#Vicky Victory

[tomoleary]

Bruce Timm - The She-Serpent, Vicky Victory and Devil Doll from Giant-Size Kung Fu Bible Stories.

Source

[cyberwhumper]

Number 5 is quite handsome.

The doctor almost regrets having to shatter that nice square jawline.

He has the animal fully immobilized—animal, despite his prosthetic ears and inability to shift, how funny—but not sedated. He won’t feel any pain, but he will see and hear and remember everything that is done to him. It’s just as well that he should. This procedure is not a punishment, after all, but a gift.

To his persistent detriment, 5 has proven to be utterly incapable of shutting the fuck up.

The doctor has elected to cure him of that ailment.

5’s pupils contract down to panicked pinpricks as the scalpel descends to his lips. His skin parts beautifully, pulling back to expose the pale gleam of his mandible like theater curtains, deep red, the blade skating over his chin and down the line of his throat with ease. The doctor filets his cheeks, next, quick and neat along the contours of the maxilla, splitting the dermis so he can slip beneath and separate the delicate membrane of fascia from buccinator and mentalis. Soon enough, 5 is spread open before him like a book. Esophagus and trachea, pale pink and quivering beneath the thick cartilage junction of the larynx, the delicate buckshot of lymph nodes and pulsing tributaries of carotid and jugular, all beautiful. All wholly unnecessary.

A single strike of the orthopedic hammer splits the mandible at the symphysis. The esophagus is neatly terminated—total parenteral nutrition will suffice—and epiglottis diverted, salivary glands excised, ugly little golden accessories popped free of incisors and destroyed. The doctor removes the larynx almost reverently, holding it up to the stark white lights to see the petal-like bundle of vocal cords within.

“See that?” he murmurs to the animal. “Remarkable. Something so small caused you so much trouble.” He chuckles. It’s poetic license, obviously. Number 5’s issue was never in the throat, but rather his underdeveloped prefrontal cortex and utterly corrupted mesolimbic system, but that just doesn’t quite roll off the tongue.

Speaking of which.

The tongue is next to go.

The pharynx is replaced with a thick monolith of precision-machined pneumatic tubing, vagus innervation successfully synthesizing flesh and machine, the chrome’s digital power supply running parallel to organic veins, down to his nuclear heart. It’s truly a masterpiece of bioengineering.

The doctor’s only regret is that Number 5 can’t tell him how good it feels.

[Fic by the exceptionally talented @bxtterflystxtches , who I have the honor of collaborating with for this event. Please show him some love!]

[OC INDEX]

COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN!

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[emiett]

Violence's estranged sister came in a few sessions ago...living under an assumed name and dating a mob boss???? so that's cool

She seems pretty mad that Vi tried to light her boyfriend on fire 3 years ago :(

[grrrlschool]

kelly johnson and vicki blue in 1984 <3

[genderflu1dwh0r]

Jade calling Tori "Vicky", but Tori turning it on her and going "no, I think you're more like Vicky from The Fairly Oddparents" and then Jade goes "don't you ever compare me to a ginger... but yes"

[vi-visected]

the last few days i’ve been pretty much exclusively drawing ponies so. sorry for that.

[nathanialhowe]

refs for myself

[casual-mitosis-collective]

You guys have a wizard blog now 😯😯😯

Yeah! And I'm part of it!

[llittletingoddess]

Having fever in the day of the job interview and one week before birthday is such a timing.

[grrrlschool]

thinking about the inside joke in the movie this is spinal tap where they had vicki blue as a groupie (cos the band in the movie goes through drummers like crazy and it’s supposed to be a reference to the runaways doing the same thing with bassists) and how jackie fox also auditioned for the movie

[carussell]

xc skiing world cup in germany and no german tv station broadcasting it🤡

[ceesimz]

the taste of victory

(blurb after golden key to the sweet life + pt2)

"I knew you would be here."

Still in her Spain kit, this time with a gold European Championship medal around her neck, the effervescent captain came bounding over, understandably still on a glory high.

The Euros was a tournament that had plagued her ever since that injury, but now after coming out of international retirement, she'd done it. The trophy belonged to Spain for the next four years and Alexia had every right to relish in that fact like it was her first time winning a competitive title.

"How could we not come all this way?"

