#ajak has no days off

[softquietsteadylove]

Both Gil and Thena are like super strong aliens, and Gil is like the strongest man on earth, there is no way they didn't break the bed while doing it. May i ask for a very spicy one where that happens.

Gilgamesh pressed his back to the door once it was closed behind him. "Finally."

Thena laughed quietly. She agreed, and not just because they were finally on dry land again. The journey to this continent had been harrowing for her, and she truly never wanted to board a human sea-faring vessel ever again.

Gil chuckled as well, moving from the inn room door and over to her on the bed. "Feeling better?"

The Warrior Eternal sighed, folding herself into his side immediately. The voyage was long, the sea's movement and tempo was sickening. And they were separated for much of the voyage, which was arguably worse for her than the other two drawbacks.

Gilgamesh received her, rubbing her back and pressing his lips to her temple. "I've got you."

"Hm," she purred, pushing her face into his shoulder and inhaling. "You smell of the sea."

"I smell like sweat and barnacles, probably," he snorted, pushing some hair behind her ear. "You smell like fresh sea air."

"I never want to see the ocean again."

"I don't think we have that option, sweetheart," he smiled, pulling her closer until she was ultimately in his lap. They continued to paw at each other, nuzzling and pushing their faces closer as if to fuse into one being. "But I promise it'll at least be a while until we have to face it again."

"So be it," Thena murmured, her fingers trailing down to the tunic he was wearing. It was commonfolk clothing, worn solely so they could stick out on the ship as little as possible.

It hadn't been very successful. The group of completely stunning beings from seemingly multiple strange lands had drawn plenty of attention.

"Is this because of the ocean smell?" Gilgamesh chuckled as she pawed at his shirt. "Or did you just miss me?"

"It can be both," she parried, tilting her head up and touching her lips to the underside of his jaw.

He leaned into a proper kiss, their lips sealing together. She undid his shirt while he unfurled the shawl that had been around her shoulders through the whole journey. He didn't want her to get cold, but it did little to hide how svelte her beauty was. "I would have thought you wanted to rest."

She was tired, but it was more urgent she feel his heartbeat beneath her palm. "The only thing I desire is you."

The Strongest Eternal heeded her wishes, as he always did. He let her pull his shirt off over his head, while he worked on getting her dress off her.

"This continent is the last place with Deviants on it. I'll have to find you some armour," he whispered between kisses, although as soon as her body was free of her dress' bodice his hands were upon her skin.

She hummed her appreciation. His palms were greater support than any cloth or corset or boning structure. His hands cradled her breasts with love and appreciation--in a way only he was capable.

The bed creaked as they moved, Gilgamesh scooping up her smaller body and moving her to the center of the bed. He laid over her. Her hands made quick work of his suspenders and his trousers were done away with shortly afterward.

Thena moaned as he kissed her neck, trailed his tongue down her throat until his mouth could join his hands in their worship of her. Her back arched as he kneaded her ache and soreness away. He was perhaps too enthusiastic about it. "I am not a loaf of bread, Gilgamesh."

"No," he emerged to grin at her. He kissed her again, letting his fingers trail around and over her nipples once more before continuing further. "You're much sweeter."

Thena let out another, louder moan. She dug her heels into the bed under them as his fingers moved between her legs. He wasted no time, touching her in a way that was breathtakingly familiar. They knew every inch of one another.

"Good," he encouraged her, his fingers entering slowly. "Just relax. It's you and me."

Let the world bleed away, he was saying. The sea, their mission, even the rest of their team were far away. It was only them in this little bubble. Thena slid her arms up over her head until she could dig her fingers into the pillow, its linens giving way to her rounded fingernails like wet paper to a spear.

Gilgamesh lifted her hips, propping her up against his thighs as he crouched. Lifting her with one hand was the same as picking up a light tome, as far as he was concerned. She was so lithe, so precious and delicate. He always handled her like a newly budding flower stem. Her skin was soft as petals and she had her own sweet, intoxicating scent to her.

"Yes," Thena gasped, tightening around his stimulation. She was not a creature made for relaxation, but Gilgamesh could always lure her into it. He could work some kind of sorcery that had her twisting and turning and aching for his touch. "That's it, I'm-"

"Stay with me," he whispered, moving his fingers faster within her. He always touched her this way first. He needed her pleasure like he needed his own. One inexorably led to the other, and the more at ease she was, the better their pleasure could be.

Thena threw her head back and moaned up into the constructed canopy of the bed, just some linen stretched over the top frame supported by the posts. It was of semblance to the canopies sheltering beds of luxurious nobles on other continents. She blinked up at it. "Reminds me of the beds we had in Rus."

Gilgamesh grinned to himself. He was always pleased when she could find release. He had a first hand sense of her muscles loosening, her nerve endings absorbing things and helping to dull the sharp, prickling awareness that always had her on edge. "Yeah, those were pretty nice."

He crawled over her again to kiss her. She could taste that he had licked her arousal off his fingers first.

"Think this one is as strong as they were?"

She rolled her eyes at his vigor but allowed it. With great effort, she lifted her arms from the bed and looped them around his neck. "That is far from my concern at the moment."

He kissed her even more fervently. Their lips met again and again like waves crashing into cliffs. Their bodies moved seamlessly to create one amalgamation of them both, skin sealed together with skin. Her legs wound around him as he pushed into her completely.

Gilgamesh moaned even louder than she did as he buried himself to the hilt. Their pelvises met, grinding together as they both adjusted to the fusion of their bodies. He looked good, head tilted up, mouth dropped open. He looked to be in worship (rightfully so, the Goddess of War thought).

She pressed her lips together as another moan rippled through her body, and even passed into him via vibration. Her shoulders shimmied in the bed, making it groan again. "Was our separation even harder on you than I?"

"I dunno about that," he mumbled, slowly coming back to her as his head dropped again. He gripped her thighs, firmly but gently, softly but passionately. "But maybe there were a few nights when I had to more than take a leak off the side of the ship."

She rolled her eyes at her lifelong beloved. "Such a romantic."

"Hey, you asked," he laughed, and got a giggle out of her too. Laughing felt funny when they were joined like this, but it also felt doubly joyous, the movement travelling through both of them in a kind of feedback loop.

He sighed, kissing up her arm and to her shoulder and then her cheek as she wrapped her arms around his neck again. He folded himself into her, his shoulders against hers, chest to chest, leaving only room between their waists to accommodate their joined lower halves. "I missed you."

"Hm," she mused as she ran her fingers through his hair. Every breath they took felt like it healed a scar that had appeared over the course of the journey. Every time her chest rose and collided with his doing the same, she smiled. "As did I."

He raised his head again to kiss her as he started moving. "I love you, Thena."

She didn't need words for her reply. Every minute of every day was her reply to that statement. And moreover, in the moment, her muscles did the replying, squeezing around him by sheer reflex.

He kissed her, letting her reciprocation seep into him bone deep. His hips moved, making the bed squeak with each and every thrust. The more he picked up speed, the more sound it caused, the feet even scraping against the uneven flooring. "This fuckin' bed."

Thena gasped as he changed angle, scraping against her in a most lascivious way. "You were the one who couldn't - ah! - wait."

He huffed, some of his libido overtaking his previous lightheartedness. "Haven't been able to hold my wife properly for weeks, damn right I wasn't waiting anymore. I don't care if this thing falls through the floor."

Thena bit her lip amidst smiling. It was a funny thing to imagine, but the excitement at the idea was a welcome and unexpected side effect.

He snorted, leaning up again so he could hold her hips and thrust harder. Their skin slapped together and the bed started truly swaying with their motions. "You think so too, huh?"

She said nothing, but her moans began floating up and out of her again as he pressed his thumbs into the pits of her thighs, spreading her lips and allowing him to dig in deep. "I am not thinking anyth-!"

Gil moved one hand, gripping from the bottom of one hip and from the top of her other. His thumb stretched down to slither through her blonde curls and drag across her firmest nerve center.

"Ah!" Thena gasped from deep in her chest. Her breasts fell and rose, she gripped the headboard, but it was completely shattered as soon as she did so. The wood splintered and clattered to the floor beneath the window. "Shit."

"Fuck!" Gilgamesh joined her in her unmitigated ecstasy. They were both being driven purely by physical sensation and instinct. One of his legs stretched out behind him, but his foot destroyed the back of the bed as well.

They both were forced to pause as the 'canopy' frame tumbled out of the post next. Gil launched forward, covering her body with his. The wood fell to the side with not nearly as much climax as they possessed. He peeked at it, and then at her, the linen from it draped over their nakedness now. "You okay?"

She was panting for breath, chest flushed and skin aflame. Perhaps somewhat dazed, but unharmed, she nodded.

"You sure? I-"

"Keep going."

He blinked just once before he resumed his position. If anything, she was tighter than before, the moment of startlement having coiled her muscles again. "Fuck, sweetie, you gotta relax."

"I was," she panted as she let herself drown in the feeling of him moving inside of her again.

"I'm close, I'm really - really - close," Gilgamesh less informed her and more spouted off from pure need. His hips picked up a pace over which he had no control. "Come on, sweet'art, just let go."

Thena moaned from her gut as Gilgamesh poured into her. Hot, molten love coursed through her veins as she followed, like a tree tumbling in a forest and knocking down the second nearest. Her core squeezed around him. His heat, his firmness, feeling every breath he took from the inside out; her vision went white and her whole body arched off the bed.

The room was full of panting breaths, fallen wood, even hay and feathers from the bedding. Gilgamesh caught his breath, running a hand through his hair. He let go of her slowly, watching the imprints of his hands on her disappear slowly against the colour in her skin.

Thena moaned as he slipped out of her, in more ways than one. The last time they laid together felt like a lifetime ago, now, but he always made up for any time lost, that was certain. Her head wasn't even on the pillow she had ripped in half, her hair was everywhere, intermixing with the white downy feathers flying in the air. Her skin felt warm to the touch, as if she had been lazing in the sun like an iguana on a rock. She lifted her arms (at least she thought she was lifting her arms).

Gilgamesh obliged, leaning over her once again and kissing her soundly. Their breathing synced up and he departed from the kiss only to leave countless more against her flushed cheeks and neck and chest. "You okay now?"

"Hm," she purred from her chest, her hands running over his skin idly, just for the enjoyment of it. "Deeply."

"Good," he chuckled, leaning up from her embrace only to examine the damage. The linen of the bed was draped around them awkwardly, the bed itself was in shambles. It was a miracle it was still on its legs and off the floor, truly.

The door slammed open, Kingo and Sersi rushing in. "Is everything okay?! We heard a--whoa!"

Kingo held his hand up, although he had truly only seen Gil's naked back and the state of the room around the fallen sheet. Sersi squeaked, turning away at even the implication of a pale leg hanging off the edge of the bed. "Sorry!"

Kingo pulled the door behind him, but they could clearly hear him long after it was closed. "Seriously?! We're here for five minutes and they've totally wrecked the place!"

Thena pulled her lover back to her, laughing into his shoulder.

He chuckled as well, pressing a kiss to her hair as he began smoothing it down. "Laugh it up, you're not gonna wanna look at him for the rest of the day."

She chose to ignore his - completely untrue - implication that she would feel shy at being discovered. "Poor Sersi won't be able to speak to us for a week."

Gil nuzzled into her again, settled on his side with her, wood and linen and feathers be damned. "We'll have to get another room."

"We will," she agreed, rolling and sliding her limbs along his skin until she felt properly affixed to him.

"What will we tell them?" he laughed. He twisted, reaching behind him to tug the linen just enough that he could somewhat drape it over them (but mostly her).

"That this continent is full of very dangerous creatures," she murmured, using the exact vageries that Ajak tended to use on people these days. "One flew right through that window."

Gilgamesh laughed from his belly, which shook against her pleasantly. "Oh, now we're flat out lying to people?"

She smiled against his pectoral, losing all sense in her extremities to the warmth overtaking her brain. "Do you wish for me to say that my husband made love to me so voraciously that their bed is in shambles?"

He blushed.

She let out a chuckle of her own, situating her head under his chin just so. "That is what I thought. And regardless, that is a matter for later--if not tomorrow."

She was done with absolutely anything and everything as of now, as far as she was concerned. Everyone else, their mission, even the rest of their team were far away. It was only them in this little bubble.

[redheadspark]

hawuu could I request 12. "we should really get up." "we should....but we won't." With Druig

Thank you

A/N - HAWUU! I love this request for Druig, thanks for requesting this dear friend!

Sun Kissed

Summary - Druig just wants alone time. That's all

Warnings - Just some fluff

The first thing you hear in the morning is crashing from Phastos’s lab, which then brings along the chorus of bickering from the other side of the door into your room.

“What did I tell you about touching my equipment, Sprite?!”

“Not my fault it’s lying around all over the floor!”

The body behind you was grumbling and snuggling into you as you rubbed your eyes with your fingers. The room was still dark, your bed remaining cool against your skin as the Domo energy was humming along the thick dark walls and under your bed along the floor. You knew instantly that it was very early in the morning, some of the morning sun rays were not even coming into your room just yet on the Domo, but it was already starting to be chaotic 

“This has to be a new record in how early they start fightin’,” the voice behind you groaned out as you heard another crash from the direction of Phastos’s lab.  

“SPRITE, I SWEAR TO—“

“WHY IS IT ON THE FLOOR IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?!”

“Can we go on our own for a few days?” You asked in a yawn as you felt some kisses pressed against your bare shoulder, “I just need a few days of sleeping in…not waking up at the crack of dawn to—“

A third crash, you groaning in defeat as you rolled to be sprawled on your back and looked up at the dark ceiling above you.  An arm was thrown over your waist, and a small chuckle was heard at your side as the body was now perched up on one hand.

“I’ll talk to Ajak and see if we can have a getaway this upcoming weekend,” You looked over to see Druig watching you with alluring eyes.  You loved seeing him in your bed, you two already establishing that you were a couple just like Ikaris and Sersi.  Although Ikaris and Sersi’s relationship seemed more formal in front of the others, Druig was fine with it.  He had no issue in wishing to kiss your cheek in public or hold your hand whenever he could. Of course, there were times you had to tell him to reel in the public affection, in which he would wait until you two were truly alone to unleash all of his love for you.  

“What makes you think she’ll let two Eternals go off on their own?” You asked him as he cocked a grin at you, “Ajak barely lets Ikaris and Sersi have their own time together,”

“Well it’s because it’s Ikaris and Sersi,” He replied with a shrug, “Ikaris won’t waste an opportunity to be the golden boy and get all the accolades of being second in command,”

“Quit being mean,” You lightly scolded him with a smack on his arm, though you both were laughing at what he said.  

“What?  It’s true!” He huffed, “And as for Sersi….well I have nothing bad to say about her.  Just Ikaris,”

You just rolled your eyes as Druig leaned down to wrap you in his arms to kiss you good morning.  You melted in his embrace, feeling his hands sprawled on your backside and some of the sheets starting to descend down both of your bodies as you hummed along his lips.

“Druig, we should really get up,” You murmured against his mouth as he kissed you again.

“We should…..but we won’t,” He replied as he kissed your chin and tickled your sides to make you chuckle, “Honestly, we have no meetings this morning and we can stay in this nice bed for as long as we want,” 

Of course, the idea was beyond inviting and tempting, not wanting to go do chores or any walks of patrol amongst the humans, no need to hunt deviants since they were gone in the area.  In all fairness there was already talk about you all moving on from this small city since you’ve done all you can do to aid the humans in their evolution, finding another rural area that had plenty of Deviants running rabid. Ajak was giving you all a few more days until the Domo was going to uproot, which was both bittersweet and yet thrilling at the same time.  

