marvin Gaye - What’s goin on? 066 Axioma, Crown - Sacred Killing Machine 067 The Outsiders - Time Won't Let Me 068 Men at Large - Would You Like to Dance (With Me) 069 Necrophagia - Insane for blood 070 Integrity -Those Who Fear Tomorrow 071 Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer 072 DEVO - Peek-A-Boo! 073 The Valentinos - Somewhere There's a Girl 074 The Black Keys - Gold On The Ceiling 075 M.O.P - How About Some Hardcore 076 Scott Weilland - Missing Cleveland 077 Chastain - Live hard 078 Craw - Weedy Species 079 Jane Aire & The Belvederes -When I Was Young 080 Mouth of the Architect - Story of the eye (EyeHateGod cover) 081 Shalamar - A night to remember 082 Early Man - War Eagle 083 Steve Miller Band - Jackson-Kent Blues 084 Beach Boys - Student demonstration time 085 Crypt Rot - Scaphist waste 086 Terror - Legion of Gore 087 Nunslaughter - Three Nails One Liar 088 Albert Ayler - Ghosts 089 Cactus-'A Mean Night In Cleveland' 090 RAMP - The American Promise 091 Stiv Bators - Ready Any Time 092 Void Meditation Cult - Utter The Tongue Of The Dead 093 Booker T. & The M.G.'s - Cleveland Now (Instrumental) 094 Keelhaul - The Gooch 095 Joe Henderson - Teeter Totter 096 Kratos - Iron Beast 097 The Mice - Not Proud of the USA 098 The O'Jays - Back Stabbers 099 Frayle - 1692 100 Bone Thugs and Harmony - Flow Motion 666 DEVO - Jocko Homo Any songs or bands I forgot to add in this list? Let me know!!

#Cleveland Music #Cleveland rocks #Ohio #Ohio music #Ohio bands #devo #stiv bators #nine inch nails #the cramps #nunslaughter #playlist #Ohio playlist #cleveland playlist #Midnight band

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arcanesupern0va · 4 years

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Down With The Rickness; Ch4: Every You, Every Me

Summary: Nova is stressed so Rick tries to make things a little more interesting by taking her to Aeon, a casino outside of time and space.

A/N: Thar be smuts here. And no Halloween chapter because... well this happened instead. I have to thank my beta, my-sun-my-baelish, for all of the help she's given me. It was her idea to bring Flesh Curtains Rick into the story and he will definitely be back. I cannot wait. :D Thank you so much for reading! Let me know what you think. :D

CW: Smut, drinking, gambling Pairing: Rick Sanchez/Reader Word Count: 8508

My ao3

Masterlist

~Rick In The Water~

|Ch3: Scene Of the Crime|

Things fell back into a comfortable pace when we finally made it home with Rick even sleeping in my room more often than not. The coffee I shared with Beth every morning before she left for work was already awkward enough without Rick stumbling loudly out of my room, much to her chagrin. She insisted she didn’t mind, that she was happy for us, but I could still see the twinges of jealousy in her eyes as she watched her father stumble out of my room in my robe in search of his own cup of coffee.

In an attempt to reconcile with her, I spent most of my days scrolling through job listings. On one particular afternoon, I had taken up my search across from Rick when he was at his workbench. I let out a guttural groan after scrolling through the same thirty listings I’d seen for the past two weeks, earning me a raised eyebrow from the irritable scientist sitting on the other side of the workbench.

“Y-You mind keeping your existential despair down over there?” Rick asked, looking up from whatever he was working on with an unconvincing scowl on his face.

“Oh, I’m sorry, was my overwhelming stress bothering you?” I asked, meeting his gaze with narrowed eyes as I tried to mask the grin forming on my face.

“W-Well, yeah. Yo*uuurp*u mind taking it elsewhere if you’re going to be a nuisance?” he growled, returning to his gadget with a dramatic huff.

“Oh, I’m so terribly sorry,” I smirked, rolling my eyes as I gathered my laptop to stalk off.

“I was gonna go out in a little bit, i-i-if you wanted to come with me,” he offered, spinning around in his chair and looking genuinely surprised I had taken his complaints seriously.

“Wouldn’t want my- what did you call it? Oh- extentistial despair to distract you in anyway,” I sighed, resisting the urge to grin at him again.

“W-Well, I was hoping it would get your mind off of it.”

“Aren’t you just so thoughtful?”

“I-It’s been said... from time to time-”

“Never. I think you mean never.”

“I-I’m sure someone’s had the wrong idea before.”

I sighed, turning away from Rick and walking to the edge of the garage in contemplation. I could choose to stay here and commiserate over why failure seemed inevitable on the job front or I could go out with Rick and just lose myself in an adventure with him. As I weighed between responsibility and fun, my eyes fell onto my old house next door. It filled my heart with a petty glee to see the house falling into minor disrepair as weeds invaded the formly meticulously kept garden and small groups of crab grasses sprouted up across the lawn. Once the police had finally given me access again, Rick, Beth, and I started destroying the cameras that had kept me locked in the house. It was cathartic to say the least but I still hadn’t stepped foot back in since. There were too many memories haunting those walls and I’d sooner tear the place down than go back into it.

“Alright, let’s go,” I sighed, tearing my eyes away before the nightmares could find their way back in. I sat my laptop down for a moment, a low moan leaking out as my legs stretched as a chill ran down my spine at the sheer relief in it. With a yawn, I headed for the door to go change out of my pajamas and into something more suited for adventure.

“D-D-Don’t worry about getting dressed,” Rick stopped me, making one last adjustment to his device before pulling himself out of his chair with a groan and directing me to his ship.

“Rick, seriously?” I asked, gesturing down to my cartoon covered sweatpants, tattered tank top and flip flops. “I’ll be like, two seconds. You telling me you can’t wait?”

“N-No,” he growled, “You don’t have anything to wear that would fit in where we’re going. We’re going to have to stop along the way.”

“Oh,” I gasped softly, following him to the ship. “So, where are you taking me then?”

“Look, will you just take ‘it’s a surprise’ as a sufficient answer so I can have a bit of fun with this?” Rick scowled as I climbed into the ship, eyeing him hesitantly.

“I mean, I suppose I really don’t have much choice otherwise, do I?” I asked him, eyes narrowed at him as a smirk played on my cheeks.

“That’s what I love about you, you always catch on quickly.”

Our first stop was at an off-world intergalactic mall. Rick sent me into a large dress shop, shoving a large wad space cash into my hands and instructing me to “go nuts”. He departed with a kiss on the cheek as he headed into a Blips and Chitz further into the mall, muttering something about unfinished business.

The humanoid eel creature at the counter turned her nose up to me at first, eyeing my shabby attire until she caught sight of the fistful of cash I was carrying. Her demeanor shifted in an instant, ushering me past the clearance rack I had been eyeing to instead show me the latest gowns they’d just received. She ensured me I would be on the cutting edge of whatever charity gala or ball I would be donning the gown to as I flipped nervously past gowns with price tags I couldn’t read.

“I-I don’t know how much this is-” I held out the wad of cash in my hand to her nervously “-I was just kind of sent here and told to ‘go nuts’’.”

She eyed me suspiciously but remained silent as she quickly counted the money, handing it back with a satisfied smile. She started pulling gowns down, holding them in front of me to get an idea of what would look best before leading me to the lavish dressing rooms in the back of the store. Sizing proved to be no issue as the fabric adjusted itself around me, being snug in all the right places and scooping around my breasts in a scandalous way. After a montage worthy amount of changing, we decided on a long, black sleeveless number. It boasted a light train following behind me and a neckline I knew Rick wouldn’t be able to take his eyes off of. She grabbed a pair of heels and a set of jewels for me to wear before pushing a large device over my head, letting it rest on my shoulders. Panic set in as my hair began pulling away from my scalp gently before it was doused and dried my hair quickly and a light spray methodically worked its way over my face. A soft chime rang out and the clerk lifted device with ease, handing me a mirror to take in my appearance. I barely recognized the face staring back at me. My hair fell gently over my shoulders in delicate waves and my makeup was done with skill I’d never possess. The sales clerk led me over to a full length mirror and I was taken aback by my reflection.

I looked so… elegant.

The clerk pointed to the rest of my outfit, sliding my heels and jewelry over to me. The heels were matte black with five inch heels and I stood up nervously in them, I was relieved to discover they were fitted with a balance technology that made walking as easy as if I was barefoot. The jewels hanging from my neck and ears sparkled with purple and blue hues, adding the perfect pop of color to offset the dark gown with the added benefit of accenting my eyes.

“T-Thank you,” I stammered, staring into the mirror to take in the finished product. I handed her back the wad of cash, waving my hand away as she offered me my change as I continued to thank her profusely. I wandered out of the shop in a haze, barely noticing when Rick approached me looking over his shoulder nervously until his eyes fell on me.

“H-Holy shit, Nova,” he gaped, looking me over completely. “You look fucking amazing.”

“I know, right?” I grinned proudly, looking down in amazement at my own cleavage.

“Are you ready then?” he asked with a grin, his eyes struggling to meet mine.

“I guess we’re not going on the usual kind of adventure then?” I trembled, my confidence gone at the reminder of the uncertainty ahead of us.

“You could say that.”

We landed in a large valet, the dinginess of Rick’s ship incredibly apparent next to all of the flashy ships parked around us. A Morty came out to greet us, taking the keys out of Rick’s hand before climbing into the ship and flying off to a garage. My eyes bulged at the sight, turning quickly to Rick with my eyes narrowed.

“Are we back on the fucking Citadel?” I hissed, looking around for the sea of Ricks and Mortys going about their daily lives.

“N-N-No,” Rick assured me quickly. “W-Well, kinda. N-N-Not really. This is a getaway for Ricks. It was built as somewhere to put all the Rickless Mortys and also give Ricks a place to relax when shit gets too serious.”

“So, there’s still going to be a shit ton of Ricks here,” I groaned, walking toward the entrance. The large doors slid open smoothly, allowing me to storm right into a large casino filled with Ricks and Mortys just as I had feared, but also a large variety of other otherworldly creatures. I stopped in my tracks as I looked over the sea of people gambling obscene amounts only to shrug off their losses and slide another tower back out into the circle.

“Welcome to Aeon,” another Morty greeted us. “Do you have a reservation in our hotel for the evening?”

“Y-Yeah,” Rick confirmed, pushing past me gently to handle the Morty in front of us leaving me to continue staring out over the casino floor. A large cluster of Ricks surrounded a craps table, cheering loudly after the shooter let the dice fly out of his hand. Another Rick was ordering a drink from the Morty cocktail server before turning back to a poker table. He looked at his hand, a look of irritation growing on his face as slammed the cards down, tossing a couple chips on top. I didn’t get to see if he’d won as Rick grabbed my hand gently as the Greeter Morty led us to the elevator to show us to the room Rick had reserved for the night.

The room was extravagant, with a full bar directly in front of us as we entered. A Bartender Morty portalled in and Rick ordered himself a drink immediately, allowing me to venture further into the luxurious room. A large four poster bed with delicate fabric draped down sat in the middle of the next room with a large television and sofa at the foot of it. The bed’s linens were quite possibly the softest thing I’d ever touched and I found myself running my hand over the fabric again and again. Rick entered the room behind me, quietly watching as I was mesmerized by a blanket.

“It’s alright, I guess,” he shrugged, setting his empty glass down and pointing to another door in the corner of the room, “You should check out the bathroom. True whirlpool jets, Nova. I’ve gotten lost in those damn things more times than I can count.”

“You’ve been here a lot, I take it?” I asked, breaking my attention from the linens to follow Rick’s suggestion.

“Yeah, this place isn’t called the Aeon for nothing,” Rick explained, “Time literally doesn’t exist here. You could spend ages here and no time passes. It’s outside of the ebb and flow of time.”

“So- Wait, what?” I asked, mouth agape as I turned to face him.

“Don’t think too hard about it, okay?” Rick smirked, “Let’s just put it this way, you could stay fifty years in this place and Madi wouldn’t think you’d been gone longer than an afternoon.”

“B-But, wouldn’t I be ancient by the time I got back?”

“Nope, I’m telling you, no time passes. You won’t age, you won’t gain any weight from any of the food you technically don’t need to eat… The only consequences you face here are with your wallet.”

“That’s… that’s crazy. So you could live here, forever?”

“I-I mean, if you had an infinite amount of money, sure. The fifty years thing was just an exaggeration, this place is not cheap.”

“I can tell,” I grinned, gesturing around to the expensive decor around the room.

“The Flesh Curtains have a show tonight,” Rick remarked, picking up the daily itinerary from the dresser.

“F-Flesh Curtains?” I sighed, biting my lip to resist a laugh.

“So, back in the day, my friends Birdperson and Squanchy formed a band called Flesh Curtains with me. Most Ricks do it but don’t stick with it. These guys are from a timeline that stuck with it and became a success.”

“I hardly consider playing in a casino success,” I said with a snort, glancing over at Rick in disbelief to find him staring at the pamphlet with a glassy look in his eyes.