You, also in a Spain jersey, but who needed medals and trophies when there are two children on each side. Alexia had both achievements, one can only imagine her joy.

"You won, Mami!" Anaís squealed, her lanky limbs wrapping around her favourite champion just like a koala. Oriol was a bit more reserved, as he often was, definitely taking more of his Mami's introverted nature compared to Anaís who was the exact opposite of shy.

"Finally!" Alexia laughed, watching on as you rolled your eyes at her whilst she crouched down, Anaís still attached, so that Oriol could join. "Thank you both for coming. I'm sorry you had to miss your party."

Back in Spain, your neighbours were having a get-together for one of their four children they had that were all around the same age as Oriol and Anaís. The party they were due to host was the talk of the town, with a bouncy castle and a swimming pool and enough food to feed the whole of Spain, but ultimately Anaís and Oriol couldn't turn down the chance to fly to a new country to watch their Mami win yet another trophy. This was a pretty damn good excuse to not only miss the party, but throw one too when you all get back home.

You had flown on your own to watch two of the group games for Spain whilst your children stayed back at home for school until summer break, and the, albeit short and rare, time spent alone with Alexia was a welcome venture as it had been a while since that had happened. But being together as a four, celebrating the one title Alexia was missing from her vast list of accolades, well there wasn't much that could beat it.

"Felicitats, Mami." Oriol, the soon to be four year old, mumbled into Alexia's ear with his little arms clasped behind her neck.

"Grácies, amor meu." Alexia whispered, scooping him up with one arm as she holds Anaís' hand in the other and makes her way over to you.

There was a look in her eye, one you had never seen before. It frustrated you to no end that you couldn't quite place it, but that was something that would have to be unpacked another day.

"Family photo with the trophy? It is tradition." Alexia grinned at you, only for Anaís to groan beside her. "One photo, chiqui, then you can go play. Put Vicky in goal."

To no one's surprise, it looked like Anaís was swiftly following in Alexia's footsteps, whilst Oriol seemed to be a budding artist as he never went anywhere without his crayons. The two couldn't be more different, yet they got along better than most siblings, even with a larger age gap. Wait for the teenage years, Alexia would say anytime you brought it up, only for you to flick her ear and tell her to stop manifesting it.

"Mami, why do they call you a dinosaur?" Oriol asked innocently as the four of you headed over to the ceremony stage, oblivious to the painful jab he'd just sent his mother's way.

"Because she is old, Oreo." Anaís giggled to herself, sticking her tongue out at Alexia. The midfielder stopped in her tracks, turning to you with a displeased face.

"Amor, take him." She murmured, quickly handing over her son before lifting Anaís up by her armpits and sitting her on her shoulders. "Am I old if I can still do this? Pequeña mona, you are so cheeky. I just played two hours of football and won, yet you still call me old. What do I have to do?"

"Buy me some new football boots and we can forget this happened." You bursted out into loud laughter at that, because the only person Alexia had to blame for that sass was herself.

"Bien. You cannot call me old for a year yet, only when I am cuarenta. Mama is just one year younger than me, she's old too, no?"

"You just earnt yourself a night on the sofa when we get home, Ale. Another achievement, congratulations." With a sarcastic pat on her back, you march ahead of her as she's left scrambling to make up for her comment.

Ever since the word relationship was properly introduced to you as a teenager, you would worry that after being with the same person for so long, speaking to them everyday and sharing the same space, that it would get difficult and cracks would form. That never came to be true, in fact if anything, the foundations of your relationship only got stronger. There were days when things weren't easy, especially with two young children, but you couldn't have chosen a better route to go down.

It really had unlocked a life of bliss, just as the golden key had once promised.

"Oye, get back! It is our turn!" Mapi shooed away Anaís as the younger girl skipped over to the trophy.

The object was currently in the hands of Ingrid, with Mapi at her side and their two adopted children stood in front. Not so long after Alexia initially retired from the national team, Mapi had hung up her boots altogether. Ingrid was still playing, a senior figure for Barcelona and third in line of the captaincy role, whilst Mapi had flourished in the role of a stay at home mother. The Norwegian had taken a short break to make sure their children, a boy and a girl who were siblings, transitioned well into their home, and eventually their favourite weekend activity was going to watch their Mamma play.

