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trulybetty · 11 months ago

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dec' x 20 - coming home

Prompt: coming home Pairing: frankie x reader Word Count: 1,253 Warnings: cold weather, homecomings, mentions of Frankie's curls, general fluff and we're un-beta'd here, all mistakes are my own. Summary: Frankie returns home after his first deployment of your relationship. AO3: Linked

x. masterlist

A/N: I figured since I had this one ready to go I'd post it. Might queue up what I have done and circle back to the days that need completing before the month is out. If I tried to write now, I think it would be a series of gif's and gibberish in hope I got my story across lol

The air was cold and sharp and stung at his eyes. He reached up to pull his cap down out of habit, forgetting he’d left it on the bedside table two minutes too late when he’d left over three weeks ago. The ground was a mix of slushy snow and ice mixed with the grit of salt. The salt trucks had come around the base early that morning but would do little once the night's colder temperatures came in to freeze it over.

He hadn’t been permitted to fly into base. Part of the process of post-deployment and debriefing, but he had heard the pilots discussing the weather. The mass snowstorm that had hit Colorado had eased enough for them to be flown in, allowing them to come home as planned.

Home.

Frankie thought it to be such a novel concept suddenly. He’d never referred to returning to base home in the past. But with you there now, the word had slipped from his tongue more than once.

Communication was cut off during reconnaissance. As it usually was standard, but this time all personal communication devices had been sequestered and he’d had no chance to send you a message that he was on his way back. A part of him, something that he hadn’t allowed himself to indulge in before you, had imagined seeing you on the tarmac, at the parking lot.

He’d never had anyone waiting for him before.

He’d watched all the other guys at some point in their lives come home to waiting arms eager to have them home. Heck, even Santiago had someone there waiting for him at homecoming on more than one occasion. It wasn’t like there hadn’t been anyone, there had been several relationships before you - but none had existed to run the gauntlet of that first deployment, tapping out before things could get serious or unable to cope with the trappings of military life.

Things between the two of you were still so new. Yes, there had been the whirlwind year playing fast and loose with the notion of it just being ‘fun’ and ‘friends with benefits’. But you had jumped into the deep end with him without the preamble of a typical relationship.

Within two weeks of saying yes, your apartment was packed, a new remote position was signed and all his belongings on base were already packed and making their way to Colorado.

As part of their cover, their return was coordinated to coincide with the homecoming of a troop from Afghanistan. The tarmac was heaving with emotions and bodies, families and friends creating a sea of faces, each one searching for their own loved one. Frankie and his Delta team, always adept at slipping in unnoticed, used this chaos to their advantage. But Frankie's eyes were solely focused on one thing – finding you in the crowd.

Will, standing beside him, nudged his arm. “She gonna be here, man?” His voice was barely audible over the commotion.

Frankie shrugged, a tightness in his chest. “Don't know,” he admitted, the uncertainty was gnawing at him. What if you weren’t here? What if you didn’t know? He hadn't been able to get a message to you, to tell you he was coming back. You still didn’t know anyone on the base and he wondered if anyone had reached out to let you know.

Then, like a scene from a movie, the crowd parted, and there you were. Lost amongst the sea of people, pulling your coat tighter around you, seemingly too thin against the Colorado winter, your eyes scanning the area, a look of hopeful anticipation across on your face.

Frankie's breath caught in his throat. It had only been three weeks since he'd seen you last, but in that moment, it felt too long. The way the cold air made your eyes brighter, the way your breath formed clouds in the frosty air, the way you bit your lip in concentration – it was like seeing you for the first time all over again.

He hadn’t even realized he was moving until he was halfway through the crowd, his focus solely on you. The noise around him faded to a dull roar, the cold, the discomfort, the fatigue from his deployment, all of it disappeared. All that mattered was the few feet of distance that still separated you from him.

Will called out something behind him, but Frankie didn’t hear it. His entire world had narrowed down to the space where you stood.

As you finally noticed him, your eyes widened in surprise, then filled with unmistakable joy. A smile broke across your face, a smile that reached your eyes and lit up your entire being. Frankie felt a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the temperature.

You started towards him, a little hesitant at first, as if you couldn’t believe he was really there. Then, as if suddenly realizing it was indeed him, you broke into a run.

Frankie met you halfway, and when you threw your arms around him, all the pent-up emotions, the fears, the loneliness, seemed to melt away. He held you tightly against him, breathing in the scent of your hair, feeling the realness of your presence. This was what he had missed the most – the simple yet profound comfort of holding you.

You didn’t dare let go, didn’t dare blink for fear he would no longer be standing before you. You wanted to touch his face, feel his lips beneath your fingertips. You wanted to leave with him in hand as much as you wanted to stay in that moment and ignore the fact that this was to be one of many times when he’d be taken away from you at a moment's notice.

“I’m sorry I missed Christmas,” he said, finally breaking the quiet between you.

You gave him a half smile, “I kept the lights up for you.”

“I would’ve called if I could,” Frankie said, his voice thick with emotion. “I missed you so much.”

You pulled back slightly, looking up at him with eyes shining with tears. “I missed you too.”

You were tied to him now, you weren’t going anywhere. Anywhere he went you knew you’d follow. Whatever plans you’d made for your future were gone on the promise of forever. If he said jump you would say how high.

You curled your finger around a curl at the nape of his neck, his forehead pressed against yours. You wanted it all with him and then some. You didn’t know then the cost that would take. But for that moment, it was just the two of you.

“Let’s go home,” you whispered, the word ‘home’ feeling more real and comforting than ever.

“I need to do something first,” he said softly.

Before you could ask what, he dipped his head capturing your lips with his, soft and gentle at first, as if getting familiar with one another for the first time again. Before the overwhelming need to make up for lost time urged him to deepen the kiss. Frankie's hands held your face gently but firmly, his thumbs stroking your cheeks as if he couldn't bear to let go.

You didn't know how much time had passed when Frankie pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours once more and you blinked to regain your focus.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, his voice a whisper.

You smiled, your heart feeling full. “Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” you assured him.

#december x 500 #frankie x mav #frankie morales #frankie morales x you #frankie morales x reader #jfrankie morales x f!reader #frankie morales x female reader #frankie morales fanfiction #frankie morales fanfic #pedro pascal character fanfiction

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amberjazmyn · 3 months ago

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i'm already there🫶

pairing : max verstappen x fem!reader,alluded dad!lando norris x fem!reader, dad!charles leclerc x fem!reader, dad!oscar piastri x fem!reader

summary : a portion of the lyrics of westlife's song "i'm already there" illustrates the joys, tears, heartbreak and every other emotion in relation to being away from loved ones whilst travelling around the world for formula one.

warnings : reunions, happy tears, sad tears, swearing

a/n : this was written one other time for westlife but i wanted to rewrite it but for f1 since i just want to get another f1 grid one shot out idk lol!

max vestappen:

i'm already there, don't make a sound. i'm the beat in your heart, i'm the moonlight shining down. i'm the whisper in the wind and i'll be there 'til the end.

you sighed shakily as you mysteriously waited in the monaco airport. you had no idea why you were even in the airport since max, your boyfriend and his f1 team weren't leaving for an international grand prix so, you literally had no clue whatsoever why he had dragged you all the way to mote-carlo airport from your guys' place in monte-carlo. however, your boyfriend had cleverly come up with this plan to surprise you, his girlfriend, with the homecoming of your military twin sister and you were absolutely none the wiser. you didn't even realise this is what was happening because every other time you and your family were welcoming your sister back home from the military, you had to go to a specific terminal hidden away from regular public access so you just thought that maybe max had dragged the both of you here to watch the planes take off and land because that was another thing that you and max would drive the two-ish hour drive from your hous to the airport for.

however, you didn't realise the surprise you were in for when max tapped your shoulders since you were facing away from him to only turn around to see your sister walking out of the gate towards the both of you. your eyes widened and you staggered to your feet and, almost like a giraffe learning to walk, ran over to your sister. pulling you into her arms, you couldn't believe that she was home. you two had jokingly started to message the song, i'm already there, the westlife version, to one another just days ago not even realising that it was a cute little clue that your sister was going to be home very soon.

"...you...you're home!" you muttered in shock as max smiled, watching two of his favourite girls reunite - proud that he managed to keep such a surprise under lock and key

"yes i am! i'm home!" she smiled as she pulled out of the hug and held you at an arms length just to get a good look of you - noticing that not very much had changed except for a new hair colour and some new piercings

"that's why you were messaging me the lyrics of i'm already there? you were coming home!" you chuckled lightly as she nodded her head, quite proud that whilst the clue was quite obvious, it still flew right over your head

"mhm. that is correct! i was on my way home the whole entire time, the last lyric that i sent you, i'm the whisper in the wind, and i'll be there 'til the end was sent just before my flight left afghanistan," she smiled as you couldn't help the shake of your head as you both giggled

"how on earth did i not realise it wasn't just a cute little joke?" you sighed, facepalming as your sister and max both giggled as max and your sister reunited and hugged one another

"because max made sure you didn't look too much into it. your boyfriend was more involved in this surprise a lot more than you think, y.n," the older twin giggled as you couldn't believe it, what masterminds your sister and boyfriend were

"goddamit it! why am i so gullible!" you sighed with another giggle as you forgot you were still in an airport

"you're not, you were just so adorably focused on all the planes landing and taking off that you seemingly forgot why you were so confused originally," max perked up as he kissed your cheek as you smiled

after all the thrill of being surprised went down, you, your sister and max walked a little further through the airport, watched a few more planes landing and taking off before you three decided it was time to get something good to eat on your way home from the airport back to your guys' apartment in monte-carlo.

but, just as you three stepped in the car, the very song that you and your sister were messaging the lyrics to each other started to play on the radio and the same westlife version. and at this point, you could only believe that it was fate and you felt at ease and peaceful that your sister was home and that she was safe. she was no longer just the beat in your heart or the moonlight shining down or the whisper in the wind, she was right in front of you and she was safe.

lando norris:

we may be a thousand miles apart but i'll be with you wherever you are, i'm already there take a look around.

whilst you loved being the girlfriend of formula one driver, lando norris, there was only one small thing that you didn't enjoy and that was when their grand prix's took place during the times you had to be outside of europe and in australia and you weren't able to go with him. currently, lando and the other nineteen drivers and their teams were in america for the austin grand prix and the mexican grand prix before it was a two week break before a treacherous triple header which thankfully, you would be able to get time off of study to travel with lando for that triple header. and then after the triple header, you would return back to australia where lando would travel to the middle east for the qatar and abu dhabi races which were the last of the season where you would meet up with him again.

so, because you weren't allowed to travel for these next two races in america because you were studying internationally in australia, you weren't able to watch lando race and be his lucky charm. but, thankfully, you weren't alone in australia. one of the other wags, daniel ricciardo's girlfriend heidi was also currently in australia as well. it was a complete coincidence that the state you were studying in was the state that heidi was currently visiting on holiday alongside daniel since he wasn't needed since he was still the third reserve for red bull. so, what the three of you decided to do was to have sleepovers, going back and forth from the holiday home that daniel and heidi were staying in and the apartment that you were renting for the entire time you were studying in that state.

however, at this stage, you were struggling because it had been months since you'd last seen lando and you were drowning half the time in your university work. and it seemed like heidi noticed straight away as you desperately tried to cram in so much study since you decided you needed a break. only for you to feel as though you were now falling behind when really, you weren't at all.

