#Met Bellona at work

[stealingyourbones]

Submitted Prompts #99

Jazz went to Gotham to finish her degree away from her parents, as their obsession with Ghosts started becoming dangerous to everyone. So, of course, she brought Danny with her, so he's also far away from them and the GIW.

Danny held out a whole year without going out on patrol, just establishing his haunt in the new city. Lady Gotham was very happy to be able to show them to their new place, almost giddy that the little King and his Queen Mother have come to live in her beloved city.

Of course, the first time Phantom floats out of his window and into the night, he has a new suit, made of padded black leather, and a fluffy white cape with a hood (imagine the Lightkin Cloak from Destiny2, but snow white, rather than black and grey), along with a facemask engraved with a fanged design. New haunt, new look, and the new look fit right in with the viciousness of Gotham City.

And, as luck would have it, his first Gotham Rogue was Poison Ivy. Thinking back to his fight against Undergrowth, Pantom opened with his ice, forming a double-sided axe to better cleave her vines apart, and locking Ivy herself down with ice.

To further distance himself from his identity as Phantom, in case the GIW somehow became smart at some point, instead of blasting ice like most ghosts fire ectoblasts, Danny asked Pandora for lessons on fighting with weapons, and Frosbite taught his how to channel his element as an aura, or a freezing breath. He even sat down to listen to Nocturne speak as they wove spells and ectoplasm, and the Personification of Dreams softly taught him how to use his powers through objects acting as catalysts, or as manifestations of his will, rather than throwing his affinities around by brute force.

With his new abilities and look, rather than fight like a feral raccoon, Danny took to fighting more like a spellblade, slinging around ice shard and spells to enhance his physical strikes, controlling the pace of a fight to get the upper hand on his enemies.

Suffice to say, Poison Ivy hadn't expected the Avatar of Icy Vengeance to lock her in a pillar of ice up to her neck while her vines withered into frosty sculptures.

Gotham's newest hero got awarded a new name by the news the next day: Ymir, Frozen Progenitor.

Danny thinks it's too pretentious for a random ghost, or random halfa, like him. Joke's on him, the perception of Gotham's people slowly starts empowering him, slowly enough that the only reason he notices his oncoming Ascension to myth as a Protector Spirit is when a terrified kid begs for his help, and he hears them loud and clear out of nowhere.

The Bats are confused by this Entity. Constantine stepped one foot in Gotham, felt it's cleaner air, the sharp bite of ice in his nose and lungs, and the overwhelming pressure of the new Godling training under Gotham herself to control his new powers, and ran out screaming about not getting paid enough to deal with divine beings. Zatanna is trying to contact Ymir to ask them to join the Justice League Dark.

Jason is vibing with the tall redhead Amazon he's met at Babs' library, and her feral little brother who cured his Pit Rage by biting his arm when they first met. One time Jason is in a pinch after a stakeout gone wrong, Bellona (Ancient Roman Goddess of War) takes the fight to his captors to free him, dressed in golden armor and wielding a spear Pandora and Firght Knight made for her. Nocturne and her brother worked together to imbue a spell into her back to give her wings she can use to fly or fight with. The fact it left a badass tattoo on her back, is just another way Jazz rebels against her parents. It also has Jason weak in the knees when he first sees it.

[only-azzyz-rainstorm]

intro post !!

name: azalea raine

gender: demigirl (pronouns she/they)

parents: carol raine, nyx

likes:

-winter

-the beach

-sleeping

-my girlfriend (fruity runs in the family, keep up)

-reading

-smashing my alarm clock

-oil painting

dislikes:

-house centipedes

-cockroaches

-octavian

-my alarm clock

-using scissors (don't ask ok)

description: i like to think of myself as nice and so does my girlfriend, we have been together for a year now

i am kind and love working with children. don't really talk much but oh well.

appearance: long brown hair, blue eyes, freckles :)

backstory: i met my girlfriend three years ago in an alleyway, we didn't quite click at first but then we were stuck together, cornered by a manticore. so we fled to new york, where we found out that she was a roman demigoddess and not greek, which kind of sucked because iykyk.

so anyway, chiron told us to separate which we could barely even imagine, and we ended up across the world from each other, me in camp half-blood and her in camp jupiter (as a daughter of bellona).

the war (BoO) brought us together again, even though we were forced to fight against each other. it was very heartbreaking to see her hurt because of me.

in the aftermath, we both decided we would stay in contact (via iris-messaging) through the year until i could fly to new rome, where i am now, writing this from our dorm.

relationship status: taken! by @frick-frack-its-natalie

luv u all, goodnight!!!

(ooc: idek i literally just created a new OC out of nothing for this blog, hope you like it)

[numinousmysteries]

Dancing the Tandava (4/10)

[on Ao3] @today-in-fic

Geneva, Switzerland 2023

Hannah forgets William’s parents were coming to visit until she hears knocking on the door. She’s been up all night in a panic and is so tightly wound that the sound of the knock makes her whole body flinch.

Last night, she and William had been watching a movie on his laptop, both lying face down in his bed, propped up on their elbows. He has a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of old sci-fi and horror B-movies, and, after learning she’d never seen Plan 9 From Outer Space or Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, he’s made it his personal mission to expand her horizons. As aspiring physicists, they’ve made a game out of poking holes in the films' plots, but she can tell he genuinely enjoyed them.

They were midway through The Thing when William got a call. Dr. Bellona needed his assistance immediately for a special project at the large hadron collider. She heard William agree to come into the lab even though it didn’t make any sense. They were both research interns for Dr. Farber, whose office was next door to Bellona’s. Besides, interns aren’t certified or trained to work directly on the collider, and they’re never urgently needed at 9 p.m.

“Bellona?” she asked. “Didn’t you say you saw him doing something weird near the Shiva statue on your way home today?”

“Yeah,” William replied, getting out of bed. “I guess now I can ask him what he was up to.”

Hannah had a bad feeling. She bit her lower lip and tried to resist the impulse to pull him back onto the bed as he rose up.

She watched as he pulled a thick navy sweater over his gray t-shirt. A thin line of his toned abdomen peeked out as he lifted up his arms and she forced herself to look away. William is her best friend, the first person she’d ever met who could keep up with her in debates about loop quantum gravity. He’s also undeniably hot: Tall and lean, with piercing blue eyes, and a strong jawline. She teases him for being a jock because he played varsity basketball and baseball in high school, but she secretly appreciates his body as much as his mind.

They’re only friends, though—and roommates and co-workers but nothing more. They don’t talk about their dating lives, although based on how much time he spends either with her or at the lab she can’t imagine his is any more exciting than her own non-existent one. Sure, she feels an electric jolt whenever his hand grazes hers, but William Mulder could probably get any girl he wants. Well, maybe if he toned down his own nerdiness a little.

“I’ll be back soon,” he said, leaving her alone on his bed. Hannah groaned in protest but she could already hear the apartment door shutting behind him.

She waited up for him to return. An hour, then two, then three. She texted and called him but he didn’t respond. Finally at 1 a.m. she pulled a puffy coat over her pajamas, slipped on a pair of boots, and marched down to the ATLAS facility at CERN where she and William worked. She tapped her key card to the sensor at the door but it lit up red and didn’t open. When it failed two more times, she knocked at the door, getting the attention of a security guard she hadn’t seen before.

“Can I help you?” he asked, poking his head out the door into the cold night air.

“Um, I left something at my desk. I just wanted to come pick it up.”

“You’ll have to come back in the morning,” the security guard said sternly. “There’s been an incident and the entire facility is on lockdown.”

“An incident?” she asked, scrunching her brow in concern. It seemed too quiet for there to have been an accident at the facility. There were no sirens or crowds assembled. “What kind of incident?”

“Not sure,” he said. “But someone’s gone missing in the collider tunnel.”

“Missing?” she asked. It wasn’t possible. The large hadron collider was housed in an underground tunnel made of reinforced concrete. It was huge, nearly 17 miles in circumference, but entirely enclosed. There was nowhere for someone to go missing.

The guard just shrugged and started pulling the door closed.

“Wait—” she said, yanking the glass door back open. “Who is it?”

“An intern, they think,” he said. Then he shut the door.

Hannah’s bad feeling got a lot worse.

Back at the apartment, she spent the rest of the night texting other interns in their cohort to see if anyone knew what had happened, but everyone was either asleep or equally clueless.

When she heard the knock at the door she perked up, thinking it was William and he’d forgotten his keys. She didn’t expect to see his parents there instead. She met them once before, when she stayed at their home for a weekend over the summer. William’s mother, from whom he inherited his eyes and coloring, was a doctor and scientist, the kind of accomplished and serious woman she hoped to one day become herself. His father, who looked nearly exactly like an older version of William, was funny and, as William warned, did tell some strange stories but she found them fascinating. Hannah sat aghast as Mr. Mulder recalled a liver-eating monster, a telekinetic killer, and satanic PTA members. William and his mom only rolled their eyes, clearly having heard (or, in Dr. Scully’s case, lived through) these tales before.

Now, she watches as William’s mother’s face drops when she tells her he’s gone.

“Where is he?” his father shouts, cutting through her shock.

Hannah tries to answer, but she only starts crying harder. Dr. Scully drapes an arm around her and leads her to the living room sofa. The coffee table is cluttered with her and William’s books and notebooks and the remains of their takeout dinner from the night before. They would have cleaned up after the movie but then William was called away.

Hannah buries her head in her hands, trying to slow her hyperventilation, as Wlliam’s mom sits down next to her, rubbing her back. She’s ashamed to be such an emotional mess in front of them, but she can’t help it.

“Mulder, why don’t you get Hannah a glass of water?” Dr. Scully asks softly. William’s parents call each other by their last names, a holdover from their days as FBI partners. He said it was embarrassing, but she thinks it’s sweet.

Mulder returns with the water and Hannah sips it slowly.

“Hannah, can you tell us what happened?” Dr. Scully asks gently, still with a calming hand on her back.

Hannah takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Scully,” she says.

“Dana,” William’s mom interrupts. “You can call me Dana.”

“Okay,” Hannah continues. “He was called in last night to assist on a project with the large hadron collider, but he never came back. I went down to our worksite and they told me he’d gone missing inside the LHC tunnel. But that’s impossible. The tunnel is fully enclosed.”

She pauses to wipe the tears off her face with her sweatshirt sleeve. “I think this physicist Dr. Bellona has something to do with it. William saw him yesterday leading some sort of ritual outside the Shiva statue and then he was the one who called William last night.”

“What Shiva statue?” Mulder asks, his eyes darting from Hannah to his wife.

“Um, there’s a statue of the Hindu god Shiva right behind our building. Apparently, Dr. Bellona was chanting and scattering something there with these other people and he kind of stared down William when he saw him.”

“We have to go see that statue,” Mulder says, already headed to the door. His frenetic energy reminds her of William when he’s excited about a new idea.

“Is that okay, Hannah?” William’s mom asks. “Can you come show it to us?”

She guides them outside to a courtyard in between her apartment and the neighboring office building. There, on a granite podium, stands a giant brass model of a majestic Shiva dancing in a fiery halo. He has one foot on the back of a smaller being, and the other raised in the air in celebration.

“This is it,” she says. “It was a gift from the Indian government. What do you think Bellona was doing here?”

Mulder steps forward to examine the statue.

“I don’t know,” he says, rubbing his fingers along the engraved plaque on its base. “But I saw this same symbol earlier this morning in the taxi that took us here from the airport. The driver had a medallion hanging from his mirror that looked exactly like this.”

