#Purchase Electronic Locks | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

daichiduskdrop · 1 year ago

Text

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚⋆·˚ ༘ *𝙎𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 ⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Chapter 18

Pairing: BTS Ot7 X fem! reader

Genre: A/B/O AU, Fluff, Angst, Strangers to lovers,

Warnings: just slight reminders of events from 17th chapter

Words: 3759

A/N: Hi! So, I did the poll, and at the time when I started writing the story, it was 50/50 jeju island and Hawaii. I decided to do Hawaii as it feels a bit more interesting for me, but Jeju island will be in the story too sometime! :)

If anyone would want to have some bigger part of the story (like fav musicians -other than K-pop, or favourite colour, favourite clothes brand, food spot...) Just DM me or write it in the comments. I'll include it if it goes well with the story :))

Thank you for voting. And reading, I value you a lot.

Lots of love

Taglist: @thelilbutifulthings @ilovemoneymorethenmen @singukieee @cherrysainttt @felicityroth @mageprincess7 @lucis-noctiana @danielle143 @osakis-gf @girl-nahh @vintageoldfashion @neverthefirstchoice @juju-227592 @silentreadersthings @i-have-no-life-charlie @everyonehatesshani @iamkookiesforyou @dragons-flare @fangirl125reader @roseidol @frieschan @popcatx0 @liz67900

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

Soon the engine roared to life, but still, the Alpha made sure to pay close attention to the road. It was still terribly slippery.

They wanted to get you home as quickly as possible, knowing that you needed to rest and just hang out for a while with them. They were lucky that most of them didn't have to go to work today.

Smiling at you reassuringly, Jimin turned on the radio, switching to an omega-centred station that mostly consisted of soft, lo-fi-like music that was recommended for the second gender to listen to, especially on longer car rides.

The pack definitely wanted to go out with you sometimes and plan a nice trip and vacation, and so most of the alphas that were driving had already purchased subscriptions for many omega apps and radio stations, ready for any occasion.

A lot of marketing was targeted at packs that had an omega, having the softened-up alphas pay for stuff in hopes their small baby wouldn't start crying during a long car ride, on a plane, or on a boat.

It was usual for them to be very cautious and not really notice the price of anything when it was targeted for omegas.

So the second you enter a store—pretty much any type, going from grocery stores to electronics all the way to many restaurants—a selection is labelled with a small 'O', marking it as perfectly safe and made specifically for the second gender.

A lot of people made messy money off the worried packs. If their omega was sick, the pack would naturally grow worried and overprotective, ready to buy anything to make them feel better.

The second a shop assistant catches on, if they feel like it, they can start making stuff up, claiming that things that will most likely not help definetly will. It could be easy to mislead the pack members if they aren't careful enough.

The car ride was quiet and quicker than usual; soon the car was already parked, with the garage doors automatically opening after Jungkook called a phone number.

Climbing out, the alphas were quick to help you, opening the doors for you and pulling you gently out. Keeping a hold of your palm, Jimin once again hugged you closely, still able to smell how off your scent was.

„There, there, princess. It's all well now, hm? Come on, let's go in, my baby.” The alpha mumbled, smiling softly at you and nuzzling your nose with his, making you smile a bit.

Jungkook called the number again, waiting for the garage doors to close while he locked up the car and pocketed the keys.

Looking back at you with his packmate, the youngest giggled gently, ruffling your hair. „Let's go bunbun. Hold Alpha's hand... There, what a good girl.” He smiled at you, holding your other hand.

Leading you to the garage entrance, the whole room was huge—much bigger than any one you ever saw in anyone's home. It was much colder in here, and so you huddled to yourself, letting yourself be ushered to the doors.

Opening the metal-like doors, Jungkook led you both through, ending in a white halfway, and the alpha led you through, leading you after himself. Soon your small group appeared at the long, halfway full studios and a few other rooms, like the gym.

And so, you were in the kitchen in no time, the eldest alpha sitting at the kitchen table, a few cups and pots before him. Shooting up at the smell of you all approaching, he rushed over right away, pulling you to himself.

„Oh my god, sweetheart, I was so scared that something happened... God... Come here, let me hold you for a minute, cub."

Jin mumbled to himself, folding your head to his neck and letting you smell his scent gland while he went over the top of your head with his chin, scenting you gently.

You felt his lips gently flutter over your hair, but as soon as they came, they were gone. His scent drenched you quickly; the roses bloomed softly on your nose.

The other two alphas walked off, dispersing around the room. Washing their hands, Jimin and Jungkook went around the kitchen, noticing that the alpha was cooking a few meals already.

„Are you making pastries, Hyung?" The youngest asked, looking at the sizzling fish-shaped pan.

There was already a bit of the sweetened red bean paste inside, and so the alpha closed the pan carefully, turning it over so the shape would be achieved.

Looking up from coddling you, Jin still left his fingers in your hair, running it through gently. He kept his eyes soft, watching you fondly.

„Mhm, it's Bungeoppang; do you like those babycub? I was hoping you would; I made them very sweet for you, my baby.” He said, running his knuckles over your cheeks.

Nodding quickly, you always enjoyed tayaki, the sweet treat your grandparents would sometimes buy you at the food courts back when you lived in Japan.

Your grandmother bought the special-shaped pan too, and she would make it for you and your siblings often too.

„I really like it; thank you, Oppa." You said, looking into the alpha's eyes. Your scent must have brightened up; you were quite excited for once.

„Good. I'll finish them up for you quickly, okay?” He said, ushering you and Jimin over to the TV, Taehyung suddenly appearing from upstairs.

He noticed you right away, rushing over and taking you in his arms. „Babycheeks...” He whispered, crushing your face against his neck, still mindful not to hurt you.

Holding you close to him, he bended over to your neck, taking on a strong whiff of your scent. Running his cheek over your neck, scenting you.

Pulling away for a second, the alpha looked into your eyes, his hands on either side of your face. He watched you with concern and worry, but when you only smiled softly to him, he sighed out, pulling you to himself once again.

„Aish... Taehyung-ah, stop hogging her up!” Jimin called out, already seated on the couch. Sighing out, you noticed just the smallest growl building up in the man's chest, but he complied nonetheless.

Letting you take a seat first, you had the older alpha to your left and Tae sitting down to your right. Patting your knee gently, Jimin handed you a soft brown jumper.

You recognised it right away, smiling to yourself. You whispered out a thank you, pulling it to yourself.

Relaxing on the couch, the alpha smiled at you, brushing his fingers through your hair and turning on the television.

„-undance of marine biodiversity. Under the surface, a kaleidoscope of colours unfolds as we dive into the vibrant coral reefs. These underwater ecosystems are a haven for countless species, each playing a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of this underwater paradise.

One of the most iconic inhabitants of these waters is the majestic sea turtle. These ancient creatures, known as Honu in Hawaiian, gracefully glide through the ocean, their gentle presence a symbol of wisdom and longevity. We witness their serene beauty as they navigate through the coral gardens, a sight that leaves us in awe.”

Gasping softly at the adorable shots of the small turtles swimming through the waters, you fell in love with the view before you.

It looked so peaceful and bright there. The water looked crystal clear, so the bottom of the ocean was visible, and the sand dunes were easy to see. With a few of the corals in the distance, the big turtle and the small cub swam around the underwater cameraman.

„As we venture further, we encounter playful pods of dolphins, their acrobatic displays a testament to the joy and freedom of life in the ocean. These intelligent creatures captivate us with their synchronised movements and infectious energy, reminding us of the boundless wonders that lie beneath the surface.

Hawaii's warm waters also serve as a sanctuary for the magnificent humpback whales. Every year, these gentle giants embark on an epic migration, travelling thousands of miles to the Hawaiian Islands to give birth and nurture their young. Witnessing their awe-inspiring breaches and hearing their haunting songs is an experience that leaves an indelible mark on our souls.”

„Oh wow, the dolphins are awesome...” Taehying mumbled, watching the screen closely.

Laughing at his amazement, the older alpha looked over. „I mean, we saw them in real life too some time ago, do you not remember? On the ship?” He said this, watching the other alpha.

„I remember Hyung, but this is very different. Imagine diving with them and-”

„Yeah, well, I bet the second you are at the open ocean, you'll piss your pants.”

„Yah! Hyung-”

You didn't pay much attention to them while watching the colourful shots of the mammals in the documentary.

„I would like to see...” You mumbled to yourself, your eyes glued to the content. You were amazed.

The two men immediately stopped bickering, and you had them look over immediately. Any unnecessary agitation was gone right away, and their eyes are now much softer.

„The dolphins?” the older man asked, rubbing your upper back gently. You never got to see such creatures in real life; you only got to swim in an ocean very rarely. Sure, you knew how to swim, well...kind of.

You weren't too confident, and your family hardly ever went to a swimming pool, so there wasn't much space for you to get better.

You were always a bit too scared to go on your own, not sure about what you would be doing there alone since you wouldn't be really able to swim a few laps just like that.

Plus, you were always a bit too worried about the changing rooms and the experience overall.

Lately, it has become a huge trend in many big public swimming pools and aquaparks to get rid of changing rooms for men and women and instead build a whole new one, placing both genders in the same ones.

Sure, you wouldn't have to go and change next to the lockers anymore; instead, you would enter a hallway full of double-sided small changing rooms, similar to the ones in clothing stores.

Once you lock those with a barrier, you just change into your swimsuit and come out on the other side, where you lock all your things and go to shower and swim. You just never felt too safe in those.

„Thousands of tropical fish, like the vibrant parrotfish and the elusive Moorish idol, dart among the coral formations, creating a spectacle of colours and patterns. These reefs are not only a visual feast but also vital habitats that support a myriad of marine life.

Behind the scenes, dedicated marine biologists and conservationists work tirelessly to protect and preserve Hawaii's ocean wonders...”

Nodding shyly, you didn't realise that they would immediately start paying so much attention to you, taking your silly, not too deeply thought-out idea much more seriously.

„You want to go diving, princess?” Jimin asked, looking at you with soft eyes. Seeing you nod gently, the alphas have already started to plot many ideas on how to fulfil your request.

„In the sea, baby? On which island would you like to go, sweetie?” Taehyung said, turning to you, his eyes set on you.

Humming to yourself, you didn't really expect them to take it too seriously, so you didn't think for too long. There weren't many times you actually thought about going on vacation to a completely different country.

There was never enough money to even talk seriously about such a topic, and so you never really paid too much attention to the expensive resort ads you would sometimes see online.

