#and her identical twin sister to the upper right

[kradogsrats]

... my screenshot program crashed with like 30 unsaved shots from the last four hours ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaa

so I present to you the one survivor: documentation of the ONE SINGLE MODEL that I have EVER seen in this ENTIRE SHOW with the area where her neck connects to her torso fully exposed

[barry-j-blupjeans]

11/14 with the twins?

11. Do I actually have to swear a blood pact for this?

--

There were many conversations one could have in the kitchen at half past two AM. Lots of heartful moments, a ton of weird, goofy, and maybe like, a smidge sexy times. Mostly, it's quiet words exchanged between the noise of a boiling teapot and the kitchen tap running as someone washed dishes. Mostly, there are no words, just company.

A few nights ago had not been that. A few nights ago, Taako tried to sleep for a total of five minutes before deciding that, actually, fuck this, and went to make himself some eggs. Lup didn't even move in her sleep as he hopped off the upper bunk and left the room. The kitchen light had already been turned on and Taako walked in on Magnus attempting to fix their microwave (it hadn't been broken).

Lots of conversations can happen at two AM. Taako was expecting a "hey" or a "what the fuck" or a momentary reenactment of that spiderman meme where two identical spiderman's pointed at each other. Instead, he cracked an egg open into a pan and was met with,

"Is it just me or has Lup been acting... strange?"

"Just you, homie," Taako had said.

"Ah," Magnus had said. That would have been a neat place to end the conversation, but instead, he continued with, "because like, we were hanging out and having fun and stuff, and then Barry came back from- from wherever the fuck he went with Lucretia-"

"Library."

"Right, the library. And then Lup was like. Not... Lup-like. Y'know?"

"I do not, in fact, know," Taako said.

And then he spent the next thirty minutes, diving a little too deep into what Magnus had noticed about Lup's body language (Taako never wanted to hear an analysis of how he and his sister interacted with people again. But he supposed being stuck on a spaceship with six other people tends to put you through the mortifying act of being known much more than you would like.) and her word choice and all of that and all Taako really got from it was "Magnus is a fucking creep who likes to watch us like a fucked up science experiment".

But now that it had been pointed out? Yeah. Yeah. Lup was acting weird. She would stop halfway through a conversation if Barry came into the room. And she seemed to go out of her way to avoid interacting with him directly. One day, they had been making dinner, and Lup straight up left the kitchen when Barry came in for something. Either they had somehow had a fight without anyone noticing or Lup had caught a bad case of Feelings. And Taako was pretty sure he'd know if Lup had gotten Feelings for Barry, so it had to have been a fight.

So, like any good brother, that also meant Taako was now Against Barry. Did he know what the fight was about? No. Did he care? Maybe a little bit. Barry had seemed chill but now Taako wasn't sure. Like, they were nineteen years into this and that might seem like a lot for some people (cough cough, Magnus), but that wasn't even a tenth of Taako and Lup's lifespan before the mission. Yeah, sure, he liked them well enough, but he was ride or die with Lup. But hopefully the dying wouldn't happen too much.

It was two weeks after his conversation with Magnus in the kitchen when Lup approached him. Or rather, Taako walked into their room and Lup immediately said,

"What the hell has your problem been with Barry lately?"

Taako paused. He shut the door. And then he turned back to Lup, squinting at her.

"What's been your problem with Barry lately?" Taako asked, because he wasn't going to rise to whatever bait this was.

"What's my prob- I'm not the one avoiding him!" Lup said. "You're making him feel weird!"

"I'm avoiding him because you're avoiding him, doofus," Taako said, calmly, like an adult. He sat on his bunk (the bottom one this week, as scheduled) and crossed his legs. Lup was sitting on top of the desk that was shoved into the corner, holding a notepad in her hands.

"I- what?" Lup said. "Since when was I avoiding Barry?"

"Since like, two weeks ago," Taako said. "Three weeks?" How long has Magnus said again? "Three weeks now."

"I have not-"

"You leave the room whenever he's there," Taako said, holding up a finger to start counting. "You talk weirdly to him. You've stopped looking at him-"

"'Cause he's weird," Lup said.

"Yeah, but he's been weird for the last twenty years, bud!" Taako said. "He's not gotten any weirder this cycle! The only thing I've seen him do is fuck with the robot parts and we're all doing that. I don't know what kind of fight you had but obviously, if you don't wanna be around Barry anymore, then we're not gonna hang around Barry anymore. The world can end as many times as it wants but we're still gotta be a team about things, dumbass. It's bond science, or whatever the fuck."

"What fight have I had with Barry?" Lup asked, looking genuinely confused now. "Did he- did he say I had a fight with him?"

"He-" Taako paused. Closed his mouth. "...No. But your avoiding him, so like, cha'boy assumed-"

"Babe, I didn't have a fight with Barry," Lup said with a little nervous laugh. "I just- y'know. He's weird."

"Again, Barold has been weird for much longer than we've known him," Taako said. "So if you're not avoiding him for it, then there's really no other- oh, shit."

"Taako," Lup said warningly.

"Oh, shit," Taako said. He slammed his hands down on the bed. "You caught Feeling for Barry!"

"Shh!!" Lup said, gesturing for him to be quieter.

"You've got romantic feelings towards Barold J. Bluejeans," Taako said. "D'you hear those words I just said? Do you know how fucking ridiculous that sounds? Like, what the fuck would that couple name even be-"

"Taako," Lup groaned, sinking into a heap on the desk.

"Barup," Taako said. "Larry."

"Taako."

"Blupjeans."

"Taako!" Lup was now sliding off the desk, her head in her hands. "Shut the fuck up!"

"I think this is the best day of my life," Taako said. "You've got feelings for the guy who keeps getting his fingers burned by the toaster."

"It's a hard toaster to navigate-" Lup started.

"Do you even hear yourself right now?" Taako said, absolutely delighted. "Lup, be honest, are you avoiding him because you've forgotten how to talk to him like a normal person? Does talking to the guy who dresses in the same stupid outfit every day make you embarrassed?"

"I hate your fucking guts," Lup said. "You can't tell anyone- I'm gonna make you take a blood pact-"

"Lup, I rolled a nineteen, you gotta tell me," Taako said, climbing off the bed to sit next to her on the floor. "It's important. What the hell about that man is attractive to you? I mean, the ass, obviously-"

"Gods, the ass," Lup sighed. "In those jeans."

"Lup," Taako begged, on the brink of laughter. "You gotta be goofing me. You gotta be."

"But you've seen the ass," Lup said, as if that explained everything. Maybe it did. "Like, you've seen the ass-"

"Too many times," Taako said. "I want my eyes removed from my skull."

"Yeah," Lup said dreamily. Taako was going to lord this over her for years. A crush on Barry Bluejeans, good gods. She's had space madness. Taako was going to ride this serotonin into cycle twenty.

"...Do I actually have to take a blood pact for this, though?" Taako asked. "Like, I'm not gonna tell everyone-" Just Magnus, to prove him wrong that they hadn't been fighting, thank you very much. And Davenport, for like, mission safety. And Lucretia, so she could accurately write their interaction down. And maybe Merle, too, actually-

Maybe Magnus had been right about this body language stuff. Taako had got to get more dets from him later.

[eventideluminary-games]

Introducing: The Diamants of the Grasslands Kingdom

The first post about the families of the main characters in the story! By popular vote, the Diamants were first.

The Emeraudes of the Woodlands Kingdom are next (Alceste's family).

Note Before We Begin: Because MC and their family are customizable, the appearances of the characters in the included pictures are just examples/placeholders and are NOT CANON.

As always, AI disclaimer for generated images.

That being said, their facial structures (i.e angular vs softer) are fairly accurate. Without further ado...

Here are the three "canon" Diamants present in the story, the MC/Royal gets their own section. Left to right, we have Elcina Flavia Diamant, Florian Diamant, and Adalia Elcina Diamant.

Queen Elcina Flavia Diamant (she/her)

Queen Elcina Flavia Diamant is the late queen of the Grasslands Kingdom. She inherited the throne from her father, King Flavius Aurelius Diamant. She is the eldest of 6 children, 3 of those being illegitimate half-siblings. She is regularly described as "serious", "sharp", and "harsh". That being said, Elcina is the current reason why the Grasslands Kingdom is a prosperous bustling center of trade and is regarded as a relatively good queen by citizens, despite her prickly personality. She is the mother of Queen Adalia Elcina Diamant and the Accused Royal/Main Character and was married to King Florian Diamant, the former General of the Grasslands Kingdom's military. The Accused Royal/Main Character has inherited her sharp features. Elcina died at 56 years old from unknown causes. She has been dead for a month when the story starts.

Elcina's Crown as Queen and an example of the dress she'd wear for Adalia's coronation (if she were alive).

King Florian Diamant (he/him)

King Florian Diamant (né Saphir) is the husband of Queen Elcina Flavia Diamant. He is the youngest of 2 children. Before marrying Elcina, he was the General of the Grasslands Kingdom's army and was very successful on the battlefield, described by some as a "monster" or a "demon from hell". Nowadays, he considers himself a family man, acting as King Father to the kingdom since his daughter, Queen Adalia Elcina Diamant, was crowned upon the passing of Elcina, her mother. Florian is also the father of the Accused Royal/Main Character. Adalia is said to have inherited his softer features, unless she and her sibling are identical, in which, she then resembles their mother. Florian is regularly described as "kind" and "laid-back" but a "pushover". He is currently 58 years old, as of the start of the story.

Florian's Crown as King and the suit he wears for Adalia's coronation (only upper half pictured).

Queen Adalia Elcina Diamant (she/her)

Queen Adalia Elcina Diamant is the oldest child of Queen Elcina Flavia Diamant and King Florian Diamant. She has been crowned as queen of the Grasslands Kingdom, officially, for a week. She is the older twin sister to the Accused Royal/Main Character, by 10 minutes. She is described to be "kind" and "nice" and "a bit bossy". The citizens are hopeful for her rule, despite her following in the rather large footsteps of her mother. Adalia did not get along with Elcina, her mother. Their relationship worsened a few weeks before Elcina's death. Adalia is Aro/Ace. She is 24 years old, by the start of the story.

Adalia's Crown as Princess

Adalia's Crown as Queen and her coronation dress (and the more traditional version)

The Accused Royal/Main Character (she/her, he/him, or they/them)

The Accused Royal/Main Character is the playable character of the game. They are the youngest child of Queen Elcina Flavia Diamant and King Florian Diamant. They are the younger twin sibling of Queen Adalia Elcina Diamant, by 10 minutes. They are her only heir. Per tradition, they are named after their parent. Adalia being the oldest was named after Elcina, so the Accused Royal/Main Character is named after Florian. Their middle name differs slightly based on how they identify. If they are female, Floriana is their middle name. If they are male, their middle name is Florian, and if they are nonbinary, their middle name is Flor. They are described as "free-spirited", "independent", and "naive". They are quick to speak their mind, earning them the ire of the Chamber of Merchants, with Adalia usually stepping in to settle the waves they make. They were not very close to their mother, but are close to their father. They are 24 years old, by the start of the story.

The Royal's Crown

The Royal's Coronation Outfit Options

Here are the full individual portraits of the Accused Royal/Main Character:

And here are the full family portraits put together:

[whitelilynh]

NejiHina week 2022 Day two: Momiji.

Shichi-go-san

Prompts used: Momiji.

The red leaves were adorning the streets of Konoha, ready to fall from the trees and reminding every ninja and citizen out there the meaning of life: we are leaves meant to fall, but there are also new sprouts that would adorn the tree again.

Two little sprouts were rapidly growing at the Hyuga compound, filling their parent’s lives with happiness and joy, and raising as the clan’s pride: two beautiful kids that were as strong and talented as their father, yet as gentle and tender as their mother.

Since November had arrived, it was time to take little Hisaki and little Hikari to the Shichi-go-san celebration to thank their existence and pray for their well-being on the future.

The twins were three years old already, and so their parents decided the time was right. The Hyuga was a clan rooted on tradition after all, but after the circumstances of their birth both Hinata and Neji really wanted to thank that, after that initial agony, their twins had actually grown healthy and strong.

As the first born, it was expected for them to pray for wisdom to accompany Hisaki as the new heir of the Hyuga clan, but they considered wisdom was something Hikari would need as well, as the precious little sister.

Instead of the traditional attire, though, the Hyuga own tradition dictated that the kids would wear their clan’s outfits, and so they did.

Hisaki was wearing gray wide pants under his formal coat, almost completely white except from a stripe on the left side that was on colour black, and included the whole arm and went from shoulder to the lower edge of the clothing. It had three buttons closing it on the righ side of the chest, the Hyuga emblem on the right upper arm section and the ying yang symbol repeated twice on the lower hem, one on each side of the parting coat. A gray belt with a single knot was helping the coat staying closed, tied across his waist. His black hair fell in two long strands surrounding his face and a third one, shorter, falling in the middle above his eyes, very reminiscent of his dad’s hair pattern when he was a teenager. The rest of his long hair was pulled on a high ponytale at the back of his head. He had a sharp serious face, like dad, and a deadly stare like him in spite of his short age.

Hikari wore an almost identical outfit, except that her coat was closed at the exact middle and not to the right side, plus her belt, lavender in colour, was tied in both sides of her waist, a bow on each side. Under it, she wore a wide long lavender dress, and a ribbon that matched her belt was tied in a bow on her head, separating two thick strands of brunette hair from the rest of her locks, surrounding her delicate face. Except from Neji’s hair colour, and his icy expression, she was the spitting image of Hinata. The seriousness on her gaze was contrasting to her delicate and gentle features, and the big eyes made it look like she was always sad, though there was hardly a happier and merrier girl in all Konoha. But like her father, she was not one to show her feelings to everyone, so that sweet side of hers was known only to her family and protectors.

The two little creatures looked adorable on their formal suits, holding hands with mommy as they walked towards the temple.

Being the Hyuga as restrictive of a clan as they were, so the kids weren’t seen that often walking around in Konoha, and being the twins as beautiful as they were, it was more than expected for people to stop in their tracks to stare at the sister and brother combo, looking in awe and praising their cuteness. Hinata would giggle and thank their kind comments, but as proud as Neji was of their little children, he was uncomfortable with all the attention the twins dragged.

The ceremony was beautiful and meaningful, but short, and soon the twins were out of the temple chasing each other playfully as they admired Konoha’s park trees, with all the different tones of yellow, orange and red on their leaves.

-Hisaki-sama, Hikari-sama! You will get dirt on your clothes! –Worriedly, Ko was battling with the kids as they tried to jump over a pill of gathered leaves over the grass.

Hinata giggled –It’s ok Ko, let them play. They haven’t come to outside the compound very often and the ceremony is over already –She said sweetly to her former protector, to whom she entrusted her heir’s safety now.

As for Hikari, Neji himself appointed Tokuma as her personal protector. He, whom was like an older brother for Neji, was the only person aside from himself, his wife and Hanabi (and Ko though he wouldn’t admit) to whom he could entrust his little treasure.

-Come here little imps! –Neji called his children, the ones that immediately ran towards their dad –Guess what this is? –He showed them some wrapped things with images of bamboo and sakura on them.

-Mmm –Hisaki placed his little fingers on his chin –Is it a gift?

-Of course is a gift –Hikari said, showing on her cute face an expression of superiority, as if she was so much cleverer than her older brother –Niisan is silly, those are candy!

-Who do you call silly? –Hisaki directed his deadly stare at her –I just wanted to let you guess.

And it was true, little Hisaki adored his little sister and would always let her win.

Hinata giggled again, used to this sort of interaction between her babies.

-This is chitose-ame, eat them! –She took the candies from Neji’s hands and delivered one wrap to each kid -It’s part of the tradition.

-Whoah! –The kids’ eyes lit.

-Mommy, this is so niisan and I will get big and strong as you and daddy? –Hikari asked, looking at her own candy.

-Ajam –Hinata nodded –So you must eat it happily!

-But I…I don’t think I can eat as much –The little girl looked sad as she said so.

-It’s okay, you don’t have to eat it all right away –Neji comforted her, knowing very well his daughter had took after him and wasn’t able to eat overly sweet things.

-I’ll finish mine in no time! –Hisaki announced ceremoniously as he hastened the candy into his mouth, making everyone laugh.

-Niisan! –Hikari, nevertheless, looked at him with concern on her little face –Stop it! You’ll get ill if you eat like that!

Back in the Hyuga compound, the council of elders were awaiting for Neji and Hinata once the twins were put to sleep.

-Neji-sama, Hinata-sama –An old lady spoke first –The third birthday of the twins have passed, it is about time for them to get the seal.

-We know –Neji said, calmly –The new seal, reformed with the help of Karin Uzumaki, is ready.

-Hisaki and Hikari are the future and hope of the Hyuga clan –Hinata added, a smile on her face –They will be the firsts to receive the new seal, the way it was intended since the beginning and not the dividing seal of the old days.

She kept the smile on her face as she turned to see her husband and co-leader of the clan, his bare forehead showing. It had been a long and painful way, but in spite of the tragedy happened years ago, they had managed to find the truth about the Hyuga clan’s duty and the purpose of the seal.

She looked up to the sky, somewhere out there, another pair of twins should be watching proudly at how their kids had succeeded at reuniting the clan.

Hiashi and Hizashi would be very happy, she knew on her heart.

[skz-suki]

⭐️ 🍭….☆彡 SUKIS PROFILE !

⭐️…BASICS !

STAGE NAME: suki

BIRTH NAME: uchiyama suki

ENGLISH NAME: jordyn uchiyama

NICKNAMES: kiki , star, jord, uki

HOMETOWN: new york, new york USA

BIRTHPLACE: tokyo, japan

NATIONALITY: american

ETHNICITY: japanese american

BIRTHDAY: february 18th, 2000

ZODIAC: aquarius

LANGUAGES: english (native), japanese (native) korean (fluent) spanish (conversational)

FAMILY: twin sister (identical), younger sister, mom, dad

PHYSICAL !

FACECLAIM: asaya jurin (XG)

RAP CLAIM: asaya jurin (XG)

VOCAL CLAIM: oh haewon (nmixx)

DANCECLAIM: @/baileysok, asaya jurin

HEIGHT: 172cm (5’7)

MODIFICATIONS: all upper earlobe piercings on both ears, helix on right ear and tragus on left ear, 2 tattoos

NOTABLE FEATURES: big cat like eyes, wide smile

PERSONALITY !

MBTI: ENFP

MBTI TYPE: enfp personality types are described as enthusiastic, charismatic, charming, energetic, and independent. enfps are also creative, and do best in situations where they have the freedom to create and innovate.

POSITIVE TRAITS: spontaneous, warm, strong people and communication skills, creative, charismatic, empathetic

NEGATIVE TRAITS: overthinks, sometimes disorganized, easily stressed

CAREER !

OCCUPATION: singer, rapper, dancer, songwriter, producer

POSITIONS IN STRAY KIDS: main dancer, main rapper, lead vocalist

UNIT IN STRAY KIDS: danceracha

DEBUT: march 25th, 2018 (korea), march 18th, 2020 (japan)

YEARS ACTIVE: 2018 - present

AGENCY: jyp (2016 - present)

FORMER AGENCY: yg entertainment (2014 - 2016)

ASSOCIATIONS: stray kids

REPRESENTATIVE EMOJI: 🐆/🐱

SKZOO: a baby cheetah named skita (a combination of 치타 (chita) and suki)

SOLO FANDOM: comets

FACTS !

she has a twin sister named seiko and a younger sister named satomi. seiko is a hair stylist/artists and satomi is in fashion school!

predebut she ran a popular tumblr ac where she would post “aesthetic pics” and it’s still up to this day

her stage name was almost star but she decided to go with her real name because she’d rather star be a nickname

she’s been dancing since she was 3 and actually trained in ballet before she quit and focused on hiphop full time

she really loves tattoos as she grew up around a tattoo studio (her dad is a popular tattoo artist in nyc)

she can play the electric guitar and the harmonica (!?)

she’s really close with her mom, and she often talks about her a lot

+ more

[abbatoirablaze]

The Avenger's Initiative, Chapter 8

Word Count:  4.3k

Warnings:  abduction, basement wife, deals, manipulation, mention of dubcon relationship, mentions of smut, mentions of violence/aggression. 

Loki’s POV

"You're on your own," I chuckled, watching Steve leave the room on the small monitor. I turned to the young maiden on the cot, "while I'd love to say it's been charming getting to know you, you aren't much of a talker. And I don't feel like lying, not to someone who is off the board, anyways."

She didn't fight me this time as I went towards the stairs. Once I hit the second floor, Steve was pushing past me. He had sheer anger in his eyes. I smiled to myself.

"Morning Cap," I chuckled, "how's it-" 

"Shut up!" he growled, hitting the stairs to the attic. 

I love a little chaos in the mornings.

Making my way past the main floor and into the basement I could hear Thor still taking out his aggressions on the one they called 'Cassie.' Only it didn't sound like it was a lesson he was teaching her, since I could hear fairly loud moans of pleasure erupting from her throat. At the end of the hall, I looked up to the camera, "if either one of you are done tearing the heads off of one another do you mind buzzing me in?"

After a pregnant pause, the door clicked, and I opened it. Sam was staring at his maiden, while the other three glared at him. Closing the door, their daggered eyes pointed towards me.

"Sounds like the feisty one is enjoying her time with my brother," I chuckled, biting my upper lip, "would you care to take your maiden for some exercise?"

"Can't leave them alone."

"Yes, I do suppose that's right," I nodded, "maybe that's why I came down. Think of that, Wilson?"

His eyes flicked angrily at me, then towards his maiden, and his features softened. I felt my nostrils flare in disgust as he'd become almost attached to her in such a short time as she was to him.

Weak-willed pathetic humans.

Without another word to me Wilson undid his maiden's bonds, and they made their way outside of the room. I took a seat on the barstool that was to the right of the door. Taking my time, I looked at the three remaining women in the room.