"Hurry up, León! You didn't even play! And Ingrid isn't even Spanish!" Anaís bellowed, jumping head first into a teasing argument with the Spaniard at the outrageous claim she had made about Ingrid.

With that came a momentary quiet moment for just the two of you. Or, with Oriol too, but he was tired and more than content to slump against his Mama and take in the world around him. Alexia glanced over at her daughter and smiled seeing her bicker with her chosen family, before turning back to you where you were lightly rubbing your son's back to help him settle in the bustling environment.

"I cannot tell you how happy I am that you all came, cariño." Alexia told you quietly, moving to stand side-on so she could face you and also see Oriol's sleepy face. Her smile only brightened at both sights, and she raised an arm to rest around your waist whilst the other settled atop yours on the boy's back. "It is always the best surprise in the world, seeing you three in the stands."

"We would never have missed this, Ale. You must know that by now." You said to her, nudging her lightly.

"Well, I don't want to put pressure on any of you. It is a big ask from me to want you all to fly out here, but you did it anyway and I will always be thankful for that. You must know that by now." She reiterated the phrase back to you with a coy smile, one that deepened as you rolled your eyes affectionately.

"So, how do you feel? Eres campeóna de Europa." You grinned up at her, bumping your hip against her own as she chuckled and casted her eyes down to the medal hanging from her neck.

"It feels like completing the final chapter of a very long book, mi amor." She revealed after a moment. 

There it was again. That look in her eye.

“What's that?” You asked in confusion. She could only shrug and turn to look at her surroundings. Taking it all in. The moment feels very… final.

“I don't know. I just… I think this is it. What else is there for me to do?” 

You understand now. What she's hinting at is as gutting for you as it surely is for her, though it's probably at immeasurable heights for her. Definitely. The realisation steals your breath at first, solely because of the prospect of it, until it falls flat and the dust settles immediately. Because, really, who are you to argue with it.

“Are we on the same page?” You wondered quietly, and her eyes glistened with that familiar shine in the flood lights of the stadium.

“I think we are.” She smiled, one filled with an absurd amount of emotional complexity. It holds all stages of grief, yet peace can be found in it that tells you she's known this for some time. For a brief moment, you wish she could have shared this discreet burden, but it's a habit of hers you've never managed to break and at this point, you don't think you ever will.

“Qué, Mami?” Oriol suddenly lifted his head up, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

“Nada, mijo. Ven aquí.” Alexia gently pried him from you and cuddled him closely to her, her eyes closed as she rested her head against his. “Mami gets to spend more time with you now, mi tesoro, how good is that?”

“Sí, Mami. Tired.” Oriol muttered, turning to hide his face in her neck.

“Lo sé, Oriol. We can go rest soon, just a few photos, vale? Can you do that for me?” 

Almost four years with Oriol, a further seven with Anaís, and the sight of Alexia seamlessly slipping into caring parent mode was still a sight to behold. She had just won the one title that had evaded her for her whole career, yet the only thing she wanted to focus on was her family. And that was what made you want to have children with her in the first place. All these years, all the trophies and titles and achievements later, and she hadn't changed at all.

“Ale.” You hummed, catching her attention as she looked back at you with a soft smile and glossy eyes.

“Sí?”

You paused, hesitating over the one phrase that had tumbled easily from your tongue since your fourth date with her. The hesitation wasn't a bad one, you were just stumped on how to express such an intense feeling. Three words didn't seem sufficient enough. 

“I love you.” Of all the times you had said it before, this one felt the strongest. This one felt like it held the most meaning.

“I love you too, amor.” Alexia replied simply, though the slight quiver in her voice and the bob of her throat revealed she understood the gravity of it too. 

“Te amo.” Oriol sighed, and you suspected the goosebumps on Alexia’s arms weren't from the chill of the evening nor from Oriol's breath on her neck.

“Te amo mucho!” Anaís hugged Alexia's leg after bounding over, placing an exaggerated kiss to her hip.

In one place, on the pitch of a stadium somewhere in Europe, Alexia had got it all. One of the most notable careers of all time in the world of football, and a family with enough love to keep each other afloat through any and all storms.

Her eyes were closed as she hugged both her children, and had you looked away a second earlier, you would have missed how she wiped a tear that slipped out. In an instant, you joined your family, with one arm around Oriol and Alexia and the other on Anaís’ back where she stood hugging her Mami.

