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mostlysignssomeportents · 4 years

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Fincen (they fucking knew all along)

The Fincen leaks are the latest finance corruption megaleak, following Paradise Papers (2017), PanamaP apers (2016), Swiss Leaks (2015), Lux Leaks (2014). It's a trove of 2100 "Suspicious Activity Reports" (SARs) from the US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

The reporting on the leaks was shared among multiple journalism orgs, including BBC Panorama, Buzzfeed, and more than 100 other orgs in 88 countries, coordinated by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, whose master report is a key to the whole leak:

https://www.icij.org/investigations/fincen-files/global-banks-defy-u-s-crackdowns-by-serving-oligarchs-criminals-and-terrorists/

Here's the nut: the world's largest banks knowingly laundered billions of dollars for the worst criminals, looters and oligarchs in the world. The financial regulators knew they were doing it.

Many had paid billions in fines and avoided criminal prosecutions for earlier misdeeds and continued to facilitate the flows of vast, illicit fortunes on behalf of brutal criminals and dictators, including many who were under sanction.

The US government knew. The banks knew. Neither acted to stop it. The banks made a fortune for their trouble. I mean, we could just end it there, but the details matter.

Start with the largest bank in the US: Jpmorganchase. Jpmorgan knowingly laundered money for looters from Venezuela and Ukraine and helped launder the billions stolen from Malaysia through the 1MDB scam - $1B of that money passed through JPM's fingers, and they knew it was dirty.

They also laundered millions for Paul Manafort - AFTER he'd been forced to resign over money-laundering accusations. The volume of criminal money flowing through JPM INCREASED every year, even as it paid fines in 2011, 2013 and 2014 for money laundering.

JPM told the ICIJ that it plays a "leadership role" in "proactive intelligence-led investigations" and developing "innovative techniques to help combat financial crime."

(ok looter)

Other banks engaged in criminal money-laundering: HSBC, Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank and Bank of NY Mellon.

The leaks only represent 0.02% of SARS, and document $2 TRILLION in dirty transactions between 1999-2017, with $1.3 TRILLION at Deutschebank alone.

Treasury stonewalled ICIJ, but announced that it was seeking public comment "on ways to improve the US's anti-money laundering system."

The reporting not only encompasses the leaked SARs: the media orgs on the job analyzed 17,600 other docs: leaks, court files, FOIA docs, and interviews with experts.

Here's what the banks did: "blindly moving cash through accounts for people they can’t identify, failing to report transactions with all the hallmarks of money laundering until years after the fact, doing business with clients enmeshed in frauds and corruption scandals."

This activity took place while banks like HSBC were ALREADY ON PROBATION for other money-laundering crimes. HSBC says it is now "a much safer institution."

Much of the $2T flowed through secrecy jurisdictions - not just the BVI, but also the City of London, Wyoming/Nevada/Delaware, Cyprus, HK, the UAE, Switzerland and Russia - places where companies can have anonymous owners and beneficiaries.

ICIJ traces some of this cash to terrorist orgs, sanctioned individuals in Iran and the former USSR, etc.

JPM laundered more than $1b for a mysterious company called ABSI Enterprises, believed to be a front for Russian mafia boss-of-bosses Semion Mogilevich.

MORE THAN $1B!

The Treasury deputizes banks themselves to fight laundering, giving the largest banks responsibility to catch criminals. Instead, these banks used their privileged position to exact fees from crooks in exchange for keeping schtum!

Meanwhile, the ACTUAL compliance officers at the big banks are marginalized and underfunded: "overworked, under-resourced staffers, who typically work in back offices far from headquarters and have little clout within their organizations."

"Documents in the FinCEN Files show compliance workers at major banks often resort to basic Google searches to try to learn who’s behind transfers involving hundreds of millions of dollars."

Which means that banks can only figure out if they're laundering money for a monster if that person is already in the news - and usually, that happens AFTER the money has winged its way to some other far-off destination.

Meanwhile, the money people AT THE BANK go to great lengths to keep their own compliance people from busting them, like Standard Chartered, where bankers used aliases so payment from sanctioned criminals could go through.

Some of the dodges used to disguise the true owners of money laundries are hilariously amateurish, and the only thing worse is how long they were overlooked by the regulators who were supposed to be preventing them.

For example, the UK's Companies House - the corporate regulator - allowed a couple of anonymous companies in the British Virgin Islands to be listed as the owners of HUNDREDS of UK companies, all housed in a vacant former nail bar in Wales.

One of these companies, Novirex, funneled gigantic sums via obviously fraudulent payments, such as $400k for "knee boots" from Hong Kong, millions in all, while booking $2500/yr in revues, with the help of Jpmorganchase.

JPM had a financial partnership with the Latvian bank ABLV, a laundry for Russian criminals, whose own compliance department rated 90 PERCENT of its customers as "high risk." They moved billions, with the help of JPM.

This was on Jamie Dimon's watch, when the division that did these dirty deals ballooned to $4.13b/year. Novirex was the laundry that Paul Manfort used to do his own financial crimes. JPM laundered at least $230m for them.

Then there's HSBC, long one of the world's most unapologetic criminal banks. The leaks reveal HSBC's before/during/after the fact involvement in the World Capital Market Ponzi scheme, which bilked poor people from the world's poorest places out of $80m.

While WCM was under investigation in THREE countries, while HSBC was STILL ON PROBATION for laundering money for the mass-murdering Mexican narco cartels, it kept WCM's account active and allowed $7m to be emptied out of it.

Just part of $900m in shell-company-linked anonymous transactions HSBC cleared for the world's crime-lords and dictators.

Indeed, all 5 of the worst culprits in the leaks had taken "deferred prosecution deals" - probation for earlier crimes, which they continued to commit.

Like Bank of NY Mellon, which laundered $1.3b for Putin ally and mafioso Oleg Deripaska. Or Deutsche Bank, which moved $11b for Deripaska.

And all five banks laundered money for Ukrainian oligarch/wanted criminal Dmytro Firtash - while telling Treasury that they were cracking down on financial crime. JPM laundered $2b for Firtash.

The leaks reveal what we've known all along: a fine is a price. The banks were fined billions. They made hundreds of billions, and laundered trillions. Fine 'em billions more, and they'll just absorb it as the cost of doing business.

The stiffest penalty ever paid by a bank - $8.9b to France's BNP Paribas, a criminal conviction, 13 staffers forced out - resulted in its share price going UP, because the deal allowed to to resume US dollar trading after one year.

Deutsche Bank paid $258m in fines for violating sanctions, announced it had cleaned house, and (the leaks reveal) ONE MONTH LATER started plans to launder money for Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky - $240m in all.

Deutsche Bank now says it had "past weaknesses," has "learnt from our mistakes" "systematically tackled" the issues and "we're a different bank now."

Who the fuck believes this bullshit?

The US Treasury's financial crimes enforcers, for one.

These companies shouldn't get deferred convictions. The individuals who perpetrated these crimes, and the executives who signed off on them, should face criminal persecution.

They should forfeit all their assets. The banks should be broken up - and broken up again, and again and again - until they are small enough that no one can claim the organization was too big to effectively police.

This is not the first, or second, or third, or fourth set of finance leaks that reveals that the "finance industry" is a literal, non-metaphorical, non-hyperbolic global crime syndicate.

But it is the first set of leaks that details just how well that fact is understood by government financial regulators, and exactly how unbelievably bad they are at their jobs.

I say "unbelievable" because only an idiot would believe that anyone is this bad at their job. "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action." This isn't incompetence.

It's complicity.

#pluralistic

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xxisxxisxxis · 3 years

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Gateway Drug | Part Eighty-Seven

Words: 4.5k

Warning(s): explicit language, sexual situations, drug abuse, violence

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NIKKI

"Nikki, what the hell are you doing?" Vivian asks me as we walk down the stairs of the law firm.

"I've broken every fuckin' vow except 'till death do us part' and I'll be fucked to hell if we stuck it out and stayed with each other after the worst bullshit just to fucking divorce." I state and she stays quiet for a moment before I'm stumbling back when she halts and snatches away from me, glaring up at me.

"What if I want a divorce?" She asks.

"I'd tell you you're full of shit." I snap and she raises a brow and crosses her arms.

"Then what the hell was the point of hounding me for a divorce just to do this?!" She barks at me.

"To prove a point I guess, I don't fucking know." I admit.

"To prove a point?! What point were you trying to prove?! That even when we're not together you still have the control in the relationship?!" She yells.

"I don't have any fucking control in this relationship, are you fucking me?! I haven't had any control since day fucking one, Vivian!"

"Are you fucking serious?!" She screams at me, frustration all over her face. "You have always had control, Nikki, trust me, I know, I'm the one that had to lay down and take your bullshit and give up what I wanted to do just so you'd feel in control!"

"I told you to go to fucking New York to go to school, did I not? What the hell did you do? You stayed! You can't get pissed at me for not giving you what you supposedly think I promised you!"

"No, Nikki, I'm not pissed at you for not giving me what you promised--I'm pissed because you've given me years of fucked up shit that was never supposed to even be a part of the plan!" She has tears in her eyes, her voice shaking…

She's right. I'm not going to tell her she's wrong…

I sigh and rub the back of my neck, exhaling, as she wipes her eyes.

"...Look, me and the guys are going to a different rehab, and I'll actually stick with it, and I want to work this out." I tell her, honestly. "I just don't know how to come back from the shit we've done to each other, Viv, but if we can figure out how, then I wanna do it."

She doesn't say anything, looking at me with her pretty green eyes, nodding slightly.

I didn't realize that once we agreed to work on our marriage, that all hell would break loose in the midst of repairing the damage.

Me and the guys, except Mick, were sent to another rehab because the first one was too obnoxious, and by the second one, we were actually getting somewhere with each other as a band and individually, including the people closest to us in our lives. For me, that was Vivian.

My leg can't stop shaking as I repeatedly tap my foot, waiting for my counselor to get in and meet Vivian for the first time.

I exhale and glance at her, her red hair curled, reaching just over her boobs, long legs taken up by black stockings that have lace trim mid-thigh, just peeking out from under her black dress, black heels tapping quietly on the floor, her dark red nails standing out against the cover of the shitty crossword she's flipping through. Her perfume has the whole little area she's in smelling good and her red lips rub together for a moment as she doesn't even notice me staring at her.

It's a Saturday and I'm assuming she's going out with Sharise or something when she leaves here, or she dressed like this to torture me, knowing I haven't had sex in nearly two months, starting in Japan back in December, and my right hand is my best friend currently.

My fucking balls hurt as she shifts her legs, uncrossing them to cross them the opposite, now.

If it were up to me they'd be wide open and either around my hips or my head.

I keep my hand pressed to my lips, resting my elbow on the arm of the chair, focused on her.

I slide down in my chair a little to try to see what kind of panties she's wearing--if she's wearing any at all.

It wouldn't surprise me if she's not wearing any at all. Just to fuck with my head like she loves to do.

"Take a picture and it'll last longer." She tells me flatly, not taking her eyes off the book.

"I would if I had a camera." I don't even deny staring at her and she flicks her gaze to me. "Or a video camera. That'd be better." I add.

"Ha. Ha." She sarcastically lets out and I smirk, watching her get up to grab her purse from the empty chair adjacent to me, leaning down to dig through it.

It takes everything in my power not to get behind her, bend her over it, slide her panties to the side and start poun--

"We're here to start the process of fixing things between us and you're here only focused on sex." She states and I snap out of it.

"No, I'm not." I argue, furrowing my brows.

"Nikki, I know when you're picturing having sex with me."

"I'm always picturing having sex with you." I state. "And you know exactly what you're doing."

The faintest, smallest little grin comes to her lips as she goes to sit down again.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She mumbles and I look at her.

"You're cruel." I mumble and she rolls her eyes.

"Oh, whatever." She replies.

"You look hot."

"Shut up."

"We can be done in ten seconds." I say next and she goes red.

"Stop, Nikki!" She scolds me.

"C'mon, Viv, we've never fucked on a desk before." I point out.

"We've broken into Doc's office just to mess around on his desk, Nikki." She reminds me.

"Well, we've never fucked on a therapist's desk, so c'mon, it'll be quick."

"I--" she starts laughing, not believing me, "--am not having sex in a rehab facility. I'm not that horny."

"So you admit you are horny to some degree, though." I say and she rolls her eyes.

"Shut up."

"Just flash me or something."

"Nikki."

"Please?"

"You're so weird." She ignores my request while I'm pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I'm in pain, Vivian." I say next, groaning, exaggerating.

"Sounds like a personal problem."

"Fuck." I lean my head back, rubbing my face.

The door opens and my counselor comes in, smiling at us.

"Sorry, I'm late." She says, stepping to Vivian, extending her hand. "I have heard lots about you, I'm Amber."

"Vivian. It's nice to meet you." Vivian replies, smiling her shiny smile that should win her an Oscar because she wears it so well even when she's fucking miserable--I obviously know from experience.

Amber sits behind her desk as Vivian sits back down in the chair, and she looks up from her paperwork at us, raising her brows.

"If we're going to start this grueling process, I highly suggest you two get comfortable being within three feet of each other, again." She adds.

Me and Vivian exchange looks, before she sighs and stands up, walking to the little couch I'm sitting on, plopping down beside me.

I smirk to myself, looking at her from the side of my eye.

"Okay, let's just get to it, Vivian, I've gotten a brief history of your husband, and I feel as though I can sort of, kind of, pin point a thing or two that has lead to the point that you two are at currently, but I'd really like to learn a little bit about you because all that's portrayed publicly to all of us is he's this nitty gritty, abrasive rock God, and you're the angel that tamed him to settle down." She explains and Vivian scoffs, raising her brows. "I know it sounds ridiculous but that's what's given in magazines and pictures taken of you two."

"Yeah." Vivian nods.

"And I don't think that's true, I don't think everything is happy and sunshine and, 'oh, we're opposites but that's what we love about each other,' and blah, blah, or else neither of you would be here admitting your marriage is in shambles...so, becoming familiar with Nikki--sober--the way that I have the past week gives me a sense of who he really is without the drugs and the cameras and the fans and the girls, because in here he's only got himself. He doesn't have to upkeep the persona he puts on to make it seem like everything's perfect. And, although you aren't a patient here, I really want you to allow yourself to just be and differentiate between who you are to the public, and who you are privately, because--from what I've heard--they're two completely different people." She says next and Vivian nods. "So, who is Vivian Kinston and how did she get together with Nikki Sixx?" She offers a warm smile and Vivian exhales, already looking overwhelmed…"In three descriptions, who were you when you met Nikki?"

"A very religious, ballet dancing, perfectionist." Vivian says and Amber nods.

"Let's dissect that and break it down for a moment." She says next. "Okay, religious--was that on your own or passed through your family or…?"

"Both of my parents, but mainly my mom." She replies and Amber nods.

"Okay, and what is mom like?"

"Very strict Christian, we couldn't have anything secular in the house...I'm not sure what she's like now but when I last saw her she had the pastor I grew up with trying to exorcise a demon from me because she found out I was engaged to Nikki." She tells her and Amber's brows shoot up.

"When was that?"

"'82, '83, around that time." Vivian explains.

"So you haven't seen mom in close to six years."

"Yeah."

"Okay...you were a ballet dancer when you met," she starts the next point.

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Since I can remember." Vivian informs her.

"So, a strict Christian upbringing, and a very, very, intricate form of dance that requires a lot of discipline, since you were probably a toddler."

"Yeah."

"And is that where the perfectionism comes in, through your background with dance?"

"No."

"No, okay."

"My mom and my upbringing." Vivian explains. "Anytime I did something my mom didn't like or approve of or thought other people would lose their minds over if they knew I was doing it, she'd get onto me and would constantly drill into my head, 'this is not what we do, Vivian'."

"Wow." Amber nods, her brows slightly furrowed. "So, it doesn't come from a place of that physical drive to be perfect at most things you do, it comes from a mental and emotional drive of not wanting people to know what skeletons are in the closet that would make them think less of you."

Vivian nods, taking a deep breath.

"Okay, and do you think that sense of perfectionism from your mother has helped you or harmed you in the long run?"

"Harmed." She's saying it nearly before Amber can get her words out of her mouth.

"And why is that?"

"Because I grew up with her holding me to a nearly unreachable standard, and hounding unrealistic expectations onto me."

"And in turn…"

"...It's made me do the same to him." Vivian says and I stare at the floor.

"What unrealistic expectations, or unreachable standard have you held him to?"

"Not doing the things that he's done." She says next.

"What things?"

"Infidelity and drug and alcohol addiction."

"Why is expecting your husband not to cheat on you or put drugs and alcohol before you an unrealistic expectation that is unattainable for him?" Amber asks next and I rub my lips together.

"Because of who he is and what he does." Vivian says next and Amber raises her brows.

"So you think because he's Nikki Sixx--big time rockstar--that it's not realistic to expect him to do what he is supposed to do as your husband which is stay faithful and not put substances before you?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I see." Amber looks at me and I sigh. "Was your relationship ever open or polygamous, during or prior to marriage?"

"No." She shakes her head.

"Was he addicted to anything when you got married?"

"He did drugs and drank but at that point in time he didn't have a heavy reliance on it, no."

"An unrealistic expectation would be you telling him he can sleep with other women but then you getting angry every time he did. That's setting an unrealistic expectation of, 'I'm giving you permission to indulge in sex with other women but I expect you not to,' or him being addicted to heroin when you got married and you expecting him to drop any addiction he has solely based on the fact that you two got married. That's an unrealistic expectation. Him being a famous rock musician has nothing to do with his ability, or lack thereof, to be monogamous and sober." She explains to Vivian. "So you wanting your husband to not have an affair and not get strung out was not an unrealistic expectation that you had in a moment of naivety." She assures her.

"Okay." Vivian sounds like she's been waiting to hear that for a while…

"And I believe the issues you two are facing the most from both Nikki, and yourself, have grown from the root of how you two think. I know we hear the saying, 'opposites attract,' but we don't think about how sometimes when people are too opposite it acts like hot and cold air when it mixes and if it's in a big enough whirl, or big enough of a spectrum, it creates a tornado or a hurricane." She says next. "Religion equals a sense of morality, your history with ballet equipped you with a fair amount of discipline, and that perfectionism that you spoke on is your way of caring so much about what others think of you, you sacrifice yourself and just smile to keep things looking amazing on the outside."

Vivian nods.

"I asked him to describe you in three words, and he said, 'beautiful, depressed, belligerent'." She tells her and I slowly see tears coming to Vivian's eyes. "Nikki admitted to me that when he met you, he had no sense of morality, he was doing whatever he wanted, when he wanted, he had no discipline in terms of controlling himself around drugs and women, and he couldn't give less of a care about what people thought of him." She explains. "And that might even been fun and exciting when you were just starting out but once you're married and he's gotten all these eyes on him suddenly, there are expectations put on the both of you to be this couple who has everything, and you're both attractive, and he's the bad boy and you're the good girl and you just fell in love is the only explanation you have for making the relationship work to the point of wanting to get married and you have a great house and matching cars and all this and all that and you're in the press smiling and laughing and holding hands and hugging up on each other and oh, it's a wonderful life, but as soon as you get alone…" she trails off, looking at the both of us knowingly. "He's high, you're suffering, and both of you are living a hell. But nobody can know that because you're Nikki and Vivian Sixx. You two are perfect because he doesn't cheat on you like other rockstars do to their wives and girlfriends. He doesn't put drugs and alcohol before you like so many others do to their girlfriends and their wives. He doesn't turn into this monster you don't recognize and lash out like a dog at you after a night of sitting in his closet and shooting up, because he 'loves' you, and you don't have to keep quiet for years while it just keeps adding up and adding up until finally you beat on your husband and those around you over minuet instances because the big things you were probably justified to get that angry over were swept under the rug and were never dealt with for years--because that's not what you do." She ties it right back to Vivian's mother.

A tear rolls down Vivian's cheek, neither of us expecting it to be this heavy just during her introduction to Viv.

"If we don't stop that mentality, it's going to poison every relationship around you that it hasn't already and when you have children it's going to be a curse on them just like it's a curse on you." She tells her, as Viv sniffles, trying to keep up with wiping her tears away. "I've already been on him about his upbringing burdening him, so please don't think this is a personal attack on you."

Viv nods, mouthing, "okay."

"You two want to make this relationship better and be better for one another, we are going to have to tear down six years worth of walls and blockades and gut this entire thing completely and start again. It's not going to be easy, you're probably going to learn things about each other you've been hiding and maybe even amicably decide to divorce before it's all over with, but you are both going to heal and start the process of forgiveness. With yourselves, with your parents, with your friends, and with each other."

She gives the both of us some homework...

"I want you two to prepare to tell each other everything you've not told one another for next time we meet." Amber tells us and the color drains from Viv's face, I know for a fucking fact that I don't look much different from her.

"What?" Vivian asks her.

"If we're healing this relationship we need everything in the dark in the light so we aren't building on an old foundation of secrets." She states. Vivian just nods hesitantly before we're dismissed.

"Vivian." I stop her out in the hall before she can leave, grabbing gently at her wrist.

"Yeah?" She asks me.

"I love you." I tell her and she looks at me, smiling a little.

"I'll see you Wednesday." She replies, squeezing my hand before she walks away.

What the hell? I tell her and I love her and she just fucking says, "I'll see you Wednesday'?"

I watch as she goes down the hall, heels clicking, hair down her back…

Goddamn.

This is definitely my payback for taking my time with her for granted, because now that I'm in my right mind and not ruining our marriage, she barely even looks at me.

At least she was actually wanting to work things out, because after the Vanity bullshit, I thought we'd never make it out after the first time I saw her since it had happened.

July 1987

I brace myself against the bathroom wall as my whole body goes numb for a moment, my eyes rolling momentarily.

"Sixx, c'mon, we gotta get goin', Viv's here!" Fred yells from behind the door, his fist beating at it.

Fuck him. Fuck this tour. Fuck this band. Fuck everything right now.

Viv's just got here from the airport, she flew back in earlier this morning and I've been hiding, completely avoiding her, but I can't anymore.

The media's in a frenzy since Vanity aired all of our dirty laundry, only making Viv and I both on edge even more.

We've been denying the shit out of Vanity's engagement claims, but I don't think people are buying it as much as we'd like to think they are.

I take in a breath and stumble to the mirror, looking at myself.

Not too bad for a low down, dirty, bastard.

Opening the bathroom door to see where Fred's waiting for me, I glance past his shoulder to see Vivian.

She looks like she feels like hell, but has managed to pull herself together.

Makes two of us--well, kind of, at least.

"C'mon, the guys are already at the venue."

Fred tells me.

"Great." I smirk, patting his shoulder, stepping to Vivian.

I don't think either of us are taking into consideration the amount of utter bullshitting we're about to have to do.

I also don't expect the amount of paparazzi waiting for us right outside the hotel's doors.

As soon as the door opens, screaming, flashes, invasive questions come hurtling our way. It feels closterphobic enough to make Vivian grab my hand, tight, curling closer into me as if trying to hide away from prying cameras and questions about my alleged affair.

I feel her being tugged at once, and just as she says, "Nikki," I'm snatching my hand from hers to beat repeatedly, as hard as I can, at the forearm of the perpetrator, a media creep trying to get her attention.

"Don't fucking touch her!" I bark out over the noise and he stumbles back, holding at his arm as I put my arm around her waist, tightly, getting to the car.

When we get inside, Vivian's obviously distraught over what just happened, shoving herself away from me.

I turn my anger to Fred.

"What the fuck is the point of having fucking security if you're not going to keep people from touching her?" I sneer.

"Because I'm a bodyguard, but you're a fucking Rottweiler." He states back without hesitation and I just roll my jaw, glancing at Vivian and she doesn't even look at me.

I sigh and dig in my pocket for the little baggie I got earlier, grabbing my hotel room key to take a bump to help me wake up for this show, and when we get to the venue, I'm getting out of the car and waiting for Fred to get out.

He does, and I stop Vivian, nudging her back inside before saying, "we'll be there in a second."

Fred just looks at me and exhales, rolling his eyes before stepping inside.

Vivian sighs out as I look at her, avoiding looking at me…

"Vivian, are we gonna talk about it or…?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I think we should."

"You proposed to her, Nikki."

"Allegedly." I add.

"You. Proposed. To. Her." She says it sharply and I lean back. "You had an affair with her. I trusted you. I trusted the both of you. And you lied to me." She hisses. "So, no, there is nothing to talk about...just let me out of the damn car." She slides over and opens the door but I reach over her and slam it shut.

She takes heavy breaths from where she's sitting, my body hovering over hers, the tips of our noses brushing together…

I lean down, my lips pressing to her's for just a second before she lets go of the fact I completely screwed her over.

I'm about to pull away when she pushes her tongue past my lips, her nails running over my back through my shirt as her legs wrap around my hips, one of her hands in my knotted hair.

As always, I end up eating her like a starved pervert, relishing in the sounds of her moans and gasps.

The truth is, she may hate me, but I'm good at getting her off and she knows it.

Once she comes and we start getting ourselves together to go inside, I look over at her.

"So, are we good?" I ask her, oh, so fucking stupidly, and she blinks at me.

"What?"

"Are we good?"

She catches on to what I mean, and rubs her lips together.

"Nikki, you could fuck me into oblivion, which you can't because I'm never letting you fucking touch me again, and we still wouldn't be good. Not even close to 'good'. You can't have an affair with my friend and then expect everything to be good just because we fooled around while you were stoned out of your mind." She snaps and I roll my jaw as she gets out and slams the door, stomping to the back entrance of the venue.

For the first time I feel the sting of rejection.

Is this how groupies feel?

I never thought once about getting head, leaving them in the limo and going on about my business.

Anger boils in me, Sikki chomping at the bit.

That selfish bitch!

I get out and go after her.

I don't know what the fuck I'm gonna say to her, but I'm mad.

"How dare you use me to get your rocks off and then toss me aside?", no, because I've done that to her a couple times...but that's because she's into it.

I swear she comes harder when I randomly come up behind her and just start going at it because she knows I'm just using her to get off and then leave her wherever I stopped her, and go out right after and wouldn't think twice about it.

But me? I'm so used to her looking at me like I'm God while I have my full attention on making her feel good, and she has the audacity to get off on my face and then kick me to the curb and tell me I'm never touching her again?!

I decided it wasn't worth the fist fight it would inevitably turn into by the time I got inside, but and looking back, she had every reason to get me horny and then swear off ever letting me get near her again. It was petty, but smart. And despite having sex one last time not long after that instance, the point was still made clear. For the first time in our relationship, the acceptance of sexual advances didn't take the place of forgiveness.

#nikki sixx #nikki sixx fanfiction #nikki sixx x oc #gateway drug

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melon-wing · 4 years

Text

Dread Part 2

[Pirate AU Masterlist] There are trigger warnings in the tags, but they might be a little spoiler-y. Just be warned. Pirates ain’t the nicest people. ~~

Doc sat in his cabin on board behind a massive wooden desk covered in countless maps. He needed to plan their next route, calculate in all of the navy’s and other pirate’s routes and be prepared in case anything went wrong. He loved this part of his pirate life just as much as the fighting and plundering. Nothing was better than seeing one of his well thought out plans come to fruition.

He made a thoughtful noise as he picked up the document one of his spies had leaked to him, containing the planned routes of the navy’s ships, staring at one line in particular on the map. He knew he shouldn’t… But maybe he could plan a course that would accidentally pass their route. He would probably be able to arrange a stop to refill their resources in the same port as they did. And then Doc would be able to see him again.

