#Roman Hart

[rubeau-art]

PREVIEW - A Town Called Hope

Hey all! The current draft of chapter one is under the cut (to save people on mobile from a long post), and the Mp3 file can be found [HERE]

The audio isn't the best, but it's serviceable

Cheers!

A Town Called Hope

Chapter One

Grey clouds hung heavy in the evening sky, the threat of rain rumbling within them. The trip had been uneventful, but looking at those clouds would give anyone pause. Reynard was no exception. Uneventful or not, he was not about to drive through that approaching storm in the dark. It looked like the next village he found would be his home for the night.  

It was hard to tell if the sun had set by the time the lights of next the village came into view. ‘Blackwood’ the faded sign by the road announced. A fitting name for the place. Dark woods pressed in on the little village from all sides- expect the one that was pressed in by a broad lake. The clouds Reynard had been trying to avoid had settled into a dark blanket over the woods and thatched rooftops, and by the time he pulled up to the village Inn, the rain had dropped. It clattered like marbles on the windshield of his tiny yellow car, and for a moment he debated sleeping in the back seat. He glanced back at the seat in question. No. He was not going to scrunch himself in there just to avoid getting a little bit wet. Not again. Taking a deep breath, he snatched his bag from the passenger seat and swung the door open.

In the few seconds it took for him to sprint across the carpark to cover of the Inn, Reynard was soaked through. He hunched his shoulders against the cold highland air and hurried inside.

A wave of relief washed over Reynard as he stood there, dripping on the doormat. It looked like most of the town was in that night. To get away from the rain? Or to not be alone during the storm? The warm air was full of circling chatter and laughter, interspersed with the occasional crack and pop from the roaring fire at the far end of the building. The sounds seemed to hold up the old wooden rafters overhead, giving the place a life all its own. Reynard received some warm smiles as he dripped his way over to the bar, but everyone seemed content to keep to their little circles and conversations. That was until he made it to the bar and caught the attention of the young lady behind the counter.

“Excuse me, Miss? I was wondering-“

The young lady turned to face him, tucking a wayward strand of bleached-blonde hair behind her ear. The second she laid eyes on him she let out a small, shrill squeak- then covered her mouth rather quickly, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. Oh no, Reynard thought to himself.

“I- I’m so sorry, I don’t know where that noise came from,” She waggled her hand in the air between them. An anxious tick maybe? “You’re Reynard Walker! You must get this a lot, but I’ve read all your books. I’m really a huge fan.”

He didn’t ‘get that a lot’. The few books he had written had been poorly received by the public. They much preferred the articles and fluff he wrote for magazines as a part of his day job. This young lady seemed to be one of the few exceptions. He felt a smile pull on his lips and nodded politely. “I really appreciate that. It’s a pleasure to meet a fan. Miss…?”

“Shit-“ she covered her mouth again, cheeks burning, “I mean, um- Anna. It’s Anna.” She took a moment to calm herself down and did her best to keep her hands from fluttering about. “S-so! What can I do for you?”

“A room for the night, please. And maybe a mop.” He glanced at the line of puddles he’d left on the flagstone floor behind him.

Anna followed his gaze. “Oh gosh- I’ll sort that in a second.” She fished about beneath the counter. The click of a lock. A soft clink. A key set on the bar. “We have more than enough rooms this time of year. No one hangs around after the end of the Autumn festival. Not unless they’re hungover.” Reynard raised an eyebrow as he picked up the key. She might have floundered before, but Anna had been quick to find her stride. Not the worst fan he’d come across by any means. “If you don’t mind me asking-” Anna continued as she went back to pulling pints for the locals. “What brings you all the way out here? Didn’t think there would be anything worth writing about in these woods. Unless it’s a personal trip? You getting yourself away from the big city for a while?”

Reynard felt his lips tighten. “Personal work.” He said flatly, “Not here though. I’ll be heading up to Hope in the morning.” He saw the way her eyes lit up. Anna wanted to know more. Reynard was not going to give it to her.

Anna sighed and smiled. “I suppose I’ll just have to wait, then.” Reynard blinked. He was surprised there had been no attempt to push. His shoulders relax and smiled again. He was too used to being around other journalists.

 Anna waved her hand at him, shooing him away from the bar. “Go on now. Go get yourself dry. We don’t want you catching a cold and having to stay here when you’ve got work to do.”

---

Reynard found his room upstairs, dropped his things and showered before heading back down to the bar. Tucked away in a quiet corner, he watched locals drift in and out with the breaks in the downpour outside. Anna brought him dinner at one point. As he ate, he fished out his phone and tapped out a text.

‘Hey Chris, finally stopped for the night. Cute town. I think you’d like it.’

Almost immediately his phone rang in his hand. It was Chris. He picked up.

