Rock, Meet Hard Place 4
Warnings: this fic will include elements, some dark, such as noncon/dubcon, and other untagged triggers. Please take this into account before proceeding. It is up to curate your online consumption safely.
Summary: your boss makes a deal that proves less than beneficial for you.
Characters: Nick Fowler, Lloyd Hansen
Author’s Note: This is what you asked for so don’t even.
Please feel free to leave some feedback, reblog, and jump into my asks. I’m always happy to discuss with you and riff on idea. As always, you are cherished and adored! Stay safe, be kind, and treat yourself 💜
“His dick is out.”
The words wake you out of your daze. You barely remember grabbing the phone, but you have it pressed to your ear as Nick snarls on the other end. You put your hand on your forehead and yawn.
“Fowler, it’s two in the morning--”
“I said his dick is out, harpy,” he snips.
You sigh, “tell him to put it away.”
“Oh, thanks, didn’t think of that,” he retorts sarcastically.
You shake your head, “I’m sleeping. Figure it out--”
“Harpy, I haven’t had a blink. He’s been ranting at me for hours. And his robe keeps—Goddamnit, Hansen, close it!”
You hang up before you can hear the rest. You set your phone to do not disturb and roll back over. You sink into the white noise and another blissful reprieve from consciousness. You work hard when you’re paid to. Outside of those hours, you don’t put thought to it.
You wake with your alarm. You have your routine; cleanse, moisturise, tone. Then a light glimmer of concealer and gloss of lip oil, a bit of mascara. Many women tend to put on too much in an effort to hide their wrinkles. You never minded the lines.
You dress; a high-collared boucle jacket and cigarette pants. You put on your usual leather boots and tap out of your house. The heels are thick and pointed but not high.
You have enough time to stop for coffee. You grab the seasonal flavour and head off to Fowler’s. As you do, you smirk to yourself. You almost forgot about the late-night SOS. You hope he ended up getting some sleep. Either way, he’ll be a treat.
You claim your usual spot and enter through the gate. All seems as it should be as you head for the door. Still, you feel a sort of unease.
As you enter the house, your toe meets an empty bottle that skitters over the floor. You close the door and look around. There’s a puddle of liquor near the stairs. It must have been some night.
You hover your foot over the bottom step as you sense something through the doorway of the front room. Hansen’s naked ass hangs off the couch as he teeters on the edge. You blink and shake your head. You head upstairs.
You enter your office and put your bag on the desk. Fowler’s door is open. You can hear him snoring. You near and peek inside. He’s slumped over the side of his chair, an empty glass on his desk. His shirt is unbuttoned and untucked.
You return to your desk. You could wake him up but you’re not his mother. You sit and set to reviewing your roster. Contracts but no meetings. You made sure his schedule was mostly clear for Hansen’s visit.
You focus on getting through your task list. Eventually, you’ll need him to wake up but you can have mercy. Let him make up for lost sleep.
As you sip your coffee, you hear footsteps in the hall. There’s a grumble through the door as it opens from the other side. You glance over your monitor as Lloyd walks in with only a pillow to hide his pelvis. He at least has an ounce of shame.
“Nicky--” he calls then stops himself as he sees you. “Ah, there she is, the shrew. Ready to be tamed?”
You roll your eyes. “Good morning, Hansen. I’m afraid Fowler’s not taking walk-ins.”
“Well, aren’t you a peach,” he tuts. “Have a sense of humour.”
“You’re not a very funny joke.”
“Oh, ouch,” he touches his chest as if he’s been shot. “That stingggs.” You stare at him. His brows tweak and he winces again, “now that cuts deeper.”
“I’m afraid Fowler is not up to visitors right now. He had a late night,” you look at your monitor and click around. Those leather boots are to die for.
You ignore the man as he lurks. “I can wake him up.”
“I won’t stop you,” you mutter.
“You know,” he diverts and approaches you, “I’d like you to try. I mean, you sucker punch a guy once and you think you got him figured out--”
“You come any closer and I’ll snip it off,” you grab the scissors from the pen stand and flash the blade at him.
