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thanksjro · 4 years ago

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Dark Cybertron Chapter 5: the Issue that Made Me Stop Reading MTMTE for Three Years

So, Megatron’s still getting space-bridged in the torso. That’s still happening. Nova Prime and Galvatron are coming through the rift, as Shockwave, who seems to have lost most of the mass in his lower body, thanks Megatron for his service.

Robert Gill’s on art for this issue alongside Ramondelli, and this is basically the only place we’ll be getting a taste of his style. Let’s see what he’s bringing to the table.

JESUS CHRIST.

WHY DO YOU HAVE GUMS.

Nightmare Murder Death Ravage, the Decepticons, and the Autobots just broke into Shockwave’s underground lair, and are ready to kick some ass. Shockwave was expecting this to happen, because he is a very smart boy, and also apparently genre savvy. Soundwave tackles Shockwave to the ground, and gets insulted for his troubles.

Sir, your eye's been turned into a silver-dollar pancake.

Shockwave calls in Metalhawk to handle these goons who’ve broken into his domicile, and Metalhawk, who legitimately looks like he’d snap in half if the breeze blew the wrong way, gets to work. Bumblebee tries to reason with the man- ripping off his whole-ass face to reveal... his face... in the process- but it’s useless. Metalhawk is just too het up about politics.

Over in another part of the room, Ironhide and a couple of buddies are going to lay the smackdown on Nova Prime and Galvatron, who are still coming out of the space bridge. They’ve been at this for like ten minutes now. Ironhide starts trying to shove Nova Prime back through the bridge, punching him in the face as he does. Megatron, at this point, has lost his arms. They’ve simply disappeared from the scene at hand.

The art isn’t great this issue, if you couldn’t already tell.

While this is happening, Skywarp is busy messing with the medical equipment Megatron’s hooked up to, and losing his corporeal form, because that death wave from a couple issues back did, in fact, hit him a little.

This is the Rattrap issue, by the way.

Over with Arcee, it would seem as though we’ve given up on even pretending to give a shit about size continuity, as Rumble and Blitzwing are the same height now. These three are on a mission to grab some of the resurrection ore and bring it back to base for the wounded, which is nice of them.

Shockwave shoots Soundwave, then calls Waspinator over, as Skywarp sticks his little hands into the ore that’s growing out of the walls. This makes him better, I guess? Because it’s resurrection ore? Even though he’s not dead? Also, his mouth looks like it’s full of wood pulp, and I don’t like it.

Bumblebee is trying to make a breakthrough with Metalhawk, but there’s no time for that, as Shockwave’s up to some weird nonsense involving Nova Prime.

The same could be said of this entire comic event.

Waspinator meets up with Shockwave and hands him his “staff”. I use quotations because it super isn’t a staff, but that’s what it’s called in-issue. What it actually is… well, it looks like a gun with a stinger for a barrel. I know he had a gun that looks very similar in Beast Wars, and he whipped it out on the regular, but I guess it’s a staff now? A staff that isn’t even remotely a staff? TFWiki makes the claim that it’s his stinger, which makes way more sense, but I don’t know that I’d want to hand the rump roast portion of my own ass to the purple science gremlin, even if it did mean cool stuff was going to happen.

Look, I don’t know, okay? I think someone fucked up the script.

Shockwave pops off his gun hand and attaches the “staff”, claiming to know how to handle the Titan way better than Waspinator ever could, because he’s just that smart. Then the Titan comes to life and bursts through the ground. Ironhide, who is still straddling Megatron as he punches Nova Prime into submission, gets his shop wrecked by a giant fist.

Meanwhile, in the Dead Universe, we’re finally getting back to that whole Nightbeat thing. Everyone is very surprised to find him here, and sort-of, maybe alive? Dead Universe complicates things.

Back in Spotlight: Hardhead, Hardhead and Nightbeat went on an adventure together to Gorlam Prime, trying to figure out what the hell had happened to Nightbeat’s brain in Spotlight: Nightbeat, where he was brainwashed into being a sleeper agent for Nova Prime, who was still in the Dead Universe at the time, and are you beginning to see why I sort of just gave up on following the plot and stopped reading? You have to have read essentially all of Phase 1 for any of this to make sense. Between that and the art, I was just sort of over the whole thing.

Anyway, Hardhead had to shoot Nightbeat in the head after the dude got his… brain taken over. There were some little tiny guys involved, Jhiaxus was there, it was weird. Because Nightbeat died at the edge of a portal to the Dead Universe, it took his body and dragged him inside, both trapping him and keeping him alive.

Rodimus isn’t too keen on this turn of events, and Hardhead feels really awkward about the whole thing. Nightbeat seems to be taking being an off-brand zombie in stride though, as he immediately makes himself a nuisance to Cyclonus, by way of cold-reading the guy. Because he’s a detective, he’s pretty good at it.

Nightbeat, you fool! It’ll be another 22 issues before Cyclonus is ready to even acknowledge his feelings!

Orion Pax breaks it up before we can see what Cyclonus considers a good punishment for putting him through the ordeal of being known, and we finally get back on track.

Back on Cybertron, I guess there’s been a bit of a time skip, as Megatron is back on his feet and carrying Ironhide to safety. Also, his mouth has gone AWOL. He tries to ask Bumblebee what the plan is, only to be interrupted by Galvatron ripping him in half.

God, I wish you hadn’t found your mouth, Megatron. This is awful.

Galvatron throws Megatron on the ground, and things just keep getting better, because now the Titan’s up on its feet, and Shockwave just told it to go ham.

Back in the Dead Universe, things are getting complicated, and I don’t think we’ll be getting answers any time soon.

Oh, well, I’m glad Nightbeat is as lost on this whole thing as I am.

Hardhead wants to know what was up with all that cryptic bullshit Nightbeat was spouting off earlier, and Nightbeat reveals even more details about Cyclonus- his forcefield generator was damaged when they got to the Dead Universe, and now he’s infected with… I dunno, bad vibes, I guess. That’s why he got sick a couple issues back, and also why the Cyberwraiths ran away from him; the Dead Universe is assimilating him back into its fold.

Even though it’s been established to want literally everything inside it dead.

Though Cyclonus did spend six million years hanging out in the Dead Universe, so maybe it’s fine, actually.

You know, truth be told, I’m not sure exactly how it works, and neither does anyone else, it would seem.

Anyway, Nightbeat tells the fellas to hold tight while he goes to grab somethingaaaaand he’s trapped them in a magic box.

Ugh, whatever, Orion.

Turns out getting shot didn’t fix Nightbeat’s sleeper agent issue, and now the boys are going to pay for being so chatty.

And that’s a series wrap on Team -Imus! Let’s give ‘em a hand, folks!

At this point, Nova Prime reveals that he did, in fact, get shoved back through the space bridge, and is still in the Dead Universe. Sucks to be him, I guess.

...Man, this Rattrap issue was great! Loved the part where he was in it.

#transformers #jro #dark cybertron #issue 5 #rid #exrid #issue 24 #maccadam #Hannzreads #text post #long post #comic script writing

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mysterylover123 · 4 years ago

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Iichako vs Kacchako vs Tsuchako: aka: Who should Ochako be with (besides Deku)

mysterylover123

Uraraka is certainly one of the show’s more shippable characters. Though the series has set her up to be the ‘obvious’ straight endgame pairing for Midoriya, the fandom has found lots of potential relationships for her with other people along the way, and 3 stand out as the most popular and probable: Tenya Iida (her best male friend besides Deku), Katsuki Bakugou (her respectful rival) and Tsuyu Asui (her best female friend). In the interests of truly determining which of these three has the strongest relationship with Uraraka, I’ve composed this long-ass meta, where I basically catalogue every moment involving each dynamic together to figure out which one should really be Uraraka’s endgame relationship (aside from Izuocha).

So here goes.

(TRANSLATIONS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, APOLOGIES)

Also only Manga Canon moments allowed. No Omakes spinoffs or anime filler

PART 1: OCHAKO ON THE OTHER THREE

A. FOCUS

(aka any scene where Ochako especially notices or brings up the other person, even if there’s no clear reason to)

Katsuki:

1. Chapter 7 That Bakugou guy said

2. Chapter 8 he’s always making fun of you

3. Chapter 12 Better not let Bakugou know it was me

4. Chapter 23 waiting for the explosion

5. Chapter 32 Eek!

6. Chapter 46 Ever since I fought Bakugou

7. Chapter 58 Those moves just like

8. Chapter 73 You’re like a pro with that knife

9. Chapter 100 “Bakugou’s in a good mood”

10. Chapter 208 Jiro and the boys have faith in him

Iida

1. Chapter 7 “You’re Tenya Iida!”

2. Chapter 12 Didn’t you wanna be rep too? the way you talk

3. “I’ve never seen you smile before”

4. “Iida!”

5. Chapter 20 “Iida!”

6. Chapter 27 “Iiida…”

7. Chapter 30 no fair hiding that move

8. Chapter 35 “Seeing you out there”

9. when Iida said he’d challenge you

10. Chapter 41 Its his standing long jump

11. Chapter 46 Deku and Ochako go to worry about Iida

12. Chapter 81 If only we had iidc

13. Chapter 98 “He has so many glasses!”

14. Chapter 100 “How about you, Iida?”

15. Chapter 206 “Iida…”

Tsuyu:

1. Chapter 99 “She wasn’t feeling well”

B. CONFIDENCE

(aka any scene where Uraraka confides something important in one of them)

Kacchan

1. Chapter 36 Giving up isn’t an option for me

Tenya

1. Chapter 22 - Uraraka tells Iida her backstory & motivation

2. Chapter 35 “I’m really scared” But seeing you out there

3. Chapter 100 “I’m hoping to make myself float”

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 58 it was very instructive

2. Chapter 73 I’m scared, Tsu

3. Chapter 99 explains her state of mind

4. Chapter 163 I was holding him

C. CONCERN

(aka any scene where Uraraka worries about the other one’s wellbeing, physical, mmental or otherwise)

Katsuki:

1. Chapter 78 “Bakugou?”

2. Chapter 241

Iida:

1. Chapter 10 “Sorry, Iida!”

2. Chapter 17 “Go, iida!”

3. Chapter 35: Worrying about his match and his brother

4. Chapter 57: I was really worried about you guys

5. Chapter 46: “We’re your friends”

6. Chapter 101 Concern panel

7. Chapter 206 Concern panel

Tsuyu:

1. Chapter 80: Calls out her name,

2. “Slams Toga into the ground “get away from her”

3. “You hurt?”

4. Chapter 99 look-back panel,

5. Tsuyu…

6. Chapter 218 “Tsuyu is freezing!”

D. SUPPORT

(Any moment where Ochako is supportive of one of them)

Iida:

1. Chapter 12 You’ve got the glasses and everything!

2. Chapter 15 “Just like the cafeteria”

3. Chapter 22 “Let’s do our best!”

4. Chapter 35 “Good work out there” (The viz translation, I’m using scanlations for the images)

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 99 Uraraka gets Tsu to talk about what’s bothering her

E. RESPECT

(Aka any moment where Ochako shows respect and admiration for one of them)

Katsuki:

1. Chapter 36 “Saw it coming and I still couldn’t react”

2. Chapter 37 He’s too strong

3. Chapter 73 You’re like a pro with that knife

Iida

1. Chapter 22 “Considering Iida’s noble motivation”

2. Chapter 35 good work out there

3. Chapter 58: I think Iida’s got this

4. Chapter 81 If only we had Iida!

5. Chapter 204 Super speedy

F. TEAMWORK

(aka any scene where Uraraka works together with one of them)

Iida

1. Chapter 12 Working together to save the stampede

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 80: Vs Toga you too get her hands

2. Chapter 81: Teaming up to help Midoriya “we’re good tsu”

3. Chapter 131 “Meteor Fafrotskies”

4. Chapter 156 “plus ultra”

5. Chapter 182 floating for fun

G. GOOD TIMES

(aka any scene where Uraraka has fun with or around one of them)

Katsuki

1. Chapter 13 They make me laugh, your mouth is so foul

Iida:

1. Chapter 9 Laughing

2. Chapter 12 Eating lunch together

3. Chapter 22 eating lunch together

4. Chapter 31 eating lunch together

5. Chapter 59: After school hangout

6. Chapter 60 eating together

7. Chapter 68 shopping smile

8. Chapter 71 eating together

9. Chapter 98 wearing his glasses

10. Chapter 167 join us for lunch

Tsu

1. Chapter 23 smiling

2. Chapter 31: Eating together

3. Chapter 60: Eat lunch together

4. Chapter 183 fun at the school festival

5. Chapter 217 hanging out

I. UNDERSTANDING

(aka any scene where Uraraka shows insight into one of them or knowledge of their personalities, or speaks with them in unison)

Katsuki:

1. Chapter 36 Thanks for keeping your eyes focused

2. Chapter 60 He means during the training

3. Chapter 85 He’l consider it a disgrace to be rescued

Iida

1. Chapter 12 are you a rich kid?

2. Chapter 101 We know

Tsu

1. Chapter 99 “It’s not just you, Tsu”

2. Chapter 131 “Thank you for having us”

3. Chapter 134 “That big case!”

4. Chapter 135 “So round and cute”

J. BODY LANGUAGE

(AKA any scene where Ochako and one of them share a physical moment)

Iida

1. Chapter 12 hand hold

2. Chapter 14: Carries her

3. Chapter 45: Uraraka grabs iida’s shoulders

Tsu

1. Chapter 73: Holding hands in fear

2. Chapter 99 Hand on her shoulder

3. Chapter 102 arm tap

4. Chapter 163 shoulder hand

K. CONFLICT/CRITICISM

(aka any moment where Ochako argues with or criticizes the other)

Katsuki

1. Chapter 273 Be nice to her

Iida:

1. Chapter 30 No fair Iida, hiding that from us

2. Chapter 68 Way to be a wet blanket, Iida

Overall

Bakugou: 21

Iida: 52

Tsuyu: 30

PART 2: THE OTHERS ON OCHAKO

This is an analysis of how the others interact with Ochako

A. FOCUS

(aka any moment where one of the others notices Ochako or brings her up)

Katsuki

1. Chapter 36 “You’re the floaty one, right? If you’re gonna back out, do it now”

2. She’s not down yet

3. Chapter 273 “You just want the excuse to find out”

Iida

1. Chapter 3 “That girl appears to be doing some kind of training exercise”

2. Chapter 4 “He jumped in to save that girl”

3. Chapter 7 “Ah, infinity girl!”

4. Chapter 9-10 He outwits her in the battle training; struggle

5. Chapter 12 “Uraraka!”

6. Chapter 35 You’re up against Bakugou

7. Chapter 36 You thought of a counter strategy for her

8. Chapter 55 Iida remembers her worry

9. Chapter 98 “Uraraka!”

10. Chapter 100 You’re focusing on making yourself float?

11. Chapter 130 “where are uraraka and tsu ”

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 11 “shouldn’t it be Ochako or Midoriya?”

2. Chapter 37 You play a good bad guy

3. Chapter 58: “How was your week?”

4. Chapter 102 “How about you, Ochako?”

5. Chapter 163 you ok?

B. CONFIDENCE

(aka any moment where one of the others confides in Ochako)

Iida

1. Chapter 12 Tells her and deck his backstory (i’m the second son, he’s my brother, I try to be just like him.)

2. Chapter 30 I was just trying to compete with Midoriya

3. Chapter 44 saying he has to go

4. Chapter 98 Is that so unusual?

5. Chapter 100 “My radiators”…

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 99 “Tsuyu has something she wants to tell you all”’

C. CONCERN

(aka any moment where one of the others shows concern for Ochako)

Katsuki:

1. Chapter 36 worried look

2. Chapter 37 You suggested it

Iida

1. Chapter 9I don’t wanna get rough with her

2. Chapter 11: Hand on her back

3. Chapter 14: Saves her at USJ.

4. Chapter 35 Is that you? why the furrowed brows?

5. “You’re up against Bakugou”

6. Chapter 36 Worried face

7. Chapter 38 “ I have to see this”

8. Chapter 98 “Uraraka!”

9. Chapter 100 “Please don’t run in the hall”

10. Chapter 163 “We’re worried”

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 22 - smacks Mineta for her

2. Chapter 35 I’m worried about this one

3. Chapter 36 “Ochako!”

4. Chapter 73: Take my hand

5. Chapter 80: Throws her to safety,

6. calls out her name is your arm ok?,

7. Ochako!

8. Chapter 102 “you seem tense”

9. “ no sense prying if she’s not ready

10. Chapter 163 “You OK Ochako?” “mm”

D. SUPPORT

(aka any moment where one of the others is supportive of Ochako)

Iida:

1. Chapter 22 There’s nothing wrong with seeking a more comfortable lifestyle

2. “Brava!”

3. chapter 35 “Bakugou won’t go all out against a girl”

4. how fortunate for you

5. Chapter 134 “Nice job”

6. Chapter 163 let them breathe

E. RESPECT

(aka any moment where one of the others shows respect for Ochako)

Katsuki

1. Chapter 36 “Time to get serious Uraraka!”

2. Chapter 37 What part of her was frail

Iida

1. Chapter 22 “That’s beautiful”

2. Chapter 136 Well done

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 80: That was awesome!

F. UNDERSTANDING

(aka any time one of the others shows understanding of her mind)

Katsuki

1. Chapter 36 “I knew you had some kinda plan”

2. Chapter 273 “You just wanna sample”

Iida

1. Chapter 9 “I calculated as much”

Tsuyu

1. Chapter 58 She’s had some kinda awakening

G. CONFLICT

(aka any time one of the others criticizes her)

Katsuki

1. Chapter 36 too slow

2. Chapter 73 how the hell can you be bad with a knife

Iida

1. Chapter 100 Don’t run in the halls!

Totals:

Katsuki: 11

Iida: 36

Tsuyu: 18

ALLTOGETHER TOTALS:

Katsuki: 32

Iida: 88

Tsuyu: 48

So far, Iida has undeniably the best relationship with Ochako out of the three.

#iichako #tsuchako #kacchako #iida x uraraka #tsuyu x uraraka #bakugou x uraraka #meta #shipping meta #uraraka ochako #iida tenya #asui tsuyu #bakugou katsuki #image heavy under the cut

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wrightiverse · 4 years ago

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Hello and this is me annotating/doing director's commentary for the last chapter of Crowd as a victory lap. There's no indulgence like self-indulgence.

“I’ll just make my hot young boyfriend help me,” Robin teases. “When I’m eighty, you’ll only be sixty-nine.”

I love to take a thing from the beginning of a story/scene and revisit it at the end. In this case, 'hot young boyfriend' is a light callback to 'sexy-ass, significantly younger boyfriend' back at the beginning when Robin was sad about the empty nest situation. This is, I think, the first time we specify their exact age gap. It is also the exact age gap I have with my own partner, because I’m very lazy like that. (None of this was written with any reference to what's gone on in the podcast over the last year or so, which is good because it sounds like the whole aging thing for Glenn could have gotten really confusing. Wrightiverse Glenn came back right after Ravenloft, none of that other stuff happened to him. It's all good. Canon is optional.) * * * * *

It’s not like the men in his family have much luck in that area, anyway; Glenn never met either of his grandfathers, and Bill didn’t make it much past fifty.

I think Meryl actually lived for hundreds of years and is still alive in Faerun and they should totally meet, but Glenn doesn’t know all that. * * * * *

Aesthetics aside, it didn't seem like there was much for Glenn to look forward to in middle age and beyond. Nick would grow up and wouldn’t need his dad anymore, and Glenn would be all alone.

