#and probably kill some people gladly for nick

[azurdlywisterious]

I need a new hyperbole because “I’d kill a man for x” doesn’t work for fallout because name a blorbo I’ve killed a man for them

[heliads]

Okay

So

I think this is how you request? I’ve never requested anything before >w<

But before I do that I wanted to applaud you for all your hard work!!! You are such an amazing writer, one of favorites atm, and you definitely deserve some praise!!!

For my request, I’m not sure if you are still into Ouat or Peter Pan from the show, but I’m like, obsessed. I’ve had this soulmate idea in which Peter pan’s plan to steal the heart of the truest believer failed, so now he has to take the heart of his soulmate. This is harder for him because he doesn’t know how to love. He hates it out of fear of what it could do to him, yknow yknow? So he goes along with the plan and he captures her. He expects her to fight back but she doesn’t. In fact, she’s quite happy to give up her heart for him if it meant that she wasn’t useless. (She had no family other than her sister, who had recently died. She’s lived her whole life feeling unvaluable). Over the past few days, they get to know each other, and he starts to feel bad that he was her soulmate. Like, why does such a sweet girl have to be his??? How could she just be fine with giving up her heart, HOW COULD SHE BE FINE WITH HIM NOT LOVING HER WHEN SHE CLEARLY DESERVES ALL THE LOVE HE COULD GIVE HER?!?!

She just tells him that a soulmates job is to make their lover happy, and if this made him happy then she would gladly give him her heart. It’s not like he’s doing it just for himself anyway, he is doing it for all the lost children in the world.

After he finishes the setup necessary for the ritual, he takes his soulmate to Skull rock. By the point, Peter isn’t even sure if he wants to steal her heart anymore. Could he have fallen in love this quickly???

But she encourages him to do it, despite being frightened of it herself. Before he takes her heart, Peter asks her if she had any last words. She quietly mumbles that she loves him more to an anything. She then asks him if it will hurt, to which he responds by saying that he’ll numb the pain as much as possible.

Going against his better judgement, Peter kisses her softly as he takes her heart. She immediately passes out. Peter pan has big boy realization and can’t bring himself to kill her, so instead he puts her heart back in and kisses her in the hopes she will come back to him.

Insert fluffy ending here with more kisses!!

I am so so so sorry in advance if this is super specific or doesn’t make any sense. I’ve just had this idea stuck in my head for months and it won’t get out. Of course, you can add or change the idea to make it simpler for you to write!! Take as much time as you need and have an amazing day!!!

oh this idea >>

masterlist

Peter Pan is really out of luck. No, really. He says this about once a decade, when his latest plan for glory goes a little topsy turvy, but it’s real this time. Peter has finally caught his last break, found himself in a trap that he just can’t slip. Peter can name a fair number of people who’d be just delighted to hear that the King of Neverland has finally lost his way, but Peter himself isn’t one of them. 

That probably has to do with a little something about how he’s going to die. Peter always knew his life came with strings attached, namely the giant hourglass ticking down his last hours until he finally croaked, but for some reason he always thought that he’d be able to find his way out of it. Peter is a mastermind at exploiting loopholes, but despite all of his centuries of figuring things out in the nick of time, he may have just now met his match. 

Peter thought he had it settled when it came to the heart of the truest believer. Kidnap a kid and carve out his vital organ, that’s all it took. It should have been an easy task, too, certainly within Peter’s grasp. It’s a shame the truest believer also came with a team of die-hard do-gooders ready to tear the world apart to save their son, but who could predict something like that?

Henry Mills was Peter’s last chance, though. Or, to be specific, the last chance that Peter even remotely wanted to consider. He has explored all other opportunities, never given up hope on finding another way, but at last, he’s going to have to admit it. Peter is going to have to do the one thing he swore to always avoid. 

Peter can feel the eyes of the other Lost Boys on him now, silently waiting for him to make the inevitable call. They’ll support him in whatever choice he makes to save himself, of course; Neverland disappears when Peter dies. He’s sworn that he’ll ship them all off to safer shores should that day arrive, but no one wants that, either. The Lost Boys have always had a chance to leave, they just never took it because this life on Neverland was always preferable to anything else. 

He knows what he has to say, though. Peter has known it for a while. The one last gamble he could possibly deal, the last chance he will ever have to not die before a month is out—

His soulmate. 

This is the one option Peter was really hoping to avoid. Something about the whole soulmate affair has really bugged him all this time. Forget the odds of ever finding your soulmate when he’s immortal living on an island where no one could track him down if they dared, Peter isn’t the type of person who makes sense in the whole soulmates agenda. Peter doesn’t like weaknesses, and having someone out there who’s supposed to mean the world to you, love above all else, makes his skin crawl.

Technically, he supposes his soulmate isn’t a weakness at a time like this. In fact, his soulmate is going to be the only thing capable of making Peter strong again. See, if he wants to go on living, he can sacrifice someone else’s heart to the magic of Neverland:  that of his soulmate.

Anyone else would call it cruel. Peter is not anyone else, which is why he’s considering this. To be honest, he really hadn’t wanted to go anywhere near his soulmate, but he’s not so averse to the whole concept that he’d go into a grave rather than risk it. Peter clings to life like no one you’ve ever seen before, and he’s going to keep on doing it, soulmates be damned.

Peter can’t quite put a finger on why he has such a strong dislike of the soulmates thing. Maybe it’s because understanding the soulmate predicament would make him open to such weaknesses as love brings. Love is for fools who have nothing else to give, kids and blind men who would plunge a knife into their own chests if it meant meeting somebody who was supposedly meant for them. The only thing that Peter has ever needed in this world is his immortal youth, and if a soulmate were ever to get in the way of that, he’d take them out himself.

That’s the plan, at last. Peter doesn’t have to worry about the time it could take to track down his soulmate. He’s had his shadow keep vague tabs on them for no particular reason. He’ll tell himself it’s so he can head the other way if they ever draw near, but it’s not like that’s actually a good excuse. No one comes near Neverland unless they can avoid it or they’re one of his kind. Clearly, Peter’s soulmate would never be the type to fit in here, because soulmates are a sham. Peter refuses to believe anything else.

Still, he has to meet them, has to look them in the eyes as he carves the heart from their chest. It’ll be quick and clean, that’s all Peter needs. After that, he can live forever with another weight lifted from his shoulders. Two weaknesses removed from Peter’s world:  death and love. What more could he possibly want?

Peter actually goes to the trouble of locating his soulmate himself. This job needs to be clean, he can’t afford to have any more storybook heroes on his tail. Look how well that turned out with Henry. This is Peter’s last shot, after all; it happens without error or it doesn’t happen at all.

To his surprise, it’s relatively easy to find his soulmate. She’s walking alone at night when he finally comes to her world, trading a dimly lit house for a chilly twilight. The walls are silent, still as a grave, and the girl doesn’t look back once as she leaves. Strange.

Peter waits until she’s out of the line of sight of the house just in case, then starts following her. Once they’ve turned off of the street, Peter quickly closes the distance between them. The girl turns to stare at him, and her eyes widen. She must be feeling it too, then, the rushing feeling in her chest. Peter’s hit by it now too. He didn’t ever wonder what it would be like to meet one’s soulmate, so the reaction of being in such close quarters to the one person designed for him takes him by surprise.

Peter bites back an unwelcome smile and a rush of butterflies to his stomach. “I’m going to need you to come with me,” he says. He’s got a knife in his hand just so she gets the point. Like he said, no slip ups. Not this time.

He’s expecting a fight. That’s how Peter would react if someone approached him at night with a weapon, after all, yet for some reason his soulmate just nods. “Alright,” she replies.

Peter blinks in surprise. “Alright? I’m kidnapping you.”

“Alright,” she repeats, this time with a soft smile, “are you, though? You look really confused about it.”

“Yeah,” Peter says without thinking, “you seem like you’re not taking this seriously. Aren’t you going to try to run or something?”

The girl lifts a shoulder. “Where would I go? Besides,” she adds with a small laugh, “you’re my soulmate. That seems like a fascinating kidnapping to me.”

Peter thinks he’s gone out of his mind. “I’m going to kill you. This is not fascinating. I need your heart so I can live forever.”

His soulmate tilts her head to the side as if considering something, and then nods. “Okay.”

He must be crazy. “Why is that okay?”

The girl spreads her hands. “I have nothing. Nobody left, no family. It would be something to let someone live forever, wouldn’t it? Once you see enough death, you start to wish somebody could do it. If all it took was my heart, I think that’s a fair price. Where are we going, soulmate?”

Peter almost opens his mouth to stop her before he remembers that this is what he wants, someone willing to give up their heart so that he could live. This is actually the best possible scenario, but then why does his chest twinge with something almost like guilt when he nods and gestures towards the sky? And, upon seeing his soulmate’s face light up as she realizes that they’re to fly to Neverland, why does Peter feel like a monster for giving this girl a snapshot of all that she could have had if he hadn’t been afraid of her and taken her to his island for any reason other than sacrificing her heart?

It doesn’t matter what this girl thinks. What matters is Peter staying alive. He can focus on that, not the way the eyes of his soulmate shine with all the stars as they fly through the night air, how Peter feels more powerful than he’s ever felt before because they’re so close to each other. Y/N— he doesn’t remember asking her name, but he must have at some point because it’s now folded carefully within the depths of his memory— makes him feel strange. Better. More alive. 

It’s distracting, and Peter can’t take another distraction right now. He all but abandons her to the wilderness of the island when they touch down on Neverland, muttering something about needing to get something before disappearing again. 

To her credit, Y/N seems surprisingly good at navigating this strange new world. She finds her way to the Lost Boys’ camp within a few minutes, and by the time Peter plucks up the courage to head there as well, she’s already locked in conversation with a few of the boys. Even Felix is nodding along. Some unwelcome voice in the back of Peter’s head tells him that she fits into Neverland so well for a reason, but he refuses to listen. 

After all, Y/N is only here temporarily. She knows it, too, which just makes Peter’s unsettled surprise grow more intense. She doesn’t try to run or flee her fate in any way. Instead, she asks Peter questions about the magic of Neverland, what it would be like when her heart has been traded in and everything is as it should be. After some initial hesitation, Peter talks. He talks more than he thinks he has to anyone else, and comes away from every conversation feeling a surprising lightness in his chest. 

A couple of days pass after his soulmate arrives on Neverland, and Peter begins to realize that if he wants to get through this at all, he’s going to have to plan the ritual sooner rather than later. Already, something almost like guilt is pricking at the edges of his consciousness, making Peter wonder if this is really something he could do. To tear the still-beating heart out of Y/N’s chest, even with her explicit permission, seems somehow so wrong that even Peter with all his centuries of depravity feels like he’s missing something. 

It will come, though. This will pass. Peter has the Lost Boys depending on him. Peter himself knows nothing about death, that grand adventure that he has yet to experience, and he plans on keeping his demise to the distant future, if it ever does happen at all. He has to kill Y/N, even if it feels like he’s killing himself in turn. 

The hour arrives at last, Peter makes sure of it. He takes Y/N’s hand and they fly to Skull Rock, out of the judging eyes of the other Lost Boys. Those that were so keen on him finding any way to live now seem less sure of Peter Pan’s divine right to never fail. Peter isn’t sure of it either. 

The only one who’s sure of anything is Y/N. She watches him with those same bright eyes as Peter reminds himself of words to spells. He had wondered if her quiet strength would desert her when the moment of her actual death arrived, but she remains just as brave as ever. That marks her as better than Peter, he supposes. 

At last, when he can push it off no longer, Peter turns to her again.

“It’s time,” he murmurs. 

Y/N nods once. “It’s okay.”

How like her, to absolve him of this last guilt. He doesn’t deserve this. Maybe this is why Peter has avoided the topic of soulmates all this time— he wasn’t afraid of a weakness but the knowledge that he would never be good enough for anyone. Especially not a soulmate like Y/N. 

Peter squares his shoulders, reaches for her. “Is there anything you want to say? You know, before–”

He stops himself before the treacherous words come out. Before he kills her. Before he rips her heart out of her chest, ending the life of the one good person in his life, the one person he had been sent to love and instead ended up murdering just so he could have more years of empty life.

Y/N flinches slightly, and Peter realizes that she actually is terrified despite her calm front. “I don’t know,” she whispers, “Maybe that I love you. More than anything. If this is what it’s like to have a soulmate, to feel like this, I’m glad I got it.”

Peter must have reacted strongly, because she holds up a hand to stop Peter’s response. “I know it’s bad timing, but I wanted to say it once. You have to do this, Peter. Not just for you but all of the Lost Boys, everyone you haven’t saved yet. Promise me, won’t you? Promise me you’ll find all the kids who need you. You’ll have all the time in the world to do it. Bring them home.”

“I promise,” Peter says hollowly.

Y/N jerks her head up and down, a trembling acceptance. “Alright, then.” She eyes him cautiously. “Do you think it’ll hurt?”

Yes, he wants to say. “I’ll try to make any pain as little as possible.” He owes her that much.

Y/N flashes him a quick smile that neither of them believe. “Do it.”

Peter stares at her, and before he can stop himself, he leans forward slightly and kisses her. It is a mistake in anyone’s book, but Peter can’t help it. It goes against his better judgment, his limited common sense, but it also gives him a rush from head to toe that he could not explain if he tried.

Y/N’s eyes are shut, which makes it easier. Peter plucks her heart from her chest as easily as if it were a single emerald leaf from a tree. Instantly, Y/N crumples to the ground. Peter looks at her body in a tangle of limbs on the floor of the cave, and he knows. He can’t do this. It is the only thing that will save his life, and it is too great a price to pay.

Within a second, Peter puts Y/N’s heart back in her chest. She still doesn’t stir, and Peter finds himself swept away on a tide of fear, utterly wracked with the horror that maybe he was too late, that his realization took just too long to come about. He kisses her again in the hopes that it might do something, anything. He’s heard that soulmates are supposed to have a special kind of magic in them; if the stories were true, if there is anything left to Y/N and Peter, let it go all to her. Let her wake up. Please.

Y/N lets out a shuddering gasp and sits up. Peter’s breath leaves him in a rush and he clutches her to him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as if she’s giving him strength instead of the other way around.

“You’re alright,” he says weakly. It’s as much to reassure him as her.

Y/N shakes her head against his chest. “Didn’t it work? It should have worked, Peter.”

Peter pulls away briefly, unwillingly, so he can look at her again. He doesn’t know how much time he has left now, but he’d gladly spend the rest of them just watching the sun set in her eyes. “I couldn’t do it. I can’t kill you, Y/N.”

Y/N’s eyes widen. “No. No, you had to do this. You’re going to die.”

He lifts a shoulder. “I’ve lived a long time. You deserve your shot at life, just like me.”

Y/N opens her mouth to argue against this, and then she falls silent. Peter furrows his brow, confused at her sudden hesitation, and then he realizes that the entire room seems to be glowing. He turns around to see what Y/N’s looking at, and then he sees it and loses the ability to function.

The hourglass is glowing. As Peter watches, all of the grains that had been steadily collecting at the bottom fly up to the top, and this time, they stay there. Even after Peter waits, they refuse to fall. For some reason, he is no longer capable of dying, at least not through the steady progress of time that had once marked his centuries.

It must be the soulmate thing. It’s the only thing Peter can think of, that something must have come of the bond between him and Y/N. It’s funny, isn’t it, that Peter has spent all of this time running from the mere mention of a soulmate and now she’s the one to save his life?

He faces her once more, and this time, he lets himself smile back at her. “I think we’re alright.”

She laughs. Peter thinks he could listen to the sound on repeat for days at a time. “I think we’re more than alright, actually.”

For once, Peter does not have any cause to fear. He has his life, but more than that, he has his love. Love is not something to shun or hide, it makes him strong. He holds out a hand for Y/N and helps her up. They have a new life to lead, hundreds of thousands of lifetimes until time itself ceases to function. Peter thinks it’s just about enough time to get started.

requested by @hinayugi, i hope you enjoy!

ouat tag list: @lovesanimals0000, @amortensie, @w1shes43, @lost-ender

[mickeyhenrysgf]

Fuck, Marry, Kill

Summary: After coming home from college, your parents decide to throw a party. At the party, Bucky Barnes stumbles upon a game you’re playing with your best friend.

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x reader

Warnings: age gap, (reader is in college) making out, inappropriate touches and sexual acts, dirty language

“Noo! There’s no boys allowed down here” your best friend slurred, as she waved her alcoholic beverage in the air. You rolled your eyes lightly, carefully putting her cup down to prevent her from spilling the drink all over herself.

“Come on, sweetie. They’re all talking about kids and shit, I’m sick of it” Bucky announced as he sat down across from you.

“Yeah, well, don’t you think that’s a little concerning for you. Shouldn’t you be settling down...” you blurted, the alcohol already in your system giving you some courage.

Bucky raised an eyebrow at you, before taking a swing of his drink.

“And what about you? Huh? Last year in college and still no boyfriend” he challenged, shrugging.

He was good at this game. You hummed and tilted your head in response.

“At least I’m getting laid!”

“Fuck you, Barnes—“

“Is that a promise?” A smirk twitched against his lips and you rolled your eyes.

You first learned about Bucky when you came home for Thanksgiving in your sophomore year of college. Seated at the table, you noticed he wasn’t the same age as your parents. But, he was still a good 10 plus years older than you. Working in the same place as your parents and living almost 3 blocks down, they instantly became friends. Now as a senior, you also considered Bucky as a friend.

Your friend scoffed at the playful banter before hushing the both of you. “Anyways, Y/N, Fuck, Marry, or Kill” she whined, she was definitely drunk but you didn’t care.

Bucky’s elbows rested on his knees as he looked at you.

“Aren’t you a little too old to be playing that? Or is this some college bullshit game?” You blushed lightly, flipping him off. He chuckled softly and shrugged.

Yeah, so what if you had a crush on Bucky Barnes. It was harmless anyways. His kind eyes stayed on yours, waiting for an answer but you focused on your friend.

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead”

“Alright, let’s make this fun!” Your friend clapped as she giggled lightly at Bucky. “Let’s do— Jake from economics, Nick from the swim group, and Bucky!”

“What?” You and Bucky both said in unison, the two of you staring at each other.

“Oh, come on, Y/N— it’s just a game. Bucky doesn’t even care. Right?” She questioned, as she continued to drink. Bucky cleared his throat and shook his head. “See—! plus, we’re all adults here” she added, looking at you.

Bucky was curious. Honestly. The fact that he would have made a move if you weren’t the daughter of his fellow co-worker was telling. You made him laugh, laugh till tears filled his eyes. Made him even feel younger.

You looked over at Bucky, licking your lips in hesitation. You never fully understood the vibe he gave off. He had brought girls to your parent’s house before. Player? Probably. Sometimes when you visited your dad at his job, there would be a new girl in Bucky’s office. But, that was the first & last time you would ever see them.

“Well, I would do... marry- umm... Jake— because well, his family is fucking rich!”

“Good choice!” Your friend sang as Bucky watched you in anticipation.

“And then I would F-Fuck Nick—” you boasted in a very unconvincing way. It was lie obviously.

“Finally, I would kill you Bucky, sorry, you’re just not my type at all” you exaggerated, making a gagging face. That was a lie too.

“Aw! Sorry Bucky! You know Y/N never really had a type for older men” Your friend teased, finishing her drink.

You looked over at Bucky, your face feeling flushed. You prayed it didn’t show. Perhaps, you could blame it on the alcohol. Your palms releasing an unhealthy amount of sweat as well. But Bucky, He was unphased. Better yet, He smirked slightly. Why the fuck was he smirking , you thought to yourself. You wanted to scream at him. God, and now your back was sweating. This is gross, you thought, swallowing thickly.

“Y/N—? Hello?”

Your friend tried to grab your attention as thoughts ran through your head.

“What?” You snapped as you finished cursing out Bucky in your head. Oh, and he laughed at your mistaken aggression. He’s an asshole.

“It’s my turn” your friend said not realizing that you accidentally snapped at her but Bucky had. He noticed everything.

You started to clean the basement as your friends left one by one. It was almost midnight, and the party was quieting down.

“Missed something” the familiar voice said as he waved a wrapper in the air. You turned around slowly as Bucky stood, leaning against the basement wall. He shot a smile towards you. Of course, he’d be one of the last people still here. After your awkward game of Fuck, Marry, Kill , Bucky had excused himself out of the basement & went back upstairs.

“Oh, thanks. You can just put it in the plastic bag over there” you went back to tidying the items, but you heard Bucky’s footsteps become louder. He began to give you a helping hand in folding the chairs.

“That was quite a show you pulled off...”

“I’m sorry?”

“Y/N, I’m not dumb” he huffed, folding the chair and then stepping closer to you. You looked up and noticed how much taller he was compared to you. You stepped back a bit, tripping on the chair behind you. However, Bucky caught you. His hands firm on your hips.

He chuckled softly... that fucking laugh again.

“B-Bucky—“ You stuttered, looking up at him. His hands brushing over your skin for the first time. Goosebumps shooting across every inch. God, did he always look this handsome up close?

“You’re nervous-“

“I’m not.”

“So, you actually want to fuck Nick...?”

“You don’t even know how he looks!” He caught you off pulling out his phone.

“Oh, but I do—“ he showed you a screenshot from the university’s website. “You can do better than that.” He tsked as he put his phone back in his pocket.

“How did you even find that?”

He caught your lies. But, why? Why did he care? His hands squeezed your hips, running them up your body and then cupped your face. You felt fragile in his embrace. You weren’t scared, but you were nervous.

“Tell me if you want me to stop...” he looked into your eyes waiting for a disapproval. His thumb caressing your cheek before tracing your lips.

Make the first move.

Your hands pressed against his chest before sliding down until it reached his clothed hard on.

He groaned, pulling you against the wall, his slight hard on resting on your thigh, as you looked up at him with innocent eyes.

“Fuck, You know your father is going to kill me, right?” You smashed your lips against his. You couldn’t care less what your parents thought. Right now, you wanted to kiss Bucky. He licked your bottom lip, a way of asking permission as you opened your mouth, the two of you exploring & sucking on each other’s tongues. His hands reached down to your ass and squeezed on it. He patted it lightly, signaling to jump, which you gladly did. Your hands in his hair, Bucky’s hard on grinding against you, and making you wetter by the second. It was embarrassing how turned on the two of you were.

You pulled away slightly to breathe. Your lips already swollen, as Bucky playfully tugged on your bottom lip staring at you. “Tell me, what was the answer you really wanted to say?”

“I’d fuck you...” you admitted as Bucky grinned, leaning in and leaving small hickeys on your neck, causing you to moan lightly. He grabbed your hand and guided it towards his hard on. You blushed heavily, squeezing him which earned a filthy grunt to escape lips.

“You really thought you could keep this little secret to yourself, I would eventually find out—” He whispered in your ear, his hands running up under your shirt to grope your breasts. You whimpered, tugging a handful of his hair. His hands skillfully unhooked your bra before lifting up your shirt and bunching up the fabric till your breasts were on display.

“You’re fucking gorgeous” He licked his lips, before taking off the shirt and bra completely, throwing it on the floor. His mouth quickly attaching on the sensitive bud, as his other hand gave its undivided attention to your other breast. Bucky spared no time in pinching, flicking, and sucking which only made your arousal grow.

“Agh— fuck... Buck—“ his hands slapped over your mouth, his eyes now much darker than before. “As much as I would love to hear those moans, you better keep your pretty mouth shut” he warned as his mouth popped off from your breasts and went to licking a stripe up your neck.

“Or... You can come back to my place... I’ll make that pussy scream... You want that?” Bucky clearly wasn’t thinking straight. Neither were you. The two of you drunk off of each other’s touches without thinking of the consequences. You nodded as your hands started to palm him through his jeans. Bucky groaned, kissing you once again to shield the loud moans coming from the basement.

“Y/N...! Sweetie...! Are you down there?” You heard your mother’s voice and your eyes widened. Your mother was moments from catching you half naked with Bucky.

“Shit, shit, shit.” you began to panic, trying to push yourself off him. Your heart pounding.

“Shhhh.... Relax” his fingers stroked your cheek in the most delicate way possible before letting you down. He passed you back your bra and shirt,  as his hands were trying to move his hard on in a way where it wasn’t too noticeable.

He cleared his throat lightly. “Yeah—! She’s down here with me!”

Your eyes shot back to him still wide as before, as you quickly began to fix your appearance.

“Bucky, is that you?” Your mother questioned, her voice getting closer by the second.

“Sure is! Your daughter and I were just cleaning up the mess down here” your mother eventually coming down to the basement. A smile on her face as she saw the room spotless. Thank god, the room didn’t have the best lighting because your hair was a mess and your lips were swollen.