“Then let’s stay in bed then,” You stated, Druig grinning widely as if he won a prize while you pointed a finger at him, “But not all day!  I would like to go see the ocean again before we leave this city,”

“I’ll take us,” Druig agreed with you as you ruffled his brown hair with affection, “I wanna make sure your tan glows again from being in the sun, “

“Oh, so you wish for me to get a sunburn like I did before?” You asked him coyly as he laughed and shook his head.

“You know that’s not what I want. And I recall giving you that soothing plant lotion that Makkari would use on herself to ease your skin.  I still have extra, so I can give it to you if it does happen again,” Druig informed you.

“You’ll massage it in with your fingers, like last time?” You questioned him in an alluring manner, Druig rolling his eyes as he leaned in to kiss along your neck and jawline to make you feel like you were melting into your sheets.  No matter the image he would put on in front of others or in front of humans, he was always a softy when it came to you.  Especially in your shared bedroom and your shared bed, it was where he felt the most secluded and the most vulnerable.

Plenty of moments were held in that bed.  Moments of joy and happiness as you two would laugh together and talk about the day.  Moments of sadness and grief, you hiding Druig as he cried in your embrace or you weeping in his arms from seeing the tragedies that happened to the humans.  Many triumphs and trials were shared in the very bed you two were nestled in, and it felt like your own little place of worship.  

“I’m at your command,” he vowed softly against your neck, his lips moving lower and lower as his fingers were starting to dance along your skin.  Of course, you were letting him, not wishing to break the magic that was swirling in that room thanks to Druig and his soft affection.

However, another crash was heard from the lab, and Phastos’s screaming in agitation was heard.  Druig sighed in defeat and fell on top of you as you giggled.

“We need alone time,” He grumbled against your neck.

“That we do,” You replied in agreement.

The End 

September Prompt Session

[lady-of-the-spirit]

I just finished the first Old Guard comic, and to celebrate, I have come to pester you. >:3

How do you think the Old Guard and the Eternals meeting would go down? If you would prefer to get particular, how do you think our girls Andy and Sersi would get on? They have so much in common—and yet are so different—that I like to think they’d be best friends. XD

But your thoughts, my friend? :)

CONGRATS ON FINISHING PESTER ME AS MUCH AS YOU WANT

I'm imagining this is mainly the MCU so after shit like aliens and Norse gods and the blip, people aren't too concerned with immortals anymore and the Guard can lead cool, chill lives whenever they just wanna settle down for awhile. They still go and fight the good fight because that's their mission in life, but they don't have to stress as much anymore about being noticed for their immortality. It took awhile to get used to but it's all good.

So: Eternals and Old Guard meeting. I think there'd be some initial conflict over their philosophies as a group, since the Guard's is "help people and interfere whenever" and the Eternals is "don't interfere outside of deviants". But if it's post Eternals, they've kinda gotten over all that. Sometimes it takes a few centuries to figure things out, they all have that in common!

I think they'd have several moments of just sharing stories and going !!! THAT WAS YOU!!!!! like Andy was hearing all these stories about demigods and gods and stuff since forever and was like yeah sure whatever BUT NO THEY WERE REAL THE WHOLE TIME!!!! THEY'RE SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER!!! and the eternals have obvs probably heard stories about xyz events the guard was involved with and they're like OH MY GODDDD- plus probably some close calls or actually meeting each other only to go several decades/centuries without seeing them and then forgetting about it entirely.

wait lmao imagine the guard have all seen Kingo's movies??? Kingo's yelling at the eternals like SEE THE OTHER IMMORTAL GANG HAVE SEEN THEM WHY HAVEN'T YOU GUYS?!?!?!

smth about JoeNicky and Phastos??? the immortal husbands and the immortal x mortal husband (with a kid even???)? there's something there i don't have the words yet.

Thena and Andy sparring together would be so sexy of them just saying.... oh Gilgamesh makes a big dinner for all of them and Andy and JoeNicky are all like WHERE DID YOU GET THIS RECIPE WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS IN CENTURIES???? and Gil's just like It's a secret bc he's mischievous like that.

BUT ANYWAY OUR GIRLS!!!! oh Andy and Sersi as a duo would be real interesting... Andy who has been leading the group for centuries vs Sersi who just had the role thrust upon her, Andy who tries to close herself off and isolates herself from humanity vs Sersi who always makes herself part of a community, Andy who's never not been a warrior vs Sersi who has never been a warrior (she can help in battle but it's clear that's not what her role is)... but also Andy and Sersi who have been betrayed by people they loved and trusted, Andy and Sersi who just keep on trying their best to help humanity despite the odds against them, Andy and Sersi with their mother figures who left them in the role of leader after betraying them and dying (Andy comics canon)... also Andy and Sersi both having Greek myth counterparts!!! Andromache of Troy and Circe!!!

I think Andy would warm up to Sersi pretty fast (or at least fast for Andy) because Sersi is naturally a very warm person and easy to befriend. they both have a very different approach to life and immortality because their experiences with it are so different. I think they would have good conversations about it, some decent discussions about humanity as well. if it's post betrayal by Booker/Ikaris/Sprite/Ajak as well they'd probably bond over "HOW DID I NOT SEE IT COMING!!!!"

Imagine Andy and Sersi going through each other's little museums of trinkets and things collected over the millennia??? they'd have a field day with each other's stuff and swapping stories.

they'd absolutely be the grumpy x sunshine kinda friends.

[homiesondaweb]

Hobie's favorite movie is The Warriors (1979) he and some of his other punk homies caught a 1 am smuggled viewing of it at some dilapidated and reclaimed theater and he's been hooked ever since.

He quotes it under his breath during fights as SpiderPunk. When he's chilling at home, lines from the script creep over his skin. He mimics the Cyrus speech to mock Miguel when he dog ass is ranting at a debrief.

He quotes a line from it in front of Jefferson one times while teasing Miles and is surprised when Jeff finishes the line. (Bro you are a teenaged old head)

He 1000% fanboy and makes a customized replica of one of the vests. He wears it when he's chilling out at his place.

The opening scene guitar riffs are his go-to for warms ups before a preformance

Gives Miles a big lift-u-off-the-ground hug when he gifts Hobie with a spray painted tapestry of some of his favorite scenes.

Owns the movie on DVD, USB, VHC TAPE, Theater Reels. Has MULTIPLE annotated copies of the book.

Also his fav character is Cochise. He most definitely saw Cochise be cool asf and supportive the whole movie and was like "Yep, this is gonna be my entire personality until someone ends my life" like Hobie acts EXACTLY like Cochise (save for the whole being distracted by hot chicks thing)

Gwen was forced to watch it on her 2nd night staying at his place and fell asleep to Hobie rambling film analysis and how punk ideologies apply to each character and plot point of the film.

He has a love-hate relationship about Ajax because while Ajak was fucking wrong, the guy was a fucking fighter to the end in a way that Hobie can't help but respect (also he had the best lines)

This film reminds the others arachteens that Hobie is very much not of their time but very much a geeky teenager

(Miles has a sit down Convo with him about it, there are words and phrases you cant stay in public in our modern day anymore. )

[wandafiction]

Triple Chocolate Brownies - Just Us Chapter 61

Warnings: None

Word Count: 5391

Series List | Chapter 60 | Chapter 62

================================

We are still about 20 minutes away from the house, the car ride has been filled with silence apart from the music from the radio. It's not an awkward silence but it is also not comfortable and it's made me shuffle about a few times when we come to red lights and stop signs. The silence seems to be making this already long journey even longer. It may be Sunday but the traffic and annoying amount of taxis beg to differ. See me and Wanda both live in Manhattan, my town house is on the upper west side while Wanda's apartment is literally across the park from me on the upper East side. My penthouse is all the way down in the Hudson yards area. Vision and Karen both live in downtown Brooklyn, now don't get me wrong it's a nice place but it just means I have to go over the damn bridge and through the day time traffic to get to my place.

So, yeah, here we are stuck behind yet another taxi who has decided to stop in the middle of the road only 10 minutes down from the house. I turn to look at the boys quickly, Billy is in the passenger seat and Tommy is sitting behind me. They are quietly bobbing their heads to the music, taking in their surroundings yet none of us have said a word. Once the taxi finally moves out the way I take a deep breath and decide to break the silence that's strangling us.

"I'm sorry about last night, boys. I shouldn't have said what I did to your father, especially not in front of you two." I don't really know why I'm apologising because in my mind I did nothing wrong, but I still kind of disrespected their dad in front of them. "I hope I didn't cause any issues between you and him after I left."

"It's okay. You did nothing wrong, it's dad who should be apologising." A let out a small laugh at Tommy's words. "What?"

"Nothing but that's exactly what your mother said." 

"Yeah I don't want to see what happens with dad with two angry women shouting at him."

"Yeah me neither Billy." 

We finally manage to get onto the street with a row of extravagant townhouses, I see from the corner of my eyes the boys looking out the window in awe of the place. I pull up right outside my house, luckily all the neighbours are understanding and park mostly in front of their own places. I turn the ignition off and let the boys have a moment to take it all in, but they are now looking at the cars that are parked up more than the houses. 

"When mom said you were rich, I didn't think she meant this rich. No offence." 

"None, take Billy. It's a lot to take in so why don't we head inside and I can show you around." The boys both nod at me as I start getting out of my car. 

I stand on the sidewalk as the boys turn in a circle a couple of times looking up and down the road at the row of houses and line of expensive parked cars. I turn around when I hear the closing of the door behind me, and smile when I see my favourite neighbour of all time walking down her front steps. 

"Good morning Miss Ajak." She makes her way down to me, holding her arms out towards me so I make my way over and hug her.

"How have you been my darling?" Ajak leans backwards resting her hands on my sides to look up at me. And when I mean look up, I mean look up because she is even smaller than Natasha but it has never stopped her from giving me one of her big mama bear hugs...as she likes to call them.

"I am very well thank you. How are you? Last time I saw you was a couple months ago, I must say being single has done wonders for you. You are glowing." 

"Oh stop your going to make me blush." She says dramatically fanning her face with her hands. "So are you going to introduce me to these handsome young men behind you, or not." 

"Of course." I turn back around to face the boys, resting my arm on Ajaks shoulder. "Boys this is my neighbour Miss Ajak, Ajak this is Billy and Tommy Maximoff." 

The boys hold out their hands which Ajak happily takes, shaking both of them with a firm grip. She looks between me and the boys with a raised eyebrow, then taps her finger against her mouth as she thinks quietly to herself. 

"I didn't miss something did I. Like I didn't travel to the future by accident, because last time I checked you were single and did not have two boys hiding around somewhere. Or is this like a magical pregnancy where it just happens one day and the next you're giving birth and then they grow up too quickly for your liking. I mean they look to be in their teens, I've not missed that much of your life have I." I laugh out as I jokingly shove her away, and she just comes back at me hitting my arm.

"No Ajak you didn't go through multiple dimensions and end up in a different universe. These are the twin boys of the woman I am currently dating." Ajak looks up at me with a small amount of shock.

"You're dating again?" She lets out an impressed hmph. "Good for you. How long have you been dating?" 

"Just over a month." 

"Wow." She prolongs the wow, her accent making it sound kind of funny. "And she already trusts you with her boys. What's next? You say I love you to each other."

"That has already happened, Miss Ajak.' Tommy finds the perfect time to pipe up and he and Billy laugh to themselves as Ajak moves a few steps back to look at me directly with raised eyebrows.

"How long were you dating before you said it?"

"Hey, their mom said it first." I raise my hands in fake surrender.

"How long?"

"Ur, just around the 3 week mark I think."

"My god you are useless lesbians aren't you. Always moving so quickly." Ajak says with a joking tone, but also some seriousness behind it. "Next you will be moving in together."

"Woah, woah, I don't think we are at that point yet."

"Why not? Mom has given you draw and wardrobe space, and you are getting a key cut this week." Tommy high fives Billy as he keeps adding to the things Ajak can mock me for.

"Oh I'm not a useless lesbian, but I'm practically living with my girlfriend but won't admit it." Ajak mocks as she turns to the boys. "I like these two, they like dropping you in it."

"Oh yes they do. Their mother gets the same treatment too." 

"Well I'm glad to see you happy. Now I'm off to see Sersi and Ikaris so I best get off. It was lovely to meet you boys, and good to see you again Y/n."

"It was lovely to meet you Miss ajak." Her eyes widen slightly as she looks between the twins.

"Do they always do that?"

"If you mean speak at the same time like it was rehearsed, then yes. Yes they do. I'm still getting used to it."

"Well, have fun with that Y/n. See you again soon I hope." 

"Yes see you soon Miss Ajak say hi to those two love birds for me."

"I will. Bye darling." With that Ajak gets in her car and drives off and I turn to look at the boys.

"Right time for a house tour." 

The boys follow me as I open the gate and make my way up the stairs fiddling with my keys to make sure I get the right one. I turn around to see Billy closing the gate back up, as I insert the key and give it a few turns till I hear the click of the door unlocking. I push the door open, using my arm to wave the boys inside as I hold the door for them. I smile when they both thank me and move into the entrance hall, while I turn around to close the door and put the chain across. I move into the entrance hall to see the boys taking their shoes and coats off, putting them out of the way on the racks provided.

"Welcome to my humble abode. We will do a quick house tour, there isn't anywhere you can't go, except for my room of course." I wave the boys to follow me as we enter the kitchen. "Okay so this is the kitchen, obviously, and through the door there is what they call a breakfast room but in reality I added extra storage. Then we also have the garden through the french doors ahead of you, there is a pantry and a toilet just behind us through those two separate doors there." 

"Is that a set of stairs in the not breakfast, breakfast room?" Tommy's head is leaning to the side to look through the room to the small spiral staircase.

"It is, it's just another room above it which I use as another pantry honestly, but if you follow me up the main stairs we can head up to the parlor." I start walking up the stairs as the boys move around the first floor slowly taking it all in.

"Parlor. What's that?" Billy turns to look at me with questioning eyebrows.

"So basically the living room, dining room, then something called a gallery on the floor plan but it's basically just a large landing. And through the dining room is the extra pantry that has those sets of stairs down to the 'not breakfast, breakfast room' as you called it." 

The boys follow me into each one of the rooms, taking in the decor of the house and the artwork on the walls. Most of the house follows the same theme of dark interior so mostly black and greys, but with white carpets or light oak floor boards. There are 6 floors, a basement and a roof. The top two floors both have a terrace on them, and all together there are roughly 7 bedrooms and something like 11 bathrooms in total. So it's a big ole townhouse. All the toilets and bathrooms are light themed though with most of them having an exquisite white tiled and marble design to them. The boys run their hands over the long l-shaped couch and the two armchairs before both landing on the charcoal colored swivel love seat. They both laugh out when I give it a small spin, before stopping it and spinning it back the other way.

"Okay so it's just gone 12 now, do you boys have any ideas on what you want to do?" I ask when my mind  comes up completely blank apart from playing gaming consoles but we can't do that all day.

"Can I bake brownies?" Tommy asks timidly and I enthusiastically nod my head.

"Of course we can, I've got plenty of ingredients to make whatever. Will you be joining us Billy?" 

“Yes please, we haven’t made brownies in forever!” Billy starts excitedly bouncing on his feet, the longer I spend with the boys the more of their mother I see in them and it's so cute.

“Okay well we need to decide on what brownies you boys want to make first.” I question as me and Tommy join his brother at the bottom of the stairs.