The one that they had called Danielle had been part of the first group. Her wavy blonde hair was identical to that of her twin sisters. The only real difference I could spot was a small beauty mark right at the peak of her brow. The one they called Mackenzie was mark free. Neither one of them seemed outlandishly beautiful or special in any way. Looking at Danielle I could see that her thoughts were pretty mind-numbing. She was trying to remember how long that they had been down here.

"Four weeks," I answered simply, bringing her out of her own thoughts. She looked at me and furrowed her brow, "You've been down here for four weeks. They'll probably transfer you and Brittany to separate rooms soon enough...if you are deemed ready."

"What?" she asked, "how did you-"

"Don't engage," the raven-haired beauty growled from the corner. I turned my attention to her. She had long black hair and piercing green eyes. A few small piercings adorned her. Her ears and one directly above her lip. What did they call that? A Marilyn Monroe? She glared at me with a sense of knowledge, "that's Loki. He and Thor are from Asgard...he can look into your mind.  He’ll try to trick you."

"Oh, I can do many things, my sweet pet," I smiled, finding myself drawn to her. The magnetism couldn't be ignored, even through a deathly glare and slight snarl towards me. I got out of my seat and snapped myself in front of her. I let my hand brush against the side of her cheek, "I would love to be able to show you."

"Didn't you hear me earlier?" she asked, leaning forward. I looked at her curiously as I felt myself wanting to kiss her already. She batted her eyes at me, and I leaned in closer. When our lips were almost touching, she whispered, "I'd rather fuck your brother!"

My smile fell and I backed away from her. I felt my nostrils flaring as I tried to handle her insult and she could sense that she'd already gotten under my skin with her comments. She smiled and puckered her lips as if to blow me a kiss, just to add insult to injury, “I would say you look a little green…but your ears are tipped blue, Jotun.”

Huffing, I backed away, throwing a faux smile onto my face as I tried to calm myself, "no matter. You still haven't followed instructions given by goodie too shoes Rogers, so you'll find your fate with my brother soon enough. Though from what I hear, Thor's not as gentle with Midgardian women. Us gods often forget we can be far more powerful than you mortals...you know too much power and strength."

"Did it skip over you when they doled it out?" she taunted. Just as I turned to retort, Thor came back into the room carrying the first girl. She was passed out, and her clothes were torn, “or are you just weaker because you’re the runt Jotun your father abandoned.”

"Oh, brother," Thor greeted happily. I groaned internally. He was like a stupid golden retriever, always happy and excited to see me for whatever reason, "I didn't know you were coming down today."

"Sam is exercising his maiden," I said shortly. Thor nodded and put the woman down, tying her back in her place, "I suppose you've exercised this one enough?"

"I know not of my strength," he chuckled, as if we weren't in a room of abducted women, and rather at some Midgardian bar. He looked around the room and he remembered the earlier scenario with my raven-haired beauty, "the other one. Has she taken her vitamins?"

"No," she spat, looking directly at me, "I'm not taking this stupid crap. I've done work in pharmacology. I know what those are."

"Then you'll know that they are good for you," Thor grinned. He picked up the remaining cup of vitamins and offered them to her, "here. Take them and we'll have no problems."

"I'm. Not. Taking. Them," she growled, kicking the cup out of his hands. He chuckled as she tried to kick at him as he got closer, "GET OFF!"

"Oh, you are going to be a fun one," he chuckled, untying her and subduing her as though she were nothing, "I can tell."

"Wait!"

Thor looked back at me from the door, "What is it brother? Can't you see I'm to exercise this one now?"

My mouth opened but the words failed to come to me as she continued to try to get away from him. She wriggled in his grasp, and he smacked her ass hard enough for her to yelp.

"Alright little one. It's your turn." Thor roared as he opened the door to a separate room. The door slammed shut and there was a crackle of electricity down the track lighting.

"The two remaining coherent women looked at me. Both of their features mimicked one another and the one known as Mackenzie smirked.

"You. What are you smirking at?" I growled, feeling my anger as she started slightly laughing at me.

"You just going to let Thor walk all over you for the rest of your life?" she taunted.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's obvious that your crazy psycho ass likes her," she scoffed, "I mean really. You were going to kiss her in a dungeon where other abducted girls are."

"Yeah, it was kind of creepy," her sister added in, "but it fits I guess."

"Definitely fits something Jade would do," Mackenzie agreed, "too bad she's in there fucking your brother."

My stomach worked itself into a knot as I tore myself from the room and ran down to the room that Thor had taken Jade into. Practically ripping the door off the hinges, I saw Thor had cuffed her to the bed and had ripped her pants off of her already.

"Brother! Why are you here?"

"Let me take care of this one," I began. Thor raised a brow at me, "she purposefully didn't take the vitamins once she found out that you were taking care of the girls. She obviously has some sort of affinity for you."

"Well of course she would," he smiled proudly, "I am the god of thunder."

"Would it really be a punishment though?" I asked, "if you were to do it?"

"I suppose not," he sighed. He looked towards Jade and smirked. Holding his hands up he let small sparks of electricity flow between his fingers, "however. If you are bad again, I may just have to punish you in another way."

"Is it really punishment?" she asked with a teasing wink. He sent her a half smirk before turning back to me. Looking at Jade, she sent me another one of her little kisses as if to mock me.

"Brother, be careful with this one," Thor chuckled as he clapped me on the back, "she is a very playful one.  I feel like she would have even you left in a circle of confusion."

“You’re no longer needed brother.  Go watch the other girls.”

Thor smirked, “as you wish brother!”

“Wait?” she asked.  Thor smirked even more, “what about my offer?”

“Fret not, lady Jade. I will think of your offer," he chuckled as he hit the door, "show my brother a good time and I most certainly shall consider it."

And with that he was out the door.

My eyes turned back to Jade, "what was he talking about?"

"None of your business."

"Have you already forgotten that I can simply look past your lies and into your mind?" I asked.

"Then why haven't you? Are you afraid of what you'll find?" I felt my anger burning but I pushed it back. She smiled, seeing the small amount of magic coming off my fingertips, "oh, does Prince Loki lose the ability to control himself when he gets flustered?"

I growled, rushing at her. Thor cuffing her to the bed had caused her to lose her ability to move away from me. Grabbing her face, I forced her eyes to look into my own.

"Do you know what I could do to you?" I seethed, "With a simple thought I could turn your brain into mush. I could gut you like a fish and not even give your mutilated corpse a second thought, Jade. I could turn your worst fears into the harshest realities. Do. Not. Piss. Me. Off."

"Do it."

I continued to stare her down. Neither one of us refused to give up and she leaned her face against my hand more urgently.

"Do it."

I wanted to yell at her. Wanted to scream at her. Make her plead with me not to hurt her. But she just glared at me. As though she genuinely hated me. There was no fear. There was no terror. Just pure anger.

"If you won't tell me then I'll find out," I whispered. She seemed to understand that I would go into her head and suddenly it melted away, "just remember, my pet. You asked for this."

Jade’s POV

The lights crackled as he threw me down on the bed and tore my pants off. Before I could react, he had somehow managed to bind me to the headboard. Looking up I saw fuzzy black cuffs around my wrist.

"This how you normally show a girl a good time?"

Thor chuckled. His hands reached over me to tighten the cuffs and as he finished on the one further from him, I closed my eyes, inhaling the scent of him. He smelled like a spring afternoon after a fresh rain and a campfire. I smiled thinking of nights when I was a kid at summer camp, and suddenly felt his lips softly brush mine, "you are funny. Young maiden. Are you not afraid after seeing how I returned your friend?"

I opened my eyes and saw that his dark blue eyes were almost stormy. He was trying to intimidate me.

"No."

He backed up a small amount and looked me in the eyes.  His brow furrowed, "no?"

"I have a proposition for you though," I admitted quietly. He looked at me in confusion as he backed up another step, "my friend...the one that isn't with us. Is she really, okay? Or is that just what you want us to believe."

"Lady Mira," Thor nodded, "I have seen her. She has a jaw that has been broken. Dr. Banner had to come with us yesterday and re-set it. It had healed improperly. He left after it was set. She will be fine in a month or two."

"I need to know that she is alive though," I said quickly, looking from him to the door, "it's my fault that she agreed to come up here with them. Mackenzie will say it's hers, but I told her that coming up here would get her away from the city so she could forget Jack and the fact that Cassie is sleeping with him now."

"What is your proposition, Lady Jade?"

"Take me to her," I pleaded, "take me to see Mira. To make sure she is really alright."

"And what would I be getting?"

"I'll do whatever you want," I said even quicker, "you probably know of a way to get to her. You're one of the main six avengers. I don't think any of them aside from Captain America outranks you...I-I need to know my best friend is alright."

"That is an interesting proposition," he smiled, "you'll do anything that I ask?"

"Anything."

"And what is to stop me from taking it right now?"

"I know a lot of things about you Thor. Just like I know a lot about all of the Avengers. You are vain, much like your brother. The ability to have ownership over someone is very enticing. But for them to give you ownership over them-"

"I see where you are going, Lady Jade," he nodded with a smirk, "and this arrangement would end, when?"

"Whenever you saw fit."

"And what if I didn't?"

Then the door ripped open, and I saw him. I smiled, looking at Thor. Right on time.

Loki’s POV

Letting go of her, she gasped. I backed away and gave a heavy sigh.

"You did this on purpose?" I asked, "you-you knew that I would come in after you..."

"Sounds like you're accusing me of something," she said sweetly, "and you know. Sam said you don't want to go around accusing people of things or go and speculate. It puts them in a real bad light."

"What?" I asked, "but ho-"

"I know you Loki," she replied, looking at me from the position of power. She scooted up so that her arms could rest a little easier and she leaned against the headboard, "you like what you can't have. More than that, you like believing you're the smartest guy in the room. But sometimes...you aren't. That's when you learn about oversight."

My nostrils began to flare in anger as she bested me, "you don't know what you are messing with. Who's to say that now I know your plan with Thor I won't let him do it?"

"Still can't shake those villainous attributes," she smiled, "it's cute. You know. Gonna go foil big brother's plans because yours aren't as good.   Is that how you make your failures appear as less than they are?  If someone fails just as much as you, then suddenly your failures aren't as big?"

"I don't want to talk to you," I lied, shifting away from her.  She nudged me with her leg and a giggle rose from her throat, "stop that." 

How had she managed to hit the nail on the head like that?  How did she know so much about me already?

"Loki," she purred. I closed my eyes and pretended not to hear her. She continued to say my name in the sweetest of tones. It was like she somehow managed to coat her voice in a sultry sweetness, and I wanted nothing more than to give in, "come on. Don't be mad at me. I can see it in your body language you don't want to be. Talk to me."

My jaw ticked.

"You wanna know what your tell is?" she asked, "how I know you aren't mad at me?"

"You don't know anything about me!"

"Your nostrils flare," she replied, ignoring my prior comment, "and when they do, you get this slight glisten along the ridge of your nose, almost as if it's turning a silver blue. You're a frost giant.  I know that.  And while you manage to keep it under control, I can see that you are flustered...and when you're flustered you can't put the background energy into keeping your façade.  Like with how your ears tipped blue in the other room."

I huffed and turned towards her, "you don't know anything about frost giants. And you certainly don't know anything about me. Now let me just get through enough time in silence with you so that it makes it seem like I punished you."

"But Loki?" she purred, "wouldn't you rather spend your time convincing me to make a deal with you instead?

I looked at her dead in the eyes. She could see through me like I was a piece of glass. She could see the jealousy over her attempt at a deal with Thor. She could see that she'd already managed to get under my skin. She could see that I wanted control. And she was literally giving it to me on a silver platter.

"I'm listening."

"You can see inside people's minds," she said simply, "Mira's jaw was reset which means she won't be able to talk to anyone, and probably hasn't since it was originally broken. I want time with her. I want to be able to communicate with her so that she doesn't have to talk."

"I couldn't just give you the ability to reach inside her mind," I replied, shaking my head, "I don't know what you are, but you already know how to push buttons. I'm not giving you any help to further that."

"Then let her communicate to others without speaking," she pleaded, "I know that it's probably killing her being unable to talk to someone...even if she does hate you monsters."

"First of all," I said quickly, "we aren't monsters. Once you learn that...well it's a lesson learned in time. But secondly, if I were to do something like that, it would only last until she was able to speak. Once she spoke the connection would be severed...and thirdly, the amount of power that would take would make my life extremely mundane. I wouldn't be able to do certain things because I'm concentrating energy on helping her."

"I'll let you have me," she replied without any issue, "I see the way you look at me. You say I know how to press buttons...well imagine what happens when I press the right ones."

"You'll agree to be mine?"

"Until you change your mind otherwise," she nodded, "Completely and only yours."

"Why are you offering this? You know, I know you are aware of the long-term implications of this. I could ask for you to marry me. To give me children and yet you are somehow complacent with that and okay with it?" I asked, "you mentioned that it's your fault that she's up here but very few friends would do this for someone else...you are offering up your life for what?"

"She's my best friend," she said simply, "and if you knew half the shit she went through in life and you were in my position, you'd probably do the same." 

Jade’s POV

"I accept."

"What?"

Loki had been sitting beside me as I was bound to the bed for god knows how long, refusing to look at me. But now, as he stared into my eyes, I could see that he was being truthful.

"I accept your offer, Jade," he began, "but you have to understand what this means."

"I know."

"No," he said, shaking his head, "you don't. If you go through with this, I'm claiming you as mine. There is no going back. There is no getting out of it. I will perform some very serious magic and you will be unable to tell those around you of your predicament. If anyone asks your mind will force you to say that you care for me and that you chose this until I believe it enough to release it. And then I will keep you until I tire of you."

"Okay."

He watched me for any signs of fear, but really all I felt was relief. I'd chosen to go on something that we could bond off of. The mutuality of wanting our chosen families to love us, and though the gears ground in his head, I could see that he wanted it and in less of a contractual way.

"You will be only mine," he repeated, "I will tell the rest of the guys that I am claiming you and they won't even look in your general direction for comfort."

"I understand."

He took a deep breath, and I could see the blue line on the ridge of his nose appearing, "you don't know what you are agreeing to."

"Why are you trying to talk me out of it, Loki?"

"I'm trying to make sure that you are informed is all," he said simply. He snapped his fingers, and the cuffs were off my wrists. Taking them in my hands, I rubbed at the sore, slightly agitated skin, "I don't want you trying to change your mind once I eventually take you back to the city."

"You don't think you'll grow tired of me by then?" I asked. He smiled and the ridge from his nose disappeared.

"No," he replied, looking down and licking his lips, "I do not believe that I will be tired of you by any means by that time."

"So, we have a deal," I confirmed. He nodded and moved beside me on the bed, "I'll be yours, and you help Mira."

"Yes, my pet," he nodded. He leaned forwards and I waited until our lips were almost touching before placing my finger against his lips, "I thought you agreed?"

"I need to know that you can fulfill your promise," I began, "take me to her...let me see her."

"Very well," he nodded. He snapped and on the television a video appeared. The camera showed Mira on a cot. Captain America had her in his lap and he was soothing her. His hand went up and down her side and thigh as she slept, "is this what you were expecting to see?"

"You're safe, my sweet little bunny," he whispered to her, "I'm here. No one is going to hurt you...I promise."

In the corner I could see Bucky glaring at them both from his spot at a desk, where multiple monitors were situated, all with views of the different rooms.

"But how do I know that it worked?" I asked, "she's sleeping."

"Fine," he sighed. He snapped again and she tiredly woke up. Steve tried to coax her back into his arms, but she went over to desk where the cameras were, "bottom left."

"What?"

"I'm telling her which screen to look at," he said dismissively. I saw Mira point to the screen that had Loki and myself on it. Loki winked at me, and our screen got larger. Then he turned to me, his hand rested on my bare thigh, "say what you want to her."

"Mira," I said out loud. I looked at the screen, and it changed to a view of her and Bucky at the desk. Her eyes went wide, "Mira, can you hear me."

'Jade?' she asked, "Jade is that really you?'

I nodded, feeling the tears coming to my eyes. It was like I could hear her inside my head. Tears immediately pricked at her eyes as I responded.

"I-I can hear you," I said quickly, feeling the tears spill over, "Loki-he he gave you some of his magic so you can communicate...you can talk to any one of us now."

She looked back at Steve and his eyes went wide. He ran up to her, "Bunny, I can hear you."

And then my television screen went black. I looked back at Loki. He began to wipe the tears from my cheeks, "see my pet. You need not worry. Your little friend is quite alright...and as promised, I'm fulfilling my side of the bargain."

"Let me see her again," I pleaded, "I-I didn't get to talk to her.. I didn't get to-"

"In time," he said shortly, cutting me off as he began leaning towards me again, "now I believe it is your turn to show a gesture...an act of faith and good will."

Sighing, I closed my eyes and bowed my head. I didn't want to do what he was asking. He didn't give me enough time with Mira. I didn't get to tell her how sorry I was.

I felt him lifting my chin. Opening my eyes, I gasped as his lips met my own. It sent shivers down my spine as his cool breath mixed with mine. Deepening the kiss, I felt him lick against my bottom lip as if he were to ask for my permission.

I pulled away harshly.

"Pet," he whispered, "I thought I asked for an act of kindness."

"That's all the kindness you'll get." I hissed, sliding my body away from his. He tried to reach out to me, but I slid off the bed.

"Oh pet," he tisked, "are you upset that I cut your visit short with your friend? Come here. Come back and give me a reason to let you see her longer. Show me that you want to see her again."

"Loki," I warned, "I don't want to play this game."

"Oh, but why not?" he asked with a smirk as he sprawled himself out across the bed, "it's quite fun when you are the one getting flustered." 

Chapter 9

Tag List:  @krissy25, @lohnes16, @multifandom-world8

[bestiesenpai]

panty raid - Maki & Mai

I do not like to limit myself and as such, lets go lesbians I’ve chosen both lol, femme reader, 984 words

Content warnings: a touch of somno(light touching), perhaps yandere if you squint

There was only one thing the Zenin twins could agree on. It wasn't lifestyle choice, fashion - they didn’t even agree on food preferences. No, the one thing they could agree on was their infatuation for you. Having met you at the same time, they both had equal footing to try and win your affection.

But it was proving harder to do than they first anticipated. You were so...shy, so nervous to pursue either of them. Perhaps you were overwhelmed by the attention they so clearly gave you, the way Maki would put her hand on the small of your back in crowds or the way Mai would compliment your outfit every time she saw you.

Sometimes, the sisters worked well together. And for once they had found a common ground. You had mentioned you liked to sleep with the window cracked on hot summer nights, assuming since you were on the upper floors of your apartment that no one would dare scale the wall and try to break in.

“We get in and we get out, got it?” Maki mumbled as she did just that, pushed the bedroom window open and rolled into your bedroom.

“You don’t have to fucking remind me.” Mai snapped back, pushing away the hand Maki held out to help her climb in. The two of them stood side by side by the window, taking in your bedroom slowly.

They’d never been inside, only seeing the lounge room as they came to get you for a hangout. It was exactly like the expected and smelled just like you. Poking around a few trinkets you had and looking at pictures on the wall, Maki found what they came here for.

“Over here.” Waving her sister over, Maki held up the first garment. A normal pair of cotton underwear, nothing special and in a plain black color. Instantly at her side, Mai wasted no time digging deeper.

“Lookie here.” Pinched between two fingers was a lacy pink pair of panties, held up to face both of them. “Who knew (Y/N) could be such a little tease.” Maki said nothing, staring at the panties hanging off Mai’s fingers with pursed lips.

Forcing air through her nose and ignoring the fierce blush on her face, Maki went for a pair in the same place Mai had found hers. White in color but identical in pattern, both girls pocketed their respective pairs.

Closing the drawer, they went to the closet next. Brazen in their actions, they threw open the closet with no hesitation, not caring for whatever sound it may make. It was like you’d told them exactly where your dirty clothes hamper was because they found it in an instant.

“Right on the top.” Maki grinned widely, grabbing the first pair she saw. Turning her back to her sister, she held the pair up to her nose and took a deep sniff; the scent of your cunt wafted up her nose and had her spine tingling.

“These must be her gym ones.” Holding up a pair that were still tangled up in a pair of tight leggings, Mai could practically feel the sweat that had accumulated in the fibers. The heady aroma was hard to miss and she took a generous whiff, letting out a gleeful giggle at smelling your body odor so strongly.

“W-we’ve spent enough time here, lets go.” Nearly a whole minute later, Maki forced herself out of her reverie. Not an ounce of shame could be found in her for breaking into your home and doing this, but she was definitely getting worked up and needed to relieve herself.

“Just a second.” Pocketing one of your hair accessories, Mai walked over to your bedside. It was amazing you managed to sleep through all that they’d done and with the strong breeze now coming in through the window.

“What’re you doing?!” Maki hissed, scrambling to try and stop Mai from touching you. But it was too late, she was already running manicured fingers up your cheek and stopping at your hairline.

“She’s absolutely beautiful, don’t ya think?” Mai had a wispy tone to her voice, as if she was in a dream with you.

“Of course she is.” Coming to her side, Maki cupped the other cheek. “(Y/N) is perfect, in every single way.” Leaning down, Maki pressed her lips to yours, careful not to move and disturb you. She was shoved away by Mai, something she expected would happen, and her sister quickly took her place.

“Don’t think you can be the only one to do that.” Pulling away from you, Mai flipped Maki off, nearly setting the other on fire with her glare. “Just because we’re doing this together doesn’t mean we’ll share everything about (Y/N).”

“Whatever you say.” Grabbing your lip balm off the bedside table, Maki pointed to the window. “Now let’s get out of here.”

It pained them to leave you, it really did. They felt at home in your room, whether you were awake or not. Both felt they belonged here, like they could climb into your bed with you and fall right asleep, waking in the morning and kissing you senseless.

“What if she finds out?” Mai whispered as she started to climb out the window, Maki right behind her.

“If she did, how would she know it was us?” Maki quirked a brow, effectively shutting Mai up.

“True.” Nodding her head, Mai began to scale down the side of the building. “Now let's get going, I can’t stand to be near you any longer.” Maki stifled a chuckle, not wanting to cause a pointless argument.