Rushed steps ran up to his cabin and the door was flung open, hitting the wall behind it hard. Doc didn’t even need to look up to know who it was. There was only one person on board daring enough to make an entrance like that into the Captain’s cabin.

“Ren. I hope you have a good explanation this time. And no, Etho being mean to you doesn’t count.”

When there was no answer Doc finally looked up. He froze at the expression on Ren’s face. It looked pained. He obviously was the bearer of bad news and a face like that couldn’t mean a lot of things.

“Ren? Did something happen to one of our crew?”

Ren shook his head, walking up to the desk, a piece of paper clenched in his hands.

“We got a message from one of our allies. He says word’s going around that Bdubs has Captain Doc’s little pet in his possession.”

Doc frowned at that, turning his head to look at the basket in the corner of his cabin, where two small foxes were resting, both peacefully asleep.

“Well as you can see that is nonsense. Hans and-”

“Doc…” Ren sounded exasperated, like Doc was making this hard for him on purpose. “Not your foxes. Bdubs has captured Lieutenant Grian.”

Doc felt like he couldn’t breathe for a second, his blood running cold, emotions welling up inside him he wasn’t ready to feel yet. So he did the only thing that seemed right at the moment and pushed those thoughts aside, closing his heart off. His gaze darkened as he glared at Ren, eyes practically glowing.

“And why would I care? It’s the navy’s problem. Not mine. They formed him into their little star to look good on posters. They painted a target onto his back, not me. If they can’t take care of their own, good riddance. One dog less to worry about.”

“But it’s Grian…”

Doc stood up, slamming his hands onto the table. Maps went flying everywhere and his foxes awoke, running up to him while making worried sounds.

“He isn’t different from all the others. He is our enemy.”

“Doc… I don’t think Bdubs captured him to get back at the navy. He is boasting about owning your pet. He knows there’s something going on between the two of you. He knows you enough to tell.”

Doc balled his hands into fists, throwing a deadly glare at Ren, who at least had the decency to flinch a little.

“There is nothing going on between me and that Lieutenant. I asked him to join because he is an amazing fighter and we could use him in our crew. And as far as I remember he declined and called me and the whole crew a few choice words. So no, there are no feelings involved and I’m not going to endanger all of your lives for that one idiot.”

Ren looked like he wanted to protest, but when Doc kept glaring at him he nodded, giving him a lazy salute and turning around. When the door was almost closed, Doc could hear his voice drifting over.

“You should know the crew would be willing to fight for him…”

Doc took a few calming breaths. He wouldn’t act out. He was fine. Everything was alright. Why would he care about Grian? Why should he?

Sure he was intrigued by Grian. He had been the first person to beat him in a fight after all. But that was all there was. The crew was his family. He couldn’t risk their lives, no matter what Ren might think wise. The navy would already be on their way with an armada. They didn’t take kindly to stunts like that. Even Bdubs couldn’t keep a Lieutenant captive for too long. He just hoped that Bdubs wouldn’t decide Grian was more trouble than he was worth.

An image flashed through Doc’s mind, of Grian’s dead body, bloody and broken being thrown over the side of a ship to sink into the depth of the ocean, getting lost in the endless depth…

Doc groaned, letting his head fall onto the desk. What was he supposed to do?

Grian didn’t know how much time had passed since they had thrown him into a cell below deck. The only light was coming from a small lantern hanging outside of his cell next to the guard’s post. It must have been five days at least, going by the times they had given him something to eat and how often the person guarding him had changed.

It was annoying to be under surveillance at all times. What did they think he could do? He might be a good soldier, but he couldn’t perform wonders. They were in the middle of the ocean on course god knows were. By the way the boat rocked they were going pretty fast. Jumping over board to flee would be a death sentence for him. His hands and legs were chained together and on top of that his shoulder wound felt like it had become infected. Fleeing would be suicide.

Maybe it would be better, to just jump and swart Bdubs plans. Without any hostage there would be no trap. That way Grian could at least save one last life before he died. Even if it was the life of a stinking pirate. Well… If he died to save a pirate, Doc might not be his worst option. But he’d rather not die at all. Damn! That’s what he got for almost changing his opinion on pirates. He got thrown into their mess.

The door to the cell area opened and the guard sitting in front of his cell jumped up. That could mean only one thing: The captain was honouring them with his presence. Grian slowly stood up from his rack, chains rattling as he did. He tried to stand as straight and proud as he could considering his circumstances.

Bdubs walked up to the cell, sending the guard away with a wave of his hand, looking Grian up and down, a grin appearing on his face.

“You know… I get it. Doc does have a pretty good taste. Pretty being the key word. You really are nice on the eyes, Lieutenant”, Bdubs drawled out the last word mockingly and Grian just glared at him.

“You’d make a fine pirate. If you weren’t his lover, I’d recruit you.”

“I’d rather die than become a damn pirate. You are all animals.”

Bdubs laughed at his angered reply. “Oh poor Doc.” Bdubs eyes lost all trace of humour and he looked coldly at Grian. “He doesn’t know how to properly train a pet, I see. But I don’t like rebellious little kids, navy boy.”

“Yeah I noticed. Your type are little slimy ass-kissers. How’s that snake Keralis?”

A shot rang out. Grian could feel the bullet flying past his face, leaving a tiny bleeding scratch on his cheek. But he didn’t flinch. He just stayed there, trying to look as unimpressed as possible, even though his heart was beating like crazy. Bdubs wouldn’t kill him. He needed him after all.

“Don’t you ever dare to talk about Keralis like that or you’ll regret the day you decided to join the navy.”

Grian shrugged, eyes darkening, holding his chin up high. “There’s not a moment I’m not regretting that day, so don’t worry, you can’t really make it any worse.”

He knew his dismissive attitude was angering Bdubs and that it was possibly the worst idea he could have. But it made him feel like he had at least a sliver of control left in this situation. If he would just bow down and let everything happen to him… He couldn’t bare that thought.

“So tell me, high and mighty Captain Bdubs. What makes you think the navy will let you get away with this? They must be on your trail by now. They’ll sink your ship for what you’ve done. Before this week is over they’ll have you hanging.”

He thought reminding Bdubs of the navy would make him even angrier and maybe in his anger he’d give Grian some information. But no, the anger faded from Bdubs’ face and he chuckled a little.

“Oh. You still think the navy will save you? That is cute, boy. You really trust them. But they won’t. You see… They are just as easily controlled as everybody else. If enough money passes from one hand to another they’ll look for you everywhere but here. And they want Doc’s head just as badly as I do. So if they have to sacrifice you for it, so be it.”

“You are lying!”

“Nobody will come for you, Grian. Nobody will save you. We are just waiting for the main character of this tragedy to arrive and then your life will end.”

Grian balled his hands into fists. He shouldn’t believe anything coming out of Bdubs mouth right now, but he couldn’t help the uncertainty rising inside him. What if it was really true? What if the navy wasn’t coming to save him? Should he really hope on Doc trying to save him? But if Doc came, he would surely die…

“He won’t come. Whatever you heard about me and him? It’s wrong. We are fighting constantly.”

Bdubs just shrugged, still smiling. “Oh, but Grian… Did you forget? That is not what you told Keralis. From what he told me both of you sound like you have one fucking huge crush and are to scared to admit it. I also heard about the two of you sharing a dance in the neutral zone. Really cute. Like in some cheesy romance novel, isn’t it? He might not come running as fast as I hoped, but we can wait a little.”

Bdubs took out a key, opening the door to Grian’s cell. Grian threw a calculating glance towards it. His hands and legs were still chained together, so running probably was a bad idea. And he had no clue where they were at the moment. Could he overpower Bdubs and get his crew to drop him off somewhere? Probably not. And Bdubs wouldn’t make a very cooperative hostage. Damn. He hated being so helpless.

The only thing he could do was stand his ground. He stayed were he was, looking up at Bdubs out of defiant eyes as the Pirate Captain walked up to him. A hand grabbed his chin, forcing his head back.

“So Grian, what do you say about making this a little more… interesting?” Bdubs voice was dark and Grian didn’t like where this was going. No matter what would happen, nothing that guy deemed interesting would mean anything remotely good for Grian.

“You are going to kill me anyway. Don’t think I’m going to play your games just to make this more entertaining.”

Bdubs chuckled and his fingers dug painfully into Grian’s skin, sure to leave marks later. "That wasn't a question, dear. You are in no position to refuse any offer, because depending on your behaviour your death might be more or less painful. So you'd better do what I tell you to. If I tell you to jump, you do. So now-" Grian spat into Bdubs face, silencing him abruptly. For a second Grian got the satisfaction of seeing Bdubs’ surprised face. That guy probably wasn't used to defiance. But after that second of shock was over, Grian almost regretted doing it. Bdubs hand left his chin, to grab him by the neck, slamming him painfully against the wooden wall behind him. The hand was pressing down hard and Grian gasped for breath. He tried to pull the hand off, his fingers uselessly scratching at the arm holding him. Tears were starting to fill his eyes as he kept gasping and struggling. "You really shouldn't make me angry", Bdubs whispered, but Grian could barely hear over the sound of his own heartbeat ringing in his ears. His vision started fading, his legs buckling below him. Just when he thought he was about to pass out, the pressure was gone. Grian fell to the floor, gasping for air and coughing harshly. A boot was pressed under his chin, the threat clear and so Grian slowly raised his head, to look up at Bdubs, staring at him out of teary eyes. The angry face on Bdubs turned into one of pure delight. "Well, well, Grian, who would have thought, you could look even more pretty? So can we talk like civilized people now... pet?" Grian felt disgusted at that title. Nobody, not even Doc, ever talked that degrading to him. He took a deep breath and then smiled. "Kiss my ass, pirate." His head snapped back hard, as Bdubs kicked his chin. All he could hear was a ringing sound in his ears and his whole skull seemed to hurt. Before he could recover, a boot already pressed down painfully on his chest, forcing him to stay on the floor. "You’re really starting to piss me of, navy boy. And you are going to regret it. You only make me want to break you even more, leave nothing but an empty shell for Doc to find. He'll be devastated, knowing that I broke his little toy."

"He won't come...", Grian spat back, glaring at Bdubs, "He isn't dumb enough to fall for the trap of a second rate pirate. You'll never manage to beat him."

Bdubs glared at him and then the foot left as Bdubs walked back to the cell door. Grian dared to heave a sigh of relieve, slowly raising himself into a sitting position. That relief only lasted for a few seconds when Bdubs left the cell and shouted an order through the hallway.

"Prepare the prisoner for a whipping. Make sure everyone can watch."

Grian's heart sank, but he had known that resistance would end in pain for him. He had made his decision and he wouldn't back down now. He was a proud member of the navy.

When two pirates came to get him, he struggled and fought with renewed vigour. He managed to land a few hits and scratches, but a blow to the head left him feeling dizzy and gave them an opportunity to grab him. He was pulled up onto the deck, blinking as the sunlight hit his eyes. He only had a few seconds to take in their surroundings. They were in the middle of the ocean. Not even a bit of land in sight. Fleeing was out of the question then. He was manhandled towards the mast, his face being pressed against the wood. They unchained his hands, but the body holding him against the mast was unrelenting, not letting him get away. And only a few seconds later he was chained to the mast, his arms seemingly hugging the wood, with no room to move. There was the sound of hollering and amused whistles. Grian turned his head to the side, glaring at them. Pirates. They were all the same after all, vile and evil.

Someone was walking up to him, gently caressing his back and then a body was pressing up against him, making him tense in anticipation of what might happen next.

"I hope this makes you change your mind on how to behave while you are our guest, Lieutenant... Oh and please. Do scream. It makes this far more entertaining", Bdubs’ voice growled into his ear, before letting go of him.

Grian tried to brace himself for what was about to come, grinding his teeth together, not ready to give his captors the pleasure of hearing him scream. The first hit still seemed to come out of nowhere, stinging like hell even through the fabric of the shirt Grian was wearing – why they let him keep it on, letting it soften the blows, he didn't understand. Another hit followed, just as strong as the last one, making Grian flinch, his hands trying to grasp something to hold onto, but unable to find anything. He could bear this. This wasn't the first time he had been whipped and it probably wouldn't be the last time.

"I might stop if you beg, boy."

Grian just huffed at that. "My captain hits harder than you."

There was a pause between the hits, as if Bdubs hadn't expected those words, but he didn't say anything about it, only making a thoughtful sound and then continuing. Hit after hit rained upon his back and Grian was almost relieved when he noticed that the strength of the hits seemed to decrease. Bdubs had to be getting tired. Grian had managed to hold in his screams until now, but he was already breathing hard. His whole back felt like it was on fire and he was pretty sure his shirt must have been ruined by now. Finally, the hits stopped and Grian took in a deep breath.

"Your turn, darling."

Grian could hear a delighted giggle and his blood froze as he could hear shuffling.

"Make him beg. Do it for me."

The whip came cracking down again, with so much more strength than all of the hits before. The strength was so unexpected that Grian didn't manage to hold back, a scream tearing itself from his throat.

"Well... You already made our little navy boy sing after one hit. I know why I love you, darling."

Grian was gasping for air, trying to calm down, but Keralis didn’t give him the time. Two more hits followed in quick succession and he whimpered, his legs beginning to shake. “Oh, I’m gonna make you drop down and beg, Lieutenant”, Keralis delighted voice accompanied another hit. There was no real break in between hits. Sure, Bdubs had been unrelenting and hitting hard, just like all the other whippings Grian had been used too. But this? This was on another level.

He could feel tears running down his face and after another few hits his legs finally gave in as he sank to his knees. He could hear laughter all around him, voices cheering Keralis on.

He was pretty sure, there was blood running down his back now. His wrists were also burning from him tugging so much on the bindings.

It just went on and on, hit after hit. It felt like hours passed and the hits still didn’t stop or become softer. Suddenly through the haze of tears a face appeared in front of him. Someone grabbed his chin as another hit struck him.

“That look suits you, Grian. So what do you say. You want more?”

Another hit. Grian shook his head.

“You know. You can make this stop.”

The whip cracked against his back again, he could feel his skin splitting apart.

“Sto… se...”

Bdubs chuckled darkly, caressing the side off his face in mock gentleness as another hit made Grian scream. “What was that, pet?”

“Please… No more. Please stop”, his voice was barely above a whisper, but it seemed to be enough. There was a pause in the whipping, but Grian couldn’t focus properly to listen to Keralis’ movement and didn’t know whether he had stepped away completely or not.

“That is a good pet. It really isn’t that hard to behave.”

Grian averted his eyes in shame, but apparently that was the wrong move, the fingers digging painfully into his skin.

"Look at me, pet. Or we'll need to start all over again."

The whip was back at his back, not hitting, but tracing down his skin, underlining the threat. Grian's eyes practically snapped back to Bdubs, who was grinning in satisfaction, his touch becoming gentle once more.

"I wonder why Doc had so many problems controlling you. It isn't that hard... I guess he was always too soft. If I wouldn't kill him anyways, he should thank me for training you to become so obedient."

Grian was shaking. His heart was beating frantically as Bdubs got closer and suddenly there were lips on his. His shaking only grew stronger. He didn't want this. Images of Doc flashed in front of his mind. Doc laughing at him, Doc teasing him and flirting playfully with him. Determination struck Grian once more and without hesitation he bit down on the tongue entering his mouth. Hard. Bdubs Screamed and pulled back, blood running down the corner of his mouth. Grian grinned weakly at the hateful glare.

"Seems like I might have underestimated you. But we still have a few days together, pet. And believe me after that stunt, I only want to break you even more", Bdubs growled in a threatening voice, wiping the blood from his face. He turned away to his crew. "Leave him tied to the mast. We’ll continue later. Oh, and get rid of his shirt. Make sure it reaches Captain Doc. I bet he'll be happy about such a nice present."

#🍉 stories #pirate au #I am so sorry my dear readers #It's getting a little dark #tw: violence #tw: blood #tw: whipping #tw: non-consensual kissing

194 notes · View notes

writing-the-end · 3 years

Text

LoL Chapter 30- Shadow Fox

Masterpost

A Wizard Hermits tale (AU, designs, ideas belongs to @theguardiansofredland)

Doc, Zed, and Scar have made their way to the city of Foresta, deep in the forests where animals are going missing and the nightmares grow worse daily. Meeting with a local shepherd, they find allies in the most unusual ways.

____________________________________

“Oh, yeah, watch it with the Zhenniao, their spit burns like mad.” Zedaph crows as he

pets the soft white feathers of a Caladrius, the two having a conversation about their favorite seeds.

“Uh… is this thing supposed to have three legs?” Scar leaps back, narrowly avoiding the corvid. He laughs though, and preens the beast’s wing.

“Yep! Yatagarasu are born with two legs, but the third one grows when they learn to fly!” Zed sets the Caladrius back. As much as he loved the insightful debate he held with the bird, it’s not the kind of help they need. Besides, it would bring as much attention as an alicanto. “What about it, you three legged birdy? Want to join our team? Phoebe can teach you all the best ways to get letters to us- and the best places to peck at the hermits to get them to wake up.”

“I swear to god I don’t want to have to build another eye.” Doc sets the acid spitting bird down, and waits for Zedaph to respond. But the blond hermit was always having a thousand different conversations at once. On their way here, he had a whole horde of forest creatures following him.

The city of Foresta was open, patches of grass and trees older than the kingdom sprouting between houses and wide streets. Between the throngs of people, creatures of all shapes and sizes wandered down the dirt paths. Satori swing from the horns of a chimaera, leaping over the massive bodies that create the baku. Birds of all shapes, sizes, and different heads fly through the high canopy, fluttering to stop on the stone tower of the postal office. It’s here where the hermits are searching for another carrier bird. Poor Phoebe can’t do all the work herself, especially with so many hermits off hunting down reports.

And that was the other reason they were in the city of Flora and Fauna. Sent here to discover the whereabouts of missing familiars and family beasts. Carrier birds, farm beasts, even a family’s own cerberus have gone missing in the past few months. While Doc had his suspicions of their fate, Scar and Zedaph wanted to confirm his beliefs.

“Alright, so that’s two more feathery friends added to the family.” The Zhenniao jumps from Zed’s shoulder, pulling on a tassel of Scar’s outfit.

“I’m sure Grian will make fast friends with them, he already has Phoebe wrapped around his finger.” Scar chuckles, holding the bird close. “But what about the missing familiars? Did you get any information on who we could speak to?”

“Actually, yes. A very talkative pegasus told me that a few streets down is where a whole herd of shleep went berserk a few days back.”

Doc doesn’t waste another second. Marching down the street, eyes set on the direction Zedaph pointed. His gaze so intimidating, even a brigade of baccas part to stay out of his way. With one bird holding onto Zed’s hair, and another clasping Scar’s elongated ear, the other two give chase, Zed yelling turns to the marching beast that is Doc. He only halts in his tracks when he hears Zed yell “Stop! We’re here!”

Screeching to a halt, Doc is left standing in an open field, sunlight blazing on the bright grass. Dotted with white patches of flowers, the pasture is empty. Unlike the busy city, even the parks in Foresta, this moorland was empty.

Mostly empty. A young boy, laying beside a three headed sheepdog, is weaving dandelions into a flower crown. One for each head of his friend, and one for his own. Doc trains his mismatched eyes on the boy, and makes his presence known.

Unfortunately for Doc, his presence is impending at best, downright terrifying at worst. The boy opens his eyes, and squeaks like a mouse at the sight of the hermit. He curls up, hands raised. “Please, just take my money I don’t got anything else!”

“I’m not here to rob you.” Doc growls, rolling his eyes. Years of being a hardened criminal never really fades off his face. “Are you the shepherd?”

“I’m sorry the shleep have been acting up lately! I don’t know how to make the nightmares stop, they’re still alarmed from the attack the other night.” The cerberus nuzzles one head beneath the boy’s arms, while the other two growl at the intruders.

Until Zed steps up, a smile and a soft cooing voice turning one head from foe to friend. All it takes is one scratch of the ear, and he’s got the sheepdog wrapped around his finger. “That’s actually why we’re here. We came to help.”

The boy lifts his head, looking at the unusual troupe. Two innocent, smiling faces surround the hardlined scowl of the hybrid hermit. Scar nudges Doc in the stomach, and the puppeteer sits to his knees. Looking much less impending when he’s not towering over the shepherd. “We heard that some unusual things have been happening in Foresta. Familiars going missing, pets getting lost left and right. Do you know anything of what’s causing that?”

“What’s your name, kiddo?” Scar chuckles, plopping down next to the shepherd and beginning to weave his own flower crown.

“I-Isaac.” He twists a blade of grass in between his fingers. “I...yeah, yeah I’ve seen a lot of it happen. When you’re a shleep herder, you see all manner of things happen in the night. But no one believes the boy who cries chupacabra. Or bakunawa, or ‘oh gods the neighbor’s cactus cat is suddenly an ash monster’!”

“We’ll believe you. We came here just to hear those stories.” Scar chuckles. He looks over, and sees Doc’s expression start to soften, and the puppeteer reaches out to help Isaac finish the knot of his flower crown. Doc hates to admit it, but they all know he’s very good with kids. When he’s not being a hardass. “What have you seen?”

“I...I’ve seen these critters, sneaking through the streets at night. All kinds of critters, actually, but...different from the normal. They look like they’re falling apart, like a cherry tree’s bark.” He runs his hands over his arms, attempting to find flakes of his own skin as proof. “They scare the shleep every night, and disappear into the city. And then I see more, and more. They drag other critters out of their homes and barns, and turn them into more flake monsters.”

“Husks.” Doc whispers, his suspicions confirmed. Dark magic has even made it into the depths of the Evernight forest. But Isaac is hardly listening. Like any child, he has more story to tell.

“The other night, those flake critters went after my herd. A chupacabra. But...I thought they never went after shleep! Shleep aren’t tasty- I don’t think so, at least. They’re all cosmic wool and gristle.”

“Husks aren’t exactly looking for a tasty meal.” Zed whispers, “They’re looking for magic, and shleep are full of them.” He would know, he was once a shleep farmer when he was young. It’s how he honed his magic.

“They come every night, stealing more critters. Soon, all that will be left is shleep causing nightmares and those husky things.” Isaac shakes his head. “Foresta won’t be much fun without all the critters here.”

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo. Us hermits are here to stop it.” Scar announces, grinning and tossing his short brown locks of hair over his shoulder. Trying to look as heroic as he sounds.

The shepherd giggles. “Hermits? But you aren’t alone, you can’t be a hermit!”

“Ask Hypno why we’re named that.” Doc laughs as well, even though he knows the story full well, it’s still funny every time someone points it out. “Don’t worry, kid. By the time we’re done here, you’ll all be having sweet dreams again.”

“You’re the coolest bad guy ever.” Isaac whispers, and places the flower crown on Doc’s tangled mess of hair.

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

He refuses to take it off. Even as the sun falls and the city goes quiet, only nocturnal creatures lurking among the streets, he keeps his flower crown secure on his head. All three hermits watch the ruminants bleat and make their way around the town, cosmic wool spinning with stars and galaxies, entire worlds for their fur promising night rest. Wisps of the shleep’s fleece dance into the damp, warm air of Foresta. But it’s dancing in the air that the soft mist turns to harsh dust, slipping through open windows and under closed doors. Delivering nightmares to the people.

In the distance, Scar frowns at the sound of someone crying. Waking up from the bad dream. It’s not the poor shleep’s fault, they can’t control their own magic. They’re just sleep sheep, it’s the husks that have them all bothered. If the hermits can stop the husks, the shleep can be happy again and the entire city can finally get a good night’s rest.

Doc waves to Isaac, walking out with the last shleep from the pasture. Zedaph opens his eyes, blinking away the embers of magic. Oddly enough he feels the desire to chew grass now. The shleep are scared. Scared of the creatures that lurk in the dark, bodies lacking souls or even life. Just corpses- husks- forced to move by dark magic. One ram told Zed they were never afraid of the creatures of the night, their fellow nocturnal beasts, until that chupacabra turned on them.

Doc and Zed share a quiet conversation about the information they’ve gathered, and Scar lays back in the grass. Watching leaves shadow the sky above him, stars twinkling in the same way they glimmered on the shleep’s coat. The distant titter of dyads among the trees, the soft hoots from various birds in the post office sound like music to Scar’s ears, and he closes his eyes to bask in the quiet night. Hunting dark magic isn’t that bad, if it leads to quiet, serene moments as well as exciting action. He feels himself dozing off, figuring that Doc or Zed will keep an eye out for some creepy dark beast.

He’s alone. Sitting up in a dark alleyway, the sound of yelling echoing from his parents’ silk shop. Something warm pools on his cheek, burning along his very namesake, mixing with saltwater. Scar raises a hand to try and staunch the blood, and discovers his hand is covered in mud, adorned with gemstone rings of gold.

“You’re not a farm boy, Forest.” The words spit out in his father’s voice, but the lips that speak them are none other than the Magistrate’s. “Stop playing in dirt, this magic of yours is a disgrace as it is. You’re going to ruin the family image. And you’re clothes.”

“But I like my magic.” Scar whispers, turning his hand over. The mud changes color, dripping through his fingers into pools of blood.

“You should have let your magic wither away, or better yet- give it to me.” Dolios grabs Scar’s wrist, dragging him into darkness.

Dragging him from his nightmare. But while Dolios was a dream, something tugging on his wrist was very real. Scar leaps to his feet, retreating from the creature that is pulling his bag from his clutches. “Hey, no that’s my stuff! My snacks!”

Scar stumbles to his feet, kicking Doc on the way up. “What the hell Scar?”

He doesn’t look back, chasing after the black furred monster. As dark as a husk, with white glowing eyes and all. He can’t see the creature’s form, just the illumination of white light from it’s eyes, Scar’s purple bag swinging from it’s mouth. He needs to catch up, get his stuff back. Rather than scooting around a fallen tree, he makes the ground rise from beneath him, flinging him over with a much less graceful landing. “Get back here you little cretin!”

Behind Scar, Doc and Zedaph stumble through the forest. Tripping over roots and twisting their ankles in holes, they lose sight of the terraformer as moonlight is engulfed by the trees of the Evernight forest. The only light is the soft glow of bioluminescent mushrooms, moss, and leaves. At the interface between Foresta and the Evernight, the glow was indistinguishable. But Zed knows the deeper they go, the brighter the bioluminescence should get.

But it never brightens. He continues to get caught in roots, eyes never finding enough light to see where he’s going. A stone halts Zed’s forward momentum, and he tumbles to the ground. “How can Scar keep up such a pace?”

“Because he’s Scar, how does he do half the things he does?” Doc sighs, collapsing to his ass and looking around. The darkness of the forest is endless, leaves stitched together to be a roof that blocks out all light from the sky. He toes a mushroom, watching the fungi glow weakly. Shouldn’t it be brighter this far in?

“Oh, Doc, look!” Zed slaps Doc on the shoulder, harder than he realizes, pointing in the direction opposite of where Scar went running.

“What, I can’t see shit.” Doc growls.

“Perytons!” Zed crawls forward, light appearing under one arm. “They can help us, we just have to make friends with them! They’re very skittish cre-”

In one swift motion, Doc casts his magic. In one blink, he’s watching Zedaph crawl through the mossy floor, the next he’s grazing on a nearby tree branch. The Peryton gave almost no resistance, and now Doc can control the beast. See through it’s night-adjusted eyes. Lo and behold, Zedaph looks stupid no matter what eyes are watching him. Zedaph sits up, pouting. “Well that’s no fun.”