“She’s such a good girl...” Bucky stated nonchalantly, his arm pulling you in, as his hands rested on your ass. The nickname causing heat to rise in your cheeks. He squeezed your ass and you gasped lightly, quickly covering it with a cough.

“I’ll be right up, I just have to find uh— my phone” you explained, trying to push Bucky’s hand away from behind, but he only continued to knead your ass.

“Alright, honey, thank you Bucky for helping her out. You didn’t have to” she smiled kindly, oblivious to the actions happening behind you and Bucky before she headed upstairs.

You turned on your heel, quickly grabbing your phone. You tried to head towards the stairs but was stopped.

“Y/N...”

You released a heavy breath, looking up at him. The nonchalant attitude that he presented to your mother was gone. His hands running through his hair. More than likely, a reality check was settling in. He scratched his beard nervously, watching your every movement, waiting for you to speak.

“Don’t worry, Bucky, I’m not going to tell anyone” you promised, waving your phone in the air. “Text me when you get home...” you walked over to him and kissed his cheek. Before he could grab your wrist you pulled away and left Bucky in the middle of your basement to recollect his thoughts.

[bubblesreplies]

Through The Ashes ~ Chapter Seven

Jason Kolchek X Female OC (Sarah)

WARNINGS AND TAGS: Explicit sex, sexual talk and situations, swearing, violence, death, angst, fluff, strangers to lovers, set in game, limb loss, racial themes (talking about why racism is BAD, I can't believe I have to clarify this but I do)

Word Count: 9.2k

JASON was in a fuckin’ pissy mood.

He knew Nick could tell.

He knew his girl was fuckin’ pissed at him. While he had no idea why what he had done was so wrong, he at least wasn’t stupid enough to think he didn’t have some patchin’ up with her to do.

He reckoned it was because she was a nurse--she had to care for all people. She also hadn’t seen the many things he’d seen; she hadn’t been to war. He was willin’ to understand that, to let go of his pride, and apologize to her. Even if he did think her defendin’ the enemy soldier made no sense.

He heard the blast of Nick’s explosion, kept a lookout in the case that it attracted some unwanted attention.

Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ll do, he decided, right as he finished setting up the last camera and Nick came up beside him. I’ll apologize; Sarah means more to me than some stupid little difference of opinion.

“That’s the last one,” Nick informed him, and Jason nodded. “Should at least slow them down.”

“Long enough to spot ‘em on the cameras,” Jason agreed, turning straight around and the two of them leaving their last hole behind. “We should reset that tripwire,” Jason thought out loud, already beginning to reset the Iraqi’s trap before Nick could even move a muscle. He felt like he was on autopilot at the moment--doing exactly what he knew how to do to garner them the best protection possible. “Give me a hand.”

Nick bent down next to him and the two of them successfully rewired the IED, hopeful that it could work in their favor against those beasts. Jason wasn’t certain how they’d managed to kill one, and he meant to pick Nick’s mind about it, but now was not the time for that. Now was the time to hurry up and get this temple protected as fast as they could.

“We’ve been in some fucked up situations before,” Nick sighed, his hands working quickly to tie up the ends of the tripwire.

“Never as fucked as this,” Jason finished for him, his head bent low as he tied up the tripwire. He was a little embarrassed by how downtrodden he sounded--but he couldn’t really help it. The danger of their situation was beginning to weigh on him, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t even more worried with Sarah being down here with them. The girl could hold her own—sure, shoot a gun like a fuckin’ badass, yes--but she still wasn’t a soldier and she wasn’t used to this. Hell, Jason wasn’t even used to this. Fighting fuckin’ things like the ones that were down here.

“If I gotta fight these things, there’s no one else I would want by my side,” Nick confessed, and the admission made Jason want to tear up. Just a little bit; but he held it in.

Nick truly was more than just one of his subordinates; he was his best friend. More of a brother than Jason’s blood brothers ever were. It was a friendship he knew he could never replace, and he really didn’t want to, anyway.

“You know I’ve always got your back, buddy,” Jason smiled at his friend as they dropped the tripwire, stepping away from it quickly. “Come what may.” The two men nodded to each other and continued on, stepping over the tripwire and down the hallway into a large room. Statues, thrones, and relics of all sorts stood broken and strewn about.

“This is something else,” Nick whistled and Jason chuckled beside him. Admittedly, he’d probably never seen something as cool as this. On the other hand, he’d gladly have taken never seeing it if it meant none of them ever fuckin’ fell down here.

“You think?” Jason teased, watching Nick continue to check the place out, something moving in his eyes.

“Wonder how many places like this we’ve bombed without a second thought.” Nick’s words were angry and antagonistic--bitter, and Jason’s curiosity was instantly piqued. Why is he so damn resentful all of a sudden? What the fuck is going on with him lately?

“These relics are better off in the dust,” Jason answered, just as bitterly. And he meant it, too. He was fuckin’ pissed that they were down here--pissed that they were stuck in a place where some crazy shit happened a fuckin’ millenia or two ago—and now it seemed like they were the ones payin’ for it.

“What’s your problem?” Nick turned on Jason. He didn’t sound mad anymore, but curious, and maybe even concerned for his friend. “These people didn’t ask for this war.” Jason went to respond--did he not remember what happened to America, only two years prior to this?!--but he stopped himself. There was no use in reacting out of anger.

“Why are you defending the enemy, Sergeant?” Jason asked instead, genuinely curious. Nick and Sarah obviously both had the tendency to forgive and forget, but Jason wasn’t so lucky.

“You and me--both know--they’re not all our enemies!” Nick yelled in a whisper, and Jason noticed his eyes were glowing with the same kind of fury Sarah’s had held.

The two, in retrospect, were quite similar to one another.

“Fuck, Jason!” Nick yelled, suddenly very upset, and it suddenly dawned on Jason--what was really going on here. This wasn’t about some stupid temple, or even about the Iraqi soldier. This was about--

“Is this about the girl at the checkpoint?” Jason asked quietly, pushing his own emotions far, far down from his boiling point. He couldn’t handle this—not right now. Possibly not ever.

He couldn’t stop himself from seeing the image in his head; him, yelling out the warning, making the call--Nick pulling the trigger.

The groceries lying in fresh blood, her headphones still attached to her head--

“Shit, Nick!” Jason’s tone was admonishing--he needed Nick to stop bringing this up and he needed him to recover from it--to get over it, finally. Because he needed to stop being reminded. He couldn’t think about that day, that mistake anymore.

It was eating him from the inside out.

“How many times?” Jason continued, his unshed tears and sadness turning into anger--the only way he knew how to stop himself from crying right now. “We thought she had a bomb!”

“It was just a bag of groceries,” Nick responded humbly, unashamed to let his own sadness show through his voice and his face. “We fucked up.”

I know! Jason’s inner voice was screaming at him, begging him to let out what he so needed to admit. I know we fucked up, I think about it every fuckin’ day, I can’t let it go--

“That girl’s death is getting under your skin, buddy,” Jason accused instead, knowing full well the hypocrisy of his statement.

“Yes!” Nick agreed emphatically, and the fervor in his voice threatened to push Jason over the edge, emotionally. “As a matter of fact, it is!” Nick walked closer to Jason, right up in his face now, as he whispered, “Isn’t it getting under yours?”

Yes.

“Mailman Two-One Actual, this is Dropkick. Request update. Over.”

Jason had never been so relieved to hear the fuckin’ Colonel’s stupid voice as he was in that moment--that moment he was so close to breakin’ down himself. He’d never let himself cry, or show any ounce of emotion in front of his soldiers. He’d always needed to be strong, to be an example that they could get through anything the war handed them.

He was gettin’ a little tired of always bein’ strong.

Nick backed away from Jason and he was relieved to let the subject fuckin’ drop. He couldn’t deal with this--not right now. He needed to pull himself together if they wanted any hope of gettin’ outta here--and Sarah needed him to be okay enough to pull them through this. She relied on him, he knew that. He didn’t plan on lettin’ her down. Not down here, and not above the surface, either.

“Two-One Actual, receiving,” Jason responded, hoping that Sarah could hear his voice. “Cameras are green and the holes have been demolished; over.”

“Good work, Lieutenant; sweep through the eastern corridor and be on your guard. Over.” Always on my fuckin’ guard, Jason hissed to himself, his shaking hands the only indication of just how Nick’s words had emotionally rocked him to his core.

“I hear you,” Jason responded, taking a moment and a deep breath to calm his racing heart and his trembling hands. “Over and out.” Nick seemed suddenly content to keep workin’ instead of houndin’ Jason some more, and Jason thanked his lucky stars for that. The two of them walked in silence until they hit the eastern passage and paused. “Dropkick, this is Mailman Two-One Actual. Approaching eastern passage. Over.”

“I see you,” the Colonel responded and Jason looked slightly back towards the cameras, hoping Sarah was watching him as well, assuming she probably was.

She really cared about him, and he could feel that.

No woman had ever cared about him quite like this.

“These doors took a hammering,” Nick absentmindedly observed, and Jason snapped to attention, swallowing a gulp as he took in the battered-down doors. It didn’t look good, that was for sure, and it didn’t do anythin’ for his nerves, either.

“Those things must have come through here in force,” Jason pointed out, trying not to wince as the odds just got slightly less in their favor. He eyed the machine guns, bolted to the ground near them. “Whoever manned that weapon took a stand and held them off.”

“Before they got massacred from behind,” Nick added and Jason nodded. Yeah Nicky, you’re right—again. It really doesn’t look good for us, does it? Jason stared at the doors for a while longer, his brain churning over what they had already seen and what they already knew.

“These creatures aren’t dumb,” he deduced, turning back around to face Nick with an intensity in his face as he attempted to figure out the best way to go about this. “They’re predators. Bet your bottom dollar--if they came this way before, they could come again.”

The two men didn’t speak again as they hopped over the giant pile of sand, debris, and rocks, going deeper in to fortify as much of this place as they could. Jason hesitated when they reached the top of some dark, perfectly intact stairs, before taking the lead again and heading down to where he could see a barely-flickering light awaiting them in the next room. He silently prayed to God that no monsters were down here--although he would much rather deal with them down here than have Sarah be dealing with them up there.

He still winced every time he took a step, almost expectin’ one of those things to pop out from the side of the dark hallway and knock him off his feet.

I fuckin’ hope their autopsy reveals something good for us, Jason contemplated as he slowly entered the lit room, glancing around to see a large hole-like structure in the middle of the circular chamber.

Jason glanced around the room for a moment--it seemed it was only him and Nicky down here, thankfully--and he cautiously stepped over to the large pit in the middle of the room.

Bones, he noted to himself, and he heard Nick sigh beside him.

“This is the closest I’ve been to hell,” Nick uttered and Jason nodded, thinkin’ somethin’ along similar lines. Jason said nothing, only spat out a wad of nervous spit down the hole, watching it fall down for a minute before returning to the task at hand. He turned around, eyes catching on a decaying skeleton propped up against the wall, still clothed and skin still faintly attached.

Nick swallowed a breath next to him. “Looks like he’s been drained dry,” he observed nervously and Jason nodded, trying his hardest to keep his own nerves under wraps.

“Gotta be one of those explorers,” Jason commented, pondering on Nick’s initial assessment. Drained dry? Those bitches certainly look like they could drain a man dry, that’s for sure.

Jason kept walking along the edges of the chamber, his feet crunching on bone and wincing with every crack he heard under his boots. He didn’t need to go any more than two feet before he found another corpse. A woman lying on her back--stake through the heart. Like some real scary movie type shit.

“Fuck’d she do to deserve that?” Jason dryly asked, not certain he wanted to know what the fuck actually happened here. She didn’t look like any one of those things--her body was shaped like a normal human woman, she had all her teeth intact the way they should be--this looked more like a cold-blooded murder.

“Killed by a stake through the heart,” Nick agreed, and Jason could see the engines in his brain working through his eyes. Leaning over and grasping the stake with some force, Jason pulled it out, the blood rusted over from years past flaking off and falling to the ground.

“Pretty sure those creatures didn’t do this,” Jason insinuated and Nick nodded. “Who did?” It seemed to him that there might have been more going on down here than they’d originally thought.

“Don’t know,” Nick answered and Jason tuned out a little, inspecting the stake, seeing it was still very much usable. “Buffy?”

“Who?” Jason immediately countered, confused. Buffy? Was that some explorer he read about in one of those damn pages he keeps findin’?

Nick chuckled beside him and motioned towards the stake with his hand. “Maybe you should hold onto that,” he suggested, and Jason nodded. Fuck, guns don’t work on those assholes so I might as fuckin’ well. Right?

“Never know when you’re gonna need a sharpened stake, right?” Jason’s voice sounded much happier than he actually felt, and he wondered--not for the first time--just where his personality had come from, exactly. He stuck the stake in his pants’ pocket, glancing over at a worn-out piece of paper closeby to the woman.

“Hey, Nick--here’s one of those old pages you keep readin’.” He handed it over and glanced over his shoulder, waiting while Nick gleaned the information he wanted from the old paper.

“Says they found something weird down here,” Jason summarized with a nod of his head. That figures.

“Yeah, no shit,” Nick responded and Jason smiled to himself for a moment. They always worked best together when they were on the same page--and it seemed they were finally gettin’ back on the same page.

The two of them wandered into a neighboring hallway, and Jason was glad to be out of the chamber and no longer steppin’ on people’s fuckin’ bones. Absent-mindedly, he picked up an old-looking scroll atop of a decently-shaped barrel, encased in some sort of necklace.

“More crap,” he muttered to himself, still feeling the sting of bitterness at the way things seemed to be headin’.

“What’d you find?” Nick asked curiously and Jason rolled his eyes at his friend’s predictability.

“Nothin’ that’s gonna get us outta here,” Jason sighed, still intrigued enough to keep examining the damn thing. He set it down and groaned. “Right now, I couldn’t give a crap if it was the crown jewels of England.” He wasn’t lyin’, either; if they didn’t start findin’ shit that could actually help them out, he was gonna start feelin’ a little more hopeless than he already did.

And Sarah deserved better than that. His men deserved better than that.

Jason examined the hallway; this would do. It seemed like the perfect area for any of those assholes to actually come through--the one area that tied all the others together.

“Perfect,” he noted and Nick nodded, seemingly of the same mind as Jason. “This looks like a good chokepoint; any of those freaks coming up from below are sure to pass through here.”

“Set some charges?”

“Yeah,” Jason confirmed, examining the walls of the ceiling, determining the best place to set the charges. “Rig these pillars for maximum coverage.” Nick shook his head in disagreement and Jason raised an eyebrow, waiting to hear his idea instead.

“They’re more likely to see the tripwires, though,” Nick pointed out, “You think those things can tell the difference?”

Jason thought about it for a moment. They’d seen these things in action--their bullets barely touched them. He didn’t know where they came from, or how those bitches hunted them.

“We shouldn’t underestimate them,” Jason answered, knowing Nick would listen. Underestimating them at this point would not only be dangerous, it would be reckless and quite frankly, fuckin’ stupid.

“We mine the sides, we’re more likely to catch ‘em out,” Nick suggested. True, but we’d get less of them that way. “Smaller spread, but the explosives are better hidden. What do you think?”

Fuck; this was what he simultaneously loved and hated about being the man in charge. Is it smarter to be cautious about this, and mine the sides just in case those winged assholes actually could tell what the wires were?

Or was it better to wire up the middle anyway, riskin’ the fact that they might be smarter than they think for the chance to kill as many of those fuckers as they could?

“Let’s go for maximum coverage,” Jason finally decided, with a tone of confidence and decisiveness that read stronger than how he’d actually felt while making the decision. “Wire up the middle of the corridor.”

No one ever got anythin’ good without takin’ a risk every now and again.

“Let’s do it,” Nick replied, his voice conveying his faith in Jason, and he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of appreciation that his friend still had confidence in him. “We gotta make each one count.” Jason clapped a hand on Nick’s shoulder and nodded at him, knowing his appreciation for his comrade’s trust in him shone through his eyes.

The two men got to work wiring the middle of the corridor, each trap only taking a few seconds. When Jason finished up with his side, he glanced over at Nick to see how he was doing, see if he was about done, too.

Nick sat with his head against the wall, shaking his head and sighing tiredly. Jason’s alarm bells rang off in his head and he fought the urge to run over to him, eager to nip whatever this was in the bud.

Nicky, he groaned to himself. I wish you could hide your emotions as well as the rest of us sometimes. Nevertheless, he worried deeply for his friend, and a part of him wished he could just tell him. Just tell him how much the checkpoint affected him, too.

“I can hear your brain tickin’ away,” Jason called instead from his side of the hallway, “What is it?”

Nick was quiet for a long time, and Jason could see the haunted look on his face. The tears he held in his eyes. It threatened to get to him if he let it, and right now he couldn’t let it.

“We should have given her a second warning,” Nick said quietly, and Jason’s heart broke at the sadness in his brother’s voice.

Yeah, he thought to himself. We should have given her a second fuckin’ warnin’. We should have noticed more. We should have done so much differently.

He couldn’t say that--he couldn’t say that. Not now.

Jason stood up, shook his head. “Fuck man, I wish I hadn’t asked,” he groaned, and part of him was telling the truth. “I’m through talkin’ about this!” Nick scoffed.

“Yeah?” He challenged.

“What’s left to say?!” Jason’s voice began to rise and he cleared his throat, reminding himself to keep it down, lest those fuckin’ things hear him. “You know that checkpoint was a prime target for suicide bombers. We had to act in the moment! We had to make a call!” He was fuckin’ pissed, and equally as fuckin’ tired of tryin’ to justify his choices.

Especially to himself.

“It was the wrong call.”

The truth hit him like a ton of fuckin’ bricks, taking his breath away for a few moments. It was the wrong call. He knew it, Nick knew it, everyone who knew about what happened knew it. He’d made a call, and he’d made it fuckin’ wrong. The fact of the matter was killin’ him.

And if he kept talkin’ about it, he was gonna lose his focus. He couldn’t afford to do that, not right now, not when everybody’s lives depended on it.

Jason said nothing’, trying’ his very best to keep his own emotions in check. Everyone else’s emotions seemed to be runnin’ real wild at the moment, and he had to be the one to keep the level head. He had to.

“Why is it that no one ever tells it straight?” Nick suddenly confronted, shaking Jason from his wandering mind. “Everyone just makes up bullshit to get by! That’s why we’re in this sandbox in the first place, right?” Jason held his head up as confidently as he could, trying his best to show his friend that his words weren’t gettin’ to him.

Even though they absolutely were.

Fuck, they were.

“I just want the truth, Jason,” Nick continued, his tone of voice significantly calmer than just moments before. “Shooting that woman messed with my head. Are you seriously going to tell me it didn’t mess with yours, man?”

“We fucked up!” Jason didn’t mean to say the words, but he did. His emotions were too high, and he had no place to run and hide, no place to calm down and gather his senses for a little while. He took a deep breath and shook his head, shook the tears away from the corners of his eyes. “If we make it out of here, we’ll face up to that. If we die down here? Maybe it’s what we deserve.” Maybe it’s what I deserve.

“You know I was seeing Rachel.”

The shock washed over Jason like a fuckin’ tidalwave, and he couldn’t stop his face from reacting in what was an utter fuckin’ upset.

“Are you serious?” Jason hissed, eyes wide as he studied his friend. His best friend was involved in--in an affair? With their C.O.--who is the wife of their new C.O., the brother of Jason’s fuckin’ girlfriend, and the man who got them all into this fuckin’ mess? Nicky, what the actual fuck man?!

Nick only nodded at him for a long time. “Been three weeks.” Jason buried his face in his hands and rubbed--this, this he could not deal with right now. This was not a fuckin’ soap opera--this was a life or death situation, and this was not somethin’ they could spend any more energy on. Not down here, not right now.

Jason stared at his friend, knowing his face conveyed his shock--and his disappointment. “It’s armed,” Nick quietly uttered, walking away from the hallway, and away from Jason.

Jason followed after him and they opened another set of doors, leading to another long staircase.

“Dropkick, this is Mailman Two-One Actual. We’re at a stairwell leading down into a maze. Please advise, over.” Please advise us to return so I can make things right with your sister. So I can know where she is and be there with her and protect her like she deserves to be protected.

“Acknowledged. Pull back now and secure the perimeter. Dropkick out.” Thank God.

Jason turned to Nick and nodded. “Mount a camera here and let’s head back.” He couldn’t help the relief he felt, knowing they were going back and he could have his eyes on Sarah.

His body reacted at that thought and he fought his blush. That’s not even what I fuckin’ meant; I meant ‘eyes on her’ to keep her safe. He inwardly groaned at his manlike impulse towards the sexual. Not that she isn’t nice to look at because--damn, she’s nice to look at.

Jason and Nick traveled back in mostly tense silence, and he couldn’t help but think about the things that Nick had said to him. He knew he fucked up; had admitted that he fucked up. He knew it was something he’d be livin’ with for the rest of his life. He’d meant when he said maybe he did deserve to die down here. That woman didn’t deserve to die, and it was his fault. It was his motherfuckin’ fault.

“Looks like a lineout,” Jason said, albeit a bit mindlessly, as they stared out at a large, wiry platform. It would be nice if it was actually a lineout, he thought to himself. We could definitely use that.

“Maybe we can get the radio workin’ and send a signal out,” Nick suggested hopefully, again on the same train of thinkin’ as Jason seemed to be. “It’s worth a shot.”

���A long shot,” Jason reminded him, having had his own hope dwindle within the past few hours. The two of them walked together with Jason in the lead, inspecting the old, rundown plank. “We don’t even know if there’s a workin’ transmitter on the surface.” His face scrunched up, deep in thought as he tried to follow where the wires led unsuccessfully. “Those wires gotta go somewhere, though; you think they still work?”

“Looks to me like they just snagged up,” Nick observed, and Jason’s spirits diminished just that little bit more.

“Just as well,” Jason replied, “Don’t feel much like climbin’ out there to--”

He barely heard his own scream as he was struck, suddenly, by something hard, his head banging into somebody’s chest and giving him a tiny bit of whiplash. Whatever it was was fuckin’ strong, rollin’ him around and snarlin’ at him like some kind of animal. His survival instincts kicked in immediately and he wrestled the thing away, kickin’ at it until Jason was on top and slid away quickly.

The face starin’ back at him was both familiar and strange at the same time.

“What the fuck--Joey?!” Jason screamed, his former friend’s face distorted, grey, and disgusting. With glowin’ eyes, horns protrudin’ from his head, and two thin fangs burstin’ from his lips--he looked ready to attack again.

Whatever the fuck this thing was that had overtaken their fallen friend, it hissed at him again--and Jason knew it was ready to pounce and that it was probably hungry.

He was right; the thing that used to be Joey hopped atop of him, scratching’ and gnashin’ its jaws as Jason helplessly tried to fight him away, his gun having been knocked to the side during its initial tackle.

“Shit, Joey! IT’S ME!” Jason cried out desperately, hopin’ and prayin’ that Joey might be in there somewhere. That somehow, his words just might get through to him. He held him back with his hands and suddenly remembered the stake he had pocketed, just half an hour or so before.

He yanked it out of his pocket and stabbed him viciously, over and over again, hopin’ to do any sort of real damage to whatever the hell this thing had become. He aimed higher, knowing he couldn’t hesitate for even a fraction of a second, as he struck a blow to his heart that threw the man off of him and left him wrigglin’ away in some pain.

He heard a yell in the distance and made out that it was his name--and that it was definitely comin’ from Sarah. Jason scooted back on all fours as Nick helped him up and off of the plank of wires.

“Shit, that’s Sarah,” he said, more to himself than to Nick.

“JASON!” He heard Sarah call again and he whipped around to see her running straight toward him, her brother following right on her heels. He pushed Nick away from him instantly and turned to his girl, who had tears streamin’ down her face and big, worried eyes. “Jason, holy shit, are you--”

He didn’t hear the rest of her sentence as she threw herself at him and he pulled her into him just as vigorously as she jumped into him, her words muffled by his neck as her arms went around his neck and his went around her waist. He didn’t think he’d ever held anyone so tightly before--or that he’d ever been held so tightly as she was clutchin’ him now, her heavin’ breaths calmin’ down the longer that he held her.

He distantly heard Eric say something and lifted his own head out of Sarah’s hair to see him whip out his UV light--the monster that once was Joey Gomez burnin’ instantly and fallin’ down, down, down--off of the plank and to wherever the fuck was down there, his inhuman screams echoin’ in everybody’s heads. The group backed away from the edge of the cliff, Jason holdin’ Sarah tightly with one arm and reachin’ down to acquire his rifle with the other.

“Jason,” she whispered, and he could hear the hysteria that still lingered in her voice. “Are you hurt? We need to get you back to assess your injuries--”

“I’m fine, Sarah,” Jason interrupted, releasing her to hand his gun over to Nick and using both hands to smooth down her hair and wipe the tears from her face. He took one look at her terrified face--terrified for him, and for his well-being, and he couldn’t help himself. He didn’t care who was in the room, or who was watchin’, he pulled her in and kissed her deeply, knowin’ how firm and desperate his kiss was. How it conveyed how relieved he was to see her, safe, and alive.