“Glad to know you’re still alive. Not one text. All day.” Chris was clearly annoyed, but Reynard could tell she was happy to hear from him, “Anyway, did you make it to the border, or is this another cute town you’re talking about?”

“Not at the border yet. Storm held things up.” He could hear her relief through the phone. Relief that he hadn’t pushed through the storm and into the night no doubt. “It’s nice here though. Little village, nice Inn. Chatty locals.”  

“Oh you must love that.” She laughed, and Reynard smiled. “Alright I’ll let you go now I know you’re alive, but you have to tell me when you arrive tomorrow, okay?”

“If there’s any reception. Otherwise, It might be a day or two before I get back here.” He could hear the little noise she made in disapproval. “Hey, at least Hope’s an empty town. How much trouble could I get into?”

A few tables across, a stranger tilted his head, listening to the writer’s half of the conversation.

“Oh my god, Ren! Now you’re for sure going to get into trouble. It’s like saying ‘what could possibly go wrong’.” She was laughing. “You just can’t help yourself can you. Listen, have a good night and I’ll send the police if I don’t hear from you in a week.”

“You know they won’t come again.” He teased, hearing the roll of her eyes.

“I’ll use a fake name for you. Goodnight, Ren.”

“Night, Chris.” Reynard looked at the blank screen of his phone after the click. After a moment a flicker of movement at the edge of the table pulled him from his thoughts.

A young man stood there. Long dark hair framed a tired-looking face. But those eyes were anything but tired. Reynard recognized that look. That spark of curiosity. He’d caught it on his own reflection many times. Reynard tucked his phone away, his gaze set on the man as he waited. An awkward pause dragged on before the stranger spoke in a hushed voice.

“I overheard you talking to Anna. You’re heading to Hope-” Reynard frowned, the young man hurried to explain himself. “Wait- Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it. I gathered that much from your talk with Anna. But I… I have something that might be of interest to you.”

“What makes you think that?” Reynard’s tone was calm. Where was this going?

“You’re a writer, yeah? A writer going to Hope for a ‘personal project’.” He fixed Reynard with a stare laced with- what? Understanding? Urgency? Another pause. Reynard gestured to the seat opposite him. The stranger slipped into the booth, a little smile on his face. “I’m Roman, by the way.”

“Reynard.” He offered. Then, with a hint of humor in his voice, “Though you probably ‘overheard’ that too.”

“Maybe.” Roman chuckled, “Bad habit of mine. I’ve read some of your work too. Your research is solid. That’s why I think you might want to take this.”

Roman pulled a battered notebook from inside his duffle coat. Its spine was reinforced with tape, and the pages of the book groaned from the sheer number of notes stuffed between them. He set it on the table and pushed it across to Reynard.

Reynard picked up the book and turned it over in his hands. Thumbing through the pages, his eyebrows raised. The book was full of research notes. Photos, fragments of maps, cuttings from newspapers across the decades. It was all about Hope. Roman had puzzled together a record of the town’s cryptic history, right up until it had gone dark in the late 40s. Pieces were missing, but it was as near a complete a report Reynard had ever seen. As he turned another page, a photograph fell out. Faded and water damaged, it showed children running in a schoolyard while a woman watched on.

“How did you get all this?” Reynard almost whispered, staring at the photo on the table. The water damage had made the woman’s face impossible to make out, but something about her was familiar. It made him uncomfortable.

“I’ve been looking into the town on and off for a few years.” Roman glanced over his shoulder. Paranoia maybe? “Figured with you being a writer and all, you might be able to get some use out of them.”

Reynard tucked the photo away and set the book down on the table. “You would pass over ‘a few years’ worth of notes to a stranger because you overheard me talking about the same town at a bar?” He didn’t even bother to hide the suspicion in his voice.

“Only if they have a ‘personal’ reason for going there.” Roman locked eyes with him. “No one has been there since the town was fenced off decades ago, and there’s no evidence that anyone ever left the town before it went dark. At least not in the records. But what if off the record, there was someone who made it out after all-“

“They would be dead by now.” Reynard cut in sharply. He pushed the book back across the table and stood. “Nice meeting you.”

“Wait! I- Shit!” Roman moved to stand- and his phone rang. Whatever it was, it was enough to make him hesitate in going after Reynard.

Reynard didn’t hang around. He strode out of the bar, up the stairs into the quiet of the guestrooms.   

---

Sat in the quiet of his room, Reynard pulled a battered leather case from his things. Resting his thumb on the latch, he stared at the worn edges and patched corners of the case. His hand was shaking. Roman’s words rattled through his brain. Someone had gotten out. But having Roman pin him that quickly had been unsettling.

He couldn’t do this to himself. Not tonight. Overthinking it all would do him no good. He tucked the case back into his things and pushed them under the bed. ‘Tomorrow’s problems’, he thought. 

