#I also can’t hold an image in my head for longer than a second or two

[deadtired-highkeyenergetic]

Enough

*gasp* 2 uploads in 1 day?

Summary: The burden of leadership weighs you down but Astarion helps you shoulder it

Astarion knows what an empty smile looks like. After two centuries of putting one on, he can tell at a glance whether a smile is genuine or empty, and the smile you’re currently giving Karlach is anything but genuine.

He watches as you sort through today’s haul with unfocused eyes, you may be here physically but mentally you’re far far away, an image Astarion has seen in himself many times over. He can’t help but worry, he’s never seen you like this, and as the leader, if you weren’t in the right state of mind, well disaster was sure to follow.

But how is he to approach you? You’ve been keeping to yourself, only talking when spoken to with a tension in your voice that wasn’t there before. Poking one’s nose in areas where it didn’t belong is your thing, not his, and he’s afraid of ruining the relationship the both of you share. He clings onto that relationship like his life depends on it because to a certain extent it does, but also because it’s one of the few things he can call his own and he doesn’t want to lose it.

You head into your tent, the flap swallowing you whole but he remains where he is, hesitation preventing him from following you in. He fights with himself about whether he should enter, he knows he’s welcomed in your tent but he doesn’t want to intrude, so he lingers outside, pretending to busy himself with a book when he’s really listening in to your tent.

He keeps his concerns to himself when you don’t invite him into your tent for the night like you would usually do and heads to the woods to hunt, hoping that the chase will be enough to distract him from his worries but with each step he takes, all he can think about is the tired empty look in your eyes.

After taking far longer than usual to finish up his hunt, he heads back to his tent, ready to turn in for what remains of the night when he hears sniffles. Usually, he wouldn’t concern himself with such things but it’s different when it comes from your tent. He cautiously makes his way over, quietly hiding outside your tent as he debates whether to enter it or not until Karlach comes out of nowhere and gives him a little shove.

“Go on in, Fangs. You’re the only one whom they’ll listen to.” The Tiefling flashes him a grin before heading back to her own tent. Astarion watches her go, and then turns his gaze back to your tent where the sniffles have stopped, takes a deep breath and heads inside.

“May I come in, my dear?” He asks, lifting the tent flap.

“You’re supposed to say that when outside the tent not inside,” you sniff.

He can see your bloodshot eyes even as you try to avert your gaze, see the mess that your tent is in because you haven’t been tidying things up and makes his way over to you, sitting right by your side.

He doesn’t say a word, he’s not sure how’d you react to the practiced words he can so easily spout without a second thought and so he simply sits there, letting you know that he’s right next to you should you need anything. His gaze searches you for a hint of what else he can do and he holds out his arms so that you can fall into them. He curls around you, running his fingers through your hair like you do for him whenever he’s feeling down and feels you lean into him.

Silent tears stream down your cheeks, staining his clothes but he continues to wrap you in his embrace, patiently waiting for you to be ready to open up.

“It’s too much,” you whisper after a while.

“What is?” He murmurs, continuing to stroke your hair.

“Everything. This whole tadpole thing, this whole leading thing. I’m not suited to be the leader, all I’ve done is get everyone into terrible situations and everyone but me pays the price.” You begin to sob, the weight of it all crashing down on you. “Why am I even the leader? Is this all a mistake? Am I a mistake?”

“It’s not.” He says with such firmness it catches you off guard. He glares at you, red eyes glowing furiously. “It is not a mistake. You are not a mistake. Do not ever say that about yourself!”

He holds you tightly, burying his face into your hair. “You are the reason Cazador can’t control me anymore, you’re the reason I can figure out how to love again, you’re the reason why I don’t stare at my body in disgust and hatred anymore. Without you…I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’re my everything,” he whispers. “My everything. I want you to see that, to realise how important you are. You’re the only thing keeping this bunch of weirdos together, no one else can do that.”

You feel the dam break and tears start flooding out. You cry, wail, let it all out as he hugs you, clinging onto you. He feels his own undead heart ache at the sound of your cries and wishes he could fight your inner demons for you. Alas, just like how he has to fight his own inner demons off, you have to do the same thing too, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be there for you. After all, you are always there for him when they come, and you’re the one he chose to be his lover. He swore to protect you the day you confessed your feelings for him, and he will uphold that promise, no matter what.

He feels your nails dig into his flesh and winces slightly when they dig a little too deep, but it’s a small price to pay for your comfort.

“When the demons come knocking, remember that I will always be there for you. I will fight with you, protect you because I need and love you.” He’s never felt so vulnerable, his walls brought all the way down with this confession of his but he knows you won’t hurt him.

You bury your tear stained face in his chest, tired from all the crying but feeling lighter because of it. You feel his hand rubbing circles on your back, a comforting motion and your eyes begin to close, your body worn out from the day’s events.

“I need and love you too,” you mumble as exhaustion takes hold, your doubts and worries banished for another day. “Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

[blackhairedjjun]

late night returns - c.yj

pairing: choi yeonjun x gn reader | genre / tropes: angst with a happy ending, actor!yeonjun x non-celebrity!reader, exes to lovers | word count: 855 | warnings: mentions of being stalked (by tabloids)

part of my 300 followers event (event masterlist)

prompt - OVER?: after a mutually reluctant (and unwanted but necessary) break-up, the sender calls/visits the receiver and tells them that they’re still in love with them. (requested by @seolis-world)

author's notes: seoli!! this ended up longer than planned, nag-enjoy ako masyado haha. your trope choice allowed me to bring out my celebrity!yj x non-celebrity!reader thoughts, which are some of my favorite hcs to think about! (also actor!yj after seeing the behind the scenes of the minisode 3 trailer haha) i hope you like this!

‘Love Like Hydrangeas’ Star Choi Yeonjun Stuns in New Red Carpet Photos “Like a Fairytale Prince”: Netizens React to Viral Photos of Choi Yeonjun

you sigh as you read the social media headlines on your phone. yeonjun does look like a fairytale prince, and you admire the embroidered details of his dark suit while zooming in on the latest batch of photos from his new movie premiere. a heaviness settles over you while you scroll through photo after photo, remembering the first time he showed you that same suit weeks before: “i look handsome, right?” he asked you, and when you said yes, he let out a soft laugh that filled your heart to bursting.

that moment in his apartment feels like a lifetime ago, and all it took was one leaked image of the two of you from a tabloid photographer making the rounds on fansites. yeonjun’s agency went overtime trying to do damage control, and it was a miracle that your identity was never revealed. but once the storm settled down, you and yeonjun sat down not in his room but at the agency office. the two of you needed to break up, you both agreed, for your safety and his 一 and with a lingering embrace and one last kiss, you left.

tears prick at your eyes and you toss the phone back to your nightstand; the clock there reads 2:16 am. you cocoon yourself in your blankets, turn to your side, and shut your eyes. you want to sleep, because at least in your dreams you can escape from reality for a little while. yet the more you wish for sleep to come to you, the more it eludes you, and the restlessness only grows worse as you turn from side to side in your bed over and over again.

buzz!

you jolt up at the sound of your apartment doorbell. you have no idea who the hell is calling for you in the middle of the night, but at least it distracts you from your restlessness.

you open the door a crack. “who’s th一”

it takes a second for you to recognize the tall man in a dark hoodie standing in front of you. the dimness makes it hard to see his figure or his features, until you realize that they look all too familiar...

you immediately you throw the door open and sink into yeonjun’s arms. you sob into his chest, your body shuddering from the force of your tears, and he holds you even more tightly as his own tears stream down his face.

“i missed you,” he says, his voice hoarse. you haven’t heard the sound of his voice in weeks, and it only makes you cry even harder.

eventually your sobs calm down to quieter tears, and when you let go of yeonjun you can still see the tear tracks running from his eyes. with your hands still in his, you tug him inside the warmth of your apartment, and there he pulls you into his embrace once more.

“how did you...” you begin, your voice muffled into his hoodie.

“i snuck out.”

“you shouldn’t have...”

yeonjun kisses the top of your head once, then twice, then again and again. his kisses are feather-light and you sigh at his touch. “i love you,” he murmurs into your hair. “i n-never stopped loving you. i don’t一 i can’t do any of this without you. i miss you so much...”

your arms are around his waist and you give it a gentle squeeze. he rubs circles down your back and you hum. his touch sends waves of calm through your body, the heaviness you once carried slowly leaving you.

you recall the red carpet photos you were just looking at and your bliss is interrupted by a million questions. does anyone else know that he’s here? what happens when his agency finds out? or when his fans find out? are you really getting back together or does he just miss you? how would you even navigate the tabloids, the endless stream of gossip? you try to bury yourself even more in yeonjun’s arms but he doesn’t miss the quickening of your heartbeat.

your thoughts are interrupted by another kiss on your head. yeonjun moves you to the foot of your bed and cradles you as you both sit there, a hand making its way through the tangle of your hair. your arms perch around his neck and you nuzzle into him.

“i’ll protect you, okay?” he says. his voice is quiet yet solemn like a prayer. “i can’t... i can’t lose you again.”

you pull away to meet his gaze and you see the same shine in his eyes that you always loved. he gazes at you with such tenderness, and behind his firm words you see the affection that underlies them. he needs you, and you need him just as much too.

“i love you too, jjunie... please don’t leave me.”

“i promise i won’t.”

you still don’t have the answers to your questions, but you’d rather leave then unanswered than have yeonjun leave you again.

[miguel-ohara-lover]

Miguel ohara x spiderwoman/single mom reader, where she brings her baby to work at the spider society

Ooooh yes yes yes. I thrive on dad!Miguel so this is amazing.

Miguel x Spider-Woman W/ a Baby

CW: Fluff, dad!Miguel, reader has a baby, Mig is a little tough at first but don’t worry… slight angst cuz of Gabi

I had to ask my mom some stuff cuz… I don’t know shit about babies… also I might have projected a little towards the end don’t mind me…

Part two

It’s not uncommon for spider-people to bring their children to the spider society. Hell, that’s what the day passes are for. Peter B started the trend with Mayday, and after that many spiders wanted to bring their little ones too.

Today you were no different, deciding to bring your baby girl, Alice, to the society. You knew of all places in the multiverse she’d be the safest here. A few folks were surprised to see you with the baby, some cooing and saying she’s adorable, but most kept to themselves.

You headed to the boss’s office, grabbing a coffee from the cafeteria along the way. You needed to make sure you weren’t assigned any missions today. As you walked in, Miguel turned to you to see what you needed, a familiar frown settling on his face when he saw your baby.

He had never liked all the spider people bringing their children. I mean, who would after what he’s been through. Peter seemed to love torturing him with Mayday constantly, but Miguel would never admit it hurt. You noticed the look and chose to keep some distance.

After a few seconds you spoke. “Hey, Miguel, I was just popping in to ask if I have any missions today?”

“Actually…” He turns to one of his screens. “You just got one. In an hour.”

“What? I can’t do a mission today, I have my daughter with me.”

“That’s not my problem.” Miguel doesn’t turn to look at you again. You huff and look around the room while debating what you should do, Alice cooing a little and looking around the unfamiliar room as well.

“Maybe… you could watch her?”

Miguel groaned a little. “Me? Why me?”

“Well I trust you’d keep her safe, boss. And she seems to like you.” You gesture to Alice making the cutest grabby hands at the big scary man. That makes Miguel’s hard outer shell crumble a little, images of his daughter flashing in his mind.

“Hm… how long…?”

“However long the mission is.” You smiled.

Miguel sighed. “Fine… fine… leave her with me…” He lowered his platform more and got down, holding his arms out to take the baby. You carefully handed off the baby to him, and he holds her expertly. He knew what he was doing.

You smiled up at him, a slight blush on your cheeks. “Thank you so much, Miguel.” Alice giggled and cooed at Miguel, waving her little hands at him. All he did was nod to you as a response, his eyes on the baby. You give her a gentle kiss to the forehead before heading off to get ready for your mission.

———

After the mission

———

You returned from your surprisingly easy mission, heading straight for Miguel’s office to retrieve your baby. When you walk in you see Miguel on his platform, holding Alice against his shoulder. He’s gently bouncing her and singing in Spanish, lulling her to sleep. You couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

Miguel notices you and placed a finger to his lips, telling you to stay quiet. Once the baby was asleep he spoke in a very quiet whisper.

“You we’re gone longer than I thought you’d be, y/n. Run into any trouble?”

You shook your head no. “The mission was pretty easy, surprisingly.”

“That’s good. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to Alice’s mami.” His eyes were still on your baby, hand on her back as he continued to gently rock and bounce her as she slept so peacefully.

You look up at Miguel. “You make a lovely dad.” He froze for a moment and looked at you.

“Really…?” Is all he said. Your smile grew and you nodded. The corners of his mouth slowly turned up, and for the first time since you’ve known him, Miguel smiled. A real genuine smile.

You swing up to his platform and place a gentle hand on his free shoulder. He glanced at your hand, a little confused by the gesture. There’s a slight blush on his cheeks, and you could tell you finally cracked through those walls he had put up.

“I’m sure her father wouldn’t enjoy this.” He tried to pull away from you, tried to put his walls back up.

You shook your head again. “Her father isn’t in the picture…”

“Really? What kind of father would abandon his daughter?” His red eyes almost seem to glow as anger fills him. He couldn’t imagine a dad causing harm, mentally or otherwise, to his own child. The thought made him sick, made him want to hunt down your ex and-

“Hey.” Your voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “Don’t worry about it. She’ll have you…” You gave him a gentle smile. Miguel was surprised at that, but it made him happy. He loved the idea of being in Alice’s life more, of being a father figure to her.

“Would you… perhaps like to get dinner later?” Miguel looked into your eyes, and you could see the anger dissipating, being replaced with love.

“I’d love that.” You lean up and give him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

[causenessus]

Loving You. | Haikyuu

inc. akaashi, bokuto, oikawa, iwaizumi, atsumu

written in 2nd pov (female reader implied)

song recc: help they all have a song AND/or a quote anyway hatachi no koi by lamp <3

word count: 1884 words

summary: "they love you. how do they show it?"

hello hyperspecific examples? hopefully they're fun to read and make sense!! shoutout to the boy whose bokuto's is based off of <3 also first time writing for atsumu so hopefully i did ok!!!!!

they love you. how do they show it?

hello hyperspecific examples?

akaashi

“have you eaten? (i love you). did you get enough sleep last night? (i love you). how do you feel today? (i love you). did you have a nice day? (i love you). will you come on a walk with me? (i love you). here’s some fruit i cut up for you. (i love you) (i love you) (i love you).” "you're my everything"

although he’s quiet i just think he’s so expressive

like he has no trouble saying “i love you” but also says it in so many other ways than just that

he cares so much about you you’re not even able to doubt it for one second. it’s like every question is just his way of saying “i love you”

“did you eat today? do you want something to eat?” “how was your sleep? did you get enough sleep?” all his way of saying i love you

he’s always randomly coming into the room you’re currently in, gently grabbing both sides of your head and just kissing you all over, no words, just adoration <3

again I don’t think he’d have any trouble saying that he love you but it just feels so much more intimate, easier, and meaningful for him to find ways to show/say it instead

he’s such a big fan of the three taps to say i love you (link to an image post about the original person who did this)

he’s always holding your hand in public, giving it three squeezes, he’ll be playing with your fingers when you guys are sitting together and suddenly he’s giving your skin three taps. he’ll kiss your forehead three times, he’s always telling you that he loves you <3

he just loves to be around you and he’s always looking out for you

if you guys have a class together and you unexpectedly don’t show up to class, he’s texting you immediately to make sure everything’s okay

and he’s always keeping you company while you’re doing things, from homework to cooking to just reading

if you need help or will let him help with anything, he’s more than happy to but he also just loves chilling

from the beginning of your relationship and even before when you guys were just friends, hangouts often went on way longer than they were supposed to and you often stay over at each others’ houses because neither of you can bear to leave the presence of the other <3

bokuto

“love is not an everlasting performance in which you attempt to retain the attention of your significant other but rather a release of control and putting faith into them and trusting them to choose to stay with you no matter what you have to offer.  to love and be loved is to rest.”

he trusts you so much

like yes this precious baby has definitely put his entire trust into a lot of people but you’re so so much more to him and it’s different <3

he feels so safe with you and he know he can trust you with literally anything, he does not hesitate to share or tell you anything

he’s following you around all the time like a lost puppy

guaranteed there’s been at least one time where he had to navigate an arena away from home without you and akaashi

he did not show up to warm ups

someone had to come find him huddled in a corner, alone and lost

that random fact about how you feel sleepy around the people you trust?

he can be so energetic with you but other times he can’t even keep his eyes open around you

he’s always falling asleep, his head lulling to the side and resting on your shoulder on train rides back home

sometimes he’ll be telling you stories and suddenly letting out the biggest yawn ever

he'll forget that he's talking because suddenly all he wants to do is spend his time curled up with you <3

he loves to lean against you or be in contact with you in someway, whether that be holding your hand (or just a finger <3) or a hand on your thigh, it makes him feel so sleepy but so safe

murmurs so many “I love you”s before falling asleep

because he trusts you he’s also so good at listening to you too

from the silliest of things to actual requests <3

this is about to get so hyperspecific bear w me pls

you’d just finished redesigning a profile for a social media account and in a passing thought, as you guys were laying with each other in bed, you happen to say, “you should change your profile picture at some point, kou. you've had it for years.”

you didn’t mean it anyway bad, just something you suggested since you had just reorganized your own profile but you still loved his current profile picture <3

but the next time you happened to see his account, you noticed it was a mirror pic from before you two had dressed up to go out a few months ago

