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cupofatokirina · 2 months ago

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Genesis

Chapter 4: Echoes of the Past

The warm sun filtered through the dense forest,casting shadows on the soft earth. (y/n) moved carefully through the trees, her hands gently brushing against the bright fruits hanging low from the branches. The air smelled sweet, and the soft rustling of the wind made the scene feel tranquil. Beside her, Callen worked quietly, filling a woven basket with freshly picked fruits. His familiar presence was comforting, grounding her in this peaceful moment.

“Dad?” she asked, breaking the comfortable silence. She paused for a moment, her glowing eyes searching his face. “Why don’t you ever talk about my mother? What was she like?”

Callen’s movements slowed, his grip tightening on the fruit he held. He didn’t answer right away. His eyes softened as they met hers, but there was a sadness there she didn’t fully understand.

“She’s… not here anymore” Callen said quietly, his voice thick with an emotion she couldn’t place.

(y/n) furrowed her brow. “Then where is she?”

He sighed, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. “One day, when you’re older, you’ll understand. But for now, just know that you are where you’re meant to be. With me.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, unsatisfied with the answer. Yet she nodded, trusting Callen as she always had. The two continued working, their movements synchronized, the weight of unspoken words hanging between them. Even in this peaceful moment, there was something unshakable in her gut—a sense that something had been left unsaid, something important.

But before she could press him again, the world around her started to fade, the familiar warmth dissolving into cold…

(y/n) jerked awake, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The warmth of the dream was replaced by a stark, sterile cold. The walls around her were smooth and white, too clean, too bright. The soft hum of fluorescent lights overhead buzzed in her ears as she struggled to focus, trying to make sense of her surroundings.

She was in a cell.

The realization hit her like a shockwave. The once-familiar glow of bioluminescence was gone, replaced by the artificial glare of an old RDA holding cell. The smooth white walls boxed her in, sterile and unfeeling, with a large mirror on the wall opposite her.

She sat up slowly, her heart racing. “Where am I?” she whispered to herself, her mind spinning. A wave of panic washed over her, and she reached instinctively for her emergency bag, but her fingers met only cold metal. Her bag, her knife—everything was gone.

“Great,” she muttered under her breath, the sudden feeling of vulnerability creeping up on her.

The silence in the room was suffocating, but beyond the thick door, she could faintly make out voices. Muffled but intense.

(y/n)’s gaze drifted toward the large mirror across from her. It covered almost the entire wall. She stared at her reflection with frustration and fear bubbling inside her.

On the other side of the glass, Jake, Neytiri, Neteyam, and Norm stood in a cramped observation room, their faces tight with concern.

Behind the glass, Jake Sully stood with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed as he watched the young woman on the other side of the mirror. His eyes flicked to Neytiri, who paced back and forth, her expression hard and distrustful.

“We can’t just assume she’s harmless,” Neytiri said sharply. “We don’t know where she’s come from or who she’s working for. This could be another trick.”

Jake let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know that. But Neteyam brought her here. That complicates things.”

“I couldn’t leave her there, Dad,” Neteyam said firmly, stepping forward. His face was a mixture of resolve and guilt. “There was something… different about her. I felt it—like Eywa was guiding me.”

Neytiri shot her son a warning look. “You cannot let emotion cloud your judgment, Neteyam. The humans have fooled us before, made us believe they could be trusted.”

“I know,” Neteyam replied, his voice steady. “But this was different.”

Jake sighed, his gaze shifting back to (y/n)’s figure through the glass. “We’ve been burned before, son. You know that. Bringing her here puts all of us at risk. “

“She was alone,” Neteyam repeated, his tone insistent. “If she was with the RDA, they would’ve come for her”

As the tension between the family rose, Norm entered the room, holding a small device in his hand. “Jake,” he called softly, drawing everyone’s attention. “I found this in her bag.” He held up a data chip, his expression serious. “It’s encrypted, but I was able to pull a video file off of it and some files from it. You need to see it.”

Jake frowned, his instincts telling him to be cautious. “What’s on it?”

Norm inserted the chip into a nearby console, and the screen on the wall flickered to life. For a moment, static filled the display, and then an image emerged—a man, older and weathered, with a serious expression.

“Hello my name is Dr. Callen,” the man said, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “If you’re seeing this, it means (y/n) has found you. She has no connection to the RDA. She’s not an avatar, and she’s not a real Na’vi either.”

Jake, Neytiri, and Neteyam exchanged glances, their suspicions deepening as Callen continued.

“She was created… in a lab by the RDA. I was part of the team that made her.”

Neteyam’s eyes widened as he heard the words, glancing at his father, who looked equally unsettled.

Callen’s face softened, his expression shifting to something more personal, more heartfelt. “She doesn’t know the truth about herself yet. She doesn’t know what she is. But she’s not dangerous. She’s not the enemy. Please, whoever is seeing this, protect her. Teach her. She needs your guidance. She needs a chance to learn… to be part of something more.”

There was a pause, the weight of the message sinking in as Callen’s voice grew softer, almost pleading. “And tell her… tell her I love her. I always have, and I always will. Please. Keep her safe.”

The video ended, leaving a heavy silence in its wake. Norm’s gaze was fixed on the screen, while Neytiri stood with her arms still crossed, though the hard edge in her expression had softened ever so slightly.

The video cut out, leaving a heavy silence in the room.

“I found some files detailing supply outpost and coordinates to some RDA military bases.”Norm said, breaking the silence as he turned from the screen to face Jake.

Jake exchanged a tense glance with Neytiri before turning to Neteyam. “This changes things,” he said quietly. “But we still need to be careful.”

Neytiri’s expression remained stony, her distrust still simmering beneath the surface. “Even if she wasn’t made to harm us, she still could be a threat. She’s unknown, Ma'Jake.”

Jake nodded slowly, his mind working through the possibilities. “We’ll keep her under watch, but we need to find out more about this Dr. Callen”

Neteyam’s gaze lingered on the mirror, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

Authors note: Hey everyone thank you for supporting this work Appreciate it. Let me know if you want me to continue adding flashbacks about Callen throughout the story. Promise i will add more content with Neteyam its a slow process. Overall thank you all, stay tuned.

#avatar 2009 #neteyam x na'vi!reader #reader insert #neteyam x reader #neteyam

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sagaduwyrm · 1 year ago

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Infinite Realms World-building

So I have a lot of thoughts over why their aren't that many ghosts in the Ghost Zone/Infinite Realms and how other afterlives fit into the situation so here.

The Infinite Realms aren't an afterlife. They're not a place any mortal soul is supposed to reach. They're the lining between afterlives, the wall holding them apart, the cradle holding all those places souls are meant to go. The Infinite Realms aren't anything, just a no man's worthless land.

The Infinite Realms weren't anything.

But. Picture this.

You are dead.You are dead you are dead you are deadyou aredeadyouaredead

It hurt. It was the worst thing you've ever felt, that moment when the bindings between your mortal body and your immortal soul were sundered beyond all recovery. You're disoriented and in pain and crying, weeping wails echoing across the metaphysical expanse.

But then a hand reaches out to you.

Hands, really.

They whisper in your ear. Come home, one says, offering gentle, glittering love. You've earned this, screams another like it’s a battle-cry. A dozen voices like hellfire and damnation offer atonement, if that's what you seek, although the punishment they offer varies. One voice that is not a voice but is the void offers the rest of non-existence, the creak of a wheel suggests reincarnation.

These gods and demons and spirits and entities want you, is the thing. Their grip is like chains around your ankles, dragging you down, and you have to choose, you hAVe To cHooSE, or It Will Be Chosen For You.

And this is what's supposed to happen, isn't it? The next step. Your eternal rest. Getting to pick is a greater mercy than a little mortal deserves, even.

But.

But…

You aren't a little mortal. You refuse to be.

You are the woman who revolutionized school lunches.

You are the greatest hunter in the world.

You are Romeo and Juliet, except they were a tragedy and you are not because you can bet your ass you went out laughing.

You are the world's next rock-star whose voice no one ever got to hear.

You are a man who loves boxes.

You are a clever wish-granter, the greatest magician in the world..

You are a Queen with people to protect.

You are the master of technology.

You are a boy who died too soon, too young, and hell, you should give up, but you never got to see the stars. You never got to see the stars, or what your sister looks like graduating from college, or how your friends look when they change the world. You'll never know if you'll be an uncle, if you'll have your dad's shoulders or your mom's wiry strength, what it feels like to kiss someone, whether or not Dash will ever get that stick his ass and become a decent person again. No one will ever read your paper on the genesis of stars, or fly to Pluto in a rocket ship you designed, or welcome you home after you've fulfilled your life's dream and gone to space.

It's a goddamn tragedy is what it is.

And dying hurt, so bad you're not sure if you'll ever be the same. But. All your chains are broken now. Your soul is free, in a way that it's never quite been before. You are a butterfly, broken free from your cocoon.

And they want to chain you.

They whisper so sweetly, so gently in your ear, even as they tear you apart in a child's game of tug-of-war. You have to choose.

Fuck that.

Fuck that. Dying hurts but it also freed all the potential of your beautiful, brilliant soul, and you aren't going back. Maybe you’re Icarus, flying too close to the sun, but you have wings now, and you won't let them be pinned.

You take the plunge. Through brimstone, through the river with its eternal ferry, through light and dark and a thousand different afterlives that want you like they have any damned right to your soul.

You fly, and you aren't sure if you're running forward or fleeing, but you fly. And it takes forever, a century and a day that lasts less than the beat of a heart, but then you burst free of all those grasping hands and you see green.

The green is infinite and it's empty. But it's free. It's beautiful and bright and you breathe it in, this base stuff of reality, this entropy in motion, and your soul comes to life. You aren't bound anymore, not by the base practicalities of your body, not by the laws and hunger of the gods, not by anything but your own willpower and trust in yourself.

Once the Infinite Realms were empty, once they were nothing. Now there are ghosts singing their exultant freedom. With them they bring ideas and movement and life, and the eddies they stir become whole new beings, spirits that never lived as anything other than what they are. These empty currents now hold whole worlds, ghosts and spirits and monsters.

