#Only one prompt left and then ...

[im-totally-not-an-alien-2]

Halloween prompts year 2 day 27

Danny watched on as Nightwing- his literal soulmate- did an amazing backflip off of a roof, spinning several times in the air before landing gracefully on the top of another building. Nightwing was so graceful and in control of himself and his movements. Danny found himself wondering how Nightwing would move as a ghost.

Heck, how would he look as a ghost? Would he have white hair like Phantom or blue hair like Ember? Maybe green hair like Kitty and Youngblood, but Ghostwriters hair was still black as a ghost so maybe he'd be like that?

Shaking his head he moved to get up from where he had been leaning up against an old chimney, Nightwing having long since left. How should he go about this anyway? He can't just go up to a famous vigilante and be like, "Hi I'm your soulmate. Wanna go out with a complete stranger who has no way of proving anything that they're saying?"

And there was the real issue. If Nightwing asked how he had seen his soulmark Danny could just tell the truth: he had seen it in that nasty fight last week where hoards of ninjas had attacked them and tore up Nightwings suit enough to see it from his vantage point.

But if he asked about Dannys soul mark...well that was harder to explain.

His own soulmark used to be on his torso before he died but after he stepped out of the portal it was gone. As in there wasn't a trace of it anywhere. It was one of the reasons he never went anywhere without a shirt anymore because he knew someone would eventually notice its absence.

He could probably explain it as Phantom to make it more believable but he would have to get Nightwing to know Phantom more for him to trust him.

Which lead back to "how do I introduce myself to him without earning an electrified stick to the face?"

After a phone call with Jazz, where she basically gave him the long winded version of "Just be yourself! You were made for eachother after all." He decided that yeah! He can use his ghostly instincts to guide him! Whats the worst that could happen?

Cue Nightwing and the other bats in the batcave a week later, crowded around a table covered in pictures of captured villians and thugs. All of them were the same. All of them showed a subject laying on thier bellys hog tied, and in a cage with the words "horny jail" etched into it.

The only real connection that all of these lowlifes had was them making crude threats, creepy unsolicited advances, catcalling or otherwise being a creep towards Nightwing.

Conclusion: Nighting either has a fanboy following him around getting in over his head or he has a violent stalker staking a claim

Robin disagreed with his siblings. Clearly whoever is doing this is defending Graysons honor and Damian approves.

Danny thinks he's doing a good job in the "showing soulmate that you are capable of protecting him from weirdos" maybe he should get Nightwing an Anti-Creep Stick of his own...

[clarkthetimed]

They screwed you. Screwed all of you. You were never even on the list.

2 days late with it but here’s my little thing for lem/mina/sidereal lottery day for citizen sleeper january!

[starry-bi-sky]

DPXDC Idea: Mother of Monsters Dan(yal)

Specifically Fem!Dan because I made this in mind with my Fem Danyal Au bUT. The best part about Dan is that I get to play dress up with her, and Fem Dark Dany is gonna go by Layal (pronounced lae-el) because it means "the nights" and it sounds similar to Danyal, and I think she'd choose that name to mock Dany. ANYWAYS

Mother of Monsters Danyal. She may be evil but she's an Al Ghul at her core (even with vlad's soul merged with hers - however, considering that Layal looks and sounds like Dany, she considers that soul to be the more dominant one.) and loves animals. And she might be heartless, but she adores the monsters of the infinite realms.

Mother of Monsters Layal who hates everyone but utterly dotes and adores on every manner of beast she comes across. Stealing the eggs and infant young beasts of the Infinite Realms to raise as her own because she wanted them. Her own island full of monsters, a monstrous menagerie of her own. She steals most often from poachers or exotic pet keepers and other menageries -- the full grown beasties can keep their young.

And with every monster she raises, she can shapeshift their features onto herself, allowing her to change her shape from humanish to any matter of monster or hybrid creature. She calls herself their mother, and them her children. Her precious little babies, capable of incredible mass destruction and mayhem.

From little griffins the size of kittens, to stymphalian vulture chicks, and leviathan young hatching from eggs the size of her pinkie, to creatures native of the ghost zone that didn't even have names in the living realm. There really wasn't a limit to what or who she would take in and she didn't limit herself to any form of mythology. If they were beasts and they were unwanted, she wanted them. And as such, amassed her own mini army of "children" willing to listen to her any command.

