#why does that one guy have a special patch on his uniform that tells everyone he has super special top secret magic? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rinkrats · 3 years

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🥺 that mike lange story. But also those tags #sid loooves christmas #he loves giving presents #looks good in red #piles on the pounds fast #post hockey career as santa 😂😂👌🏽👌🏽

he loves his mementos and presents and is COMMITTED to them. scrapbooking. matching jackets. little pills with hidden motivational messages~*~ his love language is gifts and neck smooches and stalking geno. relevant right now are some anecdotes i sent a friend earlier this year for dorky sid gifts fic fodder:

1. Crosby's constant thoughtfulness would be impressive from anyone, much less someone of his stature.

"Sid always texts me happy birthday, he's always asking me like, how's Russia?" Evgeni Malkin said. "We talk and message all summer. He asks me how my skates are. He knows, like, everything. He follows my Instagram, I think (laughs)."

In addition to having a handle on those little details, Crosby is constantly providing those around him with memories and mementos. If the team is on the road and goes, say, sightseeing or to a sporting event and takes a group photo, Crosby will later send a framed copy to everyone.

When Ron Hextall and Brian Burke watched their first Penguins game in person, Crosby is the one who approached head equipment manager Dana Heinze and asked for two used game pucks to give to the new GM and president of hockey ops.

After the Penguins won in 2009, Crosby had jackets made for the three players on the team who had scored a Cup-clinching goal in Game 7: Talbot (Pittsburgh), Ruslan Fedotenko (Tampa Bay) and Mike Rupp (New Jersey).

"They were blue jackets with gold buttons, and each one had a patch on it that said 'GWG Game 7,'" Talbot said. "At one of our first team meals the next season, he presented us with the jackets and did a big ceremony with the music and stuff. We had a private room in the restaurant. I still have the jacket."

-The Consummate Teammate, Captain and Ambassador, Feb 2021

2. Merz: My first interaction with Sid was when we were on the bench, guys were talking about a teammate, and the first thing this 15-year-old says is, “Hey, guys. Let’s keep everything positive. Don’t talk about your teammates that way.”

Salcido: When we were getting ready for nationals, he found these little pills that you could put a hidden message inside. They unscrewed, and inside was a tiny scroll. He gave one to every teammate. … He had everyone fill one out. He didn’t tell anyone what to write, but he made it known that we all knew what the goal was: winning nationals. So we wrote on our scrolls, rolled them up and put them in the pill thing. We kept them with us everywhere we went.

-‘Is this real?’: Stories of Sidney Crosby’s year at a Minnesota prep school, May 2020

3. On “Butterfly Boy” Jonathan Pitre:

Though the Senators are his team, Sidney Crosby has always been Jonny’s favourite player. After the TSN documentary airs, Tina gets a call from the Penguins. Sid needs Jonny’s measurements. He wants to have a suit made for him by his personal tailor, Domenico Vacca.

“It’s the kindest, sweetest gesture,” Tina says. “Sid heard that Jonny went to a lot of games, so he wants him to look like he’s one of the guys.”

“I want him to feel like a pro,” Crosby says. “Here’s a guy who is going through something so painful, and his first thought is always, ‘How can I help others?’ When I was young, I’d watch on TV the players coming to the rink in their suits. That was a cool part of being an NHL player. I want him to feel that, to make it as real as possible for him.”

Tina tries to discreetly measure Jonny while she’s changing his dressings. But he’s way too smart for that.

“Um, Mom, why are you measuring me? Am I going for surgery again?” he asks.

“No, no!” Tina replies, trying to reassure him and come up with a good lie, all in the same breath. “The doctor needs them just to make sure they have proper dressings next time you are in.”

A few weeks later, the sharp navy blue suit shows up at their front door, along with a couple of ties, an autographed stick and a handwritten letter from Sid.

“His eyes just light up,” Tina says. “Jonny always liked to be well-dressed, and he just loves having his own suit. It fits perfectly. He looks so good in it.”

-Beauties by James Duthie (2020)

4. Pascal Dupuis inspired his Pittsburgh Penguins teammates on their run to the Stanley Cup, and Sidney Crosby found a special way of driving that message home.

Dupuis retired in December with lingering health concerns because of blood clots. Despite his NHL playing days coming to an end, the veteran forward remained an integral part of the Penguins and was in uniform to hoist the Cup after Pittsburgh's six-game win against the San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup Final.

On Sunday, Dupuis brought the Cup home one last time as a player to share a special day with his family, friends and hometown fans.

"Yes, it does feel bittersweet a little bit," Dupuis said. "You get the Cup, you want to celebrate. But at the same time I got a gift by the mail [Saturday]. Basically, it's a book of all the pictures of all the good stuff we went through. It came from Nova Scotia, so you guys can figure out who it came from (Crosby), but he couldn't give it to me during the season, he saw me skating a little bit.

"And he sent it [Saturday], before my day with the Cup, so he knew what he was doing to get me right here," Dupuis said, putting his fist over his heart.

-Pascal Dupuis shares Stanley Cup with family, friends, Aug 2016

5. In 2011, Crosby was out of the lineup with a concussion, and the Penguins made their annual visit to Children’s Hospital.

Crosby got along so well with one boy there and was so touched that he later asked Bullano to go back... just the two of them, no cameras, no attention.

When Bullano and Crosby met for the follow-up visit, Crosby appeared clutching a pair of Toys “R” Us bags, filled with a Transformer toy the two had discussed.

“He literally bought every type of this toy they make,” Bullano said. “[Crosby] had never seen it before and thought it was so cool.

“There are no pictures of this. There’s no video. He was laying in the bed with the kid. They were just playing. We were there for over two hours. I got to know the mom really well because we were just sitting there.

“The kid had no idea. Didn’t expect it. They had no idea he was coming. We got there and he said, ‘Hey buddy. hope you don’t mind that I came back.’ The kid couldn’t believe it.

“[Crosby’s] crazy cool about stuff like that.”

What’s crazy is trying to recount the many times stuff like this has happened with Crosby:

• The Little Penguins Learn to Play program has been around for nine seasons, outfitting now 1,200 kids with free head-to-toe hockey equipment. Not only does Crosby serve as the face of the program — which the NHL has now adopted — but he helps fund it, too.

“There’s an awareness of what a person in his position can bring,” Penguins vice president of communications Tom McMillan said. “I think he activates that as much as anybody I’ve seen during his playing career.”

• After a recent practice, Crosby noticed a local family in the Penguins dressing room, approached them, introduced himself, learned their story and wound up giving them a signed stick.

Nobody asked Crosby to do that, and he wanted zero credit when discussing it a couple days later.

“For people who have the opportunity to come in here, people dealing with certain things, if you can brighten their day a bit or spend some time with them, it’s something that’s special for all of us,” Crosby said.

• A few years ago, through a team charity event, Crosby befriended a 4-year-old Amish boy with cancer. Crosby remarked to Bullano how much he loved talking to the boy because of how engaging the boy was and how he wasn’t consumed with technology. Crosby even tried to visit the boy but learned he had passed away.

• He learns the first and last names of the kids who attend his hockey school in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.

“Two kids came from Japan its first year,” Bullano recalled. “He was so blown away by that. He couldn’t wait to meet them.”

• Earlier this season, the Penguins welcomed Grant Chupinka, 24-year-old cancer patient, into the dressing room. Crosby chatted up Grant and his parents, Steve and Kim.

He spent his usual time — about two or three times the requirement. Gave the tour. Then found out the Chupinkas didn’t have tickets for that night’s game and decided he would pay for them to go.

“I’m sure he could just give them an autographed puck or something, but he takes his time to go out and see them and talk to them and get to know them,” Brian Dumoulin said. “It speaks volumes for him and who he is as a person.”

Spend any length of time with Crosby during his visits with those less fortunate, and a few things become obvious.

One, Crosby is really good at these. Smooth but not in a slimy way. Sweet. You know how when you’re around someone talking and they go out of their way to make eye contact with everyone around? That’s Crosby.

He’s also humble, always introducing himself like those he’s meeting don’t already know. Holding a hand is no issue. And Crosby is the rare 20-something pro athlete without kids who acts every bit like he does.

“It is not an easy situation to talk to someone with terminal cancer,” McMillan said. “A lot of people couldn’t do that. He has an amazing ability to do that and make that person feel good.”

Crosby has welcomed several Make-a-Wish kids and tries, if at all possible, to schedule such events for practice days — to maximize the time he’s able to spend.

He’s developed a special friendship with Patrick McIlvain, a soldier who nearly died when he took a bullet to the head in Afghanistan. McIlvain actually does physical therapy with one of Crosby’s sticks.

A former club hockey player at Cal U, McIlvain comes by every year, and the Penguins don’t even bother to tell Crosby. Either he already knows or immediately stops what he’s doing to come say hello.

“He’s not doing it to leave a legacy,” said Terry Kalna, Penguins vice president of sales and broadcasting. “His numbers leave the legacy. He’s just a down-to-Earth, good guy.”

Before a visit, Crosby has Bullano email him what is essentially a scouting report on who he’s going to meet. He likes to learn about them, their situation and what they’ve been through. As much information as he can ingest. Crosby never just swoops in, shake a hand and leave.

“As much as anyone has ever seen, he accepts the responsibilities of being not just a professional athlete but a star professional athlete,” McMillan said. “He views it as part of the job. Like coming to the morning skate. That’s just what you do.”

Put another way, “he owns those moments,” says Kalna.

Said Bullano, “He’s just a good human being.”

-When it comes to giving, Sidney Crosby does as much as he can, Feb 2017

6. When Crosby received a generous signing bonus on his Reebok deal, he wanted to share it with everyone.

“He gave everyone on the bus gifts,” says Oceanic radio commentator Michel Germain. “Him sharing his bonus with all the people he’d been travelling with for two years, that impresses me greatly. I think the most important thing about Sidney Crosby is his personality and the kind of human being he is. What he exuded. The inner richness he’d already developed.”

-Superstitious and generous, Dec 2006

7. also this simply because it makes me ;w;

Even in defeat — no, especially in defeat — Sidney Crosby proved why he wears the "C" for the Penguins.

After the game, with his heart sinking and his season over, the Penguins’ captain bent over, sank to the ice to pick up the puck, took it to linesman Tony Sericolo and then skated to his team’s handshake line.

I immediately thought of a View from Ice Level I’d written on Crosby making sure a retiring official was sent away from PPG Paints Arena properly. I knew picking up the puck wasn’t for the same reason that was, but I also knew, in some way, it was connected to Crosby’s awareness and respect of the game.

“It was for the Islanders,” Crosby told me after the game, his eyes swollen from a first round exit – by way of a sweep to make it worse. He told me how the winning team always wanted the puck, and it was his way of providing it for the Islanders.

Crosby looked me right in the eye as he told me this, just as he did with every other member of the media to come to him after the loss.

I could tell from those swollen eyes and the way he sat at his stall, by himself with his hands folded as he stared blankly, that Sidney Crosby is much more used to being on the receiving end of a puck when a series ends than he is at retrieving it for the winning team.

That scene. His swollen eyes. Staying in the locker room until most had left – talking to anyone who needed him. Most of all, though, picking up the puck that prompted my question in the first place and making sure the right people got their piece of their own history.

It all adds up to one thing: In victory and in defeat, Crosby respects the game above all else – just as he’s always done.

-Even in defeat, Crosby shines, April 2019

#anyway this was a nice walk down memory lane after the disastrous game rip #sidney crosby #pittsburgh penguins #hockey #text

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courtlyharlequin · 4 years

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Hi! Hope you’re doing ok! May I request dorm leaders or vice dorm leaders with a s/o who crossdresses? Like their s/o is a female but is pretending to be a male? Thank you!

Cesario

A/N: I’ve been better, but I was a lot worse a few weeks ago so I guess I’m doing good! School is stressful ahaha. Thank you for asking~ This was such a fun request to write especially since I headcanon MC as female crossdressing as male. Also, I chose the vice prefects because I think they’re underrated. I apologize if these are too repetitive and if there are mistakes. I wrote these over the course of a week so my thoughts might incoherent rippu

Trey Clover:

Out of all the vice dorm leaders, he would fret over your little hobby/secret in the most discreet way possibly.

A girl in an all boys school seems dangerous so he understands your reason.

If Trey found out when you started dating, then of course he would be shocked, but he won’t avoid you or end the relationship then and there. Just give him time to process... wow you’re a girl... you fooled him there!

Oh wait!! YOU’RE A GIRL–But, don't worry! He can keep a secret.

He just has a hard time adjusting at first, messing up pronouns because you eventually wind down and get comfortable wearing more feminine clothes and dresses around him when no one’s looking.

Ahhhh crap. You look cute. Trey can’t control himself. He’s attracted to you whether you look like a guy or a girl. However, he’s still got standards.

Trey has a more difficult time asking you about boundaries. Is it okay if he’s a little rough with you? Can he touch you? He doesn’t want to frighten you or cause discomfort.

He’s ultra-protective of you now. It’s an all boys school! He has competition since you’re the only girl in the school and there are some really nasty punks here.

The poor vice dorm leader worries about you on the daily, but you’re worth it. He knows that.

If you ask him what “gender” he prefers, Trey would say “whatever you’re most comfortable with, darling”.

In truth, he fell for your personality. Whether you pose as a guy or not, he loves you the same.

Jade Leech:

What’s this? You’re actually a girl?

Color him surprised. He would’ve never guessed!��

He actually doesn’t believe you and asks for proof much to your embarrassment. If you take too long to give in, he might just initiate himself.

“Oya? My~ You are a girl. That chest is of ample size.”

He’s willing to take a slap for that.

Jade grins menacingly, an expression you know all too well. He’s up to something.

You would have to beg him not to spill the beans or to blackmail you on the daily. Oh he’s so cruel! You’re already burning red at this point. Crawling into a hole and rotting in it sounds wonderful right now.

When you finally asked him seriously and directly, he chuckles and says: “Don’t you, worry, (y/n). I’ll keep you safe” which made your heart flutter.

“...on the condition that you dress as a girl at night and sleep with me~”

The fool told Azul

Why were you so surprised? You knew he wouldn’t let you off the hook that easy but his reason ( “I want to exploit your little secret all for myself” ) made you give in with an unbearable heat rising to your ears.

Jade would honestly have a field day with you though. Playing dress up is surprising fun. He sometimes sends you some clothes for the fun of it and so you two can discreetly match with your socks.

And you’re so grateful. At least you think you are... You see, Jade says that he just likes playing dress up, but he’s actually picking out tight-fitting clothes with frills (sort of like Epel’s dress shirt) to enhance your femininity with matching as an excuse. But you don’t need to know that.

He seems to be enjoying it more than he should be. Not that you mind, it’s a small price to pay.

Jamil Viper:

Ah, a girl. No biggie.

That actually makes sense now that he thinks about it. You were thin as a twig and you sounded rather girly. Then again, Epel Felmier from Pomefiore also had those traits and Jamil knows for sure the Epel is a guy...

Again, no biggie. Gender doesn’t matter anyway.

He’s the most “chill” out of all the vice dorm leaders. Jamil has kept bigger secrets. He actually thinks this “hobby” is amusing.

However, you sure fooled him. Does anyone else know? No? Not even Crowley.

Darn, now he feels special!

After regaining his composure, Jamil tells you to relax and honestly doesn’t treat you any differently afterwards.

Scarabia’s vice prefect, if anything, is more cautious of you and your surroundings. Not to be presumptuous, but Night Raven College’s student body isn’t the most respectable bunch. What if someone harasses you?

While you assure Jamil that, for the time that you were here, nobody has known about your true gender, let alone assault you, he still worries.

He watches out for you in his own ways, like walking you to class whenever he can or give you his hoodie if it’s raining and there may be a chance the standard uniform dress shirt will become transparent.

Rook Hunt:

Oh... Oh my... A girl.... A female.... Doe.... A female deer...

Why that’s just... TRÈS MAGNIFIQUE!

Oh how you remind him Viola from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, truly a masterpiece.

You are beautiful. Gorgeous.

To pull off both genders in the same day with no makeup whatsoever is astonishing to him. With just a simple attire change, you have tricked the entire student body.

You’re such a trickster, (y/n)~

Rook may seem happy, and he is as you are ten times more stunning than you were before, but his response is well-crafted.

“I knew all along,” he says ,” I’ve been watching you, you know?”

Typical Rook. He’s been stalking you.

If you dare to slap him, he defends himself by stating that he didn’t do anything perverted and that what he meant by that is he was just making a very educated guess.

But now that you’ve confirmed it, it’s official. He’s going to be your knight in shining armor, your prince on a dashing white stallion.

You’re going to be the power couple of this school. Those other boys shall be envious of your divine beauty as you are the only female on campus.

Wait until the whole world know about this! Oh what’s that? He can’t tell?

Fufu~ no matter. More for him to hunt

Lilia Vanrouge:

You like cute things too?

Ohohohoho~

Like Jade, Lilia wants to match [clothes] with you, but not in a clandestine way and most certainly not for his own personal gain. Unless you count wanting to look cute together as a personal gain.

He doesn’t react much to the crossdressing itself as he’s seen more surprising things in life. No offense, but crossdressing has been around since the Elizabethan era and it’s nothing new.

If you’re doing this to hide your gender rather than for the fun of it, then perhaps it’s a little interesting, but Lilia would keep an eye out for you since you’ve expressed any worries about being harmed.

He knows a little bit about martial arts and defense magic, no biggie.

Diasomnia’s vice dorm leader never questioned your gender before as he, too sometimes gets mistaken for a child girl so this was a pleasant surprise.

Moreover, Lilia appreciates the androgynous look. He loves for people to keep guessing. It’s his way to mess with them without ever interacting with them personally. Well, he could mess with them personally, but why would he? That wouldn’t be as fun~

And now he has a partner in crime!! Hooray!!

You’re just so cute. You’re like him– too cute for everyone’s hearts!

He relishes in that fact and calls you over to go shopping with him.

Do you like lolita clothing by any chance?

It’s okay if you’re not into dresses. Ahhh what about top hats? Eye patches?

What’s your aesthetic? Cottagecore? Dark Academia? Nursecore?

“Lilia, it’s okay, really, I don’t need new clothes...”

“But you would look cute in this,” he pouts.

#twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland imagines #twst imagines #twisted wonderland headcanons #twst headcanons #trey clover x reader #jade leech x reader #jamil viper x reader #rook hunt x reader #lilia vanrouge x reader #Lilia is so hard to write for hnggg #i'm sorry anon

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not-close-to-straight · 4 years

Text

Lost and Found (Sixteen)

Ughhhh Tissues Needed

Also Generic WS-typical warning for mentions of slightly torture-y things

MASTERLIST HERE

*****************

“Sir, could I remind you that use of this particular suit results in more wear on the arc reactor? With numbers pushing 70%, surely you don’t want to risk it?”

Tony called James from the suit as it blasted towards Washington D.C., ignoring the warning numbers on the screen as the arc reactor surged to maintain the suits demand for power and the projected poison levels in his blood climbed higher.

“Tony?”

Just hearing James’s voice made Tony’s resolve falter, and he was glad he’d programmed in the auto pilot for D.C. as the need to turn around and forget what he’d learned, forget about Project Resurrection and the Ghost Protocol climbed strangling up his throat.

“Hey.” he tried for bright, but was afraid it only came out miserable. “Why don’t you fly out to DC tonight? Have Pepper come with you in the jet. I have to get to a meeting that’s taken about three years to arrange, so I took a suit.”

“I can just wait till you get home again, sugar.” Happy called something in the background and James laughed and the sound almost killed Tony. “What sorta meeting was so important it took three years to set up?”

“Nothing you should worry about.” Tony lied. “But it would be fun to have dinner in D.C. or something, right? I’d like to see you tonight.”

James’s voice got soft, “Dunno how I feel about getting back into D.C. but I’d like to see you tonight too. You feeling better? Last night you were real tired.”

“I’m feeling better.” Tony promised and he’d never lied so much in his life. “Let me know when you guys land and I’ll send a car for you. See you soon?”

“See you real soon, sweet thing.”

********

From Rhodey: Pep says you’re in D.C.? If you aren’t sucking face with soldier boy, let’s get dinner.

From Tony: Only if it’s one of those giant steak eating places.

From Rhodey: Tones, last time we ate at one of those I threw up for three days.

From Tony: And you were gorgeous the entire time.

From Rhodey: I hate you

From Tony: Smooches!

It was so damn easy to lie over text message, maybe that was how Tony should handle every conversation from now until 100%.

It was warm out, but Tony still wore a long sleeve to hide the handcuff on his wrist that attached to the briefcase at his side. Eventually--if he had time-- he was going to tap the tech into a watch that would form into a gauntlet and then a suit from there but for now he had to carry the admittedly stylishly packaged armor at his side.

JARVIS was right, using the suit took more energy than the other ones simply because it assembled in place instead of using robotics to piece together around him, but it had been worth it to get to D.C. so quickly...

...and it would be worth it tonight if everything went right and he needed to leave. If everything fell into place the way it should, but the way Tony kept secretly hoping it wouldn’t, he would leave and not take anyone with him so the suit was perfect.

Perfectly like a prison he kept willingly locking himself into and wasn’t that a piece of poetry worthy of writing down or at the very least making into a tragic movie or maybe he could request it got put in his biography because there should be at least one true thing amidst all the crap they were going to write about Tony Stark.

At least one line should be truth, even if everything else was written by people who had never known him at all.

But he shouldn’t think about that. Not yet. Not at only seventy percent, he had another ten maybe fifteen percent before he had to think about a biography, right?

Right?

Christ, it was getting hard to think.

The SHIELD headquarters were ostentatious and ugly, an eyesore at the banks of the river and a clear warning to anyone who thought to look twice at the city and dare to take a shot. The Pentagon might house the dressed up generals who gave out orders, but SHIELD was the real power behind the United States Government right now.

The ugly building housed all the best minds, all the best weaponry, and spoke of a clearly visible statement Director Fury and Secretary Pierce had been less and less subtle about in the past few years-- Fuck. Off. America is done playing nice.

Not that Tony blamed them for being so blatantly bold. There was no need to be subtle when there was an actual legendary super soldier leading the charge to protect America’s interests both at home and abroad, right?

Tony and Fury met in a little cafe along the river, the eatery quiet and unobtrusive in a way that was meant to be as visibly invisible as possible. There was nothing particularly interesting about the staff or their uniforms, the menu didn’t boast anything that would garner extra attention, there was never a chalkboard out front with a gimmick or sale to draw pedestrians in to try a daily special.

It was the sort of cafe someone either went to as a habit, or never even noticed on their commute and it was exactly the sort of cafe where Nick Fury preferred to get his tuna melt sandwich.

“Well this is quaint and terrible.” Tony sat down across from Fury with suitcase settled between his feet and sunglasses firmly on his face. “What happened to high profile business meetings at steakhouses, or at the very least good greasy pizza? And are you eating a tuna melt? With a fork?”

“Contrary to what you might believe, my Ma didn’t raise a heathen.” Fury was a sight to behold in his trademark trench coat, intimidating eye patch and somehow more intimidating single eye, a napkin tucked neatly at his collar and a knife and fork held daintily to cut his sandwich into bite sized pieces. “And this isn’t as good as hers used to be, but it does just fine for our conversation today.”

“Alright then.” Tony motioned to the waiter, and pointed towards Fury’s plate. “Could I have the same thing please? Make mine with pickles.”

“You’re pushing it.” Fury warned. “You don’t disrespect a sandwich by putting pickles on it.”

“Ma’am, would you make that extra pickles please?”

“Damn you, Stark.”

“Don’t tell me how to eat a sandwich and I won’t tell you to not do all of--” Tony made a vague motion to encompass all of Fury’s look. “--all of this. You look like the Grim Reaper.”

“And you look like a man the Grim Reaper isn’t too far from visiting.” Fury stabbed his fork at Tony bluntly. “Lookin’ like chicken shit these days, Stark. What’s going on?”

“Nothing that matters.” Tony waved off the Director’s sarcastic concern. “I need to talk to you about two things and then we can move on.”

The Director made a ‘go ahead’ motion and went back to eating. Tony watched the knife and fork dissection of a perfectly respectable tuna melt for a moment and then stated, “I don’t trust Pierce. I went to his party a few weeks ago and got a real sketchy vibe from him.”

“Uh-huh.” Fury nodded. “And?”

“And since you have the whole all seeing eye thing going on, I thought you’d want to know.” Tony smiled up at the waitress when she brought him the sandwich, and with eyes firmly on Fury, took a huge bite and crunched deliberately through the pickles. “How do you feel about him lately?”

“I feel like the world’s most reckless billionaire should be more concerned about the effects all that poisoning is having on your complexion and less about what those of us in trench coats are doing.” Fury wiped his mouth and pointed over his shoulder to someone Tony couldn’t see. “Brace yourself, Stark.”

“Brace myself for wha---OW!” Tony jumped when a needle jammed into his neck, delivered courtesy of one rather spandexy clad Natalie Rushman. “Christ! Natalie, what the fuck!?”

“I forgot you still think her name is Natalie.” Fury pushed his plate away and then dragged a chair over for the redhead. “Tony Stark, meet Natasha Romanov. Former KGB agent, former Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, former traitor to that particular country and defector to this one, and currently my favorite agent at SHIELD.”

Tony rubbed at his neck a few times and scowled at Fury, then over at Natalie/Natasha. “Former KGB? That was dismantled in ‘91, and you’re only twenty four. Nice try.”

“You do pass for a very convincing twenty four, Tasha.” Fury took a sip of his water. “In fact Mr. Stark, Natasha here is an absolute beauty at the ripe old age of--”

“--you tell him I’m a day over thirty and I’ll cut your tongue out.” Natasha said coolly, and Tony blanched but Fury didn’t so much as blink. “Tony, I just gave you a shot of lithium dioxide. It’s not going to solve anything with the palladium, but it’s going to temporarily slow down the effects so you can focus. I know you’ve been struggling with it for a while, there’s no other way to explain how scattered you’ve been.”

“First you stab me, then you insult me? You are fired.” Tony breathed in slow and purposeful, then out again when his headache started to ease thanks to the hypodermic hit to the neck. “Warn a fella before you shank him, is this foreplay to you scary spandex types?”

Natasha gave him one of those always consistently enigmatic smirks and Tony accused, “How’d you get here so fast? Pretty sure Pepper told me you two were shopping today. In fact, I’m pretty sure she took the jet to Vegas just to spend a gross amount of money.”

“The moment you hung up with Director Fury I excused myself from Ms. Potts and headed towards D.C from Vegas.” Natasha held up her hand to stop the next words from Tony. “And yes, I know there’s no civilian aircraft that could possibly get me to D.C. faster than your suit would, but you left an hour or so after me and also, as everyone is now aware, I am not a civilian.”

Still literally and figuratively wounded from the jab to the neck, Tony only huffed at the redhead and went back to eating because honestly, a new secretary turning out to be a secret spy wasn’t the worst thing that had ever happened. At least she was on their side, right? Later Tony could get a little hysterical about having a former KGB agent helping him pick out ties, but for right now, he had other things on his mind.

“Alright then. Ms. Romanov. How do you feel about Secretary Pierce?”

“I don’t think that’s the question you’ve come to ask.” Natasha deflected, green eyes glittering curiously. “So ask the other one.”

“Okay I will.” Tony put his sandwich down and pleated the napkin between his fingers until it tore. “How long have the two of you known the hundred year old prisoner of war Sergeant James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes was camping out in my house in Malibu?”

“If it makes you feel any better?” Director Fury shrugged. “We just thought he was the Winter Soldier. Wasn’t one hundred percent on the Barnes angle until recently.”

“The Winter Soldier.” Tony repeated, and this time his mind snapped into place with out the stuttered click click click of trying to process. It was almost like being him again and even though Tony knew the lithium oxide was a poison all in itself, he was already wondering how many shots of it he could take to remain lucid up until the end. “Ghost assassin from the sixties and seventies, silver arm, once thought to be Steve Rogers risen from the ice and back to seek revenge. It was James, instead. Product of Hydra experimentation, amiright?”

“And then some.” Fury nodded. “When Project Resurrection came to be and the Captain woke up, he asked for his best pal Bucky and then his best gal Peggy in exactly that order. SHIELD had been aware of the Winter Soldier for decades, but we couldn’t have imagined the connection to the missing Sergeant Barnes. The Captain saw a surveillance photo, said he’d recognize that scowl anywhere, and went off half feral trying to track him down.”

“Half-feral.” Tony glanced between the two of them. “Captain America. Are you serious?”

“I spent almost two years at his side.” Natasha spoke up. “Half feral is an understatement. I’ve never seen a man so determined to burn the world down if it meant finding his friend.”

“Two years.” Fury echoed. “And then just over a year ago, a few months before Stane engineered your trip to Afghanistan, the Winter Soldier dropped off the map. Guess Hydra got tired of having their spots blown to shit or something like that, decided to cut their losses and run.”

Tony only blinked and Fury explained, “Turns out the Captain isn’t exactly the aw shucks good ol boy those posters made him out to be. Anything that stood in the way of finding his Bucky went up in flames, and the man didn’t care if anyone was left inside. On more than one occassion, Romanov went into the rubble herself because the Captain wouldn’t do it. It was a wasted effort though, there were never any survivors.”

Tony looked around and then lowered his voice. “Captain America let people die like that?”

“Not the aw shucks good ol boy we all thought.” The Director repeated. “Never seen a man so angry in my life when we lost the Soldier. Definitely never could have predicted you’d show up with him as your date at a few high profile event. I see a lot.” Fury pointed to his one good eye. “But even I didn’t see that coming.”

“Does the Captain know about James?”

“We thought it was best to feel out the situation and see if we were dealing with the Winter Soldier or if we were actually seeing Sergeant Barnes.” Fury hedged. “Wanted to be sure we weren’t going to walk into a situation with a still activated super assassin when from all appearances, he’s just a nice kid with some memory loss situations. Captain Rogers isn’t the sort to knock and ask to come in, he would have brought that fancy Malibu house of yours down into the ocean trying to get his friend.”

“That seems a little over the top, but--”

“--but you’ve never been seventy years out of your own time looking for the one person in the world who can understand what you’ve been through.” Natasha interrupted. “I’m telling you, there isn’t anything that would stop the Captain from trying to get to his Bucky.”

“His Bucky.” Tony echoed faintly. “Is that so?”

“I’ve been watching James for several weeks now.” Natasha’s voice dipped in sympathy when Tony’s face flickered with misery. I don’t think he remembers anything about his time as the Winter Soldier, but you’re closer to him. What do you think? Do you think he knows who he was?”

“No way.” Tony denied tiredly. “James doesn’t know anything. Not his last name, nothing about technology or recent history. He panicked about using too many eggs the other day and now that I know what I still can’t fucking believe I know... it makes sense. In some weird way, everything I know about James makes perfect sense now.”

“So Sergeant Barnes doesn’t remember anything before he showed up in D.C.?”

“Nothing at all.” Tony said adamantly. “He remembers waking up beneath a bridge and then everything’s a blur for a while and he’s not sure how much time passed. He thinks he lived a year in D.C. before meeting me, but he doesn’t know anything beyond that.”

“That could be for the best.” Natasha muttered, and Fury nodded.

“Well you can be sure we will be keeping an eye on the situation.” the waitress came by for the plates and Fury waited until she was gone before mentioning oh so casually, “I have something that belongs to you, by the way. Your dad left it in storage along with instructions to give it to you when you were ready.”

“I have everything I want of Howard’s and none of it’s worth anything at all.” Tony shook his head. “Forget about it, I want to meet the Captain.”

“You’re going to want this.” Fury countered, and pulled up a photo on his phone. “The real thing is about ten times heavier than anything I’d ever want to life, but take a look at it anyway.”

“I’ve seen this.” Tony barely glanced at the picture. “It’s Dad’s diorama model of the Stark Expo. I used to race my cars up and down the roads until he screamed at me to stop. Why would I want a giant piece of cardboard that holds so many shitty memories for me?”

“I don’t know why you want it.” Fury put his phone away again. “And I don’t know why Howard wanted you to have it. Something about how you’d see the design when no one else could, and how he wouldn’t ever have access to the tools necessary to make it a reality, but you’d probably be the one to invent the technology to make it happen.”

“That’s nice.” Tony pulled out a couple twenties and dropped them on the table to cover the bill. “Put it in the mail and I’ll open it when I get back to Malibu. I’m feeling normal for the first time since Afghanistan and I’m not going to waste it on some homework from beyond the grave. Take me to see the Captain.”

“He’s going to be cranky.” Fury tried one last time to stall the stubborn billionaire. “He doesn’t really sleep much, and since losing track of the Soldier, I don’t think he sleeps more than a few hours a week. Maybe you don’t show up as your patented brand of asshole, huh?”

“I do what I want.” Tony stood up and patted the Director on the shoulder. “I’ll see you and Mrs. Super Spy later on. We should talk about Pierce.”

“I know what you’re doing Stark.” Fury said then, and Tony paused. “You’re getting everything set up so when that poison kills you off, your boytoy is set with someone he knows and loves.”

“Oh, you think so?”

“I’d say it’s admirable, but really I think it’s cowardly.” Fury shrugged. “You’re doing all this without even trying to fight, without figuring out a way to beat it. Gonna sign ye olde master assassin over to the Man with a Plan and then jet off somewhere dramatic to die. Cowardly way out.”

“I’ve exhausted all my options.” Tony said flatly. “I’ve tried everything over and over and nothing works. Now my option is to make sure the people I care about can keep on going with out me. How is that cowardly?”

“This might shock you, but the world will keep turning without Tony Stark in it.” the Director retorted, and Tony shot back, “Yeah well, at least this way it keeps turning with my loved ones well taken care of. Send the address to my phone please, I’ve got a star spangled super soldier to meet.”

Natasha sent a text with directions to Tony’s phone, and after Tony had stalked out and hailed a cab, she turned to ask Fury, “Why does he want to talk about Pierce?”

“Don’t you worry about Pierce.”

“Director--”

“Ms. Romanoff, I am already dealing with Secretary Pierce. Don’t you worry.”

“Do you really think he’s being cowardly?”

“I think if Tony Stark wasn’t so tired of living in pain, he’d realize he could just invent something new to cure himself.” Fury stated. “I watched his dad create scientific miracles out of every day things. Watched his Auntie Peggy create unbreakable codes based on her knitting patterns. He’s been so obsessed with being Iron Man that he’s forgotten he’s Tony Stark. If anyone can fix what is literally killing them, its a Stark. Hell, he did it once in a cave with a box of scraps. He should damn well be able to do it in a state of the art lab.”

Natasha’s lips tipped up at the corner. “You like him.”

“I think he’s a spoiled brat with a small man complex.” Fury picked up the dessert menu. “But I think our world is a lot better off with him in it, so yeah. I’d appreciate if he didn't keel over and die.”

“You like him.”

“You’re pushing it, Romanov.”

*************

It was fifteen minutes to a low rise apartment building, three flights up stairs and then down a long hallway until Tony could raise his hand and knock at the door of a piece of American history

Two knocks and then three more just because Tony was impatient even on his best days and today was not one of his best days.

Besides, when else would he have the chance annoy an actual living Smithsonian relic by knocking too many times at their--

“Can I help you?” The door swung open to Big and Blond and Patriotic, deep blue eyes and a square jaw, ruggedly handsome in a way that the old posters and pictures had never come close to capturing, and the sort of bulging All American Muscles that belonged on a Lumberjack’s Weekly pin up calendar.

Holy Spangles, Batman. Tony thought, and then grinned internally because that hit to the neck might have hurt but at least it had given him back Grade-A witty one liners. Thank you, Ms. Rushman-Romanov.

“Captain Steven Rogers.” he finally dragged his eyes away from the muscles and up to the piercing gaze. “It's nice to officially meet you. Name’s Tony Stark, long time fan, first time fanboy. How are you?”