Doc can’t answer him, not while he’s in control of the Peryton. Stepping his hooved feet over Zedaph and fluttering iridescent green wings, he takes care of his own body standing still as a stone. One eye remains glassy, as if looking through a lens, but the red oculus of his other eye has disappeared completely. He can see the glow in the metal of his arm emanating from the deer creature, as he picks up his body with his rack of antlers and places it on his feathery back.

By the time Doc has cared for his vulnerable physical form, Zedaph has cast his own spell. Such similar results, but completely different magic. Zedaph shepherded the mind of the creature into helping him- Doc just took full control. Either way, the two are able to follow the direction that Scar disappeared. Deeper into the forest, away from the city.

Zedaph notices that the bioluminescent of the Evernight Forest is missing, no matter how deep they go. The darkness remains, clinging to the branches and bark like a tapestry slung across the forest. He’s not even sure where Scar could be at this point- this wilderness expands on for thousands of hectares.

Until he hears the spluttering mix of a laugh and a whimper, the noise so uniquely Scar that both Doc and Zed turn in the direction it arose from. Even through the eyes of the Peryton, it becomes almost impossible to see around them, darkness consuming everything around them.

Because that’s what it is. Returning to his own body, Doc stumbles to his feet and rushes to light up a torch. A few paces ahead of him, Sca has trapped himself in a bramble bush, a tiny shadow fox dangling his bag just barely out of his reach. “Come on little guy, I’m sorry I mistook you for a husk. You’re cute, I promise! It’s just with your eyes and coat, you looked like a darkness monster.”

“Need some help, or have you learned from Zed?” Doc snickers, pulling Scar from his thorny trap by the collar. The shadow fox chirps, ears turning to the side in joyful mischief. It approaches the hermits, dropping Scar’s bag at his feet. Glowing eyes, bright as sunshine, cast the shadow that creates the fox’s body. Zedaph can’t help but reach down to pet the shadow creature either way.

“She guided us here. To...this.” Scar whispers, feeling the tension on his body already. The weight in his lungs, watching the light from the fox’s eyes and Doc’s torch be consumed by the black cluster of crystal.

“This is what’s making the husks in Foresta. Just like in Gildara, it’s draining the forest.” All of the light, Limal’s creation with the goddess of death, vanishing as Dolios’s thirst for power drains the forest of life. Doc shakes his head. “We can’t let it continue. Scar, why don’t you…”

Scar is gone again. Disappeared from between Zed and Doc, though not as far gone as before. Just a short distance away. Being attacked by another creature. This one, however, isn’t aiming for Scar’s bag like the thieving fox.

It’s aiming for his throat, naked tail and matted fur thrashing and foam snarling from scraggly teeth. But unlike the shadow fox, the monster’s body is flaking and breaking apart with each movement, tufts of fur turning to smoke and ash. Zedaph sighs, more tired than before. “Great, now we got a ROUS to deal with as well as a creepy crystal.”

“Massive rat first, please!” Scar cries, snapping his boots up and digging the spurs into the massive beast’s stomach. He rolls away, gnarled roots and dirt barricading him and the ROUS.

Doc and Zed look at each other, then the ROUS before them, the darkness-crazed animal clawing through the barrier. It has a taste of Scar’s flesh, and he tastes sweet. Alive. Neither of their magic can work. There’s no soul to shepherd. Dark magic is already controlling the ROUS. They have to resort to another method.

A much more combative, cutthroat method. One that Doc knows well. Grabbing the bone handle of his knife, dark metal and nicked, toothed edges of kaber blade pulling free of old leather. “Scar, can you try to pin it down?”

“I'll add it to the list.” A startled squeak harmonizes with the viscous growl. The muzzle of the ROUS reels back, spittle glistening and falling from ivory white blades, and snaps. Scar rolls out of the way and slams his hands down on the ground once he’s been freed. The dirt erodes into sand and water, a pit of quicksand opening it’s maw beneath their feet. Scar scrabbles backwards, the mud water attempting to pull him in as well, gasping for air. With another wave of his hand, the ground resolidifies. The naked hands and feet of the enormous rodent are trapped in solid ground.

Doc wastes no time. Freeing the body of the ROUS from the claws of darkness, his blade cuts through the empty body like he’s cutting fabric. The darkened for withers away into dust, and Zedaph kicks it away from the pile for good measure.

The three boys sit on the silent, blighted forest floor. Ignoring the angry crystal, or the darkness consuming around them. Scar is panting like he ran a mile, Zedaph petting the soft shade ears of the fox that led them there, and Doc twirling his own knife. They just need a moment, a second to recollect themselves. Doc looks at his blade, forged in False’s fires. No matter what, no matter how strong a mage can be, sometimes they have to resort to the same tools as every other person. “Alright, enough sitting down. Let's put this crystal to ruin and let Isaac and his shleep finally get some peace.”

#hermitcraft #light of lairyon #lol #hermitcraft fanfic #hermitcraft au #wizard au #wizard hermits #wizard zedaph #wizard zed #wizard scar #wizard doc #docm77 #gtwscar #zedaph

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brookecuzyes · 3 years

Text

The Captain’s Kid—

E.1: New World Order

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier FanFic

Main Masterlist — TCK Masterlist

Summary: We think of the after-life as a peaceful place. A place where there are no worries. When a girl comes back from the dead, so to speak, she has to find a new place in society— which ends up with her becoming a superhero. She’s been trained for the worst, but nothing could’ve prepared her for the things she was going to endure.

Word Count: ≈2k

Warnings: John Walker 🤢, minor cursing

A/N: The bold letters are the German translations

———————————————————————-

One Month Earlier…

“Steve represented the best in all of us: courageous, righteous… hopeful. And he mastered posing stoically.” The crowd laughed. Sam was giving a speech in Washington. Alyxandria was standing in the crowd next to James Rhodes. They were both in uniform.

“The world has been forever changed,” he continued. “A few months ago, billions of people reappeared after five years away, sending the world into turmoil. We need new heroes. One suited for the times we’re in. Symbols are nothing without the women and men who give them meaning. And this thing…” he picked up the shield, “I don’t know if there’s ever been a greater symbol. But, it’s more about the man who propped it up, and he’s gone. So, today, we honor Steve’s legacy, but also we look to the future.”

Sam turned his head to look at the poster behind him, which was Steve Rogers in the Captain America uniform. He spoke again, “Thank you, Captain America, but this belongs to you.” The crowd clapped. Alyxandria knew what was coming, and she wasn’t ready. She looked over to Rhodes; he knew it, too. Sam gave the shield to some guy with white gloves on and he took it and carefully placed it into a glass case to put it on display, with the help of another woman. And then they closed it.

Well, shit, Sam, she thought to herself.

——

“Ok, ok. I crossed a name off of my list of amends yesterday. Don’t worry, I used all your three rules. Senator Atwood; she was a HYDRA pawn for years. Helped her get into office when I was the Winter Soldier. And after HYDRA disbanded, she continued to abuse the power I gave her.”

“So, rule number one, you can’t do anything illegal.”

“All I did was give some intel to the aide to convict her, and I wasn’t involved in anything else.”

“Rule number two?”

“What was rule number two?”

“Nobody gets hurt. It’s a big one.”

“Then why isn’t it rule number one? I didn’t hurt anybody… I promise.”

“And what about rule number three?”

No answer came from Bucky. He was lost in his thoughts.

“The whole point of making amends is to fulfill rule number three.”

“You know, you’re a cynic, doc. Of course, I completed rule number three: I am no longer the Winter Soldier. I am James Bucky Barnes, and you are part of my efforts to make amends.” He finished with a smile.

“So, you did it all right, but it didn’t help with the nightmares,” Christina Raynor, James’ therapist, said.

“We’ll, like I said, I didn’t have any.” Doctor Raynor had an unsure look on her face.

“Look,” she started. “One day, you’re gonna have to open up and understand that some people really do want to help you, and that they can be trusted.”

“I trust people,” James whispered.

“Yeah? Give me your phone.” James pulled out a burner phone and gave it to Raynor. She started going through it and said, “You don’t have 10 phone numbers on this thing. Oh, and you’ve been ignoring the texts from Sam and Alyxandria— no, no, you texted her once. You said you were busy. Look, you’ve gotta nurture friendships. I am the only person you have called all week. That is so sad,” she said with finality and closed the phone, making a loud noise, and threw it back to him. “You’re alone. You’re a hundred years old. You have no history, no family-“

“Are you lashing out at me, doc?” James interrupted. He knew she was right, he just didn’t want to admit it.

“You’ve stopped fighting, James. What do you want?” Raynor asked. James stopped and thought about it for a few seconds before responding with, “Peace.”

“That is utter bullshit,” Raynor argued.

“You’re a terrible shrink.”

“I was an excellent soldier, so I saw a lot of dead bodies, and I know how that can shut you down. And if you are alone, that is the quietest, most personal hell. And, James, it is very hard to escape. Look, I know that you have been through a lot, but you’ve got your mind back, and you are being pardoned. I mean, these are good things. You’re free.”

You’re free.

James knew it, but didn’t feel it. The metal arm will forever be with him— a reminder of his past. Yori’s son was killed by the Winter Soldier, but he didn’t know that it was what happened nor did he know that the Winter Soldier was really a brainwashed James. Nothing made him feel free. He couldn’t say either. Couldn’t let someone in like that. Unfortunately, Yori set him up with the bartender at Izzy’s. He never got her name, though. That date didn’t end well. He ended up leaving after she brought up Yori and his son. James went to York’s apartment to tell him but… he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

——

Joaquin Torres was in Switzerland. He was trying to uncover who these so-called “Flag Smashers” were. As far as he knew, they liked the way the world was during the Blip.

He got to the location that all of the Flag Smashers were supposed to meet up at, since he had some sort of app they were using. Torres stood around before going up to a guy who was present and asked, “Do you know what we’re supposed to do?” A whistle was made and everyone stopped what they were doing. The people started moving one way, towards a guy who had a duffel bag full of these masks that he gave out to everyone, including Torres. Everyone put them on when they got a notification.

Run!

A window was smashed and everyone started screaming and running. Two duffel bags full of something were thrown, and then a guy jumped out of the window. He picked up the bags and started walking. The police showed up and were there to arrest him. The guy holding the bags held them up with his arms stretched out all the way and two people ran up to him and grabbed the duffel bags out of his hands. An officer ran up to Torres and said, “You are under arrest!” but Torres shook him off and knocked him to the ground saying, “He’s getting away!” He turned around and said to the officer, “Sorry, sorry.”

That one guy was still walking and stopped when he saw an ally being attacked by a police officer. So, he kicked the officer, sending him flying into a pole. That’s when Torres ran up to him.

“Hey, hey, hey!” He screamed. He pulled out his gun and held the guy at gunpoint. “I don’t know how jurisdiction works here, but I’mma have to place you under arrest.” However, before Torres could do anything, the guy grabbed his arm and twisted it, making Joaquin yell in pain. He grabbed the gun, lifted Joaquin up, and threw him on the ground, leaving him groaning. Joaquin looked up, and the last thing he saw was a foot to his face, knocking him out and leaving him on the concrete. The guy just walked away.

——

“Alyxandria Rogers?” She turned her head. There was a woman standing there, holding a clipboard. Alyxandria got up and walked over to her. The woman walked her to where she was supposed to go:

The Oval Office.

The president wanted to discuss something with her. What was, well, Alyxandria didn’t know. She hoped that it wasn’t anything too bad…

The woman opened the door saying, “Mr. President, Ms. Rogers is here.” He got up from his desk and walked over to Alyxandria. The woman shut the door after Alyx walked in all the way. She saluted him, him being the president and all.

“At ease, Lieutenant,” he said. She lowered her hand and put both of her hands behind her back instead. “Thank you for coming, I know it was on short notice. I have a question for you.”

“Is everything okay, sir?”

“Yes, yes. As you know, Sam Wilson has recently given up the shield. Like he said in his speech, we need new heroes.” Alyx was confused but continued to listen. “America needs someone who can be a reminder of what we are.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. President, but I’m confused. Where are you getting at,” she asked, taking a small step forward.

“We’re giving the shield to someone else.”

“Excuse me, sir?”

“I know how it sounds, especially to you, but we need this. What I’m asking of you, Alyxandria,— and you can think about this— is to be the one to hand the shield to our new guy. You are Steve Rogers’ daughter, you would be the only other person who I can think of that would be impeccable for this. But, it is up to you. What do you say?”

I shouldn’t do this. I shouldn’t… it’s wrong. It's wrong.

——

“So, this is the leader of the Flag Smashers, huh?” Sam asked Joaquin, who was on a video call. Sam was watching a video Torres sent about the Flag Smashers group.

“Yeah,” Joaquin replied. “Real nice guy.”

“I thought you were supposed to be monitoring them online.” Sam said.

“I was. I did. But, you know, sometimes you gotta get your hands dirty or a broken orbital.”

“You’re lucky that’s all you got. He’s strong.”

“He was. I mean, bro, they went dark as soon as it was all over. But that’s their M.O. We just gotta keep our eyes and ears to the ground till they pop up again.”

“Anything else happen outside the video?”

“Nah, man. My face was in the dirt before I knew what was happening. Why? What are you thinking?” Sam stayed silent for a few moments before he responded, “Nothin’.” Torres looked at him curiously through the phone, knowing what could possibly be going on inside his head.

“Wait. You don’t think he could be a-“ Torres started, but was interrupted.

“Look, I’ll circle back to you. Let’s keep this between me and you, okay?”

“Alright,” Torres replied.

“Oh my god, Sam. You better look at this,” Sarah— Sam’s sister, said frantically, running in the room to turn on the TV. Sam hung up with Torres and closed the tab that was open on the computer. He turned around to see what was going on… and he couldn’t believe it.

“Unrest, in the wake of recent events, has left us vulnerable,” a man on the TV said. “Every day American feel it. While we love heroes who put their lives on the line to defend Earth, we also need a hero to defend this country. We need a real person who embodies America’s greatest values.”

That would be my father, Alyxandria thought to herself. She was standing near the front of the podium. The shield was right next to her in a case. Her heart was beating like crazy. Something doesn’t feel right about this…

“We need someone,” the man continued, “to inspire us again. Someone who can be a symbol for all of us. So, on behalf of the Department of Defense and our Commander-in-Chief, it is with great honor that we announce here today that the United States of America has a new hero. Join me in welcoming your new Captain America!” Everyone in the audience started clapping and cheering. A man walked out from behind the doors. He was in the Captain America costume, running down the stairs. He waved to the crowd for a second, when the man who had been talking shook his hand and gestured for him to go over to Alyxandria. So, he walked over to Alyx and stood in front of her with a wide smile. She unzipped the case and slowly pulled out the shield. She carefully held the shield out to this new guy and he gracefully accepted it. She saluted the man, and he too. He then walked to the front of the podium and stood there, proud of himself.

Alyxandria knew how Sam and Bucky’s faces might look right now. She knew they were going to kill her. She knew they’d think her crazy.

In all honesty, Alyx thought that she herself was crazy.

What have I done? Giving up my father’s legacy? This isn’t my place. This is wrong.

Oh, if only she knew…

———————————————————————-5/22/21

#bucky barnes #tfatws #sam wilson #captain america #sebastian stan #marvel #anthony mackie #john walker #wyatt russell #marvel oc #marvel x oc #oc character #oc #oc character x marvel #tfawts fanfic #tfawts fanfiction #tfatws oc

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bwemph · 4 years

Text

It’s a Date

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader

Word count: 3,831

Summary: You and Poe go stargazing, but things take a turn for the worst when the First Order makes an appearance.

Warnings: Mild torture, betrayal

A/N: This is a fic from my old blog Purpleocity. All future fics will be posted here at bwemph :)

Rathides. The Resistance were stationed here to replenish provisions and fuel. Around the ships that had just landed stretched a small city, fitting for the similarly small planet. Though, outside the city was what drew most to this quiet, middle of nowhere place.

Long, rolling hills stretched far as the eye could see under a peachy sky with spindly clouds being dissolved by the dwindling sunlight.However, the real sights were the night skies. The sky turned ebony, and light pollution was minimal, revealing millions of bright stars twinkling in the inky atmosphere. It was rumored that one could see numerous galaxies and nebulas from the right viewing point.

This is what prompted you now as you strode with purpose through the hangar in search of a certain pilot. You glanced down at your watch to make sure you weren’t short on time before your shift was to begin–you were definitely cutting it close. When you looked up from your watch, your eyes landed on Poe Dameron, exactly who you were searching for. BB-8 was handing him tools as he tuned up his X-Wing. You recalled Poe mentioned a strange buzzing sound the other day, so you assumed that must be what he was fixing.

You silently approached and hugged him from behind. He froze in surprise before he realized whose arms were wrapped around his waist. “Hey, Doc.” He wiped his hands with a rag before turning to hug you back. He pecked a greeting kiss to your lips. “What’s going on?”

You grinned. “I just wanted to see you.” You tapped the end of his nose, making him squint and scrunch it a little with a soft laugh. You giggled before going on, “And I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal? Isn’t that my job?” Poe quipped.

“Any day now, Dameron,” you teased back, your eyes flickering to the ring on the chain around his neck. He winked in response, one side of his mouth curving upward. “Anyways,” you cleared your throat, “I heard the night sky is incredible this time of year on this planet. I was thinking maybe you and I could go stargazing tonight?”

Poe smiled, brushing a few stray hairs away from your eyes. “Alright, I’m in.”

“Well, you don’t take much convincing.” You mirrored his chuckle, biting your lower lip. “It’s a date.”

“Yes ma’am.”

You noticed the approaching ship that landed outside, realizing in the ship were a few officers returning from a mission. Several were wounded and being rushed to the infirmary. “Looks like that’s my cue to leave.”

“See you later.” He pressed another quick kiss to your lips.

You gave a rushed, “bye” before jogging off toward the med bay.

“Alright, someone prep this man for surgery. We need to operate immediately,” you heard a medic instruct, pointing to an empty operating room. You strode down the hall as another doctor rushed by with a wounded soldier of some alien species. A groaning pilot staggered down the hall and held his side as a nurse strode along beside him. Several instructions and orders were being relayed across the medical ward in the background as you glanced down at your watch and noted the convenient timing of your shift.

You felt a hand on your shoulder and turned to see a nurse with tan skin and bronze hair holding a few documents.

“We’ve got a woman in need of some attention if you wouldn’t mind taking that on”

You nodded. “It’s what I’m here for. Where’s Doctor Ginn?”

“Assisting a surgery. So is Doctor Dymos. I have a feeling we’ll all be pretty busy for a while since there’s still have more officers that have yet return.”

You nodded again. “Sounds like that mission went badly.” With that, you strode to the room you were pointed toward to find a woman with striking blue eyes slouched against a wall. She grimaced as she looked up to meet your gaze.

“Really, Tatina? You’ve gotta quit getting yourself hurt on these missions.” You laughed softly as you crossed to the brunette.

“I swear, I don’t have a death wish,” she chuckled. “We were ambushed.”

You settled next to her, beginning to tend to her wounds. “What happened out there?”

“Stormtroopers. Somehow the First Order found out we were about to attack. They got to us first.”

You brushed Tatina’s brown locks behind her shoulder, cleaning a wound right at the crook of her neck. “It seems like they’ve been aware of our every move lately. Did they trace you back here?”

“I hope not,” Tatina said, her eyes wide. “We got out as quick as we could.”

You hummed. “I don’t doubt it. You guys are pretty beat up, though. Especially Lieutenant Rourke. He’s part of your squadron isn’t he? How did you manage to stay in this good of shape?”

Tatina looked at her hands and shrugged, a mistake. Her breath caught before quickening. “I’m not sure. The odds were in my favor, I guess.” She offered a little laugh.

“I guess so,” you agreed, finishing the last of Tatina’s wounds. “That should keep you for now. Next time, try not to die.”

Tatina scoffed. “As if I try at all.”

You shrugged and stood. “Well, with how often I see you, I’ll admit I’m a little suspicious,” you joked. “Take care of yourself, Tatina.”

“I always do.”

You shot the soldier a wink before leaving.

You glanced at your watch, realizing your shift was supposed to end an hour and a half ago. You left your quarters after changing into your own clothes and started down the hall in search of Poe. You turned a corner and stopped short, toe to toe with the pilot. You felt your cheeks get a little warm at how close your faces were. Your lips were just short of colliding with his.

“You’re late.” He touched your arm, running his fingers down to lace with yours.

You sighed, your thoughts running back through today’s events. “I know. This Toglomian came in with some serious injuries and we needed to operate immediately. It took us forever.” You looked at your hands tangled together, smiling as you looked back up. “But, I’m here now and I’m all yours.” You sealed your lips to his to punctuate your sentence.

Poe hummed, a hand going to the side of your face. “I like the sound of that.”

You rolled your eyes. “Come on!” You pulled on his hand eagerly. “What are we waiting for? There’s zillions of stars out there waiting for us!” You practically dragged him down the hall.

The stars were endless. There was almost no space in the sky the stars didn’t cover. Between the stars, planets could be seen, peeking down at you. Galaxies and nebulas also scattered themselves about the sky, glowing rich colors.

“Isn’t this just gorgeous?” You folded your arms beneath your head as you gazed in awe at the sky. “There’s so much life out there. It’s so strange that as much of it that we’ve travelled through, there’s still an infinite expanse out there that we’ll probably never live to see.”

Poe hummed a response.

“It’s just…wow,” you went on, feeling unable to tear your gaze from the sea of stars. “It’s one of those things that’s just so beautiful you can’t look away, you know?”

“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.” His voice was serene, almost as if he were in a trance.

You broke your gaze away from the sky and looked to Poe, who was turned on his side and smiling softly at you. You felt your cheeks flush and watched him prop himself up on his elbow. You followed his example.

“You are so beautiful.” He caressed your cheek, closing the space between you two. He kissed you so tenderly, and yet you felt your heart was about to explode right out of your chest from the adoration in the kiss. You returned the kiss, your passion seeping in. Poe pulled you closer to his chest, letting a hand roam your body. He guided you down to your back and hovered over you, smiling before leaning down to kiss you again. However, before he met your lips, a ship appeared from light speed in the sky. Your eyes widened. Poe followed your gaze and let you sit up, unconsciously interlocking his fingers with yours. A shuttle descended from the ship and made to land nearby.

“We gotta go,” Poe said, tugging on your arm and pulling you toward the base.

The shuttle you tried to elude landed in front of you, keeping your chace brief, and several Stormtroopers poured out. You and Poe raised your hands in surrender while while the Troopers aimed their blasters.

“Excellent job, trainees,” a familiar, very smooth voice said. A woman with long brown hair stepped around the barrier of Troopers. “Captain Phasma will be proud.”

Your eyes widened in surprise. It took you a moment to process the situation. “Tatina? Wha…”

Tatina shifted her weight. “It’s Jayne, actually.” She looked down her nose at you, but the antagonistic look in her eye wasn’t entirely genuine.

“You-you’re with the First Order?”

Jayne sighed, crossing her arms. “I’d consider myself more of an ally.” She hesitated. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I’ll be missing having you stitch me up every other day.” She offered a small smile before looking to the trainees. “Let’s get them to Commander Ren. If he gets impatient I’ll be left to deal with the repercussions.”

The last thing you remembered before it all went dark was being hit over the head, and hearing Poe’s grunt as he felt the same.

Jayne led the trainees off the shuttle, watching a couple transport the now unconscious prisoners to a cell. She met Kylo as he strode into the hangar and watched the Troopers head toward the prisons. He removed his helmet to look down at Jayne, a smile threatening to curl his lips.

“Well done, love,” he praised, caressing her cheek. She savored the touch, as it wasn’t typical for him to show affection while on duty. “You never disappoint me.”

Jayne gave a proud smile. “That’s pleasing to hear.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on Kylo’s lips before he rested a hand on her shoulder to push past.

“Commander,” Jayne blurted, catching his hand, “do me a favor?”

“Of course.” His voice was soft again as she stepped forward, his demeanor shifting a little at the use of his title.

She watched the Troopers disappear around the corner. “Once you’re done with them, the prisoners,” she shuffled a little, “send them back. We’ll have no benefit from keeping them here or killing them.”

A look flashed across Kylo’s face that Jayne couldn’t quite discern. He took a step toward her, his looming nature leaving her unphased. “Are you empathizing with the Resistance?”

“No,” she responded cooly, “just the doctor.” Kylo raised an eyebrow, prompting her to go on, “I endured no shortage of wounds during my time undercover. She took care of me. Please, let her and the pilot go. Just this once.”

“They’ll die anyway.”

Jayne sighed. “I know. Please, just give them the illusion of hope.”

Kylo’s expression hardened as he nodded once. He sighed and strode off the direction of the prisoners.

A chill went down your spine as you woke with a start. You looked around as your eyes adjusted to the dark. You realized you were on the floor. You sat up and squeezed your eyes shut at your pounding headache.

“Y/N, you alright?” Poe asked, his voice rasping a little.

You nodded shortly, then furrowed your brow as you spotted a red streak on his face where his dark curls clung to his forehead.

“You’re bleeding.” The concern was evident in your tone as you leaned forward and inspected the wound closely. In your mind, you started running through all the possible treatments for his wound.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Poe assured, catching your wrists as you reached forward to examine his head further. He pressed a soft kiss to your knuckles on both hands. “You’re bleeding too.” He gestured to the spot on your head that mirrored his. You reached up and felt the sticky red substance on your forehead as well, looking down at your fingers.

“Where are we?” you asked.

Poe sighed. “Some sort of holding cell within the First Order, I assume.”

You were about to say something when your head turned at the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. They echoed through the rest of the presumably empty cells ominously. A dark, looming figure paused at the door: Kylo Ren. He used the Force to open the door and stepped inside, stalking forward. He stood over you, and you couldn’t help but inch backward to escape the heavy gaze of the Commander. He took a moment to inspect the pair of you closely before heaving you to your feet.

“Y/N, no!” Poe protested, lunging forward. Kylo Force slammed him against the wall, leaving him unable to do anything but watch. You held back a frightened yelp as Kylo looked deep into your eyes through his dark helmet.

“I want answers,” he spoke, his voice deep and distorted. “The more compliant you are, the sooner I’ll leave you be.”

You felt your feet lift from the ground as Kylo used the Force to paralyze you (Though, you were already practically paralyzed by fear).

“I’m not telling you anything,” you hissed between strained breaths.

Kylo’s chuckle was low, almost inaudible. “You don’t have to.”

You gasped as you suddenly felt his presence in your head, intrusive and overpowering. He poked through a few of your thoughts, staying at the forefront of your mind while you fought to keep him from going any further. He was subtle at first, trying to slip through the places you left unguarded. You cried out as Kylo took a more aggressive approach, shutting your eyes tightly as though it might help.

“No, no, stop,” Poe rasped, his panic betraying him and seeping into his tone. He fought the Force that kept him in place. “You will not hurt her.”

Another cry escaped your lips despite your resistance. Kylo stopped and observed one of your thoughts for a good long time, realizing Poe was at the forefront of your mind, even before the Resistance or the information you were trying desperately to keep.

“You’re right,” Kylo crooned, dropping you. You landed on the cold floor with a thud and a small grunt. “I’ll hurt you. I imagine she’ll sing then.” He was too pleased with himself as he strode toward Poe, driving him to his knees. “Right, Doctor?” Kylo glanced to you.