"...hey, y.n, do you need help?" heidi came up behind you softly, a small hand to the bottom of your back as you couldn't help the trembling breath that left your mouth

"umm...i..." you trailed off as tears hit your eyes and a sob left your mouth as immediately, daniel seemingly came out of nowhere and gently lifted you out of your seat as heidi pulled you in for a hug as she let you cry

after daniel had cleaned up the desk that was filled with so much uni work, he rushed back over and joined the hug as you continued to cry as they both comforted you. it was obvious you were exhausted and needed a break but you couldn't give yourself one because no matter what, you always needed to prioritise your uni work first and then you were a secondary choice. it was obvious to heidi and daniel why you were suddenly crumbling under the pressure. you were a nursing student who had been graciously given so many days out so you could travel the world but now you had run out of them until after the american races and you were in the long-distance part of your relationship with lando and it wasn't like you could just ring your boyfriend any time you wanted because he was across bloody oceans from you. it was also hard on lando being so far away from you, he didn't fully know how to help you with your study because he didn't know much about what goes on about becoming a nurse. and you knew for sure that being so far away from you was killing him inside every second of every day he was away. so you weren't mad at lando at all, he was simply doing his job which was how you guys were surviving and providing for your little two-person family.

you had finally started to stop the tears and managed to not wake up the rest of the neighbourhood which you were shocked at considering you were not a silent crier, "i'm sorry! i don't know what came over me..." you trailed off before heidi and daniel stopped you from continuing

"...don't apologise, y.n, you're exhausted! it's hard being in a long-distance relationship and a nursing student with all of this work piled up when your boyfriend is on the other side of the world and the rest of your support system being there as well. i get it, i mean, i have the same feelings when i can't be with daniel and it's hard but, i also remember to ask for help and to stay with friends and family because i know i can't always do it all on my own. which reminds me, when was the last time you spoke on the phone to lando's family? i'm sure they'd love to catch up with you over a facetime call, especially lando's sisters cisca and flo! and even oli's wife, savannah would love it! even letting lando in on this plan would be helpful too, just so we're all on the same page!" heidi proposed as you sniffled and nodded your head with a smile

"yeah, that does sound like a good plan, heidi! i shouldn't have tried to do it all on my own! i should have asked lando's family for help from the start as well as extended family i have here," you smiled as heidi and daniel smiled back as you three hugged again

like heidi and daniel promised, as they all huddled together on the couch away from all the nursing notes and asessments, you rang up lando just to check in with him and make sure he was okay coping since you knew he was also a worrier especially now after the pointy end of your nursing degree was approaching. you could tell almost the moment lando spoke up over the phone that he was also fighting against his emotions like you were. however, you were just glad that he was finally given time to have a full-on conversation as last time you tried, you could only speak for five minutes before lando had to hang up. so, it felt great having over an hour of a conversation with your boyfriend. it reminded you that whilst you may be a thousand miles apart from lando sometimes, he was always there and all you had to was just to look around you. he was in the photos covering the walls, he was in the sunshine that reflected in your hair, but most importantly, he was in the photos that you plastered all around the house so you wouldn't feel lonely.

charles leclerc:

she got back on the phone, said, "i really miss you, darling. don't worry about the kids, they'll be alright." wish i was in your arms, laying right there beside you, but i know i'll be in your dreams tonight. "and i'll gently kiss your lips, touch you with my fingertips, so turn out the lights and close your eyes."

you were on your own with your husband charles being away at the tailend of the triple header in japan, azerbaijan and singapore whilst you looked after the twin girls you shared together, jules and antoinette. you were now back on the phone with charles after you let the twins talk to their daddy. they then sat and watched with tired eyes as you finished up the call with their daddy so the three of you could go to bed together in the lounge room.

"...i really miss you, darling. but, don't worry about jules and nini, they'll be alright. we're doing perfectly fine without you but, it's never fun just the three of us, we need daddy home with us!" you sighed with a small giggle as you could hear the emotions in charles' voice on the other line while he was all the way in singapore for the end of that specific triple header

"i miss you too babe. but, i'll be home soon and i'll gently kiss your lips, touch you with my fingertips... it's getting late in monaco and i have more meetings and things i need to be at, so turn out the lights and close your eyes, you need sleep baby! i promise, the race is going to fly by and i'll be home before you guys know it, okay?" charles' voice was soft and filled with so much love that you felt okay with having to end the call since you were basically falling asleep at the mere sound of his voice over the phone

"ok, it's probably a good idea as i'm basically falling asleep at the mere sound of your voice bebe*giggles*. and i know, it's going to go by so quickly that you'll be home soon and we can then go out to france for a little getaway holiday with the girls and we'll be happy again!" you slurred as sleep really started to takeover as you heard charles' sweet, gentle giggles over the phone slip right into your ears

"good. you need sleep mi amor, you need to also take care of yourself, not just the girls! and deal, we can go to france for a little holiday with the girls, it'll be a lot of fun. but, right now, you need to hang up this phone call and you need to go to sleep and so do the girls because i can picture you guys in the lounge room after rearranging it so you could all sleep together...so, it's bedtime and i'll talk to you tomorrow and i promise i'll tell you everything about the race in our facetime tomorrow at the airport, okay?" charles convinced you as you smiled as nini, the youngest of the girls, cuddled up against you as you kissed her hair before finally deciding to finish up the call

"okay. i love you, amor. see you soon and, you better tell me everything about the race in tomorrow's facetime otherwise i'll be ringing up carlos *giggles*. goodnight bebe, i love you," you smiled as charles also smiled on the other end of the phone all the way in singapore

"i love you too, bebe. talk tomorrow," charles giggled as he ended the call before sighing to himself, only wishing the wags could always come with them for all of their races even though it was practically impossible due to having jobs and also having young kids

as you turned your phone off, placing it on the armrest of the couch, nini spoke up, "is papa gone now?" she questioned in her sleepy voice as you couldn't help your facial expression as you hugged your youngest girl tighter

"yeah baby, he had to hang up the phone cause it's bedtime for us and daddy has meetings before his race tonight with your uncles!" you whispered in a baby voice as nini nodded her head as her eyes started to close

"oh, okay. goodnight mama. i love you and papa!" nini mumbled as her eyes fully shut and she fell asleep basically on top of you

you chuckled softly, kissing the little princess on the top of her head, "goodnight baby nini. i love you too and papa loves you as well!" you whispered as you lowered yourself, making yourself and nini comfortable on the couch as jules after patiently waiting, joined you

cuddling on the other side of you, jules closed her eyes and started to fall asleep but, not before she also said goodnight, "goodnight mama, i love you and papa," jules muttered sleep overcame her as well as you smiled

laying awake for a couple more minutes after your two girls had all fallen asleep, you could only feel excited that your husband charles would be returning home soon. you were also smiling because you damn well knew that you'd be dreaming over your husband being home with you and you were always so excited when you dreamt about charles just because it was endless and it was always an adventure.

oscar piastri:

he called her on the road, from a lonely cold hotel room, just to hear her say "i love you" one more time. and when he heard the sound, of kids laughing in the background, he had to wipe away a tear from his eye. a little voice came on the phone said, "daddy, when you're coming home?" he said the first thing that came to his mind.

you had just managed to calm down your little daughter, ellie and her brother noah that you share with your husband oscar, when your phone started to ring. it spooked you but, nevertheless, you answered the phone and smiled when you heard your husband's voice on the other end. it was obvious he had called you just to hear you say i love you one more time even though you had just spent the last twenty minutes sending each other i love yous back and forth.

immediately, the moment you picked up the phone, it was as though your two kids, ellie and noah knew straight away who it was that you were talking to and started to laugh and play with each other, not realising that their dad could hear them. you could tell even though you weren't seeing each other face to face that oscar was crying due to the way he was breathing against the phone.

you smiled sadly as you picked up ellie, put your phone on speaker and her little voice spoke up, "daddy, when are you coming home?" ellie's voice was soft and pure and, of course, the first thing that came to oscar's mind was what he said

"i'm already there baby girl. just look around you darling, i'm in your reflection, i'm the sunshine in your hair..." oscar sniffled, just wishing he wasn't halfway across the world as you couldn't help your own heart breaking at hearing the upset in your husbands voice

it was confusing for ellie because she couldn't understand why her dad was crying. especially considering before having ellie and noah, they had never seen their dad be the levelheaded, unemotional person he was before they had arrived. so, she just looked at you in confusion as she handed you the phone. you smiled sadly as you gestured for her to continue playing with her little brother as long as they were quiet.

"you alright babe?" you questioned, hearing oscar's sniffles as he tearfully giggled, most likely wiping away his tears

"yeah, i'm fine babe. just didn't realise how much i actually missed the sound of ellie's voice..." oscar swallowed back a sob as you moved into the kitchen, trusting ellie and noah not needing you to constantly keep your eyes on them whilst you spoke with their dad

"...i'm sorry babe. ellie just heard you over the phone and she got excited. she misses you by the way, so does noah. but, they're doing perfectly fine, they're just a little bit confused often as to why they can't see their daddy but can hear him. i forget how intelligent children actually are even though they're still so young, they are way too observant *giggles*. anyway though, i don't want to make you cry even more so, how have the races in the triple header been going, the races fun?" you smiled as oscar again tearfully laughed and wiped away tears on the other end of the phone

"don't apologise babe, it's not your fault, i wish we weren't so far away. and i miss you three as well, but i'm glad that they're doing good. oh yeah, i also forget how smart they are, i accidentally overheard lando and his girl's phone call last night and i could hear their little ones in the background just making their sweet baby noises and could tell it was absolutely breaking lando's heart into two. and, you won't make me cry more, it'll be me that does that myself since it's all i've been doing since becoming a dad! *giggles* and the races have been so much fun and yeah, the media things also have been so much fun. but, i'm very excited to come back home and see my two girls and my gorgeous little boy again," oscar smiled, noticing lando and a few other drivers he was close with giving him worried looks as they noticed the tears but, he reassured them he was okay

you could hear the three other drivers, lando, logan and alex in the background and could tell that they were most likely checking in on oscar, to make sure he was okay and that made you smile as you rested against the kitchen bench, "you sure you're okay, osc? i can hear lando, logan and alex in the background which usually means you're not okay..." you trailed off as oscar giggled which made you smile

"...i'm truly okay babe. i was upset and crying at the beginning when ellie had the phone but, i'm okay now. anyway, enough about me, how are you dealing with all of this? i know how stressful it can be on you having to deal with two little gremlins *giggles* so how are you?" oscar then switched it over to you as you smiled, not even needing to think about your reponse

and, truthfully, you thought you'd be struggling a lot more however, you weren't since you had remembered to ask for help this time. since, the first time oscar had returned back to racing after ellie had been born, you didn't ask for help. and you cried yourself to sleep every single night until the last day of the grand prix when lily, alex's girlfriend, had suggested you ask for help and you did

however, this time, you didn't allow yourself to be in struggle town now that you've had baby noah, along with ellie, you had both grandparents, oscar's parents chris and nicole as well as your own dropping past every now and then to take them for a couple evenings. so, this triple header, you were doing a lot better and you were a lot less stressed.