He looks down as he keeps his hand around his groin.
“Hey, if you want a peek, you just gotta say the word,” he snickers. You open and close the blades and he gulps. “No fun.”
You keep the scissors and swivel your chair. You grab your cup with your other hand and sip. You stare at him dully. He tilts his head coyly. His eyes wander over to the screen.
“Nice boots. You should get them. I’ll let you step on me, mistress,” he purrs.
You angle the scissors under his hand and press the flat to his balls, “go put some pants on before you have nothing to put in them.”
“You’re fucking spicy. I like it.” He snarls and wiggles his hips.
You retract the scissors and stand. He puffs up his chest. Is he flexing? You put the scissors under his nose and snip the ends of his mustache. He yipes and recoils, swinging free as he feels his upper lip.
“Woah, ho, what the fuck? You don’t mess with a man’s stache!” He roars as he reels and pats his lip frantically. “Goddamnit! You really are goddamn harpy.” He searches around and runs over to the decorative mirror by the coat rack. “Fuck. It’s uneven!”
“Not much of a difference. Still looks awful,” you snicker and slide the scissors back in the holder.
“What the fuck?” A grumble rolls like gravel as Fowler staggers through his office door. He buttons his shirt but one tail is longer than the other. “All this fucking noise—ah, Jesus, Hansen, I’m having nightmares about your fucking taint.”
“Oh, but your dreaming of me, pretty boy,” Hansen winks and drags his hand from his mustache.
Fowler growls and his chest deflates. He looks at you, “I need coffee and he needs some goddamn pants!”
“Should I put on the assless chaps or the snakeskin?” Hansen taunts. He meets only stolid silence. “Holy balls, you two are just lively. Aren’t you? Look, we’re workin’ together. I’m tryna break the ice.” He rolls his eyes and turns to strut away, “fine, better get one last look before I put the cake away.”
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Hello, i've read your work recently and i'm in love with your writing! If you mind can i ask where the reader somehow remember their past life and saying sorry to the love and deepspace character? I wonder about their reaction where mc feels really guilty at them. Thank you <3
Dear lonely-dreamer,
Thank you so much for the request. It took awhile but I finally managed to finish it. Since we know too little about Sylus (or even Caleb), I wrote for only the 3 first MLs. I might write something else for Sylus and Caleb later :3
Hope you like this piece. Have a wonderful day!
Lost. Found.
When you suddenly find the memories of the past lives, which you once lived with him.
── .✦ Character x Female Reader|MC
Included parts in order: Rafayel, Xavier, Zayne.
♡︎. Tags: angst, hurt/comfort, short, myths related.
♡︎. Word count: 2k1
── .✦ Masterlist ♡ Request a fic - currently closed.
Roam on, my love
down life's
long road
we will
be lost
and found
a thousand times
before
we meet again.
— ATTICUS.
Rafayel
Talia came to find Rafayel in the middle of the night, while you were still half asleep, feeling his warmth slowly fade from the space next to you in bed. You sensed a major event had happened, which was why Talia hurried here alone at such a dark hour, looking so terrified.
You had intended to go downstairs and make some tea for the guest. But as soon as you reached the stairs, Talia's voice echoed through the half-open door.
"He will not be the last Lemurian to be slain... You know that, don't you, Rafayel? That we don't have any time left..."
Your bare feet paused. The cold air from the stone stairway touched your palm, waking you up. Yes, you were no longer dreaming. This was real. As real as everything you had seen since touching that protocore. During a mission last month, you happened to resonate with a strange protocore. It caused you to perceive illusions, but not quite so. They were like recollections from your past lives, fragmented and sewn together in front of your eyes. The feud between you and Rafayel from a long, long time ago.
So you were aware that your tale and what Talia had said were related. Rafayel’s silence made her even more impatient. She added:
“They want her, Rafayel. They will come for you. I can’t convince them anymore… They will find her sooner or later. You already know the price…”
Time passed slowly in the dark corridor. You understood everything Talia had said, that the girl was you. What the Lemurians desired was inside your chest. You remembered, not everything, but vivid dreams told you what you had done to the Lemurians, to Rafayel.