“She’s a nurse, how can you expect her to know anything?” Poe blurted, tripping over his words and now looking afraid.

“Oh, I think she knows something.” Kylo ignited his lightsaber, the red glow highlighting the crimson streaks on Poe’s forehead. “Speak now, and your precious pilot will be left unharmed.”

“Don’t give him anything!” Poe urged, “Think of the Resistance!”

A conflict stirred within you, and you felt your heart pounding as Kylo threatened to run Poe through. You hesitated just a moment too long before Poe’s scream echoed through the cell as Kylo touched the crossguard of the saber to Poe’s shoulder.

“Poe!” you shrieked, tears blurring your vision. He grit his teeth and fruitlessly tried to escape the pain. Sparks flew and the smell of singed fabric and flesh wafted through the air and intermixed with Poe’s cries.

His head fell forward when Kylo removed his saber, awaiting a response from you.

“You’re not easily persuaded,” Ren observed. “No matter. I’ve got all night.” He circled Poe for a moment, calculating his next move as if this were a game of chess. He slunk to Poe’s left side, sinking to eye level. “Unless you have something to say, pilot.” Poe kept his gaze fixated on the ground, his shoulders rising and falling with each irregular breath. “Very well,” Kylo said with a shrug, again using his crossguard to burn a patch into Poe’s ribs. Kylo dragged it slowly and shamelessly across Poe’s side.

He cried out again, his voice breaking before Kylo withdrew his lightsaber and then landed a slash across Poe’s left arm. Kylo let the Force subside around Poe, watching him collapse to the ground. He groaned feebly.

You clamped a hand over your mouth, fighting with everything in you to escape the Force, but you were left helpless to the situation.

Kylo raised his saber as if he were going to strike Poe across the back, but you blurted at the last moment, “Alright, I’ll talk!” You tried to contain a sob. The red light contracted, leaving the shadows to consume the cell again.

“Go on then.”

You held back tears. “Our ship is located in Chaxnuss City.” You paused to take a breath. You sniffled.

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow afternoon.” Your voice shook. “We’re refueling and restocking on food.”

“You’re vulnerable, then.”

You let your head drop. Poe helplessly tried to push himself from the ground. You found yourself unable to look at him at all.

“Tell me,” Kylo said, using the Force to tilt your chin up, “when can I expect you to be at your least immune to an unfortunate attack?”

You took another shaky breath. “Dawn,” you admitted with a quiet sob, “just before dawn.”

Kylo nodded, satisfied with the information he received. “Guards!” he called. He stalked away almost silently, murmuring an order to the two Troopers who marched in.

They paced forward, seizing you and Poe. You were towed down several halls and corridors before you were taken back to the hangar, where you were put on a shuttle and promptly dropped back onto Rathides.

You looked to Poe, whose breathing was ragged and labored. You stumbled over, throwing his arm around her shoulder. He groaned softly and staggered alongside you.

“It’s gonna be okay, don’t you worry. You’ll be okay,” You assured yourself more than Poe.

When you finally reached the ship, you wasted no time calling in a handful of other medics to assist you in taking Poe to the med bay.

Poe grimaced as you helped him remove his shirt to assess his injuries.

“You doing okay, Dameron?” you asked in hopes of keeping him conscious. You inspected his shoulder wound a little closer, trying your best to keep your eyes from flickering across his chest despite your concern.

He gave a half smile. “You think some creep in a mask can get rid of me that easy?” he teased, his voice low and raspy.

You laughed softly. “Well, a girl can worry, can’t she?”

BB-8 beeped a greeting as it rolled in, seeming relieved that Poe was alright.

“Hey, buddy.” Poe smiled at his droid.

It cheeped back in a scolding tone something along the lines of “how dare you get captured without me?”

Poe chuckled at his droid’s comment, but then there was a tense silence that lingered a few moments. Poe broke it as you began dressing the wound on his shoulder, “You didn’t have to do that for me,” he spoke softly, “you didn’t have to tell him all that.”

You avoided his eyes. “I know. I just…I couldn’t keep watching him do that to you.” Your voice shook as you recalled the sight. You tried to distract yourself away from the subject by moving on to Poe’s other wounds. They wept a little blood, but at this point were mostly either cauterized or clotting.

“Hey,” Poe’s hand went to the side of your face in spite of his injuries, prompting you to meet his gaze, “thank you.”

You blinked back more tears, smiling a little. “Any time.” You pecked a kiss to his lips before continuing fixing up his wounds.

Later, you went in search Leia, guilt thoroughly wracking your insides. “General Organa?” Your voice shook as you approached.

Leia turned and looked at you, a small smile curling her lips. “Doctor, I’m pleased to see you’re safe.”

You nodded in thanks, one of your shoulders raising slightly. “General, I…” You sighed, holding back even more tears. That seemed like all you had been doing tonight. “I told Ren everything. Our location, our vulnerability, our–”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much, Doctor.” The General placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. You looked up hesitantly. “We’ve finished fueling and we’ll be leaving within the next hour or so. Anything you told him isn’t going to matter.”

You breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank the stars.”

“Besides,” Leia smiled, “you saved my best pilot. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Your head dropped as you realized you suddenly felt shy. “What would we do without him?” You rubbed your arm and shuffled your feet a little.

Leia nodded in agreement. “We were lucky this time. Next time, maybe stargaze a tad closer to the ship when we’re on a foreign planet. You never know when reinforcements will be needed.” She winked. “Now, go ahead and take the rest of the evening off, Doctor. You need it.”

“Thank you, General.” You nodded in thanks before turning to leave.

You collapsed onto your bed after showering and changing into something clean and comfortable. You let your eyes close for a minute while you tried your hardest to avoid thinking about what happened earlier that night. You couldn’t seem to get the image of Poe writhing on the ground out of your mind. It was seared into your brain like the burn on his side. You decided to go check in again. It would keep you from worrying too much.

You strode to his quarters, finding him out cold and tangled in his sheets. You smiled and watched the subtle rise and fall of his chest before he stirred. You quietly padded over to his bed and settled on the edge. You brushed a few of his curls away from his forehead. Poe slipped his hand into yours as his eyes fluttered open.

“Hey,” you breathed.

Poe moved over and gestured to the empty space next to him. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

You sighed as you lay next to him. “Just concerned about you, I guess.”

“Well, no need to worry. I had a really good doctor fix me up.” He pecked a kiss to your nose.

You smiled, your face heating a little. You rolled onto your side to look at him. You ran your fingertips over his chest. Your lips found his cheek before you hid your face in the crook of his neck. “Thanks, babe.”

“And as soon as we land on another planet, we’ll go stargazing for real.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” He sealed his lips to yours for a moment.

“Well then,” you broke the kiss for a fleeting moment, “it’s a date.”

#poe dameron #poe dameron x reader #poe x reader #oscar isaac #star wars #the force awakens #the last jedi #rise of skywalker

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walviemort · 4 years

Text

hidden blessing (2/?)

Summary: Killian thought the only thing he was left with after Milah’s death was a broken heart and a thirst for vengeance. It’s not until he gets to Storybrooke, after so many years spent in stasis, that he discovers something else: he’s carrying her child. How does this new, tiny blessing change his path? (Canon-divergent from 2x12.)

rated T | part 1 | AO3 | 2.2k

A/N: hey! It’s another update! looks like this might be an every-couple-weeks thing, as I find time to work on it. like the first chapter, this is dedicated to @sherlockianwhovian for being awesome. hope everyone is staying safe!

A few days later, Killian had been released from the hospital and was finally enjoying a much-needed uninterrupted nap—or so he thought. When he’d first arrived back at the docks, the prince and princess were also there, attempting to interrogate him about Cora’s whereabouts; why this town was convinced he was her babysitter was unknown to him, so he’d had to disavow them of that notion. (It had also become blatantly obvious where Emma had inherited both her violent streak and her impatience; even if the man hadn’t raised her, she was definitely his daughter—and he vowed then and there that such a fate would not befall his child).

He was already tucking himself into bed on his ship when he heard the commotion above deck that told him the so-called heroes had unlocked the cage containing the giant; the sounds of struggle (and what was hopefully the prince being punched) along with ensuing footfalls running off the ship were the last things he heard before sleep blissfully claimed him.

He was dreaming of what his quarters might look like with a crib next to his bed, toys strewn across the floor, when he was rudely awakened—again. What an inhospitable town.

“Hook?” a feminine voice called out from the deck. “I know you’re here.”

“Bloody hell,” he cursed to himself, throwing back the covers and rising as quickly as he could with his still-sore ribs. Getting his pants back on took more effort than he’d like, but that was all he bothered with.

Barefooted and bare chested, he climbed the stairs to see Regina waiting impatiently. “Yes, your highness?” he asked, not bothering to hide either the tiredness in his voice or his annoyance.

“There you are. My mother sent me. You know, the one you were supposed to kill?”

“Oh, that. Well, I didn't want to deprive you of a happy reunion.” His grin was fake and she knew it.

“Well, it's your lucky day. She and I have made amends.”

“And you're here to thank me? How sweet.”

Regina’s responding smile was equally fake. “Not quite. She wants to know if they've found the ship.”

If he’d had his hook, it would have been on her neck for interrupting his nap for what amounted to little more than a business conversation; she just wanted to know what was going on with the giant.

“Is that all?” he asked when he’d given her the update. “Because if so, I’ve really got some things to attend to here.”

“Yes, that’s all,” she said, but tilted her head in curiosity. “I figured you’d be a lot more ready to get your revenge. You’re typically chomping at the bit for some murder.”

“If I could get some bloody sleep, I’d be more ready for that,” he snapped back.

She narrowed her gaze on him and looked him up and down. He wasn’t sure what she was looking for, but her eyes stopped at his midsection for a brief moment and widened. Instinctively, he moved his arm in front of him, but that might have been a fatal move.

Her eyes found his again with an uncomfortably knowing smirk on her lips. “I’ll leave you to your rest, then. See you around, Hook.” And with a wave of her hand, she poofed away.

If she knew, he would deal with that later. First things first: back to sleep. (And maybe some food.)

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

After a week of rest, he found his bones were doing much better, though the nausea he’d been dealing with had evolved into full-blown sickness. The pamphlets told him that was normal but it was exceedingly obnoxious. At least his food stores on board were fairly bland.

“I can’t believe you actually enjoy hard tack,” he said to the babe; a different pamphlet told him the baby couldn’t hear him yet, but it was comforting to talk to them—or at least complain.

Much like he’d noticed in the hospital, it was almost whiplash-inducing how quickly he’d rearranged everything in his life to put the child first. But he also knew that, had his life followed a remotely normal trajectory, he and Milah would have done the same. Where he once thought revenge was the only way to honor her, he now knew that protecting and raising this child would be better.

“But, oh love, I wish you were here,” he whispered to the night sky, hoping that wherever she was, she’d hear him.

He read over the pamphlets Doc had given him many times over, until they began to look ragged and he worried they might not make it through the duration of his pregnancy. One listed several books that could be referenced, but given his history with the town librarian—and he being the reason for her current leave of absence—he’d have to make do without them.

Briefly, he considered seeking out Emma’s help; but based on their last encounter, he doubted she’d give it. Still, though—she was the only one around that had been through all this that he might be able to talk to. Maybe at some point. But not in the immediate future.

One fact remained, though: no child of Killian’s—and especially Milah’s—was safe while the Dark One still roamed free. So once he felt closer to being on the mend, he dug some ginger drops out of storage to hopefully aid the nausea and sought out his would-be allies.

Cora and Regina were deep in discussion when he arrived at the queen’s mansion, but he caught a few key phrases and didn’t care about interrupting. “Where's Rumplestiltskin gone?”

They both jumped at his voice, but were too poised to let it throw them off. “I don't know,” Regina answered tearfully.

A glimmer of hope he hadn’t felt since before the dark curse started to glow again. “Well, if he's left town, then he's powerless. He can be killed.” The ladies went on some diatribe about how they’d lose their magic if they crossed the town line, but he didn’t care. “Well, I don't need magic. I'll go after him alone.”

Regina stood and gave him a look he didn’t like—one that said she knew too much. For a moment, he feared she might out his secret, but thankfully she didn’t. She still lectured, though, “Even if you could find him, do you really think you could just walk to him and stab him in the heart with your sword?”

“Well, I'd prefer my hook, but I can't seem to find that now.”

“You're not going anywhere,” Cora scolded.

“I deserve my vengeance!” he bit out angrily. And, moreso, the security in knowing that his child would grow up safe. The pitying look Regina was giving him told him she at least understood.

Cora didn’t notice, thankfully. “You're right. You do, and with the Dark One gone, we can search for the one magical item that could actually kill him here—his dagger.”

Somewhat ironically, they ended up at the library, searching for...something. Part of him desperately wanted to leave them to their quest and find the recommended books, but much too quickly, Regina discovered the map.

It was easy enough to decipher. But he really should have seen Cora’s betrayal—and subsequent magical assault—coming.

(At least Regina seemed vaguely apologetic before he was rendered unconscious.)

Whatever. He was more than capable of doing things on his own.

But first—he found those books; hopefully, no one would mind if he hadn’t formally checked them out. (The atlases...well, hopefully no one needed those references anytime soon.)

It took some more surreptitious spying to figure out where the Dark One had gone, and he took more than a bit of pleasure in knocking out the prince to retrieve his hook from storage in the constable’s offices.

And then he was on his way to whatever this New York City was. He started reading a book called What to Expect When You’re Expecting on the trip there—then locked everything related to childbearing in his private safe on the ship before leaving it. He was confident no one would discover it, but one could never be too careful.

Finding the Dark One was surprisingly easy.

Stabbing him was thrilling; everything he’d ever dreamed of.

But his fatal flaw was not factoring Emma Swan into the equation, nor the heavy metal canister she threw at his head.

Still, though: he’d stabbed a magicless Dark One with the worst poison known to man; another thing that had been stored in his safe. The last thing Killian saw before slipping into oblivion—again—was his mortal enemy’s prone form, knowing that there was no cure for the venom making its way to his heart.

I’ve done it, love, he thought. He’s done. We can move on. Which “love” that was, he didn’t have time to consider. All he knew was that finally, he could rest, and await whatever came next.

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

He’d been in worse brigs than the one he subsequently found himself in. Having his left arm awkwardly chained to a bed frame wasn’t ideal but the Tamara lass fed him, let him use the lavatory as needed (which he was finding he needed to do with more regularity), even allowed him to bathe every few days. (Out of necessity, she’d also provided him with a bucket for dealing with his bouts of sickness; he wrote it off as withdrawal, and she didn’t question it. Not the first time a reputation as a boozy pirate worked in his favor.)

He was far from a willing prisoner, but she’d hidden his hook and always had her gun at the ready, so there were no smart ways for him to try to stage an escape. Besides, Baelfire—because he was the person Emma and the Crocodile had been searching for—had apparently absconded with his ship back to Storybrooke. (Which brought up all other sorts of memories and thoughts.)

“Don’t worry; I’ll take you back to it,” she promised him. If it weren’t for the fact she was constantly peppering him with questions about Storybrooke, he wouldn’t have believed that it was her destination, too. He was careful to not give much away, though; he doubted her goals were worthy.

“Just when are you planning this trip? You’ve been saying that for two weeks now,” he had to ask her; he was finally starting to get a bit of cabin fever, and was eager to get back to his ship and chart out a future for him and his babe.

“When I get the sign. Should only be a couple more days.”

He rolled his eyes and went back to his reading; he was nothing if not a patient man. As long as they left before the child arrived, he supposed it’d be alright. He’d have preferred the books he had on the ship but thankfully, only he had the key to where those were locked away. But reading Tamara’s collection of novels was a good way of learning about this realm. Despite not having actual magic, its advanced technology seemed to make up for it.

Like the shower. Bloody hell, what a marvel! Tamara had to give him a lesson his first time using it, but what a luxury! (And to think it was a standard amenity here...incredible.) Letting the hot water run over him, cleanse his skin and soothe his aches, was the main thing that made this farcical imprisonment bearable.

That, and it was in there he noticed the first visible sign of his child. Obviously, he’d been watching his midsection with a keen eye, but any changes seemed to be a long time coming.

But then, at around 14 weeks, he first saw it: his navel was sticking out ever so slightly. Were it not for his minimal diet, he could have attributed it to normal weight fluctuations; but based on the increasing visibility of his ribs, he knew he was probably losing a bit of weight instead of the opposite.

Still, his point of view of his stomach from inside the shower wasn’t the most reliable, he knew. But when he stepped out and stood in profile in the looking glass, it confirmed it: his child was starting to make his or her presence known. It still only looked like he’d eaten a rather large meal, but considering he hadn’t...bloody hell. Were it not for his prison guard rapping on the other side of the door for him to hurry up, he could have spent hours there staring at it.

It wasn’t long after that he started feeling the first twitches of movement within, as well. Nothing strong enough to be felt from the outside, of course—he thought it might be gas at first—but once he realized what was going on, it was all he could do to hide the tears of joy from his captor.

But he also found himself periodically plagued with guilt, especially with the revelation of Bae’s presence in this realm. Even so long after, he was still haunted by what he’d done to the boy. It was strange to think, but had things gone differently, they might have had the chance to actually be a family—the lad would have been an excellent big brother.

That chance was probably long gone now, but it only furthered Killian’s resolve to be there for this one—to not do what either his or Bae’s father had done.

“That won’t happen to you, my love,” he murmured late at night, hand over the tiny bump and the tiny babe, gently fluttering within. “Gods above couldn’t keep me from you.”

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thanks for reading!! tagging some friends (and let me know if you want a tag!) @cocohook38 @wyntereyez @jennjenn615 @superadam54 @ashley-knightingale @justsomewhump

#killian jones ff #mpreg #my ff #hidden blessing

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ofxwordsxandxletters · 4 years

Text

In Regards

Series: Wynonna Earp

Disclaimer: Plot is mine and the characters are borrowed in this work of fan-made fiction off of which no money is made.

Pairing: Hollirey

Rating: PG overall

The second in a series based on letters between Doc Holliday and Bobo Del Rey depicting a shift in their relationship and some demons to exorcise.

Author’s Note: It’s soft!Hollirey hours at this campfire so you get sweetness, friends. Mosey on along if that’s not your cup of tea or sit a spell if it is. We like friends ‘round here.

Direct Sequel to “Dear John”.

*~*~*~*

In Regards

He shouldn’t be surprised how hard it is to not only find the right medium to respond, but the right way to do it as well. Honestly, he rather envied the other the ease with which words seemed to come. Doc was better with the more physical approach but wasn’t quite sure how well that would translate on paper. He huffs slightly before laughing because as difficult as it was it wasn’t something he resented the other for.

Quite the opposite. It was a challenge and above all else, that man knew he liked a challenge.

So he finds himself sitting at the bar sans drink contemplating exactly what he might reply. Idly his fingers curl and uncurl next to him as he considers carefully.

As it turns out, too carefully because his train of thought is interrupted by Wynonna asking, “Are you trying to solve the world’s problems or figuring out the best way to kill someone? ‘Cause you are a little more focused than I’ve ever seen you get and you’re also not drinking.”

“Nothin’ that profound I’m afraid,” he answers immediately trying to sound almost bored, “Wool-gathering mostly.”

“Sounds painful, I wouldn’t suggest it too much.”

He snorts at her attempt at what was a joke. Thankfully, he had enough knowledge of the Earp line in general to know how to keep them off the scent of trouble. At least for a time. He was sure she’d get suspicious eventually.

Doc was more than happy for that to be way in the future.

He orders a drink just to placate her and maybe as a way to figure out what he was supposed to reply. Or how to. Words had never been his thing. That was Wyatt. He more preferred shooting to talking things out.

So of course he would prefer a man who seemed to delight in being a wordsmith. Of course.

Not to say that Bobo Del Rey couldn’t be concise because he could be. Sharp and cutting and blunt. So very blunt. But then again, he had a six-page bit of evidence that he could also take his time.

But Bobo liked to call him “insufferable”. The thought is amusing somewhat and he brings the cup to his lips deciding that he’d much rather drink than be asked why he was suddenly grinning like a fool. He really needed to get this under control but control is not something he’d had in a very, very long time. Sometimes, he thinks he prefers it that way.

Unknowingly, it takes him the same two days to get what he wanted written down with a lot of restarts and crossing out and cursing at the paper, himself, Bobo Del Rey, and everyone else he could think of for even considering this.

But it was finally done so he could go and give it to the damned man plaguing entirely too much of this thoughts and time (even though he doesn’t mind as much as he acts).

*~*~*~*

Bobo never should have done it. It was the thought that haunted him immediately after leaving the station and allowing that letter to actually go to it’s intended recipient. It was the worst idea and it would end no doubt with him being humiliated (again). And he was pretty sure he deserved it for naivety at this point. Running a hand over his face, Bobo shoves the feelings as hard away as he could. It was done, it was fine, and it wasn’t like he wanted this thing between him and Doc to actually be something.

He didn’t. Absolutely not.

A growl escapes him; deep and annoyed and he shoves a few things off the table in front of him but is, of course, careful not to go near the quill and ink pot. “Dammit it all,” he snarls as he drops his head onto the clear surface, “I should have killed him and been done with it!”

Stupid, he was so stupid still. Did he never learn? Why did he think…

Sharp rapping has his attention and his teeth grind together before he rises and stalks for the door intending on removing whatever body parts he could reach of the person stupid enough to intrude on him. Throwing open the door, however, has him having to rethink that.

Because the intruder is the goddamn man he’s been frustrated by for far longer than he’d like to think about. “Doc Holliday,” he says slowly, “To what do I owe your approach of my…humble abode?” The other merely steps in going so far as to push him into backing up. “Right, just let yourself right in then.”

“You are an absolute menace, you realize.”

Bobo gifts him wth a lazy smile. “Demon, remember? I sort of figured that came with the job. Now, did you come all this way to remind me that I’m a Revenant? Because honestly, John Henry, I already know that.”

“Do you? Because sometimes it seems like you don’t know anythin’ of the sort.”

Grandstanding. The man was grandstanding. The walls were thin and whatever this was could not be overheard. He knew the other well enough to know when he was putting on a show. So he steps closer, enough for them nearly to be touching. “Don’t like how I ‘demon’ then by all means do it better yourself,” he responds cooly, “As you’ll recall, there’s an agreement with the Earp Heir mostly because I’m tired of the idiocies. So if you have a complaint take it up with her.” It was easy, using this as a conversational piece and he feels the light shift of his hand along his coat in the vicinity of his pocket and knows exactly why the man was here.

“One can never be too careful ‘bout their allies such as they are. I wanted to be sure you understood the parameters.”

“Of course I do, Doc,” he says sarcastically, “I’m behaving. We’re behaving. She has no reason to come down here and shoot the place up.”

Doc leaves not long after that. Bobo is almost sorry for not getting a kiss but he was far more interested in his coat. The door is barely shut when he reaches and his fingers find an envelope in the pocket. Something hot fills him and he pulls it out. He’d actually written back.

He’d…

Moving, he makes sure to lock the door properly before moving back to the table and setting it down. He wants to make every denial he could but it was clear anticipation that roils hot through him. Of course there’s the nagging fear that what was written was bad but…

But Doc had written back. It was more than…well, it was more than he’d gotten in the past. It was best not to dredge that unpleasantness up so he decides and focuses on what was in front of him (his future). With that in mind, he carefully pulls out the paper hoping that whatever he would find would take what was left of him.

That he feared that said more about what he had with Doc than he’d like. And Doc called him a menace…

“Robert,

Ain’t the writin’ type, you know that. Ain’t my style or in my wheelhouse but..you do enjoy this so I’ll make a token attempt. For you. Funny how easy that seems but don’t suppose it matters how we got here. We’re here regardless…”

The words are coarse and abrupt somewhat like the man could be when he wanted but…it was John Henry so Bobo could forgive him. And let him use that name. He’d earned it. He gazes over the rest letting himself drink in the short two page reply the other had managed and finds that fear slowly inching back more and more. This was not the letter of a man who would show up one day with a cocked fist and a warning to never be that familiar in the future.

It’s the lines before the closing though that banishes that fear: “I may not match your eloquence or length but you are always welcome and encouraged to correspond if the feeling takes you. I will never refuse such a gift from you.”

He folds the letter and places it in the envelope before tucking it safely away out of sight of prying eyes,lips curved into a smile. “If you insist, John Henry,” he murmurs softly, almost tenderly, “Then I very much look forward to it.”

#Fanfic: Wynonna Earp #Hollirey #Bobo Del Rey x Doc Holliday #Bobo Del Rey #Doc Holliday #Of Inkstained Fingers Series

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uswntpoet · 4 years

Text

Love on the brain (Part 21)

Hey guys, this time I'm faster! :) I hope you're still alive after the last chapter. Enjoy the next part!

The chapter is also up on Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17576201/chapters/51380701

First Allie watched Alex nearly going insane while waiting for Kelley to come out of the ER and now she watches her pace back and forth in front of Kelley’s bed like a tiger ever since she was brought back from the ER. It’s 9 o’clock in the morning now. 5 hours since Kelley collapsed in the hotel room and Alex can’t seem to catch a break even though Allie reassured her that Kelley is in good hands for the past hours and the doctor told them that Kelley already was conscious once in the ER.

“Two times in the span of a few weeks, Allie!! What am I supposed to do with her?!”

“I’ve always said she is insane, but nobody listens to me.” Allie jokes.

“Ugh and you know what’s the worst part about this?”

“That you aren’t even really mad at her?”

“Exactly.” Alex sighs.

“Please Al, do us all a favor and go grab something to eat.”

“I can’t do Kelley any favors since she is unconscious in a hospital bed AGAIN!”

“I think she would disagree. Can you at least do me a favor then?”

“Why?”

“Well, first of all you’re always in a bad mood when you’re hungry anyway, but most of all you’ve always been a disaster when it comes to worrying about this idiot and I can’t take it anymore.”

Alex looks at Allie and then at a sleeping Kelley skeptically.

“Don’t look at me like that. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“I’m not sure.” Alex grumbles.

“Good, then I’ll keep both of my eyes on her. Now go.”

“You call me when she wakes up?”

“Yes, I will. Now stop worrying for at least 30 minutes alright?”

“I’ll be back in 20.”

“20 it is.”

“And check if she’s breathing norm-“

“ALEX! I can handle it, okay? I promise.”

“Fine.”

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Kelley stirs awake about 15 minutes later. Allie gets up quickly, eyeing her closely. Kelley slowly opens her eyes, but she seems to struggle to keep them fully open.

“Holy fuck.” she mumbles.

“Welcome back to earth.” Allie smiles.

Kelley squeezes her eyes shut repeatedly, trying to focus on the person in front of her. A few seconds later she seems to realize that it’s Allie.

“Duuude.” Kelley chuckles lazily, sounding like a high surfer dude.

“How are you feeling?” Allie asks concerned.

“Fucking awesome.” Kelley smiles dopily.

“Oh wow, I don’t ever want to see you take drugs.” Allie rolls her eyes.

“Yo, Allie?” Kelley asks with her eyes closed again.

“Yes?”

“Don’t you think my girlfriend looks hella good?”

“Kel, Alex isn’t here.”

“Don’t you dare to say she doesn’t.” Kelley is quick to warn, her eyes flying open for a second, before falling shut in slow motion again.

“She does, Kel.” Allie exhales annoyed.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Kelley remarks with a hint of an aggressive tone.