Earth doesn't know what hit it when she attacks them.

There are many monstrous forms she could take on, the first one I've thought of is a combination of various serpentine/reptilian features. The body of a naga -- her lower half long and serpentine, her upper still human -- with spiked fins connecting from the bottom of her arms to her sides, ever seen Sinbad where Eris goes "you might have seen my likeness on the temple walls" and her arms do that fin thingy? Same concept. Her hands are webbed and taloned, perfect for slicing through the skin of the living, and her teeth are needle-sharp and shark like. Her hair can either be spiny and feathery-like like the spines of a lionfish, or frilled like a frilled-neck lizard. It's perfect for dealing and doting on her reptilian and amphibian-inclined darlings.

I'm more of a fan of aus where Dan is a sibling of Danny's rather than their kid, so Layal's redemption(..?? probation?) proceeds with her legally becoming Danyal's "twin" sister, who had been lost to the foster system before the Fentons adopted Dany, and was only recently reunited with her. The two of them look so alike that the lie is easy to take root and spread.

Layal is very indignant to the fact that she's now ten years in the past and has to restart her menagerie all over again. Do you know how much blood and sweat went into raising those children? How dare you separate them from their mummy. Although she'll admit she does miss their juvenile years, so she won't mind (too much) needing to raising them again. Dany is helping her retrieve all of them though, dammit.

long story short: epic the musical's "Scylla" has a CHOKEHOLD on me and this is the result of it

Unlike her Dan counterpart, Layal's voice is dancing and sirenic. It's purposely alluring and motherly, in order to lure people into a false sense of security until she feeds them to her "children." Echidna doesn't have shit on her. She almost seems friendly and reasonable, until you get too close and realize it was all an act and she drops it to metaphorically swallow you whole. She's like an anglerfish that way. She and Dany both sound like Scylla from Epic.

[akiacia]

valentine's at home

[fistfuloflightning]

OH MY GOD I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT BINGFAN

If you can draw it, please I beg of you 🙏

Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

The rot is coming back 😓

ANOTHER BINGFAN FAN!! Well of course I’d love some angst-ridden enemies-to-lovers it’s-complicated tsundere content 😊

No one deserved to die like this, Ming Fan thought viciously. Not even him. Luo Binghe’s eyes were wide with terror and confusion, at odds with the damning, demonic seal glowing on his forehead. But there was something like gratitude there as well, out of place and so painfully frail. “Shixiong—“ With a cry, he was wrenched from Ming Fan’s grip and into the Abyss below.

[animaxvi]

"So let's meet beneath the same sky and blaze of stars, sunrise or sunset" ☀️☁️🌙

Day 6 - 'twilight | daybreak'

INPRNT

[honeyvettel]

i am thinking how every vr46 academy kid who has his ear pierced has his left one like valentino because the right one is widely known as the gay earring. well i have news for them !

[mae-dwrites]

“You remind me of someone.” her voice was contemplative.

“I do?” she could hear him quirk his eyebrow.

“Yeah.” her voice was unusually quiet.

“Is that good or bad?” he gave a nervous laugh and leaned back watching her.

Dani sighed looking down at the city below them. She didn't quite know. She’d found him but he didn't recognize her.

[azure-clockwork]

How Does it Feel to Read Classic Sci-Fi?

Orson Scott Card: Two of the most interesting books you’ll ever read if you’re willing to look past a handful of things. And then you find the planet of Chinese people who worship having debilitating OCD. And the Mormonism. And the fact that the author is wildly homophobic and ought to read his own books.

Robert Heinlein (or at least the Wikipedia Summaries): I guess that’s a neat concept—oh, it’s a sex thing. Um. Gotcha.

Ray Bradbury: Man, I gotta read this thing for class huh. Well here’s hoping it’s good! *three hours later* oh. that’s why he’s famous. this will stick with me forever and I will never look at the phrase ‘soft rain’ the same again. christ. And then repeat 3x.