From Glenn’s second chapter in Crowd, when Robin is sad about Connor leaving for college:

“I want him to be independent,” Robin is trying to explain into Glenn’s knee, “but also I don’t want to be all alone.” Glenn flicks his ear reproachfully. “You're not all alone. I’m right here, dumbass.”

Sometimes what seems obvious when we're explaining it to somebody else doesn't feel as obvious when it's our turn. Admittedly, Glenn is coming to this with a different set of experiences than Robin is. More on that later. * * * * *

His career would go to shit, because getting old only works for rock stars if they’re actually bluesmen in disguise, like Keith Richards.

I think I got this theory from something Chuck Klosterman wrote, probably Fargo Rock City. * * * * *

He starts his grounding exercise without even thinking about it. Five things he can see: one, an information sign for the city park. Two, a freshly-painted bike rack. Three, some big public art sculpture that looks like a giant rusty hairbrush…

This particular grounding exercise came up earlier in Crowd. I didn't make it up for the story, it's real and many people find that it works well. Feel free to try it! The exercise he alludes to when they’re on the beach, creating ‘safe spaces’ out of vivid memories with lots of sensory details, is also based on a real thing. Lauren, his therapist, is named after the therapist who worked with me on my own PTSD and taught me that and a lot of other good stuff. At least based on my own experience, I can highly recommend EMDR if you can find a good practitioner. * * * * *

It was a hella sweet gesture from the kid.

Connor’s introduction in Name has to do with him carrying shirts past Glenn, and one of those shirts becomes important later to Robin. Given how big the GC3 actually seems to be, I don’t think Connor did the majority of their merch. I assume they used a regular printer and Connor just did small runs of fun custom stuff when he feels like it, meaning not much changed after Glenn quit. * * * * *

Of course, Robin is the only member of the family wearing the shirt right now, because Robin is the only one who doesn’t care that it isn’t cool to wear merch from the gig at the gig itself.

I have no idea how widespread the ‘no wearing merch from the gig at the gig’ thing is, but that’s the rule I learned. * * * * *

Robin is chatting away about something, but it’s hard to follow with all the noise and distraction around them. Glenn decides to let it ride, and allows himself to zone out and just watch Robin talk.

As requested by my brilliant co-author, this is a callback to when Robin spaces out watching Glenn talk on their first date. Both Robin and Glenn are consistently very prone to tuning out when the other one is talking, but neither of them particularly care. As Glenn says on their dinner date - sometimes a man just wants to think out loud for a while and get a ‘hell yeah’ in response. * * * * *

It's vastly unfair that Robin looks so good in direct sunlight, but he probably pulls it off because he's the one person in Los Angeles who isn't trying to look younger than he actually is.

Glenn should spend less time in WeHo. * * * * *

There’s already more gray in Robin’s hair than when they met, although Glenn will only accept partial blame for that. Either way, the old man’s on track to be a full-on silver fox before he even hits fifty.

It felt necessary to drop a reminder that despite how Glenn talks about him, Robin is not actually that damn old. I mean, I'm sure that sounds very old to some of you, but when you're in your mid-to-late 30s like Glenn, somebody in their late 40s is not unreasonably decrepit. I think it has more to do with their respective energies than actual birthdays. * * * * *

“What is it?” Robin has noticed Glenn’s gaze, and he touches his own face to check if there's something on it.

Glenn grins. "Nothing, just ogling."

This is another callback to their first date:

“Do I have something on my face?” Glenn asks, and rubs at his mouth.

“No, you’re good.” Robin says. “You’re great.”

Because I adore a full-circle moment, that's why. * * * * *

“Your eyes were intense," Robin laughs. "It looked like you were going to start growling redrum at me."

This is my own fault for saying in the last chapter that Glenn was rambling about Kubrick moon landing conspiracies when he comes back from his walk. I tried like seven different ways to get them on the subject. I still don’t know if it feels natural. * * * * *

Glenn stabs an accusatory finger toward Robin. “Did you suggest not doing the show because you knew I’d argue with you and talk myself into doing it?”

Can’t outro this story without at least a little argayment.

Glenn usually finds him in the bathroom at the end of the night, looking grumpy about being up past his bedtime and holding some girl’s hair back while she barfs.

With what we've learned about Robin over the course of Crowd, we now have the context to understand that for Robin, this drunk girl is very much the ghost of Christmas Past. I don't imagine he goes to many of these parties.

* * * * *

It doesn’t bother Glenn a bit. Life isn’t a movie, the cheerleader doesn’t have to put on leather pants and start smoking in order to get her bad boy and her happily ever after.

I know that there’s more going on in Grease than that, but consider: would Glenn know that?

* * * * *

He and Robin are very different people, and they always will be. They don’t make sense on the surface, but they both know who they are, and who they are fits together perfectly.

Circling back to Robin at the end of Name, expressing his anxieties:

Robin rests his forehead on the steering wheel, avoiding Glenn’s eyes. “Like I don’t make sense for you, and everybody can see it.”

Some of the circles that I closed in Crowd were ones that were opened in Crowd, but some went back further. * * * * *

Love bubbles up in Glenn like a shaken-up soda, and he finds himself standing up suddenly and grabbing Robin’s shirt collar to tug him down for a kiss.

I wanted to mirror the ‘Hot Dad surges forward to kiss him, hard’ thing from the beginning, but given the established height difference, Glenn can’t just go for it unannounced unless he’s gonna stand tippy-toe. Thank you @whotaughtyougrammar for this art of what happens when Glenn tries the collar-tug and Robin doesn't notice fast enough.

* * * * *

Robin is caught off guard and stumbles half a step back, managing at the last second not to drop his drink. “One second, sweetheart, just one second. You surprised me. What was that about?”

Glenn gives him a lopsided grin. “Luck?”

“Oh, well, then. For luck.”

Luck and how to change it is a big theme throughout the whole series, both in the sense of ‘good fortune/unearned blessings’ and ‘random, unforeseen chance.’ More later about that. * * * * *

When Glenn presses his tongue forward to slip between Robin’s lips, he tastes lemon and sugar.

Same as the first time they kissed, when he’d been drinking whiskey sours.

* * * * *

“Right, yeah,” Robin breathes, but he doesn’t let Glenn out of his arms quite yet. “You know,” Robin adds, “Nick was telling me earlier that he’s going to sleep over at Grant’s tonight.”

So I'll be there when you arrive / The sight of you will prove to me I'm still alive / And when you take me in your arms / And hold me tight / I know it's gonna mean so much tonight * * * * *

She’d found him there, and she'd saved him, like she always did.

We didn’t know Morgan’s name when we first wrote the scene where they discussed her in Name, so we wrote around it as though Glenn was reluctant to name her out loud. We maintained this throughout the rest of Crowd except for the line where Glenn says that he’ll tell Robin about the phone call with Morgan. Felt right. Her presence is very much felt but Glenn, at least, is not in the habit of talking about her unless he has no other option. * * * * *

They ran out of the venue and down the street, hand in hand and giggling like kids playing hooky.

@shrack was the one who began writing our Glenn with very physical methods of showing affection. I liked it a lot as a vibe and carried on with it. He and Morgan are also very young here. Glenn would be 21 or 22 at the oldest, which is barely older than Connor is now. I've always attributed some of his immaturity to the fact that he became a parent pretty young. (Glenn is 36 when Name starts and Nick is 13, meaning Nick was born when Glenn was 23 and probably conceived when Glenn was 22.)

* * * * *

It was like falling in love with every single person in the crowd, all at once. Glenn felt like he would never be lonely again as long as he could have that feeling.

Facing twenty thousand of your friends / how can anyone feel so lonely? * * * * *

By then, the GC3 performed in venues so cavernous that Glenn couldn’t see anything outside his own spotlight. He could hear the audience roar approval at him, making a wall of sound that he could feel like a physical force. It was loud enough to drown out the screaming in his head, loud enough to let him forget that she wasn’t out there among them. It was the closest he could get to forgetting, so Glenn did it as much as he could.

Part of a success that never ends / But I’m thinking about you only... * * * * *

Slowly but surely, he’d been learning how to go through life with his mind and heart focused on someone else’s well-being. It didn’t come naturally: that wasn’t the kind of family either of them knew. Still, they’d promised each other that they could do better than how they were raised.

I am never here for iterations of this dynamic that assume Glenn is the fuck-up and Morgan was the perfect parent. They both became parents at exactly the same moment, you know? The world does not need one more story with an incompetent sitcom dad and his smoking-hot wife who does all the actual parenting. * * * * *

Nick is long since asleep, but Adele fucking Close has stayed up until these sickening hours of the early morning.

Conveniently, Glenn’s brain has overwritten all his memories with the correct name and pronouns for Nick, because writing around it is a pain in the ass otherwise. * * * * *

“Hello, Glenny.”

Bill calling Glenn “Glenny” that time at Ravenloft really stuck with me. I don’t know if they ever revisited that in the actual podcast, but it was so slimy and chilling somehow. * * * * *

“I fucked up,” Glenn says bluntly, and his mother narrows her eyes ever so slightly at his cursing.

Glenn gets in his own head early in Crowd about comparing himself to Penny, and Robin later worries about putting himself on ‘the same level’ as Morgan. Neither of them are quite galaxy-brained enough to realize that there’s more than one person in Glenn’s life who uses a lot of terms of endearment for him, considers themselves old-fashioned, and wishes everybody wouldn’t swear so much. * * * * *

“Thank you, mother,” Glenn grits out. He sounds absolutely nothing like himself, not that she minds. “I appreciate your help.”

I assume that part of the reason Glenn has such a hard time offering genuine apologies is that when he was growing up, too much of his apologizing was forced rather than sincere. * * * * *

“You are out of chances. If you continue to neglect this child, I will get the state involved, and I will take custody myself. I’ve already spoken to the Freemans, and I have their full support.”

Morgan’s parents are not mentioned very often and don’t seem to be a big part of the Close boys’ lives. I imagine that whatever tenuous relationship Glenn had forged with them post-accident was pretty much destroyed by Adele forming this alliance with them and telling Glenn about it. * * * * *

Her patient demeanor is meant to remind him that she's here to clean up his mess again, like she always does, and his proper response is humble and apologetic gratitude.

And that is why Robin being patient can set Glenn off so bad, such as after the bike accident when they were arguing:

Glenn doesn’t really hear most of what Robin’s saying. It’s all just soothing, pointless stuff in that obnoxious tone that means Robin thinks he’s the smart, calm, mature one here and Glenn’s the immature asshole who lost his temper again. He’d never say it, but Glenn can tell what he’s thinking.

I hope it came across clearly in that part that Robin doesn’t actually see the situation that way and isn’t saying or thinking anything to that effect, but Glenn feels like he is because he’s had this somatic/emotional reaction triggered. Spatially he's arguing with Robin, but his body and a lot of his brain thinks he's arguing with his mom. Trauma can be like that. * * * * *

His mother keeps talking like he didn’t say a word. “We can all stay in each others’ lives, Glenny. I’m not trying to cut you out, I’m trying to help you. I know you think I’m a monster, but I’m just trying to do what’s best for my family.”

Sometimes the monster will tell you it's not a monster. * * * * *

From that night forward, Glenn will always know that he’s not a good person, because he almost takes his mother up on the offer.

I don’t think being tempted by this offer means Glenn’s a bad person, but we write Glenn as somebody who wishes he was a good person but is really afraid that he isn’t. He was at a very low point here and he needed help. Feeling drawn to the only help on offer, even if it was from a toxic source, is pretty understandable. * * * * *

"I'll get Nicky ready for school tomorrow and you can sleep in. We’ll finish talking about this when you feel better.”

Man, I hate that abuser thing when they start being sweet as soon as you muster the energy to fight back. You get a little bit of steam built up and then they dodge you like a matador so that it dissipates again. To be clear, Nicky isn't Nick's deadname or anything, it's just the somewhat baby-ish diminutive form that Adele uses for him, like how she calls Glenn "Glenny." * * * * *

“Family is important,” his mother says sadly. Just before she closes the door, she gives him a look that’s an exquisite mix of regret, tender affection, and a tiny spark of hope. Adele would have been a great actress, but Glenn can’t imagine who that particular performance was for.

Performance skills run in the family and Adele comes by her acting chops honestly, although she doesn’t know it. I picture one of those situations where a young woman from a good background gets pregnant by some rakehell actor and her family covers up the scandal by raising the baby as a new sibling. That would mean that as long as Adele’s “older sister” never spilled the beans, nobody in their family at this point knows that they’re related to Meryl. If Nick ever decides to do one of those ancestry DNA tests, things are going to get interesting. * * * * *

He certainly didn’t find it very compelling. Family? All the family he will ever need is sleeping soundly down the hallway, tiny arms wrapped tight around a stuffed plush Babar.

I wanted Nick to have a stuffed animal that was sort of his parallel to Mr. Lion. Robin is drinking with Mr. Lion in the beginning of Crowd when he’s upset about losing Connor to college, and Mr. Lion appears again when Glenn comes in to talk to Nick and Connor after Robin’s accident.

“I… I guess I don’t know.” Nick looks down, avoiding eye contact by staring into the darkness under Connor’s bed. Mr Lion is under there in a clear plastic box, along with some other stuffed animals. Even when Nick first met Connor, the stuffed animals were already banished underneath the bed instead of on top of it. But over the years, Connor’s never thrown them away.

Mr. Lion is one of the various ways we played with the theme that Connor is, as Nick puts it, “somewhere between a kid and an adult.” Connor is a very confident and clever guy, but you don't magically get a giant box of maturity and life experience on your 18th birthday. At various points, he asks both Nick (at the campus concert) and Glenn (after Robin’s accident) to try to understand that he's still growing and figuring stuff out. Nick has definitely been deprived of some chances to be a kid, but in some ways Connor has as well. He started hanging out with Glenn after Penny and Robin split up, and although he and Nick obviously hit it off, Connor was closer to Glenn for a while. In a different universe, that might not have turned out as well - I mean, tell me you wouldn't side-eye that arrangement in real life. I sure would. Robin just sort of flings his hands up at the role Connor plays for the Close boys, but I strongly suspect that shit would not have flown on Penny’s watch.

It’s funny - he thought Connor was so grown-up when they met, but the guy was only 16 when the Wrights moved in next door. He wasn’t much older by the time he was over at the Close place almost every day, helping Nick with homework or cleaning questionable leftovers out of the fridge. It didn’t strike Nick as weird at the time, It was just another thing about his life that wasn’t like anybody else’s. He never questioned what was in it for Connor. Back then, Nick didn’t even realize how lonely he himself was - he wouldn't have figured out why a kid whose parents had just gotten divorced might want to come over to the chaotic Close apartment to get away from the quiet in his own home.

Everybody was doing their best, and everything worked out for the best, but Connor over the course of the stories is sorting out the balance that works for him in terms of responsibility and playfulness. Fortunately, now that he has less responsibility for Nick, he can enjoy Nick more as a friend and brother. In Name, Robin and Glenn both sort of assume Connor will act as a babysitter to Nick while they go off on their first date; by Crowd, Connor is hanging out playing Smash with Nick and Grant as the gents get ready for their dinner date, but he's there socially, as a peer. Him being goofier and more immature also frees up Nick to do the same, since if Connor is cool and Connor is being playful, then "it's not a little kid thing, it's a bro thing" They both get to be kids now in a way that they weren't before, and I love that for them. Anyway, the point of Mr. Lion and why I wanted to give Nick a stuffed animal as well was to draw the parallel between the sons more directly and to anchor the stuffed animal component. So far there hadn't been any moment in which an actual kid was holding an actual stuffed animal.

#to be continued #wrightiverse

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lavender-lotion · 4 years ago

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3, 4, 16 (DON'T say cherik), 22, 28

oh my god i absolutely hate you for asking me these aha you’re my favourite person in the entire world

3. What is the best fandom you’ve ever been involved in?

to date, it’s been X-Men (alt timeline movies, ofc) despite the rocky beginning I had. in this fandom I’ve learned so much about my own writing, and my writing style has grown SO greatly since I first joined and has taken shape into... well whatever the hell it is now, which is something I really like (most of the time)!

I fairly quickly created a small, tight circle of people I really enjoy being around in this fandom, and have since cultivated my own little fandom space that I really, really enjoy. it’s filled with people I love chatting with, people as open-minded as accepting as I am, and it’s a place that I strive to make feel welcoming for all who join, as well! I run an 18+ X-Men Alternative Timeline Movies focused discord, so if you’re interested, join us here!

I am trying to branch back out into The Fandom a little more after feeling a type of way for some time, and I’m honestly enjoying that a lot too! it’s been interesting to follow some more folk, and I’m really happy to see my dash start to thicken up after being close to barren for so long.

currently, I have a small group of close friends I care a great deal for (hi, Mid!) that has absolutely made this fandom into one of the best i’ve been involved in.

4. Do you regret getting involved in any fandoms?

very very very simplified and slightly unture answer: no. every single bad experience has taught me something that I’ve carried into my other fandom experiences, just like life lmao, but for more of a meaty answer to this question: yes.

so much yes.

I have SO MUCH regret around teen wolf, actually, for so many different reasons, but I’ve also learned SO much. seeing a server ran in a way I Did Not Like has helped me better mod my own fandom spaces, and I am very anti-totalitarianism and am VERY against showing abject favouritism to specific members, while I also always try incredibly hard to ensure no one feels ignored. I was reminded of how finicky friendships are, and learned not to be the person who puts in the sole work to keep ‘em going (and how to recognize if I am) because... when you stop the friendship might stop, too. I learned NOT to hit on close friends, no matter how much I might want to, and I learned the importance of open, clear and precise communication in romantic endeavours, which was actually a very good life lesson because I’d never been in a situation that could teach me it before. I’ve learned, or, am LEARNING, not to let personal experiences with one-on-one relationships taint my view of a fandom—this one is hard, and is something I am trying very, very hard to work through as I’ve recently been hit with a very strong and very sudden wave of inspiration for teen wolf.

but like, with that all said, I still absolutely LOVE the teen wolf fandom and have had so many amazing amazing amazing experiences that I wouldn’t change for all the bad, and that the bad experiences are really localized to the ship-focused spaces I was in and the personal relationships that I had, NOT with the fandom as a whole which I am slowly dipping my toes back into! I learned so much about myself and my writing during my time in the fandom, and that is another thing I absolutely wouldn’t change for the world. I am over the moon that I’m writing here again, honestly, and the reception I’ve gotten has been SO insanely amazing.

starker is another one I regret-but-don’t-totally-regret-because-I-learned-shit. starker taught me the importance of 18+ fan spaces, and showed me what can happen when people... aren’t careful. when mods are minors themselves. I learned that cross-generational nsfw spaces are a RED flag, and that they mean GET OUT, and that anyone who would willingly allow minors and adults to mingle over explicit content are people I Do Not Want To Be Around. I learned a lot about myself there on an interpersonal scale, and I found out a lot about my sexuality and kink preferences, too (which was a wild time). while I do very much enjoy the lessons I learned from being in the space I was in, I could do without some of the more negative things I witnessed, even if they taught me a lot.