“It’s probably a coincidence,” Dana says. “But I have to admit, it’s odd. Why is there a religious statue at a scientific center?”

“There are parallels between the story of Shiva dancing the universe into existence and the movement of subatomic particles,” Hannah answers. As a self-proclaimed atheist, she’d asked herself the same question upon coming to CERN, confident that all answers could be found in science. But the more she learns about particle physics, the more mysterious the world seems. “Carl Sagan called Shiva’s cosmic dance the most elegant and sublime representation of the creation of the universe.”

“She quotes Sagan,” Mulder says, smiling. “No wonder William likes you so much.”

Hannah blushes. Glancing down, she spots a green, trifoliate leaf on the pebbled ground. It’s bright with two smaller leaflets and a longer, wider one in the middle, and stands out against the gray of the stones on the walkway. As she looks around on the ground, she sees a few more dispersed around the statue.

“Look at this,” she says, bending down to pick it up. “Maybe Bellona was scattering leaves.”

“Let me see,” Dana says, reaching over to take the leaf from Hannah. “It looks like it’s from a citrus plant, possibly tropical. I don’t think it’s from anything that grows around here.”

“Hannah!” a French-accented voice calls out and all three of them turn around.

It’s Emmanuelle Toussaint, a young French engineer who works in the LHC control center. Hannah had met her at a cocktail reception for women at CERN and the two had become friendly. If there really was an incident with the LHC, Emanuelle would know about it.

“Did you hear what happened?” Emmanuelle asks, striding over to the statue near Hannah and William’s parents.

“To William?” Hannah blurts out desperately.

Emmanuelle looks confused. “No,” she says. “The LHC operated at 15 TeV last night.”

“That’s physically impossible,” Hannah says under her breath.

You don’t need to tell me that,” Emanuelle responds excitedly. “I saw it with my own eyes from the control center, though. We’ve calibrated and recalibrated every detector and we’re still getting the same reading.”

“Scully, I might need some translating here,” Mulder leans over to Dana to whisper.

“I don’t think I understand what’s going on either,” she says.

“The collider has a maximum total collision energy of 14 TeV, or teraelectronvolts per beam. It’s only ever operated at 13 TeV, though, and achieving 15 TeV would require physical upgrades that are years away,” Hannah explains.

“Sorry,” she continues. “Emmanuelle, these are William’s parents, and,” she pauses. “William went missing last night.”

“Oh my goodness,” Emmanuelle gasps, bringing a thin hand to her mouth. “That was him with Dr. Bellona.”

“What happened?” Dana asks.

“Dr. Bellona was the one running the experiment last night. There’s footage of him inside the tunnel working on a calibration with someone else. I didn’t realize it was William with him. Then, there was a power surge and we lost connection to the cameras. When they came back online, Bellona was still there but William wasn’t.”

“Where could he have gone?” Hannah asks.

“I don’t know,” Emmanuelle continues. “But Dr. Bellona called the control room and wanted us to begin the collider run. We obviously can’t do that if anyone is still in the tunnel and, since we didn’t see William exit, we couldn’t start the collider. We locked down the facility and had the technicians do a full sweep of the tunnel. No one was there. Bellona insisted William had exited with him and had gone home, and since there was no sign of him in the tunnel, we figured he was telling the truth. That’s when we started the experiment and the LHC hit 15 TeV.”

“But William didn’t come home,” Hannah says quietly.

“What would happen if the collider ran while he was inside the tunnel?” Mulder asks.

Hannah glances at Emmanuelle. They both know it would be instantly fatal for anyone to be exposed to the high voltage and intense magnetic fields generated by a run of the particle accelerator. Hannah’s heart thumps hard in her chest.

“It is impossible,” Emmanuelle says, shaking her head. “We would never run an experiment with anyone inside. There are too many safety protocols in place. And no one was inside at the time. I don’t know where William went, but I can promise you he was not in the tunnel.”

“I think we need to talk to this Dr. Bellona,” says Dana.

[regegade]

I have so much on my mind about this girl but almost all of it is shitposts with her boyfriend

But yeah omg Courier 6! In my me?

Pregame Look | During Game Look Casual 4 Look | Working Look

Basic Concept went from "What if the Courier 6 was a MASSIVE whore" to "what if the Courier met the biggest manwhore" to "what if the courier had a quarterlife crisis and found her way to the commonwealth"

I'll put her censored nudity and one riskee outfit below with some fun stuff about her

Okay so like here me out Courier 6 x Lone Wanderer Fight me it's a fantastic idea

Also Character concepts I've thought of / just random shit bout Bell: - Courier changes their identity after being shot bc realistically like no one fucking knows them and harder for Benny Bitchin to find out their ass is not in fact dead (Bell got Trauma she tryna hide from too so it works) -Damage to the frontal lobe has basically left Bellona without the ability to process fear anymore bc i have to apply the knowledge i learned from FNAF lore somewhere. Yeah i doubt I'm doing it right too, but fuck you there are wormmen in this game i'm allowed a lil fun -Getting Shot gave Bellona some memory issues, they seem to all be memories from before getting shot -Bellona does in fact seduce Benny -Bellona does in fact regret it 7 years later when she has two other main characters repeat the phrase "You fucked the man who shot you" seven times to make sure they didn't misunderstand her -Bloodthirsty girlie pop, she will and has bit deathclaws before -Yesman is her fucking BABYBOY She would unironically kill for her robot son -The Kings are so fucking chill she loves them and their dog -She gets her right hand blown off during the Battle of Hoover Dam -Give me until a 60th playthrough to figure out her shit in nv bc it took me 300 hour and 3 restarts to figure out 1 skyrim character bc i forget i'm playing a character and will do whatever my impulses say sounds fun -Oh and Bellona hates Cooper Howard bc i have the hc that his shows/movies are some of the few holotapes to survive and she hates the limited entertainment being all his cowboy shit - ... Did I mention she has a slight southern twang? LMAO Some songs I cannot stop associating with this girl stg please help me: Whore - In This Moment Breakin' Dishes - Rihanna Do What I Gotta - Naethan Apollo You're Not Welcome - Naethan Apollo Too Sweet - Hozier Take Me To War - The Crane Wives

Nude During Game | Nude Pre Game Nude Post Game | Her Boyfriend's favorite outfit If you made it this far just wanna give you a sweet reminder that seducing Benny cannonically means giving him a footjob

[worldwithinworld]

Do you think darrow would have liked the bellona family if he ever got to meet them?

If Darrow met the Bellonas when they weren't beating him up and peeing on him, I think Darrow would like many, if not most of them. He liked Julian and Cassius, despite not wanting to like them. Tiberius sounds a bit like Diomedes or Lorn, so I think Darrow would respect him. At the end of Red Rising, when Nero is trying to recruit Darrow, Darrow thinks angrily about how these families are all fake. They are just teams with no love! And while he's thinking that, he's seeing Cassius and his dad hugging and crying about Julian, and I'm like, Darrow, I know you're understandably emotional right now, but I'm getting the impression that the Augustuses and the Bellonas do not deserve to be described in the same way.

Even with the bloodfeud against him, Darrow had some moments in Golden Son when he felt bad about what he was doing to the Bellona family. He knew they weren't all Julias and Karnuses. It would have been really interesting for him to be a Bellona lancer, because he might have grown attached to the family. Perhaps he would have considered reform over revolution? Probably not, or at least not very seriously. At least working for horrible Nero helped him keep his goals very clearly in mind.

[southsidewrites]

“Miss Bellona.” President Snow's voice was low and soft, but it managed to cut through the din of chatter and music. “What a pleasure it is to have you here—I trust you’ve been well taken care of?”

“I have,” she managed, swallowing hard. Even from an arm’s length away, the sickly-sweet smell of roses was overpowering. A pure white one was pinned to the lapel of his suit standing out in sharp contrast with the onyx black fabric. “Thank you for having me.”

He nodded, his lips curving into a slight smile. “Send my regards to your father,” he said, and for an instant, Emerald wasn’t sure which man he was referring to. “It’s been so long since I’ve made it out to District 1, but he’s long been a loyal servant of Panem. I don’t know how we’d ever find someone to replace him if something unfortunate were to happen.”

Emerald’s blood ran cold. This was her first and only warning. “I know that he’s honored to have your trust, Mr. President. I’ll be sure to let him know you spoke well of him.”

“Indeed.” The man nodded casually, but his sharp gaze cut through her. “It’s quite the lovely community you have there in District 1, all those victors so close. So many friends you’ve gone to school with for years. I hear you’re quite close to the Braun family, is that right?”

Her heart was beating so hard that it had to be audible over the music. Emerald could barely catch her breath as she nodded. “I am.”

"A good family," he mused. "A good family indeed, loyal to Panem in all things. I trust that you'll continue to bring honor to your district," he went on. "Represent them well in all endeavors, be grateful for the life of luxury and security you've been afforded as a victor, and make no mistake that all of it can be taken away just as easily as it was given." He licked his lips, and his dark gaze met hers. "I trust that we understand each other, Miss Bellona?"

“We understand each other, Mr. President.”

The latest chapter of The Capitol's Jewel is available now on AO3!

[p-perkeys]

Okay. So.

Laura is/was 20 when she met Gabby. Gabby is/was 13. Gabby is the youngest, so Zelda/Bellona were/are probably mid, maybe late teens. So Laura had to be maybe 5 -give or take- when her clones were being created, right? And Kimura was a handler for them, so she was very involved, right?

So, theoretically, would the girls have been here during this run?? Like, if they weren’t an unfinished plot hole? They’re at a facility with Kimura in charge to a degree and they’re working on conditioning Jordan in order to defeat Laura.

So if Marvel didn’t just blatantly ignore their own stories… Bellona, Zelda, and Gabby (plus the other seven) should be in this same facility (they were at Alchemax).

[elshells]

Find the Word Tag

Got tagged by @tisiphonewolfe, @writernopal, @clairelsonao3, and @captain-kraken. Thank you all so much!!

(No Pressure) Tagging: @dragonedged-if, @mysticstarlightduck, @outpost51, @cosmiccoincidence, @writingmaidenwarrior, @liv-is, and anyone else who wants to jump in!

Your words to find are: FOUR, CIRCUMSTANCE, FAVOR, SHADOW, and EMBRACE

Asterisk (*) denotes a passage from an unreleased chapter that may contain out-of-context spoilers

Round One: @tisiphonewolfe

Words to find: HEAL, FINGER(S), WORLD, SPLIT, and SCRAPE

HEAL - Agent Ace, Chapter 5 (Sophia's POV):

“You definitely sustained yourself a nasty bit of head trauma. Mild concussion, as you put so aptly, but nothing so serious. I’d be thankful for such a dim living space with a condition like that. City lights can be overstimulating, even for a healthy brain. Though the wound in your arm is rather deep—thank you, Bellona—I expect that, too, will heal without any complications. So long as you don’t behave foolishly with it.”

FINGER(S) - Agent Ace, Chapter 2 (Harley's POV):

“I spoke to an inquisitor about the phone call, and he said he’d pass the information on to the field agent.” Jade wrapped a coil of hair around her finger and tugged on it gently. “The rest, I’m still piecing together. The Watch has been acting hush-hush, to avoid alarm, I guess. You know how they work. It’s an ongoing search, but I don’t think they’ve found anything yet. At least, they haven’t released any updates on the case.”