Isaac Asimov: Wow, this is such an interesting concept! I wonder how the exploration of it will influence the plot! Wait, hey, are you going to add any characters? Any of em? No like, with character traits other than ‘robot psychologist’ and ‘autistic’ and ‘woman’? None of em? No, ‘detective’ isn’t a character trait. Those are all just facts. Aaaand now I’m bored.

Ursula K. Le Guin: Hah, get a load of this guy! He’s never heard of nonbinary people before. Lol, what a riot; how dumb do you have to be to comprehend that these people aren’t men *or* women actually? Oh, wait, what’s happening. Oh shit, it was about society and love and learning to understand each other? And now I’m crying? And perhaps a better human being for it??

Andy Weir: Alright, this guy’s a really good writer. Funny, creative, knows so much engineering stuff…ooh, a new book! …I guess he can’t write women. Well, he wouldn’t be the first sci-fi writer…ooh another new book! And it’s more engineering problem solving and—wow. It’s not just women he can’t write. Please stop letting your characters talk to each other.

Lois Lowry: Oh, I remember this being fun when I was a kid! Wouldn’t it be fucked up to not see color? …upon reread, it would be fucked up to have your humanity stripped away, replaced with a tepid, beige ‘happiness’ for all time. Yeah.

Tamsyn Muir (let me have this ok): Haha, “lesbian necromancers in space” sounds fun. Lemme read this. Oh wow, yeah, this is right up my alley. OH GOD WHAT. NO. FUCK. OH SHIT WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING AND WHY IS IT REFERENCING THE BOOK OF RUTH AND HOMESTUCK BACK TO BACK!!! AHHHHHHHHH!! Now give me more please.

[puppetmaster13u]

Blame the Sims for this but-

Poly Bruce/Clark/Lois scenario with Vampire batfamily, save for Tim whose a werewolf, and of course Alien superfamily. Lois is also completely human. Probably. No one knows for sure.

Bonus Danny Phantom crossover of them getting together via them trying to adopt ghost child and ending up coparenting instead.

[llitchilitchi]

honestly I think with this finals season I earned myself the right to be a Frivolous Femme when I attend my classes/lectures. yes yes women shouldn't have to prove themselves as worthy in a male-centric field and groups but I am not gonna lie to myself. I know IT people can be sexist as fuck, I had to deal with it regularly at the institute I studied at before, it's kinda how things are as of right now. on top of all that I am the only woman getting a masters at the institute, so there's all the more pressure. but my grades are good and I know what I'm on about and the professors and teachers like me, so I guess I can wear high heels and flared skirts and embroidery and jewelry to my lectures without people looking down at me for that.

[wexhappyxfew]

IM HERE !! give the people (me) ❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜ for… Margie and Benny! :)

HI POET!!!!!! thank you *so* much for sending in this!!! it is highly appreciated in my lil corner of the world and terribly sorry it has taken me quite some time to get to as well!!! my summer has been so chaotic and busy - but! we are here now!!! THIS WAS SUCH A GOOD PROMPT!! I ATE IT UP!!! and plus benny and margie are both just being absolute sweethearts here! set in the time period where margie takes a nasty hit in Silver Bullets and it basically sends everyone spiraling. here's a look at the first night she's awake :) enjoy!!!

it was a wonder

(a/n): margie and benny being the sweetest peaches out there around each other, despite margie's clear and evident pain and benny's want to take all that pain away from her. absolutely. sobbing. them them them. anyway......im surviving the end of an internship so please enjoy my rare appearances here and there lmao. AND -- please enjoy for the margie x benny enjoyers!! <3

Despite being so far from the States, she almost felt like a small child again. In the way of, when she was sick, her mother and father doted on her life incessantly in a way that had made her for more loved than ever.

Caring for someone at their worst. Despite anything else.

Margie hadn't moved in over a day after coming out of the coma - at least they had said it was a coma. The nurses and the Doc hadn't been entirely sure what had been going on but assumed her body had been defeated after the prop blast that had exploded on top of the turret.

Everything hurt, her vision felt a little fuzzy still, and there was a persistent, deep ache in her shoulder and hip area that made her entire right side feel like it was entirely detached from her body.

"Here we are." Margie looked up and found one of the nurses - Charlotte or Charlie, one of the sweetest nurses there was on base - coming towards her with a plate, piled with eggs and toast, despite the fact it was nearly 2100. Margie couldn't fathom anything more than simplistic food on her churning stomach and was grateful for the sight.