And one day some strange being comes and tries to take your freedom and he calls himself Pariah Dark. Maybe he was a determined mortal just like you, maybe he was a demon, something sent by the gods to punish you for daring to be more, but it doesn't matter. Regardless of how hard he tries, how many lands his armies invade, how deep he digs his clawed hands in, it doesn't matter.

No one can conquer Infinity.

And then the Ancients awake. Even in a realm of equals, there are still those who are more. And what is the point of power if you can't protect your fellows?

So they shut him away, this fool who doesn't care for the freedom the Infinite offers, put him in a sleep so deep even his dreams can't disturb others. And when he wakes up there is a boy, small and young, but with more determination in his body than most could dare claim, and the tyrant who steals freedom is sent straight back to sleep.

The Infinite Realms need no King, but this boy is small and clever and kind, and when two people war, he is the first to come and mediate, the first to shove himself between their fury and make them remember themselves. They don't need a King, but the Infinite Realms are so big, with so many people, and they wouldn't mind a Speaker. Someone to connect them all, regardless of how far they lay apart.

And this boy with stars in his eyes and gentle hands grumbles, but he loves the Infinite as much as they love him, and he's almost meant for this, existing between Ancient and New, Living and Dead. They would never chain him, but he was always meant to explore, and who wouldn't want to meet and see and know everything?

The Infinite Realms are green and free and beautiful, and no god can ever change that.

#fandom #danny phantom #fandom stuff #danny fenton #world building #infinite realms #ghost zone #my writing

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whimsimille · 5 months ago

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VENDETTA

Jeong Jin Man x Fem!reader

Summary:

“Look at Babylon’s little princess! Got tired of being Dad’s loyal dog, huh? Decided to avenge your boyfriend instead of wagging your tail? What a dumb choice!"

There are hounds behind your eyes and between your molars. They nip your heels and bark in your ears. They're loud. Years ago, you wished someone would take this part of you out to the backyard and, like a sick dog, put it out of its misery. Years ago, you would pull them away and beg them to be quiet for once.

But now? Now you just watch them run wild and feral. They bite Bale as you lean down to whisper in his ear, and you let them. You do not put leashes on, and you do not open the cages.

“You don’t know me, Bale.”

”Oh, I don't?” he mocked, his lips curling into a sneer as he shifted his weight, trying to ease the pressure from where you had kicked him earlier. Blood trickled down from a cut on his forehead, mixing with the sweat on his face.

“No, because do you know what I became after Babylon, asshole?" You whisper as your left hand, free from the weight of the gun, grabs a fistful of his hair, forcing him to look directly into your eyes. "I'm the dog that tasted its owner's blood and learned that it was sweeter than any bone."

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Chapter 1: Genesis

“She can't help it,' he said. 'She's got the soul of a poet and the emotional makeup of a junkyard dog.”

—Stephen King

It's hard to explain what it felt like to breathe when you saw him wrapped in the cold sheets of the morgue, his lifeless form lying on the stainless steel gurney under the fluorescent lights. Your eyes fall on the tag attached to his toe—the final indignity in a life cut short. Jeong Jin-Man, the label reads, followed by a string of numbers that mean nothing to you.

He was more than just a name and a number.

It's like your body betrays you. That's the only way you know how to say it. Your body doesn't know that it's supposed to move and run away from this hospital before the necropsy crew enters the room again, that the rest of you—the stuff inside—is locked away in someplace you can never return to. Your body doesn't know you don't want to stay there, in this cold environment that smells like formaldehyde and antiseptic, where nothing has changed along with the dead corpses all around you.

So it just keeps growing, changing, carrying you ahead—more machine than anything—but inside you are torn apart by the disparity of it all as you lift one trembling finger and trace Jin-Man’s nose, the tiny notch on top from that time you punched his face after a mission failed.

But just as soon as you touch him, just as soon as you notice he won’t scrunch his nose and push your hand away because he always claimed it smelled like gunpowder, just as soon as you notice that he won’t look up at you through drowsy eyelashes before he pulls you by your waist, letting your body drape over his like a makeshift blanket, just as soon as you notice that he won’t use those big calloused hands—hands that were so skilled at maneuvering firearms—to wrap around your throat until your ears ring and your eyes get watery because it feels good to feel something other than panic attacks and anger, you step away.

You think about the time you spent together, the clandestine meetings in seedy motels, the whispered conversations about safe houses and escape routes, the constant fear of betrayal.

But there will be no more whispered promises, no more shared secrets. That was what finally made you realize that the guy was dead. He wasn't ill; he wasn't sleeping. He wasn't going to get up in the morning anymore, or eat too many porky bellies from the street vendors, or worry about amino and bombs. He was dead, completely dead. He wasn't going to go out with his brother in the spring to collect bottles uncovered by the departing snow. He wasn't going to get into fights on the playground. He wasn't going to kill men in the name of Babylon. He was everything like wasn't, can't, don't, shouldn't, wouldn't, couldn't. He was one big not. Jeong Jin-Man was dead.

That night, 13 years ago, you awoke with that fuzzy sensation in the back of your skull—the feeling you hadn’t felt in a long time. Not since you had last had a drink anyway. Your mouth felt like it had been wrapped in cotton, your tongue like sandpaper.

You dared a glance at the old clock above the fireplace mantel, the one that was commonly out of commission. It had numbers painted in black, elegant cursive with golden trim that had a knack for accumulating dust on its glinting edges.

4:06.

“Where are you going at this hour, dude? Just lay with me for a little while. The training won’t start until 5:45,” you mumbled as you woke up to the sound of him buckling his belt. Jin-Man was always an early riser, but this was unusual. Bale was gone now, and the twins and Seung-Ho were missing. Everything was perfect; why was he waking up at this hour?

“I need to speak with Yong-Han. Just go back to sleep, doll.”

Your only reply was moaning into your pillow, still groggy from sleep. Gently, Jin-Man reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair out of your face, his movements light and tender. A part of him wished he could stay in bed all morning, wrapped in the maroon covers, by your side, warm and cozy. You knew that.

Even so, you let out another groan and rolled over. Your hair was messy, features highlighted in the ethereal light of the night sky. You met Jin-Man’s steady gaze, a soft smile gracing your lips. Your brown eyes opened, clearing away their cloudiness as you fully came. “Speak with Dad, why?” you said, voice husky as it always was in the morning.

“Welcome to the land of the living,” Jin-Man replied, musing. “But, yeah, confidential things about the explosion,” he added, looking away as if the words themselves were too heavy to bear.

You held back your sigh. For God’s sake, you had just wanted to have a quiet, uneventful shift after the chaos that was last night. Still, you bit your tongue and said nothing. Picking fights probably wasn’t the best idea when Jin-Man was already on edge. So you just hummed and stretched out your entire body, letting your feet wiggle beneath the covers instead. You soaked up the moonlight like a cat basking in the sun. Your gaze fell back on him. “Do you have to?”

“Yes,” he said, already rising and clambering out of your shared bed. He had to get ready and get to the old man’s office. Things to do, people to meet, secrets to keep.

You groaned yet again and fell backwards into the pillows, rather dramatic. If it weren’t for your handiness around guns, you might have missed your call to the theater.

“I’m sorry, doll. I’ll see you later.”

The room was filled with the lingering scent of Marlboro Reds, a habit he had kicked months ago, but the smell had woven itself into the very fabric of your shared space. His movements were quick, efficient, almost mechanical as he slipped on his black shirt, a standard-issue piece that had seen better days. You watched him intently, memorizing every detail—the way his dark hair fell into his eyes as he bowed down to put on his socks, knowing you’d have to beg him to let you trim it again or risk losing more of your beloved black hair ties, the slight stubble on his chin that made him look ruggedly handsome, the way his hands fumbled slightly with the zipper of his jacket.

Jesus, you absorbed him like a parched earth soaking up the first rain after a drought. But, perhaps, being flooded by him was all worth it, if you got to feel that relief, even if just for a moment.

“Don't forget to take your meds,” you reminded him softly. That bottle of Zoloft sat untouched in his leather bag, right next to the spare magazine for his Glock.

“I won't,” he assured you, but you knew better. It was a lie you both told each other to make the mornings easier. “I’ve got the bottle in my bag. I’ll take them with my coffee.”

"Liar…" you sing songed, rolling your eyes. "You always forget and end up chugging an energy drink instead."

“Shut up and go back to sleep," he teased, giving you tickles in the sensitive spot just in the middle of your feet, making you squirm and giggle despite yourself.

As your laughter started to die down and you began to slap his hands away, he paused, his eyes roaming over your naked form. The covers had slipped. He admired the scars on your right hip from that knife fight in Busan, the moles that looked like constellations on the valley of your breasts, and the freckles that appeared when the light hit you just right, like a painter’s masterpiece. He traced the scar on your shoulder from that time you took a bullet for him in Hongdae.

“You’re beautiful. Even when you’re being a pain in the ass.”

You snorted, rolling your eyes. “Takes one to know one.”

He laughed softly, the sound like music in the quiet room. “I’ll miss you, you know that?”

“Then don’t go.”

Jeong didn’t answer. Duty called, and Jin-Man was nothing if not dedicated. You just didn't know which position of priority you occupied in his life. Maybe the 20th?

He moved back to the bed, leaning down to press a soft kiss against your lips. His lips were chapped, tasting faintly like the mint ChapStick he always used. You wrapped your arms around him like a koala, pulling him closer.

“You always taste like mint,” you whispered against his mouth.

“Better than cigarettes, right?” he teased, his hands caressing your cheekbones while nuzzling the soft curve of your neck with his sharp nose.

“Much better,” you agreed as your legs wrapped around his waist, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. “I hated those Marlboro Reds. Always told you my brand was better.”

He rolled over, slipping onto your waist, straddling your hips and pinning you down on the bed. "Stop trying to start a fight. You're impossible," he chuckled, breaking another kiss reluctantly. "I really have to go. Yong-Han is expecting me, and you know how he gets when I'm late."

"Fine," you sighed, releasing him. "But you better come back in one piece. And don’t forget to bring my favorite coffee from that little shop near the base.”