"i'm okay babe. i'm a lot less stressed this time around. tomorrow and over the weekend, i'll be having a girls night in with your sisters and lily so, ellie and noah will be with mum and dad so, i'm doing great thanks. anyway, where are you right now? last time we chatted you guys were in singapore so, are you boys still there or have you moved on?" you questioned, hearing oscar breathe a sigh of relief that you were doing better than last time as he smiled

"we've moved on babe, we left singapore last night and we arrived in qatar early this morning. we're just chilling in my hotel room right now all together. so, i'm not on my own this time like i was a few nights ago when we both cried together over the phone *giggles* but yeah, no, this time i've got the three boys with me," oscar smiled as he laughed as the boys all cheered, hoping they were loud enough for you to hear them - which they were

"yeah, i can hear them, osc*giggles* but i'm glad that you're not alone this time. it's not healthy to be alone when you're struggling like that and i'm glad you've all got each other because me, your sister's and lily all have each others backs when we miss you so, it's good you guys can lean on each other for support..." you trailed off, for the first time running out of things to say since you had been updating oscar daily on everything so there was all of a sudden nothing else to talk about

"...yeah, anyway, i better hang the phone up cause i remembered that you're going out for dinner with the wags tonight so, who's looking after ellie and noah tonight? my parents or yours?" oscar questioned as you smiled that he even remembered that as you then noticed the kids scream in excitement - their nanna and pops had just arrived

"that was perfect timing babe cause they've just arrived and it's your parents tonight babe. my parents have them tomorrow and over the weekend!" you laughed as you went over to the front door and let in your inlaws as immediately, nicole picked up ellie and chris picked up noah before they both pulled you in for a hug

they then noticed you were on the phone to oscar as they smiled and took the littles to the lounge room so you could finish off the phone call, "wow, yeah, that is amazing timing! and, wonderful, well, i'll let you go now babe as you've probably got to go get ready, are you driving or are you being picked up?" oscar questioned as you just loved at how involved he was with everything even though he was across a couple of oceans

"i know right babe! and yeah, i'm just going to our room now to get dressed since i did my makeup just before you called actually *giggles* and kelly just picked up lily, alex and lando's new girlfriend and is on their way to ours now so, they should be here in like, five/ten minutes, since logan's girlfriend is already at the restaurant waiting for us," you smiled as oscar smiled again and mumbled a "mhm"

"well, i guess its time to end the call then babe. i love you so much, have fun tonight with the girls. talk with you tomorrow, yeah?" oscar starts to wrap up as you smiled as you stepped into your sweet little black dress you had picked out for the dinner

"okay. i love you so much more babe, and we plan to have fun but not too much obviously! and yeah, talk tomorrow! tell me everything about the races and we'll talk about other stuff as well since i won't have ellie and noah with me, bye-bye," you ended the call after hearing another faint "bye babe, love you" and finished getting ready

you were putting on your shoes and earrings when you came back down the stairs to see ellie and noah behaving perfectly with their nanna and pops. walking over to the couch, you gave them both hugs and kisses and then gave kisses to ellie and noah's heads.

"i am so sorry, nicole and chris, i was on the phone to oscar. he's in qatar with the rest of the teams and they have their race tonight. he was a little bit upset and started to cry after hearing ellie talk on the phone, asking him when he was coming home, but, apart from that, he's doing okay and is pleased to know that i'm doing much better this time around," you immediately gave nicole and chris the update from the phone call as they smiled, even though they heard about oscar's tears, they still smiled knowing he was okay

"oh, don't apologise y.n, thank you for the update. so, is kelly picking you up tonight?" nicole smiled as you smiled, nodding your head

"yes, nicole. kelly has already picked up lily, alexandra and lando's new girlfriend and logan's girlfriend is at the restaurant already holding the table for us. but kelly, lily, alexandra and lando's new wag should only be about five minutes away now. umm, of course, i don't need to go over the rules with you but, ellie and noah have said that for dinner tonight, they'd love it if they got some chocolate afterwards so, i have two little chocolate bars for them in the pantry that you can give to them afterwards. umm, yeah, i think that's all i have to say since you always know what to do but, yeah, thank you again for coming down to take care of them. i just didn't want to ask mum and dad to have them for four days in a row so, yeah," you smiled at the end as chris and nicole smiled as they sat with ellie and noah in their laps whilst the kids were focused on the kids show on the tv in front of them

"no worries. we'll make sure ellie and noah get those chocolate bars after dinner and, absolutely understandable, y.n. it's not a problem, ellie and noah are just the most perfect little angels ever! we love looking after them!" chris spoke up this time as nicole nodded her head as you nodded your head with a smile as you grabbed your handbag as kelly's car had just driven up the driveway

giving one last hug and kiss to ellie and noah and one last goodbye to your inlaws, you left your house out of the front door, closing the door behind you. not needing to lock it since both your inlaws were there and you climbed into kelly's car as you greeted each other, you, kelly, alexandra, lily and reintroducing yourself to lando's new girlfriend, before starting to car up and leaving for the restaurant where logan's girlfriend was patiently waiting for you.

fin

this was so much fun to rewrite but omg, this was not what i originally wanted to publish since i have a charles one-shot that's really sad but has ended up taking so much longer than expected. so, it's sitting in my drafts after deciding i wanted to put this one out first since it was way shorter lol and because i just wanted to publish something in the inbetween of the bigger charles one-shot.

©⠀amberjazmyn's original work. do not translate or steal any of my fics. 2024

#formula one #emotional angst #long distance relationships #not really any real triggers #max verstappen #lando norris #charles leclerc #oscar piastri #i'm already there

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harlothane · 8 months ago

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Two characters that I believe have personality traits and interests in common are Asha and Robb!

-- They're both emotional leaders who express their feelings (they don't typically hide their emotions that well).

-- They're both bold and respected for their skill in battle.

-- They both have a special relationship with their mother (in Robb's case there is too many examples to count haha).

-- They are adept at military strategy (If there are rocks to starboard and a storm to port, a wise captain steers a third course // Robb's Whispering Woods strategy).

-- ...but fail at politics (although Asha seems more politically savvy to me, she is still losing on that front for the time being).

-- They both can be unvoluntarily insensitive (both with Theon during the incident with the wildlings and Bran and in the aftermath of his homecoming).

-- They both fail to gauge the magnitude of Theon's need for belonging and approval (related to the above point).

-- They're both rebels defying a crowned king.

-- They're both the oldest sibling who has had to take responsability at a very young age.

-- They're both romantics !

-- They both need advisors to reassure themselves (Catelyn&Theon and Rodrik the Reader). They're not quite as invulnerable as they might appear.

#i'm sure there are more actually #asha greyjoy #robb stark #valyrianscrolls #asoiaf #words are wind #asoiaf epiphany #i would say they are both using theon as a political tool as well WHILE feeling sincere affection for him #(asha with the latecomer plot - maybe - and robb as he sends theon to negotiate with his father)

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thatsrightice · 9 months ago

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Hello! My name is Olie (She/Her) and I am the aviation-obsessed person running this blog.

main: @waitingforsols

the boys in the boat: @savvylittlecoxswain

band of brothers: @magnoliasforyourmedic

BACKGROUND: I have a mechanical engineering degree with an aerospace minor and I work in the aviation industry.

WHAT DO I LIKE?

Masters of the Air (esp Harry Crosby)

Top Gun (esp Tom “Iceman” Kazansky)

✨ F-14 Tomcat ✨

EAA AirVenture

Research & History

Fighter Pilot Podcast

WHAT DO I POST ABOUT?

Masters of the Air headcanons, prompts, writing ideas, fanfictions, rants, etc.

A LOT of 100th BG historical information

Top Gun headcanons, prompts, writing ideas, fanfictions, rants, etc.

F-14 Tomcat highly technical deep dives

Tons of interesting facts about the F-14, B-17, and aviation history

MY FANFICTION

a lesson in international relations

masters of the air, Croz whump, one-shot

main themes: croz and bubbles get jumped by the Riff RAF, hurt croz, croz & everyone, smart croz!!!,

the war is over and we are beginning

masters of the air, Croz/Rosie, one-shot

main themes: buck’s rosebush, croz/rosie, rosie with a rose, fluff, they’re both so soft for each other

and maybe if i hold you now

masters of the air, croz x bubbles one-shot (like 4k words)

main themes: Crosby x Bubbles, post-reunion in episode 5, misunderstandings, mutual pining, fluff and angst and smut (in that order), Harry Crosby is insecure AF, explicit sexual content (see Ao3 for specific tags), sharing a bed, Harry Crosby definitely experimented in college, Harry Crosby is the dumbest smart person, these boys deserve to be happy

we rest amidst the tumult of war

completed masters of the air croz x rosie multi-chapter fic (8k words)

main themes: crosby/rosie but can be read as platonic, part 6 rewrite, flak house, horseback riding (like actually), fluff and hurt/comfort but mostly comfort, basically 10k words of flirting, these boys deserve to be happy, ft. Rosie’s Riveters, lots of good-natured teasing and jokes, short jokes, insecurities, everyone needs a hug

penguins are flightless birds and so am i

iceman one-shot

main themes: iceman angst, surprise homecoming, hurt/comfort, big fluff, flyboys being flyboys, found family, emotional and physical pain, some military lingo, military accurate (hopefully) underlying future icemav, background HollyWolf, iceman returns home from deployment early but not on his own terms

flying is hard but falling (for you) is easy

multi-chapter icemav fic (WIP)

main themes: iceman AND slider angst, icemav, major platonic slice, hurt/comfort, the boys ™️, flyboys being flyboys <- to the max, flyboy shenanigans, things will get worse before it gets better, everyone needs a hug (especially iceman), takes place a couple months after top gun on the USS Enterprise, soft Iceman and protective everyone else, emotional pain, iceman knows he’s in love but refuses to do anything about it and maverick doesn’t know he’s in love but is doing everything about it <- that’s it, that’s the fic

FOR YOUR REFERENCE :)

F-14 Tomcat Accidents & Issues

The following is a compilation of issues with the F-14 Tomcat that have been encountered by pilots throughout its lifespan due to both mechanical and other reasons. Some are based on individual accidents and some cover epidemics in which many aircraft were lost to the issue *cough* compressor stalls *cough* basically it’s a bunch of ways you can hurt your fav characters in your fics.

F-14 Tomcat Variants

A beginner’s guide to identifying and differentiating the different F-14 Tomcat variants using three distinctive, easy-to-spot features: Glove Vanes, Engine Exhaust Nozzle (aka “Turkey Feathers”), and Sensor Pods.

Flight of the Tomcat

Flight basics of the F-14 Tomcat with diagrams

What Did F-14 Tomcat Pilots Wear?

