#I’m so tired I want to nap but I need to stay at this outpost

[kalosprotector]

It’s not even Friday yet.

[kylorengarbagedump]

Defy Your Authority: Chapter 4

Read on AO3. Part 3 here. Part 5 here.

Summary: David Rose voice: Oh, my god!

Words: 3200

Warnings: dude

Characters: Kylo Ren x Reader

A/N: First: Thank you to @bastila-ren and @elmidol for their beta-kindness.

I'M ALIVE. I got super burned out at my job, took 5 weeks of FMLA, got incredibly depressed, but now I'm back! Very thankfully, my COVID symptoms were extremely mild. Thank you very very much for your well-wishes and your concerns.

I wish I could express enough apology for my lack of activity, but hopefully uploading a chapter is thanks enough. You all have been so supportive and kind to me. I am SO thankful and appreciative of everything y'all offer me!

(as a side note: I know some people do not like dude, that it throws them out. I am very sorry, but in the politest way possible: I am not going to stop using it. I like it too much.)

I also hope you enjoyed the chapter! God I wonder what's going to happen next chapter. I just don't know.

Love you all so much <3

“Piece of shit.”

Growling, you tugged out another panel from the silencer’s dash. At this point, about a dozen slats of buttons boxed you into the pilot’s seat, crowding you in the cockpit. All of them looked flawless upon inspection, and this new one was no exception. Wires were attached and the circuits were complete, every switch was grounded. You’d gone over a handful of systems already, trapped in this cockpit for hours. The silencer’s refusal to function made no sense. There had to be something you were missing. 

The memory of smoke and flames licked at the perimeter of your mind. Yeah, there was a lot you were missing.

Pain burrowed, opened a well in your chest, and you shook your head, rubbing your tired face. There wasn’t time to think about anything else. Sitting forward, you started reattaching the panels to the console. You needed to focus on this.  Even though the answer to where you’d go and what you would do once you were finished remained nebulous. Even though you were now apparently unknown and unloved by almost everyone in the universe, including the one man you’d waited on for months. 

You caught a sigh in your chest, exhaling into your palms, shutting out the urge to cry. Crying right now was a waste of time. You still had about fifty systems to check, and you’d only read through about half of Kylo’s post-flight novella. Swallowing, you grabbed your datapad from the seat and flipped to the report, forcing yourself through the urge to skim.

It wasn’t like you weren’t interested. Normally this sort of thing was like a buffet for your freakish little brain. But you kept tasting embers on your tongue. Kept seeing your crew--completely unarmed, helpless fuel outpost workers--drowning in destruction. Kept hearing Hux’s voice: Multiple Resistance fighters… Heat gripped your neck, clogged your throat. Multiple fighters for a tiny station. Multiple fighters against three soft, fleshy bodies.

The First Order was not your creed; just your employer. The machine of war had always been an inconvenience to the prestige of working on elite starfighters. You knew that the loss of three cogs was nothing to that machine. In the past, it’d been nothing to you too. But you’d never eaten meals or laughed with or supported those lost cogs when they’d cried. This loss wasn’t just to war. This loss was horrifically and uniquely yours. 

“Stop.” You shook your head, tossing your datapad back on the seat. You’d finish putting the console back together, then you’d figure out what to do next.

Jaw tight, you grabbed another panel, and your grip slipped. The sharp edge sliced your palm where the wood had lanced you earlier.

“Fuck!” You dropped it and clutched your hand, seething while you tried to squeeze away the agony. Everything from your fingers to your wrist throbbed, and your chin quaked, tears burning your sight. “Fuck! Fuck!” Snarling, you kicked the panels at your feet. “Fuck!”

The thin cut felt like a sobbing gash. You tore off your jacket and wrapped the sleeve around your palm, wincing when you tightened it to the wound. 

“Stupid fucking panels!” you growled, kicking the panels again. “Stupid fucking ship, stupid fucking Kylo, stupid fucking Resistance!” The final kick dented a panel, popped off a shiny button. “Gods!”

You covered your face in your jacket and screamed until your throat crackled, until your lungs were dry. Head spinning, you drew in a breath and screamed again, stomping the floor until dizziness dropped you into the pilot’s chair. Warmth glowed at your cheeks, leaked down your back. Tremors rippled to your toes as you took in a long, steadying breath, exhaling in reluctant relief. 

You considered sitting there forever. But it only took two seconds for you to remember how Kylo also sat in this chair thinking of and dealing with everything that wasn’t you before you grunted and climbed out of the cockpit. 

The rest of the hangar seemed wholly unconcerned or otherwise ignorant to your tantrum. Wiping your eyes, you hopped to the ground, wagging off the lingering fury in your limbs. Maybe you just needed a walk. You cleared your throat and kept your hand clutched to your chest, the whispering ache pulsing in rhythm with your heart.

In all the hours you’d been in the cockpit, the Steadfast had continued to orbit Orinda. Xi-class shuttles whirled beyond the hangar entrance--probably staffed with crew collecting reconnaissance from whatever the Resistance left behind from the attack. Your feet carried you to the fuzzy blue edge of the magnetic shield’s barrier, meters from vacant space. A quiet hum resonated from its perimeter through your soles. 

You gazed into the galaxy. Orinda was a glimmering grain of sand, adrift in the celestial trenches. A fuel outpost turned graveyard. An acceptable casualty of the Resistance. Another home where you couldn’t return. That whispering ache rumbled to a hiss and cast itself over your skin, raking it over with misery, with exhaustion. Your chin quivered. The only place you could think to sleep was the silencer. Eyes falling to the floor, you turned back to the hangar.

“My quarters.”

You squealed and jumped, clapping your hands to your chest. Feet away stood Kylo Ren.

“Shit!” you said, exhaling in relief. “How the hell do you do that?” When he said nothing, you continued, “Like, sneak up on me like that.” 

“You’re not perceptive.”

You frowned. “Okay, well…” He wasn’t wrong. You sighed, shrugged. “Anyway.”

Kylo stepped forward, assessing you in your tank top, scrutinizing the tourniquet you’d made of your jacket. “Your hand.” 

“It’s fine,” you said, holding it behind your back. “Your quarters?”

His stare lingered on your exposed shoulders, on your neck. “Stay,” he said. “Until the silencer is repaired.”

“That could be as early as next cycle.” 

“Given your skill, yes.”

It was difficult to look in his direction. Every worn nerve screamed for his touch. “And then what?”

“You’ll depart to another station.”

You tried to flush the pain from your voice. “So,” you said, “you want me to stay with you through, like, one cycle, and then leave.” You looked to the ceiling in faux-consideration. “Cool. I think I’ll pass.” 

Kylo’s eye twitched. He moved closer, tone icy. “You have nowhere to sleep,” he said. “I…” He paused. His tongue rolled in his mouth. “You mean to tell me you prefer the silencer.”

“Well,” you replied, “I’ve never fucked the silencer. I never told the silencer how I felt about it. The silencer has never treated me like a stranger who just walked off the plains of Lothal.” You tapped your chin. “So, yeah, I prefer the silencer.”

He grit his teeth. “You’re no stranger.”

“Sure could’ve fooled me!” A couple of heads turned in your direction.

“Quiet,” he hissed. “It apparently takes very little for you to be fooled.”

“Excuse me?” you replied. “Run that by me again, Supreme Leader?”

“Now your hearing fails you.”

“This is great.” You offered a false smile. “This conversation is going really well.”

Kylo snarled, shoulders bunching with restraint. “You speak this way and then question why you’re unwelcome,” he replied. “Deaf and foolish.”

“Oh!” A frustrated laugh escaped. “Okay, then. Talk to you later, Your Excellency. I need a nap before I keep trying to fix your dumbass ship.”

Shaking your head, you folded your arms over your chest and stormed past him, anger blurring your vision. Stupid fucking asshole--

You made it three steps before a warm leather glove grabbed your shoulder, and you stalled, goosebumps shooting to your hands. Kylo spun you, your face inches from his, your breath fleeing and forgetting to return. His lips trembled, his jaw tightened, his gaze boring into you before it met the floor, seeking to stare anywhere else. The pressure of his fingers was firm, then floating. And then he swallowed, grip crushing your shoulder, his eyes finding you again. 

No one else in the hangar would’ve known, looking at him. But this Kylo Ren was familiar to you. 

This Kylo Ren was terrified.

“I don’t…” His voice was a feather in the air. “You are…” He averted his attention, stiffening. “You have a home.”

Your chest swelled. Water stung your eyes. “I do?”

“Yes,” he replied, utterly sincere. “But not here. Not now.”

Hairline fractures crept into your heart.

“Kylo.” Your composure cracked. All of you wanted to melt, to disintegrate into his being and know each word trapped on his tongue. There was a reason you could not find him, that he would not unfold himself to you. “Please. Why do you want me gone so badly?”

His lips parted, as if he were about to speak--and he paused. He drew in a breath through his nose. “Complications,” he replied. “Factors you do not understand.”

You stepped closer, throat tight. His breath brushed your nose. “Tell me, then.”

Kylo huffed, shifting on his feet--and his face froze. His limbs locked, muscles taut. His gaze widened, fixated on something over your shoulder. Air leaked from him, like time was slowing to a close. You blinked, looked behind you. But nothing was there. 

Frowning, you cleared your throat. “Kylo?” He didn’t even acknowledge you. “You’re really just going to leave it like that?” 

His pupils were pinpricks.

It wasn’t like you were heartless. You knew that he was attempting wasn’t easy. But what you were feeling wasn’t a sail on a skiff either. You didn’t just deserve more. You needed it.

“Okay,” you said, backing out of his hold. “This was nice. But I have a TIE fighter to repair. So.” He didn’t respond. Didn’t even move. “Whatever.”

You turned--Kylo’s focus flicked to you. His mouth dropped, like there were words he wanted to and couldn’t speak. Instead, he remained silent, fury simmering in his gaze while you pivoted away. You didn’t say anything either. You didn’t think you had to.

When you arrived at the silencer, you clambered into the cockpit, like it was a hole you could hide in until he disappeared. Shame, stubbornness, or surrender--you imagined one of these was responsible for why he didn’t pursue you, but you didn’t care. This ship repair would be your parting gift to him, and you could take off, probably spending the rest of your life wondering how you’d managed to fuck up your affair with the galaxy’s most ineligible bachelor.

Loose panels still swarmed the pilot’s chair. You sighed and put on your jacket, settling in and throwing your feet on the dash. Your hand thumped with irritation as you closed your eyes.

Just a couple of hours. That’s all you needed. Then you’d keep working like the foolish little--

Clank.

You yelped, flinching in your seat. 

Clank.

Heart fluttering, you scanned the cockpit before realizing the noise came from outside the ship.

Clank.

It was behind you. Someone was messing with the refuel port. Or the solar lines. You couldn’t tell. Grumbling, you scrambled out of the chair and hoisted yourself up the escape. If they were fucking up this stupid ship even further--

Clankclankclank.

“Hey!” You popped your head free. “Will you...”

For a split second, you’d thought Kylo had decided to rip the solar line access open and tear into his own power supply. But then your vision focused. The man crouched over the ship was a different intimidating masked man dressed only in black. Your stomach twisted. It was the one from the Buzzard. The one who’d shoulder-checked you.

“Kuruk.”

His head whipped in your direction, the talons of his predator’s gaze gouging your chest. He pulled his hands free of the solar lines, his gloves greasy with reactant.

“Lieutenant.” 

Previously you’d thought absolutely no one but Hux could spit that word with that degree of acidity. But if Hux spat it like acid, then Kuruk hocked it--dragged it up through his throat and sputtered it like necrotic phlegm. 

You crawled onto the dorsal plane with the coordinated majesty of a blurrg, trying not to heave  and ruin any level of authority you might have tricked him into thinking you maintained. When you’d made it to both feet, you straightened, as if you did this all the time, and moved toward him.

“What are you doing?” 

“Repairing a starfighter.”

You snorted. “Really,” you replied. “Tearing out a power supply is repairing?”

Kuruk jerked his arm, wrenching free another line, spewing collector dust into the air. “Closer to repairing than sleeping in the cockpit.”

Heat rushed your spine, swathed your neck. “Yeah, well…” You examined him, watching as he cocked his head to avoid the blinders attached to his helmet. “At least I can see properly when I work on a ship.” 

“Magnification’s built into the visor.”

More heat, this time crackling in your cheeks, drying your tongue. “Look,” you said, “this is my job. I don’t need amateurs screwing it up for me.”

He paused, turned his gaze on you again. “Amateurs?”

You shrugged. “In comparison, yeah, probably.”

Kuruk leaned on his heels, wiping his gloves on his jacket. “I don’t think so.”

“Uh, I do.” This man looked like a weapon. Not an engineer. “What experience do you have?”

“It’s called the Night Buzzard,” he replied. “You might be familiar with it.”

You paused, brow raising. “You…” It was impossible to restrain your laughter. But he didn’t move. “You’re kidding. Right? That’s a joke.”

Kuruk’s hands tensed.

“Dude, that ship’s the ugliest fucking thing I’ve ever seen,” you replied. “Did you modify it with a boiled chokeroot?”

His head tilted. He rose to stand, so controlled he looked to be fighting gravity. “I can do more work with a boiled chokeroot than you can do with an entire Star Destroyer’s worth of resources,” he drawled. “Lieu. Tenant.” 

The hair on your nape stuck straight, your pulse leapt to the ceiling. But the knowledge that Kylo was within thinking distance abated your fear. 

“Might wanna get one then.” You grinned. “You’re not making much progress here without it.”

He stared, filthy fingers furling into fists--and then relaxed, the tension sloughing like reactor slime from his frame. Silent, he returned to a squat, rending more lines from their channels. For some reason, a tiny, irreverent part of you was disappointed. 

No, that was a lie. You knew why you were disappointed. But this man wasn’t the one you wanted to be taunting into a wild sexual rage. Exhaling, you crossed your arms. 

“It’s still my job,” you said.

“And I’ve been told that once it’s done, you’ll be gone.”

“What?” You gawked. “What the fuck? You, too? I didn’t even do anything to you!”

“Debatable.”

You rolled your eyes. “You’re mad because your Master didn’t want you to disrespect an officer.”

“No.” Kuruk’s attention snapped to you. “You’re loud.”

Blood drained from your face. “I’m…”

Moments blinked in your memory like a holodrama. Like how you’d spent the entire time aboard the Buzzard thinking about Kylo slamming you against the dashboard and breaking your pussy open. How you’d mentally undressed him, verbally taunted him, physically ached for him. How you’d blazed with hatred for him and stoked it with longing. And how you’d just noted that you were desperate to wind him into a state of frenzied lust so he’d wreck you entirely.

“Oh, fuck.” You glanced at the hangar’s entrance and wondered how quickly you could hurl yourself into the vacuum of space. Speaking of hurling… “Oh, fuck.”

You couldn’t spare Kuruk another glance. With shaking hands, you fumbled your way to the ground, steadying yourself on your weakening knees. There was no way you were going to spend another minute on this ship trying to fix a starfighter while getting thought-eavesdropped by multiple men, one of whom seemed hell-bent on doing your job for you anyway. 

All you needed to do was find General Hux and get him to reassign you to another station. You’d figure the rest out later when you had time to process your myriad of losses and crippling rejection. You held your breath the entire trek to the command center, only releasing when the doors opened and you spied Hux at the head of the room, briefing someone on something you didn’t care about. 

Wiping your forehead, you trudged over to him. Hux’s gaze darted between you and the other officer, his brow furrowing as you approached.

“A moment,” he said to the man. “Can I help you, Lieutenant?”

Yeah, it definitely sounded worse out of Kuruk’s mouth. “Can I get a new station? I, uh, I need a new station.” The officer peered at you in horror. You coughed, standing at attention. “General. Requesting a new assignment, sir.”

Hux’s lips pursed, his eyes narrowed. “The silencer is already repaired?”

“Uh, no. No, sir, it’s not.” You stared at your shoes. “Still requesting a new assignment. I believe my work here is complete.”

A pause hung in the air. Hux observed you like you were a recently apprehended criminal. He sighed. 

“Dismissed, Captain.” He waited for the man to depart before turning to you. “What do you mean, your work here is complete?”

It was hard to find the appropriate words. “I mean. Uh. Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“No.”

You groaned. “Okay.” A long breath, flooding your lungs with air. “Well. My services are no longer required. My presence is redundant. I cannot return to Orinda. I’m requesting another station.” You exhaled. “Sir.”

Hux’s pink face pinched together. “Something happened with Ren.”

Warmth flushed your neck. “Uh, no--”

“Lieutenant,” he said, like the words were thorns on his tongue, “I unfortunately believe your insight and skill may still be of use to the First Order.” 

“Sir?”

“The TIE project has been approved. You may be just the person to manage it.” 

You balked. “Oh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea--”

“No?” Sharp green eyes pierced you into silence. “I thought you might leap at the opportunity, considering how cruelly the Resistance slaughtered your staff.”

Your heart clenched, your chest speared with pain. Better TIE units wouldn’t save them. But you could at least ensure their loss wouldn’t be in vain. Though you’d never supervised an undertaking of that scale before, the excitement of a challenge glittered in the distance. Glittered, then dimmed under a brooding, Kylo Ren-shaped shadow.

“Well…”

Hux glanced away, gazing through the thick panes of transparisteel, as if offering you any more praise would blind him. “Go to the Supreme Leader. Inform him of my plans.” He offered a slight shrug. “If he disagrees, then so be it. We’ll find you a new station.” The thought was left unfinished--he seemed very confident Kylo would not disagree.

Too bad you disagreed with him. “Yes, sir,” you replied. “I understand. Where might I find the Supreme Leader?”

Hux frowned. “Am I his keeper, Lieutenant?” 

A brief, blissful image of your fist connecting with his chin flashed through your mind. You shook it away.

“No,” you said. “No, sir. I’ll find him. Thank you.”

He nodded. “Dismissed.”

Shooting him a glare, you pivoted on your heel, marching out of the command center. All you needed to do was find where Kylo Ren might be by searching the entirety of this huge Star Destroyer. That would be easy.

[slytherinbarnes]

Sub Rosa [81]

x. matryoshka 

Pairing: Bellamy Blake x reader

Word Count: 4.0k

Warnings: violence, death, fighting, angst, language, anxiety.

Summary: The race to save Clarke is on as the time she has left begins to rapidly run out.

a/n: here is sub rosa a few hours early since i have not fallen asleep. also i am going to nap now. the taglist for this series is open! I hope you enjoy, please let me know what you think!!!

previous chapter // season masterlist // series masterlist

You quickly uncuff your wrist and then Bellamy’s, keeping your eyes on the injured leader as you do.

As soon as you’re both free, you and Bellamy exchange a look, and he nods, letting you know to attack together. You motion for him to hold the leader still and you’ll take care of the rest, and he nods in understanding before he starts to sneak up behind Asher. You come from the side, moving just as quietly, and when the two of you are within a couple of feet from him, you lunge at the same time. Bellamy reaches out and grabs him around the neck, holding him in place as the man looks around with a panic, quietly struggling. You come and stand in front of him, dropping to your knees and reaching out to grab the knife attached to his side. He has a split second to realize what you’re doing, and his eyes go wide with panic as he begs, “No, please, don’t!”

You push the knife into his chest anyways, straight to his heart, killing him quickly as you mutter, “You put up a hell of a fight, but now, yu gonplei ste odon.”

You watch the life drain from his body quickly, and once he’s no longer a threat to you, you search his pockets for anything useful. Surprisingly, the only other thing you find is your other knife. You shake your head and give the smaller knife to Bellamy, in case he needs it, and you take the Grounder knife and slide it into your waistband. You can hear the sound of the motorcycles that the Sanctum guards use outside, and you look to Bellamy, getting an idea. “Do you remember when I went after Clarke when that Azgeda army was crossing?”

You see his face light up, catching on. “You wanna disguise ourselves as Sanctum guards.”

“We’ll need to kill them quietly so they don’t alert the other guards, any ideas?”

“You play bait and I'll capture? Breaking their necks will be the quickest and quietest way to do it.”

You nod in agreement, trying to ignore the war within you, a battle raging between wanting to do better, and wanting to save Clarke. A battle between wanting to retire Wanlida, to stop killing, and to do better versus the need to kill to save your twin’s life. Ultimately, you think of your promise to Clarke, and the Universe, that you’d do anything to save her, and you resign yourself to the fact that, at least for now, Wanlida is here to stay. You and Bellamy slip out of the cave, keeping an eye out for Sanctum guards and the Children of Gabriel. As you’re running through the woods, you hear the staccato of bullets puncturing the air, and you and Bellamy exchange a look before turning towards them, sure that the Sanctum guards are the only ones that could have guns.

As you get closer to the sound, you pass a trio of motorcycles on the ground, along with Josephine’s guard, Jade. Everything about the scene screams Clarke, and you can see a line of tire tracks driving away from the scene, indicating that there was a fourth bike before Clarke stole it. You kneel down beside Jade, checking her pulse, looking to Bellamy who is gazing down at you expectantly. “Still breathing, and we should probably keep it that way. It’d be much easier to pass as a guard that isn’t the one leading the cavalry.”

He seems to agree, and the two of you sneak back into the woods again, looking out for the guards who must be close by. It’s not long before you find one of them walking around a small clearing, and Bellamy motions for you to be the bait so he can sneak up behind them. You take off running parallel to the clearing, right past the guards view, and you hear them turn towards you before they call out, “Hey! Stop!”

You freeze in place and they yell, “Turn around, hands where I can see them!”

You lift your hands, turning slowly, your eyes passing over Bellamy as he creeps towards the guard. The guard keeps their gun pointed at you, their hand shaking slightly, and your gaze locks on the movement, brows pulling together. “Have you ever used a gun before?”

“Shut up!'' They take a step towards you, preparing to take you down, but Bellamy reaches them first, swiftly breaking their neck and allowing them to drop to the ground. You and Bellamy descend on them and quickly strip them of their clothing, and Bellamy changes into the uniform and grabs the helmet and gun before the two of you walk off in search of a second guard. You find one quickly, and you and Bellamy set up another bait situation, this time with you pretending to be held captive by him, and you repeat the process, luring the guard in, killing them, and then stripping them of their clothes and weapon. Once you are dressed and ready to go, you and Bellamy both pull your helmets on and head back to the bikes, just in time to see the other guards gathered there. 

Luckily for you and Bellamy, you don't have to pretend to know how to ride the motorcycles, because the group is two bikes short, so you each hop on the back with another person as Jade turns and yells, “We follow her tracks!”

You all tear through the woods on the bikes quickly, making short time of Clarke’s head start, and the tracks in the dirt end eventually, a crashed bike at the end of them. You all come to a stop and Jade turns to look back at all of you, her helmet still missing because Clarke took her helmet with her. “Keep your helmets on and your guns ready, these are the enemy's woods.”

All of you nod and dismount, following her as she jogs over to the bike and places a hand of the metal. “The engine's still warm, she can't be far.”

Jade leads the way through the woods, all of you spreading out to search for Clarke. After a few minutes of searching, one of the other guards calls out, “Over here, I found something!”

You tense up, growing worried as all run over to her, eyes landing on a hatch, hidden beneath a wall of leaves. Your mind flashes to the map of Sanctum that Bellamy showed you and Murphy, remembering the small buildings drawn on the paper, marking the research posts in the area. You think Bellamy is remembering them too, because his hand is hovering near his gun, prepared to take out everyone if Clarke is inside. Your hand does the same, hovering near your weapon, but the need to use it never comes. The hatch is pulled open and it’s empty, nothing inside but dust, vines, and old books. Jade turns to look at all of you, a fire lit within her. “Look for more outposts!”

Everyone splits apart and begins to search, and you and Bellamy keep enough distance to look like you’re playing along, but you stay close enough that you can help each other if necessary. Because you both have vague memories of the location of the research hatches, you and Bellamy find them first, peeking inside and searching for Clarke before you call out to the others to take a look. You search for hours, until the suns set in the sky, and even then, you keep searching. You find a few more hatches as the hours pass, all of them empty, and you start to wonder how you and Bellamy are going to get out of this situation if you can't find Clarke soon. Luckily for you, the Universe offers you a gift.

One of the other guards yells, “Hey! Over here, I found another hatch.”

You all rush towards him, pulling the hatch open with another wave of disappointment, this one just as empty as the others. But as he closes the door back and you all start to split up again, a voice floats through the woods, heading straight for you. “Help! I'm here!”

You turn towards Bellamy, both of you recognizing the voice, and you take off running towards it, the other guards following closely behind you. All of you pull out your weapons as you draw closer, your eyes landing on Clarke, flanked by two people. One is a man that you don't know, the other, much to your surprise, is Octavia. Luckily, with your helmets still on your heads, you and Bellamy are able to hide your shock of seeing the other Blake, though you can sense it rolling off of him in waves. You all come to a stop in front of the trio, weapons pointed their way, and Jade yells, “On your knees! Octavia, drop your weapon!”

The other two guards rush towards Octavia, and one of them grabs her while the other points their weapon at her. You and Bellamy aim at the unknown man, but you’re both closely watching Octavia, who drops her sword and holds her hands up in surrender. The man looks to Jade, his expression pleading, “Listen to me, she needs medical attention. If I don't operate soon, she'll die.”

Fear washes over you, as you peer at your twin, afraid that you won't have enough time, and you’ll soon lose her forever. The guard holding Octavia turns to the man and snaps, “Take your hands off her, cog.”

You pull a face beneath your helmet, the unoriginal nickname almost making you laugh, but all of your amusement washes away when Clarke opens her mouth. “Okay, enough talk. Kill the girl, take Gabriel prisoner, and get me home.”

The sentence hits your hard, the Josephine tone of voice back. And if that wasn't enough to clue you in, the fact that she referred to Octavia as ‘the girl’ and the man as Gabriel is enough to convince you. Gabriel? Your mind starts running a million miles a minute as you all turn to look at the man, clearly not the old man that Josephine warned you about. 

“Gabriel?” Everyone starts moving at once, and Jade makes a beeline for Josephine, pulling her out of Gabriel’s grip and starting to walk away with her. The other two guards split apart, one of them coming to stand behind Gabriel and one of them pointing their gun at Octavia, and Bellamy nudges you slightly, letting you know that now is the time to act. The two of you work in tandem, and he takes the guard on the left and you take the one on the right. One of them starts to yell, “For the glory and grace-”

But her words are cut off by you sending a bullet into her chest as Bellamy takes out the man threatening Gabriel, both of the guards falling to the ground. You both turn on Jade, leveling your weapons on her, and she releases Josephine and slowly removes her gun, tossing it away. You and Bellamy tug your helmets off, and Octavia whispers both of your names in shock, not expecting either of you to be the ones to save her. Josephine rolls her eyes, muttering, “Because of course it is.”

Octavia rushes towards her brother, wrapping her arms around him, laughing with shock and relief, and he awkwardly pats her back with his free hand, still struggling with his feelings towards his sister. You turn away from the exchange to glance at Gabriel, who is watching all of you in confusion. “Take her.”

He nods, walking to his former lover that is trapped in your twin’s body, and he wraps his arms around her. As he does, she collapses a little, her voice sounding small and scared, “I can't feel my legs.”

Gabriel looks to you and Bellamy, as he scoops her up into his arms, already backing away, “We have to hurry, come on.”

“Right behind you!” You swing your gaze back towards Jade, who watches Josephine leave with a look of anger. Your anger, however, is stronger, and you sneer at her, “Go back to Sanctum. You tell Russell that if he hurts any of our people, he'll never see his daughter again.”

She looks at you, still angry, still deciding if she can take you, before moving her gaze to the place she last saw Josephine. Bellamy looks at her, just as angry, and pulls her out of her head by yelling, “Go!”

She turns and runs off, and you watch her until she disappears into the trees, leaving you alone with the Blake siblings. As soon as it’s clear, you turn to Octavia with a smile. “Now what the hell are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you the same thing.” She smiles back at you, happy to have a warm welcome from one of you, and the two of you briefly hug before you pull away and nod to Gabriel’s retreating figure. “C’mon, let's go save my dying twin.”

The Blake’s both nod and jog off, and you follow Octavia back to the camp, since she obviously knows where it is. As you run up on the camp, you see a large sculpture made of radios, some of them repeating lines over and over, all of them playing over each other, and suddenly Josephine's comment in the cave makes a lot more sense. For one, there’s not enough time to worry about that, because your concern is for your twin. 

When you get inside the tent, you see that Josephine is already laying out on a surgical chair, hooked up to a variety of monitors, a brain monitor chief among them. You and Bellamy quickly strip off the top layer of your Sanctum uniforms, leaving you in matching black long sleeve shirts and matching black pants. All three of you settle around Josephine, her body shaking as she nears the end, before you shift your gaze to the monitor that Gabriel reaches up to point at. “Two wavelengths, one brain.”

He looks away from the machine and down to Josephine, his expression curious. “You mind telling me how Clarke's consciousness survived?”

“There's a neural mesh in her head.” You and Bellamy exchange a look, your theory correct. “Her mind latched onto it during the procedure. It's pretty cool, huh?”

You look down at Josephine anxiously, ready to save your twin inside. “What can we do?”

Gabriel looks at you, turning to grab a few tools, “Once I remove her drive, I'll need you to quickly bandage the wound before I restart her heart.”

You give him a surprised look, the worry creeping up in your voice. “You're stopping her heart?”

“Death causes her mind to back up onto the drive. I take it out, then start her heart.”

“And then we get Clarke back?”

Gabriel nods, and you feel a touch of relief that soon this will be over, soon Clarke will be saved. Josephine shifts in the seat and turns to look over at you and Bellamy with something akin to admiration. “She was right to depend on the two of you. Believe it or not, we're actually friends.”

You snort, “We'll see about that if you ever meet in the real world.”

“Real world?”

Gabriel freezes, and you all look at him in confusion as Bellamy nods and clarifies, “Yeah. After we use her mind drive to bargain for peace.”

Octavia speaks up for the first time, clearly noticing something in his tense stance. “What's wrong?”

He doesn't answer, but Josephine answers for him. “He knows that means I'll be resurrected again, and he's not sure if he can let them take another innocent life.”

