#and some brilliant people with brilliant ocs. go wild on this one go ahead

[hwaslayer]

wildfire (cs) | eighteen. (final)

—spotify playlist | series masterlist

—summary: assistant professor in bioengineering, incredibly attractive, lonely and divorced; that’s how most people describe san. but despite the events that have happened in his life, san has a lot going for himself. he’s a successful, sought out professor due to his brilliant contributions to science at just an early age of 32. he worked hard to get where he was now; head deep into his research, his publications, building his lab and creating a name for himself. everything was good and smooth sailing— until it wasn’t. because when he meets you, a bioengineering grad student interested in rotating in his lab, he finds himself ready to risk all the blood, sweat and tears he put in throughout the years just to keep you close— his need for you spiraling out of control like a wildfire.

—pairing: asst. professor!choi san x grad student!f. reader

—genre: (18+ - minors dni) strangers to lovers, grad school au | fluff, angst, smut

—word count: 4.7k

—chapter content/warnings: very light cussing, mature language, first bit is a dream oc had in the morning, the lovebirds are overseas celebrating a lot of VERY important things, yes he does!! just yes 🤭😗, a pretty intimate & sweet shower together but nothing too crazy, lots of kisses and sweet moments per usual!!

—a/n: and.. that's a wrap, loves! i figured i'd end this on a sweet, cute note just cause it made more sense to me. thank you so, so much for your love on this series. it was a fun & wild ride, & i'll truly miss 'em! gonna take a little breather, but once i'm able to catch my breath, i'll be back with more hwa, joong, and yuyu content. maybe some drabbles for our wildfire lovebirds if life lets me. lol stay tuned 💕

—THIS MORNING'S DREAM

The redwoods.

You find yourself staring out into the redwoods. In a room. No one but yourself in the quiet space. 

You don't exactly know where you're at, the place doesn't seem entirely familiar; but, everything about it is beautiful. There's beautiful, tall trees ahead, some bent in a peculiar form, but they do well for the setting. Beyond it is an amazing view of the lush, green hills and a small town below. The sun isn't shining bright, and there are some clouds lingering— but the weather feels perfect. It's not too cold, not too hot. There are a million bright string lights hanging above, along with white drapes. There are all sorts and sizes of candles lining the rows of chairs, split in the middle with plants and baby pink, white, cream colored rose petals colorfully painting the aisle. The chairs are a dark wood, with white backs and cushions. 

"Are you ready, pretty girl?" You're pulled out of your thoughts when your mom shuts the door  behind her and comes close. She's wearing the most elegant one shoulder dress that falls to her feet, hair pulled back in a tight, low bun. She's got gold jewelry on her hands, wrist. Her nails a beautiful french-tip, red lipstick painting her lips. Makeup natural. All to match her white dress.

"Yeah, I think so." You respond softly, hands smoothing out the material beneath you. It's a lace corset top that falls off your shoulders and into long-sleeves. The bottom of your dress is a silk, milky white. The dress hugs your form perfectly. Curves and all. Makeup also beautifully done, yet natural.

Just enough.

"You look so, so beautiful, hunbun. Just so gorgeous, I can't believe today is the day already." Your mom covers her mouth with her hand, looking up to prevent the tears from flowing. "God, my makeup." You laugh.

"Stop, you're gonna make me cry." You also look up and fan at your face, doing a good job of holding it in. Keeping it together. "Okay, let's go before this gets too much for the both of us." She laughs and you link arms together, walking out of the room after she gives you a quick cheek-to-cheek kiss. She walks you towards the main doors before giving the coordinator at the door a curt nod. She does one last look over, smoothing down your dress before the doors fly open and the entire group is looking at you.

Waiting for you to walk down the aisle.

Because at the end, San is waiting there.

With your bridesmaids, his groomsmen.

As you and your mom slowly walk down the aisle and make eye contact with the crowd around you, San begins to cry, his cheeks a rosy tint. He has to look down and try to gather himself, but he can't. He simply can't.

You are literally his dream girl, and you're walking down the aisle to marry him.

"I love you." Your mom quickly whispers as she presses her cheek to yours again before handing you off to San, also giving him a cheek kiss. 

"Baby." San whispers as he grabs your hand, his eyes still teary, but full of so much love, adoration and happiness.

"Hi." You giggle, no longer being able to hold back the tears you've been trying to hold onto.

"You're so beautiful. I love you." He mouths out just as the presider begins.

—END OF DREAM

"Ready, baby?" You snap out of your thoughts, realizing you were just about to dab on more lip gloss and put on some earrings before you got sidetracked and started to revisit your dream from this morning. San stands there, tying his tie while eyeing you up and down. "Good lord. That dress looks so good on you." His eyes trail down the simple, but elegant and beautiful long, black dress.

"Sannie." You laugh, finally gliding the wand over your lips before pressing them together and spreading it evenly. "Promise I'm ready now."

"We have a few minutes to spare." San shuts the bathroom door behind him, sporting a smart ass smirk.

"Weren't you just asking me if I was ready? Besides, we don't actually have a few minutes to spare—" San whines.

"Don't be like that."

"Choi San." You giggle when San rests his hands on your hips, pressing light kisses against your jaw and neck. "Stop it, we should go get your mom. She's probably wondering where we're at."

"No, she's not—" At this point, San's phone vibrates, signaling a text from his mom. "Yes, she is." He retracts and sighs, making you laugh.

"Let's go." You tap his chest, gently kissing him on the lips before wiping off the sparkly lipgloss that's lightly coating the surface of his pink, plump lips. 

"By the way, what were you thinking about in there?"

"How'd you know?"

"I don't think it takes you that long to put on lip gloss." You laugh.

"I had a dream." 

"Yeah? Wanna tell me about it?" You think for a second, shaking your head.

"Later." He nods. San throws on his blazer before slipping his hand into yours. Heading out of your hotel suite, you and San walk down the hall to meet his mom in a separate room that was booked by the foundation's hosts.

Today, San would be receiving another big award in Paris, probably one of the biggest in recent times— one that was enough for hosts to cover the business class flights for the three of you, and the suites for you, San and his mom. Ground transportation covered. Meals. 

Everything you could think of to make this time special for all of you, but especially San.

The award ceremony would be held in about two hours in the Grand Ballroom downstairs, with San having to take photos and do a press interview beforehand. You couldn't be any more proud, and there are no words to capture how you feel about all of San's many achievements and milestones within the year and a half. 

You squeeze his hand as he knocks on his mom's room door, greeting her with a big smile when she swings the door open and reveals her beautiful black, rhinestone dress. She has a shawl over her shoulders, hair combed neatly and left down. Clutch bag in hand.

"My San." She says, cupping his cheek and pressing a small kiss to the surface before moving past him to greet you. "Oh, sweetheart. You look so beautiful." She pulls you in for a hug and a kiss to the cheek as well.

"So do you, mom." You respond, squeezing her hand.

"We've got a big night in front of us." She smirks at San before leading the way to the elevators around the corner.

"Yup." San pops the 'p' at the end, shifting his weight from one foot to another.

"Nervous?" You squeeze his bicep and he shakes his head.

"No." He jokes and gives you a look before sighing and admitting defeat. "Yeah. Yeah I am."

"You'll do amazing, hun. You've gone through your speech a few times already, just let it flow naturally, okay?" His mom chimes in and reassures him. "It'll all go smoothly."

"Thank you, mom."

"Love you, my boy. Very proud of you."

"Love you, too." He gives her a toothless smile before looking down at you and pressing his lips to your forehead. "Really appreciate you guys being here with me."

"Course, love." You answer just as you step out of the elevator. The group walks next into the room adjacent to the Grand Ballroom, where San would be taking photos and doing his press interview. He's immediately greeted by members of the hosting foundation, San introducing you and his mother right away. They quickly touch him up with very light stage makeup before taking him to the backdrop area. He takes a few shots on his own with the award before the foundation leadership team surrounds him in the next few photos. They call for you to step in, then his mom, followed by the three of you all together. When it's time for San to do his press interview with the group, you and his mom sit off to the side— listening intently. He talks about his childhood, still recognizing and praising his dad for being his role model throughout his life despite him not physically being here to support his own son.

It's a shame San's dad chose not to come.

You know San would've really appreciated it, but he knows he can't get his hopes up with him. Ever. He is the way that he is, and there's no changing that.

And even with bright eyes and a big smile, San continues to talk about him and how it shaped his career, his perspective on things. You can tell it hurts him, and you can tell it hurts his mom, too. But, he carries on with the same grace that he always has, laughing and continuing to lift spirits of everyone in the room even though it's killing him inside to know he can't have his father close like he wants to. You slide your hand into San's mom's hand when you find her tearing up, rubbing her knuckles as a way to soothe her. She smiles and quickly rests her head on your shoulder before patting her eyes dry. San talks about his mom and how important his relationship with her is, how she's always been there to support him since day one— pushing him to be his very best and to never quit when times got rough. He highlights the importance of his mother's love, stating that the grace and patience he's learned over the years has been because of her. 

Then, he talks about you.

His eyes find yours before he chuckles a bit, his cheeks turning red again at the interviewer asking him to dive a little deeper into the relationship he has with you and how it has support him. 

"I—I honestly don't know where to start. Y/N has been a driving force for me. I can't even tell you how selfless she is, and how she always supports me throughout everything. All my good and bad days, she remains unchanging. She loves me for who I am, and she always reminds me that if there's a will, there's a way." He looks at you again before smiling at the interviewer.

"You're blushing." The interviewer teases, making everyone giggle and laugh, even his mom next to you. You know everyone is aware of the bit of your history, being his student at one point. But no one really bats an eye anymore after time has passed and the distance has only made you and San stronger in your areas, fields. Sure, there's still a few that raise a brow and tease at it. A very small number that physically look at you two in disgust or think it's still some power play or imbalance at hand; but, to each their own. Because if time hadn't passed and showed you exactly who San was and what you meant in this relationship, then maybe. Maybe you would still would've been scared, iffy, about the whole thing even being at different campuses under different niches.

But, San hadn't changed, and so hasn't his love.

There was no reason to place any doubt on him, on this.

On yourself.

You've just learned to shut out the noise— the extra noise that felt like they had reasons to be in your business, to tell you how to act, move.

You just didn't have the time or energy anymore. You were focused on what really mattered:

Your mom, your friends, your work, San.

"It sounds really cliché, but she completes me. She really is my person and a blessing. Everything I do, I do with my parents and Y/N in mind because I want to make them proud and I want them to know that I am trying to do some good in this world. I'm thinking about them and everyone, and I'm thinking about how this could affect things in the future. I am trying to do some good and I want to take care of people. Just like I want to take care of my parents, of Y/N. I hope they know that. I hope they know I'm trying to do what I can to improve science and research." You nod in agreement, somehow a way to show San that yes, you all know. You are aware of how hardworking he is and how he continues to be, despite all the trials and tribulations he has already encountered.

Suddenly, you remember your dream.

The dream had been in the back of your head for awhile, but you figured you should wait until the right time to bring it up to San. You know he wouldn't mind, and he'd love to hear all about it. You just didn't wanna take away from tonight, especially with it being an important night for him.

But, he's all you can think of.

Him, at the end of that aisle.

A dream.

That, maybe one day, can come to fruition.

The rest of the interview goes smoothly, the entire photo and interview segment wrapping up within an hour and a half or so. The three of you gather outside of the Grand Ballroom to mingle with other highly known professors, Nobel laureates and big figures within the foundation and the neuroscience/bioengineering world. San keeps you close, while his mother talks to a few people on her own— mutually knowing each other due to her husband. A few people actually acknowledge you for the work you're doing in Professor Qi's lab, and it feels nice to be acknowledged for who you are and the work you put in. But, you put a halt to those conversations quick, making sure to keep the spotlight on San tonight [even though you know he doesn't mind it one bit].

Soon, everyone is being ushered into the room, and the ceremony kicks off promptly on the hour. It begins with the foundation's president welcoming everyone to the ceremony, followed by his speech. There's four people they are honoring tonight, with San being the last person on the list to receive his award and give his speech. Along with awards in their distinct fields/categories, they've been awarded an additional cash prize, along with additional funding support for the research projects. San is the youngest professor in the room, an assistant professor at that, and it makes you immensely proud to be here with him.

To witness this evening, to witness everyone congratulate San on his achievements and tell him how amazing he has been doing on this long, tumultuous road.

When it's time for San to deliver his acceptance speech, he does his due diligence of thanking everyone in the room, his parents and you, before diving into the nitty gritty of his career, his work and where this will take him in the near future. They're strict about their 3-min cutoff, which surprisingly goes by fast for San when he's talking about his work— a hand signaling for him to start wrapping up at the tail end with his last words.

"So, with all that being said, I'm grateful to my students and postdoctoral fellows in these past years. It hasn't been long, but we have a long way to go together. They have continued to amaze me with their brilliance and their courageousness— trying everything and anything, even when pieces of the puzzle don't seem like they'll fit. But, they try, and they try. Until, it finally works. They find the right pieces to fit. And I think this is why we're all here tonight." He pauses before scanning the crowd. "Because we all have a bit of that courage. And that courage to advance science and truth has never been more important than it is now." He pauses. "Thank you." San comes to the center of the stage, doing a deep and long bow in appreciation before heading back down to your table.

"Great job, San." His mom whispers and squeezes his arm as he takes his place in between you two.

"That was perfect, Sannie." You look at him and he smiles.

"Yeah? Kinda winged it on the plane." You laugh.

"So, that's what you were doing while I was asleep."

"Yesma'am." You giggle, giving him a kiss to the cheek. The dinner portion starts, along with orders for cocktails and dessert. The foundation has a few video presentations to show the crowd what the funding has supported and how research in these areas have advanced over time. It's a very beautiful evening, and you loved watching the videos over dinner. There's even videos to commemorate the winners— and now, it's suddenly making sense why San was sending all those photos in a hurry during the week. You laugh, almost at tears, seeing San's childhood photos and videos. 

It was a nice way to top off the ceremony.

After more casual photo sessions and a bit more mingling post-dinner and cocktails, you, San and his mother find yourselves heading back up to the rooms.

"I'm exhausted. I think the jet lag is hitting me right before we leave." She laughs and gives you two a quick kiss on the cheek and hug. "I'll see you both tomorrow for breakfast?"

"Sounds good. Goodnight, mom." San does a little nod before the both of you wave her off and finally head to your suite.

But, you lead the way and San trails behind.

Because now, he's more nervous than he's ever been. He's more nervous than he was prepping for the entire award ceremony. It's time for San to bring his plan to life, something he had been planning for months on end.

Just to get it all right.

For you. As you deserve.

And although he's gonna pop the question tonight, he's gonna promise you that you can take your time. That none of this has to happen quickly, that the both of you will get married and throw the wedding when the time feels appropriate, right.

Perfect.

You step into the suite and set your purse and coat down, but before you can do anything else to get more comfortable, San steps in front of you.

"I.. wanna take you somewhere. Is that okay?"

"Course, love. I'm down for adventures." You chuckle. "You aren't tired?" San shakes his head while undoing his tie, releasing the first button from his dress shirt.

"No."

"Should I change?" You look at him up and down and he shakes his head.

"No. It'll be quick. I just wanna get some air and take in Paris before we leave early in the morning. Grab your coat though, angel."

"Okay." You take your coat again just like San advises, also grabbing your purse before following him out of the room. The both of you head down to the lobby, your man heading straight for the front desk while letting go of your hand. He leans over to tell the associate behind the counter something, the man smiling and nodding in response. 

"Okay, the car is out front to take us to the place."

"Where are we going exactly?"

"You'll see." He smiles, pressing a kiss to your temple.

"What'd you tell the front desk, Sannie?"

"Nothing, just wanted to check on something about our room."

"Hm, everything okay?"

"Yeah, perfect." Is all he says before swinging the back door open of the black sedan waiting at the front of the hotel. He lets you in first, giving you time to slide in and get comfortable before he situates himself. 

"To the Eiffel?" The driver asks, eyes peering at San through the rearview mirror.

"Yes, please."

"Eiffel Tower? I didn't think we'd have time."

"We can always make time, baby." He laughs. "I get it, though. Every time I've flown to Paris for work, I barely have a moment to soak it in. This will is much needed."

"A perfect way to end our quick, but eventful and amazing trip." You smile and hold his hand.

"Yup." He brushes his lips against your knuckles before placing a kiss to them. The ride is quiet— mainly because San is nervous, mainly because you're trying to take in everything that passes you by in this car ride over. San is acting a little weird and he's checking his phone with his free hand here and there, but you don't question it much. You blame it on the exhaustion or jet lag, nerves finally settling since the ceremony has finished.

The ride is soothing for you. Things don't seem to matter much in this moment.

And even though you find yourself feeling a little tired, you can't wait to get some air with San at the Eiffel Tower. Another dream of yours that you had been wanting to cross off on your bucket list.

You are now, with the love of your life.

When the car drops you off at a good spot, the night air is chilly, but the coat is enough to keep you warm. San smiles as he holds your hand tightly, his dimples on full show as he finds a good spot near the tower for you to take pictures and enjoy the view.

"It's beautiful in person, San. So, so beautiful." You look up, staring at the tower lighting up in its pure beauty.

"Isn't it, sweetheart?" He comes behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist before kissing the back of your head. "Glad I'm here with you."

"Thank you for taking me along."

"You know I wouldn't step foot on the plane with you." You laugh, but it fades when he suddenly removes his hold from around you and steps back. "Sorry, love. Mom is calling. Let me make sure she's okay." You look at him and nod, turning back towards the tower to take more photos to send to your mom. She hasn't answered to your last set of photos from the ceremony and it makes you wonder if she's super busy at work—

"Sorry."

"That's okay. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." He says softly. "Perfectly fine." He pulls you flush to his body, keeping you close. Warm. "Baby." San looks at you under the starlit sky, brushing your hair back gently. He replays every single moment he's shared with you like a film strip in his head— from the moment you first met, that kiss at the view, the first date. The crazy ups and downs, the break apart. 

All the firsts he experienced with you, just to head towards the lasts.

"Yeah, San?" He continues to stare, smiling softly at you. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" You cock your head to the side, furrowing your brows when San lets out a shaky breath.

"I just love you. So, so much."

"I love you, too." You giggle. But, San's expression doesn't change, and something shifts in the air. He steps back a bit, pulling something out of his pocket. "San?" You gasp and almost stumble back on your feet in surprise. He gets down on one knee, popping open the box. The people nearby cover their mouths or smile in anticipation, a common theme to happen at the tower. But, it's a beautiful, beautiful sight.

Love.

"S-San, what is—"

"Will you marry me?" You cover your mouth in surprise, tears already streaking down your cheeks. You nod eagerly, barely able to make out the 'yes' that escapes your lips. You cry as San slips the ring onto your finger, swinging you around in his arms before gently planting your feet back down onto the ground and keeping his arms around your waist. The claps and sweet cheers from the small crowd around you continue while San cups your cheeks and kisses you sweetly, deeply. The kiss goes on for awhile, making you grip San's shirt on the side. 

"Congratulations!" San's mom comes into view with a bouquet, making you both finally pull away. You also notice the ceremony's photographer off to the side taking photos, wondering how San [or his mom] pulled this off. Your eyes widen in surprise, laughing as you hug your newfound fiancé and take in the moment.

You were definitely not ready for the next surprise to come, though.

"Mom?!" Your mom pops in out of nowhere with your friends on a Facetime call.

"Yes, honey!" She laughs while teary-eyed. "I bring your friends, too!" She points at the phone.

"Congrats!" You hear in the many different voices of your friends, your mom crying and laughing at the same time.

"So glad I was here for all of that."

"Mom?" You ask again in disbelief. "Guys?!" You look at the phone screen. San is watching with his mom, enjoying the way everything is unfolding.

"Sorry we couldn't be there." Jiung says. "Congrats, San and Y/N! We love you! Go enjoy yourself, we'll see you when you get back!" You nod, quickly waving goodbye to your friends before returning your attention to your mom. 

"Mom, how did you even—?" You cry, and you cry, and you cry. "Mom." You don't even talk and finish your sentence, hugging your mom tightly as she continues to congratulate you and tell you how proud of you she is. How she can't wait to see you and San get married in the coming years. How everything has just fallen into place perfectly.

"San. San asked me to come as soon as the ceremony agenda was finalized and he planned everything out." Your mom wipes your tears away and smiles. "Oh, my pretty girl. Look at you. You're gonna get married!"

"I know." You laugh. "It's crazy!" You hug her again.

"By the way, we're actually not leaving for a few more days. I wanted all of us to at least be able to enjoy this time together. Let you ladies shop and enjoy Paris, too."

"San." You whine a bit and gently pinch him, still in disbelief about everything.

"Ow—yeah, baby?"

"You're the best." He laughs, walking alongside of you, your mom and his mom— arm strung around your shoulder.

"I try." 

"Best Paris trip, hands down."

"Yeah, I can agree to that." San agrees.

"Me too." Your mom says, making you all laugh. You all walk to a gelato shop right across the street, indulging in the best of the best before heading back to the hotel to get comfortable after a long day. You learn your mom had arrived late last night, her hotel room only a couple of floors down from yours. 

She was here the entire time and you had no idea.

They all had hid everything so perfectly, and you didn't suspect a thing. Even when San was acting a little skittish in the car. The ceremony was surely a good way to cover that all up and keep it hidden in the dark. You loved the surprise.