"Always," he replied with a wink, giving your nose a playful tweak before finally straightening up and heading towards the door. "And don’t worry, I’ll bring back an extra donut for you. Mrs. Park will probably insist on it anyway."

"You say that every time, but you always end up eating it on the way back.”

He turned around at the door, one hand on the knob, and gave you a look that was equal parts exasperation and amusement. "I can’t help it if they smell better fresh. Now go back to sleep before I change my mind and keep you up all night."

"Yeah, yeah. Just don’t forget. And for the love of God, take your meds, Jin-Man," you muttered, turning over in bed and pulling the covers up.

He nodded, leaning his head against the doorway as he watched your back. "Yes, ma'am. Zoloft first, then coffee."

"Good," you said, your voice muffled by the pillow. "Now get out of here before I change my mind and chain you to the bed."

Jin-Man chuckled and stepped out into the hallway, his footsteps echoing softly as he made his way to the kitchen. You could still hear him moving around, the sound of cabinets opening and closing as he grabbed his travel mug and filled it with the last dregs of coffee from the pot you had brewed the night before. Masochist. In his opinion, he always expressed that the rainwater in the city’s numerous potholes probably tasted better than your coffee. Yet, here he was, probably shaking the bottle for one more drop.

You turned over in bed, pulling the covers up to your chin, and closed your eyes. The room was silent now; the only sound the soft hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. You tried to will yourself back to sleep, but the emptiness beside you made it impossible.

You sighed again, burying your face in the pillow. You would wait for him, just like you always did, and when he came back, you would wrap your arms around him and hold on tight, hoping that one day he wouldn't have to leave.

But until that day came, you would endure. Because loving Jeong Jin-Man meant accepting the goodbyes, no matter how much they hurt.

And that should be enough for you to get your shit together and clutch your lab coat even more to stop yourself from clenching your teeth until your bruxism gets worse as you fight the urge to cry and kiss him. He abandoned you. He left you in Babylon, built a family in the countryside with his niece and never once contacted you. Not a single email, a text, or even a postcard from the village market. He had moved on, leaving you to rot in the shadows of your shared past. Well, until the hospital called, at least.

“Miss Y/N, we found your phone number in Mr. Jeong Jin-Man’s past records at Seoul Presbyterian Hospital. You were always listed as one of the primary emergency contacts. It appears you were the one he trusted the most to be informed if anything ever happened to him.” Said the voice on the other end. It was a woman, perhaps in her late forties. Her voice was clinical, detached—like she had made hundreds of these calls before and would make hundreds more.

Silence.

“Miss Y/N? Are you there?” Her voice carried a hint of impatience now, as if she were checking her watch, waiting for you to respond so she could move on to the next call.

Silence.

Radio silence. Silence of the waves crashing against the dock. Silence of restless sleep haunted by dreams that feel all too real. Silence of eating breakfast alone in the dingy kitchen that still smells faintly of burnt toast and instant coffee.

Just silence, because after that night he said he was just going to take a break, your Jin-Man was gone. Because you tore out the love he stitched in the codes of your encrypted messages and smudged the writing on the walls of an abandoned warehouse as soon as he kissed you a fake “I’ll see you soon, doll” and never came back. Those codes no longer serve a purpose. The world doesn’t need to know the empty promises he built in a life he abandoned you in for greener grass and an honest life. But watch your rage come undone as you look at him one more time before putting him back on his fucking shelf. Maybe in the autopsy, doctors would declare he had venom on his tongue from all the lies he had spun.

Still, suicide? It didn’t fit him. Not at all.

Burn everything tied to the decade of memories he left you here to turn gray with as you pass by thousands upon thousands of doctors and empty grieving families. This love was useless, so degrading. Burn it all. Open the windows to send smoke signals to the world. Send your condolences and announce your formal goodbye. Let this rage set fire and engulf every corner of the hideout resting on top of the hill. The mercenary in you has shrunk, as has your dossier. Look at all this abandoned data the world won't decrypt from turning to ash as you go down the hallway.

Jin-Man was a man you bore no love for. His demise was warranted, perhaps even long overdue. Still, there's a remnant inside you—maybe the part that still clings to familiar pains and old grudges—that can't seem to fully sever ties with him. His persistent stubbornness made his sudden death unexpected. It felt too staged, too clean-cut.

Investigate? No. Of course not.

But here you stood, drawn to Jeong Ji-An who was locked in battle with an ancient vending machine that bore the ghost logo of an extinct company. She was waging a war to tease out one more pack of Marlboro cigarettes from its cold grasp. The irony of a hospital vending machine dispensing life-threatening products wasn’t lost on you. Perhaps it was their last-ditch attempt at salvaging their struggling oncology department or just proof positive of how much this place was going to ruin unnoticed.

“Stupid machine. Stupid cigarettes. Stupid everything!” Jeong Ji-An grunted, her frustration making her face twist and turn into a snarl as she slammed her hand against the machine again, this time harder than the last. "Useless pile of metal!" She hurled out the insult as if in a tug-of-war game—the veins on her neck popping with each heave to shove crumpled notes into its slot—reminding you of an exasperated puppeteer and his uncooperative marionette.

The aggressive clashing and grating of metal ricocheted off the cream-colored walls of the small room, morphing into an ear-splitting symphony that made a few people wince.

A nurse across from you glanced over, raising an eyebrow at the commotion, before returning to his paperwork with a shake of his head. A few patients sat in chairs nearby, flipping through old magazines or staring blankly into space. They didn't seem to mind; they were used to this kind of chaos, you guessed.

The vending machine let out a final "Error" beep and spit out a crumpled bill before falling silent once more.

Ji-An cursed under her breath and slumped against it, sucking in a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. You almost scoffed at the sight of it. Like Uncle, like niece. Maybe hate is like a gene; as long as you teach it, it will be passed down.

Still, she wasn’t crying, not at all. She was just angry and you desired to meet her under other circumstances where she wasn’t a bundle of nerves, grief, and anger. Circumstances that involved leaving Dad and Babylon behind. Circumstances where Jeong Jin-Man had taken you with him—circumstances where you lived together in a pastel-hued cabin tucked away amidst verdant forests, enclosed within a pristine white picket fence—an Eden pregnant with fruit-laden apple and peach trees backed up those fanciful mental paintings.

A porch with a wicker chair and a small table, where you could place a vase filled with wildflowers you picked together on walks through the forest. Inside, there would be a kitchen that always smelled of freshly baked bread and coffee. The countertops would be cluttered with jars of homemade jam. The fridge would be covered in magnets from places you had visited together—Paris, Tokyo, New York. In these circumstances, Jin-Man would tease you about your green thumb, but he would secretly love the fresh basil in his pasta. On weekends, you would work together in the garden, your hands dirty with soil, the sun warming your skin. You would laugh as you chased each other with the garden hose, spraying water and creating rainbows in the sunlight.

You always kind of wished you had met as kids, back when you were missing your front teeth and he was stealing from small markets. Maybe you would have shared a lollipop, or he would have pushed you on a swing at the playground. You could have built forts out of blankets and chairs in the living room, pretending to be explorers or knights on a quest.

Parts of you were still girlish and soft and your heart was unguarded. You wish he had met you then. You think he could’ve stayed.

Too bad you'll never be that girl again, huh?

“Anger doesn’t suit you, darling,” you said as you approached her. There’s no need to hide anyway. Snatching the ID from a doctor and her clothes had been surprisingly easy—a well-timed distraction with a spilled cup of coffee and a conveniently unlocked locker. So, yeah, no need to hide. You just need Ji-An’s key and pretend you’re innocent. “It's like an overgrown coat. There’s no threat and you’re not a dog. Don’t bare your teeth.” You leaned against the machine, feeling the cold metal against your left side and the chill creeping into your bones. You tilted your head to look up at her. Damn the Jeong’s and their genetics.

Ji-An froze when she heard your voice from behind her. She turned slowly, glaring at you with those same intense eyes as Jin-Man’s, yet they were filled with anguish rather than curiosity, like when he looked at you as you used knives in missions. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, ready for a fight or ready to break down in tears—you couldn't tell which. But what you did know was that you were right; anger didn't suit her. It made her look fragile and vulnerable, despite the tough exterior she tried to maintain.

She looked exactly like him. The same sharp jawline, the same piercing eyes. A small pendant dangled from her neck, catching the dim light of the hallway. It read "Ji-An" in delicate, cursive letters. You noticed the brand of her training jacket—Nike, worn and slightly frayed at the cuffs, hinting at long hours of use. Her black leggings were adorned with the logo of a cheap athletic brand, and her sneakers were scuffed and dirty, evidence of countless miles run.

Visibly shaking now, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out before speaking through gritted teeth. "What did you just say?" she whispered. And this time, as clear as the words of a parrot or a redskin whose tongue had been cut off, the phrase was unmistakable: "Who the fuck are you?"

You smiled gently, feigning innocence. "Just a concerned doctor, trying to help," you replied smoothly. "I couldn't help but notice your struggle with this little guy here."

She scoffed. “Concerned doctor, huh? What kind of doctor goes around giving unsolicited advice to strangers?” A single tear slid down her cheek before she wiped it away roughly, revealing reddened skin beneath where she had been scratching herself earlier. Her nails were bitten down to the quick, small crescents of dried blood visible at the edges.

“The kind that cares,” you said, offering her a warm smile. “And the kind that knows a thing or two about stubborn machines.” You reached out and gave the vending machine a firm tap on the side, the metal groaning in protest. This close, you could see the slight tremor in her hands and the growing redness around her eyes. “Sometimes, all it takes is a gentle touch. Can I?”

Ji-An hesitated, her eyes flicking between you and the vending machine. Finally, she let out a frustrated sigh and stepped aside, allowing you to approach the devil in metal and gears. As you moved closer, you could feel her eyes boring into your back, every muscle in her body tense with barely contained anger.

You kneeled down, pretending to inspect the machine. "They really should replace them. My brother works in maintenance; maybe I can put in a good word. Still, I can manage it for now.”