“Are you sure--”

“I am completely, totally fine,” Jason reassured her, pressing another quick kiss to her lips. Or two. “Just a fuckin’ headache from bein’ knocked over, but really other than that--it barely even scratched me.”

Sarah looked him over anyways, pulling at his limbs and even liftin’ up his shirt--with a mighty fine blush on her face--to assess for any potential injuries. He saw the color flood back into her face after she’d found no injuries of note and she looked back up into his eyes, throwing herself at him once again.

“Does this mean that you forgive me then? For makin’ an ass of myself?” Jason asked, the edges of his lips turned up into a relieved smile.

“You stupid asshole, of course I forgive you,” Sarah hissed into his shirt and Jason openly chuckled. “I heard you scream and I was fucking terrified,” she admitted, and he nodded, his arm going around her back and the other holding her head close to his chest as he kissed her temple.

“I know,” he whispered back to her, looking up just long enough to see Nick and the Colonel both staring at the two of them awkwardly. “But I’m alright; and I’m here. And thank the Good Lord, so are you.” He felt Sarah nod into his chest and take a deep breath, pulling away from him to look up into his eyes.

“Please don’t leave me again,” she begged quietly, quiet enough that the other two men couldn’t hear them. “I need to know where you are--that you’re okay.”

“Ditto,” Jason chuckled, taking his rifle back from Nick and nodding towards Eric, suggesting with his hands that they should head back down to their new base. Sarah whipped out her own gun, cautiously, and he noticed she was clutching onto it like a lifeline.

We need to see if we can find her a new gun, Jason mentally noted. That little thing ain’t gonna last long and she needs better protection.

“Sergeant Kay, you stay here and guard the perimeter,” Colonel King ordered, “I’ll be closeby; Lieutenant Kolchek, take Sarah back to the tent so she can officially assess your injuries, in the case that you do have any.”

“Yes sir,” Nick and Jason answered at the same time with identical nods, and Jason took Sarah’s hand in his as she led him back up the stairs and quickly over to the tent, sitting him down in a chair as she whipped out the medkit and began digging through it.

“Whoa,” Jason immediately exclaimed when he saw the creature lying on the table, burned almost in its entirety. “What the fuck happened here? And where the fuck is the Iraqi?”

“Eric burned it, on accident,” Sarah answered, and he could barely see her face from under the little table, where her medkit was stashed. “And the man they found, he--” her breath hitched and he watched her eyes flutter away from him as she spoke for a second time, “He escaped.”

She was lying, and he wasn’t sure why or what about exactly, but he had a pretty good guess. “Escaped, huh?” Jason questioned, insinuating exactly what he knew she had likely done. Sarah peeked up over the table to stare at him and held her breath for a moment as they studied each other’s faces, the accusation sitting between them like a heavy cloud.

“He saved your life.”

That was all she said, but it was all that she really needed to say, he supposed.

When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse, like he was being choked. “Sarah—“

“I found it!” She shrieked, pulling out a bottle of Advil and a bunch of random equipment--some things that Jason recognized, and others that he didn’t. He decided to drop the issue of the Iraqi for now; he could defend her against him if he absolutely had to. And he would.

“Sarah, I meant it when I said that I was fine--”

“Indulge me,” she interrupted him, with a tone of finality in her voice that he instantly recognized as authoritative. He still couldn’t help from finding it fuckin’ hot when she bossed him around--and he definitely found it hot as hell that she knew exactly what she was doing with her equipment.

In more ways than one, if he had to guess.

Sarah made her way over to him and handed him three tiny red pills, a granola bar, and a tiny cup of water. “Ibuprofen,” she explained and he nodded, even though he knew exactly what ibuprofen was. “For your headache; it should take it right down.”

Jason knew if she was sayin’ it, it was true, so he swallowed down the medicine with the tiny bit of water that she had while she took the granola bar back and opened it.

“This is the only one in the kit,” she informed him, “Eat it, or the ibuprofen could give you stomach ulcers.” Again, Jason knew better than to argue with her and he took a bite of the granola bar and swallowed, sticking his tongue out at her so she could see that he knew how to follow rules, too.

She giggled lightly at him and he basked in the radiance that was her smile. She was so fuckin’ beautiful--she had to know that, right?--and every time she smiled genuinely like that, it threatened to knock him off his damn feet. She was still smiling when she equipped her stethoscope, lifted up Jason’s shirt, and began listening to his heart.

“Alright, is this really necessary--”

“Shut up,” she barked back, a mighty glare replacing her smile as she listened, and Jason smirked, enjoying the feel of her hands on his chest even if it was just to give him an unneeded checkup. She moved over to his back and placed the cold circle there instead. “Breathe in and out for me, please.”

He did as she asked and he focused on her right hand, gripping his hip while her left held the stethoscope in different spots on his back. Her fingers were soft and gentle against the skin of his hip, and he noticed she couldn’t quite stop herself from stroking his hipbone with her pinky.

Fuck, all I want to do right now is flip her over and fuck her brains out on this dirty floor, Jason held inside of his head, the twitch under his pants growing stronger the longer that she touched him. If she doesn’t quit that soon--

“I’m done,” Sarah announced and Jason released the breath he was holding, his pulse and heart rate drastically slowing down as soon as she let him go. He watched her pack up her things and tie the medkit over her chest with a sigh, placing her hands on the pole in front of her and bowing her head in emotional exhaustion.

“Everything looks and sounds great; heart rate on the higher end of normal, but I, um--” Sarah blushed as she spoke and Jason leaned forward, suddenly eager to hear what she had to say. “I suspect that has something to do with...factors other than an injury.”

“You’d be correct,” Jason immediately answered, jumping instantly to his feet and checkin’ to make sure his rifle was always in view and reach of him. He walked up behind her, placing his own hand on the pole over hers and startling her, making her jump and back into him, the medkit stopping her body from touching his. He leaned forward, his lips near her ear as she turned her face to his, the two of them now nose-to-nose. “It definitely had nothing to do with an injury, and everything to do with the way you move your damn fingers.”

Sarah’s breath hitched and she was so close to him that he could taste it. He watched the anticipation in her eyes burn as he leaned slightly more forward, capturing just the edge of her lips in a teasing, tantalizing kiss. He kept his eyes open, watching as hers fluttered shut and she sighed.

“Do you know what you do to me, Sarah?” His voice came out much like an interrogation, despite the fact that it was low and quite heady. “When you touch me like that? Do you know what I think about in those moments?” She let out the ghost of a whimper as he spoke and he grinned, taking in her every facial expression, everything that she did now, every single way that her body reacted just to the sound of his voice.

“Yes,” she hissed, her own voice hoarse, nervous. “Because I think about it, too.” Jason’s grin widened and he pressed one last kiss to her neck, letting it linger, letting his tongue swirl and his lips suck in a way that had Sarah clutching onto his clothes anxiously. He revelled in the satisfaction that he’d had her just as turned on as she had him--all with a few simple words and a few sensual kisses.

“Do we really have time for this?” She questioned, and then and only then did Jason pull away, the faintest lines of a smirk still adorning his face.

“No,” he admitted, and he pulled away from her, looked away from her face as he shook his head. “We really, really don’t have the time for this.” He turned back to her, the sexual tension between them still palpable enough to taste on his lips. “But fuck, Sarah, when we do--”

“I’m not seeing anything come up, but I can hear ‘em,” Nick’s voice came through to Jason’s earpiece and Sarah straightened up, obviously having heard his words. Jason turned around to the cameras, his hand on his earpiece. “Sounds like they’re having way more fun down there than we are up here; over.”

“Long as they keep the party to themselves, I’m happy,” Jason responded, checking, double-checking, and triple-checking the video monitors. “We’ve got nothin’ on the cameras inside. Over.” He grabbed his gun and readied himself to leave immediately.

“Eyes alive,” Nick responded and Jason noticed Sarah adjusting her pants--he smirked again to himself, and she glared at him when her cheeks flushed--and then her medkit, whipping out the tiny handgun when she was ready to go.

“Let’s head over to Nick and your brother,” Jason decided and Sarah nodded her assent, making Jason’s heart skip a beat just by how much she trusted him and his ability to make decisions. Decisions that they both knew were being made to keep her safe. “Stay close, beautiful.”

He didn’t wait to see if she blushed at his complement, though he was certain that she did. He was certain that she didn’t know how beautiful she actually was, honestly, and he vowed to himself in that moment that if he survived this, he would tell her every fuckin’ day for the rest of their lives. Or as long as she would still have him, that is.

“All clear for now,” Nick informed as Jason and Sarah descended the stairs, quickly coming over to join him. Jason watched Sarah look around the empty space--for her brother, he assumed--and frowned when she didn’t see him anywhere in the near vicinity.

“If they hit us, my best hunch is it’ll be from the chasm,” Jason discerned, both hands on his gun as he looked around the wide space himself.

“If?” Nick interjected with a raise of his eyebrows. “You feeling optimistic, Lieutenant?” Jason shrugged, likely still high from the endorphins he’d surely received from his almost make-out with his girlfriend.

“I tell you,” Jason uttered, lowly, in the hopes that Sarah might not hear him and be offended. “The Colonel could lose his own ass if it wasn’t pinned on him.” Sarah snorted in response and he grinned at her, watching her shake her head, amused. “You see our absent friend down there?”

“Salim?” Nick answered, his voice sounding amused. “Nah, he’s gone.” Salim--that’s the Iraqi’s name, then. Jason made a mental note, any piece of information decidedly helpful. Sarah looked away from the both of them, and though he knew she was guilty of aiding his escape, there was no way he was gonna rat her out. As much as he’d hated to admit it, she’d done it out of the goodness of her fuckin’ heart, and she’d done it for him.

“We’re facing an enemy we know zero about,” Jason changed the subject, feeling his Adam’s Apple bob as he spoke nervously, pissed off. “Enemy of unknown size on their home turf. Sucks to be us. I don’t know how long those doors can hold them back.”

“The radio’s our best shot,” Nick spoke with confidence, gesturing back over to the radio on the table that they’d frequently passed earlier. “We fix it up, call in the cavalry. Even shit up a bit.” He was right, of course, but Jason still didn’t have much hope for that idea, either. He’d rather one person work on the radio, and others work on other means of escape.

It was a blessin’ that Sarah found the medkit, and an even bigger one that she knew how the fuck to use it--cause it was lookin’ like they’d be down here longer than any of them anticipated.

“If there is a transmitter up there, it’s gonna have a limited range,” Jason worked out out loud, shakin’ his head at their screwed up odds. “Damn it! If Eric had allowed close air-support, those birds could’ve picked up the signal.”

“Trust top-brass to fuck you in the ass,” Nick joined in, his voice surly and just as pissed as Jason felt. He glanced over to Sarah once, just to make sure she wasn’t upset with him over his words, but all he saw was her big, blue eyes staring up at him, takin’ in every little thing he said. He could see her trust for him behind those eyes, the way they watched and studied every single word that he said. She relied on him to get her out of this--to get the both of them out of this, and she had the utmost faith that he would, no matter how he had to do it.

He didn’t plan on lettin’ her down.

The three of them hurried over to the radio, each of them holdin’ tightly to their weapons as they did so. Nick began tinkerin’ and inspectin’ the old thing, and Sarah came to stand right beside Jason, lowering her gun and letting her arm brush against his, the action comforting to the both of them.

“I’m gonna need a hand to get this up and running,” Nick announced and Jason eagerly stepped up to the plate, willing to do anything to get them out of here faster. Eric came up from behind them, holding his own gun, as he nodded to his sister and turned to Nick.

“That thing looks like it was sabotaged,” he observed and Jason slid his own eyes down toward the radio. It does look like it was tampered with, he noted, and he prayed to God it wasn’t by the Iraqi that Sarah had stupidly released. “Why would they do that?”

“We gotta work with what we have,” Nick answered, unwilling to touch Eric’s last question. Jason looked over to Sarah, who was looking insanely guilty, and he nudged her with his shoulder, shakin’ his head when she looked up at him. She instantly guarded her face and shifted closer to him.

“Fall back if anything moves out here,” Eric ordered, looking specifically at Jason and staring pointedly at his sister. “It’s safer inside.” Jason nodded his agreement, about to tell Sarah she should join her brother inside, when Nick suddenly sighed, a look of immense relief overtaking his entire face.

“Thank you!” He exclaimed, and Jason felt his own rush of relief course through his veins as he realized Nick had somehow gotten it to power back on. Eric leaned over and inspected his work, a gigantic smile painted onto his face.

Well I’ll be so damned; I ain’t never seen him smile before.

“Good job, Sergeant!” Eric congratulated, and even Nick smiled before whippin’ out his packet of cigarettes, much to Jason’s dismay.

This man and his self-destructive habits; smokin’, havin’ an affair with our C.O.’s fuckin wife--

“Those things’ll kill ya, Sergeant,” Jason reprimanded, hopin’ cigarettes were much easier to give up than women. Nick scowled back at him, removing the cigarette from his mouth for a moment.

“Yeah, like smoking’s the biggest threat to my life right now,” he responded, annoyed, and even Sarah huffed at that.

“He kinda has a point,” she grumbled, though Jason could tell she still wasn’t happy about it. Jason actually smiled at that--genuinely, for the first time since they’d left the tent--and poked her in the ribs.

“Hey! Ain’t you supposed to be a nurse?! Go on and lecture him!” Jason feigned outrage and Sarah smiled back at him widely with a shake of her head.

“The fuck did I leave my lighter?” Nick swore, searching through his clothes frantically and coming up empty. Eric’s face snapped to Nick’s and Jason saw something intense change in his eyes--something, if he had to guess, that wasn’t gonna do any of them any good.

Sarah noticed it too, and she was watching Eric sharply, her own eyes scrutinizing the sudden and strange change of focus.

Nick finally noticed Eric as well and asked, “What’s good?” Jason held his breath, waiting and ready for a confrontation, ready to back his buddy up if it came down to a fistfight, but Eric just shook his head back at Nick.

“It’s nothing,” he answered, and Jason stared sharply at him, and then at Sarah, whose lips were suddenly pursed into a frown, her eyes darting between them two men. For someone who, I assume, has no knowledge of Rachel and Nick’s affair, Sarah sure picks up on mood changes quicker than most anybody I’ve ever seen. Must be a staple of being a nurse, I guess.

The radio suddenly filled with voices and Jason stiffened excitedly, cocking his head and leaning significantly closer to it to get a better listen.

“It’s just a ghost signal,” Nick explained quickly, before anybody could really get their hopes up. “Even without a transmitter a radio picks up a faint signal--it’s just ghosts, man.” Jason straightened back up, embarrassed at his display of eagerness, and eyed Nick, nodding at his words and trusting his assessment.

“So fix that transmitter,” he ordered, and Sarah repositioned beside him, a few strands of her blonde hair tickling his arm as she did so. “If we can establish a signal and contact CENTCOM, then we’re one step closer to home.”

It wasn’t even a second after he’d spoken that they heard the sound of a boot clanking against something and all of them jumped, Sarah pointing her gun instantly and then lowering it when her eyes landed on Merwin.

Alive--and walking towards them.

“I don’t trust any of you pussies to do it,” he hissed teasingly, a wide smile atop his lips. Sarah stiffened beside Jason and, even though she pocketed her gun, he could see that she was shaking--as if she’d seen a ghost. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open in shock, staring at Merwin as if she couldn’t believe he were standing there.

“What the fuck, Lazarus--sit your ass down!” Nick ordered him, walking towards their friend and trying to direct him to a nearby chair. Jason watched their exchange, but his eyes continued to fall towards Sarah who became increasingly more nervous the closer Merwin got to them.

Merwin grinned at them, his arms extended as Jason approached, brushing a hand against Sarah’s arm as he passed.

“I’m back from the dead, baby,” Merwin chuckled, and Jason noticed it only made Sarah more anxious.

“Corporal Merwin, probably best you stay here and recover,” Jason decided, seeing as Sarah looked too shell-shocked to give any medical orders.

“Oh, and let you have all the fun?” Merwin chided, and Jason noted that he really did look as good as new. What the fuck had Sarah given him earlier? Did she do this to him? “Aw, fuck that; let me break this down to you Barney style,” Merwin continued on, passing by the rest of them and heading over to the radio. “I’m the only one here who is a mechanic--now that’s what you call a no-fucking-brainer.”

“Jason,” Sarah hissed from behind him and he turned to look at her just as her hand grasped his sleeve and she pulled him back to her. She looked absolutely horrified, and she kept glancing over Merwin like something was off. “Something isn’t right here, Jason; he shouldn’t be up and walking like that. Without the blood transfusion, it’s--well it just isn’t possible,” she explained in a rushed whisper, eyeing Merwin over Jason’s shoulder.

Jason trusted her expertise, he really did. He had no reason not to; thus far, she had been nothin’ but an asset to their team, and if she was saying something weird was going on, then somethin’ weird was going on.

“What are you sayin’, Sarah?” Jason whispered back, focusin’ on her and only her.

“I’m saying, that something is terribly wrong here,” she insisted, her hands digging into Jason’s arm as spoke. “Something must have happened to him, like--like what happened to Joey--”

She didn’t get a chance to finish because right at that moment, the radio began to sputter and scream, its sounds echoing throughout the entire cave—loudly. Way too loudly.

“Shut it up!” He ordered, hurrying away from Sarah and over to the radio, panic settling over him as he prayed those things somehow wouldn’t hear it. His hope in vain; the creatures below began to shriek, and the five of them stood, panicked, for just a moment, until Merwin got back to workin’ on the radio and the rest of the four whipped out their guns to flank him, waitin’ for the ambush that Jason knew was now bound to happen at any moment.

“You wanna hurry the fuck up?!” He shouted back, his own dread beginning to become too much to bear as he heard the monsters screeching begin to become louder, more riled up. “We don’t have much time!”

“And here I thought I could take a Sunday morning stroll,” Merwin replied and Jason had the compelling urge to knock him the fuck out. “You know, take in the view.”

The monsters screeching sounded closer, and Jason heard Sarah exhale a deep breath, and a whimper, beside him.

“Jason,” she whispered, and he immediately cut her off. Any stupid shit she was about to say, he didn’t want her to say until they were out of here. Until he knew for certain that she meant it.

“I know, Sarah,” he responded tightly. Tell me later, Sarah, tell me when you mean it. When we’re out of a life or death situation. “I’ve got you--you’re safe with me.” They locked eyes for a moment and she nodded, setting her face into a hard, determined line as she tightened her grip on her gun, ready to defend as best as she could with the little amount of bullets that Jason knew she had left.

Damn. She was a tough fuckin’ woman.

“Find me two minutes!” Merwin shouted out and Jason winced. They didn’t have two fuckin’ minutes--they might not even have one.

“Two minutes?” Jason questioned, his fear creating a barrier of spit in his throat. “You hopin to do it twice?” He looked back quickly at him, and then right back to his post.

“Score one for the Lieutenant,” Merwin responded, and Jason shook his head. Now was not the time.

“They’re getting closer!” Sarah yelled, and Jason could see the fear in her eyes. Jason knew she couldn’t defend herself, not with that tiny handgun with a handful of bullets—he needed to do something, and he needed to do it now.

“Colonel!” He called out, successfully getting Eric’s attention. “Take Sarah back inside the temple and man those cameras!”

“NO!” Sarah shrieked, whipping her head towards Jason with a different kind of panic in her eyes. “No--I’m not fucking leaving you!”

Jason stared at her with wide eyes, and he knew if she looked any closer, she’d see the storm of emotions brewing behind them, and how hard he was trying to keep it together. She’d see how he really felt about her--how deeply his feelings went for her, and he didn’t fuckin’ care. He didn’t fuckin’ care how fast he’d fallen for her anymore.

Fuck, Sarah! I have to keep you safe. I HAVE TO KEEP YOU SAFE!

“You’re a sittin’ duck out here!” Jason yelled to Eric, ignoring Sarah’s pleas to let her stay. “Go!” Eric nodded and grabbed his sister by the arm, disarming her successfully and pocketing her gun as he fought her viciously, dragging her up towards the temple. He could still hear her crying out his name and he turned his head away to ignore it.

I’m fuckin’ sorry, Sarah, he held back his own tears, wantin’ to tell her what she’d wanted to tell him, but not knowin’ how to admit it, even in his own head. But I have to keep you safe.

Suddenly, Jason heard voices coming from the radio and he beamed back at Merwin--fuck yes! Yes! The radio was fuckin’ fixed--

His celebration lasted all of five seconds, as a bullet sank into Merwin’s head, and down to the floor he went--dead.

[aadikted]

Winners Keepers

A/N - Ok so until now, I have mostly written on Peter Parker x Reader. But i just had to write on Nick Scratch. I know its Nabrina for life, but a girl can dream, cant she? Special thanks to @darkshadowqueensrule and @miniaturepizzadyedhairfreak​  for helping me and encouraging me! Hope you guys enjoy it! 

Pairing - Nick Scratch x Reader

Enemies to Lovers

W/C - Around 5k!!

Warnings! - Some explicit scenes (no sex) and a lot of snarky retorts!