Pointing over to the screen before you, there were a few cinametic shots of the island coastline, the ocean waves washing over the sand.

Smiling to themselves, the alpha on your left ran his chin over your head gently, smiling to himself. Taehyung was already looking up luxurious resorts and was quick to open a few websites.

„Okay princess, alphas will figure everything out for you, my baby.” He said this, hugging you close. He watched over his younger packmate's shoulder, looking over the villas he had already started scanning through.

He knew Taehyung would choose a nice place to stay. They didn't care about any prices; why would they even have to?

They didn't have to care if it was 2.000.000 or 8.000.000 ₩ per night; as long as the place was comfortable and beautiful, and mostly if you liked it, then everything was okay.

„Bunny, come have some of the pastries!” The youngest called out from the kitchen, watching closely as you waddled to stand up, making your way over to him.

Smiling widely at you, he made sure the fish-shaped food was cooled down before he handed it to you, letting you take a big bite while he bit down on another one he took.

They were crunchy but soft on the outside, and they were so sweet, you were immediately smiling.

„Is it good peaches?” Jin asked, running his hands over your back. Nodding virtuously, you ate even more, happy with how it tasted.

„Slow down cub, don't eat so quickly... There you go.” He murmured, brushing your hair behind your ear. Soft with his eyes, he smiled at you when you were slower.

Savouring the flavour, you quickly finished. Handing you another one, you bit into the pastry again, the men around you chuckling softly at your eagerness. They were glad you were eating well.

The door opening alarm went off, having all of the alphas turning to look at the entrance. Shuffling in, Hoseok smiled towards all of his packmates. Noticing you, he was quick to come closer, dropping the grocery bags on the floor before he rushed over.

Picking you up, he held you to his scentgland, running his arms up and down your sides softly, breathing in your scent. There wasn't much of a hint of sadness or anxiety, and so the man was reassured.

„My sunshine... I'm so glad you are okay; you gave us quite the scare there, bub. Oh- I bought you some sweets, here let me-”

„Did you buy the banana milk?”

„Hyung, the cake, you bought it for me, right?”

The two youngest asked, both of them going in-between, so the alpha had to put you down unwillingly. Taking you into his arms instead, Jimin was quick to hug you instead.

„Yah! Hobi-ah, your shoes are dirty; are you crazy? I just cleaned the floors too, aish...!” Jin shouted, not meaning it too much. Pulling him back to the entrance, the younger only laughed, trying to make the other alpha let go of the strong hold on his wrist.

Picking up the grocery bags, Jungkook carried them over, quick to sort through them, pulling out a few foods and beverages. Finding a whole carton of the banana milks, he smiled widely, carrying them over to the fridge.

With Jimin's hands wrapped around your waist from behind, you relaxed against his warm chest while he leaned against the counter. Nuzzling you, the alpha was careful to pay close attention to you, not holding back from much scenting anymore.

Just then, the entrance doors unlocked again, and the last men from the pack walked in, their carry-on bags thrown over their shoulders.

With Namjoon closing the doors after himself, the older man had already kicked off his shoes, hung his coat fast, and was already hurrying in your direction.

Noticing that no sobs could be heard, he felt himself calm down slightly, but not much could be done until he had you in his arms.

Seeing you in his younger packmate's arms, he felt his heart soften. Cooing quietly, Yoongi pulled you from Jimin's hands, carefully picking you up.

Helping you wrap your legs around his waist, he held you up, folding your head to his scent gland.

He felt his eyes gloss over; he grew so worried and stressed after the call ended, not knowing what exactly was happening.

He was anxious enough already, not having you in his sight as it was, but after he received the call, he grew overprotective like never before.

Breathing in the soft strawberry scent you held, he felt his shoulders sag, blinking away any tears before they might fall. Holding you close to himself, Yoongi embraced you strongly, feeling his chin shake a little.

Noticing the change in mood, the eldest looked over. Seeing his younger packmate get emotional after being so worried for your safety warmed his heart. He cared a lot for his pack.

Walking over, Jin ruffled the second oldest's hair, patting your soft, small hands that clutched around his neck in the meantime.

He didn't say much else, realising full well that Yoongi would never forgive him if he picked on his emotions. He would never, really.

Letting his lips brush against your temple, the alpha took a few shuddering breaths before he started to calm down. Patting your hair gently, he ran his chin and cheek over your head virtuously, making sure you were drenched in his heavy alpha scent.

„Don't scare me like that, my sweetest kitten. Alpha was very worried, my good girl.” He whispered in your ear, placing you down on your feet carefully.

Checking over your face, he brushed your hair away from your eyes, caressing your cheeks. Smiling warmly at you, he stepped away, realising that the packalpha also needed to have his moment of reassurance that everything was okay.

Stepping over, Namjoon too picked you up, but instead of cradling you and staying mostly in his spot, the alpha carried you over to the couch, and all of the other men quickly came to sit down too.

Holding you to his chest, he let you rest against his collarbone and breathe in the warm scent he always held, his warm hands just holding you close for a minute or two.

Resting his head back, the alpha felt himself calm down, any agitation and worry soon dissipating. Resting his eyes for a few seconds, he breathed out before he sat up well again, still holding you close.

„...what happened, sweetie? Tell alpha now, my baby." He mumbled, coaxing you gently to answer. With his fingers gently running over your temples and cheeks, he, too, occasionally scented you like all the other packmates.

Sitting all around you, they allowed you to speak, listening closely. With the hoodie once again between your arms, all the alphas paid close attention to whatever went so badly this morning.

„The poster I m-made yesterday... The laptop it was on bro-ke, and it just wouldn't open, so my cla-classmates...” You spoke softly, your fingers clutching on to Namjoon's.

Running his thumb gently over the top of your hand, the alpha listened in closely.

„It broke? Like completely? Where is it? Let me take a lot, my sweetheart." He answered, looking around as if to spot your backpack.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Jungkook stood up from his spot on the sofa, realising that it was still probably in his car. He told them quickly and went back to the garage to regain it.

„...y-yea it just... It didn't work, and the teacher got very... angry." You whispered, regaining the older man's sharp words you received this morning.

Frowning, most of the alphas leaned in, now truly interested. If someone even dared to be harsh on you, the pack would be quick to get rid of any issues. No one would get away with being bad to their omega.

„Angry? Why? The laptop broke, so obviously you wouldn't be able to show him your work. That's not your fault, sweet princess; you know that, right?” The younger alpha said, his hand gently running over your calf.

Looking away, you sighed.

„Seonsaeng-nim t-thought I didn't do it and just used it... as an excuse. My classmates weren't happy either.” You mumbled, wiping away any of the growing tears.

Quick to shush you, the packalpha tried to think clearly and not dwell on any assumptions he was currently making himself. It was hard, though, especially after he felt your shoulders shake a bit against his chest.

Shushing you sweetly, he held you closer, cradling you against him.

„That's bullshit; you literally did it with me yesterday. Absolutely fucking not. What's your teacher's name, kitten?” Yoongi could feel herself getting angrier.

Already looking up your school website, he was quick to scroll to the contact information, finding the phone number for the man in question.

Just then Jungkook came back, and the backpack opened before you. Taking the grey laptop out of it's pocket, the youngest alpha opened it, the few men around him looking at themselves.

Not much happened; the logo shined brightly on the black screen, making the packmate frown a bit.

„Your classmates, did they say something sunny?" Hoseok asked, sitting next to Namjoon. Taking a hold of your hand, he rubbed it gently, smiling at you encouragingly.

You could sense the anger rolling off of him already; the waves were strong and noticeable. You also realised more than well that it wasn't against you, not one bit.

Not sure where to start, you just nodded a little, feeling yourself start to cry softly. You didn't want to disappoint your group like that; you didn't mean to. Chin-Hae and Sun-Hi just didn't seem to understand that too well.

Cooing at you loudly, the packalpha hugged you once again, swaying you from side to side softly.

„Aigoo, my pup, don't cry, baby... No, no, no, it's okay, sweetheart, everything will be okay, hm? Alpha's are here, my baby; you're okay." He whispered, mindful to keep his voice soft.

Patting your hair gently, he watched as Yoongi stood up, a phone already held to his ear. He could hear just the faintest voice on the other side, and soon the alpha returned the favour, though his was kept much harsher.

He wasn't going to be making any jokes about you. If people wouldn't be nice to you when they weren't around to protect you, he would most definitely take immediate action.

Walking off to his soundproof studio, the rest of your packmates huddled around you, occasionally patting you and rubbing your back softly, gently coaxing you to tell them what exactly happened.

And you did, eventually explaining in a few stuttered-out sentences. revealing some of your past encounters with your classmates and teacher, it only added up.

And so, when the alphas got the whole story, they were more than livid.

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

346 notes · View notes

late-to-the-party-81 · 6 months ago

Text

Love, Lies & Electricity - Ch2

AN: Welcome to week 6 of @buckybarnesevents Hot Bucky Summer and part two of this story. Thank you all for your kind comments on this story. Catch up on part one here.

Again, beta’d by @drabbles-mc. Thanks, darling.

If you would like to be added to my tag list, click here.

Moodboard by me and dividers by @firefly-graphics

Likes are loved, Reblogs are golden/ Kudos are loved, Comments are golden.

Master List | HBS Master List

Challenges and Bingos:

HBS week 6 - I won’t be able to stop myself

Summary: It’s time for the mission. Despite having to be near Bucky and the rest of the ‘Do-good’ brigade, you’re looking forward to using your powers to bring down another pocket of HYDRA. Go in, blow stuff up and get out. Easy Peasy!

Relationship: Bucky Barnes x Enhanced Reader

Word Count: 4k

CW: Angst, Memories of Torture and Captivity, Flashbacks, Hand-wavy science, Kidnap, Drugging, Extreme aphrodisiacs

As the electricity crackled through your body, so did the pain. You were no longer screaming, but that’s because your throat was too raw to make a sound. Your vision was blurred, colours of blue and violet like tinted glasses over your eyes, making the octopus picture on the wall a sickly purple instead of blood red.

When the pain suddenly disappeared, you slumped in the chair where you sat, your bonds the only things stopping you from sliding off it. How long had you been here, being tortured? The day, weeks, and months had blurred together. It could be years for all you knew. Your life was divided into two parts; the before and the now.

The ‘before’ had been when you were normal, a teenager looking forward to college. The ‘now’ had begun the day you’d started to do strange things like breaking any electronic equipment you touched, and giving off what you thought were static shocks. And those strange things had brought you here, in the back of a black van, pulled off the street.

