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fruitcoops · 1 year

Note

just had a tornado blow through...(we're okay, it's kinda normal here). but could we get another blackout/big storm fic? (if you're up for it?)

Glad you're alright! We've got a big storm here tonight as well <3 Have some Lions working through life to distract. Character credit goes to @lumosinlove!

TW mild/ medium relationship issues, Sirius' bad habits, and previous people not being very nice to Leo

There was something in the water. Remus was sure of it.

“Put—stop it! Put it down!”

Maybe carbon monoxide was leaking into the rink. Plus all of their houses and apartments.

“I told you, it’s not about the rutabaga.”

Or, fuck it, Mercury was in the microwave again. In the Gatorade? Something like that. He wondered if Marlene would know.

Arthur knocked on the doorframe and the mass of grumbling died down; the air still tasted like sour sweat and irritation and Remus wrinkled his nose at the mats. After a cursory look around the room, Arthur raised a brow and gestured with his clipboard. “Y’know, I’ve got a lot of notes—a lot of notes—but none of you look like you can handle them right now, so we’re doing the short version. Cap, come see me. Lupin, Moody’s waiting for you, don’t give me that face. Olli, figure your shit out. Kuns…Kuns.” He shook his head. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Tremzy, stop being mean, and Harz, stop being stupid. Bliz, Layla gets the honor of having you this afternoon. Do your cooldowns without biting each others’ heads off, please, and then go home and sleep this off. Goodnight.”

“Night, Coach,” came the mumbled chorus.

Remus chewed the inside of his lip while he stripped his shin pads off. Sirius was already halfway out the door, still in his under armor—the rush of endorphins that usually accompanied the sight of his gorgeous fiancé was notably absent. He closed his eyes and took a breath. Recenter. It was a rough day, rough week, rough whatever. It would be best to just let it go now.

A hand clapped his shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin. “Jesus!”

“Woah, hey, easy.” Talker held both hands low, palms down between their stalls. “Just saying hi.”

“What—” Breathe. Recenter. Remus blinked a few times to clear his head. “Fuck, no, you’re good. Sorry. Hi. Sorry.”

Talker’s gaze turned dark with worry. “You okay?”

“Just…in my head.” It was a shit answer, but his vague wave seemed to get the point across. Talker nodded slowly. His hands remained on his own side. “You?”

“Been better, been worse.” He tipped his head back and forth, making his small earring swing. A gift from Noelle, if Remus remembered correctly. He watched it catch the fluorescent light for a few seconds before Talker spoke again. “Weird energy in here.”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah.” Remus turned back to his pads with a humorless laugh. “No kidding. We should crack a window or something.”

Talker hummed, tucking his hands beneath himself. One knee bounced incessantly and Remus tried not to let it bother him. “Reminds me of the you-know-whats.”

Remus’ hands itched to knock on wood. “Yep.”

“But we’re not there. Yet,” Talker added after a pause.

“Nope.”

“Cap’s being…interesting.”

“Tell me about it,” Remus muttered.

Something like relief rippled over Talker’s expression. “So it’s not us.”

“When is it ever?” Remus offered a wry smile. “He gets like this. You know that. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.”

Talker’s shoulder relaxed against his own, warm and solid. “Yeah, I guess.”

“It’s really not you, man.”

“I know.”

“T.” Remus waited until he looked over, and ducked his head slightly. “It’s not you.”

The kicked-puppy look in Talker’s eye made his chest hurt. Remus knew he had a tendency to put it all on himself—to think he was solely responsible for maintaining the team’s happiness. They were friends for a reason, after all. A missed pass wasn’t the end of the world, but…god, in the NHL? It sure felt like it.

Leo blew past them, not quite stomping, but certainly not pleased. Remus followed his path and found Logan staring at the floor with the same mournful gaze that plagued half the room. His stomach twisted. For a group of guys with everything in the world, they were a bunch of fucking messes, sometimes.

He patted Talker once on the shoulder before standing; he didn’t bother with shoes. It was a quick enough trip to get by in his socks. Moody’s office door was already open when he arrived, and he had barely raised his hand to knock on the frame when a grunt invited him inside.

The door closed with a faint noise. Silence thickened the air, save for the scribble of Moody’s pen. “Coach said you wanted to see me?” Remus prompted awkwardly. He didn’t like this stiffness. They had never been like that before.

Moody clicked his pen shut and leaned back in his chair with a long sigh, rocking back and forth. “Layla says you’re favoring your bad side.”

Tattletale. Remus bit the instinctive thought back. That wasn’t fair. “Probably.” Moody raised an unamused brow at him. “Yeah,” he admitted, scuffing his foot on the floor. “Yeah, I think so, too.”

“Why?”

“ ‘Cause.”

“The league doesn’t like it when I’m not nice to you boys.” Moody fixed him in place with a look. “But you’re not a snitch, so cough it up, you little shit.”

A scowl tried to claw its way onto Remus’ face, but he kept himself steady. Moody had done too much for him and saved him from too many bad places to be iced out. He kicked at a dust bunny. “Nine years.”

“Since…?”

“Since.”

“Ah.”

He sniffed, dry-eyed and nauseated. “Next Monday. Nine years. I still remember the day and time it happened.”

