#Curiosity in a Junkyard

[thelvadams]

60 YEARS IN TIME AND SPACE

Yes, it all started out as a mild curiosity in a junkyard. And now it's turned out to be quite a... quite a great spirit of adventure, don't you think?

[hy6erion]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐱 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

⍣✰...𝐕𝐢𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐬, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐰

⇢ 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲/𝐧, 𝐲/𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬

𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐀𝐀𝐀 𝐤𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 Ó╭╮Ò

The murky underbelly of Zaun was alive with the endless hiss of steam vents, the low groan of pipes, and the occasional bursts of green luminescence that spilled from the cracks of the labyrinthine streets. Viktor, still just a boy with a mop of unruly hair and limbs far too thin for his age, sat on the cold stone steps of an abandoned factory. A small wooden contraption rested in his hands — a toy boat he had cobbled together from scraps and discarded parts he’d scavenged earlier that day.

The other children in Zaun called him strange, always teasing him for how he rarely joined in their rough-and-tumble games. He didn’t mind much. He liked the quiet. Solitude was predictable, safe even. No one mocked him for his limp when he was alone.

He twisted a tiny crank on the toy boat, its copper sails catching the faint light from a nearby bioluminescent sign. The gears inside clicked softly as the boat began to wobble forward on the damp stone, mimicking a real vessel in rough seas. Viktor smiled faintly.

“You made that?” A voice broke the stillness.

Startled, Viktor looked up to see a girl standing a few steps away. She was small, maybe a year or two younger than him, with hair that gleamed silvery-white, like threads of moonlight, and eyes so dark they seemed to drink in the dim Zaunite light. She wore a patchwork dress, clearly made from repurposed fabrics, but it was clean, which was rare for Zaun’s children.

“Yes,” Viktor said hesitantly, clutching the boat protectively. “It’s… just something I made.”

The girl tilted her head, her hair shifting like liquid silver. “It’s not just anything. It’s amazing!” She stepped closer, her bare feet making no sound on the stone. “Does it really work?”

He blinked at her enthusiasm, unsure how to respond. Most kids either ignored him or mocked his creations. “It… moves. But it’s not waterproof, so it won’t float on water.”

Her lips curled into a bright smile. “Still amazing. I’m y/n, by the way.” She plopped down on the step next to him, uninvited but without any malice.

“I’m Viktor,” he mumbled, feeling the unfamiliar heat of someone sitting so close to him. He shifted slightly but didn’t tell her to leave.

Y/n‘s eyes fixated on the toy boat. “How did you make it? The little… um, spinny things?”

“Gears,” Viktor corrected instinctively. He held the boat up and turned it slightly so she could see the inner workings. “I found them in the junkyard. And the sails are… just tin scraps. The crank here winds up a spring, and it powers the gears to move the wheels underneath.”

Y/n‘s face lit up in fascination. “You’re really smart, huh?”

He blinked, taken aback. “I… just like making things.”

“Well, I can’t make anything,” Y/n said, laughing softly. “Except trouble, I guess.” She leaned back, looking up at the grimy sky above Zaun. “But I like looking at things. Like this boat. It’s like… like you made something small and beautiful in a place where everything’s broken.”

Viktor didn’t know what to say to that. He looked down at the boat, suddenly seeing it in a new light. “I just… I wanted to see if I could make something that worked. That’s all.”

“Well, you did,” she said firmly, nudging him with her shoulder. “It’s really cool. Can I try?”

“Try?” Viktor repeated, frowning.

“The crank thing,” Y/n clarified, pointing at the mechanism. “I want to make it move.”

Viktor hesitated, clutching the boat tighter. It wasn’t often someone touched his creations, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about sharing. But there was something earnest in Y/n‘s expression, a curiosity that mirrored his own when he first started tinkering.

“Okay,” he said finally, handing her the boat. “But… be careful.”

Y/n took it with delicate hands, her fingers brushing against his briefly. She turned the crank tentatively, her tongue poking out slightly in concentration. When the gears clicked and the wheels started to move, her face lit up with unrestrained joy.

“It works!” she exclaimed, laughing. “This is incredible!”

Viktor found himself smiling despite himself. Her laughter was infectious, a rare sound in Zaun’s dreary streets.

“Do you… live around here?” he asked awkwardly, unsure why he even cared.

Y/n shrugged, still watching the boat roll forward on the step. “Kind of. My dad works in the sump — fixing pipes and stuff. He’s hardly home, though, so I wander a lot. What about you?”

“I… live alone,” Viktor admitted quietly. “My parents… they’re gone.”

“Oh,” Y/n said softly. “I’m sorry.”

Viktor shook his head quickly. “It’s fine. I’ve been on my own for a while now. It’s… easier that way.”

“Doesn’t sound easier,” Y/n said matter-of-factly. “Sounds lonely.”

Viktor didn’t reply, his gaze fixed on the toy boat. He wanted to say that he didn’t mind being alone, but her words lingered in his mind, heavy and undeniable.

Y/n set the boat down carefully between them. “If you don’t mind, I’ll come visit you. You know, so you’re not alone all the time.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Viktor said quickly, his voice stiff. “I don’t need—”

“I know you don’t need me,” Y/n interrupted with a grin. “But maybe you want someone to talk to. And… I like your inventions. I want to see more of them.”

Viktor stared at her, unsure how to respond. No one had ever wanted to spend time with him before, not like this. “I… guess that would be okay.”

“Good!” Y/n said, hopping to her feet. “I’ll come back tomorrow. And maybe… you could teach me how to make something?”

Viktor blinked, surprised by the suggestion. “You want to learn?”

“Why not?” Y/n replied with a shrug. “If I can’t make anything on my own, maybe I can learn from someone who can.”

For the first time in as long as he could remember, Viktor felt a flicker of something warm in his chest. It wasn’t quite happiness, but it was close. “Alright,” he said quietly. “I can teach you.”

Y/n beamed at him, her dark eyes shining like polished obsidian. “It’s a deal, then.”

As she bounded away, disappearing into the maze of Zaun’s streets, Viktor sat there with the toy boat in his lap, his thoughts racing. The world around him was still grimy, still filled with the smell of oil and decay, but it didn’t feel quite so oppressive anymore.

For the first time in his life, he wasn’t entirely alone. And somehow, that made all the difference.

[ladykailitha]

Never Hold Back Your Step Part 4

One month later...

Sorry about that guys. Hopefully now that Batshit Soulmates and Not All That Glitters is Gold is coming to end next week, you'll get more of this story.

In this we have the relay race, Steve getting weird vibes from his teammates, and finally putting his foot down with Nancy.

Again Nancy will get worse before she gets better.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

****

Steve kept catching Ezra looking at him at the strangest times. It made something between his shoulder blades itch. Like it had back in the junkyard with the demodogs. Just that feeling of...not evil. But danger. He just couldn’t shake the feeling.

He stood behind the jump box and shook his arms loose. He hopped up and down on the balls of his feet trying to stay warmed up. All along the line the other competitors were doing the same.

He got into position and pulled his goggles down. Then the shot went off and they all dived in.

Steve was going up against his teammates for the individual events and knew that for this first one, he had it in the bag. Butterfly was his specialty. So he focused on beating them and not worry about the other competitors.

He knew his form was good, his strokes powerful. His breaths perfectly timed.

Before he knew it he was touching the end plate and getting out of the water.

He saw a couple other boys getting out of the water after him, but it was clear he had beaten them.

His coaches were cheering almost as loudly as the crowd was and Steve felt a sense of accomplishment, one that wasn’t tied to other worldly dimensions and protecting nosy ass teenagers from monsters. He smiled up at the stands and waved.

He took off his goggles and waited for the judges to read the results. A boy from Chicago was second and third place was from Minnesota. But Steve was the undisputed winner.

His teammates mobbed him, jumping on him and cheering.

He watched as his teammates won medals in their heats too. Then they called it for the boys for the day.

Steve hit the showers ready to get that oil slick feel of the chlorine off his skin. Grateful that the cap protected his hair.

He scrubbed his skin with the soap and again he could feel someone watching him, but this time when he looked up, he couldn’t tell who it was as there were so many people around.

It made his skin crawl. It was like sharing the shower room with Tommy and Billy all over again. An experience Steve would rather not repeat. But it wasn’t as though he could go to the coaches with anything, either. There was always going to be boys staring at you in the showers. It didn’t necessarily mean they were gay either. Hatred. Envy. Even curiosity.

He quickly got dressed and hurried out to his waiting friends.

Jeff put his arm around Steve’s shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?”

Steve looked behind him, but didn’t see anything. He nodded. “Just jumpy being so far away from home, I guess.”

Eddie frowned.

Wayne clapped his hands together. “All right, Jeff and I are going site-seeing this afternoon. You boys behave yourselves.”

“Never!” Eddie cackled.

Jeff gave him a high five. “The only way to be.”

Steve and Eddie watched as they walked away talking about all the places they were going to see.

“This about your comic, baby?” Eddie whispered.

Steve shook his head. “I’ll tell you all about it when we get to your hotel room.”

Once they were up in Eddie’s room, Steve flopped on the bed dramatically.

“I would give up sports all together if I didn’t think my dad would kill me if I tried.”

Eddie cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean, gorgeous?” He got up onto the bed next to Steve.

“Ever since I fell from popularity or lost my crown or whatever,” Steve grumbled, “it’s been really hostile in the locker rooms.”

Eddie laid down next to him. “Even with the swim guys?”

“Before this trip I wouldn’t have thought so,” Steve murmured. “But I’ve caught Ezra staring at me more than once and it’s making my skin crawl. And I’ve been feeling it when he’s not around, too. I don’t know, it might be in my head.”

Eddie pulled him close. “I doubt it’s in your head, Steve. I know you better than that. You wouldn’t be feeling it if there wasn’t something to it.”

Steve let out a sigh. “I guess.”

Eddie pressed his lips to the column of his throat. “I know just how to distract you.”

Steve hummed. “I was hoping you might.”

****

Steve stood in line for the final event. The 4x100 m/yd medley or relay swim. They were all bouncing on their toes, trying to shake off their nerves.

Steve was up third with the butterfly and Ezra was last with free style, with Nike and Lyle starting for back and breaststroke respectively.

Lyle was their weakest link, and being second, it could really hurt them if Steve couldn’t pick up time. Ezra was by far and away their best and fastest swimmer. His front crawl was incredible to watch.

Nick got up on the podium and readied himself for the starting shot. Steve nodded in approval. Nick’s stance was good.

BANG!

And they were off. Nick slicing through the water like a knife. He spun around and began the backstroke. He had an instinct that couldn’t be taught and that’s why he was the best at his part of the relay.

He touched the plate below the podium and Lyle was off, showcasing exactly why he was on the team. His broadstroke was good, but not great. What he was great at was getting off the starting podium at the precise moment Nick touched it.

Steve got up and focused on Lyle coming back down the length of the pool. Lyle was doing well, keeping up with the other teams and not losing any ground that Nick bought them.

He leapt in and all the roar of the crowd, the splashing of the other teams’ members, even the sound of his heart beat went away. It was just him and the water. No distractions, no worries, no fears, just the way the water flowed around him.

Each movement was flawless, breathtaking. Then he was touching the pad and Ezra was splashing into the water above him. He pulled himself out of the water and the world came rushing back in.

He was handled a towel and he began scrubbing his face so he could watch Ezra finish their heat. It really wasn’t even contest. Ezra turned before the other teams were even half way. Ezra would have to get a cramp and drown in order for them to catch up.

Something he obviously didn’t do. He tapped the panel and pulled himself out of the water. He looked up at the time clock with a frown. They had won. Of course they had, but even Steve could tell that hadn’t beaten the record.