“when did you change your profile picture, love? it’s adorable,” you smiled as you kissed his head while he was laying on you

“like 10 minutes after you told me to, i just had to find the right photo,” he mumbled, his voice muffled from your shirt that he had buried his face into

other times it’s things like helping around the house, asking him to wash the dishes while you’re cooking for example

he’s so willing to help but in the beginning, he was lost

he was so ready to wash them but darling could not find the soap

but he loves you so much he’s always working so hard to do what you ask of him so he’ll make sure he learns more about chores to help out more and ofc there’s always more to learn so he’ll always be following your lead <3

oikawa

“when you like the spotlight as much as i do, it’s quite an adjustment to realize that the real reason you might be here is to shine it on someone else.” "she looks just like a dream / the prettiest girl i've ever seen."

man has been living with a spotlight shining on him his whole life

but once he met you, he completely fell in love and he moves the spotlight to be on you <3

literally just completely worships you must i say more

he does not let insecurities slide he’s your #1 hypeman and will fight anyone who disagrees

people around you both have noticed that since you guys started dating, you’ve grown more confident as a result of his love <33333

it doesn’t have to be big changes, literally just things like you’re able to talk louder, voice opinions, or try new things because he’s always there to encourage you along the way

take it you’re a little shy and don’t usually talk very loud but you have to if you’re going to get everyone’s attention in a setting such as trying to manage seijoh’s volleyball team (good luck with that 💔)

you raised your voice and it worked so that you could quiet the boys down in order to explain a change in plans for practice

afterwards, tooru’s coming up to you with a big smile on his face as he rests his forehead against yours

“i don’t think i’ve ever heard you yell, princess,” he says, looking into your eyes but you can’t help but take what he says in a bad way, looking away

“i didn’t mean to yell at you guys, i just didn’t know what else to do,” you mumble back with a frown

he kisses it away with a small laugh, “no, don’t feel bad, pretty. we were all surprised but so proud of you. you never would have done that at the start of the school year.”

he’s so happy whenever you try something new and he’s always there to tell you how well you’re doing even if you don’t feel like it

if you show that you love him by supporting him in his passions and all that he does, he shows his love by supporting you 1000% back

iwaizumi

“there’s nothing softer and more gentle than loving someone with your whole heart and never once holding back when it comes to them.” "think i'm gonna love you 'til i'm dead / i can't wait to buy you things / a brand new diamond ring / this is more than just a fling"

man loves so hard

i cannot see him in a short-term or commitment-free relationship

if he loves someone, he loves them wholly and completely. he’s all in, giving you everything

even before you guys started dating he was always checking in, making sure you were doing okay and offering hugs if you ever needed them

you cannot tell me that he doesn’t give the best hugs ever <33

now that you are dating though it’s just an excuse to love you more and show it in so many ways <3

as i say every single time, i just know he loves buying you gifts

you’re always on his mind, in every situation, whether he’s walking around and sees something in the window of a store that he knows you would like, or when he’s going to go pick something up to eat, he’ll always buy you something as well <3

he’ll really do anything for you, too. ask and it’s almost guaranteed

“iwa, can i draw on u”

“anything you want, princess”

“can we go get ice cream?” (it’s midnight)

“yea, are you ready to go now, love?”

all he needs in return is your love

adores getting to take naps with you or just laying in bed with you and in public, he always has an arm around your waist or should, keeping you close

with him it’s a complete all-all 100% relationship from both sides, that's what love is to him

everything is shared between you guys from money to items to secrets, you guys have complete trust in each other there’s not even a question about it he’s so good at communicating and keeping everything clear

everything he has is yours if you’ll be his <3

atsumu

“the one that loves, does he come back? the one that loves never leaves, my dear.”

he just completely softens around you

in fact i could see him getting worse around other people because you’re just the only one that matters to him

you know those videos about gym bros with girlfriends who act all misogynistic and stinky at the gym so that girls don’t approach them? that’s him. (i tried so hard to find a video as an example but i could not pls tell me u know what i’m talking about)

if any girl other than you tries to approach him literally anywhere they’re about to be absolutely obliterated when he flat out ignores him. or, if they don’t get the hint and he finally acknowledges them, he gives them the dirtiest, coldest look known to man, his nose wrinkling as he turns to them

“huh? yer talking to me? why? piss off.”

everyone knows that if they have to give him bad news, it’s best to do it when you’re in his general proximity or he’s just talked to you because that’s when he’ll receive it best

it’s nearly impossible to anger him when you’re around, and even if he gets upset, he won’t blow up, he’s just too enamored by you <3

loves to hold your hand in his lap or have a hand on your thigh and he’s content with life

his voice always lowers and softens when he’s around you, and he gives you the sweetest heart eyes

he’s always looking at you and he’ll tease you a lot just because he adores your reactions but they’re all just playful jokes

“ya know, if you ever wanted to cheer for me when everyone goes silent during games, I’d let ya,” he told you once while he was keeping you company before a game on a bench

“what? I could never do that,” your face heated at the thought, “it’d just be me and everyone would look at me. someone would probably even get mad.”

he chuckled, shaking his head as he brought your knuckles to his lips, “that’s the point. you’d sound so cute, and they’d know yer mine.” 

if you ever had a problem with how he treats other people, he’d try to work on it if you talk to him about it

no promises, but he’ll do his best for his princess <3

[lampthehealthminister]

The sun's light reaches even the darkest depths

Synopsis : Aventurine has a vicious snake in his head, but your voice always chases it away.

Warnings : Spoilers for Aventurine's backstory! It's just references, but maybe some people haven't played the quest yet, you never know lol ; Also intrusive thoughts?? Perhaps?? I'm not sure tbh

Genre : Hurt/Comfort??? Sorta??? ; x reader fic

Word count : 1.2k yoohoo

Notes : I haven't written a fic in more than a year... Forgive me if I'm rusty, but I just love this man so much ugh. Might make a part two from reader's pov this time because I've got lots of ideas!! Do give me advice if you think I should improve some stuff!! You can also request something if you like my writing <3

Even when he steps foot in the comfort of his home, the knot settled in his throat does not go away. Worse, when he inhales the smell of spices, it chokes him even more. (He wonders if you thought about him when cooking, and the idea of him lingering on your mind for longer than he should makes him want to cry.) He removes his coat, trying his best to think about something else as he hears your footsteps approaching. (Are you finally going to yell at him and push him away today?)

“Welcome back, ‘rine.”

Luckily, you greet him when he’s still removing his shoes, giving him enough time to build his composure back up. (How could he face you otherwise?) When he stands back up and meets your eyes, he is once again reminded of exactly why he is so drawn to you. (He knows it’s wrong, but he is helpless against it. Like a moth attracted to a flame, he can’t help but want to stay in your light for a little longer still.)

“It’s good to be back home.” (“I missed you.” he wants to say, but he can’t afford getting too attached to you, just like it’s not good for you to get too close to him.)

He wants to take a step forward, wants to fall into your arms and hide away from everyone and everything else ; but his feet are glued in place, and the weight in his chest is heavier than ever. His throat feels dry, his palms are sweaty, and for a split second he worries that you’ll start asking questions, that you’ll worry, that you’ll take his face in your hands and envelop him in your embrace, wrap him in a soft cocoon of gentleness and care and everything else that he doesn’t deserve. (Has the air always been so suffocating?)

He jumps as the sound of an alarm resonates through the air. He watches you scurry off to the kitchen and exhales a sigh of relief. (Did you notice how he almost lost himself just now? Did you see him bare, his soul completely exposed as his own body failed to obey him? Or did he successfully manage to trick you once more, just as he does with everyone else? He doesn’t know what he prefers.) He steps forward, inhaling once more. The scent of a foreign spice tickles his senses, and the name of it sits on the tip of his tongue, present but not fully here, an image and a distant memory.

It’s only at dinner, when he takes a bite of the food you’ve made, (The voice in the back of his head tells him he doesn’t deserve it, but he would hate to see you upset.) that he recognises it, the name shining bright like a lightbulb in his mind, a single piece of thread that he’s managed to get a hold of. He opens his mouth to tell you, but the silence in the room shuts him up. No words fill up the space, and he finds the quiet unsettling, cold, a shiver running down his spine at the thought. But most of all, he is worried about you. Why aren’t you saying anything? You usually tell him all about your day, about the things you’ve seen, about the plans you’ve made with other people, so why is today different? (Can you no longer bear to entertain him now that you’ve seen how ugly he is on the inside? Have you had enough of his theatrics, of his games, of him? He tells himself that he won’t stop you if you leave, but he knows he will always wake up in the morning thinking you’re still by his side.)

He finally dares looking up at you, worried that he’ll find your seat empty. Maybe you were never there to begin with, maybe you’ve already left long ago? Maybe he’s grown so attached to your love that he imagines you greeting him every day, feeding him every day, holding him every day. Maybe the house is so cold because you’re simply no longer there, because he can’t bask in your light anymore. (It’s just what he deserves, so he shouldn’t complain. He’s always been too selfish with you, after all. Always about taking, never about giving, because he can’t afford to show all of his cards, even with you.)

“What are you thinking about, ‘rine?”

Your voice snaps him out of his daze. The first thing that invades his mind is the fact that you’re here. He suddenly feels warm all over, like his heart is being cradled by gentle arms, like his soul is being taken care of by a kind gaze. (Did Kakavasha feel like that, too? Was it when his sister held his hand, when his mother kissed him on the forehead for the first time?) This time, he can’t prevent his real thoughts from tumbling out of his lips.

“You.”

The expression that graces your face rivals even the Mother Goddess’ blessings, he thinks. As if his word was a prayer, you light up even more than before, gently coating him in your warmth. (How did he even manage to find someone like you?) You smile at him so openly, so genuinely, like you’re not afraid to show him what you feel ; and every time, he falls for it, for you, even harder than he should. You reach for his left hand, and he hopes you don’t feel how his pulse is fluttering under his skin, how his heart is racing just by being in your presence. He loves you. Even if it’s dangerous, even if you leave him, even if he hurts you. Right now, he loves you, and it’s as sickening as it’s sweet, sticking to his lungs like golden honey. 

That night, he watches as the moon traces a serpentine path of light on your skin. You’re talking to him, keeping him company as he ties all the strings of sleep together slowly. You still hold his hand in yours, and despite having long since removed his gloves, he can’t get enough of your touch. Even now, you look at him in that special way, with that gaze only reserved for him, and yet he doesn’t recognise the emotion that lingers in it. He doesn’t have time to think too much about it either, because exhaustion is dragging him down. Like an anchor, it pulls at his feet, forces him down in the dark even if he hates it. He squeezes your hand tighter, a desperate attempt to stay afloat, but he’s already too far gone in the depths, your image only a distorted reflection above the water. If he doesn’t come back from there, he’ll at least imprint all of the details of your face in his mind one last time.

Even while he sleeps, you don’t let him go. You hold him close, look at the way his features relax. You gaze at him with an adoration he never notices, doesn’t want to see. Words scratch at his walls, make him feel vulnerable, tear him apart from the inside out, so you never use them. You only hold his hand and lead him somewhere else, so that even if he is lost, he doesn’t have to look far to find his way home again.

[wuzhere75]

Here’s a tribal size comparison. It’s a measure of shoulder height with the dragons being around 20-25, my head canon for when a dragon’s growth starts to “plateau” out. Also a scavenger I stole of Google Images

From tallest shoulder height to shortest

Seawing

-Large because there isn’t really a size limit on things that live in the water

-Size here isn’t completely accurate; pelagic subspecies can be massive; while inshore and fresh/brackish water subspecies are smaller

Mudwing

-Combination of crocodile and hippo

-I don’t have much else to say; they big

Leafwing

-Most people tend to make them medium to small; I said “fuck it, there big like tree”. Can’t get eaten by carnivorous plants if your bigger than them.

-The two or however many Pantalan tribes diverged from each other a lot more recently than most of the Pyreriah (however the fuck you spell that); therefore Bug and Leafwings have a lot more biological similarities than the other continents tribes.

-I originally was going to give the Pantalan tribes mandibles but that ended up being to hard to draw

-If the second pair of front legs looks a little weird it’s because I slapped them on last minute because I forgor.

Icewing

-Big because from what I understand megafauna tends to get especially large in arctic climates

-Have varying amounts of fur; here is picture one with an average amount of fur

Skywing

-Smack in the middle

-Pictured here with their wings because they walk on them and use them to climb while they are on the ground. Due to this, there front legs have grown pathetic and wimpy over time.

-Have a big fucked up cassowary claw on their back legs that they use to fight (a lot of Skywing fighting that isn’t breathing fire is kicking the shit out of each other)

-Having some sort of chicken comb/pterosaur or hornbill crest is pretty common; sometimes that manifests as a nose horn, sometimes, like here, it doesn’t

Rainwing

-Most people make them the smallest; I agree with that but I wanted to do something different

-Longest overall tail

Sandwing

-Small because there isn’t a lot of food out in the desert

-It’s considered polite to hold your stinger over your head like a scorpion in Sandwing culture as a way of saying “here it is; I’m not going to try to sneakily sting your with it”

Nightwing

-Pictured here is a post-volcano Nightwing; “old kingdom” Nightwings (not pictured here) are between Sky and Rainwings in terms of size.

-Got smaller due to recourses being limited on the island and form the sake of navigating tunnels

-On the same part of the family tree as Skywings; have the same big toe claw that helped them scramble around on the volcano.

Bugwing (aka Beetle/Hive/Silkwings as one tribe)

-The term “Hivewing” and “Silkwing” where terms that originated after the Tree Wars as a way of organizing several subspecies of “Bugwing”. It’s more of a cultural organizer than anything, with the only physical trait that typically unifies them being “Hivewings” going through metamorphosis at 6 month to 2 years and “Silkwings” going through metamorphosis at age 6-8 years (the entire “black scales” thing is bullshit).

-Pictured here is a generic Bugwing with both common “Hive” and “Silk” features; some have fur, some have longer tails with stingers

[skulla-rxcks]

🧸CHAPTER ONE} I like you more than a roommate

Next chapter

Paring: roommate!Hyunjin X fem reader

Rating: mature (eventually explicit)

Genre: friends to lovers, fluff, eventual smut

Chapter Warnings/things: storms

!THIS IS PURE FICTION, NOTHING IN THIS IS REAL ITS JUST A STORY!

Your roommate Hyunjin is slowly catching feelings for you. You get more clingy to him as he helps you through your needs and issues, he loves you but doesn’t know how to show it.

A/n: I’ve been working on this for a bit and I can’t be bothered finishing majority of this chapter since I wanna get it out.

P.s: I haven’t edited this chapter and probably won’t bc I can’t be bothered, also no TWS for this chapter.

I sit back, focusing on the sound of my paint brush sweeping across the canvas, creating a beautiful image of a mermaid in a lagoon. I haven’t slept all night due to working on this painting, though I did steal this plain canvas from my roommate, he probably wouldn’t mind.

“I’m back! Dance practice was really tiring.. my shoulder hurts..” And there he is. My roommate himself, Hyunjin. I laugh slightly, moving away from my art to greet him. “Couldn’t you just take a break from dancing? Have sometime to yourself maybe, you know.. I’m always here if you feel like hanging out. it’s break after all. “

He looks at me, tilting his head to the side and scratching his neck. “I’m down for hanging out. I’m pretty sure today was our last dance session anyways" i gasp in joy after hearing that he'll finally have time to rest. "Yay! I guess we can do some art stuff then, I’ll show you what I've been doing" a warm smile forms on my face as i take his hand in mine, leading him over to the painting I’m currently working on.

“Wow.. the background blends so nicely!” He gasps, rubbing my shoulder with pride.

I feel my cheeks flush slightly, but smile.

"It’s nothing much. Just my usual style, I’m not sure if I like how the water looks or not"

Hyunjin 's hand stays on my shoulder for a few seconds longer before he parts his lips to speak again. “The water looks incredible, i would say I could do better but i can’t.”

My face heats up once again after listening to his pitiful, yet comfortable comments being thrown at me.

I walk out of our art closet, (which is basically a small closet we made into a mini art studio) and gently place my painting on the windowsill. The breeze is slightly cold, i close the window to keep warm. Shivering, I grab one of Hyunjin’s hoodies and slide it over my shirt, it’s a bit baggy but whatever. “What are you drawing?” I ask as i sit beside him again, hugging my knees to my chest due to the sudden change of the weather.

“Just someone” he mumbles. My eyes can’t help but look at how pretty he is when concentrating; hair tied back, eyebrows slightly frowned. I notice his face looking pale, i shuffle closer, lightly touching his cheek with my knuckle. “Your cold.. give me a minute.” I stand up, making my way to the kitchen and turning the kettle on. I get out two mugs, pouring in warm milk, coco, sugar and adding some marshmallows for each one. Two hot chocolates coming up!u

I waddle back into the room slowly stumbling as I hold the drinks that are filled to the brim.

“Here you go!” I giggle, handing him one of the hot chocolates, receiving a hug in response.

“Ah thanks .. I’m gonna get into bed, it’s gonna storm later. You can join me if you’d like, I know you don’t like storms.” He groans, chucking his sketchbook on the ground and pulling the covers over him. My eyes watch his movements, he sips his drink and puts it on a small table next to his bed.

I get in my own bed, admiring his features from a far.

A few hours past, he’s asleep already. I sigh, staring at the ceiling. It’s already raining and the storm is gliding over to us, *buzz.. buzz* the light starts flickering as the power goes out.

