#we become a mix of everything and our ships are bigger on the inside

[giffingthingsss]

#future tense #enterprise things #in the which we learn that trek eventually bleeds into the dr. who universe #we become a mix of everything and our ships are bigger on the inside

[the-firebird69]

And there are a lot of stories about Jason and him barely making it to places hardly getting away. But yesterday and last night he's experiencing massive difficulty and he's wondering why so he looks over to one of his screens and you know spy system and he sees the pseudo empire taking over the governor's seat and putting ken in it. And everything is fine and dandy but they're probably going to declare martial law and his clan would all be killed. So he managed to get back here and he knew what to do but there are only a few days left of this and one of the other side is going to win and I can't have that it'll Force tommy f off to do his job. So we are moving in and enforce and we'll stop that kind of thing and we're going to put in measures and we'll use them when we need to I'm sick of you idiots I'm thinking you tell us what to do your jackass who can barely escape your own people. Now that comes time when you have to stop bothering us and harassing him and that time has passed now you're going to pay the penalties and very very stiff penalties we're going to take you down

-the morlock are making an effort in the eastern hemisphere to take it back yesterday they lost a lot of territory and during the night it was daytime they tried to take it back and failed and they're going to try and take it back now and they do better at night because more of them come out and it's going to deplete both sides forces and unevenly but the pseudo empire is smaller and let's face it just about anybody can come in here with the morlock running it. We have a couple other pointers Ken is itching to do stuff to her son cuz I said is a little bit domineering and that's what he says. No we have understood his position for a while and he should not be planning to but he thinks he can extort by using it and we've had enough of him and her son is kind of laughing because he's really afflicted is not thinking correctly like Camilla and we'll have to face the feds hey it's true too it's kind of a dick and a stupid now and they think alike and it's internal problems we don't think that they want them in there and we spend a long time getting Jason to act like him and look like him and he probably wasted his time no he definitely did they kind of attacked the warlock is working they're overrunning them and they're defeating even the biggest hardware in the spaceships are not effective for some reason it's not the rage they're just not in position you're trying to get there and the more like fleet is blocking them and it's life of death and they're taking out tons of them the Bullock fleet loss about $300 million this morning and that's trying to block the pseudo empire but they did successfully and they're losing more now but the group that is trying to hold the area is pretty big I was about 2 billion chips and the one trying to repel them is 1 billion and they're going to keep losing ships and it's a bigger area now and the pseudo empire is starting to close in on it and they are going to try and stop them from their land strikes and they're doing that now you think that the morllock lose their fleet and get crushed. We also think that Ken becomes governor no the others are not allowing it because it was very bad attitude and he figured out that he's a problem and he's saying things about our son like Camilla does and the mix is not good or the vampire or orc makes people very sour. And yappy out of now and the stupid cuz it they don't know what they're saying they don't know what will happen and then just do it this is you really don't get it and he says you have the power to crucify you know.. Justin has fallen but it's not getting the same treatment it's going on now but he is going to be ostracized too he's walking around with our son he just kept making comments and something's going to shut up too of stuff too I can say also it's the stuff too it's these idiots you can see them they're doing a lot of it and they were inside too it's a boy that's nasty and he saw it after he saw it right now it's a bunch of stuff going on

-the pseudo empire is entering shell county and pulling people out

-the pseudo empire is placed warrants on people and plan to go after them for real

-the pseudo empire is clearing out this area of morlock proper I'm going after them. They're making sure that they are gone and there's a lot of them doing it you'd surprised they don't want them here threatening them.

There's a lot going on so we're going to publish

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zues Hera

[fandomwriterstuff]

“We’re a well-oiled team of military-grade kindergarteners,” his best friend, and the only other human on the ship who would understand what kindergarten was, continued chastising him and his companions. “The level of education and training among the three of you eclipses that of the entire rest of the members of this operation,” Annabeth continued, pointing her finger individually at himself, his pilot Jason, and his Chief Science Officer Nico. “You know, I’m not that surprised with you, Percy, but you are our XO so you should really be more responsible,” he winced at that, still feeling a bit of imposter syndrome at being the Commander of the USS Olympus. “Jason, shouldn’t you be piloting a ship or something?” At that, he saluted her and did an about face before scampering off to get into more trouble. “And you, you’re definitely way too responsible to have gotten mixed up with this Seaweed Brain and Sparky, so what’s in this tomfoolery for you?”

Nico, the only Neptunian on the ship, shifted his large black wings self consciously under the scrutiny of their Chief of Operations. Percy, as the Commander of the vessel, felt obligated to protect his usually stoic and well-behaved… acquaintance? Di Angelo was reserved, almost standoffish, and resented anyone who tried to stick up for him for some reason, but that didn’t stop Percy’s stupid seaweed brain from doing so. Hence the acquaintance. Percy was 99% sure Di Angelo didn’t consider him a friend. But he was nice to Percy and a great officer, so Percy considered him his friend.

“It was my fault, Annie,” he used her childhood nickname carefully, not knowing whether it would soften her up or piss her off more. He was hoping for softening. “It was just another one of Jason and my dumb ideas that we thought we would need a scientist to help with, and we didn’t want to piss off Leo by involving him in it. You know how he is about his engineer and warp cores and whatnot,” Percy held his hands up placatingly. “Leave Di Angelo out of this, he has sciencey things to do, isn’t that right?” Percy side-eyed his companion who (not surprisingly) rolled his eyes.

“I try not to get involved with human pranks or even Jovian mischief, but Officer Grace and First Officer Jackson were about to be meddling with my linguistics team. It isn’t my duty to tell my superiors what to do, so I sought out the next best option, supervising and ensuring no lasting damage was done to the physical or emotional state of the linguistics team. Now,” Here Percy held in a smirk as Di Angelo shrugged. “If they caused interference with the machinery of the ship, that wouldn’t be my expertise, so I allowed it to happen and-” Percy held back a laugh as the other male started speaking even faster to get everything out as Annabeth turned redder and redder. “I’m very sorry about that, truly, but I had no control over the situation.”

“No control over the situation? You three broke our LIT machine and now we have to go back to Earth as soon as we pass close enough to fix it. Soon enough nobody on this ship will understand each other,” the woman across from them crossed her arms and Percy shrunk back a bit.

“I want to make a joke about a machine being called “LIT,” but I feel like it isn’t the right time,” he muttered. “I know the Linguistic Inhibition Technology is important, but most of us have a working understanding of at least one other language, so it shouldn’t be a huge issue, right?”

“You know it works by connecting to the implant technology in our brains, so as it shuts down one by one, members of this ship from spaces stations and planets far and wide will have no clue why they suddenly can’t understand their XO, or their Chief Officer, or their best friend. So you better explain this. And you have to tell them that we’re going straight back to Earth to fix it because no nearby planets have the same brain implant tech as us. Damn Terrans and their brand name technology copyrights,” Annabeth grumbled and finally turned around to walk off.

“Hey, you’re Terran, too!” Percy shouted after her, but she just flipped him the bird.

“She can do that?” Di Angelo asked, side-eyeing Percy.

“Yeah, she’s been my best friend since we were twelve. As long as she doesn’t undermine my authority in front of everyone else, I don’t really care. I’ve done way worse to her,” Percy laughed at the other man’s frown. “Nothing bad, just pranks and things of that sort. Maybe when we get back to Earth we can show you where we’re from. You never set foot off of the training grounds while you were in school.”

“I would… like that,” Di Angelo paused and gave Percy a soft smile.

“Great,” Percy patted the younger male on the shoulder and made his way to the Command Center.

Percy sat himself down in the rotating chair and pressed on the comms device.

“Gooooood evening crew of the USS Olympus, this is your Commanding Officer, Percy Jackson, speaking,” he smiled at the engineering crew that was scuttling by, only for one of them to pause and look at him like he was speaking a different language… Whoops.

“There was a malfunction with the Linguistic Inhibition Technology and we will be returning to Earth henceforth to repair it before the damage becomes problematic. You may experience glitches with your implant technology and may revert to only understanding your first language and those you have studied extensively. If somebody looks like they’re not understanding what I’m saying right now, please escort them to the linguistics team in Science Bay 3. Carry on. Jackson, out.” He clicked again and the mic turned off.

He sighed, this would be one of his bigger mistakes. They were supposed to be exploring, but they couldn’t do that if nobody could speak to one another. One trip home couldn’t hurt him, and he was sure Annabeth would be happy to see her father.

It wasn’t until later after the Chief Officer meeting when someone finally asked Percy about Earth. For many of the non-humans on the ship, Earth was a place to get education and training to go out in the star fleet, and they never set foot outside the campus grounds, just like Di Angelo. But people had stopped asking him questions because Earth was basically “Space Australia,” as Annabeth had explained to him. The adaptability of humans and their need to pack bond astounded many and horrified many others. So, he stopped talking about home.

It was a new member of their ship, Novax (a Vulcan who was a part of Leo’s engineering team), who asked him about it first.

“I hear Earth is 75% made of pure salt water, and is filled with animals of all kinds. Do you have a favorite water animal?” he asked Percy excitedly.

“Definitely dolphins, though they aren’t underwater creatures. Like humans they need oxygen to breathe, and come up for air very often. My favorite actual underwater species would have to be a hippocampus from Neptune. I’ve always wanted to go and see one, but my human anatomy prevents me from going on-planet,” Percy explained and sipped on his hot tea.

“There are a million creatures in the ocean and you pick one that doesn’t breathe underwater?” Clarisse grunted. His Chief Tactical Officer was a brutish Martian, but very specialized in weapons. “And your second favorite isn’t even Terran.”

“What else do you know about the ‘ocean’?” Novax breathed, leaning forward.

“Eh, not much,” Percy shrugged.

“I’m not sure I heard that correctly, maybe my LIT unit isn’t functioning well,” another member of engineering asked, Nyssa. “Your planet is 75% water and you don’t even know what is inside it?”

“I could tell you about the people who spend their life learning about what survives in the deep depths,” Percy looked up, knowing he had all of the non-Terrans hooked on every word. Even Di Angelo had paused in his note taking and was staring wide-eyed at Percy. “But I don’t know if you’d want to know.”

“No we do!” Nyssa exclaimed. “There are people who dedicate their lives to a place that’s literally not navigable by humans, the main inhabitants of the planet?”

“Well as you said, most of the planet is water. Which means that coastal communities are filled with fisherman, whalers, swimmers, and more. I could tell you about some of those. I could also tell you about the scientists that spend years of their lives building bots that can’t even come close to withstanding the pressure at the deepest depths without imploding, or I could tell you about those that do come close,” he shrugged.

“What happened to those?”

“The video feed cut out after only seeing multiple rows of sharp, jagged teeth,” Annabeth answered, her sharp grin frightening those who hadn’t noticed her. Some forgot that she was Terran, because she was also half Minervan.

“I could tell you about whales. Beautiful, they come in black and white or grey or blue. But they can be as big as almost 100 feet long. That’s as long as most pirate ships. And they could fit about 400 average sized humans in their mouths. You don’t want to cross one of them. And they only live on the surface. The things that live in the deep,” Percy shuddered for effect. There were no Neptunians on the ship, so there were no natural water dwellers there, so all of his rapt listeners were shocked by this information. “There’s the anglerfish. They light up the dark with an antenna on top of their heads, and the light lures in prey. But it’s so dim elsewhere that you don’t see their big sharp teeth until you’re right up against them,” he murmured. “Giant squids are almost as big as whales but not nearly as peaceful and beautiful. They have eight arms and two tentacles that could wrap around any boat and crush it.”

“Ten limbs?” Nyssa whispered, clearly disturbed.

“Plus, the Portuguese Man o’ War,” Percy shrugged nonchalantly. “Also known as the floating terror. It’s like a big blue jellyfish that sits innocently on top of the water with huge blue tentacles that sit just underneath with a sting strong enough to kill a full grown human.”

“Don’t worry,” Annabeth grinned that shark grin again. “Percy won’t tell you about the stories of the old days. He doesn’t want to scare you.”

“That was the not scary part?” Novax gulped.

“Anyway, I just got notified that we’ll be back on Earth in a few days, so brace yourselves,” and with that, she stood and left them all staring after her. When the door clicked shut, Percy had all eyes back on him. He shrugged.

“Don’t look at me. I wasn’t going to tell you about the kr- nevermind,” he stood. “Di Angelo, with me,” the younger officer stood, back to business and was at Percy’s side again in a moment. “Clear your schedule, you’re spending shore leave with me, pal.”

“Great,” came the deadpan reply.

“Don’t sound so somber,” Percy rolled his eyes. “I’m just going to show you the beach and maybe a good gay bar. You need to let off some steam my dude.”

The other male reddened.

“That is so… That is…” he huffed. “Highly inappropriate.” he glared down at the ground and Percy felt a little bad, maybe the guy wasn’t out? But it was clear he had a preference for males. Oh well, that foot was already in Percy’s mouth.

“Fine. But I will be attending and I am a great dancer so you’re missing out,” he winked at the flustered officer and made his way back to his cabin. It would be an interesting few days.

He made a plan with Annabeth. Day one before shore leave, Percy would spread a rumor to Novax about the kraken. Bigger than a giant squid and meaner. Known to crush entire pirate ships in the olden days.

Day two, Annabeth would mention sirens to Nyssa. Hideous creatures that could lure you in with their voices and lead you to believe you were bringing your ship in to everything you ever wanted, when in reality you would crash your ships and then drown.

Day three, Percy would tell Leo about the Megalodon. A definitely very real shark so big you couldn’t even imagine it. Percy shuddered at that one.

“But, there are some good things,” Percy was speaking to Nico Di Angelo from his Commander chair, in ear shot of some of the participants of the conversation a few nights prior. “Mermaids, the siren’s nicer cousin species. And the lost city of Atlantis. Known to be a great and bountiful city, lost to the sea and cursed by the gods to be stuck down there forever. Some believe it still exists, but it’s within the Bermuda Triangle.”

“What, pray tell, is the Bermuda Triangle,” Clarisse sighed.

“Hard to explain. Ships just… go in… and they never come out,” Annabeth shrugged. “Planes go down. Ships wreck. People who go in don’t come back out, so we don’t know if Atlantis is really there or not.”

“That’s… terrifying,” Novax whispered as he walked by.

Percy was sure he had created a healthy fear of Earth’s oceans in his crew. And he meant to, because while he loved the beach and swimming, he did want to make them shy away from the depths. They wouldn’t do well to explore it.

#percy jackson #humans are weird #humans are space orcs #star trek #fusion #nicercy #percico #if you squint

[justreadingfics]

It’s a Deal (Chapter 11)

Chapter Summary: Bucky is ready for commitment.  

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Words: 4.6k

Warnings: fluff. Bucky is so smitten.

A/N: It’s been 84 years, but I hope you have fun! Thank you, @lesqui, for reading it over and helping me out with English and everything. The link to my masterlist, where you can find the other chapters, is on my description. Feedback is highly appreciated.

Tag list for this story is closed.  

  Placing your hands on each side of your hips, you smirk at the popped-up screen in your office. Another project you just nailed. Ever since the promotion, your productivity has increased tenfold and you feel as motivated as ever, your creativity on a top level. Also, the last few weeks, after you decided you needed some time alone, you did set more focus on yourself and your own projects. Work being one of them.

It’s weird to say the least… you’ve been busier than ever and yet, it seems like you actually have much more time to yourself now. You’ve been reading books you’ve bought but never really got to read them, eating ice-cream at 3am as you watch The Return of the King for the millionth time, your drawers are finally organized and so is your precious DVD collection. You got to explore a great number of parks and spots you’ve never been before, even living in New York for so long. You’ve been going out a lot and catching up with friends and family. 

It was a good decision. You remember in your relationship with Eddie there were always obstacles for you to hang out with people outside the small inner circle of you as a couple. Sometimes the obstacles were subtle, and not always brought solely by Eddie, but also by you who let yourself get involved in that dynamic. You had no idea how much you missed people that were yours only, and not yours and Eddie’s.

It’s been great to be single. Really, really single for the first time in your adult life. No boyfriends or fiancées, no booty-calls or deals. Completely single… A title and state of mind you didn’t really get to enjoy in the first months of being broken up, being too heartbroken to even think of everything you could do with your life then.

Deciding to be alone for a while…It was a great and reasonable decision.

You have to admit something to yourself, though.

Sometimes you just wanna throw “great” and “reasonable” out of the window. Because you do miss him… A lot.

Finding out how he’s changed his mind and predisposition towards your relationship has messed quite a bit with your mind… and heart. You weren’t expecting that at all and now you don’t really know what to do with the chaos that’s bringing upon your feelings. And what’s making it even messier is the other guy who also changed his mind and predisposition towards your relationship… you weren’t expecting that either… however, that particular change of heart hasn’t been making your own heart jump each time you think of it…

Squeaky little yells and an animated chattering sound of female voices catch your attention to outside your office. Your previous smirk turns into a smile while you shake your head to yourself. That type of commotion only ensues when a certain someone drops by the Tech Department.  

With a wave of your hand, you shut down the screen you’ve been working on, before moving towards the sound. What you come to find a few stops outside your office, at the Department’s common area, is a little circle of your female coworkers around a Super Soldier. He’s always a hit among your coworkers, but today it seems like they’re even in a bigger frenzy, fussing around something that he seems to be holding in his arms. You attempt to catch an eye of it, but the bodies in front of you make it quite hard.

He spots you as you approach them and opens a huge grin at your sight.

You smile back at him just as widely and after you come closer and some of the girls make room, your eyes widen and a small little gasp slips out of you when you finally find out what the fuss is all about. They are all cooing and marveling at a beautiful cat on Bucky’s arms, white as snow on a mountain peak, standing there like royalty, staring back like they’re nothing but proud of being where they are.

“Hey,” Bucky greets, prompting your eyes to focus back on him.

“Hi, there,” you answer back while your gaze carries an amused question mark at him.

He lifts a hard drive with his free hand to your vision field, “We collected this last mission, it’s some alien stuff,” he offers you the drive, keeping his eyes on yours.

As you gaze at each other, you reach for the little device. His fingers brush against yours and that’s precisely when the chattering around both of you becomes nothing but a distant and vague noise that barely reaches your senses… until a loud clear of throat sound stands out.

“Alright, girls, let’s get back to our desks and let these two, ahm… work,” Camilla, your closest friend there, gives you a pointed look and a discrete curve curls the corner of her lips as she leads the group - which looks far from happy about it - away.  

When your gaze meets Bucky again, he’s got that shit-eating grin of his that tells you the little interaction between you and your friend didn’t quite skip from his attention.

You bite your lip and are about to say something when he beats you to it, “Sorry, I had to bring her with me.” He looks down at the cat on his arm and gives it a gentle shake, grinning down at her while she looks up at him before her incredibly blue eyes shut in what looks like sheer contentment, “This little girl right here started whining at the door when I was leaving… she just can’t leave my side anymore.” Bucky shrugs and ticks his tongue, before winking at you.

You chuckle, finding the surprising scene before you nothing less than adorable. The fact that you enjoy being in the presence of his charm again doesn’t go unnoticed by you, but you say nothing about it, “It’s ok, of course. I love cats. What’s her name?”

“Y/N, this is Alpine. Alpine this is Y/N,” he introduces you two with pride lacing his voice.

“Oh, hello, Alp-” your attempt of petting the cat comes to an abrupt halt with you withdrawing your hand at the loud hiss the animal aims at you.

Your eyes snap at Bucky to see his jaw dropping and his eyes widening with a mix of shock and fluster, “Fucking Christ,” he gasps, before looking down at the cat who now licks its paws absentmindedly, “What the hell, missy? Apologize. Apologize now,” he scolds, gaining absolutely no reaction in response.

He scoffs, looking back at you with incredulous lifted eyebrows.

You laugh, mainly at his attempt of making Alpine apologize, “Don’t worry…” You wave him off, “How did that happen, though? I don’t remember you having a cat.” You narrow your eyes just when your head tilts.

He bites his lower lip before an almost cringing smile forms on his lips, “Oh well…”

 A FEW WEEKS BEFORE…

 “Weren’t the Skrulls, like, actually good guys?” Bucky frowns, shoving one of his post-missions Oreos in his mouth and crossing his ankles over the spaceship’s dash.

“Every bunch has its bad apple, I guess,” from the pilot’s seat Natasha shrugs, eyeing the apple in question from over her shoulder.

“You’ll regret this,” threatens the prisoner, who’s actually a Skrull slaver named Gragnon and has his hands and feet securely tied up, stuck on a sit at the back of the ship. Still, he tries to get up and advance towards the front, but a shield of red mist surges in front of him, making him fall back on the chair again with a growl.

Wanda, the third member of the party on that mission, smirks from her seat right behind Nat’s.

Nat rolls her eyes, “What a douche… Talos has been leading a search for him for years now, he’d be thankful we’re taking him to them. Feet off the dash, please.” 

Bucky quickly obeys, pulling down his legs to the floor as Wanda snickers.  

“In fact… we should thank the success of this mission to a certain someone, who came up with a device to break alien codes.” The cheeky smile on Wanda’s face as she started speaking only fades so she can shoot a glare back at the prisoner, who’s now revolved by a red mist dome.

“Damn right.” A dreamy little curl pulls Bucky’s lips as he swings on his seat and passes the bag of Oreos to Wanda.

“Jesus,” Nat scoffs, setting the ship on autopilot, before swirling her chair to see both Bucky and Wanda, “Could you ever imagine this could be possible? That this guy would someday be that smitten over someone?” she questions Wanda.

“Not in a million years. I don’t know Y/N that well, but I bow to her.” Wanda mimics the gesture before shoving a cookie in her mouth.

Bucky doesn’t even drop the dreaminess of his smile. He is smitten… completely… utterly… and fuck if that doesn’t feel damn good. He always thought that kind of feeling would be a pain in the ass, boring and painful. It is not. He feels like singing, dancing, hugging every human being and alien he comes across. Fuck, he would hug the Gragnon dude if it didn’t mean to get a kick in the ass from Natasha. It’s been ages that he doesn’t really get high on anything, but that feeling… he’s definitely hooked on it.  There’s not a doubt inside him anymore and he’s in love with being in love with you.

“So, spill it,” Nat crosses her legs, swinging on her chair “You really went to her place and poured your heart out to her? Right after her ex proposed to her?” She questions, “What did she say?”

“Well, first she thought I was kidding and laughed her ass off…” He shakes his head with the same dreamy little smile on his lips, “Then, when she realized I was not, she started crying and, of course, so did I.” He shrugs, ignoring when Nat and Wanda exchange looks, “She wasn’t expecting that from me at all, and, we can’t really blame her can we?” 

“Definitely not.”

“Nope.”

Bucky chuckles at the unison response from her friends before leaning over and snatching the bag of cookies from Wanda, before giving them the details of his talk with you, having their undivided attention.  “And she said she needs some time alone, being single, I mean, to sort her feelings out… Also, it seems like she doesn’t think I can’t deal with the kind of commitment that being in love requires,” he says with a mouthful.

“Oh, honey…” Nat tilts her head.

He notices the sympathy on hers and Wanda’s expressions and waves his hand to brush her worries off, “No, no. None of that. All in all, it went pretty well. As much as I wished it would be different, I think her decision is fair. At least she didn’t say yes to the jackass with the ring,” he huffs, “I wasn’t really expecting her to throw herself in my arms. At least, not just yet.” He smirks.

“What?” Natasha shoots a look at Wanda before turning to him, “You’re not stepping aside?”

Bucky snorts at the question, “Are you kidding me? The first broad I ever fall in love with and you think I’ll leave the path free for that short little clown who thinks ten years matter?” He lets out an exaggeratedly loud laugh, “I’ve lived more than one hundred of them. Ten years mean nothing to me, and soon enough she’ll realize it doesn’t have to mean much to her, either.” A small smile rises on his face, “Of course she can have the time for herself she wants, find out what’s like being single. She deserves that. And she can think and figure out all she needs… have her fun... It’s all good…” He nods, “But in the meanwhile? I’ll be around romancing the shit out of that woman,” he states, right before tossing another cookie in his mouth.

“Holy shit,” Wanda addresses Natasha, with both eyebrows high on her forehead.

“I know…” Nat answers with an equally dumbfounded look on her face, before turning to Bucky, “Listen,” she sighs and tilts her head, “I hate to be such a killjoy here, but… I get you’re in love, and I know this is new and exciting for you.” She’s smiling before her lips tighten, “Having said that… I think she might have a point about you not being ready for commitment Bucky, you never wanted that. I’m gonna be honest here, I’m the one who set what you two had up because I thought it wouldn’t lead to this…” She waves all around him, “Feelings, I mean… and I would hate myself if you two ended up hurt because of it.” She focuses an apprehensive gaze on him while Wanda also rests her attention on him, looking like she agrees with her friend.

Bucky takes a good look between the two of them before putting into words the answer that’s so clear on his head now, “I know it may sound weird and uncharacteristic of me. Trust me, I know that.” He nods at Natasha, taking a moment to silently communicate with her in the way that has been always so easy for the two of them, “You’re right, I’ve never wanted that. Settling down to just one person, commit to a long term relationship…But with her,” he sighs and the corner of his lips curl up without further notice, “I want her and I want all of that with her, the whole package. I’m ready. I’m not afraid. I think the reason I didn’t want all of that before is because I hadn’t met her yet. That’s it. Simple as that. I know it’s not going to be easy, but to hell with easy. I want her. And I want her hard.”

Wanda already has a huge grin on her face when a satisfied little smirk twists Nat’s lips, “That’s what Amanda said.”

Bucky’s eyes widen before he squints at her, “What’ve you been up to?”

Nat puts on a nonchalant face and reaches forward to grab a cookie from the package. She takes a bite and shrugs, “Poor girl… needed some comfort after being let down by your buddy down there.”

Bucky lets out an outraged scoff and throws a cookie on her way, from which she dodges easily as she laughs, “I bet you were of great help in consoling her… Jesus… Amanda and you? The world isn’t ready.” He shakes his head.

Natasha sports a smug smile on her face when she nods her agreement, “You’re not wrong.”

“Alright, as much as I want to hear all about this Amanda girl, we’re getting close to the Skrull base now and we need you to land us, Nat,” Wanda nods towards the dash.

“Copy that,” Natasha makes a military salute at her, before shifting her seat and taking control of the ship again.

“And as for you,” Wanda turns to Bucky, “I don’t need to read what’s on your mind to know you’re telling us the truth. You’re ready for commitment,” she offers him a soft smile, which he reciprocates, “And if you really wanna show her that, I may have an idea.” Her smile turns into a devious little smirk and that’s enough to pique Bucky’s interest.

~~~

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Bucky asks, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walks alongside Wanda through the busy sidewalks of Manhattan, “I mean… I know I said yes, but it is one hell of a commitment, what if it’s not for me?”

“Don’t worry, Bucky,” she smiles, “We’re just gonna take a look around, feel the vibe, and then see what happens. You don’t have to decide anything just yet,” she assures, wrapping an arm around his elbow as he looks down at her, “I just think it’s a good idea for you to get to know a bit more of this sudden inclination to commit…to experiment, I guess,” Wanda shrugs, “Besides, a dear friend of mine runs the shelter and the girl knows her stuff. If she feels like you’re not ready, she won’t allow you to get out of there with one of her babies.”

Bucky lets out a laugh. Feeling a little lighter about the subject, he places his hand over the one Wanda has wrapped around his arm, “Alright… I’m not opposed to the idea of having a dog, I guess. I always loved Labradors…” he frowns, “I would have to switch apartments, though…”

“Look at you.” Wanda nudges her shoulder on him, “Already making plans for your child…”

“Child…” Bucky can’t help but snort. He had agreed to Wanda’s idea of going to an animal shelter because he thought it would be a good way to show you he’s ready for commitment and, like he said, he’s always been fond of dogs and he’s sure if he ends up taking one home he’ll treat them well. But he also never understood how some people could be so attached to an animal to the point of considering them a child, or family…“I don’t know… I’m definitely not taking a pet home today. I agree with you, I shouldn’t decide anything just yet.”

As they walk past a small alleyway, Wanda halts, forcing him to stop with her.

“What?” Bucky frowns down at her.

“Shhh,” she brings a finger to her lips, staring towards the alleyway, “Listen.”

That’s when Bucky’s enhanced hearing catches the thin and shaky little sound coming through the trash cans.

“Come on,” Wanda pulls him to the alley and towards the cans.

What they find behind one of the containers, among all the filth around is a ball of white fur. Curled up and shaking just like the meows they heard seconds ago. A cat, a young adult white cat looks up and a pair of baby blue eyes meets Bucky’s and he just can’t look away from the plea on them and it’s just when something clicks inside his chest.

“Oh, no, look,” Wanda points at the tail, that has an evident injury on it, but when she leans down to examine it further, the animal flinches and rushes towards Bucky’s legs, letting out another trembling and weak meow. Bucky freezes as it starts climbing up his calves. 

Given the poor coordination on their back little legs – probably from the damage on the tail- it can go much higher,  but keeps trying. After the initial surprise, Bucky can’t help but to smile at the little fighter, who seems to reach out at him for protection. Next thing he knows, he’s leaning down and picks it up with all the caution he can muster.

“Hello, little lady… what happened there, huh?” He coos, nodding towards the small injury, which looks like a bite, having the cat meowing while bumping and rubbing the head against his chest.

“Is it a female?” Wanda tilts her head, an amused and questioning expression on her face.

Bucky smirks, not taking his eyes away from the animal, who is now quiet and seems much calmer, but digging her little claws on Bucky’s shirt, “I know a beautiful lady when I see one. Don’t I, gorgeous?”

A purring sound comes out of the now contented animal, the small injury on her tail apparently not being a problem anymore while she climbs higher and practically hugs Bucky with her little paws, whose fur is smudged by dirt, making his heart take a flip in his chest. Damn his heart nowadays…

“Aww, Bucky…” Wanda smiles, placing her hand over her heart, “What are we going to do? Should we take her to the shelter?” Wanda offers, with a bit of tentativeness on her voice.

Bucky’s eyes widen largely, before they snap to her friend. A protective tightness laces his hold on Alpine, who lets out another weak meow. Shit… Alpine? When the hell did he even come up with a name? Fuck if he knows, all he knows he’s done for and can’t possibly think of parting from that white furry little thing, who seems to have gone through a lot in her life already and probably has never met with human kindness before.

He doesn’t need to say anything as understanding falls upon Wanda’s face. He would even guess there’s a bit of pride adorning the smile on her lips now, “Alright, alright… we do need to take Alpine to the vet, though, Mr. I’m not gonna take a pet home today.” She winks.

~~~

PRESENT DAY…

“Oh well…” Bucky scratches the back of his neck while you keep your beautiful interested eyes on him, “I found this beauty on the street… she had an injured tail, poor thing… probably bitten by a dog. But she’s fine now, aren’t you, sweetie?” He coos, putting on the new tone of voice that belongs to Alpine now and loving the sound of your chuckle, “You know… I’m fully committed to taking care of her. I’m a cat dad now.” He says, putting some effort to highlight the word “committed”.

“I can see that…” you comment, nodding with a glimmer of fondness in your gaze at where Alpine is cuddled against him with eyes closed, completely relaxed.

Bucky looks down and smiles. That one is too cute for her own good, but he’s definitely having a talk with her later, for hissing at you like that, like he hadn’t given her a lecture about good behavior and how incredible you were before they left home.  