“Tony Stark.” Captain Rogers extended a hand big enough to cover Tony’s entire face. “Howard’s boy, isn’t that right? Director Fury has mentioned you a few times. Figures you’d know about me being awake, though I’m a little surprised it took you this long to track me down. Howard wasn’t exactly the patient, subtle type and Fury made it seem like you inherited all those qualities as well.”

Tony blinked, and Captain Rogers grimaced. “Ah. Sorry. That came out worse than I intended. I’ve never been quite as charming as those old movies like to pretend I was.”

“No that’s--” Tony blinked again. “It’s fine. It’s actually a little hilarious-- um--”

“I was real sorry to hear about your parents passing.” The Captain’s blue eyes dimmed in sympathy. “I didn’t know your Ma, but despite me and Howard’s differences, we worked together for several years. He was a good man.”

“He was an asshole even on his best days.” Tony finally found his words, and offered a smile to his childhood nemesis hero. “But that doesn’t change the good work he did, so thanks. And yes, I inherited all of his less than charming traits and created a few more of my own which is why I’ve known about you and Project Resurrection for a few years now but just couldn't muster the interest to give a damn.”

“Any by the way, if you were a brunette, I’d be charming your pants off.” Tony winked because he couldn’t stop himself from flirting with an American icon. “But you’re blond, so consider yourself safe from my efforts. That and it’s hard to think sexy thoughts about the literal embodiment of the American flag.”

Good God, even the Captain’s laugh was patriotic, head thrown back and a hand over his heart like he was pledging allegiance to hilarity and Tony looked away to hide an answering grin. Shit, he didn’t want to like Steve Rogers, he had spent his entire life trying to measure up to the bastard, he didn’t want to be making friends when they had more important things to talk about.

“If it makes you feel any better?” Captain Rogers was still cheesing a grin. “Under all that patriotism I’m just a loudmouth Brooklyn kid with a big mouth and not a single shred of self preservation.”

“Eh.” Tony made a show of shrugging. “You’re still blond. I tend to prefer them brunette--”

--he hesitated, then pulled out the picture of he and James together at the redwoods. “--And smolderingly intense in a scary ex soldier sort of way. You know the type?”

All laughter fell away in an instant, the surprisingly easy conversation Tony hadn’t expected to find with Captain Rogers ground to a halt, the smile on the big blond’s face wiped away as quickly as it had appeared.

“I took that in the redwoods last week.” Tony actually took a step backwards when powerful shoulders squared up and one of those massive hands closed into a fist. “Me and James-- we’ve been living together the last couple months. Figured it’s high time you and he got together again, you know?”

“James.” The Captain’s throat jerked when he swallowed. “Not Bucky. He goes by James now?”

“James is the only name he knows.” Tony watched him carefully for any sign of what might be rage, but there was only heartbreak on the rugged features. “We’ve been looking for answers into his past, but it wasn’t until early this morning I came across a family link and traced it backwards. You can bet I was surprised as hell to find myself looking at a picture of you two when the facial recognition software finally pinged him.”

“I see.” The picture shook in the Captain’s fingers and nearly tore between his grip. “Mr. Stark--”

“Call me Tony.”

“Tony. I think you’d better come inside.”

****************

The apartment housing the Greatest American Soldier was sparse to the point of being bare, clean to the point of being sterile, and warm enough that Tony broke into a sweat just walking through the door.

“Sheesh, Captain.” Tony undid a few buttons at his collar. “Tropical, much?”

“Sorry, I’ll turn it down.” The Captain really was massive, had to turn sideways to get down the narrow hall and to the thermometer. “I uh-- I’m always cold, you know?”

Tony waited with a raised eyebrow and Captain Rogers pursed his lips, shoved both hands into his pockets self consciously. “I did seventy years in the ice, Tony. That’s the sort of chill that gets into your bones. Into your soul. I’m always cold. Can’t seem to shake it.”

“I can fix that.” Tony spoke before thinking, the words eerily similar to his very first thought about James. Was it the super soldier thing that drove him to offer help? Or just the countdown and toxicity monitor and desperately tallying marks on the good karma side so maybe it would get him into heaven?

“I can fix that.” he said again. “I’d think a super soldier would run hot because of your metabolism, so the cold is probably psychosomatic and a weighted blanket or even a sweater with heavier threads might take care of it. People equate weight with warmth, and being covered with being safe so if you let me get some sizes I could have my AI run some programs and figure out a material that could--”

He stopped when the big blond just looked at him. “Sorry, Captain. I tend to ramble. Alot.”

“Call me Steve.” the Captain went for some water and handed a bottle to Tony, then sat down in a nearby chair and clasped his hands between his knees. “And you know, your Dad did that too? He’d get an idea and talk for an hour and you’d start the conversation not even knowing you needed the thing he ended up handing you when he was finished.”

“Sounds like Dad.” Tony agreed. “Guess I did inherit all his annoying habits.”

“You must get your looks from your Ma, then.” Steve said casually, and when Tony about fell out of his chair in surprise, he grinned. “Oh no, not for me. I mean sure, I can appreciate a good lookin’ fella just as much as the next guy, but I used to tell Buck if he got together with Howard--”

“I might actually throw up if you finish that sentence.”

“--then we could double date, but he said he’d sooner kiss Dugan.” he finished and Tony breathed out noisily in relief. “If he likes you, you must look like your Ma. Buck couldn’t hardly stand to be in the same room as Howard.”

And then almost awkwardly, “No offense meant.”

“None taken, most days I couldn’t handle it either.” Tony rolled the water bottle between his palms. “So um, how are you adjusting to life in the twenty first--”

“Tell me about Bucky.” Steve interrupted and Tony’s mouth clicked shut. “I wanna know everything. Where did you find him? How did you find him? Does he know who he is? Who I am? Does he know about--”

He clenched his jaw. “--does he remember being the Winter Soldier?”

“Captain.” Tony began slowly, but Steve cut him off again, “It’s just Steve, Tony. Captain Rogers, Captain America, that’s not who I am. I’m Steve. Call me Steve.”

“Steve.” he started again. “James--er, Bucky-- and I met a few months ago in a diner right here in D.C. I don’t know if you watch the news at all, but I was mid Senate meeting and mid nervous break down, apparently he was just there having breakfast. I saw he was missing an arm--”

“--his left arm?”

“--his left arm.” Tony nodded. “And since I have a weird assortment of various robotic arm pieces laying around the house, I told him I could build him a new one. I gave him a whole spiel about wanting to do some good and that he didn’t have to take me up on the offer but he told me--”

“--that you got a pretty smile.” Steve interjected. “Yeah, you’re just his type. Dark hair, pretty eyes, big smile. Just his type.”

The simple statement from the soldier warmed Tony clear down to his heart, and he ducked his head to hide a barely there flush. “Uh, anyway. He came home to Malibu with me and we’ve been there ever since. He’s getting better. No more panic attacks and his Brooklyn accent comes out more every day and um--”

It felt awkward talking to a total stranger about his boyfriend--partner? He was too old to call someone a boyfriend, right?

It felt more awkward talking to a total stranger that wasn’t really a total stranger considering how Tony knew everything everything about Steve Rogers and Howard had literally helped create the soldier. More awkward talking to a not-total stranger who actually knew James Bucky better than Tony could ever hope to. More awkward talking to a not-total stranger who knew Bucky better than Tony did and would be around at Bucky’s side after Tony--

--after Tony--

“--sometimes I think he’s remembering things, but then I don’t really know.” he finished lamely. “Captain, er Steve. I’ll be honest, it seems weird to tell you about your best friend. I can tell you that he doesn’t have nightmares anymore and that he hasn’t had a panic attack in weeks. He likes Rocky Road ice cream and looks great in the color red and when he calls me sweet thing I actually melt a little bit inside. What else do you want to know?”

“I just want to know if he’s okay.” Steve said softly, softly, spread his hands helplessly and made those All American baby blues as heartbreakingly earnest as possible. “Tony, I woke up from the ice and found a picture of the Winter Soldier and spent the next two years trying to figure out what the hell had happened to my best pal. How did he survive the fall? Who captured him? What have they been doing with him? To him?”

The Captain’s throat jerked when he swallowed. “Does he-- does he smile? Do you make him smile? Or is he real quiet now? Did they ruin him? Break him?”

Steve got to his feet to pace, rubbing his hands down his thighs in agitation. “I’ve read all the Winter Soldier files, Tony. I know what they did to him. You know they-- they didn’t do that stuff to me. Howard juiced me up and sent me out the door but Bucky? He was always a good soldier but there’s a lot of steps between a good soldier and a master assassin. What they did to him to make him into the Soldier…”

His steps stuttered, faltered, and when Steve turned around to pin Tony with a look, his jaw was set stubbornly. “Tell me how he really is. Did they break him? Is he even Bucky anymore?”

“I don’t know if he’s Bucky anymore.” Tony said slowly, honestly. “But I know he’s James, and he’s a good man. Not broken. Definitely hurt, but not broken. He’s-- I think he’s okay, Captain. Or at least he’s getting better.”

“Okay.” Steve dropped back down onto the chair and the springs groaned under his weight. “Okay okay okay. Have you done any research on the Winter Soldier? About what he did?”

“No.”

“Don’t.” That super soldier strength showed up when the arms of the chair splintered beneath Steve’s fingers. “Tony, for your own sake. Don’t. I haven’t read the mission files because it makes me sick to my stomach but I saw enough of what they did to him to know there can’t be anything good in the other ones.”

Tony’s whole body went cold, horror stricken and wanting to scream thinking about his soldier, his Brooklyn being hurt for however long he’d been captive as the Winter Soldier. “What they did to him?”

“Experiments.” Steve muttered hoarsely. “Testing his strength, his healing factor. Whatever super juice they gave him, they had to make sure it worked so they experimented. Broke major bones to time how long it took to heal up again. Put bullets close to major arteries wondering if he’d bleed out. Made him run until he was vomiting and couldn’t take another step to check his endurance.”

“Shit.”

“They wiped his mind after every mission.” the Captain continued miserably. “Got him to the point where all he could do was carry out orders. That’s not even human, they took his soul Tony. My best friend and they took his soul. Wiped it away every time they hooked him up to that damn chair--”

“Chair?”

“--it had straps.” Steve made a motion and Tony’s heart sank, then sank further still when he added, “I crashed a set up once and it was this monstrous chair. Straps and hooks and this helmet thing that went down over his head to fry his brain.”

“What--” Tony wet his lips, flashes of that first awful panic attack hitting him like a punch to the stomach. “-- What did you do to the chair?”

“Broke it apart with my bare hands and then snapped some bad guy’s femur just because I wasn’t done breaking things.” Steve said coldly, calmly. “I can’t read the mission files, not after seeing that. I don’t think you should read them either. Buck deserves to have people who look at him and don’t see everything he did as the Soldier. He deserves to be loved by people who just see him.”

“Yeah, I--” Tony dug his fingers into his knees and bit back a heartbroken noise. “Yeah, he does. So what did you do with the data? It can’t just be out there, that’s not--”

Even now, his brain was shifting into gear, trying to figure out the next step, trying to figure out what he could do to fix what had happened with James or how he could make sure it never came back to ruin his soldier’s new life. “--it can’t be out there for someone else to find. What did you do with it?”

“Natasha dumped it all.” The Captain informed him. “Burned it, erased it, whatever she does. I’m not really up on all the tech of this century yet. But she swore it was gone, and that’s all I care about.”

“You trust her?”

“...I do.” Steve’s smile was almost… melancholy. Almost lonely. “Most people wouldn’t, but she hasn’t lied to me once so I have no reason to think she would about this.”

“Alright.” It was a relief to know the Winter Soldier’s actions weren’t out there for anyone to find, a relief to know someone else was looking out for James the same way Tony wanted to. “That’s-- that’s good. If Captain America can trust her with that, I can trust her too.”

“Yeah.” Steve screwed his eyes shut tight and pushed out a long breath. “Tony um-- can I see him? Feels weird to ask permission to see my own best friend, but I think you know him better than I do at this point. Can I see him? Will you bring him back to D.C., or could I come with you to Malibu? I searched for him for so long, Tony. The canyon below the train-- I spent days there. Days in the snow trying to find him, and I spent the first years waking up trying to find him… can I see him?”

Quieter, almost afraid, “Do you think he’ll know me?”

“I don’t know.” Tony said honestly, and Steve’s shoulders hunched in like the words physically hurt. “But they should be landing here in D.C. in a few hours and I already sent him this address.”

“Seriously?” Steve’s head snapped up. “You would-- you didn’t even know me. You told him to come here when you hadn’t met me yet?”

“You’re Captain America.” Tony shrugged carelessly, shrugged like his heart wasn’t tearing in two right there in his chest as everything he’d feared started falling into place. This was the right decision but it hurt and his heart could have collapsed under the strain. “And he’s Sergeant Barnes. There’s no question you two should be spending time together, in fact, I’m probably just in the way. I’ll bring him in and as soon as I know James is okay, I’ll leave you in peace and let you get reacquainted.

“That’s amazing.” Steve lit up with a mega watt grin. “Tony, thank you. Thank you. You’re giving me a piece of my life back, I swear. I don’t even know where to begin to thank you.”

“Just...take care of him.”

“I promise I will.” the Captain swore. “I promise. I’ll help him readjust to life and we’ll figure out… I dunno. Netflix together? I’ll help him Tony, I will.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Tony tried for a smile that didn’t feel like it was crumbling at the edges. “Now. Are you a enough of a rebel to have a beer in this place while we wait? Or still too good ol’ boy for that?”

“Are you kidding?” Steve laughed again, and yep, Tony would have been seeing stars and stripes if he hadn’t been blinking back tears. “Good beer is the best part of this century! And I don’t get drunk, so I’ve been trying them all! Come on and pick one out!”

“Picking out a beer with Captain America.” Tony struggled to his feet with a hand over his chest and followed the blond to the tiny kitchen. “How could anyone pass that up?”

“Tony!” Steve sounded immeasurably lighter, the smile on his face evident in his voice as he called, “Does Bucky ever listen to music anymore? Have you ever heard of the Andrews Sisters? We heard them sing the night he shipped out for the war, this was his favorite song!”

Before Tony could object or protest or fall to his knees and beg for mercy because he didn’t think he could take another second of this self inflicted torture, the all too familiar beginning notes of ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’ floated through the apartment and everything got worse.

“Me and Pegs used to dance to this.” Steve tossed Tony a beer he could only barely catch. “She made Buck dance too even though he didn’t have any interest in the other dames. She always said one day he’d find a fella to dance with too, have you guys danced together yet?”

“Once.” Tony said faintly. “Just uh-- just the once.”

He closed his eyes when the song got to the chorus, when the beat changed and he could almost feel James pulling him in closer like he’d done that night in the lab when everything changed between them.

“...just the once.”

**************

“Hey babydoll.” James was confused when he finally made it up to the apartment door, confused and stiff when he bent to give Tony a kiss hello. “This is uh--” he cleared his throat. “Don’t like being back here, Tony. D.C. doesn’t have any good memories for me. I didn’t want to come.”

“I know.” Tony stood on his toes to chase one more kiss, gratified when James automatically wound an arm at his waist to hold him. “And I’m sorry but this is important, alright? What we’re doing here is important.”

“Important like the way Pepper’s fancy parties are important?” James teased halfheartedly, and tugged at Tony’s shirt sleeve. “Let’s get out of here. I’m a real big fan of the way you’ve blown off work the last few weeks to spend time with me, we should keep doing that.”

“James.” Tony tried for words and failed, squeezed at James’s fingers and tried again, “I’ve got someone you should meet. Re-meet. Someone you used to know and I think it’s important you see him again. I think he can fill in a lot more blanks, help you out a lot more than I can, alright?”

“I don’t want anyone helping me but you.” James glanced around the hallway, glanced at the door and out the far window, then back down at Tony, shoulders set uncomfortably tense and jaw clenched. “Tony, can we go? Something feels weird here, I don’t like it.”

“It will feel better in a few minutes.” Tony promised. “Just um-- be brave, Brooklyn. Okay?”

“Brave? Tony, I’m telling you this don’t feel right, I don’t want to be--”

Tony turned the knob and shoved the door open before James could finish the sentence, pushed the soldier through into the living room and then hung back to just watch.

Be brave, Brooklyn.

“Bucky.” Steve stood in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets and chin ducked like he was trying to look small, the unmistakable shield sat prominently on one of the chairs, that old picture of he and James from the Smithsonian propped up on the table.

“Holy shit.” The Captain choked out a strangled sort of laugh and freed his hands to run them both through his hair, tugging at the strands and then rubbing at his eyes as they filled with tears. “Bucky. It’s really you.”

James narrowed his eyes at the big blond, at the picture and at the shield, then looked back at Tony in confusion.

“Bucky? Who the hell is--”

Click click click.

“I had ‘em on the ropes.”

“Yeah Stevie, sure you did.”

Click click click.

“Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

Click click click.

“You’re keeping the suit, right?

Click Click Click

“I’m with you to the end of the line.”

Click click click.

I know him.

Stevie.

“...Stevie?”

The Captain covered the room in two big steps and James met him in the middle for a bone crushing, desperate hug. James’s legs crumpled and Steve caught him halfway down, Captain America crying unashamed tears and swearing under his breath as he smoothed Jame’s hair back from his face to get a good look at him.

“Stevie?”

“Christ, Bucky I can’t believe I finally found you. I finally found you and I’m never gonna let anything happen to you again, I swear it. I swear it.” ----

--- Tony closed the door to the apartment and walked alone down the hallway, took the stairs up to the roof and stood for a long time looking over the city, over the monuments in the distance and the barest glimmer of blue from the river.

His phone rang and it was James but Tony ignored it so he could undo the latches on the briefcase suit and step into the boots, shivering as the armor climbed his body and encased him in cold metal before it warmed to his temperature.

His phone rang and it was James, and the picture on the screen was of them at the redwoods, the name beneath “Sergeant Barnes” because already James wasn’t James anymore, he was Sergeant Barnes, he was Bucky.

His phone rang and it was James and JARVIS intoned, “Sir, it’s Sergeant Barnes calling.”

“Send it to voicemail.” Tony whispered and the call shut down as the suit powered up.

“May I remind you sir that extended use of this suit specifically strains--”

“I remember.” Tony closed his eyes for a minute. “Send a message to Rhodey? Tell him I won’t make dinner tonight. He won’t be surprised, I’ve missed at least a hundred dinners. Call Pep and remind her that I owe her something expensive and sparkly and to pick out whatever she’d like.”

“...Yes sir.”

“JARVIS.” Tony’s chest tightened until he couldn’t breathe. “Enable Ghost Protocol.”

“Are you sure?”

“Just like we talked about.” Tony was shaking inside the suit, grateful for the exoskeleton that kept him on his feet. “I won’t let this be catastrophic and I-- I can’t watch while James realizes he doesn’t need me anymore. Start the process now.”

In the lab in Malibu, lights in the lab started to dim and the myriad of suits Tony had worked on for months drew back into the walls. The lock codes blinking on each panel changed from Tony’s preferences to ones coded to Honeybear, to Rhodey, to Sourpatch and Platypus, on and on the list went.

Computer screens flickered as dozens of letters went out to various charities and foundations, notifications of soon-to-be-arriving checks meant for specific projects that desperately needed funded. Signed paperwork irrevocably keeping Pepper as CEO and turning over any stock held by Tony Stark to her after a death certificate was produced was sent off to the proper compliance departments to make sure everything was legal.

A program was uploaded into Dum-E’s limited software that would allow the robot to function a bit safer and up it’s interaction levels to ones that would make the kiddos in the Children’s Wing at the Cancer Center smile and laugh whenever it rolled through the halls.

Back in Washington, JARVIS’s comforting monotone listed off each point of Ghost Protocol as it was engaged and completed, and the phone rang as Sergeant Barnes tried again and again and again.

“Send it to voicemail.” Tony whispered through a sheen of tears, and the call went silent as the Iron Man armor took off from the roof and soared into the darkening sky, punching through the atmosphere and heading for the stars.

This was the right decision.

Send it to voicemail.

73%

***************

Chapter Notes:

Did you cry? I cried.

I love Steve in this verse. The “First Winteriron, then Steve comes Along” dynamic is something I’ve never written, and I’ve also never written Fresh from the Freezer Steve and I sort of love him??

SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHAPTER!

***************

@ships-galore @ceealaina @izziebladez @cwar1864 @hausoffro @tonystarkisanangel @multishippinglife @girlnic @iam93percentstardust @paranormalmoonlight5 @igotloki @moosette05 @wayward-student-philosopher @kaz-brekkers-gloves @atomicfandombomb @1fuckingshitup69 @agentlokii @livewire28 @tulipsnbigcats @kimstark @alex-stark-rogers @bibbarnes @heeeyitskay @goindownshipping @justaniche @actual-demon-belial

@quietgayguy @bluedreamdino @akimi-youngblood @blackstar1602 @dixiehellcat @travellover1245 @capnstarkey @the-awkward-teenaged-one @thanossucks @peteryoulittleshit @tony-and-steeeb @striving-artist @roe-sesandthorns @coolsidedpillow @i-am-worth-it-25 @firelightmystic @maligatorthealigator @simsccsol @a-tardis-in-221b @happyendingrequired @everygoodoneistaken11 @pootie-and-the-snoots @megahuffledor @xkissmeimirishx @crystalskrull @hazelbeatsturtle @wecollectnightmares @endrega23 @saganarojanaolt @the-crazy-house @ravynfyre @yomama-umbridge @lovely--tony @gayspacesprinkles @elliotkaingrey @warmachinesocks @glitternotgold73

#ncts fics #winteriron #tony stark #bucky barnes #steve rogers #natasha romanov #nick fury

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writers-blogck · 4 years

Text

All [HC-01] Hogwarts Houses

Gryffindor

Katsuki Bakugo Eijiro Kirishima Hanata Sero Tenya Iida Mashirao Ojiro Yuga Aoyama Mina Ashido Hitoshi Shinso Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu Yosetsu Awase All-Might Oboro Shirakumo Miruko Dabi (Touya Todoroki)

Ravenclaw

Shoto Todoroki Tokoyami Fujikage Momo Yaoyorozu Mei Hatsume Itsuka Kendo Shota Aizawa Mustard

Hufflepuff

Denki Kaminari Mezo Shoji Ochako Uraraka Inasa Yoarashi Mirio Togata Camie Utusushimi Neijire Hado Fatgum Ms.Joke Twice Himiko Toga

Slytherin

Izuku Midoriya Tsuyu Asui Kyoka Jiro Yo Shido Tamaki Amajiki Best Jeanist Endeavor Hawks Tomura Shigaraki Overhaul

1-A

📘 Izuku Midoriya: Slytherin

-Blood: Halfblood (Mother is Muggle)

-Explanation of House: Izuku has the quality of heroism that fits in with Gryffindor but he is filled with that determination. He keeps his journal and has battle plans memorized. He is able to think on his feet and adapt easily to a situation. He is a perfect example to show that Slytherin doesn't mean bad, even if we only really saw bad examples in the series.

-Patronus: Brown Bear - Bears are known for being protective and brave to those they care about (Mother and cubs).

-Partner: Hufflepuff -(Y/N) comes from a pureblood family with their elder brother being a Slytherin (Shigaraki). They aren't very heroic in any way, which keeps them out of Gryffindor, unlike Nevil. Once they have been shown kindness, they develop a strong connection and become very loyal. They would die for those that they care for. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Netherland Dwarf Rabbit -They are meek but are humble in their abilities. They are a symbol of rebirth and second chances.

💥 Katsuki Bakugo: Gryffindor

-Blood: Halfblood (Father is Muggle)

-Explanation of House: Are you going to tell me this boy just doesn't scream Gryffindor? He often acts before thinking when he is emotional and he is filled with confidence in himself. He would be the type of person who puts himself in danger to save someone else. He comes off as harsh but he means well.

-Patronus: Wild Boar -Symbols being fearless and the embodiment of power.

-Partner: Gryffindor -(Y/N) is focused on helping others and puts themselves in danger to protect others. They put others before themselves which is a classic Gryffindor move. They may not be as outgoing as other Gryffindors (Kiri) but they are definitely a lion at heart. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: King Cobra -Snakes, especially poisonous ones, are known for being the duality of healing and hurting.

🍜 Shoto Todoroki: Ravenclaw

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: In my mind, Todoroki is always taking in information when he is silent. He obviously eavesdrops with how he heard Toru after the USJ attack. He does have the cunning of a Slytherin (and I believe his father would be a Slytherin) but he is very intelligent and his clever nature is what got him into this house.

-Patronus: Panther -Panthers are known for being contemplative and keeping their emotions hidden.

-Partner: Ravenclaw -(Y/N) has had to rely on creative ideas and their ingenuity to keep them equal to others. It is hard enough being a muggleborn so they have to prove to others that they are just as good as a pureblood. It doesn't help that their s/o is a Pureblood. He isn't tied by the blood hierarchy but his father believes strongly in it. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Ram -Rams can be seen as stubborn but they are filled with determination and will not let themselves be pushed around.

🦈 Eijiro Kirishima: Gryffindor

-Blood: Half-Blood ( Both parents are half-bloods themselves )

-Explanation of House: I'm sure this is no surprise to any of you. Kiri is the poster child of the red and gold house. He is definitely chivalrous and is filled with bravery. He does have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff but his stronger traits fall into Gryffindor. He is what everyone thinks of when they hear Gryffindor.

-Patronus: Bull -Bulls are known to be impulsive in their actions but they symbolize raw emotion and confidence.

-Partner: Ravenclaw -(Y/N) could fit into Hufflepuff with how kind they are but they have such a passion for learning that they fall into Ravenclaw. They try to stay under the radar to keep from being a target due to not having any powers. They are only allowed in Hogwarts due to their father being the Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. -Blood: Muggle, no powers. -Patronus: Chameleon - Chameleons use their camouflage to keep hidden from predators but symbol hidden talents and defenses.

⚡ Denki Kaminari: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Half-Blood ( Father is a Muggle )

-Explanation of House: Is it really shocking (lol) that I put him in Hufflepuff? To be honest, he isn't the smartest (not necessarily with memorization stuff) when it comes to wisdom. He is a dumb dudebro who would jump from the roof onto the beer pong table. He could fall into Gryffindor with his impulsive nature but he puts being kind and helping others above all else, which is why he is placed in Hufflepuff.

-Patronus: Coyote - Coyotes are believed to be one of the trickster animals who focus on the enjoyment of life. They also are able to see things from both sides and have unique intelligence.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - (Y/N) relies on their luck a lot but they do have a quick wit. They are the kind of person who can easily figure out riddles, having their own special kind of intelligence. They are the best at solving any type of puzzle and have a very clever mind. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Fox - One of the other trickster creatures, the fox is known for its good luck which gets it out of many tight spots.

🌹 Hanta Sero: Gryffindor

-Blood: Half-Blood ( Two Half-Blood Parents )

-Explanation of House: I see this boy being filled with courage and the desire to help. He reminds me of a mix of Kirishima and Denki. He deeply cares for his friends like Denki but also has more courage than the blonde like Kiri. He may not be as vocal as his sharp-toothed friend but he fits in Gryffindor just as well.

-Patronus: Spider - Spiders are believed to symbolize protection and creativity.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - (Y/N) is filled with that creative spirit and loves to design different outfits for people. They are known for making patches for the other students to put on their robes for some individuality. At first, it was an issue but the headmaster ended up deciding that small changes like that in the uniform were allowed. -Blood: Half-Blood ( Mother is a Muggle ) -Patronus: Dragonfly - Dragonflies are known for being carefree and filled with imagination. They carry themselves with lightness.

💨 Tenya Iida: Gryffindor

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: I thought about putting him in Ravenclaw because of the obvious but after thinking about it for a bit, I think he fits as a Gryffindor more. He reminds me of a knight and they would definitely fit in Gryffindor's house. He is the only one of the Dekusquad who is in the red and gold house.

-Patronus: Clydesdale Horse - The horse symbolizes carrying the burdens of others and strength. They also are a sign of nobility.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N) is filled with determination to help those that can't protect themselves. They have a rather optimistic outlook on life which gives them a few Hufflepuff traits but it is their self-sacrificing nature that was the final decision in their house placement. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Pelican - Pelicans symbolize being unselfish and responsible as well as safety for others.

🕯️ Tokoyami Fumikage: Ravenclaw

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: Many would see him as Slytherin but he relies on his intelligence quite a bit when it comes to fighting. He isn't as cunning a Slytherin and he isn't very outgoing and friendly like a Hufflepuff. Dark shadow would be considered a Griffindor due to how impulsive he is.

-Patronus: Owl - Owls are believed to be filled with wit and have a special connection to the magic and the astral plane.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - (Y/N) is the perfect example of a Hufflepuff. They are filled with kindness and it seems like everyone likes them. They are willing to stand up for the little guy and want to make sure that everyone is happy. They have a talent when it comes to reading people's emotions. -Blood: Half-Blood ( Father is a Muggle) -Patronus: Dove - A dove symbols peace and hope in things moving forward. It is believed to show the gentleness and be a messenger to the spirit plane.

🥋 Mashirao Ojiro: Gryffindor

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: He has the patience of a Hufflepuff but he feels more like a Gryffindor to me. He is both valiant and filled with chivalry. He reminds me of such a gentleman and the perfect candidate to become a hero. His head is level-headed enough so he doesn't panic but he has enough bravery to act in the moment.

-Patronus: Puma - Pumas are known for having a silent strength and graceful/deliberate movements.

-Partner: Hufflepuff -(Y/N) sees the world in a different way than most do, similar to that of Luna Lovegood. They are always trying to experience the five different senses and like to experiment with different things like texture and taste. They are very loyal to those that they care about. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Raccoon - While Raccoons can be known for being tricksters, they also are known to be explorative and curious.

👁️ Mezo Shoji: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Half-Blood (Father is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: What am I basing this belief on? Well, it has been shown that he will do anything for his friends. He had his scene with Asui where he makes sure to keep her warm and he straight up loses one of his hands to Tokoyami when Dark Shadow takes over. He has a deep loyalty to those that he cares about.

-Patronus: Quail - Quails symbolize team-work and group harmony. They also are very protective.

-Partner: Slytherin - (Y/N) is a very tricky person to deal with as their emotions can change with the turn of the wind. Just like a cat, they are quite cunning and tend to focus more on their own desires than others. They are trying to learn to be a bit more selfless from Shoji. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Cat - Obviously, the cat family is known for being cunning and independent from others.

🌟 Yuga Aoyama: Gryffindor

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: Surprised? I am basing this on his interactions with Midoriya in the anime in that one episode, ignoring his creepy cheese obsession. When he pulls Deku aside and gets serious, I feel like we see him for the first time and he isn't a comic relief character. He is showing that he truly wants to be a hero and that gets him into Gryffindor for me.

-Patronus: Peacock - Peacocks represent the feeling of being self-assured and the recognition of pride when it is due.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - They like to focus more on the creative side of things and aren't as brave as others. They like to go with the flow and hate for too much pressure to be put on them. They fit into Hufflepuff but their natural curiosity for things they don't understand puts them in Ravenclaw. -Blood: Half-Blood (Two Half-Blood Parents) -Patronus: Seal - Seals are known for being close to their family as well as symbolize creativity and imagination.

🌸 Ochako Uraraka: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: There is no one more hard-working then Uraraka. She does have traits of both Slytherin with her determination and Gryffindor with her courage but her loyalty and determination she possesses to be able to provide for her family is what got her into the yellow and black house.

-Patronus: Otter - Otters are an important symbol for empathy and the joy that life can bring.

-Partner: Hufflepuff -(Y/N) is focused most of their friends and helping them with what they need. Their elder brother Tenya was placed in Gryffindor, the same house that their elder brother Tensei was in. They are both impulsive and brave but one of their main traits is the kindness they have for others. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Hummingbird - Hummingbirds represent energy and the vitality of youth. They are also warriors who can be playful.

👽 Mina Ashido: Gryffindor

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: Mina definitely has a creative side which could have gotten her into Ravenclaw and she loves her friends but she is impulsive and filled with courage. Think of that scene when she was in middle school. That villain was giant but she didn't even think twice about going to help those girls!

-Patronus: Cougar - Cougars symbolize courage as well as loyalty. They are able to take the leadership position if needed.

-Partner: Slytherin - (Y/N) has a lot of house pride and refuses to be seen as a villain. They simply are cunning and able to talk circles around people when they need to. Their older brother (Hawks) was also in Slytherin, which shocked many as they expected him to be in Gryffindor. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Raven - Ravens are known for their intelligence and are often believed to be cunning creatures.

🐸 Tsuyu Asui: Slytherin

-Blood: Half-Blood (Mother is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: Tsu is always shown to be level-headed even in the most chaotic of situations. She is filled with determination to help those around her and is very resourceful when necessary. She can come up with plans and change them quickly to fit the situation better.

-Patronus: Eagle - Eagles are meant to symbolize a clear goal and the determination to succeed in plans.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N) is one of the most impulsive people Tsu has ever met. They are bouncing off of the walls a lot of the time but they have such a sense of justice and protectiveness towards others that they were placed in the red and gold house filled with heroes. -Blood: Unknown heritage. -Patronus: Moose - Moose are known for being strongwilled in what they believe and protective of those around them.

🎵 Kyoka Jiro: Slytherin

-Blood: Half-Blood (Mother is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: Jiro fits the creativity that comes with Ravenclaw but I view her as more cunning and resourceful. She definitely is a Slytherin when compared to her other classmates. She is smart and can come up with plans that work to the strengths of her teammates.

-Patronus: Tiger - They are known to speak the duality of being a creator as well as a destroyer.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - (Y/N) is a rather quiet person who only really opens up around those they trust. Their best friend is in Gryffindor and they often hide behind them when situations get too much for them. They have their own unique type of intelligence. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Hedgehog - A hedgehog is meant to symbolize self-preservation and the shyness of meeting new people before opening up.

☕ Momo Yaoyorozu: Ravenclaw

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: This one shouldn't be shocking to anyone. The girl is filled with intelligence and often tries to be logical in the moment. She is able to make plans using the facts but she isn't tied down by them. She knows how dangerous it was to get Bakugo but she still went with the others to save him.

-Patronus: Swan - Swans are elegant and filled with grace. They are shown to strive for perfection.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - They have just as much determination as their sister Uraraka but they are more focused on having a plan than acting out of instinct. They are filled with bravery but they look at the world like a problem needing to be solved, similar to that of a riddle or puzzle. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Mouse - The mouse is meant to be the symbol for the importance of detail and being careful with plans.

Misc.

💜 Hitoshi Shinso: Gryffindor

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: This was a tossup between him going into Gryffindor or Slytherin so I took the Harry Potter decision. Harry spoke out when he was being sorted which is what ultimately got him into Gryffindor and I think Shinso would be the same. Just remember how he went to 1-A just to straight-up tell them he was going to take one of their places? A Gryffindor would definitely do that. A Slytherin would be more discreet and work behind the scenes to get what they want.

-Patronus: Weasel - Weasels have a hidden strength to them and hold a commanding and powerful aura.

-Partner: Slytherin - Everyone always thought that (Y/N) would end up in Ravenclaw due to how much they value knowledge but it was their cunning nature that was the final decision. They do not merely memorize facts like a Ravenclaw might. They use all their knowledge to get what they want which is why they fall into the serpent house. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Skunk - Skunks symbolize the demanding of respect and taking time with your actions.

☁️ Inasa Yoarashi: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: Inasa has the heroism that any good Gryffindor student has but he has such a welcoming presence that I think that he fits better with Hufflepuff. He is one of the many examples that show that Hufflepuffs can be strong and soft at the same time.

-Patronus: Canine - Dogs are known for being loyal to those they care about and filled with love to share.

