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[trcstme]

PROMPTS FROM THE TRUMAN SHOW (1998) *  assorted dialogue, adjust as necessary.

it isn't always shakespeare, but it's genuine.

i'm not going to make it. you're going to have to go on without me.

you're crazy, you know that?

well, for me, there is no difference between a private life and a public life.

it's all true. it's all real. nothing here is fake.

i have love handles?

in case i don't see you! good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!

what the hell is wrong with your job?

can't get any further away before you start coming back.

it's not that simple. it takes money. planning. can't just up and go.

i don't like the look of that weather. i think we should head back.

you're talking like a teenager.

we need adventure.

i thought we were going to try for a baby.

i might as well pick one of these up while i'm at it.

i almost hugged a perfect stranger in the salon last thursday.

you're just feeling bad because of what happened.

i've never blamed you. and i don't blame you now.

i made macaroni!

i've been such a klutz all day!

you're a better person than i am.

you know, [name], i'm not allowed to talk to you.

i can understand that. i'm a pretty dangerous character.

would you wanna, maybe, possibly... sometime go out for some pizza or something?

if we don't go now, it won't happen. do you understand?

we have so little time.

they don't want me talking to you.

i've never seen you before today.

if you don't tell me what's happening, i'll report you!

i think i'm mixed up in something.

you're going to get both of our asses fired, you know that?

just between you and me, i'm going away for a while.

i need to talk to you, but let's go outside.

can you pass along a message?

i'm sorry to keep you.

i guess i'm being spontaneous.

you're blaming me for the traffic?

i'm sorry. i don't know what got into me.

you want to destroy yourself? do it on your own.

why do you want to have a baby with me?

what the hell are you talking about?

you're having a nervous breakdown.

you're part of this, aren't you?

whatever the answer was, we were right together, and we were wrong together.

you're the closest thing i ever had to a brother.

i'd gladly walk in front of traffic for you.

the last thing i'd ever do is lie to you.

i never stopped believing.

let's get some champagne up here!

don't you ever feel guilty?

look at what you've done to him!

give me the phone.

was nothing real?

you never had a camera in my head.

i know you better than you know yourself.

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

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𝐍𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍​

[ 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇 ] My muse gently touches a bruise on your muse’s body.

[ 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 ] My muse brushes a strand of hair out of your muse’s face.

[ 𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇 ] My muse attempts to make yours laugh when they are sad.

[ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐓𝐇 ] My muse wraps yours in a warm blanket.

[ 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐏 ] My muse pokes your muse’s nose.

[ 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐄 ] My muse intertwines their fingers with yours.

[ Cuddle ] My muse cuddles up in bed to yours.

[ 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃 ] My muse sits by your muse’s bedside while they are sick/hurt.

[ 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 ] My muse takes your muse’s hand and slow dances with them.

[ 𝐖𝐄𝐓 ] My muse helps yours out of sopping wet clothes.

[ 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄 ] My muse gently runs a hand over your muse’s back.

[ 𝐇𝐔𝐆 ] My muse hugs yours tightly.

[ 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃 ] My muse steps protectively in front of yours.

[ 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 ] My muse holds yours while they cry.

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

[trcstme]

Sarah backs off of Shaw a little, walking back to her previous position in front of the table. She wants to be able to see his face when he answers. And whatever he has to say, it better be good. But she has the feeling it won't be if the way his jaw ticks is any indication.

"Like I said," He starts, his voice slightly bored but he's betraying a hint too much of frustration, "If they don't want you to find them, then you won't."

He won't look at either of them, he's suddenly very interested in the table and there's a hint of bitterness seeping into his expression. And that's when Sarah realizes the thing she should've seen before they even set foot in this room. He's just as clueless as they are.

"He doesn't know." She says. Her voice is without any kind of edge because she isn't trying to get under his skin to get him to tell her more. She knows he doesn't have anything to tell her. Because Kami knew what she was doing all along.

"Kami had a plan from the start. She brought Shaw with her to that warehouse so he could get to me so that she could get to Winn. And once he did that, once he did enough to get Winn to agree, he'd outlived his use. He didn't need any information after that because she knew he'd end up right here."

Chuck shook his head. "Of course we know that they want him for what he can do. But what are they trying to get him to do this time. This was planned a little too well. Kami was leaving with Winn one way or another, clearly not a crime of opportunity. So what is the Rin working on that they needed him right now? More importantly, what are they working on that we haven't seen a single thing from them in over three weeks."

He knew that he wasn't the most skilled interrogator, but he knew that if they were planning something it was meant to be big. They hadn't heard so much as a word from anything surrounding the Ring since Kami went off the grid, and usually silence meant something worse was coming. The calm before the storm.

#nctafraid #don't make me sorry i ever counted on you (verse 02; feat nctafraid) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue) #tw: kidnapping

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"Oh, good." She says, but her tone makes it clear that she's not particularly looking forward to it. "Just when I thought the scary part was almost over."