Thunder rolled overhead as he turned off the light. Rain against the windows pulling him into a deep, dreamless sleep.

[afterdarkprincess]

✨💘Tay's Fic Masterlist 💘✨

Sami Zayn & Jey Uso

Aftershocks Rating: Explicit Word Count: 14,595 Summary: Sami and Jey dealing with the aftermath of Tribal Combat at SummerSlam Masterpost Pretty in Pink- Aftershocks side story Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,570 Summary: On a brief vacation from shows, Sami comes home to find his boyfriend all dressed up and waiting for him. Post

The Devil's in the Details (But You Got a Friend in Me) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 33,090 (currently) Summary: Royal Rumble AU- Sami gets injured at the Rumble and never betrays Roman. Friends to Lovers through SummerSlam Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Sweet Like Justice Rating: Gen Word Count: 660 Summary: Backstage at Crown Jewel, Jey and Sami hatch a plan to subvert the Judgement Day Post

A Moment Backstage Rating: Gen Word Count: 1,027 Summary: Sami and Jey share an interaction backstage before the Tag Title Rematch (set during Nov 13th 2023 Monday Night Raw) Post

Ruin(ed) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 729 Summary: Watching from backstage as Rhea flirts with Jey, Sami gets possessive and pulls Jey into the closest closet Post

Beauty Rating: Mature Word Count: 356 Summary: Sami Zayn reflects on the most beautiful thing he's ever seen Post

Did you touch yourself to the thought of me? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1051 Summary:Sami finds out just how long Jey had been thinking about the two of them together. Post am I allowed to cry? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,556 Summary: Sami reflects on his relationship with Jey and the visions of Jey he sees in his head. Post

fuck it if i can't have him Rating: Mature Word Count: 1,514 Summary: Jey reflects on the choices he's made since the Royal Rumble and his feelings for Sami Post

I love you (it's ruining my life) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,372 Summary: Sami and Jey realize they're in the same hotel and meet up for a late night discussion. Post

fear Rating: Mature Word Count: 1,326 Summary: Seeing the carnage backstage, Jey fears for Sami's safety Post

you like that? Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,058 Summary: Jey tells Sami all the things he'll do for him once he becomes double champ Post

CM Punk/Drew McIntyre

i won't be denied by you (the animal inside of you) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 932 Summary: Drew McIntyre is obsessed with CM Punk. Haunted by CM Punk. Possessed by him. Post

Winner Take All Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,778 Summary: After their encounters on the April 29th Monday Night RAW, Drew McIntyre finds CM Punk backstage. Alone. Post

Acts of Contrition Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,581 Summary: Drew kidnaps CM Punk and cleanses him of his many sins Post

A Piece of You Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,208 Summary: Drew gets exactly what he wants when he shows up to Smackdown- a piece of CM Punk Post

Unfinished Business Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,930 Summary: Drew hears Punk's remarks to Cathy after Bash in Berlin and seeks him out in his hotel room. Post

Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns & Jon Moxley

tangled up with you all night (burning it down) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3,720 Summary: Shield Era 2012 Seth has an encounter with 2023's Jon Moxley and Tribal Chief. Sexytimes ensue. Post

Seth Rollins & Jon Moxley

all you ever did was wreck me (yeah you wreck me) Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3,278 Summary: Newly returned Dean Ambrose has a press event at the WWE Performance Center and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins is among those there to greet him. They find one another in a practice room long after everyone else has gone home and things escalate quickly. Post

mine Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,083 Summary: Dean Ambrose pays Seth Rollins a visit after Smackdown 3/29/24 to remind Seth who he belongs to. Post

The Bloodline- Roman & Sami

ours Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,990 Summary: After WarGames, Roman decides what Sami Zayn's place is in the bloodline, a willing hole for them to use. Post

Roman's Pet Rating: Explicit Word Count: 859 Summary: Roman's pet Sami serves the Tribal Chief and earns his reward Post

Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton

Unwrapping Rating: Teen Word Count: 1,289 Summary: After a long day of pressers and events, Cody returns home to Randy, who knows exactly how to take care of him. Post

Bret Hart & Shawn Micheals

between comfort and chaos Rating: Mature Word Count: 510 Summary: Shawn examines the feelings that have been growing between himself and Bret. Post

Solo Sikoa & Sami Zayn

Leather & Lace Rating: Explicit Word Count: 2,009 Summary: Solo Sikoa finds himself as the new Tribal Chief. The Tribal Chief gets what the Tribal Chief wants. Solo Sikoa wants Sami Zayn. Post

Sami & Jey & Cody Rhodes

Can't Keep My Hands to Myself Rating: Explicit Word Count: 6,053 Summary: Things get a little heated in the bus after the Fastlane Press Conference, Sami facetimes his boyfriend to get in on the action. Part 1 Part 2