Enjoy!!

~~~

You and Nick had gotten off to a particularly rocky start. Anyone who knew you knew that you could hold on to a grudge. When you had first met Nick, you had to admit that he was dashing, and you may have developed the tiniest crush on him. I mean, come on, you were a witch after all! But all those admiring thoughts flew out of your head as soon as he had opened his mouth. He was probably the most arrogant and cocky bastard you had the misfortune of meeting. He hadn’t said anything to you, but the way he spoke with the others, you just knew. This was just your first day at the Academy of Unseen Arts, but everyone already knew you. It was quite inevitable, after all, you were Sabrina’s best friend and she was pretty popular here, even if it wasn’t for the right reasons. Sabrina didn’t have this class with you, but you knew you would see her later. Meanwhile, all you could do was marvel at Nick and his big head.

As if sensing that you were staring at him, he turned around and looked at you. He cocked an eyebrow, “See something you like, Y/L/N?”

“Nothing worth seeing here, Scratch.” 

You knew you were treading dangerous waters, but you couldn’t help yourself. Both of you maintained eye contact with each other, as though you were under a spell, and suddenly the moment was broken by the entrance of Lady Blackwood. 

“Now students, I expect that you all have memorized the lyrics of the song?” 

“Good.” She exclaimed as all the students nodded.  “Miss Y/L/N, please sing the first verse.”

You could feel everyone's eyes turn towards you and you decided that it was better to die than being in the limelight. You could see the weird sisters looking at you. They looked like predators, just waiting to hound on the unassuming prey. But what really irritated you, was the way Scratch was smirking at you. Like he knew that he knew that you would fail. This ignited a fire inside you and you decided right then and there, that no matter what, you would never let that asshole have the satisfaction of seeing you fail. 

Taking a deep breath and steadying your nerves, you started singing- 

“It's time we put our love behind you 

The illusion has been just a dream 

The valley of death and I'll find you 

Now is when on a sunshine beam

So bring all the young perfection 

For there us shall surely be

No clothing, tears, or hunger 

You can see, you can see, you can be”

You gave yourself to music and the notes. You were so engrossed in your singing that you didn’t notice that Nick was staring at you. 

~

Nick was enthralled. Your voice had captured his soul and he felt...light, as though he was floating in the air. If he hadn’t known any better, he would have thought that you were a siren, lulling unsuspecting victims into your trap. Nick, would never admit this, but when he had felt someone staring at him, he had totally expected it would either be one of the weird sisters or some guy who didn’t like him. He never expected that he would be looking at you. He was rendered speechless by you. It was not your beauty that captured his eyes, but the way you carried yourself. Your eyes looked as though they could drown someone in its depths. Your stance declared that you would not kneel to anyone and your lips looked like they could kill with just words. He was unnerved by what you made him feel, and in an effort to seem cool he opened his damned mouth and released a string of words. 

“See something you like, Y/L/N?” 

He cursed himself as soon as the words left his mouth. There was no way that that was playing it off cool.

“Nothing worth seeing here, Scratch.”

Ah! He should have expected this. She had a mouth on her. This just made her seem more interesting. He was unable to take his eyes off her and their eyes met, as though in a match to see who would emerge victoriously. Before a conclusion could be reached, they were interrupted by Lady Blackwood. She asked Y/L/N to sing the first verse. 

This is going to be interesting. He thought to himself. He couldn’t help but smirk. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Guess the confidence was just in her posture. 

Suddenly, she threw a look at him, and then, it was as though another spirit had entered her body. She gathered herself and prepared to sing. She looked captivating as hell and he could only stare at her. He imagined he looked quite ridiculous then. He felt ridiculous. But it was impossible to rip his eyes away from her. She demanded attention, even if she didn’t want it. And then, she began singing.

~

You held your breath as soon as you finished the song. It felt that if you took even a single breath then everything would come crashing down on you. However, Lady Blackwood had no such trepidation.

“Oh my! That was rather...well done.”

You finally allowed yourself to sigh in relief and looked around you. Your eyes caught Nick’s, but you diverted them as soon as they met and in doing so you missed the soft, admiring smile which graced his face.

Fortunately, the rest of the class passed without an incident, and you were practically sagging with relief as you made your way to the Cafeteria where Sabrina was waiting for you. 

“Y/N/N!” She exclaimed as she waved you over. “Survived your first day I see?”

“Hardly. Most of the classes went fine, but Singing was horrible!” 

‘Lady Blackwood? She made you sing too?”

“Yeah, by myself too! As if my crippling anxiety and awkwardness weren’t apparent enough. 

Sabrina let out a laugh and just shrugged as if to say, School can be the worst. You gladly agreed with that.

You both continued to talk about your day but were then interrupted by Nick. 

“Nick!” Sabrina happily exclaimed as you made a face upon his entrance.

“Hey ‘brina.”

“Y/L/N.” he acknowledged you with a nod

“Scratch.” You replied coldly. 

Sabrina finally caught up on the tension between you. Too scared to address it, she continued to talk as though nothing had occurred. However, you were too busy staring daggers at Scratch to even listen to what she was saying. From the looks of it, Nick wasn’t paying attention to her too. 

Sabrina finally gave up and decided to address the elephant in the room. 

“I gather you have both met before?”

“It would be hard to forget that meeting” You replied from with a grimace.

 Nick just ignored her question.

“I see you are just as pleasant as ever Y/L/N.”

“Couldn’t find any other table which could accommodate your big head, could you Scratch?” You casually replied as you turned away from him.

“You know, you should come with a warning label. So that people know that you are just as snarky as you are pretty.”

There was a beat of silence. Sabrina looked like she couldn’t breathe, while Nick looked horrified when he realized what he had just spoken. You, on the other hand, were downright gleeful at this opportunity.

“You think I am pretty, lover boy?” You smirked. 

“No, I just think you are pretty dumb.” He retorts in the most flustered and juvenile manner. 

You can't help the smirk which was growing on your face. You felt evil and you liked that. 

“Are you sure, lover boy? The only one dumb around here would be you. I did beat you in singing today!” You sniggered.

Pfft, please! That was just singing. You are nowhere near as capable as I am and you never will be. 

The way he said that angered you. How dare he insinuate that you were not as capable as him.

While these thoughts raced through your mind, Nick just stared at you in awe. He knew that he was getting on your nerves, but it excited him. The way your eyes flashed, how your expressions changed just as swiftly as the conversation. If you had been any other person, he would have asked you out immediately. But you weren’t any other person, and he liked that about you. What he couldn’t seem to figure out though, was why you were so angry and annoyed with him. He hadn’t done anything when he had first met you. Sure, he had said a couple of things now, but you had been aggravated with him long before that. He knew he would never be able to get close to you the way he wanted. To get you flushed for him. To make you scream his name in pleasure and to make you hot for him. But he knew that you would never allow that. At least, not yet. So for now, he had to be content in just seeing you flush out of pure rage, to hear you scream his name from frustration and get hot and bothered by him. 

His thoughts were interrupted when you stood up and slammed your hand on the counter. Fortunately, it wasn’t loud enough for the other students to take notice. However, you couldn’t care less even if the entire world could hear your proclamation. 

“I warn you Scratch, you will be begging for mercy before the year is through and you will regret ever saying that I wasn’t as capable as you.”

“I assure you, darling, I won't be the one begging.”

If looks could kill, Nicholas Scratch would have been one very dead man. 

“Dream on, lover boy.”

“Is your drama going to have an intermission soon, darling?” Nick teased.

You just gave him an evil smile, 

Oh lover boy, the curtains haven’t even risen yet. 

~

You had meant every word you had said to Nick that day and you were adamant to prove that to him. You studied hard and practised every spell you could get your hands on, even the ones which weren’t in the syllabus. You were the youngest in the school, and Nick had been there for such a long time. You would be damned if you couldn’t beat him. 

Nick knew that you had been perfectly serious and had no intention of losing without a fair fight. He also started studying and revising. 

There was an undeniable shift in the air between the both of you. There was palpable tension and everyone could feel it. The competition between you just continued to grow and everyone was roped into it. Sabrina was shocked to see you so serious, but you were her best friend and she supported you. She became your study partner and you both tackled studies together. 

You and Nick spent most of your time in the library studying, Sabrina had other things to deal with, and you didn’t force her to join you. However, you would have preferred it, especially since lover boy had decided to torture you more by sitting next to you in the library. You never conversed with him, even if he tried to. 

One such day, you were doing your work in the library when you were interrupted by Nick.

“Your solution is wrong.”

“Funny. I don’t remember asking for your help.” you snarked back.

“Come on Y/L/N, wouldn’t it be just easier if we tried to get along?”

“No, and you shouldn’t even be here.”

“Why not,” he asked

“Because I don’t want you here.” 

Nick gave a sigh of resignation and just left the library. He really liked Y/N, and so he couldn’t bear to see her working herself to death.

You felt a twinge of guilt as you watched him leave. Maybe you had been too harsh, but you couldn’t help it. You had to pass. Failing wasn’t an option

The next day, you went to class with a determined stance. You would prove it to him. Your hand shot up in the air to answer before the teacher had even finished asking the question.

Yes, Miss Y/L/N?

You confidently gave the correct answer and turned back to throw a victorious smile to Nick. But you were surprised to see that he had never raised his hand. Maybe he didn’t know the answer, you mused.

However, when the rest of the day passed in a similar fashion you knew that he was doing this intentionally. With each passing hour, you grew more and more frustrated until you couldn’t hold it back anymore.

It confused you, you couldn’t understand why you were so frustrated by this. You should have been happy that he had given up, cause that meant that you had won. But, this felt empty and bad. That was when you realized that it wasn’t the competition you had been craving, but him and his company. The realization that you actually liked that fucker hit you like a bolt of lightning. You suddenly couldn’t breathe and had to lean against the wall to support yourself. How could you actually like him!? He had constantly made stupid remarks and his ego was so inflated that you actually wondered whether he would burst! But, even as you thought that, you started thinking about how he was nice with everyone around him. He helped the slower students and he was always courteous with everyone. Maybe you had been too quick to judge him. Sure, he got on your nerves and constantly rubbed off your wrong side, but he hadn’t been mean to you. You took a shuddering breath as you realized how wrong you had been. You groaned as you realized that you now owed him an apology, but only for being mean to him first.  You would never apologise for trying to best him because that was something he was responsible for. Your feelings for him was something you didn’t want to address yet. It would fuck up your already fucked up life. 

As soon as the school ended you made your way towards the library and waited for Nick. When he started passing by the door you grabbed him by the collar and pulled him inside a secluded corner as you slammed the door shut.

The surprised expression on his face would have been rather comical, had you not been mad at him.

“What do you think you are doing!?” You practically growled at him.

“I honestly have no idea right now”

“Don’t play smart with me,” you snapped, “Why haven’t you been answering the questions?

“Because I don't care anymore!

Any thoughts you previously had about apologising to him flew out of your mind. 

“What do you mean you don't care anymore?” You inhaled sharply, “You started this entire thing!”

“I didn’t know that you were going to make yourself crazy over this!”

Why do you care whether I make myself crazy over this? You started it and you are going to finish it!

Nick just pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled, “I am not doing this Y/N.”

“Why did you start this then?”

“Because I didn’t know how else to get you to talk to me!” He finally shouted.

A queer silence descended between the both of you. He looked at you as though waiting to see your reaction. That was when you noticed how close you were standing to each other. Your bodies were practically touching, and your breaths were intermingling. You couldn’t stop your eyes from drifting to his lips. You lashes fluttered as you looked back up to him, only to see that he was staring at your lips too. You couldn’t hold back anymore. You rose on your tiptoes and kissed him. For a moment he didn’t kiss you back, and you felt like your hopes were drowning. Maybe he didn’t like you that way. But then, you felt his lips move against yours. Your hands weaved through his hair and his encircled your waist. You jumped off the ground and wrapped your legs around his waist, ankles crossed to support yourself. Your mouth never left his as he turned around and you felt your back hit the wall. It didn’t hurt you, but you just held him more tightly. Your tongues clashed and you could taste him on your mouth. His lips then left your mouth even though you didn’t want it to and he placed kisses on your neck. You both were heaving from breathlessness, but you didn’t let that deter you. You placed kisses on his cheek and felt his hands travelling up and down your waist ever so slightly brushing against the underside of your breasts. You threw your head back in pleasure as you felt him getting bolder and travelling further down your neck. His hands brushed against the sleeve of your top, but before he could push it down, the door flew open and you both parted as though struck by lightning. You turned around to see Sabrina staring at you with wide eyes. 

“What the fuck happened here?”

You tried to control your breathing, and you could see that Nick was doing that too. Thoughts raced through your mind as you tried to explain the situation. 

Did he regret it? Did you overstep any boundaries? You had practically attacked him and did not even give him a chance to say. With every such thought, you were getting more and more horrified. Your feelings must have been written all over your face, and Nick easily read them, however, he thought that you were horrified at the thought of having kissed him. He felt as though someone had ripped his heart from his chest. In a quiet voice, he answered Sabrina’s question, 

“Nothing.”

Nothing. That word broke your heart. Nothing. That’s what you meant to him. Nothing. That’s what had happened between you two. Nothing. That’s what would ever happen between you two. That word conveyed more than enough about what you meant to him.

“I need to go.” You said, as your voice broke over the last two words.

You rushed out before anyone could see the tears streaming down your face. You could hear Sabrina following you out, asking you to stop. But you didn’t stop until you reached your home, where you finally broke down in the arms of your best friend

~ 

Nick watched in devastation as you rushed off. He thought that when you had kissed him, it was because you had actually felt something for him. But upon seeing your reaction when Sabrina stumble upon the both of you, he knew that it was pointless. With a sigh of resignation, he started making his way out of the room. Before he could do so, however, he was stopped by a hand on his chest. 

Well, well, well. Looks what the cat dragged in. Heard you and Y/N finally decided to fuck the life out of each other.

“You have the rest of your life to be a jerk, Agatha, why don’t you take the day off?”

“Ooh. Snarky! I like that.” Agatha exclaimed as she fingered the collar of his shirt. “Why don’t you forget about her and let me show you a good time?”

Nick’s patience was thinning fast. He grabbed her hands off his body. “I don't have time for this Agatha.”

“Fine,” she said as she smiled evilly. But don’t come running back to me or my sisters when that bitch leaves you.”

She turned around and left the room, leaving Nick alone to ponder about everything that had just conspired. 

~

“What happened Y/N?”

“I kissed him”

There was a beat of silence.

“And he kissed me back.”

More silence. 

“Say something.” You pleaded as you looked at Sabrina. You both were sitting on her bed. You didn’t want to be in your house with your snoopy siblings, so you had begged Sabrina to have this conversation at her home. Sabrina was naturally dying to know what had happened so she readily agreed. 

Finally, she spoke, “I thought you hated him.”

“I thought so too.” You sniffled, “but I guess I got so caught up in the stupid competition that I didn't even realize when my feelings for him started changing. But it doesn’t even matter now. He doesn’t like me back the way I do. I was nothing to him.”

Sabrina felt helpless as she looked at you. 

“You should forget about him. You deserve someone who actually likes and doesn't just use you as a pastime. You deserve more Y/N”

You knew that what Sabrina was saying was correct but you couldn’t forget about Nick so easily. You needed some time alone.

“You’re right,” you said as you stood up from the bed. “I do deserve more, I just need som-some time ’brina. I’ll see you tomorrow, kay?”

Sabrina just nodded as she watched you leave.

Back in your home, you took a bath trying to forget about everything that had happened today. You scrubbed your body as though trying to forget about how he had touched you. How his hands had roamed on your body. How his kisses felt on your skin. The way he had kissed you, the way it felt when you touched him. Needless to say, the bath hadn’t helped at all. You came out of the bathroom more frustrated than ever and as you crossed your room something caught your eye. You turned around and saw your reflection in the full-length mirror. It wasn’t your nakedness that made you feel vulnerable, but the marks that had been left on your body. Love marks, you realized. Your neck was peppered with his love marks and it just served to make you sadder. Your fingers brushed against the marks and you thought that you could still feel the way he had touched and kissed you. You were startled out of your daze when you heard someone say your name. 

“Y/N”

You were shocked to find Nick staring at you and for a moment you were frozen. It was only when you noticed him averting his eyes, did you remember you were naked. Gasping, you quickly wrapped your towel around your body and stared at him

“Nick! What-how are you here?”

“Well, I am not really here. I’m astral projecting”

“Praise Satan! You can’t just do that. I was naked when you came into my room!” 

“I did enjoy the view though.” He joked, trying to lighten the mood. 

You felt your blood boil. He had no right to do that. To joke as though you were the best of friends, as though nothing had happened.

“Stop!” you practically screamed, “You, you can't just do that!” 

“Sorry, I was just trying to-”

“I know what you were trying to do.” you cut him off before you could finish. “But I mean nothing to you. You don’t get to kiss me and touch me and then just leave.” 

“You were the one who left.” He retorted

“Only because you said it meant nothing to you.”

“I didn’t mean that! Sabrina just startled me with her entrance and I said the first thing that came to my mind.” 

“Go away, Nick”

Nick inhaled sharply when he heard his name on your lips for the first time. 

“Why do you care so much about what I said”

“Does it matter?” You said resignedly “Why are you here?”

“To tell you that I don’t want to leave this time. 

You froze, worried that if you moved then whatever trance this was, would break.

“I want to go out with you. I want to kiss you and touch you. And I don’t want all that while we are hiding in the darkest corner of the library.”

You could hardly breathe. He wanted the same things that you did. If this was some kind of cruel trick then you would kill whoever was responsible. As you were thinking about that you realized that he had stopped speaking, waiting for your response

“Y/N, please, say something.”

Do you really want that? you said breathlessly like you couldn’t believe it.

“All of it. And all of you.” He smiled as he continued, “From the moment I met you, I was enchanted by you. Everything you did, captivated me. I wanted to talk to you but I was rendered speechless and somehow the first things that came from my mouth, were insults. Then, I guess you hated me and I knew that you would never talk to me. So, I tried to irritate you and mock you. I never meant to start this stupid competition but it was worth it if it meant that you would at least look at me, so I went along with it. Today, when you kissed me, I was afraid that if I stopped you would leave me. And then you did leave me. But I don’t want to leave now, not unless you want me to.” 

His entire monologue felt like a breath of fresh air. You felt like you could finally breathe again. As soon as he finished, he looked at you with hopeful eyes. 

A small smile graced your face, “I owe you an apology too. I judged you way too harshly, even before I knew you. During the entire competition, my only goal was to make you lose, but I couldn’t help but see how kind you were to everyone else. How intelligent you were and how much fun I had whenever we were competing. Every time I was away from you, I was craving for your snarky remarks and when you laughed that stupid laugh of yours whenever I said something even marginally funny. I don’t want to leave, nor do I want you to leave”. 

You were smiling so much that it hurt, but it was all worth it to listen to his laugh as you talked. There was a moment of silence when you finished speaking. 

“Do you really want all that?” He asked as if he still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. 

“I do,” you confirmed. “I wish I could touch you right now.”

“Me too. Would-would you mind coming out to the academy right now?” He asked in an unsure tone, afraid that you would say no.

Your smile grew, even though you thought that wasn’t possible. 

“Race you to the tree on the boundary?”

‘You’re on!’

Nick vanished, and you gave a disbelieving sigh, still only partially convinced that all this was a real. You quickly grabbed and wore the clothes you had laid out, and rushed from the back door towards the academy. 

You hadn’t expected that you would reach the tree before him and therefore you weren’t surprised when you saw him waiting there for you. As if sensing that you were approaching, he turned around and his face broke into a smile. You rushed towards him and threw yourself on him, hugging him with all your might.

“I was half-convinced that I was dreaming.” You confessed to him.

“Dream of me a lot, do you?” He asked you in a teasing tone. 

You laughed and pulled back from the hug, and instead leaned in, joining your foreheads. “I’m glad you are still the same cocky bastard.”

He smiled at your teasing and grabbed your hand, weaving his fingers through yours.

“I like the way your hand fits in mine.” He said bashfully.

You smiled and leaned in to kiss him, “You know...I can kiss better than you, lover boy...!”

You felt him silently laugh against your lips, “We’ll just see about that, darling.”

~~~

Congrats! You reached the end! I hope you liked it! Feel free to leave me comments and send some asks and love!!

[fallout4reactsblog]

if nick's that pissed at piper i don't imagine he'd be super happy with hancock either, though i'm less clear on what his and hancock's canon relationship was to start with

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Kid, we can’t keep doing this. This isn’t Diamond City. It isn’t safe.”

“I’m a big kid, Nick.” They stick their tongue out at him, but their eyes betray their sadness. “I can fend for myself out here. Besides, Goodneighbor’s smaller than Diamond City. KLEO’s basically right next to the door. But, if it makes you feel any better, I promise to yell for you at the first sign of trouble.”

“I reckon I’ll take it. Say, though, isn’t KLEO a robot of some kind?”

“Assaultron, yeah.”

His eyes must betray his intent because they shake their head. “Don’t even think about it. You are not going to use KLEO as leverage to get Hancock to let me back in. He’s said his piece, Nick. The verdict is clear.”

“Clearly wrong,” he grumbles. But, he takes the list and pushes open the door, offering them a quick wave before he steps inside.

Goodneighbor is exactly how he remembers it. Same shops, same smells, same residents milling around. He can see why Ellie left this place behind. If he had his way, he wouldn’t even be here. John’s sort of getting the best of both worlds; sole can’t come in, but their caps are still getting spent.

“Hi, KLEO.” He says, stepping up to the counter. John’s nowhere in sight, and maybe that’s a good thing.

“Everything here is guaranteed to injure, maim, or kill at your discretion. Except me. I only kill when I want to.”

He resists the urge to ask if she’d want to put a certain mayor out of his misery. “Well, let’s see what you’ve got.”

He’s right in the middle of calculating how much sole’s ammo is going to cost when he hears footsteps behind him. Quietly, he prays they’re Deacon’s. He’s been known to hang around here in disguise, after all.

Someone slings an arm around his shoulder and says, “Well, if it ain’t Nick Valentine. How ya been?”

He resists the violent urge that makes his fingers twitch- sole had made him promise to stop hitting people on their behalf- and brushes Hancock’s arm off his shoulder instead. “Was better before I saw you.”

“I’m hurt.” Hancock leans against the counter. “You’re in my town. How could you come to my town and not want to see me?”

“If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have come at all.” He slides the caps across the counter to KLEO. “But I don’t call the shots.”

“Now, what do you mean by that? Unless...” he chuckles, but his eyes narrow. “Nick. Don’t tell me you brought that thing into my town.”

The word “thing” echoes in Nick’s head, and he tries to drown it out by reminding himself that sole would not want him shooting Hancock in the knee. “That ‘thing’ is more human than I am.”

Hancock begins twirling his knife idly. “C’mon, don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re the real deal, Nick. We all know you ain’t reporting everything back to the Institute. We can trust you.”

Just a quick bullet to the kneecap, a tiny voice in his head whispers. It’s not fatal. He’ll be fine. Just a little warning shot.

“I’d say sole more than proved themself to you.”

“Yeah, and it turned out they were lying. You can’t trust them, Nick. Things like that-”

His patience finally wears thin, and he snaps, “You’re a hypocrite.”

Hancock’s eyes widen, and he starts to say something, but Nick cuts him off. “You sit here, the mayor of Goodneighbor, and you tell yourself that you’ve got a good thing going. A safe haven for the freaks of the world. Goodneighbor was founded to give a home to people that had nowhere else to turn, but now that sole’s out on the street with the world against them, you want to forget all of that.”

“That ain’t the same, and you know it.”

“It is the same. They just got kicked out of Diamond City for being a synth, which is exactly what happened to the ghouls. But I guess now that it doesn’t benefit you, you don’t care, huh?”

John Hancock, bless him, throws the first punch.

It catches him across the cheekbone, and he feels something snap before he swings back with a vengeance, metal hand colliding with what used to be Hancock’s nose. John staggers back, one hand clutching his face, and the other reaches for the knife that’s still on the counter. Nick pulls his gun off his belt and, before Hancock can react, pistol-whips him, splitting open the skin on his jawline.

“Hey!”

Someone grabs him by the shoulders and yanks him back, and one of the Neighborhood Watch grabs John under the arms. He’s lost his hat, so Nick gets the full force of his glare when he spits, “Get out. Get the fuck out of my town and don’t come back.”

“Gladly.”

Nick shoves off the Neighborhood Watch and grabs sole’s ammo off the counter. “Might consider packing your bags,” he says to KLEO, “before the mayor decides you’re the wrong kind of freak, too.”

KLEO says nothing, and he slams the door on his way out. For a moment, he stands in the street, trying to catch his breath.

Sole gently adjusts his hat. “What happened? I heard voices.”

He huffs. “Let’s just say I am no longer welcome in Goodneighbor, either.”

“Nick,” they say disapprovingly. “I told you not to start any fights.”

“In my defense, he swung first.”

“I can tell.” They eye his cheek, and he waves them off.

“It’s nothing. I got the stuff we wanted, at least. Someone else will have to go to Goodneighbor for us in the future.”

“Well, we can probably get Mac to do it. But seriously, Nick, you can’t fight everyone who doesn’t like that I’m a synth.”

“I can try. And I can definitely fight anyone who condemns you for who you are and thinks they can be friends with me. They can’t have it both ways. Either they don’t like synths, or they’re fine with it, but there’s no in-between.”

They sigh. “Well, thank you for defending me, I suppose.”

“Don’t sweat it, kid. They’ll come around, or they won’t. Their loss.”

[bottlecapbaby]

I saw you opened your requests again ! Cool ! Could we know what was the thing that reader did that made the companions (from Fallout 4) realize that they were in love with them ?

It had to be you

Cait: One day, the two of you were getting a little rowdy. A couple of drinks in, she challenged you to some old fashioned fisticuffs, and you oblige her, which she doesn’t expect. It’s taps, more like fencing than an actual bleeding brawl. You manage to knock her over, and she’s laughing. She looks up at you, backlit like an angel, while you hold out a hand to pull her up. And that’s when she knew.

Curie: Curie wasn’t someone who necessarily took risks. She didn’t seek thrills, she thought doing such things were stupid, though undeniably human. On rare occasions, she would let her feelings get the better of her, despite the irony of meeting senseless violence with more violence. Once, the two of you almost didn’t make it out of a firefight she escalated. You absolutely chewed her out, fussed over her, checked her for scrapes and injuries, said you didn’t know what you would’ve done if something had happened. She had never truly been in the patient’s chair before. You were the first person who made her feel truly cared for.

Danse: Throughout the day, you’d been knocked down hard, grazed, battered. Every time, you picked yourself up, unprotected by power armor. He could tell you must have felt heavier than lead. Through the fight and exploration, you’d hadn’t found many caps, or even much good salvage. You did it all for some poor farmer’s family trinket. And when you returned it, you showed no signs of exhaustion. Made no complaints, demanded no compensation. You just looked proud to have done something for someone else.

Deacon: Deacon has an untold amount of stories to tell, he’s prepared for any situation, including some future kid asking him how it was he knew he loved you. There were a lot of heroic and selfless things he’d like to say, that it was after he saw you free all of the synths, that it was when you chose to risk your life for the freedom of machines, something like that. Really, it was one late night at the Rexford. You said, “You know, it’s ok to not be ok. I’ll still be here.” He hasn’t been the same since.

Hancock: There were probably an infinite number of moments that made Hancock feel love for you, but the first time he knew he was in love was when you defended him from some Diamond City bigot. No hesitation, no mercy, no fiber of your being would stand for it. You had more respect for him than he had ever had for himself. And it just made him really understand how real this was for you. Being a hero wasn’t playing pretend for you, it was every hour of every day.

Gage: He’d probably been toying with the idea for a while, and refusing to even get close to admitting it to himself, probably started something of a relationship without a clear label. When you turned on the lights for Nuka-World, covered in the blood of your betrayers, he knew there would never be anyone in the world who could even come close. It had to be you. Now, and forever, he wouldn’t settle for anyone else. You were the arbiter of his hopes and dreams, and you made it look so easy. He never thought he’d trust anyone again. But now he figures he was never even a whole person before he met you, he just didn’t know it.