“So, it’s been a while, huh? How’re you doing?” He asks softly, boring his eyes on you and holding back every ounce of him to not pull you to his arms and shower you with all the intense love he’s gathering in his chest at your sight in front of him. If it was up to him, he wouldn’t have spent those long weeks apart from you, but he met with missions and an Alpine in the way. Also, as much as he’s resolved to show you he’s the one for you, he understands you needed time for yourself. But, hell, he missed you so much.

“Oh, I’m good, I’m good… pretty good,” you ramble, brushing a finger behind your ear, that thing you do when you become a bit self-conscious, which happens often when he places his gaze so intently on you.

He can’t help but smile, his chest impossibly swelled with his feelings for you, because that woman who becomes all flustered with his attention is the same woman who whined to suck his dick while shitfaced after a party. Damn, he’s so in love with you.

“That’s great...Are you free tonight?” He asks, smoothly, “Wanda and Sam will make hamburgers, they’re one hell of a team in the kitchen, you’ll be welcome to come if you want to.”

“Oh… I…” You falter.

“I’m not trying anything, I promise,” He’s quick to add with a chuckle and raises his free hand up, noticing the trepidation in your voice. “Everyone’s gonna be there. We’re just gonna eat and hangout.” He shrugs.

“Oh… no, it’s not that, it’s just…” You tighten your lips “I’ve got plans.” Something Bucky guesses to be disappointment or something like that sweeps into your voice. As for him, he holds his breath, bracing himself for the news that you’re going out with that douche of an ex, “I’m gonna meet some friends from college tonight. I got a reservation for us for dinner and then we’re gonna go dance…”

Bucky lets out a breath and the smile that grows in his face is wide when he says, “Oh, alright. That sounds like fun.” Really, really fun, especially if that jackass isn’t involved. He’s not disappointed. Far from it.  

You smile back at him, matching his mood. It doesn’t slip from his attention that you seem a bit surprised by his reaction at you declining an invitation from him in favor to hang out with your friends, but he says nothing of it.

“Yeah… I’ve been getting reacquainted with them lately,” you say, excitement plastered on the little curve of your lips and the glint in your eyes, “It’s been fun. I’d love to get to know Wanda and Sam’s talent in the kitchen, though….Maybe some other time?” You offer.

“Sounds perfect, sweetheart.”

The term of endearment brings the effect he was aiming for when you promptly does that thing with your finger on your ear again, but it was also noticed by the other girl in the room and currently in his arm, who seems to wake up from her comfort slumber against his chest to hiss at you again.

You look at each other in widened eyes.

“What the hell,” Bucky scolds down at the cat, glancing at you briefly, catching your now amused expression, before addressing Alpine again in a whispery voice, “We’re gonna have a talk back home, young lady.”

~~~

“What a number you put out there, huh?” His voice is gentle despite the reprimanding intention in his words while Bucky crouches and fills her little plate with the special food the vet recommended.

With her crystal-clear eyes glued on the plate, Alpine doesn’t really acknowledge his half attempt of admonishing her before digging in.

Bucky chuckles, “She’s cute, isn’t she? But so are you,” He scratches the back of her ear and she stops eating for a moment to brush her head against his hand, “You don’t have to be jealous, doll. You’re so cute, you’re my girl, too, you know?” he coos, still petting her, “But you gotta help me out there buddy. Ok? She’s really special and I know you’ll love her, too.”

Alpine lets out a weak meow before getting back to her plate and Bucky swears to God he sometimes wonders if the cat is some sort of shapeshifter in disguise, understanding every little thing he says.  

Letting her out to eat, he stands up, “Hey, Friday,” he calls.

“Yes, Bucky?”

“Could you search for a table reservation in the name of Y/N Y/L/N tonight? I need the address of the place.”

A small silence ensues before the A.I speaks again, “Isn’t it a bit creepy?”

He sighs, placing his hands on his hips, “Friday… babe…” He smiles at the giggles that resound in his kitchen, before bringing a hand to his heart, “I’m in love, ok? I’m not gonna ruin her night…If anything, I’m just going to make her night out with her friends more… interesting.”

“Alright, you know I can’t say no to you,” the A.I concedes, “You can find the address in your phone’s map. Good luck, handsome.”

“Thanks, babe,” Bucky grins, before turning to Alpine, who’s now about done with her food, sprawled on the floor busy with cleaning out her paws, “And you?” He calls, catching her attention before he points at her, “You’ll have burgers with your aunt Wanda. I have plans for tonight.”  

~~~

To be continued...

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky barnes series #bucky barnes fanfiction #it's a deal

[minerstatus]

Teyvat’s School for the Gifted

Summary: He's cruel, mean, and sadistic. Lumine cannot fathom why he has the followers he does, but she won't fall into his hands like the rest of them.  It was unknown to her at that time how such a stance would cause the biggest uproar the schools ever seen.

This is the silly drama filled high school/college parody AU nobody asked for filled with Lumine not giving a shit and Childe trying to buy his way out of problems.

Ship: Lumine/Childe

Tags: Highschool AU, Enemies to lovers, Slow burn, Jealousy, lots of side ships.

Status: 5/? on Ao3

Chapter 1

The school located on an island inside the neutral zones between nations is a blessing for anyone without a swimming pool filled with mora. Without money you have to be gifted a vision to attend. That is why Lumine thought she would never be accepted to such a place. Instead cursed to live her life on a small farm on the outskirts of Mondstadt, killing small monsters for money to aid her ailing mother.

She had become quite the prodigy around the area. Her sword work was nothing to be trifled with. Some would even gush about what it would be like if she did have a vision. Then it happened, a strange string of life changing events.

-

 She enjoyed spending her free time sitting under the statue of the seven in windrise. It gave her a reprieve from her day-to-day life of school, killing, then sleep. She polished her blade most days she sat there, enjoying the sounds of the wilderness around her.

 As she sheathed her blade, wistfully thinking about what it would be like to magically summon and desummon it as a vision user, a light began to shine behind her. There was a flash, she thought maybe a vision might appear in front of her. But this was no test or life changing event. It didn’t make sense.

 Wind surrounded her body, lifting her skit in the breeze. She turned, it followed with her. She lifted her hand as a power surged through her. A burst of wind jetted from her palm and sliced across the water. It trimmed the tops off the over grown grasses lining the ponds edge. The wind died down and left her for elsewhere as the light slowly faded out of existence.

 Befuddled, she stared at the palms of her hands. She felt a power emanating from her core. With a trembling arm she raised her palm again, calling forth on the energy. It darted from her as before. Shocked, she tried it again and again, smiling gleefully with each blast of wind. She twirled around, searching for her vision, but came up empty.

-

That is how the first visionless anemo user was born. At first people didn’t believe her. Delusions were not unknown to the common folk of Teyvat. They were a staple favorite of the mafia families across the regions. But she quickly smashed those theories to pieces. Not only was she a poor farm girl fighting to survive, but where on earth would she have the money to afford such a thing. She allowed an inspection of her things and a pat down to prove it.

After the authorities decided that she did not have a vision she was free to do as she wished. That was until the head master of Teyvat’s school for the gifted showed up on her doorstep. The scholarship she was offered would give more money to her mother per month than she could in six months of hunting. She took it without question.

That’s how she ended up here, gawking at the building in front of her. The school defied the rumors. Statues carved from marble, fountains that defied gravity, even the wood it was built from looked impossibly expensive. Heck, the wildlife looked like they ate from golden platters.

The only thing that held her from running right back to the boat was a woman pinning her down with a chemically assisted cheerful gaze. A shiver ran up her spine as she waved her over. She obliged only because her eyes looked a hair away from snapping into crazy land.

“Welcome to Teyvat’s finest Lumine!” She cheered and began to clap.

“Thanks,” She mumbled, intimidated by her nature. She looked like a robot. Sleek black hair, not a strand out of place. Perfectly pressed blazer and pencil skirt in matching shades. Her glasses glistening in the sunlight, even if they were just plain black frames. She hoped not everyone in this school looked or felt this way.

“Follow me and I'll take you to your dorm. Then it’s a trip around campus!” She quipped then turned on her heel. Even her footsteps were a perfect tempo.

They walked through the faculty building, which thankfully looked normal inside. The site quelled her turning stomach. It was into the garden next that, as expected, looked immaculate. They even had a massive sand garden. Back in Mondstadt something like that would be destroyed in seconds.

Eventually they came upon another wooden building with a large ‘girls’ over it. The woman stopped and spun so fast on her heel Lumine almost let out small scream.

“This is the girl's dorm; your roommates are waiting for you inside with your things. I'll be back in thirty minutes for the rest of the tour,” she said, smile never once faltering as she left Lumine to her own devices.

Her roommates were nice, they greeted her in the common room just as her guide stated. Amber was a bit too enthusiastic for just about anything. Barbara was a very cheerful girl but was more reserved. It was a breath of fresh air to see two friendly faces. They led her to their dorm to get settled.

“So, what do you think?” Amber asked as Lumine began to unpack her luggage. Placing her uniforms carefully into her small closet along with her own casual clothing. Her own things almost felt dirty comparted to the schools uniform she was provided. And the room was much bigger than what she expected from a dormitory.

“It's overwhelming,” She admitted.

“You'll get used to it,” Amber laughed.

“Are you?” Lumine began to ask.

“Scholarship,” Amber answered, holding up her vision, “They keep the poor kids together so we don’t infect the rich kids.” She laughed.

“Hey!” Barbara yelled at her. Lips pointing into a pout.

“Except for Barbara, she requested to room with me. She's the exception.” Amber smiled at her friend.

“So, it's exactly how I thought it would be,” Lumine grumbled. This school was probably dripping with rich kids causing trouble for the normal folk, like she expected.

“Some of the students are alright, indifferent you might say. But there are,” Amber held up her hands as air quotes, “those types.”

“Will you guys be in my classes?” She asked.

“Nope, third years!”

Lumine felt her insides twist. Great, now she would be alone on her first day. At least her dorm would be nice. Amber was warm and friendly and Barbara seemed sweet even if she wasn’t talking as much. The pair would only be a year below her so they were still close in age. Hopefully she wouldn’t be moved to another dorm with the ‘adults’ if she attends the next four years after this one.

“You don’t want to be in our year anyways,” Barbara laughed.

“Whys that?” Lumine felt a small smile form for the first time since she set foot on the island. Barbara wiggled her eyebrows and gleamed over at Amber. She turned red in response and threw a pillow at her.

“Stop! Its not my fault!” She shouted.

“It’s gross the way he drools over his desk for you,” Barbara added.

“Mind filling me in?” Lumine asked.

“No!” Amber shouted.

“She has this wolf boy that follows her around and causes trouble. Its adorable,” Barbara said anyways.

“I didn’t ask for it he just did it!” Amber defended herself.

“It's like a comedy slash horror show every day,” Barbara giggled.

“Stop teasing me,” Amber whined.

“Wolf boy?” Lumine asked. Mondstadt had a steady population of people descendant of shape shifters or animals, but she had never seen a wolf before. Most of them were cats. Granted, she did keep to herself and didn’t really mix with the town folk, even at school.

“Half werewolf, half human, grew up in the wild before coming here earlier in the year,” Amber explained.

“He can smell everything, it's awful,” Barbara moaned, “one time I tried to bring some leftovers from lunch and he almost ripped apart my bag looking for it.”

“Sounds like a nice boyfriend,” Lumine said, hiding her smile as she sorted items into her desk drawers. Amber gasped from behind her. She swallowed a laugh.

“H-he's not my boyfriend!” She yelled. Lumine busted and began to giggled along with Barbara. She was interested in seeing the exchanges between the two now.

“Very funny guys, I'll make sure to make fun of your pain in suffering next time I get the chance.” Amber crossed her arms.

“Alright I'll stop,” Barbara waved her hand at her. A sharp knock on the door quickly soured the cheerful mood. The door swung open and Lumine’s guide walked in.

“Fantastic, I'm so glad you are getting along with your new housemates. We must complete the tour now.” The woman said, still as cheerful as ever. Lumine noticed Barbara and Ambers shoulders fell on her entrance. “I'll be waiting out front,” she chirped and left.

“God, Mrs.Lee always gives me the creeps,” Amber said.

“Glad it's not just me,” Lumine laughed as she stood.

“Good luck! See you at dinner,” Amber waved as Lumine exited the room. She heard faint whispers of gossip as she left but knew it was nothing bad, those girls didn’t have a mean bone in them.

-

They walked around campus and Lumine slowly became accustomed to the wildly expensive taste. She was shown the inside of the year one through four buildings, for the fourteen-to-eighteen-year old's. Then the outside of the adult facilities. Mrs. Lee assured the only real difference between the two was the uniform requirement and some extra freedoms.

After taking the tour she felt less overwhelmed, but it was the final stop that really cemented the reality most of the students lived in. It was the cafeteria of the school, but should have been classified as a food court. There was the line for the scholarship students where they could use one of three free meal tickets per day, or a snack coupon, all loaded onto her school ID. Wich was normal, same thing that she had in Mondstadt, minus the dinner.

What was different was the restaurants lining the walls. Everything you could imagine from each region on tap. And the prices were nothing to scoff at. A Fishermans toast was going for ten thousand mora, she could make that for less than three hundred back home. Lines scaled out to the isles as students waited, eager to be robbed for food.

“Lumine!” A familiar voice shouted. She sighed in relief. A distraction to this insanity was required right about now. She carried her tray adorned with less appetizing food from the school over to the table Amber sat at.

“This place is crazy,” Lumine sighed in exhaustion.

“My first day I ran away,” Amber laughed. She placed a spoon full of mac and cheese into her mouth.

“Those prices are more than I make in three weeks back home,” She said as she began to eat. Pleasantly surprised that even the free food was delectable. The pasta was perfectly cooked, cheese sauce an ideal creamy texture. She moved on to nibble at her cookie, baked expertly with a crispy outside and a gooey center. “God,” she murmured, savoring the taste.

“I told you, you get used to it,” Amber smiled sweetly. A book bag slamming down on the table instantly cleared her face. She looked up to see what she assumed was the wolf boy from earlier discussions. Lumine wondered why Amber felt it was bad to have his attention. He was attractive, silver hair and red eyes, giving him an exotic look. His arms were coated in scars and a massive one gashed his face, not a bad look if your into that type. Some of the girls back home would swoon over the attention.

“Why,” She groaned as he pulled out a seat, pushing it right up against hers as he sat a plate of meat and potatoes down. It must have been one of the free creature meals from the school line. He sat, making sure he was as close as physically possible to her.

Okay, maybe that’s why. Lumine began to understand.

He tilted his head like a new puppy, “Why?” He asked, voice thick with an unknown accent.

“We talked about this,” She shoved his chair away. “This is Razor,” She sighed as he sunk into his chair to pout. Lumine nodded and greeted him with a smile.

“I bought brownies!” Barbara sang as she skipped over to the table, “For our new friend,” She handed out the sweets, “And beef jerky for you,” She said as she handed Razor a slim piece of dried meat. He perked up and took it, chewing on it greedily. After the experience with the cookie Lumine thought the food couldn’t get better. But the brownie was smooth decadent layers of velvet chocolate that melted in her mouth. She had to suppress a groan.

There was a pickup of chatter in the room that pulled her from her chocolate induced fantasy. She looked towards the entrance of the café where a group of boys walked in. They were followed by a gaggle of other students, mostly female, all adorned with an expensive accessory or more.

Lumine was an honest person and she did not deny to herself that these boys looked like royalty. They walked with an air of confidence even through the crowd, knowing that the sea of students would part for them. She counted each of their visions, anemo, geo, cryo and hydro. There was a distinct leader to the group out of the four. A redhead who wore his vision on his belt, showing it off by messily tucking in half of his unkept shirt. Like he wanted people to see it, unlike the rest of them that wore them on chains by their side, as did everyone else in the school.

“Don't stare,” Amber hissed. Lumine snapped her eyes to her friends.

“Who are they?” She asked. Amber eyed her wearily before divulging the information.

“Sons of the school's elite,” She glanced back at the group to ensure they were distracted with food or girls before continuing, “The shorter one with green hair is Xiao, the son of the wangshu inn owner. The geo looking guy is Zhongli from the Wangsheng funeral parlor. Blue hair is Kaeya, one of the sons from the dawn winery.” Amber stopped speaking as she got to the last subject. Lumine quirked a brow as both Barbara and Amber swiveled their heads to check on the group again.

“It's not really them you should be weary of though; besides Xiao they are nice. Xiao has always had a stick up his butt,” Barbara added to the conversation.

“Then what is it, why are we acting like we are defusing a bomb?” Lumine asked.

“It's Childe, the redhead,” Amber whispered.

“Childe? That’s a dumb name,” Lumine thought out loud. The girls hissed at her to keep her voice down.

“He smells mean,” Razor added. Amber pulled on his ear.

“I told you not to talk about him,” She growled at him. He grasped her hand in his, forcing her to release.

“But you are!” he argued.

“Thats because we are warning her!” Amber explained. Razors eyes darted from Ambers to Lumines and he resigned himself back to his half-eaten steak.

Amber rolled her eyes and turned back to Lumine, “It’s not his real name, no one even knows his real name.”

“Childe is an awful nickname,” She whispered back to her friend.

“He’s mean, and evil, once he has you in his sights there's no stopping it.” Amber warned her.

“What about his friends? Don’t they say something?” She asked.

“They are rich, us poor folk don’t matter to them even if they act cordial towards us,” Amber told her as she leaned back, “Besides you don’t have a vision, he will probably just ignore you.”

Lumine widened her eyes, “well...” She felt a tint come to her cheeks, “Actually...”

Amber slammed her fists on the table, “NO WAY! YOUR THAT GIRL!” she screamed. Drawing the attention of half the students.

“Show us!” Barbara insisted.

“Ah, I don’t think now is the best time.” Lumine tried to quell her friend's voices but both girls were oblivious to the attention they were attracting. She glanced over at the red head she was warned about to make sure he was still entranced at whatever activity he had chosen.

“Awh comon I wanna see!” Amber whined.

“First anemo user in history without a vision! Don’t hold out on us!” Barbara added.

“Fine! Just stop yelling at me,” Lumine finally conceded. She put her palm face up on the table and gathered a small amount of wind to it. It tinted green with her power as it swirled into a miniature tornado in her palm.

“This is so cool!” Amber gasped.

“It's the same as anyone else,” Lumine said, closing her hand to cease the wind. She was more than a bit tired of people going ballistic over her powers.

“Let's get back to the dorms,” Amber suggested, “We have much to talk about,” She smiled gleefully. Razor whimpered next to her, “fine you can come too,” She sighed. Razor looked up with a beaming smile.

“Boys are allowed in the girls dorms?” Lumine asked as they gathered their trays and bags.

“Only until eight with a strict open-door policy,” Barbara told her.

She hummed in response as the group made their way over to the trash bins. Eyes were on her now, some searching for a vision trinket she didn’t possess. She was the last one out the door when a chill tingled down her spin. She grabbed the back of her neck and turned, expecting a cryo user to be standing there with a smirk on their face.

Instead, she was greeted with sea blue eyes cutting through the crowd. He smirked when they made eye contact. The chill went down her entire body. She glared as the door to the building swung shut, cutting them off.

Shit.

#chilumi #childe #lumine #genshin impact #genshin impact fanfiction

[deerlyloved]

Talvak Lore

Below cut: A long bit of lore about my original alien species, the Talvak

They descended on our troops in an instant, there was no warning, no signs, and my men were screaming, shots firing all around me. We had heard tales of them, the ravagers in the Zarriah System. Silent and deadly, like the mist that surrounded so many of the lands on Yukk. I didn’t believe them, told my men it was superstition, whatever took over this star system wasn’t going to wait around in the mist and wait for us to show up.

God, why didn’t I listen? There’s been talks of them for decades, maybe even centuries. The Talvak, a war species that did nothing be plunder, pillage, invade.

They were so familiar, yet so distant from what I knew, claws like beast, tails like one too, bony crests painted for war as they tore through my battalion like paper. May the stars forgive me for leading those poor men into that slaughter.

-The translated message from Commander Izbe of HMS Nobel, now presumed dead.

The Talvaki people are an interesting case of nature vs nurture. Their very brains are leveled against them from birth, an overwhelming prey drive influencing them to seek out prey for food mixes with the brain consistently and easily triggering what we understand to be the amygdala. This means a Talvak will, from birth, be wired to hunt for survival, as well as consistently be enraged by small things. The final metaphorical nail in the metaphorical coffin for the Talvaki is simple: they are all born with similarly malformed brains that influence the initial triggering of the amygdala, as well as give them increasingly common intrusive thoughts.

With no way to effectively cope due to how their society was set up, the species as a whole became known as a war species as they began to enact violence on planets all across their star system, and now they are quite possibly one of the most notorious war species in the galaxy.

We stood no chance against them, I see that now. Even though they present as an army, it’s a trick, they present as an army to make you think they need one. In a blink of an eye, they took our unsuspecting fleet for all they had, half of them were destroyed before my commands were even put to motion ... Their leader took to my ship, and she walked through without a care, disposed of my people without a blink of her eyes. She stood high, a bony crest hiding her face, six unblinking eyes that I swear glowed a fiery orange … Tall and covered in a vaguely colored fur under the lights, and the truly eye drawing thing, even among the claws on all four hands and feet. A large, curled tail that stayed behind her, tipped with a long stinger that seemed to twitch the longer the silence stayed. What did the venom do?

-Excerpts from Commander Ki’s report on the Gold Rush System Incident

Soon, the reign of the Talvaki slowed to a halt as they carved out their own kingdom in the universe, occupying three star systems with the ever looming threat of expanding to more. Through the passage of time, with no where else to expand to without encroaching on Citadel territory, the Talvaki became known as a legend, a species on the far reaches of the universe who could destroy civilization if they saw fit… Who were forced into content with their area by the Citadel’s presence.

After decades, the horrors committed by the Talvaki were spread, and braver adventurers began to explore the area despite warnings, governments seeking to overthrow the Talvaki and claim the resource rich planets for themselves, and officials looking to negotiate for the lands.

None ever returned, and rumor states that they were either indoctrinated into Talvaki belief, or outright killed.

The Citadel stepped in after years of this, putting an outright ban on anyone, diplomat, mercenary, or scrapper alike, on entering the star systems under Talvaki rule. They set up a large patrol route around the areas and set to doing what the Citadel does best… Negotiate.

While the interactions between the Talvaki and the Citadel are largely unknown, it’s rumored that their leader at the time, a large and intimidating creature named Nkae (Nee-kay), was considered odd among his people, understood to be soft. Perhaps this supposed softness was what convinced him to allow the Citadel to tread in their territory.

What is known fully is that nearly a year later, the Citadel announced its latest accomplishment: they convinced the Talvaki to join the Citadel Reformation Program.

We are pleased to announce that Jaa’la Ke has reported that the Talvaki people are willing to join the Citadel Reformation Program, and we consider it a great victory for the Citadel and everyone united under it as well. Hopefully, others will join the program after seeing this, not just war species, but those who simply need a chance to be redeemed.

- A quote taken from Rix, the voice of the main branch of Citadel

As we know (or might not know), the Citadel Reformation Program, lovingly acronymed the CRP, is a program in which the Citadel ‘reforms’ former war species, quarantining them at their own consent to allow them to better interact with the world. Many leaders of former war species understand that it would lead to the end of their kind to continue on the path of destruction, and as such they volunteer.

The Talvaki have been in reformation for roughly two decades now, and just like all others in the CRP, there has been no updates or word on their progress. A species either opts out of the CRP, where they are declared an official threat to the Citadel and all under its banner, or they emerge decades to centuries later, relatively… reformed.

A reformed war species known as Humans are the most notable example of this, a species of small and relatively weak when compared to others. When the Citadel first extended its hand to the Humans home of Earth A27, it was not hard to see what they were. A planet in shambles, lands that had been sparring for centuries, never ending fights and constant toiling brought down on those deemed unworthy by a distinct class of people. Planets based on class systems rarely work, though some surprise is like in the case of the Scacles homeplanet of Imsst, and Citadel officials began studying Earth A27 closely.

The class system it ran itself off of, the wars, the begrudging violence, and nonstop toil all mixed together to quickly classify the soon to be known Earthlings as a war species. Though they fought for peace, a curiosity to all, there was no doubt that they needed to be in the CRP now. Now, after spending decades in the CRP, Humans are well known contributors to the Citadel, offering it’s aid to all they can.

So can we expect the same of the Talvaki people? Can a species known for violent acts, for invading, pillaging, and destroying anyone they find ever truly become reformed, even when their very brains fight against the peace trying to be imposed upon them?

Well, like stated before, the Talvak are an amazing example of nature vs nurture.

Their young are incredibly dangerous, more ravenous than even a fully grown Talvak as they have not yet learned moderation. Born with fully formed, incredibly sharp teeth, potent venom in their stinger-tipped tails, and claws used to rend flesh in defense of their very lives, baby Talvak (otherwise referred to as Talvaa) are not something to be taken lightly… Or without a set of armor.

But despite their ravenous nature and lack of moderation in their hunting, a Talvaa was gifted to human diplomats during one of the initial meetings to join the CRP. Though the identity of the man gifted the Talvaa was kept secret, the name of the Talvaa was reported to be Niani, and the Talvaki people made it clear that the reason they were handing over such a creature was for the betterment in the Citadel’s understanding of them.

And Niani certainly helped to better understanding of the Talvak. Through various, non-invasive testing on Niani, the biology of the Talvak was understood more and more, and soon enough Niani was considered a healthy child. She was reported to take to the teachings of moderation, compassion, and a gentle nature, though she did so slowly. Eventually, she was just like your average child, and the supposed inherent nature of her species was forgotten.

Nature vs nurture, while the Talvak have thoughts and urges that would make them biologically predisposed to being more easily violent, the introduction of proper coping, healthy bonds, and a support system can help them.

No one is truly born evil. We Humans have words for everything that the Talvaki go through, and we understand that just because they were born angry doesn’t mean they’re bad. With help from the Citadel, I have no doubt the Talvaki will become just like us one day. They just need someone to explain why they feel this way and how to deal with it, just like us.

-Quote from the unnamed scientist that adopted Niani

But what took the Citadel so long to understand the Talvak? The question was on the minds of all, and soon it came to be understood why so much time had to pass before answers were reached on exactly what brought the Talvak to so much victory over the centuries of their reign…

Legends of how the Talvaki blended into their environment, of how they overthrew nations with no one the wiser until the ships landed and it was announced to the people, all thought to be just that, legends. Tall tales fabricated to make the Talvak seem a bigger threat than what they were, somehow more capable of unnatural things than others. It may not all be as big of a legend as first assumed, however.

They took the chief first, but we didn’t know about it for a while. They destroyed us from the inside out, and when the first ships landed we thought we’d be protected. By Kah, we weren’t, we weren’t.

-Quote from Xers Quq’s interview on how the Talvak took over xir home planet.

The Talvaki people have a unique and interesting part of their biology that has been the main contributing factor to a theory on why their brains form the way they do. Rapid evolution from DNA structured to be nothing short of easily manipulated and highly malleable, the Talvak can adapt to the environments within days. For other species, including animals and plants on most (if not all) planets, adaptation is a form of evolution that occurs over hundreds of generations with even the quickest being within 50 to 100 generations, and yet the Talvak can adapt to an entirely different, completely unique set of environmental factors within days of first encountering it.

This adaptation is remarkable as is, a completely astounding part of their biology, but what brings us to understand how they expanded so far, controlled so much, is that the Talvak are capable of the unthinkable, something that can only be considered shape-shifting. 

Changing their very biological structure on a whim seems preposterous, something whimsical rather than at all based in reality, and yet here we are, with evidence in front of us. 

To the Talvaki people, the process of changing one’s skin is called lahia talh, or becoming another. The process varies in time, though the quicker it is rushed, the bigger the chance of what is referred to as kanii, or fading away.

Kanii is the process in which a Talvak loses themself turing lahia talh, where their mind cannot take the strain of changing their entire form and begins to corrode, leaving the Talvak in a near animalistic state.

Lahia talh isn’t greatly researched, at least not in a way publically released yet, but from what was told to us to explain the legends we can understand that it is painful and dangerous. Only the strongest of Talvaki are allowed to attempt, and even then there should be a few expected casualties. Even so, lahia talh isn’t a complete overhaul of their very being, each Talvak that goes through the process retains their memories, thoughts, feelings, and personality-- they even retain the color of their blood and unique biology structure. 

Overall the lahia talh is nothing more than an aesthetic change, as when testing the DNA of a Vahl-- the word for a Talvak that underwent lahia talh, meaning hidden-- it is instantly obvious that they are not of whatever species they are imitating. Everything remains the same, the color of their blood and the composition of it, their unique ability to adapt to their surroundings, their so called hot-headedness.

A Vahl is recognized as different because they are, which is why only trained, strong Talvak are allowed to attempt lahia talh. You must survive the process and remain yourself, but just as well you imitate who you are becoming very, very well.

It was fascinating, watching the lahia talh. Bones broke and mended, stretched and tore before stitching back together, so intricately done despite the inherent brutality of watching someone’s entire body shrink twice its original size. The Talvak undergoing lahia talh was obviously in pain, though they bore the weight of it all with surprising grace. Suddenly, as quickly as it started, it was over, and there stood a creature the likes of--of me. Me! Not me exactly, of course, but of my species, different markings and golden skin.

-Quote from Jaa’la Ke on what they learned of lahia talh

So there it is. Shapeshifters, creatures able to adapt quicker than anyone ever has, a species built to fight, and wired from birth to kill. The legends around them sound just a little less dramatic when you understand all the Talvak are capable of, doesn’t it?

But this all only brings more questions, doesn’t it? How does a species like this not die off early on if they’re all at each other's throats, violent and angry? How do they not take over the universe? Why did the Citadel deter them?

These questions are unanswered for now, sadly, left to be nothing but debate and moral theory among everyone else until the fateful day that the Talvaki are released from their quarantine in the CRP and thrown into the world as new beings… Hopefully they will have recorded their history for others to learn from, else they may stay what they have always been.

Tall tales.

#lore #oc lore #aliens #alien #alien lore #long post #my writing

[fatandnerdy30]

Land of the Avengers Chapter 4

So, here’s the fourth chapter! I hope that this can help put a little smile on your face during this hard, lonely time in the world. Remember, there is someone who loves you...and though I haven’t met any of you, I love everyone who reads this, and those who don’t!