“Whatever you say little sister.”

[sisterspooky1013]

Only One Choice, Part 2, Chapter 15

Read it here on AO3 / Tagging @today-in-fic

Missy gives her a skeptical glance as Mulder knocks on the door for an eternity in a strange pattern. She shrugs, then startles when a cacophony of loud pops and clicks erupts from the other side of the door before it swings open to reveal a short man with a receding hairline and bushy sideburns.

“Mulder, ladies, please come in!” he greets warmly, stepping to the side.

Mulder touches his hand to Scully’s lower back, ushering her inside and waiting as Missy follows before he enters last. The short man holds out his hand to Missy and when she takes it, he brings her hand to his lips and kisses the tops of her fingers.

“Enchante, you must be Melissa,” he says suavely, and Missy gives her sister an amused smile. “Melvin Frohike, pleased to meet you,” he finishes, and Missy giggles.

“And you must be the enigmatic Dana Scully,” he says, turning to Scully and offering his hand.

She takes it, but tugs hers away at the first indication that he intends to do more than shake it. Frohike turns to Mulder with raised eyebrows and a knowing smirk.

“She’s hot,” he says matter-of-factly, and Scully looks at Mulder with big eyes, unsure whether he’ll find his friend’s flattery offensive.

“Yes, I’ve noticed. Put a damper on the Don Juan act would ya, Frohike? You’re going to scare them away.”

Frohike presses his hand to his chest in mock sincerity. “I aim only to properly welcome these beautiful women to our home, Mulder,” he defends, then holds up his hands in surrender. “Back to the kitchen I go,” he finishes, leaving the room.

A slender man with long blonde hair and glasses passes through, pausing when he realizes they have company.

“Mulder, hey man. I forgot you were coming by.”

He looks at Missy and Scully but doesn’t say anything.

“Langly, this is Dana, and her sister Melissa,” Mulder offers, and Langly waves, looking back and forth between them.

“So which one’s yours?” he asks, and Mulder mutters something under his breath.

“That would be me,” Scully answers, holding her hand up at her side. For the first time that she can recall, being referred to as belonging to a man doesn’t bother her.

“Cool,” he says, then turns away and sits down behind a computer.

Scully and Missy both look at Mulder expectantly, asking hundreds of questions with their eyes that they are too polite to speak aloud.

“I know, I know,” he says regretfully. “I told you, they grow on you.”

“Mulder, hello,” calls a new voice, and Scully turns to see a tall man in a suit with neatly coiffed brown hair and a matching goatee.

“Hello, ladies, I’m John Fitzgerald Byers,” he says, holding out his hand shaking each of theirs in turn. “I apologize for my friends’ behavior, they don’t get out much. Please, come in, make yourselves at home.”

As Byers leads them to the living room, Scully takes stock of what Mulder had referred to as their “lair.” There’s one large room that is sectioned off into a living area and a tech lab, the latter hosting several computers as well as hundreds of computer parts and boxes upon boxes with wires sticking out of them. There’s a kitchen just off the living room, and beyond that a long hallway that must lead to bedrooms. They sit down on a well-worn orange couch, Scully in the middle, while Byers takes an armchair next to the end of the couch where Missy is seated.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Byers asks, his eyes lingering on Missy for a beat.

“It’s margarita night!” Frohike calls from the kitchen, and Byers smiles meekly.

“We also have beer, or wine, if you don’t care for margaritas,” he offers demurely.

“I love margaritas,” Missy answers with a shrug, “so does Dana, right Sis?” she continues, giving Scully a little jab with her elbow, and Scully smiles and nods.

“Sure, margaritas sound great,” she says, and Byers looks visibly relieved.

“Please excuse me, I’ll be right back,” he says, standing with a slight bow.

After he has disappeared into the kitchen, Missy looks over at Scully and widens her eyes momentarily, then juts out her chin.

“Really?” Scully says with some measure of surprise, and Missy nods enthusiastically.

Mulder chuckles, and Scully looks at him with furrowed eyebrows.

“What?” she asks accusingly.

“You two have some kind of secret language. You sure you aren’t twins?”

“I remember when Dana was born,” Missy says, “it was awful. We are definitely NOT twins.”

“Missy, you were two when I was born, there’s no way you remember that,” Scully says doubtfully, and Missy rolls her eyes.

“Believe what you will, Sis, but I distinctly recall you crying for hours and Bill Jr. peeing his pants in protest,” she says confidently.

“That does sound like Bill,” Scully concedes, and they both laugh.

“Why do I get the impression that Bill isn’t the favorite sibling?” Mulder asks, and Scully rests her hand on his knee.

“Just be glad he doesn’t live close enough to attend Sunday brunch tomorrow,” she says with a squeeze, “if you’re lucky, you won’t have to meet him for years.”

Mulder smirks at her with soft, affectionate eyes. “Years, huh?” he asks, and Scully smiles as heat rises to her cheeks, realizing what she’d implied.

“Here we are,” Byers says as he re-enters the room carrying a tray with four glasses on it. He sets the tray on the coffee table and passes a glass to each of the sisters and then to Mulder before he takes one himself and sits down.

“What should we drink to?” Missy asks, holding her glass up.

“How about, to new friends,” Byers offers, giving her a small smile.

“To new friends,” Missy repeats, and they clink their glasses together.

———

“A WHAT tail?” Missy asks, her tongue thick with tequila and her eyes glassy.

“A ves- vesigible? Vestibule tail?” Mulder attempts, closing one eye in concentration.

“Vestigial tail,” Scully corrects them, retaining her medical terminology even under the influence of four very strong margaritas.

“Yes, that was it,” Byers says, pointing at her triumphantly.

Frohike drank too much and retired to his bedroom an hour ago, while Langly is still stationed behind his computer, headphones on and seemingly immersed in some kind of first person shooter game. Byers has shed his suit jacket and cuffed his sleeves, his tie loosened around his neck. He long ago joined them on the orange couch where they are now stuffed like sardines, the sisters sandwiched in the middle with a man on each side.

“Caudal appendages are a normal part of fetal development,” Scully says, her head leaning against Mulder’s arm and their hands entwined in his lap. “The coccyx enlarges to contain the spinal fluid and then it shrinks as the child develops. Occasionally it doesn’t. It’s extremely rare, but it’s been known to happen.”

“But that’s not the point,” Mulder retorts, sticking his nose into her hair. “The tail was just how they made the connection, the freaky deaky part is that this guy could change his appearance to look like the women’s husbands so they’d have sex with him.”

“That’s disgusting,” Missy says with a frown, and Byers puts his hand on her upper back, rubbing comfortingly. She looks at him and smiles sweetly.

“I don’t buy that at all,” Scully says, shaking her head clumsily.

“The shapeshifting?” Mulder asks, assuming the answer.

“Well that too, but even just the idea that they didn’t know it wasn’t their husband. They would have known,” she says plainly, it being an obvious fact to her.

“He was physically identical to their husbands, there was no way to tell the difference,” Byers explains, looking at the side of Missy’s face while he talks.

“Well maybe he looked like them, but partnered sex is very routine based,” Scully continues, “if you’re with the same person for a long time, you develop somewhat of a cadence, an order of things, that there’s no way he could have replicated. So even if he was physically identical to the husbands, he would have kissed differently, touched them differently. They would have noticed the difference.”

Mulder sits back against the arm rest so he can see her face more clearly.

“So you’re telling me that if a man who looked exactly like me in every way, physically identical, tried to seduce you, you’d know it wasn’t me?”

Scully gives him an irritated look. “Yes.”

“How?” he asks incredulously.

“Because no one else kisses like you do,” she says at a lower register, hoping Missy and Byers aren’t listening.

Mulder looks past her to the other end of the couch and his eyebrows lift in surprise, his mouth curling into an amused smile. Scully turns to see what he’s smiling at and finds that Missy and Byers most definitely were not listening, because they currently have their tongues halfway down each other’s throats. Scully turns back to Mulder with an open-mouthed smile.

“Oh my god,” she gushes, leaning her forehead against his chest.

He wraps his arms around her back and gives her a squeeze.

“I was just about to say we should get outta here,” Mulder whispers against her ear, “but I’d hate to interrupt them. I think this is the most action Byers has gotten in years.”

She stifles her laugh in his T-shirt, then sits up to look at him.

“Is he a good guy?” she questions in a bit of sisterly concern.

“Oh, yes, the best,” Mulder says emphatically. “If it were either of the other two stooges down there I’d pry Missy off of him and transport her to safety, but Byers is good people.”

Scully nods in approval, sneaking another glance towards the lovebirds as Missy’s foot starts to press against her thigh; they seem to be orienting more horizontally by the second. She glances over at Langly, but he’s oblivious.

“Do you think it’s okay if we leave her here?” Mulder asks cautiously, unsure if it’s an obscene suggestion.

Scully looks at her sister again. “Missy, we’re leaving,” she says loudly, and Missy holds up her arm, flicking her wrist in a “go” motion. Scully turns back to Mulder. “She’s fine.”

Mulder lives closer to the Gunmen so they direct the cab driver there, quietly kissing in the backseat on the ten minute drive. She is pleasantly drunk, just this side of sloppy, and feeling particularly amorous after such a fun evening. Mulder stumbles through his front door ahead of her, swearing as he stubs his toe on the table. He feeds Priscilla as Scully removes her shoes and jacket, making her way to the couch. As soon as he sits down beside her, he leans over and presses his boozy lips against hers, the kiss firm and insistent and...weird.

“Mulder,” she says as he continues to plant strange kisses on her mouth, “what are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” he asks, moving his pecking down her neck.

“You’re kissing me weird,” she says flatly, and he lifts his head to give her a shocked look.

“Motherfucker,” he says in a disappointed tone, and she shoves his shoulder.

“I told you I would know, jerk,” she says playfully, and he laughs.

“I guess you would,” he says, starting to kiss her more properly.

“Shall we take this to the bedroom?” she suggests, and he stands, holding his hand out to her.

She leads him into the bedroom, and as she approaches the bed he grabs her roughly from behind, clutching her to him. She gasps at the sudden contact, but it also excites her.

“Is this okay?” he asks, his voice gravelly.

She nods her head tersely, wanting to see where he’s going to take it.

He growls and sticks his hand down the front of her still-buttoned jeans, forcing his fingers under her panties until he meets with her vulva. Keeping his fingers still, he slips his other hand under her shirt, shoving it under the underwire on her bra and grasping her breast roughly. Her heart is racing but she doesn’t move.

“Unbutton your pants,” he says levelly, and the authoritative tone in his voice sends a little rush between her thighs. She does as he said, unbuttoning her jeans and pushing them off her hips while his hand is still tucked against her.

With more room to move, he slips his hand down further and drags his fingers lazily over her lips. She can feel herself growing wet, her clit aching to be touched. He suddenly removes both hands, grabbing the hem of her shirt and tugging it over her head before she’s even had time to lift her arms, her bra soon following it to the floor. He steps forward, pushing her along with him, and then touches her upper back.

“Bend over,” he says, and she does, her torso resting on the mattress while her legs dangle over the side.

She feels him tug her jeans off her legs, and then her panties, leaving her nude. She waits, her heart pounding in her ears nearly blocking out the jangle of his belt buckle and the slide of his zipper. She feels his naked skin press against hers, his erection stiff and hot against her lower back. He leans forward to put his mouth to her ear.

“Still okay?” he asks.

“Yes,” she says breathily.

She hears the crinkle of the condom wrapper and wriggles her hips in anticipation, nearly moaning when his hands touch her bare hips, tugging her towards him. She feels the slick press of his latex-covered cock against her entrance and bucks back towards him, earning a little chuckle. He pushes into her, each groaning with relief, and wastes no time finding a hard and fast pace, the slap of skin deafening in the quiet apartment. He changes his angle, and she feels his hand snake around her hip, his touch rough and firm and perfectly paired with the strike of his head against her cervix on each upstroke. It hurts just a little bit, but in the best kind of way, and she cries out when he finds just the right combination, begging him not to stop.

A stream of obscenities, foul and offensive remarks about how she feels and looks, what he’s doing to her, pour from his lips and she is concurrently shocked and delighted, finding herself at the crest as he asks her how much she likes it, and calls her some questionable names. She comes hard and suddenly, the obscenities stopping as he explodes inside of her, falling partially on top of her as he loses the strength to stand.

After he’s extricated himself from the bed and disposed of the condom, he pulls her on top of him and peppers her with tender little kisses and gentle strokes of his hands over her naked body, telling her how beautiful and perfect she is, bringing them back to equilibrium. She props her chin on his chest and looks up at him with a wry smile.

“What did you call me?” she asks, and he does a silly cartoonish cringe.

“I’m not totally sure, to be honest. Did I say something bad?” he asks with genuine concern.

“I’m not totally sure, to be honest,” she replies, “I was otherwise engaged.” She smiles at him so he knows she’s not mad. She looks over at the clock beside his bed. “We better go to sleep,” she says, her eyes already drooping. “We have to be at my mother’s at ten tomorrow.”

———

“So, what did you all do last night?” Maggie asks around the lunch table, and Dana chokes on her water while Missy clears her throat.

“I introduced Dana to some of my friends,” Mulder answers jovially, on his best ‘meet the parents’ behavior.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Maggie answers warmly. “Are you from the area, Fox?”

“It’s Mulder, Mom,” Dana corrects her, and he waves his hand dismissively.

“It’s okay, moms get a free pass,” he says, smiling at Maggie. “I grew up on Martha’s Vineyard.”

“Ooooo, fancy schmancy,” Charlie remarks with raised eyebrows, and Dana glares at him.

“Do you have any siblings?” Maggie continues.

This is a line of questioning he’s had to navigate since he was twelve, but for Dana it’s a first. She tightens her grip on his hand under the table.

“It’s okay,” he whispers to her before turning back to Maggie. “I had a younger sister, but she died when I was twelve.”

Scully understands that this is probably his stock answer, not wanting to get into the true story with each person he crosses paths with, and feels retroactively touched that he was honest with her from the start.

Maggie’s hand goes to her chest as though reaching for a rosary, her face a mask of pain. “Oh, Fox, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, Mrs. Scully, it was a long time ago.”

Sensing the need for a subject change, Charlie turns to his oldest sister. “What’s up with you, Missy? You’re looking a little rough today.”

She gives him a derisive smile. “Thanks, little brother, love you too. I just didn’t get much sleep, I’m fine.”

“Uh huh,” Charlie says knowingly, and Missy kicks him under the table.

After the dishes have been cleared, Maggie is pulling the trash bag out of the can when Mulder interjects. “Let me take that out for you, Mrs. Scully.”

She watches him with a soft smile as he goes out the back door, then turns to look at her youngest daughter, who is also watching after him with an affectionate expression.

“Dana,” she calls, and when she has her daughter’s attention, she gives her a beaming smile. They don’t need to say more than that; Dana smiles back with a little nod, and they both understand that she’s found something worth moving on to.

[liquid-luck-00]

WonderBug

Angst Edition

Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) x Marinette Dupain-Cheng (Ladybug)

I am late. SO, so , so late but here it is

1: Soulmates @maribat-angst-fluff-april

My partner is the wonderful @thedragonbug

Ao3

Fuffy Edition

Soulmates exist, and Marinette hates hers. You see everyone is born with their half or part of a complete soul mark. The other parts would appear when you were closer to your soulmate and be permanent when they were close emotionally. For everyone, the appearance or 'drawing' of the mark was light and warm. But not for her, no her drawing was heavy and hot, like a hot knife digging into her arm.

Her parents knew this, and it was concerning, to know that their child was in pain because of their soulmate. Seeing as the marks were not supposed to be painful. Yet as there was no good reason given by medical and mark professionals, and the fact that her soulmate didn't stay near her for long there was nothing that they could do. They did tell her that few, this phenomenon affects one in a million people and she was just lucky enough to be one of them.

Over the years she grew used to the pain, but every time she did it would come back even stronger than the last. She slowly hated her mark and in turn her soulmate. Marinette would cover her mark, ignore it, even wish it away. All her soulmate did was bring her pain. Sure, it upped her pain tolerance, but it hurt her still.

When she turned fourteen, she became Ladybug. She then recognized that her mark was actually the wire of her yo-yo.

The first time Chat Noir claimed they were soulmates she broke down in tears. luckily for her he told her during patrol and not an attack.

"We aren't soulmates, Chat, and I'm glad we aren't." She nearly whispered.

"Why Bug?"

"Because I hate my soulmate, and I don’t want to ever hate you."

"Why would you hate your soulmate?" He seemed genuinely curious. But no one outside her parents knew, not a single person knew what happens to her.

"Because it hurts when they are close, it hurts so badly. The drawing is painful. I never want to meet the person who keeps hunting me." Tears formed in her eyes and Chat hugged her.

"I'm not your soulmate, then." She shook her head. "Good thing I'm your partner, and Plagg help me I am going to be your best friend. Got that Bugaboo?"

A half-hearted chuckle and a small smile escaped her. "Sounds good Kitty." The first person she has ever told, the person who was convinced that they were soulmates, cares for her, to help alleviate some of her pain.

The two became inseparable after that, to the point that most of Paris believed they were in a relationship.

When Nadia asked them about it during an interview, their reactions were memorable. Both all but gagged, turned to face each other, and then laughed almost falling out of the seats.

"I believe we have missed the joke." Nadia commented, worried, and confused.

"Why would I date my sister?"

"Sister?"

"Ladybug and I consider each other siblings in all but blood."

"Everything between us is simply platonic, not even close to romantic.” Ladybug answered after Chat.

“Then why would the whole of Paris believe you to be soulmates?” She may be good at hiding her pain, but the question must have made her react slightly, or Chat knew how sensitive the topic was to her.

“We aren’t soulmates, not the bonded ones that everyone thinks of.” He began. “We are the holders of the black cat and ladybug respectively because our souls resonate with the miraculous. Sure, they are two parts of a whole, but we are practically twins, two halves of coin. She is the sister I choose, she is my partner, and that is our relationship.”

“He’s completely right, now I think it’s time for us to start our patrol, BugOut!” Her smile now in place and their excuse to leave perfectly timed and respectful they made their exit.

They went on their patrol as normal, except just as they arrived at the Eiffel Tower to end the patrol. She was about to land on the platform when a searing pain flashed and radiating affecting her entire body blinding her momentarily. A single moment caused her to collapse on the tower landing, crumpling on the platform.

“LB!” Her breath came out in short bursts, she was clutching her upper arm eyes squeezed shut. This was the worst it has ever happened before, and she wanted it to end. As soon as the cause of pain came it disappeared. Leaving only the memory and a phantom pain.

"Just give me a minute." She slowly got her breathing under control, starting to get accustomed to the new level of pain.

"You weren't kidding that is the worst I’ve ever seen you hurt."

"Yeah not fun."

---

A month after that her mark burned again. This time during class. The teachers knew she would randomly stop due to pain, but they were told they were random migraines. To the point Mari would hold her head and rub her arm to sooth herself, while playing up a headache. Adrien stayed back after the class let out." You know you don't always need to put on a brave face Bugaboo."

Her attention snapped to him. "Well it's easier than constantly answering questions Kitty." She figured quickly.

Sure, they found out one another's identity, but that worked in their favor. After Tikki got sick, Fu started training Mari, and after a month Marinette was given guardianship. Fu still hasn’t lost his memories because Mari let Wayzz stay with him, for the time being, he eventually returns it to Mari in order to move on with his life, his memories fading gradually.

When Adrien got his hands on the grimoire, he of course showed it to Marinette.

“Kitty I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think your dad might be Hawkmoth.” This seemed to perfect for him to have without him being a villain.

“I know, but…”

“Adrien is there any motive anything that might be what he would wish for?”

“My mom. Dad closed himself off when she disappeared. I bet he would wish for her back.”

“Okay, so I’m going to be blunt okay.” He nodded. “So, if your mom is dead there isn’t anything that can be done without the wish, meaning at least one other person is dying.”

“So…”

“But if she is anything but.” She flipped through the grimoire recalling the studies she’s did with Fu. “There are ways we can find or even heal her.”

“This is all riding on an if.” He looked unsure as if this was too much to accept.

“Do you trust me?”

“If I didn’t, I would have turned tail and run a long time ago.”

“You dork.” She lightly shoved him, but he swayed dramatically.

“You two are close.” The new student in their class came up to them.

“Lila, right?”

“That’s right.” She answered sickly sweet, almost fake. “Are you two soulmates by any chance?”

“No.” Adrien answered. “Why?”

“You’re Adrien Agreste! Why would you be in public school?” She finally seemed to recognize.

“Let’s just say it’s a bit of rebellion.” He chuckled.

“We’re still on for video games, right?” She brought up to end the conversation seeing that Adrien was getting uncomfortable.

“Your winning streak is going down.” He announced.

“You want to join us, Lila?” She offered.

“Why?”

“Because your new and I want to get to know you.” Marinette answered honestly.

“Why?”

“Because we know you lied but still want to know you, the real you.” Adrien added.

“Why?” She asked suspiciously now.

“Question! Is it a felony to kidnap her to play video games, have snacks, get to know her, then let her go?”

“Well the kidnapping part is but if she goes willingly, I call that a hangout session.” Adrien mused.

“True, true.” She hummed. “So, what do you say, because now I am determined to get to know you.”

“Wh…”

“Kidnapping it is.” Adrien decided and grabbed the new girl’s wrist pulling her out of the library. Mari picking up their bags.

Lila herself wasn’t too bad once she started telling the truth, lying is a coping mechanism she created, because she is constantly moving schools, cities, and even countries. She is pretty interesting when she isn’t exaggerating. She was on a Hollywood movie set, but she was there on accident, she was looking for the bathroom in a restaurant and they were filming there that day. She did save a kitten on a tarmac once, but one it wasn’t Jagged Stones, it was a kitten who spooked out of their carrier and rushed down the stairs. Lila dove and caught it before it could leave the passenger unloading area to get the tram to the airport. (Some small airports unload passengers in a certain area of the tarmac and either shuttle them to the building or have a sectioned of walkway that is cleared for passengers, to walk back in only.)