16. Are their any popular ships in your fandom which you dislike?

SINCE I CAN’T SAY CHERIK I’m going to have to dig a little deeper and talk about Sterek, lmao. I was really, really, really into Sterek starting around... 2014? I read... fuck tons. absolutely insane amounts of Sterek fic. and I wanna say... around 2015? maybe? there was a really popular trope in Sterek, wherein Derek would push Stiles away (by being mean, by pretending to date one of the Pack (usually Erica), by bullying him, by telling him the pack didn’t want him, etc, etc) so that he could... keep Stiles safe? it almost always went the same way. there is a threat no one told Stiles about, Derek did “what he had to do” to keep Stiles safe (i.e cutting him off from all his friends and massive, obvious crush) and then when Stiles got hurt, the pack would come to his rescue and save him (only after Stiles got a little beat up), and then Derek would care for him, or not leave his side, or check up on him, and Stiles would wonder why he cared after everything that had happened and... bam. Derek would admit his undying love. And Stiles would just like forgive him and they’d get together and be happily ever after as a pack and...

that was so damaging lmao??? I can’t even tell you how many fics fitting into this trope that I read, to the point where I was like... “wow Derek loves Stiles so much he’s such an amazing person for keeping him safe by pushing him away and making him feel isolated and alone and hated” BUT LIKE WHAT. WHAT. that’s horrible??? so so so horrible??? I am so fucking thankful it isn’t something I really saw too much of when I came back around to the fandom around 2017, but.... oh boy. for a ship that I considered an OTP and read like the entire tag of, I have VERY few sterek fics of substance (when compared to the rest of my teen wolf writing) and this is the reason why.

this trope and it’s absolutely ludicrous popularity a few years ago really, really turned me off the ship.

22. Is there anything you regret writing?

content-wise: no. very, very easy no. I don’t regret any of the pairings or kinks I’ve written & I don’t think I ever will (I’m very anti-shame, lmao. if you like it, flaunt it).

but... I do regret some of the emotional labour I’ve put into works? the emotional attachment I have with certain fics, or genres, or pairings, and how I’ve tied them to a specific person or persons. like, I can’t write ageplay anymore, because of how strong the association of ageplay is to someone I cared for deeply and no longer have in my life (and even if I ever manage to write it in general, I’ll never be able to write Steter ageplay). I have 13k of a fic that was supposed to be a surprise gift to a close friend that I hadn’t heard from in... ages, to the point where I gave up on sending the occasional monthly-message. I have one thing I wrote for a dear friend (who never interacted with it) and now I can’t help but feel like the story is awful, despite not doing horrifically stat-wise.

I write because I love it. I write for people I care about, because writing is a labour of love, and it’s a way I can show them how much I care for them, but... sometimes that bites me in the ass, I guess.

I’m working on it, lol.

28. If someone were to draw a piece of fanart for your story, which story would it be and what would the picture be of?

god okay there is NOTHING better than the idea of this. I’ve had a few mood boards made for me here and there, which are always SO loved and cherished and massively appreciated down to my BONES, but I don’t know if I’ve... ever really gotten fan art? I had someone make some really, really cool like... OG bit-moji type art of a couple of my fics, which is amazing and I have it on my phone still, and @hd-hale once drew me a GORGEOUS sheriff stilinski inspired by Daddies’R’Us, but to get FAN ART i would CRY lmao

right now, I think something from to love and be loved by you would feel really, really extra special because even at 6/17 chapters posted, it’s my longest work ever. what would it be a picture of?? hell if i fucking know but probably something that hasn’t happened yet, lmao

#wow this got really long im sorry #these are just my personal experiences and i've had LOTS of them #im a very emotional person can you tell?#can you also tell im not over some stuff lmao #im working on that too #listen i'm working on a LOT right now #i can't believe mid asked me THIS series of questions thinking this wouldn't happen #why did i write a fucking NOVEL #about lav #writing meme #ask meme #writer meme #midrashic #lav answers

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takeiteasypeasybaby · 4 years ago

Text

Save Me: Chapter 21 - You Loved Me

~Hey Guys! Chapter 21 is out ❤️ Molly and Negan come to terms with their separation while conflict with Rick escalates...I hope you all enjoy and chapter 22 will be out on Wednesday! Love you all and stay safe 🤟🏻~

Molly and Negan are overwhelmed by their memories of each other as they both face difficulties since their separation, both of them wrangling with their 'weakness'.

Negan's POV//

'I swear to fuck, if you don't hurry the fuck up Doc, I will feed you to Lucille' I yelled in frustration.

He was taking way to fucking long to patch me up.

The bullet hole was clean but I would need stitches, at least she had done me that kindness.

I clenched my jaw at every stitch, every ounce of pain brought her flooding back to me.

Every week, I got checked over by the Doc to see if I was healing right.

But every time he peeled off my bandages, I saw her, she was walking through the main hall, smiling when she looked at me, like an angel.

I had had that vision for many weeks since she left me, always the same and every time I ran to her she vanished.

When did I become so soft? Was it her? Did she do this to me?

I scowled as I dazed, Carson now frantically finishing up with my wound.

'All done sir' he said meekly, this snapped me back into the present.

Simon now stood in the doorway, 'Negan, we're going on a supply run today. We can find Molly for ya?' he said confidently.

'No, it's a waste of time. We have to focus, because Rick, the Widow and Dreds are teaming up. So, I think it's time we pay another visit' I said smiling at him.

He scowled at my response, 'There's another thing...the girl who broke in last week, what's the plan?' he said.

'She's got guts, I like that. Keep her alive, she's valuable' I replied sternly.

He started to turn around when I stopped him, 'Oh and Si, I'm now in need of a new right-hand man' I said sternly.

'It would be an honour sir' he replied.

I faux smirked at him as he nodded and walked away.

Simon's POV//

I nodded curtly at his response. He's weak.

I walked out of Carson's office and headed down to the main hall to gather up some guys.

Fuck his plan, it's time we had real leadership.

I grabbed Keith and told him to instruct the other guys that Negan wanted them to find Molly and kill her or they would be killed.

He nodded nervously and marched hastily over to the other guys who were in agreement.

She was a threat to all of us, everything we had built. Everything I had built.

I wasn't gonna let that bitch ruin what I had.

She made Negan weak and as long as she was dead, I would be safe.

I had everything back in my grasp.

Molly's POV//

The bike had ran out of gas, so now I had to go on foot.

My thigh still ached, but I had found a house a while back which had a needle and thread which I used to sow up the wound.

I now walked through seemingly endless fields, I couldn't see anymore houses and I was low on canned food.

Suddenly out of the trees came four walkers, all snarling and leering towards me.

I felt no fear, in fact it felt strangely comforting to be back to my normal.

I grabbed my knives out of their cases and waited for the walkers to come closer.

I stabbed one in the head, while another came round to my side.

I ducked and tripped it over and plunged my knife into its skull.

I pushed the other one onto the other, they fell backwards against a tree.

Slashing my knife at their skulls, which were lined up and it plunged through both of them.

It hadn't hit me until all of them lay there, lifeless on the grass that waves of guilt and sorrow swarmed through my body.

I broke down, my knees weakening as I fell to the ground.

I could barely breathe, visions and memories of Glenn and Abraham invaded my mind.

I had never felt like this, weak and vulnerable. He had made me weak.

I grasped at my chest to steady my breathing, when my hand made contact with the metal chain around my neck.

My locket, I turned it over to reveal my initials M.C.

I thought of Tara instantly, I couldn't give up or lose faith. That place had weakened me but not broken me.

I smiled weakly as I thought of her, tears rolling down my face. I sighed deeply as the sun started to set. I needed to find shelter.

So, I carried on.

I walked for hours, until I decided to stop next to a tree.

I was weary, my energy draining out of me as I slid my back down against the tree, sinking to the ground.

There was no one around me so I rested my eyes for a few seconds.

I drifted in and out of consciousness when I heard a faint snarl coming from behind me.

When the realisation hit, my eyes opened wide as I spun around to see a walker lurching over me.

It gargled and snarled and fell on top of me as I struggled underneath.

I held it just off my face as it snapped at my cheek, its arms trying to claw at my neck.

As I tackled it and threw it off me, I straddled it and reached for my knife.

It grabbed at my necklace which was dangling in front of me as I stabbed it in its head.

I grabbed my rucksack and ran seeing a hoard of walkers approach from out of the trees.

Not even realising that I had lost my locket.

I walked a couple more miles until I saw a small village in the distance. My heart lifted.

Thank god, I thought.

All the shops and houses looked virtually empty, I doubted that there would be any useful supplies but it was safer to be inside at night.

I picked the closest one, it was the smallest beige one so it probably had less stuff but also less walkers inside.

I peeled open the door, keeping my gun steadily in my hand. I checked over every room, including upstairs.

Nothing. No walkers in sight and a cupboard with a few cans of dog food.

Memories of that cell came flooding in. I shuck it off and opened one.

I struggled to keep it down but it was better than starving.

There were papers everywhere, with torn sheets and cracks in the windows.

I placed my rucksack under my head and curled myself up.

Tears rolled down my face as I thought about him.

His warm soft bed, cuddling up with him. It felt like someone had torn out my heart.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head when I thought of Maggie. This was my fault.

What if I had said something which made him kill them? What if I was nicer to him in the beginning? I couldn't face her.

I wanted to be there to comfort her, but how could I knowing what I did?

Maybe I couldn't go back home. Maybe I never would.

A couple days later...

Negan's POV//

'All points are covered. Every contingency is already met. I come armed with two barrels of the truth. A test is upon you, and I'm giving out a cheat sheet' Eugene bellowed into a megaphone as we rolled up.

Eugene spoke to Rick first.

'H-Hello, I come salved with the hope that it is my dropped knowledge that you heed. Options are zero to none. Compliance and fealty are your only escape. Bottom lining it, you may thrive, or you may die' Eugene continued.

I sat back, scanning the people at the gates. Tara was there, but not her.

'Where's Negan' Rick yelled.

'I'm Negan' he said worriedly. I smirked at his loyalty.

Rick ducked down suddenly, they tried to fucking blow us up!

Rick tried to reach for his gun but the trash people beat them to it. They had betrayed them for us.

They opened the gates and I stepped out with Simon and the others.

I smirked at Eugene and flung an arm around him. My boy!

I stepped out in front of Rick, smiling at him.

'You ever hear the one about a stupid little prick named Rick, who thought he knew shit but didn't know shit, and got everyone he gave a shit about killed?' I yelled.

I pointed at him saying 'it's about you Rick!'

'You're all gonna wanna put your guns down now' I said sternly.

I still scanned over all of them, checking to see if she was there. What if she hadn't made it?

'No one drops anything' Rick said weakly.

'We had a deal' Rick whispered to Jadis, 'Tamil came for the boat things. Followed ones who took. Made a better deal' she replied.

I'd tried so fucking hard to save them and this is how he repays me?!

'You push me, and you push me and you push me Rick! You just tried to blow us up right? I mean I get me, my people. But Eugene? He's one of yours, and after what he did - he stepped up' I bellowed.

'You people...are animals, universe gives you a sign and you just shove your finger right up its ass!' I said while flipping off Rick.

Daryl glared at Dwight.

'Dwight, Simon, chop chop' I shouted pointing at the crate. They went over immediately and unwrapped it.

Oh boy did they have a surprise coming! They would be getting back one of their own!

They brought out the coffin and placed it upright. I looked over to see Tara, she must have thought it was Molly.

I scowled at her memory.

'So you don't like Eugene anymore. You guys gotta like Sasha! I do too' I said smiling and tapping on the coffin with Lucille.

'Got her right here, packaged for your convenience, alive and well. Now I brought her, so I wouldn't have to kill all of you, and not killing all of you could get complicated. See, I know theres a lot of firepower left in there Rick! So I'm gonna make this simple, I want all the guns you've managed to scrape up' I smiled at him.

Then scowled at his brief upper-hand, 'yep, I know about those too'.

'I want every last grain of lemonade you got left', I continued, just wanting an excuse to see if Molly was in one of those houses.

'I want a person, of your own choosing for Lucille!' I said as I pointed to her.

They now looked scared shitless.

'Daryl, ooh I gotta get my Daryl back!' I said looking at him and smirking.

How in the hell did that prick even escape?

'I see you' I said smirking while pointing to him. That would break Rick even more.

'The pool table and all the pool cues and the chalk, and I want it now or Sasha dies! Then all of you...probably' I said standing next to the coffin.

Rick was silent still.

'C'mon Rick, just because I brought her in a casket doesn't mean she has to leave in it' I said.

He didn't respond.

For fuck sake. I sighed and rubbed my forehead in frustration.

Molly already hated me, she would hate me even more if I killed anyone else. But I couldn't be weak.

'You know what? You suck ass Rick, you really do. I don't wanna have to kill her, but thats exactly what you're gonna make me do' I yelled.

Rick stepped forward, 'let me see her' he replied calmly.

'Alright, just give me a second. I might have to get her up to speed. Can't hear shit inside this thing' I replied.

I whacked Lucille against it, 'Sash, you're not gonna believe this crap' I said as I opened the door slowly.

She growled and snarled at me as she came out.

'Holy goddamn!' I said as she pushed me off the truck. She fucking killed herself.

I heard gunfire all around me.

They were taking out the trash people and some of mine.

'Ah, honey. Goddamn it!' I said as I struggled to get her off of me. She snapped and tried to bite at my face.

Jeff managed to pull her off of me but got bit in the process.

So, I grabbed Simon and retreated behind the truck.

'Ahhhh! Plan B it is!' I said as the trash people managed to wound Rick as I grabbed Carl.

I didn't want to do this, he had potential.

I knelt him down as my guys surrounded him. Jadis brought Rick over to me.

'Hello again' I said as I took Lucille from Dwight. Jadis made him kneel next to the boy.

'Well, shit Rick. You just couldn't stick with us, huh?' I said slightly amused at his efforts.

'You had to go with these filthy garbage people? No offence' I said now looking at Jadis.

'Deal is for twelve, yes?' she said.

'Ten. People are a resource' I replied.

'Twelve' she argued, she reminded me of Molly. But she wasn't.

'Ten' she conceded. I smirked at her subservience.

I sighed, 'Rick. This is just gonna make you sad. Broken. You're gonna wish you we're dead. I like having fun, I do. Maybe you think that the guy who did what he did to your friends wasn't me, like that was some sort of a put-on' I said, now moving round to Carl.

A part of me wished that wasn't me.

'Oh shit. Maybe this is on me. Maybe this is all on me. I gotta make it right. I guess I gotta start all over again' I said sternly, now looking at Carl.

'I gotta tell you Rick, if I had a kid, I'd want him to be just like your kid', sadness twinged in my gut as I said that.

'You're not gonna win' Carl said looking up at me, 'Carl, It is over' I said warningly.

'Why don't you point your one ball up the street and take it all in? I said crouching beside him.

Suddenly, there came a scream as a woman fell off one of the buildings. The look on Rick's face, he must have known her.

'Oh, wow. You just lost somebody important to you, like just now. Jesus, that is timing' I said crouching now in front of Rick.

He was shaking and tearing up.

'Well, Rick...you chose this. I truly don't know what more I could've done to warn you. This isn't a warning, this is punishment. I'm gonna kill Carl now' I said scowling at him.

'I'm gonna make it one nice hard swing because I like him. I just want you to put that in your brain and roll it around for a minute. I'm gonna kill Carl, and then, Lucille here, she's gonna take your hands' I said holding her up in front of his face.

He looked unaffected by what I just said.

'You can do it right in front of me, you can take my hands. I told you already, I'm gonna kill you, all of you. Nothing is gonna change that, nothing. You're all already dead' he whispered in my ear.

I scowled at him harder now. He had guts, I'd give him that.

I started to smile and then chuckle at his threat.

'Wow, damn Rick. Okay' I said as I got up and went round to Carl.

I plucked off his hat and swung Lucille into the air, saying 'you said I could do it!'.

Suddenly, a tiger jumped out and wrestled one of my men to the ground, killing him.

A fucking tiger!

I flung myself backwards and retreated away from it. Gunfire now ensuing.

Simon and Dwight followed me as people from the Kingdom came in on horses, including the Widow.

'End these Saviours and there accomplices! Alexandria will not fall, not on this day!' The one with the dreds shouted.

Fuck, we we're outnumbered!

We moved round to behind a car, 'they've got a goddamn tiger!' I shouted as I pelted them with bullets.

'You taste that Simon? That is the taste of shit' I said as I ran out of ammo and ran round to another car.

We needed to retreat.

The trash guys set off smoke bombs so we could escape. We climbed into the truck and drove out of the gate as I flipped Rick off in the mirror.

Once we got back, everyone was on high alert.

'You say the word and we're ready to go' Dwight said nervously, I just looked out of the window onto the courtyard.

Looking at the spots where Molly used to stand. My eyes started to well up thinking about her.

'That's good' I replied.

Eugene was still standing behind me. I spun around and pointed Lucille at him.

'How the hell do you think she wound up dead in that box?' I said angrily.

'My, um best possible posit fingers the tarp. That sealed up said box good and tight. She ran out of air' he said with sadness in his voice.

I was sceptical. I walked towards him, my eyes still glistening.

'Maybe' I said looking over him.

I sighed and turned around to walk out onto the balcony.

'So...we are going to war!' I shouted to my people who were cheering below me.

#negan x original female character #twd negan #negan #negan imagine #twd #twd fanfiction #negan fanfiction #thewalkingdead #jdm #slowburn #slow build #mollychambler #twdromance #jeffreydeanmorgan #negans lucille tblr #negans thirst squad #negan fic

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hopelessromanticspoonie · 5 years ago

Text

To Keep You Safe

Title: If we go down, then we go down together

Chapter: 22/22

Author: hopeless_romantic_spoonie

Summary: Life as the assistant to Tony Stark was busy, but boring. All of that changed when I touched something I shouldn't have and woke up with strange new abilities. If I thought that trying to figure out my new place in life as an Avenger was tough, I had no idea what was in store for me once I ran into the frustrating God of Mischief, Loki.

Rating: Explicit

Notes: I apologize for how long this chapter took in getting to you!

Big thanks to @yespolkadotkitty and @just-the-hiddles for cheering me on and pushing me on to get this finished when I got frustrated!

Also on Ao3 here :)

Warnings: Language, blood, violence, death. There’s a fight scene, so, all that goes with that.

~~~

One month after the downfall of Hydra at the gala, uneasy peace had fallen over the Compound. The facility was in a holding pattern, every occupant waiting with bated breath for word of Thanos’ return to Earth. It was only a matter of time, and until then, all we could do was prepare the best we could.

Loki, thanks to his accelerated healing, was in fighting shape within two weeks. A hard glint entered his eyes whenever the Mad Titan was brought up, and I would rest my hand comfortingly on his arm, his back, or his thigh, to silently remind him he was safe and present with me.

After facing the fear of losing him, I didn’t let him out of my sight for more than an instant. He, thankfully, seemed to preen under the attention when he wasn’t helping Nat kick my ass in the gym. I was still the least experienced of the group, and even with my powers, I was a liability if someone became distracted because of me.

Fear drove my actions, and when Loki would pin me to the cushioned floor of the gym, demanding that I do and be better, the pent-up cocktail of rage and worry fueling him flashed in his eyes.

We trained. We fought. We worked.

We were as ready as we would ever be, unless we died of anticipation first.

~~~

“Hey, hey,” I sleepily reached over, shaking Loki’s bare shoulder beneath the blankets. “Wake up, you’re okay. Loki!”

He lurched upright in bed and straddled my hips beneath the sheets in one swift motion; a dagger pulled from his hidden pocket dimension kissed the taut skin of my neck while his other forearm pressed down across the top of my chest. His eyes were wild, unfocused and erratic as they darted over my face blindly in the thralls of his nightmare. His ragged breathing was practically deafening in the otherwise silent bedroom.