Her body hurt, that's all Virginia knew the moment she woke up. She let out a little groan, her eyebrows scrunching as she slowly came to. The first sound she heard was Cadet Keener's voice. Instantly her eyes snapped open and she sat up, automatically regretting her decision as her ribs shot a sharp pain through her midsection. "Virginia?" Clint's use of her full name was a sign that something was wrong. "Are you all right?" She nodded, gritting her teeth against the pain."Yes...just got up too fast. How...how are the cadets?" They were more important than her most likely broken ribs. She could deal with those later. "Captain?" Harley's voice was strong as he said her name. She looked to her left and saw his smiling face. Her shoulders dropped in relief at the sight of the boy looking at her with clear, bright eyes. "Cadet Keener...where's Parker?" Virginia took a look around, noting the lake they were seated by. "He's still out," Clint said, wiping his face. "We're staying here for the night, then we're moving in the morning..." He ended his sentence, drifting off towards the end. It seemed as if he wanted to tell her something. "Is everyone accounted for?" There was a silence that fell over the survivors. "Cadet? Is there something you're not telling me?" Keener nodded, putting his head down. "It's Mrs. Parker, captain...On our way down...she was..." he inhaled. "She was sucked out of the side of the ship along with her chair." That made the woman put her head down, tears forming in her eyes. She couldn't believe she'd already lost one of her charges. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Clint, vibrating like a living wire. "Report, Sargent," she demanded. His spine snapped taught and he saluted. "We're in danger being out in the open, ma'am. I saw...and I still can't believe I'm saying this....a giant, captain. A giant man.." He sat, shaking his head. Virginia's face seemed contemplative. "A giant? Clint, what are you talking about?" "I know it sounds crazy!" The man shot up, hands running through his hair as he paced. "But, he took our ship, Pepper...all of our supplies, our communications, they're all on that ship." The captain raised a brow in speculation. "He took...the ship? The entire ship?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. That ship was too big for anyone to carry, let alone one man. "Yes, Gin! The entire ship! He just picked it up like it was a toy and shoved it under his arm and walked away! I watched the entire thing! The ground actually shook when he walked...." Clint took a deep breath. "Okay...okay....so...we're stranded, with no ship, no supplies..." Pepper had trained for this, but never thought she'd actually experience it. "We have to set up a camp with anything we can find." Clint scoffed. "Yeah? What are we gonna use, flower petals? Because I'm sure those are big enough to cover all four of us easily!" "Sargent! You're becoming hysterical, stick to your training." Automatically Clint went rigid, then relaxed, nodding. "You're right...you're right. I'm sorry Captain..." Virginia nodded. "No need. It's just," she looked towards Harley who was still watching over an unconscious Peter a little ways away. "I don't want to scare the cadets." They shouldn't have been here. She sighed and lay back, eyes closed against the pain of the movement. "Why did I have to urge to have them tested early?" She asked aloud. "I should have waited until they graduated...they would have been prepared for this." "Captain, I don't think anyone would have been prepared for this." Clint let out a breath, but chuckled and laid back next to the woman. "So, what do we do now?" "What the guide book says, Sargeant. We found water, now all we need is shelter, and if you look around us, there's plenty of places to find things to build with." She turned her head. "We'll be okay." "Cadet Parker hasn't woken up yet, and it's been a day since we crashed." Harley was staring at his friend with a worried expression, his hand gripping onto Peter's, two fingers along his wrist as if to make sure the cadet was still alive. That got the woman worried. "If he doesn't wake.....then we'll have to leave him." She hated saying it, but....they couldn't be strapped down with unfettered weight. It was bad enough that she wouldn't be able to walk without some help. "What!?" Harley sat up, his voice high. "Captain, you don't mean that, do you?" Tears glistened in the boy's eyes as he went between his friend to the captain. "Yes, I do Cadet. Hopefully he wakes soon...we need to move, if what Sargent Barton said was true, we're going to have to find somewhere safe...." She hoped Parker woke up soon... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tony walked into the compound, taking the elevator down to the vehicle bay. Suddenly, the elevator stopped and Steve walked on, nodding to the man. He then spotted the toy in the man's arms, raising a brow. "A little old to play with toys, aren't you?" "Very funny. I found it out when I was hiking through the village of the ticks. It looked like something, so, I picked it up. I'm taking it back to the tower. Wanna come and watch me and Banner poke it with a stick?" Steve chuckled. "As fun as that sounds, I'll have to decline. I'm going back out. I got a heat signature reading, but it was too small to be an animal... I wanna see what it was." Tony turned towards the man, interested now. "Oh really? Show me." He waited for Steve to bring up his scans, scoffing when it took him too long, grabbing the phone from him. "Never give old people technology. It's amazing you haven't blown this up yet." Pressing he scrolled through the files before he came across what he was looking for. "Friday? Be a dear and make this bigger?" "Yes, boss," the Irish AI commented. A second later, a hologram popped up over the phone. Tony and Steve watched what looked like one heat signature, but...it seemed off. "Is it carrying something?" Steve asked, pressing closer to the screen. "Looks it....so that means, it has to be compassionate. Almost...human. It can't be a bot, because this is a human's temp reading." Tony stroked his chin in thought. "I'm gonna bring this," he held up the ship, "to Brucie, while you can go hunting for heat signatures." The elevator stopped and the man stepped off, only to turn around. "Unless you want to wait for me to come back with the proper equipment? It'll be easier to find them." He raised his brows, walking backward. "Think about it. Until then, I'll be at the tower." He nodded, slipped on his sunglasses, and walked down the hall towards the garage, snickering as Friday showed Steve in the corner of the man's glasses trying to open the doors again, only to have them shut in his face. Classic. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Peter began to show signs of waking a little later that day. "C'pt'n," he mumbled, alerting everyone to his status. Everything seemed like it was underwater during a storm. "Pete!" Harley's smiling face was above him, blocking out most of the light that was hurting the boy's eyes. "Pete, I'm so glad you're awake." "H'rley? Wh't h'pnd?" His throat was so dry and he felt like he'd just been hit by a bus. "Are we und'rw'ter?" "Cadet? Are you with us?" Captain Potts' voice filtered in from the right and the boy tried to move his head, wincing when he did. "Good to see you awake, Cadet." Peter tried to smile at her, but only managed a pained grimace. "Where's my aunt?" he asked a little more clearly after a minute, making the captain take a deep breath. The woman put her head down, a hand seeking his and squeezing. "May Parker is...KIA, Cadet. I'm...so sorry." The boy's eyes widened, tears gathering in them as he struggled against Harley to sit up, ripping his hand from the woman's and crying out when he put pressure on his injured arm. "No! No, she can't be....no, you just haven't looked for her!" "Cadet!" Clint snapped and the boy came to attention. "There's maybe hundreds of miles of forestry here, and we have no supplies, no shelter, nothing! We have to believe her dead...otherwise, we may leave you clinging to hope, and hope....can be dangerous in times like this." The man stared into Peter's eyes, anger and sorrow mixing together. He couldn't believe it...not his aunt...She was the only one he had left...He broke into sobs, clutching on to his friend for dear life. "I'm so sorry, Pete.." Harley kept saying, over and over again, hand rubbing circles on the young teen's back. But, the teen couldn't hear past his own grief. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Have I got a surprise for you, jolly green!" Tony strode into the lab underneath the tower. It was a 2-hour drive from the compound to here, but it was good to let Bruce know he was coming and to prepare. "Very funny," the large green man said, striding over to where Tony was standing. "Do you have it?" His eyes were searching Tony's much smaller body for any signs of the telltale 'ship' the man had found. "Have what? Oh, this?" He pulled the ship from behind his back, smirking. "Would I ever lie to you? Now, help me crack this egg." He placed the model on the silver table and stared at it until Bruce came over, the table shaking with his quick steps. "Don't touch it until we have it scanned for anything, like gamma radiation or anything nuclear." He lifted the machine, a toy in his hands, really. He was aching to get a look inside, but he had to wait. "You tell me that after I put it in my car and drove it here for 2 hours? What a friend you are." Tony wiped his sleeves, knowing that wouldn't do anything to get rid of radiation. But it got his friend to smile. "It probably won't be in harmful quantities. Especially not in its purest form, at least. But....look," Bruce pointed to the screen that showed the glowing matter on the ship. "It's from space....mostly from the Earth's orbital field...but," he turned to another screen and linked the two up, waiting a moment. "There's a small amount of cosmic radiation...that can only happen in space flight, but...there hasn't been any around here in...what, fifty years? Not that I've been to space recently, but I do read all the articles pertaining to NASA." He motioned to the Starkpad Tony had built for him, the extra wide screen for his massive fingers. "You'll get your chance. For now, let's crack this open and find out whether or not little Tommy has lost his toy space ship." Tony's eyes were gleaming with excited curiosity as the scans were run. "All clear," Bruce said, and not a moment too soon for the billionaire. Tony rushed forward and grabbed the ship, trying to peer into the windows and whistled. "The detail on this makes me think maybe it was a Stark Inventories made toy. I mean, the screens work and everything. Hand me the laser saw, will you?" He held out his hand, motioning with his fingers until the tool was placed in his palm and he promptly began to slice into the ship. "Tony, are you sure that's the right thing to do? I mean, what if something gets damaged?" Bruce looked more intrigued than worried at this point though. "Omelettes," Tony said, putting the tool aside. "And the egg is cracked." Gently he laid the two sides next to each other and what he saw amazed him. "Look at this...it looks like it's from the sixties." He hadn't seen such cheesy machinery besides in the old batman shows. "But this toy looks brand new...Do you think we could have just ruined a collector's model?" The giant green man was looking down over Tony's shoulder, taking in all the lights and the screens. "Psh, no. But...I wanna poke it...Friday, be a dear and run a scan on the tech in this?" "On it, boss." While the AI went to work, Tony pushed the chair away from the table and stood, going to the bar and poured himself a double shot, downing it in a second. "While she does that, I have to get ready for the gala. Something about my name being put on something...yada yada yada..." He hated those things. Emperor Stane would be there, being all touchy with Tony's being, and posing himself with the man in front of the cameras. Ever since Obadiah rose to power the man had become a tyrant. He ruled the world with an iron fist, destroying anyone who dared oppose his edicts. Obadiah and Tony's father had worked closely together before he became a ruler. God, if you believed what Stane called himself, and with the power that he wielded a lot of people did. Most of his power though came from his favorite toy, A.K.A Tony Stark. Obadiah had always been in Tony's life ever since he could remember. So when he started showing a genius that not even Howard possessed...Well, Stane got a little greedy. Once Tony had graduated from MIT and made his first weapon- a blaster that outdid his father by twenty years, Obadiah used Tony, sucked him into his scheme unknowingly to become Ruler of the world. He promised him a new factory and lab with all the newest equipment he could ask for. That, of course, didn't appeal to Tony, but the power to overthrow his father. That's what he wanted. And he got it when both his parents died in a car crash, and Tony was named the head of Stark Industries. And inadvertently helped Obadiah rise to power. "Just be careful, Tones," Bruce said snapping the man out of his thoughts. "I'll have Friday contact you in case she finds something." The green giant smiled and turned back around to look at one of the bots that had just rolled up. "Dum-E, get me the goggles, please? I want to take this apart." Tony left the room, a large glass of bourbon in his hand and downed it before he even got to the door.

#Marvelfanfic #Giant/tiny #g/t community #iron dad #tonystark #pepperpotts #peter parker #harley keener #Bruce is a bro #clintbarton

[rosepetals-flyingbirds]

Wings. (2/3)

Pairing: Ivar Ragnarson x Reader.

Warning: Language, family dramas, smut.  

<<

Word Count: 6,800.

Note: So, this is a pure creation out of my head so please have in mind none of the real world stories applies here (as the show Vikings which they made some big changes on it). I know Ireland had been invaded by St. Patrick and other Christian missionaries in the early and mid-fifth century and Christianity began to suppress the Celtic’s religion in a process. And that around 800 AD Vikings made invasions which brought chaos to their culture, but the Irish managed to prove itself strong and survive and assimilate the invaders. So none of this is related to the real story, so please do not come to yell at me saying I’m wrong or something like that.

Seven Sunsets After.

When the ships got on the coast, they attacked the villages nearby. A message was sent to the King and he sent some soldiers to fight against the pagans, the Christians was easily defeated and the King asked to speak with the Viking’s leader. Sven told their messenger that the King himself needed to come to the camp because he knew how kings think and being inside a huge castle would be easily a trap.

The king did so and rode off on his horse to the camp, he was accompanied by someone who looked like an old bishop and four soldiers. 

The king entered the tent where a big table was placed, in the chair was sat Ivar, Ubbe, Y/N, Siggurd, Sven, and Bjørn. Hvitserk and Floki were standing up watching the Christians movements. Y/N had said to her warriors to be prepared in case the King wanted to attack them, the huge army was separated in areas and each one would trade hours of sleep to make sure the place was being watched fully. Avoiding any surprise attack.

Sven talked about his wish to the lands. The king said it wasn’t possible and he wouldn’t allow Vikings on his lands, his country had fought Vikings and overcame them before, it wasn't on his reign that it would happen. Y/N started to talk with the king who wasn’t much pleased to listen to a woman that was in charge, his face was covered in annoyance. Sigurd was holding one axe and his fingers itching to kill all of them.

The king said that he wouldn’t allow any of their wishes and if they didn’t leave his lands a big slaughter would happen with the Vikings. Then one of the soldiers looked at Y/N up and down and whispered something to the bishop, the bishop whispered the message into the king’s ear who looked at the woman more closely suddenly, Y/N wanted to swing her sword in his throat, how dare he look at her in the way he was?

Ubbe saw the awkward glances and asked what he was looking at, then the king turned his attention to Sven since he was male and the older there. He said that he had a young cousin who won a few pieces of lands and if Y/N converted to Christianity he could arrange a marriage and then the lands would be half hers and to her people. 

Y/N scoffed and said something to him, but the king ignored her, completely.

Until she stood up, grabbed her sword and moved it close to him pointed it at his throat, the Christian soldiers grabbed their weapon and prepared it, but all the men in the room were armed and prepared to fight as well. 

She asked if he had any idea of who she was, and told him she wasn’t a whore nor a slave to be sold especially for a minuscule amount of land. He sucked his mouth trying to clean his throat which made his Adam’s apple move and he felt the cold metal against it. 

Y/N retrieved and sat on the chair again, everyone calmed down and the king said it was a shame and walked away. 

Sven said they would kill all of his people if he didn’t solve this, the king stopped his tracks and wondered, having his people killed wouldn’t be so good for his reputation. Then he said that in two days after that night they would go in a battle.

                                           ...

Ivar was thinking about the strategies and discussing them with his brothers, Sven, and Floki. Y/N entered the room and sat front of Ivar. “I have a few ideas.” She said and filled the empty cup it has above the table with ale, which all of them were drinking the same.

Ivar rolled his eyes. “We are talking about strategies.”

She gulped her drink and nodded. “I know that, and I have a few ideas that can be more than victorious in the field.“

“What you have in mind?” Bjørn asked.

Ivar didn’t like to have someone else messing with his strategies, after all, it was his ideas that had made his brothers prosperous, brute force works but only with a good battle strategy that it can grow triumphant. “We can not use foolish tricks, they are smart, another Vikings came here before and we lost. That one needs to be successful.” He said and drank the ale on his cup.

“Exactly.” She answered and grabbed the piece of map Ivar was so meticulously analyzing. He lowered his eyebrows angry at her action. “Their army is huge, and they know the place surely better than us. My idea is, we split our army in three.” She said and pointed her finger at the green part of the map.

Ubbe nodded and followed her line of thought. “Three?”

“Maybe more our army is big enough. And in that way, we can make them suppose we’re outnumbered, which won’t be the case so we can attack from here,” She pointed in the river part, “Here,” Now the mountain end. “And here.” In the middle of the field.

Sigurd liked the plan. “And since their king hadn’t seen all of our men when he came they will truly believe they will win.” He said smiling.

Bjørn smiled and started to think about the victorious that its yet to come. “So we better go there and study the place, how we’ll split our army?”

Ivar opened his mouth but Hvitserk cut his brother. “It’s better to mix them or let them in the normal formation, like Sven’s, Our’s and Y/N’s ?”

“I wonder about that! Our people are great warriors and surely they had come from different places which make them fight with a different talent. But they are Vikings and won’t take orders from a foreign leader, I’m afraid we will mix them and they will fight among each other, and one of us will be far so we won’t be able to put them in line.” She answered with deep attention.

Ivar chuckled. “Not if you’re weak;” Sigurd stared his brother’s rudeness. “Don’t look at me in that way brother, we need to get a strong battle. I agree with you,” He looked at her. “But we need to make them understand this is important for them too. My army,” Bjørn looked at him; “Our army will gladly fight aside yours and Sven’s. You two should do the same.” Ubbe agreed with his brothers.

She looked at Sven and nodded. “Okay I think we can manage that, the question is when we win, what we will do with the king?”

Hvitserk smiled at her mention. He as his brothers hated how the king had avoided her existence in the night prior. “It’s yours.” He answered.

Ivar grabbed the map of her hand somewhat forcibly. “As I was saying, they have a different type of grass, I think its possible to dig a hole and put someone inside, so it would be a fun surprise to scare them, I imagine their voices screaming ‘the heathens are getting out of hell’.” Ivar let a maniacal laugh at the image.

Hvtiserk smiled at the thought as well. “It would be something really fun to witness.” He answered and gave his drink a few gulps.

The boys and Y/N discussed a few ideas further and split to look out in the area. There Y/N and Ivar made plans about the battle.

And even if unconsciously, Ivar didn’t want to let her ‘mess’ with his strategies but somehow her ideas fitted perfectly with his own. He was so used to speak his ideas and his brothers or Floki say it’s too risky and even madness but she listened and added her ideas which surprisingly for Ivar it made the whole plan bigger and stronger.

                                                  …

Ivar was outside in the wetter weather, Sven has a personal tattoo artist since Sven himself added a tattoo to each victory he has, which made the man fully with drawings and symbols. Ivar had asked the man to add a symbol to his big back tattoo. 

The man was doing his work and Ivar was grabbing the wooden table in front of him to somehow make the pain more bearable. His back was covered in dark blue ink and blood. The man was using dark blue ink that he had created using wood ash as the dyeing agent.

Bjørn was so far enjoying his alliance. He was at in a quiet place close by the waterfall and was pondering about the next battle, he was certain it could be winning but like the attack in Francia he and his people had made years ago they had also thought it would be successful, but it wasn’t. He was praying silently to Alftaher asking bravery and wisdom for the following day; He was worried about Ivar and about the Irish skills, he had never fought an Irish before and if the Mediterranian travel taught him something it was to no take things for granted.

Y/N was savoring her conversation with Halfdan, the tattoed man was wise and had the best travel stories to tell, she was sat with him and Sigurd and both listened closely by Halfdan’s tales. Y/N was truly amazed by all the adventures he had seen and she made him swore if he and Bjørn got back to the Mediterranean, they would take her too.

He told about his brother and a saddens made its place on his tattoed face. “What happened?” Y/N asked, Sigurd already knew but he allowed Halfdan to answer.

Halfdan took a deep breath. “He let his desire eat him alive, he wanted to become the most powerful man in the world and with that he made everything to get that power, unfortunately, he died because of it. But he was a great warrior I’m certain you would have loved to meet him.”

Y/N nodded and gave his forearm a squeeze. “I’m sure you two will meet again in Valhalla.” She said in a sweet yet firm tone.

Sigurd nodded and Halfdan smiled. “Maybe I will be there sooner than we expect.” He referred to the following day on which the battle would happen.

“No, I’m sure you Halfdan Finehair will have great more adventures and even more tales to tell in the future.” She smiled and he appreciated her gesture, he loved Harald and will always do, he can be close to the Ragnarsons now, but he will always be a piece of his brother. And allowing himself to talk about him made him feel good about himself and the choices he had made.

After several more talk, Floki and Ubbe joined the table and all of them laughed and got to know each other even better. A few hours Y/N excused herself and said she needed to speak with the gods, she walked to the patch searching a calm place and enjoyed the odd feeling she always had before a big battle.

                                …

Siggurd, Ubbe and Hvitserk sensed Ivar’s absence and questioned where their younger brother might be. They asked here and there and found the young Ragnarson being tattoed.

“We were talking about the battle, you should be there.” Hvtiserk said, Ivar opened his lips but was at the exact moment the artist hammered the wood on his back, Ivar swung his hand letting the tattoo ‘artist’ leave him alone with his brothers.

He engulfed a breath and tried to make the sting feeling on his back less agonizing. “You all looked very satisfied with Y/N and her ideas.”

Hvitserk smiled. “Come on brother, you loved her ideas, I even saw you smiling back at the field.” He teased.

Sigurd laughed and Ivar didn’t like the teasing, he had liked the ideas, it didn’t mean he liked the person whose ideas came from. “Differently from you fools and every other man around here I’m not letting her enchant me.”

“What?” Ubbe asked. “We are not enchanted over her, she is not a witch.” Ivar hodded his eyes, Hvitserk didn’t know why his brother was doing such a fuzz about Y/N or her ideas.

“Is this because we listen to her insane strategies and we don’t listen to your very well?” Hvitserk asked.

He shook his head in agreement. “Maybe, or perhaps I know you all just listen to her because she is good-looking.”

Ubbe darted his eyes at his brothers. “So you are saying Floki likes her too?”

Ivar rolled his eyes, “Of course not Ubbe, but you know Floki loves to battle.”

Sigurd shrugged his shoulders. “Then why not we can love it too?”

“Oh yes Sigurd, because is that the exact reason you’re mopping around when she laughed at your wedding offer.” He said and Sigurd wanted to argue but Hvtiserk stopped him; “She is planning all of this, she will surely make us out of fools and take the lands.”

Ubbe let a sigh and rubbed his face. “Ivar you are acting like an idiot, Y/N is seeking to make the battle strategy better. She surely had accomplished a lot of others.” Ubbe said.

Ivar sucked his teeth. “Exactly, she had won a lot but something tells me she does that.” Ivar shook his head in deep thoughts, he tried to find a way to explain her power to his brothers. “Something tells me she does that, she will use our alliance and then will take our achievement and add to her list leaving me and all of us out of the new land.”

Sigurd chuckled. “Come on Boneless, just because she was nice to you it didn’t mean she is using you to make her reign stronger.” He told his brother but couldn’t believe his own words. “Wait, did I said that?” He joked.

Ubbe laughed and propped on his knees, knowing that it is better to discuss with Ivar at his eyes level. “Sven trusts her, they have an alliance for some time now. We can trust her too.”

“You are seeing things, I trust her, truly,” Hvitserk stated. “If my opinion matters nothing to you, you can think about Floki, you know how he is with people that will certainly betray us, but he loved Y/N and he truly believes she will help us become the most victorious Vikings the earth had ever had.” He said.

“I agree,” Ubbe said and Ivar darted his eyes to his older brother. “And what Sigurd said is true, just because she was nice to you it doesn’t mean she is using you. I mean I saw her on the ship helping you out when you were nauseated. Sven said she normally doesn’t do those things, maybe she likes you too.” Ubbe said and Ivar just thought about how he doesn’t know she had helped him with his pain and had seen his legs. But surprisingly his brother’s words made its place inside his head, he is so used to defend himself that when he showed vulnerability and she didn’t get disgusted it surprised him. He was just trying to protect himself.

                                 …

The afternoon came and everyone split up around, the warriors and shieldmaiden had gotten along and it was a doubtless a blessing from above.

Ivar had finished his tattoo and Y/N came back from her meditation moment. Ubbe and Sigurd went to give the field a second look. Hvitserk and Bjørn were training and Halfdan and Floki were discussing stories and old strategies.

Y/N was talking with Hagalaz in the training field, they were training and after a tiring spare they sat on the rocks and started to talk to each other and giggling in pure joy. Ivar was on the other side of the training field training with Hvitserk when he heard her laugh, he felt it crawling on his skin. 

He kept moving his sword managing to win against his opponent, and Bjørn felt proud of his brother's skills. He knew Ivar was really skilled and it was sad he couldn’t run in the field like the rest of them.

Hagalaz gave a deep laugh and Ivar darted his eyes to the big man making Hvitserk hit him in the head. “Eyes in here brother,” Hvitty told him making Ivar swung the sword swiftly and made Hvtiserk’s sword fell, Bjørn clapped and smiled walking away.

Bjørn looked at Y/N. “Shall we?” She nodded and stood up grabbing her sword. Bjørn swung it first and she was only defending herself, he kept going and used his whole strength, she was fast and it was like the first Ragnarson was trying to catch a fish with his own hands.

They kept going until he starts to gasp for air, she swung her sword and beat on his own strongly making the metal fell. She crossed her foot under him and knocked him to the ground.

Hvtiserk laughed and clapped his own hands. “My time,” He shouted. Y/N took a few breaths and helped Bjørn on his feet. 

Hvtiserk got in front of her but he didn’t start the practice as his brother had previously, Y/N swayed her sword and he kept protecting himself mimicking her previous movements. 

But when he tried a strong movement she turned around letting he hit the sword in the wind. He grunted because he was convinced he could be the one to beat her, then, when he turned she had the sword pointed on his throat, he tried to grab her sword so she quickly knocked him in the floor.

The warriors laughed and applauded, Y/N extended her hand to help Hvtiserk just like she had made with his brother, but when he grabbed her hand he pulled her to the floor and moved his body so he was above her, both laughed and she smacked his shoulder playfully. He looked at her and swore he felt something there, he looked at her lips and her eyes, she did the same, their lips were almost touching when she placed her right hand forcefully on his neck and pushed him to the opposite side so she was above him. 

He was taken aback by the fast movement and just stared at her.

She winked and got to her feet. Hvitserk sat and placed his arms around his legs recovering his breath. She extended her hand just like before and he stood up.

She looked around regaining her breath as well, when she glanced in the area where Ivar was training he had left and was a few steps ahead supporting his body weight on his crutch.

“He might be jealous,” Hvitserk said behind her.

“Of what? If he wanted to train with me I would gladly do.” She said sort of oblivious.

“It wasn’t that type of jealousy.” He said and kissed her forehead and walked out of the field.

Y/N shrugged, of course the younger Ragnarson was the one that took more of her attention, he was cruel yet innocent, he was ruthless yet smart. He was a big puzzle she wished to fix.

                                                  …

Sigurd unmistakably favored her presence, he would always find a subject to talk with her or simply make questions to hear her voice. Ubbe did the same but he began to ponder about Ivar’s actions around her, if Ubbe would give up a pretty lady it surely needed a good reason for it, and the good reason was his little brother. Ivar certainly needed someone good in his life, at least if he wasn’t too stubborn.

“So Ubbe, Hvitserk told me you two had gone to France with your brother when younger.” She said.

He blinked his eyes as he was to concentrated on his own thoughts. He shook his head and asked if she had said something, she repeated the phrase and Ubbe received a funny look from Sigurd.

“Yeah, we did. We were really young but it was nice to travel and… and do something with our father.” He said and felt a happily pinch in his heart. He surely loved his father but it was sad that Ragnar didn’t spend much time with them, Bjørn was luck, and even Ivar in the brief last moments of Ragnar’s life.

Ivar was on the table but was mad about something no one knew, no one but Floki.

Hvitserk hummed. “I think when we sailed to France father wasn’t the same. I remember him as a kid and he was always strong and happy. In France he just… discouraged. Then when we got back to Kattegat he just left us and disappeared for forty seasons…” Hvitserk told and all of them felt sad about the fatherly figure absence. “Actually we had told we could kill him when he got back. But Bjørn had put some sense on our heads.”

Bjørn laughed and placed the chicken bone on his plate. “Of course. These stupids actually thought they would be able to kill father, but when he appeared they had changed their minds.” Bjørn smiled and remembered how he had felt when his father appeared after so long.

All of them got silent. Y/N thought about something else to say but found something she could use as a start with Ivar. “In his last adventure, you went with him, right? To England, I mean.” She looked at Ivar.

He nodded. “Yes, it wasn’t the best since the circumstances we got into, but we sort of had a good time.” He said and Y/N was giving him her ample attention.

Sigurd didn’t like it much, he was tasting the same anger he had felt all his life with Ivar. When Ivar managed to steal his attention, toys and even the previous slave that was no longer alive. “Good time,” Sigurd repeated and laughed really loudly making the entire place stop the chatting and look at him. “If you consider a good time with a man that tried to kill you when a baby, Y/N did you know that our father grabbed Boneless here as a baby and left him for the wolves. Of course mother saved him but father never liked to reveal he had a crippled son, I mean since all of us are strong it was terrible to know his last one was a boneless man, I actually think that is the reason he never had more kids with mother.” He said with a grin splattered on his face.

Ubbe and Bjørn shook their heads in pure disapproval. Hvitserk kept eating his food and Ivar was with his jaw clenched.

Y/N saw how Sigurd’s brothers were quiet and decided to ask him a question that she didn’t require his answer to know it was the naked pure truth. “Were you always that jealous of your younger brother?” Y/N broke the silence making all of them look at her and Sigurd surely was taken aback by the question. He always said those things to his brother so Bjørn and Ubbe were already tired of the arguments and didn’t mind to interpose anymore.

“What do you mean jealous? How come I would be jealous of a cripple that is just here out of pity?”

“Shut your mouth!” Ivar yelled.

And everyone got even more silent if it was possible. “Jealous because he surely received more attention from your mother, and since you two are really close in age I can only imagine that he would always grab your toys as every younger brother.” Y/N said and Sigurd looked at her completely perplexed, people always knew that was his reasons but no one had told him on his face -at least no one that got out alive after saying so-. “I’m right don’t you agree? I mean if it was just from “pity” your brothers would do the same. But they don’t, cause they are grown-up men that don’t spend their time complaining as younglings.“

Halfdan drank his ale and made a face of ”shit will get down“. Floki smiled at her words. The famous boat-builder loved Ivar as his own son.

Sigurd got angry and left the place, Hvitserk winked at Y/N and people started chatting around the room again. The Ragnarsons smiled and Floki and Halfdan got back to their previous conversation with Sven.

“I don’t need your pity.” Ivar said trough greeted teeth.

Y/N looked at him confused. “You are a fool if you think I pity you in any aspect.”

He grinned in mockery. “I know you do, these actions are a pure performance to make me trust you, but I’m not stupid to believe you care for any of us or me for the matter.” He said and Ubbe yelled at him to stop being so unpolite. “What is the matter, brother? Do you really believe she will help us with a bigger plan or that she feels anything for us? All of you are fools.” He stood up and walked out of the place groaning in the discomfort as the heavy metal on his legs gave him.

Bjørn shook his head and closed his eyes trying to control the urge he had to run after his brother and yell at his actions. Hvitserk opened his mouth but Y/N lifted her hand stopping him. “It’s okay, if he truly thinks in that way I’m honestly sad, but you don’t need to apologize, it’s not your fault.” She said and Bjørn found another subject to talk about.

                                 …

Ivar walked out of the great hall and headed to the river they had set the ships and boats on. He groaned with the weight on his legs and looked around to make sure no one was near, he sat at the floor and undid the complicated metal bracers that covered his legs, he placed it aside with his metal cane and crawled to a quieter place close to the water.

He stood there completely enraged at his brother for being an idiot and always saying things like he didn’t deserve to be there. Ivar made the best strategies and his own father said he wanted him to lead his army. Him! Not Bjørn nor Ubbe, definitely not Sigurd and his stupid music.

He was also mad at Y/N and her stupid attempts to be polite with him, he realized that she was stealing more attention from him every day. He would sit with his brothers and would query where she was or what she was doing. He would be on his bed and spent long hours staring at the wooden door as it would open and she would enter his room and sit by his side as she had done a few days prior.

He would be training and he would look around the field looking for her or stare dangerously as Hagalaz for being so close to her. Ivar was mad for her. He had allowed her to crawl into his mind the way his fools brothers did and in the way he swore he wouldn’t.