After almost two hours Lila left for home when Adrien’s father called, and he was angry. Together she and Adrien ran back to the Agreste Mansion.

“Adrien!” Gabriel came out disheveled and slightly panicked. “And Miss Dupain-Cheng.” He slightly composed himself.

“Sorry I kept him.” She apologized. “He showed me this really cool book and you know how it is when inspiration hits.”

“Ah yes the inspiring fashion designer friend.” Adrien had walked up and handed his father the grimoire.

“It’s quite an interesting spell book.”

“You can read it?”

“Yes, I can. (Come on out little butterfly.)” Nooroo flew out from his hiding spot. “Hello kwamii of transmission and to you as well Hawkmoth.” She was calm deathly calm.

“How?!” Gabriel growled.

“Calm down. I have a question for you first. You want the jewels used by Ladybug and Chat Noir, why?”

“Would my answer change your plan of action to urn me into authorities and to the heroes?”

“My response may change, but you’ll have to answer to find out.”

“My wife wielder the peacock miraculous, it is broken, and she fell ill, and is in a comatose state.”

“Ah! So here is what is going to happen.” She took the grimoire from Gabriel and flipped over pages. “There is a way to revive her without resorting to using the wish.”

“How do you know this?”

She simply smiled. “You mind gathering these ingredients please Adrien?” She text him a list.

“Sure.”

“How do I know that this isn’t a ruse?”

“One I hate liars, and two because all magic has a cost, and this way is less than if you were to use the wish.”

“What do you mean cost?”

“Just like using your transformation wears on the kwamii, and the power affects your limit. Magic has its cost. The wish because it will always rewrite reality, the price is steep. Bringing back one life means you lose at minimum one other person from your life most likely more.”

“And this?”

“From what I understand. Everyone involved in the spell will have their energies deprecated so they will sleep for a day to a week.”

“Randomly?”

“No, the more people the less each person sleeps.”

“Here they are!” Adrien burst back in the room.

“Do you have the peacock miraculous?” Gabriel nodded. “Okay we’ll need that first, so lead the way to the kitchen.” Both men shuffled confused. “You do know where the kitchen is right?”

“Um well find it eventually.” Adrien chuckled. They were lucky and form it easily and Gabriel left while she and Adrien began to individually brew two separate potions. Adrien the more complex one for his mother’s revival. And she did the simpler one to fix the miraculous. Sue her Adrien is the better one in chemistry, sure he can’t cook to save himself, but he has a gift for chem, and Tikki help her she will teach him to cook. It’s practically edible chemistry, right?!

She took the Brock from Gabriel and fixed it, allowing Duusu out. “Okay so who is going to do this?”

“We will,” Adrien answered for himself and his Father, who nodded.

“Please let be help as well.” Miss Sancoeur offered.

Nooroo, Duusu, Tikki, and Plagg (they came out of hiding now) came to her. “We can help.”

She nodded and saw that Gabriel and Natalie were staring wide eyed between her and Adrien. She thought she heard Natalie say, ‘That explains so much’ but she isn’t sure.

Long story short they were able to wake up Emile, but she took back the peacock and butterfly, leaving Plagg with Adrien. Funnily enough the Agreste’s became a second family to her, once Gabriel finally grasped how to be a father. They told Paris that they had found Hawkmoth, but he would be tried by the order of Miraculous, meaning he would be stripped of the gem and his memories of the miraculous erased. It was a lie but Tikki told her that was what would have happened. There was some outcry, but they explained that they would have no recollection of it, and it wouldn’t make sense to try them.

The next few years of her life were blissfully normal, aside from the fact she had a contract under the Gabriel brand as the designer MDC, who was also endorsed by Style Queen. Chloe isn’t as bad as she puts on when she isn’t masking the hurt of being constantly ignored and bought by her parents.

- - -

It wasn’t until she was twenty-two and accompanying Adrien to a Wayne charity gala, one he didn’t want to go alone and two she was invited anyways, Chloe, Kagami, and Luka were also there on their own merits and invitations so they all stuck relatively together. Since arriving there Marinette was a constant pain, her arm burned and ached, but she forced herself to simply breathe and tried her hardest to push it out of her mind. But her luck wouldn’t hold, three hours into the event she was approached by who she recognized as Bruce Wayne, the host of the gala, and a woman to his left, the pain was almost unbearable the closer the two approached. Her friends noticed, they knew what her pain actually meant, as she opened up to them about it after a while, but she grit her teeth and tried to push through it.

“Mr. Agreste, Miss Bourgeois It is good to see you both again.” Bruce Wayne acknowledged. “It’s nice to meet all of you as well, Bruce Wayne.” He introduced to the rest, shaking hands. “And this is a good friend of mine.”

“Diana Prince.” She also went to shake everyone’s hands and had left Marinette for the last. The moment their hands touched she almost crumpled, she shrunk back and into Adrien and Chloe. “Is she okay?”

“Diana?” Bruce pointed towards her upper arm, the mark most of them overlooked before was now complete and glowing lightly. What Marinette remembered was that there was her yo-yo string and a golden rope that she only saw once before on her own arm. She felt sick, Diana was staring at her now, she recognized that Marinette was her soulmate.

“Melody?” Luka now stepped up.

“I want to leave.” She answered flatly.

“You are…”

She completely turned away, but by now her friends knew what was going on and were glaring at Diana. “I want to leave, now.” She repeated.

“Come on bug, let’s get you away from… this.” He threw a look at Diana, who was looking confused and seemingly alarmed.

The other three were putting as much space as they could between their friend and who is unknowingly causing her pain.

“Please is she alright?” Diana asked stepping forward barely grazing her hand covering her mark. This time it felt as if the skin itself was burning and stung almost like it was being pricked over and over and over again.

“Don’t touch me and stay away from me.” On the outside she looks clam and relaxed, but her voice was soft and raw, her eyes burned in pain. “You and that completed mark can stay far from me.”

“Luka, Kagami mind taking her back to the house?” The two in question led her away and once a safe distance away she broke down in tears, sobbing from the pain she was biting down.

- - -

The two that stayed were simultaneously glaring at her and watching their friends leave the gala.

“Is she alright?” Bruce finally bole the tension.

“As soon as she is far enough away from her.” The girl, Chloe, snapped at her. “Now that we know who is the the person causing her pain, we can keep her from them.” She snapped towards her, but it was a slap to Diana.

“I don’t follow. We are…”

“Soulmates, yeah we figured.” Adrien this time spoke.

“They why would she want to leave, without speaking?”

“One one in a million people are in pain when they are close to their soulmates.” Adrien spoke calmly but stoically. “No one knows why.” He began to fidget with a ring on hi# finger, she couldn’t recall if she saw any jewelry on her soulmate, Marinette, but she has a suspicion. After all she feels similar to her Mother’s aura and presence, that of a Ladybug.

“You are wrong. There is an explanation, but only a few know why that is.” She feels certain that she knows what this is.

“Let me guess you know why.” Chloe remarked, sarcastically and unamused.

“Allow me to explain this another time and place, as this is neither.”

“Fine call this number at noon est tomorrow.” Adrien handed her a phone number and the two turned and left.

“Diana?” Bruce snapped her attention. “What was that about?” He was still calm and collected but she knew he would be the one to ask, figuring out what was the next step, what had the best options of success.

“Magic.”

- - -

The next day she called the number and she was invited to a video call by the recipient. It turned out to be Marinette.

“Hello Diana.” Her voice was not cold but it was emotionless, as if she was forced into this conversation. Granted she did think she would be speaking with Adrien and Chloe.

“I never wanted to harm you, I swear that on the river Styx.” she began but before she could continue Marinette cut in.

“Let’s be clear, I don’t care about your apologies. I just want to know why this is happening and how to either get rid of it or to never have contact with you in any way or proximity.”

“I am apologizing because this is known as the curse of the ladybug and black cat.” She saw the young woman tense at that. “The reason I know of this is from by Mother, Queen Hippolyta Of the Amazon’s.” She allowed that to sink in and the other woman allowed her to drop her defense, nodding to what is said.

“When you say the curse of the ladybug and black cat what do you mean by that?”

“True souls of the miraculous, when in their life they come into contract with their given gems, cause a reaction.” Diana explained. “For the ladybug they receive the pain of their soulmate through their marks. Which is what I assume is going on.”

“Yes you’re right, but this has been going ever since I could remember.”

“Call it what you will fate, destiny, but you were always going to wield the ladybug jewel, that is why the curse manifested itself.”

“What about the black cat?”

“I am unsure, the black cat of my Mother’s time died before meeting their soulmate, but I would assume it would be similar to our situation.”