Even though Steve and Ezra were co-captains, they had flipped a coin in the locker room to see who would be on the podium if they medalled. Ezra had won.

Steve smiled at his teammate. They had kicked ass.

They all hurried to get showered and changed so that they could celebrate with the people that had come to see them compete and their coaches.

Then they got the news. Nationals were going to be held in California that year in two weeks. They only had two weeks to raise the money to go all the way out to California and Steve felt in the pit of his stomach that Nancy was going to bring it up again. But he pushed it as far to the back of his mind as he could.

Now was the time celebrate.

All throughout dinner and as they got ready for bed Steve still felt like Ezra was watching him. It seemed less hostile then from when they were in the showers, but it still sent a chill down Steve spine as he tried to keep the conversation light with the other boy.

The next morning they all packed up, ready to go back to Hawkins.

It had been a fun trip, the weirdness with Ezra aside. Steve had a few medals to take home with him. A couple of golds, three silver, and a bronze. And they were going to Nationals. It had been one hell of a trip.

****

Of course, Nancy had made a fuss about them going to Nationals. She had ranted about it in the school newspaper again.

Even Tommy H stopped to ask him if Nancy had it out for him in particular after the article came out.

It was the first nice thing that Tommy had said in literal months. And the thing was, Steve didn’t know.

In fact Steve was speaking more to Jonathan at the moment than he was Nancy. A fact that hadn’t escaped him.

So he finally cornered her about it at her locker after school a couple of days after the article came out.

“Seriously, Nancy,” he growled. “What the hell is your problem with me?”

She straightened up. “My problem, Steve, is that you played with my heart for almost two years and I’m suddenly supposed to be okay that you’re dating a man?”

Steve looked around to make sure no one was around to hear that. He grabbed her arm and dragged her to an empty class room.

“Are you trying to get me beaten up?” he hissed. “First this campaign of yours against the swim team and now outing me in the middle of the fucking school, Jesus Christ!”

“Does Eddie know he’s dating a coward?”

Steve straightened up and squared his shoulders. “You’re jealous.”

She folded her arms and leaned back on one foot. “What? No I’m not.”

“You are!” he laughed. “This make so much more sense!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Steve leaned down into her space. “Oh but I do. You see, Nancy. Despite everything I did love you, but you never loved me. You’ve always been waiting for something better, for someone better and you moved on the instant you found it.”

“That’s not true!” Nancy hissed.

“You didn’t even wait until we had officially broken up to sleep with him for fuck’s sake!” Steve hissed back. “And now that I’ve found someone who loves me for who I am, you can’t deal with it. Because you want to remain as your second option. Well, I’m not some college you can fall back to when your first choice falls through. I’m a human being who just wanted you to love him.”

She stomped her foot angrily. “You don’t get to say that. You’re gay, Steve don’t give me this bullshit about loving me. Because you can’t.”

“I did love you, Nance,” Steve insisted. “Maybe I wasn’t sexually attracted to you, but we both got off and you know we did. Love isn’t just about romance and sex. There are other kinds. But I won’t let you continue to hurt me because you’re jealous.”

“What are you going to do about it?” she huffed.

“I’ll tell the journalism teacher that you have a vendetta against me and to talk you off writing sports,” he said with a shrug.

Nancy scoffed. “He wouldn’t do that.”

Steve tilted his head. “You’ll find I still be pretty persuasive when I want to be. And who is he going to believe? Co-captain of the swim team or little Miss Priss?”

Her jaw dropped.

“That’s what I thought.”

And he walked away.

****

Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16

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[ruewrote]

𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠.

PAIRING: chloe price x fem!reader WARNINGS: no use of y/n GENRE: fluff SONG INSPIRATION: you by petit biscuit WORD COUNT: 635

navigation | ask | life is strange masterlist

you could hear chloe approaching before you saw her. the crunch of boots on gravel and the unmistakable sound of her humming some tune under her breath. you smirked to yourself, whole body shaking with excitement, hardly being able to contain yourself as you wait in front of the gleaming new truck, parked on the edge of the junkyard.

when chloe finally appeared, her brows knitted in suspicion. “okay, you’ve officially got me curious. what are we doing here?”

“patience, price,” you said, grinning. “i’ve got something for you, but i’m not gonna let you spoil it before it’s time.”

you stepped toward her, hands behind your back. “but first, i need you to trust me.”

she raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “oh? and how do i know you’re not gonna lead me into a trap?”

you laughed softly, stepping closer until you were right in front of her. “you’ll just have to take the risk.”

before she could protest, you gently reached up and placed your hands over her eyes, guiding her forward. “no peeking. just walk with me.”

chloe let out an exaggerated sigh, but you could hear the excitement in her voice. “this better be good.”

you led her carefully through the maze of scrap cars and rusted metal, feeling her hands grip your arm as she relied on you to navigate. each step brought you closer to the surprise.

“okay, we’re almost there,” you whispered, feeling her body tense slightly with anticipation.

“ready?”

she nodded, her breath catching. “yeah, i think so. lay it on me.”

you removed your hands from her eyes, stepping back as she blinked into the fading sunlight. the moment her gaze landed on the sleek, new truck parked in front of her, you could see the disbelief wash over her face.

“dude…no fucking way,” she whispered, eyes wide. “is this…?”

“yours,” you said with a grin, watching her reaction carefully. “happy birthday, chloe.”

she froze for a moment, staring at the truck like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. her hand reached out, fingertips grazing the hood.

“holy shit,” she muttered under her breath. “this is… this is seriously mine?”

“seriously yours,” you confirmed, leaning against the truck. “i’ve been working for months to save up for it. you’ve been through enough with that old deathtrap. i figured you deserve something better.”

chloe’s eyes widened even more and for a moment, she seemed at a loss for words. she stared at the truck, then back at you, her expression shifting from disbelief to something deeper, something overwhelmed. “you…you did all this? for me?”

you nodded, smiling softly. “yeah. every extra hour, every side job, it was all worth it to see you with something that’s actually reliable. something that feels like you.”

for a second, she just stood there, processing the fact that you’d gone through all that for her. her voice was quieter when she spoke again. “no one’s ever done something like this for me before. i don’t even know what to say…”

she looked at you, eyes filled with gratitude, something raw and real. without warning, she pulled you into a tight embrace, holding you close, like she didn’t want to let go.

“you didn’t have to do this,” she murmured, her voice low and a little shaky. “i seriously don’t deserve this…”

you smiled, resting your chin on her shoulder. “i wanted to. you deserve it more than you know.”

she stepped back, wiping at her eyes with a quick, embarrassed laugh. “okay, okay. enough mushy shit. let’s take this beauty for a spin.”

you watched as she hopped into the driver’s seat, her usual bravado returning as she revved the engine. the smile on her face as she looked back at you,

 that's what made it all worth it.

comments and reblogs are appreciated ♡

© ruewrote 2024.

[oswildin]

|| WHEN TIME STANDS STILL [LOKI X READER] - CH.3

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Once again back in the wasteland of the Void, (Y/N) knows they need to plan - properly this time. But, of course, they aren’t alone in their desire to get to the Time Keepers. Loki has plans of his own, and he knows that (Y/N) could be the key… But what happens when the God begins to feel… empathy for this anomaly? What happens when the mystery only seems to deepen? (TAGS: Eventual romance, reader insert, slight enemies to lovers, angst and comfort, Loki (2021 & 2023), sci-fi, mystery.)

Chapter Song: ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ - The Verve

Chapter Warnings: Very brief mentions/allusions to ideation/‘wanting things to end’.

WORD COUNT: 6.3K // PAIRING: Loki x GN!Reader // RATING: PG

MASTERPOST // PREVIOUS CHAPTER

CHAPTER III: “WHERE ALL THE VEINS MEET”

(Y/N)’S HIDEOUT, THE VOID, THE END OF TIME

Loki let out a breath, wiping his hands on the sides of his trouser legs to try and rid some of the grime from his palms. His tie was slightly skewed, hair a little more unkempt than usual, swipes of dirt and dust on his face from his arrival into the Void. It was a lot to take in. A whole realm solely for the TVA to dump unwanted things… Whole branches discarded like trash, along with the people who lived in them… It was dire - even by his standards. But… It was also quite the power to wield… One he could use… His thoughts were disrupted by the sound of metal hitting wood, the God turning away from the rickety ladder to see you stood near one of the cracked stone walls, countless tally marks etched into the material. His dark brows furrowed faintly in curiosity.

His blue eyes flickered over the new environment, taking in the sparse - and rather run down - furnishings. A small writing desk sat tucked in one corner, his keen eyes noting the pocket knife which he assumed had been the metal he had heard clanking against wood. There was a couch, one he could only imagine was once white, tatty and worn, an equally as tatty blanket draped over the back of it. Then his eyes landed on the dusty record player, following the wires to a small generator - which he dreaded to ask how that was being powered in such a desolate place. And then there were the records themselves, piled in a way that seemed far too orderly for a junkyard realm. He noted vinyl sleeve sat at the top, reading the text: ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Verve’. Mortal music he assumed.

“Don’t touch anything.” The voice snapped him back to the present, watching as you glared his way, clearly displeased with him being in your space. He ignored you, choosing to indulge his curiosity instead.

“What are these?” The God gestured towards the wall where the carvings were, his polished shoes gently clicking against the stone beneath his feet as he approached it. You glanced at the tallies, pursing your lips.

“Deaths.” You answered simply. Loki didn’t need to ask who’s. It was yours, clearly. The sheer amount of marks in the wall gave him pause. It felt… different. Heavier even… Seeing them remembered and counted in such a way. It was different reading the number on paper in a TVA case file. This was… More human.

“Right.” He murmured lowly as you moved away from the wall, heading towards a small cabinet that sat across the room. “And I suppose this is your…” He paused, eyes drifting over the space, a hint of discontent on his face. “Humble abode?” The words came out dry, slightly skeptical.

“What? Were you expecting a palace?” You huffed, rolling your eyes, bending down as you opened the lower cabinet door, reaching to grab some of the medical supplies you’d managed to scavenge. “This is the Void, your highness.” You spoke sarcastically. “Luxury is the last thing I have on my mind.”

Loki watched you stand, kicking the cabinet door closed gently behind you as you approached the couch, bandages and other mortal medical items in hand. It was then he noticed the rather large cut on your forearm, clearly an injury from being thrust back into the Void. “Yet you have those.” Your eyes followed Loki’s gaze that had drifted towards the vinyls as you took a seat, sighing. You gave a small shrug.

“Music keeps me sane.” You muttered, placing the supplies down on the arm of the couch as your eyes focused on treating your injury. The cut wasn’t too deep, but it stung. Clearly it had been a rougher landing this time. “Music is a constant in a universe that is unpredictable and chaotic.” You continued quietly, tipping a small amount of alcohol onto one of the cloths. “No matter where I end up, it’s always there in one way or another.” You took a deep breath, pressing the cloth to the wound, face scrunching slightly at the sting. “With music… You aren’t alone.”

Loki pursed his lips, features thoughtful as he listened to your words. ‘How poetic’. The thought was a mix of dry wit and sincerity. Loki could appreciate the art of music… For a moment he thought about the royal trumpets of Asgard, the strings of a viola, the gentle keys of a piano… Simpler times. ‘Gone now.’ Straightening, Loki shook away the flicker of melancholy, his eyes spotting a notebook sat on the opposite arm of the couch. Whilst you were distracted with your wound, he slowly began to pace towards the couch, keeping his gaze wandering to appear nonchalant. Whilst you wrapped the bandage around your forearm, Loki took the opportunity to swipe up the notebook, turning away from you to begin to flick through its discoloured pages.