Jey Uso & Cody Rhodes

you can be rough, I can take it Rating: Explicit Word Count: 1,108 Summary: Set after Fastlane 2023 press conference- Cody and Jey fall into bed together after winning the undisputed tag team championships. Post

Jey Uso & Sami Zayn & Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins

all's fair in love and war Rating: Explicit Word Count: 4,413 Summary: Aftermath of November 20th Monday Night Raw- Jey panics at hearing Randy Orton's name out of Cody's mouth. He's lost the advantage and feels less secure than ever in his position on their team, but Sami, Cody, and Seth are there to support and spoil him. Part 1 Part 2

LA Knight & JD McDonagh

nothing safe is worth the drive (and I will follow you home) Rating: Gen/Teen Word Count: 1,305 Summary: LA Knight waits and watches and worries as JD fights in the Wargames match and comforts him afterwards. Post

Seth Rollins & Jey Uso

dont worry, I'll be gentle Rating: Explicit Word Count: 331 Summary: Seth ties up Jey for some playtime Post

Jey Uso x Reader

can you feel how much I want you? Rating: Mature Word Count: 774 Summary: You've had one of the best nights of your life at the Royal Rumble, and you go out with the rest of the locker room to celebrate and run into your best friend Jey after a few drinks. Post

[stunnajitj]

⋆˚࿔ 𝙈𝘼𝙎𝙏𝙀𝙍𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 (𝟐/𝟑) 𝜗𝜚˚⋆🍓

•　ＳＬＯＷ　ＵＰＤＡＴＥＳ　•

Re-upload

ＳＨＡＷＮ　ＭＩＣＨＡＥＬＳ　

( Michael )

⁸ 🍓:  𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒

/)/)

( . .)

( づ🍓 - Janet and Shawn have two beautiful sons. Their oldest Michael, being five and their youngest Jace, being three. Despite having two kids together, Janet and Shawn's relationship has always been rocky. One minute they are the best of friends and always flirtatious but then, the next minute they can't stand to be around each other. But through all of that, somehow Shawn always finds his way back into Janet's bed when he's home.

↳ WWF ( ¹⁹⁹⁷ )

¹² 🍓: 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃

ʚ🍓ɞ - After months of secret hook ups in hotels, rental cars and backstage areas - Shawn grows tired and finally takes charge. Making a plan so Janet can be his and only his.

↳ WWF ( ¹⁹⁹⁴ )

ＬＩＶ　ＭＯＲＧＡＮ　

( Gionna )

⁹ 🍓: 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒

/)/)

( . .)

( づ🍓 - Wanting someone who's in a new relationship is incredibly challenging, especially when that someone is your best friend...

↳  WWE ( ²⁰²⁴ )

ＲＯＭＡＮ　ＲＥＩＧＮＳ　

( Joesph )

¹⁰ 🍓: 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐍

/)/)

( . .)

( づ🍓 ~ Jonathan (Jimmy Uso), Trinity (Naomi) and Josh (Jey Uso) help Lola with a very special surprise for her husband's 38th birthday. Bringing herself back to her roots.

↳ WWE ( ²⁰²³ )

ＢＲＥＴ　ＨＡＲＴ

¹¹ 🍓: 𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄

/)/)

( . .)

( づ🍓 - The ladies of WCW convince Vivica to plan an exclusive night so she could finally have her first time with her freshly new divorced boyfriend, Bret Hart.

↳ WCW ( ¹⁹⁹⁷ )

ＲＨＥＡ　ＲＩＰＬＥＹ

( Demi )

¹³ 🍓: 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐑

/)/)

( . .)

( づ🍓 - Solána was the only crew member backstage who truly “HATED” Demi (Rhea) outside of her character on television. Demi didn't know what it was, but, no matter what she did Solána wouldn't work with her or even speak. But After “War Games” all of that has to change...

↳ WWE ( ²⁰²⁴ )

~ 𝔍𝔞𝔷𝔷𝔶 ʚ🍓ɞ

[edwardsissyhandsthtdanceslikeabb]

THEY are my Roman Empire.

[vanityangel]

they are so babygirl and did nothing wrong, actually.

[cosmoweirdkid]

[bibastibootz]

[the-wrestling-cave]

1997 - 2002 (Attitude Era)

[salemshotspot]

hypothetical what ARE the kinktober prompts? Hypothetically, would love anything shawnter 💖💖

I've gone through my drafts to pull some requests I've been meaning to write for a while and this is how it's looking so far, if anyone has any prompts or wrestlers [any promotion/era] they'd like to see let me know and I'll add them! :) [See red for what's available to request!!!]