“Then how do we solve this?”

~~~~~~~~~~

Permanent Taglist: @itsmeevie01 @adrestar @miraculouspenta @vixen-uchiha @animegirlweeb @jumpingjoy82 @thedragonbug@astoriaandroses @icerosecrystal @t1dwarrior-of-earth @moon5606 @zalladane

[soulmate-game]

Well that happened.

B!dbwm 2020

Day 6: Meeting the Justice League

Marinette paced in her bedroom in Wayne Manor, running her hands through her hair as Damian laid on her bed and played animal crossing while completely ignoring her freakout. 

“Dami, how did I get myself into this mess?!” she asked, frantically pulling at her pigtails. Her brother snorted, rolling his eyes unsympathetically. 

“You never use your brain until after you’ve already made important decisions,” he responded ruthlessly. “All of your mental capacity goes towards planning out completely inane things like birthday parties and actually caring about what our even more idiotic class thinks about you, so when you actually need it you don’t have any intelligence left to spare.” 

Marinette turned her eyes on him, the blue lightening to an icy color in her panicked annoyance as she glared at him. “Gee, thanks. I can always trust my darling brother to have my back,” she said sarcastically, to which Damian only smirked. 

“When it matters? Of course. But in this case, watching the fallout will be entertaining and not at all dangerous to your physical safety.” 

Damian and Marinette had been sent to live in Paris a few years back, about a year after Damian had come back to life. Marinette had been far too attached to the twin she had thought she had lost for good, and had nearly driven him crazy with how overprotective she had gotten. Right alongside that, Damian had started to become even more stifled by Bruce’s own protectiveness and distrust of him, so he quit being Robin and they were sent to PAris to try and “recover” from their “trauma” somewhere “safe and peaceful, under the jurisdiction of the JLE.” 

Yeah, that was a great idea. Up until they found out the hard way that the JLE had up and abandoned the Paris headquarters and taken up unofficial residence in England somewhere. And then Hawkmoth showed up. And of course, of fucking course, an old chinese man from the pacifistic organization that acted as a direct foil to the League where they grew up somehow decided that they, out of everyone in Paris, were the best people he could find to wield the power of tiny gods to save the city. 

Sure, he was right, but Damian chewed him a new asshole as soon they met for trusting complete unvetted strangers with the gods of creation and destruction. 

And now Marinette had finally managed to leak to Tim, who then spread the calculated slip of information to Bruce, that Paris had had a supervillain for the past few years and the JLE had been neglecting their jobs. Which turned into Batman setting up a meeting with Ladybug and Chat Noir (Damian had tried to tell everyone his name was Chance Noir, Dark Luck, NOT ‘chat noir,’ since the last thing he needed was to be associated with Selina in any way. Nobody listened, and now he was stuck with being called Chat Noir). They had a lovely discussion about all the shit Hawkmoth did, their lack of resources, and the lack of assistance/straight up refusal to believe their word that came from the JLE. 

Which led to Batman inviting Ladybug to meet the Justice League to debrief on the Paris situation. Damian had been invited as Chat Noir, but had taken the smart path and opted out. Now Marinette had to not only go to the Justice League as Ladybug, but also as Batman's daughter Hummingbird, who was being brought in for consultation along with Damian as Robin. 

“I’m gonna die again,” Marinette continued her catastrophizing, Tikki and Plagg sharing a glance at once another from their spot on her writing desk. “I’m gonna die of total embarrassment. Don’t bother resurrecting me Dami, I’m just gonna die all over again once Dad finds out who we are and kills me.” 

Damian snorted. “Hah. Father killing anything, good one,” he snarked back blandly. “You’ll be fine. Remember, you’re the planner and I’m the one with actual skill. You have the strangest ability when it comes to getting out of situations like these by the skin of your teeth,” Damian grinned at something on the screen of his Switch before continuing. “You’ll be fine. And if you sell me out, I’ll bury you myself.” 

Marinette stuck her tongue out at him. Neither of them wanted their dad to find out that they were LAdybug and Chat noir, especially since they had already explained to him the basics of the source of their powers. They were both certain that Bruce would completely ignore how well they had been handling the situation on their own for almost five years and jump straight to the “my murderous children should not be left with the powers of destruction and creation at their fingertips,” line of thought. Bruce had never trusted them alone before, why now? 

“At least help me, shaqiq?” Marinette asked, walking over and plopping onto the ground next to her bed, so she could look straight into her twin’s bright green eyes. At first, he refused to even look at her, completely unmoved. Marinette hummed mischievously, a habit that was the source of her Gotham codename. “If I go down, I’m taking you with me.” 

Damian finally huffed, scowling. “Fine.” 

He knew better than to doubt her. Marinette always got her way when she decided she was wronged and needed to even the score for something. Always. 

—* — * — * — * — *

Hummingbird. The smallest Bat, by far, and the fastest when it came to natural speed. Hard to spot, with the sole giveaway that a short playful hum could be heard if she thought she had her prey cornered. She was hardly ever wrong. 

She had also been temporarily retired as she and Robin moved to some undisclosed location to get away from the vigilante life for a while. Or so Batman said. And for the most part, aside from the occasional League gathering here or glimpse that they got of the two’s civilian personas if someone visited the manor while they were there, Robin and Hummingbird stayed retired. Heroes who knew them wondered if Robin had finally given up and settled down somehow, if he was even capable of it. And they all speculated that Hummingbird was so scarred from Robin’s death that she wouldn't ever be able to leave his side again, retired or not. 

 Seeing Hummingbird in her navy blue and black uniform, almost identical to her brother’s but for the thick navy blue scarf that covered her neck and lower face, everyone in the Justice League who knew her thought they were right. She stood there, older and only a little taller, never leaving Robin’s side as they traded secretive glances and hand signals only they understood. They didn’t make any attempt to stray from one another’s side. 

But Jon Kent, superboy and Damian’s oldest friend, was of a different mind. He had been by Marinette’s side after Damian died, and by both of theirs when he was brought back. This was not the same terrified dependence he had seen back then. His eyes narrowed. 

The twins were scheming, and nobody else would notice until it was too late. 

Quicker than they could blink, he was by their side with his trademark smile. “Hey guys! Long time no see!” 

They gave the half-kryptonian identical deadpan expressions, sighing in tandem. “You facetimed us last night. And you flew to Paris to visit us last week,” Damian pointed out with a raised eyebrow. “Despite us expressly telling you not to.” 

Jon shrugged. “If I listened to everything you two said all the time, we’d never have any fun. So, excited to meet this Ladybug girl? Dad says that your dad won’t tell him anything about her until she shows up.” 

Hummingbird and Robin traded looks before Marinette answered. “Not really. We see Ladybug in action in Paris all the time—”

“She even saved Marinette from an Akuma who was obsessed with wanting to date her,” Damian interrupted with an insufferable grin. Marinette elbowed him hard, making her brother wince before chuckling at her red face. 

“I could have saved myself just fine! It’s not my fault we have to lay low, or we might get kicked out of Paris for being past vigilantes!” Marinette argued, voice high as she protested how helpless Damian had made her sound. She puffed her cheeks out in annoyance. Damian’s grin widened into a predatory smirk that showed off teeth.

“Oh? What about that one time that Tsurugi got akumatized, and Chat Noir had to save you because she wanted to duel you for the right to date me and you were cornered?” 

Marinette growled, throwing up her hands in frustration before smacking Damian’s shoulder angrily. He only laughed at her. “I’m leaving! Come find me when Ladybug finishes explaining the things we already know!” with that, a fuming and embarrassed Hummingbird stormed out of the room. 

“Huh,” Flash remarked, leaning against the wall. “She looks a lot better than the last time I saw her. And she actually left your immediate vicinity. Willingly,” he remarked to Robin, who glared at the speedster. 

“It’s been almost six years. If you think my sister is weak enough to be that thoroughly encumbered by the past for so long, you are greatly underestimating her,” he looked around to see almost all of the gathered League members staring at him. He grit his teeth and looked over at his father. “When is this woman going to arrive, anyway? You’d think she would actually be on time.” 

Just then, a portal opened in the middle of the room and Ladybug walked through. Quickly shedding the brown costume that allowed her to teleport in, she was left in just her black and red-spotted combat suit. Seeing as they finally found out how to alter the costumes the Kwami gave them, Ladybug’s hair now sat in a braided bun on the crown of her head and her costume was made to look more like Nightwing’s with the ladybug symbol on her upper chest and between her shoulder blades on her back, with black gloves that reached up to her elbows and black knee-high boots with red stripes up the sides. 

The brightly colored heroine smiled, seeming to light up the room with cheer that nearly put Jon to shame (it took her awhile to perfect that particular smile. She actually based it off Jon himself, and Damian was impressed by how accurate she had been able to make it over time. Not that he would say as much out loud). 

That was when Diana started choking on thin air, and Damian and Marinette both realized that they had overlooked something rather major. 

Hippolyta had been a Ladybug. Diana had met Tikki. Diana knew how to see past Tikki’s glamour. 

At first, Ladybug tried to play it off. Maybe Diana would catch on and help her out. So she walked over, holding her hand out for Wonderwoman to shake and putting on another wide smile for good measure. 

“Oh my Kwamii! It is so good to finally meet you, Wonderwoman, Tikki told me so much about you and your mother! Would you like to talk later—”

“Marinette Wayne, how in Zeus’ name did you become the new Ladybug?” Wonderwoman instantly yelled, making Marinette wilt. Damian tried backing away slowly, only for Diana’s eyes to then shoot over to him and narrow dangerously. “And you! I knew I felt something weird, but now I can pinpoint it. You are wielding the Black Cat! One of you explain what is going on. Now.” 

Ladybug and Robin instantly looked away, getting ready to make a quick escape right as their father walked up behind Robin, putting a firm hand on his shoulders. As always when Batman smiled, it sent a shiver down everyone’s spine. Marinette gulped a little. 

“I agree. Marinette, I forgot to tell you that we changed the locations of the League security cameras last night,” shit they were so busted. Bruce must have suspected them of something from the very beginning, stupid world’s greatest detective instincts— “But now that we have confirmed that my suspicions were correct, we can save that discussion for later. First, let’s debrief on the Paris situation like we agreed. Then, you two will explain why you decided not to tell me while you help each other clean the entire Batcave tonight.” 

Damian didn’t open his hand for the entire meeting. He and Marinette made eye contact as soon as everyone sat down for a suddenly very uneasy debrief, silently agreeing that they would not let their father take away their Miraculous. They finally had names and reputations of their own, away from the Batclan and their father’s influence. They had learned more about themselves and what they were capable of in those past years as Miraculous wielders than in all the years of the rest of their lives combined. They wouldn’t give it up, not even for Bruce’s approval. 

But when they got back to the Manor and began cleaning up the batcave as they had been ordered, they were surprised when Bruce made no mention of taking their jewelry back at all. And he stayed up with them, silently reviewing things on the Batcomputer as they cleaned. It could almost be considered family bonding. 

By the time the twins were done cleaning the sun was about to rise, and finally their father spoke up for the first time since they had begun their punishment chore. 

“I watched days worth of your Paris battles before going out to meet Ladybug and Chat Noir in person,” he said without ever turning around from his spot at the computer. “I was impressed. I still am. The teamwork was flawless, and the Parisian heroes never used deadly force. They even did their best to provide emotional support to the victims who were akumatized. I thought for sure at least one of you two would have been victims yourself, with all that you’ve been through. Anything can be a trigger for you, anything can make you vulnerable to Hawkmoth,” Bruce paused to take a sip of coffee. He didn’t have to look at his children’s reflections in the face of the Batcomputer to know they were drinking in every word he said. He did anyway, allowing a small smile that they couldn’t see to form on his lips. 

“I scoured through every akuma attack one by one, trying to find the one where one or both of you were the ones possessed. But I only found more reasons to be impressed by the heroes instead. By the time I was done looking through every scrap of video I could find, I had a feeling I knew who you were. Hearing your voices in person cemented it further, but I wanted video proof. So, knowing that Marinette would have forgotten about agreeing to accompany me to a JL meeting, I asked Ladybug to debrief us.” 

“You had us from the start,” Marinette sighed, shoulders slumping. But Damian said nothing, eyes wide as he picked up on the nuances of what Bruce was saying that Marinette was too tired to catch on to. 

“I’m proud of you two.” 

Then, even Marinette froze. The twins had identical expressions of shock on their faces, and Bruce finally turned around to look at them properly. For a long while, the three of them only made silent eye contact as dozens of emotions flew through the air silently, but understood. Then Damian and Marinette straightened up just and silently. Damian nodded to his father, Marinette gave him a vulnerable little smile, and then they both backed out and went to head to sleep. 

And once they were gone, Bruce sighed in content. Seems his meet-the-Justice-League plan worked out perfectly. He had finally managed to say something right to his two most troublesome children, for the first time. He leaned back in his chair, gazing up at the dark bat-infested cave ceiling as one more tiny grin played on his face, a little melancholy this time. 

Guess they never needed him to help them find their inner hero, after all. They had become even better at the whole hero thing than he was, and all on their own. Bruce closed his eyes, not noticing when Alfred draped a blanket over his body and left the Cave with a soft chuckle. 

--*--*--*--*--*

This sucked, but I wanted to give you guys something. So. here you go I guess? 

[tagatagay]

I sped-run writing about a muse I want to add here, LET’S GO---

Leonard Jasper von Reisenberg FC: William James Moriarty - Moriarty the Patriot (Originally van Herder from the same series, but for the sake of more icons, decisions were made--) Brief description: Formerly Johannes von Bischoff. A man who lives off of his own charisma and the information he can gain from it. At an agreed price, you can get him to collect the right information, or spread a false one to suit your narrative. Background: He was born in an era where the political intrigue was at its peak. His father was the king of Reichtzel - a depraved man who had many wives on the pretense of alliance , when in reality he was just unsatiated. His mother was a socialite in the upper class, who knows how to earn someone's trust and monopolize it in her favor. She believed that through her seduction, she can climb her way. When plans didn't fall through as she hoped for, she intends to use her own son for her own gains, as another child who can contest rights to the throne, as the offer of residency in the palace wouldn't be enough. She handed to her son all the ways of charm and trickery, like it was more valuable than the Bischoff Family heirloom. And young Johannes paid attention to what she taught him. Every last detail. He was going to learn every lesson there was on how to figuratively sway people to his favor, and steal from them without realizing it.

What his mother wouldn't expect, however, was that she was his test subject on his learnings. He wanted nothing to do with his mother's ambitions. However, he was morbidly curious on what her reactions would be. So for a while, he played the game of farce with her, acting like a sweet and obedient son, with impeccable manners and academic achievements, up until he felt like he was ready to run away. He packed essentials, and nipped some pieces of jewelry his mother owned til they were unidentifiable once he sells a few off. His goal was simple: watch what his mother would do upon finding out her bargaining chip is gone, and see if she can manage to find him after he uses the very thing she taught her to cover her own tracks. Years passed, and to this day, Johannes von Bischoff hasn't come home. One day, the newly coronated King of Reichtzel, pronounced him 'legally dead', and the identity of a different man was born: Leonard Jasper von Reisenberg. Other details: - His mother has a twin sister whom his birth father also slept around with. As a result his brother-cousin was born sometime after he is,named Theodore. The resemblance between the two of them is so uncanny, that at some point they considered themselves twin brothers for the sake of convenience. - He always wears a cape or anything to conceal his identity 'at work'. His resemblance to his 'twin' is so uncanny, that Leo's actions might impact Theo's own reputation, and he doesn't want that. - He is that type of person who would say, "are you sure you want to do that?" very ominously. - You can pay him to do most underground things. Spread a false narrative, ‘clean up’ for someone, or have him spend a night you with you, etc.

[giuliafc]

Stuck in a Cabin (with you)

Stuck in a Cabin (with you)

Read on: Ao3 || FFN || Wattpad

Summoned to save his Lady's life, Adrien gets stuck with her in a cabin during a blizzard. Identities get revealed, feelings come out...but who's been plotting to kill Marinette? Will the culprit be punished? Read to find the answer :) (Adrienette)

Written by: JuliaFC

Betas: Khanofallorcs, Agrestebug, Etoile-Lead-Sama and genxha. Thank you all so much!

Cover Art credit: Rosehealer02 on Deviantart

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by (c) Thomas Astruc, TS1 Bouygues, Disney Channel, Zagtoon, Toei Animation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Chapter 1 — Lila’s plan

Lila sighed looking at the message that had just pinged on her phone.

Mamma: [Sorry, tesoro. I got stuck at work because of the snow, don’t know when I’ll get home tonight. If you want, you can order something. Otherwise dried pasta is in the first cupboard at the side of the hob. I’ll make it up to you. Love you!]

Even after all those years, messages like those left a hollow feeling into her heart. Lila had been moving around a lot in the last few years, because of her mother’s job. She hated her mother’s job. Because of it, Lila had had to leave her grandparents and aunt in Sicily and all her childhood friends. Besides, her mother had been completely absent since she started working at the embassy, sometimes not even coming back home before Lila went to bed. Sometimes she wouldn’t see her for days in a row because when she woke up to go to school, mamma was sleeping and when Lila would go to bed, mamma wouldn’t even have started to come home. Mamma tried to make up for it by filling her days off with a lot of activities they could do together, but that wasn’t enough for Lila. She wanted more. She wanted her mother all for herself, like she had been at home, when papà had been there and mamma hadn’t yet obtained her role at the Italian Embassy.

She had been moved around like a pawn: Vienna for a couple of years, then Berlin, Geneva, Dublin and finally Paris. A lot for a 14 year old girl, having to leave it all behind way too many times.

When she moved to Vienna, she had been bullied quite badly because of her accent and her difficulty speaking the language. She had been ostracised and had spent the better part of two years fighting against stupid kids that she couldn’t even understand very well. Add to the mix the fact that papà ended up having an affair and mamma decided to divorce and leave him, and Lila’s life became even worse, even lonelier.

Luckily her mother had been moved to Berlin, but the situation hadn’t improved for her. Vienna or Berlin, the language was still incomprehensible to her and the kids didn’t like her because she was new, uncool, and because her accent sucked. Because her skin was too olive. Because her hair was too brown, or her eyes too green. They used to make fun of her hairstyle, of her clothes, of anything they could put their hands on. Lila started developing a huge amount of rage, frustration and anger. Plus, she missed her papà terribly, and she couldn’t understand in her mind why her mamma had decided to leave him.

Then she moved to Geneva, and on her first day there she met a girl who ‘acted’ cool. She was a couple of years older than Lila; her name was Charlotte, but she allowed Lila to call her Lottie. She took her under her wing and gave her some very interesting lessons. Lottie was a manipulative wench. She used to be the most popular girl in class because she always knew what to say in order to flatter the interlocutor, twist words around and obtain their favour. Lila was fascinated by her ability and craved to learn how to do the same. She worked for months to copy Lottie’s mannerisms and behaviour.

‘In life, you need to always take the upper hand,’ Lottie told her. ‘Tell people what they want to hear. This will automatically bring them to your side, and when you have them wrapped around your little finger, there’s nothing that they won’t do for you. You just need to keep up the appearances and you’re set for life.

‘Always settle for the best. If you set your eyes on a boy, make sure that he’s the best catch in the whole school. Make sure to understand what he likes and slowly set your trap. Let him fall for you, and you’ll be automatically the most popular gal around.’ Lottie had proved her own advice right easily, and had ended up in a relationship with a pop singer that attended their school. That increased her popularity even more and Lila became much more envious of her.

‘If someone bothers you, destroy them before they can attack you, or as soon as you can after that,’ was Lottie’s last bit of advice.

Lottie taught Lila to act cool, taught her that image was everything. Soon ,they had become like twin sisters and instead of being the bullied one, for once Lila enjoyed the feeling of being the bully. They were L&L’s, and they were respected. Her heart broke the day her mother told her that they were moving again, but she had no choice. Saying goodbye to Lottie was one of the most difficult things she had to do in her still young life.

‘Stay strong, Lil,’ Lottie had told her. ‘Remember, image is everything. Teach those Dubliners how great you are and you won’t have any trouble. And if you do,’ she added with a wink, ‘send me a message and I’ll hop on the first flight!’

That had made her laugh. Lottie acted strong and rich, but Lila knew that in reality she would never have been able to uphold her promise, as she was still too young, and had no money.

Dublin hadn’t been that bad for her. Except the weather. The HORRIBLE Irish weather. She still had nightmares of the torrential rain and the storms. But at least, there was the sea. Lila had missed the sea so much in the last few years. She used to make excuses that she was sick, to skip school, take the DART metropolitan train and get off at Portmarnock, Greystones or Bray (more the first two than the latter, because the sandy beach reminded her more of the shores at home). She would walk on the beach without a care in the world, listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the sand.

She had followed Lottie’s advice and had acted cool as soon as she started in her new school. She had gotten used to lying when she was in Geneva under Lottie’s wing, and now the lies came out more natural than the truth. She had become immediately popular when she started, managing to get into a relationship with the most exclusive guy in the class (she didn’t like him, as he was a twat, so full of himself that you could hear him boasting from a distance, but she didn’t care. He was popular and that was all that mattered. He would never realise that she was only using him). She learned how to trick everybody, making them think that she knew all sorts of actors and celebrities. It was fantastic, she was loved and popular and her life was amazing. She was so upset when her mother was moved once more.

And that’s how she ended up in Paris — again far from her beloved sea. She hated the city, she hated the noise and the frantic way of life. Despite the horrible weather, she had loved Dublin because it was smaller and reminded her more of the small town she was born in. But Paris was massive, full of people, of noise. She couldn’t stand the noise. And she hated all those lights. Ville lumière my foot.

Immediately as she started in Françoise Dupont, she tried to remake the same setting she had carefully created in her previous location. But she found the big obstacle of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The most annoying girl Lila had ever dealt with. Except Ladybug, obviously. Such a tiny girl, but such a big problem for her, and for her resolution to follow Lottie’s footsteps. From the very beginning, Marinette had never fallen for her lies. From the very beginning, she had tried to unmask her and show to everyone her true colours. From the very beginning, she had been an absolute and utter pest.

Lila had fought back. She wouldn’t make it easy for Marinette to win against her; Lila had soon managed to get every student in the class wrapped around her little finger, as Lottie had taught her. She had hoped that soon Marinette wouldn’t be a problem anymore. But unfortunately, she still was. Even more annoyingly, Adrien, whom she was trying to charm in order to again be the most popular girl in school who dated the most handsome and popular guy, seemed to believe Marinette.

Lila had tried all her tricks. She had tried to bring the whole class to her side, she had tried to even manipulate Adrien’s father and make him think that Marinette was a bad influence on his son. But nothing seemed to have an effect on the blond model, and Lila had gotten desperate. She had finally managed to set up a great trap and had gotten Marinette expelled. However, the joy hadn’t lasted long because Adrien had threatened her and had gotten to the point of making a deal with her so that Marinette would be readmitted to school.

Lila was seething that day, but she had no choice. Losing Adrien’s friendship would have been even more detrimental to her image. It didn’t matter if it was only a fake friendship; it would add to her image, and image was everything, as Lottie said.

The more time passed, the more Lila hated Marinette. She had tried everything she could to make her life miserable, but the young designer somehow always managed to resist. Even getting akumatised and trying to use Hawkmoth’s power against Marinette didn’t work, because Ladybug and Chat Noir would get in the way and protect her. They would try to expose Lila’s lies. She had had to make her lies become bigger and bigger and create more and more imaginative excuses in order to keep up with the popularity she craved. And it was never enough, because Marinette always managed to dismiss her claims and most of the time prove her wrong.

From Lila’s point of view, Marinette was the enemy. She was the sole obstacle left in her path to getting what she wanted, and she would get what she wanted, no matter the cost. In her mind, there was only one path left to take to get rid of her.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had to DIE.

Finally, she had managed to come up with the perfect plan. The perfect opportunity.

The perfect excuse: a school project. She had cheated the sorting and gotten paired with Alya, and the weather today was giving her even more help. When something is meant to be, it’s meant to be. It had already been a cold winter up to then, but very unusually for Paris, in the last week the temperature had dropped way below zero. In fact, it had dropped so low that it had been declared the coldest winter in history, only topped once in the late 1800’s.