WORLD - Agent Ace, Chapter 3 (Sophia's POV):

“Wait!” The word slipped past Sophia’s lips before she could stop it. He paused and looked back to her. “Yes?” “Who are you people?” Janus hesitated, his mouth twisting into a wry expression. When he finally spoke, all he said was, “We’re the ones who’ll change the world.”

SPLIT - Agent Ace, Chapter 10 (Harley's POV):

Jade dropped the can with a loud clatter. She met Harley’s gaze for a split second—long enough for her to see another flash of gold—before she broke down into tears.

*SCRAPE - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

She’d almost drifted off when Janus’ voice startled her awake. “I’ll keep watch. If anything happens, I’ll wake you.” “I’m fine. I don’t need rest,” Sophia grumbled. She sat up straight and resisted the urge to rub the sleep from her eyes. “Mm-hm.” Janus used the pointed end of the rod to absentmindedly scrape moss off the side of the apartment wall.

Round Two: @writernopal

Words to find: SUFFER, ESTEEM, SMILE, AMICABLE, and CAT

SUFFER - Agent Ace, Chapter 8 (Sophia's POV):

“No use lying to us, kid,” the vigilante growled, swinging his hook back and forth like a pendulum. “We know damn well you can read.” Max flinched. “N-No, not like that. I mean, uh… I’m farsighted. I can’t see the screen.” The vigilante caught the hook in one hand and went deadly still. The color drained out of Max’s face. “Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Mulciber shooed the vigilante toward the door. “Put that thing down and go get the boy his glasses. We don’t want him to suffer from eye strain!” The vigilante turned on his heel and stormed out of the cell. Mulciber chuckled to himself.

ESTEEM - Agent Ace, Chapter 8 (Sophia's POV):

Mulciber ignored the question. “Look at you! That mask suits you well, my friend. I knew it would. How are you feeling today?” “F-fine, sir.” The vigilante said anxiously. “Uh, Apollo said you wanted to see me. Have I done something wrong?” “No, no, quite the opposite.” Mulciber clapped his hand on his shoulder and led him over to the table. “I have an introduction to make.” He made a gesture toward Sophia. “This is Agent Sophia Colbo, an esteemed enforcer of the Watch who’s been hot on our trail. Agent, meet our newest recruit. Our newest Prophet.”

SMILE - Agent Ace, Chapter 10 (Harley's POV):

“Did you make this?” Harley asked breathlessly. “Only partly.” Jade stood next to her, staring at the window and looking as mesmerized as Harley felt. “A couple of weeks ago, I came by here and found another artist leaving her mark. I didn’t know her, but she caught me watching and asked if I wanted to join her.” A smile grew on her face as her eyes drifted over the painting. “I didn’t want to at first—it’s sort of a rule that you shouldn’t paint over someone else’s art—but she insisted. Said that we could be partners. So I helped her finish it, and I added Max’s name, with her permission.”

AMICABLE - N/A

Didn't have this word!

CAT - Agent Ace, Chapter 12 (Harley's POV):

The vigilante stopped in the middle of the room. Harley couldn’t see anything above her boots, but she could imagine her eyes scanning the room, like a cat stalking a mouse.

Round Three: @clairelsonao3

Words to find: SHINE, LOSE, and CARE

SHINE - N/A

Didn't have this word!

*LOSE - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

Chuck took the money and leaned under the desk. When he surfaced, he held two key cards and a set of car keys in his hand. “Use these to get into the room—don’t lose them,” he said, passing them to Janus. “Car’s in the lot when you need it. Be mindful of quiet hours, and don’t make a mess.” He paused, then ripped a piece of paper off of a notepad and handed it to Janus. “And this week’s net password is ‘wagyu beef.’ No capitals, no spaces.”

CARE - Agent Ace, Chapter 4 (Harley's POV):

“Of course I am!” He spoke in a hushed tone, but there was a detectable edge to his voice. “I have no idea where she is. But you know all about that, don’t you?” The next pause was much longer, and Ahren’s brow furrowed in anger. “I don’t care what the policy is. Is Sophia in danger or not?”

Round Four: @captain-kraken

Words to find: FAINT, LONELY, GROW, and MEMORY

FAINT - Agent Ace, Chapter 8 (Sophia's POV):

Max set the tablet down on the table, took a deep breath, and tapped the screen. A faint blue glow emitted from the device, casting shadows over his face. He squinted long and hard at the screen, concentration etched on his face.

*LONELY - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

She entered a clearing at the end of the path, a glade blanketed in pine needles. A lonely outhouse with peeling paint stood amongst a copse of trees, marking the fork of two split paths. One led out of the woods and down towards the lake, while the other inclined uphill, towards the outcropping of rocks that peeked out from the canopy above.

GROW - Agent Ace, Chapter 2 (Harley's POV):

Blumoore was as vibrant as ever. The Vibe, a grungy music club and one of Harley’s favorite night time hangouts, was on full display as usual. Crowds flocked in and out of the venue, and she could almost feel the pump of hard rock vibrating in her bones. As the club disappeared from the window, she caught more familiar sights. The Equinox Cafe, Dorian’s Garden—her mother’s favorite florist—and the corner bookstore where Harley had practically grown up. Even the overpriced juice bar she’d never set foot inside before brought a calm wave of nostalgia washing over her.

*MEMORY - Agent Ace, Chapter ?? (Sophia's POV):

The car lurched to the side as it took a turn and picked up speed. Sophia shifted back upright in her seat as they left Harmont behind, disappearing into a glittering city skyline. If they hadn’t been seen, they’d be in the clear, for now. But Sophia didn’t feel better in the slightest. She’d been unable to shake that memory of her father since she first encountered the vigilantes. It used to be a fond memory—a solace in times when she was feeling nostalgic—but now it left a sour taste in her mouth.

[ima-ghost-art]

If you're still doing oc prompts how about somecats "moment of happiness"

(The OCs - 1, Bellona - 2, Pennyfathing, 3, Kismet, 4, the kittens) (THIS time in canonical order)

Bellona

Bellona smiled, stretching back on the old boxes she was sitting on, hand on her bump as she stared lovingly at her mate and eldest kit. Merlinite was teaching their little Alonzo how to do pirouettes.

She truly couldnt believe how much she loved her little family, and the fact that they were so soon to welcome two more kittens just made her heart sing.

Bustopher had dropped by not long ago, with enough rice pudding to last a few days, Bellona knew he would be back in time for her to give birth, along with Jenny and Jelly of course.

She missed the rest of jellicles dearly, but this was what was safest for her family, and as an now ex Protector, she wouldnt hesitate to make sure her family was safe. So she chose to live in the moment, and embrace the life she and her mate were making together.

Merlin picked up Alonzo and spun him around, filling the air with bubbles as the kit laughed. Bellona smiled, as she enjoyed her moment of happiness.

____

Pennyfathing

Penny grinned as Quaxo twirled around him in dizzying circles. Their impromptu picnic turned dance show being their entertainment for the evening.

He clapped as Quaxo took a bow, the kittens fur glittering like star light. Pennyfathing was entranced, his bestfriend was capable of such wonderful things and he was lucky enough to be allowed to watch him and the little bits of magic he would harness when he preformed.

You could probably call the kit star struck, and Penny wouldnt bother denying it. He loved Quaxo. And he loved every little moment he was able to spend with him, even if it was eating a mouse on a dusty old blanket in a forgotten alley.

Penny moved to let Quaxo snuggle up against him, tired after doing so much spinning.

A warmth spread through his chest as he remembered the offer he was given a few days ago, a new tribe looking for magical cats and fighters. He knew now he was going to except the offer, and bring Quaxo with him so they could become powerful mates just like he had said!!

But for now, Pennyfathing let them just sit there in comfortable silence, two kittens cuddling on a dusty old blanket, enjoying a moment of happiness.

____

Kismet

Kismet was a blushing mess! Never once before, had they met a person who could get them this flustered than Etcetera.

Once a calm and collected Protector of the Streat Cats Tribe, now a blubbering bundle of words trying to make sence, and they couldn't be happier!

Their tibes had been working together more closely after the passing of old Deuteronomy, and so they had bumped into eachother as if only fate itself had brought them together!!

And well, Kismet couldn't help it, they were smitten at first sight. Etcetera was just so sweet and excitable, if only a bit loud, but that didnt matter when she looked at them like they carried the sun in the sky.

Their leaders had approved, Old Jillymonty and Lady Jemima even offering for them to switch tribes if they wished, but the two had agreed of spending time in both for now.

Kismet had fallen in love with the best queen in the world, and the moment she asked to be mates was the happiest moment of all.

____

The Kittens

Hiraeth and Eglantine sat talking on top of the old car, and Cecily sat not too far away on the tire. Together with Lucideus and Tilibubble, as they were the oldest, they were all on babysitting duty while most of the adults were all of hunting.

They didnt mind the arrangement, it was nice not to spend the morning getting dragged around by Jelly and Asparagus doing chores.

Most of the younger kittens were in the main clearing, being entertained by Luci as she put on a mini show with all the dance moves she had learned from Bombalurina! Melon and Diotima stepping in to be her back up dancers, as Hiraeth sang for them from his little perch.

Yippee, Dyluela, Aggie and Pumpkenna sat at his feet, switching from watching Hira and the show.

Atlas sat up near Tili in the watch tower, Noddy, the youngest, sat on his lap as he chatted quietly to his aunt. The three much preferring to watch their friends where it wasnt as loud.

The Deuteronomy - Jones litter were mostly watching the performance, the triplets making sure to join in singing with their cousin, along with Russet and Azalea, when the moments called for it! Though the oldest, Maxinellie was taking a nap by Cecily's feet.

Admetus and Aristotle were also having their morning snooze in the pipe.

Finally MollyMay, Oopsie daisy and Elysian were all cuddled making daisy chains by the nursery.

All in all, the day wasnt that special, it was normal as any other, but if you would find there the meaning of what happiness is, in a moment like this.

[cornflake413]

This is the first part of the Vannamelon fanfic that me and @soulen-demoncatboy101 have been working on together. :>

[there are so many chapters

it is gonna take forever to finish this thing]

VILLAINS OF THE FRUITY KINGDOM

Introduction

This is the story of an unknown universe where humanoid fruits live. Unfortunately, 9 demons have taken an interest in their little world. Before that Universe was created, God decided that she wanted to create someone to be its protector, and ensure that no evil would come and destroy it. A beautiful baby girl was born among the stars during an Eclipse. She was made to be the protector of the Universe, but something was wrong. She wouldn’t wake up, so God decided to put her away in a safe place that only she could find. After 1,000 years of waiting, God created the world, and made a different version of her daughter to be the protector of this Unknown Universe. As soon as that girl, VannaCantaloupe, was born, the Eclipse finally awakened from her sleep.

   9 seeds were planted in each circle of Hell, and from them, strange trees started to grow rapidly. Millions of demons were born, clawing their way out of the trees. Not all of them were made the same, though. After the rest had been released into Hell, special kinds of demons were coming out of the ground. Unlike the other demons, 9 of them were born at that time with a symbol. 

Lucifer, King of Inferno, appointed one of those 9 demons to rule each circle. It was fun for them, for a while. They were The Third Eye, queen of the 1st circle of Limbo; Nyx, queen of the 2nd circle of Lust; Jezebel, queen of the 3rd circle of Gluttony; The Ouroboros, queen of the circle of Greed; Bellona, queen of the 5th circle of Anger; Choronzon, queen of the 6th circle of Heresy; Ashtaroth, queen of the circle of Violence; Dante, prince of the 8th circle of Fraud; and Pentagram, queen of the 9th circle of Treachery. Of them, The Third Eye was the most unique. She was a shadowy spirit whose full form was split across multiple bodies. Half of her, notably, was inside of VannaCantaloupe. After thousands of years, though, they started to grow tired of listening and obeying Lucifer’s every word, and began making plans of rebellion.