He stood there for several breaths hearing the nature work and gazing at the water. “I don’t care what your mind tells you but you are an idiot if you believe I’m nice to you or your brothers out of pity or some sort of performance.” He had his eyes closed and heard her voice, he hummed and opened his eyes looking behind seeing her there.

“If it isn’t true, why does it bother you so much?” He said angrily.

“Screw you Ivar.” She said pissed and sat beside him. “I don’t care about that stupid nickname men had given me, or the fact that you think I would only be nice if I was searching for some sort of victory. Yes, I made that alliance seeking more power and better lands, yes I’m nice with your brothers but isn’t out of performance or act. Do you think Sven is the only alliance I had the opportunity to have? Or maybe men are so stupid that would make me a proposal or simply try their ways with me and at the moment I refused the offers they would banish me from their lands? I don’t care what you think of me because you don’t know me!” She said and made Ivar hear all of her words.

He stared at her and after a couple minutes seeing her annoyed face then he nodded. “You are right, I don’t know you. So try to see my point here, I’m a cripple Viking whose brothers have aside out of pity, what would you imagine if someone came and got nice with me? You are too nice and too pretty to appears suddenly, with your titles I could only imagine men who had been conquered by you.”

“Not one that mattered enough. Do you think I want a man who's just want to be with me out of my appearance? Some man that didn’t care about battles or ruling? Some bastard that at the moment I say ‘no’ would banish me from their lands as I was some sort of whore? Not really.”

He nodded at her words, he hadn’t imagined her point of view. “What are you saying? That you want to be with a cripple or maybe with one of my brothers?” He asked puzzled.

She scoffed. “You make so low of yourself Ivar. Your legs don’t work, then what? Would that lower you at any point? You are here aren’t you?”

He rolled his eyes with a hint of pain on them. “Because I’m a prince.”

“Lie. You are here cause you had earned that.”

“Yeah, I like to think in that way too,” He said and darted his eyes to the trees around. “But I’m a dead weight on them, I’m well trained you know I can fight, but I couldn’t walk in the field supporting my body with a crutch and try to kill someone, they would surely punch me at the floor and I would be dead in seconds.”

She shrugged and tried to see his point. “Yes, I think so… but are your strategies and thoughts that make the battle better. Brutal force is good but it is strategies that make it stronger.” She said exactly what he always thought. “We will win tomorrow and you know why? Because we have intelligence and force side by side on this. The people that came before us had only force, but we are complete and we will certainly win this!” She said with pure conviction.

“Let’s see.” He said and gave a small smile, yet it was a start.

She just nodded and stood there with him looking around, trying to canalize the good atmosphere around. The fresh air and the sounds of crickets.

Ivar looked at her while she was staring ahead. He laid on the ground and paid attention to the clean sky. “Thank you for answering Sigurd, he is as stupid as a goat so it was nice having someone telling him something.”

She shook her head and laid by his side. “I’m sorry he treats you in that way, has no need to!” He smiled and kept watching the stars above.

“Do you like my brother?” He gulped trying to find his name. “Hvitserk…”

She looked at him and saw his jaw clenched. “I love Hvitserk.” He looked at the side feeling hurt. “The brother I had was an idiot, and I like to think about Hvitty as the brother I never had.”

He frowned his eyebrows, ‘is she playing with me?’ He thought. “You love my brother… but as a mere brother? No romance involved?”

“Not really, I mean he is really good looking and strong and let’s not forget that he is funny, but I can’t imagine us together romantically.” She said and she could feel his body relaxing on her side. “I mean. He isn’t the Ragnarson I’m interested in,” She said and bit her tongue trying to control the nerves that had set on her body.

‘Bjørn, is certainly Bjørn! They are always talking with each other.’ “I’m glad one of my stupid brothers will have the chance to marry someone that isn’t a slave.” He said while his hands were squeezing the grass under him.

Y/N rolled her eyes, she flirted here and there but it was hard to flirt with a man she was actually interested in. And he wasn’t making it easier for her. “With all your brilliant ideas and all your intelligence, I wonder how naive you can be sometimes!” She propped her body on her elbow and looked directly at him, only the moonlight brighten it up. “I like you Ivar. Not Sigurd, not Bjørn, not Hvitserk nor Ubbe. You!” He got shocked and his cheeks made the cutest color of pink. “And before you ask another name I’m not interested in Sven, or Floki or Halfdan or any other.” She said just to make sure, something tells her he would try every possible man’s name.

“What about that guy you walk with? Hagalaz…”

She scoffed. “Not him.” She placed her hand on his cheek and caressed it softly, he was using tight braids and somehow it made his face more appealing. “Just you.” Her eyes darted to his lips and to his eyes, he was worried about something but she didn’t wait to find out what was it.

She leaned and placed her lips delicately on his, testing the waters. Ivar could be unpredictable so she tried to be as soft as possible with him.

He got froze and didn’t know what to do, it was sort of foreign for him. “Just do what your body tells you to.” She said and it was like she switched a plug. He rolled above her body and started to kiss her. The kisses changed from careful to strong ones. Y/N’s hands found his braids and tug at it receiving a moan from his lips.

His legs were between her open ones, the leather breeches were making grinding at her exposed legs and she desired to feel something somewhere. But she had heard some rumors that the young Ragnarson couldn’t use his prick for something besides taking a piss, she just wished he would be patient to suppress her needs somehow and teach him how to take care of his.

One of her hands grabbed his neck and pulled his face even closer to hers, not minding if their noses would bump sometimes. Ivar moaned again completely happy to feel such a feeling. If kissing would emanate such happiness how fuck would be?

His hands were supporting his body, both placed on the ground while his lips moved with her. Y/N grabbed one of his hands and placed on her left breast, he squeezed it harshly completely adoring the soft feeling under his palm, he could feel her nipple hardening and it was a great response.

She left his lips and stared at his eyes that were adorned with dilated pupils, the blue almost succumbed. She grabbed his other hand but he shook his head afraid that his weight would hurt her somehow, she nodded at him and grabbed it again with him allowing that time, and his upper body was above her, while his legs were between hers. She placed his hand on her hip trying to go easier with him.

Ivar was in a daze with her body and how her kisses had made him feel, how her soft breast felt against his palm and how right it was to feel her under him. Y/N let her hands wander over his body, he was so firm and his shoulder blade was perfectly defined, probably because of the years and years he had to use his upper body strength to carry himself everywhere.

They were watching each other eyes while their hands found each other bodies and learned about it, Ivar was doing what she had told him to. He wasn’t familiarized with a woman body as his brothers were, but he was following what his body/mind was subtly telling him to and something told him it was the right thing. Cocky bastard.

Y/N was amazed at his firm back muscles her hand had slipped inside his tunic but then she felt him hardening against her inner thigh, she gasped and looked at him. When she did Ivar got worried since everything was going so smoothness. He looked at her and she just smiled. “The rumors weren’t real after all.” She said and kissed his neck, Ivar got confused since his blood wasn’t completely directed only at his brain, then he understood what she expressed.

He smiled knowing he could truly please a woman as other men do. But he didn’t know what to do with it, of course he knew where it would join but they were still dressed and very uncomfortable on some sloppy grassy ground. Y/N was still in her travel on his neck where they heard someone yelling.

“IVAR.”

It was Ubbe’s voice, surely worried about his little brother whereabouts in the dark night. Ivar let an exaggerated sigh and placed his head on Y/N’s breasts as it would make them invisible. She just laughed and Ivar looked up at her with a rigid expression. ‘She is probably with Siggurd and all of this is a show’ He thought in pure pain and bitterness.

She rubbed his cheek and grinned. “It’s better we go, I mean they will keep searching for you and then for me. If they don’t find us soon they will make a whole search team with the dogs and fire torches.” He nodded but felt bad about leaving the position he got into. The day after where she touched his legs and gave him an erection he woke up with an annoying pain on his prick, he would surely feel the same discomfort in a few hours if he left the situation.

He rolled his body out of her and laid on the floor letting a huff in annoyance. She stood up and fixed her dress. Ivar touched his prick trying to find a less uncomfortable position inside his pants.

Both walked in the vision. Ivar had sat and placed his metal legs support and grabbed his crutch walking back to the camp and to the settlement tent where he knew his brothers would yell at him for the unpolite reaction at Y/N earlier on. Y/N got a different path just in case and entered the place calling Zina to escort her to the chambers.

A couple hours later when everyone had laid to sleep Y/N made sure her friends were sleeping and tiptoed to Ivar’s tend, she couldn’ sleep and she hoped he neither.

When she opened she saw him holding his axe ready to throw it in whoever it was disturbing his space. He diminished his hand at the moment he saw her entering the place. He blinked a few times trying to make sure it wasn’t a dream or some vision Loki himself had made him see.

“I couldn’t sleep.” She said in a low voice. If he did any other movement that told her he wasn’t cognizant of her feeling she would leave.

“Neither could I.” He said and repositioned his body in the ‘bed’. Y/N walked to his reach and sat at the furs with him. “Do you regret what we did earlier?” He said totally anxious.

She smiled at his nervousness around her. “No.” She swayed her head and placed her hand on his forearm. “If I did I wouldn’t be right here.”

Ivar smiled, of course, he desired to finish what they were doing earlier on but could he do it properly? Is not like he asked Bjørn for any directions.

Y/N fidget with her fingers, she wanted to claim him but she knew it was foreign to him, she was scared that he would back off.

Ivar grabbed her hand and pulled her body nearer to his. Her positions became almost laid above his, the soft furs that covered his legs were now warming her uncovered legs. His lips found hers more firmly than was earlier. One of his hand pulled her face closer like he had done it tons of times with her.

They kissed and kissed until the oxygen became almost inaccessible to catch. Y/N patted the furs and looked at Ivar silently asking for confirmation. He signed and she raises the furs leaving his legs on display, she laid beside him and propped her body above his. She sat carefully around his waist and touched the edge of her nightgown dress, Ivar touched her hands and lifted it for her. Her beautiful soft breast on his vision and he gulped simply desired by the spectacle.

She threw the fabric somewhere and bent down to kiss his lips again. The kisses got going and hands were everywhere on each other’s bodies.

Ivar’s cock was hard already but he said nothing about it when she tried to touch. Ivar simply grabbed her wrist preventing her. “Let me touch you first.” He replied.

She nodded and then he immediately moved their bodies so he was on the top. His palm went down on her body making small circles with his dumb in every part he found heavenly in her gorgeous body. He approached her crotch and moved his hands to squeeze her thighs earing a moan considering his firm handling.

He paused and gazed at her naked physique under his dark blue eyes. She was the most elegant thing he had seen. He couldn’t believe he was the one that it was there with her. With so many brothers and so many other men around he was the one she picked. The one that was naked under his predator’s eyes.

“You can touch me,” She grabbed one of his hands breaking his fascinated gaze. She placed it on her warm cunt up and down wetting his hand. “Here.” He moved it and blinked his eyes not believing how warm it actually was, she moaned and inserted one of his fingers and inside of her, his expression was the same he always did when something marvelous happened. He started to kiss her while his finger pumped in and out. He added another one in instinct and she placed one of her hands on her mouth to muffle the noises. “Just like that Ivar.”

She was close, his long and thick fingers managed to bring her rather quickly. “Ivar, Ivar…” She moaned and touched the hand he was using to give her pleasure. “Ivar give me your thumb.” He did so and confusedly stop. “Please keep going.”  He got back to his activity. “It has that sweet spot that is like a trigger for woman pleasure, can you see it Ivar?” She asked and he nodded seeing the little nub. “Make some circles on it.” She taught and he did so, slowly at first and she whimpered grabbing the furs for dear life in one hand and stretching his back muscles in the other one. “Faster.” She groaned.

Ivar groaned himself, he was so damn proud. The beautiful famous Y/N was under him at his mercy, her pleasure literally was in his hands. Her hips bucked up and he kept going. She let a loud moan pass through her teeth and Ivar attached his mouth on hers still moving. “Was that good?”

She was out of breath and seeing stars in her eyes. “It was great Ivar. You did so well.” She affirmed and kissed his check affectively. He let go of her squeezed walls and looked at his wet fingers adorned with the pure liquid of her pleasure, he looked at his fingers in relish like it was some enemy’s blood. He didn’t know why but he dragged his fingers to his mouth and moaned in the surprise of how good it tasted.

As the woman at his mercy was some goddess sent just for him. Y/N saw him licking her juices off his fingers and the scene was completely arousing.

Ivar relocated in the bed getting above her and moving to the end of it to face her navel. His legs were a bit out of the bed and he cursed for not being able to do something with them. He licked her sensitive cunt and stared up at her.

Y/N got shocked at the surprise, she was still sensitive down there and Ivar was so quick that she didn’t even realize he managed to get there. He gave a long lick making her hips bucker. “Give me a couple of minutes Ivar, I’m too sensitive.” He nodded and decided to kiss her body then. Ivar was loving their encounter and asked the Gods why they hadn’t sent her earlier to his life.

He kissed her belly, her ribcage bones, sucked her breast and went on and on all over her body. He was sucking on her pulse point when she just groaned and nodded her head. Ivar went to finish what he started. His tongue wasn’t much precise since it was his first time and he wasn’t much aware of her body and favorite parts.

He adjusted and grabbed her legs placing on his back and closing his hands on her lower belly interlacing fingers. His long tongue made her tremble under him. He smiled and moaned feeling his hard prick throb every time she moaned his name. Her hand found his braids and was pulling it tightly. Her other was on her breast punching her hardened nipple, Ivar looked at her and placed on if his hand in the place, trying to learn just how she liked to be touched. His firm grip on her sensitive nipple made her moan even harder, of course, his grip was more firm than her own.

Her eyes were closed like she was paying attention to the feeling, but Ivar wanted to her look at him, he wanted her to know that it was him pleasuring her. He slapped her breast and she yelped in surprise, her eyes opened and looked at him. “Look at me. Look in the eyes of the man that it’s pleasuring you.” He said sending vibrations to her core. He wraps his plump warm lips around her clit developing it and kept moving so he could use his plump lips to make her tremble under his mercy.

Ivar kept doing until she came again, all over his face. He moaned and kissed her thighs, she said it hurts when she was sensitive and he respects her words, but also added this to the list of things he may do in the future when she disobeys him somehow.

He crawled up and was face to face with her, she kissed him with the rest piece of strength she had and moved her hand to grab his cock, he allowed this time and moaned when she touched it. It was so hard that she moaned when her fingers touched the hot skin. She knew it was Ivar’s first time so it would be fine if he didn’t last long, actually she was surprised that he didn’t come in his pants in the earlier events.

They started to kiss and Y/N moved their bodies so she was above him. He adjusted in a position where his legs wouldn’t hurt much. She kissed his neck and started to went down in his body.

“Fast woman, I want to feel your warmth on my cock.” He said and she just looked up at him, well she could always taste him in the future.

“Is that position comfortable.” She asked worried about his legs.

He nodded and placed his hand on her lower back making her fell in his embrace, his mouth found her nipple. “Just let me fuck you already.” He said the filthy words just like he had grown to hear while his brothers had adventures with every girl around.

Y/N grabbed his thick length and bit her lower lip knowing it would hurt at first on her. She rolled his almost purple head on her labia making sure it would be wet enough. She placed it inside of her and Ivar growled in the feeling he bucked his hip in an impulse and she fell on his chest at the abrupt intrusion. “Calm down, you’ll hurt me.” Ivar was completely amazed by the feeling, her soft walls felt great on his fingers and tongue but around his prick was a completely different story. He grabbed her hair forcefully making her look at him, her eyes had a few tears because of the insane pleasure but also because of his long length made and stretching burning sensation. 

He looked at her tears and his face softened. “Sorry.” He said and she just told him to go slower at first because she needed to adjust.

With the seconds going by the pace became faster. She becomes comfortable enough to ride him and his firm fingers were leaving marks all over her body. Ivar's face started to twitch with pleasure and she knew he was close, her third orgasm wouldn’t happen but she didn’t mind. She left his cock and he widened his eyes ready to curse her. She quickly moved and placed her prick on her mouth sucking him and shushing him too. His hand found her head and felt his sac squirming. Y/N licked his sac in circles motions and got back to her previous activity on his tortured hard cock, her left hand touched his sensitive thigh and her right one squeezed his sac while she bobbed her head up and down.

Ivar came on her mouth and moaned in pure pleasure. He didn’t acknowledge it would be that good. “Oh gods, oh-oh.” He said in a raspy voice.

Y/N licked him clean and kissed her way up to his face kissing his toned chest in every possible part. She kissed his lips and laid there, he moved one of his hand to move his leg a bit to the side and then embraced her naked sweat body above his own.  "You did so well.“ She assured and he smiled.

Both fell into a deep sleep after their orgasm and the joy to be around each other.

                                                            …

The next day Y/N left Ivar’s tend in the earlier hours and went on her own. Zina knew where she had gone and that is why she and Hagalaz didn’t worry about her whereabouts.

The sons of Ragnar got ready to battle and worried when they saw how happy Ivar was acting around them. Everyone got ready and started to leave the field where the battle would soon occur.

Ivar fixed all the axes on his chariot and prayed for the next events. He saw Y/N approaching and Ubbe quickly kissed her hand, she blushed and nodded at all of them. Sigurd was unsure around her but he gave her a good morning nevertheless. Ivar smiled at Y/N and she walked to talk to him, she was glowing under his gaze the most beautiful woman in the whole world.

“Friends!” Sven announced. “Now we go to battle and may the gods bless us. If any of us fall today, we will fall fighting and surely join Valhalla with our ancestors.” Everyone cheered and started walking on the field. Bjørn, Ubbe and Y/N walked ahead discussing the previous ideas.

Hvitserk and Sigurd were beside Ivar and asked what had happened because he was so cheerful, Ivar answered that he had a good feeling about the battle but Sigurd knew it was something else. Suddenly he clearly answered. “I’m gonna marry her.”

                              …

The Bishop made a cross sign and opened his mouth. “Lord do not forsake us in the hands of these heathens. Do not forsake Ireland and your follower’s father. Permit they and their profane gods die and perish from the earth you had created my Lord.”

The king moved in front of his army and started screaming. “Come nightfall, we’ll be rid of this plague.” He yelled and raised his sword, his warriors did the same. Then he started walking and with that running in front of the Vikings army. They stood there and the Christians didn’t understand why. They kept running to their reach. 

Y/N smiled and nodded her head to Sven. “Let’s see what the gods had planned for us.”

                             …

>>

@salimahbicharara-comun​​ @therealcalicali​​ @waiting4inspiration​​ @flowers-in-your-hayr​​ @lisinfleur​​

#ivar the boneless x reader #ivar x reader

[fox-guardian]

J&H Mermaid!AU Ch. 4: Long Story

"It was a long time ago. How long exactly, I'm not sure...

I was with my pod out in what you'd call "the sea" or "the ocean" and it was... mostly alright there. The adults mostly left us youth to do what we wanted, although somewhat supervised. My parents were the heads of the pod, leading everyone around on hunts and deciding when to move to a new territory and what not, so they didn't have much time for me. The other children liked to pick on me because of how jealous they were of my rank, and they liked to use my parents' neglectfulness as a weapon against me. I was hardly allowed to feel hurt by what they said to me, much less get into a fight over it. I had an image to uphold, I was meant to be a "role model" for the others, I couldn't defend myself.

But I was also sheltered. Sheltered and kept away from hunting trips so as to keep me from getting hurt. You see, I would've been sole heir to lead so long as I was able, and as my parents' only child, I was all they had to keep their bloodline in leadership. They kept me safe yet also severely lacking in actual leadership skills... People didn't like me much for that. I was always hearing people talk about how awful I'd be if I did become head of the pod. I started hearing some less savory members talk about wanting to keep me from leading by any means necessary. I was scared. I didn't want to lead anyway, and especially not if these people had such a big problem with it. 

One day, we took down a ship that had sailed a bit too close to our home base, and among what was inside was this interesting little case. Now, I should mention that our home base was a structure partly above water, just enough to stay dry. I took the case and went up to the surface to tinker with the fun glasses and substances that were in it. I started playing with it and mixing things together, and I got some very interesting reactions. 

Now, being a young, sheltered little man -- only a few years of being an adult by this point, might I add -- I had worked it up in my mind that drinking one of these mixes would be a good idea. So I did. I then started heaving and hurting and green fluid poured from places that fluid shouldn't pour from and I fainted, falling back into the water. When I woke up again, I was on the sea floor. I must've been swept up by a current and taken away from the pod. It was dark, I couldn't see any sunlight. I lifted myself, and felt a very odd sensation. Rather than visibly seeing, I could sort of feel my surroundings through the water... I could hear them. I was also in pain all over my body, and I felt smaller. I thought that something had attacked me and taken half of my tail off. I was scared and confused, so I did all I could think of and swam up. I found that I still had a functioning tail, so I figured that I hadn't lost it. Eventually, I swam up far enough to be in the light, and so I could finally get a good look at myself.

My tail was significantly shorter and thicker, it seemed very strong for its size. It was also an almost iridescent black with patches of bright green rather than my usual opalescent white with yellow patches. My skin was an odd, sickly shade and I had claws where my nails had been. My arms also felt shorter. My ears and teeth had grown longer and I had a strange sensation running through me that felt both fearful and euphoric somehow. I felt like a different person.

I returned to my pod and they all stared at me strangely. I tried to tell them who I was to no avail, as they kept approaching me with weapons drawn as I tried to come near. Eventually I simply stayed just far enough away to not be threatened, and when I calmed down, I started heaving again. I changed back into my usual self very painfully -- though I didn't faint this time -- and my people finally listened to me. They let me come back and after I explained myself, I was severely berated by my parents for my foolishness.

For several days, I thought that would be the end of it, until some of my peers started to bother me again. They first started calling me names and poking me, but then they began shoving and hitting me, and I felt afraid. Very afraid. So very afraid that it triggered something inside of me and I started heaving, and that green fluid poured out from my orifices, creating a great cloud of green in the water that hid me from my attackers. Everything between then and my return to the pod was a blur. Apparently I, as that strange creature I had become, attacked the other youths so severely that they had to be sent to our nurses.  

My parents berated me as usual, but the rest of the pod was already through with me by that point, so they demanded that I be exiled for what I had done, stating that all I'd ever do from now on was hinder the survival of the pod in one way or another. Whether they were right shall never be known, I suppose, as my parents were threatened into agreement and a group of adults took me to the shore of this country and told me to stay there for three days and that once that time passed, they would be gone. I waited those three days and went back to that home base, but they had taken everything and moved on to a different territory, just as they had promised. I stayed there at the base, crying out in the hopes that perhaps one person would have sympathy or at least pity for me and return, but no one ever came. 

Eventually, I ventured back to the shore and into the river and found that other creatures lived there. They didn't like me much since I was bigger and looked very strange to them, but when they saw that I meant them no harm, they paid me no mind. I found an area that was just comfortable enough for me to stay, and have been here ever since. I'm not sure how long it's been, but I ran out of fingers to count the winters on ages ago."

...

With a heavy shrug of his shoulders, he sighed, "That was... the most I've said to anyone in... forever. I hope my... English, I believe you call it? was understandable enough for you both. I only know it by ear."

"...You took down a ship?" Lanyon said, seeming to linger on that earlier piece of the story, "You mean you drowned humans?!"

"Well, I didn't," Henry replied, "I was safely hidden away. But yes, humans did drown and we did take their things. It happened any and every time they came too close in our territory."

Lanyon sputtered for a moment, throwing his hands around in confusion.

Utterson wiped sandwich crumbs off of his face, "So you drank chemicals from what I assume was a human's stolen chemistry set, turned into a different creature, attacked your peers, and were exiled to this river because of it?" Henry nodded.

"How in the-?! What in the-?!?! WHAT?!?!" Lanyon cried out. 

Henry nodded again, "That's what happened."

"'I hope I spoke English well enough'" Lanyon scoffed, "'iridescent', 'opalescent', Father give me strength..."

"Well, romantics come by and recite their poetry by the riverside, I'm sure," Utterson added.

"Oh," Henry started, "I forgot to mention that the changing shape thing still happens when I get scared."

Lanyon groaned and gave a look like he may faint.

#fg's writing #jekyll and hyde #the strangest case #mermaid!au #henry jekyll #fg's jekyll #mermaid!jekyll #hastie lanyon #fg's lanyon #gabriel utterson #fg's utterson

[wallofweird]

This Is Us Q&A

Thanks @madsdefencesquad for tagging me. :)

1. The first character I first fell in love with:

Dr. Nathan Katowski. He just seemed to be such a charismatic, generous, wise and kind person and the way he comforted those two nervous young people (Jack and Rebecca) who were entering parenthood for the very first time was simply beautiful. Specially because nowadays some doctors are so arrogant and cold that make you feel so bad to the point of almost apologizing for needing their care (not most though, we have real life heroes out there on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic and I’m forever thankful for them!). Anyway, it was pleasant to see a character with so much heart. Now the first regular character I fell in love with was Randall. He was just so relatable and Sterling and the writers really managed to show all the affliction he kept inside from early on. All the things he had accumulated through the years, with the questions about his biological parents, his identity, finding out that William was dying the same day he met him and everything... Even before we got to dive into that story, you could see it in his eyes. And I empathized with him immediately.

2. The character I never expected to love as much as I do now:

Kevin. I used to find him very annoying and self-centered and now I’m eating my words, but I guess that’s always been the writers intention: to show a character that came off as really shallow and immature and slowly change our minds about him. It definitely worked. My opinion about him started to change on the ‘Number One’ episode. It broke my heart to see what he was going through, specially when he lost the only thing he had left from Jack. That was hard to watch. And now that I’m rewatching the show, I can get his actions a lot better now and see that a lot of the stuff I used to hate came from his insecurities. So I’ve changed my mind about his behavior on the first episodes and I’m enjoying seeing him back then as well. I can see the bigger picture now.

3. The character everyone else loves that I don’t:

Cassidy. I don’t really believe there’s a consensus about her, it looks like the opinions are pretty balanced, but I’m not a fan of her. I wouldn’t say I hate Cassidy, but I don’t really like her. Like, the other characters can get me to laugh and cry so easily, but she doesn’t make me feel anything? She looks kind of cold to me, which I can understand it probably has something to with being in the military and the things she had to experience and do, but even with the whole drama with her son and husband... It's just never given me the same emotion I use to get from the other characters. Also, I really wanted the first half of the season to be only about Kevin and his uncle, but they threw a stranger in it and played with the idea of putting Kevin and Cassidy together the whole time. I just wanted to see their dynamic without anybody’s interference, specially because I haven’t got the point of her presence yet. I believe Kevin and Nicky would’ve done just fine in their journey to sobriety without her and I don’t really think the woman will marry any of them. I hope there’s something bigger planned for her that will explain her addition to the show, because I don’t really get it. So far it just looks like she’s there to mislead us with the whole “who is Kevin’s wife?” mystery.

4. The character I love that everyone else hates:

Madison. I wouldn’t say everybody hates her, for me the public has mixed opinions about her? I’ve seen people who hate her, who are indifferent, who like her and think she’s funny and people who love her. However, I do believe she deserves more praise. I think she’s kind of in the same situation Kevin used to be a few years ago. A lot of people have a pre-fabricated idea of Madison and see her as someone shallow and immature. Madison has always been there for Kate, even when she was nothing but rude to her. When Kate hit her car (I know it was accidentally, but still), Madison got over it the second she learned Kate was pregnant. She immediately forgot about her car and was filled with nothing but joy after hearing the news. Madison also helped Kate to enjoy the process of finding her wedding dress, staying positive with her second pregnancy after the previous miscarriage... She’s been there through thick and thin. And she is so loving, selfless and strong that was willing to raise her twins and go through all of that by herself to avoid getting in the way of Kevin finding his great love story. How can somebody not admire that? Even if you don’t like her, because that’s understandable and sometimes a character just doesn’t resonate with us, there’s absolutely no reason to hate or criticize her personality and actions. Madison is very underrated, but she is an amazing person. I just don’t understand why people have changed their minds about Kevin after seeing his struggles and evolution, but won’t do the same with her. The only difference here is the amount of screentime they have and the gender, because they’re both great people. I really don’t get it.

5. The character I used to love but don’t any longer:

One of the great things about this show is that I’ve never stopped loving any of the characters. There are characters I don’t really like, there are characters that have grown on me, but the opposite has never happen. However, I am a little angry with Randall and Kevin after that fight. I won’t defend any of them. They were both terrible to each other. 

I get where they’re both coming from when it comes to how they deal with Rebecca’s health. It’s understandable wanting to save your mother. It’s understandable wanting her to enjoy the time she has left. There is no right or wrong decision in these situations. And a lot of how they deal with it comes from their personalities and traumas. They both have this hole in their lives because of losing Jack. Randall blames himself and thinks about what life would’ve been if he hadn’t died every single day. His anxiety also plays a role in how he process everything. It’s consuming. On the other hand, Kevin regrets not having spent as much time with his father as he could’ve had. He’s also already gone through therapy, is a year sober and attending the AA meetings regularly... He can see things more clearly than Randall right now. So I don’t judge either of them for how they approach to the situation. Still, Randall should’ve respected Rebecca’s decision. Period. He was selfish and I can’t defend what he did. I can understand why he did it and I didn’t really see it as him manipulating his mother, for me it was more of a desperate moment, when he was telling Rebecca he cannot handle losing her. Not that Kevin and Kate can handle losing their mother, but he’s clearly overwhelmed with the whole situation, while Kevin and Kate are at a better mental state and looking at things with more serenity.

However, regarding their fight, Kevin’s got some fault too. I’m sure they didn’t mean anything they said to one another, they just happened to know each other’s deepest wounds and wanted to rub them. It was painful to watch. Kevin knows Randall feels guilty for letting Jack walk back into the house. Randall knows Kevin feels guilty for not being there. Kevin knows Randall have never felt liked he completely fitted in, because he was abandoned by his biological father and adopted only after Rebecca and Jack lost a child. He’s always felt a little lost or as a replacement to Kyle. And Randall knows Kevin is self-conscious and feels like people don’t take him seriously or believe he can be responsible. It was heartbreaking and cruel. And I’m rewatching season 1 and recently saw the episode where they finally begin to grow closer and there is this scene where Randall says:

“[Mom] showered me with attention. Took my side more often than not. And I ate every bit of her love up. Ate it up like Pac-Man. You know why? Because the one person I wanted it from the mo..

[...]

You know, back there with those people, it's the first time in 36 years you've said the words, ‘he's my brother’, [as] claiming me.”

I’ve also just finished the episode where it shows young Randall having a nervous breakdown and Kevin ignoring him. Kevin and Randall did have some good moments growing up, but for most of it they weren’t close and Randall was the one who tried the harder to change that. It took them over 30 years to get to a place where they finally acted like brothers on a regular basis and now they have both ruined all of that progress. So I can’t really pick sides and blame one of them when it comes to that fight. They were both terrible. However, I’m just a little more disappointed with Randall because he interfered in Rebecca’s decision.

6. The character I would totally smooch:

Kevin. Justin Hartley just happens to be on my Male Celebrity Crush Top 2, so...

7. The character I’d want to be like:

Beth. She’s smart, successful, funny, wise and beautiful, I’d like to have at least 30% of that awesomeness. 

8. The character I’d slap:

Marc.

9. A pairing that I love:

Jack and Rebecca. Their love story, even with its ups and downs, remains epic. One for the ages, indeed. 