Love is a tricky thing for most people, she assumes. But she's sure those people at least grow up expecting it to fall into their laps eventually. But she's never been that way. She's never been able to believe that someone would actually stay. And then she grew up and rearranged her life so that it'd be near impossible for anyone to stay in her life long term. She'd gotten used to that, she'd become okay with it. Then this mission, Bryce and the Intersect, it threw all of her progress out the window.

Then she mentions models, and Sarah has to resist the urge to laugh. She hadn't had a good example of romantic love until she met Ellie and Devon. But it's probably bad to say they're her only real frame of reference for a healthy relationship.

"I don't think I really have any." She says, shaking her head slightly. "My parents weren't together, my dad wasn't around much and I can't remember my mom ever dating when I was growing up."

Her only real references for love when she was growing up were the characters in movies, tv shows, and books. And she knows that's a very unrealistic thing to pattern one's love life after. It's certainly not a good road map to follow.

"It's both. Once you stop being terrified, it will feel great. And then, if you are anything like me, at the next big step in the relationship it will be terrifying again for a while," she offers Sarah another reassuring smile, because yes, even now, there are those moments when she wonders if she's not doing it all wrong, or she freaks out because it feels like they areì't putting enough of an effort into the relationship, and what if it's the beginning of the end, and Devon will leave her too? Perks of having a father who disappeared after leaving for pancakes, and a mother who ditched them long before that.

"It can also depend on what your models are... I think Chuck decided to ignore our parents and create his expectations based on how he sees me interact with Devon, so he's open, wants to resolve conflicts with long talks, is loyal and wants some stability... I, unfortunately, picked my parents and expect the worst at every turn." She should have taken something stronger to drink to face this topic, but she's trying to look at it from a distant, analytical point of view. "At least we know that we have real feelings on the table, or we wouldn't be as scared. We just need to... keep going, not let our fears stop us from getting to the good part."

#savingthrcw #it's nice to have a friend (verse 01; feat savingthrcw) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

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"Neon Dreams" by Jeremy Shada Sentence Starters

FOREVER YOUNG

"Baby, you've come to the right place."

"I don't know where I am, but I know I gotta get away."

"Maybe we can be forever young."

"No way to leave, just enjoy the show."

"Who really wants to grow old?"

"We'll be forever beautiful."

"Your heart's mine, there's no going back."

"This neon dream might kill."

"How many times have you been someone's last kiss?"

"We never have to grow old."

DEATH ON THE DANCE FLOOR

"Darling, now I'm in too deep."

"Too many secrets to keep."

"Guess I got a death wish."

"All it takes is one kiss."

"I'm a sucker for a bit of danger."

GHOSTED

"I can almost hear you breathe."

"I feel your eyes following me."

"Your presence lingers even though you're not around."

"I'm losing it now."

"You left me high and dry."

"I can't believe my eyes."

"How many lovers have you left for dead?"

"How long will the ghost of you haunt this bed?"

"All I wanted was you."

"Where are you tonight?"

"Another heart for your collection. Do you keep them on a shelf?"

"Love 'em and leave 'em, babe, you do it so well."

"Was it all make believe?"

"Were you ever even there."

"Your touch was a dream. Your absence a nightmare."

MIDNIGHT PROMISES

"I don't want your midnight promises."

"Nights like these make me reminisce."

"Never really knew I could feel so alone."

"All I see is you when my eyes are closed."

"Guess some things are better left unspoken."

"Your words and my heart, so easily broken."

"My nights blend into days."

"Your memory haunts me but your love fades."

"You said, 'I'll love you forever'."

"Your forever only lasts the night."

"Why did you have to go?"

BAD BOY

"Don't get too close."

"You're bound to fall for me."

"Better run away."

"You don't wanna stay."

"You won't have a choice."

"Danny always goes for Sandy."

"Juliet's the dagger in Romeo's heart."

"You changed my whole world."

LET'S DRIVE

"Let's get lost in the streetlights."

"Doesn't matter who we are, cause I'm yours tonight."

"We all get nervous, butterflies give us away."

"You're taking too long."

"Kiss me already."

"Forget your feelings, forget what they think."

DARK HEART

"Your gravity is bringing me down in embers."

"Our galaxies, collide and crash together."

"My heart's falling fast for you."

"I've fallen in zero gravity."

"Every second's like eternity."

"Your lips pull me closer."

"I'm caught between heaven and earth."

You're changing my atmosphere."

"All the space between is shrinking more the longer you're here."

TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE

"I'm sorry I had to go."

"My heart's betrayed me before."

"I keep my enemies close."

"I never say goodbyes."

"I'd rather leave than leave lies."

"I know I broke your heart, just like somebody broke mine."

"I know I broke your heart."

"I wish it was the first time."

"We're both chasing sleepless nights."