“Triple chocolate brownies!” They both say simultaneously 

“Okay well then, Tommy could you grab out the dark, white and milk chocolate from the pantry over there. Billy, could you get the flour, cocoa powder and caster sugar from the ‘not a breakfast room, room’ please and I will grab the eggs and butter.” The boys go to search their given areas for the few ingredients while I set mine on the counter and move to preheat the oven. “So do you boys know how to make them or am I going to have to teach you?”

“Here is the chocolate Y/n and to answer your question you are going to have to teach us. We haven't baked in a couple of months.” I nod in response as Billy reenters the room holding the small bags of ingredients.

“Okay, so if I instruct you on how to make them and what to do, then I can just do the oven part. Sound good?” They both hum in agreement and I move to get the scales out of the cupboard. 

“So what's first?” Tommy asks as he starts opening the different bags of ingredients.

“Okay so we need to melt the butter and dark chocolate together which we can do in short bursts in the microwave. Just measure out 150 grams of each for me Tommy. Once he has finished with the scales Billy if you could break three eggs into a mixing bowl and add 250 grams of sugar to the bowl and then mix them all together until you deem the mixture fluffy.”

Both boys start on their respective jobs, and it's amazing to see Billy just waiting patiently for Tommy to finish with the scales as he struggles to break the chocolate up and get roughly the right amount. A fond smile grows on my lips, when Billy resets the scales to 0 when Tommy cant figure it out reminding me of how I am with my brothers and sisters and it is so sweet to see two teenage boys just getting along. Once Tommy has measured out the butter he moves over to the microwave, setting it at 10 seconds and placing the mixing bowl in. I turn back to look at Billy as he quietly hums to himself as he measures out his two ingredients. Hearing him hum to himself makes me aware that it is rather quiet and I connect my phone to the kitchen's bluetooth sound system and play the top 40. 

I have heard the microwave ping a couple of times already so make my way to Tommy who is dancing to the music and checking his mix of ingredients. I give him a thumbs up when I see it all melted together, laying a kitchen towel down for him to put the hot bowl on.

“Y/n where is the whisk?” I turn to Billy to see him searching the draws for something to mix his ingredients.

“Above your head hanging over the island.” Billy stands up looking behind him seeing all the hanging pots, pans and utensils.

“Thank you. So fluffy yeah?”

“Yup, nice and fluffy for me please. Tommy while your brother does that can you cut up the other chocolate for me. We need about 75 grams of the milk chocolate and 50 grams of the white.”

“No problem. Are you just going to stand there and make us do this all?” I raise my hands in defence.

“Hey you two wanted to bake triple chocolate brownies, and didn't know the recipe. I am the cook book and master chef, you are my little trainees. These are the best chocolate brownies you will have ever made, so yeah I'm just going to let you do it all because once you know how to make them you won’t need my help.”

“Well that answers that then.” Tommy jokes as he looks over to see his brother's progress.

“Does this look fluffy to you Tommy?” Billy tilts the bowl so Tommy can double check and gives his brother a reassuring nod. “Okay what next Y/n.”

“Okay now add that into the bowl with the chocolate and butter and give it a good mix until it's all completely mixed together.”

“Could you mix this one Tommy my arm is hurting me already?”

“Fine, pass it here.” Billy passes the bowl off to his brother and takes a seat at one of the kitchen stools.

“Would you boys like a drink at all, I have just realised I haven't actually offered you one yet.” I turn the coffee machine on, looking through the selection of pods I have here so I can make myself a drink.

“Do you have hot chocolate?” Tommy asks as he stands beside me with the mixing bowl and whisk  in hand.

“Of course. So one hot chocolate for Tommy, what about you billy?”

“Hot chocolate for me too please.”

“Okay so two hot chocolates. That looks about mixed now so you can add 75 grams of flour and 40 grams of the cocoa powder to the mixture, give it all a good stir till it looks like a batter and then we can get to baking it.” I explain as I move around the kitchen to make the boys their hot chocolates, using the pods that go with the coffee machine to make them. As I turn around to see the boys progress as the coffee machine does its job my face is met with a large cloud of white, and I hear the boys snickering . I use my fingers to clear the white substance off my eyes, opening them only to be met by the twins faces who are laughing hard and loud, their cheeks red. “Oh you're in for it now.”

Both boys make a run for it as I grab two handfuls of flour, and chase after them. They run around the counter together, occasionally bumping into one another as their laughs fill the kitchen, drowning out the music that was playing. I change tactics, so instead of chasing the boys around and around the kitchen island I use my height to bend as far over it as possible and throw the flour at them as they continue to move.Tommy stops dead in his tracks, which causes billy to slam into the back of him and both boys fall to the floor not so graciously. I move around the counter grabbing the bag of flour, but look in the bowl first to make sure they actually put it in there. When I confirm they did and an evil smirk grows on my face, the boys scramble to get up but I am too quick. I put my hand in the bag of flour and dump another load of the stuff over them, as they continue to try and get up and run away. Just as i think i've won, Tommy manages to scrabble to his feet opening up his arms wide before they close quickly and his hands close in on the bag. He used such force that the flour jumps not only out of the bag and covers me, but the bag splits and flower lands all over Billy too. 

Billy coughs and splutters, wiping his hands on his face to get the pile of flour off of it, as Tommy bends over with laughter and tears streaming down his face. I'm still standing there in a small state of shock, my mouth agape as my eyes flick between Tommy and Billy. I finally breathe out a laugh and use two fingers to wipe at my eyes, again, and dramatically shake them to the side. 

"This is so funny. I mean look at you two." Tommy slaps his knee as he laughs and I join in now finding the situation completely hilarious.

"Okay, well before we make any more mess." My words broken between laughs. "We need to add the chocolate bits then we can bake them." 

"I will do it." Tommy chucks the chocolate chunks in as I help Billy off the floor, giving his clothes a small wipe down with my hand. 

Once Tommy is happy with the mixture, he moves over to grab his now finished hot chocolate and adds another pod in to make Billy's drink. All the while I pour the mixture into the tray spreading it out evenly before placing it in the oven. I grab the whisk that we have been using and spin around on my heels and flick it in Tommy's direction causing the mixture to splatter all over him. His jaw slacks open, his eyes looking me up and down in shock and I hear Billy start to laugh behind me.

"Oh this is war." Tommy says with a playful tone to his voice as he grabs out a wooden spoon and darts to the mixing bowl. 

Before I have time to grab it, he wraps his arm around it and stirs the spoon around it a couple of times. When I see the lump of mixture sitting on the spoon my eyes go wide and I start to back up slowly. 

Everything happens in slow motion.

Tommy flicks the lump of mixture towards me and I see it coming flying towards me so I do the only thing I can think of and duck down, my head turning as I watch the mixture with my eyes. My eyes go wide when I see it connect with a satisfying plop again Billy's head as he tries to turn to avoid it too late. Tommy drops the spoon into the bowl and places it on the side as he struggles to control his fit of giggles, while Billy collects the mixture from his face and throws it back at Tommy.

It sails past Tommy's head and hits the white cupboard, and we all watch it slowly slide down before it falls off and lands on the floor. There is a beat of silence before we all start laughing together, all of us with tears streaming down our faces. 

I gain control of myself, while the boys are still trying to calm down, and grab some wipes so I can clear up the floor. As I start to clean up, I hear clanking behind me so I look around to see the boys collecting all the used stuff and putting it in the sink. Billy starts to fill the sink up with hot soapy water, as I make my way to the bin and chuck away the wipes and mixture we were chucking around. Tommy comes up next to me grabbing a few wipes himself as he starts to wipe down the kitchen island, and I wipe down the other counter tops and cupboard. 

When we are nearly done, the song on the playlist changes and I see Tommy start to dance to himself and Billy start to mime to the words. I smile to myself as they both start dancing around the kitchen, shuffling around the tiled floor in their socks doing funny moves like the running man and the robot. It doesn't matter that it's not in time with the music they are having fun. I turn to my phone and hit the back button, which causes the boys to groan about it, but when they hear the music start again and sew me grab a wooden spoon to use as a mic they smile at me. I also grab Tommy's hand and pull him towards me so we can dance.

(Everybody talks - Neon Trees)

Hey baby, won't you look my way?

I can be your new addiction

Hey baby, what you gotta say?

All you're giving me is fiction

I'm a sorry sucker and this happens all the time

I found out that everybody talks

Everybody talks, everybody talks

I hold the spoon to my mouth as I start singing out loud, the twins join in but only quietly. All of us shuffling around on our feet in time to the music.

It started with a whisper

And that was when I kissed her

And then she made my lips hurt

I could hear the chit chat

Take me to your love shack

Mama's always gotta back track

When everybody talks back

I pull Tommy in and move my arm upwards so he spins under it, and then he spins back the other way. I sway my hips to the beat and look up to see Billy doing a two step heel sort of shuffle as he moves around the kitchen.

Hey honey, you could be my drug

You could be my new prescription

Too much could be an overdose

All this trash talk make me itchin'

Oh my, my shit

Everybody talks, everybody talks

Everybody talks, too much

It started with a whisper

And that was when I kissed her

And then she made my lips hurt

I could hear the chit chat

Take me to your love shack

Mama's always gotta back track

When everybody talks back

Never thought I'd live

To see the day

When everybody's words got in the way

I put the spoon down and grab both the boys hands and start spinning them under my arms, I smile wide as I see them laughing. The lift both their arms up and I duck as I shuffle under them, then spin them under my arms to untangle us

Hey

Hey sugar, show me all your love

All you're giving me is friction

Hey sugar, what you gotta say?

I pick the spoon back up and stop dancing and decide to pretend like I'm singing at a concert as I hold the spoon in two hands, mimicking what it's like to use a mic stand. And smile as the boys continue to dance around the kitchen in their own worlds, and now singing more confidently than they were in the beginning.

It started with a whisper

And that was when I kissed her

And then she made my lips hurt

I could hear the chit chat

Take me to your love shack

Mama's always gotta back track

When everybody talks back

I hold the spoon in one hand, and lift the other one up to point out into the kitchen moving my wrist up and down in time with the beat. My head bops to the left and right in time to the sway of my body, and I watch as the boys sing comically to each other as they roll their shoulders in time with the beat.

Everybody talks

Everybody talks

Everybody talks

Everybody talks

Everybody talks

Everybody talks, back

It started with a whisper (everybody talks, everybody talks)

And that was when I kissed her (everybody talks, everybody talks)

Everybody talks

Everybody talks, back

I drop the spoon as I let out a small boom and bow as the boys give me a round of applause laughing at my antics. I then stand up straight and give them a small round of applause and they bow towards me and one another. We are all heavily breathing from dancing around the kitchen, a thin layer of sweat covering our foreheads. I open up my arms and the boys both engulf me in a hug.

"That….was...so...fun." I huff out between puffs of air.

"It was."

"It was very fun." 

Me and the boys are brought back to our surroundings when the timer on the cooker goes off, I ruffle their hair before letting go of them. They follow me as I grab an oven mit, turning the oven off as I open the door and the smell of brownies fills the room. I hear the boys take in a deep breath and let out a happy sigh at the smell.

"Right boys, we need to let these cool then we can cut them up and have a couple. I will also make some sandwiches so we have something proper to eat for lunch and not just brownies. Now while we wait for them to cool, I think a shower is in order."

"A shower sounds great but we didn't bring any spare clothes with us. You know we didn't plan on a food fight." Billy says as he motions between the three of us who are covered in flour and mixture.

"Good point. Billy you are nearly my height so should fit into one of my shirts and sweatpants, don't worry everything is clean and mostly from the mens section anyway. Tommy, my clothes are probably a bit big, but you can just roll them up. Sound good?" 

"Sounds good." 

"Perfect. So you two both use one of the showers on the fourth floor. All the rooms up there have bathrooms so it doesn’t matter which one you go into. I will go to my room to clean off. Meet back down here and we can have lunch. Your mom shouldn't be too much longer with Vision and we can do something together." They both nod and disappear upstairs, me following closely behind until I get to my floor. "This is me, there should be some clothes in the drawers upstairs for you guys."

"Okay thank you Y/n." Tommy smiles as he disappears up the next flight of stairs.

"Yes thank you Y/n. The past 2 hours have been really fun. See you downstairs." Once Billy disappears I make my way into my room and head to the ensuite.

It took me a while to shower off properly because I ended up with flour in my hair, which was a pain to get out. But I finally managed to get it all out so now I'm walking around my room looking for some clothes, with a towel wrapped around my bottom half; and another towel hanging over my shoulders. Just as I am pulling my underwear up my legs, my phone goes off and I smile at the name that lights up the screen. I press the answer button and tilt the camera so they can see my head and neck only.

W: Hi baby

Wanda almost squeals in excitement.

Me: Hey princess. What's got you so excited?

W: Nothing apart from seeing your face, and your neck .

Wanda's eyes search around the phone.

W: Are you naked?

Me: Uh, no, well half naked. I have a towel wrapped around my bottom half.

W: Uh huh. Where are my boys?

Me: They are either upstairs getting changed, or downstairs waiting on me.

W: Why would they be getting changed?

Me: We baked brownies and it turned into a flour throwing war.

W: Well now the half naked ensemble makes sense. I want brownies.

Wanda pouts at me like a little child.

Me: Well why don't I send you the address and you come here. We can do movie night here if you want.

W: Are you sure baby? You mentioned in passing that it was yours and Sarah's house and I don't want to intrude on that if you're not ready.

I smile at how considerate she is. It's true me and Sarah bought this house together, fully expecting to have a future and multiple children. 

Me: It's okay princess, you can come over. This place is special to me and I want you to come. That's if you want to come over.

W: Of course I do. Send me the address and I will be over as soon as possible.

Me: Okay. I love you Princess.

W: Love you too baby.

I hang up with a smile on my face, now deciding to get into comfy clothes as I don't have to go anywhere. I send Wanda the address as I am getting changed, and I can hear the faint laughter of the boys coming from upstairs. 

With everything that's happened in the past, and the pain and hurt I went through I am glad I am still here today to be able to experience this. I wanted this with Sarah so badly, and she did too but when she died I thought I would never get my wish of a family or a future with someone. Not like the future that I saw with Sarah. But here we are. 

I have Wanda. 

I love Wanda.

I have the boys, who I love so much. 

I have a family in them.

They are my family.

I just hope they all see me as part of there's as much as I see them a part of mine.

================================

[nicholedmccarver]

Rest In Piece Rock Band (2007-2024)

Ok, so this is not what I would normally be vocal about, especially not online, but it means a lot to me.

An old YouTuber i used to watch about Rock Band stuff finally finished up a series he did on examining the setlists of each game. It was kind of a last hurrah for the series as all the DLC songs will go down on the 29th and therefore rock band officially dies for most people, I have officially done everything i can with the series and it's really bittersweet.

I feel like when they started closing stuff off with rock band and what not it also kinda closed a chapter in my life. It's weird bc I seldom feel this emotional about things, let alone a video game series, but Rock Band has been with me since I was 4 so it is truly like seeing an old friend one last time before they move away.

Thank you Harmonix, you may not be as incredible as you were in your heyday, but you've given me so many great memories over the years I can't help but look past your current flaws.

P.S. I'm gonna link the video I'm talking about here, it was make by Ajakes and I'm gonna be honest I still need to look back and see what else he's done.

P.P.S For anyone who might see this and be like "oOoOh if it means that much just join one of the fan-game communities like YARG or Clone Hero" I have done that, I was in several for a WHILE and there is a reason I'm not staying in them. Clone Hero is full of nothing but toxic shit imo and YARG is not far enough along for me to consider it a true successor and until that day comes I can not stay interested in it, this is my final hurrah with the series and I'm content with that for a while.