“My girlfriend is hella sexy.” Kelley brags with a smile on her face.

“Kel?”

“Mhm?” Kelley asks, looking up at Allie with a dazed look in her eyes.

“Alex is your fiancée. You proposed to her, remember?”

“DUDE!” Kelley yells all of the sudden, which startles Allie, “Siiiiiiick.” Kelley smirks proudly.

“Oh man.” Allie exhales and slaps her hand against her forehead.

To Allie’s relieve the door opens and Alex walks in.

“Holy fuck!” Kelley yells, freezing and quickly covering her eyes.

Alex looks at Allie shocked, who shrugs, “Don’t worry, she just woke up.”

“What is she doing?” Alex asks wide eyed.

“She is high on pain killers and by high I mean they apparently shot her in another solar system.” Allie chuckles amused.

“Hey Kel, what’s up?” Allie asks her, trying to get her attention.

Kelley drops her hands from her face, looking at Alex with wide eyes before quickly turning to Allie.

“Duude, I swear, I’m such a bad fiancée!”

“What are you talking about?”

“If Alex knows she’ll kill me man.”

Allie looks to Alex in panic, while Alex is furrowing her brows in concern.

“Eh, Kel-“

“Don’t tell her, but that nurse looks fucking hot.” Kelley says, pointing at Alex. Allie lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and Alex’s face relaxes visibly, but her brows quickly furrow again.

“Oh boy, this is too good to be true.” Allie laughs.

“Stop laughing, this isn’t funny.” Alex scolds as she approaches Kelley’s bed to sit down next to her.

“Hey babe, it’s me, Alex.” Alex tries carefully, gently stroking her cheek.

“I know. I was just fucking around.” Kelley slurs, grinning at Alex foolishly.

Alex slaps her arm and rolls her eyes.

“Oh my god, you’re such an asshole. I thought you didn’t recognize me.”

“Baby girl, I would recognize those eyes from anywhere.”

“Drugged up and still a charmer. Why am I surprised?”

“I’ll inform a nurse”. Allie says.

“Thanks, Al.” Alex squeezes her hand.

A few minutes later the door flies open and the gray haired, good looking doctor in his 50’s, Alex already talked to earlier, walks in with two nurses in tow.

“Welcome back Miss O’Hara, I’m Dr. Bright.”

“Sup, Doc.” Kelley nods at him and Alex sends her a warning look, which Kelley clearly doesn’t seem to notice.

The doctor starts explaining to Kelley that an inflammation in her ankle caused her high fever, which ultimately lead to her unconsciousness and that taking too many pain killers caused the other symptoms, however Alex is sure that Kelley doesn’t have one clue what the man is talking about. After Dr. Bright and the nurses did some checkups on Kelley, he turns to Alex again.

“So Miss Morgan, your fiancée is-“

“Dr. B.? Isn’t my FIANCEE-“ Kelley stops and winks at Allie, who just shakes her head.

“-the most gorgeous woman you have ever seen?”

“Babe.” Alex warns sternly.

“Doc, listen. I know it sounds impossible, but I swear on my life, her smartness outshines her prettiness. Crazy right?”

“Kel, shut up.”

“Come over here and make me.”

“Kelley!” Alex warns her sharply.

Kelley looks at Alex for a second, seemingly considering what to do next, but when she sees Alex staring her down, she quietly mumbles to herself like a child who's been scolded.

“I’m terribly sorry for that.” Alex apologizes to the doctor, who just laughs and waves it off.

“That’s alright. She is going to be like that for a few hours, however you can take her home. When the meds wear off, she might be a little disorientated and very tired, but there’s no reason to worry. Is it possible that someone checks on her like every hour?”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. What about the Advil?”

“Yeah, she certainly took so many, because the dosage wasn’t strong enough and she was in enormous pain. She might be in pain the next few days as well, but I’m prescribing pain killers that are certainly strong enough, so there isn’t going to be another incident like this. Again, they might make her a bit loopy, however if she’s looked after she should be fine.”

“When is she going to be able to train again?” Alex asks tensely, knowing that even though Kelley is not giving a damn about it right now, it is going to be the first question when she is off meds again.

“The good news is that the medications are anti-inflammatory, so the inflammation is going to be gone within a few days. However, the injury is going to last a bit longer, if she’s lucky and has a good recovery process maybe 8 to 10 weeks, if not she’s going to need surgery. She could be out for about 6 months then, we’ll have to see.”

Alex exhales loudly, rubbing her hands through her face, feeling her heart break for Kelley. She knows this is going to be a hard blow after just recovering from her last injury.

“Oh my god.” she shakes her head devastated and Allie puts a supporting hand on her shoulder.

“Miss Morgan, to be frank, in your case I wouldn’t worry too much. You’re working with the best doctors and physiotherapist in the country. It’s going to be crutches in the first weeks to strain her ankle as little as possible and I think she is going to be fine, but as a doctor it is my duty to inform you about the possibilities.”

“Yeah, I understand that.” Alex nods.

“If she is burning up again or there are any signs of side effects please call an ambulance.”

“Of course, thank you so much for everything.” Alex says honestly with a smile which doesn’t reach her eyes.

“That’s what I’m here for. We’ll stay in touch and she has an appointment in a few days.”

Alex smiles at him and turns around to help Allie and the nurse to get Kelley ready to leave.

“And Miss Morgan?”

“Alex is fine.”

“Alex. I have drugged up patients everyday ever since I became a doctor. You can imagine that I’ve seen everything from breakups because of terrible confessions, over crying, to aggressive behavior. But what I rarely see is someone talking about their fiancée in the way yours did when she first woke up.”

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry, what did she say?”

“You have no reason to worry. Take good care of her, you got a good one there. She’s a keeper.” Dr. Bright winks with an honest smile.

“Oh.” Alex blushes, looking at him speechlessly.

“Have a good day, Alex.”

“Bye.” Alex mumbles.

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“Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“I feel so goooooood right now.”

“That’s good, Kel.”

“I can’t feel anything.” Kelley gushes loudly.

“I can see that.” Alex mumbles embarrassed, since Kelley isn’t behaving like one should in a hospital.

Kelley is sitting in a wheelchair, so they can bring her to the car. Alex stops in front of the door to turn around to look at Kelley sternly, before leaving the hospital room.

“Alright, Kel. We are going to leaves this room now and I need you to be quiet for two minutes okay? Just until we’re at the car.”

“Like on what level quiet?”

“Like 'shutting your mouth tightly and not opening it' quiet.”

“Okay, captain.” Kelley winks, saluting Alex.

Alex looks at her unsure, but Allie opens the door nonetheless. To Alex’s surprise, Kelley stays quiet in the hallway and in the elevator. However, when they walk through the entrance area, Kelley is back to her bad behavior.

“Excuse me, Mr.? Have you ever seen such a pretty woman?” Kelley asks a random stranger, pointing at Alex when they pass him.

“Kelley, shhhh! Leave the people alone!” Alex whisper yells.

“I’m doing what I want, woman.” Kelley sasses loudly and Allie has to suppress her loud giggles.

“Kel, could you just shut up for another minute, please.” Alex begs to which Kelley complies.

When they are finally outside, Alex starts searching for her car keys.

“Maaan, it’s so fucking hot in here. I’m dying.”

“We’re outside. You’ll be alright.” Alex mumbles, looking up to answer.

“What are you doing?! Put your shirt back on!!” Alex yells at her.

“But I’m so hot.” Kelley pouts.

“NOW!” Alex orders while Allie can’t breathe from laughing so much.

“Are you jealous babe?” Kelley asks sadly.

“Yeah, very jealous.” Alex groans impatiently.

“Okay.” Kelley says, putting her shirt back on quickly as if she first needed a reason to do so.

Alex looks at Allie annoyed who is wiping her tears.

"I’m going to marry a 2-year-old.” Alex groans.

When they finally managed to get Kelley to sit in the back of the car, they make their way back to the hotel.

“Babe? Do you still think I’m attractive?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Alex sighs.

“But what if someday you are going to leave me?”

“I will not.” Alex answers annoyed, looking in the rear-view mirror to make eye contact.

“Allie! What am I gonna do if she’s leaving me?” Kelley asks panicked.

“She is not, Kel.” Allie reassures her.

“Babe? If I died, how much would you miss me?”

“Death can’t get you out of this relationship.” Alex deadpans, but drugged up Kelley is completely clueless to any sarcasm since her attention span is like one of a puppy.

“Would you love someone else?”

“No.”

“Good, because whoever is looking at you, I’m going to fuck up.”

“When you’re dead, Kel?” Allie laughs.

“I’ll personally climb out of my grave to royally kick their ass.”

“Kel, enough.” Alex warns.

There is silence for just a moment.

“Babe? Have you ever had sex with someone who was drugged up?”

“No, Kelley I haven’t.” Alex snaps.

“Wanna give it a try?” Kelley raises an eyebrow suggestively.

“Holy shit!” Allie laughs.

“Kelley!! I said that’s enough. I don’t want to hear another word until we’re back at the hotel, understood?” Alex turns around frustratedly when she stops at the traffic light. Kelley nods her head, pretending to lock her mouth and throwing the key away.

“Good.”

Allie looks at Alex with a pitying look.

“It’s official. My two biggest fears in life are failure and Kelley on any kind of drug, including too much sugar.”

The silence lasts exactly three minutes, before Kelley’s voice can be heard again.

“Babe?”

Alex breathes out heavily and decides to ignore her.

“Babe?”

“Alex?”

“Alexandraaaa!!”

“What Kelley????? What could possibly be so important that you are talking again?” Alex asks, turning around furiously.

“I love you.” Kelley says truthfully, looking at Alex with puppy eyes.

Allie pouts at Alex, after looking at Kelley. Alex groans loudly, turning around again.

“Oh come on, look at her! You can’t be mad at her when she’s that cute.”

Alex shakes her head and looks in the rear-view mirror again, looking at Kelley who looks at her expectantly, not noticing that Alex is watching her in the mirror.

“I love you, too.” Alex says softly, watching her closely.

Kelley’s eyes light up at that. Her expectant expression changes into a bright smile and she leans back relaxed, closing her eyes. She doesn’t talk for the rest of the ride and Alex softly smiles the entire way home.

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The doctor was right. When they arrive at their hotel, Allie is so nice to inform the staff about the news while Alex quickly phones Kelley’s parents, who were waiting for news as well. After a 5-minute catch-up with the promise to call them in the evening again, she reenters their hotel room, only to find Kelley fast asleep on the couch. Lucky enough the couch is big enough so Alex carefully squeezes in behind her, holding her close.

A few hours later Kelley stirs awake again. Alex has been up for a while, just watching Kelley sleep peacefully, not daring to move, afraid that she might wake her up. Kelley turns around in Alex’s arms, yawning cutely. Alex looks at Kelley expectantly with something in her eyes that Kelley can’t read.

“Damn, Al I had the craziest dream.” she frowns.

Before Alex can say anything, she starts to stretch when sitting up and quickly convulses in pain.

“Fuck, it wasn’t a dream, was it?” she lets out pained.

“Unfortunately, not.” Alex counters tensely, sitting up as well.

“Oh no. Al, I- Are you okay?” Kelley asks, quickly looking at Alex again, putting her hand on Alex’s thigh, who is rubbing her hands through her face stressed.

“So much for ‘really really going to change starting tomorrow’, huh?” Alex lashes out, letting her hands fall from her face.

“God…I’m-“ Kelley starts fazed, but Alex interrupts her, jumping to her feet.

“You’re such an asshole.” Alex exhales shakily, standing in front of her aggravated.

“What?”

“You’re so dumb!” Alex complains.

Kelley stops talking and instead just looks at her helplessly, frowning. Alex bites her lip, staring at Kelley without saying a word. Kelley holds eye contact, observing her closely.

“Don’t look at me like that!” Alex yells pained, her lip starts trembling and Kelley closes her eyes in disappointment with herself, when sobs start escaping Alex’s lips.

“How could you do that to me?!” Alex yells, crying loudly, taking a step in her direction and hitting her hand in Kelley’s chest.

Kelley just takes the blow stoically.

“You promised!” Alex yells while Kelley takes another frustrated hit to her chest.

“I thought you were going to die!!” Alex sobs desperately, trying to shove Kelley.

Kelley has never heard Alex this distressed and it absolutely breaks her heart. So, before Alex is able to shove her, she catches her hands, holding onto her wrists.

“Let go of me!” Alex cries, but Kelley just pulls her down into her lap, putting her arms around Alex, who buries her head in Kelley’s neck, holding onto her as if her life depended on it.

“You scared me.” she cries, her body shaking.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m here, I’m fine.” Kelley soothes softly.

“I need you, okay? You can’t just disappear! I need you so so much.” Alex sobs heart wrenchingly.

Kelley nods her head, kissing the top of her head.

“Please. Please don’t leave me alone, I can’t breathe without you.” Alex begs.

Kelley takes Alex’s face in her hands, pushing her forehead against Alex’s.

“I’m here.” she repeats intently, “I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” Kelley whispers, pressing a kiss to Alex’s lips and hugging her tightly again.

“I love you.” Alex mumbles into her neck, sniffling.

Kelley caresses her back comfortingly and strokes her hand through Alex’s hair, who snuggles into her.

“I love you so much, Alex. More than anything.” Kelley replies, laying her head on top of Alex’s.

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After that day Kelley never misses a treatment again. So while Alex is training every day with the team, Kelley spends every waking second to recover, watch her train and do what’s best for her ankle. Alex smiles brightly every morning when a freshly showered Kelley wakes her with kisses before leaving for an early treatment so that they can have breakfast together afterwards. Something in Kelley switched completely and Alex feels at peace because she can tell that a situation like that isn’t going to happen again. Five days post-accident, Kelley has another appointment at the hospital. She wakes up really energized, confident that her ankle is going to be a lot better than before since she only had light problems with it. When Alex is supposed to go to practice, Kelley also has to make her way to Dr. Bright, who they have been in close contact with.

“Don’t forget to tell him about-“

“The pain in the night. Yes, Alex, I won’t forget.” Kelley chuckles.

“And call me afterwards.” Alex insists nervously.

“Al, you’re going to be training, I’ll see you when you’re back.”

“But-“

“Babe, relax. I got this.” Kelley smiles.

“Right.” Alex nods.

“I have to go, see you at 7.” Kelley leans forward and kisses her goodbye.

“Bye.” Alex waves, watching after her when Kelley takes off, limping to the entrance on her crutches.

Alex flinches when a hand lands on her shoulder.

“Come on you clinger. We’ve got stuff to do.” Allie laughs, pulling Alex with her.

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In the evening they meet up at dinner. When Alex enters the room, their gazes meet immediately like magnets. Alex realizes right away that Kelley isn’t in a great mood. They have a silent conversation just with their eyes and the conversation is over by the time Alex arrives at their table. So instead of starting to interrogate her about her appointment, she just sits down next to her and places her hand on Kelley’s thigh. Kelley reaches down and intertwines their hands, looking at Alex with a small smile when squeezing her hand. The others don’t notice since Kelley hides it perfectly, making jokes and laughing with them. Still, Alex sees that she isn't feeling well.

Alex yawns right after finishing dinner, “Guys, I think we’re going to leave, I’m exhausted.”

Kelley looks at her amused, knowing that Alex was totally faking that yawn.

“Alex, I swear you’ve become so boring! You’re old.” Sonnett complains jokingly.

“If you’d be able to play like Alex, you’d be tired too.” Kelley defends her with a smirk, causing the others to laugh.

“Okay, that was mean, Miss Kelley.”

“Grow up, Sonnett.” Kelley winks teasingly.

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When they are in their hotel room, Alex opens Netflix and starts on one of Kelley’s favorite comedies she likes to watch when she doesn’t feel good. Kelley makes herself comfortable on the couch and Alex sits down between her legs, leaning against her. Kelley hugs her waist from behind and presses a kiss to her shoulder.

“So, what happened?”

Kelley exhales heavily, pushing her forehead against the side of Alex’s head and closes her eyes. She stays silent for a moment before leaning back again.

“So apparently, I’m not recovering as fast as I’d like to think.”

“What does that mean?” Alex asks, anxiously drawing circles on Kelley’s thigh with her finger.

“As of now, I don’t know. He said he is giving me a few more days, but I thought maybe I should just tell him I want the sur-”

“Surgery???” Alex akss, turning her head to look at Kelley horrified, “No Kel, you heard it yourself, Dr. Bright said it was too early.”

“Yeah, but-“

“No buts and no rushed decisions, Kel.” Alex insists, “You have to give yourself some time. It’s only been 5 days.”

“I don’t know, Al.” Kelley mumbles.

“Don’t be silly, I’m always right.” Alex smirks.

This puts the sparkle back into Kelley’s eyes, who looks at Alex challengingly, “Oh, are you now?”

“Damn right I am.” Alex winks.

“Good for me, huh?”

“Oh, totally.”

“So what’s your prediction of my chances of getting a kiss?” Kelley smirks.

“On a scale from 1 to 10? 12.”

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Alex is woken once again in the middle of the night. Her breath hitches and she looks around disorientated and panicked. She reaches out for Kelley and realizes that she isn't lying next to her. Alex shoots up in a flash, but relaxes a bit when she sees that the balcony door is open. She can see Kelley’s silhouette looking out into the distance, holding onto the balcony fence. Alex gets up quietly and makes her way up to Kelley. It’s a warm summer night, the sky clear and plastered with stars. Kelley stands on the balcony motionless, watching the waves crush onto the shore. Alex puts her arms around her waist from behind, hugging her around her waist. Kelley starts breaking down immediately, her body vibrating as tears roll down her face, but she’s not making a single sound. Alex holds her even closer, resting her forehead against the back of Kelley’s head.

“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.” Alex whispers softly, every word full of conviction.

A sob escapes Kelley and she grips onto the fence so hard, Alex thinks she might break it. Alex lets go of her waist and crouches down to quickly slip into the spot between Kelley’s arms so that her back is up to the fence. She then loosens Kelley’s grip on the fence, taking both of her hands in her own, intertwining them. Alex puts Kelley’s hand to her mouth and kisses the back of it affectionately. Kelley looks up at her, a single tear rolling down her eye. Alex throws her a concerned, yet devoted look, that makes Kelley’s heart skip a beat in adoration. She leans forward and rests her forehead against Alex’s, closing her eyes.

“We’re going to get through this. I’m here. You’re not alone in this.”

Kelley nods her head.

“You’re going to be healthy until France.”

“How can you be so sure of that?” Kelley asks with a shaky voice.

“I just am. We’re going to France and we’re going to be on the pitch together. I promise.”

Kelley shakes her head, frowning. Alex grips Kelley’s face, holding it still, their foreheads still pressed together.

“No, listen Kel. Look at me.” Alex whispers intently.

Kelley opens her eyes and is met with her favorite shade of blue. The light that is hovering over the city, illuminates the sky enough to make Kelley see what she needs to see.

“I promise, okay? I promise you.” Alex stresses.

What Kelley sees in Alex’s eyes is safety, calming her like nothing else can, making her believe even though it seems impossible.

“Okay?” Alex whispers.

“Okay.” Kelley breathes.

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The next days everything only goes uphill for Kelley. When her appointment with Dr. Bright rolls around, he ensures her that surgery won’t be needed, but that she certainly should be very careful and consider every factor that will help her to recover. Kelley is over the moon and from then on even more determined to get better as fast as possible. They spend their off days visiting Alex’s family as much as possible and Alex finally feels like she doesn’t have to worry about Kelley. It’s the last day of camp before everyone will fly back to their club teams and Alex is waiting for Kelley, Christen, Tobin and Becky in the Whole Foods parking lot, since they wanted to grab some lunch for all of them. Alex is leaning against the wall a few yards from the entrance, looking at her phone after ending a business call.

“Alex Morgan.” a familiar voice calls her.

Alex looks up immediately, rolling her eyes at who is approaching her.

“Gosh, why??” Alex mumbles to herself, before she greets him with a short nod, “Tom.”

“Never in a million years, would I have thought to see you again. In LA of all places? What the hell are you doing here?” he smiles annoyingly.

“Well, I don’t know if you remember but first of all I’m a professional soccer player, which normally demands going to all sorts of places and second of all my whole family lives here.” Alex sasses, annoyed by his question.

He blushes and looks at her embarrassed, “Right.”

“Anyway, how is life going? Did you and that girl split up? I mean she was pretty rude.”

Alex looks past him and sees Kelley and her friends exit the store, not listening to a word he is saying and the memories from a few years ago come flooding into her mind.

FLASHBACK ON

“Ugh, I don’t want to go there.”

“Why though?” Kelley asks with a chuckle, pulling open her locker.

“Because there’ll be only people I haven’t seen in years and there is a reason for that.” Alex complains.

“But she’s one of your best friends Alex and normally you are never in LA for stuff like this. It’s a wedding, you’ll find someone to talk to.” Kelley smirks.

Alex pushes Kelley’s locker closed in front of her face.

“Hey! I wasn't finished yet.” Kelley frowns.

“You’ll come with me!” Alex exclaims excitedly as if she had a flash of genius.

“What? No.” Kelley laughs.

“Come on, I need somebody to safe me from my stupid ex, who is definitely going to be there.”

“Why do you need protection from your ex?” Kelley chuckles.

“Because he is an arrogant asshole. He’s always bragging with his job and his new girlfriend, just because he is super boring and jealous of me earning more than him.” Alex rolls her eyes.

“ What is his job?” Kelley asks amused.

“He’s an accountant.”

Kelley fake gags, which makes Alex laugh out loud.

“Why don’t you just bring a date?” Kelley asks skeptically.

“Because it’ll be more fun with you."

“Wait, is that also the guy who cheated on you on your birthday?”

“Yup. But I wanted to break up with him later that day anyway.” Alex chuckles.

“Fine, I’ll come with you.” Kelley agrees.

“Yes! You’re the best!” Alex exclaims, pressing a peck to Kelley’s cheek before taking off to shower.

Kelley just stands in the locker room frozen to the spot with a blush creeping on her cheeks.

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By now they’ve been at the party for over two hours, even though Alex told Kelley that they’d be leaving early, because the people were going to be lame. However, Kelley is great company as always and Alex somehow never had more fun at a wedding.

“I’m going to get us some more booze, alright?” Kelley speaks closely to Alex’s ear, due to the volume.

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll wait here.” Alex smiles, which Kelley returns before disappearing in the crowd.

Alex looks around happily, waving at one of her old friends from college when suddenly she sees the person she didn’t want to see. Alex curses under her breath and asks herself why this has to happen of when Kelley is gone. She ducks her head, but he sees her nonetheless and confidently walks up to her with his girlfriend in tow. The look on his face is determined and his intentions are clear, he wants to show off.

“Alex!! How have you been?” he smiles arrogantly, pretending to be nice.

“Uhm, quite good. Everything’s fine, thanks for asking.”

“Actually, I’m doing great myself. Do you still remember my girlfriend?”

‘Great, nobody asked you.’, Alex thinks to herself, but politely smiles at his girlfriend, who is actually quite nice and whom she knows briefly through a friend of hers.

“Hi Emma.” Alex smiles.

“Hey, Alex, how are you?” Emma smiles.

Before Alex can even answer her question, Tom intervenes.

“Yeah, Alex, how come a girl like you is still all alone?” he cocks an eyebrow, clearly meaning to attack her.

Suddenly Alex feels a glass being pushed into her hand and an arm around her waist, which pulls her in so that her body is pressed closely against another. Alex turns her head and is met with Kelley, who is unusually close to her face. She looks at Kelley helpless, who gives her a reassuring look.

“Hey gorgeous, I managed to get us the good champagne.” she smiles at Alex, squeezing her hip and clinking her glass against Alex’s before taking a swig of it.

“By the way, have I already told you that you look stunning in that dress?” Kelley compliments with a lopsided smile, before turning her attention to the couple in front of them.

“Oh hey, sorry. I tend to get too distracted by her beauty. Who are you?” Kelley asks outspoken.

“I’m Tom, Alex must have talked about me.” he says with a cocky grin.

Kelley looks at him with a frown, looking like she is roaming her mind.

“Tim?” she asks as if she didn’t understand him.

“Uh no, Tom.” he laughs uneasily, looking at Alex confused.

“Ahhh sorry, you mumbled a bit. Then no, I’m confident she never talked about you. I’m Kelley.” Kelley smiles confidently, giving him a very firm handshake while having a stare off with him, looking at him challengingly.

He looks more pissed off than Alex has ever seen him and the conversation only started. Kelley raises an eyebrow at him and turns her attention to his girlfriend.

“And who is your pretty friend?” Kelley asks charmingly.

“That’s my girlfr-”

“I’m Emma!” she interrupts him, eagerly holding out her hand for Kelley to shake, looking at her infatuated.

“Nice to meet you Emma, you kind of remind me of Kristen Bell.”

It’s a stretch. They might have the same hair, but that’s about it and Alex looks at Kelley quizzically.

"Thanks.” Emma blushes, “See that’s what I always tell you. Some people see it!” she snaps at Tom, who rolls his eyes.

If Alex wouldn’t have already been gawking at Kelley, she would have been by now. Kelley quickly looks at Alex and winks at her.

“You are Kelley O’Hara, aren’t you?” Emma asks shily.

“Yeah. Do you like soccer?” Kelley smiles.

“I love soccer, actually I’m a huge fan.”

“Thanks, that's great.” Kelley says politely.

Alex notices a swagger to her, her energy cool and relaxed, giving off vibes that either would want you to be friends with her, or be with her.

“So Tim, what do you do for a living?”

“Tom and I‘m an accountant.” he says through his teeth, clearly aggravated.

“Dude. That sounds awful. I really am sorry for you.” Kelley grimaces, giving him a clap on the shoulder.

Alex almost bursts into loud laughter, but somehow manages to stifle it by hiding her face behind Kelley, however his girlfriend can’t contain it.

“Why would that be awful?” he asks offended.

“Come on Tom, don’t act like that. Your job is pretty boring compared to Alex and Kelley’s.” Emma laughs.

Tom shoots Kelley a malicious look and she just shrugs innocently. Alex eyes Kelley amazed. She has never seen anybody piss Tom off like that and she feels like kissing her for it. Wait. What? Her thoughts are interrupted by Emma.

“How long have you two been together?”

Alex eyes nearly pop out of her head, “Uhhh, we‘re not to-”

“3 years, right babe?” Kelley interrupts, resting her hand on her butt possessively.

Alex looks at her wide eyed and Kelley squeezes her butt, which makes Alex turn her head and nod at her quickly.

“Best 3 years of my life.” Kelley says, pressing a kiss to Alex’s cheek.

“Oh my god, you guys are so cute. I didn’t know that you were a couple. I could immediately sense your love for each other though. Alex your eyes are shining when you look at Kelley.” Emma gushes.

“Thanks.” Kelley grins brightly, turning to Alex, staring deep into her eyes, “She is the love of my life.”

Alex somehow feels mesmerized by the way Kelley is looking at her in that moment and she drifts off, not able to break eye contact. Alex knows that Kelley is just acting right now, but somehow it feels so real and natural.

“Alex what we’re you saying? You’re not together?” Tom interrupts, with an evil glimmer in his eye.

Alex turns to look at him and Kelley’s grip on her tightens.

“Uh yeah, what I wanted to say is actually we’re engaged.” Alex smiles brightly and Kelley looks at her with a smirk, which she then directs at Tom.