“Come on, let's go get your final photo as a futbolista before you hang up your boots.” You said, kissing her temple where she hung her head to fully embed herself in the embrace of her loved ones. 

It seemed like now was the moment it all came to a head for her, where every loss and victory, injury and medal, every sacrifice and gain, it all subsided and she was left with this one last memory of the sport she had given her life to. Truly, there was no other accolade she could collect. She had made every second of her career worth it, the only thing she could do now was reap the benefits. 

There was no doubt in your mind that, in a few years, she’ll be back to the sport that’s in her DNA at this point, except as a coach with the same goal she had as a player. But that’s a future worry, because for now the only item on the agenda was to make sure the final photo of her career is one of carefree, unabashed joy with your children.

With one final wipe of her tears from you, she took Anaís’ hand again and kept Oriol in her hold whilst your hand lingered on her back, and led the four of you to where the trophy was calling her name.

“What does it mean to hang up your boots, Mami?” A quiet but slightly blubbery chuckle came from the woman you loved, before she sniffled and looked to her left at you.

“It means I am going to retire from football, mija.”

[casual-mitosis-collective]

Hello there, peoples! I am Vicky (short for VIctoria), the new headmate at HNOC! I am excited to meet all of you!

[penny00dreadful]

STWG Prompt: Chill/Give In

Double prompt day! A happy whoopsident!

“Just talk to him. Be chill about it.”

“‘Be chill about it?’ Seriously, Robin?” Steve bit at the skin on the side of his thumb but pulled his hand away when all he could taste was kerosene.

He looked out across the field towards Dustin and Eddie, chasing after each other, playing at battle with their shields.

He could feel his heartbeat in his sides through the bites and on his back and arms where he was dragged over the lake bed but that pain didn’t compare to the near constant fucking heartache he felt every time he looked in Eddie’s direction.

“Steve-”

“Didn’t you just give me a whole speech about how our love lives don’t matter right now because the world might be ending?” He cut her off, a little petulant.

“No,” Robin said firmly. “I said my love life. Because there’s nothing there, there’s no hope. But you-”

“You don’t know that, Vickie could-”

“Steve.” Robin said, almost as if she was begging him. “Please. Go talk to him.”

He had to admit defeat at that, nodding to her and trying not to feel too much about her small sigh of relief as he stood and started to make his way across the field.

Eddie and Dustin were posturing to each other, acting out their victorious return, knights coming back from battle successful.

They both had matching smiles on their faces, those dimples cutting into Eddie’s cheeks and his eyes bright and alight with laughter.

When Steve came to a stop in front of them, arms folded over his chest and they both turned to him, Eddie’s bright eyes turned hard and his mouth fell into a frown while Dustin just looked up at Steve expectantly, still smiling.

“Can I talk to you?” Steve asked, sparing a glance at Eddie’s face and nearly withering under the glare he was sent.

“Can’t imagine we’d have anything to talk about, Harrington.” Eddie turned his back and crouched down, picking back up the hammer and starting to whack nails through the shield again, with far too much force.

“Eddie.” Steve tightened his arms around himself. “Please?”

There was silence between the three of them for a breath, Dustin’s eyes darting from one to the other before Eddie slammed his hammer back down and straightened up.

“Have it your way, then. You always do.” Without a backwards glance, he stormed off towards the tree line, leaving Steve behind feeling like he’d been punched in the gut.

“What’s going on?” Dustin asked, watching Eddie’s retreating form. “He looks like he might try to kill you.”

“If he does, I’d probably deserve it.” He patted Dustin on the shoulder as he passed, following Eddie into the forest.

Steve found him, still scowling, leaned up against a tree a few feet in, trying to blow up Steve’s head with his mind.

Steve could only stare at him for a moment, trying to figure out how to start, not daring to close the distance in between them.

“Talk.” Eddie snapped.

He opened and closed his mouth, eventually figuring it was best to start with his apology.

“I’m sorry.”

He was met with an eye roll and a scoff.

“Oh, now you’re sorry?”

“Yes.” He answered back, firm and resolute. “I’m sorry. I’ve always been sorry.”

“Right.” Eddie nodded, condescending. “And what part are you sorry for, exactly? Or are you just sorry it even happened in the first place?”