You often thought about whether your parents were looking for you. Did they think you’d run away in a fit of teenaged petulance?

CRACK

You heard the noise at the same moment you registered the pain blooming across your cheek, and your eyes snapped open. One of your torturers had stepped close enough to slap you, bringing you out of your dissociation. As quick as a flash you managed to snag him with your hand, finding purchase on his arm. You grinned darkly and let your power flow. The man screamed, and tried to break free, but it was useless. The electricity you were sending through him had made his muscles lock.

However, your victory was short-lived. Your powers suddenly cut out as a bucket of ice water was thrown over you. The man dropped to the floor, where he was immediately surrounded by his colleagues, who carried him away and out of the room. You had no idea whether you’’d killed him or not, your last sight being his burnt hand.

Still sodden, rubber boots were placed on your feet, and thick rubber gloves were pulled on over your hands. You were man-handled from your chair and dragged away, back towards your cell. There was no point fighting - you were too tired and in this state you couldn’t call your powers up anyway - but as you left you heard one of the scientists taking notes on his dictaphone.

“Subject 982 is making progress in her training. She appears to be able to control her powers a lot better, able to call on them to do her bidding as opposed to being a passive carrier of them.”

You smiled to yourself, letting yourself be pulled along. Your captors were so hell-bent on working out how your powers worked and how you could control them they hadn’t recognised they were walking to their own doom because one day you would be strong enough to escape, and you’d kill them all….

“Hey, are you okay?” Bucky’s voice filled your ears and brought you out of your reverie and back to the present where you were sitting on one of the bench seats in the Quinjet.

Still feeling discombobulated from being deep inside your memories, you scowled at him where he sat beside you. “Why wouldn’t I be?” you snapped. “You don’t have to worry - your mission is still on track. My powers are still working.” You held up your hand and let a small charge arc across your palm.

Bucky wasn’t able to hide his eye roll at your defensive response. “It’s alright to be nervous. You don’t have to put on a brave face. I know what they did to you, remember?”

If it were at all possible, your scowl deepened - it was probably a permanent feature on your face by now. “And I regret every day that I even told you all about it.” You crossed your arms and turned your head away, staring fixedly at a rusted rivet on the wall.

You heard Bucky sigh, and from your peripheral vision saw him make his way towards the cockpit, where Sam and Joaquin were chatting and piloting. You felt a pang of envy at the way he’d seemed to adapt to life after HYDRA. He had friends and a job that helped him feel as though he was making a difference. Bucky had first had Steve to help him, and now Sam and Torres. You had no-one. At one time you thought that Bucky could have been that support for you, but that was just a fading dream.

You continued to stare blankly into space for the rest of the journey, until the jet finally set down in the forest about 2 miles out from the HYDRA base - you’d all have to walk the rest of the way to avoid detection. Luckily your route was shaded by the trees that also provided cover.

You walked mainly in silence. You ignored Bucky and Sam’s attempts to engage you in conversation, and only gave minimal replies to Torres when he asked you questions. Eventually, the three men gave up trying to talk to you and fell into step and conversation together. Bucky did have an annoying habit of looking back over his shoulder at you, but each time he did you gave him a withering stare.

A few hundred yards from the tree line, Sam brought you all to a halt.

“You ready for this?” he asked. “This is your last chance to say no and back out.”

You let out a bark of laughter. “I never back out or back down, Wilson.” You turned away from them and closed so you could concentrate. This particular skill was the hardest for you to obtain, but even so, after a few moments you could hear the air crackling around you and when you opened your eyes again the world had a violet overlay.

From behind you Torres let out a whispered “Wow!” and you turned back to face them, knowing none of them could see your wide grin. You couldn’t help but step forward and gently caress the Falcon’s cheek, watching him with amusement as he jerked back at the unexpected and unseen touch.

Gaining the gift - the skill - of invisibility by manipulating the electromagnetic field around your body had been the one that had eventually led to you being able to escape. Now you were going to use it to walk back into the octopus’ lair. “See you later boys,” you called out cherrily as you sauntered across the open field in front of you and towards your revenge.

It didn’t take you long to cross the open space and had to bite back a chuckle as you realised that the main doors to the bunker were open, guarded by two Hydra goons. You resisted the urge to send 100v through each of them - you couldn’t give yourself away yet, not when the turrets above you were still operational.

Once inside, it wasn’t difficult to find your way to where you needed to go. Not only had you spent almost three days studying the schematics that Sam had obtained, the base was laid out quite logically and there was even some sign-posting. You snuck into the control room by tailgating one of the workers and now you just had to wait for the right moment.

The man you’d followed sat down next to the sole other occupant of the room and they exchanged small talk as they lazily cycled through the CCTV feeds, both inside and outside of the building and you took the opportunity to identify which area of the console controlled the power to the laser defences. Eventually the second man got up and left - apparently it was his time for a break, and the idea that HYDRA let their personnel take lunch breaks struck you as ironic.

You smiled ruefully and stepped close to the remaining man, reaching out your hand and letting your power build inside of you. Then, for some reason, you stopped. You shook your head as if to clear it. What was wrong with you? You’d been more than willing to kill those initial guards without a second thought, but here you were, worrying about the man in front of you. Did he have a family? Kids? Fuck! Had Sam’s righteousness turned you into a bleeding heart now?

Your power dipped, lessening in intensity and you took that final step. You tapped him on his clothed shoulder and the man jumped and spun around in his chair, confused at the apparent emptiness of the room. Then you reached up and touched his face. However, unlike with Torres, you sent a jolt of electricity into his body. His eyes rolled back and he slumped to the floor.

The violet filter in front of your vision faded away as you dropped your shield. Crouching down, you checked your victim’s pulse. His heart was still beating, so you’d apparently gotten the voltage low enough. His breathing seemed fine too.

Straightening up, you activated your comms. “I’m in,” you stated.

“Good. We were getting worried,” came Bucky’s reply.

“I don’t know why,” you sassed back. “I can take care of myself. Now, stand by.”

You stepped around the unconscious body and towards the power console. You could just shut it down, but then there was the risk that someone could come and get it back online again. Your best bet was to destroy it. You placed your hands on the metallic surface and began to build the charge inside you. It didn’t take long for sparks to start to fly and the console went dead. Unfortunately, so did the main lights. The only illumination now was from some red emergency lights.

“Oops,” you said over the comms. “I might have taken out more than just the weapons.”

“We’re coming in,” said Sam sternly. “You sit tight.”

“Negatory, Sam. I’m a big girl. See you when you get here.”

You could hear the sound of booted feet running towards the room you were in, and you charged yourself up, ready to defend yourself and escape their clutches. The door burst open and you immediately let out an arc of electrical charge. It crackled through the air, bright blue and white, and the men who’d come charging in let out a collective cry of pain as the energy coursed through them and they dropped to the floor, unmoving. None of them had even been able to get off a shot, but you couldn’t rely on that happening with every engagement, so before you exited the control room you brought up your forcefield.

One of the other things you’d memorised in your study of the schematics was the location of the lab. You knew Sam wanted to gather as much intel as possible, but if these monsters had ‘test subjects’ down there, then you would ensure that none of what HYDRA learned from them could ever be used again, even by the ‘good’ guys. You strode down the corridor like an avenging angel, any trepidation about using lethal force now gone. Your shield protected you from HYDRA’s bullets and your charge dropped the soldiers to the ground - some gasping, some still. You didn’t give them another thought - they’d made their beds.

On the edge of your hearing came the sounds of fighting from other parts of the compound. The three musketeers had apparently entered the fray.

“Dynamo - come in!” Sam’s voice in your ear sounded worried, but you still winced at the ridiculous code-name you’d been given. “Where are you?”

“I’m okay, Cap. Just got something to do - gonna see if they’ve got any experiments going on.”

“No, that’s too dangerous. Wait for back-up.” You rolled your eyes at his mother-henning and then let rip with another arc of electrical energy at the HYDRA soldier rounding the corner towards you.

“I’ve got it, Sam.” Fabulous, now Bucky didn’t think you could manage alone. “I’ll go catch up with her. See you and Torres topside soon.”

“I’m not waiting for you, Barnes. If you’re not fast enough you’ll miss all the fun.” You turned the corner and zapped another two guards, their bullets ricocheting off your shield seconds before they hit the concrete. They were the last two people standing between you and the laboratory.

As you entered, you looked around in confusion. The screens set up to show close-ups of the subjects in each cell were curiously blank, and the room empty apart from one man in a lab coat, sitting unbothered at a console in the shadows. You took a tentative step forward and the man looked up. “There you are, my dear. I’ve been waiting for you.”

His voice was familiar and you peered at him in the red gloom. “Who are you?”

He stood up from the console, but made no move to get closer to you. “I’m not surprised you don’t remember me well. You did have other things to focus on at the time. I will say though that you are remarkably impressive. But then again, I always knew you would be.” He pressed a button and one of the blank screens lit up.

You turned towards it and saw the inside of the control room. A man entered, the door staying open behind him for a heartbeat too long, before he sat down next to the other occupant. With a feeling of unease churning in your gut, you watched the events of ten minutes ago play out before you. You’d never seen what it looked like to others when you used your powers.

“This is my favourite bit.” There was glee in the man’s voice as the video replayed you taking out the initial response team without any qualms. As the ‘you’ on-screen left the control room, the view of the camera changed and followed your progress down the corridor, zooming in each time you electrocuted an opponent.

“We never managed to get you to react this viciously when we ran tests on you.” You registered that his voice seemed to be closer to you, but you couldn’t tear your gaze away from what you looked like - the way the electricity sparked around your body and the expression of grim determination on your face as you advanced. It was only as his hand, encased in a thick rubber glove, gripped your arm that you realised the danger you were in. Your head whipped around to look at him, his features now clearer. His face was gaunt, with a hooked nose and sunken eyes the colour of sludge. His dirty brown hair was cropped close to his head and on his neck you could see the telltale scar of an electrical burn.

Images flash through your mind of this face leaning over you as you lay bound to a reclining chair, your feet in freezing water. Of injection after injection. Of blood draw after blood draw. Of being shocked and then soaked as those eyes looked at you with glee. The feeling of his hand slapping your cheek was ingrained in your memories, along with his scream as you gripped him and burnt him.