"We're both running from someone."

"You can call me the bad guy, but it takes one to know one."

"Goodbyes remind me of the night I wanna forget."

"I guess I loved you how I was loved."

CITY OF ANGELS

"There's some dreams that never die."

"I'm still here chasing yesterday."

"For every star, a million fade."

"Even if I make it, no one ever makes it out."

"I just need a break from this town."

"All the demons need a favor."

"Everyone loves you when they get something from you."

"Soon enough they'll light the match and watch you burn."

"I finally made it. Now all I want is out."

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

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my murder, pt. 1.

dialogue prompts from my murder: a novel by katie williams.

you okay in here?

i want to do every last inch of every last thing.

you never used to cry.

how could i have ever thought of leaving?

i just have one of those faces.

you want to know what it was like? fine. i'll tell you.

it's a funny thing to have a body.

you cry at everything. you cry at furniture left by the side of the road.

you're saying you don't remember anything at all?

i try to be good and nice, nice and good. but sometimes, something just comes over me.

you've read the articles. seen the news reports.

i'm sorry i left you. i thought you were okay.

children are trained to associate sugar with affection.

everyone feels like they're being followed, some of the time.

it's like you expect me to be grateful.

you talk about yourself in the third person?

you shouldn't think of yourself any differently.

i, apparently, am not 'people'.

no, i still want it. i'm just telling you that i hate it.

thanks for taking me home.

you must be a really good mom.

how well can you really know someone?

what did you think you were doing?

but it was bad, right? what i did?

i understand how things can linger.

can you be serious for a minute?

i know it happened. i know it happened to me.

you're still you.

give them enough time, and people will always ask.

it's easier to share an apartment with a stranger.

i'm glad you have people who understand you.

people are inscrutable, and life is chaos. if i know anything, i know that.

have you joined a cult?

i'm made of curiosity. i am a hundred dead cats.

something happened to me, and sometimes it comes up.

you know better than anyone what a bitch i can be.

you're good. people will tell you you're not, but you are.

why are you weird? no, sorry. i mean, what's wrong with you?

are you going to tell me, or am i going to have to start guessing?

i need you to not be angry right now. it doesn't help me. okay?

i haven't gotten any threats lately.

people always blame the mother.

we're already in trouble. we've been in trouble this whole time.

why do you always ask me these things when the lights are out?

i love you, you know.

i love you monstrously. with fangs and claws.

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

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@smiletimeisrunningout said: "Okay, so, I may have a little bit of an innocent crush on John."

Sarah huffs a laugh as she types up the last bit of their latest mission report. Chuck and Casey had cleared out of castle at least an hour ago, but Emma chose to hang around. They didn't technically have plans tonight. But they rarely ever actually have plans. Things just end up happening.

These times, when they're just waiting to be done with work so they can have lives, typically pass by fairly quietly. Aside from a few small conversations here and there. She didn't think they were the kind of time for confessions to be made. Even confessions that aren't all that surprising.

"Is that supposed to be new information?" She asks, a sarcastic kind of humor in her tone as her brow arches slightly.

#smiletimeisrunningout #what about all the times you said you had the answers? (au verse feat smiletimeisrunningout) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

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The bad thing about Winn is that he isn't an idiot, but he is very trusting. More trusting than a man in his position should be. And he's far too willing to put himself on the line. He should've known better. She's fairly certain she taught him better.

Sarah's sure the truth has never even crossed Winn's mind. She's sure he has never had any reason to go in search of his biological parents. But he can't be this naive. She knows there are plenty of people out there who'd try to get to the president through him. But not like this. Not in a way that feels this personal. Not in a way that seems to have nothing to do with the president at all.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." He says, but there's no concern or care spared in his tone. He's perfectly fine with her dying. She's just collateral damage, and she's very aware of that fact. And then at Winn's suggestion of a meeting, the man has the nerve to laugh. "Ashford would never let that happen."

And then he makes a sound akin to a tsk as Winn stands his ground. As he tries to swear that this man has no room to talk. That he doesn't know what he's talking about. But Winn's wrong, he doesn't realize just how wrong he is.

"That's where you're wrong." He says, and that's when Sarah starts to struggle against her restraints. She forces some of the energy back into her body. Because she can't let this happen. "I know everything about you, Winn."

She tugs against her restraints, her voice coming out cracked and weak as she says: "Stop."

But the man, Winn Schott Sr., pays her no mind. He's much too focused on what's in front of him as opposed to what's behind him.

"I know everything about you." He says, taking the slightest step closer to Winn. Like he's gearing up for some happy father-son reunion. This man is a twisted kind of smart, so how can he really think that'd be the case. "I've been watching you your whole life."

"Then let me get her help. Let me call someone and you can have whatever it is you want. I'm doubting you went through all this trouble just for a conversation. There's easier ways to arrange a meeting." Winn wasn't letting up. Mostly because he was confused, still in the dark about what was going on. Apparently, this didn't seem to be anything about his dad being the president, in fact, he seemed disgusted at saying the last name.