When you say goodnight to your mom and your soon-to-be mother-in-law, you and San finally head back to the room and get comfortable. The staff drew a heart with rose petals on the sheets, a bottle of the finest champage and a box of chocolate covered strawberries sitting in the middle with a 'Congratulations' card. You snap photos for the memories before slipping the champagne and strawberries into the fridge to indulge in tomorrow. Then, you both step into a long, piping hot shower— San's hands massaging and caressing away at your body. Everything about the shower is intimate; slow kisses, slow movements. Hands laced tightly, bodies pressed tightly together. Tongues exploring and dancing around each other's mouths. Nothing more, nothing less.

Just taking each other in as is during this moment.

After a good 30 minutes in the shower, San helps dry you off before focusing on himself. You finish up your nightly routine before slipping into one of San's shirts and getting into bed. San shuts off all the lights in the suite, pulling the sheer curtains across the balcony door so you can still see the city lights and the moon coming in. He settles in next to you and instantly pulls you onto his chest, letting out a big sigh of relief when you both get comfortable.

"Mission accomplished today."

"You must feel relieved."

"Very fucking relieved." You snort.

"Congrats again, babe. You deserved all of the praise today."

"Congrats to you too, angel." You smile, resting on his chest for a bit. The both of you lay in silence, listening to the hustle and bustle of the city beneath you.

"My dream this morning." You break the silence and say softly while laying on his chest, tracing faint shapes on his skin.

"Hm, oh yeah." He hums. "Ready to tell me?"

"I had a dream about our wedding." You look at him, still teary-eyed from the whole encounter. "It was beautiful." You begin to tell him about the details, recounting the decorations, the setting, the flowers. Everything.

Laying out the image you had exactly in your head.

How you cried, how San cried.

"Oh, I know I'm gonna cry seeing you walk down that aisle. No doubt." You laugh.

"Yeah, I will, too." San chuckles.

"I'll make sure to give you all of that and more, how about that?" He caresses your cheek with the softest smile.

"Only if you want it, too."

"Course I do, it sounds perfect for us."

"Yeah?" You look up at him and he nods.

"100%." He kisses your forehead. "I love you, Y/N. More than anything."

"I love you too, San."

"Can't wait to do life with you."

—taglist: @asjkdk @interweab @woojirang @svintsandghosts @cheolliehugs @persphonesorchid @mxnsxngie @jycas @cowboydk @vcutparis @chngbnwf @struggling101 @sanhwalvr @angelqueendom @barbielibra @brown88 @choisansplushie @yunhoswrldddd @hyukssunflower @vickykazuya @lucid-galaxys-world @jaytheatiny @pommelex @thechaotictheoryy @vixensss @santineez @nopension @domfikeluva @in-somnias-world @my-atiny-kookie-rkive @mountiiny @naoristerling @onmymymyway @thecutiepieme @wyrated @randajjjad

[butwhatisit]

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest's Spring Break event - prompt: "I don't do shorts." God it was difficult to get this under 1k words but I managed to cut it to 997. Rated T for swearing but honestly that's the only crime so G if you don't consider swearing a problem. Pairings mentioned but nothing on screen. Tags: Gareth, soulmate AU, female OC

---

On your 18th birthday, a tattoo of a flower appeared somewhere on your body - one that matched your soulmate's. While that was a good clue to if someone was your person, the confirmation was always physical touch. Apparently when you touched your soulmate, it was immediately obvious. It felt different to everyone, but what you could be sure of was that you would both feel a sense of rightness, a powerful connection that couldn't be anything else. 

Gareth was actually excited, if a little scared, to get his tattoo. He wanted to know. Eddie already had his flowers, and had found his match - Steve Harrington, of all people - and was so blissfully happy that it made Gareth's chest hurt sometimes. Jeff had gorgeous irises up the back of his arm, brilliant purple and green against his dark skin. Doug had wild daisies from behind his ear to his neck, disappearing under the full beard he'd been growing.

On his eighteenth birthday, Gareth woke up and ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

He didn't have to search to find them. His tattoo was big, covering the front of his left thigh. He wasn't sure he recognized which flowers they were, but they were showy, round with tons of softly pointed petals. It was a riot of color, mostly white, pink, and deep red, with some purples mixed in along with the green leaves that framed it all. It was striking not just because of the size, but because it felt artistic, painterly, more than simply laid on his skin. Did that mean something? Was his match an artist?

He stared at his leg for ages, running his fingers over the petals, wondering.

---

Years later, Corroded Coffin was still going strong, against all odds. Eddie was a powerhouse, driving the band along, with Steve as the band's manager using his inherent bitchiness for good. Doug's soulmate Angie was the band's "stylist", a fancy word that just meant that she was in charge of going thrift shopping for band shirts and managing the laundry, both things she weirdly loved doing. Jeff's soulmate Andy was security, a job most of the band joked was mostly about making Jeff feel secure.

Gareth was still single.

He tried not to let it get to him. It wasn't like he hadn't dated, mostly casually, and if he wanted to find someone for the night he usually could. He was always around his best friends, and they were all like a big family. It was good.

But christ, he was lonely. Deep down, in the core of him, hollow and echoing lonely. They were at the beach, playing Spring Break concerts, and it should be difficult to be lonely here. Gareth was managing, though. He didn't want to go out there and try to impress a tipsy co-ed. He wanted to hang out in his hotel room with someone he already knew, someone he could just be dumb around without worrying. Someone that felt like home.

He left the hotel and just started walking in the opposite direction of the parties. He didn't pay attention to where he was going, just followed his feet until the streets were quiet. His brain started to wind down, letting go of the stress as a warm breeze swept down the quiet main street. Most shops were closed this late, but ahead of him he could see the lights of one remaining business - a tattoo parlor. 

As he drew near the door, he saw a little sign that read, "Soda machine inside, sober up you dumbass". He laughed, and on impulse opened the door.

Inside there was, indeed, a vending machine that was filled with soda, including more than the usual amount of ginger ale. 

A warm voice from behind him chuckled. "Couldn't resist the siren call, huh?"

"Well," he noted, "I am a dumbass, if a sober one." He turned to look over his shoulder.

The woman at the counter was sitting down, her platform boots kicked up on the counter, ankles crossed. Her long dark brown curls were shaved on the sides, showing off a plethora of jewelry in her ears. Her big brown eyes were amused, especially matched with her dimples and genuinely amused smile directed at him.

"I believe it. Jeans, in this weather?" she asked.

"I don't do shorts," he admitted. It led to too many questions that it depressed him to answer.

"Oof," she said. "Rough at the beach. Everybody's got somethin', though."

He selected a bottle of Orange Crush and it rolled down the machine, depositing itself icy cold in the door. He patted himself down for a bottle opener.

"On the wall to your left," she said.

"Thanks." He popped it open, letting the cap fall into the bin waiting below. He turned to look at her. 

"Slow night?" he asked.

"Cancellation," she said. "Not sorry about it, though. It's been a long week."

"I hear that," he said. He gave a self-conscious smile. "I'm in, uh, one of the bands that's been playing the last few days."

"Oh, nice. Which one?"

"Corroded Coffin."

"Let me guess… drummer?"

"Yeah. What gave me away?"

She gestured. "The arms."

He smirked. "Yeah, makes sense."

"Not out there partying tonight?"

"Kinda sick of it, you know? Never thought I'd say that, but…"

"I hear you. I used to riot back in the day, but shit, you just get tired after a while, you know?"

"Yes." 

The woman dropped her feet to the floor, standing up. 

"Hey," she said, "I'm being rude as fuck, sorry. I'm Corey, nice to meet you." She extended her hand, and Gareth strode forward. 

"Gareth," he said, and took her hand to shake it.

A wave of warmth ran through him, followed by what felt like sparks, like every light in an empty building turning on. He looked up at her, and her eyes were huge, her lips parted in shock.

"Gareth." 

[riftwalker-limbro]

oh hey. hey. if your ocs got turned into orowyrms what would they be like. as in, what emotion would they let spiral so drastically out of control that the only way out is to become worm. and do they have powers/specific appearance things. would their friends be able to recognise/get them out of it.

[seanfalco]

A Red Carpet Event | Misfits Timeline Anomaly’verse

an oc x oc collaboration between @seanfalco & @super-unpredictable98

Word Count: 3.1k Warnings: Language, Smut (fingering, voyeurism, semi-public sex) a/n: And the smut continues.  I love that even when we say we wanna work on something fluffy, it almost always turns smutty. 

[ masterlist ]

——

"Is everyone set for tonight?" Lydia asked as she came into the room, having just arrived from the hairdresser.  "Outfits, hair, makeup..." she mused, ticking off each on her finger.

When Lyddie had told the quad she was taking them all as her date to her first award show, the reactions had varied from excitement, to fear, to complete insanity.  The truth was, she was scared to admit publicly that she was in a quad, but she couldn't keep that hidden forever and it shouldn’t be hidden, there was nothing wrong with it.  Not to mention cheating rumors had been spreading online after some fans snapped pictures of Lydia and Win, which was complete bullshit.

“Are y’sure this dress is alright?” Win asked, looking at her reflection again.  “Or these shoes?  Maybe I should change...” she murmured, second guessing herself.  She thought she looked nice, but this was definitely not her scene.  She was used to band practices in garages and shows in sleazy dive bars, not award shows and red carpets.

"You look gorgeous, Winnie."  Lydia held Win's hands.  "You'll be the most beautiful girl there, guaranteed."  Lyddie's dress was hanging by the wardrobe, it was purple with a wide skirt, a black leather corset around the waist and lacy sleeves.  "Can one of you please make our lipsticks smear-proof so I can kiss my girlfriend?" she asked.

“Comin’ right up!” Win’s Nathan exclaimed, snapping his fingers with a flourish.  “There, snog away m’loves,” he said, pressing a kiss to Lyddie’s temple and then one to the top of Win’s head.  “She’s right, you look fuckin’ stunning,” he whispered in her ear before straightening, leaving her smiling softly.

"I love dating reality warpers..." Lydia sighed before pulling Win by the waist and kissing her hungrily.  "I can't wait to show you off to everyone."  Turning to look at the two very observing Nathans, Lydia cocked an eyebrow.  "Seriously?  Neither of you have even showered yet, do you even wanna come, or should I just bring Win?" 

"It takes literally two seconds for me t'be ready, Lollipop, calm down..." her Nathan laughed at how nervous she was.

“Same,” Win’s Nathan said with a shrug.  “Besides, it’s not everyday we get t’see th’pair of you all dolled up like this.  Gotta savour th’moment,” he pointed out.

"Well, enjoy the show, I guess..." Lydia laughed as she undressed to put on her dress.  "I imagine none of you wanna help me get dressed with magic, do you?" 

"Why would we?" Lyddie's Nathan asked.  "Cut down on your naked time?  No way!"  The other Nathan laughed, wholeheartedly agreeing with him. 

“Do you need some help Lyddie?” Win asked reaching for the dress on the hanger.

"Please, baby.  I need you to pull those corset strings as if I was hanging from a cliff, the camera adds ten pounds and I can't afford that on my first award show," Lyddie laughed.

“You got it, love,” Win murmured, helping her lace up the corset while the boys watched, lounging on the bed.  “Is that tight enough?” she asked, tugging the ribbons as tight as she could, though not wanting to hurt her girlfriend either.

"Yeah, that's good," Lydia said, nearly losing balance for a second, but soon she was able to breathe again; fainting on the red carpet was also not a very good idea.  "Thank you, Winnie."  Lydia turned to the mirror, looking for anything to fix before bending over to lace up her combat boots. She thought about wearing heels, but she didn't wanna be the tallest one in the group.  "So, how do I look?"

“Like an angel, a punk rock angel,” Win supplied with a grin while her Nathan nodded enthusiastically.

"A sexy punk rock angel."  Lyddie's Nathan waggled his brows at her while biting his lip.  

"Thank you, guys," she murmured, looking down, slightly flustered. "We should probably get going, the car should be arriving any second." 

"Oooh, a car?  Right posh, Lollipop, you'll end up spoiling me."  Lyddie's Nathan got up as his usual shirt and jeans became a dark blue suit.

Win's Nathan snapped his fingers, deciding on a black suit to match Win's little black dress.  "There, we look like a right pair now," he said, admiring himself in the full length mirror with a wink before turning back to the others.  "Right, I think we're ready then," he said excitedly.  "I wanna see this car you've got us.  D'you think they'll have champagne in there?"

"Jesus, I hope not..." Lyddie muttered under her breath, partially because she knew the only thing worse than two Nathans were two drunk Nathans.  

When the quad stepped outside, the car was already waiting.  When Lyddie's manager had said he’d send a driver, she didn't expect it to be a limo driver, but hey, she wasn't complaining. 

"Oh my God," she shrieked excitedly.  The lights inside the car made it seem like a nightclub on wheels.  

"I know!"  Lyddie's Nathan grabbed a handful of candy from one of the tiny jars and shoved it in his mouth.  "Brilliant!"

"Damn, this is nice," Win murmured, running her hands over the leather seats as her Nathan plopped down next to her, throwing his arm around her shoulder.  "I bet you could shag back here," she mused, looking around while Nathan searched for the booze. 

"Ohh shit, good idea babe," he exclaimed, his eyes latching onto the champagne flutes on the opposite side of the car.  "Thereeee we are," he cried, rubbing his hands excitedly as he grabbed one, handing it to Win as he reached for the chilling bottle.  "Nathan, Lollipop, some bubbly for you?"

"Hell yeah," Lyddie's Nathan nodded excitedly, shoving more food into his mouth.  

"When in Rome... Sure, why not?" Lydia agreed.  Maybe the alcohol would help with her nerves.  Looking around, she wished she could be as carefree and wild as her girlfriend.  Win was the life of the party, Lyddie was more like... the mum that holds everyone's hair back when they get sick.

“You okay?” Win asked, noticing Lyddie’s anxious expression as she took a sip of her drink.

"Um... yeah, just a tad anxious," Lydia suddenly felt very much like that little girl in the bowling alley again.  Performing was one thing, she was confident in her skills, but this was different.  People would be looking at her, not listening to her music.

“Wanna talk about it?” Win asked, frowning slightly, resting her hand on Lyddie’s thigh.

"You know, it's just... everyone's having fun, thinking about shagging in the backseat, while I'm freaking out.  For once I wanna be able to enjoy the moment."

Win looked thoughtful before quickly tipping back the rest of her champagne. “Would you like me to help you take your mind off it?” she asked, moving closer.  “Because I seem to remember your make-up is rather smudge proof.”

"That actually sounds amazing," Lydia drawled, taking another sip of her drink before handing it to her Nathan, who seemed happy to finish it for her.  "What do you have in mind, baby?"

Win’s only answer was to smirk as she leaned in to capture Lydia’s painted lips, reaching up to brush her fingers along her jaw as she kissed her, moaning softly.

"Oh, okay..." Lyddie's Nathan finally noticed them and watched hypnotized.  Lydia let herself go, the champagne plus Win's cold lips made all her doubt immediately fade away.  "That's better," Lyddie murmured, pulling Win onto her lap.

“I’m full of good ideas,” Win murmured, wrapping her arms around Lydia’s shoulders as she settled in her lap.  “You really do look fucking hot tonight babe.”

"You too," Lyddie murmured against Win's lips, both of her hands sliding down to her girlfriend's ass.  "So hot, I can't believe you're mine."  Lyddie's Nathan stared at them agape, mirroring his clone's reaction.

Win grinned into the kiss, wanting to thread her hands into Lyddie’s hair, but refraining, not wanting to mess it up.  Opening her mouth, she teasingly licked at her girlfriend’s parted lips.

“I would say I’m all yours, but I know how much you like sharing,” she murmured. 

“Oh shiiiit,” Win’s Nathan hissed, whistling low between his teeth.  “If y’keep that up I’m gunna hafta either do something about this hard on I’m gettin’ or it’s gunna be an awkward night.”

"Way ahead of you, man," Lyddie's Nathan was already stroking his cock at a steady pace. 

"Right now you're all mine," Lydia whispered in between kisses, one of her hands resting on Win's thigh, the other kneading her breast.  "I need to blow off some steam."

“Jesus,” Win’s Nathan exclaimed, quickly averting his eyes from his clone’s cock and hastily fumbling at his belt.  “I guess that works,” he muttered, sighing as he took himself in hand. 

“Oh good,” Win murmured, grinding gently against Lydia.  “I can definitely help with that baby.”

Lydia's arousal soaked her knickers, but she didn't worry about that, she just wanted to feel Win, all of her.  "I want you to mark me up," Lydia begged.  "I don't care who sees it, I want them to know I'm being taken care of."

Win pulled back, her brows shooting up. “Really?  Right before your event?” she asked, the thought arousing her further.  It was her guilty pleasure after all to leave her mark on her partners.  She just didn’t want Lyddie to feel self conscious when they got there.

"Yeah, give those bloody gossip magazines something to talk about."  Lyddie bit her lip, her hand slipping between Win's legs, fingers gently teasing her inner thighs.  "Don't you want them to know how good you make me feel?"

“Oh God, Lollipop, you’re such a rebel,” Win teased, but she didn’t have to convince her further and she latched onto Lydia’s neck, her teeth grazing her sensitive skin before she began to suck, drawing a breathy moan to her girlfriend’s lips.  Lifting her face she lapped gently at the spot before moving slightly lower to repeat the processes, kissing her with fervor.

"Just like that, Winnie, it feels so good..." Lydia gasped, the thought of people knowing what she did just made her even hotter.  "I wanna make you feel good."  Lyddie's fingers quickly found Win's clit, circling it gently at a torturous pace.  "Did you get this wet just from snogging me?"

Win gasped as Lyddie touched her.  “Yes, you definitely have that effect on me babe,” she whispered, the soft grunts of pleasure from the boys only serving to turn her on more.  She’d found right away since joining this relationship how much she like being watched.  “Lyddie, please?” Win whined, pausing her exploration of the other woman’s neck.

"Oh, please?" Lydia smirked, finding herself in one of her 'taking charge' moments, which have been more frequent ever since Win came into her life.  "Please what, baby?  Tell me what you need.” 

Lyddie's Nathan was always surprised to see her act this way, but he was starting to realize he liked it... maybe he should ask her to do the same to him sometime.

“More,” Win sighed, grinding against Lyddie’s hand.  “Faster?” she asked with a pout.  Win’s Nathan’s bit his lip.  Hearing Win beg like that did things to him.  She wasn’t usually the submissive type, and as much as he loved when she took charge, he loved seeing her like this, vulnerable and begging for it.

"Aww, you do look cute when you beg..."  Lyddie moved slightly faster, pressing her forehead to Win's with an amused grin.  "Such a good girl.  Nate," Lydia turned to Win's Nathan, narrowing her eyes playfully at him.  "Do you think I should finger her?  Do you think Winnie deserves it?"

For a moment his hand froze as he gaped at Lydia.  “Y-yeah, give it to her Lollipop,” he exclaimed, groaning softly.  “Fuck that’s so hot.”

"Okay then," Lydia smiled at Win, as much as she loved being a submissive, seeing her girlfriend helpless like that was really sexy.  "I guess you deserve it..."  She teased Win's entrance for a second, gathering her arousal before pumping two fingers inside of her, the heel of Lyddie's hand still rubbing against the other woman's clit.

“Oh fuck, Lyddie,” Win moaned.  “I’m supposed to be the one distracting you,” she murmured, dragging her lips along Lydia’s neck.

"You are," Lydia sighed, her fingers curling to find Win's sweet spot.  "I love to see you like this... Just don't come before I say so, alright?"

“Yes, Lyddie,” Win answered obediently, her voice coming out breathy.  “I love you, you’re so good to me,” she murmured, burying her face in Lydia’s neck, biting down hard.

"I love you too, baby," Lyddie purred, clenching her eyes shut, she was really turned on, but she liked the idea of having to wait until they all got home.  "I wanna hear you moan for me."

Win moaned louder, clutching at Lydia as she felt her climax nearing, pleasure coursing through her.  “Oh Lyddie, I’m close!” she exclaimed, writhing in her lap, grinding against her hand as it pumped into her.

"You wanna come, Winnie?" Lydia studied her face carefully, adding a third finger inside of her. "Ask me nicely, tell me how bad you want it..."

“Please Lyddie,” Win gasped, “please, I’m so close, I wanna— I want— oh please baby,” she begged.

"Such a needy little thing," Lydia mused for a second, enjoying what she was able to do.  "Okay, baby, come for me."  Lyddie's words seemed to have an effect on her Nathan as well and he squirmed as he came, making a huge mess on his suit, but he didn't care.

Win’s mouth fell open, her eyes falling shut as she came around Lyddie’s fingers with a whine, her whole body tensing. “Holy shit,” Win’s Nathan gasped, biting his lip as he came over his hand.

"That's better," Lydia held Win against her chest, kissing her temple.  "I feel a lot more confident now, we're gonna crush this thing." 

"Jesus... you crushed me," Lyddie's Nathan exclaimed, zipping up his trousers, leaning back in his seat.

“Ahh, so that was your plan all along,” Win mused, brushing a weak kiss to Lydia’s jawline.  “I’m glad I could help.  Fuck, but I love you like this,” she murmured, straightening to glance back at the Nathan’s.  “Oops, looks like you made a bit of a mess there, Natty,” she purred with a laugh.