But it wasn’t you. It was a completely unfamiliar version of you.
A moment after Talia left, you entered the room. The warm firelight from the enormous fireplace filled the room and illuminated Rafayel's slumped back. When he heard your footsteps, he turned around with a feeble smile and asked:
“Why are you out here, my princess? Did I and our unexpected guest awaken you?”
You gazed at him for a brief moment. After all, you understood that every time he called you princess, it was not just a loving pet name.
You moved closer and hugged Rafayel. You had not told him about your dreams or what you had recalled. That night, you were determined to tell him everything.
Rafayel was astonished. The warm firelight in his eyes blurred, and pure white pearls began to tumble to the floor.
“I’m sorry… Rafayel… I’m so sorry…”
Rafayel seized your hands, drew them closer, and kissed them with his lips.
"To be loved, it's not a sin."
His fingers tenderly wiped the tears from your face. He had waited so long for you to discover who you really were, and at the same time he hoped you would never know. That way you could live your days freely, not bound by the hatred of the past. Yet you still remembered everything.
Your breathing became heavy with each sob. You said:
“Rafayel… If you want my heart…”
"I want it to stay there," Rafayel said. "Within your chest. It's yours. Across the past, present, and future. I have never once regretted giving it to you. If you remember, you know I always try to rewrite our story, right?”
“But the Lemurians…”
“They are losing faith in me. I understand. But all I need is your faith. We will get through this and never be apart again. Do you understand?”
You did not dare to believe that there might truly be a happy ending for you and Rafayel. But in that moment, as you gazed into his resolute eyes, you realized that you would do everything just to stay with him.
Xavier
Lately, you had a hunch that Xavier was going to leave.
Ever since you returned from that mission, there appeared to be an unseen divide between you two. You knew it was not him, it was you. The mysterious protocore you accidentally came into contact with during the mission caused you to see things. The dreams were fractured, with no beginning or end. However, you comprehended them as if they were recollections from your former lives.
You kept it hidden from Xavier. He merely thought you were acting odd since you returned, but he would not compel you to say anything against your will. You secretly searched for evidence to back up what you suspected. And you found it.
You knew about the Backtracker fleet. You knew about Philos. And you knew about Lumiere.
Xavier kept everything hidden for your safety. And yet, you kept this a secret because you did not wish for him to suffer. Again.
You still did not know what to say to him, or how to compensate for his loss. He had sacrificed so much, for you. But somewhere inside, you still felt a little resentful that he had left you all alone. You knew he was ready to make the same decision as when he abandoned you at Philos.
“Go to bed early.” Xavier stroked your head gently. “In a few days, when you wake up, I’ll be by your side.”
Lie.
“Do you really have to go?” You hesitated. “I mean… You could have refused this mission.”
You could have stayed. You could have told me the truth.
"I have to go." Xavier responded. He gently squeezed your cheek. "But I'll be back shortly. Do not worry too much. Remember to eat well and skip any meals. Don't stay awake too late. It's getting colder; remember to stay warm. If you are bored and miss me, you may play the video games I recently purchased or watch the unfinished movies..."
It sounds like you're not coming back! You held back the tears and replied:
“If you don’t come back soon, I might have to watch them all by myself.”
“Then I’ll have to ask you to tell me the plots.” Xavier smiled. He lightly kissed your forehead. “I’ll leave now.”
You sat on the sofa, listening to his footsteps as they slowly walked away. A slight "click" was heard as the door closed.
His mission was only an excuse. A few days back, you overheard him and Jeremiah talking. He intended to use this expedition to stage a phony "missing case" to distract those who had betrayed him. With Jeremiah, he would lead them away from Linkon, away from you.
He chose to leave you. Again.
Warm tears streamed down your cheeks. All alone, what should you do? You recalled the scene in the past, in which you sat on the throne with the blessings of so many people, yet absolutely on your own. You had counted every star waiting for the day Xavier would return to you as promised. But he had completely disappeared.
This time, he pledged to return to you. This time, he would also break his promise.