[encephalitis-on-sundays]

Avatar The way of War

Fanfiction Chapter 5

A lot of characters including a few ocs through out the entire story, yet it's mostly Spider. Or we'll the future chapters are gonna stay focused on him more. Anyways this one was difficult cause I have a friend writing an ocs part and she can't format to save her life and im too lazy or tired to edit every word she writes. In regards to that I am sorry if at certain parts with her it is difficult to understand. I'm sorry but hey, that's how she goes. ))

--------------------

The way their bodies flowed in perfect unison was enough to give the bravest a cold chill. Warr ak stills the moment she thanks him, and he is ever frozen when she places her hand on his face gently. He reaches up to feel where a hat would be and laughs, "That it would" He replied before stepping out of the bungalow after she had.

Curious eyes stay gazing at the pair as he showed her past the clan and to where Ajake had been waiting for them. Sadly there wasn't much time to explore the island, at least not until things were settled and cooled down.

"Right on time" Ajake spoke up as he tightened his comm on his beaded necklace. "Go quickly and stay low" He commanded before making the bond and jumping onto his living vehicle.

Warr ak approached the banshee casually and with no fear, he ushers for Alice to join him.

"They can be gentle creatures if you don't do them harm" He explained softly before hopping up onto the creature, his can't reaching down to collect hers and pull her up to sit in front of him.

"see, kinda fun right?" He says as they take off after Ajake, on their journey back to the forest, back to family.

"It's a days ride" He added, giving her an estimated time of arrival, and hoping she did not mind the long ride, or the short distance between them.

She watches him link to it with a newfound fascination. A bit in shock, she takes his offered hand and finds herself astride the fearsome ride. They have never been closer but her fear is threatening to consume her and she barely notices. She presses back against him with a squeel as they begin to rise before she can mentally prepare for the ascent. The height dizzying, she squeezes her eyes shut and tries to just melt backwards into him, 'Fun?...He is mad' but she remains silent just bracing her palms against the flying beast. The unwelcome air hits her face and she mentally dies as she learns she has 24 hours of this torture.

Warr ak chuckles to himself knowing the first time riding one is the most grueling. His hands holding tight to the creatures natural reigns, and he follows Ajake lower until they are almost skimming the calm waters below.

" Remember Alladin? " He inquired, nearly about to bust out in song for her if it would help.

"I always think of this as me riding my very own magic carpet. I used to be obsessed with it when I was younger, when I was human. " he spoke happily and reminisced in his childhood as the moment faded on.

"It helped me" He adds, leaning forward to give her a sincere filled smile that shone within the nights sky like diamonds.

After awhile of them traveling in silence the water had vanished and they were familiar with the rugged terrain they were flying over.

"Beautiful isn't it? Kinda like a fairy tale right?" he says playfully as the wind picks up slightly and bundles them close. Within no time the light of day is gracing their faces with warmth.

"We are nearly there!" He called, knowing they were still off a bit, but hoping to ease her worries.

-----------------------

The next time they went out flying was early evening of the next day, and Spider had been following Quaritch around learning of the newer technologies aboard all morning through afternoon. Shadowing the man wasn't as mundane as one would think, there was still some good in the other.

Now in the sky it was quiet with only the animals calling around them from the forest floors, Spider huffed out some air as he reminds himself of his past home.

"You alright kid?" Quaritch asks the boy crouched on the banshee to his front.

Spider jumped at the sound of the others voice ricocheting from ear to ear, and he turned his head back to look at him. "Yeah" He responds and shakes his head slightly at the others concern pouting as he returned to face away from this man. Quite awhile would pass before his ears overheard the Colonels Comms going off in his ear, that never happened, he turned back to give a look of puzzlement.

"Change of plans, kid. We got movement in the sky, Na'vi.." He announced with a toothy grin, obviously excited about who it could be.

Spider stay silent in thoughts of a risky escape knowing it might be his last chance before he is sent to Earth. Soon enough the Colonel narrowed in on two banshees in the near distance, and the kid already could tell who the riders were.

" Yip!" He called out loudly to gain the attention of the others, and snapping his head to the side to look at Quaritch when he was pushed down.

"Quiet kid! I'll unleash a buttload of ass whoopin if you give away our position." He warned his son before forcing the creature to go faster.

Ajake heard the others faint call and his head snapped back to take in the scene, sighing in relief to see Spider. His stomach churned as the banshee flew close enough for the man to make out whom be the second body in the air.

"How?!" He growled in disbelief, "Warr ak! Eyes on Spider, to your east" He called behind him to the two also noticing the other banshee grow close.

Warr ak cursed under his breath now realizing they were in danger and with little to no weaponry or defenses to get them out.

"It's just one dude, how hard could it be?" He states reassuring them both as he tugs on the reigns and nose dives.

This is the moment Spider had been awaiting, and he made a mental note not to fuck it up.

"I owe you a life, but I'm done!" He tells the colonel before allowing his body to roll underneath now dangling by the creatures neck.

"Miles!" Quaritch yelled in utter shock at the boys next move. He immediately reached forward to grab the kids forearm and tried to pull him up.

"Bro!?" Spider calls out down below them where Warr ak was leveling up their banshee just underneath theirs.

"Go bro!" Warr ak replied as Ajake came flying past them and shooting a few rounds at Quaritch.

This frightened the animal and caused the banshee to jerk back making Spider lose his grip. He gave out a loud yell as he free fell almost 20 feet before grabbing ahold of the banshees tail and pulling himself up with what strength left he had.

"That was sick, bro" He gasped lightly with a relieved smile at the other.

He suddenly got a wave of un-surety and against his greater judgement turned to look back at Quaritch. He breathed yet another sigh of great relief seeing the Colonel un hit by the shots firing out at him.

"Is he in sights? Is Eagle out of combat?" Warr ak asked, holding it together as he flew as steadily as he could like so.

Spider focused on what scenes were unfolding behind them with wide eyes forced that way from pure adrenaline. He sees Ajake now swiftly catching up to them as Quaritch falls back, most likely retreating after such a loss.

"I see him!" He calls happily before hearing Ajake whistle low and they knew to seek cover under the canopy.

Once on the ground the group took a moment to take it all in and find shelter for the evening.

"Spider" Ajake fetched the boy and put a hand on each shoulder firmly. "I am happy to have you back, but I need you to tell me how Quaritch is still alive... Do you know?" The man interrogated, happy of course of their successful outcome, but solemn and on edge with it as well.

Spider instantly looked to his side as he could no longer meet the others desperate gaze, and he swallowed hard before the silence grew to be too much and he caved.

"It was me" He breathed low and finally looked back to Ajake with a deep settling frown.

"I couldn't let him die- he saved me first!" He found himself defensive and growing in volume.

"Sorry, Sir" Came Spiders next words as his body sunk forward in guilt and conflicting morals.

Ajake stood completely horrified in the admission the young kid had given him, even after Netayem has died,

"You bring back the man responsible for my sons death!?" He growled loudly but soon masked the anger and bewilderment locked inside.

"I don't know what to say." The man admitted, raising a hand to his brow for a second of peace.

"Thin ice" He warned before nodding for him to leave him be and give him space.

"Go, dismissed-" he ushered when the boy just stood in defeat. He watched him walk off to join the others, his steps seemingly forced and tight facial expression showed how much reuniting came with hurt beyond this world.

[florashifting]

Marvel dr incorrect quotes (eternals edition 2)

Got a little carried away w the generator 😭🙏🏾

-

Ikaris : Druig and I were crossing the street, and this man drove by and honked at us.

Makkari: What did you do?

Ikaris : They chased him to the next red light, and reached into his window, and-

Druig: *walking in* Who wants a steering wheel?

-

Sersi : What's the most efficient way to burn calories?

Thena: Exercise more!

Jaz: Set yourself on fire.

Gilgamesh: There are two kinds of people.

-

Ikaris : Where are you going?

Jaz: To get MYSELF a gift cause somebody didn't get me one!

Ikaris : I told you I did! Its coming here on Friday!

Kingo, knowing full well that Ikaris got Jaz an engagement ring: *eating popcorn*

-

*Makkari and Jaz's house is on fire, but they don't know it*

Makkari: Damn, it's hot in here.

Jaz: I know, it's so hot there's smoke coming out of the vent!

Makkari:

Makkari: First of all, I'm assuming you have no idea what the problem with that statement is.

Jaz: What?

Makkari: Second of all, we need to get the fuck out of here, NOW.

-

Gilgamesh: That's it, you're grounded! Thena, no adventures for you! Jaz, no fighting for you! Makkari, no stealing for you! And Ikaris ... oh my god, is there anything that you love?

Ikaris : Revenge.

Gilgamesh: No vengeance for you.

Ikaris : I was going to say "I'll get you for this," but I guess that's off the table.

-

*The Squad is at Ajak’s house*

Makkari: Ohhhh we each get our own oven?

Ajak: …N-No…

Ajak, laughing: How many ovens do you think I have???

Makkari, motioning to the kitchen: Three, I thought!

Kingo: I see a-

Ajak, motioning to one device: This is a microwave.

Makkari: Oh, well I-

Ajak: Hey, wait wait, actually- hang on- *fiddles with the buttons on the microwave*

Ajak, amazed: Its got a bake setting!

Sersi : Ohoho, you learn something new every day!

Gilgamesh: Do we- Do we roshambo for who gets to pick first?

Ajak: Now I’ve discovered more ovens than I thought, we don’t have to roshambo nothin’!

Ajak: I am someone who owns four ovens…

Ajak, louder and way too happy: I am someone… who owns FOUR OVENS…

Druig, pointing to another appliance: Also, the toaster oven!

Ajak:

Makkari: Ohhh, toasty boy! Four- Five ovens!

Ajak:

Ajak, ecstatic: I AM SOMEONE WHO OWNS FIVE OVENS.

-

Jaz: So, what's for dinner?

Thena, staring at the food she burnt: Regret.

-

Ikaris : Do you know the best way to respond to disagreement?

Jaz: With tears?

Ikaris : No.

Jaz: *tears up*

-

Jaz: Good news! I didn’t screw up!

Thena: ...

Jaz: I screwed up less badly than usual!

Thena: ...

Jaz: Screwed up with less immediate consequences than usual.

-

*Jaz is cleaning the house and they find an empty bottle of orange juice*

Jaz: Clear orange juice?

Jaz: Oh, it's empty.

Ikaris , who has been watching the entire time: I live with an idiot. I live with an idiot. I live with an idiot.

-

Makkari: Problem, I can't tell if this food is over-sauced or undercooked.

Ajak: Solution, just pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. There's at least a 50% chance that'll fix it, right?

Sersi : Result? Food has somehow become unpleasantly soggy and unpleasantly crunchy at the exact same time.

Kingo: No better time than this to pull out my favorite word! Slunchy!

Ikaris : ...put it away.

-

Kingo: I’m proud to say I’ve come over my fear of ghosts!

Ikaris : Eyy, that’s the spirit!

Kingo: *gasps* whErE???!!!??

-

Ikaris : Does immaturely insulting me make you feel better about your sad single life?

Druig: It actually does.

-

Gilgamesh: Are you drinking enough water?

Jaz: Sometimes my tears get in my mouth.

-

Ikaris : Hey guys, today Jaz pushed me, so I'm starting a kickstarter to put them down.

Ikaris : The benefits of killing them are that I would get pushed way less.

-

Jaz: What's this?

Gilgamesh, hugging Jaz: Affection!

Jaz: Disgusting.

Jaz: ...Do it again.

-

Kingo: *slowly pushes a cannon into a 17th century bank* Okay everyone, be cool. This is a robbery.

-

Jaz: You need to be more careful!

Sersi, who was dragged into Jaz's situation: Careful? CAREFUL?! I'LL CAREFULLY WRAP MY HANDS AROUND YOUR THROAT-

-

Ajak: I haven't seen Druig and Jaz for fifteen minutes now.

*Outside a nearby window, a car without a driver inside is seen rolling down a driveway, with Druig and Jaz running after it in a panic. Ajak doesn't look outside at all.*

Ajak: That probably means they're getting into trouble.

-

Druig: What is the most illegal thing you can do with one gold?

Makkari: Exchange it for a hundred copper, put them all in a sock, and then beat someone to death with it.

-

Thena: Come on, Ikaris ! How any times do I have to apologize?

Ikaris : Once!

Thena: ...No.

-

Gilgamesh: Ha! Don't you know the trappers trap can trap the trapper?

Gilgamesh: I must be losing it, I'm quoting Kingo.

-

*Ajak and Jaz are texting*

Ajak: Who are you? Someone changed the names in my phone.

Jaz: What did they change my name to?

Ajak: Chosen One.

Jaz: Don’t change it back.

Ajak: BUT WHO ARE YOU?!?!

Jaz: I’m the chosen one.

-

Sersi : I hope you have an explanation for this.

Jaz: We have three, actually!

Druig: Pick your favorite.

-

*The Squad is at Home Depot*

Sersi : *Fell in the cacti display while wandering around the garden section*

Druig: *Shitting in the display toilets*

Makkari: *Tokyo Drifting one of those flatbed carts down the aisles*

Jaz: *Stealing paint chips for aesthetic purposes*

Ikaris : *Just wanted some goddamn lightbulbs and everyone ruined it*

Kingo: *In the car sleeping*

-

Ikaris , at Jaz’s funeral: I need a moment with them.

Everyone else at the funeral: Of course. *leaves*

Ikaris , leaning over Jaz’s coffin: Okay, listen here you little shit. I know you’re not dead.

Jaz, sitting up in the coffin: Yeah, no shit.

-

Ikaris : Kingo, you'll be working with Makkari and Druig.

Kingo: Alright! My fantasy threesome!

Everyone else: *blank stares*

Kingo: ...Of people on a team.

-

Gilgamesh: Thena has discovered "deez nuts" jokes and it's all they say now. Everything is deez nuts. They simply can't stop.

Gilgamesh: I asked Thena where they learned that joke. They made me promise they wouldn't get in trouble if they told me. I agreed.

Gilgamesh: So they lean in and whisper, "deez nuts."

-

Druig: But who gets which pencil?

Jaz: Since they're my things, I get the good one, Ajak gets the broken one and you don't get one because fuck you.

-

Jaz: Do you want to know your gay name?

Thena: My... my gay name?

Jaz: Yeah, it's your first name-

Thena: Haha. Very funny Jaz-

Jaz: *gets down on one knee* And my last name.

Thena: Oh- oh my god.

-

Jaz: You know me, Ikaris , I don’t take any shit. You know what I say to my haters?

Ikaris : What?

Jaz: I say: “Please don’t hate me, I’m really nice.”

-

Gilgamesh: *clicks pen*

Ikaris : *clicks pen in response*

Jaz: Stop that.

Gilgamesh: Stop what?

Jaz: You’re talking about me in Morse code!

Gilgamesh: Yes, that’s what we doing. In our very limited time, we took a class on a very outdated, very unnecessary form of communication just so we could talk about you in front of you. Congrats, you figured us out!

*later*

Ikaris , to Thena: That’s actually exactly what we were doing.

-

Gilgamesh: So anyways have y'all seen Ikaris ?

Sersi : I think they went in Jaz's room 'studying'.

Kingo: Doubt that. I heard groans there.

*Meanwhile in Jaz's room*

Ikaris & Jaz, fighting:

-

Jaz: Why do you hang out with me?

Ajak: You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me!

Jaz: …

Jaz: I feel a bit sorry for you.

-

Druig: All in all, a 100% successful trip.

Gilgamesh: But we lost Ikaris .