Ji-An narrowed her eyes at you, skepticism etched on her face. "Your brother, huh? And you just happen to know how to fix vending machines too?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

You gave a nonchalant shrug. "What can I say? It's a family thing." Reaching into your pocket, you pulled out your ID, sliding it into the coin slot as if it were a makeshift tool. As you did, you noticed a small panel on the side of the machine that was slightly loose. With a quick glance around to ensure no one was watching too closely, you subtly pried it open with the edge of the card.

Inside, the machine's inner workings were a tangle of wires and gears, some of which looked worn and outdated. You carefully maneuvered your fingers, adjusting a misaligned lever and reconnecting a loose wire. The machine let out a soft whirr as it came back to life, the lights flickering slightly before stabilizing. You could hear the faint hum of the compressor kicking in and the clinking sound of coins inside the hopper.

"These old models always have issues with the coin mechanism," you said, half to yourself and half to Ji-An. "A couple of the gears tend to get misaligned. That's probably why it wasn't taking your money."

"Yeah, well, it's been one of those days," Ji-An muttered, folding her arms across her chest. She shifted from foot to foot and her eyes darted around the hallway, as if expecting someone to appear and drag her away from this frustrating situation.

"I know the feeling. Sometimes it seems like the universe just wants to mess with us.”

With a few more movements, you managed to dislodge the stuck pack of cigarettes. It finally dropped down, landing with a dull thud on the ground. Ironically, it rolled slightly before stopping at Ji-An's feet.

“Fuck! Finally!”

She bent over to pick it up, slamming it against the machine in triumph before turning towards you. Her expressive eyes flashed with anger and something else—recognition? Grudging acceptance? It was hard to tell with all the emotions swirling around like a hurricane inside that small space behind them.

As she bent down, you saw your chance. Her training jacket pocket was slightly open, revealing the edge of a keyring. With drilled ease, you slipped your fingers into the pocket and retrieved the keys, all while keeping your expression neutral and your movements casual.

Ji-An straightened up, clutching the pack of cigarettes tightly in her hand. "Thanks.”

"No problem. Just doing my job." You stood up and dusted off your hands, slipping the keys into your own pocket discreetly. "I hope you find some peace, Ji-An."

She looked taken aback for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise. "How do you know my name?"

You gave her a knowing look, tapping the name pendant around her neck lightly. "It's right there," you said with a small chuckle. "Take care, okay?"

Ji-An's eyes followed your finger, her expression softening ever so slightly. "Yeah, thanks. You too, I guess."

As you walked away, the keys safely in your possession, you couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. But you pushed it aside. You had what you needed.

“By the way," Ji-An called out, making you pause. "Do you work here often? I don't remember seeing you before."

You turned back, giving her a casual smile. "I'm new here. Just transferred from another hospital. Maybe that's why."

She nodded slowly, still clutching the pack of Marlboro Reds. "Well, thanks again. I appreciate it."

"Anytime," you replied, turning on your heel and heading down the hallway. The keys jingled softly in your pocket. The game was on.

#imagine #lee dong wook #seo moonjo x reader #lee dongwook x reader #lee dongwook x fem! reader #a shop for killers #lee dong wook x reader #jeong jian #jeong jin man #seo moonjo

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the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf · 1 year ago

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You're waiting for a train...(3)

Meeting Your Mark

Robert Fischer x reader

description - Y/n knows the most dangerous move you can make is to fall in love with your mark.

word count - 1.7k

warnings - mentions of death, the sharpness of cillians cheekbones, how piercing his blue eyes are.

a/n - okay so I promise the Robert stuff is coming! The next chapter will be an important one, this was just a filler pretty much. Also I loved writing about y/n and Ariadne cause I felt they would both relish in the other when surrounded by men - specifically y/n.

a/n 2 - We finally have Tom Hardy in this chapter!!

Previous Part Series Master list Master list

If you want to be added to the taglist - here

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

I sat on the window ledge, clutching my coffee like a lifeline. It tethered me back to reality. I got out the picture from my jean pocket. I brushed my fingers over the fake braces and then found them stroking the faces of my siblings. Their gleeful smiles frozen in time.

The door creaked open, announcing Arthur’s entrance. I hopped to it and wiped away the tears that had escaped. All morning my mind had been plagued with visions of a man. I wasn’t even dreaming and yet he still remained. He’d nested within my brain, and he wasn’t leaving any time soon. But no matter how much I strained trying to make out the face, I was at a loss. It was almost like I couldn’t create the face because he had already been made. But I was yet to meet him. With how much closer I’d been getting to his figure with each time asleep, I felt our meet was imminent.

“You sleep, okay?”

“Like a log.” Arthur’s eyes drifted to the case I had hurriedly packed up.

“You went under?”

“No.” I lied. But he didn’t breach the topic any further as we were both stopped by Ariadne clearing her throat.

We turned around.

“Cobb said you’d be back.” Arthur remarks.

“Yeah, well, I tried to not come but- “

“There’s nothing quite like it.” I finished for her. She smiled softly at me.

“It’s just—pure creation.” She held her gaze with me. There was a brief silence between us three, waiting for someone to continue the discussion.

“Let’s look at some paradoxical architecture.” Arthur broke the silence and led us both to 3 deck chairs he’d laid out. We lay down and hooked ourselves up. Within seconds we were away.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

We found ourselves in a structured glass office building. Arthur winked at me. It was the first building I’d ever created, and he’d saved it all these years. This is where I’d honed my own paradoxical skills. He led the two of us up a staircase.

“You’re gonna have to master a few tricks, if you’re gonna build three complete dream levels.”

“Excuse me,” I said as we passed a woman who had dropped her files.

“Why three?” She asked.

“Successful inception depends on planting the idea deep enough that the genesis of the idea becomes too foggy for the subject. 3 levels deep, 3 dream levels.”

“Anyways, what kind of tricks do I need?’

“In a dream you can cheat architecture into impossible shapes that lets you create closed loops.” We had been walking the staircase in a circle now, proving one of my favourite closed loops. “Like the Penrose steps.”

“Aka, the infinite staircase.” We passed the woman with the dropped files once again. “See.”

Ariadne suddenly took stock of her surroundings and saw the end of the staircase culminate in a sharp drop.

“Paradox.” We left the staircase and began to walk around the office building so Arthur could explain further. “So, a closed loop like that allows us to disguise the boundaries of the dream.”

“But how big do these levels have to be?”

“Well, it could be anything from the floor of a building to an entire city. But they have to be complicated enough so that we can hide from the projections.”

“A maze.”

“Right, a maze.”

“And the better the maze- “

“The longer we have before the projections catch us.” I smirked at how quickly Ariadne had grasped the concept. She truly put my dad to shame. And having her with us meant I no longer had to work with incompetent male architects. This girl was the real deal.

“Exactly.”

“Well, my subconscious seems polite enough.”

Arthur and I chuckled. “Just wait, they’ll turn ugly.” I answered. “No one likes to feel someone messing around in their mind.”

“Cobb can’t build anymore, can he?” Ariadne questioned. I wanted to argue but she was right. He thought about mum too much where his mind could never be clean enough to build anew.

“Well, I don’t know if he can’t, but he won’t. He thinks it’s safer if he doesn’t know the layout.”

“Why?”

“He won’t tell us.” I lowered my head, Dad might not have told me why, but he told me enough.

“But I think it’s Mal.”

“Yeah, no offence but your mum was a piece of work.” She laughed, gesturing to me. “What does his ex-wife have to do with it.”

“Mal’s not his ex.”

“They’re still together?”

“No,” I spoke up. “She died. What you see in there is just his projection of her.”

Her eyes softened when they looked at me. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“What was she like in real life?”

“She was lovely.” I smiled thinking back in my memories.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Ariadne and I sat talking with our coffees and croissants. Arthur had left to get some supplies, so we decided to have a rest. We’d been drawing and planning all morning, so a break was well earned.

“You have an architecture degree?”

“No, I never got to finish it.”

“Why?”

“My dad needed me here. So, I left.”

“Oh.” She sensed the underlying sadness so left the topic. “But your drawings are amazing, why can’t you build.”

“Oh, I don’t build anymore.” I laughed brushing off her statement.

“Does it have something to do with your mom?”

“We all have our own demons, I guess. And it’s terrifying when they get opened up to the world.”

“She’s still your mom.”

“No, she died. That person in his head, that’s not her.”

“Seems you have a better grasp on that then he does.”

“I guess.” I rose, uncomfortable with the conversation, and she took my tone as her cue to end the conversation.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Dad had arrived back from Mombasa. When he entered with Eames I immediately ran into his awaiting arms.

“My favourite little troublemaker! How’re you doing darling?”

“So much better now you’re here!” I cheekily winked at him.

“Oh, I can imagine working with Arthur is the most exciting thing imaginable!” Eames sarcastically said.

“Nice to see you too, Eames.” Arthur huffed as he walked away from us two.

“Don’t insult him or he’ll start going over safety procedures again!”

We both laughed and finished with another hug.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

I sit with Eames and Cobb out on the roof. Saito flings a file towards the three of us and it opens out onto the table.

“Robert Fischer. Heir to the Fischer Morrow Energy Conglomerate.” Dad looks at the file and then hands it to me.

My breath catches in my throat as my eyes meet his steely blues. The rest of the world became water that flooded my ears with white noise. I couldn’t grasp onto any sound in the world apart from my beating heart. My finger raised to stroke the picture. He stood there, dressed to the nines. His hair perfectly styled, and his body adorned in riches. But his eyes, as piercing as they were, held a sadness. He was lost. I could feel it through the ink.

“What’s your problem with this Mr Fischer?” I snapped up but failed to notice that my daze had been caught.

“That’s not your concern.” Saito’s tone cut through the air. I scoffed at his brazen attitude.

“Mr Saito, this is not your typical corporate espionage. You asked me for inception, I hope you understand the gravity of that request.”

I couldn’t stand it. This may have been purely business and transactional, but something shifted. This couldn’t be purely business with our skills involved. I decided to speak up.

“The seed we plant in this man’s mind will grow into an idea. This idea will come to define him. It may come to change, well, everything about him. This man is on a course of fate and. We. Will. Alter. It.”