“I proposed last year. I mean dude, between us? Look at her. I couldn’t let this chance slip. And don’t get me started on her intelligence. Only a total idiot would miss the opportunity to marry a woman like Alex.”

“Babe, stop it.” Alex smiles, putting her hand on Kelley’s chest, who reaches up to intertwine their hands and presses a kiss to her hand.

“Awww. Tom, why are you never talking about me like this?!” Emma complains.

“Would you excuse us?” Kelley asks charmingly.

“Yeah of course.” she smiles at Kelley.

“Tim.” Kelley nods at him and pulls Alex away from them.

Alex can hear Emma gushing about her ring in the distance and Alex looks down at her hand, thanking god that she put on a ring that looks a lot like an engagement ring and was a gift when winning the Olympics.

“Oh my god.” Alex laughs loudly when they finally are outside, “Kel, you saved me!”

Alex hugs Kelley tightly.

“What a prick.” Kelley rolls her eyes, when they pull apart.

“That was amazing!” Alex gushes, “He was SO pissed off. How do you always do things like that?!”

“You’re exaggerating.” Kelley chuckles.

“Stop playing it down. Emma was totally into you and when you told her she looked like Kristen Bell it was over. What the hell was that about?” Alex laughs.

“I didn’t know that he was your ex, but they stood next to me at the bar earlier and she was complaining that he couldn’t see the alikeness.” Kelley grins.

“You’re amazing.” Alex gasps.

Kelley just waves her off.

“No, Kel, really. You’re unbelievable. I just love you so much. He’s never going to get over that.” Alex grins.

“Why in the world did you date him?” Kelley asks disgusted.

Suddenly Alex becomes quieter than before. She nervously looks to the ground.

“Uhm, I don’t know. Initially, I just liked that he showed interest.” she admits sort of shyly.

“Alex, are you serious right now?” Kelley asks confused.

“What?”

“You don’t see it don’t you?” Kelley laughs frustratedly.

“Why do you sound so aggravated?”

“Because I am.”

“Why?” Alex frowns.

“Al. You’re- I mean- Have you ever seen yourself? You’re the most amazing person I know and you date that guy because he gives you a little bit attention? There is people falling for you left and -“

“Well, they’re not the right person though!” Alex almost shouts.

“But he was?” Kelley asks, not even phased by her outburst.

“No! That’s not what I wanted-“

“Then who is the right person?”

“I- I don’t know. I always make bad decisions when it comes to that. I just wish I’d meet someone who is even a bit like y-”

“OH MY GOD, ALEXANDRA MORGAN!”

Alex jumps in surprise and gets crushed by a squealing girl that clearly had a bit too much to drink. Alex throws Kelley an apologetic look.

“College.” she mouths, while getting squeezed to death.

Instead of answering Kelley just eyes her pensively. There is something unreadable in her expression and it’s so intense that Alex has to look away, because she starts blushing.

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

Later that night and with too many drinks in their systems, they’re finally on their way home. In the taxi Alex lays her head on Kelley’s shoulder exhaustedly, drifting off into sleep slowly. Just before Alex is about to pass out, she speaks up.

“Kel?”

“Mhm?”

“What did you think about earlier?” she mumbles tiredly with closed eyes.

“When?”

“You know when.”

There is silence for a moment as Kelley considers her next words.

“You know, I think you should be with someone who treats you just the way you deserve to be treated. Someone who respects you, who cherishes you, who protects you and most importantly loves you for who you are.” Kelley reflects thoughtfully, her voice soft-spoken.

“I think I know someone like that.” Alex mumbles.

“Oh. Okay.” Kelley tenses, “Then why don’t you just talk to them I guess?” she asks uneasily.

“I don’t think they see me in that kind of way.” Alex shrugs.

“Impossible.” Kelley mumbles.

“Hmm?”

“That’s bullshit, Alex.” Kelley speaks up.

Alex is quite for a minute and Kelley thinks she might have fallen asleep.

“Do you think I deserve to be with someone who is the most amazing person on this planet?”

Kelley exhales deeply.

“I think you deserve the world, Alex. What I don’t think is that they are going to be more amazing than you.” Kelley tries to smile.

There is an unsettling feeling starting to build in her stomach, which she could only describe as some sort of jealousy.

“Well, they are.”

Kelley looks down at the soft smile that is dancing on Alex’s face and the feeling she felt before somehow is erased.

“Well, they aren’t going to be able to say no to such a pretty girl.” Kelley smiles softly, kissing the top of Alex’s head, who is too tired to answer and falls asleep.

FLASHBACK OFF

“Alex? Are you listening?” he asks unsure.

Alex averts her gaze from Kelley and turns to look at him again.

“Thank you so much!” she smiles.

“Uhm what?” he stutters.

“Bye Tom.” Alex waves as she leaves.

“Wait! Alex!” he calls after her perplexed.

“There you are! I brought you vegan chocolate chip cookies.” Kelley smiles excitedly as Alex walks into her direction.

Instead of answering Alex just walks up to Kelley and puts her arms around her neck, kissing her meaningfully. Overwhelmed by the passionate kiss, Kelley drops one of her crutches while reaching up to stop her baseball cap from falling. When Alex pulls away Kelley looks at her stunned, her lips swollen.

“Uh, wow.” Kelley breathes.

“God, you guys didn’t see each other for like 8 minutes! Why are you like this!?” Becky groans.

“Seriously, it’s just cookies Alex.” Christen agrees.

Tobin slowly lifts the bag of food she is carrying, looking at Christen cautiously.

“Don’t even think about it.” Christen rolls her eyes, making Tobin drop her arm instantly.

“So what? I love me some cookies.” Alex grins provocatively and Kelley just shrugs at them, still recovering from the kiss.

They know better than to question Alex and start walking to the car. Alex picks up Kelley’s crutch and they fall behind a few steps.

“What was that for?” Kelley asks with an amused smile.

“For being the most amazing person on this planet.” Alex smiles back.

#Kellex #kelley o'hara #Alex Morgan #kellexfic #USWNT #kellexfanfic #love on the brain #part 21

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gritsandbrits · 5 years

Text

Why I hate Carlie Cooper (Spider-Man Rant)

So I've been going around sites such as CBR, Reddit, Tumblr and Deviantart to see what people's opinions were on Carlie Cooper, and the results were mixed at best. As many other fans of the webcrawling hoodlum, I have my share of gripes with her character and this chapter explains why Carlie is the absolute worst Spider Man love interest.

Sour Introduction

Carlie was introduced too soon and too quickly, just after OMD. The travesty already left a sour taste in our mouthes, but when she was introduced showing Mary Jane the door, this scene not only spat in the face of MJ fans and Pete x MJ shippers, but also made the rest of us go, "QUESADA!!!" This made the replacement girlfriend thing very obvious. Marvel made it clear that MJ is gone and Carlie was here to stay.

Notable character traits were ripped off from other love interests

Many readers caught on that the core traits Carlie displayed in her time in the comics were established within previous love interests. Keep in mind, two characters sharing similar attributes isn't wrong. My own OC, Lucy, shares Urusla Ditkovich's love of baking and apparent shyness, and having powers like Sophia Sanduval, but other than that she is nothing like the latter two in terms of personality, looks and personal history. But this is not about my OC.

Carlie has aspects that are blatantly ripped off from other love interests, and they happen to be their good or recognizable traits. This may or may not be intentional on the writers part but merely a product of trying and failing to develop her as a character. Let me run down the list for you.

• Nerdy, adorable and the supposed "regular girl": Debra Whitman

• Dark past involving some serious daddy issues: Mary Jane Watson

They couldn't have given her mommy issues or problems with authority figures in general. To be fair, comic books are drenched with characters with daddy issues. Cyclops is the walking example.

• Idolized within the comics and sometimes praised as "The One" for Peter: Gwen Stacy

As opposed to in fan's memories, some point out that Gwen Stacy hated Spider Man. That's another sad thing about her death: she died hating the guy she loved.

• Dad was a cop: Gwen

To justify Carlie's relationship with Gwen, they made her dad a cop. Later it was revealed that he wasn't a cop nor a good man for that matter. This goes back to the daddy issues thing as we are supposed to feel bad for her, but it came across as cheap and not genuinely tragic as MJ's abusive past. Also, Carlie has a missing mother like Gwen.

• Served as an informant on the force: Jean DeWolff

Whereas Jean had an interesting dynamic with Spider-Man, Carlie's dynamuc seems forced in, rationalized as sharing his love of science. Everything Carlie does could have easily been solved by Spider Man or any of his allies, even Greer Grant.

• Peter vs Spider-Man conflict: Black Cat

Carlie was briefly torn between Parker and Spider Man after discovering the big secret. It took Felicia decades in real time and a few years in comic book time for her to accept Parker but by then he had already moved on to MJ and BC decided to move on as well.

• Fell in love with Parker persona: Gwen, MJ, Sophia from Marvel Adventures

Gwen hated Spider Man though, but she fell in love with Peter. MJ preferred plain old Peter and accepted Spider Man. Sophia played an active role in both Peter's civilian and superhero lives and used her mutant ability to talk to animals to help.

• Personality included being a tsundere: Gwen, and Michelle Gonzales before she went nuts

• Had an interest in science: Gwen

NOTICING A PATTERN HERE!?

• Friends with Harry: Gwen Stacy (again)

• Was depicted as blonde and began with a minor crush on Parker: GWEN STACY!!!

Wow is it just me or do the writers at Marvel lowkey want to resurrect Gwen Stacy? Damn, just let the lady rest in peace!

• Pushed as Peter's intellectual equal: Debra (give us two points for Debby)

• Supposed to have a fun, sociable personality: MJ

Did I mention that Carlie at one time was depicted with red hair with a very similar hairstyle to MJ? They weren't even trying to be subtle with the replacement thing.

• Loves both Spider Man and Peter: MJ also an inversion of Black Cat who only really likes Spidey (she was kinda getting along with Peter but that never took off)

• Went from meek and submissive doormat to assertive and optimistic action girl: Betty Brant

• Named after a particular person given the context behind it: Joe Quesada named her after his daughter

From what I heard, Joe's daughter was around three years old when he shat out OMD. That is very creepy, as if he wants his toddler to be with a fictional character that bad.

When Doc Ock impersonated as Peter after his supposed death, Carlie was the only cast member out of the whole Marvel universe to correctly figure out that Doc!Peter was a faker.

Mary Jane and Aunt May were used to villains dressing up as Peter (and even beat up a few of them), but for some odd reason none of them could figure out the Dcotor Octopus was posing as him.

Depsite MJ being his main love interest and Aunt May having raised him from a kid, they could not have told the real Peter from an impostor.

THE FANTASTIC FOUR AND THE AVENGERS COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT DEPSITE WORKING WITH PETER FOR YEARS!!!!!

Yet is was the great detective work of Ms. Carlie Cooper that was able to determine that Doctor Octopus was using Peter's body to do some bad things. You know, like a villain.

Speaking of the Doctor, Dan Slott often used him a lot in his stories to the point that fans believe that Doc Ock was becoming a bit of a Villain Sue. And their arguments were sadly proven right later on, but back onto Carlie...

The way she did this was by following Spider Man's money trail to see how he could afford expensive equilment and minions (excuse me, employees) and it leads right to Doc Ock.

The simple fact that one of Spider Man's smartest foes was stupid enough to not cover his tracks showed that something had to be altered just to make Carlie look good. What was that something? Taking basic common sense out of the Marvel Universe so that Carlie could play Miss Marple!

When Carlie got infected with Goblin Serum and turned into Monster (the lamest villain name since Menace), she was the only person to ever resist its brainwashing effects. She gets some scars around her eyes but is otherwise fully cured and that experience is enough to make her leave the world of Spider Man forever.

In the story arc Spider Island, Carlie broke up with Peter just because he didn't tell her he was Spider Man. Alternatively MJ got closer to Peter, which made fans everywhere sigh with relief. This also proves how very little Carlie seems to care about Peter's side of the story.

Also in Spider Island she used her new powers to play around while MJ used hers to actually help people. When a supermodel is better at heroics than a police officer/forensic scientist, then you know something is wrong.

Mary Jane stayed with Peter when she found out, in fact she already knew it was him but didn't confront him because she didn't think of herself as a good confidante and feared Peter would lie to her but she understood why.

It was implied in the comics and stated by old writers that, had Gwen not been killed off she would have eventually found out about Peter being Spider man and stayed with him; they would have even gotten married.

Carlie managed to pop up in other Marvel titles such as The Punisher even though she was irrelevant to the plot, and the writers claim that she was "the sanest member of the cast." This was after her irresponsible antics during Spider Island.

Character shilling when not appropriate

One of Carlie's major problems was how she was pushed as being perfect for Peter without getting to know him. It became even more egregious when other characters started pushing Carlie as perfect, such as Auny May and Harry Osborn.

Mary Jane told Peter that he needed to hook up with Carlie, which was awkward coming from a woman who was married to him for twenty years.

Peter himself couldn't stop gushing over how perfect Carlie was for him, and he spent a lot of time in angst over how undeserving he was of their lust - I mean love.

Everyone, from Harry Osborn to Black Cat said that Carlie was perfect for Peter. I get Harry because he was friends with her, but Black Cat???? The real clencher was that Felicia didn't even know who Carlie was at the time.

No wonder she turned crazy at the end.

SPEAKING OF CRAZY!

Characters personalities were changed in order to make Carlie a total saint

For example, Michelle Gonzales (another hated Spidey Love Interest) used to be a regular old tsundere. Sure she had problems of her own as a character, but once Carlie was introduced her aggressive trait was exaggerated to violent extremes and Michelle begins abusing Peter. If that's not enough she eventually gets RAPED by the Chameleon of all people. The same Chameleon who got his ass beat by Mary Jane and verbally pawned by Aunt May for impersonating Peter.

No matter how Marvel tried to say it, no matter how bitchy she was, Michelle got raped and Chameleon got off scot-free.

I mean he didn't force himself on her just shapeshifted as Peter and had sex with her. Apparently shapeshifters can't be charged with rape as long as it's consensual.

In The Many Loves of Spider Man, Gwen Stacy was presented as a worry wart which goes against her original characterization as a proto-Tsundere. Carlie was presented as a gutsy young girl, which made her look smarter than the supposed science girl Gwen was.

Gets mad at Peter for the dumbest reasons

When Peter had to go on a mission for the Future Foundation (aka the Fantastic Four), he told Carlie that he was going out of town for Horizon Labs, the place he had worked for before becoming Tony Stank 2.0.

Naturally, Carlie found out that Peter had lied to her and during one of her roller derby competitions, ends up beating up a rival skater so badly that she was suspended for the rest kf the game. Afterwards, her team took her out for a drink to calm her down and she gets drunk and goes to a tattoo parlor.

Deciding to get back at Peter, she decided to get an Osborn tattoo, more specifically a Green Goblin.

This was the man that murdered her childhood friend, Peter's first girlfriend and first true love (and to some fans his only true love).

This was the man that ended the Silver Age of Comic Books.

This was the man who killed innocent people just to get what he want.

This was the man who subjected his son and other people to so much pain, misery and sorrow because of his actions, some of which he still had yet to answer for.

But yet.....

You decide to get a tramp stamp of Green Goblin all to spite Peter because he lied to keep you separate from his superhero life?

I'm surprised that everyone who ever did a rant on Carlie never brought this part up. This woman would go as far as to taint her own friend's memory by getting a tattoo of her killer, all just to spite a guy she barely knew for not even a year. And this guy loved her friend.

When Peter finally told Carlie the truth, she broke up with him in yhe most melodramatic way possible. She claimed that his life was a lie and that his Parker persona was "just a suit."

She was also upset that Mary Jane knew about it, even though MJ and Peter were friends far longer than she knew Peter, and he trusted MJ with that secret. Eventually, Carlie accepts the Spidey persona, leaving her with a good reason to hang out with Mary Jane.

I have problems with the above scene because Peter lied to protect her and to keep her out of a very dangerous lifestyle. Yet, she does not want to hear his side of the story and the writers fail to persuade the readers to sympathize with her. This scene also shows that she is a complete and utter hypocrite. She can keep secrets like the identity of the new Wraith (and unlike Vin and Ray she doesn't turn the new Wraith over to the police), yet Peter cannot lie to her for very good reasons.

Featured on "Many Loves of Spider Man" - when Carlie and Peter had not hooked up yet.

At the time Carlie was still a minor character and not engaged in a romance with Peter. Yet for some odd reason she was featured on the cover with characters people grew up with and came to love.

Carlie was not featured in s single comic yet was immediately pushed as one of Peter's many loves. Debra should have been here, or Betty since she was his very first girlfriend. And how come it's called Many when the cover only has four? 🤔

Closing Statements

The positives of Carlie is that she was shown a lot more capable of handling herself in dangerous situations than MJ and Gwen, and even willing to pick up a gun. But MJ was never a traditional damsel in distress; the lady took boxing lessons from Captain America for God's Sake! OG Gwen was never a fighter in the first place and to be honest, she was supposed to be a tsundere. She had a personality, and no matter how people say that Gwen was a boring character who deserved to be killed off, she wasn't in need of no saving while she was alive.

Okay except for that one time.

Others say that Carlie was being unfairly judged because she wasn't like Mary Jane. In contrast, Sophia Sanduval wasn't like Mary Jane and people love her (assuming they know who she is). Sophia is regarded to be one of the best Spider Man love interests. Ursula wasn't Mary Jane and people love her; fans who watched the original trilogy preferred a Peter x Ursula romance because MJ was that bad. There are even people who watched Ultimate Spider Man that started to ship Aya with Peter based on a few ship tease scenes, and she wasn't MJ.

On Quotev, AO3 and right here on Wattpad, you have dozens if not hundreds of Peter Parker x OC fanfictions, many that are amazing and written by pretty talented people. OCs aren't canon in the first place, but the OCs I'd seen (talking about the well-defined ones here) aren't MJ and I have not seen one negative comment about OCs or their creators. In fact people love them because they demonstrate how you can have a unique and relatable love interest without copying canon characters.

Final Statements

Overall, the problems Carlie have are she has inconsistent characterization, tries so hard to be the Perfect Girl for Peter, and she is irrelevant to the plot. If you take away her core traits she just ends up being a flat, boring character.

In conclusion, Carlie is a textbook case of Relationship and Black Hole Sue, and should be used as an example of what not to do when creating love interests. The key is to develop a character over time and not spending so much on making her (or him if any of you prefer same-sex pairings) the perfect girl/man/whatever for Peter or whatever random character you plan on shipping with.

Anyways, that's all I have to say about Carlie. Yeah it was a lot of words but I wanted to show and tell why so many Spider Man fans do not like her. It's not that she replaced Mary Jane, it's because she tried way to hard to be so many different characters and her general unlikable attitude and the subtext behind her whole creation.

Thanks for whoever took the time to read this mess of a rant.

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crassussativum · 4 years

Text

ooc- Enemies and Allies: Chapter 10

(Boom 10 chapters. And now this is on AO3 too. It will be updated there as I update here.

Chapter 10

Back on their ship, Crassus stripped out of his armor, cleaned it and put it away. He did the same with his rifle and side-arm and stored them both in the locker beneath his cot. He could hear the shower running down the hall. Mav hadn’t said a word to him since they’d left the outpost and the Spectre behind. Crassus hadn’t tried to strike up a conversation either, more or less lost in thought over the implications of the Geth entering civilized space. While Tuchanka wasn’t exactly what could be called civilized, every station and colony along the way could be. The Geth would have passed within a few thousand light-years of the Citadel to get there and Tuchanka was painfully close to Palaven.

The shower stopped. Crassus waited a handful of minutes until he was sure Mav was out of the bathroom and then went to take his own. Some twenty minutes later when he returned to their room, Mav had managed to fill it with smoke from his cigarettes.

“You couldn’t do that in the hangar?” Crassus asked him, covering his nose with his hand. He didn’t mind the smoke normally but that much of it in one tiny room and he minded a lot.

“I’d open up a window if I could,” Mav drawled. “But no window and I reckon you findin’ me downin’ a couple bottles of horosk would put you in a bad mood. Or you’d be tempted to join me. Can’t have that. One of us should be sober.”

“I already found one of the bottles in the shower.” Crassus told him as he sat down on his cot. He sniffed the air. “Did you use some of my cologne?”

“You have nice cologne.” Mav flicked his mandibles. “And I only sprayed a little.”

He sighed and leaned back on his cot. Spectres and Geth and Mav’s reaction to both were all he could think about. “Do… do you want to talk about it?”

Mav took a long drag off his cigarette and then dropped it into a cup of water by his cot. “I reckon it couldn’t hurt any. I’m drunk enough.”

Crassus wondered if the empty bottle he had found in the shower had been full when Mav took it in there. He was almost willing to bet it had been.

“My parents died on Shanxi durin’ the Relay 314 Incident.” Mav told him. “They were servin’ under General Desolas Arterius when their convoy was ambushed. Y’know how that goes.” He gestured with a long sigh. “They took a fuckton of humans with them. I reckon I’m proud of that but y’know, I’d’ve rather they’d lived.”

He lit another cigarette and Crassus gave him the moment to collect himself again. Mav, he knew, was a private man and of course these things weren’t easy to talk about. They way he did without emotion or inflection to his voice, made Crassus uncomfortable but he knew sometimes the easiest way to talk was to separate yourself from the emotions. And he could admit his curiosity about his commander, he’d take any information he could get.

“Anyway a lot of parents back then sent their kids to Palaven in case the worst happened. I remember some civil servants watched over me and a bunch of other kids. And Saren. He’s my age. My parents were with his brother and I stuck to him like glue… When Desolas came back at the end of the Incident and told me what happened, well he did the right thing by my folks and adopted me.”

Mav dropped that cigarette into the cup of water too and immediately lit another one.

“I hated him. I really did for the longest time. Maybe I still do, I dunno. I hated my folks for a bit too. If they just hadn’t re-enlisted, y’know? But… they did what they thought was the right thing. They were both awarded the Star of Palaven posthumously. Not that that matters or anythin’. I remember tryin’ on a few occasions to throw the medals away. Saren wouldn’t let me. He hasn’t let me do a lotta things… But never mind that shit. There’s my story for you. I’m just another angry orphan.”

Crassus studied him, his mandibles held at an angle. It was the most Mav had ever said at one time and about himself. “You’re not an orphan if the General formally adopted you.” He said after letting everything else sink in.

Mav laughed that skin-crawling laugh of his. “Nah, I reckon not, but I’m still fuckin’ angry all the time.”

“I’m familiar with the feeling.” Crassus drawled, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You don’t show it.”

“I quit drinking.” He said in return.

“Fair ‘nough.” Mav sighed a long cloud of smoke and dropped that last cigarette in the cup of water. “Y’know… I found a balance. The anger don’t eat at me anymore. It don’t fester, it don’t… drag me somewhere dark anymore. It’s just part of me now. Another weapon I can use when I work.”

Crassus flicked his mandibles. He was familiar with the knife’s edge of balance too. “How many close calls have you had?”

Mav rolled onto his side with an arm behind his head. “You worried I have a death-wish that’ll bleed out onto you?” He asked sharply.

“Honestly? Yes.”

He snorted. “Y’know there’s nothin’ when the light goes out. No ethereal light, no guidin’ Spirits, no omnipotent creator. Not a damned thing. All that happens is you cease to be.”

Crassus shifted uncomfortably, tapping his fingers on his keelbone. That didn’t exactly ease his worries. “You don’t know that.” He said lamely after a minute or two.

“Oh but I do, big guy.” Mav flashed his teeth. “I took a space walk, got my tether severed by some damned rocks and ran out of air before anyone could get me. Legally dead for fifty-three whole fuckin’ minutes.”

He stared at the smaller turian, his mandibles fluttering along his jaw. “You can’t possibly have been dead that long without-”

“Brain damage, yeah, you’d think so.” He laughed. “Space is cold, big guy. Very cold. It’s probably the only reason the docs managed to revive me. ‘Course they kept me on lock-down and bed rest for fuckin’ months and you wouldn’t believe all the hoops I had to jump through to get reinstated, but here I am.”

“Spirits,” Crassus ran his hands over his face. “You really...”

“Suffocated to death in the cold emptiness of space.” Mav laughed again, coughed and reached for the cup of water. “Fuckin’… I need more water.”

He rubbed his hands over his face and fringe, scrubbed at his eyes a little. “You’re legitimately crazy.” He said at last. “I would have… done anything to keep from being reinstated after something like that.”

Mav sat up and swung his legs over the side of the cot. “To be perfectly honest with you, big guy,” He said with an odd softness. “I dunno what to do with myself when I’m not fightin’. I figure, if space didn’t kill me, maybe I had somethin’ important I was supposed to do.”

Crassus glanced at him. “I thought you didn’t believe in the Spirits?” Wasn’t that what Mav had just spelled out for him?

“I don’t.” He dismissed easily. “But I believe shit happens for reasons, maybe circumstances line up perfectly sometimes, maybe there’s a greater plan for everybody, I dunno. I reckon the details don’t matter. I know I died and some great docs brought me back. I know I should do some good with that so I’m out here in the Terminus to do some good and maybe some circumstances will line up perfectly again.”

Mav stood and stretched while Crassus processed that. He wasn’t religious by any stretch of the imagination, he’d never left offerings for the Spirits and he’d never visited Temple Palaven to put his hand to the stones there, but he believed in the Spirits. For one reason or another he always had. He didn’t know anyone that didn’t that was turian, even Mav, in one fashion, seemed to believe in them although he said he didn’t. Crassus rubbed his eyes again.

“I’m gonna cook something,” The smaller turian said. “You want some?”

“Ah… yes, sure.” He hoped Mav was sober enough not to burn the ship down.

“Alright then.” Mav lingered in the doorway a moment, clicking his talons on the frame. “Big guy, I ain’t gonna let it bleed out onto you. You can believe more or not, but I don’t have a death-wish.”

Crassus blinked at him. “Ah… that’s… that’s good to know.”

#ooc #writing #my writing #fanfiction #Mass Effect #Enemies and Allies #chapter 10 #mentions of #death #the afterlife

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rauliskafan · 6 years

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The Doctor and His Doll: All Hallows’ Eve

Author’s Note: Happy Halloween one and all!!! The time has come for the Doctor and his Doll to celebrate this special day in style. But will things go according to anyone’s plan??? Read on for more!!! Check out the previous parts below, and enjoy!!! :)

The Doctor and His Doll

The Doctor and His Doll: Story Hour

The Doctor and His Doll: Date Night

Tagging @vintagemichelle91, @yourtropegirl, @mrschiltoncat

Well… I suppose I am as ready as I will ever be.

Yay! How about a selfie, Doc?

Please.

Come on!

Perhaps I prefer to keep you in suspense.

No fun!

I mean to make tonight alter that assessment.

Swiftly sending Frederick a smiley face, you examined your reflection in the mirror. The beaded dress fit just right, accessorized with a long string of pearls. After debating between a feathered headband or a cloche hat, you ultimately opted for a sparkling skullcap dripping with strands of silver that looked better than your hair ever could. And there was no way that you were going to spend the night under a wig. Strapping on your heels, you couldn’t resist the urge to snap your own set of self-portraits before bouncing back to the bed. There you scrolled through the series of photos. Selecting your favorite, you sent it to Frederick, tapped your toes against the floor…

…and waited.

“What’s the hold up? Hope the doctor didn’t come down with something.”

Paulette emerged from the hallway dressed as a baby, complete with bonnet and bib.