"Plain scrambled eggs, some toast with some butter, should settle your stomach," Charlie said, settling on the edge of her bed with a smile, "how are you feeling?" Margie gratefully shifted her head with a weak smile and nodded.

"Thanks, Charlie," Margie managed out in a hushed whisper, voice hoarse, "I'm doing okay." Charlie gave her a knowing look and Margie dropped the facade.

"Do you have any more pain meds I can take?"

"I'd eat something first," Charlie said with a gentle smile, her face glowing even when she'd clearly been working all day, "we can give you a stronger dosage without you feeling queasy. Eat up, and then I can give you some more. That stuff from earlier should be wearing off soon anyway." Margie looked to her and nodded, shifting a bit uncomfortably and evidently with twinging pain. Everything hurt. That's just what it was at this point. All over.

"Sir, visiting hours are over." a loud voice called from the edge of the Med Bay - it was Virginia Stellhorn - one of the older and more experienced nurses on the ward, who clearly was not enjoying someone trying to disrupt her rules at this time of hour. Margie turned her head a bit to see a figure entering through the doorway and an angry looking Virginia Stellhorn behind him.

That being Captain Benny DeMarco.

"It's 2100, sir! Our patients need their rest, not all this ruckus-"

"I understand." Benny said turning to her as Charlie curiously peaked at Margie with a raised brow. Margie instead couldn't turn her eyes away from the sight of Benny there. "I just need to speak with a Sergeant M. Harlowe."

"Harlowe's in an immense amount of pain and would evidently not enjoy the likes of someone bothering her at this hour, now, would you please, sir-"

"Just for a minute." Benny said, quickly, "I….I visited and she wasn't awake yet, so-"

"Ginny!" Charlie called standing to her feet with Margie's plate of food, "I think Sergeant Harlowe wouldn't mind a guest, even though it's pretty late. It'd probably help her feel better, too." Margie watched as Benny turned to Charlie and then looked behind her. In an instance, Benny's face lit up with a smile and he raised a hand as if to wave.

If Margie's arms weren't wrapped, with one in a sling, she would've waved back. Instead, she attempted the weakest attempt of a smile that there was and watched as worry dawned his features.

"Charlotte Tarvers, we have rules and regulations to follow around here-"

"I know that, but-"

"Margie!" Benny was calling, moving past the two nurses, eyes set on Margie specifically as he hurried over, slowing down as he got to her cot in the lantern-lit darkness.

As he came to a pause there by the side of her cot, his eyes caught on her legs. Her one leg was covered with the blanket - completely fine - her other leg was wrapped in a makeshift cast, piled with ice along the sides, wrapped tightly and firmly. His eyes slowly crawled past her chest where she wore a loose button up, exposing the wraps around her stomach, slightly bloodied and stiff as she had shifted, before they traveled to her wrapped wrists and arms and shoulders. Her one arm slung in a sling, hands bruised and cut and covered in bandages.

It was a wonder that by the time his eyes had risen to her face, she was smiling - trying to convey the message that she was alright, she was fine, she was alive. She had a nasty cut along her chin, but Charlie had rewrapped it in the morning and she had said it was already healing nicely.

Margie was trying to stay positive. She was determined to get back out as her crew's flight engineer - she wanted to get back to Silver Bullets. Benny slowly took to crouching by her bedside, watching her with those big brown eyes, focusing solely on her face.

"Hey." he said quietly, a smile perking up on his lips.

"Hi." Margie said quietly with a smile, "Someone's quite the eager-beaver." Benny stared at her, the corner of his mouth poking up, eyes filled with a tinge of relief - as if to say, she was okay, okay enough to still make light-hearted jokes. Benny let out a chuckle and shook his head before leaning up against the side of her bed, looking at her with soft eyes.

"Kennedy told me you woke up today, wanted to at least visit before I bedded out," he said quietly, "sorry about the surprise and me, well, barging in back there." Margie grinned at him.

"Don't be sorry," she said with a wider smile, pained slightly as she shifted, "I'm glad you're here. You're quite the sight for sore eyes anyway." Benny tilted his head with a small smile and nodded to her.