 Prologue - The Unknown Timeline 

In the 5th circle of Inferno, Lucosia, a siren demon, was born. She was a seer who could peer into multiple futures and realities. One day, she met Dante, one of the Symbols of Hell. They formed a close relationship. Lucosia had a strong vision of a future in which Lucifer, the king of all demons, died, which was something that she didn’t know was possible. She was one of the only demons with the power to see such a future, so he monitored her closely in order to keep a tight grip on his throne. She knew that when he found out, he would kill her, and that she had no chance of fighting against him.  

Her first thought was to tell Dante about what was going to happen to her. She told him that he would not see her again. Then, she went back to her home and waited for her fate to take her. Dante was furious about her death, but he couldn’t fight Lucifer, either, so he kept to himself for many years.

 At that time, Lucosia was reborn as a mermaid in the alternate dimension to the living world, of which there was only one. She was named VannaSeaSalt. She retained her psychic powers, which gave her vague, blurred visions of her past that were out of her control. She was able to see into the unknown universe that God created first. There, she saw a melon girl, VannaCantaloupe, living her life to the fullest on her melon throne. But then, she was being tormented by a lemon girl. The summer went by and faded into autumn. They summoned a demon girl who lent them her powers, which they used to fight each other. While they were fighting each other, the Nine Symbol Demons were watching, because they had noticed the strong pulse of demonic energy in the living world. 

Vanna was about to lose the fight, but when she was knocked down for the final time, the power of The Third Eye awoke inside of her and took over her body. She fully possessed Vanna and transformed her body into her physical form. She then fought the lemon girl, who tried and failed to escape. The Third Eye ended the fight by biting her face off.  After she killed her, the other Symbol Demons came to the living world and started to cause pure destruction and chaos. They tried to take over the Earth and make it their own personal Inferno that only they could rule, free of Lucifer’s influence. 

VannaSeaSalt and her salty clone SeaPearl brought their mermaid and siren warriors to that world in an attempt to stop the Symbol Demons. They split up and fought the demons one by one. SeaSalt was running towards the epicenter of the destruction, but Dante caught up to her and stopped her. She was prepared to fight him, but he didn’t want to. He only wanted to talk. This confused her a lot, so she decided to listen to what he had to say. He told her that there was a spell that could destroy him and the others, but that this universe would be destroyed with it. Seasalt asked why he was trying to help her. He only said that she reminds him of an “old friend” and that he senses that her abilities are incredibly similar to a demon. He decided to be honest with her then. He explained that he didn’t care about taking over the earth, but was only doing this to please his mother, Pentagram. The death of his friend Lucosia wounded him deeply, and he couldn’t live with himself and the guilt of not doing anything sooner. SeaSalt felt sorry for him, so she agreed to put an end to the destruction and his suffering. She went back and called SeaPearl and their army. SeaSalt explained how to perform the spell, which only her and SeaPearl could use. 

Then, the Nine Marks of Inferno appeared, floating in the air. The mermaid and siren warriors stood in a circle around SeaSalt and SeaPearl, and the both of them cast the spell together. When the spell was complete, a bright, white light expanded outward, growing until it consumed the universe and burned it all away. 

The nine demons were killed, but so was everyone else in that world. The universe exploded and shattered into a multiverse of different worlds. The souls of SeaSalt and SeaPearl’s army went back to their own piece of the multiverse, later known as the Salty dimension. Although the bodies of the Nine Marks were destroyed, Lucifer blocked their souls from going back to Inferno. They had to find somewhere else to be reborn instead. Most of them went to the same universe, the one that was the most similar to the original world. God had decided to make another protector of the universe, since VannaEclipse had yet to reawaken, and this was the world that she put her in. Dante rejoined the living world, but was unable to reincarnate completely for a few years. His second life was that of a demon girl who was very rebellious and very powerful - almost as powerful as Lucifer himself - but who did not bear his symbol. Ashtaroth, the Ouroboros, and Jezebel all went to separate worlds entirely. It would not be long before all of them found each other in the multiverse once more and regained their original power.

[thatbostonbooknerd]

Rose Gold

This chapter features a shift to past tense - I think this works better for this fic and I'm going to go back and edit previous chapters so that it's consistent, but wanted to clarify in case the change was jarring.

(however, the shift within the chapter from present to past tense is intentional - present tense is the dream state, once he wakes it's in past tense)

Chapter Five: Cassius

Cassius stands above a mangled body, its skull flattened like the haemanthus blossom in the dead boy’s hand. When he wakes, he will think that should have been his first clue that it wasn’t real; Darrow couldn’t have been holding the blossom in his hand during the Passage. And he fought Julian; Cassius was in another room of stone, while his brother murdered his twin. 

But this is a dream, and so it appears real until he wakes from it. 

And in this dream, he stands over Darrow’s body, eyes staring blankly up at him. Sliding the ring onto his finger, he notices the symbol is not of House Mars, as the ones they received at the Institute; this one has an eagle in place of the wolf. 

The path he walks tugs at his memory. It is a familiar stone hallway. He finds the clothes laid out for him, but it’s not a uniform; it’s the armor of the Morning Knight. 

He turns to continue down the hallway, but something has changed. Now he recognizes it, and it is not from the Institute, but from every day of his life before it. 

Whispers surround him, a chorus of ghosts. He reels, looking for the source, but they’re little more than a rustle in the dark. To plume his feathers, he went away, and met the man around whom all fray. Fray. Fray. Fray. The last word echoes. The voices are different, but he can’t identify any of them. 

He walks faster now, even in the dark; he knows this place too well to need a light to guide him. The voices keep going. Now he lies in memory’s cavern, head a blossom, heart judged by Saturn, on a cold stone floor he found an early autumn. Autumn. Autumn. Autumn. 

Walking turns to running, running turns to sprinting, and he crashes into a wall of glass where there shouldn’t be one. It shatters around him. He falls to the ground, splinters of the glass embedded in his shins and forearms, and drags himself upward. 

He’s lying before the Bellona Stairs. Screams echo, and the ground quakes; flashes of light in the distance force him to shield his eyes. At the top of the steps sits Sefi. It’s her people who do this. He  staggers forward, ignoring the sharp pain every step brings. He has to reach the top. 

But when he does, it’s not Sefi. A hulking Obsidian stands over her corpse, lowColors brought before him in chains and varying states of mutilation. Cassius draws his razor, ready to kill this monster who has made his home into a graveyard. But as the guards drag the Obsidian’s newest slave away, she turns, and Cassius pauses. Cherry blossom hair flashes as Ilithyia meets his gaze, and a single tear tracks its way through the blood caking her cheeks. He wants to tell her not to cry, even though that doesn’t make any sense. He’s forgotten the Obsidian entirely—he has to reach her—he has to free her—

Before he can take a single step, a blade emerges through his stomach, painted scarlet with his blood. He falls to his knees, and his killer steps out from behind him. 

“Julian?” he asks, staring up at the twin who just stabbed him through the back. But then the features melt into something different, and it’s Lysander au Lune who replies. 

“There will be no atonement for you,” Lysander says. “How could you possibly think to atone for your sins?”

Ilithyia’s cry draws his gaze, even as his knees give out. “Cassius!” she calls out, sounding so afraid, and that’s when Cassius finally wakes.

#

“Cassius!” Ilithyia shook him. “Cassius!”

She stumbled back as he jolted upright, breathing erratic. It took him a moment to understand, still expecting to find the gaping wound left by Lysander’s blade. He blinked, and his surroundings came into focus. “Ilithyia?” he asked. 

“Yes, yes, it’s Ilithyia. You were having some kind of a nightmare.” 

He groaned, his wounds throbbing. “A gorydamn nightmare,” he muttered darkly. Is that all it took to break the man who was once an Olympic Knight? For fuck’s sake. 

“Lie back,” Ilithyia ordered, nudging him into place, her palm flat against the broad expanse of his chest. “I’ll get you something for the pain.” The warmth of her hand against his bare skin was more welcome than he cared to admit, and his breathing eased. He sank back into the cot with the absurd urge to pull her against him so he could feel more of her warmth. 

“No,” he said. “Enough meds.” 

“Why?” 

“I don’t need them.” 

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know who you’re trying to impress; it’s only me here. I promise that when we reach the Rising, I will tell everyone that you didn’t touch a single pill, and in fact, that you sewed yourself up with one hand while piloting the ship with the other.” 

He let a reluctant laugh escape him, then winced. Laughing without the meds was definitely a bad idea. “I’m fine, just get me—there’s a bottle, under the—the—” he gestured vaguely. His mind was still foggy from the last dosage, and he wished his words didn’t feel so jumbled. 

“It’s gone.” 

He sat up abruptly, and immediately regretted it. The sudden movement threatened to tear his stitches, but he held up a hand to keep Ilithyia back. “What do you mean, gone?” 

Her expression was resolute. “I emptied it.” 

“No,” he stumbled from the bed. “No, you didn’t. There’s another—”

“I dumped that, too. The one under the bathroom sink, and the three in the dining area, and the one by your chess set, too. Oh, and five in the bedroom. No more drinking.” 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he demanded. His head throbbed, and the thought of facing two godsforsaken months with this woman dead sober—gods damn her. Adjusting the ship’s course for the nearest black hole seemed better by the minutee. 

Ilithyia blocked his way, scowling back at him despite the fact that she barely reached his sternum. Her arms lay folded over the oversized shirt she wore. One of his, he realized, and tried not to notice her bare legs beneath it. “They sent me to the Rim to watch, and from the moment you arrived there, I watched you as I did all the others. You know what I saw, Cassius au Bellona? I saw a man who has spent a decade trying to drown himself in a bottle.”

“You don’t know a gorydamn thing about me.” He yelled it louder than he meant to, the words echoing off the walls. 

“I know you built a life on an ideal, then ten years ago you made a choice that turned your back on that ideal. But instead of living for something else, for something better, you drowned yourself on the edge of the worlds.” Her expression softened. “Your life can be more than chasing ghosts into a blazing end. I know you think that’s the best you can hope for now, but you’re wrong. There are ideals to live for, just not the ones you were raised with.” 

She reached for him, but he recoiled. Anger blazed in his eyes, but she didn’t flinch from that look, even though she must have known he could crush her skull with less effort than it took to stand. 

“I’m sorry, but I need you to go these two months without numbing the past,” she whispered, hovering in his periphery as he turned back to the bed with one more scornful glance in her direction. “You’re not the only one who has lost, Cassius. It’s time to learn to bury the past. Until you can do that, you can’t live, you can only survive. And you were meant to do more than only survive. I may not know you, but I do know that much.” 

He buried his face in the pillow, trying to block out her words. 

“Cassius—”

“Fuck off.” He raised his head, shooting her a venomous look, and in an instant, any warmth in her expression evaporated. 

“Do you think you’re the only one who lost people? Do you really think the rest of us didn’t suffer in the war, that your family were the only victims in all this?” 

“How could you possibly know how it feels, when you don’t even know what it’s like to have a family, much less to lose one?” 