Druig: All in all, a 100% successful trip!

-

Druig: Guys where did Jaz go?

Gilgamesh: They got arrested.

Druig: How the hell-

Jaz: *bursts in through the window* The cops are after me, I thought it would be fun to steal crackers and throw them at people.

-

Sersi : If I fall…

Dane: I’ll be there to catch you.

Makkari: *looks at Druig* What if I fall?

Druig: Then I’ll fall with you, never leaving your side.

Jaz: *watches these two interactions*

Jaz, to Ikaris : And if I fall?

Ikaris : I’ll be the one who pushed you.

-

Jaz: All of your existences are confusing.

The Squad: How so?

Jaz: Your presence is annoying, but the thought of anything bad happening to any of you upsets me.

-

Sersi : *working in a flower shop and minding their own business*

Jaz, storming into the store and slapping $20 on the counter: HOW DO I PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVELY SAY “FUCK YOU” IN FLOWER???

-

*at the supermarket*

Jaz: All right, the last item on the list is "virgin oil." Jaz:

Jaz: Wow. Imagine being an item and still being called a virgin.

[mnovenia]

Day 10 - 6 Aug 2023

Goodmorning, started with drive thru McD, Yoora & Imo got ready and first we drop Imo to Hyundai Dept Store as she had to work. Then we're headed to church, parked and I directly headed to the main room to sit with Bella. Was quite sleepy and just follow through.. Kamcagi Bella bilang suru ikut berdiri -__- aigooo.. afterwards, we're heading to Indonesia worship where I met ci Yenny for last and Sisco + Salomo aswell.. Ada Jihoon, ada Hakman juga, and ofcourse hihii nemenin Yoora.. then we went to have lunch with Erica Onni, discussing whether the food is expensive place/not etc, tiba2 dibayarin sm Jei Appa ChangSejin huhu kamsahamnida.. Twas very nice meal, and suddenly gw ditelp orang arsitek temennya Pak Ferry (ora jelas). Minum vitamin dari hakman yg ok bgt langsung poop coy.. then buru2 gitu we're headed to Chongnyeon Yebe.. I sat next to Yoora and Salomo, twas a blessed time that I will remember forever, I was quite sad that was my last Youth Service during that summer in Korea.. Yoora ajak joget2 and finally it finished, we had to have Sun with 237 darakbang genk.. twas nice to share with Wiliam, Oz guy, The US girl, Jinny, Sungchan, etc. I went pretty fast, we said goodbye and again directly dianter Salomo ke tempat ibadah Indo because the youth members + Han Jibsanim has prepared many gifts for us.. So happy to see familiar faces again (didn't expect GH to be there and true he wasn't, hakman too). I was so happy to see Seungmin, Donghyun, Jungsoo + husb, Gukyeong (yg of course flirty and nempel2), Ire, Yeneung, Byeonghu, Zion and many more.. Bella gave another farewell message, we took picture and said byebye.. They gave me many seonmul, notes, pair of clothes, necklace+bracelete huhuuu terharu mereka pasti banyak ngumpulin uang untuk patungan..

Afterwards, rasanya capek banget but yet I have to stay strong because we have to go to Ha Ok Sun Jangronim's house.. sekenyang apapun, I was so amazed by her huge and fancy apartment (Yoora dropped us off). She was already busy preparing many foods for us, her husband also so busy talking to Bella and gave many questions. Twas very special dinner.. we had galbitang yg aku inget banget, jamur, salad, and many any things that Jangronim prep herself from the scratch.. huhuu terharu banget.. abis gt dia kupasin buah2 korea yang enak banget... she let us use her fancy bathroom and fancy toileteries.. but then I also found out how hard her husband is..

He also asked us to watched makjang drama together as it was majimak episode -___-'' ngakak lah, otak gw udah gak berfungsi sebenernya.. then I left my phone on the room, didn't touch because we're busy with answering both jangronim and jibsanim.. I mandi and pinjem gunting kuku, ngobrol2 bentar and nyobain duduk di cafe jangronim huhu.. seneng bgt dianggep ky anaknya sendiri.. trus dikasih celana and dress bekas anaknya dong, seneng banget akutu mesti koperku makin berat aahhaha

Kamchagi, I checked my phone ada message dari shannen lah tentang oppa korea bla3 1 jam lalu, but what made me most surprised is: Kakaotalk from Gwang Hui 43 menit lalu HAHAHAHAHA even now that I typed it, I'm smiling so wide 2:30 PM 23 Oct 2023, wow what a timing..

Gwanghui tanya gmn schedule aku minggu depan, karena dia libur tgl 7 & 8 (as he said early last week when I first arrived in Korea, I still remembered but I didn't think that he truly mean it and will follow up to spend time with me^^). So the fact that he did, just made me more interested in him. So we're talking and I said let's do on 8th because on 7th I will be occupied with my Singaporean friend.

(The one who loves me - J-Us, played on my background, aneh bgt ini lagu di hp jadul aku dari jaman baheula n kita ktemu lagi krn gw dnger Kyungju kmaren nyanyi Just as I am and I suka banget), Tuhan emang suka bercanda and speak to me in a very personal way hehhe..

I said my schedule was quite full gwanghuiya, so maybe let's just meet at myeongdong hotel after I shift my luggage. But he said: but nuna, who will help you? I said, it's okay I will do it myself. But he said: noona, ti-da-apa-apa (means he wanted to help me shift hotels) sigani mana.. huhuhuhu.. terharu :''') so I said: thank you Gwanghui, for you to ask me and willing to spend time with me, I'm already so thankful hehe... and then he was shy, gwaenchana noona.. I have a car to help you...

Then he said: noona mau apa? pgen makan apa? i was only thinking that we had a quick coffee time before I headed to Gangnam and meet jibsanimdeul, but he asked: what about meeting at 12PM? Lunch, watch theather... He even made a sort of presentation of what kind of food to choose (so cutee).. I of course choose the cheapest one that hopefully not burdening him..

And I said: ok I want to watch theater hehe.. then he called me with Kakao talk ahhaaha..oh my I was so nervouse.. Bella was in the room, Jangro/Jibsa went to their room already, so I hide and go to outside room to not make a noise.. sumpah ky anak remaja ngumpet2 telepon pacaran :''''''D sumpah ngakak ngetiknya pun, aduh darah aku langsung naik seperti adrenalin di pump.. abisnya kamchagi banget gwanghui telp.. yg aku inget cuma: noona, jal deurojotso? aku bilang eo, awalnya putus but now i can hear.. trus ngom apa, pake bahasa apa aku juga ga faham kok bisa nyambung and kita telp hahahihi lumayan lama.. yg aku inget dia tanya: noona mau nonton apa? thriller? romantic comedy? then I said romcom chua.. trus dia tanya noona dimana? Aku di rumah HaOkSun Jangronim.. dia bilang gpp besok pas ketemu aku jemput aja di rumahnya.. then I said engga, besok aku udah pindah hotel di sheraton sama chinggu (bolak balik lama baru dia ngerti)... trus gatau ngom apa lagi sumpah gainget tp seneng banget and I smiled all the time, gatau berapa lama ga pernah ky gitu.. and the best thing always happened when it's unexpected ya.. hixx Tuhan makasih banget ya kasih aku pengalaman yg bikin my heart flutters again ky gini dan its towards a very nice guy from church, who means of what he said and treated me special huhu.. pokoknya aku inget malem itu aku gabisa tidur, panas dingin bahagia, liat hp terus, and try to recall what's going on and think about it as something that's extra special, specially orchestrated/arranged by God Himself huhu.. Tuhan I want to have faith like the Samaritan woman, even though I don't understand fully, I believed. Like the royal guardian, who believed of what you said and promised, and apply it to my relationship with Gwanghui.. May I & him follow your step only to make Your will be done through us..

[softquietsteadylove]

I'd like to read more Inmate AU. It's been a while. XO

Feel free xoxo

"It's fine," Thena sighed.

"I'll be the judge of that," Ajak tugged at Thena to get her firmly planted in her seat. "The cafeteria brawl?"

"Hm," Thena neither confirmed nor denied, but did answer. Failure to answer at all would get her smacked with la chancla.

"It's not like you to get into fights," Ajak raised a brow as she touched Thena's orbital lobe. The blonde woman did her best not to flinch but she wasn't able to disguise the twitch in her facial muscles completely. "What happened?"

Thena debated what her answer could and should be. Ultimately, she figured that if Ajak didn't already know, she could certainly find out. Either way, lying would get her nowhere. "Makkari says a lot for a woman who doesn't speak."

Ajak laughed, jostling her stethoscope. "She certainly has an attitude on her. I'm surprised you got involved."

Thena sighed, "I usually wouldn't. But I suppose I enjoy her company. And it really was some bullshit to taunt her like that."

Ajak gave her a look before shining that annoying light in her eyes. "Right...left..."

Thena obeyed.

"Well, it'll be swollen for a bit. If you get headaches often tell someone and I can get you the basic stuff," Ajak went through her usual advice. There was little she had and even less she could actually offer. But being on her good side could at least get you a little higher on the unofficial list.

"Now that you mention it-" Thena looked at her, and Ajak just nodded. It was her third month here when she had learned that when Ajak suggested something, it was for her patient's benefit. Even if it was to imply they were suffering physically so they could ask for desired and tradable goods, like basic advil or extra menstrual supplies.

Ajak peeked out the door. Either she or a guard had to be in the room; no one was allowed to be unattended. She looked back at Thena, "he one of the good ones?"

She nodded.

Ajak opened the door, breezing past him, "watch her. I have to get something from my office."

Thena managed a smile as Gil slid into the room. Even if Ajak weren't protective of their 'patient confidentiality', she could imagine Gil doing his best not to eavesdrop anyway. He offered a tight smile in return. "That bad?"

He glanced behind him before taking a seat on Ajak's stool. "Your brother might file a complaint with the warden over it."

"I'm sure he's made other complaints--you know where those end up," Thena tried to laugh. In truth, it looked worse than it was, but she did still have a bit of a soreness in that temple. "Red must be worked into quite a fury by now."

"Red? Oh-" Gil chuckled at her namesake for her fellow inmate. "Uh, yeah, well it was pretty clear she started everything. She got a few days in solitary and she's gonna get taken off the job shift for a little while."

Thena nodded. That was most certainly for the best. "That'll upset their little food chain. But maybe some of us will actually get some lunch. Not that it's good, but it's better than nothing."

"Should I start sneaking Makkari stuff too?" Gil asked lightly, as if he weren't already taking a huge gamble just to sneak her the contraband that he did.

"I'm sure she wouldn't say no," Thena smiled down at her knees, "but it's quite a risk to keep sneaking in food."

Gilgamesh shrugged. He looked around Ajak's office absently and plucked at his uniform. "It's worth it, though."

Thena tilted her head at him. Her eye truly was swollen; Gil was a little blurry at the edges. But she continued anyway, "why risk it at all, though? How did you even end up in a place like this?"

Gil sighed heavily, glancing away from her. "It's...a long story."

Maybe because of her time in here, or maybe from getting to know her cellmate, Thena held her hands up with a dry expression. "Because I clearly have somewhere else to be...?"

That made him laugh, and she again thought that he was far too soft to be in a place like this.

"I got into fights a lot as a kid," he began to disclose to her, not without hesitance. "It kinda kept up in college, so I started going to the gym more--tried boxing to get the energy out and stuff. My old man had a pretty bad temper, and as much as I didn't like it, I got some in me, too."

"So, one night I'm walking home and these guys think I'm gonna be an easy target," he wrung his hands around in his lap. "They try to get in my face and I guess I was already having a rough day. It just gave me an excuse to really give it to 'em, y'know?"

Thena nodded, letting him continue at the pace he wanted. She would be lying if she said she wasn't surprised by it, but clearly his musculature didn't just develop overnight. It was more than a few protein shakes and some weight lifting.

"It wasn't just that I got in trouble with the school," Gil continued, his dour expression not exactly lifting at all. "I got picked up for battery, spent a few nights in the hole, all that."

Thena hoped her shock wasn't as visible as she feared it might be. Maybe her bad eye would just look twitchy.

"Hard to get a cushy job with the arrest on my record, so," Gil ended his story there, shrugging at her with a smile. It was remorseful, sure, but there wasn't the sense of pity for himself. "Did it to myself, really. I took basic stuff that didn't require a background check, mostly. This is the most stable job I've ever had, ironically."

Thena frowned, though. "Don't they-"

"It's a favor," Gil spat out, finally showing some true vitriol for the circumstances. "A few old guys are buddies from back in the day and suddenly my record check gets caught up in the system."

A lot got 'caught up in the system', as it were.

"So, I manage to get a job as a guard," he concluded. "I worked a few other places. Managed to get transferred here 'cause I've never tried any, uh--w-well, you know."

Thena did know. It was a low bar, but somehow also rather outstanding that Gil had never been involved with any harassment of any women. "That is rather fortunate."

Now, there was a little self-pity. "I'm just the best of the worst, really."

"Still the best of something, then." He seemed surprised at what she said, but she shrugged. "I wouldn't take anyone in here trusting you in any way lightly. And you make yourself sound quite frightening but all I ever see is you showing a rather tender heart. Far too soft for this place."

He gave her a sheepish smile. "I could say the same to you."

She shrugged, taking on his previous nonchalance. "Perhaps we both are--still here, though."

"Yeah, we are," he conceded. "You'll be out soon, if things go according to plan."

She looked down at her knees again, gripping the edge of Ajak's examination bench. She never dared speak it aloud, for fear of risking optimism. To come this far and have it slip away would be too much.

"Maybe you'll think of me if you have a good sandwich," Gil laughed. He clearly meant it as a joke, but there was a bit of a warble to the end of it.

Thena looked at him. He was already telling her he was joking, but the thought of forgetting him so easily didn't come to mind, either. "I think I might miss your cooking enough to seek you out for it."

Now, he was the one to snort. "Yeah, right."

"Why you're working here instead of as a cook I've no clue," she countered his dismissal with her own. She uncrossed her ankles and leaned off her hands, loosening her shoulders. "I'm sure there are restaurants that wouldn't mind an arrest from thirty some odd years ago."

"Twenty some odd years, thank you," he huffed at her, although they were both starting to laugh too much for it to truly seem unhappy. "And I don't know if I'd wanna do it for work, anyway. I kinda like it too much for that."

"Hm." She tried to think if there was anything she missed that much. If there was anything she liked so much that she didn't want to make it into a something of a burden.

But there wasn't anything. The only one on the outside she missed was Druig. Perhaps she might try to reconnect with her old roommate, but then again, the thought of having to explain her now-federal-level arrest was too complex and unsavoury. She didn't have any hobbies she missed, not even any pop culture she yearned to consume.

"Thena?"

She looked at Gil again. Her own complete lack of a life outside of her concrete cage was beside the point. Gil probably did have a life, and the thought of him spending all of it in this hell hole made her gut twist. "You could always do it for leisure, I suppose. Take a boring day job and just do it as you please."

"What job would take me?"

She made a face, "if I find one that will take me, I'll let you know."

That seemed to sober him, making him sit up straighter. "Your PO will help you with all that--they don't just throw you out with nothing."

She shrugged. "I haven't thought about it much. Druig is determined to support me for the rest of his young life, unfortunately."

Gil smiled, though. "He sounds like a good kid."

"A bit reckless, but I have to agree," Thena smiled as well. All this time in prison and she never did manage to muster any resentment for him over her arrest.

All she had to do was think of Druig - small and confrontational and mousy - in a men's prison with a bunch of animals, and she was glad she did what she did. And she would do it again, given the chance.