Gabriel walks back over to her side, a syringe now held in his hand. As he starts to slowly lower it to her arm, reminding you of the time you spent in Becca’s lab, Josephine reaches out and grabs his arm, stopping him. “Aye, there's the rub. For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come? But I guess that was okay for you, huh, old man?”

Gabriel’s face gets hard with hidden emotions and haunted memories. “No. It wasn't.”

“You know that there's another way. If you let me keep this body, nobody else has to die.”

“For you to keep that body, someone does have to die. Clarke. Now, no more talking.” You glare at Josephine, the option not an option at all, because Josephine keeping Clarke’s body means that Clarke will be gone to you forever. You shift your gaze up to Gabriel, “Do it.”

Josephine locks her eyes on her lover, making one last ditch effort to keep Clarke’s body. “I know that I've done bad things. I don't remember them all, but I do know that you hate me for it.”

Gabriel’s voice is soft and full of love, and in any other situation, you’d feel bad for the doomed couple. “I could never hate you.”

“I know it. We can still be together, my love. We can take out the drives just like you wanted.” Bellamy and Octavia both turn away from them, annoyance apparent in both of their expressions, but you keep your eyes locked on them, hand hovering near your knife, prepared to intervene if you have to. “We can grow old together.”

Tears well up in Gabriel’s eyes, clearly feeling the impact of Josephine’s words. “I've loved you for centuries.”

She smiles and nods, thinking that he’s coming around, but he surprises all of you by answering, “We had our time, I have to let you go now.”

And before she can object, he injects her with the liquid from the syringe. You watch her expression morph into shock before it drops, and her eyes slowly flutter closed until you hear the heart rate monitor flatline, letting all of you know that Clarke’s heart is no longer beating. Gabriel leans down and whispers, “La muerte es la vida.”

You don't have time to ask him for the meaning of the words, because he immediately pulls away and gathers his tools, coming back to Clarke’s side to finish the process. “Help me turn her over.”

You and Bellamy reach out and help lift Clarke, and you hold her hair out of the way as Gabriel quickly removes the mind drive from her head. He hands you a wad of cotton squares to hold against the wound, before he turns away with the mind drive, saying, “Cover the wound, we need to restart her heart.”

You press the cotton squares to the incision on the back of her neck before you roll her back over with Bellamy’s assistance. Gabriel prepares a new syringe, this one much larger than the last, and then he quickly pushes it into Clarke’s chest and empties the syringe of fluid into her body. You all watch Clarke with bated breath, her revival supposed to be instant, but she lays completely still, eyes still closed. The flatline warning on the machine continues beeping, and you feel anxiety prickle across your skin as you look at Gabriel in alarm. “Why isn’t she waking up?”

Gabriel turns to the screen monitoring the wavelengths in her head, and two lines are still etched across it, both Josephine and Clarke still inside Clarke’s mind. Meaning that Josephine isn’t in the drive, she’s in Clarke’s head. Meaning that the battle for Clarke’s body isn’t over yet, and Josephine is still inside, vying for control. You look at Gabriel in alarm, wondering what he’s going to do, how he’s going to save Clarke, but he just gives you a sympathetic look. “I'm sorry, but her brain can no longer support two minds.”

You feel anger rise up, “What are you talking about?”

Octavia does too, because she looks to the screen and then glares at Gabriel. “Do something! They're both still in there.”

“Latent neural activity continues for a short time after death, but once the head stops working with the heart, it's over. The two organs are stronger together, and without them working together, it’s over, okay?”

Your eyes go wide as you process his words, one phrase sticking out to you the entire time. Stronger together.  You look at Bellamy, whispering the words to him, “Stronger together.”

And then you nudge him out of the way so you can start CPR, pressing on Clarke’s chest in a steady rhythm, before lowering yourself to her mouth and filling her lungs with air. You repeat the process, pushing down on her chest, tears springing to your eyes with each passing second as you realize you’re getting closer and closer to her eventual death with the passing of time. You hear Octavia call your name, but you cut her off, voice rising with desperation. “No! I’m not losing her again!”

You ignore the others around you, continuing your desperate CPR, talking to Clarke the entire time you move, “Come on! Clarke, I need you. Madi needs you. Mom needs you. Now wake up! I should have fought harder for you, Clarke. I should have burned Sanctum to the ground and killed everyone that got in my way, but I’m fighting for you now, god damn it!”

Octavia puts her hand on your arm, trying to stop you. “La lune, she's gone.”

“No, she's not!” You turn to Bellamy, tears falling down your face now, giving your fiance a heartbroken look, the reality of your loss starting again. For the second time in the last few days, you are faced with the possibility that your twin is gone, and you’re not sure your heart can take it again. You aren’t sure you can face that heartbreak again. You stare at Bellamy, your voice a broken whisper, “She can’t be gone.”

He sees the heartbreak on your face, knows the pain you went through days ago when you thought she was dead, and remembers the pain he felt too. He stands at your side, turning to face your twin, his approach just as desperate as yours. He brings his fist down onto Clarke’s chest in hard, heavy beats, trying to forcefully restart her heart. “Wake up, Clarke! We’re not letting you go. You're a fighter, now get up and fight!”

You see his desperation reaching a peak, his voice starting to crack with heartbreak, and he hits her one last time, one solid blow to her chest as he practically yells, “Get up and fight!”

Clarke takes in a loud, wheezing breath, her eyes flying open to look around in a panic. You feel a rush of relief as you lower yourself to her, helping her sit up as you whisper, “You’re okay, shining star, just breathe.”

Behind her, the heart rate monitor consistently beeps, confirming that the organ in her chest is steadily beating, and she looks at you with a confused expression. You meet her eyes, looking into the face of the girl that has been your other half since birth, and you whisper, “Clarke?”

She nods slightly, before jumping towards you slightly, wrapping her arms tightly around you. You start to cry, big, fat tears of relief rolling down your face, and Clarke tucks her head into the crook of your neck, whispering, “Stronger together.”

Your tears start to flow harder, reminding you how much of your strength truly comes from your twin, and how broken you felt living in a world temporarily without her. But all of that is over now. Because now, your twin is held tight in your arms, her left hand reaching out to take Bellamy’s hand, squeezing it in thanks. Octavia watches your trio with a smile, relief evident on her features. Only one person in the room is mourning, and that’s Gabriel, his eyes locked solely on the brainwave monitor beside him, only one wavelength on display. 

Josephine is gone, dead to the world, dead to history, and Clarke Griffin is back and better than ever. 

-

next chapter

[youremyonlyhope]

The Halloween Apocalypse

Super sleepy since I haven’t slept since Friday night. And I was on my feet for most of the day and also didn’t eat anything but a few pieces of candy between 8am until right now as I eat dinner. I also have a can of hard seltzer because a coworker gave my team a pack as a present. Yay Doctor Who time!

Also why does it say Encore? I was too tired to look into it earlier because I needed to take a nap. But if I hadn’t been working, could I have watched it at the same time as the Brits and not been slightly spoiled? (Answer: yes. Oh well. I would have been working anyway even if I knew I could have watched it)

“All of this is your fault.” “What do you mean!?” Adorable. Oh you just know the shippers went insane over them landing in bed together. So the one spoiler I saw before remembering the episode was airing in the UK first was that some people are really loving Dan. Let’s see why. Ah leading tours and not a tour guide. Got it. He’s not gonna get that date. That gun looks Time Lord. He’s like a blue Voldemort (I hate to bring up Harry Potter but the lack of nose gives that vibe ok) Ok god... the TARDIS is bleeding... Doctor stop hiding things from Yasmin come on.

Oof ok I regret this hard seltzer already. Hopefully it makes me sleepy enough i just fall asleep the moment this episode is done and sleep through till morning.

WAIT. Wait. I saw this as a sneak peek, but now the adult trick-or-treater looks familiar... hmm... Wow, it’s a furry. Doctor, stop eating things off the floor. That miniature house is cute honestly. “We didn’t receive the warning” Ok that’s one way of running away from your problems... not a good way... but a way... Yeah that’s a lot to wake up to. Being held in a cage by a dog on the spaceship. Oh yay, meeting people in the wrong order again. Claire looks sort of familiar. NO the TARDIS is so sick oh god. Doctor, love, taking people on fun rides isn’t the same thing as letting people in. You know this. Martha complained about this a long time ago. MM MMM NOO. NOPE. NOT A WEEPING ANGEL. No wonder Blink was included in the Doctor Who marathon today, not just because it’s a popular episode. Should I also be scared that Midnight was included? (I say as if I got to watch any of the marathon at all) Yeah I’ve blinked like 30 times so far this scene since my eyes are so dry and tired ugh. Yeah that sucks. It got her. Girl, I don’t know why you didn’t slam the door closed and then blink. Gonna just ignore the name of that outpost since I know it made half the fandom’s brains explode just now. Not acknowledging it. Ok, he looks familiar. Unidentified phenomena is right. That’s not good. Their house on the Arctic is cute. Honestly, after ignoring the warning, they deserve Blue Voldy showing up in the middle of the night. Oh ok she’s a grey Voldy and is in on it. Makes sense. Who’s playing the dog guy by the way? His voice sounds familiar-ish too. ”Do things often go wrong?” Yes.

UGH. DOCTOR WHO. I THOUGHT WE WERE OVER DOING THESE LITTLE MINI PREVIEWS IN THE COMMERCIALS. I’VE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR YEARS. COME ON.

Ah yay, another situation where the alien is actually being nice. God this guy on the outpost looks SO familiar and I can’t tell if I actually know him from something or if he just a type. I think I know... but I don’t wanna say in case I’m wrong Awww he’s leaving his post. Wow. I hope he stays ok. Oh Dan calls her Doc like Graham did... I’m sad. I love the TARDIS door opening in random places, though I know it means she’s sick or something. ”I had a mate who had one of these, I think his was a bit bigger though.” oh my god, if this is supposed to foreshadow Dan knowing a previous Doctor...

WAIT. WAIIIITTT. Did the Weeping Angel purposefully save Claire, or was it just attacking her?

SONTAR-HA. This is an interesting throwback redesign. Blue Voldy has on a power suit on now. Those shoulder pads. This better not be the Master. I know the Master looks burnt sometimes in Old Who. I don’t want the plot twist to be that he’s the Master. Where’s Dhawan!Master please. ”The only thing I can do.” Run? “We’re heading to Earth” Umm no don’t. I’m sure Diane will understand an alien kidnapping and universe ending event as a reason to accidentally stand her up. Ah ok Grey Voldy got her. Never mind. Is it gonna be shaped like the TARDIS or something to confuse it? Ah ok never mind, shielding Earth. They should have thought of that before having to painstakingly move each human one by one. WOAH WAIT. Nothing can get through the TARDIS doors (besides those things from Spyfall) and the flux just threw it open. Not good. Doctor stop hitting the TARDIS with a mallet! OHHHH THE TIME VORTEX. Wow I completely forgot about the 1820 dude until they showed him again just now. Honestly, I was still groggy from my nap that point so I have no memory of his scene. Yep that episode was mostly an intro to the rest of the season I guess.

Also, speak of the devil, now Spyfall is on. Do I rewatch it purely for O... hmmm...

Ok. Now I can google the cast. IT WAS GREY WORM. I KNEW IT. The dreads and me being half asleep made me wonder if I was just imagining that it was him, but it’s Grey Worm! Yay! Well no one else who felt familiar has names that ring any bells for me. Oh well. Yay Grey Worm!

(Rewatching Spyfall as I proofread this and I forgot that the Doctor sends O kisses in the message... adorable)

[infinite-xerath]

Runeterra Retcons: Ruination Episode (Ionia)

Ionia Part I

After discussing it heavily with your comrades, you all agree that your next destination should be Ionia. The light of the Wayfinder encompasses you all as it carries you across the sea to the Ionian Sentinel outpost, where you are surprised to find that nothing seems amiss on the shores.

“Looks like the Black Mist hasn’t gotten here yet.”

“Wow, so this is Ionia? It’s beautiful!”

Riven response 1: “I can’t say I’m surprised. Ionia’s always been resistant to invaders…”

Riven response 2: “Yeah… But it wasn’t always like this…”

Gwen: “Oh what an absolutely splendid place! I’ve never been anywhere this majestic before!”

Senna: “They call Ionia the First Lands, and some say it’s the birthplace of magic itself. I guess it’s no surprise that this place is a sort of safe haven against the Harrowing.”

Olaf: “Wait! Look there!”

Olaf points further inland, where you see a great cloud of Black Mist descending onto a vibrant forest.

Vayne: “So much for a safe haven…”

Senna: “No time to stand around and gawk! Let’s move, Sentinels!”

Senna takes the lead as you all charge ahead, ascending the winding mountain path. All around you, wild animals scatter and flee as the Black Mist pours through the forest. The once-vibrant flora withers and distorts around you while the very air seems to linger with malice.

Suddenly, you feel a gnarled tree root spring to life and wrap around your leg, pulling you down. A shrill scream fills the air as you hit the ground and feel yourself being dragged back down the path. Before you vanish completely into the brush, however, Lucian frees your leg with a well-timed shot.

Lucian: “You alright, rookie? That was, uh, quite a scream just now.”

“Thanks, I owe you.”

“That, uh, wasn’t me.”

Lucian response 1: “Don’t mention it. Now let’s keep moving.”

Lucian response 2: “Heh, sure it wasn’t...”

Before you can say anything more, another identical scream cuts through the air. You all turn to see a peculiar figure bounding through the forest. Her upper half resembles that of a young woman, but her lower body is that of a fawn. She holds in her possession a branch with a peculiar bloom attached to it.

???: “Oh dear, oh dear!”

“Is that a person?”

“Is that an animal?”

Vayne: “Whatever it is, it’s heading right for us.”

Sure enough, the strange figure is bounding toward you at an alarming rate, looking back over her shoulder. She turns her head just in time to see the Sentinels and comes skidding to a stop.

???: “Eep!”

“Eep!”

“Woah, that was close!”

“She… Is… Adorable!”

Lillia: “W-Who are you!? Ah, wait, no! Just… Pretend you can’t see them, Lillia! If you can’t see them, they can’t see you.”

Vayne: “Sorry to lay this on you, but that’s not how it works.”

Riven: “Hang on, something else is coming!”

You look up to see the Black Mist descending toward you, carrying with it a swarm of wraiths.

Lillia: “Oh no! They’ve followed me!”

Gwen: “Please, stand behind us, funny fawn person! We will make short work of these fiends!”

Ionia Part II

The Sentinels charge into the fray, cutting and blasting their way through the swarm of wraiths. As they fight, however, you notice more of the local wildlife succumbing to the Black Mist, warping the surrounding forests beyond recognition.

Lillia: “No… Stop! Please stop!”

“Are you OK?”

“Hey, everything’s going to be alright.”

Lillia: “No… Can’t you feel it? The dreams of the trees, the animals… It’s like… One very bad dream is blocking out all the others!”

Lucian: “Rookie, what’s she talking about?”

Senna: “Nevermind, just stay focused! We need push deeper into this forest and find that fetter!”

The Sentinels quickly resume their fight, though Lillia’s ears perk up when she hears Senna’s words.

Lillia: “What? You’re… Going DEEPER into the forest? B-But it’s dangerous!”

Vayne: “Exactly! Where monsters go, so do we!”

Riven: “If the Black Mist is here, that must mean another one of these fetters is too, right? Then we have to find it and get it out of here, or all of Ionia will be in danger! That’s… Not something I want to see again!”

Gwen: “Quite right! Fear not, funny fawn girl! We shan’t let a few wraiths impede us!”

Lillia: “But… Why?”

“We’re Sentinels. Fighting ghosts is what we do!”

“We’re here to save Ionia, and the world, from the Black Mist!”

Lillia: “You… You aren’t afraid?”

“Not in the slightest!”

“Quite a bit, actually, but I can’t turn back now!”

Lillia: “That’s… That’s quite brave of you. …Alright. Everyone, please follow me! I think I know what the ghouls are after!”

Lillia suddenly darts off into the forest, waving her branch to clean a path through the Mist.

Riven: “Should we follow her?”

Senna: “Well… If she can lead us to the fetter, it’s a risk I’m willing to take! Move out, Sentinels!”

Ionia Part III

Lillia guides you through the forest, using the branch in her hands to keep the hostile wildlife at bay. You follow her into a cave, where your only source of light comes from Lillia’s bloom. Though it’s dark and damp, you’re surprised to find that the Black Mist seems to linger about the entrance, refusing to step inside.

Vayne: “Are we sure about this isn’t a trap?”

“We’ve already come all this way…”

“Hey, she’s cute! How can you say no to those big eyes?”

Olaf: “Hmph. If this is a trap, there had better be a worth foe at this tunnel’s end!”

Lillia: “...”

Lucian: “Hey, fawn girl!”

Lillia: “Eep! O-Oh, you mean me?”

Lucian: “Yeah. Are you sure there’s a fetter in here?”

Lillia: “Uh, well… I’m not sure what sort of ‘fetter’ you mean, but I think… I know that the ghouls want what’s up ahead.”

Vayne: “And just how do you know that?”

“Come on guys, have some faith in her.”

“The Mist didn’t want to come in here, so there’s gotta be something special about this place.”

Riven: “Wait, do you see that?”

Up ahead, the path widens out into a grotto illuminated by giant crystals in the cave wall.

“What is this place?”

“It’s breathtaking…”

Riven: “Yeah, Ionia really is beautiful. It’s a shame that some people would destroy that beauty just to take it for themselves…”

Up ahead, you see that the cave floor turns from stone to grass. Somehow, a small meadow has bloomed in the heart of the mountain, illuminated by the glow of the crystals.

Gwen: “Goodness, these gems would make for a marvelous addition to a dress! Oh, but I suppose that would ruin their natural beauty. A shame.”

Lucian: “It’s pretty, alright, but where’s the fetter?”

As if on cue, the light in Senna’s chest starts to glow, as does Gwen’s. Nearby, you see a single flower near the heart of the grotto begin to glow with the same calming light.

Senna: “There it is! That’s the fetter!”

“A rose? How can a rose be a fetter?”

“So Isolde’s soul has been hiding in a flower for centuries?”

Lillia: “This flower is very old. It was brought here long ago from a far-away land. I can see its dreams too, you know. Dreams so pure, full of love and light… Happy memories. It dreams of man and woman who cherished each other more than anything. Isn’t that… Such… A lovely dream?”

You watch in horror as a ghastly crown forms around Lillia’s head. Suddenly, Black Mist fills the cave, engulfing Lillia and transforming her in an instant.

Lillia: “Such a lovely dream, and you all are trying to ruin it! How… How could you!?”

“Lillia, wait! Let’s talk this out!”

“Aw man! Why is it always the cute ones!?”

Vayne: “I knew we couldn’t trust her!”

Vayne takes aim with her crossbow, but before she can fire a single shot, Lillia waves her branch in a wide arc. A mysterious, glittering dust washes over you and the other Sentinels, as does a strange sense of drowsiness.

Olaf: “Argh! What… Is this…?”

Gwen: “Oh my. Suddenly… So… Tired…”

“So… Sleepy.”

“Can’t… Stay… Awake.”

Despite your best efforts, you soon succumb to the effects of Lillia’s dream dust. Soon, you and the other Sentinels fall onto the floor of the cave and descend into a deep slumber…

Ionia Part IV

You find yourself wandering the streets of your hometown, alone. Wherever you go, the people have locked their doors and refuse to open up. You are cold and scared, and those feelings only grow as you notice the ominous Black Mist coursing toward you.

You try to run, but the Mist is faster. You hear inhuman screams behind you, and look back to see vaguely humanoid figures emerging from the haze. You force your legs into overdrive, only to wind up tripping and following on a loose stone. Your cry out in pain as you hit the ground, but your scream is drowned out by the wails of the undead behind you.

Dread hangs over you a like a pall. Death seems inevitable, though you know that death is not the end if these creatures take you. You will become one of them, hunting other poor souls to join the ranks of the undead. You close your eyes and wait, only for the sound of gunfire to fill your ears.

You open your eyes and look up. The wraiths cry out in pain as bolts of light pierce them, driving them back. You find yourself surrounded by figures in strange uniforms, carrying weapons unlike any you’ve every seen.

“W-Who are you?”

“Where did you come from?”

Though their face is hazy, you see one of the figures turn to look at you.

???: “We’re the Sentinels of Light. Don’t worry, we’ll handle the undead. You just find a safe place to hide and wake up.”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean?”

???: “Wake up. Come on, Rookie, nap time is over!”

Your eyes slowly open as you regain consciousness. You see Lucian and Senna standing over you.

Senna: “Good to see you’re still with us.”

“How long was I out?”

“What happened?”

Lucian response 1: “Too damn long. That deer girl made off with fetter while we are all dozin’ off.”

Lucian response 2: “That deer girl put us all to sleep then nabbed the fetter, that’s what.”

Gwen: “And she seemed so nice! What an awful turn things have taken.”

???: “Indeed. The future of the realms hangs in the balance.”

“Uh, who is this?”

“Is that a freaking ninja!?”

Shen: “Apologies if I have startled you, child. I am the Eye of Twilight, but you may call me Shen.”

Vayne: “After Deer Girl put us all to sleep, this ninja’s the one who came to wake us up. I don’t like being in debt, but I guess we owe you now.”

Shen: “You owe me nothing. I acted as needed to maintain balance, nothing more.”

Riven: “Apparently, he’s part of the Kinkou. I’ve heard of them. They’re a group devoted to maintaining order in Ionia, though from what I understand, they didn’t do much when Noxus invaded these shores.”

Shen: “The Kinkou protect the balance between the material and immaterial realms. Mortal wars are not our concern… But this Harrowing threatens to consume Ionia itself.”

Shen gestures outside and, to your horror, you see that the Black Mist has nearly complete covered the forest. The once-vibrant colors of the trees are now faded and lifeless and the sounds of nature are replaced by the cries of wraiths.

“It’s awful…”

“How did this happen so fast?”

Shen: “The spirit of Ionia is tainted, and the land is a reflection of that spirit. What’s more, azakana will feed on the negativity brought forth by this, granting demons more power than ever.”

Senna: “This is what’ll happen to the entire world if we don’t stop Viego. That’s why we need to find that fetter, and quickly!”

Gwen: “But… That Not-so-Funny Faun took it! How are we supposed to find her amidst all of that?”

Vayne: “Hate to say it, but she’s right. If we have to fight through all of that, then Deer Girl will be long-gone by the time we catch her trail.”

Shen: “Fear not, for the Eye of Twilight sees all, even through the darkest shadows. The Dream Faun makes for the coast, though I sense an even greater darkness approaching. You, who are sword to defend the light, will you accompany me to confront this darkness?”

Gwen: “A greater darkness? You couldn’t possibly mean...”

Lucian: “Viego! We gotta get the beach, now!”

Riven: “But how are we going to get there through all this Mist?”

Shen: “Fret not, for I walk the space between world. Gather close to me.”

Though uncertain of his meaning, you and the other Sentinels do as asked, stepping close to Shen as he makes unusual gestures with his hands. Suddenly, you are all engulfed in violet light as Shen whisks you through the spirit realm.

Ionia Part V

You feel formless. Weightless. All around you are sights and colors your mind can scarcely comprehend. Some set your mind at ease, while others terrify you. This sensation lasts for only a moment before you reemerge in the physical realm, surrounded once more by your comrades.

“Hey, long-distance teleporting is my thing!”

“That… Was awesome!”

“That was… Bizarre!”

Riven: “Ugh… I think I’ll stick to the Wayfinder from now on, thanks.”

Shen: “Gather yourselves! The Dream Fawn is just ahead!”

Sure enough, you see Lillia standing on the beach, staring out at the ocean. She clutches the fetter tightly in one hand and her branch in the other.

Lucian: “She doesn’t know we’re here. I say we take her by surprise and-”

Olaf: “RETRIBUTION AWAITS!”

Suddenly, Olaf rushes ahead, screaming at the top of his lungs. Lillia leaps in surprise and turns around to see the berserker rushing at her. Instinctively, she launches a seed from her branch that rolls along the sand, growing large in size as it travels.

“Olaf, look out!”

“Don’t let it hit you!”

Olaf utterly ignores your warning and runs into the seed head-on. To your amazement, he just keeps running even as the seed explodes into dream dust.

Lillia: “W-What!? T-That’s not possible!”

Lucian: “That’s a berserker for ya. Once they get riled up, nobody can stop them.”

Olaf is just about to reach Lillia when, suddenly, the tide behind her swells to life and comes ashore. Olaf is swept back in a massive wave of darkened away, though Lillia somehow remains completely dry.

Lucian: “The ocean, on the other hand…”

Shen: “The Spirit of Ionia is tainted. The trees, the air, the waters… They now bend to HIS will.”

You look ahead to see a familiar figure emerging from the Black Mist, the sea itself parting to make way for him.

“Viego!”

“The Ruined King!”

Olaf: “Pfft! Pah! So, he’s the one who bested the Barbarian King? I thought he would be… Bigger.”

Viego: “Ah, what a pleasant surprise! I travel all this way to find that my prize is already waiting for me.”

Lillia: “Y-Yes, sir. I am here to help your dream bloom.”

Shen: “Stop! You have desecrated the balance, and now you shall pay for your transgressions!”

Viego: “Balance? Fool. Without her, there is no balance. She is the light to my darkness, the joy to my anguish. If you would stand against me, then YOU are the one who shall pay the price!”

Shen and Viego dash across the beach toward each other, their blades ringing out as they clash.

Senna: “Let’s back him up, Sentinels!”

You and the other Sentinels quickly rush to aid Shen, but find yourself impeded by the corrupted Spirit of Ionia. Fierce bursts of wind repeatedly knock you off your feat while rocks along the beach form together into twisted constructs.

Riven: “Ngh…”

“Are you alright?”

“Riven, what’s wrong?”

Riven: “Fighting on the beaches of Ionia, pushing back against the will of the land itself… This whole scenario is bringing back a lot of unhappy memories.”

Senna: “Shake it off, Riven! We need to push past this!”

The Sentinels continue to struggle against the will of the land, but only Shen seems undeterred by it. The Eye of Twlight engages the Ruined King in a fierce battle, both of them vanishing and reappearing all over the beach.

“I can barely keep track of them!”

“This isn’t working!”

Viego: “See how your homeland bends to my will, Ionian! Your allies can lend you no aid. Mine, on the other hand…”

Lillia leaps into the air behind Shen, slamming her branch down on the beach. Shen staggers as Lillia’s dream dust washes over him, falling to one knee as he struggles to stay awake. Meanwhile, Viego turns his attention to your group, his gaze fixing itself upon Senna and Gwen. They fail to notice, too busy fending off the endlessly-regenerating stone constructs on the beach.

“Gwen, look out!”

“Senna, look out!”

Option 1: Viego rushes toward Gwen, but thanks to your warning, she manages to parry the blow and push Viego back her Hallowed Mist.

Option 2: Viego rushes toward Senna, but thanks to your warning, she manages to evade his strike and fire a back in retaliation.

Viego grunts in annoyance and vanishes into the Black Mist once more. To your surprise, he reappears before you, lifting you up by the throat.

Viego: “Such a peculiar child. Your little band is strange enough, but you… You do not even carry a weapon. Still, you seek to defy me, all the same.”

Vayne: “Put the kid down, creep!”

The Sentinels all rush to your aid, but soon find themselves impeded by a wall of sand rising up around you.

Viego: “Many choose to stand against me and my noble quest. Some do it to ‘save’ this cruel world. Others merely resent me, though their hearts are as dark as my own. So tell me, child: why do you oppose me? Justice? Righteousness? Contempt?”

“…”

“What you’re doing is wrong!”

Viego: “Hmph. A predictable response. No matter. Whatever your reasons, you will serve as an example!”

Viego raises his sword to impale you, but another blade suddenly manifests above your head: an ephemeral weapon that lingers in the air. A pulse of spirit magic frees you from Viego’s grasp and destroys the sand barrier. Viego vanishes into the Mist once more, and in his place stands Shen, grasping the shimmering blade.

Shen: “Stand up. Your role is far from over.”

The other Sentinels quickly reconvene around you as you climb to your feet.

Gwen: “Rookie! Goodness, are you alright?”

“I’m alright, thanks to Shen.”

“Still shaking, but otherwise fine.”

Viego: “You think you are safe? None of you shall escape my grasp!”

Suddenly, you notice several giant crabs erupting the sand around you, their eyes flickering with the ghastly light of Ruination.

Senna: “This isn’t working! Sentinels, I’m calling a tactical retreat! We can’t fight Viego AND the damn beach at the same time! Rookie, get us out of here!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, you raise the Wayfinder and let its light wash over you just as the crabs begin to close in. In an instant, you and your allies vanish, leaving Viego alone with Lillia on the harrowed beach.

Lillia: “Oh dear. They got away, sir…”

Viego takes the flower from her grasp and sniffs it longingly.

Viego: “No matter. I am one step closer to realizing my dream, little fawn. Come, let us resume our search elsewhere.”

Viego turns and walks away into the Black Mist with Lillia behind him, leaving a Ruined Ionia in his wake.

Back as Sentinel headquarters, you breath a sigh of relief to have narrowly escaped the Ruined King.

Senna and Olaf: “DAMN IT!”

Senna: “We almost had him!”

Olaf: “I almost had my glorious death!”

Riven: So that was the Ruined King… I can’t believe he has that much power.”

Vayne: “He didn’t the last time we faced him. Somehow, that monster’s gotten even stronger.”

Gwen: “Goodness, are you alright, Rookie? That was quite fright!”

“Honestly, I’m still shaking a little.”

“Y-yeah, I’m t-totally fine!”

Shen: “Overcoming fear is the first step to attaining inner balance.”

Everyone: “…”

Senna: “Hang on, how do you get here?”

Shen: “The same way you all did, naturally.”

Shen gestures to the Wayfinder.

“Oh, guess he got caught in the light too. My bad.”

“Huh. I, uh, totally meant to bring you back with us too.”

Shen: “I am here because Balance wills it.”

Riven: “Hang on, are you saying that…”

Shen: “I… Was not strong enough to defeat this imbalance on my own. Ionia has been consumed by darkness, but its spirit has not yet been wholly subsumed. I will do all that I must to preserve it, even allying with your order.”