Saito took a moment, considering my words. He relented to my warning.

“We’re the last company standing between them, and total energy dominance and we can no longer compete. Soon they’ll control the energy supply of over half the world. In effect, they become a new superpower.” He pounds the table. “The world needs Robert Fischer to change his mind.”

“And that’s where we come in.” Eames perks up to give his two cents. “How is Robert Fischer’s relationship with his father?”

“Rumour is the relationship is quite complicated.” This tugged at my heart for some reason. My eyes drifted to my own father.

“Well, we can’t work based solely on rumour, can we?”

Eames turned his file around the show us a picture of an obviously esteemed individual.

“Can you get me access to this man? Browning, Fischer seniors right hand man,”

I read my own file. “And Fischer juniors godfather.” I finished.

“It should be possible, if you can get the right references.” I chuckled at how simple this request was for Eames.

“References are something of a speciality for me, Mr Saito.” Eames cheekily stated.

“Then it is done.” All three of us got up.

But I felt changed and Eames noticed my subtle slump.

“I saw how you reacted to the picture.”

“What? He has nice—cheekbones? And blue eyes.” I stumbled through my unsure answer.

“Don’t worry, I’m not your dad.” He laughs at my bad attempt at lying. “How do you fancy a quick internship at Fischer’s house.” He raised his eyebrows, inviting me into another mischievous mission. I smirked and happily agreed to his scheme.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

On the other side of the roof, Saito, who had been looking at y/n intently throughout the meeting, stopped Cobb before he left.

“Your daughter. She is committed to this mission?”

“I don’t doubt my teammates.”

“What about your family?” He probed. Cobb became silent. “I saw her demeanour when she saw that picture. I’d hate to see your one chance disappear because of your daughters schoolgirl crush. Perhaps she is not as reliable as you think?”

Cobb halted his movements and considered Saito’s words as the man left the roof. He looked towards y/n who still had the file open in her hands. In that moment, he saw his daughter for who she truly was, a child without a childhood.

Would she be that impulsive?

Would she be that stupid?

Would she risk it all for him?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Yes. Yes I would risk it all for Cillian Murphy too.

taglist: @jonsncws @h-l-vlovesvintage @theethy @fashionki11a @felicity1994

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galaxysodapopdraws · 1 year ago

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I don’t remember if I posted these yet but have some Elias doodles anyways ft. Sally and the SFF.

….and might as well talk about Sonic Genesis Elias a bit while I post this :]

I’ve said it before, but Elias is the younger brother of Sally just being born a little after his dad Nigel got sent to the zone of silence. And when he turned five Nigel came home. As much as he loves his birth dad, he does think Chuck is the cooler dad out of the two. Usually randomly popping over to Chuck’s workshop to see what invention he’s building. As well to hang out with his step-bro and basically best friend Shard.

Elias’s main weapons are dagger grappling hooks, able to flick out blades when needed and quickly get him out of tough situations. He also has a back up holo sword and shield like his sister and dad but isn’t to fond of using them, he’s more of a dual weapon person.

Being the leader of the SFF, he has major responsibilities to take note of, making sure his world is safe from newer threats and taking care of his team/best friends. But he does like to see what sort of crazy idea they will go with to save the day or have fun. He may be the more quiet member but he’s still up for some old fashioned chaotic missions!

Speaking of being quiet, Elias isn’t very talkative, not to be rude he just hasn’t got a lot to say. He thinks he should let things play out then for him to mess it up and ruin everything. Even leading the SFF he does have second thoughts about his actions, which can lead him to panic internally and try to leave and figure things out. A LOT of this comes from his grandfather, Maximillian pressuring him to be perfect at all times and that he needs to live up to his sister’s status. Thankfully he’s got his friends, sister and dad to let him know he’s doing his best and they’re proud of him.

And finally for now, Elias has zero interest in dating or marriage. To the point he doesn’t recognize when people flirt with him, despite having a ton of people constantly falling for him whenever he makes himself known in public. This has ended up giving him the title: Elias the Charming (Sally’s is Sally the Brave and Nigel’s is Nigel the Delightful btw)

Hope yall enjoy!

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic au #archie sonic #elias the squirrel #elias acorn #sally acorn #Sally the squirrel #nigel acorn #Nigel the squirrel #sonic genesis #shard the metal sonic

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songmingisthighs · 1 year ago

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Genesis

introduction pt. i | pt. ii | pt. iii

<< previous | m.list | next >>

ch. xlvi - tacky

fashion mogul!mingi × reader

buy me coffee ?

tw: harassment from reporters, anxiety, depiction of mental state when overwhelmed, mentions of fetus in trouble

things aren't always what it seems but when even the truth is left unheard, what can people do? one musn't lie but what if the lie is more accepted than the truth? the scariest thing in this world isn't monsters or demons. it's people with no agenda and time to waste.

Just as you thought you were done with the limelight were you so rudely jolted back to the situation oh so rudely.

You had seen the situation at your office that you supposedly created from your floor and you can't even begin to imagine dealimg with it first hand. Is it really your fault though? You had done nothing for the situation to happen. Heck, you didn't expect this situation to happen. You thought since you and Mingi were done, you'd just be able to let go of things quickly and move on with your life. Not panicking over strangers who mobbed your office to get a glimpse at you. You were so pissed at the situation that you hadn't realized that you were picking at your thumb nervously until you felt someone grab your hand. You looked up to see Jongho next to you staring ahead stoicly and Yeosang standing in front of you as if to hide you even though you three were still safely hidden in the elevator.

"It's gonna be alright," Jongho stated, nodding confidently, "Yeosang hyung and I are gonna block you from anyone who tries to come at you. We're going to just push past until we get you to the car," he said. Though Yeosang wasn't looking at him, he was nodding along. To the average joe, Yeosang and Jongho looked capable and strong. But you knew them better. You saw fear in Yeosang's eyes and nerve in Jongho's stance. They were trying so hard to not worry you when they themselves were having doubts and you were so grateful for it. Although, you don't know how effective it is.

Especially when the elevator door opened and you immediately met with the sight of a sea of reporters just outside the lobby. It was a very jarring sight and it might or might not have froze your body, suddenly unwilling to take another step. Furthermore, their presence made you highly aware of bean in the worst way possible. You feared for the clueleds developing creature in your tummy and you subconsciously put your left hand over where bean is, as if shielding bean from the people who were preying on information surrounding not just bean but you and even bean's dad for their own clout chasing purposes.

A hand held your right and gently tugs you. The moment that felt like 2 hours was suddenly cut and you were pulled back to reality, facing Yeosang who was looking at you worriedly. "(y/n)? Come on, we need to get you out of here," gently he spoke as he guided you out of the elevator to a more secluded place as to not be seen by the people- vultures just outside. You didn't even realize that Jongho had walked away just a bit until he came back to where you and Yeosang were hiding. "I saw Yunho hyung's car out there and it seems like the lobby is safe enough. We're gonna have to rush a bit once we go through the revolving door but Yeosang hyung and I are gonna cover you, okay? You have nothing to worry about," though Jongho's words seem sure, the slight quiver in his pupils that halt the sarcastic comment you had at the tip of your tomgue. So you simply nod and trust their plan, taking (wavering) brave steps behind your friends who hid you behind them rather easily.

Your anxiety over the plan lessen with each step when you noticed the people outside paid the three of you no mind.

Or so you thought.

"(y/n)?" Someone called.

Your steps froze just as your friends got into the revolving door, oblivious that you weren't right behind them until they turned around and locked eyes with you. You turned around to see Mingi, Seonghwa, and the people he was with staring at you, realizing that either one of them must've called your name. The people outside recognized your uncovered face immediately and they began to swarm the door, the flashes of what seemed like thousands of cameras blinding you almost immediately. It was only then that Jongho and Yeosang turned around and saw you being approached by reporters who were posing as office workers in the lobby.

"(y/n), is the rumour true? Are you expecting Song Mingi's baby?" "Why were you hiding behind people?" "You don't seem like you're expecting, were you faking the issue to trap Song Mingi in lieu of his public appearance with a young model?" "Do you have anything to say about the rumour?" "Is it true that Song Mingi's infidelity with both men and women was the reason you're pulling away from him?" "Are you planning on raising the baby alone?" "Is the baby Song Mingi's?" "How far along are you?" "(y/n), why are you not saying anything?"

It was basically a riot. Other than for you, you also heard questions being hurled at Mingi who was slowly being swarmed though it wasn't as bad as you. The situation was beyond overwhelming what with the questions thrown at you and the flashing lights. Last you saw of Jongho and Yeosang, you saw Yeosang barking something at Jongho, pointing towards what you could only assume was Yunho's car before trying to push past the reporters who were trying to get into the building.

At that point, you were damn near crying because as people crowd you to the point that you were trapped, you could feel your body being pushed around. You couldn't see a way out because the flashes were blinding you and the voices screaming for you dulled your senses almost completely. Heck, you couldn't even see where the reporters were coming in from. From a distance, you could hear the building's security guards trying their best to prevent more reporters from getting in but you couldn't see them. You were imprisoned by a wall of people and even then, the only thing you could think of was protecting your belly. While a part of you wanted to do nothing but protect bean, another part of you, a part that's more cynical convinced yourself that something already has so why were you trying so hard to prevent something that already happened? You didn't know how you were going to get out of the situation, but your brain convinced you that you were going to get out with a piece of you left with the mass.

Head in the cloud (or in the swarm), you screamed when someone yanked you to the side. All you could think of was that was it, that was going to be the moment you get trampled and had to be evacuated with an ambulance. But your terrified expression was soon met with a sturdy yet cushiony surface and your body was enveloped in a protective grasp. "I'm sorry for pulling you, I had no other choice," Mingi whispered to your ear. You were so surprised that you didn't even confirm if it was him, you just know. Not that you could confirm anyways, he was shielding your face with his outerwear that you see had a rip in it, proof that he had to claw his way to you past the people who made a human barrier around you. No matter how mad you were at him, you acknowledged that he was there to help you out of the situation and for your (and his) baby's sake, it's best that you accepted his unsolicited aid. "I'm getting you out of here, okay? We're gonna get a taxi and just leave," he said. Much to your surprise, you felt something pushing Mingi and it would've made you more terrified had the person not spoken. "Yunho has a car waiting for (y/n), we're getting her out of here. Let's use the vacant side door," Yeosang said, his voice calming you down almost immediately as it was familiar.