“We’re not playing Vegas next week.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Moody went quiet, and stayed that way for a long time. His chair creaked as he rocked in slow, maddening patterns. He’d have his leg off, tucked beneath his desk; he rarely left it on when he didn’t need to. Something about sweat. Itching. The works, he’d grumble if Remus asked. The ‘World’s Best Grandpa’ mug—a gag gift from last year’s Secret Santa—sat undisturbed on his desk, filled to bursting. Pens, pencils, a spoon, a screwdriver, an inexplicable parrot feather, all interspersed with his steadily-growing collection of flags.

Remus remembered the day the first one had appeared. A simple rainbow with a wooden stick, no bigger than a postcard. Moody hadn’t said a thing, but he knew it was for him. It wasn’t the only one anymore. The sight of it still made his throat tight.

“Come see me if you need to,” Moody said at last. He tapped his pen on his stack of papers, then nodded. “For the record, I’m not worried. Out of my office.”

“Have a good night, Moody.” Thunder rolled overhead as he turned to the door. “Get home safe, okay?”

He got another grunt in the affirmative and turned the doorknob, hoping the squeaky top hinge would muffle his sigh. The door swung open, Remus walked face-first into Sirius’ chest, and everything went black as night.

“I don’t know why you’re angry.”

“I’m not angry.”

“Don’t pull that bullshit.”

“My feelings aren’t bullshit.”

“Mon dieu—”

“I’m serious, I’m not angry.” Leo shut the drawer a little harder than necessary. The salt shaker rattled on the counter.

“Then what are you?” Logan demanded, keeping his voice low.

“I’m—” He pressed his lips together and tilted his face up to the ceiling. Upset. Hurt. Stressed. Frustrated. Angry. “I don’t know.”

“I already apologized for the rhubarb—”

“Rutabaga.”

“Jesus, Leo.” Logan’s tone was sharp; he flinched. Okay, maybe he deserved that one. He heard Logan’s unsteady exhale and felt a gentle touch on his arm. “I’m sorry. I should have listened better, or texted you when I wasn’t sure.”

And there it was again, that burning flare of annoyance. Leo shrugged him off and turned to the coffee maker. Someone had left their disposable cup in the machine the last time it was used. The sight made him want to take the entire thing and slam it on the floor.

“Leo?”

“I don’t want you to text me when you aren’t sure.” His voice came out shaky and he silently cursed himself. At least his hands didn’t tremble while he swapped the cups. “I—Logan, I shouldn’t have to be your food dictionary.”

“Hey.”

Leo bit the inside of his cheek at the genuine hurt in Logan’s voice and dug through the mug cupboard. “Look, it’s fine, just…look it up if you’re not sure. It’s not like I hide my cookbooks.”

Or, better yet, be a capable adult. Logan’s sneakers shuffled on the linoleum. Where was his goddamn mug? “D’accord,” he finally said. “Yeah, I’ll—I can do that.”

Was it bad that Leo wanted him to push harder? Maybe he was just jonesing for a fight, but Logan’s instant buckling made him feel even worse. They had been waspish with each other earlier, enough that Finn outright refused to be in the same room until they figured themselves out—perhaps Logan had worn out his ability to argue for the day.

Leo snorted humorlessly. That would be a first.

Pastel yellow caught his peripheral vision. He clenched his hands on the edge of the countertop and took a deep, fortifying breath. Throwing a mug at a wall would get him fired. Throwing things at Logan would never be something he did, in this life or the next, no matter how angry he may or may not be.

Leo plucked the Me-Wow! mug from it’s place—dirty—in the sink—also dirty—by its tail-shaped handle and dropped it in the trash, then walked out of the kitchen, leaving Logan and his coffee behind. Thunder rumbled overhead and guilt bubbled up. He shouldn’t leave like that, not when the storm was only going to get worse. Logan didn’t do well alone and upset. He had almost certainly left his headphones at home, too. Leo was never the one to leave but he just couldn’t take it—

He made it ten feet down the hall before the lights went out and silence doused the building.

Fuck.

James was not live, laugh, loving in these conditions. First of all, his best friend/ best man/ adopted brother was imploding with self-loathing for approximately the seventh time this week. Second, his wife’s best friend/ best man/ adopted brother was a nervous wreck despite his best attempts to keep himself together. And third, two of the rookies had worked themselves into a tiff that made Finn look like that.

Finn watched Logan leave after Leo in utter misery. Poor kid belonged in an ASPCA commercial.

In truth, James didn’t know what went wrong, exactly. Sirius had these cycles—he’d ride high and be so firm in himself, in what he loved and worked for, then crash so hard James expected it to leave visible wounds. It was far more frequent in the early days. Since Remus entered the picture, Sirius hadn’t spiraled more than a handful of times. It was like he needed a pressure-release valve to make sure all those internal works didn’t melt or rust over. Remus was better at getting Sirius to talk than just about anyone. It was shitty that Remus’ wan smiles and sickly pallor had to align with the exact time Sirius most needed someone who wouldn’t put up with his nonsense.

James did his best, but he wanted them to be happy more than anything. More often than not, it meant he didn’t push nearly enough. They all had bad habits.

He knew Coach would bring it up today. Sirius’ dark mood had set them all on edge, caught in that place between wanting to prove themselves and wanting to stay out of the way. Whatever was happening between Leo and Logan had brought the scrap of good mood to rock-bottom. There was only so much slack James could pick up without exhausting himself, and he was already at the end of his rope.