You tried to back up, tried to pull your arm from his grip, but his fingers just tightened cruelly. You reached out with your other hand, pressing it to his chest and letting a charge run through you, but it had no effect. He grinned at you sickly, revealing yellowed teeth. “I know how to protect myself from you now, my dear.” He waggled one leg and you glanced down to see a thick rubber soled boot on it. You had no doubt there was a matching one on the other foot. “I’ve been waiting to get you back, to continue my work.” He caressed your cheek with the back of his other hand, also rubber-clad. “My greatest triumph,” he whispered, almost reverently and you felt bile rise in your throat.

“Get away from her!” Bucky’s voice echoed around the room and you let go of a breath you didn’t even realise you’d been holding.

However, the man holding you only grinned more broadly. “Oh look, my other guest is here. I was wondering when you were going to join us, Sergeant Barnes.”

“If you hurt her…” There was no empty threat in Bucky’s response.

“Why would I hurt her?” The scientist replied, cocking his head. “She’s like a daughter to me. A daughter who is going to make me a grandfather very soon.”

You furrowed your brow in confusion. “What? Grandfather? I hate to break it to you, but I’m not capable of parthenogenesis.”

“Ah. Very funny. But that’s why we need the good Sergeant here. Just think of a child that had both your powers and the strength and endurance of a super-soldier. It would be the ultimate weapon. My ultimate weapon.”

You couldn’t hold back your laughter. “No fucking way. I mean, even if we liked each other, I can assure you, that we would not be creating a baby for you, you sick fuck.”

The sickening smile returned to his face. “You say that as if either of you have a choice.” He pulled a small device - black and shiny - from his pocket and pressed a button. A high pitched whine started, getting louder second by second and cutting though both your brain and your memories. Horrified, you looked back at Bucky, while struggling to get free.

“EMP!” you shouted, but it was too late and the pulse hit you.

Pain flared though every nerve in your body and you went limp, falling to the floor. Through blurred vision you saw Bucky struggling with the dead-weight of his left-arm, looking down at it in shock and confusion. He recovered quickly though, and with a roar began to move towards you and your assailant. However, he didn’t get far, a burst of energy suddenly surrounding him. It reminded you of your own powers. Bucky dropped to the ground beside you and just before your vision faded to black you saw a multitude of black boots running into the room.

Your eyes blinked open, pain searing through your eyeballs as they did so. Swallowing back a hiss, you pushed yourself up into a sitting position, fighting the nausea.

“Careful,” came Bucky’s voice from behind you.

Trying to shake off the confusion you squeezed your eyes shut again. “Where are we?” you asked. “And how long have we been out?” As you spoke you realised something was very wrong. You opened your eyes once more and looked down. “And why the fuck am I naked?”

You turned your head over your shoulder and saw an equally naked Bucky, sitting with one leg bent up in front of himself upon a thin mattress. His vibranium arm was missing. “In order,” he replied, “somewhere else. If we were still in the bunker then Sam would have found us by now, or they’d be crowing about capturing him. Next answer, as far as I can make out, is about three hours, which does limit how far away we are from our original location. Lastly, I’d say the nakedness is something to do with that madman’s plan to get you pregnant.”

You shuffled around on your own mattress to face him, your legs crossed and your arms folded your chest. Just because Bucky had seen you naked before didn’t mean you were going to let him see again. Also, you had no idea who else was watching you. “But that’s insane. Just because we’re locked naked in a cell together doesn’t mean we’re going to have sex.” You looked up at the ceiling and raised your voice. “Do you hear that, perverts? You don’t get a free porn show today!”

When you looked back at Bucky it was to see a sympathetic and rueful look on his face. He opened his mouth, but seemed to think better of it and shut it again, but letting out a sigh.

“What?” you asked.

“Please - please - don’t take this the wrong way, but are you - umm - wet? Like, down there?”

You immediately recoiled, despite the distance. “‘The fuck sort of question is that? Apart from really inappropri-” Your screeched response broke off at the realisation that you were indeed wet. Given the circumstances you should have been as dry as the fricking Sahara desert, but your body appeared to be preparing you for the dicking down of your life. “What the fuck? And how the fuck did you know?”

He shot you another awkward look “Enhanced sense of smell, sweetheart.”

“That is really icky,” you said, giving him a disgusted look. You wanted to ask him if he’d always been able to smell you, but knew you had more pressing things to deal with. “But the thing is, why? Why the fuck is my body aroused? I can assure you it’s nothing to do with being in your naked presence.”

Bucky snorted at your comment, but quickly regained his composure. “I think they’ve given us something. Something to get us in the mood.”

“What makes you say that? Maybe my body is having a random moment.”

Bucky dropped his leg down revealing his erect cock. “Then I’m having a random moment too.”

You gulped, because - fuck – was his cock was a thing of beauty. You’d thought so since the first time you’d seen it, and that view hadn’t changed in the intervening months. You felt your core throb and your nipples pebble and turned your head away.

“We’re grown-ups,” you stammered out. “I’m sure we can just ignore it.”

“I’m not sure that’s feasi-” Bucky’s answer was cut off as he suddenly shuddered in pain. His eyes were screwed shut and his right hand clenched and unclenched. Despite your feelings about your relationship, a wave of concern washed over you and you stood up to check on him. However, as you did so, his eyes snapped open through the pain and he held out his hand to stop you.

“No. Don’t come closer,” he warned. “If you do, I won’t be able to stop myself. You might not be feeling the full effects yet, but I am. Whatever they’ve given us is very potent. I-” He was interrupted by another spasm and throwing caution to the wind, you moved to his side and placed your hand on his forehead.

“You’re burning up!” Bucky didn’t seem to hear your exclamation because he just turned his head, nuzzling into your decolletage and growling. A fresh wave of slick made its way down your thighs and his growl turned into a needy moan.

“The drug. It’s made the desire. So strong. But it’s also bringing. Pain. With it.” Bucky panted out his thoughts against your neck. You reached down and cupped his face with your hands, angling it so he could look up at you. His face was flushed and his eyes were glazed over. When his tongue peeked out to moisten his lips, you felt a tightness in your whole body - a need so strong it didn’t feel natural.

“Will having sex stop whatever is happening to you? What is happening to us?” you asked.

“I’m honestly not sure. But I don’t think they want us dead. We’re both too important to them.”

“So this pain is just to get us to break.” As you mused Bucky started to nuzzle against you again and his hips jerked up.

“‘M sorry. Sorry. I can’t - Oh god!”

“It’s alright,” you said, petting his hair gently as you had done in the past when he’d had a nightmare. You thought over all of your options but despite your feelings you were pragmatic. If Bucky was suffering this bad, what would it be like for you? You could already feel a tremble starting in your legs. What did you have to lose? “I think the only sensible option is to get this over and done with then.” Your matter of fact tone belied your nerves. “There’s no way we can escape with you like this, and who’s to say I won’t get it worse when it fully hits. We should at least try this.”

You shifted your arms to his shoulders and threw one of your legs over his, settling on his lap, his rigid length rubbing right up against your swollen and slick folds. Bucky blinked up at you, momentarily confused and then wrapped his arm around your waist pulling you close and kissing you with fervour.

This was not how you’d envisaged this mission going, but here you were, about to do the one thing you’d sworn never to do ever again - have sex with Bucky Barnes.

Chapter 3

Tag list: @christywrites, @alexakeyloveloki, @wolfsmom1, @doasyoudesireandlive, @goldylions,

@galactusdevourerofworlds, @apenny4thots, @crayongirl-linz, @nicoline1998enilocin, @king814318, @blackhawkfanatic

@km-ffluv, @wheezy-stucky, @kmc1989, @kombatfather1796

#hotbuckysummer2024 #bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fanfiction

45 notes · View notes

ourtalechara · 2 months ago

Text

Don't ask what I'm doing I'm not doing anything (VBS Data Stream guys look at it)

Kohane An Akito Toya and Luka

(actually nice and finished looking lyrics under cut)

Eventually, all walls meet demolition

So Wall Street had to keep the tradition

Their financial systems resigned to ignition

And out of the ashes, we have arisen

An empire is forged in the fire of ambition

In business, there isn't the time for attrition

Invest to suppress then ingest competition

Then each acquisition is new ammunition

When governments crumble and fall to the floor

That was paved with the graves of a corporate war

A fundament funded in blood just to shore

A foundation for founding our covenant

Born of a need for control of societal entropy

Enterprise at the price of your indemnity

Chart out the course and of course you were meant to be

Bent to the will of a corporate entity

Arasaka Security. You're in safe hands

We're the light in your screens, we're the lead in your veins

Then you wake from your dreams, so we can sell them again

In the light we distract with the shiny and new

So you're blind to the fact that the product is you

So let your brain dance and replay the dream

But don't drown in the data stream

'Cause we see where you are and we see where you go

'Cause we know what you own and we own what you know

From the top of all our towers, the corridors of power clearly need rewiring

Arasaka saw the spark and then embarked upon the path to turn that spark to lightning

There's no autonomous megalopolis so populous or prosperous you could reside in

And every citizen that's living in this city is a digit on the charts we're climbing

Political systems are too inefficient

They split like the atom and burned in the fission

Now every department and every decision

Defer to the herds of our corporate divisions

If you don't remember the ballot you cast

It's printed on every receipt you were passed

Each time you selected our products and services

We were elected in each of your purchases

What's left to do when you've got the monopoly?

Turn the consumer into the commodity

It isn't hard where you've hardware neurology

Honestly, do read the company policy

Take information and trade it for wealth

You pay it in each augmentation we sell

It's easy to cut out the middleman

When he's cut out most of himself

Arasaka Finance. Investing in your future

(chorus)

All that you say on the net we composite

To maps that go straight from your head to your pocket

Complain if you want, you're still making deposits

Of data — each day you log on is a profit

Society currently lists electronic

So isn't conducting resistance ironic?

We've plenty of skeletons locked in our closets

But yours are assembled from old-stock hydraulics

So lucky we know just the pieces you need

All plucked from your social media feeds

The places you go and the posts that you read

All snatched for a new algorithm to feed

Now, holding our gold isn't par for the brand

Our silver is sat in the palm of your hand

Quit whining and sign on the line in the sand

The supply does not get to make the demands

(chorus)

Arasaka Manufacturing. Building a better tomorrow

Name, age, qualifications

Race, faith, career aspirations

Political leaning, daily commute

Marital status, favourite fruit

Family, browser, medical history

Hobbies, interests, brand affinity

Fashion, style, your occupation

Gender identity, orientation

Lifestyle choices, dietary needs

The marketing contact you choose to receive

Posts, likes, employers, friends

Social bias, exploitable trends

Tastes, culture, phone of choice

Facial structure, the tone of your voice

If it's inside your head, we know

You can't escape the ebb and flow

(chorus)

When guiding the hand of the market

If it's holding a cheque or a gun

The fingers go deep in your pockets

And you can live under the thumb

You seem so surprised, what did you expect?