I didn’t dare move. As tensions rose from the threat of Thanos looming over our heads, his nightmares had increased, too. Last week he had almost strangled me after a particularly bad nightmare before he realized what he was doing, and he was just beginning to forgive himself for that; I didn’t want to add an accidental throat-slitting on top of his misplaced guilt.

Not dying also seemed like a good idea.

“Loki, it’s me. It’s okay. You’re safe here, with me, I promise. I’m safe. It’s okay,” I cooed quietly to him, chanting the words steadily to bring him back from the hellish imaginings of his mind. I maintained eye contact even as I called on the power coursing through my skin to pull on the metal chain of my bedside lamp, illuminating the room in an orange glow.

Slowly, the glaze over his eyes lifted, and he blinked down at me, pulling the knife from my skin and sending it back to where it came from with a look of horror. He tried to pull away from me, incoherently mumbling apologies, but I shook my head, hooked my hands behind his shoulders and my feet around his calves to pull his comforting weight down onto me. He resisted for but a moment, muscles tense and unyielding, before he sighed heavily and let himself melt into me, holding most of his weight on his elbows on either side of my neck.

“You okay now, handsome?” I asked quietly, voice muffled by my lips pressing into his disheveled raven hair as his face found sanctuary in the hollow of my throat. One of my hands trailed up his bare back to scratch lightly at his scalp, a move which was almost guaranteed to calm him down.

“I just want to face him and be done with it,” he growled against my skin. He pressed a light kiss to my collarbone before lifting his head to stare down at me, the creases in his forehead and the thin line of his lips revealing the worry and frustration he barely contained.

I craned my neck to kiss him thoroughly, only letting my head fall back to the bed when I felt him responding to me, his hips rolling against mine and his tongue snaking out to tangle sinfully with my own. We panted into the small space between us, eyes hooded with lust.

“In time. Don’t you always preach patience to me?” I teased, dragging my hands down his arms to come to rest on his biceps, rubbing them appreciatively with my thumbs.

“I’ll show you patience,” he threatened, swooping down to capture my neck in his lips, drawing out hearty, contented laughter from deep within me.

~~~

Tony’s voice cut through the music blasting through the speakers in the gym, making my steps stutter as I grappled with Loki. He caught me handily, righting me while we listened to the louder-than-life voice blare out, “Okay guys, it’s showtime. Get to the jet ASAP, dressed to kill a giant purple asshole.”

For a second, I couldn’t comprehend what Tony had said. The moment we had been waiting for was finally here, and the shock of it glued my feet to the floor. I lifted my gaze to Loki standing in front of me. Rage ticked in his jaw and steeled his eyes. With a golden glow, his athletic sparring outfit changed into his leather armor, oiled green and black fitting him perfectly and matching the golden-horned helmet adorning his head. I hadn’t seen him wear that in person before, and it added a menacing height to his already towering appearance.

He was grandiose, larger than life, and he was pissed.

Shaking myself mentally, I jerked my head toward the door for him to go ahead to the jet before sprinting off, adrenaline flooding my body and putting an extra boost in my steps.

Hydra had disposed of my old uniform, so Tony had a newer, higher-tech version made for me. It smoothed over my body like a second skin, bulletproofed reinforcements covered my torso, upper arms and thighs, and the forest green material glinted with metal fibers woven throughout so I could fly - well, a bastardized version of flying. Two wicked jagged knives, courtesy of Loki, sat in built-in holsters on the outside of my thighs, easily accessible by physical reach or with the buzzing powers just beneath my skin. My sturdy boots thudded onto the floor, echoing throughout the large minimalistic areas of the Compound before I bolted outside.

By the time I reached the hangar I was winded, following on Nat’s heels - who looked lethal in her black leather suit. We sprinted up the ramp, and I immediately sought Loki, forcing myself to take even breaths as I planted my hands on my hips.

Tony and Steve were in the cockpit, although Tony was quickly replaced by Nat who tapped him on the shoulder and gestured for him to get up. Vision and Wanda flew passed me to land close to the front of the jet, immediately observing the hectic energy as everybody answered the call to arms. Loki stood off to the side, fingering a throwing knife in his hand as he stared unseeing at the floor.

My feet carried me to him without my having made the conscious decision. Just as I was nervous before the last mission we went on and he was there for me, I would be there for him. My hand settled over his spine at the middle of his back as I came to a stop at his side, turning to face Tony. In my peripheral vision, I registered Loki lift his head, but he said nothing, only crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin, face devoid of any discernible emotion.

Tony strode purposefully to the center of the jet just as Sam ran up the ramp, and we lifted off seconds later. All accounted for after his quick glance around the small space, Tony nodded to himself and brought up an image of Thanos on the screen built into the wall behind him.

“Okay, so I just talked to Strange and Thanos will hit New York City just a few minutes before we get there, so we have to hit the ground running. He’s going after Strange and the Time Stone, and this is our shot to take him out for good. We know he has a close circle of baddies around him, and Strange said he’d have an army, too. The doc is working on getting the Wakandans and Asgardians, plus Thor, there but it’ll be tight.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and his shining dark eyes darted between each of us. “Be safe out there, guys.”

With his anxious parting words, he cast a spell of tension over the ship. Wanda and Vision bowed their heads together, talking quietly amongst themselves, hands held tightly between them. Sam went up to kneel by the cockpit with Steve and Nat, who were flying the jet at breakneck speed toward New York City. And Tony crossed over to us, lifting his metal hand to clasp my upper arm firmly.

“Don’t do anything reckless out there, Pebbles,” he instructed me, voice a little shakier than I suspected he would’ve liked. He gave me a small smile and a squeeze on my arm before dropping his hand to hold it out to the stiff Asgardian at my side.

Surprise flitted across Loki’s face before he could smother it with a look of focused intensity. He didn’t shake Tony’s hand; I didn’t expect him to, but he did dip his chin in a small nod of acknowledgment. “Stark.”

“Give ‘em hell, you two, and watch each other’s backs,” Tony said with a smile, full of bravado once more. He joined the others at the cockpit without further preamble, allowing Loki and me a moment alone.

You knew better than to ask him if he was okay, because whether or not he was, he wouldn’t answer anything but the affirmative in mixed company. Instead, we mimicked the other couple on the ship, prying Loki’s hands from their rigid position crossed over his elbows to hold them in yours. His emerald eyes, fierce with just the barest hint of fear widening them, locked onto mine. I plastered on the strongest, most determined expression I could muster, squaring my shoulders and setting my jaw.

“I won’t let him touch you again,” I said lowly, both a vow and reassurance.

He gripped onto my hands like they were tethering him to the moment, and I could barely detect the chill of him through the thin gloves protecting my hands. I yearned to feel his skin against mine one more time, but there wasn’t time for sentimentality. He gently tugged me into him so I was securely tucked beneath his arm and my forehead pressed into the hollow of his cheek. He had no words, and I had depleted mine. What did you say when you were facing the very real possibility of your death with the one you loved most? It would have to be enough just to be together, breathing each other in as the engines of the jet whined our descent. “Don’t forget; our goal is to kill Thanos and keep him from getting the stone from Strange. Do whatever you need to do to make those things happen,” Tony called out just as the jet settled onto the ground with a shudder and the ramp descended, filling the tight space with distant panicked screams.

It was chaos. The Quinjet had touched down in the middle of an intersection, and the sound of sirens and battle thundered against my ears. Or that could be the thunder booming in the sky as Thor stepped through what looked to be a hole in the air, surrounded by an orange circle, followed by Valkyrie and what could only be described as a mob of Asgardians, armed to the teeth and screaming their rage as they attacked what appeared to be alien dogs - weird black and yellow creatures with mouthfuls of jagged teeth charging down the New York streets on four and six legs, attacking anything in their path.

The rest of the Avengers set to action, heading into the battle with no hesitation. I ripped my gaze from the horde of aliens to search the crowd for Thanos, but he hadn’t made his appearance yet. Loki stepped up to my side and caught my eye, throwing his hands to his sides as daggers appeared in his grip. I poured all of my love for him into the quick look we shared.

And then he was off, illusions of him spreading out and charging headlong into the fray. Determined to keep him close to prevent him from as much harm as I could, I ripped my own knives from the sheaths at my thighs and followed, hoping that the fear clawing at my insides would turn into adrenaline once my blades had been anointed in the blood of my enemies.

It was too hectic and crowded to rely on my powers to carry me in this battle, so I gritted my teeth and faced the first monster head-on. They were shockingly tall, towering over me as I ducked to slash at the backs of the ankles at the first one that came up to me, snarling and swiping at me with giant clawed hands that I barely ducked. Fuckers are fast! I had to use all of my strength to pierce their skin, and the blue blood that tainted my knives shocked me for just a second too long.

The back of a monstrous hand slammed into my chest, knocking me down to the ground, and when the thing advanced on me, hunched and seeking my blood, I reacted without thinking. My hands twisted in the air, wrenching a light post from the ground and pulling it up over the throng to slam into the alien, pinning it to the ground around its neck.

I scrambled to my feet, panting from the exertion, sweat dripping down my face and into my eyes irritatingly. Sam flew over the crowd, spinning in the air so that his wings sliced through the thick leathery hide of the creatures.

I caught sight of Loki just a few feet away, fighting like it was a vicious dance. He was all swift, sure movements that flowed from one to the next, daggers an extension of his body as they plunged in and out of the creatures indiscriminately. Each duck and thrust of his body appeared expertly choreographed as his mind and body worked together in familiar patterns he had mastered over hundreds of years. The green aura of his magic interspersed throughout it all, used to send an opponent flying or distract one with an exact fearsome copy of himself before he stepped through it, daggers taking advantage of the quick moment of confusion to render their lives null.

Chanting broke through the din and I whipped my head towards it to see two large circles appear in the side of a building. A man floated in the air, clad in a red cape, and I assumed that had to be Doctor Strange for all Tony had told us about him. Through the circles came a wave of warriors, chanting and brandishing spears, led by the Black Panther and Bucky sprinting into battle.

“Squidward incoming!” Tony’s shouted voice sounded distant through the watch I wore beneath my suit.

I stood on the balls of my feet, knees bent, daggers drawn as I tried to figure out who the hell he meant by ‘Squidward’ and how much of a threat someone could be with that nickname. Although he called Loki ‘Reindeer Games’, so dumbass nicknames obviously didn’t imply strength.

A figure cut through the air, regal and bored as he surveyed the fighting below. His grey skin and weird nose made him look like Squidward, so at least Tony was accurate in his smartass remarks.

My teeth clenched as I pulled a traffic light from a post and directed it at him with a sweeping motion of my arm. The alien didn’t even blink as he changed its course, throwing it into a group of Asgardians and Wakandans battling the monsters frenzied beneath him. Determined, I whipped an abandoned car into the car and hurtled it in his direction, but that was deflected, too, and at me with breakneck speeds.

Defensively, my hands shot into the air, and the car stopped just inches from me, wrapped in two shades of green light. I let out a breath I had been holding and dropped my hold on the vehicle, and the brighter green light remained for half a second before the car was launched once again at the back of the floating monster.

Loki stepped forward several feet away from me, eyes narrowed and hands clenched into fists at his sides, watching the car as it smacked into the alien, sending them both careening to the ground.

There wasn’t any time to rejoice in the impact. A beam of purple light split down the street and destroyed anything it touched. Loki collided into me, knocking the air from my lungs, and carried me from the line of fire with the help of his superhuman speed. I patted his arm to thank him - there wasn’t time for anything else - and then we both turned to the source of the energy strutting down an abandoned street.

Thanos.

His hand rose in front of him, covered in a gold gauntlet that reflected the shining midday sun, and the light purple Power Stone was barely visible seated in the accessory. An almost inhuman shout of rage tore from Loki’s throat beside me, and he was gone before I could blink having vanished on the spot. As if he had heard Loki’s rage, the Titan turned toward me, leveling me with a wide, almost peaceful smile.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I ran. Not away from the terrifying man like I should have done, but towards him like an idiot with a hero complex. Tony and Vision flew overhead, beating me to Thanos, who was sending bolts of purple waves at the two men. Wanda sprinted alongside me, eyes and hands glowing red as she grabbed pieces of rubble and tossed them at him, distracting him like a gnat to a dog. I took her lead and reached for any bit of metal within my grasp, trying to wrap light poles around his ankles and benches his wrists, but every bit of debris was either obliterated with a beam of purple light, or sent flying by Squidward, who had come back to fight at Thanos’ side sporting a cut across his forehead.

“We need to get that gauntlet off of him if we want any chance at killing him!” Steve shouted to the group through the watch comms, relaying our new mission.

Loki was still nowhere to be seen, but the distinct touch of his magic was evident in the green-lit objects soaring toward Thanos and Squidward. Bullets and explosions clouded the area in smoke as Bucky, Clint, Sam, and Tony all directed their heaviest firepower at them. Thor even stormed towards the two, lightning taking out those in his way effortlessly. It just seemed to piss them off for all the help it did, but it was a distraction, keeping them from harming anyone else while we all worked to get the Power Stone out of Thanos’ grasp.

“Got it, Mr. Stark!” came from behind me, followed by a thin figure in red and blue swinging into the thick of it.

“Kid, get out of here!”

“But the bad guys!” Peter almost whined, his age showing itself. He landed on the side of a building and shot a web onto the gauntlet and tugged with all of his might.

Steve, directly in front of me, held his shield at his side as he ran at Thanos with everything he had in him. I made to follow, called to help end this once and for all, but white-hot agony stopped me, erupting across my back.

A pained cry spilled from my lips and I whirled around for the source. One of those alien dogs, this one with six limbs, echoed my outburst with an angered roar. His claws dripped red with my blood. I couldn’t linger, couldn’t worry about the agony that throbbed with my pulse, not when this monster swiped at me once again.

I took a risk. It was stupid and reckless and Tony would kill me if he saw me do it. But Nat and Loki would be proud. I didn’t think, I only reacted. I ducked and stepped into the alien, making its attack overshoot me, and plunged both of my knives deep into its neck as hard as I could. Blue blood drained from the wounds, soaking my hands and staining my suit, but the dull of its eyes was worth it, even after the edge of a claw dragged down my cheekbone, rending the flesh and filling my mouth with hot copper.

“Hold him!”

Loki’s voice, twisted and strained, pierced through the air above it all in a battle cry that sent chills down my spine. I turned just as Spiderman’s web ripped the gauntlet off of Thanos. Steve physically held onto one arm while Wanda used her powers to assist him, and Tony and Sam had the other.

But it would not be enough.

Directing the power coursing through me at the metal woven into my suit, I sheathed my knives and curled my fingers upwards, rising shakily into the air. It was a delicate balance, trying to figure out how to fly, even though Tony and Wanda made it look so damn easy. I didn’t have time to make it perfect and graceful. All the Avengers clinging onto Thanos were showing signs of strain, and I still didn’t know where Loki was.

I clumsily careened through the air toward Thanos, catching an eyeful of his gray underling beheaded at his side, before I clamped my legs around his neck, hooking my ankles together. His shout of rage shook my entire body with the power of it, but I tamped down the fear that shot through me like lightning. I ripped my weapons from my sides to plunge them into his shoulders on either side of me with as much force as I could, bolstered by a scream that ripped at my vocal cords.

“Where’s Vis? We can’t hold him much longer!” Wanda gritted out to my right, a floating fiery spectre.

“You do not need him,” came Loki’s voice, somehow cutting through the hectic noise of it all. He appeared out of thin air feet in front of Thanos, daggers in hand and eyes blazing. I had never been so close to him looking so angry, face twisted into a man I didn’t recognize as he calmly stalked forward until he was within arm’s reach. Using his powers, he lifted me from around Thanos’ neck and lowered me to the ground behind him.

Pulling the long bladed weapon from his back, Loki cut Thanos’ head clean from his body with his own weapon and dropped it to the ground after the deed was done.

Thanos was dead.

In movies the battle always stopped once the main villain was killed, but this wasn’t a movie. While his lackey, Squidward, was dead, there was still an impressive horde of aliens to kill. And with the wounds bleeding life-giving heat over my back, face, and neck, it would take everything I had left to make it out the other side.

All the Avengers, including Loki and myself, dispersed without comment to dispatch the leftovers.

Everything was a blur of animalistic sounds and flashes of movement. I ducked and dodged each blow as best I could, digging deep for every ounce of strength within me to make sure I saw the end of the battle. I couldn’t worry about my teammates, even as I heard various cries of agony ring throughout the air, as I wouldn’t be able to help them if I joined the mounting piles of bodies scattered throughout the city.

The stench of blood was thick in the air, choking me and tearing my eyes as I shoved my knife into the eye of a monster, following its body as it collapsed on the ground, landing crouched with my feet on either side of its head. I took just a beat to catch my breath, panting and sweating and straining to find the next threat to my life, when something encircled my wrist, yanking me around.

My knives were forced from my hands, and I screamed before I was jerked into a lean, leather-clad chest. My body knew who it was before my mind caught up - I’d had months to memorize the feel of him - and I ignored the sharp sting of my cheek to press myself against Loki, wrapping my arms around his back. I held onto him for dear life with my eyes clenched tightly shut, assuming that he had only come to me because we had somehow lost, something was wrong, and he had taken these last few moments to give in to sentiment and come to me. That was the only feasible explanation for this blatant show of affection.

“It is over, little one,” he said lowly, lips moving against my temple as he bowed his body around mine.

I blinked my eyes open, glancing around at the grisly scene before us. Bodies, both human and alien, littered the streets. I searched the still, bloodied faces for those of my friends, my found family, heart in my throat as I clung to Loki to reaffirm the knowledge that his would not be amongst them. I came up empty, thankfully, and brought my chin to his chest to stare wearily up at him.

Bruised, bloodied, injured with a cut to his eyebrow and his jawline, he was magnificent as he returned my searching stare. He frowned, removing one hand from my hips to tilt my face to inspect the gash along my cheek.

“I’m okay,” I assured him, and I meant it. I was injured, yes. My back and face felt as if they had been lit on fire, sure. But he was safe, my friends were alive, and the ghost hanging over Loki’s head had finally been vanquished. Everything was trivial in comparison to those facts.

“You are an exquisite warrior, and you are mine,” he replied, eyes flashing just before he crushed my lips to his in a bruising kiss. It was everything I had wanted from him before the battle, love and trust and strength, but now it was sweetened with the freedom and relief that he now held over his future.

There was nothing hanging over us now.

~~~

Somehow, the Quinjet had survived the battle in working order. Sporting various injuries and covered in blood and crime, we made a motley crew as the Avengers all climbed onto the ship. We had stayed long enough to make sure that the Time Stone was still safe in Strange’s possession, and for Wanda to destroy the gauntlet with the power stone inside of it.

I sank heavily to the floor of the jet as Nat and Steve lifted it out of the city, exhaustion and relief a powerful combination of drugs in my system that liquified my bones and muscles. Loki came to sit beside me, gracefully folding his long limbs beneath him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, careful to avoid the long gashes on my back, and held me close. My hand fell to rest on his thigh. I was too worn out to find purchase on the slick leather of his armor to anchor it elsewhere.

“How are you feeling?” I whispered, taking in the unreadable expression on his face.

He puzzled over it for several moments. I could see the gears turning in his head from the furrow in between his brows and the distant expression in his eyes. Finally, the tension melted away, and the corners of his lips ticked up the smallest amount. “Avenged.”

I slapped his thigh and shook my head. “Terrible joke. But really, are you okay?” I knew how I felt after killing my captor, my torturer: numb, almost empty. It hadn’t changed what had happened to me, only removed the threat lingering in the shadows.