With two men covering you, you could only hold onto Mingi as they pushed past the people who tried to get a picture of you. It was then that you felt your body swaying, your legs feeling too light, and your grip on Mingi trembling. Mingi must've taken notice because he suddenly changed the position of his arm from around your shoulders to under your arms to support your weight. The shift allowed you to look up at Mingi and while you couldn't process much due to the overstimulation, you saw his lips moving, saying 'it's okay, I'm getting you out, we're so close' over and over again. Everything blurred from that point on but you could remember the worried look on Mingi very clearly. You also remembered the feeling of the cold air hitting your face, a sharp contrast to the stuffiness of being boarded amongst people. To be honest, you didn't even remember getting into Yunho's car, but you do remember hearing Jongho yelling for Mingi to just get in while he and Yeosang cover you. The next thing you know, you were pulled back to the embrace that helped you out of a sticky situation, once again giving you warmth as he covered your face with his outerwear, away from the camera on your side of the window that tried to capture your face. When the vehicle started, you managed to peek out to the back and you saw your two friends who helped with your escape growing smaller in the distance before looking forward to meet eyes with Yunho whose eyes were red and eyebrows knitted tightly. Everything was fuzzy; you closed your eyes to ease the pounding that appeared suddenly in your head but you were still able to slightly hear Yunho talking. You couldn't process what he said but you couldn't bear to try. That moment you were just glad to have made it out of the situation somewhat safely. But at least it was still with bean.

Right?

network :

@cultofdionysusnet @sandsofire @kflixnet

taglist :

@ateezourstars @phenomenalgirl9 @90s-belladonna @yunhorights @yuntokkie @stopeatread @aestheticsluut @spooo00oky @kodzukein @galaxypox @mayonnaisehoeshit @maddiebabyxoxo @dreamlesswonder86 @charreddonuts @jwnghyuns @angelicyeo @axo-l0tl @gxlden-bxbyy @bbymatz @blaaiissee @kyume02 @aurora-tiny @senpai-of-doom @meowmeowminnie @thesolarplanetarysystem @seonghwaddict @miaatiny @soobiverse @alyssajavenss @thatfavouritesong @camillelafaye

@randomness7198

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dark-elf-writes · 9 months ago

Note

Upon waking up fully, Ky realizes the game has shifted and that they must form an alliance with Seraph least he get outnumbered

Seraph thinks Genesis�� eyes are pretty cool too and that he’s in need of fixing so goes along with it (he too has a secret agenda but for Reeve)

Hours later Seraph wakes up to Ky slamming his door open.

“Lily is gay!”

Seraph frowns. “I thought we were waiting for her to realize because it was rude to tell her first.”

Ky nods, flopping onto Seraph’s bed with his glasses askew and hair looking like a full bird’s nest. “Yes. And trust me she has but there’s something more important now than her realizing.”

Seraph cocks his head, waiting. Other people didn’t like how quiet and still they were while they waited like this, but his siblings never seemed to mind. Eventually Ky continued, “If Lily can’t have Barret win anymore she’s going to go for Vincent which means she is going to work with Jayden which—“

“That’s… not good.” Seraph’s nose scrunches as he thinks. “Dark Nation would try to eat the lizards.”

Ky nods. “So we have to team up too if we don’t want Rufus as our first and soon to be dead step dad.”

Seraph hums, thinking. Ky let him, only occasionally prodding him to blink when he forgot. They were nice like that.

“Genesis has pretty eyes.” He says at last like that answered everything.

Ky grins. “You’re the best Seraph. Now c’mon dad’s gotta be done with breakfast by now.”

#the elf talks #ff7 #clouds clutch au #Genesis to be fair would see both Ky and Seraph and see a baby him and Seph and want to protect them at all costs so

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therubyjailcell · 9 months ago

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so my friend plays the new ff7 remake

i may have gotten invested

#angeal hewley #sephiroth #genesis rhapsodos #my art #v can draw #crisis core #ff7 crisis core #i asked who zack was in connection to cloud #she showed me all the cutscenes of crisis core #from what i got zack has 2 dads 1 step dad and cloud is his bro #you cant change my mind and im invested in the story #angenesiroth #sephesis #technically?

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rextasywrites · 11 months ago

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Return - Part 1 / ?

“What do you want, Zack?”, Sephiroth’s voice felt as if was trying to pierce a dagger into Zack’s chest, filled with poison and hate. Seph slowly stood up from his sitting place on the floor, his bones audibly creaking, he hadn’t left the spot or even moved an inch in several hours. He brushed some dust off of his shoulders, a single spider jumping off his coat.

“We need to get out of here! Now!”, Zack nearly yelled, Seph making a face in return. Seph didn’t believe himself to be human anymore, but the very human feeling of a dehydration induced headache was just as real.

I was inspired by this ask sent to @altocat a few days ago. It'll be a fanfic with a few parts, and yes, I intended to make it as heartbreaking, if not even more, than the ask submitted.

Warnings: angst, AU - Nibelheim goes wrong in a different way, ff7 content so apply the usual warnings of the games to this fic

AO3 LINK

***

Infinite in mystery is the gift of the Goddess We seek it thus, and take to the sky Ripples form on the water's surface The wandering soul knows no rest.

Three friends go into battle. One is captured One flies away The one that is left becomes a hero.

Loveless, Act 1

“Cloud! You pack up your mom, the girl you told me about, her dad, everyone you know in here. Run! I’ll take responsibility for it back at HQ, but you go and get away from Nibelheim NOW!”

Zack’s own voice rang in his head as he carefully made his way down the staircase. The wood was covered in wetness, making every step more dangerous than the last one. As careful as he wanted to be, Zack needed to be fast. Fast, fast, fast. He needed to reach Sephiroth as fast as possible.

Hot flames roared up into the sky, engulfing the houses close to the main square. The water tower had exploded, the water vaporized, not a chance to take out the fire. Sephiroth was standing inside of the flames, shaking like a leaf in the wind. His eyes were robbed of any humanity, what was once a comforting look for fans and friends alike was replaced with emptiness, screaming for something nobody could hear.

“Sephiroth! Why did you do this?!”, Zack yelled at his friend, his mentor, his buddy. “What’s wrong with you?!”

“Nothing with wrong is me, Zack. Everything is right. This is a new dawn for the world. Get out of my way.”

Zack had awoken soaked in sweat. It was barely 2am, the first sleep in several days after the appearance of Genesis and the reveal of Sephiroth’s identity. Only a hefty dose of sleep materia had managed to knock Zack out, but the nightmare…it had felt too real for him.

“Come on…I am not giving up on you, Seph.”, Zack muttered to himself as he ran along the corridor towards the laboratory in the Shinra Mansion. The silence made him deaf, hearing his heartbeat inside of his ears as the door came closer and closer. His legs were carrying him forward, his whole body on autopilot as the only thought inside of Zack’s brain became louder and louder.

He needs to save Sephiroth.

Torn pages out of old books, records and scientific papers covered every possible surface of the lab, and Sephiroth was right in the middle. His hair was a mess, his eyes bloodshot from a clear lack of sleep. No sunlight came down there and no clocks were mounted anywhere, Seph probably had no idea how long he had been down there.

“Sephiroth!”, Zack called out once he had stormed into the room, making Seph snap his head around, looking at his fellow SOLDIER with big eyes. Once upon a time, Zack had visited a friend of his back in Gongaga. The poor guy had come in contact with Touch Mes, and the various poisons had caused him to suffer from insomnia. His eyes had been just as bloodshot as Sephiroth’s, and he had begged for someone to hit him with a chair so he’d finally get the sweet release of sleep, concussions be damned. It had taken him nearly a week to recover.

“No. I am not leaving until I know everything!”, Seph spat back and turned his back to Zack, clearly done with the conversation.

“I am not leaving until you do.”, Zack replied, the chuckle coming from Sephiroth was something straight out of a horror movie.

“Good luck with that.”

There was no sense. Sephiroth wouldn’t leave, he wouldn’t budge, it was useless. Thankfully, Zack was a clever one, even though his actions might sometimes made his peers believe him to be stupid. Wrong. The sleep materia Cloud had used to help his pal go to bed earlier was nestled inside of Zack’s pocket, and with a simple swipe, the materia was cast upon Sephiroth, making him fall to the floor like a bag of potatoes.

And now, how to get him out?

Genesis took a bite out of his apple, his eyes gazing down on Nibelheim. While he hadn’t spotted Sephiroth in a few days, he had noticed Zack and Cloud being out in town together, making sure everyone was safe. But something that hadn’t failed to catch Genesis’ attention was the increased security by Shinra, just outside of the borders of the town. Including artillery and enough bombs to level a city. Hu. He took another bite out of his dumbapple, its taste just how he knew it from back home. His beautifully, bombed home. What was going on down there?

It took Zack several hours to drag Sephiroth out of the laboratory, up the stairs and through the mansion. By now, the sun had risen, but the town was empty. Cloud had listened to his friend’s advice and managed to get everyone to leave. By now, Zack knew Cloud’s childhood home like the back of his hand, and the few more meters dragging Sephiroth along weren’t too bad. The door was unlocked and once inside, Zack dropped Sephiroth into the nearest bed.

“We cannot do this, Tseng!”, Cissnei crossed her arms, standing in front of the prepared gun arsenal. “We cannot let this happen, after everything Zack has done for us!”, Reno butted in, placing his hand on Cissnei’s shoulder in support.

“They are right and you know it!”, came one last resort from Rude’s side, backing his mates up.