Still, I really miss a slowburn ship. We’ve had Jack and Rebecca, Kate and Toby, Randall and Beth since the very beginning. They were all love at first sight. They got together pretty quickly. I miss a ship that I can see go through all of those basic stages, like meeting, becoming friends and falling in love. I miss seeing a character pining for another and being a little bit jealous of them. I miss watching the scenes with the lingering looks, deep breaths, both staring at each other when the other isn’t noticing... All this tension building up until the moment it just explodes. Like, give me angst scenes! Give me a scene where they are hugging so tight and not wanting to let go and Character A can’t resist it anymore and kisses character B as if their his/her depended on it. Give me rain kisses. Give me character A pining for character B, but doubting that B feels the same way. Give me B being just as insanely in love as A and feeling frustrated whenever they’re around someone else. Give me character B being unconsciously jealous and fighting with character A. Give me A blurting out that he/she is in love with B and a passionate kiss. I know it’s cliché, but there is a reason why everyone loves scenes like these: they work. And This Is Us needs stuff like that. Hopefully Kevin and Madison can fill this gap, since I’m already in love with their potential. ;)

10. A pairing that I despise:

Kevin and Sophie. I genuinely have nothing against Sophie, she is a good person and she deserves happiness. If anything, Kevin was the one who wronged her. However, I can’t help sighing and rolling my eyes whenever she shows up or her name is mentioned on the show. I’m just tired at this point. I’ve never saw the appeal of it. I’m usually a slowburn kind of shipper, but I still have my ‘love at first sight’ otps. This one, however, never really convinced me. First, I don’t see the chemistry at all (in any timeline). Second, he’s cheated on her twice. Plus, the second time they were together, Kevin had fallen back into drinking and she didn’t even realize the seriousness of the situation. I’m not saying it was her fault or responsibility, because that’s a real problem and what Kevin needed was professional help. Also, he lied to her and broke Sophie’s heart again in the process, so I can empathize with her. Still, the fact that Sophie couldn’t see what was going on and they were never able to go through it together, whether it was his treatment, or the long distance or any real obstacle just proves to me they don’t work. They simply couldn’t work together. And Kevin has moved on. He moved on from her and genuinely fell in love with Zoe. They broke up because they wanted different things, but their relationship was real. So, the way I see it, the fact that he suddenly wants another ‘crack at it’ with Sophie, it’s just a result of his frustration. Kevin is so desperate to have his own great love story and children, that he is trying to get it from strangers on coffee shops or any ex-girlfriend that will reach out to him. He’s not thinking things through, but hopefully he will let life takes it course and find find them naturally, without forcing anything or insisting on relationships that have proved multiple times that weren’t the right fit for him. I also don’t really like when characters appear with the solely purpose to be someone’s love interest, I like seeing them in their own element and their dynamic with other characters. Like, even though each Pearson has their immediate family, we’ve seen bits of Beth and Rebecca, Toby and Kevin, Beth and Zoe, Kate and Madison (who at this point I’m pretty sure is Kevin’s fiancée)... Sophie wasn’t fully integrated into the family during their second attempt at a relationship, so that’s another reason for me not to like this ship.

I don’t wanna tag anyone specifically because I’m afraid I might forget someone, so anyone who wants to do this thing, just go for it. I’d love to see your answers. :)

#this is us #randall pearson #kevin pearson

[a-mad-scientist-approaches]

The Cipher Conspiracy (14)

Oh my God! It’s done!

This story has been in my head for over a year, and now I can finally bring it to a close. I’ve had this planned out since before I even started writing, and it’s such an incredible feeling to finally have it on (virtual) paper and concluded. I can’t believe how fun it’s been, guys.

As always, I am overjoyed to write @hntrgurl13‘s and @missinspi‘s respective OCs Adeline Marks and Madeline McGucket, and @scipunk63‘s Addiford ship. You guys... just...  <3

I am so freaking proud of this. Enjoy.

AO3

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14

Chapter 14: Finale

???    ∆

Ford? Ford?

He was underwater; everything was blurred. Smeared like a water painting.

Come on buddy, wake up. We gotta move.

He could feel something crunchy. Somethings crunchy. Crackling in his ear, along his cheek. Everything was swaying, rhythmically back and forth. Underwater smelled earthy… strange.

Okay, hold on Ford, just hold on.

Brown and dried leaves fell away from him. Brown and dried leaves fell away from him.

A sound stopped making noise. The silence deadened everything even more so. Some kind of blast. Distant. Contained explosions. They had stopped.

Muffled swearing.

He let the depths claim him again.

∆

“-Meanwhile, we go to an update on the situation in Manhattan.

“Power still has not been fully restored to the isle, in what has now been confirmed as a planned attack on American soil. At precisely seven o’clock last night, Manhattan began experiencing massive power failures until the entire city was completely dark. As many have speculated, these blackouts were indeed caused by several electromagnetic pulses, weapons designed to fry the circuits of any and every electronic device within their extensive range, planted in strategic areas for maximum damage. We are now receiving reports from multiple sources which outline Oracle Division, a covert government agency created to investigate and terminate anarchist extremist plots to sow chaos into the world, as the perpetrator for this crime. It seems that what was once Oracle Division’s duty to investigate has now become their duty to instigate. Up next: feel like there’s no one you can trust? No need to worry, because it seems like the end of the world is approaching anyway-”

A Road Somewhere? (USA, Probably)    ∆

There was a loud, uncomfortable rumbling under Ford’s left ear. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at the back of a driver’s side red leather seat – the interior of the Stanleymobile. He was lying on his side, cheek stuck to the surface of the back seat.

His heartrate skyrocketed.

“Ford, you back with me?” Came Stan’s voice.

“Yes!” He scrambled to push himself up. Stan was in the driver’s seat. Obviously. No one else was in the car.

More memories hit him.

“Turn arou-”

“Ford, shut it,” Stan’s voice was tight. “You think I’d be taking us away if we could go back? We’re lucky we got out-”

“Fiddleford and Addi-”

“It’s thanks to her we even are out! If she hadn’t been off drawing as much attention as she possibly could, we’d be in the same boat as her right now! So shut up, sit back, and be grateful, while I make sure that what they did is actually worth something!”

A bolt of anger fired through him. Like hell he would.

“Pull over,” he demanded.

“No,”

“What happened to Fiddleford?”

“What do you think?”

Menace entered his voice. “Pull. Over,”

“Do you actually think you can change anything at this point? They’re long gone by this time, Ford, and there’s nothing you or any other pretentiously-named agency full of ineffective, useless people can do for them, so we are going-”

“You’re just going to give up? After everything that’s happened, you decide-”

“-back to Sacramento to get Carla, and we are getting safe-”

“-that this is where you draw the line of all places-”

“-because crap has well and truly hit the fan and I am not letting-”

“-when Bill Cipher is a bigger threat than ever and he probably has Addi and Fiddleford right n-”

“JHESELBRAUM CAN HANDLE IT FROM HERE!”

“PULL THE DAMN CAR OVER!”

The brakes screeched, rubber burned, and Ford almost shot over the front seat as the car skidded to a halt.

∆

"Breaking news; a statement outlining the reason behind the closure and police perimeter recently established around the FBI field office in Roseville has just been issued by a federal spokesperson. The head of the office, Special Agent-in-Charge Ned Guy, has been killed, and agents have reason to believe that the assassin is still in the area – perhaps even inside the office itself. Further information pending, but the question remains: who sent this person, and who is their next target? Whoever it is, our thoughts – mostly along the lines of ‘I hope to God it isn’t me’ – are with them,”

The Side of a Road Somewhere (USA)    ∆

Ford was out of the car practically before it had stopped moving, and Stan tore off of his seatbelt to meet him.

“What is wrong with you?! We have to help them!”

“Haven’t you been listening? We can’t! We have no idea where they are, and even if we did know, there were at least thirty agents in that forest! How many of us are there, Ford? Two! We have a better chance of being invited into their homes for coffee and evil plans than we have of taking them on and winning!”

“We have Oracle Division, Stanley, and the FBI, and we will use them because I am telling you right now that we are not running and hiding from this!”

“So we act like idiots and end up like Addi and Fiddleford, who for all we know are already-”

The silence roared as Stan cut himself off, not daring to finish that sentence, and Ford fought to keep breathing evenly.

Finally, Stan looked him dead in the eye and said lowly, “Get in the car,” which brought a whole new wave of rage over Ford.

“What world are you living in that I ever would?” He snapped. “Our friends are suffering at this very moment because of my mistakes, because of things I allowed to happen!”

“Ford-”

“And not only that, but the world is in imminent danger from that madman, and you still won’t even consider trying to save anyone but yourself-”

He thought Stan was going to hit him.

“Of course I tried to save them! What the hell is wrong with you that you think I didn’t?! Fiddleford was right there with me, and I would’ve gotten him out, I would’ve, but we got separated and – and suddenly everything was going to shit and Addi was being swamped-”

“And you just left her?!”

“-I thought you were dead!”

The thudding in Ford’s head quieted down and all the panic for his friends that was clawing its way up his throat in preparation to be screamed at Stan caught, his voice refusing to give it power.

Stan looked about a second away from ripping his hair out, and he was staring desperately at Ford in mixed rage and pain and despair.

“I thought you were dead, Ford! Not in trouble this time, not hurt – dead. I heard gunshots, and when I ran towards them I found you, and you were lying on the ground and you weren’t moving and I thought you were dead! Do you have any idea what that’s like?” His voice cracked.

A low-lit room, bitingly cold despite the pleasantness of the bar next door, two bodies bleeding out on the ground, one of which could so easily have been Stan. Yes, Ford knew what that was like.

“So I’m sorry that I couldn’t do enough, and I’m sorry that we can’t do anything right now, but if you think I’m ever gonna let something like that happen again, then you really are entirely as much of an idiot as you act like when you’re scared,”

With that, Stan slumped against the driver-side door, exhausted. Ford felt hollowed-out, everything inside that had been propelling him gone for the moment. On jellied legs he made his way over and leant next to Stan, tentatively pressing his shoulder against his soon after.

Stan was right. He needed to get a grip. Spoiling for a fight – with Stan, Cipher, anyone – was the worst possible thing to do at present.

So what was something they could do?

His mind was blank. Judging from Stan’s equal motionlessness, he didn’t really know how to proceed either; Ford could guess, based on what his brother had just said, that until he’d dug in his own heels Stan had been (and, most probably, still subconsciously was) operating on the single priority of get who you can safe with practically no other considerations until that goal was fulfilled.

The problem was, Ford wasn’t letting him complete that goal, and even though the reality check Stan had given him had been effective, his own mind didn’t seem to be able to supply a solution either.

∆

“We have previously reported that Oracle Division, notorious rogue government agency behind the Manhattan Blackout, is also more than likely involved in many other plots to sow discord and chaos among the nation, and, perhaps, the world at large. Since that time, we have received many accusations of spreading false information through speculation, contributing to mass panic, and we apologise. Here is the following correction: Oracle Division, notorious rogue government agency behind the Manhattan Blackout, is most definitely behind Ned Guy’s assassination among many other disturbing events. The idea that sources can concur on any one thing is a myth, so why even bother to mention ours. We apologise, again, for the former inaccuracy,”

I-I Don’t... Know    ∆

He’d gone. The- the man with the… weapon. Yes. It looked like a gun, it fi-fired like a gun, ergo, it was definitely a weapon, if not one he recognised. But the man had gone, up an elevator, and he’d taken it with him and now he and the woman were left alone in the dark.

She was staring at him, speechless, horrified, and grief-stricken. She was crying, and he didn’t know why, only that he wanted to help her. Had she been there this whole time? It was hard to recall... it was hard to think…

It was like he should be hurting – he felt like he should be so, so hurt, but it was like his head was full of fog instead, and it was hard to do anything. The thing that hurt most was his eyes… which was definitely odd because he didn’t think he’d stared into that blinding white light from the weapon all that many times. A few, yeah, but surely not enough to make his eyeballs feel like they’d been scoured with a wire brush...

He wished she’d stop crying. That wasn’t going to help anyone, and he should know.

Should he know?

... yes, he thought so. He was pretty sure it was useless by this point.

How did he know that?

He felt floaty, which was not something he was used to feeling, but he wasn’t going to complain because it was a lot better than what he’d expected.

He’d expected?

Yeah, expected. He was too tired to think further about how he’d known to expect something. His brain felt exhausted. Imagine if the next round of… (was he being tortured?)… imagine if it involved sums. A bubble of laughter made its way past his lips. Now that would be torture.

Anyway, he felt floaty. Which was strange, because… because… he couldn’t stand… and he couldn’t stop shaking either. He was hanging and trembling from his wrists and his mind felt wrung out and the woman was saying something about the man going up for a phone call and they needed to get away, and she just looked even more scared when he asked what a phone call was. She explained. He snorted. That sounded like something out of science fiction if he’d ever heard it. Useful, but obviously fake. In fact, the only thing he could really feel was…

… anger. At that red book on the table. Because whenever the weapon fired, the book was consulted and it knew everything about him… didn’t it? It certainly didn’t know about – about – about… he couldn’t remember… and he was terrified more than ever for some reason because he couldn’t remember the boy’s name, or what he looked like, or –

He couldn’t remember.

Sacramento, California (USA)    ∆

“Wexler, the deal was you’d tell us what we needed to-”

“Was that I would reveal the agents I know of if, and only if, Cipher is taken down,”

Carla gritted her teeth.

“Until such time as that happens, I’m afraid I will be keeping my mouth – wisely – shut. Furthermore, I believe you have yet to follow through on your promise to place me in the Witness Protection Program.” Wexler regarded her with a very much unbeaten expression and she berated herself for forgetting that he had accepted the deal to save his own skin, meaning that he remained quite firmly on the side of the Cipher Wheel until that no longer became an option.

“Well, plans change, as you and your buddies have seen fit to demonstrate. We need to know where Cipher is. And what those names are, thank you very much,”

He smiled indulgently at her and kept silent.

“It’s only a matter of time before Cipher is dead or behind bars! The FBI is aware of the threat. We have in place layers and layers of resistance to meet him. He cannot win!” She protested, but she’d lost him and she knew it. He’d goaded her into begging, or close enough. Even though it hadn’t been completely successful, the assassination attempt had proved that Cipher’s reach was only growing, and had flipped her and Wexler’s positions: he had the upper hand now. Every line of his body oozed confidence.

“And yet you’re now coming to me, desperate for help. Where did that fierce drive to win go, agent? Don’t tell me. It disappeared, along with all your friends,”

“You’re afraid of Cipher,” she snapped. Wexler shrugged. That was news to no one. “We can keep you safe, you know we can. You wouldn’t have agreed to the first deal if you didn’t think so. We will still do that, but things have changed and you need to tell us what you know sooner rather than later,”

“In fact, McCorkle, I don’t know that you can deliver on all your promises of safety. An assassin is still after you, are they not? More than likely they have already made their way into the building, based on the amount of time that has elapsed since the first killing. So no, thus far, you have spectacularly failed to build any kind of rapport with me or earn any sort of confidence in you. Why should I not just keep my silence, wait for the Cipher Wheel to win, and you to die?”

“DAMMIT!” Carla shouted, striding into the room she had designated as her temporary, windowless, singularly-entranced cell of an office. Jheselbraum didn’t even look up from the news report she was watching as the door slammed closed.

“I take it he’s refusing to cooperate in any manner now?”

Vicious, if muttered, swearing and agitated pacing answered her.

“Has there been any word on El Dorado?” Carla reached the wall, spun on her heel, and strode back the way she’d come.

“The forest is still crawling with Cipher Wheel agents. I’ve heard nothing about Stanley or Stanford, or Agents Marks and McGucket, but we can assume that someone, perhaps even all of them, managed to escape the ambush. The forest would not be so active unless that was the case,”

Another pivot. “But at least one of them’s also been captured,” she stated flatly.

“The vehicles that have left the forest do indicate that,” Jheselbraum confirmed, a pillar of stillness in direct contrast to Carla’s flurry of movement. “As yet, none of my agents have been able to follow them without risking exposure,”

“And with Wexler refusing to talk, we have no other way of finding out where they might be going. Which is wherever Cipher is.” Carla stopped, braced her palms on the table in the centre of the room, and leant heavily on them, trying to work out the tension in her back before all the coiled muscle there snapped something important.

The next time she saw Stanley, and she would be seeing him again, if only to kill him herself, she was never letting him out of her sight again. A bit of a counter-productive sentiment, but rationality had had a foot halfway out the door since the day began.

And at some point she had to deal with the assassin, who was most certainly getting closer with every minute that passed. The building was on high alert, but regardless, she doubted Cipher would have sent anyone after her who couldn’t deal with that.

She had absolutely no idea where to go from here. Other than to pick up some Witness Protection Program forms, she supposed.

A phone rang in the silence. She felt the vibration through the table and looked up to see Jheselbraum reach for the device and stiffen, staring at the screen with the closest expression to dread Carla had ever seen on the woman’s face. She turned her gaze to the screen as well.

The caller image showed a single terrifying yellow eye.

The Road Again (USA)    ∆

Eventually they’d just sunk to the ground, drained.

It wasn’t that Stan wanted to admit that things looked pretty bleak... it’s just that they did anyway.

The silence between them was interrupted sharply by his phone ringing. He felt Ford jolt next to him.

Honestly, the turn the day – the past half hour – had taken meant that if it had been anyone other than Carla calling, Stan wasn’t sure he would’ve picked up. As it was, he turned on the speaker so Ford could hear as well, figuring that just because he wasn’t in the mood to plan a desperate and useless counterstrike against Cipher was no reason to keep that opportunity from his brother.

He hit the answer button.

“STAN?!”

Ford jumped again, and Stan flinched too. Had he accidentally turned the thing up to full volume again?

“Oh my GOD, you’re okay, you’re okay- you are, aren’t you? Aren’t you? Oh, hell, are you hurt? How bad is it? Listen to me closely: if you see a light, and it’s not the sun, do not-”

“No, no I’m fine!” Stan assured her hurriedly. “Ford’s here too, we’re both fine,”

“We’re unhurt, Carla,” Ford supplied, and from the look on his face Stan couldn’t help but think that he was not confirming the situation to Carla but more correcting Stan’s choice of words. Stan was inclined to agree with it.

“Jesus, that’s good to hear.” A pause. “Addi and Fiddleford?”

Stan’s stomach dropped out and Ford was silent.

“No,” he managed to get out. “No. They’re not,”

A sigh washed over the speakers. “I was hoping he was lying..."

“Hoping who was lying?” Ford said sharply.

The brief quiet on the other end of the line was very telling. So much so that Stan pretty much already knew what she was going to say before she’d gathered herself enough to say it.

“Jheselbraum and I just got a phone call from Bill Cipher,”

“Let me guess, it wasn’t to surrender himself and his network,” Stan said, dragging a hand down his face. Ford was rapidly losing what colour he’d regained as he too worked out what Carla was about to say.

“No, it... definitely was not. He wanted us to get a message to you.” She paused again, working out how best to phrase it, and Stan really wished she would just spit it out.

After a second, she gave up and did just that.

“He says Addi and Fiddleford are still alive, and if you guys show yourselves quick enough, they might even remain that way.” She let that sink in.

Hearing it out loud when you’re expecting it should really be easier than this, Stan considered with an air of detachment.

“He didn’t say anything else?” Demanded Ford.

“Other than a few taunts and name-calling? No,”

“So how are we supposed to hand ourselves over if he didn’t tell us where he is?” Stan exclaimed.

“I know. It’s a shame, but he really isn’t an idiot. He knew I’d be listening in to that call. He wasn’t going to reveal anything that might lead the FBI to him before he’s ready to fully take us on,”

“What about you, Poindexter?” Stan said urgently, turning to Ford. “You have any idea where he might be?”

“Cipher didn’t just use one place as headquarters,” Ford said, a deep furrow between his eyebrows. “He moved around fairly often. I know of a few places he’d frequent, yes, but there’s no guarantee he’s at any of them right now, and we don’t have time to check them all before he loses his patience with Addi and Fiddleford. Which is another thing! We don’t even know if they’re in the same place he is!”

“Yes we do,” Carla said unexpectedly, neatly stopping Ford dead in his increasingly hopeless rant.

“We do?” Stan looked at Ford.

“Yes. This whole situation with me got Addi and I thinking: he’s made it clear – even more so with that phone call – that he wants to kill or capture you two himself.”

“What situation with you?” Stan said warily.

“Doesn’t matter,” she said quickly, and he definitely didn’t believe that at all, but she was on a roll and they needed to know this, so he let it go for now. “The point is, you’ve been too much of a pain for him not to hold a grudge. Same situation with Oracle Division,”

“So they’ll be in the same place,” Stan nodded his understanding, and then frowned. “But that still doesn’t help us a whole lot. It just means we only have one raid to do instead of two, in a location we still don’t kn-” Stan stopped. Out of the corner of his eye, he’d just seen Ford stiffen. Looking at him again, there was the tell-tale gleam of understanding in his eye: he’d just worked something out.

“Ford?”

“I know where he is.” He gave a mirthless laugh. “I don’t why I thought it was possible he’d be anywhere else,”

“Alright, tell me where. We can alert Tactical and take him out before knows what hit him,”

Ford opened his mouth, and shut it again.

“No,” he said.

“No?!” Stan repeated incredulously. “Do you want Addi and Fiddleford back or not, Ford?”

Ford’s gaze was flinty and his words were cold enough to chill the Sahara.

“If Bill didn’t think he could kill Addi and Fiddleford before a strike team managed to kill him, he would not have gotten that message to us through you, Carla,”

“Ford, I know you’re worried about them, and I understand that their safety is paramount, but tactical teams know what they’re doing. They are trained for situations li-”

“Their safety is paramount, which is precisely why I’m not going to endanger them even more by telling you where Cipher is,”

“Oh, jeez-” The situation was rapidly flying off Stan’s well-used map of moves-that-could-be-considered-even-remotely-sane.

“So you’re just going to blindly hand yourselves over?” Carla said witheringly, as if she could stop Ford through brute force of will alone. Unfortunately, when Ford got like this there wasn’t really anything anyone could do short of getting into a fistfight with him, and Stan knew from personal experience that that would only harden his resolve.

“Of course not. We’re going to take him down ourselves. Or-” Ford faltered for the first time. “Or I will, anyway,”

He looked up at Stan defiantly, and Stan half wanted to get into that fistfight just to see if it was possible to knock some sense into the guy this time. The other half of him though, was indignant. He’d followed Ford across the world to make sure he wasn’t in trouble. He’d punched more people than he could count for him, and that wasn’t even from this recent jaunt. He’d willingly been flown by someone who didn’t know how to fly, almost been shot, actually been shot (and now his shoulder was hurting again, great), been drugged and dumped, chased and left behind, ambushed, momentarily convinced his brother was dead, and Ford still hadn’t been able to shake him.

Honestly, the most unbelievable thing about this situation was that Ford thought Stan wouldn’t come with him on this.

He groaned. “Weren’t you listening earlier? You don’t think I’m gonna let you do this alone, do you?”

Ford’s face broke into a relieved grin which told Stan that despite how it had sounded, he wasn’t taking this course of action lightly in the least.

There was silence on the other end of the line. Stan could practically feel Carla’s mind whirring.

“As soon as it’s safe to, you need to tell me where you are,” she reluctantly compromised.

“We will,” nodded Ford. Good. At least he wasn’t being idiotically stubborn.

“And Stan?” Her words were clipped and short, but the next ones had the hint of jaunty casualness to them, nevermind if it was a bit forced, just like they always did when they said goodbye. And because it wasn’t the last time they would, Stan thought fiercely, there wasn’t any need for it to be different this time. She might not be able to stop Ford through sheer willpower, but he knew she’d be damned if she let that mean she couldn’t stop anything else that way.

“See ya later,” she said.

“Can’t leave ya hanging, can I?”

There was a brief whiff of sound that might have been a huff of laughter, and the call disconnected.

“Please tell me you have a plan,” he said as soon as it did.

“I don’t,” said Ford immediately.

Stan stared at him. “Well, at least you ripped that band-aid off quickly,”

Sacramento, California (USA)    ∆

Busy. Keep busy. That was the thing. If she kept busy, she wouldn’t have time to think about… whatever she had just condemned Stan and Ford to. She aggressively ripped the Witness Protection forms out of the printer.

Just get this to Wexler and mush his face into it until he agrees to sign it. She sighed. Well, no. She wouldn’t do that. Although maybe she could get away with staring at him unnervingly until he did.

Abruptly, she pulled back from the corner she was about to turn. Window. Large window.

Stay away, you don’t want a bullet in your brain. Way to go, Carla.

She turned back, striding down an alternate, less populous, route. It took her deeper into the building.

Get to interrogation, get to interrogation. Not far now.

And someone knocked the breath out of her.

The Road, California (USA)    ∆

“He’s not going to let them go, Ford.” Stan said flatly. “We can’t just turn ourselves in and hope for the best. Guy’s convinced he’s on the verge of plunging the world into chaos-” He paused, rethinking that statement. “Guy is on the verge of plunging the world into chaos. No way is he going to stick to any deals we make with him. We need to be smart about this.”

Ford paced up and down the dusty roadside, nodding in agreement. “We should also expect that he’ll expect us to try something, and he’ll be accordingly prepared. The question is, does he know that we expect he’ll expect us to do something, and therefore expect our expectant strike at a whole new level of-”

“You’re making this too complicated,” Stan interrupted, passing rapidly through stages of grim agreement, horrified fascination, and irritated dismissal. “Stop thinking about might-bes and doing that get-in-his head routine - this isn’t some Sherkey Homes adventure,”

Ford looked faintly disappointed.

“What we know is that when we get there, he’s going to take our guns off us-”

“Actually, mine’s back in the forest somewhere. We only have yours now,”

Stan’s stomach dropped. “I don’t have mine either,” he admitted.

Ford’s eyebrows shot up and he warily asked, “What happened?”

Stan told him. Ford slapped a hand over his eyes.

“It’s still in the car somewhere!” Stan said defensively. “There’ll be plenty of time to find it on the drive there,”

“But you actually lost-”

“Shut up,”

“You shut up,”

∆

Her body had shut down with that blow. She couldn’t breathe. Her stomach muscles were seizing up. Before she collapsed to her knees, the assassin caught her by her collar and plunged a knife towards her throat.

She caught his wrist and wrenched it down and around, felt something give and his hand sprang open, the knife clattering to the floor. He hissed through his teeth, instinctively loosening his grip on her collar. Her legs took her weight. Her elbow took his senses.

He stumbled back, reeling from the strike to his jaw. She’d bought herself some time. Fighting back the surges of adrenaline that had her shaking and her brain screaming at her to sprint away as fast as she could, Carla focused, and her lungs seemed to expand again, filling with air, combating the pain and panic.

The assassin recovered at the same time she did. He struck first. She dodged, stepped in close, fired a punch into his side and stepped away again, springing lightly on the balls of her feet. He was driven back sharply, but that seemed to be all. Not a flicker of discomfort registered on his face as he reappraised her. Her mouth quirked in response. You didn’t have Stanley Pines as your sparring partner for long without picking up a thing or two.

Keep it simple, keep it simple.

∆

“Alright, alright, keeping it simple.” Ford considered. Having no weapons was a substantial drawback. “We get the memory gun off Bill and use it on him,”

Stan frowned. “Good plan – except there’s no way he going to let us get that close without a fight. And do we really want to fight him while he has that thing and Addi and Fiddleford?”

Before Ford could irritably point out that at the rate he was shooting down their ideas nothing was going to work, Stan straightened.

“Wait, yeah, that’s good. We should just fight him,”

“You just pointed out why that would be a bad idea,” Ford said, annoyed that the one time Stan was changing his mind about a bad idea was when the bad idea was his own.

∆

Not good.

One of the assassin’s legs hooked behind hers and tripped her up. His hand closed around her throat. Her back hit the door of the observation room. Her head slammed forward from the recoil and something metallic snapped. The door sprang open, and they were falling.

∆

“I can keep a gun from shooting me and whoever else is around,” Stan said confidently. He had just spent a couple weeks proving it, after all. “Look, Cipher’s probably not going to be paying much attention to me – you’re the one he wants vengeance and ruination and a spike up the butt and whatnot for-” Ford winced slightly – “meanwhile, what did I do? Just tagged along and punched him in the face that one time. So, you just keep his attention and when he least expects it, I’ll grab the gun from him.”

“If he doesn’t really care about you then why would he demand you show up as well?” Ford objected. “We can’t count on that working. And even if that wasn’t the case, you grab the gun from him and then what? You don’t know how to work it, Stan,”

“So I’ll smash it instead,”

“But then there’s still the problem of Bill – and before you say anything else, remember that he’ll probably have more weapons than just the memory gun on him,”

Stan closed his open mouth. That was a good point.

“So I should do it instead,” Ford stated.

That wasn’t.

“No,” said Stan instantly.

“I know how to work the memory gun. You distract him, I can take it from him, use it on him, and problem solved,” Ford insisted.

Blinking away images of his brother lying motionless, Stan rallied and said, “One: I’m the better fighter,”

Ford frowned and opened his mouth to argue, probably on principle, and Stan quickly amended his statement to, “I mean, you literally cut a probe out of your head and stitched it up a few hours ago. It’d be weird if you were still alright,”

Ford allowed him to continue, moderately appeased.

“Two: how am I going to distract him? If he is interested in me, we don’t know why, and even then you’re the one who’s been working for him for years: no matter what, you’ll be able to distract him better,”

“I refuse to believe that you wouldn’t be able to figure something out,” Ford said firmly. “Stan, it has to be you. The best and quickest way we have of neutralising Bill is if we use the memory gun on him, and since I’m the only one who knows how to do that safely-”

“Safely?” Stan picked up.

Ford waved a hand vaguely. “It’s a very delicate device. If it gets even slightly damaged, the consequences of using it could be-” he hesitated – “not good. Very, extremely not good.”

Stan practically radiated a demand for a better explanation.

“Well, for a start, it could explode, and since when I constructed it I dismissed trying to extract memories in their rather abstract pure form…”

“Right, that does sound hard,” Stan acknowledged.

“I designed it to simply rewrite matter instead, and while I intended the matter to only be neural pathways, it could conceivably be anything,”

Stan stared.

“In my defence, it was just meant to be a prototype,” Ford said in embarrassment.

Stan took a deep breath. “And you thought that was easier than just trying to grab memories?”

“I did,” confirmed Ford. “But the point is, it gets damaged, bad things happen. Most likely in a… silicaceous manner,”

“Bad things,” Stan said hollowly. “Yeah,”

∆

The assassin was at her back, an arm wrapped around her throat, crushing her windpipe. She’d managed to get a hand under his elbow before the lock was fully on and her muscles were screaming as she strained to break it. Her vision was going fuzzy at the edges. She sucked in a sliver of air. She… she had legs.

She hooked an ankle behind his and threw all her weight backwards. He tried to shift his stance to compensate but his foot was trapped by hers and he overbalanced, falling, and she felt the jolt as they collided with something. It was just enough of a distraction to rip herself free of the hold, spin, drive a fist into the side of his face and stumble backwards, coughing violently as the air simultaneously stung her throat and cleared her mind. No time for recovery. She made herself push off the desk she was clutching and ran forward and flung herself at him and took him off his feet and hurtled into the two-way mirror behind him.