"You'll find something to do, I'm sure of it," Gil reasoned, some of the brightness she had met him with returning. "He's obviously smart, and you're probably pretty smart, too."

"Probably?"

"Well, you can't be that smart, you're still in jail."

Thena laughed--laughed so hard her eye hurt from squeezing shut. Maybe it was this place changing her sense of humour. Or maybe Gil was just...kind of funny.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Ajak barged back in unceremoniously. She rattled a bottle with just a few loose pills in it, as if she were scaring off animals from scraps.

"Gil has a way with words," Thena sufficed, catching the bottle as it was tossed at her.

"Sorry," he murmured, standing from Ajak's stool to allow her to sit again.

"I guess I'll have to catch your next show," Ajak raised her brows at him.

He blushed. His eyes darted to Thena again before he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, "I'll just..."

Ajak looked at her, visibly skeptical of her laughter. "Since when do you make nice with the boys?"

"Just that one," Thena allowed, although even saying that much was probably ill advised around the omniscient doctor. "He's good."

"If you say so," Ajak murmured, giving her a last few pokes and prods. "Okay, you're free to go."

Thena clutched her little bottle of currency. She might take one or two herself, but the rest would be worth some extra jello, maybe even someone's library time.

"Thena," Ajak called out to her just before she reached the door. "If you need any trash bags I can-"

Thena rolled her eyes, closing the door behind her without looking back at the woman who was definitely more amused than she had any right to be. Why everyone thought she was rendevouz-ing with Gilgamesh was beyond her.

[redheadspark]

Ascend

A/N - I got an idea for this one shot from a TikTok I saw that showed, drones flying through beauty oceans and scenery. I hope you like it!

I was inspired to write this to the song Runaway by AURORA. I highly advise you listen to the song as your read this!

Summary - Druig's curiosity leads him to something that would change his life forever.

Warnings - A small hint of Angst but mostly fluff!

If there is one thing Druig loves, it's a good mystery.  

The mystery of the human race, for example.  He was always curious about the fragile and yet ever-evolving species, from the moment his eyes opened in the Domo so long ago.  The humans were always intriguing, infuriating when it came to conflict, filled with joy and soul that would stretch out and be boundless like the sea, and yet there was always more to learn from them.  It seemed to be like he was peeling back layer, after later, and finding more and more things about the humans that entranced him.

But it wasn't just the humans that were a mystery to him: his fellow Eternals were also.

No matter the years they spent together, Druig would find things to question about each of his Eternal Family.  From their Leader Ajak and her blinding allegiance to Arishem to Ikaris and his cockiness in needing to be second in command constantly.  Even Sprite and her moods and the sarcasm that was laced in her rants, Druig kept learning new things from each of them.  Some of them are shocking, like learning of Kingo's favorite snack. Or memorable, like how Gilgamesh was light on his feet and knew how to dance well.

But with you, you were a genuine mystery to the Mind Controller. 

You were someone who could fly, just like Ikaris, thanks to the use of the element of wind on your side.  Being able to bend the wind to your will to have you fly amongst the clouds and cut through the sky above you.  You were just as fast as Ikaris, if not faster, and with the Eternal's strength on your side, you were a fierce fighter against the Deviants.   

Off the battlefield, you were more secluded than anything.  Not that you were a loner, but you weren't a social butterfly either. Druig would see you sneak off on your own from time to time after a meeting or during a feast that the humans would hold for the Eternals, slipping out the door without anyone else noticing your absence.  Perhaps you were no fan of feasts, much to Druig's amusement since most of the others were fans.  Or maybe you didn't like a massive social gathering, which could make sense to Druig since they were mostly rowdy to begin with.  

Druig was kind to you, he made sure to be kind to you.  He could tell you had a good heart for the humans and cared for the planet.  You reciprocated that kindness back to him, you two would chat every once in a while and were courteous to one another. There was always mutual respect, and Druig's curiosity and intrigue with would only grow over time. 

"She likes to be alone," Then explained to Druig once when he asked casually, seeing you once again make your way out of the Domo right after another meeting that Ajak conducted.  Druig has been puzzled where you were going off on your own, it was festering in his mind for the past month or two.  Ajak never reprimanded you when you exited, which made his curiosity spike even more.  So Druig went to the only other Eternal that you would talk to: Thena.  

"Some of us strive to be in the spotlight," Then explained, gesturing to Kingo across the way in the Meeting Room who was conducting a story with some of the others who were listening on batted breath, "And there are others who need a moment of peace,"

"I take it you're the latter these days?" Druig asked with a smirk, Thena quietly laughing as she shoved her shoulder against his own.

"As of late, yes.  But with her," She explained, mentioning you to Druig, "She prefers to have some peace and wait sometimes.  Especially with us all together," 

Makkari was in the same boat as Thena when Druig asked her the same thing about you.  Druig and Makkari were close, very close, but Druig also knew you were close to Makkari as well.  Makkari was close to everyone on the ship.  There wasn't a being on The Domo that would rub Makkari the wrong way, including you.  So Druig had to ask the Speedster about you. Who gave him an amused look and huffed at him as she popped some fruit in her mouth while sitting Indian Style on top of Phastos's lab table.

"Leave her alone," She warned him with her fingers as Druig cocked a row at her, "The last thing anyone needs is a moody Mind Controller spying on them,"

"I'm not going to spy!" Druig rebuked and signed, Makkari raising a brow at him unconvinced as Druig kept going, "Haven't you ever wondered where she would wander off to?"

Makkari paused, her face seemed unchanged as she held up three fingers to sign the word "No". Before she could sign anything else, Phastos walked into his lab and saw the speedster sitting on top of his chest.

"Off of my desk, NOW!" He yelled, Makkari spewing off within a mili-second with a laugh on her lips as the papers flew in different directions.  

You were still on his mind, the possibilities of locations you would sneak off to would flood Druig's mind, even late in the night when he would try to sleep.  It was itching at his brain, the need to know a pinch more about the mysterious Eternal was gnawing at the back of his mind and it was growing by the day.  He knew enough about it, up until this point.

He wanted to know more about you.  Plain and simple.

He finally went with his gut one summer afternoon, the Eternals were sharing a meal at the Domo. The day was already busy, taking on at least 2 Deviants that were out in the North.  You went to fight beasts with Ikaris and Thena, leaving the others behind in the city in case the Deviants would come near the humans. But you all were sitting together for dinner, chatting together about the events of the day.

Drug was seeing you sitting across from him, talking to Sersi and Thena at the same time about the Deviant fights.  Although he couldn't hear the entire conversation arm his spot near Gilgamesh and Kingo, he could tell from the look on your face you were showing in how you were re-telling the story.  He had no idea if it was the glimmer of light that shined over your head to highlight your hair, how the fluid motions of your fingers almost made it look like a dance as you were recounting every moment with your friends who wrestle listening on bated breath. 

But something shifted inside of Druig that scared the shit out of him.

No one has ever made him feel like this, not even Makkari.  You were the very first being to make Druig second guess his feelings.  He was always sure in all his choices, never needing to pause and rethink something concrete in his mind.  Whether it was his own beliefs and Arishem and the outlandish philosophy the Celestial had, or the ever-evolving human race that seemed to be more important to Druig than ever before.  His foundation was never moved or never once shifted, until now.

Until you.

Druig saw you walk out of the Meeting Room a month later, making that his opportunity to follow you since there would never be a better time.  He moved before anyone else in the room noticed, though Druig was not fast enough to be avoided by Makkari, who grinned at the sight of the Mind Controller chasing after you.  Although she warned him about giving you space and not chase after you, she still thought of it as cute.  

Something she could use against her best friend down the road whenever he would get cheeky on her. 

Druig kept his ongoing distance behind you as he was watching you walk along the dirt path, your eyes were dead head with no signs or indications that you knew you were being followed.  You had a pep in your step while you strolled along the path, something that was new for Druig to see.  Not that you were. A killjoy, you did smile and you enjoyed yourself from time to time.  But this,  seeing you almost glide as you went through the forest, your hair swaying in the wind and your limbs loose, Druig was taken aback by the view.  The last thing he wished to do was break that spell as he kept his distance and remained on your tail.  

The walk itself was a good 15 minutes, cutting right through the thick trees and amongst the pristine foliage.  Druig caught on that you were heading to the cliffs that overlooked the sea, a gorgeous view that was far enough away from the city but still close enough by walk. He's gone to the cliffs only a few times, not being able to go constantly since he was busy helping the humans.  But seeing the bright blue ocean in front of you, past the tall pine trees and the sweet smell of the ocean mist coming through the branches. 

Finally, you broke through the last line of trees into the opening that was in front of the cliffs, massive cliffs that were towering over the beach below and casting a shadow over some of the rock formations that were in the ocean waves.  It was such a view to see, Druig losing his breath himself as you were walking along the grassy ground before standing a few feet away from the edge of the cliff.  You were still then, though your hair was dancing in the wind as your backside was to Druig. He stayed along the tree line, his eyes on you to see what you were going to do next. 

He saw your shoulders droop and relax within seconds, no longer hunched up or stiff like they would be most of the time.  Your entire body was loose and calm, nothing making you stiff or rigid.  The way you stood even was calm and relaxed, and Druig could see you take a few deep breaths to perhaps breathe in the ocean air.  He watched on bated breath as you took another step towards the edge. 

Druig started to feel a hint of concern then, knowing full well you were an Eternal who could take care of herself.  But then again, being that close to the edge, it was sending off warning alarms in his mind.  Why was he panicking over you?  You knew how to fly and the last thing you would ever do was fall from a slip.

But your toes were on the edge, and you simply leaned forward and you fell.

Druig bolted out from the forest, his mind going on overdrive and his heart falling to the stomach.  There was no way he was imagining what he just saw, it could not be a trick of the mind.  You simply fell over the edge, almost like you were in a trance of sorts and you were no longer in sight.  What drove you to do that?  Why would you do something as insane as this?

But as soon as he slid to a halt in front of the very spot where you descended, he was shocked at the sight in front of him.

You were actually flying, but in a way he's never seen before.  Your arms were along your sides, out barely like they were a small pair of wings as you were weaving in and out of the massive rock formations, making it look so smooth like a dance or even water.  Like the very water that you were flying over, almost like you re morphed into a bird.  Druig was speechless, watching in fascination and awe as you were flying all around the coast.  Zipping through the holes in the rock formations, hovering over the top of the ocean with the water barely touching your armor, and with a massive smile on your face.

He saw you fly in combat, you were swift and smooth in how you would soar and dip and gain speed.  But you had to be quick.  Here, amongst the water and rocks, you were slower and almost at ease.  A rolling sensation as you were ascending and descending, like the waves themselves.  Druig could only watch with wide eyes how you were both embracing the wind around you to guide you and carry you, and drink in the very notion of nature to shut everything else out around you.  

The sun danced in your hair, along with some of the spray of the ocean along your skin to make it glisten, your armor shined from the light and the reflection of the water as you were making your flight patterns with your eyes closed.  You must have flown out here so many times you knew when to turn or where to shoot up or down with no need to look.  

Druig realized what it was: you were free.  Utterly free.

He was never free with his mind-controlling, he never felt like he was.  He would always use his powers on the humans to help him or make them safe, also sensing and reading the minds of others.  But he had to use them for others, not for himself.  Not that he would complain about it, he would do it in a heartbeat for the fragile species that they swore to protect.  But there was never a moment that he could simply turn his mind off, let it be at rest.  He wanted it, so badly he wanted to rest his mind and rest what was crawling in the part of his brain.

Seeing you free, beyond free, he was envious.  

Minutes came and went, you clearly had no idea Druig was watching you, nor was Druig caring he was out in the open and watched you in adoration and utter amazement.  It seemed like time stood still for the both of you, nothing else mattered and nothing else needed your attention.  Druig finally sat down on the edge of the cliff, his feet dangling and his hair flicking in the ocean air as his eyes were trained on you intensely and with love laced there as well. 

Druig suddenly realized that he could watch you fly for hours on end and not lose focus or have any boredom. His heart flickered against his chest and his pulse quickened, a sensation he never had before on Earth.  Nothing else excited him or made him smile, he would turn away any kind of earth possession or substance that could substitute.  What he was feeling, and experiencing, seemed more organic and pure.  All from watching you be free in your skin, being free and sensationally beautiful in his eyes.

It hit him sideways, he was in love with you.

You flew up along the cliffs, up in his direction and you finally saw him. Gasping, you flew past him, the force enough to make him fall on his back onto the grassy floor and look up in the pink and purple sky with a gasp on his lips and his eyes wide.  You landed instantly, standing right above his head and perching over him with your head tilted at him and your hands handed at your side.  Druig saw the look on your face, shocked mixed in embarrassment.  Your hair surrounded your head like a halo, hiding you from the world as Druig blinked at you.

"What are you doing?" You asked out of breath, some anger in your tone as Druig found his voice.

"I was—" he was about to say when you huffed.

"Watching me?  When I wanted to be alone?!" You asked, interrupting him as you clenched a fist at your side.  Druig could see how hurt you must have been, needing this time alone and it was taken because of him.  Seeing that anger with a mix of pain in your eyes as you spoke again, "I wanted to be alone, Druig,"

"I...I know," he replied, sitting up and turning to face you thought you were on your feet and he was still sitting on the ground, "I was curious as to where you were going every night,"

"You were looking to pry," You countered, Druig hearing the bite in your tone as he flinched as you glared, "I don't want anyone to pry with me and follow me here!"

You turned on your heel and walked away from him to head back on the worn that would go back into the forest.  Druig's heart dropped, the spell you were once under that was free and open was long gone and was filled with bitterness.  He knew it was his doing, and he wished to fix it as he scrambled to his feet to go after you.

"I didn't mean to pry, you know!" He called out to you as you were still walking, "I was merely curious is all since you go off on your own every night,"

"It's for a good reason," You replied over your shoulder, "Not that you need to know the reason,"

"You're right, I don't," he agreed, "I don't need to know the reason at all.  But you should know that what I saw just now was beautiful.  Beyond beautiful….and you looked like—"

You whirled around, eyes wide at him with some anger flickered in your eyes as you stared into his blue eyes, "Like what?!"

"An Angel,"

You stood still, looking at him with softer eyes now as you both were standing in front of each other mere feet away from one another at the very edge of the forest.  Never once in your time on Earth did you hear something like that about your Eternal Ability.  It touched deep, in the darkest corner inside of you that you never shared or rarely showed.  It made you release all of your breath as Druig kept his eyes on you.  His bright blue eyes you always admired and wished you had.  The same eyes that saw through the flaws and pain of others and never once judged them.  

"I know Angels are a thing amongst humans and their religions," Druig explained, taking another step towards you since he saw you were not walking away from him anymore, "Angels are pure beings, filled with happiness, and are rare beauties.  I…I think that's you when you fly,"

Your heart swelled from what he proclaimed, your ear burning red at the tips.  Druig was always truthful in what he would say, maybe sarcastic or aloof, but he would never lie.  You hearing that from him, in such a truthful manner and with softness laced there too, it made you look at new in a new way as well.  

"I…I fly like Ikaris," You tried to reason with him since it felt like your flying was nothing really special to be praised for.  Druig shook his head at the mention of Ikaris, almost disgusted by the comparison as you were still gazing at him in disbelief.