Steve huffed to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying his best to keep his emotions from cresting. He’d been so raw for weeks and it was so much worse now, having to face it head on.

“I never wanted to hurt you-”

“Hurt me? Hurt me?” Eddie exploded, out of nowhere. “You didn’t fucking hurt me, Harrington. You eviscerated me. You tore my fucking heart out, and what’s worse, is that you knew you were doing it. I could see it on your face! I can see it right now!” He took a few steps forward, jabbing Steve hard in the chest. “You didn’t even give me a god damned reason and now, because the world is about to fucking end you decide you need to get me off your conscience?”

“No! That’s not what this is-”

“Then what is it!”

“It’s this whole fucking situation!” Steve threw his hands out to the side. “It’s this fucking apocalypse and people fucking dying and getting hurt and I couldn’t have it be you! Not you. Never you.”

“Never me, never me. Story of my fucking life. What could never be me, huh?” He snapped. “Could never be permanent? Could never be what you need? Can’t be your fucking breeder for your all American dream, is that it? No? Then make some fucking sense, would you?”

“It’s not that, jesus, did you listen to anything I said the whole fucking time we were- It wasn’t about my white picket fence fucking dream that I would still be happy to have with you-!” He shook his head, he was getting off track. “I always knew this supernatural shit wasn’t over, Eddie. They said it was done. Hopper died, the Byers moved themselves and El away, they said it was done. But never fucking is. And I couldn’t stand the idea of you being hurt by it.”

Eddie paused, his big brown eyes darting between Steve’s own, searching, gears in his head clicking, until Steve could see the moment the puzzle pieces slotted into place.

“This is why you went missing for a couple of days? This is why you turned up at the trailer looking like you’d been fucking tortured after the mall burned down?”

“Yeah,” Steve sighed, the fight leaving him. “And I knew it was going to happen again. I’d already gotten Robin and Erica mixed up in the shit, I couldn’t have it happen to you too.”

Eddie was no longer glaring at him but he didn’t look happy either. 

He looked disappointed. 

Disappointed and hurt.

“So, what?” He asked, taking a step back and crossing his arms. “Instead of talking to me about it, you just decided to break up with me?”

“Eddie,” He reached out to him but Eddie took a step back. Steve felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart all over again. “I didn’t ‘just decide’ anything-”

“But you did! You did! You decided for me. You made the decision for me. You didn’t even give me the option- You didn’t tell me what was going on-”

“I couldn’t! There were NDA’s and government agents-”

“Oh fuck off, Steve.” Eddie snapped. “Like you ever gave a shit about what some suits said to you.”

“This is different, this is getting black bagged and never seen again type of shit-”

“Look me in the eye. You look me in the eye and tell me you’ve never broken one of those NDA’s or told one of those agents to shove it up their ass. Go on.” Eddie stepped closer again but it definitely wasn’t an invitation to reach out, it was a challenge. 

Steve looked Eddie in the eye. 

He could lie. 

He could say he always followed those NDA’s to the letter. 

He could say he had never bitched out those agents along with Joyce to declare Hopper a hero and not brush him under the rug like they tried to do with Barb, making him some crooked, power hungry, drugged up cop who ‘went missing’ after he was last seen standing at the quarry’s edge. 

But he couldn’t. 

He couldn’t lie to Eddie, not anymore.

Eddie wilted. His eyes went from hard and defiant down to soft, sad and resigned.

“I thought so.” He said, quiet and vindicated, though he sounded the opposite of happy to be so. “You made decisions for me Steve. You took my agency away. No one gets to do that. Not my father, not Wayne and not you.”

“Eddie.” He said, his voice cracking. “I just wanted to keep you safe.”

“Well look around you, sweetheart.” He replied, opening his arms and gesturing around. “What a great job you did.”

Eddie shoulder-checked Steve hard as he passed, making his way out of the forest without looking back.

When Steve finally reappeared at Robin’s side, his eyes red and puffy and his throat raw, she silently took his hand and tugged him in close.

“Nancy.” Steve snapped, grabbing Dustin by the shoulders and wrenching him away. “Get him out of here.”

He threw Dustin into her arms, not letting himself care about the pain he’d probably just caused, he couldn’t. He couldn’t lose focus, there was too much blood and he had to do something. 