"That bad, huh?" he asked her, his voice dripping into a suddenly slightly worried and serious tone, "A face like this?" Margie let out a laugh, before wincing and cringing slightly at her side, her one arm that wasn't as battered going to her ribcage.

Clasping a hand over the bandages, she uncomfortably shifted, before looking at Benny who sheepishly looked at her before looking to where her hand was covering.

"You okay?" he asked her, a tinge of nervousness to his voice, "Beside the….." Besides the obvious, she thought. She nodded.

"Yeah, yeah," she said, "I'm fine. Honestly. I'll heal up in no time. Get back out to Silver Bullets. I'll be flying soon - I know it." Benny gave her a look - he wasn't convinced.

"You'll heal up first before any of that." he said, giving her a smile, "And make sure you can both walk and have full function of your shoulder, too, alright?" Margie smirked at him.

"Since when did you become so worried about me, Doctor DeMarco?" she asked with a chuckle, wincing again at her side twinging, noticing a tender look cross his face as she took to staring at him.

"Hearing that you were knocked unconscious thousands of feet in the air because of a Kraut prop blast isn't the most comforting thing." Benny said to her, catching her gaze. Margie let out a small breath and then attempted a small smile. If she didn't know better, she could see the tension releasing a bit from his shoulders and the stress lines on his face, loosening up a bit when he was finally sitting there with her.

"What have you been up to since you woke up?" he asked, eyeing the plate of eggs and toast, along with the small bucket beside her, "Eating I hope?" Margie shrugged and then glanced at the plate of food, stomach turning.

"Trying," she said, "stomach's a bit funny-feeling, but it's probably a bit of the pain-meds, too, so….and Charlie's been great. So. Yeah. Afraid not much." Benny watched her warmly before slowly reaching up a hand and trailing her rather poor-looking blonde hair behind her ear, her sweat-lined forehead hot to the touch as he gave her a smile. He did that again, the touch so welcoming to her body that she was sure if he continued doing that, she'd fall asleep.

"I'll visit everyday, you know," he said quietly, and she stared up at him with a smile and shook her head, "you know I will, silly."

"You don't have to. You have other things going on."

"And this is one of those things." Margie smirked at him. He grinned.

"C'mon, let's get a bit of this in you," Benny said, retracting his hand and moving to the plate, sitting on the edge of the bed before facing her, "we'll go slow. I know your stomach isn't doing the best so, better we take it bit by bit."

"You sound like my mom." Margie said with a wincing chuckle, noticing his face brightening, "Listen, I was home sick a lot. Too many times I took the chance of going out without a coat, ya know? Lake Michigan was cold in those winters - all that wind and snow. Shoulda listened."

"Honored to be in place of a woman like that then." he said and picked up the toast, "Here." Margie looked between the toast and Benny's eyes and then took a small bite. The butter actually tasted really nice.

"Good?"

"Really good, thank you." she said, taking another rather eager bite and then looking up at him as she swallowed the piece down, "I've never loved bread more, I'll be honest." Benny got a laugh out of that as she took another bite.

"Remind me of that again when Christmas rolls around."

"Huh?"

"That you like bread. I'll buy you a loaf."

"Really?" Benny chuckled.

"I'm only kidding," he said with a smile, before meeting her gaze, "but I'd get you a bread loaf if that's what you really wanted." Margie let out a laugh, going to grab at her side again as she looked to him and smiled again, smaller this time.

"The way to my heart, Benny, truly." she said and she noticed Benny looking at her more fondly than he ever had, but took to taking another bite of the toast instead, relishing the feeling the felt good inside her. Actual food inside her stomach that didn't leave her feeling crappy.

The eggs were slightly less appetizing, as they made her stomach turn a bit, but she took down her fill and washed it down with water, all with the dutiful help from Benny who sat by her side and spoon-fed her bit by bit with that quiet smile on his face.

By the time Benny had returned the plate to Charlie and had come back over, Margie could feel herself fading. She felt bad - Benny had come to visit and all she had done was say she was okay (she clearly wasn't), eaten (in which he had spoon-fed her), and now half-fallen asleep (she was telling herself it was fine). Benny came and crouched by the side of her cot again and slowly leaned forward to pull her blanket further up over her body.