-Partner: Gryffindor - Even without any powers on their side, (Y/N) is filled with innate bravery. They do feel fear but they have learned how to push past that if it means saving someone. -Blood: Pureblood, a genetic malfunction that gives them no powers. -Patronus: N/A - N/A

⛓️ Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu: Gryffindor

-Blood: Half-Blood (Both Half-Blood Parents)

-Explanation of House: He was close to getting into Hufflepuff (just like Kiri) but his brave nature overruled his immense amount of care he has for his friends. He is very loyal but one of his big aspects is how brave he is. He isn't only brave for his friends, which pushed him to be a lion. He would stand up for a stranger if he thought it was the right thing to do.

-Patronus: Armadillo - Known for trusting in others but being tough when they need to.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - (Y/N)'s main focus is helping others but they are focused more on a pacifistic approach than other houses like Gryffindor. They focus on their bonds with their friends and those around them. They are an expert when it comes to making someone feel better. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Frog - Frogs are said to represent healing and medicine, as well as being peaceful.

🌵 Yo Shido: Slytherin

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: I just get the feeling that he would be a Slytherin. He takes the leader position when it comes to both his friendships and his teammates in battle. He is able to come up with a plan and isn't against using slightly underhanded tactics to do the right thing.

-Patronus: Rooster - Roosters are very self-assured and filled with pride. They are also known for being honest to a T.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N) has a hard time with impulse control, which pushes them toward the house of the lion. They also are filled with bravery, often rushing into things without thinking them through first. This is where Shido comes in handy to keep them from doing anything too dangerous. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Roadrunner - Roadrunners are known for their speed and are seen as symbolizing opportunistic opportunities.

🎌 Yosetsu Awase: Gryffindor

-Blood: Half-Blood (Father is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: His scene with Momo convinces me that he would be in Gryffindor. He didn't leave her when she was hurt and he was ready to die before being a coward. He is less impulsive than some Gryffindors but he is as brave as any of them. I love him, he is such a brave boi.

-Patronus: Beaver - Beavers are intelligent and symbolize being strong-willed and determined.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - (Y/N) is a kind student who gets along with most of their classmates. They like to take care of others in a maternal/paternal way. They believe that one of the most important things for someone to be is kind. Sometimes kindness is enough. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Porcupine - Porcupines symbolize innocence.

✨ Mirio Togata: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Half-Blood (Mother is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: Mirio could fit into Griffindor with how heroic and self-sacrificing he can be but he ended up in Hufflepuff due to how important his friends are to him. He is one of the most loyal people to exist as well as being a ball of sunshine. Hufflepuffs can be just as much of a hero as a Gryffindor, look at Newt!

-Patronus: Lion - Though Mirio isn't in Gryffindor, his Patronus is a lion as they are known for their protective nature and loud beliefs.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - (Y/N) was terrified of being placed in Slytherin as Nightmare would be considered to fit in that house. They, on the other hand, fit more into Ravenclaw due to the creativity they possess. They have learned many skills in their time of trying to ignore their other side. -Blood: Half-Blood (Unknown) -Patronus: Zebra - Zebras symbolize illusions as well as a sense of individuality.

🐙 Tamaki Amajiki: Slytherin

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: Another good example of the side of Slytherin not shown in the series. It is canonically shown that Tamaki is able to run through multiple plans in his head and can change his plan of attack in seconds to accommodate for the new information he has on his enemy.

-Patronus: Opposum -Opossums symbolize being intelligent and quick-witted. They are believed to be strategic creatures.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - (Y/N) is very open-hearted and is ready to take anyone under their wing if they need someone to lean on. They are similar to Mirio in their kindness. They are brave but not impulsive on such a belief. They will always want to help someone but will take time to come up with a plan. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Monkey - The monkey is one of the trickster deities (Especially in Chinese Mythos) and are known to be very curious.

🛠️ Mei Hatsume: Ravenclaw

-Blood: Half-Blood (Two Half-Blood Parents)

-Explanation of House: Mei is an example of the more rare version of a Ravenclaw which is the chaotic creative student. She also has quite a bit of knowledge and is rather intelligent. Just look at how much she knows about technology and how well she is able to use that to make her 'babies'.

-Patronus: Ferret - Ferrets are mischievous creatures who are self-reliant.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - Just like Mei, (Y/N) is in the chaotic subtype of their house. They are unable to keep themselves in one place and don't always think over what they are doing before actually doing it. This is why they end up covered in bruises and small cuts. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Chipmunk - Chipmunks symbolize being energetic and curious independence.

🍙 Itsuka Kendo: Ravenclaw

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: Kendo could fit into Gryffindor but she is too calm and logical in my mind. Yes, there is Hermione but her bravery overweighed her intelligence. Kendo's quick-thinking mind overweighs her more knightly characteristics. Ravenclaws can be heroes too.

-Patronus: Jackel - Jackels are symbols for intelligence and tenacity. They also are known to be courageous.

-Partner: Slytherin - (Y/N) is known for being mischievous as well as having a very cunning mind. They can be dangerous to those that they don't like because they can easily trick someone in one way or another. Make sure not to get on their bad side and make them plan revenge. They hold a grudge. -Blood: Half-Blood (Two Half-Blood Parents) -Patronus: Fox - Foxes are a trickster creature who are known for their magic and talent in illusions.

🍥 Camie Utsushimi: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Half-Blood (Father is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: She is a stereotypical Hufflepuff, where she is just shoved into a house since she doesn't fit the others. In reality, she is very loyal to those that she cares about and has a naturally kind personality. I also see Camie being patient to those she cares for.

-Patronus: Hyena - Hyenas are known for not taking themselves too seriously and have a good sense of humor.

-Partner: Gryffindor - Everyone thinks (Y/N) is going to be placed in Slytherin due to their quirk but they are really a Gryffindor. They are filled with courage and while they doubt themselves at times, they always come back with high self-esteem in the end. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Orca - Orcas represent powerful and thoughtful individuals.

🌊 Neijire Hoda: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: This shouldn't be surprising, just look back at the first time she meets 1-A. That girl is filled with so much energy and is giving off so much of a kind aura that she fits perfectly as a Hufflepuff. Yes, she does have a desire for knowledge but she fits more with Hufflepuff than Ravenclaw.

-Patronus: Bee -Bees are said to enjoy life as well as being defensive. They are said to symbolize energy.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - While Neijire doesn't fit fully, (Y/N) is a better match for Ravenclaw. They are a quiet and shy person who has a hard time expressing themselves. They rely on things such as art and other creative outlets to express themselves properly. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Snail - Snails are said to be solitary yet still protective.

Pros

⭐ All-Might: Gryffindor

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: This is one of the easiest ones to pick. Of course, he is in Gryffindor, he is the definition of being impulsive, especially in his younger days. He is filled with bravery and courage as much as the next hero. He is self-sacrificing which helps place him in this house.

-Patronus: Rhino - Rhinos are said to be protective and tenacious.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N), while not as extreme as their s/o, has heroic personality traits that put them in this house. They are outgoing and while they are not as impulsive as All-Might, they are able to push through their fear to do something if it is going to help someone else. -Blood: Half-Blood (Father was a Muggle) -Patronus: Magpie - Magpies are said to be very perceptive and outgoing.

👖 Best Jeanist: Slytherin

-Blood: Half-Blood (Two Half-blood parents)

-Explanation of House: Best Jeanist seems to be very calculated when it comes to his plans. He knows the importance of having a friendly image like a Gryffindor but with how much of a leader he is, he is more of a serpent. He is a perfect example of Slytherin not being a bad house.

-Patronus: Heron - Herons are patient and creatures filled with agility.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - (Y/N) is a logical individual with a good dose of quick-wit which allows them to work with even the toughest hero, aka Endeavor. They don't take crap from anyone. They are known to be kind as long as someone doesn't lose their trust and respect. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Lioness - Lionesses are known to symbolize determination as well as persistence.

🔥 Endeavor: Slytherin

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: Of course he is a Slytherin but that isn't just because he is seen as a bad person. He has shown heroic qualities at times but he has shown that he will do whatever he needs to so he can get what he wants. He can be selfish at times, though he is trying to get better.

-Patronus: Wolverine - Wolverines are known to be passionate and assertive in what they believe in.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N) follows a strict code that they believe in which mainly involves protecting those that can't protect themselves. They haven't been tainted by the world (Endeavor's Words) and still have that bright-eyed stare. They truly only want to help people and have no underlying desires. -Blood: Half-Blood (Two Half-Blood Parents) -Patronus: Manatee - Manatees are said to represent trust as well as feeling content.

🍡 Fatgum: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Half-Blood (Father was a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: A strong Hufflepuff, one of my favorites! Look at how he treats Tamaki and Kirishima. He is firecly loyal to those boys and would die for them if he had to. He also is filled with a truly kind personality, he makes people ease up around him and trust him.

-Patronus: Wild Dog/Painted Dog - The wild dog/painted dog is said to represent the importance of family.

-Partner: Hufflepuff -(Y/N) has no powers but would fit under Hufflepuff if they went to Hogwarts. They enjoy more domestic activities such as baking and any creative activities. -Blood: Muggle, no powers -Patronus: N/A - N/A

🍗 Hawks: Slytherin

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: Hawks has shown that he is willing to do some bad things if it means that the right thing happens in the end. He has heroic qualities and is often mistaken to be a Gryffindor but he is more cunning than the average lion. He will do whatever needs to be done.

-Patronus: Macaw - Loud and filled with pride in themselves, Macaws could be said to be overcompensating for something.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - While they do have as heroic spirit in them, they are more focused on the care of others to be placed in Gryffindor. They never thought they were going to be placed in that house, which was one reason the sorting hat decided they were in Hufflepuff. They were not overly egotistical in themselves. -Blood: Half-Blood (Unknown) -Patronus: Scarab - Scarabs are known for accepting people as well as being open to rebirth and renewal.

🌀 Oboro Shirakumo: Gryffindor

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: I see Oboro as a mix between All-Might and Mirio. His reckless nature is what pushes him over from Hufflepuff into Gryffindor. He is willing to do whatever he needs to (self-sacrificing wise) to protect the innocent. He doesn't always think his actions all the way through.

-Patronus: Griffin - Griffins are said to be filled with pride and are vigilant to a T.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - (Y/N) just wishes that everyone can get along. They tend to be more pacifistic then their elder brother Aizawa. They are willing to fight if they need to but they prefer to keep things peaceful if that is an option. They use their quirk to make people calm down. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Ladybug - Ladybugs are said to be good luck and offer protection to those that see them.

💤 Shota Aizawa: Ravenclaw

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: Aizawa is as cunning as any Slytherin and can come up with plans as well as them as well. The thing that keeps Aizawa from being a Slytherin is that his emotions control his actions more than logic does at times. He has to do what his heart tells him is right.

-Patronus: Lynx - Lynx are known for being sharp-sighted and secretive with a cunning mind.

-Partner: Gryfinndor - (Y/N) may hide it but they are a true hero at heart. They come off as friendly and one would assume they are a Hufflepuff until any type of danger presents itself. They quickly turn into a protector and take control of the situation to keep as many people safe as possible. -Blood: Half-Blood (Both Parents are Half-Blood) -Patronus: Red Panda - Red Pandas are known for being trusting and very patient.

🥕 Miruko: Gryffindor

-Blood: Half-Blood (Mother is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: Does this really need to be explained? She is filled with confidence in herself and is known for many of her heroic personality traits. She is able to defend those when needed and can fight without being crippled in fear like some think she would due to her quirk.

-Patronus: Rat - Rats are ambitious and are able to change when necessary. They are also known for being sociable.

-Partner: Slytherin -(Y/N) had to learn how to be cunning at a young age due to their quirk. They also had to learn to be careful so as not to hurt anyone too badly by accident. They have learned how to twist their words to get what they want. A heroic Slytherin. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Squirrel - Squirrels symbolize having everything planned out and can be a bit obsessive at times.

🍭 Ms.Joke: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Half-Blood (Father was a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: Again, this one seems like it doesn't need to be explained. Ms.Joke's entire quirk is focused on humor and has let her be a kind person as she has grown. She is a hero, so she could fit in Gryffindor but she isn't impulsive enough or recklessly brave.

-Patronus: Dolphin - Dolphins are symbols for emotional intelligence and empathy.

-Partner: Gryffindor -Unlike Joke, (Y/N) can't help but be impulsive with their actions. With their quirk, it has allowed them to get away with a lot more without repercussions which has caused them to be a bit too reckless at times. They do well with someone else by their side to keep them in line. -Blood: Pureblood -Patronus: Fennec Fox - These are like their bigger counterpart with a trickster aspect but they are more light-hearted.

Villains

🎮 Tomura Shigaraki: Slytherin

-Blood: Halfblood (Mother is Muggle)

-Explanation of House: I know, the classic villain is a Slytherin but he does fit. He is willing to go to any lengths that he needs to get what he wants in the end. In his younger days, he could have been Gryffindor. While he is protective of those around him, in the end, the most important thing to him is his goal.

-Patronus: Elk - One version of the symbols that elk represents is power and majesty.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N) has a very heroic set of ideals and beliefs. They fight for the weak, which is how they got themselves wrapped up with the league. What they are worried about is that the longer they stay with the LOV, the more they are beginning to question their beliefs. -Blood: Half-Blood (Father is a Muggle) -Patronus: Gazelle - Gazelles are known for their awareness and cautious personality.

💀 Dabi: Gryffindor

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: NOW LISTEN, I know he has burned people up and has been a terrible person but there is nothing saying Gryffindors can't be bad. As Touya, he definitely would be a Gryffindor. As Dabi, he would lean toward Slytherin but he is quite daring and he is confident in himself. He wouldn't get expelled but he would run away.

-Patronus: Scorpion - Scorpions symbolize self-preservation and defense as well as sharp spitting-wit.

-Partner: Ravenclaw - (Y/N) had to take care of themselves from a very young age which left them to learn everything on their own. This led to their small obsession with information. They feel safer the more that they know, it allows them to be ready for more situations so they can protect themselves. -Blood: Unknown -Patronus: Sheep - Sheep are often seen as a sacrificial animal that can be used with no real remorse.

⏳ Overhaul: Slytherin

-Blood: Pureblood

-Explanation of House: So here we have the classic Slytherin. Yes he is evil but it is his cunning nature that puts him in Slytherin. He has an entire group working under him and knows how to negotiate as shown with Shigaraki. He would probably end up getting expelled for some experiment.

-Patronus: Cheetah - Cheetah's symbolize someone always moving forward with a set goal in mind.

-Partner: Hufflepuff - (Y/N) is very loyal to a very few amount of people, but would fight for them, until they die. They like to be around those that they trust and tend to be very timid. They are close to being in fight or flight mode at all moments as if ready for any threat. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Deer - Deer are known for their innocence and are meant to symbolize a light for others to guide them home.

🎭 Twice: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Muggleborn

-Explanation of House: Twice is shown to be fiercely loyal to the League. He is definitely the most loyal of the bunch. He also has a naturally good heart, even if his mind is a bit cracked. He hasn't gone out of his way to hurt others unless they threaten his self-made family.

-Patronus: Elephant - Elephants symbolize loyalty and commitment.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N) used to be much braver when they had their quirk. They still possess some of that bravery but there is always a small amount of nervousness and pause when it comes to making a decision. They are learning how to feel safe again with the league and are slowly regaining that confidence they used to possess. -Blood: Half-Blood (Mother is a Half-Blood) -Patronus: Robin - A robin is a symbol of growth and renewal.

🍚 Mustard: Ravenclaw

-Blood: Half-Blood (Father is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: I like to think Mustard is actually pretty smart, especially when it comes to chemistry. Due to his own quirk, he would be interested in other chemical reactions and such which would cause him to study them when he was younger. He uses logic and intelligence when it comes to fighting.

-Patronus: -

-Partner: Slytherin - They had to grow up rather quickly which taught them that one of the only ways to live was to lie to get what you want. They do not lie to those that they get close to. They have high walls but with enough determination, one can get close to them in which they become attached to the person. (Y/N) becomes very fierce if it comes to protecting those they care about. -Blood: Muggleborn -Patronus: Chameleon - Chameleons are able to change what they are to suit the situation, ever-changing.

🔪 Himiko Toga: Hufflepuff

-Blood: Half-Blood (Father is a Muggle)

-Explanation of House: She is easily loyal to those that she cares about and she relies on her emotions heavily. While she is threatening and crazy, she is friendly in her own strange way. She can be hardworking when she wants to, oftentimes when one of her friends needs help.

-Patronus: Bat - Bats are known to symbolize good luck and rebirth.

-Partner: Gryffindor - (Y/N) is quite impulsive due to their own quirk. They are brave and self-sacrificing when it comes to those that they are close to. They have their own code that they live by, such as the one that Stain believed in. This is what puts them in Gryffindor instead of another house like Slytherin. -Blood: Half-Blood (Both Parents are Half-Blood) -Patronus: Honey Badger -(Y/N) may not be in Hufflepuff, but their Patronus is a Honey Badger. They symbol fierce loyalty and passion.

#bnha #bnha fanfiction #bnha imagines #bnha x reader #My Hero #mha #mha imagines #mha x reader #mha fanfiction #my hero academia imagines #my hero academia #my hero acadamy #my hero academia fanfiction #hogwarts

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oliverstarked · 4 years

Text

didn’t mean to let you go

a Buck/Eddie 3.06 coda, that starts with breakfast with Bobby

Summary: Buck moves up, brushes the back of his fingers over the swelling on Eddie’s jaw. Eddie inhales softly.

“It looks painful,” Buck mutters.

“It’s not so bad,” Eddie says, just as quiet.

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Buck talks and talks and talks during breakfast with Bobby. He tries not to, he knows he can be A Lot, but Bobby sits there with his mouth quirked up in an affectionate smile and he listens and listens and listens, and asks questions, and is more of a father-figure in that moment than Buck has ever had in his life.

So he tells Bobby about the nightmares, about the loneliness, about not being able to get out of bed some days. He tells Bobby about his childhood — just a little bit, he doesn’t really mean to — and when Bobby says, “You’re more than the sum of your parents’ choices, Buck,” it’s all Buck can do not to launch himself over the table and wrap Bobby up in a hug.

It’s a good morning, even though it started in the hospital. Buck is starting to feel like himself again, the pieces of him that had been drifting away beginning to slot back into place where they belong. But there’s still something niggling at him that he needs to fix before life can truly go back to normal — whatever normal even means.

Buck gets into his Jeep and swings out of the diner parking lot into the usual snarl of LA traffic. It’s early enough that rush hour isn’t in full swing yet, but it still takes an annoyingly long time to get across the city to Eddie’s place. By the time he arrives, the sun is pounding on his face through the windshield and he’s starting to sweat. Why did he have to pick a gray shirt, goddamnit.

“Buck!”

Christopher is standing just outside the house, school bag on his back and massive smile on his face. Something inside Buck nearly crumbles in relief. He’d thought maybe Chris would be mad at him, disappointed that someone he’d trusted had let him down. Yet there he is, grin on his face like there’s no one else he’d rather see at eight in the morning. Buck doesn’t know what he did to deserve that kid’s affection, but he’s never gonna do anything to jeopardize it ever again.

“Hey, little man!”

The hug he receives is nothing short of perfect, even if he gets a crutch to the shin for his trouble. God, he’s missed this.

“Buck, what are you doing here?”

Eddie looks confused, but it’s the fresh bruise along his unshaven jaw and exhaustion ringing his eyes that grabs Buck’s attention. He thinks about the pained way Eddie pulled away from him the night before and swallows the million questions he has. Whatever discussion they need to have will have to wait until Chris isn’t around to hear it.

“It’s our day off, thought I’d come see the Diaz boys,” he grins.

Eddie steps further out of his house, pulling the door closed behind him. He’s got his keys in one hand, a travel mug in the other, and Chris’ gym kit slung over his shoulder.

“Yeah, well, one of these Diaz boys has school.”

Chris puts his hand on Buck’s leg and looks up at him with those big puppy eyes. “Will you come with us, Buck?”

Buck glances at Eddie, who just shrugs, so he says, “Sure. Why don’t I drive? Your dad can drink his coffee and you and me can talk Transformers.”

Eddie remains quiet for the twenty minutes it takes to get to Chris’ school. He’s not hostile or mad, but he looks resigned, like he knows Buck wants a Conversation and knows there’s no more putting it off. Sure, he’s chipper as hell when he says goodbye to Christopher, but the minute he and Buck are alone together in the car he sinks into the seat, eyes closed as he tips his head back. The bruise on his face is a sickly shade of purple.

“So, I had a bit of a night,” Buck says brightly, because he’s not gonna ask Eddie what’s going on while he’s driving. “This lady hit a guy with her car two days ago and had no idea she was driving around with him sticking outta her windshield. The hospital said she had a brain bleed and it confused her? Anyway, he’s still alive. Thanks to me.”

He winks, playing it up, and Eddie smiles. “Yeah?”

“Uh huh. And the driver.” He should shut up, but Eddie’s still looking at him with that soft, quiet look on his face, and it makes Buck keep talking. “Y’know, I always thought it was the uniform that made me the guy who’ll crawl over broken glass, literally, to help people. To make a difference. But, I dunno man, I think I’m starting to realize that it’s just who I am, uniform or no. When Bobby came to get me from the hospital, he said—”

“Wait, you were at the hospital? Last night?” Eddie looks stricken and it makes Buck’s breath catch in his throat.

“Uh, yeah. Kinda.” He shows Eddie the bandage on his arm. “I got scratched on the broken windshield. It’s nothing, I swear. The paramedics wanted me to get checked because of, y’know, my history. Honestly, Ed, I’m fine.”

Eddie scrapes a hand over his face. “You should’ve called me.”

“Would you have answered?”

“Of course.” But even as he says it, Eddie doesn’t sound like he believes the words.

This time Buck doesn’t say anything. He just drives, glancing over at Eddie every so often. Each time he does, Eddie looks back. Like they’re attuned to each other. They definitely used to be, before Buck went and messed it up. Now it’s time to sort it out.

But when they get back to Eddie’s, Buck decides he’s gotta pick the right moment. He really doesn’t want to fight again, and Eddie’s looking pretty pathetic anyway, slumped at his kitchen table with his head in his hands.

“Have you eaten breakfast?” Buck asks, already pulling open the cupboards.

“Cereal,” Eddie replies, gesturing blindly to the empty bowls left in the sink and the box of Cap’n Crunch on the counter.

Buck snorts. “Yeah, okay. I’m gonna make you a proper breakfast. Go shower, I’ll have it ready by the time you’re done.”

Eddie huffs, looking up and raising his eyebrows. “Is that a not-so-subtle hint?”

“No, man, you just look like you could do with taking a load off for a few. A shower will make you feel better.”

It’s the closest they’ve come to actually discussing the fact that there’s something wrong with Eddie, but he doesn’t rise to it. Just takes Buck’s advice and trudges down the hall, disappearing into his bedroom.

Buck heaves out a breath and sets about making one of Bobby’s specialities: the perfect French omelet. He’s gonna have to improvise a little with the filling based on the sparse contents of Eddie’s refrigerator but he finds spinach, mushrooms and cheese, so it could be worse.

When Eddie comes back, dressed in dark jeans and a henley, Buck is just setting two plates piled high with omelet on the table. So what that a couple of hours ago he ate his weight in pancakes with Bobby? He’s always got room for more.

“You cleaned up in here,” Eddie comments, “and dios, it smells amazing.”

“You’re welcome,” Buck smiles, and refrains from pulling Eddie’s chair out for him like he would a date at a restaurant. Instead he sits across from Eddie and raises his glass of OJ. “Here’s to you forgiving me, and to us being friends again.”

Eddie clinks his glass against Buck’s, but does so with a roll of his eyes. “We were never not friends, Buck. It was killing me that I couldn’t talk to you.”

A memory floats to the surface of Buck’s brain, something Eddie said that time in the grocery store, that makes him say, “Yeah, talk to me and to, what was it? Oh yeah, ask me to bail you out of jail. Hypothetically, right?”

Oh yeah, that hit a nerve. Eddie slowly chews and swallows his mouthful of egg, but his eyes go shuttered and Buck knows that this is it, no more lies.

“Not so much, actually,” Eddie admits, and when he looks back up Buck is shocked to see that his eyes are wet. “Buck, I think I’m in trouble.”

It’s not a surprise. Neither is the way every fiber of Buck’s being wants to get out of his chair and gather Eddie into his arms, hold him close and promise him that everything is gonna be okay. Except he won’t, though. He doesn’t know if it will be okay, and it sounds like he’s gonna have to be the grown up one in this situation.

“Okay,” he says, nodding his head. “Tell me.”

To his credit, Eddie looks Buck right in the eye when he says, “I’ve been street fighting. For money.”

Nausea fills the pit of Buck’s stomach. Images fill his head unbidden of Eddie getting pummelled by some great ugly brute with no teeth. With no one there to support him, patch him up afterwards and make sure he’s okay.

“Jesus, Eddie. And I thought I was supposed to be the stupid one.”

Eddie hangs his head. “Yeah, well.”

“I mean, what were you thinking?” Buck bursts out. “You could have been seriously hurt, man, or worse. You’ve got people here who need you, Eddie. Chris needs you.” He pauses, swallows. “I need you.”

The chair skids back with a screech as Eddie jumps to his feet. “Don’t you think I know that? I can’t help it, Buck! I’m just so — so angry, all the fucking time. At everyone! Shannon — she died. She told me she wanted a divorce, and then she fucking died. That’s my fault, if I hadn’t brought her back into our lives only to turn around and change my mind, she wouldn’t have even been on that road to get hit by that car! Chris has lost his mom for good, because I was so goddamn selfish. And then you — and your leg — and I know how hard your recovery was so I wasn’t gonna make it about me and my issues. And the tsunami just — dios, I still have nightmares about losing Christopher. About losing you. Except then I did lose you to that stupid stupid lawsuit, and I just needed to punch something so badly.”

He stops, shakes his head, sucks in a shuddering breath. Buck can’t even move, doesn’t even know what to say.

“It wasn’t supposed to go this far, Buck,” Eddie finishes, voice nearly a whisper. “It’s the only thing that made me feel in control. Please help me make it stop.”

Buck looks at Eddie, really looks at him. His brown eyes are sad and awful. So Buck gets up out of his chair and in three strides he’s right there in front of him, his hands on Eddie’s biceps, reaching out to pull him in and curling his own arms firm around Eddie’s broad shoulders, like a protective band around him.

“I’m sorry, Eddie,” he says softly. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there. You were right, last night. I was too focused on myself to see that you were hurting.”

“No,” Eddie says. He makes to pull back, but Buck refuses to let go so Eddie just talks into his shoulder instead. “You went through a lot—”

“We all went through a lot,” Buck corrects him gently. “And none of it, none of it, was your fault, Eddie Diaz.”

Eddie’s arms come up around Buck’s waist, slowly squeezing back. Buck scrunches his eyes shut so he doesn’t do something stupid like cry. He doesn’t know how long they stand there like that, Eddie’s hot breath fanning against the side of his neck, wrapped around each other so tightly, breakfast long forgotten on the table, but when they finally disentangle Eddie’s face is dry although his eyes look red and sore.

“No more fighting,” Buck tells him, no room for argument. “We’ll go in the boxing ring, I’ll hold a punching bag for you, I’ll take you to the rage room, whatever. If you need help with money, I got you covered. If you wake up in the middle of the night and wanna talk, you call me. You want me to come to therapy with you, I’m there. But fight club is done.”

For a second, Buck thinks Eddie is gonna argue. But then he sags, his shoulders falling, and nods.

“I’m not gonna feel better until I’ve checked you over,” Buck adds then, concerned about injuries he can’t see.

Eddie rolls his eyes to the heavens, so much like his usual self Buck nearly laughs in relief. “Buck, I’m fine. I’m a medic. I know this to be true.”

“Please,” Buck begs, because he needs to see for himself, needs proof.

Sighing, and looking extremely reluctant about it, Eddie plucks at the bottom of his henley and peels it off over his head.

Ugly smudges of blue, purple and yellow marr the landscape of Eddie’s torso like stormclouds. His ribs look awful, half-healed and scabbed over where the skin has been split from the sheer force of the beating. Buck places his hand gently over the worst of it, feels Eddie’s ribcage expand under his palm.

“Not broken,” Eddie whispers. “Just bruised.”

Buck moves up, brushes the back of his fingers over the swelling on Eddie’s jaw. Eddie inhales softly.

“It looks painful,” Buck mutters.

“It’s not so bad,” Eddie says, just as quiet.

Despite popular belief, Buck’s not actually an idiot. He knows what’s happening here. His feelings for Eddie are an ever-present feature of Buck’s everyday, always just under the surface, bubbling up every time they share a look or a touch, however innocent. Right now Buck feels like they’re boiling over, faced with miles and miles of Eddie’s soap-clean skin and those eyes staring right at him and the emotional vulnerability that has left them both a bit raw.

When Eddie’s tongue darts out to lick his lips, Buck thinks he might actually combust.

“Te he extrañado,” Eddie breathes, “I missed you.”

And that’s it, he can’t take it anymore. Buck swoops forward and presses his mouth to Eddie’s in a kiss that’s not gentle at all, but demanding and desperate and so, so good.

It gets even better when Eddie tongue traces the seam of Buck’s lips — it gets hot and fierce then, wet and open-mouthed. Buck’s hands are on Eddie’s face, cradling his jaw, but Eddie’s hands can’t seem to decide what to touch first: first Buck’s waist, then up his chest, over his shoulders, smoothing down his back until they settle on his waistband.

“I always thought —” Buck murmurs, lush against Eddie’s mouth, “that it was — it was just me who — God, Eddie.”

Eddie slides his fingers around Buck’s belt to the front, easily slipping the leather through the buckle.

“There was never a good time,” Eddie says, kissing him again and sucking lightly on Buck’s bottom lip, like his fingers aren’t unbuttoning Buck’s fly and driving him absolutely fucking crazy. It’s not fair that he can string sentences together when Buck’s feeling so deliriously drunk on this already.

Then he remembers that hey, he’s good at this. Eddie is far from the first guy he’s been with, although he is the first in a while, and he knows sex. Knows all the best knee-trembling, breath-taking, shiver-inducing moves. Part of him can’t believe that he gets to do them all with Eddie, but he sure as hell isn’t going to stop now.

Buck presses kisses down Eddie’s neck, stubble burning his lips in the best way. He can’t resist leaving a hickey on his collarbone, more on his chest, scattered among the bruises there.

“Buck…” Eddie groans, his hands fisting in Buck’s hair now, not-so-subtly trying to guide him lower.

Smirking against his skin, Buck heads back up instead, nipping Eddie’s ear as he whispers, “If you weren’t injured, we’d be on this kitchen floor and I’d be sucking your brain out through your dick.”

Eddie’s hips jerk into Buck’s and Buck can feel quite clearly just how much that idea appeals.

“But you are injured, so we’re gonna take this somewhere a bit softer,” he adds, grabbing Eddie’s hand and dragging him into his own bedroom. Eddie’s grip is tight but sweaty, and Buck’s glad that he’s not the only one feeling slightly overwhelmed here. For all his blustering and confidence, the fact that this is Eddie means it’s important. Possibly the most important thing Buck has ever done. He really, really hopes this isn’t going to be a one-time thing.

As soon as they’re in the bedroom, Eddie pulls Buck’s t-shirt up and over his head before pushing him down on the bed. Grinning when he bounces, Buck sits on the edge and yanks Eddie in by the hips, making quick work of his fly and yanking his jeans and boxers down his thighs.

Eddie is so hard already, so wet that Buck can’t help but take him into his mouth. He sucks, kisses and licks until Eddie is gasping for breath and pushing him away.

“Too much?” Buck pants, laying on his back and bringing Eddie down with him.

“Not enough,” Eddie says, kissing him again like he can’t get enough of Buck’s mouth. The weight of his body pressing Buck down into the mattress feels so good that Buck can’t help bumping his hips up, only to be impeded by his own goddamn pants. Desperate, he tries to wriggle his way out of them until Eddie takes pity and tugs them over his ankles.

“You’re kind of a dork,” Eddie laughs, kissing the smooth skin of Buck’s inner thighs, the vibrations doing things to him.

“Fuck you,” Buck retorts, breathless. “I’m a goddamn sex machine.”

“Okay,” Eddie agrees, too easy, and Buck yanks him back up to crush their mouths together again. Now that he’s started kissing Eddie, he doesn’t know if he’s ever going to be able to stop. He prays to a God that he doesn’t really believe in that he won’t ever have to.

Buck’s had a couple of near-death experiences, but right here with Eddie on top of him, rolling their hips together, his legs wrapped tight around Eddie’s waist? Definitely the closest to heaven he’s ever been.

He pushes up every time Eddie pushes down, fingers roaming over Eddie’s back, feeling the muscles ripple each time he shoves against Buck. Eddie moves one of his arms from where it’s braced beside Buck’s head and uses his hand to grip both their dicks together, and that’s when it gets hot and fast and intense, and kissing becomes nothing more than panting against each other’s mouths, and Buck tenses and finally comes undone, unspooling like a livewire, sparks firing under his skin, leaving him unable to do much more than keep his grip on Eddie’s shoulderblades and hang on while he rides it out.

Eddie is swearing fiercely in Spanish, losing his rhythm, but he drags his hand through the mess on Buck’s stomach and wraps that hand around his own dick, the image of which is so unreasonably hot that Buck groans and shudders.

“Yeah, c’mon, baby,” he blurts out, “come on me, mark me up, make me yours.”

“Dios, Buck, fuck,” Eddie grits out, hips stuttering, and then he comes with a drawn-out moan, only making Buck dirtier, and God does Buck love it. Love him.

They kiss again as they come back down to earth, softer now, slower. Buck’s mouth keeps doing this thing where he can’t stop smiling, until Eddie catches it too, and then they’re laughing. Eddie collapses into the space next to Buck, and he feels cold now where their skin isn’t touching. He reaches over the edge of the bed and comes back with his shirt which he uses to wipe his stomach before throwing blindly back to the floor.

“So…” Eddie starts, tipping his head to look at Buck.

Buck just grins at him. “Told you I was a sex machine.”

Eddie glares at him without any heat in it, then rolls onto his side and rests his palm over Buck’s chest. His face gets serious and for a heartbeat Buck thinks he’s about to be kicked out of bed.

But, “I want you to know this wasn’t some sort of… gratitude thing,” Eddie says, “Or — or another outlet for my anger. That meant — you mean — a whole lot to me, Evan Buckley. And if this is going to jeopardize our friendship then—”

“Hey,” Buck interrupts, grabbing onto Eddie’s hand and clutching at it. “In case you couldn’t tell from everything I’ve said today: I love you, you idiot.”

A huge smile breaks out on Eddie’s face and Buck can’t help but mirror it, reeling Eddie back in. They make out like teenagers until their lips go numb and kiss-swollen.

They only stop when Eddie’s stomach grumbles, reminding them both that he never did finish his breakfast.

“C’mon, shower and then brunch,” Buck decides, running his hand over Eddie’s side and down to his ass, where he squeezes. “What d’ya reckon old man, ready for round two? Shower sex, easy clean up?”

“Not if you’re gonna call me old,” retorts Eddie, and he jumps out of bed like he doesn’t have several bruised ribs, as if to prove a point. “You coming, or shall I start without you?”

Buck might give his right arm to see that, but right now he just wants to be pressed as close to Eddie as possible, to make sure nothing hurts him ever again.

There’ll be time for everything else later.

#911 fanfic #buck x eddie #buddie #eddie diaz #evan buckley #911 fox #*fic

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lay-d-l · 4 years

Text

Zoyalai Modern AU

This spring I joined @grishaversebigbang and for whatever reason I signed up as a writer. Not a very smart idea it was very stressful and I don’t even like it that much, but y’know, next year, I’ll be ready.

I worked with incredibly talented people who are, generally the sweetest human beings you could meet.