“He’s on his way,” you said. “What do you think?”

Rising to your feet, you twirled in the dress and smiled when Paulette’s approving whistle filled the room.

“Nice,” she said. “Guess things are getting serious with the old man.”

“He’s not that old,” you quickly said.

“Hey, I’m not knocking it,” Paulette said. “Nothing wrong with a sugar daddy.”

“And he’s not that either,” you said.

“Come on, girl,” Paulette said, pulling on an oversized plastic bottle and washing you in a wave of cupcake vodka when she spoke again. At least the bib was bound to come in handy at some point during the night.

“Three dates,” she continued. “He always picks up the tab. And now he’s taking you to this high society shindig.”

“That was the plan from the start,” you reminded her. “But it’s not like… I mean he doesn’t expect anything.”

“Nothing?” Paulette asked, lifting one eyebrow and taking another drink.

“Nothing but… I mean it’s just that he’s lonely,” you said. “He likes to talk. Sometimes I think that no has ever listened to him in his entire life.”

Which was doubly tragic considering that the stories of his past often centered around running a hospital, writing a book that you could not see yourself reading but definitely had an audience. All that plus his wealth, his sense of his style, the way he listened when you spoke… it was triply, quadruply sad that he didn’t have a coterie of allies.

Also sad that you seemed to be inventing words as you readjusted your mascara and heard Paulette sucking in her bottle.

“And you really should be nicer after the way he helped you out,” you said.

“Hey, I never said I didn’t like the guy,” Paulette insisted. “He obviously likes you a lot. So what happens after the big party?”

To that you had no answer. Not that the possibilities hadn’t raced through your mind like a video you kept replaying until the effort to buffer the image was a battle better lost. But there was something to be said for a screenshot of his kisses tinged with the taste of metal, his hands roaming down your arms and up your skirt…

“Why are you laughing?” Paulette asked.

“Because I think he would be so clumsy… but sweet…”

Turning away from the mirror, you saw Paulette smirking, and you were about to tell her to mind her own business or at least change the subject to how many bottles she planned on chugging when your phone dinged.

“Is that him?” Paulette asked. Saying nothing, you swiped the message to life.

I am no angel. We will leave that to you. Where do I meet my lovely lady?

Weak in the knees at his words, you started to ask him where his car was when you shifted gears as you keyed in your response.

You know where I am, Doc. Come to my door?

It was a risk, and the time it took for him to respond made you fear that you’d stepped too close to the sun despite the light of the moon…

I am here, Doll. Waiting for you.

Stuffing your phone in your clutch and not caring to respond, you brushed past Paulette, clicking down the steps in your heels. The sunken lounge serving as a lobby already brimmed with Disney characters gone berserk. You ignored them all, the beads dangling from the back of your head touching the base of your neck as you opened the doors with both hands…

“Frederick.”

And there he was. All in ivory. Who said he wasn’t an angel? With his cane in hand and his hat slanted to the side, his smile brightened as you drew nearer.

“Even better up close,” he mused.

“What about you, Doc?” you asked, touching his arms, feeling the perfectly laundered fabric and letting one hand fall slowly into his. “You look sensational.”

“I have a secret weapon,” he whispered, leaning closer until his lips touched your ear. “The best and most beautiful Halloween stylist in town.”

Giggling, you glanced back to see Paulette smiling before tossing you a sweater.

“Don’t catch cold,” she said. “Hi, Dr. Chilton.”

“Paulette,” he began. “I would advise you to take it easy with the spirits tonight.”

“But it’s Halloween,” she whined.

“Doesn’t mean you have to join the dead,” Frederick argued. Paulette rolled her eyes, wishing you a good time, and drinking all the way.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” you said.

“I hope so,” he replied. “But you will forgive me if I’d prefer to focus my attention on you.”

He offered his arm and walked you across the campus. Never the homecoming queen, never the girl of anyone’s fantasy, you forgot those feelings. There was a sense of pride having when having him beside you, even if some of the looks you received were confused and curious above all else. Regardless, you soaked up the glances.

“Hey? You okay?”

Still several feet from his car, your realized that Frederick’s face was flushed, his one eye wide, and when you looked down you saw his grip too tight and tense around and about his cane.

“Of course,” he assured you. “I just… seeing your campus so… engaged. I almost hesitate to tell you, but…”

He fell silent, and you caught a few frat boys making faces and whispering cruel words under their beer-soaked breath.

“Don’t hesitate, Doc,” you prodded. “What’s up?”

“It is deeply buried in the past… my past... do you really want to spend All Hallows’ Eve with someone who would have done far worse than Paulette and just drink himself silly? Alone? Longing for a night like this to mercifully end?”

His confession shattered your heart, but you stretched to the tips of your toes, your heels leaving your shoes as you kissed him full on the mouth. His taste stayed unlike any other man’s. Yet it was a flavor you were quickly growing accustomed to, unable to imagine anything else.

“Well,” he whispered when you brought the kiss to an end, and somehow both of his eyes sparkled in the moonlight as you stroked his scarred cheek.

“Well,” you echoed. “I don’t want this night to end. I want to get it started. With you.”

Smiling, Frederick suddenly had a skip in his step as he held open the door to his town car, and you slid against the supple leather, waiting and watching until he sat at your side and signaled for the driver to depart.

“Then we shall get started,” he said. “Here we have Armand de Brignac Brut Gold.”

He revealed an ivory bottle that matched his suit adorned with an ace of spades, and he popped the cork.

“I won’t say no to champagne,” you said, hoping that skipping lunch wasn’t the worst of ideas. Trying to sip, hoping you looked something close to sophisticated, you crinkled your nose as the bubbles tickled your skin.

“A problem?” Frederick asked.

“It’s fine,” you said. “But I guess you can see that this is not really my thing.”

“I will tell you another secret,” he confessed while coming closer. “When I was… not much older than you. The girls in my circle came out at a debutante ball.”

“Bet they looked nice,” you said, watching the bubbles calm in your glass and trying not to sound too jealous.

“I would not know,” he said. “I shot the Dom Perignon right out of my nose. Spent the night in the men’s room trying to clean my tie with soap and paper towels that kept falling apart.”

One more moment to add to his tragic list? You started to tell him that you were sorry when he waggled his eyebrows.

“See? You have nothing to feel bad about, Doll,” he said. “You are far more graceful than I ever was… ever could be.”

You smiled, happy to see him back at ease, and you clinked your glass to his.

“To our big night, Doc,” you said by way of a toast before drinking deep and believing that anything and everything was possible.

His car pulled up to a brick building resting atop a wide white staircase. Frederick set your glasses aside and offered his arm again. Keeping him close, you climbed the steps and saw at least four witches, three cats, and clowns wearing mismatched floppy shoes. Safe and simple and not at all sensational. You held your date’s arm tighter, loving him for taking a risk, for taking you to the ball. Wondering, wishing that you wouldn’t become a roaring twenties version of Cinderella, his town car turning to a pumpkin once the clock struck twelve, you pushed those fears aside and stepped into a grand ballroom. The floor was an endless swath of black and white diagonal tiles A massive chandelier hung overhead while an orchestra played off to the side.

“What do you think?” Frederick asked, his voice dragging you from your reverie. He left your eyes for just a second to nod at a colleague before returning his entire focus to your stare.

“I… I think it’s fabulous,” you said. “And I think that you are by far the handsomest man in the joint.”

“The joint?” he echoed. “The costume’s era is going to your head, my dear.”

“And what about yours?” you asked. For a second he was silent, the fingers free of his cane reaching for one of the beads drizzling down your neck. He tenderly flicked it away, started to come in for a kiss…

…but he suddenly stopped short.

“You do look amazing,” he said, blushing as the band changed tones, and you saw the clowns and the cats flood the dance floor.

“Do we dare?” you asked.

He started to follow your suggestion, your lead when he halted and somberly shook his head.

“I… maybe not just yet,” he said.

Your heart hurt to see him sad, a little scared, and you patted his cheek just below his scar.

“Night’s still young,” you responded. “Maybe another drink?”

“Do not go all Paulette on me,” he gently chided, and you swatted his arm as he left you with the promise of a cranberry juice and vodka. Left alone, your gangster with a heart of gold still close by, you smiled at some of the other party goers. A few of the women and several men looked past you to where Frederick stood, their eyes full of questions that went unasked. For that you were grateful, not in the mood for an interrogation, counting the seconds until Frederick was back at your side…

“Care to dance?”

Glancing over your shoulder, you saw a baseball player. Or a carbon copy who hardly knew how to hold the bat. With a smirk, he doffed his cap.

“No thank you,” you said. “I’m waiting for my… date.”

“Dr. Chilton,” the young man said.

“You know him?”

“Used to be on his staff,” the faux ballplayer continued. “When he sort of kind of had the head to run a hospital. But make no mistake; even without the… troubles, he wouldn’t have lasted long.”

Knowing that the man’s cold words must be connected to Frederick’s injuries, wanting to hear more but not from this fool’s lips, you started to take your leave when the shortstop without a mitt grabbed your arm.

“Hey! What do you think you’re---?”

“Showing you a Happy Halloween,” he said. “Ditch the dull doctor. Dance with me.”

Struggling to break free from the stranger’s hold, you heard ice clinking in glasses and the tip of a cane tapping against the tiles. Sensing Frederick was close, you started to search for his eyes when the ballplayer brought his hand close to your breast. His fingers flexed, squeezing to lay claim to you like a trophy, unearned. Furiously, you pushed him back, and the movement knocked the cap from his head. Lifting your knee in your beaded gown, you couldn’t help but smile as you made contact with the barely there bulge in his pants.

“I said I wasn’t interested,” you stressed as he writhed in pain, his bat rolling away until a server dressed as Jason, hockey mask and all, snatched it up so that no one would trip. “Listen when a lady tells you that.”

Ignoring the crying ballplayer, his game lost, you smiled when Frederick caught your eye.

“I… are you al---?”

“Never better, Doc!” you chirped, taking your drink from his hand. “Bottoms up.” The sweet and the sting swirled down your throat, and you waited for Frederick to return your smile…

…when he turned on his heel, his cane tapping towards a quiet corner.

“Hey!”

Rushing after him, your drink still in hand, you tried to twist his face to yours. It hurt when he winced in the wake of your touch.

“What’s wrong?” you asked. “Frederick?”

“You knocked him down,” he said.

“Damn straight,” you agreed. “Don’t know who he is but---”

“Someone I worked with. A subordinate.”

“Who obviously still doesn’t know his place,” you continued. “But I put him in---”

“I was only going to be another moment.”

Clutching your glass and seeing his face fallen, your mind began to connect the dots, and you quickly reached for his hand.

“Doc, I’m sorry,” you spoke fast.

“I was on my way back to you,” he pressed. “Do you think that I would not… that I could not have protected you?”

“No,” you swore. “Of course I don’t think that. But I’m tough, too. I thought you kind of liked that about me.”

“I do,” he said, his voice thick. “But just for once. It would have been nice to save someone... instead of the other way around.”

You wanted to understand, to listen. But then Frederick brushed past you, leaving you alone with your drink. Watching him disappear into a sea of black pointy ears mingled with a few fluffy rainbows, you sank to the nearest windowsill.

What the hell had just happened? Everything was perfect. Kisses and champagne and chandeliers. Now you wanted to weep. And not simply because Frederick was suddenly so far from your side. You feared that you had lost him beyond this night and hated the idea of a world where you didn’t get to hear his voice and see his shy smile. Downing your drink, you started after him, desperate to find him, to make this right when you stopped atop a smaller staircase.

And saw a slim blonde praising his costume.

“It’s so cute, Dr. Chilton!” she chirped.

“Thank you, Sandra,” he said. “Now if you don’t mind, I---”

“And I felt horrible when I heard what happened to you,” Sandra droned on. “But you’re back and obviously better than ever. Maybe we could find a shady spot and get reacquainted?”

Frederick was slow to answer the question, just shaking his head. But the sight of another woman’s hand on his face caused you to charge forward and rip her fingers away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Sandra demanded.

“Telling you to take your hands off him!” you said. “He’s spoken for.”

“He’s certainly not sticking close,” Sandra spat.

“But I am,” you said, grabbing Frederick’s arm once more. “Now buzz off, bitch.”

Sandra looked shocked, but when Frederick failed to leap to her defense she stomped off in the other direction, leaving you alone with…

“Frederick.”

“Doll? What are you doing?”

“Setting you straight.”

The liquor still swirled in your brain as you pushed him past a quartet dressed as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Not caring about a day in the life or who was leaving home, you took hold of his tie and spoke fast.

“Look, I like you. I don’t want the boys on the quad or that prick with the bat.”

“I---”

“I’ve had to take care of myself most of my life,” you continued. “I’ll keep doing that. It doesn’t mean that I don’t trust you. Or care about you so much that I think about you night and day.”

“You---”

“Or know that bad things happened and want to fight anyone that would ever try to hurt you again. Not happening. Not while I’m around.”

The feel of his hand on your cheek allowed you to relax some.

“Doll, not that I don’t appreciate… Sandra is harmless. A decent nurse but---”

“A gold digger,” you said without any proof but still feeling so certain. “And I won’t share you with her. I don’t want to share you with anyone.”

Was it too much? You didn’t care. At least he would know where you stood when he left your life.

“Doll.”

Here it came. The other shoe. You brushed some beads from your eyes and just gasped when you saw his smile.

“Dance with me now?”

Too stunned to do anything but nod, you savored the feel of his hand in yours and let him lead you back to the place under the chandelier. Despite some titters from the costumed crowd, he let his cane fall and circled an arm around your waist. You swayed to the music, the lights sparkling from above. As his feet traced tentative circles against the tiles, you matched his steps and realized that his eyes were not aiding any mission in pursuit of some marvelous minuet.

Because those eyes were only for you.

“Frederick?” you whispered.

“Yes.”

“I really wouldn’t want to be anywhere else tonight. I’m sorry if I showed you up or---”

“It’s forgotten.”

“But if I made a scene with that nurse, I’m sorry---”

“Never apologize for that,” he said, dancing you closer to the center of the room.

“Why?”

Staying silent, he dipped you, his kiss passionate, the taste of his tongue causing you to forget your name. And as he guided you back to his gaze you saw his smile brighter than every light in the room.

“Because I was wrong,” he said. “And I rather think that I like being rescued by you.”

#raúl esparza #frederick chilton #chilton x reader #hannibal #hannibal fanfiction #the doctor and his doll

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fearofaherobrine · 6 years

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Roleplay Server Log #302

“Crim In the Nether, Survivors, Winston's Arm, an Uneasy Truce”

[Gk] You look better kid, all that dry crap is sloughed off. No more itchy?

[Crim] No itch, no tights... - yawns and looks drowsily at GK, or rather the two GK's - Betters, all be.

[Gk] Sleepy already kiddo?

[Crim] - nods, tries to get up, but can't. He grabs a foot and shakes it - Feet won't behaves.

[Gk] Chuckles- They do that sometimes. Darned old feet. - He makes a new portal back to the overworld and scoots Crim back out onto the grass.

[Crim] - oggles grass and hic-ups, thankfully only smoke comes up. He rolls over in the grass, all twisty-turny with paws everywhere - Yas, green scratchy stuff.

[Gk] Hunkers down and ruffles his wings into a comfy pose. - Go to sleep Crim. I'll keep an eye out.

[Crim] - wiggles and settles in a postion that would give a cat a run for its money. His tongue is hanging out, one eye half closed and starts to softly snore -

[Gk] Chuckles -

-The nether mobs form a circle around Lie at the perceived threat to their mistress-

[Lie] Begins to cry as she falls to her knees on the ground-

[Winston] - Mistress...

[CP] Since he's had the catnip and armor removed he's starting to squirm, he can feel his mates distress-

[Steve] Puts Cp down on TLOTs head so he can hang on to Cn easier-

[TLOT] Lie?!

[CN] Darts down TLOT and through the few mobs to get to Lie-

[Lie] - This is it... This is all that's left...

[Steve] You mean...? Oh Gods...

[TLOT] His army?! Harvestman killed the rest??!!

[Lie] Hugs CP close to herself- Yes... The halls of his fortress... It's just filled with corpses

[CP] Mewls-

[TLOT] Is angry again but for a different reason, his eyes are practically flaming.

[Steve] Slides down with Cn in tow - Oh Lie....

-Testificates are moving aside to give their king a little space and get the children out from underfoot

[CN] Looks at Steve- What's wrong?

[Steve] Cp and Lie... they just lost a lot of their allies... Harvestmen.... he killed their friends....

[TLOT] Gives a rather anguished roar and the mental waves of his pain spill over the server-

[Lie] Changes CP back, wanting her husband in his usual form-

[CP] Pulls Lie close to himself, comforting her as he looks through her memories to see what had happened to his seed-

[Eliza] - Master... What are we to do?

-There's a chunking of claws on stone as Doc lands on the wall-

[Doc] Xe sees the small group and makes a furious face-

[Traveler] Is watching their reactions closely-

[CP] - For now all of you will rest and recover...

[Doc] Joins TLOT's roar and the chunk shivers under the assault of grief-filled noise

[Winston] - But sir...

[CP] - No buts Winston

[Traveler] Stands before Lie- You'll have my blades. This is unacceptable behavior for a NOTCH. This animal needs to be put down.

[Roulade] Approaches nervously - Are these mobs... allies of yours?

[Lie] - Thank you Traveler...

[CP] - This is what remains of my army...

[Doc] Falls from the wall and shifts down to hir smaller shape as TLOT does the same.

[TLOT] His eyes are streaked with tears but his face is resolute.

[Doc] Firmly- Bring me anyone who is hurt.

-The generals check over the other mobs first, not caring about their own injuries. It's mostly scrapes and bruises, a few broken bones as well. The worst injury is Winston's missing arm-

[Doc] Gets to work cleaning and repairing the little injuries with what xe has on hand, it results in several of them with oddly colored pixels filling gaps. -

[Lie] Curls up closer to CP, taking comfort in his warmth and closeness- Even Grayson... He was slain in the main entrance... Oh gods, it was just... Just...

[CP] - Shhhh, it's alright, I'm here...

[Lie] - But he was there! And... And the last thing the personal guard that you assigned to me did was lead us to Winston and the others... He... He killed them...

[CP] - Then they died doing their job, protecting you...

[Lie] Hiccups a little amongst her sobs-

[Tungsten] Eyes Winston for a moment - Doc, I've got this one. Pardon me for a moment- He takes out Aurums bow before plucking it as he quick walks back to the forge-

[TLOT] Is beside himself with grief and holds Steve as the miner cries openly-

[Aurum] Is a bit surprised at being summoned again so soon-

[Tungsten] You and I have work to do.

[Drilby] Falls into step beside him with a grim face.

[Aurum] - What are we doing?

[Travler] Addressing Cp - If it gives you any comfort, the fresh blood on my garment is his. And his accursed sword bounded off of me like it was made of slimeballs.

[CP] Grunts, more focused on Lie-

[Winston] - It was a good strike, but he’ll recover quickly, he always has

[CP] Translates for Winston-

[Traveler] Then next time I'll aim to remove his head.

[Tungsten] We need a pully system, and a gauntlet

[Aurum] - Hmmm, we may want Copper for this. You know the really complex looking bow? Pluck it's string

[Tungsten] Does as he's asked-

[Copper] He forms as a very large testificate. Beneath the robe there's a bit of whirring- Aye, what do you want now Aurum?

[Drilby] Wooow....

[Tungsten] We need an arm. Left side.

[Aurum] - Hey, I'm not the one who called you

[Copper] - I can see that now, and an arm ya say, well, those are one of my specialties- Copper begins approaching the forge

[Tungsten] What do you need?

[Copper] - Well, ye will want iron, and some gold, red stone as well

[Aurum] - Don't forget the paper you old coot!

[Copper] - Aye aye, that to

[Drilby] Is already digging and laying things out-

[Tungsten] Paper?

[Copper] - Aye, to make wires, something Aurum here was never very good at

[Tungsten] Why not use spiderwebs? They work for tripwires.

[Copper] Lifts his robe to reveal a mechanical leg beneath- Because wires help translate smoother motion and is less work for the wearer

[Tungsten] I like it. Teach us, please.

[Copper] Smirks and begins his lesson with the young master Smith-

[Drilby] Is also listening and helping out, him and his husband both are utterly fascinated

[Aurum] Watches for a bit before returning to his bow-

[Copper] Shoes then how to roll and insulate the wires and explains how to build the connection needed to translate the signals from the body to the new arm-

[Drilby] Do we need chest straps? He doesn't have a nub to go inside it.

[Copper] - If that's the case then yes, do ye have the measurements needed?

[Drilby] He's a basic wither skeleton. I'll just put it on him and punch the holes for the buckles where they're needed.

[Copper] - Wither Skelton eh? We'll need to lengthen the arm s bit then, but we can get a more secure connection with him by using the spine and where the ribs meet in the front

[Tungsten] Good, I don't want to pull him away at the moment. His Herobrine and Lie are both in a bad state.

[Copper] - Alright then, we should hurry though

[Tungsten] Gets back to work, his fingers flying over the components.

[Drilby] Finishes with the leather strips and leans over his work from the other side, pulling wires and helping him-

[Copper] Watches and corrects on small things rather often- I know it may seem annoying to ya, but every small part needs to be precise in somethin like this

[Tungsten] I understand. It's going to get used, possibly in battle.

[Copper] - Then at some point in the future we should make him a stronger one for that

-Some of the adult Testificates have gone into their homes and brought back blankets for the mobs, some are gently offering food as well, unsure of what they might be able to eat.

[Drilby] This can be the protoype. I think they're going to be staying with Lie,or at least on this seed. He can come back for repairs if needed.

-Most of the mobs politely decline-

[Copper] - Oh he will, these things always take lots of adjustments over a few months

[Tungsten] Finishes and moves so Copper can inspect his work-

[Copper] Looks over everything with a well trained eye- For your first attempt this is good lad, now go get it to it's wearer

[Tungsten] Gathers everything but the leathers and hurries back with Drilby in tow-

[Winston] Is dutifully staying near CP and Lie-

[Drilby] Approaches Winston - We made you a new arm!

[Tungsten] Is carrying the contraption, with it's cover on it looks like the sleeve and gauntlet from a suit of armor.

[Doc] Eyebrow and listening-

[Winston] - Oh, that... Was not necessary... I can learn to function without... [CP] - Winston, you're going to need that arm [Winston] - Says the one sitting there with no pants on

[Traveler] He was a cat a few minutes ago....

[Tungsten] Rubbish. Even I know you're Cp's right hand. You can't be that without at least a left of your own-

[Drilby] Eyeballs Winston and shortens the straps a bit to fit.

[Winston] - Oh alright, go ahead and connect it

[Tungsten] Holds it up to the correct place while Drilby scrambles around making it secure.

[Doc] Slides over to Copper. - Any chance you're a friend of Aurum?

[Winston] Winces a little as he feels the Maxine connect and begin responding to him-

[Copper] - Aye I suppose you could say that, I'm Copper, one if the previous masters

[Doc] That's excellent. I'm Doc, I take it these complex prosthetics are your area of expertise?

[Copper] - Aye

[Tungsten] Is moving Winston's fingers so he can get the hang of it.

[Doc] It's a field that interests me too. Have you done work on yourself as well?

[Copper] - Aye, my leg

[Doc] Nod nod- Nice. I like working with hearts best myself.

[Copper] - Never was able to work on those myself

[Doc] Eyebrow waggle - Show me yours and I'll show you mine.

[Copper] Sighs but does lift his robe to show his leg-

[Doc] Does a little bit of poking to see how it works and is obviously impressed. - Expect me to come bug you for collaborative work at some point. I love your technique. My turn now- Xe gathers a bit of statick on hir hand and makes a glitchy hole over hir chest. The mass of hearts is visible through hir ribs, there's several types of crystals, gold, diamond, obsidian, iron, all formed into hearts and scattered amidst ten fleshy red hearts. All of them are beating in a perfect casacade from the bottom to the top and then back down again. - I seem to have a knack for just making whatever I need from what's around and integrating it.- Xe indicates some of the mobs with oddly colored pixel patches. I've built non-human bodies from scratch for people several times before.

[Copper] - Interesting method you have for getting inside, and interesting choice of metals as well

[Lie] Quietly- We made a mistake... A horrible... Horrible mistake...

[Firebird] -Lands on the ground and turns to his other form, giving a small ashy cough into his hand. His eyes are distant-

[CP] - Shhhh, it's alright... There was nothing we could do...

[Lie] - But we could have! We could have been there! Helping to protect them instead of staying away!

[CP] - Lie, we thought staying away would make them less of a target... Somehow I doubt he would have stopped if we had been there

[Lie] - It's just... I don't know

[CP] - Nuzzles her head a little- It's alright, I know the feeling

[CN] Kinda hides behind Steve, wanting to go to Lie, but doesn't like all the nether mobs-

[Steve] Pulls out a blanket he kitted himself and drapes it over Cp and Lies shoulders. It's hideous but warm and soft-

[CN] - Lie...

[CP] For once doesn't try to burn what's offered, knowing his wife needs it-

[Doc] Returns hir attention to the surrounding mobs, - Well... At least some of them were saved. -xe addressees them directly- Some of you already know of this seed. It is a haven for the hunted and hurt. There are many Herobrines, Steves, Alexes, even a few NOTCHs, but no players. As long as you don't start fights you will all be made welcome for as long as you wish to remain. The Nether is mainly wild as well if any of you would prefer to be there instead of the Overworld. I can always clear out a nether fortress for you.

-There's a small amount of discussion amongst the mobs-

[Winston] - For now we'd prefer to remain near the Master and Mistress

[Doc] Okay. They live just outside town. And if anyone needs further medical assistance, I'm never far away.

[CP] - We'll head there soon...

[TLOT] Makes an effort to spread some calming vibrations over the general area. -

[Traveler] Zeros in on Doc- That was generous.

[Doc] Full body shiver as xe realizes whos looking at them - Th-thanks...

[Steve] Doc this is our new NOTCH, Traveler.

[Doc] Charmed. Um, I'm Doc, head admin.

[TLOT] Comes up beside them- She's my responsibility. Is it acceptable for her to have a room in the castle?

[Doc] If you trust her...

[Lie] Offers CP his pants and he quickly equipts them while Lie turns to Doc- Doc... She's immune to Harvestman's sword...

[Firebird] -Coughs a bit more ashes before relaxing-

[CN] Goes to Firebird- Firebird...- He looks on the verge of tears

[Doc] There's a glimmer in hir eyes - reeeally? Then you and I have things to discuss.

[Travler] Suddenly looks suspicious.

[Firebird] -Offers arms to CN- Shhh..

[CN] - Firebird... She's scared... Why can't I protect her...

[Steve] It's okay Traveler, they don't hurt people. Doc has patched up every brine on this seed plus some Steves at least once.

[Firebird] -Scoops CN up to chest, hums a bit. He doesn't have an answer for him.-

[Traveler] Hmm. Well. I shall still be doing some exploring.

[CN] Starts crying a little-

[Firebird] -Holds CN and keeps humming softly-

[CP] - Come on Lie... Let's go home...

[Lie] - Please

[TLOT] Is passing around the group of villagers and children, giving hugs and soft words.

[CP] Teleports them to their home, the mobs soon following-

[Doc] Whispers to Cp in chat- Don't forget to introduce them to Markus...