MacCready: His moment of realization, as much as he would like for it to have been badass and wild, was probably in a quiet moment of softness. When you played with a little kid on some settlement, told them how cool their toy car was, handed them a couple wrapped candies. And when you turned, you were surprised. You really had no idea that anyone was watching. He’d met plenty of fakes in his life, plenty of monsters, people who did things only for themselves. Hell, he was one of them. But you were real.

Nick Valentine: Probably when the two of you were working on a case together. The boring part, too, where the two of you stayed up late and looked over scattered files, trying to pull motives and connections out of the air. Your brows were furrowed, a pen in your teeth, a stack of papers in each hand while your eyes darted around. All this— lost sleep, lost time, lost resources you gladly gave away for the sake of someone who needed help. You didn’t have any pride in being some detective genius. You worried about these problems as if you were your very own, no matter who they really belonged to. You made him double down on the paperwork.

Old Longfellow: He saw you absolutely fucking ripping through a mirelurk after killing it. You’d run low on food, and now you were elbow deep in the guts of just about every creature you could get your hands on, ripping out every usable bit there was. You weren’t even a little afraid of getting dirty. And at the end, you’d always look up at him with a smile, and offer him some, like it was the funniest thing in the world. With people like you in the world, maybe it could be wonderful.

Piper: You were mad. Furious. Absolutely tearing into some schmuck you’d met on your travels, someone who’d lied about the sourcing of his products, endangered a lot of innocent lives for the sake of a profit. Before she met you, she felt so alone, and it scared her. She was so afraid that there was no one left in the world who really cared enough about the truth, about giving people what they needed to take care of themselves. Why care about the truth when ignorance and lies are so much easier? But not you. You’d sooner roll over and die than you would live a lie. She’d found a kindred spirit.

Preston: You were covered in the grease from a generator on the fritz. You’d been scabbing for parts, working with Sturges for the better part of two days to get it back in order. It clearly wasn’t your idea of a good time, but there you were, even into the night with a lantern at your feet. A lot of the minutemen, when they were more prevalent, were glory-seekers. He didn’t deny it. It felt good to be someone’s hero. But even after the heroism was done, the raiders and monsters beaten back into the shadows, you stayed. All the little things, all of the mundane, you took personal responsibility for it. Being covered in dirt and sweat in the dark was not glamorous, and it wasn’t fun. But for the sake of the settlement, he’d seen you do it time and time again.

X6-88: He saw you do many things in absolute tedium. Scrolling and clicking away at your pip-boy, hunched over at a workbench removing tiny screws from rusty fans, weeding garden patches. You had many friends, led many settlements, and while you knew to ask for help, you did not delegate these tasks. At the institute, it was commonplace to see people ordered around, made to do unsavory and boring tasks purely for the benefit of the higher ups. You expected no such thing. You even got somewhat annoyed when he would try to do them for you, so adamant were you that he devote his time to something he wanted to do. You took pride in what you did, and never took an opportunity to foist work on anyone else. It made him so angry. So fucking angry at the entire structure of the Institute. Until one day, he saw you swear as another typewriter component rolled off of your workbench and bounced away. All of these momentary discomforts, you did not fear even a little.

[martuzzio]

To that one anon who sent me a lovely ask about how I would incorporate the MCC twitch games into this au (whose ask I deleted on accident): this is for you.

Iskall has had three main homes throughout his life: The Hermit Craft, the Hunt, and the Arena. All three homes have taught him different lessons to live by. Despite only living with the hermits for a few years out of his three dcades of life, the Hermit Craft has taught him a lot. Some of these things include joys like beds, regular meals, and friends. His friends teach him every day that there is much more to life than doing your job effectively and efficiently. There is more to the universe than subverting people that cannot be trusted.

The Hunt is the home Iskall has known for the longest out of the three. It is whenever he has a new hit, a new target to pursue. The next victim of the machine. This home is what eventually broke him, but it has also taught him a lot. It has taught him to value himself over everyone else in the room when needed. To examine someone from afar and learn everything he needs to know in a few moments. To take aim and shoot without blinking, without feeling. To complete what is asked of him – but only if the price is right.

The final home Iskall knows is the Arena. The Arena taught him one thing: how to survive. He has not been in this home for a long time. Until now.

Iskall sits in a dimly lit room with False, Wels, and Etho and listens to the thunderous roar of the crowd outside. He got a glimpse of the stadium before entering the waiting room and the size took even him by surprise. It’s a big one – the stadium looks like it could comfortably fit at least two million people, but the actual crowd size could be anywhere up to five. Who knows how many individuals the MCC people managed to squeeze into the arena this time. They know the participants are big names, so it makes sense that they would sell as many tickets as possible.

The MCC (which stands for something that Iskall can’t be bothered to remember) is a small and peculiar planet located deep within the anarchy sector of the universe. It is covered completely in metal and hosts far too many illegal activities to count. The most popular of these activities are the fighting competitions held in the hundred or so arenas scattered across the planet’s surface. The largest of these stadiums is where Iskall and his friends are currently waiting to compete.

When Xisuma announced to the crew over dinner that the ship was going to drop by the MCC in a week, Iskall was glad he wasn’t the only visibly confused person. Apparently the end goal is to attend a conference with the MCC leaders to gain more protection when traveling in the anarchy sector. The catch, however, is that in order to have the conference, some of the hermits need to participate in a non-lethal arena competition to hype up the planet’s visitors and bring in money for the leaders. Iskall gladly agreed to participate, eager to see what MCC arena matches are like when they aren’t to the death.

Back in the waiting room, Iskall is startled out of his thoughts by False’s swear when her knife slips from the whetstone. “That’s the third time I’ve almost nicked the blade.” She mutters when she notices Iskall looking over. “I should’ve just brought my plasma blade. It would’ve been less of a hassle.”

“But the real deal is so much better.” Wels interjects from across the room. From his own grip on his sword, Iskall figures that he’s trying hard to not ruin his blade on his own arena-supplied whetstone. “It’s all about the weight of the piece that makes it worthwhile. I can’t imagine fighting someone with a knife that weighs as much as a wooden spoon.”

False huffs a laugh, causing her glowing blue eyes to crinkle in the dusty light. “You’re in no position to form an argument because you’ve never tried any option other than your sword.”

Wels beams and shrugs one shoulder. “What can I say, you got me there.”

“The lighter blades have their own perks.” Etho adds conversationally. He’s perched precariously on top of a barrel in the corner of the room, fingers flying over his left gauntlet’s screen as he most likely plays that Hermit trading card game. “When they’re really light, it’s easier to carry as many as you want under your clothes.”

Iskall squints at his mysterious friend. “That sounds ominous.” Etho simply glances up and winks at him, drawing a grin to Iskall’s face.

“I like them because a lighter blade helps me to focus on the arms working the gun.” False supplies. “When I’m using blades and guns at the same time, having one set of arms as the dominant pair works out better. But that’s just me, though.” she continues and gestures to Wels’ sword. “When you can only fight with one weapon at a time, I feel like the best option to choose is the one you’re most comfortable with.”

Wels beams again at False but soon groans in expression when Etho replies with, “So that just means you need to become comfortable with all weapons.” When Wels stands up and pokes his sword in the direction of the barrel, Etho shrinks back and raises his hands, leaving his game momentarily forgotten. “Hey, hey! I’m right, you know! You’re just mean!”

Iskall doubles over in laughter at that. He’s so glad that these three are the ones that volunteered to participate in the arena competition with him. Not to discount any of his other friends, but the four of them are probably the best fighters on the whole hermit team. Or at least the best possible team of four. False is an absolute beast in battle, both real and practice. Her two sets of arms are a beauty to behold when she’s aiming a gun at one enemy while stabbing another at the same time. Then there’s Wels, who uses traditional techniques to make a statement. His confident movements and unwavering personality comforts Iskall on the battlefield. Lastly, there’s Etho, whose expert skill in thousands of weapons and techniques always results in a good time. His very presence seems to bring chaos. Iskall assumes it’s just because he’s Etho.

False reaches over with one of her unoccupied arms and flicks Iskall’s helmet visor. “Stop laughing so much.” She scolds. “You’re going to get a stomachache before we even start the match.”

Iskall curbs his laughter as Wels and Etho go “awww” in the background. Before Iskall has the chance to shoot a retort back, a clanging noise sounds out form outside the waiting room. He looks over to the door just in time to watch it wrench open with a screech.

“Good news, hermits!” A small android, as metallic as the rest of the planet, shrieks. Their pincer-like hands flutter in a way that makes Iskall think of Mumbo. “You’re up next! Ready your weapons now because the gate’s going to raise in less than a minute!” With that, the android reaches into the room and yanks the door back shut with a loud screech.

After a moment to process what just happened, Iskall claps his hands together and leisurely pushes off the bench. “Time to end that game, Etho.” He says with a falsely pained expression. Etho blinks sadly and shuts his gauntlet screen off with a swipe. He slides off of his barrel and pats around his body to probably double check his thirty or so different weapons hidden in mysterious places.

False sets the whetstone aside and rolls her two sets of arms back in their shoulder sockets. She smiles at the men in the room, throwing her blade into the air and catching it without looking. “Ready, boys?” She asks, wiggling an eyebrow for emphasis.

Wels laughs back and readies his own blade. “As ready as we’ll ever be. Remember, no killing anyone out there, alright?”

Iskall sees the other two nod and realizes that yes, this is an arena event where he cannot kill anyone. It’s a shock that hits him much later than he expected it would. At least it hit him before he was in actual battle, though, so he counts it as a small blessing. “Gotcha.” He says in response, facing the large gate on the arena side of the room and checking the grip on his gun one last time. False notices and checks the grip on her own gun as well.

The four of them are startled when the door slams open again behind them. “Time to fight!” The same android screams in the doorway. They smack one of their pincer hands onto a button on their forearm and the room’s gate starts slowly creaking open. The door slams shut again without another word.

The four hermits meet gazes for a moment, then shrug. They then all face the gate, which by now has thudded into place, fully open. Bright sunlight shines into the room and an unseen announcer thunders out a short intro for the team. The crowd thunders back.

“Let’s go, boys.” False says, and strides out into the area, head held high. Etho and Wels soon follow. As Iskall steps through the door and the crowd’s thunder turns into a roar, he grins, rolls his shoulders back, and raises a hand to greet his old home.

[sharada-n]

shae, gimme ur l4d2 headcanons, do it do it do it

Guess you forced my hand :( Warning: this gets loooong

Coach:

Loves kids? Like, we know he changed careers because his injury meant he couldn’t play football anymore, but I think in the end he actually liked his new gig better

Has a name but is just more used to being referred to as Coach and also didn’t want to reveal it because he didn’t know how long these idiots would stick around (and by the time they were full found fam it was just funnier not to)

Widower - was married for 20+ years but his wife died a few years before the events of the game. Due to fertility issues they had no children

Suuuuuuper protective of the others? Total dad friend, would always be the first to go back for a fallen comrade. Is friend-shaped

He’s also hug-shaped. Coach gives the best hugs, he’s a real physically affectionate guy, and he will not be stopped

Besides sports, he is also really into (rock) music and board games. Biggest regret about the Apocalypse is he can’t play chess anymore

Also super good at cooking? He’s the designated team cook, give him some corned beef and half a can of baked beans and Coach will make you a delicious feast

Rochelle:

Honestly was better than most people at her job, definitely a bit of a workaholic. Sometimes she has a hard time letting loose

L... lesbean - had several relationships before but wasn’t in one when the Apocalypse started

Definitely knew how to handle a gun already before shit went down. Going to the shooting range was a hobby of hers (perfect way to de-stress). Other hobbies include writing, watching reality television and jogging. She was also definitely in a book club

She is one of those ‘silent anger’ types. She’ll be the first to engage in witty banter or sarcastic jabs, but piss her off for real and it’ll be a deadly storm coming you way and you won’t even hear it coming

She’s definitely the planner of the group. She is down-to-earth and realistic, and also remembers EVERYTHING so the others do occasionally rely on her to keep them in line. Their team doesn’t have a leader, but Rochelle comes closest to serving as one.

Actually sucks at first aid. She has had the fortune of not being in many scrapes or accidents in her life, but it did have the side-effect that Coach had to teach her how to patch herself (or others) up

Her family is not from the area and in fact she has no idea how they’re doing or how to contact them. She’s very worried about them, but knows she won’t ever be able to find them if she’s not alive to do so

Ellis:

As much as he doesn’t want it, he’s the baby of the team. That’s just how it is, he can not change this. He can handle himself just fine but that won’t stop the others from thinking it

Definitely has untreated ad(h)d of some kind? This man is a force of chaotic energy you can not comprehend. His attention span is also all over the place. Has an unhealthy need to be liked by people at all times or he will combust

Knows how to ride a horse, knows how to ride a cow, probably would try to ride a goat if given the chance

Was an only child but was very popular among his friends

Ironically did not know how to shoot a gun before things went down, but played video games and also watched Keith shoot cans sometimes (the sound of the gun is very bothersome for him) and he’s a quick learner

But for this reason, he will always prefer melee. Weapon of choice will be the baseball bat but he’s handy with anything 

Speaking of handiness, as a mechanic Ellis is great at fixing up shit and the others are internally grateful he’ll keep the electricity running. Thanks to Keith and their wild adventures, he’s also great at first aid

Doesn’t know where his parents where when the outbreak happened and frankly doesn’t really care

Nick:

Convicted felon, conman, and known crook. Served a grand total of six months in the slammer, but he doesn’t talk about it. Absolutely has killed before but gotten away with it

Had a bad childhood, bad family, joined gangs at an early age. He dabbled mostly in petty theft and vandalism before upgrading to actual organized crime, but went solo because he doesn’t like people

Trust issues central. Partly because of the above reasons, partly because he’s just a pessimist and doesn’t believe people will stand for anything but themselves when the world ends. He takes the longest to warm up to the others

After he does, he’s definitely ride or die though. They all have each others backs, but Nick is the only one who would gladly shank a guy for even looking at his team funny

Likes gambling but often loses money when he’s not cheating. His less detrimental hobbies are visiting bars, traveling and sailing. He’s a boat boy and knows how to operate one

Rich through unsavory means, Nick has expensive tastes and his biggest adjustment about the Apocalypse is the lower living standard. Hates the lack of toilet paper and will not shut up about it

Germaphobe. Hates gross things, hates gross smells, hates anything gross except blood (and that’s just because he’s used to it). Pukes pretty easily, all things considered

Married young and stayed with his (ex-)wife for 7 years. He really loved her, she... did not exactly return the sentiment. In the end she cheated and they divorced, but Nick is mostly over it, just bitter

[fandom-imagination-ss]

Imagine: learning about the supernatural life from Klaus and him asking you too go too New Orleans with him

Author note: this is a request from @nick-1432 who gave me rang too write a Klaus imagine! Only had 3 things she wanted 1) be a Klaus x reader 2) be out by today ( for her birthday if possible) and 3) make it long lol 😂. I just moved back home so (yesterday) so I’ve been busy. But somehow I got this done! I had too for nicks-1432 birthday! So.. since I’ve been moving, and unpacking / packing this isn’t proof read. And I hope it’s good. And long enough! (And also that you wanted a girl reader. As I’m writing this note. I fucking realized you could be a male 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️. I should of asked. If you are male I will write a even longer Imagine too replace this one !!! In advance I’m sorry!)

Did I proof read?: No sorry 😐

Rating : pg 13, mentions of death but it’s TVD ppl die lol

Fandom: the vampire diaries/ the originals

Word count : 16,746 ( nine pages lol 😂 hope it’s long enough!)

Being Elena’s twin was difficult, like when you were int e car with your parents and Her, when it crashed. Elena got out without a scratch, you got out. So badly damaged the doctors put you into a medical induced coma for a few months too help your body heal. When you woke up everything was different. Your world turned upside down. You struggled with your new reality with No parents, your sister being distant and cold and not telling you anything. Your brother soon joined in on keeping secrets from you and trying too distract you from the truth. It soon traveled thru your group of friends, from Caroline , Tyler, Matt, and Bonnie. They all kept secrets from you. Everyone in your life started treated you differently after the accident. Poor damage orphan. Who was on the brick of death. It drove you crazy , epically having too sit back and watch your sister make some..interesting choices. In her life. From Dating Stefan who was Nice and Kind respectful even. Too Damon who seemed like a complete Asshole. Who is Stefan’s older brother.

Luckily the only other person who was in the dark with you was Aunt Jenna. It gave you some comfort knowing you weren’t the only one. Who was clearly in the dark about your family. Jeremy was rarely ever around and Elena was always coming in Late or not at all. You figured she was going too Stefans place. Aunt Jenna was cool about it. Then the unthinkable happened your Aunt passed away. A wild animal attack. It broke you too pieces.

Having your parent gone, then your guardian your siblings were speechless and sad. When your uncle John arrived he lasted a few days but Elena, and Jeremy kicked him out. Having your History teacher and Aunt Jenna’s boyfriend Aleric being your guardian. That was your Tipping point.

You weren’t a huge fan of Uncle John he was. Okay. But at least he was family. And he was stepping up too care for you three. Elena and Jeremy decided for you that he wasn’t good enough that some guy who Jenna dated for a few months was better then blood? You were furious. Done with the secrets, and them dictating what is best for you. You had a teammate. Between their lies, and secrets and them treating you like a kid! Especially Jeremy treating you like a kid. Being older then him it should be you who was over protective of your baby brother! You were in contract with Uncle John Finished with them. Even the new comers the Mikaelson couldn’t change your mind even those. They were close.

Everyone was curious about them. The Dashing. Well dressed Elijah who looked like a Prince in another life strong chin, big brown eyes. Very formal and polite, Rebecca who was the only girl. Blonde hair that was long and shinny, pail reflection like her brothers. A sight attitude but is the only person in the entire town of Mystic falls who will tell you the truth too your face. And Klaus.

Trouble maker Klaus, who pushed everyone’s buttons in your life, Elena, Jeremy, Even your friends warned you too stay away from them. Even Aleric and Stefan and Damon who you weren’t close with all begged you too Not go near them. Of course them being the ONLY people in the entire town besides your aunt too treat you like A adult. You didn’t listen.

One day. Rebecca invited you over for a sleep over. You gladly accepted, you thought it was a sleepover. But they all sat you down and they told you everything. About vampires, werewolves, witches, hybrids about your family line being full of vampire hunters, too how Aunt Jenna who recently died. Actuallyq died) about the reasonings, about all the secrets they all kept from you.

Having a huge crush on Klaus didn’t stop the fact he killed your Aunt. You went too leave until they informed you about a ancient Threat that made the ‘original vampires scared” you told them too screw themselves and went home.

Getting home you got Thur the front door seeing No one, Like always they were all gone. Typical.

Hearing your phone bing you looked down seeing it was your uncle Jon getting back too your text. Who you now know is your biological father. And that Alerics dead wife is your biological mother. And that your parents adopted you from them..

Uncle Jon:I’m sorry Y/N I would love too have you but I can’t- I think your siblings need you more. I’m sorry I’ll call on the weekend and we can talk about this okay?I’m sorry kiddo

Reading the text you ended up tossing your phone too the sofa as you turned seeing Rebecca at the doorframe.

“Mind if I come in?”

Turning too her you held your arms, “So that myth about having too be invited is fake?”

“No. Unfortunately.”

You rolled your shoulders, “Fine- come in. If you came too suck my blood. It’s probably too biter to be good right now.” She chuckled weakly. “Please I prefer my meals too be male.” She walked in as she spoke, “how are you?”

You shook your head weakly looking around, “Since Jenna. I’m always alone.. I lost basically All my friends because they all kept me in the dark about this stupid town! And the only person I had was Jenna.. and your brother killed her!”

“I’ve seen Klaus kill thousands of people in his lifetime.. Jenna was the Only one that he felt bad about- He knew that she was all you had-what.. what can I do too help.”

You cried stepping over hugging her. She was stunned but hugged back as you cried. She was always strong but Rebecca was soft As you spoke, “uncle Jon wont take me.. I’m stuck in this Hell hole.- Why tell me.. about all the this?”

Becca hold tighter as she spoke, “we don’t want too see you get killed because you were clueless. We all care for you. It’s one of the factors that have bonded us lately.- When Klaus calmed down and realized what he did.. he destroyed the house. It was the first time we ever seen him remorseful.. he’s truly sorry for harming you. It was the last thing he ever wanted.”

Pushing back. You breathed deeply. Looking at your best friend. You rubbed your face collecting your thoughts as you spoke, “It was Elena, and Stefans, and Jeremy – it was their fault too.”

She was surprised hearing that response, “if they told Us about you, all or about Why your so dangerous- about all the he dangers in this town. Maybe! Jenna wouldn’t be dead! I’m Furious at Klaus but I’m More angry at the betrayal of my own blood!”

“come sleep over we can talk this out, and you wont get a truthful answer from your family.”

Nodding your. Head you agreed too that as you went upstairs too pack.

Collecting your phone before you left. You Got too Rebecca mansion too see Klaus having a glass of whiskey you walked over grabbing it from him drinking it all as you spoke, ‘you killed my aunt!” You hit him as he took it.

Hitting him over and over again you cried. As you fell too the ground Klaus never hit back. He stood there taking your punishment until he crashed down. Next too you hugging you. Gripping up too his shirt pulling him closer as you cried into his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry.”

Klaus let you cry your heart felt like it was about too explode, your stomach was so tense you felt like you were about too break. As you bawled. Everyone you loved. Cared for has lied too you.. and it took Jenna’s killer and he’s siblings too tell you the truth.

After crying your phone dinged too see you had a text from Aleric, Elena and Jeremy wondering where you are. You whipped your cheeks as you looked down at them.

“will you kill them?”

That got everyone too tense up, “my family- are you planning too kill anymore of them?”

“No- I need Elena alive,And I swear not too harm Jeremy.” Looking up at Klaus you thanked him and Rebecca took you too her room so you can talk it out.

Weeks passed you weren’t as close with Klaus as you were before. The whole “killing your aunt” really drove a wage between your relationship with him. Which hurt you wanted Klaus around.

You thought you were hanging the trauma and heartbreak of everything. Then Elena turned into a vampire. Of course NO ONE TOLD YOU! You never told your family you knew. Or your friends about all their secrets. It was Klaus who appeared into your room one day. Telling you what happened too Elena. Rebecca ran them over the bridge that your parents died on. Stefan saved Matt and Elena died with Damons blood in her. Turning her into a vampire. You were furious at Rebecca. And Soon Elena started bootcamp too survive being a vampire. Her being turned. Changed your thoughts on Klaus. Then Jeremy Died. you realized. Elena was death.. And she loved being a vampire, but when Jeremy died. She flicked a switch and her humanity’s was gone. Klaus begged you too move in with him for your safety. And you accepted. Elena terrified you. Especially her doppelgänger Katherine who was always around. So you agreed. With the new threat around. Being with murderous honest vampires.. Not so bad compared too your sister.

Before Elena turned her switch she was thriving and back too her bubbly old self before your parents death. She was truly happy. So you forgive Rebecca. It’s been weeks living with them. You just returned from a day of shopping. Rebecca’s suggestion wanting too find the perfect dress for prom. You were exhausted! Stretching out on your bed. Surrounded by bags as Klaus walked by your open door seeing the damage you and Rebecca did on the family money (that Rebecca thankfully offered too pay since your part time job at the grill would pay for one item you got together)

“did you and Rebecca leave anything in the store?” You grinned weakly hearing Klaus’s voice you shook your head. “Barely. Only the mustered color stuff.” He chuckled as you opened your eyes shifting too sit up as he spoke, ‘did you find a dress for the Prom?” You nodded your head weakly. “Yea. Rebecca picked it out.- I’m still unsure.”

Klaus leaned against the doorframe as he spoke, “let me see.”

Getting too your closest pulling out a pink dress, it was a corset top, with a ball gown skirt, every inch was sparkles it reflected softly on the lights in your room as klaus turned around and you realized he wanted you too try it on. You did. Stripping quickly and hopping into it you spoke up, ‘it’s so.. reveling those. I mean it’s slightly low, and my back..”

Klaus turned looking at you as he spoke, “you are a vision. You breathtaking Y/N” smiling weakly you thanked him as he stepped over as he spoke, “you could wear a potato sack and be potato sack and be beautiful.” Feeling your face going red he breathed deeply as he spoke, ‘what unworthy boy is taking you too prom?’

“None- I’m going alone..” that surprised Klaus as he spoke, “really?” You nodded your head, “yea- Matt asked me but that would be too weird.. and with Elena being- bat shit crazy.. and Caroline and Stefan- whatever they are doing and Bonnie.. it’s easier. Less complicated..”

“I’ll take you.”

Smiling hearing that you nodded your head “sure.” He smiled as he went too go as he turned looking at you, “I was going too ask- what are your plans for after graduation? You apply for any schools?”