∆

“I’m telling you, this is the best chance we have of defeating Bill-”

“And I’m telling you, you’re not a match for him right now! Sure, it could work, but there’s too high a chance that you and the others would get hurt. My way will be less dangerous for everyone,”

“Besides you, you mean,”

“Yes!” Stan said vehemently.

Ford gritted his teeth. They had been running in circles with this plan for far too long, and with every minute that passed he was itching more and more to just get underway already, the temptation to try and figure everything out in the car growing stronger and stronger as the thought of Addi and Fiddleford pressed increasingly insistently at him.

Stan was glaring at him, and had by now joined him in some irregular pacing. He was also occasionally clenching and unclenching his hands to let some agitation out. Clearly, he was also feeling the pressure.

He sighed, and Stan echoed it a moment later.

“Look Ford, there’s no way this is going to end perfectly,” Stan said. “We just have to go with the best option available,”

“And that’s the problem,” said Ford ruefully.

“Because you think using the memory gun on him will end it quicker, with the added bonus that it’s a poetic way to go out and will be pretty cathartic for you,” Stan said with a humourless smile.

“And you just want to do to him what you do to everyone who hurts the people you love,” Ford countered, equally pointedly. “Make sure he can’t do it again by hitting him like a ton of bricks,”

∆

A startled yell rang in Carla’s ears, almost missed in the cacophony created by the shock of the landing and the crash of the glass all around as they’d gone through the window.

She untucked herself from a protective ball, giving no acknowledgements whatsoever to the pains in her neck, back, shoulder, side. They were barely registering anyway. Her head was ringing. She scrambled up off the floor of the starkly-lit interrogation room, the assassin doing the same on its other side, jagged reflective fragments spread across the floor between them. Breathing hard, she got herself into a boxer’s stance, glancing at her hand when she had trouble closing it into a fist. Huh. It had a piece of glass sticking out of it.

The assassin had picked up another, larger shard. He held it firmly in his hand.

Oh joy, Carla thought numbly. A weapon. She decided then and there never to tackle someone through a window again.

The assassin didn’t make to move towards her. His attention had been caught by the third person in the room, handcuffed to the table and looking fairly shocked at what was going on. A person who could be very damaging to the Cipher Wheel, should he decide to cooperate.

The assassin switched targets and lunged towards Wexler instead. He leapt out of his chair and attempt to skirt around the table, but the cuffs anchoring him to the middle restricted his movements. The assassin recovered from the momentum of his first swing and jumped onto the interrogation table. Wexler paled, unable to move out of range. The assassin drew back his makeshift blade and Carla tackled him. They crashed to the floor, Carla saved from feeling most of the impact due to the combined effects of shock, adrenaline, and the relatively cushioned landing provided by the assassin.

His head had cracked against the floor. The fragment had gone deeper into her hand. The room was wavering slightly, but she didn’t think that was actually happening. She’d probably hit her head at some point. That didn’t sound right. The assassin had probably hit her head at some point. Jerk.

He groaned below her, trying to get up again. Carla drew back her good hand dealt him a swift uppercut. He slumped back, and didn’t move again.

“What the hell…” breathed Wexler behind her.

Ah, right.

Carla staggered to her feet and pushed her sweaty hair out of her face. She took a deep breath to try and get her – her everything under control, and delved deeply into her pocket. Wexler watched with wide eyes.

Out of it she drew a very crumpled and slightly torn sheaf of papers. She laid it down in front of Wexler, brushed some glass off, smoothed it out, left some bloodstains behind, and straightened up again.

“Please sign this form to apply for the Witness Protection Program,” she said professionally.

Wexler stared, slack-jawed.

“Unless you still think the FBI can’t deliver on its promises to protect you,” she added.

Wexler’s eyes flicked to the motionless assassin behind her, and back again.

“No, I’ll sign,” he said quickly.

∆

No bright ideas suddenly sprang into Ford’s mind to break the stalemate they found themselves in. No desperate last-minute solutions. Nothing.

Eventually, Stan sighed, and looked away.

Then he cocked his head slightly. Ford looked back at him. He was staring at their reflection in the Stanleymobile’s windows. There was nothing out of sorts to see there, as far as Ford was concerned.

“Y’know,” said Stan slowly. “I’m really glad I got that haircut,”

∆

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are just receiving word that the crisis at the FBI field office has ended, and the assassin has been apprehended with no further fatalities. We go now to Roberta Lopez, spokesperson from the FBI, and – oh, her, uh, colleague?”

“Thank you, yes. While the assassin has indeed been arrested and secured in a holding cell, the current situation is far from over, and before we go any further, we must inform you that Oracle Division is not the agency behind the Manhattan Blackout and Ned Guy’s assassination as the news has been reporting. Thanks for that, by the way. Rather, they have been framed by an organisation known as the Cipher Wheel, which the FBI has been investigating for several months now. At this very moment, we are concentrating our best efforts on bringing down these terrorists before they can cause any more harm. In collaboration with Oracle Division, who Mr Colleague here is a representative of, we fully expect to be able to handle this threat. Take it away, Neil,”

“BOOM! How d’you like them facts?!”

“Thank you, Neil. We will now take questions,”

∆

“Well, at least he’s cooperating now,” Jheselbraum said, arms folded as she peered over Carla’s shoulder at the folder containing Wexler’s new identity.

“For the most part,” Carla muttered, scratching at the bandage over her wrist. She was covered in glass cuts and more, but had only deemed the actual stab wound serious enough to address at the moment.

“Cipher is a sticking point. He insists on the guy being dead before he spills the beans, which on the bright side means we’re back to the original deal, but unfortunately also means that the only lead we have in figuring out where Stan and Ford have gone won’t talk until such time as it doesn’t matter anymore,” By which she meant “until Stan called her to tell her where they were because they’d managed to kill Cipher” and not “because Cipher had effectively destroyed all systems of world order thereby making Wexler’s sharing of information redundant.”

Jheselbraum’s speculative voice broke through her dark thoughts.

“Actually, I have been wondering about whether he is our only lead,”

Carla looked up at her with wide eyes.

“Has Oracle Division tracked down Addi and Fiddleford?” she asked eagerly.

Jheselbraum’s mouth quirked. “Not Oracle Division. And I’m not even certain she can help us. But if anyone has the ability to, it’s her.” She straightened decisively. “I’ll get back to you soon. In the meantime, perhaps you should deliver that folder to Agent Wexler, and savour the look on his face,”

Indeed she did, when she handed his new identity over a minute later. It was the least he owed her for the past few months.

“Alright Mr Toot-Toot McBumbersnazzle, it’s time to meet your new life as a travelling banjo minstrel,”

Gravity Falls, Oregon (Soon-to-be-Divided States of America)    ∆

A proximity sensor buzzed, signalling the approach of Pines, which was good news to Bill, who was getting impatient, and especially good news to Blondie and Fiddlesticks, whose heads he had been about to riddle with bullets.

“And right in the nick of time, boys,” he said, grinning as he lifted the gun off the man’s forehead. All sorts of shouts and protests finished their ringing echoes around the basement, leaving a breathless stillness in their wake that left him free to speak without competition. As the prisoners sagged, he continued, “Congratulations you two, you get to live another few minutes,”

They didn’t reply. Fiddsy he wasn’t even sure could at this point.

Spinning on his heel, Bill turned to the monitors.

He’d brought the brother. Good.

Stanford and Stanley were trudging across the grounds towards the cabin, their movements slow and deliberate. A smart choice, as Bill was more than capable of killing them where they stood thanks to Stanford’s enthusiasm and/or paranoia in his design of this place’s defences. It really was a shame that he’d sided against Bill.

They reached the front door, hands raised in surrender. As per Bill’s orders, the agents in the house above them let them through.

“Hey, you guys wanna play a game?” Bill suggested suddenly. McGucket made no response. He just hung there, his legs no longer able to support him. What a drip. Marks though, she raised her head and fixed him with a gaze that was definitely more lost than it had been a couple hours ago.

“Let’s try and figure out what their play is.” He peered theatrically at the next monitor, putting the gun on the desk before placing his palms flat against it too, pushing his face close to the screen. The upstairs agents were searching the brothers for weapons, going over every inch of them so that not so much as a pen knife would be brought down to the basement.

“Hmmm. Hope your pals here weren’t going to try taking me by surprise.” Twisting the screen around so that she could see, he asked, “What do you think?”

Marks’ eyes flicked over to it momentarily, but she seemed reluctant to look away from him – how flattering.

Then she did a double-take, and her eyes locked back onto the screen. She looked like she was concentrating. She was even leaning forward a little, trying to see it closer, an expression like there was a word she couldn’t think of right on the tip of her tongue, but remaining stubbornly out of reach.

Bill narrowed his eyes and stepped over to the edge of the desk, where he’d laid the memory gun on top of the Journal as a bookmark. He flipped backwards a few pages until he found what he was looking for.

“Ohh, right, you gave Fordsy your own little stop-and-frisk session back in China, didn’t you?” he teased.

Her eyes flew back to him, a sudden clarity in them. Hmm. Obviously his new toy wasn’t as refined as he’d thought.

“Funny,” Bill said, tilting his head. “I thought we already covered China…” He shrugged. “Must have missed this bit.”

A brief spin of the dial and a click of the trigger and a flash of light later, and those memories were once again gone. Marks flinched back, gasping, shaking her head and blinking the stars out of her eyes. When she looked back at the search of Stanford that the agents were finishing up, there was no recognition of the situation.

“Damn thing.” He shook the memory gun a little. “What about you, your head’s not fixing itself is it?” He shot at McGucket before he replaced the device. He didn’t expect a response, but he got one anyway.

“Well, it ain’t like Ah’d tell you’f I was!” And then he cackled – yep, cackled – briefly. Huh, looked like he was finally losing it. Well, it made things livelier anyway.

Out of curiosity, Bill tried erasing the ocean from his head. There was a brief pause, but McGucket continued cackling soon after. Marks looked sick.

“Finally, one of you’s seeing the humour in the situation. I don’t mind saying, you’ve been a pair of Debbie Downers lately.” Bill rolled his eyes and replaced the gun on top of the Journal, then resumed his position in front of the monitors. McGucket’s laughs died down soon after.

Pines and Pines 2.0 were being led through the house now. Returning to his musings on their possible plans, Bill said, “Credit where it’s due, at least they’re not attacking those agents. That would just be embarrassing for everyone,” If either of them so much as twitched aggressively towards an agent, the others, both visible and hidden from view, would bear down on the Pines like the wrath of, well, Bill.

No incidents occurred. Last week, Bill would have been inclined to put that down to Stanford’s forethought. Now… Bill was more informed.

He watched them walk compliantly through the rooms. Another thought struck him.

“Do a perimeter sweep,” he ordered through the mike. “We don’t want Oracle Division pulling any fast ones,” The command was acknowledged, and the monitors showed an increase in activity around and within the property moments later.

He doubted Stanford would have told the FBI where he was, not with Marks and McGucket so easily within his reach, and so far his and his brother’s cautious actions were confirming that. But Bill knew Jheselbraum. If there was anything that witch was good at, it was coming out of nowhere with devastatingly unexpected strikes.

The Wheel reported that all was quiet, however. It seemed that not even she had managed to find her way here.

On the central screen, one of the agents opened the bookcase revealing the stairs down to the basement’s first level. The other two escorted Stanley and Stanford through with a warning hand on their shoulders. They moved carefully.

At the elevator the lead agent typed in the access code, the buttons on the grainy image lighting up. Turning his gaze to a smaller monitor off to the side, Bill wondered if the elevator would be where they attempted something. It was the most strategic place for it.

Stanley and Stanford wordlessly entered the small area. The three guards visibly tensed in the tighter space, clearly also expecting an attack. Bill heard the elevator begin its trundle downwards, the sound propagating through the space and filling the once again silent area. Marks wasn’t even attempting to make escape plans with McGucket anymore. The lack of whispers in the background while he was apparently distracted was new. It was probably the certainty of death that was hanging in the air. Earlier, they probably hadn’t fully realised that he was going to kill them. And doing it in front of Stanford? Just a bonus.

The elevator reached the third level of the basement and its doors opened, revealing Pines, Disappointing Pines, and Guards One, Two, and Three, who had not been subdued, injured, or knocked unconscious. They pushed their charges out roughly.

Bill moved sedately over to the end of the bench, the motion alerting Stanley and Stanford to his presence. Their eyes alighted on him immediately. He settled comfortably against the edge, with the memory gun and Journal to his left, and the regular gun to his right, both easily within reach. He grinned at them.

“Just dump their weapons over there, you two,” he directed the agents.

“They didn’t bring any, sir,” reported one of them.

Bill raised an eyebrow at the Pines’. “Not very hopeful, were you?” he quipped. When they didn’t respond he continued, “Alright then, go back to your stations. Keep watch, be on guard, all that jazz. If you hear any screaming, that’ll be them. Don’t worry about it,” With a cheery wave, he dismissed them, and they turned and walked swiftly back to the elevator.

Once it started its rattling journey upwards, Bill examined his new prisoners. Stanley and Stanford returned his gaze with identical apprehensive expressions. And jeez, speaking of identical… they really did look similar. The monitor screens hadn’t done it justice. Stanford of course had blood and dirt all over his shirt, and Stanley wasn’t wearing glasses, but other than that… sheesh.

“I’m glad you brought your brother, Fordsy,” Bill started conversationally. “I would not have been happy otherwise,”

“You’re happy now?” said Stanford disbelievingly.

“No,” Bill admitted. “But this is nothing to what I would have been like,” The viciousness in his words was tempered by the palpable trepidation in the room.

“Well, you know,” said Stanley, far more flippantly than the tension in his body suggested he was capable of, “wherever we go, we go together,”

Bill gave an overexaggerated wince. “Ooh, might wanna rethink that line, buddy,”

Another difference between the two was that Stanley’s focus was solely on Bill, whereas Stanford had noticed McGucket and Marks manacled to the wall on Bill’s left.

“I assume I don’t need to do introductions?” he said lightly. Marks was looking all pathetic and desperate as she looked back at the frozen Stanford, which made Bill glad he hadn’t gotten around to burning out the latter bits of the Journal from her mind. No recognition would have been so much less entertaining, although Pines’ reaction to that would’ve been a sight to behold. Upsides to everything, Bill considered.

Stanley finally appeared to notice the other occupants of the room, and the expression that crossed his face was such a mixed bag of intensity that Bill actually laughed, whereupon it just became one of hate. Stanford had never been so open and easy to read. He liked this new guy.

“Addi? Fiddleford?” He asked in that rough voice of his. “You two-” He shut himself up before asking if they were okay.

“And look at that, you’re smart, too,” Bill praised. “No, Stanny, Miss Adeline and Mr Fiddleford are definitely not… well, how about you tell them yourselves, guys?” He gestured for them to go ahead and speak.

Marks glared, jaw clenched tightly shut. McGucket, however, was the more noticeably silent of the two. Not only did he not speak, but he didn’t move either. He hadn’t, in all the time that Stanley and Stanford had entered the basement. All eyes were drawn to him.

“Fiddleford?” said Stanford cautiously. No response.

“You wanna tell them or should I?” Bill cheerfully asked Marks.

She swallowed.

“He- he doesn’t know that’s his name,” she said softly.

Bill nodded emphatically. “Yep-amundo! Oh, don’t look so shocked, I had to do something while I waited for you guys, didn’t I?”

McGucket stirred. On shaky legs, he pushed himself to stand on his own a little more. “S’my name?” he murmured to Marks.

“Y-yeah. Fiddleford,” she replied unsteadily.

Well now the guy seemed a little more focused and clear-headed, and that wouldn’t do at all.

He slammed his left hand down on the Journal, and Stanley and Stanford would have had to be blind not to notice McGucket and Marks flinch as he came close to grabbing the memory gun again. Instead, he picked up the Journal.

McGucket’s eyes burned as they fixated on it. Bill’s grin broadened, and he flourished it at Stanford, who’s jaw was tightly clenched.

“Look familiar? It sure does to these two, I’ll tell you that. And it’s just chock full of all sorts of information! Families, histories, interests, missions… and I’m sure they both wanted all of it to end up in an easily accessible diary like it did, to be used against them at their earliest convenience!” Bill gave a mock salute. “We’re ever so grateful, Stanford,”

“Ford, he would’ve just found other things to use against us, or another way to get the information-” Marks started, valiantly trying to preserve the idiot’s feelings – and sure, she may have been right, Bill would have gotten the information anyway, but where was the fun in admitting that?

It was McGucket who interrupted her before Bill could, however.

“Didja write that?” The man was shaking, and not from the spot of torture. His hands were clenched tight, fingers biting into his palms. “All that- in that there book?��

Bill looked at Stanford, whose face was stonily shut down, unresponsive.

Like a switch had been flipped, McGucket chuckled suddenly. There wasn’t the slightest hint of mirth behind it, but he still shook with laughter.

“An’ Ah only had two months before retirement!”

Bill rolled his eyes. “I swear I already wiped Oracle Division…” he muttered. He picked up the memory gun again and shrugged amiably at Stanley and Stanford. “The things that slip your mind, am I right?”

He spun the dial with practiced ease and loosed the bright stream directly into McGucket’s face. The Pines’ started forward.

“AH, AH, AH, BOYS!” Bill held up the memory gun. “Stay where you are,” he warned vehemently. They did, standing further apart than before. “Good. No need to forget what the order of things is here, now is there?”

McGucket hadn’t reacted all that much to the burst from the memory gun. Bill would have wondered if it had even worked if he hadn’t stopped laughing so quickly.

“Alright, enough messing around,” he decided, leaning back against the bench once more and replacing the memory gun in its position atop the Journal, although he kept his hand on it. Pines and Disappointing Pines looked just about ready to charge, and while it would entertain him no end to have yet another excuse to hurt Blondie and Fiddsy because of them, he did want to get around to dealing out some pain for the Brothers Dim, too. That would only be delayed if he had to go and restrain them.

“You have us. Are you going to let Adeline and Fiddleford go?” Stanford said, his gaze flicking momentarily to the memory gun.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just waste my time with that question,” Bill said flatly.

“Then why are they still alive?”

In the peripheral of his vision, he saw Stanley take a step closer to him. So that was their play. One of them distracts him, the other gets the memory gun off him. Not great, and not going to work, and he would have thought that Stanford would be the one trying to wrest the thing away, but he’d play along for now. It’d make the finale all the more fun.

“Oh, because of this and that. Just never got ‘round to it, I suppose.” He turned to face more fully towards Stanford, like a thought had just occurred to him, and Stanley took the bait, edging closer.

“I gotta say, I am surprised you’ve managed to stay alive up ‘til now. I s’pose you’ve got your bro to thank for that, haha. Seems like a shame though, to let all that hard and unrewarding work just… disappear,” He punctuated the word by tapping his left fingers playfully on the memory gun. Stanley came closer still. Honestly, he hadn’t even crossed half the distance! He could definitely do with some pointers on strategy.

Quite happy to keep talking, Bill continued, “Y’know, what the heck!” He spread his hands wide and then dropped then back down, noticing that yes, Stanley had taken advantage of that chance too.

“Since you left, Stanford, I have to admit, there has been a bit of a vacuum left in your wake, and I don’t want to fill it with just anyone, you know what I’m saying? It really does need a Pines touch,”

Stanford stiffened.

Bill tilted his head innocently.

Stanford said, “No way in-”

“I’m sorry, WAS I TALKING TO YOU?” Bill thundered, and then he stuck out his right hand and grabbed the gun that didn’t fire white light and shot Stanford in the chest.

∆

“A’course Ah know where he is, y’think I was gonna let my husband go off in a state’f emergency without havin’ me as backup? I put a tracker under his tie this mornin’. He’s in some town in Oregon,”

“Thank you so much for your help, Madeline,”

“Why don’t you know where is? Jheselbraum? Why are you out of contact with him? Something hasn’t happened, has it?”

Silence.

“Madeline, we’ll need you to transfer us your tracking frequency as soon as possible,”

Silence again.

“Ah’m bringin’ it to ya myself. See you in twenty,”

∆

The blast hadn’t finished echoing around the basement before Bill was turning to Stanley.

“So whaddaya say, sport? Finally ready to join the fold? I gotta admit, I was sceptical at first, but y’know what, Sixer’s convinced me! He’s been singing you praises since months before you even showed up, isn’t that right Fordsy?”

On the ground behind him came a spluttering, gasping, pained noise. Stanley’s face was sheet white, his whole body frozen as if every joint was suddenly locked. Bill tossed the gun to his other hand and picked up the memory gun. So many guns! So many targets! Not the guy in front of him, though. At least, not if he made the right choice.

“All through that tour around the world, after every single mission, it was ‘Stanley this!’, ‘Stanley that!’ and I’ll admit, I didn’t wanna see it! I thought IQ over there was the golden boy!” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. Stanley’s eyes finally moved to follow its trajectory – hah, tragic-tory, more like.

“Wasn’t meant to be, unfortunately. Good thing you showed up! And I reckon you’re much more suited to this kind of life. After all, you didn’t go making friends with enemy agents first chance you got, you know how to focus on what’s important, and you know how to think on your feet and do whatever it takes to get what you want. And I bet you, kid, know what the smart option is now, don’t you?”

Stanley staggered a little. His eyes looked distinctly wet.

“I get it, you need a moment to think. Gotta weigh up those choices. Sure, on the one hand, I shot your brother. But on the other, I could just as easily shoot you. I’ll give you…” He deliberated for a moment. “… until I next get bored to make your decision, how’s that?”

He spun around to chat to his other prisoners. Marks’ expression was delightful, it was like he’d shot her instead, with that open-mouthed, shocked look, and eyes slowly filling with tears as she processed what happened. And even though McGucket wasn’t really up to date on what was going on, he didn’t appear any less affected. What a guy! Bill had been telling him practically since he’d arrived that the guy who wrote the Journal was the reason for all his torture, and he still only looked horrified. He was also the only other person in the room who hadn’t just stopped, rock-like. Even now he was examining everything that was happening, and fixing Bill with a pretty impressive evil eye.

Stanford’s groans of agony meanwhile were growing less and less, as were his laboured breaths. Bill didn’t even spare him a glance.

Feeling the constant background thrum of anger in him spike again, he was about to turn around and demand an answer of Pines when Marks drew a quick, shuddering breath and attracted his attention.

“Got something to say, lovely?”

She was stuck for words for a moment, but quickly found something to say.

“How- how could you do that?”

Pity it was so unoriginal.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Blondie, but I’m a little short on all those ‘heroic qualities’ you value so highly,”

“Ya- ya didn’t haveta kill him,” said McGucket, not letting the tremors in his bones stop him it seemed.

“Didn’t I, now?”

“He could’ve still been useful, fer yer – yer whatchamacall it… robotical and weaponisifyin’ office! Where all the mad folk go to unleash their minds upon the world!” He cackled again for a moment.

“You mean the R and D department?” Marks asked him.

“That too,” agreed McGucket.

Bill arched an eyebrow. “Thanks for the suggestion, but he was being far more annoying than useful by the end. And besides! Too late now,”

There was a flicker on both their faces. Wow, shooting Stanford had really rattled them, hadn’t it? They hadn’t been this in sync with each other for hours. It was almost like they had a common goal again.

Bill frowned. “You guys aren’t trying to distract me, are you?”

He whipped around just as Stanley finished crossing the distance and slammed his boot into Bill’s wrist. The memory gun went flying.

It hit the floor, threw up sparks, skidded, and whirled around and around until McGucket brought his foot down and stomped on it with a viciously triumphant expression. The shimmern bulb audibly cracked, and electricity fizzled up and down its length before dying out.

It was broken, that was for sure.

And Bill had no other copies.

And of the two men who could build another, one was all but dead, and the other was rapidly heading towards insanity.

Was Bill angry? No. Was he incandescent? Closer. Most importantly, he was still holding one gun.

“YOU IDIOT!” He roared, and brought it up and struck Pines across the face with it. He went down hard, and Bill wasted no time lashing a kick into his side that knocked him away and onto his back. Bill advanced again as Stanley, coughing, went to scramble up.

Pines made it to his feet and threw a punch. Bill dodged it easily and sent his boot into the side of Pines’ knee, which dropped him again with an agonised yell. Must’ve already been injured. He kicked it again, snarling. Pines screamed.

Stanley was kneeling now. Good. Bill brought the gun around but couldn’t resist hitting him again with it. It struck his temple in the same place as the first time, colliding with his skull in a satisfying crunch, sending him sprawling. Bill brought the gun back again, finger on the trigger, so ready for the sight of some blood and brains, but Pines caught the barrel and pointed it away from his face. Bill fired anyway. The bullet shot into the ground by Pines’ ear, concrete scattering, the bang deafening. The heat from the explosion scalded Pines, who yelled out again and shifted his grip off the hot barrel and over Bill’s own hands, still keeping the weapon away from himself. Bill pressed down with all his weight. Almost immediately, he began to win. Well, it was good to know that the esteemed skills and strength of Stanley Pines were so easily overcome. He must have hit him in the head harder than he’d thought.

Pines was flat against the floor now, almost all of Bill’s weight bearing down on the gun in the grip between them, forcing it slowly back towards Stanley’s face. Bill pulled the trigger again. It blasted into the concrete, barely a millimetre between that hole and the first. He pulled the trigger again. Stanley’s head jerked away from the third hole, neatly in line with the others, but he didn’t let up. Again. A fourth hole appeared, and this time the bullet skimmed his ear, the blood dripping into the cracks on the floor. Bill grinned right into Pines’ strained and desperate face. He sighted along the barrel of the gun. Pines’ left eye widened underneath it.

“Hey wise guy. Thought you wanted me dead,”

No. There was no way.

Bill looked back so fast his neck cracked.

He was on his feet. How was he on his feet?

There was a trail of blood marking where he’d crawled from his prone position. He had one hand pressed tightly just below his ribcage. He looked like any second could bring him down, but the grim set of his face gave some inkling as to how none had yet. And he was aiming the memory gun, the broken, sparking memory gun that Stanford Pines would not fire in a million years, directly at Bill.

He forgot about the man under him and bounded up, one hand extended out in a wild grab-

“STANLEY-”

-and nothing.

∆

The blinding flash faded from her eyes and Addi blinked desperately to clear them.

“What…”

She kind of wanted to scream, kind of wanted to cry, kind of wanted to curl up and pretend like nothing was real, but she didn’t. She didn’t, because the futile hand Cipher had outstretched was immobile, that expression of frenzied desperation permanently locked onto his face. The colour had been leeched out of him.

He’d been turned entirely to stone.

His back still to her, Ford’s arm shakily dropped and the memory gun clattered to the floor once more. He groaned and his knees sagged, and he would probably have fallen flat on his face if Stan hadn’t suddenly been there, grabbing him and offering what support he could.

“Stan? Oh God, how- how do you feel?” Stan was saying… as… he lowered… Ford to the ground…

His voice sounded very different.

“Worse’n I look. Urggh, no, actually scratch that…”

And he sounded different too.

No. Nononono. Wait.

Cipher had yelled out Stan’s name right before…

“You switched?��� she burst out, cursing herself for not seeing it sooner. Ford had six fingers, for crying out loud! And they were similar, yes, but not identical…

Neither twin responded, which she supposed was fair enough. F-Stan squeezed his eyes shut as Ford put pressure on the wound. There was a lot of blood, but evidently it wasn’t in an imminently fatal position – although the amount of time that elapsed before Stan got proper medical attention would still be a deciding factor. She’d seen Stan doing his best to plug it, but frankly she was amazed he hadn’t passed out yet.

Ford cursed and looked around, spying his glasses lying a little way away where they’d dropped off Stan when he was shot, and jammed them on his face with a trembling hand. Nope, she needed an answer.

“Why did you switch?” she demanded.

“We thought Ford was the only one who Cipher would be distracted by for long enough to get the memory gun off him, but he was also the only one who knew how to work it,” answered Stan, looking like he was trying to distract himself. “So we switched so I could distract him and Ford could get the memory gun off him, and hopefully everyone would come out fine.” He winced as Ford shifted. “As you can see, it worked amazingly,” he grunted.

It was possibly the most ill-advised plan Addi had ever thought anyone could conceive of. On the other hand, they had pulled it off, in a kind of roundabout way.

“Ford, get me out of here,” Addi called. “I can help, I have medical training,”

Thank God Cipher hadn’t taken those memories from her.

“Not ta mention we’ve been chained to this wall fer hours and we don’t want to be anymore,” Fiddleford chimed in with a far more valid reason. When Addi looked at him, he seemed utterly confused, but she thought that was because of Stan and Ford: he’d been clear-headed enough to keep Cipher’s attention on them. That most definitely did not mean that he was fine, though; he trembled like a leaf, and he couldn’t hold himself up properly. She was getting him, and Stan, and Ford as well, to a hospital ASAP.

Ford hadn’t moved from his position tending to Stan. It was like he hadn’t even heard her. Her heart clenched.

Five gunshots right next to the ear, plus dazing from multiple blows to the head. He probably didn’t.

As if just noticing that the shirt Stan was wearing was beyond saving at this point, Ford sighed and complained – a little louder than he normally would have – “You got blood all over my clothes,”

“You got blood all over your own clothes,” Stan muttered, affronted.

“What?”

“You got blood all over your own clothes,”

“What?”

Stan rolled his eyes and gestured towards herself and Fiddleford. “Just- just go help them down, Addi can at least recognise snark…”

Following his pointing finger, Ford’s eyes widened and he sprang up, finally remembering them. The key was on one of the workbenches, and as soon as it was jammed into the slot on Addi’s manacles, they clicked open. She hissed as her shoulders rotated for the first time in hours, her fingers and forearms tingling painfully as feeling rushed back to them, her back aching-

And Ford enclosed her in a hug and everything seemed a bit more bearable.

What did she know? She knew… she knew he was important to her, very important, as both a friend and something not yet defined but certainly real. She also thought that they’d probably worked together. He made her happy. He was fun, and stubborn, and she knew she needed to help him out of trouble a lot, and... damn it, what else? The little she knew of before Cipher and the basement seemed like a hazy dream. The first moment she could remember between them was… a reunion? In the El Dorado forest.

No, that wasn’t true.

A flash of memories crossed her mind. Her heart beating fast as he held her hands and leant in close. The breath literally being driven from her as he elbowed her in the gut and immediately looked horrified. His suddenly nervous but pleased expression as she asked him to buy her a drink.

Reluctantly, she let him go, and made her legs stumble over to Stan. There would be plenty of time to puzzle out the past later, when they weren’t dying.

She shook her head and dropped down beside him.

“How’s your breathing?” Other than painful and quick. “Difficult? Do you feel like coughing?”

“Nah. Kinda hard to focus, though,” he said, head lolling around to her.

“That’s the blood loss. Try and stay awake, okay? Tell me all about, uh…” She faltered at the realisation that she didn’t know him well enough to bring up his interests. Then a name burst into being behind her eyes.

“Carla! Tell me all about her.” She bent down and listened to the hole in his torso, moving his hands for a moment. She couldn’t hear any air. The bullet had missed his lung then. His hands felt clammy as she pressed them back down. He was in shock, too.

“Ford, we really need to stop this bleeding,” she said, interrupting Stan’s rambling. Ford straightened up from helping Fiddleford to a chair.