We're thinking outside of that box that you checked

The terms were presented in full to inspect

You scrolled to the end just to get to "Accept"

Arasaka would like to know your location

10 notes · View notes

notacatdown · 17 days ago

Text

Missing scenes from ep 18

Copied my reddit post and edited my rough translation a bit. I think these missing scenes from the script would have connected episode 18 better. The script for the first 20 episodes were available for purchase on Taobao before the drama was released. I don't remember if these flashback scenes are ever shown later in the drama.

Bolded missing sections from the drama

18-40 CGI effects

△ The lotus in Mu Sheng’s heart lake suddenly turned completely black, leaving only half of the petal still red.

18-41 In the ruined temple of Shengjing (or any deserted place) at night

Demonized Mu Sheng: (Chaotic electronic music) I want... to kill him.

Ling Miaomiao: No! Ziqi, don't do this, don't hurt anyone!

Zhao Ruoshi: What is this… monster…?

Zhao Ruoshi: had just been thrown ruthlessly, and immediately surrendered under the pressure.

△ Mu Sheng was overwhelmed by anger at this time.

Demonized Mu Sheng: Get out of the way!

△ Ling Miaomiao refused to give in and just shook her head at him with red eyes.

△ Mu Sheng was furious and roared at Ling Miaomiao with great pressure.

△ He looked so scary that Ling Miaomiao trembled with fear. Her frightened look stunned Mu Sheng, and then he turned his head to look to the side. An old bronze mirror reflected his appearance, and he realized that he had turned into a monster.

△ Mu Sheng turned his head to look at Ling Miaomiao who was trembling.