Talker was still fussing with his sock tape when James looked over. The stickiness was dead from his rhythmic wrapping and unwrapping, but he didn’t seem to care. James nudged his toe with the front of his skate. “ ‘Sup?”

Talker half-shrugged. “Not much.”

“You were good in the scrimmage today.”

His hands stuttered on the roll before evening out again. “You, too.”

James scooted over into Remus’ stall and lowered his head, turning slightly away from the center of the room for an iota of privacy. “You wanna talk about it? If this is about the pass—”

“Noelle can’t make it for my birthday.”

Oh. Oh. James’ heart sank. “Aw, buddy.”

“They’re in the playoffs and someone rescheduled.” His lips pressed together in a tight line. “It’s dumb, I just…”

“Miss her,” James finished when he trailed off.

Talker nodded. “Distance sucks.”

“I know.”

James tried not to be offended by Talker’s immediate skepticism. “You do?”

“Lily stayed in Boston for three years before transferring up here.” Worst three years of my life. “She wanted her BS in chemistry. I wasn’t going to be the schmuck to hold her back. We called, and FaceTimed, and texted when she was at school, but it—”

“Wasn’t the same,” they said in unison.

The ball of tape fell pathetically next to the trash bin. “I want to hug her,” Talker said. “It sounds so stupid, but I want to hug her. And—I don’t know, it’s been rainy today. She likes it when it rains.”

“Yeah.” James leaned over to bump his shoulder. “I hear if you cross your fingers and jump in a circle three times, your wishes come true.”

Talker was halfway through a laugh when the lights went out.

Oh my god, I went blind. The thought was wild and harebrained and ridiculous. So, precisely how Remus was feeling in every other aspect of his life.

“Oh.” Sirius sounded surprised. His hands were firm on Remus’ upper arms. “Bonjour.”

Remus blinked a few times to let his vision adjust to the sudden darkness. The remnants of the team’s shouts of surprise echoed briefly before going quiet. “Uh, hi,” he managed. Sirius was nothing more than a blob of shadow, but he felt along his arms and chest until he found a shoulder to pat. “Sorry. Power’s out?”

“Looks like it.”

“Huh. Did you…did you need something?”

Sirius shifted from foot to foot. “Uh. No, not really.”

Liar, but okay. Remus patted him again, and let his hand linger. The rink felt different like this. Low murmuring had started up again in the locker room, but everything else was grave-quiet without the familiar buzz of electricity. It felt like the heartbeat had stopped. Like they had paused in time. “We should—should we go back to the locker room?”

Sirius’ hands pulsed where he held Remus. “Sure,” he said with the reluctance of someone being asked to walk headfirst into the ocean.

Lightning cracked outside and Remus caught a glimpse of Sirius worrying at the inside of his lip in the brief light. “We can stay here,” he offered after a moment. “Or, like…go somewhere else for a bit.”

“Can we?”

The relief in Sirius’ voice ached. They had been so pent-up lately, neither willing to break the ice first but both suffering from their shared bad moods. Remus knew he had been more lost in his thoughts than down on Earth for days, and Sirius was being so…so Sirius. But not his Sirius. The Sirius that was twitchy, the Sirius that tossed and turned all night. The Sirius that barely finished his dinner.

Remus rolled the sleeve of Sirius’ shirt between his thumb and pointer finger, and pulled him in for a hug. His stiffness dissolved in an instant.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled into Sirius’ collarbone. He smelled good when Remus took a deep inhale, laundry soap and cologne. His arms were strong and solid around Remus’ back—he felt a few deep breaths come and go under his palms and inclined his head to let Sirius’ bury his face in his neck. His hair was damp from his post-practice rinse. It tickled Remus’ nose along the wings he liked to play with when Sirius was sleepy and cuddly. He sighed again. “Sirius, I’m so sorry.”

“I wasn’t there for you this week.” Sirius’ breath warmed his neck. His hold on Remus tightened. “You don’t need to be sorry, loup.”

“Okay,” Remus said softly. “But I am.”

“If you’re sorry, then I’m—” Sirius broke off with a tired laugh and nuzzled further into his neck. “I don’t know. Throwing myself at your feet and begging for forgiveness.”

Remus snorted at that mental image, but held him closer anyway. “It’s okay. I know you don’t like feeling like this.”

“I don’t,” Sirius agreed. “Doesn’t mean I should stop paying attention to you.”

“I’ve been doing the same to you,” he reminded him gently.

“You had a reason.”

“And you didn’t?”

Sirius fell quiet. His fingertips slipped along the divot of Remus’ spine while his palm warmed the small of his back; Remus felt a bit silly, standing there in his socks in the dark, but it didn’t really matter when he could feel Sirius’ heart beginning to even out at last. Someone padded out of the locker room and down the hall. Red hair stood out for a half-second when lightning struck again and his worry eased. If Finn was going to check on his boys, everything would sort itself out.

“I hate that this still happens.” Sirius’ voice barely cleared a whisper. “It sneaks up on me, and then I can’t sleep and I’m not hungry—or, I am, I just can’t—and I don’t know when it will stop.”

“I know, baby.”

“I want to sleep next to you and not be thinking about the next game, Re.”