“Robin, with me.” But he needn’t have even said it. Robin was already kneeling down by Eddie’s side, checking his breathing, looking for a pulse while Steve started to rifle through the pockets and pouches on his War Zone vest, pulling out bandages and gauze.

They wouldn’t do much, but hopefully it would be enough until they could get him somewhere safer. 

Safer and cleaner.

It had to be enough for that.

It had to be.

Steve couldn’t lose him. 

He handed some of the bandages off to Robin who had moved down to work on his stomach while Steve wrapped up his neck.

“Baby?” Steve couldn’t help but put a hand on Eddie’s cheek. 

His uninjured cheek, because jesus christ the bats practically bit the whole way through on the other side.

“Eddie, can you hear me? Please, baby?” He begged. “Come back to me.”

His heart was in his throat and he was in the middle of trying to shove it the fuck back down because he needed to concentrate when Eddie’s eyes fluttered.

“S’vie?”

“Yeah.” Steve exhaled in relief. “Yeah, it’s me baby. I’m here, you’re gonna be okay.”

Eddie didn’t say anything else, just groaned in pain when Robin cruelly tightened the bandages, but it had to be done.

His eyes fluttered closed again and he didn’t move, save for the small rise and fall of his chest that Steve watched like a fucking hawk.

When he positioned himself in between Eddie’s legs with his back to him, gesturing for Robin to lift Eddie up so he could drag his arms over his shoulders, she paused for a second, giving him a look.

“Your injuries-”

“Birdie, please.”

“Okay, okay. Shit.”

She grabbed Eddie tight under the arms and though she struggled with his dead weight, eventually the two of them were able to manoeuvre him in such a way so he was draped over Steve’s back.

He would have expected a whimper of pain or a shout or something but Eddie was deathly silent, his breaths coming in short sharp rattles.

“Go ahead,” He said to Robin, starting the long and painful trek back to the trailer. “Get the portal ready for me.”

She didn’t hesitate, just nodded and ran.

Steve tightened his arms and grit his teeth.

One foot in front of the other.

“Don't do this to me, baby.” He panted. “Don't go.”

Each step was like a fresh knife through his sides, the raw wounds on his back screamed at him and his vision was starting to swim but he refused, he refused to give in.

There was a small moan in his ear and he could feel Eddie’s eyelashes brushing against his neck as he blinked his eyes open.

“What day s'it?” He slurred, breath hot against Steve’s skin.

“It's-” Steve inhaled, feeling like he couldn’t get a proper lungful, “Thursday.”

“T'm'rrow's date night.” His voice was so quiet, so thin that Steve could barely hear it. He wanted to tell him to stop talking, to conserve his energy but at the same time, talking meant alive.

“Yeah.” Steve huffed. “Yeah, it is, so just-” He stumbled, nearly falling to his knees but managing to catch himself, “Just hang on a little-”

“Dn't know if… if 'm gonna make it.”

“Don't-” he breathed, each pass of air through his lungs getting more and more painful. He was just at the trailer steps now and he could see a figure coming back through the portal from behind the door.

“M'sorry.”

“Eds, don't apologise.” He tried to soothe, everything within him screaming as he lifted a leg to go up the steps. He’d never make it. He’d never be able to carry him up, but he had to try. “Just stay awake, please baby. Please.”

Eddie didn’t respond, but there were still those small puffs of air against Steve’s neck.

The trailer door burst open, Robin and Nancy rushing down the steps to take Eddie’s weight. 

For one delirious moment he held on tighter, he didn’t want to let him go, didn’t want him out of his sight, but he came to his senses quickly, letting the girls drag him up the stairs.

Robin looked back at him torn but Steve waved her off.

“Get him through, Birdie!” He said from his position, holding himself up on the bannister.

Robin glared at him. “God fucking damn it, Steve!” 

But she turned and started to drag Eddie inside because she was his fucking soulmate, god damn it and best fucking friend.

The ascent up and into the trailer was slow. 

By the time he made it to the makeshift stairs they had created up to the portal, the girls and Eddie were already through and Robin was on her way back to him. 

“Evie, come on!” Robin begged, tears in her eyes, reaching a hand out to him.

His vision was starting to darken around the edges, but he was able to grasp at her fingers.