Materialki:

@someofgennie x

@edmeom x

Corporalki:

@shelbychild

Fic summary: Zoya was living day for day, not caring really, not after him. After she bumps into a guy at her favorite coffee shop, her life gets interesting again. Will she let herself feel again?

you can find my fic here *it’s not there yet, so if you wanna see it, keep reading*

It was a wet Tuesday morning; it had been raining all night and I wasn’t feeling like going out. But things happen 24/7 and that means reporters, like me, work 24/7. I wiggled out of bed and went to the bathroom. Seeing what I saw, I groaned. It's Zoya's-Famous-Bed-Hair. Once, in junior year, I woke up late and didn't have time for hair and makeup. So, naturally, I put on the first thing I got my hands on and ran out. Which is usually okay, right? Yeah, well Os Alta Speciality School has uniforms. Though, they’re not like Ketterdam ones. In Ketterdam, it's regular pants-shirt-jumper; in Os Alta they wore keftas. That's not the point, though; the night before, Genya and I were out, partying, so I wore clothes from last night's party. The principal suspended me for the day. This morning, I braided my hair, took my laptop, and left for the Dragon Scale. Dragon Scale is a coffee shop just around the corner from my apartment. Since I started drinking coffee when I was fifteen I have always gone there; it felt safe. Mostly because no one, not even Genya, knew about it. Just like every other day, it was almost empty. One person at the counter and a few others scattered in the back. I went to the counter and Anna, the barista, smiled at me. "The usual?" she asked. "You know it," I smiled back. "Could you bring it to me though? I have a lot of work today." Not turning from the shelves she said, "No worries." With that I went to sit by the window. I liked looking at people as they passed by, even when it's not a busy day. I opened the laptop and started writing: the elections are nearing, are you ready to decide between our two competitors? Is it going to be the cunning Petyr or the sly Nikolai Lantsov? I was never into politics, but Shelby, my publisher, insisted I write about this year's election. I love my job, I really do, but this is incredibly boring and the campaigns don't start until a few weeks from now, so when Anna brought my frappe, I looked to the street. I was like a less smart Sherlock Holmes. Meaning I can't really deduct, I just notice how people walk and dress, or if they have any ticks. Like if their left shoulder is lower than their right one. There was a woman in a hot pink coat, which was an unusual choice considering not many people wear bright colours at this time of year. A pig tailed girl who had stuck a lollipop to her mother's jacket. And a guy who was trying so hard not to be seen, but who obviously failed. With nothing else to do I packed my laptop, took my cup and went out. As I was turning to say bye to Anna, I bumped into a wall. I said, "Really? Couldn't have told me I'm going into a wall???" She started laughing hysterically. "What?" "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm no wall." I turned around. He definitely wasn't a wall. "Witty remarks are really unnecessary." I said. He put his arms up in surrender. "I am sorry that I bumped into you though." “Don’t worry, it could have been someone not as pretty as you.” “Thank you, I think. I’m going to go now. Bye Anna!” as I was walking out I heard Anna talking to the man.

Next day, I was sitting in the park, trying to write something on the elections but it was a no go. I was closing my laptop when I felt someone sit beside me. I looked to my right and saw the guy from the coffee shop. “What does ‘Z’ stand for?” “What are you doing here?” I asked, “Are you following me?” “No, I was walking, and I saw a familiar face, thought I say ‘Hi’. What does ‘Z’ stand for?” “It stands for Zebra.” “Really?” “No, of course not, it stands for Zoya.” “Oh that’s a nice name, is it yours? What does it mean?” “Yes, of course it’s mine. It means ‘life’”I said. “And you are?” “Nikolai.” he looked at his watch, “As much as I liked this encounter, I must go now.” “Bye?” He bowed to his waist, “Farewell.”

I snoozed my alarm three times, but it kept ringing. Then I realised it's not a regular alarm, it's a Genya alarm. "What is it, Kostyk?" I said into the phone. "Oooh!" she exclaimed, "Kostyk, that sounds nice. Not used to it though." "I know that's why I said it. What's the rush?" "It's Saturday." "Oka-" "ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU FORGOT OUR WEEKLY MEETING???" "Don't yell," I said. "Of course I didn't forget, you'd kill me if I did. I just didn't think it'd be this early." "Early?" she asked, "Zoya it's 11:00 in the morning!" "Oops? Okay, well, I'm obviously awake now, so what were you thinking of doing?" I asked. "The Zoo! Winter is coming, and I want to see all the summer animals before they stop going out." "Sure, meet you at the park in two hours?" "Yeah, love you!" she said, and hung up. I got up and went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. It was empty, guess I forgot to go to the store. So I decided to go to a bakery down the street, hoping they still have something warm. Luckily for me, they did. I bought two dollars worth of mini-whinnies and got back home. It was a relatively sunny day, so I sat at the balcony. And for a Saturday, it wasn't really busy. Besides Genya days, Saturdays are usually the farmers market days too. Most people don't have time to buy groceries during the week. I looked up to the Grand Palace. Tourists always said it was the most beautiful building in Os Alta, but I could never see it. It's not ugly, I just found the Little Palace more interesting. The Grand Palace is like any other palace ever, with big towers and shiny roofs, I can see that in any place that had a royal dynasty. But only we have a huge library with a fountain next to the royal Palace. I looked at my watch and yelped, I'm gonna be late!, I thought. I changed from my sweats and tee, and put on jeans, a jumper and boots, In case it rains. Took the leather jacket and keys from the hanger and ran out. The park wasn't far from my apartment so I walked. When I got to our usual meeting spot, Genya was already there. I waved apologetically. She rolled her eyes: "At least you're here, let's go!" "Fine, fine, I'm going!", I laughed. We sat in her car and went to the zoo. During the ride we talked about what we did during the week, how's married life and how's David in general, but all that was dropped the moment we walked through the gates of the zoo. First we saw the birds; pigeons, eagles and those funny colored ones that sing. Next animals were sheep, llama and deer. Their cages were around a pavilion that had horses and ponies you could ride, but those are mostly for kids. Few years back, Genya asked if we could ride but they wouldn’t let us. She said “it wasn’t fair that only kids can do fun stuff…” and continued to tell me how when she has kids they will be free to do whatever they want. We walked next to the deer cage. David loves them so every time we’re here we tend to stay a bit longer. Today we saw there was a new addition to the family. On the cage it said she was a doe named Lola. Next stop were the ostridges and the emus, we skipped those, mostly because one ostridge bit me a few years back when I tried to feed it. Genya got it on camera. On the other side of the sidewalk were the bison, and we always acted as if they were the flying bison from Avatar: the Last Airbender. We named all of them Appa. The seals were sleeping so we went to the reptiles instead. Most of the snakes were also sleeping, as was the aligator so we decided to skip the hippoes too and went to see the wolves. Though they didn't pay attention to us as they were eating. The monkeys were mostly shitting onto their hands and throwing it at each other… The petting zoo was empty so we had all the little goats to ourselves! When I was a kid, and my mom still my mom, I tried to take one of the goats with me home, but I couldn’t carry it alone so it stayed in the petting zoo. When we got to the bears most of them were in the water, but there was one who went in circles around his pond, like he was trying to catch fish. Lions were lying around, hyenas were laughing at the visitors, which is not creepy at all… At that point we got tired and went to the big pond where the ducks and the swans are. I sat on a bench while Genya bought ice cream. “Strawberry?” she asked. I just nodded. "So," she started, "you're not seeing anyone, right?" I choked, "What?!" "Are you seeing anyone?" "Where is that coming from?!" "David recently got together with a childhood friend and when he got home, he said you'd like him and that you should go on a date." she said, casually. "Genya, you know I'm not the one for dating…" She touched her eye-patch and looked away. "I know, but just try? I mean, just meet with him, then decide what to do. Not everyone is like Alex…" I sighed, "Sure, wh-" "REALLY?", she exclaimed. "Yes, chill. Who is he?" "Oh, oh… I have no idea. David just called him Sobachka, but-" "Genya…" "But he can't be bad if he's friends with David. If you don't feel like staying, I'll pull you out." "Okay, Pinkie Promise?", I asked, and she smiled, "Cross my heart, hope to fly!" We threw the rest of our cones to the ducks, passed the safari animals, and finished this year's last visit to the zoo. Next to the zoo is an empty parking lot that has a small adventure park. Ever since I befriended Genya, after the zoo we go to the ferris wheel and the bumper cars.

Since I agreed to go on a blind date I decided it was best to do it in a familiar setting. So I told Genya that I wanted it to be in a coffee shop near my flat. I put on my battle armor, jeans and a sweater, and went out. The streets were empty, even for a weekday. I went into the shop and looked around to see a familiar face. Anna, behind the counter, Gennie in the corner, drawing probably. I sat in my usual place next to the window and waited. Anna came by the table. “Hey, what can I get you?” I looked up, “Nothing yet, I’m on a date…” “That’s a new one, how did that happen?” “I was out with Genya and she suggested it. And it’s Genya, she thinks he’s good, and she would not stop until I said yes so I’m here to see what happens.” She smiled, “Well, I’m sure it can’t be that bad.” “Yeah,” I said and looked behind her, “Gennie’s calling for you.” She turned around, “Oh, I better get that, she’s trying out a new technique.” Then she left. The set time was 17:00, I came a little earlier, just in case. I took my phone out of my pocket to see the time. He’s late. Door opened and Nikolai came in, he looked around and rolled his eyes when he saw me. He came and sat at the chair opposite of me. “Honestly Zoya, is it not tiring to follow me? You could just ask for my number.” I scoffed; ”Don’t flatter yourself I’m here for a date.” His eyes widened, “Come again?” “You thought you were-” “You’re a friend of David’s.” “What? How do you know that?” I asked. He scratched his head, “I, oh Saints…” “You’re my date, aren’t you?” “I would seem so.” I frowned, “Hey, don’t look so pissed I didn’t know either.” “Do you want to do this?” I asked. “I don't see why not.” he said. “I have no expectations, we sit and talk. If we click, cool. If not, we had an interesting afternoon. Deal?” He put his hand out. I shook it; “Zoya Nazyalenski, nice to meet you.” “Nikolai, my pleasure.” he smiled. Anna came by again, “This, it’s hilarious.” she said. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that.” Nikolai replied. She laughed; “ What can I get you?” “I’ll have a Frappe.” I said, “ What do you want?” Nikolai looked at me, then at Anna, “I’ll have what she’s having, and a plate of biscuits.” Anna nodded, “Coming right up.” “So,” I started, “do we start again, or do we just continue where we left off?” “We continue, can't pretend like you’re not my biggest fan.” i laughed, “Yeah, keep telling yourself that. On another note, how do you know David?” “We lived in the same neighborhood when we were kids.” he said, “One day, when we were 8, there was an explosion in his garage. I was playing in my backyard when it happened, I came running to see what happened, to see if he was okay. Spoiler alert he was, but I think he burned his eyebrows off.” “What happened?” I asked eagerly. “When?” I sighed, “What caused the explosion?” “Oh.” he looked confused, “I don’t know. I never asked. And how do you know David?” “I’m afraid my story isn’t so interesting, we met at highschool.” “You went to the same school?” “Yes but we were on different courses. I took journaling, he took engineering. He wasn’t social, I barely knew him before my best friend, his now wife Genya, worked up the courage to ask him out in junior year.” “Yeah, he definitely wasn’t a social butterfly. I was really surprised when I heard he was getting married.” “But I didn’t see you at the wedding.” I stated. “My father got sick, I couldn’t come” “I’m sorry to hear that.” he smiled; “I’m not, he’s an ass” “Who’s an ass?” Anna came with our order. “His father.” “My father” we said at the same time. I looked at him and smiled, he winked at me. “I see where you get it form” He gasped; “you didn’t” “I did.” Anna facepalmed. “I can see this is going great, so I’m gonna go.” “Thank you Anna.” Nikolai said. She waved him off. “Since we’re basically playing 20 questions, what else do you want to know?” I asked. He looked out the window, “Cliche, but, what is your favorite season and why?” “Winter, because there is nothing better than a wool jumper. My turn. Why does David call you Sobachka?” “This got very personal, very fast.” “Oh,” i said, “I’m sorry, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” “No it’s okay, no one is ever that direct with me.” he said and ate his last biscuit. “Why? Is it because you’re in this year's elections?” “I thought you didn’t recognise me.” “Oh please, I’m writing an article about you and the other guy” “Huh, he really is ‘the other guy’” he said. “So, are you going to tell me what’s behind your nickname?” “Right, ugh, I’m not my father's son, my mom cheated. Not many people know this. The ones who do call me Sobachka, y’know, like a dog.” “That’s rough buddy… So it doesn’t bother you?”I asked. “No, not really.” I chuckled, “Not many people are like that.” Indeed they are not.” he looked at his watch, “This has been fun, but I’m afraid I must go now. I would like to see you again.” “I would like to see you too.” I smiled.

I was walking down the stairs when I heard my phone ring. “Hello?” “Hi, is this Zoya?”said the voice. “Yes, and you are?” I sighed as I got to the bottom and went to check my mailbox. “Is my voice so plain to you that you do not remember it?” “Nik, it’s not like I have your number saved in my phone. How may I help you this fine evening?” “I was wondering if you are free tonight? For a stroll in the park.” “We saw each other two days ago!” “Please? I need a friendly companion.” he paused, “We’ll eat doughnuts?” “How dare you use doughnuts against me?! Of course I’ll come. Meet in front of the Little Palace fountain in an hour? “Done. I’ll see you there.” I smiled fondly. “Bye Nik.” During the past few weeks I have been seeing him more and more. One Saturday he and David tagged along on our weekly meeting. I got out of the building and went across the street. There were lots of cars so I decided against calling a taxi. It wasn’t a long walk to the Little Palace, but I had to go to the Library first. There weren't many people in the Library so it was a quick stop. The Librarian, Kuwei, is a friend of Nina’s so I paused to chat with him, but he had work to do so I left him to it. When I got to the fountain, Nikolai was already there. I kissed him on the cheek and sat next to him. “What’s up?” He picked up a bag and gave it to me, “Doughnuts first.” “Honestly I don’t know how can someone not like you.” I said and took a bite of the doughnut. “So good…” “Me or the doughnut?” he asked. “What?” “You said it’s good. Me or the doughnut?” “Oh,” I laughed, “definitely the doughnut!” “HA-HA, very funny. Look I didn’t want to ask you, but I really need help with my speech.” I wiped my mouth to get rid of any leftover sugar and took out a notepad out of my bag. “Sure, what's it about?” “Well, this showing is supposed to be about children. Their education, the schools, hospitals, even orphanages.” he rubbed his neck. “That’s great, children should be taken care of, we know that first hand.” “Yeah, but I don’t know how to phrase it. I thought you could help with that.” “Of course. You’re gonna tell me everything that you want to say, we’ll write that down and work our way from there.” We were working on the speech until the sun went down. I looked up at him and said:”It’s getting late, I should go…” Nikolai scratched his head, “Yeah, no, of course, we’ll see eachother on David's birthday, right?” “Yes. This has been fun, I’d like to be more involved with your campaign if you’ll have me.” “You’re always welcome, always.” he hugged me, “I’ll see you in a few days. Bye Zoya.” “Bye Nik.”

“Botkin is making a reunion.” “What, when?” “I don’t know, some time after today.” Genya said. “Hold on, how do you know that?” “Didn’t he call you?” “Not that I know. Wait let me check,'' I took my phone from the table and looked at my phone log, “Oh, right I do have a missed call from an unknown caller. But do I really have to go, I mean I’ll see everyone I like tonight.” Genya sighed, “Zoya, it’s a party, you are going, you are going to have fun.” “But-” “End of discussion.” “EnD oF dIsCuSsIoN” I mocked her. “Oh, piss off. Just don’t be late.” “That’s you Kostyk. Gotta go, love you!” I ended the call. We are celebrating David’s birthday tonight, I had to go and buy him a gift. A normal person would have done that by now, but I just love to do everything last minute. I dressed up, took my wallet and went out to the hardware store. It started to rain during the taxi ride, I was, naturally unprepared for that, thus making me a bit damp when I entered the store. One of the older workers came up to me and said:”A bit unexpected, isn’t it?” “You have no idea.” I replied. “How can I help you?” “It’s my friend's birthday, and he likes to repair regular household items, or just make up new things, so i thought to buy him a new tool kit because his old one is really worn out and probably very rusty or just damaged.” “Right.”he said, “Would you like a completely new tool box, or separate objects and a tool box?” I looked around, “Well, if it were for you what would you get?” “Is there a price range?” “Not really, no. But let’s not make it more than a weekly paycheck.” After a series of isles and relentless explaining of different brands of the same monkey wrench, he recommended a box with wrenches of all sizes, seven different screwdrivers and some kind of special doorknob key that is also in different sizes and very useful. When I bought the tool box, I went to the liquor store to buy Genya’s favorite wine, but the rain hadn’t stopped. I was dripping wet when I came to their apartment. I knocked, twice, when David opened the doors, he went in for a hug, I put my finger up “No, no, we’ll do that when I’m dry.” He shrugged. “If you say so.” “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” “Thank you Zoya, come on in.” he let me through.I pointed my finger at Genya, “See, not late! And not the last one to get here.” “Not to burst your bubble, but you are the last one.” it was Mal. I looked around, Mal and Alina were on the couch, Nina sitting beside them. Toyla was on the armchair next to the couch. Tamar and Nadia were on the loveseat opposite the couch, near the kitchen. Leoni and Adrik on the floor beside them. Genya was on a stool, her back turned. “No I'm not, Nik isn’t here”. I took off my jacket, and sat on the edge of the couches arm rest.. “Nikolai isn’t coming, his father got worse. Didn’t he tell you?” “No…” I took my phone out of my pocket, “I really need to get this serviced, don’t I?” Nina raised a glass and said: “Yes, yes you do.” I stuck out my tongue to her, “Shut up.” “To change the topic, Zoya, are you going to the reunion?” Leoni asked. I groaned. “Yes… But I don’t really want to.” “Why is that that?” “I don’t like people from highschool, plus, half of them hate me because I acted like a bitch. “ i said, “You all are enough for me.” “That’s cute.” Adrik said. I smiled, “Yeah, cute. And honestly what can we do there and not here? I mean the only highlight of that reunion is Botkin.” Genya looked at me, “Zoya. You are going. You can Ask Nikolai to come with you.” “I doubt Nik would say yes. It’s a highschool reunion full of people he doesn’t know.” “You’d be surprised.” said Alina. “And with that comment we conclude this topic...” I said.

“That’s enough talking about food, It’s making me hungrier than I already am.” David said after an intense discussion of ‘Are Waffles Better Than Pancakes’. If you ask Nina, they are. Though, for Nina, waffles are better than anything. David stood up, “The boys and I will go to Jess’ to get pizza, you try to be nice and leave some wine for us, okay?” We started to laugh, “We’ll do our best.” said Tamar. “Oh, do you think Darina’s working?” asked Tolya. “Why?” asked Mal. “Well, she likes to draw, if she’s working, we could ask that she draws David with ketchup on one pizza, and write ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY’ on the other.” “Huh, could be fun.” said Adrik, as he went after the others and walked out of the flat. “Bring umbrellas, it’s still raining!” yelled Nadia after them, “Idiots…” she muttered. I looked at Genya, “Kostyk.” “What?” “Go bring out the good wine.” I said. “Ooh, yes, bet! Alina, with me, we need to find the wine.” They stood up, and went to the kitchen. "Okay," Tamar started, "so there's this game Tolya and I used to play as kids, when the boys get back do you want to try?" "Yeah, sure." I said and turned my head towards the kitchen, "Girls, Tamar has a game idea, come here!" They stumbled back to the living room. Alina sat down and asked "What's the name of the game?" "Um, I don't really know? We always called it Nervous Breakdown, cause no one would believe Tolya, but I think it's called Werewolves." she said. "Oh! Oh! Oh!" yelled Leoni. "I think I know that game, but we called it Mafia. You played it with cards?" Genya sighed, "That's great and all, but we don't know how to play." "True." I pitched in. "Okay, so this is kinda complicated so no interruptions and questions are after I explain how the game works, cool?" Tamar asked. "Yes mom." we said in usion. "Genya, go grab the cards, rest of you sit around the table." When Genya got back and sat down, Tamar started to take the playing cards. She started explaining: "Point if the game is to find out who's the werewolf. We sit in a circle. Everybody has a card that's in front of them, that's your card and there's a card in the middle. After you see what's your card and what role are you playing you put it down and don't touch it. You put your hand next to it and close your eyes. Then when I say your role you wake up and do your roles part "Since it's seven of us there's eight playing cards. Two Jokers, they're the werewolf, they change the middle card with anyone's card and touch the person who's card they changed. But they touch with the card not the hand. Nod if you understood." We all nodded. "Then there's a Queen, she's the helper for the werewolfs, she wakes the same time as them and does nothing during that time, but when we all wake she tries to convince the rest of us that she's the werewolf so we'd kill her instead of the real werewolf so that the werewolfs would win. "Then there's the Jacks, he's a psychic, he can see anybody's card and the middle one, but he doesn't touch and he can't see his card in case it's been changed during the werewolf time. "Next up is King, he's a thief. He changes his card with anybody's card and touches the person who's card he changed. And then there's the Aces who are villagers and do nothing." she finished. I looked at all of them one by one and started laughing. Everyone was throwing a fit, there were a lot of spilled drinks. "No joke now, I think we could try, but everytime someone makes a mistake we drink!" Nina said. "You're gonna be the first one!" We started laughing again. And after a few more useless tries, we got serious. They all had so many questions that took a long time answering, boys got back with food before we could even play. So as we ate, we tried to convince them to play, but it was useless since they were drunk off their minds. To be fair I wasn't much better. We spent the night eating and drinking. Mostly drinking. And eating. It was getting late, most of the group left. Alina, Mal and I were still at the flat. David and Mal were talking in the kitchen, Alina was in the bathroom. Genya and I were on the floor.“Zoya?” “Yeah?” “You’re drunk, right?” asked Genya. I looked up and back down, the room was wobbly. “Yeah, definitely.” “Do you like Nikolai?” “Of course I like Nik, he’s a great friend.” She shook her head, “Do you like Nikolai? Like, like-like.” “Oh…” “Well?” “I- no. Maybe, how does one know that? Is there a test I can do online?” Genya started squealing, “HA! I knew it!” She turned toward the kitchen, “I raise my bet to 20 dollars!” But I didn’t hear that. I was thinking of Nikolai, of his face when we see each other.

I came home from Genya and David’s. I showered and put on my pajamas. I fell asleep. I woke up. My phone was ringing. It’s election day. I fell asleep. I woke up. I tried to write. I tried to eat. I fell asleep. I woke up. I got another text. “We won the election. -Nik”. I fell asleep. I woke up. I failed to write. I failed to eat. I fell asleep.

When I finally decided it was time to get out of the house, I went to Dragon Scale. It was extremely windy outside so I put on a beanie. When I walked in, my head was bowed, I went full face into someone. “I’m so sorry.” I said and continued forward,when someone took my hand. I turned around and saw Nikolai. “Zoya.” “Hi.” “Why didn’t you answer my calls? Genya said you were alright but you scared me to death!” I just stared, "Zoya, talk to me!" "Can we go and sit?" I asked. He followed me as I went to the corner booth and sat down, Nikolai a few steps behind me. "I got really drunk at Genya and David's. And I said something to Genya. And I got scared, because if it's true it might end bad for me, just like last time." "What are you talking about?" "i was in many relationships, but none were very serious until I met this guy, it was years ago, when I was in highschool. He was older than me, and I really liked him, at the beginning. But as it went on I realised he was being toxic. It… escalated." "Ecsalated how? Did he hurt you?" Nikolai asked. "No, not me, but Genya. You know that eye-patch she wears?" He nodded. "He did that, I don't know how, I was at work when it happened. I asked her to tell me but she refused, I just stopped pushing." I bowed my head. "Zoya." I looked up. "Nik, if I were to tell you that I was in love with someone, what would you do?" "I tell you that I'm happy for you and that he is an extremely lucky guy." He looked kinda sad. "And what if I told you that I'm in love with you, what would you do?" He shot up in his seat. "What?" I smiled, "I'm in love with you Nik." "I-" "Do with that what you will, but I don't want it, this, to ruin our friendship." "I'm afraid it did." He got up, leaned across the table and kissed me.

Next month was full of TV screening and restless nights as Nik and I wrote his speeches. But Botkins' reunion was soon, so he would take a few days off to have fun. I spent every free moment with Genya and Alina, shopping for the reunion. As much as I didn't want to go, shopping was fun. Genya found a dress in the same shade as her hair and Alina found a bodysuit in black and gold. I had a really hard time finding something I like. But the day before I found a perfect dress in victorian blue. Nik wore a gray suit and had this beautiful waist coat. When we got to the ball room in the Little Palace, it was already full, but we kept close to the outer ring. Most of the people were dancing, even Genya and David, but I went to talk to Botkin. "Mr. Botkin." He turned to face me, "Oh, Zoya dear, how has life been treating you?" That was his signature line, "Good. I just wanted to see how have you been doing?" "Never better dear." he looked behind me, "Now go off, there's a handsome young man waiting for a dance." "What?" I turned around and saw Nik. "Oh, thank-" he was already off to talk to someone else. I walked towards Nik. He bowed, "May I have this dance?" I looked around, nobody seemed to notice us. "Yes, yes you may." The music changed to a slow dance. We twirled around, and around. Once we stopped, I realised we were alone on the dance floor and there was a light on me. I turned to face Nik, but he was kneeling on the floor. "Nik," I said carefully, "what are you doing?" He took a box out of his inner pocket and opened it. Inside was the most beautiful emerald I have ever seen. I knew what it ment. “Would you do it?” he asked. I looked up at him, puzzled, "What?" "Well, y'know…" "No, I don't." He sighed: "Make me the happiest man alive. Would you do it?" "Yes." He got up and hugged me, I thought I was going to fall over, when these balloons started falling from the ceiling. I kissed him. "I love you." I said. He smiled, "I know." And kissed me again. When all the balloons fell, Genya came through. "Do you like it?" she asked. "What? Wait, how do you know?" "Oh silly we all knew." I looked around to see my friends standing around us, laughing. Mal said: "We had a bet on when are you getting official." Tolya raised a hand, "I won!" "You lot are unbelievable! Come one, you are being punished, this is a group hug!" That night ended up to be one of my favorites.

I didn't want to wait. We booked a venue for our closest friends. Genya bought me my wedding dress for "being strong, and being my best friend". It was a floor length dress with long sleeves. Top of my hair was in a bun, while the bottom part flowed in the wind. Alina even bought me a crown. I was walking down the aisle when someone came bursting in. I turned to see who it was. "I don't know why am I surprised, you always were a bitch." Genya answered, "What do you want Alexander?" Nik ran down to me and took my hand, "That's him?" he whispered. "Yes, stay here." I told him. "What do you mean "what do I want"? Isn't there a part when I get to the object?" I looked at him. "Alex, if you do not walk out right now, I'm gonna call the cops." "They didn't stop me then, they won't stop me now." "Ugh, you're so full of yourself." I said. Long story short, the cops stopped him. We continued with the ceremony. The priestess looked at me, then Nik and said: "If you went through that, on you wedding day, you can go through anything. Are the vows really necessary?" We shook our heads. "Then, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." And oh boy did he kiss me.

We're at McDonald's. And we're celebrating. Genya took her milkshake and stood up. Everyone followed her. "For our friends, may they have a long, happy life. Cheers!" There was a long choir of cheers going around. I sat back and looked at Nik and his Happy Meal, "Is it too early to get a divorce?" He looked me and said, with his mouth full of french fries: "Why'd gou go dhat?"

#grishabigbang #gvbbfic20 #zoya nazyalensky #nikolai lantsov #zoyalai #modern au #genya safin #david kostyk #alina starkov #mal oretsev #tamar kir bataar #tolya yul bataar #nina zenik #nadia #adrik #leoni

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cecilspeaks · 4 years

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Live Show: A Spy in the Desert

1. A Spy in the Desert

Cecil: A tisket, a tasket. My god, what’s in that basket?! Welcome to Night Vale.

Listeners, it’s another beautiful day here in Night Vale, and I hope that you’re all outside staring wild-eyed into the sun, instead of cooped up in some dark room full of a bunch of people that you don’t know. The only thing that could ruin such a beautiful day as this is, well, this breaking news.

We have an outsider in our midst. A spy from a faraway land, a master of disguise who can mix imperceptibly into any crowd. Now this spy has been known throughout the world as the Sparrow Hawk, the Nightingale, the Southern Blue-Eyed Glossy Starling, and the Tough-Tit Titmouse. But recently, the spy started going by the code name the Mink. Which is much better, because minks are adorable and birds are idiots. Now the Mink has stolen secrets from the world’s most powerful governments, but unlikely most spies, the Mink works independent of any agency. They steal confidential information, but they never reveal any of that information to anyone. They are the perfect keeper of stolen knowledge. Now the Mink does possess an unparalleled range of regional and national accents, as well as a fanny pack full of fake mustaches, eyeliner and press-on nails. Right in the fanny pack. The founders of Night Vale built this town upon secrets, with a Byzanthine system of powerful and opaque city leadership, and what are we as a town without those secrets? It would make sense, then, that the City Council and the Sheriff’s Secret Police would want to stop The Mink from learning our secrets. So if you see anyone that you do not know, do not approach them. Because they could be a dangerous spy. Simply carry on as normal, as you would, and treat them like you would any stranger. Which is to stand 20 feet away, point and shout: “INTERLOPEER!!!” And thus by behaving in this completely normal way, they will not think that they’ve been spotted. And then immediately go and call the Secret Police. Make sure that you have registered for a citizen’s protection account with plans starting as low as 25 dollars a month, otherwise the police will not assist. And then once you’ve registered your account, tell the police that you saw a person you do not know. In public! And that person, thus logically could be The Mink! And they’ll catch them and we can all move on to the next terrifying news story.

2. Sports news

But first, a look at sports. Last night witnesses reported seeing a padded man carrying an inflated lump of animal skin across an open, well lit field. They could not identify him, as his face and head were fully covered by a round plastic hat. Several other unidentified men were chasing this man, panting and sweating, and hundreds of witnesses on this side of the field all began shaking their fists in the air and chanting: “Crush! Him! Crush! Him! Crush! Him!” [audience chants] And then witnesses on this side of the field were shaking their fists and shaking “Vio-lence! Vio-lence!” [audience chants] And their screams reached a crescendo, and then they stopped and they watched as this man spiked the lump of animal flesh and began to inch along a pinkish trail of viscous ooze. And the very back rows began a soft chant of “What have you done? What have you done? What have you done?” and it made its way forward, row by row, until the whole auditorium was chanting: “What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done?” And the skin split open revealing a white skeletal face with two bulbous red eyes, and the face craned up on a long neck, and it hissed and it bared its fangs and snapped into the neck of the man who had spiked it tore off a long swab of fleshhhhhh. And a woman wearing all black and white stripes took this flesh and blew into it like a balloon, and handed it to another padded man, and the process started all over again. And everyone in the crowd shouted: “Mortality!” [audience shouts it] And this has been sports. Hmm.

3. A Word from our Sponsors

And now a word from our sponsors. For that, we go to our lovably malicious spokeshaze, Deb the sentient patch of haze!

Deb: Hiya Cecil. Hiya listening audience with your squishy human minds. So easy to manipulate! Cute, so cute. Today’s show has been brought to you by Folgers brand coffee. We at Folgers believe good coffee comes from good hammers.

Cecil: Oo, that’s so true! You know, a lot of people don’t realize that good coffee is 90 percent the quality of the hammer that you use to smash up the bean, and ten percent how much you’re willing to lie to yourself that a 20-dollar bag of coffee tastes different than a 10-dollar bag of coffee.

Deb: That’s why we at Folgers hammer our coffee extra smooth, using only American made sledgehammers. We follow the hammer traditions of the finest coffee houses. From Sicilian espresso shops where they use wooden mallets, to the great institutions of Vienna, where the ornate tile walls ring with the echoes of handcrafted silver (ball-pin) [0:01:13] wielded by tuxedo-wearing waiters.

Cecil: You know, on my vacation I went to an espresso shop in Italy, and the woman behind the counter, lovingly crushed each and every ben with just the tiniest wooden mallet. And then she lit a whole pack o matches, threw it into the cup, and that is called a macchiato.

Deb: Macchiato. I’m unconvinced Italy even exists. For instance, have I ever seen it? No, there you go.

Cecil: Uh.

Deb: Yeah.

Cecil: But Deb, let me tell you, the flavor profile of that macchiato, it was – oh, it just had hints of sulfur and splinters, it was so authentic!

Deb: Gross.

Cecil: Yeah, it was kind of gross.

Deb: Why buy your own beans and pound away them in your kitchen, when Folgers has already hammered them for you? Folgers coffee. You guys wanna go see a dead body?

Cecil: Thanks, Deb. Oh hey, have you been following this news story about The Mink?

Deb: Oh, a little. It doesn’t interest me much because I already know every secret in town.

Cecil: Wait, what?

Deb: Yeah, yeah.

Cecil: How?

Deb: Oh, how doesn’t sound important, no no no. what’s important, listeners, is that I know. [pause, laughter] So please do buy the products that I’m advertising. I’d hate to have a teensy slip of the tongue next time I’m broadcasting to the whole town, Joanne. Hey Cecil, you wanna know Joanne’s secrets?

Cecil: I mean it seems a little private – yeah, I do. [pause, Deb whispers into Cecil’s ear] [sultry voice] Joanne!! I am simultaneously disgusted and impressed.

Deb: And that’s just one of the secrets I know. Well, it has been great talking at you Cecil. Goodbye!

Cecil: Alright, thank you Deb! Whooo! Wow.

4. Who is the Mink?

The Secret Police are hot on the trail of the Mink. In the hall of public records, they found a set of footprints left by a size 9 Adidas, but those shoes do not match any of the hall clerks, as the hall of record employees only have hooves. The police also found a person wearing a cloak and carrying a dagger inside the Moonlite All-Nite Diner. But upon investigating, it just turned out to be Steve Carlsberg. He was holding a lobster splitter and he got his lobster bib twisted around backwards. Oh, Steve. The City Council has upgraded our alert system from orange level to red. “Um, it’s really more of a lovely amaranth?” The multi-voiced council cooed in unison. “Um, excuse me, if the Mink never reveals any of the secrets that they learn, then what is the harm in them knowing?” asked one intrepid reporter. A brave and experienced radio man, who is quite smart and very handsome. But the City Council just hissed back: “All knowledge is harmful!” So I can’t argue with that. Now the Mink has carried out heists of secrets all over the globe. West Berlin 1985, the Mink disguised themself as a security guard and learned every account number in Deutsche Bank. German police noticed a person in a security guard uniform quietly mumbling numbers to themself, and they did give chase but lost the culprit in the crowd when they donned one of those glasses with a fake nose and eyebrows.

Kuala Lumpur, 1998. The Mink disguised themself as one of the Petronas towers and learned the secrets of every person inside. Witnesses reported seeing one of the towers just leeeaning over ever so slightly, as if listening in on a conversation. But when the national police arrived, the tower leapt into the Klang River and witnesses said: “Ooh, look at that kinda long but otherwise completely normal looking boat!”

2011, the Mink staged a daring escape from a military base in Nulogorsk. After discovering the intruder, the Nulogorskian got very excited, because they had never before met anyone with only two eyes. The Mink did get away, however, by disguising themself as a pirogi. [long pause] Having been eaten, they escaped two days later through the city sewer system. Weren’t expecting that, were you? You know, I hope we apprehend the Mink soon. I really, man, need to talk to somebody who has other secrets, it’s a journalist’s dream interview. And I mean, everybody has secrets so, I mean we all have something that we probably wouldn’t want the Mink to share on the air, I mean I know I do. You know what, “I value privacy above all else,” I have just now written on my Facebook page, so you know it’s super important to me.