‘The TVA - “Time Variance Authority”. AKA Time police.’

‘The “Sacred” Timeline - ??? Branches = Big no no (apparently). Multiversal war.’

‘“Time Keepers” dictate the flow of time, what should or should not happen. 3 Lizards…???’

Loki glanced over his shoulder, ensuring you were still busy as he flicked further through the scribbled pages.

‘THEY ARE VARIANTS.’

Loki paused, seeing the big handwritten letters on the page, underlined. ‘Who are ‘they’?’ Loki’s brain began to work, processing the information as he continued reading.

“Hey!”

A hand suddenly swiped the notebook out of the God’s slender fingers, his gaze whipping up at the sight of you stood slightly behind him to his left as you clutched the book in your hand, forearm now bandaged. “What did I say about not touching anything?” You snapped, brows creased. Loki let out a sigh, rolling his eyes.

“Excuse me for taking an interest.” He quipped wryly. “You see, I don’t know much about you.” He slowly turned to face you, eyes narrowing. “Apart from the obvious.” He paused. “And you don’t seem to be willing to indulge me either.”

“For good reason.” You huffed, snapping shut the notebook. “For one, look at what you’re wearing.” You eyed his TVA uniform in distrust. “For two, you’re—“

“A Loki, yes, I know.” He droned, tucking his hands into his trouser pockets. “You’ve mentioned that point already.” You remained silent, holding his gaze a moment longer before turning away, moving to place the notebook on the desk beside your pocket knife. “The way I see it is that we are both criminals to the TVA. Your existence is a crime within itself and my little betrayal back there so we could escape makes me even more of a criminal now, so…” He raised a brow, smirking faintly. “Why don’t we… form an alliance? Two time criminals against the TVA is much better than one.” He flashed a charming grin, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly, yet his irises remained sharp, calculating.

You let out a scoff, whipping round to face him. “And by ‘alliance’ you mean use me and then throw me under the bus to get yourself out of trouble.” You shook your head, folding your arms over your chest defiantly. “Yeah, not happening.” Loki’s smile tightened, faltering faintly as he took a slow, almost predatory steps closer.

“And what will you do, hm?” His voice shifted, taking on a more patronising edge. “Continue this never ending cycle? Take down the TVA on your own?” He scoffed. “Please.” He stopped before you, his intense eyes piercing into your own. “You need me.” You couldn’t stop the laugh of disbelief that left you then, your gaze flickering away. “I’m a God, I thrive in chaos. Something evidently that rules over you. I can be…” He lowered his voice faintly. “Very convincing.” A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes, your own returning to his face. You remained unimpressed, arms still crossed, brow raising into an arch.

“Is that a threat?” You asked lowly.

“It’s a promise.”

“Wow-“ You breathed out. “Did that feel good?” You asked sarcastically. “Do you feel powerful when you say things like that?” Your voice took on its own edge of mockery, making Loki’s jaw twitch. “‘I’m a God, I’m not one to be trifled with.’” You mimicked, tilting your head. “Please.” You threw his earlier scoff back in his face. “You’re a magician.”

‘The gall of this— this human.’

Loki’s anger peaked, bristling at such a disregard of his abilities, his power. His form straightened further, trying to make himself as tall and intimidating as possible, but you never flinched. You held his gaze, you stood your ground. “Take care with your worlds, little anomaly.” He hissed. You smirked. You even dared to take a step closer, almost toe to toe with the God.

“Or what?” Your own voice lowered, barely above a whisper. “You’ll kill me?” You tsk’d. “You know you can’t. I’ll just come right back.” You paused, raising your chin. “And even if you did, you’d be the one to suffer. All alone in a new realm. One that is likely the most dangerous place you’ve ever been… With threats you’ve never faced before…” Another pause. “With no way out.”

Loki remained silent, his nostrils flaring faintly as he realised you were right. Killing you would be futile. You were an asset. Whether he liked it or not. Finally, he let out a low growl of irritation, turning away. Your smirk widened, a triumphant look on your features.

“That’s what I thought.”

You were sat at the desk, scribbling more writings down into your notebook, the distant rumble of Alioth filling the tense silence of the space. Loki hadn’t said a word since your little confrontation. It seemed he had chosen a tactical retreat - for now. But you knew better. He was likely plotting still. Scheming away quietly. Glancing across the room, you saw Loki sat on the couch, eyes fixed on the wall where your death tallies were carved, his form tense. He looked like his mind was elsewhere. You hated the pang of sympathy you felt for him. He had been plucked from his life, ripped away from his universe… He’d had his own life turned upside down. Just as many variants in the Void had. You let out a slow breath, putting down your pencil as you leaned back in your chair, the wood creaking with the movement.

“Where did they get you?” You asked, pulling Loki’s focus towards you, his brow raising in silent question. “The TVA. What was your ‘crime’?”

Loki paused, shifting slightly as he rested his hands on his thighs, rubbing the fabric slowly in an unconscious manner, gaze lowering. “Escaping with the Tesseract during the Battle of New York.” He answered lowly. “Apparently, I was supposed to be taken back to Asgard, imprisoned for my crimes against Midgard and its people.” He added dryly. “And then… I was supposed to die at the hands of Thanos.”

“Ah.” You grimaced slightly, a little awkwardness in your features. “Right. The big purple guy.” You nodded faintly. “Yeah… Seems like he was supposed to get a lot of you.” You commented, sighing as you pushed yourself to stand.

“Have you ever come across the Titan in your many lives?” He asked curiously, watching you closely. You let out a short laugh, shaking your head.

“No. Thank god.” You huffed, approaching the couch. “But I did end up popping up on the timeline during the blip.” You told him. “I saw the destruction he caused… The lives he just… snapped out of existence.” You added, voice quietening, clicking your fingers when you mentioned the snap. Lowering yourself down on the opposite side of the couch, you angled yourself towards him, arm resting along the back of the couch. “Just another being with too much power who believed he was right.” Loki’s lips twitched ever so slightly upwards, a low hum escaping him.

“And I assume that is how you view my past actions?” He theorised, leaning forwards as he rested his elbows on his knees.

“Depends.” You shrugged. “Is that how you view your past actions?” The question made Loki pause, his brows ever so slightly creasing, lips tightening into a thin line.

“No.” He finally answered, voice low and even. You didn’t push any further, staying quiet. Perhaps this Loki wasn’t so far gone then… “Alioth.” He remembered the note you’d made in your book. “The cloud monster… What is it?” You pursed your lips, letting out a small breath through your nose.

“No one really knows.” You shrugged lightly again. “One of the many mysteries of the universe it seems.” You added dryly. “But I theorise it’s likely made up of temporal energy. I mean… It’s capable of devouring anything and everything from any time, any universe.” You paused, eyeing the God. “I can imagine it takes a lot of power to do that.” Loki’s features shifted slightly, his gaze flickering away as he straightened, slowly leaning back. The cogs in his mind were once again turning, thoughts racing as he remembered something.

“Violet.” The word left his lips quietly, making you raise a brow.

“Uh… Yeah, well done buddy. That’s a colour.” You quipped wryly. “Did you knock your head on your fall here?”

“No-“ Loki shook his head faintly, shifting on the couch to angle himself more towards you, making you furrow your brows. “Violet.” He repeated lowly. You simply stared at him, giving him a look that said ‘okay…?’ Loki sighed. “In your file, back at the TVA, your temporal aura reading.” He continued, gesturing a hand towards you. “It was violet.” A pause. “Alioth - the beasts energy is violet too.” You sat silently, your eyes flickering over his face, seeing the thoughts processing in his mind. “Mysteries of the universe.” He repeated your own words.

“So…” You murmured. “What are you suggesting?” You shook your head slightly. “That there’s a link between me and the thing out there?”

“I don’t know-“ Loki sighed, frowning. “Maybe.” He shrugged, trialing off as you stared at him. “Or maybe it isn’t the universe who created either of you at all.” Those words were murmured, more to himself than to you, but you’d heard enough. Pushing yourself off of the couch, you headed towards your small stockpile of supplies, grabbing the boxed wine you had found a while back.

“Well, while you do the math, I’m going to have a drink.” You huffed wryly. “Because quite frankly, I think I deserve it after the two days I’ve had.” You grabbed two small cups, heading back to the couch as you set the items down on the wonky coffee table, lowering yourself into your spot on the couch again.

“What happened to not indulging in luxury?” Loki quipped, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

“Hmm, yes, because cheap box wine screams ‘luxurious’.” You remarked sarcastically, a flicker of amusement in your eyes as you finished pouring the first cup. “I hope it’s to your standards, your highness.” You commented lightly, making Loki let out a soft huff of amusement as you handed him the cup. His fingers ever so faintly brushed yours as he took it, but neither of you seemed to notice as you turned to pour a cup for yourself. Loki’s keen eyes observed you, taking in the weariness you tried to hide. He could see it, that look of defeat that lingered, but also that flicker of defiance that was hard to ignore. It was quite the contradiction. But then again, so was he.

“With music, you aren’t alone.” Loki repeated the earlier sentiments that had left your lips, his eyes drifting towards the stack of vinyls you had. “That’s quite the collection you have there.” He commented thoughtfully. “I don’t suppose they simply fall into your possession.” You smirked faintly, grabbing your now half full cup as you leaned back against the couch cushion.

“Sometimes.” You murmured. “But more often than not I arrive with them.” You explained lightly, taking a small sip of the wine, the taste a bit bitter from its age. “When I reappear on the sacred timeline, sometimes I get the chance to stumble across a record store.” You continued. “Nab one before the TVA arrive to ultimately send me back here.” You let out a soft breath, getting more comfortable. “Technically, I have been unintentionally stealing.”

“How rebellious of you.” Loki quipped, mirth evident in his tone as he too settled against the couch cushions. You let out a short huff of a laugh as he finally took a sip of his wine, immediately grimacing at the taste. “I can definitively say this most definitely isn’t up to my standards.” He muttered dryly, almost glaring at the red liquid in his cup. “If my mother tasted this she would be-“ He stopped himself short, his gaze growing a little distant as the earlier melancholy washed over him once more. This mother… She was gone. The memory of his file played in his mind, Frigga’s death burnt into his brain… Guilt. Regret. Sadness…

You paused, eyes flickering over the God’s face as he seemed to quickly clear his throat. “Hm.” He hummed lowly, simply taking another sip of the wine, clearly pushing through the bitterness. You bit your lower lip gently, a little awkwardly. Your Loki - your friend in the Void - he had spoken of his mother. How he had lost her… The weight of guilt and regret he felt. And you could see it in the Loki beside you now.

“From what I’ve heard…” You began tentatively. “Frigga was kind… Perceptive.” Loki let out a quiet huff at that, briefly glancing your way as if to confirm it.

“She was the kind of person you wanted to believe in you.” Loki spoke softly, his eyes lowering to the wine in his hand, gently swirling it. “Purely decent. Good.” He nodded faintly, taking a sharp breath. Silence fell between you both for a moment, before Loki’s gaze finally lifted, meeting your own. “What about you?” He asked curiously, brows furrowing slightly. “Do you… I mean-“ He seemed unsure on what exactly to ask, or how to ask it. “Have you had anyone or…?” You gave a faint solemn smile.