“Psh,” he said finally, shaking the look away and clearing his throat. “It wouldn’t be so bad, I guess.”

“You wanna go back downstairs? Maybe we’ll go see the show tonight?” I offered softly, moving closer and lacing my hand into his. A devilish grin spread over his face as he pulled the door open.

“You know how to play blackjack, right?”

When we made it back to the floor, Rick made a beeline to the first empty blackjack table he could find. The Ricks around us watched us pass, not taking their eyes off of me until Rick shot them a dangerous look. The Morty at the table greeted us, scooping the cards back up and deftly shuffling them again before loading them back into the shoe and waiting for our buy-ins.

“Player’s cards?” he asked, bored. Rick tossed me a handful of colorful bills before pushing his over to the dealer along with a black card. Morty quickly cut out his chips, calling out the total and waiting for his supervisors approval before sliding two stacks of black and green chips across the table to Rick. He turned to me expectantly, raising an eyebrow when I hesitated.

“How much do I give him?” I whispered to Rick, unable to read the symbols on the money.

“Just give him all of it. Trust me, it’s enough.”

I pushed the money across with a trembling hand, earning a sigh from Morty as he counted it up and slid me my own stack of black and green chips.

“Place your bets.”

“Alright, so all you have to do is play one at a time,” Rick said, pushing the chips closer to me. “You’ll be playing the minimum so if you start doing well, feel free to up your bet.”

“I see we have a special guest tonight,” the floor supervisor Rick remarked as Morty started dealing the cards out. “Not often we see a Nova in-”

“-In here. Yeah, yeah, I get that a lot,” I waved him off, not meeting his gaze. I tried to remember the basic strategy rules for blackjack as Morty checked his own hand for blackjack.

“I-I bet,” Floor Rick stuttered, looking between my Rick and I. Rick ignored him, tapping the table to get another card. Nineteen. He waved it off with a satisfied sigh, pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his lab coat. The Floor Rick grabbed an ashtray, sliding in front of Rick before turning his attention back to me.

“Eleven,” Morty said, moving his hand from Rick’s hand to mine.

“Double it,” Floor Rick said with a shrug, “It’s a good hand for doubling. All you need is a ten.” I sighed, sliding another chip up next to my initial bet, wincing as Morty slapped the card down on top of it and quickly went to his own hand. Twenty One.

“Twelve. Sixteen. Bust,” he called out flatly as he played his own hand out, quickly paying us our chips and scooping the cards up before chucking them into the discard rack.

“Nice one, Nova. You two let me know if you need anything,” Floor Rick said with a sly grin, pushing himself away from the table and going to check on another table.

“I seriously hope every fucking Rick in this place isn’t going to be on you like that all night,” Rick groaned as Morty dealt out another hand.

“Well, even if they are, I can handle it,” I assured him.

“I-I-It’s just fucking annoying,” Rick grumbled, watching Morty bust his hand again.

We play for another hour before the Supervisor Rick made his way back over to us, making more uncharacteristically friendly conversation with me before being relieved to go on break. The Relief Floor Rick was also enamoured by my presence but kept it to himself, watching me silently from the adjacent table’s computer system.

“Twenty one,” Morty declared, scooping our bets up and placing them in the rack. Rick groaned in frustration, counting his chips angrily.

“That’s five fucking hands in a row, Nova. This is mathmatically fucking impossible,” he lamented, eyeing the stacks of green in front of me suspiciously. “How in the hell have you been doing so well?”

“Just lucky, I guess,” I shrugged, sliding a stack of five into the circle and looking at his expectantly.

“There’s no such thing as fucking luck,” Rick grumbled under his breath, slamming a chunk of black chips into the circle and looking up at Morty.

“W-Wait, before you deal-” I interrupted, holding my hand up to him and smiling softly. A cocktail Morty had come by, calling Rick’s attention away in search of something strong enough to drown his sorrows in. “Do you guys get tips? Like, as a paycheck or something.”

“Y-Yea. Usually doesn’t amount to much though,” he remarked spitefully, his eyes resting on Rick’s back as he spoke.

“So if I put money up for you, you get it if we win?” I grinned devilishly. He nodded quickly, his eyes lighting up as I slid a chip in front of my bet with a wink. “Let’s make you some money kiddo.”

Morty started dealing the hand out as Rick turned back around, handing me a small glass as he watched the hand come out. Another fifteen for Rick and two sevens for me, with Morty showing a six.

“Split them, Nova,” Rick suggested, waving his hand off before pulling out another cigarette.

“Since when do you smoke?” I asked, wrinkling my nose as I slid more chips out and signaled for the split.

“It’s a casino thing. Something about this place just makes me want a cigarette,” he shrugged. “You’re betting for Morty? Y-Y-Your streaks coming to an end now.”

“Eleven, Au- er -Nova,” Morty stammered, focusing his attention on the cards. I slid another six chips out, doubling the hand for a solid nineteen. The other hand turned into seventeen, leaving me to wave it off and hope for the best.

“Looks like I’m doing just fine,” I smirked, looking over to Rick. He didn’t respond, gesturing to Morty’s hand across the table.

“Twenty,” he called out mournfully, scooping up the bets and thanking me.

“Here, just take it,” I said stubbornly, not taking my eyes off of Rick as I tossed him a couple chips for him to drop in his toke box.

“T-T-Thank you, Aunt Nova,” he said, his cheeks flushing at my name again.

“Tonight in our Event Center, come see Flesh Curtains, only at Aeon!” a voice called over the intercom. Rick checked his watch, sighing inwardly as his slid his remaining chips across to Morty.

“Color me up,” he ordered, sliding our money to Morty before turning to me, “You ready to go see the greatest band in existence?”

“Greatest band, huh?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he grabbed his money and finished his drink. He didn’t respond, taking my hand and pulling me through the sea of aliens and Ricks headed to the Event Center. The Mortys scanning tickets looked frustrated as devices were thrust into their faces by desperate fans. Rick pushed our way to a lone Rick standing guard, flashing his black card again and speaking in low tones. Whatever he said must have had an effect as the Rick dropped the rope, allowing Rick and I through to the back door and into the cavernous theater.

Seats were squashed together as aliens milled into the theater, finding their seats. Rick moved around them deftly, pulling me behind him to a small door by the stage where we were met with a bored looking Morty who let us pass after Rick flashed his card at him again.

“So is that just a ‘get whatever the fuck you want’ card?” I asked as the door to backstage closed behind me with a soft click.

“I guess you could call it that. I used to be in here all the time. I’m an Ultra member here.”

“Where in the hell is all this money coming from?” I demanded, quietly jealous of Rick’s seemingly endless supply of income.

“W-Well, you see- I’ve made some things that- W-Well- You remember Scar, right?” he stammered, running his hand through his hair.

“Yes…” I drew out, ignoring the ache that echoed through my chest at the memory of the Rick that saved my life.

“Well, I d-did that- I DO that a lot,” he said, shifting awkwardly before returning his hand to his hair.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, so while I may not have a lot of Earth’s currency, I do pretty damn well otherwise,” he explained hesitantly as we approached a large door with a star bedazzled to it. Rick knocked that same knock he used on Scar’s door, tapping his foot impatiently before the door swung open to reveal another Rick that made my jaw drop.

“Rick N-682, as I fucking live and breathe,” he smirked, shaking Rick’s hand before his gaze rested on me. This Rick was a sight to behold. His loose blue tank top dipped lazily down to his jeans, giving me a tantalizing view of his navel. I pulled my eyes away from his skull belt buckle long enough to notice how much younger than my Rick, confirming his claims about time’s effect, or lack thereof, here. He nodded in acknowledgement at me before leading us into his dressing room, a small grin playing on his cheek. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him, drinking in his every movement as he talked caught up with Rick.

“I see you haven’t changed,” Rick remarked, his eyes tracing to a closed door before meeting the other Rick’s gaze. “This is my Nova, by the way. Nova, this is Rick F-287.”

“Just call me Ricky, it’s a lot easier,” the much more laid back version of my Rick assured me.

“Oh! Another Nova!” a voice called out from another room. My reverie was broken when another… me appeared out of a makeshift bedroom wearing an excited look and more fishnets and dark makeup than I’ve ever owned. I felt out of place in comparison to her relaxed wear but I had to admit, I looked fucking hot.

“Baby, why don’t you don’t you introduce her to the others,” her Rick suggested, gesturing behind her.

“Oh! Sure, come with me,” Punk Nova grinned, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind her. I spared one last fleeting glance back at my Rick before she closed the door behind us..

The ‘Others’ it turned out was more… Novas. This Rick had a veritable harem of Novas just hanging out in his dressing room. My vision spun at the sight of them, my knees going weak before Punk Nova grabbed me by my shoulder and led me over to the couch.

“You okay?” a Nova with bright pink hair asked urgently, coming to rest at my side. She was a stark contrast to the punk Nova who led me in here, wearing a tight lilac t-shirt with the Flesh Curtains plastered on the front with a short blue skirt and neon makeup. My tunnel vision was becoming worse as I stared into her face blankly. It felt like I was looking through one of those filters Madi had on her phone but I could feel her hand on my back rubbing soothingly.

“Seriously, P-465?” another Nova with long dark hair chimed in, pulling her away to give me space to breathe.

“Goddammit, Kat. It’s Pinkie. You know that,” she reared back at annoyed looking version of me.

“K-Kat? P-Pinkie?” I stammered, trying to make sense of everything. “Y-Y-You’re not Novas?”

“It’s only fucking Pinkie when you’re not on my last goddamn nerve,” Kat retorted before looking back at me with a sigh. “No, we’re Novas. We’ve adopted nicknames so we can keep each other straight. It gets old when some says Nova and five people respond.”

“Y-Y-Yea, makes total sense,” I nodded numbly. “W-What are you all doing here?”

“Why don’t you just get your head on straight, first,” Punk Nova said comfortingly. “I’m Riff, by the way. That’s Harley-” she pointed to a fourth Nova with red and black hair “-and fuck knows where Norma went. She’s new around these parts.”

“S-So, you guys are h-here because you want to be r-r-right?”

“Of course we are! We lost our Ricks, so Ricky takes care of us,” Pinkie gushed, staring at the door. My stomach churned at her infatuation with the rockstar, knowing exactly which dark part of me that stemmed from.

“Ugh, she makes it sound so weird,” Kat groaned, glaring at the pink haired version of her. “My Rick blew himself up, so I tried to go to the Citadel for help because I was heartbroken. They couldn’t help but they sent me to… him. He took me in and he does take care of me but it’s not how Pinkie makes it sound. I’m not helpless without him. I just didn’t want to… be without him.”

“I’m sorry I love him, Kat,” Pinkie shot coldly, “I don’t want him to think I’m taking him for granted.”

“Jesus fucking christ,” Riff swore, “just shut the fuck up Pinkie.”

“Rick knows how I feel about him,” Kat hissed, advancing toward Pinkie.

“Kat, don’t.” Riff tried to mediate between the two but the fury in Kat’s eyes was unlike anything I’d ever seen in the mirror. “She’s not worth it.”

“You know he hates it when you two fight,” Harley groaned, finally pulling her nose out of the book she’d been reading. “He’s about to go on stage, he doesn’t need you at each other's throats.”

The bickering between the four continued as I watched, unable to believe any of it. How were these girls… me? Sure we were physically identical for the most part but the difference in our personalities was glaring.

“Ladies, ladies,” Ricky mitigated, clapping his hands as he entered the room. My Rick followed closely behind him, the smirk lurking beneath the surface coming to fruition as he met my eye.

“She started it!” Pinkie cried, running into Ricky’s arms. He groaned, pulling her away to look her in the eyes.

“Come on Pinkie,” he growled, “This is just fucking juvenile, you know that right?”

“She kept egging me on,” Kat snarled, standing up defiantly.

“Just- Don’t,” Ricky chastised her, holding up a finger in her direction to silence her. “Pinkie, you need to knock this shit off.”

“I don’t get why she’s here,” Pinkie whined, shooting daggers at Kat.

“N-682, why don’t you and your Nova head out to the balcony seats. I need to take care of this,” Ricky sighed, giving my Rick an apologetic look.

“So that was… weird,” I murmured as we walked back out into the amphitheater to our seats.

“What? Seeing yourself in a thousand different variations?” Rick asked with a grin. “You get used to it.”

“I can’t believe you just let me nose dive into that situation,” I grumbled, shaking my head.

He checked a small sheet of paper that Ricky had given him before pushing through a thick curtain to a small balcony befitted with cozy couches with an excellent view down to the stage. A small group of tittering well-to-do’s were huddled together speaking in low tones, only stopping to lift their piercing gaze to us. Rick shot them a dirty look, pushing past them and flopping down on the couch in front row.

“You would have seen them either way,” he shrugged, kicking his feet up onto the railing, much to the disapproval of the others. “You gonna sit down or what?”