His mouth opened to reply, but he was cut off by Thor coming to a stop in front of us. Loki tensed up beneath my touch. Clearing his throat, Thor held out his massive hand, a grave expression unnatural on his normally cheerful face.

“You fought well,” he praised him, rich voice hinting at a small amount of trepidation, “brother.”

I nudged Loki in the ribs when he didn’t move, and slowly, Loki stood up beside me. He reached out and clasped Thor’s hand, pumping it up and down once.

“As did you.”

~~~

“Hey, Mother Nature, you wanna lose to me next?” Sam asked, boastful with a hearty laugh that suited him well.

I pulled Loki to the bar beside the pool table, squeezing his hand before releasing it to call two beers from the fridge for us, handing one to him after I popped the metal top off with a flick of my thumb. Such trivial use of my powers was refreshing after months and months spent working to rid the world of Hydra, and then Thanos. My eyes rolled as I took an appreciative swig of my beer. “One, I hate that name. Two, how do you expect to beat me or Steve at pool with your arm still in a sling?”

Sam winked. “I got skills, baby.”

Steve shook his head at me and shrugged his shoulders. “Once the news gives you a name, you’re done for. Mother Nature, you are, sweetheart.”

I patted Loki on the shoulder, and he set down his beer momentarily to lift me onto the bar. I tangled my fingers into his hair, guiding him back between my spread legs so I cradled the back of his head against my stomach. I let my hand fall to rest on his shoulder, caressing the soft skin of his neck idly. “Mhm. That’s why we’re all mostly healed two weeks later and you’re still broken. Got it.”

“Hey, we can’t all have freaky powers. I don’t think the world could handle me if I were any more amazing than I already am.”

“What’s going on in here? Someone throwing a party and forget to invite me?” Tony asked loudly, strolling into the room followed by Nat, Bucky, and Bruce.

“We didn’t forget,” Steve deadpanned, grabbing a pool cue from the wall.

I bent down to press a light kiss to the top of Loki’s head, breathing him in for a moment. He tilted his chin backwards and up to give me a content smile.

“I love you,” I promised, tracing my finger over the scar slashing through his brow with my fingertip.

He captured my hand to press that same fingertip to his lips. “I love you.”

“Get a room, lovebirds!” Nat teased, tossing a used lime from her shot so that it bounced harmlessly off of my chest and fell to the ground at Loki’s feet.

Laughter, carefree and pleasant, rang throughout the room as the Avengers assembled for a bit of well-earned relaxation.

#loki #loki fanfic #loki fanfiction #loki x OFC #loki odinson #loki laufeyson #loki friggason #fanfic #fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #marvel fanfic #to keep you safe #tw blood #tw violence #tw death #tw langauge #hopelesswrites

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carry-on-my-pretty-weeper · 6 years ago

Text

Catching Lightning Chapter 23

Author: carry-on-my-pretty-weeper

Character(s): Reader, Tony, Sam, Thor, Loki, Avengers and Peter

Word Count: +1.3k

Warnings: nothing too bad, crying and stuff

Author’s Note: so this is the last chapter to the Catching Lightning series minus the epilogue but guys I can’t even begin to describe how I feel right now. just the pride that I feel right now is truly indescribable I wrote enough for it to be a book. 42 thousand words. 42 thousand! guys i’m honestly so blown away just thank you to every single person that took the time to read or leave a like or comment or follow me. you all are what make this possible because if I felt like no one wanted to read what I wrote then I wouldn’t have written anything. which also wouldn’t have given me enough experience to actually write my own book with my own original characters. so thank you. thank you so fucking much I owe you all so much.

Series Masterlist

<< 22 // Epilogue >>

You know I quite like the silence. The nothing. There’s absolutely nothing to do with it besides think about the things that could’ve been or reflect on the things that were.

Like my friends. Ned, MJ, and Peter.

My family of my Mom and Dad.

My community that stood behind me. That I protected.

One of my favorite memories was of a movie night. A movie night. Seems so mundane now but it was when I was the most happy. My friends and family surrounding me with love. MJ attached to my waist, my hand in Ned’s and my head in Peter’s lap. My parents in the kitchen cooking us some food. I can’t even remember what. Star Wars marathon on the TV capturing all of our attention. Well almost all. I couldn’t help but look around at my life. My extremely blessed life. My incredible family that I created all by myself and the family I was given that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

I can’t help but think about my other family. My thrown together, last minute, mix and match family. My super family. Now that’s a family I never expected to have, but I’m grateful that I did. They could understand me in a way I didn’t think anyone would be able to.

And smack dab in the middle of all of these families is Peter. Peter Parker. The boy who I had no idea how fast I was falling in love with. I love him and I may be a bit hopeful but I’m sure he loves me too. I was- I was going to tell him. When was the last time I saw him? In the compound? No that’s not right. I - I can’t remember. Why can’t I remember? I do remember laying across his stomach and I was...upset. Th-Then...oh shit.

Water droplets start to fall on your face confusing you. Where were you? Standing up you’re at the place where the agent burst. Looking down you see Peter but he’s crying. You try to tap on his shoulder but your arm goes through. “No, no, no, no,” you start whispering as you move to his side where you see yourself. Am I dead?! Oh no. God no. Please no! You realized that the water droplets from earlier were Peter’s tears hitting your face. “Peter? Peter can you hear me?!”

“Lady Y/n?” Thor asks as he emerges from the hallway with Loki supported by him.

“Can you see me?”

“Of course we can see you, why wouldn’t we be able to?” Loki scoffs as Peter lifts up his head.

“Who are you talking to?” he whimpers with furrowed eyebrows. This surprises the two of them before they see your body lying close to Peter.

“That’s why,” you huff as you sit next to Peter.

“Lady Y/n, she’s right next to you,” Thor responds to Peter as he becomes angry.

“Can’t you tell she’s-she’s-” He can’t even get his words out before choking on a sob.

“She’s not in fact. She’s just unconscious, we’re talking to her conscious right now,” Loki reveals Peter looks at Loki suspiciously before looking down at you.

“Tell me something...that only she would know,” he demands as he wipes his tears. Loki looks at you expectantly.

“Say she says that you used to be a chubby faced child who wanted to be Iron Man when he grew up,” you say as Thor repeats it.

“That could be anyone-”

“Also say he named his Tony Stark teddy bear I gave him last year Irondad!” Thor repeats this as well. Peter takes in a shaky breath and looks down at you.

“Where,” he begin before sniffling, “Where is she?” Loki’s points at you and Peter looks in your general direction. He places his hand on the ground and you place yours over his. “How do we get her back?”

“She just has to be woken,” Loki states as Peter scoffs.

“I’ve already tried that it didn’t work,” Peter says defensively as he retracts his hand.

“Allow me to try something,” Thor interrupts before Loki and Peter get into a snarking contest. Peter stands aside as Thor places his hand over your chest and administers a small shock. You immediately shoot up from the floor and almost knock heads with Thor. “Fantastic! I didn’t think that would work!” Thor admits with a grin. Loki rolls his eyes but you weren’t even paying attention to them because you launch yourself into Peter’s arms.

“You fucking scared me. Promise me you won’t ever do that again,” Peter pleads as you laugh.

“Save your ass? Sorry sir but that’s my job,” you joke as he gives you a playfully angry look.

“You better find yourself a new profession or I’ll have a heart attack.” Remembering your inner monologue from before you act on it.

“Peter, I like you a lot. Hell, I fucking love you. I don’t want to die with you never knowing-” You’re cut off by Peter’s lips on yours. You relax into his arms and kiss him back fiercely. He liked you! He liked you back!! You never thought that this would ever happen. I guess almost dying gave you the balls you needed to tell him. Which was definitely paying off right now.

You were both cut off by Loki clearing his throat. “As lovely as this is should we not be finding our way back to your little team?” Loki teases as your cheeks burn a bright crimson but you really didn’t care.

Thor helps you and Peter stand up. Once situated you fasten your right arm around Peter’s waist while he throws his left arm over your shoulder. You reach up to holding his left hand with yours accidently giving him a little shock. Snapping your head up you catch his gaze with yours.

“Do you think...maybe?” you question not even finishing your sentence but he understood.

“Maybe,” he replies before Loki interrupts.

“No doddling we need to find the others,” he responds with a disgusted face. You two were being too lovey dovey for his taste. “Ugh, children,” mutters causing the two of you to try and hold back your laughter. God you missed this.

When you found the others you got one hell of a scolding on the quinjet. It alternated between mainly Tony and Steve but the others got a couple words in. Thor attempted to explain that you had Loki as a chaperone before he could get out more than a few words the entire team turned on both of them. First Loki for leaving the compound, taking me with him, and not telling anyone and Thor for letting it all happen.

But when everyone finally calmed down we all participated in a much needed group hug. Then some avengers wanted their separate hugs with you and Peter. “I’m glad you’re safe kid. You had all of us worried,” Tony says to Peter before facing you. “And I know this isn’t the best thing to say to someone who heavily broke the rules but you did good kid. You did real good.” He pulls the two of you into another hug.

“Thanks Tony,” you reply as Peter does the same.

Finally the quinjet lands back at the compound and as soon as you get out you’re immediately tackled by your brown and white buddy who quite literally takes you to the ground. Sparks start licking your face like crazy and doesn’t let up. Not even when you playfully push her away. Just when you thought she was done she pounces for Peter. He lets out a surprised shout before similarly being tackled to the ground.

“Come on Sparks,” you say as you easily lift her up catching you by surprise. Peter lifts an eyebrow before getting up. “Let’s uh, let’s go inside,” you declare as he walks by your side.

You hear Sam before you’re out of ear range, “Since when did they know each other that well?”

Honestly you couldn’t tell if he was talking about Sparks and Peter or Peter and you. But regardless you made a mental note to tell them about it later. For now you were content with keeping them a bit clueless and just content overall. Peter was safe. You were safe. What more could you ask for?

Tags:

@stevieboyharrington, @fandomlover03, @markusstraya, @speggehi, @thetimidsarcasticcat, @condy-wants-a-cookie, @feline-space, @wipplog, @ink-and-tea, @-thatgirloverthere-, @mysteriouslysharkbait, @lionsfandomsandbearsohmy, @absmiles123, @tienna-laufeyson16, @give-jack-a-lightsaber, @musical-doll-x, @joe-mazzello-is-my-dad

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yootaesowlwrites · 5 years ago

Text

Give Me Strength Chapter 2;

Alex walks into the Mystic Grill and looks around before spotting her two closest friends, a smile creeps onto her lips before making her way towards them.

"What's up boys? Anybody going to the ball tonight?" Alex asks while taking a seat at the table.

"Alex, my girl, what's happening? And what took you so long?" Jayden asks picking up a fry from his plate. "And as you can see, nothing's happening here, just eating and drinking a milkshake," Jayden says almost glaring at the milkshake in front of him, anyone could tell he hated not being able to drink alcohol but the bunch were underage and couldn't just go up to the bar and ask for a whiskey or bourbon.

"I was sleeping, Jay," Alex says taking a fry from his plate.

"I see, so is your sleep more important than us?" Tyler asks with a faint smile on his lips.

"That is my plate of fries." Jayden quickly says causing the trio to chuckle.

"To answer your question, Ty, yes... Sleep is much more important," Alex says and places the fry into her mouth.

"Back t that second question you asked," Jayden says placing his elbows on the table and leans his head against his hand. "Why are you asking the ball?"

"I was curious if you decided to go, I mean, it's basically a masked ball, nobody would even know it's us," Alex says.

"No, oh no way in hell am I putting on a tux," Jayden says protesting already, it was a formal masquerade ball which meant fancy dresses and expensive tuxedos, not their scene.

"My parents would never allow me to go, you know that," Tyler says, Alex smiles wide remembering he wasn't allowed near a ball. "Are you going?"

"Oh hell no, I don't do or wear dresses," Alex says. "I'm not even sure I own a dress," Alex states causing Jayden to smirk.

"When have you ever worn a dress?" Jayden asks, Tyler leans forward wanting to know the answer to that question.

"Perhaps when I was a baby, I don't know," Alex says letting out a sigh. "Besides, if we were to go to this ball, I was thinking that we wear some scary masks, fake blood or real," Alex says giving them a mischievous smirk.

"Fuck that's a genius idea, why didn't I think about it?" Jayden says, Tyler nods his head agreeing with Jayden.

"I know," Alex says taking another fry from Jayden's plate.

"Shouldn't the three of you be studying?" A voice said next to them, the trio turns to look at the person and saw their History teacher, Alaric Saltzman, standing there, not looking impressed.

"And shouldn't you be fucking Jenna?" Jayden fires back causing Alaric to frown, Jayden had a crush on Jenna Sommers which just so happen to be Alaric's girlfriend and the person caring for the Gilbert children after their parents died, Jenna also just so happen to be one of Alexandra's friends but not as close.

"Don't talk about her like that," Alaric says sharply, he takes in a deep breath most likely trying to calm himself. "I was just asking." He calmly states as Alex drops the fry back into the plate in front of Jayden, she gives him a sweet soft smile.

"Don't mind Jay, he hasn't been laid in a while, Mr Saltzman," Alex says turning to glare at Jayden for a moment before looking back at Alaric. "Just ignore him, and we will let you know when he is in a better mood," Alex says. "But as for now, we are just taking a quick study break before getting back behind the books." Alex easily lies, well partially lies, she knew Tyler and Jayden would never study, but she, on the other hand, wanted to get out of the town after graduating from high school, and if that meant actually giving a shit about her grades, she was willing to study and party later.

"I see," Alaric says. "Then I will see the three of you tomorrow in class then," Alaric says before walking away, Alex's eyes follow Alaric as he walks away from their table to go sit at the bar, she bites her lip as her eyes fall on his ass, Jayden pulls on Alex's arm gaining her attention.

"What?" Alex says looking away from Alaric and at Jayden.

"Why in hell are you being so nice to him?" Jayden asks obviously angry at his friend for being so nice to the person that was basically his enemy, Alex glances at the bar where Alaric was ordering a drink for himself, she looks back at Jayden.

"He's a very good-looking man," Alex says causing Jayden to roll his eyes. "Besides, just maybe if we get on his good side, he'll give us free liquor," Alex says.

"Sure he will," Jayden says sarcastically causing Alex to roll her eyes this time. "Whatever just forget it, what are we doing tonight?" Jayden asks. "I mean, obviously we're not going to be the only ones not attending that stupid ball," Jayden adds on, Alex picks up another fry from Jayden's plate.

"Well I don't know about the two of you, but I will be at home with Santino, he's bringing liquor so if you two wish to join us, feel free to come around," Alex says standing up and placing the fry in her mouth.

"Where are you going?" Tyler asks, Alex gives him a smile swallowing the fry she was chewing.

"I'm going to go get myself some fries and then I'm going home," Alex says. "See you two losers later," Alex says walking away from the table and going to the bar to order her fries.

Alex laid back against the couch with Santino's hand on her upper thigh rubbing circles with his thumb, in his other hand was a bottle of bourbon half-emptied that was being shared among the group, Jayden was seated on the couch across from them with a beer in his hand and completely drunk already, Tyler was next to Jayden with a can of soda in his hand and the only sober one in the group and paying attention to the horror movie playing on the television, the coffee table in front of Alex was covered with pills and white powders for later.

"This is so much better than attending or crashing that stupid ball," Tyler says causing Santino to frown.

"How would you know? You are not even drunk, little one." Santino says, his Italian accent strong, Alex rolls her eyes and sits up straight causing Santino to pull his hand away from her thigh.

"Leave him alone, seriously," Alex says defending Tyler, Tyler was much like a little brother to her and would protect him from Santino and Jayden if they started to push him. "He's sixteen for fuck's sake." Alex states.

"Didn't stop you and that one over there," Santino says pointing to Jayden, who gave a wide toothy grin.

"So fucking what, Jay and I didn't give a shit because we have nobody that gives a shit about us, he at least has his parents that gives obviously way too much of a shit," Alex says. "Don't fucking pressure him, his mouth his choice, Santino."

"But he does drugs but he refuses to drink." Santino points out, Alexandra glares at him knowing he wasn't the biggest fan of the substance they were using.

"Have you ever in your life caught him high as hell? Because I can assure you that he doesn't even take enough to get him to cloud nine." Alex states. "The most I've ever seen him take is one crushed pill, nothing more, hell he has more self-control and myself and Jay combined," Alex says. "Fuck, he has more self-control than you have with the damn liquor."

"Okay, all right, I apologise. I'm sorry, Tyler." Santino says, Tyler only nods his head and gives Alex a soft smile, Alex smiles knowing that Santino had strong feelings for her and would do almost anything for her, so why not take advantage of it?

"Dude, you are so wrapped around her finger." Jayden slurs causing Santino to sit up placing his hand between Alex's thighs.

"What if I am? At least I know I'm getting laid tonight." Santino says with a smirk causing Jayden to frown at that comment.

"Whatever," Jayden says admitting defeat. "Let's just get high," Jayden says placing the beer bottle on the ground, he slides off the couch and onto the ground kneeling in front of the coffee table.

"Fanculo," Santino mumbles knowing what was about to happen, Alex removes his hand from between her legs and slides off the couch kneeling in front of the coffee table as well. "Bambola..." Santino begins, Alex looks over her shoulder at him.

"Don't doll me... you knew this was coming," Alex says. "We can go upstairs after I'm done, yeah?" Alex says, Santino closes his eyes and nods his head placing his hands on her shoulders giving them a soft squeeze, Tyler hesitantly kneels down in front of the coffee table while Jayden rolls a dollar bill.

"I'll go first," Jayden says using his I.D card to push the powder in a line, Alexandra grabs the dollar bill from his grasp.

"You're taking too long," Alex says and leans over the table.

"Eager huh?" Jayden says. "Fine by me, enjoy yourself," Jayden says watching her snort the white powder, she passes the bill back to Jayden and leans back against the couch between Santino's legs, she looks up at him with a lazy gaze and gives him a lazy smile, Santino lifts the bottle of bourbon to his mouth and takes a sip before holding the bottle out for her.

"Thank you," Alex whispers taking the bottle carefully and taking a sip, she hands the bottle back to him and continues to stare up at him. "I want you to take me to paradise." Alex whisper, a smirk quickly forms on Santino's lips and he takes a large sip from the bottle before placing it on the ground.

"Your wish is my command," Santino says while standing up from the couch, Alex lifts her arms up to him and he gladly grasps onto her hands and pulls her up to her feet. "Starai urlando il mio nome fino a quando sorga il sole, amore," Santino mumbles picking her up, she wraps her legs around his torso as Santino's lips connect with her.

"This is going to be a long night," Tyler says watching as Santino carried Alex to the set of stairs.

"Don't fall!" Jayden yells out and begins laughing but quickly stops when he saw Santino showing him the finger. "Fuck you too," Jayden mumbles as Santino and Alex disappeared up the stairs.

[1] - [2 you are here] - [3] - [4] - [5] - [6] - [7] - [8] - [9] - [10] - [11] - [12] - [13] - [14] - [15] - [16] - [17] - [18] - [19] - [20] - [21] - [22] - [23] - [24] - [25]

#The Vampire Diaries Fan Fiction #The Originals Fan fiction #Fan Fiction #Elijah Mikaelson Fan Fiction #elijah mikaelson imagine #elijah mikaelson imagines #the originals imagine #the originals imagines #the vampire diaries imagines #the vampire diaries imagine

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mtvswatches · 5 years ago

Text

Jane the Virgin 2x03 Chapter Twenty-five

Spoilers disclaimer (please read before sending messages or writing comments.)

Click here for previous recaps!

Stray thoughts

1) Wow, they did a great casting with Alba’s younger self…

2) WTF Rafael!

3) I’m sorry, what?!

This doesn’t make any sense? I get that she has a strong connection to Michael, and that she will be forever in debt to him for rescuing her baby, but…? Why would you want a man who you’re in love with to be your baby’s godfather, a baby whose father is another man you’re in love with?