"Thanks, Benny." she said quietly, eyes half open as she looked over at him, tucking in the sides and grinning at her.

"I'm your……friend. Margie, it's what you do." he said with a smile, a bit of hesitancy, "Now, you focus on healing up. With food in you, get some rest and focus on taking it easy."

"I fear I'm not one to take it easy." she said with a joking tone. Benny watched her and quirked up a grin.

"Would you for me?" Margie let out a quiet laugh.

"Maybe for Lieutenant Bradshaw."

"Bradshaw ain't here right now." Margie laughed softly again, wincing at her side.

"Then that's a no." she said and Benny grinned at her with a quiet look. Margie watched him and then felt the smile on her face drop.

"Can I tell you something, Benny?" she asked him quietly. Benny's concern was never one he masked well and within an instance he was nodding and coming to sit on her bedside again.

"Hit me."

"I don't remember it happening. The hit I took." she said quietly, "I remember one minute I was there. The next, waking up today. I….Kennedy said I was talking a bit when she pulled me from the turret, but I don't…." Margie's eyes welled with tears and that was all it took Benny to lean forward and gently wipe the few strays tears away.

"Don't worry yourself thin on it, Margie," he said quietly, "just focus on getting some rest. You just need some time to heal up. Don't think on that too much, okay?" Margie looked at him, his warm hand pressed there on her cheek and she nodded.

"I'm tired." she whispered and he nodded with a smile.

"Focus on getting some rest." he whispered back to her, "I'm right here. Nothing bad's gonna happen." Margie watched him.

"Promise me you'll still be here when I wake up?" she whispered back to him, "Please?"

"I ain't leaving, Margie." he said quietly. Margie slowly nodded at his words, his hand there on her cheek and drifted off, fading into a black abyss of slumber.

And when she came out of it next, her eyes focused on what was at the foot of her bed - the outlined figures of Judy, Kennedy and Bessie and then looked towards what was next to her. There, curled rather uncomfortably on a chair, was an unconscious Benny DeMarco.

If there was anything Benny DeMarco did, he kept his promises.

And he was there when she woke up.

Right there.

"What's he doing curled up like one of those Renaissance statues?" Kennedy said with a chuckle, coming over to Margie's other side and wiping at the hair awkwardly splayed against her face, "How you feeling?"

"Good, good," Margie said with a small smile, "Benny just….kept me company last night. Came to visit. Almost got in trouble."

"He's a sweetie, isn't he." Bessie said with a grin, looking to Judy who watched Margie with shining eyes.

"A real sweetheart, for sure." Judy said, "That chair isn't doing him any favors though." The four girls chuckled, Margie wincing again. It told her a lot about a guy who would sit in a chair for the night, next to her as she lay in a cot, half-alive, looking like she'd just been pulled it felt, from six feet under. And in Margie's mind, someone's actions were always louder than words.

Always.

[makenna-made-this]

BAWKtober Day 30 - Nighttime Mischief

TP Trouble Makers

(I love how many of you participating in this prompt knew exactly what i had been thinking about when making the list)

[oopsiwhumpeditagain]

whumpee with their comfort items. they don't like to share with anyone, even caretaker, because they worry that they'll be thought of as childish.

[misty-wisp]

just found out abt the au-themed omoritober how do you make it this bad

don't get me wrong I'm all for a fandom event dedicated to drawing aus but making all the prompts specifically be for popular aus in the fandom? really? barely giving any prompts that allow smaller artists to promote their own work? at that point you're making a fandom event into an echo chamber of praise for popular people and popular people only. do better.

[thesconesyard]

Don’t judge me harshly for my first ever Spock pov, please

Where the West Begins

18. Bandolier

“Spock,” Scotty called across the yard.

Spock stopped and turned, standing still as the Scotsman caught up to him.

“How’s Jim doing today?”

“Much better,” Spock replied, with a faint tightness around his mouth that could pass for a smile. “Though I do not understand why Dr. McCoy did not inform him he was being poisoned.”

Scotty appeared to sigh. “Aye, maybe we should have told ye, but we worried the lass may start to catch onto us or harm someone else.”

“I see.”

“And ye know the lad, he never wants to admit to being under the weather.”

“That is true, unfortunately.”