A little guide including links to videos from a former F-14 Pilot showing and putting on what he wore when he was flying the Tomcat.

FREQUENT TAGS

# just a little thing I wrote

where you’ll find my Top Gun h/c’s, writings, musings, rants, prompts, analysis, etc.

# mota musings

same as #justalittlethingiwrote but for Masters of the Air and Harry Crosby

#FFFOTD or #F-14 Fun Fact of the Day

want to learn something new about the F-14 tomcat?

#research or #information

basically what it says

#top gun or #masters of the air

makes sense

#f-14 tomcat

kind of a given, but will likely include primarily technical posts

#reference

some guides and information stuff you could use to help better understand aviation or the f-14 tomcat

#f14 tomcat has ✨issues✨

if you’re looking for ways to hurt your favorite top gun characters without it being pilot error, check out this tag

MY AVIATION ORIGIN STORY

Basically, and I’m not exaggerating, I randomly decided to make a sad-excuse for a helicopter as a part of our wood shop unit in middle school. I genuinely do not know why I chose a helicopter, there is no reason for me to have chosen a helicopter lol. My wood shop teacher is like “I’m actually very intrigued on why you picked a helicopter like what made you pick it? I’m impressed!” And I literally had not answer for him.

My interest was solidified when I went to EAA AirVenture. Watching the F-22 Raptor fly was and always will be breathtaking to me. That demo gave me the love for military aviation and especially fighters that I have today.

#master post #pin #i like planes #planes r cool

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defensenow · 4 months ago

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youtube

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aikaterini-drag · 1 year ago

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Chapter 1 Ensnared

Summary: The Winter Soldier was cold and calculated, his power raw and brutal. Grace Landon was kind and calm, similar to gentle waves dancing on the shore. She was his mission. His target. But he would soon find out that she was all he could ever ask for; his salvation, his whole world. She held the key to his redemption, the missing piece of his desolate world. But... could his dream of having her come true? James Bucky Barnes was ready to crawl to the surface and discover the truth.

Warnings (whole series): Violence, Non-Con Abduction, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Enemies to Lovers, Sexual Tension, First Time, Emotional Sex, Protective Bucky, Angst with a Happy Ending, Soft Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes Recovering,Barnes Gets all the Love he deserves.

Find more chapters of the "Fading Scars" Series here ♡

Author's notes: Hello, friends!! Follow Bucky on this path of self-discovery, healing, and love. He will rise from the shadows of his past and turn into a beacon of hope and love.

The events of this story take place somewhere after "The Winter Soldier". Steve falls from the bridge and Bucky saves him. However, in my fiction, Hydra somehow manages to re-capture Bucky and trigger the Winter Soldier in him.

The plot will flow according to my interpretations of the story. I won’t follow canon events and use my own ideas to create an engaging and sizzling romance. Content warnings will be added when needed.

Happy reading, Aikaterini ♡

The room was cold, seeping into his bones. A solitary light flickered in the distant corner, casting eerie shadows as the low thrum of machines buzzed incessantly in his ears. His hands, clenched into fists, gripped the cold metal bars that restrained him. He bit down on the retainer between his lips, a silent testament to his resolve.

Above him, a dome of gleaming metal stretched like a dome, its cylindrical rods encircling him with an unsettling grace. Bolts of lightning came from the rods, igniting a frenzied tempo in his chest. Gradually, the curved rods descended and closed around him, encompassing his head. He had gotten used to the pain, the agony. But lately, the torture had intensified beyond measure, reducing him to a mere doll.

Blinding beams of light seared through his cells, rendering him numb to all but the searing agony coursing through his brain. His hoarse screams echoed like a roar in the room. He was burning, pushed past the limit he had grown accustomed to enduring. It was endless, merciless, and above all, effective; it wiped even the most inconsequential fragments of memory from the depths of his mind.

No matter how hard he struggled to safeguard some of the memories of the past, his every effort crumbled. The early days of his military service were entirely disposed of as was the time spent with Steve, his best friend. Each time he remembered who he was, he was wiped clean again.

The lights drew back, the pressure against his temples gone.

Then everything stopped.

No questions.

No will of his own.

Stars erupted in front of his eyes, his stomach writhing under the onslaught of pain. He did nothing. He stayed strapped and mute; obedient just as they had programmed him to act. His world stood empty, a desolate landscape with no colors. And his heart felt void and poisoned.

And then, came the words.

Longing Rusted Seventeen Daybreak Furnace Nine Benign Homecoming One Freight car

Uttered in Russian, the heavy code phrases triggered his brain, complete submission washing over his entire being. His mind was rewritten by his enemies, it did not belong to himself but to a shadow of a man; a cruel, heartless assassin, bound by the compulsion to kill.

The Winter Soldier.

Blood-thirst coursed through his veins, a raw need to complete his every mission running through and through. The Soldier did not show fear, he did not forgive and he certainly did not spare his targets. He was an elite assassin, infused by the serum that granted him the power to infiltrate and assassinate.

And he was the best because he obeyed.

Every time.

"Soldat?"

A rough voice awoke him from his daze and he turned to face the burly man addressing at him. He was holding a red notebook, a black star etched in the middle of its cover... the cursed book. The Winter Soldier merely nodded at his words, well aware that it wasn't his place to do anything but listen and obey. Pleased, the man sealed the ominous notebook and spoke once more.

"You've got a new mission. Seize and capture. No witnesses," he said and tossed a brown envelope into his lap.

Slowly, the metal restricting him unclasped and The Winter Soldier replied, "Ready to comply."

Walking on shaky legs, the Soldier entered his cell where he was prepared for the task. More leather straps were added across his chest, constricting him over his vest. With deft precision, he secured blades and ammunition, concealing extras within his boots. Two guns were holstered at his sides and he was finally ready.

Once he was left alone, he opened the envelope he was handed and studied its contents. He usually didn't need more than a few minutes to study his mission and devise a strategy. Yet, as he glanced at the scattered papers, his gaze fell upon a certain photograph and the name of his target.

Grace Landon.

His cold blue eyes drifted to the woman's face, lingering on her warm, caramel hair and the depths of her hazel eyes. He memorized everything about her; her name, her age, her childhood, all the way to her daily routine. During the last two months, she had been working at a small bakery in California. And from what was included in the file, she and followed the same pattern every day—work then back home and repeat.

Browsing through her medical files, the Soldier found out she had a fragile constitution. She was weak and asthmatic since birth. Her records also mentioned that she was heavily traumatized and that the slightest exposure to violence led to panic attacks.

She was an easy target. Something unusual in his field of practice.

A sharp kick at the door notified him that his time was up. Clasping the documents in a viselike grip, he headed out. A sharp pain caused him to sidestep and lean against the was. The ache jabbed his skull, feeling as if tiny needles pricked at his nerves. There was so much he had to recall. But the Winter Soldier didn't let him win. He brought him back to his mission, killing his real self, killing James Bucky Barnes.

The assassin prevailed, grasping control of the situation. Wearing the cold mask of a killer, he exited the secret compound and rode his bike, dead-set to fulfill his mission—the mission that, unbeknownst to him, held the power to irrevocably alter the course of his existence.

▪️▪️▪️

Grace murmured a happy tone as she conducted the usual check before leaving the bakery. She made sure that everything was sparkly clean and that the pastries and desserts were ready for tomorrow, meticulously stored and safely refrigerated. She had also come up with a new menu concept for the shop which she was going to share with her boss tomorrow.

As she peeled off her apron, she exchanged the usual goodbyes with her coworkers then headed out with a carefree smile. It was way past 10 and she couldn't wait to go home, cook a delicious meal, and lay lazily on the couch for the remainder of the night while watching TV.

The night's oppressive darkness spurred her to hasten her pace, street lamps illuminating her form with a warm glow. She caught the next bus and got off a few stops later, walking along a pebbled road. She passed through the bustling main street, then veered into a long, shadowed alley, a mere five-minute walk from her apartment.

It was awfully quiet that night and the unsettling silence awakened goosebumps on her skin. She had that awful feeling that someone had eyes on her. The sinister awareness disquieted her. A surge of instinct propelled her forward, the quickening rhythm of her steps halting abruptly with a thin scream.

A cat saw fit to leap in front of her, a thin purr reverberating from her furry chest.

Grace breathed in relief and rubbed a palm over her beating heart. She rushed ahead, swiftly crossing the next two blocks. Her fingers fumbled within her purse, grasping for her keys. Another sound caught her attention, it was supremely faint and she soon realized it. And from the dark silhouette lurking in the shadows. A man. She could feel the darkness and danger he emanated.

Without a second thought, she thrust her feet, speeding away. But she didn't make more than two steps. He lunged at her, his grip clamping onto her shoulder. Whoever that man was, he didn't appear human. She screamed but a large palm slapped over her mouth, and a metal— a metal arm curled around her neck.

A metal arm...

He was working for them; Hydra.

She thrashed and panted, cold sweat running down her temples.

A light kick at the back of her knee and she lost her balance, her back colliding with the ground. Her breath hitched, pain spreading through her. Her gaze was forced skyward, at the towering silhouette looming above her. She couldn't see his face clearly. A mask was fitted over his mouth and nose, revealing a pair of crystalline eyes gleaming in the night, an enigma within an enigma. He was clad in black from head to toe, with leather buckles and belts encompassing his chest.

She struggled against her captor's restraint but he yanked her up as if she weighed nothing and slapped a hand over her mouth. Her muffled screams went unheard as he maneuvered her, his metal hand tightening painfully around her waist. He carried her away, her flailing and wriggling doing nothing to stop him.

Panic burned her chest and she found it hard to breathe, her lungs suffocating. She fought for air but his tight grip on her only worsened the rush of heat on her face. Tears followed, drenching her cheeks, mingling with the hand that stifled her cries. He injected her then, her energy waning to the syringe's vile contents. The grip upon her mouth loosened and she looked up at him, barely hanging on reality.

"You're with Hydra, aren't you?" She shouted with an effort that seemed to squeeze every bit of air from her lungs. "Let me go— I won't let you—"

Pretending to be in intense distress, she went limp in his arms. That caused the Soldier to momentarily loosen his grip. She waited a few moments before twisting, using her flexibility to maneuver her body and slip from his grasp. Her facade took him by surprise, especially when she, delivered her strike, her fingers jabbing into his eyes. The impact didn't hurt him but startled him enough to make him stumble back.

She raced away, swift as a startled deer, weaving through alleyways and screaming out her lungs. But there was no one to offer comfort or aid. No faces appeared at windows or doorways. Her echoing footsteps and hoarse yells turned into a symphony of isolation. What had he done? And then, as if answering her question, his silhouette emerged from above. He seized her, his grasp unyielding and commanding.

"No!" She let out a heart-wrenching scream. "Hydra scum! Release me! I despise them! I despise you!"

He didn't reply.

With robotic movements, he taped her mouth shut and maintained his grip on her, moving forward with unwavering purpose, his strides relentless. Dread flooded her; he had drugged, and stolen her away beneath the shroud of night. She was powerless. Cold sweat gathered at her forehead as the chokehold of terror constricted her ability to speak.