Shaking your head slightly you spoke, “No- it’s.. I.need a break and too explore.. I’m taking a year off.” With that he walked off.

Prom was perfect. Shortly after Rebecca, Klaus and Elijah were needed in New Orleans and they left you too watch the place. It was only there did you realize they weren’t coming back. It broke your heart. Then graduation came And you were waiting in line too get your diploma, uncle John wasn’t here. Even those you invited him. Elena smashed that idea of having him here. Elena got up and everyone cheered and clapped for her you got up after her getting your diploma when you noticed Klaus in the crowd. He was near the front clapping loudly. With a big smile on his face. You smiled brightly seeing him. Getting off the stage you waited with the rest of your class.

Finishing the ceremony. You leaped off the stage hugging Klaus tightly. “Thank you.” He smiled hugging you back as he spoke, “I couldn’t miss this- Rebecca apologize and Elijah they wanted too come but things in New Orleans are sticky..”

You pushed back holding his face as you smiled brightly. You dreaded today. Having no family with you too celebrate, with Being stuck with Death herself. And your friends who kept you in the dark. You smiled so wide it made Klaus smile back. Looking at you. Seeing this. One kind act make you smile so wide and bright. It made the tough cruel Klaus melt. You were the only person without a motive. He’s meet thousands of people who had motives too kill him or use him. And then their was you. Who just wanted him for himself. It was a different feeling that Klaus wasn’t use too.

You reached up kissing him which surprised Klaus as you pulled back “thank you.”

A huge goofy smile appeared on his face as you dashed over too Elena and hugged her. And your friends. Seeing Klaus changed your mood incredibly. When it was all said and done after Jeremy was brought back too life. (By magic. Which you weren’t sure what happened. He just came back too life) you were sitting on the bleachers with Klaus looking at the football field that held up to be the graduation. Looking out at the field Klaus spoke up, “congratulations Y/N.”

Facing Klaus you smiled brightly reaching over grabbing his arm. “Thanks- and thank you for coming I was dreading this all month-having you here.. felt like I wasn’t alone.”

He smiled weakly as he spoke, “Still going on a grand adventure for a year?”

Nodding your head looking around, “with all the lies and descent and Death around here.the farer away the better.”

“glad too hear that.” Glancing over at Klaus he looked at you shifting too look at you better as he spoke “come with me.”

‘excuse me?”

He chuckled softly rubbing his neck, “Come with me too New Orleans, we all miss you. Especially Me.. Come with me. Let me show you the world. Music , the arts, History music. Let me share it with you.”

You grabbed his hand tightly as you spoke, “Only- if you promise it can be forever.” He squeezed back as he spoke, “you want too turn?”

“Maybe- If I want too.. can you. Be the one?” He nodded his head. You reached over hugging him tightly, “Don’t get your hopes up. On that. But take me with you Klaus. Don’t leave me behind again”

“okay.”

A year passed with learning that Klaus one night booty call got pregnant with. His baby. You and Elijah (who was madly in love with Hailey) you both were on pins and needles wondering how that would play out. You got a Job at a Bar- Mystic Falls was a training area for the big league for Vampires and werewolves and witches. A turf war was going on. The Mikaelson convinced each group that you weren’t involved. That you weren’t some Ploy you were human. So they mostly left you alone.

Klaus has been acting weird lately. You seen the good , the bad, and Now your seeing the awkward. You enter a room and he excuses himself, he spends. Little times around you. Rebecca said you were imagine it. But Elijah noticed and often talked too Klaus about it.

Hope was fussing so you were soothing her as she went back too sleep.

“You’re a natural.”

Turning too Klaus seeing him leaning against the door . You smiled as he walked over helping you put her down .

“do you want this…”

That surprised you. Turning too Klaus you shook your head. “I love Hope- but IM not.. Anywhere Close too being ready for a baby.. I don’t know if I want it. Why?”

“you asked too be changed.” “Maybe.” Correcting him he nodded his head. “If your changed.. you can’t have this..”

“ you impregnate a werewolf… Never say never.”

Klaus frowned hearing that as he spoke, “you know that was a fluke.”

Nodding your head weakly you turned too Klaus rolling your shoulders, “IM not thinking about having babies. Hell- I haven’t had a serious relationship… I’m far too young.-“ he nodded his head looking at Hope.

“is that why you been involving me lately? Your scared I want a baby. And too stay human?”

“I’m Not good..”

“I’ve seen you with Hope- your Goodness is there. Klaus- You shown it with me. From the beginning. You’re the kindest. Person I know. You tell me the truth even if it’s not Kind. But you know how much I appreciate the truth. That’s showing me kindness. Hope is so lucky too have you. I’m so happy too have you.”

“I want more.”

That surprised you as he rubbed his face, “I love you. Always have. Always will.. I want too be selfish and bite you and keep you..”

Nodding your head. You reached over grabbing his hand. “I love you too…I .. I’m not ready too give up my human status.. you okay with that?”

He nodded his head stepping over kissing you. You smiled kissing him back.

You knew eventually too keep. Klaus , Rebecca, Elijah you would have too change. But for Right now. You were happy.

[leo-gold-hotchner]

The Sinner -2

Any criticism on spelling/grammar mistakes, character description (trying my best to describe them in characters), facts (especially region, I’ve never been to America before), etc. are all welcome! Though, be lenient on me :) 

I had to change ‘mate’ to ‘pal’ lol...

Criminal Minds BAU x Reader

Warning: Explicit description of blood, death, mutilation, swearing etc.

Word Count: 3.1k

Previous parts: 1

“A glutton lives to eat instead of eating to live.” – African Proverb 

 Tik tok. Tik tok. 

The large man cried as the silent room filled with the clock ticking. He wanted to stop the clock, wanted to smash it. But it will never happen, that's what the abductor said to him. He’ll never see the daylight while alive, and it scared him. Regretting ever joining the club. 

 The figure appeared without light, its face covered in a black mask, and a hood. He begged for the mercy, but the figure held out a red bloodied pliers without hesitation. Soon, painful screams filled the dark room along a sound of something being forcefully torn. Both predator and prey knew the pitiful scream can’t be heard from the outside.

2nd Day 

Detective Lee was already at the scene, covering his mouth while yawning. It was a freezing morning of November. The detective greeted the BAU kindly, explaining they were waiting for the CSI to be arrived. The team decided to wait for the CSI too, trying to wake fully from drowsiness. They were at the National Park, where everything looked peaceful except for the bloody body found on the large rock near the small waterfall. The Sun was rising slowly over the dawn sky while Lee explained the situation after scribbling something on his note. 

“The forest ranger found the body while patrolling the area,” the detective nodded towards a young ranger who looked very ill. “He stated there was no one except him when he found the body. The driver’s license says the victim’s name is Benedict Lewis, 46-year-old. Whoever did this, drove a long way to dump a body,” he cringed, “’gula’ is written on the body.” 

“Which is gluttony, just like lust, it’s the Seven Deadly Sins.” Rossi informed the detective. 

“So, the killer is really on an extreme religious mission or something?” Lee asked incredulously. During his 5 years of detective life, he’s never seen such murders before. 

“Maybe,” Reid replied. “Does the victim have any unusual thing other than the word?” His pocketed hand playing with the sobriety coin. The young genius was actually glad he was called in the early morning as he was having a nightmare. The nightmare where Tobias Hankel drugged him. 

“If you mean by a large rat, frog, snake shoved in his mouth, yeah. Is this also the Seven Deadly Sins thing?” the detective asked when Reid’s eyes sparked in realisation, pushing his nightmare to the back of his mind. 

“Yes, actually gluttony is punished by eating rats, snakes, toads eternally.” 

“Gross,” Prentiss frowned along with JJ and Morgan. 

“Prentiss and Morgan, check out the area, if there’s anything call me. Reid and JJ, talk to the ranger. Rossi and I’ll wait for the CSI here with Detective Lee.” After Hotch ordered his team, he called Garcia -who was asleep- to look up the victim. 

                                                         ---BAU---

Just after the agents were dispatched, an SUV parked near the scene. A person with several protections including a face covering mask walked towards them with large rectangular containers in hands. 

“Don’t they at least have courtesy to kill in the daylight?” The person said in an irritated tone with a yawning. 

“F/N?” The detective’s jaw hung up in surprise. “What the hell are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be on leave?” 

“I’ve been resting for two months, Leon. Fucking two months!” F/N held two fingers to the detective with frustration. “And it drove me crazy!” 

“What happened to Harrison?” 

“Apparently, our newbie is sick since he saw the ‘luxuria’ bodies.” The forensic scientist sighed deeply, shaking head. “Anyways, I’ll need your time of arrival and names. Did you touch anything?” 

“Yeah, I already wrote that, you drilled me too much it became a habit.” Detective shrugged as he showed his friend his note. “Had to touch to find his identity, but other than that I was really careful not to touch anything.” 

The scientist just walked into the scene, placing the containers far from the body and the scene. With gloves on, F/N looked through the scene, quickly theorising what to gather first. The scientist quickly but efficiently started to prepare by photographing the scene and the body, scribbling on the note. 

“That’s F/N L/N, one of the best forensic scientists we have. Sorry about the manner, F/N is usually polite.” Lee gave the two agents a sheepish smile. 

“Something happened?” Hotch asked, watching the scientist working, barking orders not to step closer to a young officer. Rossi raised his brows at the younger man, but Hotch ignored Rossi. The BAU leader could sense something from the scientist, but he wasn’t sure what was making him stare at the person. But his gut told him he had to know about what happened to this scientist. 

“Well,” the detective shoved his hands in his suit jacket, sighing deeply. “My partner, he was F/N’s husband. Has been on leave since Nick’s been shot, I’ve never thought F/N would suddenly appear here.” He checked on his watch. “Do you want coffee? I think we have time till F/N finishes the job.” Lee glanced at the scientist who was taking tweezers out from the equipment box. 

“Perhaps later,” Rossi replied pleasantly as he saw JJ and Reid returning from interviewing the forest ranger. 

“The ranger found the body around 5:40, he remembers clearly because he was texting his friend.” JJ informed them. 

“He didn’t see any vehicles while patrolling before he found the body. The UnSub probably visited the park before,” Reid said. “But he said he hasn’t seen anyone at night.” 

“Did you get when and where he patrols the park?” Rossi asked, looking at the pale ranger who was talking to an officer. 

“I asked him to draw on the map, and estimated time.” Reid showed the checked park map. Rossi noticed the trembled writings of the ranger and wondered if anyone can read that. 

Hotch’s phone suddenly rang, and he could hear the scientist curse along with the detective’s. Rossi coughed drily to hide his laugh, but Hotch could see the veteran profiler was amused that the phone call startled them. 

“Garcia, you’re on the speaker,” Hotch replied quickly before the technical analyst say something to embarrass herself from the detective. 

“Hotch, sir,” Garcia said, her voice still covered in sleep, “Lewis was a newspaper reporter before he changed his career to a food blog writer. He was a single, and there are no known connections between the first victim.” 

“Did he write criticisms on food?” JJ asked. 

“Yes, apparently,” Garcia paused for a moment, “a few restaurants closed due to his harsh reviews.” 

“Are the owners still live here?” 

“No, they all moved to other states and never returned to Philly.” 

“Thank you, Garcia.” Hotch ended the call, knowing Garcia will fall asleep as soon as he ends the call. “The UnSub associated the victims’ careers and the Sins, but we don’t know why the UnSub chose these people.” He frowned deeply. “What does UnSub want to tell us?” He saw Prentiss and Morgan returning, briefly informed what Garcia told them. 

“The area is just perfect for family picnics,” Prentiss shrugged, “there’s a wedding mansion, nothing much.” 

“This area is open space; the UnSub knew the body would be found easily.” Morgan said. “The mansion was locked tight, so I don’t think the UnSub used the facility, no hint of forced entry too.” 

“The UnSub could’ve been using some kind of transport. The victim has a large physique, moving the body here would’ve been difficult even for a muscular man,” Rossi hummed. 

“About that, Prentiss and I found tyre marks over there.” The muscular agent pointed over the crime scene. 

The detective went to the forensic scientist and told about the tyre mark and the scientist lazily walked to the scene to take several photos. 

                                                        ---BAU---

“Hey, can we enter now?” Lee yelled impatiently, checking an hour has passed. He shouldn’t urge his friend, but the scientist looked finished from his view, if not he’d just apologise to his friend and will be gladly yelled by the scientist for urging the work. But, without a word, the scientist only gestured to okay to come. 

“Not many insects and the body didn’t even reach bloating stage yet. So, you can say it’s rather fresh. But, you never know in this bitchy winter. I’ll send the traces and the animals to the lab as soon as I arrive.” 

“You finished real quick today, not much?” 

“I’m wondering this guy maybe learned from Dexter or something and thinks himself Dante or what.” L/N rolled eyes, shivering from the cold winter. “I hate winter,” the scientist muttered, “I’ll be in the lab if you need me.” 

“That’s it,” Reid exclaimed as he stared at the scientist’s back. “It’s Dante’s Inferno. In Inferno, after the first circle of Limbo, Dante visits the second circle where Lust is punished by devils. Then, Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, Heresy, Violence, Fraud, Treachery. It’s rather fitting because this victim’s name is Benedict and in Inferno, Pope Boniface VIII is punished due to gluttony and his name was Benedetto which is equivalent to the English name, Benedict.” The young doctor talked fast which the detective watched the agent with his mouth ajar. 

“If the UnSub is killing according to Inferno, then it’s not about the seven sins?” Lee asked with a confused frown, he heard about the classic but never read. “I, I’m not sure about that.” Reid stuttered. “The Seven Deadly Sins are consisting of Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride. So we can’t be sure what the UnSub is imitating until the killings reach to either Wrath or Sloth.”

“Let’s hope we catch the UnSub before that stage,” Hotch mused rubbing his chin. “Rossi and Morgan, could you go and check Lewis’ home?”

“You drive,” Rossi threw the car key to the muscular man who caught it easily.

“I’m going to read Dante again,” Reid shrugged. “There might be hints.”

“I’ll be visiting the M.E., JJ and Prentiss are you going to the station?” Hotch asked.

“I thought about calling the victims’ family and friends,” JJ informed the unit chief. “Emily and I can split the job if that’s okay?” Prentiss nodded next to the blond agent.

“Alright, let’s get going.” Hotch nodded towards his team and everyone was ready for another long day.

                                                        ---BAU---

“Our victim knew how to clean,” Rossi looked around the small apartment. Lewis’ apartment was very clean, everything in order. 

“Hey, Rossi, look at this,” Morgan called the older man from the bedroom. Rossi saw the expensive watches in the drawer. “I wonder where he’d got money.” 

“They’re authentic,” Rossi examined one of the watches. “With salary of reporter or food writer he could’ve afford one or two, but not all of these.” 

“Maybe he was part of something?” 

“It’s possibility. We need to know if the first victims had anything like this, maybe that might be a connection between the victims.” 

“That might be, but the first two earned more than Lewis,” Morgan reminded the veteran agent. “They could’ve afforded as much as this if they wanted to.” 

“Perhaps that’s why they could get clients who’d pay them handsomely. If Lewis was payed for being a part of organisation, Smith and Olson may have introduced to their clients.”

“Urg, if that’s right, maybe that’s why both of them didn’t have any information on their clients.” Morgan huffed, thinking there was no information to gather the first two victims’ clients at all. No memo, no digital logs, none.

“But, let’s focus on Lewis’ life style shall we?” Rossi clasped his hands.

                                                       ---BAU---

Hotch saw the forensic scientist talking with Doctor Bear when he entered the pathologist lab. Surprisingly, the scientist was sitting on the metal table for corpses, and the M.E. was leaning back to another table where a white sheet covered a body on it. The place seemed to be grotesquely peaceful. 

“Agent Hotchner,” the doctor greeted the stoic agent. The forensic scientist just nodded to Hotch, but said nothing. “I sent the toxicology and autopsy report to Detective Lee.” The doctor shrugged before Hotch could reply, “but, I’m sure you’re here to see the body for yourself.” 

“Yes, I wanted examine the body before reading the report.” The doctor hummed. 

“Where’s that young man? He was rather interesting to talk to,” the doctor good-heartedly laughed uncovering the white sheet from the body. 

“I’m going, have fun,” the scientist said sarcastically before exiting the lab. 

“Ah well, F/N is still angry.” Bear said like he was talking to himself. 

Hotch stopped observing the Lewis’ body, and asked why the scientist was angry. 

“We still didn’t catch Nick’s shooter.” Bear frowned deeply. “Nick’s F/N’s husband, and he was a good man and friend.” 

Hotch nodded, but he took a mental note of that. He didn’t know why, but it felt important to know both Hotch and L/N lost their spouse to criminals. But for now, it was time to focus on the doctor’s explanation. 

                                                       ---BAU---

JJ was staring at the board with crossed arms over her chest and Reid was reading Dante’s Inferno with his usual reading pace. Prentiss was pressing her chin on the brown desk, wrapping her head with her arms as she stared at a black phone blankly. It’s only been second day, and everyone could feel this case will take a long time to solve. The BAU knew they will catch the UnSub eventually as they usually did, but nonetheless it was a hard process to find any lead on this UnSub. 

“The family couldn’t find anything strange, or found anything from their homes,” the brunette groaned as she muttered about the first victims’ possessions. 

‘Expensive possession’ was circled and a red question mark was drawn next to it where the white board was filled with words and photos by the agents. 

“Only connection we currently have is, MO.” JJ tilted her head as if she was about to burn the word ‘torture’ on the board with her eyes. “So much anger, but on what?” 

“Smith and Olson’s families say they didn’t have any enemies, and Lewis was a loner, no family, no close friends.” Prentiss tapped her finger on her the desk. The young man closed his book and looked up. “Finished?” 

“Yes,” the genius replied dully. “I don’t think there’s any hint in the literature yet.” 

“We need a break, coffee?” JJ whirled around and asked. 

                                                       ---BAU---

Detective Lee sighed as he threw his jacket off. The BAU was here, but the case wasn’t really cracking as he thought. But it’s only been second day no need to rush. The killer left literally nothing other than the body. Whoever it was, the guy knew how to hide evidence. But still, not even one single hair or fibre? It was so frustrating, killer among people, looking for next victim. It made his skin crawl and wanted to catch this bastard as soon as possible. 

“Tired day?” Morgan asked from behind where he and Rossi returned from Lewis’ place. 

Rossi entered the BAU room, throwing his empty coffee cup into the bin where the younger three agents whined about not having coffee yet to the older man. Morgan quickly smirked at the scene but turned his attention to the detective. 

“Yeah,” the detective replied casually. “I still have other cases to solve. You guys are just like rain during drought for me to help catch this guy.” 

“Hey, we’ll catch this guy,” Morgan encouraged the younger man. “That’s why we’re here, to help you catch this guy.” 

“Thanks, pal.” Lee quickly grabbed several files from this desk and handed to the FBI agent. “Here’s the copies of reports for the autopsy and toxicology of Lewis.” 

“Thanks.” Morgan thanked. “By the way,” he then stopped and asked, “Any recommendation for coffees?” 

“Two blocks right when you exit the station, you see one small café.” Lee used his thumb to point the direction. “If you need a hand, I’ll probably be here till late.” 

Morgan thanked the polite detective and joined his team. “Hey, Lee told me there’s a good café here. Let’s grab some coffee.” 

“I’m in,” Prentiss replied quickly as she grabbed her coat. “You two wanna stay here?” She asked JJ and Reid. 

“I need some air,” JJ followed the brunette and turned to Reid expectantly. 

“Could you grab me a coffee, I still want to see if there’s anything I missed.” Reid asked. 

“If Hotch comes, tell him we’ll get his coffee too,” JJ told Rossi and Reid who nodded. 

                                                       ---BAU---

The BAU unit chief’s eyes swiftly turned to the captain’s office where Detective Lee was having a conversation with the Captain. His eyes met with the Captain’s eyes, the Captain stiffly nodded towards Hotch, but soon he blinded his office. It was none of his business whether the boss and his subordinate to have a talk, but Hotch felt the talk was about this case. This case was something big. He didn’t know why but he was having this strange feeling about this case. It was as if in deep down, he knew why the UnSub was killing these people. But he didn’t know. It was irking him, frustrating him to no end. His sense was telling him most of important pieces of the puzzle were already gathered. 

The team greeted him as he entered the room, Prentiss handed his coffee that was still warm enough to drink. 

“Have you found something?” Reid asked the leader. 

“No,” Hotch leaned back on the wall. “But, Lewis was less tortured than Smith and Olson. Unlike the other two, Lewis’ death was due to blunt force trauma on the back of his head.” 

“Maybe the UnSub is looking for information about potential victims. Torture is the method the UnSub is using to extract information, and Lewis maybe gave the UnSub that information easily without retaliating further.” JJ suggested, thinking back when she was deployed in a secret mission in Afghanistan. 

“That’d be plausible after Rossi and Morgan found expensive watches Lewis couldn’t afford,” Reid nodded. 

“So the UnSub may be annihilating members of this secret group.” Prentiss quickly scribbled ‘group’ on the white board, arrows pointing from the victims’ photos. 

“For now that’s the best theory,” Rossi leaned front, “but we have to be careful not to focus on this theory. We have to be flexible.” Rossi reminded the team. 

Hotch checked his watch that was already pointing 6pm. 

“Let’s grab dinner, and you can work or rest at your room for today.”

[subwalls]

WHUMPTOBER 2021 - 4/30

No. 4 - TRUST FALL “Do you trust me?” | taken hostage | pushed

Also available on AO3!

 Sapnap’s day starts off with his shitty apartment flooding ankle-deep in unidentifiable monsterly fluids, which sucks.

 It’s not as dangerous as that one time the whole building came alive and tried to eat its residents, but it’s definitely messier, which is arguably worse.

 This is the kind of thing most people usually take as a sign from the universe that they should go over to a friend’s place and sulk for the rest of the day. Anyone who’s survived more than a week in this clusterfuck of a city knows to trust their instincts on that—which usually means getting the hell out of dodge.

 Unfortunately, Sapnap has kind of garbage instincts.

 Oh, they’re fantastic at keeping him alive, sure. He’s coming up on his one-year anniversary of being here, and he’ll definitely be celebrating that at one of those dubiously legal and definitely non-human bars, but the fact that he’s      still     here, squelching through monster goop and all…

 Sapnap wrinkles his nose as he sidesteps the still-twitching corpse in the lobby. Some idiot with an organ graft from the End, probably, which explains the goop seeping into everything. Shouldn’t the drawbacks of End tissue be common knowledge by know? Specifically the fact that it implodes at the first hint of water?

 Most apartment complexes these days have sprinklers installed on the doorstep for the explicit purpose of enforcing their dumb Huma-only policies.

 Sapnap, with his Netherborn lungs, counts himself lucky. He looks Huma,      is    legally Huma, and can hold his breath when the sprinkler douses him. So his landlord’s none the wiser.

 Probably.

 Eh, if he was going to be evicted for that, it would’ve already happened. Work comes first, and if Sapnap’s lucky, he’ll be too worn out to even notice if they’ve cleaned up the mess by the time he comes back.

 He pats the left side of his face, checking that his eyepatch is in place like it should be, and walks out into the thoroughfare of SMP City.

 Immediately, the world drops out from under him. Sapnap whirls around, reaching out for the wall that should be right there, but the thin clouds slip through his fingers without so much as a whisper of substance.

 The wind forces his good eye shut. He forces it open again, squinting, all too aware of the warmth smoldering in his chest. His vision blurs weirdly in a way that could’ve been from wind pressure or because he’s been out for longer than he thinks. After a few seconds of blinking furiously, it clears.

 Oh. That’s not the sky.

 That’s the void.

 Those are two very different things. One is up, and the other is… well. All around the city, truthfully; it swallows the ocean and heaven alike into the dragon’s maw, marking out the abyssal boundary of where the other worlds bleed into this one.

 It’s part of what makes commute in and out of the place troublesome, because too-big vehicles that get too close end up attacked by the aforementioned dragon—not that anyone’s every seen the whole breadth of the thing, just an errant wing or tail that swings up to demolish a plane or ship, black scales iridescent against the darkness.

 The fact that Sapnap is standing on a platform in the middle of this beast’s territory is, as they say, Not Good.

 Leaning over the edge, Sapnap sees no support holding up the square of rock he’s somehow ended up on. It’s just floating over the misty emptiness. Looking up yields nothing of note either; he must be pretty low in the void if he can only see the wispy fog instead of the surface.

 Something silver flashes at the edge of his vision, and Sapnap ducks out of the way of a shattered blade. His cheek flares, and he slaps a hand against it, wincing.

 The metal tumbles into the void. Sapnap pulls his hand away, and blinks at the smear of blood left behind.

 “GREETINGS,” bellows out from somewhere overhead. A long scythe of a blade lowers from the fog, and Sapnap backs up to the edge of his floating rock as its tip comes to a gentle rest over his throat.