“N-no..please don’t do this to me tonight.. n-no.. no..” i clench my sheets and cry softly.

“J-Jinnieee.. w-wake up, it’s scary..”

I sob louder, shaking from the cold and my fears.

“Jinnie…” I lay down under the sheets with him

“Hm?.. Hey Shh, you’re okay. Come here.” Hyunjin moves closer to me, hugging me tightly as my tears soak through his shirt. “The storm is outside. You’re safe in here with me. It’s not gonna get us”

“B-but what if it d-“ My words are cut off as my head pushes into his chest, before I know it he’s leaving soft kisses on my head while continuing to soothe me. “I… I..” I let my eyes look at his lips for a sec then back to his eyes. My arms tighten around him as i cry myself to sleep.

© 2023 skulla_rxcks

[incorrectpizza]

Hehehe know how I said literally 72 hours ago that I wouldn't be posting anything for @sabezraweek because of my concussion and general life chaos?

Fic also available under the cut for anyone who would prefer to read here on Tumblr. :)

Ezra’s cleaning up the tower when he finds the holoprojector. 

He’s halfway through a drawer of seemingly sentimental junk - an old comm of his, one of Ursa’s hair clips, Sabine’s own paint sprayer - when he spies a puck he doesn’t recognize. Curious, he flicks it on

He’s greeted by a younger Sabine, not much older than when he’d left. Her hair is the same dull dark purple as when he’d left with Thrawn all those years ago. It’s a bit longer though. Sabine sighs and runs a hand through it.

“So, it’s been a while since I’ve dyed my hair. I haven’t been able to since- since you and Kanan. But, well, things go on. I hoped you would be back by now but still no leads. So, I decided today would be the day.” Holo-Sabine holds up a can, shaking it. Then the image flickers and she returns with flaming pink hair. “Not bad for my first dye job in a year.”

Ezra’s eyebrows scrunch A year ? Sabine Wren, Mandalorian artist extraordinaire who dyed her hair at least once every six months, if not more, had been so out of sorts she hadn’t dyed her hair for a year ? 

In their brief reunion, he’d gotten the sense she’d missed him a lot. But not dying her hair?

Before his brain could come to any dramatic conclusions, the hologram glitched, faded, and returned. Sabine’s hair, a solid, shimmering lilac shifts into a gradient, the tips darkening to indigo. She tilts her head and spins to show all the angles before disappearing.

Holo-Sabine reappears with a full head of indigo holding a hair tie, a single odd lilac strand hanging down. A padawan braid?

“So, it’s been two years.”

She gathers her hair together as she speaks, knot nearly reaching the nape of her neck.

“I decided after the last dye job to let it grow out a bit. What do you think?”

Holo-Sabine smiles, but the expression is hollow. 

“So much has happened. Hopefully you’ll be able to come see yourself soon.”

The image fades and for a few seconds there’s nothing before Indigo Sabine reappears.

“I’m going to try something new. I’ve never done any sort of red hair because I dyed Tristan’s red once and he looked hideous. It doesn’t mesh well with the Wren complexion, but I’m feeling creative and I think this shade might be just the ticket.”

She pulls out a box of chestnut dye and sits it directly in front of the holoprojector. 

When she pulls it away, her hair is an odd shade of red slightly akin to the sky on Atollon.

“That was a very bad mistake.”  She shakes her hair out of the ponytail.

“Unfortunately, I can’t fix it for at least a week, and there’s a big banquet coming up soon.”

A static image displays next. Red brick haired Sabine in a floor length gown unlike anything Ezra had ever seen her wear. 

A meow from Murley alerts him to the fact his jaw is no longer aligned with the rest of his face. He clamps it shut, quickly, biting his lip in the process.

“Lesson learned.” A blissfully dark haired Sabine says. Hair the color of caf dangles past her chin, brushing against her shoulders, a few strands hitting her collarbone. “Worst two weeks of my life so far. I am never dying my hair anything close to red again."

The image shifts to Sabine sitting with a towel wrapped around her hair.

“I wish you were here.” 

Sabine closes her eyes and yawns, leaning her head back against the back of the coach.

“Force, Ezra. I just don’t know what to do without you around sometimes. I don’t see much of Hera or Zeb these days, which doesn’t help. I’m not sure how much longer I can wait.

“I guess I have to, though. I can’t go anywhere or do anything until this dye is done. And there’s still so much to do here on Lothal.”

The hologram pauses and skips forward to Sabine unwrapping her freshly-dyed hair. It’s a damp teal blue fading into white. 

The next image to appear is not Sabine, but Jacen. The little boy’s face takes up the entire span of the hologram, one lock of green hair brushing against the recorder for a moment before Sabine yanks him back. 

“I told you to be careful, Jacen.” She scolds, teasingly, setting him on his lap.

“Do you want to tell your big brother what you did?”

“I helped Aunt ‘Bine dye her hair!” Jacen giggles, hands gathering some of her hair and tossing it in front of the projector. Her brilliant green hair. Then he scampers down to go find Murley.

“Don’t worry. It’s temporary,” Sabine laughs and tosses it around, too. 

Her hair is blonde next - kriff , it looks so weird on her - and then purple again. She doesn’t say anything in these brief clips; Murley’s in the second one, playing with her padawan braid. 

Then a Sabine with a purple and pink gradient comes into view.

“It’s been five years now.” She sighs, and Ezra can practically hear the weight she’s carrying. He has some idea what she was going to say next, from what first Sabine herself and then Hera had told him about what happened. It doesn’t make it any easier. 

“The Empire’s gone. So that’s nice. Well, almost gone. A few stragglers but Hera and Zeb’s recruits will finish them off soon enough. And Jacen, if he has his way.” She smiles, slightly. 

The fond expression quickly disappears and as she turns her head slightly Ezra notices her padawan braid is conspicuously absent. 

“But the Empire struck one last blow. A retaliation against random worlds. Hera says one of the defectors called it Operation Cinder.

“They bombed Mandalore.”

“I haven’t heard anything from Krownest. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. But still, millions. I wasn’t- I couldn’t save them. My people.”

The transmission cut out and stayed quiet for several seconds. 

Sabine reappears with jet black hair, pinned up in a bun with the Clan Wren clip Ezra found earlier. 

“Krownest’s gone.” She sniffles, wipes her nose on the back of her orange shirt. “Mom. Dad. Tristan.”

“I wish you were here. I don’t know- I don’t know how you did it.”

Seven more hairstyles appear in rapid succession, solid pictures, flicks of hair. Black with pink tips. Black with green tips. Black with blonde tips. Brown, the color of her brother’s hair. Her natural color? Ezra wonders, absently. The same brown, but faded into pale pink. Then a whole head of pink, slightly darker. Pink into orange. 

And then purple faded into white, the reverse of the dye job she’d done after Malachor. The one she’d let him pick, that day she forced him to snap out of his trance with Maul and be himself again, if only for a few hours. It’s braided up into a severe bun, almost like the one Ezra remembers her mother wearing all those ages ago. 

This Sabine sits still in front of the camera for a few seconds, then speaks.

“Ten years.” She said. “What are you like now, Ezra? Have you changed your hair at all? Does the Chimaera have any razors or do you have a scraggly beard?” Ezra scratches his chin, fingers deep in his magnificent beard, and he scoffs slightly at Sabine’s lack of faith in his ability to grow facial hair. 

“I miss you.”

Then she shakes her head, letting it out. Hair spills past her shoulders, past her elbows, almost to her waist. Ezra gasps. Murley opens one eye and looks over at him, annoyed. 

Ezra doesn’t care. 

He’s transfixed, wondering what it would have been like to run his fingers through Sabine's long hair, and how much she’d experimented with that much canvas. 

He doesn’t have to wonder long.

Sabine appears again with hair dyed four different colors: Orange into yellow into pink into purple.

“Pretty cool, huh?” She asks. “I think it’s getting a little too long, though.”

She chops it off, live, on screen. She doesn’t say much - just a bit about how she misses even Chopper but doesn’t get to see any of the old crew often. 

“I miss you the most, though.” She confesses. “Hera told me that maybe recording would help, and I think it has. But I’m ready to start looking for you. Really looking. Not just researching and waiting on Ahsoka or Hera to find a lead.”

She finishes with her hair still well past her shoulders. 

“Not yet, though. I still have a piece of artwork to finish.”

One last Sabine pops up, with freshly dyed purple-pink-orange hair. “Almost done.” She says.

Then a much more familiar Sabine pops up - shortly cropped, dark purple hair. A bit of makeup. And armor. 

“It’s time. Ahsoka found something, just after I finished my mural in Capital City. I can't wait to bring you home."

The holo goes still, fades, and Ezra's sure it's done. 

He bends down to pet Murley and nearly falls over when Sabine's voice came back a solid thirty seconds later.  He scrambles back to his feet, grabbing the counter to pull himself up. He found himself staring right into Holo-Sabine’s eyes.

“If you’re seeing this, I guess I’m not there to hit pause and I owe you an explanation.

“I knew you were counting on me, and I knew you needed to come home. There’s so much in the galaxy you need to catch up on. And you have a little brother to meet.” Sabine smiles, a hint of sorrow lacing her expression.

“But most of all, I needed you. Whatever it took. If I’m not here…I don’t have any regrets. I’m just glad you’re home.”

She pauses a moment, runs a hand through her too-short hair, lets out a shaky breath.

“Ni kar’taylir darasuum, Ezra Bridger.”

Ni kar’taylir darasuum ?

Ezra furrows his brow as he pulls out a datapad and types in the best approximation of Sabine’s words. Murley jumps up and meows, and Ezra pushes him aside gently to reveal the confirmation of the hunch he's had she held him on Peridea like she never wanted to let him go.

“I hold you in my heart forever,” literally.

Or, in plain Galactic Basic, “I love you.”

[honey-boy-blue]

Helping out a friend

Lucas and Wes had been friends for five years. Almost everyday, they’d sit in Wes’s car and talk for hours about everything. College was approaching. It was only a matter of days before they’d leave for opposite sides of the country again.

Last time they split up, Lucas bit his tongue. These late nights made his develop feelings for Wes. The topic of sexuality was never brought up. That was until a week ago, when Lucas came out to Wes as trans. It wasn’t on purpose, it slipped out. Thankfully, Wes handled the information well. He explained he had done some exploring in college, never sex though. The topic today was old high school hook ups. They laughed and teased each other for the poor judgment in girls. “I don’t think I ever fucked someone not in a car until college,” Wes laughed. Lucas looked at him, dumbfounded. “This guy discovered road head and never looked back,” he laughed. Wes shook his head, “it’s not like it was my choice, that’s just where it happened. Also, road head is not crazy at all, kinda disappointing honestly.”

An image shot into Lucas’ head. Wes’, warm, long cock in his mouth. His lips glide up and down the shaft and his tongue wraps over the tip. Wes thrusts himself into Lucas’ throat. They’re at a stoplight. Lucas reaches down between his legs to feel himself.

Lucas shoots back to reality. He’s staring at Wes’ lap just a second to long. He corrects his eye-line. “Well maybe she just sucked at road head,” Lucas smiles playfully. Wes leans back in his seat, “Yeah, maybe.” He shifts his phone in his lap. Lucas glances to see his pants are ever so slightly tighter than before. Thoughts race in his head. This is a chance. So what they probably won’t fall in love or anything, but maybe he can at least get an urge out.

“It’s okay, I had a girl use teeth on me. I don’t know how she thought to do that. That’s not the soft part. It’s about the lips, the tongue, hell, maybe it sloppy you know? Keep your teeth out,” Lucas says. Wes is quiet for a moment. “Have you ever given head?” “A couple times, and I got a compliment every time,” Lucas smiles. He sees Wes’s pants get even tighter. Wes looks out the window and nods. Lucas scoots closer. “I can show you if you want,” he whispers. Wes turns around, and bites his lip. He lunges for a kiss. Lucas makes his way down his collar bone as Wes unbuttons his pants.

Lucas drops down and takes his cock in his mouth. He kisses it, licks it, drools all over it. It’s warm and he loves the taste of his friend in his mouth. Lucas reaches between his legs to feel his wet cunt. He can’t help but imagine Wes’ length inside him. He’s moaning, they both are. Lucas feels his cock shake in his mouth. Lucas comes back up to Wes’ face and holds it. “I have an idea,” he smiles.

Lucas removes his pants to reveal his wet, dripping cunt. “I’m giving you the chance to fuck me. You don’t have to if you want to, but I want you to fuck me. Hard.” Wes pauses. He’s only had sex with women, and even when he did, he spent the whole time worried he’d knock her up. He looks down at Lucas’ cunt. Wes can’t help himself, it’s a primal urge to be inside it. He backs his seat up and pulls Lucas onto his lap. Wes massages the outside of Lucas’ cunt before shoving his cock deep inside him. Lucas yelps. His body begins taking over. He’s no longer in control of what noises he makes or the movements. Wes smiles, “You moan like a bitch.” “Only if you make me one,” Lucas winks.

Lucas rocks his hips while Wes thrusts into him. He loves the feeling of Wes’ cock inside him. It’s primal. He needs it. Wes thrusts faster, harder. He slams into Lucas. “Fuck me, please,” Lucas begs.

Wes shudders. “Oh god. I’m gonna cum, get off,” he tries to move Lucas but he plants himself further on his cock. Lucas grinds slowly on his cock. He puts his hand on Wes’ chin and turns his face up to him. “Everything down there is shut off. You won’t get me pregnant. Cum inside me.”

Unbeknownst to Lucas, testosterone is not birth control. This hook up was just as risky. Wes sinks into his seat. He moans softly as Lucas picks up his pace. Lucas smiles and places his arms on Wes’ shoulders, “Now you’ve my bitch. Cum inside me.” Wes nods. Lucas rocks his hips harder and faster. Wes shudders. “Oh, fuck!” Suddenly, Lucas feels warmth within him. His best friend’s cum was filling up his hungry cunt. It pushes him over the edge. Lucas’ moan peaks. His cunt clenches down on Wes’, draining as much cum as possible into him. Lucas feels waves across his body and into his hole. He continues to rock gently until he feels the warmth stop growing. Lucas lifts himself off and watches Wes’ cum drip out of him. Lucas flops back into his seat and puts his boxers back on. He can feel Wes’ cum still dripping out of him. “So what were you thinking for a midnight snack, Whataburger?” Lucas jokes. Wes is still in shock of what just happened. Looks at Lucas. Lucas puts his hand on Wes’ thigh. “That doesn’t have to be the last time. You can cum inside me as much as you like. Use me, even. But get me a snack first,” he smiles. A big grin grows on Wes’ face and he turns on the ignition. “Oh I’ll cum in you all night, every day if you let me.”

“I will.”

[sl-newsie]

Query: Q x 00 Agent- Ch. 17: Catching Up

5 years later

Life is funny sometimes. One minute you’re carrying out an undercover mission in Nuremberg, Germany. Next thing you know being knocked into a marble wall sends you into a comma. I don’t remember much, only whispers of voices. Time passed so much slower, almost like living in a broken record. When I opened my eyes it felt that only a few days had passed. Turned out it was 4 years. Not something I was ecstatic to hear.

Not much had changed, thank goodness. Mallory was still running the show, Moneypenny still his secretary. The first bit of news that surprised me was that Bond had retired. Ever since the incident at Vesper’s grave he all but fell off the face of the Earth. I had no chance of seeing him again unless he wished to be seen. My mentor, my partner, my closest friend. Gone.

The next thing that shocked me was Q. When one is basically sleeping like the dead for 4 years no one is expected to hold on that long. I wouldn’t expect him to. But he did. He held onto me. Q was the first to visit me the instant he got the news I was awake. He sprinted in, still in his pajamas, and squeezed me so tight I thought I’d pass out again. After he’d calmed down I asked him why he’d stayed single. He simply said: “I don’t fall in love twice. I’m in love with you, dead or alive. And if you’re dead then I have no reason to carry on romantic intentions with someone else.”

After that something sparked. Our half-witted relationship grew stronger almost to the point of full-out dating. Granted our jobs don’t allow much free time but we still enjoy each other’s company after hours. For better or for worse. When I’m forced to kill more than I’d like to during a mission I go home and cling to Q the same as he did to me when I was asleep. 

Things won’t be the same as they were 5 years ago. Right now I keep my eyes and ears open and stay alive. That’s enough for Q and Mallory, so it’s good enough for me.

“Moneypenny, you need to get in here. Now.” M barks urgently from down the hall.

I look up from the forms I’m filling out to see Moneypenny rushing down the aisle. “Something important?”

“More than likely,” she says.

Deciding to follow her, I quickly get up and head towards M’s office-

“0011, this is classified,” the stern leader states clearly before shutting the heavy door.

Crumbs! Since when is something so important that it’s classified to 00s? In a final attempt I put my head to the door and listened to the muffled conversation.

“Sir. What’s the Heracles Project? This lab is not in the books.”

“... I’ll handle it.”

It’s a quick conversation because the door opens after a few seconds and Moneypenny reappears carrying some files.

“What was that about?” I start following her back to her desk.

“Something dangerous. I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything,” she replies nonchalantly as she logs into her computer.

“Then why are you-?”

“Don’t expect to find something in your email,” Moneypenny says without looking up.

Ah. I see how it is.

“I never do. See you later.” I nod stiffly and strut out of the office. Before I head to the break room I snatch my laptop and headphones. Once I’ve made sure the area is empty I click into my email. Sure enough a new message from Moneypenny pops up. The images show an invasion of a lab, one that I’m guessing is very important due to the biohazard signs posted everywhere. Why would Mallory need to keep this under wraps? Perhaps I should reach out to Bond. 