“But I’m sure if he’d gotten any worse Len would have stepped in. Ye know he was tearing himself up about it trying to fix it,” Scotty said.

“In hindsight his distress was clear. Is there something you needed, Scotty?”

“Aye!” The Scotsman perked up. “I was having some wee trouble with some calculations for that new out building, and was hoping ye could help me.”

“I’d be happy too,” Spock said. He followed quietly behind the other man.

His mind was eased some at Scotty’s explanations of the doctor’s actions. Yes, Jim could be stubborn about some things, especially concerning himself, but Spock had seen McCoy go head to head with the ranch owner many times and come out the winner. If the doctor had been stubborn this time, Jim would not have suffered as long as he had.

Though in the end Jim was healing and that woman was gone. She would be a reminder to them to be vigilant of those who came to them.

In the evening, after dinner, the others were helping wash up or take care of the evening chores, but Spock wandered to his room. From under his bed he drew out a small chest. It was long but not very wide, nor very deep.

He took a very slow, deep breath as he sat on the bed and undid the latches. The relics of a previous life lay inside. Spock had not looked at them since he had come to the ranch and shoved the chest underneath the bed.

The past months had drawn forth thoughts he’d not had for a very long time. Of family, long gone separate ways.

A photograph sat on top, old and faded. Spock lifted it and looked. His parents. So different from each other and so fiercely devoted to each other. He set the photograph aside, and turned to the next item. His fingers ran gently over the smooth handle of a small knife. Gingerly he lifted it and slid it an inch from the hilt. The sharp blade gleamed, though he knew what deeds had been done with it.

Spock closed his eyes for a moment and breathed slowly. He slid the knife back in the sheath and set it down. Soft leather was next.

Spock startled at a knock on the door.

“Spock, you in there?”

Jim.

Spock stared at the door, then glanced at the open chest in front of him. No one had seen these things since he had packed them away.

“Yes,” he finally answered.

“You alright?” Jim sounded concerned. That was wrong; Spock should be the one still concerned for Jim. He was still healing.

“I am fine.”

“Alright if I come in?” Jim called through the door, sounding amused.

Spock looked again at the open chest, and his breath grew tight. He let it out and made himself relax.

“Yes.”

The door opened and Jim stepped in wearing a bright smile.

“What’s all this?” he asked.

“The door please Jim.”

“Oh. Sure.” Jim turned back and closed the door before he crossed over to look at the items on the bed.

“Who’s this?” Jim asked, pointing at the photograph. “May I?” His hand reached halfway to it.

“My parents,” Spock said stiffly. “You may.”

Jim lifted the photo carefully and studied it. “You look like both of them,” he said with a smile.

“I wish that I didn’t.”

Jim looked over at him in confusion. Spock looked away towards the window.

“One parent from each side of the conflict does not make one very welcome afterwards in either place.”

“Oh. Spock—”

“They loved each other.” Spock gave his head a sad shake. “But I did not belong. I tried, on both sides. I fought.” Spock touched the knife again. “I killed. But neither side wanted me.”

From the chest he pulled a long leather belt, folded together.

“I was not enough for either, despite my skills.” He held the folded belt angled across his chest.

“What did you do?” Jim sat down on the bed with the chest between them.

“I left. I worked for who paid the most.”

“A mercenary?”

“Perhaps you would name what I did that.”

“What happened?”

“I received a letter saying my parents had been killed. They had tried to stop the next conflict. Each side blamed the other for their deaths.”

“I’m sorry.”

Spock shook his head. “I gave up that life. I wandered and I ended here.” He set the bandolier back in the chest, then laid the knife back on top. He reached over and took the photo from Jim. With it in the chest he closed the lid and did the latches again.

“Too many fight in this world. I choose not to anymore, but I will defend what is mine.” His dark eyes looked across at Jim with intensity.

Jim nodded slowly. “Thank you for telling me.”

Spock nodded in acknowledgment.

“Is there anything I can do?” Jim asked quietly.

“Keep being the good person you are in this terrible world.”

“It’s not all terrible Spock,” Jim grinned suddenly. “It brought you here to me didn’t it?”

Warmth crept up Spock’s face at Jim’s words and he fought to hide it.

“That is true,” he admitted softly.