Demonized Mu Sheng: (mumbling) You… are afraid of me.

~~~

(Flashbacks to the two previous transformations)

△ Thinking of the past, comparing her trembling now and the fear in her eyes, Mu Sheng felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing his heart.

Mu Sheng: You used to be… the only one who wasn’t afraid of my true appearance… Now you are afraid of me!

△ Ling Miaomiao mustered up her courage and shook her head firmly.

Ling Miaomiao: … I’m not afraid!

Demonized Mu Sheng: (roaring) You lied!

△His hurt and sad look became even more terrifying, and this roar made Ling Miaomiao tremble even more violently.

Ling Miaomiao: Ziqi! I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid of you...

Demonized Mu Sheng: You lied! Hairband… My hairband…

△ As a huge monster, the sight of the demonized Mu Sheng looking for his hairband in panic and helplessness is heartbreaking.

△ Ling Miaomiao stood up trembling, but was so frightened that her steps were wobbly as she walked forward.

△ At this time, Mu Sheng had tied his hairband and turned back into a small human figure kneeling on the ground exhausted.

△ Ling Miaomiao came behind him and stretched out her trembling hand to touch his back.

△ However, Mu Sheng shook her hand off.

△ Mu Sheng stood up and walked out without even looking at Ling Miaomiao.

18-42 Simple House/Room at night (I think this might be a flashback scene to what he was thinking when he locked himself in his room and wanted to purge his feelings for MiaoMiao in ep 17. In the drama, we only see him being traumatized by his mom crying.)

△ 【Memories of Mu Sheng】

△ Still in Mu Sheng’s childhood home, the charm girl is holding little Mu Sheng.

Charm Girl: Little Sheng'er, loving someone can make people no longer panic, calm their minds like water, and give rise to all gentle and kind thoughts. This is the best medicine in the world. If you meet that person, it can heal all the wounds in your heart.

△ [End of Mu Sheng Memories]

18-43 Mu Family Basement Prison Array at Night

△ 【Memories of Mu Sheng】

△ The resentful woman was locked in the center of the magic circle. She raised her head and looked at Mu Sheng (she didn’t show her face, otherwise it would be exposed that his mother was the resentful woman in the cell in the basement).

△ The resentful woman: Little Sheng’er, never fall in love with anyone, because loving someone… can also make people greedy, angry, stupid. Jealousy, bigotry, resentment, violence, self-loathing...

△ [End of Mu Sheng's memories]

18-44 In a ruined temple (or any deserted place) at night

△ Ling Miaomiao stood up and wanted to chase after him.

Ling Miaomiao: Ziqi!

△ Without even turning his head, Mu Sheng made a hand gesture to create a light wall barrier between them. Ling Miaomiao slapped the barrier, and her voice could not be heard, nor could it be traced out.

△ She watched Mu Sheng leave.

△ Mu Sheng didn’t look back.

#永夜星河 #love game in eastern fantasy #missing scenes #ep 18 #ling miaomiao #mu sheng #love bracelet

8 notes · View notes

gingerale2017 · 6 months ago

Text

i’ll be your favorite toy

Angst

Fandom: The Lunar Chronicles

Pairing: Kai x Cinder (kaider)

Setting: Modern au, one day post breakup.

Based on the song “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”

Words: 1.3K

Quick note: I literally just wrote this on a boat.

AO3 link

The voices in her head, seemingly, told her to call rain on their days of wild.

Kai downed the rest of his glass until the ice bumped his nose. The week started so good. On Sunday, he woke up to her on his shoulder. Monday, he brought her lunch. Tuesday, she invited him over. Wednesday, they spent the day together in the city. Thursday, they visited her sister. Friday, she canceled on him last minute. Saturday, she broke up with him. And now it’s Sunday again, and he’s drinking at some random bar during his lunch break. What even happened?

If it were anyone else he’d feel used, objectified, or even abused. If it were anyone else he’d be cursing them out and smashing glasses with golf clubs. But he feared this was the love of his life. The only one for him is Cinder Linh. She could treat him like a toy if she wanted to. He’d let her.

He was her sickest, cheap army doll purchased at the mall. Her rivulets descend his plastic smile. But you should’ve seen her when she first got him.

Stars, how her eyes lit up. She couldn’t stop sharing. Kai remembered the embarrassed pink on her cheeks when they locked eyes. Not to sound cockt or anything, but he was used to people staring at him. This time, though, he was just as equally stunned as her when their eyes met. If she stuttered, then he was tongue-tied. Cinder was never embarrassed, though, and he was never speechless.

They kept meeting because of their mutual friends until they started hanging out on their own. She didn’t have many, though, and he was one of the only people she became completely honest with.

He found out why much later! His girl (well not anymore apparently), only breaks her favorite toys. He was the king of the sand castles she destroyed.

He knew why though. They fit too right. They were too perfect for each other, like puzzles in the dead of night. He should’ve known from the moment she curled his hair between her fingers with an enlightened curiosity that it was only a matter of time.

“Excuse me, sir?” The bartender interrupted his inner rant.

“Sorry.” Kai apologized. “What happened?”

“Your phone is ringing.”

He cocked his head to the small electronic device vibrating on the table. He barked a chuckle. How did he not notice? It danced around the table unashamedly. Like it was broken or something. Then he winced. Cinder was good at fixing broken electronics. Very, very good.

He thanked the bartender and answered the phone.

“Dude!” Kai shuddered. He really didn’t want to hear his newly broken-up girlfriend’s best friend’s voice the day after she ended things, but Thorne was kind of his best friend too. Never date within your friend group kids! Take this situation as an example. “What the hell happened.”

“You think I know,” Kai growled.

“Well yeah! She’s your girlfriend!”

“Was.” Kai sighed deeply and put his head on the counter pathetically. The bartender motioned for another drink and he nodded. Maybe this drink will numb his feelings.

Thorne paused. “You sound horrible.”

“I didn’t sleep last night.” Kai groaned.

“Are you working today?”

“I’m drinking on my lunch break.”

“What?!” Thorne yelled. “Wha- when does your lunch break end?”

“An hour ago.”

“Dude. You’re taking this very bad.” Concurred Thorne.

The bartender slid another glass of whiskey. Kai shifted so his cheek could take in the cool marble counter and stared at his drink.

“Actually, I think I’m taking it pretty well. I could’ve blown up her mechanic shop.” He joked.

“You okay man?” Though Thorne sounded completely genuine, Kai found himself getting irritated. The man was closer to Cinder than he was to Kai. Shouldn’t be all over her.

“Why don’t you make sure Cinder’s okay? And leave me alone! You guys are closer anyway.”

“Wait- Kai- Wait!” Kai hung up to Thorne rambling about some crap he didn’t care about and sipped the brown alcohol.

He sighed and turned off his phone, leaning back on the high chair.

“I think I’ma head out,” Kai said to the bartender. He nodded as Kai gave him a card with a $30 tip.

He finished his drink and walked out in the afternoon sky, probably drunk as a skunk.

There was a litany of reasons why they could’ve played for keeps this time and- Stars Above! He was just repeating himself!

If he was a toy, he was her toy, and he deserved to be put back on his shelf. Or, rather, her shelf, preferably. But, first, pull his string and he’ll tell you that she runs because she loves him. She was only scared, that’s all.

You should’ve seen her when she first saw him! Love at first sight! His girl (yes, his girl) only breaks the things she loves the most. She loved him. She had to. Why would she cradle his head im her arms if she didn’t. Cinder was no villain

He laughed at himself as he tried to balance himself on the crack of the sidewalk. Maybe he’d go home to his apartment instead of work. Kai couldn’t possibly show up like this. You could practically see the whiskey scent around him. Ironic, since Cinder introduced him to whiskey.

Good thing his home wasn’t far from his new favorite bar. Hey, that rhymed! Once he managed to close the door, he dropped the façade and collapsed against the same door behind him.

He was king of her beaten-up cars because they were the most loved. She left him because he knew too much. He could see the revelation in her eyes whenever he traced her body. There was danger in the heat of his touch.

She saw forever so she smashed it up. He began to sob her name. Drunken tears appeared on his polished shoes. He was so polished, why was he so polished? All the damn time! She was never polished. She must have hated it when they showed up at that restaurant n his new suit and in her overalls.

“We’re too different.” Her soft voice echoed in his head. “It’s me, not you. I’m sorry, Kai. We won’t work out.”

The hell. THE HELL?!! Every line she said was a lie. She didn’t meet his eyes because she knew that he’d know she was lying. They fit so well, like the pipes she’s always reassembling. He was picturing their life together and you’re telling him this whole time, she wanted out?! It must be him for sure, then. Then. Then what did he do wrong? He’d been replaying their whole relationship all last night and at the bar. Sure, they had their fights, but what did he do wrong?

He should’ve fought. He should have been clawing at her door. He should’ve yelled at her. He should’ve grown a pair. Instead, he walked away, mumbling an apology.

“Once I fix me, Cinder.” He whispered, a tear falling down his cheek. “You’re going to miss me.”

“Once I fix me. You’re gonna miss me.” Another glass shattered against the apartment wall.

Come back. She didn’t mean it. Come back, Kai. Just say when, Kai, she'd play again. Please Kai, she was sorry.

Kai was her best friend, like kids at a sandlot. She used him, but she didn’t mean to! She was just confused.

Cinder had felt more with him even when they played pretend than with all the Ken-like men surrounding her workplace.

Why? Why?! Because he took her out of her box.

She sobbed, slowly falling to her knees as her hands covered her face. She pulled at her hair. Why did she do that? She let her fears win and now he’s gone. He left without a fight though, so maybe he did love her as he said he did.

No, don’t be stupid, Cinder. She told herself. You chose to do it after work for a reason, so he’d leave without a fight. You were afraid he might change your mind.

He stole her tortured heart. He left all these broken parts. She said he was better off.

But they weren't. No, they weren’t.

So Cinder had to do what she does best. She had to fix this.

A/N: This is a completely new story, not even a draft. I’m still on this boat.

tagging: @just2bubbly @cinderswrench @cindersassasin @the-wee-woo-royal @deprivedmusicaljunkie @crescentchat @notjacinclay @wheresmymom-imlost @salt-warrior @rapunzelfromthemoon @briggycat @impossiblesuitcase @kaider-is-my-otp @definitelynotisabel @wassupnye (these are for my kaider ONLY fics so please ask if you want to be tagged or removed <3)

#tlc #the lunar chronicles #kaider #lunar chronicles #linh cinder #emperor kai #cinder linh #rampion crew #carswlel thorne #breakup au #kaider breakup #kaider fanfic #kaider fic #kaidern fanfiction #princess selene #tlc fic #tlc fanfic #taylor swift

18 notes · View notes

younggayanddoingokay · 7 months ago

Text

My new obsessive conspiracy theory is whatever the fuck is going on for the ads in mobile games. Like I play a lot of puzzle games and in the ads for different mobile games, all these celebrities are showing up and at first the only way I knew they were “famous” was because they were like “I’m so and so from such and such” and I was like “oof, selling out on cameo for royal match, that’s gotta hurt.” And then I saw Tom Felton, a YouTuber I like, whatever. Then the other day I saw fucking DAVID BECKHAM on an ad for some mobile game and I’m like “wtf?!”

How are all these mobile games affording these people to advertise for them, WHY are they paying that kind of money for a free mobile game?! Like, in-app purchases from the modern version latchkey kids whose parents give them too many electronics to shut them up and don’t bother to parent-lock purchases are like, drunk people, and old people who get bored cannot POSSIBLY be generating that much revenue. So like,

Is it money laundering? Is the government sponsoring these ads to gateway-drug people into gambling so that they can drive them into some sort of new “in app purchase on mobile game to state-sponsored lottery gambling app” pipeline? WTF is going on? Something is suuuuuper fishy here and I’m so stuck on why.

#mobile games #mobile gaming #david beckham #Tom Felton #conspiracy theories #wtf is going on

10 notes · View notes

r--c · 16 days ago

Text

Assassination of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh

The assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh 14 February 1961 – 19 January 2010) took place on 19 January 2010, in a hotel room in Dubai. Al-Mabhouh—a co-founder of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas—was wanted by the Israeli government for the kidnapping and murder of two Israeli soldiers in 1989 as well as purchasing arms from Iran for use in Gaza; these have been cited as a possible motive for the assassination

His assassination attracted international attention in part due to allegations that it was ordered by the Israeli government and carried out by Mossad agents holding fake or fraudulently obtained passports from several European countries and Australia.

The photographs of the 26 suspects and their aliases were subsequently placed on Interpol's most-wanted list. The Dubai police found that 12 of the suspects used British passports, along with six Irish, four French, one German, and three Australian passports.

Sequence of events

On 19 January 2010, al-Mabhouh was assassinated in his Dubai hotel room after being tracked by at least 29 suspects, of whom 26 carried forged or fraudulently-obtained passports from various European nations (whose passport photos were released), along with two Palestinians since arrested, and another unnamed suspect.

The Sunday Times reported that al-Mabhouh's departure from Damascus to Dubai on Emirates Flight no. 912 at 10:05 on 19 January 2010 was tracked by an agent on the ground in Damascus. Salah Bardawil, a Hamas legislator, said al-Mabhouh put himself at risk by booking his trip online and informing family in Gaza of the telephone number of the hotel at which he would be staying on his trip.

Despite reports that al-Mabhouh traveled under a false passport with the fake name "Mahmoud Abdul Raouf Mohammed", Hamas and Dubai officials maintain that he entered the country under his own identity at 15:15.

According to a 2018 article by Le Monde citing senior French intelligence officials, the Mossad ran the operation to kill Mabhouh out of Paris. The Mossad allegedly set up a makeshift command and control center in a hotel in the Bercy neighborhood of Paris equipped with computers and secure phones. Dubai's police chief, Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, stated that al-Mabhouh was transiting in Dubai before traveling to China. Upon arrival in Dubai, al-Mabhouh took a taxi to the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel and settled into room 230. He had asked for a room with no balcony and sealed windows, so no one could enter other than through the door. He left the hotel between 16:30 and 17:00, roughly an hour after checking in. What he did during the next three to four hours remains unclear.