Vayne: “You want to be a Sentinel? I guess we could do worse, though I don’t know if one ninja will make that much of a difference.”

Gwen: “Oh, another new addition to the team! How wonderful! Please, come with me, and we’ll get you fitted right away!”

You all watch as Shen departs with Gwen, emerging moments later with his new Sentinel attire.

Gwen: “Tadaa! I present to you: Sentinel Shen!”

You can’t help but note that her display lacks the same level of enthusiasm as usual, but opt not to comment on it.

Shen: “It is an honor to fight alongside you.”

Lucian: “Right… Well, let’s get you sworn in, I guess.” (But after that, we’re all gonna need to rethink our plan.)

[myaekingheart]

143. Lifelike

read the scarecrow and the bell on ao3

index | from the beginning | < previous | next >

Song: Lifelike by Porter Robinson

For real life references for the house that inspired the one Kakashi and Rei stay in, check out Shofuso Japanese House in Philadelphia, PA. 🌸

[Also quick warning for impending smut at the end of this chapter]

               As the morning sun lazily drifted high overhead, the rattle of the train managed to lull Rei to sleep. Kakashi held her close as she napped against his shoulder, arm wrapped around her waist and a book propped open in his opposite hand. She had been so tired lately, and for good reason. Her body was doing an unimaginable amount of work just existing. The more he read about and tried to understand pregnancy, the more awe-inspired he became at her body’s capabilities—if not also slightly terrified.

               The train barreled around a curve then and a growing excitement lodged in the pit of Kakashi’s chest. He nudged Rei awake just as they entered a long, dark tunnel, instructing her with quiet excitement to look out the window. Sleep-drunk and dazed, she squinted into the darkness and opened her mouth to ask what she was even supposed to be looking at. Before she could finish her sentence, she was promptly interrupted by a wash of light. Thick foliage framed the tranquil view of expansive farmland. Rows upon rows of citrus trees stretched before them and a crystal clear river flowed alongside the tracks. A flock of birds cawed and skated across the sky in perfect unison. The smell of freshly fallen rain hung in the air.

               Shizukana Station itself was not much bigger than Ressha Junction, but the aura of the place was drastically different. There was something so cozy and welcoming about it. The outpost was a sleepy little town, rural and quaint, almost as if frozen in time. Little shops lined the streets. Lanterns fixed outside entryways swayed in the summer breeze. From inside, friendly shopkeepers peered around to wave hello. Rei wondered if they were always this nice or if they merely recognized Kakashi as someone renowned. Either way, she was grateful for their kindness.

               She held Kakashi’s hand tightly as he carried their bags toward their lodging. “It’s not much further, I promise” he assured her with a trademark masked grin. The paths were wet and winding with heavy branches arched overhead. It was a beautifully scenic journey—one that Rei would have enjoyed much more if not for the soreness creeping through her body. Apparently her scuffle on the train had left her far more achy than she had expected.

               Just when Rei started to consider whether she would be too heavy to add to Kakashi’s cargo, he turned toward a small gate hidden within the brush where the dirt path forked off. He nudged the gate open, rusty as it was, and ushered Rei through. She accepted the offer skeptically, uncertainly. In the back of her mind, she envisioned a small inn in disrepair, the type of place with leaky ceilings and an infestation of roaches. Clutching his hand tightly, she forced herself to remember to have faith in him. Kakashi knew what he was doing. The look on his face only further enforced how important that trust was. His excitement was insurmountable.

               The path curved and dipped ahead of them, overgrown with white chrysanthemums and red spider lilies in full bloom. Then the path turned sharply right and there it was: a small house situated on the most beautiful lake Rei had ever seen. Large trees surrounded the building and stone lanterns stood guard along the winding walkways. Off in the distance, a small waterfall bubbled and rushed, where young cranes splashed in the crystalline water. Everything was bright and beaming and beautiful.

               “K-Kakashi…how did you…? I mean, where did you…?” Rei stammered but it was no use. She was completely incapable of forming a solid sentence.

               “I have my ways” Kakashi grinned. Placing a gentle hand on the small of her back, he guided her up inside the house.

               As Kakashi set their luggage down in the bedroom, Rei wandered aimlessly in an attempt to comprehend the full breadth of the place. The kitchen was simple yet spacious, the open dining room furnished with a small, low table right in the center, and the bedroom, despite it’s minimalism, somehow managed to still feel like home. The real appeal of the house, however, was the engawa. It wrapped around the building’s entire perimeter with a perfect view of the lake and surrounding gardens. Rei idled at the edge and laughed in breathy disbelief.

               “Well? What do you think?” Kakashi asked, coming up behind her to admire the view.

               “Kakashi, it’s beautiful” Rei whispered. “I just…I’m speechless.”

               “I told you I knew what I was doing” he grinned, and Rei couldn’t help but laugh.

               “Yeah. Yeah, you did” she said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”

               “Apology accepted” Kakashi smirked. “I was able to rent the whole place out for us until Monday so make yourself comfortable. I might run down to the outpost to pick up some groceries for us, if you want to come with me?”

               “I think I’ll just hang out here, if that’s okay?” Rei asked. “It’s been…kind of a long day already.”

               “Not a problem” Kakashi smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead sweetly. “I know the trip here wasn’t exactly the most relaxing commute.”

               “I’ll say” Rei laughed, massaging the tension out of her neck. “Do you think you could do me a favor while you’re out?”

               “Of course. Anything” Kakashi replied.

               Smiling sheepishly, Rei looked up at her fiancé and requested, “Do you think you could get me some lemonade?”

               Kakashi smiled and pressed another kiss to her forehead. “Lemonade it is, then.”

               Rei’s fingertips trailed along Kakashi’s cheek as he went and a momentary longing took root in the pit of her chest. “Hurry back” she called after him.

               “I’ll do my best” Kakashi assured her.

               As he departed, Rei leaned back on the en and let her bare feet brush against the tall grass. She rested a gentle hand on her stomach and thought of the future as she watched the dark clouds roll in overhead.

               She was unsure how long Kakashi was gone for, but it was long enough. Long enough for her to explore each room of this quaint, cozy house in greater depth. Long enough for her to unpack her things, even if they were only supposed to be there for a few days. And long enough for the ache in her body to escalate and remind her of what she was no longer capable of. She stretched her arms out in front of her, extending across the kitchen island, frowned, smoothed her shirt out over her stomach. A jolt of thunder shattered in the distance. The front door swung open and Kakashi stepped inside.

               “Well, the weather is stupendous” he smiled, his soaked hair flopping into his face. The paper bags in his arms had grown weak with the excess water, Kakashi cradling them close to ensure that they would not break and spill their contents across the floor. Rei rushed to his aide, taking one in each arm and carefully planting them on the counter.

               “You bought so much” she said, surveying his wares.

               “I know” Kakashi replied, “but I wanted to make sure we were well-stocked.” He reached inside one of the bags then and handed her a large glass jug of lemonade, freshly made. Rei’s eyes lit up as she took it from him, popping off the lid and taking a long, desperate swig. “Maybe I should’ve bought more” Kakashi joked, watching her down nearly half the bottle in one sitting.

               Rei wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, sighed in satisfaction. “What? It’s really good” she chuckled sheepishly.

               Kakashi shook his head with a smile, reaching back into the paper bag. “Help me put this away, and then I’m getting out of these wet clothes” he said. Rei gave a single nod as she helped him organize their groceries. He really had bought so much, the volume of it all was almost even dizzying. She counted out sacks of oranges fresh from the grove, strawberries plump and sweet, milk, bread, rice cakes. At the sight of raw meat, especially, Rei felt her stomach curl. Sucking in a sharp breath, she turned her back to the parcel of chicken breasts and strained to place a box of crackers on the highest shelf.

               “Oh, Rei, wait. Here, let me do it” Kakashi quickly rushed to her side, reaching the top shelf with ease. Rei pursed her lips, eyed him quizzically. Was she not capable of doing this on her own? “You shouldn’t strain yourself like that” Kakashi continued. “Don’t they say you shouldn’t lift your arms over your head because it can wrap the umbilical cord around the baby’s neck?”

               Rei paused for a moment, blinking despondently. “Kakashi, I don’t think the baby even has much of a neck yet.”

               “Oh. Well…you can never be too careful?” Kakashi mused, laughing sheepishly. Perhaps all those pregnancy books had started getting to his head. Shaking her head, Rei smiled softly and finished putting away their food.

               Once finished, she watched as Kakashi made his way to the bedroom, slipping his shirt off over his head as he went. The sight of his bare back, the way his pants hugged his hips and rode low enough to reveal the waist of his underwear, stirred something in her. Rei sucked her teeth, dragged her fingertips across the counter’s edge, then followed him into the room.

               Kakashi glanced over his shoulder as he tossed is shirt into the corner, smirking at Rei’s sudden presence. “Oh?” he breathed, almost immediately understanding what she was after.

               “I thought you might need…a hand” she said, idling in the doorway, almost sheepish in her yearning. Desiring sex with Kakashi was nothing new—obviously. But something had changed within her. The way she felt her body evolving, the way she saw herself morphing into something new—something perhaps less desirable. Something unearthly and strange. She exhaled sharply, gaze averted, as she added, “And also…I don’t think changing will be enough.”

               “Is that so?” Kakashi asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He slowly turned to approach her, taking her hands in his and resting them firmly on his hips. His own caressed her shoulders. “So what do you suggest?”

               Rei looked up at him and her chest exploded. Without another word, she swayed out of his touch, skirted into the bathroom, and flicked the tub’s faucet on. Kakashi didn’t even need to verbally approve for her to know that he was accepting of this idea. He stepped out of his pants slowly as he watched her sit on the tub’s edge, eyes wistful as she held her hand under the rushing water to test the temperature. Once everything was settled, she rose to her feet and Kakashi was immediately behind her, chest pressed against her back. He brushed her hair aside and pressed his lips to the nape of her neck, tangled his fingers at the hem of her shirt, slowly undressed her. His hands explored her body as he tossed each article of clothing to the wayside. Something electrified inside his chest at the sight of her then, fully exposed before him. He traced the curve of her shoulder with his lips, pressed his hips against the small of her back. A soft sigh broke past her lips.

               Steam wafted up from the surface of the water as Rei settled in against Kakashi’s chest, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. She could feel the tension already melting out of her muscles, the cramps in her stomach beginning to subside. And her ease was certainly clear to Kakashi, too.

               “This was a good idea” he whispered, cupping water in his hand and gently pouring it across her chest. Rei hummed in agreement, running her hand up and down his thigh.

               “I really needed this” she whispered. “My whole body hurts.”

               Kakashi nodded and chuckled softly. “Today definitely…did not go as planned” he admitted.

               “Not at all” Rei replied. “Not that I had any idea of the plans to begin with.”

               “A train heist definitely wasn’t part of it” Kakashi replied. He reached back to grab the little travel-sized bottle of shampoo from the side of the tub and began lathering her hair, pouring a small amount into his palm and massaging it onto her scalp. “I was really impressed with you today, you know.”

               “Mm, you were?” Rei asked. She leaned forward, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin atop them.

               “I was” Kakashi replied. “You’ve really become so strong and capable. I’ve seen you fight before but…today, you were on another level.”

               “It was the weirdest thing” Rei murmured, creaking her eyes open. “It was just…instinctual. All I saw was red.”

               “We definitely had a close call” Kakashi said, rinsing the excess soap off his hands.  

               “I don’t think I’ve felt such a rush of adrenaline since my last ANBU mission” Rei laughed softly. There was a sort of childish excitement building in the pit of her chest at the thought of it. She had felt so foreign to herself in the past few weeks but for once, she finally found a spark of who she once was. A bright and brilliant little spark, promising that deep down maybe she was not as hopeless and lost as she thought she was. That she was still a fierce and capable captain of the ANBU black ops.

               Kakashi chuckled softly, scooping another palmful of water into his hands so as to rinse her hair. “Of course, that’s the last time you’ll be able to do something like that” he commented. Rei’s head was immediately drenched in a rush of water. She squeezed her eyes shut tight as soap suds slid down her face. “I’m just glad it wasn’t worse, or else who knows what could’ve happened.”

               Spluttering into her hands, Rei splashed the soap off her face and sucked in a sharp breath. She opened her mouth to argue but no sound came out. Deep down, she knew ninja duties were dangerous. She knew enemies were unpredictable. She knew she was taking a risk every time she stepped out of line. Leaning back against Kakashi’s chest, Rei heaved a sigh, brushed her hair back out of her face, and replied quietly, “Yeah. You’re right.”

               They fell asleep early that night without even eating dinner. Their bath had eased the tension out of their bodies but in its place, all they were left with was a heavy, unavoidable exhaustion. Rei could barely keep her eyes open as she stepped into a pair of underwear and crawled into bed. That night, she did not dream.

               The following morning, Kakashi awoke unexpectedly early. For a moment, he was almost angry with himself—he was on vacation, after all. Shouldn’t he be granted the luxury of sleeping in? Sighing, he rolled over and smiled softly at his fiancée fast asleep. He could hardly fight the smile on his face. The blankets tangled around her legs and her hands were clasped loosely by her jaw, almost as if in prayer. Her hair, like a flame, spread across her pillow in a matted mess. Topless, her bare breasts seemed rounder and fuller than ever. Her lips were parted slightly and her skin was dewy with a light sheen of sweat. The way the morning light hit her at this angle, the way it illuminated her hair like a raging flame, made Kakashi’s heart soar. He laid there paralyzed for a moment before he slowly reached out to caress her cheek. She shifted only slightly in her sleep—Kakashi almost hated to wake her. Instead, he slipped out of bed quietly and turned to the kitchen to begin making breakfast.  

               The cold tile against his bare feet provided a relieving contrast to the heavy humidity. The sky was bright and clear and the smell of fresh rain lingered in the air. The cranes bellowed a morning call from across the lake. Kakashi opened all the windows and doors and set to work.

               Once he had attractively plated their food, he slipped back into the bedroom and leaned across the bed toward his fiancée. “Rei?” he whispered, brushing the hair out of her face and nudging her shoulder gently. She groaned, furrowing her brows, before creaking her eyes open slowly. “Good morning, sleepyhead” Kakashi chuckled. “Come on, it’s time to get up.”

               “Five more minutes” Rei moaned, swatting at his face. The smell of breakfast wafted in from the kitchen, however, and she knew she could not avoid him any longer. After all, she shouldn’t let his hard work grow cold. With a sigh, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and forced herself upright, slowly so as to avoid encouraging her morning sickness.

               A satisfied smile touched Kakashi’s lips as he turned toward the dresser, propping her drawer open and rooting around for clothes. “What shirt do you want to wear today?” he asked over his shoulder.

               “I don’t care” Rei swatted dismissively. “You pick for me.” She swung her legs around the edge of the bed, brushed her hair sloppily out of her face. As she tried to focus her vision, however, she caught a glimpse of her reflection out of the corner of her eye and her heart leapt into her throat. Approaching the full-length mirror, she turned to the side and surveyed her stomach. Her finger traced the curve of her lower abdomen, the bloating at her hips.

               As Kakashi turned back around, hugging her clothes to his chest, he caught sight of her like this and his cheeks blushed red. “What do we have here?” he asked, suppressing a smile as he approached. He pressed a hand to Rei’s stomach, caressing it tenderly. “You’re starting to get a bump” he smiled.

               “Apparently” Rei replied, dropping her gaze. She took the shirt form him, tugging it over her head as if to quickly hide the fact that she was expanding.

               “Here, wait one second” Kakashi then said. He turned to his nightstand, fished around the drawer, and produced a camera.

               “What the hell is that?” Rei laughed.

               “Well, it’s not every day that we’re on vacation and I figured it would be a good idea to capture some memories” Kakashi replied, checking the film in the cartridge. Rei recognized it as the same prop he used during his forays as Sukea, the freelance journalist. Kakashi was not typically one for photographs otherwise but he couldn’t help but pack it this time. To capture every subtle, special moment of their time here. Memories faded so fast, and their life was moving just as quickly. “Turn to the side” Kakashi instructed, readying his camera.

               Rei cocked a brow, did as she was told. “Like this?” she asked. She rolled the hem of her shirt up, rested a hand at the base of her small bump. Uncertain, she peered down at her stomach, at her exposed body. The camera snapped.

               “Perfect” Kakashi smiled. His eyes illuminated with excitement. He set his camera down, knelt down in front of Rei to cup her belly in his hands. “I’ll take one every week” he chuckled. “I want to watch you two grow.” Overwhelmed, he pressed his lips firmly to her stomach, just below her navel. Rei’s face burned bright red.

               “You really are so fucking sappy. You know that, Kakashi?” she laughed nervously. She ran her fingers through his hair, grimaced down at the apparent expansion of her waistline. It was truly beginning to feel all too real now.

               “Are you hungry?” Kakashi then asked, looking up at her. His eyes seemed so big and innocent from this angle. “I made us breakfast.” Rei found herself nodding, almost automatically.

               Breakfast was sprawled across the table, anxiously awaiting their arrival. Kakashi had really outdone himself. Oozy cheese omelets, fresh fruit, warm toast dripping with honey. He had even stepped outside to gather a small handful of flowers from the garden for extra appeal.

               Rei shook her head and laughed as Kakashi pulled her seat out for her. “You’re way too good to me” she murmured. “Why are you always so good to me?”

               “Why shouldn’t I be?” Kakashi asked, taking his place across from her. He picked up his chopsticks and began eating. “For all intents and purposes, you’re my wife, and you’re pregnant with my child. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t take care of you.”

               Rei chuckled incredulously and poked the tip of her chopstick into her egg. A thick flow of bright yellow cheese oozed out onto her plate. A gag caught in the back of her throat, dropping her gaze as she turned her plate so that the eggs were further away from her than anything else.

               “Are you okay?” Kakashi asked, sensing her unease. “Is there something wrong with the food?”

               Rei sucked in a sharp breath and shook her head. “No, it’s fine, really. I just…always feel sicker in the mornings and the, uh…the cheese kind of turned me off.” Even saying the word cheese sent a nauseating shiver down her spine. Her throat constricted and she balled her fist up in an attempt to keep her hand from trembling.

               “Oh…” Kakashi said softly. “I can make you another one if you want. Just a plain egg.”

               Rei shook her head, eyes apologetic. She envisioned the deafening crack of the shell, the egg white pooling into the frying pan, and her stomach flipped.  “Don’t worry about it” she croaked. “I don’t want you to go the extra work. I’m…not that hungry to begin with.”

               Kakashi eyed her quizzically, taking another slow bite of his own food. It almost felt wrong to eat in front of her now. He pursed his lips, tried not to overthink it. If she felt sick, then she felt sick. There was nothing he could do about it. He glanced out at the beautiful landscape, watching the ripples pulse across the lake as the koi swam this way and that. “So what do you want to today?” he finally asked.

               “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” Rei rebuked. She could tell he was disappointed in her, concerned, and it broke her heart. She didn’t want him to worry. She just…needed time. Time to adjust, to figure out her body, to learn how to coexist with this little creature inside of her. She pressed a hand to her stomach, glanced downward.

               A soft smile flickered across Kakashi’s face and relief swept over Rei’s body. “Whatever you want to do” he replied. “After all, this is your trip. The whole point of coming here was to do whatever you wanted to do to relax.”

               Rei felt the tension in her chest expand now into something new, something cool and bright and rushing. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she restrained laughter and replied simply, “Nothing. I want to do absolutely nothing.”

               Apparently pleased with her answer, Kakashi reached across the table and took her hand in his, beaming. “Then absolutely nothing it is.”

               Throughout the rest of the morning, Kakashi and Rei relaxed on the en with their respective books, took a slow stroll through the garden together, and fed the koi. By mid-afternoon, however, the heat had reached sweltering degrees. Not even the shade provided sufficient relief.

               “Kakashi, I think I’m melting” Rei whined, sprawling out across his lap on the porch. Her bangs stuck to her face and she was drenched in sweat. She had already been feeling hotter than normal, early pregnancy bringing with it the occasional hot flash, but this was in an entirely new league.

               “I have an idea” Kakashi suddenly said, peering down at his fiancée. “Why don’t we go for a swim?”

               Rei cocked her brow. “I mean…are we allowed?”

               “I don’t see why not” Kakashi laughed. “Besides, I think it might be the perfect idea to beat this heat.” He extended a hand to help her up then and together they retreated back inside to change.

               While Kakashi was in the bathroom, Rei undressed slowly, methodically, then paused to stare down at the bikini laid out on the bed., It had been so long since she last wore a bathing suit, the prospect of it now seemed all too daunting. She gingerly lifted the bottoms up by the side string and frowned. She envisioned a giant elephant, waist and chest squeezed into an outfit all too tight. A mass of wrinkled fat, of hulking weight, of love handles and back fat and ass cheeks dimpled with cellulite. A shiver ran down her spine as she clenched her fist around the fabric.

               After an uncomfortably long moment of deliberation, Rei pursed her lips and tugged the bottoms up around her waist definitively. She idled there for a moment, focusing on the tightness in her stomach and the wedgie forming between her ass cheeks. She pinched at the fat of her inner thighs, hand swiftly skating down through the gap between her legs. A shiver raced down her spine. She huffed her bangs out of her face, tied the top around her chest. The feeling of being so exposed sent her stomach hurtling, as if even the baby disapproved of her showing so much skin. How vulgar! After all, she was a mother now, or at least a mother-to-be. She was supposed to appear so virginal and pure, despite the direct contrast of the expectation. She turned in front of the mirror, scrutinizing every inch of herself. Her thighs were too fat and dimpled, her boobs so big that they weighed down her top, and her arms looked disproportionate and strange. And standing before herself now, outfitted the way she was, her pregnancy seemed unmistakable. She pouted as she turned to the side, studied the way her lower stomach curved outward. She pressed her palm right below her navel and sucked in a sharp, unsteady breath.

               The bathroom door creaked open then and out stepped Kakashi in his swim trunks. Rei idled on his toned chest, his unmasked face, the curvature of his strong, safe arms. He tossed his clothes onto the bed and beamed at her. “Are you ready?” he asked.

               Rei frowned and shook her head. “I just don’t know if I feel confident enough wearing a bathing suit out like this, Kakashi” she admitted. “I don’t know, maybe this was a bad idea.”

               “Why?” Kakashi asked, approaching her. “Rei, you have nothing to be self-conscious about.”

               “I don’t know, I just…it’s been so long, and I’m not the size I used to be” Rei explained. “I just don’t know if I feel very comfortable being seen like this.”

               Kakashi furrowed his brows, cupped Rei’s cheek in his hand. “The only one who’s looking at you is me” he said. “And you know what I see? My strong, beautiful, confident wife.” She loved when he used that word—even if they weren’t formally married yet, the thought of being Kakashi’s wife never failed to send a shiver of anticipation through her veins. A soft smile tugged at his lips then as he began to toy with the string on the side of her bottoms, his other hand caressing her side. “But if it really bothers you that much” he continued, voice low and sultry now, “Maybe we just shouldn’t wear anything at all.”

               “K-Kakashi!” Rei gasped, suppressing laughter. She lightly swatted his hand away, face bright red, and pressed her forehead to his chest. The idea of skinny-dipping was out of the question. Not here. Not now. If she wasn’t confident enough to be seen in a bathing suit, there was no way she would be confident enough to step out of this house wearing nothing at all. Kakashi chuckled and kissed the top of her head, knowing full well that the best way to make a bad situation better was to emphasize how it could be worse. Shaking her head, Rei leaned back and muttered, “I guess the bathing suit won’t be so bad after all.”

               For the rest of the afternoon, Rei and Kakashi waded through the lake together splashing and laughing and reveling in the beauty of this magical place. Kakashi would duck down low enough so that only his eyes and upward were visible above the surface, slink up behind her, and wrap his arms around her like a sea monster. The uproarious laughter, the shock on her face every time, swelled his heart. He didn’t think it was possible to fall even more deeply in love with her, but apparently it was.

               “So, do you think they’re suffering back home without us?” Rei joked, making her way towards the shallow banks of the lake. The afternoon sun bathed everything in shades of gold.

               “I’m sure the village is just falling apart” Kakashi snarked. He floated on his back and looked up at the sky, chuckling softly.

               “I wonder if Sekkachi is alright” Rei continued. “I feel kind of bad just dropping Toshio on her like we did.”

               “I’m sure she’ll be fine” Kakashi assured her. “She’s an adult, she can handle it. And if all else fails, she can ask the Inuzukas for help.”

               Rei laughed incredulously, shaking her head. “Sekkachi, asking for help? That’s hilarious.” She crawled back up onto the bank of the lake, using her feet as leverage against the steep dip of the mucky floor. A rush of water splashed around her as she hoisted herself onto the grass.

               “Stranger things have happened” Kakashi joked. “But let’s not think about that now. I’m sure everything is fine. Let’s just enjoy our time here while we can, alright?”

               Rei rolled her eyes playfully, but deep down she knew Kakashi had a point. “How did you even find this place, anyway?” she asked.

               A wistfulness overtook Kakashi’s face then as he closed his eyes and hummed. “My father told me about it” he replied. Rei arched a brow. It felt so rare for Kakashi to mention Sakumo—he was such a tragic part of her fiancé’s life. But she supposed it made sense. Fatherhood had been at the forefront of Kakashi’s mind these past few weeks, so it was only fair for him to be nostalgic. Chuckling softly, Kakashi continued, “He used to tell me stories about how he and my mother would come to this beautiful house on a lake together where everything was quiet and calm. They brought me here the summer before my mother died. It felt like one big dream. I was too young to remember much, but I do remember how happy I was then. And I’m happy here now.”

               Rei smiled softly across the lake at him. He looked so tranquil just floating there, almost as if he was contributing to the beauty of the space. “Is that why you wanted to bring me here? To your happy place?” she asked.

               “In a way” Kakashi replied. “I like the thought of us continuing that tradition—of us bringing our family here someday.”

               In one fluid motion, Rei spread her towel out across the grass and sank down. “I like that thought” she smiled. She plopped down cross-legged, leaned back. The air was cooler now, lighter. She took a long swig of her lemonade and rested a hand on her stomach. “So what do you think they’ll be like?” she then asked. “The baby, I mean.”

               “Probably as rambunctious as you were” Kakashi joked, finally shifting upright. Rei rolled her eyes, as if begging him to take her question seriously. Laughing, Kakashi waded toward the shore and continued, “I think they’ll be smart and beautiful just like their mother. Definitely my nose.”

               “Not that anyone will be able to tell” Rei laughed.

               “They’ll have your hair and my eyes. Hopefully not your temper—”

               “Hey!” Offended, Rei leaned down and splashed at Kakashi’s face. He couldn’t restrain his infectious laughter. “What about gender? Boy or girl?”

               “Not sure. What do you think?” Kakashi asked. As he approached the edge of the lake, he crossed his arms on the rocky edge, stones stacked to create a barrier around the lake’s perimeter, and rested his chin down casually.

               “I think…we’ll have a girl” Rei replied, rubbing her stomach. A wistfulness overtook her as she formulated her prediction. “If we’re lucky, she’ll have your nose. I think she’ll have your silver hair, too, and probably your eyes.”

               Kakashi scoffed. “You’re making her out to look nothing like you!”

               “As would be ideal!” Rei exclaimed with a laugh. “I don’t think I have any qualities that would be worth passing on to the next generation.”

               “I beg to differ entirely” Kakashi countered.

               “Well, then I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree then, won’t we?” Rei snarked with a mocking smile.

               “Not if that baby comes out looking exactly like you” Kakashi joked back. The emotion in his gaze shifted then, the light in eyes softening. He reached out to press his hand against Rei’s stomach as he asked, “What about a name? Have you thought of anything yet?”

               Rei restrained a grin as she nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve already made my pick.”

               “Oh?” Kakashi cocked a brow, genuinely amused. “And what might that be?”

               Dropping her gaze, Rei shifted her hand to lay atop Kakashi’s and smiled tenderly, longingly, lovingly. “Kino” she replied.

               “Kino…” Kakashi repeated, turning the name over in his mouth.

               “Mhmm” Rei nodded. “It means ‘wandering soul.’ I think our child is going to be adventurous. A free spirit. I think she’s going to go where the wind takes her and do what she thinks is right, not what other people tell her is right. Something she’ll learn from her father.”

               Kakashi’s own tender smile spread across his face now. His fingers grazed the soft skin of Rei’s stomach and he felt the name take root in the pit of his chest. “Kino…” he repeated. “I like that name. I think it fits her. So long as that is a her in there.” He laughed, and it seemed to echo across the lake like a song. “How can you be so sure?”

               Rei smiled and shook her head. “Just a mother’s intuition, I guess” she replied.

               “Well, I suppose I can’t argue with that, can I?” Kakashi laughed. He locked eyes with her and Rei’s heart soared. In his gaze, she saw an overwhelming love, so fierce and unhindered. But now there was something else there, too. Something new and sweet and especially tender. An unconditional love for the child that they were bringing into the world. The love of a father for his child.

               Rei hadn’t quite expected Kakashi to take so naturally and easily to the prospect of fatherhood. After everything he had been through, all the struggle he faced, she feared he would be hesitant and perhaps even dismissive of the idea. But before her now, his palm pressed to her abdomen, firm and unyielding, she understood fully that there was nothing Kakashi was destined for more than to be a father. While unexpected, she was truly grateful for this side of him. She almost hated to admit that she was falling even more deeply in love with him for it—hated solely because the thought of loving him under capacity felt wrong and heartbreaking. But time and time again, he had proved that that capacity was ever-expanding and that her love for him was infinite.

               When the sun began to slowly sink behind the tree line and the summer gnats made their debut, Rei and Kakashi gathered their things and retreated back inside. Skin tender from the sun, Rei slipped out of her wet bathing suit and climbed into the shower for a quick rinse. As she washed the muck of the lake off her skin, she thought of their child and the future growing inside of her. Of instinct and intuition and what it meant to be a mother.

               Kakashi was standing over the kitchen counter when Rei emerged, dressed in fresh clothes with wet hair draped over her shoulder. “What are you doing?” she asked, though the answer was obvious.

               Smiling, Kakashi turned so as to reveal the raw food sprawled neatly across the counter. “I figured I might as well start cooking dinner now before it gets too late” he explained. The mere sight of it all planted something heavy and manic in the center of Rei’s chest. Kakashi took such good care of her. The scale in her mind tipped imbalanced. Her heart raced out of her chest.  