"You don't know me." He spoke a little sharper than he intended. It was his own defense, Winn hating when people assumed that they knew these things about him. It came with his family always being in the spotlight. Everyone said he's just some spoiled rich kid, but in his heart, he knew that he was so much more than that. He wanted to be more than that. "Don't talk about me like you know anything about who I am."

#forthewinn #i'm in so deep but i'll never show it on my face (au verse feat forthewinn) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue) #tw: torture #tw: kidnapping

[trcstme]

"Sour" by Olivia Rodrigo Sentence Starters

BRUTAL

"I want it to be, like, messy."

"I think that I'll die before I drink."

"I'm so caught up in the news of who likes me and who hates you."

"They'd all be so disappointed."

"Cause who I am if not exploited?"

"Where's my fucking teenage dream?"

"If someone tells me one more time, 'Enjoy your youth', I'm gonna cry."

"I wish I'd done this before."

"I wish people liked me more."

"All I did was try my best, this the kind of thanks I get?"

"They say these are the golden years, but I wish I could disappear."

"Ego crush is so severe."

"God, it's brutal out here."

"I feel like no one wants me."

"I hate the way I'm perceived."

"Lately, I'm a nervous wreck."

"I love people I don't like."

"Got a broken ego, broken heart."

"God, I don't even know where to start."

TRAITOR

"I played dumb, but I always knew."

"I kept quiet so I could keep you."

"Ain't it funny how you ran to her/him/them the second that we called it quits?"

"You betrayed me, and I know that you'll never feel sorry."

"Loved you at your worst, but that didn't matter."

"Guess you didn't cheat, but you're still a traitor."

"If you were true, there's no damn way that you could fall in love with somebody that quickly."

"Remember I brought her/him/them up and you told me I was paranoid?"

"I wish that you had thought this through before I went and fell in love with you."

DRIVERS LICENSE

"How could I ever love someone else?"

"I know we weren't perfect, but I've never felt this way for no one."

"I just can't imagine how you could be so okay now that I'm gone."

"You said forever, now I drive alone past your street."

"All my friends are tired of hearing how much I miss you."

"I kinda feel sorry for them, cause they'll never know you the way that I do."

"I can't drive past the places we used to go to."

"I still fucking love you, babe."

"You know I still love you, babe."

1 STEP FORWARD, 3 STEPS BACK

"You got me fucked up in the head."

"I hate that I give you power over that kinda stuff."

"It's always one step forward and three steps back."

"I'm the love of your life until I make you mad."

"Do you love me, want me, hate me?"

"Maybe in some masochistic way I kinda find it all exciting."

"Which lover will I get today?"

"Will you walk me to the door or send me home crying?"

"Did I say something wrong?"

"Maybe this is all your fault."

DEJA VU

"When you gonna tell her/him/them that we did that, too?"

"That was our place, I found it first."

"I made the jokes you tell to her/him/them."

"When she's/he's/they're with you, do you get déjà vu?"

"Do you call her/him/them, and almost say my name?"

"I hate to think that I was just your type."

"Don't act like we didn't do that shit, too."

"Everything is all reused."

GOOD 4 U

"Well, good for you, I guess you moved on really easily."

"Remember when you said that you wanted to give me the world?"

"I guess that you've been working on yourself."

"I bet that therapist I found for you, she really helped."

"You're doing great out there without me."

"God, I wish that I could do that."

"I've lost my mind, I've spent the night crying on the floor of my bathroom."

"You're so unaffected, I really don't get it."

"I guess you're getting everything you want."

"It's like we never even happened."

"What the fuck is up with that?"

"It's like you never even met me."

"Remember when you swore to God I was the only person who ever got you?"

"Well, screw that, and screw you."

"You will never have to hurt the way you know that I do."

"Maybe I'm too emotional."

"Your apathy is like a wound in salt."

"Maybe you never cared at all."

ENOUGH FOR YOU

"Tried so hard to be everything that you liked just for you to say you're not the compliment type."

"Stupid, emotional, obsessive little me."

"I knew from the start this is exactly how you'd leave."

"You found someone more exciting, the next second, you were gone."

"You left me there crying, wondering what I did wrong."

"You always say I'm never satisfied, but I don't think that's true."

"All I ever wanted was to be enough for you."

"You couldn't have cared less about someone who loved you more."

"I'd say you broke my heart, but you broke much more than that."

"I don't want your sympathy, I just want myself back."

"Don't you think I loved you too much to be used and discarded?"

"Don't tell me you're sorry, feel sorry for yourself."

"Someday, I'll be everything to somebody else."

"You always say I'm never satisfied, but that's not me, it's you."

"I don't think anything could ever be enough for you."