Remus slipped his hands beneath Sirius’ arms and pressed their bodies together like he could press reassurance into him. If he could take that burden, he would. If he could fix it, he would. If he had the right words to tell Sirius that he didn’t care whether he was perfect or a wreck, he would. He pushed his nose under the soft spot of Sirius’ jaw and kissed him there. “I love you.”

A small sound stuck in Sirius’ throat.

“Je t’aime,” he repeated with another kiss. Just because he could.

The rise and fall of Sirius’ shoulders was steady now. “Je t’aime aussi. Whatever you need for this week, I’m here, okay? I’m in your nook.”

“My…nook?”

“Your—” Sirius huffed a laugh. “I’m on your side. Whatever the saying is.”

“In my corner?” Remus suggested around a smile. Sirius grumbled something vaguely agreeable and swatted at him, but never loosened their hug for a second.

Leo was holding him, and he wasn’t even angry anymore. Not like he had been. Thunder rattled a distant window and Logan’s grip twisted in the front of his shirt. “I’m fine,” he said.

Leo kissed his temple. “Yeah.”

They lapsed back into silence. He was usually so good at problem-solving, but every time he tried to speak, his tongue got stuck on the words. The anger had burnt itself out. The frustration and annoyance were still there, alongside the hurt. He wished Finn was there. Finn always knew what words to use.

“I’m sorry,” Leo said haltingly. Logan shifted in his arms. “I was shitty to you. Earlier, I mean. I should have talked to you.”

Logan didn’t answer. Somehow, that was the worst outcome. Leo knew how to match him in a verbal fight.

Lightning flashed. Logan flinched. Leo held him like he alone could stop the light from taking his boyfriend by surprise. That was it, wasn’t it? Even pissed off, he’d still hold Logan rather than leaving him in the dark with a thunderstorm.

They didn’t speak, just swayed in place. Footsteps echoed down the hall, growing closer each second before coming to a halt in the doorway. “Babes?”

“Here,” they chorused softly.

“Um.” Finn audibly hesitated. “Okay, give me a landmark. I’m so blind right now.”

“By the countertop,” Leo offered. Logan burrowed deeper into his chest. He was fever-hot the way he got when he was upset. Finn’s noise of sympathy when he found them and felt it somehow made it worse. “Hey, Fish.”

“Hey.” Leo heard the sound of a soft kiss. “Lo, you good?”

“Ouais,” came the murmured answer.

They lapsed into silence for the length of another roll of thunder. “And you…” Finn faltered. “You figured yourselves out?”

Leo looked away despite the darkness. They remained silent.

“Right,” Finn sighed.

“I don’t know what I did,” Logan blurted. “You said this wasn’t about the rutabaga, but it is, and you said you’re not angry, but you are, and I’m confused. And I’m really sorry for whatever I did to upset you, Peanut. I’m being so honest right now.”

“That’s the problem,” Leo said helplessly.

Logan clutched at his shirt, as if the answers were hidden in the fabric. “What?” he asked. “What is the problem? Stop doing that, I told you, I’m confused. Are you angry?”

“A little,” Leo choked out. Ugh, honesty was sawdust in his mouth.

“Is it about the rutabaga?”

“No.”

Logan made a frustrated noise, but Finn cut him off before he could continue. “What is it about, sweetheart?” he asked, so gentle it burned.

Leo let out a long breath, unwinding one arm from Logan’s waist to wrap it around Finn instead. He was nice and cool from his shower. They had all been running too hot lately.

“I’m not your mom, Lo,” he began. “We’re all grown-ups here. You know what food looks like. You know how to google things.” He felt the feelings ramp up again and rather than swallowing them back, let them siphon out on an exhale. Everything inside him was a miserable, knotted mess. “You don’t need me to come to the store with you all the time, and it pisses me off when you keep asking because I’m—'better at it’, or whatever. It’s not my job to shop for you. I’m sick and tired of it.”

Logan’s chest caved against his own. He mumbled something under his breath and Leo closed his eyes.

“I can’t hear you when you do that, c’mon, please—"

“I said, it’s not because I need you to shop for me.” Logan’s voice shook slightly, but not with anger.

“Then why would you ask me to walk to the store with you for the ‘right garlic’?” he sighed.

Logan raised his head, leaving a cold spot on the left side of Leo’s chest. “Because I want to spend time with you.”

That—was not the answer he had been expecting. You’re better at it, Logan would say. You know the foods better than I do. The realization came in waves; he had been teasing. Joking. Making it a bit. And Leo thought he was dead serious the whole damn time. All the frustration he had built up around himself cam down with a rush and a clatter. His heart made a break for hell with a pit stop at his stomach. He stared into the dark nothingness of the rink break room and tried to remember how to breathe.

“Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh.”

“I…” He broke off. Words had gotten him into this mess. Were they both that terrible at communicating properly? Finn bumped his arm and he took the hint (for once), wrapping Logan in a hug. By some miracle, Logan hugged him back. “That is the sweetest fucking thing, and I’m so sorry,” he managed, hoarse. “Oh my god. Oh my god, Logan, that was such a fucked-up thing for me to think.”

“I do actually like you, you know,” Logan said, muffled in his shoulder.

The remnants of Leo’s heart went for another spin through the shredder. “No, I know, I know, I’m so sorry. I like you, too.” He pressed a hard kiss to Logan’s temple and squeezed him tighter. “I like you so much. So much.”