5. Lee Marvin

Cecil: Oh wait, listeners, OK, I’ve just been given a note saying we have a very special birthday today. Wow, OK, this is a real honor. Listeners, please welcome to the studio, on the day of their 30th birthday, legendary actor and Night Vale resident, Lee Marvin!

Lee: It is a pleasure to be here. I don’t think we have ever met, even though it seems like we have both lived in this town forever.

Cecil: It actually does feel like forever, doesn’t it?

Lee: As we all know, time doesn’t work correctly in Night Vale. For instance, it has been my 30th birthday continuously for many years, and yet I never grow any older.

Cecil: I know just what you mean, I mean I was 19 for a long time like, decades probably.

Lee: And that’s the problem with millennials, you know?

Cecil: Yeah.

Lee: Instead of buying houses or shouting at barns, or researching owls, or any other number of normal and productive activities, they just age.

Cecil: Ugh!

Lee: Normally one day after the next. Why, I think there is not a millennial in this world who even tried to remain 19 for a terrifying number of years.

Cecil: I know! It’s lazy. Now let’s talk about the Mink. Mr. Marvin, as a very famous movie actor, I felt that you might be able to offer some analysis on someone so adept at disguises and false personas.

Lee: Well, sure sure I mean after all, what is acting but lying to a room full of strangers?

Cecil: Mm. Literally nothing at all.

Lee: When lying to a group of strangers, there are definitely some basic techniques to watch out for. One is speaking aloud. Anyone speaking aloud could be lying. Why, almost anything could be said out loud without research or citation .for instance, I could say aloud that uh, mountains are real…

Cecil: Oh come on! [Cecil and Lee laugh]

Lee: And it doesn’t matter that this is a ridiculous statement perpetuated by the mountain enthusiasts. It is still something I could and di say out loud. Another technique to look out for is accents. It seems that this Mink is able to deploy at will any accent at all. I myself am an expert at dialect and accents.

Cecil: Ooh! Would you care to give us a demonstration?

Lee: Well sure sure. Uh, start with something, a basic accent. This is an accent for someone from the country of Svitz. You’ll noticed that the Svitzians sort of speak from the back of the throat, it’s uh something like this um, [very deep, monotonous voice] “Hello, yes, thank you. I would like some cake.” Like that. Cecil: Yeah, oh yeah.

Lee: And um, here’s another one um, this is an accent for someone from the nation of Franchia. The Franchians have an interesting thing where they an, uh, a diphthong on every single vowel. Here goes, um. Yaa-aa, soo-am ceek, thyat would bee a boath low-ly and filing. Something like that, yeah.

Cecil: Oh wow, yeah, yeah!

Lee: And here is the ccent of someone who lived until the age of ten in Svitz, before immigrating to Franchia. And now, at the age of 50, is learning to speak English.

Cecil: Right, OK, OK.

Lee: [deep voice] Aah piece of cay-ek for me, you’re only too kind. Something like that.

Cecil: Oh that’s, that’s amazing!

Lee: Yeah. Uh, seriously though, do you have any cake, I’m starving?

Cecil: Oh. Oh actually no I’m sorry, we’re not allowed to hae cake at the radio station because it makes Station Mangement very restless.

Lee: That’s fine, that’s fine. Well the final technique I wanted to talk about is, is disguise, I am to understand that the Mink is able to easily adopt the look of anyone they wish to. Here’s a couple of ways of disguising yourself. One is through, of course the use of masks, make up, prosthetics, it’s very difficult, technical, very Hollywood. Let’s talk about the other method though, which is simpler and just as effective.

Cecil: Oh, wait, what is that one?

Lee: It’s OK so you simply… so you take your hand.

Cecil: uh huh.

Lee: And you put it in front of your face. And then you say aloud who you’re supposed to be disguised as.

Cecil: Ah

Lee: For instance, I’ll demonstrate. Hello, I am Tom Hanks!

Cecil: Oh my god, oh my god! Oh my god Mr Tom Hanks, I-I loved you in Turner and Hooch, and whatever else you did after that, I..

Lee: No see, it’s just me, Lee Marvin!

Cecil: Oh man!

Lee: But with my hand in front of my face… Life is very similar to a bag of chocolates!

Cecil: Oh my god it is similar to a bag of chocolates!

Lee: There’s no way to tell!

Cecil: Oh my gosh, that’s amazing, Mr. Marvin! Thank you so much, we appreciate having you on the show.

Lee: It was no problem at all, thank you for having me, Cecil. Um, we before I go, this is Judy Garland saying goodbye.

Cecil: Oh my god, oh my, oh my gosh, no wait, wait wait, Ms. Garland, Ms. Garland, just one song before you go, Miss Judy Garland!

Lee: [sings] Ring ring ring goes the (--)..

Cecil: Ah! Judy Garland, everyone!

6. Children’s Fun Fact Science Corner

Now it’s time for the Children’s Fun Fact Science Corner. It’s a very special anniversary today, kids. On this day in 1872, the moon was invented. Yeah. You see, scientists had been reading a lot of paperback horror novels about werewolves and thought, wait! If the moon were a thing, then werewolves might also be a thing! So they built a moon out of limestone and hired artist (Marie Kassaut) [0:00:30] to paint it with a giant smiling wolf doing an “okay” sign with its paw and winking. But there was a problem: when they launched it up into the sky, something happened with the catapult, and it landed with the unpainted side facing the Earth. And almost a hundred years later, NASA would claim to have landed on the moon, but twinkly dot scientists or, oh sorry that’s what I call astronomers, they just proved that to be false. And you know, NASA retracted their statement saying: “Oh we were just joshing” and the American people all had a good chuckle. And ever since Alexander Fleming invented the werewolf vaccine – also known as penicillin – the moon is mostly just an ineffectual artefact, like a reminder of our once terrible taste in celestial bodies. And that is why each and every night, we all shout: “I hate you, moon!” up into the sky, and even though we can’t see it, we all think of that wolf on the dark side, quietly winking, and shedding a tear. [weeping] And this has been the Children’s Fun Fact Science Corner. It’s true. Science.

7. The Community Calendar Let’s take a look at the community calendar, shall we? Let’s see here, Monday night there is a blood drive in the Ralphs parking lot. There’s gonna be a van parked in the far corner, like just beyond the trees, and if you go inside that van, some blood will be taken from you. “Oh yeah, (she’s) gonna come out of you one way or another, man!” said a rapidly talking man in a dirty T-shirt, who I am not sure is connected to the blood drive at all. “Oh yeah, we’re just gonna do amazing things with your blood, man! Don’t worry about what, [disturbing voice] we’re just gonna do really good things with your blood!” and then he finished up by saying the national blood drive slogan: “Bloooooooooooood!!!” So I guess just, get on into the blood van!

Tuesday was lost last night by Bernadette Flynn, as she was watching the newly released remake of last year’s Spiderman movie. She thinks maybe Tuesday fell behind the seat during the film or something. So if anybody sees Tuesday, please let Bernadette Flynn know, as it was an old family heirloom, and her favorite day of the week.

Wednesday night is 80’s night at Dark Owl Records. For more on that, let’s hear from Dark Owl owner, Michelle Nguyen!

Cecil: Hey, Michelle!

Michelle: Hello, Cecil! On 80’s night, we’ll be putting on leg warmers and fingerless gloves, listening to Duran Duran, and thinking hard about what our lives will be like when we are 80 years old.

Cecil: Ahhh, that sounds like fun!

Michelle: We will consider life insurance plans and talk about several types of diseases that will affect our later years. There will also be a moonwalking demonstration, just like that famous Michael Jackson dance where he walked around shouting: “I hate you moon!”

Cecil: Yeah, yeah. Did you know it’s actually the moon’s birthday today?

Michelle: Stupid rock!

Cecil: Garbage satellite! Anyway, so Michelle, to change the subject, the Mink could peek into our private lives at any moment. Is there something that you are personally worried that they would find?

Michelle: [long pause] No.

Cecil: Oh, come on Michelle, we all have secrets! Is there any music you listen to that you would be ashamed of people knowing about?

Michelle: Please. You’re the one that starts every day with a choreographed lip sync to Robyn’s 2010 B-side “Cry When You Get Older”, and then you cry for a while, because you have gotten older.

Cecil: [sourly] Yeah.

Michelle: Each day just a little bit more and sometimes that makes you happy and other times it makes you sad and either way you feel like crying. Probably.

Cecil: [mumbles] Oh, yeah.

Michelle: That’s probably what you do, certainly I wouldn’t! I wake up listening to Leonard Cohen’s new album: “Wait Where Am I, I Thought I Died and How Is This Even Being Recorded?”

Cecil: [impressed] Oh, yeah.

Michelle: I listen to that album in full and then nod thoughtfully, and drink three cups of black coffee.

Cecil: Mmm.

Michelle: [scoffs] I don’t even know who Robyn is and I would never scream sing along to “Dancing On My Own” whenever I miss my mother.

Cecil: [scoffs] Oh wait, your mother, I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned her before.

Michelle: I learned everything about music from her. She once found me listening to The Smiths and said, [different accent] “Michelle! What are you doing! Morrissey turned out to be the worst person ever! I give you shelter over your head, three meal a day and access to a working time machine. And you don’t even use it to find out which celebrity turned out to be bad? It’s almost all celebrity, Michelle! Almost all celebrity turned out to be bad!” And she was right about that, Cecil. Can you name a good celebrity?

Cecil: Um, oh there’s Lee Marvin!

Michelle: That’s right, just Robyn.

Cecil: Just Robyn, yeah that’s it.

Michelle: I can’t think of anyone else either. Then my mother would say: “Michelle! I don’t wan the world to be the way that it is, but the world is that way. And people will judge. They will judge you for what you wear and what you listen to and what you say. They will judge you especially hard for so many unfair reason. So that music you listen to, that make you happy? Don’t let go of it. Never show that weakness to the world. In public, you listen to the music that tell them who you are, and you wear the clothes that show them wo you are. Always be one step ahead of them. And then at night, when it’s just you and you’ve played their game and you’ve won, then you put on a record that makes you happy, and you let yourself sing!” Then one day, my mother took the time machine back to prehistoric times, to try to retrieve some of their music, which would have been the coolest and most obscure sons. But she never returned. I miss her, but I’ll never forget the last thing she told me. She said, “Michelle! I cannot emphasize enough how awful Morrissey turned out to be!”

Cecil: Awwww. Wow. Gosh Michelle, I’m so sorry about your mother, but thank you for sharing that extremely personal story on the air.

Michelle: Uh.. No what no? No, I don’t think I did. We were talking about 80’s night. Come to 80’s night! There will be a Cyndi Lauper lookalike competition, and the winner will take over Cyndi’s life, becoming the fifth person to play that role. See you there! Or not, whatever.

Cecil: Thank you, Michelle!

More on the community calendar. Thursday night is the adopt a pet fair at the Last Bank of Night Vale. There’s gonna all sorts of animals, and they will come home with you. You don’t even have to go to the fair. They already know where your home is. And they’re gonna be waiting for you. When you open your door that night, there’s gonna be panting and snarling and two little blinks of light, right inside your darkened doorway. So wow, that sounds like a really fun and socially important event!

And finally, Friday is Bring Your Issues to Work Day. So really dig deep there, people! Let ‘em loose! And this has been the community calendar.

8. Tamika Flynn

Cecil: So listeners, I’m joined in my studio right now by the most vigilant defender of Night Vale and of literature. Please welcome to the air 16-year-old Tamika Flynn!

Tamika: [giggles] Hi Cecil, hi!

Cecil: Hi Tamika! Now, you must be alarmed that there’s a dangerous spy on the loose.

Tamika: Of course! It’s not safe to have an interloper learning our secrets.

Cecil: But what could they learn that would hurt us?

Tamika: Oh, lots of stuff. What if they start uncovering all the plot twists of our favorite novels, like “Murder on the Orient Express”, Agatha Christie’s brilliant whodunit. What if they read ahead and learned at the murderer turns out to be-

Cecil: Wubububububuh! Spoilers! I mean, some of us haven’t read it yet!

Tamika: Oh I’m just teasing. That book doesn’t even have an ending. It’s the only murder Agatha could never solve.

Cecil: Hmm, hm.

Tamika: But learning secrets can be harmful, like one time, I was waiting in line at midnight for the release of the sixth Harry Potter book, and some jerk drove by and shouted: “Snape and Dumbledore are both featured prominently in the new novel!” [angry noise] Ruined.

Cecil: I’ve never read the sixth book!

Tamika: Oh.

Cecil: I’ve only read the third and the seventh. So now the whole experience is ruined!

Tamika: Well, if it makes you feel any better, I chased that fool down and I punched him until his bruises spelled out: “Don’t mess with a Hufflepuff!” But I do have a plan to catch this spy. I’ll disguise myself as the Mink. And then I’ll walk around town until I find someone that’s dressed exactly like me.

Cecil: Ah.

Tamika: [giggles] And then I’ll grab them and I’ll whisper that famous, oh um and then I’ll grab them and shout at them and say: “You wanna spoil the endings of books, pal? Why don’t you try Stephen King’s ‘It’, that whole ending is terrible!”

Cecil: Oh, come on, I liked the ending of “It”!

Tamika: Really?

Cecil: Yeah, you know when It just turns out to be the friends we made along the way. You and you and you… It’s nice. OK, anyway, Tamika. Now I have a question. How are you going to disguise yourself as the Mink, when nobody knows what the Mink actually looks like?

Tamika: Well I’ll j-, but I c-..

Cecil: I know.

Tamika: Oh.

Cecil: Yeah…

Tamika: Fine. Then, oh I’ll dress up as a manila folder with a “top secret” stamp on it!

Cecil: Oh yeah.

Tamika: And then when someone tries to take me, I’ll grab them and whisper that famous movie speech: “I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. I don’t have any money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills.”

Cecil: Ah!

Tamika: “Skills that I’ve acquired through reading! Would you like a list of book recommendations? Here are a few I think you’d enjoy.”

Cecil: Ah, ha ha!

Tamika: Yes!

Cecil: Oh man, that is my favorite scene from “Say Anything”.

Tamika: Yeah! [giggles] When John Cusack holds that boombox above his head outside the terrorist headquarters, I mean [kiss]! [laughs]

Cecil: So good!

Tamika: Yes.

Cecil: Mm mm, now wait. The Mink is a real threat, and they are interested in learning far more than just book spoilers. I mean, you in particular might be in danger, Tamika.

Tamika: [giggles] Cecil, I’m 16 years old. I know everything there is to know about taking care of myself, OK?

Cecil: Oh yeah, OK, alright. Alright. But listen, if you catch the Mink, bring them here to the studio, because I need to have a moment…

Tamika: Wanna rough him up?

Cecil: Oh uuuuh, um..

Tamika: Yeeeah, like I’ll pin him down and then you take this copy of Hanya Yanagihara’s “Little Life” and just like, bam, bam, bam!

Cecil: Oh, oh.

Tamika: Bam!

Cecil: Oh!

Tamika: This book made me cry, now it’s making you cry, sucker!

Cecil: Uh.. Yeah sure, something like that.

Tamika: Yeah. [giggles]

Cecil: Um-

Tamika: Well, I think I’m off to get that Mink!

Cecil: All right, thank you Tamika! Be safe. Tamika Flynn, everyone!

9. Public Service Announcement

And now, a public service announcement. The Night Vale Youth Fitness Initiative recommends at least 60 minutes a day outdoors for children under the age of 18. Being outdoors encourages kids to be more active and social. Fitness Initiative spokesperson, (Jin Housong) said: “Kids spend too much time indoors, and that makes it very difficult for us to monitor their physical agility and speed! We are trying to find children to fight in the Blood Space War, and that is very difficult when all kids wanna do is spend all their time inside Snapchatting and playing Fortnite.” Some outdoor activities encouraged by the Youth Fitness Initiative include cycling, soccer, breath holding, sensory deprovation, G force resistance, and string theory. The staff of the Youth Fitness Initiative welcome any kid wanting to have fun outdoor time to come on down to the Intergalactic Military Base. They can’t tell you where it is, but they are more than happy to send a chaperone in a burlap sack, and a van. And this has been a public service announcement.

10. Telly the Barber

So listeners, several Night Vale residents have sent in reports of seeing strangers sneaking about town, possible sightings of the elusive Mink. And we have one such witness with us in the studio right now. Please welcome – Telly the barber.

Telly: Hi Cecil!

Cecil: [long pause] Have you cut any hair lately, Telly?

Telly: Oh sure, I’m always-

Cecil: Have you cut any hair that didn’t need cutting, Telly?

Telly: I-I think we all saw the signs..

Cecil: Have you taken any innocent person, any handsome person and perfectly coiffed scientist person’s hair and then just destroyed it so completely that you had to leave town, Telly?

Telly: Not lately.

Cecil: Mm hm.

Telly: Did you wanna hear my story?

Cecil: No.

Telly: OK, I’ll just hum and cut my hair with this butterknife.

Cecil: Oh OK, alright alright alright alright, I’ve changed my mind, I do wanna hear your story.

Telly: OK. So ever since that one bad haircut and please tell Carlos I’m so sorry, see he asked me for a light trim on the sides, and I misheard it as “shave asterisk in my sideburns, then cut me some bangs.”

Cecil: Bangs? Ugh.

Telly: After that, I banished myself to the desert, rehoning my cutting skills on cacti and tarantulas. Did you know that tarantulas are venomous?

Cecil: Yeah, I- I actually knew that. Oh my god, your hand!

Telly: I learned the hard way. But, but it was a great experience, see I finally reopened my barber shop in Night Vale last year, over by the library. Some of the librarians come in from time to time, I-I have to chain their tentacles to the (--) [0:01:45] first, and then I use grooming sheers to trim the hair along their pincers, which is tough because of the foaming slime that gathers there. Did you know that librarian saliva is acidic?

Cecil: Yeah of course, everybody – oh my god, your other hand!

Telly: I’m earning so much

Cecil: Ugh.

Telly: Anyway, earlier this week, an interloper came to my shop. They were wearing a hockey mask and a turtleneck, they had long thick curly black hair and they whispered: ”I need a new look! Can you cut it short and blond?” so I did.

Cecil: That could have been the Mink!

Telly: Why don’t you just tell the story, Cecil?

Cecil: Well no I’m sorry, I’m sorry. No please, go ahead.

Telly: So the next day-

Cecil: Please tell us more about the lives that those scissors have ruined.

Telly: The next day, the same person returned and they were wearing a sleep mask, vampire teeth, and a drum major coat. An excellent disguise, but I know my own work and I recognize their haircut immediately. I said: “Hello, brand new customer whom I have never seen before! What can I do for you?”

And they whispered: “I need a new look. Can you cut it long and straight with a beard like that guy from Queer Eye?”

Cecil: Awww, I love Jonathan Van Ness! Oh hey, did you ever see that episode where they consult that stone obelisk on that uninhabited island?

Telly: Yeah yeah that's the one where Jonathan was like: “We’re gonna make those cliffs glow!”

Cecil: Yeaah!

Telly: And then he uttered an ancient prayer and was granted a bent scepter and control of the weather.

Cecil: And then they just spent the rest of the episode flying around the island, screaming in Latin and zapping Bobby with lightning.

Telly: That was a great episode!

Cecil: So good.

Telly: You know, the part about the cliffs was so empowering .

Cecil: Yeah!

Telly: Anyway, I performed a wild flurry of scissor snips around the stranger’s head, and voila, they have long straight hair and a beard. Every day this week they’ve come to me, they wanted a Pam Greer Afro, a Sid Vicious Mohawk. That famous Friends haircut, the Ross.

Cecil: You know what you should do? Next time they come in, ask them to get like a blow dry or a perm, and then while they’re waiting-

Telly: Uh, well… don’t be mad.

Cecil: Wait, what?

Telly: So they were today and I kinda messed up? I-I don’t think they’ll be back.

Cecil: Oh come on, Telly!

Telly: See they wanted a 90’s fade and I misheard, and I cut my own foot off. See?

Cecil: Oh my god! Telly, you didn’t even put a bandage on it!

Telly: I didn’t wanna be late to your show. Anyway, they looked really annoyed and left before they got any more blood on them.

Cecil: Ugh. Well you know the important thing is that you tried. I mean, you messed up in a really serious way that I did not even think was possible, but… you tried. And also, I’m sorry I yelled at you before.

Telly: Thanks, Cecil. You know, this might be the blood loss talking but that means so much to me.

Cecil: Sure. Hey listen, have you ever thought about a different career maybe?

Telly: Like knife sharpening or gun cleaning, or chainsaw repair?

Cecil: You know what, no no, just stick to the barbering, Telly. Thank you so much.

Telly: Sure thing.

Cecil: Telly the Barber, everyone! Just grind it into the carpet, no one will ever know.

12. Sightings of the Mink

We are getting reports of Mink sightings all over town. Archeology professor Joel Eisenberg saw a stranger outside of Mission Grove Park, and they were dressed all in black and they were holding copy of the Night Vale Daily Journal, just high enough to cover their face. Now, Joel Eisenberg saw this person, and pointed and shouted “Interloper”, and then being a friendly neighbor, went over and said “Hi, I’m Joel, do you like dinosaurs?” And the stranger said yes, but kept their face hidden.

“What’s your favorite dinosaur? Mine’s the ichthyosaur.”

And the stranger said, “Yeah, I guess so, sure.”

And Joel’s face reddened and his voice thickened like wet concrete.

“Ichthyosaurs aren’t dinosaurs! Mink!” [scoffs]

Imposter didn’t even know the difference between a marine lizard and a dinosaur. But they did know how to throw that newspaper in Joel’s face and run.

Jackie Fierro, owner of the local pawn shop, said her half mother Diane Crayton came to the store to ask if Jackie sold cars that fired rockets from behind their headlights and/or turn into boats, and/or had ejector seats. Now, Jackie thought this was a fairly odd request from a single mother with a fairly bland day job. “What do you need all that for, Diane?” asked Jackie.

“It’s for my son, Josh Josh, my son’s name is Josh.”

Now Jackie knew this was not the real Diane. She was nose to nose with the Mink. Jackie started to speak, but there was a quick puff of smoke and the would-be-Diane was gone, and in their place, there was a wad that looked like skin and hair. And Jackie picked it up, and it was a perfect replica of Diane’s face.

Later, at the old shipping port, Tamika Flynn trailed a suspect into a dilapidated warehouse along the waterfront, which has no water, because we live in a desert. Which is a huge reason why they had to shut down the shipping port. Anyway, it was dark inside the abandoned building save for streaks of dusty sunlight through the shaddered windows, and Tamika heard a creaking from a pile of boxes nearby, and she was frightened, unable to move. But wait, she thought. Why, I’m the predator, the Mink is the prey. And then she remembered those famous lines from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade.” “I’m here to kick butt and chew bubblegum. Why not both?”

So she threw some chicklets into her mouth and shouted: “You’re trapped, Mink!” and raced toward the sound and a figure emerged from behind a tower of boxes, and they pushed the crates down on Tamika, but she did this like, backflip-kick thing and knocked that interloper right out of the warehouse onto the deck. And as they approached, the Mink pulled out a remote control and a tiny helicopter descended from nowhere and a tiny ladder descended from the tiny helicopter, and the Mink grabbed onto it and flew away.

Man, I thought Tamika really had him that time. I really wanna take a moment to just interview this person, someone who has all these secrets, just for journalistic reasons of course.

It would make the interview of the century.

13. Sheriff Sam

But until that moment, the Sheriff’s Secret Police would like us to know that they have this Mink situation firmly in hand. And in order to show how under control it is, the Sheriff would like to speak to you themself. Listeners, Sheriff Sam!

Sam: Hello Sessil.

Cecil: Cecil.

Sam: Sessil.

Cecil: Cecil.

Sam: Do you know, I really feel like I’m saying it. Sessil.

Cecil: Yeah, it-it sounds good enough, alright.

Sam: Now before I start, I want to apologize to the people of Night Vale for what I’ve done. And let me finish. I disagree that the new seasons of “The Great British Bake Off” are better. And I’m very sad that Mary Berry is no longer there, you know I couldn’t get enough of her famous catch phrase: “I’m unable to feel anything at all. Unless I can see clear layers in a baked good.”

Cecil: Ah, such a good catch phrase!

Sam: And I don’t like that they replaced Mel and Sue with two polar bears, who toy with and eventually eat the last place finisher.

Cecil: Yeah, I think I think it will grow us on, right?

Sam: Yeah but all that being said, I really shouldn’t have done what I did last night. When I raised my voice and said: “Paul Hollywood needs a new wardrobe.” I mean, what’s with those blue jeans, right?

Cecil: Yeah, yeah.

Sam: And then Paul started crying and wailed: “Why would you say that, powerful desert law enforcer?” And channel 4 immediately cancelled the series.

Cecil: I know, I-I didn’t get to see the technical challenge that episode.

Sam: No. And I-I know it was your favorite show and now it’s gone..

Cecil: Yeah.

Sam: So I’m sorry. Television is a two-way street..

Cecil: Yeah.

Sam: ..and I should have thought about that.

Cecil: That’s right, they can hear us. So I-I, listen, I accept your apology and besides, it’s actually kind of nice not to have the TV on and to get to spend more time with my husband. Yeah.

Sam: And you know I didn’t even mean what meant, what I said. I didn’t even mean what I meant. [chuckles] I didn’t even mean what I meant when I said that thing about Paul Hollywood. I should look at the script, it would be more useful.

Cecil: That’s…

Sam: [chuckles] I think Paul Hollywood does look good in jeans, I mean he’s stepfather hot.

Cecil: Oh wait, please. He’s more like divorced tax accountant dad hot. That’s, you know. Anyway, let’s change the subject. I wanted to speak to you today about the Mink. Now, they are a master of disguise and this has made it impossible for us to find them. Does the Sheriff’s Secret Police have a plan to determine who the Mink is?

Sam: Well, we’ve consulted with experts, and outside of fringe sciences like parapsychology, divination, genetics…

Cecil: Yeah, right.

Sam: Not really, no. But we do have a new law enforcement tool. It’s called the brainwave transposition ray. [long pause, apparently something visual is going on]

Cecil: OK you’re just doing like spirit fingers.

Sam: Not at all. This is the brainwave transposition ray. Sessil, simply put: you point it at a potential criminal, which is to say anybody at all. And it tells you exactly what they’re currently thinking.

Cecil: Whoa!

Sam: Here, I’ll show you how it works. Now there might be Night Vale citizens on the sidewalk outside the studio, I can try it on.

Cecil: OK.

Sam: Let me move over to the window and… weird.

Cecil: What?

Sam: There’s hundreds of people staring at us right now.

Cecil: I know, they’ve been here the whole time. It’s making me nervous, but you know, it’s fine.

Sam: Yeah, creepy.

Cecil: Yeah.

Sam: Well, you see if I point the device right at this person, we should be able to hear their exact thoughts.

Cecil: Mm.

Voice: I like many kinds of animals, but I like sea lions best.

Cecil: Huh.

Sam: I mean doesn’t sound like the Mink…

Cecil: Ah no, no.

Sam: OK, let’s try someone else.

Voice: I forgot to wash the blood off the bath tub, my wife’s gonna kill me. Oh god.

Sam: No, the Mink wouldn’t be married.

Cecil: Yeah, yeah.

Sam: Let’s try…

Voice: Sure hope the Secret Police won’t arrest me for wearing a full disguise and a mask.

Cecil: Whoa! That’s the Mink!

Voice: Cause I’m not wearing a disguise or a mask. I’m just Chris (Brothon) from Night Vale with my usual face and limbs, and my greatest fear is false arrest.

Cecil: Oh. That was very specific.

Sam: Ahem. You know, having a fear of false arrest is highly illegal, so we’ll be by soon to collect you, Chris. Let’s try one more. Do you want to try doing it?

Cecil: Well I oh, I don’t know Sheriff, I mean it’s an amazing device but it does seem rather intrusive. Are you sure it’s safe?

Sam: Yes yes of course come on, try it on me. [loud music, glass shatters]

Cecil: Oh wow. That’s, that’s great. I-I had no idea that that’s what you’re thinking right now.

Sam: Yeah sure, why what do your thoughts sound like?

Cecil: I love my husband. I love my husband. I also agree that sea lions are so cute. So cute! Soo cute!!

Sam: None of that was illegal at all, how disappointing.

Cecil: Yeah I know, I’m sorry. Um, you know but I do hope that you end up arresting Chris later on.

Sam: Well that will cheer me up. Now Sessil, you do help me look on the bright side so thank you and do give me a shout if you find out anything about the Mink.

Cecil: Alright, I will. Thank you, Sheriff Sam!

13. Ascentia Ad

Cecil: And now another word from our sponsors.

[talks very fast] Today’s show is also brought to you by Ascentia. If you’ve ever felt anything at all, there’s Ascentia. Talk to your doctor about Ascentia. Your doctor is a spider, all black eyes and long legs, clinging effortlessly to the wall. Tell your doctor how afraid you are but don’t say anything out loud unless you are (-) [ 0:00:18] paralyzed by your choice of fight or flight. Do not fight your doctor, your doctor is good. They eat a lot of bugs, they’re super helpful. Your doctor is just as afraid of you as you are of them. Do not take Ascentia if you’ve ever seen a dog. Spiritual transcendence is uncommon, but if you find yourself no longer in a physical body, please stop taking Ascentia immediately and contact a medium with a medical training and a Ouija board. Ascentia might cause night (-). Ask your doctor about Canada. Do not take Aponto which is our competitor. Aponto users report high levels of centipedes inside their necks, crawling around right before bed and on first dates. Ascentia is a solar flare, a radioactive magnetic burst that should not be taken with alcohol. Do not breathe for 30 minutes after taking Ascentia.

You’re a person. That’s why there’s…

Ascentia.

14. Deb Returns

Cecil: And now I present to you a major milestone in radio history: the first ever audio only magic shooooow! Yes, yes, yes!

Now listen, I’ve been practicing these tricks perfectly and I have every single one of them down, even the one with the-the doves and the aerial dancers. So, for my first trick, I will take a flamethrower that I have hidden under the… [long pause] OK, listeners, that may have to wait. For some reason, Deb the sentient patch of haze has returned to my studio. What’s up Deb?

Deb: Hello, Cecil! How are you? Oh, doesn’t this place just look a treat? Oh, and all the doves! I love doves! Almost as much as I love horses.

Cecil: Deb, are you OK?

Deb: Cecil, thank you, I’m doing wonderful, how are you? Oh, and isn’t this just the cutest little studio! Is that a safe? Full of secrets? How adorable! I can’t, I won’t, I absolutely will not...

Cecil: You sound a little different or something.

Deb: Well do you know what would make this studio that much more perfect, Cecil? Beautiful crystalline horse figurines. Can’t you just picture them? Oh, all of the sparkly horses! Especially, tsk tsk tsk, on that safe. I bet that safe just has the cutest combination.

Cecil: Oh yeah, it’s super cute, but I don’t see what it has to-

Deb: As a kid, I remember watching the horses drop by my house. Can you believe it, I grew up near a horse farm? “Get inside!” my mother would yell. [shrill voice] “You know you’re allergic!” But how could allergies ever stand up to my love of horses? Say, I bet the inside of that safe is even that much more adorable..

Cecil: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!

Deb: Can I ju-

Cecil: Love? Deb isn’t capable of love! Oh my god, you’re the Mink!

Deb: Nooo! No!

Cecil: Yes, the Mink has disguised themself as Deb in order to infiltrate my studio!

Deb: That’s not true.

Cecil: Yeah, certain small tells in their behavior indicated that this is not the real Deb!

Deb: No I’m definitely Bed, I mean Deb, excuse me..

Cecil: No wait wait wait, before you go, I just need to have a moment…

15. The Chase

Cecil: Tamika, this is the Mink! [long pause, suspenseful music] And the Mink has just jumped into a 1987 yellow (-) [0:00:22] and raced off, and Tamika is leaping onto her motorcycle and speeding after, and the Sheriff’s Secret Police, who had our station under surveillance, are joining the chase. The Mink has now turned the wrong way down a one way street and is weaving through oncoming traffic, and Tamika is racing up a loading ramp, jumping her bike from rooftop to rooftop, from rooftop to bus stop, and from bus stop to the street. She’s finally hit the ground and she’s only a few feet away from the Mink’s car and they’re swerving back and forth trying to get her to veer off. Watch out, Tamika!

Breaking news: I have just learned that the Mink and their ever increasing search for secrets has started to delve into forbidden and dangerous knowledge. Six security guards at the top secret facility on Oak Street have gone missing, and the entire place was ransacked. This is all according to a spokesperson from the Vague Yet Menacing Government Agency, who looked a lot like my neighbor Madeline, and lives in Madeline’s house but had a sign that says “I’m not Madeline”, so I have no idea where I’m getting any of this information.

Anyway, that spokesperson said that among the classified secrets taken were the truth about who killed JFK, Amelia Earhart’s continued whereabouts, several nuclear codes and what, what, what? That Night Vale resident and actor Lee Marvin died decades ago? But that’s impossible! Like, he’s alive and well, and today is his 30th birthday.

Update on the chase. Tamika has now trapped the Mink’s car at the top of a towering cliff, and the Mink is fleeing on foot, and overhead helicopters of every kind circle, and the Sheriff’s Secret Police secret police cars roar by on a nearby road, and dark clouds are gathering, and there is lightning and thunder and listen, I know it does rain sometimes in the desert but it was, like, sunny 15 seconds ago but this is a really compelling picture that I’m painting for all of you. And the wind is whipping back Tamika’s hair as she sprints after the Mink, who is rearranging their disguise even as they flee, but finally they hit a dead end. It’s a sheer drop on both sides. “There’s no way left to go, Mink!” Tamika shouts into the gusts of wind, and the Mink smiles at her ever so sadly and then – steps backward off the cliff. Now Tamika, not willing to let her (quarry) go so easily – jumps after. Let me get some information on this, this has all gone terribly wrong. But in the meantime,

Let’s check in

On the weather.

16. The Weather

[“Company Man” by Dane Terry, https://daneterry.bandcamp.com/]

17. Where is the Mink

Listeners, I do hope you found that weather report was edifying. I’ve been trying to get any word that I can on Tamika or the Mink, but they both have vanished. The helicopters lost track of them as they fell through the long curtain of rain, and so no one can say what happened next but – that fall was quite long.

This is all my fault. I knew it was dangerous, but I was blind to the dangers that I was asking Tamika to perform, because I wanted to speak with the Mink so badly. And now I fear – we have lost her.

I have never wanted to say these words but.. to the family of Tamika Flynn, I will never forget myself for what I have done, I will never be able to-

Tamika: No, I’m alive! I’m not dead!

Cecil: Tamika, oh Tamika!

Tamika: Hi hi hey hey hey, hey hey hey, I’m down here, no worries.

Cecil: What happened?!

Tamika: Oh, I-I caught the Mink.

Cecil: What?

Tamika: Yeah! They’re right hear.

Cecil: [gasps] [long pause]

Tamika: Yeah, I-I found them.

Cecil: That’s amazing, I’m so impressed!

Tamika: [chuckles] Bam, one Mink caught, I am very good at this.

Cecil: Yeah! No wait, are you positive that’s the Mink though?

Tamika: Yes. Well, I got some intel on their latest disguise, and they’re wearing sunglasses.

Cecil: Uh huh.

Tamika: You can put them over (--) [0:01:33]. They’re wearing a hat.

Cecil: OK, yeah.

Tamika: It’s clean.

Cecil: Yeah, yeah, clean hat. Clean hat Mink, that’s what they call him.

Tamika: And they’re wearing a name tag that says: “Hello, I’m the Mink!”

Cecil: Aaaa, yes, that is some brilliant deduction!

Tamika: I am very smart.

Cecil: Yeah, well done but Tamika, bring them into my studio for just one second before the Secret Police get here, OK?

Tamika: Alright, we’re on our way!