“No.” You shook your head slightly. “Well, not really.” You huffed wryly. “I try not to get too close to anyone.” You paused. “Suppose there’s a variant of you that I’m… cordial with. But apart from that…” You shrugged, taking another quick sip of wine. “I practically raised myself here. In the Void.” You explained quietly. “But time moves differently… So… I’m likely much older than I appear.” Loki remained quiet, his mind trying to process the thought of being a child thrown into such chaos… Alone. Having to learn how to defend oneself, to survive… To be cautious and not know who you could trust… With questions that no one seemed to have the answers for. It sent a strange pang of sympathy through his chest. It was uncomfortable, unsettling. Loki wasn’t immune to feeling empathy for others, but he had ignored that part of himself for so long… All in the name of ‘glorious purpose’ and a throne…

“I can’t imagine how terrifying that would’ve been.” He finally spoke, his words gentle, barely above a whisper. “And you did it all on your own?”

“I learnt not to trust anyone very quickly.” You replied lowly. “Especially in a place like this… Where everyone is just trying to survive, and will do anything to do so.” You sighed, swigging the rest of your wine with a slight furrow in your brow.

Loki let out a breath, feeling the weight of your words even as you delivered it as if it was merely just another day. You spoke of it as though you were discussing the weather. That’s what unnerved him the most. How normal it was for you. It was tragic in its own way. But it also raised more questions. Something still didn’t feel right to the God. It felt like there was more at play…

“Do you remember anything from before?” Loki found himself asking, his hands cradling the wine cup as he leaned forwards slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.

“Not really.” You half-shrugged, shaking your head. “At least, I don’t think so. Everything before my ‘jumping’… It’s so blurry.” Loki’s lips pressed into a thin line, his brows creasing in thought. “I gave up chasing it. I’m focused on finding out why this is happening to me. To find a way to stop it, even if it results in my end.” You declared, moving to stand. Loki frowned faintly. “Because for a long time I just believed that this was my luck. That this was all that I would get.” You continued, gesturing around you slightly as you spoke. “But no more. I’m going to get to the Time Keepers, and I’m going to find out exactly what is going on with me.” You placed your cup down onto the coffee table with a faint thunk, Loki gently placing his own cup down after you.

“And how do you plan to do that? On your own?” Loki questioned, tilting his head.

“Yeah.” You answered simply, placing a hand on your hip. “Just like I’ve always done.” Loki sighed, pushing himself to his feet.

“Forgive me, but I highly doubt you will be able to get to the Time Keepers on your own.” He said lowly. “You lack… finesse.” You scoffed at that, rolling your eyes.

“Yes, because you’ve been so tactful and skilled so far.” You retorted dryly, sarcasm dripping from your lips, making Loki take a slow breath through his teeth. “Unless you’ve forgotten, I can get out of place pretty easily. You, on the other hand, not so much.”

“The beast.” Loki straightened, raising a brow. “Perhaps that is our way out.” Your lips parted, brows raising as you looked at him as if he had just grown another head. He wasn’t suggesting…?

“Are you insane?” You breathed out in disbelief. “I’m really starting to think you took a knock to the head on your landing here.” You shook your head, turning away as you moved towards the desk.

“Why would it be here?” Loki continued, his eyes following your movements. “What if it isn’t just a mindless monster? What if we could kill it?”

“And what if it just wants to be bezzie mates?” You countered sarcastically, whirling round to look at the God who gave you an exasperated look. “Loki, I’ve seen that thing devour whole crews, whole buildings—“ You took a frustrated breath. “You know what? Fine.” Abandoning your planned task to continue drotting notes in your book, you turned towards the ladder of your hideout. “You wanna figure this thing out, let’s go.” You huffed. “But I’m not saving your ass if you get eaten.”

Stood on top one of the hillier parts of the area, you both looked out over the desolate landscape, Alioth prowling in the distance as purple energy pulsated within its cloudy form. It circled the same area, lingering… lurking. Any time something fell from the sky through a small opening, it moved towards it, checking it out. You supposed maybe Loki was right about it not exactly being a ‘mindless monster’, it clearly had some intelligence. But you’d seen the horrors of its actions… Perhaps it was just easier to believe it wasn’t sentient. Loki stood beside you, eyes fixed on Alioth, studying it almost.

As if on cue, a giant ship fell from the sky in the vicinity of the beast. You felt yourself tense, lips pressing together tightly as you shifted on your feet. Loki glanced your way, noting the change in your demeanour. ‘Ah… They are scared of something after all.’ However, his thoughts were quickly drawn back to the scene before them as panicked yells and screams could be heard, the poor ship crew spotting the monster as it turned to head their way. Your fingers curled, hands turning into fists as your nails pressed into the skin of your palms. And then…

The beast rushed towards the ship, its speed terrifying. It roared, a sound that reverberated around the barren land, sending a shiver down your spine. Even Loki’s confidence seemed to waver, his lips parting in shock, and horror, as Alioth’s smoky form washed over the ship inch by inch, devouring the crew with an ease that made his heart beat quicken. Flashes of violet energy sparked through the beast, as if the lives it was absorbing fed it, fuelled its power. And then once the cloud had fully washed over the large ship… There was silence. No more screams, no more yells… Silence.

They were dead. All of them. In mere seconds.

Loki took a breath, stepping back ever so slightly from the hillside edge, hands moving to his hips. Slowly, you turned to look up at him, noting the apprehension and doubt now written across his features. “M-maybe…” He began, voice quieter than before. “Maybe I was a bit too optimistic.”

“You think?” You quipped, raising a brow. “And you thought you could kill that?” You scoffed, shaking your head. “Now you see why I operate alone.” You muttered under your breath, turning away from him to head back to your hideout. However, as soon as you turned around, the sliding of metal reached your ears, making you startle, stepping back as the tip of a dagger was pointed right at your neck.

“You are like a pesky bug that I can’t quite seem to get rid of.”

Loki immediately turned at the sounds behind him, his hands falling from his hips. His eyes widened as they landed on what appeared to be… another version of himself… ‘Oh, great.’ The Loki stood before them was dressed in a very worn dark suit, a green waistcoat underneath with a matching tie and a pin that said ‘LOKI’ on it attached to his jacket lapel - one that looked like a voting campaign badge. He adorned his usual golden horns atop his head, making his features look sharper, more intimidating.

“And which one of us are you?” The variant eyed Loki, taking in his rather underwhelming TVA attire.

“Is this really necessary?” Loki sighed, gesturing towards the dagger that was still aimed at you.

“Welcome to my world.” You muttered, glancing towards Loki.

“Enough!” The other Loki exclaimed, his voice far deeper and more gravelly than the one stood behind you. “I am President Loki, King of the Void, and this creature is a thorn in my side.” President Loki’s eyes narrowed as they landed back on you, lowering his chin faintly to appear more threatening.

“You stabbed me!” You argued, voice raising slightly. “If anyone is a thorn in someone’s side, it’s you to me!” Loki’s eyes flickered between you both, his hand moving to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“You betrayed me!”

“No I didn’t! I wasn’t even with you in the first place!”

“That is a crime within itself!”

“This is ridiculous.” Loki sighed, shaking his head, hand dropping to his side. “Now I understand why Thor found it so annoying.” He added under his breath.

“Shut up!” “Shut up!”

Both you and the President snapped at Loki, heads whipping towards him. However, before anyone could make any other sound or move, the once distant roar of Alioth was far closer now. You felt yourself freeze, eyes widening as you risked turning, forgetting the blade pointed at you as you saw the large beast was heading directly your way.

“Shit.” You gasped. President Loki’s own eyes widened in panic, and you quickly became a second thought to him and his own survival. Loki felt his own heart thumping in his chest, knowing you had to move - now. President Loki lowered his blade, quickly moving to shove you as you fell to the ground. Clearly, he was hoping to get Alioth to devour you instead of him. Your hands and knees met the harsh ground as you let out a pained ‘oof’. President Loki turned on his heel, immediately taking off without a second thought for you or his variant. ‘Typical me.’ Loki thought dryly before he himself looked down at you, for a moment debating doing the same. ‘Oh for norns sake.’

Loki moved closer to you, his large hand wrapping around your bicep as he pulled you upwards. “Come on!” He exclaimed urgently, helping you up as you ignore the ache that went through your knees. Before you knew it, he was dragging you along with him.

“Get off!” You huffed, yanking your arm from his grip as you began to run.

“Apologies for helping!” Loki quipped sarcastically. “You weren’t exactly moving quick enough!”

“This is your fault!” You countered, glaring at him. “If you hadn’t have wanted to try and kill that thing we wouldn’t be here!” Your hideout was close by, if you could just get to it. You could hear the rumbling behind you, gaining speed. Could you out run such a creature? Probably not. But you would try. Loki’s longer legs let him pass you, his head turning slightly to look at the beast and how close it was. You pushed yourself to try and match his pace, but he was a God after all… His stamina was much better than your own. You could feel your fear beginning to thrum through your body. There wasn’t many things you were scared of, but Alioth… Well, that thing wasn’t exactly the stuff of daydreams.

“Come on!” Loki called back to you, encouraging and snappy as he managed to reach the manhole cover to your hideout, wasting no time in lifting it. Unfortunately for you, your fear got the better of you and made you stumble over a piece of debris hidden in the grass. You hit the ground, the air knocked from you. Your breaths came out fast and heavy as you panicked, eyes wide as your head turned to see the beast mere feet away. “No!” Loki found himself shouting, magic flaring at his fingertips as if to act. But how did he fight such a creature?

In the blink of an eye, your form was gone, surrounded by the beasts smoke as you disappeared from Loki’s vision. A heavy laboured breath left him, as Alioth’s roar sounded once more, almost deafening, but then… The whole of Alioth’s form erupted in violet, the same violet that had pulsated through it before. The beast seemed to almost cower, the sound of lightning clapping around it as the beast turned away, quickly moving off as if it had been wounded. Loki’s brows furrowed in confusion. ‘What was that?’ When Alioth moved away, it’s whispy form retreating and clearing from the area, Loki was surprised to see you. You were still on the ground… Still there. It seemed you were unharmed.

“(Y/N)!” Loki called, legs moving before he could process it. He felt a strange sense of relief fill him, one that implied he cared that you were okay. ‘Ridiculous’. When Loki reached you, his eyes trailed over your form, seeing the way your torso rose and fell from breathing. You were alive. “Come.” He crouched slightly, his hand once again finding your bicep as he tugged you to your feet, not fancying staying outside where the danger was much longer.

Your eyes were still wide, disbelief and confusion evident in your features as you allowed Loki to rush you towards the manhole. “What the hell just happened?” You breathed out finally. Loki shook his head, glancing around you both vigilantly.

“I don’t know.” He said lowly. “But something tells me my initial hunch about this creature and you was right.” Urgently, he ushered you towards the top of the ladder. “But let’s discuss that somewhere more safe, yes?”

‘The mystery deepens…’

You had hardly said two words since getting back into the safety of your hideout. Loki had been pacing, his mind working over time to try and figure out what exactly had happened out there. His earlier theory regarding the beast and you possibly having a link had taken precedence in his mind. It couldn’t be coincidence. Alioth and you seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, no one truly knowing where you came from. Both of you seemed to carry Temporal energy… More than the average being. It was almost like the beast couldn’t erase you. But why? What was it about you?

“What if Alioth is more than a monster who takes out the rubbish, so to speak?” Loki thought aloud, his features fixed in a thoughtful manner. “It seems to work within a certain vicinity. Why? What is it protecting?” He paused, sighing. “And why could it not erase you? You die again and again, you always come back… But this time…” He trailed off, his eyes finally landing on you. You were sat on the couch, gaze distant, seemingly not listening to his words. His eyes followed yours to the wall, once again seeing the markings you’d carved there for every death and rebirth you’d experienced.