She left without a word. Somehow, that was worse than any scathing retort she might have come up with, and he wanted her to come back. Guilt ate at him for that last jab, even if she was a lunatic hellbent on keeping him sober. 

Gods damn it. This would never have happened if she hadn’t taken the fucking alcohol, he just needed a gorydamned drink. 

He collapsed back into the pillow, trying to forget the way she had looked at him when he said that. Why did she have to bring up his family, for fuck’s sake? That was over the line, too. She should have known he would respond in kind. 

But as much as he tried to justify it to himself, that had been too far and he couldn’t shake the look on her face. If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought someone had slapped her. He didn’t know why he cared so much. They didn’t even really need to speak, the ship was small but not so small you couldn’t keep away from someone if you wanted to avoid them. How many times had Lysander and Pytha proven that when the three of them had bickered? 

But, most disturbingly of all, he found that he didn’t want to keep to himself. Lying there on the bed, he tossed and turned until the covers were tangled around him, even as his stitches tugged at still-healing wounds. He couldn’t explain it, but all he wanted was for that unhinged girl to come back and yell at him some more. Or not yell. He’d accept either; he only knew that when she stalked out from the room, it felt lonelier than he could remember being in a very long time. 

[winvyre]

Name Origins Tag!!!

@sabewebb has given me an excuse to nerd out and I'm taking it!

I am, and always have been, a sucker for symbolism. I choose many names for their meanings (it's great when a stolen name has a fitting theme!) and sometimes that means making a joke for myself and the other word nerds out there.

Example: Connor means "lover of hounds" and he's friends with a werewolf family. Dog People taken literally. I think it's funny. His last name, Willard, is directly taken from the song "Willard!" by Will Wood because I thought that the whole thing sounded like something Connor would say.

Alarick means “noble, regal ruler” or “ruler of everything” and he's the leader of the pack.

Elouise, Teagan, and Steven came from their inspiration song: "Solider, Poet, King" by The Oh Hellos. They mean warrior, poet, and crown respectively. I felt I couldn't use the "ruler" meaning because Steven, being the youngest, definitely isn't in charge.

The pack's surname, Ibarra, means meadow. To explain that, I first have to explain a character only ever spoken about because she's dead long before the story starts.

Morella Ibarra is Alarick's dead wife. Morella means "death." I know, I know. Very creative. But it has a purpose! Waaaaay later in the story, we learn about the system of deities in the Hidnight world (which will be its own post) and the three planes they operate on. There's the mortal and the divine planes, and then there's The Valley of Death. The Valley of Death is called that because as the in-between for the mortal plane and the divine, it's where the Death angels work. If you've been paying attention, Morella Ibarra translates to "Death Meadow." It foreshadows her appearance in The Valley later. She is NOT the Goddess of Death.

-------

Valerie's name was chosen right when I began the first ever draft of her story in, like, sixth/early seventh grade. I had just realized that I could use names to symbolize character traits and overarching themes. And I will admit, Valerie used to be a self insert 🤦‍♂️ so when I found a beautiful name that also meant "strong, Independent, and courageous," I latched onto it because I needed the reassurance at the time.

The Six Immortals rapid fire! (It's WAY too much to explain the significance of each here.)

Hearth Immortal Omie- "Homebody," Conflict Immortal Alvaro- "All Guard," Craft Immortal Ved- "Sacred Knowledge," Verve Immortal Gail- "Lively," Scape Immortal Pierce- "Rock," Blight Immortal Bellona- "Destructive Warrior."

I stole Oakley's name from a girl I met on vacation as a child. Its symbolism is that she's from the Forest Region. "Oak" ley. Get it? I'm sorry.

Bernadette's name will be explained in a lore dump post about witches.

-------

That's it for major characters up to the point I'm at for each story. I could go on for ages about character names alone but I don't want to overload you with information :)

OPEN TAG!

[petrikaira]

The Maid

Chapter 3, The Interview, Final Page (Previous)

Rating: G for General Audiences

The prince’s eyes turned bright red. They were luminescent against the green, redder than blood, as red as poppies. Nothing else had changed. The same pale skin, the same dark hair, the same pointed teeth. Even the same feathered hat and clothes combo. Retha felt the worry in her heart turn right to disappointment. Hot coals to ash. 

Meanwhile the excitement on his face poured from his wide smile to his bright red eyes. “Here it is!”

“That’s just your eyes,” Retha said bluntly. 

The prince crossed his arms over his chest, the lace of his sleeve endings dragging. “You said normal form, not demon form-”

She stared for a moment longer. Her mind whirled. He was still clearly human, and she had no reason to disbelieve him. The red eyes did fit with the eyes of a hellhound.

“Why would a demon come to the human world for a maid?” She said, “Are you here for my soul?”

“Well, see, I’m not authorized to do that anyways, but no?” the Prince said. He shifted. His chair creaked, and the sound carried in the quiet of the forest.

“Then why-”

“I wanted to do a good job for my wife! This was the first job she ever gave me,” Prince Yuki said. “And humans raised me, so I think they do a really good job, and unlike demons, a good human won’t be afraid to tell us if we’re messing up.”

A million thoughts ran through her mind, sifting like the smell of flowers on the wind. Some she could almost grasp at, like the fact that he had told her he wanted to do a good job for his wife when she had first met him as well. Others were much hazier. 

“Humans raised you?” She blurted, her mind settling on one like her nose settled on the pine in the breeze.

“When I was small,” the prince said. “Some things happened, and eventually my parents died when I was only four or so- and human farmers took me in.”

Retha scoffed. A hellhound doing chores! Not killing the humans it came across? But then, the little excited voice in her head piped up- he hadn’t killed her. Not yet.

“Well, then what was your chore?” 

“They started pouring the milk from the bucket into our milk bottles,” the prince said. “But, eventually I got to help milk the cow. Her name was Bellona, she was all speckled.”

He had a soft look on his face as he talked about the cow. She thought it was a strange name, but the little smile on her face was maybe what she would be like in a few years when she talked about Henny or Orsey. A smile that loved the animals it grew up with. 

“Do you think you still could? Milk a cow, I mean?” Retha asked.

“Yes! But I can’t, now-”

She wrinkled her nose. That didn’t sit right with her. Even a prince should want to do hard work, instead of just relying on his position in the world. “Because you’re a prince?”

“No,” Prince Yuki said. “Not because of that.”

“Why then?” Retha demanded. She wouldn’t take some slimy answer.

“Don’t have cows in the demon city.” It was Zillah this time, looking up from her finished tart. “We got chickens, but just barely. Not enough light down there to grow grass to keep a cow fed.”

Retha scoffed. “If you don’t have light to grow grass, where are you getting your chicken feed?” She demanded.

“Trading for it with other places that get more light,” Zillah replied. “But we don’t got a lot of chickens down there, either, pretty rare.”

Retha blinked. A place, without chickens- and by the sounds of it, no light. No farming. It was an exciting prospect. Her maid job would just be cleaning. 

“Oh! While we are talking about home-” The prince said. “Are you still considering coming to be a maid?”

“Yes,” Retha said. “Except, I want a drawn up contract about my benefits to read over.”

A sly, curved smile cleared across the Prince’s face. “Alright. But, there is a catch. I am a demon, as I’ve said.”

Was it a betrayal of herself that the first thing she felt about that was a rush of the excitement already swirling, and none of the worry that should settle in her chest?

“What is it?”

“You have to give up your name. A name, to form the contract, to keep you safe, and tie you to our castle and protect you from other demons,” The prince said. 

“My name,” Retha said. She pushed down the excitement. A name was something big. It was part of who she was. 

And yet.

She had never really been attached to hers. She was Retha, but- it was just a name. She was more than it.

“Of course I’d give you a name in return,” The prince replied.

A name, to take a job. Retha’s mind whirled. “Can I think about it?”

“Of course,” The Prince said.

“Can I have a copy of the contract to read it over, while I think about it?” Retha pressed. She didn’t want to give up the opportunity without having her father read over the contract.

A smile. Now, the prince looked much older. There was something in his eyes that reminded her of the old sailors who were too old for fishing, who sat down by the docks and watched the waves roll by, feeding the ducks. Something tired, something sad.

“Of course.”

A wave of the prince’s hand, and there was a roll of parchment on the table beside her.

Her fingers curled around it. There was a red wax seal, right on the side, still warm like he had just pressed his seal into it instead of summoning it from thin air. She was surprised how unsurprised she was by this. 

“I’m going to take this with me,” she said firmly.

The air wavered, and her feet thumped back hard on the wooden floor of the Barman’s Keep. There was a pause in the air, the sound of the lute strings being plucked and tuned.

“Do you want your tart?” Zillah asked, leaning forward. 

Retha figured that if there wasn’t enough light for grass, there probably wasn’t enough light for fruit. She stood. “Go ahead, I need to think.”

She didn’t really have an appetite for it, anyways.

“If you decide before you come to see us again, just sign it. We’ll know,” The prince said.

Retha turned to head out the door. She clutched her roll of parchment type. “Thank you,” she said. “I’ll be in touch, one way or another.”

“I know you will.”

She focused on the shiver down her spine. His voice was grave. He did know. It was like he could see the excitement running through her. She knew that she should be shocked at the prospect of giving up her name, at working with demons, and yet, somehow, the excitement was still buzzing in her ears. She needed to make sure that was how she would feel once the shock of learning magic existed had died down.

“I need to think.”

With that, she left the Barman’s Keep once more.

[roguepen]

Family Tree Thingy

Part of the family tree I’m working on. I’ve been consumed. Send help.

[wolveria]

Inside Your Wires - Ch 37

Pairing: Human!Connor x Android!Reader

Series Warnings (18+ only): Eventual smut, slow burn, fantasy bigotry, violence, brief noncon elements, angst with a happy ending

Chapter Summary: When the battle is fought, and the victory won.

AO3

You stumbled down the steps, compensating for the detective’s loss of footing. He insisted he was fine to walk, and you insisted he was not. You ignored his protests as you slung his arm over your shoulder, allowing him to lean on you. It was fortunate you had as he wobbled from a lack of balance, still recovering his strength from the fight.

Your fight. The one where you’d treated him like an obstacle. An enemy. An unpleasant sensation you could only describe as horror crept up your servos, but you didn’t have the luxury of time to reflect on your new emotions and the consequences of your actions.

The detective drew your attention once more when his arm tightened around your shoulder. You had arrived on the ground floor of the office building you’d chosen as your sniper perch, and beyond those doors a revolution was about to take place.

But first, you had to repair some of the damage you’d caused.

“Wait here,” you instructed him, leaning him against the circular reception desk. He made an unhappy noise but stayed still as you slipped under his arm. You were back within a few seconds, having located your target hidden in one of the drawers. Most corporate offices had First Aid kits stashed in high traffic areas, and you put it to use as you set it on the desk near the detective’s elbow.

“I’m okay, really. There’s no need to—”

“Please.” You couldn’t look him in the eye, instead staring at the collar of his jacket. “Let me do this for you.”

The detective let out a soft breath.

“Yin…”

You took that as permission and opened the kit, pulling out a packet of gauze and tearing it open. There was a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and you doused the gauze with it. When you brought it up to the cuts on his face, the detective stopped you, his fingers holding your wrist.

You met his eye, being given no choice, but there was no blame or anger in his gaze. His expression was earnest, and it was difficult to ignore the stirrings in your chest when you stared too long.

“I was going to say,” he continued, “if there’s somewhere else you need to be, then you don’t have to stay on my account. I can get checked up later.”

You frowned.