Cecil: Alright, thank you Tamika! Oh, that’s such a relief! Whoa. (But!) You know, it just goes to show that reckless decision making and snap decisions always pay off. And I’m so glad that I turned out to be 100 percent right about this whole situation. Versus how 100 percent wrong about this whole situation I was just a few months ago.

But you know, listen, I’ve gotta confess something to you all, and I hate to do this because I hold myself to high standards both morally and journalistically, but – I lied to you just a tiny little bit on my show, because I didn’t know who was listening. But now I will make it up to you by telling you all the truth. Not all the truth, I’m gonna withhold just a little piece of information, but I’m letting you know upfront that there’s one thing that I cannot tell you.

Listen, I was never seeking the Mink for professional reasons, not because it would make the interview of the century or because I wanted to get them to spill all their secrets on the air, no. I wanted to talk to them because they never spill their secrets, because listeners, I have this secret that I have been holding for two years, and I have to tell someone! And here comes this opportunity to talk to his person that never spills any of their secrets. They’re the perfect keeper of forbidden knowledge. And now, here they are.

Thank you so much, Tamika. Now Mink, I gotta tell you something, you know and I’ve only, I don’t think I’ve ever told anybody. Wait, hold on a sec-

18. Secret Interdlue

[music, audience reacts, no audible dialogue]

19. The Escape

Cecil: Oh no, they’re getting away! Aaaaah. Oh man, uh! Ahhhh. [strained noises] We’ll never catch them now. The Mink has escaped. Now, we as a society, we fear secrets. You know, maybe as a species, if we don’t fear them we look down upon them like secret lies or dirty little secrets, and if someone is not willing to say something out loud, then it must be shameful or evil or somehow incorrect but a secret, it’s not good or bad, it’s just not known and the universe is filled with secrets, like consider a field flush with flowers that humans have not seen in generations. If we don’t know about it, is it a secret or or, or a star in the middle of the galaxy that our telescopes do not reach. We will never know about this star, but it glitters secretly in the heart of the universe or, or something more down to earth and mundane like a, like a person who has never tasted a turnip. Doesn’t know what a turnip tastes like and just refuses to ask anybody or eat a turnip. Is that a secret? I don’t know. What is unknown and what is merely unsaid?

Officials from the Sheriff’s Secret Police, the City Council, and the Vague yet Menacing Government Agency all say that they have plans to catch the Mink and those plans are top secret. And since they’re top secret, the Mink has already learned about them, so they are highly unlikely to work. But you know what? Good luck.

Soon I imagine we will all return to a baseline normal as a town, a little less darkness, a lot less secrets but we’re still us, we’re still Night Vale. You know, there’s an energy in secrets. Who we share them with, who we don’t. And not everybody has a right to know everything about everyone, and our curiosity, it’s not a license. And we don’t have to share every part of ourselves with everyone, there’s no shame in privacy. There is, however, an energy in secrets, there’s a-a fission that happens when you share a secret with somebody. And that secret could be an aspect of love, platonic love or romantic love or the love you owe to yourself, love of every kind. And the biggest secret of all is the universe, one that we will never get to unravel.

I mean, I had a secret, and I needed the Mink to help me carry it. And I know that they’re not going to bow to peer pressure and tell aanybody what I just told them. No matter how many drinks people buy at the bar afterwards and say “Hey, what did he just say to you?” No, they’re gonna keep that secret. You know, secrets can be light. Share them with somebody, don’t share them with somebody, hold them for yourself. I mean I’m not ashamed of my secret, certainly not. Certainly not.

See? There’s an energy in secrets. Especially in secrets that all of you will never get to know.

There is an energy in secrets, and I hope that that energy lifts you.

So stay tuned next for the quiet roar of your secret thoughts, some of which you may some day share.

And for the secret heart of my secret self,

Good night, Night Vale,

Good night.

#live shows #a spy in the desert #thiis is NOT finished yet #sorry #i'll update it in the next few days #but you can get started wtih this

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the-gedonelune-times · 4 years

Text

Chapter 3: Fateful Encounter

Summary: Gedonelune, the prestigious royal magic academy is waiting just for you! The door has opened a whole new world of possibilities for your future. For the next thirteen days you’ll be undergoing the provisional trial to see if you have what it takes to become an official student. Along the way you’ll be meeting new faces and going on exciting new adventures. But be warned, shadows are being cast on the land, if you dive to deep, you may find yourself being swallowed up by the chaos. Your journey begins now, will you be able to banish the darkness?

(This chapter does contains scenes mentioning blood and violence)

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

A groan escaped my lips as I stared at the numbers on the clock that was resting on the nightstand by my bed. It was still well into the early morning hours. My body felt heavy as I rolled to the side, pressing my face into my pillow. I still had about seven hours before I had to meet up with Nadia and head over to the tea party that those men from last night invited us to. I was honestly still a bit nervous but decided to try and chase away the feeling with some more rest. It was a rather rough next few hours though, all of which were full of tossing and turning, restlessness, and a lot of grumbling. By this point, I decided to say ‘screw it’ as I threw the covers to the side while getting out of bed.

Despite barely getting a wink of sleep, I felt more energized than ever as I walked back from the Night Class cafeteria. A cold shower and a cup of coffee did the trick, at least for the meantime. Luckily it was the weekend, so if I desperately needed to go and lie down and try to get some more rest then I could. I hadn’t realized it until now, but it really did feel dead here in the morning, though, that’s to be expected when basically every Night Class student is nocturnal.

At least the areas above ground were pretty lively. Even though it was still pretty early out, I could see a few students roaming around the courtyard, one of which was...Nadia? It was hard to tell if it was really her at first glance. I had only ever seen her with her prefect uniform, which stood out among the other uniforms. But today she was in something completely different; a light blue shirt and a pair of black shorts, complete with a pair of flip-flops. Her usual one-sided ponytail was now loosely tied as a small breeze swept it back. She must have caught me staring because she gave me a somewhat cocky grin before putting her book down, waving me over.

I smiled as I walked over, giving a quick greeting as I did.

“I see you’re up early.”

“Have been for a while.” I chuckled.

“Really? Did you not sleep well?”

“Not really. But I should have enough energy to get through the tea party.”

Nadia’s face softened, but the worry was still written on it clear as day. “Please don’t overdo yourself today.”

“I won’t.” I answered.

“Good.” Nadia smiled. “I know we still have around an hour before we have to be there, but we can go ahead and head up to the village. Lacan or Felix might be out in the garden, oh maybe Lily is too!”

“Lily?” I recall hearing the names Lacan, Willem and Felix from last night, but this was a name that was completely new.

“Oh yeah, you haven’t met Lily or even Felix yet. Lily has been living with Willem and the others for a couple of months. I met her a couple of times when I went to visit Hugo; who’ll you’ll also probably meet soon. Anyways, Lily is a real sweet girl, she’s always taking care of the garden, she just adores flowers.”

Lily huh? Despite still knowing so little about her, I felt rather excited to meet her. That very excitement was carried with me all the way to the village. The man from last night, Lacan, was the one to greet us. He was practically running and I was a little worried, wondering if he was going to just crash right into us. Of course, he didn’t, but he was pretty excited to know we came and yet a little sad that more hadn’t shown up.

“Is it really just you two?” He asked curiously while peering over our shoulders.

“I’m afraid the others just didn’t have the time.” Nadia explained.

“Well, that’s alright.” Lacan waved. “That just more tea and baked goods for us right?”

“Right.” Nadia nodded while Lacan took her by the arm, excitedly leading her to the house.

I trailed behind them, taking in the views. It was incredible to see that an entire village had been built here by students from the Academy. When Nadia first told me about it, I was a little shocked and a bit saddening that I didn’t have the chance to meet said former students. As I got closer to their house I noticed just how many houses were here, including one that was in the process of being built. I wonder who it belonged to.

Not paying attention to my surroundings, I ended up tripping over something, I couldn’t tell what and fell right into someone. I had regained my posture and was about to step back when I lost my balance after placing my foot on something unstable. This time I knew what it was, a shovel, I was prepared to make contact with the ground but found myself being pulled back to my feet by the person I had bumped into.

“I’m so sorry.” I apologized.

“It’s alright. I should have found a better place to put my things. But at the same time *you should have been watching your surroundings more carefully.”

“Hm?”

My eyes met the ones of the person who helped me. It was a girl around my height, she had long platinum-blonde, almost silver, colored hair that moved with the passing breeze. Her eyes were a bit harder to see by her messy bangs that was caused by the sunhat she was wearing, but I could tell that they were kind. I watched as she titled her head, her hand waving in front of my face.

“Hello? Earth to the stranger in the garden.” She wore a smile as she spoke.

“Ah, sorry I…”

“Is the sun getting to you? I’ve heard that sometimes people look lost like that when they’re not hydrated properly. Perhaps you need some water?”

I chuckled. “No, I’m not dehydrated nor am I feeling unwell. I just..er..” I couldn’t exactly tell her that I was staring. Things could get awkward very fast. Instead, I just cleared my throat and smiled. “I was just admiring the view around here.”

“Oh?” Her eyes looked me up and down as she walked around me. “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you around here. Are you new?”

“Yes.” I answered with a nod.

“Really?! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Lily gasped before rushing over to a patch of vibrant colored flowers. After doing some thinking, her hands plucked one of the flowers skillfully from the patch. In her hand was now a beautiful orange tulip, it almost looked like she had a small flame in her hand. I was about to ask about the flower when she held it up to me.

“For you.”

“H-Huh?”

“Think of this as a welcoming gift.”

The flower was placed in my hands, I was so afraid that I might somehow smash it that I decided to tuck it behind my ears. Lily gasped and clasped her hands together.

“You look so nice with that colour, it really brings out your eyes.”

“Y-You think so?” I unconsciously began to touch the petals of the flower that was nestled in my hair. For some reason I had grown rather embarrassed, almost to the point where I could barely make eye contact with her.

“Hey you two, the tea and stuff are ready!:

*Oh thank goodness….*

With what seemed like perfect timing, Lacan had stepped out of the house and now stood on the porch. He smiled when he saw us, but it faded when he saw that Lily’s hands and outfit were completely covered in dust and semi-wet dirt from her time in the gardening,

“Lily! Were messing with the garden?”

Not seeming to care, she smiled. “I wanted to plant the other flowers. I still have to get the Bearded Iris plants in the ground.”

“You can do that later. Right now you need to clean up. We have company joining us for tea.”

“Oh?” Lily blinked a couple of times and then looked at me curiously. “So you’re here because of the invitation?”

“Ah, yes.”

“I see! I’ll go put on a very special outfit then!”

Lily then began dusting off her outfit before heading up to the porch. She looked back at me as if telling me to follow. As I did, I noticed something that caught me by surprise, or rather shocked me to the point where I grew concerned. Lily had on an outfit that left her back exposed, on her back were three deep wounds that almost looked fresh. They resembled claw marks. I wanted to ask but decided it was best not to, I had just met this person, after all, it would have been rude.

Lacan, however, caught onto my staring and shared a similar sad gaze. “Don’t worry, she’ll be alright.”

Was this guy a mind reader now?

I entered the house with Lacan, but was left behind as he said he was going to check on Lily. He told me that the kitchen would be down the hall and that everyone was already there. When I got there, I could hear a conversation between Willem and Nadia. Worried that I would be interrupting something, I Quietly hid out of view, just enough to be able to keep listening.

“...so she really doesn’t remember anything?”

“No. Her memory has been wiped clean and ever since the attack, it’s gotten worse.”

“I...I can’t believe it.”

So this girl was attacked? Their voices seemed to go quiet and just as I leaned in to listen more closely, I heard someone clear their throat from behind me. I turned around in a panic to see a man with blonde hair and curly white ram-like horns. He seemed to have a disinterested look as he spoke.

“Is eavesdropping some kind of human pasttime? It seems rather rude to me.”

“Er, well I, you see…”

“Save your breath. I could care less.” He muttered while walking inside.

What is this guy’s problem?

I decided to follow suit and was immediately greeted by Willem.

“Hello there.”

“Hello.” I put on my best smile and watched as the man in white robes roll his eyes.

“I’m glad you could join us.” He smiled. “ But just a little word of advice, if you’re going to listen in on one’s conversation, try harder to conceal yourself next time.”

What in the world are these guys?!

“How did you..?”

“Well, as a Dragonkin, my hearing is rather good, I could hear the shift in floorboards near the entrance. But your shadow was also seen clear as day.” He laughed and I found myself wanting to hide my face in embarrassment.

Lily and Lacan joined us a little while later and from there we all sat down and began engaging in small talk as we drank our tea and enjoyed the baked goods. During this time, I was learning more about Dragonkin, Willem was very thorough in his explanations and it was incredibly interesting to listen to. Even the man in the white robes, who I learned was Felix, seemed to enjoy sharing stories from a faraway past. There was a small break of the conversation which led to silence befalling us. During the silence, Lily had shifted in her seat, asking to be excused to go get some fresh air.

When she left, I noticed that the atmosphere in the room had changed drastically.

“It’s her back I’m sure…” Felix looked away sadly.

“Felix…:

“You can’t keep blaming yourself for what happened.”

I was about to ask, but held my tongue instead. Nadia beat me to the question anyways.

“What exactly happened?”

The three men all exchanged looks, each of them going silent before Felix spoke up.

“I asked Lily to join me for a stroll on the usual path.” Felix explained. “ We had just reached a clearing in the path right by the flower field that Lily loves so much. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and just as we were about to take a break and rest in the grass. That’s when...it happened.”

Felix stopped for a moment, going quiet as he gathered his thoughts. “It all happened so fast, this magic beast came out of nowhere, it looked like a Chimera. It charged right towards us, specifically me. Even if I had managed to cast a spell, I would have still been injured. But just as I was prepared for the blow, Lily...she...she stepped in front of me and threw her arms around my neck, taking the blow. The scream she let out, it was unlike anything I had ever heard before. I tried healing her wounds but nothing happened, so I brought her back home right away.”

“It was a really gruesome scene.” Lacan recalled. “Felix ran in here with his robes stained with so much blood. I really thought we were going to lose her. Luckily Willem was here though, he knew of a way to stop the bleeding, but...we couldn’t heal the wound. That’s why the wound on her back looks so fresh, it’s because those markings are cursed.”

“Cursed?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Lacan nodded. “Yes. Lily’s powers were sealed and her memory wiped clean. She’s stuck in her human form, almost like she’s been reset.”

*Human form? So does that mean that Lily was a Dragonkin too? I asked myself silently while listening on.

“She also can’t stay sitting in one place for too long, nor can she have fabric touching her back. It gives her a tremendous amount of pain and has made it a bit more difficult for her to even do her usual tasks.”

“But our lily is a real fighter.” Lacan smiled. “She still takes care of the plants and she’s been writing down in her journal whenever her memory starts giving out. She’ll get through this, I mean, she has all of us to support her.”

“That’s right.”

“But what if she doesn’t get better? What if she’s doomed to this kind of lifestyle? This is no way for her to live!”

Felix shouted before getting up from his seat, rushing out of the room and slamming a door that must have been down one of the halls. Willem had tried calling out to him and was about to get up as well but was stopped by Lacan before he even could.

“Let him be, Willem. He needs some space, you know he always comes back to us when his mind is cleared. Now is no different.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

As the others began some small chatter, I looked down at my plate and teacup. There was so much that was going on that I didn’t feel like even finishing up the rest of it. In fact, I could really use some fresh air right about now…

“May I be excused?”

“Hm?”

“Is everything alright?” Nadia asked.

“Yes, I just need some fresh air.”

“Go right ahead.” Willem softly smiled. “A lot has happened and I send my apologies for making you go through it.”

“The porch is open!” Lacan beamed as he changed the subject. “We even have some chairs set up so you get a really pretty view of the garden.”

“Thank you.”

I gave a thankful nod and pushed my chair out, quickly removing myself away from the table and the area in general. There was so much to process and the fact that such a beast could cause such harm to people who were merely taking a stroll worried me. My mind couldn’t take it, so I thought fresh air could help. But as I stepped out onto the porch and sat down in one the nearby chairs, I remembered something. *Wasn’t Lily out here too?* Just as I thought that, my eyes focused in on a figure who was standing over a patch of flowers. I could tell right away that it was Lily.

She was wearing a completely different outfit, a backless rose-coloured sundress. Seeming to notice my presence, Lily turned to face me, a smile rose to her face as she gave a small wave, heading in my direction. I could see her face more clearly this time and almost immediately I was drawn to her eyes and the smile she had was making my heart thud.

“Are you about to leave?” She asked almost sadly.

“No, not yet. I just needed some fresh air,”

“Oh thank goodness…”Lily sighed. “I was a little worried.”

“Worried?”

Lily nodded. “I really wanted to keep talking to you, I can tell that you have a kind heart.”

“A kind heart huh?”

“Well you’re also pretty interesting and there’s not a lot of new faces that come around here. So seeing you here is a real treat!”

“You mean, you don’t see a lot of people? What about when you go into town?”

“Going into town is rare for me. Willem says it’s safer is I stay here in the village, but he still lets me go into town as long as I’m with one of them. Although, going into town right now isn’t an option since there was an incident that occurred recently. I’m not sure what happened but when I heard Willem talking about it, I felt...uneasy, yes that would be the best term to describe it.”

Strange, this was the first time I had heard about this happening, and with the academy being so close to the town, it’s a wonder that this kind of information wasn’t disclosed. Though, I suppose if such information was given out, then it could cause panic to ensue. Still...this seems pretty serious, I wonder what happened?

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” Lily spoke as she sat down in the chair next to me. “Willem said that the people at the Ministry would take care of things.”

“I suppose that’ll offer some relief.”

Lily nodded and before I knew it, we dived into a deep conversation. Even though I had just met her, it felt like Lily and I had known each other for a while, we just seemed to hit off really well. A couple of hours had passed before Nadia had stepped out onto the porch, asking if I was ready to go.

“You’re leaving already?” Lily looked at me sadly.

“I’m sorry, Lily. I really wish I could stay longer.”

“Me too! Will you be able to come over tomorrow?”

“I start classes tomorrow, if I didn’t have them then I’d love to come back to see you.”

“Classes? Does that mean you go to the academy nearby?”

I nodded and watched as Lily fumbled with her hands, finally resting them on her lap. “Is there any way that we could still keep in touch?”

That was a good question, was there a way we could? If there was, I’d love to take the opportunity.

“Magic notes.” Nadia responded.

“Huh?”

“I think Persephone should have given you some. You two could write to one another.”

“Really?”

“Where can I gets some?”

“I have some.” Willem responded from the doorway. “I think sending magical notes to one another would be a wonderful thing for you, Lily. It’s wonderful to see you making some new friends.”

I watched as Lily practically jumped out of her seat with excitement. “Please teach me how to use it!”

Willem laughed. “Alright, alright. I’ll teach you in a little bit.”

“Thank you.” Lily smiled before looking back at me, holing out her hand. “I’ll be sure to write to you every day, i-if you don’t mind of course.”

“I would really like that.” I took her hand and gave it a few shakes before leaving with Nadia.

The sun was still shining brightly by the time we got back to the academy. Nadia and I said our goodbyes before parting our separate ways. I must have been grinning the entire time as I walked back to my dorms because when I got back to my room, my face hurt. What was it about Lily that made me feel this way? I wasn’t sure of these feelings, but I knew that I wanted to see her again….

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

Nadia: I’m happy that they got along so well with Lily.

Persephone: You mean the new student?

Nadia: Yeah!

Persephone: I guess that explains that goofy grin they had on their face while going to their dorms.

Naida: I can see them getting along well in the future.

Persephone: We can talk more about this later. For now, let’s get on with the preview.

Nadia: Their first day of classes and their trial begins, how will things go, and what familiar faces await them?

Persephone: Find out soon in the chapter ‘Classes’.

#wizardess heart+#shall we date?: wizardess heart #wh fan route #The Three Seals Series #The Queen Of Forgotten Time #Nadia Zaidelle #Persephone Onyx #Lily Bloom #willem v rembrandt #Lacan wh #Felix Starjune

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thepartyresponsible · 5 years

Text

third spooky season fic! this one is for the anon who asked for winteriron. the prompt for this one is: isolation.

so here’s a fic about the winter soldier waking up alone in an abandoned hydra facility.

The Soldier heaves out of the cryostasis chamber like a butterfly breaking its chrysalis. He’s cold and wet and only parts of him are unfrozen. The facility is dimly lit. There are no guards to catch him. He tumbles to the metal grating and struggles to breathe.

His fingers work clumsily, still too cold to grip, so he pushes himself up on his elbows.

“Mission report,” he tries. There is no answer.

“What is the mission?” he asks. The facility groans around him, but there are no human voices here.

There are no people at all.

He lies on the floor until he can stand, and then he searches, room-by-room. He finds no one. He is alone.

“Ready to comply,” he says, to the darkness.

His mind clicks and sputters like a dying engine. It is dark, and it is cold, and the Soldier has been abandoned.

He finds field rations in a supply closet. He does not know how long he will be left here, so he calculates how many calories he needs, per day, to survive.

He sorts them. There are twelve available flavors, and an unequal amount of each. He arranges them so there are no direct repeats. There is no reason to do this, but he has nothing else to do.

He has never been out of cryo for so long without a mission. Assigning his own missions is workable, but feels somehow insufficient.

He is restless, and he is cold. He finds uniforms in storage, and he takes to wearing two at a time.

The facility is dying. The power to the cryo chamber cut out days ago, which is why he woke up. Most non-critical systems are offline.

The heat is on, for now. The emergency generators are running. When the fuel runs out, it will get very cold.

The Soldier is not certain he will survive this place, if the generators die. He survived the cold of the cryo chamber, but a slower freezing, with no one to monitor or revive him, might kill him.

“Ready to comply,” he says, to no one. To nothing. To the HYDRA emblem on the walls and the patches on his shoulders. “What is the mission?”

There is no mission. There is no HYDRA. There is no one to guide him and nothing to comply with.

The Soldier is alone, and he is under his own authority.

When the generators go silent, the Soldier does not grant himself permission to die.

“Request for decommission is denied,” he says. He has been speaking to himself with more frequency. There is something about the sound of his own voice that reminds him of someone else.

He packs his rations into a salvaged backpack. He has his weapons, and his boots. He is wearing two uniforms, and he has two more in his bag. He has a small first aid kit and a compass and no idea where he is or where he’s headed.

South, he thinks. There are murmurs of memories, pale ghosts on white walls. Some part of him feels certain that there is warmth in the south.

He goes south. He does not, as it turns out, need to go far. There is a cabin only a mile into the frosted woods, well-stocked with provisions and firewood. A guard may have lived here, when the facility kept one.

That night he sits in front of the woodstove, wrapped in blankets that are softer than anything he can understand or justify. He can’t stop running his fingers over them.

Request for decommission is denied, he thinks.

“Ready to comply,” he says.

There is nothing to fill his days, and food enough for winter, so he keeps himself fit. HYDRA will need a Soldier, if they come back to claim him. He runs in the forest when it’s warm enough to dig out, and, when it isn’t, he does an endless array of body weight exercises.

Sometimes, he finds himself humming tunes he doesn’t know. Heavy and rhythmic, with pauses. A chant, he thinks. No, a cadence.

There are meant to be more soldiers. There used to be others. But now there is only him.

And he does not remember the others, although there’s one in particular that his mind keeps reaching for. A presence he knows by its absence, the same way he would know a tooth by the gap it left in his smile.

But, whoever it was, they are no longer here. The Soldier finds he has little faith in their return. But he sorts his rations again anyway, stockpiling some away from the others. This way, if the lost soldier returns, they will both have enough to eat.

He has dreams. Nightmares.

He is strapped to a table, and they are removing his arm. He is falling from a train. He is wearing another man’s uniform, and he is killing another man’s enemies.

In these dreams, everyone calls him by a name that does not belong to him. Bucky, and Buck, and Buchannan.

Sometimes, when he wakes up, there are tears on his face. It is such a strange waste of salt.

He gets headaches now.

Headaches is not the appropriate word. But he doesn’t know what is.

They are flares of rage and sorrow and confusion. Terror, sometimes. Dread. It feels like something is squirming beneath his skin. It feels like something in there wants out.

When this happens, he stops moving and holds still, breathes through it. The headaches go away, after a while. He only has to wait.

And there is nothing else to do out here. So he waits in silence.

Sometimes, for no reason he can articulate, he wraps the soft blankets around himself, even when he’s sweat-soaked from exercise. Even when he isn’t cold.

He doesn’t run the lights unless he has to. He sees well enough in the dark, and he has flashlights if he needs them. The sunlight lasts longer and longer each day. He is cold almost always, but it isn’t the killing cold of the facility after the generators died. The cabin was designed to sustain life.

He spends a lot of time in the dark, though. He likes to think he’s grown accustomed to it, but some growing part of him strains toward every light source he can find. Somedays, he goes outside into the cold just so he can stand in the weak sunshine for a while. He comes back with numb fingers, but there is an unwound, relaxed feeling in his chest that compensates.

He knows every shade of light available to him. The clinical white of the flashlights, the soft glow of the woodstove. The faded yellow-white of sunlight.

Nothing he has glows blue. That light is a new light.

There is something new outside his cabin, and it is getting closer.

He should be wary, he thinks. He should go for his weapons. But he is fascinated by the light, struck by the shape that moves closer, and something in his throat aches when the shape resolves into something human. He feels the way he feels when he wakes up after nightmares. A sick, desperate yearning for something he doesn’t know or understand.

The man-shaped creature melts the snow and ice away from his door and then shoulders the door off its hinges. It whirrs and whines when it moves, a sound so soft that Bucky wouldn’t notice it, if it weren’t so incredibly alien.

“Oh, look,” the maybe-man says, “this one’s gone feral.”

The Soldier doesn’t know what he means by that. He doesn’t feel feral. Although, if this is HYDRA come to collect him, they will be disappointed by the state of him.

He has been struggling with the headaches, and the nightmares. The dreams come during the day now. They hit when he’s wide awake. Sometimes it’s a struggle to remember that Bucky Barnes is someone else, and he is the Soldier.

“You gonna throw a fit like the other five?” the metal-man asks. His hands are raised, palms out. It would be a pacifying gesture, but his hands are glowing blue.

“You’re so bright,” the Soldier tells him. He means to say Ready to comply.

“Oh boy,” the man says. He tips his head slightly away. “Okay, guys, I think this is the runt of the litter. Safe to come in. Barton, bring those tranqs.”

The Soldier shifts a step or two closer. He stares hard at the glowing eyes. How strange it must be, to carry light within you. “Are you cold?” he asks.

He is not a fool. He knows he is in danger. But he has been alone since he woke up, and this feels like a second waking. Strange and new, but better than before.

He grabs the softest blanket off its special place on the hearth, where the woodstove warms it. He holds it out. The metal suit seems cold. The kind of thing HYDRA would give one of its soldiers, designed for function, not comfort.

“Here,” he says. He holds it out.

“Uh,” the man says. A second of stillness passes, and then the helmet rolls back, folding neatly into the neck of the suit to reveal the face of a ghost.

“Howard,” the Soldier says, reflexively. And then he winces, stumbling back, as another headache hits. Rage, and guilt, and grief. So much that his skin feels waterlogged with it, so much that he wants to crack his skull open to release the pressure.

The man’s helmet clinks and hums as it closes back up around his face. “Alright,” he says. The weapons in his hands whine as he raises them, powering up. “Who the hell are you?”

The Soldier does not know how to answer the question. His head aches, and his hands tangle in the blanket. “Ready to comply,” he says, because it is what he has to offer.

There are noises behind the man in the metal suit. Voices, and footsteps. The Soldier’s brain sizzles in his skull like he’s thrown it into hot oil.

And then, suddenly, a voice he knows somehow. A voice he is not supposed to hear. “Bucky?”

The Soldier stares at the new man. Blonde and broad-shouldered. Bold. A shield with a star, and paper in his shoes, and there and here and then and now, and the Soldier is being unmade and re-forged.

He looks to the metal-man, who is slowly lowering his arms and folding away his face mask, staring at him with an expression of wary, confused concern.

“Who the hell is Bucky?” the Soldier asks, ignoring the blonde. He can’t look at him. He can’t know about him. Not yet.

The man who isn’t Howard gives him a quirk of the mouth that isn’t quite a smile. “Not sure yet,” he says. “Let’s find out.”

#writing #fic #fill #spooky season fic

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ubcs-dump · 4 years

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Hell yes, tell us abt Mikhail. I bet you have a lot to say!

Short answer:

Long answer:

Okay so I will get real with all you guys on this one. I’ll start with a bit of a backstory with this because there is a reason why I love Mikhail so much.

!!!TRIGGER WARNING!!! MENTAL ILLNESSES AND SU*C*DAL THOUGHTS MENTIONED!!!

It was about 10 years ago. Imagine a 14 year old me, sitting alone in my dark room. My depression and various other mental illnesses are geting worse every day, they have been dragging me down for years now. I am living with abusive people who love to push me down even further, mocking me and bullying me even though they are considered my family. I was broken. I was in pain. The word ‘s//ui//ci//de’ has been clouding my mind for years now.I just picked up on Resident Evil through parodies of it on youtube. I watched someone play Resident Evil 3 Nemesis online because I remember that we owned that game but I was terrified of Nemesis on the box so I didn’t play it myself.Then I saw Mikhail, how he lay on the seats of the cable car. I could tell he was in pain and I felt deeply sorry for him. But it wasn’t a special feeling because I felt sorry for all the characters in the game. The person who played the game even mocked Mikhail for his looks. At first I laughed along but then there came a specific cutscene.And then Mikhail said something.Just one sentence.One line of dialoge.

It may just be a line of dialoge for most people. Some tiny bit of character developement sprinkled in for good meassure.But boy.I felt that.Suddenly I felt a deeper connection. It felt like I could see myself in Mikhail. He’s been through hell. He watched his men die in front of him. He is bleeding like crazy. He is in pain. Both mentally and physically. He’s expressing survivors guilt and it’s eating him up on the inside. When he said that line I literally teared up.I felt understood.And when he sacrificed himself to save Carlos and Jill, I cried. Hard. I cried because I was touched by his bravery. I cried because he deserved to live. I cried. Because I looked up to him. Without even realizing it, he became my role model. Mikhail is a kind soul, he is brave, determined, always trying his best, righteous, proud, a real team player and a wonderful leader. He is the kind of person I’ve always wanted to be.He quickly became my favorite character. I still watch all of the cutscenes with him every now and again when I need to hear his voice. I also sometimes browse his REwiki page just because I feel like it. When playing the Mercenaries minigame I always pick him.After meeting him I decided to keep going too. I can’t stop, no matter how broken and in pain I am. These wounds can’t stop me from fighting. I’ll keep fighting because I believe that I can get better if I just keep going. Fighting those demons off. Ignoring everyone who tells me otherwise. After all, I can’t stop just because I’m wounded.Also he is probably my biggest fictional crush ever lol. It’s been almost 10 years and I still can’t forget him and I still love him as much as I did on day 1.

Ever since then Mikhail has been a sort of voice of reason. When I’m feeling lost I ask myself what he would do in my situation. When I notice I haven’t eaten all day again, I’d imagine him trying to give me a pep talk. He became a coping mechanism and comfort character. I’ve been looking up to him for almost 10 years now, which is pretty rare when you know that I have tons of favorite characters that come and go, but he has always been my favorite Resident Evil character ever since that day.

I love everything about him. His backstory is tragic and herioc. He used to be an excellent soldier in the Russian SFSR before the Soviet Union collapsed. His wife was part of a minority who he fought for, causing him to be concidered a terrorist in the Russian Federation. After getting arrested he was approached by Umbrella. He agreed to join them but only if Umbrella does everything they can to ensure amnesty for his men.This just shows how much he cares for his comerades and loved ones. Mikhail joined a guerrilla organization to fight for the independence of the minority group his wife was a part of. He joined Umbrella, not because he himself wanted to be free, but because his men would be free.

I also really really like his relationship with Jill in the game. I could perfectly imagine them as very good friends. The way they talk with each other and how Jill tries to calm Mikhail down and helps and encourages him while also perfectly understanding the state he is in and the feelings and worries that are clouding his mind. I just love it and I demand fanart and fanfiction of a cute platonic relationship between these two. They are cute and precious.I sadly can’t say a lot about his relationships between him and the other members of the Operation-Jackal-Trio.Mikhail and Nikolai don’t interact at all. Which is bullsh*t because Capcom actually wanted them to be brothers and interact. That would have been an amazing addition. I want it back. My fav AU, hands down.Carlos mentions Mikhails name a few times (and by a few I mean two times). Once when explaining what happened and once when Mikhail got attacked in the cable car. I’m a bit sad we didn’t see more of them together. Carlos is certainly worried about Mikhails safety but I really wish they had expanded on that a little. I just wanted to see more interaction in general.

Mikhail also influenced my art. My nickname/pen name is Uby Victor. The ‘Uby’ part comes from the way you say the first two letters of the UBCS. And Victor isn’t hard to guess haha. Some people call me Victor too and I love it!! :3I also own an olive green beret in addition to my UBCS uniform. It’s just a prop and I guess just something I’ve always wanted to own haha. Now I just need to find a way to get the patch.I tried drawing him a few times but I’m an idiot and get flustered when I do so I usually stop before it’s even finished. I will probably never be able to draw him well haha. At least not with that attitude.

He’s also the reason I realized I have a soft spot for Russian accents. Even though Ben Campbell isn’t Russian, his accent is okay and I like his performance.

!!HORRIBLY HIGH LEVEL OF HONESTY AHEAD!!

I could probably rant even more about how much I love Mikhails personality. And his looks.

Have you seen those eyes??? That is one awesome dark shade of blue. Unrealistic I know but damn. I love them. And his golden hair. I wanna run my hand through it. And those arms. Mmmh. He could throw me across a football field with those and I’d say “Thanks, daddy, please do it again!”. He looks like he gives great hugs too. He’s like a big teddy bear, hence why I call him Mischka all the time haha. Also he is top notch soft daddy material. I’m not the only one with this opinion. Also his crotch. The bulge is big. Just take my word for it. Or take a look for yourself. His full body picture is at the top of this post. You have been warned.

!!HORRIBLY HIGH LEVEL OF HONESTY OVER!!

All of this is also why I do not like his R3MAKE version at all. The original RE3: Nemesis Mikhail means so so so much to me. I associate him with recovery. I look up to him and I basically owe him my life. So seeing him be changed that drastically in the R3MAKE just broke my heart. I will stick with the original because that’s the one I like the most.

I could tell more but this is already very long lmao

EDITED tl;dr: Thank you, Mikhail. You’ve helped me more than any living human being ever did. I owe you so much. You’re an angel and I love you.

~ Mod Uby

#UBCS #Resident Evil #ubyspeaks #mikhail victor #long post

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queerchoicesblog · 5 years

Text

Bobo’s Case (OH, Harper x F!MC)

This fluffy fanfic in an entry for the prompt “Comfort” of the @choicesjulychallenge hosted by @kinda-iconic ❤️

A few time later the hearing that changed so many things at Edenbrook, Dr. Valentine and the brand new Head of Neurosurgery Dr. Emery pair up to solve the curious case of a...rather unusual patient. And share a moment as well.

Prompt: Comfort

Word Count: 3116

Perma Tag: @brightpinkpeppercorn @bhavf @melodyofgraves @abunchofbadchoices @silverhawkenzie @begging-for-kamilah @kennaxval @strangerofbraidwood @crazypeanat @desiree-0816 @universallypizzataco

Harper Emery Tag: @emeryharper @bubblygothzombie @korrasamixfan @delphinusbae

Previous Harper x F!MC Series: One Coffee And A Life Lesson, A Matter Of Trust, Second Chances

__________________________

Dr. Valentine was leaning over the nurse station checking some test results when a familiar voice made her turn. "Good morning, Valentine" Harper Emery was standing at her side in her newfound surgical scrubs, smiling politely at her. "Oh good morning, Dr. Emery! Is everything okay?" Meredith asked, standing and straightening her white coat as if she was caught doing something she wasn't supposed to do. Her reaction amused Harper who raised an eyebrow at her before laughing softly. "Valentine, I'm not Chief anymore, you can relax. No need to be so nervous around me: I don't bite, I promise" she noted. "Mirani just summoned me for a consultation and here I am."