Hotel surveillance footage was released to the public showing the suspects, who had arrived on separate flights, meeting in the hotel. While the suspects apparently used personal encrypted communication devices among themselves to avoid surveillance, the suspects were alleged by Dubai police to have sent and received a number of SMS messages to telephone numbers in Austria. When al-Mabhouh arrived around 15:00, two suspects dressed in tennis attire followed him to determine which room he had checked into, as well as the number of the room immediately across the hall. One of the lookout suspects could be seen on video delaying a tourist who exits the elevator on the second floor at this time, apparently to give other team members time to act. Investigators believe the electronic lock on al-Mabhouh's door may have been reprogrammed and that the killers gained entry to his room this way

On 20 January 2010 (the following day), a hotel cleaner attempted to gain entry, but found the door was locked from the inside. Hotel security was then called in to open the door. After the door was opened, al-Mabhouh's body was discovered on the bed. On the drawer next to the bed, the assassins had placed a small bottle of medicine to make it appear as if he had died of natural causes.

Cause of death

Initially, Dubai authorities believed al-Mabhouh had died of natural causes.

Fawzi Benomran, the Dubai police coroner, said, "It was meant to look like death from natural causes during sleep." It took 10 days for the Dubai police to come to the conclusion that al-Mabhouh was assassinated. Benomran described the determination of the exact cause of death as "one of the most challenging cases" his department faced.

The Khaleej Times quoted an unnamed senior police official as saying that four masked assailants had shocked al-Mabhouh's legs before using a pillow to suffocate him. Another story reported by Uzi Mahnaimi stated that a hit team murdered al-Mabhouh with a heart-attack inducing drug, then proceeded to take photographs of his documents before leaving.

Al-Mabhouh's family said that medical teams who examined his body determined that he died in his hotel room after being strangled and receiving a massive electric shock to the head, and that blood samples examined by a French laboratory confirms that electrocution was the cause of death. According to Reuters news agency, traces of poison were found in al Mabhouh's autopsy. Dubai authorities stated they were ruling the death a homicide and were working with the International Criminal Police Organization to investigate the incident.

Other news reports gave varying causes of death, including suffocation with a pillow and poisoning. In an international press conference General Tamim, the head of the investigation, said that the exact cause of death is yet to be concluded.

Moreover, on 1 March 2010, the Dubai Police stated that he was first drugged.

Major General Khamis Mattar al-Mazeina as the deputy commander of Dubai's police gave details of the death of al-Mabhouh after forensic tests. Al-Mabhouh was injected in his leg with succinylcholine, a quick-acting, depolarizing paralytic muscle relaxant. It causes almost-instant loss of motor skills, but does not induce loss of consciousness or anaesthesia. Then, al-Mabhouh was suffocated. Al-Mazeina said, "The assassins used this method so that it would seem that his death was natural."

#tcc tumblr #tccblr #mahmoud al-mabhouh #lake city quiet pills

4 notes · View notes

secureace · 2 years ago

Text

Top Rated Digital Smart Locks in Greater Noida, Ghaziabad NCR

Best Smart Door Locks When it comes to securing your home or business premises, Yale and Lavna are the names that immediately come to mind. Known for its reputation in the security industry, it offers a range of digital smart locks that provide advanced features, convenience, and peace of mind. Here, we present the top-rated digital smart locks in Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, and Noida. Yale…

View On WordPress

0 notes

taperwolf · 1 year ago

Text

When I was in elementary school, some competition or another — my memory is fuzzy, but I think it was some exhibit at the county fair— won me a gift certificate to the local Radio Shack. I already knew the place was full of wonders, since I'd gotten my fill of giveaway comics like The Science Fair Story of Electronics and Superman and the TRS-80 Computer Whiz Kids (all about how teenagers helped Superman thwart Lex Luthor through judicious use of dial-up BBSes and the Scripsit word processor) and pored over their catalogs, but being faced with a whole store, no actual knowledge, and a whole $5 to spend — I never got any kind of allowance — left me wandering the aisles for a couple of hours one Saturday in amazement, until my mother made increasingly urgent sounds about needing to leave. I'm pretty sure I also got one of the little Forrest Mims pamphlets of circuits you could build using the components you could get there, but the big purchase was a replacement keyboard, one of the Commodore types with the four function keys at the right side. I had these great ambitions of building my own computer around it. Of course, even if I knew what parts I'd need, I'd never get any more money to spend at a Radio Shack until I was in High School and had a job, and by that time the keyboard has gone missing in the house moves to two different states.

Flash forward a couple of decades, when I'm browsing the website for Fair Radio Sales, a surplus dealer that's been around since 1947, when they were flogging off all the radios sold by the military after WWII. I think I was looking for cheap test equipment, but I spotted a listing for these keyboards, which I believe are identical to the one I had back then. Out of a mix of nostalgia and thoughts of building a custom PC keyboard from it, I picked up a few.

If I'm remembering right, it's the keyboard from the Commodore C16, a stripped-down C64 (although incompatible) that they intended, in 1984, to be the budget replacement for the VIC-20. It completely bombed in the US, which is probably why I could pick up the keyboard cheap in 1985 or so. Mechanically, it's the same as the C64 keyboard, with a separate locking switch for "Shift Lock", and it's electronically just a matrix. I still intend to put it into a housing and use it as a PC keyboard, adding logic to produce the Unicode equivalents of the PETSCII labels on the fronts of the keys — but there are always more projects than there is time.

#vintage technology #commodore #c16 #keyboards

21 notes · View notes

salvager-beyblade-fanfiction · 4 months ago

Text

Salvager Chapter 4: Floor 192

“Off!”

Venom’s shout ricocheted down the derelict shaft, giving Salvager only a second’s warning. Shoot. Darting in a breath, he threw his arm back, allowing himself to roll sideways as he released his grip on the elevator cable and plunged into an uncontrolled free fall. Down, towards the legion of androids that had followed them from Floor 191. There must have been at least a hundred, all climbing over each other, joints whirring, Starving Silver spasming in anticipation. Too close for comfort.

“Go!” Salvager hollered, fiercely aware of the closing distance between him and their pursuers.

Venom slammed his cybernetic palm into the cable’s side.

And, in an instant, the metal fibers were howling with electricity, a visible current arcing around the circumference with a hissing, ear-crackling buzz. Salvager was just close enough to smell burning hair. The robots, actually clinging to the line, weren’t so lucky. As the sudden charge struck, they screeched, wailed, and then dropped, their bodies fried black. Disjointed limbs clacked and spun. Raucous echoes--metal on metal--fired through the chute.

“Safe!” Venom snapped from above.

Salvager shouted back something completely unintelligible, but generally affirmative. In one fluid motion, he shot out an arm, locking his fingers back around the cable, and swung in a shallow curve, heaving his reactor cannon over his shoulder and angling it straight down. He set the barrel for continuous blast, locked it in place and, as the basketball-sized opening filled with the preemptive light of a laser stream, resumed his ascent. He’d fallen almost half of what he’d initially climbed. Fortunately, the beam of energy slamming from the weapon at his back was a fairly efficient propulsion device, He made up the distance at an accelerated pace, his hands flying over each other to maintain purchase on the elevator cable. “Hey!” he called, mind racing through the next steps of his and Venom's plan. “Do you think 192 has noticed us yet?”

In his upward periphery, he saw Venom glancing towards the door bank above his head, a good three yards up the shaft. “Uh… No?” he shouted back.

Just then, however, the portal slid open, the two halves retreating into their recesses, and an electronic moan dripped out of the darkness. Slowly, a long-fingered hand curled over the lip of the opening, its malformed knuckles glinting like slivers of moonlight. A scrape, a drag, and, soon, two glowing photoreceptors peered over the edge, staring into the derelict shaft.

Salvager cringed. A Starving Silver model. Great.

Venom, meanwhile, wasted no time. In a flash, he conjured his player board, sank his arm up to the elbow in his inventory, and snapped out two magnetic grenades, flinging them high. Once near enough, they reacted to the android’s metal skin and promptly zipped towards it, attacking like mosquitoes, cracking into the thing’s head, puncturing its skull with their security prongs.

The subsequent explosions filled the elevator shaft with an obscuring white light.

The sharp beam of Salvager’s laser grapnel cut through it, the man himself soon following. He whipped past Venom in a blur, careening in a tight arc over the door bank’s extended lip, and--teeth bared, neck straining--smashed his heels like battering rams into what was left of the android’s skull. It popped off its spinal cord like a lollipop head from its stick, the Starving Silver it had carried leaping across Salvager’s boots.

Perfectly calm, the man allowed himself to fall backward, hunching over midair and hastily undoing his laces. There. The shoes slipped free of his feet, taking all the parasitic metal with them. Now, to fix the falling.

Salvager flung out a hand.

And Venom, lunging sideways and nearly losing his grip on the elevator cable, caught it. A savage grunt erupted from between his teeth as the older man’s weight jerked him downward. Two of his steel pins snapped, bursting from his cybernetic forearm and spinning into the dark like pennies flipped into a fountain. “Ghk!” he choked, stuffing down a fierce complaint as he heaved Salvager back onto the wire.

“Nice catch,” the man gasped, tucking a leg around the line and regaining purchase. “Arm okay?”

“Forget about it,” Venom groaned, raising his gaze back to the Floor 192 doors. A swarm of eyes were filling it, flinty and curious, piercing the darkness like stars crowding out a night sky. “We’ve got bigger problems.”

Salvager grit his teeth, a crease slicing down his brow. What was that…? Fifty more androids? “No stopping,” he decided. “Climb. I’ve got your back.”

“No stopping?”

“We’re not making it to 192 with that kind of welcoming party. Just skip it.”

There was nothing for it.

They’d have to go straight for Floor 193.

The top was in reach.

3 notes · View notes

solver002 · 4 months ago

Note

Eventually, all walls meet demolition So Wall Street had to keep the tradition Their financial systems resigned to ignition And out of the ashes, we have arisen

An empire is forged in the fire of ambition In business, there isn't the time for attrition Invest to suppress then ingest competition Then each acquisition is new ammunition

When governments crumble and fall to the floor That was paved with the graves of a corporate war A fundament funded in blood just to shore A foundation for founding our covenant

Born of a need for control of societal entropy Enterprise at the price of your indemnity Chart out the course and of course you were meant to be Bent to the will of a corporate entity

Arasaka Security. You're in safe hands

We're the light in your screens, we're the lead in your veins Then you wake from your dreams, so we can sell them again In the light we distract with the shiny and new So you're blind to the fact that the product is you So let your brain dance and replay the dream But don't drown in the data stream 'Cause we see where you are and we see where you go 'Cause we know what you own and we own what you know

From the top of all our towers, the corridors of power clearly need rewiring Arasaka saw the spark and then embarked upon the path to turn that spark to lightning There's no autonomous megalopolis so populous or prosperous you could reside in And every citizen that's living in this city is a digit on the charts we're climbing

Political systems are too inefficient They split like the atom and burned in the fission Now every department and every decision Defer to the herds of our corporate divisions

If you don't remember the ballot you cast It's printed on every receipt you were passed Each time you selected our products and services We were elected in each of your purchases

What's left to do when you've got the monopoly? Turn the consumer into the commodity It isn't hard where you've hardware neurology Honestly, do read the company policy

Take information and trade it for wealth You pay it in each augmentation we sell It's easy to cut out the middleman When he's cut out most of himself

Arasaka Finance. Investing in your future

All that you say on the net we composite To maps that go straight from your head to your pocket Complain if you want, you're still making deposits Of data — each day you log on is a profit

Society currently lists electronic So isn't conducting resistance ironic? We've plenty of skeletons locked in our closets But yours are assembled from old-stock hydraulics

So lucky we know just the pieces you need All plucked from your social media feeds The places you go and the posts that you read All snatched for a new algorithm to feed

Now, holding our gold isn't par for the brand Our silver is sat in the palm of your hand Quit whining and sign on the line in the sand The supply does not get to make the demands

Arasaka Manufacturing. Building a better tomorrow

Name, age, qualifications Race, faith, career aspirations Political leaning, daily commute Marital status, favourite fruit

Family, browser, medical history Hobbies, interests, brand affinity Fashion, style, your occupation Gender identity, orientation

Lifestyle choices, dietary needs The marketing contact you choose to receive Posts, likes, employers, friends Social bias, exploitable trends

Tastes, culture, phone of choice Facial structure, the tone of your voice If it's inside your head, we know You can't escape the ebb and flow

When guiding the hand of the market If it's holding a cheque or a gun The fingers go deep in your pockets And you can live under the thumb