I’ll be honest, it’s getting harder and harder to see Jane as a smart, sensible character.

4) Petra is definitely pregnant… so now both Jane and Petra will be mothers to Rafael’s children… I can’t see any universe where that’s something I’d want to see.

5) His friendship with Rogelio definitely makes me warm up to Michael a bit more…

6) “She’s pretty good at narration.” I don’t know why I feel this isn’t just a random line. But I really don’t know what to make of it yet.

7) Okay, for a second I thought Rafael was going to try and keep Petra’s pregnancy a secret, but thank God, he came clean.

8) Rogelio’s advice about not being a wuss will definitely bite Michael in the ass. “Being a wuss” – if by “being a wuss” we understand being a decent person who listens to and cares about the persons he loves – is precisely what Janes loves about him, and what makes him different from Rafael. Acting detached and aloof is a big turn-off.

9) Oh, the tea is especially good today!

10) I was about to go ballistic on the professor if he didn’t let Jane take the classes, but I’m glad he agreed to give it a try. I’m guessing it won’t be smooth sailing, though.

11) Oh, right. The Moron.

Yes, please, German kidnappers, “mutter” her. Put us all out of our misery.

12) Jane just Untouchabled that baby carriage in the middle of the class…

13) Rogelio’s diary…

“When you left me, I felt like a tiny kitten without his fur.”

"I often feel like a sweet peach you took one bite off and then carelessly tossed aside to rot in a compost pile of tears.”

"You crushed my heart like a walnut. In a walnut-crushing machine.”

He’s a tortured artist.

14) Petra’s options…

I really do appreciate how the show doesn’t shy away from mentioning abortion as an option. They had the talk when Jane got pregnant, and they’re having it now, too.

15) Oh my god, I died!!!

16) It was nice to see Jane opening up to the other mothers and all them sharing how they feel about being moms and also wanting to have a life of their own. And Mateo blinked 😉

17) Luciana…

At last, we meet.

I gotta say, I was expecting Xiomara to be freaking out about Rogelio reuniting with his former love, but she’s unexpectedly cool about it. Like, too cool?

18) Yep, I jinxed it, cool lost. Cool lost.

19) Damn, Jane had the same reaction Xiomara had when reading Alba’s baptism note. I’m guessing it’s going to be a tear-jerker…

20) Lina is wearing a dress a la Madonna in Like a Prayer…

And Michael is going to be Mateo’s godfather… that’s definitely going to be weird if Jane ends up with Michael. “My father! My Godfather! My father! My Godfather!” Yikes.

21) Damn, it was a tear-jerker…

My precious child, these are the things that I hope for you and your life. May you be bold. May you be brave. May you be loving and joyful and kind. May you carry with you the vitality and the spirit of the generations before you. Whatever you dream for your life, may you summon the strength to follow that dream. May you always let your faith be greater than your fear. May you never forget, through all of life’s adventures, through every moment of every day that I walk beside you, cheering you on, hoping for you, praying for you, loving you. And may you one day love your own child as deeply as I love you, today and always.

I guess writing does run in the family…

22) I’m glad Jane is going to grad school.

23) Oh, my god, she is a MORON!!

24) I’m definitely borrowing this move from Alba. Bless her.

25) Okay, Michael. Good move. I’ll give you that.

But I do have some experience with the whole "surprise pregnancy via insemination" scenario. And when it happened with you, well, I pretty much did everything wrong, 'cause I just tried to ignore it instead of embracing it. So that's my advice to you. There's a baby coming. Whatever that means to you, embrace it.

It’s coming to a point where Michael is becoming the best choice for Jane, regardless of who is Mateo’s father. And tbh, I’m Team No One because the thing I dislike the most about this show is the love triangle no one asked for. But at this point, I just wish they would settle for one or the other and be done with the whole thing. I hope this moment between Jane and Michael means she’s leaning toward him, even if it’s just for the whole triangle thing to be over. But if I’ve got this show right, we’ll probably get a Rafael moment next episode that makes her doubt her feelings yet again.

26) How can Rafael even consider the possibility of seeing his own kid twice a year? What type of man are you if that even crosses your mind? How can one kid be more valuable than another?

27) And the fact that Jane is the one making this decision for him speaks volumes about the type of person he is. So, if she had had any problems with Petra sticking around, then he would’ve gladly given up on one of his children??

28) Rogelio and Xiomara continue to be the most functional couple in this show and I love them for it…

ROGELIO: You were right, there was chemistry. But let's be real, I would have chemistry with a cardboard box. You are who I want to be with.

XIOMARA: Good. Then I'll suck it up and deal with it.

ROGELIO: You don't have to. I told Dina, "No, Luciana's out.

XIOMARA: Uh, but is that what's best for the show?

ROGELIO: No, but you're more important than the show. We're gonna have to hire someone subpar, and I will shine brightly enough for us both.

29) What the hell did Rose this to these poor people? They were terrified to hear her name…

30) Okay, so the Germans didn’t kidnap Luisa for Rose but to get to Rose…

31) Here we go again…

And why did Petra take a picture? Who am I kidding? It’s obviously for blackmailing purposes, duh.

32) A literal cliff-hanger, that was epic!

33) Okay, I’m intrigued by the Rose storyline, but I really hope her whole motivation to be brought back into the mix is not her love for the moron. I’m over the whole Jane-Rafael-Michael love triangle, and I continue to be proud af of Xiomara and Rogelio. I have zero idea what Luciana is holding over his head, though. If I’d have to guess, I’d say it’s something embarrassing rather than something unethical or illegal.

34) Hope you enjoyed my recap, and, as usual, if you’ve got this far, thank you for reading! If you enjoy my recaps and my blog, please consider supporting it on ko-fi.Thanks!

#Jane the Virgin #JTV #Jane Villanueva #Rogelio De la Vega #Michael Cordero #Rafael Solano #Petra Solano #Xiomara Villanueva #JTV 2x03 #JTV recap #mine

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ontherockswithsalt · 6 years ago

Text

A Made Man

/1/ /2/ /3/ /4/ /5/ /6/ /7/ /8/ /9/ /10/ /11/ /12/ /13/ /14/ /15/ /16/ /17/ /18/ /19/ /20/ /21/ /22/ /23/

Chapter 24.

“Hey.” I whisper into Noble's messy hair as I set my hands on the bed and lean over him. “Noble.”

“Mm.” He merely hums his sleepy response into his pillow.

“I gotta go soon.”

He turns onto his stomach beneath the covers and murmurs, “No you don't.”

“I do,” I laugh. “It's seven.”

With a quick inhale, he lifts his head, pushing himself up. “Oh shit.”

“It's okay.” I sit down on the edge of the mattress. “I've got a car coming.”

He takes a moment to turn and get himself upright, sliding his hands up his face while he wakes up. Scratching a hand at the back of his head, he finally squints one eye at me. “Damn, how long have you been up?”

I glance down at myself, already showered, dressed and packed. “Not long.”

A soft moan rumbles in his throat and he leans forward, bringing me into a hug. Ducking down, he rests his face against my chest. “You want some breakfast?”

“No.” I wrap my arms around his bare back, my palm skating a path there before moving into his hair. “I'm good. I want you to go back to sleep.”

“With you,” he mumbles, already halfway there.

I have to smile despite the bittersweet tug at my heart. “I can't.”

He sighs. “I know.”

“We knew this one would be short,” I remind him and he nods before I add, “It was fun though.”

I can hear the smirk in the low chuckle before he sits back. “It was fun. Considering you were only here for all of what, sixteen hours or something, we did alright.”

“We definitely… crammed a lot in while I was here--”

Noble's shoulders drop as he tilts his head to offer me an unimpressed look. “Get out of my house.”

Amused with myself, I push against his chest and then dive forward to tackle him back to the pillow as I climb over top of him.

“Ugh!” He calls out a dramatic groan as he holds me against him. “Don't you have somewhere to be?”

“Yes.” Nuzzling my face into his neck, I bite an affectionate little kiss there. Then I force myself to sit back up and reach for my phone to check the status of my ride. “Stay naked. Don't get up,” I tell him as I get to my feet. I need to just go because prolonging the inevitable makes it more painful.

He reaches out to pull me to him once more, dragging palms down my back. Resting his forehead low on my stomach, he sits there for a quiet moment.

I run my hand over his hair, appreciating the way he feels, knowing I'll be without it until the next time.

He manages another deep breath and lifts his head to look up at me. “I'll talk to you tonight.”

“Okay.” I lean down, tilting his face in my hands and press a kiss on his lips. Then another on his forehead before I mess up his hair even more and back away. “I'm out of here. I love you.”

Tipping over to fall back onto his pillow, he settles an arm behind his head. “Love you too,” he murmurs.

Retreating, I go for my backpack, steal one more glance at him before I head out the door. I let myself out as my ride pulls up in front of his house. And once more, I'm on my way back to the city alone.

***

Jamie: Fuck I'm so tired.

I send off the text and let my hand drop heavy on the bed. I shouldn't let myself lie down, but I have a short window of time between getting home from the airport and needing to leave for my dad's. Just long enough to get sleepy with the cold December fog still hanging in the air outside.

Noble: You home?

Jamie: I'm home.

Noble: No sleep on the plane?

Jamie: You know I can't.

Noble: You shouldn't have had that shit tequila. I told you.

I manage a lazy chuckle and type back: That shit tequila was probably the tamest thing that went down last night so I doubt that prompted my fast downfall.

Noble just texts back a smug faced emoji.

Noble: Personally I liked your downfall.

Jamie: I bet. How do you feel?

Noble: Uh… hurting.

Jamie: Are you really?

Noble: lol yeah. But I'm fine.

I probably went harder than I should have for his first time. I really tried, but damn I wanted him so bad and we were four or five cocktails deep. And honestly after the night we had, the teasing and the muttered promises and the anticipation, it's amazing I managed the restraint that I did. Being on top definitely gave me an appreciation of how good he really is to me. As exhausted as I am, I still stir a little at the memory of him inside me and shift as I attempt to suppress the aching want.

Noble: At least I can nap all day. I feel bad you can't get some more sleep.

Jamie: I'll go to bed early tonight. Don't feel sorry for me. It's the best kind of tired.

Noble: Hell yeah it is. Also guess what. Don't judge me, I'm still not dressed and haven't left my room.

Jamie: Seriously? I've flown all the way up the east coast and you're still naked in bed?

Noble: Hey, I showered. But then… you know.

Jamie: It only hurts because that's exactly where I want to be right now.

He sends back a series of hearts and a little pathetic groan rumbles in my chest.

Jamie: Are you wearing your glasses?

Noble: Yes.

Jamie: You're so damn cute.

Damn I'm in some kind of sappy ass mood.

Noble: I'm lazy and fucked. And I miss you.

Jamie: Then I'd consider that a successful weekend visit.

Noble: It definitely was. You did good.

Jamie: I'll try not to be distracted by these thoughts while I get through dinner with my family.

Noble: Let me know how that goes.

***

“Uncle Jamie, where were you yesterday?” Sean questions me as soon as I make my way into the living room at my dad's house. There, my youngest nephew sits on the floor facing the coffee table, a growing stack of Uno cards between him and my grandpa who's half paying attention from the couch with the Jets-Packers game on behind Sean's head. “You missed my game. I scored six points!”

“Aw, bud I'm sorry I missed it.” I dodge the question. “Next Saturday, I promise.”

“Promise,” Sean asserts. “It's our last game before Christmas break.”

“You got it,” I assure him.

“Your turn, Pop,” Nicky speaks up then looks from her cards to me. “Hey, next Saturday you're taking me driving. Don't forget.”

I shrug and look at her. “I can do both. We'll go for a drive in the afternoon.”

She quirks a pleased little smile.

Behind the couch, I lean down next to Grandpa's shoulder and gesture to the cards in his hand. “Play the Skip, and the Draw Two,” I tell him.

Slowly, he turns to look at me. “Do you mind?”

With a laugh, I stand upright, leave him with a gentle pat and look toward the kitchen.

“We can deal you in if you want to play,” he tells me.

“Maybe after dinner. I'm gonna see if they need any help.”

I make my way through the living room and return to the kitchen where Danny and my sister stand at the island prepping a salad.

“Hey, look who it is!” Danny announces.

“Hey.” Greeting him with a happy slap on the back, I move over to Erin and she offers me the angle of her face for a kiss while she works. I oblige and press a quick peck there. “Smells good, Linda.”

“Pork loin!” Danny’s wife calls out.

“Sean missed you yesterday, kid,” my brother reminds me.

I cut him off before he can guilt me more, even though he will anyway. “I know, I know. But I can’t always make it on Saturday mornings. I promised him I'll be there for the next.”

Danny mutters an unconvinced hum and glances up at me. When he does, a smirk slants across his mouth. “What's with you? You look like crap.”

I chuckle. “Thanks a lot.”

“You do look rough,” Erin notes.

“You work a midnight?” He questions.

I swallow. “Nah.” I could use that excuse but it's too easy to invalidate if he wanted. “I wonder if Dad would mind if I went ahead and put on coffee though.” Muttering it more to myself, I turn to the coffee pot on the back counter and starting preparing a pot.

“See?” Erin notes. “After thirty, it's one big downward spiral.”

“Not me,” Danny quips. “Some of us age into our good looks. Ain't that right, Lin?”

“Sure thing, hon,” his wife calls out from the stove in the corner where she works on the sauce.

My brother carries on. “Because I live an honest life--”

I glance up with a roll of my eyes. “Oh, here we go.”

“You don't see me out all hours of the night doing God knows what, missing family gatherings, can’t be bothered to shave--”

“Come on, Danny,” I duck my head away when he reaches out and knocks the back of his hand against my jaw amid Erin’s encouraging giggles. “Where have you seen me out at all hours of the night other than a late tour?”

“I haven't. But that’s the only explanation for this look--” He turns and with peeler in hand, gestures to my face. “What were you doing?”

“Nothing, jeez,” I contend as I return to the island.

“Or who?” Erin murmurs before she slides a chopped carrot into her mouth and coyly averts her gaze.

My brows draw together and I can feel my eyes widen at my sister. “Wh-at?”

“Ha!” Danny coughs. “Exactly.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Then I steal a piece of carrot for myself and crunch down on it.

“He thinks you have a girlfriend,” Erin provides.

“And I think I’ve narrowed it down,” my brother chimes in. “To Laura…”

My gaze narrows while I chew. “The M.E.?”

“Yep. Or--” He tilts his head side to side while he slides his chopped vegetables into the salad bowl. “That lawyer at the D.A.’s office. The cute one with the dark hair.”

Erin points to him. “Michelle. I planted that in your head. But she does have this sweet little crush on you any time you come by the courthouse.”

With a deep inhale, deciding to string Danny along about this, I fold my arms over my chest while I consider the possibilities. “Uh-huh. Where's your evidence?”

“Oh, I'm glad you asked,” He points to me. “For starters, you're way too damn happy considering the crap you gotta deal with all day--”

I scoff. “What, you want me to be depressed?”

“No, but there's been a change, and even your sergeant noticed and we don't appreciate the mystery,” Danny explains.

“Ah. Mm-hm, okay,” I muse. “Not sure that's a compelling argument.”

“Two. You got a picture on the inside of your locker at the precinct of a freakin’ sunrise on the beach. And another of a sunrise in the city from some kinda balcony--”

I can't help the amused breath that escapes with the knowing quirk of my smile. One of those, Noble took and the other, I took from his penthouse one morning and they're sort of the closest thing to him that I can have with me at work that would go unnoticed, mundane at a glance. At least I thought.

“So clearly I'm dating Laura from the M.E.’s office,” I suppose.

“I don't know but the day my kid brother has pictures hanging up of the damn sunrise is the day I start asking questions.”

“Oh, I think that's nice,” Linda speaks up.

Danny turns to regard her. “But this is Jamie we’re talking about.”

“How do you know what I have hanging in my locker?” I question.

“I got my sources.” He shrugs. “And third. I saw a pair of sunglasses in your car that no way you bought yourself. They were obviously a gift.”

“Damn.”

He points at me. “You would never buy Ray-Bans… turtle--” He turns to Erin. “What was it?”

“Tortoise shell Ray-Ban wayfarers,” she contributes. “I saw them. They're a good look but out of your price range.”

I tip my head up, letting out a disbelieving laugh. “You act like I dropped a grand on them or something.”

“Your broke ass would never is all I'm sayin’.”

“Danny--” Linda injects. “Lay off your brother.”

“Don't you agree--” Danny maintains. “That Jamie's been different? There's something going on.”

“He's not a suspect because he's happier, Danny,” she reasons.

“Yeah, Danny,” I agree. “Besides, if I had a girlfriend, why would I keep it from you?”

“Just to mess with me.”

I nod thoughtfully. “Well apparently I'm already doing a good job of that.”

“You got an alibi for Saturday morning?”

Dammit. My tired brain struggles for an excuse that doesn't involve other people he could check with, or does involve someone who'd corroborate if Danny did check. “Uh let's see. I went to the gym. I came home and ate oatmeal--”

“Alright smartass,” he dismisses while Erin laughs beside him.

“I had promised Vinny I'd help him tear out his floors,” I manage. “It took us half the day. That's why I didn't make Sean's game.” Thankfully Vinny really is renovating his kitchen because I wouldn't put it past Danny to drop in on his apartment just to check.

“Tearing out floors,” Danny confirms.

With a nod, I spread my hands as if that's all there is to it. “I'll try to act a little more hostile and bummed out, though. If it would get you off my case.”

“Thank you.”

Linda cuts in. “You two help me carry to the table.”

I reach between my siblings for the salad bowl and cut a disapproving shake of my head. “By the way, I would never date a medical examiner.”

#jamie x noble #now we're getting somewhere hmmmm?

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mrslittletall · 6 years ago

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Title: Keeping it together (Chapter 22) Fandom: Dark Souls Characters: Dragon Slayer Ornstein, Dark Sun Gwyndolin Word Count: 2.994 AO3-Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16328084/chapters/43896598 Previous chapter: https://mrslittletall.tumblr.com/post/183845260959/title-keeping-it-together-chapter-21

Summary: Gwyndolin confronts Ornstein about his poor health.

(Author's note: Oh dear, I have to apologize. I had the greatest struggle continuing to writing this story, I felt like I had lost the touch with it and started to hate my own story, almost wishing that it never existed. I was extremely insecure about my writing and it didn't help that any other fanfiction I was reading felt so much better written and thought out and I was just frustrated and wanted to half ass finish it.

But then some dear friends I knew from tumblr or twitter helped me go over my insecurities and brought back my motivation. And so I managed to write the end to this story. It is cut in two chapters, or it would have been too long, but you can expect the last chapter soon, probably in two or three days and until then you can enjoy the penultimate chapter. I am thanking everyone who read this story and left likes, favourites or comments.)

Slowly Ornstein opened his eyes, blinking a few times until they had adjusted to the far too bright light for his taste. He stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, that wasn't his bedroom or the infirmary. He felt weak and exhausted and in pain, especially the right leg. The last thing he remembered was talking to his silver knights and what had happened then?

He carefully tried to lift his upper body up, surprised by a sting in his fingers when he used his left hand for support. He looked at it and saw that his pinkie finger and his ring finger seemed to be splinted and bandaged.

“Ornstein, are you awake? Would you please not to move around so much, I still need to treat your leg.” That was the voice of Gwyndolin. Ornstein stopped staring at his fingers and moved his gaze over to them, they were in the process of treating his bruised leg.

“Sorry.”, Ornstein said and laid back down, waiting for Gwyndolin to finish. His thoughts already had bone back to his duties. Once Gwyndolin would have finished patching him up, he would stand up and leave right away. Until then...

“What happened?”, Ornstein wanted to know.

“You collapsed. The silver knights brought you here.”, Gwyndolin answered, putting a gentle pressure on his leg, making Ornstein wince. “Good, this leg isn't broken, but it is heavily bruised. You will limp for a while.” They got an ointment and applied it to Ornstein's leg who winced again at the pain, but endured it. He was a knight after all. He was used to keep it together while getting injuries treated.

“Take it easy with this leg until it fully healed. You better not go hunting demons or any other foe in this size for a while.”, Gwyndolin said while they wrapped a bandage around it.

“Got it.”, Ornstein said. “What happened to my fingers? Last time I checked they weren't hurt.”

“You must have broken them when you fell down. You are quite tall and wear several pounds of armour.”, Gwyndolin answered. They slithered a meter away from the bed, collecting their medicinal supplies.