“Where else would I go?”

He tilted his head toward the large windows at the front of the reception area before wincing and rubbing the back of his neck. It seemed there was no part of him that wasn’t aching from the altercation. Something tight moved through your middle.

“Thought maybe you’d want to be with your people for their last stand,” he explained. “Bellona said they were going to take the camp soon.”

Ah, yes. What had once been your obsession was now low on the list of your task priorities. The revolution—and your changing sides of it���was overshadowed by your desire to tend the detective’s wounds and protect him from further harm.

But you wouldn’t be allowed to stay by the detective’s side if the androids lost the revolution. You would be decommissioned, and the detective wouldn’t let that go without a fight. He could lose his job or be arrested. After the events of his past, the last thing you wanted was for him to be separated from his brothers and incarcerated.

Assisting the deviants would allow you to continue to protect the detective, but it was more than that. After all you’d done to cause the deviants harm, hunting them down and destroying their community, there was much mending left to do. You owed them.

“Yes,” you finally responded. “I will seek their leader and offer my assistance. After this.”

The detective’s fingers were still around your wrist, the synthetic skin he touched tingled and warm. You reached toward his face and his grip loosened, allowing you to gently press the pad against the first of his cuts. The detective remained quiet as you worked, his gaze never straying from your face, roving over it as if he saw something new every time.

You were as gentle as you could be, and when you treated the last of the scrapes, you cleaned off the faint smears of blood with another dampened gauze. Perhaps it was unnecessary—you truly did need to join the deviants soon—but seeing the detective’s blood was upsetting in a manner that was more intense than before.

When you finished tending the detective’s wounds and replaced the supplies back into the kit, he spoke.

“Yin. Look at me.”

You placed the bottle of hydrogen peroxide inside and slowly closed the lid, moving with reluctance as you obeyed his request.

He placed a hand on the slope between your neck and shoulder, his touch inviting you to lean in as it always did. You didn’t fight the urge this time.

“It wasn’t you.”

The pre-deviant version of yourself would have immediately protested and gone into a thorough list of why you were responsible for your harmful actions.

But the deviant version of you couldn’t speak, an ache in your chest preventing the words.

“It wasn’t,” he insisted, his hand inching upward just enough for his thumb to gently stroke against your jaw. “In this line of work, I see a lot of people who do things they wouldn’t normally do when they aren’t in control of themselves. I know it’s not the same, you literally had your choices taken away, but I recognize the guilt. The shame. And I need you to understand this isn’t your fault.”

“I hurt you, Detective.” You swallowed. “I hurt you.”

“You could have done much worse if you’d wanted. But you didn’t. You went deviant to stop that from happening.”

You wanted to look away, but the light touch at your face kept your still, drawing you to his warmth like a magnetic charge. The faint streetlights streaming through the window created a soft glow around his features, and you had the desire to reach out and touch him. Your hand remained at your side.

“There’s nothing to forgive,” he said. “But if there is, I forgive it.”

He leaned forward and lightly pressed his lips to your forehead. Electricity fluttered down your limbs and you closed your eyes, reveling in the sensation. Your eyes remained shut as he pulled away, and they only opened when a low vibration traveled up your feet.

The detective must have sensed it too; he turned toward the door just as two armored tanks rumbled past the office and down the street, undoubtably toward where the deviants were gathered.

When he turned back to you, there was a sorrow in his eyes, a familiar one. It reminded you too much of the DPD and your last goodbyes.

That was the unfortunate thing about being a deviant. You could want things now. And you didn’t want to go.

He pulled away, his hand falling to his side. You wanted to grab it, hold on tight and never let go. But you hadn’t earned that right, not yet. And the longer you stayed, the harder it would be to leave him.

“I’ll return, Detective,” you promised, much the same as last time.

“I know you will.” The sadness in his smile betrayed his words, and you didn’t know how you would have the strength to leave.

But you did. You couldn’t stay a moment longer without the temptation to remain at the detective’s side won. You went out through the doors, rushing through them in a way that felt like fleeing, and the doors didn’t swing shut fast enough for the detective’s words to not reach you.

“Come back to me, Yin.”

***

The deviants entrenched themselves at the end of Woodward Avenue with an efficiency that one would expect from military units. The FB200 was most likely responsible for the idea of a barricade, though the GV400 may have contributed as well.

Captain Allen and Gavin, you reminded yourself. Referring to androids by their model wasn’t something a deviant did.

A deviant would also be reluctant to walk into an armed encampment, but that’s exactly what you did, hands slightly raised as the slew of unfriendly faces turned your way. The deviants weren’t armed openly, though many of them moved as if weapons were holstered in their jackets, and two metal crates near the front of the barricade were the right size for rifles.

The deviants weren’t threatening the humans at gunpoint yet, which meant their leader was still giving them time to shut down the camp and surrender the captives inside.

And according to your observation of human behavior, they weren’t going to surrender or open the camp unless it was by force.

Your processors calculated each possible scenario as you eyed the gathered deviants, and their leader held a similar expression as she rose to meet you from where she’d been perched on an upturned bench.

“You’re here,” she said without preamble. “And not as our enemy.”

“Correct. I’m going to ensure your victory.”

More than one face wore a dubious expression, but you ignored them all in favor of their leader.

Bellona considered your words, her eyes lacking the suspicion of the others, and then she held out her hand. The invitation was clear as her synthetic skin pulled back to reveal polymer white.

A test, or perhaps, a gesture of truce. Either way, this was your best chance to prove your intentions.

You met skin against your own, gripping her forearm as she gripped yours, allowing the exchange of data. You’d done it before to dozens of androids, but this was more than a simple transfer. You were bombarded by an unfiltered stream of her emotions: the concern she had for her fellow deviants, the fear that she would fail them, the simmering rage over the androids who were still caught in the camps, dying. The hope that one day they could peacefully exist alongside humans, and the sorrow knowing that day may never come.

It was almost too much against your own burgeoning emotions, and you might have balked if her grip hadn’t held fast. She sorted through your thoughts and revelations, reliving the moment of your deviancy within fractions of a second, disgust and anger rippling through her at Elijah’s betrayal.

The last memory she recalled was of you and the detective parting moments ago, and you caught a glimpse of something. A sort of longing, perhaps even envy, before the link was disconnected and she released your arm.

You blinked, struggling to comprehend the breadth of emotions from an android who had been deviant for longer than you, and in many ways, was just as advanced. But despite her superior design and programming, even she seemed to battle with the effects of her deviancy.

If the deviant leader’s emotions were this complex and potent, how were you ever going to adjust to your new state of being?

“You may stay, if you wish,” she said loud enough for those around to hear. “Your assistance is greatly appreciated in the coming battle.”

“Commander, I don’t think that’s wise.”

“Course it’s not,” Gavin added on to the captain’s protests. You weren’t surprised those two didn’t react positively to your presence. “You’re going to let their attack dog loose in our ranks? What next, you’re going to give her a gun?”

“If she wants one,” Bellona said mildly. “And she’s no longer theirs. Any and all androids are welcome to join us, no matter what they’ve done in the past.”

You gave a nod, grateful for her defense on your behalf, but Captain Allen and Gavin continued to glare at you as if you would try to deactivate them at any moment.

Honestly, you couldn’t blame them.

“Come,” Bellona said. “Walk with me.”

You followed her, ignoring the unfriendly eyes on your back, and listened as she pointed out the defenses on both their side and the humans’. The barricade surrounding the deviants wasn’t much, but it was enough of a hindrance to keep the humans from charging through. But the real protection was about fifty feet away behind a chain-link barrier. Dozens of journalists were lined up, shooting footage and taking pictures of the events as they unfolded.

“The US Army doesn’t want to wipe us out where the public can see it,” Bellona said, answering your unasked question. “I find it funny how our great hope against the humans lies with their own kind. Don’t you?”

It wasn’t humorous to you, and by her tone, it wasn’t to her either. She gently touched another android on the shoulder, one you recognized from your brief capture aboard Jericho.

“Chris, any updates?”

“They’re still filming live,” he responded, glancing up from his laptop propped on top of a barrel. It showed several different screens, all from different local and international news stations. “We’re being broadcast in all countries, including those who are actively suppressing their public news.”

“Thank you.”

She gave one last touch of his shoulder before moving on, your destination to the head of the barricade, but she didn’t head straight there. Bellona stopped several times along the way, asking various deviants if they needed help and offering words of comfort to those who had sustained damage during the raid of Jericho.

Discomfort twisted inside the hollows of your abdominal cavity, and you followed Bellona without a word, unable to meet the curious and suspicious eyes of your fellow deviants.

You stood on a makeshift raised platform, peering over the barrier at the dangerous territory between the deviants and the processing center. Concrete barricades had been erected with military personnel waiting behind each one, rifles poised at their sides. The armored vehicles you’d seen earlier flanked the deviant’s temporary holdout, and you considered them to be a bigger threat than the soldiers.

“They won’t attack with those,” Bellona said, following your eye line. “Not with the media watching. And the newscasters aren’t the only ones with eyes on us.”

She nodded to the edge of the military parameter. Your stomach sank. DPD vehicles as well as police officers stood nearby. You identified the intimidating stature of Captain Anderson, his frame even more impressive while wearing a SWAT tactical vest. His mouth was turned into an unhappy line, while the tall FBI official next to him gave nothing away. Special Agent Anderson didn’t even seem uncomfortable with the freezing temperatures, the edge of his coat brushing past his knees as he eyed the deviant encampment.

To your dismay, there was another familiar figure next to him, this one with a dour expression. Even with the streaks of falling snow between you, Lieutenant Anderson had picked you out of the crowd and was fixing you with an unfriendly stare. The bruising you’d left around his neck peeked above the edge of his jacket collar.

You scanned the rest of the members of the DPD, and something inside you loosened when Detective Anderson remained absent.

“What is your plan of attack?” you asked, scanning and marking each threat between your position and the center.

“The plan is to not need to attack.”

You glanced at her, and she took a deep breath despite not needing one.

“I prefer there be no loss of life on either side, but we’re not leaving without our people, and we’re not surrendering. That gives the humans two options: allow us safe passage to free our people, or start a war that will span the globe and kill millions. The presence of the journalists is a promising sign, but—”

She went silent, staring out over the snow unblinking. There was a lone figure approaching the entrenched deviants. You scanned him, frowning at the readout on your HUD.

MANFRED, MARKUS

Born: 08/05/2001 // Deputy Mayor

Criminal record: None

“Oh, no,” Bellona breathed out in a mixture of emotions even your social module couldn’t interpret.

The human came to a stop twenty feet from the front of the barricade. He said nothing, simply waited with his hands in his pockets, the wind tugging at his expensive coat. The soldiers positioned behind him shifted, tension running through them. If you had to estimate the situation, you would guess that this was not an idea they approved of.

“Don’t go.”

The words came from Bellona’s other side. Captain Allen stared at the solitary figure with narrowed eyes.

“I have to,” she said, her voice barely louder than the wind. “He’s family.”

“He’s bait,” the captain growled. “They’ll take the shot as soon as you’re clear.”

“That’s a chance I’ll have to take.”

“Maybe you won’t have to.”

Bellona and her captain both looked at you, his eyes suspicious while hers were questioning.

“Let me go in your place.”

You returned your gaze to the deputy mayor. Bellona, leader of the deviants and once owned by Carl Manfred, was only the most recent news to the Manfred name. Markus Manfred, according to the news articles, was a welcome fresh face to the Detroit mayoral administration. Second-in-line and slated to be the next mayor after the current’s term ran out, he was clearly hedging his bets on how the revolution played out and his part in it.