 “Why am I here?” Sapnap demands. He slouches backward, sticking his hands into his pockets like the perfect image of a begrudged student. If it’s to hide the trembling of his arms, that’s a secret between him and the phone in his pocket. “Who are you?”

 “I AM UNKNOWN, COLLECTOR OF DIVINE INSTRUMENTS, PROSTHESIS MADE BY THE GREATER POWERS,” the voice booms. “I AM HERE TO COLLECT YOURS.”

 “Uh, divine what now?” Sapnap says. He presses his thumb against the cool screen of his phone, making sure it’s facing towards himself so the light doesn’t bleed out. “I don’t know what those are. You’ve got the wrong person.”

 The scythe jerks upward, nicking open his chin, trailing up his face.

 And comes to rest directly over his eyepatch.

 Sapnap stills.

 “THE ALL-SEEING EYES OF THE GODS.”

 “What about them?”

 “YOU HAVE THEM. OR SO I THOUGHT,” the voice adds, and the scythe withdraws a little. “I DID THINK YOU FELL FOR THAT TRAP TOO EASILY FOR A TRUE WIELDER… IT WAS EITHER YOU OR YOUR SYNDICATE FRIEND, THEY SAID, AND THE FANG HUNTER IS MORE TROUBLE THAN I’D LIKE.”

 Syndicate friend. Fang hunter.      Dream.     Sapnap's heart plummets to his heels, but he tries to keep an even keel. “Who’s they?” he asks over the sound of his phone unlocking. As subtly as possible, he drags his thumb across the screen.

 “AH, NOW THAT WOULD BE TELLING, WOULDN’T IT?” A low cackle rolls through the fog like thunder, ruby light flashing faintly in the distance. “OF COURSE, IF YOU GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, I WILL GLADLY TELL.”

 “You… want to take the Eyes,” Sapnap says, slowly.

 “I DO.” A metallic      click     echoes overhead, and two more scythes descend, grinding against each other in a thin shriek of metal on metal. “BUT IF YOU ARE NOT THE ONE WHO WIELDS THEM…”

 Inhale, feel the air warm in his throat, embers into flame. “What’re you gonna do,” Sapnap says, “kill me?”

 “AND WASTE SUCH A RESOURCE? NO, NO. YOU ARE BEST KEPT HERE,” Unknown says, amused. Another blade comes low, and clinks against the phone in his pocket. Sapnap freezes. “GO ON. ASK YOUR FRIEND TO SAVE YOU. CALL THEM HERE. THESE THINGS ARE ALWAYS EASIER TO NEGOTIATE FACE TO FACE.”

 Well now he doesn’t want to do it.

 Sapnap snorts, and a tongue of flame washes over the back of his teeth. “I’m not going to be your good little hostage,” he spits.

 “BUT YOU ALREADY ARE,” says Unknown, and the scythes all turn to slam into the rock.

 Ruptures tear across the surface of the stone, and Sapnap swears as he quickly shuffles onto the biggest piece. The edge crumbles away; far below, the fog shifts. A dull purple glow starts to brighten in the abyss, a tell-tale sign of the dragon waking, and Sapnap throws himself at the scythe in preparation to climb up the weapon-limb if he must—

 His vision      sings.    

 Suddenly, the world takes on a blue tint. Everything jumps into high-definition, and the fog might as well not exist, and Sapnap can see the arching crimson light of a      fucking Blood Breed     looming above him, Unknown is a      Blood Breed,     Sapnap doesn’t stand a chance even if he can read out the letters of their true name from the red aura surrounding them—he looks away, and notices for the first time the golden threads spanning the width of the void, glittering with magic.

 In the back of his mind, he registers that he’s looking at the spell that stopped the Great Collapse, the one that saved the worlds from folding in on each other into utter destruction.

 The rest of his mind is a little busy      screaming,     though.

 A displeased snarl rips through the air as another set of scythes cleave down towards him, and Sapnap exhales a spout of flame that slows them down only barely enough to dodge.

 “OH,” says Unknown, “OH, OH! IS THAT AN EYE? YOU      DO     HAVE ONE! I DIDN’T KNOW YOU COULD HIDE THE GODS’ GIFT LIKE THAT—YOU MUST LET ME HAVE IT, HUMA, IT IS WASTED IN YOUR SOCKET!”

 Sapnap shouts, “You can take it over my dead body!” and throws himself at the ground when a blade tries to cut him in half at the hip.

 “GLADLY!” Unknown dives, now, their nebulous aura now a very clear and vivid blood-red glare into Sapnap’s vision, ruby light spinning down their bony weapon-limbs like latticework.

 Sapnap doesn’t flinch, and even swings his head upward to let the Eye watch and watch and watch—thinking      this is what I go through for you     with only half the bitterness he really feels—which is the only reason he notices the other one.

 Two Blood Breeds in a single day. Fan-fucking-tastic.

 A blade pins him through the shoulder in a burst of hot-eyed pain, but the rest all      miss     as a thin red string wraps around Unknown’s limbs and yanks them upward, into the low-hanging mist.

 Sapnap blinks. He can still see them, thrashing against a thread that yanks Unknown around like a plaything before throwing them aside. It’s connected to the second Blood Breed, which is descending towards him now.

 Okay, okay, it’s fine, he has a little time. A Blood Breed’s weakness is their true name, so if he can just extract that, he might be able to… burn it, or something.

 Sapnap takes a deep breath, gives his vision the middle finger just so the other end of the Eye can see it, and then focuses      hard     on that deep red aura.

 For the most part, it’s just a storm of crimson, red and red and ruby and blood, but Sapnap keeps      looking     and his one working eye whirs like a machine as it narrows, cutting through the noise, piercing down until he can see the heart and the core and… at the very end, a thin string of letters in a language he shouldn’t know.

 The All-Seeing Eye of the Gods pours it all into his head:       red red crimson-winged elder ⍊𝙹╎ᓵᒷ↸╎⍊ᒷ ᓵ∷ᔑℸ ̣ ╎リᒷ ⍑||!¡╎ ̇/ᒷꖌ ℸ ̣ ᒷᓵ⍑リ𝙹ʖꖎᔑ↸ᒷred blood red red war red—  

 “Tech—” he begins, and promptly chokes as a hand slaps over his mouth.

 “Shush,” says the Blood Breed, calm as anything, quite suddenly right beside him. “Yeah, I got there in time, of course I did. Hey, you’re Sapnap, right?”

 Sapnap tries to melt him on pure force of will alone.

 “I’m gonna let go of you now. Maybe don’t be rude and expose me in front of an idiot like that, alright?” The Blood Breed exaggeratedly steps back, and Sapnap immediately flings himself to the opposite side of the very tiny floating rock they’re standing on. “Great, cool, nice talk. Not awkward at all.”

 “What do you want?” Sapnap demands, bristling.

 “You don’t recognize me?”

 Sapnap pauses. He gives the Blood Breed another once-over, taking in the plush red cape and royal garb. Looks at the name again. Nothing rings a bell. “Should I?”

 “Eh. Guess not. We’re a little short on time anyway, so introductions can wait, I guess.” As if on cue, the void begins to rumble. The dragon must be      inches     from rushing out.

 Sapnap waves his hand through what he’s sure is a gear of light blue energy rotating in front of his face, trying to tell his friend to let it go. He doesn’t want him to watch him die.

 The Blood Breed interrupts him with a hand on his wrist. “Hey. Do you trust me?”

 “Hell no.”

 “Smart,” the Blood Breed says, and shoves him off the edge.

[thevaultturtle]

I got one for you: Companions react to Sole getting so caught up in helping others they forget to take care of themselves and get proper sleep and it ends up biting them in the ass

Companions React to an Exhausted Sole Survivor Falling into Danger

Notes: First request on this blog! It’s also my first companion react post, so let me know what you think about it! 

Warnings: None. It’s just under a cut because it got a little long. 

Exhaustion wasn't something thatSole was completely unfamiliar with. They had faced it many times intheir pre-War life, especially after Shaun had been born, and becauseof that, they didn't think anything about facing it again.

Thatwas a mistake.

Inmost cases, exhaustion wouldn't have got you killed in a pre-Warworld, but in the post-apocalyptic nuclear Wasteland, it would getyou killed in almost every scenario. Sole learned that the hard way.

Afterlearning the truth about Shaun and the Institute, helping people wasone of the few things that kept Sole going in the new, unforgivingworld that they found themselves in, and they dedicated their everywaking moment to it. If they had to go without food or sleep to doso, so be it, so long as they helped everyone that needed it. Soledidn't necessarily consider themselves a hero, but they knew that theworld would never get better if people didn't help each other, andthey would give anything to fix the world so people could livepeacefully again.

Thiswas Sole's obsession, and although it was born from good intentions,it was still dangerous, not so much for others, but for Sole.

Ithad been days since Sole had properly slept, and as much as theytried to deny it, they were running on fumes. They were so dead seton making it to the next settlement to offer them help, that theydidn't even notice the feral Ghoul wandering out of a nearby ruinedbuilding, but it sure as hell noticed them, and before Sole knew it,they were being pushed to the ground, the feral's decaying handspoised to tear at their face.

Therewas nothing that Sole could do, and they closed their eyes, bracingfor their impending death and the eternal slumber that they wouldfall victim to, sure that nothing could save them, but then a bulletrang through the air. The feral fell dead, and Sole looked aroundthem, only to see their companion rushing over to them…

Cait

She will quickly take the feral's place, kneeling over Sole and yanking them up by the front of their shirt so they have to look her in the eyes while she yells at them.

She's pretty pissed, needless to say.

There aren't many people that Cait trusts and cares about in the world, and seeing one of those precious few nearly torn to shreds because they refused to take care of themselves will set off a righteous fury in her like nothing else could.

She's tempted to punch them for their negligence, but by some miracle, she restrains herself.

She will make them rest before setting out again, and she won't take any objections to that. Sole will sleep whether they want to or not, even if she has to indulge herself in that punch to make it happen.

Curie

"Oh! Why did you not say something?"

It's actually a bit surprising that she let Sole get to this point, because with all of her medical knowledge, Curie is no stranger to the signs of exhaustion.

Maybe Sole just hid their symptoms a little too well, but whatever the case may be, she'll be putting Sole on a bit of a lockdown for a while at the nearest bit of shelter that she can find.

She'll monitor them herself for that entire time, and she won't medically clear them for travel until she is 100% sure that something like this won't happen again.

She will also insist on giving Sole more frequent checkups for that same reason.

Danse

"I expected better from you, Soldier."

He's mostly just disappointed in Sole.

He expected them to take better care of themselves, especially while they had such an important mission (taking down the Institute) that they were so close to finishing.

He expected more from them as a member of the Brotherhood, and he hoped for more from them as a friend.

His disappointment mainly stems from his concern for their well-being, and he will put a halt to everything that they were doing until Sole rests.

He will also make them get a checkup from Cade when they return to the Prydwen, and he'll make sure that they don't budge until Cade clears them for travel again, because he refuses to let another comrade and friend die on his watch.

Deacon

He'll hide it well, but Deacon is actually really worried about Sole.

Before the feral incident, he tried to sneakily get Sole to take a break, complaining that he was tired and that he was the one who needed a break instead, but that obviously didn't work.

He was trying to spare their pride since he knew how important helping others was to them, but after the feral almost clawed their face off, the gloves will come off and he'll finally say something to them.

"Look buddy, you need a rest. You won't be able to help anyone as chewed up minced meat."

His tone will be completely serious, and that in and of itself is enough to make Sole rest for a bit.

He'll keep a close eye on them from then on out, and if Sole gets any worse, he'll bring them to Carrington, and he'd really like to avoid that, for several reasons.

Hancock

"And I thought I was tripping pretty hard."

He'll keep things jovial because he doesn't want to make Sole feel any worse than they already do, but he's undeniably worried about them.

"You need an upper, buddy?"

He won't actually give them chems, but he sure as hell will take some himself, and those chems will definitely be downers so he has an excuse to make Sole stop traveling for awhile.

The chems will conveniently last until he thinks that Sole has had enough rest, and he will repeat this performance as often as necessary until Sole starts taking care of themselves again.

MacCready

"Do you want to get ripped apart by ferals?!"

The situation hits him pretty hard at a deep level, for obvious reasons.

Mac feels like he can never truly repay Sole for what they did for Duncan, and in that split second before he took the feral out, he was afraid that he had truly and utterly failed the person who saved his son, in the exact same way that he failed Lucy.

It hit him hard, and it hurt.

He's relieved that he was able to save them in time, but he's pissed that the situation happened to begin with, so he'll berate Sole for a bit until he calms down.

He won't necessarily make Sole take a break, but he will take point on whatever it is that they're doing, regardless of any objections that Sole might have.

Nick Valentine

"Look, we can't have you sleepwalking your way through the Commonwealth."

His reaction is pretty calm, but that's not because he's any less concerned than any of the other companions.

He's worried about Sole, but he probably saw this coming a mile away.

He has strong memories of human Nick working himself to a similar point of exhaustion, so it wasn't hard for him to see this coming, and he was ready for it because of that.

He also knows how stubborn Sole can be when it comes to helping others, so he figured they'd need to learn the hard way why they had to keep taking care of themselves.

Needless to say, with his own personal lecture to go along with this hard-learned lesson, Sole will gladly take a rest before they move out again.

Old Longfellow

"You're not gonna survive out here for long if you don't rest some time, but if you want to keep goin’, I won't argue with you."

He also knows that Sole will have to learn the hard way, so he pushes them to keep going.

He thinks that this is the best time for them to learn this lesson, too, since they're already shaken up from the feral, and he also knows that they'll still be safe because he's watching their back.

He'll keep pushing them until they finally break down and can't keep going any longer.

He'll make them realize just how truly miserable they feel, and just how open they left themselves because their senses were dulled by their exhaustion, pointing out that if it hadn't been for him, the same thing would have happened again numerous times.

He'll be straight to the point with all of this, and it'll be more than enough to make Sole realize that he's right, and that they need to rest to help people to the best of their abilities.

Piper

"Take it easy, Blue! I know you're itching to help people, but you kind of have to stick around and, you know, stay alive to do that!"

She's a little exasperated that Sole put such little thought to their own wellbeing.

Like, it utterly baffles her that someone who focuses so much on every little problem that everyone else has could be so oblivious to their own ailments.

She'll tell them that, too, in a long, frustrated rant that Sole is bound to fall asleep during, and even if they don't, she'll still rant long enough that they'll have had plenty of time to unwind a little.

It's certainly not a conventional method of getting Sole to take a break, but it's undeniably effective.

Porter Gage

"Why the hell are you lookin' so weak, boss?!"

He's pretty disappointed and pissed that Sole let themselves get into such a poor position.

Weakness has a very high price in the Wasteland, especially when you're running around with raiders, and Gage would rather Sole not have to pay that price, not just for their sake, but also because he would probably have to share in that expense, as well.

He knows that he can't let something like this happen again and that Sole needs to shape up, so he'll tell them that, and he won't leave any room for argument.

He will also tell Sole that they need to stop wasting their time on helping a bunch of weak nobodies, but he knows that's a bit of a long shot. He can still try, though.

Preston Garvey

"General! Are you alright?"

Just pure concern right here.

Preston knows what Sole is going through because he's been through it himself.

He understands that unbrittled need to help others because that same need haunts him every day.

He also knows what that need can lead to.

His failure at Quincy broke him, and he almost didn't make it through that. He doesn't want Sole to go through the same thing, especially when the Commonwealth depends on them so much.

He'll practically beg them to rest, telling them that they'd never forgive themselves if they failed to help someone because they neglected to take care of themselves, and that is bound to strike an emotional chord with Sole, especially once Preston makes the connection to Quincy and his own struggles.

X6-88

"Unacceptable. We're leaving. Now."

X6 thinks that helping Wastelanders is a waste of time anyway, so he will have no issue relaying Sole back to the Institute at the first sign that there's something wrong with them.

Looking out for Sole is his priority, his mission, and he won't fail in that mission, no matter how much Sole argues against it.

Strong

"Hmph. Human weak. Never find Milk of Human Kindness like this."

Strong is on his own mission and he won't let a little bit of exhaustion get in the way of that.

If Sole can't keep going to do what they need to do and to help him with that mission, then he'll just carry them so they have to help him anyway.

Sole might as well just catch some sleep while he does that.

Ada & Codsworth

Ada: "Sir/Ma'am! I cannot advise that you go any further."

Codsworth: "Oh, Sir/Mum, I do wish that you would get some rest! I'm worried that you won't make it home at this rate!"

These two have pretty similar reactions, in that they will voice their concerns, but they won't actually do much to stop Sole if they want to keep going since they both have an inherent desire to serve and follow orders. 

However, with how often they voice this concern (especially Codsworth), Sole will probably rest just to get them to stop. 

[skvaderarts]

Hiraeth Chapter 49: Structure

Masterlist can be found Here!

Chapter Forty-Nine: Structure

Notes: LOL I’m deliriously tired today. IDK why. But anyway, I hope you enjoy it. And congrats to HunterJamie for being the only one I know of for sure to catch that little reference regarding the demon! I was so worried that I didn’t do a good job describing them.

(-~-)

Diving out of the way just in time, the intrepid group of young devil hunters realized very quickly that the foe they were up against was distinctly different from anyone that they had faced in the past. He possessed a certain calm diligence that was hard to put into words, but it made simply running up and attacking him infeasible, and that was before his weapon or his frankly ferocious summon was taken into account. Every step that one of them took towards this foe ended in him shifting to the side or back and blocking them, only for them to immediately be flanked by his absolutely relentless familiar.

The devil didn’t move like anything that the youngest of the Dark Knight Sparda’s descendants had ever faced in the past. It was cold and calculated, waiting for the perfect moment to strike as it pinwheeled in and out of the darkness. It stalked them with a methodology not unlike Shadow’s, but with a speed and fluidity that made it difficult to keep your eyes on where this creature was actually headed next. They couldn’t watch it at all times and also keep their eyes on the summoner it was protecting. That would literally require extra eyes. And while one of them possessed a set of wings that possessed an additional set of hands, none of them had any additional eyes. It backed them into a corner that they frankly didn’t want to be in, and they were resentful of that, fact to say the very least.

Jetting towards the train car, Flora slid underneath one of the downed pillars in an attempt to momentarily confuse her pursuer. It only partially worked, forcing the devil to bolt around the other side of the pile and search for her, but not stopping its pursuit. Not even a bullet in the back from Nero a moment later could succeed in that endeavor, distracting it for a moment as it turned to snarl at him in irritation, but not culling it in any meaningful manner. The young man cursed under his breath and hurried after it as he hurried to swap out a few of the rounds in his revolver. This might be worth breaking out something a bit more powerful.

Lucia blocked an oncoming attack from the summoner, locking their weapon in place for a moment as she hoped that V would take the opportunity to attack. Thankfully, he did just that, sending Shadow to attack their shared opponent in the form of a rush of black spiked tendrils that slammed forward out of the floor, destroying the already heavily damaged pavement as she leaped forward and towards the summoner’s throat. He managed to pull away from the guardian, turning his weapon on the demonic panther, a move that saw her retreat in mid-air in the form of a dusty black powder that retracted until it reached V. That wouldn’t have killed her by any means, but any harm that he could prevent happening to her he would gladly welcome.

A well-placed trio of thin, razor-sharp throwing daggers nearly found their mark as Lucia aimed at the mysterious individual’s head, nicking their hood, but nothing more. They seemed to pause for a second, looking over their shoulder to find the instruments that had nearly caused them to meet their end stuck in the side of the wall. This gave Nero the perfect opportunity to fire a charged round at them from his place across the room, succeeding in causing them to stumble, but not killing them or even wounding them, by the looks of it.

They slumped over towards the floor, looking down as they placed their hand on their face, something black dripping from within the confines of the hood. V could only assume that it was blood, but he couldn’t be sure from the distance that he stood. It was too dark in the terminal to see much of anything. If he was willing to make a guess -and he was- he’d say that the terminal had electrical damage. It was hard to believe that a major metro line wouldn’t have some sort of backup power capabilities.

Standing upright, the individual looked over at V, anger radiating off of them in waves that took the white-haired summoner somewhat by surprise. They seemed fixated on him, tuning everything else out. And as they did so, the sound of metal pulling apart could be heard from the other side of the room. Flora had reached the train, and she was using what seemed to be a great deal of power to force open the bent train doors. But as soon as she succeeded in getting them open, she let out a sigh of exhausted relief and was immediately beset upon by the unfamiliar devil. It launched itself off of the ceiling, slamming its two large hands like appendages down into the concrete in front of Nero and gripping it, ripping the concrete tile out of the foundation and sending him tumbling back into the train’s undercarriage. He fired a few misplaced shots at it in retaliation and most met their mark, but this only served to enrage the beast further as it tore tunning after him. Flora turned away from the screaming civilians that were running to safety from within the mangled train car to try and waylay it, but was struck down for her trouble, letting out a loud, agonized cry as she did so, clearly in a great deal of pain and totally taken aback by the sudden attack. It had turned so fast… 

V felt his blood run cold as he witnessed this, sharing a momentary look with Lucia. One of them needed to get to Nero and Flora as fast as possible, and he knew that it wouldn’t be him. They were in a hard spot, and would be in grave danger without assistance, not to mention the lives of the dozen or so people who were only now making their way to safety; a path that was intersected by an extremely dangerous fie that they stood no chance against. 

With a slow, prolonged blink, he silently asked her to go instead, choosing with much difficulty to allow her to save the both of them from what would otherwise be certain death. It hollowed his heart to do so, but he knew that he could handle their unwelcome guest on his own if she could handle that demon. And he knew without a doubt that that demon, as fast as it might be, couldn’t outspeed Lucia. She would see to that, and he would handle this mindless murder. V was certain that if he kept his cool and focused on the task at hand that he could defeat them. After all, he’d gone up against dangerous foes before, and many of them had been several times larger than him with powers beyond his wildest imagination. At least this opponent was the same size as him.

Stepping forward, the other summoner adjusted their stance in an obvious bid at attempting a follow-up attack. Part of V wondered if his opponent was clearly telegraphing this on purpose to mislead him or if they were simply starting to grow tired and were unaware of what their body language was giving away. Regardless, the young summoner would be prepaid for whatever this individual threw at him.

As they stepped closer to him, V took notice of something rather interesting to him. His opponent had a limp. It wasn’t especially obvious when they were standing still, but during the brief windows of time that they spent moving forward towards him, V had noticed that their right leg was clearly weaker than the left. It stuck out to him like a sore thumb, the young descendant of Sparda personally understanding the discomfort it caused and the detriment it could be at times. Injuring it during his fall several years back had sent him down a rabbit hole of continuous reinjury that broken bones seemed to be so prone to, but he made a point of not allowing that to stop him. He would manage. All in all, it wasn’t that bad, not to mention the fact that it gave him a convenient reason to explain the presence of his signature weapon. People didn’t like to question that sort of thing. He only really carried it at this point due to his pension for sudden bouts of weakness, but that insight gave him an especially devious idea.

Playing into what he assumed they might attempt, they rushed him suddenly as they had previously. The difference was that this time he was ready for them. Calling Shadow to his side, V easily phased past the pillar that he’d been pretending to have his back against, blocking the attack with his cane. Shadow went for the stranger’s back, a move that they seemed to anticipate to some degree as they sidestepped her, a slight graze that did substantial damage to the back of their coat being the only evidence of the strike. But just when they seemed to believe that they had dodged the attack, Griffon materialized and hit them with a wall of powerful electricity, causing them to step back right into the waiting jaws of a very enraged panther. They were taken to the floor in an instant, calmly raising their hand to signal for their familiar to return to their side. A loud demonic screech from the other side of the room, indicating that his request was being denied as the demon was pinned to the wall by Lucia’s twin blades, the guardian withdrawing them and spinning as she slashed their throat. She then stepped back and allowed Nero to put another charged round square in the demon’s head as a final act of overkill, the bullet detonating a moment later and ending the beast.

Looking over at their struck-down familiar, they craned their neck up at V, barely paying any mind to the fact that Shadow was standing with her right paw on their chest, severely restricting their movement. After a moment they exhaled, a breathless, soundless laugh coming from their chest as they did so. They nodded to themself, never taking their focus away from V as they did so. A part of him felt as though they were almost sarcastically impressed with his actions and those of his companions. They would probably clap if they were capable of doing so. But without the ability to see their face to be able to look them in the eye, he had no way of knowing for certain.

“Okay asshole, you’ve got a lot of fucking explaining to do,” Nero said, clearly furious as he stumbled over with Flora in tow. The young woman had her arm wrapped around his shoulders and he was supporting her carefully by attempting to hold her up under the arm, but she was at least still conscious and coherent. For his part, his head was bleeding from his tumble down under the train, but he was otherwise unharmed. She said nothing, her fury evident as they made their way over to the rest of the group. Lucia juggled a couple of her throwing daggers between her fingers, her eyes trained on the individual who had caused them so very much harm. She had no intention of allowing them to so much as breath too hard.