“Oh shit,” I swore, earning me a dirty look of my own. I sat down on the edge of the couch, back rigid as I fiddled with the hem of my dress. “You know, I think I took our adventures for granted.”

“Oh, did you now?” Rick grinned, raising an eyebrow over at me. “You don’t like your taste of opulence and decadence?”

“Let’s just say, I felt a lot more comfortable in dirty pawn shops and cheap arcades,” I muttered, earning a grin as loudspeaker sounded.

“Hello and welcome guests of Aeon Casino!” an announcer declared as the lights went down and focused on the stage. “Tonight we have a special treat for you, brand new material from the Flesh Curtain’s new album ‘Pushing Buttons’!”

Three figures emerged onto the stage, the crowd roaring with excitement at the sight of them. I recognized Rick immediately but he was joined by what looked like a large bird and a cat. I turned to Rick, my brow furrowed.

“Birdperson and Squanchy,” he shouted over the crowd. “Come on Nova, can’t you just relax and have a little fun?” he asked, pulling me back onto the couch and putting his arm around me. I let out a sigh, trying to emulate the same devil-may-care attitude Rick always had but the eruption of the crowd as the Rick on stage grabbed the mic set me right back on edge. Rick noticed my stiffened demeanor, pulling me in closer and kissing the top of my head.

“What’s up, you pieces of shit!?” Ricky screamed into the mic, surveying the crowd with a smug grin as they roared in delight before passing the mic back to Birdperson.

“Thank you for joining us tonight,” Birdperson said, his voice monotone. I raised an eyebrow at Rick but only received a gentle headshake in response, his eyes trained on the group down below.

The music was loud and abrasive but I had to admit, I loved it. The group of snobs behind us finally started letting loose as the show went on and they downed drink after drink. They even started sending drinks our way, much to Rick’s delight. When our drinks emptied, another appeared in its place, courtesy of our new friends behind us. Soon enough, one of the women with them grabbed my hand and pulled me in close, dancing sloppily as Rick watched with a bemused grin. My ears were ringing and my cheeks hurt from grinning but I was finally feeling relaxed. No one to judge as I danced and drank, Rick even joining in.

“Squanch you and good night!” the cat on drums shouted before letting out one final drum solo. The show lasted three hours but it truly felt like no time had passed. A large alien bodyguard appeared in our archway, informing Rick and I that Ricky wanted us to come back by his dressing room for an after party. I thanked the group behind before Rick and I followed the creature back down the hallways, pushing through a sea of screaming fans that were just desperate for a glimpse of the band they seemed to live their lives by.

“N-682! You made it!” Ricky shouted, tripping over a large bag of empty beer bottles as Rick pushed his way into the dressing room. While it hadn’t been necessarily clean before, it was truly trashed now. The door to the bedroom had been ripped off its hinges, leaving a perfect view of the Novas doing a line with Squanchy. A group of aliens were spread out on the floor, countless bottles surrounding them as they told stories of antics past while Birdperson sat rigidly in a corner chair, his foot calmly tapping to the beat of the music blasting out of the stereo next to him.

“Rick,” he said evenly, “it is good to see you.”

“‘Pers, my man. Always a pleasure,” Rick said, playfully smacking Birdperson’s shoulder before pulling up a chair next to him. This left me standing awkwardly in the doorway holding my arm and wishing I could just go home or at least back to the room. I opened my mouth to tell Rick but Ricky grabbed my elbow gently.

“Hey, yo*uuurp*u okay?” he asked softly, wearing a look of concern I’d only really seen on my Rick.

“Y-Y-Yeah,” I stammered, shifting nervously and giving my lie away. “I’m just not really good in… social settings, I guess. Plus I’m a little drunk and I’m not even sure why I’m admitting it but here we are.” Ricky chuckled at my rambling but said nothing, nodding over at my Rick and leading me away from the din of the party guests. He opened a door, finding the room occupied by creatures in what looked like a compromising position, slamming it shut quickly as he continued his hunt for somewhere quiet. He finally circled back, going to the only door he had skipped, opening it with an apologetic look.

“Sorry this might not be ideal.”

“This is a bathroom with fresh vomit,” I grinned, holding my fingers under my nose to block most of the smell. The toilet was overflowing with vomit and the sink had its fair share as well. Now this is what I was accustomed to when it came to adventuring with Rick. Dirty surroundings and smells I’d rather not be smelling. I could feel the tension melting away from my shoulders already.

“S-Somehow it doesn’t seem to be bothering you all the much,” he remarked, flushing the toilet fruitlessly.

“This is what my life usually consists of,” I shrugged, “Hell, you get me out of this dress and into some running shoes and I’ll be top of my game.”

He raised an eyebrow, disappearing for a moment and returning with a change of clothes. He held them through the doorway, giving me the privacy to change. I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped out of the heels and into a black pair of running shoes. I was grateful to get out of the dress, no matter how beautiful it was and into a pair of leggings and Flesh Curtains tank top. I peeked around the door to find Ricky coming back down the hall with a large bottle and two red cups.

“Oh no, no, no,” I grinned, stepping away from him. “I’ve seen how this timeline goes, a bottle and two cups never ends well for me.”

“Oh come on, Nova,” Ricky grinned, pouring a shot into the cup and handing it over to me. “You said you were already drunk. I think that ships sailed.” I considered a moment, biting my lip to fight back the grin playing on my cheek as I stared at the cup.

“How does alcohol even get you drunk here anyway?” I asked, eyeing the bottle. “Rick said there were no consequences here.”

“Nova, this is a fucking casino. Without booze, this place would be entirely pointless.”

“Alright then, fine,” I relented, taking the cup and trying to fight the grin spreading over my face. I don’t know what it was about him. Maybe it was the booze, maybe it was because he was Rick, even if it was just a different version of him. Maybe it was just the fact he was so kind.

“I knew you’d see reason,” he grinned again, drinking straight from the bottle.

“So why in the hell are you being so nice to me?” I asked, sputtering from the liquor. He raised an eyebrow at me in confusion so I continued, “Like, I’ve been on the Citadel enough for twelve lifetimes. The Ricks there don’t seem to care much about Nova’s there. There was one ready to kill me just to kill my Rick.”

“Oh, damn. I dunno. I like Novas,” he shrugged, pouring us each another shot. “I’m sure your Rick would say I’ve become soft with fame, but I just don’t like seeing Nova’s upset.”

“My Rick would say he’s become soft,” I snorted, taking another drink. “So why do you have a veritable harem here?”

“H-Harem?” he coughed, choking on his drink. “Do you think I keep them around to just fuck them constantly?”

“Well, I mean… what else you be doing with them?”

“Treating them like human fucking beings? If a Nova I meet doesn’t want to sleep with me but needs somewhere to go, I help them. It’s pretty fucking cut and dry,” he explained, “Some stick around, like Pinkie, but some will inevitably move on, like Riff or Kat. I’m a fucking millionaire. I can swing it.”

“But, you’re a Rick, right?” I asked, holding my cup out for more. “From what I’ve come to understand, Ricks don’t do anything without there being a benefit to them.”

“Look, I mean, whatever benefits I get from being around a sea of Novas is inconsequential,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck before downing the rest of his drink.

“Aha! I knew it!”

“Who told you that, anyway? That’s a pretty depressing way to view a guy who’s supposed to lo-care about you.”

“My Morty,” I shrugged, sliding down against the wall. “He’s been, uh, pretty insistent on it lately. He wants me to just leave Rick and just go after someone better.”

“Ugh, Morties,” he grimaced, “Look, don’t listen to that twat. He really doesn’t know shit about shit.”

“Agree to disagree on that one, compadre,” I dismissed lazily, my limbs becoming far heavier than I remembered. “W-Where is Rick, anyway?”

“He was out there talking to Birdperson last I saw,” he reassured me, sliding down against the wall next to me.

“H-He isn’t worried about where I disappeared to?” I slurred sadly, offering my cup back over to Ricky.

“Come on, sweetheart, he knows I’m with you,” he chastised me.

“H-H-How does he know you’re not in here making moves on me or whatever?”

“Because he knows I’m not one of those Ricks,” he growled. “You really don’t trust how he feels about you do you?”

“Wh-Why should I? He never says anything either way,” I mourned, downing the shot and quickly asking for another.

“Look, I can’t speak for your relationship, but I know that Rick. He was one of the first ones I met when the Citadel formed. There are Ricks out there that don’t care about their Novas. Hell, I heard about one a couple months back who let his Nova overdose because if she couldn’t keep up, then she wasn’t all she was chalked up to be. Do you really think that sounds like the guy you’re with?”

“No,” I admitted shamefully, my head drooping slightly as the alcohol weighed it down. “I’ve just been through a lot-”

“Y-Y-You don’t have to launch into the story, I know it all too well,” Ricky stopped me quickly, holding up a hand. “We Ricks aren’t good with the whole… emotional openness garbage. There are a couple oddballs out there but if you think you’re going to get some soft ‘I’ll love you until the end of time’ crap, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.”

I didn’t respond, staring into the murky liquid. Ricky didn’t push me, allowing me to lose myself in my thoughts for what seemed like hours until my eyelids started drooping. I felt Ricky push past me gently, pulling the door out and disappearing through it before I lost the fight and let my eyelids slam shut.

“N-Nova. H-Hey Nova, come on. Let me help you up, sweetheart. Let’s go home,” a gruff voice murmured. I could feel my limbs being tugged softly as they were pulled over a set of shoulders as I was brought back up to my feet. “Come on, baby, I’ve got you.”

“Wh-Wh-What happened?” I asked, trying to open my eyes. “Where am I? Wh-Who are you?”

“Oh jesus, you really got fucked up,” he chuckled, adjusting fruitlessly over his shoulders before letting out a frustrated sigh. “This is not fucking working. Nova, baby, I need you to hold onto me as tight as you can, okay?”

“O-Okay, mystery man,” I giggled. My arm was brought back around his neck, only for him to lift me up, bridal style. I tried to open my eyes again and caught a glimpse of blue hair before they slid shut again. “Which one are you?”

“I could be any Rick in conceivable existence,” he laughed darkly, “and there would be nothing you could do about it.” I recoiled away from him, trying to fight my way out his embrace to no avail. “Jesus Nova, I was joking. It’s me- I’m your Rick,” he groaned, pulling me in tighter.

“Oh, good,” I nodded, tucking my head back into his chest. The rhythmic bounce of each step lulled me into a complacent state and by the time he sat me back down, we were in his ship, rocketing through space.

It was dark when finally landed back in the driveway. Most of the alcohol had left my system, leaving me with a throbbing headache and parched throat. Rick pushed his door over, making his way over to my side to pull me out himself.

“Oh shit, you’re awake.” His voice was husky as he surveyed my lazy form, chuckling to himself before walking over to his workbench. He started mixing chemicals, testing his concoction by taste until it seemed to be satisfying enough. He brought his finished product back over to me, offering it to me.

“No offense, but what the fuck is that?” I asked bluntly.

“L-Look- Just drink it okay? Your fuckin’ head hurts right? This will make it stop.”

I grabbed the cup out of his hand, smelling it once for good measure before downing it. The taste was vile but the pain in my head and stomach stopped up instantly as my vision cleared up. I pulled myself out of the ship, surprised to find my legs steady as I stood up.

“Wh-What was in that?”

“It’s just my hangover cure,” he shrugged. “It’s been saving my ass over the last twenty years.”

“Thanks, Rick,” I murmured, moving closer to him. “For everything. I had a lot of fun.”

“Y-Yeah, no problem,” he stammered, his voice gravelly as he rested his hand on the small of my back.

My head may have been cleared up by his “cure” but being this close to him was intoxicating all on its own. I bit my lip as I looked up at him, earning me a low growl as he pressed his lips to mind, kissing me desperately. I returned his kiss eagerly, pulling him closer to me. He picked me up with ease, carrying me over his workbench.

“Are you sure you wanna do this out here?” I breathed, breaking the kiss to both of our frustration. “Beth-”

“Beth’s asleep,” he growled, reclaiming my lips. I wanted to continue arguing but his wandering hands pushed the thought right out of my mind. He worked his hand up under my shirt, pleased to find no bra underneath. My breast was cupped in one hand while the other worked its way into my hair, curling around my hair to pull my head away from him. My neck exposed, he watched me squirm underneath of him. I was completely under his control and he was enjoying every moment of it.

“R-Rick- Rick please,” I begged softly, desperate for stimulation of any kind.

“All in good time, sweetheart,” he whispered in my ear, lingering just inches away. “What do you want me to do to you, Nova? Tell me what you want.”

“R-Rick, I-”

“Tell me what you want, sweet girl.”

“I want- I want you, please,” I cried desperately, “I want you so fucking bad.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I know that,” he chuckled darkly. “I want to know what you want me to do to you right now. Do you want me to fuck you? Do you want me to make you scream my name until you forget your own?”

“Jesus, fuck yes, Rick,” I gasped, biting my lip again. He growled softly at the sight, panting softly as he dropped his hand from my breast, searching instead for the warmth below. He traced his fingers around my thighs, making sure to avoid the most sensitive area.