               In an instant, Rei was by his side with a sudden look of determination on her face. “Nope, you’ve done enough!” she exclaimed and spun him around by his shoulders.

               “R-Rei, wait a second, what are you—” Kakashi stammered as she guided him into the living room.

               She sat him down on the couch and slapped his copy of Icha Icha into his hands. “You stay there until I come back for you” she insisted. “Tonight, I’m the one treating you.” She turned on her heels and disappeared into the kitchen before he even had a chance to protest.

               At first, he was uncomfortable with the prospect. He knew what Rei was like in the kitchen. Try as she might, cooking was never her forte. She always became quickly overwhelmed and panicked trying to manage multiple dishes or ensure that she did not undercook the meat or overcook the vegetables. He sat there tense and unsure for a long moment, listening intently for signs of distress. One gasp, one single shriek or curse word, and he would fly to her aide.

               When ten minutes passed in silence, he should have been relieved. Instead, he was just suspicious. He set his book down on the couch and crept toward the kitchen as quietly as he could manage, his curiosity getting the better of him.

               Noodles boiled in a large pot on the stove. Rei stood dutifully over a large skillet, keeping a close eye on the meat and vegetables. A tall glass of ice cold lemonade sat sweating on the counter within her reach. A soft smile touched Kakashi’s lips at the sight of her, so domestic and unusually calm. For a moment, he envisioned her five years into the future cooking for their little family. He would come home from work, sore and exhausted, to the smell of good food and the sounds of happy children eager to tell him all about their day. The ideal life. Kakashi turned back to the couch and allowed Rei to finish her work.

               The thing that Rei did not anticipate about cooking, unfortunately, was the effect that raw food would have on her delicate senses. The vegetables were fine, they caused her no issue. It was the meat that was the problem. The moment she ripped open that parcel of raw chicken, her finger poking at that wad of fleshy and slimy and wet, her stomach flipped. The smell of it was otherworldly—so much so that she wondered if it was even still good. For a moment, she considered stealing one of Kakashi’s masks in order to soften the blow, but that would arouse suspicion. She could not afford for Kakashi to think that she was struggling. She needed to prove that she could do this on her own, to take charge in a domestic sphere and be nurturing and maternal and capable. To care for him; a repayment. She would just have to power through.

               By the time Rei finished, the sky had turned violently orange and the sound of crickets chirped in the grass. She plated everything nicely, lit candles for ambiance, rearranged the morning’s spider lilies in their vase. After all, presentation was important.

               When she poked her head into the living room, Kakashi was deeply invested in not Icha Icha but in the same pregnancy manual he had been reading on the train. Rei lingered on the view of him for just a moment before clearing her throat. “I’d hate to interrupt your homework, but dinner’s on the table” she replied. She shoved her anxiety deep behind a soft smile.

               She’s starting to sound like a mom already, Kakashi joked in the back of his mind. Setting his book aside, he approached her with a kiss on the forehead. “It smells great” he replied.

               “I just hope it tastes alright” Rei said, “or else I won’t be the only one sick tomorrow morning.”

               Kakashi rolled his eyes playfully and pulled Rei into the dining room, his touch a silent reassurance. He understood the immense effort required of her to do something like this. How could he not be appreciative of her hard work? What’s more, while she was not a flawless cook, Kakashi could see a marked improvement in her skill and for that, he was proud. She was doing her best and that was all that anyone could ever ask of her.

               “You really didn’t have to do this, you know” he said from across the table, taking a bite of his vegetables.

               “I know, but I wanted to” Rei replied. She cracked a smile, but there was something tense and unnerving about it. Without even looking down, she moved her food idly, almost absently, around her plate. As if she didn’t even realize she was doing it, or as if it was a carefully orchestrated ruse to appear normal. “It’s really the least I could do after, you know…all this.” She motioned vaguely around the room, to the house.

               Kakashi gave a single nod in understanding. And while he was no doubt grateful for her desire to do something special for him, he really didn’t want her to feel obligated to go to the extra effort. Besides, this trip was supposed to be about providing her relief, wasn’t it? A vacation from any and all responsibility? She was not required to do anything extra, nor did he expect any form of repayment. This was all for her.

               His eyes then skated down to her plate, food barely touched. Kakashi grimaced. “Do you not like it?” he asked.

               “Oh, uh, no, it’s not…it’s not that” Rei stammered, shaking her head. “I’m just…not feeling that great. I guess I kind of lost my appetite when I was cooking. Raw meat and all that.” Here, she made a disgusted face as she slid her chicken across her plate.

               “You seem to be losing your appetite a lot lately” Kakashi replied.

               Rei laughed anxiously, soft and unsure. “Blame the pregnancy” she muttered.

               Kakashi knew that Rei’s morning sickness was overbearing, and that food aversions were a common symptom of early pregnancy, as well. Raw meat, and meat in general, seemed to be a frequent contender so this should have come as no surprise to him. Still, his concern for her appetite could not be ignored. “You should really eat something, though” Kakashi then said. “I’m beginning to worry about you.”

               A strange, strangled laugh rose up from Rei’s throat then. “Kakashi, I’m fine. Really. I promise” she assured him. Her hand skated across the table, lacing her fingers with his.  “I don’t want you to worry about me, okay? I’m fine. I just…I’m trying to get used to all of these side effects.”

               Kakashi sighed, squeezing her hand in his. “I will never stop worrying about you, Rei” he replied. “After all, it’s my job to take care of you, remember?”

               “I know” Rei whispered. “I just…need you to trust me. I need you to just give me some time to figure this out and…adjust.” Kakashi nodded in understanding, though deep down something in him still felt unresolved.

               The look in his eyes, the bitter acceptance of her statement, lodged an expanding regret in the pit of her chest. It pressed against her ribs like an overextended balloon full to bursting. Was it really so hard to just fucking eat? Kakashi dropped his gaze, shoved his vegetables around his own plate. “Are the noodles okay, at least?” he asked. He hoped that their bland comfort would be palatable enough for her.

               “Oh, yeah! Yeah, the noodles are fine!” Rei assured. As if to prove her point, she shoved a large wad in her mouth and pasted a wide, performative grin on her face. Kakashi blinked despondently. Most of the noodles fell out of her mouth and back into her bowl with a splatter. She sucked up what was left, chewed, and swallowed hard. The volume of her bite, however, stuck in her throat. She washed it all down with a desperate swig of lemonade, the cool rush of it easing the tightness in her throat. It’s like I don’t even remember how to eat, she thought to herself. A shiver of knowing coursed through her body. She quickly shoved those sentiments straight out of her mind.

               Kakashi watched in curious, bittersweet amusement, brow cocked and lips tugged into a smirk.  “Rei…” he sighed, suppressing a pathetic laugh. “What am I going to do with you?”

               Sighing, Rei emptied her glass, pushed her food out of the way, brushed her hair back out of her face. She was absolutely pathetic. “I don’t know, she murmured, averting her gaze. “What are you going to do with me?” She wrapped her arms around her stomach, as if to guard herself, protected.

               All too soon, Kakashi knew exactly what needed to be done. He slowly rose from his seat and for a moment, Rei feared he intended to abandon her. To perhaps retreat to the outpost for a night of stress relief and distance. Surely he was getting sick of her anxiety. Instead, he knelt down in front of her and turned her to face him, cupping her cheek in his hand. “Rei, you have nothing you need to prove to me” he told her.

               Unexpectedly, a small whimper broke past Rei’s lips. “K-Kakashi…” she whispered. He planted his hands on her hips, firm and unyielding. Leaning forward, his lips brushed against her cheek, settled near her ear.

               “There’s nothing more you need to do” he whispered. “Just let it all go. Fall into me, Rei. You have nothing worry about.”

               “It’s not fair, though” Rei whispered, voice hoarse and strained. Her hands began to tremble, the world around her spinning. “You do so much…you do so much for me. I should be doing the same for you, I should—”

               “Shh” Kakashi interrupted, pressing a finger to her lips. “Don’t argue with me, Rei.” A shiver raced down her spine as Kakashi lifted her shirt up just enough to expose her midriff. His fingers trailed along her hipbone, toyed with the waist of her shorts. “Mmm, you’re so beautiful…”

               “K-Kakashi, please…” Rei whimpered. She dropped her gaze to the floor and hid her face behind her hand. “You’re too much.”

               “Don’t hide your face” he insisted, gently moving her hand away. “There’s no reason to hide.”

               “Yes, there is” Rei protested. She met his gaze for only a moment, but in that single moment Kakashi knew all he needed to know about where she was speaking from.

               “Rei” he breathed, her name like a smoker’s intoxicated exhale. Kakashi drew her into his lap, hand roving over her ass. He pressed his forehead to hers, forced her to look him in the eyes. “Rei, your body is a temple” he whispered, “and I want to worship every stunning inch of it.”

               A sob caught in Rei’s throat as the weight of her insecurities pressed against her rib cage, her stomach, her throat. “Kakashi, I can’t…I’m not…” she stammered, her body electrifying. Truly, what did she ever do to deserve a man like him?

               Softly, gently, Kakashi laid her on the floor and situated himself between her legs. Looming over her now, she felt a warmth spread out from the center of her sternum, reaching toward the most private spaces of her body. “Just let me take care of you” he rasped. Rei closed her eyes, swallowing back a sob. She pressed a hand to his chest, clenched her opposite fist at her side. “Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it. Anything you want.”

               Sucking in a sharp breath then, Rei finally opened her eyes. Her gaze had grown glossy, fragile. “Kakashi, I want…” she whispered, mustering the strength to even admit it. She clutched his shirt, took another shaky breath. “I want you to remind me that I’m beautiful. That…that I’m still me. Please…just…make me feel whole again.”

               Her request struck Kakashi with a sense of unexpected heartbreak. He gazed down upon her now with a bittersweet sadness, an empathy. When she did grow to hate herself so much? When did she lose sight of her confidence? His heart skipped a beat, and he swore she could feel it. He leaned down slowly on top of her then, held her face in his hands, stared at her with a growing determination. “Rei…I will count every single reason why I love you, even if the list reaches the sky, just to prove to you how much you matter to me” he promised. Thumb pressed to her cheekbone, he wiped away a single stray tear and then got to work.

               One. Fingers tangled in her hair, like flames, brushing the long bangs back out of her face. “You’re so determined” he whispered, gently working through the loose knots. “You always know exactly what you want and you go for it. No matter the odds.”

               Two. Kakashi leaned down to press his forehead against hers, closing his eyes for a moment as he absorbed the presence of her. “You’re smart. You’re so damn smart.”

               “That doesn’t sound right” Rei interrupted, shaking her head. “Kakashi, I’m stupid, I don’t think I can—”

               “Shh, don’t interrupt me” Kakashi said, pressing a finger yet again to her lips. He furrowed his brows in displeasure, as if she had derailed his train of thought. “You’re smarter than you think you are” he continued. “You’re quick”—here, his lips trailed to her temple— “and clever”—down to her cheekbone— “and just so fucking intelligent.” Rei closed her eyes and hummed softly, a hint of disbelief still lingering in her tone.

               Three. Kakashi’s lips migrated to her eyelids, her lashes fluttering beneath his touch. “You see things, Rei. You see underneath the underneath.” He chuckled softly, venturing down now to…

               Four. A simple kiss on the nose. “You’re empathetic and so kind. You’re always thinking about everyone else.” Rei slowly opened her eyes, staring up at him now with a sleepy longing. The tension in her body slowly began to melt away. Kakashi’s eyes darted down to her lips, readied himself for…

               Five. “But right now…” he whispered, finger trailing along her jawline, “I want you to put yourself first. You deserve to be selfish, Rei. You deserve to be happy with yourself and love yourself the way that I love you.” He pressed his lips to hers, his tongue mingling with her own, breathless. His hips swerved against hers, his hardening erection grazing her inner thigh. A tingling excitement burst from inside her stomach, hungry.

               “You deserve…to be kind to yourself…” Kakashi gasped, intermittently breaking their kiss. His lips traced the outline of her rounded jaw, kisses growing sloppier by the second. He gently tugged her head back by her hair, further exposing her neck so he could kiss down to her collarbone. When the neck of her shirt interfered, however, he frustratingly took hold of the hem and tugged it up over her head, tossing it to the wayside. A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked down at her, studying her exposed upper body beneath him. His dick twitched in anticipation within his pants.

               A single finger trailed down her sternum as he loomed over her, eyeing her chest. He cupped her breast in his opposite hand then, his thumb tracing circles around her nipple. Rei gasped, biting her lip and arching her back, as the pleasure shot down her spine. Satisfied with her response, Kakashi tore his shirt up over his head, leaned down, and pressed his lips to her breast. His tongue flicked out across her hardening nipple as he sucked and massaged, his other hand gliding down past the waist of her pants. Her panties were already wet with anticipation, which only furthered his own hungry arousal. He teased her through the thin fabric, working his fingers against her guarded clit. Rei’s thighs tightened around his waist as she moaned softly, gripping his hair.

               “Rei…” he groaned, lips still pressed against her skin, “You have no idea…how beautiful you are. Everything about you…is a fucking masterpiece.” He gently took her forearm then, guiding her hand down to attend to his dick through his pants. She massaged his length through his fabric, her hips arching upward to press against his in anticipation. “The curves of your body…” he continued, hands gliding down her sides, “the slope of your nose, and your full lips, and warm smile. Fuck.” He felt himself beginning to lose his cool the more she worked him, the more his body ached to feel her touch, skin to skin. Sensing this, she slid her hand up to undo his pants, slid them down his thighs slowly.

               “Keep going…” Rei whispered, her voice low and smooth. “What else?” She took hold of his shaft, guiding him closer so as to rub the cool, slick fabric of her shorts against his exposed cock. A shiver ran down Kakashi’s spine, digging his nails into her hips.

               “I love the way you look at me” he murmured, rolling his neck as he tried to remain composed. “And the way you listen. And your voice…hnng, your voice i-is like home to me.” A slow stream of precum spilled over Rei’s fingers, thin and warm. Her opening pulsed with the weight of her yearning. Kakashi dragged his nails down her sides, hooked his fingers into the waist of her pants, exhaled sharply. “I love your freckled shoulders, and the curve of your breasts, and the way your arms always have a place for me” he continued, finally tugging her shorts down. He jutted his hips forward, his tip grazing her opening, and something feral unleashed inside of him. Rei bit her lower lip as she cemented the firmness of her grasp, slid his shaft between her folds to further entice him. A small whimper choked past her lips at her own arousal. Taking hold of her wrist, Kakashi forced her hand away from his dick so as to guide himself inside of her on his own. He could no longer take the suspense. He jammed all the way inside of her and something warm and wonderful came over his entire body.

               “Augh, K-Kakashi…” Rei groaned, back arching and head rolling back. The look on her face, the way her abdomen flexed and her thighs opened wider for him, drove him insane. “K-Keep going…” she demanded.

               Kakashi loomed over her, one hand by her head and the other steadying her hips as he pounded into her harder and faster. He gritted his teeth, grunted with the exertion of his thrusts, so overwhelmed with a desperation matched only by the end of their temporary breakup so many months ago. “Rei, f-fuck…” he groaned, bowing his head as he pushed himself further. “Your hands…I love your long, n-nimble fingers and…and your touch…so gentle…” he continued, voice in hoarse fragments. With a sharp exhale, he forced himself to slow down, to savor the moment so that he would not finish too early. Rei reached up to caress his jawline, but instead he turned his head so as to kiss her fingertips, tasting what was left of his own eager precum. He licked his lips, removed his hand from her waist so as to take hold of hers. Kakashi migrated her hand downward then, between her legs, moving her fingers for her across her clit so as to encourage her to pleasure herself in the process. He wanted to see her own self-inflicted pleasure, to watch her writhe and moan at her own touch. He wanted to see her love herself the same way he loved her.

               While hesitant at first, the heightened pleasure her touch brought was too great to ignore. A sharp, quick smile flashed on Kakashi’s lips as he watched Rei’s fingers dance around her clit, slow and rhythmic at first before growing increasingly more frantic in her hunger.

               “That’s my girl” Kakashi whispered. He hooked his arms behind her knees then, spreading her even wider for him so he could more easily hit that spot that made her wild. Digging his nails into her thighs, he pumped once, twice, three times deep inside of her. The tip of his cock grazed that sensitive region inside of her and Rei immediately arched her back.

               “Aah, K-Kakashi…god…” she released in a throaty moan. A hot ache bloomed across her lower back with each thrust. She pressed her fingers deeper against her clit, which only increased the pleasure further.

               “Good girl…” Kakashi groaned, reveling in the response of her body. “C-come on, baby…just a little bit further…unh, you feel s-so…aah, so good…”

               “G-god, fuck Kakashi…” The coil in the pit of Rei’s chest tightened, her body electrifying. Her muscles began to spasm and ignite around Kakashi’s relentless dick. She stretched her legs out in his grasp, clenched her spare hand into a fist by her head, ravaged her clit as she neared her climax.

               “God, Rei, y-you’re…augh, so fucking perfect” Kakashi said through gritted teeth. He, too, was nearing his limit. As Rei attempted to stretch her legs out straight, Kakashi pushed her knee toward her shoulder, his nails digging deeper into her skin. She released a throaty, shaken yelp as her back arched and she slammed her fist against the ground. Her eyes squeezed tight and her muscles squeezed even tighter, her breath rapid and desperate. Kakashi couldn’t take it any longer. With one last, hard thrust, his dick pulsed inside of her and filled her with his cum.

               She sucked in a deep, tired breath as her body crumpled flat on the floor, feeling the hot mess spilling out of her. Kakashi slid out slowly, almost disappointed that he could not remain inside of her longer but he was already growing soft and his body ached and a sleepy daze began to descend upon him. “God, you’re so fucking perfect” he whispered breathlessly, leaning down to plant a sloppy, lovestruck kiss on her lips. He felt her lips upturn into a sleepy smile as he did so and his heart soared.

               “Thank you for this…Kakashi” she whispered breathlessly, caressing his cheek with a lazy hand. “I really needed this. All of this.”

               Kakashi smiled, forcing himself upright. His strong arms scooped her up then, spun to carry her back to bed. He didn’t even care about the leftovers on the table, or their clothes strewn across the floor. That was a problem for his future self. Right now, all that was important was her. “I told you I knew what I was doing” he laughed, maneuvering through the bedroom door.

               “I know” Rei whispered, planting grateful little kisses on his cheek, along his jaw, down his neck. “I should have trusted you more.”

               “It’s okay” he said, resting her gently down upon the bed. “I understand why you had your reservations.”

               “I think this was really exactly what I needed, though” Rei assured him. She took her hand in his as he knelt beside her. “I think…I think I’m finally starting to feel like things are falling into place. Like when we get home, we’ll both be able to give this our all and sort through everything with clearer heads. I don’t know, I just…it’s kind of nice and…to be honest? I’m kind of excited about it.” A soft, almost sheepish smile touched her lips then, kissing his knuckles and rubbing circles onto the back of his hand. “I’m excited to marry you, Kakashi, and to bring this baby into the world, and start our future together.”

               “I’m glad” Kakashi whispered. He climbed over her into bed, wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Pressing his lips to her forehead, his hands trailed to her waist, caressing her lower stomach. “I can’t wait to have a family with you, Rei” he whispered. “You’re absolutely amazing, you know that? You’re just…creating this brand new little life inside of you.” Rei craned her neck to look up at him, her tired eyes filled with so much love and light. Kakashi couldn’t help but smile. “I am constantly in awe of you, Rei” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “I can’t wait to have this baby with you.”

               “Me neither, Kakashi…” Rei whispered, her eyes growing heavy. She nuzzled against his chest, exhaled deeply. All the while, Kakashi never removed his hand from her waist. A soft smile touched her lips as she began to doze off to sleep. “Our little Kino…”

               The journey back to Konoha was calm and uneventful—a welcome reprieve compared to their journey away. They settled into a seat by the window again, hands intertwined and hearts full. It felt so strange to be leaving someplace so beautiful. It almost hurt Rei’s heart to return home. A part of her wished they could just live in this moment forever, a world where the two of them were all that mattered and nothing was expected of them. Where things were always peaceful and quiet and good.

               And yet, at the same time, the thought of returning home lit a strange little spark in her now. There was so much to do and for once, she was not scared or overwhelmed. Instead, she felt empowered. If life had to throw so many things at her at once, then the next best thing was to face it head-on and focus on what she could control. She mused ideas about scoping out bakeries in town for wedding cakes and finding a bigger house to raise their child in. As she rambled about all of this to Kakashi on the way back to the village, the one thing she seemed especially excited for, however, was looking into birthing classes.

               “I’m pretty sure the hospital hosts some” she continued, walking alongside Kakashi. The trees were beginning to peter out, the path widening before them, sure signs that they were almost home. “I think it would be good for us. I mean, we can only learn so much from books, you know?”

               “A little hands-on learning certainly never hurt” Kakashi agreed. “Do you think they’d be able to fit our schedule?”

               “I’m sure they would” Rei replied. The gates to Konoha loomed before them, welcoming. “I mean, Konoha is full to bursting with ninja. I can’t imagine them not being prepared to accommodate our lifestyle.”

               As she spoke, Kakashi’s gaze trailed across the village entry square. Izumo and Kotetsu seemed stiff and still as they stood guard, a contrast to their usually casual nature. The streets were deserted, shops quiet and empty—far too quiet for a Monday morning. All the while, a tense energy hung heavy in the air. Something was not right.

               And then there was Shizune. Hugging a clipboard to her chest, she eyed Kakashi and Rei expectantly. Kakashi locked his eyes on her for a brief moment. The uncertainty in her face, her pursed lips and furrowed brows, only furthered Kakashi’s suspicions. Something unsettling began to branch out from the pit of his chest.

               “I’m glad you both made it back safely” she greeted as they approached.

               “Did something happen while we were gone?” Kakashi asked. His muscles tensed, tightening his grip on Rei’s hand, and he regretted ever joking about the village falling apart without them. It didn’t seem so funny now.

               Shizune chewed her lower lip, averted her eyes. “I’m afraid so” she replied.

               “What? What is it? What did we miss?” Rei asked. She thought of the little girl on the train, of the two men who had tried to steal her away. What if they were far more dangerous than Rei had expected? What if they were, dare she even say, Akatsuki? She doubted they were terrorists, weak as they were, but still. A hard lump of anxiety rose into her throat as she considered the possibility.

               The answer wasn’t anywhere near what she had expected. The words just didn’t make sense. The whole world suddenly went still, a white noise ringing in her ears and muting everything else. And Rei was definitely sure she was going to be sick. She clapped a hand over her mouth as her knees buckled beneath her, her breathing heavy as sobs crackled in the back of her throat. In the pit of her chest, an earthquake began to rage. And all the while, Shizune’s words echoed over and over in the back of her mind, taunting her.

               Teiko Natsuki is dead.

---------------------------------------------------------------

[END NOTES: WELL. THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET REALLY, REALLY BAD REALLY, REALLY FAST. So, uh, buckle up your seatbelts and keep your hands, feet, arms, and legs in the vehicle at all times. 👀

Side note: If you want to read about Sekkachi's adventures in dogsitting, you can find a one-shot all about it right over here~]

[cmescapade]

my long overview/review of ‘Star Wars: Journey to Batuu’ after forcing myself to play it almost nonstop

so i said i was going to amend what i said in response to this ask after playing to min/max shit so here is a tldr version of my opinion after playing:

I consider this pack to be a 2/10; It's enough to kill time as a temporary distraction, but not for long. There’s absolutely no replay value after going through all those missions as each outcome is ultimately the same by faction. There also doesn’t seem to be any negative outcomes for each prompt in the little “choose your adventure” pop ups--And if there is, it is extremely low since I have never gotten a negative outcome. 

The aspirations are fair, and are the only things I found in this pack that’s anyway redeemable since I believe the rewards can be used well in conjunction with general solo/super-sim gameplay.

kinda sat on this for a while bc i wasn’t sure if i should post something so lengthy but then i remembered this is my blog n i can post my left toe if i wanted to

even tho i would never post a pic of my left toe anyway

.......at least for free. With the right price, however....

anyway more details under the cut if you’re interested bc i like to ramble :))

I decided to split this into 5 sections to organize my thoughts a little better. I’ll be separating my thoughts on each faction, the ships as a rabbit hole, the faction missions, the star wars aspirations, and then the breakdown of my 2/10 rating. 

1. Factions

When you travel to Batuu, the game gives you a starting “mission” or quest to get you acclimated to the areas, and each area has a specific Faction associated with it.

And yes, you cannot live anywhere, nor are there any lots, as was already stated.

Every area has a similar makeup which has:

Control Panels

Supply Crates

1 non-rabbit hole area

1 interactable ship

The Black Spire Outpost is the biggest area and has:

Two places to grab food, three if you count the Cantina

Aside from the Cantina, the other areas are rabbit holes

The two eateries are:

Docking Bay 7

this one has the most food options

you’ll never go hungry in batuu because the cheapest items on the menu are Outpost Popcorn Mix and Water at 0 credits lmao

the other two foods not shown in the screenshot above are Yobshrimp Noodle Salad and Braised Shaak Roast

Ronto Roasters

This food place has two of the same options Docking Bay 7 has as well as two additional food items

Oga’s Cantina

The only area that you see the inside of

yea the bar serves batuu-only drinks too

also where you find the guy who would give you Scoundrel missions, Hondo Ohnaka.

You can essentially max your Scoundrel reputation without it hindering whichever side you wanna take, and you can keep it when you essentially max out your rep on either the Resistance or the First Order.

There aren’t any real pros to being a Scoundrel aside from some socialization interactions. It doesn’t do anything for initial Batuu gameplay aside from unlocking Scoundrel outfits in CAS and some upgrades for your droids, but this goes for all of your options (Resistance, First Order, & Scoundrel).

The Dwelling

This is a rabbit hole where your sim goes to sleep, pee, or shower… If not the closest bench. 

It’s located opposite to the Cantina. 

If you’re ever lost, there’s a spire you can sit/nap on right in front of it–or you can just wait till your sim wants to pee. 

they’ll automatically run there 

that’s… how i found it, tbh

Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities

Another rabbithole

This place sells items you can use to complete missions, like Dataspikes and a couple of Lightsaber parts

Majority of the inventory are decorative stuff to bring back with you

Savi’s Workshop

Right behind the antique shop is the lightsaber place where you can find more hilts, kyber crystals, and display cases for your lightsabers.

You can also click on the shop to start a lightsaber challenge.

Outside this area, you have the First Order District which has more supply crates and control panels than the other two neighborhoods, and a lot more activity–Makes sense since this is basically the hub for the First Order in general. 

There’s only the Droid Depot in this area, and the only real shop that has use for credits. Food wise, there’s a food stall, and if your sim is stinky or tired, they’d basically disappear for a few minutes to recharge and come back. 

Droid Depot

Each faction has specific Droid personality traits

Aside from “voices,” these personalities don’t do much

I guess the First Order one is a lot more zap-happy though

The Resistance Camp is even smaller. Like the other areas, it’s littered with supply crates, but only has one control panel and no shops. However, there’s a rabbit hole toward the back in the Caves.

This doesn’t lead you to anywhere interesting, and it’s just another ‘choose your own adventure’ kind of thing. 

2. Ships

In the Black Spire Outpost, you’ll find the iconic Millennium Falcon. You can do kessel runs and explore in the Millennium Falcon with Chewbacca if you have a high Scoundrel reputation. 

However, although I said you get to ride with Chewbacca, you don’t ever see him come out 

He just kinda……………..stays there

and the prompts tell u he’s there

n ur gonna have to go with it and use the power of your imagination to believe he really do be there

In the First Order District, there’s the TIE Echelon, which functions the same way as the Millennium Falcon… But, you can’t do anything outside of exploring or using it for missions. This is how the X-Wing Starfighter in the Resistance Camp functions as well. 

It’s all pretty copy and paste, but w/e, that’s how EA does it  

 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

3. Missions

There may be several different missions per faction, but to no one’s surprise, they’re all literally the same one but worded differently.

Regular missions only have one plus (+) and one negative (-) icon

Regular Scoundrel missions only have one plus icon and no negatives since they don’t impact other factions

Each faction has a regular mission that pertains to:

Obtaining information

Exploring with the faction’s designated ship

Stealing from Supply Crates

Hacking a Control Panel

Yes………………….They’re very repetitive

You don’t have to do all of them though

You can spam the same one over and over as long as it fits the time slot

For example, the Resistance’s ship exploration mission is limited to only the day time and seems to disappear when it gets late in game

also there’s an error with the TIE Echelon where it’s missing a whole ass prompt

……As you can see, the options make no sense because the prompt is the same one that came before it 🥴

anyway…

Story Missions are the only missions that seem to differentiate from each faction.

All missions that pertain to the “story” are indicated with prerequisites of higher ranks within the faction

All of them give a double boost toward your faction

If it’s a Resistance story quest, it’ll always increase hostility from First Order members

Vice versa for the First Order faction

The Scoundrels are neutral, and do not impact any faction 

It’s only the Resistance and First Order factions that have very similar plot lines

but I’m guessing it’s only like that since they’re supposed to follow the vague cause/effect the two of them have?

4. Aspirations

The initial Aspiration you get when you pick the Star Wars umbrella in CAS (or in game) is “Hope VS Order.” After completing this one aspiration, you unlock the 3 that pertain to each faction.

Paragon of Hope

Resistance aspiration

Reward trait gives a boost to Charisma skill building

This is probably nice for those careers that need Charisma to be high, like the Political and Business branches

Enforcer of Order

First Order aspiration

Lowers chances of “Death from Anger”

Since I like killing my sims, I think this aspiration is pointless lmao

Galactic Privateer

Scoundrel aspiration

“Sleight of Hand” reward trait

Unlocks pickpocketing outside of Criminal branch usage

Best one here tbh

Works outside of Batuu, you’ll steal simoleons instead of credits

Also you can cheat whenever u play Sabaac and no one will notice

5. Reevaluation of Initial Opinions

I’ll be going through my initial list from my Response to the Ask I got before. I originally stated that it seemed promising and it was a 3.5~4/10.