Lila didn’t like the cold. Her family came from a little village on the sea, where it was always warm even in the bad season. Yes, it had been cold from time to time, but the sea warmed the temperature up and made the chill more bearable. Her beautiful sea, which she missed so much after having gotten a taste of it back in Dublin. But there was no sea in Paris, only that stupid river… and no warm weather in the winter, especially not this year.

But that cold weather, for once, wasn’t upsetting her because it was helping her craft her plan; she had faced the freezing temperature that very morning before school, and had set up her trap. She would use the cold to her advantage. And this time, she’d have the perfect alibi, and not even Adrien would suspect of her.

This time Marinette would be gone. Forever.

“Are you all right, Lila?” asked Alya, her face showing genuine concern when Lila dumped her phone on the desk in front of her with a pout.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just another charity event being cancelled this week because of the snow,” she made up. Alya’s frown disappeared and the girl gave her a look full of admiration.

“I don’t know how you do it, Lila, your commitment to charities and people in need is admirable, really.”

Lila gave Alya her best puppy eyed glance. “This city, and especially Ladybug and Chat Noir, have done so much for me with all the times I have been akumatised. It’s only nice to give something back!”

Alya put a hand on her shoulder. “You’re a truly amazing person, Lila. I have been akumatised four times, and I guess half of Paris has been in a way or another, but nobody does all you do to ‘give it back to the community’.” The girl with glasses looked at her door thoughtfully. “But if you’ll excuse me a moment, I need the restroom.”

And that’s when the perfect opportunity arose. Alya’s phone was resting on the desk in front of them. Lila gave a cunning side glance to the brunette who had just stood up and was fixing her glasses on her nose and, with a graceful flick of her finger, she pushed Alya’s phone slightly making it fall to the ground, quickly kicking it with her foot underneath the computer desk so that Alya wouldn’t find it.

“Uh… I’m sure my phone was here a moment ago…” muttered Alya looking at the computer desk and scratching her head. She moved her gaze around superficially, but since she couldn’t see the phone anywhere, she sighed. “Well, never mind. I’ll be right back,” she said, looking at Lila before disappearing from view.

“Take your time,” said Lila, her lips curling in a wide smirk as she picked up the phone from the ground. Things seemed to be going her way this time. The phone was unlocked. Lila’s eyes had a triumphant gleam in them as she looked for a conversation with Marinette.

She quickly peeked to ensure that Alya was still in the restroom and opened the chat with Marinette. Then she typed the message she had been planning all day, clicking send immediately after.

Alya (Lila): [Hey, girl! The girls and I are planning to go to Lac Daumesnil. Fancy doing some ice skating with us?]

She kept eyeing the door of the restroom with concern, but Alya was still there. Soon she saw the three dots of the conversation flashing, meaning that Marinette was answering.

Marinette: [It’s been some time since I went ice skating. Last time was a disaster. Sounds like a good idea, Alya. I will be there in an hour]

Alya (Lila): [Great. Start skating if you get there before us. We’re on our way!]

Marinette: [OK!]

Lila looked at the messages with a smirk and took care of deleting each of them one by one. Alya wasn’t going to find out. It was after she had just deleted the last message that Alya emerged from the restroom and she put the phone down immediately.

Alya frowned at her. “Are you okay, Lila?”

“Yes. I found your phone; it was on the floor here.” She pointed at the side of the desk. “I thought I heard it notify you of something, but there’s no notification, nothing at all.”

Alya looked at her phone with interest. “Oh. Maybe an akuma alert?” She started scrolling through her phone, but she didn’t find anything new. “That’s peculiar, there’s no new announcement.”

“Don’t worry, I must have made a mistake,” said Lila, dismissing the conversation with a gesture of her right hand. “So we were saying, about Napoléon?”

This took Alya’s attention away from her phone and brought her back to concentrating on the project they were working on. Lila smirked — her plan was unfolding well.

Author’s Note:

Hi again! I know, I know, another story. I told you I was going to unload everything I had this weekend. This isn’t finished yet (well, one part is, and in theory it could be left like that, but the second part I thought is worth writing!) so I will update this, the AU and “When Magic Fails” as soon as I can. Hope you liked getting inside Lila’s head. The next chapters are not about her, don’t worry. Or rather, worry, because the next chapters are her plan unfolding. And the title of the next chapter (and the beautiful cover art) is kind of revealing… so, well, I’ll hide again… ^^;

In the next instalment of “Stuck in a cabin (with you)”, “Drowning”:

— “I don’t know, Marinette. This sounds fishy. Why aren’t your friends here yet?”

— “I can’t move, Tikki, I think I have cramps! HELP ME!”

— “Sugarcube! It won’t happen again, not if we can help it, don’t worry!”

Ehrm… I know. Doesn’t sound good, right? ^^ Please subscribe if you’re interested in knowing what is going to happen, so you will know when the next update is!

Last but not least, as usual, if you read this and you’re not part of our wonderful Discord server already, but you enjoy reading, writing and talking about Miraculous, please join our Discord server, Miraculous Fanworks (for people on FFN, discord dot gg slash mlfanworks). See you there soon. Not sure when I will update this story but it won't be too long! Promise!

[darks-ink]

What We Are - Holiday Truce 2020

Happy holidays @dandan-phantom-blog, I was your Truce gifter this year! I wrote this for your prompt "Danny and Vlad Role Swap", with a touch of "Danny, Tucker, and Sam are all trans and they kiss sometimes" (except I didn't find a way to organically mention that Sam and Tucker are also trans in the context of this fic so hhhh). I hope you enjoy it!

Rating: Gen Genre: Hurt/Comfort Words: 8,276

[AO3] [FFN]

---

“Looks pretty clear from up here,” Vlad reported, hovering high above his friends. His cape flapped as the wind tugged at its edges, the red flashing repeatedly.

“The scanner isn’t picking up any ghosts besides you, either,” Maddie reported from below, staring at the silver invention in her hands. “But the range isn’t great.”

“We should look into that some more,” Jack agreed from next to her, frowning up at Vlad. “You can’t pick up any invisible ghosts either, Vladdie?”

He sighed gustily, peering around a little more. “No, Jack. I can only sense the cores from pretty close by, and I can only see them if I’m really trying.” Rolling his eyes, Vlad started lowering himself closer to the ground. “If I don’t know there are any ghosts present, chances are I won’t see through their invisibility either.”

“That seems like a bit of a flaw,” Jack commented cheerily. “Too bad you didn’t just get a ghost-scanning ability with the other powers.”

“For all we know it would’ve been as strong as this tracker of ours,” Maddie pointed out, turning to face them. “At least this mechanical tracker can be upgraded.”

“And my abilities aren’t exactly the most reliable, either.” Vlad cocked an eyebrow at Jack. “I got the basics down, but ghost sensing seems a little more advanced.”

Maddie hummed thoughtfully, continuing on in the direction they had been heading. “Well, who knows. A ghost tracking sense could’ve been an expansion of your innate ability to sense ghost cores. That seems pretty basic to me.”

“And,” Jack jumped in, “If you could sense ghosts yourself, we could’ve spent more time working on weapons for me and Maddie!”

“I thought your ecto-guns were fine?” Vlad frowned at the guns either of his friends held. He’d been assured that they were both well-armed, perfectly safe if they ran into a ghost, but if that wasn’t the case…

“They work just as well as your ecto-ray,” Maddie assured him, not slowing down or looking up from the scanner. “But it could be useful to have more variation in weaponry besides the ray gun and the Thermos.”

“Ah.” Well, that was fair enough, Vlad supposed. More ways for his friends to defend themselves couldn’t hurt. “Fair enough. We can always focus on more weaponry next. The scanner is fine as long as we do regular patrols.”

The device in question pinged, and three pairs of eyes zoned in on it instantly.

“Looks like there’s a ghost nearby, boys.” Maddie grinned, turning towards the right. “This way!”

“Remember to mute it,” Vlad hissed, diving lower until he was just over his friends. “Let’s try stealth for once.”

Maddie snorted as she reached down to the mute switch. “You don’t have to tell me. It’s not my stealthiness we have to worry about.”

“Sorry,” Jack whispered, making a face. “But it’s not like it’s always my fault!”

Vlad pressed a finger to his lips, and Jack snapped his mouth shut immediately. Then mimed zipping them up for good measure.

The three of them snuck closer in complete silence, gathering on the corner of a building. According to the scanner, the ghost was in the small park beyond it.

Forcing himself invisible, Vlad leaned out. And saw…

“Nothing,” he reported quietly, dropping his invisibility. Maintaining it for long was too draining. “I don’t see it anywhere.”

Below him, both Jack and Maddie peered around the corner as well.

“Just two people kissing,” Jack agreed.

“And neither of them look like ghosts.” Maddie glanced down at the scanner again. “The ghost should be here though, it’s still showing up on the scanner.”

Vlad cast out his senses. “Yes, there is definitely an increase in ectoplasm. Must be invisible.”

Which was just such a joy. He could see invisible ghosts if he really tried, sure, but it was such a strain. His eyes would inevitably start hurting later from all this peering around.

Finally, though, his eye caught on a glimmer on movement. Immediately zeroing in on it, Vlad immediately recognized it as a ghost.

There was no time for a good look, however, as it was clearly preparing to move. And based on the way it was invisibly staring at the kissing couple, there was no doubt in Vlad’s mind as to what it was about to do.

He pushed off from the building, rushing forward to intercept the ghost. The moment he got his hands wrapped around the ghost’s upper arms he turned them both intangible as well, shoving the attacking ghost through a different building and onto the ground behind it.

His target, a male humanoid ghost, seemed briefly startled, dropping his invisibility as Vlad pinned him to the floor of the alley.

It didn’t last long, however, as the ghost narrowed his bright green eyes and promptly kicked Vlad off. The ghost kept moving up, white boots leaving the ground instantly, even as he brushed dust out of his white hair.

Vlad blinked at him, feeling oddly caught off-guard by the fact that the ghost had just kicked him off, rather than flipping them around so Vlad was the one pinned to the ground.

Apparently his silence lasted too long, because green eyes zeroed in on him. The ghost’s aura flared violently, angrily.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he hissed at Vlad, green ectoplasm sparking around his hands. “We could’ve been spotted, you absolute moron!”

Vlad, belatedly realizing he shouldn’t be lying on the floor with a potentially dangerous ghost right there, pushed himself up into a seated position. “We were both invisible, it was fine.”

“It was not fine!” the ghost snapped back, even as footsteps echoed through the alley. “See?”

Jack and Maddie appeared in the opening of the alley, and Vlad rolled his eyes, secretly relieved for the backup. “They’re just my friends, they already knew we were there.”

“Well.” The ghost drew himself up, muscles rolling underneath the tight black jumpsuit he wore. Bright green eyes moved over Jack and Maddie, clearly evaluating them—and the ecto-guns in their hands.

Instantly, Vlad scrambled up onto his feet, ready to shield his friends with his body if he had to.

“Good for you,” the ghost concluded, bitterly, eyes moving back to Vlad. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

And before any of them could stop him, the ghost vanished into a puff of green smoke. Literally, he dissolved into a ecto-green cloud, which faded away almost instantly.

“Huh,” Vlad said despite himself, finding himself blinking stupidly once more. “I guess he wasn’t interested in fighting after all.”

Maddie hummed an agreement, pulling out the scanner with one hand, still holding her gun in the other. “Scanner says that he’s gone, too.”

Vlad lifted up further, peeking over the edge of the building. “And the couple he was watching is gone too.”

“Guess we have no clues left to track him down, even if we wanted to.” Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair. “That sucks. Hopefully he won’t be up to anything too bad.”

“Let’s hope so,” Maddie agreed, shaking her head. She clicked the safety back on, stowing her gun into its holster. “Maybe we’ll run into him again while we finish up patrol.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Vlad floated back to his friends. “Still, something about him was weird.”

“He’s a ghost,” Jack pointed out with a shrug. “They’re always a little weird.”

And while that was true, something about it just kept niggling at Vlad.

---

They finished their patrol before long, returning to Vlad’s home once more. Somehow it had become their go-to place over the years, and after his accident… well, the little time they spent at their own houses, they were usually at Vlad’s.

He figured it was because his house was a quiet place, full of privacy, especially compared to Jack’s and Maddie’s. Between Maddie’s sister and Jack’s overbearing parents, well… Vlad’s own house, with just his own mother, was a breath of fresh air to the both of them.

Which was, he supposed, the reason why they were all so shocked to see a stranger standing in the living room, talking to Danielle.

The man, pale skinned but with mussy black hair, had his back turned to them, which certainly didn’t help with recognizing the guy. His t-shirt and jeans were rather nondescript too, not anywhere near recognizable enough to place the man.

And then he turned around and, well.

He looked exactly like Vlad’s mother, except with shorter hair.

“Um,” Vlad said, eyes darting between the two. Standing next to each other, both looking at Vlad, it was undeniable: they were almost exactly the same.

“Vlad,” his mother said, sighing exasperatedly. “I told you that my brother was coming over to visit. Did you forget?”

Well, now that was just embarrassing. Between all the ghost stuff he had, indeed, forgotten about his uncle.

Luckily the man in question did not seem offended at all, laughing brightly. “Honestly, Elle, you should’ve seen that one coming. You know what it’s like being that age, not caring a whit about family members that you don’t know.”

Still laughing, Vlad’s uncle stepped closer, eyes moving over Vlad and to Jack and Maddie. As he did so, his laughter faltered a little, but before Vlad could process that, the man offered a hand, smile once more back on his face.

“Danny Masters,” he said, as Vlad accepted his hand and shook it. “Danielle’s identical twin.”

“He picked his name to match mine because he thinks he’s hilarious,” Danielle explained, rolling her eyes.

Danny released Vlad’s hand, turning to shoot her a wicked grin. “That’s because I am hilarious.”

“Don’t lie to my face, Danny,” Danielle countered, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Wouldn’t dare to, sister dearest.”

“How are you two identical twins, anyway?” Jack asked, loudly, breaking into their bickering.

As everyone turned to blink at Jack, Vlad could hear Danielle snort.

“Well,” Danny said, clapping his hands together to draw the attention back to him. “So sometimes when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much…”

He paused, then shrugged. “After Jazz our parents got tired of having so many girls so I decided to even it out a little.”

“Stop joking about it,” Danielle huffed, rolling her eyes again.

Danny snapped his fingers, cocking finger guns at her. “Never.”

“Wait. Did you actually name yourself after Danielle, then?” Vlad burst out, unable to hold it in anymore. Surely not? Names are a serious matter, right, especially for transgender people? He wouldn’t have—

“Oh, definitely,” Danny confirmed before Vlad could finish that thought. “I mean, we’re twins. It was perfect.”

“It was—and is—ridiculous, Danny.” Danielle shot him a withering look, but even Vlad could see the fondness badly hidden in it. “I still think you should’ve gone after Jazz instead.”

“There are no good male names that resemble Jasmine and you know it.” Danny stuck out his tongue towards Danielle, and Vlad was suddenly overcome with the realization that his uncle was basically a child.

And then Danielle blew a raspberry back and Vlad amended that thought with the realization that his uncle and his mother were both children.

Unbelievable.

It took another solid thirty minutes of chattering about everything and nothing before Vlad (and Jack and Maddie) managed to break away to Vlad’s room.

The moment he closed the door behind them, Maddie whirled around, a frown on her face. “Did anyone else notice that Vlad’s uncle kept throwing us weird looks?”

“Not really,” Jack admitted with a loose shrug. “Vladdie?”

“Yes, actually.” He thought back of the way Danny’s smile had faltered when he had first looked at Jack and Maddie. “He’d been smiling, laughing, but when he saw you two it fell. I thought that that was odd.”

Maddie hummed, thoughtfully. “How strange…”

“He could’ve just been afraid of our reactions,” Jack pointed out, quirking an eyebrow. “Since he looks so similar to Vlad’s mom, and because he’s trans.”

“Or maybe he wanted to make sure he made a good impression,” Vlad tacked on. “From what I remember of Danielle telling me about him before, Danny is a bit of a family-man.”

“Maybe it’s because Vlad could’ve been Danny’s own son.” Jack shrugged at their incredulous looks. “What, it’s true, isn’t it? If Danny and Danielle are identical twins, then Danny could’ve had a son just like Vlad, no?”

Vlad blinked at that. “I… suppose?”

“Hm. I don’t know…” Maddie sighed, then shook her head. “I just— He seems so familiar, I could swear I’ve seen him before. But I can’t for the life of me remember where or when.”

“Well, no point in fretting about it.” Vlad stretched, his spine clicking loudly. “It probably wasn’t anything important, anyway.”

“Probably,” Maddie agreed, before pausing, her eye caught on the clock. “Oh wow, is it that late already? I had better go home before my parents get worried.”

Jack turned to look as well, before making a face. “Yeah, me too. Man, they really kept us occupied for a while, huh?”

“We took our time with the patrol as well,” Vlad pointed out. “But yeah, wouldn’t want you, either of you, to miss dinner.”

They all walked back downstairs, where they paused at the door.

“And Vlad? If I remember, I’ll text you, okay?” Maddie said. “Both of you.”

“Don’t worry too much about it,” Vlad pushed, but she flapped a dismissive hand.

“It’s fine, I won’t stop thinking about it anyway. You know me, don’t you?” She laughed, stepping outside. “See you tomorrow!”

“I’ll get going too. See ya tomorrow, Vlad!” Jack shot him a brilliant grin and then, too, walked out the door.

Vlad waited for another moment, watching them leave, then quickly escaped back to his room before his mom spotted him. He had no desire to get trapped in another conversation with her and Uncle Danny. He’d had his fill of socializing for the day, thank you very much.

---

When Vlad came out of his room in the morning, it was to the sound of voices, only slightly muffled by the walls between them. It took him a moment to process, before he realized: his mother and uncle. Right, of course. They had obviously gotten up earlier than him, and were in the kitchen, talking.

Satisfied with this conclusion, Vlad made his way down the stairs to join them.

Until he heard his mother shout, “Stop being a fucking moron, Danny!”

He paused, hesitating, halfway down the stairs. Vlad didn’t think he had ever heard his mother swear before.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” he heard Danny snap back and, well. Sue him for getting curious.

Using the cover of the stairs—and the fact that the adults were clearly occupied—Vlad shifted into his ghost form, feeling his core surge up with renewed energy after a good night’s rest. Certain that he had plenty of energy for the moment, even without breakfast, Vlad turned himself invisible.

He pushed off from the stairs, floating towards the kitchen. Peeking in, he could see his mother and uncle Danny sitting at opposite sides of the kitchen table. Not their expression, however, since Danielle had her back turned to him and was, in turn, blocking most of Vlad’s view of Danny.

Silently cursing the small kitchen, Vlad shifted slightly in the doorway, but couldn’t cram himself into the kitchen and still keep an eye on both of them at the same time. Not unless he made himself intangible, but that would drain his energy too fast to risk.

Body language would have to do.

“I think I do,” Danielle bit at Danny, her shoulders visibly tight even with her clothes covering them. “Would it really kill you to talk to Sam and Tucker?”

“Clearly you don’t know, if you’re asking that!” Vlad kind of regretted not being able to see uncle Danny, now, because he sounded pissed.

Danielle huffed, shaking her head. “Just stop being an idiot and make up with them. Or, hell, just talking would be a good start. I’m serious, Danny.”

“And so am I!” Danny flung out a hand, gesturing wildly. “You know what they did! What happened to me!”

“You really think they don’t feel guilty as shit over that?” Danielle countered, also flailing her hands. “They love you, Danny. They don’t care about what happened with the accident at all!”

Well. This was becoming awkward. And it didn’t look like it would escalate into a proper fight at all, like he’d been afraid of, so… Time to make a hasty escape!

Before he could, though, Danny slammed his hands down on the table. Vlad found his eyes drawn back to his uncle instantly.

“Why wouldn’t they care?” Danny snapped at Danielle, his eyes glowing a bright vivid green. “I’m a monster!”

Vlad… froze. He could feel his mind grinding to a halt, even as the green left again from his uncle’s eyes, returning them to the cool blue they had been before.

How could that be? Was his uncle really part ghost like him?

And Danny considered himself a monster for it. What did that make Vlad, then?

He shook the thoughts off, watching as Danny slumped down on the table, his anger having apparently left him after the outburst. Danielle leaned in closer, patting his shoulder, comforting him.

Biting his lip, Vlad floated out of the kitchen again. He could ponder about this moment, about the ramifications, somewhere else. Better to give them a little privacy. He’d taken enough of it already.

---

After sneaking out of the house—an act made easy thanks to his ghost powers—Vlad texted Jack and Maddie to meet him in the park. Figuring it would take them longer than him to get there, Vlad made a stop on the way to grab himself some breakfast.

So by the time he’d made it there, both of his friends were already present, waiting impatiently.

“What happened?” Maddie asked as soon as he was within earshot. “You texted us to meet up early, so it must be important, right?”

“Definitely,” Vlad confirmed through the bite of donut in his mouth. He held up a finger for her to wait, then quickly chewed and swallowed the last bite away. “My uncle Danny has ghost powers too.”

Maddie frowned immediately. “Are you sure?”

“One hundred percent.” He glanced around to make sure no one was watching them, then shifted back into his human form, landing with a thud. “He was having a bit of a discussion with my mom this morning, and I saw his eyes glow bright green when he got angry. But it faded away pretty quickly, so it wasn’t possession or anything.”

“Well, it makes sense,” Jack said with a shrug. “You guys are pretty closely related, so you must share some kind of genetic predisposition towards becoming part ghost. And a family-bound bout of ghost interests, maybe?”

Vlad snorted. “When you put it like that… yes, I guess so.”

“Did your mom not comment on it or anything?” Maddie’s frown deepened. “Or did she not see?”

“Oh, no, she definitely saw.” Vlad ran through the conversation again in his head. “I guess she must’ve already known? They mentioned an accident a few times, and that Sam and Tucker didn’t care about that it happened, but Danny did, he considered himself a monster.”

Maddie sucked a breath through her teeth. “Yikes. That’s pretty harsh.”

“Sounds to me like they had an accident similar to ours,” Jack pointed out. “Danny turning into a half-ghost like you, Vlad, and his two friends present for it. And, hell, he might’ve been the ghost we ran into during our patrol yesterday. Maddie must’ve thought he looked familiar because we had seen him earlier.”

“That… sounds pretty reasonable, actually.” Vlad clicked his tongue. “But then what happened? Shouldn’t they have stuck together over it, rather than fall apart?”

“Anything could’ve happened,” Maddie pointed out, her frown smoothing out a little. “Who knows how long ago it happened, anyway. Maybe they just grew apart, maybe they didn’t. We have no way of knowing.”

“Besides asking?” Jack laughed at their incredulous looks. “Didn’t think so. But if Vlad’s mother and uncle were fighting over it, then clearly he must still care.”

Vlad hummed. “My mom seems pretty convinced they care for him still, even if he can’t see it. But I wonder… If he really was the ghost we saw yesterday, maybe Sam and Tucker were the couple he was spying on?”

“That sounds like a good reason to split apart, too,” Maddie agreed, brows creased. “You turning into a half-ghost, and your closest friends hooking up? I think I’d be miffed too. But to split apart entirely?”

“Well, it’s not really our business, is it?” Jack crossed his arms. “They’re all adults, they can figure it out themselves. They don’t need a bunch of teenagers to start meddling, do they?”

“No, I guess they don’t,” Maddie agreed. “But we should talk to Danny, anyway.”

“And admit that I listened in on his private conversation with my mom?” Vlad bit his lip. He felt bad enough about it already, he didn’t exactly want to get a scolding on top of it. Or see Danny’s doubtlessly stronger ghost powers from up close.

Maddie snorted, like she knew exactly what he was thinking. “He is another half-ghost, and one with probably tons more experience than you. He might have advice, or more knowledge. At the very least, he’ll be an older half-ghost to compare your stats to, no?”

“Maybe he’ll even be able to help with training!” Jack chipped in enthusiastically. “He must’ve done something to develop his own powers, right?”

“Ugh, I guess.” Vlad grimaced. “Fine, we’ll go and ask him.”

“Well,” Maddie said out as she stretched. “First we’ll have to find him.”

---

“Got a ping on the ghost scanner!” Jack reported, pointing slightly to the right. “That way!”

Finally. When they had set out to talk to Uncle Danny, Vlad hadn’t thought it would be such a chore just to find him.

“And I see him, too!” Maddie added on, her head angled back. Vlad followed her gaze and saw Danny as well. Or, well. The ghost they were fairly sure was Danny.

The white-haired specter was high in the sky, out of the eyesight of casual onlookers, and actively flying about. Vlad wondered if he was looking for Sam and Tucker, after he’d lost them yesterday.

“I’ll go bring him down.” Vlad tugged on his core, letting his transformation wash over him. Honestly, they were lucky that Danny wasn’t flying very quickly, because Vlad didn’t think he could’ve caught up otherwise. That was part of the reason why they always patrolled with him in his ghost form. Only today they had decided against it, worrying that Vlad’s presence would throw off the ghost scanner too much.

Vlad pushed himself up, feeling the wind tug at his hair, his cape. Before long he was catching up to Danny, and he cupped his hands around his mouth to shout the other ghost down. “Hey, wait up!”

And, surprisingly, he did. Danny glanced over his shoulder, then slowed to a halt in mid-air. His white eyebrows were creased as he frowned at Vlad. “You again. What now?”

“We just want to talk,” Vlad assured, holding his hands up appeasingly. “Me and my friends down below. You know who they are, don’t you?”

Danny’s bright green eyes narrowed. “Well, it’s not like they’ve offered their names. At all.”

They hadn’t? Vlad thought back furiously to the night before, and…

Yeah, no. Danny had introduced himself, but none of them had offered theirs in return. And Vlad couldn’t remember if they had referred to Jack and Maddie by name at all.

“Uh, oops?” he offered Danny, expression sheepish. “In our defense, we live in such a small town that we don’t meet a whole lot of strangers that we actually need to introduce ourselves to.”

Danny snorted, shaking his head a little. “And what makes you so sure that I am a stranger you need to introduce yourselves to?”

“Please, Uncle Danny?” Vlad pleaded, clasping his hands together in front of his chest. “From one half-ghost to another?”

Danny’s expression stilled, and for a moment, Vlad worried that the other might just go and beat him up for spoiling his secret. But then it softened again, and he sighed.