Ornstein lifted himself up again, this time using his right hand for support. A sudden wave of nausea washed over him and he laid back down, waited a few minutes until it was over and lifted himself up again, taking a look around in the Dark Moon Tomb.

“Where is my armour?”, he asked. He wanted to get back to his duties as quickly as possible and it wasn't possible without his armour.

“The silver knights who brought you here made sure to remove it first, which was a clever move or do you expect them to carry you here with several pounds of plate armour on top of your normal weight?”

“True.”, Ornstein got up from the bed, winced when the bruised leg hit the ground and had to fight another wave of nausea. He managed to get it away with a few deep breathes.

“Thanks for treating my wounds, Gwyndolin, but now I need to get back to my duties.”

Ornstein limped over to the exit of the tomb. He hoped the silver knights had brought his armour (and his spear which was also missing) back into his room or he needed to search for it first. And he still had so much stuff to do. Writing the report about fighting this demon, going on his patrol, training the silver knights, especially the new recruits, escort the Undead from the Archives to the Undead Asylum... Ornstein didn't even notice that Gwyndolin observed him silently with a blank look.

Just when Ornstein had reached the door of the Dark Moon Tomb, he ran into a thick, white fog. “What the hell?”, he wondered himself and then turned around to see that it had been Gwyndolin who raised the fog gate.

“I don't think this is very funny, Gwyndolin.”, Ornstein growled. “Let me out.”

“No.”, Gwyndolin said. “I want you to go back into this bed.”

“I need to go back to my duties, just let me out.”, Ornstein demanded.

“No, just go back into bed.”, Gwyndolin said. “You are not only hurt, but also sick. In this state you are more a danger than a help to your knights.”

Ornstein froze at the tone of their voice. They didn't pleaded for him to go into bed, they were ordering him. If he wouldn't obey, he was sure Gwyndolin would force him. Of course Ornstein was physically far stronger than them, but with their knowledge of moonlight magic and illusionary magic, they wouldn't had any trouble to force him right where they wanted him to have. And even though Ornstein had denied it for weeks now, he was in a weakened state. He reluctantly left the door and limped back to the bed.

“Why don't you let me leave?”, he asked after he had laid down back on it. “It is true I got injured, but it isn't very bad. And I don't even have a fever, how can you think I am sick?”

“Do you know how worried the silver knights were who brought you here? Why do you think they brought you to the tomb instead of the infirmary after you collapsed?”, Gwyndolin snapped.

Ornstein opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. He had noticed that he wasn't in the infirmary, but he hadn't even thought about why.

“They told me ever since you have come back from Oolacile that you hadn't felt like yourself. That you pushed yourself far too hard. And that you have gotten sick from it.”

Ornstein wanted to curse, but his nausea came back full force as everything flooded back into him. How Amira and Terrick had called him out on his poor health. That he didn't need to shoulder alone and that it was alright for him to take a rest. And just as he had assured him that the was fine, he had collapsed. Ornstein clasped a hand over his mouth but it felt too late. Luckily, Gwyndolin handed him a bucket before he could soil himself and the bed.

“Sorry for this...”, Ornstein murmured once he was sure that his stomach calmed down and let himself fall back in the pillows. Gwyndolin handed him a blanket which he took to cover himself, suddenly he felt cold and shivered.

Gwyndolin sat down on the edge of the bed. “Ornstein, be honest with me. Have you griefed properly for Artorias?”

“I, um...”, Ornstein started but his voice trailed off and got lost. Since he had gotten the message about his death, he did had have several breakdowns, but that could hardly be described as proper grieving. His time in Oolacile was spent with attending to Artorias burial ceremony and killing time until it was ready. He didn't had grieved but tried to occupy his mind with other stuff, still hardly believing that Artorias was dead. And the moment he had returned to Anor Londo, he practictally had thrown himself into his duties, just wanting to not think about it anymore and every time it happened, he told himself to keep it together. A part of him probably still was hoping that Artorias and Ciaran would come back through the large gate of the cathedral anytime, even though he knew how impossible it was.

“No.”, he finally answered.

“And you thought that was healthy?” Ornstein could hear the anger in Gwyndolin's voice. “Your knights told me that you needed to vomit and said that it was just a little stress. They also told me that you overslept quite a bit. And they had the feeling that you tried very hard to keep it together, as if you long had reached a breaking point and could barely contain it anymore.”

They stood up and extended an arm, pointing at him.

“And then they bring me to you, injured and in this sorry state and the first thing you do is wanting to leave despite still being sick enough that you can't keep your food down!”, they finished their rant.

“It's...”, Ornstein started again but apparently was unable to finish any sentence. It's true. He wanted to say. I tried so hard to keep it together, I didn't want anyone to see me like this, like this mess that I have become. Instead, he just started to sob. Gwyndolin's words felt like the dam had finally broken, the dam he had worked so hard on to keep it together.

Gwyndolin set down on the edge of the bed again. “I know it is hard, but you need to take your time to let all your sorrow out.”

“That's not it.”, Ornstein sobbed. “It was my fault. I should have known! Known that Artorias would get corrupted! I should have never send him down there!” He felt terrible only thinking about it. He was reminded of his first night in Oolacile when he had thought about all this, when he had another breakdown, when he had needed to vomit again, the night he practically hadn't found any sleep anymore.

“You are blaming yourself.” It wasn't a question but a statement. “It is the same with you every time... You know that Artorias would have gone onto this mission even if you wouldn't have send him.”

“I still should have done something, anything!”, Ornstein brought out between sobs, now covering his face in his hands.

“I would like to talk further about this, but first, you need to take some time until you calm down.”, Gwyndolin observed. They stayed with Ornstein sitting on the edge of the bed the whole time until Ornstein had calmed down, which took him a good while. All the tears he had suppressed were flowing out at once. He was mourning the loss of his friend, mourning the loss of Ciaran as a knight, had to face how lonely he felt now. After his sobs had died down to occasional sniffing, Gwyndolin handed him a handkerchief.

“I'll get you some tea.”, they said. While they were gone, Ornstein had enough time to wipe his tears and blow his nose, hands still were shaking. He flopped down in the pillows, waiting until Gwyndolin returned with a cup of steaming hot tea. He took it in his uninjured hand, but didn't drink it right away this time. He had learned. Gwyndolin conjured up a chair with their catalyst and sat down.

“Do you want to talk about it?”, they asked.

“I don't know.”, Ornstein replied. “I don't really know how to put it in words.” He sighed and stared into the cup, expecting that Gwyndolin would force him to talk.

“Understood.”, they said and Ornstein turned his head in surprise. They got up and came back with a piece of paper and a pencil. “How about you draw or write about it instead?”

Ornstein didn't answer right away, his gaze locked at the cup of tea again. He took a tiny sip from it until he felt it had cooled down and put it on the night stand, extending his hands to show Gwyndolin that he wanted to give it a try.

Gwyndolin handed the items to Ornstein and raised their catalyst to conjure a wooden board, that Ornstein could use as writing pad.

Ornstein had decided that he wanted to draw out his feeling. It wasn't as easy to hold the writing pad with two broken fingers, but nobody expected a master piece of him. Granted, even Ornstein's scribbles looked a lot better than the drawings of most average artists, he did had time to practice for hundreds of years now. So Ornstein started to scribble around on the paper.

He drew Artorias and Sif how they walked into the chasm.

He drew how Artorias left the chasm injured and dripping with black goo.

He drew himself fighting against Artorias.

He drew himself again collapsed over Artorias corpse, with his spear stuck into his chest.

He drew himself corrupted by the abyss, dark lightning coming from his spear.

He drew Artorias and himself, both of them corrupted and on a rampage.

And the last picture he drew was himself again, alone, broken down on the floor while Artorias, Ciaran and Gough were walking away.

After he had finished the drawings, he put them down, laid himself down into the pillows and closed his eyes. He suddenly had become so very tired. He just wanted to sleep and so he didn't notice that Gwyndolin picked up his drawings while he drifted off to sleep.

After Ornstein awoke, Gwyndolin was awaiting him, with the drawings he had made.

“How are you feeling?”, they asked.

Ornstein hesitated before answering. They didn't want to know how his physical state was, he was sure of it. After what had felt like an eternity, he opened his mouth to speak. “Guilty.”, he admitted. “Lonely.”

“Judging from your drawings you thought about different scenarios.”, Gwyndolin said, looking at the picture. “And what I see here are outcomes even worse than what actually happened.”

“I know...”, Ornstein murmured. “I was thinking about all the things I could have done different and every outcome was worse than the other. But...”, he pulled the blanket over his head and continued in a muffled voice, “It also could have turned out alright, but now I will never know. I lost the only chance I had. Artorias won't ever come back. Ciaran will never leave his grave. In the end, I failed both of them.”

“I want to tell you to stop blaming yourself, it isn't healthy, but I have felt the same far too often.”, Gwyndolin said. “I have asked myself so often if it had been my fault that my brother turned traitor. If it was my fault that my sister left us. If I should have tried and held back my father from leaving.”

Ornstein reappeared from the blankets, staring at Gwyndolin.

“You have never said anything.”, he said in a reproachful tone.

“Have you?”, Gwyndolin countered and Ornstein felt like hiding beneath the blankets again.

“It isn't healthy feeling like this. It is eating at yourself. You will get sucked down in a vortex of guilt and what ifs. I am sure you have gotten sick because of it. Are you still feeling nauseous by the way?”, Gwyndolin continued their remarks.

Ornstein carefully thought about it. Most of the time, when he had vomited, he felt awful, like it could have start right again away, like having food poisoning. But since he had cried out all his tears, his head had hurt and his throat had felt dry, but he hadn't felt nauseous once. He shook his head.

“That is a start.”, Gwyndolin smiled at him. “But I need you to stay here until you are fully recovered. It won't do anyone any good when you have a relapse, especially not yourself.”

“But what about my duties?”, Ornstein asked, staring at the ceiling.

“You can trust your silver knights a little bit more, can't you?”

Gwyndolin kept Ornstein a few days longer into the dark moon tomb, making sure that nothing that could stress him came his way and gave him a scolding whenever he wanted to talk about his duties and more tried to get him to open up about what had happened to him since he had gotten the message of Artorias death. And with their help, Ornstein finally was able to face and work through Artorias death and he told them almost the full story, only leaving out the mental breakdowns he had. Having to tell about his nightmares and how often he had needed to vomit felt worse enough.

“I just miss them.”, Ornstein said the day Gwyndolin confronted him about that last doodle on the paper. “All of them.”

“I can relate.”, Gwyndolin said. “You know that pretty much my whole family left me alone. Sometimes there are just days where I miss them so much that it hurts.”

“What are you doing when this happens?”, Ornstein wanted to know.

“When I have a day like this, I...”, Gwyndolin trailed off, seeming to stare into nothingness. “It probably is stupid, but...”

“I won't laugh.”, Ornstein promised, noticing their struggle.

Gwyndolin took a few deep breathes and continued their story. “I conjure up illusions of them. Of my brother, my sister, my father. We spend the whole day together and have fun and laugh and it is like they have never left.”

“Does it help?”

“A bit. I perfectly know it isn't real, but by pretending that they are still with me, I don't feel as lonely anymore.”, Gwyndolin stared at the ceiling of the tomb before focusing their gaze on Ornstein. “I could do it for you too.”

That was... a gracious offer. Ornstein thought about it. Would it make him feel better to interact with his fellow knights and friends again, even if they were just illusions? Wouldn't it make him feel even more lonely once the spell was broken? Also, it didn't feel right to ask Gwyndolin to use their magic for such a mundane thing. And would Gwyndolin even be able to capture their personality? They knew their family, about that Ornstein was sure, but...

“I am thankful for your offer, Gwyndolin, but I think I'll pass.”, Ornstein said.

“It is your choice and you can always ask if you change your mind.”, Gwyndolin said.

“I will let you know should this be the case.”, Ornstein said and smiled at them. And it felt like the first genuine smile he had given in a while.

Next chapter: https://mrslittletall.tumblr.com/post/184342427134/title-keeping-it-together-chapter-23

#dark souls #fanfiction #dragon slayer ornstein #dark sun gwyndolin #littlewritesstuff #grieving #broken bones #mental health issues #tw vomit

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creideamhgradochas · 6 years ago

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Thanks to the lovely @whostheblondegirlwriting for taking the time to answer these! Get to know more about lovely E, go give her a follow and then show her some love!

These questions are from this list. You should check it out, there’s 50 questions all together and they’d be great to ask your favorite fic writer!

*Disclaimer from E, herself: If you’re looking for some sage-like writery advice...keep lookin’. You won’t find it here. This whole fic writing endeavor is an adventure in “[shrugs] We’ll see what happens”. Behold! An odyssey of half-assed, one line inspo. Marvel at the absolute appalling lack of plotting and vision. Tremble at the underwhelming realization that “Huh. I could do better than that”. In short, at least you don’t pay money for this, right?

1) How old were you when you first starting writing fan-fiction?

I have no idea, honestly. I signed up for AO3 to actually share it though in September 2015 when I was 36. So we’ll go with that.

2) Do you prefer writing OC’s or reader inserts? Explain your answer.

I think I have done more reader inserts than OC, counting all the tumblr oneshots. But you can actually create something substantial with an OC. An OC makes you work. I prefer them.

3) What is your favorite genre to write for?

I don’t know if I’ve done enough variety to have a fav, honestly.

4) If you had to delete one of your stories and never speak of it again, which would it be and why?

I wouldn’t. They’re all mine and I’m proud of each of them, no matter how popular (or maybe I should say, unpopular) they are/were.

5) When is your preferred time to write?

Whenever I have the time! I’m not picky, because time is very hard to come by with my job anymore and the fact that my husband doesn’t know I write. Morning, noon, or night for me. It can be hard to sneak it in and still get everything else done.

6) Where do you take your inspiration from?

I don’t have a good answer for this and I’m laughing to myself thinking I should have one. Lol An idea comes up and I write it. That’s it. Shameful, I know.

7) In your Back to One series, what’s your favorite scene that you wrote?

Oh, damn. Uhhh...I think I liked Sebastian fumbling through his confession to Lily in Montauk. But I also probably had the most fun with the “champagne incident” because it was for my tumblr-lifemate, @ceebeetumbles.

8) Have you ever amended a story due to criticisms you’ve received after posting it?

Nope. It is what it is. You can’t please everyone and I don’t try. As long as I like it, it’s good enough. It’s not like anyone’s paying me for this, anyway. Lol

9) Who is your favorite character to write for? Why?

Hmm. Right now, I’d have to say Jack Rollins, because he preoccupies so much of my writing lately. Besides his own fic, he’s also featuring in an AU for Echo that’s in draft. Considering he had two lines in Winter Soldier, I’m very proud of the interest and love my Jack gets.

10) Who is your least favorite character to write for? Why?

Chris Evans, for right now. Only because he has been less than inspirational for some time due to his relative inactivity and, uh, [ahem] some personal choices he made. But I’m optimistic he’ll come back.

11) How did you come up with the title for the Back to One series?

The main character, Lily, goes through some personal and professional ups and downs as an actress. The phrase “back to one” is a direction for actors to go back to their first mark, so I thought it was fitting, as Lily would hopefully get things right, find her best self again, and have a fresh start as she meets different situations and opportunities in her story.

12) How did you come up with the idea for the Back to One series?

I thought I’d write a Sebastian Stan fic and figured a good match for him (and someone to help drive the story) would be an actress. But then I considered an OC like Lily could have more angles to write and it became really an OC fic that features Sebastian Stan. Oops.

13) Do you have any abandoned WIP’s? What made you abandon them?

I haven’t ever abandoned a fic. I refuse to give up on A Touch Up and do write a line or two here and there, just nowhere near the volume I need to publish a full chapter like I used to. It ended up on the shelf because Chris Evans got so boring after Civil War premiered and the fic is literally built on what he was doing in his everyday life. I also have a personal distaste for Jenny Slate and I guess you could say his decision to date her made me doubt the version of him I’d created in ATU, which is a problem when your fic is paired so purposefully around the assumptions I/we all had made by that time about him.

14) Are there any stories that you’ve written that you’d really love to do a sequel to?

I’m doing it. Echo was my pet project and, though it has my smallest following for a WIP, I had enough demand/interest for the story to be told from another character’s perspective that Jack Rollins and the STRIKE Series were born. There’ll be some unexpected things along the way in that series that I hope those fans/readers enjoy.

15) Are there any stories that you wished you’d ended differently?

No. I’ve only ended a couple fics (Echo and Kindness). Everything else is still a WIP or open ended series that publishes oneshots every once in awhile. The rest of my work is basically oneshots.

16) Tell me about another writer(s) who you admire? What is it about them that you admire?

Don’t laugh at me when I say I admire anyone who puts their work out there, even if it’s just a paragraph long imagine only on tumblr. It takes a lot of nerve, no matter what level your work is at or how big the scope. I’ve seen some good, bad, and ugly fic floating around, but I see value in it all and love seeing experience/determination help the writer evolve.

We ain’t all Hemingways or Shakespeares. And that’s okay. Some of the best writers don’t have thousands of followers and get hundreds of notes (but deserve them). And some of the behemoths out there aren’t necessarily turning out mind blowing fic, either. It’s a crapshoot and fandom can be fickle (if not downright confusing af).

17) Do you have a story that you look back on and cringe when you reread it?

Not at all. If it posts, I’m happy with it.

18) Do you prefer listening to music when you’re writing or do you need silence?

Either is fine. I probably write more in quiet, though, because my husband works 3rd shift, so I’m mindful not to disturb him.

19) Have you ever cried whilst writing a story?

No. Closest I could say to giving me my own feels was when I wrote The Death of Brock Rumlow (when it existed as part of the original Echo plot).

20) Which part of your Back to One series was the hardest to write?

I’m happy to say I don’t think there’s been a hard part to write for Back To One, or any of my fics. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it!

21) Do you make a general outline for your stories or do you just go with the flow?

Nope. No outlines or plans. I pretty much just sit down and write. If inspiration doesn’t hit, I’ll switch to a different WIP. If I have an idea for a line or scene I might make a note for later (maybe just a few words to point me in the right direction/remind me, or a line or two of dialogue), but once I get to it, I usually just write it out at once.

22) What is something you wished you’d known before you started posting fan-fiction?

How little time I’d have down the road for it. Maybe I wouldn’t have run such long WIPs/fics at a time. It feels like it’s been 100 years since I had time to open requests and I had to abandon a weekly posting schedule for 3 WIPs earlier this year because I just don’t have the time to manage the volume I used to anymore.

23) Do you have a story that you feel doesn’t get as much love as you’d like?

OMG yes! Echo and its companion fic, Jack Rollins (and I’ll probably say the same for the au/the STRIKE series). At this point, I can confidently say the following for Echo didn’t carry over to Jack Rollins, but I knew both were niche fics in the beginning anyway. I’m grateful for the attention Echo got, but it was such a labor of love, I’d have liked to see it do better. I may only have several regular readers for Jack Rollins commenting or reblogging, but those few readers and myself are the ones I wrote it for, and that I’ll keep posting it for until it’s finished, regardless of how tiny the readership because I love it.