“Right.” His gaze passed rapidly over all of them in succession, lingering harrowingly on Stan. “I’ll- I’ll go upstairs and call for help-”

“No, ya darn well ain’t gonna, Stanford Pines!” Exploded Fiddleford. “’Cause there’s a veritabibble army of Cipher Wheel murder-machines dressed’n human form up there and I haven’t had a cat-piddlin’ second to design my own murder bot fer a counterattack!”

Addi stilled. The Wheel. It was still active. And the only reason she and her friends were still alive was because they didn’t know their boss was now a garden ornament. If they came down here, out of all of them she was the only one who would have any kind of chance at fighting back – Stan needed immediate medical help, Fiddleford couldn’t stand on his own or stop shaking (and that wasn’t even addressing his mental state), and Ford was one good hit away from collapse himself. It really shouldn’t be up to the girl with a mind like swiss cheese to protect them all, but it appeared it was.

The elevator came to life and dinged open.

“Area secured,” Carla McCorkle, dressed in full tactical gear, said into her mike.

“We found ‘em. They’re in th’basement,” her partner breathed in relief, throwing her head back and slumping.

Her partner…

“Maddie!” Addi cried.

“Addi!” Madeline McGucket responded automatically.

∆

“It seems that trouble has once again come to Gravity Falls. In a shocking turn of events, the creepy cabin in the woods that we all feel like is watching us when we go near it and out of which strange sounds and black-ops-looking type people occasionally enter, has been the headquarters for a mad spy organisation this entire time. It was stormed by the FBI and Oracle Division – whatever that is – not two hours ago, and four severely injured individuals were safely recovered from the basement, in which they had been held prisoner by the leader of said mad spy organisation, Bill Cipher. In events that are not entirely clear, Cipher had been… turned into a statue? Is this right? It is? Alright then… Cipher had been turned into a statue. When it was brought up out of the house and our reporter on the scene questioned whether Cipher might still be alive inside it, the thing was fly-kicked into a million pieces by one of the aforementioned prisoners, a Mr Fiddleford McGucket, to assorted cheering from the other prisoners, the FBI, the Oracle Division agents, random spectators, and the mad spy terrorists themselves. To conclude, the answer to that question is a resounding ‘no’.

“Meanwhile, the prisoners themselves are receiving treatment at the scene, as they are apparently too stubborn to leave things in other people’s hands…”

∆

From what Stan could see from his position lying on the stretcher in the ambulance, the clean-up seemed to be going well. Red and blue lights flashed into the night, and an almost continuous stream of Cipher Wheel operatives were being led out of Ford’s house, loaded into FBI vans, and driven away. It was much easier to take in his surroundings now that pain and cold fear weren’t pulsing through his body; the paramedics had given him something, and now the entire left side of his body was numb. And they’d assured him he wasn’t dying anymore, which was a relief. Also, they’d bandaged up that bullet graze on his shoulder. It was nice to be looked after.

Carla’s fingers were winding through his hair.

“We’re getting married as soon as possible,” she said. She was sitting in a chair next to him, occasionally touching the plaster the paramedics had insisted on putting on her multitude of cuts and scrapes.

“We are?” he asked.

“We are,” she confirmed. “I don’t trust you not to go off on yet another adventure and do something reckless and get yourself shot again before our wedding day,”

“Me do something reckless?” Spluttered Stan. “You tackled an assassin through a window today!”

“But I didn’t almost die!”

“That bandage over your wrist arteries and those bruises around your throat beg to differ,”

She flicked his nose.

“Ow!” He decided to let her idiocy go, at least until he could properly defend himself. “Yeah, let’s get married soon,” he agreed.

The last of the Cipher Wheel agents were driven off.

“So, case closed, huh?”

“Almost, thanks to you,” she smiled. “There’s still moles in practically every agency on the planet, I’ll bet, not too mention all the bureaucratic higher-ups Cipher had in his pocket – Jheselbraum’s superiors, for one. Fortunately, Wexler is free to help us with that, now,”

Stan groaned. “I thought you were going to take a break! What happened to us having some time off together?”

Carla blinked, startled. “I- uh, well, I’m still needed, there’s still things to-”

“Agents! There you are,” Came Jheselbraum’s voice.

Tilting his head, Stan saw her standing at the entrance of their ambulance.

“I couldn’t help overhearing the tail-end of that conversation,” she stated, “and I’m afraid Carla is right, Stanley. There is still much to see to with regards to the Cipher Wheel investigation,”

Stan’s heart sank.

“In fact, Carla, as a reward for the extensive amount of time and effort that you have put into this case, as well as the exceptional valour, initiative, and determination you have displayed these past few hours in the midst of crisis, I have taken it upon myself to use my not-inconsiderable influence to offer you a promotion,”

Carla’s face lit up.

Great. More work for her to take on.

Jheselbraum continued, “This will enable you a firmer command over the investigation, and I expect you’ll want to take full advantage of the delegative duties now available to you,”

Delegative duties? Well, just because it doesn’t sound like more work doesn’t mean it isn’t…

“I should also mention that this promotion comes with the condition that you take appropriate steps to address the large amount of stress and mental strain that this has placed upon you. Whatever those steps may be,” Jheselbraum looked from Carla to Stan, and back again. “Some leave, perhaps? Or time to work from home?”

For one heart-stopping moment, Stan thought Carla was too proud to accept. A few different expressions warred on her face, until something in it cleared.

“I’ll take that as a yes, Supervisory Special Agent McCorkle,” Jheselbraum smiled.

Carla sat back in her chair, breathing out slowly, and then grinned at Stan, who beamed broadly right back.

“So that’s that, Agent McCorkle?”

“That’s that, Mr Pines” she agreed.

Stan looked out of the ambulance again. Directly opposite, another ambulance was parked, its back doors open to them. He raised a hand in a brief wave to Addi and Ford, who were cuddling with their legs swinging off the edge of the ambulance floor. Ford had finally gotten some proper stitches in his head, as well as a bandage around it, and a knee brace. Addi was physically fine, but had a shock blanket draped around her shoulders. His brother smiled back at him.

“How often do ya put trackers on me?” Fiddleford wondered. His ambulance was next to Ford’s.

“Only when there’s a big whoppin’ emergency,” Madeline answered. Fiddleford was sitting up on his stretcher, and Madeline had joined him on it. The tremors had all but stopped, Stan was glad to see. Those were what had scared Madeline and the paramedics the most, but it had apparently only been shock symptoms, and wasn’t indicative of any kind of lasting brain damage. That hadn’t stopped Addi from flatly stating that both Fiddleford and herself were going to be booked up in mental therapy for the next few months, an action which Stan for one wholeheartedly agreed with.

Funnily enough, Fiddleford’s erratic speech was nothing to worry about. Madeline had disclosed that it wasn’t that out of character for him. He was way worse when he was drunk, apparently.

Something that balanced out the heartbreak that Madeline had shown when Fiddleford hadn’t entirely recognised her was the amazement and happiness on his face when she managed to tell him that she – at this point flushed from the action of the conflict with the Cipher Wheel agents, dressed head to foot in tactical gear, and backlit by the light from the elevator like some sort of avenging angel come to save them all – was his wife. Since then he’d seen Fiddleford staring off into space occasionally, just thinking things over.

“So what’s happening to Oracle Division?” Carla asked.

“We’re dissolved,” Addi replied. She nodded off to where Jheselbraum had moved to talk to some FBI officials. “The director said our mission’s over. The FBI has it handled from here, and Oracle Division agents will be picked up by other departments,”

“Is that what's going to happen to you?” Stan inquired, looking between her and Fiddleford.

Addi hesitated.

“Like hell it is!” Fiddleford snapped for her. “Whatever son of a bitumen road tries to stop me from retirin’ right this minute is goin’ ta be sorry. Ah’ve had it up to here with spies!”

“Fair enough,” Stan said, as Madeline high-fived him.

“I think I’m done with that scene for a while too,” Addi said, nestling closer to Ford.

“In that case,” Ford said, clearing his throat, “since I appear to be out of a job as well, how would you like to stay here with me? I’ve been thinking about going the scientific research route for years now, and this seems to be the perfect opportunity to do it,”

“Wh- really? Yes, of course! I’d love to!” Addi exclaimed, lurching off his shoulder to look him in the eye.

Happy as anything, Ford leaned forward so he could see into Fiddleford’s ambulance. “You’d be welcome too, Fiddleford. I can also look back over the memory gun schematics, see if I can reverse-engineer them. Any chance to make things right-”

“Ford, ‘making things right’ isn’t going to happen,” Addi interrupted.

Ford looked shattered.

Addi blanched. “No, no! That’s not what I meant! It’s because the memories are coming back on their own! We don’t need you to make a reverse-memory gun!”

“Wait, they are?” exclaimed Stan.

She nodded at him. “Every now and then another one gets triggered,”

Ford looked at Fiddleford. “Is this happening with you as well?”

“It is. Maddie’s been tellin’ me about Tate, and I’m rememberin’ him better all the time,”

“Well then maybe-” Ford reached behind him and grabbed the Journal, which he’d taken from the basement – “it would help if I recounted our missions together… that is, if you want my help…?” He looked uncertainly at Fiddleford. Stan winced as he remembered the anger he’d seen on the man’s face as Cipher had indicated the Journal.

Fiddleford sighed. “Stanford, Addi’s right. Cipher didn’t need that thing to hurt us, it was just convenient for him. Ah’d greatly appreciate yer help, and,” He glanced at Madeline, who shrugged in an easygoing manner, “Ah’d be happy to work with ya in th’future,”

Relief crossed Ford’s features.

Stan privately noticed that Fiddleford was clearly – to him at least – holding back quite a lot. Those first sentences had a rigidity to them that Stan thought probably meant that while Fiddleford could say them, and know they were true, there was still a way to go before he would really believe them. However, the fact that he had said them meant that things were already looking up.

“So you’re… doing okay?” Carla cringed at the inadequacy of the question.

“Improvin’,” Fiddleford nodded. “The memory gun stopped workin’ on me after a while, so that’s helped. Don’t think Cipher noticed, or cared too,”

“It did?” Addi asked, wide-eyed. “I mean, thank God, but… it did?”

At Fiddleford’s shrug, Ford straightened up. “That’s incredible! Perhaps you built up a resistance to the ray, or maybe the gun lost its power after a while – although that wouldn’t explain why it continued to work on Addi… I wonder, if we took an MRI of your brain-”

“Ford, are ya a neuroscientist?” Madeline asked with an amused tilt to her head.

“Ah, no-”

“Then leave it alone fer now. Let’s just relax for a while,”

Ford gave an embarrassed grin and Fiddleford squeezed his wife’s shoulders contentedly.

“All that bein’ said,” he piped up suddenly, irritation entering his voice. “Writin’ down yer top secret escapades was an idiotic thing ta do, Stanford, and if I’m goin’ to be workin’ with ya, you’ll be usin’ a computer, yer hear?”

“Computer’s can be hacked,” Ford responded weakly.

“Not mine,” said Fiddleford grimly.

Ford nodded his acquiescence, not that he had much choice, and then turned hopefully to Stan and Carla.

“We’ve already got jobs,” grinned Stan.

“We’ve also got some mandatory leave,” Carla put in. “I’d be happy to spend it here. After all, we’ve got ten years to catch up on, Ford,” She offered, and laughed as Stan immediately agreed to the idea. He was in no way ready to say goodbye to his brother yet, and he didn’t think Ford wanted him to leave yet either. There was still plenty of sappy hugs and conversations to have before then. And it looked like they were about to start now, as Ford opened the Journal on his lap, pressed a kiss to Addi’s hair, rolled his eyes at Stan’s eyebrow waggle, and began to read.

What had his life been like two weeks ago? He’d had a girlfriend who loved him, but who had also been extremely pressured by her work. He’d had a steady-ish job, but no friends. And a brother who he hadn’t seen in five years. Two weeks ago, life had been lonely, and quiet.

Now, he had a fiancée who loved him and whose case was all but wrapped up so she wasn’t in danger of dying of stress, he had taken down a terrorist and probably deserved a medal or some cash or something, he had two very firm friends who pulled stunts he found completely nuts but which probably meant that they weren’t about to be scared away any time soon, and a brother who wanted him around, who liked talking to him, who once again wanted his help and wanted to help him in return.

Now, life was moving on to better things, and he was looking forward to their next adventures even more.

#gravity falls #fanfiction #spy au #double o sixer au #stanley pines #bill cipher #carla mccorkle #fiddleford mcgucket #adeline marks #jheselbraum #blind ivan #madeline mcgucket #stanford pines #*emperor voice* #BOOM BABY

[rockynfriends]

Disneychus.

“TOMORROWLAND! TOMORROWLAND! TOMORROWLAND!” the high, excited voice echoes across downtown Disney as a Pichu and Pikachu walk alongside each other towards the entrance gates to the Magic Kingdom.

“I didn’t know you were so interested in the future, Riley,” Rocky smiles. “What’s it about tomorrow that excites you?”

Riley hops up and down question. “I like thinking about what it’ll be. I might get bigger, or smarter, or stronger!”

“Well, those come over time, certainly, though not maybe all at once,” laughs Rocky as the two present their tickets. The gate agent looks askance at the two for a moment, but shrugs and wishes them a pleasant visit.

“Well, we’re in! Now then, I—Riley? You okay?”

The Pikachu’s question is justified by the utter shock on Riley’s face.

“It’s…it’s…so pretty…”

Rocky nods. “I know. And we get to see all of it.”

This promise shakes the Pichu from his awe-inspired trance and he nods slowly.

“Did you still want to see Tomorrowland first?”

Another nod serves as the reply, and so the two proceed in that direction. Along the way, it’s all Rocky can manage to keep the smells, sounds, and sights from repeatedly taking his charge off the path, but he can’t help but feel delighted himself.

“These lines are long,” murmurs Riley. “You really think we’ll get to see everything?”

“I’ve been given assurance by our pink pal that we have full run of the park, long as we use…this…and…this,” he says, pulling out a plastic card and a golden paper.

“What’s that?”

“I was told to show the gold one to the folks at the entrances to the rides, and the plastic one to anybody who has something we’d like.”

“Really? Will that work?”

“Let’s just say Walt owed Cass a favor.”

“Walt? Who’s that?”

Rocky blinks. “Um…he was a fellow with an active imagination who used it to change the world!”

“Like you?” Riley grins.

Rocky blushes. “Not quite. He made movies and cartoons…but he was certainly visionary. This park was one of his ideas.”

“Wow. Wish I could have met him.”

“Me too. Cass tells me he could be a real handful, but was a lot of fun.”

Riley looks thoughtful for a moment – then completely forgets what he was talking about when he sees Space Mountain.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a roller coaster. It’s all inside, so you have to go indoors to ride it.”

“Can we go there first?”

“Definitely. I think it might be the best one here.”

“Wait – it says we’re not tall enough…stupid rules…” Riley looks dejected, but Rocky smiles.

“Don’t worry – that’s what this is for. Come on!”

The two approach the entrance and the Pikachu gently withdraws the golden page and shows it to the cast member.

“Oh! That’s a rare item you have. Right this way, young sirs!”

“Told you,” Rocky whispers with pardonable pride as they make their way across stairs and halls.

“You think all these people will get mad we’re going first?” Riley questions.

“It’s alright,” replies the cast member, “That ticket of yours is one of a kind and is to be honored no matter what.”

Riley nods, but still looks a bit concerned. His look becomes excited, however, when he and Rocky are strapped into their seats and the car begins to move.

“It’s getting awful dark…” he whispers as they round the corner.

As the countdown begins and the coaster climbs, Rocky smiles, full of anticipation. He’d been looking forward to this since his return home – getting to know Riley without interference from the job. It’s nice – but before he can dwell on it long his thoughts are interrupted by a fair amount of screaming from Riley, and then his own.

Time seems to fly by as the two are jolted, jostled and generally tossed about, but they manage to remain in their seats as the car comes to a halt. Riley is somewhat wobbly legged as he stumbles off of the ride, but his smile is telling. Rocky’s expression is as jubilant.

“That was the best thing I’ve ever got to do ever,” says the Pichu. “Can we do it again?”

“Sure, but let’s try some other stuff first, alright?”

Riley looks longingly at the coaster for a moment, but then thinks about how big the place is and realizes how much more he still wants to see. Rocky’s train of thought is similar, of course, so he’s agreeable when his younger brother looks at the Star Tours and asks if they can go there next.

The pattern repeats in various fashions. Each time they receive a seat quickly, and each time Riley’s eyes seem wider than before. Rocky is himself very excited, but his care for his sibling takes precedence over what would otherwise be a kid in a candy store’s reaction to being given the deed to the place.

When they finish their jaunt through Tomorrowland, Riley laughs. “I didn’t know the future could be so much fun!”

“Well,” Rocky says, “I’ve learned that tomorrow is full of risk and promise. But perhaps now you’d like to see the past?”

Riley blinks. “The past? They have that too?”

“Yup. Even a steamboat.”

“What’s a steamboat?”

“I honestly haven’t the faintest idea. So let’s go find out together!”

“Okay!” Riley laughs. “Which way to the past?”

Rocky gestures, and the two scamper skillfully through the crowd. Once or twice they have to yield in order to avoid getting stepped on. Riley protests one of these times when a particularly large shoe comes dangerously close to his ear, but at Rocky’s gentle words he calms down and before long they’ve reached Frontierland.

“It’s…kinda…brown,” Riley says, apparently more confused than amazed.

“Yeah. They had to make a lot of stuff out of wood back then and I guess paint was expensive,” replies Rocky with all the scholastic tones of an archaeological professor. “I can see a railroad, though, and…hey…look!”

“Steamboat!” Riley shouts.

The Mark Twain enters their view and without another word they take off in its direction. Rocky’s excitement, however, is immediately replaced with stunned horror when, rather than waiting in the line, Riley dives into the water and swims towards the oncoming vessel. In a split seocnd, he’s in after his charge, using a Quick Attack not only to intercept Riley’s course but to fish the smaller electric type out of the water and scramble onto the bank. As the giant ship goes by it’s hard to tell there was ever any danger, save for the panting Pikachu and his smaller companion’s presence on the shoreline.

“I’m gonna guess I did something bad,” Riley says, sheepish and a little afraid. “I didn’t mean anything.”

“No, no…it’s okay,” Rocky breathes. “But…uh…that thing wasn’t going to stop and you shouldn’t get so close to…stuff like that…without knowing how you’re going to—” he fails to finish the sentence, too breathless to continue.

They sit in silence for a moment as the sun dries their coats, too small, it seems, for anyone else to take much note. Riley looks up at Rocky again.

“I’m really sorry,” he says, leaning against him. The feeling is almost as stunning as the fear he felt moments ago. He can’t put it into words, and knows better than to try, but in the simple action of the younger Pokémon, the brotherly bond is forever solidified in Rocky’s mind.

“It’s okay. I just don’t want you hurt is all.”

“I know. I love you.”

“I love you too, Riley. I promise I’ll do everything I can to prove that for as long as I live.”

Riley looks confused. “You already proved it, though. You don’t need to do it again.”

For a moment, Rocky can’t look down at his brother, for he would cry if he did, but he takes a breath and smiles, before beaming down at the smaller Pokémon with a mix of affection and joy. He sits back up.

“We should get ice cream. And then maybe try the railroad?”

Riley claps his hands together. “Yeah!”

The two clamber back up to the pathway and look for an ice cream cart. It being Disneyland, they don’t have much trouble finding one, and when Rocky presents the card, they soon find themselves with perhaps more of the cold treat than either of them expected. Nonetheless, the excess is not lost on either and they manage to power through their respective portions with a speed that an eating contest champion could envy.

Indeed, such is the pace for most of the day. A ride, an attraction, a meal or a snack, and so on, fill their senses (and their stomachs) until by the time the early evening has begun, they are both nearly exhausted. Together they scamper to a place to see fireworks, but as the show begins, Riley looks at Rocky hard, before asking a question.

“You’ve changed since coming back. Did something happen?”

Rocky pauses. “Yes. Something very big…and I thought, maybe bad.”

“Was it me?”

The Pikachu shakes his head. “No. No, Riley, I never for a moment thought there was anything bad about you. I thought maybe I had done something…something that had hurt you, and I was so scared of what it all might mean that I ran away, even though I did mean to come back.”

“I’m sorry you got scared. When I get scared I sing songs.”

“Me too, actually. But I couldn’t remember what the song was for a while and I needed to remember. To do that, I needed a lot of time to think.”

“So you remembered?”

“Yes, yes I did. And I remembered something else – that no matter what happens now, I have a brother.”

“Wait, we’re related?!” Riley’s eyes blink in shock.

Rocky pauses, realizing that the Pichu doesn’t remember everything. “You don’t need to be born to the same parents to be brothers, Riley.”

“Really?”

“Really. I’ve always wanted a brother, and if you want one too, well then, that settles it.”

“I didn’t hear that was how it worked…but I like the idea.”

“I’d say that settles it then,” Rocky nods, smiling. “I gotta warn you, though. I’m a hugger.”

Riley initially grimaces, but then looks around, as if to see if he’s being watched, before whispering, “Me too.”

As the fireworks begin soaring into the sky, the two watch, eyes wide and hearts full. While neither of them had bought a single souvenir, or played any of the arcade games, despite Cass’s arrangement that they could if they wanted, they both knew that they had a much bigger prize, and were finally assured of their keeping it. Indeed, Rocky’s voice quietly rises above the sounds of the spectacle, as if in a poem or psalm.

If all stars in the skies Could brighten up my eyes They’d not mean as much to me As my new brother, Riley.

#rocketchu #riley #pokemon #pichu #pikachu #disneyland #long post #this is based off a real life visit from a few weeks back #also there's some important lore for you canon fans #:)

[mathiaskillmaster]

My GOT Ending: A Song of Ice and Fire (Episode 6 Season 8) Part 1

It was in a greyish twilight that this day fell that saw the titanic battle and the destruction of King's Landing. A shower of snowflakes, mixed with ashes, slowly begins to fall from the sky covered with black clouds. In the midst of the ruins of what was once the red dungeon, some of whose completely blackened foundations seem to stand still, advances a solitary, silent figure. The Night King, only survivor of the explosion, walks slowly and almost contemplatively on this landscape of desolation. His ice look locks a moment on the immobile thing that stands before him, and that also resisted to the wildfire. The Iron Throne, true symbol of power and lust, was still standing, seeing its surface slowly covered with ashen flakes. The Night King watches for a moment this particular throne, but shows no more interest in it. Always bringing the long night and the winter with him, the King of the walkers moves away from the still smoking ruins of the capital of the seven crowns, towards the south, followed by a small group of wights recently transformed by his power. No luck for those survivors who chose to flee by land, to have crossed his path. Walking on a little dirt track in the middle of the trees, under the rain of snowflakes, the ice king sees in the distance the first dwellings of a small isolated village, still seeming to be inhabited, judging by the lights of visible candles at windows from the outside. Despite having lost all of its army and all its white walkers in the explosion of wildfire, the Night King remains impassive, imperturbable. In his eyes, nothing new. The inexorable task for which he was created so long ago must continue and it is time for him to rebuild an army. Unbinding his ice sword and followed by his new undead soldiers, the Night King advances towards the village in order to commit a new carnage and expand his future new army of the dead. ********** The huge Greyjoy fleet, now under the leadership of Yara, continues its progress towards Dragonstone, with on board all the survivors who could escape the devastation of the city. In the various ships, the surviving civilians and soldiers, quite numerous, are supported by the ironborn sailors, having received the instructions from Yara to not do them any harm. From the bridge of te flagship, Gendry silently gazes at the fumes rising in the distance, and his heart dawns for witnessing the destruction of the city where he was born. Davos, too, remains pensive, having seen again in his head the explosion of the battle of the Nera. On board of the ships is reigning a shared feeling between victory and defeat. Seriously injured, Jorah lost consciousness after too much blood loss, but he still breathes, much Daenerys' relief. The Andal knight was installed on a bunk in the captain's cabin and Yara volunteered to stay at his bedside and watch over him. Tyrion remains silent, traces of dried tears visible on his cheeks. The loss of Podrick, but especially the death of his brother Jaime, marked him very much, as well as the fact of learning from Brienne's mouth that he is now the last surviving heir of the Lannister family. Jaime's body is now under a sheet, and Tyrion sits beside him, looking at him without saying anything. The dwarf gently puts his hand on the sheet. _ "You idiot ....." Tyrion sighs, his throat knotted. Brienne advances and comes to kneel beside him, also having shed tears for the knight Lannister. _"He fought as a true knight ..." she said to Tyrion "... he will receive the honors due to his sacrifice." Tyrion does not answer and merely nods softly. Standing back, leaning on the rail, Bronn observes the scene, and can not help expressing a sorry look for the dwarf. The mercenary could have, but he finally decides never to tell Tyrion about the mission Cersei had given him, considering that his dwarf friend has paid enough like that. It is in this idea that Bronn takes a last look at the crossbow that was entrusted to him, the one that had killed Tywin Lannister, and with a decided gesture, drops it overboard, and watch it sink into the water opaque, without regret. Farther on the deck of the same ship, Sandor remains seated against the rail. Though resistant, he suffered much during the fight against his brother and still feels the wounds he has received. Arya sits next to him. The Hound then looks tired in the direction of the black smoke columns rising from the distant ruins of the capital. _ "Fucking fire, we're better on these nut shells." he said laconically. Arya can not help but express a slight affectionate smile towards him. But behind this smiling mask, Arya remains marked by the brutal appearance of Hodor changed into a wight. She was forced to eliminate him in order to stay alive, but also to allow the kind giant to finally find the eternal rest. At the back of the ship, on the upper deck, Daenerys and Jon, face to face, are almost alone in the world. During this terrible battle, they nearly lost themselves forever, and this idea having crossed their minds could only strengthen the sincerity and strength of their love for each other. _ "Just to think that I could have lost you .... I don't know what I would have done without you ...." Daenerys said, unable to prevent a tear of joy from running down her cheek, as she gently puts her hand on Jon's cheek. The latter smiled at her. _ "If I am alive, it is thanks to you and all the others .... I am indebted to you, forever." answers the young king of the north. Despite everything that could disunite them, the couple remains closer than ever, especially after this terrible ordeal. Then, Daenerys takes the hand of Jon and comes to put it gently on her barely rounded belly. Noticing the smile and the insistent look of the dragon queen, Jon lets appear a more and more visible surprise on his face, as well as an even bigger smile, his brilliant irises. _"Are....are you sure? you think it's me ..." he asks to be sure of what's going on. Daenerys nods, more than sincere. The idea that he can become a father gives Jon hope and keeps him smiling. Yet Daenerys guesses the veil of uncertainty that hangs over the eyes of the one she loves. Jon is thoughtful, thinking silently. _"What happens, Jon?" asks the queen, concerned. Jon sees clearly that she seems worried about his sudden change of attitude, but explains himself, taking her hands in his. _ "Nothing ... believe me, this new warms my heart .... but, all my life, I was perceived as a bastard, a mistake to put aside ..... I will never allow our child suffers the same fate because of me." Daenerys understands the point of view of her lover, but also guesses the proposition behind it, with great joy. Taking Jon's face in her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes, the queen of the dragons shows bright irises of a happiness that she no longer hoped to hope for. _ "This is probably the worst marriage proposal I could imagine ..... but .... my answer is yes." she said, much to the relief of Jon who can not help but express a small embarrassed laugh at the somewhat far-fetched marriage request, which makes Dany laugh a little too. The couple kiss tenderly, thus sealing this marriage request. Shortly after, Daenerys and Jon return to the captain's cabin to meet Yara Greyjoy, still watching over Se Jorah, who, though still breathing, has not woken up yet. A bandage of fortune blushed with blood was placed on his back. Seeing the couple enter, Yara gets up from her seat, greeting them with a brief nod. _"How is he?" Daenerys asks, coming to the bedside of her friend Jorah, very worried about him. _"He's strong, but he'll need care as soon as we get to Dragonstone." replied the ironborn captain. Although remaining strong and dignified in appearance, Yara also did not come out safe from this battle. The news of Theon's death continues to haunt her, like Euron's comments about him, but by eliminating her hateful uncle, she feels deep down that she has done justice to the memory of her deceased brother. She observes Dany silently praying for the survival of her friend, the same friend who did not hesitate to risk his life against the Night King to protect her. Jon comes forward and comes to support Daenerys morally. Sitting behind her small desk, Yara breaks the silence and speaks to the couple again. _ "And so.... what will be the continuation of the festivities now?" ********* At Dragonstone, Samwell and Bran were brought back by Drogon from the air, and it is with great relief that Gilly welcomed the man she loves. On the beach, Sansa, Missandei, Samwell, Bran, and Gilly all attend the arrival, albeit unanticipated, of the Greyjoy fleet. The reunion is made in a mixture of joy and deep melancholy. Once on the sand, Arya and Sansa hug with force, as Arya embraces Bran with love. Sansa does the same with Jon when she sees him coming, and pours a small tear of joy for him. Daenerys lets the Stark family meet, and on her side, finds Missandei, who is happy to see her queen alive, can not help but hug her. Dany willingly accepts it. It is also with joy that the young Queen Targaryen sees Drogon, still alive and vigorous, flying in the sky above the island. One by one, Jon squeezes all his friends in his arms, thanking them all for coming to his rescue. Sansa and Tyrion meet face to face once more, and Winterfell's young lady notices the deep sadness that dominates the dwarf. She kneels at his level and hugs him gently in her arms, which he lets do. But the reunion is quickly cooled by Bran, who reveals to all that unfortunately the Night King managed to survive the explosion of the wildfire and headed somewhere in the south. The survivors are taken care of immediately, while Yara orders the disembarkation of her troops. The most wounded, such as Jorah, Gendry and Sandor, are supported by Samwell who with the assistance of Gilly, is eager to take them inside the fortress to treat them as best he can. ********* Although the army of the dead and Cersei were defeated in the battle of King's Landing, the weight of all casualties suffered by the survivors was still severely felt. At the request of Jon and Daenerys, a funeral ceremony was organized in the courtyard of Dragonstone, where everyone was gathered. According to tradition, Jaime's corpse was installed on a funeral pyre, in his knight's armor and his sword on his chest. The eyes closed and the peaceful face, he almost gave the impression of sleeping. Although he was the man who had murdered her father, Daenerys, in honor of Tyrion, had paid tribute to the knight Lannister who paid with his life to defend the seven crowns and the world of the living. The ceremony also paid tribute to all those who had perished during the Battle of Winterfell and that of King's Landing, against the threat of the white walkers. A stele bearing their names engraved on its surface was erected in their memory, and placed in front of the gates of the fortress so that each guest can upon arrival there to contemplate the names of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the world of the living. It was in a macabre silence filled with sadness that everyone witnessed the burning of the pyre which gradually covered Jaime's body, making him disappear forever, but not in the memories. Daenerys, standing beside Tyrion, put her hand on her counselor's shoulder, giving him a sincere, compassionate look. All around the pyre, the surviving soldiers stood upright, on guard, greeting the departure of one who was once the kingslayer, but who eventually became a hero. ********* Three days had passed, during which the new refugees had been installed in the fortress, welcomed by the queen of the dragons who opened her doors to all those seeking refuge. The announcement of the future union between Daenerys and Jon was proclaimed the day before, which surprised many, given the circumstances, but in these moments of doubt and unrest, it was better to cling to a symbol of union and hope, even minimal. Aware of the pain that still plagued the hearts of some, Jon and Daenerys proclaimed a modest reception. Jon, wrapped in his cape of king in the north, walks slowly on the magnificent cliffs of the island bordering the sea, and pensively contemplates the waves crashing softly against the rocks, and feeling the sea wind on his face. He is accompanied by Tyrion, who wanted to keep him company to change his ideas. _"You know, I would understand perfectly well that you don't approve my union with your queen, but ...." begins Jon, but Tyrion throws out that idea with his hand. _ "No, I totally understand ...." explains him the dwarf "... In these times more than troubled, I believe that people need to cling to a symbol of unity and hope, what you and the queen of dragons embody perfectly.... you have gathered the living against the army of the dead... even if no one wanted to believe you, you held firm because you knew that the threat was real .... without you .... we would probably all be at the service of the Night King now ... But tell me, does the idea of ​​getting married scares you?" Jon smiles slightly at Tyrion's question while continuing to walk with him. _"Let's say that with my status as a bastard, I did not think I would get married one day .... and not with a queen." Tyrion smiled in his turn. _ "I would gladly share with you my advice on married life, but my experience is very limited, I fear." the queen's hand answers. What Jon looks at him with an eyebrow. _ "But ... you're not married to Sansa?" said Jon, who remembered this detail very well. Tyrion scratches his cheek, a little embarrassed but nods. _ "It's a bit complicated ..." Tyrion answered frankly "... but well, I guess we can say yes, indeed." The two men exchange a brief silence, then a little reserved laugh. But quickly, Tyrion comes back on another topic somewhat thorny but nevertheless crucial for the future of Westeros. _"Now, the big question is: who will reign?" _ "I don't know ..." Jon replies with a sigh ... "The throne has never been my dearest wish. Daenerys would be a much better monarch than I am, and I think with the Night King always wandering in nature, this kind of questioning doesn't seem to me to be of the greatest importance, for the moment." Tyrion admits that Jon is right on this point. *********** In the library of Dragonstone, Samwell and Bran met to talk about the next action to be taken against the Night King. A knock on the door interrupts their discussion. Jon enters the room, greeting them both. _ "So ..... did you manage to find something?" asks the young king in the north. Bran remains unmoved while Samwell nods to him, but Jon can sense the unease in his friend's face. Samwell comes to meet him. _ "There ... there is a way ..." Sam said timidly "... but ... I think you should sit down." After a few minutes of explanation from Bran and Sam, Jon remains silent, staring right in front of himself, and not losing a crumb of the story. He runs his hand over the forehead, sighing heavily, while Sam gives him a look more than sorry. _ "I know .... it's really unfair .... it should not have been that way ..." Sam said with his throat tied with remorse. Jon thanks him for his compassion and pats him on the shoulder. _ "If this is the only way .... there is no more hesitation to have....I will do what I have to do, for the good of all." Jon told him.