“And I know what kind of garlic you like.”

Tears made Leo’s eyes sting and he violently wished them back. He had no right to cry over this. None at all. “Of course you do.”

Logan scratched lightly between his shoulder blades. “I don’t want to think about the type of people that made you think I’d do that, though. But if you want to give me names and addresses…”

Leo laughed weakly and felt Finn huff against him. “No, none of that,” Leo said with a kiss to Logan’s messy curls. He kissed his cheek, too, and his lips for good measure. Slow and easy, the way they both liked it. He wanted to make sure Logan was paying attention. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “You did nothing wrong. I love you so, so much and I never should have thought that about you.”

In the hallway, the whir of generators kicked up. Soft light cast Logan in gold and dull shadows, just enough to make out the conflicted look on his face. His thumb was rough against Leo’s jaw. “I wish you thought better of yourself,” he said quietly. “You’re fun to be around, even walking to the store.”

I wish I had thought better of you. Leo pulled him close without a word and caught Finn’s gaze over Logan’s shoulder. His expression told him everything he needed to know, and he shut his eyes as Finn’s arms came around them both. A kiss lingered just above his ear. Leo kind of wanted to cry all over again.

The generators were a masterpiece of mechanics. The emergency switch flipped the moment the building lost power from the main grid, pooling energy around the rink itself to keep the ice solid. The rest of the lights would come on within fifteen to twenty minutes, beginning with the stadium seats and ending with the more fringe areas, like locker room and kitchens. They were top of the line, the best you could buy for a massive space that relied heavily on electricity to keep it functional.

They were no match for the Lions.

Ice cream, popsicles, and enough beer to cover the team twice over were liberated from the various refrigerators in less than five minutes. The team gathered on the floor of the locker room with iPhone flashlights and glowsticks (also ‘borrowed’ from the adjacent rooms) to enjoy their haul in peace and to play stupid, silly games like middle schoolers at a sleepover. They played games for a living, for crying out loud. Their favorite game. Why on earth would they take it too seriously when an opportunity like this presented itself?

Equal cheers and groans went up when the lights came back on. Moody was the first to leave, having only stuck around that long because the space outside his office door was occupied with an apparently necessary conversation. Arthur was next. The general consensus among the players was that the weather was simply too bad to risk driving. For their safety, they should stay and enjoy their goodies.

The morning security shift found them right where Arthur left them, puppy-piled by their stalls and surrounded by joyous havoc.

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sansxfuckyou · 4 months

Text

all of a sudden

Summary: Casey Jones is good at adapting, but he didn't expect to be adapting to mutating

Warnings: body modification, small panic attack, angst in general, check Ao3 port for full tags

Authors Note: inspired by the possum Casey Jones AU made by @probably-not-a-rutabaga except with some rasey vibes that can be ignored if thats not your style. anyways, hope ya'll enjoy and if you do consider dropping a reblog or checking the ao3 port

It's covered in fur and has claws instead of nails, it's hissing as the mutagen worms through it's body and then it's dropping.

It isn't Casey Jones anymore, something much more creature. Chest heaving up and down and furred body immobile, hockey gear still strapped to it's form. Raphael just stares, in shock, in awe, partially paralyzed by the fear and the worry.

His partner in everything just mutated, into a rat, or something very rat like. And Raphael didn't take the hit, he should've, he probably would've went mad or turned to a primordial ooze of some sort if he did but it would be better than Casey having this fate. He slams the final Kraang against a wall before hoisting up Casey's body, it's light, lanky, mammalian.

Donnie can fix him.

-/-/-/-

"What happened?!" Was Donatello's first response to seeing Casey, "Who the fuck is this and where's Casey?"

"That is Casey," Raphael supplied.

Donatello nearly faints.

"Fix him," Fingers trace over the expanse of almost matted fur where the jacket does't cover anymore. He feels this deepseated guilt as he looks at Casey, he could've stopped this, he could've taken the hit. He should've been the one to get hit with that mutagen blast, not Casey.

"I don't think I can, I'll try but I think it's hopeless," Donatello claimed rather boldly, "I can probably stabilize him enough to keep his humanity-"

"Then do that, just don't lose him," Raphael practically begged, "Please."

-/-/-/-

There's the sound of someone shrieking followed by a shatter that draws Raphael from his state of almost there but not quite. He's quick to glance over to Donatello's lab to find a rat rushing out and freaking out. Terror is apparent on it's face as it glances around frantically in search of something to look at it's reflection.

"Casey,"

It whips it's head around to look at Raphael and it's absolutely Casey Jones, just in a different body. Taller, thinner, furrier, but it's still Casey, panic and fear, but all Casey. The turtle slowly walks over, as if he'll spook the possum if he goes too fast and he probably will.

"Raph," It speaks softly, quietly, voice cracking. Then it's leaned against it's partners plastron, holding on tight and crying. It's so confused, so lost, so wrong, "What happened to me?"

Raphael doesn't answer right away, just holds onto Casey and doesn't let go. A snout is nuzzled against his neck and they were the same height once, not anymore. He rubs circles onto the possums back, "Mutagen."

"Oh god," is all Casey can supply in response to the new knowledge, body shaking even more, "I'm not human, I'm not-"

"Yes, you are. You're Casey Jones, I promise," Raphael answered with before Casey could spiral, "You're still my partner, still our best friend, still Casey Jones."