“So you want me to slide my cock in right here?” he asked, tracing a large circle around the throbbing mound between my legs.

“I need it,” I pleaded, clawing at his shoulders in an attempt to pull him closer.

“Who am I to deny you?” he cooed in my ear, releasing my hair and gripping the sides of my yoga pants. He tossed them to the side as the cool air swirled around my exposed lower half. I shivered as I watched him unbuckle his pants, letting them fall lazily to ground as he pushed his way between my thighs. He dragged the tip of his cock up and down my moist slit.

“Oh Rick, oh fuck,” I murmured, my hands firmly rooted on his shoulders.

“Say my fucking name, Nova. Let the neighbors know who’s fucking you,” he growled, continuing his assault on my clit to torturous effect.

“Rick!” I moaned. At my compliance he slid the tip in, sliding it in and out slowly.

“Louder, Nova. I don’t think they heard you,” he ordered, his voice being over by a slight pant.

“Fuck, Rick! It’s you! Rick fucking Sanchez!” I shouted, letting my head fall back. He slammed into me finally as I continued screaming his name as loud as I possibly could. I released his shoulders, laying back on the table and pulling my knees into my chest. He quickened his pace, using his thumb to massage my clit gently.

“Fuck, Nova,” he panted as he buried himself in me, “You feel fucking amazing.”

I could feel my orgasm building, only moments from my release as he fell into a steady rhythm. I would have made there had it not been for the garage door swinging open, slamming into the dryer behind it.

“God fucking dammit, Dad!” Beth bellowed, shielding her eyes from the sight of her father burying his cock into her best friend. “I cannot fucking do this anymore, you guys need to stop!”

“H-Hold on, honey,” Rick grunted, quickening his pace.

“R-Rick, no- Stop,” I insisted, pushing him away from me. He conceded, pulling out of me and bending down to pull his pants up.

“What the fuck do you want, Beth?” he snarled, turning to face his daughter, taking care to shield my exposed form. I looked around desperately for my pants only to find them dangling haphazardly on the Meeseeks box.

“I want this to fucking stop,” she demanded, avoiding my gaze. “You’re waking up the entire fucking house. I sure as fuck don’t want to hear it.”

“B-Beth, I-I’m sorry,” I blushed, pulling my shirt down as much as possible.

“You know what, I don’t want to fucking hear it, Nova. Your daughter is asleep in this house,” she hissed, finally meeting my gaze. A look of fury I had never seen before distorted her features as she glared at me, turning to disgust as her eyes drifted downward. “Dad, you need to stop this, now. Nova, it might be time for you to start looking for somewhere else to live.”

“B-Beth, wait- please, no,” I begged, tears streaking down my cheeks.

“You know, I’m starting to think Jerry was right about you two,” Beth said coldly, “I thought I was okay with it when it meant Dad would stay but I was wrong. What you’re doing with him is wrong. He’s my fucking father, you sick fucking bitch,”

“Jesus fucking christ Beth, stop,” Rick cut in, advancing toward her. “Don’t fucking talk to her like that.”

“Why not?” she asked hysterically. “You two didn’t consider my feelings in the situation. I’m just supposed to be okay with it? Even when the thought makes me feel sick to my stomach?”

“Your fucking hangups are not our problems,” Rick snarled. He grabbed my pants off of the shelf, tossing them back to me. I slipped them on quickly and pushed past Rick.

“Beth, I’m sorry. We were really inconsiderate, I’m so fucking sorry.” I pleaded with my friend to see reason but the cold, clinical disgust in her eyes assured me it was a lost cause.

“You need to leave,” she repeated coldly. “Madison can stay here until you have somewhere to go but I suggest you go back to your house tonight. I don’t want to see you here in the morning.”

“Beth, she’s not going anywhere-”

“No, Rick. It’s fine,” I conceded, wiping the tears away as I pushed the garage door opener.

“No, Nova. You’re not going anywhere,” he roared, pushing the button again. “I-I can fix this.” He started digging through the drawers at his workbench, finally extracting a large gun with two discs. He pushed a couple buttons before aiming it at Beth, pulling the trigger. She crumpled to the floor, eyes glazed over.

“Rick! What did you do to her?” I asked, horrified. “Did you kill Beth?!”

“Wh-What? No?” he retorted, insulted by the accusation. “I just erase the last half an hour from her memory. I’m going to put her back in her bed, when she wakes up she won’t remember any of this.” He pulled a vial from the device, loading it with another before sitting it down on his workbench.

“S-So, everything’s okay now?” I asked numbly. He nodded quickly, pulling Beth over his shoulder. “I’m just- I’m just going to go to bed.”

“Y-You okay?” he asked, stopping at the door to face me.

“I-I’m fine,” I murmured, pushing past him. I couldn’t get Beth’s words out of my head as I went into my room, locking the door behind me before collapsing in my bed.

“He’s my fucking father, you sick bitch.”

Maybe she was right. Maybe it was time for me to leave.

#rick and morty #rick and morty fanfiction #rick sanchez x reader #Rick Sanchez/reader

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merakiui · 2 months

Note

*sits like a little devil on your shoulder*

Please write an eels fic I will hand all my mortal possessions to you if you do

- 🦈

🦈 anon, my little devil, waaaaaa it's too tempting. I want to write lots of eels after seeing the new manga panels. T^T mean eels who hold you down to pierce your navel or ears so that you can wear sturgeon scales and match with them. Or finish The Diary of Floyd Leech fic I started a while ago (perhaps even write a diary for Jade as well)!!! More omegaverse. More eels in captivity who are paired with another eel mer darling because their species is on the verge of going extinct.

Omg or a concept with student!reader x professor!Jade and you confide in him that you're pregnant and you don't know what to do. He offers to help you. Plot happens. Somehow you find yourself giving birth in his bathtub and he's not going to let you go after the fact. The real father will never get a chance to meet the baby because Jade's going to take that place now. <3 you can trust him. He's your professor; he always looks out for you. Academically and now personally.

Ojiisan eels with their trophy wife shrimpy........ orz or arranged marriage for Floyb who fights it with everything he's got because he hates being told what to do. You like him because he's so authentically himself, but Floyd is so cold and mean to you. >_< so eventually your feelings dry up, but it's terrible timing because Floyd eventually ends up falling for you. And now he's chasing after something that will never happen. Legally, you're married. But there isn't any emotion there. It's one-sided. T_T

So many eels!!! Rotting the brain!!!!!!!!!

#twisted chit chat #🦈 anon

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kurtty-drabbles · 4 years

Text

Lara Croft au (part 6)

N/A: Here we go. I think.

@dannybagpipesarecalling @djinmer4 @bamfoftheundead @muninandhugin

The smooth water on the river allows the boat to sail peacefully-the sounds of the local jungle. Cicadas are singing their song and all is still. And all is unsettling- a pair of doe eyes are looking at anything but the water and land on Kurt Wagner, the one grinning and having his secrets, and this makes her fear of boats decrease...a little. "Logan knows Dr. Moira?" Kitty asked Kurt- Logan is drinking beer and Doug is looking at the map- her tone was discreet (there´s no reason for being hostile) and was full of curiosity. Logan makes no secret of his immortality nor of the lapses in his memory.

"They didn´t date if you´re thinking that" Kurt replied amused and the elf is now sitting on the edge of the chair next to Kitty. "But, he did date her former assistant..." and winks at her. There´s a joke here but Kitty is not getting or maybe she´s not supposed to get it.

(Fair. His private life is not my concern)

"Ok, but how Logan meets Dr. Moira?" and now Kurt gives a sideway glance-for a minute and nothing more. It feels as if he´s evaluating her and Kitty didn´t show her expression. She´s fearless or at least, can put the act nicely- and finally, Kurt relents.

"He did meet her...in Genosha, Dr. Moira used to work for the medical department of Genosha...before she was expelled" and Kitty blinks at this revelation. "Logan help Dr. Moira to leave Genosha safely as well, Magneto has rules and is very selective to who broke the rules and who can face the consequences" Kurt utter the last part in a low tone.

"Look...if you´re upset for the last mission...Magneto doesn´t do anyone favors!" Kitty defends herself and hoping to sound convincing enough.

Kurt shurgs. "Still...you stole many artifacts on his name, got caught and Magneto protect you from the other world leaders who would love to lock you up or worse" Kurt looks away to admire the birds flying near them- still so silently. The cicadas have stopped singing a long time ago- and Kitty puts her hand on the table.

"Ok, maybe he does favor me for some reason...I don´t know why. He can be a jerk even to his kids...maybe I´d my job good...but then again, if that´s the case...you´re his favorite" Kitty confessed - so prideful to admit her errors but not enough to admit favoritism from the King of Genosha- and her hand touches his face-briefly, maybe, almost ghostly like- forcing his golden eyes to meet hers.

"We´re after those tiaras for him. We´re the same"

No judgment in his eyes nor on her own. "Maybe...but, have you consider those tiaras may be important for the country and we have no right to take it?"

Kitty looks away now- admiring the nothing of this view. The silence is suffocating sometimes- "Sometimes, but, a job is a job...and after all the trouble we went through...say no to Magneto seems as if we waste everyone´s time and money. You know?"

Kurt still doesn´t judge. "I suppose you´re right...and I can´t be a hypocrite now, can I?" and to change the subject Kurt makes the burning question he has for a while. "How do you make this braid?"

And Kitty is forever thankful for this change of topic- the corners of her mouth twisted into a lopsided smile for a small period- and Kitty tells how heer fashion sense is basically this nice braid that everyone loves to cope.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Doug puts his finger on his chin as his blue eyes are studying the map. The intensity is real. "Drop...you´re a terrible actor" Logan states opening the cabin with another beer in hands. "You´re curious to know why Moira is not well...working with Genosha?" and Doug has the decency to look embarrassed.

"If she doesn´t want to tell...I understand. I still remember how she was one of the best doctors in her field and hell, people still quote her words in the university of Genosha" Doug explains and Logan nods not showing to care for Universities or studies.

"Well, you suck as an actor...bub, but if you want to know why she was fired, to put nicely, come with me and don´t scream" Logan suggests and Doug can joke- nervously- that saying such line does feel like something bad will happen. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Moira Mactarget is a brilliant doctor. Well, legally she has her license revoked for the time being - courtesy of King Magneto and the health and science department of Genosha- yet, in her mind, Moira still feels like a doctor. "Oh, is almost 2 O´clock" and she takes a bucket full to the brim with meat and is going to the stern part of her boat.

"Logan, Doug. Hello!" her friendly smiles drop as Logan gesture with his head to the lake and back to the bucket. "Oh, you wanna see? Ok, is time for them to eat"

And Moira approaches slowly. "Do you know the funny thing about mythology?" the question is direct to Doug who shakes his head- either he doesn´t know the answer or can´t answer right now- "Is how myths are fictional until you make it true" and now Moira tossed the meat in the lake.

The meat was floating for a minute or two until a type of eel with 3 heads- if Doug counted right- emerged and starts devouring the meal. One of the heads resembles a bird-not sure what type, but, definitely looks like a bird-and the creature makes a loud sound. A growl and screech and go back to the bottom of the lake.

"Chimeras are a thing Zaorva and I have in common"

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Amanda called Mordo on her cellphone- a sad story along with a good acting props Dr. Rory to do her bidding in all meaning necessary and this includes calls to Germany- and the man, a Baron in his own right thanks to his mother´s machination and manipulations, answers in a good mood.

"Are you perhaps fishing for compliments to reach the barium minimum? Or you want your powers back? Amanda...you don´t order me. You always forget the hierarchy of our relationship!"

"Master, Dr. Rory will be useful and I´m reaching the temple first" Amanda hoped for some flattery. Nothing so far.

"Again, you just did your job...if you want your powers back or something else" the innuendo is not subtle. "brings me the tiaras or that lovely Kitty Pryde...other than that, stop calling me. I´m not your mother" there´s a cruel tone for this line and Amanda can only gulp and clench her jaw.

"I´ll work and do my part, Baron Mordo"

"Good!" and hangs up on her face. Amanda has a problem and she needs Dr. Rory to fix it. She must have stayed holding the telephone for some time because Dr. Rory appears behind her hugging and kissing her cheek.

"Your mother is alright?"

"She´s like usual. Completely lost without me...you must help me, my love"

"Anything for you, Amanda"

For your sake ... it is better to be true.

#Lara croft au #kitty pryde #kurt wagner #kurtty yet #always anti amanda #Chimera #WHy not?

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takivvatanga · 4 years

Text

fifteen years is a long time.

“This can’t be it! Are you sure this is the right address?”

“It’s the address you gave me, Miss.”

“But… but-“

“It’s the address you gave me. Makes twenty-seven fifty thank you very much.”