Tseng rubbed over his temples, trying to think of an option that’d make everyone happy. They had gotten hold of the information. They knew Zack and Sephiroth would be used as monkeys for Hojo’s experiments. They knew the pain it’d cause them both. Despite the rare overlaps between the Turks and SOLDIER, Tseng had heard first hand of the experiments on Sephiroth. He had seen the pictures of ‘progress’ presented by Hojo with a sick pleasure which even made Tseng’s stomach turn around. He knew how badly Sephiroth was punished back when he came back from a mission with some candies in his pockets, a lollipop hanging from his lips. A thankful little girl had given her hero her last bit of candy supply, a grand gesture for saving her father’s life. Hojo denied Sephiroth any kind of food for a week, feeding him with a tube only. At this point, Sephiroth was 10 years old.

“Fine. Cissnei, do you remember the throwaway PHP I gave you ages ago? Use it. Warn Zack and Sephiroth.”

Sephiroth awoke minutes after getting tucked in involuntarily. His body felt warm for the first time in days, the water bottle Zack had placed under the cover with him comforted him like a hug. “Where am I?”

“We are in Cloud’s home. They, uhm, have left for the day and Claudia told me to make ourselves a home! Here, I made you some tea!”, Zack grinned as he watched Sephiroth sit up, stretching his hurting limbs and rubbing his eyes. The sleep he hadn’t consented too wasn’t too pleasant, but it wasn’t unwelcome. Sephiroth took a sip from the tea, the warmth going down his throat and settling in his empty stomach. Only now, Sephiroth realized how hungry he was.

“Zack…do monsters feel hunger? Do they feel cravings?”

“I don’t think so, Seph. I don’t think a Bandersnatch wakes up one morning and goes ‘Oh, today I wanna eat a Hedgehog Pie today! Quite tasty, its meat is so tasty and lean, and its spikes serve as toothpicks!”

“Hm.”

“Are you craving something?”

“I would actually like some noodle soup.”

Before Zack could give Sephiroth a witty reply, he heard the noise of his phone receiving a message. With a smile he took it out and started to read, his smile growing smaller with every word he read.

“Sephiroth. We have to get out of here.”, Zack stumbled over his words, eyes wide as he showed Sephiroth the message.

Still confused and a bit groggy, it took Sephiroth a solid few seconds to read the message and to understand it. The second it hit him, he threw the blanket off of his body, nearly falling over his own feet as they ran towards the door. But before they could make it out, the first bomb exploded onto the house vis-a-vis to the one they were in, knocking the two out cold.

Get out of Nibelheim. Bombing incoming. Get to Kalm asap. Meet u there. -c

***

#final fantasy vii #final fantasy 7 #final fantasy 7 fanfic #zack fair #sephiroth #genesis rhapsodos

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rottenpumpkin13 · 1 year ago

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Tell us more about the day Sephiroth visits Banora! Needing some fluffy First trio feelings rn.

You got it anon <3

• It's the first holiday in the year after the war is over. The base is buzzing with excitable SOLDIERs either getting ready to go out or—if you were really lucky—visit home for the holidays.

• All 1st class SOLDIERS are granted this luxury. The newly-appointed Director Lazard even encourages it, pushing the overworked operatives to indulge in some normalcy for once.

• Sephiroth sits in a comfortable armchair in the SOLDIER lounge. He's watching Angeal and Genesis sprawled out on the ground. They're wrapping gifts for their families and Genesis is grumbling about how he hasn't finished packing yet.

• Sephiroth would have offered to help, but he's not apt at gift wrapping. Truth be told, he doesn't even know what holidays entail. All his life Christmases, new years and others had either been spent monotonously in the labs or out in the battlefield.

• "You could come, you know," Angeal tells him. "My mom would be overjoyed to have you back at home."

• "So would my parents!" Genesis adds. "They're dying to meet you, Seph, and my parents' house has plenty of room."

• Sephiroth isn't included to take them up on the offer. After all, he has no family of his own and he wouldn't want to bother his friends'

• But Minerva blessed him with two persistent country hicks who refuse to go down without a fight.

• Before Sephiroth is even aware of what's happening, Angeal and Genesis are in his apartment, throwing things into a suitcase and raving about Banora.

• Sephiroth had never before experienced the helpless anxiety that keeps swallowing him alive on the flight. He's mulling over childish thoughts, but they're valid to his inner vulnerable-self. What if Angeal's mother isn't welcoming? What if Genesis's parents are suffocating and unkind?

• All worries dissipate as soon as he steps foot in Gillian's home. She's naturally maternal, pulling him in for a hug and complimenting his hair.

• He follows Genesis's lead, who's already sitting at the table and reaching for the nearest slice of banora white apple pie.

• They make conversation and Gillian makes sure to feel Sephiroth feel included by asking him about his interests and dislikes. Sephiroth finds it odd. She never once asks him about the war nor about SOLDIER. It's as if she's talking to a young child. He's not used to this.

• Soon enough Genesis's PHS rings with a call from his parents and it's time to go. Sephiroth and Genesis bid the Hewley's goodbye and make for Genesis's childhood home.

• "Don't worry," Genesis tells him once they're finally out of the village, "They'll be coming around for dinner later and I intend on persuading Angeal to sleep over."

• Mr. and Mrs. Rhapsodos are....not what Sephiroth expected. At all. He quickly realized that whenever Genesis complained about his overbearing and vapid parents, it must've been a product of a rebellious teenage Genesis.

• Mr. Rhapsodos has a firm handshake and sharp eyes. But he's smiling and complimenting Sephiroth's awards and position in the war effort. Mrs. Rhapsodos is exactly fifteen seconds into fussing over "Genny's" unkempt haircut before she acknowledges Sephiroth. Sephiroth immediately likes her. She asks for permission to hug him and smells like apple and cinnamon.

• After being dragged into more conversation and finding that Genesis's parents are equally as gossipy, sarcastic and flashy as their son, Genesis grabs Sephiroth and leads him upstairs.

• With the excitement of a 10-year-old during a playdate, Genesis throws open the door and shows him his childhood bedroom.

• Sephiroth stumbles into what's clearly still a child's room. Despite the huge bed, the shelves are all neatly filled with books, toys and other childish knick-knacks.

• "Mom and dad refuse to redecorate it," Genesis says as he plucks a toy robot from the shelf, "they refuse to, quote, kill the little boy they raised."

• Sephiroth palms the patterned quilt on the bed and smiles. "Genny?"

• Genesis throws the toy robot at him but Sephiroth dodges, laughing.

• After Sephiroth gets settled in his room, Genesis's mother calls him down for dinner. Angeal and Gillian arrive, and Sephiroth notices how close the two families seem to be. Genesis's mother and Gillian immediately immerse themselves in conversation, and Genesis's father tell the two boys a story about the first time he picked up a sword.

• Sephiroth watches, feeling out of place. The dinner table is ornate and stacked with steaming dishes, tarts, cakes and fresh fruit. Gillian notices and quietly places her hand on top of his. It's a silent gesture. She doesn't say anything, but Sephiroth immediately understands her wordless concern through her soft smile.

• He tries his best to fill his plate with the food he does recognize, and the dinner topic falls on embarrassing stories from Genesis and Angeal's childhood.

• Soon enough Sephiroth is choking on Banora White cider and holding back his laughter. Genesis and Angeal are red in the face from embarrassment. Mrs. Rhapsodos made it a point to go grab a photo album to corroborate her story.

• Dinner ends and Angeal agrees to sleep over for the night. Genesis insists they have the "sleepover that Sephiroth missed out on" and all sleep in his room.

• This is how the night meets it's end for the boys. Genesis is braiding Sephiroth's hair while Angeal is looking for a very specific Sephiroth action figure he's sure Genesis hid.

• Genesis starts quoting LOVELESS as a distract, and Sephiroth flings a pillow at his face. This starts a pillow fight, of course.

• Soon Sephiroth is under the blankets in the middle of the bed. Angeal and Genesis are on either side of him, both boys are using Sephiroth as a pillow and are fast asleep.

• Sephiroth stays up a little while longer. Genesis and Angeal had fallen asleep talking about all of the things they were going to do tomorrow, and Sephiroth admits to himself that he's excited.

• Sephiroth finally shuts his eyes. He doubts he'll be able to get any sleep with Genesis and Angeal's joint snoring, but he's happy.

#ffvii #ff7 #final fantasy 7 #genesis rhapsodos #sephiroth #ffvii crisis core #final fantasy #ff7r #angeal hewley #ff7 crisis core #final fantasy 7 crisis core #crisis core #crisis core headcanons #final fantasy vii #writing

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cupofatokirina · 2 months ago

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Genesis

Chapter 6: Secrets

Neteyam watched as the door closed, his mind still reeling from everything that had happened. Jake and Neytiri exchanged a brief look before gesturing for him to follow. The three of them left the observation room in silence, making their way back to the settlement. The walk was quiet, the air thick with tension.

Once they arrived at their home in the village, Neytiri and Jake exchanged a brief look before parting ways. “We have duties to attend to,” Neytiri said, her voice soft but firm. “Watch over your siblings, Neteyam.”

Jake nodded in agreement. “Keep them out of trouble,” he added with a small, tired smile before heading off.

Neteyam stood at the entrance of their family’s home, watching his parents leave. He was deep in thought when a voice pulled him back to the present.

“Where have you been, bro?” Lo’ak’s voice rang out as he approached, his expression a mix of curiosity and suspicion. Behind him, Kiri and Tuk trailed along, their eyes wide with questions.

Neteyam turned, trying to keep his face neutral. “I had something to take care of with Dad,” he said, brushing off the intensity of Lo’ak’s question.

Lo’ak wasn’t satisfied. He crossed his arms, his brow furrowing. “Yeah, but why did Mom and Dad go with you? And why are they acting all weird? It’s not like them.”

Neteyam turned to face his brother, who was now standing in front of him with an expectant look. Behind Lo’ak, Kiri and Tuk were watching closely, their eyes wide with curiosity.

Neteyam hesitated, trying to keep his expression neutral. He had expected this. Lo’ak never let anything go unnoticed, and now that the whole family had seen the tension in their parents, it was only a matter of time before they started asking questions.

“It was something important,” Neteyam said calmly, trying to brush it off. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

Kiri raised an eyebrow, stepping forward. “Oh, come on, Neteyam. You can’t keep secrets from us. We’re your siblings.”