I haven’t told the others about keeping in touch with my old mentor. Bond doesn’t know either. After I woke up from my coma I did some digging and through a series of underground contacts I discovered that he is still alive. I don’t know where, but that’s unnecessary. All I need to know is that my old friend is alive. I also learned that Bond is no longer 007. When I got to meet Nomi, the new 007, I found her to be reasonable. She’s nice, but nothing like Bond.

No, I shouldn’t bother him. Bond’s earned his retirement. If he wants to spend it in isolation I can’t deny him that. So instead I’ll relay the info to Q. No surprise he’s holed up in the lab. Still the same man as he was 5 years ago; although Q’s definitely acquired a wiser appearance. Despite the age lines on his face there’s still the same youthful enthusiasm behind those brown eyes.

“Greetings, darling.” 

The man nods in response. “Same to you, 0011.”

He must be into something deep. When Q gets like he is now it’s as if he and the computer have bonded, creating a man with a computer for a brain. Some would push this off as rude and unattentive but I respect it. Whatever it takes for Q to perform his technological miracles is worth it.

“Q, has Moneypenny said anything-?”

“How’s it going, Q?” M walks up from behind and I cut myself short.

Q catches my drift and goes back to looking at his screen. “There have been many large files wiped from Obruchev’s hard drive. He seemed to be working on some pretty advanced algorithmic-”

“Can you retrieve the files?” M says hastily.

Q frowns. “Trying.”

“Get me everything you can and then destroy the drives.”

“Maybe if I knew more about what this was then I could-”

“Thank you, Q. That’s all.”

Interesting. I’ve never seen M so uptight about something. Especially with Q. Since our Quartermaster is the brains behind all operations I would at least expect him to be kept involved; yet M wants to keep this unknown matter as quiet as possible. Just now a phone starts ringing and I do my best to overhear the conversation.

“It’s 007.”

007? Why would Nomi-?

“Bond?” M’s tone changes.

Bond’s calling? Nice to know my contacts were right. Unfortunately M does not seem to share my enthusiasm for Bond's surprise call.

“I’m guessing Bond didn’t take it too well regarding his replacement,” I inquire dryly.

Mallory scowls at my fake interest. “007 is doing her job-”

“Nomi will never replace Bond. Everyone knows that, even you.”

M just sighs and walks out of the lab before the argument can spiral further. Once he’s gone Q grabs my hand and leads me to the back corner. Now Q’s acting suspicious too?

“Quartermaster, what’s going on? You know you can trust me, right?”

He nods. “M may not like it but you deserve to know. I did some research and found out that the security footage Moneypenny sent me shows Spectre agents extracting Valdo Obruchev in order to steal something called Project Heracles. I’m not too sure about what that is but I’ll find it eventually.”

An unknown project. Capital idea. Just another secret for M to keep.

“Can you gain access?” I ask with unease.

Q looks at me with an amused smile. “I hacked the Nine Eyes program. This should be a cinch.”

“So SPECTRE’s not completely dead. Brilliant. Is Mallory not telling us something? He’s been getting more and more anxious. It wouldn’t be the first time he screwed up.”

“You’re never going to let the whole SPECTRE incident blow over?” Q sighs as he goes back to his computer.

“Hell no.”

In a fit of stubbornness I storm over and pick up a spare tablet to access the footage again. What can be so incriminating to M’s image that he’d try to bury it? However my annoyance is eased off when I feel a warm hand grab mine.

“Shouldn’t be near me, Q. I might break something.”

He doesn’t flinch. “Darling, you’d never hurt me. No matter how pissed you are.”

I roll my eyes. He’s right. I could be pushed to the breaking point and even in a rage of insanity Q will always pull me back, like he’s doing right now.

“Sorry. I know I’ve been a bit unstable the past few months-”

“Eleanor,” Q calmly interrupts and kneels down to face me directly. “You were in a coma. Time turns anyone into a different person. I’m not saying it’s made you weak, but your brain isn’t the same as it was 5 years ago. If you ever need to talk about anything, don't feel like you are a burden.” He gives me a pointed look. “I know you, dear. You need to understand that you can’t carry everything yourself.” Now Q looks at me with grateful eyes. “I’m just thrilled you still remember me.”

By now I’m speechless to his pep talk. How is it that Q, being as unemotional as he is, is the perfect therapist? I didn’t even know why I haven’t been thinking straight but he’s right. This whole time I’ve been trying to piece together a life that’s similar to what I had 5 years ago, trying to make up for lost time. But I don’t have to scramble to catch up. 

“I could never forget you, Q. No matter how many hits I take to the head. I- I don’t know how to thank you,” I whisper. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that.”

Q just smiles and squeezes my hand. “No need to thank me, 0011. What I do need is for you to continue being the bad-ass that you are.”

I smirk and start to respond but then my phone goes off. I swear if Mallory’s trying to bury me with more paperwork-

“Levie, it’s Bond.”

The voice stimulates me to be on alert and I assume the worst. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m calling to warn you about M. There’s something going on and I’m on my way to find out what. I’ll make this brief: don’t trust anyone. Don’t try to find me, it will only cause more problems for you.” There’s a pause. “It- It’s good to know you’re still alive after all these years.”

“Likewise. Stay strong, Bond.” The line goes dead and I take a second to process what just happened. I was right. Is that a good or bad thing? It’s obviously serious enough for Bond to pull himself out of retirement.

Now I need to make another call. I punch in the familiar number and after a few rings my contact picks up. “Felix, it’s Levie. Has Bond been in contact with you?”

“It’s funny you say that. He’s headed to meet up with one of my contacts in Cuba as we speak.”

Perfect. For now I’ll follow Bond’s warning and stake it out here to do a little snooping. What M doesn’t know won’t kill him.

“Thanks, Felix. I owe you big time if we ever meet in person.”

On the other end the man chuckles. “Don’t mention it. Bond speaks quite proud of you and any pupil of his is a friend of mine. Keep in touch, Levie.”

[knightyoomyoui]

Jihyo x F Reader- “Rewind”

Before I start, I want to reiterate the announcement I made regarding this one-shot in case any of you haven't saw yet. This one may also be read by male readers (but only if you want to), especially the climax itself because of a very important detail that I'm about to reveal there.  So, if you're a male reader reading this right now then good for you because you won't be missing this one but brace yourself for what's about to happen. You might be asking why I couldn't just make it into both Male and Female reader featured? Nope. This one is primarily about Jihyo and... just find out why I wanted male readers to read this as well. Lastly, this one is inspired by one of my favorite episodes from one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe shows, "What If...? EPISODE 4 - What If... Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead Of His Hands?", so yeah, this fanfic is going to be weird, tragic (?) and mindblowing; I'm just hoping that my writing does justice, so please understand as I'm doing my best to pull this one off... again. Have fun reading! 😉

"The power of the time... in the palm of my hands."

Jihyo gazes admiringly at the work of art in front of her. A wide grin, a face splashed with many flashing lights from the astonishing invention shown next to her, and sparkling eyes, not from the lights but from the achievement she gained after going so far to make this happen.

Two years was worth it.

Now, the history is about to welcome another remarkable change thanks to the very successful and renowned scientist Park Jihyo.

The creator of the Project Rewind, with its sole purpose is to have Jihyo attempt erasing something impossible out of the book.

And specifically speaking, it's none other than the concept of time travelling.

"This is incredible feat of evolution, Miss Park. You're going down in history because of this.", her lab partner and fellow scientist; apparently in the lower level than her named Lisa compliments her game-changing mentor.

"Indeed I am.", Jihyo said before her beaming smile flickered into shutting its brightness off.

"...but I'm not concerned of any of that.", she looked at Lisa who captured her eyes in response.

"In fact, I didn't care about the acknowledgement and appreciation I'll be getting once this gets released in the public.", Jihyo sighed.

"Then what inspired you to build this?", Lisa curiously inquired.

Jihyo released another huge puff of breath to the air before grabbing her IPhone laying down on the cold steel long table.

She opened it, and the very first thing her eyes catched was the image of a person she holds dearly in her heart no one could outlimit that.

She gulped, opening her home screen and poking the app that directed her to the message list. The first one that was left unread was not like that no more as she decided to peek the content of it.

"Jihyo-ssi! See you there at my wedding okay? xoxo" Sent

Jihyo stared at it for a few seconds, her heart clenching at what she had just done, not only because she hadn't given it a thought, but because she had acted on the decision formed in her mind just days after receiving the invitation from her friend with whom she had secretly developed a deep loving fondness. "I wasn't going to show up at the lab today, Lisa, not even you." "Wait, Miss Park?" Jihyo handed her phone to Lisa so she could look at it. She just wants to cut the explanation short since it would pain her so much if it would last longer.

Lisa glanced back at Jihyo with a mixed of confusion and disbelief.

"You're... invited on her wedding?"

Jihyo only nodded.

"And you didn't came?"

Jihyo lowered her head in guilt.

"I can't, even if I want to."

"Why?"

"She's my love and life, and I... couldn't simply stand seeing her exchange vows with someone that wasn't me."

Lisa frowned at that information. She immediately felt pity for her friend and mentor now that she knew that whenever she enters this place and meets her again everyday to assist her on completing this project, she wasn't okay at all which she was hiding it at all time for them to keep their attention still on the construction of the machine.

"I know she won't like what I did, but for once I wanted to be selfish. Mind more than heart."

Jihyo fixated her eyes back at her time machine, confidence and motivated oozing from her aura as the image of the reason behind the making of the plan she was constructing appeared inside her head.

"And now... all I can think of to escape this reality I'm facing into is through this."

Jihyo pulls out the remote in her pocket and presented it to Lisa.

"What are you implying at, Jihyo-ssi?"

"With this time machine, I could use this to go back to that day where I could've repeat again the mistake I've done.

It's been more than half a decade, and I still wonder what it would look like if I- if I confessed to her on that day," Jihyo said, recalling the precise circumstances that culminated in her unsuccessful effort to confess her love back to YN." "Maybe I could have heard what she'll going to answer, and if she reciprocated... perhaps I was there at the altar, placing the wedding ring on her finger and kissing her to be my wife." "I should've gone all in," Jihyo said as a tear spilled from her eye, her breathing going rough and her chest becoming heavy. Lisa approached her mentor and softly caressed her back to console the distraught woman.

"It's okay, Jihyo-ssi. You don't have to worry about that now, because the solution you're looking for is right here.", Lisa referred to the invention in her sight.

"Does this mean you're going back to that time and try to rewrite what happened?"

"Yeah."

"Oh...", Lisa understood; yet the uneasiness that crawls up in her skin prompted her to ask this again for clarification.

"Not that I'm taking this whole plan of yours differently, Jihyo-ssi but... do you think it'll work?"

Jihyo's head went back and forth, left and right as she switches her gaze to Lisa and the time machine, thinking about the possibility that might occur.

However, those initially ended up for her to not get affected by any of it.

"Only one way to find out."

Jihyo walked through the metal podium  and stood in the middle of it. Lisa hurriedly came closer to the unbothered scientist and a blend of nervousness and scared developed within her.

"Be safe, okay? Make sure to return back here.", Lisa reminded.

Jihyo bobbed her head in response. "See you in a minute.", she smirked. A tensed smile in return from Lisa. She watched Jihyo quite hesitatingly pressed the button in her hand as she stared at it.

"Let my love be known for you, YN."

Jihyo huffed in the air then dug the surface of her thumb at the button before the blue laser from the top struck her head first until she was covered up and vanished away from the light.

(BACK TO THE PAST - 6 YEARS AGO)

Few seconds after, the light returned and disappeared only to leave Jihyo out in a very familiar place that became a part of her memory she hugely regretted the most.

Her entire outfit changed from a scientist to a casual one also, the same attire she used to wore at that given night.

A gloomy environment, albeit visible thanks to the moonlight and stars illuminating the route down a Seoul street. Jihyo's eyes widened as she realized she had been transported back inside the identical car she had used at the time, with the windows pulled down, waiting for her presence to emerge. Side glancing outside, she saw the past variant of her love interest and bestfriend YN leave her house wearing a baby blue blouse, a pair of shoes, and a neat ponytail tie. Jihyo cannot believe what she is having right now. Repeating the moment she was eager for it to be rewritten and mended has finally provided her with an opportunity to make it real.

Down to the every exact detail and just like when this once happened, YN flashed her shy and soft smile seeing Jihyo looking very cool peeking in the window of her car.

"Evening, cool girl.", YN greeted her with that candy so sweet voice.

"Good evening. You look so great tonight, huh.", Jihyo traced her crush's outfit and as always, it didn't fail to have her attracted strongly into the young woman.

"You too. You're just as awesome as what your car is.", she patted the roof before opening the door and enters inside.

"So, where to at?"

"You'll see.", Jihyo looked at YN through the rearview mirror before kicking off the engine to start driving away ahead of their destination.

"Don't screw it up this time..." Jihyo kept on muttering to herself.

While driving, they paused for a while on a road where the streetlight blinked at green light.

Waiting patiently, Jihyo sneakily looked once again at the undoubtedly attractive woman behind her, sitting comfortably while scrolling down on her phone.

She was lost in a trance until YN woke her back up with a sudden question, raising her sight away from the phone thus making Jihyo return her gaze back at the road where the bypassers are still crossing down.

"You've never taken me to go outside with keeping a secret on what shall we going to do, Ji.", YN playfully told her. "Cmon, is this too special for me to know already?"

"We're almost there, YN. I can't give it to you yet, sorry. Just wait for a little more okay?", Jihyo apologetically said and grinned at YN who is visibly pouting now from the reflection of her in the mirror.

Jihyo felt like her heartbeat skipped when she caught that adorable action that she always loves to see from YN whenever they're together. She missed it a lot, she thought.

"You better make sure this is huge, Ji. The way you hype it gets me really engaged to learn what is it gonna be all about.", YN unsincerely cautioned the driver.

"This is just gonna be our night together, YN. Ofc-"

They are only 10km away from the mall when in an unexpected circumstances, their car got rammed over by a truck heading from another way. It didn't allow Jihyo to completely speak in response.

It collided first on the side where YN is located.

The shattered car rolled and flew through the road from the impact until it stopped, leaving it upside down with all the parts left unforgiven as it completely destroyed due to the crash.

Nevertheless, even in her condition of shock and distress, Jihyo slowly opened her eyes and quickly realized that YN was responding, eyes closed and head bleeding critically.

"W-what... no....", Jihyo murmured as she tried to touch YN again, hoping for a hint of recovery.

She didn't received any, which made her breath heavily to control her tears from bursting out.

"Oh my god, N-no... this can't be happening."

Jihyo pulls out the controller in her pocket again and clicked the button still set on the specific date, restarting everything what happened again.

(BACK TO THE PAST - 6 YEARS AGO) / TAKE 2

Light engulfed her and everything, it worked as she was once again sitting relaxingly on the drivers seat, peeking out on the window as she watches YN slowly walk towards her after exiting the house.

"Evening, cool girl."

"Good evening. You look so great tonight, huh.", Jihyo smiled after greeting her back and also by putting a slight blush over the cheeks of lovely YN.

Minutes later, they were in the middle of the ride when right at the moment that Jihyo took a turn to enter a bridge, she horrifyingly observed that the brakes doesn't cooperate with her.

"Damn it! WHY IS THIS NOT WORKING!", she angrily push and pulled the handle which gained attention from YN herself.

"Jihyo, what's going on?"

"Th-this brake... it won't allow me to-"

And her sentence again got cutted off when they reached the end the bridge that's suppose to provide a turn that will led onto another uphill only for them to unable driving on to it.

Sibce the brake doesn't work, YN and Jihyo both shouted helplessly as the car crashed and smashed onto the railing, diving down through through high cliff and come crashing down along the ground.

Jihyo opened her eyes slowly and once again, she saw YN unconscious and pulse not beating along with a rapidly bleeding head causing her to panic and get afraid.

"No... NO NOT AGAIN!"

Instead of pushing the button to restart the scenario again, she returned back to the present time; changing her clothes once again to her laboratory outfit and meeting Lisa again who was busily writing a report on her desk.

The poor girl got startled when Jihyo quickly arrived back and kneeled on the floor.

She stood up and rushed towards the weakened scientist.

"What happened? Did it work?"

"I-I don't know what did I encountered, Lisa.", Jihyo remained her face hidden from her lowered head. "I haven't got to confess to her yet."

"What happened? Is there something that's stopping you?"

"Yeah!", Jihyo looked back at Lisa with a stressed expression. "The memory is still fresh on me and I'm not mistaken that I only haven't got to confess to her because I decided not to.

B-but... I-I don't know what we just faced earlier became very different. We got into a car accident instead. One was us getting crashed to a truck and the other was us falling on the cliff."

"Then s-she... she both died on those.", Jihyo ran her fingers across the length of her bob cut black hair with watery eyes and a increased heat temperature of her breaths.

"Huh?"

"I don't know, Lisa. It seems like, it doesn't allow me to make it happen." Jihyo shrugged and shook her head.

"What are you going to do now, then? Shall we consider this project-"

"NO! I-....", Jihyo exhaled multiple times before proceeding to continue her words.

"I have to try again. I'll try not to come across into a mess again."

Lisa only nodded to support her mentor but the worries are starting to fill up inside of her, including a thought that this mission of Jihyo could be classified as dangerous.

Jihyo stood up and pressed again the button, returning her back to the past.

(BACK TO THE PAST - 6 YEARS AGO) / TAKE 3

Same car. Same night. Same location. Same love of her life capturing her heart.

"Evening, cool girl."