Swallowing the ache that worked its way into her throat, she attempted to beg the masked devil, appeal to his sensitivity, if there ever was one. But in truth, she was merely whispering as if speaking in her sleep. Because with every passing second, she was drifting into the darkness, the drug making her numb and dizzy.

In the end, the tears dried, her eyelids closing, succumbing to the darkness.

She was unconscious, ensnared by The Winter Soldier.

▪️▪️▪️

Grace opened her eyes, reluctantly welcoming the world around her. Her head was pounding, a searing pain hitting the base of her skull. She was lying down, she noticed, in a dark and cold room. Memories of zoning in and out of consciousness flashed through her mind. A stranger had given her water, then injected something into her veins, forcing her back into sleep.

As she looked around, she couldn't miss the red dot flashing at the upper corner, a camera was keeping track of her. She was trapped in a small, sparsely furnished room with just a bed and a tiny bathroom. Grace noticed that the camera couldn't peer into the bathroom. An old bulb hung from the ceiling, its light trembling, fading.

There were no windows, no way out; only metal walls surrounding her.

As her memories cleared, terror ran through her at the thought of the man in black, with inhuman eyes and impossible strength. She could still feel the soreness, a bruise forming from where the metal hand had squeezed her waist. Despite her growing awareness, she still felt exhausted and weak.

Her eyes swept across the dimly lit room until she spotted her captor seated in the far corner of the room, his massive figure cloaked in shadows. Her body jolted from the bed, a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. It was him. The masked captor. He was barely visible from the shadows but she noticed he wasn't wearing a mask. The air charged with his energy. He remained unflinching, like a statue carved from marble, one hand outstretched right next to his gun on the table.

Grace wished she could hurt him with her stare. He had caused all this ordeal. He had manhandled her, drugged her, and imprisoned her in this wretched place. Oh, how she hated Hydra. Anger surged within her, and at the same time, her eyes couldn't stop studying him, searching even the slightest clue in the blue depths of his eyes. What had they done to him to make him so inhuman?

Allowing a rush of adrenaline to empower her, Grace crawled from her spot on the bed, her legs unsteady. Hindered by the drugs, she stumbled, her balance faltering. She tried to re-orient herself but lost her balance. Yet, before she could hit the ground, a pair of arms wrapped around her sore waist. She hissed and he immediately altered his grip before scooping her in his arms.

She wiggled and yelled, terrified to the bone. He ignored her, again and lowered her onto the bed, studying her condition. Seizing the opportunity, Grace examined him just as closely. He was large, towering over her by at least two heads, his build muscular and commanding attention. Defined cheekbones framed his face, and a couple of days' worth of stubble covered his jaw. His hair was long, a tousled mane of dark brown waves, framing his face in an artful disarray.

And his eyes... his eyes were a surreal shade of deep, smoky blue that seemed to hold countless pain within. Despite his cold demeanor, she sensed an underlying loneliness hiding in his irises. Aware of her scrutiny, she scrambled back and retreated to the far corner of the bed. She refused to let her thoughts take such a turn toward the man who had treated her harshly.

"Who are you?" she asked, hugging her legs to her chest.

Again no answer came.

"They are using you, aren't they?" She tried again. "Do you even know they're taking advantage of you?"

She sighed at the silence. "Perhaps you're in a worse spot than I."

"Why are you doing this to me?" She chucked. "Apologies, I forgot. Hydra likes its victims mute and easy to suppress, right? I suppose you're in poor fate as well."

Her words seemed to stir him from his reverie, whether for better or worse. He moved one knee, advancing on the bed and adjusting his posture to match her height. She winched when he leaned in as close to her as he could. An unreadable expression was painted on his face, one that melted away as their eyes locked.

Grace fell victim to his impossibly blue eyes — eyes as blue and clear as the open sky. A desire to resist, to shout, surged within her, yet her body remained unresponsive to her commands. Instead, an intimate unease gripped her, suppressing the fear.

"I've done nothing to harm you. Why subject me to this?" she told him, stunned by her own bravery.

Once more, he remained silent, though his eyes narrowed, slight wrinkles forming at their corners. The first genuine flicker of emotion surfaced, a mix of confusion and distress. She couldn't understand what he was going through. Not even the Soldier himself was aware that Bucky Barnes was struggling to reach the surface.

"Don't fight back," said a husky baritone, the voice of Bucky Barnes resurfacing from his deep sleep.

Her heart slammed in her chest. "Wh... Why?"

"Do as you're told. Submit."

"Submit? To Hydra?" She scowled. "Never."

"Listen here—"

"No. I don't trust you," Grace said in one breath.

He took in the sight of her and exhaled. "Do you think this a game? A dream?"

"I wish it were," she replied, grief in her tone. "Please release me. There's still time—"

"No."

The moment he voiced his reply, he recoiled, distancing himself abruptly. A second later, the door swung open, and two armed men eased inside. Grace ran to the corner of the room, it was futile, she knew, but she couldn't stay still. The men approached her and she bent to her knees, begging. But what was she even doing? She had lost the game. She would never receive help from anyone in Hydra.

She was grabbed by the elbows, strong hands holding her in place. They hauled he to her feet and forced her to walk into corridors surrounded by gray walls, accented with metal in places. They were so many, it was like a maze. Considering the constant whirring of the ventilation system, Grace was certain of it now, she was held in an underground compound.

When the procession halted, they abandoned her in a dark room. The lights turned on and her stare darted on a chilling sight. The room was yet another prison, engulfed by metal bars. It was dominated by computers, with a chair at its center adorned with leather straps and metallic restraints. Above the chair, loomed a thick cylindrical structure that emitted a low, ominous hum. People in lab coats entered, pacing around, entirely ignorant of her, fully focused on whatever their task was.

"Feigning bravery is futile, Gracie. You can't escape."

Grace faltered at the nickname and the disturbingly familiar voice. In stunned disbelief, her gaze fell upon the man easing inside. Dressed immaculately in a sharp suit, he was focused intently on his tablet. Her chin quivered, her voice faltering as she summoned the strength to utter his name.

"Silas."

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honourablejester · 1 year ago

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Wings Over Gotham Masterlist

A master post for my Wings Over Gotham Batman/DCU AU.

“Eighteen years ago, an earthquake ripped through Gotham City, and in the aftermath, instead of helping, the US government sealed the city under a ‘quarantine’ and left them to die. Two years later, when signs of life and even civilisation were still detectable inside the shattered city, the government sent the military in to reclaim and rehabilitate Gotham. Gotham has not forgotten, and they have not forgiven either.”

An AU where an altered version of No Man’s Land happened while Bruce was in his late teens/early twenties, and Batman was born in the hellish crucible of a trapped city that was left for dead and then violently retaken. Gotham may pretend to run by mainlander rules for the sake of those who would have died otherwise, but under the surface, Bruce, Jim, Leslie, Ivy and Oswald and their pack keep their own council, and look with jaundiced eyes on the mainland.

This story also includes a very non-traditional variation on A/B/O, where alpha and omega are expressed via psychic auras and not biologically, and those same auras allow empathic connection between pack members. (I wanted to play with the ideas of gender and pack from A/B/O, as well as a psychic expansion of the whole ‘pheromone’, ‘sensing/smelling emotions’ idea that is found in some A/B/O, but this story really is not focused on sex or biology, but the aftermath of attempted genocide and the tight-knit and extremely paranoid community that survives it. So I’ve essentially taken and adapted the bits of the trope that interested me for this story, and left the rest?)

22 Stories So Far

Harbour Day (1 chapter, POV Jim Gordon)

Eighteen years after the inciting incident, fifteen years after Gotham has been fully reintegrated after No Man's Land, the federal government would really prefer if Gotham City wouldn't still doggedly memorialise Harbour Day, the lives lost that night, the stubborn, damn near seditious amount of rage the city still feels about it. But Gotham doesn't work by mainlander rules anymore, and while they might choke the words down and avoid actually shooting the asshole in the face, neither Jim nor Bruce nor anyone else of Gotham City's pack will ever let the memory of No Man's Land, of Harbour Day, or anything else that was done to them, die.

Homecoming (2 chapters, POV Jason Todd)

The Lazarus Pit tore your aura to shreds. Or, maybe, dying tore your aura to shreds, and the Pit just didn't help. Jason Todd came back from the dead with all his pack bonds torn and his aura in pieces, driven by rage and emptiness. But Talia made a mistake. She let him too close. Even Jason's shredded mind and aura recognise his brother when he feels him, even when it's a brother neither he nor their father knew he had. So now, Jason is heading home to Gotham, a little brother in tow, to find out how much of his pack is left for him.

Set about a year before Harbour Day, a small prequel of an extremely battered Jason coming home.

The Cowardice of Heroes (3 chapters, POV Clark Kent)

Six months after the quarantine is lifted on No Man's Land, Bruce Wayne appears in polite society for the first time after being trapped for more than two years on the island, to run an auction to raise money for restoration efforts in the city. Speculation and torrid rumours are running wild through both Gotham society and the wider press, and two young reporters for the Daily Planet, one with rather more abilities and secrets than are readily apparent, score an invite to what will undoubtedly be the event of the year.

Another prequel to Harbour Day, this one set almost immediately after No Man's Land. A young Clark Kent witnesses the death, or rather stillbirth, of Brucie Wayne.

Tidal Hope (1 chapter, POV Oswald Cobblepot)

The two years Jason had been dead had been hard on Gotham. Mainlanders stepped lightly around Bruce's howling, grieving aura. But it had been hard on others too. After Jason comes back from the dead, bringing brothers in his wake, another brother comes home to Gotham, at least for a visit. But there's someone else he wants, needs, to talk to. And Oswald has always had the most aggravating fondness for this particular one of Bruce's kids.

Set shortly after Homecoming. Oswald Cobblepot helps shore up an exhausted and half-despairing Dick Grayson.

Here Be Monsters (1 chapter, POV Clark Kent)

Not long after Harbour Day, Clark Kent comes back to Gotham to interview SA Donald Mayers about his hostility towards the event, on the nudging of Leslie Thompkins. He gets an answer. Maybe not the one he expected, but an informative one nonetheless. There are, Mayers says, monsters in Gotham. But a monster to one man, might be a saviour to another. Which way is up in Gotham City? He doesn't find out, but maybe he doesn't need to just yet.

Diplomacy on the Shore (3 chapters, POV Bruce Wayne)

In which Bruce cannot function sanely when it comes to the Joker, Tim is incautious, it all goes tits up, and a new, alien force introduces itself to Gotham. Well. Not alien. Full Earth home-grown. But the difference is perhaps negligible from a Gotham point of view. And Atlantis brings trouble of her own to Gotham's shores, with war between them a very real potential consequence. But trust and diplomacy might win through.

Judgements of the Soulless (2 chapters, POV Jason Todd)

After the mess of the Atlantean almost-invasion, Jason Todd finds a moment to confront his killer. Or. Sort of. Because the Joker isn't exactly in a state to confront anything. And Gotham, her aura, might not be the only reason for that. Bruce and Jason were not the only ones with reasons to interfere with the Joker.