The taxi driver looks at her over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. She doesn’t look like someone who’d try to dodge a fare, he’s been in his job for long enough to know that type. This woman simply looks out of place. Country lady come to visit the city, clearly. He knows country people. Once, a long time ago, he was a country boy himself, yes ma’am, country boy in gumboots and a swanndri, taking the quad down the creek to check on last night’s eel traps at the crack of dawn. Go home, he thinks. Go back home, lady. There’s nothing worthwhile here. The Big Smoke ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Cecilia var Anahid looks up at the apartment building. She doesn’t quite know what exactly she has expected, but this, well, this isn’t it. How long has her sister lived here? She tries to imagine what Assire looks like now, but her mind draws a blank, defaulting back to the last time she saw her, sitting cross-legged on her bed, an awkward teenage girl with a clip in her hair.

Fifteen years. Fifteen years is a long time.

“Miss. Twenty-seven fifty. Are you alright, Miss?”

“I’m fine, thank you. Here you go and… keep the change I suppose. God Bless you.”

The taxi driver smiles, pockets the two crumpled notes.

“And you, Miss. And you.”

________

Cecilia scans the name plates beside the doorbells, for a moment both relieved and disappointed when she cannot find her sister’s. One is left blank. No one lives here, it tries to tell her. Cecilia knows a lie when she sees one. She rings.

Was that the bell? She’s not expecting anyone, who on Earth?!

Assire puts down her watering can, tugs at a wilted leaf that mars the appearance of one of her plants.

“That’s better, isn’t it?”

The plant, of course, does not answer. But the bell keeps on ringing.

Something isn’t right.

Assire’s stomach twists with anxiety. She could just sit this out, do nothing, wait for the intruder to go away. They’re bound to give up eventually, right? But if she does, she’ll be forever left wondering who and why, getting stuck on the thought, losing herself in worst case scenarios. What if it is important? What if something terrible has happened? What if someone died? Even worse, what if her not opening the door will mean that someone will die? It would be her fault, her fault, all because she was scared to answer the door. Someone is going to die, because of her.

She has to answer. It’s not a choice. She has to.

____________

“Hello?”

The voice that reaches her through the intercom could belong to anyone. Maybe she’s got the wrong address after all. But there’s something in the voice, an undertone, a certain inflection that gives Cecilia pause.

“Assire? Assire, it’s me. Cecilia.”

Silence.

“Assire? Are you there? Let me in. We… we need to talk.”

Assire feels sick. She doesn’t know what to do, she wasn’t prepared for this. She wasn’t prepared for anyone, let alone… her sister.

Fifteen years. Fifteen years is a long time. What is there to talk about, after all those years?

I have nothing to say to you. I have so much I want to say. But I can’t. I just can’t.

“Assire, open the door. Sister. Please.”

She can’t get out of this now. She has no choice.

Assire’s fingers feel numb as she pushes the button.

“Okay.”

___________

She doesn’t look any different. She’s older, sure, there’s lines around her eyes, her nose, the corners of her mouth. There’s grey creeping into her hair. But it’s still undeniably her. Her sister. Cecilia.

“Assire, I…”

Cecilia doesn’t know what to say. Assire has changed. Not physically. She still looks like, well, Assire, only older. But something in the way she holds her head, in the way she squares her shoulders, in the way she shifts her weight from one foot to the other tells her that the sister she knew is gone. Gone, like she’s been gone for fifteen years.

Fifteen years is a long time.

“Can I come in.”

Assire nods, her fingers tugging nervously at the hem of her cardigan. She feels numb, like a puppet pulled along on invisible strings. Is this even real? Maybe she’s dreaming this, like she often dreams about them. Her sisters. But it’s never like this, in the dreams. In her dreams, they are children again, running through the meadows behind the house they grew up in, the sun just setting, tinting the long grass that tickles their knees the colour of molten gold. They are free, and they are together, and no one ever dared to tell them what they could or could not be. What they could or could not choose. No one feels guilty and no one is ashamed.

This is not a dream.

________________

Lord Almighty, she really is lost. Heavenly Father, give me strength.

Cecilia barely manages to hide her distaste. This is how her sister lives? She wasn’t raised like this, none of them were raised like this. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. There must be order. Cecilia runs a fingertip over the cabinet that stands in the hall, leaving a trail in the accumulated dust.

Assire, I am so sorry.

“Do you… do you want tea?” It seems like a good place to start. As good a place as any. The words come out with relative ease, usually that is a good sign. But why is she here? Why now? The reason! Just tell me the reason!

Cecilia smiles, not entirely sincere, but she is trying. By God, she is trying.

______________

Two cups on the table. Sunlight filtering in through the kitchen window. Two sisters, sitting across from each other in silence. Something suspended between them. A grief that is spoken and one that is not.

“When?”

“Last week. Assire, we… you know how things are, we-“

“You stick to yourselves. I know.”

“Nobody knows I’m here. Mum doesn’t know. Jovanna doesn’t know. I was thinking about telling Eviva but she, well, what with Dad’s passing and her new baby and everything I didn’t want her to worry about me going to meet you as well.”

“Eviva… had a baby?”

Cecilia’s smile is laced with pity. Assire knows nothing. Nothing at all.

“She has three, actually. Our little sister’s family is just delightful. A joy unto the Lord.”

Assire frowns, her hands gripping her cup a little more tightly.

“Well, good for her.”

“Assire, please. No need to be like that.”

“Like what?” Assire looks up, still frowning. This is too much, too much! Too much to think about! It’s been fifteen years, fifteen god damned years, and she’s only just managed to stop thinking about her family. She doesn’t want to start this again, her mind going around in endless cycles, drowning in guilt, choking on shame.

“Dad was ill for a long time.” Cecilia crosses her arms over her chest. She won’t take Assire’s bait, will not allow herself to be goaded into a confrontation. Lord, give me strength.

“We looked after him until the very end. We all prayed for him. We took great care of him, united as a family. As a community. We would have never let him be taken away into one of these godforsaken hospitals. It was God’s will, Assire. It was God’s will.”

“You didn’t seek treatment.” The only thing colder than Assire’s voice are her eyes.

“We don’t believe in medicine. We believe in the power of prayer, the mercy of Christ. We believe that God and God alone decides when our days on earth are done. You know that.”

Assire does know. That doesn’t change the fact that it enrages her. Assire feels as if her insides were swarming with bees, an angry, erratic buzzing in her stomach, her lungs, her throat, her brain. She looks down at the table, bites her tongue.

If I open my mouth, she thinks, if I open my mouth all that will come out will be poison.

“Assire. I know it has been a long time, but… it’s not too late to come home. Mum needs you. We need you. You can be forgiven. Your soul… you can still be redeemed, all you have to do is to ask. You don’t have to go on living like… this.”

“Is that why you’re here? Is that why you’re here, Cecilia? To try and get me to come back? After fifteen years? Our father died and you’re just… you’re just using this as bait, aren’t you? You want me to feel guilty, Cecilia? Well, don’t waste your time because I already do. I’ve spent every single day for the last fifteen years feeling guilty for leaving. But you know what? I don’t regret it.”

”Assire! Please! Listen to yourself, just…”

“No, Cecilia. You listen to me, okay. To me.” She does not know where this has come from, this sudden burst of bravery. All she knows is that she will not go back. She will stand her ground.

“You, your family… yes, you heard me right. Your family. Not mine. Your family, your community – you’re poison. You put people into a little cage of ideology and make them scared to ever look beyond the bars, because if they do, if they dare to look, and see, and ask questions, and want things like everyone does in life, why, they’ll lose their soul, won’t they? They’ll lose everything, because you made them dependent on doing what you want. For ‘the good of the community’, for their ‘immortal souls’. It’s bullshit, Cecilia. It’s about controlling people. It’s just… treating people as if they are things! People are people, they should be allowed to be people! You call it faith, but it’s got nothing to do with God. Because God isn’t about locking people up and making them feel ashamed and like they are tainted and sinful and bad for every single day of their lives. God is… God isn’t supposed to be a cage.”

She watches as the colour drains from Cecilia’s face, her mouth a thin, pale line, her hands slowly curling into fists. For a moment, Assire feels sorry, so terribly sorry, for speaking like she did, for her hurtful words and her hateful thoughts, for her refusal to rebuild the bridges she burned so many years ago.

But I shouldn’t feel sorry. It’s the truth, nothing but the truth. If she wasn’t prepared to hear it, then she shouldn’t have come here.

“Assire. Sister. I thought there was still hope. I prayed for you, that you’d see reason. That maybe Dad’s passing would be an opportunity for you to find forgiveness. I’ve never given up on you, you know? I always had hope for you. Always. But it seems I was wrong. You’re lost, little sister. You and your soul. Lost, forever. And I am so very sorry.”

The words hurt. They are thick with pity, full of judgement, every syllable an attempt to tug at her strings, to pull her back, to confuse her enough to make her relent. Assire feels the distance between them grow. It is a welcome feeling. She will never go back. Never.

“I think you should leave. Now.”

“Assire, don’t do this. Come with me. Come home.”

“I am home.”

“You call this home? Look at this place, Assire. Look at yourself. This is a mess, you’re a mess. This world has wrecked you. You’re broken.”

Assire rises, abruptly, her cup of tea untouched.

“This world has been good to me. Because I’ve been good to me. Leaving was the hardest and the best thing I could have ever done. There’s nothing else to tell you, Cecilia.”

I wish it didn’t have to be this way. But you leave me no choice.

“If you change your mind –“

”I won’t.”

“Yes, you say that now but… if you do.”

“I won’t. Goodbye, Cecilia. Enjoy your life. Enjoy your cage.”

“Lord have mercy on your soul, Assire. Lord have mercy.”

_____________

There’s a finality to the sound of the door closing, to the echoing of Cecilia’s steps on the stairs. As if someone had typed out the words the end, underlined them, turned the page. This is an end, definitive, distinct.

She will not look back. She will not go back. Never.

Fifteen years is a very long time.

#vignette: assire #verse: modern #me: owes a million things #also me: writes a 2k vignette of interest to exactly one person which is myself #i always feel kind of ??? about posting these bc #legit idek what this is #i just get flashes of these scenes from her arc in modern as i've sketched it out #and then i gotta write it #and stuff doesn't feel like it has been written until it's posted for some reason #also this is choppy and messy and it's not self-contained #i jump between imagery too much #it needs tidying up and streamlining #and i am so bad at editing my own work #like i go back to read my own stuff and i just wanna delete it all #editing is harder than writing it is a FACT

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goddessofthundathighs · 5 years

Text

Chapter 3, Pt. 1

_____________________

Summary: An arrogant young disciple of Bastet is forced to spend lifetimes roaming the Earth in search of her soulmate, but what happens when she tries to run from destiny?

A/N: For those of you that have seen Fahrenheit 451, Abhimani is taking on the role of Clarisse McClellan.

_____________________

Draped in a loose fitting oversized threadbare sweater with some barely visible shorts underneath and roughed up motorcycle boots with a burlap backpack hanging off her left shoulder, Abhimani leaned against the technicolor glass bar peering at the sights around her.

Another time. Another life. Another chance to get out of this hellhole of a curse her Goddess had bestowed upon her.

It’s not that she wasn't thankful for Bast’s favor or even that she thought she was better than the Goddess herself. Mani simply didn't believe she had to continue to do what her own Mistress does not if she is supposed to be a holy extension. What was the point of this punishment? What lesson was she supposed to learn from failing to find this man over and over?

As the deep skinned beauty’s eyes scanned the room, she watched the mentally enslaved people play in their virtual reality, hands waving around. They were really into this Big Brother shit huh? Two figures emerge right in her line of sight and though she moves to a more secluded area, she can still hear their voices approaching.

“Don’t worry I’ll talk to her this time,” the slightly shorter of the two men blurts out his eyes focused ahead but not close enough for her to see what he looks like.

“Keep your dick in your pants and stand guard,” Captain Beatty says in the usual gruff tone he thinks is intimidating or seductive. She wasn't sure but it sounded like his throat needed some moisture.

He always seemed to bring the second man with him. Presumably for back up since he always skulked in the distance and was never in her eyes’ reach. He stood off behind a pillar while Beatty walked up to her a little too much in her personal space as per usual with these meetings.

“Well, well, well Mani. You better not be wasting my time tonight. Your last tip led me to boy scouts with pornos.” Rolling her eyes, Mani replies.

“Reactivate my fingers like you said you would.”

“Feed me scraps and I’ll delete your travel permit.”

Oh you caucus dick munch. I swear if I wasn’t on a totally different mission…

“That’s bullshit. You need me.”

Grabbing ahold of the hand that was clutching the thin leather strap of her bag, Beatty seemed to caress the slightly weathered skin in his fingers, holding it preciously in his palm.

Here he go again touching shit he don’t need to be. Somebody get this dude some proper sexual harassment parameters.

“How many years did we restrict you? 6?”

“With all the tips I gave you, I should be free.”

“A beautiful free rat.”

I know he did not just… Ok Bastet, you really trying me now.

Jerking her hand away, Mani switches her position from against the wall Beatty had her up against and grabs a small folded piece of parchment from her pocket holding it up for him to see.