You brushed the tears away. You had been thinking a lot in the last several days. You still blamed Xavier, but you understood why he had done so. And you had distanced yourself from him since you were unsure how to confront him. But, at this point, none of that mattered when you might lose Xavier again. Forever.
You raced out of the home. You did not care about the past. You had no concern what the future held. The most important thing to you right that moment was Xavier alone.
Unable to wait for the elevator, you decided to run. You caught Xavier standing outside, likely waiting for Jeremiah. You hurried over to embrace his back. To Xavier's amazement and your weeping, you stated:
“Don’t go… Xavier… Don’t leave me alone again… I’m sorry that I assumed you left me to find your true star… I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, that ever since I touched that protocore, I started remembering what happened in Philos… I know who you are. Who I am… So don’t think you can fool me again… This time, I’ll go wherever you go. Let me face it with you, okay?…”
Xavier did not have time to respond. You could feel his entire body shudder as a burning tear fell onto your hand, which he had just squeezed so tightly.
Zayne
"Doctor Zayne is out of danger. You can come in." Greyson's voice sounded out. Yvonne stood alongside him, relieved. You nodded at each of them and entered the hospital ward.
How strange, since in all the previous cases, it was Zayne standing here, and you were the one lying on the bed.
There was an attack on the outskirts of Linkon. You were sent to investigate, and Zayne had accompanied his team from Akso Hospital to treat the injured. While fighting the Wanderers, you encountered a peculiar protocore. It had drawn you into a bizarre realm where you appeared to glimpse the lives you had once lived, with Zayne.
You were not sure how long you had been there. It was like a dream, with no sense of time or who you were. You were lost down there, so deep that Zayne had given up everything to find you. The real Zayne, yours, in this timeline.
The price of bringing you back was him lying there, fighting for every breath, body covered in wounds and almost completely frozen.
The price of bringing you back was him laying there, battling for every breath, his body covered in wounds and almost frozen.
You lightly stroke his frigid hand. Zayne did not respond but his heartbeat remained steady. He would live. That was what Greyson told you, and it was all you held on to that moment.
Hope.
You stayed by his bedside all night, breathing life and all of your love into Zayne’s hands. When the first rays of the morning light woke you and the warmth returned to him, his eyes fluttered and gradually opened. You squeezed his hand.
“Zayne… Zayne… You're here!…” You cried out. You called for him and not completely him, but the Zayne of all the lives you had found.
Tears began to trickle down your pale cheeks. Zayne carefully wiped them away.
“Why are you crying?… I… did not go anywhere…”
You grabbed his hand and pressed your face against it. You kissed his hand aggressively, as if you were scared he would disappear again.
“I don’t believe you anymore… You lied… You always said that I would live a happy life in the end… But then, you vanished without a trace… Did you think you could fool me again this time?”
Zayne’s pupils widened. In an instant, his reaction shifted from astonishment to joy, then despair.
“I…”
"You know, right?" You dried your tears, halting whatever he was about to say. “You know that we don’t have just this one life. Right? You know that you disappeared in front of me in the jasmine field… You left me seeking for you among mountains and hills… This time, you really intended to leave me again… Do you believe that I could really live happily in a world without you?” You let out all your pent-up emotions through each word, each tear. Zayne stared at you with a mix of anguish and joy. You were aware of the same thing he was.
"I'm sorry…" Zayne spoke softly. His fingers cradled your chin and softly elevated your face.
“Why should you apologize?… After all… The one who is most at fault is me… Because of meeting me, Zayne…”
You trailed off. Choking. Your entire body trembled as emotions came to the surface. Zayne struggled to sit up, then drew you into his arms and embraced you hard.
“Because of meeting you, I learned what it means to love someone. Because of meeting you, my world is no longer lost in ice and snow… I chose you. It will always be you…”
You let out another sob. You clutched to Zayne. “I’m sorry… I’m really… I’m sorry…”
Zayne's weight was resting on your head as he kissed your hair. He rubbed your back to soothe you, like he always did.