Champions of the Gods (2 chapters, POV Diana of Themyscira)

"Kal might not forgive her for coming. For wrangling an invitation to this Bruce Wayne’s most recent event, an environmentalist gala dedicated to the preservation of native American flora. It was a good cause, and one that Wonder Woman, or rather Princess Diana of Themyscira, was proud to support, but that wasn’t why she was here. And Kal might not forgive her for it."

Diana of Themyscira, made curious and concerned by the depth of her friend's reaction to this strange city, decides to follow in his footsteps and attend a gala at Wayne Manor, as well as overhear conversations that she shouldn't. Diana is a touch more direct, than Clark, however, and winds up speaking to the inhabitants more directly.

Love of the Broken (1 chapter, POV Alfred Pennyworth)

It was an underhanded tactic, to choose an hour of the morning when his family would be muddled and dazed and unlikely to pay attention to him, but in light of recent realisations, Alfred needs to have a conversation, and less ears and hearts to overhear it.

Alfred Pennyworth, the dark Goddess Gotham, and all the ugly, shamed, vicious parts of love and parenthood that you hope your children never have to see, or at least that they'll forgive you for if they do.

Worlds Gently Collide (3 chapters, POV Dick Grayson)

While working with Wally West on a case, a new type of drug that's been popping up in Blüdhaven and Central City, Dick's worlds start to collide a little bit. Old history and new land on his shore, because it turns out this drug is a Gotham drug. And given the type of drug, Oswald Cobblepot, Uncle Penguin, isn't about to let it touch him unscathed. His friendship with Wally is still tentative enough, but the Flash can roll with representatives of the Gotham mob rocking up on Blüdhaven's shore, right?

Or, some of the further consequences of Diplomacy on the Shore hit Blüdhaven, and Wally West gets introduced to Nicoletta, and Gotham's way of doing things. Not that he knows it's Gotham, yet, but still.

Trial and Error (1 chapter, POV Tim Drake)

The fallout of the fallout of the fallout. In the aftermath of Dick's assault and near-rape, the consequences of an older wound come to the fore. Damian is, unfortunately, neither stupid nor unobservant. And Tim has his own reactions to Dick, to Gotham, and to Damian. How many tries do you get before people stop tolerating you? Are you ever damned before you even start? But this is Gotham. So long as everyone's still alive, there's time to try at least once more.

Monsters All (1 chapter, POV Jim Gordon)

Mayers had never figured out where the Council met. He kept looking for Central, big civic buildings. That was where councils met, and didn't they fancy themselves a council? But No Man's Land hadn't had anything like that. They'd met, five territories, five enemies, in a shitty ruined diner outside all their territories. And they still did. To discuss ... one hell of a set of months. Invasion from all quarters. Gotham hasn't felt this exposed since the end of No Man's Land. But Ivy ... Ivy has a different plan for this conversation, and Jim and everyone else are just along for the ride.

The Aura Eaters (4 chapters, POV J’onn J’onzz)

J'onn J'onzz, the last Martian, lies captive in the pod of an alien ship as it makes planetfall. He is spent. Eaten. A husk of a thing. But they have made the smallest of errors, and if nothing else, he will try to be a nuisance before he dies. He will try to warn this world of the horror that comes for them. And, if he has the chance, he will try to fight for it.

An alien invasion comes to Earth. To Gotham. And in the process, a lot of worlds (metaphorically) collide.

The Lights on the Water (1 chapter, POV Jim Gordon)

In the aftermath of the Imperium's invasion, Agent Mayers steps into Jim Gordon's office, wanting to know what the hell ate an army. And, with Gotham revealed whether they wanted to be or not, Jim finally gets a chance to say some things he's wanted to say to this man since No Man's Land. They don't help, probably, but at least he gets a chance to say them.

Rest for the Wicked (1 chapter, POV Bruce Wayne)

In the aftermath of the invasion and his own choices, while his people and his city keep things going around him, Bruce Wayne pulls himself together and gets back up. With the help, and understanding, of someone who knows so very well what he's feeling. First, do no harm. But sometimes time and resources run out, and you have to make a choice. Leslie knows better than anyone, and she has some dark thoughts and secrets of her own, too. But they keep going, because someone has to.

Courage of the Fearful (3 chapters, POV Clark Kent)

After an almost alien invasion in Gotham, and a goddess' response, there are a lot of things Clark Kent should be worried about right now. He probably hasn't chosen the right one. But all questions of morality and even theology aside, Gotham is afraid of him. And he's not sure he can bear that. So. He has a decision to make.

Roots Watered In Blood (2 chapters, POV Pamela Isley)

With Bruce not dead and not taken, this time, despite his best efforts, Ivy and J'onn take a little minute, among the bodies of the invasion, to share grief and guilt and at least some attempted comfort.

Foreign Counsel (5 chapters, POV Lois Lane)

If Clark thought that Lois Lane would be content to sit back in Metropolis while he fell on his sword like she hadn't kept the exact same secret for the exact same reason ... well. His head hadn't exactly been in the game the past week or so. She'd probably forgive him. But what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, and she had her own appointment with Gotham City. With ... Leslie Thompkins, in particular. But more than that. Because Gotham had an entire alien invasion happen, and nobody seemed to give a shit, and Lois hadn't written some of the best pieces of her life trying to bring attention to this city only to let it slide into the sea unremarked now. She had a meeting, and a job to do, and ... maybe more of both than she'd planned for going in.

What Happens If She Doesn't Kill You? (1 chapter, POV Agent Mayers)

Two days after his confrontation with Jim Gordon, Agent Donald Mayers has an unexpected conversation in a graveyard. It's not what he planned. It's never what he planned in this city. But it might be what he needed.

Bend Around The Break (1 chapter, POV Oswald Cobblepot)

Somehow, Oswald always seems to wind up holding other people's shattered children. But that's all right. Gotham's good at gluing people back together, a little more broken and a little more vicious than before. Barbara, in the wake of the last couple of weeks, needs a moment.

Peace Yet Unwon (2 chapters, POV Diana of Themyscira)

Diplomacy for the Justice League often falls to Diana of Themyscira. Unfortunately, they do not always reach 'diplomacy' at all. But at least an attempt was made. And they have strength, courage and grace to work with, so it may come right yet.

Space Oddity (1 chapter, POV Hal Jordan)

After J'onn and Batman and the Gotham contingent leave, Hal makes his escape out onto the roof, and from there up into the lonely emptiness of the sky, to take a minute and get himself together. He fucked that up. He knows he did, and he knows why. But apparently he needs to talk himself through it anyway, so he can stop fucking up.

(Hal might be his own worst enemy, here. But fortunately he also has friends).

#wings over gotham #masterlist #fanfic #au #batman #gotham city #no man's land

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gipsyavnger · 1 year ago

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Homecoming

@kaitaiga like you said...oc x canon? No. oc x your friend’s oc

(She's wearing one of Damien's jackets. The woman is 5'4 and the man is 6'1 and build like a friggin freight train. It's going to hang off her)

She lay staring at the ceiling of their shared bedroom, hands fidgeting with the blanket as she nibbled at her lower lip.

He’s coming home today.

Flipping to her side, Isobel Williams made eye contact with the dog they’d adopted, her sweet face bringing a smile to her lips.

“Babygirl…Dad is coming home today. You excited?”

No response.

She was out cold, but Isobel knew the moment she got out of bed, Apache would follow her like a heat-seeking missile.

Rolling back to lie on her back, she chuckled softly. Damien had given Apache her name. His eyes filled with love as he glanced up and whispered, “Apache. Her name is Apache.”

It referenced Isobel’s former military career when she belonged to the United States Army. Flying AH-64D Apache helicopters had been her life for the longest time before joining Task Force 141. Even then, she’d resigned herself to only being close air support until Price had taken a chance on her and sent her into the field.

They’d met because of a bet. A stupid one made by two old men constantly trying to one-up each other. Price had bet Lachlan that his operator could beat Lachlan’s operator. Lachlan had taken the bet, and the next thing Isobel knew, she was being pulled into the gym to spar against a ridiculously handsome Australian Commando.

“The amount will determine how badly I thrash him.”

“Evicerate him, Medusa. Put him in the ground.”

“Copy that, sir.”

She’d done just that, and Damien (having admitted this to her) was smitten when she slammed him into the mat. It had taken Isobel some time to warm up to him, but they'd grown closer during the two-week joint training exercise. Once it came time for him to leave, she’d been smitten herself.

“Apache. Breakfast.” Using a firm voice, Isobel rose from the bed and walked to the kitchen, her body on autopilot as she scooped dog food from the bag. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, eyes glued to the stove clock as the minutes ticked away until he landed.

Six months. He’d been gone six months.

She’d desperately tried to go with him when the orders came down. The problem was that they were from two different countries. Price had explained it to her. He already had operators in the country, there was no way he could send her without being a person short.

The day Damien left, Isobel had cried. Normally a stoic woman, she rarely let her emotions get the best of her.

But he’d given her the sweetest kiss upon his departure, whispering, “I’ll come home to you, gorgeous.”

She’d been an absolute mess for a week, bursting into tears randomly. The worst one had been when she was picking up more dog food. The memory of the day they’d adopted Apache flashed across her mind, and she’d ended up sobbing quietly between the wet and dry dog food.

The sound of Apache skidding into the kitchen pulled at the corners of her lips as she leaned against the counter briefly before heading into the bedroom to get dressed.

“You here for your husband?”

Isobel glanced to her left, the sweet-looking girl with a massive smile staring at her as they awaited the plane. She couldn’t have been more than nineteen. Just a baby.

“No…” She paused, biting back the sarcastic remark desperate to leave her lips, “I’m here for my man.”

She left it at that, turning her attention back to the flight line where the plane had finally landed. The minutes felt like hours as she waited for the door to open. To catch a glimpse of him. Of Damien.

Her heartbeat rapidly increased, every fiber of her being on edge as her breathing slowed. Her vision tunneled as the adrenaline hit her system. The world dropped away the moment the ramp lowered. Her muscles were screaming, her entire body tensed up.

A mop of golden hair appeared, carrying a large duffle bag as he exited the plane, and she couldn’t think straight, but her military training told her to remain still. Wait until he notices you. It didn’t take long. He scanned the crowd, immediately landing upon her as she gave him a small smile.

Damien dropped his duffle bag, sprinting toward her without a sound as he scooped her up in his arms.

So this is what home feels like.

The thought flashed across Isobel’s mind as Damien’s lips found hers, her arms wrapped around his neck to pull him tight. The feeling of his body against hers set her on fire, the lonely nights and tear-soaked pillow suddenly forgotten.

“Welcome home, love.”

“I missed ya so much, gorgeous.”

#call of duty #my stuff #my edits #call of duty modern warfare #call of duty modern warfare 2022 #cod mw2 #cod mwii #call of duty oc #cod ocs #call of duty fanart #cod fanart #modern warefare ii #mw2 #damien whitlock #oc x oc pairing?