--- KINKTOBER PROMPT LIST:

Day One: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Two: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Three: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Four: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Five: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Six: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Seven: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Eight: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Nine: Diesel/Owen Hart; Size Kink

Day Ten: The Undertaker [Big Evil/Early 2000s] [REQUESTED] [PROMPT AND PAIRING UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Eleven: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Twelve: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Thirteen: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Fourteen: Roddy Piper/Male!Reader; Master Kink [REQUESTED]

Day Fifteen: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Sixteen: Shawn Michaels; Spanking [REQUESTED] [PAIRING UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Seventeen: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Eighteen: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Nineteen: Randy Savage/Reader; Jealous Sex [Requested]

Day Twenty: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Twenty One: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Twenty Two: Steve Austin/Reader; Oral

Day Twenty Three: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Twenty Four: Shawnter [REQUESTED] [PROMPT UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Twenty Five: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Twenty Six: The Shield/Reader; Predator/Prey Play

Day Twenty Seven: Shawnter/Reader; Talking You Through It

Day Twenty Eight: [PROMPT AND PAIRNG UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Twenty Nine: MJF; Teasing [REQUESTED] [PAIRING UP FOR REQUEST]

Day Thirty: Triple H [Current Day]/Reader; Daddy Kink [REQUESTED]

Day Thirty One: Hunter Hearst Helmsley; Corruption Kink [PAIRING UP FOR REQUEST]

[loomiseater]

I think I wanna start writing little drabbles/imagines so can u guys send prompts or whatever

[edupunkn00b]

Meus ex Machina, Chapter 11: Hesper

Edited public domain image of two hands reaching for each other, lit in deep blue and neon green.

Prev - Hesper - Next - Masterpost - [ AO3 ]

Logan meets Hesper and he's only left with more questions. Everything has a beginning, though, and not even Abracadabra was what it is now.

“Kiddos are all in bed,” Patton sighed as he settled into the seat adjacent to Luc, reaching over to ruffle his hair. Janus opened his eyes in time to catch Luc’s faux scowl at Patton’s tousle.

“Gorgeous as always, mon cher,” he whispered, smoothing Luc’s auburn curls back into place. “Simply gorgeous.”

With a blush that rivaled his hair, Luc smiled but quickly sobered and blew on his tea. “You said you had news?”

Setting aside the little flash he caught from Patton, Janus nodded and straightened in his seat. He took Luc’s free hand as he shifted away from the comfortable home he’d made nestled against his side. “I do,” he began, working to keep the worst of his worries shielded from the other two.

And from the children’s drowsing minds.

Luc and Patton’s expressions told him he needed more practice. “What is it, Jan?” Patton asked, reaching for his other hand as Luc gripped his brother’s forearm. Together, they made a little triangle as the night sky darkened outside the big bay window. “Is it bad?”

“It’s… an opportunity,” Janus licked dry lips and painted on something like a smile. His scars pulled at one side of his face, hampering the intended encouraging effect. “I was contacted by the new mentalists department at Abracadabra.”

“The start-up? How—“

Janus’ eyes flicked down to his own wrist and his great-grandfather’s antique Casio, an anachronism even in that time.

“The ‘Foundation…’” Luc sucked his teeth and he closed his eyes, likely hiding his battle for control. After a moment, he calmed and met Janus’ eyes with a crooked smile. “What did those capos want from you?”

Janus sighed, a low near-growl. “They offered me a job.”

“Me, too,” Patton whispered, rubbing little circles against Luc’s arm. “This morning.”

“You both said ‘no,’ right?” Luc’s eyes were wide as he looked between them. His smile faded at Janus’ silence. “Love, tell me you said ‘no.’”

“I…” Janus slid closer to each of them. Patton only tightened his grip on Janus’ hand. “I believe this is an opportunity we can’t discount. We—“

“We need to stay as far from them as we fucking can!” Luc’s fingers tingled against his skin and he moved up to grip Janus’ sleeve. Safer that way. But he didn’t concede. “You think just because they’ve stopped hunting Powereds we’re suddenly safe?”

“No. I think we’re safer together. I think we’re safer integrated into society rather than maintaining this us vs. them mentality. Let us be a part of the shared solution. We have so much to contribute, we—“

“Oh, open a fucking history book!�� Luc closed his eyes, orange flickering beneath his lashes. When he opened then again, his tone was softer. Just barely. “Love, they’ve just moved on to co-option. Sure, now they want to work with the ‘right kind’ of Powerds like you and Pat and—“

“Luc,” Janus warned, stroking his arm. An itch at the base of his spine told him they wouldn’t be alone for long.

But Luc either couldn’t—wouldn’t?—hear him. He released Janus’ arm and had begun counting on his fingers. “Step two is when they tell us it’s only the ‘risky’ Powerds they need to tamp down on. ‘Four legs good, two legs better,’ right?”