“Take a year off my sentence and I’ll give you something you like.”

The increasingly annoying white beady eyed white man grabs hold of her hand yet again, snatching away the piece of paper.

Abhimani lets out a heavy sigh before adjusting the strap on her shoulder and turning to the left to see the bodyguard spying from a distance.

What is this dude’s deal always staring? Hopefully I can get past him without trying some silly shit.

She proceeds to make her way to leave the moody lit place but was stopped by a pair of glowing brown eyes and a slightly hukling body in her way.

“I didn't hear the captain say you could leave.”

And once again the might roar of her Goddess rang in her head and judging by the perplexed look that flashed on his face, he heard it too.

FUCK YES FINALLY!

“Oh? Then why does he always make you wait outside like a little dog, huh?”

However fine this “soulmate” was, she had things to do, places to go and she knew that now that they had officially seen each other, they would keep crossing paths. If only she’d known this was him the whole time the damn lesson would have been learned a while ago.

As she continues her exit, the man with the pretty eyes and beautifully plump lips grips her arm, but it didn't send the same shiver through her body like when Beatty touched her.

This was actually the first time her mate had touched her in all of the lifetimes they shared. It was…. Nice.

Of course she couldn't let him know he affected her so. She's met him now she can make him want her so she pretends to be almost disgusted by his forward advance.

“You’re just like Beatty,” Abhimani says with a condescending smile on her face.

That seemed to do the trick because he gently let go of her and his chest deflated a fraction.

“I’m not like Beatty.”

“Everyone has a master.”

“Not me.”

Oh we got an independent over here.

“You spy on me but you never do anything. You stand close enough to hear but far enough that I didn’t even know what you looked like till now. Can’t say I’m disappointed.”

Another gleam flashed in his eyes at her slight admission.

And not one word of it was a lie. He was absolutely gorgeous. She didn't ever get to look at her man the way she was now cause he was either too attached to someone else or shot to death for her to focus but my oh my.

Oh thank you my Lady for this wonderous blessing.

“You’re welcome, my child.”

“Why? Do I make you nervous?”

He looked down as he replied, “You don’t.”

“When I see you burning up eels’ lives you don’t look nervous.”

“That’s because I’m very good at my job.”

He was so close she could feel the heat from his body, the slight smell of kerosene and his cologne creating a dangerous aphrodisiac.

I got a couple jobs you would be good at with your fine ass.

“Mmm. You ever stop to think for one second why you do what you do?”

His brow furrowed.

“You should try reading before burning. See you around Montag.”

Flashing him a seductive smile, Mani turns her back and saunters out of the bar with a flip of her perfectly mussed curls leaving Guy all kinds of in his feelings and a hint of confusion as to where that roar came from. Unbeknownst to him, Beatty ,who had been watching the tail end of their interaction, comes up behind him and clasps a hand on his leather jacket clad shoulder.

“Hey. Off limits. Let’s go she recommended a spot.”

With that, the two firemen left and proceeded to do their jobs off the clock.

Mani walks into the seemingly dilapidated apartment building that was actually teeming with tenants and knocks on her neighbor’s door. The door opened to reveal a blonde woman with tired eyes holding her 5 month old big baby boy with a small mohawk like strip of brunette hair. Pulling the small glass bottle of milk from her jacket pocket, she hands it to the woman who lets out a sigh of relief at the sight of the thin creamy liquid.

“I haven't had milk in a week. Thanks but I couldn't find any cooking oil.”

“That’s ok.”

Mani had already turned to her apartment door to let herself in and as the lock turned over, the woman called to her.

“Mani, be careful what you’re selling. People are talking.”

Nodding her head, Abhimani ducks into her apartment, dropping all her stuff down and removing her shoes.

Now why she would land me in this dump of a decade I will never know. If this is the future, may all the Gods be with the mortals. This is absolute purgatory but praise Bast I found him!

“You seem to be in high spirits.”

Of course Anubis followed her through every single life and like her, his form didn't ever change. He always remained the same enchanting black feline friend whom she had actually come to cherish after so long.

“Well if you must know my terribly named kitty cat, I met him today.” “You mean the white devil who secretly not so secretly wishes to have you?”

“Oh Bast please not on his gray eyed life. No Nubi I mean him. He’s been with Beatty the entire time. I only just met him today.”

The bodacious woman flits around her small space to play a vinyl that she shouldn’t be playing on a record player she shouldn't be having and takes a seat at her tool table to fix the roll of a tape she was to deliver to this man who in trade has a place for her to tip the captain off for more “graffiti” for him and his team to burn.

As the smoke rises from her soldering gun, her mind wanders to privileged times spent in the dazzling night jungle running alongside the panthers of the past trying to beat the purple starry night.

Time Break

Guy stands head bowed under the warm running water of his shower dripping down his face. Hoping it would clear his frazzled mind.

He had just returned to the station from a strange graffiti burning with this old woman who seemed to only speak in graffiti. She said no actual words but gave a quote of some sort?

‘Play the man, Master Ridley. We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’

Of course he had no idea what the hell that meant but it was haunting him along with the word she said right after she lit the books and herself on fire.

‘Omnis’

What is that?

He stepped out of the shower, dried off and got fully dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt, and an army green jacket. He was sure to retrieve the book he has stolen from the house from his locker and safely hid it underneath his jacket.

As he was making his way out, he caught the 9’s report of what they were now calling Beatty’s Barbeque. When they showed footage of the old woman burning, they replaced the word she actually said with a voice over ‘coward.’

Why would they cover that up?

Guy was simply getting more and more confused by the minute and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. He was anxious to get home so he could try to properly process the night’s events.

“Montag!”

Beatty walks up behind him with a stern look on his face.

“You hesitated tonight in front of the men.”

The shorter, more good looking of the two men was instantly transported back to the house they left only hours ago when the captain instructed him to remove the old woman from the house after the graffiti was laid out and kerosene poured, she refused to leave. Guy attempted to reason with her and asked the captain if they would just leave her which was a sign of weakness and insubordination. Placing a brave look on his handsome face, he retorts back.

“I know but it won’t happen again.”

“You know it’s my first time seeing a self burn too but as far as I’m concerned, it means we’re doing the right thing.”

Beatty was his friend. His captain. His father figure. Maybe he would be able to clear up some of this bafflement in his brain.

“What was that old lady talking about? Master Ridley play something.”

He was almost embarrassed that he couldn't remember the entire text.

“Well back when people still believed in God, the Brits burned alive two eels at the stake. Ridley and Latimer for praying to a different book than their queen did. Before us, people committed genocides over books while others blew themselves up killing innocent people. Insanity plus 100.

“But why did she burn herself for books?”

The stormy eyed man looked away from him briefly before giving his rebuttal.

“Well she tried to burn us all don’t you think?” “She didn't say coward. She said omnis. What is that?”

Breaking eye contact and turning about face, Beatty gives the information he actually wants to hear.

“Well the commissioner won’t say what the ministry knows but I guess we’re gonna have to find out.”

The captain moves to stand in front of him and hands him a silver square shaped lighter.

“Burn me.”

“John…”

“Go ahead.”

What is he trying to get from me?

Sensing Guy’s hesitation, the taller man urges him on.

Hurry up. I won’t ask twice.”

Immediately, he opens the lighter and flicks it on but doesn't hold it close enough for the lone flame to touch the other man’s hand and he looked back up to lock eyes with him.

“I know you’re different than the other men. I watched you grow up. And that’s how I know you feel the same inside as me. Closer.”

Lifting the lighter higher, the tip of the flame seems to disappear and fan out in his palm.

“I’ve been burned so many times, I don’t know where my scars end and my body begins.”

Guy lifts the lighter even higher, the flame all but gone into the captain’s hand as both men’s eyes stay locked in a vehement embrace. Finally Beatty grabs the lighter and extinguishes the flame with low pain filled groan stepping closer to him with an even more fierce gaze.

“There’s no way you’re gonna break. You’re the youngest cadet I ever accepted into the Youth Fire Brigade. I raised ya and one day you’ll be just like me son. You won’t feel anything when they burn you.”

_____________________

TAGS: @jozigrrl @itsangeludaku @thehomierobbstark @eriknutinthispoosy @hearteyes-for-killmonger @muse-of-mbaku @amethyst1993 @killmongersgurl @trevantesbrat @hdkween @iamrheaspeaks @princesskillmonger @ayellepea @vikkidc @laketaj24 @madamslayyy @allhailnjadaka @purple-apricots @thadelightfulone @theunsweetenedtruth @wakanda-inspired @panthergoddessbast @blackpantherismyish @yaachtynoboat711 @forbeautyandlife @bidibidibombaclaat @quietstorm-73 @youreadthatright

#Next Lifetime #Erik Stevens #Adonis Creed #Wallace #guy montag #Abhimani Wright #Soulmate AU #vanity writes #my shit #Bastest #Panther Goddess Bast #Erik x Black OC

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elejah-wonderland · 5 years

Text

Sweet Love/5

Fanfiction

Part 5

Elijah Mikaelson x reader

This is a very AU TVD/TO story

Premise: Elijah Mikaelson is an ex-race car driver, who is jobless, due to an accident and he is in dire need of a job. Y/N is a CEO of a multinational confectionary company. Due to some threats, she needs to hire a driver/bodyguard. Will loves spark?

Also featuring Klaus Mikaelson as a mechanic, and Kol Mikaelson as a writer. Caroline Forbes as Y/N best friend.

a/n: thank you so much for reading and all your likes, and reblogging this story. This part is pretty long, I just got carried away. Anyway, Happy New Year. xoxo

tags @rissyrapp20 @dendrite-lover @elejahforever @fafulous @goddessofthunder112

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Elijah rushed in the hospital like his life depended on it. There he was met by Aiden, who gave him the download -

"She is still in the OR."- Aiden said-"she sustained multiple injuries- so they said."

Elijah nodded, trying to keep it together, as seeing her mother there and Jeremy, and somehow out of respect to Y/N, he kept all of his emotions inside.

Caroline, who had just arrived a little after him, now got to Aiden, all teared up.

"Tell me it is not that bad!?"- Caroline said totally distressed.

"We don't know yet."- Aiden replied.

"What really happened? They said it was a crazy joyrider- I don't know that caused the crash on the highway"

"That's what the news say." - Aiden said.

Caroline, that had met Elijah a couple of times in passing, but never really in any kind of social moment, now glanced at the driver. She could see how terribly worried he was about her best friend.

"She will appreciate you being here."- Caroline now slipped to Elijah.

Elijah nodded a little at the blonde, gulping. Even though, Caroline was her best friend, Y/N didn’t share about the day her and Elijah spent together away on the beach. Or maybe she did? Elijah now wondered. Did she say something to Caroline? His heart, his soul was now burning, wanting to know more. No. What could she have said? We had an afternoon off. We were having something to eat and just walked on the beach, talking about stuff from the childhood. Truth is that, there was something. That one moment, there was this something. They almost kissed. Does she feel something, anything? The way Caroline gave him the look, left him with zillion questions now swarming in his head. Inside he screamed wanting to know more. But how can he ask her? It was absolutely inappropriate. Crazy thinking Elijah, calm down. This was nor the time or the place. He said to himself and now went to sit down in the waiting area.

And so they all waited nervously, all Y/N's closest family members, her staff, her friends, all waited impatiently to hear how the OP went.

An hour or so, later, the surgeon came out to tell them. To Elijah's surprise it was a person he knew quite well. Well, his girlfriend from first year of medical school, Alex Reid.

"The OP went well. Ms Y/S had sustained a head injury, but all her vitals are good. Still, we have put her in the induce coma."- Alex explained-”but you don’t have to worry. This is just a precaution.”

Isobel was beside herself upon hearing this news. Rose, who now occupied the role of the butler of the house like Alaric once did, tried hard to calm the woman down, as Isobel now questioned Alex's expertise, demanding to see the Chief-of-staff.

Having heard the news now, Elijah felt a great relief, like someone took a great heavy stone that set on it as he heard the news of the accident.

Rose, who now managed to calm Isobel somewhat, turned to Elijah asking him to drive them home, as Y/N could not receive any visitors, being in the closed up ICU. Without a word, it being his job anyway, he took Isobel and Jeremy back to the Gilbert Mansion.

When he returned that night to the loft, taking a beer out of the fridge, one picture after another of Y/N from their first meeting till that afternoon when he left her at the house, just kept rolling over and over again. And again back to that look of hers when they were at the beach. Does she feel something for him? He wondered, as all the time afterward, though they kept their distance, and didn’t cross the line, he could see the twinkles in her eye whenever she spoke to him, no matter how brief it was, that she was not impartial. Or maybe he was just imagining it. He sighed taking another swag of beer looking out into the night.

Davina, who got from her room, broke his thoughts now asking about Y/N.

Elijah now turned to his sister and replied-

"Seems like it is going to be all right, though they had to put her into the induced coma."

"Ah, really? OMG!"

"Yes."- Elijah said taking another swag of beer. His look was extremely worried and Davina knew it very well. She had seen it often when their father was not well.