"If I can make you beg like that, I can do anything..." Lydia chuckled.  "Maybe I should take charge more often, you look so hot." 

"Oh, yeah," Lyddie's Nathan looked down at his ruined suit, but with a swift hand motion, it was clean and perfect again.  "There, problem solved."

“I’m hot?  You’re sexy as hell,” Win laughed.  “I like dominant Lydia,” she admitted.  “Though I like you every way,” she added, tracing the dark hickies she’d left.  “I left you some gifts,” she whispered before slipping off her lap to sit between Lyddie and her Nathan.  “Nathan, babe, you have a little something too,” she pointed out, glancing down at his trousers and the white stain there.

“Yeah, well, you look a little disheveled yourself sweetheart,” he teased, snapping his fingers to fix their appearances.

Lydia grabbed a mirror in her purse to look at the state of her neck.  "That's definitely gonna leave an impression... I love it." 

"At least we don't gotta worry about fans hittin' on ya," her Nathan muttered, moving to kiss over the marks.  

"You know... even if I don't win tonight, I'm already happy with the outcome."

“And when we get home, we’ll celebrate either way,” Win’s Nathan exclaimed as the car rolled to a stop.

"I can't wait..." Lydia looked over her shoulder to wink at him as someone opened the door, and she hopped out of the car.

The others followed, with different degrees of nervousness, Win slipping her hand in Nathan’s.  Outwardly she held her head high, a slight smirk on her face, but the way her fingers trembled in his, he knew she was anxious.

Lydia was somewhat used to the public by now, but the Press still scared the shit out of her.  She took her Nathan's hand on one side and Win's on the other as they walked down the red carpet. "

Lyddie, Lyddie!  Who are you wearing?" a voice rang in her ear. 

"I have no idea, this is thrifted," she laughed, posing in different angles. 

"Lyddie!  Are you still engaged?" 

"Yes, she is!" her Nathan pulled her hand up to flash the ring.

“Lyddie!  Who else is with you?” one of the photographers shouted before snapping several photos of Win and the other Nathan.  “Is your fiancé a twin?”

“You could say that,” Win’s Nathan grumbled under his breath, while Win flashed a smile at the camera, giving Lydia’s hand a squeeze.

"These are my partners," Lydia nearly shouted, way too excited to say that.  "My boyfriend, and my girlfriend." 

"Are you expecting a win tonight?" A reporter asked, recorder in hand. 

"Oh yeah," Lydia leaned in to speak into the mic.  "But even if I don't get album of the year, I feel that this win already came for me... I mean to me."

At Lydia’s words Win felt her face flare hotly, and a loud cackle burst from her Nathan’s lips.  “Oh you could definitely say that!” he exclaimed, giving her a cheeky pinch.

Lydia smiled for a few more pictures before moving on to sign a few autographs and take pictures with her fans waiting by the barricade.  Her Nathan nudged Win's arm, smiling while he watched Lydia laughing, having fun and being herself without worrying about anyone's opinion.

“Hmm?” she murmured, looking up at him. “What’s up?”

"Look what you did... she's so happy."  He didn't wanna be sappy, but it was too adorable.

Win flushed at his praise, a soft smile lingering on her lips as she watched Lydia.

“Ahh, it was nothin’,” she murmured, leaning into his side.  “She did all the work,” she murmured under her breath.

——

 Delilah glanced at the screen as she took a sip of her drink, only half paying attention to the award show as several musicians walked along the red carpet, until a flash of green hair caught her eye and she nearly choked, leaning forward to snatch the remote and turning up the volume. “And who do you have with you tonight?” 

“These are my partners—“ Delilah’s mouth fell open as she recognized her step sister’s face come across the screen, hanging on the arm of the gangly curly haired bloke she’d moved out with, as well as a woman with cotton candy coloured hair. 

“MOM!”

[saiilorstars]

Out of This World

Fandom: Criminal Minds // Spencer Reid x OFC

Summary: It's Valentine season and Aitana finds herself with a secret admirer. He knows her well enough to tailor each gift to her favorite subject: space. But as time goes on, Aitana begins to lose the excitement for each gift when she starts to realize she'd rather be with someone else, someone she knows pretty well. If only she knew the truth behind the admirer.

Pronunciation of the OC's name sounds like "eye-ta-na"

Taglist: @ocfairygodmother​ ​​​ @anotherunreadblog​ ​​​​ @maaaaarveeeeel​ ​​​​ @stareyedplanet​ ​​​ @perfectlystiles​ ​​​​ @averyhotchner​

[If you’d like to be part of this OC’s taglist, let me know!]

[Aitana’s Masterlist]

The first time Aitana saw the flower, she thought it was Penelope being her sweet self like the friend that she was. But when Aitana drew closer to her desk, she saw the peculiar flower had a small ribbon around its stem holding one small card.

My love for you bloomed the first time you smiled.

Yeah, Penelope was sweet as sugar but she would not write something like that. Aitana knew that for sure.

She picked up the flower, smiling at its bright hot pink petals. Golden yellow petals were sprinkled in its center. If Aitana was correct, and she typically was when it came to her favorite subject, the flower was a Zinnia. It was the first flower in history to bloom in outer space.

The zinnia had been chosen specifically for this reason.

It was hard to forget the thoughtful valentine for a few days, Aitana had mentioned it to the women in the BAU and of course they made it harder to forget. As far as they were concerned, Aitana had a secret admirer who'd gotten brave during the Valentine's period.

The next time Aitana received a flower, Penelope was with her.

"Oooh, that's pretty!" The blonde's mouth was in the shape of a little 'o'.

Aitana agreed that the brilliant white flower was quite beautiful. Its trumpet petals made the flower seem taller. "It's a moon flower," she mused.

"A what?" Penelope scrunched her face. "I've never heard of those!"

Aitana smiled when she read the Valentine's card wrapped around the flower's stem. "I love being around you." This time, she couldn't help the small laugh when she gazed at the picture. She turned it around for Penelope to see.

The blonde went into a full blown 'awww'.

The valentines card had the earth at the center with the moon orbiting it, leaving little dashed lines to show its orbit track.

Aitana's heart may have fluttered the more she looked at the card and her flower.

After that, the news of her admirer spread like wild fire amongst the team.

"Serrano's got a boooyfriend," JJ sing-sang each time Aitana came into the room. She always followed it with a smirk.

Aitana rolled her eyes but everyone saw her blush each time.

The third time she had a flower, it was bright and early in the day. Only a few people were in that day and as much as she loved the mystery of who was her admirer, Aitana couldn't help make a quick scope of who was in the bullpen. Hotch and Morgan were in their offices already but Aitana counted them out. She loved Morgan but he could care less about the space theme. Hotch was already dating and she didn't exactly picture him liking her either. A couple more people were in but Aitana just didn't seem like the type to go through this.

"What are you doing?" she heard Emily's voice.

Aitana looked towards the entrance to see Emily and Spencer coming in. "Morning," Aitana greeted the pair with a weak wave.

"You alright?" asked Spencer, eyebrows raising at her apparent sunken mood.

"Yeah," Aitana leaned over the rail. "I just got another valentine's."

"You did?" Emily beamed. "What's it this time?"

Aitana straightened up and headed for her office, intending on coming back with the things only to have Emily rush inside, practically dragging Spencer with her.

"I thank my lucky stars for meeting you."

"Sweet," Emily nodded.

"Yeah, I just don't know what flower this is," Aitana tilted her head at the strange flower in her hand. It was a bright white flower with its petals resembling the shape of a star. At the center were glossy pink colored petals resembling a smaller flower with one white center.

"It's a Star Tulip," she heard Spencer say.

She beamed, snapping her fingers at him. "I can always count on you, Dr. Reid!"

He smiled at her. "It's very pretty."

"Isn't it?" She grinned the more she looked at her flower. She moved around her desk to one of the shelves. She pulled down a vase to sit the new flower along with the previous flowers she'd been getting. "I'm making a bouquet out of them," she explained.

"It's one strange bouquet," remarked Emily as she eyed the flowers that couldn't seem to match any less.

"They're space themed," Aitana said. Her fingers gently grazed her mix of flowers. "My favorite subject."

"They're weird," Emily corrected.

"Of course you wouldn't get it," Aitana playfully rolled her eyes. She cast a smile in Spencer's direction. "But Spencer does. After all, I was the one who gave him a collection of the classical Doctor Who episodes."

Against every fiber of his being, Spencer felt a surge of heat crawl up his neck and face.

It got even warmer when Emily gave him a certain type of look. "Right," she hummed. "I remember that. You two were...inseparable."

"Were we?" Spencer cleared his throat.

"Yeeah," Emily drawled with the answer. Her eyes narrowed on the man until he visibly shifted.

Aitana glanced at the pair with a raised eyebrow. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Emily waved her off. "We'll see you in a bit."

Aitana nodded and went back to her bouquet. She may have to rearrange them. Her hands were already busy when the pair of agents headed out the office.

~ 0 ~

"You are so sneaky," Emily ushered Spencer down the small steps into the bullpen. "I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Had what?" The young doctor moved directly for his desk, carefully avoiding Emily's beedy-eyed stare.

"Don't play dumb with me—you're anything but dumb! It's you, isn't it? You're the one who's been sending Aitana the flowers and the cards."

Spencer's attempt to scoff casually came out in a stammering way. He didn't even know that was possible. "What? No, I'm not!" His voice betrayed him when it decided to go up an octave.

Emily smirked. "Oh, it's so you. Of course it is—why didn't we think of it before? You two are always geeking out about space! Nobody else understands you two!"

"We like the same subject, it's not a big deal. Garcia and I like Doctor Who."

"Yeah but you and Aitana are like this—" Emily crossed her index and middle fingers together, "—and you get all shy around her. She gets giggly around. It's her tell."

"She has a tell?" It was the wrong thing to ask and Spencer realized it as soon as Emily's eyes widened. Her mouth formed an 'o' while her finger raised to point at him. He panicked. He absolutely panicked. "No, wait! It doesn't mean that I—"

"You did send them! It's you! Oh my God! It's you—"

"Shhhhh!" Spencer frantically exclaimed, trying to keep her from shouting. He would absolutely die if Aitana overheard them. "Emily please!"

Emily started laughing. Spencer couldn't decide if this was better or worse. "I would've never figured you had the guts to do that!" Emily needed to put her hand on the desk to support herself before she ended up laughing on the floor. "Morgan and I have a pool going on to see when one of you will get some courage to say something!"

"Please stop laughing before Aitana comes out—what the do you mean there's a pool?"

That got Emily to stop. She cleared her throat, setting one hand on her hip. "Uh, well, you know...Morgan started it!"

"What!?"

"And then Rossi upped the money so I had to—"

"Rossi is in on it?" Spencer was horrified that his love life just a game of bets for everyone. "Nice, very nice. You're all very good friends!" He huffed and sunk down on his chair.

"We're sorry, it's just funny how you and Aitana are so clueless about each other. You do realize that she's hopelessly in love with you, right?"

Spencer frowned. "I don't know. She's never really said anything."

"Because she's waiting for you! What you're doing now is the perfect strategy to tell her the truth."

"Oh no," Spencer shook his head. "I'm not telling her anything. I just wanted to see if she liked the idea. And she does." He smiled to himself. Each time she'd gotten her flowers, she ecstatic. Her entire mood would change and it was honestly the best thing to see. Their jobs were always so grim and bloody. He wanted to see her adorable freckled face smiling all day. But to go ahead and reveal himself?

"Oh c'mon," Emily sat on the edge of his desk. "All you have to do is tell her it's you and she'll finally confess."

"You can't be sure about that." God knew he wasn't sure about it. Aitana always smiled at him, but she also smiled at everyone else. She was a hugger with everyone. Her eyes twinkled to many things, not just for him. What he interpreted as something romantic could very well just be Aitana being her lovely self. He could never take her rejection. A rejection meant the end of their friendship. If he couldn't be sure about her love, he would hold onto their friendship forever.

~ 0 ~

"Let's never put space between us."

Aitana held onto a lavender-colored flower. This time, she couldn't make out the relationship between the flower and the quote. She knew there was definitely a connection but not one that she knew straightaway.

"It's a cosmos," Spencer would explain to her that evening when their case finally allowed them to leave the BAU.

"I will never get over the fact you just happen to know these things," Aitana said, shaking her head with one of her sweet smiles on her face.

"You could pick up a book once in a while," he quipped, earning himself a gasp of offence from her.

"Well!" She crossed her arms. "Somebody came back sassy!"

He couldn't help the grin that came to his own face. "So you don't want the book?"

She pointed at him, eyes narrowing on him. "Watch it, Dr. Reid. I'm not afraid to go to your house and take that Doctor Who collection back from you."

"I dare you to," he challenged, only to have her giggle.

"Don't tempt me!" She wagged her finger in his face then turned around to take the lead towards the elevator.

He remained frozen in his spot. 'She gets giggly. It's her tell.' He suddenly swallowed hard. Emily's words replayed in his head for the rest of the night coupled with the moments that Aitana had giggled at something he said or done around her.

It turned out there were a lot.

~ 0 ~

The next time Aitana saw a present couldn't have come at a better time. She didn't realize how much she'd started depending on the flowers and the cards until tonight. She'd had a hard time today with the case. It left her drained and, honestly, wishing like somebody would just drop a truck over her.

"I'd be in the dark without you."

She gingerly held her valentine's card, her lips tugging into a smile with the picture of the sun and moon looking at each other. The sunflower on her desk was radiant. "Now how could I be somebody's light?" she whispered to herself. Who could want her that much? For the first time, she really wished this person would come into her office and just...give her a hug. Somebody's arms wrapped tightly around hers, telling her everything would be fine. Now that would be nice.

She heard a light knock against her door and soon saw Penelope poking her head inside. She was smiling—of course she was—and talking about something until she noticed the tears in Aitana's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Aitana tried to say like it should've been obvious that she was fine. Of course she was fine, they didn't have the luxury to feel things about each of their cases.

But Penelope came further inside, her head tilting as she studied her friend's face. "No you're not."

The tears rolled down Aitana's cheeks before she could think about stopping them. "No, I'm not," she agreed with a shake of her head.

"Oh no!" Penelope didn't think twice about hugging her. She was a hugger too.

Aitana appreciated her gesture but there was a part of her that made it very clear she would rather have somebody else hug her. The thought brought more tears to her eyes.

~ 0 ~

Her fluke made it around the team per Penelope's concern that something deeper was going on. Aitana wasn't even upset that Penelope had told the others. She assured them, especially Hotch who was already suggesting she take some time off, that she was perfectly fine. The case had just been a little too much.

But somehow each time she found a new flower and a valentines card on her desk, she was a little more blue rather than elated like the first few times.

"You are so space-cial to me!"

She felt incredibly special, alright, getting these valentines each day now that the holiday was around the corner.

"You are one in a universe!"

Given the size of the universe, it was hard not to feel special and even more so when she thought of the idea of parallel universes.

"It's your fault I believe in them," she told Spencer that same morning. They were preparing their coffees before their meeting would start.

"What?" he laughed. "How is it my fault?" He reached over for the sugar packets.

"Because you started going on about the theories of potential universes!"

"I didn't know you were actually listening to that!"

"I always listen to you," she said earnestly, making him stop when he noticed her long stare. She seemed almost upset that he would think otherwise.

"I'm sorry," he blurted. "I just thought...I mean it would be no big deal. Everyone does it—"

"Not me," she cut him off with a bit of an edge in her tone. Her eyebrows were knitted together and the more seconds passed by, Spencer felt like things were shifting into something he was not prepared for. Even Aitana was confused with her irritation and yet, she decided the conversation was over. "Gotta go get ready for the meeting," she mumbled and moved around him.

"Aitana?" Spencer called after her but she didn't eve look back at him. Hell, her coffee wasn't even finished yet. He knew for a fact that what she carried in her cup was a pitch black coffee and she loved her sugar as much a he did. What had he done?

~ 0 ~

"Are you mercury? Because you'll always be first to me."

Aitana's smile was a bitter one. She put the card down on her desk and exhaled heavily. Her eyes flickered to the flower. It was white flower with rugged petals and a golden middle. She had no idea what the flower's connection this time and she had no idea to seek the answer either.

"I know that face," JJ's voice startled her. The agent walked in with a couple files in her hands. "You've been making that face for days now."

"Have I?" Aitana sighed as she took the files into her hands. "I didn't notice."

"What's it for?"

Aitana shrugged. "I honestly don't know."

"Well maybe it's time we figured it out because we'd really love to have our old Aitana back, some more than others."

Aitana looked up at the blonde. "What?"

"Nothing," JJ waved it off. Her eyes soon landed on the valentine card and flower. "Oh, got another one?"

"Yeah," Aitana moved the card over for her to see.

JJ 'aawd' much like Penelope had earlier. "This is really sweet. What's the flower this time?"

"I don't know."

"We could ask Spence, he's still in." JJ picked up the flower and made a turn to go do what when Aitana exclaimed a sharp "No!" JJ turned back with confused eyes. "Why not?"

Aitana shifted in her chair, an audible sigh leaving her lips. "I...don't know."

JJ raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't know? What?"

"I don't know!" Aitana almost whined which was very unlike her and immediately pulled JJ back to the desk.

"What's going on?" the blonde planted herself in the chair across. "It's got to do with Spencer, huh? You've been kinda weird with each other."

"I really don't know," Aitana insisted. "We were just talking about the last valentine card I got and then he said something about not believing that I'd actually listened to one of his rants and...I don't know, I got upset."

"That he thought...you didn't listen to him?" JJ asked slowly so as to understand the issue. It sounded a bit ridiculous but there was something Aitana had yet to see.

"He didn't say it explicitly like that," Aitana admitted. "He just said he didn't know I listened to him talking about a theory."

"Why'd you get upset?"

"Because...because I...I always listen!" Aitana exclaimed. Her lips were pulling down into a frown. "I like listening to him. He always has interesting things to say."

"Does he?" JJ made a face that, for a moment, had Aitana smiling. "I love Spencer but sometimes I have to tune him out for my own well being."

"He talks a lot but if you listen, it's always so interesting," Aitana said, a moment later adding softly, "Plus, he always gets excited when he talks about something." The frown returned to her face. "How could he think I wouldn't listen to him!? He thought I was like everyone else! Since when am I like everyone..." She paused when she realized what she was about to say.

JJ's eyebrows raised almost to her hair line. "Sounds like somebody's mad she got clumped with 'everyone else'."

"Am not," Aitana said quickly. She pursed her lips together so hard that for a moment, they went white.

JJ smirked. "Oh yes she is!"

"Am not!"

JJ laughed. "Yes, you are! That's why you won't even go ask him what flower that is!"

"Maybe I just don't care about these valentine gifts anymore! How about that?" Aitana asked, thinking she'd created a good challenge.

"Could be," JJ would only give her a second to claim victory before she added, "Or maybe you just don't care anymore because you're thinking more about Spencer than this admirer."

Aitana's eyes widened in alarm. "Shut up!"

"Something to think about," JJ winked as she got up. "And for the record, it's not that far-fetched between you two."

Aitana said nothing. Her eyes lowered to her desk.

"Hey," she heard JJ call again. She stood by the doorway. "You really don't see it?"

"There's nothing to see," Aitana said quickly.

"Oh, there's plenty to see," JJ promised before leaving.

Aitana remained right where she was. With this type of conversation there was no way in hell she could face Spencer and say something coherent. By the the end of night, she might just end up hating JJ for planting these ideas in her head.

She didn't plant anything that wasn't already there. Aitana swallowed hard. Even the voice in her head was against her on this one? She glanced at her bouquet still standing on her shelf behind her. It'd grown over the weeks with flowers she couldn't even feel the same appreciation for anymore.

~ 0 ~

"If I had a star for every time you brightened my day, I'd have a galaxy in my hand."

The flower was beyond gorgeous. It had to be the best flower out of the entire bouquet she already had. It was a dark purple with contrasting white spots of various sizes. It truly resembled a galaxy.

Aitana sighed deeply. The Valentines card was sweet as well. It should've brought her a warmth or a fluttering in her stomach but...there was nothing. There was an ache but she wasn't sure if it was because she didn't feel anything for the gift or if it was because of the pending talk she still needed to have.

"Aitana?"

Oh God. She subtly took in a breath then turned to meet Spencer. "Hey," she gave a weak wave of her hand. That was stupid! Yes, yes it was.

If Spencer thought so too, he didn't let it show. "Are you busy?"

"Uh, no, not really..."

"Can we talk?"

"Sure." Aitana put her things on the desk. "But, um, I should start by apologizing for that whole thing about listening." God, even saying it made her feel ridiculous. What did he know about the truth behind that moment?

"Why were you upset about that?" Spencer had to ask because no matter how many times he thought about it, he just couldn't figure it out. He replayed the moment at least a hundred times each day to see if he'd said something offensive, or maybe did something that he hadn't thought, but nothing stood out.

"Oh, just forget it Spencer. It's not a big deal," Aitana made a wave of it.

"No, it was," he said, taking a few steps closer to her. "I did something that you clearly didn't like and I want to know what it was so I don't do it anymore."

"It wasn't you, Spencer, honest. I'm just...weird," she settled for. She thought it would be the end when Spencer cracked a smile at her.

"You're not weird—leave that for me. In fact, is that what I did? Something weird?"