“Luc!” Janus said more forcefully, casting a quick glance at Patton.

Both of the elder Powerd’s hands now gripped Luc’s arm and he tugged gently, keeping him seated. “Lukie, maybe Jan’s right. Maybe we—“

“What, we should heel at the corporation’s side? Strap on our own muzzles so we can duck step together when they figure out their final solution is cull the herd of the dangerous Powerds like—“

“Like Re?” Low and quiet from the hallway, Virgil’s voice managed to cut through Luc’s rant. 

Luc deflated, eyes glowing as he swallowed his next argument. “Yeah, Virge. Like Re, and maybe Ro, too. Anyone they think is dangerous and uncontrolled.” He frowned at Janus. “Or uncontrollable.”

“Dangerous?” Virgil asked, sliding into the room and sitting cross-legged on the coffee table between them. He jerked his chin at the pictures of Luc and Patton’s old orphanage. “Like you?”

“Now, Kiddo,” Patton began. “That fire wasn’t his—“

Luc cut him off with a sad smile and a little shoulder squeeze before turning to meet the teenager’s eyes. “Yeah, Virge, dangerous like me, too.”

Virgil’s memory of his truncated hospital stay flooded Janus’ mind, nurses sprawled on the floor, blood pooling from eyes and ears, soaking through their face masks.

“Yeah, I know it wasn’t his fault, Pops.” Virgil’s eyes were teary behind his floppy bangs as he turned to face Janus, hands shoved in his pockets. “What do these capos want you to do?”

~

“Tin Man, let’s go!” V called over his shoulder from the top of the stairs. Orange lights still glowed from the ceiling but at least the alarm had stopped.

Patton and Silvertongue had already run down to prep the transport and map their route. A low whine from the engines filtered up from below, a little shimmer to the air as dust kicked up from the lower landing pad. 

Behind him, The Prince huffed, loudly, as Logan struggled to get situated in his suit. 

Logan focused on breathing, ignoring the pounding behind his eyes and the ache in his arm. He briefly regretted not sleeping while he could, a regret that dissolved when he closed his eyes and The Muse’s shaky smile filled his vision.

Palm sweaty, his hand skid along the edge of the mech’s chest cavity but he caught himself, fingers wedged between the collar and chest plate. He pulled and pushed against the mech’s waist with his stronger stump, muscles trembling. 

“Sorry,” he grunted. “Almost got—“

“Oh, come on!” The Prince snapped, physically hauling Logan higher and depositing him inside the mech. Logan swallowed back a curse and glared at the Powered.

“Don’t ever do that to me again!” he growled.

The Prince rolled his eyes and pushed him toward the stairs. “Or what? You’ll fuck things up?” He glanced down at the mech’s heavy durasteel boots. “‘Sorry,’” he muttered, anything but. “Didn’t mean to step on your toes.”

Heat flooded Logan’s face and neck, hurt and rage warring just under his skin. “You son of a—“

“Princey! Mac! Now!” V’s beckoned from the stairwell, glaring at each of them in turn. “Or we’ll leave you both behind.”

~

The transport door clanged shut and they shot up into the sky and over the churning Atlantic. Logan didn’t know how much of his altercation with The Prince everyone else had heard, but save for a few quiet mutters between The Prince and Patton up at the controls, the team was silent. He felt the brush of Silvertongue’s questioning thoughts, a warm request, no, an invitation to share. Logan simply shook his head and concentrated on checking the mech’s systems.

Satisfied he was powered up and ready, he watched the screens at the front of the transport, following as they raced over greenish grey waters.

Before long, Patton banked right, aiming for a landing platform somewhere off the coast. Which coast, Logan had no idea. Before them stretched a sprawling city, bright lights casting a haze in the low clouds. Silver towers sparkled, rising up out of the jagged reefs of the drowned coastal city that had come before it. 

“I can’t tell if he’s still there.” Patton broke the silence, pointing to a screen where flickering orange lights blipped at seemingly random spots.

“He’s here,” Silvertongue’s eyes were closed but his voice was clear. “Prince? Can you cover our approach?”

“Happily.” The Prince tapped a different screen and it resolved into a view of the landing platform. His eyes half-shut as he watched the dozen or so deck crew move between the ships. Without warning, they ducked low and drew up neon-striped hoods. As though fleeing from a sudden squall, they all sprinted toward the big building at the center of the platform. 

All but one.

The last hold out shielded their eyes from some unseen attack and peered up at the sky. They staggered to the closest ship, a tool in their hand.

“Take her down quiet as you can, Popstar,” V murmured and moved closer to Logan, showing him a tablet. “Any idea what he’s doing, Mac?”