Aesthetics/Visual: my opinion is unchanged, it still made me sad i can’t have a little shanty house out there or rent a garbo lot, 0.5/5

The longer I played, the more I didn’t find any new animations

The lightsaber sparring slowly began to look like a mash between GF and RoM duels after a while

I still hate that the areas were beautiful (+0.5) but the interactive places forced cutaway

why do you wanna ruin my screenshots like this, man

CAS/BB still is hard to integrate–Unless your sim is a geek with figurines, the ship models might be nice to add to their collections

Otherwise……

….

I don’t have a follow up for that, sry

Gameplay: uhhh at least i found something i could use outside of Batuu, 1.5/5

I think that playing 3984729847 repetitive missions for a long period time really orientated me to the whole map

…but the fact that i had trouble the first time around still makes it not-user friendly

the issue I had with the resistance members not having an icon? It’s a thing, I guess

The resistance quests take you on a weird trip to “prove” yourself so i guess the icons are supposed to show that they’re “not” resistance members or something idk

they’re supposed to be the sneaky underdogs who wanna do good or w/e

I guess that’s immersive…….. +0.5

sry im first order trash

they also have “Ignite the Spark” and “Ask about Missions” both leading to the same mission screen……………….

convenience?? i guess??

missions are still confusing, made worse when the game itself glitches up a storm

there was one mission where i had to go to the cantina to find someone

and they wouldn’t spawn within the time frame………….

i had to go in and out for like 3 days until they actually spawned

i only knew this bc i arrested half the people in the cantina while i was bored

so anyone without a red bar was probably them lmfaoo

also, as i stated above……. there’s some mission errors in the prompts 

Currency is still worthless.

Everything can be done by purely stealing from supply crates

Credits are only worth to blow it off on sabaac! 

The only real need for credits is to have 1,000 so u can buy a droid

Then slam the rest of those credits on the table to bet bajillions on a game of sabaac!

Aspirations………. Useful +1

Despite them being sorta niche, they’re pretty decent

Can abuse the rewards for optimal gameplay for a super sim

Honestly i just love the pickpocketing reward off the Scoundrel aspiration, just because it works outside of Batuu (and that he didn’t have to be in the Criminal career for it either)

In total, my personal rating for this pack is 2/10.

It was nice, but I don’t really see this pack being replayable, considering that i did everything there was to do on Batuu in a single trip. Sure I could’ve taken my time, but since everything would end up the same anyway, it felt like it was set up to be a one-time gig. 

At least with JA you’re moderately forced to return so you can collect treasures that are RNG–In JtB, you can snatch up all that you need on Batuu from grinding everything like a nutcase. There’s also chances of failure in JA, but on Batuu that percentage is almost little to none. The most you’ll ever get is a dazed moodlet that barely lasts, a negative relationship, and being escorted to a loading screen.  

I feel like this pack could be a little better if there were more risks involved, but there are barely any that I encountered. It’s just another weird, rehashed cash grab by EA.

[ubemango]

commission 2: bestie!jk and the case of the Stupid Bag (amongst other things)

(+ and even more convolutedly, a rich&spoiled!oc/humble!jk besties au) 

I wanna say that the ending is as abrupt as it is because conversations between best friends just Go Places but really. just. This whole drabble really just Went Places SPWWPSHSWPGPW.......thank you to Fina @angelguk for helping me out, and a biiiiiig big thank u to my friend for commissioning me this piece. Ur the best, happy Super Super Super Late Birthday!!!!!!!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰💖💖💖💖💖 

The streetlights hurt to look at. It’s too early for your eyes to process, and you’re a second from nodding off for the third time when Jeongguk nudges you up.

“Stop sleeping.”

You yawn. “I’m not the one driving.”

It’s not even his car. You would’ve been happy picking him and letting him drive, but then he would’ve been mad if you didn’t let him pay gas. “If you sleep then I’ll sleep too.”

“No you won’t,” you grumble. “It’s your fault for wanting to see the sunrise.”

“You said you wanted to do it on your birthday!” He complains. It’s good that you’re cloaked with the dark: he can’t see the sheepish downturn of your mouth, because he’s not wrong. You genuinely did want to see the sunrise today, but getting past that stage of Actually Waking Up was really difficult to do. You sit still with the muddled fog of bad sleep. “We’re not even that far from the mountain.”

You can’t deny the looming mass of rock that sits jagged on the horizon. The outline of the steps you’ll be climbing soon are shrouded in the peak of dawn—hardly visible, especially with the way your vision blurs. “All the more reason for me to nap.”

Even if it is for two minutes. Jeongguk doesn’t argue when you slump in on yourself, succumbing to that inevitable wave of pre-sunlight fatigue.

The car door slams you awake. In the two seconds it takes you to reorient your brain,  Jeongguk’s got your door open.

“Up and at ‘em, princess. Sun’s peeking and we’re wasting the minutes.”

You feel him reach over to unbuckle your seatbelt. “I can’t.”

“We’re hiking whether you like it or not,” he sneers. “I’ve been waiting so long for nice nature shots since you got me this camera. Now—“

“—Ugh!”

He’s got a tight fist on your arm, hauling you out from the comfortable heat of the car. It’s just as cold as you anticipated. Jeongguk doesn’t cower from the punch you land on his chest. 

“I’m so tired,” you say, reaching over the console for your bag, threatening an ache in the middle of your back. “And my back hurts.”

He ignores you, rounding the rear to grab whatever he’d stuffed there before he came to pick you up. (There’s a text with a four AM time stamp in your phone that reads Which penthouse am I coming to again?) “Gucci must be so heavy on your poor back,” you hear him snicker.

“It’s small and it makes me look dainty,” you hiss. “Like my shoes.”

“Your Destructors?”

You frown, meeting him where he rummages. “They’re called Disruptors!”

“They’ll never make up for your alien toes,” Jeongguk argues. 

“I’m not standing here for you to berate me. Ha! Wrong berate. You’re here to cele-berate me—ow.”

He gives you a pointed look. Probably for that awful joke, and by your standards wasn’t even that bad; it was pretty witty considering your GPA this year reflected absolutely no sense of critical thinking. 

No matter, because he doesn’t even apologize for nearly whacking you with his massive-for-no-reason military bag.

“She’s so big,” you point out. 

It really is, woven tight with extremely dense fibre: like some sort of green, rectangular boulder with way too many pockets for the camera equipment and whatever else Jeongguk’s got stuffed in there. His shoulders sag with the weight of it all, and he closes the back door shut. 

“That’s what she said,” he comments. He trudges off before you can hit him again for his own poor choice of humour, the beep of the car cutting through your sputtering.

“But like—“ you speed-walk to his side—(you don’t even know how he got to the fifth step that quickly, but then again you’re literally on the brink of brain dead)— “I didn’t even bring that much.”

“It’s fine, it’s just camera stuff, other stuff. You wanna see something?”

“Sure.”

“You see this?” He sticks a finger in the pocket and traces the circumference. “An inner layer of thermodynamic shit. Keeps things hot. Like if you ever take me to a country with those vending machine coffee cups. You can’t do that because you don’t have this bag.”

You frown at the hostility. It’s an ugly bag, but you’re too tired to fight. “So like—to Japan.”

Jeongguk huffs up the steps. “Sure.”

“Then let’s go.” The lamp post at this level flickers off with a quiet zap. You can see the sun starting to bleed out past the stars. “I can use the plane this weekend, we can go—“

Before you can catch yourself, Jeongguk says your name in polite warning. “I don’t need that pretty stuff.”

You keep your stride, cheeks burning hot. Jeongguk’s nice like that. It’s what you appreciate most about him: pushing you past those boundaries of discomfort you’ve been taught never to cross because if you didn’t like something, you stayed pliant for everyone’s best interest.

Jeongguk’s not pliant, though. He’s assertive with that nice humbleness you’ve never known. Adolescence was a different time, when he’d gotten into your private academy out of his sheer brain power alone. No amount of daddy-manufactured money could get you or your classmates his smarts, and they hadn’t appreciated the poor, newbie boy-genius stealing their guaranteed (or: paid for) placements in the work place beyond. But you’d taken an immediate liking to that shy student cowering in the back—though he still had all the answers to the homework questions if he was inclined to answer.

The very first time you’d tried to offer him a ride home in your helicopter, he’d been livid.

“You can’t—think about the environmental impact! The fuel extracted for such a short trip! Do you know how many villages have been destroyed by Gildan for the sake of extraction?!”

(You hadn’t. But he’d told you, and proceeded to take the bus home like he was so used to doing.)

“You don’t need it,” you sigh. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Jeongguk shrugs. “I mean—it’s what you know. And I don’t blame you. But you know how much pollutants come out of private jets—it just…wouldn’t kill you to demote to, like, first class.”

It’s funny, how much you’ve had conversations like these. The instinct to help him out, his kind rejections. Because you’ve learned now that issues aren’t solved with the expediency you’re given. Jeongguk doesn’t get to have that. And now that you’re in college, you’ve noticed that things really haven’t changed: Jeongguk’s gone astronomical amounts of ahead in terms of course level, and you’re just trying to keep up with the bare minimum credits. You’d feel bad for yourself but having the back-up of money in the form of inheritance really keeps you afloat from the pity.

“This is making me tired,” you complain. You’re pretty sure you’re way past the halfway mark of this mountain, but even you’re starting to feel antsy about missing those first few seconds of the sun waking up. 

“We’re almost there. I can see the outpost from here.”

Jeongguk points to a wooden structure maybe sixty steps from where you’re approaching: built high over the scattered buildings an hour’s drive away, the flutter of an awakening city. Pretty industry made only for your viewing pleasure, because when you get up there, you won’t be looking at the home of scary corporate; the home you’re used to seeing, with your dad running a good third of that district. 

It’ll just be the glass the sun will reflect on. The place so far away you don’t have to think about briefcases and dry-clean only suits.

It’s what you came here for—it’s been easy falling in that trap of indecisiveness. Not wanting what your future is set to be, because right now, the path to your economics degree is tenuous at best. 

So you take the diverging route. And you’re finally at the outpost, out of breath. “The sun’s coming up,” you threaten. Jeongguk hurries up the steps as much as his bag allows, and when you reach the top, the fog in your head dissipates right into the wide skyline.

“Sometimes I want the whole world,” you announce.

Jeongguk settles his arms on the ledge, contemplating the rising sun. “You could get it if you tried.”

Maybe he should just say if you asked, but you know he’s too polite to do so. 

“I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“It’s okay not to,” he commends.

“But you’re so smart. And—you know what you’re doing. But I’m here taking Economics 101 for the second time and I don’t wanna end up in a law office anyway because my dad will get me there just like the rest of our classmates and you’re gonna be doing good things because you’re a great person who’s like, really socially aware, and I can’t do good things because I’m a bad and stupid person with a private jet.”

Jeongguk lets you deflate by yourself, ignoring your spiel for a second to drop that Ugly Bag on the ground. You hear him dig for something; the click of a knob, then a quick snap.

“Look at the sun,” is all he says.

It’s very small. And suddenly it’s not, expanding into bursts of light you aren’t ready for. Not because it hurts to look at but that sudden wave of silence settles fast. A feeling of finality—the beginning that always, always comes back, because new days are inevitable. “The sun is very big,” you sigh. 

Jeongguk hums in agreement, takes another picture. “You’re not bad or stupid. Sure you don’t like economics and you hate school, like, in general. But that’s not your fault, just like owning that jet isn’t your fault. I think you forget some things.”

You pick at your manicure. You’re not so tired anymore. “Like what?”

“Like you’re the only person who talked to me the first week of school,” he goes on. “You offered me a ride home even though I was perfectly capable of taking the bus. You bought my parents groceries when you noticed I wasn’t eating lunch, and you told Seungkwan that you’d stick a wet finger in his ear if he didn’t stop making fun of me for having ugly shoes.”

You laugh. “Seungkwan had big ears and thought he had valid opinions.”

“Anyway—” Jeongguk snorts too—“I’m just saying. I know I—I know I talk a lot about… you doing bad things. Like with the whole plane thing.”

In other words: he’s not here to baby you. He never has. The world you've grown up in has never been kind to him or his parents, and he doesn’t have to keep you in check but he’ll do it for your sake—his, too. “You’re just being a good friend.”

“Yeah but that doesn’t mean you’re a bad person,” he says. “It’s good that you’re owning up to those things. Like how you told your dad to veto the health benefit cuts that were under discussion.”

You freeze. You didn’t know he knew that. “How—“

“Who else would get the head of a whole corporate chain under their thumb in one night if not for a really stubborn daughter, who somehow managed to get him to veto a policy I complained about over text the morning I read it in the news?”

Point taken. The guy loves reading his news. Jeongguk lifts the camera once more, but this time points it to your face. “Ew—no!”

“Smile!”

“I’m ugly,” you pout.

“You’re not. Look.” He settles into your side again, into the growing life of the city you don’t love anymore. “Your life—you have… privileges. And you’re learning that you can do good things that your dad isn’t. I’m proud of you.”

“…Really?”

“I mean you have to start somewhere. And I’m really starting to think you didn’t just come to see the sunrise because you thought it’d be a cool thing for me to take pictures of on your birthday,” Jeongguk admits.

You nod. He’s too smart for you sometimes. “I… I kinda wanna switch majors.”

“To?”

“Something other than economics,” you reveal.

Jeongguk squints with apprehension. “Is this because I called your dad my favourite class enemy the other day because I—I’m so sorry. I know he’s your dad but—“

“It’s okay! He’s nice to me but not. To other people,” you fidget. Jeongguk sighs with relief. “But… yeah. You make me want to learn about that stuff. Because you’re right, I have the privilege. And I know have it and I just don’t wanna sound dumb and say wrong things because it’s so easy for me to and I hate that and I wanna—wanna learn and actually do good things. You know?”

Jeongguk nods. “I’m proud of you,” he says again. “Really. You’re doing good. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.” 

He lets the heavy camera dangle around his neck. Lets the conversation drift into something more easy because he’s just as tired as you are. “So I know you’ve been thinking about how ugly my bag is.”

“It’s charming,” you divert. The sun is well past the horizon at this point, and invigoration has come in the form of wanting to go the fuck back to the car.

“You’re a liar. Look! There’s even this hole you can put a tube through for when you want to pack those bags of water, and more thermodynamic shit in this pocket—“

“I don’t care about thermodynamics!”

[radreactions]

Mandalorian Kellogg

Courtesy of our one and only Master of The Force - @saintlyguy!! 

Kellogg as the Main Character Instead of the Sole Survivor (inspired by The Mandalorian)

Sent to retrieve an asset for the Institute from Vault 111, Kellogg discovers that the package that’s been under ice for almost 200 years is really just a baby still fussing in the arms of his already dead parent. Rediscovering his paternal instincts and discovering a chance of redemption, Kellogg dispatches the scientists with him and decides to protect the boy and raise him as his own. On his journey to escape the Institute and find a new home for him and his new son, he stumbles upon a unique cast. Are these people potential allies, or just obstacles to his new found family? Ada: Years of experience and overall distrust of any sentient machine due to his experience with 2nd gen synths have led to a preference Kellogg wishes to satisfy in any situation: NO DROIDS. Be it a synth or Protectron (after a certain unpleasant experience with one back in the Mojave), Kellogg prefers to work with those who haven’t been programmed to think the way they do. But with enough whining and teary eyes from his adopted son, Kellogg came in charging to save a lone automatron that looks like a mess of parts. “First that Mr. Handy in Sanctuary, now this.” Ada had no one left and sought to avenge her family. Above all she wished to not be alone. All 3 desires are satisfied with this grizzled man and his son- “No droids. Get lost. No need to thank me. Didn’t want to help in the first place” But he did. Surely that must mean this man must have some shred of compassion. That would be enough to go on at the moment since Ada has nothing. She’d follow this man until he’d take her with him. “I could be of much assistance to you and your son. I’ll protect the two of you. I’m well equiped for scavenging and building. I can even create a nursing subroutine and care for your son.” “ALRIGHT! I’ll take care of this Mechanist for you. Just stop talking. Take point.” “Wonderful. Now that we’re on our way, I’d like to tell you all that I can do for you-“ You ever hear a robot get their head ripped off without a sound? No. That’s because you gotta be Kellogg to pull something like that. “Finally” the exasperated merc exhales as he looks down on his napping son. “Finally he’s asleep.” Cait: “Get outta here you junkie! Don’t show your face ‘round here til you get that psycho out of your system!” Tossed out of the Combat Zone, Cait never thought that putting on a good show and gouging out a raider’s eyes would get her tossed out. “Your loss Tommy! I’ll just put these guns to work somewhere they’ll be appreciated!” Tommy sadly sighs at how Cait doesn’t realize she’s beating herself to death. Eventually Cait made herself a name as yet another Commonwealth merc, one that even the Gunners stay clear of in fear of getting their head smashed in. Cait would take the most dangerous jobs not just for the hazard pay, but to have an excuse to need psycho. She’d go after a raider boss with nothing but a bat and rage fueled by the poison. She can be found in Goodneighbor at the Third Rail where she’s claimed the counter for herself. She’d drink from the top shelf in between jobs with her own space. Until the infamous Kellogg took a seat at the other end. “Oy cunt! This here’s my bar! Piss off!” First that wannabe shakedown, now this. “Don’t see your name on it. I’ll finish my Nuka-Cola and be on my way. You won’t even notice.” “Oh but everyone else will notice the stain that balding head will leave on the counter!” A brawl breaks out. Well I wouldn’t call it a brawl. More like Kellogg just tiring Cait out by just dodging all while having something bundled beneathe his jacket. Almost out of breath, Cait pulled out  a psycho she didn’t think she needed. Knowing how much damage a psycho user can inflict, he puts her into a vice and forces it out of her hand. “That stuff could kill you.” Cait was just about to explode as a small hand reached out from Kellogg’s jacket and touched her on the nose. Now you don’t boop Cait on the nose without losing that hand. Unless you were a swaddled baby with big puppy eyes. For the first time in her life, Cait felt...soft. Her rage subsided and she eased up, causing Kellogg to finally release her. Cait felt at ease. Actually more than that. She felt...at peace. She felt better than she ever did in her life. “Holy Shite!” Cait was amazed to see that her arms were no longer veiny or pale, she could see and hear clearly, and she wasn’t as angry! She yanked the psycho from her pockets and threw them in the trash. She doesn’t know what happened, but she’s now healed and free from the psycho. “That kid... Could they have...?” Cait looked back at Kellogg to see him fussing over the kid now knocked out. Codsworth: The butler’s sensors had picked up a familiar lifeform coming from Vault 111. “It couldn’t be.” Then he heard a familiar coo from the end of the street. “It could be?” Anticipation was replaced by fear upon seeing young Shaun in the arms of a rather unpleasant looking stranger. Whoever he is, he has clearly abducted young Shaun and it’s up to Codsworth to save him and deliver him back to his masters. “You! I don’t know who you are! But you will unhand the lad or I will contact the authorities!” Oh blimey, there aren’t any authorities left. This may boil down to fisticuffs, but Codsworth will save Shaun no matter the cost! “That’s not gonna happen Mr. Handy. Now why don’t you go clean something. I gotta get this kid to a safe-“ TALLY HO! Codsworth charges Kellogg with his saw aimed at his head and his claw ready to catch Shaun. Soon Codsworth will have one piece of the family he lost when the bombs dropped. Then he’ll go find his masters and reunite them all. Finally he’ll have the life he had lost serving- SKKRRRRRRR Kellogg let go of the robot’s saw after it had cut clean through its armor and he was sure to have destroyed its cpu. “Ma-Ma-Master Sh-Shaun! Wo-Wo-Would you li-like to see Mu-Mu-Mummy and Da-Da-Da-“ As the Mr.Handy’s voice died out, the child reached out to its lifeless hull. Kellogg had connected the dots. This wasn’t just some malfunctioning Mr. Handy, it somehow knew the kid. All sorts of feelings swelled in Kellogg. Finally he looked down at the child. “So. Your name’s Shaun.” Curie: What’s the perfect place to ride out a radiation storm? The very same vaults that protected its inhabitants from nuclear annihilation. The sky turned green and thundered like never before. The closest place was Vault 81. Although it wasn’t too keen on allowing outsiders in, Kellogg needed to get Shaun out of the storm immediately and he knew he had plenty of worthwhile Institute tools he could trade for shelter. After bargaining his into the Vault, Kellogg was able to finally get a warm meal and rest for himself and his adopted son. That is until this Ms. Nanny came bubbling and insisting on seeing to Shaun. “S’il vous plait monsieur! I only wish to give your little one an examination and any treatment he may need! Free of charge. Just let me-“ “NO!” Silence in the cafeteria except for the humming from Curie’s thruster. “If I need a doctor, I’ll go to the real one. Just let us eat our meal so we can go rest.” Curie complied, hiding her disappointment and hurt. She only wants to help... She’s ashamed to admit, but she had hoped to get in the good graces of the man and convince him to allow her to venture out with him and his son (whom she greatly adored and worried about). Curie wanted more out of her life than being Vautl 81’s Ms. Nanny, she wanted to leave her mark on science! She knew she couldn’t do that in 81’s confines. She also knew she wouldn’t be acheiving her goal anytime soon. Danse: “Brotherhood, better sneak around.” Kellogg maneuvered through College Square as to avoid the ferals only to run into a Brotherhood of Steel outpost and they’re not the biggest fan of the Institute. Kellogg’s pretty sure that saying he betrayed them won’t give him a free pass but a trip to a holding cell and Shaun being taken from him. He couldn’t risk that. While slithering on by, Kellogg halted at the sound of ferals screeching then running towards his direction. Kellogg almost drew his revolver but saw a small squad of Brotherhood soldiers come out to deal with the ferals. “Good a distraction.” Kellogg was almost home free until Shaun pointed back at the Brotherhood with the same damn puppy eyes Kellogg has yet to find the strength to refuse. The ghouls nearly overan the soldiers until a civilian charged in and singlehandedly dispatched then despite their overwhelming numbers. “We need him for the Brotherhood” Paladin Danse thought. Before Danse could thank him, Kellogg hushed him with a finger. “Your welcome. No thanks needed. And no I won’t be staying for long. Also I don’t want to work with a machine.” That last part confused Danse. Maybe he doesn’t like tech, which wouldn’t sit well with being a Brotherhood soldier. Danse then saw a tiny body appear over the civilian’s shoulder which waved back at him. Deacon: Oh crap oh crap oh crap. “I’m in the same room with Kellogg. Worse, he’s got a kid! Where did he get them from? Did he kidnap them?” Whatever the case, Deacon needed to conduct some espionage. “So... you come here often?” “Hmm.” Not much of an answer. “Oh my stars! Your kid is so cute! Mind if I held him.” “Hmm” aggressively as Kellogg turned away. Uh oh, I’m losing him! Better think of something quick! “So I’m guessing a busy man such as yourself needs all the help he can get when raising the little one.” “Hmmm” “Well you’re in luck! I am the Commonwealth’s best, if not the only nanny! I’ll watch him while you go do...stuff! I’m a great cook! My bloatfly jerky is hard to pass up! I’m great with kids and I can entertain your kid for hours. Does your kid like songs? How’s this? Ahem.” “Toss a coin to your-“ Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! “Oh great! Your awful singing upset him!” Dogmeat: A faint scent passed Dogmeat’s nose, waking him from his nap at Red Rocket. Standing at attention, Dogmeat spotted a human carrying a small human. Tail wagging, Dogmeat wanted to run up to see the small human. He wanted to follow to see them all the time. He wanted to PROTECT. But that big human may be dangerous. MORE REASON TO PROTECT TINY HUMAN. So Dogmeat followed at a distance and helped where he could. A pack of hounds too close? They’re gone before the humans get a wiff of them. A yaoi gui looking for a meal? Dogmeat stands his ground and gives the humans time to get far. Dogmeat was a good boy. And good boys get rewarded! One night when the humans rested, Dogmeat was invited to join them by the fire with a hunk of meat thrown in front of him. Kellogg dropped a few more hunks to get Dogmeat to come close. After enjoying his meal and a bowl of water, Dogmeat was finally able to see the tiny human up close. Gage: How could one guy get through the gauntlet with a baby strapped to his chest? And how could he defeat the Overboss without the water gun? BY CRUSHING HIM WITH HIS MIND! That last part seems unreal but it’s the truth! Colter was crushed within his power armor when the bald guy went to fight him! Every raider ran out of there except for Gage, who was still in shock. He didn’t notice the man approach until he was asked “What’s the fastest way back to the Commonwealth?” “R-right this way sir.” Now Gage didn’t like being subservient to those he disliked, but he wasn’t looking to die today. Gage had brought him back to the train, sending the man on his way. Just as the train pulled away, through the window, Gage saw the man’s baby peek out and reach out to him. Gage was confused and was further puzzled when he saw that his pants had fallen out of nowhere. Wait. “Did my pants just- Because of that kid- What the hell is going on?!” Hancock: RIP to the bastard Finn, who thought he could shakedown the guy who looks like he could kill with a stare AND carrying a baby. Now Hancock enjoys seeing bullies get their just desserts, but he wasn’t so sure seeing someone’s jaw get ripped off and shoved down their throat. Sure Hancock has killed his own fair share, but never that brutal. And the guy who just did that is taking care of a BABY. “Now hang on a second. I’m all for not seeing Finn again, but I can’t just let a guy who can do all that carry a baby. Goodneighbor is my town, so everything that walks in is my business. Including you two. Now tell me why I should let you hold on to the little tyke-“ Kellogg retorted without halting “Unless you wanna taste what’s left of your jaw just like him. Leave us alone.” Hancock can’t stand a brushoff threat like that, but he can’t do anything with a baby in the crossfire. So he let the guy go for now, gesturing to Fahrenheit to do surveillance on him. Longfellow: 

Kellogg’s journey to find a safe home will take him all over the Commonwealth and to Far Harbor. After hearing of a rumored synth refuge exiting there, Kellogg thought that Maine may be perfect for him and Shaun if the Institute hasn’t found it. Upon arrival, Kellogg realizes that the fog brings all sorts of monsters and that he’d need some of those defogger contraptions if he’s to settle on the island. Asking around the bar, an old man in a trench coat speaks up. “You’re gonna want to get them defoggers from Arcadia, the synth refuge up over yonder.” Kellogg didn’t want to have to interact with the synths, especially since he’s ex Institute. “Are you serious.” With a nod and arming of his rifle, the old man confirms. “I have spoken.” MacCready: Waiting for business in the Third Rail seems like a safe move until Cait gets into a fight. Just like any other fight, Mac was gonna sit this one out. Expecting to hear a loud climatic crack on the bar, Mac was caught of guard to hear Cait happily laugh. Peeking out he sees Cait looking better than she ever did. He then looked over to the man she’d tussled with. He was fawning over a baby?! Mac’s daddy instinct kicked in and he was gonna help the fellow parent. Mac knew something was up with the kid. A sleeping kid doesn’t look like that. As the man tried shaking the kid awake, Mac put a hand on his shoulder only for it to be squeezed and twisted. “Owowowowowow. Hey I just wanna help your kid! I’m a parent too! Just let me help!” “Don’t need it.” “Are you sure about that?” The kid was barely moving but still breathing. It was clear that he needed something more. “I’m gonna buy some meds for him, then a room for the two of you.” Kellogg let go, allowing the help of fellow parent. Mac delivered. Fruit gummy meds for the kid and the cleanest room in Hotel Rexford. Not a single word of thanks. But a hefty sack of caps. Which Mac denied. “This one’s on the house.” Maxson: The Brotherhood’s arrival in the Commonwealth is preceded by reports of Institute teams becoming a more regular occurrence. It’s as if they’re looking for something. Or someone. Scribe Haylen of Paladin Danse’s team mentions that this began shortly after an encounter with a skilled civilian carrying a baby, probably nothing but they’re still worth looking into. Whatever or whoever they’re looking for, Maxson declares that the Brotherhood must find it first. Of course, Maxson wishes to put his best man in charge: Paladin Danse. However, Danse refuses only stating that “I’m not the right person for this job. Please consider Captain Kells to lead the search. Maxson reluctantly agrees but is confused at Danse’s answer. Once again he states that “I’m not the right person” and excuses himself. “I may not even be a person” Danse thinks to himself. Nick: Called out on a case for his old friends the Nakanos, Nick boards a boat to Far Harbor in search of their missing daughter who believes she’s a synth and is escaping to a supposed synth refuge in Maine. “Holy smokes. For a refuge to be out all the way there untouched. Wow.” “Perfect.” Nick sighed as he heard a deep voice and gun click behind his head. He already knew who it was. “Didn’t think I’d run into you out here. Kellogg.” “I see my reputation precedes me. I’m flattered. Now step away from the controls.” Nick does as he’s asked then spits that the most dangerous man in the Commonwealth has a baby strapped to his chest. He has to get the baby away from Kellogg, he doesn’t know how but he has to. Hours pass as Kellogg stands at the control, gun still aimed at Nick, and trying to comfort a fussy Shaun. “I know you got a gun pointed at me, but I’m still decent enough to be willing to take that kid off your chest and give you a break. What say you?” Before Kellogg could refuse, the boat is roughly shaken and makes both lose their balance. In this small window of opportunity, Nick lunges at Kellogg in hopes of getting the kids from him. Nakano’s boat arrives in Far Harbor and is greeted by a welcome party. “Come out where we can see you!” Kellogg emerges from the controls, gently bouncing Shaun in his arms. “Anyone else on board?” “No. Just me and my son.” Piper: Through the town of Diamond City rode a stranger one fine day. Hardly spoke to folks around him. Didn’t have too much to say. No one dared to ask his business. No one dared make a slip. For the stranger there among them had a BABY! Piper has a weakness for babies, whether it be their tiny hands or feet, their coos, or giggles. She just wants to look at the cutie hung from the grizzled man’s chest. Why did this little cinnamon roll have to be with this sort of guy? Why couldn’t he been with some masked stranger in shiny armor? Or hanging in the arms of a well learned woman? “Why do we always get the scary ones?” Suddenly, she felt her hat slightly rise from her head and fall forward. But before reaching the ground, her hat began discreetly floating towards the scary dude. Piper looked up to see a small head and hand over the man’s shoulder. The cutie was reaching out towards...her hat? ............... GASP “Magic baby hands!” Preston: It would take a miracle to deliver him and his friends from Concord. It would take some angel to come from above to save them. But no, they got Kellogg. An unexpected but welcome assistance. “I’m only here because of my kid.” Preston never thought that he’d be saved on the whim of a kid, but here he is on the museum’s rooftop providing cover for Kellogg as he eliminates the raiders. And Mama Murphy and the baby are on the roof watching- MAMA MURPHY AND THE BABY ARE ON THE ROOF WATCHING “Mama! Take the kid and go back inside! It’s too dangerous!” “Aww, don’t be a sourpuss Preston. The little man just wants a front seat.” A front seat to a deathclaw emerging from the sewers and knocking Kellogg a couple of meters back. “Oh crap!” Preston thought as he began to crank his musket in hopes of nailing the deathclaw in a single shot. Just as he thought Kellogg was gonna be deathclaw chow, the big lizard was lifted into the air! As the deathclaw thrashed in the air, Preston felt his jaw drop. “Nice one kid.” Mama Murphy complimented. To which Preston turned his head, seeing the kid’s arm outstretched. “Holy crap the kid is lifting the deathclaw with his mind.” Strong: Nothing gets Strong excited more than a good fight. His favorite by far is when him, human, and tiny human fought Sean. Human had been knocked out with tiny human trying to wake him up. Strong stood between them and Swan to protect them. Just before Swan had brought his anchor down, it was knocked out of his hand. Confused, Strong needed a moment. A moment short lived when he was lifted into the air up to Swan’s head. Looking down, he saw that the tiny humans was doing it! Feeling pride in his tiny brother, Strong knocked Swan’s head clean off. After that fight, Strong would always ask “Tiny Human! Do the magic hand thing!” X6-88: “Kellogg has gone AWOL and intends to keep the asset from us. Eliminate Kellogg and return the asset to us alive X6.” The courser had been given his most important assignment as well as his own long awaited desire: to kill Kellogg. Ever since he had heard of Kellogg’s skills, X6 had wanted to put him to the test and even beat him. Delivering the child is just a bonus. Cornering the two at Greentech, X6 was about to get his wish. “I’ve been waiting to go toe to toe with you, Mr. Kellogg.” “Sure. Fight me. That’s actually easier than the second part of the mission.” “Oh please I’m pretty sure I can handle a baby.” A small head peeks through Kellogg’s jacket and lets out a coo. *Software Instability Detected* “Oh! YOU’RE RIGHT! GET THAT OUTTA HERE!” How could X6 give a baby with such soft cheeks to the Institute?