Aitana sighed. "Why can't you just leave it?"

"Because it still has you upset," he started to frown. "The fact you won't tell me makes me think that I'll never be able to fix it and I don't want to lose you!" He only realized what he said after he'd said it. For all the smarts he had, he couldn't figure out a way to backtrack from that.

Aitana's eyebrows raised in surprise. "What?"

"Nothing!" He said quickly. "Forget it!" He made a turn to leave but she grabbed his arm.

"Now you're upset," she pointed out. "Why?"

"You go first," he said with a sharp look.

She smirked. "I don't think so."

He rolled his eyes at her. At least she was smirking now. "Worth a try." To help change the subject, he looked past her to the desk. "You got another gift?"

Aitana looked over her shoulder, not even affording the gifts her entire look. "Yeah," she muttered.

"What's the matter?" Spencer frowned. "You...didn't like it?" It actually hurt watching her shake her head. Each flower and card he chose was picked out with care and, frankly, with the idea that it would make her smile or laugh the most. He thought for sure the Galaxy Flower were would be her favorite for its appearance (and even the name). Plus, the quote was pretty sweet and honest. He couldn't count the times when she'd lifted his spirits with just a smile from her.

"I don't know, maybe it's getting old," Aitana shrugged her shoulders. Or maybe she was just realizing what she wanted.

"Really?" Spencer had to take a step back before she noticed the strain on his face. He was using every profiling skill he had not to let the pain be visible. He'd never done something that hard.

"I don't know," Aitana whispered. "Maybe I'm just over the secrets."

"Are you really?"

"Maybe."

"That's a lot of 'maybe's' you're throwing out there..."

"Maybe I'm confused," Aitana admitted, picking her gaze up from the floor to meet his. "You want to know why I was upset?"

"More than anything," Spencer answered fast before she changed her mind.

"You said you wouldn't mind if I didn't listen to you because everyone typically doesn't. And you know what? That hurt. It shouldn't but it does." Aitana ducked her head and hoped to God she wasn't freaking him out. It was too late to go back now.

Spencer was speechless for a minute. His mind wasn't comprehending fast enough and that alone should've been alarming. He learned long ago that when it came to Aitana, he was an outright idiot. "I'm sorry," he apologized. He hadn't even thought about that word being a problem. It'd slipped out. A force of habit, really.

"No, you don't have to apologize," Aitana leaned against her desk. "I know you didn't do it on purpose and, honestly, it's ridiculous. I shouldn't get upset. I'm...I'm part of everyone."

"No you're not," he said swiftly.

She blinked at him. "What—"

"You are not 'everyone'," he said before he could stop himself. Thinking about it more, looking at her downcast self, he didn't want to stop. She was upset because she thought she was just 'everyone'. The irony was just too much for him.

"It's fine, Spencer. You don't have to try and fix things."

"I will because I have to, I need to clarify things. You don't see how special you are to me!"

"What?" She looked up just as he came closer to her, so close that she was locked between him and the desk. She swallowed hard once the nerves started kicking in. Her heart already started picking up its pace.

"I don't go hunting down space-themed flowers throughout the city for just anybody." He actually found the nerve to smirk at her wide-eyed reaction. Sure his heart was currently threatening to burst from his chest but he would never forget this moment. It was all worth it.

"Hunt...flowers...?" Aitana slowly turned her head to see her bouquet on the shelf. "That was...that was you?"

Spencer nodded. "Yes. It was me. It's...me." Aitana stared at him with eyes even more wide. They might as well pop! Even her freckles stretched when her mouth fell open. Spencer braced himself for what was coming next. This was the moment where she would reject him and he had to be prepared for it. He always thought of different scenarios where he would get the courage to tell her how he felt and then she would inevitably reject him. Sometimes it was nice, like the real Aitana would, and then other times it was...bad.

"You...you went hunting for flowers to fit the cards?" Aitana was slow in her question. Her mind was still trying to wrap around the idea of him searching through stores for her.

"Y-yeah," Spencer's one worded answer still was enough time for his voice to crack. Embarrassing.

Aitana, however, giggled.

'She gets giggly around. It's her tell.'

Spencer's eyes widened slightly. "That's...?"

"Incredibly sweet," she finished, her lips pursing together. "You really went through the stores for me? Why?"

"Because it's you," he shrugged. "I thought you'd like it but I guess I got it wrong..."

"No!" she exclaimed. "I mean...I said what I said because I didn't know it was you behind it. I was getting tired of it because of you..."

"Because of me," Spencer repeated, once again growing puzzled even when he thought about her words. Yeah, complete idiot.

Aitana knew she was making no sense to him. "I kept thinking about you when I saw the new gifts. I was more concerned with our relationship than this admirer's affections for me. See...I didn't want to lose you either." Her cheeks blushed pink.

Spencer felt the warmth blossom in his chest that soon spread all around him. He heard right. She said...

"I'm sorry for what I said. Of course I love the gifts," Aitana brought her hands to her chest, her soft smile making a force of fluttering erupt in Spencer's stomach. "They're exactly what I like and only you would know that. You listen to me all the time."

Spencer smiled. "Of course I do." His arms were hesitant when they came around Aitana. He was being brave again and testing the waters of this new territory they were seemingly crossing. She stared into his eyes in those seconds he struggled to decide. She was letting him make the call and boy was she glad when he made the right one. His arms wrapped around her, hands resting on her back. He swallowed hard when her fingers tapped up his chest.

"You know, tomorrow's the day," she said, expression much too innocent.

"The day?" he repeated.

"Valentine's day," she reminded. "I don't mean to sound demanding but...what did you have planned for tomorrow? Any, uh, last flower in that big brain of yours?"

"Ah," Spencer nodded. "There was one...I was going to go to the store today..."

"What if we cut to the chase and you just tell me the valentine's right now?"

"I would...but now I'm not sure I like it."

"What? Why not?"

"There was one quote I liked but I was never going to use it."

"Why?" Aitana could genuinely see the red take over his cheeks. "Dr. Reid, what were you thinking?" She smirked.

"I found it accidentally!"

"Aha."

"I did! I swear! I picked every quote carefully. I wanted to see you smiling and...feeling special."

"I did feel special," Aitana said, tilting her head at him. "But you've made me feel special way before any of this started. If you had just said something...we could've avoided trouble."

"I'm sorry," Spencer lowered his head. "I was always afraid of messing things up. I'd rather be friends with you than be nothing at all."

"Well I think I'd rather be something more," Aitana hummed. "There's just one catch."

Spencer was curious about that. "What is it?"

"You have to tell me what that valentine's quote was, the one you didn't want to say."

Spencer cleared his throat on the spot. "Aitana..." She giggled. God, she sounded so pretty when she giggled. "It's stupid."

"Of course it is, so tell me!" She jumped on him, startling the hell out of him but it quickly passed when he realized she was on him. His arms instinctively held onto her tighter. "Pleeeease?" She pouted at him.

"Not the pout..." He groaned. "Please don't do the pout."

"Tell me the quote!"

He sighed. He straightened them up and stepped back. This could go in two very different directions. "It was, um, 'Kiss me. Let me taste your sweet lips before the asteroids destroys earth'."

Aitana laughed. "Oh my God!"

"I know. You can see why I wasn't going to ever use it."

Aitana reached over him and tugged him close to her until she was leaned against her desk again. She raised her head, showing off a clean smirk. "Well, before the asteroids destroy Earth...kiss me."

Spencer blinked at her. "What?"

"You led me on for like 2 weeks. You better kiss me now or the asteroids will be the least of your problems." She draped her arms over his shoulders.

"Really...?" His doubt was endearing but only a little bit. She was actually getting impatient.

"Yes!" She exclaimed.

He leaned down, pausing midway to make sure it was still what she wanted. At this point, his heart was going to explode at any second. He might as well get a kiss before it (or the asteroids) got him first.

His lips found hers with a little bit of hesitance in the beginning, like maybe she would change her mind at the last minute. But she didn't. She kissed him back and moved with him in a synchronicity that they didn't even know they had. It was as if they'd each been waiting to meet the perfect partner who knew exactly how to correspond with the other.

Aitana's fingers played with his curls even when they parted. The way she smiled at him would never leave his mind. Spencer had the feeling he would be committing to memory a lot more moments like these. The sensations were definitely going in the books.

"Tomorrow..." she barely started when he cut her off.

"Let's go out," he said and flushed immediately afterwards. "I mean..."

"No," she said, her fingers sliding from his hair to his cheek, "You meant that; stick with it. Take me out. Please?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. You want to have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

"Absolutely," she couldn't say it fast enough. "But...you have to tell me every quote you didn't use in these cards."

His eyebrows rose. "Oh, Aitana, you don't want to hear them. The internet is not a very good thing sometimes."

She laughed. "That's the idea, genius! I want to hear them come out of your usually well educated lips." She tapped his lips with a smirk. "I can't wait!"

"Maybe we can let the asteroids come a little earlier..." He said and let his head fall over her shoulder. He could feel her body shaking as she laughed. She kissed his hair, mumbling a few assumptions of what those quotes were.

Giggly and a tease. That's what she was. And he couldn't wait to finally take her out tomorrow of all nights.

[rhomsfanfic]

A Wish Come True

A lovely commission for the awesome @lesbiansportsanime​ with their OC Silena ♥ Thank you so much for commissioning me, it was so much fun working with you!

No warnings apply, just a very fluff day!

First impressions mattered.

They mattered when meeting a new employer, your spouse’s family, the person you’ve been set up on a date with by your friends. Every one of those people had expectations and anticipated something from you, mostly good behavior. However, the same concept also applied to many more situations than just the ones stated formerly. It also applied to traveling and meeting someone you thought you knew better than anyone else but never truly ‘knew’.

Those were the thoughts that kept Silena busy as she stepped out into the forest-y wilderness outside the Wild Area Station for the first time. Immediately, she was greeted by a gust of wind, ruffling through her hair and clothes, almost like an embrace coming from the nature around her. The sun seemed to shine a bit brighter as its rays tickled her skin, and thanks to it, even the mild climate wasn’t bothering her as much as Silena anticipated. Galar did its best to change the first impression it left on her quickly, so it seemed. 

Having her connecting train be canceled when she was supposed to meet up with her friend in Hammerlocke was not only unfortunate but also an annoyance. The train conductor at the station had suggested she’d be faster walking to the nearby city, Motostoke, and take a Flying Taxi from there, a concept Silena wasn’t used to from her own home. However, if it would get her to Hammerlocke quicker than the train, which approximately would take another three hours to be ready again, she preferred following the conductor’s advice.

It wasn’t like she shied away from some walking; after all, she had wandered seemingly endless routes before, and as Champion, that little bit of exercise wasn’t going to kill her. The only thing she was concerned about was if she would still be looking as presentable as she was once she reached her destination. Looking at her reflection in one of the station building windows, Silena brushed aside some stray hairs and flattened out her hoodie dress, which had wrinkled from the long travel by train. 

She still looked nice, and she hoped it would stay this way until she reached Hammerlocke.

Whipping out her phone, she decided to let Raihan know she arrived in Galar and about the delay in meeting up with him. Surely, it wouldn’t leave a good first impression to be tardy, but at least she’d be able to let him know about it. A spurt of nervousness went through her as she typed out the words, almost feeling bashful. Even though it felt to her like she knew Raihan for years, they had only been in contact for a good handful of months, telling each other good morning and good night, and sharing most of their days through messages and photos. Yet, knowing she was so close to meeting him for real, it was like a dream come true, even if it made her hands shake from nervosity.

There were so many things Silena could think about that could go wrong now. Perhaps it ended up as a scam, and the person she was writing wasn’t the charismatic, enthusiastic Gym Leader she came to know after all, but really it had just been a PR-Manager who went out of his way to talk her up. Or if not that, maybe even worse, perhaps now that they’d meet in person, Raihan would end up not liking her anymore. Of course, it was a farfetched thought, but what if he liked her better when they still were only writing, hiding behind that little bit of anonymity after all? Everyone looked different over text, so what if the ‘real Silena’ just wasn’t what he expected?

It was a painful thought to her, having long registered the feelings that started to bloom for him. Even if he was nothing but a text buddy, Silena had started to become as comfortable talking to him as a best friend. She anticipated his messages every minute she was awake, and she hoped that he felt the same. That she was in love with him, she had kept secret, but she couldn’t lie to herself the same way. It undoubtedly would be complicated to be with him, but some part of her still hoped for it to happen even after everything considered.

Taking a deep breath, Silena encouraged herself to think positively. There were endless possibilities, but she always wanted to hope for the best. She was just about to send the text she wrote when she heard a loud, “Oh! Hey!” coming from her left, making her look up from her phone. Her eyes could not have widened more in surprise as she watched a very familiar, tall man jog into her direction, lifting his arm in a wave.

“Raihan?!” Silena uttered, flabbergasted, staring at him as if she had just seen a ghost.

“The one and only!” he laughed as he slowed down and closed the distance. “But… How?” Silena asked, glancing at the unsent message, making sure she hadn’t hinted before that she’d be stuck at the station. “There’s been problems with the train all morning. I was hoping they’d resolve it before your train was due, but eh… no luck with a hoard of Tauros running lose.”

Raihan spoke of it as a matter of fact, but just as quickly, a brilliant smile reappeared on his lips, shining her way. “So I came to fetch you, and here you are!”

For a moment, surprised silence fell between the two as they took in each other. Silena couldn’t help but look over Raihan, noticing that he… absolutely looked like the photos he kept sending. There was nothing, from his clothes to his facial features, that differed, and her heart picked up the pace as she met his eyes after he inspected her too. It was only for a moment before the two started to laugh, sympathetic remorse being shared between the two that skepticism had crossed their minds despite neither of them being fake after all. Even if it was left unspoken, it took away the awkwardness that Silena feared would build between them when they first met. 

But this way, the first impression was good despite her worries, and no words could describe how relieved Silena felt as the thought settled in her mind.

“I’m… really here,” she bubbled, some sheepish chuckles following her words, as she couldn’t hold back the grin spreading on her lips. “And you are here too!”

His shoulders relaxing, the maw of the hoodie he was wearing sunk a bit, Raihan’s smile only grew wider, as if this was a contest between the two about who could smile more. Despite his pose, with his hands sinking into his pockets, he didn’t seem haughty or arrogant. Really, it was just like she imagined him to be. Naturally cool. A trait that dragon trainers usually shared amongst themselves. “It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it? We’ve been writing for so long, and yet meeting up in person is still so different,” he noted, and Silena agreed with a nod and a hum. 

“Ah, but I don’t mean it in a bad way,” he was quick to add, bringing a hand up to the back of his head in embarrassment as he realized that his words could have come off weirdly. “I’m thrilled you made it. It’s nice… meeting you,” he explained, sincerity in his words even though he struggled to phrase them.

“I’m glad too! Thank you for inviting me, Raihan!” Silena was quick to chime in, letting him know she understood what he meant to say, and now there really wasn’t anything holding her back anymore, as she told him about her travels and what she had seen while looking out from her window seat.

For a while, the two simply enjoyed the conversation, even with the topics being rather superficial, like nature and weather. But whenever Silena looked him in the eyes, she was glad that he always looked right back at her. There was no fake attentiveness, and he laughed along or questioned her words as they came. The talk flowed naturally, even as they turned towards the open fields of the Wild area, ready to make their way towards it. 

In hindsight, it was just like when they were texting, but Silena experienced this as even better. Now she was able to look at his face as they talked, see his expression change, and add to the conversation. There were hand motions and eyes shining in responses to her words, and she found herself smitten with the way Raihan held himself, easily filling out her thoughts when she struggled to form them into words and adding on to the ideas she shared.

There was just one question burning on Raihan’s tongue that caught her off-guard, hand lowering to point at her shoes. “I did mention the part about camping, didn’t I?” he asked, and Silena looked down in confusion at herself. Only then did she realize that probably not everyone thought that platforms and high heels were suitable for a camping trip. Though a wave of embarrassment came over her as she hoped it wouldn’t put her in a bad light, Silena looked up quickly, grinning and letting him know, “Of course you did.”

Raihan’s brows furrowed in confusion as she announced it so confidently - Thanks to standing so close, Silena didn’t miss the change in expression, even if his hat covered a lot of space from his hair down. She couldn’t help but think about how cute he looked with his head ducking into the oversized hoodie of his jacket whenever he was thinking about something. - while Silena merely adjusted the strap of her bag before taking the first few steps around him with a cheeky grin. “That’s why I’m wearing my outdoor heels!”

Easily conquering the ever so slightly uneven dirt road, Silena took off a few steps ahead while showing off that she was more than capable of walking with them. Raihan’s gaze followed her, slightly impressed, and he cooed an appreciative, “Oh? Look at that,” before laughing and walking after her, the two having a lot to talk about as they made their way to Motostoke on his lead.

In Raihan’s eyes, Silena was a ray of sunshine. 

It was what he had always thought about her, even when they only had been texting each other in the past, but now he felt confirmed in his beliefs. On all her pictures, in all her endeavors, everything she did simply told tales of how passionate she was and how she put her heart into every movement she did. Even now, walking through the green together on their way to Motostoke, it was a contest of who was shining brighter - she or the sun?

They had met under such weird circumstances. Raihan simply had browsed his Pokégram and encountered her account that showcased her journey from the start as a trainer to the end as she became the champ of her region. He still remembered how he had looked in awe, yet with hints of jealousy, at the picture of her being crowned as the Champion of Nyklia. The picture itself, of her radiant smile, the tear stains on her cheeks as she waved to the crowd, something in it had really riled him up. Admittedly, not in a good way at first. 

After all, Raihan was no stranger to the feeling of being so close to snagging the title, but in the end, never succeeding. Of course, his strife came from wanting to win against his forever rival Leon, and it was just as childish as it was fun to him. Still, that one picture of Silena he encountered gave away so much of what Raihan always expected himself to look like once he won. But for him, this dream never came true. 

He remembered that he put away his phone after finding her account, not wanting to dwell on the frustration that came from it. But as the announcement of a new champion being selected in another region made its rounds, he more or less got forced to help out prepare a gift to send over. Alongside it, his trainer card had been put in with his handles, and as he looked at his phone in a break in between his training a week later, there her name was, Silena having sent him a thank-you-message which probably was more courtesy than a desire to write him.

But from his reply, one of hers followed, and then another one from him.

Soon, she wasn’t just a person he felt jealous of. She shared her struggles as much as the good days with him, and he - though silently - began cheering for her more than he envied her. It was a tough job, even if Leon made it seem so ridiculously easy, and Raihan’s respect for her grew as well as his feelings for the sunny champion who lived so far away from him. 

At first, he didn’t know if he could do it. Meet up with her and not make it awkward. It was hard enough talking to Leon, and Raihan knew him for years - what if it would be the same for her? Until she arrived, Raihan didn’t notice that the two of them may have the same title, but that only showed their strengths as trainers, not their personalities. 

And now she was here, and he felt as if she brought her radiating shine into his life now, replace any negative emotion he ever felt towards her before.

For a while, the two watched as a Xatu glided through the air peacefully, and Raihan noticed her relaxed, though focused eyes. “In Nyklia,” Silena spoke up, a hand raised to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun, “we know that the Pokémon are everywhere around us, but we rarely see them so clearly like I’ve seen them in Galar up till now.”

“Hm, maybe it’s because they are more used to people here? The wild area is always filled with trainers, so they might have become less shy.”

“That might be the reason,” she agreed, nodding to herself. “It would be nice if I could help Nyklia be more balanced like this too.”

Those were the words of a champion, how Raihan found. Looking out for her region, taking note of differences, and thinking of how to apply those to what was entrusted to her. Still, he appreciated the fact that she hadn’t behaved boastfully yet, only pleasant and calm. It was almost like when the two of them were texting only, and it made him feel at peace that he was able to have a normal conversation with her without always coming back to their titles or strengths as trainers. 

On the way to Motostoke, they had encountered a lot of friendly Pokémon, the area filled with small groups of Oddish and Budew who looked at them curiously as they passed. A Bunnelby had even come close enough for Silena to pet its head, which she did with the uttermost respect and affection for the creature. It truly showcased her character, and Raihan found himself smiling alongside her as she was cooing and complimenting the tiny Pokémon.

Tearing his eyes off of Silena, who was still watching the psychic Pokémon in awe, Raihan too glanced back to the Xatu, which was peacefully swaying in the winds that were carrying it. To his surprise, he noticed its gaze on the two of them, more specifically, on Silena. Grinning to himself, Raihan thought about how fitting this was, considering he himself experienced Silena like the sun, and Xatu’s always looked into the direction of the grand, illuminating fireball too. Bumping his shoulders into hers, he motioned for them to keep walking since they were so close to the next station on their travels.

Raihan would not pass up on the chance to enjoy his time with Silena much more than he already was.

Browsing the shelves in the boutique of Motostoke, Raihan would occasionally glance back at Silena, who was experiencing her first height in Galar as she went through a shopping rush. “How about this?” Raihan smirked, pulling out a cheesy tourist shirt with “I LOVE GALAR” written all over it in a bold font. Silena’s face scrunched up as she tried to stay polite, replying, “I don’t think that suits me,” but her expression gave away her real thoughts about the shirt. They chuckled amongst themselves as they knew both of them were thinking the same thing, but Silena was quick to take her fashion revenge at him as she found a shirt saying, “Dragons are cool but not as cool as ice!” 