There's a weak nod even though Casey doesn't believe a word coming out of Raphael's mouth, "Okay."

-/-/-/-

Casey Jones is an opossum, almost a rat but not quite, and he has an eternal vendetta against the Kraang. He lives in a sewer because of them, he's an animal because of them, he lost his sister because of them. Everything out there is gone because of them and he could do nothing but sulk in the sewers over his new body.

And now he's out in a farmhouse, naught but an animal and he swears he's losing his grasp on humanity a little bit more everyday. But he digs his claws in and tries not to let go because he's got the turtles, a group of four that were never human in the first place but have treated him so much better than any human ever has. If they learned humanity from a rat then he can hold onto what he already knows for his sake and their sake alike.

Hockey stick against sai every single day. Baseball bat against bo staff every single day. Fists against nunchaku every single day. He holds onto that humanity by working out the animal in violence whenever he can. He burned the scare crow mutant to a crisp when no one was looking, he grabbed his lighter and lit it up before anyone could say a thing. Before it could hurt anyone else.

He eats meat and steals scraps off of every one's plate because he's still getting used to the needing to eat every couple hours thing in smaller portions. He sleeps in the morning and wakes at noon, training every hour he's active because what else is there to do aside from chat and play shitty board games.

"Hey, Case," Raphael begins as he watches his partner eviscerate a raw slab of meat on a once white porcelain plate.

The possum snaps up and his pupils are slit, he has blood smattered on his snout and stuck in his fur, dripping from his whiskers. He just stares and chews before swallowing, "Yeah?"

"Do you want some water?" Raphael gently nudges over a glass and Casey is quick to grab it with bloodied paws, he drinks it eagerly.

"Thanks, still getting used to this," He gestures vaguely to himself, "And the meat cravings, and the sleep schedule."

"I know, just try to ease up on the craze, I think you scare Mikey sometimes," Raphael said.

Casey shrugged, "Oops, that's why we eat in the kitchen instead of out there with everyone else."

Raphael just rolled his eyes and took another bite of his pizza, "We'll go out and train after this, work out some of your energy."

"Fucking wicked," Casey answered with.

-/-/-/-

This is the closest Casey Jones will ever get to feeling like himself ever again.

Tip of the sai to his throat and all he does is smile because this is home.

Hockey stick to the back of his partners knees and all he does is smile because this is home.

Cruel words spat and all he does is smile because this is home.

Raphael pierces the tip of his sai into Casey's arm just to draw blood, just to feel pain, to understand what keeps him human.

And Casey Jones has one thing to say in response to the violence.

"Thank you,"

#tmnt 2012 #opossum casey #tmnt 2012 fanfic #raphael tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt fanfiction #writing #fanfic #fanfiction

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phantoms-lair · 1 year

Text

She was late. Okay, she wasn't on anyone's time but her own, since Ivy was still in lockdown in Arkham, but still. Every time she tried to leave the house something fell down or a door jammed. The was finally about to leave when her phone rung.

She let out a grow of frustration but went to answer it anyway. No reason to give her parole officer an excuse. "What do you want?"

"Aunt Harleen Help." Harley felt her heart seize up at the voice. It had been so many years since she'd heard it, the speaker having then been in elementary school and now on the verge of womanhood, But she'd know it anywhere. "Jazzy?"

"I'm scared."

And that broke her heart a little. What would scare her niece so much that she would reach out to the branch cut off the family tree. "Your parents-"

"I think they killed him." she sobbed.

Oh she hoped her niece wasn't calling to learn how to hide a body. "Your parents killed someone?"

"I think they killed Danny."

A wave of paradoxical calm washed over Harley. She was furious enough to be thinking with absolute clarity and that was never good. None of the Quinzel sisters had been entirely rational, in her professional opinion. Alicia, the eldest, had decided to say fuck you to society and live on a farm growing rutabaga in a house with no plumbing and powered by nothing more than her spite. She herself had tried to become a respectable doctor and instead become a rogue. And Maddie, well, their baby sister was obsessed with ghosts.

So much for Maddie being the harmless one.

"I'm on my way Jazzy. If they try to hurt you, either run or hurt them first."

"They won't." Jazz said. But it was filled with bitterness, not conviction. "They see me as an actual person."

She didn't know what kind of bigotry had taken a hold of Maddie and her husband, but if they had so much as laid a finger on her nephew's hair, they were going to find out why even the clown could fear her.

He's Mine the Spirit of Amity Park said petulantly.

The Quinzels are of Gotham. I have have claim on him. The Spirit of Gotham stated.

No, he's my champion Amity argued.

You have not cared for him Gotham argued.

And you care for yours? Amity accused.

Gotham was silent for a time. I can not erase all the hurts they receive or protect them from their own actions It had hurt Gotham so when the first baby bird had flown the nest of not only Wayne Manor, but of Gotham herself. But I can help in subtle ways. I give them the chance for support. I have them cross paths with those who will help. What support have you given your so-called champion? Who repairs his wounds and comforts him? Who helps guide him?

His friends Amity argued. His friends bandage his wounds. His sister comforts him. Clockwork helps guide him

His sister and friends he already had. And you cannot lay claim to Clockwork as Clockwork is not one of yours. And his guidance is more manipulation than not. Answer me again. What supports have you given?