With one last push, he felt gravity shift around him and then everything went black.

“-ere are you going?! We need… hospital!”

“My mom… nurse training until-”

“-some fucking suburban housewife-”

“-don’t know shit-!”

“-innocent-”

“Don’t let your father-”

When Steve blinked his eyes open, he was in the last place he expected to be, back in the Wheelers basement, lying on a bundle of blankets on the ground, Robin curled up next to him asleep and Karen Wheeler’s pink pumps disappearing up the stairs.

He was right next to the couch and looking up, he saw an arm hanging over the side, a familiar spattering of bats inked down his forearm and a messy shock of brown curls just barely visible.

He could already feel consciousness leaving him again, but with the last of his strength he lifted his own arm up, grasping Eddie’s hand in his and squeezing.

All of the tension, apprehension, fear, heartbreak and grief left his body when he felt Eddie squeeze back.

So this fic (because it turned into a fucking oneshot) is actually a bit of background I had imagined for an upcoming future fic that I had never planned to write, but was in my head for later context for the story. Eventually, once that fic has been uploaded (it will be, it's one of my 1st Year Anniversary Event fics), I will upload this lil oneshot to AO3 seperately.

[meazalykov]

good things come to those who wait

laura freigang x barca!reader (requested?)

summary: you'll finally be the happiest girl on the pitch, according to aitana

authors note: one of my mutuals on twitter checked out this page. they asked if I could do a part two to a fic I made months ago. here it is :)

warnings: small age gap

part one here

its been a month and you've managed to come to terms about what happened in that dressing room.

for a while, you walked into the dressing room always feeling a hint of embarrassment from being rejected by esmee. however, alexia reassured you many times that nobody finds you embarrassing, even esmee.

thank goodness you had football, since you were able to focus on that instead of the wanting to having a relationship like everyone else.

you step onto the pitch at the deutsche bank stadium, the unfamiliar pulse of adrenaline coursing through your veins for the champions league match.

the crowd's roar is a distant hum in your mind, drowned out by the singular focus you’ve forced yourself to adopt.

you're a starting defensive midfielder this game, outside from being a right-wing backup for lucy. as you look over to the left, you see esmee tying her cleats.

the rejection from esmee still stings, but you've pushed it aside, determined not to let it affect your performance. you knew this champions league match against frankfurt demands every ounce of your attention.

the first half is intense. you had to be sharp, alert, and relentless as the german team throws their best forwards towards you.

frankfurt's forwards are quick, and their midfield is formidable, but you’re not one to back down.

one of their forwards nearly took advantage of a goal opportunity, but you were able to side tackle the ball away before she took a shot.

you stood up, adjusting your shorts as cata makes a free kick from outside the box.

taking a moment to breath-- you realized that frankfurt is putting up a fight.

you’ve faced tougher challenges before, and today, you're determined to be the player your team needs.

but then there's her.

laura freigang. #10 for frankfurt. she's everywhere—pressing high, tracking back, and always looking to exploit any gaps in your defense.

you clash with her multiple times, and each time, she meets your challenge head-on. some of the blocks worked, others didn't.

what catches you off guard isn’t just her skill, experience, or her tenacity, but the way she looks at you. even with the ball in play, laura’s gaze lingers on you, curious and intense.

it’s unsettling and, you admit to yourself, a little intriguing.

the match remains tigh. it’s late in the first half when laura finally breaks through.

she finds a pocket of space just outside the box, and before you can close her down, she strikes. the ball sails past cata’s outstretched arms and into the net. 1-0.

at the start of the second half, barcelona doesn't falter. aitana orchestrates a quick response, threading a pass through to salma, who slots it home with clinical precision. 1-1.

later into the second, you shot the ball up to mariona who heads the ball into the net. 2-1.

the final whistle blows, and the crowd erupts. victory is yours in the group stage match-- but your thoughts keep drifting back to laura.

as you’re talking to mapi and ingrid, sharing a laugh over some play in the match, you see laura making her way towards you. her steps are confident, a slight smile playing on her lips.

luckily, mapi and ingrid stepped aside due to vicky calling for their attention.. so they didn't notice the older german girl coming.

"hey," she says, her face warm and voice slightly breathless from the match.

"i’m laura. that was a great game."

"yeah, it was. you gave the defenders a real challenge out there." you nod, still catching your breath.