"Nothing's enough for you."

HAPPIER

"We broke up a month ago."

"Your friends are mine, you know I know."

"You moved on, found someone new."

"I thought my heart was detached from all the sunlight of our past."

"Does she/he/they mean you forgot about me?"

"I hope you're happy, but not like how you were with me."

"I'm selfish, I know, I can't let you go."

"So find someone great, but don't find no one better."

"I hope you're happy, but don't be happier."

"An eternal love bullshit you know you'll never mean."

JEALOUSY, JEALOUSY

"I kinda wanna throw my phone across the room."

"Comparison is killing me slowly."

"I'm so sick of myself."

"I'd rather be anyone else."

"My jealousy started following me."

"I see everyone getting everything I want."

"I'm happy for them, but then again, I'm not."

"Their win is not my loss."

"I can't help getting caught up in it all."

"I wanna be you so bad and I don't even know you."

"All I see is what I should be."

FAVORITE CRIME

"Know that I loved you so bad, I let you treat me like that."

"I was your willing accomplice, honey."

"The things I did just so I could call you mine."

"I hope I was your favorite crime."

"You used me as an alibi."

"I crossed my heart as you crossed the line."

"I defended you to all my friends."

"Every time a siren sounds, I wonder if you're around."

"You know that I'd do it all again."

"It's bittersweet to think about the damage that we'd do."

"I was going down, but I was doing it with you."

"I say that I hate you with a smile on my face."

"Look what we became."

"I hope I was your favorite crime, cause, baby, you were mine."

HOPE UR OK

"Somehow, we fell out of touch."

"Don't know if I'll see you again someday."

"If you're out there, I hope that you're okay."

"We don't talk much, but I just gotta say, I miss you and I hope that you're okay."

"Nothing's forever, nothing's as bad as it seems."

"I hope you know how proud I am you were created with the courage to unlearn all of their hatred."

"I hope that you're happier today."

"I love you, and I hope that you're okay."

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

[trcstme]

more angst prompts

'maybe we should take a break.' 'we were never right for each other.' 'don't lie to yourself.' 'don't die. please.' 'don't go. don't leave me here alone.' 'i couldn't even do one simple thing.' 'nothing's going right.' 'say that to my face.' 'are you happy now?' 'is this what you wanted?' 'everyone always leaves.' 'i lost everything.' 'i don't know how much more of this i can take.' 'i can't do it. i can't-' 'don't look at me.' 'i don't think we're right for each other.' 'you need to stay away from me.' 'i'm bad for you.' 'haven't you had enough?' 'there's nothing left.' 'this is it.' 'i want to help you. let me help you.' 'all is fair in love and war.' 'i think you've done enough.' 'i'm a nobody.' 'you can't go! you'll die!' 'move! get out of the way!' 'i can't move.' 'read my lips. we're over.' 'don't walk away from me.' 'i didn't want to hurt you. i just couldn't stop.' 'i feel like i can't talk to you anymore.' 'this is killing me.' 'you weren't there when i needed you.' 'i wish, just once, you could love me like this.' 'maybe i liked the lies a little too much.' 'don't go where i can't follow.' 'i can't just let this go.' 'i would've given you everything.' 'please, just for tonight, let's forget what happened.' 'i hate you. i hate that i still love you.' 'i'm not ready to say goodbye...' 'well...always did say i'd end up getting myself killed.' 'please, for once, be honest with me. did you love me?' 'was any of it real?' 'all of that...and for what? are you happy now?' 'sometimes it's just the wrong person at the wrong time.' 'i really did love you, if you can believe me.' 'i can't forgive you for this. never for this.' 'did it hurt you, too?' 'lying is your first language, isn't it?' 'how do i trust you now?' 'i'd let you hurt me over and over again. anything to have you close to me.'

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

[trcstme]

Sarah isn't used to this anxious feeling. It feels like her first mission all over again. And she can't stand it. He's no different from any other asset or any other agent. She did her job to the letter, she looked into him, she convinced him. She did the same old song and dance of promising his loved ones would be protected. So why does it feel different this time?

She knows that it's in everyone's worst interest to get attached. She knows it wouldn't be like the last time she made that mistake. But she knows the consequences that came with making that mistake last time. She knows how many people got hurt, how many things went wrong. She's read the mission reports, it's a wonder Beckman didn't pull her and Casey out of Burbank for good.

She can't afford for this one to go wrong.

"Agent Walker." Beckman says, no fondness slipping into her expression and no attempt at pleasantries. It's better that way, she knows. Due to Carlos and the fact that the Sarah she knew is not the one on this side of the screen. She's never been so grateful for Beckman's professionalism. Because the last thing she needs is Carlos knowing anything about the way her last mission went. She doesn't need his already weak trust in her to lessen before they've even started.