"You- ok- is there like - something going on?"

"What? Why are you asking me this?"

"Because - nothing."- Davina turned around to leave taking her jacket from a chair. She then looked at her brother once again and then said-

"It's like- you are so worried like- you are in love with her or something?!"

Elijah now looked at his sister feeling like she had opened a box she shouldn't have.

"I -"- he knew that he could not hide it as his sister knew him all too well-"You- can you keep it to yourself."

"Wow!"- Davina now exclaimed.

"Please- can -we - Y/N is engaged and I don't want things to - don't say anything to anyone"

"OMG! Are you two-"

"No, we are not. I - you see how everything gets quick out on social media, so - "

"Yes, I get it. But still- wow- you- is this like the first time that you are - like in love with someone and - I can't believe it. "

"Davina!"- Elijah now said as a warning that she should stop there before she got into a full teasing mode.

"Ok. I am sorry. How did that happen?!"

Elijah now looked at brunette and his eyes said - what do you mean how- how does someone fall in love and can't do anything about it.

Davina now also answered with a look saying- I totally get you.

She then went, leaving Elijah with his tormented heart. But one thing was more important than anything and it was the one wish everyone close to Y/N had - her getting well again.

💘

But, she was not getting better, and when Alex and her team tried to get Y/N out of the induced coma, she was not waking up.

Elijah was out of his mind, and since he was granted some kind of leave, he had time to go to the hospital every day. Especially in the evenings, when her family and friends would leave for the day.

And so one evening

Elijah walked in the room, sitting down on Y/N bed taking her hand.

“Come on, please wake up. Stop being so stubborn. Everyone is missing you. I miss you”

Elijah now leaned down to Y/N, who lay there as a sleeping beauty, and kissed her.

Aiden, who had just got to the door, saw now Elijah placing a kiss on Y/N, and inside he smiled -yes, you go Elijah! the faithful assistant cheered. Come on, prince charming wake her up! He turned around and went to the waiting room, giving them privacy, and sort of keep watch.

And though there was no reaction, Elijah now whispered -

“I love you- from the first moment I saw you. Please, wake up, Please”

But this was no fairy tale and Elijah now got up and walked out of Y/N room.

Aid, who was sitting outside now got up and asked about Y/N.

“No change”- Elijah said-”this is so - damn!”

“I know. I can’t believe all this has happened. Did you know that he”- Aiden now referred to Lucien-”has only visited her a couple of times. Some fiancé he is. Fucking Aurora De Martel most probably.”

“Aiden, what are you talking about?”- Elijah now looked at Y/N assistant wide-eyed.

“Nothing. I - just - forget what I said. I am just so angry at the -asshole.. How are you doing? Apart from obvious”- Aiden tried to shove the comment about Aurora and Lucien under the carpet.

“Aiden. Tell me- what you just said - is it true?”- Elijah couldn’t help for wanting to know if there was something between Y/N’s fiancé and her arch enemies.

“Oh, please- forget what I said.”

“Aiden! If you know something you got to tell me.”

“I have no proof. He is like an eel, slimy and always gets away with everything. But, she was here when he had an accident. I so her walk out of his room. But, her cousin works here too. She was Lucien’s attending.”- Aiden explained.

“Right.”- Elijah said with a sigh-”ok. I got to go. See you,”

“Yes, see you”

Elijah nodded a little and now went down the corridor.

Aiden now looked up to heaven and made a wish for things to get a turn for the better, hoping in his heart that his suspicions he had about Lucien and Aurora’s long term affair came true.

_______

The next day

Caroline walked in the 'Mystique' bar in Whitmore, the new favourite hang out of Klaus and his friends. She came straight from the hospital after visiting Y/N, whose condition was still the same. It wore heavy on the blonde. Y/N and her were friends since pre-school. And even though they were very much the opposite, they always cared for one another deeply, and always were there no matter what. Losing Y/N would mean like someone took a sister away, as Caroline was an only child and didn't really have real friends.

"Triple vodka/ Straight"- Caroline said to the bartender.

"Coming right up."- Kaleb said.

As she served her the drink, Klaus and Kol got there, too.

"I see there is no change in Y/N's condition."- Klaus said seeing the large vodka in front of Caroline.

"No. And no one can figure out why."

"I am really sorry to hear that. Elijah is kind of out of his mind as well."- Kol now said.

Klaus now gave him a look saying - why did you just say that?

"Yes, Elijah is so sweet. Here is like visiting her every day."- and as she took a sip of vodka, she now looked at the brothers-"Do you know something I don't?"

"What should we know?"- Klaus said innocently.

"It is a bit - mad- that a driver would be there- like- all the time. Something is going on- and Y/N never told me anything. I can't believe this!"

She could see on both Klaus and Kol's face that they were hiding something, and she now wanted to know what was going on.

"Ok. But- you got to- Elijah will kill us if he knows that we spilled."

"They are having a thing? Wow, I never thought that Y/N had it in her. They kind of had this- look thing- but I thought that I was imagining it."

"They are not - sleeping together. It's - Elijah is in love her. That's all."- Klaus now said.

"What?"

"Yes. It's a one way thing."- Kol said.

"Whoa"- Caroline exclaimed a little.

💘 At Elijah’s loft

Elijah walked in it tossing his keys on the table. Having returned from a run, he immediately went to the bathroom and hit the shower.

His phone rang and he quickly got out of the shower and answered it -

"Yes, Aiden!"

"She is awake! Y/N is awake!"- Aiden nearly screamed into the phone.

"She is? Finally! And - how is she? What are they saying?"

"She is fine. It's like she had to - sleep it off."- Aiden replied.

"Are you sure? She has been out of it the whole week."- Elijah said.

"Yes. All tests have shown that everything is physically and mentally fine. You did your magic."

"What? What are you saying?"

"I saw you - kiss her"- Aiden now said in a half voice-" but don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

Elijah now went quiet, feeling like someone punched him in the face. He gulped a little uttering.

"I - just -"- if he denied it would futile and absolutely against his heart, and he now knew Aiden quite well and his absolute devotion to Y/N, and he would never jeopardize her in any way.

"It's all good. Don't worry. Seriously. I am all for you - two."- Aiden now said.

"There is no the two - of us"- Elijah made it clear -"I just kissed her - because - of everything and-"

"Elijah, look- I will speak frankly- I have not told you this, but I will now- man- you two - are in such world of denial that it hurts - the pent up - at least you now say it like it is, but I know that deep down somewhere in the heart of hearts Y/N is total denial regarding you."

"Look, this is really not - she is engaged and she is my boss- it's not right to talk about it the way - you know what I mean"

" I do. I do. Elijah, I was not going to say anything, since I didn't know how you felt - for her, but I think that you should know that - and this is something I discovered totally by chance- when I had to retrieve some data from her personal computer- in the section of new recipes- there was - your picture- from one of the races."

Elijah's heart now shot up. OMG! Was Aiden really telling the truth?

"Elijah?"- Aiden said.

"Yes, I am here. Ok. I guess, I will see her in the morning."

"All right."- Aiden said-"ok, I have got to go. Isobel has just arrived."

They hung up, and Elijah now smiled happily. Could she really be feel something for him? His heart could not be still. He now got dressed quickly and went out.

💘

In the morning, he was bright and early at the hospital.

But as he got there to her room, with all the balloons and the unicorn toy, he saw Lucien, there sitting with her. He stopped and if it wasn't for a nurse, who saw the beautiful array, he would have thrown it all away.

"Is this for Ms Y/N?"- the nurse asked.

"Yes."- Elijah said-"it's from- her employees."

"Shall I take it in? Or- do you want to give it to yourself? She is now with her fiance:"

"No, you take it."- Elijah said and added-"I will be back later."

"All right."- the nurse took it and then went it.

Elijah glanced in, and now seeing Lucien kissing Y/N, he walked away.

Inside the room, Y/N was now asking about the balloons and who had sent them-

"The delivery guy said that it is from your employees."- the nurse replied.

"Right. Oh, such a great thought."- Y/N said-"is there a card?"

The nurse now looked for a card, but she couldn't find it.

"They must have forgotten to put it or he- "

"It's ok. It must have been Aiden. He always makes sure stuff like that gets done."- Lucien said.

"Yeah."- Y/N said.

The nurse now turned to Lucien and said that the visiting hours were over and that Y/n needed her rest.

💘

Family and friend have then descended on Y/N and she only saw Elijah for a short while, as he came to visit ther that afternoon. With Lucien around now and everyone else, and since Elijah was not really needed he stayed away. All till Aiden had called him a few days after as Y/N had herself checked out.

As Elijah arrived in the hospital to take her to the Mansion, he asked Aiden surprised that she was doing it.

"She decided that she can recouperate at home and that she needed to work and she can't do it from here. Even though, Ms Bennett is on top of things and she needn't work at all."

"This is really strange."- Elijah said

"She is like a new Ms Y/N, since she woke up."- Aiden said.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know- she - just is. I can't explain."- Aiden now got in the room, and Elijah with him.

"Can you take this bag, Elijah, please."- Y/N now turned to him. To Elijah she was no different. She was still kind in her manner.

And in the Mansion, she wanted a moment on her own with him.

"Thank you for being there- a nurse told me that you were there every day while I was- comatose. Sometimes it felt like I could hear things, but maybe it was just my imagination. Anyway, thanks a lot. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this.”

“It was nothing - I - you have been more than kind to me and -”- Elijah stopped there struggling with his emotions, wanting to go over to her and embrace her, tell her how he felt. But, there was this line between them like a strange magical boundary keeping them apart.

Y/N looked at him dearly saying-

“I’ve done nothing really. And now you will be now driving, Abby Bennett, the acting CEO, till I get fully fit.”

"Yes, Aiden has informed me."- Elijah said.

"Yes. He is always on top of things. Well, I will- see you when I - get the all clear and can go back to the factory."

"Yes- right- I will see you, then."- Elijah said and with their usual little nods exchanged he went.

💘

And so, Elijah was busy, driving Ms Abby Bennett. As the got talking one day, he soon found out that she was also from Whitmore, and that she was the granddaughter of Sheila Bennett and Bonnie Bennett’s mother.

"Talk about this world being so small."- Abby said to Elijah.

"Too small, I guess."- Elijah said back.

"Yes. Ok. So tomorrow, I am flying to the Conference in Mexico City, but you don't have to take me to the airport, my boyfriend will take me. He is coming with me. Have the weekend off."

"Thanks. I will see you on Monday."

"Can I ask you a huge favour. On Monday is Y/N's birthday, and I had this custom made present made. Can you pick it up and take it to the Mansion. It will be ready on Monday morning, but I will be back on Tuesday. I want her to have it."- Abby said.

"Of course- no problem"- Elijah said.

"Thank you."

Abby left and Elijah got into the car driving off. A few moments later, his phone rang and-

"Ok. We have a situation."- Aiden said.

"A situation?"- Elijah asked-"what's going on?"

"Y/N left about an hour ago. And- she is not answering her phone. She is not with Caroline, she is not at the factory. She is not with Lucien. Well, Mary said that she had a terrible fight with her mother."- Aiden replied-"something to do with a family matter. Y/N was not herself. She was shouting and crying. I don't know what it was about."

"Must be about Jeremy. She was making arrangements with that school to take him back."- Elijah said.

"Could be."- Aiden said-"One thing is - always was- that she always answers her phone. You know. What if she had an accident again? She had a funny spell the other day."

"Right."- Elijah said-"I - will go and look - I think I know where she might be."

"Thank you. Let us know."- Aiden said.

Elijah now took the keys of his car and shouted to Davina, who was in her room that he was going out.

And where was Y/N?

She went to a beach house, a small place, where her father would go to get away from the world, to go fishing, and just be by himself. Y/N discovered that once when she walked down the beach from their family house, a mile or so away. It was a small timy house, very simply decorated, warm and cosy.

Y/N now slipped into the past.

Flashback

"Hey, dad?"- Y/N said seeing her father sitting on the porch-"what- are you doing here? I thought you were gone to the city?"

"Y/N?"- Greyson was slightly startled.

"This - well, sometimes - I come here to work on some ideas, recipes. You know how hectic it is in the factory, always the pressure to be number one. Anyway, this place has been my hide-out when I was a little younger than you. Come on, you can taste first the new flavour for the pralines."

Y/N went in. She had never seen her father so relaxed and happy ever. He talked about life, chocolate and why he had such passion for it. It was like he was another man, not the responsible, hardworking and pretty distant business man she knew.

As the evening set, and the way sitting on the porch, Y/N said-

"I guess, I should keep this a - secret?"

"Yes, please. It's very out of the ordinary, but, you know your mother. She wouldn't understand. She would call me childish."

"I understand. Mom - is just - it's like she has no dreams."

"She is the way she is."- Greyson said-"so you think there is a reasonable amount of cardamon in it?"

"Yes. It's going to be amazing."- Y/N said.

"You have the same Y/N feel and taste for it. You are a born chocolatere."