You seem so surprised, what did you expect? We're thinking outside of that box that you checked The terms were presented in full to inspect You scrolled to the end just to get to "Accept"

Arasaka would like to know your location (In the light we distract with the shiny and new) Arasaka would like to know your location Arasaka would like to know your location (So you're blind to the fact that the product is you) Arasaka would like to know your location

2 notes · View notes

juleskelleybooks · 1 year ago

Text

Blackthorn

“We didn’t talk much, but I got the impression he didn’t have much of a north star except what’ll put chips in his pocket.”

A useful quality in a man, in Belle’s opinion.

“Well, here. I’ll let you pass along a small good-faith gesture to him, but see to it that you don’t mention where it came from.” She opened the locked drawer of her vanity and counted out a few more scanchips. Most places would take the chip itself as barter, since the closest place to cash them in was in Pryor. The way the electronics went out all the time around here anyway, bartering the chips was more reliable than trying to access an account from a scanner.

She shuffled around until she found a small pouch caught far in the back of the vanity drawer. It smelled faintly of a perfume she had run out of years ago, and she hesitated briefly before she let the chips slide from her fingertips into the velvety depths. The bag itself would be as much of a lure as what was inside.

~Blackthorn by Jules Kelley

Nathanael Dubarr always seems to be caught in the middle. His older brother Wystan is already taking over the family business, an empire of shipping networks that have carved their way across several worlds. His younger brother Noah seems intent on squandering his share of the inheritance in whatever way will hurt the most people around him. Nate wishes his family were less cutthroat; his family wishes he weren't such a fucking coward.

After a confrontation with Noah turns fatal, however, Nate knows his only choice is to flee. He books passage to the outer planet of Aulis under the name Nate Gray and signs on with agricultural giant Sun Mountain to guard a shipment of mining equipment out to the rural settlement of Blackthorn.

A former farming town, Blackthorn's economy is hanging on by a thread. All the farms dried up after the river was dammed to accommodate the amestrite mine, and anyone still drawing a paycheck is likely working in the mines or else being paid by those who are.

No one has more bitterness about this than Belle Wilde, the proprietor of the local saloon. The amestrite mine is on her deceased father's property, which was purchased out from under her by Max Findlay, a wealthy off-worlder who cares nothing for the people living and working in Blackthorn. Findlay seems untouchable -- but his mining operation is not, a detail that Belle is prepared to exploit to its fullest.

On Findlay's payroll for guarding mining shipments and on Belle's payroll for sabotaging them, Nate knows it's only a matter of time before he runs out of room on the tightrope that he's walking--but he isn't expecting the end of the line to come in the form of his family's transportation specialists and the ruthless militarized enforcers that work for them.

Blackthorn is a work in progress and does not currently have an estimated publication date. Follow the author @juleskelleybooks for updates or check out juleskelleybooks.com for more of their work.

#this is one of my two nano projects this year!#so i thought i'd make an interest post about it

7 notes · View notes

opalchoi · 8 months ago

Note

Writing challenge! 🥸

Include one or more of the following:

Pokémon

Waffles

Uniform

It was Opal's last week at the cafe before embarking on her new adventure.

She was cleaning the counter as the door chimed, she looked up to greet the customer and her heart stopped as she saw a beautiful tall presumably European tourist stooping down as they entered the doorway.

Their complexion glistened in the sunlight and Opal lost her balance for a moment as their eyes met one another...

For that fraction of a second, Opal was elsewhere. She felt herself floating above her body feeling nothing but a mere spectator.

The girl walked up to the counter

"Scusi ...Do you speak English?"

Opal came plummeting down back to earth like a waterfall. Feeling bruised and nauseous she attempted to compose herself

"Uh...Hi yes! I can speak English, what can get for you?... " Opal froze again as she once again locked eyes with the customer, she noticed the depth of brown in their eyes through neat tortoiseshell glasses & the delicately placed freckles on their cheeks.

She looked away shyly and gasped for air while the customer had chance to respond

*come on Opal get it together!!* she commanded, pleading with her brain to switch on & whatever was in charge to drop it momentarily.

Opal had forgotten the kissaten she worked at had a good reputation online, part of the reason she got the job was her ability to speak English.

"One cappuccino please..." the girl paused to look at the array of cakes and sandwiches, then up at the specials board in deep thought

"And uhm, I'd like something sweet, what would you recommend?"

Before she realised her mouth had opened, still a spectator Opal heard her own voice immediately respond

"Me?"

Again her soul came crashing back to earth stunned that whoever was in charge of Opal in that moment had the audacity to be so confident

Opal unlocked herself from the eye contact in an attempt to regain control of herself

"Uh..... I mean, how about a waffle?

You can have ice cream & strawberries with it?"

"Sure that would be great" the customer responded in a friendly tone

Opal noticed how cute they looked as they smiled back at her, and became more flustered

"...pppp-Please find a seat, I'll bring it to you when its hot... i mean, when its ready!"

"Perfect, thanks"

The customer beamed at her once more and Opal just froze with a dumb look on her face and holding an extremely awkward thumbs up 👍

As Opal began to breathe, she now had the accept the reality that this cafe did not infact sell waffles... or have any ice cream to place on top... it had strawberries used for some of the cakes at least.

She rushed back into the kitchen to check what ingredients they had, clumsily bumping her shoulder into the doorway as she entered.

As she ran through the ingredients in her head 'eggs, flour.. sugar...."

She realised the biggest thing was there was no waffle maker...

"I'll be right back" she shouted to the owner as she ran out the back door

There was a store a block away, she ran as fast as she could, it was a mini mart the chances of a waffle maker was slim

Opal quickly stepped through the Isles trying to find the random electronics section in the back corner of the store "Yesss" she thought as she saw a pokemon waffle maker with a pikachu on the front.

She grabbed it and ran, quickly throwing money onto the counter in the vague direction of the clerk "do you have any ice cream?" She panted..

"No sorry" they responded "but there's a ice cream stall a couple blocks that way" they pointed back towards the direction of her café. ".....Thank you" the dust of Opal echoed to the clerk. She left so abruptly it was the only trace of her left.

Opal ran as fast as she could with her newly purchased waffle maker under her arm. She quickly checked her pink casio for the time "Oh man, I'm running out of time"

She burst back into the kitchen, stuffed the waffle maker into her colleagues arms and said "Please please please can you start making a waffle with this I promised a customer...."

"The Cute Italian one?" Yumiko replied

"Uh yeah!! and pleeeease make your best cappuccino for them" she was still out of breath "it's important"

"Okay okay I will, you planning to propose or something?" Yumiko teased

Opal punched Yumiko in the arm as she ran out of the kitchen to not expose her bright red cheeks.

Opal found the ice cream stall thankfully fairly quickly. In the end she got a takeaway coffee cup filled with vanilla ice cream

She ran back to the cafe, blinkered like a horse in a race and as she turned a corner there was some small children walking home from school.

Right in front of the onrushing Opal..

Opal took evasive manoeuvres to avoid killing the innocent children but this meant she tripped on the curb and she could only watch as the tub of ice cream went hurtling into the air

She fell to the ground, scrambling to get back up to catch the makeshift ice cream tub but as she was disoriented it was unclear what the trajectory was.... and as she reached out the tub actually landed on her face *bonk*

At this point the children started to break into fits of laughter and were cheering what they had just witnessed

Opal put on her falsest smile and bowed towards the children as if an entertainer at a birthday party. She then bolted back towards the store, not feeling any pain due to the adrenaline or shock.

As she got back into the kitchen the owner was irritable as usual

"What are you doing, you sneaking off to get coffee elsewhere?"

"Why are you covered in blood?!"

"Why is your uniform ripped?"

Opal's eyes welled up with tears, she didn't like conflict & wasn't well versed in dealing with it...

"This isn't coffee this is ice cream for a customer!!" She chirped back

"I'm sorry nakamura-san" she bowed briefly

"There was a tourist and I mis-spoke so I went to get a waffle maker and ice cream"

The manager started to laugh, "Opal you realise this is a waffle maker for kids right? "

"Buh.. does it still make waffles?"

Yumiko shyly appeared in a crab like fashion from behind the owner to show Opal a plate covered in tiny Pikachu face shaped waffles

"Ohhhh fuuuudge" Opal sighed

In the end the Pikachu waffles looked cute with strawberry ears and ice cream eyes and tourist found the funny side.

Opal proceeded to hide behind the counter occasionally peeking to see if they were enjoying the food.

Still dying of embarrassment

#opalchoi #opalchi #enfp #oc #short long story #prompt challenge #thanks Fazil i had fun with this #hope it is readable #if a bit longwinded #totally made up this tourist for sure definitely not based on a real cute person...#uwu

4 notes · View notes

kinetic-elaboration · 11 months ago

Text

January 24: Octavia, Bravery/Fear

Octavia-centric, ~830 words, written in about 30 minutes; cw for references to drug use

For the prompt "bravery and its antonyms (cowardice, timidity, fear, hesitation)" from my July Break Bingo 2023 card (though I sort of forgot about the prompt pretty fast lol)

In the same 'verse as Make a lot of Money and Feel Dead Inside, my Time Loop fic. It's not.. spoiler-y per se, but it might make more sense later.

It is not true that Octavia Blake ceased to feel fear at the age of fifteen.

She wanted that story in the last book. The woman, the myth, the legend. Bellamy told her that superheroes weren't relatable, and that all of her adventures would read as boring and slight, if she turned herself into some sort of perfect, fearless goddess. Oh, it would all be too easy then. No stakes, no drama, no reason to care. No one wants to read a book like that, he said.

And even then, maybe that phrasing was just to be polite. Maybe he didn't mean you can't look superhuman but more like you can't look inhuman. And it burned her up that he wasn't wrong. That image they want for the TV screen, girl next door but she climbs mountains for a living, that's not her and never has been. But it's the sort of thing that sells. The relatable thing.

How she'd like to be perceived is like something out of a tall tale, or the over-the-top adventures Bellamy used to tell her as bedtime stories. The characters weren't anything in those; the story was their accomplishments, stacked up against all the dangers they faced.

She can't be a superhero and she can't be too cocky and she can't lie about conquering the very concept of fright when she was just a kid because that self-myth, it sounds so good in her head, but if she spoke it out loud it would prove all too much. She should have been able to vanquish it then: the feeling of her heart pounding in her throat, the nauseous tightening in her stomach, the tickling unease. The dread. Because she'd felt it at its worst and then she'd crushed it in her hands. She'd—

She'd seen everything that she needed to see.

But instead she found the nightmares followed her for years. Maybe she'd come up too close to the monster's face and it had changed her, or maybe she was waiting for the aftermath, the vengeance. Maybe she was taking her cues from her big brother, who sulked around the house all quiet for a while and said that it was mourning. She'd watch his eyes twitch and that tic in his jaw that was always his tell. And it made something sick start to vibrate along her skin. Maybe, like Clarke said, it just takes a while for that stuff to wash over you, her way of saying, there's trauma, and you have to learn the patience to feel it out and through.

What did make it to the book is that she has no patience and never did. To overcome the fear she had to kill it herself. She pushed right up against everything that had ever scared her; she dared, not herself to endure, but the terrifying things to find her, to get her. Horror movie marathons on Friday nights. Sleepovers with Clarke when they took the old Ouija board out and called for spirits. All that other side of the veil shit, she'd always hated it, because it seemed like if it was true, it would be the worst fate of all. She practiced sneaking out of the house even with nowhere to go. She explored the edges of the swamp.

In college, she started hanging out with the two guys down the hall, and on the weekends, after dark, they'd leave campus and go exploring. They tore apart their mid-size university town as if the only things they really had to learn were all its secrets. Jasper was excellent at picking locks. When the security systems were electronic, Monty would fix them. For a while, her favorite sensations were rusting metal fencing cutting into her skin, and the satisfaction of finding purchase in the diamond cutouts with her feet. Sometimes they just sat outside in parking lots they shouldn't be in and smoked Monty's weed. Bellamy would have killed her if she'd gotten high in high school, which is sort of ironic when you really think about it, and at first it scared her, too. She wondered what it would be like, to be not quite herself.

"You'll feel great," Jasper told her, soft and warm, his breath an outtake of cold, misting air and smoke. When he handed her the joint and their fingers touched, it seemed more intimate than the time she'd gotten caught trying to climb one of the fences, and he’d had to shove her upwards with his hands on her ass.

She wanted to cut open her palm, let it bleed like an oath. She wanted to steal just to prove she could. She wanted to jump off a building just to show them all she'd land on her feet.

How had she defeated the worst monster there was, and fear still lingered, tightening up in her throat?

"You okay?" Monty asked her, then, and she swallowed down everything she still didn't know and said yes.

#the year 2024 #2024: free write #mine #my writing #the 100 #octavia blake #make a lot of money #worrying that my writing lacks a sort of semi-ironic detachment and THAT friends is a sign i need to sleep

3 notes · View notes