"He flies like a machine," Druig explained, taking another step to him as he searched your eyes.  He was finally close enough for you to see the blue specks in his eyes and for him to see the freckles on your nose, his fingers reaching down to lace yours with his with gentleness like you were made of glass, "You fly like an Angel,"

You both watched each other for a few seconds, not letting each other go.  You drank in what he said, never once hearing something like this or any of the others, or anyone in that general.  It moved you, truly moved you, since you felt like you had to hide how you wished to fly all this time. But for Druig to see it, and admire you in how you wished to soar and glide with no sign of negativity, you finally smiled.  Druig smiled in return, then cleared his throat and looked down for a moment at his boots.

"I won't tell anyone else where you go, I won't do that to ya," he explained, you watched as he shifted on his feet and still looked at the ground, "And…I won't come back out here if you don't want me to—"

"Druig," You hummed, Druig's eyes going to yours instantly and you saw the smile still etched on your lips.  This close, he saw so much warmth on your face, heard it in your tone, and felt it in your hand that was still holding this.  You looked like an Angel then, the sun setting though still radiating off your face and armor as he felt like his heart skipped another beat.  

"I…I don't mind you watching me," You reasoned, Druig's eyes widened as you kept going, "You're beyond kind to say such things about me—"

"Truthful things," he interrupted as you nodded.

"You wouldn't lie, and I know you won't say anything, to anyone," You went on, Druig nodding in agreement as you spoke again, "And….I don't mind sharing this place with you if you wish to come out here.  As long as it's between us, just us.  Deal?"

For you to offer him your sacred place, a place no one knew or wouldn't never dare to find, it moved Druig in more ways than he could ever imagine.  He knew what it was like to have a place to be at peace, to not be guarded in, and he felt honored that you were willing to share that small piece of yourself with him. 

"Just us," he repeated, your smiled growing, and he felt his heart burst all over again from your smile.

That cliff would be sacred to both yourself and Druig from then on out for the next 2 years you were there.  

You both would escape there almost every night, walking side by side and talking about the day and all that happened.  It was nice to have another person to talk to, at least for you, and Druig would sit on the cliff's edge as you flew.  Knowing that he as kept an eye on you as you were soaring and gliding, weaving in and out and dancing amongst the wind, your little world was a pint bigger now.  Druig loved watching you fly, fly in such a way that seemed so open and bare.  

It moved him the most that you were flying that just for him, no other audience present.  He would watch you for hours and hours on end, some days were joyous and you were speeding with ease.  Other days were hard, you were still with grief or stress.  You would escape to that place and simply fly to be out of your mind so to speak.  

Druig would feel the same, needing to be out of his head or cry from not being able to help the humans.  One night, months later, you stopped flying to see him weeping on the cliff with his head in his hands.  It scared you, wounded you even since you never saw him cry in such a way before.  This was not the Druig you knew, who would make you laugh or smile from his jokes or make you think about the humans so highly.  

So you flew to hover in front of him, gathering him in your arms as he cried in your embrace.  

You both fell in love with time, centuries coming and going but your love was never fleeting.  You found new places to fly when you would move to another part of the planet to hunt Deviants, Druig right behind you to watch you be free.  Having that time with Druig, away from others, was what you craved every day.  Even sharing your first kiss with you hovering in the air and Druig on his tiptoes to try and kiss you a bit bolder and for a pinch longer.  The first kiss, his hand on your jawline and a smile against yours was just as thrilling as flying in itself.  You pulled away as he tried to chase your lips, you laughing as you flew up in the sky in bliss and Druig watching with adoration and affection in his eyes.  

You both grew to accept one another and never let the other go, even when he fled from the family in the Amazon after witnessing a Genocide.  You went with him, realizing he was the other half of your soul and you couldn't survive without him.  Those first few years were hard for the pair of you, being away from the family you've been with for centuries and attempting to protect a village of humans.  Wars and famines, life and death, it was all wrapped in one for you two to navigate.  Especially Druig, who would fight tooth and nail to keep those humans alive.  But he did, and you loved him all the more for it.  

Just like before, he would watch you fly and dance amongst the tops of the jungle trees, considering himself lucky to have someone like you love someone like him.  

And now, years and years later in South Dakota, right after the near Emergence and with the world safe you were sitting on the rooftop of Ajak's farmhouse, watching the scattered stars on the black sky in silence.  You were thinking of Ajak and Gilgamesh and how you missed them, you were thinking of Ikaris and his betrayal against the family, and you were thinking about your husband and how he was almost taken away from you.  

Druig found you there on the rooftop, after discussing with Phastos and Thena with what would come next.  He knew you needed time away from all that happened, that time alone.  Everything within the last several hours seemed so fragile and frazzled, all over the place, and for you to have your alone time was essential.   He crawled out of the open window and sat next to you, wrapping you in his arms You tucked your head against his own as he rubbed your arms.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," you muttered to him as he kissed your hair, "I can't be in this world without you,"

"I would never dare," He vowed into your locks, "We are meant to be together in this life. You're my Angel, remember?"

His pet name for you ever since he used that term on you centuries ago.  He would use it casually during his day to say actives or chores just to make you smile, or privately when you would be in bed and he would bring you to the brink of pleasure. To him, it was more just a pet name.  It was who you were to him: pure, filled with happiness, and a rare beauty.

"I'll always be your Angel," You vowed in return.  And as he let you go flying amongst the stars high above him, Druig was inwardly glad that he followed you that day.  His curiosity led him to years of blissful happiness and joy.  His intrigue led him into the arms of someone who saw him as more than a Mind Controller.

He watched his Angel fly with ease, a big smile on his face.

The End.

Tagged - @a-lumos-in-the-nox @hottpinkpenguin @virtueassassin @heartofwritiing @valeridarkness @ethereal-athalia

[rei-ismyname]

It's my favourite too, for that reason and because it successfully really made everyone important and sympathetic (or at least relatable.) Tom, Arjun, Syne the Memetaur, Jada, Kenta, Ajak and Makkari, the machine that is Earth, The Progenitor, even Starfox. Sincerity and pushing the Marvel event formula to its limits paid off so well.

I caught that pronoun edit and I appreciate it :). Kind of you to say I'm smarter than you too, but I disagree. It doesn't matter though, we can both be clever.

I think Cap failing was the moment I thought 'hell yeah, we're doing this.' All you say is true about him being one man, but at the same time I'd argue that post 9/11 Cap has been slipping in a lot of ways. Deferring to the government/unjust authority, even embodying it - is a long way from the guy who overthrew Nixon and sided with protestors against cops etc in the 70s. He fought against the SHRA, but whenever there's a mutant registration act/cure he hasn't done the same.

Cap was always a man out of time, but he was a young man. A New York art student during the New Deal era who bought that perspective to the 70s. I feel like he's aged into more of an establishment role and it's tied his hands in significant ways. It's something he realises every so often and I can't help but wonder if it played into his judgement. I love how The Progenitor only ever refers to him as 'the man in the flag.'

Oh yeah The Progenitor hates sunk costs, haha. 'Every day is Judgement Day' would have been life changing for Xavier to internalise. Fortunately, Gillen got to write him for the rest of the Krakoan age. Mags asked Storm to watch him and she did her best. He had breakdown after breakdown, even admitting 'I don't believe in this' but he just kept making the same mistakes. He's still making them right now.

He's lost so much and hurt so many people, and even now he's still manipulating people and keeping secrets, acting unilaterally. As much as the X-Force part of Chuck Hunt (much better name IMO) was bizarre and made little sense, he was up to old tricks but admitted 'this is for me.' He acknowledges out loud that he's acting selfishly.

The Cyclops judgement is so good, especially when The Progenitor uses it as context and character witness to judge Jean. 'I met your husband and passed him. 'My wife will beat you up' works well for him. Also I blew up his head.

I'm working on a post about this judgement right now - there's so much to say. The Progenitor is being massively unfair here, but if we go off other judgements this is Jean's guilt at play. Spoiler - I think he's trying to teach her something, but I'll get to that. Then there's DOOM, who laughs at it and rides a jetski. Passes, obviously. Lol.

Loser Husbands get judged

Judgement Day was a fantastic event running through the entire Marvel universe. In short, the new Prime Eternal thought wiping out the mutants would secure his political position. Tony Stark, Sinister and the Eternal priests built a new God to stop the war - which it briefly did. Then it judged everyone.

Magneto and Storm put on a fantastic show fighting Uranos the Undying, as you can see. The big guy tore Mags' heart out (rude) but he kept fighting with his powers and help from Storm, and eventually the pair fucked Uranos up. That's not what he's judged on.

As part of Arakko's government, Mags and Storm removed themselves from the resurrection protocols. Magneto is dying and The Progenitor chooses to judge him based on whether he sticks to his guns and accepts death. It's right that Xavier would save his loser husband if he called out to him right now, but he doesn't. It appears as his lost daughter Anya and gives him a thumbs up, recontextualising the scene in X-Men Red..

Interestingly, it thinks 'if all were like him there'd be no need for men like him.' Inasmuch as this cobbled together space God based on Tony Stark is worth listening to, it's at least fascinating that Kieron Gillen chose those words. Storm and Mags embracing as he dies is beautiful and the judgement means nothing.

Chuck doesn't fare so well in the 'being judged by a space God' game. The judgement itself is meaningless, but the nature of the test and Xavier's response are significant. The Progenitor has been shown to frequently judge a person based on their own standards and guilt.

The implication that Chuck represses the extent of his guilt over his shoddy parenting wouldn't surprise me. The dude is running a country and overseeing a psychic siege defence of the Quiet Council by himself, something that kills him multiple times via exploding head. He's also taking meetings, communicating with various people, and even has the time for passive aggressive jabs here and there.

I suspect it's not a failure to drop everything and run to David right in this moment, but not even stopping to look at his son on what's looking like the last day of existence for everyone. It could be something else entirely, what with inscrutable space Gods and all, though Charles Xavier is incredibly neglectful to David and always has been. I love that Legion managed to build himself some happiness and stability in spite of this, and I would LOVE to see a conversation between the two right now.

[impliedstorm]

Thena: Ikaris is on his way.

Kingo: Good, he’ll know what to do.

Makkari: What if he doesn’t? We could get killed.

Gilgamesh: Or even worse, Ajak might give us a lecture on responsibility again.

[romancingromanoff]

What I Feel For You

Thena xf!reader

It’s 400 AD and the height of the Gupta Empire. Over 5,000 years have passed since you first gazed upon Thena and you haven’t stopped looking at her since.

A/N: This has been on my mind since I rewatched the film November and I’ve always felt that Eternals has been one of the more underrated movies of phase 4. Angelina Jolie is also brilliant as Thena obviously and since she’s bisexual in real life then her character has to be queer too. I don’t make the rules.

Word count: 2655

You supposed that stranger pairs had existed. As you gazed upon Sersi and Ikaris while they partook in their bonding ceremony, you couldn’t help but think about how different the two of them were. While Sersi was pure warmth that seemed to extend to every single person she met, Ikaris remained tactical and slightly removed from everything else that happened with the humans around them. But then you remembered how Sersi had softened him and the days of Babylon where he seemed to grow an entirely new perspective. He began learning the humans’ languages, became more involved in their development and culture, and allowed Sersi to lead him into something he would have otherwise left unfamiliar.

The problem was that you couldn’t change for Thena even though you longed to desperately. For her you would remake yourself from the dirt and clay you stood on, mold a new person with your own tears. Back in Babylon, she said that she didn’t come to Earth to cower behind walls, but that’s exactly what you did. On that day you had watched her fight deviants with cosmic weaponry and both the grace and strength of a thousand winds. You were behind the city walls, of course, for what else would you have been able to do?

Similar to Druig, your special ability was mostly psychological and didn’t serve much purpose on the battlefield. Communicating with animals had allowed you to assist the humans in their domestication but not much else when it came to fighting the deviants. In fact, you spent most of your time in the company of four-legged, scaly, or winged creatures and admiring your Thena from afar. 

A few decades ago, the two of you had shared a dance during the humans’ celebration of solstice that Druig and Phastos sneakily planned. You remembered feeling more alive than ever with her arms around that night. A stupid joke that you told her actually made her smile the biggest you had ever seen and suddenly you were about to confess all the feelings that had been kept hidden over the course of thousands of years. But then in an instant, the entire party erupted into a swarm of chaos when a band of horns sounded out the spotting of some lurking deviants. 

“Stay here, little one,” she had quickly told you before placing a brief kiss on your forehead and running off as a sword materialized into her hands. But you were certain that she had only been concerned about you as a friend would  and quickly convinced yourself that she wasn’t interested. 

And there was also Gilgamesh. Admittedly, there was a time earlier on into your mission that you wanted to resent him completely. He was strong, a natural protector, and capable of giving Thena that life of adventure you knew she longed for. The way that the two worked in sync when they fought was almost like an intricate dance you knew only two people with a deep personal connection could choreograph. You couldn’t help but covet what he had but being the giant teddy bear that he was it eventually softened you. Now, you tried to be happy for them both from the sidelines.

After the bonding ceremony you retreated to a nearby herd of elephants that you were growing pretty close with. You were languidly brushing the oldest female and leader of the herd when Ajak stumbled upon you.

“I’m sure these majestic creatures make wonderful company but a little bird told me that you’re avoiding someone in particular,” she approached you and the herd slowly. Ajak was always careful around animals and behaved much more respectfully than others like Kingo. Near Mount Erymanthos he had once tried to ride a giant wild boar on a dare from Sprite which had ended awfully for all parties involved. “Care to talk to old me about it?”

You knew that Ajak wasn’t a threat to the elephants so you silently directed them to let her through as you replied, “Birds are terrible gossips, you can’t trust them all the time.” That one made her chuckle a bit but then she became serious once again.

“Why don’t you talk to Thena? She cares about you, you know? We all do and just want to see you happy.”

“She doesn’t care about me the way that I care about her,” you sigh right before another elephant steals the brush from your hand and holds it up out of your reach with its trunk. “Hey, what the heck?”

“See? Even they know you’re being ridiculous. Why do you assume that she feels that way when you haven’t spoken about it?”

“Ajak, look at me,” you step back so that now all of the elephants tower over you like trees. Besides Sprite, you’re the shortest of the eternals and quite insecure about it. And while you weren’t bad looking by any means, Sersi and Makkari were certainly more beautiful than you were. You had always had an easier time blending into a crowd. “What can I give her that Gilgamesh can’t? She deserves someone like him who won’t hold her back. My life isn’t exciting and full of danger like hers. I would just bore her.”

That’s when Ajak gives you a stern, foreboding look and you know that you’ve upset her. “Careful there, I don’t want to hear you say things like that about yourself. You may not be a fighter like her but neither of you are just one single thing. You bring out a different side of her that no one else can and she has feelings for you too.”

That’s what makes your head shoot up at attention. “She... she told you that?” You can hardly believe what Ajak is telling you but suddenly your heart is bursting with hope. 

“Actually, Gilgamesh and I were just discussing it.” That is... surprising. “But Thena has her own insecurities and isn’t certain how to talk to you either.”

“Why... why is that? She’s Thena! She’s the most incredible person I’ve ever known. She isn’t scared of anything.”

Ajak simply shrugs but gives you a suggestive look. “Sometime our judgment becomes clouded when we’re in love. Maybe it’s something you should think about.” With a smile, she gracefully turns on her heels and begins walking away.

The elephant hands you your brush back but by now you’re too distracted to continue brushing them. There’s an idea forming in your head and you need their opinion on something.

-~-

A few days later when everything is set up, you’re going over the plan one last time with Gilgamesh while Thena is out training. 

“Do you think she’ll like it?” You’re certain that by now he must be sick of dealing with you but he simply laughs and gives you a nod.