"you didn’t make it easy for me either. i couldn’t stop watching you—uh, watching how you play, i mean." laura chuckles, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"sure, just my playing?" you raise an eyebrow, a smirk forming despite yourself.

she laughs, a sound that’s somehow light and genuine. "maybe not just that," she admits.

"but i really would like to get to know you better, if you’re interested?" she continues.

your eyes widened, surprisingly, there’s a spark of something new in your chest, something you haven’t felt in a while.

"yeah, i’d like that." you say. there wouldn't be any harm in getting to meet new people, right?

"cool. maybe i could get your number?" she asks, her tone casual, but there’s a hopeful look in her eyes.

after you nod your head, she pulls out her phone from her jogger pants.

you take her phone, typing in your number, and hand it back with a smile. "call me."

and she does. the calls start off short, just casual chats about football, life in germany versus spain, your mutual love for photography, and favorite music.

but soon, they grow longer, stretching late into the night. you find yourself looking forward to hearing her voice, to the easy way you can talk about anything or nothing at all.

two months fly by, and before you know it, it’s time for the second group stage match against frankfurt.

this time, when you see laura on the pitch, there’s no awkwardness.

after the match, you muster up the courage that’s been building for weeks. the game is in spain, meaning that you're both here with no distance creating a boundary.

“laura,” you begin, pulling her aside as the rest of your teammates head to the locker room. you don't want them to know about this, not at least you're positive that this will lead somewhere.

“would you want to go out to eat tomorrow before you go back to frankfurt? like…on a date?” you whisper. again, hoping that nobody really catches you saying that.

you half expect her to hesitate, but instead, she grins. "yes, i'd love to."

the next day, as you're preparing for the date. you realize that you're stuck. you've never been on a date before, at least one that led into something.

hookups were one thing, but building an actual bond to form into a relationship was another ballpark.

you run out your apartment and go next door to seek out mapi and ingrid for advice.

they're your neighbors, so you're comfortable with asking them for anything-- they've always reassured you that you could. so you're sitting on the couch with ingrid as mapi sits on their recliner.

"guys-- I have a date tonight." you swallow.

ingrid smiles, happy to hear that you're moving on. mapi is surprised, who were you going on a date with?

"that's so fun!" ingrid says.

"who are you going on a date with?" mapi asks, protectively.

you're 21 years old, but mapi looks after you like an older sister.

"it's with laura. laura freigang from frankfurt. we've been talking for the last two months and since she is here in barcelona, we figured that we could spend time together." you gave a cheeky smile.

ingrid smiles knowingly, looking over at the protective tattooed woman. “ohh laura! mapi I know laura-- she's a good one. i remember playing against her in the bundesliga a long time ago. she’s got a heart, and i think you two will be good together.”

“just be careful, y/n. i don’t want to see you get hurt again.” mapi, on the other hand, is a little more skeptical. she didn't forget about the rejection from esmee.

ingrid gives her a look, her eyebrows flared.

“okay, okay. have fun, but i’m still keeping an eye on her.” mapi lets up, not wanting her girlfriend to be upset.

your first date with laura is everything you hoped it would be. she’s charming, funny, and there’s an undeniable chemistry between you-- considering that she's 26 and you're 21.

you go on a few more dates whenever your schedules allow, each one better than the last. sometimes you'd fly out to germany and other times she would come to spain.

she captures your journeys on film which you love. sometimes she'd let you take her camera to capture a few pictures of herself. this is special-- laura never let other people touch her cameras.

by summertime, you both find a long-break in your schedules and decide to spend it in mallorca.

the sun is warm on your skin, the waves gentle as they lap at the shore. it’s there, with the golden sand beneath your feet and the clear blue sky above, that laura turns to you, her eyes filled with a mix of nervousness and hope.

“y/n…would you be my girlfriend?”

for a moment, the world stops. then, with a wide smile, you nod. “yes, laura. i’d love to.”

when you tell aitana back in barcelona, she grins, pulling you into a hug.

“i’m so happy for you, y/n. you deserve this. remember what I said-- you’re going to be the happiest girl on the pitch now.”

and as you step onto the field for your next match, your love with laura and the memory of her smile in your mind, your teammates were right all along.

my master list is here if you want to read more fics <3