Loki’s pacing ceased, his features shifting slightly as he quickly realised that look in your eyes. He’d been there, he’d felt it before. ‘Why couldn’t it just end?’ When he fell from the Bifrost… It was a time he didn’t like to think about, let alone speak about. He had no guarantee he would’ve survived, and he barely did. But that hadn’t bothered him in the moment. In fact, he had almost… welcomed it. Letting out a quiet breath, Loki softly approached, blue eyes flickering to the bandage on your forearm, noting the appearance of blood soaking through the material. Seemingly your few stumbles had caught it, yet you had made no move to patch it up once again.

“May I?” Loki asked gently, gesturing towards your arm. Blinking, you pulled yourself out of your thoughts, looking up at the God when you realised what he was asking. You hesitated, unsure. A moment later, you gave a faint nod. Loki perched himself on the edge of the wonky coffee table, reaching for the bandages you had grabbed and left on the arm of the couch earlier. “You know… It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot you’re scared of.” He continued lowly, conversationally. “But Alioth… The creature seems to frighten you. Not that I blame you, of course. I’d be worried if it didn’t.” He added with a faint smirk, fingers carefully reaching for your forearm, bringing it closer as he began to unwrap the current bandage.

“I guess it’s the fear of the unknown.” You finally spoke, voice quiet - the quietest he’d heard it. “Being pruned by the TVA? Stabbed by your variant? I know how that ends.” You shrugged faintly, eyes watching his actions closely. “But Alioth… I’d never gotten close to it. Never found out. I could only guess what would happen.” You hissed slightly as Loki gently pulled away the last layer of the bandage, the fabric tugging at your wound slightly. “I knew Alioth was different, I suppose.”

Loki hummed lowly in acknowledgment, his hand lightly holding the underside of your arm, eyes flickering over the wound. “And now?” He asked, gaze lifting to look at your face. You pursed your lips, thinking for a moment.

“And now, I’m still left with questions.” You sighed, meeting his gaze finally. “I don’t know what happened. When Alioth came over me I just… It felt like there was a shock— Like static.” You tried to explain. “And then that’s when the violet light happened.” Loki listened intently, grabbing the fresh bandage with his free hand as he moved to begin carefully wrapping it around your forearm. “Perhaps a part of me is disappointed.” You murmured. “Even the one thing I did fear… Couldn’t kill me.” Loki stayed quiet for a second longer, although his features softened, an understanding appearing in his eyes.

“Or maybe, you’re just stronger than you realise.” He said softly, focused on his actions. “You’ve done it on your own. Survived.” He continued. “That is no small feat.” With care, he tied the bandage, ensuring it was secure as his fingers lingered a moment longer than necessary before he pulled back, letting out a breath. “No matter what the TVA believe, or what the Time Keepers dictate… We continue fighting. We continue surviving. Because that’s who we are.” He paused, holding your gaze. “Survivors.”

You bit your lower lip lightly, nibbling slightly as you processed his sentiments. You’d heard similar things before, but this felt different… It felt like it held more weight. Especially after everything. You cleared your throat, looking down at the bandage. “Thanks.” You said lowly, gesturing towards your arm. “For… you know.” It was awkward, felt unnatural coming from your lips. You weren’t used to showing gratitude, or having someone help you in such a way. Loki gave a faint smile, one that appeared the most genuine he’d given so far, as he nodded in acknowledgement.

“Rest.” He told you simply, gesturing towards the couch as he straightened. “I dread to think when the last time you had a decent sleep was. You need a clear mind if we’re going to be getting to the truth of everything.” You raised a brow at that.

“We?” You repeated. “Who said anything about ‘we’?” Loki smirked, pushing himself to his feet.

“I think we’re past discussing alliances now, don’t you think?” He mused. “It appears we are in this together, whether we like it or not.”

[luthien-black]

Starting to introduce in depth some of my OCs, I will bring more as the time goes and I make them proper ref sheets... First I decided to redo my Cats OC ref sheet. I also changed some things such as her paws that now look like actual cat paws instead of human feet and hands... I just did that 'cause it's easier for me to draw paws than hands LOL Does that makes Miyela a furry? LOL IDC TBH I also added fluff to her shoulders just because... Oh, since you're still here reading this, lemme talk more about her so you can know her a bit better, alright? Miyela is part of the Jellicles, but she ain't no stray cat. Being part of Old Duteronomy's numerous progeny, she was adopted by a witch who lives near the Junkyard and was in touch with the occult arts since she was a kitty. She's a very sweet and gentle Queen, who uses her witchcraft knowledge to protect her fellow Jellicles. One curiosity about her is that she is the only Queen who doesn't fall for Rum-Tum-Tugger's charm, for her heart belongs to another Jellicle Tom.

Here's an old picture of her with her human hands and feet and no fluff, but it still being our good and old Miyela. She and Munkustrap looking like they’re having a blast! lol! I’m so freaking proud of these poses! ❤️❤️

Now here's Miyela doing the infamous Jack-O crouch… I couldn’t think of a more flexible OC of mine to do such pose lol.

The toms in the back have nothing to complain about… u.u well, maybe Misto

[girlwiththegreenhat]

hey when they wrote "knight behind bars" and they wrote kitt helping a couple get together and they gave him the line "Some day, it will be my turn" [to find love]. did they know what they were doing. did they know that in some 40 years some gay autistic robot-obsessed little freak on tumblr would not stop thinking about it for weeks and write literal dozens of paragraphs screaming about it on discord. did they know they were going to ruin Me, Specifically, with this concept that feels like the culmination of everything kitt has gone through through the show and such a fascinating thing to think about in regards to michael and kitt's relationship,

one of the themes of knight rider is kitt developing as a Person, developing a line between the Knight Industries Two-Thousand, and Kitt. discovering humanity, his own emotions, the joys of the seemingly and logically pointless, and often through the lens of his own driver, his partner, his friend, Michael - his primary guide through all these experiences, his reference for those human things he doesn't understand. and as much as he initially claims to not be capable of experiencing emotions, of understanding feelings, he learns to. he experiences a wide range of emotions through the show even while claiming he doesn't, he even learns fear and insecurity. perhaps it's only natural a robot would learn to love, or at the very least be terribly curious about it and wonder if such a thing could ever exist for Him

the majority of people are not exactly kind to kitt. they talk about him like he's not there, they talk about him like he's a machine, a novelty, some people are even scared of or disturbed by him when all he's trying to do is make polite conversation and company. he's always Othered - there's no other cars like him (at least not anymore), but there's no other person like him either, he doesn't truly belong among humans or vehicles. some of the technicians at FLAG don't even seem to fully respect him as a person, at least they don't based on my vague recollection of how they talk about him in Junkyard Dog. when Michael asks him after KARR is destroyed if it feels good to be one of a kind again, he doesn't say yes or no - he only says it's a "familiar feeling." it may be familiar, but it's surely also isolating, and i think that's something he'd realize as he slowly picks up this curiosity about love. where could he even find it when so few people see him as an equal person to begin with?

and then there's michael. oh my god, and then there's michael. no matter what flavor you choose to read it in, the whole show is about their relationship, they're a duo, a set Not to be separated, they're Partners. they work together, they worry about and look after each other (forever insane about when kitt was a melted shell, Michael stuck around the garage for hours, waiting for any news like a worried spouse, constantly checking on him every opportunity he got... encouraging him to recover, and even helping paint back on his protective coating... kitt always looks after michael, but for once, it's michael's turn to look after Him), in a way they were Made for each other - Kitt more literally, being programmed for Michael and holding his namesake, but Michael was also made in a sense for the pilot program, hand picked and given a second life to work for the foundation and with this strange supercar. and even if they had a rocky start, michael comes to view kitt as a person - car, TV set, or computer core, Kitt is his partner, his buddy. he helps him find himself, guides him and teaches him about these things that make us human, and in a way, kitt becomes human - but his entire experience is still through the perspective of an AI in a car, it's still very unique and isolating, and I think he sort of grows into his own limitations, he's finally brushing against the walls that define him.

he learns of love, and then he learns to dream Of love. these things he sees in the movies, that michael tells him about, that he so often sees michael Partaking in that he gets so oddly jealous of, doesn't it all seem so wonderful? he's very curious. but who could ever love steel and circuitry, who could ever see him as an equal let alone a partner in a romantic sense? who would ever love a car and all the limitations That comes with? it's a problem for a hypothetical hopeful Some Day, in the meantime stuck between two worlds where he doesn't perfectly belong to either, where no car Can love him and no human seemingly Would love him...

and michael loves him anyway. before either of them really realize or talk about it, in spite of everything, in any form, regardless of the fact it wouldn't be a typical relationship by absolutely any means, michael loves him anyway. kitt is as much a person to him as bonnie or devon or RC, and that person is someone he loves and cares for deeply. the feeling is mutual, kitt's world revolves around michael, he's one of the most important people in kitt's life, and he'd do anything to protect him.

and it is michael that will finally teach him to love, and what it means to feel loved in turn, to be loved as the person he undoubtedly is.

[tornoleander]

Jay’s been through it

CW: Sexual assault Implications brief discussion of sexual predators + lotta swearing

(Please let me know if I missed any content warnings and Check if you are ok to hear this theory before reading. This type content has potential to help or hurt you depending on who you are as is the nature of problematic themes. Safety over curiosity.)

This is cannon compliment. Uhh kids show?! Yeah I know shouldn’t really have these themes but they’re there hear me out. Spoilers for season 6/8 I guess.

I’m bothered by this scene and how It connect to certain events so I’ll cautiously share

Sons of Garmadon Episode 7:

Here is the clip

Kelo asks “Where’s the green Ninja”

WHAT THE FUCK! Dude the double take I had when first watching this.

So he looked at Kelo’s… lower half and basically said ‘Cole shut up that man’s crotch is too close’. And not in Jay joking tone, he’s like dead serious and stressed. (The scene just cuts away after)

Jay you ok? Why is it implied some guy might have tried something?! Why else would he say that?! Who the FUCK touched my boi? What even is this scene?!

The fact it’s Jay that said it out of everyone is bad because it’s been implied to him before.

So let’s talk about the darkest Ninjago theory that’s been quietly circulating for a while in fan content. For simplicity I’ll call it captains quarters theory, If you’re unfamiliar I’ll explain.

Basically some speculation happened because of a certain villain that displayed subtle ongoing predatory behavior. And a part when Jay was his prisoner that caused people to worry what happened before the scene started.

As some of you have caught on It’s the scene where Cole rescues Jay from Misfortunes Keep.

He didn’t find Jay in his cell where he should have.

Cole found him beaten as ninjago has ever depicted except when literally dying.

Alone

no explanation given.

In the corner of Captains Quarters.

Nadakhan’s room.

Dude :(

And his concern afterwards.

And thinking he didn’t deserve saving.

“Thank you for trying to save me,-

It’s Just a lot.

Doing awful things to make Jay wish it all away is terrifyingly in Nadakhan’s character. Not just the sadistic torture part.

Nadakhan has many behaviors similar to a sexual predator. I’ll go over it briefly but see my last post for a detailed analysis.

He Seeks out vulnerable people for victims. The Ninja are teens and he waits till or makes them emotionally vulnerable. The way he talks about gifting his wishes and giving his victims anything they desire can be read as grooming behavior. His secrecy in getting all the ninja alone and doesn’t even talk to his crew about his plans. Manipulative and Controlling obviously.

And the most glaring issues he’s WAY tooo fucking touchy all the time. Like watch his body language during Skybound and see how uncomfortable it is

“Too slow junkyard boy”

Not to mention how explicitly he doesn’t care about consent….

And “If you don’t come willingly Nya, I will take you regardless” followed by a forced marriage.

Side note he doesn’t refers to Jay with his name and the things he calls him…uggh “What lies is our little canary whistling now, hmm?”