[helaintoloki]

Season of the Witch | Michael Langdon

chapter two: Garden of Eden

masterlist

pairing: Michael Langdon x witch!reader

warnings: language, angst, violence, graphic descriptions, adult content, deception, toxic relationships, abuse, death, witchcraft, satanism and all that other good ahs stuff

summary: in which the forbidden fruit is forbidden for a reason.

Bed rest was bullshit and y/n knew it. Maybe a day would have been tolerable, but a whole week locked in the bedroom wasting away? Of course, that wasn’t how Michael saw it. Michael saw it as a way to protect her, a way to prevent any further harm, and a way to prevent her from finding out the truth.

Michael knew exactly who Mallory was, what her presence was doing to y/n. It was awakening something he’d buried deep inside her, something he’d locked away and shoved down her throat, made her swallow it down so that when she opened her mouth there was no trace of its remnants. Michael loved y/n, would die for y/n (though that wouldn’t be possible, in all honesty), would kill for y/n, that much was true. But it was so much easier to love her when she believed all she was was just an ordinary woman who had been lucky enough to be chosen as Michael’s mate.

And so y/n spent her days in the confines of their shared bedroom: napping, reading, daydreaming, crying, screaming, looking for an escape, and counting the days Michael kept her in her cage.

She’d attempted to escape once, had gotten so close to finding Mallory, ended up running into Michael, and was dragged back to her room by the throat. Her cheek still stung when she thought about what he’d done to her once they were hidden in the privacy of their room. But he’d made it up to her eventually with three orgasms, two plates of strawberries sent directly from the sanctuary that he hand fed to her, and one long night of gentle caresses and gentle words. Y/N could never hate Michael, no matter how mean he was. He took care of her, and she was grateful.

Yet y/n also couldn’t contain her excitement when she’d been greeted by two visitors, visitors that she wasn’t exactly sure how they managed to enter her room without Michael finding out. Too excited to notice their true intentions, y/n gladly granted passage to Venable and Mead.

“Good evening Mrs. Langdon,” Venable grinned, her bitterness and hatred towards the woman masked by her tight lipped smile.

“Venable, Mead,” y/n smiled, hands twitching anxiously behind her back. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“We’re having a Halloween party tomorrow in celebration of the holiday and the apples gifted to us by the Cooperative, and we’d be honored to have Mr. Langdon and yourself in attendance,” Venable explained cordially.

“A party? How exciting!” She exclaimed, then composed herself in order to appear as profesional as Michael would like her to be. “I’ll be sure to let my husband know right away.”

“And it is a masquerade party, Miss,” Mead added. “Please show up in your best costumes.”

“I’ll do what I can,” y/n smiled, a happy sigh falling from her lips once the two were gone. A party! Perhaps it could be just what Michael and her need to relax and loosen up. Maybe it would improve his mood, and it would be a chance to finally leave her room. Oh, she couldn’t wait to tell Michael!

~~~

“We’re not going,” Michael stated, uninterested in the subject and never once looking away from his laptop screen as he typed away his notes from the most recent interviews.

“But Michael-“

“No buts, Princess,” Michael warned. “I said we’re not attending some silly little gathering and that’s final.”

“But it would be so much fun,” y/n persisted. “And you could get to know the residents better. Perhaps in their natural state you could better get a feel as to who they really are.”

“Little lamb,” Michael drawled, “are you really trying to argue with me?”

“W-Well, n-no, I-“

“Because you know I don’t like when you try to disobey me,” Michael warned, laptop long forgotten as he stood up from his seat and towered menacingly over her trembling form.

“I-“

“You do as I say,” Michael sneered, harshly grabbing her face by the chin and reveling in her terrified whimpers. “You’re lucky to be alive. I could have left you to rot and decay in the aftermath of the bomb. So be a good girl and stay quiet. I don’t want to hear any more of this nonsense. Is that clear?”

“Yes,” she breathes shakily, tears sliding down her cheeks. His grip softens and his malice is replaced with a mocking smile.

“So sensitive,” he tuts, wiping away the tears with his thumb and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

~~~

Y/N could vaguely remember her first Halloween. The faces around her were fuzzy, but she remembered the feeling. The pure happiness of dressing up as a cute little witch with her broomstick and pointy hat, excitedly running up to the front doors of various houses in the New Orleans neighborhood and asking for her treats. She remembered a smiling woman snapping her photo, a trio of older girls accompanying her on her candy escapade and holding her broomstick when she was tired. Perhaps it was why she loved the holiday, why she loved Halloween.

And that was precisely why she’d thrown all caution to the wind and arrived at the Halloween party anyway. Michael was too busy tormenting the outpost residents to notice her making her costume and preparing for her grand entrance. Too oblivious to know she had snuck out of their bedroom and found Mallory, too preoccupied to know the enemy was accompanying his wife to the ball.

“This must sound so strange,” y/n explained, glass of wine in her hand as she and Mallory huddled in the corner of the room, “but I feel like I know you. Perhaps in a past life.”

“I feel like I know you too,” Mallory agreed with a small smile. “That day I brought you your food... did you feel what I felt?”

“I did,” y/n nodded solemnly. “I only wish I knew what it was.”

“I just, I feel like there’s someone inside of me,” Mallory explained quietly. “Someone trying to get out. But I don’t know who.”

“Whatever it is, I’m sure we’ll figure it out together,” y/n offered with a small smile, and Mallory returned it.

“Do you know who you are?”

“I don’t, but it was because of my accident,” y/n explained. “I don’t quite remember it, I just remember Michael. He said he had found me abandoned along the roadside, on the brink of death. He nursed me back to health and took care of me. I owe everything to Michael.”

“Oh,” Mallory murmured, a polite smile on her face as she mulled over the information. Y/N didn’t seem like the type to lie, but Michael on the other hand? The story seemed fishy, out of place. But Mallory had no time to digest it further as Venable brought the attention of the party back to her.

“Let us rejoice in celebration of these gifts brought to us from the Cooperative as a sign of hope for the future ahead,” she announced from the top of the balcony. “Enjoy.”

She smiled maliciously, the excitement in her eyes clear as day to anyone who paid attention, and no one was. Happily, everyone took a bite of their apple. The sweetness of the fruit was like heaven to their tongues after feasting on nothing but scraps for the last few months, and they savored every bite.

But soon y/n began to cough, eyes watering as her body began to heave and reject the fruit. The chewed up mash was spit onto the floor, and soon the bile began to rise and her vomit joined the apple on the floor. Horrified, she looked around to see that everyone had began to vomit and shake, heave and cough and choke. Something was wrong, but none could figure out what. It was too late anyway.

Like Snow White after taking a bite of the poisoned apple, y/n collapsed to the floor and watched through bloodied eyed as the forbidden fruit rolled away from her figure. Foam pushed its way through her lips, and the last thing she saw before embracing death’s loving hands was a dead Mallory lying across from her.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

tag list: @ticklish-leafy-plant @gx-nji @anacerta

@bluebirdbts @heda-mikaelson @redlovett @tamaki-is-best-boi @ateliefloresdaprimavera

[7-wonders]

I love Daddy Michael ! I would like how he will react when his little bub will grow. First step, first tooth, first word...

I love this so much! Here we go, baby Langdon’s milestones! Let me know if you want some more of this; I’ll be putting this under a ‘read more’ since it’s so damn long.

First tooth--

Michael, to put it lightly, is exhausted. You both knew that having a baby wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, but neither of you anticipated just how much stress went into being first-time parents. It’s a full-time, 24/7 job, on top of carrying out the apocalypse. However wiped-out Michael is, he knew it couldn’t compare how drained you are. His heart aches for you when you’re forced to get up every two hours to feed the baby, often taking at least an hour to soothe your child back to sleep. Michael’s gone on business far more often than he wished to be, leaving you to attend to the baby’s needs by yourself. 

When he returned this morning from a meeting with a couple of the world leaders who will be responsible for launching the nukes, the house was far too quiet for his liking. He’s always had the underlying fear that you’ll up and leave him one day with no warning, and that fear suddenly comes to the forefront of his mind when he can’t hear any signs of life. Michael starts to dart from room to room, coming to a stop when he finally picks up on the baby’s cooing noises from the nursery. He peeks his head in, not wanting to disturb you if you’re trying to get the baby to sleep. Instead, his stomach drops in pity and sympathy.

You’re sitting on the rug, back pressed against the crib as your shoulders are wracked with sobs. Baby’s laying on the play rug that’s set up beside you, happily babbling and attempting to grab at the small toys that dangle just above the set of chubby hands. Michael falls to his knees beside you, pulling your hands into his and kissing the tears that track down your cheeks. 

“My love, what’s wrong?” He asks in concern.

“I’m sorry, I probably look so pathetic right now.” Michael starts to reassure you, but you just continue talking. “I’m just--I’m so tired, and-and Bub only wants to play and absolutely refuses to nap, and I know that you hired some very capable nannies but the thought of anyone else watching our baby just terrifies me. I can’t--I can’t do that.”

“Hey, shh, don’t worry. You don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.” Michael pulls you into his arms, hugging you tightly and trying to calm you down. “Why don’t you go take a long shower or bath, and then you can go get some sleep?”

“But...what about the-”

“I am Bub’s other parent, darling. You’re off the clock tonight, and that’s final. You need to rest, or else you’re going to burn yourself out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” Michael plays with the wedding ring on your finger before standing and pulling you up with him.

“Alright,” you say in an unsure tone, “but come get me if the baby needs to be fed.” There’s plenty of milk stored in the freezer for the baby, and you both know that, but you just don’t want to be failing as a mother in any way.

Two hours later, and things are going great. You haven’t tried to disobey Michael once, the baby’s been fed and bathed, and Michael’s feeling overall accomplished. The odd fussiness of baby, however, throws the blond Antichrist off of his rhythm. Since birth, the baby’s been so calm, always observing everything that’s going on with wide eyes. Today, though, has been a complete change in the baby’s burgeoning personality.

“C’mon, lovey, what’s the matter?” Michael questions tiredly, rubbing the baby’s small back. The little red cheeks, angry from constant whining, makes Michael’s heart melt. He’s resorted to laying down with the baby on his chest, desperately hoping the baby will sleep so he can join you in bed. 

There’s no pacifiers around, and the baby’s been uninterested in every toy that Michael’s presented since the pair moved to the living room on the other side of the house to prevent you from waking up. He lets the baby play with his fingers, not even blinking when they get covered in slobber. The baby gnaws on his fingers, a regular routine by now. What’s not regular is the sudden jolt of pain Michael feels on his finger.

“Ouch,” he hisses, pulling his hand away from the baby, who immediately starts to cry again. “What weapon are you hiding from me in that mouth of yours?”

Michael gently works his thumbs into the baby’s mouth, attempting to pry it open in an attempt to see inside. His first thought, however irrational it may be, is that the baby’s (all of six months old, mind you) managed to get a hold of a knife. To his surprise and delight, a pearly white tooth is starting to peek out of the bottom gum of baby’s mouth. 

“Well look at that!” Michael grins, proud of his child’s ability to break a tooth through the gum. “That’s an easy fix, let’s go see if there’s something cold for you to chew on in the freezer.”

/////////////////////////////

First step--

Ever since the baby’s started standing up a week ago, it’s been an eager waiting game on behalf of you and Michael. You’ll hold your breath whenever those small, chubby hands are used on a table or the chair to pull baby up into a standing position, or when Michael sets the baby down on those wobbly legs. Unfortunately, all of your attempts have proven fruitless as of late. Your child certainly knows how to crawl with the best of them, but it seems like walking isn’t going to be happening for a while.

It’s when you least expect something to happen, that it does finally happen. Michael’s in his office, working on some quick tweaks to the Outposts, and you’re taking the opportunity to go through the baby’s outgrown clothes and determine what to donate and what to throw away. Ever since you’ve become a mother, your ability to focus on multiple affairs at once has become a superpower of yours. You’re sorting through the clothes while, at the same time, watching the baby out of the corner of your eye. Baby’s gripping onto the crib while standing up on unsteady feet, chattering away to you while you hum and nod to keep up the ‘conversation.’

It’s when the baby lets go of the crib and remains standing that you turn your attention to your firstborn. You don’t want to look too excited, in case the baby gets stage fright, but you can barely hide the brewing glee as Bub continues to stand. Slowly, as if you’re approaching a wild animal, you hold up your hands.

“C’mere, lovebug!” You coo, baby smiling a toothy grin and starting to wobble towards you. Stifling a gasp, you smile right back as shaky steps are taken until Bub reaches your arms and falls into them. “Good job! Oh, my sweet baby, I’m so proud of you!”

You nuzzle into the soft skin of baby’s neck, blowing raspberries until giggles pierce the air. Not able to restrain yourself from sharing this moment with Michael, you stand up and make your way to his office. You don’t even bother to knock, knowing that he can sense you before you’ve even opened the door. He still pretends to be surprised when you do enter, looking up from his papers with a pleased smile. 

“What brings my two favorite people to my office today?” Michael’s confused when you don’t greet him with a kiss, instead crouching down a few inches in front of his chair. 

“Watch this,” you say excitedly, grinning as you let the baby stand while holding onto your fingers. “Go get Daddy!”

In a matter of seconds, his confused expression turns to glee when the baby lets go of your fingers and starts to walk to Michael. He’s speechless, large hands automatically reaching out to catch the child if need be. The need doesn’t arise, Bub instead walking all the way over to Michael. He catches the baby, swooping the laughing infant through the air. 

“You did it! You finally walked!” Michael snuggles the baby to his chest, pressing kisses to the downy curls. “When was this new skill acquired?”

“Hmm, maybe thirty seconds before we came in here.”

“Our kid’s a genius.”

You can’t help the laugh that escapes you. “Slow your roll, okay? We’ll discuss that if Bub’s doing calculus within the next three months.”

/////////////////////////////

First word--

“Come on, say it! Say ‘dada,’“ Michael pleads with the baby, who giggles at their father’s antics from their high chair. Michael sighs, dropping some more Cheerios on the tray and into the waiting hands of the baby. 

“Michael, Bub’s not going to say anything if you continue with your pestering,” you say from the kitchen, where you’re making a more substantial breakfast for the adults.

“I’m not pestering, I’m just...encouraging.” He swears he hears you mumble something along the lines of ‘if you’re being encouraging, I must be a fucking billionaire.’ “What was that, love?”

“Nothing!” you call back all too quickly.

“Well,” Michael turns his attention back to the amused baby, “if you’re not going to say that, maybe you can say...ball? Cereal? Dog?”

“Why don’t you just have ‘em recite the Declaration of Independence, while you’re at it?” You can’t resist to sneak in an insult as you re-enter the dining room, placing a plate of eggs and toast in front of Michael while sitting down with your own.

“Remind me why I married you, again?”

“Probably my wit, or maybe my amazing personality.” You smile at him cheekily, the baby’s hand on your face drawing your attention away. “Hi, cutie. You keeping Daddy company?”

“Always,” Michael replies.

“So, about the Sanctuary,” you look back at Michael, getting down to business, “you promise that we aren’t going to have to stay underground forever?”

“I’ve promised you countless times before, and I’ll promise you countless times again. It’s only temporary until my father has deemed the world ready to be remade again.”

“I just don’t want to raise our child, and any future children we may have, in a f-u-c-k-i-n-g nuclear fallout shelter,” you spell out the curse word, really hoping that your child’s first word isn’t ‘fucking.’ “And what about when the end of the world does happen? I don’t know if I can be alone without you for weeks at a time.”

“You won’t be. I’m not going to go anywhere unless you are absolutely, one hundred percent okay with it. We’re a family, and I don’t think I could be alone without you for weeks at a time either.”

You take a sip of your coffee, nodding. “Thank you for this. I know it must be annoying to answer the same questions over and over again.”

“It’s not annoying, I would do anything if it meant you would feel better.” You smile, reaching your hand across the table and grasping his.

“Mama!” A little voice yells, obviously not pleased you’re looking elsewhere.

“Yeah, lovebug?” You hum, more focused on moving the food around your plate, until the voice calls your name again and your fork clatters to your plate in shock.

Michael’s head turns towards the baby, mouth hanging open. “Did you just...?”

“Mama!” The baby calls again, laughing at the shock that’s obvious on both your faces. 

“Bub’s first word!” You say, clapping your hands together in excitement.

“Seriously? All the practice we’ve done, and your first word is ‘mama?’“ Michael says in disbelief. Baby keeps repeating the word over and over, pleased at the reactions.

“What can I say, love, you’ll get it next time.”

Tag list: @khaleesimel @sammyt @sloppy-little-witch-bitch26 @langdonslove @heda-mikaelson @readsalot73 @jimmlangdon @sebastianshoe @girlycakepops @trimbooohgodplsnoooo @pastel-cloudz @nana15774 @queencocoakimmie @lichellaw @ccodyfern @lvngdvns @divinelangdon @ultragibbycentralworld @grim-adventures58 @trelaney @wroteclassicaly @starwlkers @hecohansen31 @hexqueensupreme

[super-sons-a-bitches]

Across the Street - Chapter 3

New chapter posted on ao3!

Damian needs some time before going to see Bruce, but gets distracted when Jon puts on a movie.

From the roof, the heroes returned to their civilian personas and decided to head to brunch (it was really well into lunch time, but still breakfast for Dick).

Grayson took them to his favorite diner and piled his plate with flapjacks and bacon, downing a full mug of coffee before the milk and sugar could arrive. Jon settled for a burger and fries, but Damian’s “refined” palette kept him form ordering anything more than tea.

He took a sip of the calming chamomile and waited for Dick to take a break for breath. When he finally did, he asked a question Damian had been fearing.

“So, how long have you been in town?”

“I’ve been in the States for a few days now, spent a couple days in Gotham trying to … you know, work up some courage.” Damian felt slightly ashamed, but his brother just nodded in understanding. He continued.

“I came to Bludhaven yesterday, but chickened out of going to see you and instead accidentally ran into Jon last night.”

“I’m not so scary, am I?” Dick teased, but Damian tensed.

“I’m sorry, I really am.” He needed Dick to know, to understand. “I had wanted to see you, needed to see you, for so long, but I was afraid.” Dick’s face showed the same surprise that Jon had felt when Damian’s newly freed emotions had first burst forth the night before.

“I was afraid that you wouldn’t want to see me,” Damian finished, staring into his tea as if he were trying to discern the future in the bottom of his mug. He could feel Jon’s hand slip into his under the table and squeeze it lightly, but gave no response.

“Damian,” Dick tried to force himself into Damian’s eyeline. “Hey.” The younger Robin looked up. “I don’t need apologies. I’m sorry that I never tried to get in touch with you. That I failed as a brother. I should have made it obvious to you that of course I’d want to see you again. I was sad and a little confused when you left, sure, but never angry. All I ever wanted was for you to come home.”

Looking into his brother’s eyes, he could see that he was telling the truth. The love he saw there overwhelmed him. Damian couldn’t speak, so he just smiled in response.

“That’s what I tried to tell him, but, alas, it seems the ninjas only made him more stubborn.” Jon knocked on Damian’s head as if to show its hardness. It earned him a glaring side-eye. Dick chuckled and took another bite of eggs.

“So, if you spent a couple days in Gotham, does that mean you’ve seen Bruce?”

“No,” Damian said simply.

“Good.” Damian’s eyes widened in surprise. Dick explained, “I was going to get upset with him for not telling me.” He smiled at his brother.

“Interesting you bring that up, though, as I’d prefer it if you didn’t mention to him that you’ve seen me,” Damian responded seriously.

“Dami, you have to go see him.”

“You misunderstand me, Grayson. I have every intention of going, but I just-“ Damian paused. “Do you really think he’s going to be as quick as you or Jon to forgive? You know him best.”

Dick hesitated.

“Damian, you’re his son. He loves you.” Dick was staring him down and so he nodded, but the young Wayne noted the definite lack of an answer to his question in his response.

“In any case, as I said, I do intend to reconcile, I just need, I don’t know. To feel prepared. To do it on my own terms.”

Older brother held younger’s gaze hard and fast for a moment longer, releasing when he felt his silent message had gotten through.

The table was silent for a bit as they ate their brunch and digested the conversation. Another pot of coffee and mug of tea was delivered as Dick, of course, broke the silence once again.

“In the meantime, then, you have somewhere to stay that isn’t the gloomy outpost of the secret ninja society?”

“He’s staying with me,” Jon piped up before Damian could.

Dick was expecting such an answer and smiled to himself at the sight of Damian’s deep blush. This kid was clearly a mess, but Jon might be a good influence for now. Mostly, he was glad that Damian had someone to lean on.

“Kind of you to take in the stray, Kent.” Dick chuckled.

“Damian’s not the only one who likes to keep pets,” Jon returned in kind. Damian simply scoffed, though the red tips of his ears betrayed him.

Conversation returned to the mundane as the guys teased Grayson on his love life and were filled in on the day to day of a Bludhaven police officer. Finally, Dick declared himself too tired to continue functioning for the day (he’d been up so early, surely he’d earned a nap).

He wished his brother luck and made him promise to come and visit again after seeing Bruce before taking his leave.

Damian and Jon strolled through Bludhaven, discussing the newest updates in Justice League politics and Titans gossip, chatting about pop culture and debating the value of Dicken’s literature at the corner bookstore.

Eventually Jon asked, “So, you’re putting off the next one for tomorrow?”

His partner put the book he was holding back on the shelf and sighed.

The reunion with his father was the one Damian was most afraid of and most looking forward to. All those years, Damian had thought about seeing Bruce again everyday. But in all of those daydreams, he’d never managed to think up a good plan. Plus, trauma-induced anxiety mixed with Wayne DNA dictated the need to plan and control every moment of his life. So, no, he wasn’t quite ready to head back to Gotham just yet.

Jon could see the apprehension growing and tainting his – lover’s? boyfriend’s? friend’s? best friend’s? Uh… his demon’s beautiful emerald eyes.

When all the welcome parties are done with, we should probably talk about that label issue.

Damian still was lost in thought and hadn’t responded.

“Hey, that’s alright.” Green met blue. “Look, it’s been a long day already. Let’s just head back to my apartment and we can just relax.” The storm in Damian’s eyes calmed immediately. “And, y’know, if you feel up to it, we can brainstorm some ideas for talking to your dad.”

Emerald clouded over again, causing an ache in Jon’s chest, but he knew he couldn’t let Damian run away from what was coming. A good partner helps conquer, not just avoid.

Damian seemed to understand this, smiling softely as he laced his fingers through Jon’s. They walked back to the apartment mostly in comfortable silence.

They decided the best way to decompress was with a movie. Damian had been out of the pop culture loop for a while, so Jon declared he would be educating him in the recent additions to the Star Wars franchise.

“So, wait, what’s going on now?”

“Yeah, so, Chewy’s son is the new chairman of the Jedis and he’s fighting off the invading Galaxian empire.”

“What?”

“Just watch.”

But even if he had been in the loop, this was just not his kind of movie. Damian’s thoughts drifted to his earlier conversation with his brother.

Jon had tried to bring up strategies for talking to Bruce, but Damian was just too emotionally exhausted. Besides, though it was sweet of Jon to offer, Damian knew he had to deal with his father on his own. He owed it to Bruce to force himself to face his fears and mistakes. And now was not the time for individual introspective thought. Not to mention, Dick did not make it seem like his father would be all that happy to see him.

He shook his head slightly. It wasn’t the time to think about this, he didn’t want to think about it now. He wanted to be relaxing with Jon.

Damian looked to his right, absent-mindedly focusing on Jon instead. His eyes raked through the details, mind analyzing carefully, happy to have something new to think about. The muscle tone from working holidays on the farm, the strong but never sharp jaw, the bright and clear blue eyes – really it wasn’t fair how beautiful Jon had grown up to be. The previous night would have been impossible to get through had he not been so preoccupied with worry over seeing Dick. They had been so close, legs tangling as if they had a will of their own, hand slipping underneath hem to feel toned abdomen with rough fingers.

Shit. Damian cursed himself for getting so… distracted. He tried to shift his body without alerting Jon, hiding his growing erection from view. He just couldn’t help himself imagining what Jon would have felt like if his hand had slipped under the other hem. If he had-

Damnit, you’re doing it again. And staring, too. But before he could force himself to at least return his gaze to the television, Jon had turned to face him, trying to watch his reaction to what apparently should have been a shocking scene in the movie.

“Wha- you’re not even watching, Dami!”

“Sorry!” He tried to focus on the screen, but now Jon was staring at him.

Staring because Damian the Demon was beautifully flushed, green irises almost drowning in blown pupil, with the most delicious look in his eye as he had been staring at him. Jon inspected further and recognized that Damian had definitely tilted his body away from him.

Damian cleared his throat. Jon had been staring at his crotch.

“Uh, sorry,” he mumbled sheepishly, looking away.

But the blush in his cheeks was the demon’s cue and, after last night and the adrenaline of the morning, Damian really just couldn’t help himself anymore. He lunged forward, grabbing Jon’s chin and pulling it towards him as he locked Jon in a hungry kiss. Jon responded immediately, as anxious for this moment as his partner, digging his fingers into his demon’s arms and back, clinging on possessively.

Damian’s tongue fought its way desperately past Jon’s lips, but the Kryptonian groaned in frustration, needing to be closer, needing to move faster. He needed Damian.

Using his superior strength, he pushed Damian back with little effort and twisted himself to straddle his lover, reinstating their passionate kiss while starting his exploration of Damian’s new body with his hands.

Rough calloused palms ran quickly up his shirt making Damian gasp. The touch was strong and soft at the same time, and taking no time to reach around his back at the same time as tracing his abs. Jon finally tore his shirt (not exaggerating, literally tore), giving his lips better access to skin to continue his task. His tongue brought fire to Damian’s skin, igniting him as blood flushed to the surface to meet Jon’s teeth.

Damian briefly thought that this - Jon sitting in his lap, sucking at his neck, and scratching new patterns into his back – was the height of existence. That is, he thought that until Jon’s hips began to rock.

“Fuck,” he groaned, vision blurring as his Kryptonian sped up his grinding, clearly not wanting to stretch out any foreplay for too long.

Damian was only too happy to oblige.

He pulled away from his lover’s lips. Jon whined and leaned forward to reengage.

“Wait.” Jon pouted. “Bed.” He nodded an pulled his demon behind as he led the way to the bedroom.

Damian wasn’t really sure when it had happened, but Jon had already lost his shirt and so finished undressing at his lover’s command before landing on the bed. Damian loomed over him, pausing for a moment to drink in the view.

But Jon wasn’t going to let him linger for long.

“Damian.” He was pleading. His cock twitched in its confinement.

“Damn, you’re beautiful, Jon.”

“Fuck, Dami.” He watched as green eyes ran over him, filled with greedy lust. The sight of Damian chewing on his bottom lip in hunger broke him. I have been waiting for ten years for you to come back, damnit.

“I need you inside of me,” he groaned, barely audible. “Now.”

He received a devilish, hungry smile in return and watched dizzily as Damian finally finished undressing. Despite the agony both he and Jon were in, Damian took his time. He had fantasized about this moment on lonely nights in Nanda Parbat, but nothing came close to the real thing. When his boxer’s finally hit the floor, he was fully erect and already leaking from anticipation.

Jon leaned over and pulled a bottle from his bedside table.

“Ready on hand, eh?” Damian tutted. “Very naughty, Kent.”

But Jon didn’t get the chance to reply. Instead, his lips parted to release a delicious moan. Damian had ducked down behind his thighs and was lapping at his entrance. The demon only chuckled at Jon’s cries and held fast to his hips, keeping his legs parted to give him plenty of room to explore Jon’s ass.