"G-good evening. You look great tonight."

"Thanks, you too."

She closed the door and sat behind Jihyo who is hoping so bad nothing would screw up her chance this time...

While Jihyo was driving, YN sensed something wrong as she watched the outside of Seoul they're passing through became unfamiliar to her.

"Ji, what road is this? I've never been here before."

"U-uhh... we're just taking another route, Y/NN. Hang on, we're going there okay?", Jihyo assured YN who looked troubled and confused at the same time.

They were about to exit that turn but once again, for the third time... they got involved in another car crash when a lightpost collpased just right in front of a truck that was rolling down on the way too.

It made the driver to zigzag his direction as he tried to recover the balanced control of his driving but it didn't worked as he and your car collided together.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!", Jihyo frantically raged as she saw YN's unresponsive state after the impact.

Pressing the button for the fourth time... fifth time... sixth time and so on until she stopped at the tenth attempt, all of these only resulted negatively for her.

As expected, she encountered other various alternate causes to her unsuccessful confession for YN.

For example, on the 5th try; Jihyo and YN got into an accident which she got placed in a coma and forgot her memories with YN who still died.

6th try, Jihyo received an unlucky emergency when YN's father got stroke.

7th try,  YN getting kidnapped by unidentified men right when they are about to left YN's house.

8th try, YN immediately shared that her future wife confessed her feelings to her and she accepted.

9th try, YN suffered from a heart attack.

And in 10th try... all of these scenarios made Jihyo to pull out one last attempt and that is when she never showed up instead on that night only for the consequences though that it will still allow the future wife of Jihyo to confess to her first than her.

Returning back to the present, she got all fours on the floor and sobbed hardly as she banged her fist on the floor weakily.

"Jihyo! What happened now?!", Lisa ran through her and matched the same level as hers to easily access a comforting hug to her.

"Lisa..."

"What is it, Jihyo-ssi?"

"Why... why are these happening to us? A-aren't we allowed to be happy?", Jihyo's messed up mind speaking up to her. Lisa doesn't know what to answer as she has clearly no idea also why is Jihyo all unsuccessful on those several repeats she executed.

That is... until an idea showed up in her head. She knows this won't be too pleasant for Jihyo to know but she has no other choice but to inform this to her, probably might help and raise awareness for the poor secret admirer.

"Jihyo-ssi... it's not that I'm going against with you here but, do you think that this is still worth to continue?"

"Where are you going with this, Lisa?", Jihyo furrowed her eyebrows, teeth gritting in anger.

"H-hear me out first okay?", Lisa tried to calm down the supposedly offended Jihyo. "W-what if... what if the reasons why even after you try to repeat and change the mistake you've done on that night, it won't allow you in different ways or so is because...

... Jihyo, I'm afraid that YN not ending up with you can be considered as an absolute point of time. Meaning, it is a constant one in this world and you can't do anything about it because it only states that... the scenario cannot be changed.", Lisa explained her speculations about everything that has been going on to Jihyo.

Jihyo only chuckled, much to Lisa getting weirded out of the latter. Spreading herself apart from the empathic friend, she looked at her in a ridiculuous manner.

"No...", Jihyo sighed, shaking her head. "You told me... you told me everything is possible, Lisa and what do you think I'm trying to do here? Huh? Am I not trying to prove it?"

"Jihyo..."

"No! You don't understand!", Jihyo objected, charging at Lisa as she grasped both her shoulders and wiggled her body aggressively.

Looking intently at Lisa who was left speechless, realizing how crazy she must've been looking because of this problem never wanting to leave her alone for years; she slid her hands to Lisa's arms and buried her face shedding tears on the younger's shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry..."

"It's fine. I may not know what could've felt like having that heartbreak being a burden for so long on you, but I just want help with everything I can. For my friend. For you, Jihyo.", Lisa caressed the back of Jihyo.

"This is a different thing, Ji. We don't even know if it can create a side effect and I just want you to be aware of the danger. Don't you even notice that not only you who's hurting here but also her? You're harming her also, Ji... might as well disturbing her past life that should've been put aside and moved on already in this present time."

"Jihyo, without that moment... you won't be stepping here in this laboratory, having me as your friend and lab partner while me having you as my mentor who is a well-knowned inventor and scientist to this field we took.

And most importantly...

... you won't be making her happy, even if it costs... without having you as her source of it."

Jihyo nodded her head and slowed down the sounds of her crying and heaving chest from pouring out all the emotions she's been keeping inside of her, in combination of everything she's been through for the past 6 years.

She lets go from Lisa, wiping out her tears. "I... I understand, Lisa....

but...

... this is what I want to do, and I've gone so far to obtain this remaining opportunity that I have with me.", Lisa tilted her head and frowned in dismay as Jihyo made her final decision opposite to what she's expecting.

"I appreciate you sticking for my side as always, Lisa... and please, despite of me choosing this; I just want to ask for your support on this one like we usually do for each other.", Jihyo requested, pursing her lower lip and presented her glimmering puppy eyes on her apprentice,

Lisa slumped her shoulders, tightlipped, shutting her eyes and escaped a warm sigh before nodding her head in response. "Don't say I didn't warned you about this."

"I do."

Jihyo and Lisa exchanged a trusting gestures at one another before Jihyo took another try, pressing the button to teleport herself again into a different time, location and setting for a repeat she can't even count from all the fingers in her hands on how many she took a time travelling.

She monitored YN approaching her who's inside the car, but... Jihyo's forehead crumpled and eyebrows knitted in complete disordered perspective when she began observing something... strange.

YN stopped her tracks, only inches away from her peeking out of the window.

She watched YN looking around the neighborhood, her eyes even contacted at the spot where Jihyo is but she just swiftly lured her sight away at the unknown.

"YN?", Jihyo called her name but left no reply from the latter.

YN looked at the time from her wristwatch and sighed. "That little brat. She pranked me again."

Jihyo's confusion grew larger, assuming that YN doesn't see her at all when in fact, their gap is very narrow for them to reach theirselves.

"YN? YN?! HEY, I'M HERE!", Jihyo kept shouting at YN, hoping that atleast her presence will be felt and seen but to no avail.

"W-what's going on...", Jihyo panickedly cupped both her head and rubbed her hair on the sides as she's trying to process what kind of phenomenon is blocking her once again from confessing her feelings to Jihyo.

As she tried to reach and touch YN by expanding her arm to her, YN instead began walking away from her; supposedly returning back inside her house with a dissatisfied and annoyed feeling on her for not seeing any traces of YN in front of her residence.

"YN! DON'T GO!", Jihyo opened the door to hop out and try chasing the oblivious YN when all of a sudden the land they're stepping in began crumbling and wind hitting them strongly, causing them both to become alarmed and terrified at the instant earthquake intensified right at the moment.

Jihyo leaned at the car to gain support from her stance as she felt dizzy from the vibration and impact of the shaking ground while YN crashed on her knees, unable to maintain her balance.

"YN!"

She tried to help her friend, attempting to run her feet straight through her until the skies began switching colors from a dull grey and black into a bright blue and yellow, with the manner having it perceived as if everything is glitching around them.

The land splits into two, tearing both of them away from each other. Jihyo watched the ground began to float as well the what it looked like underneath her, which is nothing but also a glitching appearance of their entire background.

"J-JIHYO?!", Jihyo heard someone called her name, who's none other than YN staring at her in a dreadful expression.

She got somehow relieved that YN can finally see but how could she forgot how bad of a timing it occured as now they're witnessing each other and the entire world around them shattering into pieces.

Speculating that the warnings Jihyo received from Lisa ended up becoming true, now that she's about to experience what must've felt like having the whole reality she's seeing got slowly destroyed all because of her.

"YN!", Jihyo returned the name calling.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!

"I DON'T KNOW EITHER BUT STAY THERE, OKAY?!", Jihyo yelled at YN who followed her instructions.

Jihyo reaches for the time controller on the passenger's seat and hurriedly pressed the button to restart everything again.

It failed.

She pressed again.

No good.

She went into a rage spamming on the button in sync with the repeated cursing and pleading under her breath that it'll work.

It didn't.

Jihyo screamed in terror as she realized that the glitching and disturbed reality seems like it's shrinking carefully and it made her jump onto the conclusion that she believe they will end up being crushed by it.

"No... no, this can't be. I- I DIDN'T MEANT FOR ANY OF THIS TO HAPPEN!", JIhyo panic-stricken, grabbing YN's attention even more.

"I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH HER!!!", waterfall of tears pouring out from her cheeks as she screamed in anguish at the weird skies above her.

"JIHYO, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!", Jihyo turned her head towards YN who looks very pitiful in her condition being all alone and terrified of the disaster she's about to accept.

As much as she want to do something, she can't. Lisa won't be able to save her since she's in a different period of time so the only solution she has in her was the controller... but it became unresponsive, leaving Jihyo facing the unknown.

A couple of inches remaining in distance from each of them, the unwell and shifting reality enveloped them altogether. Jihyo and YN's discomfort and horrible demeanor reached it's breaking point as the only thing they can do is to keep screaming in utter horror and desperate for help.

"NO.... NO... YN!", the walls of the reality pushed them, causing the measurement of the space between each other to lessen.

"JIHYO!!!", the pieces of the land they're stepping in finally compressed, and without any hesitation they immediately hugged together for one last time.

"NO... DON'T TAKE HER AWAYYYY!"

And then, Jihyo's begging screams echoed before everything disappears.

Jihyo opened her eyes, feeling nothing but herself floating at... nothing. All she can see it null and void. Black being the only existent color she can see around her.

No signs of YN, it urged her to got hit by a massive realization that not only she failed...but it left a complete destruction and extinction of the world she's living in, including the very important and special person in her whole life: YN.

She did prevented her to end up with her wife, but it costs her not letting her able to live the life she preferred to rather share happiness and love with.

She went for the worst instead for the better.

She lost everything.

She lost YN.

To pay for the sins she caused, it truly is deserving for her to be left all along in such a blank space. Leave her to die, she thought.

"No...no.... no.... I'm so sorry, YN...", Jihyo began crying hard again as she covered her face with both of her palms.

An unknown length of time she spent floating in mid-air of nothing, she unconsciously stared at nowhere with a blank and colorless expression in her face.

Her unbotheredness was broken when suddenly, a familiar voice speaks out from her behind.

"I assumed you learnt your lesson then.", Jihyo used her remaining force within her to turn herself around and face the owner of that voice.

It was Lisa, but her entire appearence looks very unnatural, ethereal and heavenly...

... because this ain't the same student and aspiring scientist Lisa Manoban she knew from before.

Instead, the Lisa floating in front of her now whilst wearing a white elegant and alluring dress exposing her well-built curvy figure is the god-like counterpart of the Lisa she's close with.

"L-Lisa?", Jihyo's face somewhat brightened as she recognized the unearthly woman talking to her.

"Jihyo-ssi.", Lisa smiled timidly.

"Y-you're alive... b-but why are y-"

"I may be the same as your bestfriend but also... I'm not.", Lisa clarified. "Your Lisa is now dead, and I'm honestly sad to know that my version is now gone too soon."

"V-version?"

"So... now you, more than everyone else finally understand that meddling with time and reality would only result in chaos and destruction.", Lisa avoided Jihyo's confusion, saving the reveal later.

Jihyo frowned in guilt, knowing that's exactly what she should remember from now on, yet the only question is... for what? She doesn't have anything to do here. She's trapped in this prison she made for herself.

"As much as I want to help you, I cannot interfere. It's your destiny not to involved in a romantic relationship with YN, because you and her are only limited from crossing that boundary."

"I knew everything what you did and I have to admit... you surely did messed up a lot.", Lisa sarcastically reacted.

"Breaking the sole universe of where you live in-"

"Wait, UNIVERSE?"

"Yeah, you think you only made Earth pop like a bubble?", Lisa raised her eyebrow. "No, silly. You eradicted the entire galaxy because of how stubborn and arrogant you are."

Jihyo winced at the another scolding she got. Harsh words stabbed her straight in the feels because Lisa spat all those truth like an acid to her.

"It wasn't m-my... intention, I swear.", Jihyo muttered. "I knew what I did was wrong... but I never wanted to affect others on my own deed."

"I know, and that's why I'm here."

Jihyo's curiously was piqued.

"For?"

Lisa started to floated around on Jihyo who remained motionless. "Like what I said, you destroying the entire universe by a mortal like you definitely placed a lot of heavy toll within Gods like me."

"A god of what?"

"Gods of Redemption.", Lisa declared. "We're in charge of granting every being in this planet to have second chances, only and if necessary... the scenario is too unreversable to the mortal's hands... that being, death and if that being is very sincere and willingly to make something right again.

... which led me to you, Jihyo-ssi."

"The higher ranking Gods, ofcourse they didn't took it really well. They even almost finalized that they want to have you set up through an instant punishment, banishing your existence with their combined power so that you'll suffer the same as what you did along with your universe.", Jihyo's eyes widened and gulped at how terrifying and intimidating these Gods are.

"However, through my method of convincing; lucky you were spared from the doomsday you're about to meet.", Lisa added.

"Look, I know that you didn't intended to destroy everything but I just can't help but to be a little frustrated at you.", she pointed at Jihyo who remained speechless.

"You were warned, but this crazy little thing called love couldn't set you free isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Lisa clicked her tongue irritably. "Well, we can't do anything about it. What's done is done. But... I figured a way to have you atleast serve a purpose not only for us... but for your own too."

"W-what is it?", Jihyo questioned.

"But first, are you willing to make things right everything first?"

Jihyo lowered her head and clasped her hands together to pose herself as if she's praying and begging for it. "Yes! Please. I'll do everything not to make mistakes this time."

Lisa shushed Jihyo, interrupting her pleadings. "No, scratch that part. Our life won't be complete if we don't make mistakes for us to improve further."

"Oh, yeah... s-sorry.", Jihyo apologized. "Okay, y-yes. I'll do my best to think of my actions first."

"That's better.", Lisa expressed her satisfaction. "Well, I won't be asking you anymore if you're willing to sacrifice your existence because... your universe came first before you so, are you ready to follow me?", she spreaded her arm and presented her free hand, directing it at Jihyo for her to accept.

"To where?", Jihyo innocently asked as she stared at the inviteful Lisa.

Lisa smiled before replying at the lonely scientist.

"To your new home."

Jihyo erased all the doubts she has within her, sensing that this Lisa has closely no differences with the one she used to know when it comes to their personality.

She also analyzed that she was right anyways, saving her from the combined wrath of the higher ranking Gods surely made Jihyo owe this Goddess Lisa a lot not only for her safety, but for another opportunity to have her life achieve a new and hopefully... an improved meaning and role in her life.

Jihyo gently reached for Goddess Lisa's hand and locked onto it, twirling her fingers and strengthened her hold as she watched Lisa gestured a trusting nod before they were covered in a blinding goldlish light, escaping the lifeless and ruptured universe of hers.

A few moments later, Jihyo and Lisa arrived in a place that surely does a great representation of what a paradise looks like.

Jihyo's mouth agaped, eyelids sprung upwards and face stretched in shock an surprise as she looked around at the new and most unique place she has ever seen in her entire life.

The structures, neither tall nor short are all white, a clean and refreshing air where the cotton-like fogs flowing through everywhere around on what it seems to be a town; contributing to the heavenly features of the place.

The people residing were wearing gold and white attires, only a thin cloth covering their bodies and every single one of them looks very appealing.

There's no vehicles to be seen around, since the people have the ability to fly through their angelic wings around and use it as their way of transportation around this place.

Jihyo learnt from Lisa that she was brought to this universe only occupied by the children of the Highness himself, the leader, the chief and the savior of all eternal and holy beings in this universe. "String theory... multi-dimensional reality... matter displacement, they're... they're all real?", she said to herself in awe.

They headed across the scared hall of the Holy Council, where the higher-ups has the pleasure to meet the mastermind and the sinner who is the main responsible for the destruction of one of the universe across the infinite numbers of the other universes scattered all over the galaxy.

Lisa repeated her request and pleads from the higher-up, which led from a short discussion and review of the judgment they're about to make.

Fortunately, they achieved all of their approval; and it resulted for Jihyo to be accepted and welcomed to stay in this unknown world full of gods and goddesses, only to pass a test that will be given to her first to prove if she's a worthy addition to their blessed land.

Because of that, it delivered a required new changes from Jihyo herself. She can't be a morttal anymore as she has to take her new responsibilities and duties to prove herself a worthy God Of Redemption just like Lisa.

She transformed from a devastated, lonely scientist to an almighty godly being.

She was tasked on her first ever service, and that is to guide all the 9 different multiverses assigned to her by Lisa.

Recently, her first mission was sent when she received a distress signal from one of the universes she's guarding.

She discovered that in this one, YN is a male assassin who both lost his wife and daughter in a brutal murder inside their house in the middle of the woods where they are hiding.

Jihyo watched how YN struggled in her guilt, longing and grief of losing all of his loved ones... until she decided to appear and offered him a chance of help after she made her research learning that in another universe, his wife... who was the same person her original YN married together with.

Her name is Sana and both of them lost theirselves in a tragic scenario, which on the other hand Sana lost YN in an unexpected car accident.

The first time she saw the assassin counterpart YN, she tried to keep her composure steady to not let out a different reaction of seeing another version of her beloved YN and stay still on being dedicated to her new embraced role as a God Of Redemption.

It pained Jihyo a lot, ofcourse. Secretly watching the huge grin and overload of sadness and longing he felt when he got to meet Sana again for the second time made her somehow wish she could experience the same and stand in Sana's position.