#game of thrones #A Song of Ice and Fire #daenerys targaryen #jon snow #fanfiction #deviation #arya stark #bran stark #Night's King #white walkers #dragons

[giranswife]

Truth or Dare Au || Ch. 1

Summary: Ashley and her friends take a trip to the beach to enjoy some time away together. While they’re there, they stumble upon some interesting ruins that a few of them wish to investigate. Which will quickly become their shelter from a storm, and they decide to make the time worth it by having some fun. Little do they know that by starting a game of truth or dare, they will be sealing their fate with a vengeful spirit.

W: self-insert x canon, fluff, eventual slight nsfw, eventual horror

Ship: shirey

Next Part

(( Note: This is my horror au just in time for halloween! It’s a multi parter, I know that I have a lot coming, please bear with me!! This is based off of and heavily inspired by the movie Truth or Dare. I will be using scenes and maybe some dialogue from the movie, but I will definitely be twisting the narrative a lot to fit my mix of comedy and less death. Think of it as a slightly watered down version. ))

@self-shipping-angel

The warmth of the sun from the window served as the perfect light for me to catch up on a couple pages of my book. I leaned against the kitchen counter, using the morning sunlight as my only light source. My initial idea was to finish the short read before Shiroe was out of the shower, waiting for him patiently while also completing this book. I had been trying to finish it for months, work and other things keeping me from it.

I rubbed my sleepy eyes, sipping on my tea beside me. The house was rather quiet, and I felt myself falling against my palm that rested against my cheek. The words on the page below started to blend together, and my eyelashes slowly fluttered closed. It didn’t take long for me to slowly fall asleep.

Before I could slam my head into the counter, I felt a hand slowly touch my shoulder gently. It caused me to jump a bit, my eyes fluttering open as I glanced at the man beside me.

“Oh… hey Shiroe,” I mumbled, “Did I fall asleep?”

He nodded, his hand running down my cheek. The warmth of it calmed my thudding heart, and I relaxed into my chair with a sigh.

“Yep. Almost. Are you sure you want to go?”

I nodded, sitting up from the stool and stretching my arms.

“Of course I do. I just didn’t get enough sleep as I would have wanted to last night. Besides, Sayeko and Marielle would kill me if I canceled plans.”

Shiroe shook his head, chuckling as I yawned and leaned my forehead against his stomach. He ran a hand through my hair, delicately pushing the strands as he held me close. In the peaceful quiet of the kitchen in that early morning, I could easy fall back asleep in this position. But I was both excited for this trip and ready to get out on the road for some damn fresh air.

“No they wouldn’t. I’m sure she’d understand if you were tired.”

“Yeah, but… I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for months.”

Shiroe let out a sigh, but didn’t protest. He knew that I was right, and he definitely didn’t want to upset me.

Today we were getting ready to meet up with our friends to head out to the beach for the weekend. Me and Sayeko thought it would be fun to get away for the weekend, all of us needing a break from everyday life and stress. I haven’t spent a lot of time with my friends like that in a long time. It would be great to get away and have a fun time.

After months of deadlines and meetings, this was what I needed. Shiroe felt the same, but he was just looking out for me. It’s why I loved him and why I was excited for us to get married soon. It was another reason why we needed to get away. Lately he and I have just needed a break from the world. We would technically still be with friends, but we did get a separate hotel room in the hopes of having some alone time at night.

Just as I was getting used to the feeling of his arms around me, I heard my phone chime beside me. I quickly picked it up, reading the text from Sayeko through blurry eyes.

“Oh, they’re about to pull up,” I said, quickly shutting my laptop and throwing it into its case, “Are you sure you don’t just want to take my car? It’s gonna be kind of cramped.”

“Yeah, it’ll be easier to take one car. Besides, they already agreed that they trust me driving more than any of you guys.”

“Now, I have no idea why they’d say that.”

I winked teasingly, slipping my bag onto my shoulder.

“Hey, I’m a pretty good driver,” He said, then took a better glance at my face, “What?!”

“Yes, babe, you’re a good driver. But more like you’re… too good of a driver.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He followed me to help me grab my bags, just as Sayeko pulled up in our driveway. She should have already picked up Akatsuki and Marielle, and we were their last stop. I helped pitch in some cash so we could rent a bigger vehicle since most of us who had vehicles didn’t have one large enough for all of us.

Biting my lower lip, I tried not to giggle too hard as I spun around to face him. The look on his face was pretty adorable. He looked almost betrayed in a cute, joking sort of way.

“Shiroe, baby, I love you. But you drive like my grandmother.”

He scoffed, “I do not. I drive responsibly!”

“Too responsibly!”

“So would you rather me drive like Naotsugu?”

My eyes widened, and I had no words at that point.

The lift of his brows just made me giggle loudly, gently pushing his chest playfully. The thought was already frightening enough, and he knew that. He was there when I specifically asked Sayeko not to let Naotsugu take the wheel. At all. I’d much rather deal with Shiroe’s careful driving than his… fast and furious kind.

“Yeah, I thought so,” He laughed.

“You know, just because you won this time, doesn’t mean anything.”

I poked his chest for emphasis, pursing my lips as I noticed him getting closer. My chest heaved slowly as I tried to catch my breath from laughter. The distance was slowly closing between us, and I felt his fingers slip through my own. His lips pressed against mine so softly, that I almost didn’t feel it at first. I kissed back, smiling in between each one as my cheeks flushed red.

It wasn’t until I heard the loud knock near my ear that I suddenly jumped and yelped rather loudly.

“Are you guys ready in there?”

I rolled my eyes, quickly opening the door before he could knock that loudly again.

“Oh, there you are! What’s taking you so god damn long?”

“None of your damn business, bitch.”

“Now, that’s just rude!”

I stuck out my tongue at Naotsugu as I walked backwards towards the car.

Sayeko was already rushing out of the car to give me a hug, helping me get my bags and throw them into the trunk. Marielle rolled down her window, reaching her hand out to pinch my cheeks.

“There’s my cute sister!”

“Marielle, please, don’t-”

She stopped only long enough for her to open the door and yank me inside. Her arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace, and I was already beginning to gasp for air.

“Marielle, do we have to do this every time?” Akatsuki asked from the seat near the opposite window.

She rolled her eyes, giving me a sympathetic smile.

“Didn’t you two just see each other yesterday?” Sayeko asked, appearing behind us as she tried to help Marielle relax her fingers.

“Every day away from my sister is a terrible day!”

Finally, I was able to break free from her hold, and I slid down onto the ground as I gasped for breath. Granted, I was being a bit dramatic about the whole thing, but it really did feel like I was just getting my breath back after a long time. She literally knocked the wind out of me.

Sayeko helped me onto my feet, and she tried not to giggle from the face that I was making. I rubbed the base of my neck and chatted with the girls while Shiroe helped Naotsugu put up the rest of the bags.

“Are you ladies ready to go? You got everything?”

“Yeah, yeah we’re fine. Just waiting on you two slowpokes.”

I winked, ignoring the roll of both of their eyes.

The sun was beating down above us, which was both a good and a bad sign. It was a good sign that it was perfect beach weather, but it was bad because it made me miserable. I was feeling much better once I was inside the car, sitting in front of the AC that was blowing right on me.

“I’ll stop at a store and let you guys get some snacks. We’re about two hours out,” Shiroe said, giving my hand a little kiss before he started the car.

“Ooooh! Did you say snacks?”

“Yes, children, he did.”

“Who the hell are you calling a child?!”

“Naotsu, baby, please. Shhh…”

I rolled my eyes, folding my legs underneath me in the seat and getting more comfortable.

This was going to be a long, long ride. But I was looking forward to it. My friends may be weird and sometimes wild, but I loved them to death. This was one of the reasons why I knew that this weekend was going to be the best.

But little did I know that there was so much more in store for us. So much more than just a simple beach weekend.

Something much… much deadlier.

#my writing #ship: shirey

[glamorous-revenge]

A New Chief

((Ha! That’s right! I had TWO for the @moana-party​ exchange this time around! My second prompt was from @raptor-moon who requested:

An encounter with the kakamora goes very unexpectedly.

This was fun to write!! Hope you like it!))

A typical day in the Realm of monsters... or it had been. Monsters going about their usual business of hunting and survival, when out of nowhere a loud splash broke the surface of the watery ceiling high above their heads, and something plummeted straight to the earth. A flock of eight-eyed bats screeched as they were spooked from their perches, and a frog the size of a small bus hurriedly hopped away as the mysterious something struck the reed with a shattering crash. Enormous wooden splinters and shards of coral and shell fragments went flying until the object finally came to a full stop, and for a moment, all was completely silent.

A few of the more brave, or perhaps more curious monsters slowly drew back in toward the crash to see what had jut invaded their realm.

It was... unusual to say the least... A boat? A hut? A small island? The wreckage seemed to be a mix of the three, and it was immediately clear that even before the strange vessel had sunk to the ocean floor, it had been in some sort of violent collision, if the massive cracks and break alongside the hull were any indication. A few broken spears were tangled among the wreck as well, but... they were far too small to belong to any human.

So what-?

KNOCK KNOCK

The nearest monster, a cat-like creature with a scaly, whip-like tail and saber-like fangs, yowled and arched their back as the leaped away from the wreck as something deep inside started to move and shift. It let out a haunting hiss in warning, but the beams and bits of sail continued to move about.. And a little coconut with a face scrawled on a shaven part of its surface poked out of the rubble.

SLAP SLAP THUNK KNOCK

It struck its armor with mauve-colored hands, and tilted as it looked at the cat monster.

Seemed harmless enough. Cute, even.

Hackles lowered, the cat still growled as it started to stalk forward. Whatever this coconut thing was, it was alive, and would certainly make for a valuable snack, and the monster flexed its claws in anticipation.

Suddenly, the beams and splinters shifted again, and at least four dozen other faces emerged from the wreckage. The cat stopped in its tracks, baffled, and before it could take another step

"REEEEEEEE!"

The kakamora screeched defiantly, and grabbed the broken spears, or pulled out all manners of weaponry forged from sticks, stones and sea life. They jumped from the remains of their ship and charged at the monster. It yowled and scrabbled back, claws finding no purchase in the soft sand as it tried to turn about. Only by dumb luck was it able to finally right itself, and dash back into the undergrowth before the tiny pirates had reached it.

Several skid to a halt, and raised their weapons in triumph! ... But the rest kept running, straight into the wilderness. Almost immediately, confusion washed over the ranks... More stopped, some continued forward, and in the chattering chaos, at least one made it into the denser plantlife. Were they supposed to continue attacking? Were they supposed to fall back? Certainly didn’t seem like the organized and intricate coordination that most of the world had come to expect from them, but... they didn’t know what to do!

It was only when a blood-curdling shriek abruptly cut off by the crunch of a coconut shell from the shadows that snapped them all back to their senses. They huddled together, weapons pointed outward, until everything became calm once more.

The defensive ring disbanded, and the pirates looked to each other for some kind of answer. They’d never been that disorganized before... What happened? Usually the chief would give an order and-

... And there it clicked.

Their chief had been on the main boat, unconscious by one of their own darts during the collision. She wouldn’t have been able to do anything to rescue her crew members, and now she was miles away from them, with monsters, sea creatures and an entire ocean of water between them.

The kakamora slapped out panicked messages on their shells.

We have no chief!

Who will lead us?

How will we survive?

One with a seashell crown rapped his jawbone club over his neighbor to get everyone’s attention.

We must find a new chief! He announced, drumming on his head. A new chief to lead us and make us our own crew! One that can keep us safe around these monsters!

Nervous chattering rippled through the group, but ultimately they decided that he was right... But one problem... None of the pirates present knew the first thing about Lalotai...

No... They would need to search for a new leader... Someone who knew this strange new land like the back of their hand...

And if they didn’t want to end up like their fallen crewmate, they would need to find one fast.

---

Days? Weeks? Hard to tell as the time blurred in this sun-less, neon-dominated landscape. The pirates trudged along, dragging their weapons behind them, and practically suffocated with the heat, humidity and plantlife. Kakamora were evolved to handle life on boats... not trekking miles upon miles through dense jungle... but they were slowly starting to learn. They stayed close; never straying more than a few feet from multiple others, and they constantly had look-outs to warn the others of the first signs of trouble. A few of them had even started collecting small trinkets and ‘treasures’ to feel like proper pirates again.

But still, they were still nowhere near ready to tackle this place on their own; evident by the fact their group had shrunk by another half-dozen or so.

We should stop and rest...

Can’t rest... We need to keep going...

Those two messages kept getting knocked back and forth, regular enough that it almost formed a marching beat as they kept going forward. Why, if the creatures could actually sing, it might have made their trek a little easier. They could practically hear the melody in their heads...

...

Wait a minute... That wasn’t in their heads.

A few of the kakamora in the front of the group raised their hands out-of-sync, trying to get the rest of the group to stop. Sure enough, somewhere ahead of them, there was the unmistakable sound of someone... or something... singing in a tired, melancholy tone.

♪ “Shiny... I’m so shiny...” ♪

The smaller monsters looked at each other uncertainly... though this was the first thing they’d heard that wasn’t squawks, shrieks, screeches or grunts since they got here. The first sign of ANY kind intelligence in this gods-forsaken landscape. The uncertainty gave way to hope, and their nervous knocks clamored to a dull roar of anticipation.

The few at the front gave an excited cry, and the group rushed forward...

And almost bounced off of a large, bulbous eyestalk that lay in the clearing just beyond the trees.

The kakamora screamed, and the giant eye blinked as it swiveled to look at whatever had interrupted its owners singing.

“What the-!?” an almost deafening voice boomed out, and a few of the pirates fled back into cover while the rest stayed frozen stiff.

It was a monster, that much was painfully obvious, but one MUCH bigger than anything they’d seen so far. It appeared to be some sort of giant crab, blue-purple in color, and with a legspan of at least a hundred feet across. Hell, even the eye itself had to be three or four times taller than any of the pirates. The crab was upside down, locked in place on his back, and judging from the torn up terrain within his reach, he’d had been stuck that way for a while with no luck of righting himself.

A kakamora in a puffer fish hat tried to tap out a greeting, but the larger monster’s voice sent those hands to cover eardrums instead.

“Gods above, just PERFECT. Now the vermin have come crawling out of the woodwork,” the crab groaned. “Haven’t I suffered enough!?”

He struggled, trying to rock himself forward, and the ground below him shook from his efforts. More of the pirates fled for cover, but before they all disappeared, a few noticed something... unusual about this crab. As it leaned forward, they got a good look at his back...

And it was absolutely COVERED in gold.

Their eyes sparkled... A tempting hoard for such renowned thieves, even in such a place and as dire a situation. The enormous crustacean must have collected those treasures for millennia, scouring the place for every little bit of gold and shiny collectibles it had to offer!

Leaving no stone unturned.

Exploring... everything... hmm...

They exchanged looks... they were all clearly thinking the same thing, as impossible as it might be... But they were desperate.

The crab rolled back into place, covering up the treasure once more, and he fell limp with a melodramatic groan.

The kakamora reemerged from hiding, and they chattered and knocked quietly amongst themselves while stealing glances at the fallen monster...

And a plan slowly took form.

Afterall, the Kakmoras weren’t just pirates... No.

They were engineers... And though this very idea was crazy...

It just might work.

---

Over the next few weeks,the kakamora hovered around the fallen crab, and he was absolutely infuriated by their presence at first. They kept getting far too close for comfort, and over time, they started bringing all sorts of garbage around him... tree trunks, pillars of coral and stone, woven ropes from vines and coconut palm fibers... and no matter how often he roared or swatted at them, they just kept coming back. Eventually he had to grudgingly tolerate their existence.

The kakamora themselves were also becoming much more brave as they worked. There weren’t nearly as many monsters in this area, due, of course, to the giant crab, so they could venture out in smaller groups to get more work done. They’d even managed to build a camp, stock up on fruit and a few fish that had fallen from the sky, and built traps and harnesses to capture whatever small-ish monsters remained in the territory.

A kakmora with two bones tied to its head rode on top of a monster that looked like a chicken crossed with a lizard, and used it to push one final round boulder into place on top of the nearby geyser vent.

Perfection. Everything was in place.

THUNK THUNK KNOCK

The warning message rung out over the valley, and the workers scrambled to the safety of their camp. The bone-headed kakamora rode over to the crab’s head, and poked at the eyestalk with a large stick to get the crab’s attention.

He hissed as he woke up, and bared his teeth at the little coconut-wearing monster. “Rude,” he growled. “What do you want?”

The kakamora simply tilted his head, then gestured to the blocked vent on the hill in front of them.

The crab frowned. “A little late for that, genius...” he deadpanned.

The kakamora kept gesturing, but before the larger monster could piece everything together, the plan was already set into motion.

The ground rumbled, and suddenly the geyser erupted, sending hot water, steam and the large rock flying high into the air. It landed with a heavy crash, and started rolling towards, guided by barricades the pirates had built from coral and wood. It bounced around like a pinball before settling into a deep groove that sent it barreling straight toward a large ramp. It hit the ramp, and went flying in the air...

straight for the crab.

He screeched, and curled his limbs to try and protect his softer stomach, but there was no need. The rock landed perfectly as calculated, hitting the end of a large lever that had been wedged beside him, and with one sudden push, the startled monster was thrown forward.

The kakamora held their breath as he teetered in place, still baffled by what was going on. Of course the rock could only push the 800 ton chunk of muscle and chitin so far, even with the help of physics... but thankfully, just as gravity tried to claw him back down to earth, the crab got a sense of what had just happened, and with one desperate flail...

THUD

He fell forward, landing safely on his stomach.

The pirates cheered, screeching cries of victory that their hard work had paid off, and while the larger monster was still dazed and dizzy from the experience, they rushed forward in a coarse, hairy swarm and crawled onto his gold-laden shell.

“Wh... what.... Hey, get offa me!” The crab tried to stand, but atrophied legs were still clumsy from disuse after so long, and he wobbled as he tried to get up.

But the kakamora did not move. They continued to celebrate, surround by gold and wealth... their dreams come true! And yet, this was just the bonus.

Their real goal... the one they had worked so hard for...

They looked up at the crab’s face expectantly.

“... What the hell are you staring at me for?”

One started to thump rhythmically on its chest, and one by one, the other kakamora followed suit. The sound grew and grew with volume and intensity until the entire crew’s chanting echoed through the valley.

Far too creepy for the larger monster’s taste. “What are you doing? Stop that!”

... And they stopped. Immediately.

The crab blinked. He... hadn’t expected that to work so easily.

Were they... listening to him now?

He glanced down at some of the scattered treasures that had been knocked loose while he was upside down, and pointed at them with his claw.

“Uh... Pick those up?”

And without question, they did exactly that. The pirates shimmied back down his limbs and picked up everything remotely shiny they could find in the sand, and brought it back onto his shell before standing at attention once more.

Shock and confusion gave way to a sinister smirk, and the crab’s antennae perked forward in interest.

“Oh this is going to be fun~” he purred before chuckling to himself. You guys are going to do everything I say, hmm?”

They nodded, and pulled forth a makeshift headdress, not dissimilar from the one their old chief used to wear, and set it among the rest of the treasures.

“So you want me to be your leader? Only natural~ Who wouldn’t want to love and worship the King of Lalotai and serve his every wi-GAH!”

A dart had struck his eyestalk... He was going to be their leader but that didn’t mean they were gonna accept any nonsense. A kakamora subtly gave the one that had blown the dart a high five.

The larger monster grumbled, and tried to pick out the annoying irritant stuck in his armored skin as the stalk froze in an awkward position. “Fine, fine. We’ll work up to that... But I guess I do owe ya runts for getting me back upright. You can stick around... for now... But the instant you lot start irritating me, you’re GONE. Comprenez-vous?”

He was met with enthusiastic nods, and the pirates chattered and knocked happily on their shells, perfectly content with the arrangement.

Strange creatures, surely... Their new leader rolled his non-paralyzed eye, and after briefly stretching and getting reacquainted with his old legs, he marched off in search of something to eat.

In spite of the monster’s attitude, the kakamora were over the moon, and once more roared with cheers and victorious battlecries. They’d done it. They’d found a new chief. They found safety... treasure... their confidence... and even a new ‘boat’ all in one!

And all the while, they proved that they were capable of doing big things even in this giant-dominated world.

Now they could claim this new land as their own.

Now they would survive.

Look out Lalotai! The Kakamora don’t fear you any longer!

#Crabby Fanfiction #moana party #moanaparty #raptor moon #raptormoon

[loveluredd]

the coffee that we lost, and the moment that we gained.

“ It doesn't feel like I just met you, it's like I know you.   Better hold my feelings back,   because I just met you, and I don't wanna get ahead of myself. ” — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP3yYCmE1ic

There is something to the early evenings in the winter months, the nip of the frozen air as it washes over your cheeks, leaving a pinched pink to complement the golden light that dances its way across every face that braved it. Many would opt for the sweltering days of summer if given the choice, but no, they weren’t for me. I preferred it when the world was painted in white, a blank canvas upon which you could splash your own colors. More often than not with a worn scarf in my case, interwoven wools that had faded with the years, but the memories made in their presence clung to each and every fiber. As much as I loved a chance to start anew, a slate coated in untouched snow, some things were harder to leave in the last chapter. I could hardly say that I remembered stepping foot into the coffee shop that sat on the corner overlooking my favorite view in town. The ritual was such a part of me at this point, that my muscles needed no guidance to steer me home, my mouth needed no supervision to greet whoever stood behind the counter by name, no hesitation would be found in repeating an order made time and time again. The only real indicator of the fact that I’d even stepped inside, was in the instinctive unzipping of my jacket, the loosening of my scarf, as the heat being pumped out by radiators and tired machines seeped through the layers of disconnection to let me know that they were no longer needed. Times gone by danced through my mind, as if invited by the touch of fingertips to the material looped around my neck, vivid flashes of days lived pulling me under their spell. As memories tended to, they didn’t come in long stretches, there were no scenes that played out in their entirety, instead I was left with snapshots. Crystal clear pinpoints in time, from which roots grew, spreading outward with the faintest feelings of familiarity, touches of emotion weaving their way under the surface, until the only part that stayed true was the original snapshot. The rest tainted by attempts at forcing puzzle pieces into spaces that weren’t made for them, willing them into existence, hoping that hope alone could create a bigger picture. Then, bump. A flash of reality, a startling hit of clarity among the blinding colors that swirled beneath the surface. It was him. Those were the words that came to my consciousness, well before the awareness of the hot liquid that had been knocked over us. Both caught up in our own worlds, we’d collided, our finest shirts now forever marked by the coffee that we lost, and the moment that we gained. After a split second where time had stood still, nothing but his eyes locked on mine and a rush of affinity, came a sudden flurry. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, I am so sorry.”   The words came with a frantic grab and offering of napkins that he thrust in my general direction, earning an undiluted laugh from me as I set down the now useless cup of coffee to take him up on his offer. “I don’t know why you’re saying sorry, I was the one away with the fairies.” Splitting the pile of tissue between my hands, dabbing one bunch to my chest, returning his gesture to him with the other. “Dry that before it gets to your skin, death loves nothing more than a cold night and wet clothing. As my mother would say.”  A pause, as if a ghost had emerged from the shadows, just long enough to tap me on the shoulder and deliver a fright.  “Wow, am I really at the age when I start quoting my mother? Shoot me.” That was apparently the key to wiping the deer-in-headlights look from his face, trading it in for something closer to the humor that had settled upon my features.  “That really is tragic, you might as well head straight for the retirement home from here.” Eyes lifting from my assessment of the damage, finding myself caught once again, trapped in the weight of his eyes — lit up by the amusement of our blunder, yet somehow maintaining a captivating darkness that demanded undivided attention. Eyes like sinking ships on waters, so inviting, I almost jump in.  “Oh, you think? Well, do you think they’d take the spilled drink as a ticked box on the senile checklist?” A groan surfaced with that remark, his hand lifting to smack the heel to his forehead, possibly the most comical and charming thing I’ve ever been witness to.  “I really am sorry. I hope that isn’t an expensive shirt.” “Well, more expensive than the drink, and I’m far more upset about that.” Pausing in my own tracks, no cup in reach, yet I needed to drink this in.  “Let me buy you a new one.” His hands flew up in protest, swiftly dropping, surely in search of the wallet he seemed dead set on. It was just as much his fault as mine, and it was the man’s job to step up, wasn’t it? A mix of his eagerness, and my own inner musings brought up a roll of laughter, along with a forward facing palm that demanded an end to his panic.  “I don’t deal in patriarchy. I’m buying you a latte.” Just as easily as I’d waded into past memories and lost myself and time to them, I fell into the one that was in the making right before my eyes. If I’d wanted to know exactly how long we stood for, the concept of chairs lost to the unwillingness to halt conversation, I could have asked the staff that continued to bustle behind us. Though, part of the magic laid with the time forgotten, a precious thing I wasn’t willing to taint with something as unremarkable as numbers. There was nothing in this moment but us, swapped words, mingling laughs, and the wish that the world around us would never come crashing back into this place that was for us alone. We stood, we chatted, snickering exchanged over the ridiculousness of caffeine. You wanted it, until not having it put a blinding pain behind your eye and you hated the very fact that it existed, and then you needed it. Silent understanding shared and fingers twitching with a need to offer comfort as things turned from lighthearted, to anecdotes of our mothers and the wisdom we inherited from them, along with the accompanying scars. Our second attempt at drinks remained untouched, drifting away from warmth toward something iced — we didn’t seem to care for our second cups lost, not when something was being found. Wishes were all well and good, but they rarely had the chance to touch what we needed them to, and far too soon the world found its way back into our consciousness in the form of a gentle reminder of closing time fast approaching. I offered apologies for the lack of awareness, even though I leaned closer to wanting to scold the intrusion, but I tucked that away and made my way toward the door. As his steps fell in with my own, the reality of it all hit home, and the door that would separate us was something I couldn’t yet face. “I never even mentioned…”  Trailing off as I turned on my heels, making a beeline for the raised bar, and the pen that sat atop it. Signalling that I had no intention of being a stationary thief, before shuffling back to the man whose eyes I didn’t dare look to, not yet. Not before I’d dipped low enough to get a clear view of his still full cup, so that I could scrawl a string of digits across it. Then, and only then, did I allow for the wave that came crashing down on me when his eyes found mine again. “My name is Toby.” He flashed a smile that already had the power to overwhelm me, to the point where I knew it would never be enough, that I’d spend the rest of my days hoping for one more hit. It was written across his face, that ‘oh, yes, we have names, as well as life stories to tell’ look. “Vic. My name is Vic.”   We hovered in the doorway, societal norms dictating that there was nothing more to say, but the air that surrounded us screamed that we had everything in the world left to say. “Well. It was...really special meeting you, Toby. Maybe we can spill our drinks on each other again some time.” Everything in the world left to say, but that was enough for now, the promise of again. “Be warned, I’ll hold you to that.” The last laugh of the night, and we finally surrendered to the pathway that awaited us, that demanded we go our separate ways. With the hit of fresh air, I was brought back just enough to become aware of the way my head swam, the swell that pushed at my sternum, pressing forwards in hopes of following after its newfound home. I was already on the brink of something, something that I couldn’t quite name, and that alone led me to believe that it was possibly the edge of madness. Still, as close to falling as I felt, I couldn’t resist the urge that nagged at me, demanding that I check if my suspicions might be right. I slowed my steps, took in a lungful of the night’s air, and glanced back over my shoulder. And there they were, those depths that dared me to step in, glancing back at me like a mirror of my own actions. Lingering in that moment of mutual need, pulling out my most brilliant beam as a temporary farewell, before turning back to the journey ahead. I would pass multiple stops, serviced by a variety of buses that could carry me home much quicker than my own two feet, but they were no temptation tonight. Not when I had miles of road ahead, each step another moment that I could linger in, a chance to replay this night. Our words swirled, the way his smile dimpled his cheeks wouldn’t leave my mind any time soon, but there was one thing that hung higher than the rest. The moment of pause that had sat between us before we parted, so little space there, yet so much room for opportunity. Hundreds, thousands, millions of opportunities that could have filled those seconds, but one would do for now. A scenario where we had leaned into that feeling, into one another, and shared our first kiss. That was the image that would follow me all the way home, into the next day, and the days after that. It would follow me until it was pulled from the confines of my mind, and out into the real world.