“Relax, she’s going to love it! Just be yourself and she won’t be able to resist you.” You curse yourself for ever holding a grudge against Gilgamesh. He’s been nothing but sweet and supportive this entire time and you hope to someday repay him back. He pulls you into a warm hug before his eyes catch something and he becomes much quieter. “She’s right over there, good luck.”

When you turn to look at Thena, it’s like emerging from freezing cold waters and feeling the warmth of the sun on your face for the first time. Everything about her is mesmerizing and bright and it makes you feel like an entirely new being just discovering the wonders of the world. She looks at you with some understandable curiosity after seeing you and Gilgamesh innocently embrace and begins to walk towards you, her eyes never leaving yours. You’re determined not to break eye contact with her but a smile uncontrollably takes over your entire face until she’s only a few feet in front of you and finally speaks.

“Did I miss something?” She asks with a hint of playfulness in her tone and you quickly shake your head.

“No, you’re actually right on time,” this causes her to raise an eyebrow at you and you plead with yourself to stay strong. “I was hoping that you would join me for a ride, if you wanted to that is.”

Her surprised smile causes tingles to spread throughout your entire body. “I would be honored, sweet one, but what would we be riding?” You’re probably grinning like a child at this point but you just continue to stand there cheekily as the answer reveals itself. Out from the jungle, an elephant slowly saunters its way over towards the two of you and Thena’s eyes light up even more than usual. “She’s ethereal,” you hear her whisper before the elephant gives a reply.

“Her name is Aaloka and she says thank you,” you translate. “She also said she agrees with me.”

“Agrees with you on what?”

Be brave. “That you are very beautiful,” your words surprise her and a blush begins to cover her cheeks. It’s all so much to take in that you start to feel your heart race. The only other times it does that is when you’re fearful, but she’s the only one that makes it beat this way. It’s like it beats for her.

Aaloka kneels and Thena assists you on top first before gracefully leaping up behind you. You start to feel a bit overwhelmed by how high up you are with nothing to hold onto until she wraps your arms around your waist and instantly freeze. No one has ever held you like this before. Eventually, you allow yourself to relax your body and sink softly back into hers. It’s an unfamiliar feeling, but a welcome one.

“Are we just going to sit here or do you plan on taking me somewhere?” She asks playfully and it shakes you from your spell. 

“Um, yes! Let’s go!”

Aaloka already knows which path to follow and it doesn’t take as long as you had expected for you to arrive at the spring. In the close distance is a waterfall that reflects the vibrant pinks, yellows, and oranges of the sky all around you. Thena lets go of you, which leaves you feeling somewhat empty, and is the first to dismount before you awkwardly try to slide your way down. At the very last second, the elephant moves one of her feet so that you trip forward and lose your balance. Thena immediately catches you in her arms with a soft laugh and brushes away some of your hair that’s been slightly tussled. 

“Hey, that wasn’t very nice!” You scold the elephant which has no sense of guilt whatsoever. “She did that in purpose you know.” Thena chuckles once again with a look of amusement in her eyes.

“I think she knows that I like keeping you in my arms, sweet one,” Thena huskily breaths into your ear and it causes a gasp to escape from your mouth. Looking up into her giant hypnotizing orbs stops time itself. How did you become so lucky to be here with her? Doubt starts to settle in and you unconsciously cling to her harder.

“I just don’t know what I’ve done to deserve your affections. I’m not strong like you or fast like Makkari. Everyone on the team has a myth or a legend named after them except for me. Thena, they named a goddess and a city after you! But me? I’m nothing extraordinary.” The confession brings a frown on her face that instantly confuses you. What did you say that upset her? 

“Do you really not see how incredible you are? You’re the most amazing person I know.” Thena looks at you with such admiration that it’s almost impossible for you not to believe her words. “If they name something else after Kingo I think his ego might cause his head to explode. But you, my darling, are too quick to discredit yourself for all the good you have helped put into this world. Things you have done from the pureness of your own heart even if you were scared, unsure of how to show the humans and animals how they must work together. Respect each other.”

“It’s my job,” you brush it off with a shrug, unsure of what she’s getting at. Nothing that you’ve done could ever compare to when she saved an entire city full of people. “You deserve someone just as strong as you are. A fighter that can protect you.”

“You think I can’t protect myself?” She raises an eyebrow at you and you realize how stupid you must have sounded.

“No, that’s not what I meant! Of course you’re… I meant to say that I wouldn’t want to… because I’m not-“

All the air dissipates from your lungs when her hand comes to rest at your cheek. Softly laughing, she drops the fake act of frustration in order to soothe you.

“Shhh, I was only joking, my dear. For the record, I’m not interested in a partner that can spar with me or deals with all their problems like Ikaris by blasting through everything. I only want you. You’ve taught me that there’s so much more to life than fighting. That there can be different ways of looking at the world.”

It’s at that same moment that the universe seems to send you a message in the form of thousands of green lights which begin to float up towards the sky. The synchronous dancing of the fireflies wasn’t something you had planned and you find it difficult to resist the smile that grows on your face. Standing together in the glowing green light, it feels nothing short of a truly magical moment.

“Y/N,” Thena softly whispers and you are brought back to the face of the most beautiful woman in the world looking at you with so much warmth. “I would never lie to you. So please believe me when I say I have never loved anyone else the way I love you.”

You’re sure your own heart is glowing within your chest brighter than all the fireflies in the world.

“You… You love me?” All of a sudden it feels as if you might float away. As long as she goes with you you’d be fine.

“Yes, darling. I love you and I’d be honored to be yours.”

“I love you too!” You throw your arms around her neck while Thena giggles, instinctively pulling your bodies closer together.

“May I kiss you, little one?” She breaths in your ear, sending shivers of anticipation across every inch of your skin.

“Please do,” you answer with a smile before your lips finally meet.

Your kiss is exactly like all the wonderful things you love about Thena. She’s gentle yet passionate, pouring all of her desire for you into the kiss while still being incredibly soft and responsive. In all your years of living you’ve never kissed anyone before. You’ve secretly observed human couples of all types share countless kisses throughout history. You feel like you’ve been forced to sit through even more between Sersi and Ikaris in the past century alone. Every time you’ve wondered what It must be like to experience something so magical. With Thena, you’re certain you finally understand what all of the fuss was about.  Nothing else has ever felt so right.

The two of you eventually separate when you’re both startled by the sound of Aaloka triumphantly cheering. Thena pulls you closer to her as you laugh, smiling directly into the crook of her neck.

“What did she say?” Thena asks.

“Something along the lines of ‘It was about time already!’”

“Well I have been waiting to kiss you for only a few thousand years!”

Feeling bold, you reach up to take Thena’s face into your hands. “Maybe we should make up for the lost time?”

“Definitely,” she agrees before swooping down to bring your lips together once again.

[chaotickryptonitecomputer]

Alone and Broken

Ajak’s voice came out clear and firm “This is where I say goodbye. You are free to go. I want you to go out there and live a life for yourselves. Not as soldiers, not with the purpose you were given. Find your own purpose and one day when we see each other again, I want you to tell me what you found”

As everyone begins to leave, and I quickly follow Gilgamesh and Thena who are speaking in quiet tones, down the steps and into the forest. Walking deeper into the trees they both seem to have finish their conversation before turning to me. “You’re not coming with us (Y/N)” Thena’s voice is low and cold

“I’m not afraid of you Thena, I know who you are, I know who I fell in love with.”

Gilgamesh glances at Thena before gesturing to the side and walking off.

“I don't love you; it was nice while it lasted a warm body after a battle but now that the deviants are gone, I have no need for someone as weak as you.”

I strike my head in disbelief. “I don't believe you it was never about a warm body and I’m not going to let you push me away when you need someone the most.” I stepped towards Thena attempting to touch her arm only for it to be slapped away.

“Maybe I wasn't clear I don't want you you're a burden thinking about you following me around for the next 100 years makes me sick to my stomach. I never loved you I only used you.” Thena’s voice is cold, and her face twisted into a disgusted angry expression.

My blood runs cold I start to feel sick to my stomach. Thena turns and walks away without another word leaving me standing alone in forest.

Every day since then I have been alone, I would forever be grateful to Ajak for giving us our freedom, but I was alone. The last words me and Thena exchanged running through my mind on a loop. I have been in love with Thena for as long as I could remember and for a while, I thought she was as well. I was one of the eternals aggressively against her losing her memories despite the fact of her Mahd Wy’ry, but she used me. I was always just a background character in the eternals. My powers concerning the elements were never much help, Ajax always told me that my heart was my greatest power but now I can't help but disagree because here I am three thousand years in the future and yet I'm still alone. Not one of my so-called eternal friends has ever come to look for me, not even Ajax.

I’m brought back to present day with a sharp knock and the door of my cabin. I shake my head to get rid of the memories like brushing away cobwebs before standing. I take a few steps towards the door before pausing and remembering I live in the middle of the woods there's no civilization for two hundred miles out. I grab a knife from the table I’ve been seated at and make my way towards the door before speaking. “Who’s there?” my voice come out raspy and dry, like sandpaper against a wall.

“It’s Sersi…. from college.” The voice says a bit hesitant at the end “Everyone else is with here too, well except Ajax and Gilgamesh.”  

My mind raced as I stumbled back from the door, bumping into a table, then a chair as I tried to process this. Several thoughts swirled around my head as I stepped closer to the door. Why were they here? None of them care about me, they all disappeared never caring abut me. As these thoughts run through my mind, I start to get angry.

Twisting the doorknob, I tear the door open, nearly taking it from its hinges. “What do you want, I’m not quite in the mood for company.”

They all stand there, surprised at the venom in my voice. I glance around taking in the faces of Sersi Kingo, Makkari, Druig, Ikaris, Sprite, Phastos, and Thena. The air catches in my throat as the sight of Thena, and it's like no time has passed and I've just had my heart broken all over again. She attempts to meet my eyes but ignore her and everyone else in focus on Sersi.

“We need your help, Ajax and Gilgamesh were killed by deviants and...”

“Why should I help you?” I cut her off before she can finish. “Why should I care about two dead people who didn't care about me, as a matter of fact why should I care about any of you.” I scoff shaking my head.

Sersi flinches as if slapped and looks over her shoulder to the rest of the group for help. Kingo steps forward a wide smile on his face. “Come on (Y/N) you know we've missed your…”

“Missed me? Ha yeah right, I hate liars been three thousand years and now you miss me. More like you just remembered I existed I need more help on your little mission. Now Druig and Makkari I can understand, but the rest of you just didn’t care enough to check on me.” As I speak ice grows around my feet and wind starts to circle around me forcing them to step back from the door as I step forward.

“(Y/N).” Thena says her voice holding none of the chill it did when we last spoke.

As I force myself to meet her eyes all the feelings, I've tried to hold back seem to rush back filling my ears with a roar. “You don't get to speak to me ever again, or did you forget what the last thing was you said to me. Let me give you a little reminder ‘It was nice to have a warm body after battle, I have no need for someone so weak’. Or hey this was my favorite ‘Thinking about you following me around for the next one hundred years makes me sick to my stomach. I never loved you’.  

By the time I'm finished speaking there is a cyclone circling around me while my fingers start to spark with the beginnings of fire. Thena’s face is twisted as I repeat her words back to her the same ones that have been running through my head for hundreds of years. Then Ajax’s words which were always kind and soothing Appear in my mind ‘Your heart, your compassion is your greatest gift never lose the love you have for others.’

Shaking my head once more I finally speak again. “I'll help you but after I want you all to leave me alone. Since you were all so good at it before it shouldn't be that big of a problem. I refuse to be a second-rate person in anyone's life especially people I used to consider my family.” Glaring at them all before my eyes rest on Thena once more.

“Please don’t look at me with such hatred. I didn’t mean to hurt you I didn’t mean any of what I said I was trying to protect you. We can still fix this.” Thena’s voice cracks as she looks back at me with despair

“Maybe in another life but you made me miserable, and I still loved you. How could you have thought this wouldn't hurt me? This can’t  be fixed you've ruined what was between us for good now.”

[taran-chan]

i should not be left unsupervised when i drink🫣🫣 alright here we go!!

Thenamesh Hogwarts AU Headcanons:

dark academia vibe, academic rivals, high school romance with a bit (okay, A LOT) of magic.

Gilgamesh is a Hufflepuff, his parents don't have magical powers. Gil becomes friends with Sersi, also a Hufflepuff. And then in Herbology, they are deskmates with Kingo, a Gryffindor. In 2nd year, Gil joins his house’s Quidditch team as their Keeper.

Thena is a Ravenclaw, her mother is Ajak (Hogwarts' Headmistress) and they come from a large family of pureblood wizards. Nicknamed Ice Queen because of her hair and piercing looks that rumors say can freeze people. She is also in the Quidditch team, as one of Ravenclaw's Chasers.

The school sees Gil and Thena as each other’s rivals because they always fight for the 1st place at the end of each year, especially when Gil is the only student who can ever beat Thena in Herbology AND Defense Against the Dark Arts. They have no idea he has a crush on her since 3rd year, one winter morning, when she flies toward him on her broom mid-game, the Quaffle in her hand and a smirk on her lips when she finds his blind spot to score. And in order to become someone who’s worthy of someone like her, he’s been studying his ass off.

“Can you people stop pointing and whispering for once? Yes, that is my buddy Gil, ranked 2nd in our year, Ice Queen’s rival, now p l e a s e move, we’re late for Charms class!” - Kingo, one morning in his 4th year, on his way to class with Gil and Sersi. He used to be friends with Ikaris, but when Ikaris made fun of Gil’s appearance with a bunch of other Gryffindor Quidditch players after their game with Hufflepuff, he stopped talking to him.  

Not long after that, Ikaris got hexed so badly that he has to stay at the infirmary for 3 days. Nobody knows who made Ikaris grow so many feathers and feel the urge to crow like a rooster every morning, and if Phastos from Ravenclaw didn’t “accidentally” tell him that Thena’s been practicing some advanced spells about…birds, Gil wouldn’t know either. Phastos says he only does that to thank Gil for helping him with Runes class.

Somewhere along the way, they grow closer, probably when Thena’s younger sister, Sprite, goes to Hogwarts and is sorted into Ravenclaw as well. They form a study group since they seem to constantly meet at the library (but in fact they want to bring Gil and Thena together because these nerds don’t know how to do that to save their lives). Druig from Slytherin and Makkari from Gryffindor also join the gang.

To everyone else, they’re still rivals, they can’t see Thena quietly squeeze Gil’s hand without even a glance at him when she walks past him in the hallway before every Hufflepuff’s game, and how Gil does the same to her before every Ravenclaw’s game.

They start going out in secret in 5th year, only their closest friends know as they struggle for alone time together with all the schoolwork and the OWL test looming. Most of their dates happen on evenings in the library, or on the far side of the lake near sunset. “Meet me at midnight” and then lead to passionate making-out sessions.

“You’re the bane of my existence” in public but “You’re the reason I exist” in private. Flirty banters. Secret kisses in dark corners. “We came out of the same room flushed and undone because we were ARGUING about the Transfiguration essay.”

On Christmas when they’re in 7th year, Thena invites Gil to her home for the first time, which is a castle in the middle of a lake. There, they have their first night in the guest’s bedroom when Thena sneaks inside after Ajak has gone to bed. There, Gil asks her when did she start to like him back, and she tells him about that particular group studying session, she thought he wasn’t listening to her while she was explaining some Goblin wars in the 16th century. She asked him what did she just say, because he was telling Druig something about Poison class. But then he looked into her eyes and repeated word by word everything she said, including her annotations on the wars. He ended it with “You always have my attention, Thena.” That’s when.

who wants my headcanons on a thenamesh hogwarts au?🤪🤪