The Red Huntress

Who hunts him as well

His parent's inventions

And look how that ended up! Gotham hissed, cradling the amalgamation of human and ghost to her. Your first champion almost ended up with his soul shattered because no one could aid him. A child, because you could not wait for a Champion who was grown.

Amity was silent.

Danny is mine now. I will care for him. Name the Huntress as your new Champion. If you do better by her....we can talk further.

Amity wouldn't argue further. It was young as far as city spirits went, where as Gotham was a major power. And like a mortal child given a pet before they were truly ready, it had let it's responsibilities slip. Gotham would have a harder time stepping in if the new Champion was failed in the same way,

Now what to do with the little one. As much as he'd make a wonderful bird, it wouldn't be the best for him. Not with the emotional wreck the Wayne household was and the little Champion's own distaste for the wealthy. (Another thing Amity had to answer for. Letting that man become mayor and use that position to harm her Champion) Hmm, if he couldn't be a bird, he'd make a delightful kitten.

#Ghost Writing #DCxDP #BatPham Bingo #Yeah #it's gonna be a mess when Harley gets to Amity Park #She is absolutely gonna smuggle Jazz out once she's done with her sister and her husband #Jazz ends up working at Arkham #But half as an informant for her Aunt and Half to try and see how to fix the system #Gotham is going to arrange for Selina to stumble across Danny and take him in #Danny's memory is going to be real shaky for a while #Harley stumbles across Catwoman's new kitten one night and boom #Family reunion

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hollowtones · 1 year

Note

Have you ever tried clapshot? (Yep, that’s its actual name) Do you think you ever would?

That's the Scottish one, right? Mashed potatoes and rutabaga? Haven't had it, which is maybe a bit surprising now that I think about it, because there's a lot of Scots in my family, but I guess I've not had very much Scottish food in general.

I don't tink I've ever had rutabaga at all, come to think of it. Always wanted to. Never had any ideas for ways to cook 'em. I guess I can just make this, huh? I like potato and I like chives so I'd probably like this.

It took me like 10 minutes to answer this question because the "that's the actual name" bit made me think "Clapshot sounds like a bad sex joke they'd make in a Borderlands game" and I got so mad I had to step outside for a few minutes.

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lilianvanrouge · 1 year

Text

Malleus and Lilia x Frail and Abused Reader Part 8

When you all stepped through the Dark Mirror you all were immediately teleported to The Land of Hot Sands. It was extremely hot there, but you were prepared with a giant sunhat and cold packs to crush and put under your clothes. You glanced at Malleus and saw that he was deep in thought.

“Malyulus, are you-” you said.

You immediately stopped talking to him once you saw Grim fall into the canal.

“Grim!!” you shouted.

You tried to jump into the canal after him, but Trey and Cater grabbed onto you. Grim was nearly ran over by a boat, but escaped unharmed. You were now holding onto him as the limo drove you to Kalim’s house. When you were entering the limo Malleus was about to ask you if you would care to sit next to him, but you were already sitting in between Kalim and Jamil.

Malleus frown and sat down on the other side of the car. Jamil took notice to how Malleus was frowning while staring out the window. Everyone, except you thought that he was getting motion sickness and began to panic.

“You guys need to calm down. He’s perfectly fine. He’s just looking out the window,” you said.

“She’s right, you all are being too noisy. This is just my first time in a car, since we fly everywhere in the Valley of Thorns,” Malleus said, not technically lying.

Once you all arrived at Kalim’s house you were astonished by the peacock fountain and so was Malleus as he followed right behind you. Jamil freaked out about Malleus getting wet and ran over to y’all with an umbrella. Malleus shielded you both from the water by using a magic barrier.

“Thanks Malyulus! Isn’t it the most beautiful thing you have ever see?!” you asked with a big smile.

Malleus smirked and said, “I’ve seen prettier.”

“Really? Like what?” you said, very interested.

Malleus was about to answer when Grim jumped into the fountain. Once again you went after Grim leaving Malleus alone. Once you got a firm hold on Grim you walked back to Malleus.

“I’m sorry, Malyulus, but just think about all the fun we’re all going to have on this trip,” you said happily, while holding a waterlogged Grim.

Malleus frowned.

“All of us. . .” he mumbled.

Malleus realized that he wasn’t going to get no alone time with you unless he did something.

Once you arrived at Kalim’s palace you were in awe of how big it was. Grim said the top of the palace looked like an onion. Trey said it looked like a turnip or a tomato and you joined in.

“It also could be a radish or a beet. Oh, what about a rutabaga?!” you laughed.

“Kalim’s house looks like a pumpkin,” laughed Grim.

Malleus once again looked deep in thought.

“Malyulus?” you said.

“I think it looks more like a bell pepper,” he said.

You started laughing and he smiled. You all went inside the palace and put on the Land of Hot Sands traditional clothing. Everyone was done getting dressed and was waiting for you. You walked out and everyone was staring at you.

You were well adorned in gold and fine silks of purple and turquoise like your hair. You were in a hot pink dress embroidered with gold leaves and flowers with matching sandals. The silk scarf wrapped around your head was peacock green with the same embroidery with a pink jasmine flower. You also had a golden rope tied around your waist with golden bells and tassels.