"I trust Officer Reyes has been brought up to speed." But she's not looking at Sarah, she's looking at Carlos. Because, really, Sarah isn't here for much. This is Beckman's chance to touch base with Carlos and make sure he knows exactly what is being asked of him. To make sure he realizes how important it is that he doesn't screw this up.

Carlos didn't hesitate, taking a seat as he took in more of his surroundings. This wasn't exactly how he imagined this all starting, but then again he didn't really expect the CIA to take any interest in him at all. It was too late to back out now. He had already said his goodbyes to everyone he cared about, given up the things that made him Carlos Reyes for the time being. He had to make it all worth it, and he knew that this was going to be an important assignment. Even more so when she had greated the person on the screen.

General? How high up did this request come from? He felt himself straighten in his chair, trying to keep his mind from spinning. Somehow this entire thing just got bigger and more real. Whoever they were sending him to get, they were dangerous. Dangerous enough that the General was involved. Carlos took a minute to make a silent promise to himself, that he was going to do whatever it took to make it back to TK.

Carlos knew better than to say anything until he was addressed directly. Instead he rolled his shoulders back, keeping his attention on both the people in the room with him and the one on the screen.

#nctafraid #i've burned all of my bridges and learned every last lesson too (au verse feat nctafraid) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

[trcstme]

@smiletimeisrunningout said: "I missed you, and I didn't realize how much until I saw you yesterday."

Making friends has never come easily to Sarah. Not that many people have ever actually wanted to be her friend. It's easier when she's lying. When the friendships are a part of her cover. Because then they're not actually friends with Sarah, they're friends with a character. A persona she's crafted to get close to them. It makes cutting her loss easier. It offers an added sense of detachment that she desperately needs.

It's so much harder when she actually cares about the person. It's so much harder when it's real. That's why knowing Emma has always been a little difficult for her. Their backgrounds aren't that far removed, but she has the feeling that Emma's more trusting than she is. She's more open than Sarah has ever been able to be, more open than Sarah probably ever will be. And that can be scary sometimes.

And despite her training, Sarah doesn't always respond well in the face of fear.

It's Sarah's fault, if she's being honest. She said some things she shouldn't have. She was meaner than anyone should be to a friend. And she regrets it. But she's also not great at apologies. She didn't intend for things to get this difficult. She didn't expect it to impact work so much.

But the missions have been suffering lately. The distance is starting to weigh them down. But she doesn't know how to apologize. She's not sure where to even start. She's not sure how to explain without turning it into an excuse. It all feels very complicated.

She should've figured Emma would be the one to initiate the conversation, though.

"I don't really know what I'm supposed to do with that." And she's not lying. She's not used to being missed. She's not used to being close enough to someone for that to be possible.

#smiletimeisrunningout #what about all the times you said you had the answers? (au verse feat smiletimeisrunningout) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue) #( i felt the need to let this be a little angsty )

[trcstme]

"Future Nostalgia" by Dua Lipa Sentence Starters

FUTURE NOSTALGIA

"I wanna change the game."

"I know you're dying trying to figure me out."

"My name's on the tip of your tongue, keep running your mouth."

"No matter what you do, I'm gonna get it without ya."

"Can't be a rolling stone if you live in a glass house."

"I can't build you up if you ain't tough enough."

DON'T START NOW

"Did the heartbreak change me? Maybe."

"But look at where I ended up."

"I'm all good already."

"So moved on, it's scary."

"I'm not where you left me at all."

"Don't start caring about me now."

"Walk away, you know how."

"Aren't you the guy who tried to hurt me with the word 'goodbye'?"

"Thought it took some time to survive you, I'm better on the other side."

COOL

"Guess I never had a love like this."

"You got me losing all my cool."

"I love the way you move."

"I like us better when we're intertwined."

"My love makes you brand new."

PHYSICAL

"Common love isn't for us."

"We created something phenomenal. Don't you agree?"

"You got me feeling diamond rich."

"Nothing on this planet compares to it."

"Who needs to go to sleep when I got you next to me?"

"I know you got my back and you know I got you."

"Love the simulation we're dreaming in."

"I don't wanna live another life cause this one's pretty nice."

LEVITATING

"If you wanna run away with me, I know a galaxy and I can take you for a ride."

"If you're feeling like you need a little bit of company, you met me at the perfect time."

"You want me, I want you."

"I believe that you're for me."

"I see us written in the stars."

"I feel like we're forever every time we get together."

"You can fly away with me tonight."

"Let me take you for a ride."

PRETTY PLEASE

"Somewhere in the middle, I think I lied a little."

"I know that I seem a little stressed out, but you're here now."

"Hate it when you love me unattended."

"I miss ya, and I need your love."

"When my mind is running wild, could you help me slow it down?"

"Put my mind at ease."

"Would you help me out, please?"

HALLUCINATE

"I'ma love you like a fool. Breathe you in 'til I hallucinate."

"I can make it pretty, I could string you along."