A procession of terrified but grateful townspeople shouted thanks at them as they passed, running for their lives in the direction of the stairs. The escalators might have been non-functional at the moment due to the lack of power to make them move, but they were still stairs either way and all that they wanted to do was get out of there as soon as possible. All they knew was that the train had crashed and that two strangers being attacked by a monster had pulled the doors open. That was more than enough.

Seemingly paying no mind to Nero’s emotionally charged question, they kept their eyes locked on V. He could tell that much just looking at them. They were most certainly human, that much was clear. And with that fact established, that only left two outcomes. That they possessed no emotions, or that they were so devoted to whatever it was that they were trying to accomplish here that they had forsaken them. There was no semblance of fear or concern anywhere in their demeanor. Even with Shadow holding them down, their own sumon temporarily despatched, and four powerful foes standing over them ready to strike them dead at a moment’s notice, they just didn’t seem to care.

“In case you didn’t hear them, they both asked you a question. It would be wise of you to answer it after everything you’ve done.” Lucia said patiently, her pleasant but firm tone belying the fact that she was rapidly losing her patience with this individual. Well, that was if one were to assume that she had ever possessed any towards them in the first place. She very likely hadn’t and was simply unwilling to jump the gun in a situation like this. Any information that this deranged psychopath could provide them may prove to be useful. So long as their existence might be useful, then they were safe from her ire. But for their sake, it was probably best that they start talking sooner rather than later.

Without warning, darkness suddenly enveloped the station. It was a sort of all-consuming presence that felt physically heavy. And from that darkness manifested a long, centipede-like demon covered in a hard, almost shell-like carapace. It bulldozed through the already mangled building, jetting up out of the ground and towards Shadow. The group was knocked back against the wall of the supports buckled under the level supports, a large hairline crack splitting through the ceiling above them. The horrifying creature coiled around the other summoner as the structure around them began to lose its structural integrity.

V called Shadow back to his side, sharing a concerned look with his companions as they realized that they needed to get out of there as fast as they could. Making a B-line towards the defunct escalators, they ran as fast as they could manage, the ground caving in on them as they went. Dangerous chunks of concrete and metal toppled to the ground above them as they made their way towards the exit. They were cutting it dangerously close and they all knew it but none of them dared speak a word in relation to it. Speaking that into existence wasn’t the best idea.

Instead, they all made haste towards the last exit that wasn’t obscured, diving and tumbling out onto the pavement as they managed to just barely escape with their lives. The sounds of sirens, collective speech, and emergency vehicles drowned out every thought that they might have possessed in their minds as they simply laid there for a moment and allowed the gravity of what had just happened to fully sink in. They had tried their best to face off against their unfamiliar opponent, and they had rescued as many people as they could from the wreckage caused by the accident. Everyone else had fled, but V and Nero especially hoped that once they left and the emergency services took over that they would be able to find as many people alive as possible. The area had seen enough death, and the people in that station had been innocent bystanders whose only crime had been being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

As they laid there catching their breath, V internally cursed himself. He now had a more concrete idea as to why that masked murderer might have been quietly laughing to themself. They had an ace up their sleeve, and it was quite the boon in such a short space. Had they been above ground, things would have no doubt gone differently. “And next time they shall. This won’t be the last of them that we see. I refuse to believe they are actually dead. It’s never that easy.”

“… That one I do know. Scolopendra. An infernal demon; as ancient as they are enormous. I believe that they never stop growing. Thankfully that one was relatively small by their standards.” She waited for a moment to see how they reacted, noticing that none of them seemed to respond in the way that she expected them to, she shrugged painfully, allowing Nero to help lower her to the floor. “They come from the deepest depths of the underworld and care little for our tawdry affairs. It’s exceedingly rare to see one in the human world. I’d love to know where that summoner got them from.”

“Well, what a wonderful fucking surprise. I hope we never see it again.” Nero said as he shook his head, unsure as to what they should do next. They needed to head back and talk to Vergil, sure… but then what would they do? Would they accidentally lead their enemy back to the office or to V’s house? They needed a plan. Perhaps it was best to track down a phonebooth and call the others to let them know that they were alright? After all, it stood to reason that they knew what had happened at the station by now. Vergil being injured probably wasn't going to keep him from going to search for them. They had to beat him to the punch.

But as they stood up and started to brush themselves off, something familiar caught their eye from the other side of the crowd that had started to gather near the station. All the shouting and commotion suddenly evaporated in the presence of something more familiar to them, a welcome sight after the horrors and near-death experiences that they had all just sustained.

Vergil had just arrived. And he had a lot of catching up to do. 

(-~-)

Sorry for any mistakes. I was super tired when I was editing this. Like, I got to the last two pages and I was falling asleep sitting up. It was bad. Anyway, I can’t wait to read your thoughts on this one. I had a blast on this chapter, and I hope you did, too!

[glenncoco4]

Pt. V

Last chapter of Trader.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

They sit quietly in the small room waiting for the doctor to return with her blood test. Apparently if you’re a federal agent you can get a rush on these kind of things which the husband and wife duo are most definitely grateful for.

It’s about an hour later when there’s a knock on the door and the redheaded woman walks into the room. “Your baby is absolutely fine, Mrs. Deeks.”

“You’re sure.”

“Positive.” The doctor walks up to the other side of the bed and begins squirting some gel onto the agent’s belly and then moves the wand back and forth across her semi protruding belly. “Listen for yourself.”

“Deeks, that’s our baby.”

Her awestruck voice pulls him out of his trance. He leans forward, placing his forehead against hers as the beautiful, life changing sound fills the room. “That’s our baby.”

“Hold on a second.”

Kensi’s not sure what to take of the woman’s tone and quickly turns her head back to the doctor. “What? Is there something wrong?”

“Doc? Why does the heartbeat sound like that?” The father-to-be’s voice shakes with worry. No, this can’t be happening.

“That’s what happens when multiple hearts are pumping but a different beats.”

“Wait, you can’t mean-“

A smile spreads to the OB’s face as she turns to the parents to be. “Congratulations, it looks like you’re having twins.”

“I’m sorry…twins?”

“That’s right and it looks like you’re about 10 weeks along.”

Kensi’s eyes go wide in shock. When she took the multitude of pregnancy test the day they had to abruptly leave for D.C. she figured she was only about 4 weeks along. Their case load had been hectic for the past few weeks and they barely had time to go home for a couple hours at a time much less wonder about if she was pregnant or not.

She looks over at her husband this may be more than what they bargained for but its welcomed. More than welcomed, which is why there’s a soft smile on her face and tears pooling in her eyes when she looks back up her love, his cerulean blues shining in awe. “I guess this is where God laughs at us.”

He leans forward smiling against her lips. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

XXXX

The partners step off the elevator and into the bullpen immediately being met with the rest of their team, Ellie, Nick, Jack and Vance who are standing off to the side of the elevators.

Sam looks at the pair up and down, checking for anything that may tell him where his two coworkers were. “Hey, you guys okay?”

Deeks places a comforting hand on the small of his wife’s back knowing that she’ll want him to say something because right now she’ll spill everything if she opens her mouth. “Yeah, we just had to take care of something.”

The former Army Lieutenant tilts her head as she looks at the brunette sensing that something’s going on more than what the two are letting on and judging by the glow of the woman she’s got a pretty good idea of what that something is. “You sure?”

“We’re all good.” Kensi finally speaks up when she sees understanding in Jack’s eyes. She has a feeling that the psychologist may know a thing or two about what she’s going through now.

The detective knows that they both would like to move this conversation along so he moves the conversation to what they’re here for in the first place. “So what happened with Argento?”

“Convicted and sentenced to 50 years.” The director states, nodding his head in relief.

Kensi’s eyes go wide in surprise. “Really? So are we still in danger or not?”

Ellie speaks, gladly sharing the good news with the pair. “Well Kasie did some digging and found some defining evidence against Argento’s wife and the Senator.”

Callen asks, surprising Kensi and Deeks that he doesn’t already know. “What kind of evidence?”

“The kind with a list of names all dealing with the case and at least half of them being killed within the past week.” Jack nods matter of factly.

This time it’s the SEAL that speak up even though he’s pretty sure he already knows the answer to his question. “Were our names on it?”

The director nods in confirmation. “Your team, Sarah MacKenzie’s, everyone that ever served under Argento and about a dozen other people.”

“But how do we know there aren’t more out there?” Deeks asks mainly for the sake of his wife and their unborn children. Our babies.

“Well the last two members of the hit team were the ones that were after you two. One of them said he would tell us everything as long as we kept Blye away from him.” The head of NCIS turns too said woman with a furrowed brow.

Deeks, Ellie and Nick chuckle at a proud Kensi, knowing exactly why the guy didn’t want to be anywhere near the agent.

The team leader smirks. “What did you do, Kens?”

Kensi’s eyes light up in pride as a smile spreads to her face. “I hit him where it hurts.”

“At least this one had his weapon out.” Deeks looks at her sending her a playful wink.

Nick can tell there’s a story there by the way they're acting. “Wait, what?”

Kensi shakes her head knowing that one story could lead them down a rabbit hole and prevent them from getting home sooner. “A story for another time.”

“So we’re good to go back home?” Deeks asks with hopefulness.

Jack nods with a bright smile, glad that their West Coast colleagues aren’t in danger or as in much danger as usual. “All good.”

They all begin exchanging goodbyes so they can get back to the hotel and pack.

The husband and wife duo reach the raven haired and blonde agents, glad that through all of this mess they were at least able to make new friends. “You guys should come visit us sometime. I mean we have a bar and-“

“We’re in.” Nick cuts off the detective knowing he doesn’t need anymore convincing to visit their new friends on the West Coast.

Kensi and Ellie embrace in a hug, excited about getting to know each other better. “Great! We’ll set something up.”

The detective shakes the raven haired agent’s hand. “See you guys and thanks for watching our backs.”

Nick turns to his partner shaking his head. “We should probably be thanking you…Crush Crew.”

“Hey, we’re a team.” The ding sends them in motion as Deeks grabs hold of his wife’s hand and guides them inside the the elevator. As the doors close the brunette agent lets out one last parting surprising everyone including her husband. “Later, Black Anacondas.”

[shawtygonemad]

What Is This Feeling: Chapter 5

Fem!9th Doctor x Male!Rose Tyler

WITF Masterlist

In the TARDIS there is no sense of time. Ross, however, was still accustomed to Earth Time. He needed to go bed at Earth's night, and got up at Earth's morning. It's been quite some time these two have been traveling together. One year, according to the last time they went to Earth. That was quite an adventure. Jackie nailed the Doctor in the face after she found out that some alien stole her son away for an entire twelve months.

On top of that, Earth was invaded be the Slitheen family from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius. The Doctor, Ross, and the help of Harriet Jones, blew up Downing Street. The Slitheen were destroyed and the world was saved, again.

Being through so much together you'd figure the Doctor would be used to Ross's human schedule by now. Yet, she was not. It annoyed her that this human needed so much sleep.

She was tinkering away below the grating in the console room to pass the time. Her eyes would keep wandering down to her wrist watch. Time Lords don't need as much sleep as humans do. She spent most of her time bored while Ross was in dreamland.

Finally losing her concentration, the Doctor decided to go make some tea. This seemed to be their routine. The Doctor would waste time during the night to fill her boredom. When she got frustrated she'd leave to make some tea, and a little breakfast. Ross usually awakens are this time.

By the time Ross woke up the Doctor had a fresh batch of Banana-Nut muffins and a warm cup of tea waiting at his usual spot. The Doctor glanced up from her book as the human entered the kitchen. A smile grew on her face. His blonde hair was a class 'A' bed head. His eyes were half lidded and still matted with sleep sand. He looked adorable.

"Good morning," she greeted as she went back to her book.

"Morning," he replied before sitting down and beginning his muffin graze.

Comfortable silence fell between them. Ross ate and drank while the Doctor continued to read The Hobbit. Once he was fully awake, Ross spoke up.

"You know, for someone who hates being 'domestic' you sure like to make breakfast every morning."

"It's not being domestic," she protested. "It's called being bored while you sleep your life away."

"Mhmm," he smiled as he continued to eat.

More silence ensued. That was, until the ringing of a phone echoed out. It wasn't Ross's mobile. It was an old fashioned one. That was either one of two people. Winston Churchill or… She quickly made her way to the console room. Ross followed behind her. She quickly approached the old fashioned phone attached to the console along with many other things. She picked the phone up and answered.

"'Ello?"

"Is this the Doctor," a clear, proper, American accent came through.

"This is she. Might I ask who's speaking," she knew who it was. She just enjoyed getting a rouse out of the man.

"It's Gatsby."

"Gatsby," she smiled. "What Gatsby?"

"It's Jay Gatsby, from New-"

"I'm just mucking about," the Doctor smiled

A soft laugh was heard from the other side.

"Right."

"It's been a while," she commented.

"To long in my opinion. In fact, that's why I called. I wanted to personally invite you to my party," Jay spoke confidentially.

"Tonight?" she asked.

"If you could make it," he said.

"I always make it whenever you invite me," her eyes wandered over to Ross who was patiently sitting on the jumper. "Do you mind if I bring a plus one?"

"Of course. Although the last time you were here you I don't remember you being committed," the Doctor was about to interrupt, but Jay quickly went on. "None of the less, I'd be happy to meet the old sport."

Jay went silent.

"Is there something you're not telling me," she questioned.

"Yes. There is something I need to speak with you about. However, I'd much rather do it in person rather than over the telephone."

"Okay," She said slowly.

"I'll see you tonight, then."

"Tra."

They hung up. She turned toward her companion, and grinned.

"So, Ross Tyler, how's about a trip to the 1920's sound?"

"Sounds amazing, but who was on the phone?"

"We were just invited to one of the biggest parties New York has seen. It just so happens to be in the wonderful roaring '20's."

"Tonight?" he asked excited.

"Yup! So you best get dressed. You remember where the wardrobe room is, yeah?"

"Yeah," he began to leave the room when he noticed the Doctor wasn't going to follow. "Aren't you going to change?"

"I wasn't planning on it," She informed him.

"Well you can't go like that. You look like a… biker girl."

"Oi!"

The TARDIS hummed, agreeing with Ross.

"Whose side are you on?!"

The ship hummed once more, encouraging her to change.

"Fine," she sighed, giving in.

The Doctor walked with Ross in the direction of the wardrobe. She kept moving forward once Ross entered the public costume room. She, however, had her own personal room for this. It's where she decides her signature outfit for each regeneration.

She stepped inside the Time Lord sized closet. It was massive. Most females would kill for a closet this size. The Doctor walked forward onto the platform in the center of the wardrobe. Spiral racks of many different clothes reached from the ground to ceiling.

A dress was already selected and placed on the lounge couch. The TARDIS must have picked it out for her. Trusting in her old friend's decision, she put the dress on. It was a spaghetti strapped, mid-thigh dress. The tassels on the dress hung down to her knees. The top of the dress was silver. It faded to gold at her mid-section. That then faded down to a brown shade. The best part of the dress was that it had hidden pockets for her to hold her sonic screwdriver and other various items.

She put on a pair of short heeled silver shoes. They were perfect for dancing, even though she would refuse to. Nothing could really be done with her hair, so she just put a diamond headband across her forehead. And much to her dismay, she ended up putting some make-up on.

Once the TARDIS was satisfied with her friend, she released the Time Lord back into the halls. The Doctor made her way back to the console room. She was met by an incredibly handsome Ross wearing a tuxedo. His eyes widened at the sight of her.

"Wow, you look… stunning," Ross said breathless.

The Doctor flushed red. "You look very handsome. Well, considering…" She trailed off.

"Considering what?"

"That you're human."

She stepped down and started to command the controls. They were in the '20's in no time. She parked the TARDIS in the gardens, and turned to Ross.

"Ready to go," she asked.

"As I'll ever be," he smiled and offered her his arm.

She gladly took it. They stepped out together. The music was surprisingly very loud. They walked together out of the garden, past the pool and bar and entered the mansion. People were everywhere. It was the height of the party. Glitter and confetti rained down on top of them. The Doctor grabbed two glasses of champagne from a waiter. She past a glass to Ross, who was staring at everything in awe.

"This is incredible," he spoke.

She smiled and sipped on her drink.

"Care for a dance," he asked.

"Oh no. I don't dance," she informed him.

"Who doesn't know how to dance," he accused.

"I never said I didn't know how to. I said that I 'DON'T' dance."

She then noticed a brunette girl smiling at Ross. A pang of jealousy hit her. She hid it though.

"Besides, it seems that you might have a volunteer," she gestured to the girl.

"But-"

"Go have fun," she encouraged. "I have something's that need to be taken care of."

"If you're sure..."

"I am. Go on," she smiled.

Ross gave her a sad look before turning towards the girl. The Doctor stepped away and began up a staircase. She tried to weave through the people, but ended up bumping into a man.

"I'm sorry," he began. "This may seem like an odd question, but have you seen the host, Mr. Gatsby?"

"I have not, but I'll be sure to send him your way…?" she trailed off.

"Nick Carraway," he smiled and shook her hand.

"I'm the Doctor."

"A female doctor. You don't see too many of those," he commented.

"Well it was a pleasure, Mr. Carraway."

She continued up the stairs. She walked over to the railing and searched the crowd below. Ross was instantly spotted. He looked like he was having a blast with the girl. She had the urge to do down and butt in.

Why was she feeling this way? He was just her companion. Nothing more. But what is this feeling? She wasn't starting to develop feelings for him, was she? No, they were simply friends.

The Doctor felt hot breath against her ear. "A lady should never be at a party alone."

"I brought my plus one, Mr. Gatsby," She smirked.

"Where is the old sport?"

"He's down enjoying your party," She took another sip of her champagne. "So, what was it you wanted to talk with me about?"

"Let's speak about this in private," he said and guided her away from the party.

He led her to his study. It was a cluttered mess. Books and papers were everywhere. She took a seat in the vinyl chair and set her drink down on the desk.

"Tell me your troubles," she leaned back, and got comfortable.

Gatsby began to pace.

"This may sound a bit mad," he began.

'Believe me, I've probably heard worse,' she thought.

"Over the last few months I have been slowly losing my memories. The oldest things I can remember were about a few weeks before the war. Right around the time I met Daisy Fay. I can't seem to recall my childhood at all."

She let this fact roll around in her head for a moment.

"I thought it would be appropriate to contact you. The last time we met you said that you were a doctor who specialized in odd situations."

"I am," she said absentmindedly.

What could this be? Possibly Alzheimer's? No, this had to be something else.

"Has anything else seemed not quite right?" she asked.

"Well," he started. "I've been feeling drained both physically and mentally."

"Hmm," the Doctor continued to think.

These symptoms seemed like any normal human disease. However, something still seemed off. It was like she could feel a burst of energy coming from somewhere in the mansion. Ross and she will have to check it out.

"Do you mind if I have a look around," she asked while standing up.

"Be my guest. If you'll excuse me, I have to meeting to get to," he took her hand and placed a kiss on it before exiting the room.

The Doctor noticed a dial phone on the desk. She picked up the receiver of the phone and dialed Ross's number. It rang for a long time before he finally picked up. The music was blaring in the background, which caused Ross to yell into the phone.

"'Ello," he said loudly.

"Ross, I need you to meet me at the balcony overlooking the dance floor," she informed him.

"Okay. Did you find something," he asked.

"Not yet," she said while taking out her screwdriver from her secret pocket. "We're going to have a look around though."

Once they hung up the phone the two met by the balcony. The Doctor began to change the setting on her sonic. It was now set to scan.

"What did you find out?" Ross asked.

"Mr. Gatsby is beginning to have some memory loss. He didn't mention having any head trauma."

She began to scan the area. She paused. That's strange. She was getting a reading of high energy from deep within the mansion. The Doctor followed the signal with Ross following beside her. They were led into a very large bedroom.

"The signal is coming from over here," she scanned a wall behind the bed.

She placed the sonic back into her pocket. How does this thing open? She ran her hands over the wall, only to find nothing. She then spied a painting on the wall and got an idea. The Time Lord grinned.

'Fantastic!'

"Ross, how good is your American history," she asked.

"Okay, I guess," he said awkwardly.

"If you lived in America in 1922, where would you hide the switch to open the door to your speakeasy?" she grinned, waiting for him to figure it out.

He was quiet for a second while he thought. His eyes searched the wall. He began to smile when his eyes fell upon the painting.

"Behind a painting," he exclaimed.

The Doctor grabbed the painting and placed it on the floor. On the wall was a switch. The Doctor flipped it up, and the wall slid to the side. Her eyes widened when she saw what was behind it.

"This must be what was giving off the energy reading."

"What is it," Ross asked curiously.

"It's a transmatt beam," she stepped inside along with Ross. "But where does it go?"

She pressed the red button. She could never resist. The pair was suddenly beamed up into a ship. The Doctor stepped out. They were in, what seemed to be, a lab. She began to look around. It was like a classic mad scientist's laboratory.

"Doctor, you might want to see this," Ross called her over.

She walked over to find an entire wall full of what looked like crystal balls. Something light blue was swirling in each one. Below every crystal was a name.

Furrowing her brows, she took out her sonic and scanned one. When the readings were finished she was shocked with what she found. She placed the sonic back in her pocket.

"These are memories. Whoever these people are, they're stealing memories," she paused.

What if they were caught while they were here? She could easily block an intruder even if she was in a regenerative sleep. But Ross couldn't, and the Doctor doesn't want to have the hassle of restoring his memories.

"Ross, if they are stealing memories, then we are both at risk. I know how to keep people out of my mind. So I'm going to give you a quick lesson on how to do the same. It's easy."

"How do you do that," Ross frowned.

"It's a part of your mind that most humans can't get to. I'll have to guide you to it, if you'll let me," she spoke that last part softly.

"Of course I'll let you," Ross said quickly.

"This is a very intimate action. I'll be inside your mind," she warned him.

"Let's do it. I don't want to lose my memories," Ross spoke, determined.

The Doctor nodded, and placed her finger tips on the connecting points on his face.

"It's like a mind-meld that Mr. Spock does in Star Trek," she tried to explain.

She concentrated as she expanded her mind into her companion's. She was suddenly hit with confusion and… comfort? Those weren't her emotions. Those were Ross's.

'Ross, can you hear me?'

'Yes. What's going on?'

'I'm in your mind. Just follow my consciousness. I'll lead you towards the hippocampus.'

She began to guide him through his mind. She tried not to look at things that were personal. She moved slowly so her pink and yellow human could keep up. They finally made their way to the heart of the memory storage.

'Okay. I'm going to choose a memory at random. I want you to try and push me out. Completely out of your mind. Just imagine a door slamming shut and locking.'

As she informed him she stepped into one of his memories. The scene was set outside of Ross's apartment building. It was snowing out. Ross was returning home. She noticed a short woman with long brown hair. She was wearing a dress that was brown and pinstriped. She had a tan overcoat on as well. Her shoes were cream colored converse. She looked as if she was in pain. The Doctor instantly spotted the TARDIS in the distance.

"Are you alright, love?" she heard younger Ross ask the woman.

"Yeah."

"To much to drink?" he smiled.

"Something like that."

"Maybe it's time you went home," he suggested.

"Yeah."

"Anyway, Happy New Year," he told her with a grin.

"And you. What year is this," she asked.

"Blimey, how much have you had? 2005, January the first."

"2005. Tell you what. I bet you're going to have a really great year," she told him.

"Yeah? See-"

She was suddenly pushed out of Ross's mind. She was so engrossed in the memory that this took her by surprise. She dropped her hands from his face, and opened her eyes. She grinned at him.

"Brilliant! A little slow, but that's to be expected of a first timer."

"It wasn't as hard as I thought," Ross grinned.

The Doctor noticed something off to the side of the lab. She walked over to investigate. One of the crystals was placed on a pedestal-like machine. The computer next to the machine had a bunch of data and information on it.

Name: James (Jay) Gatz (Gatsby)

Age: 32

Species: Human

Breeding Notes: Body is healthy. Fully capable. Good gene pool.

Drainage: 26%

The Doctor stared at the screen reading through the information. The 'drainage' must be the memory. But what does 'breeding notes' have to do with anything?

"Oh," the Doctor grinned. "I get it now."

"Get what?" Ross asked.

"These, whoever they are, are erasing people's memories leaving the body mindless. An empty hard drive. The body will then be used for some type of breeding. But why?"

"Doctor!" Ross cried out.

The Doctor turned around only to get a needle driven into her neck. Her eyelids began to droop as she was hit with drowsiness. Everything went to black.