“A bold lie,” Raihan disagreed vehemently, but under laughter, Silena made sure to tell him that it would look splendid on him. They both agreed that it would be too funny and too ironic to pass up on, putting it on the small pile that had assembled from Silena’s previous picks. Spending a while longer at the store, Raihan got a good taste of what kind of clothes she liked, Silena showing off a few things she changed into. 

For a moment, Raihan caught himself thinking of how this was similar to accompanying a girlfriend, but he was quick to shake it out of his thoughts, not wanting to get ahead of himself. Even if he thought about these things quietly - and now that she was here, more than ever - it wasn’t a decision he could make by himself. Even though he had to admit, it was a thought that spread pleasant warmth inside him and the hints of hope that it might become a reality someday.

He wouldn’t mind it if it was Silena.

He wouldn’t mind at all.

With a deep yet satisfied sigh, Silena sunk onto the cushioned bench, putting her bag and the goods she recently acquired through Raihan’s support - by showing her all the chic little shops that were a must-see in the city - next to her. From her spot, she could watch Raihan standing at the counter, ordering drinks, chatting merrily with the barista. She loved seeing how excited people were to see him, and they had stopped to take selfies more than once on their way to this café. It wasn’t a bother per se, and she understood it better than anyone that, as a public figure, Raihan had to keep face even if he was out with her.

Still, a small part of her felt jealous of the girls and trainers he had humored. 

The way he put his arm around their shoulders and made faces with them was sweet, and it was just like she expected him to act, appreciating his fans a lot. He didn’t do anything indecent that would have made her raise her brow at his behavior. He simply was attentive, sweet, and fun, just how she had experienced him so far too. It made her wonder if she was anything different to him than his fans were, and though she should have known the answer to that, she simply felt a little bit discouraged as she feared asking him directly.

“One latte for the lady~” Raihan’s voice tore her out of her thoughts as he presented her drink right in front of her, the milk foam on top of it resembling a little Pikachu sticking out on top of the glass. “How cute!” Silena gasped, watching the foam wiggle as he set it down, and Raihan chuckled proudly. 

“They don’t usually do that, but I know the barista, and he was happy to create something special for a very special visitor. I hope you like it?”

Raihan’s smile was unmatched to any she had seen so far, so soft and sweet, as he glanced from her drink up to her face, trying to catch a glimpse of her reaction. Silena hoped her expression matched the way she felt, adoring the extraordinary drink. “I like it a lot,” she assured him, and her heart jumped as she met his eyes, Raihan grinning excitedly, knowing it made her happy. 

“Ah, I’m glad,” he sighed, leaning back and bringing his own drink to his lips. Only now did Silena realize he had been anticipating her reply tensely, leaning forward and biting his lip. Immediately, she felt butterflies partying in her stomach as the only reason she could think of why he’d do that was because he was trying to bring her joy. The thought of the other trainers he made happy with his presence crawled back in her mind, but she asked herself: Would he do that for everyone, or just for me? 

“Is it good?” he asked curiously, after watching her take a sip at the metal straw sticking out from the side of the glass. “Very,” she replied, returning his smile. Raihan nodded, and Silena watched as his shoulders relaxed, enjoying the view from over the table of a man at peace. 

“I hoped it would come close to the gorgeous ones you always get at your favorite café. That’s why I wanted to go here!” Grinning a little wider, he admitted, “I’ve been searching the web forever to find out which place had the best reviews.”

Looking from him back down to her glass, Silena felt the warmth emitting onto her hands. The coffee was made just right, not too bitter and not too sweet, and it dawned on her that if she had ordered it, she would have asked for the same kind. As if traveling from her hands to her heart, the warmth began to spread as she recognized the work he put into finding spots she’d like, not only this café but all the boutiques and parks they had visited so far.

And against a rational judgment, Silena wanted to believe that he, in fact, only went to so many troubles for her alone.

“And this goes… here! Tada!” 

Standing up, Silena got to watch as the tent basically erected itself after they connected the last rod missing with the tent peg. “Oh!” she exclaimed, their shelter for the night being definitely handier than the ones she used back in her travel times. “I can’t believe that I needed to sleep under the stars most of my nights, while Galar literally had self-building tents.”

Raihan laughed, his hand falling to her head. Silena was just about to scold him for ruffling her hair, but he simply patted the back of her head before letting his hand slide off. After a whole day being together, this probably was the closest the two had been, and Silena felt herself fall into a state of shock, her heart trying to break out, while Raihan didn’t miss a beat to proceed to go back to the fire. Perhaps it was only affecting her, but on the other hand, she couldn’t see Raihan balling his hand into a fist as he realized what he did. 

“I-It’s good we are set up,” he chuckled nervously, clearing his throat and getting back his composure. Silena felt frozen in place, but even she realized that she’d have to act, or it might raise suspicion. So she laughed wryly, followed him to the campfire, and took the seat next to him. “Still hungry?” he asked, holding out the leftovers from the curry they made, and Silena was quick to hold her hands up, claiming, “I can’t eat another spoon, or I might burst!”

Raihan chuckled as he put it away, and Silena’s eyes shot up to watch their Pokémon still up and active, running in big circles back and forth the camp area. It made her a little nervous letting them all out to play, but she trusted that Raihan’s Pokémon would keep them from running too far or misbehaving. At least for now, they seemed to get along very well. 

“I think letting your Pokémon roam is probably one of my favorite things about Galar,” Raihan mumbled, his eyes having followed hers to the creatures playing. “I hope it makes them happier to get out of their balls, and not just for fighting.”

His words were the end of this conversation, but Silena let out a contemplating hum. They didn’t look unhappy, that’s for sure, and though they were rough-housing with each other, she sure hoped they’d be worn out enough later to sleep through the night peacefully. “So…” Raihan picked up his words again, and this time, Silena dedicated her attention back to him, the flames of the fire flickering in his eyes that were fixed on her in return. “What’s your impression? Of the day… Galar!” he asked, voice lowering a little as he added, “Me?”

“The trains being canceled for a whole day because of a hoard of Tauros really sucks if you live here,” Silena said, straightforward in a serious tone, and the two stared at each other in silence before she burst out laughing at his bamboozled expression. Raihan followed suit as he realized this wasn’t as serious as she made it out to be, having a real good laugh over it before they could calm down.

“But I had a lot of fun,” Silena admitted, and Raihan nodded approvingly. “Galar might come off as very industrial, which I have… opinions about,” she chuckled, not being able to phrase it better than this at the moment. “But there are a lot of good things, like the wild area, and the many nice people like the barista and your fans that were so sweet. I truly feel good walking the streets and the countless paths you can take, and I think Galar has a lot to offer if you are open to exploring it.” 

Having watched the fire for a bit as she talked, Silena looked back at Raihan, who anticipated every word she was willing to share with him. For a split second, she felt bold as she put her hand beside his, their fingers grazing each other as she put hers into the gaps of his. “And then there’s you, and you are… well…” Her words faded out as she struggled to find the right ones. 

There were so many compliments that she’d have liked to tell him. How kind he was, how sweet his smile was. That the way he acted and behaved was so cool, yet he was approachable and pleasant to the people around him. How he made her laugh and understood her humor, and how attentive he was, even knowing what kind of coffee she liked to drink. But how could she put that into just one word to let him know how she felt?

“I think you’re amazing,” Raihan filled the quietness that built quickly while Silena fidgeted for words. This time, he avoided her eyes as she looked up, warmth spreading on her cheeks from the surprise. “You’re lovely, and you look out for Pokémon and your home. Even when you are so far away from it, you always carry it with you and think about ways to improve it. I don’t think anyone ever made me laugh as much as you did today, you always have a clever reply, and conversing with you feels like you are returning my thoughts to me - but ten times better!”

Taking a short breather, Raihan looked down at their hands. He couldn’t help but laugh out quietly, as he felt the hints of embarrassment creep up on him, before he shook his head, knowing he spoke only the truth. This time, it was him who closed up more of the distance, embracing some of her fingers with his own, as if he was still asking for permission to hold her hand. “You’re down to earth, but you are a true original. Confident and strong, just like I got to know you. How I came to.... like you.”

“Oh,” Silena whispered as she listened to his words, unable to keep her pulse from racing and her lips from smiling as she looked down, returning the grip he had on her hand with her own. “I… I think I understand,” she chuckled, biting her lip shortly before continuing. “And I feel the same.”

For a moment, it got quiet between the two. Only the hold on their hands remained, a soft squeeze pulling at Silena’s attention, and she looked up at Raihan bashfully, who pointed to the sky instead with a smile on his face. Confused, she looked up, catching a small miracle as she saw a couple of shimmering shooting stars pass over the horizon, and her mouth opened in a wondrous gasp as she watched them in awe. 

“What did you wish for?” she whispered as the shooting stars slowly faded out of existence, only leaving their twinkling siblings behind that covered the whole sky. 

“That next time, I can come to visit you without trains that get delayed.” Nudging him with a playful grin, Silena chuckled, happy as she noticed he never let go of her hand. “And you?” Raihan asked, and she brought her free hand up to her lips, faking a thoughtful moment.

“Can’t tell! Or it won’t become reality!” 

“No fair!” Raihan complained jokingly, nudging her back and making her laugh in return. Catching her off-guard, Silena felt her lips being pushed back, and as she opened her eyes, she noticed Raihan’s face so close, making her lean into the kiss. Even though her heart was still raising long after it ended, Silena never managed to wipe the grin off her mouth, now knowing that these feelings of hers weren’t for naught. 

There were still many things left unsaid, but the day had smoothed the way for their relationship to grow. One night wouldn’t have been enough to let each other know about everything they still wanted to tell, and so, they merely enjoyed that they could sit together closely, even if no more words were spoken. Before her eyes closed to sleep that night, she thanked the stars quietly, Raihan by her side, his hand now holding on to hers fully while she rested in his safe embrace. 

Silena would thank them for many years to come, for making her wish come true that very same night.

[thunderbirds-are-fab]

The Mechanic

An unnecessarily long fan essay examining the character ‘The Mechanic’ from Thunderbirds are Go by thunderbirds-are-fab

Pretty much since the Mechanic was first revealed as an upcoming character to be introduced into Thunderbirds are Go, he’s been surrounded by mystery. There were a lot of wild fan theories about who he could be and if he was related to any original character in particular (He was either Brains’ brother or his father, Kyrano gone mad, and even Jeff in some weird disguise trying to traumatise his children to someone), but he has since turned out to be a completely new character and therefore had a lot of possibilities as to how he could fit into the established TAG universe.

Sadly, two seasons since his introduction we still don’t know all that much about him or his super villain origin story, and with the conclusion of Season 3 we likely never will. The writers put this guy on the back shelf, and this is why I’m writing an essay piecing together all the messy details we have regarding the character of the Mechanic. It turns out there’s quite a lot to talk about, so get comfy.

*Episode spoilers ahead if you haven’t watched Seasons 2 and 3*

The biggest tease about the Mechanic was his hinting that he knows Brains very well or even personally in Earthbreaker, but after that it’s not really brought up again. Massive wasted potential there. He made it sound like he and Brains were old rivals from long ago, but Brains doesn’t show any signs of recognising him. Brains himself never really reacts to the Mechanic’s hints that they might know each other during Earthbreaker or after, and never even tries to guess at who this masked engineer may be, which feels ridiculous.

“Hey Brains, in all your years of being one of the world’s best engineers, did you ever meet anyone in your field of expertise who was capable of making an army of robots completely on his own, looked like he could bench press MAX with one hand, and maybe seemed a little power-hungry and unhinged?”

“Nope, sorry. That sounds like it could have been anyone.”

Surely if they were both brilliant inventors working on similar stuff, they would have mutually run into each other before???

Not only does Brains not keep up his end of the ‘we-may-know-each-other’ plotline to make it believable, but after Earthbreaker the writers seem to drop it from the Mechanic’s character too. He doesn’t show the same ominous bias towards focusing on Brains again whenever he crosses paths with IR, and if anything he seems to reacts with distrust towards Brains when he first offers to help him in Home on the Range. In Brains vs Brawn Brains offers to help him again, but still acts wary of him wanting to get close. If they had known each other before then this could have been a great bonding moment for them to reconnect and win each other’s trust, but instead Brains has to use the promise of “engineer to engineer” which is as far as their personal connection seems to go in the end.

Brains also only ever calls him “the Mechanic” the same as everyone else does, and going into Season 3 this lack of a proper name becomes more of a problem for the Mechanic’s character as a whole. We finally see him without his mask in Chaos Part 2, but a face reveal is all it is. It’s not a grand finale Scooby-Doo moment of “Aha! It was old man Jenkins the janitor all along!”, and this again feels like wasted potential to me. What’s the point of having a masked villain if he’s still exactly the same person without the mask, just a little sadder?

Between being taken into GDF custody in Brains vs. Brawn and then being negotiated for release in Break Out (a 20 episode gap, which is quite a long time span in TAGverse), the GDF don’t seem to have done any background check on him whatsoever. Everyone, including Colonel Casey, still refers to him as “the Mechanic”. If even the in-world authorities couldn’t find this guy’s original identity, then it seems that the entirety of who he was before never existed, and that’s because the writers never properly wrote it. Don’t get me wrong, I adore the TAG writers and have rarely had to fault them on anything in 78 episodes, but fitting their OCs into the series for more than an episode or two is by far their biggest weakness *coughcoughwhydidn’tyouuseEOSmorecough*

His backstory was clearly set up before his introduction, but then scrapped for whatever reason. Perhaps with everything else going on in the show they simply didn’t have time for it? This I can understand, because there’s only so much time in a children’s show and action has to come first in this genre, but it opens up a lot of additional plot holes when you keep trying to build a story on top of a poorly-established character.

What I’m trying to get at here is that without ever having his personal motivations revealed, looking back on the Mechanic’s pervious actions in the story gets a lot more confusing, and makes his character development and the plot development between Season 2 and 3 more difficult to understand.

I’ll split these last points into two parts:

1.    How do we know he built the the T-Drive when he’s unidentifiable?

In Break Out it’s suddenly revealed that the Mechanic was the engineer who designed the first T-Drive engine/Zero-X prototype... But how? How do they now know that??? Surely being the engineer who came up with this fantastic revolutionary warp drive for the spaceship that allegedly killed the great Jeff Tracy would make this guy pretty famous? His former name should probably be common knowledge, and yet he’s still only ever called the Mechanic. It’s been suggested to me on anon that maybe he’s shunned his former name in favour of the Mechanic moniker, which is fine, except that’s no reason for all of the other characters never to speak his true name even when he’s not there to hear it. To us he’s still just the villain we were introduced to, never the man he was before. Without being shown how that past and him today are linked, it’s difficult for us as an audience to attach such important prior information to a character who doesn’t seem to have previously existed.

2.    Was he ever really a true villain, or was it all because of the Hood? And does his change of heart make sense?

We’re never told how the Mechanic came to be. Why did he go from brilliant engineer, to turning over to the dark side and becoming a puppet of the Hood? In Break Out he hints that the Hood manipulated his bitterness over ~something~ in order to get him to work under him, but again it’s frustratingly vague! In the beginning we assumed it was through some personal grudge with Brains, but as I’ve already gone through at length, all that backstory just got washed away. Another anon has suggested to me that his rivalry with Brains was manufactured by the Hood. He didn’t know Brains personally, but developed a grudge against him through being compared. “Brains is brilliant, but you’re a failure”... because of the Zero-X disaster? He’s clearly as good as or even better than Brains when it comes to inventing things, so he had to have had something big happen to him in order to spiral downwards as he did. The Zero-X disaster would certainly fit the bill for that, but it’s a shame to leave all that to speculation. If it were true, then would it have been so hard to fit that into the show?

Anyway, the Hood somehow fostered a hatred for IR in him that served his own motives, and so began their partnership. He’s clearly very strong, so that’s probably why the Hood needed extra control over him via cybernetics. It’s in Brains vs. Brawn that we first learn that the Mechanic is at least partially being controlled by the Hood. Since the Hood spent most of Season 2 in jail, this was maintained through a connection between his bionic eye and some kind of cybernetics that the Mechanic has (forcibly implanted by the Hood or just already there and hacked, we don’t know). Partially coerced and partially forced, but we will never really know how much of each.

The Mechanic is a lot more violent than the Hood ever is on his own. The Hood may not care much for other people or the collateral damage he causes (e.g. in Falling Skies he’s fine with abandoning the Estrella Grand hotel full of people to crash and burn if he decides that he doesn’t want it anymore), but it isn’t really his priority. For the whole of Season 3 he makes the Chaos Crew do the physical dirty work he doesn’t care for (btw I let the Chaos Crew off for not having much background story because their “we’re bad just because we enjoy being that way” motive stays fairly consistent throughout the show. They aren’t that complicated). 

In contrast, the Mechanic has frequently plowed forward with no regard for anyone’s safety. He doesn’t make sneaking around his Plan A like the Hood, and he doesn’t hit and run for fun like the Chaos Crew. He’s brutal. Earthbreaker really sets him up for being a ruthless villain because he’s so focused on getting what he wants that he’s willing to take down anyone who gets in his way. Even when Scott asks for him just to let IR work around him to rescue the civilians below, he attacks! He’s a genuinely scary and thrilling character for how relentlessly destructive he manages to be every time she shows up in Season 2. Seriously, just read his wiki page and you’ll see it’s got ‘perfect villain traits’ written all the way through it.

Then comes the redemption arc.

In Brains vs. Brawn he is subdued and chooses to trust that Brains can redeem him. In Break Out he shows remorse for his actions. He believes that he deserves to be in prison and is beyond redemption for what he’s done. He puts Kayo’s safety before his own and saves her life. He could have disappeared, but instead comes to Tracy Island of his own free will and voluntarily works with his former enemies. That’s a pretty big change from someone who was hellbent on destruction regardless of innocent people begging for their lives! It’s a pretty big ask to believe that all of that relentless anger and complete apathy towards human life was only there because the Hood was in control the whole time.

There’s something else which leads me to believe that “I was being controlled by the Hood” isn’t the watertight excuse it’s presented as. The Mechanic makes it sound like he’s totally stuck and irredeemable without the Hood’s control being removed, but prior to that happening in Buried Treasure he makes choices of his own that the Hood could’ve stopped.

Between being dumped by the Hood in Escape Proof and Brains vs. Brawn, he’s pretty much a villain under his own steam. He’s working independently on continuing Project Sentinel, which has the aim of using to destroy the Hood for having control over him. Sure, he may only be doing bad things because he’s desperate for revenge against his abuser, but he’s still willfully endangering a lot of other people in the process. The Hood may have lost interest in him during that period, but the control system was still in place that whole time - and he was resisting it! If he can manage to hide himself from the Hood and work directly against him despite that, then he still has some free will of his own.

In Chaos - Part 2 Havoc learns the Mechanic is in space prison, which is why the Hood has lost control over him. Arguably the HEX probably had a faraday cage around his prison cell to block the Hood’s influence, and it is stated that it’s harder for the Hood to influence him from space anyway. But after breaking out and coming to Tracy Island of his own free will, shouldn’t being back on earth have put him back under influence again? The only time he had to fight against the Hood’s direct control after that was when Brains disturbed the control software and alerted the Hood, who then suddenly reveals that he has a fail-safe that can wipe the Mechanic’s memories. Wow. If he could really do that, then why didn’t he do so in Escape Proof and not leave the Mechanic as the potential enemy that he turned out to be? Sure, he later says that he still has plans for the Mechanic, but you would think that during Brains vs. Brawn when he’s getting shot at by a giant lazer whilst being thrown around by IR, and the Mechanic is resisting his commands to stop, that then would have been the ideal time to use the secret factory reset ability?  

Afterthoughts aside, I’m still convinced that the Mechanic had a lot of evil in himself that wasn’t just there because of the Hood, and it’s really a wonder that the Tracys let him into heir home after how many times he tried to kill them. i really don’t blame Scott for staying suspicious, even though he was the one most obviously anxious to find a way to get his father back. 

Despite all the questions that the show failed to answer about him, I still think that the Mechanic was a good villain. Whatever his super villain origin story was supposed to be, I think it had a lot more potential to be morally complex than the origin they ended up giving the Hood. It’s a shame that writers across the board these days often don’t have the time to write villains more complex than the trope of “once upon a time somebody made me sad, so I decided to be evil to get revenge”. I know that somebody out there will be looking at this unnecessarily long post and screaming But fab, it’s just a kid’s show! Kids won’t care about tying up offscreen plotlines or any of this crap! And my answer is yes, I know that. That’s why I’m not actually mad about what the writers did with the Mechanic’s character. The writers of TAG did a great job and the show works as it is, but I can’t help but feel that they only had to push a little more or add a line or two somewhere and then all of these questions I have about the Mechanic could have been answered. A little backstory goes a long way in fleshing out a character, and Thunderbirds is a franchise with a lot of history.

[crewhonk]

... Of The Line (2)

A series collaboration with @nomadsgrogers where she writes for Giovanna as the reader! We’re just projecting onto our writing, its FINE

Series Summary: Steve watches YN Banner grow up before his eyes– from a shy, dorky sixteen-year-old to a fierce, brilliant woman who never fails to keep him on his toes. He knows that she’s untouchable, but that doesn’t stop him from being completely wrapped around her finger for the rest of his long life.