He kissed and sucked and licked at the sensitive skin until his lover was a mess before pushing lightly into his hole with his tongue. He smiled as the groans redoubled, but then retreated. Feeling the pressure of Jon’s muscles squeezing around his tongue only made his longing to be inside of Jon even more urgent.

Damian opened the bottle to lather his fingers and apply a little extra to Jon’s tight hole. With a desperate look from Jon, he began working the entrance open. He leaned forward, still pressing fingers into the hole and spreading the muscle, and met Jon’s lips, not letting go again until they were panting and Jon was opened up.

He lined up his pelvis with Jon’s.

“Are you ready, my love?”

Jon was overwhelmed, but had never been more ready for anything.

Breathless, he managed, “Please.”

Damian entered slowly, reveling in the feeling of the tight pressure slowly enveloping his cock. He paused when his abdomen was pressed flush against his lover’s ass, giving them both a moment to adjust.

But he couldn’t wait for long. Jon gasped as he pulled out and pushed back in again in the space of a breath.

Damian’s cock was large and fast, leaving Jon a little dizzy. He grabbed at his knee, hooking it in his arm to anchor himself as well as open up his entrance a bit more. His other thigh was propped up by Damian’s hand, the one not planted in the mattress by Jon’s head to keep himself up as ecstasy threatened to topple him.

Pace increased, Damian’s moans joining Jon’s as he pumped deeper and faster. One particular yelp nearly made his heart stop.

“Fuck! Dami – love – ah!” Jon struggled to breathe. He couldn’t get the words out, but his demon had understood anyway and positioned himself to hit Jon’s prostate again. Blue eyes rolled back in pleasure as his free hand fell from its grip digging into Damian’s arm and reached to coil around his own cock.

Damian lost touch of reality listening to his partner’s moans and took his hand from Jon’s thigh to join the messy ministrations.

“J-Jon,” he sputtered, faltering in his pace for a moment. “Jon, love – I’m so close.”

His cock beat in and out, filling Jon so completely that he could hardly remember what it felt like to not have Damian inside of him. Hearing Damian’s voice thick with lust, feeling his rough fingers stroke him in matching rhythm to his deep thrusts, was becoming too much too handle.

“Shit, Dami!” His lover’s head hit his prostate again. “Ah! Oh, fuck!”

And Jon came over their joined fingers and onto his bare abdomen. The muscles of his rim pulsated around Damian pulling him fast to the edge. Breathing heavy, he called Jon’s name again.

“Cum for me,” Jon breathed, riding out his orgasm on Damian’s cock, hips still rocking in pace. “I want to feel you fill me up, Dami.” Damian locked eyes with his lover, shock evident, searching to ensure permission. “Cum for me, love.”

He couldn’t have stopped it even if he wanted to. Jon had commanded and so he must comply. He thrusted in and out a final few times, moans loud and Jon’s name on his lips.

Damian pulled out slowly, Jon whined at the loss. His whole body was overstimulated, but he immediately missed the connection. Hs demon must have felt the same as, upon collapsing, he rolled to lay next to his Kryptonian, keeping as close as possible.

After a minute’s recovery, Jon kissed his lover’s head. Damian looked up from his resting place on Jon’s chest, post-coital bliss fogging his gaze.

“That was incredible.”

“Yeah.” Damian pecked a kiss on the skin closest to his lips, not picking up his face. Jon raked his fingers through his wild hair.

“We don’t have to really go over it now, but-“

“You mean the world to me, Jon. Whatever you want us to be, I’m not going anywhere. Not again.”

“Good.”

His smile seemed satisfied to Damian, at least for now. They returned to silence, breathing each other in and before long, Jon fell softly to sleep.

Damian lay in his arms recounting the day. As hours slipped by, he realized he couldn’t wait any longer, just as he couldn’t wait to be with Jon or couldn’t wait to see Grayson again. He slipped out of bed, quietly washed and dressed, and stole a pen and post-it from Jon’s desk before sliding open the window and diving into the night.

‘Be back for breakfast.

             I promise.’

[aestheticsandwriting]

One-Shot a Day, Day 1: “Hold Me.” RvB

Link to read it on ao3. 

Summary: (RvB Season 12 spoilers.)  After Tucker is released from the hospital post season 12 (after being stabbed by Felix) he's feeling a little vulnerable and wants his boyfriend to hold him.

Tucker makes his way through the halls slowly, trying to avoid the more traveled routes in favor of the back ways and using storage rooms as shortcuts. It’s not that he didn’t want people knowing he was out of the hospital or that he didn’t secretly -or not so secretly- enjoy the attention, he just had a very specific place that he wanted to be. And he needed to be there fast, he only had a limited time.

When Dr. Grey told him he could leave, assuring her that he would come back every morning for bandage changes and wound check, he was ecstatic. As ecstatic as a person could be while semi-high on not-quite-narcotic painkillers, but ecstatic none the less. As soon as she had walked out to get his discharge papers -merely a formality that she insisted remain despite the fact that this hospital had stopped functioning like a normal hospital years previously and become a war recovery zone- Tucker had immediately grabbed his datapad on the side table and typed out a quick message, asking Wash if he could slip away from whatever he was doing and meet him in his -their- room.

He had just been walking out of the hospital when his boyfriend’s reply came through, telling him that he had managed to snag a two-hour reprieve from Kimball before having to go back to work, likely having a late-night before getting back to their bunk anyway, and asking if he wanted him to come walk with him back. The teal soldier had to remind himself not to jump for joy when he read the message, tapping out quick response telling him to just meet him there, armor off and in his civvies.

He finally makes his way into the barracks building, thankful he doesn’t have to be as cautious of other people now. Almost everybody in the building at this time are the men and women on night shifts and they’re asleep, he makes his way slowly to his and Wash’s room, a strong ache in his abdomen by the time he reaches the door. He pauses, taking a deep breath before opening it, stepping through to see Wash just pulling on one of his favorite t-shirts -an old one from his early days in freelancer that’s grown slightly thin and soft with wear- and that simple sight makes his eyes water slightly before he realizes what’s caused it.

“Hey, T, sorry I didn’t come up at breakfast this morning, Kimball had plans that she needed me to go over ASAP for a mission that left earlier.” The blond turns, taking in the sight of his boyfriend from his feet up. Clad in an old pair of shoes, some sweats, and a t-shirt that somehow perfectly matches his armor color that Wash had taken to him for whenever he was released, his armor having already been brought back to Tucker’s officially assigned room.

“Tha-” Tucker coughs, clearing his throat and wincing at the pain in his gut. “That’s fine, don’t worry.” His voice is still rough, and he silently curses himself as a single tear slips down his right cheek.

“Tucker, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“No. I mean, yes, I have pain, but it’s minimal. I just… will you hold me, David?” Wash has to strain to hear the end of his sentence, it coming out muted and directed towards the floor, Tucker not looking him in the eye.

“I don’t want to-”

“You’re not going to hurt me. I promise, if something hurts or I’m uncomfortable, I’ll tell you. I just need to be held right now.”

“Come ‘ere.” Wash jerks his head, motioning to the two beds they had pushed together to form a bed big enough for the both of them before crawling in, moving to the far side so Tucker has room to settle in without too much movement, hopefully lessening his chances of hurting himself. The younger man sits gently, turning to curl into the taller man’s open and waiting arms, face buried in the blond’s shoulder, sniffling slightly.

“Thank you.”

There’s a silence that stretches between the two of them, interrupted occasionally by a sniffle from Tucker, becoming more frequent as the time goes on. “Hey.” A kiss to the top of his head. “You’re not in pain, are you? Incision’s okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I… Wash, I thought I was never going to get to do this again.” Another sniffle. “I thought I was going to bleed out before the guys could get to me. And I thought, ‘I am never going to hold him or be held by him again. I’m never going to kiss him again. I’m never going to get to tell him I love him again.’ And,” a sharp exhale, “fuck, it scared me. It scared me that I might never be able to do those things again, and it scared me that I thought I was going to die alone, with nobody there.”

“Shhh. It’s okay, I’m here.” The older man feels droplets of moisture on his arm that’s snaked under his neck and drops another kiss to his head. “I love you too, T. You’re not alone in working through this. It was a traumatic experience and it’ll take a while to get through it, but I’m with you the whole way, yeah?” A small nod from the smaller man, and a squeeze from the larger’s arms, careful not to tighten too much. “Good. I love you so much. I was so scared I was going to lose you. Not sure what I would’ve done if they hadn’t gotten to you. Thank fuck for Lina having the healing unit.”

It goes quiet, but Wash knows Tucker isn’t breathing deep and smooth enough to be sleeping, so he makes himself content with holding his boyfriend and allowing him time with his thoughts and emotions, confident he’ll talk if he wants to.

After some amount of time, Wash really isn’t sure how long, Tucker’s breathing does even out, and the blond hopes it’s a nice sleep he’s fallen into, not worrying about looking at the clock, knowing his alarm he set will go off when he needs to get up, armor up again, and head back to the war room for more assault tactic lookovers to finalize and confirm before upcoming missions, and he finds himself dozing on and off during the time.

“Mmm, Tucker?”

“Hm?”

“Gotta get up; my two hours is almost up; I have to be in armor and back in the war room in twenty minutes.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

“I don’t want to either; this is one time I’d be perfectly content to lay here with you until tomorrow morning, but I gotta go.”

“No, Wash, that’s not what I meant. I don’t know if I can handle being alone right now.”

“Go hang out with some of the other guys, there’s bound to be one of them that isn’t busy, or is just running drills and you can sit there with them.”

“I’m sure Carolina’s going to be in the war room with you, which means Church will be there, too, I can’t Caboose wrangle right now or I’ll open my incision and hurt myself worse. Simmons will bore me to death, Sarge will try to kill me, and Grif is disgusting. And I can’t take being around anybody else right now, it’s just…”

“Too much?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell you what, if you let me up right now, I’ll let you come to the war room with me and we’ll see about convincing Kimball and Doyle to let you sit in there, yeah?”

“That sounds fine.” Tucker starts to shift, wincing slightly as he does. “Ah, shit, I gotta take my pain meds too before we go up there. You start working on your armor, I’ll do that, and hopefully we can get there before they make me crazy tired like they did last night.”

“Hopefully.”

Tucker grabs his datapad that he had laid on the side table as the two head out the door, knowing he’s going to be bored at some point, slipping his other hand into Wash’s as they walk through the halls of the barracks, releasing it as they near the door. The two had officially been in a relationship since right after they were reunited but had yet to tell anybody except Carolina. Wash suspected a few other people had ideas about their relationship, but nobody had had the guts to come out and ask, and they were perfectly content with leaving it under the radar for as long as possible.

Wash reaches up, knocking on the door to the war room and waiting for the following ‘enter’ to open the door, Tucker closing it behind him. “Captain Tucker,” ‘that’s Kimball’s voice’ his subconscious reminds him through the slight haze of his medication starting to kick in, “good to see you out of the hospital, but what are you doing here?”

“Didn’t want to be alone.” He supplies before Wash can interject and say it in a more tactful way.

“I see. Please pull up a chair and feel free to spend as much time here as you want.”

“Thanks, ‘Nessa. I mean, uh, Kimball.”

“Sorry, Kimball, he took his pain meds right before we came, I think they’re taking effect.”

“I see,” an amused tone. “Now, back to the business at hand. Doyle, Carolina, and I were just discussing some plans for our assault on the small northern outpost.” A paper is slid across the table to the gray-and-yellow-clad soldier. “Here’s what information we have so far.”

Ten minutes later Tucker is snoring lightly, head lolled back and propped on the wall, and Wash rolls his eyes at his boyfriend before turning his attention back to the papers in front of him.

Nearly seven hours later the group is finished, helmets and gloves discarded around the room as they grew tired and started rubbing at their eyes. Tucker having gone back and forth between napping, playing around on his datapad, and picking at the small food supply that Kimball had brought to them around dinner time. Doyle grabs his armor pieces and leaves the room almost immediately, Kimball, Carolina, and Wash staying behind to talk a few minutes longer, both asking the freckle-faced man about Tucker’s wellbeing.

“He’s okay. I’m glad Carolina had the healing unit when she got to him, Dr. Grey doesn’t think he would’ve survived without it.” He glances over his shoulder, insuring that the dark-haired male is still asleep. “He’s at the point now that I’m sure he’ll be okay physically given time, but it messed him up a bit psychologically. That’s why I needed to leave for a while when he was released and why he came with me. He’ll be okay, I think, it’ll just take a while.”

“This… might be a sensitive question, but… Will he be okay at night? We don’t need him landing himself back in the hospital because he’s ripped his incision open during a nightmare.”

“It’s taken care of.”

“Okay…” Wash can see the question in her eyes, but is glad she doesn’t ask anything. And then Tucker ruins it.

“Babe? Why aren’t we in bed?” The slightly slurred question leaves Tucker’s mouth as he blinks back the light from the still harshly lit war room, trying to regain his bearings as to where he is.

“We’re in the war room, remember? Don’t worry, we’re about to go.”

“Okay.” Tucker struggles to stay awake through Wash’s explanation, snuggling back into the wall. Wash looks back over his shoulder, Carolina smirking at him, Kimball with a dark eyebrow raised.

“Agent Washington, I’m assuming that’s what you meant when you said ‘it’s taken care of’?”

“Yes, it is. Is there a problem with that, general Kimball?” The blond man is immediately on edge, posture straightening and stiffening, fight or flight response readying.

“Stand down, Wash, there’s no problem, I actually thought there might’ve been something,” there’s a softness to her dark eyes as an ever so slight smile graces her lips. “I’m happy for you both, I really am. I take it you already knew, Carolina?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“Officially? Since right after we reunited. Though you could argue that we were basically in a relationship before the ship crashed.” Wash relaxes as the most genuine smile he’s seen from her graces Kimball’s dark tan skin, and he thinks briefly that he wishes for her sake she lived in a time or place where that smile could be used more often and her features not be hidden under a helmet, though he guesses one could say the same about all of them.

“I am happy for you both. Now, please, everybody get some rest tonight.” The three lean down, all picking up their discarded armor pieces. “And Wash? Tucker is welcome in here with us any time while he’s recovering.”

“Thank you, Kimball.”

By the time the pair get back to their room, Tucker is a little more cohesive than he had been, and Wash bumps his shoulder lightly. “Kimball knows.”

“Knows what?”

“About us.”

“What? How?”

“You half woke up in the war room and called me babe. She already suspected, though, and it’s not a problem.”

“Ooops, I’m sorry, I know we were trying to keep this under the radar.”

“It’s okay, Tucker. I’m actually kind of glad she knows. Doyle doesn’t yet, though, he had left already.” The two step through their door, Wash already pulling off more of his armor pieces, Tucker slowly pulling his clothes off, stripping down to his boxers like always.

“Wash? Will you hold me again tonight while we fall asleep?” Wash sees the unspoken ‘I need that reassurance’ in his eyes and smiles a gentle smile -one reserved strictly for Tucker and extremely rare times that Carolina sees it- and nods.

“Of course. It was very comfortable earlier.”

“Thank you.”

The couple crawls into the bed after Tucker takes another dose of his painkillers per Dr. Grey’s orders, finding a position that’s both comfortable for Tucker, but also close enough for him to feel the safety he needs and they drift off to sleep, each man having a peaceful night’s sleep being held by the other.

[smol-and-grumpy]

Dear Dean (Chapter 12)

Re-post

Pairing: Dean Winchester x OFC (Jamie Blum)

WC: 5.1k

Summary: After taking Saint Lo, by sheer dumb luck, Lieutenant Dean Winchester from the 29th Infantry Division, Baker Company, received a truckload of replacements for his platoon that was falling apart. Little did he know, that one recruit would change his life forever.

Chapter Warnings: Minor character death, some fighting, gore, crack, smut, fluff

SERIES MASTERLIST

September 2nd, 1944

They were stuck somewhere outside of Brest.

The shelling never stopped and it was already way past midnight. Dean was just so fucking sick of it. The shelling was faint, it wasn’t enough to cause any damage or threaten them, but it was enough to keep them all alerted. It was enough to keep them from getting any rest.

Dean went from foxhole to foxhole, asking his men if they needed anything that he could provide. Unfortunately, the supply officers still hadn’t come to find them and they were low on food. His platoon shared what they could, and Dean still had his chocolate in his webbing that he didn’t want to part with, but could if he had to. He ran down his line of men and at that point, he could tell that they knew that Dean was tired, too.

Castiel, too, was weary. He told them that he didn’t know what he should do. It could very well be tactical of the Germans to keep them up all night just so they would all be too exhausted come morning. Then they would all lose the fight they had been fighting so hard for. They had lost too many men to let that happen. Lost too much to give up.

Dean moved down the line, crouching at every foxhole and shell scraping, asking the same questions. Regardless of the situation, his men were still in high spirits. Moral was good and Dean could count himself lucky.

Dean stopped to crouch next to the hole where Jamie was sitting, looking over the rim of the foxhole to hold their line. Tran was in the hole sleeping, and Dean wished that he could find an empty hole to nap in. He wished that he’d found Bambi sleeping somewhere alone, because she was so small.  He’d fit in perfectly curled around her.

“You alright?” He asked her, and she smiled at him in response. It immediately warmed Dean’s heart and even though he was exhausted before, he didn’t feel like it anymore.

“Fine, sir.”

“How long has Tran been sleeping?”

“I don’t know. About two hours I guess.”

“Hey Tran,” Dean called down, waking him up. Bambi frowned. “Make room for me. I need to take a nap. Make sure to trade places with Bambi when you’re awake.”

Tran was small himself, and Dean was certain that he could fit in with him, too.

Tran moved a little in his sleep, making room for Dean’s broad frame and Jamie looked down at them, grinning as she saw them both wedged in the narrow hole. Sleeping next to each other.

It took Tran another half hour before he showed up, yawning. “Fuck, thanks Blum. I needed a nap.”

“You’re welcome. Just don’t forget what you promised me.”

Dean wasn’t asleep yet and he couldn’t unhear that sentence.

“Yeah, yeah. Now go quick and take a nap yourself. You never know when we have to fight again. It’s warm down there, too, the Lieutenant is a fucking furnace.”

Dean could hear her giggle before she lowered herself down and took off her helmet. She got comfortable next to him, not quite touching him until he spread out his arm for her to crawl into. Tran was busy watching the line, and Dean was sure that he could get away with it. Either way, it was worth the risk. She was worth the risk.

“Hi,” He said, his hand stroked from her cheek up to her hair.

“Hi.” She replied with a smile, and he kissed her. Her hand rubbed against his scruff. Dean needed to shave, he knew, but there’s just no time for it.

“What’s the promise?” He whispered low. Noise discipline was on and they couldn’t talk louder, but that was perfectly ok. In the foxhole, they were alone in their own little bubble, their own little world.

“I gave him my last chocolate and let him sleep longer than he should.”

Dean frowned a little. “You did?”

She nodded at him. “And he promised me to name his first born after me.”

Dean threw his head back in a fit of laughter. It was hard for him to keep his voice low.

“Shit, Jamie Tran. What a kid, huh?”

“Oh, that kid’s going places, alright.”

Dean kissed the top of her head before he shifted, making room in between them a little as not to raise suspicion. He told her to sleep a bit. Tomorrow was another hard day, and he wanted his men to be as rested as they could.

***

September 3rd, 1944

Baker was moving out. Fox and Dog companies were already on their way around the east while Baker took the west flank, taking out the trench system.

It seemed like a good idea at first, but then Dean found himself crouched in the dirt while Cas yelled over his head. Soldiers left and right of him fell down screaming for a medic or were not able to scream at all.

“Take cover! Take cover and get out of the way!”

The shell of the 280mm crashed on the ground and it almost took Dean’s legs out from under him.

Baker scattered.

Everyone who was still standing sprinted as the next shell screamed over their heads.

“Pull back! Pull back now! Come on, come on, let’s go!” Castiel yelled for Baker to retreat and everyone scrambled up.

Dean picked up private Rosen from the ground where he was bleeding from his leg. He hauled him up and continued to sprint. “Bambi!” He yelled, turning himself around 360° to see where Jamie was.

“Here, sir!” Bambi yelled back. She was on the ground, crouching next to Fitzgerald some odd couple of feet away from him. Dean could see the gaping wound on Fitzgerald’s thigh.  

He stalled, crouching down beside the two of them.

“You’re fine, alright? Just stay with me.” Bambi’s voice was calm as she searched on Fitzgerald’s thighs for the entry wound.

“Shit, Bambi. You need to check if… ah fuck.” Fitzgerald threw his head back, closing his eyes in pain.

Dean had Rosen still half around his shoulder and he could not afford to drop the private. “Bambi, we need to run!” He growled, his hand on her shoulder.

“I just need to..” Her hands tore at the fabric of Fitzgerald’s pants, pulling the fabric apart.

“My balls, Bambi, are they.. ah!”

Bambi grinned amidst the downpour of shells and took a peek. “You’re fine, Fitzgerald. Everything’s where it should be.” And Fitzgerald smiled back then.

“Come on!” Dean was getting impatient.

Bambi got on her feet and hauled Fitzgerald’s arm over her shoulder to half carry him to safety. They ran for the next rendezvous point to regroup. Men checked through their weapons, looking at the familiar faces of their friends that made it to safety. Dean lowered Rosen gently to the ground, and Shurley was quick to work on the wounded.

He walked over to where Bambi was sitting, she was breathing hard, her rifle still clutched tight in her grip. Dean was so fucking delighted that she was safe that he put his hand on her shoulder in passing, squeezing for reassurance. He let go quickly though, afraid that Bambi would notice that his hands were trembling.

***

September 5th, 1944

Baker lined themselves up. Platoon by platoon. Waiting, crouching, kneeling in place for the order to move out.

It was the day of the day - or rather, night of the night. They painted their faces with camouflage cream. Hung fabric around their upper arms, as not to lose sight of each other.

La Trinité was a bitch, and it was impossible to take it by the usual methods. There were more casualties than progress in the last six days and frankly, the 116th were running out of time and most importantly, out of men. Their order was now a direct assault on the battery at La Trinité by the entire 116th regiment.

Dean couldn’t say that he was happy about it, but what could he do? They had the order of no noise and no light. So they’re waiting there, Bayonets fixed.

2nd Battalion looped around to the south, where the fortress was the weakest and Baker was going for the trench-system at the forefront.

Dean went through his platoon one last time, making sure that nothing shone and nothing rattled. He hated that they went in without helmets, but orders were orders.

They moved in the night, the moon shining above them. The night air was chilly and their breathing fogged up around their faces like a puff of smoke.

Cas moved up and down, finding platoon leaders and came to a halt before Dean. They fell into step together as Cas whispered. “When we reached our RVP, remove armbands on my command.” Dean nodded. “Keep your bayonets fixed.” Dean nodded a second time.

They were going in by squad. Dean’s platoon was taking out the sentry outposts and cutting of the German communications with the rest of the German occupied bunker. And for the first time, Dean was happy that he got one of the easier tasks.

They went in, rifle first, moving swiftly in the dim light of the moon and took out one Kraut after another, soundlessly, with only their bayonets. Dean ordered to only use ammo when absolutely needed. He hated that, though. It wasn’t a nice thing to do and it was bloody, but orders were orders. He got what he got.

Now they waited in the darkness, watching the other platoons going in the bunker and stood at attention to provide suppressive fire if needed.

They were only needed with the last push, and Dean sped along with his men, rifles pulled to their shoulders as they help taking out Kraus in the trench system.

When all was done, Dean smiled. It was intense and his knees were wobbly. It was then, after everything was said and done, that he felt how fucking tired he really was.

He found Bambi in the trenches and took a seat beside her.

“You alright?” He nudged her in the side.

“I’m still having nightmares.”

Dean was concerned, but when he saw how she looked at him with her lips pursed and her eyebrow quirked, he knew that she was trying to lighten up the mood.

“Why’s that?”

“I saw Fitzgerald’s junk.” She did a little shudder and pulled a face and it worked, Dean laughed. Fuck it felt good to laugh.

The fight was not over though. Dean sat around the trenches with Tran, Lafitte, Bambi, and Harvelle when the shelling began. They didn’t even have enough time to take out their rifles when Lafitte went down, a round hit him in his throat and the gurgling sound of him drowning on his own blood was recorded and locked in Dean’s mind forever.

Dean threw himself before Bambi and Harvelle and he ordered for them to fall back and take cover. Of course they didn’t listen. They stayed and defended their position.

It was morning when the Germans scattered around and retreated behind the treelines. Nonetheless, Castiel ordered for them to keep firing.

Dean switched to deliberate fire to slow the ammunition usage, but they were to keep going until Cas ordered them to cease fire. Dean kept going. He wanted to believe that they took La Trinité and that they would keep it.

***

September 9th, 1944

Baker was pulled off the front line after La Trinité and for the first time in what seemed to be month, Dean stood under the spray of hot water. Freaking hot water! It had been ages since he felt so fucking clean. He shaved and wished there was a barber nearby. He needed a haircut, but he’d be damned if he allowed any of his men with scissors close to his neck. He’d just have to wait until they got to a bigger city.

Dean had time to wash his clothing and finally they smelled good again. He hung out his clothing to dry as he waited for Bambi to come out of the shower. The others were having lunch and he promised her that he would be on watch as she took her sweet time in there. He couldn’t wait to grab a hot meal himself, honestly, and it was the first time since, that he felt the closest to normal with Bambi.

“Looking good, private.” He sat there, in front of the showers, penning a letter to Sam when she walked out into the landing on their floor, a towel wrapped around her whole body. “Just, you maybe want to lose that towel, just saying.” He shrugged, putting his pen to his lips and bit on it with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Fuck off.” She replied, walking into the room where they were billeted to get dressed.

“Shut up, you love me.” He called out, not caring if someone would hear them.

“You’re a pain in my ass, Lieutenant.” She called out and walked out in her combats and a black shirt, her hair was still damp.

Dean laughed. “Do you like pain in your ass, beca–”

“Shut up!” She pulled him down to her by his shirt to kiss him.

“I really meant it.” Dean smiled. “You look good. I mean, I wouldn’t mind you dressed up, but I’d take you in combats over all fancy dresses anytime.” He kissed the top of her head.

“Be still my heart.” Jamie rolled her eyes at him. “Let’s go, I’m hungry.”

Dear Sam,

I read your letter out loud to her. I thought that it was a good thing to do. You know, to let her see that I really mean it and it’s not just because we’re here in the same place, at the same time.

Thanks for your words. She says hi back! Her name’s Jamie by the way. I don’t think that I’ve told you that.

We’ve taken La Trinité, bitch! We were pulled off the first line right after. It was such a relief, to tell you the truth. There were weeks of constant fighting and at the end, I could barely hold my eyes open. I think I might have aged 20 years in one week.

Everything’s good here and dammit, I showered for real in what felt like months! Yeah, yeah. Shut it, I know what you think! I feel like I’m a human being again, so there’s that. And we’ve got hot food!

There’s not much news other than me doing good, Sam. Jamie’s good, too. She said that she’d love to meet you one day. We better make it back so I can introduce her to you, man.

We’re sitting comfortably for a couple of days until we know where they want us next. So write whenever you can, bitch! I hope you’re doing great wherever you are Sam. Take care, alright?

Lieutenant Dean Winchester

“My god, are these hot dogs?” Jamie’s eye grew wide as she stood with Dean in line, and Dean giggled at her, amused by her joy. She shot him a look. His smirk made her want to punch him straight in the face.

“Shut up, will you?” She hissed. “I was just excited!”

“Yeah, I see.” He didn’t stop grinning, and she chose to ignore him while she let them serve her two.

Dean packed four hot dogs on his tray and shrugged at her when she watched him with a raised eyebrow. They found a seat where Tran and Harvelle were still eating their food.

“Looking good, Lieutenant.” Tran said, his mouth still full and even Harvelle joined in. “Yeah, almost forgot what you look like without the frown lines and camouflage cream, sir.” They all laughed.

“Hey, and me?” She asked, feeling a little left out.

“You, too.” Dean elbowed her in the sides, winking at Tran and Harvelle.

“Yeah, of course Bambi, you look damn good. But fuck, have you notice how handsome the Lieutenant is? I mean, I’m a man and I find him quite easy on the eye.” Harvelle almost couldn’t stop babbling.

Jamie made gagging noises, and Tran snorted at that.

“Oh come on, Bambi. I’m fucking handsome and you know it.” Dean said, taking a bite and chewed with a grin on his face and there was no other thing that Jamie could do than roll her eyes at him.

“He’s a dreamboat.” Harvelle mumbled, making all the others stop doing what they were doing to stare at him. Harvelle looked up, his eyebrows raised. “Fuck, did I say that out loud?”

Dean started to laugh, throwing his head back as his whole body shook.

“Shit, I gotta find myself a broad soon, I’m going crazy being around you guys.” Harvelle stood up and balanced his tray on his hand. “You going to play later, sir?” Harvelle asked Dean and he nodded while he took a bite.

“Play what?” Jamie asked curiously.

“Basketball, Bambi. Baker is playing Dog.” Tran explained.

“Oh,”

“You can come cheer us on.” Dean said, “Wait, no. That’s actually an oder. Harvelle, get all the men together. We need the support, seeing how bad Tran is.”

The whole table broke into fits of laughter, and Jamie thought that that was how it was supposed to be. All of them together, carefree. No worries or war between them.

“Man, I’m still hungry.” She announced when she finished her two hot dogs.

“Well, get yourself some more.” Tran suggested and she looked back to the line of soldiers queuing up for food.

“Nah, too many people.” She said, but then she looked over to see Dean holding his third hot dog up. He was about to take a bite.

Jamie scooted closer to Dean, standing up a little and licked at the hot dog in Dean’s hand.

“What the fuck was that for?” Dean exclaimed, raising one eyebrow and Tran had a hard time holding in his laughter.

She grinned at Dean, flashing her teeth. “I licked it so it’ts mine, sir.”

That’s when Tran broke down, laughing and spraying his food onto the table.

Dean, unfazed, took a bite of the licked hot dog and began to chew. “Is that so?”

“Yeah, if you lick something, it’s yours. That’s how we handled things in my family, sir.”

Dean took another bite before he spoke with his cheeks full of food. “So, you wanna say if I licked something, that it’s mine?”

She started to blush at that. “Well, never mind, sir.”