The image on V’s tablet followed their approach, zoomed in as far as it would go. V had set a split screen to infrared. The figure—Hesper?—wielded a gun-like tool, glowing orange under infrared, bright white sparking from the tip. This close, Logan could make out a welder’s face plate under his hood.

“Soldering something onto the hull?” Hesper moved a few feet, leaving behind a rapidly cooling palm-sized circle. He repeated his actions then jumped to the next ship in line. “A tracker, maybe?”

“Not an explosive?” V asked, frowning. 

Logan watched the screen and shook his head. “It’s too cold. And he’s using quick cool-solder. Safer for microprocessors but not as strong.” He shrugged. “Explosive casings are heavier, thicker. He’d need to use standard epoxy or… magnets, maybe?” 

After a long moment, V nodded. He slipped the tablet into his vest and opened his mouth as if to say more, but the transport shuddered under their feet. “Everyone ready?” Patton asked, hand hovering over a door panel.

The Prince nodded, eyes now closed as he moved to the doors, joining V and Silvertongue.

Logan lowered his own face shield and helmet. “Ready.”

Patton slapped the controls and the big door opened with a bang. Hesper didn’t even look up as they circled him, just pulled his hood lower over his head and shuddered.

Before Logan could ask what The Prince was doing to him, Silvertongue sent a single word, -“Now!”-

The Prince’s eyes shot open and Hesper spun around, the movement knocking back his hood to reveal form-fitting headgear.

He tapped the helmet, shaking his head. “Guess this wasn’t worth the price I paid for it if you could still get into my head so easily, dear Prince.” He tucked the soldering gun under his arm and then, finger by finger, peeled off his safety gloves. He left them where they fell and flexed his bared hands. “Glad to see you all came out to play. Well…”

Looking up at Logan, Hesper seemed to stare right through his face plate. “We know how it is. Too bad I have to take a rain check tonight.” He flipped on his solder gun and ran straight for Logan.

On his heels, Patton grabbed at Hesper’s jacket. He wormed out of it then dodged V’s attack. Overcompensating, Hesper slid and landed on his back, centimeters from the mech’s left leg.

Without thinking, Logan stepped up and down, foot pressed—slightly—on Hesper’s chest.

Patton hissed behind him but grew still, arms loose and ready at his sides. Immediate danger passed, V inspected the devices Hesper had fastened to the ship’s hull. He scanned each with the tablet’s sensors before prying off the closest and crushing it under his boot. “Basic trackers,” he said, nodding to Logan, and they all turned to Silvertongue.

“What is all this, Hesper?” he asked, eyes hooded. He didn’t look happy at what Logan had done, frowning in his direction. But he didn’t stop him, either, so Logan just waited, foot locked on Hesper’s chest.

“My, my, my… My dearest Tongue of Silver,” Hesper purred. Head tilted, he managed to look down at Silvertongue even from his sprawled position on the cracked peri-ment platform. “You’ve brought along an extra army of one this time.” He thunked his knuckles against the mech’s ankle servos. “All for me?”

A not-quite shadow flashed over Janus’ face, quick, nearly too quick for Logan to catch. Even with Silvertongue’s back to him, The Prince must’ve felt it, whatever it was, because he stepped closer, eyes boring into Hesper’s obscured face.

“Release him, Machina,” Janus instructed, gaze focused on Hesper. “He’s clean.”

Hesper leapt to his feet with an acrobat’s grace the moment Logan lifted the mech’s foot. “Why, thank you.” He bowed his head with a flourish and Logan watched his mech’s reflection shift and warp on Hesper’s shiny helmet. 

With no way of knowing where Hesper was looking, Logan felt like it was everywhere at once.

For all his theatrics, Hesper now behaved as though they were nothing but a minor inconvenience, impolite visitors who crashed an open house. He hummed under his breath, easily picked up by his mic, and made a show of brushing off his synthcloth tactical pants and straightening an old vest that looked a lot like V’s. Sighing heavily, he produced a pristine white cloth and bent over to polish away a smudge from his boots.

Janus watched him with half-lidded eyes, hands flexing at his sides. “What are you up to now, Hesper?” He gestured around them, voice sharp. Acidic. “Why here?”

“And what makes you think I didn’t trigger your alarms so I could have a little company, hm?” He shrugged and carefully folded his handkerchief before secreting it away in a breast pocket. “You know… just like Re used to?”

“Wha—” 

Before Logan could finish his blurted question, The Prince stomped forward, hands splayed in front of him, a glowing haze forming between his fingers. “Take my brother’s name from your mouth, fiend,” he growled, drawing close to Hesper. “Or I’ll rip it out with your tongue!”

But as The Prince moved, the air… flickered near his right foot. The mirage tugged at Logan’s mind the same way the faulty Pickerbot had back at the DC, the first time, before he’d found the flaw in its circuitry. 