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mountttmase · 1 year ago

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Once in a while I becomes super emotional during my periods I literally start crying over the stupidest thing

Ohhh

You know what makes me cry hard? Military parents homecoming videos

I cried at a little girl playing the violin the other day

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seefasters · 2 years ago

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Regina spektor anon with further thoughts clogging up your inbox. Im still really in my feelings about Goodbye Radar. I loved how how bittersweet and cruel the turn of fate that allowed him to return home is- the loss that kicks off his homecoming. he came of age overseas at war and hes coming back home as a different person and whats more his home is changed. The loss of uncle ed is such a good writing choice- its the death of radar's first and dearest father figure and its a death that takes him away from a camp full of father figures he had filling in for uncle ed while they were seperated by distance. I think the reason for that is that its sort of a coming of age milestone- in the absence of all possible male rolemodels he is now definitively his own. Youre so proud of him for growing to be his own person but you feel so heartsick hes had to do it like this. I liked how the episodes really focused in on radars strengths and his persepctive and also the love that the camp has for him. I was really taken with Klinger's guilt at being the inciting reason why Radar felt he had to stay- its not the main focus of the ep but i found myself rlly interested in it. Klinger doesnt usually get caught up in feeling responsible for stuff cus he never consented to being assigned them in the first place, but this clearly got to him I also like how the ep shows that radar's job is rlly hard and klinger's not really up to it yet, but it lays out how he might come to fill radar's absence with a new, very different approach that promises to be just as effective albiet more chaotic.

Also this ep really hammered home something that i think might be one of my absolute favorite elements of mash, which is its capacity to create really significant moments in the heat of wartime chaos, the moments you know the character witnessing it will revisit over and over in their mind's eye long after they've gone from the war. Often they're very surreal and haunting visuals, like a fully decked out bride conducting wounded from choppers to the operating table, or klinger made up in finery doing military gruntwork, or hawkeyes bizarre antics, or the empty camp decked out with Radar's goodbye party decorations promising a warm sendoff that never happens, or the outdoor surgery that happens by the light of a circle of jeeps. But just as often they are just. Wartime slice of life tableaus that just *stick* with you. Deluge and the interview is full of that, but these two episodes, esp the very end, is full of them too margaret hurriedly running backwards with a gurney, trying to have a meaningful goodbye but lacking the time to even physically stop to say goodbye or to come up with anything better than "you're alright". Hawkeye's silent salute in the operating room. Radars hourlong conversation at the airport with that nurse from missouri, patty. Potter's goodbye, bj's kisses on the cheek. All these truncated emotional moments that try to fit so much into so little time because the chaos of the moment steals your ability to process events let alone feelings. Idk im talking a lot but i just love it so much all these moments in time feel so true to life. Im so curious how it goes from here, radars character was something special. Ok rant over.

yeah i feel like mash does goodbyes particularly well!! like most shows would be tempted to give big, dramatic send offs to their characters but with mash it's like. sometimes you just don't have the time to say all you want to say. sometimes people are in your life - and the next second they' gone. mash's exits aren't very neat even when they do take the time to pay tribute to the characters and i really appreciate that because it just feels. real

(and yeah, sometimes its serendipitous - i imagine trapper would've had a different goodbye if they'd known wayne rogers wouldn't stay)

hawkeye's salute in the operating room legit made me cry when i first watched the episode though. that man NEVER gets to have a proper goodbye my god

very very interested how you're gonna react to period of adjustment anon! mostly because it deals with what you talked about vis a vis klinger but also because its one of the beej episodes of all time

#its me talking #vanya watches mash

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amymmill2 · 25 days ago

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Lee Bul

Commencing her career as an artist in the late 1980s, Lee Bul was able to gain enough traction in the early 1990s through participating in multiple group and solo exhibitions. She is renowned for her Cyborg series (1997-2011), which is constructed of sleek sexualised sculptures that reflect political and societal interpretations of the feminine form, inspired by the Japanese art, manga and anime. There is a real sense of irony regarding her Cyborg collection as their ‘polished appearance belies their laborious manual construction’ [Rachel Kent, 2004]. Embedded in these uncanny sculptures are motifs that explore the power of cloning, genetic engineering and cosmetic surgery. These ideals display the crossroads of technology and the human body, raising queries about transformation and identity.

Cyborg, 1998

One of her earliest works to date include an art performance named – “Sorry for suffering- You think I’m a puppy on a picnic?” This performance was spread over 12 days on the streets of South Korea to Japan, where Bul wore a self made costume depicting a sort of creature/ monster. Some may say this act was provoked due to the controlling state of the East Asian government, specifically over the matter of women’s bodies. To provide some political context, Bul was born in the 1960’s in South Korea where the country was under strict military dictatorship. However she ‘came of age during a period of incredible social and economic upheaval marked by the transition to a democratic state’ [Lee Bul, 2021].This ultimately provided her with an opportunity to freely express debatable social and political issues through her performances.

Sorry for suffering- You think I’m a puppy on a picnic?, 1990

This act led her to the Tokiwaza Theater, where she reproduced her most controversial performance “Abortion.” Naked and bound with ropes, she was suspended from the ceiling. This piece, powerful yet disturbing, shows Bul’s physical and emotional discomfort throughout the run time of 2-3 hours. Shockingly she carried out this performance every day until the end date of the ‘exhibition.’ I believe she was driven from her own personal experiences with abortion and this emotional turmoil is laid out bare for the viewers to witness.

Abortion, 1989

To me, Bul wanted to unapologetically share the raw struggles of women in South Korea. I am a fan of how unpleasant her performances are as it challenges the political and socials norms of how women should be perfectly upheld. She embraces the feminine discomfort and boldly confronts taboo subjects, tabling conversations regarding gender roles to be faced publicly. Ultimately her work not only questions women’s expectations but also encourages women to reclaim their narratives.

Bibliography:

Rachel Kent, RK (2004) Lee Bul | Exhibitions | MCA Australia

Available at: https://www.mca.com.au/exhibitions/lee-bul/

(Accessed: 13 Oct 2024)

Thaddaeus Ropac, TR (1998) Lee Bul Cyborg W1 [Photograph]

Available at: https://ropac.net/artists/31-lee-bul/works/11870/

(Accessed: 13 Oct 2024)

Lee Bul, LB (2021) Thaddaeus Ropac

Available at: https://ropac.net/fr/news/438-south-korean-artist-lee-bul-on-her-homecoming/

(Accessed: 13 Oct 2024)

Sabukaru (2022) Sorry for suffering – You think I’m a puppy on a picnic? [Photograph]

Available at: https://sabukaru.online/articles/lee-bul-sorry-for-suffering

(Accessed: 13 Oct 2024)

Stefan Altenburger, SA (1989) Abortion [Photograph]

Available at: https://www.artsy.net/artwork/lee-bul-abortion

(Accessed: 13 Oct 2024)

Bloom (2015) Pushing the Boundaries of Korean Art: Lee Bul | Brilliant Ideas Ep. 16

Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhyeyI3fKY8

(Accessed: 13 Oct 2024)

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amberswilddreams · 25 days ago

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home🫶

pairing : nicky byrne x sister!fem byrne reader

summary : about to go onstage, nicky gets the surprise of his life when his younger sister kenzie surprises him after being away in the military for a few years.

warnings : military homecoming, happy and sad crying, older brother nicky

a/n : originally i was going to write this as his sister surprising him after sticking her finger in his ear but i decided against it as i didn't like how it was evolving so i stole an old one and decide to rewrite it for nicky. this will be written in lowercase since it just fits the vibe and theme of the one-shot.

sighing in anxiety and disappointment, nicky chucked his phone back onto the coffee table in his dressing room at the aviva stadium. nothing, once again. statistically speaking though, checking his imessages, emails and his whatsapp every millisecond was not going to show a new message or email. despite knowing that, it didn't stop the westlife singer from checking anyway. even if it was just a single word or emoji he got, that would reduce all of the anxiety that he'd built up in his chest over the last seven years. the last form of communication received from her was via email and it was nearly two weeks ago when westlife's wild dreams tour 2022 was still in rehearsals before their opening show at dublin's aviva stadium. however, the moment he saw the news in regards to what was going on in the middle eastern country in which she had been deployed for the last seven years, made his anxiety and fear shoot through the roof more than normal. all he wanted, all he needed was just one small thing that would reassure him in knowing that his younger sister, army medic kenzie byrne was safe and that she wasn't injured or worst, dead.

nicky sat in silence in his dressing room when a knock was heard at his door, "hey, nico, you okay?" it was kian, the look on the younger lad's face seemed genuine so, nicky responded to his bandmate

"hmm?" nicky responded, his head shooting up, chucking his phone back to the coffee table yet again, kian giving him a chilled bottle of water, "oh, i...i'm fine," nicky nodded quickly but it didn't seem to be believable

"come on, nicky, you can tell me anything. there is something bothering and eating away at you and you need to tell me, mark and shane," kian seemed to have a sixth sense with all of his bandmates and their emotions so, it was obvious to kian that nicky was clearly lying and hiding something

sure, nicky could, majority of the time, hide his emotions as an emotional person. but, it was very obvious that the new news about what was going on in the middle east, knowing that that was where his military sister was stationed, was scaring him completely. and moments before he was due to be on stage for the opening show of their new tour with westlife didn't do anything to alleviate that anxiety or stress.

"you have barely taken a single break from your phone since we arrived here at the stadium, what's up? is it about kenzie?" it was obvious how genuinely concerned about nicky kian was but, nicky still tried his hardest at pretending that everything was okay

"nothing. don't worry, it's...nothing's wrong, i'm fine!" as he tried to argue, taking a gulp from his water bottle, kian huffed in frustration, knowing that the older lad was lying but, didn't want to push it so he didn't which allowed nicky to once again, check his phone

walking out of nicky's dressing room and into the hallway, he had crossed paths with shane, also after quietly observing nicky, wondered what was wrong with him.

"what's up with nico? is he okay?" shane quipped softly, his eyebrows furrowing in worry, noticing the slow, shaky breath the older lad had exhaled for yet again, radio silence in the form of knowing whether or not his sister was safe had greeted the lad after checking his phone again (even though the dubliner was once again expecting radio silence)

"i've got no idea but, it's obviously about kenzie but, he won't say anything about it," kian shrugged, seeming quite worried and devastated himself since all of the westlife lads were very close with nicky's younger sister, kenzie

"i'm sure kenzie is absolutely fine, you two," mark, despite his own anxiety for the older lad, assured his two fellow sligo bandmates, "he's most likely waiting for the military news or he's scrolling through his instagram page,"

"what are we talking about over here?" jodi, georgina and gillian, the wives of kian, nicky and shane suddenly joined the group, jodi and gillian also noticed the strange demeanour of nicky

"nicky has been acting very strange and it's quite honestly worrying," kian spoke softly to his wife as he crossed his arms over his body

"hmm, i'm sure he'll be fine," georgina strangely grinned, not even needing to follow the gaze that everyone else had

this suddenly confused kian. but before he even had the chance to comment that georgina, his best friend's wife, was now acting strange, kian's eldest son, koa walked over straight to georgina, "aunty g, there's someone down the hall waiting for you. they've asked for you to give them their backstage pass,"

the two, koa egan and georgina, shared knowing looks, a sly smile breaking out on her face before farewelling the group, "i gotta go!" georgina spoke with an excited tone of voice

nicky looked like he was either going to break down into tears any minute or smash his phone to the ground. whereas his wife georgina was the polar opposite, looking as though she had either won the lottery or something as grand as a large sum of money.