“You shouldn’t listen in on private conversations, Vlad. That’s not only rude, but also a terrible way to use your ghost powers.”

“I know, I know.” Vlad started slowly lowering himself closer to the ground, and Danny obediently followed. “Normally I wouldn’t have, but… I just heard you and my mom being angry, snapping at each other, and I guess I just got worried that it would, y’know, escalate.”

Danny quirked an eyebrow at him, catching up so they flew side-by-side. “And you didn’t think that Elle could take care of herself?”

“Obviously she can.” Vlad rolled his eyes. “I didn’t really think. I just… acted. And then just when I went to leave I saw… Well, you must know.”

The other ghost hummed, then twisted around to smoothly land on the ground in front of Jack and Maddie. “Greetings, teenagers whose names I do not know.”

“Look, I’m sorry for spying on your private conversation, alright?” Vlad darted around Danny to meet his eyes, putting on his most earnest expression. “It was a really shitty thing to do.”

Danny shot him an unimpressed look, then shook his head once more. “Listen, Vlad. I’m not mad, just… Ugh, I dunno. Annoyed? Frustrated? But not mad. I knew you were there. I could feel your ghost core appearing during the conversation, so I should’ve watched my words better. If I had, I could’ve avoided this entire situation.”

“How did you know it was me, then?” Vlad pushed, also dropping his feet back onto the ground. “Or did you just guess?”

“Well, gee, how did I know?” Danny asked, dryly, letting his eyes wander from Vlad to Jack and Maddie and then back to him. “It’s not exactly rocket science, kid.”

“I told you we should’ve invested in goggles,” Jack shot at Maddie, who rolled her eyes back at him.

Vlad ignored them completely, instead turning back to Danny. “But if you knew I was there, and you could’ve prevented me figuring you out, why didn’t you?”

“I…” And something about Danny’s expression just… broke. Shattered. “I guess I got too caught up in the discussion.”

“Right…” Vlad said, catching the unspoken undertone: Danny had been too upset. “Um. So what we actually wanted to talk about… You’re also half-ghost, right? So you must have way more experience with it than me, yes?”

“Yeah,” Danny agreed, slowly, drawing the word out. “About two decades of it.”

“Great!” Maddie clapped her hands together, a grin on her face. “Can you help Vlad train, then? Or at least teach us a little more about half-ghosts? We’ve been going by trial and error and it’s been…”

“Not great,” Jack finished for her, leaning around her to offer a hand to Danny. “I’m Jack, by the way. Jack Fenton.”

“Oh, right!” Maddie also stuck out her hand. “And I’m Maddie Walker.”

Danny reached out to shake both of their hands at once, his white gloves stark even against their pale skins. His expression was rather bewildered, Vlad thought. “Well, pleasure to meet you properly, I guess.”

“So will you help?” Jack asked, when Danny let them both go again. “It would be a huge help!”

“I…” Danny’s eyes slid back to Vlad, who stood up straighter as if for inspection. “I guess,” he finally conceded. “You’re family, and I know from first-hand experience how much it sucks to figure this out without guidance.”

Before Vlad could cheer, however, Danny added on, “And your mother would be incredibly upset if you get yourself killed, so.”

“He’s not going to get himself killed,” Maddie bit at Danny. “We might be teenagers, but we’re not that stupid!”

Danny just turned a cocked eyebrow at her. “Yesterday he suddenly pinned me to the floor, for no reason except that he thought I was up to something bad. Just that would’ve been enough to get serious retaliation from most ghosts, since you attacked first. And if you’re new to having these powers? That’s usually not a fight you can win.”

“So what are we supposed to do if strong ghosts attack?” Vlad asked, puffing up his chest and trying not to feel offended. Because Danny was right, damn it, but it still felt like an attack. “Just run for cover and hope the ghost doesn’t hurt anyone else?”

“If that happens, you’re supposed to call in experienced ghost hunters to come deal with it instead.” Danny rolled his eyes, crossed his arms. “But I doubt it would be a common occurrence, since there is no permanent door into the Ghost Zone around here.”

Danny stilled, then. Turned to frown at Vlad. “Speaking of which, though… How did you become half-ghost, anyway?”

Vlad thought back to the priceless ghost artifact they stole from Danielle and never recovered.

“That’s… not important?” he tried, shooting Danny a hopeful grin.

“It was a ritual we found in a book,” Maddie elaborated as Danny’s eyes started narrowing again. “It was supposed to bring a ghost into our world so we could study it.”

“We think it opened a temporary portal into the Ghost Zone and then went awry,” Jack explained. “The book was old and kinda terrible, so they might’ve noted down the ritual wrong.”

Danny heaved a deep sigh. “You three are lucky that nothing worse happened, then. Did you even have any plans on how to deal with the ghost if it had been volatile?”

“We built some containment devices, and weapons!” Maddie crossed her arms, glaring back at Danny. “We’re not stupid.”

“Well, maybe a little,” Vlad allowed, shrugging as Maddie’s glared moved to him. “We probably should’ve known better than to try a ritual like that first, instead of first validating the book with some less dangerous stuff.”

“Good to know at least some of you have learned from the experience.” Danny shook his head, running a hand through his hair and messing the white locks up even further. “Alright, how about this. Vlad, you go and tell your mother what happened—the complete story—because for some reason you haven’t told her yet.”

Vlad grimaced but nodded. That was fair; they should’ve told her before.

“And once you’ve done that we’ll arrange some sort of training,” Danny concluded. “Does that sound good to you guys?”

“Yeah,” Vlad agreed, as Maddie and Jack gave their assent as well.

“Good, good.” Danny nodded, dropping his hand to his side once more. “I gotta get going, but I’ll be around for dinner tonight. We can talk more then.”

“Wait,” Jack blurted out, holding up his hands. “We’ll tell Mrs. Masters, but you gotta tell your own friends too, alright? I just…” He paused, uncharacteristically, as if searching for words. “I’m sure they’re worried about you.”

Danny’s bright green eyes narrowed, peering at Jack. “How would you know?” he snarled, low and vicious, and Vlad immediately felt his hackles go up. “You don’t know my friends.”

Then, before any of them could stop him, or say anything, Danny pushed off. He rocketed away into the sky, his white-and-black form blurring into nothingness.

Vlad was suddenly very sure he never would’ve caught up to Danny if the man had actually been trying to keep away.

“Well, it was a good attempt,” Maddie tried, patting Jack on his shoulder.

Jack rolled his shoulder, shaking her hand off easily. “It was,” he agreed cheerily. “I’m sure it worked.”

Which Vlad highly doubted but, hey, he wasn’t about to get Jack down for no reason at all.

---

“So, uh, yeah. That’s basically it,” Vlad finished, trying to discretely read his mom’s expression. “Um. Surprise?”

Danielle’s eyes moved to the ceiling as she quietly muttered to herself, but then she shook her head and refocused on Vlad. “You’re—all three of you—idiots. I can’t put into words how unbelievably stupid that was. Did you three even consider everything that could’ve gone wrong?”

“Well,” Jack said with a sheepish expression and a shrug of his shoulders, “We kind of thought that summoning a powerful and malevolent ghost would be the worst case, and we prepared for that. We didn’t think of…” A vague gesture. “This.”

“And that you might get hurt, or even die, didn’t cross your minds at all?” Danielle clicked her tongue. “Never mind, I can tell it didn’t. Unbelievable. Is this sort of dumbassery genetic? Are all men in the family gonna be like this?”

She sounded angry, but Vlad knew his mother well enough to tell that it hid her concern, her worry.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, ducking his head lower. “It was stupid, we know.”

“Well.” She snorted, imperiously. “As long as you know.”

Then she sighed, mellowing out further. “You three are damn lucky nothing too bad happened. This… half-ghost stuff… might be weird, but it’s manageable. You’ll be fine, Vlad. But you might not have been.”

“I know,” he assured her, glancing back briefly at Jack and Maddie. After the accident they had spent a lot of time worrying about what happened. Even now that they knew that he was half-ghost, it was hard to dismiss the thoughts of how easily he could not have been. “I promise, Mom, we know.”

She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, before pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Good. I’m glad.”

When she let him go and stepped back, however, her brow was creased. “Although I do wonder why you three decided to tell me now, of all times. Why not tell me sooner? Or wait longer?”

“So… It is possible that I might have listened in on your conversation with uncle Danny this morning,” Vlad admitted, grinning sheepishly. “Perhaps. Maybe.”

The disappointed look she gave him was truly without peer.

“I know, I know, it was a private conversation, I really shouldn’t have. But I heard shouting, and I got worried, and I reacted without really thinking about it.” He shrugged and tried to look apologetic.

“If it helps, Danny already chewed us out too,” Jack tagged on, and Maddie next to him nodded in agreement. “We talked to him first, to ask if he could help Vlad with training and such.”

Danielle sighed, shaking her head. “Oh, you three… And what did he say, my brother dearest?”

“That we should tell you first, and we could talk more about it during dinner.” Vlad scratched his cheek, idly. “But he did promise to help, so…”

“Sorry if this isn’t our business at all, but I can’t help but wonder… What happened to Danny?” Maddie’s violet eyes moved over Vlad and Jack before settling back on Danielle. “He just seems so… so upset about it all, and he apparently detests his ghost side, but I can’t imagine how he got it in the first place without caring about ghosts.”

Danielle stared her down for a long moment before sighing deeply, her shoulders sagging. “It’s… a long story. But you should know that it is possible for someone to be interested in ghosts while still detesting them, thinking them monsters.”

“You don’t have to tell us if it’s too personal,” Jack blurted out. “But it has something to do with his friends, right? With this Sam and Tucker?”

“Yeah,” she admitted, quietly. Danielle ran a hand through her hair, mussing it up and tugging on a few strands as they got caught up in the motion. “I guess I could tell you a little. It might come up if you’re gonna be working on ghost stuff together, and I don’t want you to get blindsided, just because Danny has issues talking about stuff.”

She sat down on the nearest chair, and Vlad, Maddie, and Jack followed her example by sitting down on the couch, clustered together.

“It’s important to know, for the rest of the story to make sense, that Danny, Sam, and Tucker had been close friends throughout most of their lives. Since they were kids, really, they’ve been best friends, even though their interests varied wildly and often even conflicted. In college, they decided to work on a project that combined their various skills and interests: an artificial portal into another dimension, the so-called Ghost Zone, which had not been proven to exist at the time.” She paused, then amended it with, “Or at all. It hasn’t been officially proven to exist at all.”

Danielle cleared her throat, then continued. “Between Tucker’s interest in technology, Sam’s interest in ghosts, and Danny’s interest in exploring the unknown, as well as their skills in engineering and inventing, they built a miniature ghost portal. But when it failed to activate, a fight broke out. Tucker was sure that it had failed because ghosts weren’t real, while Sam blamed Tucker’s technology. Danny, wanting nothing more than to stop his friends from fighting, decided to try and fix the portal alone.”

“And he succeeded,” Maddie gasped. “Right?”

“He did,” Danielle confirmed, her voice low and weary. “But he’d forgotten to unplug it. The device turned on while his arms were still inside it, a ghost portal forming before he could pull away. Sam and Tucker heard the commotion and managed to get him away, and the device turned off, but it was too late. Even though Danny was declared to be fine by doctors, who hadn’t found any injuries, it didn’t take long for the effects to show. Little by little, Danny developed ghost powers, and even gained the ability to turn into a ghost entirely.”

Danielle paused, running her fingers through her ponytail. “We didn’t know, back then. Jazz and I, I mean. He didn’t tell anyone. The only ones who knew were him, Sam, and Tucker. They grew even closer, somehow, trying to figure out what had happened to Danny, even with how little they knew. But there were always concerns, they were always worrying. What if Danny was slowly dying? Gradually becoming more and more ghost until no human part remained?”

“So what happened?” Vlad asked, startling himself. “If they all got closer afterwards… And it was Sam and Tucker who were fighting, before, not Danny. How did it end up like this?”

“It… Something happened. Something I’m not gonna tell you guys about because it was personal, but anyway, Danny ended up lashing out in anger.” She dropped the hand she was tangling in her hair, her expression dropping along with it. “The anger didn’t last long. Almost immediately, he got worried about him falling into a ghostly rage, about it escalating and him hurting his friends. So he left, cut contact entirely.”

She laughed, humorlessly. “It took forever to get the story out of him, between me and Jazz, and… I guess he sees himself in you, Vlad. And Sam and Tucker in Maddie and Jack.”

“But clearly he no longer thinks he’s slowly turning into a ghost, or worries about the ghostly rages,” Vlad pointed out. “So why hasn’t he reunited with Sam and Tucker?”

“Who knows?” She clicked her tongue. “He cares about them, deeply, and I’m sure the feeling is mutual, but Danny doesn’t seem to think so. And once he has set his mind… He’s too stubborn for his own good, really.”

Jack hummed. “I think we might’ve caught him spying on his friends, a few nights ago, before we met him as Danny. During patrol we found him in his ghost form watching a couple.”

“A dark-skinned man, probably wearing a barrette, and a light-skinned woman with black hair?” Danielle asked, and at their nods, she made a face. “Yeah, that sounds like Sam and Tucker. I hoped he wouldn’t realize that they lived in Amity too, but this seems just his kind of shitty luck.”

Vlad thought back to the couple. He admittedly hadn’t paid too much attention to them, too occupied with watching the ghost, but still… If they were kissing, if they were together… was that the reason why Danny had gotten angry in the first place? He couldn’t help but think that, if Jack and Maddie got together while he was becoming half-ghost, he probably would’ve been pissed too.

“Anyway,” Danielle said, clapping her hands together. “None of this is your business, and I probably shouldn’t have told you guys in the first place. I’ll talk with Danny about ways to help, once he gets home, but I don’t want you trying to get involved, okay? Let me and Jazz handle it.”

“Okay.” Vlad pressed a kiss against his mom’s cheek, trying to hide how increasingly troubled he was feeling. “We’ll be in my room. Thanks, Mom, love you.”

“Love you too, honey.” She ruffled his hair before he got the chance to distance himself, and her laughter followed them all the way to Vlad’s room.

This time it was Jack who stepped into Vlad’s room last, closing the door behind them. “We should try to get those three together to talk,” he immediately declared.

“Why? Mom just said to stay out of it.” And clearly Sam and Tucker had decided to be happy together, rather than with Danny, Vlad thought, but did not say.

“Well, clearly nothing that they have tried is working,” Jack pointed out, with a tone of voice like he was being totally reasonable. “And it was super obvious that Danny is not the only one pining, right Maddie? You saw it too?”

Maddie stood with her arms crossed, rolling her eyes. “Yes,” she admitted, finally. “Yeah, they didn’t look very happy. But for all we know there’s something else going on with them. It’s been decades. They might have moved on.”

“But it’s worth a shot, right?” Jack dragged big hopeful eyes back to Vlad. “Can’t you imagine, Vlad, if it had been us going through that? I mean, we’re not in love like those guys, but still. Losing our friendship like they lost theirs…”

But it was not the same at all. Not really.

Would it be crueler to make Danny face what he had lost, or to let him pine from a distance forever?

Vlad swallowed past the block in his throat.

“It’s worth a shot,” he agreed, quietly.

At least Danny would be able to move on, then. Just like Sam and Tucker had.

---

In the end, Jack and Maddie decided that there would be too much risk of people backing out if they knew what the meeting was really about, and Vlad agreed. If Danny knew he certainly wouldn’t show up, and if either Sam or Tucker (or more likely, both) backed out, there wouldn’t be a point to the meeting at all. So instead they arranged it with everyone separately, somehow managing to track down Tucker and Sam when they were alone.

Danny, of course, was the easiest to meet with. As promised, he had agreed to start training Vlad, setting up a meeting for just that purpose. For Sam and Tucker, they had to get a little more creative.

Luckily Danielle had told them about their prior interests, which were gladly taken as a jumping off point. Tucker proved interested enough in the ghost hunting tech the three of them had developed, agreeing to come meet them to talk a little more about them, and to have a good look at the tech. Sam, on the other hand, was lured in with the offer to take a look at some of their rare books about ghosts.

Which brought them here. Vlad, Jack, and Maddie were there first, settling down in the grass. They had picked the meeting spot with care, a quiet corner of the park where no one ordinarily came. The large trees surrounding it should give them privacy from potential onlookers, too.

Not long after they got there, they were joined by uncle Danny. He hovered over them for a moment, then shifted back to his human form as well, his sneakers softly touching down on the grass. “Ready, Vlad?”

“Almost,” he answered, and tried not to feel too bad about what was coming. It would all be for the better. Even if things didn’t improve, likely as it seemed, then at least Danny would be able to move on.

Before he could worry too much about it, however, the bushes rustled and their last two guests appeared in the clearing as well. Sam and Tucker had apparently realized they were invited to the same place at the same time, and thus came together.

Uncle Danny stilled instantly, his eyes locked onto the forms of Sam and Tucker. They, in turn, also looked rather surprised to see him.

“Danny?” Tucker whispered, voice quiet with… shock? Surprise? Vlad didn’t know him well enough to tell.

That was enough to snap the elder half-ghost out of his frozen state. In the blink of an eye he shifted back to his ghost form, pushing off from the ground.

But he wasn’t fast enough.

In the short moment he had needed to turn ghost, Sam had crossed the distance between them. Had caught Danny’s wrist with her own hand.

And Danny… stopped. Instantly, immediately.

Tucker, not far behind Sam, caught up as well, grabbing Danny’s other wrist. And, like it was nothing, pulled him back onto the ground.

“Stay,” Sam commanded him softly, and Danny nodded meekly.

What on Earth was happening? Vlad honestly didn’t know anymore.

“We missed you,” Tucker told Danny, voice still quiet. “You won’t believe how much we’ve missed you, man.”

“But you two are—” Danny started, his vibrant green eyes wide and darting between the two people holding his wrists, like he couldn’t decide whether to pull away or to come closer.

“It’s not the same without you,” Sam interrupted, her fingers curling tighter around his wrist. “Danny, it’s not just Tucker I love. I love you too. Always have.”

“And the same goes for me,” Tucker tacked on. “It was never just the two of us, but all three. We’re not the same without you, Danny.”

Danny’s mouthed opened and shut several times, but no words came out.

Luckily, Sam took mercy on him, adding on, “We’ve been so worried about you, Danny. For two decades, we heard nothing. You never answered our messages. Avoided us completely. We only knew you were okay because Jazz and Elle would tell us if we asked.”

“Well, yeah,” Danny said, subdued, with a shrug and a meaningful look between Sam and Tucker. “I mean…”

“You thought we’d cut you out.” Tucker shook his head, his voice strained. “Danny, we tried to tell you. It’s not the same without you. But you never listened.”

“But I’m—”

“Not a monster,” Sam snapped at him. Then, suddenly, she pulled at his wrist, dragging him closer to her.

And then they were kissing.

No, really, Vlad wasn’t sure how that happened. One moment they were talking, and then suddenly they were not.

The kiss didn’t last very long, but was promptly followed up by Tucker kissing Danny, mimicking Sam’s move to drag Danny closer.

They broke away again, Danny blinking stupidly at Sam and Tucker. Then at their hands, still around his wrists.

With a short movement, he turned his arms intangible, pulling them free. Except, instead of fleeing like Vlad was half expecting, Danny grabbed onto the hands he had just freed himself from. Wriggled his fingers between those of his… his friends? His love interests? His crushes?

Either way, Danny then promptly used the hands he held to drag both Sam and Tucker closer to him, until they were all mashed together, melting away against the sides of his long-lost friends.

“I’m sorry,” Danny murmured against Sam’s shoulder, where he had tucked his head.

“So are we,” Sam answered him, equally muffled. “We should’ve talked to you first.”

Vlad watched them for a moment longer, feeling increasingly awkward about being there. Next to him, Maddie cleared her throat, apparently just as uncomfortable as him. “We, uh. We’ll get going.”

“Sorry for being present for something so… personal,” Vlad tacked on, nodding quickly. “Uh. Congrats?”

“Congratulations!” Jack shot them a bright, cheery grin. “See, I told you, Mr. Masters!”

Somewhere in the pile, Danny groaned, his glow flickering visibly. “Now I feel old.”

“Ah, cheer up, you’re no older than us,” Tucker comforted, before twisting partly out of the pile to face Vlad, Jack, and Maddie. “And hey, don’t worry about it, kids. Without you three we never would’ve managed to pin Danny down to talk.”

“Besides,” Sam added on, turning around despite Danny still leaning his entire weight on her, diminutive as it was in his ghost form. “You were looking for training, right? Tuck and I got plenty of ghost hunting tech of our own, so we can definitely help.”

“Why do you have ghost hunting tech?” Danny asked, lifting his head slightly to squint at her. “Have you two been hunting ghosts?”

She snorted. “Well, someone had to keep an eye on you. God knows you weren’t doing it yourself.”

Vlad felt a tug at his elbow, and turned out to see his friends leaving. With a nod he followed, hearing an offended squawked “Hey!” behind him.

Yeah, those three could figure the rest out on their own, he was sure.

[whatstheproblembaby]

Fic: Remember Me

Shelagh is a little confused when she wakes up at Nonnatus House, but everything will be all right when Patrick comes for her, won't it?

PG, ~2170 words, hurt/comfort out the ASS.

Read here on AO3!

She didn’t want to, but Shelagh eventually succumbed to the force of her waking mind. Rolling over, she stretched out an arm toward where Patrick should be, looking forward to a quick morning cuddle before they had to get up and tend to their children and patients.

Instead, her arm flopped over the edge of the bed, her fingers clipping the nightstand.

“Wha-” she grunted, vocal cords not quite awake yet. “Patrick?”

Shelagh blinked, and took in-

“Nonnatus?”

She sat up and fished her glasses off the nightstand, thinking that clearing her vision might also help clear her mind. She thought she had fallen asleep in her own bed last night, but she did have to stay over at Nonnatus sometimes if Patrick had a late, last minute call and couldn’t drive her home from the surgery. Perhaps she had just gotten mixed up.

Less explainable, though, was the resistance she met when she tried to slide her glasses over her ears.

“Who gave me a cap?” Shelagh asked as though someone was there to answer her. She patted her hands over her head, feeling the still-familiar white fabric in confusion, then looked down to take in the rest of her attire. “And a nightgown?”

She appreciated the kindness, since sleeping in either her day dress or her nurse’s uniform would have left her wrinkled and uncomfortable, but the fit of the pajamas was perplexing. The nightgown was visually identical to the ones the sisters wore, which made sense. They each had two, so any one of them could have lent her their spare. All of the sisters were slightly taller than she was, though - so how could she feel her feet poking past the hem to press against the sheets? The skirt wasn’t rucked up any higher than it should be.

Shelagh decided not to question it and turned on the lamp before standing up and padding over to the wardrobe. It would be too informal to take breakfast in her borrowed pajamas regardless of how they fit, not to mention the awkwardness she would feel at being garbed like a religious sister once more, even if no one else would think much of it.

“Most of them weren’t even here when I was Sister Bernadette,” she muttered. Shelagh didn’t make a regular habit of talking to herself aloud, but she suddenly wanted the comfort of an expected voice, even if it was just her own. “They wouldn’t know it was...inappropriate. Still, I’d rather be in my own dress and ready to get on with the day when Patrick arrives for me.”

She pulled open the wardrobe door and had to blink several times. In a daze, she shut the doors, counted to five silently, and reopened them.

The contents were the same.

“Habits?” Shelagh said, her accent thickening somewhat in shock. “Why ever-”

A light rap on her door interrupted her question. “Sister? Are you coming to Lauds?”

“I think you have the wrong room,” Shelagh said as she made her way over to let Sister Hilda in. “I’m always happy to attend Lauds with you, of course, but I’m no longer a religious sister. Oh, were you aware that I was once-”

“No longer?” Sister Hilda cut in, a bemused smile on her face. “Sister, are you feeling quite the thing?”

“I don’t understand why you keep calling me Sister. I renounced my vows ages ago.” Shelagh suddenly felt dizzy. Between the wardrobe full of someone else’s clothes and Sister Hilda’s insistence on using the wrong title...it was overwhelming so early in the morning.

Sister Hilda took Shelagh firmly by the upper arms and guided her so they were sitting side by side on the bed. “Sis- pardon.” She cleared her throat when Shelagh glared at her attempt to use the title yet again. “You are scaring me. Are you sure that headache you had at supper last night has gone away?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Shelagh said, agitated. “And I did not have a headache at supper last night, which I ate, by the way, with my own husband and children!”

“With your - that’s quite enough,” Sister Hilda said. She pushed herself forcefully off the bed before chivvying Shelagh just as emphatically back into lying down. “I’m calling Doctor. I don’t know if you’re feverish or somehow sustained a head injury after Compline, but you are not in your right mind, Sister Bernadette. You will stay here until the doctor can have a look at you. Sister Frances can lead Lauds.”

Shelagh wasn’t sure which part of that speech she wanted to rebut first, but she finally spluttered out “Wh-what about Sister Julienne?” just before Sister Hilda exited the room.

“Mother Julienne is visiting the Hope Clinic in South Africa, as you well know!” The door closed decisively behind Sister Hilda.

“Mother Julienne?” Shelagh echoed. “Oh, what in the world is going on?”

While she was of the mind to flout Sister Hilda’s orders on principle, Shelagh thought she may as well wait there. One way or another, she would get to see Patrick, and she couldn’t exactly wait in the entrance hall in her nightie.

“Wouldn’t that be a shock, though?” she said, a mischievous smile growing on her face as she imagined the look on Patrick’s. She chuckled softly as the door opened again.

“Well, I’m glad you’re laughing, Sister,” Patrick said as he bustled in with Sister Hilda hot on his heels. “One of us should be in a good mood this morning.”

“Oh, Patrick, not you, too!” Shelagh said, shaking her head at his incorrect title for her. “Did Sister Hilda not tell you it was me she’s worried about?”

“You see?” Sister Hilda said, gesturing at her. “Something’s wrong.”

“Clearly,” Patrick said. Shelagh frowned as he hooked his stethoscope over his neck and dug a thermometer out of his bag. “You were right to call me.”

“Really, Patrick, that’s enough,” Shelagh said, moving to swing herself out of bed. “The children will be late for school if we mess about with this sad attempt at a comedy show any longer.”