“It's alright now… It’s alright… When I came to find you and get you out of the protofield, I thought I wouldn’t have the strength to go back anymore… Yet I heard you calling my name all night long… You helped me find my way back. You found me. You saved me… This time, I have no intention of letting you go ever again.”
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Most fics I have read - even/especially the very good ones - that include Anakin having a relationship with Obi-Wan after Mustafar (or AUs where something similar to Mustafar occurred) are almost always frustrating to me. At least unsatisfying.
Anakin having any kind of positive relationship with Obi-Wan post Mustafar always seems to rely on a level of introspection and self awareness that frankly my head canon of Anakin is totally incapable of.
Anakin is not a forgiving person, even at his best. He is kind and generous but not forgiving. He remembers every slight (real or imagined). He holds onto those memories and lets them fester.
He also remembers all the good. He never forgets them. He cherishes them and polishes them and places them on a pedestal.
It's why (and a symptom of) he's so fucked in the head when it comes to his most important relationships.
He has no synthesised view of Obi-Wan or Padme or Palpatine or Luke. They are all of the things they have ever done to or been to Anakin.
What changes is the weighting Anakin gives to each of these things, with a massive recency bias.
I don't see how Anakin, in the full knowledge that Obi-Wan is the man who cut off his limbs, set him on fire, left him to burn, left him for Sidious to find, and then stole and separated his children before Padme's body was cold...
Could ever forgive him.
The why's and the intentions and who deserved what just wouldn't matter to (my head canon) of Anakin.
In lieu of self-awareness many fics give Anakin basically limitless self loathing. So instead of dealing with Obi-Wan or Padme or whatever he just hates himself so much that he doesn't have time to hate Obi-Wan anymore.
There is a lot I like about this (narratively/as entertainment) but I think the thing it misses is that is how Anakin worked prior to Mustafar anyway. He already hated himself almost limitlessly and he still found the time and energy to hate Obi-Wan.
After Mustafar he would have so much more justification for that hatred and resentment. So why would his self loathing get in the way?
The longer the timeline of these stories aligns to canon the more true this becomes.
I think by the time you get to Ghost Anakin at the end of ROTJ the things he would regret most are (in no particular order): choking Padme, handing Luke to the Emperor, torturing Leia, chopping off Luke's hand. MAYBE he regrets Alderaan but only in as much as it made Leia sad and means she hates him.
And he would likely blame everyone and anyone but especially Obi-Wan for this.
If Leia's surname was Skywalker, if they weren't separated, if Luke wasn't lied to about who Vader/Anakin was, if the Jedi hadn't filled Luke's head with lies and trained him as a weapon etc.
The rest of it? I just don't know that Anakin would really regret that much of it. I don't think he would see much difference - even with hindsight - between what he did as Vader in service of the Empire and what he did as Anakin in service of the Republic.
Killing the Jedi younglings probably sits in its own category. However, I maintain that Anakin would believe this was an acceptable price to save Padem IF it worked.
That might be his biggest regret - that none of it worked, that he lost Padme and his children anyway.
But any time travel force shenanigans where Vader uses the dark side to yeet himself into the past such that he can save Padme etc.
He would think that was a good deal.
There is the final (meta) element to all of this which is that Anakin's eventual forgiveness of Obi-Wan seems to generally function more as a narrative tool to assuage Obi-Wan's guilt, rather than some kind of real character development for Anakin.
And TBH I just want Obi-Wan to suffer/don't cate about him but that is another post.
I do however have sympathy for this - because I think Anakin is really, really hard to write.
A "redeemed" Anakin in my mind isn't one who suddenly becomes some kind of virtuous rules based utilitarian like the Jedi aspire to be, like Obi-Wan is.
A redeemed Anakin is one who chose his son, chose his family. A redeemed Anakin is one who was finally put in a position where choosing his family WAS the greater good. Anakin chose to save Luke - and kill Sidious - for the exact same reason and applying the exact same logic he applied to every other major choice he ever made.
And I don't see that Anakin as ever getting over what Obi-Wan did to him and his family. At best I see him not killing Obi-Wan because it would make Luke sad.
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