“Nah, joking, here.” Dean broke off his hot dog and gave half of it to her but a grin bright on his face.

***

Jamie sat on the steps, cheering on her company, and she couldn’t take her eyes off Dean. He was running around and sweating and he was laughing. She’d like to stay like that forever, if possible, but she knew that it wouldn’t last. It never would. The war was not over, and she’d be assigned to another platoon soon if Castiel didn’t change his mind.

The ball rolled out of court and came to a halt at her feet. Dean ran toward her to retrieve it and when he bent down, she could see him wink at her, the droplets of sweat running down the side of his face. His freckles stood out in the glimmering light of the dusk.

Baker won. Of course they would, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Jamie was about to retreat with her platoon when Dean ran up to her and grabbed at her arm, making her turn around on her heels. “After dinner. You and me.” He was gone again before she could utter a word.

***

Dean had a briefing and couldn’t join them for dinner, nonetheless she was having a good laugh with good company in the form of her second family - her platoon.

She walked out of the mess hall when Dean and Gabriel walked in and they stood in line.

He nudged her arm on her way out. “I’ll be quick.” He said, before he stood back in the fast moving line. Jamie didn’t know what he wanted for her to do.

She waited outside, sitting on the pavement when Dean hurried out, still chewing his last bite.

“You didn’t have to wolf everything down, you know.” She teased him, and he swallowed the last remaining bite in his mouth.

“Didn’t want you to wait too long.” He replied and then he pointed his chin to the empty streets. “Come on, let’s take a walk. I have to be at another meeting at Twenty-three-hundred.”

Jamie looked at her watch. It’s almost 3 hours until Dean had to be somewhere. It was probably the most time they ever had.

Dean hurried along the street and Jamie had to jog to keep up with him. Falling into swift step as he hummed a melody. Someone was really happy, she thought and she almost missed the stop, because she couldn’t stop smiling to herself. Dean stood in front of a door and she kept on walking until she heard him whistle out to her.

“Where you doing? You having another date I don’t know about?” He hissed, a lopsided grin on his face as he put the key into the lock, still chuckling to himself.

“Well, in my defense. You didn’t tell me where we’re going.”

She stood beside him when he pushed the door in, it was dark, but she could make out crates of various sizes littering the room. He pushed the door close again and locked it, leaving the key hanging.

He took her hand in his and guided her to the back room. Dean knew his place around, so she guessed that he’d been there before, maybe even more than once. “Come on.”

Dean pushed the door of the back room closed with his boots while he attacked her face, his hand coming up to cup her cheeks. He kissed her like he meant it. Her hands fisted in his shirt, pulling it loose from his combats before she slipped her hand under it, making Dean shudder at the feeling of her cold finger caressing his body. “Fuck, cold!” He groaned into he kiss and she laughed, before she ran her palm across his body, feeling hot skin and muscle underneath. Her fingers grazed his nipples, making Dean hitch his breathing and moaned into her mouth. She loved that. Loved that he was so sensitive there.

Her fingers swiftly unbuckled his belt before she moved her palm further down, stroking his hardness through his combats, and Dean grinned into the kiss.

“Are you packing or are you just happy to see me, Lieutenant?” She asked with a naughty smirk and Dean chuckled before he breathed against her lips.

“You know, alright.” His hand still cupping her cheeks and he kissed her again, bruisingly.

Jamie’s hand pulled down his zipper and she shimmied Dean from his pants and underwear before she fits his cock in her hand, making him hold his breath. She kissed him one last time before she lowered herself down. She’d always been curious of how he tasted, and she couldn’t wait to finally find out.

Dean wanted to stop her, maybe because he didn’t know if he could last. There was nothing he could do, she was already on her knees, and when he opened his mouth to protest, no words came out. She took his cock in both her hands, holding it up so she could lick at his head.

Dean’s rolled his head back at the first touch of her wet tongue, hitting the door hard. “Shit.”

She laughed at that, breathing hot air against the slick patch of flesh.

His cock felt heavy in her grip. The scent of pre cum lingered in the air, and she breathed it in before she sucked at the tip of his cock. She let her tongue trail along his shaft, playing with the string underneath the cock’s head, and Dean mumbled something incoherent that sounded a lot like fucking stop teasing.

Jamie laughed before she took him in again, taking him as far as she could, and Dean banged the back of his head against the door for a second time with a “Fuck” that rolled off his tongue in a huffed moan.

He looked down to her then, and she met his eyes. His hand found the top of her head, but he wasn’t pushing, nor pulling, he just left it there as he watched her. His hips coming up to meet her mouth, fucking slowly into it. She took him further until the tip of his cock tickled the back of her throat and she started to gag.

Dean impatiently pulled her up by her arm then, lifting her up, his cock slipping from her lips. He walked her to table in the back of the room and sat her on it as he kissed her hungrily, not shy of tasting himself on her tongue.

He didn’t stop kissing her when he untangled her boots and took them off. He didn’t stop kissing her when his hands fumbled at the button of her pants. He only stopped kissing her to push her down to lie on her back whilst he took off her combat pants and underwear.

Dean was on his knees, the table the right height as he spread kisses along her inner thighs. Jamie rested one of her feet on his shoulder as he kissed his way further, but he’s not kissing her there just yet. Dean was teasing, kissing and biting her thighs and her outer lips.

She propped herself on her elbow, looking at him. She was met by his green eyes and the crinkles around them. “You’re an asshole.” She said, and as soon as the words left her lips, Dean licked a strip through her middle, parting her folds with his tongue. She bit back a moan while she whispered. “Fucking tease.”

“I learned it from the best.” Dean chuckled, before he sucked at her clit. He pushed a finger inside of her, and she was almost a goner.

“Fuck.” She breathed out, her hand fisting in his hair.

“Language, private!” Dean scolded with a smile before he sealed his lips back around her clit, sucking and humming a melody at the same time while he fucked her with two of his fingers.

“Ah, shit.” Jamie felt a surge of electricity, starting in her gut, and then down her legs, making them tremble and quiver as a wave of orgasm washed over her, fogging her mind for a solid minute.

Dean stopped his ministration and looked up at her, very pleased with himself. The tip of his freckled nose shiny with her slick and juice.

He got up again then, bending over her as he kissed up her throat. He capture her mouth with his, and she tasted herself and her on the tip of his tongue.

“We still don’t have protection.” Dean said, matter of factly, and Jamie was seriously past caring.

She had her hand between them, and grabbed at his dick in her fist, before she squeezed it gently. He yelped out into her mouth, and she guided his cock to her entrance. Dean took the hint, pushing himself forward and watched, as her pussy took him in, inch by inch.

When he was sheathed inside, he bent his upper body down, kissing her hungrily as he moved his hips, fucking into her in a slow, sensual pace.

Dean breathed hard, his teeth biting into her bottom lip before he sealed his lips around it, sucking it in, soothing away the pain that he caused.

“Shit,” he exclaimed, “I won’t fucking last.”

She giggled at that, making him kiss her harder, swallowing the sounds she made. Dean increased his pace, thrusting into her harder and harder as she sank her fingers into his back, scratching at the fabric of his shirt.

“Fuck, Bambi,” He pulled out with an animalistic groan, spilling his cum onto the floor as he slammed his head back and squeezed his eyes shut.

She watched him, loving how he came undone. She thought that she would never get sick of seeing his face being bathed in sweet agony.

Dean panted as he came down from his high. He smiled at her, and he pulled her up to her ass and kissed her. He tucked his softening cock back into his pants and zipped it up, before bending down to pick up her underwear and pants from the floor. He helped her into her boots and laced them for her, her foot on his knee. He took her hand and guided her out of the back room and into the front where it was less dark.

They sat with their backs against the wall as he produced a flask out of the side pocket of his combat pants and handed it to her.

“When will I be reassigned?” She asked the question that she didn’t dare to ask as she unscrewed the flask.

“I don’t know. Cas wants to see me this evening. Said he had to talk to me in private. I will ask him then.”

He spread his arm, letting her nudge her head closer to him as she handed him back the flask after taking a sip. Dean took one too, before he settled the flask down. He put his face on the back of her head, inhaling deeply before he spoke into the crown of her hair. “Wish we didn’t have to hide all the time.”

“Me too.” She whispered, and then she shifted herself, sitting up straight and looking at Dean. His hair needed cutting, pieces were falling into his face. He slicked it back nowadays, but when it was all dry again, it pointed out everywhere. She thought it was cute, but he wouldn’t wanna hear that.

“Sent Sam a letter,” He started to mutter as he kissed her cheek. “Thanked him.”

“Good. I like Sam.” She smiled and nudge her nose along his.

“Yeah?”

“He’s the more handsome brother.” She giggled while Dean rolled his eyes.

“Yeah well, he’s taken.”

“You too.” She nudge her head under his arm, making him spread it and pull her into a hug, her fingers trail along his biceps.

“Me too.” He repeated, kissing the crown of her head and rested his face there before he mumbled against her hair. “I’m yours.”

CHAPTER 13

[crassussativum]

ooc- Enemies and Allies: Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Mav dropped the Geth arm on the kitchen table and stood there with one hand on his hip and the other holding his gun. “I’m gonna shoot it if it moves,” He said. “Fuck I might shoot it just cuz. Fiend was a friend and this muthafucker...” He took a long, deep breath, talons tapping out a beat on his hip.

Crassus leaned against the wall well away from the arm. He vividly recalled the way the one on the outpost had twitched and writhed. He would shoot this one too if it moved. “You said Fiend was following your distress signal?”

“Somehow,” He muttered, eyes glued to the arm and mandibles tight to his jaw. “Every headin’ operative has a distinct, personalized signal. You rise up the ranks, you’ll get one too. But she was following mine. I’ve never even used mine before.”

“...So what’s it mean that she was following a… a copy of yours?” He asked.

“I dunno what it means exactly.” Mav said, tapping his talons again. “But I know what it implies. Someone got ‘hold of my signal and who knows whose all else. There’s eight, er no, seven headin’ operatives in this sector and we’ve been compromised. And there’s fuckin’ Geth. I dunno which worries me more.”

Crassus huffed. He knew which worried him more. If their identities were compromised, that meant Taren could possibly be in danger, as well as the families of the other operatives. And who knew how far the compromise stretched, how wide or high or who all it included. “We can’t report this...” He said slowly.

Mav met his eyes. “I’m honestly surprised we’re on the same page here.” He said after a moment. “Nah, nah we can’t report this to the Hierarchy at all. But we ain’t up shit creek.”

“No? Are you sure?” He couldn’t keep the exasperation from his tones. Didn’t Mav take anything seriously?

“You forgettin’ my sorta uncle is a Spectre, big guy?” Mav flashed his teeth. “We’ve got Geth and a probable conspiracy. I think that warrants Spectre involvement.” He paced around the table. “I’m gonna sit in the cockpit to watch our shit while I call him. He’ll want to see the shuttle and Fiend for himself, so we’ll stay put for now. You keep your eye and your gun on that fuckin’ thing.”

…

He stayed at his spot against the wall, so tense and still that his spine hurt but he didn’t dare move in case he missed the arm doing the same. Would it move? Twitch? Spontaneously grow the rest of the Geth it had been torn from? All seemed entirely possible to Crassus. Was the smoke he smelled wires readying for solder or Mav’s cigarettes? Spirits…

Mav appeared so suddenly beside him that Crassus could only sag against the wall as adrenaline flooded him. “Spirits. Now isn’t a good time to be sneaking around.”

“Wasn’t sneakin’.” He muttered, drawling off his cigarette. “Saren’s on his way to us. He wasn’t far.”

“That’s good at least.”

“Means he’s been tailin’ me again.” Mav said.

“He’s looking after you. As family should.” Crassus said simply.

“He’s not family.” The smaller turian said but his voice was soft and quiet, as if it was just something he was used to saying but didn’t truly feel.

Crassus observed him a moment and tried to do so objectively. Mav’s chest rose and fell rapidly, he was pale and sweaty and he looked moments away from collapse. If it was the larger implications of the signal or the Geth or seeing a friend so horribly killed, Crassus didn’t know, but Mav was clearly shaken.

“You should rest.” He suggested with care. “I’ll keep my eye on this...thing and wake you when the Spectre gets here.”

Mav rubbed his eyes and scraped hands over his fringe. “Y’know, I think I will have a rest.”

“I honestly expected you to argue.” Crassus confessed, his mandibles giving a little flick.

“I’m too fuckin’ tired to argue with you.” The smaller turian muttered. “And I’m gonna need my head sharp when Saren gets here. Hold the fort down, big guy, I’ll see you in forty.”

…

Closer to an hour later, Crassus waited with Mav in the hangar as the Spectre docked his ship. He’d taken off his armor to nap and his gun hung from an old-fashioned holster on his hip. The Spectre eyed him up and down as he came through the bay doors.

“You’ve gotten thinner.” He said by way of greeting.

Mav flared his mandibles. “You say the nicest things.”

The Spectre gave a slight flick to his mandibles and faced Crassus. “I’ve made time to read your dossier, Agent Sativum.”

Crassus swallowed, every time a superior had said that to him, it hadn’t been followed by anything positive. “And?”

“You don’t possess the clearance needed for the conversation I must have with Mavic.”

“I’m not keepin’ secrets from my partner.” Mav said. “Let me worry ‘bout his clearance or lack thereof.”

“Have you already shared the information I gave you?” The Spectre turned back to him.

The small turian shrugged. “Nah, but we were workin’. I’ll catch him up while you take your look at Fiend’s ship.”

“Which you expect me to do now.” The Spectre flicked his mandibles in that slight way again.

“I think you shoulda had the foresight to check it before you docked with me.” Mav drawled, challenge in his tones.

“The dead are of no concern to me.” Saren gave him a droll stare.

“Is that why you left the Alliance soldiers to rot in the open air?” Crassus asked him, for a moment feeling a flare of indignation for the other Blackwatch agent and for the humans on that outpost. What kind of person didn’t afford respect to the dead? “Did you even alert their High Command? Their embassy?”

“To what end?” The Spectre asked in return.

“Big guy, I didn’t notify anyone either.” Mav said beside him. “I hate to agree with Saren but… yeah, to what end?”

Crassus stared at him. “All species have a right a death ritual. Humans, I believe choose to be buried in the ground...” The practice of which baffled him. How did you release the Spirit if you entrapped the shell in soil? He supposed humans had their own beliefs about it, but turians had always burned their dead.

Mav and the Spectre glanced at each other. “There’s mass graves on Shanxi full of turian bodies.” The smaller turian said. “The humans didn’t observe our death rituals, why should we observe theirs?”

“The war’s been over for almost three decades.” He said, albeit a little feebly. Mav and the Spectre both had lost their families during the Relay 314 Incident, and he knew Mav at least still carried the anger and resentment.

“No, Agent Sativum, the treaty has been in effect for almost three decades.”

His mandibles fluttered, that wasn’t the same thing at all. “Mav, I thought you said you cared about the humans. We should contact their embassy and tell them what happened on that outpost. They deserve to know.” Crassus tried to appeal to that sense of right and wrong that burned in the Spirit of every turian.

“I care ‘nough ‘bout the humans not to shoot one on sight.” Mav scoffed and then he sighed long. “Big guy, I agree their people deserve to know, yeah? You can think I don’t, but I do. But now, with what we found on Fiend’s ship, with what it might mean, I can’t risk the contact. Not for myself, not for you, not for some greater sense of… whatever you wanna call it. Hell, I ain’t even written the report yet and I’m glad I haven’t.”

“Nor will you write a report. Either of you.” The Spectre said with a note of finality. “Mavic, I should like to see the Geth arm you recovered.”

He watched Mav lead the Spectre from the hangar with his head low and his mandibles working against his jaw. The right thing to do wasn’t supposed to change with perspective, Mav had even insisted that it didn’t, but apparently the sentiment didn’t extend to the humans they had found.

[stusbunker]

Known: The Prick

A Supernatural Dark Fan-fiction

Featuring: Dean x Female OC, Dean x demon!Reader, Crowley, Sam, John and Old Man Collins

Word Count: ~2980

Summary: We start with a flashback and some insight into Chloe’s family. The rest is nearly all needless sexy times. Dates are listed to keep us in line with season 9 air dates. Please ask if anything doesn’t make sense! xoxo Stu

Warnings: racial tension, cruel metaphor, SMUT: oral (both), vaginal, minor anal play, mental health.

Series Masterlist

June 29, 1999

Montana Hwy 566

Dean leaned back over the seat to slip the hairpin into Sam’s hair as he narc-ed out tucked against the window. John drove with the front windows down, it was amazing Sam could sleep with the cacophony of gushing air, even if it was a soothingly warm draft. John cleared his throat, “How much farther?”

“Uh, right, well the turn off should be only a few more miles, but there won’t be any signs out here,” Dean squinted at the map, following the route with a pen he had been chewing on.

“A few?”

“Less than ten and more than two.”

“If we cross the border, we will be trespassing and I do not want to disrespect these people, Dean.” John wasn’t angry, but a nervousness made him louder than necessary. Dean nodded and glanced around them in the afternoon sunshine, watching for the turn before running into the reservation’s boundary lines. It was three minutes and a shifting wind before they spotted it, they shared a satisfied look and a nearly matching grin before they took the dirt path that led off the two-lane road. The Impala’s tires crunched the small patches of gravel as they slowed before a simple house, not quite a cabin, not quite a shack.

“Wait here with Sammy, I’ll let him know we’re here.”

Dean rocked back in the passenger seat, leaning against the door as he rested his eyes. There were no naps for navigators in the Winchester family. He heard the growl of a small engine approach, thinking little of it until there was a pounding on the roof of the car above his head.

“Who the hell are you?!” The voice demanded, Dean froze as Sam groaned awake behind him. Dean squinted as the girl’s face came into focus, a small motorcycle helmet still strapped to her chin. She couldn’t be much younger than he was and she was, what he would later define as ‘angry hot’.

“Uh, we’re the Winchesters, my dad’s,” Sam started, looking around at where they had stopped. “You’re a—"

“If you say Indian, I’m going to punch you where you sit, dumb ass,” she threatened.

“I was going to say girl, myself,” Dean snipped. His face jolted with the force of her backhand.

“Okay, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, what are you doing at my Grandfather’s in the first place,” her uncanny pale eyes pierced daggers at them. Sam and Dean shared a look before crawling out of the car, letting this chick know who she was messing with. Sam had just hit a growth spurt and he was closing in on Dean and John in height. The guard dog seemed unimpressed with their size, arms still crossed over her chest as she waited for their answers, she settled between them and the humble home.

“We’re here for a hunt, my dad said your grandpa is someone he needed to check in with before we get on our way,” Dean muttered, clicking his lips and nodding at the adults as they joined them.

The older men’s voices wafted to the tense threesome, her grandfather called out in the Cheyenne language, Tsėhésenėstsestȯtse, leaving the visitors in suspense. Whatever he said made the girl relax, but her eyes never left the two brothers.

“So, what are we hunting?” she asked with a gentle crook of her eyebrows.

“Wait, we?!” Dean looked to John on the porch, frustration growing.

“Got a whole pack to take out, need the extra hands.” John said simply.

“Chloe, get these boys some weapons, they’re going to need them,” her granddad’s voice was deep and resonating, an unquestionable request.

***

“How long has her mother been gone?” John asked from the breakfast table, eyes falling on Chloe sleeping on the recliner, a large bandage on her forearm and dried blood matting her hair.

“Three years, but Constance never stayed put. And I didn’t ask her to.” Old Man Collins replied. He never corrected anyone from the moniker, leaving the nickname to accompany the stories of his hunts.

“Well, me and my boys will be out of your hair before long. Can’t let them get too attached. She’s a pretty thing,” John reassured him.

“I’d like to see your boys try something,” his voice held no laughter. “Besides, girl’s a mule. Not much to worry about.” John nodded, understanding the double meaning too well. “What has you so scared, John?”

“There’s something I need to ask you, but I don’t want to be rude, sir.” The marine straightened, leaning in and lowering his voice. “Do you still have contact with the angel?”

Old Man Collins stared at the ragged hunter, dark eyes searching for hope in a damned world. He shifted in his seat and looked out over the kitchen sink to the brightening morning light. “After my wife bared me my daughter, I thought the possibility of life’s miracles was endless. But I was a younger man and I didn’t yet know of the darker things. The demons came for her and my child, though the angel had left her once our Constance was born. The things of Heaven and Hell are not mine to tell you John. You know already. Stop searching for a solution beyond man, because both sides take from us in the end.”

Dean woke just after dawn, his right eye swollen closed and throbbing. He found his dad packing up the trunk of the Impala. “Get Sam and clean up your gear. Time to move on.”

“But, Dad, we’re pretty banged up. Probably should lay low for a few days.”

John stood, watching Dean lick his split lip and glance back at the house. “We’ve out stayed our welcome, son. Pack it up.”

Dean dragged Sam from the pullout, stripping the sheets before tucking away the flimsy mattress. They shook the Old Man’s hand and thanked him for their lodging. CC had left to dress in private. Dean circled her bike outside and before John could notice, he slipped a small scrap of paper in the saddle bag. She watched him from the single bedroom window, possessiveness fell away to curiosity as she watched them drive away.

February 16, 2014

A Demon Outpost, Louisiana

Crowley stared at his minion in mild disbelief.

“Sir?”

“She’s just hunting? What kind of mockery is this?” Crowley’s thoughts drifted as the demon recited the known whereabouts of the demon that rode Chloe Collins and the clearly lacking details when she was within the Winchesters’ presences. He reasoned it out, she wasn’t on Abaddon’s radar, she couldn’t be. What was this about? What was her angle?

“—then she drove to”

“Enough,” Crowley interrupted, earning a few appreciatively sighs from the surrounding demons. “While your account is thrilling, in the same vein as nature documentaries and tax law reform, I’m going to stop you there.”

The demon shifted and swallowed before closing his notebook to watch his King’s response. When none came, the atmosphere shifted. After an uncomfortable five minutes, he continued, “Sir, should I return to my detail?”

Crowley shifted his jaw and sighed. “No need. No, it’s time I speak to this renegade myself. Give her a chance to come clean or clean her out.”

The Bunker

February 18, 2014

“On your knees.”

As if you had no choice in the matter, a thoughtless reaction followed: you sank to the ground. It was there below his semi-surprised gaze that a page turned in your mind with the shuttering of your core. There was a power about him that seemed off and oddly comforting at the same time. It all clicked as he lingered on the other side of the room, apart from and above you, this was the Dean you remembered, the Dean of your past. Your torturer.

You had CC waiting for the Winchesters at the garage entrance to the Bunker for over an hour. They had returned from back to back hunts, still ornery as hell with one another. The way Dean’s eyes fell over her body made you shiver despite the extra layers beneath her jeans and jacket, the Kansas winter had been bearable, but the trek back from Montana hadn’t been. Sam gave you a quirk of his lips and a tight nod before storming down the hall to his room. Without a word or welcome, your evening had begun.

You watched Dean carefully, the light shifted on his face as he moved closer, the shadows hid the clenching of his jaw. The mesmerizing fear pinned you between lust and panic. Dean strolled on his strong legs, bowed and distracting in his faded jeans.

“I knew you were a good girl, despite your smart mouth.” Dean cooed at you, the deep notes of his words sent shivers over your tense body. “You going to do what you’re told, CC?”

Your chin shot out instinctively, “It depends if I like what you tell.”

Dean’s lips twitched, fighting back his amusement. “Well, how about I tell you what I want then? What I want, is to leave you bent over and crying for more. What I want is to fuck you six ways from Sunday. What I want,” Dean’s voice lowered as he approached your expectant face. His arousal pitching against his pants as your eyes lingered on the straining denim, his rough hand reached down to palm his dick. “to fill you up and feel that tight throat on my cock.

Now I know that is something you like, and even if I didn’t, the way you are rubbing your thighs together is a helluva tell, Cease. Just how hungry are you for it?” He bit his tongue with a flash to his darkened eyes. “So, let’s stop playing and how ‘bout you just open up for me?”

Without a word, your hands snaked up his thighs, your teeth gnawed at your bottom lip to keep from gesticulating how much his words got to you. How much you wanted to feel him, everywhere. How empty you felt without his cock, his thick fingers, his tongue.

You tossed your hair over your shoulder, letting the now familiar weight keep you just out of reach, giving your hands room to work Dean’s fly open. With a full handed grab of his delicious ass and a stern grunt from Dean, you worked his jeans and boxers down his legs, setting him free. Your mouth ready to remedy the situation. You started stroking the straining shaft, watching as his eyelashes fluttered before he could compose himself. You lay her stern lips over the swollen tip, massaging the flesh while gently lapping at the tiny slit. The taste reminding you of his watchful glare and before he could demand more, you took him deeply.

“Atta girl,” he grunted, patting the wisps of hair out of your eyes. “Look at me, you like that don’t ya?” You swallowed, catching him just before gagging over the way he stretched your throat. You hummed in response, shallowly dipping your jaw, working his head against your depths. His hand trailed down until his thumb pinched at the hinge of your jaw and growled, “relax for me.”

Your eyes rolled back at the command, your core clenching as your mouth relinquished control. Dean snapped his hips quickly, the sensation of being stuffed overwhelming you as he kept your head steady. You worked to keep from gagging as he fucked you into a drooling mess. You held his shirt up, helping him now that his hands were busy, which brought his lust creased eyes back onto yours. When he sped up, you began swallowing in quick succession, silently begging his finish forth.

He groaned, suddenly holding you both still, except the gentle pull of your tongue and soft palate against his quaking cock. You drank him down desperately, knowing you would be rewarded, soon enough. Dean snarled as you released him, the cold air stinging along his blood hot spit drenched member. You licked your lips as you stood, dragging yourself up by the hem of his shirts. Dean kept your face in the palm of his hand before pulling you in for a teeth clashing kiss.

“Get your clothes off and get comfortable,” Dean purred in your ear. “I’ll be right back.” He fixed his pants and left you alone in his room without a second thought.

***

Dean marched into the library, bee lining to the drink cart and the whiskey, most importantly the whiskey. He bit back the sting as he stared at the wall, the heat in his body coming out in waves. He knew he had signed on for something big when he took the Mark from Cain, but he hadn’t realized the other things he had put on his plate along the way. CC fell to her knees like a damn dream, her mouth soft and tight, his skin still sung with the electricity of his orgasm. What the hell were they anyway?

He had no fucking clue, but what he did know was that he was going to bury himself between her thighs for a few hours and forget about Angels, Demons, his brother’s resentment and Biblical branding for a good long while. He pinched another glass between his fingers and clutched the decanter as he headed back to his room and the promise of more of her distraction.

***

The heat from his mouth puckered your skin as Dean ghosted his lips over your chest. Your nipples pearled, dark, rich targets against tan skin. His eyes sparkled as he jostled each breast, appreciating the weight in his calloused hands. Just as you were about to whimper, he latched on, strong tongue stroking the peaked flesh and sending spirals through every nerve, each exploding the delicious fuses of your center.  Walls fluttering as the want pooled in anticipation.

“Up you go, Cease,” Dean reached a hand around your waist, pulling you up as he settled on his knees between your thighs. He held you firmly to his chest as he inched you back against the headboard, once more his mouth found your nipple, the scruff teasing the soft skin as he nuzzled his way into the heat of your cleavage. Your back arched as you shimmied for him, letting the weight off your thighs and backwards onto the wall.

With his newly freed hand, Dean stroked himself against your damp folds, teasing your clit before sinking lower. Your hands found his hair as he perched you atop his dick. You bit your bottom lip and sunk down, feeling the heavy stretch of his size from the luscious new angle. Your legs moved without thought, locking around his waist as he thrust into you. Your back hit the wall, jarring your eyes open.

“Sorry,” Dean whispered, rubbing your thigh.

“Don’t be,” you panted, rolling your hips to meet him. And then he resurfaced, the beast who took your throat and left you gasping. He bucked into you, thudding you repeatedly against the wall, as he watched each twitch and quake of your countless curves. His hand snaked up your side, his wide palm holding firmly against your breast bone. He thrust himself into a fever, the tension rolling off him and tightening every pull of your core. With his thick thighs, Dean fucked you upright, before he lost himself again, he let you fall. Sliding you mindlessly down onto the pillows, he backed away.

The withdrawal of his throbbing length sent you shaking. Desperate, you searched him out, finding him gasping, kicking out each leg from the strain. Before you could meet his lips, he rolled you back, pulling your knees out from under you, and hooking them strategically over his shoulders before winking up at you. A cold stream of air hit your mound, dragging from clit to ass and back again. When Dean’s tongue touched you, it was nothing like you had experienced in a human body, before or after damnation.

He stroked and lapped up your juices, tasting and teasing you. His thick digits found your swollen entrance, prodding until he hooked them just so, nearly causing you to sit up and suffocate him properly. With devilish eyes he watched you watch him eat you sloppy. Moaning with pleasure, his pink lips pursed and pulled against your heated flesh. Paying special attention to your throbbing bundle Dean provided not one, but two orgasms for you before he let you catch your breath.

“That’s it, this sweet pussy is going to ruin me,” Dean grumbled, nuzzling against your folds before sliding away at last.

He wiped his face on the nearest pillow before pulling you to his chest, the tremors racking you from the inside out. He palmed your thigh, pulling your leg over his waist before sinking inside you once more, his shaft stiff and almost cool to the touch from the heat of your weeping lips. He rocked into you as your body called him deeper, his want covered face buried in your neck. Dean took his time, a lone finger stroking your ass as he fucked you until you were both drunk and dizzy. Before he could finish, you came for a third time, clinging to him, as hot, treacherous tears stung your eyes. Everything exploded in and around you as he filled you at last, a silent promise on a moonless night.

***

Chloe woke with a start, Dean’s face piercing through her dreams with fear tinged by a dejected understanding. His eyes were dark, and his jaw was set; he was there to hurt her. Now that she gasped in the underground air, the foreign memories still overwhelmed her senses. She needed to get as far away from there as possible. Suddenly a heavy palm rolled over her side, pulling her to his chest. The rough patch of skin on his forearm stung against her hip. The grounding comfort still a surprise after the months long dance of theirs. She exhaled and let her eyes fall back closed. Staring back at her, behind her own lids were a pair of glossy black pools. She swallowed at the blatant truth of no longer being sane.

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