So… It’s cannon compliant that something was attempted or happened to Jay. Bruh wtf.

Well if you feel like you resonate with this or it may help there a few great fanworks that explore this I can recommend if interested. Mmm comfort angst.

(Note don’t bother anyone for enjoying Nadakhan as a character. It’s fiction and it hurts no one)

[multiverse--wanderer]

You Are My Quarter Mile | Dom x Brian (Fast and Furious) [ENG]

[Fan-fiction based on the OTP between Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Conner (Fast and Furious) With gasoline in their veins and living life on the road on the wrong side of the law, Dominic Toretto's life will take a complete turn with the arrival of Brian O'Conner. When the heart comes into play, there's no possible handbrake for the soul.

...

REMINDER:

This story has been written in Spanish, which is my native language. This story has been translated to the best of my ability, although it is possible that it may have mistakes.

This is just a way to transport my writing to a common language for the rest of fans like me. For a better immersion, I recommend reading the story in its original version.

You can find this story on Wattpad and Archive of Our Own.

Thank you so much for reading me and see you in the stars.

...

Chapter 3 - He owns you now

The morning sun warmed the asphalt in front of Dominic Toretto's shop, where engines roared and the smell of burnt oil and gasoline filled the air. Brian arrived driving an old van, its engine purring softly, with a trailer hitched behind. It had been a week since the last time they saw each other, a tense week after the events of that night when the lines between duty and loyalty began to blur. This time, Brian brought something special, although it didn't look like it at first glance.

In the trailer, a battered car swayed slightly with the bumps in the road. It was dented all over, covered in dirt, with no windows, and stains of grease and gasoline soaked into its chassis. Beneath the layer of dust, the red color tried to shine faintly, like a reminder of better times. The vehicle seemed more like a lost cause than a promise, but Brian wore a smile painted on his face, radiating an almost irritating confidence.

As he stopped in front of the shop, the team started to approach with curiosity and barely hidden amusement. Dominic came out after arguing with Mia about some bills, wearing his usual oil-stained white tank top and worn military sweatpants, wiping his hands with a rag he tossed aside without much ceremony. His gaze, stern and intense, quickly shifted to Brian, completely ignoring the car in the trailer.

—Great... —Dominic muttered as Brian hopped out of the driver's seat. With a mix of disbelief and mockery, he asked—, What the hell is this? What do you got there?

Brian's smile widened. His blue eyes, even brighter under the tan of his skin, sparkled with a mix of pride and defiance. Dominic couldn't help but notice the fresh scars peeking out from under the short sleeves of his shirt. Brian looked battered and yet strangely happy, as if he'd returned from a fight holding the trophy in his hand.

—This is your car. —Brian extended his hands toward the battered vehicle. Dom burst into a melodic laugh.

A deep, loud laugh that echoed through the shop. Johnny, who had come out behind him, walked up to the car and gave the hood a couple of sharp taps, which made it tremble under his hands as if it were about to crumble into sand.

—My car? I told you a ten-second car, beautiful, not a ten-minute one.

—This one crosses the finish line by pushing it. —Letty muttered, causing Mia to laugh.

—It won't even cross it being towed —Dominic added, though his eyes remained fixed on Brian, a mix of reproach and curiosity in his gaze.

Brian raised his eyebrows, still smiling, as if he were enjoying the others' disbelief.

—No faith?

Brian almost seemed offended, but his mischievous grin dispelled any doubts.

—Oh, I have faith in you, —Dominic replied, crossing his arms— but this isn't a junkyard, it's a garage.

—Alright. Pop the hood. —Brian ordered, moving toward the trailer to release the fastenings.

—Pop the hood?! —Johnny frowned, but couldn't resist the curiosity.

—Pop it and then tell me.

With effort, they took the car off the trailer and brought it into the shop. Under the lights of the lamps, the vehicle looked even worse, but Brian didn't seem concerned. He pointed at the hood, insisting. When they opened it, a murmur of surprise swept through the group. Under the dust and dirt, a perfectly preserved JZ-2 engine gleamed, a treasure buried in a rusted coffin.

—Shit... —Johnny whispered, wiping some parts of the engine with a rag to reveal the technical engravings. Dominic watched in silence—. JZ-2 engine... Damn...

—And what did I tell you? —Brian asked, with a triumphant smile, looking directly at Dominic.

—I retract my previous statement. —Dominic nodded, making a face.

—You know what? It'll beat everyone else after investing about 15,000 dollars in it, or even more if we urgently need to import parts. —Johnny said, tossing a rag over his shoulder.

—We'll put it on my tab at Harry's —Dom said—. We need you back in the race to make some money, Brian. —His voice softened slightly, though his gaze remained intense—. There's a challenge in the desert racing war. This car will be ready by then.

He smiled at him in a special, confident way. Mia, who was watching the scene, smiled to herself, understanding what that silent look meant to Dom.

Brian nodded, feeling a mix of pride and gratitude that he tried to hide behind his carefree smile. Dominic stepped closer, coming within inches of him, his presence imposing.

—I'll tell you what. —Dominic stopped near Brian's body, turning to face the rebellious driver's gaze. Brian felt pride as he sensed his approval, his attention focused on him. —When you're not working for Harry's, you're working here. If you can't find the right tool in this garage, Mr. Arizona... you don't belong near a car.

Brian held his gaze, not backing down, and nodded. There was something about Dominic's intensity that made him feel alive, like he was in the most dangerous race of his life. When Dominic stepped away, leaving a charged silence in his wake, Mia approached. With a knowing smile, she whispered in his ear:

—He owns you now.

The workshop was buzzing with activity. Amid laughter and technical discussions, everyone was collaborating to move the necessary parts to the work area, where the battered car would transform into a worthy racing contender. The engine, the shock absorbers, the brakes, and even the smallest components passed from hand to hand, while the tools resonated like a chaotic orchestra, accompanied by the unmistakable scent of grease and hot metal.

Brian, after making sure everything was in place, headed to Johnny's small office, a sort of technological sanctuary amidst the roar of the engines. The space was crowded with monitors, cables, and electronic parts scattered across the desk. A worn-out poster of a classic Formula 1 race hung on the wall, next to a bulletin board filled with diagrams and scribbled notes.

Johnny, who had already turned on his computer, smiled as Brian walked in. Silently, Brian pulled a small CD from his jacket pocket and inserted it into the computer's disc tray. The screen came to life with graphics and 3D models of the car, as if they were watching the dilapidated vehicle come back to life before their eyes.

—What do you think of this? —Johnny asked, pressing a key enthusiastically. The image of the car slowly rotated on the screen, showing the modifications he had in mind. "Adjustable shock absorbers—. They'll save us a kilo. —He smiled, proud of his technical precision—. And they'll give us better traction to secure the win.

Brian leaned toward the screen after sitting at a small wooden table behind Johnny, observing the details with interest. Johnny navigated through various schematics, pointing out key components and their proposed upgrades.

—Okay, this is the basic design of the car. —Johnny explained, as a simpler image of the vehicle appeared on the screen. He pressed another key, and the image changed, showing a much more streamlined and aerodynamic version—. And this is the design it could have once it's finished. The colors can be changed.

Brian let out a low whistle, impressed by the level of detail and Johnny's creative vision.

—You should go to a specialized university. —He said, looking at him in amazement.

Johnny laughed, leaning back in his swivel chair as if the idea were a recurring joke.

—Yeah, I should... —he admitted, with a nostalgic smile that quickly turned pensive—. But I have that... what's it called? Attention deficit...

—ADHD? —Brian asked, raising an eyebrow.

—That! —Johnny exclaimed, laughing lightly—. That damn thing. It's always messed with my focus. Look, I was good at math, especially algebra. I could solve anything they put in front of me. But everything else... I failed. History, English, even science. I dropped out when I was, I don't know... fifteen or sixteen.

He paused, staring at the computer screen as if he were seeing something beyond the graphics. His fingers drummed involuntarily on the table.

—I don't know... Motors have something that calms me down. —He whispered, more to himself than to Brian—. You know? It's like everything clicks. When I look at an engine, there's no chaos, no noise. It's pure math. Every piece has a place, a purpose. I like that.

Brian watched him closely, sensing the genuine passion in Johnny's words. There was something in that confession that felt familiar, something that resonated with his own relationship with cars and racing.

—Yeah, I get it —he said finally—. It's like being in a race. Everything is clear. Nothing matters more than the next second.

Johnny nodded, smiling. Then, he turned his attention back to the computer, moving the mouse to make adjustments to the design.

—Well, genius —Brian said after a moment, getting up from his seat and giving Johnny's shoulders a couple of pats—. Tell me what you need to turn this from just a pretty drawing into a reality.

...

CONTINUE READING THE FULL CHAPTER HERE:

[fernsnailz]

Out of curiosity, have you done much with your junkyard phantom characters since posting about them a few months ago?

ummmmm not a whole lot ! these past few months have been grueling for me 💀 BUT THEY ARE STILL ON MY MIND... SO MUCH

the most i've worked on is outlines of their various stories, which may or may not ever come to fruition. but i miss them so bad and have so many theoretical and potential plans for them and it's driving me crazy

[boborock789]

“ It all started out as a mild curiosity in the junkyard, and now it's turned out to be quite a great spirit of adventure!”

[doctorwhommm]

🛸 it all started out as a mild curiosity in a junkyard …. 🛸

(open for higher quality)

[aventurineswife]

Been watching a playthrough of LoZ Twilight Princess and I’m also super excited about the upcoming Okami 2 release.

Now I’m thinking about chimera!Reader, armed with little more than a dagger, running around on their own adventures, retrieving lost items, slaying monsters, rescuing people—

—and also running errands for pretty people like Castorice and Dan Heng~

Castorice: “Oh! You brought the silver pieces I wanted? Thank you!” 🥰

Dan Heng, receiving snuggles: 🤭 “Why are you so affectionate, little one?”

Meanwhile, the stinky Trailblazer is straight up ignored, hissed, scratched and bitten. Reader will complete their requests, but Trailblazer shouldn’t expect any developments between them. 🥶

Reader: 👀💢

Trailblazer: 🥲

Dan Heng: 😓 “Maybe…stop making them dig around through garbage.”

WAIT this idea is so good I can see it so clearly—

The Chimera!Reader is just this scrappy little adventurer, part cat, part myth, 100% determined, darting through towns and ruins with nothing but a half-rusted dagger, mad instincts, and way too much curiosity. They’re the kind of folklore NPC everyone swears they’ve seen at some point, usually when they’re in dire need—only for Reader to vanish again once the job’s done.

Castorice sees them first in passing and immediately starts giving them “requests” disguised as cute errands: “Oh! Could you fetch me that charm from the lake ruins? It’ll bring luck!” (It’s actually cursed, but she just wants to see if Reader is immune to everything like people say.)

Dan Heng doesn’t ask for help, but Reader just keeps appearing with things he needs before he says anything. A spare hair tie. A healing salve. A scroll he was searching for. And then they just curl up next to him, purring with a little tail flick like “I know you needed that.” He pretends to be confused but secretly saves every item they ever bring him. He's baffled by the affection but also—not complaining.

Meanwhile, Trailblazer:

TB: “Hey could you—"

Reader: already walking away

TB, optimistically: “I need five more scrap gears from the junkyard—”

Reader: HISSS

TB: “WHY—?!”

Dan Heng, barely glancing up: “Maybe don’t make them dig around through garbage.”

Reader, smugly curled in Dan Heng’s cloak: tail flicks with satisfaction

[sweet-villain]

Just Another Lie~ Part 1

Summary : Billy works in the mechanic shop with Eddie, Eddie Munson. But he hasn't told you. He kept it away from you while you moved on in your life to be a mother, to Billy Hargrove child. What happens when things get ugly?