Y/N's eyes now whateted and she shouted out- "Why didn't you tell me?"

At that moment Elijah came around the corner of the house, startling Y/N, who didn't expect to see him there.

"Elijah?"- she uttered. looking at him a bit wide-eyed.

"Y/N- hey. Ahm- everyone is looking for you."- Elijah said stepping onto the porch.

"How did you - know that I - would be here?"

"You said that the Sunny Cove was your most favourite place in the world."- Elijah replied.

"Ah, yeah. I did."- she remembered mentioning it that day on the beach.

Elijah's phone rang and as he wanted to answer it, Y/N stopped him.

"Don't answer- I mean - if it's Aiden or Rose."

Elijah looked a bit confused as to why she didn't want to let them know where she was.

"Its Aiden. Ok, I’ll call him later."- Y/N said and stepped into the tiny house

Elijah followed her in now.

"I guess this is your place- a hide out?"

"My dad's actually."- Y/N replied-"he used to come here when- life just got - too much."

"Ahm- Aiden- well, Mary said that- you- had an argument with your mother."- Elijah started.

"Argument? Well, maybe you can call it that."- Y/N said pouring some wine now in the glass.

"Want some?"- she asked.

Elijah shook his head in negation.

Y/N looked at the glass and then said- "I don't feel like drinking either."

She now turned around and looked at Elijah- and she now almost flew over to him and crashed her lips with his.

Elijah, who never in his wildest dreams could have imagined this happening now felt like a storm had hit him. It was intense, sizzling, sensuous. Her lips were softer than the rose's leaf, her mouth as sweet as honey, Elijah's pulse was beating fast, his heart racing even faster. He was lost in her lips. Gone. And he would have succumbed to this wonderous moment, but - this is not how it was supposed to be.

"Y/N, wait"- Elijah gulped a bit trying so hard to subside the blaze running all through him.

"Wait - why? I know you want it."- Y/N now started kissed his neck, her hands sliding under his T-shirt, falling on his belt trying to get it off.

"No, Y/N, not - like this"- Elijah took hold of her hands, stopping her hands. Holding them gently now, he shook his head, trying to steady his breathing.

"No? Right"- Y/N said huffing offended-

"Please- I want this- I want you so much- God kows how much I want you, but not like this-"- Elijah swallowed hard taking hold of her hands now-"you're - hurting and - I can't take advantage. It's not right - let's just - let's talk."

Ripping her hands out of his, Y/N said -

"I don't want to talk- I - want you gone."

She moved aside turning her look away from him.

"Y/N, please- come on, let's - just go for - a walk and - "

"Can you leave, please"- Y/N said-"I want to be alone."

"Y/N"- Elijah tried to reach out to her now.

"I said I want to be alone. You can tell everyone that I an taking days off. Don't want to see anybody."

"This is crazy. You are not - good. I can't just let you stay - like this"

"And who are you? My psych? I don't need a baby-sitter. I am not a damsel in distress. I don't need looking after. This is not in your job description. Just go already!"

Elijah stood there quiet, looking at her; not knowing what to do, how to get through to her. Whatever had happened with her mother must have hit her hard.

"Go. Why are you still here. GO! You're fired!"

Y/N then turned around and went to another room slamming the door behind her.

#Elijah Mikaelson #elijah mikaelson x reader #tvd fanfiction #Fanfiction #klaus mikaelson #Klaroline

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xfpornbattle · 6 years

Text

Siren

Category: AU

explicit | 2k wds | pre-XF, msr, horror | cw: violence

Summary: Mulder is haunted by something worse than his memories. Will Scully believe someone she’s just met?

—

Rhode Island

October, 1988

The moon lights blue the cold sand, but the belly of the ocean knows only the dark. Starfish climb toward its breathless call, this thing that moves along the sea floor, but they cannot reach it before it sweeps out of reach, cannot heed its silent compulsions to join it: to come. Rocks on the beach feel its approach, its slow stride, its primordial gait, each footfall dragging with it the whole history of the earth’s briny depths. The thing’s endless, feracious proliferation takes singular form as it ascends toward the shore. Its kelp-string hair becomes black and smooth; the rotting corpses of two prickly anglerfish settle below its head to form the clever mockery of breasts; a dead shark’s toothy grin splits to form the folds of its malignant, deceitful vagina. When it is nearly whole, it breaks the surface as woman, appearing and disappearing as waves move over its head. It drags itself with even steps onto the cold beach. And it wants. She wants.

He feels her landing like the ache of an approaching migraine. It pulls at his nervous system, thrums the fibrous chords of his thighs and groin. He smells the fishgut and brine of her sex from his position on the pier. She’s there in the distance. He sees her. He knows what she means to do. He cannot stop himself from stepping off the pier, from falling the ten or so feet into the wet sand where she (it) waits.

And then he wakes.

Fox Mulder sits up in the small twin bed of his childhood vacations (he cannot force himself into the double where his parents once slept). He is covered in sweat, despite the October chill, and his erection aches against his abdomen—it hurts him with terrible need and a worse sense of shame, a horror that the dream has brought it against his will. This is the fourth evening of the nightmare, and it is only getting worse. The shark teeth… he shudders, forces himself out of bed and into the shower where he jacks off for relief and hates himself just a little.

He will run, he thinks. When the sun lightens the eastern horizon, he will run the beach and get this nightmare out of his head, get himself back together. It’s why he’s here, after all, in this place of childhood discomfort.

Some monsters live in the ocean, some on land. Some worm their way into the head and won’t let go. Monte Propps is behind bars now, but his wrenching grip on Mulder’s brain cannot be put away so easily. Two weeks mandatory leave for psychological recovery: so here he is.

The morning dawns gray and foggy and cold. His feet slap against the hard-packed sand while he tries to outrun his thoughts. To outrun the sight of a child flayed, its organs displayed like some bloodstained, eldritch alphabet—all but the heart, which is missing (consumed). He pushes these thoughts back. He runs. He pounds the sand. He seeps into, is swallowed by, the gray. I will dissolve, he thinks. I will dissolve into the fog and I will leave Propps behind. I will heal as I have been told to do.

But his attention is caught, snagged, ripped away from the colorless beach, by something… red. Hair. A woman’s hair. She is reading, taking notes on the beach. At dawn. In October.

He slows. He stops in front of her.

She has three weeks before her licensing exam, before she can begin her final two years of med school and she cannot fuck this up. The sea, she thinks. She needs the sea to calm her, to settle her mind so she can study, so she can do this right, so she can prove them all wrong.

Dana Scully rents a cottage on the other side of the country in a town called Quonochontaug that promises sea and silence and solitude. She reads. She writes. She listens to the ancient tides that groan and crash against the land.

She has spotted him before, this haunted man who runs every day and who barely looks up to notice the world around him. Once, in the grocery store, she watched him buy a loaf of white bread, a jar of peanut butter, and sunflower seeds. Yesterday she saw him at the sea-edge at dusk, staring at the dark place where the water met the sky—not even a line, but a blueblack smudge: the marriage of unfathomable depths and impossible cosmic distance.

There is some kind of magnetism that draws him to her now. She feels it and sees it working on him at once. He stands before her, curious.

“Hi,” he says.

“I’ve seen you,” she says.

At a small diner she watches him pick at his eggs and toast while she swallows ravenously her omelette. His eyes—she can’t get over the depth of them, the darkness that shades them, the hoods that droop over them from some hidden anguish and lack of sleep. She feels him like the moon in her blood, but she has no explanation. It is a wild thing. She wants him to take her into the bathroom and fuck her stupid against the ugly tile. She blushes. She shakes her head. What is wrong with her?

“My father doesn’t respect me any more.”

“My sister was abducted from our home when I was twelve.”

They vomit out secrets into the ramshackle diner like a dam has broken somewhere. Neither can stop. She tells him about medical school. He tells her about the FBI. She tells him (blushing) how her mother found condoms in her dresser and how her father wouldn’t look her in the eye for a month. He tells her about Propps, even the goriest details, the worst things, and she doesn’t even flinch. He tells her everything except one. He doesn’t tell her about the dreams.

He pays and she thanks him, pulling her toggle-button sweater tight against her waist as they walk into the mid-morning breeze. The fog has cleared but the clouds still hang low. Dried leaves skitter across the parking lot.

“Look for me tomorrow,” she says.

He will.

This time when he wakes from the nightmare, he is standing at the open back door of the summerhouse, staring at the dunes. His feet are wet. He is wearing jeans with damp bottoms that he knows he didn’t go to sleep in.

He still hears it, in his head: some sound he cannot name. It’s like a word he can’t remember, a melody he can’t quite grasp. It is like a fishhook, tugging at his cerebellum. A word bubbles to the surface, a whispered word, what it thinks he wants. He hears a whispered Samantha, and goes queasy at the conflation of this monstrous thing and his little sister. The thought… He feels it rising. He coughs. He vomits onto the back porch and then drags himself inside. He locks the door and leans against it. What is happening to him?

When he sees Dan Scully next, the bright spot of light in this strange dark time, she is wearing khaki pants and a denim jacket, sitting on a beach chair. She has only one book with her this time. He slows to stop in front of her and she smiles at him.

“Hi,” he says.

“You look terrible,” she replies, brow furrowing with concern. “Come inside.”

She makes him tea and toast in her University of Maryland t-shirt, and thinks how stupid she must be to invite this strange man into her cottage where she sleeps alone.

“Dana,” he says to her while he tries to eat. “You love the sea.”

“I do,” she says, nodding but concerned, not sure where he’s headed.

“But it’s full of monsters,” he tells her. His eyes look so sad that she can’t help but reach out a hand to touch him. She wraps her fingers around his forearm and searches his broken face.

“Tell me,” she says.

He’s scared her away, he thinks. The thing will come for him again tonight, and he’s frightened away the only good thing he knew. She’d listened, though. She’d listened with sad eyes and hugged him and told him she’d look for him tomorrow. She’d said, “I need to think.” Think, not study. He would never see her again.

He drinks coffee at midnight, afraid of what sleep will bring. He turns on the TV, but the local stations go to static at one. He finds a black-and-white movie on UHF: Dementia 13.

It is not enough. He dozes. The thing comes back.

Its face mimics beauty, as do its naked breasts, its long legs. Its toes drag long lines in the sand with each step toward the pier. Black hair smooth down its back, it smiles at him with too-dark eyes and teeth that don’t belong in a human mouth. “You want me,” it whispers, and he tries to say no. He grips the railing, feels splinters in his hand. “You do.”

Behind her there’s a strange writhing on the beach. Fish, he sees. Fish and crabs and eels and ammonites long extinct and strange sharp-toothed and tumorous looking beasts, wriggling and scrambling from the water to their deaths at the feet of this treacherous being.

He recoils, squeezes the railing until his fingers burn. And yet he is drawn toward her, feels the compulsion in his spine, in his toes. He wants to wake up. He wants to…

He can’t.

He feels the compulsion pulling him under, pulling his hands free, stomping out his volition with every terrible beat of the creature’s heart.

Dana wakes suddenly as if startled. Not by a dream, but by something equally elusive. The cottage is silent, but she knows… She senses something wrong, and she’s learned not to ignore her instincts. Mulder, she thinks. His dreams. His nightmares. Danger, she thinks.

She pulls on boots and a jacket over her pajamas and rushes out into the dunes.

The water is black and the clouds have returned to block the moon—it is almost completely dark on the beach. Cold, too. She should have brought a flashlight.

“Mulder!” She calls, realizing that she doesn’t know exactly which house is his. She knows only the direction from which he passes in the morning.

She runs. She runs and runs, cursing the sand that sinks under her and makes it harder. “Mulder!” She yells again.

It’s stupid, she thinks. It’s stupid that she’s running in the dark along a pitch-black beach, looking for a man she hardly knows, screaming into the void on a completely irrational hunch. There is nothing rational left in her, though. There is only this impulse.

After what feels like half a mile, she stops short. The moon has broken free of the clouds and lights the beach silver. She sees him: he’s in the water.

“Mulder!” She screams, but he doesn’t hear. He is walking into the ocean. It is at his waist. The waves crash against him but he hardly notices. He just walks, one slow step after another. She crashes into the water after him, screaming his name.

When she’s close enough to see his face, it is pure horror: aguish, resistance, desperation. “Mulder!” She yells again. She grabs his shoulders, squeezes. But he won’t, can’t, snap out of it. The water is knocking her back, knocking her away from him, but she grips firm, uses the leverage of the next wave to hurl herself upward so she can throw her lips against his.

The water pushes, pushes at her, but she’s wrapped her arms around her neck to hold tight, and she’s kissing him awake. Finally, he stops his steady march forward as the water pushes against her back and his chest—so high now. She feels something shift, feels his balance break and he topples backward with the next wave. He shakes his head. He looks at her.

“Dana?” He asks.

“Yeah,” she says, and they drag each other back onto the cold sand where they hold each other tight.

—

#Fic Contest #Submission #AU #Category: AU

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