"and, uhh, who may i ask is paying us a visit backstage?" kian was more than shocked and confused, wondering out loud, georgina smiling

shrugging her shoulders with a smile, "sorry kino, but i don't think i have the authorisation to tell you, i just have to give the pass to them," waving the lads and fellow spouses away, walking off towards the other end of the backstage hallway, the group couldn't be more than confused as to what just happened

"please, don't tell me i'm going crazy and say that, that wasn't strange either!" kian almost groaned in frustration, he and the lads were moments from going on stage and one of their members was basically having a mental breakdown whilst his wife was acting suspicious? is this a simulation?

"we've known georgina for many many years and i don't think she has ever had the authorisation to give someone their backstage pass for a westlife gig. can someone, anyone, tell me what is going on? gill, jodi, koa?"

koa just shrugged, giving a hug to his dad and mum before rushing back over to the dressing room that was filled with the other westlife kids. mark's spouse, cailean in the room with them, watching them. the countdown for the start of the concert was basically twenty minutes and still, nicky hadn't left his dressing room. shane now walks into his bandmate's dressing room when he noticed his friend was watching the military news channel on his phone.

"you okay, nico?" shane questioned, sliding on the couch next to nicky when he then noticed what exactly nicky was watching. "the bomb ambush in afghanistan?" the second eldest member observed, knowing with all full intent as to why nicky was watching it

"up to thirty soldiers killed, and they think over a hundred are missing," nicky's voice was shaky and filled with anxiety. "no other information has been released so, no names have been given so far," the poor lad was all of a sudden teary-eyed and trying his hardest to hide it, trying to remain as calm and levelheaded as possible due to the fact that it was twenty minutes until showtime

"come on nico, it's twenty minutes before we start. possibly could be the escape that your mind needs,"

reluctantly agreeing with his bandmate, the dub nodded. pressing down on the couch next to him, he pushed himself up. squeezing out of the space between the couch and coffee table and followed shane towards the stage. but not without checking his phone again to again find nothing.

a couple of minutes later, when it was around ten minutes before showtime, the entire westlife family (excluding georgina) were all standing backstage just as the lads were about to go on stage. it wasn't until georgina and someone else walked over and noticed the sullen look on nicky's face.

kian noticed the weird tension and finally decided to address it again as georgina was silent and was seemingly hiding someone behind her, "okay, georgina, what the actual heck is going on here?" demanding to know before the show started, he continued, "between nicky, checking his phone every second and then you having to invite someone in, there is something wrong and it's really confusing me!"

"maybe...i could give the answer?" whilst the voice was gentle and very obviously a feminine voice heard by a set of guitar amps, it made almost everyone's hearts stop

but no one's heart stopped more than nicky's. hearing that voice almost made his legs give out from under him as he looked over from where he had disassociated looking at a lighting rig above him. by the dizzying speed of light, the lad turned his head. kenzie. standing against a set of guitar amps in the backstage wings of the aviva stadium. dressed in a cute crop top and jeans with her blonde hair all curled with her medic cap resting on it, stood military medic kenzie byrne. georgina stood behind her with her phone out, recording her husband's reaction, amongst everyone else's who also made it in the frame. of course, at first, the lad thought he was maybe hallucinating, stunned and almost not wanting to believe that his eyes were for once not deceiving him.

then, he did the unexpected, his microphone slipped from his hand, thankful it wasn't on otherwise the feedback would be torturous. and he scrambled over to his younger sister in a desperate sprint to get to her faster. as if he couldn't get to her faster, she'd disappear. a small squeak left his mouth as the siblings collided with each other, kenzie's arms immediately wrapping around his, pulling her older brother closer to her. in the background, georgina's small squeal of excitement could be heard as she watched her husband and sister-in-law reunite.

for a while, nicky didn't want to pull out of the hug and, frankly, neither did she. but, kenzie couldn't deny that their show was about to begin and she was desperate to hug kian, shane and mark as well as the children and spouses. as tears slipped down nicky's face, with kenzie frantically wiping them away so it wouldn't noticeable for the fans, he couldn't help but feel every single emotion under the sun. happiness, shock, surprise, relief, every single emotion were butterflies that flew throughout his stomach as he took in every inch of his younger sister's face. scanning her as he wanted to reassure himself that his sister was truly okay and free from harm, the physical that is, that the heartbreak of war that can be brought back home with a soldier. once he had finished analysing his sister, he rested his forehead against kenzie's, his palms resting against her cheeks. whilst comforting her, it gave nicky the ultimate comfort in knowing how real his sister was and that she really wasn't leaving.

"the...the news, you...i--" nicky couldn't bear to say another word of what he saw on the news as his voice shook with fear, still hearing his heart that hammered against his chest, "--i...i thought i..i'd never see you again!" the tearful lad whispered as he sounded almost out of breath due to the amount of anxiety he had been experiencing the entire day

"what are you doing here, kenzie?" he whispered softly, even though he knew that the rest of his band and family would also want to know but needed it to be hurried up to the show that they were minutes from starting, he couldn't help the quietness of his voice

"honourable discharge, i'm no longer needed nicky. i heard the news as to what happened whilst on the plane back home since it was told to us over the pa system. i had merely touched down when the statistics had been released to all news outlets and i'm still yet to go home and visit mum, gillian and adam. i came straight here because i knew i needed to see you first," kenzie smiled softly at her brother as he almost bursts into tears again as she holds him tightly

"why are you home?" even though it was just answered, it seemed as if nicky still couldn't comprehend his sister's safe return, his small, tear-filled voice spoke up small from all the tears he'd cried, the band and co. watching on at the beautifully emotional sibling reunion

even though it didn't need to be repeated, kenzie did anyway, "i am no longer needed nico. i can go back home and start my family with my fiancé or i can start touring with westlife..." she smirked which made nicky excited, he had always dreamt that, like previously, after kenzie's return from the military that she would come back on tour with the band

however, it wasn't until kenzie heard a small clearing of the throat that she realised that kian was wanting some attention as did everyone else. giggling, the girl unlatched herself from her older brother and rushed over to kian who excitedly picked her up, swinging her around as the two of them giggled. from the very start of westlife, kenzie and kian were best buddies, having a very special relationhip with one another when nicky first introduced his sister to the band when she was a young teenager herself. so, seeing kenzie return back safely to ireland to surprise nicky and everyone else could not have made kian's night any better.

shane was the next person to bring the byrne sister in for a tight hug. similar to kian, she and shane were instant friends, exactly like the friendship he has with her brother. the fact that georgina had already known about this surprise really meddled with nicky's mind but, it still made him teary-eyed, along with everyone else, when the younger byrne sibling walked into the backstage wing to surprise nicky and the group. shane couldn't have been happier to see his best friend's bright, blue eyes as kenzie came home without a single injury present on her body.

then, after mark, she had a group hug with the spouses but the longest one was with georgina (after nicky and kian's hugs), her sister-in-law who had helped her with devising the plan to surprise nicky and everyone else. it was also then the moment in which the band needed to get into their places for the opening song of the opening night of their wild dreams tour.

after the opening show of the wild dreams tour had finished and everyone had settled down, it was instagram time. and no one was more excited than nicky when he got the notification from his younger sister and her first instagram post after seven long years.

liked by nickybyrneinsta, shanefilanofficial, kianegan, markusmoments, caileano, jodialbert, georginaahernbyrne, stormykeating and 8k others

kenziebyrne home.

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nickybyrneinsta that one word just made me cry all over again

kenziebyrne nickybyrneinsta same here!

shanefilanofficial oh my god. that photo of you and cobi is adorable! having you back home is the best thing in the world, kenzie!

kenziebyrne shanefilanofficial i know right, i love that photo of me and cobi! and thank you, shay, being home really is the best thing ever!

kianegan thank god you posted the photo of me and you not crying!

kenziebyrne kianegan i know right?! it seemed like nearly every single photo we took was of us crying except for this one!

markusmoments kenzie's home! kenzie's home! kenzie's home!

kenziebyrne markusmoments i'm home! i'm home! i'm home!

caileano i'm coming home, to the place where i belong!

kenziebyrne caileano where your love has always been enough for me!

jodialbert these photos are gorgeous, kenzie! that photo of you and cobi, my heart! and the photo of you and gia!

kenziebyrne jodialbert i know right, jodi! and i know my heart!

georginaahernbyrne trying to keep your return home a secret was the hardest thing i've ever had to do oh my god!

kenziebyrne georginaahernbyrne i know it really was! there was so many times on the drive down that i desperately wanted to just facetime or ring but i couldn't!

username omg omg omg i'm gonna cry! kenzie's home after seven years!

kenziebyrne username i've been crying nearly all day so i feel you, babe!

westliferone i actually have tears streaming down my face! kenzie's finally back home! i'm so relieved that you got home safely!

kenziebyrne westliferone awe, love! thank you, i'm grateful and so relieved as well but in all honesty, i don't think i've seen nicky with such relief on his face until the moment he saw it was me that was behind georgina

stormykeating welcome home baby! i bet nicky's relieved

kenziebyrne stormykeating more than relieved! thank you stormy xx

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nickybyrneinsta seven years later, the baby sister is back home and all grown up

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kenziebyrne damn, who's the good-looking lass in the photos?

nickybyrneinsta kenziebyrne my gorgeous sister who surprised me after seven goddamn years!

markusmoments that's a sweet photo of nicole and kenzie at the concert, awe!

nickybyrneinsta markusmoments i know right! gillian sent it to me

kianegan i'm still in shock that it's been seven years

nickybyrneinsta kianegan and you're telling me?!

gillianfilansligo glad to have her back home nicky!

nickybyrneinsta gillianfilansligo i really am too! seven years was way too long

nicolefilan awe, that photo of me and kenz at the concert! wild that it's been seven whole years

nickybyrneinsta nicolefilan it's a very sweet photo nicole! and i know, it blows my mind all the time

rokeating welcome home kenzie, glad you're home safely but seven years? you're a crackhead babe!

nickybyrneinsta rokeating tell that to kenzie, not me! but yes, i think she is a crackhead in all honesty cause i have no clue how she went seven years in the middle east without coming home

shanefilanofficial these photos are just amazing, you're so grown up now kenzie!

nickybyrneinsta shanefilanofficial they really are and she has! makes me sad that we missed seven years of it though

westliftertwo okay, but why did nicky's caption make me cry more than kenzie's?

nickybyrneinsta westliftertwo good question because my caption also made me cry more than kenzie's

fin

whaddya know? yet another military homecoming fic! shouldn't be a shocker at all!

#westlife #nicky byrne #military homecoming

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