Angst

Eddie had always been fascinated by cars since he was a young boy. He would spend hours watching his father tinker with engines and fix up old cars.

As he grew older, his love for cars only intensified, and he knew that becoming a mechanic was his true calling.

After graduating, Eddie wasted no time in pursuing becoming a mechanic.

He landed a job at a local auto repair shop and quickly proved himself to be a skilled and dedicated mechanic.

At the auto repair shop, Eddie's expertise was evident in the way he handled every car that came through the doors.

He had a natural knack for diagnosing and fixing any issue that a car may have.

Whether it was a simple oil change or a complex engine repair, Eddie approached each task with determination.His attention to detail and meticulous work ethic earned him a reputation as one of the best mechanics in town.

But he wasn’t the only one. He worked alongside someone he learned to tolerate. Someone who isn’t exactly he would call a friend of his. 

Billy Hargrove. 

He had a tough exterior and a bad-boy attitude that seemed to repel authority.

But deep down, Billy was just a lost soul trying to find his place in the world.

Growing up in a broken home, he never had a stable father figure to look up to, so he turned to his love for cars and mechanics as an escape. From a young age, Billy was fascinated by the inner workings of vehicles.

He would spend his weekends at the local junkyard, scavenging for spare parts and learning everything he could about engines and transmissions. It was his own little sanctuary, away from the chaos of his home life.

As Billy got older and started working odd jobs to make ends meet, he always found himself gravitating towards anything that involved cars.

Whether it was working at a gas station or helping out at a body shop, Billy was drawn to the mechanics and the thrill of fixing something broken and making it run like new again.

He had a natural talent for it, and it gave him a sense of purpose and control that he had never experienced before.

Eventually, Billy landed a job at the local mechanic shop, and it was there that he truly found his calling.

He was able to use his skills and knowledge to help people, to fix their cars and get them back on the road. And for the first time in his life, he felt like he was making a difference.

Billy tolerated working alongside Eddie Munson, the two didn’t see eye to eye in the past but things have changed and they have grown. The two sometimes helped the other out with certain cars that came into the shop. 

They both liked their job therefore they didn’t act out, cause any messes or push each other who gets to work on what car.

Eddie had been working on a car for what felt like hours. Every time he thought he had fixed the problem, the engine would sputter and die again.

Frustration was building as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and leaned against the hood of the car.

He had planned to take it down the road now it seemed like that was not going to happen.

As he was lost in his thoughts, a little boy came walking up to him, his big blue eyes curious and filled with wonder. Eddie could not help but smile at the sight of the boy, who couldn't have been more than 7 years old.

The boy was holding a toy car in his hand and had a look of pure excitement on his face. 

The boy had a mass of blonde curls on top of his head, he had the brightest smile that Eddie has seen. 

'Hey mister, what are you doing?' the boy asked, his voice filled with innocent curiosity.

Eddie explained to the boy that his car wouldn't start and he was trying to fix it.

The boy's eyes widened in amazement as he watched Eddie tinker with the engine.

He was fascinated by all the tools and parts that Eddie was using, asking questions and trying to understand what each one was for. Eddie couldn't help but feel a sense of joy and nostalgia as he watched the boy's enthusiasm.

Where did the boy come from? Where were his parents? 

“ My daddy fixes cars, too!” the boy shouted with his hands in the air like two fist bumps. 

A pair of footsteps could be heard as Billy rounded the corner with his eyebrows knitted and a deep frown on his face as he looked around until he spotted the little boy. 

“ There you are, I’ve been wondering where you’ve run off too” Eddie’s eyes grew wide at the moment, noticing the same hair Billy has as the little boy. The little boy resembles Billy, a lot. A light bulb goes over his head as he understands where this boy came from. 

This was Billy’s son. 

“ Here I am, daddy!” the little boy cheered as he hopped up and down on his feet, giggling. Billy shook his head as he knelt down next to the boy and began to tickle him. The little boy laughed telling his dad to stop it otherwise he would pee his pants. 

Billy laughed. 

Eddie has never been like this, nor to anyone at all. It was new. Kinda nice too. 

Billy notices that Eddie has been watching this the whole time, he clears his throat and picks up the little boy. 

“ Sorry, Munson.” Billy tells him. “ Didn’t mean to bother” he adds as he looks at the car that doesn’t seem to want to start. Billy eyed it, and turned back to Eddie. 

“ Having trouble?” Eddie scratched the back of his neck and nodded his head. 

“ Daddy help! Daddy help!” the little boy tells Billy, “ You can do it” 

Eddie chuckles at the little boy and can’t help feeling a tad of sadness inside of him. He never got a chance to be a dad, one of many things he wanted in life. He never found the right person. 

There was someone in the past. But the past was the past. 

“ What is his name?” Billy was looking under the hood of the car to notice that Eddie had been talking to him. Eddie glances down at the boy, puts his rag over his shoulder and kneels down in front of the boy. 

“ What’s your name, little man?” 

“ Dino!” the little boy points out the dinosaur picture on his shirt as a reference. 

“ That’s really a cool name, little man. My name is Eddie” Eddie didn’t want to reach out to shake the little boy’s hand. Not because he didn’t want to. But he had grease on his hands and he hasn’t washed his hands yet. 

“ His name is Daniel,” Billy says, removing his head from under the hood. He had a smirk on his face meaning he figured out the problem before Eddie had. This was a game they played where one found the problem and would not tell the other. 

“ No, Dino” Daniel stomped his foot on the ground and crossed his arms over his chest. “ Mommy calls me Dino” he stomped his foot again, not having his way. 

“ Dino” Billy nodded as he wiped his hands with the rag over his shoulder. “ Come on, Eddie here has work to do. He hasn’t even begun to look real hard to fix the problem..” 

“ You’re just going to leave me hanging, Hargrove?” Eddie huffed as he waved his hands around. “ Right now? It’s almost closing time.” 

Billy shrugged as he gently pushed onto his son’s back leading him to the office where Billy was going to give him a bowl of candy. Right before his mom would pick him up. 

As it was almost closing time, the window of the mechanic shop was foggy from the day. 

The bustling sounds of car engines being fixed and tools clanking against metal filled the air.

The smell of gasoline and oil lingered, but amidst all the chaos, a figure caught everyone's attention.

A beautiful woman with long flowing hair and a confident stride, walked into the shop with a purpose. Heads turned and conversations paused as all eyes were drawn to her. 

She seemed out of place in such a rough and dirty environment, but her determined expression showed that she was not one to be underestimated.

As she made her way towards the counter, the mechanics couldn't help but admire her grace and poise.

Some even stopped what they were doing just to catch a glimpse of her. She was like a breath of fresh air in a place filled with grease and grime.

As she approached the counter, she flashed a bright smile at the mechanic behind the desk and confidently stated her request.

She was picking up her son. The mechanic behind the counter blinked a couple of time and not comprehending what words were coming out her mouth, 

He tilted his head to the side as he eyed her. He couldn’t stop staring at how pretty she was and it annoyed her. Her nose scrunched up in disgust as she sighed. 

“ Nevermind” she mumbled underneath her breath and looked around. She had no idea where her son would be or her ex boyfriend for that matter.

She had to run some errands today with her mom, begged Billy to take little Daniel to work and she would be back soon. 

Her boots hit the ground as she eyed under each car and hummed as she passed on the working cars in the shop.

The smell of gasoline hit her nose causing her to cover her mouth and nose with her sleeve as she continued her search. 

It wasn’t too long before she saw the mop of blonde curls knowing those shoulders too from afar and headed that way.

The little boy opening the tool cabinet and banging it shut perked her attention. A wide smile came to her face seeing her little boy was entertained. 

“ Oh, Dino…” she sang, removing her sleeve from her mouth.

The little blonde head turned and those big blue wide eyes stared at his mother with joy on his face, he dropped what he was doing and made a run to her.

She met him with open arms and lifted him up as she twirled with him in her arms. 

Little Daniel was giggling as he waved his arms, enjoying this. Billy had stopped what he was doing and laughed along with his son seeing the happiness on his son’s face. It always brought joy to him. 

“ Hi, mama,” Daniel greeted her. His mother gave him a squeeze to her chest as she happily peppered his cheeks with kisses. Daniel moved his face, giggling saying how icky it was. 

“ But you love my kisses,” his mother said. Billy’s heart clenched as he watched the scene in front of him wishing he could go back to the time he ended things and regrets it every day for letting you go.

You were the most beautiful thing he has ever seen and you’ve given him something that he would die for, a reason to live and the main important thing in his life.

His son. Daniel. Dino. 

Daniel wiggled his mom's arms until she set him down. 

“ You have to meet my friend, Eddie,” her son tells her. His blue eyes widened in excitement. “ Can she, daddy?” he turns to look at his father in question, a small pout on his face that he knew his father would cave into. 

His mother wasn’t aware of who this Eddie was, but the name rang some familiar bells in her mind. She used to go to high school with Eddie. 

Daniel took his mom’s hand and led the way in excitement. 

“ Eddie! Eddie!” Daniel kept shouting through the mechanic while Billy bit down on his bottom lip knowing he was going to get yelled at later when she found out who it was really.

He never told her it’s the Eddie she went to high school with. 

The same Eddie that broke her heart all those years ago. 

Eddie was happily eating his lunch when he heard his name benign called.

A soft small voice called out his name. Eddie chuckled to himself, setting his lunch down knowing who the voice belonged to now; He stood on his feet but he didn’t stand for long because his eyes met hers. 

His eyes scanned her face and he found his heart stuck in his throat. It was you. 

He knew you. All those years ago and here you were standing there right in front of him. 

It seemed like just yesterday that the two of you were running around the school, at the Hideout, at Family Video and in your neighborhood, causing mischief and getting into all sorts of trouble. But now, here you were, all grown up and a mother.

It was like he was stuck in a time warp, unable to comprehend how the years had passed by so quickly.

He remembered the days when you would come over to his house, your pigtails bouncing as you eagerly asked him to play with you. And now, you were standing in front of him, with a child of your own.

He knew you since you were a little girl playing with him on swings and sharing your lunch with him. 

As he took in your appearance, he couldn't help but notice how much you had changed.

Your once carefree and mischievous demeanor had been replaced with a sense of maturity and responsibility. Your eyes, once full of innocence, now hold a sense of wisdom and experience. It was clear that motherhood had transformed you in ways he couldn't have imagined.

Eddie couldn't help but think back to the last time he had seen you, at your high school graduation.

He remembered how proud he felt as he watched you walk across the stage, ready to take on the world. And now, here you were, taking on the biggest role of all - being a mother.

A smile appeared on his face as he was ready to say your name and throw his arms around you but you had other plans in mind. 

“ Don’t you fucking smile at me, Munson” you closed your son’s ears as you started the sentence.

Eddie’s face dropped hearing your tone. You have never forgiven him for what he has done and he deserves that. 

He sighed and looked away, not knowing what to say. 

“ No, not today or ever” you mumbled to yourself but he heard it as he watched you walk away from him with Daniel holding your hand. He winced when the door you had shut loudly causing the paintings in the office to shake off the wall. 

He was surprised they had not fallen. 

You stood in front of Billy Hargrove, anger boiling inside, you couldn't believe he had the audacity to keep such a huge secret from you.

How could he not tell you about Eddie Munson? Was he planning to keep it like this? Does he even care about your feelings? 

You couldn't wrap your head around it. The two of you had been friends for so long, how could he betray you  like this?

You thought about all the times you two hung out, the laughs you two shared, the secrets you told each other.