"I couldn't live without your touch."

"I could never have too much."

"I'll breathe you in forever and ever."

"I'm losing my mind."

"I hallucinate when you call my name."

"Put you in my hall of fame, middle of the wall."

"You're my one, my favorite, my ride or die."

"Wanna be right where you are."

"Let's go dancing in the dark."

"Kill me slowly with your kiss."

"Make me lose my mind."

LOVE AGAIN

"I never thought that I would find a way out."

"I can't believe there's something left in my chest anymore."

"Goddamn, you got me in love again."

"I used to think that I was made out of stone."

"Show me heaven's right here."

"Never have I ever met somebody like you."

"Used to be afraid of love and what it might do."

"I'd rather die than have to live in a storm like before."

"I can't believe I finally found someone."

"You're the one that I want."

"I'm not afraid anymore."

"We're in love."

BREAK MY HEART

"I've always been the one to say the first goodbye."

"You say my name like I have never heard before."

"I'm indecisive, but this time, I know for sure."

"I hope I'm not the only one that feels it all."

"Are you falling?"

"You know you can get whatever you want from me."

"I'm afraid of all the things it could do to me."

"I was doing better alone."

"When you said 'Hello', I knew that was the end of it all."

"Now there ain't no letting you go."

"Am I falling in love with the one that could break my heart?"

"I wonder, when you go, if I stay on your mind."

"Everyone before you was a waste of time."

GOOD IN BED

"You love to disappoint me, don't ya?"

"You tell me what I want, but ain't no follow through."

"If you only knew me the way you know my body."

"I've been thinking it'd be better if we didn't know each other."

"Got me thinking it'd be better if we didn't stay together."

BOYS WILL BE BOYS

"Isn't it funny how we laugh it off to hide our fear when there's nothing funny here?"

"Boys will be boys, but girls will be women."

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

[trcstme]

THAT'S THAT ME ESPRESSO ! lyrics from sabrina carpenter's single ❛ espresso ❜, a buzzy pick-up-line-coded bop

now he's thinking about me every night.

is it that sweet? i guess so.

say you can't sleep? baby, i know... that's that me espresso.

i can't relate to desperation...

my give-a-fuck's are on vacation.

i got this one boy, and he won't stop calling...

when they act this way, i know i got 'em.

too bad your ex don't do it for ya.

walked in and dream-came-true'd it for ya.

soft skin, i perfumed it for ya.

i know i mountain dew it for ya

one touch and i brand-new'd it for ya

i'm working late, 'cause i'm a singer.

he looks so cute wrapped around my finger.

my twisted humor makes him laugh so often.

my honey bee, come and get this pollen...

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

[trcstme]

She feels something twinge in the back of her brain. She's not sure if it's the remnants of something nagging at her, or if it's just frustration that the universe seems to consistently be steering her into the path of nerds. Whatever it is, this is starting to make a little more sense.

Those pictures are still strange, she still can't quite wrap her head around them. But a few things are falling into place. She can see, at first glance, why it's plausible that she could've fallen for this guy. She's a sucker for a nice smile, and this guy has one of the best smiles she's ever seen.

If there was ever actually anything between her and this guy, she thinks it'll fall more into place soon enough. She wonders if knows more than he thinks he does. She wonders what's wrapped up in that memory loss of his. But that's not a line of questioning that she can pursue. That'd be a bit too suspicious.

"Work, actually." She says, rolling her eyes with a slight fondness. She'd planned this backstory to the letter over the last few weeks. There can be absolutely no cracks. Nothing that can give her away. Not before she gets close enough to get to the bottom of this. "The company I work for just opened up a new office, so I got transferred."

"I got to fall in love with Star Wars and Harry Potter all over again. There are very few people in life who get to experience those things for the first time all over again." Another part of his personality he had to gain back thanks to Kara. She remembered who he was, the things he loved, and helped bring him back to a place where he felt comfortable in his own home. Comfortable in his own skin really. It's why he couldn't risk anything happening to her now.

"But ya know, enough about me. What about you? What brought you here in the first place?" He asked with a smile. Of course, DC was a tourist attraction but not many people ventured out to Arlington where Winn rented an apartment with Kara. It wasn't known for much other than being close to the nation's capital.

#forthewinn #forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met (au verse feat forthewinn) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue) #tw: memory loss

[trcstme]

She wouldn't be bothering with following after him if she didn't think she could get through to him. And if she can't, then she definitely isn't going to let him go into this alone. Whatever this is. Whether he wants her help or not.

She honestly didn't expect him to respond to her line of questioning at all. She figured they'd walk in stony silence for a while and then he'd lose her, or at the very least he'd try to.

Part of her job, whether they realize it or not, is to learn exactly what makes all of them tick. She's supposed to know as much about all of them as she can. She's supposed to be the one with contingencies. Shaking her is a lot easier said than done, even for someone like him.