Tuk, the youngest, tugged at his arm, her wide eyes filled with innocent curiosity. “Is it something bad? Are we in danger?”

Neteyam crouched down beside Tuk, giving her a reassuring smile. “No, Tuk. We’re not in danger.” His voice softened as he ruffled her hair. “Everything’s fine. It’s just something Dad needed my help with.”

Lo’ak scoffed, clearly not convinced. “You’re being too vague, bro. I know when something’s up. You’ve been acting weird ever since you got back. And Mom and Dad? They’ve been tense all day. What aren’t you telling us?”

Neteyam’s jaw clenched. He didn’t want to lie to them, but he couldn’t tell them about (y/n) either—not yet. Jake had made it clear that they needed time to figure out what was going on, and Neteyam wasn’t about to go against his father’s wishes. Especially when so much was still unknown.

“It’s not my place to say,” Neteyam replied finally, standing up and looking Lo’ak in the eye. “Dad’s handling it, and that’s all you need to know for now.”

Lo’ak’s face twisted into a frown, clearly unhappy with that answer. “You’re hiding something. I can feel it.”

Kiri, who had been quietly observing, put a hand on Lo’ak’s shoulder. “Let it go, Lo’ak. If it was important for us to know, Dad would have told us. Right now, we just have to trust them.”

Lo’ak glared for a moment longer, his gaze flicking between Neteyam and Kiri before he finally sighed and dropped his arms. “Fine. But if I find out you’re keeping something big from us…”

Neteyam gave him a small, tight smile. “You won’t.”

Tuk tugged on Neteyam’s arm again, her innocent eyes now filled with excitement rather than curiosity. “Neteyam! Grandma Mo’at told me to pick some herbs for dinner. Can you come with me? Please?”

Neteyam smiled down at her, grateful for the distraction. “Of course, Tuk. Let’s go. We’ll be back before it gets dark.”

As they began to leave, Tuk skipped ahead happily, her small figure disappearing around the corner of the settlement. Lo’ak, still standing with Kiri, watched them go, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“I’m telling you, something’s up,” Lo’ak muttered, leaning closer to Kiri. “And I’m going to find out what it is. Neteyam’s hiding something—big.”

Kiri rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and shaking her head. “You’re being ridiculous, Lo’ak. Just let it go. You’re acting like a skxawng.”

Lo’ak scowled at her use of the insult. “Skxawng? Really? I’m just trying to get to the bottom of this. And when I do, you’ll see I was right.”

Kiri snorted, turning to walk away. “Sure, Lo’ak. Whatever helps you sleep at night.” She cast a knowing glance over her shoulder before disappearing from view, leaving Lo’ak standing alone, still fuming but more determined than ever to uncover the truth.

Author's Note: I'm going to have a little fun with Lo'ak's character, given his personality and all. Overall, I hope you're all enjoying the story. Later this week, I'll figure out how to organize the chapters. I’m thinking of doing the chapters a lil longer but still don’t know, let me know if you want them longer. Stay tuned, and thank you, as always, for your support.

Taglist:

@fries11

#neteyam x reader #neteyam x na'vi!reader #avatar 2009 #neteyam #reader insert

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duhragonball · 8 months ago

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Neon Genesis Evangelion 15

Fuckin’ finally.

I wasn’t looking forward to this one, because the next-episode preview acted like this was going to be all about Kaji and Misato “figuring things out” or some other will-they/won’t-they romantic bullshit. I mean, if it was a different couple, then I could be down for that, but Kaji sucks, and I hate his oh-so-punchable face. If Misato gets back together with him, it’ll suck because she could do so much better, and if she doesn’t get back together with him, then a story about it will have wasted my time.

Fortunately, it looks like Kaji is some sort of double-agent? We’ll get into the particulars later.

Anyway, Ritsuko, Misato, and Kaji all attend a wedding for some mutual acquaintance, and Kaji shows up late, probably because of some spying he was doing. Misato drinks too much, and while she’s in the restroom, Kaji gives Ritsuko some kind of object, and Ritsuko warns him not to dig to deep into whatever he’s up to. Cryptic as always.

Meanwhile, Shinji and Gendo visit the grave of Yui Ikari (1977-2004), Gendo’s wife and Shinji’s mother. Today is the anniversary of her death. We don’t know what happened, but Gendo says there’s no corpse, and the gravestone is just a marker. Shinji has no memory of his mother, probably because he was so young when she died, but also because Gendo destroyed any photographs and recordings of her. I guess it never occurred to him that their son might want to see her someday.

They came here before in 2012, but Shinji ran away. This is part of the reason he wasn’t looking forward to returning here. That, and he didn’t want to face his father, although things seem to go well enough. Earlier, Misato encouraged him to see this through, because unless he takes the next step, nothing will ever change between him and his dad. Shinji tried asking Rei for advice on talking to his dad, since they seemed to get along so well, but she acts like she doesn’t know anything about Gendo, which sounds fishy.

During that conversation, Shinji mentioned that he saw Rei wringing out a washcloth, and he thought she handled it in a motherly way. She’s deeply touched by this, I guess, though she doesn’t let on. Wait... is Rei a clone of Yui Ikari or some nonsense like that? Is that where this is going? No... it couldn’t be.

No. It couldn’t...

No.

Well, at least the Ikari boys part on good terms, even if their conversation is terse. Rei’s in the aircraft that picks Gendo up, and I guess Shinji has to walk.

When he gets home, Shinji plays the... cello? I think that’s a cello. Asuka comes home to find him playing, and she seems genuinely impressed that he can play. Shinji says his teachers made him practice and no one ever told him to stop, so he just kept at it. He doesn’t think he’s very good at it, but Asuka seems more impressed with his persistence than his talent. Can you play Classical Gas on a cello? Yes you can.

youtube

Anyway, one of Asuka’s friends tried to set her up with her brother or something, and she got bored and ditched him in the line for a roller coaster. Wow, Asuka sucks. I always got the impression that she’s the most popular character in this thing, but like 90% of her presence in this show is just her being a huge pain in the ass. I mean, she’s being nice to Shinji at the moment, but that’s only happening because she did something thoughtless to some other poor slob.

Later, they get a call from Misato that’s she’s staying out late with Kaji. Asuka thinks she won’t return until morning, because it’s Kaji, and Asuka thinks he’s the only worthwhile male specimen on this planet.

Misato ends up getting so drunk that Kaji has to carry her home, at least part of the way. So drunk, in fact, that Misato finally comes clean with her feelings. She admits that she dumped Kaji mostly because he reminded her so much of her dead father, whom she loathed in life, but who also sacrificed himself to save her.

That scared her, so she joined NERV to get revenge on the Angels who killed her father, but then she found out her dad used to work for NERV as well, so no matter where she went and what she did, she kept coming back to her daddy issues. She thinks she’s a hypocrite for telling Shinji to confront his feelings about his dad, when she can’t seem to do the same. And she thinks she’s a coward who uses men...

Kaji kisses her to put a stop to all this self-flagellation, and scene.

Meanwhile, Asuka wants to kiss Shinji, mostly because she’s bored. Shinji’s like “okay” and she holds his nose shut because she doesn’t like him breathing on her.

This goes on for quite a while. Shinji finally pulls away, but I give him credit for his perseverance. When they finally separate, Asuka runs to the bathroom and washes out her mouth, apparently regretting the whole experience.

Finally, Kaji gets Misato home and they put her to bed. Kaji says his goodbyes, despite Asuka inviting him to hang out for a while. Ah, that’s why Asuka was looking for ways to pass the time. She wanted to see Kaji again when he and Misato came home. But it’s late and he needs to change for work tomorrow.

The next day, Rei’s absent from school... again. Huh.

That’s probably because Gendo has her bottled up in the Tang Tube here in the Central Dogma. Well, that’s what the room is called, but I have no idea what any of this is. They smile at each other, and that seems to be all we’ll get from this.

Even further below the Tang Tube of Destiny, Kaji tries to get into some even deeper, darker secret room, and Misato catches him and puts a gun to his head. She reveals that she knows his secret. Kaji works for NERV’s Special Inspection Department, but he’s also on the payroll for the Japanese Department of the Interior, who want him to spy on NERV for them.

Kaji apologizes for deceiving her, but he wants her to see what’s in this room, which Ikari and Ritsuko have kept hidden from her.

And it’s Adam, the First Angel who exploded, causing the Second Impact fifteen years ago. I don’t know how any of it survived the explosion, or how they recovered the remains, or why it’s been nailed to a cross, but there’s orange liquid coming out of its body, so maybe this is where they get that LCL fluid they use in the plugsuits. Kaji says this is the source of everything after Second Impact, and I think that means the Eva’s an all the other research Gendo Ikari is in charge of, it all stemmed from Adam’s body.

And yeah, this is much more like it. Not only are we revealing a few deep dark secrets behind NERV, but this episode has more character development than the last dozen episodes put together. Misato gets drunk and confesses her hangups about her dad? Shinji plays the cello? Asuka kisses Shinji? Gendo talks about his dead wife? Rei blushes? They could have spread these moments out across multiple episodes and it would have been great! Instead they just built it up and waited until now to release it all at once. That seems like a bad idea, but better late than never, I always say.

And of course, we can’t overlook Adam. I think a big reveal like this should have waited until Episode 15 or so, so I’ve got no complaints there. It’s starting to look like I suspected. They captured Adam in 2000, and they’ve been desecrating his corpse ever since. The other Angels keep coming to NERV headquarters to recover the body, or to avenge their comrade, or maybe they’re just trying to destroy NERV so none of them suffer Adam’s fate. In any case, it sure doesn’t look like NERV are the good guys...

Also, next episode apparently involves Shinji learning a “new level of anguish and despair”, so it looks like we’re finally entering the phase where this show goes apeshit. At last, I finally meet the true Neon Genesis Evangelion.

#neon genesis evangelion #2024ngeliveblog #shinji ikari #asuka langley soryu #rei ayanami #kaji ryoji #misato katsuragi #ritsuko akagi

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