Seeing that she will never have a chance to make YN fall in love with her even at every different universes along with the mistake she had done was an effective hard slap for her to woke up in the reality this time.

Her feelings for YN still remains in her heart, sometimes she uses it to secretly admire her male counterpart whenever he's asleep every night on the new universe Jihyo teleported him.

But on one night, she came to visit YN with another agenda.

She squatted beside the male YN's sleeping figure on the bed and traced his facial features even this version couldn't fail to make Jihyo go head over heels too and showcase the bisexuality effects on her.

Combing his hair with gentle stroke from the gaps of her slender, shining fingers, Jihyo smiled bitterly at the look of YN sleeping peacefully.

"You're still attractingly handsome even if you're a man.", she whispered, not leaving her sight away at YN.

"I promise, this time... I'll make you happy. As much as I want to be the one with you to share with, I know I can't... because you'll never be mine.", Jihyo's teardrop fell from YN's cheek.

"I'll still give it to you. You deserve and earned every special things, whether it may be big or small. Always for a wonderful person like you. That's how you meant so much to me, YN", her lips shuddered as she forces herself not to sob heavily from the hurtful heartbreak she's trying to heal and forget these days.

She placed her last kiss of acceptance for her destined fate on YN's lips before she slowly vanished away and returned from her private universe.

Jihyo successfully completed her first mission by being true to her words, making YN happy by having him reconcile with the another version of Sana.

She bid goodbye to them and headed back to her universe where she teleported right away in front of a massive and enchanted chapel being one of the main highlights of the entire town, along with the council hall where the higher-ups are slated.

Jihyo saw Lisa who's talking nicely with her other fellow guests and gods and politely excused herself to grab the attention of her friend.

"Oh, Jihyo-ssi! You made it on time!", Lisa pleasantly greeted her. "How's your very first mission?"

Jihyo blushed and smiled widely, hinting the victorious accomplishment she achieved. "They're back together now."

"Great!", Lisa clapped her hands in glee. "Congrats on completing your first mission! I'm sure the elders would be really happy to hear this such good news from you. Even better, you are now really proving that you can belong with us!"

"I am honored and overwhelmed if they confirm it.", Jihyo sweetfully smiled.

"Tsk, humble. I'm sure they will.", Lisa bounced her eyebrows as she said it confidence.

"Oh! By the way... someone wants to see you.", Lisa's face brightened up when she remembered the reminder given to her by that someone.

"Who?"

"Find it out yourself, she wants you to meet her on the balcony near the garden."

"She?"

Jihyo furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think of a possible identity of this mysterious being wanting to involve a conversation with her alone.

"What are waiting for? Go! The wedding's about to start in 10 minutes!", Lisa pushed Jihyo to hurriedly make her move her feet and ran to find this someone.

After asking courteously to some strangers around the chapel, the directions led her finally to the balcony to the garden where she saw a figure of a woman standing in her elegant and stupendous white dress in the middle of the marble railing.

Her long, curly brown hair organized with the assist of the matching white hairband is dancing with the waves of the fresh, clean air.

Jihyo can only see her alluring exposed milky, smooth skin of her back facing her until the mysterious woman rotated her body.

Jihyo couldn't react any other than to be bewildered and let her emotions arise in an instant.

It was the goddess counterpart of YN, standing from a slight distance in front of her, smiling softly at the view of the taken aback woman in her eyes.

"You finally showed up.", YN said with her usual gentle and tender voice.

"Y-YN?"

She nodded and smiled. "It's nice to see you... well technically I should say "again", Jihyo."

Jihyo stood frozen in her spot, still in disbelief that she's seeing another version of YN, in this one it looks very alike the same woman she loved for the longest time.

Not to mention, this goddess YN looks so more unbelievably beautiful.

"I knew what happened from Lisa. She told me everything.", YN began to explain, as she slowly approached the shocked Jihyo.

"You never had a chance to properly talk with me and released everything that you're carrying in your chest so... I thought of setting a perfect schedule where I could make it finally happen for you."

"I... I had to convince Sana for a while to let me allow to talk with you and gladly she did."

"So... Jihyo, anything you wanna say for me?", YN said, locking her hand altogether behind her back as she waited patiently.

Jihyo cleared her throat and closed her eyes for a few second before opening it.

"This is indeed real, she's here", she muttered.

"I-I am.", Jihyo stuttered nervously. She didn't wasted any longer time as she began saying her apology speech.

"YN... first and foremost, I just want to say sorry. For everything that I caused which led me to this.

Not that I'm sounding like I'm complaining about it, I'm just being conscious and minding still about the horrible truth behind all of these.

I... I admit that I became very desperate, selfish, arrogant, impulsive anything you want to call me that urged me to abuse my creation just to forcefully repeat that past that I regretted the most which I could never change.

From the bottom of my heart and soul, I sincerely apologize for the disturbance and misery I brought to your counterpart that I loved so deeply, YN.

But... since, all of you are just sharing the same identity of YN... I guess I could say the same thing I've been wanting to say for so long on you too."

Jihyo stepped forward, inching closer at YN who stared at her actions but freely lets the woman to proceed on doing so, understandably accepting why she has to do this.

"I love you. I love you in every universe, YN", Jihyo stared at YN's hypnotizing eyes as she swayed some strands of hairs behind the ear of YN before switching her hands to place it upon the plump cheeks of her lover.

YN sighed heavily and smiled softly at the heartwarming message of her bestfriend and admirer.

But then, Jihyo's lips shifted to a frown. "But you're not mine... and I will never be yours, because that's what our fate dictates us so."

"I learned my lesson now, and after quite some time of recovering... I have no other choice but to do the only right option.

I have to let you go and be with Sana forever and after but... rest assured that I'll do my best to live with my promise, and that is to make you happier than you'll ever be eternally.", Jihyo reached for YN's hand and carefully squeezed it.

She gave the top a peck of her kiss before patting the spot and clenched it on her hold as she released the engaged woman's hand.

"I already forgave you, Jihyo. I'm just waiting for this time to declare it to you.", YN confessed to her which broke Jihyo's watery eyes to shed a wet path of teardrops full of joy down her cheek.

"You already succeeded your redemption arc, and I have nothing more to say than to express how much I'm proud of you from correcting your mistakes and didn't brought harm from anyone this time."

"Don't worry, Jihyo. You made me happy. You made Sana happy too, including Lisa. I just hope you're feeling the same too."

"I-I am very happy too, especially for you, YN.", Jihyo confirmed, nodding her head rapidly as she smiled with her face still stained and messy due to the tears of joy she shed. "Congratulations on getting married today, by the way."

YN chuckled, wiping also her watery eyes off. "Yeah, thank you so much Jihyo. Appreciated it, really."

"I'm relieved that you can tell the same too for yourself, Jihyo.", YN nodded and beamed.

"Before we go back inside, since we knew both that things didn't ended quite well between us..."

YN presented her pinky finger at Jihyo which the latter looked at it adorably.

"Do you accept my invitation for you to join me rewind our friendship together, Jihyo-ssi?"

Without thinking twice, Jihyo hooked her own pinky finger at YN's.

"I'm in for a new beginning, YN.", she grinned.

Jihyo and YN immediately crashed their bodies for a tight, warm, caring and comfortable hug which made Jihyo unable to resist pulling back her tears to come out by how she missed having this kind of moment with YN so much.

After that, YN looked at the huge antique clocktower for the time. Realizing that they only have 3 minutes to prepare, she let's go from the embrace and both of them looked at each other.

"Let's go?"

Jihyo nodded readily.

While they're walking straight back inside the chapel, YN initiated one last short topic in assurance for them to talk about.

"How's my counterpart that you were tasked by Lisa sent from the elders?"

"All good now, YN. He's been saved."

Jihyo cheered good luck on YN, waved off at one another as they went on to their respective spots: in front of the altar and one of the chairs where all of the guests are seated.

While they're waiting for the bride to come out, a golden purse suddenly fell from Jihyo's feet.

She was about to lower down and reach it when she noticed that another hand also touched the extravagant belonging.

Jihyo looked at the person who also did the same as she caught her eyes, and she wasn't lying to herself when she mentally stated that this girl looks so beautiful.

In result, both of them just lifted off the purse together and Jihyo instantly pulled back her hand, allowing the woman to recover her property.

"S-sorry for the inconvenience...", the short black haired woman said shyly.

"It's n-nothing. I'll take it r-randomly.", Jihyo assured.

Jihyo was about to focus herself back on waiting but the out of nowhere desire to continue talking to this very interesting woman made her disregard it.

"S-sorry, I just wanna ask. How come you became one of the guests today? Are you close with the newlyweds?", Jihyo curiously asked.

"Yes. Sana's my bestfriend and I'm pretty close now with YN too."

"Oh...", Jihyo expressed her satisfication  to that information.

"And you?

"I'm friends with YN.", the stranger nodded, lips formed an "o" shape.

"I haven't introduced myself yet, didn't I?", Jihyo sheepishly chuckled. "I'm Jihyo. Park Jihyo."

"I'm Jeongyeon. Yoo Jeongyeon.", the bobbed cut haired woman accepted her offer of handshake welcomely.

Unbeknownst to both of them, they finally met the right person for each other to love along with across the other multiverses where every counterparts of Jihyo and Jeongyeon were either soon to encounter each other in the middle of their paths or already living happily together no matter what happens.

And that's that!

For those male readers of mine out here who decided to still read this one-shot until the end despite the story having female readers as the protagonist just to view the plot twist at the ending, I appreciate the consideration so much.

Now yall understand why I made the male readers also read this.

Yes, this entire one-shot is a prequel from my previous work from Set 3 which is the Sana x M (Male) Reader one-shot titled "The Multiversal Redemption Arc". It was the second most voted story in Set 3 after Mina x M (Male) Reader- "Unconditionally".

This one simply explored and explained Jihyo's origin on how and what led her become to be the Almighty God Of Redemption who helped the male reader reunite with Sana back in MRA.

For my female readers, if you haven't seen MRA on Set 3, I suggest to read it so that all of you could understand what just happened and the connection of Rewind to MRA. However, it's a male reader one... so I'll leave it up to you guys if you'll still take a peek there and pretend yourselves as an ooposite gender of yourself.

I hope you guys liked the twist I did and especially, if you guys enjoyed this latest work of mine so far.

See ya! - Knight

[talesofsorrowandofruin]

7 Snippets 7 People Tag

Thanks for tagging me, @tabswrites! :D

Here are seven snippets from Silver Glass (contains spoilers, obviously. Also contains homophobia, someone being forced into marrying someone they hate, murder, and descriptions of horribly-mutilated corpses):

1.

If Reverend and Mrs. Grantley knew what was happening under their noses they would probably die of shock.

Lennox — Alexander — is only in Cambridge for three days. (Five, if you count the night he arrived and the morning he leaves.) Then he's going to visit some relatives in Scotland. David tells himself it's for the best, that he is just as infatuated as Louis and in a few weeks he'll have forgotten about Alexander. He can't quite make himself believe it.

Alexander spends two days mostly with Reverend Grantley and other ministers, discussing dates and places that go over David's head. He can't find an excuse to hang around the house for long after breakfast, so he reluctantly leaves. He goes to the library and the cinema, but spends most of the time daydreaming about following Alexander to Scotland.

On the second day he also learns Alexander's age. He spends that night using all the maths he knows to try to reduce the difference between being born in September 1894 and being born in December 1897.

On the third day he volunteers to show Alexander around Cambridge.

"Of course, of course," Reverend Grantley says. He beams at David. "It's good to see you're making friends, Eames."

David's face heats up as his mind conjures up images of exactly how friendly he'd like to become with Alexander.

2.

In hindsight they were far too careless. They assumed that because no one had discovered them yet, that meant no one would discover them ever.

David can't remember what they were talking about. He remembers sitting on Alec's coat spread as an improvised blanket, next to Alec with his head on Alec's shoulder. He remembers really wanting to kiss him. And he remembers Alec kissing him back.

They end up lying on the ground. David is half on top of Alec. They're still kissing. Alec wraps his arms around David's waist and pulls him completely on top of himself. David can't wait any longer. He starts to unbutton Alec's shirt. Alec reaches for David's belt.

"Jesus H. Christ!"

They disentangle themselves and leap to their feet at the first word. David's vain hope that the newcomer hadn't got a good look at what they were doing dies when he sees who it is.

Gwladys Whare has just appeared at the side of the summer-house. From where she's standing she had a perfect view of them. And there was really no way to mistake what they'd been doing.

She stares at them both as if they're something she's scraped off her shoe. Alec rebuttons his shirt. David tries to smooth his hair down into something approaching respectability. A profoundly awkward silence descends.

Alec breaks it. "Miss Whare, I apologise for— We had no idea you were nearby. I beg you not to speak of this to anyone."

Miss Whare begins to smile. Her smile widens into something truly sadistic. "Oh, I bet you do. But what if I go right back to the house and tell them all? Maybe you can buy your way outta trouble, but your little tart will go right to jail."

David has never seen Alec so furious. He advances on her with a downright murderous expression. Her eyes widen and she clearly begins to regret the chance that brought her here. David wraps his arms around Alec's chest and holds him back.

Alec stops, but he doesn't relax. "What do you want?" he practically spits at her. "Money?"

Miss Whare recovers. Her cruel grin returns. "'Course. But more than that. My pa wants me to marry one of you lords with your fancy titles. Problem is, you lot don't seem so eager to marry me."

"I can't imagine why," David says under his breath.

"Now here you are. A lord with a title, and a secret that could send you to prison. Even if you bribe the police, I can go to the papers and ruin you in a day. So how about it? I get a title, you get money, I keep your secret, and you can keep him around to warm your bed. Lord knows I won't do it any more than I have to."

There's a stunned silence. David can't believe what he's hearing. Alec is shaking.

"Are you blackmailing me into marrying you?"

Miss Whare nods as if there's nothing unusual about the situation. David would like to punch her in her smug face.

"Think about it," she says. "Answer me tomorrow. If it's no, I'll phone the police."

3.

The clock chimes six. It's still dark outside. The room is cold and Alec is warm, but Davit forces himself to get up anyway. The servants will be along soon to light the fires. It won't matter if they find his own bed empty, but it most certainly will matter if they find him in Alec's.

Alec gets up too. He buttons Davit's shirt for him. They hold each other's gaze. It feels like they have an entire conversation in silence. Alec smooths the wrinkles out of Davit's shirt. He's wearing only his dressing gown, and it leaves a v-shaped portion of his chest exposed. Davit pulls it closed, then brushes a strand of hair away from Alec's eyes.

He takes the ring out of his pocket and puts it on.

"When are you going to tell her?" he asks.

Alec flinches. "It'll have to be early. Before she has time to tell anyone." He turns abruptly and goes over to his desk. He rummages through it until he finds his cheque book. "There's a house in London. Belonging to my father, but I use it when I'm in town and my father never leaves home any more. I'm giving it to you. Here's two thousand pounds— No, I won't take any argument. You should have much more; everything I own is yours now." He finds a writing pad and begins to scribble a letter. "This is to the housekeeper telling her that you have my full permission to live there."

"You'd better give a reason," Davit says, moving over to lean against the back of Alec's chair. "Tell her I'm your research assistant and gathering information on Orthodox Christianity."

Alec addresses the envelope and seals it. "I'll post this today. We... We can't spend too much time together. Nothing to give her more against us."

Davit sits down beside Alec — difficult when the chair was only meant for one. He ends up in Alec's lap. Neither of them is complaining.

He buries his face in the crook of Alec's neck. Alec pulls him close and holds onto him like a drowning man clinging to a rope.

4.

He and Alec have only one short meeting in private before Alec leaves too. They meet in the garden again and make their own arrangements: Davit will live in London until Alec divorces Gwladys. Alec is optimistic it shouldn't take too long. This shows every indication of being the shortest marriage in history.

"I know she's already writing to another man," Alec says. "As long as we stay apart she'll have no evidence against me."

Davit is slightly less optimistic. Once Gwladys has her claws in Alec, he can't imagine her letting go easily. "What if you have a child?"

Alec makes a disgusted face. "There's no chance of that. I have no intention of ever consummating this marriage."

"If you don't she'll use that against you." Davit pulls leaves off a stem of ivy clinging to the old summer house. "Consummate the marriage, play the loving husband when others are around, make sure she has nothing she can use against you."

Alec looks at him in surprise. Davit can guess what he's thinking. That this is odd advice for him to give. But Davit knows Gwladys is a genuine threat to both of them. The best way to deal with threats is with deceit.

"What do you want to do as soon as I get the divorce?" Alec asks.

Davit knows it won't be nearly as easy as that. But for once he allows himself to dream. "I'd like to travel. Visit Armenia. I've never been there."

"You're not from Armenia?"

He shakes his head. As he answers he can almost smell the blood and death and fire. "I was born in Adana."

From Alec's lack of reaction he can tell he doesn't recognise the name.

"We could go there too," Alec suggests.

Davit forces a laugh. "No. I wouldn't like that at all."

He doesn't look at Alec, but he knows Alec is staring at him.

"Davit? Davit, what's wrong?"

Ever since that night Alec has called him Davit. Sometimes he forgets how to pronounce it and says it like David with a T.

Davit rubs his eyes. He isn't crying, but his eyes sting. Alec puts his arm around him and pulls him close. He doesn't say anything. Davit takes a deep breath. He rests his chin on Alec's shoulder so he can't see his face.

"Have you heard of the Adana massacre?" he asks. His voice is flat. His chest feels like it's going to cave in.

Alec inhales sharply. "I remember now." He tightens his arms around Davit. "You were there?"