“Sister, it’s incredibly unprofessional for you to keep calling me by my first name,” Patrick said, catching Shelagh by the arm to keep her in place. As he popped the thermometer into her mouth, he sat next to her on the bed and continued, “And honestly, I was unaware you even knew my first name. Is it in Mother Julienne’s old files somewhere?”

Shelagh’s mouth gaped, the thermometer falling into her lap. “Wh - of course I know your first name. You’re my husband, in case you’ve forgotten!”

Sister Hilda stepped forward, aghast. “Sister! I realize you likely don’t know what you’re saying, but that is beyond the pale! Dr. Turner would never behave so inappropriately toward a woman of God.”

“It’s all right, Sister, I’m not offended,” Patrick said as he pressed a hand clinically to Shelagh’s forehead. She wanted to reach up and cling on, reassure herself, but the lack of affection in Patrick’s eyes stopped her cold. “She’s not feverish. You’re sure she didn’t hit her head yesterday?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“Where are the children?” Shelagh interjected. She tried to keep the panic she was feeling out of her voice - Sister Hilda and Patrick didn’t need any more reasons to think she was mentally unwell. “May? Angela? Teddy? Did you leave them with Timothy?”

Patrick recoiled as though she had slapped him. It was Sister Hilda who responded, very softly.

“Dr. Turner’s son died of polio in 1958. You were still in the sanatorium, Sister - do you remember? I can ask Nurse Franklin for more details if it would help.”

“I...I….” The gravity of what Sister Hilda was saying struck her, and Shelagh couldn’t find words, couldn’t find air. She started crying, gentle tears quickly giving way to great, painful heaves that almost drowned out the sound of Patrick instructing Sister Hilda to call an ambulance and the Linchmere over her head. “No, please...Patrick! Don’t - I’m not-”

Her vision started fluttering, and everything went black.

__________________________

Patrick climbed the dark stairs slowly, exhausted after assisting with a long but ultimately rewarding delivery of a new mother of twins. He loosened his tie as he quietly entered his room, not wanting to wake-

“Shelagh!”

His wife was thrashing and sobbing on her side of the bed, her breath coming in frantic gasps between soft cries of “No - Patrick, no!”

“Shelagh, my love, I’m right here,” Patrick said, crossing the room in an instant to drop down beside her on the mattress and start rubbing her back. “I’m right here, wake up.”

“Patrick?” Shelagh’s fitful movements eased ever so slightly, her head tilting toward the sound of his voice.

“Open your eyes, darling, I’m here,” Patrick coaxed. He gently encouraged her to turn onto her other side, facing him, and as she rolled, her eyes opened.

The look of relief and fear that mingled on her face as she came back to consciousness caused him physical pain in his chest.

“Oh...oh, Patrick,” she said, tears welling in her eyes as she sat up. “Tell me you know who I am.”

“What? Shelagh, you’re my wife, of course I know who you are,” he replied, confused.

She threw herself into his arms almost before he had finished his sentence. “Thank God. Thank God.”

Patrick reached out quickly to turn on the bedside lamp before settling against the headboard and pulling Shelagh firmly into his lap. He ran a hand up and down her back soothingly, waiting until her tears calmed enough that she should be able to speak.

“Tell me what happened.”

“It was - oh, it was the worst nightmare,” Shelagh said. She made to slide out of his lap, but he tightened his grip, only allowing her to shift so she was sitting sideways rather than facing him. He handed her the hankie from his trouser pocket so she could wipe her eyes as she continued, “I woke up and I was at Nonnatus House, which was just unusual, but then Sister Hilda started insisting that I was still a sister, and Sister Julienne was actually Mother Julienne and away in South Africa, and you...you….”

She broke off to blow her nose.

“You came to examine me after Sister Hilda called...and you didn’t believe me either. You were going to call the Linchmere. But even worse than that….our children. Timothy.”

“No one believed you about them, either,” Patrick guessed, pressing a kiss to the side of Shelagh’s head when her flinch informed him he was right. “But Tim?”

“In my dream, he didn’t survive polio. Oh, Patrick,” Shelagh sobbed out, tucking her head into the juncture of Patrick’s neck and shoulder.

“Shhh....shhhh, darling,” Patrick said. He removed her headscarf so he could stroke her hair, her back, as the collar of his shirt got progressively wetter. “It was terrible, but it was only a dream. Timothy and the little ones are here. I’m here, and I know you, and I love you.”

After a few long moments, he felt Shelagh’s cries ease, and the vise around his own heart loosened too.

“I’m sorry,” she said, emerging from his neck. “I don’t mean to carry on over a dream.”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Patrick said fiercely. “Your emotions aren’t any less real because they came from a nightmare. What you can do for me, though, is get up and rinse your face. I’ll make everything comfortable for when you’re done.”

Shelagh looked a little reticent as she stood, but she did make her way to the lavatory to wash up. Patrick scrambled to get into his pajamas, turn down the bed, and get the pillows fluffed and rearranged before she returned.

“That does feel better,” she admitted as she reappeared. “Thank you, dearest.”

“All in a day’s work,” Patrick teased gently, lounging on his back. His smile grew as one bloomed hesitantly on her face. “Now come here.”

Shelagh snagged her headscarf from where he’d left it on her pillow and tied it on before crawling into bed and snuggling close. Patrick anchored one arm firmly around her back and brought the other up to stroke the arm she had draped over his chest.

“This is already better than how I fell asleep before,” Shelagh said, voice muzzy.

“As it should be.” Patrick tilted Shelagh’s head up just long enough to kiss her softly, smiling against her mouth at her sleepily inept attempts to kiss him back. “Rest, love. There will be no more nightmares tonight.”

Shelagh’s head fell lightly against his shoulder, and Patrick dipped his to rest it on her crown. He had relied on the sound of Shelagh’s heartbeat and the warmth of her body to sleep when his memories of Northfield and the war had overwhelmed him, and he could only hope the same would be true for her now.

In the morning, she informed him that it was.

[zmwrites]

tag: 20 first lines

I was tagged by @teasenpaiwrites! Thank you!

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20 stories just list them all). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favourite opening line. Then tag others!

I was tagged in a similar game LITERALLY forever ago by @scmalarky PRE-BLOG MOVE, which makes it the oldest tag game sitting my drafts. It came with the following rules:

Rules: list the first lines of your last ten published stories. note if there are any patterns yourself and see if anyone else notices any! tag ten friends!

I put it off bc to date I’ve only published two stories over on Wattpad. So doing the first lines from the last twenty projects is somehow...easier? I suppose? 

I’ll be putting the opening paragraph or so of each piece, and will only be using WIPs that I actually started at the beginning. Anything that doesn’t start at the actual beginning will be skipped.

Anyways, this is going under a cut bc I know it’s going to be ridiculously long. In order of ‘last modified by me’ as per Google Docs:

Remnants

Radka had been a seamstress in a previous life. Trained from childhood on the most delicate stitches, the most intricate embellishments. She had worked for royalty, sewing crystals and spun gold into skirts for the biggest social events of the year. Her steady hand and attention to detail had earned her a job in the palace by fourteen, and a spot on the queen’s personal seamstress team by fifteen. But that was years in the past. The girl she had been then, demure and innocent, wouldn’t recognize the woman she had grown up to be.

Open Seas

Theresia Bowen sat in the back of one of her family carriages, forehead pressed against the window as she watched the countryside fly past. The sky stretched on forever above her, interrupted only by the occasional wispy white clouds, and the spring sun had melted the snow from the hills to her left. The grass was still struggling to grow but was scattered in patches across the mud. To her right, the sea rolled and waved to the horizon. Ships dotted the deep blue, their sails bright and full with wind. Most were trading ships, a few navy, and the smallest of them all were pleasure ships. It was how she knew they were close to her destination.

Indigo Wars

Violet Colby sat cross-legged on her narrow bed in the room she shared with her two sisters at Osbrick Estate. The name was a holdover from the property’s previous life as a stately home, though not much else had carried over. The walled compound was nestled in the eastern sands of Edristan, less than two kilometres west of the capital city, with sun-bleached buildings that housed several dozen orphans and foundlings.

Pine Hollow

It was a miserable Monday morning, with dark, heavy clouds masking the rising sun and a steady rain pounding the town of Pine Hollow and the surrounding area. The dirt trails through the dense forest were slick with mud, the tire ruts becoming puddles and the puddles becoming proper ponds. It was as far from ideal body hunting conditions as possible without snow, but Virginia Crane had a job to do and she wasn’t about to let some adverse weather stop her.

Rochester WIP

The wedding was supposed to begin in five minutes and the bride was nowhere to be found.

Evelyn Rochester, for her part, was not surprised. Her sister Dorothea had claimed a headache a week earlier to get out of a family outing and had been gone by the time they’d returned. A small chest and a collection of her clothing had been gone as well. Their parents had made inquiries to some family friends but no one had seen Dottie, and at twenty-six she was allowed to do as she pleased, so they’d been left to wait to see if she’d return.

Just Jane

Jane rolled over in the narrow bed, pressing her face into the pillow as though it would make it any easier to sleep. Even as she breathed in the warm, sweet scent of the bed owner’s favourite perfume—myrrh, rose, styrax, and marjoram—a new sound made her ears prick to attention.

UNSS Spectre

The spacecraft glided through the void, following its prey silently. It was using its minimum operating power, leaving the two inside to perform their duties without overhead or emergency lighting. Only the glow of their instruments illuminated the interior of the craft. 

“Cloaking device operating as normal,” Ensign Graecyn Ramsey said. She didn’t need to provide verbal updates since Captain Mezei could see everything that she could see and there was no one else aboard the tiny stealth class craft, but it was habit and she couldn’t seem to stop herself.

Fissures

Katherine Delacroix was seething. It was hard enough trying to get a gaggle of thirteen to eighteen year old girls to focus under normal circumstances but having the #1 most eligible bachelor of the school just hanging out at the back of the auditorium was making it nearly impossible. To make matters worse, the attention paid to the blond was bruising the egos of the boys in the group and she was painfully aware of how desperately the musical needed them not to quit. They already had a female Cogsworth and Le Fou; they didn't have enough girls with deep voices to play Gaston or Lumiere or, god forbid, Beast.

Snapshots

“Are you still looking for a roommate?” Misha asked, voice muffled slightly by whatever she was doing on the opposite end of the phone.

“You mean since you stole my last one? Yes,” Micah replied. He was stuck in traffic on his commute home from work, something his twin sister Misha knew, which was why she’d called when he had no excuse not to talk to her. It wasn’t that he didn’t like talking to her, he just wasn’t much of a talker.

“You’re gonna have to get over that,” she said.

The Tournament

The coin spun in lazy circles on the table, defying every law of physics. Izora Graham watched it with one hand held in a claw-like position over it. She didn't need to but it made it easier to cover the coin should anyone watch it too closely. The bar was still fairly empty so early in the evening and she was tucked away in the back booth away from the few early birds sitting at the counter, however any displays of magic would bring unwanted attention. Especially something that could be useful to any of the Upper Houses like her telekinesis.

Noyama Contest

Earthens had spread across dozens of galaxies once they’d perfected faster-than-light travel, and hundreds of solar systems within those galaxies. PT-759 was one of the galaxies they’d colonized only to find that it was already inhabited. It had ended up working out alright though, as the native species had radically different planetary needs and also happened to find Earthens downright adorable.

Naetov was a smaller planet at the edge of Federation-controlled space in PT-759. It had a few key cities where government funding was funneled to keep them perfect for non-Earthen tourists. Those cities were clean and friendly, open spaces and carefully maintained flora making up the downtown cores, streamlined designs and shiny surfaces giving the impression of a planet on the cusp of significance.

Gossamer Girl

It was the first day of winter and things were already looking bad. Even though the cold weather had held off for an extra two weeks, the harvest had been poor. A mold had festered in their southern field during the wet spring and had spread quickly. They’d razed the infected sections as soon as the fungus had been discovered but it had already destroyed a large swath of plants. They’d lost nearly a quarter of their usual yield and the troubles had only spiralled from there.

Knotted Strings

The room was just a bit too cold to be comfortable. The walls were wood panelled with some sort of reddish wood that matched the flooring. Rows of chairs with collapsible desks filled most of the lecture hall, with the front of the room dominated by a whiteboard and a table. The professor, hawkish in appearance, was perched on a bar stool facing the students and overlooking the table.

Tess lounged in her seat at the table at the front of the room, notebook open on the table in front of her and pen moving deftly across the page. She watched her competition critically as he spoke. His argument was solid enough to cast reasonable doubt on her case, or it would have been had he bothered to address a small piece of evidence she found to be damning. He finished his conclusion to a spatter of applause and returned to his seat across from her. 

“Well done, Mr. Wynn. Miss Kinney, would you like a few moments to prepare your rebuttal?” the professor asked.

“No, I’m good,” Tess replied. She sat up, scribbled a note in her book, and then pushed the book across the table.

Oh, Ophelia

Alexis lounged in the shade next to the pool, sipping a daiquiri and considering her next move. She’d been using the same identity for nearly fifteen years and the neighbours were starting to get suspicious. With all the new beauty products and surgeries available to people of her wealth it was easier to convince people she was nearing forty when she was in the body of a twenty-three year old, but now she had to deal with people asking for her skincare routines and her doctors and the identity wasn’t worth all of the research she was having to do. She was getting sick of Malibu anyways, what with the yearly forest fires that got closer each year. She missed the deep-rooted history of Europe, the memories she had in all of the major cities, the people like her who were still living in their castles and manors pretending like the world hadn’t left them behind.

Bloodlines

Ten of Wands. The Tower. Two of Swords.

Morrigan Keeling sat on the floor of her bedroom, chewing the end of a pen and staring intently at the tarot cards spread in front of her. It was a simple three card spread to indicate how her day was going to go: a card to describe herself, one to indicate what was going to greet her, and another to show the outcome of the situation. She’d gotten into the habit of doing it every day while living at home, and even five years after moving out she found it a relaxing routine to start the day.

The day’s cards, however, were not very relaxing.

PerDeA

The backseat of the car was dark, only illuminated for short intervals by the orange glow of the streetlights. Two figures sat across from each other in the shifting light. In the backwards-facing seat on the driver’s side was PerDeA. Her dark hair was pulled tightly into a ponytail, lips slightly parted as she stared unblinking out the back window. Shoulders square, back straight, chin up, hands folded neatly in her lap, her breathing perfectly rhythmic; she would have looked human if not for the faintly glowing cybernetic blue rings superimposed over her black eyes.

Westhaven

Her eyes were open but she couldn’t see anything. There were mechanical sounds ‒ beeping, whirring ‒ all around her, and voices too far away for her to understand. The sharp smell of antiseptic and the softer detergent scent beneath it.

“Initiate optical system,” a muted female voice instructed. Between one breath and the next she started processing visual information: bright white lights above her, the featureless ceiling beyond, her own nose and eyelashes. She couldn’t move her head to see much else. Walls that matched the ceiling so well it was hard to tell where one became the other, bits of the bed she was on with its bleachable white sheets and side rails.

“Increase tactile responsivity by fifty percent and disengage the motion inhibitors.”

Pro Patria Mori

She sat on the narrow bed with her packed suitcase next to her. Her blonde hair was pinned back, her blue eyes fixed on a spot next to the door, her hands folded neatly in her lap. The winter chill clung like burrs to the house, helped by the heavy spring rain that beat against the window in a staccato rhythm. Outside, trees bowed under the charcoal sky. The old house creaked and groaned around her, the wind whistling and wailing as the storm continued to batter the country estate. She waited.

At any moment there would be a knock on the main door of the house. Godfrey, the aged and shuffling butler, would answer. Standing on the other side would be some men in crisp uniforms, holding up her picture and asking if he knew her. She had seen them in town the evening before, and it wouldn’t take more than a day before someone pointed them in the right direction. They looked like military men but there was something different in their manner, something sharper. Godfrey would lead them up, and up, and up, until they reached her third floor apartment. The butler would introduce them, she would smile politely, and she would leave with them without a fight.

The Clocktower

Astra hated Capperham. The way it sprawled its squalor from border to border, from the sea in the west to the battlements in the other three directions. The harbour reeked of dead fish and unwashed human, the slums of sickness and stale beer. Even the neighbourhoods of rich merchants and factory owners lay under the thick smog of black soot the mines and mills spat out day and night. The grit and dirt was part of everything, so deeply ingrained that even the most rigorous scrubbing couldn’t make something clean.

Stars Incline Us

The Christmas gala was in full swing. The entire ballroom was full of people Pippa didn’t know, all wearing fancy clothes that probably cost more than her rent. Her own dress was aubergine and a simple V-neck, form-fitting enough to be attractive but loose enough to not draw too much attention.

She and another girl who didn’t seem to know anyone at the event were chatting with Antero and Mr. Rabinoff near the edge of the dance floor. Antero was already antsy to leave despite the dinner having just ended, but Mr. Rabinoff had trapped him in a debate he was too proud to back down from. The other girl was from legal and either found them hilarious or had had a little too much to drink because she kept giggling, leaving Pippa no choice but to laugh along while adding the occasional remark to the back and forth between the men.

That brings us all the way back to October 2016. Which tells me that I need to start at the beginning of more stories haha. If anyone has questions about any of these, please feel free to ask. Also, if you read all of that, you are a saint and a hero and have my eternal friendship.

I tag @the-writing-avocado​, @radiowrites​, @pigeon-hold​, @sleepyowlwrites​, @akindofmagictoo​, and anyone else who wants to share their projects!! As always, no pressure (to play or to read this whole post lmao).

[the-rovarians]

Characters I will play from this blog (my OCs, please credit me if you use them for anything. Thank you.):

*Spirit, Opportunity, and probably Kiali are the ones I play the most right now, so they have the most detailed bios. However, I'll play any of these characters in an RP (that would actually help flesh them out more) and I'll add to their bios as they get more developed. I'd appreciate the help with this.

Leaders and Their Family:

Spirit:

Rank: Leader (she and her brother affectionately call each other co-leaders in non-serious situations). Indicated by three connected gold bands on her upper arm with the Rovarian seal stamped into them Gender: Female Sexuality: Asexual (meaning no sexual attraction, though she will still find someone handsome/beautiful. But she never has sexual thoughts or desires. This is typical for the entire species.) Family: Identical twin brother Opportunity, and in one AU I've done, she has a niece and nephew named Andromeda and Antares respectively Personality/Background: One of the two original NASA Mars Exploration Rovers, she's energetic and outgoing and generally easygoing. However, when her family, her people, or anyone else she cares about are threatened, she's a dangerous and deadly enemy. No specific love interest here (though she had one at one time, he sadly died), just her family and her people. As a leader, she tries to be open minded, just, and generous. Despite being a co-leader of her people, she doesn't view herself as being above them or entitled to special treatment. Better in some skills, maybe, but she is just as vulnerable to the rule of law as anyone else, and she knows it. She's a steadfast and dependable friend and ally and is glad to help any way she can. She's also pretty good with kids, too (she has a little niece and nephew, except in AUs) and often engages in friendly prank wars/sibling rivalries with her twin. After almost losing him in a war, she makes sure every time they part that the last thing she says to Opportunity is that she loves him. She can also have a (figurative) mouth like a sailor when she wants to. Inventory: Except for special occasions, she always wears her Rovarian battle armor and carries a standard warrior's armament of a staff weapon, a handheld disruptor, and a non-lethal stunner weapon. But since the death of her love, she carries and wields his sword in his honor, as this was part of his last wish to her. She also wears a necklace that belonged to him, except for the chain, which she repaired for him once. Because of this and the fact she always enjoyed sword sparring with him, she also now carries her own sword and is known for being the only Rovarian to use two swords in battle.

Opportunity:

Rank: Leader, same as Spirit. Indicated by three connected gold bands on his upper arm with the Rovarian seal stamped into them Gender: Male Sexuality: Gay, as he likes males, but he shares the same asexuality as the rest of his species. Family: Identical twin sister Spirit, In one AU he's married to Amity (OC owned by @darklinespectra ) with whom he is a father of twins Andromeda and Antares. Voice Claim (what I think his voice might sound like): Jonathan Del Arco as Hugh. Personality/Background: The other original NASA rover. Like his sister, he's generally pretty easygoing, though not quite as energetic as Spirit. Also like Spirit, he's a fierce protector of those he loves and cares about, especially his family. He's a wise leader and does his best to make decisions that meet everyone's needs. He's just as humble as his sister, even refusing to admit he's the best pilot on Mars (even though literally everyone else will agree it's true. Spirit often ribs him about this.) He's a very skilled warrior and is not afraid to make even the ultimate sacrifice (he almost did once when protecting Spirit) Inventory: Like his sister, he's pretty much always in battle armor. He also carries the standard armament, plus one extra disruptor and is known for his marksmanship.

Family from the AU with @darklinespectra :

Amity: OC of @darklinespectra , husband of Opportunity, father of Andromeda and Antares. Andromeda: Female, young child, identical twin sister of Antares. Answers to the nickname "Rommie"

Antares: Male, young child, identical twin brother of Andromeda

RSS Artax Senior Crew:

Captain: Kiali

Rank: Captain. Indicated by three separate gold bands on her upper arms with the seal stamped on them

Gender: Female

Voice Claim (what I think her voice might sound like): Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway Personality/Background: Kiali is level headed and intelligent, a brilliant strategist, and she has utmost confidence in her crew. She doesn't sugarcoat things, but she's not a block of stone either. She's understanding of problems her cremated might have and is willing to work with them to solve it. She tries to be encouraging to ensign an trainees, knowing they could use the confidence. She's very good at noticing when some is particularly gifted at something and encourages them to expand on that gift. Inventory: Rovarian armor, stunner, disruptor

First Officer: Taurus

Rank: Commander. Indicated by two connected gold bands on his upper arms with the seal on them

Gender: Male

Note: Taurus is an amputee, missing one hand and lower arm. He lost it to a chemical infection (alien biology is weird, yo).

Voice Claim (what I think his voice might sound like): Bruce Boxleitner as Tron. Personality/Background: He's gruff but not a jerk, though he is more serious than his captain. He's generally a nice guy, but not very outgoing, except in his post on the ship

Chief Engineer: Castor

Rank: Lieutenant Commander. Indicated by two separate gold bands on his upper arms with the seal on them

Gender: Male

Chief Medical Officer: Deneb

Rank: (there aren't specific rank names for medical staff, but she's the equivalent of a Lieutenant Commander. Indicated by two separate silver bands on her upper arms with a Medical seal on them.

Gender: Female

Chief Science Officer: Pollux

Rank: Lieutenant. Indicated by one gold band on his upper arms with the Rovarian seal on it

Gender: Male

Personality: He's a nerd. Naturally curious (even by Rovarian standards) and always eager for scientific exploration. In school, he was a definite brainiac. The kid who knew everything. He has a tendency to sometimes infodump or just not stop talking, especially when he gets excited. He's pretty creative and resourceful, too. He's determined to find solutions to problems, even if it's a quick fix jerryrigged solution.

Trauma: He was part of a team sent to survey the aftermath of the attacks by human terrorists on the Rovarian city of Jezero. There were no survivors, and he saw the carnage and the bodies, including children and babies, up close. He is still haunted by those sights, and in addition to nightmares, he also has flashbacks that can be triggered by seeing a baby, even if it's another species. He starts seeing his memories of the carnage again and feels trapped by them. He usually will need to leave and get some air in order to recompose himself if this happens. It's not easy for him, but he is willing to explain all of this if he needs to or if your muse asks him.

Head of Security and Chief Tactical Officer: Libra

Rank: Lieutenant Commander. Indicated by two separate gold bands on her upper arms with the seal on them

Gender: Female

Communications Officer: Gemini

Rank: Lieutenant. Indicated by one gold band on her upper arms with the Rovarian seal on it

Gender: Female Personality/Background: Along with being the comm officer, she's also the tech expert (she was a technology scientist/engineer before she joined the crew of Artax). So it should be no surprise that she's also a skilled hacker. Voice Claim (what I think her voice might sound like): Laura Bertram as Trance (Andromeda TV show)

Helmsman: Sagittarius

Rank: Lieutenant. Indicated by one gold band on his upper arms with the Rovarian seal on it

Gender: Male

Note: Much to his annoyance, his name often gets shortened to "Sag/Saj" or "Sagi/Saji" and he will often say something unless a superior officer calls him that. He knows they only do it when in a situation where they need to use shorthand versions of things.

Navigator: Cygnus

Rank: Ensign. Indicated by a single bronze band around his upper arms.

Gender: Male

Other People I might play from here:

Carina: Female, ambassador, mother of Aries

Aries: Male, young child (about two or three, but he can be aged up for whatever us muns decide), highly intelligent, father died in the war with human terrorists

Centaurus and Crux: Twin brothers, warriors, usually (but not always) stationed on the Artax