[CP] - Later

[Notch] Is feeding the fish outside and blanches as the mobs come tromping up the path-

[Winston] His eyes narrow at the sight of Notch, his fingers twitching for his sword-

[Notch] Freezes in place and a few fish flakes trickle from his fingers. the sound of the koi gulping at the surface is unaccountably loud-

[Flux] See's his fear through the window and steps outside- Notch?

[Notch] Can't take his eyes off the group. He's weaponless and in broad daylight- Flux...nether-mobs...

[Flux] Moves quickly to stand between him and the mobs- What is going on?

[Winston] Glances at where he knows CP and Lie are-

[Notch] Follows their eyes- Ar-are you looking for Cp?

[Winston] Knows Notch can't understand him and struggles to communicate that they are here to guard-

[Notch] Is getting used to Steve's brothers signing at him and kind of understands-

[Flux] - Love, let's just go inside until your son decides to explain this...

[Stevie] Is heading in the direction of Notch's place, spots the familiar forms of CP's mobs and does a complete 180-

[Notch] You don't think they'll just batter the door down?

[Flux] - If they try I'll use my magic to reinforce it

[Notch] Looks up as a few drops of rain begin to fall- No. If there are here for Cp we should let them in.

[Flux] - Are you certain? We don't know how aggressive they are

[Notch] Sees Stevie noping and yells for him- Hey Stevie!

[Stevie] Freezes as attention turns towards him-

[Notch] Stevie? Come over here please?

[Stevie] - Ummm, how about you come over here?

[Notch] Come on Stevie, it's raining. Get over here.

[Stevie] - I'd rather not get near the things that have tried to murder me since who knows how long?

[Flux] - Perhaps you should talk with your other son first

[Notch] Goes to him, a little annoyed- Are these your brothers mobs?

[Stevie] - Yes!

[Notch] Good. Thank you. And don't be like that. You're on respawn anyway.

[Stevie] - Doesn't stop being killed by them from hurting

[Notch] Is walking back. Mutters- It's called diplomacy.

[Strevie] - It's called survival

[Notch] Walks straight up to Winston and looks up at him nervously-

[Winston] His hand comes to rest on the hilt of his sword-

[Stevie] Panicked- Father what are you doing!?

[Notch] Extends an empty hand and swallows hard- We should get the blazes and magma cubes out of the wet so they don't go out. Please come with me.

[Winston] Glances back at Blake and Magnolia-

[Notch] Waits. He's already a bit soaked himself-

-The blazes and magma cubes creep forwards-

[Stevie] Is panicking and and has his sword out-

[Notch] Indicates that they should follow him and turns to lead them around to the workroom, since the floor in there can't catch fire. He's sweating from the tension and glad for the drizzle as he's actually terrified to turn his back on them. [at Stevie] Don't do it....

[Stevie] Races around to the other side of the house to keep an eye on Notch-

-The mobs follow him while the others begin to spread out around the house-

[Notch] Scoots the butts pumpkin away from the doorway and steps back so they can come in. The workroom is warm from the lava flow in the corner, and the rain is pattering on the glass ceiling.

-The mobs investigate a little-

[Stevie] Moves closer to Notch- Father what are you doing?

[Notch] Letting your brothers allies in out of the storm. I don't think they'd be here for no good reason and it may mean that the danger on your old seed has increased somehow to warrant this many guards.

[Stevie] - I'm really not sure this is safe

[Hope] Runs away from the mobs and up into the rest of the house-

[Notch] It's not safe, it's a calculated risk. But in this case it's crueler to play it safe and possibly worse in the long run. I have some powers of my own, and if Steve is brave enough to go unarmed and make friends with the skeletons then I can do the same. They're not animals Stevie. They're people of their own type.

[Stevie] - Then will you and Flux at least come and stay at my place until we have more answers?

[Notch] No. This is family business.

[Stevie] - But father...

[Notch] A little more fiercely- NO.

[Stevie] Flinches back a little at the loudness-

-The mobs turn towards the loud noise, curious as to what's happening-

[Notch] Sees his face and grabs him in a hug- Just trust me please. I know it seems scary, but I feel like it's the right thing to do. Just like they hunted you at Cp's command, Harvestman has been hunting them, except they don't get to come back. Have some compassion.

[Stevie] - I'm sorry, I know I'm getting more used to being around my brother, but I don't think I can handle his mobs yet...

[Notch] Do you feel safe next to me? You know I can shield you.

[Stevie] - Of course father

[Notch] Then help me lay some beds.

[Stevie] - You're the one in creative

[Notch] Shakes his head and starts handing him small beds- I meant help me place them. - Pats his shoulder-

[Stevie] Shakily enters the room- Are we sure they need beds?

[Notch] I don't know? But some of them look hurt. So it's probably a good idea.

[Stevie] Quickly throws down the beds-

[CP] Can hear them doing stuff down below but is keeping Lie in an embrace as she stays close to him-

[Notch] What I could really use is an interpreter...

[Stevie] - I know brother has translation codes...

[Notch] Are they contained in something? I know Doc has that egg they use sometimes.

[Stevie] - As far as I know? No

[Notch] Snaps his fingers- I know who can speak mob! - He types out a quick message in the chat and there's a soft 'boof'

[Enderbro] What's shakin bacon? Woo! Mob party! I brought glowstone! -shakes a block around-

[Magnolia] Slips inside-

[Enderbro] recognizes her - Magnolia! - Waves a lot-

[Notch] Magnolia?

[Stevie] - One of the generals...

[Magnolia] At Bro- Oh, hello

[Enderbro] She's super important, military stuff, yep!

[Notch] Ask her why they're here please?

[Enderbro] Does as he's asked.

[Magnolia] - The Mistress brought us here, for our own protection. We're all that's left...

[Enderbro] Translates, his face falling - THAT'S SO SAD!!!

[Notch] Oh gods.... But he had an army...

[Stevie] - This is all that's left of his army?

[Notch] Kneels in front of her. - I'm so sorry...

[Enderbro] Has pulled out cookies and is eating them while sobbing- WEEEHHHHH

[Magnolia] - We lost so many, but it helped protect the Master and Mistress. I personally am saddened by the fact that she had to see all of our corpses...

[Notch] I can't believe they're gone... Doc told me how many there were at the coronation... And Harvestman did this? Even with him thinking Lie and Cp were both dead?

[Magnolia] Nods-

[Enderbro] Grabs her and cries on her- WEEEHHH

[Magnolia] - Ah! Please don't cry, water isn't good for you...

[Enderbro] BUT I'M SAD!

[Endrea] Is returning to the house with her children under her wings to protect them from the rain and hears the crying, but she can't hurry or she'd leave her children behind-

[Enderbro] Plops on the floor with his legs splayed out and tries to rally himself- Here... I made a house! You can have it! - He presses a small cluster of Legos into her hand -

[Magnolia] - Oh! Um...

[Endrea] Finally reaches the house and ushers her children inside, instructing them to go upstairs immediately before she slips into her human form and goes inside- What is going on?

[Notch] Looks very tired and sad - Endrea... Cp's mobs... they were massacred... there are only about 20 of them left...

[Endrea] - I'm assuming that doesn't include mine?

[Notch] Well yours are here, so I assume not.

[Endrea] - I see... How is the Master and Mistress taking it?

[Notch] I don't know, they're in Lie's bedroom-

[Enderbro] Gets up and goes to Endrea. He's surprisingly childlike in his want for a hug from someone he considers motherly-

[Endrea] Willingly hugs him, wrapping a wing around him as well- Go, check on your son and daughter, I can watch things here

[Notch] Thank you... - He snags Stevie's sleeve and pulls him along as well-

[Stevie] Little yelp-

[Notch] Hauls him across the little bridge and taps on Lie's door-

-There's a bit of shuffling inside and Lie is still sniffling a bit-

[Notch] Lie... It's me and Stevie, can we come in?

[Lie] Quietly- Sure- She and CP are a bit tangled up with each other for comfort

[Notch] Comes inside and leaves the door open, giving Stevie a little tug as well-

[Stevie] Hesitates but does step inside-

[CP] Has curled himself around Lie-

[Notch] I heard what happened, I'm so sorry... I let the hot mobs into the workroom but the rest chose to stay out in the rain-

[CP] - Most of them the rain won't harm

[Notch] I was just trying to be nice, Stevie helped.

[Lie] Thank you for that Notch...

[Notch] Sits on the edge of the bed and embraces them both, his eyes are wet with tears- I know they meant so much to you. They'll be missed.

[Lie] - There was so much death there, within my getting there and getting what remains out... Four more of them died...

[Notch] I'm sure there was nothing you could do Lie. - Shoots Stevie a look, it's clearly meant to goad him into joining them.

[Stevie] - Right... Our false father... Hes strong. He took both you and my brother out

[CP] - And now he knows we're both still alive...

[Notch] Is resolute - He won't take you from me. Any of you.

[Lie] - Thank you Notch

[Stevie] - We wouldn't let him take you either

[Notch] Nods grimly-

[CP] - I'm not sure what to do now...

[Stevie] Moves a little closer- What? No plan for once?

[CP] - Not an inkling of one

[Notch] The plan is to round up everyone with any kind of strange powers or special items and obliterate him from a dozen angles...

[CP] Pulls Lie a bit closer- I just... Don't know...

[Notch] Doc blocked him out of this server. You're all safe here. We can bide our time until everyone is healed.

[Lie] - Time, that's just what we need now...

[CP] Flicks a paper at Notch- Give this to Winston, he'll make sure none of my mobs attack you

[Notch] Takes it curiously- What is it?

[CP] - Just some orders

[Notch] Done. And I'm sorry I bothered you two. You should sleep. We have a lot to do when you're feeling stronger.

[Lie] - Thank you Notch

-Two days pass-

[Doc] Comes around to check on them, hesitating at the ring of mob guards outside the house- May I?

-They part for the doctor-

[Doc] Nods respectfully and knocks on Lie's door-

[Winston] Answers the door- Oh, Doctor, it's you

[Doc] Is carrying the translation egg- Yep. Just came to talk. Hows the group? Does anyone need me?

[Winston] So far everyone seems to be alright, nobody has complained to me or the other generals yet

[Doc] They're probably still weirded out being up here. It's chillier then they're used too and it's been rainy. The weather seems to match everyone's mood. Oh! Steve sent a present too. Not sure how useful it will be though. - Xe opens a small trunk, and it's full of soft sweaters and hats. - TLOT made him stick to one color for each, he pouted, but went with it anyway.

[Winston] - I'll be sure that the mobs that can wear them get them

[Doc] Not to pry, but I am a bit concerned about you too. Why didn't you call for help with your numbers so reduced?

[Winston] Bows his head a little- I was about to, but then he attacked... I had the paper right there in my hand and he took it by taking my arm as well

[Doc] Growls - Of all the... How long was that before Lie found you?

[Winston] - I'm not certain, but it was while we still had a majority of the generals

[Doc] leans against the wall, - it was while we were outside.. it has to have been....

[Winston] - You mean the real world?

[Doc] Yes... Markus was in danger of outing us being as we are and being able to drag humans into the game. We had to watch over him while he became physical and then threw our pursuers off the trail. It would have put every Herobrine in danger if we hadn't done it. Deerheart and Flux went as well. Both of them now have physical human forms to switch too and move freely out there.

[Winston] But why are you so certain that that is when I lost my arm?

[Doc] Just the time frame, it moves faster here, but we were gone for a long time out there.

[Winston] - I see...- He looks down at his new mechanical arm

[Doc] Winston... you have gone so much above and beyond anything anyone could expect, been faithful to Cp under so much duress, I have more respect for you then you'll ever know. I want to give you something. And none of this 'I'm a faithful servant and want nothing thing'. You choose. It doesn't have to be right now, take your time and mull it over. But I'll make it happen, anything in my power to give. I'll give you wings, bring you back to life, build you a house, take you irl, give you any item your heart desires. You've only to ask.

[Winston] Is surprised by the offer- There really is no need... As a mob I don't need a house, I like being a skeleton although the lower resolution is taking some time to get used to, and I have been to the real world before

[Doc] Nonethless my offer stands. Even if it's nothing more then a fancy outfit.

[Winston] - I will keep it in mind

[CP] Comes out if the bedroom, intent on going to his private chambers-

[Winston] - Sir...

[Doc] Smiles at him - Hello Cp...

[CP] Grunts at Doc-

[Doc] At least I got a response- Xe darts in and gives him a quick hug.

[CP] - What do you want now?

[Doc] Nothing really. I came to talk to Winston and see if everyone was healing up okay. You have quite the formidable honor guard outside.

[CP] - They're scared

[Doc] You've told them he's...? - xe turns to Winston - Cp's NOTCH has an identifier number, they all do. I can use it to blacklist them. He can't come here. The server itself would reject him, Deerheart's just as furious and hurt as everyone else.

[CP] - They know, but they're still scared that something may happen to Lie and i

[Doc] They need time, we all do. But reassuring them can't hurt. Take a page from TLOT's book, just keep them under your wings for now.

[CP] - That won't be hard

[Winston] - They refuse to let either the Master or Mistress out of sight

[Doc] Well that's a bit annoying if you need the bathroom, but okay otherwise.

[CP] - They know better than that

[Doc] I was making a joke and you know it. Something else occurs to me though, you know I'm pretty sneaky. Do you need anything from your private space on your seed?

[CP] - I don't think so, all the obsidian pieces have been brought over here...

[Doc] That's good. I was thinking-

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ltgenjackoneill-blog · 7 years

Text

[Another older written drabble while I get to things that actually need written. A perspective on the fact that Jack’s gotta have PTSD and probably a few other issues to deal with.]

“There’s nothing out there that cares less about you than space. It’s cold, there’s no horizon. It just stretches on forever with no end in sight. There’s a false sense of security brought on by the stars, nebulae and asteroids. An illusion that space is inviting, adventurous and magical. But those things are never within reach or they are a threat to anyone around them. Space is a void that people were never supposed to fill. It cares for no one and nothing and could kill you and no one would know. You’d be gone and that’d be it. Space continues on because you didn’t show it the respect it deserves, it demands. It makes you feel small, worthless and there’s nothing you can do about it. It made me feel like I did before.”

“Feel like before?” Silence took over, a cruel mimicry of the vacuum of space. “Colonel?”

“Look, you’ve read my file, you know.”

“If I could get the answers I needed from your file we wouldn’t be here. How did you feel and before what?”

Jack’s dark eyes studied the psychologist sitting almost picturesque across from him. Keri Vance, a doctor of psychology and a well-respected major in the Air Force. She earned clearance to be a part of the Stargate Program from her tenure with the military and offering her expertise to the women and men of the Air Force for over three decades. Through general conversation, Jack discovered that he graduated from the academy just two years before she did. Keri dealt with soldiers who had been through the worst of the worst, seen things that no human had ever experienced before. She conveyed poise and compassion, even when she needed to be strong willed with some of her patients.

“What, I explain what happened and I get put on mandatory psych leave? Look, Doc, it was a onetime thing. Won’t happen again. Can we be done here?” Jack shifted in his seat, what should have been a comfortable stuffed leather chair felt rock solid and he a hard time keeping himself still.

Keri gave Jack a knowing look before she glanced down to the notepad in her hands. “Colonel you had a panic attack. People experience them every single day and you having one doesn’t mean you’ll be forced to the side. You’ve been through more traumatic experiences than dozens of people will ever experience in their entire lives. If you didn’t have a panic attack I would be more concerned. But for your sake, for your team’s sake and all the SGC, it’s better to know what happened and why. So that you can continue on as the exemplary officer that everyone knows you to be.”

The protection and well-being of his team was paramount to Jack, something that could be exploited as a weakness if done correctly. He let out a sigh, not wanting to talk anymore. Emotions were his weakest area and talking about them with anyone proved difficult. Jack hadn’t even been able to talk to his ex-wife about the loss of their son and they had been married for nearly a decade. To try and talk about that same subject with a doctor he’d only heard of previously seemed impossible.

“How about we just start with what happened, what led up to that moment?” Keri offered, working the situation from a different angle. Jack knew what she was doing, he blew out a breath and conceded.

“Fine. Major Carter, Dr. Jackson, Teal’c and myself had managed to escape the ambush, but just barely. We needed to meet at the rendezvous point so that Jacob could ring us back aboard his ship. Carter took a hit, Dr. Jackson and Teal’c assisted her to the meet point while I laid down cover fire. It was then I got injured in the arm and retreated.” His fingers ran along the edge of the sling holding his arm to his chest. Jack’s gaze shifted to the carpet and he continued with what wrong during the mission.

The sharp ethereal twang of the alien firearms discharging still rang loudly in Jack’s ears. The four members of SG-1 all but collapsed into the loading area of the Tok’ra transport ship. Daniel moved frantically to press his hands to the wound on Sam’s stomach as Teal’c pounced to his feet with the grace of a jungle cat and raced for assistance. Jack knelt, his arm bleeding profusely from the deep gash in his bicep. He shucked off his pack, ignored with a grimace when it caught on his injury. Tossing the contents aside he found the first aid kit that everyone carried and removed a compression bandage. Daniel discarded the completely soaked one for the fresh as Jack handed it over. Between the two they had three hands pressing hard against the wound.

“Stay with us, Major, or I swear to God I will bring you back to life just to reprimand you.” Jack said in a commanding voice that was laced with worry.

“Jack you’re injured too.” Daniel said as he looked up to see sleeve of Jack’s green fatigues turning dark brown and red with his own blood.

“It’s nothing.” Jack pressed harder and Sam groaned through her barely lucid state.

SG-1 teamed up with the Tok’ra to make first contact with the native population on a planet that the Tok’ra had evaluated and deemed a valuable base for the expansion of their network. Details had been left out of the original briefing between the SGC and Tok’ra. A vital detail that this was not the first time outsiders had landed on the planet. The Tok’ra had previously attempted to initiate contact but was met with force and aggression. However, the strategic location of the planet proved to great and the higher powers of the Tok’ra wanted a second chance. They contacted the SGC and the flagship team was dispatched in a favor for their allies that could be repaid later.

Sareria entered the storage area, one of the Tok’ra operatives that had come to earth to convince Stargate Command to take on this mission. Jack nearly launched himself at her as she came through the doorway. She stepped back but showed no hint of surprise on her features.

“You bastards sent us into a damn death trap!” Jack seethed as he jabbed a harsh finger in her direction.

“We did not expect them to react so violently.” Sareria responded in a calm voice.

“Didn’t expect it?” Jack was aghast and couldn’t help but to laugh to hold on to a bit of his sanity. “They told us that you were there, they didn’t want anyone using their planet for any sort of war. They chased you off the same way they did us. And now, one of my team is critically injured because valuable information was withheld from us.” Jack closed the gap between them, anger radiating from him.

“If we had told you they treated with hostility it would have skewed your judgement. You would have been predisposition to show violence towards them.” The even cadence of her sounded condescending to Jack.

“You don’t send people into aggressive territory unsuspecting! It changes everything! We would have had a better escape plan or had taken back up. It’s my job to protect them! ” Jack was livid, he might not have had the luxury of being a century old with the military experience to go with it but he had more than thirty years with the Air Force, so he knew a thing or two about strategy. Just as Jack was about to go into a tirade, Teal’c returned with Jacob, who immediately when to aid Daniel in caring for Sam. Jack watched as they did their best to stop the bleeding. He set his jaw and took a deep breath in, with a sharp turn he faced Sareria. “This isn’t over.”

Leaving the storage area, Jack took the familiar route to the control room. The ship was set on autopilot as the only two Tok’ra were assisting with Sam’s condition. Jack’s hand shook with anger and blood loss. He stared out the large window to the endless expanse of space that stretched away. He looked down, his own blood and Sam’s covered his arms and abdomen. He held his shaking hands out, droplets of pooled crimson fell to the ground in perfect circles. Jack closed his eyes tight, the sounds of the attack replying in his head. The sounds of guns firing, the cry of pain Sam released when she was hit. The feeling of his heart sinking as he watched her hit the ground.

He let out a trembling breath, Sam’s blood felt as it if was weighing him down. Forcing his eyes open, Jack looked out the window again, it didn’t seem like they had moved anywhere. Everything outside was the same, black and endless. There was no one around to help, they were on their own. Jack struggled to breathe in this time. The ship felt off kilter, he put out a hand to steady himself but found he couldn’t bare his own weight on his injured arm. He was unable to correct the sudden loss of balance and fell to his knees. “Oh God,”

The sound of the gun discharging broke the happy shared memories between Jack and Sara as they looked at the photos. The pictures were dropped on the lawn, scattering over the grass as the two of them stood up. There was a moment of confusion and then horror seeped into their consciousness. “Charlie!” Sara yelled towards the house. Jack held his arm out, stopping his wife from going anywhere as he made a dash for the house, Sara right behind him. Taking the stairs two, three at a time, Jack climbed to the second floor in no time. He knew which room to look in, he stopped at the open door to their bedroom a sudden fear stopping him cold in his tracks.

Sara stopped behind him, she looked first and immediately started sobbing. “Charlie!” She cried and attempted to push her way past Jack but he stopped her with a strong grip on her shoulders.

“No, don’t.” Jack said before he went into the bedroom. Blood was on the walls, the carpet, the bedspread. Jack’s service weapon laid on the ground next to his son’s body. They had an argument about guns two weeks earlier, they were dangerous, not to be played with. Charlie got mad, he said he was old enough to understand. And the gun he had was just a water gun, what harm would it do?

It’s the principle of the matter. Jack had told his son, there were other toys that he could play with. Guns weren’t toys.

Jack wasn’t an idiot, he had left his gun and ammo in separate locations but not locked up. He should have locked one of them up. Why didn’t he practice the gun safety that is urged onto so many gun owners? To prevent accidental shootings just as this.

“Charlie!” Jack cried this time, holding his son in his arms, he was still alive, there was a clear entry and exit wound and Jack did his best to apply pressure to the gunshot. His hands saturated with the blood of his own son. Sara fetched a towel to press against it as Jack lifted Charlie into his arms and they raced for the car, hoping to get to the hospital before it was too late. They laid him down in the back seat, Jack kneeling over him as Sara ignored speed limits, red lights and basic traffic laws in the futile attempt to save her son’s life. Jack watched as blood pooled in the car, dripped from the seat into perfect small circles on the carpet. He felt his chest tighten as the haunting realization that his only child probably wasn’t going to survive this. “Come on, Charlie, stay with me!” Jack shouted though tears that flowed freely from his cheeks and chin. His son’s eyes open but unresponsive, the same color as his mother’s now seemed dull and cold.

Charlie’s heart kept beating as they arrived at the emergency room, transferred to care of medical professionals, they worked desperately to save his life. But it was too late, they did all they could but the blood loss was to great. Nothing else could be done. The doctor broke the news as easily as he could but it couldn’t stop Sara’s wails from filling the waiting room.

“Dr. Jackson said he found you on the floor on the control room. He thought you had gone into shock from your injury.” Keri said after a long pause held their conversation.

“I probably did.”

“Yes, probably. But it was the fact that you were talking about Charlie that had him concerned. You were having a panic attack brought on by Major Carter’s injury.” Jack turned his attention out the window of her office, it was a bright spring day. Sun filtered in through the blinds and warmed the space but Jack still felt cold. “Colonel, it is completely normal to experience such things. You lost your son to a horrible incident. As a father, you viewed it as your job to protect your son. Just like it is your job to protect your team and in that moment, you were unable. Like with Charlie. Coupled with the injury, an attack was bound to happen.”

“But it can’t happen. I was a mess, I was unable to help.”

“You had a rather serious wound, Colonel. Even without the panic attack you wouldn’t have been able to provide any sort of support.” It was a fact that Jack was well aware of, he knew that but it was still hard to accept. “You said it made you feel like before. What did you mean by that?” Keri asked, wanting one last answer.

“Suicidal.” The short answer was delivered sharply and bluntly. Keri didn’t say anything, just offered an expression of understanding and a silent prompt to continue. “It made me feel like before I joined the Stargate Program. The endless void, the coldness of space. It felt like being suicidal.” Jack explained, knowing the battle with depression and flirting with the idea of death daily. “But after joining the SGC I found… some sort of purpose to my life. But seeing Major Carter injured and feeling useless and I couldn’t help but to think in that moment how Charlie would have loved Sam.” Jack admitted. “When he was six he got hyper-fixated on black holes. I have no idea why or how he even discovered them, but he told me everything there was to know about a black hole. I knew right then and there that he was smarter than me and he was only six. The way Major Carter will go on about physics reminds me of that sometimes. The two things in that moment became the same. And… I couldn’t go through the loss of Charlie all over again.”

It was the admission that Dr. Vance had been waiting for, one that caused her to nod with a faint smile. “Major Carter is supposed to make a full recovery. You did an excellent job evacuating your team and getting them to safety.”

Jack knew the doctor was saying all these things to highlight the good of the situation. He’d used the same technique on officers and airmen below him after missions went wrong. Give a positive comment, review the negative and end with more praise. They had clearly moved on to the second round of compliments. Considering how he felt, Jack only saw them as pity rather than congratulatory remarks.

“The reaction this situation elicited is normal and, honestly, to be expected. Colonel you’ve been diagnosed with PTSD in the past, panic and anxiety attacks are part of living and managing it. It’s only realizing and accepting what happened and working to move past it, to keep it from crippling your judgement that will keep you from sliding backwards. And getting help, from me or anyone else is a viable form of management. Jack,” The use of informal first names was simply a ploy to make sure she had his attention. Honorifics were standard between military and rarely were there times that called for a more personal referral, even when off duty it was always proper titles.

“You can talk to anyone.” Keri continued when she knew Jack was truly listening to her. “Find someone who will listen to what you have to say and tell them about it.” She knew his file, the mandatory psych evaluations that followed his four months as a prisoner of war and Charlie’s accidental death were thin. He said the minimal amount, took whatever sort of recommended course of treatment and action suggested and got cleared for duty at the earliest possible convenience.

Jack watched Dr. Vance idly, somewhat surprised she hadn’t asked him to bare his deepest, darkest secrets to her as she was his psychologist. But he mostly wondered where she was taking this. “Okay.” Jack agreed simply, finding someone to talk to was an easy enough request.

His short response was somehow satisfactory. “Great. And Colonel, the next time you feel overwhelmed by space and the void you view it as, remember what Charlie told you about black holes. While I don’t know what he told you exactly, I’m sure he had nothing bad to say about them.”

“Dad! Dad! Did you know that time slows down the closer you get to the center of a black hole! It’s like you … move … real … slow and,” Charlie put longer and longer pauses between his words. “Stop.” He also stopped moving as well as Jack watched amused while he packed the camping gear for the upcoming weekend trip. “And they dry up over time which eventually kills it! And they can be other colors!”

“Now how can a black hole not be black? What color would it be?” Jack tossed a sleeping bag into the back of the car and turned to look at his son.

Charlie offered a shrug. “I dunno. But nothing can escape a black hole.”

“Where did you learn all this?”

“The library.”

“Ah.” Jack said with a nod and reached down, stopping before he grabbed the next sleeping bag leaving him eye level with the chatty six-year-old. “Nothing can escape them?”

Charlie shook his head. “Nothin’.”

“Like this?” Jack reached out and snatched Charlie and held him tightly in his arms, fighting against the squirming and kicking, but enjoying the squeals and laughter.

Jack smiled a bit as he thought of those fonder memories. “No, he never did have one bad thing to say.”

#★★ sample #// I'll get to writing real starters soooon #// but sleep first

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