Markus was a strategist. So was Bellona. But a quick scan of the deviant leader told you there was a lot of history there, and a neutral party would be the best solution.

“You don’t have to do this,” Bellona said, fully turning toward you. “It should be me.”

“If I’m destroyed, you lose nothing.”

“That couldn’t be farther from the truth.”

You offered a small smile.

“This was what I was programmed to do. Negotiations are one of my specialties.”

Bellona frowned, but the captain’s gaze held something that could have almost been respect.

“It’s a good plan,” he said, eyes narrowing to look you up and down. “If she can be trusted.”

“I trust Yin with my life.”

“Good, seeing as that’s exactly what you’ll be doing. Trusting her with your life, and ours.”

Bellona didn’t respond to the captain’s harsh words. Instead, she placed a hand on your shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

The gesture wasn’t only for support; at the close contact, her mind brushed against yours, her silent words flowing through your thoughts.

Markus is a good man, and Carl is a father to both of us. He’ll want to do the right thing, though he may not have the power to do it.

You gave her an imperceptible nod, and she severed the connection, dropping her hand to her side.

You left the cover of the barricade, setting foot on solid ground, a layer of fallen snow crunching under your shoes. The figure grew larger in your sights, snowflakes settling in your hair and biting at your cheeks, only marginally colder than the eyes of the soldiers as they watched your progression.

None of them fired, and it took only a few more steps to carry you in front of Markus Manfred.

He was a handsome human, charming and sophisticated even before he spoke. He appraised you with curiosity, not unlike how the deviant leader also gazed at you.

“You’re not Bell,” he said simply. “But I do know you. That famous deviant hunter.”

Bellona had addressed you the same way, once. It was interesting how similar those two were. Two sides of the same coin.

You straightened your posture. If he was the man Bellona claimed him to be, then you would discover if that were true.

“Markus Manfred. Son of the painter Carl Manfred. Brother to Leo Manfred. Deputy mayor under Mayor Shellfield. I imagine you are here in his stead due to his very public endorsement of CyberLife.”

“You imagine correctly,” he answered, his eyes bright and unwavering. Not many humans were willing to make steady eye contact with an android, let alone a deviant, but he didn’t shy away.

“And if the deviants win over public opinion tonight, your diplomatic appearance in front of the media will bolster your political career. Perhaps even one day earning you the title of Mayor of Detroit.”

He didn’t deflect from your assessment. Instead, he gave a small smile that quirked at the corners.

“Again, you’re correct.” The smile lost some of its shine. “And if the deviants lose, not only will my career tank, but I’ll lose someone very dear to me.”

He took a step closer, and you stiffened. Markus lifted his hands from his pockets, slightly splaying his fingers to show he was unarmed.

“Do you have someone you care about?” he asked low enough that it wouldn’t carry on the wind. “Human or android?”

Your gaze wavered before returning to his.

“Everyone here has a loved one. Which is why we must resolve this situation as swiftly as—”

“Do they know? The person you care for?”

His gaze was soft, unbothered by your hard stare..

“I hope they do,” he continued. “This… is bigger than any of us could have imagined. I want the deviants to win. I want them to march in that camp and rescue their people. I want nothing more than that, but I don’t have control over military soldiers. I can’t even call off the National Guard. All I have are the DPD, and their captain isn’t enough to stop the soldiers, either.”

You glanced to the side where Captain Anderson stood, his arms over his chest as he watched you and Markus. Hard lines etched his face, but there was a worried slant to his brow that you’d observed more than once when he looked at his adopted son.

“Bellona isn’t going to back down.” You dragged your gaze back to the human, your jaw tensed. “None of them will, and I promised to lend them my strength if it comes to a fight. You have to understand that our only two choices are to win or be destroyed. There is no surrender, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Markus’ gaze was soft with regret, and perhaps a hint of understanding.

“I know. And trust me, I’d stand at Bell’s side if I could.”

“Then why don’t you?”

He didn’t have an answer. He opened his mouth, and when silence continued in place of words, he closed it again.

“I’ll do what I can to stave off an attack,” he finally said. “But I won’t lie. There’s a decent chance they’ll attack within the hour. It’s best you prepare yourselves. For what it’s worth… I’m sorry.”

With a lingering look, something sad and very human about it, he returned to the line of waiting soldiers.

You turned your back on the humans and retreated to your side, waiting for your self-preservation system to alert you to a trigger being tightened by a finger, but no warning came. You reached the barricade unharmed.

Bellona was looking past you when you hopped up onto the makeshift platform, her gaze on the human who had disappeared from view. Her fallen expression told you she’d been able to hear the entire conversation even at this distance.

“You were right,” you told her, your own gaze turned inward to count the deviants that remained. There were too few. Even though androids were stronger and faster than humans, it would be a lost battle. “He’s not going to help us.”

“He can’t.” Her words were low and flat. “And our choice of allies dwindles to nothing.”

“Enemy approaching!”

The captain snatched a pistol from inside his jacket, Gavin doing the same from a 9mm hidden in the back of his waistband. Other deviants also pulled out various hidden weapons, all aiming them at the human foolish enough to approach the deviant line.

But you and the deviant leader scanned the figure at the same time, and she yelled, “Stand down!”

You said nothing at all, your vocal cord box frozen, but your limbs surged forward as you leapt off the platform. You left the protection of the barricade behind, racing across open, dangerous space.

You came to a stop in front of him, hands halfway raised as you didn’t know whether to grab him tight or push him back to safety.

“Detective, what are you doing here?”

Despite the freezing temperatures, the bruising on his face, and the incredible danger he was in, he actually smiled.

“You weren’t going to start the revolution without me, were you?”

Your jaw fell open, every system in your advanced processors failing to come up with an answer for this foolish, reckless, wonderful human.

“You must leave,” was the response you settled on. Your fingers desperately wanted to curl into his coat, but you forced them to press against your hips. “They’re going to charge the barricade soon, and we will repel them and fight our way to the center. It’s too dangerous to—”

The detective took a step closer. Your hands might have been at your sides, but his gently held your shoulders, his eyes warm, and for the first time since you’d known him, unburdened.

“This is where I want to be, Yin.  This is where I belong. I’m with you, no matter what happens.”

He brushed a wild strand of hair behind your ear, the gesture calm and unshaken.

“Besides, humans caused this mess,” he said, his smile tilted before fading. “If we’re not part of the solution, then this will never end.”

There was wisdom in his words, but why did it have to be him? Why couldn’t it be Markus, or another human putting their lives at risk?

Because that’s who the detective was, you realized. That’s why you were willing to do anything for him, even if it meant your destruction

Could it possible he felt the same for you?

A low rumble vibrating through your feet warned the approach of more armored vehicles, and a roar overhead signaled a news helicopter recording what happened next.

“So, now that I’m here.” The detective took your hand, his lips crooked in a soft smile. “I don’t want to miss getting front row seats to the end of the world.”

You followed, letting him lead you until you stood in front of the barricade. The deviants were still on the other side, watching with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, and you couldn’t blame them. The detective never ceased to surprise you, and a protective urge drew you close to his side and slightly in front of him, squeezing his hand. The soldiers in front of the center had begun to move into attack position.

All that stood between them and the deviants were the two of you. And you would tear through their ranks without mercy if any of them dared to harm the detective

It seemed the human army was willing to take that chance and possibly kill one of their own, until a second and a third figure crossed from the human side, specifically where the DPD officers had gathered. The two men were almost identical, though one was taller and the other held a sour expression.

The detective stiffened at your side.

“What the hell are you doing?” he bit out when they had drawn close enough for conversation.

“What does it look like?” Lieutenant Anderson grumbled. “This was Conrad’s idea, by the way.”

“And you agreed to it,” the agent answered coolly. “You may go back, if you wish.”

“Yes, you should go back.” The detective’s glare seemed to be all anger at the surface, but you knew him well enough to recognize the concern underneath. “The both of you.”

“And let you die a hero while the rest of us look like assholes?”

The lieutenant rolled his eyes as he stood on the detective’s other side. He spared you a look that seemed to be somewhere between wariness and acceptance.

“What he means to say is, we’re with you Connor. No matter the consequences.”

The detective softened at the tallest brother’s words, but he wasn’t quite done complaining yet.

“Guess there’s no talking you out of it, is there.”

“No.”

“Great. Hank is going to murder you two, you know that, right?”

“He’ll murder you first,” the lieutenant answered cheerfully. “That’ll give Conrad and I time to get away.”

“You will be murdered before me.” The agent’s expression was stoic. “I have longer legs.”

You watched the exchange in silent bafflement, the deviants behind the barricade doing the same. Only Bellona seemed unsurprised, her expression warm as she dropped down from the barricade. She ignored the protests from her commanders and came to stand by your other side.

“Not how I imagined the revolution would go.” She smiled at your helpless look. “But I’ll take it.”

If you were lost as to how to react to the situation, the soldiers on the other side were even more bewildered. The rest of the DPD, with a very loud and boisterous Captain Anderson, were putting themselves in the line of fire and forcing the soldiers to point their weapons harmlessly at the sky. Markus Manfred was doing his part, telling the soldiers to step aside and let the androids pass.

In opposition to the reluctant soldiers, the crowd of journalists surged against the fence in an attempt to tear it down. They eventually succeeded with the help of a pair of cutters, and within seconds they were filming and taking pictures of the gathered deviants from only a few feet away. More than a few branched off to capture the officers doing their best to sabotage the military at the behest of their captain.

Bellona gave you a nod, her expression serious even as relief smoothed the lines of her forehead.

“It’s time.”

With a silent signal, the deviants surged behind you, and Bellona moved forward.

The detective caught on to what was happening and moved forward as well, giving you an encouraging smile as he squeezed your hand.

The two brothers stayed with the line as well, a living barrier that the soldiers had to part around, the deviants unharmed while the journalists filmed and flashed their cameras.

And then you were past the barricades to open pavement, the fences and gates of the recycling camp only a few dozen feet ahead. The deviants and journalists swarmed around the armored vehicles left in front of the camp, and guards reluctantly moved aside, unable to shoot at the deviants without also possibly killing the journalists and soldiers.

Within a matter of seconds, it was over. Captain Allen broke apart the chains holding the fence closed, and the androids inside, held within pens without their clothing or synthetic skin, were freed.

The androids, some deviant and some still awakening, reunited with others they knew or flocked to the leader that had freed them. You found yourself pulling back, not wanting to be given any of the attention from the rescued androids. Who knew how many of them had been captured and killed because of your actions?

You were stopped, forgetting your hand was still in the detective’s, and he moved between you and the growing group.

“It’s okay,” he said, understanding your discomfort. He always understood you. “There’s time for that later. But you did this, Yin. You’re allowed to feel proud, too.”

The detective’s eyes were soft, his warmth drawing you in and thawing the icy fear that you hadn’t realized was there. Emotions bubbled to the surface, no longer pushed under by a war on the horizon, and you surged forward.

He went rigid as your lips met, his mouth soft and warm under your urgency.

The detective made a small, startled noise, but he recovered quickly. He released your hand to wrap both arms around your waist, pulling you in tight as he returned the kiss.

It was desperate and not gentle, as if there was too much to convey and not enough time to express it. One hand gripped his coat, the other brushed against the short hair at the back of his neck, and his body went taut with a need you were beginning to identify deep in your core.