Davit nods. "I can't talk about it."

They say nothing for a while. Alec simply holds Davit, and Davit tries to piece himself back together.

5.

Yo-han had witnessed some grisly spectacles in his career. The man whose chest had been sawn open and all his internal organs removed held the title for the most grisly. He had fierce competition, though, including the woman who had lost half of her face in a bear attack, the man who had spilled acid on his arms, and Rachael Patton-Langdale with a chunk blown out of her skull.

His history gave him an advantage. He could examine the murder victims relatively impassively while the police constable was trying not to be sick.

Both victims were hung by the neck from different branches of the tree. Both ropes had been cut from the same length of rope, which was unusually thick and had probably been taken from a boat. The bodies had been dragged over to the tree from somewhere across the lawn.

Victim one: Mrs. Lennox. She was fully dressed in a plain white frock, not an evening dress. Her hair had been pinned up. Now most of it hung loose and was matted with blood. Her expression was mildly surprised but not frightened. She hadn't seen her death coming.

She had been struck in the back of the head with a heavy, blunt object. The murderer had hit her with such force that part of her skull had caved in.

Victim two: Çelik Bey. He was shirtless. His face was contorted into a ghastly silent scream. He had certainly seen his death coming.

It was a cliché of crime novels to say someone's throat had been cut from ear to ear. Yet that was the only way to describe it. The murderer had slashed so deeply into his neck that they had almost decapitated him. The rope holding him up was looped around his chest under his arms, because his head would have been pulled off if the murderer tried to hang him by what remained of his neck. His chest and arms were sliced all over with shallow cuts.

Yo-han leaned in to get a closer look. All of them had been inflicted with a long, sharp blade. The cut throat had probably been inflicted with the same weapon.

He was used to gory sights. All the same, he was glad the news had arrived before he had time to have breakfast.

6.

Yo-han turned away from the safe, and almost tripped over those damn slippers again. He kicked them out of the way in annoyance. Then he stopped.

"Mrs. Lennox was wearing outdoor shoes when she died," he said slowly. "So she took off her slippers herself. But the more natural place to leave them would be near the top of the bed."

He looked at the bedside cabinet. It had a cupboard at the bottom. He placed the slippers in front of the cupboard door and tried to open it. They were in the way.

"The thief also went through Mrs. Lennox's cupboard," he said. "Why? No one keeps valuables where they can be discovered so easily."

Until now Constable Martin had been hovering awkwardly by the window, looking like he felt there was nothing for him to do but couldn't think of how to leave. Now he came over to investigate too. Eames moved to the side of the cupboard to get a better view.

Yo-han moved the slippers out of the way and opened the cupboard. It had one shelf, which had small dividers splitting it into three squares. One of the squares contained a notebook. The other two were empty.

He lifted out the notebook and flipped through it. Some pages were torn out. The rest were blank.

"Do you have a pencil?" he asked the constable.

Martin hunted through his pockets, then produced a pencil. Yo-han scribbled over the first page. Faint outlines showed through.

"I thought so! She leant heavily on the previous page and the impression came through."

"But what does it mean?" Eames asked. "Half grim? Baron nine thirds? That's not a proper fraction!"

7. 

Most women would have been alarmed to hear their neighbour had been murdered and their guest had been called in to investigate. Phil, who had accidentally caused one death and discovered a murder, was only mildly upset.

"I suppose her husband did it," she said when Mr. Seo returned for lunch.

"No, I think I can say with certainty that he's the only person I can rule out," he said, to her surprise.

The dining room windows faced over the lough. Mr. Seo looked out at the other bank as if he expected to find the answer there. "Miss Patton, do you have a boat?"

Phil sensed where this was going. "Yes, over at the jetty. You think the empty house has something to do with the case?"

Mr. Seo nodded grimly. "From there the murderer could see everything happening at the house. If I search it I'm sure I'll find proof someone was hiding there."

Phil finished her sandwich. She got up. Her brown-and-white day dress was too good for a boating expedition, but she had an old grey dress which she normally used for gardening. "Give me five minutes to change, then I'll row you across."

Tagging @violets-in-her-arms-writes, @authortango​, @saltysupercomputer, @writingat-night, @kaiusvnoir, @autumnalwalker, @cosmiccoincidence, and anyone else who wants to do this! :D

Also adding Glass’s taglist: @writingpotato07, @oh-no-another-idea, @sarahlizziewrites, @lightgriffinsect, @kittensartswriting, @acertainmoshke, @author-a-holmes, @sam-glade, @late-to-the-fandom (Let me know if you want to be added to/removed from the taglist!)

[onlyswan]

what is the lover boi thinking about???👀👀

i would sell my kidney to pet his hair

of course that boi loves to torture his senses joon said it years ago 💀💀

poor bam's sleep and oc's sassiness lol

“these days, there’s something i’ve been thinking of a lot… i’ve been researching here and there, too…” ma boi u sound like 18 year old me trying to convince my parents about my dream since 7 years old to get piercings

YES SHE SO SLAY FOR THAT PROMISE DRIVE SAFE EVERYBODY BTS SAID SAFETY 1ST, SAFETY 2ND COOLNESS 3RD

“yes. because then doesn’t that mean you no longer care about me?” they are so in love im shitting tears

your outspoken interest makes jungkook’s face light up like a christmas tree. ma parents thought i couldnt smile more bigger until the day of piercing, they still laugh about it

“why me?!” i can imagine his tone and face and im cackling oh god WHAT IF GET BORABIKE??? THEN HE IS RIDING ARMYS HJGTNDRV HCLISCLIU SHUT UP I HATE (love) MY MIND

bend over ... right now BOI SAY WHAT

OMG THE SURPIRSE YEEHAW

“nope!” you reply without a second to spare. “for fashion, i never get cold.” A HOE NEVER GETS COLD SLAYYY BITCH BE HOT AND NEVER GET COLD BE A MATERIAL GIRL AND THE COLD NEVER BOTHERS YOU ANYMORE

hold on this sounds like a possible jingle/ad if a slay clothing line

“how about let’s wear one each?” thats soo cute and FUCKING SMART

the contrast of his black t-shirt with the rainbow makes you crack a smile, reminiscent of the countless memes you’ve seen on the internet YES LIKE HIS BIG BAD STOMPER BOOTS AND CUTE SOCKS OR TOUGH BAG WITH CUTE SPEAKERS, BOX, POUCH LIKE AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

“why is everyone breaking up all of a sudden?” cuz rose met them IM SORRY I HAD TO LOL

i love the way the man just loses his train of thought, for me i still have the train of thought but the trains get suddenly empty leaving me miming words out or just saying rest of the words lol

brb taking a bath with my lovely date, toaster

your positions are switched before he can comprehend it— you’re now on all fours on top of him. his head is trapped in between your arms and your gold necklace is dangling over his face and you’re straddling his lap and now it’s getting harder to breathe and not picture obscene images that involve you worshipping his body. OHHXHDVZSTV MY CA FUCKING LORD IM NO BETTER THAN HIM mommy, i doubt he can concentrate right now

WHERE WILL MY FIC/BOOK LOVING AND DAYDREAMING ASS GET MY BIKER LOVER

he lifts off the helmet, ruffling his hair to tame it. and as he brushes his stubborn bangs away from his eyes STOP U THIRSTY HOE DONT THINK ABOUT IT *thinks about it and remembers all similar gifs of kook AAAH

oh no she got me worried *sends hugs

oh she was soo worried about him *tears up

THE PUPPY IN THE BASKET AAH oh no they could have done it with bam NO BAM IS TOO BIG AAAH wait he could have but baby bam on bike BUT THEN BIG BAM WILL BE SAD CUZ HE CANT GO ON BIKES ANYMORE 😭😭😭 tiny baby bam with tiny googles and jacket AAAH TOO CUTE IM A PUDDLE

SAY IT MF JUST FUCKING SAY IT PUSSY EVERYONE HE IS A PUSSY * says another big sad pussy 🤡

this was soo lovely and amazing i think this is my new fav aaah take care bye im going to bed now

OHHXHDVZSTV MY CA FUCKING LORD IM NO BETTER THAN HIM mommy, i doubt he can concentrate right now

FUCKDJDJDJJFHF MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS REVIEW. MY WORK HERE IS DONE

the ramblings and reactions to every scene lmao this seriously made my entire day i can’t stop giggling. i fucking love you

ma boi u sound like 18 year old me trying to convince my parents about my dream since 7 years old to get piercings

LMFAOHDKSHDJD LEAVE HIM ALONE HES NERVOUS. but also me when i told my mom i’m movinf out

YES SHE SO SLAY FOR THAT PROMISE DRIVE SAFE EVERYBODY BTS SAID SAFETY 1ST, SAFETY 2ND COOLNESS 3RD

i’m so glad we are on the same page <3

“yes. because then doesn’t that mean you no longer care about me?” they are so in love im shitting tears

same 🥲🥲🥲

THE PUPPY IN THE BASKET AAH oh no they could have done it with bam NO BAM IS TOO BIG AAAH wait he could have but baby bam on bike BUT THEN BIG BAM WILL BE SAD CUZ HE CANT GO ON BIKES ANYMORE 😭😭😭 tiny baby bam with tiny googles and jacket AAAH TOO CUTE IM A PUDDLE

STOPPPP UR SO CUTE IM IJBOLINF 😭😭😭 justice for tiny bam and big bam </3

this was soo lovely and amazing i think this is my new fav aaah take care bye im going to bed now

love how you made me laugh then cry at the end 🥹 ahhhh yay i’m so happy it’s your new fav !! love you smmmm !! 💜

[darsynia]

Trust Fall | Ch 15b

ARC image by Eury Escodero

Story Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Summary: Tony/OC, ‘terrorists made us fall in love;’ IM1 timeline. In this chapter, Emory is given a room at the Triskelion, and Tony meets with Phil Coulson in search of her.

Length: 3,233

Taglist: @starryeyes2000 @raith-way @arrthurpendragon @themaradaniels @starksbf @chickensarentcheap @tiny-anne

Excerpt:

“Are you under the impression we intend to hurt her, Mr. Stark? I assure you, that is not the case. Her condition is classified, as I’m sure you understand, but it’s not our intention to fulfill the role of scientist boogeymen, here. She’s not being examined or tested, beyond routine care.” Agent Coulson pauses, then raises his eyebrows. “That has been more difficult than we expected, as her medical records have been locked down by unknown, outside forces.”

So, they know he locked down her files, somehow. How much latitude does this agency he’s never heard of before actually have? Tony keeps his expression neutral and says, “That shouldn’t be a problem, should it? Can’t you override that with her verbal permission?”

“Once she is awake, yes.”

Tony shoots out of his chair and leans over, slamming both of his hands palm down against the empty desk. It hurts so much that he has to grit his teeth not to cry out, rather than immediately speaking. Coulson does throw himself back, which is gratifying, but he doesn’t look afraid.

“You drugged her? Give me an address. Now.”

Chapter Fifteen: Disinfectant

Emory learns that her knight in black leather and tek gear is named Clint Barton. His flippant sarcasm keeps her sane as they are winched down from the roof, and once they’re on the solid ground of the river bank, she finds herself fascinated by the dynamic between him and Fury. Agent Kate hasn’t accompanied the director to greet them, but he is flanked by a few dour looking men in black suits.

“If that rope was any longer you’d need workman’s comp for that drop!” Fury tells Barton in a voice just shy of stern.

“If it’d been shorter you’d have a lot more paperwork,” Barton says, grinning. He unfastens Emory from his harness in three swift motions and steps back, pulling the thick straps free of their entanglement with her hair gently. With a respectful but brusque nod, he says, “Nice to meet you,” and heads into the building.

Emory Autumn and Nick Fury look at each other for a full minute in silence.

“You knew I could fly.” Emory finally says. She crosses her arms, feeling dreadfully exposed.

“I knew you could fall,” Fury retorts. “Glad to see it wasn’t immediate.”

“Me too,” she sighs. “I’m used to negotiation, okay? But I’m also used to knowing where my bed is at the end of the day. Can we pretend I’m threatening to walk up the fifty-odd flights of stairs to toss myself back out that open window again only to be caught by a second muscle-bound archer?” Her chest hurts from needing to let out a shaky breath, but Emory holds it in, sure that it’ll weaken her position. Every part of her body is screaming that she’s not physically cut out for this. “How about we just skip ahead to the part where you agree I can have contact with Tony, and I agree to help you?” 

Fury regards her with a forbidding, narrow-eyed glare for a few seconds before relaxing into a thoughtful nod. “It’s a deal.”

Her relief curves a layer of energy around her like a caress, and Emory impulsively decides to thank him in kind, sending a tiny twist of air toward him. Because he’s in the process of turning toward the building, it makes his trenchcoat furl out behind him dramatically.

“Don’t push it,” he says, but she can hear the amusement in his voice.

Emory feels underdressed in her scrubs when they walk into the dark grey staircase the back door opens onto. There’s a level of sophistication to the architecture that is completely missing in the room she’d partially wrecked less than an hour before.

“Do you seriously have a ‘throwback to a sterile generic government agency’ wing of this place, but everything else is in a more modern design?” she asks as they start up the single flight of stairs.

“Actually? Yes. You’d be surprised how much difference that can make in certain situations,” Fury says. “To our benefit, of course.”

“Of course,” she agrees, kind of impressed. The way that this place and its people seem to have layers upon layers is intimidating, though. Emory had been hoping she could leave that kind of hidden meaning social manipulation behind her after getting a ‘break’ from it, of sorts. Show business is an underhanded, double-talking environment, and she’d become good at dealing with that as self defense. The only silver lining she has to look forward to right now is that all of this counts as a great excuse to continue avoiding the inevitable confrontation with Rory.

Fury takes her through a hallway and into an elevator, turning to give her a slightly impish look, hovering his hand between them as he speaks. “Too bad the staircase that leads where we’re going doesn’t have a gap in the middle. You could just float your way up. Good practice.”

She backs up so the wall of the elevator is behind her and she’s mostly looking at Fury’s back. “Why even bother with the charade when you’re this well informed? Couldn’t you just hand me my script?”

“We needed to see how you’d handle disappointment.”

That has her speechless for the rest of the short elevator ride. When they emerge, it’s to a high-ceilinged room with various hallways branching from it. Sounds of people exercising and practicing fighting each other can be heard from the large gym area separated from them by a glass wall with a shoulder-height window running the length of it. Emory throws Fury a wry look; she’s short enough that she doesn’t see as much through that window as he can. He leads her to the leftmost hallway and pulls out a keycard, holding it up.

It has her picture on it, featuring a candid photo taken before Afghanistan.

Fury scans the keycard and the door unlocks. He steps inside halfway to look around, then moves back and gestures for her to go in. His confidence and the pre-made keycard he hands her are a powerful indicator of both his trust and his confidence in his own decisions. She can’t help but wonder if he understands Tony Stark’s influence on her, or if she’s so far managed to keep Fury on his toes in that regard.

Emory pulls in a steadying breath and walks into the room. It’s a self-contained apartment, complete with stylized room dividers that don’t quite reach to the ceiling.

She turns around to look at Fury. “You sure you want me so close to the elevator?”

“Better than the end of the hallway. Look out the window.” She walks over to it and understands what he means. This part of the building is round, with protruding sections that curve around the outside. Her room is on the edge of one of those built out sections, making her window barely functional. It looks out at the building, for the most part, rather than the view, and its cramped position would make gathering air for a quick exit tricky. Fury’s probably got a whole report on the probabilities.

“Better than bars,” Emory observes, walking into the center of the room to stand next to the grey-patterned loveseat.

“Indeed.” He raises his chin to regard her sternly for a few seconds, then nods at various parts of the room as he mentions them. “Kitchen is self-explanatory. Bathroom has a stand-up shower, picture window has a button to turn it opaque. Computer is locked down-- data comes in, not out. Arrangements are being made to contact your family--” She draws in a deep breath to mention Tony, and Fury holds up a hand to stop her from interrupting. “I am working on something for Stark. Give me twenty-four hours.”

“Are there even any clocks in here?” she asks pointedly, welcoming the tiny pinpricks of energy starting to flare on her skin at the thought that she’ll talk to Tony soon. The heartache from not doing so is a worrisome counterbalance, though. She’s going to need to come up with another generator.

Fury starts for the door. “Foot of the bed.”

“Fury?” The absurdity of her situation is kicking in, and her voice is ragged, desperate. He turns. “Tell me why. Nearly everything you’ve said to me started out as a lie, but you’re sticking to this separation thing like it’s life or death.”

He stops, turns his head. “It very well might be. You spent time with the man, do you think Tony Stark will listen if he’s told he can’t help with the mission?”

Emory sags against the back of the loveseat. “Shit.” She hugs her arms around herself, but they’re a pathetic substitute for Tony’s. “There has to be something we can…” Her voice trails off.

“Time will tell.” He walks over to the door and opens it, turning toward her. You should have contact with your family in the morning. Agent Harris will be in touch about the other things.”

“Is that Nurse Kate?” Emory asks, frowning.

“Her real name is Sharon.”

“Oh what a shock, more lying!” she gripes. Is she really expected to trust these people when it takes two or three passes to get to the truth every time?

“It’s not always about you,” Fury says before pulling the door shut behind him.

Agent Phil Coulson of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division doesn’t try to play hardball with Tony when he calls. The man simply agrees to meet in less than an hour, sending over the address to a nearby business complex. It’s nearly seven in the evening when Tony buttons up his dress shirt, dons the suit coat, and adjusts the velcro for his sling.