And then he asks her what she thinks he's doing. And he's right. She has been imagining something. It's nothing good. It's bloody and awful. Something that definitely won't help his public opinion. Something that definitely goes against any kind of orders their superiors would've given.

"Something that could make the government rethink your pardon." She fixes him with a look that is equal parts unimpressed and exhausted.

She really shouldn't have let herself care so much about him. She should've kept it strictly professional, shouldn't have let her heart get involved. Not that he knows about that. Not that he knows about the misguided crush she's been harboring for the last few months.

Maybe they'd all be a lot better off if she went back inside right now. But she knows, they both know, that's not going to happen.

He’s usually better at hiding things. A real pro at it if he actually tries, decent enough even if he doesn’t. Information doesn’t leave him freely, it has to pulled out slowly and methodically— at least, that’s what he’s used to. He can’t deny that being part of a team again had him relearning a thing or two about trust. Things he knew once, but was sure he lost somewhere in the alps a long time ago. He doesn’t hate it. The therapist they assigned him tells him he should lean into it. Well, she tells him a lot of things and he will confidently blame her for his position at the moment. 

Not that Walker knows that. Said position is his silent feet heading for the door with a bag over his shoulder, no less shifty than he has been all week. He can understand why she’s asking questions. He really wishes she wouldn’t. 

“Can I ask you a question?” He adjusts the duffle on his shoulder, nudging his chin towards her, “What do you think I’m doing? You've gotta be imagining something.”

#( i want to say that obviously no feelings need to be reciprocated ) #( just that i feel sarah has feelings for him ) #( which is one of the explanations for why she'd go as far as she is willing to go for him ) #sxrgeantbarnes #cause i'm afraid of losing everything i'm ruining (marvel verse feat sxrgeantbarnes) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)

[trcstme]

🐝  *  ―  𝑷𝑰𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮 / 𝒀𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺.

❛  i can't stop thinking about you even when i try.  ❜ ❛  every time i see you, it's like my heart skips a beat.  ❜ ❛  i never realized how much i needed you until you weren't there.  ❜ ❛  do you ever feel like there's something missing ... like a piece of your heart is somewhere else?  ❜ ❛  i wish i had the courage to tell you how i feel.  ❜ ❛  if only you knew how much you truly mean to me.  ❜ ❛  do you ever wonder what it would be like if things were different between us?  ❜ ❛  sometimes i wonder if you ever think about me the way i think about you.  ❜ ❛  i had a lot of dreams about you recently.  ❜ ❛  somehow, you're always on my mind.  ❜ ❛  i think i've been in love with you since the day we met - scratch that, i know i've been in love with you since the day we met.  ❜ ❛  my biggest wish is to hold you close and never let you go.  ❜ ❛  all my life i've felt like a part of me was missing, but with you i've finally found it.  ❜ ❛  you deserve better than who i am right now, but i'm gonna keep trying to become someone you do deserve.  ❜ ❛  every time you smile at me, i get this flutter in my chest.  ❜ ❛  do you think i'll ever be worthy of your love?  ❜ ❛  i want to be the person to make you happy. the one person you can always come to with whatever you need.  ❜ ❛  will we ever get another chance together?  ❜ ❛  you were the best thing that's ever happened to me.  ❜ ❛  my biggest regret is ever letting you go.  ❜ ❛  i'm still in love with you ... and i honestly never stopped.  ❜ ❛  when i wake up in the morning, you're the first person i want to see.  ❜ ❛  every time i wake up, i check if you wrote me another message.  ❜ ❛  i wish i could be as important to you as you are to me.  ❜ ❛  it hurts when you don't talk to me like you used to.  ❜ ❛  i miss everything about you, your touch, your laugh, your smile. i wish i could have that back.  ❜ ❛  i want to fall asleep wrapped in your arms.  ❜ ❛  hold me closer; i always feel safer when you're with me.  ❜ ❛  there's so much i wish i was able to tell you.  ❜ ❛  i know things aren't easy right now, but i want to remain a fixture in your life. after all, you're one in mine.  ❜ ❛  i miss the way you always made me smile.  ❜ ❛  you're the reason i keep holding on.  ❜ ❛  maybe we're supposed so to remain a case of 'right person, wrong time' forever.  ❜ ❛  if only you knew how i feel about you.  ❜ ❛  i'm yearning to hold your hand in mine.  ❜ ❛  i think you are the one for me, and i hope one day i'll be the one for you, too.  ❜ ❛  do you think i'll ever become more than a friend to you?  ❜ ❛  my heart belongs to you, always and forever.  ❜ ❛  my first instinct is to protect you, no matter the cost.  ❜ ❛  i've been thinking about us a lot lately.  ❜

#you don't have to thank meme it's my job to protect you (ask meme) #how many times do you have to be the hero to realize queue are that guy? (queue)