Series Warnings: Mutual Pining, age gap, gun use, these two are idiots– seriously they’re so dumb, slow burn, injuries

Pairings: eventual Steve Rogers X Banner!Reader, eventual Buky Barnes X OC!Stark

Chapter Summary: YN goes on her first mission with the gang. YN takes care of her guy who also isnt her guy. YN and Steve are both idiots who attend a party. 

Words: 4.0K

Warnings: battle, steve is an ass man, peitro is a flirt, YN and Steve are stupid, 

@nomadsgrogers version >> (” Till the End…”) Introduction / Part 1 / Part 2

“… Of The Line” >> MASTERLIST

_______________________

July, 2015

It was only a few months once Natasha, Giovanna and Steve returned that the whole team was called out for a mission. There were months of debriefs and reports and strategic meetings— all headed by Steve Rogers who seemed to have some sort of personal vendetta against the guy running the arms dealing operation. Baron Von Wolfgang Strucker (“who would name their poor child that of all things?” “YN, focus.” “Yes, Captain”) had evaded Steve for three long years and finally, he was here only a few kilometres away from their current position in South Eastern Europe. 

“Alright, team— focus up. We have one shot at this and one shot only. We can’t mess this one up because Strucker had only gotten more and more powerful over the years, and we have no idea what he would be capable of with the sceptre if he got away again. We are quick, we are precise, we leave as little damage as possible and get out with the sceptre.” Steve’s voice echoed across the small clearing where they had set up camp and YN couldn’t help but roll her eyes just a little bit at the Captain voice he was using. He was commanding them as if he wasn’t crying (bawling his god damn eyes out) to the second ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ in YN’s room only twelve hours before. 

Nothing had progressed in their relationship since the day at the hospital, much to the frustration of everyone in the Tower. Sure, they were allowing themselves to touch each other and sit just a little closer together during nights in the common room, but as soon as they got too close or the room felt too small, either Steve would pull away or Giovanna would burst through the door or an explosion would happen a few floors below, calling for YN’s attention. 

Nobody was more frustrated about this than Steve. He had tried his damned best to see other people in Washington. He had gone on dates with Lucy, and Marley, and other names that ended in a ‘y’ but he could never see anything other than YN. He could never see anything other than her brilliant green eyes and even more brilliant laugh and it killed him to know that YN was the one person he would never be able to have. 

Sam had smacked him upside the head the second Steve muttered about how she was too good for him— too young. 

“Man, you really are dumb, huh?” 

Steve had the dignity to look offended. 

“Excuse me?”

“Dude, she looks at you like you have the ability to tell her all the secrets int he whole damn world. She looks at you like Indiana Jones looked at the Talice in that tomb.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“You’re not listening to me! She likes you— like, likes you likes you and if you don’t realize that you like her just as much if not more, than she’s gonna be gone!”

It didn’t stop her though, from being in his life. She looked out for him in more ways than one and it showed. His steps were lighter, his shoulders more relaxed up until about a week ago when the American Embassy accepted his request to go on a raid overseas. 

“You’re going to get wrinkles if you frown like that for too long,” YN said, appearing suddenly beside him. He had avoided looking at her all day— the shapely, stretchy fabric of her uniform showed off the muscles she was working on. Her thighs had become thicker, shoulders more defined and her back muscles rippled every time she moved, and Steve wasn’t terribly opposed to watching her move forever. He, now 28, couldn’t look at someone who would be turning 21 in a weeks time like he wanted to eat her alive, but he would be damned if he denied that the curve of her ass didn’t make his mouth water.

“I’m going to get wrinkles anyway.” He said, wrapping his hands before pulling on his fingerless leather gloves. YN refrained from calling them entirely impractical. 

“You’re no fun to tease when the Captain’s out to play, you know.” YN smiled, bouncing on her toes with excitement. This was her first real mission and she was eager to please not only her dad and uncle but she really, truly just wanted to make Steve proud. 

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart.” He muttered and YN almost blanched at the pet name. “I’m just— I want this to be the last day I have to deal with this asshole.”

“Language.” She teased and he rolled his eyes. If anyone swore more than YN and Giovanna, it was, in fact, Steve Rogers. “And we’ll get him. We have Thor. We have Big Guy. Everything is planned. We’ll get him, I promise.” 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

__________________

“Giovanna Stark! If you don’t stop swinging me around I’ll throw up in your Louboutin heels!” YN screamed over the din of gunfire into the comms. Originally, she was going to get to the HYDRA base on the back of Steve’s motorbike, but, in light of Tony’s new birthday present to his favourite daughter the plan had ended up changing. 

“Sorry! You know I only practice with this thing when dad’s gone!” Her best friend cried out and YN swore loudly when he shins smacked a tree branch. 

Tony Stark had thought it the brilliant idea to let his wild, tornado of a daughter use her own suit. A gold and pearl suit she had made and manufactured and fit to herself, stored away until her dad gave her the green light to use. 

“YOU WHAT?” Tony roared over the comms, pulling up beside the two women and managing to glare them both down through the glowing eyes of his own suit. 

“Yeah, we meant to tell you— when you go down to Washington, me and YN practice with the suit. I’d say we’re getting pretty good, honestly.” Giovanna’s voice gave away that she was smiling under the mask. She raised her free hand and blasted a canon in the way of the jeep Natasha was driving with the rest of the team in it. 

“We’re mediocre at best and please go up another two feet because this branch will take out my KNEES!” YN squealed, raising her knees to her chest and turning to watch as her father, green and angry, smashed his way through it. 

“As much as I love this family heart to heart,” Steve’s irritated tone sounded in their ears. “Can we please focus on the task at hand. Tony, see if there’s a barrier protecting the base.”

“Yes, Captain Rogers!” Tony mocked, speeding ahead and almost immediately ricocheting off of the force field surrounding the building. “Shit!”

“Language!” Steve swore back, and YN let out a loud guffaw.

“Stevie, you know that’s my line!” YN laughed as Giovanna dropped her in the forest. Her knees and thighs were bruised, and in some choice places even cut through the Kevlar. She was almost immediately hounded by three HYDRA agents and YN’s eyes flashed a daring green before she pulled the guns from her thigh holsters and shot them all in the shoulders and knees— not killing them, but taking them out quickly and efficiently. She pressed her back to one of the larger trees to regroup and hide from the bunker that was about thirty meters away. 

“YN you should have seen what Steve just did!” Giovanna exclaimed over the comms and YN rolled her eyes at the amused noises made from other team members. 

“Why should I have seen it, Gio?” YN grunted as a bullet whizzed by her ear. She was shortly joined by Clint who loaded a bow and arrow before taking a breath and winking over at her— teasing. 

“Because he just threw his bike and took out a whole jeep with it!”

Yeah, YN wished she was there for that one. 

Clint drew the arrow, aimed and shot and both he and YN hid behind their trees, silent and tents for the explosion that never came. Clint and YN looked at each other before he drew another bow and drew it again, shrugging to YN and stepping out to fire once more. 

However, before he was able to, there was a rushing noise and Clint was thrown to the ground with a breathless grunt. 

“Clint!” YN yelled, rushing over and sliding to the ground to help him and make sure he was fine. When they both made to stand, there was a man around YN’s own age staring down at them. He had white, silver hair and eyes that matched. There was a lazy grin on his face and his shoulders were relaxed. Both of Clint’s arrows tucked into his elbow. 

“Hello, beautiful lady,” His accented voice would have made her blush in any other situation. In a flash, his finger was crooked under her chin and she glared into his white eyes. His gaze flicked from her own eyes to her lips twice before he turned to Clint, his arrow pointed directly at the space between the mans eyebrows. 

“You guys didn’t see that coming?” And then he vanished into seemingly thin air. 

“What the fuck, Steve! We have an enhanced! Male— possibly teleportation?” YN rushed into her comm as she helped Clint to his feet. She dropped his arm in fright when the enhanced appeared over her shoulder, breath tickling her neck and he spoke. 

“Speed actually.” He corrected before running off again. 

“Okay, fine. He’s fast. Really fast you won’t see him coming.” YN bent over quickly to scoop up some snow and press to her burning cheeks much to the amusement of Clint, who had just begun to stand. 

“Understood,” Steve replied. “You okay?” 

“Good. Just a little blindsided is all.” YN huffed when Clint snorted. “You okay?”

“I’m good.” He said back, voice warm and soft. 

“As much as I love this whole romance story developing here, we still have a couple of issues to be dealing with!” Natasha said, running towards YN and Clint over the knoll behind them. There was only a moment of distraction. Only a moment of distraction while a Chitauri HYDRA weapon took out the entire left side of Clint’s torso. 

“Clint’s down!” YN and Natasha cried in unison, both rushing to his side to pull him into some bushes for cover. YN went to work quickly, pulling the small bottle of 99% alcohol from one of her pockets on her belt and pouring it over the smoking flesh. A shower of bullets rained over the trees just barely guarding the three made them all dive to cover a fading Barton. 

“Can someone take care of that bunker, please?” Natasha hissed, and almost immediately there was a dash of green and the bunker was set on fire. Hulk took a large gun from the flames and tore it in two, getting distracted quickly by the sounds of Thor’s lightning. 

“Thanks, Papa!” YN cheered, still working on Clint’s side to stop the bleeding. She stabbed him in the neck with a shot of morphine and almost immediately, his groans and cries of pain subsided to small, hoarse whimpers. 

“Starks!” Steve grunted over the crashing sound of metal on metal. “Get inside!”

“We’re on it!”

There was a rush of Natasha informing the team that Clint was hit pretty bad, and YN looked down at her work— the white of the gauze she had on hand already turning an ugly crimson red. It wasn’t long until Thor appeared with the sound of thunder following him. YN smiled up at him gratefully and he winked, tousling her hair and leaving her a few choice words before scooping Natasha and Clint into his arms. 

“Find your father,” His voice rumbled. “Get him to the jet when you can.” Before he jumped off the ground. 

Finding her dad wasn’t hard. It was simply a means of following the sounds of groans and crashing and the trail of broken trees snapped clean in half. She found him later, in a clearing, stomping around and throwing heavy chunks of metal as far as he could. She watched him, folded clothes in her lap as she crouched on the ground and waited for Big Guy to see her on his own. Calling attention to herself would only make him lash out, and she knew the last thing her father would want would be to show that side of him to his baby girl. 

His fiery green eyes landed on her soon enough, and Hulk suddenly looked horrendously nervous and scared. 

“Hey, Dad,” YN spoke to her father, knowing that if she did, both Bruce and Hulk would see that is what she needed from them.

 “Time to head out. Clint’s been hit pretty bad and we need to get home so we can get him back on his feet for Saturday. Cho’s gonna try out that machine we’ve been working on, and I think it would be really cool if you were there to see our little baby working for the first time.” YN continued, walking slowly towards the Hulk who seemed to be entranced by her voice. It only took her to get a foot away from him and a simple touch on his arm for his muscles to begin shifting and his bones cracking. YN, wincing at every sound, placed her dads' clothes on a nearby bench and jogged away, not only to give him his privacy as he got dressed but also to get away from the noises of pain that too often haunted her worst dreams. 

____________________

YN stood up from her place at her dads' side on the jet, cradling his face briefly and smiling back at him before walking over to the table where a now unconscious Barton lay. Steve was replacing the IV while YN joined him, raising the shock blanket to see that the new bandages on his waist were now only a light pink instead of a dark red. 

“You okay?” Steve’s voice rumbled from across the gurney and YN looked up. It only took her a moment for her gaze to focus on him and she nodded with a small, very forced smile. 

“Just worried about dad is all. Nothing big.” She replied, voice weak and tired. “Are missions always this intense?” She squinted up at him and he only chuckled nodding for her to follow him to a bench of chairs. 

“No, they’re usually boring intel missions. This was one of the big ones which is why we needed everyone. I would have liked to warm you up, personally.” Steve said, turning and sitting on one of the seats. YN took a seat one space over regretfully— all she wanted at this point of the day was to curl up into his side and sleep for a concerning amount of time. The words he spoke took a few seconds to process and when they did, they immediately went to places her father would be shocked existed. 

I wouldn’t mind you personally warming me up, either.

“You’re bleeding,” she noticed, and he was. There was a deep cut over his eyebrow and she moved to wipe the blood slowly dripping into his eye. She stood quickly, grabbing a few Q-Tips, a butterfly bandage and antiseptic before returning, setting everything on the bench beside where Steve sat. 

“YN, Sweetheart. It’ll heal by the time we’re—“

“Home, I know. I just— let me do this, please.” She looked into his eyes and watched them move over her face. He noticed the red swelling under her eyes and the downturn of her lips and the crease between her brows. YN was always a nurturing person— everyone knew this— it wasn’t until this second that he realized she cared about other people to make herself feel saner. 

He clenched his jaw and nodded, refraining from gasping when one of her hands came to cradle his face gently. Her thumb brushed over the skin of his cheekbone and he let his eyelids flutter momentarily, leaning only slightly into her touch. If YN wasn’t so nervous at their sudden proximity, she would have noticed (like Giovanna and Natasha did) that it looked like Steve was about to damn well start purring. 

Steve was right— the cut had mostly healed up by the time she even cleaned all the blood from his face. It was only about the length of her pinky nail, only as deep as the white tip of that nail, but YN still made sure to clean it properly and bandage it even more so. She pressed the small band-aid to the skin thumb brushing just barely over it before trailing her hand down his face and resting on the side of his neck. The two hadn’t even realized that his hand had come to rest on her waist, pulling her barely closer. 

“All done, Cap.” Her voice was weak, and he blinked his way out of the YN spell he had just been put under.

“Thank-you, Sweetheart.” His voice was low, barely above a whisper as the jet touched down and she stepped away. The rest of the team turned to look anywhere but them when she did so, and she met Giovanna and Natasha at the door to the tower. Both women were waiting, cheeky, smug smiles on their faces at YN’s own dreamy, blushing expression. 

“Not a word.”

“But—“

“Not. A word.”

_______________________

The tower was full of people neither Giovanna nor YN knew by the time the clock struck nine. Since Giovanna was only born nine days before YN had been, both girls decided it would be the most fun (and easiest for everyone) to have a joint birthday party every year. This year was particularly exciting, as Thor Odinson happened to be in the realm, his booming laughter and mead flowed, making everyone over the moon with happiness and excitement.

Steve cradled the beer bottle in his hand gingerly as Sam walked with him up the steps to the second sub-floor of the public common room. The beer had, of course, been spiked with the Asgardian liquor, and Steve could feel it already working in the tingles of his fingertips and toes and lips. He, however, was restless as he told a story absently to Sam, who seemed to pick up the reason why his best pal seemed so distracted at the moment. 

YN was nowhere to be seen. 

“Sounds like a hell of a fight, sorry I missed it” Sam responded to Steve’s story about the mission that had taken place only hours before. It had turned out to be majorly successful. Strucker was behind bars and the Sceptre was in the labs upstairs, to be returned to Asgard the following morning when Thor was set to leave. 

“If I knew it was gonna be a firefight, I absolutely would have called,” Steve replied, beginning to join Sam, leaning against the balcony railing overlooking the party. 

“No, No, I’m not actually sorry. I was tryna sound tough, you know? I’m very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons' case. Besides, from what I read of the report, you and a certain radioactive little lady were perfectly capable of handling it yourselves.” Sam smirked in satisfaction as Steve looked frustrated at the news of Bucky still being a cold lead paired with the flustered-ness of the mention of YN’s name. 

“We didn’t even fight together. It was her first mission and she did—“ Steve cut himself off, then, the breath having suddenly disappeared from his lungs. Natasha, Giovanna and YN had walked into the room together. Natasha, in a classic black and white dress, sky high heels to match, Giovanna in some dark, colourful designer dress with wide shoulder pads and YN in the prettiest dress Steve had ever seen since the 40s. 

It wasn’t much, a simple off the shoulder black dress with sleeves that ended just below her elbows. The dress had a skirt that flared prettily over her hips and thighs, ending just above her still-bruised knees and shins. The heels made her the tallest girl in the trio, and the margarita in her hand seemed to be one of the only things keeping her in the too-full room. She, bruises and all, was probably the prettiest thing he had seen in at least 80 years. his mouth watered at the sight of her revealed skin, fingertips itching to ghost over it and make her shiver just for him. 

“Steve?

“What?”

“I was asking you something. You okay, man?” Sam asked, worried that the sound of the three hundred people in the area was beginning to overwhelm him. Sam only needed to follow his sight line to see what was truly distracting him.

“Oh, okay.” Sam smirked, bumping his shoulder into Steve’s. “Guess the guests of honour have finally arrived, then.”

“Who?” Steve whipped his head to look sharply at Sam. His eyebrow was raised already, smug smirk over his face as he leaned over the railing. When Steve still looked dazed and confused, Sam jut his chin YN’s general direction just as she let out a loud laugh that carried across the room and settled in Steve’s bones. “YN? No. I— she’s not— I’m not— we’re not—“

“Okay, then.”

_________

“You’re distracted,” Giovanna said about an hour later. Her best friend had been quiet all night and not for the simple reason of exhaustion. The pair had been all day in the lab, working with their dads to try to crack and reprogram the alien technology they only had for a few more hours. Usually, with their four heightened IQ’s and a few hours, the four would be able to solve any issue easily with time to spare. This, however, was something entirely new and entirely frustrating. 

“I’m drunk,” YN mumbled over the rim of her glass, taking a sip and wincing at the sting of the mead Thor had teasingly slipped in her drink in passing. Giovanna scoffed and motioned for the bartender to bring her another drink. 

“No, you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.”

“What’s going on, then?”

“It’s nothing, honestly—“

“It’s something and I’m going to annoy you until you tell me,” Giovanna promised with a petty smile and YN knew her words were true— it happened more often than she liked to admit. 

“Fine! Okay— I’m a powerful Avenger with one of the best brains in the world. I’m twenty-one in four days and I’m a virgin and Steve Rogers is drunk wearing a shirt that looks like it's going to rip off at any second.” She almost growled in frustration, sucking in a breath when Steve bent over to take another shot at the pool game he was playing with Sam— the man from the hospital. He had sunk the eight ball and threw his arms in the air and the muscles in his back flexed with the motion. She practically whimpered when he let out a triumphant yell, deep voice resounding over the room.

“Have you had wine yet tonight?” Giovanna asked after making a noise similar to when she was thinking about a lab issue.

“No, I’ve been having beer why?”

“Hmm. You’re hornier than usual.”

“No, I’m not— just at an all-time high of sexual frustration. That rabbit you got me last year is doing nothing for me anymore.” YN grumbled, forcing herself to turn away from Steve who was now heckling Sam playfully. 

“You know, Tristan from Tech has the biggest crush on you. I’m sure he’d say yes in a heartbeat if you asked.” Giovanna tried, only becoming frustrated with the way YN shook her head again. 

“You and I both know that that won’t be happening.”

“A girl can try to get her best friend laid.”

“A girl can make Captain America fall in love with her best friend.” YN retorted, throwing Giovanna a quick apology at her rudeness. Giovanna waved her hand as if to swat the apology away. If anyone knew the emotional roller coaster fo sexual frustration it was her— at least she knew what she was missing out on. Poor YN was completely and entirely clueless— in more ways than one.

________________

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[rosykims]

oc interview // ashara lavellan

i was tagged a couple days ago by @vaughn-the-bandit-king thanks so much and consider yourself retagged if u want! this took me a while to write in a way i was happy w but i had a lot of fun with it!!

tagging: @falkreathh @trvelyans @drthamen @ciriofcintras @blckwall and anyone else who wants to, please tag me so i can read!

~

1. What is your name?

“If you must refer to me at all, Inquisitor will do just fine.”

She pauses, and seems to begrudgingly consider something for a moment. She then sighs.

“Apologies. My name is Ashara. Ashara Dhavise of clan Lavellan.”

2. Do you know why are you named that?

“Dhavise, roughly translated, means ‘kissed by fire'. A name my immediate family chose, due to a shared affinity for fire magic. As for my first name, Ashara typically means ‘woman on a journey'. Perhaps my parents had some insight that we all lacked.”

She smiles mirthlessly.

“A pity we can't ask them.”

3. Are you single or taken?

She blinks for a moment, before clearing her throat quietly.

“Next question.”

4. Have any abilities or powers?

“Are you inquiring about my abilities, or the Anchor’s?”

She observes her right hand absently.

“I am a mage – fire elementalist, simple as that. As for the Anchor – well. From what I've discovered, actively it’s only able to close and open rifts. It's also slightly enhanced my skills in spirit magic and my sub conscious connection to the Fade, but I'm not able to perform miracles, if that's what you're asking.”

5. Stop being a Mary Sue.

She stares.

“Am I supposed to know what that is?”

6. What’s your eye color?

“Blue.”

7. How about your hair color?

She sighs. “Black.”

8. Have any family members?

She tenses ever so slightly, but clenches her jaw and recovers smoothly.

“Define ‘having'. Actually, don't. Next question.”

9. Oh? How about pets?

“Animals seem utterly uninterested in me for the most part, so no, I don't. My clan kept halla in the Free Marches, though, if that counts.”

10. That’s cool, I guess. Now tell me something you don’t like?

“This conversation?”

Somewhere out of view, Josephine clears her throat, and Ashara sighs.

“I dislike wilful ignorance – people who have the capacity to know better but chose not to. And I detest liars. Believe what you will about me, but I don't lie. Next question.”