Then he takes it off, shaking his head-- he can’t drive while he wears it, and Happy is out for the night. The arm hurts, sure, but he should be able to handle that for the short distance. When Tony slides into his seat and buckles, the act hurts like hell, and all he can see is Emory’s face scrunching up in adorable, chastising disapproval. She’d give him so much shit for this, but it’s part of the steps he must take to find her, so she’s just going to have to deal.

He spends the drive smiling, thinking about how she’d berate him for driving injured, without asking for help. Tony arrives at the small office building and parks in an open spot in front; he eyes the sling in the passenger seat but locks the car up without grabbing it. His internal Emory tsks at him.

No one is at the sparse receptionist’s desk, but a balding man with a bland suit and a friendly expression leans out of the cubicle area to see who has walked in.

“Ah, Mr. Stark. Phil Coulson,” he says, raising a hand in greeting. He angles his head toward the only private meeting space visible, an office that seems built out into the rest of the room as if an afterthought. Tony is pretty sure they’ve rented the space solely to speak to him. It puts him on edge, because if this agency has the authority to redirect military planes because of their human cargo, they’re not accurately represented by this shoddy bureaucratic facade.

Coulson sits down at the (again, almost empty of personal or business items) metal desk without reaching out for a handshake. Tony settles into the cheap, armless chair across from him and schools his face into an expression of equal blandness.

The man’s eyes trace Tony’s right arm. He obviously knows about Tony’s injury, which isn’t that surprising considering he was at the press conference to give his card to Pepper. What Coulson doesn’t do is look at his chest, even though Tony hasn’t chosen his dress shirt with enough care to conceal what’s embedded there. The light blue color allows a faint glow to shine through. Has someone from his agency talked to Emory about what happened in Afghanistan? Tony hadn’t asked her to keep it a secret, after all, but to him, it’s so private that this would be a given. Tony wishes he could get a read on Coulson.

Is he a sloppy paper pusher checking boxes by meeting with Tony to get any additional information about their new captive? Or is he one of their best agents, sent out to assess Tony while simultaneously concealing their true weight as an agency?

“Thanks for meeting with me,” Coulson says. “You must be doing well, to have driven yourself here.”

“Sure,” Tony agrees easily. He’s certain that this man’s genial demeanor is actually rife with hidden threat, and he can respect that. He’s not going to back down, though.

He’s not leaving this place without Emory’s location.

“So our purview is rather broad,” Coulson says, as if apologetic. “To start, I’d like to ask you some questions about your escape from captivity in Afghanistan.”

“I can’t imagine I’d have anything to add to Ms. Autumn’s account of the event, which I’m sure you’ve already gathered?” Tony lifts his chin and dons the 80/20 stern/smug expression that Pepper bitches to him about.

“As you might imagine, it’s important to gather any and all accounts, as eyewitness testimony is often distorted by emotional entanglements,” Coulson says smoothly.

“Pesky, aren’t they?” Tony says, pouring on the charm. He leans forward in his chair and offers Coulson a tight smile. “Here’s how this is actually going to go: you have my friend. You took her, which I take personal offense to, and I gotta tell you, after recent events? I find myself much less inclined to care about first world inconveniences. I have a considerable fortune and very few shits to give. Where is she?”

“She’s staying at our headquarters in D.C.,” Coulson says, relaxing back in his chair. “As you might imagine, her safety was at issue, initially, so we took measures to--”

“Careful,” Tony interrupts through nearly clenched teeth.

“Are you under the impression we intend to hurt her, Mr. Stark? I assure you, that is not the case. Her condition is classified, as I’m sure you understand, but it’s not our intention to fulfill the role of scientist boogeymen, here. She’s not being examined or tested, beyond routine care.” Agent Coulson pauses, then raises his eyebrows. “That has been more difficult than we expected, as her medical records have been locked down by unknown, outside forces.”

So, they know he locked down her files, somehow. How much latitude does this agency he’s never heard of before actually have? Tony keeps his expression neutral and says, “That shouldn’t be a problem, should it? Can’t you override that with her verbal permission?”

“Once she is awake, yes.”

Tony shoots out of his chair and leans over, slamming both of his hands palm down against the empty desk. It hurts so much that he has to grit his teeth not to cry out, rather than immediately speaking. Coulson does throw himself back, which is gratifying, but he doesn’t look afraid.

“You drugged her? Give me an address. Now.”

“Please don’t further injure yourself, Mr. Stark. We’re on the same side.”

“Like hell we are! We rescued ourselves from that cave, and her reward is a dressed-up American version of the same fucking thing?” Tony pushes off and walks away from the desk so he doesn’t punch the guy in the face and send himself to the hospital for real.

“I’d really prefer she be the one to explain the situation to you, sir, but the short version is that the injections she took while in captivity carry a fairly large drawback that our agency has been trying to find a way to mitigate. She’s in the best possible place to deal with that drawback.” Coulson’s tone is soft, compared to Tony’s raging harshness. Tony hears his chair push back from the desk.

This is exactly what he’d been afraid of. As much as he’d love to reject Coulson’s words as fake and manipulative in the same way he rejects that the shabby office building they’re meeting in is real, there’s a ring of truth to his tone. Yes, he wants her to be safe, but ‘safe’ is relative, when there’s both a real problem to deal with along with the artificial problem of red tape standing between them.

Tony’s mind races, trying to come up with leverage.

“Mr. Stark?”

Tony wheels around, pins the man with a glare. “I assume you’d like to keep her condition secret? And that your so-called mitigation is classified?”

Coulson nods, one hand out as if awkwardly trying to soothe a raging beast. He has no idea.

“Put me in touch with her or I’ll do it my way. I’ll send her messages with your help or I’ll post them in every newspaper, on every news program, every publication that has begged me for an interview in the past day. I can assure you, there are hundreds.”

The agent blinks, which Tony supposes counts as ‘shocked’ for him. “Do you really think it’s best to subject her to that kind of scrutiny?”

“What’s best is for her to be in contact with me,” Tony bites out. They look at each other for a long minute, neither blinking. The ache in his arm helps to keep him focused.

“I’ll pass that along,” Coulson finally says.

“You do that.” Tony turns to leave. Right as he reaches out for the doorknob, the agent speaks again.

“Oh, one more thing. Should I contact Ms. Potts to reschedule?”

He doesn’t want to stop. He almost doesn’t, but Tony’s not ignorant to the fact that he’s just threatened someone who can make a call and have Emory moved out of D.C. before Tony has a chance to get home and arrange a flight out there, much less actually landing.

“Good idea. Do it tomorrow, would you? I gave her the night off.”

With that, Tony walks out. He slides into the driver’s seat wishing he hadn’t chosen a convertible. Either he tries to buckle up without his right hand and Coulson sees it, or he bears the agony and fucks up his arm by buckling himself. If he chooses the latter, he’ll have to sit until the pain subsides enough to actually fucking drive away. So much for a power move.

Tony rests his forehead on the steering wheel in lieu of doing anything. As he has every time he isn’t actively working on something, Tony thinks about what Emory might be going through. Did they lock her up as if she’s some kind of dangerous monster? Have they tried to force her into using her powers? Interrogated her? He already knows she’ll have asked to talk to him, and Coulson has probably known where he is since before he crossed the ocean.

Tony’s startled by the sound of the seatbelt unspooling and jerks sideways to see that Coulson is standing beside the car, pulling on the buckle.

“What are you doing?”  

“You’re not the only one making threats regarding a loved one’s safety. Be glad I’m not commandeering the car and sending you home with an agent, instead. Drive safe, Mr. Stark.” As he speaks, Agent Phil Coulson leans over and buckles Tony in, taking the time to tighten the belt. That just so happens to allow the man to press the back of his hand against the center of Tony’s chest, where he has to have felt the hard shape of the ARC reactor.

Tony chuckles, shaking his head. “Well played.” 

“We’ll be in touch about contacting Ms. Autumn,” the agent promises, straightening up and walking away.

He deliberately does not turn to see Coulson’s expression, choosing instead to watch his progress back to the sidewalk in the rearview mirror. He knows it’s reckless, he knows it’s going to hurt, but Tony throws the car into reverse with an exaggerated gesture that stabs pain through his right arm, before swinging the car out onto the road and speeding away.

The sound of a phone ringing wakes Emory up. She squints at the clock with bleary eyes, only recognizing the time because the hands of the analog device form a straight line, top to bottom. Scrambling out of bed, she makes her way to the telephone and picks it up, pressing the old-style device to her ear.

“Hello?” she asks, hearing the scratchy, just-woke-up tone and wincing.

“It’s me.”

Next chapter, Tony and Emory finally get to speak to each other, but the effect on Emory's powers is... destructive.

[hestiashearthfire]

I've been trying to meditate to try to talk to Apollo, and I was wondering if there are tips you can give me to a newbie? I feel like whenever I meditate that I'm not really following along when I try to do guided meditations or I get distracted with outside noises. Sorry for the long ask and thank you so much in advance.

I may not be the best person to ask, Anon. I am notoriously bad at meditating, but because I suck at it, I’ll share some thoughts and tips that have helped me.

First, never go into meditation expecting anything. I see stories of “mystical experiences” all the time, but I’ve never really had something wild happen. I’m not saying those things can’t happen, just that I think they happen far less often than the internet suggests.

Second, we’re now meditating, but it’s awful; what do we do now? Well, nothing, honestly. Let’s just be up front with each other—serious meditation is hard, and it isn’t for everybody.

But isn’t meditation supposed to be good for us? Yeah, it sure is, but you shouldn’t expect to be able to meditate like a monk immediately. Instead, try a few things:

Get comfortable. Don’t sit in a lotus position if it hurts. Hell, don’t even sit on the ground if it hurts. Don’t sit anywhere it hurts. Sit comfortably. If you can’t cross your legs, just sit in a chair. If you’re having trouble sitting up straight, use pillows. Lay down for all I care; just be comfortable and alert.

Set realistic expectations. By realistic, I mean really realistic. If you’re just starting or really having a hard time, five minutes is plenty. Work your way up to longer periods, and don’t feel like you need to sit for long stretches.

Think outside the box. We all probably have had the image of a zen monk in our head at one time, but other meditation styles exist. If you don’t like sitting, try mantra meditation with a mala, walking meditation, or meditation with an image, candle, or physical object. Chanting phrases can help us to focus, as can holding beads, or focusing our eyes rather than closing them. I also find chores can be meditative; folding clothes and washing dishes are often moments of prayer for me.

This is all just general advice of course, and I’m no expert, by any stretch of the imagination. So what should we do when we get distracted? The simplest answer is keep going! You’re a human being; you’re going to be distracted at some point, no matter how well you meditate. When I veer off course, I find it helpful to focus on my breath, take a moment to reorient myself, and continue. With practice, you’ll have an easier time focusing.

For me, I just try to remember my own limitations. I’m disabled; I hurt a lot. On a good day, I can do maybe ten minutes of seated meditation. I use prayer beads a lot because having something physical to hold helps me, and it’s a quick practice for even busy days. Sometimes I don’t get to meditate, and that’s okay too.

Anon, it seems like you’re doing your best. Keep at it! You’re not failing because you’re distracted; that’s part of the process. Keep going, and remember to give yourself grace; you are an imperfect human, but we all are. Pray to Apollo for help, and remember the gods love you just as you are.

[corduroyserpent]

Rules: pick any ten of your fics, scroll to the midpoint, pick a line (or three) and share it. Then tag ten people.

I was tagged by @monroeknoxwrites 💖💖💖 and i will also be doing a little more than 3 lines because i can’t help myself asdfghjkl

where sighing lovers dream [Hua Cheng/Xie Lian | 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 / Tiān Guān Cì Fú | E rated | 16.2k]

“I have dreamt of kissing you countless times,” Hua Cheng whispered. The crackle of flames nearly overpowered his voice. “But not once did I ever imagine your lips were this soft.” He swallowed, eye trained on Xie Lian’s mouth. “And so skilled.”

“I’ve had lots of practice,” Xie Lian laughed, his cheeks dusted pink. Seeing his beloved’s eye go dark, Xie Lian hastily added – “With you! I have only ever kissed San Lang. Which I know must be confusing to hear but just trust me.”

in pursuit of warmth [Tianlang-jun & Zhuzhi-lang | 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 / The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System | M rated | 7.4k]

Zhuzhi-lang knows what it is to be angry. And to be helpless, unable to do anything about the feelings that twist his stomach into knots.

But he is no longer a wretched thing, slithering in the dark. A creature trapped in Bailu Forest, desperately taking sips from a hidden lake that burns with celestial light.

He and Junshang are free.

i’ll remember this time [Jiang Cheng/Nie Huaisang | 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 / Módào Zǔshī | M rated | 10.1k]

Nie Huaisang had fallen asleep during the monotonous recitation of the rules, sometime between ‘sitting improperly is prohibited’ and ‘do not indulge in debauchery’ by Jiang Cheng’s best guess. His head laid on the desk, dark hair spilled down his cheeks and pooled over his book of notes. It was more of a series of intimate drawings than anything learned from the daily lectures but Jiang Cheng saw at least one notation from yesterday’s class between a sketch of two men kissing passionately, so he decided to be generous.

catch the fickle wind [Wen Ning/Zhuzhi-lang | 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 / The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System & 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 / Módào Zǔshī | T rated | 5.4k]

“All right, all right. Such a filial nephew to bring this many gifts back for me. I wonder what you’ll pull out of your sleeves next, a secret friend or lover perhaps?”

An image of Wen Ning bowing, of dark veins and dead skin and an uneven smile, comes unbidden to Zhuzhi-lang’s mind. He shakes his thoughts free with no small amount of effort.

as below, so above [Hua Cheng/Xie Lian | 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 / Tiān Guān Cì Fú | E rated | 11.1k]

Hua Cheng falls back into his oft sung prayer, tilting his head towards an unforgiving sky: wait for me, wait for me, wait for me.

And then he issues a challenge to thirty-five gods. Those pathetic excuses for divinity whose faces Hua Cheng has made sure to sear into the corner of his mind that holds wretched things. He’s painted them too. Over and over.

They have since been scraped from the walls of his cave to become blank faces sitting atop the formless idea of bodies. He cannot let them stay. The only disgusting visage that belongs there is himself.

When I Was Older [Hua Cheng/Xie Lian | 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 / Tiān Guān Cì Fú | E rated | 67.5k]

“Don’t run off.” Feng Xin clenched his jaw, eyes trained seriously on Xie Lian. “We can do this together but Your Highness, I’m begging you, don’t fuck off to fight him alone. I can’t live through that again.”

Xie Lian’s blood ran cold.

Of course Feng Xin would worry about that. Xie Lian had been missing for two months after all.

In Shadow of the Sun [Gongyi Xiao/Zhuzhi-lang | 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 / The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System | T rated | 4.7k]

“I got second place,” Gongyi Xiao frowns. “That’s never happened before… but I feel it’s wrong to complain since the person who came in first has since perished. I’ll get over it, it’s not a big deal.” His mouth purses in a way that clearly indicates the opposite. He then rushes to add, “My issues, I mean, not his death!”

Zhuzhi-lang refrains from commenting, mostly because his tongue can’t form human speech. And only partly because he’s distracted by the radiance Gongyi Xiao exudes even in the shade, even bogged down by sorrow. This young man is somehow bright. His intangible glow is vibrant, impossible to ignore and yet…it causes no pain.

you kiss your snake with that mouth? [Shen Qingqiu/Zhuzhi-lang | 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 / The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System | E rated | 3.1k]

“Ah” —Zhuzhi-lang grasps Shen Qingqiu’s waist— “Master Shen, you…”

“Are you sensitive here too?”

“Mn.” Zhuzhi-lang’s pupils have dilated, expanding from thin black slits into a near roundness. His grip tightens. Shen Qingqiu can feel the bite of sharp nails through the fabric. “Is…is Master Shen also sensitive?” One of his hands slides beneath to splay against Shen Qingqiu’s stomach; it’s warmer than expected. “Can this one touch?”

i shine only with the light you gave me [Tianlang-jun & Zhuzhi-lang | 人渣反派自救系统 - 墨香铜臭 / The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System | T rated | currently 26.6k]

Tianlang-jun doesn’t realize he’s awake at first.

Awareness of his body sets in slowly—the feel of his spine against the bed frame, the familiar ever-present ache of his healing meridians, a crick in his neck from the improper way he had fallen asleep.

Then Su Xiyan. Her voice, almost forgotten. The deep black of her hair and her favorite set of robes and her eyes. How she smiles like she knows she shouldn’t give in to the temptation. How her hand has a little scar along the palm where she cut herself the first time she picked up a blade. He wants to see her again; he wants to feel the calluses on her fingers and listen to her talk. He wants, he wants, he wants.

resilient flower; ascending flame (and other things that can survive burning) [Hua Cheng/Xie Lian | 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 / Tiān Guān Cì Fú | T rated | currently 19.9k]

“How can I not worry? What if your wound gets infected or—”

“I’m already dead.” It’s a simple fact and San Lang says it as such. Like he’s commenting on the weather. But those words throw Xie Lian back into another time, another place where something similar was said. He swallows, not quite sure where he is for a very brief moment. Ruoye nudges its way down his arm to curl around his thumb. Xie Lian rubs the soft edge of his weapon with the pad of his index finger.

“Being dead,” he says quietly, “doesn’t mean you can’t be in pain.”

and i’ll tag @livingmeatloaf and @luukeskywalker ALSO ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO DO IT SORRY I’M BEING LAZY ABOUT TAGGING BUT THIS POST IS LONG ASDFGHJK