"Oh, and here I thought I was the only one bothering you with consultations! It hurts" Meredith joked, surprising herself and almost immediately regretting that comment. But Dr. Emery didn't seem annoyed by it. On the contrary, she found it amusing. "I'm afraid not, sorry to bring bad news, Valentine" giggled, before recovering her composure. "By the way, you're not bothering: we're colleagues, right? And I must admit that talking to you is way nicer" she added and a quick smile crossed her face. "I was on my way back to the surgery ward then I spotted you and decided to see how our new Diagnostics junior fellow is doing" "Oh I'm doing good, thanks!" Valentine blushed slightly. "Dr. Banerji checks on me on a regular basis...I mean, in a good way, to see if I'm okay, not like he's following me like a hawk after what happened at the hearing. Dr. Ramsey at times remembered that I have an actual name and it's not Rookie, and the interns...well, they're challenging but I think I'm holding it together. I was just checking the test results of a patient when you arrived. I'm sure there‘s something I'm missing there..." "You'll find the answer, Valentine. You always do" Harper reassured her. "I hope so" "I know so. Naveen knows so and so does Ethan. You should know too, if you ask me" Meredith smiled shyly. Dr. Emery was surprisingly good at boosting her confidence and pacifying her when she started second-guessing herself. The neurosurgeon was one of the coolest and most imperturbable people she knew: she only saw her troubled once, at the hearing and on the rooftop afterward, but in general, she looked so calm as if hardly anything could make her lose her perfect balance. It surely came with her line of job and it was deeply reassuring and calming. "Thanks, Dr. Emery. I hope not to overstep if I ask how it feels to be back-oooof" Valentine was cut short by a child of around five who ran at full speed to wrap his tiny arms around her waist. "Heeelllloooo Dr. Valentineeeee!" Meredith recollected her balance and ruffled his hair, immediately recognizing the little guy. "Hey you! Missed me already?" "You didn't stop by this morning so I came to say hi. I saw you from my room" he explained, pointing at the room behind him on the other side of the corridor. "I also have a drawing for you!" "Aww, really?" "Yep! A panda wearing a hat just as you asked" he beamed. "It's on my nightstand, for you!" "I must give you that, Valentine: you have a special touch with patients" Harper commented. Meredith looked back at her to see the former Chief smiling at the scene. Then she addressed the little guy. "You're so sweet, Andy! I will cherish your beautiful drawing. And tell you what? I'll frame it, how does it sound, huh?" she said, making the little patient improvise a funny happy dance. She turned to give Harper a quick look and added. "Hey, look who stopped by too today" The kid immediately turned towards Harper too and asked excitedly: "A friend?" "Hm, a friendly colleague" Meredith corrected him, another quick blush spreading on her cheeks. The little guy offered Harper his hand and he greeted her with a disarming smile. "Hi! I'm Andy, and you?" Harper smiled back and lowered to shake his tiny hand. "Nice to meet you, Andy. I'm Harper, Harper Emery" The little patient took a look at her uniform and asked: "Harper, why you're not dressed like Dr. Valentine? I think doctors wear the white thing" then he leaned closer and whispered, covering his mouth so that no one else could hear "don't worry, I won't tell anyone if you forgot it at home! It happens to me too: I always forget my hat when I go out with mom and dad" Harper laughed softly. "Thank you, Andy, but some doctors don't wear the white thing. I'm a surgeon and we don't wear it all the time" Andy gaped, unaware that there were "rebel doctors" who didn't wear the white coat all day. "Oh I get it...what did you say you are?" "A surgeon" "What does it mean?" Harper took a moment to find the right words. "Let's say you have something that makes you sick or a bad wound inside you: I patch it up together while you're sleeping, and cure you so that you can be okay again when you wake up" Andy kept quiet as if pondering her words carefully. Then he added, getting suddenly shy: "Hm...then maybe you can help me" "Help you with...?" Harper inquired, giving him her most encouraging face. The little guy looked at the two ladies, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. After a moment he grabbed Harper's hand and started walking back to his room, Meredith hot on their heels. Once inside he let go of her and ran to his nightstand. The two doctors exchanged confused looks as they tentatively moved a bit closer. It didn't take long before the mystery was solved: Andy stood in front of them...showing a broken teddy bear, the grimmest look on his face. "Oh my god, it's Bobo? Your lucky boy?" Meredith exclaimed. Andy nodded. "He fell off the window last night. Daddy recovered it but Bobo is..." His little eyes welled with tears and words died in his throat: too much pain in his child's heart to continue. "Andy, can I see Bobo?" Harper asked, smiling reassuringly down at him. Andy nodded and placed it into her hands with extra care. The neurosurgeon took a seat on the bed and put on her best professional look as she examined the plushie: the poor bear was a little bit worn out and there was a huge rift in his chest and the arms threatened to fall apart too. Part of the filling was already coming out. "Stethoscope please, Dr. Valentine" Meredith handed her her own stethoscope; a bright smile formed on her lips as she realized what the former Chief had in mind. Andy jumped on the bed next to Harper, following even the slightest move with glassy eyes equally filled with grief and hope. She wore the stethoscope and placed it on the chest of the teddybear, nodding afterward. Then she carefully turned him upside down, taking in every angle before sighing and putting it down on her lap. She returned the stethoscope and turned to face Andy. "Did he fall from this floor?" The little boy nodded, concern written all over his face. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Andy. The fall hit him pretty badly..." "I knew it! Mom always told me to be careful" he added on the verge of tears, bracing himself for the worst. Meredith instinctively put an arm around his shoulders ready to comfort him but Harper spoke again. "...But I found a slight pulse" Andy gaped in surprise and the neurosurgeon couldn't suppress a tiny smile. "Your mom is right, Andy. You should always be careful with the ones you love but accidents happen at times. This one is not fatal for your friend. Wait here, I'll go get my tools and when I get back we'll fix it, okay? Will you make sure he's asleep, Andy?" As the little patient nodded enthusiastically, she winked at Meredith and walked to the nurse station. Andy placed his tiny hand over Bobo's plushie pawn and looked up to Dr. Valentine. "Your friendly colleague is a good doctor. Just like you" "She's way better than me, Andy. She's one of the best doctors here and some say even in the world" Meredith said, stroking the top of his head. "Will she save Bobo?" "I'm sure she will. I would trust her with my own life" ---------- When Harper walked back into the room, Andy was whispering a lullaby into Bobo's ear. Meredith smiled at her. "Patient Bobo asleep, Dr. Emery" "Excellent, we're ready to proceed then" Dr. Emery commented in her professional tone. She placed a sewing box beside the plushie and passed masks over to Valentine and Andy. "Please wear this, you know it's the procedure" she explained, wrapping her hair up in an elegant chignon. Meredith smiled under her mask seeing how Andy was totally enraptured by the act Harper put on for him. He took deep breaths as if he was truly about to walk in an O.R. as she helped him fixing his mask. Unfolding the needle from the box, Harper's eyes fell on the little guy again. "Okay, Andy, now I need to know: I'm perfectly aware surgery is not for everyone, so will you assist me? If you don't feel comfortable with it, I won't judge you. I've already worked with Dr. Valentine and she proved to be more than worthy. I can assure you she will do, we will do whatever it takes for Bobo" "No no, I'll do it! I'll help...I wanna help Bobo. After all it's my fault he..." Andy hung his head unable to complete the sentence but Harper gently raised his chin up with her free hand. "No sad face, Andy: we cannot control everything. You're a brave boy. Bobo will be proud of you when you tell him" Even though he was wearing a mask, it was clear by the look in his eyes that the little patient was now smiling so big. "But I don't know what to do" he added after a moment. "That's what I'm here for" Harper reassured him. "Would you please hold him still as I patch his chest injury? Yes, like this, both hands on his sides and watch out: if I accidentally sting you, tell me immediately" "Okay, surgeon" Needless to say Harper skilfully refilled and sewed together the parted chest in no time. "Woah, you're so fast!" Andy cheered as Dr. Emery secured her work. Then he turned towards Meredith and exclaimed. "Your friend is like...like...like Speedy Gonzalez but with surgery! Do you know Speedy? Nana has a DVD of his cartoons at home! I love them!" "I know Speedy, sweetheart! And didn't I tell you she's so good?" Meredith winked at him. "I watched Speedy Gonzalez cartoons too so thank you, Andy. But focus, our job is not over here: put the arm into place and host it still" "Oh sorry, surgeon!" Andy immediately returned to his chore and thanks to his focus, the operation of the poor plushie was soon concluded. Harper let him sew the final stitch before retrieving the needle from his tiny hand and put it away. Then she removed her mask and turned toward the little patient: "I would say that the operation was a success. Good job, second!" The kid gaped in awe and looked back and forth the surgeon and his beloved plushie be. As soon as Meredith removed his mask, he couldn't contain his happiness any longer. "Bobo!" Andy exclaimed holding him into his arms. Then, before the doctors could say anything, he crawled over the bed and pulled Dr. Emery in the tightest embrace, chanting thank you "thank you thank you thank you!". Harper was visibly taken off guard by the sudden display of affection, but after a moment the neurosurgeon patted the back of the little patient, blushing a little. A soft knock on the door announced that it was visit time and Andy's parents were there. The little second set Harper free and ran to them to share the good news barely containing his relief and excitement. The two doctors decided to give them some space and headed out into the adjacent hall. "You're good with kids" Meredith commented, as they watched Andy proudly showing Bobo to his mom and promising that he would be extra careful in the future "cross my heart, mommy!". "Well I was a kid once too and shockingly I babysitted Aurora a few times" Meredith gaped. "For real? I'm so gonna ask her about it!" "She was little at the time, I think she hardly remembers those days" Harper observed. "So did you gals have tea with dolls in those tiny cups?" "Tea with dolls? Of course not" Dr. Emery stated, checking the sewing box. "Oh right, I should have known yo-" "It was me, Aurora, Mr. Potato, a unicorn named Lily, and Ronny, a plushie of my high school mascot" Meredith looked at Harper for a moment before they both burst into laughter. "She will probably kill you if you ask" Dr. Emery said. "I know but...it's so cute! And you bought her a mascot plushie?" "I know I have many flaws, Valentine, but shockingly I tried to be a good aunt for her. Rory already had the disgrace to be born in a family of doctors. Not only my mother, but my brother is in the medical field too. And Berenice, her mom, is a Senior pediatrician, in case you don't know. Her childhood as the only child daughter of a psychiatrist and a pediatrician was tough enough" "So you had tea with her and her toys?" "I...I couldn't say no. You should have seen the look on her face when she asked" Harper smiled softly, as her mind went back to the past. "Sadly, later my job took most of my time but whenever I had some spare time and her parents allowed me, I took her out for a walk in the park or a visit to her favorite ice cream parlor. As she grew up I hosted a couple of sleepovers at my place and agreed to devote a day off to a Gilmore Girls marathon" "And let me guess: you regretted it?" Meredith giggled. "Big time" Harper chuckled. "But it was for a good cause, right?" "Aww, you were a thoughtful aunt, Dr. Emery" "Yeah..." Harper smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I was quite surprised when she stopped by one day and announced me she wanted to enroll to medical school. I always got the feeling that it bugged her when Marcus and Berenice suggested her that career path. She vented with me a couple of times about it. So I was quite surprised when she dropped the news" "Did she told you why?" Harper took a deep breath. "I asked if her parents knew it but she said not yet, she wanted to tell me first. When I asked why she showed me the results of an aptitude test she took at school. The Science and Medicine area got most of the scores. I congratulate to her and enquired whether it was really what she wanted. No matter what the test or Marcus and Berenice said. 'Yes, it is. And this is why I came to you: because you never pushed me once to be a doctor like you'. 'Why would I do something like that?' I asked, 'it's your future we're talking about, it's entirely your call'. I also added that she didn't have to prove me nor her mom and dad anything: I didn't push her because I wanted her to be free to make her choice without external interference. And...I know how much pressure the Emery name can put on your shoulders" Harper sighed, grimacing. "And then what did I do? I turned into one of the Emerys. With Rory, whom I wanted to protect from all this" Meredith instinctively placed a hand on her shoulder, unsure whether she was crossing a line. But the former Chief didn't shrug her off, she just turned surprised at her. "Aurora forgave you already, I think" "What? You...you think so?" "She beamed about you earlier at the breakfast table. She said she had no doubt you would pull off the big operation scheduled for today because she knows you. She said that -I quote- 'not all superheroes wear capes, Harper Emery has surgery scrubs'" Harper's eyes seemed to well with tears but she caught herself and smiled instead. "Thank you for sharing it with me, Valentine. I probably needed this" Meredith shrugged. "Anytime, Dr. Emery. Just don't tell Aurora I told you that: I care for my own life" Dr. Emery laughed at the joke. "I won't, Valentine. You're safe but don't make this a habit or you'll end up owing me" As she finished the sentence, her pager started beeping. "Duty calls" she sighed, giving Meredith an apologetic look. "Thanks for stopping by, Dr. Emery. And for what you did for Andy: I've hardly seen him so happy and I'm sure you made his day" "We're not here to save bodies alone, right?" Harper noted, quoting her statement at the hearing. Then she moved to leave but stopped after a few steps as if she forgot something. She turned towards Meredith and added, a smile way gentler and softer than her usual polite ones: "Don't forget to take your drawing before you leave, Valentine. I agree, you should totally frame it" Meredith instinctively turned and hurried to Andy's nightstand. The drawing was right there just as he said. She took it in her hands: a chubby panda with a friendly face and a fancy hat on his head was carelessly playing in the jungle. On the upper side of the sheet, the little guy wrote "to doctor Valentine, the best and kindest Edenbrook doctor" probably helped by his parents. Meredith felt a lump forming in her throat and smiled: it was her first gift from a child patient. She raised her head searching for Dr. Emery but the neurosurgeon was no longer where she left her. She was now leaving the nurse station and walking towards the elevator. Momentarily unable to move, overwhelmed by feelings, Meredith stood there until she met Harper's gaze once more just before the elevator doors closed. Dr. Valentine would have sworn the smile that got her by surprise a moment ago, that very smile...was still on Dr. Emery's lips before she disappeared behind closed doors. And her heart skipped a beat.

#choices july challenge #open heart #harper emery #Harper x mc #playchoices

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taehyungiestummy · 5 years

Text

Lucky -- Chapter Twenty-Four

Masterlist Previous Next

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3556

Hansung and I stream into the Hwarang house with the rest of the boys.

“Well, today was nice being able to do what we wanted,” I smile as I stretch my arms above my head. “Besides the fight, I had a lot of fun today.”

“Me too,” Hansung nods, brushing my hip with his fingers. “Any time I spend with you is perfect in my mind.”

“Ah, found you two,” Yeowool steps between Hansung and I, placing an arm around our shoulders.

I lower my arms. “Have you been looking for us, Yeowool?”

“Just when I got here. Might as well find my roommates.”

I grin, “That will always sound perfect to my ears. It’s amazing that I have such great roommates now.”

“I think that all of us enjoy having the princess in the Hell Room,” Yeowool leans into me. “Besides BanRyu, after what we saw today, but him not liking you in our room never really would have been surprising.”

“Yeah, well, he is kind of an ass, so I don’t care what he thinks of me being in the room,” I chuckle.

“I like seeing you sleep without fear and being happy to go back to our room,” Hansung adds.

“You deserve to be happy,” Yeowool coos, pinching my cheek.

“Stop,” I giggle, slapping his hand and slinking out of his grasp. “We should line up for Master Wihwa’s speech that he is most likely going to give. Things are probably going to start changing.”

It takes some time for all the Hwarang to arrive and line up like the first day at the house. Master Wihwa is standing above us all to give what I hope will be a positive speech. The small grin on his face makes me think that it will be.

“In the end, the assignment focused on music and dancing was completed, even with the problems,” Master Wihwa speaks up once we have all settled down. “Was it fun?”

“Yes, master!” The Hwarang call out as one.

“The people enjoyed it, and you all enjoyed it, so there is no reason not to give everyone a pass.”

We break into cheers and claps, turning to those around us to shake hands, share smiles, and congratulate each other.

“Are you curious about your next task?” Master Wihwa brings the attention back to him. “Before the assignment, I am going to attach an appendage to every single one of you.”

I furrow my eyebrows as I try to think what he could mean. Are we forced to carry something around with us, or will we be training with another person? Will that person be below us? Will someone even willingly train with me?

“Stay where you are, and we will bring you the attachment,” Master Wihwa instructs before walking away with his helper.

“We are going to be given someone that will train with us?” Sooho asks.

I look around at my roommates as they stand around me. “Whoever is with me is going to complain,” I pout, swinging my arms against my sides.

“Don’t worry about that,” Yeowool says.

“We’ll put them in their place,” Hansung grins.

“No one disrespects our princess,” Jidwi smirks.

“You boys are too kind,” I giggle. “Hopefully we won’t have any trouble, but with the way things have been going recently, I wouldn’t putt it pass the universe to hurt me.”

“Everyone, please separate!” A man directs us. “Your companion is on the way!”

It is brief chaos as everyone spreads out to make room for the boy that will be linked with us for an unknown amount of time. Then the uniform clad boys make their way to us, kneeling in front of each Hwarang.

My heart clenches as I look down at the boy in red and black. He has a soft face, and a soft smile graces his lips when he catches my gaze. I don’t think we will be having any problems.

“The one in front of you is your Nangdoo,” Master Wihwa exclaims. “From now on, you will use them as your subordinates, but you will also have to receive their help.”

“Stand!” The other teacher commands.

All the Nangdoo stand up. The one in front of me is taller, but I am not surprised. Everyone is taller than me.

“Nangdoo, pay your respects!”

The Nangdoo put their fists together in front of their chests and bow their heads for a few seconds.

“What is your name?” I ask the boy in front of me.

“Chiwon,” his voice comes out smooth. “It will be a pleasure being with you, Ara.”

“Did you pick me?” I nervously run my hand over the hilt of my sword.

“The only one who would,” he flashes a sad smile.

“Well, we will be good together, Chiwon, so thank you.” I take a deep breath, glancing around to see if I can spot anyone I know.

Some older guy is with Jidwi, and then one of BanRyu’s group is with the said boy. The one that I am most excited to see is Danse, since it has been so long. He is with Sunwoo, which must hurt Hansung that his own brother wouldn’t go with him.

“Nangdoo, line up!” The teacher shouts.

All the Nangdoo step around their respected Hwarang, standing behind the one they are now linked to.

“You must become one with each other,” Master Wihwa speaks up. “Through your wisdom, instruct them, and after they have received instruction, the Hwarang should compete with one another.”

I feel my jaw clench, and I can’t tell if it is from fear or some other emotion.

“Understand!?”

“Yes!” We all shout.

This is the start of something truly interesting.

********

“Horses are my favorite,” I smile as I run my hand over the horse’s mane. “I haven’t held a bow in a while, but it shouldn’t be that hard to get back into it.”

“You are special with what you have been able to do,” Chiwon hands me a bow. “I think we should do well together.”

“I hope so,” I walk passed the horse, standing in front of a target. “This is a nice first activity for us.”

“Not getting on a horse today?”

“Let me get back in the mindset of shooting a bow,” I pull an arrow out of my quiver. Then I quickly send it flying at the center of the target.

“Wow, that was spot on,” Chiwon chuckles. “You really have done this before.”

“On an adventure once or twice,” I smirk, sending another arrow flying at the target.

“Let me try,” Chiwon nudges me out of the way.

As other Hwarang and Nangdoo train with the horses. Chiwon and I stay on the ground. We do little competitions to keep it interesting, and it is a great time between us. My fears of having to deal with someone that hates me fully leave my mind at the end of our training session.

“Man, I need to see Ahro,” I gingerly take steps to where the bows and quivers are stored.

“What’s wrong? How did you get hurt?” Chiwon anxiously looks me over. “I don’t see any wounds.”

“My feet. The boots rub,” I point down at my feet. “The bandages must have moved with I danced, and then I wore different shoes for a bit today. I can just feel the tender skin, and I don’t want it to bleed.”

“I’ll clean up here then, and you go see the doctor,” he nods.

“Thank you, Chiwon,” I smile. “I’ll see you later.” I rush off as quickly as I can, making it back to the Hwarang House in fairly good time. Then I make a bee line for Ahro’s office, hoping that she is in.

“Hansung?” I furrow my eyebrows as he exits the room that Ahro uses. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, I was talking to Ahro,” Hansung shrugs. “I was feeling down because of Danse, and then my grandfather. But she gave me tea, and I feel better.”

I don’t even bat an eye as I rush at Hansung, wrapping my arms around him. “It feels good to talk it out, right?”

Hansung wraps his arms around me to return the hug. “You were training, or I would have come to you. Ahro is nice, though. I can see why you two are friends.”

I giggle, “She also patches me up, so I love her for that too. And we are similar in a lot of ways.”

“Do you like your Nangdoo?”

“He’s nice, yes,” I tilt my head up to look at Hansung’s face. “It was fun shooting a bow, and I liked being near the horses, but I missed you and the rest of the boys.”

“Hopefully we can still get with our roommates a lot like with the dancing,” he looks down at me with a small smile on his lips. “I’ll see you at dinner.” He leans down, pressing his lips to my forehead, and then my nose, before he releases me from his hold and walks away.

“That boy,” I sigh, fanning my face as the blush takes over.

“Come in, Ara!” Ahro’s voice makes me jump. “I’m waiting? Do you think I have all day?”

“Sorry!” I rush into the room, grinning as Ahro has the cream and bandages ready. “It is so nice to see you, Ahro, even if my feet are killing me.”

“I actually want to talk to you,” she grins back, “It’s been a while it seems like.”

“A lot has happened recently,” I plop down in my seat. “The festival last night was crazy, and I never got to really talk to you then.”

“Yeah, well, last night was crazy for me too,” she takes a deep breath as she kneels in front of me to do her job. “Jidwi, he, well, he came to me afterwards.”

“He didn’t kiss you by force again, did he?”

“No, no, we just talked. Then Sunwoo came and dragged me off.”

“To where?” I sigh in relief as she takes the old bandages off.

“My brother’s grave,” she chokes out.

“Ahro, I’m sorry,” I place a hand on her shoulder.

“I knew, but I wished it wasn’t true,” she sighs. “It hurt like hell. It still hurts, but I feel better in a weird way.’

“Sunwoo means well, so he’s doing what he thinks is best.”

“Sooyeon tells me you saw her knock Sooho out and help BanRyu.”

I giggle, “I was there, yes. She is so, how do I say, does whatever she wants.”

“And loves BanRyu,” Ahro begins wrapping my feet. “Can you make sure Sooho doesn’t do anything stupid to BanRyu.”

“I can, but why?”

“Sooyeon doesn’t want her idiot brother hurting her man. Her words, not mine.”

“Sounds like here,” I giggle. “I’ll keep my eye on Sooho.”

“Thanks,” she slips my boots back on my feet. “Hansung came to talk to me.” She stands up, walking over to her desk.

“He told me,” I smile, looking up at the ceiling. “You talk about family, right?”

“Mostly, but you came up for a little bit,” she giggles as my head snaps down and I stare at her with wide eyes. “All good, but I promised him I wouldn’t tell you.”

I sigh, relaxing my face. “Fair enough. I’ll leave you to think, as dinner is going to start soon.”

“Came back soon,” she tenderly smiles. “I enjoy talking to you and having a girl in here that I can do to.”

“And I will always be here,” I stand up, bouncing on my feet to make sure everything feels good. “Ahro, you are the best,” I rush over to her, throwing my arms around her in a hug. “Thank you for always doing this. Not only this, just everything you do for me. Thank you.”

“Of course, you are my best friend,” she gives me a squeeze before pulling my away by my shoulders. “Now, go get ready for dinner. I look forward to seeing you again.”

********

I place my legs over Hansung’s, thankful that I can at least sit on the bench to eat meals now. “It’s nice being with you all.”

None of the boys respond to me. It seems like they are all in their own worlds inside their heads. Not that I blame them. There’s a lot to think about recently.

“I will let go of what happened,” Sooho speaks up, staring BanRyu down. “However, we are not done.”

BanRyu takes a piece of his mean and gives it to Sooho. “Eat. There is no need for an apology.”

“You really are growing as a person, BanRyu,” I smile, grabbing Sooho’s arm with one hand and continuing to eat with the other.

Sooho takes in a pain breath, gingerly touching the back of his head where Sooyeon nailed him with the bottle.

“You are holding it in so well, Sooho,” Yeowool grins.

“He has no other choice,” Hansung says. “What can he do but that?”

“All this time it was never breast, so I kept it a secret for nothing,” I pout.

“It was BanRyu’s butt,” Hansung leans over me to get in Sooho’s face and tease him.

“If you keep doing that, I will hit you,” Sooho rips his hand out of my grasp, raising his hand at Hansung who quickly pulls away.

“Not while I sit here,” I poke both boys in the side.

“You are lucky then,” Sooho lowers his hand, patting my knee. “Ara, always keeping us calm.”

“Not when you were punching me,” BanRyu looks at me.

“Sorry,” I grimace. “It was all happening so fast. I didn’t want to jump in and get hurt myself.”

“Did you come to see me?” Jidwi speaks up, causing us all to look up and see Ahro.

“No offense, but she’d come for me before any of you boys,” I smirk.

“Doctor Ahro is here,” Yeowool looks at Sunwoo. “Do you need to see her?”

Sunwoo takes a shaky breath, “She is not here for me.”

Ahro’s eyes flash with sadness. A pout threating to form, but she bites it back. Then, just as quickly as she drifted in, she walks out.

“Well, that was not the right thing to say,” I cringe for a few seconds.

“I never know what to say to here,” Sunwoo takes a deep breath.

“That is evident,” Jidwi scoffs.

“Ahro is like that,” I tap the edge of my rice bowl with my spoon. “She can be a bit standoffish, but you have to get to know her.”

“Easy for you to say that as her best friend,” Yeowool raises his eyebrows at me. “What do you talk about when you meet her? Hm?” He smirks.

I feel the heat take over my cheeks slowly. “Well, that is for us to know, and you guys to not find out.”

“Ah, so you talk about us,” Sooho chuckles. “I mean, surrounded by boys all day with no way to talk out your feelings, it’s a good ting the doctor is here.”

“Shut up,” I grumble, slapping Sooho’s arm with my spoon. “Why must you tease me?”

“She likes me the most,” Hansung smiles that boxy smile that I love. “That’s all that matters.”

“Hansungie,” I whine, dropping my spoon on my tray so I can hide my face in my hands.

“Spending time with all of us for so long is starting to get to her,” Yeowool chuckles. “Our friendship is growing, and her heart can’t take it.”

“I hate all of you,” I spread my fingers so I can look around at the boys. “Why can’t you just not tease me?”

“It’s too fun,” BanRyu smirks at me.

“I have never teased you, so don’t lump me with them,” Jidwi shakes his head. “I have, and will always, treat you like a princess.”

“Thank you for that, Jidwi,” I sigh, letting my hands fall.

“It’s easy to tease someone that we can view as a little sister,” Sunwoo says, slightly smiling at me.

“Oh, and only two of you see me like that,” I look at Sooho, Hansung, Yeowool, and then Jidwi. “What are their excuses?”

“We do it out of love,” Hansung leans into me.

“That is very true,” Sooho leans into me from the other side.

“I really want to punch you,” I narrow my eyes in anger. “You are all being mean today,” I shove Hansung and Sooho away. “Let me eat in a sort of peace.”

“At least I’m not being mean to you anymore,” BanRyu says.

“About damn time,” I roll my eyes. “Can we just stop talking about me? I want to hear about your Nangdoo? I want to know why the ones who picked you did so,” I giggle. “So, who wants to talk first?”

********

“So, he just passed out?” I ask Ahro, glancing over at Sunwoo in the hospital cot.

“He fell off a horse,” Ahro answers, never taking her eyes off Sunwoo. “And I thought he died. He wasn’t breathing, and there was no pulse. Then, it was like he got a second wind, and he was alive again. He, um, he,” she looks at me. “We kissed,” she whispers.

“You lucky duck,” I breath out, catching myself thinking of Hansung who is absent. “But then he passed out again, right?”

“Correct,” Ahro nods.

I watch Jidwi step away from the group of his roommates. “That spells trouble for you though.”

“I know,” Ahro mumbles, letting out a heavy breath.

“He fell off the horse?” Sooho asks to anyone willing to answer.

“I went out to check what had happened because the horse came back by itself,” Yeowool replies. “And I came upon him like this.”

“It was a good thing the doctor was there,” Danse says, causing Sooho, Yeowool, and BanRyu to glance over at where Ahro and I are sitting.

I feel my eyes widen as I avoid the boys’ gazes. “Don’t stare,” I scoot closer to Ahro in comfort. “She’s dealt with a lot today.”

The boys look away.

“The shock must be high, since he is her brother,” Sooho looks down at Sunwoo.

I tap my toes together, knowing that Ahro’s shock is a bit more complicated than that.

“Why did you call me, though?” BanRyu speaks up.

“This is why people call you rude,” Sooho replies. “At this moment, your roommate could die. Is your concern really on yourself right now?”

BanRyu presses his lips together.

“I feel bad for the lady who will marry a guy like you.”

“Hey,” I choke out, but bite my bottom lip as I have nothing more to say.

BanRyu looks around and then down at the floor in shame.

“Seeing as he is still not waking up,” Yeowool lifts up his hand, poking Sooho’s head. “Is the problem here?”

“Well, watching over him like this isn’t going to wake him up,” I stand up, brushing dirt off my uniform. “Ahro, call us if you need anything.”

“Wait,” she grabs my hand. “Can we talk just a while longer? Alone?”

“Of course.” I glare at the boys, “Leave.”

It takes a few moments for the boyos to exit the room, and then it is just Ahro and I.

“I have some questions,” Ahro tugs me back to my seat. “Hansung said that he thinks Sunwoo is one of the best boys to hang out with. Do you think that is true?”

“He is with him more than me, even if we are all roommates,” I nod slowly. “Sunwoo is never mean to me, and always says nice things to me, no matter what. If Hansung said it, I trust that he is telling the truth.”

“Do you think he will wake up?” She stares at Sunwoo.

“I do,” I place a hand on Ahro’s hand. “Just a feeling, but those usually end up being true. Even if it is a bad feeling. This is a good feeling though.”

“Thanks, Ara,” she takes a deep breath. “You told me yesterday that I was the best, but I think you are the best.”

I squeeze her hand before standing up. “Don’t work yourself too hard.”

“You know I will.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “I’ll be back when he wakes up, and we can do something fun.” I exit the room as my heart clenches for Ahro.

“Is she okay?” Jidwi’s voice causes me to jump.

“Don’t scare me like that,” I playfully slap the boy’s arm a few times. “Ahro is hurting, but she will be fine. Once Sunwoo gets over whatever plagues him.”

“She works too hard sometimes, doesn’t she?”

“That’s how she has always been,” I shrug. “Don’t worry.”

Jidwi links his arm with me, “You are doing all the worrying, aren’t you?” He starts leading us somewhere.

“That is how I have always been,” I chuckle.

“She is your close friend, so it is sweet that you worry. You care about her a lot.”

“I care about all my friends a lot.”

“Would you like to join me at the river then to talk for a bit?”

“To grow as friends?” I smile up at Jidwi.

“I have been wanting to get closer,” he glances down at me with a smirk on his lips.

“Lead the way to the river then.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I am so sorry that I said chapters would come out every Saturday, and then didn’t do that for a few weeks. Life was weird. Anyways, now I will get on track, and every Saturday there will be a new chapter until the story is over. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter! Please let me know what you thought! :D

#Hwarang #Hwarang imagine #Hwarang x OC #Hwarang fan fanfiction #Hansung x OC #Hansung imagine #Sooho x OC #Sooho imagine #Yeowool x OC #yeowool imagine #Sammaekjong x OC #Sammaekjong imagine #Sunwoo x OC #Sunwoo imagine #My OC

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autumn-maple13 · 5 years

Text

Lost to Time - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Expectations

Duscae was a region very different from Leide, that much was clear almost as soon as they passed through the blockade and into the region's damp air. There was thick foliage and grass off to either side of the road as the group rode down it, leaving Amara to wonder how a region of wetlands could co-exist beside the dustbowl they had just left so peacefully.

But then again, how could Noct's Armiger and her father's be co-existing so well within her, considering the reactions she kept having to her King's power?

'He does not know yet the extent of the power you have laid out before you, child.' another king's voice overshadowed her thoughts, making her head start to hurt.

'Who is 'he'?'

But no response came. Shaking her head, Amara refocused on the road, noticing a gas station up ahead. Realizing it would still be some distance to their destination, she flicked on her blinker to signal the guys of her intentions and listened to them pull up behind her at the pumps.

"Excellent idea Amara, we still have some ways to go yet," Ignis remarked, turning off the Regalia as the guys hopped out.

The duo set to fueling their respective vehicles as Noctis stepped away from the others, his phone buzzing in his pocket.

"Who could this be?" he asked himself more than anyone as he pulled the device out, answering it as Gladio and Prompto moved in to eavesdrop. He tried to wave them off. "Hello? Oh, Iris?"

Amara and Ignis both turned their attention to the raven-haired man now, staring holes into him as he listened to the girl talk.

"Yeah, will do." Almost as soon as he had put his phone away, the others were surrounding him.

"Was that Iris? Hmph. Can't even call her own brother." Gladio was clearly trying to sound annoyed, but his amusement was too obvious as Ignis leaned towards him.

"In all fairness, yours wasn't the obituary broadcast all over Lucis."

"What about me? She say anything about me?" Prompto's mind was clearly all over the place, judging by the unchecked emotion in his voice before excitement seemed to take over him, making Amara remember the sign they had just passed.

"Prompto, not right now."

"What?"

"We'll make a trip to the chocobo farm later."

"But chocobos!" he whined. "Lestallum's still ages away, c'mon – just a quick visit?"

Noctis shook his head. "First thing's first, Lestallum."

Though defeated, Prompto still put on a grin. "Fine! But next time we're checking out the chocobos, no questions asked!"

"Deal."

Amara shook her head at her friends' antics, looking out at the sky as it started to rain. "Oh, shit."

"Indeed." Ignis's agreement seemed to pull the other's attention to their friend's dilemma. "I'd say it may be best to wait it out, but I doubt it will do us any good."

"I don't mind getting wet-"

"But the risk of you hydroplaning is too high." Ignis interrupted.

"Fine, then let's head over to the Crow's Nest and get some lunch, and hope the rain eases up by the time we're done." The woman didn't want to argue with the guys, instead heading inside the gas station to ask the clerk if it was alright for her to leave the motorcycle up by the building where it wouldn't get wet. Ignis put the hood up on the Regalia as he moved it into a parking spot not far away, leaving Amara to move her bike before she and the guys made a dash for the diner next door. While the younger guys busied themselves with the pinball machine, Amara and Gladio slipped into seats at the bar, listening to Ignis talk with the guy working the counter before he came to claim the seat on the redhead's other side.

"He says there are a few havens near here, should we not make it very far before nightfall."

"I dunno Iggy, I think Amara might prefer the caravan again." Gladio's smirk made his point clear enough, earning him a hard kick to the shin from the woman. She watched with a smirk of her own as the brunette hopped up from his stool, nursing his now surely bruised leg with a grimace on his face.

Ignis chuckled beside them, turning his attention back to the menu. "I seem to recall that you are usually the one who ends up in that position Gladio. On Noct's couch, in the tent the other night, when else? Hm…"

"Ignis!" Amara's voice was pleading, but her face held a threat that only disappeared when the owner approached them.