11. Do you have any activities/hobbies that you like to do?

She smiles. Small, but genuine this time.

“My magic has always been my greatest passion. Mine, and any other form of the arcane. I find it fascinating, that we Mages carry something greater and older than we are. Perhaps that's also the reason I have such a fondness for ancient Elven history. Of course, being Dalish, I care about the preservation of my culture – but I also just . . . I don't know. I want the truth, ugly or not. I want to know, so that my people can grow, and learn from the mistakes of our ancestors. I believe that -"

She seems to catch herself and falters. She bites her lip and squares her shoulders, instantly slipping back into her calm, cool demeanour.

“I also enjoy journaling, and ice skating, on occasion.”

12. Have you ever hurt anyone in any way before?

She scoffs. “Have you met me?”

13. Ever… killed anyone before?

Her good humour fades as a shadow crosses her face. She nods solemnly.

“Far too many to count. Directly, and indirectly too. I do what I can to plan ahead, to minimize the risks, to save those who are capable of being saved. It's not always enough, though, try as we might. All we can do is reflect, learn from our mistakes, and promise to do better in the names of the people we've lost.”

14. What kind of animal are you?

“I'm not an animal. Next question.”

15. Name your worst habits?

“I am . . . quite inept when it comes to talking to people. I believe I can come across as a bit . . . bristly. I also have a bad habit of reading in poor lighting – and I've been told I crack my fingers far too much as well. Go figure.”

16. Do you look up to anyone at all?

“I have a great deal of respect for Montsimmard’s First Enchanter, Madam De Fer. She is an exceptional mentor, and a brilliant Mage. I believe I could learn a great deal from her, in time.”

She opens her mouth to add something, then pauses, her cheeks beginning to redden.

“I . . . our resident Fade expert, Solas, is rather adept, as well. He is a unique man, intelligent and insightful. We share a mutual interest in the unknown, and I have found his presence to be . . . refreshing.”

17. Are you gay, straight or bisexual?

“I don't see how this is even remotely relevant to my work as Inquisitor. Next question.”

18. Do you go to school?

“No, unfortunately, though as a child I often daydreamed of attending the University of Orlais. Perhaps I will, one day. That is, if they decide to begin enrolling Elven students.”

19. Ever want to marry and have kids one day?

“Marriage is a Shemlen concept, not usually practiced by the Dalish. Regardless, marriage and domesticity has never held my interest, so I don't see that happening in my future, no. “

She considers for a moment, before adding,

“I would quite like to have a child, however. One day, maybe.”

20. Do you have any fangirls/fanboys?

She laughs. “Josie, do you think Cullen counts?”

21. What are you most afraid of?

“I . . . don’t like despair demons. Next question.”

22. What do you usually wear?

“I do believe that appearances matter, and what you chose to wear is a reflection of the person you are. For that reason, I try to stick with apparel that conveys strength, and power. At best, it will inspire the people who depend on the Inquisitor, but if nothing else, at least it will intimidate the shem nobles.”

23. What’s one food that tempts you?

“My Keeper used to prepare a special desert made from wild berries and a touch of elfroot, I think. She never gave up the recipe, but it was always a favourite within our clan. I cant tell you how many arguments we all had about who was more deserving of seconds.”

24. Am I annoying to you?

She rolls her eyes. “If you have to ask . . .?”

25. Well, it’s still not over!

“Fenehdis.”

26. What class are you (low/middle/high)?

She ponders for a moment. “An interesting question. I suppose high, given my status as Inquisitor. The benefits are given to me due to my title, however, so I suppose without it I would be lower class.”

27. How many friends do you have?

“Half of Skyhold considers themselves my friend, so I suppose you ought to ask them.”

28. What are your thoughts on pie?

Ashara groans and brings a hand up to soothe her temples. Under her breath, she mutters, “I can't believe I cancelled my morning with Solas for this.”

29. Favorite drink?

Dejectedly, “Red wine.”

30. What’s your favorite place?

“Orlais.”

31. Are you interested in anyone?

Again, she blinks, taken off guard once more. “I . . . once again, I don't see how that's relevant. I'm interested in Corypheus, and the Venatori, and all the surviving members of the Red Templars. Until those matters are resolved, the Inquisition is my top priority.

32. That was a stupid question…

“Just that one?”

33. Would you rather swim in a lake or the ocean?

“Creators . . . a lake? I've never swam in the ocean.”

34. What’s your type?

She sighs in defeat. “Although it isn't at all on topic . . . I admire intelligence above anything else. Someone who is self aware and recognises their flaws, but continues to learn and improve despite them. Respect is a must, and independence, too. I appreciate creativity, and level headedness, and I suppose just someone I can enjoy an amicable silence with. I would go on, but I'm sure I've said plenty.”

There is an absent smile just teasing the corners of her lips.

35. Any fetishes?

Her smile twists into a furious scowl.

“By the Dread Wolf, is that a joke?”

36. Camping or outdoors?

She gets out of her chair, brushing lint off her coat and avoiding eyecontact.

“This interview is over. Get out.”

[sagechan]

Darksword - Part II

Title: Darksword - A Kagehina Fantasy

Pairing: Kagehina, Kageyama Tobio x Hinata Shouyou

Characters: Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou (as of this part)

Rating: General Audience (subject to change)

Word Count: 4,823

Tags: Magic, Fantasy AU, Tales from Earthsea AU, Wizards, Fighting, Some Violence, Minor OCs, Minor Original Character Death, (sorry, it’s gonna happen), Wizard Hinata, Prince Kageyama

Summary: In a land of magic and kings, one wizard finds his Prince…

                                                               Hills

Once I set the sea alight

With a single fiery breath.

Once I was so mighty

They would fall and call me Death.

Sing out loud, oh lonely sailor,

Songs of melancholy bliss;

For the mighty and the middling

All shall come to this.

—from The Sailor and the Dragon

“Assassins! I just can’t believe it! Your Highness, you’re sure you are not hurt?”

Kageyama stared ahead, his eyes scanning the road to Nibo. The inn was long behind them, the assassin left tied up for the innkeeper to handle. The sun was high in the sky, the morning well on its way to midday. Old Hoarfrost had been going on about the attack all morning, pestering Kageyama and Hinata for details. Hinata seemed ready to wait for Kageyama to speak, as he mainly stayed silent. But Kageyama would not speak first. He didn’t want to admit that he was shaken. If he began to speak of it…he might not be able to contain his fear.

“I assure you, Hoarfrost, everything is fine,” Hinata finally chirped. Kageyama winced. For all his silence, when he did speak, Hinata’s voice was unnaturally cheery for such a gloomy start to their journey to Nibo. “His Highness did a wonderful job of holding off his attacker until I heard what was going on. All I really did was whack the villain from behind.” He grinned at Kageyama. “Right, Your Highness?”

There was something in the apprentice’s voice when he said “Your Highness” that made Kageyama want to throttle him. He claimed he did not wish to mock Kageyama, yet why did that seem exactly what he was doing? And why wouldn’t he tell Hoarfrost about what really happened?

—a brilliant glow, Hinata standing over the body of the assassin, wings of light spread behind him. He turned to look at Kageyama. He was smiling. “That was a close one, eh, Your Highness?”—

Kageyama stopped abruptly. Hinata nearly walked into him. “I have to relieve myself,” he announced. He glared down at Hinata. “You will accompany me. As my…guardian.”

Hinata bowed his head. “Yes, Your Highness.”

“Now, Young Lord,” the Way-weatherer said patiently. “This is why I told you to go before we left, back at the inn—”

“Come on,” Kageyama huffed, and he grabbed Hinata’s arm, heading off the road into the bushes a stone’s throw before stopping. They were out of earshot from Hoarfrost. He released Hinata’s arm and spun to face him. The apprentice looked up at him expectantly. Damn your eyes, Kageyama wanted to shout. Is there anything you don’t already see!

“Why aren’t you telling the weatherer what happened?” Kageyama demanded.

Hinata looked around. “Are you not relieving yourself, Your Highness?”

Kageyama ignored him. “There’s something up, isn’t there, some kind of trick. Is it a spell? Did the gatekeeper put it on me?”

“If you don’t go now, Your Highness, you’ll have a serious stomachache.”

“Who sent that assassin? How did you know he was out there? He barely made any noise. You never heard us! Why are you lying to Hoarfrost?”

“There’s a nice wide tree there if you want, Your Highness.”

“Stop calling me that,” Kageyama nearly screamed. He clamped his mouth shut, embarrassed at his own outburst. Hinata’s eyes widened—finally, he looked surprised—and he bowed his head.

“I apologize, then. I’m getting mixed signals. What do you want me to call you?”

Kageyama’s eye twitched. “What?”

Hinata looked up. He walked over to the tree he’d pointed to and leaned against it, resting his staff across his chest. “If not ‘Majesty,’ and if not ‘Highness,’ then what do I call you?”

“No, that’s not—” Kageyama waved his hands in the air. “You’re supposed to call me Highness, but you’re saying it wrong.”

Hinata’s eyes flashed. Kageyama realized it was very dark under the cover of these trees, and it looked like Hinata’s eyes were glowing, like a wood-panther before it struck its prey. “And tell me, Prince. How does a wizard say something wrong? You know, of course, that my very nature is to say things truly.”

Kageyama moved closer to him. His eyes were so bright. “But you’re saying it wrong,” he said again, his voice softer. “Like it’s a bad taste in your mouth.”

Hinata looked up at him. They were very close, under the tree, hidden in the shade from the morning sun. “Can I tell you a secret, then?” His voice was softer, too.

“Yes,” Kageyama whispered. Why did he feel so hot? Why was he whispering as if they were the only people in the world, and to speak louder might wake the oceans and skies?

Hinata leaned forward. “I only say it the way you did when you told me to call you ‘Highness.’ Like a bad taste in the mouth.”

They were silent for a moment. Around them, leaves fell from the tree, its branches extending around them like a crown, or wings. Something burned inside Kageyama, and he glared at the wizard apprentice. “You are as dumb as an ass,” he said witheringly, an old insult from Kitaga.

Hinata didn’t miss a beat. “But I look twice as good, don’t I?”

Kageyama started. Overhead, a squirrel leapt from one branch to another, but neither he nor Hinata moved. They kept staring at each other.

Then Hinata’s mouth trembled. Kageyama felt himself waver. The burning thing inside him roared, and it flooded his body with warmth. Hinata’s mouth trembled again, and suddenly his face broke into a grin. He chuckled, caught himself, then burst out laughing. Kageyama tried to hold his composure, but Hinata’s explosive laughter was too close, too warm and bright, too contagious. Suddenly, he cracked, and he was laughing, and the woods rang out with the peals of their joy. The squirrel above was spooked, and it leapt away, chittering at them angrily.

Kageyama wiped his eyes, still chuckling. “Looks twice as good,” he muttered. “Who even says that?”

“Apparently,” Hinata wheezed, doubled over and clutching his sides. “A dumb ass.”

They burst out laughing again.

Once they caught their breath and were standing upright again, Kageyama looked at the wizard apprentice, truly, as if for the first time. He was young, but certainly he had to be Kageyama’s age. His red hair caught the sun like fire, and today it was wild and bushy, without a hat to keep it pinned in place. Hinata fiddled with the braid at his temple while Kageyama studied him, expectantly patient as the Prince gathered his thoughts. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, and Kageyama got the impression Hinata was used to silence, which seemed bizarre given how, apparently, he liked to talk.

“I didn’t thank you for last night,” Kageyama said.

“Hm?” Hinata held a hand to his ear. “What was that? Sorry, there’s a bit of dust in my ear from sleeping next to old Hoarfrost all the rest of last night to keep you company.”

Kageyama hid his smile by turning away. “Dumb ass,” he said again. “I said… Thank you.” He turned and looked down at the wizard apprentice. “Thank you…Hinata.”

Hinata looked surprised. Twice in one day. Kageyama counted that as a small victory.

Then Hinata bowed. “I am at your service, Your Highness.” And when he spoke, it was with the utmost sincerity. There was no distaste in his voice. And yet…

It still sounded wrong.

“Kageyama.”

Hinata looked up.

“Kageyama,” the Prince said again. He held out his hand. “Please, my name is Kageyama.”

Hinata looked at the hand Kageyama offered, then back at his face. He smiled. Then he bowed again, lower, holding out his staff to the side. “You honor me, my lord,” he said quietly. And then, without taking Kageyama’s hand, he walked past him, and began to climb back up the hill towards the road. “Come,” he said. “We should get back to the weatherer. He’ll start to worry even the bathroom is not safe.” And then he was gone.

Kageyama stayed where he was, hand extended, heart growing cold. What had he done wrong? Did he have the wrong impression about the apprentice? He’d thought…

His hand closed. He held it to his chest.

He’d thought wrong.

                                                               ∫ ∫ ∫

Hinata clambered out of the woods, pushing aside ferns and branches with his staff. He listened to the whisper of grass against his traveling cloak hanging loose from his shoulders. His hat, tucked into his belt, snagged on a bush, and he tugged it away. A swarm of flies gathered near his face, but he waved his hand once and they drifted off. He stumbled out onto the road, and shook himself free of any barbs and thistles.

Kageyama.

Hinata shook his head, sighing. The Prince was too trusting. Even if it wasn’t his true name, he should not give it up so easily, especially to wizards. For now, “Highness” would have to do.

My name is Kageyama.

Hinata found his mouth forming the sounds of the Prince’s name, but he dared not speak them aloud, like a trout gaping on a dry dock he stayed quiet, floundering in silence around the syllables. He wished to speak them, say to the Prince “Kageyama,” and call him a companion, but they could never be equals. Kageyama was a Prince who thought Hinata was only an apprentice. He’d play the part for now, remain humble in front of the Prince, but oh, how he wished to stand by Kageyama’s side, look him in the face like an equal, and call him friend.

“Hoarfrost,” Hinata called, looking up and down the road. Where had the old weather-mage gone? “Weatherer, we must make way! The road to Nibo is still long! His Highness is done his business in the woods, and I have much of my own in the city.”

The road was quiet. Hinata didn’t like the stillness. There should have been birds chirping, insects buzzing. Instead, he felt the ominous stillness of death. He raised his staff. “Come out from the shadows,” he spoke into the silence.

On the other side of the road, a figure stepped out from the trees, sword held in hand. He was hooded like the assassin from the inn, but definitely a different man, definitely bigger. He tossed his sword from hand to hand easily, like a toy. “You are not the one I seek,” the assassin said in a deep voice. “Where is the Prince?”

“Relieving himself in the trees, I believe,” Hinata said. He stamped his staff down on the road in front of him. “But before you visit the Prince, may I ask what your business is with His Highness?”

“I’ve come to collect,” the man said, laughing under his hood. “Been waiting for my partner since last night, and who do I see strollin’ down the road but our target, unharmed and well. So I says to myself, something’s amiss. My partner’s not been known to fail yet, so I figures there’s a wizard traveling with the Prince.” He laughed again. “Good thing the wizard was nothing but an old cod with barely the sense to hear me blade coming for his back. Now, out of the way, knave, so I can greet your little Prince.”

Hinata bristled. Hoarfrost. What happened to him? He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He needed to focus on the enemy in front of him first. “Why are you hunting the Prince?” he said, ignoring the “knave” comment. Better if the man didn’t know his true nature.

“Told you,” the assassin said, raising his sword. “To collect.” He lunged forward, the blade slicing through the air like a snake striking a mouse. Hinata jumped away, swinging his staff in a wide arc with a yell. The ground at the man’s feet turned to quicksand. He shouted in surprise, beginning to sink at once. But he grabbed a low hanging branch from the trees near the road and yanked himself free. He dropped on the other side of the sinkhole and pulled some throwing stars from his belt. “Another sorcerer,” he snarled. He threw the stars, with deadly accuracy he hurled them across the road, aimed directly for Hinata’s head and waist.

Hinata spoke a word, loud as lightning in the summer heat. There was a splintering crack, and the throwing stars split in half, whirling safely around his body to embed themselves in the bushes and trees behind him. The assassin stared at him from under his hood, stunned. Then there was a crunching thud. The man groaned, sank to his knees, and collapsed to the road.

Behind him stood Kageyama, the scabbard of his sword raised over his head. He stared at Hinata from across the road, panting hard. His face was pale and terror-stricken.

“Now,” he said, lowering his sword. “We’re even.”

                                                               ∫ ∫ ∫

While Kageyama searched the unconscious assassin, Hinata prayed.

Kageyama watched the apprentice kneeling by the spot of the road which had somehow turned into quicksand. Mage-work, Kageyama thought solemnly. Hinata was silent, eyes closed, head bowed, but his fingers trailed through the sand, weaving nimbly through the fine grains. Eventually, when Hinata patted it gently with his hand, the ground was firm earth again, and the road was healed. Kageyama pulled some more throwing stars from the assassin’s belt, and tucking them away in his knapsack, he turned to Hinata. “Why bother? It’s just a little sinkhole. It’s not even on the main part of the road. No one will ever step near it.”

Hinata finally opened his eyes, and Kageyama shivered. The irises had grown dark, as if a shadow filled them. Then the apprentice blinked, he focused on Kageyama, and his eyes cleared, turning bright again. “To keep the balance,” was all Hinata said, and he smiled. But it was a small smile, and sad, and Kageyama’s chest tightened. He glanced behind him.

They had found Hoarfrost.

“What should we do?” Kageyama asked, and in that moment, he felt very small.

“What are the customs where you are from?” Hinata asked, rising. He picked up his staff and went over to kneel again, this time by Hoarfrost’s body.

“In Kitaga, we return our dead to the hills of our fathers,” Kageyama whispered, and in his head he heard them. The drums.

“We have no hills here in Nibomeh,” Hinata said. He lowered his face to the old man’s dirty head, and brushing aside his gray hairs, kissed the weatherer’s forehead. “Thank you, Chugaku,” he said, the man’s true name, and the wind picked up and howled through the trees, and the air around them grew cold, and the road was covered with a thin layer of frost. Hinata smiled down at the lifeless body. “One last reminder of your namesake. Thank you, old weatherer. Go now, to the lands of rest.” He stood, gripping his staff. “We will make a hill, Your Highness, and bury him there.”

Kageyama looked up at him. “What? We can’t…we—we don’t have—”

Hinata was staring off into the woods. The wind played at his cloak, and rustled through his fiery hair. “Will you not honor your friend and protector? His life was taken on account of yours. You must make sure it was worth it.”

Kageyama snarled. He leapt to his feet, holding out his sheathed sword. “How dare you, wizard—”

“So you want my death?”

Kageyama froze. Hinata still did not look at him, only calmly watched the forest, seeing something perhaps Kageyama could never see. “Is that what you told the assassin last night? Were you that ready to give it to him?” He looked down at Hoarfrost’s body. “I think old Hoarfrost wanted to keep living, just a little longer. To see the white palaces and gleaming towers of Nibo, to walk the streets of his dreams. Now he never will.” Finally, he raised his eyes to Kageyama. “Is life that meaningless to you, Your Highness, that you would throw it away?”

Kageyama couldn’t move. It was as if he’d been pinned in place. What was this? Magic? No, he knew that feeling. Hinata used no spell on him. Yet his body wouldn’t move. His arms felt heavy. His chest was cold.

This was fear.

Hinata lowered his eyes again, and Kageyama could move. He took a shuddering breath and backed away from the apprentice and Hoarfrost. “I cannot be here now,” he mumbled, or at least he thought he said it aloud. He turned and ran down the road as fast as he could, and Hinata didn’t call after him.

                                                               ∫ ∫ ∫

Kageyama stopped by a stream. It ran near the side of the road, bubbling its tune over the stones and leaves. Kageyama gathered his breath, and he stared out into the woods, the tall trees and lush greenery. He didn’t know how far he’d run, but it didn’t feel enough. He still felt too close to the—to the death waiting for him back with Hinata and the—

Kageyama retched.

When he was done, he wiped his mouth, sobbing into his hands. The sunlight was warm on his head, and a cool breeze helped him feel clean after being sick in the road, but still he felt miserable. Chills ran through his body, and he collapsed to his knees, shaking.

“Oi, boy, what are your tears for?”

Kageyama scrambled to his feet at once, wiping his eyes. He looked around him. In the stream, a man stood to his ankles in the water, trousers rolled up. He was big and muscular, with a bone-white scar on his left cheek and dark, close-cropped hair. His upper body was naked. He was washing his shirt in the water, looking up at Kageyama on the road. How had Kageyama not noticed him?

Then he saw the whitewood staff leaning on a tree by the bank of the stream, and he shivered.

A wizard.

“My tears are for me,” Kageyama said, sniffling. He rubbed his sleeve under his nose. “They aren’t for you to ask of, wizard.” He tried his best to sound imperiously aloof.

The man smiled. “Ay, young master, that is true. But I see a poor boy crying alone in the woods, and I can’t help but think some harm has come to him.” He shook out the shirt. “I worry is all, young master.”

Kageyama seethed. Poor boy? “I am not some lost wretch,” he said sternly. “I am the Ninth Prince of Kitaga. And I don’t need anyone to worry about me!”

The man bowed his head. He wrung out the water from his shirt into the stream. “Course you don’t, young master. Never thought you did.” He glanced further up the road, in the direction Kageyama had left. “But I know a run when I see one, and you were running from something, for sure.” He slapped the shirt on a large rock to sun it dry. He stepped out of the stream, picking his way carefully over the bank, and sat near the rock. “You ought to go back now, young Prince of Kitaga, or you won’t be able to face the city.”