24) In contrast to 23 is there a story which gets lots of love which you kinda eye roll at?

Not in an “oh, geez. Not that again” way. More like a “oh, stop. I can’t believe you guys like it that much” kind of humbled eye roll.

25) Are any of your characters based on real people?

Obviously the celebrities like Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan, technically yeah. I have no doubt that some of my own ticks, experiences, etc have made it into a character or plot, or things from people I know or have come across. Things you don’t necessarily draw lines between on purpose but maybe catch on to later, sure.

26) What’s the biggest compliment you’ve gotten?

Any of the comments or messages from people who say they cried, laughed out loud in public, got way too giddy, or held their breath because of something I wrote. They make me so happy, just to see someone got so lost or involved in a moment means I did a good job. Having someone say they reread a fic (or are reading for the X time) is a hell of a compliment, too.

27) What’s the harshest criticism you’ve gotten?

It was about A touch Up and how I had given the reader insert character, or implied, too much description (ex. noting that POC don’t blush as often as this girl did, when I wrote it as that feeling in the cheeks anyone can experience to convey her nervousness/embarrassment/etc at those points in the story so people maybe shared that sense as they read, not that she frequently ran around with a noticeable flush) and that, although I may not have said it outright, things like that apparently had made her so that she was obviously white. That ruined it for the commenter, despite there not actually being that much said about appearance in the story.

28) Do you share your story ideas with anyone else or do you keep them close to your chest?

Rarely. @ceebeetumbles gets a snippet of a chapter thrown at her once in a very blue moon, if I want to be sure something isn’t too cliché or generally awful. Lol But there’s a chance she’s reading along with the fic, so I may not send the whole chapter. I don’t plot per se or collaborate with anyone though.

29) Do people know you write fan-fiction?

Just the lovely people who’ve visited me on Tumblr or AO3.

30) What’s you favorite minor character you’ve written?

It’s a toss up between Frank Grillo’s appearance in A Touch Up and Jack Rollins or Eric Mickelson in Echo. I’m also a little fond of Drew Madison in Back To One.

31) What spurs you on during the writing process?

That I told you I’d post an update to a WIP, promised a drabble, or set a deadline that a request would be done by. So, really just my self-imposed “schedule”.

32) What’s your favorite trope to write?

I don’t really have one.

33) Can you remember the first fic you read? What was it about?

Nnnope. Lol

34) If you could write only angst, fluff or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why?

It’s a toss up between angst and fluff. They both come pretty easily. Honestly, smut is exhausting to write and I do so little of it because I don’t want it to be repetitive. Fluff is always fun. But, man...the possibilities with angst are pretty limitless, so maybe I’d lean a little more that way.

#milestone celebration #ask the author #whostheblondegirlwriting

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zane-rapha-the-mun · 6 years ago

Text

The Transformation: Paradigm shift. Ch-1 By Zane Rapha

Prolog: May of 2020

'The dark-haired woman sat silent, I counted the seconds as they went by, 4 minutes and 37 seconds. To say the least, I know she is mad.' She gave him a stern glare as she reached for the top drawer in her desk and pulled out a red folder, labeled Special Agent's File 417- Zane Morningstar, before starting to read from the top page.

"Special agent Zane Morningstar. DOB: 12/22/1998. Age 22. 5ft-7in. 140lb, Eye color: Blue. Hair: black, Left handed. Male. History: Unknown. Family... Let's see... Mother: Cora Morningstar, Deceased. Father: Unknown. Siblings: None. Childhood home: St. Ann's Home for Children. And yet even though you have had it rough, it also says your the youngest agent to have ever graduated out of Quantico. Known as one of the smartest people in the world having an IQ of 163 on the Stanford test. Also known for holding a World Guinness record for most cases solved, given you have been providing information anonymously via letters to the leading agents or detectives on the cases starting at the age of 12. Now I like an underdog as much as the next guy but it is no excuse for drinking your problems away, Acting like a complete fool at my crime scene, and publicly mistreating your partner?!" She shouted in his face.

His face was flush red, a color not common for him. 'She has a right to be angry at this juncture, yet she is exaggerating a bit.'

"I'm... Sorry? However, I must inform you that is an exaggeration." "Oh! Is that so?" She said with clear sarcasm. " Well, for one, I drink only a glass of wine in the evening, just to calm my nerves. Also, if acting like a fool is what you call it when I do my job, then yes, otherwise, I was not. AND!-" "SHUT THE HELL UP! That was not a real question smart-ass." She fumed, clearly not enjoying my humor in all this. "Well, you don't have to be so rude!" "You know what, your right! I can just do This!" She said sliding the paperwork across the desk. "You get to fill all this out on your days off from now on." 'It's old cold cases from last year. Does she really think this will be an issue?' "I know your thinking, What, is that all? NO! You are being reassigned to a new partner who won't take your shit! Say hello to Agent Sian." She said pointing to the door. He looked, to the door and saw them standing there listening in on their conversation. 'This girl is quiet, I didn't hear a peep from her this whole time. She is going to be intriguing.'

--Chapter 1: Just a Gear in the Machine--

Dec 2021

There was a sound of a blood-curdling shriek that filled the back alleys of the bustling city block ahead of me. No one seemed to hear the screams but instead chose to ignore it, as if it is not there. I still moved quickly but cautiously towards the sound, a little frightened of what I will find.

'Why must I be here?' I think to myself as I watch everyone pretend the world is on their phones and nothing else is real. Then, without thinking I unholster my sidearm, running into the alley, and I call out quickly, "FBI! Freeze, Drop your weapons!" Nothing was there. It was just a shadow casting off a dumpster as a dimly lit side building lamp flickered, a woman's shoe sat at the base of it. 'Clearly, something is wrong here.' I thought to myself before looking around the alleyway and questioned anyone who might have seen something to find no one had seen a thing. "Just Typical! People keep their heads down when the FBI ask questions." I said to myself in frustration. 'At least there seems to be a boot print in the mud by the garbage bin. I took out my pen which I have markings for measurements. 14 inches and the depth is 3 centimeters. This guy is big and tall. Most likely male based on the shoe size. Most females don't get that big. Might be in the 6ft and up range. I then received a call in to report on my radio. I soon reported in. "We may have a 207 or a 10-54 at the 42ed east and 14 broad back alleys possible male suspect may be in the 5'7 to 6ft range." A static sound filled my radio before the noise of the other agent repeating 10-1 came through. 'Why would there be poor reception out here? Someone must have a jammer. Anyhow, I'll report back at HQ, and there will be a squad out here.' After I walked a few feet away the static cleared, "10-4, Go home. I will want a briefing in the morning." I responded quickly. "10-10, Boss." 'That's a bit unusual... and not by the books. I'll need to look into this.' I thought to myself.

As I walked home, the sensation of having eyes on my back grew stronger. 'Someone is watching me, but who?' I questioned myself in thought. 'This is strange. No footsteps. Where did the people go? Why am I so dizzy?' I looked down to the ground unsteady, almost fainting. 'I need to go home now.' I quickened my pace to get home as soon as I could. Finding my keys as I ran to the door. I entered the pin for my apartment *0419* The gate door chimed, and the latch clicked open. The door was open and soon locked behind me. 'Whoever is following me will find it hard to get in this place.' I thought as I looked at the door to see if anyone passed it. Running up the two flights of stairs I soon re-found my apartment key now having the right door. I entered the clean and well-kept studio apartment. One of which most would think belonged to someone with OCD. I flipped the lights on and closed the door behind me. I checked the locks on the door before moving over to the windows. I checked the locks on the sliding steel bars. "Safe," I said with a sigh of relief. Walking over to the kitchen too poured myself a glass of red wine, sipping on it for a minute before going to my desk where my all black desktop sat. I moved the mouse to hear the roar of the fans in the tower come to life. Timestamp 12/3/2021 10:27 PM. 'Damn, it's late. I have to get that report in before 12. I hope I can get it done on time.' I thought to myself as I set my wine down and sighed into FBI server and started on my report.

The next morning, I arrived at the office to discover it had become a crime scene. My boss was found dead and was being carried off in a body bag. There was yellow tape everywhere. "What happened here?" I shout. "Why is he dead? I just spoke to him last night!" I said, frightened and angry, "What the hell happened to him?" "The Director needs to talk with you." Special Agent Sian said. "Very well then," I said. "Do you know what happened here, Agent?" "That is what the Director needs to speak to you about." I hurried to the Director's Office with a horrible feeling of dread. 'This is going to be bad.' I knocked on the closed door, and hesitantly entered the superior agent's office. "Welcome, Agent Morningstar, thank you for coming in, please take a seat. I need to speak to you about something important." "As I'm sure you have been made aware, the Assistant Director, Maxwell Horren has recently passed." "How did he die?" I asked. "We are still looking into that, Agent Morningstar, but we suspect suicide. The circumstances of his death are still under investigation at this time." He said before a long drawn-out sigh escaped. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask you to hand in your service weapon and shield, you are under suspension pending the conclusion of the coroner's inquest. At this time, you are the last known person to see him alive, and we need to consider all possibilities of his death. I'm sorry, but you know this is only a formality as you were here last night, at the suspected time of his death. So, you will remain a suspect until this is settled and until then, Agent Morningstar, I expect you to remain cooperative." "You can't do that, I wasn't here last night, I did my report on my home PC and Sent it in at 11:45 PM. I was on a case and then went back home. I wasn't here at all yesterday." "Yes, you were. I saw you getting coffee for Maxwell when I left at 9:00 PM. Your report was submitted at 9:40 PM and our records show you checked out at 10:00 PM, which matches the footage of you leaving the lobby. His suspected time of death is between 9:30 and 10:00, so if it was not suicide, you are our prime suspect! I'm sorry, but I have to ask you not to leave the city at this time. Do you understand?" "Yes," I replied begrudgingly as I placed my sidearm and badge on the table. "I'll update you on what we find as soon as possible, Mr. Morningstar, goodbye." He said getting up to show me the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I left the FBI headquarters suspended pending this damn investigation! I'm now a possible murder suspect! 'What did he mean when he said he saw me there? I know I was not there, and why say my report was sent at 9:40? No that is not right, I sent it in at 11:45, I swear... I don't know what is going on here, but this is bad. I need to check my computer when I get home, but I can't set on the couch and do nothing, I have to take action right away. Are they trying to frame me for Max's death? If this is going down the way it seems to be; I must speak to Kate on this matter. She'll know what is going on and she'll see what I should do.' I thought to myself as I walked to the children's hospital.

Kathryn Morgen, Age 22. 5 foot 6 inches, 147 lb, Eye color brown, hair brown, Right-handed Female, works as a C.I.A. Agent, she also volunteers her spare time at the children's hospital, to help out the staff with excess paperwork overload. She can often be found at the front desk filing intake papers with a smile. Her kindness and generosity exceed imagination. Not only that but she is a world-renowned mathematician having an IQ of 157 and three books on theorems and formulas. She is also Zane Morningstar's foster sister and best friend since they were kids.

"Hey Zane, how is my favorite person?" Kate asked endearingly. "I need to talk to you. Your C.I.A. connections. Perhaps you can find out why I'm being framed?" I asked, hesitant of her response. "Framed for what?" She asked, raising a brow in suspicion. "They are trying to frame me for Max's death," I Stated. "Wait, what?! Maxy is dead?..." She looked down trying to process the information. "When?" She questioned hesitantly with a sad expression. "Last night apparently. They said between 9:30 and 10:00 PM," I replied quickly trying to get her to move this along. "Okay... Right. So that would be when you were working at the office last night. Oh, so you are a suspect since you were there?" Kate asked. "No, I was on a case. You know, the one I told you about last night, where I heard a woman screaming, and when I arrived, no one was there. She poofed. I can't explain it! No evidence of her or anything aside from a shoe and then I was asked to go home by Max with no explanation." I explained with only a confused expression as my reply. "I had just gone home at 10:27 and filed my report." I continued only to get her shaking her head no. "I talked to you all last night after I finished my report, remember?" I said. "No! At around 10 PM last night, you called me to tell me you were going to be busy all day today, and that you would come over to visit me tonight! Whatever you are talking about with this case and no one being there, you never said a word to me about this. What happened? Did you forget, and have a dream that you told me about this case? Because I don't recall you telling me about that case at all!" "I see... I have to go, I'm sorry!" I said before rushing to get outside. "Okay, bye!" She yelled as I opened the doors. 'I hate to leave Kate like that abruptly, but I need to go home, Now!' I thought to myself as I ran from the hospital.

'Okay, that was very strange,' I shuttered, in thought. Now in a panic, I moved fast through the city, passing a tall man with long black hair holding out roses to a little girl as I ran. 'I don't remember any of that conversation happening like that. I need to check the date for today!'

As soon as I arrived home, I then went directly to my desk computer. I needed to check my files and confirm the time and date stamp on my reports. I found that all of my sent files were gone and I couldn't log in to the FBI at this time. Everything that I know I did yesterday is missing. "FUCK. What the hell is happening here? I need to check my personal journals." Maybe I can use it as evidence, I kept a detailed record of everything that happened, and some proof too, I kept photos in it. I always keep daily journal entries in precise detail, before I go to sleep each night. I know that no one could have tampered with it. I went to my antique desk, that has been rigged to conceal my secret documents. I doubt anyone knows I keep a journal And, even if someone found out, it is even more unlikely they could find my hidden desk compartment. I sat down at the stained wooden desk and reached into the fountain pen drawer to retrieve the secret key stashed inside a hollow fountain pen. Then I reached behind the retractable keyboard tray, to locate the key latch for the locked file box. I opened the file box without looking because experience with my daily writing exercise made me familiar with the lock by touch alone. I retrieved my book and began to review my last entry. As I started reading, I discovered that there was indeed an entry for yesterday. However, the page had been ripped out of the book. My computer says it is 12/6/2021, but the entries for the 3rd 4th and the 5th are gone. This is strange, no page has ever been torn from my Journal by me. Now, there are only ragged edges. 'Okay, who has figured out I had journals? No one knows about my writings. Not even Kate knows. No one knows. So how did this happen?' I can't fathom who or what could do this, or why they would want to. Who would go this far to frame me for a murder I never committed? I mean My memories of the past two days are gone. 'Why would anyone do this to me?', I thought. I reflect back on how careful and methodical I have always been with my undercover work. I have never blown my cover. No criminal I have ever successfully caught and arrested has ever discovered the truth of who I am. I am so cautious that few people even know where I live. I am more concerned right now than I have ever been in my entire life, but a form of rage is rising to take the place of my fear. I begin pacing the room as my anxiety increases. I find myself moving toward the windows, to check if all the locks are secure. There are no signs of a breach of the home. 'How did two days disappear from my memory? And why?' I questioned.

While looking out the window I saw a very tall man, wearing a Black hat with long curly black hair and a long dark gray trench coat. 'Wait a minute; he's the guy I passed by at the hospital handing a girl a rose.' I thought to myself in shock. I reach for my sidearm to find it missing. "Fuck it to hell, I'm unarmed," I said to myself before grabbing a hidden flip knife from the kitchen and moving fast to the door and running down the stairs. 'This is crazy. No sidearm, no badge, No backup. I'm running in blind to a potentially dangers situation with only a flip knife. Fuck!' I thought in a panic as I slipped the knife into my pocket before running outside. Now outside of my apartment, he was lurking next to the bus stop out front. It is as though I can feel his presence calling me to come to him. I know he's trying to lure me someplace quiet. I see a glimpse of his eye, and I start to follow him as he leads me down the sidewalk. After a few paces, he walked down an alley; I choose to go. I begin to walk toward him, though I can't think of a good reason for doing so aside from instinct. I soon realized I am making a terrible mistake as I continue towards him and catch a glimpse of the man's face. As I move closer to him, I finally question why I am even out here doing this. I am a very well trained agent; I should know better than to do this alone. 'I have a 1 in 5 chance of being raped, a 20% chance of being kidnapped and a 1 in 6,100 of being murdered. I'm a suspect in a murder case, so chances are my life is over, and I'm walking towards a stranger who I suspect of killing a woman. I don't like my odds here. Even if I get out of this alive, I most likely won't like the results of the case. I should go to Max's Apartment and see if there is a suicide note. If someone did kill him, there should be none.' My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by what can only be described as a deep, smooth voice. I realized that while my mind was racing my body continued to move toward the danger. Suddenly, I found myself trapped in a narrow alley with my body pinned against a brick wall. "Now, aren't you interesting. May I offer you a gift?" The man reached into his trench coat pocket to pulled out something but waited. "What's your favorite color? Come now don't be shy." "I am FBI Agent, Zane Morningstar. I have a few questions for you, sir. To start where you the night of December 3rd? The man smirked. "There is no need for that, I know you know I was there. But don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just trying to give you a gift." I gave him a fearsome look as I imagined all the things that he could possibly do to me at this point. I have few options, I need to position myself out from against the wall and find a better angle to deal with a guy like this fast before things get out of hand. "Listen, whatever you did, I need you to tell me now. Things only get worse from here on out unless you turn yourself in." I stated calmly reaching for my holster. 'Perhaps he won't notice that I don't have a gun..' "You know it's not very nice to try playing games with me. I could offer you an end to keeping that little mouth of yours shut forever." He said sounding devious as if he would enjoy the challenge. "You are a choice little sick fuck aren't you? How dare you! Who the hell do you think you are? Do you even realize that you just threatened a federal agent? I should arrest you!" I retorted trying to keep my voice stable. His smirk widened with a slight uneasiness to it, it was as if the prospect made him laugh a little inside. His black and oily razor-sharp teeth exposing themselves, dripping onto the pavement. "No, I'm afraid you're not. See, you're not a cop or an agent right now, and it is you who doesn't have a clue who they are talking to, or what for that matter. However, that is beside the point. I'm going to show you a trick, and all you need to do is accept my gift. Okay? Now, I'll ask again. What is your favorite color? Doesn't have to be your favorite, just name one you want." "I refuse to entertain you any further. Get out of my way!" I said firmly as I tried to assert my authority. "Oh dear, Very well then. I must say that was a very dumb move on your part human, I may just give you a chance since I'm in a good hunting mood. Maybe I can have some fun with you," he said. Before standing upright. 'Taller than six foot... He's in the eight range, but how?' I thought to myself in wonder, before looking at his face better as he tilted it to one side. He has one eye, and its iris is Red. 'What is this thing?' ~ ~ ~ ~

#horror fiction #science fiction #My story.#The Transformation: Paradigm Shift

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