Remembering V’s concern about explosives, Logan flipped on his HUD infrared. Heat poured from the cracked peri-ment, far more heat than could be explained away by the underlying HVAC piping. The ground glowed in blinding purples and white, spiking well past 85° centigrade.

“Prince, look out!” he shouted and pushed his servos to a run. 

Patton’s call to Logan cut off and he copied him instead, half-carrying, half-dragging V and Silvertongue away in the opposite direction.

The Prince swore as Logan slammed into him and knocked them both to the ground. Arms locked around him, he pulled The Prince with him into a roll. He stopped, propped onto the mech’s elbows, erecting a cage of durasteel limbs and torso around the Powered just as the floor exploded behind them.

Precisely where The Prince had stood a moment before.

“Are you—”

“I’m good, Tin Man. Let me up,” he muttered, shimmying his bulky shoulders out from Logan’s mech suit shield. -”Thanks,”- he said in Logan’s mind as he stood.

“Anytime,” Logan said aloud and followed him to Silvertongue’s side. Patton crouched a few feet behind him, inspecting V’s hand.

“Tell me!” Silvertongue was demanding, eyes molten gold. “Tell me how you did that without—”

“Without you poking around in here…” Hesper’s laugh was crusted in ice as he waggled his fingers around his head. “Ma cheri! L’amour de ma—”

“Tell me!” Janus’ shout reverberated through Logan’s skull. Even The Prince took a step backwards, head bowed and one hand pressed to his temple. Patton slid closer, nodding quietly to V and Logan watched them all, waiting for any sort of hint of what he had planned.

Hesper just laughed again. “There was no guilt to sense, my dear Silvertongue,” He shrugged. “Not from me at least.” Hesper gestured, almost bored, at the jagged, steaming hole in the landing pad, then at The Prince. “It was his anger, his rage that triggered the charge. I wasn’t sure it would work, but our dear Prince of Dreams always did have quite the temper.”

He fully faced The Prince then. “Ever since you were a little boy.”

Patton reached out and just rested one hand on The Prince’s shoulder. Given the recordings Logan had seen of Papa Bear wrestling an activated Muse into control, he had no doubt a light touch was all he needed to keep The Prince steady.

“Enough with the games, Hesper,” V said from Silvertongue’s other side. “No-one believes you dragged us out here in the middle of the night for a parlor trick.”

Hesper shrugged again, backing away toward the edge of the landing platform. “Worried I’m going to make it a habit of interrupting your beauty sleep?” 

He stood on the ledge, one foot hovering behind him. “Besides,” he directed his attention to Logan again. “I know you weren’t all asleep.”

Face flushed beneath his mask, Logan’s fingers flexed against the controls but the suit remained still. Then Hesper stepped off the platform and onto a waiting airskiff.

“Ta ta, for now!” he laughed, voice amplified to carry over the roar of thrusters as he flew off into the smoggy night air.

[jazzy-tzw]

You know what if Dwayne ever does cross paths with Roman in WWE, Kevin Hart needs to replace Paul as special counsel.

I’m telling you, one promo from Kevin and Dwayne would be done before we get to the match😭

[zibaldone-di-pensieri]

Source

[fragilelovelythings]

1 and 3 for the fanfic end of the year asks

Hiii ty for the asks!! <3 SILLY ME i was gonna answer them all like, i forgot others sent you the asks duh

favorite fic you wrote this year This one is tough. Probably Eunuch Besties bc is the one I went back to mostly. Like, it's my baby saga, I recently finished it with 24 chapters and well... Being the first fic I wrote it makes it the favourite by far.

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year

Hum, I got a few, but I think this is the one: In the borderline point of nightmares and dreams, Rust was the lightning shattering his convictions and the cloak of darkness embracing him full of unspoken desires. 

Ty for asking!! <3

[variousfandom]

Guys who are into modern wwe, please watch old school wrestling I swear it’s good. Not only are there hot men and women like today. But you will see wrestlers that probably inspired the wrestlers you watch today. Here is a list of my favorite wrestlers shawn michaels, triple h, edge, undertaker, kevin nash, razor Ramone , ultimate warrior, Bret hart, stone cold Steve Austin, Roman reigns, cm punk, macho man randy savage, psycho sid vicious. Rowdy roddy piper, booker t, r truth. Ric flair. Danhausen. Mjf. Dusty Rhodes. Owen hart. Iron sheik. Seth Rollins. Dean Ambrose never John Moxley. Sensational Sherri. Cyndi lauper. Rhea ripley. Mr wonderful. Let me say I can’t write fan fiction so it won’t be possible to write it for old school wrestlers but we need more fan fiction not just for modern but for old school as well. I promise you won’t leave feeling bad about watching old school wrestling. I love you guys.