Kageyama narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, wizard?”

The man chuckled. “You call me wizard, but ask what I mean? Ay, I mean what I say, young master, and what I say is meant. I speak, and so it is done. What is done becomes speech, and what is spoken becomes real. There is no difference between you or I, or the rock here, or the water. Nor between you and the fear waiting for you back along this road. If you can’t face that, young Prince, you will never walk the streets of the Floating City. You will be caught in your own trap of doubt. Do not doubt yourself, young master. Feel the fear. Become it. Then let it drift through you like the silt in this stream. Pass, young master, pass through.”

Kageyama gulped. What was the old loon going on about?

The man stood suddenly. “Time to go,” he said cheerily. He peeled his shirt from the rock. It was completely dry, though it had only laid in the sun for a few moments. The man slipped it over his head, dragged a heavy cloak out from a bush and wrapped it around his shoulders, and took the whitewood staff in his hand. He looked up, above the trees, to the east, where the sun, now later in the morning, climbed higher into the sky. “The light rises, and magic is an art where we always look up,” the man said, and Kageyama was suddenly filled with a wave of absolute warmth and joy that rolled from the man’s very being. He felt like crying all over again, but for a different reason, a better reason: one of joy, one of hope. The wizard turned to face Kageyama, his eyes piercing, his mouth smiling. “It’s going to be a beautiful day.”

And he was gone.

Kageyama blinked. The spot by the stream was empty. The wizard had vanished.

Kageyama turned to the road. He needed to go back. He needed to set things right. First, he needed to thank the young wizard for helping him again. Then he needed to truly apologize.

And then he would bury Hoarfrost.

Kageyama glanced back at the stream. The sun glinted off the water like gold flecks. The man, whoever he was, had been right. It was going to be a beautiful day.

He turned away, and looked up the road. Magic is an art where you always look up.

Hinata, wait for me. I’m coming back.

                                                               ∫ ∫ ∫

Hinata watched the sun climb higher in the blue sky. Clouds passed between the sun and the land, and there was a pattern of shade and brightness. Hinata tried to follow the sense of the pattern, tried to feel its rhythm, but as always it eluded him. Some patterns are just too great, too beyond understanding. He settled for sitting against a tree, staff laid across his lap, eyes closed, waiting for a cloud to provide shade, and counting the seconds until it passed and the sunlight returned. In light the dark, he repeated in his head. And from darkness, light.

“Hinata!”

The wizard boy slowly opened his eyes, and he was already smiling. He watched Kageyama run down the road, panting and red-faced. His eyes seemed brighter, as if the clouds had passed from them. Hinata looked up at the sky, thanking the clouds that passed and left behind the light. He rose to meet the Prince.

Kageyama stopped before him, and suddenly the Prince seemed unsure what to say or do. He stared at Hinata, breathing heavily.

Then he bowed.

Hinata rushed forward, and he placed a hand on Kageyama’s shoulder, forcing him back up. “A Prince should not bow to a simple wizard apprentice,” he said gently.

Kageyama shook off Hinata’s hand and bowed again. “There are many things that shouldn’t be done,” Kageyama said brusquely. “And one of them is refusing to properly thank someone who defends you. Twice.”

“You’ve already thanked me, Your Highness,” Hinata said, but the Prince shook his head.

“Not in the ways of my people,” Kageyama said. “I cannot give you a feast, like the great Monarchs of Kitaga would give to their arms-brothers, but I can give you…” He rummaged through his knapsack, and pulled out some bread wrapped in paper-leaf. “This,” he said, his voice small.

Hinata took the bundle and studied it. “This is bread,” he said after a moment.

“I know it’s not anything grand like a feast or even a wood-pheasant,” Kageyama muttered, face flushed with embarrassment. “But I promise when we get to Nibo and I am granted access to my father’s coffers I will be able to afford a giant feast for—”

Hinata stepped forward and hugged Kageyama.

The Prince went stiff. Hinata kept hugging him though, smiling into his shoulder. He hadn’t realized how tall the other boy was compared to him.

Then he felt Kageyama’s arms close around him, and the Prince embraced him back.

Hinata pulled away, and he tried to ignore the burning sensation where he still felt the Prince’s arms on his back. “This is enough, Your Highness,” he said. “It is more than enough.”

“Are you just saying that to make me feel better, wizard?” Kageyama murmured.

Hinata looked up at him. The Prince really was nothing more than a big, awkward boy. How could Hinata make him see he meant what he said? Then he smiled. Of course.

“A wizard says what he means, and means what he says,” he said. “Kageyama.”

The Prince’s eyes widened. Then they grew misty, and he bowed his head. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For how I’ve acted. I’m so, so sorry.”

They stood there in the road together, a wizard holding the gift a Prince had given him. They cried together for Hoarfrost, their old companion. They laughed through their tears at how ridiculous they’d both been. The sun shone bight in the clear sky, and there were no clouds. There was no darkness.

The Prince and Hinata carried Hoarfrost’s body off the road, towards a clearing Hinata had found. Kageyama watched the wizard apprentice speak to the grassy clearing until the ground shifted and opened, and the earth yielded a new hill in the center of the clearing. Kageyama and Hinata placed Hoarfrost’s body at the leveled top of the hill, the smell of fresh earth filling the air, the clean scent of dirt and grass and sunlight warming the world.

Kageyama cried some more. Hinata sang a song of a man who sailed around the world searching for a white dragon he’d seen on the crest of the waves of his home island, only to perish on the open sea. It was a sad, slow song, one Kageyama had never heard. Then Hinata cried, and Kageyama tried singing, his voice soft and scratchy compared to Hinata’s clear tones. But still he sang, a lament he’d once learned from his father. Then they took turns singing the first dozen or so verses of the Song of Ára, which every child knew by heart. Together, they grieved their old companion into the dry lands of rest.

“I’m sorry, Hoarfrost,” Kageyama whispered, head bowed. The sun was directly above them now. The day was half gone. “I will never forget you, I swear.”

“We won’t,” Hinata assured him, stepping forward to touch the Prince’s arm. “We will remember him as the sky remembers the clouds, as the hawk remembers the mouse.” Hinata’s eyes burned bright gold, and Kageyama stared at them, tears in his own eyes, and he felt an immense surge of warmth. “We will remember him by living,” Hinata said, and Kageyama choked up again. He wiped his eyes, nodding.

“I promise, Hoarfrost,” Kageyama whispered to the hill, to the wind. “I’ll keep going for you.” He looked up to the sky, far and wide above him, endless as the world.

“I will continue to live.”

                                                               ∫ ∫ ∫

The sun was high in the sky, the land was warm, the leaves glimmered brightly in the trees. Two boys climbed one last rise in the long road to the center of the world, the city of Nibo, nestled at the heart of the small Isle Nibomeh. Below them, the boys could see all roads converging on the great city. Carts pulled by mules, filled with silks and spices from all over Ára. Merchants with their goods and wares. Caravans from rich monarchies come to ply the city with their good graces. Entire parades bearing rulers and Monarchs into the city walls. Flags and pennants from islands all across the seas rose above the palaces and towers, every royal family under the sun and the ten gods staking their claim in the Gathering, the great decision—who would be king.

Amongst all the fanfare and glory, a small boy in simple robes led another boy dressed in princely garb through the crowds of merchants and vendors hawking their wares outside the city walls. Together, the two boys waded through the caravans and parades and other royal families.

Above it all, as if a ghost, or the wind, a face watched them, smiling. And in the center of the city, in a grove of rowan trees far removed from the loud squawking and yelling of the near-constant market days, a man pulled his face away from a scrying bowl of clear water. He was smiling, the bone-white scar on his left cheek wrinkling. He had seen the caravans, the parades, the merchants. And in the center of it all, he had seen the young wizard leading the Prince.

“So,” the Archmage said. He looked up through the rowan trees to feel the sunlight on his face. “They’re here.”

                                              End of Part Two

Notes: The opening song (which is the same song Hinata sings over Hoarfrost’s hill) is based on a song from the first How To Train Your Dragon book, which is beautiful and everyone should go read (the entire series actually).

Also, it already says, but this is based on Ursula K. LeGuin’s Tales of Earthsea Cycle, another series you should definitely read if you love fantasy.

If you’re ever confused about any lore or terms I’m using (most of them I made up for this world/AU), let me know and I’ll clarify what I can!

Thanks for reading this second part. Part III coming real soon. Just gotta get through finals! Then it’s onward, to the Floating City.

Prev.

[theinvulnerabletide]

Psychology Edition Meme: 4, 8, 16 (for Whisper); 5, 14, 18 (for Oriana); 3, 23, 29 (for Az'ar); 10, 21, 25 (for Celandine)

<3 <3 <3

I love these questionsKelsey, I can already tell.

So for Whisper, my awful,horrible terrible no-good tiefling sea sorceress whom I love with every fiberin my body…

4.)How does your OC behave typically under severe stress?

Undersevere stress Whisper gets sort of wild, maybe even kind of desperate. Her mindraces, she can’t quite think properly, so she has a tendency to lash out and beeven more destructive than usual. Like, when she and Adraor switched bodies, Whisper was panicking. She lashedout at the first person who she thought had any connection to what happened,nearly shot one of her friends with a crossbow, and rushed right into a battle.Then after the woman who had causedtheir predicament had vanished, stayed up all night scribbling scenarios on barnapkins in Abyssal. She flies off the handle, basically, and it is not good for anyone involved. 

8.)What does your OC hate and appreciate on others?

Hmm.I think the things she appreciates are what she appreciates in herself, or whatshe wishes she might have: cleverness, the ability to think on the spot, theability to keep a secret. But she also does admire the ability to be emotionallyvulnerable and open, unadulterated kindness, and in a weird way, Oriana’swhole, “protector of the small” thing that she has going on.

Bythat same token, she hates the same things she hates in herself: keeping peopleat arm’s length, talking around the truth, and unwarranted cruelty (though shethinks she always has a reason for hers).

16): How openly does your OC show their emotions?

That utterly depends on which emotions and why. Whisper tends to be slightlymore calculating than she lets on; she will freely show glee, or her anger, or affection,but she keeps certain ones much closer to her chest. She tries to keep a bright,cheerful, if slightly bloodthirsty mask on and bury all her more unpleasant emotions,like sadness, etc, until she is alone enough to deal with them.

–

For Oriana, my stressed-out paladin of Wahreight and now Duchess. 

5:What calms your OC down the best under severe stress?

In the moment, she takes deep breaths and focuses on where she imagines herconnection to Wahreight is, the golden pool of power that gets refreshed everymorning when she meditates. She prays, of course, for strength and courage anda clear head, and when she is finished she often finds herself feeling better,or at least able to push off the stress enough to think.

Alsoher life recently is the most stressful it has ever been, with so many peoplearound with so many… clashing personalities. So she makes sure to get away fromthe group every so often and have time to herself: morning meditation (beforeshe starts breakfast for everyone) and shadow sparring, baths at every inn theycome across, reading and/or studying in the evenings. Girl needs a lot of alonetime cause this party can be overwhelming.

14:Where and what from does your OC seek most typically comfort from?

She’s not used to needing comfort; she’s always had a remarkable “ability” totake things as they come. When she was smaller, she sought it from thecaretakers at the temple, who, since they were priests and clerics of the god oflight (and knowledge and orphan taking in apparently), were remarkablycompassionate, and taught her to seek solace in Wahreight’s light.

So now, when she needs it, she prays. She lights a candle or goes out into thesunlight, and prays or meditates until she feels stronger—she swears she canfeel the connection with her god, even if it’s not in words, she feels hiswarmth.

18.)What aspect of your OC’s personality or essence do other people usually have aproblem with?

Orianacan be a bit… stiff. In the rules department. She’s got this whole “honorableknight of the light” thing going on and she is loathe to sway from that path ofGoodness and Right and Protecting those weaker than you. So she can be a bit ofa pain in the ass to those who prefer shadier or less direct tactics, or like,to negotiate with slavers when they are surrounded and outnumbered.

Whichisn’t to say that she couldn’t be talked around or persuaded into shadiertactics if need be, but it can be such a pain to argue with her that I’m suremost of the party (Whisper included) would rather leave her back at the innthan have her lecturing them. 

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For Az’ar, my cold, calculating, evil as fuck Shadar’kai Wizard. 

3.)Does your OC struggle with any type of addictions?

Otherthan the rush of casting magic, I don’t think she would. Az’ar is far too muchof a control freak about every single little thing in her life to allow herselfto be dependent on any type of drug, or to allow herself to get into a statewhere her judgement is impaired.I’m sure she enjoys a good glass of wine now and again, but she would neverhave more than one a night. 

23.) Does your OC have a criminal record?Well she definitely does among the Shadar Kai, where the charges are probablyMurder and Leaving the Shadowfell. Probably among the prime material? Well, there is nothing Az’ar isn’t willingto do to further her goals. She has probably stolen money, murdered a fewpeople, done some very unscrupulous things for some terrible people in order toget what she needs for her experiments. All very super villain stuff. Whethershe has a record depends entirely on whether or not she has ever been caught,and I doubt she has been since it took her until level 15 to get murdered. She didat the very least have a reputation, one that probably set those paladins onher in the first place.

29:Is your OC wild/ reckless or do they tend to stay on the safe side inside theircomfort zone?

Oh,Az’ar definitely prefers the safety of her comfort zone, ie, her wizard’s tower,where she lives and works and basically does everything, and she prefers tosend her familiar, Isamene, out if she needs anything.

Sheloves order and predictability, because, like, the last time she was at all recklessand wild, it ended with her having to fight her entire tribe in order to escapethe Shadowfell, so… she tries not to do that anymore. She is a planner, she hasplans within plans and contingency plans on top of contingency plans, just incase, because she hates surprises and doesn’t want anything to interfere withher work.

Obviously,she didn’t count on an Archfiend taking interest in her enough to disrupt her contingencyplans, but I guess you can’t plan for everything.

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For Celandine! My precious af pyromaniac gnomish student wizard.

10.) What type of people does your OC idolize the most?

Celandine’s biggest idols tendto be powerful wizards and innovators: Mordenkainen, Elminster, Tasha (sinceshe’s like the only female wizard of renown, fucking sexists). But notRaistlin, because Raistlin is a dick. She wants to be as powerful as them someday,travelling the planes like it’s no big deal, stamping her names on spellseveryone knows and uses.

21.) How much of an attention seeker is your OC?Oh man. It’s hard to say; she’sa total know-it-all, so she’s definitely the kid who raises her hand for everyquestion even if she’s answered the last ten and no one else has gotten totalk, and she loves to prove that she’s the smartest in the room, so she definitelydoesn’t shy away from it. And with the stunts she pulls…            I guess it depends on the arena.She wants to be the center of attention when it comes to academia, and definitelywants to be considered a famous thaumaturgic engineer when she grows up, withlike 50 spells to her name.            But she definitely doesn’t wantto be the center of attention in, say, gym class. Though she usually does anywaybecause she is Bad at sports and only recently got Mr. Strongjaw to excuse herfrom most of the exercises. 

25:How does your OC see their own value in comparison to other people?

I think Celandine thinks she’s morevaluable than like… 80% of the other students, or at least more valuable thananyone she doesn’t have any use for. She’s a brilliant mind, she’s going tochange the world, of course she’s more important than those druids who areconstantly high or the rogues who have to take advantage of poor naïve paladinsto get ahead.

That said, while she does think she’sbetter than most of the school or, hell, most people she meets, she doesn’tthink the same of her friends, even though they’re not as smart as she is. Sheknows they have other valuable traits—kindness and courage and cleverness and thelike— hell, they’ve decided to let her into their group, as abrasive as sheknows she is, so they must have recognized her genius and in recognizing her,there’s definitely something valuable in them.            (Also even though none of themare as smart as she is, she hates it when anyone calls them dumb. She’s definitelyset someone on fire for insulting Onion before. These are her friends, and you deserve pain and burnination if you hurt them).

[jkbaws]

What are 5 of your favorite rp tumblrs, whether it be for their writing or the mun's personality?

honestly when i saw everyone getting this ask, i was nervous about getting it too because i’ve gone through krp for so many years and it’s impossible to simply pick a top 5. plus i know i’m gonna ramble like mad. seeing who others are putting is influencing my choices quite a bit as well, since some are also mutuals of mine and have been wonderful writing partners. but oh well. no one’s going to report me for cheating, right?

@dalchu - we’ve been at this for years and they’ve been the person who has gone through the most changes and growth with me. it’s been tradition for us to make muses in pairs. they’re practically my ride or die. i always come to them for any kind of advice in terms of both krp and outside of it, and their opinions have a lot of clarity. i can count on them to set me straight. it’s kind of rare to keep close bonds here that lasts for years so i’m really grateful for having a solid one with such a reliable person. not just that, they’re a great writer, too. their blog doesn’t have much yet since they’ve only made a comeback recently but you’ll see what i mean just from the few threads that they have. they’re an rper who really cares about character study, and someone really thorough about creating muses whether they’re gen, oc, or au. for that, i always enjoy writing with them (even if it may take time) and discussing headcanons. in general, i just genuinely relish in their company. i can say for sure they really, really know me best and i’d like to continue what friendship we have. a krp experience isn’t complete without them.

@yeolkeot - i bug them a lot about rping with me and they tolerate me either way. i’ve made many muses in pairs with them too and i’ll make plenty more if they so wish. since meeting them, i’ve been able to fulfill a lot of aus that i wasn’t too motivated to do back then. they’re even the brilliant mind behind the new sub-verse au i’m about to make for this muse. i throw any kind of plot at them and they’ll integrate it. they’re just always down for anything. to me, one of the really important things in krp is having someone be as enthusiastic as me when plotting and writing in general and they do exactly that. and i’ll always hype up their writing because? yes. i know i mock them in front of their face but it’s all out of love. they can break any writing rule and still pull it off. their delivery always has so much emotion and it fits any character that they write for. i wanna show off all their muses so bad because seriously!! you could see better for yourself. but i’m not trying to violate them. i do strongly recommend writing with them. they’re really awesome. funny, insightful, and very kind as well.

@seoulvibin - i don’t think they get enough credit for their efforts here in krp. they have more info on their muse’s profile than wikipedia does of the idol. i admire this mun and their overwhelming love for g-dragon. big bang isn’t exactly a ‘trend’ anymore in this community. they would probably benefit more rping some new face and dropping this muse altogether. i know even i did at some point since i started out with my own big bang muse as well. but they’ve pulled through. they really did that. i wasn’t the biggest fan of g-dragon outside of big bang and i don’t have the most positive opinion on his character. but this mun has helped me see through the surface of the idol, which is another important aspect of rping a general muse, imo. it’s what i’m personally striving for with my own muse. they do a good job with that and i’m thankful for being able to experience their muse. this is getting so repetitive but this is another buddy making paired muses with me. we’ve had a couple of muses whose plots coincide with each other. they’re fun to plot with and they give off a lot of positive energy. i think i’ve been a happier person since having them around.

@baudellare - ehu… this list wouldn’t be right at all without them in it. they’re probably my favorite person to brainstorm with. i could come up with some idea that’s just baloney but they’ll be able to make sense out of it. seeing their thought process in our chats is just incredible. they’re very creative which makes it so fun piecing ideas together with them. it’s not often that we get to talk but when we do it’s always so fruitful. there’s bound to be some new headcanon or new future plot for any of our muses. i’ve been able to write some of the cutest and funniest things with them, and we’ve written some pretty serious threads too that i equally enjoyed. it’s mostly been on two of my muses, two of which has a stark contrast between each other and yet they can match the atmosphere flawlessly. they’re a versatile writer. they share a lot of wisdom to me. talking and writing with them always makes me learn new things and more things about myself as a person and as a writer.

@jaeneral - this one, i haven’t known for very long but, we vibe really well. just the fact that it hasn’t been long but we’ve already done some crazy threads is amazing on its own. they’re so eager to write and it’s so endearing, especially when they express how much motivation they have over our threads. i’m touched. i don’t hear about people getting excited to write with me very much huhu. and it helps with my motivation, really. i’m enthusiastic about our wild plots too, i just wish i could show it more by responding faster. i really do wish i can keep up with them because they have a lot of great ideas. they always tell me it can be unbecoming for a general muse but honestly whatever. they’re just like any other human being and we’re here to write out those human sides of them. this mun has a lot to offer. go ahead and follow, you won’t regret it.

aaaand i just wanna give a quick shoutout to @baskuiat (yeah, you) because they’re responsible for the improvement in my writing. it used to be so shitty (shittier) back then but we just wrote and wrote and wrote nonstop. simpler days when we would actually be able to finish a thread. i’ll always look back to them fondly. also to @1konic because they’ve helped me adjust through the changes in krp. i was gone for quite a while and jumped into chaos but they were there looking out for me, making sure i was comfortable in what content i was writing and what platform i’m using. last but not least, @consilian. i was set on writing a lengthy message on why they’re brilliant but i cheated enough. this isn’t even just one extra person from what was asked. i just have to point out, they’re getting so much love for a reason. they broke the multi-muse stereotype for me and i’ve learned to better understand how difficult it is for people like them. they’re a great writer, friend, and person in general. everyone should give them and multi-muses a chance.