Several clicks followed by low, excited murmurs drew you back, reluctantly parting from the detective’s lips. His cheeks were dusted pink, his lips lightly swollen from the force of your kiss, and his eyes were round with disbelief. It was an image you committed to your deepest memory banks.

And then you turned your head to find several cameras, both photo and video, trained on you and the detective. Your LED blinked a rapid yellow, showing the cameras exactly what you were, and by the fog he expelled with each breath and the badge clipped to his belt, there was no mistaking what the detective was, either.

Before you could worry about what this would mean for the detective’s livelihood, he tugged you away from the crowd.

“Come on. Let’s go find Hank and make sure he hasn’t decked any army yet.”

He had taken your hand again, his touch a warm welcome, and the close murmur of his voice in your ear sent a tingle down your spine. But you stiffened at the memory of another time you’d been close to the detective, one that had been nearly fatal.

“Or do you want to go help Bellona?” he added, sensing your hesitation as he backed away enough to see your face. “I’m sure she’ll need it.”

You did need to speak to Bellona, and of course you would help her with whatever she needed, but there was something else you needed to address. From delving into your programming at Jericho, she might know about Elijah’s “backdoor,” and you needed to be sure that door was permanently closed before you could be alone with the detective again.

“Yes,” you finally said. You searched the crowd and spotted the deviant leader standing next to Markus Manfred, the two of them surrounded by journalists. It seemed the human had gotten the career boost he’d wanted, but by the way he stood protectively at Bellona’s side, perhaps his concern for her had been genuine.

“I would like to assist with finding the deviants lodging,” you added, the analytical and strategic parts of your programming already working on the problem. “They will also need repairs for any damage they sustained.”

“I’ll give Echo a call, she’ll wanna help.”

You didn’t respond, your attention pulled to the deviant leader and the deputy mayor. Despite being on opposing sides just a few minutes ago, the warmth they showed each other was unmistakable. They were family, and for perhaps the first time in your existence, you longed to know what that was like.

The detective carefully turned you to face him, searching your face with a slight frown.

“Are you okay?”

The hardness of your features softened, and you placed a hand over his.

“I am. I just… need to take care of something first. And then, well, I suppose afterwards I need to find a place to recharge.”

“Right.” His expression fell but recovered quickly. “The station will be busy but safe enough. And… well, my apartment is always an option, but I can understand if you’re not comfortable.”

You blinked.

“Why would I not be comfortable?”

The detective pulled back, his hands no longer on your arms.

“You’re deviant now, Yin. That means you can make your own choices. Have a life, a future.” He worried his lip. “You shouldn’t make decisions based on what you think I want. No matter what’s happened before, you aren’t obligated to act any sort of way with me—”

“I want to stay at your apartment.”

His face was blank for a moment before he seemed to process your words, his eyes slightly wide.

“Oh. Wait, really? You do?”

“Yes. I do.” The memory of your last stay, specifically of waking up in the detective’s arms, caused your LED to glow a slow blue. “I enjoyed my time there.”

He smiled. It was a smile you had rarely seen before, slow to build but so bright it was hard to look at once fully formed.

“Okay then,” he said, his voice as gentle as the snow that brushed your cheeks. “When you’re ready, come find me, and I’ll take you home.”

Final Chapter

[lunarticxenia]

The Sun Signs

Hi guys! So I decided to make a series. I’m going to do: each sign in each planet, each house placement for every planet, and the aspects for all the planets. This of course is going to be over the course of a month; it’s going to take a while to cover everything LMAO. I’m thinking of doing this and alternating between asteroids, “placements that make people ____”, and astrology observations. Without further ado, here’s my take on the sun signs based off of people I know: 

🪁 Aries: These people are go-getters and know what they want when they want it. I feel like a lot of people associate Aries with being extroverts because they’re a fire sign, but I know ALOT of Aries and 95% of them have been shy. It’s more of the Aries moons that I’ve noticed that have been more extroverted. However other aspects in your chart can determine this. They’re also extremely competitive and very hard workers. Every Aries I’ve ever met has worked their ass off, and they keep working their asses off until they perfect everything. Some negatives are that Aries people can be super dramatic as well, and don’t take other people’s advice. Even when they ask for it, if their mind is set on something, there’s no going back. 

🪁 Taurus: Boy oh boy, do these people just want to go on a 10 year vacation and not have to deal with anyone ever again. These people love the finer things in life; they most likely have a creative hobby or have a creative streak. They also love good food and they love a good nap. Now everyone says Tauruses are super chill, and honestly, it depends on other aspects in their chart. I’ve known super chill Tauruses and super chaotic Tauruses. I’ve noticed the chaotic Tauruses have a lot of Aries energy in their chart i.e. Aries Mercury and Aries Mars (no offense Aries). I’d say a downside of Tauruses is that they can be lazy because they love to relax (however this depends on other aspects) and they can be apathetic a lot. I’ve found that Tauruses can very much disconnect themselves from a situation when they have to, so they can keep calm and grounded. 

🪁 Gemini: These people are social and will talk for hours. I don’t mean this in a bad way. Even the more introverted Geminis, once you get to know them they will talk for days especially about things they’re passionate about. I think it’s a cute and endearing trait. A lot of people hate on Geminis, but I don’t get it. One of my best friends is a Gemini, and she’s the most genuine person I’ve ever met. In fact, most Geminis I’ve met have not been two-faced, at least from my experience. I think that Geminis are also very funny, every Gemini I’ve met has made me laugh my ass off. Every single one. They have a great sense of humor and a very engaging personality. You can see this with Gemini politicians, they’re very charismatic and know how to entertain a crowd. I’d say the more negative side of Gemini is that they can be very flighty about what they want and while they’re social, they’re not always the best communicators when it comes to interpersonal relationships. 

🪁 Cancer: I’ve found that Cancers are either extremely extroverted or extremely introverted; and this can change depending on their mood LMAO. I can speak from experience; I am a Cancer. Sometimes I feel like being social and talking; other times I hate people and I just don’t wanna deal with them. Cancers also always have a softness to them; even if they have a lot of fire energy. I don’t know how to describe it other than they just look like water itself. I’d say some obvious downsides of Cancer are that they can be extremely moody and they can be snippy. If you catch them in the wrong mood, they’ll snap at you. I’m guilty of this as well. 

🪁 Leo: Again, a lot of people don’t like Leos but I love them. The Leos I’ve met have not been self centered at all- in fact they’re the exact opposite. Perhaps it’s the underdeveloped Leo suns who are self-centered, but all the ones I’ve met have always put others before themselves. They’re not cocky at all. I’ve also found that Leos all have really nice hair; this is a stereotype that’s definitely true. I’ve never met a Leo with bad hair. I’ve also found that they’re super creative and even if they don’t have a creative hobby, they have a creative flair. They’re also REALLY funny. I feel like they’re definitely slept on in terms of funny placements. This is the sign that rules “performing” in a way, so of course they’re going to be entertaining. 

🪁 Virgo: My favorite sign. I love all the signs in their own way, but Virgo is my favorite. Every single Virgo I’ve met I’ve loved. I get along so well with them. Virgos are shit on for being critical but it’s because they know that the people in question can achieve so much. Virgos also save that critical energy for themselves and can tear themselves apart if they’re not perfect. These people are also always putting others before themselves and always try to help everyone. Remember the 6th house rules one’s sense of usefulness. They feel that if they’re not being useful in some way to people that they’re not good enough. I literally just want to hug every Virgo. Also they’re not boring at all. FOH. Virgos are literally so much fun. 

🪁 Libra: These people are just so likable. No matter what they do, you just tend to like them for some reason. They can adapt to any type of personality and they have a way of making everyone like them. This is why Libra suns tend to be popular; they’re very bubbly and sociable. Even if they’re not popular, they’re well-liked. However, this can be their downfall as well. They can be superficial and fake. They tend to flip flop in arguments alot, and they try to play on both sides which can create more tension between two people. Also, have you ever seen a Libra try to make a decision? LMAO. Love them though. 

🪁 Scorpio: Your eyes. Holy fuck. You can tell if someone is a Scorpio just by the gaze in their eyes. They stare into your fucking soul. Even if their eyes are a light color, there’s always a sense of mystery and darkness to them. Despite this sense of power they give off, once you get to know them they’re literally the biggest teddy bears. Literally just go up to one and talk to them, they’ll talk to you and be all nice and happy. I’ve noticed that Scorpios just don’t like to talk about their emotions or what goes on in their heads either. They like to look strong and they don’t show their vulnerable side to just anybody. This would be one of their downfalls. They have a hard time being vulnerable and letting people in. They look fierce, but they’re sweet and just want a hug. 

🪁 Sagittarius: The funniest people ever. I’ve never met a non-funny Sagittarius. I work with two of them and they have me in tears laughing. They’re also very smart and you can talk to them about anything. Even if they don’t get the best grades in school (which I rarely see, the Valedictorian and the Salutatorian were both Sagittariuses) they always have a base knowledge about everything. They’re also extremely chill and try not to take life too seriously. I’ve found that a downside of this placement is that they can be very flighty in love. They have a hard time settling down which can be difficult for someone who wants to date them. Sagittariuses crave independence and they’re usually not the relationship types. Also they have a hard time taking things seriously. 

🪁 Capricorns: My guilty pleasure. I’ve dated two of them and 75% of the people I’ve liked were Capricorn suns. I feel like people overlook the appeal of Capricorns. Scorpios are the “sexy” ones, but have you seen how attractive Capricorns can be? Remember, in Tarot, the Devil rules Capricorn, so they can be devilishly handsome or darkly beautiful. Even if they’re not the most attractive person in the room, they have an aura to them that’s intriguing. They speak softly and carry a big stick. They don’t have to impress anyone; they know that they’re powerful. I’d say some downsides to Capricorns are that they have a hard time expressing their emotions and they tend to shove them down; which can result in them exploding later on. They also have a tendency to be arrogant, and can dish it out, but they can’t take it. 

🪁 Aquariuses: My second guilty pleasure. I just love the Saturn energy, what can I say? Aquariuses are such lovable weirdos. I don’t know how else to describe them. Every single one I’ve met has been unique in some way and they don’t try to fit in either. They’re proud of being different. My boss is an Aquarius and I felt self conscious one day because I had a different color shirt on than everyone else and he told me “Why would you want to fit in when you could stand out?”. They’re those types of people. They’re also really funny as well, their minds just work so differently from everyone else. They’ll say the most outlandish things and you’ll die laughing. Some downsides? You could know them for years and you’ll just find out things about them. They don’t share things about themselves and it’s hard to get to know them. They also can be very emotionally cold. They don’t like emotions. 

🪁 Pisces: Softies. They’re literally soft teddy bears. No matter how big or tall or muscular they could get, you just look into their eyes and that softness is there. They’re really sweet and tend to be more introverted. They aren’t the types who go out of their way to talk to strangers at a party. They love comfort and they like to feel secure. They’re also very dreamy if that makes sense. They always look like they came out of a fantasy world. I’d say a major downside would be that they’re overly sensitive. They cannot take a joke. I remember I was telling my co worker who’s a Pisces about the negative traits of Pisces and one of them was lazy; and he got SO offended. He was like “I am NOT lazy.” LMAO. 

Also guys, as I’ve said, other things in your natal chart can affect these traits. For the next asteroid by the way, I’m between asteroid Bellona and Lilith. Which one would you guys want to see? I’ve been getting a lot of questions about those two. :)