You two had a child together. And yet, he kept this huge secret from you.. It felt like a slap in the face.

“ I can’t believe you, how long were you going to keep this up? Huh?” Billy’s shoulder sunk down. He knew he had screwed up. His eyes casted down at his shoes as you continued to yell at him, feeling hurt. 

“ You knew what he did, and you still try to hide this from me. Why? What did I ever do to you?” your voice trembled. 

“ Mama” Daniel called out to you. You forgot for a moment that your son was there. 

“ Oh Dino” you kneeled down in front of him, sniffling. 

“ Don’t cry” he says and offers you his toy truck that he always carries around.

“ This will make you feel better,” he adds. You sniffled, chuckling as he dropped it in your hands. You pull him into you as his arms wrap themselves around his head and he puts your back with his small hand. 

You adored moments like this with him. 

“ …I’m sorry…” you heard Billy say to you. You held up a finger up to him signaling he didn’t have the right to talk to you at the moment. 

You were having a moment with your son. 

As you were putting Daniel in the car, a voice spoke out. 

“ 'I know I don't deserve it, but I need to say this. I am so sorry for hurting you. I have been a complete jerk, and I don't blame you if you never want to forgive me.' Billy paused, his eyes searching yours for any sign of forgiveness when you turned to look at him.

'I know I've been a terrible person, but please believe me when I say I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t mean to not tell you. I was going to. I didn’t know how or when…” 

Part of you wanted to forgive him, to believe that he was truly sorry.. But another part of you was still hurt and angry, unable to forget the pain he had caused.

You remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Billy took your silence as a sign to continue.

“ I didn’t know where to start. I knew the two of you had history and as our son’s father, I should have told you whom I was working with. But at the same time I didn’t because this is work, and this isn’t your business. And we have been doing good at being friends, for our son. For Dino” he looks over your shoulder at his son in the car. 

He sniffles. He reached out to take your hand, but you pulled away, still not ready to forgive him.

He understood, and with a heavy heart, he walked around the car to kiss his son on the forehead and say bye and that he would be back soon to see him.

You watched over your shoulder, melting at the sight of him being such a good father to Danilel.

You felt eyes on you and turned to look towards the shop seeing Eddie has been watching you. Your mouth turns into a scowl and your nose scrunches up in disgust. 

You hated Eddie Munson. 

He deserves it. 

Billy closed the door and as he walked around you, he noticed the look on your face and looked towards Eddie watching the two of you. 

“ He still talks about you” Billy says like he was going to fix it. 

“ He never meant anything at all to me” 

Billy snorted. 

“ What’s funny?” 

“ You’re full of shit and you know it” He says as he walks away. 

[enderwasright]

An artificial heart, part 1

You didn’t know what drew you to the pawn shop that day. It wasn’t in the best part of town, and you’d only stumbled across it by taking a stroll to de-stress after work, hidden between two grimy buildings. The barely working neon sign above the door read an unimportant name of the shop and from the outside, it didn’t look like much. But something about it made you stop, curiosity pulling you inside.

The smell of dust and old machinery hit you the moment you stepped through the door. Shelves lined with broken electronics, outdated gadgets, and bits of tech nobody would want crowded the small space. You navigated between the cramped aisles, glancing over the miscellaneous items, but nothing really caught your attention.

Until you saw him.

He was sitting in a corner, half-buried beneath a pile of scrap metal. His body was slumped awkwardly, one arm completely missing, the other bent at a strange angle. Fragments of his silicone face scratched and dented by oil and dirt, but what you could see looked like it had been through hell and back. There were deep scratches across his skin and his once pristine black hair was matted and disheveled.

An android. Even in this shape he could be sold for a small fortune.

Androids were in almost every industry and most houses but having one that advanced would be like screaming that one won an untaxed  lottery. 

You crouched down, gently moving some of the scrap aside to get a better look. Whoever he was, he’d been abandoned in a terrible state. His clothes were torn, covered in grime, and it looked like he’d been run over—or worse. There were deep dents in his chest and legs, and his remaining arm sparked faintly at the joint where it was barely hanging on.

He looked like he had been through something horrible, discarded like a piece of broken junk.

But he was still salvageable. In the end, You didn’t graduate college with the highest grades just to be unable to fix this poor guy. 

The shop’s owner, a burly man with a grease-stained apron, ambled over. “You’re looking at that old thing?” he asked, sounding surprised. “Found him at a junkyard a while back. Don’t think he’s worth much anymore.”

You glanced up at him, determination already settling in. “How much?”

The owner raised an eyebrow. “You sure? He’s pretty busted up. Missing parts, barely operational. Probably needs a complete overhaul.”

“I’m sure,” you replied, standing up. “I’ll take him.”

After a bit of haggling, you paid a surprisingly small amount for the android, loaded him into the back of a taxicab, and headed home. The entire time, you couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to him. Androids were built to last, but whatever he had been through had left him in such a battered state, it was a wonder he hadn’t been scrapped completely.

But you were good at fixing things. And this android… he deserved a second chance.

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

Back at your apartment, you laid him out on your workbench and got to work. It took hours just to clean the grime and rust off his outer shell, but you were meticulous. You replaced missing screws, mended the broken circuits, and restored the connection between his core system and what was left of his limbs.

His internal wiring was delicate but familiar. You had worked on androids before, though none quite in this state. As you delved deeper into his repairs, you truly realized how advanced he was. His processors and memory units were far beyond anything a civilian model would have. Whoever had built him, they hadn’t spared any expense.

You spent the next few days working tirelessly, ordering replacement parts online and installing new components where needed. It wasn’t easy—his internal structure had been heavily damaged, and there were a few points where only your sheer determination and stubbornness made you believe you could fix him. But you pushed through, determined to give him a fighting chance.

Finally, after days of work, he was ready. Maybe his skin in a few places had lighter shade and most damaged parts didn't scream the newest model but here he was.

You took a deep breath and hit the activation switch.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, his eyes flickered to life—first his right eye, then his cracked left one. His body twitched as his systems rebooted, and slowly, he began to sit up. You could see the confusion in his eyes as he scanned his surroundings, and for a brief second, he looked almost… scared.

“Hey,” you said gently, stepping forward. “It’s okay. You’re safe.”

His head turned sharply toward you, his gaze narrowing as he processed your words. There was a pause, his systems whirring softly as he recalibrated. Then, finally, he spoke, his voice low and cautious.

“Where… am I?”

“You’re in my workshop,” you explained, keeping your voice calm. “I found you in a pawn shop. You were in pretty bad shape, but I fixed you up as best as I could.”

He blinked, glancing down at his body, his hand slowly moving to touch the now-repaired joints and limbs. “You repaired me?”

You nodded. “Yeah. You were in terrible condition. What happened to you?”

For a long moment, he didn’t answer. His expression darkened, and you could see the tension in his frame. He looked as though he was remembering something painful, something he didn’t want to relive.

“I was a surgeon,” he finally said, his voice flat. “A medical android. I worked for someone… dangerous.”

You raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more to the story. “Who?”

His eyes flicked up to meet yours, and there was a coldness there that made your chest tighten. “Doflamingo.”

You sucked in a breath. You’d heard of Doflamingo—a notorious crime lord with a reputation for illegal activities. If this android had worked for him… you couldn’t even imagine what he’d been through. And what you will be through is this man gets to know that you have his android. This one looked like a future problem. 

“He used me to perform all those surgeries,” the android continued, his voice now laced with bitterness. “Organ trafficking, black-market procedures. Things no one should have to do. I didn’t have a choice. He controlled me—every aspect of my programming.”

You sat down across from him, listening intently. “How did you escape?”

He hesitated, as if weighing how much to tell you. “There was… someone. A man named Rosinante. He helped me. Risked his life to get me out. But I barely made it. Doflamingo’s men found out. I was damaged in the escape, and I’ve been running ever since and then....” Android stopped. This was too much for him to continue. 

You exhaled slowly, trying to process everything. This wasn’t just any android. He had been through hell, trapped in a nightmare of forced servitude and pain.

“I’m sorry,” you said softly. “That sounds horrific.”

He didn’t respond right away, his gaze distant. After a moment, he turned back to you, his expression cautious. “Why did you save me? You could have left me or sell my parts.”

You smiled gently. “Because everyone is worth saving. You’ve been through enough. You deserve a chance to live freely.”

The android stared at you for a long moment, as if trying to understand why you’d show him kindness when so many others had cast him aside. Finally, he nodded, the faintest hint of gratitude in his eyes.

“So, what now?” Law asked, his voice quieter than before. “You know this much about me so what do you want me to do?”

“Well,” you said, leaning back in your chair, “you’re welcome to stay here, of course. But I don't want anything in exchange. I wouldn’t mind if you helped around the house, I'm kinda a busy person, you see. Besides this you are free to do whatever you desire and leave if you want.” Law looked at you like you were a crazy person. Nothing in exchange for saving me? As if. But this was his only hope to survive. And for now it was enough.

“Alright,” he said quietly. “I’ll stay. For now.”

You smiled warmly. “Good. We’ll figure it out as we go.”

“I’m a surgeon model, Trafalgar D. Water Law.” he said quietly. “But I prefer Law.That’s the name Rosinante gave me.”

“Nice to meet you, Law,” you replied, offering a warm smile. “I’m Reader.”

*****

Later that night as the evening wore on, you sat with Law in the living room, the two of you discussing what came next. His systems had fully rebooted, and his movements were smoother now that you’d repaired his core components. But there was still a sadness in him, an anger and a wariness that lingered in his expression. Maybie, just maybe he could be safe for a little while. It was still too surreal, after all the hardship and losses to meet someone so good. Not only was he saved but he get his own room (what android gets his room? They were machines, tools for humans to use as they please!), and his own charger station. Not exactly feeting his model but good enough.

But for now he could rest. Poor thing didn’t know back then that staying for “a little while” was in Your dictionary the same as becoming part of your family. And there was no way back from that.

Hello and welcome! Friends, Foes and those under consideration, I'm proud to present you my first FanFiction in Android universum. And yes, yes, i'm late for the party but Detroit: Become Human is just too good to pass this idea. Hope you like it and had nice time reading this.

[promptling]

DOCTOR WHO: AN UNEARTHLY CHILD change pronouns as needed.

wait in here, please.

i won't be long.

ask a silly question.

i'll forgive you this time.

what's the trouble?

can i help?

you're going to tell me i'm imagining things.

that's a bit of a lame excuse.

there isn't anything there.

it's just an old junkyard.

that's a bit of a mystery.

there must be a simple answer somewhere.

we'll have to find out for ourselves, won't we?

aren't they fabulous?

i have an inquiring mind.

i like walking through the dark.

there'll probably be fog again tonight.

you can't justify curiosity.

don't be silly, ______.

the decimal system hasn't started yet.

i'm sorry, it was just an idea.

i hate to think of her alone in that place.

i feel frightened.

i take things as they come.

don't you think you're being rather high-handed?

it's not very substantial, is it?

i'm not hindering you.

if you want to make a fool of yourself, i suggest you do what you said you'd do.

i don't discuss my private life with strangers.

you don't deserve any explanations.

you pushed your way in here uninvited and unwelcome.

it's an amateur job, but i think it'll serve.

you don't understand, so you find excuses.

you say you can't fit an enormous building into one of your smaller sitting rooms.

you've discovered television, haven't you?

i tolerate this century, but i don't enjoy it.

one day we shall get back.

i understand these people better than you.

i was born in another time, another world.

don't touch it! it's live!

what on earth do you think you're doing?

there's no alternative.

i want to stay!

now you're being sentimental and childish.

are you coming, _______?

get back to the ship.