Your face was red from blushing, because you weren’t used to dressing like this.

“Wow you look beautiful, (Y/N)-chan!” said Cater.

“Yeah, her clothes look the most expensive out of all of ours,” said Trey.

“Well we have to treat ladies special! This is also my first time bringing a girl home!” said Kalim happily.

Jamil gathered all of you into the limo to take you all to the Camel Bazaar. Unfortunately, Kalim had to stay behind and greet the oncoming guests. When you all made it to the bazaar it was all crowded with people. Grim started to get frustrated by hunger so you all stopped at a skewer stall and ordered shawarmas.

Malleus ordered a traditional one while you ordered one with lots of meat, since (Y/B/F) wasn’t here to nag you on eating your vegetables. When Jamil realized his shawarma was missing he saw that his sister Najma was the one who took it. Najma was there to deliver a message from their father to Jamil. Cater brought the idea for Najma to stay with you all, but Jamil was against it.

“Why must he hesitate to bring his sister with him? Aren’t they blood related siblings? You should appreciate your family,” said Malleus.

“Besides I can use some girl advice to help me with (Y/N),” Malleus thought with a smirk scheming.

When all of you were gazing around the bazaar Malleus took his chance.

“Vipers, I need your advice on dates, since I’m not well aquatinted with them,” said Malleus.

“Well there are many types of dates. My favorite are kurma!” said Najma.

“No, wrong kind date,” Malleus sighed.

“Eh?!! You can’t mean a romantic one?!!” said Jamil, shocked.

“Yes, there’s someone who lives in my kingdom who wants advice,” said Malleus, trying to ride around the truth.

Jamil was frozen in shock so Najma had to take charge.

“Well he should do something special that the girl is interested in. Get her alone, give her flowers, but don’t move to fast or be too forceful,” said Najma.

“Hmm. I got it. Thank you for your advice,” said Malleus grateful.

Malleus lured Grim away from you with food without you noticing. He then persuaded you that Grim would be alright and you two went on a small, magic boat ride down the canal. You stuck your hand in the cool water as you watched the fish swim around.

“(Y/N), now that we’re alone I wanted to apologize to you for Silver and Sebek. While Sebek was trying to lecture about being in Lilia’s bed he tripped over a floor tile and fell on Silver, which resulted in you getting burned by the hot water. It was all a misunderstanding,” sighed Malleus.

You smiled and thanked him thinking this is why he got you alone.

“And another thing. . . ” Malleus paused.

He couldn’t ask about your scars otherwise he would’ve just admitted he peeped on you in the bathroom.

“Do you have any food allergies?” he asked.

“No, I’m not allergic to any food, but allergies can always come later on for people,” you said.

Malleus was very nervous considering your the first girl he’s been around that wasn’t family. He had no idea on how to seduce you. He then saw a red water lily bud and he picked out the water and gave it to you. He figured that most red flowers must mean love.

“Thank you, Malyulus,” you said, sweetly.

He smiled and used his magic to make the flower bloom, but to his surprise it was a pink lily.

“Wow, I didn’t know you thought I was smart,” you laughed.

“Smart? I thought pink flowers also symbolize love,” he thought.

“Pink water lilies represent knowledge,” you said happily.

Malleus frowned wishing he learned flowers and their color meanings just like (Y/B/F) told him. You saw Malleus’s mood change and decide to take the initiative. You moved next to him and hugged him, which took him by surprise since you weren’t trying to protect him like before.

“You looked sad and if my brothers taught me anything it’s how to deal with sad faces. You give them a big hug, some tickles, double kisses on both cheeks, and some snuggles!” you laughed.

Malleus blushed from you treating him like a child, but he liked all the physical attention. The things he wanted to do to you, but had no idea how start it. But he was sure of one thing. . . He was going to make you his.

Malleus was now laughing happily and you were now too. You began playing little games like I Spy and telling fun facts about each other. The boat ride was soon and you two were walking around more stalls.

“Ohh! This place sells Silky Melon,” you said.

“What is Silky Melon?” he asked.

“Kalim told me about them. They’re melons with ice cream, oranges, blueberries, and other fruits. Kalim said after eating this your friendship and love will last forever. The downside is that it’s so expensive,” you laughed.

“I’ll buy one for us,” said Malleus.

“Huh?! I can pay for my own; I don’t have any money problems,” you said.

You really didn’t want to be a burden.

“There’s no need to fret. Have you forgot that I’m a king? I can buy you as many as you want. But we’ll only need one, right?” Malleus said with a smile.

“Only one?” you said, confused.

“Yes, to share,” he said with a smirk.

You were confused, but thought nothing of it. You clearly couldn’t tell he was flirting. The Silky Melon was bought and was handed to you. You took a spoon and scooped a portion of the ice cream onto it.

��Say ah,” you said.

“Treating me like a child again. Well so be it,” Malleus said with a smirk.

Malleus ate the ice cream and loved it. He then scooped some more and tried to feed you as well. You ate it amazed at how delicious it was. This date was going better than Malleus planned now, since the others are gone.

“Hopefully this fruit will make our love last forever. I will do anything to give me a shot of a relationship with you,” thought Malleus happily.

#lilia vanrouge #malleus draconia #twisted wonderland #lilia x reader #malleus x reader #lilia & malleus x reader #abused reader #frail body

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