"So, you ready to order?"

Noctis and Prompto were happy to rejoin them to order, though everyone ended up ordering the salmon meal, before returning to the game to wait for it to cook. Amara and the guys decided then to shift over to a booth to wait, with Amara and Ignis sipping on their ordered coffees on one side while Gladio tried to sit against the wall on the other, keeping his legs firmly in the corner as best he could.

"You know Iggy, I think you had her trapped more than I did the other night."

"Can we not talk about this now?!" the woman was started to turn red in the face. "For the love of the Six not in public like this at least! People'll think the wrong things hearing you say shit like that!"

"Oh please."

"Gladiolus Amicitia, in case you haven't noticed I'm a young woman clearly traveling with a group of guys. That alone is enough to start talk since I am obviously not related to any of you, but if you keep saying stuff like that it's only going to make it worse."

"Why do you even care what everyone else is saying?"

"Because it draws attention. The fact that I'm still in my uniform is bad enough, the fact that all of us are decked out in all black and traveling in a super unique car is bad enough – but all that pales in comparison to the way people scrutinize you when they think they've found a piece of juicy gossip, and believe me, having a slutty sounding rumor attached to an already stand out group just makes people look for them more." She felt like she was back in high school almost, burying her face in her gloved hands while she took in the fact that she just had to explain something like that to Gladiolus of all people: the man who's lap it fell into when a paparazzi got too close to Noctis. "How did you keep Noctis out of the tabloids so long if you don't even realize the basics of the gossip circle?"

"Ignis." Gladio shrugged as if it should have been as obvious as her own explanation. "Guys with cameras, yeah I keep them off his case, but the guys with the pens and papers? Not so easy to keep in line."

"For you." Ignis was the one smirking now, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn't get a chance to say anything else though, with the guys rocketing over to join them the second the owner started plating their food. The older man laughed, bringing everyone their plates and drinks.

"Y'all enjoy!"

And they did, taking their time to eat as Amara kept an eye on the weather outside. It didn't seem like it was going to lighten up anytime soon, so once they were done, she turned her attention to the people who were still moving about in the rain.

"I really hope we can at least make it part way before tonight."

"Yeah, 'specially with Iris waiting on us." Gladio agreed, looking out the window himself before something caught his attention. "Hey, I think I know someone who can help us pass the time."

"Huh?"

The others were left to follow as Gladio forced his way out of the booth, heading outside into the rain. "That woman over there in the red hat, Sania."

"Someone you know?" Prompto was looking curiously at the woman who didn't seem to know they were even there.

"Spoke with her just the once, back at Hammerhead."

"Now that you mention it, you were chatting someone up." Noctis didn't seem too impressed.

"She's real knowledgeable about wildlife, could teach us a thing or two. Go on and introduce yourself."

And so Noct did as he was told, after a gentle shove in her direction, only to return a few moments later with a grimace. "She wants us to head over to the Slough and catch her some red frogs."

"Frogs?" Amara deadpanned, shrugging in confusion. "Really?"

"Yeah, 'the quicker the better'." The king rubbed his neck, pulling out the map to look at and pointing across the road a moment later. "Looks like it's just down there."

"Alright, let's get going then." The group wasted no time in getting across the road to the grassy slope that led down to the slough, though Amara was less than thrilled about the slick surface that she knew was a disaster waiting.

"Be careful not to fall guys. The garula won't bother us if we don't provoke them, but in this rain, there's no telling if a giant toad is hanging around. They will attack us with no warning if we don't see them first."

"Garula?"

"Giant toad?"

"Never mind, just watch your step."

Taking her warning to heart, the guys did pay a bit more attention to their footing, even soon spotting the garula she had mentioned. The beast herd paid them no mind, even as Amara led them straight through their grassy patch, leaving them to wonder momentarily if just what it might take to invoke the wrath of such gentle seeming creatures (and if they might be added to the menu if they could take one down). The woman had noticed something else up ahead though, as the water of the slough came into view, a water tower standing beside an overgrown shack of sorts.

"Hey guys, if this storm decides to pick up even more while we're out here, we can use that place for shelter until there's a break for us to leave."

"Sounds good." Noctis agreed, though he nearly slipped when she came to a sudden stop in front of him – surveying the area.

"The water is going to be too deep on this side for us to find frogs. We'll have to walk around it and see if we can find a better spot."

"Walk around that?" Prompto was clearly concerned by the size of the water hole.

"We might not have to go all the way around, but if Noct's already agreed to do this for Sania, we can't go back empty-handed." So, they kept walking, until they reached a marshy area that was off the side of the lake, with several large stones in and around it. "Hey, this should be a good place to look!"

"We might need to hold off some though." Ignis was looking off at something above them, moments before a familiar buzz filled her ear.

"Imperials?!" the group watched from the cover of the few trees of the area as the dropship came in close, descending to a few dozen feet above them before its hatch opened and allowed a small patrol of Niflheim Axmen to drop down. "How the fuck did they even find us in this weather?"

"I think we should figure it out later." Gladiolus had already summoned his sword before the dropship had begun to lift away, and the others followed suit. This time it was Noctis who made himself busy warping around after the MTs while the others covered him, leaving Amara thankful that the patrol was made of a weaker few of the Empire's mechanical soldiers. As they watched the wrecked 'corpses' disintegrate, Prompto soon pointed out another detail.

"Hey, the rain's stopped!"

Distracted from the fight of only moments prior, the group exchanged a few smiles but were quick to follow Amara when she started for the marshy area once more.

"Then let's go ahead and find these frogs so we can get back and leave!"

Now there was a sight – Noctis in his fatigues walking straight into the marsh with the Glaive on his heels while the rest of the guys watched in mock horror, fanning out along the more ground. Unfazed by the grassy muck that was threatening to steal their shoes, Noctis soon found a frog, Amara finding another not far away. Prompto let out a squeal when he found a rather slippery one after to dive back after it when it squirmed out of his too loose grasp. Ignis fared much better, finding one that all but leaped at him from its rocky perch. Gladio was the last to find one, but they soon saw him going after something moving through the taller grass near some of the large, mossy rocks they had entered the area by, holding up a rather large frog a few moments later with a grin on his face.

"Hey Amara, I'll buy you a coffee if you kiss it."

"Hey Gladdy, I won't pay any medical fees if you try to make me."

"Worth a shot."

"Let's just get these back to Sania before they escape us again." Ignis clearly wanted to get back to the station, though with the looks he was giving Amara and Noctis they figured easily he had more than one reason for the rush. The redhead laughed, realizing how filthy her boots (and pants) were before she motioned for everyone to get a move on once more.

Without the rain making the walk all the more treacherous, they found themselves back in the parking lot fairly soon and held their nabbed froggies carefully as they followed Noctis over to the woman who had sent them on the hunt. The woman's face lit up as she looked at the creatures, holding out a special container for them to be placed in.

"Look at all these lovelies! Thank you, now my research can spring along."

"Research?" Amara couldn't hide her curiosity, wondering just what the strange woman would want to research that involved frogs.

"From longer nights to earthquakes, there's been a lot of strange phenomena of late. The world's out of whack, and there's no end to the mysteries that want for solving."

"Mysteries like… frogs." Noctis was clearly trying to put the pieces together, standing there with his hands on hips and a look his school friends recognized from their chemistry class all that time ago.

"Yep. You see, red frogs only appeared recently. We don't know what gave rise to the mutation. But this tiny critter could the key to the world's mysteries in its webbed feet." Sania poked gently at the largest frog with a smile on her face. "Fascinating stuff, right? Maybe I'll be able to tell you more if we run into each other again."

Taking that for a cue, the group was quick to exchange goodbyes with her and hurry back to their vehicles. Amara took a moment to examine her own map while she waited for the guys to load up, meeting them at the lot's exit.

"Let's try to make Lestallum."

"We should be able to reach it just before dusk." Ignis nodded and pulled out onto the road behind her. It was a scenic drive as they left the station, driving through more lush grassland and under some of the region's famous stone arches until finally reaching the spreading forest. It was already getting darker in the sky, with the sun painting the horizon in brilliant reds – making the woman in front hit the gas. They soon reached a blockade gate that marked their entrance into the Cleigne region, a long, high road stretching out in front of them over the massive canyon below, curving off to the side somewhere ahead. It led them directly into a tunnel carved into the cliffside, and with the sky still growing steadily darker, Amara was happy to see city speed limit signs up ahead. They entered the city limits as darkness truly fell over them and found parking down below the main street as the lights began to turn on to keep the city illuminated.

"Hey, Noct, where are we supposed to meet Iris?" the Glaive called from chaining up her motorcycle next to the Regalia, retrieving her bag from the car's trunk as the others did the same.

"The Leville."

"You know how to get there?"

"Can't be that hard to figure out."

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fanforthefics · 6 years

Note

Sidgeno (question - what other pairs do you do?) emergency services au pls and thanks ❤️🙏

1) Zhenya does not have a crush on the intimidatingly polite and attractive and efficient paramedic. He wants that noted, because he is pretty sure everyone forgets, when he comes out of a burning building where he just heroically saved 2 people and a cat and probably the whole city, if he’s being honest, and all he gets is Sasha coming up to him with a shit eating smile and a cooed, “Your favorite doctor is here!” Which, fine. Maybe Sidney is Zhenya’s favorite paramedic who comes to their scenes, because he is hot and efficient and sometimes Zhenya’s gotten him to talk about hockey when Sidney patches him up and his hands are brisk and capable over Zhenya’s skin and sometimes that makes Zhenya think about where else he’d bring that impressive competency, but none of that is a crush. Zhenya tells Sasha as much. Sasha just laughs at him and tells him his hair is a mess before going to bother someone else. Zhenya does quickly pat at his hair before he goes over to Sidney to get checked out, because it’s always important to look his best.

2) Sidney definitely has a crush on the hot firefighter. He gets plenty of his own teasing for it on the ambulance, but Geno is tall and solid and has a great laugh and an easy confidence that draws Sidney in. Of course, because Sidney’s Sidney, that crush generally manifests in him being even more awkward than usual around Geno, and only sometimes mumbling out something about hockey while making sure to patch him up as quickly and well as possible, so Sidney can go bang his head against a wall and see if Flower will buy him a hot chocolate in exchange for being a failure as a human being.

3) this dance has been happening for close to a year. Obviously they don’t always work together, but they do enough that it’s becoming a Thing. Both sets of friends have bets. The paramedics and the firefighters have a joint pool. They all work stressful jobs and need some comedic relief, and watching their colleagues turn into hopeless messes around each other really works for that.

4) Everything gets infinitely better–from their friends’ point of view, at least–when the firefighters get a call and show up only to find Sidney sitting outside his house in only pajama pants looking very irritated at his house, which isn’t in a good way. “It’s the oven, it was not my fault, and I don’t want to hear it,” he grits out, as the firefighters go in, where they discover that it was the oven, that it was highly debatably Sidney’s fault, and that there is no way the house is going to be livable any time soon. “You tell him,” Sasha tells Zhenya, and Zhenya has a minor but comprehensive freak out about going to talk to Sidney when he is wearing pajama pants that are low enough that it is a real possibility that those are the only things he’s wearing. Zhenya is in no way capable of handling that. He definitely cannot both handle that and tell Sidney bad news. Zhenya blames those pants, and the way the look on Sidney’s face turns from irritation to devastation when he’s told that he is now homeless, for why he suggests Sidney come crash with him. He can’t imagine what Sidney’s excuse is for saying yes (it’s the firefighter uniform and how Geno looks streaked with sweat and ash, and the way he’d been kind telling Sidney that his house was a lost cause).

5) No one can figure out what that does to the pool. Olli insists that he wins everything because he said they’d move in together. Everyone else calls bullshit.

6) Living together goes surprisingly well. There are a lot of kinks to work out, from the logistical–Geno takes long showers and Sidney did not always calculate for that–to the emotional–it had never quite occurred to Zhenya before that being a paramedic didn’t just mean showing up to burning buildings, it also meant going into the middle of gang wars to pick up gunshot victims, and he doesn’t have a great time realizing that. But they figure it out. Zhenya learns that those pajama pants Sidney had been wearing were officially his worst enemy. Sidney learns that not even his awkwardness can stand up in the face of Geno’s determination to make him settle in. Sidney’s protestations that he’ll find somewhere else to live as his house gets fixed fade away with nights when they both come home too wrung out and adrenaline-drained to sleep and sit in front of the TV trying to remember how to be human again. Zhenya figures out the best tea to have ready for Sidney when he comes home with a pale face and drawn eyes after seeing too much pointless violence. Sidney realizes that after a night of bad fires Geno just wants someone to sit with him quietly and let Geno hug them. They make plans for dinner when Sidney patches Geno up after a fire. They learn each other, piece by piece, and until calling what they feel for each other crushes is far too small.

7) It comes to a head one morning when they both come off shift at the same time. It wasn’t anything special for Geno, but Sidney had had a call where the guy’s wife was in the ambulance with them, holding his hand and begging him to hold on, and the guy shouldn’t have lived, probably, but he’d held on. It makes Sid think, after calls like that. He’s not generally one for thinking, but he does sometimes. So as Geno makes them both breakfast (Sid is not allowed near the oven) Sidney looks at him, and thinks about who he might hold on for, and then when they’ve finished eating breakfast Sid clears the plates and sits down next to Geno and reaches out to cover his hand with Sid’s. Geno looks at him, surprised, and Sidney smile back, trying to convey everything he feels through that instead of words. Geno’s eyes go wide, and he smiles too, and flips his hand over to interlace their fingers.

8) They refuse to give a firm date for when they got together, and the pool dissolves into chaos. Sid and Geno are very pleased in their revenge.

9) Sidney never does get around to moving back into his house. The pajama pants have been promoted to Zhenya’s best friend.

#sidgeno #pens fic #my fic #as for other pairings #I've only written sidgeno and bennguin #but i've read most of the other hockey pairings (minus kane/toews)#and would probably write any if given the right prompt #Anonymous #pens tumblr fic

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blizzweirdo · 6 years

Text

StarCraft Fanfiction: “No Omen, No Country’s Cause” Ch. 5

This chapter switches back to Stukov’s POV as he encounters the UED salvage crew. What he learns from them does not make him happy...

As always, this is also available on Fanfiction.net, Archive of Our Own, and Wattpad.

Finally, Stukov heard the elevator to the bridge come to life. He had been aware of them the moment they were in range of his limited telepathic abilities. He had opened and shut the hangar door for them and made sure the elevators were working. They had taken their time, and he didn't know why—he could sense them at a distance but not hear their thoughts. He thought that perhaps it was fear.

Good. Let them be afraid.

Stukov reached out to the infestation around him. Black tendrils snaked down from the ceiling and wrapped around his torso and arms then hoisted him up and out of sight. He mimicked the posture Izsha took on Kerrigan's leviathan. He would wait for them, let them talk and learn what they knew of the mission, and then decide whether to reveal himself to them—or not. The infestation closed around him as the door to the elevator opened. A group of four, two men—marines—and two women, probably, he reasoned, the shuttle flight crew. Their voices were muffled by their helmets, but he could still hear and read them because of his enhanced hearing and weak telepathy.

"Why Admiral Stukov though? Why not DuGalle or something?" One of the marines said.

"He didn't tell us."

"I don't know anything about the guy, but that dude definitely had a drinking problem. No one keeps that much alcohol around that isn't an alcoholic."

"He was apparently a high-functioning one."

"He had five kinds of vodka. No one can function drinking that much vodka."

"Well, he ain't functioning at all anymore, so he ain't gonna miss 'em"

Crass, Stukov thought. He wondered why were they talking about him and why they had they been in his quarters. One of them had a bag he recognized from his closet. The call of the zerg surged in his mind. Kerrigan's leviathan was close. He stopped listening and started reading them as one of the marines began extracting data from a computer terminal with a data tap device. One was still thinking about what he had stolen from his quarters. The other knew much more. There would be an attack on Tarsonis. They hoped to take over the Dominion—or the Republic as they called it now, but of course they wouldn't know that—and then eradicate the zerg. But they were wading into a situation that they did not understand. There was a relatively stable peace between the human factions in the sector, the zerg, and the protoss. If Tarsonis was attacked, the human factions would rally, and Artanis would no doubt come to the aid of his terran allies. The zerg, under Zagara, would remain neutral unless provoked, but might also be persuaded to fight against them. It would be a war on three fronts and bloody. They had a much larger force than then he and DuGalle had with the Expeditionary Fleet, but that would not matter. All three races were licking their wounds from the war-torn last decade, but if they banded together—and they would band together—they would most likely repel them. And if they didn't, all sides would sustain heavy losses. He would not speak to them. I'll leave them to their folly. This time would be different. The zerg were not led by a vengeful Kerrigan, and while Zagara was ruthless, she only cared about her Swarm. She would have reason to defeat the fleet but not destroy it utterly as Kerrigan had. If they did not win, they would have the opportunity to surrender; he hoped they would take it.

He scanned one of the women and found nothing interesting. But the other one... He saw images mostly. An old ID card with his picture. That's how they got in my quarters. His dress uniform with his name on it. Strange. He didn't care about any of the items they took. The alcohol was useless to him and so was the dress uniform. But then, a young man he recognized. A dread settled into his stomach—something he hadn’t felt in a long time. But he wasn’t sure—his mind was not the same. Still, if it was who he thought it was, he had to do something.

Silently he drove the infestation away and lowered himself from the ceiling behind the girl whose mind he had just read. She must have seen him in her peripheral vision, because she turned towards him slowly and then screamed in terror, dropping to her knees. Both the marines turned to face him, raising their weapons. He raised his hands in response.

"Come now, gentlemen, there's no need for violence."

They opened fire. Stukov's arm swiped out at one, knocking him over. He disappeared into the infestation on the deck. The other he pinned to the wall and let the infestation creep over him. He turned his attention back to the two women. One of the women shot him in the back with her handgun, but it glanced off his infested shoulder blade. It hurt but healed almost immediately. He pinned her to the wall as well. The other girl was still on the floor screaming.

"I am Vice Admiral Alexei..." He began, but the girl would not stop yelling. "Stop that. I'm not going to hurt you," he said gruffly. He stared at her for a moment, and slowly some of the fear in her face left. "Are you done now?" He said sarcastically. But then he felt a twinge of sympathy. She was a kid who had never encountered the zerg before and had just come in contact with what appeared to be the twisted, bloated, reanimated corpse of a UED officer—and she probably thought she was next. He would have to treat them with more humanity than he had needed to muster in a long time.

"It's okay. Really. Let me start over. I'm Vice Admiral Alexei Stukov," he said, gentler this time, and squatting down to her level.

“You’re supposed to be dead!” Dauphin said fearfully.

“That information is, sadly, outdated.”

"You've been living here all this time?"

"No, it's more complicated than that. But it doesn't matter. Who are you?" He stood again and offered a hand to help her up. It took a moment for her to take it and to answer.

“I’m Capt. Carolyn Dauphin... The girl that shot you was my navigator, Lt. Katie Dean... Those two men are Sgt. Joseph Chang and Cpl. Joaquin Hernandez...”

“And who is the commander of the fleet?”

"Adm. Troy Reeves."

Stukov swore quietly. He knew him. Stukov didn't outright dislike many people, but he'd never had time for Reeves's mixture of pomposity, genteel bullshit, and incompetence. This would make what he needed to do even harder.

"I must go to him. Give me your fleet’s coordinates."

“I’m not doing tha—” He read her mind.

“Thank you.”

He willed the Aleksander to move. Dauphin’s face went white as the engines began to spin up; she was clearly frightened by his psionic ability. She would be even more frightened by the leviathan I’m sending to meet us there. His ability to read them faded as they reached FTL speeds.

“They’ll shoot you down,” Dauphin said, her voice quivering.

“Do they value your lives so little?”

The Aleksander dropped out of FTL. Stukov opened a comm line and sent his credentials. There was no answer. Stukov turned back to Dauphin. “Which carrier is Reeves on? Do they have a special frequency?”

She hesitated.

“If they don’t hear from us, they’ll shoot us down.”

“He’s on the Kuznetsov. That’s where we were all stationed.” She showed him the frequency.

“UED carrier Kuznetsov, this is Vice Adm. Alexei Stukov. I will rebroadcast my credentials. I request to speak with Adm. Troy Reeves.”

“Adm. Stukov, this is Kuznetsov tower. We’re patching you through.” There was a moment of dead air. Then, the Aleksander’s bridge viewscreen came on. On it was the sanguine face of Adm. Troy Reeves. To Stukov, his mutton chops and elaborate grey beard made him look like something out of an American Civil War film. And like an idiot. He spoke to him without looking away from his control panel.

“Stukov? You had better have a good damn reason to be still alive.” Reeves finally looked at him and the color drained from his face. “Lord have mercy, what have you done? You’re...”

“Infested. That is the word you are looking for.”

A queer smile played at Reeves’s lips. He seemed to be enjoying Stukov’s suffering. What a smug asshole.

“Even so, Admiral,” Reeves said, letting his antebellum drawl lengthen his words, “you’ve got a lot of nerve coming crawling back to the fleet.”

“And you have some nerve coming back to this sector after what happened to our expedition.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Not yet I’m not, Troy.”

Reeves bristled. He was one of those people who wanted to be called by their title no matter the situation.

“If you’re zerg now, you’re a traitor. I’ll shoot you down myself. Tactical!”

“Capt. Dauphin... Will you come here for a moment and tell your superior a little about yourself?”

He heard Dauphin swallow hard as she stepped into view of his comm’s pickup.

“Hello, Admiral. I’m Capt. Carolyn Dauphin. I’m a shuttle pilot based on the Kuznetsov, and I was assigned to Aleksander salvage mission.”

“You’ve taken hostages.”

“I prefer to think of them as my guests.”

Reeves’s face flushed with anger. “How are you being treated? Where is your navigator and your marine detachment?”

“I’m fine... But everyone else...”

“They’re being restrained, and they are unharmed... for now.”

“What do you want, Stukov?”

“To talk.”

“About what?”

“About the mistakes you are about to make. I will not help you, but I can steer you towards allies and tell you how to minimize casualties, though I hope after speaking with me you may change your mind and return to Earth.”

“Do you think me a coward?”

“No, but I hope you’re not the fool I always thought you were. I will board the carrier Kuznetsov in one hour and will return your people to you. We will talk then. Be ready.”

Stukov cut the comm line. He turned to Dauphin. “Thank you for being cooperative.”

“What else could I have done?”

“You could have screamed. You could have goaded him to fire.”

“I could have... But I don’t have a death wish. I just work here.”

“Hah! With that attitude, you may just survive...” He looked away for a moment, trying to figure out what he should do next. It would be unwise to tell them who he thought their “collector” was—it could be used against him. But he needed to get a message to him to tell him he was alive, or at least not dead, instruct him to leave the fleet whenever there was an opportunity, and, of course, that he would help him. It was a possibility that this person was not who he thought he was, but there were too many coincidences. The image he saw in Dauphin’s mind, the ID card that only could have been retrieved from his home on Earth, and wanting to find some token of him from the Aleksander. If it was him, it was wise to have not told them his name. The less obvious ties he had to him would keep him out of harm’s way—for now. “My ID card... May I see it?”

“What?”

“My ID card. You have it.”

“Oh! How did you?”

He made a motion with his hand for her to give it up. Dauphin rummaged around in the bag and gave him the card. He examined it. Inside, there was a wireless chip. He placed it on the console. It was old, but so was the ship. He was able to access the card through the ship’s computer. The storage was full, but if he deleted his thumbprint and his credentials, he could type several novels worth of text to him; Stukov only needed a short message. Finished, he gave the card back to Dauphin. “When you see him, give him this.” She turned it over in her hand and put it in her pocket.

“What’s in it for me?”

“I won’t kill you? And you can keep all that...” he said, gesturing to the bag, “I don’t care about any of it.”

“Who is he?”

“I’m... not sure.”

“You just don’t want to tell me.” He ignored her.

“I think it’s about time we got ready to leave, yes?” Stukov let KD out of the infestation in the corner. She fell from the wall, coughing. KD ran to her.

“God... I had my mouth open...”

“Are you okay?”

“I think that’s the most disgusting thing that’s ever happened to me.” Stukov watched them interact. How old are they? he thought, Twenty-five maybe? Children—all of them. Younger than my own would be now... Sent out here for what reason? Conquest? To protect Earth? When he left Earth, his children were young. Would I even recognize them now? Would they recognize me?

KD noticed Stukov watching them.

“Hey, what are you staring at?” she snapped. Dauphin shushed her.

“Do you want to provoke him? Really?”

“I’m sorry about restraining you. But you shot at me and didn’t leave me much of a choice.”

He was angry at none of them—not even the marines. They reminded him of the men and women under him on the Aleksander. His mind was different now, but he remembered their names if not their faces. He always had an unwise sentimentality towards his young recruits, tending to act paternally towards them. Many responded to it, some didn’t. Either way, he tried to be a warm, fatherly figure—if not a crazy, Slavic uncle.

Gerard on the other hand... Stukov had men and women that were loyal to him over DuGalle. He was neither a taskmaster nor a micromanager, of which DuGalle had a tendency to be both—even with him. He could only imagine what Reeves was like. It infuriated him to know his death—and DuGalle’s--had most likely precipitated Reeves’s promotion.

Stukov looked at the time on the console. They needed to start moving towards the hangar bay. With a thought, the infestation pulled the two marines further into the wall.

“What are you doing?” KD exclaimed, “He’s killing them!”

“No, I’m not. They’re uncooperative. I can’t trust them to walk to the hangar bay on their own power. They’re going there my way. Now, unless you’d like to join them...” Stukov gestured to the lift as the door chimed and opened. Both women were quiet as he ushered them in and escorted them down to the hangar bay. When they got there, the two men were in chrysalises in the hangar. Stukov and Dauphin loaded them onto the shuttle, and Stukov commanded KD to stay in the back with them. He took the pilot’s seat without protest from Dauphin. When he looked back, KD had gotten into the duffel bag and had fished out a bottle of schnapps. He had no idea where it had come from. It must have been Gerard’s. At least it will keep her quiet.

Once at the controls, he found little had changed in their design since he had been gone. He opened the hangar bay door and maneuvered the shuttle out. The UED fleet spread out before him, shining ships stretching as far as he could see. He counted at least four carriers—floating bases really, larger than protoss capital ships but smaller than a city—and hundreds of battlecruisers flanked by smaller vessels, some of makes Stukov didn’t recognize. With the fleet in front of him, Stukov couldn’t help feeling pride and nostalgia.

“That’s... Quite impressive,” Stukov said quietly.

“Do you still think we can’t win?”

“Yes.”

Stukov radioed the Kuznetsov’s tower, warning them of his approach and that he had his “hostages” on board in case they got the idea to shoot him down. The tower directed him to a hangar. As he touched down, a group of six marines and a med team filed in to meet the shuttle. Good. They’ve underestimated me. I might make it out of here alive. He stood, reaching into one of the chrysalises with his infested arm, withdrawing Chang’s rifle. KD staggered away from him, at once both tipsy and afraid. Stukov didn’t need the gun, but he wanted to look like he did.

“Carolyn,” he said as calmly, “I’m going to do something that you’re not going to like.” Dauphin’s head snapped towards him, her eyes wide. “I’m going to lead you out at gunpoint. Know that I have no intention of shooting you. It’s just for show.”

“O-okay.”

Stukov opened the shuttle hatch. “Come. You first.” He let Dauphin walk in front of him. “Stay back!” he yelled at the marines in the hangar. “I have a hostage. If you try anything, I will kill her. The rest of your people are onboard the shuttle. Take me to Reeves. The sooner I see him, the sooner I will leave you.” As soon as he had cleared the shuttle, the med team swooped through the hatch to help Chang, KD, and Hernandez. The marines formed a pack around Stukov and escorted him down the hallway. After walking for a few minutes, they came to a conference room. Inside, Reeves stood from his chair at the conference table, red-faced and already apoplectic. Behind him was a ceiling-to- floor window onto the fleet, perhaps chosen, Stukov thought, to intimidate him.

“I don’t know what is going on in that diseased brain of yours, but you've got five minutes to submit to my command or I will...”

“Hello, Troy. Good to see you as well.” He pulled out a chair for Dauphin, his gun still trained on her. He then pulled one out for himself and sat down, making a show of getting himself comfortable, even flipping his hat off onto the table.

“Whatever it is you want, Stukov, you’re not getting it.”

“You should hope that I do, Admiral. I want you and your people to live; I want you to turn around and go home.”

“Do you doubt the strength of the UED Destroyer Fleet?”

“I doubt it as much as I should have doubted the Expeditionary Fleet. You’re not here with a clear picture of the dangers of this sector. You need to come to this with,” he stopped, realizing he was echoing the past, “... your eyes open. Otherwise...” he gestured with his free hand at himself, “This is your future. All that is here is death.”

“Ridiculous. We have almost the entire Earth sector military at our disposal. We will conquer the colonies and subdue the protoss—and the zerg.”

“Is that so? Perhaps you need a little dose of reality.” Stukov reached out with his mind to his leviathan. A specially bred brood queen departed from it to the fleet. He selected a battlecruiser far from the Kuznetsov but close enough to view from the conference room’s window. In seconds, the Kusnetsov’s alarm klaxons began ringing. Reeves stood and went to a control panel on the wall.

“Bridge, status report.”

“We’re under attack—from the zerg. And it’s... spreading?”

“What?”

There was a bright flash outside the window. Reeves turned, watching in horror as the infested ship’s main engine blew. A neighboring battlecruiser had fired upon it to immobilize it, but it was too late. Tendrils of infestation had latched onto the second battlecruiser. It tried to pull away but could not and began to break up. This was not what Stukov wanted. He willed the infestation to keep it together. Another tendril snaked out and penetrated a supply freighter nearby. Drones swarmed on its hull as the contagion spread and took hold. Reeves looked on, horrified, as more ships were caught up in Stukov’s virulent pestilence.

“This is the reality of the zerg. There is very little to be done in defense. They are a single-minded enemy, wanting only to survive and conquer. I have immense power, but even I’m not powerful enough to rule them.”

“You... You did this? Stop it, Stukov! Stop it right now!”

It didn’t bother him that Reeves was scared. He should have been. It was only when Dauphin looked at him, frightened and betrayed, that the coldness of the Swarm in him abated. Stukov felt conflicted. He should not have put that many lives at risk to make a point. The infestation withdrew at his command but he kept the most damaged ship from breaking up.

“The effects are temporary. If you have any firebats, send them in. They should be able to remove any lingering infestation.”

The alarms stopped abruptly. “Status!” Reeves barked into the communication console.

“The zerg have retreated. Casualty reports coming in... Injuries reported but no deaths. Medical is putting the exposed into quarantine.”

“Five ships in thirty seconds... I could have decimated your fleet today, and there are billions more zerg that those I control. Do you like those odds?”

“Then fight with us.”

“No. But I will help you under these conditions: you keep the Kuznetsov off the front lines and you don’t use your ghosts.”

“Why these conditions?”

“Ghosts are useless against the zerg,” he lied, “and you will need some way to rebuild your fleet if your ‘war’ goes as badly as I know it will. If you keep to these conditions, I will introduce you to the factions in this sector which may help you—the Tal’Darim, for instance—and speak to the leaders of the zerg on your behalf.”

“That’s all? We attack Tarsonis in six hours. You can’t be more help than that?”

Stukov shrugged. “If you want me to look over your battle plans, I’d be more than happy to send you my recommendations. But that’s all I will do.”

“Stukov,” Reeves said, his voice lowering as he leaned in conspiratorially, “we’re not doing this just because we can. You know what the situation was when you left—now it’s only worse. Our colonies are failing because of our wars with them. The population of Earth is too large for its resources... Inhabitable planets are a dime a dozen here... We need the Koprulu sector and its worlds to survive.”

“Then send colony ships and settle! No one will stop you. There’s no need to resort to conquest.”

Anger seethed in Reeves’s face as he realized that Stukov was steadfast in his conviction not help him.

“I always thought you were lazy... uncouth... Hiding in your lab swilling vodka with your dick in your hand after your wife left you... And that’s all you’re doing now.” Stukov laughed, surprised at how easily his mask of gentility slipped. He didn’t know he had gotten so far under his skin so many years ago—and without even trying. He rarely had even thought about Reeves, and yet Reeves remembered his post, that he’d been having problems with alcohol, and somehow knew his wife had left him. Stukov vaguely remembered that Reeves was married and that his husband was a musician of some sort. They had few friends in common, and there was no reason for him to know that much about him. Stukov thought that he definitely had some sort of complex.

“I’m touched you remember so much about me, Troy. Do you know my children’s names as well? The brand of cologne I wear? Or is that too esoteric? If we’re done, I’m leaving. The Captain here will take me back to my ship, and then I’ll be on my way.”

“Are you all right with that, Capt. Dauphin?”

“I’m... I’m fine,” Dauphin mumbled. Putting on his cap, Stukov got up from his chair and escorted Dauphin to the door. As he left, Reeves gave him an odd look. Instead of following them out, he walked to the comm station and began speaking quietly into it. Stukov and Dauphin stepped out into the hallway. The same marines followed them through the ship, but, curiously, took them a different way.

“Where are they taking us, Carolyn?”

“The hangar bay. This just takes us to the other end.”

“They’re wasting time.” Stukov knew something was up.

Stukov and Dauphin entered the hangar bay from the other side. As they made their way to Dauphin’s shuttle, Reeves entered from the other side, leading a tall, thin man in handcuffs. When they got closer, he threw him to his knees and pointed a handgun to his head. The man looked up at them, wide eyed.

“Greg?” Dauphin exclaimed.

“Gregory...” Stukov said, anguished. Gregory turned to him, recognizing his voice. He squinted at him, confused.

“Papa?”

“This reunion is touching, but it will be fleeting...” Reeves said, his face beaming with satisfaction. “Don’t use any ghosts, you said. Of course I looked at the roster, and, for the record, yes, I do remember your children’s names.” A white-hot anger burned in Stukov. His hand tightened on his rifle as he wondered if he could get a shot off without Reeves killing his son. Or if he could lash out and strike him. “You have four children, correct? This is your youngest? If you don’t submit to my authority and commit to joining the attack on Tarsonis right now, I’m blowing your son’s brains out right here. Then, I’m sending a message home declaring you a traitor, and suggesting they round up the rest of your children and kill them as well. It’s a pity your ex-wife isn’t around anymore; I’d have her killed too.”

“She’s... dead?”

“Hah! You didn’t know? Well, that makes this all the more fun, doesn’t it?” He cocked the pistol and Greg flinched.

“You can’t threaten him! He’s one of your own troops!” Dauphin blurted out.

“Keep quiet, girl. I’ll do as I wish,” Reeves said, his anger rising. He pushed the gun against Greg’s temple.

Stukov was stunned. He had no idea that his ex-wife had died. When did it happen? How? And now he’d put his entire family in danger. He should never have come here. But it was too late, and now he had no choice.

“Stop,” he said, putting the gun on the ground, “I submit. Just... don’t shoot him.” Reeves motioned to one of the marines.

“Take him to the brig,” he said, indicating Greg, “He’ll be safe there... For now. As for you, Admiral.”

“Vice admiral. I guess you don’t remember everything.”

“Oh, but I do. I watched the vids of your funeral—with pleasure, I might add. Afterwards, they made a big show of awarding you a tombstone promotion. Better late than never, I suppose. So, Admiral Stukov, you will gather your forces and meet us at Tarsonis in five hours. You will continue from there with the fleet and assist us in subjugating the Koprulu sector. If you are insubordinate, late, cowardly, or just fucking annoy me, your son will die. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes... sir.”

“Then get out of my sight.”

Note: I also know that’s not how tombstone promotions work, but, hey, it’s the future and a fascist regime.

#alexei stukov #stukov #fanfiction #fanfic #starcraft #starcraft2 #no omen no country's cause

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